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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07467	The admirable history of the posession and conuersion of a penitent woman Seduced by a magician that made her to become a witch, and the princesse of sorcerers in the country of Prouince, who was brought to S. Baume to bee exorcised, in the yeare 1610, in the moneth of Nouember, by the authority of the reuerend father, and frier, Sebastian Michaëlis, priour of the couent royall of S. Magdalene at Saint Maximin, and also of the said place of Saint Baume. Who appointed the reuerend father, Frier Francis Domptius, Doctor of Diuinity, in the Vniuersity of Louaine, ... for the exorcismes and recollection of the acts. All faithfully set down, and fully verified. Wherunto is annexed a pneumology, or discourse of spirits made by the said father Michaëlis, ... Translated into English by W.B.	Michaelis, Sébastien, 1543?-1618.; W. B., fl. 1613-1617.	1613 (1613)	STC 17854; ESTC S107052	483,998	666

Mother Vncle and Aunt and almost all the kindred of Louyse were damned that it was thought fit that shee should speake this with her owne mouth and that he himself was constrained to reueale that they were damned saying Louyse of a truth thy father and mother are damned in Hell Who would euer haue told Iohn Cappeau and Louyse de Baume that their daughter would openly publish vnto the world their eternall damnation I doe not conceiue Louyse that thy heart is made of stone Then Louyse wept very bitterly so that the Assembly was so melted with compassion that they all fell a weeping also After that Verrine had for a season keept silence vpon the sudden he cryed out againe the father of thy father the father of thy mother the father of thy grandfather and the father of thy grand-mother and all thy kindred be damned then hee said the King of France of happy memory was an Heretick but died in the state of grace father Romillon the superiour of Louyse was also an heretick but now he is her spirituall father also Louyse her selfe was at the first brought vp after the fashion of hereticks Then Verrine began to cry that God might do well to vse the seruice of a Queene or a Princesse in a worke of this nature in the which if hee had made choice of Vrsula who was a Queene or some such as shee was it were not to be wondred And directing his speech vnto God hee said Why diddest thou not rather chuse a Queene or an Empresse then this worme here But thou wilt reply that thou hast no need of thy creatures but that they haue neede of thee that thou art alwaies ready to bestow vpon thē if they wil further co-operate with thy heauenly pleasure that it sufficeth thee to finde a soule framed disposed vnto that which thou wouldest impose vpon it Of a truth Louyse thou hast begged at Gods hands to suffer the paines of hell if it might be agreeable vnto him and this thou hast desired for the enlarging of his glory yet that this might bee without any finall depriuation of the sight of God according to thy request God hath yeelded vnto thy petition because thou diddest put thy selfe vpon his pleasure and diddest not indent with him to suffer after such such a fashion but diddest make a free offer of thy selfe to be disposed by him as hee pleased And the truth is all shall redound to the glory of God to the exaltation of his Church and to the aduancement of thy calling yet art thou to expect nothing but confusion and shame hereby which thou doest confesse thou hast well deserued to wit all sorts of iniuries and reproachfull contempts which thou canst suffer for his loue It is true Michaelis thou diddest indeed affirme that thou haddest an inspiration infused into thee to put such an intended reformation in practise I tell thee it is rather a reuelation but thy humility was pleased to giue it that modest appellation for those that are humble had rather call it by that name I tell you that the Reuelation of Michaelis the inspiration of Romillon and the will of God doe make a Trinitie that is one thing in three for the other two are dissolued into the will of God If two different persons do meet in the concurrence of friendship I affirme that there is but one heart and one soule so when the creatures conforme their wil vnto the wil of God they haue then the same will with God After many other discourses hee swore in behalfe of the sacred Trinity and of all the church triumphant and militant to the confusion of all Diuels and to his owne vtter disgrace and shame which oath he tooke in great solemnity vpon the blessed sacrament disauo●ing all double and sinister intention Moreouer he called Belzebub and all his companions saying vnto them speake now if you haue any thing to reply if I haue keept in any thing that is fit to be reuealed I promise you to deliuer it for all this not one of them dared so much as to grumble Then Verrine began to cry in the presence of the blessed Sacrament how admirable is thy power great God who hast permitted yea and commanded the Diuels to bring hither to his Church Magicians and witches to bee informed of that which from thee I am constrained to speake against them Hell is diuided and in distraction it waxeth feeble and the cousonages and subtleties thereof are dismasked Lewes the Magician shall exorcise the witchcrafts of the house of S. Vrsula are at an end and all the sisters shall be deliuered except Louyse and Magdalene who are to goe to Rome where Verrine by the mouth of Louyse with Magdalene shall make his declarations The same day Verrine said to Magdalene giue the keyes of thy house to God who is the father of thy family as the soule is the mistresse and the body the seruant of the same giue the keyes to God the Father the staffe of command vnto the Sonne and the fewell that is in thy house vnto the holy Ghost for they will setle a good order there which is beyond the spheare of thy power to accomplish The same day also Verrine was asked how hee meant that Moses was in the terrestriall Paradise because the Scripture mentioneth his death Hereunto he answered Hee may well be dead and yet be in the terrestriall Paradise too according to his body for God might raise him vp to life because he is one of the foure trumpets who are appointed in the last daies of the world to denounce the iudgements of God to the foure parts of the earth and it is certaine that neither his body nor the body of Iohn the Euangelist could euer be found But some man may heere cauill that the Apocalypse mentioneth but two witnesses to wit Enoch and Elias whom Antichrist shal put to death Verrine answered that which Iohn hath said of the two witnesses is a firme truth yet doth hee not exclude others but maketh mention onely of them that were to giue testimony of God by their death and not of Iohn or Moses who had already tasted of the same Then he said that his ranke was amongst the number of Thrones and that hee had command ouer three legions of Angels That the greatest ruine and downfall that was in heauen was the fall of Thrones that all the Princes and heads of all the orders were fallen that the greatest breach was made by the ruine of Thrones and that therefore God would fill vp his breach by the meanes and labours of Thrones He further added that Belzebub had tempted Adam and himselfe Eue and spake to her in the shape of the Serpent but in all his temptations which hee vsed towards her hee euer retained the face of a gitle The same day in the euening the Dominican father exorcised in the beginning whereof Verrine began to gibe and to

d Lewes the Magician brought into the Chapel e They were saine to keeps the Chapel doore shut because of the throng of people f The markes found by the Physitians vpon the Magician g The friuolous question of the Magician h Magdalenes accusation and stoutnesse against the Magician i Magdalene did afterwards make relation of this vnto vs for we were not present at their confrontments but the commissiaries haue the acts of these things in their hands k The difference betwixt the heart of a Catholicke and the heart of a Magician When God doth not operate all is endarkned but when he beginneth to put his operations in act euery thing thereby receaueth life and light as appeareth in the worke of the Creation Gen. 1. Now by reason of this participation of Magicians with Lucifer they are not onely possessed with obstinacy and blindnesse but also with a diabolicall rage which we haue formerly touched l O wretched Magicians can you haue any affiance in Deuils pu● your trust in your good God Quia fidelis Dominus in omnibus verbis suis sanctus in omnibus operibus suis. m The Vestments of Priests m The strange manner of Magdalens running vpon her knees n This woman was bewitched by the Magician concerning which there is mention made in the sentence giuen against the said Magician o It is the manner which some haue welobserued to be vsuall among Diuels that they hate others that come vpon their ground possessions which proceedeth from their pride enuy p A charme giuen by the Magician q Ye that are sinners consider seriously how grieuous the punishments are vnto which your sins make you liable r The horrible and rude handling vsed by the Diuels towards Magdalene s The Diuels haue no power to bite consecrated fingers t Mens conuersions from those faults that are enormous doe ord●narily goe by degrees succession as hath been experienced in the conuersion of Magdalene which at length was perfected vp approoued by the markes that departed from her A demonstration or externall embleme hereof is in the blinde man in S. Mark chap. 8. vpon whom Christ Iesus laid his hands two seuerall times so at first he began to see imperfectly afterwards his sight became more perfect u He conceited that it was nothing but imagination not hauing been much conuersant with her that was possessed The Diuels that were in the bodies of some harmelesse and innocent sisters of S. Vrsula vpon their being Exorcised did say wee will depart from hence in time but wee are already prouided of a body to enter into it at our pleasure Yet would we not iudge this to be ment de indiuiduo x The great charity of two Capuchin fathers y In the Acts of the Apostles the 19. chapter The handkerchifes of Saint Paule being applied vnto those that were possessed did chace away euill spirits z The Deuils are oftentimes constrained to reueale the bodies relicks of Saints as appeareth by the Ecclesiasticall histories concerning the bodies of those notable Saints Iohn and Paule whom Iulian the Apostata had caused secretly to bee hid as he also ●ndeauoured to silence the memoriall of their Martyrdome But they were knowne by an vndeceiuable marke which is by the miracles that were wrought by them which doe beare a more assured witnesse of them when they are dead then when they are aliue as was seene in the person of Christ Iesus for in mens life time they are not alwayes ineuitable arguments of predestin●tion Mat. 7.1 Cor. 13. but they are certaine tokens of the same after their death And by this point shall Antichrist be discouered euen by his own that shall beleeue in him a An excellent dialogue betweene one of the fathers and the Diuell b As if this miserable obstinate and blind spirit should say that there was good cause of their reuolt so to excuse and make good his sin c He returneth to his first speech where he complaineth of God d Like vnto sundry theues that are possessed with diuers towers euery one standing vpon his owne guard or like two doggs snarling one against the other when they both are gnavving of a bone e Behold the consummation and perfection of true contrition abneget semetipsum f Oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram g Holy Fryday a day fit apt for remission of sinnes h Tharasque is a monsterous Dragon that deuoured men at Tharascon●n ●n Prouince and afterwards was s●●ne by S. Martha i O notable Miracle being performed vpon the blessed day of Easter at the time of holy Masse by the vertue of the worthy receauing of the body of Christ Iesus al being wrought by the power of God who is alone able to enlifen that which is dead the Diuel hauing no power to quicken the least branch of a tree after it is once withered vp and dryed Thus doth God by his bounty and Omnipotency take from vs the stampe of the Diuel which is sin in steed thereof setteth vpon vs the scale of his grace by quickning putting life into our soules These are notable hansels and tokens of Easter day k For Antony they say Tony. l Meaning that men doe not goe so presently to Paradise m Obserue heere good Christian by these fore passed euents and by those accidents that doe now happen shall heereafter follow what extraordinary torments God by his iust iudgments imposeth vpon those that haue transgressed against him For whē he would seate this distressed sinner in the state of grace he loaded her patience with many paines that did draw neer vnto the torments of hell and that by the ministery of her cruell enemies the Diuels and without compassion vnto the outward man● Secundum mensu●am delicti c. n It is a great light of God when corpor●l torments a●e not so much ●stee●●d as internall temptations a In like manner vpon the blessed feast of Easter the markes of the Diuell were perfectly taken from her as the tokens and hansell of her conuersion Tertul. lib. de anima Marc. 16. Tertul. lib de Testim animae Hierom. lib 15. commen in Esai ad c. 47. Tertul. lib. de anima Hierom. lib. 8. in Esai ad cap. 27. Leuit. 15. Deuter. 1. Luc. 1. Act 1. S. Thom. 2.29 95. art 8. August serm 2. in Psal. 30. Plat. in Cratil S. August in Epist 102. calleth them Daemonicolas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshippers of Diuels Vpon the 96. Psal. where he tearmeth them worse then Idolaters August lib. 20. contr Faust. Tertul. lib. de testi ani Tertul. lib. de nima August lib 13. contr Faust. Mani cap. 15. Chrysost. hom 2.11 Epist. ad Heb. hom 10. in 1. Epist. ad Timoth. Aug. lib. de ciuit Dei cap. 18. Lib. 1. Metaph. cap. 1. Exod. 16. Lib. 8 Physic. Lib. 12. Metaph text 48. Ezech. 1. S. Thom. lib. 2. cont gent. c. 92 Lib. 2. Metaph. lib. 2. de

conscience hauing at that time many inspirations Being demanded why the Magician so often opened the window of the refectorie where he abode and that in the midst of Winter he answered because that sometimes their assemblie is held aboue on the top of the house and then hee had commerce with the Witches calling vpon the Diuels for fauour and saying Diabolos venite in adintorium meum being reprooued for his in congruitie of speech he answered that he reported the words of the Magician in the same sort as he pronounced them for he can not speake Latine said he Being demanded wherefore he went so often to the garden next the refectorie hee answered that all the while he stayed at Saint Baume the assemblie of Witches was alwayes held the neerest they could to the place where hee was to the end they might the more easily haue conference with him Being demanded whence it came to passe that eating with vs in the refectorie hee left vpon his trencher all the meate that was giuen him he answered smiling is he a man fit to seede vpon your fish he eates of the flesh of pies which wee bring him from the assemblie inuisible Being demanded why hee walked so often with his head hanging downe hee answered that he then walked with the witches Being demanded wherefore hee being inioyned to lie all night in the holy house could not abide there but a litle while hee answered that it was because the assembly could not be held there which he must of necessity be present at At night at the second exorcisme Belzebub being demanded and adiured to tell how it came to passe that so great a number of Princes were in the body of Magdalene hee answered shee is a Princesse and deserues well to be honoured of Princes Being demanded whether the punishments imposed on the Magician were not of force to bring him to some grieuous disease or to death he answered yes for that he suffered from the head to the foote as if he had been in a continuall fire Notwithstanding out of his great obstinacy hee had demanded whether hee could not liue till the comming of Antichrist to assist him and to whet his rage and malice against Iesus Christ. To which I answered said hee that he could not it being onely in Gods power to effect that neuerthelesse hee should comfort himselfe in this that he did as great iniuries to Iesus Christ as Antichrist himselfe should bee able to doe and greater too but Antichrist cannot be begotten by thee as thou desirest said he for hee shall be borne of a Iewish woman and conceiued far enough from hence Being demanded whether the paines hee indured softned his heart he answered that they rather hardned him the more and that he would be well content to indure all the paines of the damned vpon condition hee might regaine Magdalene There is extant an example hereof in the hardnes of Pharaos heart among the plagues which God sent vpon him Being demanded whether his paines should bee grieuous after his death he answered if he be damned his punishment shall be more heauie then that of Lucifer for with more malice and lesse respect hath he been iniurious to Iesus Christ. The acts of the 30. of Ianuary being Septuagesima Sunday IN the morning Magdalene being willing to present her selfe for confession as shee was wont to father Michaelis Belzebub would not suffer her to kneele but ran diuers times towards the Church doore yet at length the forenamed father imposing on him very grieuous punishments if he suffered her not to confesse Hee replyed impose all these punishments on the Magician who commanded me to doe it and command him also to forbeare me if I shall suffer her to confesse Which when the said father had performed in the vertue of Gods name and the bloud of Iesus Christ Magdalene returned to her selfe and being in her sound and perfect sense made her confession After this at the Masse of father Francis Billet he comted great outrages plucking the Priest by his cope and taking hold of him hee also cryed aloud and hindred his deuotion Being exorcised after the Masse and adiured to yeeld the reason of his vnusuall out-rage hee answered vpon Sunday the Magician endeuoureth to doe the greatest iniury he can to Iesus Christ. Hee came to me this morning and said in despite of God I will vse my greatest rage in the Church this day doe thou the same at the Masse of thine Exorcist He hath confessed to day said he at Acoules and cast forth gentle soft cries as he was taking the confessions and being demanded by the women whose confessions he tooke why he did so he answered that hee found himselfe some-what ill but in very deed his greatest torments were the punishments imposed on him by the Priest Being adiured diuers times in the name of God to shew the meanes how the Magician might be inforced to render back Magdalens obligations he would answere nothing remaining as it were dumbe at last after many grieuous punishments imposed he answered that they should neuer be rendred vnlesse that he were either conuerted or punished by iustice or dead of a naturall death and yet said he after death they cannot be restored neither being buried deepe in the earth Being demanded why hee had not rendred them when hee was commanded by father Michaelis being Priour of the place and Inquisitour of the faith hee answered that Lewes was not subiect to him but to his Bishop Being adiured and commanded to goe to Marseille and to bring the writings thither hee answered that it could not bee done without the consent of the Magician who had them in keeping And further added that in vaine men seeke after those kinde of writings for before they can come to the houses where they are the Diuels conuay them some-where else in vaine also quoth he doe they search after those who are either slaine or wounded for they cast the dead carkases either into the sea or into some riuer neere adioyning and for such as are hurt if the wound bee not deadly they know how to couer and heale it with an oyntment notwithstanding they remaine sick and when the wound is deadly they conuay away the witches some-where else and in this fashion many women are made away if heed were taken of it At night at the entrance of the Exorcismes Belzebub began to torment Magdalene in fearfull manner causing her to tremble euery ioint and making her head to tumble some-while backwards and againe suddenly forward euen to her belly beating the earth with both her hands in so much as they were inforced to put a cushion vpon the ground for her to beat vpon notwithstanding shee still vexed her selfe and this continued for the space of aboue halfe an houre Being adiured to tell why he tormented her so terribly hee answered that it was because shee had submitted her selfe to her superiour Afterwards Belzebub

time of the Lent by many perswasions diligently exhorted him there-unto saying that hee who had as vpon that day forgiuen those that had crucified him would take pitty vpon him that had handled him a thousand-fold more strangely and ignominiously so that the Magician was determinatly bent to make confession of his witch craft vnto Iustice as afterwards he accordingly performed This Crosse is the instrument and this death of Christ Iesus is the efficient cause of the remission of all our sinnes be they neuer so enormous or numberlesse As Magdalene was hearing the Passion sermon at a window of the Arch-bishops house otherwise called the Chapter-house father Michaelis who was at that time the preacher did inueigh against Magiciās whereupon Belzebub began to say aloud there is no small number of them in the citty of Aix and afterward added there is a Frier in this assembly that is fallen a sleep and indeed they found that one of those who was wont to watch with the said Magician in prison did at that time slumber a little being sate amongst the people Vpon holy Saturday Magdalene in token of her humility and obedience tooke the besome to sweepe ●he chamber whereat the Diuell grumbled and cryed very fiercely And when the Confessor would haue confessed her Belzebub did so dull her and make her sleepie that she remained without motion iust as a pillar of brasse And after many Exorcismes Prayers and Impositions of punishments shee came to her selfe and Belzebub departed from her Whilest the Exorcisme yet continued he returned againe and thrust a pinn in Magdalenes eare which caused much paine and anguish vnto her shee crying and pointing to the said pinne but they could not pluck it forth with their fingers and were forced to haue litle pincers to draw it forth by maine strength Belzebub being adiured to tell what his purpose was in bringing the said pinne thither Hee answered I haue taken the same from vnder the heart of the Magician and it was put there to shut vp his heart and make it obstinate for it is charmed and inchanted And I haue put it into the eare of this Dragon Tharasque for so he called Magdalene to hinder her from hearing the word of God and all wholesome instructions The Acts of the third of Aprill being Sunday and Easter-day VPon Easter day Belzebub at the time of Masse did in a restlesse manner vex and torment himselfe casting himselfe on the ground crying and offering to goe out of the Chapel and at the last hee slipped out indeed That night at supper Belzebub did nothing but grumble and father Francis Billet said vnto him Why doest thou snarle thus Canst thou not let the poore woman suppe in quyet Then hee answered I haue a secret to tell thee whether I will or no. In the morning when I did so turmoyle my selfe at Masse the reason was because that Fortitude did lay his command vpon mee offering to force mee to take off my markes from Magdalene which I was constrained to doe presently after the Communion Question her whether shee did not suffer great anguish and paine in euery part about her vpon which these markes were branded when I tooke them off from her which the woman confessed but did not then know any reason of the same the places also where these markes remained were searched which then had sense and feeling and were able then to yeeld bloode whereas before they were deaded vp and made insensible and not a drop of bloud would fall from them but would rattle and make a noise like parchment when it is pierced with a knife Magdalene further said since my conuersion I was much agreeued with my selfe to haue the Diuels marks still stamped vpon mee but I dared not to pray vnto God for the abolishment of them although hee then knew and hath since granted my desire Belzebub being againe adiured did deliuer that Fortitude had reuealed vnto him that this was obtayned by the prayers of the blessed Virgin S. Iohn Baptist S. Michael S. Peter and S. Paul and they that did execute this commandement were Fortitude and Cleare-sight He further said that God had extended this singular fauour towards her to take away the opinion of some who conceaued that Magdalene was not yet thorowly conuerted and to giue assurance vnto her that she was no longer in the Diuels clawes that so she might with courage and resolution persist in that which was so well begunne The Acts of Easter-Monday being the 4. of Aprill AT the morning exorcismes the Chapel was locked vp by reason of the prease of people that flocked thither And Frier Anthony Boilletot the companion of father Michaelis comming towards the Chapel Belzebub cryed Open the doore for behold Tony would come in for so he called the said father after the rude manner of the pesants in the countrey of Prouince and iust as he said so it was And there being put vnto his back de ligno crucis Belzebub cryed out and said I doe wonderfully feare and tremble at this and being adiured to tell why hee said It was part of the wood that touched the back of Christ Iesus The Acts of Easter-Tewsday being the 5. of Aprill MOnsieur Garandeau Vicar generall died this day in the morning and Belzebub whilest Masse was saying spake aloud these words Garandean is dead I was at his death to try whether I could gaine him and laboured to stagger his faith but I could doe no good vpon him he is now in the hands of the Almighty A good honest woman who was there present hauing heard what hee had spoken said I make no doubt but he is now in Paradise where-unto the Diuell said Soft and faire soft and faire It is to be remembred that all this while Magdalene was racked and exceedinglie tormented The Acts of Wednesday being the 6. of Aprill AS the Father who was Gardian of the Capuchins was searching after a marke in one of Magdalenes feete Belzebub gaue him a box on the eare where-upon being exorcised and adiured he was constrained with great submission and sorrow to aske him forgiuenesse At the euening Exorcisme Belzebub said that on Easter day at 4. of the clock in the morning hee went to hell to craue counsell of Lucifer what hee should doe with Lewes who already began to shake and prooue irresolute he told him that he was to perswade Lewes to recant that so hee might haue his life saued otherwise he was but a dead man and bid him sit vpon his tongue and speake for him because said he he is a very dotterell which is a foolish kinde of bird stopping and stammering at euery word But in other things Belzebub was to make him as meeke as a lambe that men might haue a good opinion of him The Acts of Thursday being the 7. of Aprill FAther Romillon was of opinion that it was fit to cut close Magdalens haire because shee tooke such delight in the yellow

of Aegypt which when shee vnderstood by her chambermaid she was exceedingly moued with a violent desire to see this nouelty neuerthelesse shee did command her longings so well that she did not interrupt her first resolution And when vpon a day this sauage man passed by her house and her selfe was in the chamber that looked out into the street by which he was to passe although she heard the noyse and cries in the streets as the fashion of the common sort of people is when they see any strange spectacle yet did shee so strongly represse her passions that shee would not so much as come vnto the window to see him whereof she not long afterward died It shall also be sufficient to select from ecclesiasticall histories that example which Theodoret relateth of the Matrons of Rome who when they saw that their husbands the Senators and others dared not to intercede to the Emperour in fauour of Liberius the Pope of Rome whom he had causelesly banished for that hee would not consent to the bringing in of Heresie they resolued among themselues to goe vnto the Court where with their cries and importunity they neuer left vntill the Emperour had called back their chiefe Pastor from banishment The Scripture also is plentifull in these examples Iudith and Hester will sufficiently exemplifie the goodnesse of women that loue God and Iosephs mistrisse with Iesabell will fully declare the violence of those that abandon themselues to euill And as we see by experience euen in these daies that sober and vertuous women although in their nature they are most propense vnto compassion yet they are they that cast the first stones against Sorcerers and cry louder then the rest to haue them burnt so contrariwise Sorceresses are more obstinate and more addicted vnto witchcrafts and doe with lesse remorse of conscience plunge themselues into the most execrable facts that may bee then men so that it is certaine that women are imployed to strangle children and to carry and present them to the Diuell and to make a kind of oyntment of their grease but Sorcerers and men Witches doe seldome or neuer dip their fingers in these bloody actions Hence is the reason grounded why the first prohibition to practise witchcraft whereof mention is made in the Law of God was addressed to women and not to men as Sanctes Pagninus hath well obserued saying that whereas in the two and twentieth chapter of Exodus wee haue it in the plurall number Maleficos non patieris viuere it is in the fountaine of the Hebrew expressed by the word Mechashepha which signifieth a woman witch and then the sense is thus Thou shalt not suffer a Sorceresse to liue because saith hee it is a trade more ordinary and vsuall vnto women then vnto men And this appeareth by the history of Saul who when he had formerly put to death all manner of Magicians and Witches yet at the last seeing himselfe forsaken of God for his iniquities hee resolued to resort vnto the Diuell and to that purpose hee demanded his seruants whether there were any woman witch left or no Looke me out saith he one that hath a Spirit that I may goe vnto her and may by her procurement bee aduertized of what I desire to know Where we are to obserue that Saul did not aske whether there were a man that was a witch but whether there were any woman witch as if he should haue said that notwithstanding all that he had done against them it could not be but that there remained yet aliue some woman or other of this occupation and in truth it is almost impossible to discouer them so easily as men The conclusion was Saul was not deceiued in his expectation for his Courtiers who doe oftentimes make their repaire vnto such people as the custome of them is did redily name one vnto him vnto whom when Saul came shee began to make her protestations that she was an honest woman and would for no good attempt such a thing which was prohibited both by God and the King but being a little foothed vp with faire promises shee quickly made the Diuell to attend this seruice and therefore the Hebrewes are not contented to tearme them by appellations common vnto them all both men and women which we haue particularly collected in the former Chapter but would marke them out by a peculiar attribute which properly is to be vnderstood of women as may be seene in Helias the Leuite in his Thisby who reporteth according to the traditions of the Iewes that there are women whom they call the Diuels mothers and tearme them by this word Lilith which is deriued from another Hebrew word signifiing the night because they vse to goe secretly and in the night And this haue the Latines imitated or borrowed from the Hebrewes calling them Striges or Lamiae which signieth monsters and stranges birds that vse to goe in the finight And the said Helias further saith that a great Lord hauing asked the question of the ancient fathers of the Synagogue how it chanced that young children that are but eight daies old were so often times found suddently dead they answered him that they were Lilith who put them to death which is the appellation of Sorceresses for the Hebrew word is of the feminine gender as appeareth more plainely by the participle and feminine adiectiue which is ioyned with the word Lilith and also because hee saith that they were Nashim that is to say women And the Iewish women are so fully perswaded of the truth thereof for they are the most superstitious women of the world that they vse to make foure circles with chalke or with a cole on the outward parts of the chamber walles where they vse to lie and vpon euery side or quarter of the chamber they make a circle writing in one of them the name of Adam in the other the name of Eue in the third the word Huts which signifieth without and in the fourth the word Lilith as if they should haue said as I conceiue it Adam and Eue are the first Parents and Progenitors of mankind and therefore get you hence all witchcrafts whatsoeuer Within the chamber they write the names of the Angels whom they thinke to bee protectors of their children to wit Senoy Sansenoy and Samangueloph saying that Lilith did teach the Iewish women to doe this before shee died where it is to bee supposed that this was the name of some great Sorceresse heeretofore much renouned amongst them whom therefore they called Lilith because shee commonly went in the night and it is probable shee taught her daughters or some others all the superstitions and art she had before her death and afterward in processe of time such kind of women were called Lilith Howsoeuer it be this discourse of Helias the Leuite doth sufficiently declare the antiquitie of Sorcerers that goe by night and strangle young children and hee doth there assure vs that these things

as Arias Montanus hath well obserued For mention hereof is made in Osea where it is said Populus meus in ligno suo interrogauit baculus eius annunciauit ei And it may bee that the Diuell did inuent this custome to counterfait Moyses who vsed a staffe or a rod in the working of his great miracles and mention is also made of Aarons rod that budded and miraculously brought forth fruit As for the oyntment wherewithall they annoint their staues and bodies it is certaine that the Diuel the better to abuse these people and to cloake and couer his owne malice doth make a compound of sundry idle and vneffectuall ingredients as of hearbes rootes and the like for the diuell knoweth full well that this medley is not a whit powerfull to transport their bodies thorow the ayre from one place to another and experience it selfe doth also sufficiently auow the same So that he doth this to couer his malicious ends and his aime is leuelled at no other marke then to commit murthers and imbrue their hands in sheading of blood as doth cleerely appeare by the depositions of all Sorcerers who doe concurre and agree vpon this point that at the first it sufficeth if they can borrow oyntment of their neighbours but when they are at the assembly the Diuell doth declare vnto them that they are to haue oyntment of their owne and that it cannot be effectuall and for their purpose vnlesse they get the grease of young children that haue been strangled by them It is then vndoubtedly true that all these hearbes and flowers are nothing else but Parerga that is to say things that serue for no vse but to set a glosse and colour vpon that which is their principall and primary intention as when a Painter draweth some lines or florishes about the border of a perfect portrature And these are the goodly workes which Aben Ezra doth in more obscure tearmes mention Helias the Leuite reporteth that Lilith that is to say a woman that wanders by night vsed secretly to steale into the bed-chambers of those that are newly deliuered to kill young children that were not aboue eight daies old He also saith that the Therasins whereof the Scripture maketh mention could not be made without murther Saint Ierome writeth that Witches cast abroad their charmes by touching of dead bodies Attingunt inquit malefici corpora mortuorum and Tertullian doth inlarge himselfe in tearmes more perspicuous for our purpose saying Pluribus notum est daemoniorum quoque opera immaturas atroces effici mortes quas incur sibus deputant And a little before Per vim inquit iniuriam saeuus immaturus finis extorsit where he saith that the Diuell doth bring to passe all these goodly deuises of his by the meanes of those who haue vowed themselues vnto his seruice And therefore S. Augustine wondreth with himselfe and asketh a reason why God should permit that such massacres should bee committed vpon poore innocent children yea and vpon those who haue receiued the character of his Baptisme whereunto he answereth that this proceedeth from the iudgement of God which is hidden and remoued from our knowledge and if there were no other thing but the tribute which wee owe vnto death thorow originall sinne it would sufficiently conclude that God doth permit this according to all equity Neither is this so new a thing vnto vs since by diuine permission so many young children were slaine in Aegypt by Pharaoh and in Iudea by Herod vnto which these two Tyrants were incited by the instigations of the Diuell We are further to obserue what Apuleius writeth touching this argument who was a part of his owne history by seeing a young woman that was a Witch playing of her prankes before him whereupon he was accused to bee a Sorcerer and because thos● that were contaminated with this diuellish art were then put to death without mercy he was saine to make two Apologies thereby to purge himselfe of these crimes before the gouernours of Africke There are some that conceiue his history to bee meerely fabulous but as himselfe reporteth of a great Orator who when hee saw that Apulei●s would by no meanes credit that a man might bee carried thorow the ayre or transformed into an Owle tooke him vp short and told him Friend you talke like a young man that hath as yet made no experience of things which a●e so full of secresie and importance And he further reciteth that afterward he had experience of the truth of the same But that which giueth reputation and authority vnto his history is that S. Augustine doth oftentimes alleage him and doth not brand him with any hard opinion of lightnesse or fiction This Apuleius doth declare that on a certaine euening by the assistance of a chambermaid hee was brought about midnight to behold the mistrisse of the house wherunto he was guided annointing of her selfe with a certaine vnguent which she had within a pot and when she had made an end of besmearing her selfe shee was changed into an Owle and began to flie out of the house He also doth relate what the ingredients of this vnguent were to wit certaine aromaticall hearbe● and some parts of dead bodies that had beene buried and were digged vp againe for that purpose that all was boyled together in a great brason Caldron in Well water together with the milke of a Cow the hony of mountaines and other stuffe of the like nature vsing certaine magicall words ouer the whole compound And this we found also verified by the Witches that were condemned by the aboue cited sentence who confessed that they did boyle dead bodies whom they came and digged vp by night and with the grease of their kidne●es and cer●aine othe● hea●bes they made a certaine oyntment which they did vse From hence it did arise that the Romās of Apuleius his time did punish witches with death because they did violate the graues of the dead to pilfer from thence the bodies of those which lay there ●n●erred which is not onely repugnant to the law of nature but vnto the law of nations called Ius gentium For if those who forced open Sepulchres that they might from thence steale the iewels and rings which were buried with the dead corps were without mercy put to death as sacrilegious persons how much more seuerely ought they to bee punished who steale away the bodies themselues Which Apuleius also witnesseth relating that it was then the custome to hier certaine men to watch dead courses for feare least the Witches should come to gnaw and dismember them adding that himselfe one euening being set to watch a Course that lay in a certaine Hall there came a Weesell to gnaw the said Course but this being discouered by him the Weesell ran out at the hole thorow which it entred So that it is authentically true that the Diuell hath anciently practised this villany for seeing that himselfe cānot