upon them to work such wonders by sooth-saying sorcery or witch-craft are but liers deceivers and coseners according to Syrachs saying Sorcerie witch-craft sooth-saying and dreames are but vanity and the law shall be fulfilled without such lies God commanded the people that they should not regard them that wrought with spirits nor sooth-sayers for the estimation that was attributed unto them offended God CHAP. II. The place of Deuteronomie expounded whrein are recited all kind of witches also their opinions confuted which hold that they can worke such miracles as are imputed unto them THe greatest most common objection is that if there were not some which could worke such miraculous or supernaturall fears by themselves or by their devils it should not have been said Let none be found among you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go through the fire of that useth witch craft or is a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of fowles or a sorcerer or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a sooth-sayer or that asketh counsell of the dead or as some translate it that raiseth the dead But as there is no one place in the scripture that saith they can worke miracles so it shall be easie to prove that these were all coseners every one abusing the people in his severall kind and are accursed of God Not that they can do all such things indeed as there is expressed but for that they take upon them to be the mighty power of God and to do that which is the onely woâ—â— of him seducing the people and blaspheming the name of God when will not give his glory to any creature being himselfe the king of glory and omnipotency First I aske what miracle was wrought by their passing through the fire Truly it cannot be proved that any effect followed but that the people were bewitched to suppose their sinnes to be purged thereby 〈◊〉 the Spaniards think of scourging and whipping themselves So as Gods power was imputed to that action and so forbidden as an idolatrous sorcery What wonders worketh the regarder of times What other devil dealeth he withall than with the spirit of superstition Doth he not deceive himselfe and others and therefore is worthily condemned for 〈◊〉 witch What spirit useth he which marketh the flying of fowles Neverthelesse he is here condemned as a practiser of witch-craft because he coseneth the people and taketh upon him to be a prophet impiâ—â—â—ly referring Gods certaine ordinances to the flittering fethers and 〈◊〉 wayes of a bird The like effects produceth sorcery charming consultation with spirits sooth-saying and consulting with the dead 〈◊〉 every of the which Gods power is obscured his glory defaced and 〈◊〉 commandement infringed And to prove that these sooth-sayers and witches are but lying 〈◊〉 and coseners note these words pronounced by God himselfe even 〈◊〉 the selfe same place to the children of Israel Although the Gentiles 〈◊〉 themselves to be abused so as they give eare to these sorcerers 〈◊〉 he would not suffer them so but would raise them a prophet who shouâ—â— speak the truth As if he should say The other are but lying and coâ—â—â—sening mates deceitfull and undermining merchants whose abuses I 〈◊〉 make known to my people And that every one may be resolved herein let the last sentence of this precept be well weighed to wit Let 〈◊〉 be found among you that asketh counsell of or raiseth the dead First you know the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God 〈◊〉 resting with Lazarus in Abrahams bosome do sleepe in Jesus Christ And from that sleepe man shall not be raised till the heavens be 〈◊〉 more according to this of David Wilt thou shew wonders amoâ—â— the dead Nay the Lord saith the living shall not be taught by thâ— dead but by the living As for the unrighteous they are in hell when is no redemption neither is there any passage from heaven to earth 〈◊〉 by God and his angels As touching the resurrection and restauration 〈◊〉 body read Iohn 5. and you shall manifestly see that it is the only worke of the father who hath given the power thereof to the 〈◊〉 and to none other c. Dominus percuâ—ie ipse modetur Ego acoidâ—â— ego vivefaciam And in many other places it is written that God saveth life and being to all Although Plato with his master Socrates the chief pillars of these vanities say thâ—â— one Pamphilus was called up and of hell who when he earne among the people told many incredible tales concerning infernall actions But herein I take up the proverbs Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed major amica veritas So as this last precept or last part thereof extending to that which neither can be done by witch nor devill may well expound the other parts and points thereof For it is not meant hereby that they can do such things indeed but that they make men beleeve they do them and thereby cosen the people and take upon them the office of God and therewithall also blaspheme his holy name and take it in vain as by the words of charmes and conjurations doth appear which you shall see if you look into these words Habar and Idoni In like manner I say you may see that by the prohibition of divination by augurie and of sooth-sayings c. who are witches and can indeed do nothing but ly and cosen the people the law of God condemneth them not for that they can worke miracles but because they say they can do that which pertaineth to God and for cosenage c. Concerning other points of witch-craft contained therein and because some cannot otherwise be satisfied I will alledge under one sentence he decretals the mind of S. Augustine the councell Aurelian and the determination of Paris to wit Who so observeth or giveth heed unto sooth-sayings divinations witch-craft c. or doth give credit to any such he renounceth christianity and shall be counted a pagan and an enemy to God yea and he erreth both in faith and philosophy And the reason is therewithall expressed in the canon to wit Because hereby is attributed to a creature that which pertaineth to God onely and alone So as under this one sentence Thou shalt not suffer a poisoner or a witch to live is forbibden both murther and witch-craft and the murther consisting in poison the witch-craft in cosenage or blaspehmy CHAP. III. That women have used poisoning in all ages more than men and of the inconvenience of poisoning AS women in all ages have been counted most apt to conceive witch-craft and the devils speciall instruments therein and the onely or chiefe practisers thereof so also it appeareth that they have been the first inventers and the greatest practisers of poysoning and more naturally addicted and given thereunto than men according to the saying of Quintilian Latrocinium facilius in viro veneficium in foemina credam From whom Plinie differeth nothing
be said he was conveyed to Berwick and back agaiâ— by inchantment Fiftly he is not by conscience to be executed whicâ— hath no sound mind nor perfect judgement And yet forsooth we read that one mother Stile did kill one Saddocke with a touch on the shoulder for not keeping promise with her for an old cloak to make herâ— safeguard and that she was hanged for her labour CHAP. VIII What folly it were for withes to enter into such desperate perill 〈◊〉 to endure such intollerable tortures for no gain or commodity and bâ—â— it comes to passe that witches are overthrowne by their confessions ALas if they were so subtill as witch-mongers make them to be theâ— would espy that it were meer folly for them not onely to make bargain with the devill to throw their soules into hell fire but their bodies to the tortures of temporal fire and death for the accomplishmeâ—â— of nothing that might benefit themselves at all but they would at thâ— leastwise indent with the devill both to enrich them and also to enablâ— them and finally to endue them with all worldly felicity and pleasure which is furthest from them of all other Yea if they were sensible theâ— would say to the devill Why should I hearken to you when you 〈◊〉 deceive me Did you not promise my neighbour mother Dutton to saâ— and rescue her and yet lo she is hanged Surely this would appose thâ— devill very sore And it is a wonder that none from the beginning 〈◊〉 the world till this day hath made this and such like objections whereâ—â— the devill could never make answer But were it not more madnesse foâ— them to serve the devill under these conditions and yet to endurâ— whippings with iron rods at the devils hands which as the witch-mongers write are so set on that the print of the lashes remain upon the witches body ever after even so long as she hath a day to live But these old women being daunted with authority circumvented with guile constrained by force compelled by fear induced by error and deceived by ignorance do fall into such rash credulity and so are brought unto these absurd confessions Whose error of mind and blindnesse of will dependeth upon the disease and infirmity of nature and therefore their actions in that case are the more to be borne withall because they being destitute of reason can have no consent For Delictum sine consensu non potest commiti neque injuria sine animo injuriandi that is There can be no sinne without consent nor injury committed without a mind to do wrong Yet the law saith further that a purpose retained in mind doth nothing to the private or publique hurt of any man and much more that an impossible purpose is unpunishable Sanae mentis voluntas voluntas rei possibilis est A sound mind willeth nothing but that which is possible CHAP. IX How malancholy abuseth old women and of the effects thereby by sundry examples IF any man advisedly marked their words actions cogitations and gestures he shall perceive that melancholy abounding in their head and occupying their brain hath deprived or rather depraved their judgements and all their senses I meane not of cosening witches but of poor melancholike women which are themselves deceived For you shall understand that the force which melancholy hath and the effects that it worketh in the body of a man or rather of a woman are almost incredible For as some of these malancholike persons imagine they are witches and by witch-craft can worke wonders and do what they list so do other troubled with this disease imagine many strange incredible and impossible things Some that they are Monarches and Princes and that all other men are their subjects some that they are brute beasts some that they be urinals or earthen pots greatly fearing to be broken some that every one that meeteth them will convey them to the gallowes and yet in the end hang themselves One thought that Atlas whom the poets feigne to hold up heaven with his shoulders would be weary and let the skie fall upon him another would spend a whole day upon a stage imagining that he both heard and saw interludes and therewith made himselfe great sport One Theophilus a Phâ—sitian otherwise sound enought of mind as it is said imagined that he heard and saw musitians continually playing on instruments in a certain place of his house One Bessus that had killed his father was notably detected by imagining that a Swallow upraided him therewith so as he himselfe thereby revealed the murther But the notablest example hereof is of one that was in great perplexity imagining that his nose was as big as a house insomuch as no friend nor Physitian could deliver him from this conceipt nor yet either ease his grief or satisfie his fansie in that behalfe till at the last a Physitian more expert in this humor than the rest used this devise following First when he was to come in at the chamber door being wide open he suddenly stayed and withdrew himselfe so as he would not in any wise approach neerer then the door The melancholike person musing hereat asked him the cause why he so demeaned himselfe Who answered him in this manner Sir your nose is so great that I can hardly enter into your chamber but I shall touch it and consequently hurt it Lo quoth he this is the man that must do me good the residue of my friends flatter me and would hide my infirmity from me Well said the Physitian I will cure you but you must be content to indure a little pain in the dressing which he promised patiently to sustain and conceived certain hope of recovery Thâ—n entered the Physitian into the chamber creeping close by the walles seeming to feare the touching and hâ—rting of his nose Then did he blindfold him which being done he caught him bâ— che nose with a pair of pinsors and threw down into a tub which he had placed before his patient a great quantity of bloud with many piâ—câ— of bullocks livers which he had conveyed into the chamber whilest the others eyes were bound up and then gave him liberty to see and beholâ— the same He having done thus again two or three times the melancholike humor was so qualified that the mans mind being satisfied his griefe was eased and his disease cured Thrasibulus otherwise called Thrasillus being sore oppressed with the melancholike humor imagined that all the ships which arrived at porâ— Pyraeus were his insomuch as he would number them and command the mariners to lanch c. triumphing at their safe returnes and mourning for their misfortunes The Italian whom we called here in England the Monarch was possessed with the like spirit or conceipt Danar himself reporteth that he saw one that affirmed constantly that he 〈◊〉 a cocke and saith that through malancholy such were alienated froâ— themselves Now if the fansie of a melancholike person may be occupyed
another of fishes 〈◊〉 other of birds And therefore it is absolutely against the ordinance 〈◊〉 God who hath made me a man that I should fly like a bird or 〈◊〉 like a fish or creep like a worme or become an asse in shape 〈◊〉 much as if God would give me leave I cannot do it for it were conâ—ry to his own order and decree and to the constitution of any body which he hath made Yea the spirits themselves have their lawes and limits prescribed beyond the which they cannot passe one haires breadth otherwise God should be contrary to himselfe which is farre from him Nâ—â—â—ther is Gods omnipotency hereby qualified but the devils impotency manifested who hath none other power but that which God from 〈◊〉 beginning hath appointed unto him consonant to his nature and substance He may well be restrained from his power and will but beyond theâ—â— he cannot passe as being Gods minister no further but in that which hath from the beginning enabled him to do which is that he being spirit may with Gods leave and ordinance viciate and corrupt the 〈◊〉 and will of man wherein he is very diligent What a beastly assertion is it that a man whom GOD hath made according to his own similitude and likenesse should be by a witch turn into a beast What an impiety is it to affirme that an asses body is 〈◊〉 temple of the Holy Ghost Or an asse to be the child of God and 〈◊〉 to be his father as it is said of man Which Paul to the Corinthiaâ— divinely confuteth who saith that our bodies are the members of Christ. In the which we are to glorifie God for the body is for the Lord. 〈◊〉 the Lord is for the body Surely he meaneth not for an asses body by this time I hope appeareth in such wise as Bodin may go hide him 〈◊〉 shame especially when he shall understand that even into these our bodies which God hath framed after his own likenesse he hath also breathed that spirit which Bodin saith is now remaining within an asses body which God hath so subjected in such servility under the foot of man of whom God is so mindfull that he hath made him little lower than angels yea than himselfe and crowned him with glory and worship and made him to have dominion over the works of his hands as having put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea wolves asses and all other beasts of the field the foules of the air the fishes of the sea c. Bodins Poet Ovid whose Metamorphosis makes so much for him saith to the overthrow of this phantasticall imagination Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Iussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus The effect of which verses in this The Lord did set mans face so hie That he the heavens might behold And look up to the starry skie To see his wonders manifold Now if a witch or a devill can so alter the shape of a man as contrarily to make him look down to hell like a beast Gods works should not only be defaced and disgraced but his ordinance should be wonderfully â—tered and thereby confounded CHAP. VI. The witchmongers objections concerning Nabuchadnezzar answered and their error concerning Lycanthropia confuted MAlleus Maleficarum Bodin and many other of them that maintain witchcraft triumph upon the story of Nabuchadnezzar as though Circes had transformed him with her sorceries into an oxe as she did others into swine c. I answer that he was neither in body nor shape transformed at all according to their grosse imagination as appeareth both by the plaine words of the text and also by the opinions of the best interpreters thereof but that he was for his beastly government and conditions throwne out of his kingdome and banished for a time and driven to hide himselfe in the wildernesse therein exile to lead his life in aâ—beastly sort among beasts of the field and foules of the air for by the way I tell you it appeareth by the text that he was rather turned into the shape of a fowle than of a beast untill he rejecting his beastly conditions was upon his repentance and amendment called home and restored unto his kingdome Howbeit this by their confession was neither devils nor witches doing but a miracle wrought by God whom alone I acknowledge to be able to bring to passe such workes at his pleasure Wherein I would know what our witch-mongers have gained I am not ignorant that some write that after the death of Nabuchadnezzar his son Evilmorodath gave his body to the ravens to be devoured least afterwards his father should arise from death who of a beast became a man againe But this tale is meeter to have place in the Cabalisticall art to wit among unwritten verities than here To conclude I say that the transformations which these witchmongers do so rave and rage upon is as all the learned sort of Physitians affirme a disease proceeding partly from melancholy whereby many suppose themselves to be wolves or such ravening beasts For Lycanthropia is of the ancient Physitians called Lupina melancholia or Lupina insania I. Wierus declareth very learnedly the cause the circumstance and the cure of this disease I have written the more herein because hereby great princes and potentates as well as poor women and innocents have been deâ—amed and accounted among the number of witches CHAP. VII A speciall objection answered concerning transportations with the consent of diverse writers thereupon FhOr the maintenance of witches transportations they object the words of the Gospell where the devill is said to take up Christ and to set him on a pinnacle of the temple and on a mountain c. Which if he had done in manner and forme as they suppose it followeth not therefore that witches could do the like nor yet that the devil would do it for them at their pleasure for they know not their thoughts neither can otherwise communicate with them But I answer that if it were so grossely to be understood as they imagine it yet should it make nothing to their purpose For I hope they will not say that Christ had made any ointemnts or entred into any league with the devil by vertue thereof was transported from out of the wildernesse unto the top of the temple of Jerusalem or that the devill could have masteries over his body vvhose soul he could never lay hold upon especially when he might with a beck of his finger have called unto him and have had the assistance of many legions of angels Neither as I thinke will they presume to make Christ partaker of the devils purpose and sinne in that behalfe If they say This was an action wrought by the speciall providence of God and by his appointment that the scripture might be fulfilled then what gain our witchmongers by this place First for that they may not produce a
attended on oracles waxed â—eary of the peoples curiosity and importunity and for shame forsooke â—he temple But as one that of late hath written against prophesies saith â—t is no marvel that when the familiars that speak in truâ—ks were repelâ—ed â—rom their harbour for feare of discovery the blocks almighty lost their â—enses For these are all gone now and their knavery is espied 〈◊〉 as they can to longer abuâ—â— the world with such bables But whereas these great doctors suppâ—se that the cause of their dispatch was the coming of Christ if they meane that the devil died so soone as he was born or that then he gave over his occupation they are deceived For the popish church hath made a continuall practise hereof partly for their own private profit lucre and gaine and partly to be had in estimation of the world and in admiration among the simple But indeed 〈◊〉 that have learned Christ and been conversant in his word have discovered and shaken off the vanity and abomination hereof But if those doctors had lived till this day they would have said and written that oracles had ceased or rather been driven out of England in the time 〈◊〉 King Henry the eight and of Queene Elizabeth his daughter who 〈◊〉 done so much in that behalfe as at this houre they are not onely all gone but forgotten here in this English nation where they swarmed as this as they did in Boeâ—tia or in any other place in the world But the credit they had depended not upon their desert but upon the credulity 〈◊〉 others Now therefore I will conclude and make an end of this â—â—â—ter with the opinion and saying of the prophet Vaine is the answer 〈◊〉 idols For they have eyes and see not eares and heare not mounthes 〈◊〉 speak not c. and let them shew what is to come and I will say â—â— are gods indeed The ninth Booke CHAP. I. The Hebrew word Kasam expounded and how farre a Christian may conjecture of things to come KAsam as Iohn Wierus upon his owne knovvledge affirmeth and upon the word of Andraeas Masius reporteth differeth little in signification from the former word Ob betokening Vaticinari which is To prophesie and is most commonly taken in evil part as in Deut. 18. Jer. 27. c. howbeit sometime in good part as in Esay 3. verse 2. To foretel things to come upon probable conjectures so as therein we reach no further than becometh humane capacity is not in mine opinion unlawful but rather a commendable manifestation of wisdome and judgement the good gifts and notable blessings of GOD for the which we ought to be thankful as also to yeeld due honour and praise unto him for the noble order which he hath appointed in nature praying him to lighten our hearts with the beames of his wisdome that we may more and more profit in the true knowledge of the workemanship of his hands But some are so nice that they condemne generally all sorts of divinations denying those things that in nature have manifest causes and are so framed as they soreshew things to come and in that shew amonish us of things after to insue exhibiting â—ignes of unknowne and future matters to be judged upon by the order law and course of nature proposed unto us by God And some on the other side are so bewitched with solly as they attribute to creatures that estimation which rightly and truly appertaineth to God the creator of all things affirming that the publike and private destinies of all humane matters and whatsoever a man would know of things come or gone is manifested to us in the heavens so as by the starres and planets all things might be knowne These would also that nothing should be taken in hand or gone about without the favourable aspect of the planets By which and other the like devises they deprave and prophane the ancient and commendable observations of our forefathers as did Colebrasus who taught that all mans life was governed by the seven planets and yet a christian and condemned for heresie But let us so farre forth imbrace and allow this philosophie and prophesying as the word of God giveth us leave and commendeth the same unto us CHAP. II. Proofes by the old and new Testamentâ— that certaine observations of the weather are lawful WHen God by his word and wisdome had made the heavens and placed the starres in the firmanent he said Let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and years When he created the rainebowe in the clouds he said it should be for a signe and token unto us Which we find true not onely of the â—â—ood past but also of the shewers to come And therefore according to Jesus Sirachs advise let us behold it and praise him that made it The â—rophet David saith The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth sheweth his handy worke day unto day uttereth the same and night unto night teacheth knowledge It is also written that by the commandement of the holy one the starres are placed and continue in their order and â—aile not in their watch Iâ— should appeare that Christ himselfe did not altogether neglect the course and order of the heavens in that he said When you see a cloud rise out of the west streightway you say a shewer cometh and so it is And when you see the southwinde blowe you say it will be hot and so it cometh to passe Againe when it is evening you say â—aire weather for the skie is red and in the morning you say to day shall be a tempest for the skie is red and louring Wherein as he noteth that these things do truly come to passe according to ancient observation and to the rule astronomical so doth he also by other words following admonish us that in attending too much to those observations we neglect not specially to follow our christian vocation The physician is commended unto us and allowed in the scriptures but so to put trust in him as to neglect and distrust God is severely forbidden and reproved Surely it is most necessary for us to know and observe divers rules astrological otherwise we could not with opportunity dispatch our ordinary affaires And yet Lactantius condemneth and recounteth it among the number of witchcrafts from whose censure Calvine doth not much varie The poore husbandman perceiveth that the increase of the moone maketh plants and living creatures fruitful so as in the full moone they are in best strength decaying in the wane and in the conjunction do utterly wither and sade Which when by observation use and practise they have once learned they distribute their businesse accordingly 〈◊〉 their times and seasons to sowe to plant to pruine to let their 〈◊〉 blood to cut c. CHAP. III. That certaine observations are indifferent certaine ridiculous and certaine impious whence that cunning is derived of Apollo and of
needs have the like successe These are their collections and as vaine as if they said that the building of Tenderden steeple was the cause of Goodwine sands or the decay of Sandwitch haven S. Augustine saith that these observations are most superstitious But we reade in the fourth psalme a sentence which might disswade any christian from this folly and impiety O ye sonnes of men how long will you turne my glory into shame loving vanity and seeing lies The like is read in many other places of scripture Of such as allow this folly I can commend Plinie best who saith that the operation of these auguries is as we take them For if we take then in good part they are signes of good luck if we take them in ill part ill loâ—â— followeth if we neglect them and way them not they do neither good nor harme Thomas of Aquine reasoneth in this wise The starres whose course is certaine have greater affinity and community with mans actions than auguries and yet our doings are neither directed nor proceed from the starres Which thing also Ptolomey witnesseth saying Sapiens dominabitur astrit A wiseman overruseth the starres CHAP. XVIII Fond distinctions of the heathen writers concerning augury THe heathen made a distinction betweene divine naturall and casual auguries Divine auguries were such as men were made beleeve were done miraculously as when dogs spake as at the expulsion of Tarnquinius out of his kingdome or when trees spake as before the death of Caesar or when horses spake as did a horse whose name was Zanthus Many learned christians confesse that such things as may indeed have divine cause may be called divine auguries or rather forewarnings of God and tokens either of his blessings or discontentation as the starre was a token of a safe passage to the magicians that sought Christ so was the cockcrowing an augury to Peter for his conversion And many such other divinations or auguries if it be lawful so to terme them are the in scriptures to be found CHAP. XIX Of natural and casual augury the one allowed and the other disallowed NAtural augury is a physical or philosophical observation because humane and natural reason may be yeelded for such events as if one heare the cock crow many times together a man may guesse that raine will follow shortly as by the crying of rookes and by their extraordinary using of their wings in their flight because through a natural instinct provoked by the impression of the heavenly bodies they are moved to know the times according to the disposition of the weather as it is necessary for their natures And therefore Jeremy saith Milvâ—s in coelo cognovit tempus suum The phisician may argue a strength towards in his patient when he heareth him neeze twice which is a natural cause to judge by and conjecture upon But sure it is meere casual and also very foolish and incredible that by two neezings a man should be sure of good luck or successe in his businesse or by meeting of a toade a man should escape a danger or atchieve an enterprise c. CHAP. XX. A confutation of casual augury which is meere witchcraft and upon what uncertainty those divinations are grounded WHat imagination worketh in man or woman many leaves would not comprehend for as the qualities thereof are strange and almost incredible so would the discourse thereof be long and tedious whereof I had occasion to speak elsewhere But the power of our imagination extendeth not to beasts nor reacheth to birds and therefore pertaineth nor hereunto Neither can the chance for the right or left side be good or bad luck in it selfe Why should any occurrent or augury be good Because it cometh out of that part of the heavens where the good or beneficial stars are placed By that reason all things should be good and happy that live on that side but we see the contrary experience and as commonly as that The like absurdity and error is in them that credit those divinations because the starres over the ninth house have dominion at the time of augury If it should betoken good luck joy or gladnesse to heare a noise in the house when the moone is in Aries and contrarywise if it beâ—signe of ill luck sorrow or griefe for a beast to come into the house the moone being in the same signe here might be found a foule error and contrariety And forsomuch as both may happen at once the rule must needs be false and ridiculous And if there were any certaine rules or notes to be gathered in these divinatious the abuse therein is such as the word of God must needs be verified therein to wit I will destroy the tokens of soothsayers and make them that conjecture sooles CHAP. XXI The figure-casters are witches the uncertainty of their art and of their contradictions Cornelius Agrippa's sentence against judicial astrologie THese casters of figures may be numbered among the cousening witches whose practise is above their reach their purpose to gaine their kgowledge stolne from poets their aâ—t uncertaine and full of vanity more plainly derided in the scriptures than any other folly And thereupon many other trifling vanities are rooted and grounded as physiognomy palmestry interpreting of dreames monsters auguries c. the professors whereof confesse this to be the necessary key to open the knowledge of all their secrets For these fellowes erect a figure of the heavens by the exposition whereof together with the conjectures of similitudes and signes they seeke to find out the meaning of the significaâ—tors attributing to them the ends of all things contrary to truth reason and divinity their rules being so inconstant that few writers agree in the very principles thereof For the Rabbins the old and new writers and the very best philosophers dissent in the cheese grounds thereof differing in the propriety of the houses whereout they wring the foretelling of things to come contending even about the number of spheres being not yet resolved how to erect the beginnings and endes of the houses for Ptolomy makeâ—h them after one sort Campanus after another c. And as Alpetragus thinketh that there be in the heavens divers movings as yet to men unknown so do others affirme not without probability that there may be starres and bodies to whom these movings may accord which cannot be seen either through their exceeding highnesse or that hitherto are not tried with any observation of the art The true motion of Mars is not yet perceived neither is it possible to find out the true entring of the Sunne into the equinoctiall points It is not denied that the astronomers themselves have received their light and their very art 〈◊〉 poets without whose fables the twelve signes and the northerly southerly figures had nevâ—r ascended into heaven And yet as C. Agrippa saith astrologers do live cosen men and gaine by these fables whiles the poets which are the inventors of
Succubus wiâ—h incantations charmes conjutations c. do destroy c. the births of women with child the young of all cattel the corne of the field the grapes of the vines the fruit of the trees Item men women and all kind of cattel and beasts of the field and with their said inchantments c. do utterly extinguish suffocate and spoile all vineyards orchards meadowes pastures grasse greene corne and ripe corne and all other podware yea men and women themselves are by their imprecations so afflicted with externall and inward paines and diseases that men cannot beget nor women bring forth any children nor yet accomplish the duty of wedlock denying the faith which they in baptisme prosessed to the destruction of their own soules c. Our pleasuâ—â— therefore is that all impediments that may hinder the inquisitors office be utterly removed from among the people lest this blot of heresie proceed to poison and defile them that be yet Innocent And therefore we do ordaine by vertue of the apostolical authority that our inquisitors of high Almanie may execute the office of inquisition by all tortures and afflictions in all places and upon all persons what and wheresoever as well in every place and diocesse as upon any person and that as freely as though they were named expressed or cited in this our commission CHAP. VII â—oeticall authorities commonly alleadged by witchmongers for the proof of witches miraculous actions and for confirmation of their supernaturall power HEre have I a place and opportunity to discover the whole art of witchcraft even all their charmes periapts characters amulets â—rayers blessings cursings hurtings helpings knaveries cosenages c. But first I will shew what authorities are produced to defend and maintain the same and that in serious sort by Bodin Spinaeus Hemingins Variâ—â—s Danaeus Hyperius M. Mal. and the rest Carmina vel caelpossunt de ducere lunam Carminibus Circe socios mutavit Vlyssis Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis Inchantments pluck out of the skie The moon though she be plac't one high Dame Circes with her charmes so fine Ulysses mates did turne to swine The snake with charmes is burst in twaine In meadows where she doth remain Againe out of the same poet they cite further matter Has berbas atque haec Ponto mihi lecta venena Ipsa dedit Maeris nascuntur plurima Ponto His ego saepè lupam fieri se condere sylvis Maerim saepè animas imis exirc sepulchris Atquesatas aliò vidi traducere messes These herbs did Meris give to me And poisons pluckt at Pontus For there they grow and multiply And do not so amongst us With these she made herself become A wolfe and hid her in the wood She fetcht up soules out of their tombe Removing corne from where it stood Furthermore out of Ovid they alleadge these following Nocte volant puerósque petunt nutricis egentes Et vitiant cunis corpora capta suis Carpere dicuntur lactentia viscera rostris Et plenum potu sanguine guttur habent To children they do fly by night And catch them while their nursses sleep And spoile their little bodies quite And home they bear them in their beake Again out of Virgil in form following Hinc mihi Massylae gentis monstrata sacerdos Hesperidum templi custos epulásque draconi Quae dabat sacros servabat in arbore ramos Spargens humida mella soporiferúmque papaver Haec se carminibus promittit solvere mentes Quas velit ast aliis duras immittere curas Sistere aquam fluviis vertere sidera retrò Nocturnósque ciet manes mugire videbis Sub pedibus terram descendere montibus ornos From thence a virgine Priest is come From out Massyla land Sometimes the Temple there she kept And from her heavenly hand The dragon meat did take she kept Also the fruit divine With herbs and liquors sweet that still To sleep did men incline The minds of men she saith from love With charmes she can unbind In whom she list but others can She cast to cares unkind The running streames do stand and from Their course the starres do wreath And souls she conjure can thou shalt See sister underneath The ground with roring gape and trees And mountaines turne upright c. Moreover out of Ovid they alledge as followeth Cùm volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In fontes rediere suos concussáque sisto Stantia concuâ—io cantu freta nubila pesto Nubiláque induco ventos abigóque vocóque Vipereas rumpo verbis carmine fauces Viváque saxa suâ convulsáque robora terrâ Et sylvas inoveo jubeóque tremescere montes Et mugire solum manésque exire sepulchris Téque luna traho c. The rivers I can make retire Into the Fountains whence they flowe Whereat the bank themselves admire I can make standing waters go With charmes I drive both sea and cloud I make it calme and blowe aloud The vipers jawes the rocky stone With words and charmes I breake in twaine The force of earth congeal'd in one I move and shake both woods and plaine I make the souls of men arise I pull the moon out of the skies Also out of the same poet Verbáque ter dixit placidos facientia somnos Quae mare turbatum quae flumina concita sistant And thrice she spake the words that caus'd Sweet sleep and quiet rest She staid the raging of the sea And mighty flouds supprest Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus She sticketh also needles fine In livers whereby men do pine Also out of other poets Carmine laesa Ceres sterilem vanescit in berbam Deficiunt laesi carmine fontis aquae Illicibus glandes cantantáqne vitibus uva Decidit nullo poma movente fluunt With charmes the corne is spoiled so As that it vades to barren grasse With charmes the Springs are dried lowe That none can see where watet was The grapes from vines the mast from okes And beats down fruit with charming strokes Quae sider a excantata voce Thessalâ Lunámque coelo diripit She plucks downe moon and starres from skie With chaunting voice of Thessaly Hanc ego de coelo ducentem sidera vidi Fluminis ac rapidi carmine vertititer Haec cantu findÃâ—que solum manésque sepulcbris Elicit tepido devorat ossa rego Cùm lubet haec tristi depellit lumina coelo Cùm lubet aestivo convocat orbe nives She plucks each starre out of his throne And turneth back the raging waves With charmes she makes the earth to cone And raiseth souls out of their graves She burns mens bones as with a fire And pulleth downe the lights from heaven And makes it snowe at her desire Even in the midst of summer-season Mens bausti nullâ sanie polluta veneni Incantata perit A man inchanted runneth mad That never any poison had Cessavere vices rerum
and eye-lids their braines the roofe of their mouthes their tongues their throats their breast their hearts their bellies their livers all their bowels and their stomach Cursed be their navels their spleenes their bladder Cursed be their thighes their legs their feet their toes their necks their shoulders Cursed be their backs cursed be their armes cursed be their elbowes cursed be their hands and their fingers cursed be both the nails of their hands and feet cursed be their ribbs and their genitals and their knees cursed be their flesh cursed be their bones cursed be their bloud cursed be the skin of their bodies cursed be the marrows in their bones cursed be they from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot and whatsoever is betwixt the same be it accursed ' that is to say their five senses to wit their seeing their hearing their smelling their tasting and their feeling Cursed be they in the holy crosse in the passion of Christ with his five wounds with the effusion of his bloud and by the milk of the Virgine Mary I conjure thee Lucifer with all thy Souldiers by the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost with the humanity and nativity of Christ with the vertue of all Saints that thou rest not day nor night till thou bringest them to destruction either by drowning or hanging or that they be devoured by wild beasts or burnt or slain by their enemies or hated of all men living And as our Lord hath given authority to Peter the Apostle and his successors whose place we occupy and to us though unworthy that whatsoever we bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever we loose on earth shall be loose in heaven so we accordingly if they will not amend do shut from them the gates of heaven and deny unto them Christian burial so as they shall be buried in asses leaze Furthermore curssed be the ground wherein they are buried let them be confounded in the last day of Judgement let them have no conversation among Christians nor be houseled at the hour of death let them be made as dust before the face of the wind and as Lucifer was expelled out of heaven and Adam and Eve out of paradise so let them be expelled from the daylight Also let them be joyned with those to whom the Lord saith at the Judgement Go ye curssed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devill and his angels where the worme shall not die nor the fire be quenched And as the candle which is throwne out of my hand here is put out so let their works and their soul be quenched in the stench of hell fire except they restore that which they have stolne by such a day and let every one say Amen After this must be sung In media vita in morte sumus c. This terrible curse with bell book and candle added thereunto must needs work wonders howbeit among theeves it is not much weighed among wise and true men it is not well liked to them that are robbed it bringeth small releef the priests stomach may well be eased but the goods stolne will never the sooner be restored Hereby is bewrayed both the malice and folly of popish doctrine whose unchaâ—itable impietie is so impudently published and in such order uttered as every sentence if opportunity served might be proved both heretical and diabolical But I will answer this cruel curse with another curse far more mild and civil performed by as honest a man I dare say as he that made the other whereof mention was lately made So it was that a certain Sir John with some of his company once went abroad a jetting and in a moon-light evening robbed a millers weire and stole all his eeles The poor miller made his mone to Sir John himself who willed him to be quiet for he would so curse the theef and all his confederates with bell book and candel that they should have small joy of their fish And therefore the next sunday Sir John got him to the pulpit with his surplisse on his back and his stole about his neck and pronounced these words following in the audience of the people All you that have stolne the millers eeles Laudate Dominum de coelis And all they that have consented thereto Benedicamus Domino Lo saith he there is savoe for your eeles my masters Another inchantment CErtaine priests use the hundred and eight psalm as an inchantment or charm or at the leastwise saying that against whomsoever they pronounce it they cannot live one whole year at the uttermost CHAP. XVIII A charme or experiment to find out a witch IN die dominico sotularia juvenum axungia seu pinguedine porci ut moris est pro restauratione fieri perungunt and when she is once come into the church the witch can never get out untill the searchers for her give her expresse leave to depart But now it is necessary to shew you how to prevent and cure all mischiefs wrought by these charmes and witchcrafts according to the opinion of M. Mal. and others One principal way is to naile a horse-shoe at the inside of the outmost threshhold of your house and so you shall be sure no witch shall have power to enter thereinto And if you marke it you shall find that rule observed in many countrey-houses Otherwise Item the triumphant title to be written crossewise in every corner of the house thus Iesus ✚ Nazarenus ✚ rex ✚ Iudaeorum ✚ Memorandum you may join herewithal the name of the virgine Mary or of the four Evangelists or Verbum caro factum est Otherwise Item in some countries they naile a wolves head on the door Otherwise Item they hang Scilla which is either a root or rather in this place garlike in the roof of the house for to keep away witches and spirits and so they do Alicium also Otherwise Item perfume made of the gall of a black dog and his bloud besmeered on the posts and walles of the house driveth out of the doors both devils and witches Otherwise The house where Herba betonica is sown is free from all mischiefes Otherwise It is not unknown that the Romish church allowed and used the smoak of Sulphur to drive spirits out of their houses as they did frankincense and water hallowed Otherwise Apuleius saith that Mercury gave to Ulysses when he came neer to the inchantresse Circe an herb called Verbascum which in English is called Mullein or Tapsus barbatus or Longwoort and that preserved him from the inchantments Otherwise Item Pliny and Homer bo do say that the herb call'd Moly is an excellent herb against inchantments and say all that thereby Ulysses escaped Circes her sorceries and inchantments Otherwise also diverse waies they went to worke in this case and some used this defensive some that preservative against incantations And herein you shall see not only how the religion of papists and infidels
therefore be dismaied But when he hath delivered him the first obligation to observe his desire he must bid him also answer him distinctly and plainely to the questions he shall aske you of all philosophy wisedome and science and of all other secret things And if you will know the disposition of the world and what the earth is or what holdeth it up in the water or any other thing or what is Abyssus or where the wind is or from whence it commeth he will teach you aboundantly Consecrations also as well of sacrifices as otherwise may be reckoned He giveth dignities and confirmations he bindeth them that resist him in his owne chaines and subjecteth them to the conjuror he prepareth good familiars and hath the understanding of all arts Note that at the calling up of him the exorcist must looke towards the northwest because there is his house When he is called up let the exorcist receive him constantly without feare let him aske what questions or demands he lift and no doubt he shall obtaine the same of him And the exorcist must beware he forget not the creator for those things which have been rehearsed before of Paimon some say he is of the order of dominations others say of the order of cherubim There follow him two hundred legions partly of the order of angels and partly of potestates Note that if Paimon be cited alone by an offering or sacrifice two kings follow him to wit Beball and Abalam and other potentares in his host are twenty five legions because the spirits subject to them are not alwayes with them except they be compelled to appeare by divine vertue Some say that the king Beliall was created immediatly after 〈…〉 and therefore they thinke that he was father and seducer of them 〈◊〉 fell being of the orders For he fell first among the worthier and wiser sort which went before Michael and other heavenly angels which were lacking Although Beliall went before all them that were throwne downe to the earth yet he went not before them that tarrieth in heaven This Beliall is constrained by divine vertue when he taketh sacrifices gifts and offerings that he againe may give unto the offences true answers But he tarrieth not one houre in the truth except he be constrained by the divine power as is said He taketh the forme of a beautifull angell fitting in a fiery chariot he speaketh faire he distributeth preferments of senatorship and the favour of friends and excellent familiars he hath rule over eighty legions partly of the order of vertues partly of angels he is found in the forme of an exorcist in the bonds of spirits The exorcist must consider that this Beliall doth in every thing assist his subjects If he will not submit himselfe let the bond of spirits be read the spirits chaine is sent for him wherewith wise Solomon gathered them together with their legions in a brasen vessell where were inclosed among all the legions seventy two kings of whom the cheefe was Bileth the second was Beliall the third Asmoday and above a thousand thousand legions Without doubt I must confesse I learned this of my master Salomon but he told me not why he gathered them together and shut them up so but I beleeve it was for the pride of this Beliall Certaine â—ig romancers do say that Solomon being on a certaine day seduced by the craft of a certaine woman inclined himselfe to pray before the same idoll Beliall by name which is not credible And therefore we must rather thinke as it is said that they were gathered together in that great brasen vessell for pride and arrogancy and throwne into a deep lake or hole in Babylon For wise Salamon did accomplish his workes by the divine power which never forsooke him And therefore we must thinke he worshipped not the image Beliall for then he could not have constrained the spirits by divine vertue for this Beliall with three kings were in the lake But the Babylonians wondering at the matter supposed that they should find therein a great quantity of treasure and therefore with one consent went downe into the lake and uncovered and brake the vessell out of the which immediately flew the captaine divels and were delivered to their former and proper places But this Beliall entred into a certaine image and there gave answer to them that offered and sacrificed unto him as Toex in his sentences reporteth and the Babylonians did worship and sacrifice thereunto Bune is a great and a strong duke he appeareth as a dragon with three heads the third whereof is like a man he speaketh with a divine voice he maketh the dead to change their place and devils to assemble upon the sepulchres of the dead he greatly inricheth a man and maketh him eloquent and wise answereth truly to all demands and thirty legions obey him Forneus is a great marquesse like unto a monster of the sea he maketh men wonderfull in rhetorick he adorneth a man with a good name and the knowledge of tongues and maketh one beloved as well of foes as friends there are under him nine and twenty legions of the order partly of thrones and partly of angels Ronove a marquesse and an earle he is resembled to a monster he bringeth singular understanding in rhetorick faithfull servants knowledge of tongues favour of friends and foes and nineteen legions obey him Berith is a great and a terrible duke and hath three names Of some he is called Beall of the Jewes Berith of Nigromancers Belfry he commeth forth as a red souldier with red clothing and upon a horse of that colour and a crowne on his head He answereth truly of things present past and to come He is compelled to a certain hour through divine vertue by a ring of art magick He is also a lier he turneth all metals into gold he adorneth a man with dignities and confirmeth them he speaketh with a clear and subtill voice and six and twenty legions are under him Astaroth is a great and a strong duke comming forth in the shape of a foule angell sitting upon an infernall dragon and carrying on his right hand a viper he answereth truly to matters present past and to come and also of all secrets He talketh willingly of the creator of spirits and of their fall and how they sinned and fell he saith he fell not of his owne accord He maketh a man wonderfull learned in the liberall sciences he ruleth fourty legions Let every exorcist take heed that he admit him not too near him because of his stinking breath And therefore let the conjuror hold near to his face a magicall ring and that shall defend him Foras alias Forcas is a great president and is seen in the form of a strong man and in humane shape he understandeth the vertue of hearbs and pretious stones he teacheth fully logick ethick and their parts he maketh a man invisible
English word for word HOly Margaret required of God that shee might have a conflict face to face with her secret enemy the divell and rising from prayer she saw a terrible dragon that would have devoured her but she made the sign of the crosse and the dragon burst in the midst Afterwards she saw another man sitting like a Niger having his hands bound fast to his knees she taking him by the hair of the head threw him to the ground and set her foot on his head and her prayers being made a light shined from heaven into the prison where she was and the crosse of Christ was seen in heaven with a dove sitting thereon who said blessed art thou O Margaret the gates of Paradise attend thy comming Then she giving thanks to God said to the divell Declare to me thy name The divell said Take away thy foot from my head that I may be able to speak and tell thee which being done the divell said I am Veltis one of them whom Salomon shut in the brazen vessell and the Babylonians comming and supposing there had been gold therein brake the vessell and then we flew out ever since lying in wait to annoy the just But seeing I have recited a part of her story you shall also have the end thereof for at the time of her execution this was her prayer following Grant therefore O father that whosoever writeth readeth or heareth my passion or maketh memoriall of me may deserve pardon for all his sins whosoever calleth on me being at the point of death deliver him out of the hands of his adversaries And I also require O Lord that whosoever shall build a church in the honour of me or ministreth unto me any candles of his just labour let him obtain whatsoever he asketh for his health Deliver all women in travell that call upon me from the danger thereof Her prayer ended there were many great thunder claps and a dove came down from heaven saying Blessed art thou O Margaret the spouse of Christ. Such things as thou hast asked are granted unto thee therefore come thou into everlasting rest c. Then the hangman though she did bid him refused to cut off her head to whom she said Except thou doe it thou canst have no part with me and then loe he did it c. But sithence I have been and must be tediouss I thought good to refresh my reader with a lamentable story depending upon the matter precedent reported by many grave authors word for word in manner and form following CHAP. XXXV A delicate story of a Lombard who by S. Margarets example would needs fight with a reall divell THere was after a sermon made wherein this story of S. Margaret was recited for in such stuffe consisted not only their service but also their sermons in the blind time of popery there was I say a certain young man being a Lombard whose simplicity was such as he had no respect unto the commodity of worldly things but did altogether affect the salvation of his soule who hearing how great S. Margarets triumph was began to consider with himself how full of sleights the divell was And among other things thus he said O that God would suffer that the divell might fight with me hand to hand in visible form I would then surely in like manner overthrow him and would fight with him till I had the victory And therefore about the twelf houre he went out of the towne and finding a convenient place where to pray secretly kneeling on his knees he prayed a mong other things that God would suffer the divell 〈◊〉 appear unto him in visible form that according to the example of S. Margaret he might overcome him in battell And as he was in the midst of his prayers there came into that place a woman with a hook in her hand 〈◊〉 gather certaine hearbs which grew there who was dumb born And when shee came into the place and saw the young man among the hearbs on 〈◊〉 knees she was afraid and waxed pale and going back she rored in 〈◊〉 sort as her voice could not be understood and with her head and 〈◊〉 made threatning signes unto him The young man seeing such an ilâ—â—voured foul quean that was for age decrepit and full of wrinckles 〈◊〉 a long body lean of face pale of colour with ragged clothes crying very loud and having a voice not understandable threatning him with the hook which she carryed in her hand he thought surely she had been no woman but a divell appearing unto him in the shape of a woman and though God had heard his prayers For the which causes he fell upon her lustâ—ly and at length threw her downe to the ground saying Art thou 〈◊〉 thou cursed divell art thou come No no thou shalt not overâ—â—â— mee in visible fight whom thou hast often overcome in invisible â—â—â—â—tations And as he spake these words he caught her by the hair and drew her about beating her sometimes with his handsâ— sometimes with his 〈◊〉 and sometimes with the hook so long and wounded her so sore that 〈◊〉 left her a dying At the noise whereof many people came running unto them and seeing what was done they apprehended the young man and thrust him into a vise prison S. Vincent by vertue of his holinesse understanding all this matter caused the body that seemed dead to bee brought unto him and thereupon according to his manner he laid his hand upon her who immediately revived and he called one of his chaplains to hear her confession But they that were present said to the man of God that it were altogether in vain so to doe for that she had been from her nativity dumb and could neither hear nor undeâ—stand the priest neither could in words confesse her sins Notwithstanding S. Vincent had the priest hear her confession affirming that she should very distinctly speake all things unto him And therefore whatsoever the man of God commanded the priest did confidently accomplish and obey and as soon as the priest approached unto her to hear her confession she whom all Cathalonia knew to be dumb born spake and confessed her self pronouncing every word as distinctly as though she had never been dumb After her confession she required the eucharist and extream unction to be ministred unto her and at length she commended her selfe to God and in the presence of all that came to see that miracle she spake as long as shee had any breath in her body The young man that killed her being saved from the gallows by S. Vincents means and at his intercession departed home into Italy This story last rehearsed is found in Speculo exemplorum and repeated also by Robert Carocul bishop of Aquinas and many others and preached publikely in the church of Rome CHAP. XXXVI The story of Saint Margaret proved to be both ridiculous and impious in every point FIrst that the story of
S. Margaret is a fable may be proved by the incredible impossible foolish impious and blasphemous matters contained therein and by the ridiculous circumstance thereof Though it were cruelly done of her to beat the divell when his hands was bound yet it was curteously done of her to pull away her foot at his desire He could not speak so long as she troad on his head and yet he said Tread off that I may tell you what I am She saw the heavens open and yet she was in a close prison But her sight was very clear that could see a little dove sitting upon a crosse so far off For heaven is higher than the Sun and the sun when it is neerest to us is 3966000. miles from us And she had a good pair of ears that could hear a dove speak so far off And she had good luck that S. Peter who they say is porter or else the Pope who hath more doings than Peter had such leisure as to stay the gates so long for her Salomon provided no good place neither took good order with his brazen bowl I marvell how they escaped that let out the divels It is marvell also that they melted it not with their breath long before for the divels carry hell and hell fire about with them alwayes in so much as they say they leave ashes evermore where they stand Surely she made in her prayer an unreasonable request but the date of her patent is out for I beleeve that whosoever at this day shall burn a pound of good candles before her shall be never the better but three pence the worse But now we may find in S. Margarets life who it is that is Christs wife whereby we are so much wiser then we were before But look in the life of S. Katharine in the golden legend and you shall find that he was also married to S. Katherine and that our Lady made the marriage c. An excellent authority for bigamie Here I will also cite another of their notable stories or miracles of authority and so leave shameing of them or rather troubling you the readers thereof Neither would I have written these fables but that they are authentick among the papists and that we that are protestants may be satisfied as well of conjurors and witches miracles as of others for the one is as grosse as the the other CHAP. XXXVII A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish Priest WHat time the Waldenses heresies began to spring certain wicked meâ— being upheld and maintained by diabolicall vertue shawed certaine signes and wonders whereby they strengthened and confirmed their heresies and perverted in faith many faithfull men for they walked on the water and were not drowned But a certain catholick priest seeing the same and knowing that true signs could not be joined with false doctrine brought the body of our Lord with the pix to the water where they shewed their power and vertue to the people and said in the hearing of all that were present I conjure thee O divell by him 〈◊〉 I carry in my hands that thou exercise not these great visions and phantasies by these men to the drowning of this people Notwithstanding their words when they walked still on the water as they did before the priest in a rage threw the body of our Lord with the pix into the river and by and by so soon as the sacrament touched the element the phantasie gaâ—â— place to the verity and they being proved and made false did sink 〈◊〉 lead to the bottome and were drowned the pix with the sacrament immediately was taken away by an angell The priest seeing all these things was very glad of the miracle but for the losse of the sacrament he was very pensive passing away the whole night in tears and mourning in the morning he found the pix with the sacrament upon the altar CHAP. XXXVIII The former miracle confuted with a strange story of St Lucy HOw glad Sr Iohn was now it were folly for me to say How would he have plagued the divell that threw his God in the river to be drowned But if other had had no more power to destroy the Waldenses with sword and fire than this priest had to drown them with his conjuring box and cousening sacraments there should have been many a life saved But I may not omit one fable which is of authority wherein though there be no conjuration expressed yet I warrant you there was cousenage both in the doing and telling thereof You shall read in the lesson on saint Lucies day that she being condemned could not be removed from the place with a teem of Oxen neither could any fire burn her in somuch as one was faine to cut off her head with a sword and yet she could speak afterwards as long as she list And this passeth all other miracles except it be that which Bodin and M. Mal. recite out of Nider of a witch that could not be burned till a scroll was taken away from where she hid it betwixt her skin and flesh CHAP. XXXIX Of visions noises apparitions and imagined sounds and of other illusions of wandering soules with a confutation thereof MAny through melancholy doe imagine that they see or hear visions spirits ghosts strange noises c. as I have already proved before at large Many again through fear proceeding from a cowardly nature and complexion or from an effeminate and fond bringing up are timerous and afraid of spirits and bugs c. Some through imperfection of sight also are afraid of their own shadows as Aristotle saith see themselves sometime as it were in a glasse And some through weaknesse of body have such imperfect imaginations Drunken men also sometimes suppose they see trees walk c. according to that which Salomon saith to the drunkards Thine eyes shall see strange visions and marvellous appearances In all ages monkes and priests have abused and bewitched the world with counterfeit visions which proceeded through idlenesse and restraint of marriage whereby they grew hot and lecherous and therefore devised such means to compasse and obtaine their loves And the simple people being then so superstitious would never seem to mistrust that such holy men would make them cuskholds but forsooke their beds in 〈◊〉 case and gave room to the cleargy Item little children have been so scared with their mothers maids that they could never after endure to â—e in the dark alone for fear of bugs Many are deceived by glasses through art perspective Many hearkening 〈◊〉 false reports conceive and beleeeve that which is nothing so Many give credit to that which they read in authors But how many stories and bookes are writen of walking spirits and soules of men contrary to the word of God a reasonable volum cannot containe How common an opinion was it among the papists that all soules walked 〈◊〉 the earth after they departed from their bodyes In so much as it was in
purposes and desires only by intreaty of men and women because in nature they are their inferiors and use authority over men none otherwise than priests by vertue of their function and because of religion wherein they say they execute the office of God Sometimes they say that the fiery spirits or supreme substances enter into the purâ—â— of the minde and so obtaine their purpose sometimes otherwise to wit by vertue of holy charmes and even as a poore man obtained for Gods sake any thing at a princes hand as it were by importunatâ—nesse The other sort of divels and defiled soules are so conversant on earth â—â— that they doe much hurt unto earthly bodies specially in leachery Gods and angels say they because they want all materiall and grosse substance desire most the pure sacrifice of the minde The grosser and more terrestriall spirits desire the grosser sacrifices as beasts and cattell They in the middle or mean region delight to have frankincense and suâ—â— meane stuffe offered unto them and therefore say they it is necessary to sacrifice unto them all manner of things so the same be slatoâ—â— and dye not of their own accord for such they abhor Some say that spirits fear wonderfully vain threats and thereupon will depart as if you tell them that you will cut the heavens in peeces or reveal their secrets as complaine of them to the gods or sâ—y that you will do any impossibility or such things as they cannot understand they are so timerous as they will presently be gone and that is thought the best way to be rid of them But these be most commonly of that sort or company which are called Principatus being of all other the most easie to be conjured They say Socrates had a familiar divell which Plato relyeth much upon using none other argument to prove that there are such spirits but because Socrates that would not lye said so and pardy because that divell did ever disswade and prohibit not only in Socrates his owne cases but sometimes in his friends behalf who if they had been ruled might through his admonition have saved their lives His disciples gathered that his divell was Saturnall and a principall fiery divell and that he and all such as doe naturally know their divels are only such as are called Daemonii viri otherwise couseners Item they say that fiery spirits urge men to contemplation the airy to businesse the watery to lust and among these there are some that are Martiall which give fortitude some are Joviall giving wisdome some Saturniall always using disswasion and dehorâ—ing Item some are born with us and remaine with us all our life some are meer strangers who are nothing else but the souls of men departedâ— his life c. CHAP. VII Plato's nine orders of spirits and angels Dâ—onysius his division thereof not much differing from the same all disproved by learned Divines PLato proposeth or setteth forth nine severall orders of spirits besides the spirits and soules of men The first spirit is God that commandeth all the residue the second are those that are called Idiae which give all things to all men the third are the soules of heavenly bodies which are mortall the fourth are angels the fift archangels the sixt are divels who are ministers to infernall powers as angels are to supernall the seventh are half Gods the eight are principalities the ninth are princes From which division Dionysius doth not much swarve saving that he dealeth as he saith only with good spirits whom he likewise divideth into nine parts or offices The first he calleth Seraphim the second cherubim the third thrones the fourth dominations the fift vertues the sixt powers the seventh principalities the eight archangels the ninth and inferiour sort hee calleth angels Howbeit some of these in my thinking are evill spirits or else Paul gave us evill counsell when he willed us to fight against principalities and powers and all spirituall wickednesse But Dionysius in that place goeth further impropriating to every country and almost to every person of any accompt a peculiar angell as to Iewry he assigneth Michael to Adam Razael to Abraham Zekiel to Isaack Raphael to Iacob Peliel to Moses Metraton c. But in these discourses be either followed his owne imaginations and conceipts or else the corruptions of that age Neverthelesse I had rather confute him by M. Calvine and my kinsman M. Deering than by my selfe or mine own words For M. Calvine saith that Dionysius herein speâ—â—â—eth not as by hâ—arsay but as though he had slipped down from heaveâ— and told of things which he had seen And yet saith he Paul was 〈◊〉 into the third heaven and reporteth no such matters But if you read M Deering upon the first chapter to the Hebrews you shall see this matter â—otably handled where he saith that whensoever archangell is mentioned in the Scriptures it signifieth our Saviour Christ and no creature And certaine it is that Christ himself was called an angell The names also of angels as Mithâ—el Gabriel c. are given to them saith Calvine according to the capacity of our weaknesse But because the decision of this is neither within the compasse of mans capacity nor yet of his knowledge I will proceed no further to discusse the same but to shew the absurd opinions of papists and witchmongers on the one side and the most sober and probable collections of the contrary minded on the otâ—er side CHAP. VIII The commencement of divels fondly gathered out of the 14. of Isa. of Lucifer and of his fall the Cabalists the Thalmudists and Schoolmâ—ns opinions of the creaâ—ion of angels THe witchmongers which are most commonly bastard divines doe fondly gather and falsly conceive the commencement of divels out of the fourteenth of Isay where they suppose Lucifer is cited as the namâ— of an angell who on a time being desirous to be checkmate with God himself would needs when God was gone a little aside be sitting down or rather pirking up in Gods own principall and cathedrall chair and that therefore God cast him and all his confederates out of heaven so as some fell down from thence to the bottom of the earth some having descended but into the middle region and the tail of them having not yet passed through the higher region stayed even then and there when God said Ho. But God knoweth there is no such thing meant nor mentioned in that place For there is only fore-shewed the deposing and deprivation of King Nebuchadnezzar who exalting himself in pride as it were above the starres esteemed his glory to surmount all others as farre as Lucifer the bright morning starre shineth more gloriously than the other common starres and was punished by exile untill such time as he had humbled himself and therefore metaphorically was called Lucifer But forsooth because these great clerks would ' be thought methodicall and to have crept out of wisdomes bosome who rather
the person of the deity I mean the spirit of sanctification to oppose mans power mans wit mans policy c. which was well signified by that poeticall fiction of the giants who were termed Anguipedes Snakefooted which as Ioachimus Cameravius expoundeth of wicked counsellours to whose filthy perswasions tyrants doe trust as unto their feet and Iames Sadolet interpreteth of philosophers who trusting over much unto their own wits become so bold in challenging praise for their wisdome that in fine all turneth to folly and confusion so I expound of heretikes and schismatikes who ' either by corrupt doctrine or by maintaining precise opinions or by open violence c. assay to overthrow the true religion to break the unity of the church to deny Caesar his homage and God his duty c. and therefore let Iovis fulmen wherewith they were slain assure these that there is Divina ultio due to all such as dare in the ficklenesse of their fancies arrear themselves against the holy spirit of whom sith they are ashamed hereupon earth otherwise they would confidently boldly confesse him both with mouth and pen he will be ashamed of them in heaven where they are like to be so farre from having any society with the saints that their portion shall be even in full and shaken measure with miscreants and infidels And therefore let us if we will discerne and try the spirits whether they be of God or no seek for the illumination of this inlightning spirit which as it bringeth light with it to discover all spirits so it giveth such a fiery heat as that no false spirit can abide by it for fear of burning Howbeit the holy spirit must be in us otherwise this prerogative of trying spirits will not fall to our lot But here some will peradventure move a demand and do aske how the holy spirit is in us considering that Infiniti ad infinitum nulla est proportio neque loci angustia quod immensum est potest circumscribi of that which is infinite to that which is finite there is no proportion neither can that which is unmeasurable be limited or bounded within any précinct of place c. I answer that the most excellent father for Christs sake sendeth him unto us according as Christ promised us in the person of his apostles The comforter saith he which is the holy spirit whom my father will send in my name And as for proportion of that which is infinite to that which is finite c. I wil in no case have it thought that the holy spirit is in us as a body placed in a place terminably but to attribute thereunto as duly belongeth to the deity an ubiquity or universall presence not corporally and palpably but effectually mightily mystically divinely c. Yea and this I may boldly adde that Christ Jesus sendeth him unto us from the father neither is he given us for any other end but to inrich us abundantly with all good gifts and excellent graces and among the rest with the discerning of spirits aright that we be not deceived And here an end FINIS The summe of every chapter contained in the sixteene books of this discovery with the discourse of divels and spirits annexed thereunto The first Booke AN impeachment of witchespower in meteors and elementary bodies tending to the rebuke of such as attribute too much unto them Pag. 1. The inconvenience growing by mens credulity herein with a reproofe of some churchmen which are inclined to the common conceived opinion of witches oâ—nipotency and a familiar example thereof pag. 3. Who they be that are called witches with a manifest declaration of the cause that moveth men so commonly to thinke witches themselves to beleeve that they can hurt children cattell c. with words and imaginations and of cousening witches pag. 5. What miraculous actions are imputed to witches by witchmongers papists and poets pag. 6. A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and witchcraft and how detestable a sinne it is to repaire to them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction pag. 8. A further confutation of witches miraculous and omnipotent power by invincible reasons and authorities with dissuasions from such sond credulity pag. 9. What meanes the name of witches becommeth so famous and how diversly people be opinioned concerning them and their actions pa. 10. Causes that move as well witches themselves as others to thinke that they can work impossibilities with answers to certaine objections where also their punishment by law is touched pag. 11. A conclusion of the first book wherein is foreshewed the tyrannicall cruelty of witchmongers and inquisitors with a request to the reader to peruse the same pag. 12. The second Booke WHat testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against reputed witches by the report and allowance of the inquisitors themselves and such as are speciall writers herein Pag. 13. The order of examination of witches by the inquisitors ibid. Matters of evidence against witches pag. 15. Confessions of witches whereby they are condemned pag. 16. Presumptions whereby witches are condemned pag. 17. Particular interrogatories used by the inquisitors against witches pa. 18. The inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration pag. 19. Certaine cautions against witches and of their tortures to procure confession pag. 20. The 15. crimes laid to the charge of witches by witchmongers specially by Bodin in Demonomania 22. A confutation of the former surmised crimes patched together by Bodin and the only way to escape the inquisitors hands pag 23. The opinion of Cornelius Agrippa concerning witches of his pleading for a poore woman accused of witchcraft and how he convinced the inquisitors pag. 24. What the feare of death and feeling of torments may force one to do and that it is no marvell though witches condemne themselves by their owne confessions so tyrannically extorted pag. 33. The third Book THe witches bargaine with the divell according to M. Mal. Bodin Nâ—der Daneus Psellus Brastus Hemingius Cumanus Aquinas Bartholomeus Spineus c. Pag. 35. The order of the witches homage done as it is written by lewd inquisitors and peevish witchmongers to the divell in person of their songs and danses and namely of Lavolta and of other ceremones also of their excourses pag. 36. How witches are sommoned to appeare before the divell of their riding in the air of their accompts of their conference with the divell of his supplies and their conference of their farewell and sacrifices according to Daneus Psellus c. 37 That there can no real league be made with the divell the first author of the league and the weake proofes of the adversaries for the same 38. Of the private league a notable table of Bodin concerning a French lady with a confutation pag. 39. A disproofe of their assemblies and of their bargaine pag. 40. A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions pag. 41. What folly it were for witches
that divers spirits rested in and upon one man and yet no reall or corporall spirit meant As for example The Lord took of the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy elders and when the spirit rested upon them they prophesied Why should not this be as substantiall and corporall a spirit as that wherewith the maid in the Acts of the Apostles was possessed Also Elisha intreated Elia that when he departed his spirit might double upon him We read also that the spirit of the Lord came upon Othinel upon Gidcon Ieptha Samson Balaam Saul David Ezekiel Zachary Amasay yea it is written that Caleb had another spirit than all the Israelites beside and in another place it is said that Daniâ—l had a more excellent spirit than any other So as though the spirits as well good as bad are said to be given by number and proportion yet the quality and not the quantity of them is alwayes thereby meant and presuposed Howbeit I must confesse that Christ had the spirit of God without measure as it is written in the Evangelist Iohn But where it is said that spirits can be made tame and at commandment I say to those grosse conceivers of Scripture with Salomon who as they falsly affirme was of all others the greatest conjuror saith thus in expresse words No man is lord over a spirit to retaine a spirit at his pleasure CHAP. VII Whether Spirits and soules can assume bodies and of their creation and substance wherein writers doe extreamly contend and vary SOme hold opinion that spirits and soules can assume and take unto them bodies at their pleasure of what shape or substance they lift of which mind all papists and some protestants are being more grosse than another sort which hold that such bodies are made to their hands Howbeit these doe varie in the elements wherewith these spirituall bodies are composed For as I have said some affirm that they consist of fire some think of air and some of the starres and other celestiall powers But if they be celestiall then as Peter Martyr saith must they follow the circular motion and if they be elementary then must they follow the motions of those elements of which their bodies consist Of air they cannot be for air is Corpus homogeneum so as every part of air is air whereof there can be no distinct members made For an organicall body must have bones sinews veins flesh c. which cannot be made of air Neither as Peter Martyr affirmeth can an airy body receive or have either shape or figure But some ascend up into the clouds where they find as they say diverse shapes and formes even in the air Unto which objection P. Martyr answereth saying and that truly that clouds are not altogether air but have a mixture of other elements mingled with them CHAP. XVIII Certaine popish reasons concerning spirits made of air of day divels and night divels and why the divell loveth no salt in his meat MAny affirm upon a fable cited by M. Mal. that spirits are of air because they have been cut as he saith in sunder and closed presently again and also because they vanish away so suddenly But of such apparitions I have already spoken and am shortly to say more which are rather seen in the imagination of the weak and diseased than in verity and truth Which sights and apparitions as they have been common among the unfaithfull so now since the preaching of the Gospell they are most rare And as among fainthearted people namely women children and sick folks they usually swarmed so among strong bodies and good stomachs they never used to appeare as elsewhere I have proved which argueth that they were only phantasticall and imaginary Now say they that imagine divels and spirits to be made of air that it must needs bee that they consist of that element because otherwise when they vanish suddenly away they should leave some earthy substance behinde them If they were of water then should they moisten the place where they stand and must needs be shed on the floore If they consisted of fire then would they burn any thing that touched them and yet say they Abraham and Lot washed their feet and were neither scalded nor burnt I finde it not in the Bible but in Bodin that there are day divels and night divels The same fellow saith that Deber is the name of that divell which hurteth by night and Cheleb is he that hurreth by day howbeit he confesseth that Satan can hurt both by day and night although it be certain as he saith that he can doe more harm by night than by day producing for example how in a night he slew the first born of Egypt And yet it appeareth plainly in the text that the Lord himself did it Whereby it seemeth that Bodin putteth no difference between God and the divell For further confirmation of this his foolish assertion that divels are more valiant by night than by day he alleadgeth the 104 Psalme wherein is written Thou makest darknesse and it is night wherein all the beasts of the Forrest creep forth the lions roar c. when the sun riseth they retire c. So as now he maketh all beast to be divels or divels to be beasts Oh barbarous blindnesse This Bodin also saith that the divell loveth no salt in his meat for that it is a sign of eternity and used by Gods commandement in all sacrifices abusing the Scriptures which hee is not ashamed to quote in that behalfe But now I will declare how the Scripture teacheth our dull capacities to conceive what manner of thing the divell is by the very names appropriated unto him in the same CHAP. XIX That such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures have in their names their nature and qualities expressed with instances thereof SUch divels are mentioned in the Scriptures by name have in their names their nature and qualities expressed being for the most part the idols of certaine nations idolatrously erected in stead or rather in spight of God For Beelzebub which signifieth the lord of the flies because he taketh every simple thing in his web was an idol or oracle erected at Ekron to whom Ahaziah sent to know whether he should recover his disease as though there had been no God in Israel This divell Beelzebub was among the Jews reputed the principall divell The Grecians called him Pluto the Latines Sumanus quasi summum deorum manium the chief ghost of spirit of the dead whom they supposed to walk by night although they absurdly beleeved also that the soul died with the body So as they did put a difference between the ghost of a man and the soul of a man and so doe our papists howbeit none otherwise but that the soul is a ghost when it walketh on the earth after the dissolution of the body
or appeareth to any man either out of heaven hell or purgatory and not otherwise Nisroch signifieth a delicate tentation and was worshipped by Senacharib in Assyria Tarcat is in English fettered and was the divell or idoll of the Hevites Beelphegor otherwise called Priapus the gapâ—ng or naked god was worshipped among the Moabites Adramelech that is the cloke or power of the king was an idoll at Sâ—pharvais which was a city of the Assyrians Chamos that is feeling or departing was worshipped among the Moabites Dagon that is corn or grief was the idoll of the Philistines Asarte that is a fold or flock is the name of a shee idoll at Sydonia whom Salomon worshipped some think it was Venus Melchom that is a king was an idoll or divell which the sons of Ammoâ— worshipped Sometimes also we find in the scriptures that divels and spirits take their names of wicked men or of the houses or states of abominable persons as Astaroth which as Iosephus saith was the idoll of the Philistines whom the Iews took from them at Salomons commandment and was also worshipped of Salomon Which though it signifie riches flocks c. yet it was once a city belonging to Og the king of Basan where they say the giants dwelt In these respects Astaroth is one of the special divels named in Salomons conjuration greatly imployed by the conjurors I have sufficiently proved in these quotations that these idols are Dii gentium the gods of the Gentiles and then the prophet David may satisfie you that they are divels who saith Dii gentium daemonia sunt The gods of the gentiles are divels What a divell was the rood of grace to be thought but such a one as before is mentioned and described who took his name of his curteous and gratious behaviour towards his worshippers or rather those that offered unto him The idolatrous knavery whereof being now bewrayed it is among the godly reputed a divell rather than a god and so are diverse others of the same stamp CHAP. XX. Diverse names of the divell whereby his nature and disposition is manifested IT hath also pleased God to inform our weak capacities as it were by similitudes and examples or rather by comparisons to understand what manner of thing the divell is by the very names appropriated and attributed unto him in the scriptures wherein sometimes he is called by one name sometimes by another by metaphors according to his conditions Elephas is called in Iob Behemoth which is Bruta whereby the greatnesse and brutishnesse of the divell is figured Leviathan is not much different from Elephas whereby the divels great subtilty and power is shewed unto us Mammon is the covetous desire of mony wherewith the divell overcometh the reprobate c Daemon signifieth one that is cunning or crafty Cacodaemon is perversly knowing All those which in ancient times were worshipped as Gods were so called Diabolus is Calumniator an accuser or a slenderer Satan is Adversarius an adversary that troubleth and molesteth Abaddon a destroyer Legio because they are many Prince of the air Prince of the world A king of the sons of pride A roaring lion An homicide or manslayer a lyer and the father of lies The author of sin A spirit Yea sometimes he is called the spirit of the Lord as the executioner and minister of his displeasure c. Sometimes the spirit of fornication c. And many other like epithets or additions are given him for his name He is also called the angell of the Lord. The cruell angell of Satan The angell of hell The great dragon for his pride and force The red dragon for his bloudinesse A serpent An owl a kite a satyr a crow a pellican a hedghog a griph a stork c. CHAP. XXI That the idols or gods of the Gentiles are divels their divers names and in what affaires their labours and authorities are imployed wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered ANd for so much as the idols of the Gentiles are called divels and are among the unlearned confounded and intermedled with the divels that are named in the Scriptures I thought it convenient here to give you â—a note of them to whom the Gentiles gave names according to the offices unto them assigned Penates are the domesticall gods or rather divels that were said to make men live quietly within doores But some think these rather to be such as the Gentiles thought to be set over kingdoms and that Lares are such as trouble private houses and are set to oversee crosse wayes and cities Larvae are said to be spirits that walk only by night Genii are the two angels which they supposed were appointed to wait upon each man Manes are the spirits which oppose themselves against men in the way Daemones were feigned gods by poets as Iupiter Iuno c. Virunculi terrei are such as was Robin Good-fellow that would supply the office of servants specially of maids as to make a fire in the morning sweep the house grind mustard and malt draw water c. these also rumble in houses draw latches goe up and down stairs c. Dii geniales are the gods that every man did sacrifice unto at the day of their birth Tetrici be they that make folk afraid and have such ugly shape which many of our Divines doe call Subterranei Cobali are they that follow men and delight to make them laugh with tumbling juggling and such like toies Virunculi are dwarfs about three handfuls long and doe no hurt but seem to dig in minerals and to be very busie and yet doe nothing Guteli or Trulli are spirits they say in the likenesse of women shewing great kindnesse to all men and hereof it is that we call light women truls Daemones montani are such as work in the minerals and further the worke of the labourers wonderfully who are nothing afraid of them Hudgin is a very familiar divell which will doe no body hurt except hee receive injury but he cannot abide that nor yet be mocked he talketh with men friendly sometimes visibly and sometimes invisibly There goe as many tales upon this Hudgin in some parts of Germany as there did in England of Robin Good-fellow But this Hudgin was so called because he alwayes ware a cap or a hood and therefore I think it was Robin Hood Fryar Rush was for all the world such another fellow as this Hudgin and brought up even in the same school to wit in a kitchen in so much as the selfe same tale is written of the one as of the other concerning the skullian which is said to have been flaih c. for the reading whereof I I referre you to Fryar Rush his story or else to Iohn Wier us De praestigiâ—â— daemonum There were also