Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	great_a	heaven_n	know_v	2,359	5	3.7515	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

his deseruings not for their merits but from his owne bounty for if he should handle euery man according to his deserts there would few scape hell And this great God be your good workes neuer so meane yet if they flow from charity and the merits of his passion hee will giue them a reward as he hath promised saying Come yee blessed of my father c. Because when I was a hungry you gaue mee meate when I was thirstie you gaue me to drinke when I was a stranger you tooke me in when I was dead you buried me when I was sicke you visited me when I was naked you cloathed me when I was in prison you redeemed me Then shall he carrie them to Paradise to haue there the fruition of his pleasures because they contemned all for his sake And since they were his companions at the Crosse it standeth with reason that they be his Associates at his table These words were no sooner ended but hee cried I am mad I am mad I am compelled to expresse this not for loue but vpon constraint It is strange that a souldier should kill himselfe with his owne weapons It fareth so with mee who take armes against my selfe wherewith my owne throat is mangled But what remedie God will haue it so Is it not a thing that was neuer heard of before that the Diuell is at variance with the Diuell and that hell combateth against hell Here is to be obserued that this discourse and many others semblable vnto them were spoken with such an emphasis and efficacie that all the assembly began to weepe and to aske God forgiuenesse as also to confesse themselues and to receiue the Sacrament instantly vpon it Of which the foure aboue-named Pilgrimes would needs giue attestation in forme as followeth The 10. of December 1610. there came to S. Baume Monsieur Arnoulde Borffartigues Canon and Sexton of the Cathedrall Church of Cominge Doctor of Diuinitie Iames Audry Merchant of Troy in Champaigne Iohn Gallois Gold-smith and Claud Gaùdet a Merchant Draper of Troy in Champaigne which were present at the Exorcismes of the two women that were possessed about three seuerall times and heard very admirable accidents touching this particular In witnesse whereof we of our owne proper motion haue subscribed our names for the publique good and for the reducement bringing home of many millions of soules by the miraculousnesse of the same where the Diuell is enforced to vtter the truth of the Gospell by the mouth of a woman called Louyse being thereunto commanded by almighty God And hauing no further occasion to remaine or soiourne here any longer as men harried with the trauell and toyle of our iourney from Rome we haue left our testimony in the hands of the venerable father the Exorcist in the presence of the fathers that were present and of many others In truth whereof we haue subsigned our names Borffartigues Iohn Gallois Gaudet Audry The same day in the euening were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the Dominican father and at the beginning of the Exorcismes Verrine discoursed of the paines of hell and other matters in this manner The paines of hell are so great and fearefull that one alone Diuell with his hideous shape were able to strike a man dead vpon the place although he had a thousand liues The diuels themselues might not indure the soules of the damned were it not that hell were the place that is destinated for euerlasting torments When the accursed soules of the damned come vnto vs wee make very much of them wee cause them to sit on a great chaire of flaming fire we present vnto them balls of fire for their repast that are all very well sulphured we giue them to drink a certaine liquor bitter as gall or wormwood and enforce also vpon them courtesies more bitter and more stinking then these Their eyes are fed with continuall visions of Diuel● they haue for their songs and musicke wherein they tooke their pleasure in their life time vucessant blasphemies against God cursing the time that they were borne their fathers and their mothers together wirh all other creatures great and small We fling and tumble them sometimes in the fire sometimes vpon the yce sometimes in sulphure sometimes in snow and in exprobration of their transgressions we say vnto them Ha! accursed wretches behold behold the recompense for your pleasures and delicacies You that would not obey your God you that made slight to trespasse against his commandements you that haue whored after Baal and abandoned your Creator you doe deserue you doe deserue to be thus tormented you deserue to bee thus handled Neuer shall you see God but shall bee eternally depriued of those celestiall ioyes and in briefe you shall here be tortured for euer Besides said Verrine we are cruell remembrancers vnto them of the fauours and blessings which they haue receiued from their Creatour not hereby to giue them any comfort or refreshment but to torment them the more abundantly We say vnto them Miserable caitifes as you are you might haue gone to Paradise you might haue beene filled with heauenly blisse you might haue beene companions to the Saints of heauen but the tide is turned another way Behold you are the bondmen of Sathan the Gally-slaues of hell and the food and nourishment of that vnquenchable fire How wretched are you who might haue had the liberty of the children of God and doe now remaine in the thrall and seruitude of Diuels If you suffer tortures you doe well deserue them yet are you not punished according to your misdeedes and demerits Then making a great out-cry he said O wonderfull miracle O great misery The Diuels speak against themselues yea and against all hell they disgrace their owne Countrey and dehort men from trauelling thither and from cohabiting with them This is very strange Let two men speake together of their Country and it is not to be wondered at if both of them be lauish in the praises thereof but it is a great miracle that the Diuell an enemie to God and heauen recommendeth vnto men that celestiall Country and vilifieth the kingdome of hell I further auerre that men ride to hell easily in a Coach and the horses and all the furniture thereof may passe in with facility But to Paradise you must goe a-foote and enter in stouping the gates thereof are narrow so that much labour and toyle is requisite for the attainement of the same and hardly may you enter in without doing penance I also say that the fire of hell is so deuouringly hot that put all the fire in the world together and it is but a painting in regard of it Yet are there soules so desperate and vnnaturall that they runne at full speede into these gulphes of brimstone Accursed Magicians abominable Witches and relentlesse sinners can all of them relate vnto you such newes as this Then hee cried with great and ghastly exclamations

qui facitis verbum eius ad audiendani vocem sermonum eius Thus were the euill Spirits thrust out of heauen for their pride whereas the good Spirits were still made blessed in the participation of the vision and presence of God This did Christ signifie vnto his Apostles when out of pride they demanded of him who among them should bee the greatest in the kingdome of heauen hee tooke a litle childe by the hand saying if you become not like vnto this litle childe yee cannot enter into that kingdome and beware how you offend one of these litle ones for their Angels doe alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heauen whereby he giueth to vnderstand that children by reason of their naturall humility are like vnto Angels which Angels by this meanes doe see the face of God Since this great reuolte in heauen there hath euer been a contrariety and warre betweene the will 's of good and bad spirits and betweene good and bad men also as between Abel and Cain Isaac and Ismael Iacob and Esau. And this is it which S. Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalypse that there was a great battell in heauen between Michael and his Angels the Dragon with his Angels and S. Iude bringeth in the same Michael disputing and chiding with Satan Since therefore hee is full of wickednesse and altogether depriued of the grace of God he can doe nothing but what is naught and because hee cannot wreake his malice vpon the Saints in Paradise hee conuerteth his fury against man that is made after the image of God and is heere seated vpon the earth that hee may worship his Creator and acknowledge and serue him with his whole heart that so he may at length participate of that diuine glory and felicity which the Diuell by reason of his pride is vtterly depriued of as we haue already alleaged And this is the next pointe which offereth it selfe to consideration in the ensueing chapter CHAP. IIII. The meanes which Diuels haue to appeare and come vnto vs in what part of the world they reside how they are bound and their sundrie waies to tempt men TOuching the meanes which Spirits haue to performe this the scripture teacheth vs that in their downe-fall from heauen some remained in the middle region of the aire which is darksome obscure because the Sun-beames passe through the same without refraction of any solid body which by repercussion might double their force and light and without which they shine not at all as is euidently seene in a caue where there is no light at all perceiued but in the place where the sunne-beame doth fall And although we had no other proofe then that generall rule of Saint Ierome it might sufficiently euince the same for these are his very words Omnium doctorum opinio est quod aër iste qui coelum terram medius diuidens inane appellatur plenus sit contrarys fortitudinibus Since then there was neuer any Doctor of the Church which made scruple of the truth hereof wee must thinke that they had good warrant for the same from the Scripture They did no doubt consider that our Lord in the parable of the seede did by the birds of heauen which deuoured the corne vnderstand and also interpret it to be the Diuels whom he calleth the birds of heauen thereby meaning the aire according to the vsuall Hebrew phrase and agreeable vnto our maner of speech also who commonly say the raine falleth from heauen when the meaning is from the aire For as S. Ierome hath well obserued all Philosophers doe agree in their opinions that the clouds by the dissoluing of which the raine is engendred are not drawne vp aboue two miles at the most from the earth whereas the distance betwixt heauen and earth is incomparably greater And this is S. Pauls meaning when hee telleth the Ephesians that our fight is not chiefly against men but against the princes of this world which are the wicked spirits that haue their abode aboue in high places and as himselfe explaneth all these authorities in the second chapter of the same Epistle by these high places he meaneth the aire Secundum seculum mundi huius saith hee secundum principem potestatis aëris huius spiritus qui nunc operaetur in filios diffidentiae Which is also declared by S. Iude in his Canonicall epistle shewing that these wicked spirits are abiding in that darksome aire are there reserued for the day of iudgement when they shall heare these words Goe yee cursed into hell fire which is from the beginning prepared for the Diuell and his angels His words are these Angelos qui non seruauerunt suum principatum sed dereliquerunt suum domicilium in indicium magni diei vinculis aeternis sub caligine reseruauit And here may be fitly alleaged that which is written in S. Luke where it is related that the Diuels besought Christ Iesus not to send them out into the deepe but rather into the heard of swine and they doe likewise complaine vnto our Sauiour saying Vt quid venisti ante tempus torquere nos As if they should haue said we are assured of our totall and vtter damnation but the time thereof is not yet come for this shall bee put in execution at the last day of iudgement which being not yet present thou maist doe well to leaue vs in these parts vntill that time approch The like may be said of that place in the Reuelation Vah mari terrae quia descendit diabolus ad vos habens iram magnam and it is againe declared in the same booke that our aduersarie the diuell was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone And that wee may resolue what the difference is betweene the diuels that are in hell and those whose abode is in the aire although S. Ierome maketh daintie to meddle with it because he conceiued it to be from the matter whereof he intreated as also for that hee feared as himselfe excuseth it lest hee should trespasse too farre vpon the readers patience in dwelling so long vpon this argument yet will we speake somewhat of the same because this present discourse doth demaund it It is an infallible truth that there are great multitudes of wicked spirits who abide in that gloomie region of the aire and come also lower and neerer vnto vs which God in his prouidence hath and doth permit First because himselfe imployeth these his creatures although it be in base and seruile offices as a King or ciuill Iustice are accustomed to condemne certaine malefactors not vnto death but vnto the performance of some worke which aduantageth these offenders nothing at all but is onely charged with laboriousnesse and toyle and tendeth meerely to the publike good Thus were many in times past banished or confined to some Isle or mountaine to labour and digge in the Quarries of Marble for the Princes

yet ought you euer to prepare your selues Let your humility keepe wing with Gods mercie for so you shal draw vnto you the humanity and diuinity of your God O blessed mother of God you haue attracted the God of Gods from heauen to be conversant vpon the earth he made this great leape as a Giant because you became the seruant of seruants whose humility when hee had once perfectly vewed hee presently made choice of you for his Mother The holy Ghost is the God of loue of deuotion of good desires and of compunction knock at his gate and hee will giue you whatsoeuer you shall demand of him as he did inlarge his bounty to Magdalene Peter David and the good theefe Besides all these Saints are most ready to fly to your aide and doe desire your saluation an hundreth thousand times more then your selues God hath made three things vnto whose greatnesse no other worke of his can aspire vnto that is Heauen the humanity of his Sonne and his Mother Ioseph noteth vnto vs the vnderstanding and Mary the will Say therefore vnto Mary teach mee to obey and loue my brother Say vnto Ioseph who is Maries guardian make me to apprehend and to bee sensible of my misery and then will this childe streame downe vpon you the dew of his grace and feare of his loue and obedience Your Redemer obeyed his Mother and Ioseph yea he was content to stoope vnto the commands of the ministers of Satan not that he would thereby adde any reputation vnto him or his kingdome but because hee would be a president vnto the proud of his great humility The Diuell doth heere discourse of wholesome and vsefull obseruations do you cull out the things that are good as if a wicked Priest should propose these exhortations vnto you and if you will not I tell you you shall not be by me constrained thereunto After all this he tooke his oathe and did call the wrath of God vpon himselfe if he had not sworne sincerely and in truth he also added Sancta Maria ora pro eis Sancte Ioseph Sancta Magdalena Sancte Dominice Sancte Stephane the arch-enemy vnto Sonneillon orate pro eis Cursed bee they who say that the blessed Saints doe not make intercessions for you The Acts of the 26. of December being the Feast of Saint Steuen THis day in the morning the Dominican Father did exorcise and at the beginning of the Exorcismes Sonneillon who was in the body of Louyse began to discourse in this manner I am constrained to speake of Stephen and concerning superstition Come hither Asmodee Thou art that accursed one which teachest Magicians to vse ligaments portractures resemblances of wax brasse and stone together with other abominations of the like nature to the end that they may fire men and set an edge vpon all fleshly prouokements vnto lust Then doest thou cause the Priest who is the Magician to baptise these statues wherein he doth commit a most greeuous sinne so that he that should baptise a Doue an Eagle or any other ●oule of the aire should come farre short of the abomination of the same for the birds doe after a sort blesse God by their melody and voices although they haue not a capacity of being baptised because they are beasts and are without vnderstanding yet doe I affirme that those who should doe this should bee lesse culpable and sinfull then those that baptise these idols which are the statues of Diuels O execrable Priest how carelesse art thou of thy dignity and calling I speake of wicked Priests not of those that are good in generall not in particular and I doe aduertise you that they are Magicians and by a consequent slaues vnto sinne and Satan There are many sorts of Magick of Magicians and Witches Sorcerers and Sorceresses Ha wicked Asmodee thou blindest and seducest the great ones of the world by telling them you are mighty and powerfull who will call you to an account if you offend God You may doe whatsoeuer your heart desireth none dare reprooue you The law is not made to cage in or controule such as you you are he that made the law who then dareth to wagge his tongue or to attempt any thing against you There are also some great personages that giue eare vnto Magicians and are schollers of this Diabolicall Art that by the assistance thereof they may aspire vnto places of greater eminency Asmodee thou art euer whispering in their eares and saying Sir you are a Prince sublime your braue conceptions and lift them vp to a kingdome then you are to thinke of an Empire and then you must conquere the whole world like another Alexander By these meanes their reprose is disseasoned with these wilde and whirling apprehensions and they are many times so forgetfull of man which they continually beare about them that they giue commandement to be adored as Gods as appeareth by him who waded into the Sea to see if any thing were mightier and more powerfull then himselfe The Deuill doth cherish all ambition and whatsoeuer sauoureth of goodnesse he hath in detestation hee doth euer solicite all sorts of men of what quality or condition soeuer they bee But would to God hee onely insinuated himselfe vnto the houses of great personages hee is euery-where and tempteth all persons without choice or distinction of sexes This appeareth in Nabuchodonosor who was tempted with a desire that whatsoeuer hee did eate might be converted either into gold or into the semblance and shew of gold who for his pride was afterwards by Gods permission transformed into a beast and so at last became humble for when he remembred what he was and grew penitent for his excessiuenesse of pride hee afterward was thought worthy to be saued Salomon I can tell you was the worlds wisedome yet did the Diuels intrappe and take him by Magicians and women so that he is now burning in the flames of hell because he neuer was bruised and humbled with such repentance as deserued acceptance from God Dauid indeed offended his God but hee did seriously repent dewing and watering his couch with teares and eating his bread mingled with ashes that hee might declare vnto all how much his heart was humbled and made tender He further said to Asmodee Accursed spirit thou art also he that doest vaile and cast a mist ouer the eyes of such soules as are seduced by thee and then thou lockest vp their eares that Gods word may not pierce and penetrate euen to the pith and inmost part of the heart that so being both deafe and blind they may lose all hope of their share in the kingdome of God I meane not the deafnesse and blindnesse of the body but a spirituall deafnesse and blindnesse for it is not doubted but those that are corporally blinde may enter into the kingdome of heauen neither is the light of this world necessarie thereunto else what should become of the poore men that are blind

shall be in his ruffe and brauery hee will say I am Christ I am the Messias and he will haue many associates that will auow the same but the true Christians shall tell him thou art not hee thou art Antichrist The same God who said vnto the Niniuites repent doth now call vpon you my iudgement is at hand repent therefore and be conuerted Children obey the voice of your father shut shut O shut your gates against Satan if he would enter say that God hath the keyes If the Diuell be importunate if he knocke with impatience if hee would enter by violence goe presently to the master of the house and tell him Sir you are our good shepheard there are strangers without that would enter forcibly vpon vs and if we bee not mistaken there bee wolues without at the gate Sir you haue the keyes you haue the staffe to beate them hence you are able with the least winke of your eye to make them auoid the place vpon this information he will rise and chase them away to their confusion Haue your recourse to the Child Iesus he will bee your Purueier and supply your necessities Present your seruice to Mary and shee will aide you Why doe you rather chuse to lauish away your time then to pray for the health of your soules you are first to honour the blessed mother of God S. Iohn and Magdalene and then the loue of God shall be conferred vpon you Is it not good reason to reuerence the blessed mother of God since that you are her children I assure you that no man liuing can make a bad end who hath honoured and reuerenced the mother of God Magdalene Martha Catherine Vrsula Dominicke Anselme Stanislaus Stephen Anthony of Padua and the Innocent children but be wary for in the greatest feasts and solemnities there is most vnrulinesse and disorder You deceiue your selues when as you say that if God would haue reuealed these things vnto his Church he would haue chosen the ministry of Preachers not of Diuels but God is wise enough yea hee is wisdome it selfe and doth little need to haue your aduice or the counsell of Angels themselues If he would haue taken the aduice either of Angels or of men when he selected and culled forth his blessed mother from all women they would haue told him that it had been better to chuse a Queene or a Princesse for the blessed Virgine was accounted meane and contemptible in the eyes of the world In like manner if hee had taken any to aduise with all touching the place of his Natiuity they would haue told him what Lord chuse a stable can you not with as much ease chuse a Palace But it is the custome of God to doe that which seemeth good vnto him and not to follow the fancies and giddy conceits of men Then did Verrine take his oath that all this aboue mentioned was true as hee formerly vsed to doe The Acts of the 28. of December being the Feast of Innocents ON this day the Dominican father exorcised and Verrine began to speake in this manner There are two bookes God keepeth the booke of life the Diuell the booke of eternall death in which hee registreth downe all mens sinnes as God in the other booke setteth downe all mens good workes whereof S. Martin is witnesse The Diuell ruineth all and God restoreth all for from a worke of basenesse he draweth actions of wonder and maketh that which is vnfruitfull to become fertile The way of life vnto death is a broad and beaten way but the way to returne from sinne to grace is full of mistakes and windings It is not Gods manner to imploy the seruice of those that are drenched in mortall sinne when hee would bring about some important worke for the aduantage and good of his Church as also the Diuell doth not effect any great matter for the aduancement and augmentation of the kingdome of Hell when he vseth the ministry of one that is setled in the grace of God For there is a sympathie and consent betwixt God and his creature whom hee employeth in his businesse God being omnipotent can easily out of vnfruitfulnesse nay out of a straw worke plenty of wonders yet is it requisite that this straw do not let or giue hinderance thereunto for the reasonable creature hath free will giuen him by God that by doing well he may merit as by stooping to that which is nought hee may be punished It is not with men as it is with Diuels for we are forced to doe the commandement of God which men absolutely are not although God being the Lord of all and their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier may lay his command vpon them but the Diuell whose nature is depraued and deuoid of the grace of God doth nothing but by compulsion God hath created his creatures without any consent or approbation of theirs yet hee doth not operate in his creatures without them neither shall any be haled into the kingdome of heauen if hee haue no minde to goe thither God will open many meanes for the attainement of that endlesse blisse but if a man will none God will leaue him to himselfe and then hee is vtterly cast away This shipwracke of him●elfe commeth not from God but from the creature who out of pure malice doth abandon the Mansion of his father that by his precipitate courses hee may cast himselfe into the fier of Hell A good King maketh a good subiect The deceased King of famous memory was a louer of peace in his life time and therefore God did crowne him with glory and peace in that other world Doe not contend and cauill whether hee were an hereticke or a Catholike for the end crownes the worke hee had offended with Dauid and God shewed mercy vnto him as he did vnto Dauid It is the Diuels property to bring men from euill to worse but God nurseth men vp from good to better for no vncleane thing shall enter into heauen Then Verrine said at the pronouncing of these words of the Exorcismes Tu Innocentium persecutor Of a certainty Herod thou wast a blood-thirsty man thou wouldest haue thy selfe stiled the Messias and yet diddest endeauour to slay the true Messias indeed in that massacre of Innocents And although hee was able enough to defend himselfe from thy murtherous designements yet would hee decline thy rage that hee might teach vs not to tempt the prouidence of God Herod thought to kill Christ Iesus yet on the other side the Kings of the East came to worship him Good Kings what saw you in him to draw you to such an action so derogatory as it might haue seemed from your States Hee appeared vnto you but a little childe Mary was no Queene and there was no traine onely Ioseph an Oxe and an Asse Where was his Crowne where was his Scepter where were his hangings of Tapistry where was the royall bed what could you behold there but cob-webs of spiders

others Being demanded how Lucifer could vnderstand all the occurences of things if he bee thus chained vp hee began to laugh and said you are deuoid of sense and ordinary apprehension doth not a King that abideth in his Palace know whatsoeuer passeth in his kingdome by meanes of Ambassadors messengers and Postes So the Deuils go to hell for they are there very speedily and take instructions from Lucifer who is more knowing and of greater command then them all The Acts of the 17. of Ianaary which was Munday being the Feast of S. Anthony WHiles Masse was saying there grew a great contestation betweene Belzebub and Verrine Belzebub did intellectually and by an intrinsicke conference with Verrine make impression in his vnderstanding standing to desire him to go with his associates to Marseille and to lend him his helping hand to harden the Magicians and Witches that were now at a stand and very shreudly shaken in their former resolutions because their Prince was detected and named Vnto whom Verrine audibly made answere that hee would not go saying that hee had sworne alleageance vnto God and did not therefore feare the paines which they threatned him withall that hee might go thither himselfe if hee had any fancy thereunto and that since hee would needs boast his greatnesse and command hee should do well to try his forces But as for mee and my companions said hee God hath hired vs yesterday morning as a man will hire a labouring man to dresse and trimme his Vineyard so that thou commest to late to hire vs to thy seruice thou wert lazy and diddest slip thy time I do not meane to worke at thy request for when I haue industriously wrought for thee what reward canst thou giue me but the paines of hell thou hast no other thing to bestow But God hath promised vnto me an asswagement and lessening of my paines and therefore I will labour for him in this businesse tempt not mee nor my companions any more O what braue Princes you are that do neither defend nor gouerne your people any better It is very obseruable that Verrine being the night before tempted in the same nature tooke on and plained himselfe like a child saying They will force me to go to Marseille to strengthen the Magician God will punish mee if I do it And after some distances he would often repeate these words no no so that it seemed that God had restored some part of his former force to Belzebub that hee might labour Verrine and almost constraine him to his pleasure and he did once in a manner consent vnto him as wee haue formerly obserued for the which he was well beaten After Masse Belzebub being departed from the body of Magdalene as it seemed to go to Marseille for the aboue named purposes the Exorcist demanded which of the Deuils did then beare sway in her body One of them answered that it was Balberith And being asked of what order he was he made very dainty to vtter it yet at last he spake these words I am constrained by God vpon the intercessions of the Virgin Mary of Magdalene of Michael and of Francis to declare this and other things of the like nature vnto you 1. Belzebub was Prince of the Seraphins and next vnto Lucifer for all the Princes that is to say all the cheefe of the nine quiers of Angels are fallen and of the quire of Seraphins there fell the three first to witt Lucifer Belzebub and Leuiathan who did all reuolt but the fourth who was Michael was the first that resisted Lucifer and all the rest of those good Angels followed him so that now hee is the cheefest amongst them all Lucifer when Christ descended into hell was there chained vp where hee commandeth all and euery one of them knoweth how to traficke in his owne trade Belzebub tempteth men with pride And as Iohn Baptist holdeth Lucifers place in Paradise because hee was the greatest amongst men and had obtained this great fauour by his singular humility opposite vnto the pride of Lucifer so Belzebub hath Frauncis for his aduersary in heauen who was father and founder of the Friars minorites and a great example of humility 2. Leuiathan is a Prince of the same order and is the ring-leader of the Hereticks tempting men with sins that are directly repugnant vnto faith hee hath Peter the Apostle who is Vicar of Christ Iesus and chiefe Bishop in the Church for his aduersary vnto whom the promise was made Portae inferi non praeualebunt 3. Asmodee is of the same order hee continueth a Seraphin to this day that is he burneth with the desire to tempt men with his sinne of luxuriousnesse and is the Prince of wantons Iohn Baptist is his aduersary in heauen who liued and died a perfect Virgin 4. Balberith is Prince of the Cherubins hee tempteth men to commit homicides and to be quarrelsome contentious and blasphemous His enemy in heauen is Barnabas the Apostle because of his great modesty 5. Astaroth Prince of the Thrones is alwaies desirous to sit idle and bee at ease hee tempteth men with idlenesse and slouth Bartholomew the Apostle is his enemy in heauen who prayed to God a hundred times a day and a hundred times a night kneeling in great humility vpon the earth Hee did also vanquish that idole Astaroth 6. Verrine is also one of the Thrones next in place vnto Astaroth and tempteth men with impatience His aduersary in heauen is Dominick your father who was singularly patient in all iniuries and aduersities 7. Gr●ssib is the third in the order of Thrones and tempteth men with impurity and vncleannesse and his aduersary in heauen is Bernard whose conuersation was vnblameable and full of purity 8. Sonneillon is the fourth in the order of Thrones and tempteth men with hatred against their enemies His aduersary in heauen is Stephen who prayed for his enemies 9. Carreau Prince of Powers tempteth men with hardnesse of hart his aduersaries in heauen are the two Vincents the ou● a Martyr the other surnamed Ferrier of the order of preaching Friers whose hearts were full of tendernesse and softnesse And this Diuell is euer about Magdalene laying the nets of his temptations to make her obstinate 10. Carniueau is also a Prince of Powers and doth tempt men to obscenitie and shamelesnesse His aduersary in heauen is Iohn the Euangelist who was a virgin 11. Oeillet is a Prince of Dominations he tempteth men to break the vow of pouerty His aduersary in heauen is Martin who gaue halfe his cloake to a begger 12. Rosier is the second in the order of Dominations and by his sweet sugered words he tempteth men to fall in loue His aduersary in heauen is Basil who would not listen to amorous and inchanting language 13. Verrier is Prince of Principalities and tempteth men against the vow of obedience and maketh the neck stiffe and hard as iron and vncapeable to stoope vnder the

maintained stoutly and stifly all that shee had before deliuered against him This done at euening hee was visited by the three Physitians Founteine Merindol and Crassy and two Chirurgeons Bontemps and Pronet and hauing stripped him in the presence of Thoron and Garandeau the forenamed Commissioners they found him in a shamefull and odious fashion whereat they were ashamed themselues and turned their faces aside Afterwards being blindfolded they searched him with needles and when they touched the sensible parts hee cryed saying You hurt mee and when hee cryed not they thurst in the needle vp to the head without any appearance of sense By which meanes they found vpon his body three markes where-upon hauing his eies vnmufled and being re-apparelled hee thought that they had found no markes on his body and so returned very merry to the prison but two dayes after being aduertised of the relation which the forenamed Phisitions and Surgeons had made he was much dismaid at it and would needs moue a question whether the Diuell had power to marke a Christian without his consent Then said father Michaelis to Monsieur Thoron if this man were in Auignion he should be burnt to morrow next for such markes doe plainely conuince him and they are neuer found but vpon Magicians For God permitteth not that his children who are members of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ should beare the marke of his enemie but hee markes them inwardly by the holy Ghost and the character of Baptisme and outwardly in the forehead by the chrisme and the signe of the Crosse and by this marke hee distinguisheth the elect from the reprobate in the 7. of the Reuelation And as it is said in the same booke he will not suffer his elect to carry the marke of the beast some being willing to dispute vpon the point alleaged that God permitted Satan to strike Iob in all his bodie To which the said father answered there is great difference betwixt a blow or a stripe and a marke the blow is giuen for correction the marke in token of subiection the slaues of Turkie carry their masters marke in their forehead burnt with an hoat yron but it is another matter when their masters whip them till the bloud come S. Antony and other holy men haue beene beaten by Diuels as Iob was but you shall neuer finde that the Diuell stamped markes vpon their bodies the stripes cease but the markes remaine and if that could be the Diuell would marke the Pope himselfe and all the Iudges and who is that father of a family who would suffer his sheepe or bull to carry another mans marke and so the question was at an end The selfe same Saterday at the confronting of the one against the other Magdalene said vnto the Magician Thou canst not deny foure things first thou canst not but remember how thou diddest abuse my body and take away my virginity at my fathers house in Marseille Secondly how thou diddest lead me to the Synagogue and with thine owne hand diddest baptise me in the name of the Diuell and anoynt me with their execrable Chrisome causing me to renounce God and my portion in Paradise and to make all other renounciations which they vse to doe in Synagogues Thou diddest also stampe the Diuels markes vpon me which I still carry in my body Thirdly thou hast giuen me an Agnus Dei and a peach charmed Fourthly how thou hast sent the Diuels vnto mee which doe now possesse mee because I would enter into the order of S. Vrsula To these accusations Lewes the Magician made answere that they were all false and that hee would take his oath in the name of God the Virgin and S. Iohn Baptist that it was most maliciously vntrue Then said Magdalene I vnderstand you well This is the oath of the Synagogue where by God the Father you meane Lucifer by the Sonne Belzebub by the holy Ghost Leui●ithan O damned villaine By the Mother of God thou meanest the mother of Antichrist and thou callest the Deuill who is the forerunner of Antichrist Saint Iohn Baptist. Whereupon the said Magician remained much confounded And for the more ample demonstration of his villany It is to be noted that in an Exorcisme performed at Saint Baume within the holy Penitence Belzebub said that this Magician was more swolne with rancor and malice against Christ Iesus then themselues were for they did abhorre and hold in detestation the more then deuellish inuentions which hee daily deuised hee also made certaine accursed memorialls to helpe the remembrance of those that were in the Synagogue that they might more abundantly and readily blaspheme and do villany to Christ Iesus especially during the time that he liued vpon the Earth But said he he hath cousened himselfe for we haue deceaued him in the schedule which he hath made vnto vs wherein it is couenanted that after the tearme of 24. yeares he was to be ours and we were to carry him away body and soule but wee haue so cunningly changed the number of yeares that there are but two yeares remaining It is 14. yeares agoe since he was first a Magician and now we haue reduced the schedule to sixteene yeares It is to be obserued that Magdalene did vpon this occasion tell vs that she had vnderstood by him that at the first he was but a sorcerer but the Synagogue seeing that he had a practicke head and did performe the deuillish acts that were enioyned him to their content and liking as also because he was a great inuenter of new d●uice● thereby to aduance the kingdome of Sathan they made him a Magician and at last they made choice of him for their Prince In the whole course and current of the Magicians obstinacie we haue obserued that as the true Christian hath a true sympathie with the hart of Christ Iesus and therefore his heart is humble charitable patient c. So the Magicians haue in their heart a participation of the obstinacy of Lucifer vnto whom they haue dedicated themselues but this is not by any infusion for that were impossible but by adhering and consenting to the ceaslesse batteries and temptations of the Deuill by which they are endarkned and remooued from the beame of grace The Acts of the 6. of March being Sunday AS well at the Exorcismes as at all the Masses which were said this day in the Chapel of the Archbishops Palace Belzebub did not cease to make diuers renunciations in the name and behalfe of Lewes Gaufridy as wee haue formerly noted vpon the first of March but now he vsed more vehemency and cryed so lowde that Magdalene grew hoarse so that her words could hardly be vnderstood yet did the Deuill still go on with that impeatuous course of speaking The same day Belzebub made recitall of the conference he had with Lewes in prison after that hee was searched whether he had any markes vpon him or no saying vnto him if thy markes be found

afflicted and disfauoured by those that were neerest of her blood by reason that shee thus debased her selfe They farther aduertised that Verrine began already to be wray the cōplices and asfoclats in Magick by their names and sur-names and amongst others a woman called Honoria that was blind of both her eies who being apprehended had the markes found vpon her and was conuicted of witch-craft and so burnt although she died with great contrition and sense of her sinnes Let vs therefore pray vnto God that all may redound to his glory and the good of the Church and to the vtter ruine and desolation of the kingdome of Satan Amen THE CONCLVSION THe end and scope of this History which is the discouery of a Magician by the Diuell and his execution which followed there-upon doth cleerly demonstrate the vndoubtable truth contained in the same since there was nothing in the world more secret and incogitable then that the said Gaufridy was a Magician but contrariwise hee stood fauoured and well esteemed of by gentle-men and others of his owne quality the Diuel infusing into him an insinuating and well fashioned deportment of himselfe with so winning a manner of conuersation that hee was wel-be-loued and well entertained by all men But God would not suffer such hypocrites to lurke in his Church vndiscouered and vnpunished as wretched Iudas gaue the first proofe thereof be it spoken without offence and preiudice to S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles God be blessed and praised for euer for all those miracles which he hath been pleased in his good time to worke amongst vs for his glory and the further instruction of his Church Amen The whole is submitted to the iudgement of the Church THE APPROBATION WE the vnder-written Doctors in the sacred facultie of Diuinity at Paris doe certifie that we haue fully and diligently suruayed and read this present treatise intituled The admi●able History of the possession and conuersion of a penitent woman seduced by a Magician The collections whereof were gathered by the reuerend father Michaelis Doctor Preacher and Inquisitour of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane faith established by our holy father the Pope In which treatise and collections wee finde nothing which is not orthodox and conformable vnto the decrees and orders of our holy mother the Church Yea wee haue therein obserued many notable things that may tend to the great comfort and edification of all faithfull Christians as well Temporall as Spirituall and may induce and spurre vs on to repentance and to the practise of vertue From our Studies in Paris this present Tewsday the 10. of Iuly in the yeare of grace 1612. G Froger Fr. P. Dum. A DISCOVRSE OF SPIRITS CONTAINING WHATSOEVER is necessarie for the more full vnderstanding and resolution of the difficult Argument of Sorcerers WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY the reuerend Father Frier Sebastian Michaëlis Doctor of Diuinitie of the Order of Preaching Friers and Prior of the Couent Royall of S. Maximin in Prouence BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley THE PREFACE FRiendly Reader I doe protest with Tertullian that in the Argument of Sorcery which is the subiect of this discourse I neuer was so farre transported with curiosity as to plunge my selfe into an ouer-diligent intelligence of the same because it is a Science that serueth for nothing but to disseason and perplex my spirit as being an enemy vnto my soule and therefore the vnderstanding thereof distastfull to mee The consideration whereof is common to all those who leuell their actions to godly purposes whereof that holy and ancient Father doth draw a learned and generall deduction in these notable words Nos spiritualia nequitiae non quidem socia Conscientia sed inimica scientia nouimus nec invitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione tractamus multiformem luem mentis humanae totius erroris artificem salutis pariter animaeque vastatorem In which he hath spoken a certaine truth for what other thing can a man gaine by this vnnecessary yet dangerous knowledge but a true plague of man-kind a palpable blindnesse in all sorts of error and last of all an ir-recouerable slide and downe-fall both of body and soule into the pit of Hell Notwithstanding the Theorick and contemplation of these things is not vnnecessary vnto vs that are Clergy-men because we are expresly commanded by Christ Iesus in the persons of his Apostles to cast out and chase away all wicked and vncleane spirits by the powerfulnesse of his name for his pleasure is that wee should be in direct opposition against Magicians who doe call vpon them and wooe them to appeare vnto them by their softest and sweetest supplications But we as is already said Non inuitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione ipsos tractamus So that the admirable effects which doe continually flow from so high and weighty a charge may giue full answere and solution to the obiection of Payn●●s who were wont by way of réproch to aske the Primitiue Christians wherein their knowledge of wicked spirits did excell and surmount other mens Vnto whom the same good father Tertullian answereth that it was necessary that Christians should haue a greater knowledge of Diuels because as experience did well witnesse none but Christians had authority and power to cast them out with violence and in despite of them For as a Lord or Master who is euer labouring to tame his slaue that is refractary and rebellious against him hath occasion to know his peruersues more thorowly then other men euen so fareth it with Christians in respect of vncleane spirits Daemonia itaque affirmamus esse inquit sane quasinon probemus qui ea soli de corpore exigimus Hence wee may make this deduction that for the readier way to dissipate and ouerthrowe the kingdome of Satan this kinde of Science is necessarily required in Church-men as the knowledge of Heresies is necessary vnto Catholick Doctors that they may the better confute them and those diseases that are pestilentiall must be vnderstood by Phisitians if they hope to expell them I doe heere desire that in a subiect of this nature there might bee a methode obserued in our manner of speaking as the Stoicks anciently did in their discourses of the world esteeming it as a great abuse to call things that in themselues were odious and filthy by honest names or things that were vertuous and honest by filthy names but insteed thereof euery thing was to be expressed by words and appellations apt and proper to figure out the same For vertuous actions were to bee expressed by termes that should breath and sound forth nothing but a decent and equall commendation but vicious and discommendable actions were to be set forth with such fit and conuenient epithetes as might breed an ●orrour and detestation of their filthinesse Neither doe I desire this without iust cause since that the malice of our times hath mis-applied

which words hee seemeth to preuent the argument which might be obiected against this his assertion touching Demoniaks and possessed which is a cleare and vnresistable experience against all the Philosophers of the world for it is infallible that before Aristotles time there was possession since Salomon himselfe did teach men exorcismes to cast out Dinels from mens bodies as Iosophus and others doe wituesse How then can all this be attributed to a melancholick humour But will Aristotle dare to auow that this grosse and earthy humour is more excellent in a man then his vnderstanding and reason Now if reason can by no meanes whatsoeuer discouer those things which it hath neuer learned nor speake any other language then that which for a long time it hath been vsed vnto nor diuine of future euents nor alleage or interprete sentences which it hath neuer conceiued how is it possible that this muddy and grosse humour should bee so cleared as to doe all these thinges especially when they are the proper effects that flow from reason And if a man should require from them the cause why such an humour should comprehend that which is farre remote from vs both by distance of place and time rather then reason they could make no answere thereunto To which may be added that they are things which doe as vsually happen vnto those that are of a different complexion as vnto melancholick men For it is probable that the Corinthian fornicatour who was possessed with a Diuell was of no melancholick and lupmish constitution but rather of a more pleasant and iouiall behauiour which is not barely coniecturall because S. Paul reprooueth the Corinthians for that they laughed and were merry with him before he was possessed which may make vs to conceiue that he was witty and pleasant as also all the Epicures were who were wont to say Comedamus bibamus cras enim moriemur post mortem nulla volupt as In like manner were Alexander and Hymen●us possessed who were much like vnto the former Moreouer it were a ridiculous thing to say that when the Diuels were cast out of an humane body and entered into the swine the melancholy of the man did descend into the hogs so that it doth fully appeare that these experiēces aforesaid are sufficiently powerfull to confute all Philosophers that there are Spirits who doe secretly conuerse with men and doe many times visibly appeare vnto them which Aristotle could not deny to haue happened vnto Socrates Platoes master who from his infancy had a Spirit that did at times appeare vnto him as Tertullian hath obserued lib. de anima in these words Socratem Puerum adhuc Spiritus demoniclus inuenit Let vs now come to the Saduces of the which sect there is yet a great multitude of Iewes in Constantinople and in the kingdome of Persia where almost all the Iewes doe adhere to their opinion It is strange in them that they should deny Spirits whē in the fiue bookes of Moses which they onely admit of as the sacred writ there is nothing more common then the mention of Spirits and there is more spoken of that argument in those bookes then in the whole Scripture besides Wee will anone yeeld the reason why Moses did not mention their creation or fall although in the beginning as it were of his booke hee bringeth in the Serpent speaking and discoursing with such craftinesse and cunning as that hee made a conquest vpon the vnderstanding and perswades the will both of the woman and the man Now there is nothing more discerneable then that this was no vnreasonable beast that spake from his owne braine and apprehension because nothing is more disproportionable and auerse from beastes then speach and reason Heereupon it is that Orators doe properly tearme them Animalia muta because speech is the expresser and interpreter of inward reason and can proceed from no cause but from thence But put the case they should bee so stupide as to say that in those times beastes could speake as Plutarch seemeth to intimate in his booke which is intituled That beasts are not deuoide of reason and as some grosse capacities conceiue of Aesops fables and the like being it may be drawne to beleeue it from S. Basils opinion who holdeth that before the temptation the Serpent had feete and did goe vpon his legs as other foure footed beastes vse to doe and that as soone as it was told him supra a pectus tuum gradieris the vse of feete was taken away from him and all his kinde because that curse did descend downe to all posterity and succession as it is said Inter semen tuum semen illius But where doe wee finde I pray that God saith vnto the Serpent thou shalt speake no more but shalt bee mute and vtterly depriued of discourse and reason which hee might in reason haue said since it was not the outward forme and shape of the Serpent that beguiled our first fathers but the reasons that he alleaged the promises which he made vnto them But touching this the Scripture speaketh nothing for besides the ridiculousnesse of such a conceite it would breed a manifest repugnancy in the Scripture which saith that God created liuing creatures but hee afterwards made man after his owne image and likenesse which similitude lyeth onely in this pointe that hee framed him with the indowment and vse of reason whereby hee might direct himselfe and euery other thing as God doth guide and gouerne all things by his wisedome and prouidence And this is it as S. Augustine hath notably obserued which is presently there added vt praesit piscibus maris volatilibus coeli uniuersis animantibus quae mouentur super terram It must needs therefore be an intellectuall substance that made the Serpent to speake for it was neither man nor woman because there were none but Adam and Eue as the text saith Erunt autem ambo nudi Moreouer there is mention made of a Cherubin who was appointed to keepe the doore of Paradise for feare least man should returne back againe and should eate of the fruit of life and in his hand he held a bright flaming sword to strike a terrour into man if hee should be so presumptuous This could not be a man as we haue declared and must therefore be a Spirit There is also frequent mention made of the Angels of God who appeared vnto men as vnto Abraham Lot Iacob and others foretelling them of things which was beyond the compasse of mans knowledge as that an olde barren woman should conceiue that Sodome and Gomorra should be destroied and the like As also that the people of Israel should be led through the wildernesse by a cloud and by a pillar of fire there could no other reason be giuen heereof but that they were Spirits sent as guides by God vnto them Praesedet te said God to Moses Angelus meus and