and necessitie of the distinction thereof for the more perfect separating and setting a part of Witch craft by it selfe wee will likewise briefly make manifest The Impostor is he who pretendeth truth but intendeth falshood For this cause sometimes vnder an holy pretense he maketh God the Author of his vnholy prestigiation and slandereth God vnto his face sometimes to be reputed an Angell of light he maketh himselfe a license to counterfeit the Diuell He proposeth it his trade to seduce and liueth by lying Sometimes in shew and pollicitation he is a Witch but in the performance of the greater sinne hee is lesse iust and in the personate resemblance solely a Iugler For as the Witch performeth that which in true and infallible reason is transcendent and aboue nature so the Impostor performeth that which in false and fallible reason and opinion onely seemeth parallel Hence as Witches doe strange and supernaturall workes and truely vnto reason worthy of wonder so the Impostor doth things voide of accomptable reason in shadow shew and seeming onely supernaturall wondred and admired And hence it commeth to passe that with vndiscerning mindes they are sometimes mistaken and confounded on for another From hence it is also necessarily concluded that as Witch-craft is discouered by a supernaturall worke aboue reason whereto the Witches consent is accessary so an Impostor is detected by a worke voide of accomptable reason but in a deceiuing false Visar or shew wherewith the purpose and intention of the Deceiuer or Impostor doth concurre As therefore the suspected Witch is tyed to answere vnto any iust doubt which may bee directly vrged against his or her manifest voluntary action that is prooued supernaturall so is a truely doubted Impostor bound to giue satisfaction for such his ambiguous actions as doe in likely reason appeare fraudulent vaine prestigious iuggling couzening or deceiuing And thus shall each appeare in his owne true shape apart Of diuers kinds of Witchcraft I haue before produced examples I may here likewise very pertinently for further illustration propose some examples of Imposture in generall that the odiousnesse of this foule sinne may appeare more foule and the ougly face thereof may be more fully discouered Among multitude of examples I will recite onely some few whereof some consist in lewd and guilefull contriuement of action other in the bewitching power of false prophecies reuelations predictions and prognostications Concerning the first who can be ignorant of the impious and infamous Impostures of Mahomet who by guilefull counterfeit miracles and pretended angelicall illuminated workes first magnified and set vp that heathenish Empire and Religion of the blasphemous Turkes The History of Sebastian the pretended Portugall King as it is set forth by Iohn de Serres according to Master Grimstones translation thereof if he were a true Impostor indeede and were not iniuriously traduced and blurred with vndeserued reproch is an incomparable example aboue and beyond many other I will referre my Reader to the Author himselfe If we desire more neere or domesticall examples herein behold in the raigne of Henry the seuenth a boy of meane parentage through imposturous machinations opposed set vp and crowned King in Ireland against that famous and renowned Prince Henry the seuenth putting him in great danger of his life and crowne of England In the late raigne of Queene Mary there arose an Impostor stiling himselfe Edward the sixth The danger of the progresse of that Impostor if it had preuailed who knoweth not The manifest wrongs iniuries and impeachments also from counterfeit prophecies reuelations and predictions issuing not only vnto priuate men and families but vnto Kingdomes Empires and Common-weales are infinite Iulian an Emperour of Rome though otherwise a mightie and learned Prince and valiant souldier by a prophecie of an Impostresse or seeming Pythonisse promising his conquest and triumph ouer the Kingdome of Persia was thither hastened vnto his deserued death and the vengeance of God vpon his infamous Apostasie It is reported by Iohn de Serres the French Cronicler that the power and force of some pretended reuelations and visions of a young Shepheard in the raigne of Charles the seuenth King of France was so preualent that it perswaded Pothon that great and famous French Captaine with the Marshall of France to arme and incounter the then victorious English in the bowels of that Kingdome by which vnaduised attempt the French were supprised and taken by the English It is recorded by the same Author that one Martha Brosier counterfeiting the fits and passions of such as were possessed in short time became so powerfull in illusion that she ministred much matter of wonder and amazement not onely vnto priuate men but vnto the Kings Counsell to Preachers in pulpits yea vnto the whole Parliament vntill the counterfeit Diuell induring some punishment and restraint forsooke his pretended possession If wee require examples in our owne countrey behold in the raigne of Edward the fourth his brother George Duke of Clarence was hastened vnto his vntimely death euen by the allowance of his brother King vpon the feare of a vaine and flying prophecie that G. of King Edwards heires should be the murtherer In the time of Henry the eight the holy Maide of Kent by her seeming miraculous reuelations deceiuing not onely the common sort but euen diuers learned and some men of the best ranke and prime note stirred vp in the King great iealousie and feare of his Crowne and safety as by the records of her attaindour doeth appeare wherein doeth stand prooued and sentenced her treason-some imposture of most dangerous consequent if it had obtained equall issue In the same kings raigne the bewitching esteeme credit and hope of force vertue in counterfeit predictions and pretended reuelations whet the ambitious heart of Edward Lord Stafford Duke of Buckingham first into high Treason and to reach at the Crowne and after from thence thrust him headlong or headlesse into his graue In the raigne of Edward the sixt there was a prophecie divulged from the mouth of some pretended Wizard by which the coniuration of Kett and those Norfolke Rebels was hartned and encouraged to proceede in their rebellion and outrage vnto the great danger and damage of the Kingdome and in the end vnto their owne destruction That blind pretended prophecie in the insidiation of vaine and credulous mindes was somewhat like vnto that ambiguous Oracle in the Poet. Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse I say the sonne of Aeacus the Romane power shall quell This Oracle may on either side indifferently either actiuely or passiuely bee vnderstood Like vnto it was that prestigious prophecie which the rebellious Norfolcians with their Kett trusted Hob Dic and Hic with clubbes and clouted shoone Shall fill vp Dussin-dale with slaughtered bodies soone The Rebels vnderstanding this blinde reuelation or prediction concerning the victory wherein they themselues
Euery proposition is true or false affirmatiue or negatiue and extendeth generally vnto all vnder the same kinde or to some particulars or to a singular or is indefinite Likewise in Arithmaticke these One is no number one cannot be diuided or is indiuisible foure is more then two Likewise in Physike these Euery man is sicke or healthfull or a neuter Contraries are cured by contraries as heat by cooling cold by heating moysture by drying drynesse by moysting As in these named Sciences so in all other there are the like generall notions immediatly at the first view proouing themselues vnto the vnderstanding and euery man in common sense and reason immediatly consenteth vnto their truth and he that denieth it or seeketh proofe therof is esteemed iustly madde or voyd of reason There are other things also subiect vnto the vnderstanding onely which do not immediatly vpon the first view or consideration as the former proue themselues but are proued by others more cleere and euident then themselues as this proposition The motion of the heauens is not infinite This is not manifest vnto euery man at first view but requireth another more manifest then it selfe to make it manifest thus That which hath a certaine limitted course circumuolution and motion cannot be infinite but Astronomie for many thousands of yeares hath discouered the courses periods reuolutions and set perambulations of the heauens and therefore the motions of the heauens cannot be infinite It may here easily be obserued how the first position being vnable to proue it selfe another more manifest doth giue it light and doth deduce it vnto that which doth so immediately proue it selfe vnto common sense and reason and obseruation of all ages and times that no idiot can be ignorant or will deny it Thus hath bin manifested how some things are immediatly vnderstood in the very first consideration view some are proued by themselues some not proued by themselues but made euident by others As many things are in the former kinds seuerall maners manifested and euidently proued vnto reason sense or vnderstanding so are there many things neither by themselues nor by other euident neither to the vnderstanding and reason or to the outward sense at the first apparent but remaine ambiguous and doubtfull In these things certainty of knowledge by manifest proofe failing there remaineth no other refuge but prudent and artificial coniecture narrowly looking searching thorow probabilities vnto the neerest possibilitie of truth certainty Fom hence doe arise excellent vses and benefits vnto vnderstanding though not so farre forth ofttimes gained as is desired vnto all priuate ends yet so farre forth as maketh wise and vnderstanding men excell and shine before others Hence it commeth to passe that in doubtfull cases counsels and attempts one man is seene and knowne to ouershine an other as much as the glorious Sunne doth his ecclipsed sister the Moone Hence haue issued so many noble and heroike Vertues Sagacitie exquisitnesse of iudgement Prudence Art in the administration of high affaires For although in probabilities are no euident certainties yet doe they so farre forth oft-times aduantage and aduance vnto the knowledge of certainety that it is almost equall vnto certainty and doth perswade and settle discreete resolution and disposition in all affaires In this consisteth the height the tope the som of Art and the perfection of all humane knowledge aboue or beyond which no man could euer soar or leuell By this light onely the former mentioned meanes failing is oft times gained much excellence of natural knowledge to man beyond and without which the eye and sight of knowledge in man is sealed vp his vnderstanding darkned and cannot know many hidden things And thus to him that rightly doth meditate and consider it is vndoubtedly cleere and certaine how the Creator and infinite Prince of all principles hath founded the beginning end the power and posse of all knowledge vpon one of the former waies of inuestigation beside which there is no naturall knowledge to be expected Philosophie as yet neuer found other waies vnto that infinite number of all Arts and Sciences so admirably flourishing thorow so many ages of the world For this cause the most excellent prime Philosopher Aristotle reiecteth whatsoeuer cānot be found by Sense or proued by reason as spurious Likewise Ptolomie hath bounded the true Art of Astronomie within fatum Physicum within a necessitie in Nature and to distinguish it from superstition wherwith curiositie vsually defileth or intangleth it doth limit it intra conuenientem naturae modum that is within proportion and measure answerable to Reason and Nature For this cause also all true Philosophers haue determined the two onely instruments of all true Arts to bee Reason and experience which Galen doth call the two legges whereupon the Art of Physike doth consist And therefore in the second chapter of his Finitiones medicae he saith Optimus is est Medicus qui omnia in Medicina recta agit ratione that is hee who doth all things in his subiect of Physike according to right rule of reason is the most excellent Physicion From hence also all true Artists haue defined Art to bee Habitus cum ratione factiuus that is a settled habilitie and promptnesse of action and operation according to reason Vpon this ground others haue built other true rules and obseruations concerning true and lawfull Arts. Therefore saith Galen ars non est ex ijs quorum neutiquam est potestas Isagog chap. 5. that is Art is not of such things as cannot be accomplished Which is worthy noting to distinguish prestigious and supposed Arts from true Art To this others likewise haue added another obseruation that is that Art is imployed about such things as are in reason profitable and not vaine So saith Scaliger exercit 37 Sect. 31. Ars non est de rebus inutilibus It is yet further obserued vpon the same ground that true Art doeth not confound or cloud it selfe in mists but reduceth vnto order light and reason things dissipate confused and out of order and reason as Cicero affirmeth Ars res diuulsas dissolutasque conglutinat ratione quadam constringit Vpon the same grounds diuers renowmed common weales haue expelled all false and forged Arts as Necromancy Aeromancy Geomancy with other sortiligous Diuinations Vpon the same reasons diuers Emperors Kings Kingdomes and Lawes haue exploded censured and condemned all such as vnder pretext of the wholesome Arts of Astronomy Mathematikes and the like haue runne into foolish curiosities impostures and deceitfull practises Iustinian the Roman Law-giuer and Emperour his lawes are extant to this purpose Likewise Tiberius his Decrees for the expulsion of counterfeit Mathematicians and Magicians And Vlpian in his booke de Mathematicis Maleficis testifieth the publication of their goods and their inhibition by the Emperours from communion with other Citizens so much as in fire or water And as Reason good Lawes Kingdomes Nations and Common-weales haue
haue beene cured by enchaunted Spels and words and Magicke skill doeth plentifully witnesse The most ancient father of all Physicke and Physicions the incomparable worthy founder of Method and Art Hippocrates Dioscorides Theophrastus with other succeeding Ancients doe generally all acknowledge the force and power of Magicall curation Galen in his younger time gaue no credit thereto but in the more aged experience of right obseruation he doeth acknowledge it I will not stuffe this small Treatise with the particular citation of euery Author Later Physicians also of the best and most choise note doe herein with former ages consent and concurre and experience doeth confirme trueth in both Whosoeuer is acquainted with bookes and reading shall euery where meete a world of the wonders of cures by wordes by lookes by signes by figures by characters and ceremonious rites As what the practise of former ages hath beene is manifest so what our age and later time doeth herein afford is almost no where in this kingdome obscure The neerest vnto that impudence which herein this our time doeth produce and set foorth is that history of a Germane Witch reported in the Malleus Maleficarum There was as the Author of that worke saith sometime a Sorceresse in Germany who vsually cured not onely all that were bewitched but all kinde of diseased people so farre beyond all power or course of Art and Nature and with such facility that all vse of the Art of Physicke or of Physicions was altogether for a time neglected and forsaken while people from all Countries both neere and remote in such numbers and frequence resorted vnto her that the Gouernour of that Countrey imposing vpon euery man one penny that resorted vnto her thereby raised himselfe a mighty treasure What others among the most ancient Authors that are not Physicians doe publish concerning the power of incantations in the curing of diseases is needlesse to write Hee that hath read any few lines of old Homer or of diuers other aged Poets shall finde plentifull record hereof Herodotus is not silent herein But to omit all their needlesse testimonies Physicians of these last times of the most eminent note and worth whose pennes are yet scarce drie doe witnesse the trueth hereof from their owne knowledge sight and experience Aboue the rest Fernelius de Abditis rerum causis is worthy any mans paines or view Let vs now lastly see what may bee collected out of the booke of God concerning the power of the Diuell in curing diseases from whom all these inferiour Agents Witches and Sorcerers doe deriue their power and skill If it bee in his power where God doeth permit to induce diseases it must needes bee in his power to cease or calme diseases because both causing and curing consist in the vertue and force of the same meanes Hee therefore that knoweth how and by what cause the disease is induced doeth necessarily vnderstand that by the remouall of that cause it is cured and according to that rule can equally as well by remouall of that cause cure as by the induction of the cause bring sickenesse For this reason it is a maxime in Physicke infallible that he is the most excellent Physician who knoweth best the causes of diseases and who vpon the knowledge of their true causes doeth found the right method of their curation That the Diuell doeth both know the causes of diseases and also how by them to procure and produce diseases is manifest by the History of Iob vpon whom he brought that grieuous generall botch and byle ouer all his body Iob chap. 2. verse 7. That hee did this by the force of causes in nature must needes bee euident First because hee is a creature and subiect and limited by nature vnto and within her lists and therefore is not able absolutely and simply without causes and meanes in nature to produce any effects in nature although our ignorance of his power and knowledge because it so farre excelleth our power or nature doeth call all his workes iustly supernaturall Secondly for that byles and botches are knowne naturall diseases and therefore had naturall causes although haply vnknowne to any man and beyond the nature of knowledge or skill in man These reasons of the Diuels impossibilitie to worke those effects without nature are thus yet more briefly and cleerely made infallible Of nothing simply to produce any thing vnto a true being and existence is the sole and proper worke of any infinite Creator and impossible vnto any creature Therefore the Diuell being a creature could not bring those diseases vpon Job but by created meanes preexisting in created nature in which he is contained and limited And thus much concerning that kinde of Witch and Sorcerer which is enquired at concerning the curing and issue of diseases which we will conclude with this note that all learned men of the best experience haue obserued that in those cures by Witches and Sorcerers the Diuell hath neuer perfectly healed but for a time or else where hee hath seemed most perfectly to cure it hath beene for a reseruation of the body by him cured vnto a greater and further mischiefe in time to succeede Besides this kinde of Witch by meanes vnknowne to man or by a supernaturall vertue in knowne meanes aboue and beyond their nature vndertaking to cure the sicke or to foretell the euent and issues of diseases there is also another kind which doeth vndertake to bee enquired at for extraordinary reuelation of such diseased persons as are bewitched or possessed by the Diuell This kinde is not obscure at this day swarming in the Kingdome whereof no man can bee ignorant who lusteth to obserue the vncontrouled libertie and license of open and ordinary resort in all places vnto wise-men and wise-women so vulgarly termed for their reputed knowledge concerning such diseased persons as are supposed to be bewitched But it may bee obiected that many of these two last mentioned sorts are rather deceiuers and Impostors onely who by an opinion of this power and not by any reall power herein doe deceiue seduce and beguile the people This cannot in some be denied notwithstanding least impious imposture bee still tolerated to bee a couert to hide the manifest diuellish practise of Witches vnder pretense thereof whereby it shall euer continue in this shape neglected or vnspied I will both briefely giue satisfaction how the one may bee distinguished from the other and also declare how men ceasing to enquire at Diuels and Witches or Impostors may learne to enquire of their God alone and by the light of nature and reason which hee hath giuen vnto them in his feare with his allowance and approbation more truely and certainely informe themselues CHAP. IX Of Wizards and Impostors how they differ from Witches HOw Witch craft in diuers kinds may according to euidence of reason be detected hath beene before made manifest How imposture may be discouered sense there is so good vse
therein many yeares and a large space of time By these few examples it is euident that neither the height the nature the quantitie nor the qualitie of the most abominable or prouoking sinne most odious vnto God and men doth vsually or alwaies draw downe from heauen vpon it selfe a miraculous immediate hand of Gods wrath We may easily instance the like concerning the sin of witch-craft which is our particular subiect Although by the hand of his holy seruant Saint Paul Almghty God did miraculously smite the Sorcerer Elymas as writers report Simon Magus by the hand of St. Peter multitudes and societies of other Sorcerers and Southsayers among the Caldeans escaped not onely the hands of Nebuchadneser in his wrath but as it seemeth in the prophecy of Daniel they liued many yeares in high esteeme fame and renowne both in their owne Nation and also in forreine Countreyes yea through the world There is no doubt that Aegypt likewise did abound with swarmes of Sorcerers as the holy Scripture and all times and writers report Among the people of God also the Israelites it is manifest that diuers Sorcerers and Witches did shrowed themselues and liued with impunity as appeareth by the Witch of Endor which king Saules seuerity in their generall extirpation thorow the whole kingdome had notwithstanding passed by and left vnespied as also by that special note and commendations from Gods owne mouth and word of Joshua that is that hee had taken away from amiddest his people all the Enchanters and Sorcerers by which it is likely and cannot be denied that through the lenitie or carelesnesse of former Princes they formerly had long securely their breathed That God doth not vse by miracles to detect all or most Enchanters Magicians or Witches is farther made vndoubted because it should follow then thence necessarily that he hath both in the first ages of the world ordained lawes and ordinary legall courses of proceeding against them in vaine as also for that he doth in the holy records of his sacred word make knowne his Decree that they shall be permitted to liue and continue vpon the face of the earth among other and as other vnrepentant sinners vntill his second comming and the last day of eternall doome Reuelat. chap. 22. vers 15. without shall be Enchanters If his Iustice and seuere iudgement should by his miraculous power make so narrow search amongst them as ordinarily to root them out it were impossible any one of them should escape his all-seeing reuengefull hand to suruiue vnto his generall decreed day of sentence and dreadfull doome of all kinde of sinnes and sinners which both in iustice vnto some and mercy vnto other some his infinite goodnesse and wisdome hath decreed shall not be frustrate Although therfore Almighty God doth sometimes stretch forth his mighty hand miraculously to smite or bring into light some horrid sinnes and sinners his extraordinary power therein sometimes onely extended at his owne good will and pleasure doth not iustifie the presumptuous expectation of the dispensation thereof in any particular God who is the God of order and not of confusion doth not ordinarily dispense his extraordinary workes nor vsually confound indifferently so different natures in their end and vse and his owne decree Nature it selfe doth also teach an impossibility in that which is extraordinary to become or be expected ordinary In that way which is ordinary the industruous the diligent the prouident man therefore doth with carefull perseuerance vprightly walke The slothfull onely the intemperate the improuident man either by folly or ignorance loseth or by idle sloth forgetteh or omitteth his ordinary way or opportunity and ridiculously hopeth or trusteth vnto the redemption thereof by extraordinary contingents or euents Thus it hath appeared that in regard of any more speciall or extraordinary glorification of God in the detection of Witches rather then of other as great and as abominable sinners their is no needfull or necessary vse of myracles The second consideration was whether they are not rather of the Diuell then of God as also how they may be any iust conuictions of the supposed or suspected guilty Wee will first herein examine the touch of the supposed Witch immediatly commanding the cessation of the supposed fits of the bewitched That this is a false or Diabolicall miracle and not of God may be iustly doubted First because the holy and blessed power of working miracles among which the healing the Sicke or the possessed was not the least was neuer of God dispensed to haunt or follow the touch of wicked men or Sorcerers or Witches Secondly for that the true miracles of God which were euer dispensed either for the common good of his Church or the declaration of his glorious truth or for the extraordinary punishment and destruction of euill men did neuer obscurely or indirectly prooue themselues or their ends but in their manifestation were inabled to ouer-shine cleerely all the fogges and mists of doubt or question The contrary hereunto in this our suspected miracle is manifest wherein is ridiculously imagined that the blessed gift and vertue of healing the sicke descended from God aboue may be reputed in the hands of a Witch a signe or testimony of his or her guilt and impiety which euer hath beene and is in it selfe a speciall grace and fauour of God and was euer vsed rather as a confirmation of the truth of Gods Ministers and seruants Let vs now consider how this miraculous touch and the efficacy thereof may be any iust conuiction of a Witch No man can doubt that the vertue wherewith this touch was indued was supernaturall If it bee supernaturall how can man vnto whom nothing simply is possible that is not naturall bee iustly reputed any proper Agent therein If hee cannot bee esteemed in himselfe any possible or true Agent then it remaineth that hee can onely bee interessed therein as an accessary in consent as a Solicitor or Tenant vnto a superiour power If that superiour power as is before prooued in the falsehood of his miracle be the Diuell the least reasonable doubt remaining whether the Diuell alone or with the consent or contract of the suspected person hath produced that wonderfull effect with what Religion or reason can any man rather incline to credit the Diuels information in the mouth of the bewitched who is the common accuser of God to men and of men to God then in requisite pittie pietie and humane respect vnto his owne kinde to tender the weakenesse of fraile man against the subtilty of the deceitfull Diuel Shall man with man find lesse fauour then the Diuell with man against man That the Diuell is able by the permission of God to annex or hang this miracle vpon this or that particular is manifest by the possessed in the Gospell vpon whom and their naturall actions and motions he cast supernaturall consequences or concomitances Was not their speech attended with supernaturall reuelation their hands with supernaturall