chosen into their order who séemed to be very fitte for their purpose They tried him by throwing stones into his chamber in the night tyme making a great noise and faining them selues to be Spirits The matter séemed vnto them euen from the beginning that it woulde take good successe â–ª On a certeine day béeing Fryday the supprior shrouding himself in a shéete together with other Spirites whom he had coniured vp for this purpose brake into the Friers cel with great force and noyse faining with many teares that he desired his ayde help Now had they priuely conueyed Holy water and the Reliques of Saints into his Cell before The poore Frier half dead with feare denied that he coulde by any meanes helpe him recommending himselfe to Christ our sauior and to his holy mother The Spirite aunswered that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him out of this miserie if he would suffer hymself for the space of .viij. days euery day to be whipped vntil the bloud folowed and moreouer cause .viij. Masses to be soong for his sake in S. Iohns chappell himselfe while they were soong lying in the floore with his armes spread abroade After he tolde him that the next Fryday before midnight he wold come again with greater noyse willing him in any wise not to be afrayd for the Diuels could nothing hurt him bicause he was an holy man The next day this foolish Frier openeth al the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise beséeching theÌ„ to assist him that the miserable soule might be deliuered The matter was out of hand rumored aboute the citie The Monkes preached openly hereof in the pulpit coÌ„meÌ„ding highly the holinesse of their order which euen hereby might be séene for that the spirite craued helpe of them and not of the wicked dronken Franciscans â–ª At the tyme appoynted the spirite accompanied with other euil spirits came again with greate noyse to the Friers cell who adiuring and coniuring him questioned with him touching certain points The spirite shewed him who he was and for what cause he was so miserably vexed and withal gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his fathers for being touched with remorse of him adding that in case there were yet .xxx. Masses soong and â—our Uigiles obserued that he wold yet once ageyn whip himself vntil he bled then he shoulde be cleane deliuered out of most cruell torments which he had continually endured a hundred and sixtie yeares He had confereÌ„ce with him also of other maruellous matters whiche we néed not here to rehearse Afterwards the same spirit appeared againe vnto the Frier and preferred the order of preachers before al others bearing him in hand that many of them which had bin aduersaries vnto this order suffered most horrible torment in purgatory that the citie of Berna should be vtterly ouerthrowne except they banished the Franciscans refused the yearly stipends which they receyued at the french kings hands He also talked of sundry things which had hapned to the Friar which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular confession Moreouer he hartely thanketh the Frier for the great benefite of his deliueraÌ„ce giuing him to vnderstande that he was nowe admitted into the .vij. degrée of Angels and that he should say Masse there for his benefactors After these things thus done an other night one comming vnto him in the apparell of a woman sayde he was S. Barbara whome he deuoutly serued and tolde him that the blessed virgin would shortly appeare vnto him and make full answere vnto those questions which one of the Monks had written in a paper for him This paper Barbara promised that she hir selfe wold deliuer vnto our Lady which they shoulde shortly after finde in a hollie place sealed and signed miraculously The Frier vppon this reuealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers desiring to bée confessed of his sinnes wherby he might be found worthy the apparition or séeing of our Lady He willed them to serche in the halowed place for the scroule which at the last they found in the Fratry as they term it where they had laide it before Then they caried it with great reuerence vnto the high alter affirming that it was sealed with christes bloud and that the tapers lightned of their owne accord In y morning the virgine Mary appeared vnto him agayne rehersing many things whiche hir sonne Iesus commaunded hir to tell vnto him to wit that Pope Iulius was that holie man which shoulde reconcile the two orders in frendship againe and institute ordayne the feast of the defiled conception of our Lady for she woulde sende vnto the Pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of hir sonnes bloud in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne and that they shoulde finde an other crosse marked with fiue droppes of bloud in their fratrie which they must conuey to Rome â–ª for the Pope would allowe and confirme it with large indulgences and after returne it to Berna agayne other things likewise she sayde whereof many things were both reported and written to and fro But in witnesse of the foresayde things the same Mary droue an yron nayle through the hand of the poore Frier saying this wounde shal be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified and in the feast of my sonnes bodie After they toke a burning water made by Necromancie by the which they taking away his senses made foure other woundes in his body And after that he came againe vnto him selfe they bare him in hand that there was a certeine holie thing I wote not what which appeared aboute him And when they sawe that many men came flocking about him to sée this newe Christ they taught him for hée was of rude condicions howe to behaue hym selfe And when they had giuen him a drinke beréeâ—ing him of hys senses and causing him to some at the mouth then he saide be striued and wrestled with death euen as Christ dyd in the mount Oliuet After al this another of them appeared vnto him telling him many things but the Frier knowing him by his voice began to suspecte and mislike the whole matter and with violence thrust him from him The next night the Frier himself appeared vnto him saying that he was Mary of whom he had ben in doubt and to the ende he shoulde bée out of all suspicion she had brought him the host of hir sonnes body for he brought him an host stiped in poyson to the ende he shoulde no more thinke he sawe an euil spirite he also affirmed that he had brought a vessel of glasse full of hir sonnes bloud which he would giue vnto him and to his Monasterie But the Frier who also had this vision in suspition answered If sayde he thou be not an euil spirit reherse thy Pater noster and thy Aue Maria with me The Priour sayde the Pater noster and afterward sayd in the person of our Lady Hayled am I
3. Paulus Aegineta Lycanthropia Augustine vppon Genesis Hydrophobia Rufus Ephialtes the 〈◊〉 Madmen Tertullian â— Pâ—t 3. Plutarche Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Simmachus Matth. 14. Luke 24. Stout and curragious men seldome se any Spiritâ— Dronken men see straunge things Euripides Prouerb 23. Some see them selues Hearing deceueth The sensâ— of feeling is deceyued Weakenesse of the sight and feare Cominaeus Kings 4. Salomon pro. Daunsing spirits Iosephus dâ— antiquitatib Paulina and Mundus Ruffinuâ— Tyrannus a wicked priest Lippis tonsoribus noâ—um Theodorus Foure moncks of Berna loaÌ„nes Stumpfius Erasmus Spectrum Georgius Buchananus Ambition Couetousnesse â–ª Paulâ— â–ª Enuie Idlenesse Loue. Popes haue fayned visions â–ª Bruno Gregorius 7. Bartholomâ—us Platina Bonifacius Sometimes Laye men beguile the priests Men walking by night Fayries of the earth Olaus magnus Echo Cardanus Things shining by night Hector Boethius Burning lights Exhalations Glasses Triton appeared to Iulius Caesar. Theseus seene in the battaile of Maratho C. Cassius sawe I. Caesar. Drusus sawe a woman excelling all mortall creatures in maiestie Plinius secundus writing of spirits The spirit of Athens Manlius Lucan Sozomâ—nus Theodorus Nicephorus Ambrose Augustine Felix appeared at Nola. Gregorie Basiliscus appeared to Chrysostome S. Seuerine Byshop of Colein Alexander Alexandro Bâ—ptista Malancthona annie Ludouicus Viues Hieronimus Cardanus Olaus Spirites requiring helpe Builders heare spirits in the night Diuells are in Mines Agricola Which are people that eate and deuoure men Cicero Augustine Marsilius Matth. 1. 2. Acts. Acts. 16. Cardanus De animorum immortalitate li. 16. cap 5. Virgill Suetonius Cicero de diuinatione Liâ—ie Plinie Appianus Valerius Max. li. 1. cap. 6. Castor and Pollux Plutarch Iosephus Felix Malleolus Luke 24. â— Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Paral. 14. 2. Reg. 6.7 â— Samuel 7. Daniel 5. 2. Macha 3. 2. Macha 10. 2. Machab 11. Some men see things whiche other men see not Actes 9. Actes 22. Socrates familiar At what time spirits appeare Apocalips In what place spirits are sene Esay 13. Monsters of the desert Esay 34. After what sort spirits appeare Olaus Daunces of spirits Saxo. Pomponius Mela. Solinus Hierome A Fable ouâ— of Hierome of a Centaure â–ª A Monster hauing the forepart like a man the hinder like a horse â–ª Plutarch De preparatione Euang. li. 5. chap. 9. Paulus Marsus Hunting of Deuils Platos opinioÌ„ Tertullian Homeâ— Virgill Plato The Iewes opinion Iob. 7. Psal 31. Eccle. 12. Wisedo 3. â—sal 49. 2. Samu. 12. Eccle 38. The Tukes opinion Papistes Iacobus de Cusa 4. places for Soules Heauen Hell. Limbus puerorum whiche is a place wher the Papistes imagin the soules of yong children to be which departed without Baptisme Purgatorie â–ª By whome Soules are tormeÌ„ted in purgatorie Papistes feigne that soules reâ—o earth againe Whether we may wishe to see spirits Howe a man ought to vse him self when spirits appeare according to the Papists Daniel 10.11 1. Samuel 3. By what tokens good spirits may be discerned from euill Luke 1. How vve may helpe and succoure soules A notable deede to releue soules Monks by their doctilâ—â— of spirits haue heaped infinite riches Martinus Polonus All soules day whens it toke originall Polidorâ— The beginning of the order of Carthusians Polidorâ— Soules go either to hell or to heauen Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. Iohn 14. Matth. 1â— â— Cor. 5. Luke â—â— Apo. 14. August Idem Idem â–ª Iustine Hillarie Dormitantij Caluin Ciprian mar Soules do not walke Tertullian Athanasius Chrisostome Cyrilluâ— â–ª The Glosse of the canon law Deut. 18. The soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the common course of nature by the omnipotent power of God. How we ought to reason of the omnipâ—tent power of God. Ambrose Hierom. Augustine Theodoret. We must leaâ—ne nothing of the dead Deut. 18 Esay 8. Luke 2â— Matth. 8. Wordes of theÌ„selues haue no force Iupiter Elicius Plinie Apoc. 19.22 Rom 1â— Actes 10. Testimonies out of the Fathers touching Samuels appearing Turtullian Augustine The Popes decrees Lyra. Eccle. 46. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 10. Iere. 10. Psal. 96. Whether the deuil for know of things to come Iohn 8. Which being doubtfully spoken may be vnderstode either of subuerting other kingdomes or losing his own Iustinus Gregorius 2. Corin. 11. 1. Reg. 22. Tertullian Lactantius Idem Ephori amongest the Lacedemonians wâ—r magistrates â–ª who in certen cases were aboue Kings vnto whome appeales were made from Kings euen as amongest the Romaines thei appealed from the Consuls to the Tribunes Math. 17 Moses and Elias appeared Lazarus came agayne on earth John. â—1 Matth. 27. At the resurection of Christe many roase agayne Augustine Spiridion raised his daughter Ruffinus Luke 24. Christs Disciples supposed they saw a ghost Many kynd of spirites Daniel 8.10 Actes 12. Matth. 18. Psalme 19. The holy fathers say that soules appeare Ambrose Augustine Gregorie Many things fabulous in Gregories dialoges Counsells approue the appearing of Soules Counsailes may erre Matth. 24. Popes haue approued the appearing of soules Many affirme they haue sene soules 1. Thessa. 4. Dilemma is a kinde of argument or reasoning which euery way conuinceth him vnto whome it is spoken Limbus puerorum Angells appeare Matth. 18. Esay 63. Daniel 10. Psal. 34. Whole armies of Angels CoÌ„stantinople preserued by the appearing of angels Augustine Paule Plinie Ambrose Why the diuel doth sometimes tell truth Acts. 16. Maâ—ke 1. Luke 4. Causes why God suffereth spirits to apere Seing of spirits to the wicked is a punishment Deut. 13. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. 2. Thessa. 2. 2. Timoth. 4. Examples of the wicked punished by delusioÌ„s of spirits Pharao Exodus Samuel 1. Cor. 10. Achab. â— Reg. 22. Roma 1. Athanasius A storie of S. Benedict seing many diuels in a monastery and fewe in the market A burnt childe dreads fire What the Gentiles did when they savve spirite Suetonius Septimae Tricessimae Anniuersaria Lilius Giraldus Cicero Ouid. Feralia Parentalia â–ª Lemuria Ouid. Touching the Iewes behauiour Luke 24. Matth. 10. Christ hath coÌ„quered the Deuill Luke 11. Iohn 12 â–ª 16. 1. Iohn 3. The diuel is conuersant among men Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 5. We must fighâ— against the diuel with good life Matth 1. God hath alwaies geuen vs teachers God hath preserued the scriptures God hath instituted the holy ministerie Psalme 119. Iohn 8. Acts. 10. S. Augustinâ—â— counâ—ell Scripture to be only beleued Chrisostomes aduise All things necessarie to saluation are conteined in the scriptures Hierom. Miracles are seales of the worde Mat. 10. Matth. â—4 1. Timo. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. The holy Virgin did not by and by beleeue the appearing of the Angell The signe of the Crosse. Tertullian Hierom. Origen c. Athanasius Whether the bare signe of the Crosse haue any force Coniurations against deuils Tertullian â–ª 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. Augustine The Aue Marie iâ— no praier Epes 1. Iohn â— 1. Timo. 2. Holy water The order of Cistertians Exorcists Roma 8. Plutarches Christian opinion Valerius Maximus The conclusioÌ„ ¶ Jmprinted at London by Richard Watkins Anno. 1572.
one drinketh wine which after runneth out of his forehead that one cutteth of his felowes head which afterwardes he setteth on agayne and that a cocke séemeth to drawe after hym a huge beame of tymber c. Moreouer it may be brought to passe by naturall things as by perfumes and suche like that a man woulde sweare in earnest that all men â—itting at the table wyth him haue no heds at al or else that they are like the heads of asses that somtimes a vine spreadeth it self as it were ouer al the house wheÌ„ in deed it is a mere deceit or a plain iuggling cast Of whiche matter there be bookes coÌ„monly set abrode The like reson is in hearing in the other senses Those men whoâ—e hearing is somwhat decayed many tymes séem in their owne imagination to heare the noyse of boystrous winde or violent tempeste the sparkling of fyre the roaring of waters sodenly increased singing and sounding of instruments and also the iangling of belles when as in deede these things are not so but only chaunce by default of hearing for others whiche are conuersant with them hauing the right vse of hearing doo not heare any suche thing at all Somtimes in very deede such things are heard as the crackling of waynscot walles and suche lyke whiche are naturall signes of some tempeste shortly after ensuing There are also certaine hollowe places thorough the whiche the winde whiszing giueth a pleasant sound as it were through a pipe much lyke vnto singing so that men wonder very much therat We reade in writers of Philosophie that the very same also chaunceth in banks of riuers whiche bend a little in compasse Hearing is also deceyued when we thinke we heare thunder and it is in déed but the rumblyng of some carte There be many which thinke they handle some thing and yet are deceyued If men sicke of the ague drinke wine of the â—est and swéetest sorte yet they thinke it is more bitter than Gaâ—l if they eate pottage neuer so good yet they iudge it vnsauorie whiche thyng commeth not of any faulte in the Cooke but of the mouth and stomack which is distempered with sicknesse For vnto them whiche haue abundance of choller all things séeme bitter And euen so it commeth to passe that a man supposeth hée seeth heareth féeleth or is felte of some spirite when in déede it is not so and yet no man can persuade him the contrarie If feare and weaknesse of the syghte and of other sensâ—s méete togyther then men fall into straunge and maruellous imaginations beléeuyng thyngs vtterly false to be very true Neyther wil they bée brought from theyr owne opinions by any meanes or reason We reade that not only perticular and priuate men but also whole armies of soldiours generally haue bin so deceyued that they haue verilye thought their enymies hard at their héeles when as no man followed And hereof haue procéeded many horrible flightes in battaile Cominaeus a knight and diligent writer of hystories in the ende of his firste booke of the Actes of Lewes the .11 King of Fraunce writeth that when Charles Duke of Burgundie with other Princes hadde remoued their armie to Paris they vnderstood by their espials that the next day the king had determined to sette on them with all his power of men Wherfore the next daye Charles sent out certaine horsemen to vewe his enimies who comming foorth by reason that the elemente was somewhat â—arke supposed they sawe a huge number of pikes and speares but when they had passed a little further and that the aire was a little clearer they vnderstood the same place wherein they iudged the king to be with all his armie to be planted and ouergrowne with many high thistles whiche a farre off shewed as it had bin long speares For the night beguileth mens eyes And therefore none ought to maruell if trauellers towardes night or at midnight mistake stones trées stubbes or such like to be sprites or elues We reade in the last booke of the kings the 3. chap. that after the death of king Achab the Moabites reuolted from Ioram hys sonne wherefore he desired Iosaphat to aide him and with all his power he determined to make warre on the Moabites to reduce them to obedience and subiection Which thing when the Moabites heard they prepared to defend themselues so many as were able to beare armoure But when they hadde set foreward verie early in the morning against their enimies supposing in the rising of the sunne the waters whiche GOD had miraculously brought out to bée redde they sayd amongst themselues Surely the two Kings haue encountred togither and each haue destroyed other wherevppon they running on heapes without order to spoile the Israelites Tents were by them vanquished and slaine here you sée all the Armie mistooke water in steade of bloude CHAP. V. Many are so feared by other men that they suppose they haue heard or seene Spirites FUrthermore it commeth to passe many tymes that not only pleasant and merrie conceyted men but also spiteful and malitious men chaunging their apparell make others extreamelie afrayd It is a common custome in many places that at a certaine time of the yeare one with a nette or visarde on his face maketh Children afrayde to the ende that euer after they shoulde laboure and be obedient to their Parentes afterward they tel them that those which they saw were Bugs Witches and Hagges which thing they verily beléeue and are commonly miserablie afrayde Howbeit it is not expedient alwayes so to terrifie Children For sometimes through great feare they fall into dangerous diseases and in the nyght crye out when they are fast asléepe Salomon teacheth vs to chasten children with the rod and so to make them stand in awe he doth not say we must beare them in hande they shal be deuoured of Bugges Hags of the night and such lyke monsters Many times pleasant merrie yong men disguise theÌ„selues like vnto Deuils or else shroud themselues in white shéetes to make other men afrayde with whome if simple men chaunce to meete they make no doubt of the matter but verily thinke they haue séene spirites and straunge sightes And yet it is not alwayes the safest way so to deceyue men with iests and toyes for many examples might be brought to shew how euill some men haue sped hereby It is an vsuall and common thing that yong men merily disposed when they trauell by the way comming to theyr Inne at night tye roapes to the bed side or to the couerlet or garments or else hide them selues vnder the bed and so counterfeating them selues to bee Spirits deceyue and mocke their fellows It chaunced once at Tigurinâ— where we dwell that certayne plesaunt yong men disguising theÌ„selues daunced aboute the Churcheyarde one of them playing on a beere with two bones as it were on a druÌ„me Wich thing when certaine men had espied they noysed it about the
worshipping their gods thei gaue theÌ„selues to wicked deuises For how often may we wel think they coÌ„mitted abhominable mischief although in déed the matter it self neuer cam to light If they brought it to passe y Mundus by their means enioyed his desired loue surely there is no doubt but that they theÌ„selues vnder the color of holinesse defloured other meÌ„â— daughters wiues for otherwise this deuise coulde neuer haue bin so redy in mind This matron would neuer hauâ— bin so wel coÌ„tent vnlesse y very same had bin practised with other dames before Neither yet wold hir husbaÌ„d haue suffered hir tâ— lodge in the Church al night What néed was ther for the gods to haue beds prepared for theÌ„ in the Church wheÌ„ it was most aparaÌ„t they neuer lodged in theÌ„ Princes also may lern by the exaÌ„ple of Tiberius although he were a wicked tyrant how such varlets are to be restrained Tâ— thys purpose maketh the historie which Ruffinus a priest of Aquilia reporteth in Li. 11. ca. 25. of his ecclesiastical history There was a priest in AlexaÌ„dria in Egipt vowed to Saturn whose name was TyraÌ„nus This maÌ„ as it had bin froÌ„ the mouth of god vsed to say vnto al such noble principal meÌ„ whose ladies he liked lusted after that Saturne had coÌ„maunded that such a ones wife shuld lie al night in the teÌ„ple Then he which herd the message reioycing much that the god vouchsafed to cal for his wife decking hir vp brauely giuing hir great gifts forsooth lest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie sent hir foorth vnto the temple wherâ— the woman being shut vp in the presence of al men â–ª Tirannus wheÌ„ he had fast locked the dores surreÌ„dring the keys departed his wayes Afterwards in great silence passing through priuie caues vnder the grounde he issued foorthe out of the open holes into the image of Saturne whiche image was made hollow in the backe and cunningly fastned to the wall And as the candles burned within the Church be spake sodeinly vnto the woman giuing great â—are praying deuoutly through the image made of hollowe brasse in such sorte that the vnhappy woman trembled betwene feare and ioy because she thought hir selfe worthy of the speach of so great a god Now after the â—audy god had talked his pleasure to bring hir in great feare or to prouoke hir to lust and wantonnesse sodeynly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abrode of shéets by a certein cunning deuise And then desceÌ„ding out of the image he committed adulterie with the woman muche abashed and afrayde vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto hir WheÌ„ he had thus delt a long season almost with al the wiues of these sely gentlemeÌ„ it chaunced in the ende that a certein chast geÌ„tlewoman began to abhorre loath the déede marking the matter more héedfully knew it to be Tyrannus voice thervpoÌ„ returning home agayne declared the â—lye conueyance of this horrible déede vnto hir husbande He being set on fier with rage for the iniurie done vnto his wife or rather vnto himself appreheÌ„ded Tyrannus brought him to the place of tormeÌ„ts where being conuicted he coÌ„fessed al the mater theÌ„ other deceits being likewise detected al shame dishonor was spred throughout the houses of the PagaÌ„s the mothers were founde adulterers fathers incestuous persoÌ„s their childreÌ„ illegittimate and bastards Which thing so soone as it was brought to light and noysed abrode togither both Church and image and wickednesse and all was vtterly subuerted and destroyed We reade that Numa Pompilius bare the people of Rome in hande that he hadde familiar companye with Egeria a Goddesse of the waters to the ende he might purchase credite and authoritie to his lawes CHAP. VII Timotheus Aelurus counterfeating him selfe to be an Angell obteined a bissopricke foure Monkes of the order of Preachers made many vayne apparitions at Berna IT might bée somewhat borne withall if these things had only chaunced among the Gentiles which were without the word of God if we dyd not euidentlye sée the like happen often times amongst christians and in case it were not to be feared least many suche things shoulde happen euen at this day also For it is well knowne to all men that there haue bin many magiciens sosserers coniurers those especially Monkes and priests who could easelye counterfeit visions and miracles and familiar talking with soules Theodorus Lector collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica li. 1. writeth of Timotheus Aelurus that he before Proterius bishop of Alexandria was put to death gaping for the bisshopprike in the night cladde in blacke apparell walked about the celles of the monkes and calling eche man by his name they answering sayde vnto them that he a spirit one of gods seruants came to warne them that euery one reuolting from Proterius should ioyne him selfe vnto Timotheus And by this craft and deceyte obteyning the bisshopprike he made greate vproares in the Churche of god Heere I cannot refraine my selfe as touching this present matter but that I rehearse a famous historie of foure monkes of the order of preachers who were brent at Berna in Heluetia in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the last daye of May by what subtilties they deceyued a poore simple Frier whoÌ„ they had lately reteined into their monasterie concerning which thing many bookes were written at the same time when these things were done which are yet extant both in the latine and in the germaine tong There was great contention betwene the monkes of the order of preachers and the friers Minorites or Franciscans touching the coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of the virgin Mary The Friers preachers affirmed that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall sinne that the Franciscans denied and stoutly denied At the last the matter came to that issue that the preachers determined to auouche and proue their opinion by false and fayned miracles taking aduisement in a certeine Synode which they call a chapter holdeÌ„ at Vimpenium a citie of Germanie where the most conuenient and fittest place for this matter might be founde and at the last they chose out Berna in Heluetia bycause the people there were playne and simple and giuen to the warres Foure therefore of the chéefest in the Abbay of the order of preachers began the pageant at Berna and bycause the Supprier one of the foure was wel séene in coniuring he bounde the Diuell to ioyne in councell with theÌ„ by what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe He appearing vnto them in the likenesse of a Negro or blacke Morian promised them all that he coulde doo vnder thys condition that they shoulde yeld and giue them selues vnto him whiche thing they willingly did deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hande and bloud And it chaunced at the same time very â—itlye that one Iohn Iezerus a plaine fellowe a Tayloure by occupation was
parte of such stuffe as is sette foorth in them haue no shewe nor likelyhoode of truthâ— perchaunce their mynde was to bring men to great feare and Religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories But concerning these this place now serueth not to intreate The like may be saide of many supersticious Popishe wryters who following these mens steppes haue writteÌ„ many vpon other mens credit and reportes which least any man think I write being moued with enuie or hatred of the persones I wil shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many that you may thereby haue as it were a tast of that which I sayde euen now Petrus Damanus who first was a Monke after the order of S. Benedict and afterward byshop of Hostia a man of great estimation among Papistes as well for the opinion they had of his learning as for the shewe of his vpright lyuing telleth a storie of a certain Monke of Colein who on a time passing ouer a Riuer on horseback espied Saint Seuerinus sometime Bishop of Colein on the riuer who not long before was departed this life being buried at that time was muche renoumed for doing sundrie miracles This Byshop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle and would not lette him passe any further wherwith the Monke was sore afraide and dilygently enquired of him why he béeing so notable a man was there withholden in that place The Bishop then required him to lend him his hande that he might vnderstande by féeling howe it was with him whiche when he haddoone that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes hande downe into the water sodenly in one moment al the flesh of hys hand by reason of the extreame heate was scalded off so that the bones only remained albare Unto whom then the Monke sith quod he thou art so famous a man in the Church how coÌ„meth it to passe that thou art so gréeuously tormented The Bishop aunswered only sayde he for this cause for that I haue not sayde ouer my Canonicall houres in due time distinctly as I shoulde haue done for I was in the Emperors Court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie Counsell in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once all the rest of the daye I was troubled with other busines and for that cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat But let vs both togither call vnto Almightie God that it may please him to restore thy hand againe which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus sayde And then spake he to the Monke saying Go my sonne and desire the brethren of our Church as also al other of the Clergie ther to poure out their prayers for mée to giue almes to the poore and néedie and to perseuer incessantly in offring vp continual sacrifice for me for so sone as these things shal be fulfilled â–ª I shall be deliuered out of these my torments and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Citizens of heauen which do earnestly desire my company Out of this historie this argument or reason they make Yf that good and Godly Byshop who being ouercharged with affaires of the Emperor leading to publike wealth could not dispatche his talke of prayers in due time and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented what punishment may they looke for which hauing no necessarie businesse say ouer the Canonicall houres very coldely or else leaue them cleane vnsayde that they maye the better followe there owne lustes and vaine deuises And héerâ— note by the waye they make no mention at all of omytting those things which God hath expresly coÌ„manded vs But in case the Popishe Bishoppes do verily beléeue this storie to be true let them thinke with themselues howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the Iudgement seate of Almightie God for that they are content to be created Bishoppes of those Churches wherof notwithstanding they haue no care nor regarde but eyther wholy intangle themselues with worldly matters or if they do deale in matters of the church their whole study is directed to this end to stop the sincere preaching of Gods word and to tread those vnderfoote whose minds are occupied day night to the aduauÌ„cing setting forth of gods glory Of this stampe and sorte are most of those things wherwith the Monkes inferced and stuffed their bookes CHAP. XV. A proofe by other sufficient vvriters that Spirits doe sometime appeare AS touching other notable wryters they also make mention of spirits whiche doe often times appeare Alexander ab Alexandria an excellent Lawier born at Naples in his second booke Gemaliuns â—ierum and ninth chapter writeth that a certaine familiar friend of his of good credite dyd celebrate the funeral of one of his acquaintance and as he returned towardes Rome he entred into an Inne fast by the waye bicause it was nyght and there layde himselfe downe to rest As he laye there alone broade awake sodenly the Image of hys friende lately deceased came before him maruellous pale and leane euen as he was when he saw him last on his death bed whome when he behelde being almost besides himselfe with feare he demaunded of him who he was But the gost making no answere but slipping of his clothes layde him downe in the same bed and drewe neare as if he woulde haue embraced him The other gaue him place and kéeping him of from him by chaunce touched his fote which séemed so extreamly cold as no ice in the world might be compared vnto it Wherat the other looking very lowringly vppon him tooke vp his clothes againe and rose out of the bed and was neuer afterwardes séene He reporteth other histories in the same place whiche hapned in his time He liued aboue foure score yeares ago or neare that time Baptista Fulgosus Duke of Genua in his booke of worthy sayings doings of Emperors Princes Dukes c. which he wrote being in exile to auoyde idlenesse Touching straunge and monstrous things wryteth that in the Courte of Mattheus surnamed the great Shyrife of the Citie in the Euening after sunne sette there was séene a man farre excéeding common stature sitting on a horse in complete armour who when he had ben ther seen of many by the space of an hour in the end vanished away to the great terrour of those that beheld hym About thrée dayes after in like maner two men on horsebacke of the same stature were séene in the same place about thrée houres within night fighting togither a long season and in the ende vanished away as the other dydde before Not long after Henry the seuenth Emperor departed this life to the vtter vndoing of all the Shirifes Immediatly after this Hystorie he putteth an other more worthie memorie than the formost Lodouicus father to Alodisius ruler of Immola not long after he died appeared vnto a Secretarie whom Ludouicus had sente to Ferraria as he was on his iourney ryding on a
It hath many times chaunced that those of the house haue verily thought that some body hath ouerthrowne the pots platters tables and trenchers and tumbled theÌ„ downe the stayres but after it waxed day they haue found all things orderly set in their places againe It is reported that some spirits haue throwne the dore of from the hookes and haue troubled and set all things in the house out of order neuer setting theÌ„ in their due place againe and that they haue maruellously disquieted men with rumbling and making a great noise Sometimes there is heard a great noise in Abbeis and in other solitarie places as if it were coupers hooping and stopping vp wine vessels or some other handicraftes men occupied about their labour when it is most certayn that all in the house are gone to bed and haue betaken themselues to rest When houses are in building the neighbours many times heare the carpenters masons and other artificers handling all things in such sorte as if they were busily labouring in the day time And this straunge wonder is ioyfully receiued as a sure token of good lucke There be some which iudge it commeth to passe naturally that we suppose we heare these things in the nighte which we heard before in the day time Which question I leaue to be discussed of better learned than my selfe Pioners or diggers for mettal do affirme that in many mines there appeare straunge shapes and spirites who are apparelled like vnto other laborers in the pit These wander vp and down in caues and vnderminings séeme to besturre them selues in all kinde of labour as to digge after the veine to carrie togither oare to put it into baskets and to turne the winding whele to drawe it vp when in very déede they do nothing lesse They very seldome hurte the laborers as they say except they prouoke them by laughing and rayling at them for then they threw grauel stones at them or hurt them by some other means These are especially haunting in pittes where mettall moste aboundeth A certayn godly and lerned man wrote once vnto me of a siluer mine at Dauosium in the Alpes vpon the which Peter Buol a noble man the Schultish of the same place whom they cal Landammanus had bestowed great cost a fewe yeres before and had gathered therby good store of riches In the same myne was a spirite or Diuell of the mountayne who when the laborers filled the stuffe they had digged into their vessels he séemed for the most parte euery Fryday to be very busie pouring the mettals of his owne accord out of one basket into an other Wherewith the Schultishe was not offended and when he would eyther descende into the pit or come vp agayne blessyng him selfe with the signe of the Crosse he neuer receyued hurt It chaunced on a tyme that whyle the sayde spirit was too busie intermedlyng himselfe with euery thing one of the myners being offended therewith began to rayle at hym very bitterly and with terrible cursing wordes byd him get him thence in the diuels name But the spirit caught him by the pate and so writhed his necke about that his face stoode behynde his backe yet notwithstanding he was not slaine but liued a long time after well knowne vnto diuers of his familiar friends whiche yet liue at this day howbeit he died within a fewe years after Georgius Agricola whose learned works whiche he wrote of mettalles be yet extant in the end of his booke of creatures liuing vnder the earth he maketh two kinds of Diuels haunting in certayne Mynes abroade For hée sayth there are some cruell and terrible to beholde whiche for the moste parte doo very much annoy and hurt the labourers digging for mettall Suche a one was hée whiche was called Annebergius who only with his breath destroyed aboue .xij. laborers at once in the caue called Corona Rosacea The wynde wherewith he slewe them he lette flée out of his mouth for he appéered in the similitude and lykenesse of an horse Suche an other was Snebergius who wearyng a black roll about his necke tooke vp a labourer aloft from the grounde and sette him in the brinke of a certayne excéeding déepe place where had sometyme bene great store of siluer not without gréeuous brusing of his body And againe he saith there be some very milde and gentle whome some of the Germans call Cobali as the Grecians do bycause they be as it were apes and counterfeiters of men for they leaping and skipping for ioy do laughe and séeme as though they did many things when in very déede they doo nothing And some other call them Elues or Dwarfes of the Mountaynes thereby notyng theyr small stature wherein they commonly appeare They séeme to bée hoare wearyng apparayle lyke the mettall fyners that is in a petycote laced and an apron of lether about their loynes These hurte not the laborers excepte they misuse them but do imitate them in all their doings And he sayth they are not much vnlike vnto those whom the Germans call Guteli bycause they séeme to beare good affection towards men for they kéepe horses and do other necessary businesse They are also lyke vnto them whom they cal Trulli who taking on them the fayned shapes of men and women do serue as it is sayd like seruants both amongst other nations specially amongst the Suetians Touching these spirits haunting mynes of mettal ther is somwhat to be read in Olaus Magnus de Gentibus Septentrionalibus the 6. booke and .x. chapter They whiche sayle on the greate Ocean sea make reporte that in certayne places where the Anthropophagi doo inhabite are many spirites whiche doo the people there very muche harme Héere many straunge things might be brought concerning visions appearing vnto men in their sléepe and also of them which being in a traunce haue lyen a whole day and more without mouing lyke vnto dead men and after béeing restored to them selues agayne haue tolde many miraculous things which they haue séene Cicero writeth of maruellous things in his booke of diuination or soothsaying And so do many other men also Augustine himselfe reciteth in many places of his bookes that some after they were dead haue warned many their frendes of diuers matters and haue disclosed vnto them secrete things which were to come and haue shewed sicke folkes good remedies for their diseases and haue done many suche like things Auenzoar Albumaro a physition of Arabia writeth that he receiued an excellent medicine for his sore eyes of a physition lately deceased appering vnto him in his slepe as Marsilius Fâ—cinus doth testifie writing of the immortalitie of the soule Lib. 16. cap. 5. The holy Scriptures also teache vs that God hath reuealed many things vnto men by dreames S. Mathew in his first and second Chapter writeth that the angell of God appered many tymes vnto Ioseph our Sauior Christes foster father in a dreame and coÌ„maunded him to beware
and knowe the truth c. By the woorde spirite are vnderstoode false teachers whiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of God But what cause is there why it maye not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites whiche haue induced men to take in hande many things In the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians and the seconde Chapter when certayne affirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande Paule foretelleth them that there shall be a defection and that Antichrist shall first come saying Nowe we beséech you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryste by our assembling vnto hym that yée be not sodenly moued from your intent nor troubled neyther by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of Christ were at hande Let no man deceyue you by any meanes c. Which wordes truely in my iudgement may also be verie aptly vnderstood of those wandering spirits Saint Iohn sayth in hys first Epistle and fourth chapter Dearly béeloued beléeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophetes are gone out into the world Héereby shall yée knowe the spirit of god Euery spirit that cōfesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Chryst is come in the flesh is not of god c. Héere he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to be mens soules but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues that they haue the spirite of god But in case we must not beléeue them being aliue much lesse ought we to credite them when they are dead And albeit that neyther Chryste nor hys Apostles had so diligently giuen vs warning not to suffer our selues to be seduced with myracles and with the talke of spirites yet notwithstanding dayly experience teacheth vs to be circumspect and warie in these cases For as soone as false teachers sée that they haue no testimonie of Scripture to defende themselues withall by and by they turne themselues to spirits and visions whereby they may confirme their Doctrine which thing hath opened a large window to many erroures To what inconuenience Ambition couetounesse enuie hath brought many of the clergie it is both well knowne by many examples and it hath also as it were by the waye béene before declared Haue not the orders of Monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence haue not they inuented newe miracles haue they not counterfeited Gods Pilgrimages Saintes spirits The holy Uirgin is a famouse notable exāple that we shuld not rashly beléeue euery spirit For at what time the Angel Gabriel apeared vnto hir in a visible shape saluted hir shewing hir before of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God she thought with hir selfe what maner of salutation that shuld be how this thing could come to passe séeing she had knowen no man Then at the last being enfourmed of the means by the Angel she sayd Behold the handmayde of the Lorde be it vnto me according to thy word Why then should we beléeue euery spirite especially those which teach things quite contrarie to the word of God. CHAP. IX After vvhat sorte the faithfull in the primitiue Churche vsed themselues vvhen they mette vvith spirites I Haue declared out of the word of God how good and godly men ought to behaue themselues when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto thē And truely the auncient Christians behaued themselues after this sorte For they were couragious without feare they gaue themselues to godlynesse and all good workes they diligently auoyded all things which were displeasing vnto God and they were also verie circumspect not to attribute too much vnto spirites and visions It was a cōmon custome amongst thē to blesse themselues with the signe of the Crosse when they met with these things which many also vse at this day Tertullian writeth in his booke De corona militis that the auncient Christians did many times marke their foreheades with the signe of the Crosse. S. Hierom exhorteth Demetriades that he often crosse his foreheade least that the destroyer of Egipt finde any place therein Origen also Epiphanius Chrisostome and Augustine write many things of the vertue of the holie Crosse. S. Athanasius writeth in hys booke de Humanitate verbi eiusque corporali aduentu fol. 67. In times past sayth he the deuils by vaine shewes and mockerie ensnared men abiding somtimes in wels somtime in ryuers in stones and woods and so by craftie deceytes brought vnwise men into sottishnesse But nowe since Gods worde hath appeared vnto vs suche sightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased Fol. 56. and .72 and in other places also he handleth the same matter Lanctantius writeth of the same in his fourth boke Diuinarum Institutionum 26. chapter and also thorowout the 27. Chapter He saythe that the deuill can haue no accesse vnto those nor any wayes hurte them whiche signe their foreheades with the crosse He addeth moreouer that the Christians vsed this ceremonie in olde time in casting out deuils and healing diseases Not for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall signe of the crosse for that were supersticious but vnto the crosse that is to the merytes of Chryste whose worthinesse and excellencie they called withall to their remembrance Touching the holy Apostles or Apostolike Churches we reade not that they euer vsed the signe of the crosse in expelling deuils in curing diseases or in any other thing God spared the Iewes in Egipt whiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the Lambe not that Lambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death but it was a figure of the bloud and passion of Christ Iesus And the Iewes sprinkled not bloud of their owne good deuotion as they terme it but by the commaūdement of god The holy fathers by the ceremonie that they signed themselues wyth the crosse mente to testifie their confidence in the crosse that is in the deth of Christ Iesus which abandoneth all euill and mischiefe The deuill neuer a whit feareth the crosse wherewith we signe our selues nor yet those pieces fragmentes of Christes crosse which are shewed for reliques but he trembleth at the power and force of Chrystes death by the whiche he was conquered and ouerthrowen If any man attribute too muche vnto ceremonies he cannot be excused from supersticion which worthily deserueth blame We read more in the auncient wryters that they vsed exorcismes or coniurations in the primatiu◠Churche against Deuils You may read in Tertullian in his booke De anima that vncleane spirites haue often times deceyued men haue taken on them the persones of others and haue fayned themselues to be the soules of dead men that men should not beléeue that all soules descended into Hell what is to be vnderstood by the worde Hell I haue shewed before and so to bring the beleefe of the latter Iudgemente