Oh Father Omnipotent oh wise Son oh holy Ghost the searcher of hearts oh you three in persons one true Godhead in substance which didst spare Adam and Eve in their sins and oh thou Son which dyedst for their sins a most filthy death sustaining it upon the holy cross oh thou most merciful when I flie unto thy mercy and beseech thee by all the means I can by these the holy Names of thy Son to wit Α and Ω and all other his Names grant me thy Virtue and Power that I may be able to cite before me thy Spirits which were thrown down from heaven and that they may speak with me and dispatch by and by without delay and with a good will and without the hurt of my body soul or goods c. as is contained in the book called Annulus Solomonis Oh great and eternal vertue of the highest which through disposition these being called to judgement Vachoon Stumulamaton Esphares Tetragrammaton Olioram Cryon Esytion Existion Eriona Onela Brasim Noym Messias Soter Emanuel Sabboth Adonay I worship thee I invocate thee I implore thee with all the strength of my mind that by thee my present Prayers Consecrations and Conjurations be hollowed and wheresoever wicked Spirits are called in the virtue of thy names they may come together from every coast and diligently fulfil the will of me the Exorcist Fiat fiat fiat Amen CHAP. XIV A confutation of the manifold vanities conteined in the precedent Chapters specially of commanding of Devils HE that can be perswaded that these things are true or wrought indeed according to the assertion of Coseners or according to the supposion of Witchmongers and Papists may soon be brought to believe that the Moon is made of green Cheese You see in that which is called Solomons Conjuration there is a perfect inventary registred of the number of Devils of their Names of their Offices of their Personages of their Qualities of their Powers of their Properties of their Kingdoms of their Governers of their Orders of their Dispositions of their Subjection of their Submission and of the wayes to bind or loose them with a note what Wealth Learning Office Commodity pleasure c. they can give and may be forced to yield in spight of their hearts to such forsooth as are cunning in this Art of whom yet was never seen any rich man or at least that gained any thing that way or any unlearned man that became learned by that means or any happy man that could with the help of this Art either deliver himself or his friends from adversity or add unto his Estate any point of felicity yet these men in all worldly happiness must needs exceed all others if such things could be by them accomplished according as it is presupposed For if they may learn of Marbas all secrets and to cure all diseases and of Furcas wisdome and to be cunning in all Mechanical Arts and to change any mans shape of Zepar if Bune can make them rich and eloquent if Beroth can tell them of all things present past and to come if Asmodie can make them go invisible and shew them all hidden treasure if Salmacke will afflict whom they list and Allocer can procure the love of any Woman if Amy can provide them excellent Familiars if Caym can make them understand the voyce of all Birds and Beasts and Buer and Bifrons can make them live long and finally if Orias could procure unto them great friends and reconcile their enemies and they in the end had all these at commandement should they not live in all worldly honour and felicity Whereas contrariwise they lead there lives in all obloquy misery and beggery and in fine come to the gallows as though they had chosen unto themselves the spirit Valefer who they say bringeth all them with whom he entreth into familiarity to no better end then the gibbet or gallows But before I proceed further to the confutation of this stuff I will shew other Conjurations devised more lately and of more Authority wherein you shall see how fools are trained to believe these absurdities being won by little and little to such credulity For the Author hereof beginneth as though all the cunning of Conjurors were derived and fetcht from the Planetary motions and true course of the Stars Celestial bodies c. CHAP. XV. The names of the Planets their Characters together with the twelve signes of the Zodiack their Dispositions Aspects and Government with other observations The Characters of the Planets ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ Saturn Jupiter Mars Sol. Venus Mercury Luna The five Planetary Aspects ☌ ⚹ □ 🜂 ☠Conjunction Sextile Quadrat Trine Opposition The twelve signs of the Zodiack their Characters and Denominations c. ♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♠♎ ♠♠♑ ♒ ♓ Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo. Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius Pisces Their Disposition or Inclinations Good signes ♈ ♋ ♉ ♓ ♠Evil signes ♎ ♠♑ ♒ ♊ Signes indifferent ♒ ♠♋ ♓ ♠Very good signes ♈ ♎ ♠Very evil signes ♑ ♊ ♌ ♉ The Disposition of the Planets ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ planets good ♃ ♀ Indifferent ☉ ☽ ☿ Euill ♄ ♂ ♑ ♒ ♠♓ ♃ ♠♈ ♂ ♌ ☉ ♉ ♎ ♀ ♊ ♠☿ ♋ ☽ A fierie Triplicitie ♈ ♂ ☉ ♃ ♉ ♂ ☉ An earthie Triplicitie ♌ ☉ ♃ ♠☿ ♠♃ ☉ ♑ ♄ ♂ A waterie Triplicitie ♋ ☽ ♃ ♀ ♊ ☿ An aierie Triplicitie ♠♂ ♎ ♀ ♄ ♃ ♓ ♃ ☽ ♀ ♒ ♄ ♃ The Aspects of the Planets ☌ Is the best Aspect with good Planets and the worst with evil ⚹ Is a mean Aspect in goodness or badness 🜂 Is very good in aspect to good Planets and hurteth not in evil □ This Aspect is of enimity not full perfect ☠This Aspect is of enimity most perfect How the Day is divided or distinguished A Day natural is the space of four and twenty hours accounting the Night withal and beginneth at one of the clock after midnight An artificial day is that space of time which is betwixt the rising and falling of the Sun c. all the rest is night and beginneth at the Sun rising Hereafter followeth a Table shewing how the day and the night is divided by hours and reduced to the regiment of the Planets The division of the Day and the Planetary Regiment day lord 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 day lord ☉ ♠☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ day lord ☽ ♄ ♃ ♠☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ day lord ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ☿ ♀ ☽ day lord ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ day lord ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ day lord ☿ ♀ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♃ day lord ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ ♄ ♂ ♃ ☉ ♀ The division of the Night and the Planetary Regiment night lord 1 2 3 4
whole and holy company of Heaven and by the dreadful day of doom and by all Angels and Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and their vertues and powers I conjure thee and bind thee Sibylia that thou shalt not depart out of the circle wherein thou art appeared nor yet to alter thy shape except I give thee licence to depart I conjure thee Sibylia by the blood that ran out of the side of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified and by the vertue hereof I conjure thee Sibylia to come to me and to appear to me at all times visibly as the Conjuration of words leadeth written in this Book I conjure thee Sibylia O blessed Virgin of Fairies by the opening of Heaven and by the renting of the Temple and by the darkness of the Sun at the time of his death and by the rising of the dead in the time of his glorious Resurrection and by the unspeakable Name of God ✚ Tetragrammaton ✚ and by King and Queen of Fairies and by their vertues I conjure thee Sibylia to appear before the Conjuration be read over four times and that visibly to appear as the the Conjuration leadeth written in this Book and to give me good counsel at all times and to come by treasures hidden in the earth and all other things that is to do me pleasure and to fulfil my will without any deceit or tarrying nor yet that thou shalt have any power of my body or soul earthly or ghostly nor yet to perish so much of my body as one hair of my head I conjure thee Sibylia by all the royal words aforesaid and by their vertues and powers I charge and bind thee by the vertue thereof to be obedient unto me and to all the words aforesaid and this bond to stand between thee and me upon pain of everlasting condemnation Fiat fiat fiat Amen CHAP. XVIII A License for Sibylia to go and come by at all times I Conjure thee Sibylia which art come hither before me by the commandement of thy Lord and mine that thou shalt have no power in thy going or coming unto me imagining any evil in any manner of wayes in the earth or under the earth of evil doings to any person or persons I conjure and command thee Sibylia by all the royal words and vertues that be written in this Book that thou shalt not go to the place from whence thou camest but shalt remain peaceably invisibly and look thou be ready to come unto me when thou art called by any conjuration of words that be written in this Book to come I say at my commandement and to answer unto me truly and duly of all things my will quickly to be fulfilled Vade in pace in Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti And the holy ✚ cross ✚ between thee and me or between us and you and the Lion of Juda the root of Jess the kindred of David be between thee and me ✚ Christ cometh ✚ Christ commandeth ✚ Christ giveth power ✚ Christ defend me ✚ and his innocent blood ✚ from all perils of body and soul sleeping and waking Fiat fiat Amen CHAP. XIX To know of Treasure hidden in the Earth WRite in paper these characters following on the Saturday in the hour of ☽ and lay it where thou thinkest Treasure to be if there be any the paper will burn else not And these be the characters This is the way to go invisible by these three Sisters of Fairies IN the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost First go to a fair Parlor or Chamber and an even ground and in no loft and from people nine dayes for it is the better and let all thy cloathing be clean and sweet Then make a Candle of Virgin Wax and light it and make a fair fire of Charcoles in a fair place in the middle of the Parlour or Chamber Then take fair clean water that runneth against the East and set it upon the fire and if thou washest thy self say these words going about the fire three times holding the Candle in thy right hand ✚ Panthon ✚ Craton ✚ Muriton ✚ Bisecognaton ✚ Siston ✚ Diaton ✚ Maton ✚ Tetragrammaton ✚ Agla ✚ Agarion ✚ Tegra ✚ Pentessaron ✚ Tendicata ✚ Then rehearse these names ✚ Sorthie ✚ Sorthia ✚ Sorthios ✚ Milia ✚ Achilia ✚ Sibylia ✚ In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen I conjure you three sisters of Fairies Milia Achilia Sibylia by the Father by the Son and by the Holy Ghost and by their vertues and powers and by the most merciful and living God that will command his Angel to blow the trump at the day of Judgment and he shall say Come come come to judgment and by all Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and by their vertues and powers I conjure you thre sisters by the vertue of all the royal words aforesaid I charge you that you do appear before me visibly in form and shape of fair women in white vestures and to bring with you to me the Ring of Invisibility by the which I may go invisible at mine own will and pleasure and that in all hours and minutes In Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Amen Being appeared say this bond following O blessed Virgins ✚ Milia ✚ Achilia ✚ I conjure you in the Name of the Father in the Name of the Son and the Name of the Holy Ghost and by their vertues I charge you to depart from me in peace for a time And Sibylia I conjure thee by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the vertue of his flesh and precious blood that he took of our blessed Lady the Virgin and by all holy company in Heaven I charge thee Sibylia by all the vertues aforesaid that thou be obedient unto me in the Name of God that when and what time and place I shall call thee by this foresaid Conjuration written in this Book look thou be ready to come unto me at all hours and minutes and to bring unto me the Ring of Invisibility whereby I may go invisible at my will and pleasure and that at all hours and minutes Fiat fiat Amen And if they come not at the first night then do the same the second night and so the third night until they do come for doubtless they will come and lie thou in thy bed in the same Parlor or Chamber And lay thy right hand out of the bed and look thou have a fair silken Kercher bound about thy head and be not afraid they will do thee no harm For there will come before thee three fair women and all in white cloathing and one of them will put a Ring upon thy finger wherewith thou shalt go invisible Then with speed bind them with the bond aforesaid When thou hast this Ring on thy finger look in
of holyness It may be fully ended c. A Charm taken out of the Primer THis Charm following is taken out of the Primer aforesaid Omnipotents ✚ Dominus ✚ Christus ✚ Messias ✚ with 34 names more and as many Crosses and then proceeds in this wise Ista nomina me protegant ah omni adversitate plaga infirmitate corporis animae plenè liberent assistent in auxilium ista nomina regum Gasper c. 12. Apostoli videlicet Petrus c. 4. Evangelistae videlicet Matthaeus c. mihi assistent in omnibus necessitatibus meis ac me defendant liberent ab omnibus periculis corporis anima omnibus malis praeteritis praesentibus futuris c. CHAP. X. How to make Holy Water and the Vertues thereof St. Ruffins Charm of the wearing and hearing of the Name of Jesus that the Sacrament of Confession and the Eucharist is of as much efficacy at other charms and magnified by L. Varius IF I did well I should shew you the confession of all their stuffe and how they prepare it but it would be too long And therefore you shall only have in this place a few notes for the composition of certain receipts which instead of an Apothecary if you deliver to any morrow-mass Priest he will make them as well as the Pope himself Mary now they wax every Parliament deerer and deerer although therewithal they utter many stale drugs of their own If you look in the Popish Pontifical you shall see how they make their holy Water to wit in this sort I conjure thee thou creature of Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost that thou drive the Devil out of every corner aend hole of this Church and Altar so as he remain not within our Precincts that are just and righteous And water thus used as Durandus saith hath power of its own nature to drive away Devils If you will learn to make any more of this Popish stuffe you may go to the very Mass-Book and find many good receipts marry if you search Durandus c. you shall find abundance I know that all these Charms and all these paltrey Confections though they were far more impious and foolish will be maintained and defended by Massemongers even as the residue will be by Witch-mongers and therefore I will in this place insert a Charm the authority whereof is equal with the rest desiring to have their opinions herein I find in a Book called Pomaerium sermonum quadragesimalium that S. Francis seeing Rufinus provoked of the Devil to think himself damned charged Rufinus to say this Charm when he next met with this Devil Aperi os ibi imponam stercus which is as much to say in English as Open thy mouth and I will put in a plum a very ruffinly Charm Leonard Varius writeth De veris piis ac sanctis amuletis fascinum atque omnia veneficia destruentibus wherein he specially commendeth the name of Jesus to be worn But the Sacrament of Confession he extolleth above all things saying that whereas Christ with his power did but throw Devils out of mens bodies the Priest driveth the Devil out of mans soul by confession For saith he these words of the Priest when he saith Ego te absolvo are as effectual to drive away the Princes of darkness through the mighty power of that saying as was the voyce of God to drive away the darkness of the world when at the beginning he said Fiat lux He commendeth also as wholesome things to drive away Devils the Sacrament of the Eucharist and solitariness and silence Finally he saith that if there be added hereunto an Agnus Dei and the same be worn about ones neck by one void of sin nothing is wanting that is good and wholesome for this purpose But he concludeth that you must wear and make dints in your fore-head with crossing your self when you put on your shoes and at every other action c. and that is also a present remedy to drive away Devils for they cannot abide it CHAP. XI Of the Noble Balm used by Moses apishly counterfeited in the Church of Rome THe noble Balm that Moses made having indeed many excellent vertues besides the pleasant and comfortable favour thereof wherewithal Moses in his Politick Laws enjoyned Kings Queens and Princes to be anointed in their true and lawful elections and Coronations until the everlasting King had put on man upon him is apishly counterfeited in the Romish Church with divers terrible Conjurations three breathings Cross-wise able to make a quezie stomach spue nine mumblings and three curtsies saying thereunto Ave sanctum oleum ter Ave sanctum Balsamum And so the Devil is thrust out and the Holy-Ghost let into his place But as for Moses his Balm it is not now to be found either in Rome or elsewhere that I can learn And according to this Papistical Order Witches and other superstitious people follow on with Charms and Conjurations made in form which many bad Physitians also practice when their learning faileth as may appear by example in the sequel CHAP. XII The opinion of Ferrarius touchings Charms Periapts Appenssions Amulets c. Of Homerical Medicines of constant Opinion and the Effects thereof ARgerius Ferrarius a Physician in these days of great account doth say that for so much as by no dyet nor Physick any disease can be so taken away or extinguished but that certain dregs and reliques will remain therefore Physicians use Physical Alligations Appensions Periapes Amulets Charms Characters c. which he supposeth may do good but harm he is sure they can do none urging that it is necessary and expedient for a Physitian to leave nothing undone that may be devised for his Patients recovery and that by such means many great cures are done He citeth a great number of experiments out of Alexander Trallianus Aetius Octavianus Marcellus Philodotus Archigenes Philostratus Pliny and Dioscorides and would make men believe that Galen who in truth despised and derided all those vanities recanted in his latter dayes his former opinion and all his invectives tending against these magical cures writing also a book intituled De Homerica Medicatione which no man could ever see but one Alexander Trallianus who saith he saw it and further affirmeth that it is an honest mans part to cure the sick by hook or by crook or by any means whatsoever Yea he saith that Galen who indeed wrote and taught that Incantamenta sunt muliercularum figmenta and be the only cloaks of bad Physitians affirmeth that there is vertue and great force in Incantations As for example saith Trallian Galen being now reconciled to this opinion holdeth and writeth that the bones which stick in ones throat are avoided and cast out with the violence of Charms and Inchanting words yea and that thereby the Stone the Collick
a great he cometh forth like a Souldier riding on a great Horse he hath a Lyons face very red and with flaming eyes he speaketh with a big voyce he maketh a man wonderful in Astronomy and in all the liberal Sciences he bringeth good familiars and ruleth Thirty six Legions Saleos is a great Earl he appeareth as a gallant Souldier riding on a Crocodile and weareth a Dukes crown peaceable c. Vuall is a great Duke and a strong he is seen as a great and terrible Dromedary but in humane form he soundeth out in a base voyce the Aegyptian tongue This man above all other procureth especial love of Women and knoweth things present past and to come procuring the love of friends and foes he was of the order of Potestates and governeth Thirty seven Legions Haagenti is a great President appearing like a great Bull having the wings of a Griffin but when he taketh humane shape he maketh a man wise in every thing he changeth all metals into gold and changeth Wine and Water the one into the other and commandeth as many Legions as Zagan Phoenix is a great Marquess appearing like the bird Phoenix having a childs voyce but berore he standeth still before the Conjuror he singeth many sweet notes Then the Exorcist with his companions must beware he give no ear to the melody but must by and by bid him put on humane shape then will he speak marvellously of all wonderful Sciences He is an excellent Poet and obedient he hopeth to return to the seventh Throne after a thousand two hundred years and governeth Twenty Legions Stolas is a great Prince appearing in the form of a Night-raven before the Exorcist he taketh the image and shape of a man and teacheth Astronomy absolutely understanding the vertues of herbs and pretious stones there are under him Twenty six legions Note that a Legion is 6666. and now by Multiplication count how many Legions do arise out of every particular ✚ Secretum secretorum The secret of secrets Tu operans sis secretus horum Thou that workest them be secret in them CHAP. XII The hours wherein principal Devils may be bound to wit raised and restrained from doing of hurt AMaymon King of the East Corson King of the South Zimimar King of the North Goap King and Prince of the West may be bound from the third hour till noon and from the ninth hour till evening Marquesses may be bound from the ninth hour till compline and from compline to the end of the day Dukes may be bound from the first hour till noon and clear weather is to be observed Prelates may be bound in any hour of the day Knights from day dawning till Sun rising or from evensong till the Sun set A President may not be bound in any hour of the day except the King whom he obeyeth be invocated nor in the shutting of the evening Counties or Earls may be bound at any hour of the day so it be in the woods or fields where men resort not CHAP. XIII The form of adjuring or citing of the Spirits aforesaid to arise and appear WHen you will have any Spirit you must know his Name and Office you must also fast and be clean from all pollution three or four days before so will the Spirit be the more obedient unto you Then make a Circle and call up the Spirit with great intention and holding a ring in your hand rehearse in your own name and your companions for one must alwayes be with you this Prayer following and so no Spirit shall annoy you and your purpose shall take effect And note how this agreeth with Popish Charmes and Conjurations In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the ✚ Father ✚ and the Son ✚ and the Holy Ghost ✚ holy Trinity and unspeakable Unity I call upon thee that thou mayst be my salvation and defence and the protection of my body and soul and of all my goods through the virtue of thy holy Cross and through the vertue of thy passion I beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ by the merits of thy blessed Mother S. Mary and of all thy Saints That thou give me Grace and Divine power over all the wicked Spirits so as which of them soever I do call by name they may come by and by from every coast and accomplish my will that they neither be hurtful nor fearful unto me but rather obedient and diligent about me And through thy virtue streightly commanding them let them fufil my commandements Amen Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth which wilt come to judge the quick and the dead thou which art Α and Ω first and last King of Kings and Lord of Lords Ioth Aglanabrath El Abiel Anathiel Amazim Sedomel Grayes Heli Messias Tolimi Elias Ischiros Athanatos Imas By these thy holy Names and by all other I do call upon thee and beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ by thy Nativity and Baptism by thy Cross and Passion by thine Ascension and by the coming of the Holy Ghost by the bitterness of thy soul when it departed from the body by thy five wounds by the blood and water which went out of thy body by thy virtue by the Sacrament which thou gavest thy Disciples the day before thou sufferedst by the holy Trinity and the inseparable Unity by blessed Mary thy Mother by thine Angels Arch-Angels Prophets Patriarchs and by all thy Saints and by all the Sacraments which are made in thine honour I do worship and beseech thee to accept these prayers Conjurations and words of my mouth which I will use I require thee O Lord Jesus Christ that thou give me thy virtue and power over all thine Angels which were thrown down from heaven to deceive mankind to draw them to me to tie and bind them and also to loose them to gather them together before me and to command them to do all that they can and that by no means they contemn my voyce or the words of my mouth but that they obey me and my sayings and fear me I beseech thee by thine Humanity Mercy and Grace and I require thee Adony Amay Horta Vegedora Mitai Hel Suranat Yston Ysesy and by all thy holy Names and by all thine holy He-Saints and She-Saints by all thine Angels and Archangels Powers Dominions and Virtues and by that name that Solomon did bind the Devils and shut them up Elbrach Evanher Agle Goth Ioth Othie Venoch Nabrat and by all thine holy Names which are written in this book and by the virtue of them all that thou enable me to congregate all thy Spirits thrown down from heaven that they may give me a true answer of all my demands and that they satisfie all my requests without the hurt of my body or soul or any thing else that is mine through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end
minutes and to talk in my mother tongue plainly that I may hear it and understand it declaring the truth unto me of all things according to thine oath and promise else to be condemned for ever Fiat fiat Amen Also I conjure and constrain the spirit of N. by the golden Girdle which girdeth the loins of our Lord Jesus Christ so thou spirit of N. be thou bound and cast into the pit of everlasting condemnation for thy great disobedience and unreverent regard that thou hast to the holy names and words of God Almighty by me pronounced Fiat Amen Also I conjure constrain command and by the spirit of N. by the two-edged Sword which John saw proceed out of the mouth of God Almighty except thou be obedient as is aforesaid the Sword cut thee in pieces and condemn thee into the pit of everlasting pains where the fire goeth not out and where the worm dyeth not Fiat fiat fiat Amen Also I conjure and constrain the spirit of N. by the Throne of the Godhead and by all the Heavens under him and by the celestial City new Jerusalem and by the Earth by the Sea and by all things created and contained therein and by their vertues and powers and by all the infernals and by their vertues and powers and by all things contained therein and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constrain the spirit of N. than now immediately thou be obedient unto me at all times hereafter and to those words of me pronounced according to thine oath and promise else let the great curse of God the anger of God the shadow and darkness of everlasting condemnation be upon thee thou spirit of N. for ever and ever because thou hast denyed thine health thy faith and salvation for the great disobedience thou art worthy to be condemned Therefore let the divine Trinity Angels and Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Chrumbim and Seraphim and all the souls of the Saints that shall stand on the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ at the general Day of Judgment condemn the spirit of N. for ever and ever and be a witness against thee because of thy great disobedience in and against thy promises Fiat fiat Amen Being thus bound he must needs be obedient unto thee whether he will or no prove this And here followeth a bond to call him to your N. and to shew you true visions at all times as in the hour of ♄ to bind or inchant any thing and in the hour of ♃ for peace and concord in the hour of ♂ to marre to destroy and to make sick in the hour of the ☉ to bind tongues and other bonds of men in the hour of ♀ to increase love joy and good will in the hour of ☿ to put away enimity or hatred to know of theft in the hour of the ☽ for love good will and concord ♄ lead ♃ tin ♂ iron ☉ gold ♀ copper ☿ quick-silver ☽ silver c. CHAP. XXVIII This Bond as followeth is to call him into your Crystal-stone or Glass c. ALso I do conjure thee spirit N. by God the Father by God the Son and by God the Holy Ghost Α and Ω the first and the last and by the latter day of Judgement of them which shall come to judge the quick and the dead and the world by fire and by their vertues and powers I constrain thee spirit N. to come to him that holdeth the Crystal-stone in his hand and to appear visibly as hereafter followeth Also I conjure thee Spirit N. by these holy Names of God ✚ Letragrammaton ✚ Adonay ✚ El ✚ Ousion ✚ Agla ✚ Iesus ✚ of Nazareth ✚ and by the vertues thereof and by his nativity death burial resurrection and ascension and by all other things appertaining unto his passion and by the blessed Virgin Mary Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and by all the joy which she had when she saw her Son rise from death to life and by the vertues and powers thereof I constrain thee Spirit N. to come into the Crystal-stone and to appear visibly as hereafter shall be declared Also I conjure thee N. thou Spirit by all Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and by the ☉ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ♀ ☿ and by the twelve signes and by their vertues and powers and by all things created and confirmed in the Firmament and by their vertues and powers I constrain thee Spirit N. to appear visibly in that Crystal-stone in fair form and shape of a white Angel a green Angel a black Angel a Man a Woman a Boy a maiden Virgin a white Greyhound a Devil with great horns without any hurt or danger of our bodies or souls and truly to inform and shew unto us true visions of all things in that Crystal-stone according to thine Oath and Promise and that without any hinderance or tarrying to appear visibly by this Bond of words read over by me three times upon pain of everlasting condemnation Fiat fiat Amen Then being appeared say these words following I Conjure thee Spirit by God the Father that thou shew true visions in that Crystal-stone where there be any N. in such a place or no upon pain of everlasting condemnation Fiat Amen Also I conjure thee Spirit N. by God the Son Jesus Christ that thou do shew true visions unto us whether it be gold or silver or any other metals or whether there were any or no upon pain of condemnation Fiat Amen Also I conjure thee Spirit N. by God the Holy Ghost the which doth sanctifie all faithful souls and spirits and by their vertues and powers I constrain thee Spirit N. to speak open and to declare the true way how we may come by these treasures hidden in N. and how to have it in our custody and who are the keepers thereof and how many there be and what be their names and by whom it was laid there and to shew me true visions of what sort and similitude they be and how long they have kept it and to know in what dayes and hours we shall call such a Spirit N. to bring unto us these treasures into such a place N. upon pain of everlasting condemnation ✚ Also I constrain thee Spirit N. by all Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim that you do shew a true vision in this Crystal-stone who did convey or steal away such a N. and where it is and who hath it and how far off and what is his or her name and how and when to come unto it upon pain of eternal condemnation Fiat Amen Also I conjure thee Spirit N. by the ☉ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ♀ ☿ and by all the Characters in the Firmament that thou do shew unto me a true vision in this Crystal-stone where such N. and in what state he is and how long he hath been there and
Devil that possesseth their own souls Let me hear any of them all speak with new tongues let them drink but one dram of a potion which I will prepare for them let them cure the sick by laying on of hands though Witches take it upon them and Witchmongers believe it and then I will subscribe unto them But if they which repose such certainty in the actions of Witches and Conjurors would diligently note their deceit and how the scope whereat they shoot is Money I mean not such Witches as are falsly accused but such as take upon them to give answers c. as mother Bungie did they should apparently see the Cosenage For they are abused as are many beholders of Juglers which suppose they do miraculously that which is done by sleight and subtilty But in this matter of Witchcrafts and Conjurations if men would rather trust their own eyes then old Wives tales and lies I dare undertake this matter would soon be a ta perfect point as being easier to be perceived than Jugling But I must needs confess that it is no great marvel though the simple be abused therein when such lies concerning those matters are maintained by such persons of account and thrust into their Divine Service As for example It is written That S. Martin thrust his fingers into ones mouth that had a Divel within him and used to bite folk and then did bid him devour them if he could And because the Devil could not get out at his mouth being stopt with S. Martins fingers he was fain to run out at his fundament O stinking lye CHAP. XXXIX That it is ashame for Papists to believe other Conjurors doings their own being of so little force Hippocrates his opinion herein ANd still methinks Papists of all others which indeed are most credulous and do most maintain the force of Witches Charms and of Conjurors Cosenages should perceive and judge Conjurors doings to be void of effect For when they see their own stuffe as Holy-water Salt Candles c. conjured by their holy Bishop and Priests and that in the words of Consecration or Conjuration for so their own Doctors term them they adjure the water c. to heal not only the souls infirmity but also every malady hurt or ach of the body and do also command the Candles with the force of their authority and power and by the effect of all their holy words not to consume and yet neither soul nor body any thing recover nor the Candles last one minute the longer with what face can they defend the others miraculous workes as though the Witches and Conjurors actions were more effectual then their own Hippocrates being but a Heathen and not having the perfect knowledge of God could see and perceive their cosenage and knavery well enough who saith They which boast so that they can remove or help the infections of diseases with Sacrifices conjurations or other Magical Instruments or means are but needy fellows wanting living and therefore refer their words to the Devil because they would seem to know somewhat more than the common people It is marvel that Papists do affirm that their Holy-water Crosses or Bugs-words have such virtue and violence as to drive away Devils so as they dare not approach to any place or person besmeared with such stuffe when as it appeareth in the Gospel That the Devil presumed to assault and tempt Christ himself For the Devil indeed most earnestly busieth himself to seduce the godly as for the Wicked he maketh reckoning and just accompt of them as of his own already But let us go on forward in our Refutation CHAP. XL. How Conjurors have beguiled Witches what books they carry about to procure credit to their Art wicked assertions against Moses and Joseph THus you see that Conjurors are no small fools For whereas Witches being poor and needy go from door to door for relief have they never so many Toads or Cats at home or never so much Hogs-dung and Charvil about them or never so many Charmes in stone these Conjurors I say have gotten them offices in the Church of Rome whereby they have obtained authority and great estimation And further to add credit to that Art these Conjurors carry about at this day books entituled under the names of Adam Abel Toby and Enoch which Enoch they repute the most divine fellow in such matters They have also among them books of Zachary Paul Honorius Cyprian Jerome Jeremy Albert and Thomas also of the Angels Riziel Razael and Raphael and doubtless these were such books as were said to have been burnt in the lesser Asia And for their further credit they boast that they must be and are skilful and learned in these Arts to wit ars Almadel ars Notoria ars Bulaphiae ars Arthephii ars Pomena ars Revelationis c. Yea these Conjurors in corners stick with Justine to report and affirm That Joseph who was a true figure of Christ that delivered and redeemed us was learned in these arts and thereby prophesied and expounded Dreams and that those arts came to him from Moses and finally from Moses to them which thing both Pliny and Tacitus affirm of Moses Also Strabo in his Cosmographie maketh the very like blasphemous report and likewise Apollonius Molon Possidonius Lysimachus and Appian term Moses both a Magician and a Conjuror whom Eusebius confuteth with many notable arguments For Moses differed as much from a Magician as truth from falshood and piety from vanity for in truth he confounded all Magick and made the world see and the cunningest Magicians of the earth confess That their own doings were but illusions and that his miracles where wrought by the finger of God But that the poor old Witches knowledge reacheth thus far as Danaus affirmeth it doth is untrue for their furthest fetches that I can comprehend are but to fetch a pot of milk c. from their neighbours house half a mile distant from them CHAP. XLI All Magical Arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have written thereof and proved by experience SUrely Nero proved all these Magical Arts to be vain and fabulous lyes and nothing but Cosenage and Knavery He was a notable Prince having gifts of nature enough to have conceived such matters treasure enough to have imployed in the search thereof he made no conscience therein he had singular conferences thereabout he offered and would have given half his Kingdom to have learned those things which he heard might be wrought by Magicians he procured all the cunning Magicians in the world to come to Rome he searched for books also and all other things necessary for a Magician and never could find any thing in it but Cosenage and Legierdemain At length he met with one Tiridates the great Magician who having with him all his companions and fellow Magicians Witches Conjurors and Coseners invited Nero to certain
as trouble private houses and are set to oversee Cross-wayes and Cities Larvae are said to be spirits that walk only by night Genii are the two Angels which they supposed were appointed to wait upon each man Manes are the spirits which oppose themselves against men in the way Daemones were feigned gods by Poets as Jupiter Juno c. Virunculi terrei are such as was Robin Good-fellow that would supply the office of Servants specially of Maids as to make a fire in the morning sweep the house grind Mustard and Malt draw Water c. these also rumble in houses draw latches go up and down stairs c. Dii geniales are the gods that every man did sacrifice unto at the day of their birth Tetrici be they that make folk afraid and have such ugly shapes which many of our Divines do call Subterranei Cobali are they that follow men and delight to laugh with tumbling juggling and such like toyes Virunculi are Dwarfs about three handfuls longs and do no hurt but seem to dig in minerals and to be very busie and yet do nothing Guteli or Trulli are spirits they say in the likeness of women shewing great kindness to all men and hereof it is that we call light women trulls Daemones montani are such as work in the minerals and further the work of the labourers wonderfully who are nothing afraid of them Hudgin is a very familiar Devil which will do no body hurt except he receive injury but the cannot abide that nor yet be mocked he talketh with men friendly sometimes visibly and sometimes invisibly There go as many tales upon this Hudgin in some parts of Germany as there did in England of Robin Good-fellow But this Hudgin was so called because he alwayes wore a Cap or a Hood and therefore I think it was Robin Hood Fryer Rush was for all the world such another fellow as this Hudgin and brought up even in the same School to wit in a Kitchin in so much as the self same tale is written of the one as of the other concerning the Skullion which is said to have been slain c. for the reading whereof I referr you to Fryer Rush his story or else to John Wierus De praestigiis Daemonum There were also Familiares Daemones which we call Familiars such as Socrates and Caesar were said to have and such as Feats sold to Doctor Burcot Quintus Sertorius had Diana her self for his familiar and Numa Pompilius had Aegeria but neither the one nor the other of all these could be preserved by their familiars from being destroyed with untimely death Simon Samareus boasted that he had gotten by Conjuration the soul of a little child that was slain to be his familiar and that he told him all things that were to come c. I marvel what priviledge souls have which are departed from the body to know things to come more than the Souls within Mans Body There were spirits which they called Albae mulieres and Albae Sybillae which were very familiar and did much harm they say to women with child and to suckling children Denmus as a Devil is worshipped among the Indians in Calecute who as they think hath power given him of God to judge the Earth c. his Image is horribly pictured in a most ugly shape Thevet saith that a Devil in America called Agnan beareth sway in that Country In Ginnie one Grigrie is accounted the great Devil and keepeth the Woods these have Priests called Charoibes which prophesie after they have lien by the space of one hour prostrate upon a wench of twelve years old and all that while say they he calleth upon a Devil called Hovioulsira and then cometh fourth and uttereth his prophesie For the true success whereof the people pray all the while that he lieth groveling like a lecherous knave There are a thousand other names which they say are attributed unto Devils and such as they take to themselves are more ridiculous than the names that are given by others which have more leisure to devise them In little Books containing the cosening possessed at Maidstone where such a wonder was wrought as also in other places you may see a number of counterfeit Devils names and other trish trash CHAP. XXII Of the Romans chief gods called Dii selecti and of other Heathen gods their Names and Offices THere were among the Romans twenty idolatrous gods which were called Dii selecti sive electi chosen gods whereof twelve were male and eight female whose names do thus follow Janus Saturnus Jupiter Genius Mercurius Apollo Mars Vulcanus Neptunus Sol Orcus and Vibar which were all he-gods Tellus Ceres Juno Minerva Luna Diana Venus and Vesta were all she-gods No man might appropriate any of these unto himself but they were left common and indifferent to all men dwelling in one Realm Province or notable City These Heathen Gentiles had also their Gods which served for sundry purposes as to raise Thunder they had Statores Tonantes Feretrii and Jupiter Elicius They had Cantius to whom they prayed for wise children who was more apt for this purpose than Minerva that issued out of Jupiters own brain Lucina was to send them that were with childe safe delivery and in that respect was called the mother of Childwives Opis was called the mother of the Babe new born whose image women with child hanged upon their girdles before their bellies and bare it so by the space of nine moneths and the Midwife alwayes touched the child therewith before she or any other layed hand thereon If the child were well born they sacrificed thereunto although the mother miscarried but if the child were in any part unperfect or dead c. they used to beat the image into powder or to burn or drown it Vagianus was he that kept their children from crying and therefore they did alwayes hang his picture about Babes necks for they thought much crying in youth portended ill fortune in age Cuninus otherwise Cunius was he that preserved as they thought their children from misfortune in the Cradle Ruminus was to keep their dugs from corruption Volumnus and his wise Volumna were gods the one for young men the other for maids that desired marriage for such as prayed devoutly unto them should soon be marryed Agrestis was the god of the fields and to him they prayed for fertility Bellus was the god of War and warriers and so also was Victoria to whom the greatest Temple in Rome was built Honorius was he that had charge about Inkeepers that they should well intreat Pilgrimes Berecinthia was the mother of all the gods Aesculanus was to discover their mines of Gold and Silver and to him they prayed for good success in that behalf Aesculapius was to cure the sick whose Father was Apollo and served to keep weeds out of the Corn. Segacia was to make seeds to grow Flora preserved the Vines from frosts
that these Apparitions of Souls are but knaveries and cosenages they object that Moses and Elias appeared in Mount Tabor and talked with Christ in the presence of the principal Apostles yea and that God appeared in the bush c. As though Spirits and Souls could do whatsoever it pleaseth the Lord to do or appoint to be done for his own glory or for the manifestation of his Son miraculously And therefore I thought good to give you a taste of the Witchmongers absurd opinions in this behalf And first you shall understand that they hold That all the souls in heaven may come down and appear to us when they list and assume any body saving their own otherwise say they such souls should not be perfectly happy They say That you may know the good souls from the bad very easily For a damned soul hath a very heavy and sowre look but a Saints soul hath a cheerful and a merry countenance these also are white and shining the other cole black And these damned souls also may come up out of Hell at their pleasure although Abraham made Dives believe the contrary They affirm That damned Souls walk oftenest next unto them the souls of Purgatory and most seldom the souls of Saints Also they say That in the old Law souls did appear seldom and after dooms-day they shall never be seen more in the time of grace they shall be most freequent The walking of these souls saith Michael Andr. is a most excellent argument for the proof of Purgatory for saith he those souls have testified that which the Popes have affirmed in that behalf to wit that there is not only such a place of punishment but that they are released from thence by Masses and such other satisfactory works whereby the goodness of the Mass is also ratified and confirmed These heavenly or purgatory souls say they appear most commonly to them that are born upon Ember-dayes and they also walk most usually on those Ember-dayes because we are in best state at that time to pray for the one and to keep company with the other Also they say That souls appear oftenest by night because men may then be at be at best leisure and most quiet Also they never appear to the whole multitude seldom to a few and most commonly to one alone for so one may tell a lye without controlment Also they are oftenest seen by them that are ready to die as Trasilla saw Pope Foelix Ursine Peter and Paul Galla Romana S. Peter and as Musa the maid saw our Lady which are the most certain appearances credited and allowed in the Church of Rome Also they may be seen of some and of some other in that presence not seen at all as Ursine saw Peter and Paul and yet many at that instant being present could not see any such sight but thought it a lye as I do Michael Andraeas confesseth That Papists see more Visions than Protestants he saith also That a good soul can take none other shape than of a man marry a damned soul may and doth take the shape of a Black-moor or of a Beast or of a Serpent or specially of an Heretick The Christian signs that drive away these evil souls are the cross the Name of Jesus and the relicks of Saints in the number whereof are Holy-water Holy-bread Agnus Dei c. For Andrew saith That notwithstanding Julian was an Apostate and a betrayer of Christian Religion yet at an extremity with the only sign of the Cross he drave away from him many such evil spirits whereby also he saith the greatest diseases and sicknesses are cured and the sorest dangers avoided CHAP. XXIX A Confutation of assuming of Bodies and of the Serpent that seduced Eve THey that contend so earnestly for the Devils assuming of bodies and visible shapes do think they have a great advantage by the words uttered in the third of Genesis where they say the Devil entered into a Serpent or Snake and that by the curse it appeareth that the whole displeasure of God lighted upon the poor Snake only How those words are to be considered may appear in that it is of purpose so spoken as our weak capacities may thereby best conceive the substance tenor true meaning of the word which is there set down in the manner of a Tragedy in such humane and sensible form as wonderfully informeth our understanding though it seem contrary to the spiritual course of Spirits and Devils and also to the nature and divinity of God himself who is infinite and whom no man ever saw with corporal eyes and lived And doubtless if the Serpent there had not been taken absolutely nor Metaphorically for the Devil the Holy Ghost would have informed us thereof in some part of that story But to affirm it sometimes to be a Devil and sometimes a Snake whereas there is no such distinction to be found or seen in the Text is an invention and a fetch methinks beyond the compass of all divinity Certainly the Serpent was he that seduced Eve now whether it were the Devil or a Snake let any wiseman or rather let the Word of God judge Doubtless the Scripture in many places expoundeth it to be the Devil And I have I am sure one wise man on my side for the interpretation hereof namely Solomon who saith Through envie of the Devil came death into the world referring that to the Devil which Moses in the letter did to the Serpent But a better Expositor hereof needeth not than the Text it self even in the same place where it is written I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed he shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel What Christian knoweth not that in these words the mystery of our redemption is comprised and promised Wherein is not meant as many suppose that the common seed of women shall tread upon a Snakes-head and so break it in pieces c. but that special seed which is Christ should be born of a woman to the utter over-throw of Satan and to the redemption of mankind whose heel or flesh in his members the Devil should bruise and assault with continual attempts and carnal provocations c. CHAP. XXX The Objection concerning the Devils Assuming of the Serpents Body answered THis word Serpent in holy Scripture is taken for the Devil The Serpent was more subtil than all the Beasts of the field It likewise signifieth such as be evil speakers such as have slandering tongues also Hereticks c. They have sharpened their tongues like Serpents It doth likewise betoken the death and Sacrifice of Christ As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up upon the Cross Moreover it is taken for wicked men O ye Serpents and generation of Vipers Thereby also is signified as well a wise as a subtil man
Spirit into six significations saying that it is sometimes taken for the air sometimes for the bodies of the blessed sometimes for the souls of the blessed sometimes for the power imaginative or the mind of man and sometimes for God Again he saith That of spirits there are two sorts some created and some uncreated A spirit uncreated saith he is God himself and it is essentially taken and agreeth unto the three Persons notionally to the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost personally A spirit created is a creature and that is likewise of two sorts to wit bodily and bodiless A bodily spirit is also of two sorts for some kind of spirit is so named of spiritualness as it is distinguished from bodiliness otherwise it is called Spiritus a spiriando id est a flando of breathing or blowing as the wind doth A bodiless spirit is one way so named of spiritualness and then it is taken for a spiritual substance and is of two sorts some make a full and compleat kind and is called compleat or perfect as a spirit angelical some do not make a full and perfect kind and is called incompleat or unperfect as the soul There is also the spirit vital which is a certain subtil or very fine substance necessarily disposing and tending unto life There be moreover spirits natural which are a kind of subtil and very fine substances disposing and tending unto equal complexions of bodies Again there be spirits animal which are certain subtil and very fine substances disposing and tempering the body that it might be animated of the form that is that it might be perfected of the reasonable soul Thus far he In whose division you see a Philosophical kind of proceeding though not altogether to be condemned yet in every point not to be approved Now to the Spirit of spirits I mean the principal and holy Spirit of God which one defineth or rather describeth to be the third Person in the Trinity issuing from the Father and the Son no more the charity dilection and love of the Father and the Son than the Father is the charity dilection and love of the Son and Holy Ghost Another treating upon the same argument proceedeth in this reverent manner The holy Spirit is the vertue or power of God quickning nourishing fostering and perfecting all things by whose only breathing it cometh to pass that we both know and love God and become at the length like unto him which Spirit is the pledge and earnest penny of grace and beareth witness unto our heart whiles we cry Abba Father This Spirit is called the Spirit of God the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead Jesus Christ for that he received not the Spirit by measure but in fulness doth call it his Spirit saying When the Comforter shall come whom I will send even the Holy Spirit he shall testifie of me This Spirit hath divers Metaphorical names attributed thereunto in the Holy Scriptures It is called by the name of water because it washeth comforteth moistneth softeneth and maketh fruitful with all godliness and vertues the mindes of men which otherwise would be unclean comfortless hard dry and barren of all goodness whereupon the Prophet Isaiah saith I will pour water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground c. Wherewithal the words of Christ do agree He that believeth in me as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flow rivers of waters of life And elsewhere Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be more athirst Other places likewise there be wherein the Holy Spirit is signified by the name of water and flood as in the 13. of Isaiah the 29. of Ezek. the 146. Psalm c. The same Spirit by reason of the force and vehemency thereof is termed fire For it doth purifie and cleanse the wholeman from top to toe it doth burn out the soil and dross of sins and setteth him all in a flaming and hot burning zeal to prefer and further Gods glory Which plainly appeared in the Apostles who when they had received the Spirit they spake fiery words yea such words as were uncontrollable in somuch as in none more than in them this saying of the Prophet Jeremy was verified Nunquid non verba mea sunt quasi ignis Are not my words even as it were fire This was declared and shewed by those fiery tongues which were seen upon the Apostles after they had received the Holy Spirit Moreover this Spirit is called annointing or ointment because that as in old time Priests and Kings were by annointing deputed to their office and charge and so were made fit and serviceable for the same even so the elect are not so much declared as renewed and made apt by the training up of the Holy Spirit both to live well and also to glorifie God Whereupon dependeth the saying of John And ye have no need that any should teach you but as the same ointment doth teach you It is also called in Scripture The Oil of gladness and rejoycing whereof it is said in the Book of Psalms God even thy God hath annointed thee with the Oil of joy and gladness c. And by this goodly and comfortable name of Oil in the Scriptures is the mercy of God oftentimes expressed because the nature of that doth agree with the property and quality of this For as Oil doth float and swim above all other liquors so the mercy of God doth surpass and over-reach all his works and the same doth most of all disclose it self to miserable man It is likewise called the Finger of God that is the might and power of God by the vertue whereof the Apostles did cast out Devils to wit even by the finger of God It is called the Spirit of Truth because it maketh men true and faithful in their vocation and for that it is the touch-stone to try all counterfeit devices of mans brain and all vain Sciences prophane Practices deceitful Arts and circumventing Inventions such as be in general all sorts of Witchcrafts and Inchantments within whose number are comprehended all those wherewith I have had some dealing in my Discovery to wit Charms or Incantations Divinations Augury Judicial Astrology Nativity-casting Alchymistry Conjuration Lot-share Popery which is meer paltry with divers other not one whereof no nor altogether are able to stand to the tryal and examination which this Spirit of Truth shall and will take of those false and evil spirits Nay they shall be found when they are laid into the balance to be lighter than vanity very dross when they once come to be tryed by the fervent heat of this Spirit and like chaffe when this Spirit bloweth upon them driven away with a violent whirlwind such is the perfection integrity and effectual operation of this Spirit whose working as it is manifold so it is marvellous and
food is the Gas of the Water and the Blas of the Air And in their Aspects or countenances they differ as to vigour and cheerfulness They occupy various places of this world as Woods Mountains Waters Air fiery Flames Clouds Starrs Mines and hid Treasures as also antient Buildings and places of the slain Some again are familiar in Houses and do frequently converse with and appear unto mortals 15. They are capable of hunger grief passion and vexation they have not any thing in them that should bring them unto God being meerly composed of the most spiritual part of the Elements And when they are worn out they return into their proper essence or primary quality again as Ice when it is resolved into Water They meet in mighty Troops and wage warr one with another They do also procreate one another and have power sometimes to make great commotions in the Air and in the Clowds and also to cloath themselves with visible bodies out of the four Elements appearing in Companies upon Hills and Mountains and do often deceive and delude the observers of Apparitions who take such for portents of great alterations which are nothing but the sports and pastime of these frolick Spirits as Armies in the Air Troops marching on the Land noises and slaughter Tempest and Lightning c. 16. These Astral Spirits are variously to be considered some are beings separate and absolute that are not constitute to any work or service Others are subservient to the Angels that have dominion over the Influences of the Stars Others are the Astral Spirits of men departed which if the party deceased was disturbed and troubled at his decease do for many years continue in the source of this world amongst these airy Spirits to the great disquietness of the soul of the person to whom they belong Besides the causes are various that such Spirits rest not 1. When by Witchcraft they are inchanted and bound to wander so many years as thrice or fourtimes seven before they can be resolved into nothing 2. When the person hath been murthered so that the Spirit can never be at rest till the crime be discovered 3. When desires and lusts after Wife or Children House Lands or Money is very strong at their departure it is a certain truth that this same spirit belonging to the Starrs will be hanckering after these things and drawn back by the strong desires and fixation of the Imagination which is left behind it Nor can it ever be at rest till the thing be accomplished for which it is disturbed 4. When Treasure hath been hid or any secret thing hath been committed by the party there is a magical cause of something attracting the starry spirit back again to the manifestation of that thing Upon all which the following Chapters do insist more largely and particularly CHAP. II. Of the Good and Evil Daemons or Genii Whither they are what they are and how they are manifested also of their names powers faculties offices how thy are to be considered 1. ACcording to the disposition of the mind or soul there is a good or evil Daemon that accompanies the party visibly or invisibly and these are of such rancks and orders and names as the capacity of the persons soul is to whom they belong Their Office is said to be fore-warning the person of eminent danger sometimes by inward instinct sometimes by dreams in the night and sometimes by appearing outwardly The Daemon or Genius changeth its nature and power as the person changeth his and if from good the party degenerate to iniquity then by degrees the good Angel leaves him and an evil Daemon doth naturally succeed for each thing draws after that which is like it self 2. Magicians mention three several wayes of enjoying the society of the Bonus Genius first by intellectual association when secret and mental instigations do arise in their hearts to do this or that and to forbear the other as in the Manuscript of Nagar the Indian his own testimony of himself is to this effect My blessed Guardian Damilkar hath now so sweetly communicated himself unto me That by all the manifestations whereby a holy Daemon can attend and converse with mankind he appeareth unto me first in the intellectual way he is ever present and every moment prompts me what to act what to forbear from acting Ah had he not rushed up through the powers of my soul and suddenly warned me in my Travel to Quiansi in China through the airy Region to turn nimbly to the right hand at an instant a mighty Troop of Devils whose Leader was Grachnoek coming through that tract of air had crusht me into a thousand peices This is the first degree of its appearing 3. Then he proceedeth in the language of Sina describing the second way of its manifestation And when the deepest sleep hath over-poured we I am never without him sometimes my Damilkar stands before me like a glorious Virgin administring to me a Cup of the drink of the Gods which my Intellectual man exhausteth sometimes he brings caelestial Companies and danceth round about me and when after the weariness of the Senses through contemplation I fell into gentle sleep on the holy Mountain of Convocation which is called Adan he shewed me the motion of the Heavens the nature of all things and the power of every evil Daemon 4. Thirdly he continueth to describe the External appearance of the Genius to this effect Damilkar appears before me at my desire for my desires are as his desires When I slept a long space in my private dwelling he appeared outwardly and watering me with the dew of the fourth Heaven I awakned when he had thrice said Nankin Nagar so the time being come we mounted through the Air unto the holy Mountain of Convocation 5. In this Example the three degrees of the Apparition of the Bonus Genius or Good Daemon are excellently deciphered which is also the same in the appearance of the bad Genius and according to the deepest Magicians there be seven good Angels who do most frequently become particular Guardians of all others each to their respective capacities and also seven evil Daemons that are most frequent in association with depraved persons as Guardians to them 6. These are the seven good Angels or Daemons Iubanladace a mighty Prince in the Dominion of Thrones he cometh unto such as follow national affairs and are carryed forth unto warr and conquest he beareth alwayes a flaming Sword and is girded about having a helmet upon his head and appearing still before the party in the Air he must be sollicited and invocated with Chastity Vows Fumes and Prayers and this his is Character to be worn as a Lamin â— Yah-li-Yah one of the Powers accompanying such as are Virgins and devoted to Religion and a Hetmits life he teacheth all the names and powers of Angels and gives holy Charms against the assaults of Evil Daemons he
affirighted with monstrous appearances and Ideas represented continually to their imaginations And there is not any loathsome taste in the Kingdome of this World either Animal Vegetative or Mineral which they are at any time void of being continually pestered and suffocated with filthy fumes and smoaks of hellish fruits as of Sulphurean stinks and abominations 42. Neither are the other Sences of the Touch and Smell behind in participation of the like Torments which their own iniquities do perpetually excite and create unto them besides they are ever vexing one another and if any be in the same misery with whom they had acquaintance here on eath the very Magical knowledge and perceivance or remembrance thereof doth beyond utterance or conception most miserably afflict and macerate their Souls and all their Sences 43. For the nature of their habitation is such that their torment is exceedingly aggravated thereby because the extremity of the four Elements is there converted into a whole Principle of wrath and vexation The excess of cold and heat drought and moisture are continually raging amongst them by intercourse Neither is there any light or lustre to be seen within their Courts but that which comes from their fiery Eyes as a deadly glance or glimmering being sudden fiery flashes and sparkling as the enkindling of Gunpowder or Aurum fulminans for a similitude 44. And as every kinde of Being feeds upon somewhat of its own nature property and element whither it be Plant Animal or Metalline kinde so the Devils are neither destitute of meat drink nor cloathing according to their own Kingdom and quality having fruits springing and growing before them of hellish sour and poysonous natures which are real and palpable unto them and not imaginary or typical though to us magical and invisible neither is this to be wondered at if we consider the nature of Man's Soul In Media Natura for if it feed not upon the internal and substantial Word which is the very Bread of Life it self it must of necessity ruminate on something else viz. the fruits of Iniquity which it takes in and drinketh up as the Oxe drinks water so that to the soul the sin becomes palpable glutting and satiuting yea so substantial unto the Soul as Dirt or Ink upon fair white Linnen is to our external Eyes neither can the Soul be freed from these spots till the water above the Firmament wash them away 45. Also in respect of the Astral source they are not destitute of food when they bring themselves into the same for the gas of the air and blas of the water is their nourishment while they stay here as is before alledged These influences of the air and water they take into their Limbus and convert into their own poysonous natures as of sweet and wholsome herbs the filthy Toads and other venemous Beasts do make their poyson converting them into a nature like themselves And on the contrary the poysonous herbs are converted into good and wholesome nourishment by other cleanly Beasts 46. And as the Infernal Troops are considered in respect of the four Elements they have a distinct and peculiar tone or language which they exercise and speak one amongst one another as mortals do But they have utterly lost the dignity of their sounds according to the eternal nature And are likewise totally corrupted in their pronouncing or Dialect since they fell from their first caelestial glory so that their speech is harsh doleful and terrible like the fruits they feed upon and the life they dwell in Which depravation is very apparent in the Kingdom of this World in the divided Languages of every Region according to the Constellation under which they are situated The true and magical Language of nature being hid from all the Countreys of the earth 47. But when they appear in the outward Elements they do many times express themselves in Irish Welch Latine or Russian which are the Languages most affected by them to answer unto Conjurations or Compacts So that if any Magician who is ignorant of these aforesaid Languages do at any time Raise or Exorcise such Spirits he must be mindful to confine them to his mother tongue least their gibberish prove altogether unintelligible for as every thing appears in what it most affecteth or is addicted to even so the Spirits have their distinct affections passions and postures both in word habit shape and gesture so that the Magician must be wary in Exorcizing with them that he confine them to a different place posture shape and language to answer their intentions without impediment 48. For they are very variable and unconstant in their dealings with mankind nor will they stand to any thing that hath not bound them by the obligations of Words Characters and Imprecations except the skill of the Exorcist be such that he is able to confine them into a Magical Triad which hath the certain force of obliging or compelling them to utter truth and nothing false in all their Answers or Informations But with such miserable men and women as they have made Covenants and Indentures for body soul and works with such I say they keep no faith nor are they lyable to their commands but on the contrary have them hampered and subjected to their will and power till they have terminated their lives in their destruction 49. Yet have not any of the most potent Princes in the Hellish Power the least ability to destroy the least of the sons of men without the consent of the mind and senses of the Soul for until the will of the Soul be opened unto him his threatnings sleights and stratagems are without any power or force as the nerves of a dead man Although naturally every evil Spirit boasteth as if all the world were at its command and every Soul were subject to its authority and beck with the Goods or Possessions of the external World 50. When any evil Spirit is raised up by Conjurations without League or Compact these Spirits so raised are exceeding fraudulent and deceitful as stubborn servants that do their Masters will by constraint and not by any natural act of obedience unto his Commands But with such as they have compacted they are frequent and officious imploying them as Agents for the destruction of others and their substance and being marryed unto such they are even become one with them being incorporated into them so that they are nothing different from incarnate Devils save that the spark of divine Light which was the gift of God unto repentance is not totally eradicated until the body fall away 51. From such as Covenant with these unconstant Spirits do they daily obtain Fumigations Odours and Offerings or Sacrifices of Blood Fire Wine Ointments Incense Fruits Excrements Herbs Gums Minerals and other Ingredients by which from a Magical cause they have more influence and authority over the bewitched party to insinuate into their affection peircing
Oracles whereby indeed all good learning and honest arts are overthrown For these that most advance their power and maintain the skill of these Witches understand no part thereof and yet being many times wise in other matters are made fools by the most fools in the world Me thinks these Magical Physitians deal in the Common-wealth much like as a certain kind of Cynical people do in the Church whose severe sayings are accompted among some such Oracles as may not be doubted of who in stead of learning and authority which they make contemptible do feed the people with their own devices and imaginations which they prefer before all other Divinity and labouring to erect a Church according to their own fansies wherein all order is condemned and only their Magical words and curious directions advanced they would utterly overthrow the true Church And even as these inchanting Paracelsians abuse the people leading them from the true order of Physick to their Charms so do these other I say disswade from hearkning to learning and obedience and whisper in mens ears to teach them their Fryer-like traditions And of this sect the chief author at this time is one Brown a fugitive a meet cover for such a cup as heretofore the Anabaptists the Arrians and the Franciscan Fryers Truly not only nature being the foundation of all perfection but also Scripture being the Mistress and director thereof and of all Christianity is beautified with knowledge and learning For as nature without discipline doth naturally incline unto vanities and as it were suck up errors so doth the word or rather the letter of the Scripture without understanding not only make us devoure errors but yieldeth us up to death and destruction and therefore Paul saith he was not a Minister of the letter but of the spirit Thus have I been bold to deliver unto the world and to you those simple notes reasons and arguments which I have devised or collected out of other Authors which I hope shall be hurtful to none but to my self great comfort if it may pass with good liking and acceptation If it fall out otherwise I should think my pains ill imployed For truly in mine opinion whosoever shall perform any thing or attain to any knowledge or whosoever should travel throughout all the Nations of the world or if it were possible should peep into the heavens the consolation or admiration thereof were nothing pleasant unto him unless he had liberty to impart his knowledge to his friends Wherein because I have made special choice of you I hope you will read it or at the least lay it up in your study with your other Books among which there is none dedicated to any with more good will And so long as you have it it shall be unto you upon adventure of my life a certain Amulet Periapt Circle Charm c. to defend you from all Inchantments Your loving Friend REGINALD SCOT To the READERS TO you that are wise and discreet few words may suffice for such a one judgeth not at the first sight nor Reproveth by hearsay but patiently heareth and thereby increaseth in understanding which patience bringeth forth experience whereby true judgement is directed I shall not need therefore to make any further suite to you but that it would please you to read my Book without the prejudice of time or former conceit and having obtained this at your hands I submit my self unto your censure But to make a solemn suit to you that are partial Readers desiring you to set aside partiality to take in good part my writing and with indifferent eyes to look upon my Book were labour lost and time ill imployed For I should no more prevail herein then if a hundred years since I should have intreated your predecessors to believe that Robin Good-fellow that great and ancient Bull-begger had been but a cosening Merchant and no Devil indeed If I should go to a Papist and say I pray you believe my writings wherein I will prove all Popish Charms Conjurations Exorcisms Benedictions and Curses not only to be ridiculous and of none effect but also to be impious and contrary to God's Word I should as hardly therein win favour at their hands as herein obtain credit at yours Nevertheless I doubt not but to use the matter so that as well the Massemonger for his part as the Witchmonger for his shall both be ashamed of their Professions But Robin Good-fellow ceaseth now to be much feared and Popery is sufficiently discovered Nevertheless Witches Charms and Conjurors Cosenages are yet though effectual Yea the Gentiles have espyed the fraud of their cosening Oracles and our cold Prophets and Inchanters make us fools still to the shame of us all but specially of Papists who conjure every thing and thereby bring to pass nothing They say to their Candles I conjure you to endure for ever and yet they last not a Pater Noster while the longer They conjure water to be wholesome both for body and soul but the body we see is never the better for it nor the soul any whit reformed by it And therefore I marvel that when they see their own Conjurations confuted and brought to nought or at the least void of effect that they of all other will yet give such credit countenance and authority to the vain cosenages of Witches and Conjurors as though their Charms and Conjurations could produce more apparent certain and better effects then their own But my request unto all you that read my Book shall be no more but that it would please you to conferr my words with your own sense and experience and also with the Word of God If you finde your selves resolved and satisfied or rather reformed and qualified in any one point or opinion that heretofore you held contrary to truth in a matter hitherto undecided and never yet looked into I pray you take that for advantage and suspending your judgement stay the sentence of condemnation against me and consider of the rest at your further leisure If this may not suffice for to perswade you it cannot prevail to annoy you and then that which is written without offence may be overpassed without any grief And although mine assertion be somewhat differing from the old inveterate opinion which I confess hath many gray hairs whereby mine adversaries have gained more authority then reason towards the maintenance of their presumptions and old wives fables yet shall it fully agree with God's glory and with his holy Word And albeit there be hold taken by mine Adversaries of certain few words or sentences in the Scripture that make a shew for them yet when the whole course thereof maketh against them and impugneth the same yea and also their own places rightly understood do nothing at all relieve them I trust their glorious title and argument of Antiquity will appear as stale and corrupt as the Apothecaries Drugs or Grocers Spice which the longer they be preserved the
home saith he as accused of a frivolous matter And yet for all that the Magistrates of Orleance were so bold with him as to hang him up within a short time after for the same or the very like offence In which example is to be seen the nature and as it were the disease of this cause wherein I say the simpler and undiscreetor sort are alwayes more hasty and furious in judgments than men of better reputation and knowledge Nevertheless Eunichius saith that these three things to wit what is to be thought of Witches what their Incantations can do and whether their punishment should extend to death are to be well considered And I would saith he they were as well known as they are rashly believed both of the learned and unlearned And further he saith That almost all Divines Physicians and Lawyers who should best know these matters satisfying themselves with old custom have given too much credit to these fables and too rash and unjust sentence of death upon Witches But when a man pondreth saith he that in times past all that swarved from the Church of Rome were judged Hereticks it is the less marvel though in this matter they be blind and ignorant And surely if the Scripture had been longer suppressed more absurd fables would have sprung up and been believed Which credulity though it is to be derided with laughter yet this their cruelty is to be lamented with tears For God knoweth many of these poor wretches had more need to be releived than chastised and more meet were a Preacher to admonish them than a Jaylor to keep them and a Physician more necessary to help them than an Executioner or Tormentor to hang or burn them For proof and due tryal hereof I will requite Danaeus his tale of a Man-witch as he termeth him with another Witch of the same sex or gender Cardanus from the mouth of his own Father reporteth That one Bernard a poor servant being in wit very simple and rude but in his service very necessary and diligent and in that respect dearly beloved of his Master professing the Art of Witchcraft could in no wise be disswaded from that profession perswading himself that he knew all things and could bring any matter to pass because certain Countrey-people resorted to him fof help and counsel as supposing by his own talk that he could do somewhat At length he was condemned to be burned which torment he seemed more willing to suffer than to lose his estimation in that behalf But his Master having compassion upon him and being himself in his Princes favour perceiving his conceit to proceed of Melancholy obtained respit of execution for twenty dayes In which time saith he his Master bountifully fed him with good fat meat and with four eggs at a meal as also with sweet Wine which diet was best for so gross and weak a body And being recovered so in strength that the humor was suppressed he was easily won from his absurd and dangerous opinions and from all his fond imaginations and confessing his error and folly from the which before no man could remove him by any perswasions having his pardon he lived long a good member of the Church whom otherwise the cruelty of judgement should have cast away and destroyed This history is more credible than Sprengers fables or Bodins bables which reach not so far to the extolling of Witches Omnipotency as to the derogating of God's glory For if it be true which they affirm that our life and death lyeth in the hand of a Witch then is it false that God maketh us to live or die or that by him we have our being our terme of time appointed and our dayes numbred But surely their Charmes can no more reach to the hurting or killing of Men or Women that their imaginations can extend to the stealing and carrying away of Horses and Mares Neither hath God given remedies to sickness or griefs by Words or Charms but by Hearbs and Medicines which he himself hath created upon earth and given Men knowledge of the same that he might be glorified for that therewith he doth vouchsafe that the Maladies of Men and Cattel should be cured c. And if there be no affliction nor calamity but is brought to pass by him then let us defie the Devil renounce all his works and not so much as once think or dream upon this supernatural power of Witches neither let us prosecute them with such despight whom our fancy condemneth and our reason acquitteth our evidence against them consisting in impossibilities our proofs in unwritten verities and our whole proceedings in doubts and difficulties Now because I mislike the extream cruelty used against some of these silly souls whom a simple Advocate having Audience and Justice might deliver out of the hands of the Inquisitors themselves it will be said That I deny any punishment at all to be due to any Witch whatsoever Nay because I bewray the folly and impiety of them which attribute unto Witches the power of God these Witchmongers will report that I deny there are any Witches at all and yet behold say they how often is the word Witch mentioned in the Scripture Even as if an Idolater should say in the behalf of Images and Idols to them which deny their power and godhead and inveigh against the reverence done unto them How dare you deny the power of Images seeing their names are so often repeated in the Scriptures But truly I deny not that there are Witches or Images but I detest the Idolaters opinions conceived of them referring that to God's work and ordinance which they impute to the power and malice of Witches and attributing that honour to God which they ascribe to Idols But as for those that in very deed are either Witches or Conjurors let them hardly suffer such punishment as to their fault is agreeable and as by the grave judgement of law is provided A Catologue of AUTHORS used in this Book Forain Authors AELianus Actius Albertus Crantzius Albertus Magnus Albumazar Alcoranum Franciscanorum Alexander Trallianus Algerus Ambrosius Andradias Andraeas Gartnerus Andraeas Massius Antonius Sabellicus Apollonius Tyanaeus Appianus Apuleius Archelaus Argerius Ferrarius Aristoteles Arnoldus de Villa nova Artemidorus Athanasius Averroës Aagustinus episcopus Hip. Augustinus Nipus Avicennas Aulus Gellius Barnardinus de bustis Bartholomaeus Anglicus Berosus Anianus Bodinus Bordinus Brentius Calvinus Camerarius Campanus Cardanus Pater Cardanus Filius Carolus Gallus Cassander Cato Chrysostomus Cicero Clemens Cornelius Agrippa Cornelius Nepos Cornelius Tacitus Cyrillus Danaeus Demetrius Democritus Didymus Diodorus Siculus Dionysius Areopagita Diascorides Diurius Dodonaeus Durandus Empedocles Ephesius Erasmus Roterodamus Erasmus Sarcerius Erastus Eudoxus Eusebius Caesariensis Fernelius Franciscus Petrarcha Fuchsius Galenus Gerropius Gallasius Gemma Phrysius Georgius Pictorius Gofridus Goschalcus Boll Gratianus Gregorius Grillandus Guido Bonatus Gulielmus de sancto Clodoaldo Gulielmus Parisiensis Hemingius Heraclides Hermes Trismegistus Hieronymus
Then the Witches assembled commend a new disciple whom they call a novice unto him and if the Devil find that young Witch apt and forward in renunciation of Christian Faith in despising any of the seven Sacraments in treading upon Crosses it spitting at the time of the elevation in breaking their fast on fasting-daies and fasting on Sundaies the Devil giveth forth his hand and the novice joyning hand in hand with him promiseth to observe and keep all the Devils commandements This done the Devil beginneth to be more bold with her telling her plainly that all this will not serve his turn and therefore requireth homage at her hands yea he also telleth her that she must grant him both her body and soul to be tormented in everlasting fire which she yieldeth unto Then he chargeth her to procure as many men women and children also as she can to enter into this society Then he teacheth them to make ointments of the bowels and members of children whereby they ride in the air and accomplish all their desires So as if there be any children unbaptized or not guarded with the sign of the cross or orizons then the Witches may and do catch them from their mothers sides in the night or out of their cradles or otherwise kill them with their ceremonies and after burial steal them out of their graves and seeth them in a chaldron until their flesh be made potable Of the thickest whereof they make ointments whereby they ride in the air but the thinner potion they put into flaggons whereof whosoever drinketh observing certain ceremonies immediately becometh a master or rather a mistress in that practise and faculty CHAP. II. The order of the Witches homage done as it is written hy lewd Inquisitors and peevish Witch-mongers to the devil in person of their songs and dances and namely of Lavolta and of other ceremonies also of their excourses SOmetimes their homage with their oath and bargain is received for a certain term of years sometimes for ever Sometimes it consisteth in the denial of the whole faith sometimes in part The first is when the soul is absolutely yielded to the Devil and hell fire the other is when they have but bargained to observe certain ceremonies and statutes of the Church as to conceal faults at Shrift to fast on Sundaies c. And this is done either by oath protestation of words or by obligation in writing sometimes sealed with wax sometimes signed with bloud sometimes by kissing the Devils bare buttocks as did a Doctor called Edlin who as Bodin saith was burned for Witchcraft You must also understand that after they have delicately banqueted with the Devil and the lady of the Fayries and have eaten up a fat Ox and emptied a Butt of Malmsie and a Binn of Bread at some Noble mans house in the dead of the night nothing is missed of all this in the morning For the Lady Sibylla Minerva or Diana with a golden rod striketh the vessel and the binn and they are fully replenished again Yea she causeth the Bullocks bones to be brought and laid together upon the hide and lappeth the four ends thereof together laying her golden rod thereon and then riseth up the Bullock again in his former estate and condition and yet at their return home they are like to starve for hunger as Spineus saith And this must be an infallible rule that every fortnight or at the least every moneth each Witch must kill one childe at the least for her part And here some of Bodin's lies may be inserted who saith that at these Magical assemblies the Witches never fail to dance and in their dance they sing these words Har har Devil devil dance here dance here play here play here Sabbath sabbath And whiles they sing and dance every one hath a broom in her hand and holdeth it up aloft Item he saith that these night-walkings or rather night-dancings brought out of Italy into France that dance which is called La volta A part of their league is to scrape off the oyl which is received in extream folly unction I should have said But if that be so dangerous they which sock the corps had need to take great care that they rub not off the oyl which divers other waies may also be thrust out of the forehead and then I perceive all the vertue thereof is gone and farewell it But I marvel how they take upon them to preserve the water powred on them in Baptism which I take to be largely of as great force as the other and yet I think is commonly wiped and washed off within four and twenty hours after baptism but this agreeth with the residue of their folly And this is to be noted that the Inquisitors affirm that during the whole time of the Witches excourse the Devil occupieth the room and place of the Witch in so perfect a similitude as her husband in his bed neither by feeling speech nor countenance can discern her from his wife Yea the wife departeth out of her husbands arms insensibly and leaveth the Devil in her room visibly Wherein their credulity is incredible who will have a very body in the fained play and a phantastical body in the true bed and yet forsooth at the Name of Jesus or at the sign of the Cross all these bodily Witches they say vanish away CHAP. III. How Witches are summoned to appear before the Devil of their riding in the air of their accompts of their conference with the Devil of his supplies and their conference of their farewel and sacrifices according to Danaeus Psellas c. HItherto for the most part are the very words contained in M. Mal. or Bodin or rather in both or else in the new M. Mal. or at the leastwise of some writer or other that maintaineth the almighty power of Witches But Danaeus saith the Devil oftentimes in the likeness of a summoner meeteth them at Markets and Fairs and warneth them to appear in their assemblies at a certain hour in the night that he may understand whom they have slain and how they have profited If they be lame he saith the Devil delivereth them a staff to convey them thither invisibly through the air and that then they fall a dancing and singing of bawdy-songs wherein he leadeth the dance himself Which dance and other conferences being ended he supplieth their wants of powders and roots to intoxicate withal and giveth to every novice a mark either with his teeth or with his claws and so they kiss the Devils bare buttocks and depart not forgetting every day afterwards to offer to him Dogs Cats Hens or bloud of their own And all this doth Danaeus report as a truth and as it were upon his own knowledge And yet elsewhere he saith In these matters they do but dream and do not those things indeed which they confess through their distemperature growing of their melancholick humor and therefore
alas these poor women go not about to defend any impiety but after good admonition repent Thirdly They would have them executed for seducing the people But God knoweth they have small store of Rhetorick or art to seduce except to tell a tale of Robin Good-fellow to be deceived and seduced Neither may their age or sex admit that oppinion or accusation to be just for they themselves are poor seduced souls I for my part as else-where I have said have proved this point to be false in most apparent sort Fourthly as touching the accusation which all the Writers use herein against them for their carnal copulation with Incubus the folly of mens credulity is as much to be wondered at and derided as the others vain and impossible confessions For the Devil is a Spirit and hath neither flesh nor bones which are to be used in the performance of this action And since he also lacketh all instruments substance and seed engendred of bloud it were folly to stay overlong in the confutation of that which is not in the nature of things And yet must I say somewhat herein because the opinion hereof is so strongly and universally received and the fables hereof so innumerable whereby M. Mal. Bodin Hemingius Hyperius Danaeus Erastus and others that take upon them to write herein are so abused or rather seek to abuse others as I wonder at their fond credulity in this behalf For they affirm undoubtedly that the Devil playeth Succubus to the man and carryeth from him the seed of Generation which he delivereth as Incubus to the Woman who many times that way is gotten with child which child will very naturally they say become a Witch and such a one they affirm Merlin was CHAP. XX. A request to such readers as are loath to hear or read fithy and bawdy matters which of necessity are here to be inserted to pass over eight Chapters BUt insomuch as I am driven for the more manifest bewraying and displaying of this most filthy and horrible error to stain my paper with writing thereon certain of their beastly and baudy assertions and examples whereby they confirm this their doctrine being my self both ashamed and loath once to think upon such filthiness although it be to the condemnation thereof I must intreat you that are the readers hereof whose chast ears cannot well endure to hear of such abominable Lecheries as are gathered out of the books of those Witch-mongers although Doctors of Divinity and otherwise of great authority and estimation to turn over a few leaves wherein I say I have like a Groom thrust their bawdy stuffe even that which I my self loath as into a stinking corner howbeit none otherwise I hope but that the other parts of my writing shall remain sweet and this also covered as close as may be BOOK IV. CHAP. I. Of Witchmongers opinions concerning evil Spirits how they framethemselves in more excellent sort than God made us JAmes Sprenger and Henry Institor in M. Mal. agreeing with Bodin Barth Spineus Danaeus Erastus Hemingius and the rest do make a bawdy Discourse labouring to prove by a foolish kind of Philosophy that evill Spirits cannot only take earthly formes and shapes of men but also counterfeit hearing seeing c. and likewise that they can eat and devour meats and also retain digest and avoid the same and finally use divers kinds of activities but specially excel in the use and art of Venery For M. Mal. saith that the eyes and ears of the mind are far more subtil then bodily eyes or carnal ears Yea it is there affirmed that as they take bodies and the likeness of members so they take minds and similitudes of their operations But by the way I would have them answer this question Our minds and souls are spiritual things If our corporal ears be stopped what can they hear or conceive of any external wisdom And truly a man of such a constitution of body as they imagine of these Spirits which make themselves c. were of far more excellent substance c. than the bodies of them that God made in paradise and so the devils workman-ship should exceed the handy-work of God the Father and Creator of all things CHAP. II. Of bawdy Incubus and Succubus and whether the action of Venery may be performed between Witches and Devils and when Witches first yielded to Incubus HEretofore they say Incubus was fain to ravish Women against their wils until Anno 1400. but now since that time Witches consent willingly to their desires insomuch as some one Witch exercised that trade of Lechery with Incubus twenty or thirty dayes together as was confessed by forty and eight Witches burned at Ravenspurge But what goodly fellows Incubus begeteth upon these Witches is proved by Thomas of Aquine Bodin M. Mal. Hyperuis c. This is proved first by the Devils cunning in discerning the difference of the seed which falleth from men Secondly by his understanding of the aptness of the women for the receipt of such seed Thirdly by his knowledge of the constellations which are friendly to such corporal effects And lastly by the excellent complexion of such as the Devil maketh choice of to beget such notable personages upon as are the causes of the greatness and excellency of the child thus begotten And to prove that such bawdy doings betwixt the Devil and Witches is not fained S. Augustine is alledged who saith That all superstitious arts had their beginning of the pestiferous society betwixt the Devil and Man Wherein he saith truly for that in paradise betwixt the Devil and Man all wickedness was so contrived that man ever since hath studied wicked arts yea and the Devil will be sure to be at the middle and at both ends of every mischief But that the Devil ingendreth with a Woman in manner and form as is supposed and naturally begetteth the wicked neither is it true nor Augustines meaning in this place Howbeit M. Mal. proceedeth affirming That all Witches take their beginning from such filthy actions wherein the Devil in likeness of a pretty Wench lyeth prostitute as Succubus to the man and retaining his nature and seed conveyeth it unto the Witch to whom he delivereth it as Incubus Wherein also is refuted the opinion of them that hold a Spirit to be unpalpable M. Mal. saith There can be rendred no infallible rule though a probable distinction may be set down whether Incubus in the act of Venery do alwayes power seed out of his assumed body And this is the distinction Either she is old and barren or young and pregnant If she be barren then doth Incubus use her without decision of seed because such seed should serve for no purpose And the Devil avoideth superfluity as much as he may and yet for her pleasure and condemnation together he goeth to work with her But by the way if the Devil were so compendious what should he need to
use such circumstances even in these very actions as to make these assemblies conventicles ceremonies c. when he hath already bought their bodies and bargained for their souls Or what reason had he to make them kill so many Infants by whom he rather loseth than gaineth any thing because they are so far as either he or we know in better case than we of riper years by reason of their innocency Well if she be not past children then stealeth he seed away as hath been said from some wicked man being about that lecherous business and therewith getteth young Witches upon the old And note that they affirm That this business is better accomplished with seed thus gathered than that which is shed in Dreams through superfluity of humors because that is gathered from the virtue of the seed generative And if it be said That the seed will wax cold by the way and so lose his natural heat and consequently the vertue M. Mal. Danaeus and the rest do answer That the Devil can so carry it as no heat shall go from it c. Furthermore old Witches are sworn to procure as many young Virgins for Incubus as they can whereby in time they grow to be excellent bawds but in this case the Priest playeth Incubus For you should find that confession to a Priest and namely this word Benedicit driveth Incubus away when Ave Maries crosses and all other Charmes fail CHAP. III. Of the Devils visible and invisible dealing with Witches in the way of Lechery BUt as touching the Devils visible or invisible execution of Lechery it is written that to such Witches as before have made a visible league with the Priest the Devil I should say there is no necessity that Incubus should appear invisible marry to the standers-by he is for the most part invisible For proof hereof James Sprenger and Institor affirm That many times Witches are seen in the fields and woods prostituting themselves uncovered and naked up to the navil wagging and moving their members in every part according to the disposition of one being about that act of concupiscence and yet nothing seen of the beholders upon her saving that after such a convenient time as is required about such a piece of work a black vapor of the length and bigness of a man hath been seen as it were to depart from her and to ascend from that place Nevertheless many times the husband seeth Incubus making him cuckhold in the likeness of a man and sometimes striketh off his head with his sword but because the body is nothing but air it closeth together again so as although the good-wife be sometimes hurt thereby yet she maketh him believe he is mad or possessed and that he doth he knoweth not what For she hath more pleasure and delight they say with Incubus that way than with any mortal man whereby you may perceive that Spirits are palpable CHAP. IV. That the power of Generation is both outwardly and inwardly impeached by Witches and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by Witches and by the same means again restored THey also affirm That the virtue of Generation is impeached by Witches both inwardly and outwardly for intrinsecally they repress the courage and they stop the passage of the mans seed so as it may not descend to the vessels of generation also they hurt extrinsecally with images hearbs c. And to prove this true you shall hear certain stories out of M. Mal. worthy to be noted A young Priest at Mespurge in the Diocess of Constance was Bewitched so as he had no power to occupy any other or mo women than one and to be delivered out or that thraldom sought to flie into another Countrey where he might use that Priestly occupation more freely but all in vain for evermore he was brought as far backward by night as he went forward in the day before sometimes by land sometimes in the air as though he flew And if this be not true I am sure that James Sprenger doth lie For the further confirmation of our belief in Incubus M. Mal. citeth a story of a notable matter executed at Ravenspurge as true and as cleanly as the rest A young man lying with a wench in that Town saith he was fain to leave his instruments of Venery behind him by means of that prestigious art of Witchcraft so as in that place nothing could be seen or felt but his plain body This young man was willed by another Witch to go to her whom he suspected and by fair or foul means to require her help who soon after meeting with her intreated her fair but that was in vain and therefore he caught her by the throat and with a towel strangled her saying Restore me my tool or thou shalt die for it so as she being swoln and black in the face and through his boisterous handling ready to die said Let me go and I will help thee and whilest he was losing the towel she put her hand into his Cod-piece and touched the place saying Now hast thou they desire and even at that instant he felt himself restored Item A reverend Father for his life holiness and knowledge notorious being a fryer of the order and company of Spire reported that a young man at strift made lamentable moan unto him for the like loss but his gravity suffered him not to believe lightly any such reports and therefore made the young man untruss his cod-piece-point and saw the complaint to be true and just Whereupon he advised or rather enjoyned the youth to go to the Witch whom he suspected and with flattering words to intreat her to be so good unto him as to restore him his instrument which by that means he obtained and soon after returned to shew himself thankful and told the holy father of his good success in that behalf but he so believed him as he would needs be Oculatus testis and made him pull down his Breeches and so was satisfied of the truth and certainty thereof Another young man being in that very taking went to a Witch for the restitution thereof who brought him to a tree where she shewed him a nest and bad him climb up and take it And being in the top of the tree he took out a mighty great one and shewed the same to her asking her if he might not have the same Nay quoth she that is our Parish Priests tool but take any other which thou wilt And it is there affirmed That some have found 20 and some 30 of them in one nest being there preserved with provender as it were at the rack and manger with this note wherein there is no contradiction for all must be true that is written against Witches that if a Witch deprive one of his Privities it is done only by prestigious means so as the senses are but illuded Marry by the Devil it is really taken away and in like
elsewhere I have more largely repeated Whosoever believeth that any creature can be made or changed into better or worse or transformed into any other shape or into any other similitude by any other than by God himself the Creator of all things without all doubt is an Infidel and worse than a Pagan and therewithal this reason is rendred to wit Because they attribute that to a Creature which only belongeth to God the Creator of all things CHAP. IV. A summary of the former fable with a Refutation thereof after due examination of the same COncerning the verity or probability of this enterlude betwixt Bodin M. Mal. the Witch the Asse the Mass the Merchants the Inquisitors the Tormentors c. First I wonder at the miracle of Transubstantiation Secondly At the impudency of Bodin and James Sprenger for affirming so gross a lie devised belike by the Knight of the Rhodes to make a fool of Sprenger and an asse of Bodin Thirdly That the Asse had no more wit than to kneel down and hold up his forefeet to a piece of starch or flowre which neither would nor could nor did help him Fourthly That the Mass could not reform that which the Witch transformed Fiftly that the Merchants the Inquisitors and the Tormentors could not either severally or joyntly do it but refer the matter to the Witches courtesie and good pleasure But where was the young mans own shape all these three years wherein he was made an Asse It is a certain and general rule that two substantial forms cannot be in one subject simul semel both at once which is confessed by themselves The form of the beast occupied some place in the air and so I think should the form of a man do also For to bring the body of a man without feeling into such a thin airy nature as that it can neither be seen nor felt it may well be unlikely but it is very impossible for the air is inconstant and continueth not in one place so as this airy creature would soon be carried into another region as elsewhere I have largely proved But indeed our bodies are visible sensitive and passive and are indued with many other excellent properties which all the Devils in hell are not able to alter neither can one hair of our head perish or fall away or be transformed without the special providence of God Almighty But to proceed unto the probability of this story What luck was it that this young fellow of England landing so lately in those parts and that old woman of Cyprus being both of so base a condition should both understand one anothers communication England and Cyprus being so many hundred miles distant and their languages so far differing I am sure in these dayes wherein traffick is more used and learning in more price few young or old Mariners in this Realm can either speak or understand the language spoken at Salamim in Cyprus which is a kind of Greek and as few old women there can speak our language But Bodin will say You hear that at the Inquisitors commandement and through the Tormentors correction she promised to restore him to his own shape and so she did as being thereunto compelled I answer that as the whole story is an impious fable so this assertion is false and disagreeable to their own doctrine which maintaineth That the Witch doth nothing but by the permission and leave of God For if she could do or undo such a thing at her own pleasure or at the commandement of the Inquisitors or for fear of the Tormentors or for love of the party or for remorse of conscience then is it not either by the extraordinary leave nor yet by the like direction of God except you will make him a confederate with old Witches I for my part wonder most how they can turn and tosse a mans body so and make it smaller and greater to wit like a Mouse or like an Asse c. and the man all this while to feel no pain And I am not alone in this maze for Danaeus a special maintainer of their follies saith That although Augustine and Apulcius do write very credibly of these matters yet will he never believe that Witches can change men into other formes as Asses Apes Wolves Bears Mice c. CHAP. V. That the body of a Man cannot be turned into the body of a Beast by a Witch is proved by strong Reasons Scriptures and Authorities BUt was this Man an Asse all this while or was this Asse a Man Bodin saith his reason only reserved he was truly transubstantiated into an Asse so as there must be no part of a man but reason remaining in this Asse And yet Hermes Trismegistus thinketh he hath good authority and reason to say Aliud corpus quam humanum non capere animam humanam nec fas esse in corpus animae ratione carentis animam rationalem corruere that is An humane soul cannot receive any other than an humane body nor yet can light into a body that wanteth reason of mind But S. James saith The body without the spirit is dead And surely when the soul is departed from the body the life of man is dissolved and therefore Paul wished to be dissolved when he would have been with Christ The body of man is subject to divers kinds of Agues sicknesses and infirmities whereunto an Asses body is not inclined and mans body must be fed with bread c. and not with hay Bodins Asse-headed man must either eat hay or nothing as appeareth in the story Man's body also is subject unto death and hath his dayes numbred If this fellow had died in the mean time as his hour might have been come for any thing the Devils the Witch or Bodin knew I marvel then what would have become of this Asse or how the Witch could have restored him to shape or whether he should have risen at the day of Judgement in an Asses body and shape For Paul saith that that very body which is sown and buried a natural body is raised a spiritual body The life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortal flesh and not in the flesh of an Asse God hath endued every man and every thing with his proper nature substance form qualities and gifts and directeth their wayes As for the wayes of an Asse he taketh no such care howbeit they have also their properties and substance several to themselves For there is one flesh saith Paul of men another flesh of beasts another of fishes another of birds And therefore it is absolutely against the ordinance of God who hath made me a man that I should flie like a Bird or swim like a fish or creep like a worm or become an Asse in shape insomuch as if God would give me leave I cannot do it for it were contrary to his own order and decree and to the constitution of any body which he hath
made Yea the spirits themselves have their laws and limits prescribed beyond the which they cannot pass one hairs breadth otherwise God should be contrary to himself which is far from him Neither is Gods omnipotency hereby qualified but the Devils impotency manifested who hath none other power but that which God from the beginning hath appointed unto him consonant to his nature and substance He may well be restrained from his power and will but beyond the same he cannot pass as being Gods minister no further but in that which he hath from the beginning enabled him to do which is that he being a spirit may with Gods leave and ordinance viciate and corrupt the spirit and will of man werein he is very diligent What a beastly assertion is it that a man whom God hath made according to his own similitude and likeness should be by a Witch turned into a beast What an impiety is it to affirm that an Asses body is the temple of the holy Ghost Or an Asse to be the child of God and God to be his Father as it is said of man Which Paul to the Corinthians so divinely confuteth who saith That our bodies are the members of Christ in the which we are to glorifie God for the body is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body Surely he meaneth not for an Asses body as by this time I hope appeareth in such wife as Bodin may go hide him for shame especially when he shall understand that even into these our bodies which God hath framed after his own likeness he hath also breathed that spirit which Bodin saith is now remaining within an Asses body which God hath so subjected in such servility under the foot of man of whom God is so mindful that he hath made him little lower then Angels yea than himself and crowned him with glory and worship and made him to have dominion over the works of his hands as having put all things under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yea Wolves Asses and all other beasts of the field the fouls of the air the fishes of the sea c. Bodins Poet Ovid whose Metamorphosis makes so much for him saith to the overthrow of this phantastical imagination Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Jussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus The effect of which verses is this The Lord did set mans fade so hie That he the heavens might behold And look up to the starry skie To see his wonders manifold Now if a Witch or a Devil can so alter the shape of a man as contrarily to make him look down to hell like a beast Gods works should not only be defaced and disgraced but his ordinance should be wonderfully altered and thereby confounded CHAP. VI. The Witchmongers Objections concerning Nebuchadnezzar answered and their error cerning Lycanthropia confuted MAlleus Maleficarum Bodin and many other of them that maintain Witchcraft triumph upon the story of Nebuchadnezzar as though Circes had transformed him with her sorceties into an Ox as she did others into Swine c. I answer that he was neither in body nor shape transformed at all according to their gross imagination as appeareth both by the plain words of the text and also by the opinions of the best Interpreters thereof but that he was for his beastly government and conditions thrown out of his Kingdom and banished for a time and driven to hide himself in the Wilderness there in exile to lead his life in a beastly sort among beasts of the field and fowles of the air for by the way I tell you it appeareth by the text that he was rather turned into the shape of a fowl than of a beast until he rejecting his beastly conditions was upon his repentance and amendment called home and restored unto his Kingdom Howbeit this by their confession was neither Devils nor Witches doing but a miracle wrought by God whom alone I acknowledge to bring to pass such works at his pleasure Wherein I would know what our Witch-mongers have gained I am not ignorant that some write that after the death of Nebuchadnezzar his son Evilmerodath gave his body to the ravens to be devoured least afterwards his father should arise from death who of a beast became a man again But this tale is meeter to have place in the Cabalistical art to wit among unwritten verities than here To concude I say that the transformations which these Witch-mongers do so rave and rage upon is as all the learned sort of Physitians affirm a disease proceeding partly from melancholy whereby many suppose themselves to be Wolves or such ravening beasts For Lycanthropia is of the ancient Physitians called Lupina melancholia or Lupina insania J. Wierus declareth very learnedly the cause the circumstance and the cure of this disease I have written the more herein because hereby great Princes and Potentates as well as poor Women and Innocents have been defamed and accounted among the number of Witches CHAP. VII A special Objection answered concerning Transportations with the consent of divers Writers thereupon FOr the maintenance of Witches Transportations they object the words of the Gospel where the Devil is said to take up Christ and to set him on a pinnacle of the Temple and on a mountain c. which if he had done in manner and form as they suppose it followeth not therefore that Witches could do the like nor yet that the Devil would do it for them at their pleasure for they know not their thoughts neither can otherwise communicate with them But I answer that if it were so grossely to be understood as they imagine it yet should it make nothing to their purpose For I hope they will not say that Christ had made any ointments or entred into any league with the Devil and by vertue thereof was transported from out of the Wilderness unto the top of the temple at Jerusalem or that the Devil could have masteries over his body whose soul he could never lay hold upon especially when he might with a beck of his finger have called unto him and have had the assistance of many legions of Angels Neither as I think will they presume to make Christ partaker of the Devils purpose and sin in that behalf If they say This was an action wrought by the special providence of God and by his appointment that the Scripture might be fulfilled then what gain our Witchmongers by this place First for that they may not produce a particular example to prove so general an argument And again if it were by Gods special providence and appointment then why should it not be done by the hand of God as it was in the story of Job Or if if it were Gods special purpose and pleasure that there should be so extraordinary a matter brought to pass by the hand of the Devil could not God have given to the wicked Angel
matter according to the deceived mind and imagination of Saul and his Servants And therefore in truth Sirach spake there according to the opinion of Saul which so supposed otherwise it is neither Heresie nor Treason to say he was deceived He that weigheth well that place and looketh it advisedly shall see that Samuel was not raised from the dead but that it was an illusion or cosenage practised by the Witch For the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God according to that which Chrysostom saith Souls in a certain place expecting judgement and cannot remove from thence Neither is it Gods will that the living should be taught by the dead Which things are confirmed and approved by the example of Lazarus and Dives where it appeareth according to Deut. 18. that he will not have the living taught by the dead but will have us stick to his Word wherein his will and testament is declared Indeed Lyra and Dionysius incline greatly to the latter And Lyra saith That as when Balaam would have raised a Devil God interposed himself so did he in this case bring up Samuel when the Witch would have raised her Devil which is a probable interpretation But yet they dare not stand to that opinion least they should impeach S. Augustines credit who they confess remained in judgement and opinion without contradiction of the Church that Samuel was not raised for he saith directly That Samuel himself was not called up And indeed if he were raised it was either willingly or per force if it were willingly his sin had been equal with the Witches And Peter Martyr me thinks saith more to the purpose in these words to wit This must have been done by Gods good will or per force of art magick it could not be done by his good will because he forbad it nor by art because Witches have no power over the godly Where it is answered by some that the commandement was only to prohibit the Jews to aske counsel of the dead and so no fault in Samuel to give counsel We may as well excuse our Neighbours wife for consenting to our filthy desires because it is only written in the Decalogue Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife But indeed Samuel was directly forbidden to answer Saul before he dyed and therefore it was not likely that God would appoint him when he was dead to do it CHAP. IX That Samuel was not raised indeed and how Bodin and all Papists dote herein and that souls cannot be raised by Witchcraft FUrthermore it is not likely that God would answer Saul by dead Samuel when he would not answer him by living Samuel and most unlikely of all that God would answer him by a Devil that denyed to do it by a Prophet That he was not brought up per force the whole course of the Scripture witnesseth and proveth as also our own reason may give us to understand For what quiet rest could the souls of the elect enjoy or possess in Abrahams bosome if they were to be plucked from thence at a Witches call and commandement But so should the Devil have power in heaven where he is unworthy to have any place himself and therefore unmeet to command others Many other of the Fathers are flatly against the raising up of Samuel namely Tertullian in his book De anima Justin Martyr In explicatione quae 25. Rabanus In epistolis ad Bonos Abat Origen In historia de Bileamo c. Some other dote exceedingly herein as namely Bodin and all Papists in general also Rabbi Sedias Hajas and also all the Hebrews saving R. David Kimchi which is the best writer of all the Rabbins though never a good of them all But Bodin in maintenance thereof falleth into many absurdities proving by the small faults that Saul had committed that he was an elect for the greatest matter saith he laid unto his charge is the reserving of the Amalekites cattel c. He was an elect c. confirming his opinion with many ridiculous fables and with this argument to wit his fault was too little to deserve damnation for Paul would not have the incestuous man punished too sore that his soul might be saved Justin Martyr in another place was not only deceived in the actual raising up of Samuels soul but affirmed that all the souls of the Prophets and just men are subject to the power of Witches And yet were the Heathen much more fond herein who as Lactantius affirmeth boasted that they could call up the souls of the dead and yet did think that their souls dyed with their bodies Whereby is to be seens how alwayes the world hath been abused in the matters of Witchcraft and Conjuration The Necromancers affirm that the spirit of any man may be called up or recalled as they term it before one year be past after their departure from the body Which C. Agrippa in his book De occulta Philosophia saith may be done by certain natural forces and bonds And therefore corpses in times past were accompanied and watched with lights sprinkled with holy water perfumed with incense and purged with prayer all the while they were above ground otherwise the Serpent as the Masters of the Hebrews say would devour them as the food appointed him by God Gen. 3. alledging also this place We shall not all sleep but we shall be changed because many shall remain for perpetual meat to the Serpent whereupon riseth the contention between him and Michael concerning the body of Moses wherein Scripture is alledged I confess that Augustine and the residue of the Doctors that deny the raising of Samuel conclude that the Devil was fetcht up in his likeness from whose opinions with reverence I hope I may dissent CHAP. X. That neither the Devil nor Samuel was raised but that it was a meer cosenage according to the guise of our Pythonists AGain if the Devil appeared and not Samuel why is it said in Eccl. that he slept for the Devil neither sleepeth nor dyeth But in truth we may gather that it was neither the Devil in person nor Samuel but a circumstance is here described according to the deceived opinion and imagination of Saul Howbeit Augustine saith that both these sides may easily be defended But we shall not need to fetch an exposition so far off for indeed me thinks it is Longe petita nor to descend so low as hell to fetch up a Devil to expound this place For it is ridiculous as Pompanacius saith to leave manifest things and such as by natural reason may be proved to seek unknown things which by no likelihood can be conceived nor tryed by any rule of reason But insomuch as we have liberty by S. Augustines rule in such places of Scripture as seem to contain either contrariety or absurdity to vary from the letter and to make a godly construction agreeable to the word let us confess that Samuel was not raised for that
So as the Prophet knew and taught thereby That none but God could work Miracles Infinite places for this purpose might be brought out of the Scripture which for brevity I omit and overslip St. Augustine among other reasons whereby he proveth the ceasing of Miracles saith Now blind flesh doth not open the eyes of the blinde by the Miracle of God but the eyes of our heart are opened by the word of God Now is not our dead carcase raised any more up by Miracle but our dead bodies be still in the grave and our souls are raised to life by Christ Now the ears of the deaf are not opened by Miracle but they which had their ears shut before have them now opened to their salvation The miraculous healing of the sick by anointing spoken of by S. James is objected by many specially by the Papists for the maintenance of their Sacrament of Extream Unction which is apishly and vainly used in the Romish Church as though the miraculous gift had continuance till this day Herein you shall see what Calvin speaketh in his Institutions The grace of hearing saith he spoken of by S. James is vanished away as also the other miracles which the Lord would have shewed only for a time that he might make the new preaching of the Gospel marvellous for ever Why saith he doth not these meaning Miracle-mongers appoint some Siloah to swim in whereinto at certain ordinary recourses of times sick folk may plunge themselves Why do they not lye along upon the dead because Paul raised up a dead child by that means Verily saith he James in the miracle to anoint spake for that time whiles the Church still enjoyed such blessing of God Item he saith That the Lord is present with his in all ages and so often as need is he helpeth their sicknesses no less then in old time But he doth not so utter his manifest power nor distributeth miracles as by the hands of the Apostles because the gift was but for a time Calvin even there concludeth thus They say such vertues or miracles remain but experience says nay And see how they agree among themselves Danaeus saith that neither Witch nor Devil can work miracles Giles Alley saith directly That Witches work Miracles Calvin saith They are all ceased All Witchmongers say They continue But some affirm That Popish Miracles are vanished and gone away howbeit Witches miracles remain in full force So as S. Loy is out of credit for a horse-leach Master T. and Mother Bungie remain in estimation for Prophets nay Hobgoblin and Robin-Goodfellow are contemned among young children and Mother Alice and Mother Bungie are feared among old fools The estimation of these continue because the matter hath not been called in question the credit of the other decayeth because the matter hath been looked into Whereof I say no more but that S. Anthonies bliss will help your pig whensoever Mother Bungie doth hurt it with her curse and therefore we are warned by the Word of God in any wise not to fear their curses But let all the Witchmongers and specially the Miraclemongers in the World answer me to this supposition Put the case that a Woman of credit or else a Woman-witch should say unto them that she is a true Prophet of the Lord and that he revealeth those secret mysteries unto her whereby she detecteth the lewd acts and imaginations of the wicked and that by him she worketh Miracles and Prophesieth c. I think they must either yield or confess that Miracles are ceased But such things saith Cardigan as seem miraculous are chiefly done by Deceipt Legierdemain or Confederacy or else they may be done and yet seem unpossible or else things are said to be done and never were nor can be done CHAP. II. The gift of Prophesie is ceased THat Witches nor the Woman of Endor nor yet her Familiar or Devil can tell what is to come may plainly appear by the words of the Prophet who saith Shew what things are to come and we will say you are gods indeed According to that which Solomon saith Who can tell a man what shall happen him under the sun Marry that can I saith the Witch of Endor to Saul But I will rather believe Paul and Peter which say That Prophesie is the gift of God and no wordly thing then a cosening quean that taketh upon her to do all things and can do nothing but beguile men Up steppeth also another Bungie and she can tell you where your Horse or your Ass is bestowed or any thing that you have lost is become as Samuel could and what you have done in all your age past as Christ did to the Woman of Sichar at Jacobs well yea and what your errand is before you speak as Elizeus did Peter Martyr saith That only God and man knoweth the heart of man and therefore that the Devil must be secluded alledging these places Solus Deus est scrutator cordium Only God is the searcher of hearts And Nemo scit quae sunt hominis nisi spiritus hominis qui est in eo None knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man which is within him Solomon saith Tu solus nosti cogitationes hominum Thou only knowest the thoughts of men And Jeremiah saith in the person of God Ego Deus scrutans corda renes I am God searching hearts and reins Also Mathew saith of Christ Jesus autem videns cogitationes eorum And Jesus seeing their thoughts who in Scripture is called the searcher and knower of the thoughts in the heart as appeareth in Act. 1. 15. Rom. 8. Mat. 9.12 22. Mark 2. Luke 6. 7. 11. John 1.2.6 13. Apoc. 2. 3. and in other places infinite The same Peter Martyr also saith That the Devil may suspect but not know our thoughts for if he should know our thoughts he should understand our faith which if he did he would never assault us with one temptation Indeed we read that Samuel could tell where things lost were strayed c. but we see that gift also ceased by the coming of Christ according to the saying of Paul At sundry times and in divers manners God spake in the old times by our Fathers the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his son c. And therefore I say that gift of Prophesie wherewith God in times past endued his people is also ceased and counterfeits and coseners are come in their places according to this saying of Peter There were false Prophets among the people even at there shall be false teachers among you c. And think not that so notable a gift should be taken from the beloved and the elect people of God and committed to Mother Bungie and such like of her profession The words of the Prophet Zechary are plain touching the ceasing both of the good and bad
with the Heavens being altogether and one with the other to be considered as also because influences do not constrain but incline For many ordinary and extraordinary occasions do interrupt them as education custom place honesty birth blood sickness health strength weakness meat drink liberty of mind learning c. And they that have written the rules of judgment and agreee neerest therein being of equal authority and learning publish so contrary opinions upon one thing that it is unpossible for an Astrologian to pronounce a certainty upon so variable opinions and otherwise upon so uncertain reports no man is able to judge herein So as according to Ptolomy the fore-knowledge of things to come by the Stars dependeth as well upon the affections of the mind as upon the observation of the Planets proceeding rather from chance than Art as whereby they deceive others and are deceived themselves also CHAP. XXII The subtilty of Astrologers to maintain the credit of their Art why they remain in credit certain impieties contained in Astrologers assertions IF you mark the cunning ones you shall see them speak darkly of things to come devising by artificial subtilty doubtful Prognostications easily to be applyed to every thing Time Prince and Nation and if any thing come to pass according to their Divinations they fortifie their old Prognostications with new reasons Nevertheless in the multitude and variety of Stars yea even in the very midst of them they finde out some places in a good aspect and some in an ill and take occasion hereupon to say what they list promising unto some men Honour long Life Wealth Victory Children Marriage Friends Offices and finally everlasting Felicity But if with any they be discontented they say the Stars be not favourable to them and threaten them with Hanging Drowning Beggery Sickness Misfortune c. And if one of these Prognostications fall out right then they triumph above measure If the Prognosticators be found to forge and lye alwayes without such fortune as the blind man had in killing the Crow they will excuse the matter saying that Sapiens dominatur astris whereas according to Agrippas words neither the wiseman ruleth the Stars nor the Stars the Wiseman but God ruleth them both Corn. Tacitus saith That they are a people disloyal to Princes deceiving them that believe them And Varro saith That the vanity of all superstitions floweth out of the bosome of Astrology And if our life and fortune depend not on the Stars then it is to be granted that the Astrologers seek where nothing is to be found But we are so fond mistrustful and credulous that we fear more the fables of Robin Good-fellow Astrologers and Witches and believe more the things that are not than the things that are And the more unpossible a thing is the more we stand in fear thereof and the less likely to be true the more we believe it And if we were not such I think with Cornelius Agrippa that these Diviners Astrologers Conjurers and Coseners would dye for hunger And our foolish light belief forgetting things past neglecting things present aad very hasty to know things to come doth so comfort and maintain these coseners that whereas in other men for making one lye the faith of him that speaketh is so much mistrusted that all the residue being true is not regarded Contrariwise in these cosenages among our Divinors one truth spoken by hap giveth such credit to all their lyes that ever after we believe whatsoever they say how incredible impossible or false soever it be Sir Thomas Moore saith they know not who are in their own chambers neither who maketh themselves cockolds that take upon them all this cunning knowledge and great foresight But to enlarge their credit or rather to manifest their impudency they say the gift of Prophesie the force of Religion the secrets of Conscience the power of Devils the virtue of Miracles the efficacy of Prayers the state of the life to come c. doth only depend upon the Stars and is given and known by them alone For they say that when the sign of Gemini is ascended and Saturn and Mercury be joyned in Aquary in the ninth house of the heavens there is a Prophet born and therefore that Christ had so many virtues because he had in that place Saturn and Gemini Yea these Astrologers do not stick to say that the Stars distribute all sorts of Religions wherein Jupiter is the especial patron who being joyned with Saturn maketh the religion of the Jews with Mercury of the Christians with the Moon of Antichristianity Yea they affirm that the faith of every man may be known to them as well as to God And that Christ himself did use the election of hours in his Miracles so as the Jews could not hurt him whilest he went to Jerusalem and therefore that he said to his Disciples that forbad him to go Are there not twelve hours in the day CHAP. XXIII Who have power to drive away Devils with their only presence who shall receive of God whatsoever they ask in Prayer who shall obtain everlasting life by means of constellations as Nativity-casters affirm THey say also That he which hath Mars happily placed in the ninth house of the heavens shall have power to drive away Devils with his only presence from them that be possessed And he that shall pray to God when he findeth the Moon and Jupiter joyned with the Dragons-head in the midst of the heavens shall obtain whatsoever he asketh and that Jupiter and Saturn do give blessedness of the life to come But if any in his nativity shall have Saturn happily placed in Leo his soul shall have everlasting life And hereunto subscribe Peter de Appona Roger Bacon Guido Bonatus Arnold de villa nova and the Cardinal of Alia Furthermore the providence of God is denyed and the Miracles of Christ are diminished when these powers of the heavens and their influences are in such sort advanced Moses Isaiah Job and Jeremiah seem to dislike and reject it and at Rome in times past it was banished and by Justinian condemned under pain of death Finally Seneca derided these Soothsaying Witches in this sort Amongst the Cleones saith he there was a custom that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were gazers in the Air watching when a storm of hail shoul fall when they saw by any cloud that the shower was imminent and at hand the use was I say because of the hurt which it might do to their vines c. diligently to warn the people thereof who used not to provide Cloaks or any such defence against it but provided Sacrifices the rich Cocks and white Lambs the poor would spoil themselves by cutting their thombs as though saith he that little blood would ascend up to the clouds and do any good for their relief in this matter And here by the way I will impart unto you a Venetian superstition
of great antiquity and at this day for ought I can read to the contrary in use It is written That every year ordinarily upon Ascension day the Duke of Venice accompanyed with the States goeth with great solemnity to the Sea and after certain ceremonies ended casteth thereinto a gold ring of great value and estimation for a Pacificatory oblation wherewithal their predecessors supposed that the wrath of the Sea was asswaged But this action as a late writer saith they do Desponsare sibi mare that is espouse the Sea unto themselves c. Let us therefore according to the Prophets advice Ask rain of the Lord in the hours of the latter time and he shall send white clouds and give us rain c. for surely the Idols as the same Prophet saith have spoken vanity the Soothsayers have seen a lye and the Dreamers have told a vain thing they comfort in vain and therefore they went awaey like sheep c. If any Sheepbiter or Witchmonger will follow them they shall gone alone for me BOOK XII CHAP. I. The Hebrew word Habar expounded where also the supposed secret force of Charms and Inchantments is shewed and the Efficacy of Words is divers wayes declared THe Hebrew word Habar being in Greek Epathin and in Latine Incantare is in English to Inchant or if you had rather have it so to Bewitch In these Inchantments certain Words Verses or Charms c. are secretly uttered wherein there is thought to be miraculous efficacy There is great variety hereof but whether it be by Charms Voices Images Characters Stones Plants Metals Herbs c. there must herewithal a special form of words be always used either Divine Diabolical Insensible or Papistical whereupon all the vertue of the work is supposed to depend This word is specially used in the 58. Psalm which place though it be taken up for mine Adversaries strongest argument against me yet me thinks it maketh so with me as they can never be able to answer it For there it plainly appeareth That the Adder heareth not the voice of the Charmer charm he never so cunningly contrary to the Poets fabling Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis Englished by Araham Fleming The coldish Snake in Meadows green With Charms is burst in pieces clean But hereof more shall be said hereafter in due place I grant that words sometimes have singular vertue and efficacy either in perswasion or disswasion as also divers other wayes so as thereby some are converted from the way of perdition to the estate of Salvation and so contrariwise according to the saying of Solomon Death and life are in the Instrument of the tongue but even therein God worketh all in all as well in framing the heart of the one as in directing the tongue of the other as appeareth in many places of the holy Scriptures CHAP. II. What is forbidden in Scriptures concerning Witchcraft of the operation of words the Superstition of the Cabalists and Papists who createth Substances to imitate God in some cases is presumption words of Sanctification THat which is forbidden in the Scriptures touching inchantment or Witchcraft is not the wonderful working with words For where words have had miraculous operation there hath been alwayes the special Providence power and grace of God uttered to the strengthening of the faith of Gods people and to the furtherance of the Gospel as when the Apostle with a word slue Ananias and Saphira But the prophanation of Gods Name the seducing abusing and cosening of the people and mans presumption is hereby prohibited as whereby many take upon them after the recital of such names as God in the Scripture seemeth to appropriate to himself to foreshew things to come to work miracles to detect fellonies c. as the Cabalists in times past took upon them by the ten Names of God and his Angels expressed in the Scriptures to work wonders and as the Papists at this day by the like names by Crosses by Gospels hanged about their necks by Masses by Exorcisms by Holy-water and a thousand consecrated or rather execrated things promise unto themselves and others both health of body and soul But as herein we are nor to imitate the Papists so in such things as are the peculiar actions of God we ought not to take upon us to counterfeit or resemble him which with his word created all things For we neither all the Conjurers Cabalists Papists Soothsayers Inchanters Witches nor Charmers in the world neither any other humane or yet diabolical cunning can add any such strength to Gods workmanship as to make any thing anew or else to exchange one thing into another New qualities may be added by humane Art but no new substance can be made or created by man And seeing that Art faileth herein doubtless neither the illusions of Devils nor the cunning of Witches can bring any such thing truly to pass For by the sound of the words nothing cometh nothing goeth otherwise than God in Nature hath ordained to be done by ordinary speech or else by his special Ordinance Indeed words of sanctification are necessary and commendable according to S. Paul's rule Let your meat be sanctified with the Word of God and by Prayer But sanctification doth not here signifie either change of substance of the meat or the adding of any new strength thereunto but it is sanctified in that it is received with Thanks-giving and Prayers that our bodies may be refreshed and our souls thereby made the apter to glorifie God CHAP. III. What Effect and Offence Witches Charms bring how unapt Witches are and how unlikely to work those things which they are thought to do what would follow if those things were true which are laid to their charge THe words and other the Illusions of Witches Charmers and Conjurers though they be not such in operation and effect as they are commonly taken to be yet they are offensive to the Majesty and Name of God obscuring the truth of Divinity and also of Philosophy For if God only give life and being to all creatures who can put any such vertue or lively feeling into a body of Gold Silver Bread or Wax as is imagined If either Priests Devils or Witches could so do the Divine Power should be cheked and outfaced by Magical cunning and Gods creatures made fervile to a Witches pleasure What is not to be brought to pass by these Incantations if that be true which is attributed to Witches and yet they are women that never went to school in their lives nor had any teachers and therefore without art or learning poor and therefore not able to make any provision of metals or stones c. whereby to bring to pass strange matters by natural Magick old and stiffe and therefore not nimble-handed to deceive your eye with legierdemain heavy and commonly lame and therefore unapt to flie in the Air or to dance with the Fairies sad melancholike sullen and
Glass-vial full of holy Water and set it upon a linnen cloth which hath been purified not only by washing but by sacrifice c. On the mouth of the Vial or Urinal two Olive-leaves must be laid across with a little Conjuration said over it by a child to wit thus Angele bone Angele candide per tuam sanctitatem meamque virginitatem ostende mihi furem with three Pater nosters three Aves and betwixt either of them a Cross made with the nail of the Thumb upon the mouth of the Vial and then shall be seen Angels ascending and descending as it were Motes in the Sun-beams The Thief all this while shall suffer great torments and his Face shall be seen plainly even as plainly I believe as the Man in the Moon For in truth there are toyes artificially conveyed into glass which will make the water bubble and devices to make Images appear in the bubbles as also there be Artificial Glasses which will shew unto you that shall look thereinto many Images of divers Forms and some so small and curious as they shall in favour resemble whomsoever you think upon Look in John Bap. Neap. for the confection of such glasses The subtilties hereof are so detected and the mysteries of the glasses so common now and their cosenage so well known c. that I need not stand upon the particular confutation hereof Cardanus in the place before cited reporteth how he tried with children these and divers circumstances the whole illusion and found it to be plain knavery and cosenage Another way to find out a Thief that hath stoln any thing from you GO to the Sea-side and gather as many pebles as you suspect persons for that matter carry them home and throw them into the fire and bury them under the threshold where the parties are like to come over There let them lie three days and then before sun-rising take them away Then set a Porrenger full of water in a circle wherein must be made crosses every way as many as can stand in it upon the which must be written Christ overcometh Christ reigneth Christ commandeth The Porrenger also must be signed with a Cross and a form of Conjuration must be pronounced Then each stone must be thrown into the water in the name of the suspected And when you put in the stone of him that is guilty the stone will make the water boil as though glowing iron were put thereinto Which is a meer knack of legierdemain and to be accomplished divers wayes To put out the Thiefs eye REad the seven Psalms with the Letany and then must be said a horrible prayer to Christ and God the Father with a curse against the Thief Then in the midst of the step of your foot on the ground where you stand make a circle like an eye and write thereabout certain barbarous names and drive with a Coopers Hammer or Addes into the midst thereof a brazen nail consecrated saying Justus es Domine justa judicia tua Then the Thief shall be bewrayed by his crying out Another way to find out a Thief STick a pair of Sheers in the rind of a Sieve and let two persons set the top of each of their Forefingers upon the upper part of the Sheers holding it with the Sieve up from the ground steadily and ask Peter and Paul whether A. B. or C. hath stoln the thing lost and at the nomination of the guilty person the Sieve will turn round This is a great practice in all Countries and indeed a very bable For with the beating of the pulse some cause of that motion ariseth some other cause by the slight of the fingers some other by the wind gathered in the Sieve to be staid c. at the pleasure of the holders Some cause may be the imagination which upon the conceit at the naming of the party altereth the common course of the pulse as may well be conceived by a Ring held steadily by a thred betwixt the finger and the thumb over or rather in a goblet or glass which within short space will strike against the side thereof so many strokes as the holder thinketh it a clock and then will stay the which who so proveth shall find true A Charm to find out or spoil a Thief OF this matter concerning the apprehension of Thieves by words I will cite one Charm called S. Adelberts curse being both for length of words sufficient to weary the Reader and for substantial stuff comprehending all that appertaineth unto blasphemous speech or cursing allowed in the Church of Rome as an Excommunication and Inchantment Saint Adelberts Curse or Charm against Thieves BY the Authority of the Omnipotent Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and by the holy Virgin Mary Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Angels and Archangels and S. Michael and S. John Baptist and in the behalf of S. Peter the Apostle and the residue of the Apostles and of S. Stephen and of all the Martyrs of S. Sylvester and of S. Adelbert and all the Confessors nd S. Alegand and all the holy Virgins and of all the Saints in Heaven and Earth unto whom there is given power to bind and loose we do excommunicate damn curse and bind with the knots and bands of Excommunication and we do segregate from the bounds and lists of our holy Mother the Church all those Thieves Sacrilegious persons ravenous Catchers Doers Counsellers Coadjutors male or female that have committed this theft or mischief or have usurped any part thereof to their own use Let their share be with Dathan and Abiran whom the Earth swallowed up for their sins and pride and let them have part with Judas that betrayed Christ Amen and with Pontius Pilat and with them that said to the Lord Depart from us we will not understand thy wayes let their Children be made Orphans Cursed be they in the Field in the Grove in the Woods in their Houses Barns Chambers and Beds and cursed be they in the Court in the Way in the Town in the Castle in the Water in the Church in the Churchyard in the Tribunal-place in Battel in their Abode in the Market-place in their Talk in Silence in Eating in Watching in Sleeping in Drinking in Feeling in Sitting in Kneeling in Standing in Lying in Idleness in all their Work in their Body and Soul in their five Wits and in every Place Cursed be the fruit of their Wombs and cursed be the fruit of their Lands and cursed be all that they have Cursed be their Heads their Mouths their Nostrils their Noses their Lips their Jaws their Teeth their Eyes and Eye-lids their Brains the roof of their Mouths their Tongues their Throats their Breast their Hearts Bellies their Livers all their Bowels and their Stomach Cursed be their Navels their Spleens their Bladder Cursed be their Thighs their Legs their Feet their Toes their Necks their Shoulders Cursed be their Backs cursed be their Arms
cometh in as before Advenient quae lustret anus lectumque locumque Deferat tremula sulphur ova manu Englished by Abraham Fleming Let some old Women hither come And purge both bed and place And bring in trembling hand new eggs And sulphur in like case And Virgil also harpeth upon the like string baccare frontem Cingite ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro Englished by Abraham Fleming Of berry-bearing baccar bowze Awreath or Garland knit And round about his head and browze See decently it sit That of an ill talking tongue Our future Poet be not stung Furthermore was it not in times of Tempests the Papists use or superstition to ring their Bells against Devils trusting rather to the conging of their Bells than to their own cry unto God with Fasting and Prayer assigned by him in all adversities and dangers according to the order of the Thracian Priests which would roar and cry with all the noise they could make in those tempests Olaus Gothus saith that his Countrymen would shoot in the Air to assist their Gods whom they thought to be then together by the ears with others and had consecrated Arrows called Sagittae Joviales even as our Papists had Also in stead of Bells they had great Hammers called Mallei Joviales to make a noise in time of thunder In some Countries they run out of the doors in time of Tempest blessing themselves with a Cheese whereupon there was a Cross made with a Ropes end upon Ascension day Also three Hailstones to be thrown into the fire in a Tempest and thereupon to be said three Pater Nosters and three Aves S. Johns Gospel and In fine fugiat Tempestas is a present Remedy Item to hang an egg laid on Ascension day in the roof of the House preserveth the same from all hurts Item I conjure you hail and wind by the five wounds of Christ by the three nails which pierced his hands and his feet and by the four Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John that thou come down dissolved into water Item it hath been an usual matter to carry out in tempests the Sacraments and Reliques c. Item against storms and many dumb Creatures the Popish Church useth Excommunication as a principal Charm And now to be delivered from Witches themselves they hang in their Entries an herb called Pentaphyllon Cinquefoil also an Olive-branch also Frankincense Myrrh Valerian Verven Palm Antirchmon c. also Haythorn otherwise White-thorn gathered on Mayday also the smoak of a Lappoints feathers driveth Spirits away There be innumerable Popish Exorcisms and Conjurations for Herbs and other things to be thereby made wholesom both for the bodies and souls of Men and Beasts and also contagion of Weather Memorandum that at the gathering of these Magical herbs the Credo is necessary to be said as Vairus affirmeth and also the Pater noster for that is not superstitious Also Sprenger saith that to throw up a black Chicken in the Air will make all tempests to cease so it be done with the hand of a Witch If a soul wander in the likeness of a man or woman by night molesting men with bewailing their torments in Purgatory by reason of Tithes forgotten c. and neither Masses nor Conjurations can help the Exorcist in his Ceremonial Apparel must go to the Tomb of that body and spurn thereat with his foot saying Vade ad Gehennam Get thee packing to Hell and by and by the soul goeth thither and there remaineth for ever Otherwise if there be no Masses of purpose for this matter to unbewitch the bewitched Otherwise You must spet in the Piss-pot where you have made water Otherwise Spet into the shoe of your right foot before you put it on and that Vairus saith is good and wholsom to do before you go into any dangerous place Otherwise that neither Hunters nor their Dogs may be bewitched they cleave an oaken branch and both they and their Dogs pass over it Otherwise S. Augustine saith that to pacifie the God Liber whereby Women might have fruit of the seeds they sow and that their Gardens and Fields should not be bewitched some chief grave Matron used to put a Crown upon his genital Member and that must be publiquely done To spoil a Thief a Witch or any other Enemy and to be delivered from the evil UPon the Sabbath day before Sun-rising cut a Hazel-wand saying I cut thee O bough of this Summers growth in the name of him whom I mean to beat or maim Then cover the Table and say ✚ In nomine Patris ✚ Filii ✚ Spiritus sancti ✚ ter And striking thereon say as followeth english he that can Drech myroch esenaroth ✚ betu ✚ baroch ✚ ass ✚ maaroth ✚ and then say Holy Trinity punish him that hath wrought this mischeif and take it away by thy great justice Eson ✚ elion ✚ emaris ales age and strike the carpet with your wand A notable Charm or Medicine to pull out an Arrow-head or any such thing that sticketh in the flesh or bones and cannot otherwise be had out SAy three several times kneeling Oremus praeceptis salutaribus moniti Pater noster Ave Maria. Then make a Cross saying The Hebrew Knight strake our Lord Jesu Christ and I beseech thee O Lord Jesu Christ ✚ by the same iron spear blood and water to pull out this iron In nomine Patris ✚ Filii ✚ Spiritus sancti ✚ Charms against a quotidian Ague CUt an Apple in three pieces and write upon the one The Father is uncreated upon the other The Father is incomprehensible upon the third The Father is eternal Otherwise Write upon a Mass-cake cut in three pieces O Ague to be worshipped on the second O sickness to be ascribed to health and joyes on the third Pax ✚ max ✚ fax ✚ and let it be eaten fasting Otherwise Paint upon three like pieces of a Mass-cake Pater pax ✚ Adonai ✚ Filius vita ✚ Sabbaoth ✚ Spiritus sanctus ✚ Tetragrammaton ✚ and eat it as is aforesaid For all manner of Agues intermittent JOyn two little sticks together in the midst being of one length and hang it about your neck in the form of a Cross Otherwise For this Disease the Turks put within their Doublet a ball of wood with another piece of wood and strike the same speaking many frivolous words Otherwise Certain Monks hanged scrolls about the necks of such as were sick willing them to say certain Prayers at each fit and at the third fit to hope well and made them believe that thereby they should receive cure Periapts Characters c. for Agues and to cure all Diseases and to deliver from all evil THe first Chapter of St. Johns Gospel in small letters consecrated at a Mass and hanged about ones neck is an incomparable Amulet or Tablet which delivereth from all Witchcrafts and devilish Practices But me thinks if
And never think that a poor old woman can alter supernaturally the notable course which God hath appointed among his creatures If it had heen Gods pleasure to have permitted such a course he would no doubt have both given notice in his word that he had given such power unto them and also would have taught remedies to have prevented them Furthermore if you will know assured means and infallible Charms yielding indeed undoubted remedies and preventing all manner of Witchcrafts and also the assaults of wicked Spirits then despise first all cosening knavery of Priests Witches and coseners and with true faith read the sixt chapter of St. Paul to the Ephesians and follow his counsel which is ministred unto you in the words following deserving worthily to be called by the name ensuing The Charm of Charms FInally my Brethren be strong the Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that you may stand against the assaults of the Devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers and against worldly Governours the Princes of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places For this cause take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day and having finished all things stand fast Stand therefore having your loins girded about with verity and having on the brestplate of righteousness c. as followeth in that Chapter verses 15 16 17 18. 1 Thess 5. 1 Pet. 5. Vers 8. Ephes 1. and else-where in the holy Scripture Otherwise IF you be unlearned and want the comfort of friends repair to some learned godly and discreet Preacher If otherwise need require go to a learned Physitian who by learning and experience knoweth and can discern the difference signs and causes of such diseases as faithless men and unskilful Physitians impute to Witchcraft CHAP. XXIII A Confutation of the force and vertue falsely ascribed to Charms and Amulets by the Authorities of ancient Writers both Divines and Physitians MY meaning is not that these words in the bare letter can do any thing towards your ease or comfort in this behalf or that it were wholesome for your body or soul to wear them about your neck for then would I wish you to wear the whole Bible which must needs be more effectual than any one parcel thereof But I find not that the Apostles or any of them in the Primitive Church either carryed St. John's Gospel or any Agnus Die about them to the end they might be preserved from bugs neither that they looked into the four corners of the house or else on the roof or under the threshold to find matter of Witchcraft and so to burn it to be freed from the same according to the Popish rules Neither did they by such and such Verses or Prayers made unto Saints at such or such hours seek to obtain grace neither spake they of any old Women that used such Trades Neither did Christ at any time use or command holy Water or Crosses c. to be used as terrours against the Devil who was not affraid to assault himself when he was on Earth And therefore a very vain thing it is to think that he feareth these trifles or any external matter Let us then cast away these prophane and old Wives Fables For as Origen saith Incatationes sunt Demonum irrisiones idololatriae fex animarum infatuatio c. Incantations are the Devils sport the dregs of Idolatry the besotting of souls c. Chrysostome saith there be some that carry about their necks a piece of a Gospel But is it not daily read saith he and heard of all men But if they be never the better for it being put into their ears hour shall they be saved by carrying it about their necks And further he saith Where is the vertue of the Gospel In the figure of the letter or in the understanding of the sense If in the figure thou dost well to wear it about thy neck but if in the understanding then thou shouldst lay it up in thine heart Augustine saith Let the faithful Ministers admonish and tell their people that these Magical Arts and Incantations do bring no remedy to the Infirmities either of Men or Cattel c. The Heathen Philosophers shall at the last day confound the infidelity and barbarous foolishness of our Christian or rather Antichristian or prophane Witchmongers For as Aristrtle saith that Incantamenta sunt muliercularum figmenta Inchantments are womens figments So doth Socrates who was said to be cunning herein affirm that Incantationes sunt verba animas decipientia humanas Incantations are words deceiving humane souls Others say Inscitia pallium sunt carmina maleficium Incantatio The cloak of Ignorance are Charms Witchery and Incantation Galen also saith that such as impute the Falling-evil and such like diseases to divine matter and not rather to natural causes are Witches Conjurers c. Hippocrates calleth them arrogant and in another place affirming that in his time there were many deceivers and coseners that would undertake to cure the Falling-evil c. by the power and help of Devils by burying some Lots or Inchantments in the ground or casting them into the Sea concludeth thus in their credit that they are all Knaves and Coseners for God is our only defender and deliverer O notable sentence of a Heathen Philosopher BOOK XIII CHAP. I. The signification of the Hebrew word Hartumim where it is found written in the Scriptures and how it is diversly translated whereby the Objection Pharaohs Magicians is afterward answered in this Book also of Natural Magick not evil in it self HArtumim is no natural Hebrew word but is borrowed of some other Nation howbeit it is used of the Hebrews in these places to wit Gen. 4.1.8.24 Exod. 7.13 24. 8.7.18 9.11 Dan. 1.20 2.2 Hierome sometimes translateth it Conjectores sometimes Malefici sometimes Arioli which we for the most part translate by this word Witches But the right signification hereof may be conceived in that the Inchanters of Pharaoh being Magicians of Aegypt were called Hartumim And yet in Exodus they are named in some Latine Translations Venefici Rabbi Levi saith it betokeneth such as do strange and wonderful things naturally artificially and deceitfully Rabbi Isaac Natar affirmeth that such were so termed as amongst the Gentiles professed singular wisdom Aben Ezra expoundeth it to signifie such as know the secrets of Nature and the quality of Stones and Hearbs c. which is attained unto by Art and specially by Natural Magick But we either for want of speech or knowledge call them all by the name and term of Witches Certainly God endueth bodies with wonderful graces the perfect knowledge whereof man hath not reached unto and on the one side there is amongst them such mutual love society and consent and
proved by many Examples of the living and the dead AND as we see in Stones Herbs c. strange operation and natural love and dissention so do we read that in the Body of a Man there be as strange Properties and Vertues natural I have heard by credible report and I have read many grave Authors constantly affirm That the wound of a man murthered reneweth bleeding at the presence of a dear friend or of a mortal Enemy Divers also write that if one pass by a murthered body though unknown he shall be stricken with fear and feel in himself some alteration by nature Also that a woman above the age of fifty years being bound hand and foot her clothes being upon her and laid down softly into the water sinketh not in a long time some say not at all By which experiment they were wont to try Witches as well as by Ferrum candens which was to hold hot iron in their hands and by not burning to be tryed Howbeit Plutarch saith that Pyrrhus his great Toe had in it such natural or rather divine vertue that no fire could burn it And Alberius saith and many other also repeat the same Story saying that there were two such children born in Germany as if that one of them had been carried by any house all the doors right against one of his sides would fly open and that vertue which the one had in the left side the other Brother had in the right side He saith further that many saw it and that it could be referred to nothing but to the propriety of their bodies Pompanatius writeth that the Kings of France do cure the disease called now the Kingsevil or Queensevil which hath been alwayes thought and to this day is supposed to be a miraculous and a peculiar gift ard a special grace given to the Kings and Queens of England Which some refer to the propriety of their persons some to the peculiar gift of God and some to the efficacy of words But if the French King use it no worse then our Princess doth God will not be offended thereat for her Majesty only useth godly and divine Prayer with some Alms and referreth the cure to God and to the Physitian Plutarch writeth that there be certain men called Psilli which with their mouths heal the bitings of Serpents And J. Bap. Neap. faith that an Olive being planted by the hand of a Virgin prospereth which if a Harlot do it withereth away Also if a Serpent or Viper lie in a hole it may easily be pulled out with the left hand where as with the right hand it cannot be removed Although this Experiment and such like are like enough to be false yet are they not altogether so impious as the miracles said to be done by Characters Charms c. For many strange properties remain in sundry parts of a living Creature which is not universally dispersed and indifferently spread through the whole body as the eye smelleth not the nose seeth not the ear tasteth not c. CHAP. X. The bewitching Venom contained in the body of an Harlot how her Eye her Tongue her Beauty and Behaviour bewitcheth some men of Bones and Horns yielding great vertue THE Vertue contained within the body of an Harlot or rather the venom proceeding out of the same may be beheld with great admiration For her eye infecteth enticeth and if I may so say bewitcheth them many times which think themselves well armed against such manner of people Her tongue her gesture her behaviour her beauty and other allurements poison and intoxicate the mind yea her company induceth impudency corrupteth virginity confoundeth and consumeth the bodies goods and the very souls of men And finally her body destroyeth and rotteth the very flesh and bones of mans body And this is common that we wonder not at all thereat nay we have not the course of the Sun the Moon or the Stars in so great admiration as the Globe counterfeiting their order which is in respect but a Bable made by an Artificer So as I think if Christ himself had continued long in the execution of miracles and had left that power permanent and common in the Church they would have grown into contempt and not have been esteemed according to his own saying A Prophet is not regarded in his own Countrey I might recite infinite properties wherewith God hath indued the body of man worthy of admiration and fit for this place As touching other living creatures God hath likewise for his Glory and our behoof bestowed most excellent and miraculous gifts and vertues upon their bodies and members and that in several and wonderful wise We see that a bone taken out of a Carps head stancheth blood and so doth none other part besides of that Fish The bone also in a Hares foot mitigateth the Cramp as none other bone nor part else of the Hare doth How precious is the bone growing out of the forehead of a Unicorn if the horn which we see grow there which is doubted and of how small account are the residue of all his bones At the excellency whereof as also at the noble and innumerable venues of Herbs we muse not at all because it hath pleased God to make them common unto us Which perchance might in some part assist Jannes and Jambres towards the hardning of Pharaohs heart But of such secret and strange operations read Albert. De mineral cap. 1.11 17. Also Marsilius Ficinus cap. 1. lib. 4. Cardan de rerum varietate J. Bap. Neap de Magia Naturali Peucer Wier Pompanatius Fernelius and others CHAP. XI Two notorious Wonders and yet not marvelled at I Thought good here to insert two most miraculous matters of the one I am Testis oculatus an Eye-witness of the other I am so credibly and certainly informed that I dare and do believe it to be very true When Mr. T. Randolph returned out of Russia after his Embassage dispatched a Gentleman of his Train brought home a monument of great accompt in nature and in property very wonderful And because I am loth to be long in the description of Circumstances I will first describe the thing it self which was a piece of earth of a good quantity and most excellently proportioned in Nature having these qualities and vertues following If one had taken a piece of perfect Steel forked and sharpned at the end and heated red hot offering therewith to have touched it it would have fled with great celerity and on the other side it would have pursued gold either in Coin or Bulloin with as great violence and speed as it shunned the other No Bird in the Air durst approach near it no Beast of the Field but feared it and naturally fled from the sight thereof It would be here to day and to morrow twenty miles of and the next day after in in the very place it was the first day and that without the help
the head of an Owl with a bundle of St. John's Wort or Millies Perforatum this done he must be informed of some miserable creature that hath strangled himself in some Wood or Desart place which they seldom miss to do and while the Carcass hangs the Magitian must betake himself to the aforesaid place at 12 a clock at night and begin his Conjurations in this following manner First stretch forth the consecrated Wand towards the four corners of the World saying By the mysteries of the deep by the flames of Banal by the power of the East and the silence of the night by the holy rites of Hecate I conjure and exorcize thee thou distressed Spirit to present thy self here and reveal unto me the cause of thy Calamity why thou didst offer violence to thy own liege life where thou art now in beeing and where thou wilt hereafter be Then gently smiting the Carcase nine times with the rod say I conjure thee thou spirit of this N. deceased to answer my demands that I am to propound unto thee as thou ever hopest for the rest of the holy ones and the ease of all thy misery by the blood of Jesu which he shed for thy soul I conjure and bind thee to utter unto me what I shall ask thee Then cutting down the Carcass from the tree lay his head towards the East and in the space that this following Conjuration is repeating set a Chasing-dish of fire at his right hand into which powre a little Wine some Mastick and Gum Aromatick and lastly a viol full of the sweetest Oyl having also a pair of Bellows and some unkindled Charcole to make the fire burn bright at the instant of the Carcass's rising The Conjuration is this I conjure thee thou spirit of N. that thou do immediately enter into thy ancient body again and answer to my demands by the virtue of the holy resurrection and by the posture of the body of the Saviour of the world I charge thee I conjure thee I command thee on pain of the torments and wandring of thrice seven years which I by the power of sacred Magick rites have power to inflict upon thee by thy sighs and groans I conjure thee to utter thy voice so help thee God and the prayers of the holy Church Amen Which Conjuration being thrice repeated while the fire is burning with Mastick and Gum Aromatick the body will begin to rise and at last will stand upright before the Exorcist answering with a faint and hollow voice the questions proposed unto it Why it strangled it self where its dwelling is what its food and life is how long it will be ere it enter into rest and by what means the Magitian may assist it to come to rest Also of the treasures of this world where they are hid Moreover it can answer very punctually of the places where Ghosts reside and how to communicate with them reaching the nature of Astral Spirits and hellish beings so far as its capacity reacheth All which when the Ghost hath fully answered the Magitian ought out of commiseration and reverence to the deceased to use what means can possibly be used for the procuring rest unto the Spirit To which effect he must dig a grave and filling the same half full of quick Lime and a little Salt and common Sulphur put the Carcass naked into the same which experiment next to the burning of the body into ashes is of great force to quiet and end the disturbance of the Astral Spirit But if the Ghost with whom the Exorcist consulteth be of one that dyed the common death and obtain'd the ceremonies of burial the body must be dig'd out of the ground at 12 a clock at night and the Magician must have a companion with him who beareth a torch in his left hand and smiting the Corps thrice with the consecrated rod the Exorcist must turn himself to all the four winds saying By the virtue of the holy resurrection and the torments of the damned I conjure and exorcize thee spirit of N. deceased to answer my liege demands being obedient unto these sacred ceremonies on pain of everlasting torment and distress Then let him say Berald Beroald Balbin gab gabor agaba Arise arise I charge and command thee After which Ceremonies let him ask what he desireth and he shall be answered But as a faithful caution to the practicer of this Art I shall conclude with this That if the Magician by the Constellation and Position of the Stars at his nativity be in the predicament of those that follow Magical Arts it will be very dangerous to try this experiment for fear of suddain death ensuing which the Ghosts of men deceased can easily effect upon those whose nativities lead them to Conjuration And which suddain and violent death the Stars do alwayes promise to such as they mark with the Stigma of Magicians CHAP. III. How to raise up the three Spirits Paymon Bathin and Barma And what wonderful things may be effected through their assistance THe Spirit Paymon is of the power of the Air the sixteenth in the ranck of Thrones subordinate to Corban and Marbas Bathin is of a deeper reach in the source of the fire the second after Lucifers familiar and hath not his fellow for agility and affableness in the whole Infernal Hierarchy Barma is a mighty Potentate of the order of Seraphims whom 20 Legions of Infernal Spirits do obey his property is to metamorphose the Magician or whom he pleaseth and transport into foreign Countreys These three Spirits though of various ranks and orders are all of one power ability and nature and the form of raising them all is one Therefore the Magician that desireth to consult with either of these Spirits must appoint a night in the waxing of the Moon wherein the Planet Mercury reigns at 11 a clock at night not joyning to himself any companion because this particular action will admit of none and for the space of four dayes before the appointed night he ought every morning to shave his beard and shift himself with clean linnen providing beforehand the two Seals of the Earth drawn exactly upon parchment having also his consecrated Girdle ready of a black Cats skin with the hair on and these names written on the inner side of the Girdle Ya Ya ✚ Aie Aaie ✚ Elibra ✚ Elohim ✚ Saday ✚ Yah Adonay ✚ tuo robore ✚ Cinctus Sum ✚ Upon his Shooes must be written Tetragrammaton with crosses round about and his garment must be a Priestly Robe of black with a Friars hood and a Bible in his hand When all these things are prepared and the Exorcist hath lived chastly and retired until the appointed time Let him have ready a fair Parlour or Cellar with every chink and window closed then lighting seven Candles and drawing a double Circle with his own blood which he must have ready before hand let him divide
it with the same and brandishing the same in his right hand he shall begin to conjure the Spirit on this following manner I Exorcize and Conjure thee thou great and powerful Balkin Lord of Glauron Lord of Luridan and of fifteen hundred Legions Lord of the Northern Mountains and of every Beast that dwells thereon by the holy and wonderful Names of the Almighty Iehovah Athanato ✚ Aionos ✚ Dominus sempiternus ✚ Aletheios ✚ Saday ✚ Iehovah Kedesh El gabor ✚ Deus fortissimus ✚ Anaphexaton Amorule Ameron ✚ ✚ ✚ Panthon ✚ Craton ✚ Muridon ✚ Iah Iehovah Elohim pentasseron ✚ ✚ trinus et unus ✚ ✚ ✚ ★ I Exorcize and Conjure I Invocate and Command thee thou aforesaid Spirit by the powers of Angels and Archangels Cherubim and Seraphim by the mighty Prince Coronzon by the blood of Abel by the righteousness of Seth and the Prayers of Noah by the voyces of Thunder and dreadful day of Judgment by all these powerful and royal words abovesaid that without delay or malitious intent thou do come before me here at the circumference of this consecrated Circle to answer my proposals and desires without any manner of terrible form either of thy self or attendants but only obediently fairly and with good intent to present thy self before me this Circle being my defence through his power who is Almighty and hath sanctified the same In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen After the Magician hath thrice repeated this Conjuration Let him immediately set the fire before him and put the Rozin thereon to fumigate at the appearance of the conjured Spirits and at the instant of their appearance he shall hold the Censer of fire in his left hand and the Sword in his right still turning round as the Spirits do For in a little space after the Invocation is repeated he shall hear the noise of Thunders and perceive before him in the Valley a mighty storm of Lightning and Rain after a while the same will cease and an innumerable company of Dwarfs or Pigmies will appear mounted upon Chamelions to march towards the Circle surrounding the same Next comes Balkin with his Attendants he will appear like the god Bacchus upon a little Goat and the rest that follow will march after him afoot Assoon as they come near the Circle they will breath out of their mouths a mist or fog which will even obscure the light of the Moon and darken the Magician that he cannot behold them nor himself yet let him not be discomfited or afraid for that fog will be quickly over and the Spirits will run round the Circle after Balkin their Lord who rides upon a Goat they will continue to surround the Circle till the Magician begin the form of obligation or binding their Leader or King in this form with the Sword in his right hand the Fire and Rozin burning before him I conjure and bind thee Balkin who art appeared before me by the Father by the Son and by the Holy Ghost by all the holy Consecrations I have made by the powerful Names of Heaven and of Earth and of Hell that I have used and uttered in calling upon thee by the Seals which thou here beholdest and the Sword which I present unto thee by this sanctified Girdle and all the sanctified and potent things aforesaid That here thou remain peaceably and of thy present shape before the Northern quarter of this Circle without injury to me in body soul or fortune but on the contrary to answer faithfully unto my demands and not hence to remove till I have licenced thee to depart In the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit Amen When he is thus obliged he will alight from his Goat and cause his Attendants to remove further into the Valley then will he stand peaceably before the Circle to answer the Magician After this the Magician shall begin to demand into his own possession a Familiar to build or pull down any Castle or strong hold in a night and that this Familiar bring with him the Girdle of Conquest or Victory that the Magician being girded with the same may overcome all enemies whatsoever And further the Spirit is able to inform him of all questions concerning Thunder and Lightning the Motions of the Heavens the Comets and Apparitions in the air Pestilence and Famine noxious and malevolent blasts as also of the Inhabitants of the Northern Pole and the wonders undiscovered throughout the world Likewise if the Exorcist inquire concerning the habitations of starry Spirits he will readily answer him describing their orders food life and past-time truly and exactly After the Magician hath satisfied himself with inquiries and curious questions unto the Spirit there will come from amongst the company a little Spirit of a span long like a little Ethiop which the great King Balkin will deliver unto the Exorcist to continue as a Familiar with him as long as his life shall last This familiar the possessor may name at it pleaseth him The three last who had this Spirit into possession were three Northern Magicians the first Honduros a Norwegian who called it Philenar and commanded it at his pleasure with a little Bell. After him Benno his eldest Son injoy'd the same under the same name And Swarkzar a Polonian Priest was the last who enjoy'd it under the Name of Muncula all which names were imposed upon it according to the pleasure of the Masters and therefore the naming of this familiar is left to the discretion of the Exorcist Now when the Master hath taken this familiar into his custody and service the Spirit Balkin will desire to depart being wearied if the action continue longer then an hour Therefore the Magician must be careful to dismiss him in this following form Because thou hast diligently answered my demands and been ready to come at my first call I do here licence thee to depart unto thy proper place without injury or danger to man or Beast depart I say and be ever ready at my call being duly exorcized and conjured by sacred Rites of Magick I charge thee to withdraw with quiet and peace and peace be continued betwixt me and thee In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen Then the Spirits company will begin to march about their Prince and in a formal Troop will march along the Valley whilest the Magician repeateth Pater Noster c. until the Spirits be quite out of sight and vanished This is a compleat form of conjuring the aforesaid Spirit according to the Rules of Vaganostus the Norwegian CHAP. X. The exposition of Iidoni and where it is found whereby the whole Art of Conjuration is deciphered THis word Iidoni is derived of Iada which properly signifieth to know it is sometimes translated Divinus which is a Diviner or Soothsayer as in Deut. 18. Levit. 20. sometimes Ariolus which is one that also taketh upon him to foretel things to come and is found Levit. 19.
2 King 23. Isai 19. To be short the opinion of them that are most skilful in the tongues is that it comprehendeth all them which take upon them to know all things part and to come and to give answers accordingly It alwayes followeth the word Ob and in the Scriptures is not named severally from it and differeth little from the same in sense and do both concern Oracles uttered by Sririts possessed people or Coseners What will not Coseners or Witches take upon them to do Wherein will they profess ignorance Ask them any question they will undertake to resolve you even of that which none but God knoweth And to bring their purposes the better to pass as also to win further credit unto the counterfeit Art which they profess they procure confederates whereby they work Wonders And when they have either learning eloquence or nimbleness of hands to accompany their confederacy or rather knavery then forsooth they pass the degree of Witches and intitle themselves to the name of Conjurors And these deal with no inferiour causes these fetch Devils out of Hell and Angels out of Heaven these raise up what bodies they list though they were dead buried and rotten long before and fetch souls out of Heaven or Hell with much more expedition than the Pope bringeth them out of Purgatory These I say among the simple and where they fear no law nor accusation take upon them also the raising of Tempests and Earthquakes and to do as much as God himself can do These are no small fools they go not to work with a baggage Toad or a Cat as witches do but with a kind of Majesty and with Authority they call up by name and have at their commandement Seventy and nine Principal and Princely Devils who have under them as their ministers a great multitude of Legions of petty Devils as for example CHAP. XI An Inventary of the Names Shapes Powers Govenment and effects of Devils and Spirits of their several segniories and degrees a strange discourse worth the reading THeir first and principal King which is of the power of the East is called Baell who when he is conjured up appeareth with three heads the first like a Toad the second like a Man the third like a Cat. He speaketh with a hoarse voice he maketh a man go invisible he hath under his obedience and rule Sixty and six Legions of Devils The first Duke under the power of the East is named Agares he cometh up mildly in the likeness of a fair old man riding upon a Crocodile and carrying a Hawk on his fist he teacheth presently all manner of tongues he fetcheth back all such as run away and maketh them run that stand still he overthroweth all Dignities supernatural and temporal he maketh Earthquakes and is of the order of Vertues having under his regiment Thirty one Legions Marbas aliàs Barbas is a great president and appeareth in the form of a mighty Lyon but at the commandement of a Conjuror cometh up in the likeness of a Man and answereth fully as touching any thing which is hidden or secret he bringeth diseases and cureth them he promoteth wisdom and the knowledge of Mechanical Arts or Handicrafts he changeth men into other shapes and under his presidency or Government are Thirty six Legions or Devils contained Amon or Aamon is a great and mighty Marquess and cometh abroad in the likeness of a Wolf having a Serpents tail spetting out and breathing flames of fire when he putteth on the shape of a man he sheweth out dogs teeth and a great head like to a mighty Raven he is the strongest Prince of all other and understandeth all things past and to come he procureth favour and reconcileth both friends and foes and ruleth Forty Legions of Devils Barbatos a great County or Earl and also a Duke he appeareth in Signo sagittarii Sylvestris with four Kings which bring companies and great troops He understandeth the singing of Birds the barking of Dogs the lowing of Bullocks and the voyce of all living creatures He detecteth treasures hidden by Magicians and Inchanters and is of the order of virtues which in part bear rule he knoweth all things past and to come and reconcileth friends and powers and governeth Thirty Legions of Devils by his authority Buer is a great president and is seen in this sign he absolutely teacheth Philosophy moral and natural and also Logick and the vertue of Herbs he giveth the best familiars he can heal all Diseases specially of men and reigneth over Fifty Legions Gusoin is a great Duke and a strong appearing in the form of a Xenophilus he answereth all things present past and to come expounding all questions he reconcileth friendship and distributeth honours and dignities and ruleth over Forty Legions of Devils Botis otherwise Otis a great President and an Earl he cometh forth in the shape of an ugly Viper and if he put on humane shape he sheweth great teeth and two horns carrying a sharpe sword in his hand he giveth answers of things present past and to come and reconcileth friends and foes ruling Sixty Legions Bathin sometimes called Mathim a great Duke and a strong he is seen in the shape of a very strong man with a Serpents tail sitting on a pale horse understanding the vertues of herbs and pretious stones transferring men suddenly from Countrey to Countrey and ruleth Thirty Legions of Devils Purson aliàs Curson a great King he cometh forth like a Man with a Lyons face carrying a most cruel Viper and riding on a Bear and before him go alwayes trumpets he knoweth things hidden and can tell all things present past and to come he bewrayeth treasure he can take a body either humane or aiery he answereth truly of all things earthly and secret of the divinity and creation of the World and bringeth forth the best familiars and there obey him Two and twenty Legions of Devils partly of the order of Vertues and partly of the order of Thrones Eligor aliàs Abigor is a great Duke and appeareth as a goodly Knight carrying a Lance an Ensign and a Scepter he answereth fully of things hidden and of Wars and how Souldiers should meet he knoweth things to come and procureth the favour of Lords and Knights governing Sixty Legions of Devils Leraje aliàs Oray a great Marquess shewing himself in the likeness of a gallant Archer carrying a Bow and a Quiver he is author of all battels he doth putrifie all such wounds as are made with Arrows by Archers Quos optimos objicit trilus dielus and he hath regiment over Thirty Legions Valefar aliàs Malephar is a strong Duke cometh forth in the shape of a Lyon and the head of a thief he is very familiar with them to whom he maketh himself acquainted till he hath brought them to the gallows and ruleth Teu Legions Morax aliàs Foraji a
teach shew and declare unto me and to my friends at all hours and minutes both night and day the truth of all things both bodily and ghostly in this world whatsoever I shall request or desire declaring also unto me my very name And this I command in your part to do and to obey thereunto as unto your own Lord and Master That done they will call a certain spirit whom they will command to enter into the centre of the circled or round Crystal Then put the Crystal between the two circles and thou shalt see the Crystal made black Then command them to command the spirit in the Crystal not to depart out of the Stone till thou give him licence and to fulfill thy will for ever That done thou shalt see them go upon the Crystal both to answer your requests and to tarry your licence That done the spirits will crave licence and say Go ye to your place appointed of Almighty God in the Name of the Father c. And then take up thy Crystal and look therein asking what thou wilt and it will shew it unto thee Let all your Circles be nine foot every way and made as followeth Work this work in ♋ â™ or ♓ in the hour of the ☽ or ♃ And when the spirit is inclosed if thou fear him bind him with some bond in such sort as is elsewhere expressed already in this our Treatise A Figure or Type proportional shewing what form must be observed and kept in making the Figure whereby the former secret of inclosing a Spirit in Crystal is to be accomplished c. 2 alanta â— 3 Thamaor 1 itrael 4 Ifalaur 5 itrami North South Est West Agla el ya Panthon ✚ dextera dmÌ„i exaltauit me ✚ dextera dmÌ„i fecit untâ—le ✚ dextera dmÌ„i exalfaâ—tine ✚ dextera dÌ„mi fect virtute ✚ Messias Emanuel Alpha et ω CHAP. XXII An Experiment of Bealphares ✚ ✚ ✚ Homo sacarus museo lomeas cherubozca ✚ The two and twentieth Psalm O My God my God look upon me why hast thou forsaken me and art so farr from my health and from the words of my complaint And so forth to the end of the same Psalm as it is to be found in the Book This Psalm also following being the fifty one Psalm must be said three times over c. HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences And so forth to the end of the same Psalm concluding it with Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Then say this verse O Lord leave not my soul with the wicked nor my life with the blood-thirsty Then say a Pater noster an Ave Maria and a Credo Ne nos inducas O Lord shew us thy mercy and we shall be saved Lord hear our prayer and let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Lord God Almighty as thou warnedst by thine Angel the three Kings of Cullen Jasper Melchior and Balthasar when they came with worshipful presents toward Bethelem Jasper brought myrrh Melchior incense Balthasar gold worshipping the high King of all the world Jesus Gods Son of Heaven the second Person in Trinity being born of the holy and clean Virgin S. Mary Queen of Heaven Empress of Hell and Lady of all the world at that time the holy Angel Gabriel warned and bad the foresaid three Kings that they should take another way for dread of peril that Herod the King by his Ordinance would have destroyed these three Noble Kings that meekly sought out our Lord and Saviour As wittily and truly as these three Kings turned for dread and took another way so wisely and so truly O Lord God of thy mightiful mercy bless us now at this time for thy blessed passion save us and keep us all together from all evil and thy holy Angel defend us Let us pray O Lord King of all Kings which containest the Throne of Heavens and beholdest all deeps weighest the hills and shuttest up with thy hand the earth hear us most meek God and grant unto us being unworthy according to thy great mercy to have the verity and vertue of knowledge of hidden treasure by this Spirit invocated through thy help O Lord Jesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory from worlds to worlds everlastingly Amen Then say these names ✚ Helie ✚ Helion ✚ essejere ✚ Deus eternus ✚ Eloy ✚ clemens ✚ Heloye ✚ Deus sanctus ✚ Sabaoth ✚ Deus exercituum Adonay ✚ Deus mirabilis ✚ jao ✚ berax ✚ anepheneton ✚ Deun ineffabilis ✚ Sodoy ✚ Dominatoz Dominus ✚ on fortissimus ✚ Deus ✚ qui the which wouldest be prayed unto of sinners receive we besiech thee these sacrifices of praise and our meek Prayers which we unworthy do offer unto thy Divine Majesty Deliver us and have mercy upon us and prevent with thy Holy Spirit this work and with thy blessed help to follow after that this our work begun of thee maybe ended by thy mighty power Amen Then say this anon after ✚ Homo ✚ sacarus ✚ Musceolameus ✚ cherubozca ✚ being the figure upon thy brest aforesaid the Girdle about thee the circle made bless the Circle with holy Water and sit down in the midst and read this Conjuration as followeth sitting back to back at the first time I exercise and conjure Baalphares the practiser and preceptor of this Art by the maker of Heavens and of Earth and by his vertue and by his unspeakable Name Tetragrammaton and by all the holy Sacraments and by the holy Majesty and Deity of the living God I conjure and exorcise thee Bealphares by the vertue of all Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and by their vertues and by the most truest and speciallest Name of your Master that you do come unto us in fair form of man or woman-kinde here visibly before this circle and not terrible by any manner of wayes This circle being our tuition and protection by the merciful goodness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that you do make answer truly without craft or deceit unto all my demands and questions by the vertue and power of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. XXIII To bind the Spirit Bealphares and to loose him again NOw when he is appeared bind him with these words which follow * I conjure thee Bealphares by God the Father by God the Son and by God the Holy Ghost and by all the holy company in Heaven and by their vertues and powers I charge thee Bealphares that thou shalt not depart out of my sight nor yet to alter thy bodily shape that thou art appeared in nor any power shalt thou have of our bodies or souls earthly or ghostly but be obedient unto me and to the words of my
hand and say putting it it into the Water making in the manner of a Cross COmmixtio salis aquae pariter fiat In Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Amen Dominus vobiscum Et cum spiritu tuo Oremus Deus invicte virtutis Author insuperabilis Imperii Rex ac semper magnificus triumphator qui adversae dominationis vires reprimis qui inimici rugientis saevitiam superas qui hostiles nequitias potens expugnas te Domine trementes supplices deprecamur ac petimus ut hanc creaturam salis aquae aspicias benignus illustres pietatis tuae rore sancti ✚ fices ubicunque fuerit aspersa per invocationem sancti tui nominis omnis infestatio immundi spiritus abjiciatur terrorque venenosi serpentis procul pellatur praesentia sancti spiritus nobis misericordiam tuam poscentibus ubique adesse dignetur per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum qui tecum vivit regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia sacula saeculorum Amen Then sprinkle upon any thing and say as followeth ASperges me Domine hyssopo mundabor lavabis me supra nivem dealbabor Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam supra nivem dealbabor Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui sancto Sicut erat in principio nunc semper in saecula saeculorum Amen Et supra nivem dealbabor asperges me c. Ostende nobis domine misericordiam tuam salutare tuum da nobis exaudi nos Domine Sancte Pater Omnipotens Aeterne Deus mittere dignare sanctums Angelum tuum de Coelis qui custodiat foveat visitet defendat omnes habitantes in hoc habitaculo per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Amen CHAP. XXV To make a Spirit to appear in a Crystal I Do conjure thee N. by the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost the which is the beginning and the ending the first and the last and by the latter day of judgment that thou N. do appear in this Crystal-stone or any other instrument at my pleasure to me and my fellow gently and beautifully in fair form of a Boy of twelve years of age without hurt or damage of any of our bodies or souls and certainly to inform and shew me without any guil or craft all that we do desire or demand of thee to know by the vertue of him which shall come to judge the quick and the dead and the World by fire Amen Also I conjure and exorcise thee N. by the Sacrament of the Altar and by the substance thereof by the wisdom of Christ by the Sea and by his vertue by the earth and by all things that are above the Earth and by their vertues by the ☉ and the ☽ by ♄ ♃ ♂ and ♀ and by their vertues by the Apostles Martyrs Confessors and the Virgins and Widow and the chast and by all Saints of mens or of women and innocents and by their vertues by all the Angels and Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and by their vertues and by the holy Names of God Tetragrammaton El Ousion Agla and by all the other holy Names of God and by their vertues by the Circumcision Passion and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ by the heaviness of our Lady the Virgin and by the joy which she had when she saw her Son rise from death to life that thou N. do appear in this Crystal-stone or any other instrument at my pleasure to me and to my fellow gently and beautifully and visibly in fair form of a child of twelve years of age without hurt or damage of any of our bodies or souls and truly to inform and shew unto me and to my fellow without fraud or guil all things according to thine oath and promise to me whatsoever I shall demand or desire of thee without any hindrance or tarrying and this Conjuration be read of me three times upon pain of eternal condemnation at the last day of Judgment Fiat fiat fiat Amen And when he is appeared bind him with the bond of the dead above written then say as followeth ✚ I charge thee N. by the Father to shew me true Visions in this Crystal-stone if there be any treasure hidden in such a place N. and wherein it lieth and how many foot from this piece of Earth East West North or South CHAP. XXVI An Experiment of the Dead FIrst go and get of some person that shall be put to death a promise and swear an oath unto him that if he will come to thee after his death his Spirit to be with thee and to remain with thee all the days of thy life and will do thee true service as it is contained in the oath and promise following Then lay thy hand on thy Book and swear this oath unto him I N. do swear and promise to thee N. to give for thee an alms every month and also to pray for thee once in every week to say the Lords Prayer for thee and so to continue all the days of my life as God me help and holy doom and by the contents of this Book Amen Then let him make his oath to thee as followeth and let him say after thee laying his hand upon the Book ✚ I N. do swear this oath to thee N. by God the Father Omnipotent by God the Son Jesus Christ and by his pretious blood which hath redeemed all the world by the which blood I do trust to be saved at the general day of judgment and by the vertues thereof I N. do swear this oath to thee N. that my spirit that is within my body now shall not ascend nor descend nor go to any place of rest but shall come to thee N. and be very well pleased to remain with thee N. all the days of thy life and so to be bound to thee N. and to appear to thee N. in any Crystal-stone Glass or other mirror and so to take it for my resting-place And that so soon as my spirit is departed out of my body straight-way to be at your commandements and that in and at all days nights hours and minutes to be obedient unto thee N. being called of thee by the vertue of our Lord Jesu Christ and out of hand to have common talk with thee at all times and in all hours and minutes to open and declare to thee N. the truth of all things present past and to come and how to work the Magick Art and all other noble Sciences under the Throne of God If I do not perform this oath and promise to thee N. but do fly from any part thereof then to be condemned for ever and ever Amen Also I N. do swear to thee by God the Holy Ghost and by the great wisdom that is in the divine Godhead and by their vertues and by all the holy
c. And it is worthy my labour to shew you how Papists define Superstition and how they expound the difinition thereof Superstition say they is a Religion observed beyond measure a Religion practised with evill and unperfect circumstances Also whatsoever usurpeth the name of Religion through humane tradition without the Popes authority is Superstitious as to add or joyn any Hymnes to the Mass to interrupt any Diriges to abridge any part of the Creed in the singing thereof or to sing when the Organs go and not when the Quire singeth not to have one to help the Priest to Mass and such like c. These Popish Exorcists do many times forget their own Rules For they should not directly in their Conjurations call upon the Devil as they do with intreaty but with authority and commandement Neither should they have in their Charms and Conjurations any unknown names Neither should there be as alwayes there is any falshood contained in the matter of the Charm of Conjuration as say they old Women have in theirs when they say the blessed Virgin passed over Jordan and then S. Steven met her and asked her c. Neither should they have any other vain Characters but the Cross for those are the words and many other such cautions have they which they observe not for they have made it lawful elsewhere But Thomas their chief pillar proveth their Conjuring and Charms lawful by S. Mark who saith Signa eos qui crediderunt and In nomine meo damonia ejicient c. whereby he also proveth that they may conjure Serpents And there he taketh pains to prove that the words of God are of as great holiness as the reliques of Saints whereas in such respect as they mean they are both alike and indeed nothing worth And I can tell them further that so they may be carryed as either of them may do a man much harm either in body or soul But they prove this by S. Augustine saying Non est minus verbum Dei quam corpus Christi whereupon they conclude thus By all mens opinions it is lawful to carry about reverently the reliques of Saints Ergo it is lawful against evill Spirits to invocate the name of God every way by the Pater Noster the Ave the Nativity the Passion the five Wounds the title Triumphant by the seven words spoken on the Cross by the nails c. and there may be hope reposed in them Yea they say it is lawful to conjure all things because the Devil may have power in all things And first alwayes the person or thing wherein the Devil is must be exorcised and then the Devil must be conjured Also they affirm that it is as expedient to consecrate and conjure Pottage and Meat as Water and Salt or such like things The right order of Exorcism in Rebaptism of a person possessed or bewitched requireth that Exsufflation and Abrenunciation be done toward the West Item there must be erection of Hands Confession Profession Oration Benediction Imposition of hands Denudation and Unction with holy Oyl after Baptism Communion and Induition of the Surplis But they say that this needeth not where the bewitched is exorcised but that the bewitched be first confessed and then to hold a Candle in his hand and in stead of a Surplis to tye about his bare body a holy Candle of the length of Christ or of the Cross whereupon he dyed which for mony may be had at Rome Ergo saith M. Mal. this may be said I conjure thee Peter or Barbara being sick but regenerate in the holy water of Baptism by the living God by the true God by the holy God by the God which redeemed thee with his pretious blood that thou mayst be made a conjured man that every fantasie and wickedness of Diabolical deceipt do avoid and depart from thee and that every unclean Spirit be conjured through him that shall come to judge the quick and the dead and the World by fire Amen Oremus c. And this Conjuration with Oremus and a Prayer must be thrice repeated and at the end alwayes must be said Ergo maledicte diabole recognosce sententiam tuam c. Therefore cursed Divell know thy sentence c. And this order must alwayes be followed and finally there must be diligent search made in every corner and under every coverlet and pallet and under every threshold of the doors for instruments of Witchcraft and if any be found they must straightway be thrown into the fire Also they must change all their bedding their cloathing and their habitation and if nothing be found the party that is to be exorcised or conjured must come to the Church rath in the morning and the holier the day is the better specially our Lady day And the Priest if he be shriven himself and in perfect state shall do the better therein And let him that is exorcised hold a holy candle in his hand c. Alwayes provided that the holy water be thrown upon him and a stoal put about his neck with Deus in adjutorium and the Letany with invocation of Saints and this order may continue twice a week so as say they through multiplication of Intercessors or rather intercessions grace may be obtained and favour procured There is also some question in the Romish Church Whether the Sacrament of the Altar is to be received before or after the Exorcism Item in shrift the Confessor must learn whether the Party be not Excommunicate and so for want of Absolution endureth this vexation Thomas sheweth the difference between Holy-water and Conjuration saying That Holy-water driveth the Devil away from the external and outward parts but Conjurations from the internal and inward parts and therefore unto the bewitched party both are to be applyed CHAP. XXXIV The seven Reasons why some are not rid of the Devil with all their Popish Conjurations why there were no Conjurors in the Primitive Church and why the Devil is not so soon cast out of the bewitched as of the possessed THe reason why some are not remedied for all their Conjurations the Papists say is for seven causes First For that the faith of the standers by is naught Secondly For that theirs that present the party is no better Thirdly Because of the sins of the bewitched Fourthly For the neglecting of meet remedies Fifthly For the reverence of virtues going out into others Sixthly For the Purgation Seventhly For the merit of the party bewitched And lo the first four are proved by Matthew the 7. and Mark the 4. when one presented his Son and the multitude wanted faith and the Father said Lord help my incredulity or unbelief Whereupon was said Oh faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you and where these words were written And Jesus rebuked him c. that is to say say they the possessed or bewitched for his sins For by the neglect of due
remedies it appeareth that there were not with Christ good and perfect men For the pillars of the faith to wit Peter James and John were absent Neither was there fasting and praying without the which that kind of Devils could not be cast out For the fourth point to wit the fault of the Exorcist in faith may appear for that afterwards the Disciples asked the cause of their impotency therein And Jesus answered it was for their incredulity saying Thut if they had as much faith as a grain of mustard seed they should move mountains c. The fift is proved by Vitas Patrum the lives of the Fathers where it appeareth that S. Anthony could not do that cure when his Scholar Paul could do it and did it For the proof of the sixth excuse it is said that though the fault be taken away thereby yet it followeth not that alwayes the punishment is released Last of all it is said That it is possible that the Devil was not conjured out of the party before Baptism by the Exorcist or the midwife hath not baptized him well but omitted some part of the Sacrament If any object There was no Exorcist in the primitive Church It is answered That the Church cannot now erre And S. Gregory would never have instituted it in vain And it is a general rule that who or whatsoever is newly exorcised must be rebaptized as also such as walk or talk in their sleep for say they call them by their names and presently they wake or fall if they climb whereby it is gathered that they are not truly name in Baptism Item they say It is somewhat more difficult to conjure the Devil out of one bewitched then out of one possessed because in the bewitched he is double in the other single They have a hundred such beggerly foolish and frivolous notes in this behalf CHAP. XXXV Other gross absurdities of Witchmongers in this matter of Conjurations SUrely I cannot see what difference or distinction the Witchmongers do put between the knowledge and power of God and the Devil but that they think if they pray or rather talk to God till their hearts ake he never heareth them but that the Devil doth know every thought and imagination of their minds and both can and also will do any thing for them For if any that meaneth good faith with the Devil read certain conjurations he cometh up they say at a trice Marry if another that hath no intent to raise him read or pronounce the words he will not stirr And yet J. Bodin confesseth That he is afraid to read such Conjurations as John Wierus reciteth lest belike the Devil would come up and scratch him with his foul long nails In which sort I wonder that the Devil dealeth with none other then Witches and Conjurors I for my part have read a number of their Conjurations but never could see any Devils of theirs except it were in a Play But the Devil belike knoweth my mind to wit that I would be loth to come within the compass of his claws But lo what reason such people have Bodin Bartholomeus Spineus Sprenger and Institor c. do constantly affirm that Witches are to be punished with more extremity than Conjurors and sometimes with death when the other are to be pardoned doing the same offence because say they the Witches make a league with the Devil and so do not Conjurors Now if Conjurors make no league by their own confession and Devils indeed know not our cogitations as I have sufficiently proved then would I weet of our Witchmongers the reason if I read the Conjuration and performe the Ceremony why the Devil will not come at my call But oh absurd credulity Even in this point many wise and learned men have been and are abused whereas if they would make experience or duly expend the cause they might be soon resolved specially when the whole Art and Circumstance is so contrary to Gods Word as it must be false if the other be true So as you may understand that the Papists do not only by their doctrin in Books and Sermons teach and publish Conjurations and the order thereof whereby they may induce men to bestow or rather cast away their money upon Masses and Suffrages for their souls but they make it also a parcel of their Sacrament of orders of the which number a Conjuror is one and insert many forms of Conjurations into their Divine Service and not only into their Pontificals but into their Masse-books yea into the very Canon of the Masse CHAP. XXXVI Certain Conjurations taken out of the Pontifical and out of the Missal BUt see yet a little more of Popish Conjurations and confer them with the other In the Pontifical you shall find this Conjuration which the other Conjurours use as solemnly as they I conjure thee thou creature of Water in the Name of the Fa ✚ ther of the So ✚ n and of the Holy ✚ Ghost that thou drive away the Devil from the bounds of the just that he remain not in the dark corners of this Church and Altar ✚ You shall find in the same title these words following to be used at the hollowing of Churches There must a cross of ashes be made upon the pavement from one end of the Church to the other one handful broad and one of the Priests must write on the one side thereof the Greek Alphabet and on the other side the Latin Alphabet Durandus yieldeth this reason thereof to wit It representeth the union in faith of the Jews and Gentiles And yet well agreeing to himself he saith even there That the Cross reaching from the one end to the other signifieth that the people which were in the head shall be made the tail A Conjuration written in the Masse-book Fol. 1. I Conjure thee O creature of Salt by God by the God ✚ that liveth by the true ✚ God by the holy ✚ God which by Elizacus the Prophet commanded that thou shouldest be thrown into the Water that it thereby might be made whole and sound that thou Salt here let the Priest look upon the Salt mayst be conjured for the health of all believers and that thou be to all that take thee health both of body and soul and let all phantasies and wickedness or Diabolical craft or deceipt depart from the place whereon it is sprinkled as also every unclean Spirit being conjured by him that judgeth both the quick and the dead by fire Resp Amen Then followeth a Prayer to be said without Dominus vobiscum but yet with Oremus as followeth Oremus ALmighty and everlasting God we humbly desire thy clemency here let the Priest look upon the Salt that thou wouldest vouchsafe through thy piety to bl ✚ ess and sanc ✚ tifie this creature of Salt which thou hast given for the use of mankind that it may be to all that receive it health of mind and body so as
eased of the pains in Purgatory Are they all gone into Italy because Masses are grown dear here in England Mark well this illusion and see how contrary it is unto the Word of God Consider how all Papists believe this illusion to be true and how all Protestants are driven to say it is and was Popish illusion Where be the Spirits that wandered to have burial for their bodies For many of those walking Souls went about their business Do you not think that the Papists shew not themselves godly Divines to preach and teach the people such doctrine and to insert into their Divine Service such fables as are read in the Romish Church all Scripture giving place thereto for the time You shall see in the lessons read there upon S. Stevens day that Gamaliel Nicodemus his kinsman and Abdias his son with his friend S. Steven appeared to a certain Priest called Sir Lucian requesting him to remove their bodies and to bury them in some better place for they had lien from the time of their death until then being in the reign of Honorius the Emperor to wit four hundred years buryed in the field of Gamaliel who in that respect said to Sir Lucian Non mei solummodo causa solicitus sum sed potius pro illis qui mecum sunt that is I am not only careful for my self but chiefly for those my friends that are with me Whereby the whole course may be perceived to be a false practice and a counterfeit vision or rather a lewd invention For in Heaven mens souls remain not in sorrow and care neither study they there how to compass and get a worshipful burial here in earth If they did they would not have foreslowed it so long Now therefore let us not suffer our selves to be abused any longer either with Conjuring Priests or Melancholical Witches but be thankful to God that he hath delivered us from such blindness and error CHAP. XLIX Cardanus Opinion of strange Noises how counterfeit Visions grow to be credited of Popish Appearances of Pope Boniface CArdanus speaking of Noises among other things saith thus a noise is heard in your house it may be a Mouse a Cat or a Dog among dishes it may be a counterfeit or a theif indeed or the fault may be in your ears I could recite a great number of Tales how men have even forsaken their houses because of such apparitions and noises and all hath been by meer and rank knavery And wheresoever you shall hear that there is in the night season such rumbling and fearful noises be you well assured that it is flat knavery performed by some that seemeth most to complain and is least mistrusted And hereof there is a very Art which for some respects I will not discover The Devil seeketh dayly as well as nightly whom he may devour and can do his feats as well by day as night or else he is a young Devil and a very bungler But of all other coseners these Conjurers are in the highest degree and are most worthy of death for their blasphemous impiety But that these Popish Visions and Conjurations used as well by Papists as by the Popes themselves were mere cosenages and that the tales of the Popes recited by Bruno and Platina of their magical devices were but plain cosenages and knaveries may appear by the History of Bonifacius the eight who used this kind of inchantment to get away the Popedom from his predecessor Coelestinus He counterfeited a voyce through a Cane-reed as though it had come from Heaven perswading him to yield up his Authority of Popeship and to institute therein and Bonifacius a worthy man otherwise he threatned him with damnation and therefore the fool yielded it up accordingly to the said Bonifacius An. 1264. of whom it was said He came in like a Fox lived like a Woolf and dyed like a Dog There be innumerable examples of such Visions which when they are not detected go for true stories and therefore when it is answered that some are true tales and some are false until they be able to shew forth before your eyes one matter of truth you may reply upon them with this distinction to wit visions tryed are false visions undecided and untryed are true CHAP. L. Of the noise or sound of Eccho of one that narrowly escaped drowning thereby c. ALas how many natural things are there so strange as to many seem miraculous and how many counterfeit matters are there that to the simple seem yet more wonderful Cardane telleth of one Comansis who coming late to a Rivers side not knowing where to pass over cryed out alowd for some body to shew him the Foord who hearing an Eccho to answer according to his last word supposing it to be a man that answered him and informed him of the way he passed through a River even there where was a deep whirl-pool so as he hardly escaped with his life and told his friends that the Devil had almost perswaded him to drown himself And in some places these noises of eccho are far more strange than other specially at Ticinum in Italy in the great hall where it rendereth sundry and manifold noises or voyces which seem to end so lamentably as it were a man that lay a dying so as few can be perswaded that it is the eccho but a a Spirit that answereth The noise at Winchester was said to be a very miracle and much wondering was there at it about the year 1569. though indeed a meer natural noise ingendered of the wind the concavity of the place and other instrumental matters helping the sound to seem strange to the hearers specially to such as would add new reports to the augmentation of the wonder CHAP. LI. Of Theurgie with a Confutation thereof a Letter sent to me concerning these matters THere is yet another Art professed by these cosening Conjurors which some fond Divines affirm to be more honest and lawful than Necromancy which is called Theurgie wherein they work by good Angels Howbeit their Ceremonies are altogether Papistical and Superstitious consisting in cleanliness partly of the mind partly of the body and partly of things about and belonging to the body as in the skin in the apparel in the house in the vessel and housholdstuffe in Oblations and Sacrifices the cleanliness whereof they say doth dispose men to the contemplation of heavenly things They cite these words of Esay for their authority to wit Wash your selves and be clean c. In so much as I have known divers superstitious persons of good account which usually washed all their Apparel upon conceits ridiculously For uncleanliness they say corrupteth the air infecteth man and chaseth away clean sprits Hereunto belongeth the Art of Almadel the Art of Paul the Art of Revelations and the Art of Notary But as Agrippa saith the more divine these Arts seem to the ignorant the more damnable they be But their false
of Rome but might also have made the Pope that now is content with our Christmas and Easter-day and not to have gathered the minutes together and reformed it so as to shew how falsly he and his predecessors whom they say could not err hath observed it hitherto And truly this and the dancing of the Sun on Easter-day morning sufficiently or rather miraculously prove that computation which the Pope now beginneth to doubt of and to call in question CHAP. V. The Opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching Spirits and of his Familiar Devil FAscius Cardanus had as he himself and his son Hierome Cardanus report a familiar Devil consisting of the fiery Element who so long as he used Conjuration did give true answers to all his demands but when he burned up his Book of Conjurations though he resorted still unto him yet did he make false answers continually He held him bound twenty and eight years and loose five years And during the time that he was bound he told him that there were many Devils or Spirits He came not always alone but sometimes some of his fellows with him He rather agreed with Psellus then with Plato for he said they were begotten born died and lived long but how long they told him not howbeit as he might conjecture by the Devils face who was 42 years old and yet appeared very young he thought they lived two or three hundred years and they said that their souls and ours also died with their bodies They had Schools and Universities among them but he conceived not that any were so dull headed as Psellus maketh them But they are very quick in credit that beleive such fables which indeed is the ground-work of Witchcraft and Conjuration But these Histories are so gross and palpable that I might be thought as wise in going about to confute them as to answer the stories of Fryer Rush Adam Bell or the golden Legend CHAP. VI. The Opinion of Plato concerning Spirits Devils and Angels what Sacrifices they like best what they fear and of Socrates his familiar Devil PLato and his followers hold that good Spirits appear in their own likeness but that evil Spirits appear and shew themselves in the form of other bodies and that one Devil reigneth over the rest as a Prince doth in every perfect Common-wealth overmen Item they obtain their purposes and desires only by intreaty of men and women because in nature they are their inferiors and use authority over men none otherwise than Priests by vertue of their function and because of Religion wherein they say they execute the Office of God Sometimes they say that the fiery Spirits or supreme Substances enter into the purity of the mind and so obtain their purpose sometimes otherwise to wit by vertue of holy Charms and even as a poor man obtaineth for Gods sake any thing at a Princes hand as it were by importunateness The other sort of Devils and defiled souls are so conversant on earth as that they do much hurt unto earthly bodies specially in leachery Gods and Angels say they because they want all material and gross substance desire most the pure Sacrifice of the Mind The grosser and more terrestrial Spirits desire the grosser Sacrifices as Beasts and Cattel They in the middle or mean Region delight to have Frankincense and such mean stuffe offered unto them and therefore say they it is necessary to Sacrifice unto them all manner of things so the same be slain and dye not of their own accord for such they abhor Some say that Spirits fear wonderfully vain threats and thereupon will depart as if you tell them that you will cut the Heavens in pieces or reveal their secrets or complain of them to the gods or say that you will do any impossibility or such things as they cannot understand they are so timerous as they will presently be gone and that is thought the best way to be rid of them But these be most commonly of that sort or company which are called Principatus being of all other the most easie to be conjured They say Socrates had a familiar Devil which Plato relyeth much upon using none other argument to prove that there are such Spirits but because Socrates that would not lye said so and partly because that Devil did ever disswade and prohibit not only in Socrates his own cases but sometimes in his friends behalf who if they had been ruled might through his admonition have saved their lives His Disciples gathered that his Devil was Saturnal and a principal fiery Devil and that he and all such as do naturally know their Devils are only such as are called Daemonii viri otherwise coseners Item they say That fiery Spirits urge men to contemplation the airy to business the watery to lust and among these there are some that are Martial which give fortitude some are Jovial giving wisdom some Saturnal always using disswasion and dehorting Item some are born with us and remain with us all our life some are meer strangers who are nothing else but the souls of men departed this life c. CHAP. VII Plato's nine Orders of Spirits and Angels Dionysius his Division thereof not much differing from the same all disproved by learned Divines PLato proposeth or setteth forth nine several orders of Spirits besides the spirits and souls of men The first Spirit is God that commandeth all the residue the second are those that are called Ideae which gave all things to all men the third are souls of heavenly bodies which are mortal the fourth are Angels the fift Archangels the sixt are Devils who are ministers to infernal powers as Angels are to supernal the seventh are half Gods the eighth are Principalities the ninth are Princes From which division Dionysius doth not much swerve saving that he dealeth as he saith only with good Spirits whom he likewise divideth into nine parts or offices The first he calleth Seraphim the second Cherubim the third Thrones the fourth Dominations the fift Vertues the sixt Powers the seventh Principalites the eighth Archangels the ninth and inferiour sort he calleth Angels Howbeit some of these in my thinking are evil Spirits or else Paul gave us evil counsel when he willed us To fight against Principalities and Powers and all spiritual wickedness But Dionysius in that place goeth further impropriating to every Countrey and almost to every person of any accompt a peculiar Angel as to Jewry he assigneth Michael to Adam Razael to Abraham Zekiel to Isaac Raphael to Jacob Peliel to Moses Metraton c. But in these discourses he either followed his own imaginations and conceits or else the corruptions of that age Nevertheless I had rarher confute him by Mr. Calvin and my Kinsman M. Deering than by my self or mine own words For Mr. Calvin saith That Dionysius herein speaketh not as by hearsay but as though he had slipped down from Heaven and told of things which he had
we may certainly know the same we ought to content and frame our selves faithfully to believe the words and sense there delivered unto us by the high Spirit which is the Holy Ghost who is Lord of all spirits alwayes considering that evermore spirits are spoken of in Scripture as of things spiritual though for the help of our capacities they are sometime more grossly and corporally expressed either in Parables or by Metephors than indeed they are As for example and to omit the History of Job which elsewhere I handle it is written The Lord said Who shall entice Ahab that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead c. Then came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will go entice him And the Lord said Wherewith And he said I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Then he said Go forth thou shalt prevail c. This story is here set forth in this wise to bear with our capacities and specially with the capacity of that age that could not otherwise conceive of spiritual things than by such corporal demonstrations And yet here is to be noted that one spirit and not many or divers did possess all the false Prophets at once Even as in another place many thousand Devils are said to possess one man yet it is also said even in the self same place that the same man was possessed only with one Devil For it is there said that Christ met a man which had a Devil and he commanded the foul spirit to come forth of the man c. But Calvin saith Where Satan or the Devil is named in the singular number thereby is meant that power of wickedness that standeth against the Kingdom of justice And where many Devils are named in the Scriptures we are thereby taught that we must fight with an infinite multitude of enemies lest despising the fewness of them we should be more slack to enter into battel and so fall into security and idleness On the other side it is as plainly set down in the Scripture That some are possessed with the Spirit of God as that the others are endued and bound with the spirit of the Devil Yea sometimes we read That one good Spirit was put into a great number of persons and again That divers Spirits rested in and upon one man and yet no real or corporal spirit meant As for example The Lord took of the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy Elders and when the Spirit rested upon them they prophesied Why should not this be as substantial and corporal a spirit as that wherewith the Maid in the Acts of the Apostles was possessed Also Elisha intreated Elias that when he departed his spirit might be double upon him We read also that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel upon Gideon Jeptha Samson Balaam Saul David Ezekiel Zachary Amasay yea it is written that Caleb had another spirit than all the Israelites beside and in another place it is said that Daniel had a more excellent spirit than any other So as though the spirits as well good as bad are said to be given by number and proportion yet the quality and not the quantity of them is alwayes thereby meant and presupposed Howbeit I must confess that Christ had the Spirit of God without measure as it is written in the Evangelist John But where it is said that spirits can be made tame and at commandment I say to those gross conceivers of Scripture with Solomon who as they falsly affirm was of all others the greatest Conjuror saith thus in express words No man is lord over a spirit to retain a spirit at his pleasure CHAP. XVII Whether Spirits and Souls can assume bodies and of their Creation and Substance wherein Writers do extreamly contend and vary SOme hold opinion that Spirits and Souls can assume and take unto them bodies at their pleasure of what shape or or substance they list of which mind all Papists and some Protestants are being more gross than another sort which hold that such bodies are made to their hands Howbeit these do vary in the Elements wherewith these spiritual bodies are composed For as I have said some affirm That they consist of fire some think of air and some of the Stars and other celestial powers But if they be celestial then as Peter Martyr saith must they follow the circular motion and if they be elementary then must they follow the motions of those Elements of which their bodies consist Of air they cannot be for air is Corpus homogeneum so as every part of air is air whereof there can be no distinct members made For an organical body must have bones sinews veins flesh c. which cannot be made of air Neither as Peter Martyr affirmeth can an anybody receive or have either shape or figure But some ascend up into the clouds where they find as they say divers shapes and forms even in the air Unto which objection Peter Martyr answereth saying and that truly That Clouds are not altogether air but have a mixture of other elements mingled with them CHAP. XVIII Certain Popish Reasons concerning Spirits made of Air of Day-Devils and Night-Devils and why the Devil loveth no Salt in his Meat MAny affirm upon a fable cited by M. Mal. that Spirits are of air because they have been cut as he saith in sunder and closed presently again and also because they vanish away so suddenly But of such Apparitions I have already spoken and am shortly to say more which are rather seen in the imagination of the weak and diseased than in verity and truth Which sights and apparations as they have been common among the unfaithful so now since the preaching of the Gospel they are most rare And as among faint-hearted people namely women children and sick folks they usually swarmd so among strong bodies and good stomachs they never used to appear as elsewhere I haved proved which argueth that they were only phantastical and imaginary Now say they that imagine Devils and Spirits to be made of air that it must needs be that they consist of that element because otherwise when they vanish suddenly away they should leave some earthy substance behind them If they were of water then should they moisten the place where they stand and must needs be shed on the floor If they consisted of fire then would they burn any thing that touched them and yet say they Abraham and Lot washed their feet and were neither scalded nor burnt I find it not in the Bible but in Bodin that there are Day-Devils and Night-Devils The same fellow saith That Deber is the name of that Devil which hurteth by night and Cheleb is he that hurteth by day howbeit he confesseth that Satan can hurt both by day and night although it be certain
as he saith that he can do more harm by night than by day producing for example how in a night he slew the first born of Egypt And yet it appeareth plainly in the Text that the Lord himself did it Whereby it seemeth that Bodin puteth no difference between God and the Devil For further confirmation of this his foolish assertion that Devils are more valiant by night than by day he alledgeth the 104. Psalm wherein is written Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the Beasts of the Forrest creep forth the Lions roar c. when the Sun riseth they retire c. So as now he maketh all Beasts to be Devils or Devils to be Beasts Oh barbarous blindness This Bodin also saith That the Devil loveth no salt in his meat for that it is a sign of Eternity and used by Gods Commandement in all Sacrifices abusing the Scriptures which he is not ashamed to quote in that behalf But now I will declare how the Scripture teacheth our dull capacities to conceive what manner of thing the Devil is by the very names appropriated unto him in the same CHAP. XIX That such Devils as are mentioned in the Scriptures have in their names their nature and qualities expressed with instances thereof SUch Devils are mentioned in the Scriptures by name have in their names their nature and qualities expressed being for the most part the idols of certain Nations idolatrously erected in stead or rather in spight of God For Beelzebub which signifieth The Lord of the Flies because he taketh every simple thing in his web was an Idol or Oracle erected at Ekron to whom Ahaziah sent to know whether he should recover his disease as though there had been no God in Israel This Devil Beelzebub was among the Jews reputed the principal Devil The Grecians called him Pluto the Latins Sumanus quasi summum deorum manium the chief ghost or spirit of the dead whom they supposed to walk by night although they absurdly believed also that the soul died with the body So as they did put a difference between the ghost of a man and the soul of a man and so do our Papists howbeit none otherwise but that the soul is a ghost when it walketh on the earth after the dissolution of the body or appeareth to any man either out of Heaven Hell or Purgatory and not otherwise Nisroch signifieth a delicate tentation and was worshipped by Senacharib in Assyria Tartak is in English fettered and was the Devil or Idol of the Hevites Baal-peor otherwise called Priapus the gaping or naked god was worshipped among the Moabites Adramelech that is the cloke or power of the King was an Idol at Sepharvais which was a City of the Assyrians Chemâ—sh that is feeling or departing was worshipped among the Moabites Dagon that is corn or grief was the Idol of the Philistines Astarte that is a fold or flock is the name of a she idol at Sydonia whom Solomon worshipped some think it was Venus Malcham that is a King was an Idol or Devil which the sons of Ammon worshipped Sometimes also we find in the Scriptures that Devils and Spirits take their names of wicked men or of the houses or states of abominable persons as Astaroth which as Josephus saith was the Idol of the Philistines whom the Jews took from them at Solomons commandment and was also worshipped of Solomon Which though it signifie riches flocks c. yet it was once a City belonging to Og the the King of Basan where they say the Giants dwelt In these respects Astaroth is one of the special Devils named in Solomon's Conjuration and greatly imployed by the Conjurors I have sufficiently proved in these quotations that these Idols are Dii gentium the gods of the Gentiles and then the Prophet David may satisfie you that they are Devils who saith Dii Gentium daemonia sunt The gods of the Gentiles are Devils What a Devil was the Rood of Grace to be thought but such a one as before is mentioned and described who took his name of his curteous and gracious behaviour toward his worshippers or rather those that offered unto him The idolatrous knavery whereof being now bewrayed it is among the godly reputed a Devil rather than a God and so are divers others of the same stamp CHAP. XX. Divers names of the Devil whereby his Nature and Disposition is manifested IT hath also pleased God to inform our weak capacities as it were by similitudes and examples or rather by comparisons to understand what manner of thing the Devil is by the very names appropriated and attributed unto him in the Scriptures wherein sometimes he is called by one name sometimes by another by metaphors according to his conditions Elephas is called in Job Behemoth which is Bruta whereby the greatness and brutishness of the Devil is figured Leviathan is not much different from Elephas whereby the Devils great subtilty and power is shewed unto us Mammon the covetous desire of money wherewith the Devil overcometh the reprobate Daemon signifieth one that is cunning or crafty Cacodaemon is perversly knowing All those which in ancient times were worshipped as Gods were so called Diabolus is Calumniator an accuser or a slanderer Satan is Adversarius an Adversary that troubleth and molesteth Abaddon a Destroyer Legio because they are many Prince of the air Prince of the world A King of the Sons of pride A roaring Lion An homicide or man-slayer a lyer and the Father of lyes The Author of sin A spirit Yea sometimes he is called the spirit of the Lord as the executioner and minister of his displeasure c. Sometimes the spirit of fornication c. And many other like epithets or additions are given him for his name He is also called the Angel of the Lord. The cruel Angel of Satan The Angel of Hell The great Dragon for his pride and force The red Dragon for his bloodiness A Serpent An Owl a Kite a Satyr a Crow a Pellican a Hedghog a Griph a Stork c. CHAP. XXI That the Idols or Gods of the Gentiles are Devils their divers names and in what affairs their labours and authorities are imployed wherein also the blind superstition of the Heathen people is discovered ANd for so much as the Idols of the Gentiles are called Devils and are among the unlearned confounded and intermedled with the Devils that are named in the Scriptures I thought it convenient here to give you a note of them to whom the Gentiles gave names according to the offices unto them assigned Penates are the domestical gods or rather Devils that are said to make men live quietly within doores But some think these rather to be such as the Gentiles thought to be set over Kingdoms and that Lares are such
should say to our Lady-Church And in the Church-yard he saw a great many dead men and some of them he knew of whom he asked What the matter was c. who answered That the Hangman was slain and the Devil challenged his soul the which our Lady said was her and the Judge was even at hand coming thither to hear the cause and therefore said they we are now come together The Priest thought he would be at the hearing hereof and hid himself behind a tree and anon he saw the judicial seat ready prepared and furnished where the Judge to wit Jesus Christ sate who took up his mother unto him Soon after the Devils brought in the Hangman pinnioned and proved by good evidence that his soul belonged to them On the other side our Lady pleaded for the Hangman proving that he at the hour of death commended his soul to her The judge hearing the matter so well debated on either side but willing to obey for these are his words his mothers desire and loath to do the Devils any wrong gave sentence that the Hangmans soul should return to his body until he had made sufficient satisfaction ordaining that the Pope should set forth a publick form of Prayer for the Hangmans soul It was demanded who should do the errand to the Popes Holiness Marry quoth our Lady that shall yonder Priest that lurketh behind the tree The Priest being called forth and injoyned to make relation hereof and to desire the Pope to take the pains to do according to this decree asked by what token he should be directed Then was delivered unto him a Rose of such beauty as when the Pope saw it he knew his message was true And so if they do not well I pray God we may CHAP. XXVII A Confutation of the Fable of the Hangman of many other feigned and ridiculous Tales and Apparitions with a reproof thereof BY the tale above mentioned you see what it is to worship the Image of our Lady For though we kneel to God himself and make never so humble Petitions unto him without faith and repentance it shall do us no pleasure at all Yet this Hangman had great friendship shewed him for one point of courtesie used to our Lady having not one dram of faith repentance nor yet of honesty in him Nevertheless so credulous is the nature of man as to believe this and such like fables yea to discredit such stuffe is thought among the Papists flat heresie And though we that are Protestants will not believe these toyes being so apparently Popish yet we credit and report other appearances and assuming of bodies by souls and spirits though they be as prophane absurd and impious as the other We are sure the holy Maid of Kent's Vision was a very cosenage but we can credit imprint and publish for a true possession or history the knavery used by a cosening varlot at Maidstone and many other such as that was We think souls and spirits may come out of Heaven or Hell and assume bodies believing many absurd tales told by the Schoolmen and Romish Doctors to that effect but we discredit all the stories that they and as grave men as they are tell us upon their knowledge and credit of souls condemned to Purgatory wandering for succour and release by Trentals and Masses said by a Popish Priest c. and yet they in probability are equal and in number far exceed the other We think that to be a lye which is written or rather fathered upon Luther to wit That he knew the Devil and was very conversant with him and had eaten many bushels of Salt and made jolly good cheer with him and that he was confuted in a desputation with a real Devil about the abolishing of private mass Neither do we believe this report That the Devil in the likeness of a tall man was present at a Sermon openly made by Carolostadius and from this Sermon went to his house and told his son that he would fetch him away after a day or twain as the Papists say he did indeed although they lie in every point thereof most maliciously But we can believe Platina and others when they tell us of the appearances of Pope Benedict the eight and also the ninth how the one rode upon a black Horse in the Wilderness requiring a Bishop as I remember whom he met that he would distribute certain money for him which he had purloined of that which was given in Alms to the poor c. and how the other was seen a hundred years after the Devil had killed him in a Wood of an Hermite in a Bears-skin and an Asses-head on his shoulders c. himself saying that he appeared in such sort as he lived And divers such stuffe rehearsed by Platina Now because S. Ambrose writeth that S. Anne appeared to Constance the daughter of Constantine and to her Parents watching at her Sepulchre and because Eusebius and Nicephorus say That the Pontamian Virgin Origen's Disciple appeared to S. Basil and put a Crown upon his head in token of the glory of his martyrdom which should shortly follow and because Hierome writeth of Paul's appearance and Theodoret of S. John the Baptist and Athanasius of Ammons c. many do believe the same stories and miraculous appearances to be true But few Protestants will give credit unto such shameful fables or any like them when they find them written in the Legendary Festival Rosaries of our Lady or any other such Popish Authors Whereby I gather that if the Protestant believe some few lyes the Papists believe a great number This I write to shew the imperfection of man how attentive our ears are to hearken to tales And though herein consists no great point of faith or infidelity yet let us that profess the Gospel take warning of Papists not to be carryed away with every vain blast of doctrine but let us cast away these prophane and old Wives fables And although this matter have passed so long with general credit and authority yet many grave Authors have condemned long since all those vain Visions and Apparitions except such as have been shewed by God his Son and his Angels Athanasius saith That souls once loosed from their bodies have no more society with mortal men Augustine saith That if souls could walk and visit their friends c. or admonish them in sleep or otherwise his Mother that followed him by Land and by Sea would shew her self to him and reveal her knowledge or give him warning c. But most true it is that is written in the Gospel We have Moses and the Prophets who are to be hearkened unto and not the dead CHAP. XXVIII A Confutation of Johannes Laurentius and of many others maintaining these fained and ridiculous Tales and Apparitions and what driveth them away of Moses and Elias appearance in Mount Tabor FUrthermore to prosecute this matter in more words if I say
that all the creatures of God are good and again when God in the creation of the world saw all that he had made was good the Devil is not comprehended within those words of commendation For it is written that he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him but when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own as being a lyer and the father of lyes and as John saith a sinner from the beginning Neither was his creation so far as I can find in that week that God made man and those other creatures mentioned in Genesis the first and yet God created him purposely to destroy I take his substance to be such as no man can by learning define nor by wisdom search out M. Deering saith Tha◠Paul himself reckoning up principalities powers c. addeth Every name that is named in this world or in the world to come A clear sentence saith he of Paul 's modesty in confessing a holy ignorance of the state of Angels which name is also given to Devils in other places of the Scripture His essence also and his form is also so proper and peculiar in mine opinion unto himself as he himself cannot alter it but must needs be content therewith as with that which God hath ordained him and assigned unto him as peculiarly as he hath given to us our substance without power to alter the same at our pleasures For we find not that a spirit can make a body more than a body can make a spirit the Spirit of God excepted which is Omnipotent Nevertheless I learn that their nature is prone to all mischeif for as the very signification of an Enemy and as an accuser is wrapped up in Satan and Diabolus so doth Christ himself declare him to be in the thirteenth of Matthew And therefore he brooketh well his name for he lyeth dayly in wait not only to corrupt but also to destroy mankind being I say the very tormentor appointed by God to afflict the wicked in this world with wicked temptations and in the world to come with Hell fire But I may not here forget how M. Mal. and the residue of that crew do expound that word Diabolus for Dia say they is Duo and Bolus is Morsellus whereby they gather that the Devil eateth up a man both body and soul at two morsels Whereas in truth the wicked may be said to eat up and swallow down the Devil rather than the Devil to eat up them though it may well be said by a figure that the Devil like a roaring Lion seeketh whom he may devour which is meant of the soul and spiritual devouring as very novices in Religion may judge CHAP. XXXIII Against fond Witchmongers and their opinions concerning corporal Devils NOw how Brian Darcies he-spirits and she-spirits Titty and Tiffin Suckin and Pidgin Liard and Robin c. his white-spirits and black-spirits gray-spirits and red-spirits Devil-toad and Devil-lambe Devils-cat and Devils-dam agree herewithal or can stand consonant with the Word of God or true Philosophy let Heaven and Earth judge In the mean time let any man with good consideration peruse that Book published by W.W. it shall suffice to satisfie him in all that may be required touching the vanities of the Witches Examinations Confessions and Executions where though the tale be told only of the accusers part without any other answer of theirs than their Adversary setteth down mine assertion will be sufficiently proved true And because it seemeth to be performed with some kind of authority I will say no more for the confutation thereof but referr you to the Book it self whereto if nothing be added that may make to their reproach I dare warrant nothing is left out that may serve to their condemnation See whether the witnesses be not single of what credit sexe and age they are namely lewd miserable and envious poor people most of them which speak to any purpose being old women and children of the age of 4 5 6 7 8 or 9. years And note how and what the Witches confess and see of what weight and importance the causes are whether their confessions be not won through hope of favour and extorted by flattery or threats without proof But in so much as there were not past seventeen or eighteen condemned at once at S. Osees in the County of Essex being a whole Parish though of no great quantity I will say the less trusting that by this time there remain not many in that Parish If any be yet behind I doubt not but Brian Darcie will find them out who if he lack aid Richard Gallis of Windsor were meet to be associated with him which Gallis hath set forth another Book to that effect of certain Witches of Windsor executed at Abington But with what impudency and dishonesty he hath finished it with what lyes and forgeries he hath furnished it what folly and frenzy he hath uttered in it I am ashamed to report and therefore being but a two-penny Book I had rather desire you to buy it and so to peruse it than to fill my Book with such beastly stuffe CHAP. XXXIV A Conclusion wherein the Spirit of spirits is described by the illumination of which Spirit all spirits are to be tryed with a Confutation of the Pneumatomachi flatly denying the divinity of this Spirit TOuching the manifold signification of this word Spirit I have elsewhere in this brief discourse told you my mind which is a word nothing different in Heb. from breath or wind For all these words following to wit Spiritus Ventus Platus Halitus are indifferently use by the Holy Ghost and called by this Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sacred Scripture For further proof whereof I cite unto you the words of Isaiah For his Spirit or Breath is as a River that overfloweth up to the neck c. in which place the Prophet describeth the coming of God in heat and indignation unto judgement c. I cite also unto you the words of Zacharie These are the four Spirits of the Heaven c. Likewise in Genesis And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters Moreover I cite unto you the words of Christ The Spirit or Wind bloweth where it listeth Unto which said places infinite more might be added out of holy Writ tending all to this purpose namely to give us this for a note that all the sayings above cited with many more that I could alledge where mention is made of spirit the Hebrew Text useth no word but one to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth as I said Spiritum ventum flatum halitum which may be Englished Spirit wind blast breath But before I enter upon the very point of my purpose it shall not be amiss to make you acquainted with the collection of a certain School Divine who distinguisheth and divideth this word
doth he constantly deny it to be a creature Now if any ask me why Hilarie was so coy and nice to name the Holy Spirit God whom he denyeth to be a creature when as notwithstanding between God and a creature there is no mean I will in good sooth say what I think I suppose that Hilarie for himself thought well of the Godhead of the Holy Spirit but this opnion was thrust and forced upon him by the Pneumatomachi who at that time rightly deeming of the Son did erewhiles join themselves to those that were sound of judgment There is also in the Ecclesiastical History a little book which they gave Liberius a Bishop of Rome whereinto they foisted the Nicene Creed And that Hilarie was a friend of the Pneumatomachi it is perceived in his Book De Synodis where he writeth in this manner Nihil autem mirum vobis videri debet fratres charissimi c. It ought to seem no wonder unto you dear Brethren c. As for the objection of the Prayers of the Church called the Collects that in them the Holy Spirit is not called upon by name we oppose and set against them the Songs of the Church wherein the said Spirit is called upon But the Collects are more ancient than the Songs Hymns and Anthems I will not now contend about ancientness neither will I compare Songs and Collects together but I say thus much only to wit that in the most ancient times of the Church the Holy Spirit hath been openly called upon in the Congregation Now if I be charged to give an instance let this serve In the Collect upon Trinity Sunday it is thus said Almighty and everlasting God which hast given unto us thy servants grace by the confession of a truth to acknowledg the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the divine Majesty to worship the Unity we beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this faith we may evermore be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest one God world without end Now because that in this Collect where the Trinity is expresly called upon the names of persons are not expressed but Almighty and Everlasting God invocated who abideth in Trinity and Unity it doth easily appear elsewhere also that the persons being not named under the Name of Almighty and Everlasting God not only the Father is to be understood but God which abideth in Trinity and Unity that is the Father the Son and the Holyghost A third objection of theirs is this The Son of God oftentimes praying in the Gospels speaking unto the Father promiseth the Holy Spirit and doth also admonish the Apostles to pray unto the heavenly Father but yet in the Name of the Son Besides that he prescribeth them this form of Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven Ergo The Father only is to be called upon and consequently the Father only is that one and very true God of whom it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Whereto I answer first by denying the consequent The Son prayed to the Father only Ergo the Father only is of us also to be prayed unto For the Son of God is distinguished of us both in Person and in Office he as a Mediator maketh Intercession for us to the Father and although the Son and the Holy Spirit do both together receive and take us into favour with God yet is he said to intreat the Father for us because the Father is the fountain of all counsels and divine works Furthermore touching the form of Praying described by Christ it is not necessary that the Fathers name should personally be there taken sith there is no distinction of persons made but by the Name of Father indefinitely we understand God or the Essence of God the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost For this name hath not alwayes a respect unto the generation of the Son of God but God is called The Father of the faithful because of his gracious and free adopting of them the foundation whereof is the Son of God in whom we be adopted but yot so adopted that not the Father only receiveth us into his favour but with him also the Son and the Holy Spirit doth the same Therefore when we in the beginning of Prayer do advertise our selves of God's goodness towards us we do not cast an eye to the Father alone but also to the Son who gave us the Spirit of Adoption and to the Holy Spirit in whom we cry Abba Father And if so be that invocation and Prayer were restrained to the Father alone then had the Saints done amiss in calling upon invocating and praying to the Son of God and with the Son the Holy Spirit in Baptism according to the form by Christ himself assigned and delivered Another objection is out of the fourth of Amos in this manner For lo it is I that make the Thunder and create the spirit and shew unto men their Christ making the light and the clouds and mounting above the high places of the earth the Lord God of Hosts is his Name Now because it is read in that place Shewing unto men their Christ the Pneumatomachi contended that these words are to be understood of the Holy Spirit But Ambrose in his Book De Spiritu Sancto lib. 2. cap. 7. doth rightly answer That by Spirit in this place is meant the Wind for if the Prophets purpose and will had been to speak of the Holy Spirit he would not have begun with Thunder nor have ended with light and clouds Howbeit the same father saith If any suppose that these words are to be drawn unto the interpretation of the Holy Spirit because the Prophet saith Shewing unto men their Christ he ought also to draw these words unto the mystery of the Lords incarnation and he expoundeth Thunder to be the words of the Lord and Spirit to be the reasonable and perfect soul But the former interpretation is certain and convenient with the words of the Prophet by whom there is no mention made of Christ but the power of God is set forth in his works Behold saith the Prophet he that formeth the Mountains and createth the Wind and declareth unto man what is his thought which maketh the morning darkness and walketh upon the high places of the earth the Lord God of Hosts is his Name In this sort Santes a right skilful man in the Hebrew tongue translateth this place of the Prophet But admit this place were written of the Holy Spirit and were not appliable either to the Wind or to the Lords Incarnation yet doth it not follow that the Holy Spirit is a creature because this word of Creating doth not alwayes signifie a making of something out of nothing as Eusebius dxpounding these wrrds The Lord created me in the beginning of his wayes writeth thus The Prophet in the Person of God saying
these dubious Spirits do properly belong then are they frequently sollicited to mediate in such treacherous actions as the hellish Spirits have conspired against the Lives of mortal men 30. More particularly These Spirits that belong to the fiery Element are most officious in this kinde of service being naturally such as the Antecedent matter hath sufficiently demonstrated but according to the ranks and Categoryes to which they belong some of them are more inveterate and malicious in their undertakings then the rest But every kinde of Astral Spirit is obsequious to the Kingdome of darkness that the devilish Spirits can effect little or nothing without their assistance in this external principle of the Starrs and Elements upon the bodies or possessions of Mankind because their bodies are too crude and rough for the conveyance of their influence either in Dreams Raptures Philtres Charms or Constellations as the following Chapter of the nature of Infernal beings shall make plain wherein the nature and capacity of every damned Spirit is decyphered according to the truth of the antient Philosophy 31. Leave we now the Spirits of the fire to illustrate the natures of subterranean Beings whose Orders Species and Degrees are various for they consist in these distinctions viz. Spirits of men deceased Souls of men deceased separated Spirits Astral separate Spirits semi-Infernal Spirits appropriate to the Constellations where any of the seven metals viz. Saturn Jupiter Mars Sol Luna Venus Mercury are found in the bowels of the Earth and as farr as the natures of Minerals are distinct one from the other so much distant are these Subterranean Spirits in Nature and Faculty in respect of their places shapes names and qualities 32. But they are not all confined unto the metallick Kingdome for there are also Spirits of the Mountains Vallies Caves Deeps Hiata's or Chasma's of the Earth hidden Treasures Tombs Vaults and Sepultures of the Dead To the last belong the Astral Spirits of deceased Mortals that delight to hover over the antient Carcases to which they belong'd seeking still to be dissolved and diligently enquiring the Cause of their retention such are resident in silent Caves and solitary Vaults where the deceased lie till the Humidum Radicale be exciccate and totally dryd up after which their tricks are no more manifest but are utterly extinguished and annihilated 33. To the next belong such Spirits as are Protectors of hidden Treasures from a natural Cause from whence they do exceedingly envy mans benefit and accommodation in the discovery thereof ever haunting such places where money is conceal'd and retaining malevolent and poysonous Influences to blast the Lives and Limbs of those that dare to attempt the discovery thereof Peters of Devonshire with his confederates who by Conjuration attempted to dig for such defended Treasures was crumbled into Atomes as it were being reduced to Ashes with his Companions in the twinkling of an eye 34. And upon this particular we have plenty of Examples of the destruction of such as by Magical experiments have discovered hidden Treasures which instances do rather seem to prove That such as haunt these places do more nearly belong to the Infernal then to the Astral Hierarchy in regard that they are so infesting and inveterate to Mortal men that the Grand Intention of the Prince of darkness may be accomplished in their designs 35. But of all the rest such as haunt Mines and mettle men are the most pernicious and frequent from the same Cause with the former The nature of such is very violent they do often slay whole Companies of Labourers they do sometimes send inundations that destroy both the Mines and Miners they bring noxious and malignant vapours to stifle the laborious workmen briefly their whole delight and faculty consists in tormenting killing and crushing men that seek such Treasures that mankind may never partake thereof to relieve their Cares and worldly necessities 36. Such was Anaebergius a most virulent Animal that did utterly confound the undertakings of those that laboured in the richest Silver mine in Germany called Corona Rosacea He would often shew himself in the likeness of a he-goat with Golden horns pushing down the workmen with great violence sometimes like a Horse breathing flames and pestilence at his Nostrils At other times he represented a Monk in all his Pontificalilus flouting at their Labour and imitating their Actions with scorn and dedignation till by his daily and continued molestation he gave them no further ability of perseverance 37. Thus I have hinted the various distinctions and sub-distinctions of Astral Spirits proper or common illustrating their natures according to the opinions of the Learned from thence I proceed to say what the Infernal Hierarchy is and whereof it doth consist in this fifth Chapter following CHAP. V. Of the Infernal Spirits or Devils and damned Souls treating what their Natures Names and Powers are c. 1. LEaving the Astral Kingdome I will now proceed to describe the natures and distinctions of Infernal Spirits or Devils and damned Souls who are to be considered according to their ranks and orders exactly correspondent to the Quires and Hierarchies of the Angels or Celestial beings wherein I will insist upon their names shapes places times orders powers and capacities proceeding gradually from a general narration to a particular Anatomy of every sort of Spirit in its proper place and order 2. As for the Locality or Circumscription of the Kingdome of darkness it is farr otherwise to be considered then the vulgar account it who esteem the hellish habitation a distinct Chasma or Gulph in a certain place above under or in the Center of the Earth where innumerable Devils and wicked Souls inhabit who are perpetually scorched and tormented with material flames of fire This is the opinion which naturally all men are addicted and prone unto But if we will rightly consider the Kingdome of Heaven and Hell in respect of one another we must look upon the similitude of light and darkness in this outward world who are not circumscribed nor separate as to Locality from one another for when the sun arises the darkness of the night disappeareth not that it removes it self to some other place or Country but the brightness of the light overpowereth it and swallows it up so that though it disappeareth yet it is as really there as the light is 3. This is also to be considered in the description of the Habitations of good or evill beings that they are really in one another yet not comprehended of one another neither indeed can they be for the evil Spirits if they should remove ten thousand miles yet are they in the same quality and source never able to finde out or discover where the Kingdome of Heaven is to be found though it be really through and through with the dark Kingdome but in another quality which makes them strangers to one another 4. A similitude hereof we
have in the faculties of the humane Life as to the indowments of the Soul considered in the just and in the wicked for to be good pure and holy is really present as a quality in potentia with the depraved soul although at that instant the Soul be cloathed with Abominations so that the eye which should behold God or Goodness is put out Yet if the soul would but come out of it self and enter into another source or principle in the center it might come to see the Kingdome of Heaven within it self according to the Scripture and Moses The word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth 5. True it is that the Devils and damned Souls cannot sometimes manifest themselvs in this Astral World because the nature of some of them is more near unto the external quality then of others so that although properly the very innermost and outermost darkness be their proximate abode yet they do frequently flourish live move and germinate in the Aery Region being some of them finite and determinate Creatures 6. But according to their fiery nature it is very difficult for them to appear in this outward world because there is a whole principle or gulph betwixt them to wit they are shut up in another quality or existence so that they can with greater difficulty finde out the being of this World or come with their presence into the same then we can remove into the Kingdome of Heaven or Hell with our intellectual man for if it were otherwise and that the Divels had power to appear unto Mortals as they list how many Towns Cities c. should be destroyed and burnt to the ground how many Infants should be kild by their malicious power yea few or none might then escape in Lives or Possessions and sound minds whereas now all these enjoyments are free amongst mortals which proves that it is exceeding hard for evill Spirits to appear in the third principle of this world as for a man to live under water and fishes on the Land Yet must we grant that when the imaginations and earnest desires of some particular Wizards and envious Creatures have stirr'd up the center of Hell within themselvs that then the Devil hath sometimes access to this world in their desires and continues here to vex and torment so long as the strength of that desire remains which was the first attractive Cause 7. For the very cause of the paucity of appearances in these dayes is the fulness of time and the brightness of Christianity dispelling such mists as the sun doth cause the clouds to vanish not by any violence or compulsion but from a natural cause even so the Kingdome of Light as it grows over mans soul in power and dominion doth naturally close up the Center of darkness and scatter the influences of the Devil so that his tricks lye in the dust and his will at length becomes wholly passive as to man 8. In the time of the Law when the wrath and jealousie of the Father had the dominion in the Kingdom of Nature all Infernal Spirits had more easie access unto mankind then now they have for before the Incarnation of Christ the anger of God had more dominion over the soul of Man and was more near in nature unto the same so that the Devils could with more facility spring up in the element of Wrath to manifest themselves in this outward principle because the very Basis and Foundation of Hell beneath is built and composed of the Wrath of God which is the channel to convey the Devil into this sublunary World 9. But when Christ began to be manifest unto the World the multiplicity of Appearances and possessed with Devils began insensibly to decay and vanish And if any should object That betwixt the space of his Incarnation and his Suffering such accidents were rather more frequent than in the times before To this I answer That the Devil knowing well that his time was but short and also knowing that till the great Sacrifice was offered up he had leave to range and rove abroad the Kingdom of this World therefore he imployed all his forces and endeavours to torment those miserable souls and captives to whom Christ came to Preach Deliverance 10. But after the Partition wall was broken down and the vail of Moses and of the anger of God from off the soul in the death of Christ there was a sensible and visible decay of the Devils prancks amongst mortals and that little remnant of Lunaticks and Possessed which continued after Christ did the Apostles relieve and set at liberty through the influence and virtue of the promise of the Son of God to wit the Holy Ghost or the Comforter which could not come until he went away And on the day of Pentecost whilst they waited in humility for the fulfilling of his promise the very effect of Christs birth and sufferings did first manifest it self when the Holy Ghost sprung up amongst them to the destruction of Sin and Satan 11. And so long as the purity of Christianity continued in the Primitive Church there were very few that the Devil could personally or actually lay hold of in the Astral Man for the space of two hundred years after the death of Christ until that from Meekness and Abstinence the Christians began to exalt themselves in Loftiness and Worldly Honours then the Devil began to exalt his head amongst the Lip-Christians bewitching them into every Lust and captivating their inward and outward faculties at his pleasure As all along in Popery is clearly seen 12. Yet notwithstanding the coming of Christ hath prevented the Devils force in general Such Nations as have never embraced the Christian Faith are still deluded and bewitched by him because the center hath never been actually awakened in any of them so that the Devils power prevails over them mightily to seduce them to worship things visible and not the true God For where the most darkness is in Religion and Worship or in natural understanding there his power is most predominant As in Tartary China and the East-Indies also in Lapland Finland and the Northern Islands 13. In the West-Indies or America his access is very facil and freequent to the Inhabitants so that by custom and continuance they were at the first discovery thereof become so much substitute and obsequious to his power that though they knew him to be a power of Darkness yet they adored him lest he should destroy them and their Children And unto such a height were they come at the Landing of Cortes Drake and Vandernort that they could familiarly convert themselves into Wolves Bears and other furious Beasts in which Metamorphosis their Enthusiasms and Divinations were suggested and such were held in greatest esteem 14. Till upon the Invasion of the Spaniards the greater evil drove out the less and the cruel Murthers of that Antichristian tradition did both depopulate
even through their bones and marrow till they have so habituated them to their service that the same becomes their daily bread and sole delight in accomplishing every villany and abomination which the malicious and subtle instigation of Satan leads them to 52. Thus have I Essayed to illustrate the Natures of Infernal Beings which notwithstanding is a Subject so intricate and copious in it self that great difficulty accompanies the Explication thereof by reason of the variety of their natures in the source of darkness wherein they live move eat breath and inhabit having qualities actions and passions innumerable to us men-kinde utterly unknown and incomprehensible So that to attempt an ample demonstration of this present Subject would require deeper speculation then the matter doth deserve in regard that there be so many Protei and Changlings in that gloomy Kingdom who do never stay or continue in the same nature property and form for an hour together but may be compared to the swiftness of the Windes or the likeness and form of swift running Waters that pass away as a thought and are no more remembered so it is with the Spirits of Darkness whose life is a meer anguish and inconstancy from one sorrow to another unto all Eternity CHAP. VI. Treating of the Nature Force and Forms of Charms Periapts Amulets Pentacles Conjurations Ceremonies c. 1. BEfore Appearances are made after forms of Conjuration are repeated the Infernal Spirits make various and wonderful shews noises and attempts as fore-runners to their appearance At the first attempts of novices in Conjuration they are accompanyed with noises tremblings flashes howlings and most dreadful shriekes till after further progress and experience therein they approach nearer unto this Elemental nature till by degrees they can manifestly be apparent unto their Exorcist 2. When Chiancungi and his sister Napala did first attempt to call up Spirits they begun with the Spirit Bokim in the twentieth degree they hung a vault under ground with black both on the top and bottom lining it therewith and having drawn the Circle of the Order of Thrones with the seven Planets and their Magical Characters in the Center they proceeded to the Ceremonies of Conjuration after they had frequently repeated the forms of calling and nothing as yet appeared they were grown so desperate therein that forsaking the Circle and every defensive Character or Ceremony they at last betook themselves to the most accursed and detestable branch of Magick which consists of Compacts or Confederacy and having by a solemn League summoned the aforesaid Spirit Bokim they obtain'd 155. years from the Spirit Covenanting therewith for body soul and works 3. In which damned life they continued exercising strange wonders in every Countrey By the help of this Magician the Tartars did destroy above 100 sail of Ships belonging unto China many losses did he bring upon that Kingdom in their Children Fruits Corn Silk and Navigation he could frequently transport himself through the Air and carry in one hand a thousand pound weight to the astonishment of all that knew him He had many publick contests with Magicians of other Countries being tryals of skill in Magical Art wherein he was said to excel all that ever went before him 4. Such another was Lewis Gaufridi a French Priest who had compacted with the Devil and served him 14 years in these detestable works sacrificing Infants unto him worshipping him in a filthy shape and tempting others to their Magical society or nocturnal Conventions in which as it is reported they did ever feast and junket with varieties and dainties which though they did seem delectable were yet notwithstanding gustless and unsavoury 5. Leaving these relations something shall be said of Charms and Spells as they are divided in this following manner first such Amulets as being engraven and molded in the fashion of Money or Coyn do serve to provoke any one desired unto love and familiarity being hung about the neck in certain Planetary hours Secondly Spells or Charms in Parchment with Magical Characters as Periapts to Cure diseases to make one valiant memorative and constant Thirdly Corselets which are an ancient Danish Charm of Neck-laces composed of Thunder-stones ingraven with Magical Letters to resist all noxious influences and the danger of Lightning 6. Pentacles are a fourth sort of appendix which Conjurers Charmers and Magicians use being made with five corners according to the five Senses and the operation thereof inscribed upon the corners the matter whereof they are composed is fine Linnen doubled and done with Cere-cloth between This figure the Magician holds in his hand lifting it up from the skirt of his Garment to which it is annexed when Spirits that are raised are stubborn and rebellious refusing to be conformable unto the Ceremonies and Rites of Magick 7. Also by the holding forth of Pentacles with these words Glauron Amor Amorula Beor Beorka Beroald Anephexaron repeated at the instant The evil Spirits that possess the bodies of bewitched people are cruelly tortured and amazed being by the frequent repetition thereof forced at last to depart by the assistance of the Exorcism of the sixth Cannon for the order of Seraphims 8. When Magicians exercise Conjuration by Moon-light in the Mountains or Valleys they have another sort of Charm by way of Telesms which they bury within a hundred paces of the place where the Circle is composed towards the East West North and South for such spells have the secret power to hinder any living creature for coming near them till their Exercize be done except the Infernal Spirit whose presence they do so ardently desire 9. Such Spells as are made in some Edible matter with Characters upon them are given for Agues Head-ach Epilepsie Mother c. Especially being powerful in operation when the party is ignorant of the Charm taken in many such I know have taken wonderful effect But as for Philtres Potions and Love-cups they proceed rather from a natural cause whether their effects be to afflict with Diseases to Poyson or to provoke unto Love of a Party whom they disdain Neither are such to be numbered amongst Charms because their effect is meerly natural from a natural cause 10. But to insist further upon the nature of Conjuration Magicians do much exercise their time in Fumigations unto those Spirits whom they are about to provoke their fumes being distributed according to the nature of the Spirit under any of the seven Planets which the antient Conjurers were very punctual in observing though in these days it be much forgot as superfluous or rather dangerous to insert amongst the Ceremonies of Conjuration A division of Fumigations according to the Influence of the Planets and Orders of Spirits we will here set down in this manner 11. Fumigations for Saturn are made of Frankincense Trees Pepper-wort Rooots Storax and Galbanum by these the Spirits Marbas Corban Stilkon Idos c. And all of
that produce wonderful operations as Lamps of Serpents skins will make Serpents to appear Oyl that hath stood under Grapes being lighted presenteth the Chamber full of Grapes Centaury and the Lapwings blood makes people seem like Gyants and in the open air will make the Stars seem to move up and down in the Elements The fat of a Hare lighted in a Lamp will cause Women to be exceeding merry and facetious And Candles composed of things that are Saturnine raise terrours and melancholy in the party that lights them and in those that are lighted by them 6. Such wonderful effects have natural things being fitted unto their Hours and Constellations as also when they are used to prove such effects as the nature of the things doth produce of it self though in a weaker degree To raise Tempests Magicians burn the Liver of a Camaelion on the house top To cause strange sights they hang the Gall of an Ox over their Beds to bring Apparitions and Spirits they make a strange fume of a Mans Gall and the Eyes of a black Cat Which Agrippa saith he hath often made experience of There is also a strange Magical Candle described amongst Chymical Authors which being lighted foretells the death of the party to whom it belongs The manner thereof is thus They take a good quantity of the venal blood luke-warm as it came out of the vein which being Chymically prepared with Spirit of Wine and other Ingredients is at last made up into a Candle which being once kindled never goes out till the death of the party whose blood it is composed of for when he is sick or in danger it burns dim and troubled and when he is dead it is quite extinguished of which Composition a Learned man hath wrote an intire Tractate De Biolychnio or The Lamp of Life 7. But to proceed to the nature of Characters Sigils and other Ceremonies we find that not only such as pretend to command over all sorts of Spirits but also they that do make Compacts and have sold themselves unto him do make use of such which instance is sufficient to prove what a wise man hath asserted that although Evil Spirits have so blinded Mens Eyes as to make them believe they are defended by such Ceremonies and that these Characters are as Munitions against the Devils malignancy Yet these very Characters Sigils Lamins c. are Compacts themselves which the Devils did at first cunningly disguise with strange Repetitions in uncouth Language 8. So that we have grounds to believe that none is able absolutely without Compact to call up any Spirit But that whosoever hath pretended to be famous in the Art of Magick or Conjuration hath to himself unknown compacted with and worshipped the Devil under strange Repetitions and mystical Characters which to him seemed to have effects quite contrary to what they really had 9. Neither is this to be admired that without the Knowledge or Consent of the Magician a Contract is made with Evil Spirits when we consider the magical strength of Words and Characters which of themselves can cure Diseases pull down infect save destroy charm and inchant without the Parties assistance either in knowledge of the Cause or in belief of the Consequence or Effect 10. But on the contrary I could instance a multitude of Examples of such as have spent much time in Conjurations to no purpose still attempting by Exorcisms and Defensive Prayers to conjure a Spirit or cause Personal Appearances with severe Imprecations and powerful Charges and yet notwithstanding have never attain'd their purpose nor at any time heard or seen any Beeing which may be called Spectre or Apparition 11. Which is nothing wonderful if we minde the sympathy of things in Nature how each desires its like and hunteth after it as the Loadstone draws Iron the male coveteth the female the evil after the evil and the good after the good which is seen in wicked Men and their Association in Birds and Beasts of prey while on the contrary the Lamb delights not in the Lyon nor the Sheep in the society of the Wolf neither doth the nature which is totally depraved and estranged from God care to be forced or drawn compulsively by another contrary nature viz. innocent just and harmless 12. Neither doth it consist with natural reason That Evil Spirits should affect the society of those that are their Enemies who make use of the dreadful and holy Names of God in Conjurations to call them up whereas they are rather antidotes against Apparations as may be seen in various Examples of holy Men who by Prayers and Exorcisms have banished Evil Spirits in all Ages which is also further evident in that the very form of Dispossessing and Exorcising is made up of divers Prayers and Defensive Blessings against the obnoxious influences of Infernal Spirits 13. Therefore though I would be far from describing an undenyable course of Conjuring Spirits or of causing Apparitions Yet this I must assert conclusively from what is before alledged That if any thing would be called or wrought upon it must be with something which is of its own nature as a bait to catch or tempt it for in catching Birds Beasts or Fishes such esculents as are properly for these Animals are made use of to allure them neither can mankinde command them by any threats to come into his custody 14. How much less is mankind able to compel the Infernal Spirits the very least of which Kingdom is able if let loose to exterminate a thousand lives and utterly over-turn poor mortals and their doings as various by-past accidents can evince But whosoever hath compacted with them for body soul and works such they are at unity with and unto such they appear for the advancement of their Kingdom in the destruction of others for they are grafted into them and incorporated into their very heart and soul which unavoidably becomes their wages when the body falls away 15. Yet many wayes there be by Images Telesms and Amulets which have little or no dependance upon Conjuration or the strength thereof being rather effectual from sympathetical Causes as many natural conclusions prove And Paracelsus speaks of a way by the Image of any Bird or Beast to destroy that Animal though at a distance so by hair fat blood excrements excrescences c. of any Animal or Vegetable the ruin or cure of that thing may be effected 16. Which is seen in the Armary Unguent and the Sympathetical Powder In the instance of divers Histories of such as used Waxen Images composed in divers postures and under certain Constellations whereby several have been tormented and macerated even unto death and according to the punishment or torment which the Magician intends to afflict accordingly do they dispose the hour of the Composition and the posture or semblance of the Image 17. For if a malitious minded Witch intends to consume and pine away the Life or Estate
Forms themselves because many of them are not only facil but also of mighty power when they are seasonably applyed So that to describe distinctly by what means Magicians kill cure or conquer were to strengthen the hands of the Envious against their Neighbours Lives and Fortunes And therefore the Readers must rest contented with what is here related of the Nature of Astral or Infernal Spirits FINIS The Contents of the Chapters in The Discourse concerning Devils and Spirits BOOK I. Chap. I. THE Philosophers opinions concerning Devils and Spirits their manner of reasoning thereupon and the same confuted Page 1 Chap. II. Mine own opinion concerning this argument to the disproof of some writers hereupon Page 2 Chap. III. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits of their several Orders and a confutation of his errors therein Page 3 Chap. IV. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others concerning the actions and passions of spirits his definition of them and of his experience therein Page 4 Chap. V. The opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching spirits and of his familiar devil Page 5 Chap. VI. The opinion of Plato concerning spirits devils and angels what sacrifices they like best what they fear and of Socrates his familiar devil Page 6 Chap. VII Plato's nine orders of spirits and angels Dionysius his division thereof not much differing from the same all disproved by learned Divines Page 7 Chap. VIII The commencement of devils fondly gathered out the 14. of Isaiah of Lucifer and of his fall the Cabalists the Talmudists and Schoolmens opinions of the creation of angels ibid. Chap. IX Of the contention between the Greek and Latine Church touching the fall of angels the variance among Papists themselves herein a conflict between Michael and Lucifer Page 8 Chap. X. Where the battell between Michael and Lucifer was sought how long it continued and of their power how fondly Papists and Infidals write of them how reverently Christians ought to think of them Page 9 Chap. XI Whether they became devils which being angels kept not their vocation in Jude and Peter of the fond opinions of the Rabbins touching spirits bugs with a confutation thereof Page 10 Chap. XII That the Devils assaults are spiritual and not temporal and how grossly some understand those parts of the scripture Page 11 Chap. XIII The equivocation of this word Spirit how diversly it is taken in the Scriptures where by the way is taught that the Scripture is not always literally to be interpreted nor yet All gorically to be understood Page 12 Chap. XIV That it pleased God to manifest the power of his Sonne and not of witches by miracles Page 13 Chap. XV. Of the possessed with devils Page 14 Chap. XVI That we being not throughly informed of the nature of devils and spirits must satisfie our selves with that which is delivered us in the Scriptures touching the same how this word Devil is to be understood both in the singular and plural number of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the devil of tame spirits of Ahab ibid. Chap. XVII Whether spirits and souls can assume bodies of their creation and substance wherein Writers do extremely contend and vary Page 15 Chap. XVIII Certain Popish reasons concerning spirits made of air of day devils and night devils and why the devil loveth no salt in his meat Page 16 Chap. XIX That such devils as are mentioned in the scriptures have in their names their nature and qualities expressed with instances thereof ibid Chap. XX. Divers names of the devil whereby his nature and disposition is manifested Page 17 Chap. XXI That the Idols or gods of the Gentiles are devils their diverse names and in what affairs their labours and authorities are employed wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered Page 18 Chap. XXII Of the Romans chief gods called Dii selecti and of other heathen gods their names and offices Page 19 Chap. XXIII Of divers gods in divers Countreys Page 20 Chap. XXIV Of Popish provincial gods a comparison between them and heathen gods of physical gods and of what occupation every Popish god is ibid. Chap. XXV A comparison between the heathen and Papists touching their excuses for idolatry Page 22 Chap. XXVI The conceipt of the heathen and the Papists all one in Idolatry of the Councel of Trent a notable story of a hangman arraigned after he was dead and buryed c. Page 23 Chap. XXVII A confutation of the fable of the hang-man of many other feigned and ridiculous tales and apparitions with a reproof thereof Page 24 Chap. XXVIII A confutation of Johannes Laurentius and of many others maintaining these faigned and ridiculous tales and apparitions and what driveth them away of Moses and Elias their appearance in mount Tabor Page 25 Chap. XXIX A confutation of assuming of bodies and of the serpent that seduced Eve Page 26 Chap. XXX The objection concerning the devils assuming of the serpents body answered ibid. Chap. XXXI Of the Curse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightly expounded Calvins opinion of the devil Page 27 Chap. XXXII Mine own opinion and resolution of the nature of spirits of the devil with his properties Page 28 Chap. XXXIII Against fond Witchmongers and their opinions concerning corporal devils Page 29 Chap. XXXIV A conclusion wherein the Spirit of spirits is described by the illumination of which spirit all spirits are to be tryed with a confutation of the Pneumatomachi flatly denying the divinity of this Spirit Page 30 BOOK II. Chap. I. OF Spirits in general what they are and how to be considered also how far the power of Magitians and Witches is able to operate in Diabolical Magick Page 39 Chap. II. Of the good and evil Daemons or Genii whether they are what they are and how they are manifested also of their names powers faculties offices how they are to be considered Page 42 Chap. III. Of the Astral Spirits of Men departed what they are and why they appear again and what witchcraft may be wrought by them Page 45 Chap. IV. Of astral spirits or separate daemons in all their distinctions names natures and places of habitations what may be wrought by their assistance Page 49 Chap. V. Of the Infernal Spirits or devils damned souls treating what their natures names powers are Page 56 Chap. VI. Of the nature force forms of charms periapts amulets pentacles conjurations ceremonies c. Page 66 Chap. VII Being the conclusion of the whole wherein divers ancient spells charms incantations and exorcisms are briefly spoken of Page 68 THE END Apoc. 4.11 Rom. 8 Act. 5. Apoc. 2. Luk. 16. Dan. 2.28 47 Psal 72. 136. Jerem. 5. Job 5. 36. Sam. 12. 1 King 8. 2 King 3. Isai 5. Zac. 10. 14. Amos 4 7. Job 1. Isai 42.8 Prov. 5. Insti lib. 5 cap. 8. sect 6. Item upon Deut. c. 18 Lib. de lamiis pag. 5. Isa 59.7 Rom. 3.15 Eccles 27.5 Prov.
Appian de bello civils Augurifical toyes Seek more hereof in the word Habar Averroes 12. Metaphysic The fond Art of Augury convinced Arist de som August lib. de doct chri 2. cap. 2.3 Psal 4.2 Plin. lib. natural hist 28. cap. 2. Tho. Aquin. lib. de sortib C Epidius Homer Iliad 19. The vanity of Casual Augury Isa 44.25 The vain and trifling tricks of Figure casters Johan Montiregius in epist ad Blanchim Gulielmus de sancto Clodoald Rabbi Levi. C. Agrip. in lib. de vanit scient Archelaus Cassand Eudoxus c. Astrologers Prognostications are like the answers of Oracles Sir Thomas Moors frump at judicial Astrologers Astrological blasphemies John 11.8 9. The folly of our Genethliaks or Nativity-casters Senec. lib. de quaest natural 4. Hilarius Pirkmair in arte Apodemica Joannes Garropius in Venet Hyperb. Zac. 10.1 2. Psal 58.4.5 Virgil. in Damone Prov. 18. 2 Chron. 30. Psal 10. Psal 51. Psal 139. Jer. 32. Isa 6. Isa 50. Exod. 7 8 9 Proverbs 16. Acts 5. Jonas 1. 1 Tim. 4.5 Words of sanctification and wherein they consist An Ample description of women commonly called Witches A common and universal error I. Bodinus Danaeus Hyperius Hemingius Bar. Spineus Mal. Malef. A notable purgation of C. F. C. convented for a Witch Mal. Malef. par 2. quaest 1. c. 5. Punishment of impossibilities A wise Law of Pope Innocent Julius were it not that they wanted wit when they made it Virg. Eclgg. 8. Virg. Eclog. 8. Ovid. fast 6. Virg. Aene. 4. Ovid. Metamorph 7. Ovid. de Medea Ovid de Medea Epistola 4. 3. Amo. Eclo 6. Horac epod 4. Tibul de falscinatricae lib. 1. cleg 2. Lucan lib. de bello civili 6. Idem ibid. Idem ibid. Idem ibid. C. Manilius Astronom sua lib. 1. Ovid Metamorph lib. 3. fab 2. Ovid. Metamorph. l 14. fab 5 6. The Authors transition to his purposed scope Beehive of the Romish Church lib. 4. cap. 1. fol. 243. The manner of making a Wastecoat of Proof The effects are too good to be true in such a patched piece of Popery This were a good preservative for a travelling Papist If the party fail in the number he may go whistle for a pardon Sancta crux aequiparatur satutifero Christo O blasphemiam inenarrabilem Beehive of the Romish Church lib. 4. cap. 3. fol. 251 252. In Ecclesia dedications In Rationali divinorum Officiorum Pom. serm 32. L. Varius lib. de fascin 3. cap. 10. Idem ibid. Idem ibid. Arg. Fer. lib. de medendi methode 2. cap. 11. De Homerica medicatione This would be examined to see if Galen be not slandered Four sorts of Homerical medicins and which is the principal The force of fixed fansie opinion or conceipt J. Bodinus lib. de daemon 3. cap. 5. * That is you shall not break or diminish a bone of him * Though neither the Herb nor the Witch never came there Note the force of constant opinion or fixed fancy * Spell the word backward and you shall soon see this slovenly charm or apphension Thievish charms This is called and counted the Paracelsian charm Psal 150. Luke 16. Psal 64. Memorandum that hearing of Mass be in no case omitted quoth Nota. Johannes Anglicus ex Constantino Gualtero Bernardo Giberto c. Barnard de bustis in Rosar serm 15. The Smiths will can them small thanks for this prayer O notable blasphemy Psal 58.4 5. Virg. eclog. 8. Ovid. Metamorph 7. Jer. 8.17 Card. lib. 15. de var. rer cap. 80. An objection answered Dan. in dialog cap. 3. Virg. Geo. 4. Feats his Dog and Mahomets Pigeon A story declaring the great docility of an Ass J. Bod. lib. de daemon 2. c. 6. Mal. Malef. part 2. qu. 2. c. 9. Johan Bodinus Exorcisms or Conjurations against Serpents L Vair lib. de fascinat cap. 4. Usurpers of Kindred with blessed Paul and S. Katharine J. Bodin lib. de daem 1. cap. 3. L. Vairus lib. fascin 1. cap. 5. Oratio Tusca Vestalis Of the word Bud and the Greec Letters ΠΑ. The Practiser of these Charms must have skill in the Planetary Motions or else he may go shoo the Goose A proved Story concerning the Premises This Charm seemeth to allude to Christ crucified between the two Thieves Psalm 45. Luke 4. John 19. Psalm 45. Scripture properly applyed O most wonderful vertue hidden in the letters of S. Helens holy Name Card. lib. 16. de var. rer cap. 93. * For if the Cross be forgotten all is not worth a Pudding These be meer toys to mock Apes and have in them no commendable device This is not to do good to our Enemies nor to pray for them that hurt and hate us as Christ exhorteth * Thus they make the holy Trinity to bear a part in their Exorcism or else it is no bargain Mat. 25. * That is In life we are in death c. A curse for theft Preservatives from Witchcraft according to M. Mal. L. Vairus and others Ovid de Med. Virg. in Bucelicis Olaus Goth. lib. de gentib septentrional l. 3. cap. 8. * A Witches Conjuration to make hail cease and be dissolved L. Vair lib. de facin 2 c. 11. Mal. Malef. par 2. quae 1. cap. 15. Note that you read never of any spirit that walked by day quoth Nota. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 7. c. 12. The Hebrew Knight was canonized a Saint to wit S. Longinus A crossed appension with other appensions For body and soul S. Bernard overmatcheth the Devil for all his subtilty Pretious Restoratives This is too mystical to be englished quoth Nota. Fernelius Notable follies of the Spaniards and Italians He must answer by none other for she perhaps hath the curing thereof by Patent See J. Wier cap. 11. conf The Chirurgion here most impudently setteth his Knavery abroach A pretended Conjuration Ad vada tot vadit urna quot ipsa capit Three morsels the first charmed with Christs Birth the second with his Passion the third with his Resurrection A Cosening Physician and a foolish Patient Joh. Bodin Kacozelia Mal. malef p. 1. quaest 17. Barth Spin. in novo Mal. Malef Scotus in 4. distinct 34 de Impetio Dist 4. Gofrid in summa sua Mal. Malef. part 2. quaest 1. cap. 1. * Whereof look more in a little Book set forth in print L. Vair lib. de fascin 1. c. 12. Much like the Eye-biting Witches of whom we have elsewhere spoken Who are most likely to bewitch and to be bewitched L. Vair lib. de fascin l. 1. c. 5. * According to Ovid's saying of Proteus and Medea which he indeed alledgeth therefore Nunc aqua nunc ales modò bos modo cervus abibat M. Mal par 2. quaest 2. cap. 7. Nider in praeceptorio praecep 1. c. 11. Nider in fornicario Mal. malef pag. 2. cap. 8. A good device to starve up poor women Mal. Malef. part 2. quaest 2. cap. 7. A ridiculous Charm In any case observe the Festival time or else you marre all L.
Conjuration that be written in this Book I conjure thee Bealphares by all Angels and Archangels Thrones Dominations Principates Potestates Virtutes Cherubim and Seraphim and by their vertues and powers I conjure and charge bind and constrain thee Bealphares by all the royal words aforesaid and by their vertues that thou be obedient unto me and to come and appear visibly unto me and that in all days hours and minutes wheresoever I be being called by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ the which words are written in this Book Look ready thou be to appear unto me and to give me good counsel how to come by treasures hidden in the earth or in the water and how to come to dignity and knowledge of all things that is to say of the Magick Art and of Grammar Dialectike Rhetorike Arithmetick Musick Geometry and of Astronomy and in all other things my will quickly to be fulfilled I charge upon pain of everlasting condemnation Fiat fiat fiat Amen When he is thus bound ask him what thing thou wilt and he will tell thee and give thee all things that thou wilt request of him without any Sacrifice doing to him and without forsaking thy God that is thy Maker And when the Spirit hath fulfilled thy will and intent give him license to depart as followeth A License for the Spirit to depart GO unto the place predestinated and appointed for thee where thy Lord God hath appointed thee until I shall call thee again Be thou ready unto me and to my call as often as I shall call thee upon pain of everlasting damnation And if thou wilt thou mayst recite two or three times the last Conjuration until thou do come to this term In throno if he will not depart and then say In throno That thou depart from this place without hurt or damage of any body or of any deed to be done that all creatures may know that our Lord is of all power most mightiest and that there is none other God but he which is three and one living for ever and ever And the malediction of God the Father Omnipotent the Son and the Holy Ghost descend upon thee and dwell alwayes with thee except thou do depart without damage of us or of any creature or any other evil deed to be done and thou to go to the predestinated And by our Lord Jesus Christ I do else send thee to the great pit of Hell except I say that thou depart to the place whereas thy Lord God hath appointed thee And see thou be ready to me and to my call at all times and places at mine own will and pleasure day or night without damage or hurt of me or of any creature upon pain of everlasting damnation Fiat fiat fiat Amen Amenl The peace of Jesus Christ be between us and you In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Per crucis hoc ✚ signum c. Say In principio erat Verbum Verbum erat apud Deum In thee beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word and so forward as followeth in the first Chapter of Saint John's Gospel staying at these words Full of grace and truth to whom be all honour and glory world without end Amen The fashion or form of the Conjuring knife with the Names thereon to be graven or written AGLA And on the other side this name A Type or Figure of the Circle for the Master and his Fellows to sit in shewing how and after what fashion it should be made Agla eL ya panthon dextera dmÌ„i fecit virtutem ✚ dextera dmÌ„i exaltauit me ✚ dextera dmÌ„i fecit virtutem ✚ dextera dmÌ„i exaltauit me ✚ mellyas emanuel alpha et ω Tetragrammaton Iesus nazarenus Adonay Elfelbey Magister THis is the Circle for the Master to sit in and his fellow or fellows at the first calling sit back to back when he calleth the Spirit and for the Fairies make this circle with chalk on the ground as is said before This Spirit Bealphares being once called and found shall never have power to hurt thee Call him in the hour of ♃ or ♀ the ☽ increasing CHAP. XXIV The making of Holy Water EXorciso te creaturam salis per Deum vivum ✚ per Deum ✚ verum ✚ per Deum sanctum ✚ per Deum quite per Elizaeum Prophetâ—m in aquam miti jussit ut sanaretur sterilitas aquae ut efficiaris sal exorcisatus in salutem credentium ut sis omnibus te sumentibus sanitas animae corporis effugiat a que discedat ab eo loco qui aspersus fuerit omnis phantasia nequitia vel versutia Diabolicae fraudis omnisque spiritus adjuratus per cum qui venturus est judicare vivos mortuos saeculum per igném Amen Oremus Immensam clementiam tuam Onmipotens aeterne Deus humiliter imploramus ut hanc creaturam salis quam in usum generis humani tribuisti bene ✚ dicere sancti ✚ ficare tua pietate digneris ut sit omnibus sumentibus salus mentis corporis ut quicquid ex eo tactum fuerit vel respersum careat omni immunditia omnique impugnatione spiritualis nequitiae per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum qui tecum vivit regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum Amen To the Water say as followeth EXorciso te creaturam aquae in nemine ✚ Patris ✚ Jesu Christi Filii ejus Domini nostri in virtute Spiritus ✚ Sancti ✚ ut fiat aqua exorcisata ad effugandani omnen potestatem inimici ipsum inimicum eradicare explantare valeas cum angelis suis Apostatis per virtutem ejusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi qui venturus est judicare vivos mortuos seculum per ignem Amen Oremus Deus qui ad salutem humani generis maxima quaeque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti adesto propitius invocationibus nostris elemento huic multimodis purificationibus praeparato virtutem tuea bene ✚ dictionis infunde ut creatura tua mysteriis tuis serviens ad abigendos Daemones morbosque pellendos divinae gratiae sumat effectum ut quicquid in domibus vel in locis fidelium haec unda resperserit careat omni immunditia liberetur à noxa non illic resideat spiritus pestilens non aura corrumpens discedant omnes insidiae latentis inimici si quid est quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet aut quieti aspersione hujus aquae effugiat us salubritas per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita ab omnibus fit impugnationibus defensa per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum qui tecum vivit regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum Amen Then take the Salt in thy
whatsoever shall be touched thereby or sprinkled therewith may be void of all uncleanness and all resistance of spiritual iniquity through our Lord. Amen What can be made but a Conjuration of these words also which are written in the Canon or rather in the Saccaring of Masse This holy commixtion of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ let it be made to me and to all the receivers thereof health of mind and body and a wholesome preparative for the deserving and receiving of everlasting life through our Lord Jesus Amen CHAP. XXXVII That Popish Priests leave nothing unconjured a form of Exercism for Incense ALthough the Papists have many Conjurations so as neither Water nor Fire nor Bread nor Wine nor Wax nor Tallow nor Church nor Church-yard nor Altar nor Altar-cloth nor Ashes nor coals nor Bells nor Bell-ropes nor Copes nor Vestments nor Oyl nor Salt nor Candle nor Candlestick nor Beds nor Bed-staves c. are without their form of Conjuration yet I will for brevity let all pass and end here with Incense which they do conjure in this sort ✚ I conjure thee most filthy and horrible Spirit and every vision of our enemy c. that thou go and depart from out of this creature of Frankincense with all thy deceipt and wickedness that this creature may be sanctified and in the name of our Lord ✚ Jesus ✚ Christ ✚ that all they that taste touch or smell the same may receive the virtue and assistance of the holy Ghost so as wheresoever this Incense or Frankincense shall remain that there thou in no wise be so bold as to approach or once presume or attempt to hurt but what unclean Spirit soever thou be that thou with all thy craft and subtilty avoid and depart being conjured by the name of God the Father Almighty c. And that wheresoever the fume or smoke thereof shall come every kind and sort of Devils may be driven away and expelled as they were at the increase of the liver of fish which the Archangel Raphael male c. CHAP. XXXVIII Toe Rules and Laws of Popish Exorcists and other Conjurors all one with a confutation of their whole power How S. Martin conjured the Devill THe Papists you see have their certain general Rules and Laws as to abstain from sin and to fast as also otherwise to be clean from all pollutions c. and even so likewise have the other Conjurors Some will say that Papists use Divine Service and Prayers even so do common Conjurors as you see even in the same Papistical form no whit swarving from theirs in faith and doctrin nor yet in ungodly and unreasonable kinds of petitions Methinks it may be a sufficient argument to overthrow the calling up and miraculous works of Spirits that it is written God only knoweth and searcheth the hearts and only worketh great wonders The which argument being prosecuted to the end can never be answered in so much as that Divine power is required in that action And if it be said That in this Conjuration we speak to the Spirits and they hear us and therefore need not know our thoughts and imaginations I first ask them Whether King Bael or Amaymon which are Spirits raigning in the furthest regions of the East as they say may hear a Conjurors voyce which calleth for them being in the extreamest parts of the West there being such noises interposed where perhaps also they may be busie and set to work on the like affairs Secondly Whether those Spirits be of the same power that God is who is everywhere filling all places and able to hear all men at one instant c. Thirdly Whence cometh the force of such words as raise the dead and command Devils If sounds do it then may it be done by a taber and a pipe or any other instrument that hath no life If the voyce do it then may it be done by any Beasts or Birds If words then a Parret may do it if in mans words only where is the force in the first second or third syllable If in syllables then not in words If in imaginations then the Devil knoweth our thoughts But all this stuffe is vain and fabulous It is written All the generations of the earth were healthful and there is no poyson of destruction in them Why then do they conjure wholesome creatures as Salt Water c. where no Divels are God looked upon all his works and saw they were all good What effect I pray you had the seven sons of Sceva which is the great objection of Witchmongers They would needs take upon them to conjure Devils out of the possessed But what brought they to pass Yet that was in the time whilest God suffered miracles commonly to be wrought By that you may see what Conjurors can do Where is such a promise to Conjurors or Witches as is made in the Gospel to the faithful where it is written In my name thay shall cast out Devils speak with new tongues if they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall take away Serpents they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover According to the promise this grant of miraculous working was performed in the primitive Church for the confirmation of Christs doctrin and the establishing of the Gospel But as in another place I have proved the gift thereof was but for a time and is now ceased neither was it ever made to Papist Witch or Conjuror They take upon them to call up and cast out Devils and to undo with one Devil that which another Devil hath done If one Devil could cast out another it were a Kingdom divided and could not stand Which argument Christ himself maketh and therefore I may the more boldly say even with Christ That they have no such power For besides him there is no Saviour none can deliver out of his hand Who but he can declare set in order appoint and tell what is to come He destroyeth the tokens of Soothsayers and maketh the Conjecturers fools c. He declareth things to come and so cannot Witches There is no help in Inchanters and Soothsayers and other such vain sciences For Devils are cast out by the finger of God which Matthew calleth the Spirit of God which is the mighty power of God and not by the virtue of the bare name only being spoken or pronounced for then might every wicked man do it And Simon Magus needed not then to have proffered money to have bought the power to do Miracles and Wonders for he could speak and pronounce the name of God as well as the Apostles Indeed they may soon throw out all the Devils that are in Frankincense and such like creatures wherein no Devils are but neither they nor all their holy-water can indeed cure a man possessed with a Devil either in body or mind as Christ did Nay why do they not cast out the
the Islands and most of the Continent and also by accident though not through any good intention extirpate the race of such as addicted themselves to this infamous sort of Divination In which devastation and bloody inquisition their Idols were discovered with their Oracles and Inchantments far different from the European Conjurers and any of their Ceremonies 15. But that which is the most remarkable in the Infernal proceedings is this That there is not any Nation under the Sun but the Devil hath introduced himself amongst them through their Ceremonies and Worship though quite opposite to one another For in the Kingdom of China by the sacrifice of Blood and Panaak he is Conjured and Exorcized through the repetitions of several Superstitious Invocations to the Sun and Moon In Tartary the Magicians go quite another way to work with Offerings to the Ocean to the Mountains and the Rivers fuming Incense and divers sorts of Feathers by which means the Devils are compelled to appear So that we see how this Proteus can dispose himself in the divers Kingdoms of this World being called by other names in Tartary China the East and West-Indies c. then amongst the European Conjurers Likewise the Greeks and Romans could Invocate Spirits by Prayers unto the Moon and divers Sacrifices of Milk Honey Vervine and Blood And those that are addicted to Conjurations in Christianity have attained to a more lofty and ample manner of Incantation and Conjuring with Magical Garments Fire Candles Circles Astrological Observations Invocations and holy Names of God according to the Kaballa of the Jews 16. So that every distinct Nation hath conformed its Conjuration unto the Ceremonies of that Religion which it professeth And it is to be observed That from a natural cause every Nation hath its Conjurations and Names of Devils from the Constellation under which the Countrey lyeth and from the Air or Wind to which such particular Dominations do belong so that no effect would follow if one Countrey should traditionally inure themselves to the Forms and Exorcisms that are used by another Nation And therefore is it that so many attempts are offered in vain amongst professed Christians to raise Spirits because they have little or nothing from their own Constellation but make use of what they have borrowed from the Greeks and Romans or the ancient Imbecillity of the Aegyptians Priests I mean their simple forms of Invocation 17. But because we are rather upon the discovery of the Infernal Kingdom as it hath no dependence upon the doings of mortal Men therefore we will proceed to discover what the Antients have said concerning it So the next which we fall upon after the description of their Habitations and the manner of their Appearances is their Names and Appellations diversly considered First from the Creation of the World to the coming of Christ they retained the Hebrew names as Belial Baal Baalzebub Lelah Ador Abaddon c. according to the seculum under which they were Invocated assuming names according to the present occasion about which they were imployed 18. Under the Constellation of China they are Invocated by the Names Ran Sinoam Nantam Bal Baltal Sheall the six Governours or Presidents Chancangian the chief of the Devils Po Paym Nalkin Nebo the Devils of the four Winds Tean Tan Pan Adal the Devils of the four Elements And according to the nature of their language or words which do all consist of no more then one syllable so are the Devils named Yea as it is conjectured by many learned Magicians this language of the Chinenses is more Magical and adapted to Conjurations then all the Oriental Tongues because of the consonancy and copiousness thereof together with the numerous and various Characters used by them 19. In the East-Indies and in Tartary the Names are the same with those of China though the Ceremonies differ In Persia Arabia Natolia Aegypt Aethiopia the Names are the same with the Jewish Rabbins But the Greeks and Romans have different from the rest according to their Language and Superstitions The Turks Muscovites Russians Lapponians and Norwegians make use of the Sclavonian tongue in all their Conjurations The West-Indians have very strange and antick Names and Ceremonies of their own nothing depending on the Traditions and Practices of the old World for as is related before the Devil is sufficiently capable of introducing himself through the Religious Superstitions of any Nation whomsoever according to the Constellations although strangers to the Rites and Ceremonies of others 20. But though their Names be conformable to the Language and Climate of that Nation where they are raised or called yet have they divers Names suppose twenty or thirty to one Devil according to the several ministrations they have had from the Creation to this day leaving a several name behinde them at each of their appearances upon the earth for according to the testimony of the Devil himself if credit may be given to Devils they as they are abstractively considered in their own Kingdom have no imposed Names of distinction but are forced to assume them when they rise up in the external principle of this World although in some measure it must be granted that there be some principal Kings and Dukes in the Infernal Hierarchy that have Names establish'd upon them which cannot be transferr'd or altered 21. As for the Names that are recorded in this precedent Discovery of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot Esq being a Catalogue of Devils in their Rancks and Hierarchies they are supposed to be fictitious and totally imaginary being taken out of Bodin or Wyerus which they recorded from the mouth of Tradition and obscure Manuscrips And indeed were there any certainty in this List of Devils it were to be preferred as the most ample and exact delineation that is extant But it is the rather to be suspected because of the little coherence it hath with the former received Names of Devils eitheir in Europe Asia Africa or America 22. But if we would speak of Damned Souls and their Names or Appellations they are farr otherwise to be considered then the Devils for such as their imposed Names were here on earth such is the Name they have in the Kingdom of Darkness after a Magical manner according to the language of nature in the first principle of Darkness as the Saints in heaven retain their Names in a Coelestial manner And also as the Astral Spirit of a Man deceased retains its antient Name according to the Astral source in the principle of the one only Element 23. For as the language of Nature is found in the second Principle it is likewise manifest in the dark Worlds property according to the first Principle of Wrath as also the monstrous shapes of Devils and Damned Souls is correspondent to the Magical postures of their Souls whilst they were alive of which I shall speak more largely when their Shapes are to be described
According unto which as also according to the rest of their attributes viz. their Rancks Numbers Times Powers Places c. their Names are fitted and conformed according to the uniformity of name and thing in the principles of the eternal and external nature 24. And as all other Nations have their various Appellations for Devils and Damned Souls like their natural tone or language so we can mention one Kingdom more admirable then the rest viz. the Kingdom of Fiacim at the Northern Pole where all the Counsellors are Magicians and the Names which they use in Invocations are Mathematically disposed in a wonderful harmony and efficacy to the performance of Magical operations So much of the Places and Names of Infernal Beings the next to be considered is their Shapes and Likenesses 25. The Shapes of Devils are answerable to the cause of their Fall and the Dominions to which they belong Those that belong to the Supreme Hierarchy when they are called by Magicians do at first appear in the form of fierce and terrible Lyons vomiting fire and roaring hideously about the Circle from thence they convert themselves into Serpents Monkies and other Animals till the Magician do repeat the form of Constriction or Confinement to a Trine or Triangle as before is mentioned in the Fifteenth Book of the Discovery 26. After the Conjuration is repeated they forsake these bestial shapes and indow the humane form at first like troops of Armed Men till at last by frequent repetitions of other Ceremonies they appear as naked Men of gentle countenance and behaviour Yet is the Magician to take care that they deceive him not by insinuations for their fraudulency is unspeakable in their appearance and dealings with Mankind because we may be assured they appear not willingly but are by forceable Conjurations compelled so that they will ever minde their own ends in medling with man that is to deprave his minde or subvert the Lives and Estates of others through his means and assistance 27. The rest of the Infernal Dominions have various appearances The two next Orders affect to represent the beautiful colours of Birds and Beasts as Leopards Tygers Pecocks c. But by Conjurations they may be likewise reduced to a Manlike form wherein they will readily answer every demand within the compass of their capacity answerable to the Order unto which they belong Yet many of them appear in Monstrous forms and can hardly be conjured to desert them Though the Exorcist Charm them never so wisely they will shew him a pair of Crocodiles jaws or a Lyons paw with other dreadful menaces enough to terrifie any Novice from such Damnable Injunctions as the practice of Magick 28. But more especially the opinion of the antients is That according to the division of the clean and unclean Beasts in the Law given unto Moses the Shapes of Devils are disposed in the Infernal Kingdom So that the most perverse and potent amongst the Devils represent the most ugly and mischievous amongst the Beasts according to this following division viz. such Devils as Astaroth Lucifer Bardon Pownok who incline men and instigate them to pride and presumptuousness have the shapes of Horses Lyons Tygars Wolves Such as instigate to Lust and Covetousness have the forms of Hogs Serpents and other filthy reptiles or envious Beasts as Dogs Cats Vultures Snakes c. Such as incline to Murther have the shapes of every Bird and Beast of prey Such as Answer Questions humane in Philosophy or Religion have more tolerable shapes almost manly but with crooked Noses like Mermaids or Satyres And of all the rest it is to be observed that as not one single Lust or Vice hath dominion without mixture in the evil Spirits so they are not of a distinct shape lik one single Beast but compounded into Monsters with Serpents-tails four eyes many feet and horns c. 29. And as in general these are the shapes of Devils so the particular shapes of Damned Souls are to be considered in the same manner with the rest only with this difference that they are more addicted to metamorphose themselves and vary their appearances Though for the most part the Damned Souls retain the humane shape after a Magical manner so that the greatest part of that numberless number are in their antient shapes especially when they appear in sleep to their surviving acquaintance Their aspects are very dismal and melancholy like the Ghosts of the Astral source 30. Now to speak of the Times and Seasons of their Appearance The better sort of Magicians do square their times with Astrological hours especially of Saturn Luna and Venus in the Moons increase and the middle of the night or twelve a clock at noon In which hours they do likewise compose their Garments Caps Candlesticks Figures Lamins Pentacles and Circles for Conjuration As for the Times in respect of their Infernal Courses the fittest are when they spring up in the Wrath or when they sink in the Dispair which is a mystery to the learned Conjurers of Europe 31. In respect of this exterior World they can most easily appear in solitary places when the Sun is down for they are naturally at enmity with the Sun because it stands as a type of the Mediator or Heart and Centre which they lost utterly in their fall and now are destitute of like a wheel without an axletree And indeed the want of this is the chief cause of all their torment and of the rising of the gnawing Worm when they consider of their irrevocable sentence and irrecoverable loss 32. In storms of Hail or Snow Wind Tempest and Lightning is accounted amongst Magicians a time for Conjuring at an easie rate And they say That such Ceremonies will prove very effectual if a Conjurer begin his Exorcisms in the hour and day of Luna in the middest of a furious storm of Lightning Rain and Thunder in a low Vault or Celler that is close and retired Also when the Wind blows high without Rain they say the Devils are more near the Kingdom of this World and may with great facility be sollicited or raised at such a season because they delight in all extremities of weather being themselves the first cause of the disorder of the properties in the Kingdom of Nature 33. But in some Countries they can more easily appear then in others according to the Constellations for they delight much in the extremities of the two Poles toward Lapland Nova Zembla Greenland Tartary and in the South towards the Islands scattered about the confines of Terra Incognita They are likewise easily Invocated on the shoar amongst lofty Rocks and Precipices or in Deserts and Wildernesses far from Towns or Inhabitanâ—â— And it is said they do much respect the motion of the Seas in their appearance unto such as solicite them in places Maritime or Plagiary 34. As for their Rancks or Orders there is some difficulty in the true