Selected quad for the lemma: blood_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
blood_n	certain_a	force_n	great_a	102	3	2.1282	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35568	A treatise proving spirits, witches, and supernatural operations, by pregnant instances and evidences together with other things worthy of note / by Meric Casaubon.; Of credulity and incredulity in things natural, civil, and divine	Casaubon, Meric, 1599-1671.	1672 (1672)	Wing C815; ESTC R21714	218,874	336

necessary to my principal end I shall willingly forbear them or reserve them to another place That which I have to except in the relation of this story is that two Authors are named Gnagninus in Muscoviae descriptione and Sigismundus Baro in Hebeirsten in itineratio as two several Authors and two several testimonies whereas if we examine those Authors they will appear in this but one not only by the words which they borrow the one from the other almost the same in both but also by Gnagninus who at the end of his Description doth make honourable mention of Sigismundus whereby it doth appear that he had read him and borrowed of him But what is worse upon further examination it will appear that this Sigismundus Baro saith no such thing at all himself but hath that passage verbatim out of an Itinerarie of a nameless Author written in the Ruthenick-tongue translated or part of it by himself and inserted in his own Commentaries and moreover that he had with all possible diligence as he professeth Page 89. of the Antwerp Edition Anno Dom. 1557. inquired of those huminibus mutis and other morientibus reviviscentibus those sleepers in Caves of the Earth before spoken of yet professeth he could never meet with any that could say he had seen it himself but only heard it from others and therefore saith he Vt aliis ampliorem quaerendi occasionem praeberem to the end that others might further enquire not as believing it himself or commending it to others for a truth he was willing to let them know what he had found in the Itinerary It is almost incredible what a wrong to truth this manner of citing of witnesses and testimonies hath been in all ages when three or four sometimes four or five or more are cited as several witnesses who upon examination prove but one and perchance not so much as one good or clear witness But I have done with my first instance or example which concerned things natural as ordinarily taken and though store of such offer themselves to me yet because I have reason to make what hast I can being every day by much weakness summoned or put in mind I will proceed to instances in things supernatural which will better fit my design MY second instance therefore shall be out of Seneca who in his fourth book of Natural Questions which doth treat of Snow Hail and Rain in his sixth Chapter relates rather as a tale than a truth so he doth profess at the beginning what he found recorded and believed by some others to wit that there were men in some places who by observing of the clouds were able and skilful to foresee and foretel when a storm of Hail was approaching Cleonis was the place by him named which was then the name of more places than one but by what he saith of it it should be a Town of the Peloponnesus now Morea under the Turk of no very great fame or name But it seems whether by the nature of the Climat or somewhat else natural or supernatural very subject to storms of Hail by which the fruits of the ground very commonly destroyed It did so trouble them that after many endeavours it should seem to prevent their loss they at last found a strange remedy First it must be believed according to the relation that by diligent observation of the clouds and other temper of the skies in such storms which to their great grief and damage were so frequent among them some men had attained to that skill that they could as was said before foretel a storm Of these men some were chosen and appointed as publick officers therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is observers of the Hail to give warning to the people who upon that warning did hasten to kill some a Lamb others according to their abilities Pullum some young thing or other probably a Chick the bloud whereof was offered as a Sacrifice But if any were so poor or by chance so destitute at that time that he had neither agnum or pullum why then his way was to prick one of his fingers with some bodkin or writing-steel as the fashion was then that had a good point and that bloud was accepted for other and so the storm certainly diverted In the relation of this Seneca doth use some merry words which have deceived many which hath made me the more willing to take them into consideration as though it were far from him to believe such an absurd and impossible thing Grant saith he there were such men that could foresee and foretel a storm what relation have the clouds to bloud or how can such a little quantity of bloud as a Chicken or a prickt-finger can afford so suddenly penetrate so high as the skies to work such an effect Yet if a man doth well observe his words it will appear that Seneca did more incline himself to believe it and so doth propose it to us rather as a thing true than otherwise For after he had said that men in the examination of the cause were divided some as became very wise men that is his word absolutely denying that any such thing could be that men should covenant with the Snow and with small presents pacifie tempests though saith he It is well known that the Gods themselves are overcome with gifts for to what end else are all their sacrifices Others thinking that there was in bloud naturally some kind of efficacy to repel and avert a cloud he doth further add what he knew would be objected by others but how can in so little bloud be so great force as to pierce the clouds and to make them sensible of its power After this knowing and tacitly grounding there was no arguing the possibility of a thing by reason against certain evidence for which in this case there was so much to be said How much more safe and ready would it be saith he barely to say It is a lye an arrant lye it cannot be And then go on But at Cleonis they were wont to punish them severely who had charge to prevent the tempest if through their negligence either their Vines or their Corn had suffered In our XII Tables also the old Roman-law there was a law against them who should by any kind of inchantment hurt or destroy other mens Corn. To what end all this think we but to make it appear that if evidence would carry it there was enough to perswade us the report of Cleonis was true enough Yet after all this fearing he had gone too far to expose himself to the ludibrium or derision of those sapientissimi or wonderful wise men who would believe nothing to be true the clear profession of the Epicuraeans of those days the cause whereof they could not understand to make some amends he ends his discourse in the reproof as it were of rude ignorant antiquity that could believe such things as that there were Charms or Spells for the

inveigh against them as the confusion of all sound Philosophy and in very deed the true asylum asinorum Yet if a man consider of it soberly and read impartially what is by very sober men pleaded for them he may find ground enough it is my opinion to believe them especially when he doth consider that Aristotle himself was forced besides his four Principia or Elementa to have recourse to a quintam essentiam besides that which he doth appropriate to the Heavens as a more noble cause yea to God himself in some things as the immediate cause operating above nature above reason humane by his meer Omnipotency Whereby Aristotle doth apparently lay a foundation for miracles as we may shew in due place whereas some conceited foolish men pretended Christians but real Atheists as Pomponatius and the like because they would not seem to depart from Aristotle's doctrine refer all miracles to natural causes Besides it is well known that Hippocrates also doth acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in diseases by which though Gallen and some others understand ambientem aerem only yet even so then certainly the aer preternaturally or supernaturally affected by some divine or celestial cause which is the more probable because in other places he doth speak of the Gods according to the phrase of those days very reverently and doth much ascribe to their power in those things that happen unto men BUT to our Coelestes influxus though they be granted yet it is very possible that many things may be ascribed unto them which may proceed from other causes That some men are lucky at Cards beyond all imagination or do feats with them beyond the limits of any supposed activity or jugling such as learned Raguseius doth profess in the presence of some others men of great worth and fame whom he doth name Hieron Fabritius ab Aquapendente Hercules Saxonia c. to have seen and admired I should not though never so much admired or incredible ascribe to a Celestial influence though I find a very good Author whom I ever look'd upon as a second Aristotle the greatest commendation I think that can be given to man Religion laid aside in point of sound and solid reasoning even Thomas Aquinas cited for it by the same learned Author whose opinion in that matter I much sooner embrace that such things are done by contract with the Devil And yet I have ground to believe that so much may be done in this kind by art and cunning which things are commonly referred to the power of u●e and custom which will be our next consideration after this of influxes so strange and miraculous in appearance that a man had need to be very well vers'd in such speculations before he charge any man And that is when the case is so notorious as no man can rationally doubt as in that pretended Jugler who related by divers before Charles the Ninth King of France made the Rings of a gold Chain to leap towards him one after another who was at a distance and after that made the Chain whole again which at last himself confessed to have done by the help of the Devil for which he was deservedly cast out of the Court and punished Learned Vossius hath it too and quotes three Authors for it but those three have it but from one which kind of quoting is not so safe except this very thing add some weight because it hath been believed by such and such and not contradicted by any But in a case of this nature before such company and yet of fresh memory when the first relation was made the testimony of one credible witness may be thought sufficient But for Pererius why he should be so bitter against Celestial influences since he also doth grant and ground upon occult qualities which often are fetched from Celestial influences and liable to the same inconveniencies and therefore by some as was said before who would gladly be thought to see further than other men so termed asylum asinorum I see no reason BUT granting these influences the great question doth remain whether they work as general only or as particular causes also It is the opinion of some very learned that their power and operation doth extend even to particulars as for example to dispose and to incline not compel a man to such and such actions but of more that they work only as general causes as for example why in some ages men generally have been more inclinable to superstition ready to believe and to swallow more than the boldest impostor could invent in others more to Atheism and incredulity all upon the senses and what is visible and palpable though against all sense and reason In some more for strifes and contention in others more for peace and calmer studies And what shall we say to that influence that produced in men that frantick humor the beginning whereof is ascribed by Historians to the year of the Lord 1260. of wandring about half naked and whipping themselves unto bloud Which though suppressed by authority for a while sprung up again some forty or fifty years after with so much advantage that most Kingdoms in Europe were over-run with it and notwithstanding the opposition of Popes by their excommunications and other means that were used continued above 100. years after as doth appear by a peculiar tractate of Gerson the learned Chancellor of France set out Anno Dom. 1460. against it Thousands in one company of all kind of people might have been seen in divers places thus martyrizing their bodies by tearing their flesh and their bloud running a pitiful sight in outward appearance but whether to the greater pleasure of their distemper'd minds or pain of body I know not I have spoken of it elsewhere which I shall not here repeat I quote no Authors there are so many Historiographers besides others that take notice of it I think it needless If I may speak my mind without offence this prodigious propensity to innovation in all kind but in matters of learning particularly which so many upon no ground that I can see on appearance of reason are possessed with I know not what we should more probably ascribe it unto than to some sad constellation or influence But to conclude this matter of influences whether of general only or of particular efficacy also it is agreed on all hands that they are secrets of Nature or of Heaven if you will which none will upon pretence of any art attempt to dive unto but upon a presumption that the world as of wicked men in general some Philosophers have maintained cannot subsist without cheaters and impostors ANOTHER great cause of wondring is the power of use and custom which they who either by the report of others creditable witnesses or by their own experience have not been acquainted with and well considered of must needs ascribe to magick and supernatural causes many things which are meerly natural It is a subject of a