load of Hay with horses and Cart and all he cut off the head and feet of divers men did put them with their blood into a bason he flew through the Ayr hallowing like a hunter and the like pranks he played Chronicon Hirsaugiense and at last he killed Charls Calvus or the balld the King with poison IT is reported in the family of the Earls of the Andegavensium from whence Henry the second King of England sprung there was a Princess a notable Maga and a Witch who was constrained to worship and reverence the Eucharist who suddenly flew out of the windows of the Temple and was never heard of after Polydor 13. book A Certain Woman of Mediolensis near the Comiensem gate strangled a boy and devoured him and when she was wracked for her cruelty she said She was perswaded by the infernal gods that if she had sacrificed a boy three or four times she might do whatsoever she would Therefore she was bitterly tortured being laid upon the wheels crosse or latticewise and so her bones were broken and she dyed acruel and lingring death Artanus history Mediolan 1 Sect. writes that in his time this happened JOhn Fernelius relates in his first Book of Occult causes that he saw a certain man who by the strength of his words could cause divers sights to be in a glasse and those things which he commanded either in writing or in expresse Images were so lively imprinted that they might quickly and easily be discerned by those that sate by yea and there were holy words heard but filthily bespattered with obscene terms and after this sort they call upon the powers of the Elements and strange uncouth names of the Princes of the East West North and South Vierius book 2. chap. 7. of the Devils deceits FAcius Cardanus the Father of Jeremy Cardanus as he said had an aeriall devill to be his familiar for a long time who a long while used Conjuration and it gave him true answers but when he had shaken it off it returned him false answers he was eight and twenty years a Conjurer but he was freed from his familiar about five years but whilst he retained the spirit it was very profitable to him neither did it alwayes come alone although for the most part it did but sometimes it came with its companions Cardane of the variety of things 16. Book chap. 39. JAmes Jodoci de rosa Cortriensis carried a Ring about with him in which he thought the Devill was tyed by exorcisms and he did speak for five dayes together at the least and did consult with it about strange things and diseases and the manner of curing them At the last being bound and condemned to banishment first his ring in a publique place and a great company looking on was bruised and broken in pieces with the beaâ—ing of an Iron hammer by the Chancellor Done at Arnhemiae 14. July in the year 1548. Vierus Book 5. chap. 1. of the delusions of Devils IN the year of our Lord 1546. The daughter of John Vemerus a Citizen of Eslingensis whose name was Margaret was so swelled by the pains of her belly that the bignesse of her belly almost clouded her face and did seem to be ten palms in circumference she said that there were creatures of divers sorts was fed in her belly when in the mean time she feigned to be recreated and refreshed by sweet odours and delicate sauces those that stood about her Bed heard a crowing of Cocks cackling of Hens a gagling of Geese barking of Dogs bleating of Sheep grunting of Hogs lowing of Cattle and neighing of Horses There came out of her side worms and Serpents of a wonderfull bignesse about a hundred and fifty Many Physitians and Surgeons were enquired of and amongst them Leonhartus Fuchsius Tubingensis archiatrus At length came the Physitians of Charls the 5th Emperour and Ferdinand and the Hungarian King accompanied by some of the Nobles neither found they any thing false or counterfeit When the disease had almost endured for the space of four years and her pains did seem to encrease more and more the Magistrate of Eslingensis sent his Physitian together with three Surgeons and a Nurse that they might open the belly of the maid they tyed her with thongs they found her belly finely moulded up as with hands very artificially stuffed with pillows with divers arches by which the roundnesse of her belly was expressed the Virgin being uncovered had a very beautifull body her belly was brought into Court and reserved in the place of Anathematism The Mother of this daughter was a Witch and being examined upon the rack confessed that by Satans counsell and for gain she had done thus and her neck being first broken she was publickly burned and the daughter having holes boared thorow her knees with a hot Iron was condemned to perpetual imprisonment Lycosthenes in his prodigies IN Creet there was one Moses that went about almost a whole year stirring up the Jews being about to draw them through the Sea no otherwise then Moses of old performed Those Jews gathered up all that they could At the appointed day he drew forth the miserable people a great multitude of men and Women going with him the false Prophet brought them unto a steep place and there sheweth them a promontory unto the Sea and perswaded them to leap into the Ocean that they might swim to him being on the other side And afterwards he promised that they should have a safe journey Most of them leapt in being bewitched by his large promises but some were drowned and perished in the waters others were drawn out of the waves by Fishermen coming that way by chance but many of them followed him excepting those that narrowly escaped who returned to the rest of their company and did tell of the danger and destruction that others suffered In the mean while when these things were transacted the false Prophet vanished therefore they were not much out of their way who judged him to be an evill spirit who by Gods permission did delude that pittifull multitude and destroyed many Socrat. 7. Book 38. chap. ARchas the chief of the Indian Wisemen being instructed by Apollonius did tell his name Parents manners and whatsoever happened to him as if he had been present at all Philostratus WHen the Antiochians desired of Apollonius Antiocheno that he would turn away the Earthquake by which they were afflicted sighing he writ thus in his Tables Wo to thee O miserable City because thou shalt be levelled eeven with the ground by many Earthquakes and the River of Orontes shall wash thee to its banks Cedrenus JAmblicus returned from his sacrifices into City talking with his Schollers and by and by fastning his eyes a while upon the ground saith he Let us go another way because not far from hence lies a dead carcase Some of his Schollers followed him But others amongst whom Aedesius going forward in their journey they met the Cats
Jesus and their utter rout and ruine thereby Then the Conjurer reproved Julianus for being so timorous But Julianus highly admiring the power and vertue of the Crosse clear'd his mind of the conceit of running after wisards by this consideration That the Devils would never have fled at the sign of the Crosse did they not perfectly hate that action Theodoretus lib. 3. c. 3. Sozomenus lib. 5. cap. 2. A Certain Mediolanensian Boor as he returned homewards from his labour about three hours within night saw a Goblin or Spirit follow him and when he endeavoured to out-run it make he what use he could of his heels the spectral fetch 't him up and at last threw him to the ground when he endeavoured to cry out but could not At length when he had lain long on the Earth all roll'd in mud and dirt he was found by some who passed by that way and carried home half dead and at the end of eight dayes gave up the Ghost Cardanus de Subtilitate A Certain Lacedemonian having brought the Philosopher Plato out of Sicily sold him off to Aegina by the command of the Tyrant Dionysius But in regard it was a capital crime for an Athenian to come to Aegina he was called in question for his life by one Comandrus but the necessity of the matter being taken into consideration he was sold away for twenty pounds to one Aniceris of Cyrenia and by him afterwards made free Afterwards the City was taken by Cabria and this Comandrus drowned in the Hellespont who was told before his death by an apparition that this hard fortune befel him for the hard measure the Philosopher had received Laertius lib. 3. SOzomenus in the 28th chap. of his 6th Book tells us that one Apelles a Monk about Achoris in some of the Monasteries of Egypt did many strange things and whilst upon a certain time he was busie at some Smithy-work he had in hand there appeared to him a most beautiful and adorned lady tempting him to lust whereat he snatch't a hot Iron from the fire and ran it into the face of the lustfull Succubus who vanished with a hideous cry at the hurt he had given her DAtius Bishop of Mediolana when for the profession of his Faith he was put from his place as he went towards Constantinople he put in at Corinth and there for want of better accommodation he was forc't to take up with lodgings haunted with evill spirits and at midnight when the Devils began to bray bleat houl and roar about the house like Lions and other beasts the Good Bishop rose and thus expostulated with those fiends or their head Most wicked Pluto thou who saidst I will establish my seat in the North and will become like unto the most High behold for thy pride thou art become like unto Swine and Asses because thou deniedst obedience to thy Maker The Devils at his speech were so confounded they left haunting that house for the future Gregor Turonensis lib. 3. Dialog cap. 4. PHlegon Trallianus a Manumisse of the Emperour Adrian in his Book de Mirabilibus et Longaevis i. e. of Wonders and Antiquities relates a History which if you will take his private authority he avers he was well-acquainted with it being in a certain City where he was The Story is this Philinnium the daughter of Damostrates the Inn-keeper and Charitus fell in Love with one Machates one of her Fathers lodgers which her Parents very much misliking she broak her heart with grief and was buried with publick solemnity Six Moneths after when Machates was come thither again Philinnium came to him and lay with him received a gilded Cup and an Iron Ring which he gave her and likewise bestowed a Gold Ring and a Breast-cloth upon Machates and so departed The Nurse saw the Spectral and declared the businesse to her Parents who the next day came and found their daughter with their Guest whom they embraced with most passionate acclamations whilst she spake to them in this manner O Father and Mother how unjustly do you envy me the happinesse of being two or three dayes in your house with this your Guest without doing any evill at all ah you will again bewail your curiosity in your choice for me when I am gone from him to my appointed station for alas I am here but by permission and the special licence of the Gods When she had thus uttered her mind she was instantly a dead corps again and when they had carried her publickly to be seen they declared the whole story to all that came flocking into the Theater The grave was found open and nothing therein but the Iron Ring and the gilded Cup. The Corps by the advice of Hillus the South-sayer was buried beyond the lines of the City Machates through grief became the actor of his own Trajedy HIeronymus in his lives of the Fathers tells of a certain Monk who was enticed to most foul and lustfull embraces by a Devill in the shape of a most amiable Woman who when to propagate their lust she bended forward her members towards him seemed like a Mare or Mule or some bruit creature And when he endeavoured to accomplish carnall copulation she making an ugly howling noise like a spirit as she was and a Phantasm vanish't from between his hands as he embraced her and left him wretched man miserably deluded Vierus l. 2. c. 46. De Praestigiis Daemonum IT is storied by Vincentius in the third Book of his Histories that there was in Sicily under the King Rogerius a young man of good courage and very skilfull in swimming who about twilight in a Moon-shine evening was washing himself in the Sea and a woman swimming after him caught him by the hair as if it had been some of his fellowes that intended to drown him He spake to her but could not get a word from her whereupon he took her under his cloak and brought her home and afterward married her On a time one of his fellows upbraiding him told him he had hugg'd a phantasm he being horribly affrighted drew his sword and threatned his Wife that he would murther his son which he had by her if she would not speak and make her originall known Alas poor wretch saith she thou undoest a commodious Wife in forcing me to speak I should have continued with thee and should have been beneficiall to thee if thou hadst let me alone with my commanded silence But now thou shalt never see me more And immediately she vanish'd But the Child grew up and much frequented the Sea In fine on a certain day this phantasm meeting him in those waters carried him away in the presence of many people IN a Country called Marra there was a very gallant and handsome young Lady that had refused many in marriage and most wickedly kept company with an evil spirit by the Greeks termed Cacodaemon who being with child by him and by her Parents severity constrained to tell the father
that there was a voice like the voice of a man behind him rebuking him and wondring at him why he did not stir up his Citizens to celebrate that solemnity he turned himself about and finding no man that spoke to him then he was perswaded it was a divine voice and gathered Iphitus and his companions to himself and made a great feast by which the solemnity became much more remarkable Plutarchus in Lycurgo CAssius Chaerea captain of the Guard with some others made a conspiracy against Caligula And when he was going into the Court he heard a voice from among the multitude commanding him to perfect their designes the Gods being their assistants At first he suspected that their plot was betrayed by some of the Conspirators but afterwards he perceived that he was incited thereunto either by some that knew it or by an Oracle from God On the 3d day therefore they slew Caius Circensis Josephus lib. 19. cap. 1. PErtharis King Arithpertus his Son who being banished by Grimoaldus and in his banishment sailing into Britain was warn'd by an unknown voice that Grimoaldus being dead by Phlebotomy he should seek for his fathers Kingdome Whereat being moved though he knew not the Authour yet returning into Italy within three Moneths after the death of Grimoaldus he was made King of the Lombards Platina in Dono. C. Hostilius Mancinus the Consull going into Spain as he was taking Ship at Hercules his Haven whither he went on foot this sounded in his ears Mancinus stay He being affrighted herewith turn'd his journy and went unto Genoa and when he had there shipped himself a huge great Snake appeared to him and presently vanisht out of sight He being conquer'd by the Numantes yielded basely Valerius Max. lib. 1. cap. 6. HEnry the third being Emperour kept the Feast of Pentecost at the City Ments in Almaine Where arose a dissention between the servants of the Archbishop of Mogun and the servants of Abbas Fuld about their hire They went from words to blows and fighting with Swords they polluted the Temple with mans bloud The Bishops running to them brake off this bloudy battle and again purged the Temple The tumult being afterwards pacified when they sang Thou hast made this day glorious The Devill was heard to cry aloud through the Temple I have made this day quarrelsome The Emperour amazed at this strange noise endeavoured to force away the Devill by giving many Alms and he himself with his Nobles distributed to the poor those dainties which were provided for his own Court Nauclerus Volumine 2. Generatione 36. WHen Rome being pillaged and undone by a home bred conspiracy Constans the Emperour had remained six years in Sicily he died at Sarogasa a City thereof in a Bath called Daphne For one Andreas went with him into the Bath and killed the Emperour by throwing down a Vessel on his head as he was wiping him Constans his death was known in the City the same day he died by a voice coming forth out of the Ayre Zonaras Cedrenus BOdin saith of Constantinus who is accounted amongst the skillfullest workmen of the Mettal-Art in France and is the most famous in all the Kingdome I have heard his comrades when blowing a long time no hope or likelihood of any good appeared ask advice from the Devill if they did right and might accomplish what they desired But he replyed in one word Travaillez take the pains the blowers being animated with this blew so strongly that they brought all to nothing and they would still have blowen if Constantine had not told them this was the Devills usual custome to answer doubtfully But that word Take the pains imployed that Alchymy should be laid aside and he should fall to some labour and honest Art or science commodious to get a living he is a mad man that thinks Gold can so quickly be made in making whereof nature spends more then a thousand years A Souldier gave a Horse to his kinsman that when he died he should sell him and give the Money to the poor He sold the Horse and kept the Money to himself Thirty dayes after his Soul returning It was the Devill saith Thirty dayes have I bin tormented in Hell but thou who gavest not to the poor what I had thee shalt go thither to day and I shall be translated from thence into Paradise The very same day the Devils snatcht him away and 12. dayes after his carcase was found in an exceeding high Mountain Vincentius lib. 24. cap. 8. HEctor Boethius in his 8th Book of the Histories of Scot. relates that in a small Village of Scotland scarce 14. Miles distant from Aberdene there was a very beautifull young man made open complaint before the Governour of Aberdene that he was many Months molested and troubled with a she Devill as they call it the handsomest that ever he saw and finally when the dores were shut she came to him by night and by her fair speeches forc't him to embrace her when 't was almost day she went away making no noise and trying many wayes he could by no means be freed from that so great and base vexation A prudent and devout Bishop commands the young man immediately to go to some other place and according to the Christian Religion to conform himself to prayer and fasting more zealouslly then he used to do hereby he thought the Devill would be put to flight from him when he saw him so intent upon all good works Upon this wholesome counsell followed good successe Which when the youth had religiously performed within few dayes after he was clearly delivered from these Hobgoblins So the He-Devill did no longer trouble the Woman of Navete after her confession and holy Communion which accompany prayer and fasting Legitur in vitâ Divi Bernhardi Vierus lib. 4. cap. 27. A Certain Maid in Burgus possest with Melancholly acknowledged that she was haunted with Vergilius his Ghost having for a long while conjured against it which we may the more easily believe because she was a plain girl very sincere and one who never went abroad Conjuration not at all prevailing a Physitian gave her at first some artificiall Medicines then some others to strengthen her and so she was restored Vierus lib. 4. c. 23. de praestigiis Daemonum PHilippus Wesselich Coloniensis A Monk of the Abbey called Knechtenstein an upright and pure person about the year 1550 was miserably and sundry wayes tortured by a Ghost which brought back again the lean Abbot dead many years before Sometimes he was carried under the roof of the house sometimes he was thrust between the rafters over the Bell oftentimes he was on a sudden conveyed through the wall On a time he was found his body being laid over a pond and his head lying upon the land At the last out comes the Ghost relating the cause of his long and manifold trouble to wit that this was that Abbot Mathias Durensis so many years buried who tortured him
who had buried the dead carcase Eunapius GOvarus the King of Norvegia had so much skill in the art of divination that he could foresee whatsoever was attempted againgst him in Saxony which was above a hundred German miles off Olaus Magnus Book 3. chap. 13. IT is related that the Magicians by no law vindicate adulteries but by a fiction as a young graft being thrust through a Frogs guts and fastned by the Husband in his Wives flowers then it will cause his Wife to loath adultery and be affected by its irksomenesse which they take for granted Not much unlike that which Aristotle writes in the Phasian River at Colchos there is a Mushroom whose branch being lopped off by a maid cast into his wives bed will cause her not to love any other man Alexander book 4. chap. 1. PHhilometor began to fall in love with Sosipater Eustathius's Widow a most beautifull and prudent Woman he was her Cozen who that he might enjoy her used Magicall Verses A great Sophister busied about his Religious Rites made her that she should not be married to him Eunapius in Aedesio CRata Regneri the wife of a Dane a Champion being a Witch who made a feast of three Wood-Snakes not hurtfull to the body nor destructive to the mind she offered the white part of the mâ—sse made of the white Serpent to Ericus her step-child but the black part distinguish'd by red marks made of the two other she tendred to her Son Rollerus Ericus tasting of the messe to his preservation being a courteous Man turned the platter from one side to the other saying Thus as it wonteth to be in a story to be cast from the hinder deck to the fore-deck but afterwards he did cat and obtained the knowledge of all things in an admirable manner so that he could understand the language of birds and beasts Crata knowing her errour when she saw the inevitable providence of fate she began onely to commend her Son Rollerus that he might suffer the fruit of that happy birth by that kind of meat to flow to his brother This is that Ericus that deserved the name of Eloquent and at the last he obtained the Kingdome John Saxo Grammaticuâ— Book 5. of the History of the Danes SClerus Sethus under Manuel Comnzenus the Emperour did entise a Virgin by a Persian Apple sent to her by a Bawd and drew her into his love Nicetas 4th book of Histories CAjanus the son of Simeon who ruled over the Bulgarians was so expert in Magick that as oft as he pleased he could turn himself into a Woolf or any wild beast Sigebert in his Chronicle SOme Italian women taking some kind of meats will so lethargize mens minds that they may seem those things to them as they are not St. Austin hath recorded that he heard this of Praestantius and said that Praestantius reported that his father was made mad by such kind of inchanted meats as these women made and quickly fell into a great sleep and for many dayes together could not be made awake by any medicine And he told That in that time he had the picture of a horse and alwayes bore corn and he further added the time that he carried it the place and the manner how The truth of which things being afterwards enquired after he saith That it was found out that a horse of that colour which his father Praestantius did speak of and in that place carrying corn to which he said That it was a wonderfull thing that women by their magical art by giving meats could make men think to do that to one being awake to another being asleep which without doubt there was no such thing from whence in my judgment that which is said at one time of the Strigilian Women is nothing else but a magical dream although to others it may seem otherwise Peradventure those metamorphosings which were caused by Circes were like to these although they give another account of an allegorical sense for them The same was shewed in an Egyptian Maid when she was transformed into a Mare they brought her to St. Hillarion who presently turned her into her former shape To which the like may be said of a young man who by magical women seemed to be turned into an Asse of whom when Peter Damianus did accurately dispute before Leo the high Priest he affirmed it was the effect of Magick and no fiction Fulgosus book 8. chap. 11. IN Prussia Livonia and Lituania there is a great number of Witches who at Christmas before night laying the picture of a man in a certain place they assume the Wolfs face and go to the Countrey-mens houses in the Woods and there fight and drink off hogs-heads of Ale kill cattel and afterwards they count that place of the inhabitants divine And if at any time there happen any mischief as a Wagon overthrown and cast into the Snow they believe that he that it belongs to shall dye that year as they have found many times by sad experience Within Lituania Samogetia and Curio there is a certain stone-wall standing being the ruines of a certain Castle At this at an appointed time there meets 1000 of Wolves and tryes their nimblenesse in leaping and they that cannot leap over this wall as those that are fat often cannot they are beaten by their chief Governours And in the last place it is constantly affirmed that in this multitude there are the great Peers and many of their Nobility Olaus illustrates it by many Examples lib. 8. cap. 45. c. He affirms That the Duke of Prusia did give no credit to such Witchcrafts but caused a certain man not much skilled in Negromancy to be imprisoned till he should metamorphose himself into a Wolf but when he saw he could not he caused him to be burnt URatislaus Prince of Luca who first founded Uratislavia warred against Grezomislaus Prince of Bohemia his Nephew They say there was a woman there that foretold her son in law that wish'd for the fight that Uratislaus should be killed in the battle and the major part of the people should dye with him but he being but a youth might peradventure escape if he would be advised by her She charg'd the young man that said he would do whatever she commanded to kill the first he met withall and to keep close both his ears in his pocket presently making a crosse with his sword on the ground between his horses forefeet and kissing it he got upon his horse and hastened away Uratislaus being slain in the Camp called Thuscus the young man that hearkened to his Mother in law fled home safe but found his Wife which he intirely loved killed without ears and holes made in her breast Thus those ears which he had cut off from his enemy in great amaze he knew to be his Wifes Aeneas Silv. in Histor Bohemia APollonius Thyaneus cured the blind the lame and those that were tormented with unclean spirits he delivered the City Ephesus
she was compelled by the Devil to use several means to seduce a chaste young Virgin the daughter of a certain honest and very rich man to lye with the Devil to which end the devil thought it his best course to invite the Virgin to his Chamber upon an Holy-day where he might talk to her in the shape of a young Gallant which having often assay'd the Maid alwayes signing her self with the sign of the Cross his design was frustrate ANother Virgin of the Diocesse of Argentinum staying alone at her fathers house upon a Sunday there came to her a certain old woman of the same Town who after many scurrilous words which she used she invites her to go along with her to a place where she should see all the handsomest gallants of the Town the young maid overcome by the obscene enticing words of the old woman went along with her to her house they were no sooner come to the house but the old woman saith we will go up to the chamber where the young gallants whereof I spoke of are but take heed you sign not your self with the sign of the Crosse The young maid hearing what the old woman said to her as she followed her up the stairs was struck with sudden fear and therefore she signing her self with the sign of the Crosse by prayers commendeth her self to Almighty God Whereupon the Devils vanished which the old woman perceiving with a grim and devillish countenance raging and cursing the young maid thrust her out of dores Ibid. IT was likewise confessed by this woman that waited at the Bath who was formerly spoken of that she was likewise deceived by an old woman who brought her to the Devill in a way to whom she prostituted her self and that he in every respect performed the office of a lustfull man and was alwayes prepared for that and that for eighteen years denying the faith she served the Devill in diabolicall letchery IN the Brixiensian Diocesse a young man being inamoured with a certain young maid much desired to have her to wife but I know not upon what occasion altering his affection married another at the solemnization of the marriage not having altogether forgot his old love amongst others invited his former paramour who refused not the invitation and when the honest Matrons and Virgins offered their gifts this impudent beast comes forth and casting her hands towards the bride saith to her From this day forward thou shalt not enjoy one day of health Which words when they understood the levity of the impudent curtesan they took no great notice of but the Nuptials being ended by the force of Inchantments she lost the strength of all her members and for ten years most miserably afflicted she kept her bed and then ended a most pittifull life A Certain Earl of an illustrious extraction of the Westraviensian territories bordering upon the confines of the Diocesse of Argentinum having married a Lady of an illustrious family being by inchantments deprived of naturall strength for begetting issue could by no means understand the reason thereof It happened that after he had been three years married he going to the City of Menses to expedite some businesse which he had that he fell into the company of a certain woman who for some years before his marriage had been his Concubine whom he distasted not for what had formerly passed betwixt them nor did he suspect her concerning the Witchcrafts with which he had been afflicted but kindly talks to her of their old love which he was pleased to acknowledg and inquires of her her condition and whether she were in good health She perceiving the pitty and goodnesse of the Earl inquires of him whether he were in good health he answered That he was well and that all things succeeded happily and prosperously with him She amazed for a little while was silent which when the Earl perceived he by gentle speeches invited her to discourse whereupon she inquires his Wives condition he answered that she was well She again asketh whether he had any Children by her The Earl answered I have had three Sons by her she bare me one every year Then as one stupefied she was silent Saith the Earl then pray thee my dear why dost thou so accurately inquire of the condition of me and mine I do not doubt but thou rejoycest at my felicity then said she I am heartily glad but cursed be that old woman who firmly swore that by her witchcrafts she would make you unable to perform the rites of Marriage with your espoused Lady the knowledge whereof the Well that stands in the middle of your Court will give you in which an earthen pot is cast being fill'd with inchantments of which the old woman did affirm that so long as it should lye there your power of rendring Nuptial rites should utterly be wanting but I understand now and rejoyce at it that what she spoke was vain and frivolous The Earl hearing these things wisely dissembling the businesse makes haste home and causeth the Well to be drawn or emptied of all the water that was in it findeth the Earthen pot which being burnt he recovered his former strength and vigour ibid. Concerning the manner how Witches use to take away the Members of men read in the Book called Malleus Venificarum cap. 7. p. 2. It is to be thought impossible that such members should be so occultly pulled or taken from the bodies but by the legerdemains of the Devill IN the Bâ—esiacus in the Basiliensian Diocess a young Wench afterwards by means of her art made one of the Society of Witches she was brought by her Aunt who was afterwards burnt at Argentina to an upper Chamber of the house where there were together five gallant young men clothed in green then the old woman saith to the Maid Chuse which of these young men thou pleasest to be thy husband which when the young maid refused she did most grievously beat and hurt her IN the Basiliensian Diocess a Priest of the Town of Oberweiler was of opinion That there were no Witches in the VVorld and passing hastily over a bridge he met a certain old woman in as great haste as himself to whom he would not give the way but threw her off the bridge into the mire whereat the old woman much inraged gave him bitter and contumelious language saying Thou shalt not escape revenge for this which words he regarding not nor well understanding went home but in the night he was become so weak and feeble below his girdling place or middle that he could not possibly rise out of his bed so that he was fain to be carried by two as oft as he went to the Church or to visit the sick after this affliction had continued for the space of three years this old woman whom he had not without cause suspected falls sick therefore she was advised to go to the Priest to confesse her sins and although at first she refused
December in the year 1558. the Heaven being fair and clear as it is wont to be in Halcyon dayes And we at the same time saw thorough the battlements of the next house that were cast down and the porch broken to the Shop Bodin Daemonomaniae Lib. 3. cap. 3. MElancthon doth bring a History very like to this Ten men were overwhelmed by the ruine of the Tower Magdeburg when they did dig to find treasure which Satan had shewed them Gregorius Agricola in his Book de Spiritibus subterraneis writeth that at Annaeberg in that ruine which is called the Town of Roses there was a spirit in the shape of a Horse that killed twelve men and made them withdraw from the mine full of Silver which Magitians found by the help of Satan I Heard of a certain Lugdunensian in the Temple of the Virgin Mary that there was Campellanus of Lutetia who with his companions revealed the treasure of Arcolius near Lutetia by Magick-Art but when they thought to have the Chest in which it was hidden it was carried away with a Whirl-wind but part of the wall fell upon him by which he was made lame for the whole term of his life And when the Noribergensian Priest had found the treasure by the help of Satan and long ago was about to open the box the house was abolished with a fall I Heard also from a Lugdunensian practitioner in the Law that he with his companions went in the night that they might seek out a treasure by uttering Conjurations and when they began to dig they heard a voice as it were of a man which was put on the wheel most horribly crying to the thieves so they were turned to flight but evill spirits in the very same moment pursuing them slew them even to that house from whence they came and they entered it with so great a noise that the Host thought it had thundered and from that time he swore that he would never seek after treasure Bodin BOdin also proves by an example that sorcerers can bewitch mens eyes and move laughter and make the spectators astonished concerning Triscalanus that Magitian which said of a certain Curat all the Parish Priests being present See ye that Hypocrite who feigning to bring a Register doth bring play-papers Then the Curate willing to shew that he brought a Register he seemed to himself to have play-papers and whosoever were present seemed to themselves to see papers so that the curate cast away his book of account and went away ashamed But others coming a little after gathered up the Register book being freed from that likenesse of Papers by which thing it was manifest that Satan did delude men in many things and also bind fast every ones eyes For those which were not present at the former action when the sorcerer cast his delusions before the eyes of those that were present did see a true book of account when others on the contrary did perceive but an appearance of papers c. THe Germanes being about to search what Witch had made a horse feeble and decaying did draw the bowels of another horse to certain houses and not entring the gates but a Cellar or Cave under ground did burn those bowels Then the Sorceress which had committed that evil feeling the pain of the Collick all within She runneth streightway to the houses where the bowels were burn'd that she might ask for a burning cole and her pain did cease But if the doors were not opened the houses were darkened ringed with horrible thunder and threatned ruine unlesse those that were within would open the door which Sprangerus writeth that he observed and saw in Germany I Heard from D. Antonius Lonanius the King 's general Legate that there was a Sorcerer at Ribemont who having pronounced certain words did discover another by a sieve All the names of those that were suspected were brought and when the name of that man who was in the fault was brought the sieve did move uncessantly and the Magitian accessary to the same fault came which being found the Sorcerer was condemned Bodin lib. 3. cap. 4. I Remember that D. Bodin the King 's general Procurator sometimes related to me When all his cattel remained in a Village at Moldena that it was told his Wife that a certain beast must be slain which here it doth not please me to declare and he ought to hang it with the feet upward under the threshold of the stable with pronouncing certain words which it is not needfull here to insert this being done there did none of his cattel perish Idem ibid. JOhannes Martinus performing his turn of Ruler of Laodunum declared to me that when he was to try a Witch by the Authority of S. Proba for she had tormented a Mason with so great sickness that his head did hang down almost between his legs his body being crooked which evill he did suspect to come to him from the sorceresse the Judg having regarded it well he commanded that word should be brought to the Witch that she by no other means could save her life then by healing the Mason And therefore she commanded a swathing band to be brought home by her daughter she calls upon the Devill casting her countenance on the ground she muttered certain charms before them all and delivering the swathing band to the Mason she gave commandment that he should be washed in a bath and that which was shut in the swathing band should be put into the Bath with these words Get thou gone in the Devills name She said that there was this and no other means of recovery These things being done the Mason was cured But yet before those things were seen in the Bath she being willing to know what was in the swathing band which she had forbidden to be done they found three little corns in it But the Mason while he was in the bath perceived as it were three great fishes in it when he came forth of it although they did seek them very diligently yet neither the fish nor the arm was found The sorceresse was burned alive and remained without repentance Idem lib. 3. cap. 5. WE read in horto Antonii de Tarquamedia lib. 3. of a certain Magitian who said to a rustick man whom he saw bitten by a mad-dogg That he was one that delivered from harm that he might not lose his life And when he prick'd his nose thrice to let forth blood he was cured CAâ—olus Martinus Governour of Laodunum being certified that a poor woman in the valley that was the name of the Laodunensian Suburbs was bewitched by a Sorceress her Neighbour and taking pity of her he threatned death to the Witch unlesse she took away the disease from her Neighbour She fearing promised to heal her and therefore she came to the beds feet looked steadfastly on the Earth joyned her hands called on the greatest Devil with a loud voice afterwards renewed her prayers repeating some unknown words and
Plutarch in Marcellus ANiharis King of the Longobards brother of Garibald King of the Bavarians â—ooâ— Theodelinda his bride in the Veronian field Not far from thence a tree being struck from Heaven Agigulph Duke of the Taurinians a soothsayer being asked Counâ—ell of received an answer Theodelinda the Virgin to marry Antharis but a little after to be a Widow for Agilulph The issue confirmed the promise of the Sooth-saying For Antharis when he had fairly reigned six years was taken away by poyson at Tiotnam The Longobards gave power to Theodelinda his Wife for her mildnesse and too much courtesy that it should be lawfull for her to take that Husband whom she desired and they promised they would have him for their King But she chose Agilulph The Marriage was solemnized at Mediolum where by the agreement of all he is declared King of the Longobards or Lombards Bonfine Book 8. Of the first Decade BAtabaces in the Cimbrian War a Priest of the great Mother â—dea came to Pessinunt This man brought word that the goddesse had shewn him in his passage that a victory and great glory of war was to come to the people of Rome When there was an approvement of the Senate and it had decreed a Temple to the goddesse for Victories-sake A. Pompey Tribune of the common people forbade him going into the assembly that he might utter these things to the people calling him jugler and with disgrace drave the man out of the place of their Common-pleas Which thing most of all commended his sayings For assoon as the assembly being dismissed Pompey returned to his house so great a force of a Feaver possessed him that it was manifest to all and much spread abroad that he died within the seventh day Plutarch in the life of Marius L. Sylla being returned out of Asia against Cinna and Marius he tells that in Silvina of Pontium Servus a mad man to have spoken to him who said he shewed to him from Bellona that he should have the Palme or conquering Crown and Victory of the War The which unlesse he should perfect the Capitoll was to be burnt and that happened on the same day which he had foretold which was the day before the Nones of the fifth Moneth which now we call July Plutarch in Sylla CReophilus in the bounds of the Ephesians saith those that built Ephesus when they were greatly in doubt of the place at length they sent unto the Oracle those which should ask where the City was to be placed But the Devil answered Where a fish had evidently shewn and a wild Boar had taught But there is a report that where the Fountain now called Hypelaeus is and the holy Haven certain fishermen provided a dinner Then a certain one of the Fishes leaped out together with the dead coals and fell down into a bundle of Chaff a green turf is presently inflamed in which a wild boar by chance lay hid who being much affrightned with fire ran through a good part of a Mountain even thither where Trachea is now called and fell down being wounded with a dart where now the Temple of Pallas is erected Then the Ephesians possessing the Island when they had inhabited it twenty and one years in the twenty and second they built Trachea and afterward Corissum and there raised up the Temple of Diana in the market-place and of Pythius Apollo in the haven Athenaeus Book 8. chap. 11. THere was among the Locrians a wooden Dog having such a History For a lot was rendred unto a certain Locrian there he should build a City where a wooden Dog had fastned a biting on him For which cause when he had sailed unto the other shore of the Sea he trod upon a kunosbaton that is a Dog bush or bramble a kind of thorn from thence when he thought the Oracle to have an end he built the Cities which the Locrians call or esteem Ozolae Coelius Book 17. chap. 28. out of Athenaeus Book 2. chap. 33. LEonides in his fourth book of the people of Attica saith when Thymaetes the younger brother who was a bastard had beheaded Aphidantes King of the Athenians he himself reigned at Athens Whereby it was brought about that Melanthus the Messenian a banished man from his Country received an Oracle where he was to dwell to whom it was answered where it should be received for gifts from guests setting feet and heads before him in a supper the which afterwards happened in Eleusina For when as they had a certain solemn feast according to their countrey manner and had spent all the flesh and the feet onely and heads had remained these very things they brought to Melanthus Athenaeus Book 3. chap. 9. BYzantium before called Lygos was built by the Lacedemonians Pausanias being Captain in the most narrow Sea of Europe and Asia unto whom it was said by the Oracle of Apollo Pythius that they should place it against blind seats that is the Megarians who built Chalcedon in a barren soyl of the Countrey a wealthy bank being let passe Strabo book 7. This City Constantine the Great who passed over the seat of the Empire from the City of Rome into the East to restrain the inroads of the Parthians compassed with new walls being warned from God and adorned it with most high Towers and stately buildings that it might be thought rather the habitation of gods than of Emperours This City when the Emperour would name Nea the common people from the builder called Constantinople Cuspinian THere is a report that a Wonderfull meeting of a Sow that had piggs made a divination to the Trojanes of building a City who Aeneas being Captain had come into Italy They say she was great with young and to have come to the Altars being strucken with the hands of the sacrificers thence to have sit down on a little Tomb four and twenty furlongs from the Sea in a place surely hideous and very difficult Aeneas mindfull of the Oracle followed the Sow aloof off with a few that were by chance present lest being nigh the trace she should turn from the destinous way But then contemplating the nature of the place when as he perceived nothing in it which might invite him to the tillage of it being doubtfull in his counsell he was vexed neither could he bring it into his mind that such unfit seats were shewn him by destiny And he was now late busied in advising of that one thing whether he ought to be there or should go as yet farther When as from the next place a voice without an Authour was given which commanded the Trojans to remain there Onely they should go forward to build other things they should leave to the destinies Others are Authours that the shape of houshold gods was here in a dream set before the eyes of Aeneas by which he was commanded to fortify the place But whatever kind of Oracle that was it is a certain report that the Sow being the day after
whole body it behoveth them then also to possess every part of that body which they have taken to them and so by that means they should be in many places which is proper and appertaining to God onely And therefore the Angells and Devills cannot take any body unto them To this Argument answer may be made in this manner That the Angell or Devill so taking any body upon him is wholly in the whole body which it assumeth or else in a part thereof as the Soul is in the body For albeit he be not the form of the body which it assumeth as is the Soul yet so it is that he is the mover thereof Now it behoveth that the mover and the thing moved should be together and it is nothing to the purpose to say that an Angell or Devill filling a body whole and entire of substance can be in divers places for the whole body assumed by an Angell or Devil is not but in one place onely albeit the same be admitted to have many members and many parts Thus far have I done my best both to set down and to refute all the reasons and Arguments objected by those who deny that Angels and Devils can assume and take unto them a body to the intent that from hence forth their mouths might be stopped and that they may not esteem as fables the History of Specters and of the Apparitions of Spirits But before I come to conclude this discourse I may not forget to tell you how that many of the Rabbins and Jews which have taken upon them to interpret the holy Scriptures have held opinion and been of the belief that those Angels which appeared to the Patriarks and Prophets did not appear in any body nor did assume unto them any body to make themselves visible And of this opinion amongst others was Rabbi Moses one of the most learned Rabbins of the Jews who said That all that which is read and recorded in the Old Testament of the Apparition of Angels did come by an imaginary Vision that is to say sometimes in sleeping and sometimes in waking But this position as Saint Thomas of Aquine calleth it cannot prevail against the truth of the Scriptures for by the phrase and manner of speeches which are usuall in the books of the Old Testament it is easy to know and discern a difference that which is signified and declared to have Appeared purely and simply to our eyes from that which is said to be done by the means of a Propheticall Vision For when it ought to be understood that any Apparition was made by way of Vision there are some words put down and inserted which do properly appertain to the Vision such as the Scriptures do intend as in Ezechiel the Spirit of the Lord saith he lifted me up between the Heaven and the Earth and led me into Jerusalem by the Visions of the Lord. I say therefore that when it appeareth that things are said to be done simply we ought to understand them as done simply and truly Now we read in the Old Testament that many Apparitions have been made in body And therefore we ought to grant that the Angells do sometimes assume and take unto them a body in forming such a body as is sensible and subject to the external and corporal Vision as well as some kind of shapes do form themselves in our imagination which do produce an imaginative Vision when we are sleeping But this shall suffice touching this matter FINIS A Table of the first Part of this Book being the Apparitions of Devills and Evill Spirits The severall heads are to be found by the figures in the Margin MArcus Brutus his Vision 1 Marcus Antonius his Vision 2 Dion of Syracusa his Vision 3 Alexander King of Scots his Vision 4 The Apparition of an old Woman at Tortils in Parma 5 Antonius Urceus Codrus his Vision 6 Jacobus Patricius of Venice his Vision 7 Cursius Ruffus his Vision 8 Edwinus his Vision 9 The Vision of Machabaeus and Banquho Stuart 10 Hotharus King of Swedes his discourse with Nymphs 11 An Apparition to Julius Caesar 12 Pelopidas Generall of the Theban Army 13 An evil spirit forc't away by the sign of the Crosse 14 An Apparition to Matthaeus the Great 15 An Apparition of the spirit of Galeacius to two Merchants 16 The Apparition of Ludovicus Alodisius 17 Apparitions at a City called Come near France 18 An Apparition before the destruction of Antiochus 19 An Apparition to a Factour of Sicily before the bursting out of horrid flames from the top of Mount Aetna 20 A vision to one of the retinue of Damascus going into Persia 21 The Vision of King Edward the third 22 An Apparition to Aurelianus the Emperour 23 The appearing of the Devil to St. Martin 24 St. Germans detecting of evill spirits which appeared in the habits of Men and Women 25 Menippus invited by the Devill in shape of a maid to a rich house 26 The Apparition of the Ghost of a Fencer to Jamblicus 27 Julianus drove away Devills by the sign of the Crosse 28 A Mediolanensian Boor afflicted by a Ghost 29 An Apparition to Comandrus before his being drowned in the Hellespont 30 The appearing of a Succubus to Apelles a Monk of Aegypt 31 Datius Bishop of Mediolana delivers a house from the haunting of Evill spirits 32 A wonderfull Spectrall related by Phlegon in his Book de mirabilibus et longaevis 33 A Monk deluded by the embraces of the Devill in form of a beautifull Woman 34 Vincentius his story of one who married a phantasm 35 Of a young Lady of the Countrey Marra who kept company with an evill spirit 36 A Woman who had accompanied the Devill in form of a man being at Sea causeth a great storm 37 Of a Priest who had for forty years lain with an evil spirit 38 Jacobus Ruffus in his fifth Book his relation of a Woman ravished by the Devill 39 The Devill had commerce with a Merchants Wife seven Miles from Wittenburg 40 The Apparition of Benedictus the 8th Pope 41 The Apparition of Theophylact who called himself Benedict the ninth 42 The appearing of an ugly Ghost to Saint Martin Bishop of Tours where an unknown Martyr was worshipped 43 Scopas and his companie 's sudden death by the falling of a room upon them as they were feasting 44 The raining of ashes 45 An Earthquake round about Palestine and Syria 46 The representation wherewith Theodoricus King of the Ostrogoths affrighted dies 47 A strange report by the Castrobians concerning Aristaeus the Poet. 48 The relation of one Leonard's going into a Cave at the City Basil 49 Of a Swan which by a Silver chain fastned to her neck hal'd a Bark along the River Rhene 50 By Dianaes will a great darknesse perplexed the Persians 51 The Athenians assisted against the Persians by one in the habit of a rustick fellow 52 Lightning fell down from Heaven upon the Persians at Minervaes Temple 53
should take the shape of a Pronotarie Satan therefore according to his wish appeared to him in the form of a Pronotarie at the day appointed and promised to tell him whatever he demanded He desires to know whether he should obtain the Pontificial dignity which when Satan affirmed he moreover demanded how long he should continue in that dignity To which question the Devil so answered That Alexander understood him to promise the Popedome to him eighteen years but he reigned onely eleven years and eight dayes the eleven years being expired he falling into sicknesse commandeth one of his servants to go into the upper Conclave and bids him bring him the book that lay upon the Table in which Magical Arts and incantations were taught the servant ascending and opening the doors he finds Satan sitting in the Câ—air of the Pope clad with the Papal ornaments affrighted with which Vision he returns to the Pope and tells him what he had seen The Pope hearing this compells him to go again to see whether the Devil did continue there the servant coming thither again found the Devil sitting in the same habit who demanded what he would have of him The servant answered That he came thither for the Pope's book To which the Devil replyed What doest thou call the Pope I am the Pope When the Pope being sick by his Minister heard these things he was greatly afraid and easily understanding how the case stood with him by his own command he was carried into the inner Conclave whither as soon as he was come the Devil taking the habit of a Post-messenger cometh and knocketh hastily at the door and being let in cometh to the Pope lying in his bed and tells him that the time was now expired and therefore he must speedily depart this life Whereupon there arose contention whereby those who were present understood the strife betwixt them to be concerning the number of the years but Satan evidently demonstrating to him the reason that the number of the years were expired went away and in a very short time after the Pope gave up the ghost GRegorius Martinus told Martin Luther 1538 a story much to be bewail'd of a certain Virgin that instead of tears wept drops of blood being brought to that miserable condition by the malice of an Inchantress and that the Witch was present though she took no notice of it when she poured out such tears He said that it was not convenient that there should have been any delay or putting off the punishment hereof nor that Lawyers or Judges needed to hear any further testimony evidence or demonstration Furthermore he added as followeth Within these few dayes saith he there was brought to me a Case concerning Wives a Wife did endeavour to kill her Husband by poyson and when the Woman was examined by tortures concerning this matter no confession of the truth could possibly be extorted from her for Witches remain mute notwithstanding torments which they nothing value the Devil doth so dexterously stop their mouthes therefore when what they have done by witchcraft convinceth the Witches according to this example there ought such course to be taken with them that the example may be a terrour to others IT was reported that some years past a Magitian was suspended but vanishing away when he was upon the Gallowes there hanged in his stead a bundle of straw The same man having sold to one an excellent horse did warn him that when he rid him he should not hastily go to the water with him Wherefore the buyer taken with a desire of finding out the cause why the seller wished him to forbear bringing the Horse to water forthwith desirous to cause his horse to swim rides into a deep River when he came to the middle thereof he perceived that he had nothing under him but a bundle of grass and Hey Wherefore being in a most violent rage he runs breathing as it had been for life to the house of the Witch who perceiving the coming of his defrauded chapman laying himself down upon a bench counterfeiting himself to be asleep the buyer rushing himself into his stove seeked by hawling and pulling of him to raise him from sleep the Witch thought he would kill him at last and therefore exceedingly affrighted he gets up upon his knees and runs away speedily The same Witch did often sell to men swine which after they were bought turned into bundles of straw at last Divine Justice brought him to a deserved punishment at Norburg with two women that were his complices he and they by diabolical tricks which they used when they were not observed stole mens goods of which being at last detected they were apprehended and cast into prison together and a rich Woman who was till that time reputed a Matron of good conversation was confessed by the women to be guilty of the same wickednesse of stealing and fornication which by their legerdemaines they exercised and therefore she was likewise cast into prison but the chief Magitian himself though put to great torments would confesse nothing and when it was conjectured his art and spirit or familiar was in the hair of his head they cut away his hair Whereupon he confessed all his notorious wickednesses and after a few dayes first the two women and immediately after the Magitian were deservedly hanged THe horrid and much to be admired example of the power of Satan which he sheweth by his cursed instruments Witches are fully demonstrated to us in the book called Malleus Veneficarum And although the power of Sathan be great and that God suffereth him sometimes to exâ—rcise his mischievous cruelty against some men for their sins and unbelief yet sometimes also it pleaseth Almighty God by the envy of the Devil to try and prove his own dear Children Nevertheless we are assured that their very hairs are numbred and that not so much as one of them can fall to the ground contrary to his will therefore we may easily arm our selves against the power and snares of the Devil if we diligently beware and take heed of sin and persevere firm and constant in faith and prayer But because the Devil hath to this day shewed his greatest power amongst Papists therefore I will declare some examples out of the forenamed book by which it most manifestly appears how great the power of Satan is and what inveterate envy and malice he hath towards mankind He who desires to see variety of discourse to this purpose let him peruse the said Author OF the filthy commixtion which Witches use with the Devil it is a shame to tell whosoever desireth to know how these filthy Plagues and beasts do commerce with the Devil whereby they have oft deformed births and exercise nothing but Satanical deeds let him besides the foresaid Author peruse Austin in his third book and second chapter de Civitate Dei AT Ratisbone one of two Witches which were burnt to ashes being one that waited upon a Bath coâ—fessed that