longer they be preserved the worse they are And till you have perused my book pondeâ— this in your mind to wit that Sagae Thessalae Striges Lamiae which words and none other being in use do properly signifie our witches are noâ— once found written in the old or new Testament and that Christ himself in his Gospel never mentioned the name of a witch And that neither he nor Moses ever spake any one word of the witches bargaine with the devil their hagging their riding in the aire their transferring of corn or grasse from one field to another their hurting of children oâ— cattel with words or charmes their bewitching of butter cheese ale c. nor yet their transubstantiation insomuch as the writers hereupon are not ashamed to say that it is not absuâ—d to â—ffirm that there were no witches in Jobs time The reason is that if there had been such witches then in being Job would have said he had been bewitched But indeed men took no â—eed in those daies to this doctrine of devils to wit to these fables of witchcraft which Peter saith that shal be much regarded and hearkened unto in the latter daies Howbeit how ancient so ever this barbarous conceipt of witches oâ—â—nipotencie is truth must not be measured by time for every old opinion is not sound Veritie is not impaired how long soever it be suppressed but is to be searched out in how daâ—ke a corner soever it lye hidden for it is not like a cup of ale that may be broched too ratheâ— Finally time bewraieth old errors and discovereth new matters 〈◊〉 truth Danaeus himself saith that this question hitherto hath never beeâ— handled nor the Scriptures concerning this matter have never bin exâ—pounded To prove the antiquity of the cause to confirme the opinion of the ignorant to inforce mine adversaries arguments to aggravate the punishments and to accomplish the confusion of these old women is added the vanity and wickednesse of them which are called witches the arrogancy of those which take upon them to worke wonders the desire that people have to hearken to such miraculous matters unto whom most commonly an impossibility is more credible than a verity the ignorance of naturall causes the ancient and universall hate conceived against the name of a witch their ill-favoured faces their spitefull words their curses and imprecations their charmes made in time and their beggery the fear of many foolish folke the opinion of some that are wise the want of Robin good-fellow and the fairies which were wont to maintain that and the common peoples talke in this behalfe the authority of the inquisitors the learning cunning consent and estimation of writers herein the false translations and fond interpretations â—sed specially by Papists and many other like causes All which toâ—es take such hold upon mens fansies as whereby they are led and enticed away from the consideration of true respects to the condemnation of that which they know not Howbeit I will by Gods grace in this my booke so apparently decipher and confute these cavils and all other their objections as every witch monger shall be abashed and all good men thereby satisfied In the mean time I would wish them to know that if neither the estimation of Gods omnipotency nor the tenor of his word nor the doubtfulnesse or rather the impossibility of the case nor the small proofes brought against them nor the rigor executed upon them nor the pitty that should be in a christian heart nor yet their simplicity impotency or age may suffice to suppresse the rage or rigor wherewith they are oppressed yet the consideration of their sex or kind ought to move some mitigation of their punishment For if nature as Plinie reporteth have taught a lion not to deale so roughly with a woman as with a man because she is in body the weaker vessell and in heart more inclined to pitty which Jeremy in his lamentations seemeth to confirme what should a man do in this case for whom a woman was created as an helpe and comfort unto him In so much as even in the law of nature it is a greater offence to slay a woman than a man not because a man is not the more excellent creature but because a woman is the weaker vessell And therefore among all modest and honest persons it is thought a shame to offer violence or injury to a woman in which respect Virgil saith Nullum memorabile nomen foeminea in poena est God that knoweth my heart is witnesse and you that read my book shall see that my drift and purpose in this enterprise tendeth onely to these respects First that the glory and power of God be not so abridged and abased as to be thrust into the hand or lip of a lewd old woman whereby the workâ— of the Creator shoul be attributed to the power of a creature Secondly that the religion â—f the gospell may be seen to stand without such peiâ—ish trumphery Thirdly thaâ— lawfull favour and christian compassion be rather used towards these your soules than â—igor and extremity Because they which are commonly accused of witch-craft are the least sufficient of all other persons to speake for themselves 〈◊〉 having the most base and simple education of all others the extremity of their age giving them leave to dote their poverty to beg their wrongs to chide and threaten as being void of any other way of revenge their humor melancholicall to be full of imaginations from whence chiefly proceedeth the vanity of their confessions as that they can transforme themselves and others into apes owles asses dogges cats c. that they can flie in the aire kill children with charmes hinder the coming of butter c. And for so much as the mighty helpe themselves together and the poor widowes cry though it reach to heaven is scarce heard here upon earth I thought good according to my poor ability to make intercession that some part of common rigor and some points of hasty judgement may be advised upon For the world is now at that stay as Brentius in a most godly sermon in these words affirmeth that even as when the heathen persecuted the Christians if any were accused to beleeve in Christ the common people cried Ad leonem so now if any woman be she never so honest be accused of witch-craft they cry Ad ignem What difference is between the rash dealing of unskilfull people and the grave counsell of more discreet and learned persons may appear by a tale of Danaeus his own telling wherein he opposeth the rashnesse of a few townsmen to the counsell of a whole senate preferring the folly of the one before the wisdome of the other At Oâ—leance on Loyre saith he there was a man-witch not only taken and accused but also convicted and condemned for witch craft who appealed from thence to the high court of Paris Which accusation the senate saw in sufficient and would not
Bodin and all papists due herein and that souls cannot be raised by witchcraft pag. 104. That neither the divell nor Samuel was raised but that it was a meere cousenage according to the guise of our Pythonists pag. 105. The objection of the witchmongers concerning this place fully answered and what circumstances are to be considered for the understanding of this story which is plainely opened from the beginning of the 28. chapt of the 1. Samuel to the 12. verse pag. 106. The 12.13 14. verses of 1. Sam. 28. expounded wherein is shewed that Saul was cousened and abused by the witch and that Samuel was not raised is proved by the witches owne talke pag. 108. The residue of 1. Sam. 28. expounded wherein is declared how cunningly this witch brought Saul resolutely to beleeve that she raised Samuel what words are used to colour the cousenage how all might also he wrought by ventriloquie p 109. Opinions of some learned men that Samuel was indeed raised not by the witches art or power but by the speciall miracle of God that there are no such visions in these cur dayes and that our witches cannot do the like pag. 111. Of vaine apparltions how people have beene brought to feare bugs which is partly reformed by preaching of the gospell the true effect of Christs miracles pag. 112. Witches miracles coÌ„pared to Christs that God is the creator of al things of Apollo and of his names and portraiture pag. 113. The eight booke THat miracles are ceased Pag. 115. That the gift of prophesie is ceased pag. 116. That Oracles are ceased pag. 117. A tale written by many grave authors and beleeved by many wise men of the divels death An other storywriby papists beleeved of all catholikes approving the divels honesâ—y conscience and courtesie pag. 119. The judgements of the ancient fathers touching oracles and their abolishment and that they be now transferred form Delphos to Rome p. 120. Where and wherein couseners witches and priests were wont to give oracles and to worke their feats pag. 121. The ninth Booke THe Hebrue word Kasain expounded and how farre a Christian may conjecture of things to come pag. 123. Proofes by the old and new testament that ceâ—taine observations of the weather are lawfull pap 124. That certaine observations are indifferent certaine ridiculous and certaine impious whence that cunning is derived of Apollo and of Aruspicus pag. 125. The predictions of soothsayers lewd priests the prognostications of astronomers and physitians allowable divine prophesies holy and good pag. 126. The diversity of true prophets of Vrim and the propheticall use of the twelve pretious stones contained therein of the divine voice called Eccho ibid. Of prophesies conditionall whereof the prophesies in the old testament doe intreat and by whom they were published witchmongers answers to the objections against witches supernaturall actions pag. 1â—7 What were the miracles expressed in the old testament and what are they in the new testament and that we are not now to looke for any more miracles pag. 128. The tenth Booke THe interpretation of the Hebrue word Onen of the vanity of dreames and divinations thereupon Pag. 130. Of divine naturall and casuall dreames with the different causes and effects ibid. The opinion of divers old writers touching dreames how they vary in noting the causes thereof p 131. Against interpretors of dreames of the ordinary cause of dreames Hemingibus opinion of diabolicall dreames the interpretation of dreames ceased pag. 132. That neither witches nor any other can either by words or herbs thrust into the mind of a sleeping man what cogitations or dreams they list and whence magicall dreames come pag. 133. How men have been bewitched cousened or abused by dreams to dig and search for money pag. 134. The art order to be used in digging for money revealed by dreams how to procure pleasant dreams of morning and midnight dreams ibid. Sundry receipts and ointments made and used for the transportation of witches and other miraculous effects an instance thereof reported and credited by some that are learned pag. 135. A confutation of the former follies as well conceâ—ning ointments dreams c. as also of the assembly of witches and of their consultations and bankets at sundry places and all in dreams pag. 136. That most part of prophesies in the old testament were revealed in dreams that we are not how to look for such revelations of some who have dreampt of that which hath come to passe that dreams prove contrary Nebuchadnezzars rule to know a true expositor of dreams pag. 137. The eleventh Book THe Hebrew word Nahas expounded of the art of augury who invented it how slovenly a science it is the multitude of sacrifices and sacrificers of the heathen and the causes thereof pag. 138. Of the Iewes sacrifice to Moloch a discourse thereupon and of purgatory ibid. The Canibals cruelty of popish sacrifices exceeding in tyranny the â—ewes or Gentiles pag. 139. The superstition of the heathen about the element of fire and how it grew in such reverence among them of their corruptions and that they had some inkling of the godly fathers doings in tâ—at behalf ibid. Of the Roman sacrifices of the estimation they had of augury of the law of the twelve tables pag. 140. Colleges of augurors their office their number the signification of augury that the practisers of that art were couseners their profession their places of exercise their apparell their superstition pag. 141. The times and seasons to exercise angury the manner and order thereof of the ceremonies thereunto belonging pag. 142. Vpon what signes and tokens augurors did prognosticate observations touching the inward and outward parts of beasts with notes of beasts behaviour in the slaughter-house ibid. A confutation of augury Plato his reverend opinion thereof of contrary events false predictions p. 143 The cousening art of sortilege or lotarie practised especially by Egyptian vagabonds of allowed lots of Pythagoras his lot c. ibid Of the Cabalistieall art consisting of traditions and unwritten verities learned without book and of the division thereof pag. 144. When how and in what sorâ— sacrifices were first ordained and how they were prophaned and how the pope corrupteth the sacraments of Christ pag. 145. Of the objects whereupon the augurors used â—o prognoâ—ticate with certain cautions and notes pag. 146. The division of augury persons admittable into the colledges of augury of their superstition pag. 147. Of the common peoples fond and superstitious collections and observâ—tions ibid. How old writers vary about the matter the manner and the means whereby things augurificall are moved pag. 149. How ridiculous an art augury is how Cato mocked it Aristotles reason against it fond collections of auguâ—ors who allowed and who disallowed it pag. 150. Fond distinctions of the heathen writers concerning augury pag. 151. Of naturall and casuall augury the one allowed and the other disallowed ibid. A confutation of casual augury which is
country you shall see it doth not onely agree with forreign cruelty but surmounteth it far If you read a foolish pamphlet dedicated to the Lord Darcy by W. W. 1582. you shall see that he affirmeth that all those torture are farre too light and their rigor too mild and that in that respect he impudently exclameth against our magistrates who suffer them to be but hanged when murtherers and such malefactors be so used which deserve not the hundreth part of their punishments But if you will see more folly and lewdnesse comprised in one lewd book I commend you to Ri. Ga. a Windsor-man who being a mad-man hath written according to his frantick humor the reading whereof may satisfie a wise man how mad all these witch-mongers dealings be in this behalfe CHAP. IX A conclusion of the first book wherein is fore-shewed the tyrannicall cruelty of witch-mongers and inquisitors with a request to the reader to peruse the same ANd because it may appeare unto the world what trecherous and faithlesse dealing what extreame and intolerable tyranny what grosse and fond absurdities what unnatural and uncivil discourtesie what cankerd and spitefull malice what outragious and barbarous cruelty what lewd and false packing what cunning and crafty intercepting what bald and pievish interpretations what abominable and devilish inventions and what â—lat and plaine knavery is practised against these old women I will set down the whole order of the inquisition to the everlasting inexcusable and apparent shame of all witch-mongers Neither will I insert any private or doubtfull dealings of theirs or such as they can either deny to be usuall or justly cavill at but such as are published and renewed in all ages since the commencement of popery established by laws pactised by inquisitors priviledged by princes commended by doctors confirmed by popes councels decrees and canons and finally be left of all witch-mongers to wit by such as attribute to old women and such like creatures the power of the Creator I pray you therefore though it be tedious and intolerable as you would be heard in your miserable calamities so heare with compassion their accusations examinations matters given in evidence confessions presumptions interrogatories conjurations cautions crimes tortures and condemnations devised and practised usually against them The second Book CHAP. I. What testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against reputed witches by the report and allowance of the inquisitors themselves and such as are speciall writers herein EXcommunicate persons partakers of the fault infants wicked servants and run-a-waies are to be admitted to bear witnesse against their dames in this matter of witch-craft because saith Bodin the champion of witch-mongers none that be honest are able to detect them Hereticks also and witches shall be received to accuse but not to excuse a witch And finally the testimony of all infamous persons in this case is good and allowed Yea one lewd person saith Bodin may be received to accuse and condemne a thousand suspected witches And although by law a capitall enemy may be challenged yet Iames Sprenger and Henry Institor from whom Bodin and all the writers that ever I have read do receive their light authorities and arguments say upon this point of law that the poor friendlesse old woman must prove that her capitall enemy would have killed her and that he hath both assaulted and wounded her otherwise she pleadeth all in vain If the judge ask her whether she have any capitall enemies and she rehearse other and forget her accuser or else answer that he was her capitall enemy but now she hopeth he is not so such a one is neverthelesse admitted for a witnesse And though by law single witnesses are not admittable yet if one depose she hath bewitched her cow another her sow and the third her butter these saith M. Mal. and Bodin are not single witnesses because they agree that she is a with CHAP. II. The order of examination witches of by the inquisitors WOmen suspected to be witches after their apprehension may not be suffered to go home or to other places to seek sureties for then saith Bodin the people would be worse willing to accuse them for fear least at their returne home they worke revenge upon them In which respect Bodin commendeth much the Scottish custome and order in this behalfe where he saith a hollow peece of wood or a chest is placed in the church into the which any body may freely cast a little scroll of paper wherein may be contained the name of the witch the time place and fact c. And the same chest being locked with three severall locks are opened every fifteenth day by three inquisitors or officers appointed for that purpose which keepe three severall keyes And thus the accuser need not be knowne nor shamed with the reproch of slander or malice to his poor neighbour Item there must be great perswasions used to all men women and and children to accuse old women of witch-craft Item there may alwaies be promised impunity and favour to witches that confesse and detect others and on the contrary there may be threatnings and violence practised and used Item the little children of witches which will not confesse must be attached who if they be craftily handled saith Bodin will confesse against their own mothers Item witches must be examined as suddenly and as unawarres as is possible the which will so amaze them that they will confesse any thing supposing the devill hath forsaken them whereas if they should first be committed to prison the devill would tamper with them and informe them what to do Item the inquisitor judge or examiner must begin with small matters first Item they must be examined whether their parents were witches or no for witches as these Doctors suppose come by propagation And Bodin setteth downe this principle in witch-craft to wit Si saga sit mater sic etiam est filia howbeit the law forbiddeth it Ob sanguinis revâ—rentiam Item the examiner must look steadfastly upon their eyes for they cannot look directly upon a mans face as Bodin affirmeth in one place although in another he saith that they kill and destroy both men and beasts with their lookes Item she must be examined of all accusations presumptions and faults at one instant least Satan should afterwards disswade her from confession Item a witch may not be put in prison alone least the devill disswade her from confession through promises of her indemnity For saith Bodin some that have been in the goale have proved to fly away as they were wont to do when they met with Diana and Minerva c. and so brake their own necks against the stone wales Item if any deny her own confession made without torture she 〈◊〉 neverthelesse by that confession to be condemned as in any other crime Item the judges must seem to be in a pittifull countenance and 〈◊〉 bemone them saying that It was not they but
And all this doth Danaeus report as a truth and as it were upon his own knowledge And yet else-where he saith In these matters they do but dreame and do not those things indeed which they confesse through their distemperature growing of their melancholike humor and therefore saith he these things which they report of themselves are but meer illusions Psellus addeth hereunto that certain magicall hereticks to wit the Eutychians assemble themselves every good friday at night and putting out the candles do commit incestuous adultery the father with the daughter the sister with the brother and the son with the mother and the ninth moneth they returne and are delivered and cutting their children in peeces fill their pots with their blood then burne they the carcases and mingle the ashes therewith and so preserve the same for magicall purposes Cardanus writeth though in mine opinion not very probably that these excourses dancings c. had their beginning from certaine hereticks called Dulcini who devised those feasts of Bacchus which are named Orgia whereunto these kind of people openly assembled and beginning with riot ended with this folly Which feasts being prohibited they neverthelesse haunted them secretly and when they could not do so then did they it in cogitation onely and even to this day saith he there remaineth a certain image or resemblance thereof among our melancholicke women CHAP. IIII. That there can no reall league be made with the devill the first author of the league and the weake proofes of the adversaries for the same IF the league be untrue as are the residue of their confessions the witch-mongers arguments fall to the gâ—ound for all the writers herein hold this bargaine for certaine good and granted and as their onely maxime But surely the indenâ—uâ—es containing those covenants are sealed with butter and the labels are but bables What fit me bargaine can be made betwixt a carnall body and a sâ—irituall Let any wise or honest man tell me that either hath been aâ—parey on a witnesse and I will beleeve him But by what auâ—hority proof or testimonyâ— and upon what ground all this geere standeâ—h if you read M. Mal. you shall find to the shame of the reporters who do so vary in their tales and are at such contrarieâ—y and to the reproch of the beleevers of such absurd lies For the beginning of the credit hereof resteth upon the confession of a baggage young fellow condemnâ—d to be burnt for witch-crafâ— who said to the inquisitors of likelihood to prolong his lie if at least wise the story be true which is taken out of Nides If I wish quoâ— he that I might obtain pardon I would discover all that I know of witch-craft The which condition being accepted and pardon promised partly in hope thereof and partly to be rid of his wife he said as followeth The novice or young disciple goeth to some church together with the mistresse of that profession upon a sunday morning before the conjurâ—tion of Holy-water and there the said novice renounceth the saith promiseth obedience in observing or rather omitting of ceremonies in meetings and such other follyes and finally that they do homage to their young master the devill as they covenanted But this is notable in that story that this young witch doubting that his wives examination would bewraye his knavery told the inquisitor that in truth his wife was guilty as well as he but she will never I am sure quoth he though she should be burned a thousand times confesse any of these circumstances And this is in no wise to be forgotten that notwithstanding his contriâ—ion 〈◊〉 confession his accusation of his own wife contrary to the inquisiâ—â—â—â— promise and oath he and his wife were both burned at a stake being the first discoverers of this notable league whereupon the fable of witch-craft is maintained and whereby such other confessions have been from the like persons since that time extorted and augmented CHAP. V. Of the private league a notable tale of Bodins concerning a French-lady with a confutation THe manner of their private league is said to be when the devill invisible and sometimes visible in the middest of the people talketh with them privately promising that if they will follow his counsell he will supply all their necessities and make all their endeavours prosperous and so beginneth with small matters whereunto they consent privily and come not into the fairies assembly And in this case me thinks the devill sometimes in such externall or corporall shape should meet with some that would not consent to his motions except you will say he knoweth their cogitations and so should be bewrayed They also except they were idiots would spie him and forsake him for breach of covenants But these bargaines and these assemblies do all the writers hereupon maintaine and Bodin confirmeth them with a hundred and odd lies among the number whereof I will for diverse causes recite one There was saith he a noble Gentlewoman at Lions that being in bed with a lover of hers suddenly in the night arose up and lighted a candle which when she had done she took a box of ointment wherewith she annointed her body and after a few words spoken she was carried away Her bed-fellow seeing the order hereof lept out of his bed took the candle in his hand and sought for the Lady round about the chamber and in every corner thereof But though he could not find her yet did he find her box of ointment and being desirous to know the vertue thereof besmeered himselfe therewith even as he perceived her to have done before And although he were not so superstitious as to use any words to helpe him forward in his businesse yet by the vertue of that oinment saith Bodin he was immediately conveyed to Lorreine into the assembly of witches Which when he saw he was abashed and said In the name of God what make I here And upon those words the whole assembly vanished away and left him there alone starke naked and so was he said to returne to Lions But he had so good a conscience for you may perceive by the first part of the history he was a very honest man that he accused his true lover for a witch And caused her to be burned But as for his adultery neither M. Mal. nor Bodin do once so much as speake in the dispraise thereof It appeareth throughout all Bodins booke that he is sore offended with Cornelius Agrippa and the rather as I suppose because the said C. Agrippa recanted that which Bodin maintaineth who thinketh he could worke wonders by magicke and specially by his black dog It shoud seem he had pretty skill in the art of divination For though he wrote before Bodin many a year yer uttereth he these words in his book De vanitate scientiarum A certain French protonotary saith he a lewd fellow and a cosener hath written a certain fable or
profession The words of the prophet Zacharie are plaine touching the ceasing both of the good and bad prophets to wit I will cause the prophets uncleane spirits to depart out of the land when any shall yet prophesie his parents shall say to him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord and his parents shall thrust him through when he prophesieth c. No no the foretelling of things to come is the onely worke of God who disposeth all things sweetly of whose counsel there hath never yet been any man And to know our labours the times and moments God hoth placed in his owne power Also Phavorinus saith that if these cold prophets or oraclers tell thee of prosperity and deceiv thee thou art made a miser through vain expectation if they tell thee of adversity c. and ly thou art made a miser through vaine fear And therefore I say we may as well look to heare prophesies at the tabernacle in the bush of the cherubin among the clouds from the angels within the arke or out of the flame c. as to expect an oracle of a prophet in these dayes But put the case that one in our Common-wealth should step up and say he were a prophet as many frantick persons do who would beleeve him or not think rather that he were a lewd person See the statutes Elizab. 5. whether there be not laws made against them condemning their arrogancy and cousenage so also the canon lawes to the same effect CHAP. III. That Oracles are ceased TOuching oracles which for the most part were Idols of silver gold wood stones c. within whose bodies some say uncleane spirits hid themselves and gave answers as some others say that exhalations rising out of the ground inspire their minds whereby their priests gave out oracles so as spirits and winds rose up out of that soile and indued those men with the gift of prophesie of things to come though in truth they were all devises to cousen the people and for the profit of priests who received the idols answers over night and delivered them back to the idolaters the next morning you shall understand that although it had been so as it is supposed yet by reasons and proofes before rehearsed they should now cease and whatsoever hath affinity with such miraculous actions as witehcraft conjuration c. is knocked on the head and nailed on the crosse with Christ who hath broken the power of devils and satisfied Gods justice who also hath troden them under his feet and subdued them c. At whose coming the prophet Zacharie saith that the Lord will cut the names of idols out of the land and they shall be no more remembred and he will then cause the prophets and uncleâ—ne spirits to depart out of the land It is also written I will cut off thine inchanters out of thine hand and thou shalt have no more soothsayers And indeed the gospel of Christ hath so laid open their knavery c. that since the preaching thereof their combes are cut and â—ew that are wise regard them And if ever these prophesies came to take effect it must be upon the coming of Christ whereat you see the devils were troubled and fainted when they met him saying or rather exclaming upon 〈◊〉 on this wise Fili Dei cur venisti nos cruciare ante tempus O thou son of God why comest thou to molest us or confound us before our timâ— appointed Which he indeed prevented and now remaineth he our defender and keeper from his clawes So as now you see here is no roome left for such guests Howbeit you shall heare the opinion of others that have beene â— much deceived as your selves in this matter and yet are driven to confesse that GOD hath constituted his sonne to beat down the powerâ— of devils and to satisfie Gods justice and to heale our wound received by the fall of Adam according to Gods promise in Genesis 3. The seed of the woman shall tread downe the serpent or the devil Eusebius in his first booke De praedicatione Evangelij the title whereof is this that the poâ—â—â— of devils is taken away by the coming of Christ saith All answers made by devils all soothsayings and divinations of men are gone and vanished away Item he ciâ—eth Porphyrie in his booke against christian religion wherein these words are rehearsed It is no marvel though the plague be so hot in this city for ever since Jesus hath beene worshipped we can obtaine nothing that good is at the hands of our Gods And of this defection and ceasing of oracles writeth Cicero long before and that to have happened also before his time Howbeit Chrysostome living long since Cicero saith that Apollo was forced to grant that so long as any relike of a martyr was held to his nose he could not make any answer or oracle So as one may perceive that the heathen were wiser in this behalfe than many christians who in times past were called Oppugnatores incantamentorum as the English Princes are called Defensâ—â—es fidei Plutarch calleth Poeoâ—ia as we call bablers by the name of many words because of the multitude of oracles there which now saith he are like to a spring or fountaine which is dried up If any one remained I would ride five hundred miles to see it but in the whole world there is not one to be seene at this hour popish cousenages excepted But Plutarch saith that the cause of this defection of oracles was the devils death whose life he held to be determinable and mortal saying they died for very age and that the divining priests were blown up with a whirle-winde and sunke with an earthquake Others imputed it to be the sight or the place of the planets which when they passed over them carried away that art with them and by revolution may returne c. Eusebius also citeth out of him the story of Pan which because it is to this purpose I will insert the same and since it mentioneth the devils death you may beleeve it if you list for I will not as being assured that he is reserved alive to punish the wicked and such as impute unto those idols the power of Almighty God CHAP. IIII. A tale written by many grave authors and beleeved by many wise men of the devils death Another story written by papists and beleeved of all catholikes approving the devils honesty conscience and courtesie PLutarch saith that his countrey-man Epotherses told him that as he passed by sea into Italy many passengers being in his boate in an evening when they were about the islands Echinadae the wind quite ceased and the ship driving with the tide was brought at last to Paxe And whilest some slept and others quaft and othersome were awake perhaps in as ill case as the rest after supper suddainly a voice was heard calling Thamus in such sort as every man marvelled
which grow not of nature but are gathered by the superstition of the interpretors As for birds who is so ignorant that conceiveth not that one flyeth one way another another way about their private necessities And yet are the other divinations more vain and foolish Howbeit Plato thinketh a commonwealth cannot stand without this art and numbereth it among the liberal sciences These fellowes promised Pompeie Cassius and Caesar that none of them should die before they were old and that in their own houses and in great honour and yet they all died clean contrarily Howbeit doubtlesse the heathen in this point were not so much to be blamed as the sacrificing papists for they were directed hereunto without the knowledge of God's promises neither knew they the end why such ceremonies and sacrifices were instituted but only understood by an uncertain and slender report that God was wont to send good or ill successe to the children of Israel and to the old patriarchs and fathers upon his acceptance or disallowance of their sacrifices and oblations But men in all ages have been so desirous to know the effect of their purposes the sequel of things to come and to see the end of their fear and hope that a seely witch which hath learned any thing in the art of cousenage may make a great many jolly fools CHAP. X. The cousening art of sortilege or lotary practised especially by Aegyptian vagabonds of allowed lots of Pythagoras his lot c. THe counterfeit Aegyptians which were indeed cousening vagabonds practising the art called Sortilegium had no small credit among the multitude howbeit their divinations were as was their fast and loose and as the witches cures and hurts and as the soothsayers answers and as the conjurors raising up of spirits and as Apollos or the Rood of graces oracles and as the jugglers knacks of legierdemaine and as the papists exorcismes and as the witches charmes and as the counterfeit visions and as the couseners knaveries Hereupon it was said Non inveniatur inter vos menabas that is Sortilegus which were like to these Aegyptian couseners As for other lots they were used and that lawfully as appeareth by Jonas and others that were holy men as may be seen among all common-wealths for the deciding of divers controversies c. wherein thy neighbour is not misused nor God any way offended But in truth I think because of the cousenage that so easily may be used herein God forbad it in the common-wealth of the Jews though in the good use thereof it was allowed in matters of great weight as appeareth both in the old and new testament and that as well in doubtful cases and distributions as in elections and inheritances and pacification of variances I omit to speake any thing of the lots comprised in verses concerning the luck ensuing either of Virgil Homer or any other wherein fortune is gathered by the sudden turning unto them because it is a childish and ridiculous toie and like unto childrens play at Primus secundus or the game called the philosophers table but herein I will referre you to the bable it selfe or else to Bodin or to some such sober writer thereupon of whom there is no want There is a lot also called Pythagoras lot which some say Aristotle beleeved and that is where the characters of letters have certaine proper numbers whereby they divine through the proper names of men so as the numbers of each letters being gathered in a summe and put together give victory to them whose summe is the greater whether the question be of warre life matrimony victory c. even as the unequal number of vowels in proper names portendeth lack of sight halting c. which the godfathers and godmothers might easily prevent if the case stood so CHAP. XI Of the Cabilestical art consisting of traditions and unwritten varities learned without Book and of the division thereof HEre is also place for the Cabalistical art consisting of unwritten verities which the Jewes do beleeve and brag that God himselfe gave to Moses in the mount Sinai and afterwards was taught onely with lively voice by degrees of succession without writing untill the time of Esdras even as the scholars of Archippus did use wit and memory in stead of bookes They divide this in twaine the one expoundeth with philosophical reason the secrets of the law and the bible wherein they say that Solomon was very cunning because it is written in the Hebrew stories that he disputed from the Cedar of Libanus even to the Hysope and also of birds beasts c. The other is as it were a symbolical divinity of the highest contemplation of the divine and angelike vertues of holy names and signes wherein the letters numbers figures things and armes the pricks over the letters the lines the points and â—he accents do all signifie very profound things and great secrets By these arts the Atheists suppose Moses wrote all his miracles and that hereby they have power over angels and devils as also to do miracles yea and that hereby all the miracles that either any of the prophets or Christ himselfe wrought were accomplished But C. Agrippa having searched to the bottome of this art saith it is nothing but superstition and folly Otherwise you may be sure Christ would not have hidden it from his Church For this cause the Jewes were so skilful in the names of God But there is none other name in heaven or earth in which we might be saved but Jesus neither is that meant by his bare name but by his vertue and goodnesse towards us These Cabalists do further brag that they are able hereby not onely to finde out and know the unspeakeable mysteries of God but also the secrets which are above scripture whereby also they take upon them to prophesie and to worke miracles yea hereby they can make what they list to be scripture as Valeria Proba did pick certaine verses out of Virgile alluding them to Christ. And therefore these their revolutions are nothing but allegoricall games which idle men busied in letters points and numbers which the Hebrew tongue easily suffereth devise to delude and cousen the simple and ignorant And this they call Alphabetary or Arythmantical divinity which Christ shewed to his Apostles onely and which Paul saith he speaketh but among perfect men and being high mysteries are not to be committed unto writing and so made popular There is no man that readeth any thing of this Cabalistical art but must needs think upon the Popes cunning practises in this behalfe who hath in scrinio pectoris not onely the exposition of all lawes both divine humane but also authority to add thereunto or to draw back there from at his pleasure and this may he lawfully do even with the scriptures either by addition or substraction after his own pontifical liking As for example he hath added the Apocrypha whereunto he might as
extraordinary sicknesse or to be bewitched or as they say strangely taken looke in B Googe his third book treating of cattel and happily you shall find some good medicine or cure for them or if you list to see more antient stuffe reade Vegetius his four bookes thereupon or if you be unlearned seek some cunning bullocke-leech If all this will not serve then set Jobs patience before your eyes And never think that a poore old woman can alter supernaturally the notable course which God hath appointed among his creatures If it had been 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 meanes and infallible charmes 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 reade the sixt chapter of S. Paul to the Epesians and follow his counsell which is ministred unto you in the words following deserving worthily to be called by the name insuing The charme of charmes Finally my brethren be strong in 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 〈◊〉 against principalities and powers and against wordly governoâ—â—â— the princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesse which are in the high places For this cause take unto you the armour of God that you may be able to resist in the evill day and having finished all things stand fast Stand therefore and your loines giâ—ded about with verity and having on the brestplate of righteousnesse c. â— followeth in that chapter verses 15 16 17 18. 1 These 5. 1 Pet. 5. verse 8. Ephes. 1. and elsew-here in the holy scripture Otherwise JF you be unlearned and want the comfort of friends repaire to 〈◊〉 learned godly and discreet preacher If otherwise need require â—â— to a learned physician who by learning and experience knoweth and 〈◊〉 discerne the difference signes and causes of such diseases as 〈◊〉 lesse men and unskilful physicians impute to witchcraft CHAP. XXIII A confutation of the force and vertue falsely ascribed to charmes and amulets by the authorities of ancient writers both Divines and Physitians MY meaning is not that these words in the bare letter can doe 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 bee more effectuall than any one parcell thereof But I find not that the Apostles or any of them in the primitive Church either carried S. Iohns Gospell or any Agnus Dei about them to the end they might be preserved from bugs neither that they looked into the four corners of the house or else in 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 houres 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 Divell who was not affraid to assault himself when he was on earth And therefore a very vain thing it is to think that hee feareth these trifles or any externall matter Let us then cast away these prophane and old wives fables For as Origen saith Incantationes sunt daemonum irrisiones idolatriae faex animarum infatuatio c. Incantations are the Divels sport the dregs of Idolatry the besotting of souls c. Chrysostome saith there be some that carry about their necks a peece of a Gospell But is it not dayly read saith he and heard of all men But if they be never the better for it being put into their ears how shall they be saved by carrying it about their necks And further hee saith Where is the vertue of the Gospell In the figure of the letter or in the understanding of the sense If in the figure thou doest 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 faithfull Ministers admonish and tell their people that these Magicall Arts and incantations doe bring no remedy to the infirmities either of men or cattell c. The heathen Philosophers shall at the last day confound the infidelity and barbarous foolishnesse of our christian or rather antichristian or prophane Witchmongers For as Aristotle 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 soules Others say Inscitiae pallium sunt carmina maleficium incantatio The cloak of Ignorance are charms witchery and incantation Galen also saith that such as impute the falling evill and such like diseases to divine matter and not rather to naturall causes are Witches Conjurers c. Hippocrates calleth them arrogant and in another place affirming that in his time there were many deceivers and couseners that would undertake to cure the falling evill c. by the power and help of Divels 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 couseners for God is our only defender and deliverer O notable sentence of a beathen Philosopher The thirteenth Book 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 of Pharaohs Magicians is afterward answered in this Book also of naturall magick not evill in it self HArtumim is no naturall Hebrew word but is borrowed of some other nationâ— 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 Hierom sometimes translateth it Conjectores sometimes Malefici sometimes Arioll which we for the most part translate by this word witches But the right signification hereof may be conceived in that the inchanters of Phaeraoh being Magicians of Aegypt were called Hartumim And yeâ— in Exodus they are named in some latine translations Venefici Rabbi Lâ—i saith it betokeneth such as doe strange and wonderfull things naturally artificially and deceitfully Rabbi Isaac Natar affirmeth that such were so termed as amongst the Gentiles professed singular wisdome Aâ—â—â— Ezra expoundeth it to signifie such as know the
witty eloquent and to live long he recovereth things lost and dicovereth treasures and is lord over nine and twenty legions Fursur is a great earle appearing as an hart with a fiery taile he lyeth in every thing except he be brought up within a triangle being bidden he taketh angelicall forme he speaketh with a hoarse voice and willingly maketh love between man and wife he raiseth thunders and lightnings and blasts Where he is commanded he answereth well both of secret and also of divine things and hath rule and dominion over six and twenty legions Marchosias is a great marquesse he sheweth himself in the shape of a cruell she wolfe with a griphens wings with a serpents taile and 〈…〉 I cannot tell what out of his mouth When he is in a mans shapeâ— is an excellent fighter he answereth all questions truly he is faithful 〈◊〉 all the conjurors businesse he was of the order of dominations 〈…〉 him are thirty legions he hopeth after 1200. years to returne to the â—venth throne but he is deceived in that hope Malphas is a great president he is seen like a crowe but being cloth with humane image speaketh with a hoarse voice he buildeth 〈…〉 and high towres wonderfully and quickly bringeth artificers together 〈◊〉 throweth downe also the enemies edifications he helpeth to good 〈…〉 he receiveth sacrifices willingly but he deceiveth all the sacrifices there obey him fourty legions Vepar alias Separ a great duke and a strong he is like a mermaid he is the guide of the waters and of ships laden with armour he bringeth to pâ—sse at the commandement of his master that the sea shall be rougâ— and stormy and shall appear full of ships he killeth men in three dayes with purrefying their wounds and producing maggots into them 〈…〉 they may be all healed with diligence he ruleth nine and 〈…〉 legions Sabnack alias Salmack is a great marquesse and a strong he cometh forth as an armed souldier with a lions head sitting on a pale horse â—e doth marvellously change mans forme and favour he buildeth high toâ—ers full of weapons and also castles and cities he inflicteth men 〈◊〉 dayes with wounds both rotten and full of maggots at the exorcists commandement he provideth good familiars and hath dominion over 〈◊〉 legions Sidonay alias Asmoday a great King strong and mighty he is 〈◊〉 with three heads whereof the first is like a bull the second like a 〈◊〉 the third like a ram he hath a serpents taile he belcheth flames out of 〈◊〉 mouth he hath feet like a goose he sitteth on an infernall dragon 〈◊〉 carryeth a launce and a flag in his hand he goeth before others 〈◊〉 are under the power of Amaymon When the conjuror exerciseth 〈◊〉 office let him be abroad let him be wary and standing on his feet 〈◊〉 his cap be on his head he will cause all his doings to be bewrayed 〈◊〉 if he doe not the exorcist shall be deceived by Amaymon in every thing But so soon as he seeth him in the forme aforesaid he shall call him by his name saying Thou art Asmoday he will not deny it and by and by he boweth downe to the ground he giveth the ring of vertues he absolutely teacheth geometry arithmetick astronomy and handicrafts 〈◊〉 all demands he answereth fully and truly he maketh a man 〈…〉 hee sheweth the places where treasure lyeth and gardeth it 〈…〉 be among the legions of Amaymon he hath under his power sey 〈◊〉 two legions Gaap alias Tap a great president and a prince he appeareth in a 〈…〉 ridionall signe and when he taketh humane shape he is the guide of 〈◊〉 foure principall Kings as mighty as Bileth There were certain neâ—â—mancers that offered sacrifices and burnt offerings unto him and 〈◊〉 call him up they excercised on art saying that Solomon the wise made it which is false for it was rather Cham the sonne of Noah who after the floud began first to invocate wicked spirits He invocated Bilâ—th and made an art in his name and a book which is known to many mathemaâ—â—â—ians There were burnt offerings and sacrifices made and gifts-giâ—â—n and much wickednesse wrought by the exorcists who mingled therewithall the holy names of God the which in that art are every where expâ—ssed Marry there is an Epistle of those names written by Solomon as also write Helids Hierosolymitanus and Helisaeus It is to be noted that if any exorcist have the art of Bileth and cannot make him stand before him nor see him I may not bewray how and declare the means to contain him because it is an abomination and for that I have learned nothing from Solomon of his dignity and office But yet I will not hide this to wit that he maketh a man wonderfull in philosophy and all the liberall sciences he maketh love hatred insensibility consecration and consecration of those things that are belonging unto the domination of Amaymon and delivereth familiar 〈…〉 of the possession of other conjurors answering truly and perfectly of things present past and to come and transferreth men most speedily into other nations he ruleth sixty six legions and was of the order of potestates Shax alias Scox is a dark and great marquesse like unto a stork with a hoarse and subtill voice he doth marvellously take away the sight hearing and understanding of any man at the commandement of the 〈…〉 he taketh away money out of every Kings house and carrieth it back after 1200. years if he be commanded he is a horsestealer he is thought to be faithfull in all commandements and although he promise to be obedient to the conjuror in all things yet is he not so he is a lier except he be brought into a triangle and there he speaketh divinely and telleth of things which are hidden and not kept of wicked spirits he promiseth good familiars which are accepted if they be not deceivers he hath thirty legions Procell is a great and a strong duke appearing in the shape of an 〈…〉 but speaketh darkly of things hidden he teacheth geometry and all the liberall arts he maketh great noises and causeth the waters to rore there are none he warmeth waters and distemporeth bathes at certain times as the exorcist appointeth him he was of the order of potestates and hath fourty eight legions under his power Eurcas is a Knight and cometh forth in the similitude of a cruell man with a long beard and a boary head he sitteth on a pale horse carrying in his hand a sharp weapon he perfectly teacheth practick philosophy rhetorick logick astronomy chiromancy pyromancy and their parts there obey him twenty legions Murmur is a great duke and an earle appearing in a shape of a souldier riding on a griphen with a dukes crown on his head there go before him two of his ministers with great trumpets he teacheth philosopy absolutely he constraineth soules to come before the exorcist to answer
that is to do me pleasure and to fulfill 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 haire of my head I conjure thee Sibylia by all the riall words aforesaid and by their vertues and powers I charge and binde 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. IX A license for Sibylia to goe and come by at all times I Conjure thee Sibyliae which art come hither before me by the commandement of thy Lord and mine that thou shalt have no powers is thy going or comming unto me imagining any evill in any manner of wayes in the earth or under the earth of evill doings to any person or persons I conjure and command thee Sibylia by all the riall work and vertues that be written in this Book that thou shalt not goe to the place from whence thou camest but shalt remaine peaceably invisibly and look thou be ready to come unto me when thou are 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 spirtus sancti And the holy ✚ crosse ✚ be between thee and me or between us and you and the Lion of Iuda the root of Iesse the kindred of David be between thee and mee ✚ Christ commeth ✚ Christ commandeth ✚ Christ giveth power ✚ Christ defend me ✚ and his innocent bloud ✚ from all perils of body and soul sleeping or waking Fiat fiat Amen CHAP. X. To know of treasure hidden in the earth WRite in paper these characters following on the saturday in the 〈◊〉 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 goe invisible by these three sisters of Fairies In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost First goe to a fair parlor or chamber and an even ground and in no lost and from people nine dayes for it is the better and let all thy clothing be clean and sweet Then make a candle of Virgine wax and light it and make a faire fire of charcoles in a fair place in the midle of the parlour or chamber Then take fair clean water that runneth against the east and set it upon the fire and yet thou wathest thy selfe say these words going about the fire three times holding the candle in the right hand ✚ Panthon ✚ Craton ✚ Muriton ✚ Lisecognaton ✚ Seston ✚ Diaton ✚ Maton ✚ Tetâ—agrammaton ✚ Agla ✚ Agarion ✚ Tegra ✚ Pentessaron ✚ Tendicata ✚ Then rehearse these names ✚ So thie ✚ Sorthia ✚ Sortheos ✚ Milia ✚ Achilia ✚ Sibylia ✚ In nomine patris filii 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 mercifull and living God that will command his angell to blow the trump at the day of Judgement and he shall say Come come come to judgement and by all angels archangels thrones dominations principats potestaâ—es virtutes cherubim and seraphim and by their vertues and powers I conjure you three sisters by the vertue of all the riall words aforesaid I charge you that you doe appeare before me visibly in form and shape of faire women in white vestures and to bring with you to me the ring of invisibility by the which I may goe invisible at mine owne will and pleasure and that in all houres and minutes In nomine patris filii spiritus sancti Amen * Being appeared say this bond following O blessed virgins ✚ Milia ✚ Achili◠✚ I conjure you in the name of the Father in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Ghost 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 pretious bloud that he took of our blessed Lady the Virgine and by all the 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 in what time and place I shall call thee by this foresaid conjuration written in this book looke thou be ready to come unto me at all houres and minutes and to bring unto me the ring of invisibility whereby I may goe invisible at my will and pleasure and that at all houres and minutes Fiat fiat Amen And if he come not the first night then doe the same the second night and so the third night untill they doe come for doubtlesse 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 faire silken kercher bound abound thy head and be not afraid they will doe thee no harm For there will come before thee three fair women and all in white clothing and one of them will put a ring upon thy finger wherewith thou shalt goe invisible Then with speed bind them with the bond aforesaid When thou hast this ring on thy finger looke in a glasse and thou shalt not see thy self And when thou wilt goe invisible put in on thy finger the same finger that they did put it on and every new ☽ renew it again For after the first time thou shalt ever have it and ever begin this work in the new of the ☽ and in the houre of ♃ and the ☽ in ♋ ♠♓ CHAP. XI An experiment following of Citrael c. angeli diei dominici Say first the prayers of the angels every day for the space of seaven dayes O Ye glorious angels written in this square be you my coadjutors and helpers in all qâ—estions and demands in all my businesse and other causes by him which shall â—ome to judge both the quick and the dead and the world by fire O angeli gloriosi in hac quadra scripti estote câ—adjutores auxiliatores in omnibus quaestionibus intervogationibus in omnibus negotiis caeterisque causis per eum qui venturus est judicare vivos mortuos mumdum per ignem Say this prayer fasting called Regina linguae ✚ Lemae ✚ solma ac ✚ elmay ✚ gezagra ✚ raamaasin ✚ ezierego ✚ mial ✚ egziephiaz Iosamin ✚ sabach ✚ ha ✚ aem ✚ re ✚ be ✚ esepha ✚ sephar ✚ â—â—mar ✚ semoit ✚ lemajo ✚ pheralon ✚ amic ✚
to thee N. and to appeare to thee N. in any crystall stone glasse or other mirror and so to take it for my resting place And that so soone as my spirit is departed out of my body straightway to be at your commandements and that in and at all days nights houres and minutes to be obedient unto thee N. being called of the eâ—by the vertue of our Lord Jesuâ— Christ and our of hand to have common talke with thee at all times and in all houres and minutes to open and declare to thee N. the truth of all things present past and to come and how to worke the magick art and all other noble sciences under the throne of God If I do not performe this oath and promise to thee N. but doe flie from any part thereof then to be condemned for ever and ever Amen Also I N. do sweare to thee by God the Holy ghost and by the great wisedome that is in the divine Godhead and by their vertues and by all the holy angels archangels thrones dominations principats poteslaus virtutes cherubim and seraphim and by all their vertues do I N. sweare and promise thee to be obedient as is rehearsed And here for a witnesse do I N. give thee N. my right hand and do plight thee my faith and troth as God me helpe and holydome And by the holy contents in this booke do I N. sweare that my spirit shall be thy true servant all the dayes of thy life as is before rehearsed and here for a witnesse that my spirit shal be obedient unto thee N. and to those bonds of words that be written in this N. before the bonds of words shall be rehearsed thrise else to be damned for ever and thereto say all faithfull soules and spirits Amen Amen Then let him sweare this oath three times and at every time kisse the book and at every time make marks to the bond Then perceiving the time that he will depart get away the people from you and get or take your stone or glasse or other thing in your hand and say the Pater noster Ave and Credo and this prayer as followeth And in all the time of his departing rehearse the bonds of words and in the end of every bond say oftentimes Remember thine oath and promise And bind him strongly to thee and to thy stone and suffer him not to depart reading thy bond 24. times And every day when you do call him by your other bond bind him strongly by the first bond by the space of 24. dayes apply it and thou shalt be made a man for ever Now the Pater noster Ave and Credo must be said and then the prayer immediately following O God of Abraham God of Isaac God of Iacob God of Tobias â—he which diddest deliver the three children from the hot burning oven Sidrac Misac and Abednago and Susanna from the false crime and Daniel from the lions power even so O Lord omnipotent I beseech thee for thy great mercy sake to helpe me in these my works and to deliver me this spirit of N. that he may be a true subject unto me N. all the dayes of my life and to remaine with me and with this N. all the dayes of my life O glorious God Father Sonne and Holy ghost I beseech thee to help me at this time and to give me power by thy holy name merits and vertues wherby I may conjure and constraine this spirit of N. that he may be obedient unto me and may fulfill his oath and promise at all times by the power of all thine holinesse This grant O Lord God of hosts as thou art righteous and holy and as thou art the word and the word God the beginning and the end sitting in the thrones of thine everlasting kingdomes and in the divinity of thine everlasting Godhead to whom be all honour and glory now and for ever and ever Amen Amen CHAP. XVIII A bond to binde him to thee and to thy N. as followeth IN conjure and constraine the spirit of N. by the living God by the true God and by the holy God and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constraine the spirit of thee N. that thou shalt not ascend nor descend out of thy body to no place of rest but onely to take thy resting place with N. and with this N. all the dayes of my life according to thine oath and promise I conjure and constraine the spirit of N. by these holy names of God ✚ Tetragrammaton ✚ Adonay ✚ Agla ✚ Saday ✚ Sabaoth ✚ planabothe ✚ panthon ✚ craton ✚ vcupmaton ✚ Deus ✚ homo ✚ omnipotens ✚ sempiternus ✚ ysus ✚ terra ✚ unigenitus ✚ salvator ✚ via ✚ vila ✚ manus ✚ sons ✚ origo ✚ filius ✚ and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constraine the spirit of N. that thou shalt not remaine in the fire nor in the water in the aier nor in any privy plaâ—e of the earth but onely with me N. and with this N. all the dayes of my life I charge the spirit of N. upon paine of everlasting condemnation remember thine oath and promise Also I conjure the spirit of N. and constraine thee by the excellent name of Jesus Christ A and Ω the first and the last for this holy name of Jesus is above all names for unto it all knees doe bow and obey both of heavenly things earthly things and infernals Nor is there any other name given to man whereby we have any salvation but by the name of Iesus Therefore by the name and in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and by his nativity resurrection and ascension and by all that appertaineth to his passion and by their vertues and powers I do conjure and constraine the spirit of N. that thou shalt not take any resting place in the ☉ not in the ☽ nor in ♄ nor in ♃ nor in ♂ nor in ♀ nor in ☿ nor in any of the twelve signes nor in the concavity of the clouds nor in any other privie place to rest or stay in but onely with me N. or with this N. all the dayes of my life If thou be not obedient unto me according to thine oath and promise I N. do condemne the spirit of N. into the pit of bell for ever Amen I conjure and constraine the spirit of N. by the bloud of the innocent lambe Jesus Christ the which was shed upon the crosse for all those that do obey into it and beleeve in it shall be saved and by vertue thereof and by all the aforesaid riall names and words of the living God by me pronounced I do conjure and constraine the spirit of N. that thou do be obedient unto me according to thine oath and promise If thou refuse to do as is aforesaid I N by the holy Trinity and by his vertue and power do condemne the spirit of N. into the place whereas there is no
S. Margaret is a fable may be proved by the incredible impossible foolish impious and blasphemous matters contained therein and by the ridiculous circumstance thereof Though it were cruelly done of her to beat the divell when his hands was bound yet it was curteously done of her to pull away her foot at his desire He could not speak so long as she troad on his head and yet he said Tread off that I may tell you what I am She saw the heavens open and yet she was in a close prison But her sight was very clear that could see a little dove sitting upon a crosse so far off For heaven is higher than the Sun and the sun when it is neerest to us is 3966000. miles from us And she had a good pair of ears that could hear a dove speak so far off And she had good luck that S. Peter who they say is porter or else the Pope who hath more doings than Peter had such leisure as to stay the gates so long for her Salomon provided no good place neither took good order with his brazen bowl I marvell how they escaped that let out the divels It is marvell also that they melted it not with their breath long before for the divels carry hell and hell fire about with them alwayes in so much as they say they leave ashes evermore where they stand Surely she made in her prayer an unreasonable request but the date of her patent is out for I beleeve that whosoever at this day shall burn a pound of good candles before her shall be never the better but three pence the worse But now we may find in S. Margarets life who it is that is Christs wife whereby we are so much wiser then we were before But look in the life of S. Katharine in the golden legend and you shall find that he was also married to S. Katherine and that our Lady made the marriage c. An excellent authority for bigamie Here I will also cite another of their notable stories or miracles of authority and so leave shameing of them or rather troubling you the readers thereof Neither would I have written these fables but that they are authentick among the papists and that we that are protestants may be satisfied as well of conjurors and witches miracles as of others for the one is as grosse as the the other CHAP. XXXVII A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish Priest WHat time the Waldenses heresies began to spring certain wicked meâ— being upheld and maintained by diabolicall vertue shawed certaine signes and wonders whereby they strengthened and confirmed their heresies and perverted in faith many faithfull men for they walked on the water and were not drowned But a certain catholick priest seeing the same and knowing that true signs could not be joined with false doctrine brought the body of our Lord with the pix to the water where they shewed their power and vertue to the people and said in the hearing of all that were present I conjure thee O divell by him 〈◊〉 I carry in my hands that thou exercise not these great visions and phantasies by these men to the drowning of this people Notwithstanding their words when they walked still on the water as they did before the priest in a rage threw the body of our Lord with the pix into the river and by and by so soon as the sacrament touched the element the phantasie gaâ—â— place to the verity and they being proved and made false did sink 〈◊〉 lead to the bottome and were drowned the pix with the sacrament immediately was taken away by an angell The priest seeing all these things was very glad of the miracle but for the losse of the sacrament he was very pensive passing away the whole night in tears and mourning in the morning he found the pix with the sacrament upon the altar CHAP. XXXVIII The former miracle confuted with a strange story of St Lucy HOw glad Sr Iohn was now it were folly for me to say How would he have plagued the divell that threw his God in the river to be drowned But if other had had no more power to destroy the Waldenses with sword and fire than this priest had to drown them with his conjuring box and cousening sacraments there should have been many a life saved But I may not omit one fable which is of authority wherein though there be no conjuration expressed yet I warrant you there was cousenage both in the doing and telling thereof You shall read in the lesson on saint Lucies day that she being condemned could not be removed from the place with a teem of Oxen neither could any fire burn her in somuch as one was faine to cut off her head with a sword and yet she could speak afterwards as long as she list And this passeth all other miracles except it be that which Bodin and M. Mal. recite out of Nider of a witch that could not be burned till a scroll was taken away from where she hid it betwixt her skin and flesh CHAP. XXXIX Of visions noises apparitions and imagined sounds and of other illusions of wandering soules with a confutation thereof MAny through melancholy doe imagine that they see or hear visions spirits ghosts strange noises c. as I have already proved before at large Many again through fear proceeding from a cowardly nature and complexion or from an effeminate and fond bringing up are timerous and afraid of spirits and bugs c. Some through imperfection of sight also are afraid of their own shadows as Aristotle saith see themselves sometime as it were in a glasse And some through weaknesse of body have such imperfect imaginations Drunken men also sometimes suppose they see trees walk c. according to that which Salomon saith to the drunkards Thine eyes shall see strange visions and marvellous appearances In all ages monkes and priests have abused and bewitched the world with counterfeit visions which proceeded through idlenesse and restraint of marriage whereby they grew hot and lecherous and therefore devised such means to compasse and obtaine their loves And the simple people being then so superstitious would never seem to mistrust that such holy men would make them cuskholds but forsooke their beds in 〈◊〉 case and gave room to the cleargy Item little children have been so scared with their mothers maids that they could never after endure to â—e in the dark alone for fear of bugs Many are deceived by glasses through art perspective Many hearkening 〈◊〉 false reports conceive and beleeeve that which is nothing so Many give credit to that which they read in authors But how many stories and bookes are writen of walking spirits and soules of men contrary to the word of God a reasonable volum cannot containe How common an opinion was it among the papists that all soules walked 〈◊〉 the earth after they departed from their bodyes In so much as it was in
heaters specially to such as would adde new reports to the augmentation of the wonder CHAP. XLII Of Theurgie with a confutation thereof a letter sent to me cocerning these matters THere is yet another art professed by these cousening conjurors which some fond divines affirme to be more honest and lawfull than 〈◊〉 which is called Theurgie wherein they worke by good angels Howbeit their ceremonies are altogether papisticall and superstitious consisting in cleanlines partly of the mind partly of the body and partly of things about and belonging to the body as in the skinne 〈◊〉 the apparell in the house in the vessell and houshold stuffe in 〈◊〉 and sacrifices the cleanlines 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 cleane c. In so much as I have knowne divers superstitious persons of good account which usually waâ—hed all their apparell upon conceits ridiculously For uncleanlinesse â—hey say corrupteth the aire infecteth man and chaseth away cleane spirits Hereunto belongeth the art of Almadel the art of Paule the art of Revelations and the art Notary But as Agrippa saith the more divine these arts seeme to the ignorant the more damnable they be But their false assertions their presumptions to worke miracles their characters their strange names their diffuse phrases their counterfeit holines their popish ceremonies their foolish words mingled with impiety their barbarous and unlearned order of construction their shamelesse practises their paltry stuffe their secret dealing their beggerly life their bargaining with fooles their cousening of the simple their scope and drift for money doth bewray all their art to be counterfeit cousenage And the more throughly to satisfie you herein I thought good in this place to insert a letter upon occasion sent unto me by one which at this present time lieth as a prisoner condemned for this very matter in the kings bench and reprieved by her majesties mercy through the good mediation of a most noble and vertuous personage whose honorable and godly disposition at this time I will forbeare to commend as I ought The person truly that wrote this letter seemeth unto me a good body well reformed and penitent nor expecting any galnes at my hands but rather fearing to speake that which he knoweth further in this matter lest displeasure might ensue and follow The coppy of a letter sent unto me R. S. by T. E. Master of art and practiser both of physick and also in times past of certaine vaine sciences now condemned to die for the same wherein he openeth the truth touching these deceits MAster R. Scot according to your request I have drawne out certaine abuses worth the noting touching the work you have in band things which I myselfe have seen within these xxvi yeares among those which which were counted famous and skilfull in those sciences And because the whole discourse cannot be set downe without nominating certaine persons of whom same are dead and some living whose friends remaine yet of grâ—â— credit in respect thereof I knowing that mine enemies doe already in number exceed my friends I have considered with my selfe that it is better for me to stay my hand than to commit that to the world which may increase my misery more than releeve the same Notwithstanding because I was noted above a great many others to have had some dealings in those vaine arts and wicked practiser I am thereefore to signifie unto you and I speake it in the presence of God that among all those famous and noted practisers that I have beene conversant withall these xxvi yeares I could never see any matter of truth to be done in those wicked sciences but onely meere cousenings and illusions And they whom I thought to be most skilfull therein sought to see some things at my hands who had spent my time a dozen or fourteen years to my great losse and hindrance and could never at any time see any one truth or sparkle of truth therein Yea at 〈◊〉 present I stand worthily condemned for the same for that contrary to my 〈◊〉 lawes and the law of God and also to mine owne conscience I did spend my time in such vaine and wicked studies and practises being made and â—â—maining a spectacle for all others to receive warning by the Lord 〈◊〉 may be the last I speake it from my heart and I wish it not only â—â— my native country but also through the whole face of the earth specially among Christians For mine owne part I lament my time lost and have repented on five yeares past at which time I saw a booke written in the old Saxâ—â— tongue by one Sir John Malborne a divine of Oxonford three hundred yeares past wherein he openeth all the illusions and inventions of thâ—se arts and sciences a thing most worthy the noting I left the booke with the parson of Slangham in Sussex where if you send for it in my name you may have it You shall thinke your labour well bestowed and it shall greatly 〈◊〉 ther the good enterprise you have in hand and there shall you see the whole science throughly discussâ—d and all their illusions and cousenages â—â—â—phered at large Thus craving pardon at your hands for that I promised you being very fearefull doubtfull and loth to set my hand â—â— name under any thing that may be offensive to the world or hurtfull â—â— my selfe considering my case except I had the better warrant from my L. of Leicester who is my very good Lord and by whom next under God her Majestie onely excepted I have beene preserved and therefore 〈◊〉 do any thing that may offend his Lordships cares And so I leave your 〈◊〉 to the Lords keeping who bring you al your actions to good and 〈◊〉 to Gods glory and to the profit of all Christians From the Bench this 8. of March 1582. Your worships poore and desolate friend and servant T. E. I sent for this booke of purpose to the parson of Slangham and procured his best friends men of great worship and credit â—ito dealeâ— with him that I might borrow it for a time But such is his folly and superstition that although he confessed he had it yet he would not lend it albeit a friend of mine being knight of the 〈◊〉 would have given his word for the restitution of the same safe and sound The conclusion therefore shall be this whatsoever heretofore has gone for currant touching all these fallible arts whereof a bit herual have written in ample sort be now counted counterfeit and therefore not to be allowed no not by common sense much lesse by reason which should sifâ— such cloaked and pretended practices turning them out of their rags and patched clowts that they may appeare discovered and 〈◊〉 themselves in their nakednesse Which will be the end of every secret â—â—tent privy purpose hidden practise and close devise have they
never 〈◊〉 shrowds and shelters for the time and be they with never so much â—â—telousnesse and subtill circumspection clouded and shadowed yet will they at length be manisfestly detected by the light according to that old rimed verse Quicquid nix celat solis calor omne revelat What thing soever snow doth hide Heat of the sunne doth make it spide And according to the verdict of Christ the true Nazarite who never told untruth but who is the substances and groundworke of truth it selfe saying Nihil est tam occulium quod non sit detegendum Nothing is so secret but it shall be knowne and revealed THE xvj Booke CHAP. I. A conclusion in manner of an epilogue repeating many of the former absurdities of witchmongers conceipts confutations thereof and of the authority of James Sprenger and Henry Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mal. HItherto you have had delivered unto you that which I have conceived and gathered of this matter In the substance and principall parts whereof I can see no difference among the writers hereupon of what country condition estate or religion so ever they be but I find almost all of them to agree in unconstancy fables and impossibilities scratching out of M. Mal. the substance of all their arguments so as their authors being disapproved they must coine new stuffe or go to their grandams maids to learne more old wives tales whereof this art of witchcraft is contrived But you must know that Iames Sprenger and Henry Institor whom I have had occasion to alledge many times were copartners in the composition of that profound and learned booke called Malleus Maleficarum and were the greatest doctors of that art out of whom I have gathered matter and absurditie enough to confound the opinions conceived of witchcraft although they were allowed inquisitors and assigned by the pope with the authority and commendation of all the doctors of the university of Collen c. to call before them to emprison to condemne and to execute witches and finally to seaze and confiscate their goods These two doctors to maintaine their credit and to cover their injuries have published those same monstrous lies which have abused all Christendome being spread abroad with such authority as it will be hard to suppresse the credit of their writings be they never so ridiculous and false Which although they maintaine and stir up with with their owne praises yet men are so bewitched as to give credit unto them For proof whereof I remember they write in one place of their said book that by reason of their severe proceedings against witches they suffered intolerable assaults specially in the night many times finding needles sticking in their biggens which were thither conveyed by witches charmes and through their innocency and holinesse they say they were ever miraculously preserved from hurt Howbeit they affirm that they will not tell all that might make to the manifestation of their holinesse for then should their owne praise stink in their owne mouths And yet God knoweth their whole book containeth nothing but stinking lies and popery Which groundwork and foundation how weak and wavering it is how unlike to continue and how slenderly laid a child may soone discerne and perceive CHAP. II. By what means the common people have been made beleeve in the miraculous workes of witches a definition of witchcraft and a description thereof THe common people have been so assotted and bewitched with whatsoeever poets have faigned of witchcraft either in earnest in jest or else in derision and with whatsoever lowd liers and couseners for their pleasures herein have invented and with whatsoever tales they have heard from old doting women or from their mothers maids and with whatsoever the grandfoole their ghostly father or any other morrow masse priest had informed them and finally with whatsoever they have swallowed up through tract of time or through their owne timerous nature or ignorant conceipt concerning these matters of hags and witches as they have so setled their opinion and credit thereupon that they think it herefie to doubt in any part of the matter specially because they find this word witchcraft expressed in the scriptures which is as to defend praying to saints because Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus is written in â—â— Deum And now to come to the definition of witchcraft which hitherto I did defer and put off purposely that you might perceive the true nature thereof by the circumstances and therefore the rather to allow of the same seeing the variety of other writers Witchcraft is in truth a cousening art wherein the name of God is abused prophaned and blasphemed and his power attributed to a vile creature In estimation of the vulgár people it is a supernaturall work contrived between a corporall old woman and a spirituall divell The manner thereof is so secret mysticall and strange that to this day there bath never been any credible witnesse thereof It is incomprehensible to the wise learned or faithfull a probable matter to children fools melancholick persons and papists The trade is thought to be impious The effect and end thereof to be sometimes evill as when thereby man or beast grasse trees or corn c. is hurâ— sometimes good as whereby sick folks are healed theeves bewrayed and true men come to their goods c. The matter and instruments wherewith it is accomplished are words charmes signes images characters c. The which words although any other creature doe pronounce in manner and form as they doe leaving out no circumstance requisite or usuall for that action yet none is said to have the grace or gift to perform the matter except she be a witch and so taken either by her own a consent or by others imputation CHAP. III. Reasons to prove that words and characters are but bables and that witches cannot doe such things as the multitude supposeth they can their greatest wonders proved trifles of a young gentleman cousened THat words characters images and such other trinkers which are thought so necessary instruments for witchcraft as without the which no such thing can be accomplished are but bables devised by couseners to abuse the people withall I trust I have sufficiently proved And the same may be further and more plainly perceived by these short and compendious reasons following First in that the Turks and infidels in their witchcraft use both other words and other characters than our witches doe and also such as are most contrary In so much as if ours beeâ— bad in reason theirs should be good If their witches can doe anything ours can doe nothing For as our witches are said to renounce Christ and despise his sacraments so doe the other forsake Mahomet and his laws which is one large step to christianity It is also to be thought that all witches are couseners when mother Bungie a principall witch so reputed tryed and condemned of all men and continuing in that exercise
so often The viper The serpent c. and that his children are called the generation of vipers but upon this first description of the divell made by Moses For I think none so grosse as to suppose that the wicked are the children of snakes according to the letters no more than we are to think and gather that God keepeth a book of life written with penne and inke upon paper as citizens record their free men CHAP. XXXI Of the curse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightly expounded John Calvines opinion of the divell THe curse rehearsed by God in that place whereby witchmongers labour so busily to prove that the divell entered into the body of a snake and by consequence can take the body of any other creature at his pleasure c. reacheth I think further into the divels matters than we can comprehend it or is needfull for us to know that understand not the wayes of the divels creeping and is far unlikely to extend to plague the generation of snakes as though they had been made with legges before that time and through his curse was deprived of that benefit And yet if the divell should have entered into the snake in manner and form as they suppose I cannot see in what degree of sin the poore snake should be so guilty as that God who is the most righteous Judge might be offended with him But although I abhorre that lewd interpretation of the family of love and such other heretiques as would reduce the whole Bible into allegories yet me thinks the creeping there is rather metaphorically or significately spoken than literally even by that figure which is there prosecuted to the end Wherein the divell is resembled to an odious creature who as he creepeth upon us to annoy our bodies so doth the divell there creep into the conscience of Eve to abuse and deceive her whâ—â— seed neverthelesse shall tread down and dissolve his power and 〈…〉 And through him all good christians as Calvine saith obtaine power to doe the like For we may not imagine such a materiall tragedy as there is described for the ease of our feeble and weak capacities For whensoever we find in the scriptures that the divell is called god the prince of the world a strong armed man to whom is given the powâ— of the air a roaring lion a serpent c. the Holy Ghost moved us thereby to beware of the most subtill strong and mighty enemy and to make preparation and arm our selves with faith against so terrible an adversary And this is the opinion and counsell of Calvine that we seeing our own weaknesse and his force manifested in such termes may beware 〈◊〉 the divell and may flie to God for spirituall old and comfort And as for his corporall assaults or his attempts upon our bodies his night walkings his visible appearings his dancing with witches c. we are neither warned in the scriptures of them nor willed by God or his prophets to flie them neither is there any mention made of them in the scriptures And therefore think I those witchmongers and absurd writers to bee as grosse on the side as the Sadduces are impious and fond on the other which say that spirits and divels are only motions and affections and that angels are but tokens of Gods power I for my part confesse with Augugustine that these matters are above my reach and capacity and yet so farre as Gods word teacheth me I will not sticke to say that they are living creatures ordained to serve the Lord in their vocation And although they abode not in their first estate yet that they are the Lords ministers and executioners of his wrath to trie and tempt in this world and to punish the reprobate in hell fire in the world to come CHAP. XXXII Mine own opinion and resolution of the nature of spirits and of the divell with his properties BVt to use few words in a long matter and plain termes in a doubtfull case this is mine opinion concerning this present argument First that divels are spirits and no bodies For as Peter Martyr saith spirits and bodies are by antithesis opposed one to another so as a body is no spirit nor a spirit a body And thaâ— the divell whether he be many or one for by the way you shall understand that he is so spoken of in the scriptures as though there were but one and sometimes as though one were many legions the sense whereof I have already declared according to Calvins opinion he is a creature made by God and that for vengeance as it is written in Eccles. 39. vers 28. and of himselfe naught though imployed by God to necessary and good purposes For in places there it is written that all the creatures of God are good and again then God in the creation of the world saw all that he had made was 〈◊〉 the divell 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 â—â—es and as Iohn saith a sinner from the beginning Neither was his creation so far as I can finde 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 that Paul himselfe reckoning up principalities powers c. addeth Every name that is named in this world or in the world to come A cleer sentence saith he of Pauls modesty insconfessing a holy ignorance of the state of angels which name is also given to divels 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 it must needâ— 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 Neverthelesse I learn that their nature is prone to all mischiefe for as the very signification of 〈◊〉 enemy and an accuser is wrapped up in Satan and Diabolus so doth Christ himselfe declare him to be in the thirteenth of Matthew And therefore he brooketh well his name for he lyeth dayly in wait not onely to corrupt but also to destroy mankind being I say the very â—â—mentor 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
spirits and not swarve in judgement it followeth therefore that the spirit of blindnesse and error doth seduce them so that it is no marvell if in the alienation of their minds they take falsehood for truth shadowes for substances fansies for verities c. for it is likely that the good spirit of God hath forsaken them or at leastwise absented it selfe from them else would they detest these divelish devices of men which consist of nothing but delusions and vain practices whereof I suppose this my book to be a sufficient discovery It will be said that I ought not to judge for he that judgeth shall be judged Whereto I answer that judgement is not to be understood of three kind of actions in their proper nature whereof the first are secret and the judgement of them shall appertain to God who in time will disclose whatsoever is done in covert and that by his just judgement The second are mixed actions taking part of hidden and part of open so that by reason of their uncertainty and doubtfulnesse they are discussable and to be tryed these after due examination are to have their competent judgement and are incident to the magistrate The third are manifest and evident and such as doe no lesse apparently shew themselves than an inflammation of bloud in the body and of these actions every private man giveth judgement because they be of such certainty as that of them a man may as well conclude as to gatâ—er that because the sun is risen in the east Ergo it is morning he is come about and is full south Ergo it is high noon he is declining and closing up in the west Ergo it is evening So that the objection is answered Howbeit letting this passe and spiritually to speak of this spirit which whiles many have wanted it hath come to passe that they have proved altogether carnall and not savouring heavenly divinity have tumbled into worse than philosophicall barbarisme and these be such as of writers are called Pneumatomachi a sect so injurious to the holy spirit of God that contemning the sentence of Christ wherein he foretelleth that the sin against the holy spirit is never to be pardoned neither in this world nor in the world to come they do not only deny him to be God but also pull from him all being and with the Sadduces maintain there is none such but that under and by the name of holy spirit is meant a certain divine force wherewith our minds are moved and the grace and favour of God whereby we are his beloved Against these shamelesse enemies of the holy spirit I will not use materiall weapons but syllogisticall charmes And first I will set downe some of their paralogismes or false arguments and upon the neck of them infer fit confutations grounded upon sound reason and certain truth Their first argument is knit up in this manner The holy spirit is no where expressely called God in the scriptures Eâ—go he is not God or at leastwise he is not to be called God The antecedent of this argument is false because the holy spirit hath the title or name of God in the fift of the Acts. Again the consequent is false For although he were not expressely called God yet should it not thereupon be concluded that he is not very God because unto him are attributed all the properties of God which unto this doe equally belong And as we deny not that the father is the true light although it be not directly written of the father but of the sonne He was the true light giving light to every man that commeth into this world so likewise it is not to be denyed that the spirit is God although the scripture doth not expressely and simply note it sithence it ascribeth equall things thereunto as the properties of God the works of God the service due to God and that it doth interchangeably take the names of Spirit and of God oftentimes They therefore that see these things attributed unto the holy spirit and yet will not suffer him to be called by the name of God do as it were refuse to grant unto Eve the name of Homo whom notwithstanding they confesse to be a creature reasonable and mortall The second reason is this Hilarie in all his twelve books of the Trinity doth no where write that the holy spirit is to be worshiped he never giveth thereunto the name of God neither dares he otherwise pronounce thereof than that it is the spirit of God Besides this there are usuall prayers of the church commonly called the Collects whereof some are made to the Father some to the Sonne but none to the holy spirit and yet in them all mention is made of the three persons Hereunto I answer that although Hilarie doth not openly call the holy spirit God yet doth he constantly deny it to be a creature Now if any aske me why Hilarie was so coy and nice to name the holy spirit God whom he denieth 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 Hilary for himself thought well of the godhead of the holy spirit but this opinion was thrust and forced upon him of the Pneumatomachi who at that time rightly deeming of the son did erewhiles joine themselves to those that were sound of judgement There is also in the ecclesiasticall 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 dâ—bet 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 then the songs hymnes and anthems I will not now contend about ancientnesse 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 acknowledge the glory of the eternall trinity and in the power of the divine Majesty to worship the unity we beseech thee that through the stedfastnesse 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
the person of the deity I mean the spirit of sanctification to oppose mans power mans wit mans policy c. which was well signified by that poeticall fiction of the giants who were termed Anguipedes Snakefooted which as Ioachimus Cameravius expoundeth of wicked counsellours to whose filthy perswasions tyrants doe trust as unto their feet and Iames Sadolet interpreteth of philosophers who trusting over much unto their own wits become so bold in challenging praise for their wisdome that in fine all turneth to folly and confusion so I expound of heretikes and schismatikes who ' either by corrupt doctrine or by maintaining precise opinions or by open violence c. assay to overthrow the true religion to break the unity of the church to deny Caesar his homage and God his duty c. and therefore let Iovis fulmen wherewith they were slain assure these that there is Divina ultio due to all such as dare in the ficklenesse of their fancies arrear themselves against the holy spirit of whom sith they are ashamed hereupon earth otherwise they would confidently boldly confesse him both with mouth and pen he will be ashamed of them in heaven where they are like to be so farre from having any society with the saints that their portion shall be even in full and shaken measure with miscreants and infidels And therefore let us if we will discerne and try the spirits whether they be of God or no seek for the illumination of this inlightning spirit which as it bringeth light with it to discover all spirits so it giveth such a fiery heat as that no false spirit can abide by it for fear of burning Howbeit the holy spirit must be in us otherwise this prerogative of trying spirits will not fall to our lot But here some will peradventure move a demand and do aske how the holy spirit is in us considering that Infiniti ad infinitum nulla est proportio neque loci angustia quod immensum est potest circumscribi of that which is infinite to that which is finite there is no proportion neither can that which is unmeasurable be limited or bounded within any précinct of place c. I answer that the most excellent father for Christs sake sendeth him unto us according as Christ promised us in the person of his apostles The comforter saith he which is the holy spirit whom my father will send in my name And as for proportion of that which is infinite to that which is finite c. I wil in no case have it thought that the holy spirit is in us as a body placed in a place terminably but to attribute thereunto as duly belongeth to the deity an ubiquity or universall presence not corporally and palpably but effectually mightily mystically divinely c. Yea and this I may boldly adde that Christ Jesus sendeth him unto us from the father neither is he given us for any other end but to inrich us abundantly with all good gifts and excellent graces and among the rest with the discerning of spirits aright that we be not deceived And here an end FINIS The summe of every chapter contained in the sixteene books of this discovery with the discourse of divels and spirits annexed thereunto The first Booke AN impeachment of witchespower in meteors and elementary bodies tending to the rebuke of such as attribute too much unto them Pag. 1. The inconvenience growing by mens credulity herein with a reproofe of some churchmen which are inclined to the common conceived opinion of witches oâ—nipotency and a familiar example thereof pag. 3. Who they be that are called witches with a manifest declaration of the cause that moveth men so commonly to thinke witches themselves to beleeve that they can hurt children cattell c. with words and imaginations and of cousening witches pag. 5. What miraculous actions are imputed to witches by witchmongers papists and poets pag. 6. A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and witchcraft and how detestable a sinne it is to repaire to them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction pag. 8. A further confutation of witches miraculous and omnipotent power by invincible reasons and authorities with dissuasions from such sond credulity pag. 9. What meanes the name of witches becommeth so famous and how diversly people be opinioned concerning them and their actions pa. 10. Causes that move as well witches themselves as others to thinke that they can work impossibilities with answers to certaine objections where also their punishment by law is touched pag. 11. A conclusion of the first book wherein is foreshewed the tyrannicall cruelty of witchmongers and inquisitors with a request to the reader to peruse the same pag. 12. The second Booke WHat testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against reputed witches by the report and allowance of the inquisitors themselves and such as are speciall writers herein Pag. 13. The order of examination of witches by the inquisitors ibid. Matters of evidence against witches pag. 15. Confessions of witches whereby they are condemned pag. 16. Presumptions whereby witches are condemned pag. 17. Particular interrogatories used by the inquisitors against witches pa. 18. The inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration pag. 19. Certaine cautions against witches and of their tortures to procure confession pag. 20. The 15. crimes laid to the charge of witches by witchmongers specially by Bodin in Demonomania 22. A confutation of the former surmised crimes patched together by Bodin and the only way to escape the inquisitors hands pag 23. The opinion of Cornelius Agrippa concerning witches of his pleading for a poore woman accused of witchcraft and how he convinced the inquisitors pag. 24. What the feare of death and feeling of torments may force one to do and that it is no marvell though witches condemne themselves by their owne confessions so tyrannically extorted pag. 33. The third Book THe witches bargaine with the divell according to M. Mal. Bodin Nâ—der Daneus Psellus Brastus Hemingius Cumanus Aquinas Bartholomeus Spineus c. Pag. 35. The order of the witches homage done as it is written by lewd inquisitors and peevish witchmongers to the divell in person of their songs and danses and namely of Lavolta and of other ceremones also of their excourses pag. 36. How witches are sommoned to appeare before the divell of their riding in the air of their accompts of their conference with the divell of his supplies and their conference of their farewell and sacrifices according to Daneus Psellus c. 37 That there can no real league be made with the divell the first author of the league and the weake proofes of the adversaries for the same 38. Of the private league a notable table of Bodin concerning a French lady with a confutation pag. 39. A disproofe of their assemblies and of their bargaine pag. 40. A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions pag. 41. What folly it were for witches
bodies are aptest to be bewitched or to be witches why women are rather witches than men and what they are ibid. What miracles witchmongers report to have been done by witches words c. contradictions of witchmongers among themselves how beasts are cured hereby of bewitched butter a charm against witches and a counter charm the effect of charmes and words proved by L. Vairus to be wonderfull pag. 200. A charme to find her that bewitched your kine Another for all that have bewitched any kind of cattell p. 201. A speciall charme to preserve all cattell from witchcraft ibid. Lawfull charmes rather medicinable cures for diseased cattell The charme of charmes and the powâ—r thereof ibid. The charme of charmes Otherwise ibid. A confutation of the force and vertue falsly ascribed to charmes and amulets by the authorities of ancient writers both divines and physitians pag. 201. The XIII Book THe signification of the Hebrew word Hartumin where it is found written in the scriptures and how it is diversly translated whereby the objection of Pharaohs magitians is afterwards answered in this book also of naturall magick not evill in it selfe pag. 203. How the philosophers in times past travelled for the knowledge of naturall magick of Solomons knowledge therein who is to be called a natural magician a distinction therof and why it is condemned for witchcraft pag. 204. What secrets do lie hidden and what is taught in naturall magick how Gods glory is magnified therein and that it is nothing but the work of nature ibid. What strange things are brought to passe by naturall magick pag. 205. The incredible operation of waters both standing and running of wels lakes rivers and of their wonderfull effects pag 206. The vertues and qualities of sundry precious stones of cousening Lapidaries c. ibid. Whence the precious stones receive their operations how curious Magitians use them and of theiâ— seals pag. 210. The sympathy and antipathy of naturall and elementary bodies declared by diverse examples of beasts birds plants c. pag. 212. The former matter proved by many examples of the living and the dead pag. 213. The bewitching venome contained in the body of an harlot how her eye her tongue her beauty behaviour bewitcheth some men of bones and hornes yeelding great vertue pag. 214. Two notorious wonders and yet not marvelled at pag. 215. Of illusions confederacies and legierdemain and how they may be well or ill used pag. 216. Of private confederacy and of Brandons Pigeon pag. 217. Of publick confederacy and whereof it consisteth pag. 218. How men have been abused with words of equivocation with sundry examples thereof ibid. How some are abused with naturall magick and sundry examples thereof when illusion is added thereunto of Iacobs pied sheep and of a black Moore pag. 219. The opinion of witchmongers that divels can create bodies and of Pharaohs magicians pag. 220. How to produce or make monsters by art of magick why Pharaohs magitians could not make lice ibid. That great matters may be wrought by this art when princes esteem and maaintain it of divers wonderfull experiments and of strange conclusions in glasses of the art perspective c. pag. 222. A comparison betwixt Pharaohs magitians and our witches and how their cunning consisted in juggling knacks pag. 223. That the serpents and frogs were truly presented and the water poisoned indeed by Iannes and Iambres of false prophets and of their miracles of Balaams asse pag. 224. The art of juggling discovered and in what points it doth principally consist pag. 226. Of the ball and the manner of legierdemain therewith also notable feats with one or divers bals ibid. To make a little ball swell in your hand till it be very great p. 227. To consume or rather to convey one or many bals into nothing pag. 228. How to rap a wag upon the knuckles ibid. Of conveyance of money ibid. To convey money out of one of your hands into the other by legierdemain ibid. To convert or transubstantiate money into counters or counters into money pag. 229. To put one testor into one hand and another into the other hand and with words to bring them together ibid. To put one testor into a strangers hand and another into your own and to convey both into the strangers hand with words ibid. How to doe the same or the like feat otherwise ibid. To throw a piece of money away and to finde it again where you lift pag. 230. With words to make a groat or a testor to leap out of a pot or to run along upon a table ibid. To make a groat or a testor to sink through a table and to vanish out of a handkercher very strangely ibid. A notable trick to transforme a counter to a groat pag. 231. An excellent feat to make a two penny peece lye plain in the palme of your hand and to be passed from thence when you liâ—t ibid. To convey a testor out of ones hand that holdeth it fast pag. 232. To throw a piece of money into a deep pond and to fetch it again from whence you lift ibid. To convey one shilling being in one hand into another holding your armes abroad like a rood ibid. How to wrap a wag on the knuckles ibid. To transforme any one small thing into any other form by holding of paper pag. 233. Of cards with good cautions how to avoide cousenage therein speciall rules to convey and handle the cards and the manner and order how to accomplish all difficult and strange things wrought by cards ibid. How to deliver out four aces and to convert them into four knaves p. 234. How to tell one what card he seeth in the bottome when the same card is shuffled into the stock pag. 235. Another way to do the same having your self indeed never seen the card ibid. To tell one without confederacy what card be thinketh ibid. How to tell what card any man thinketh how to convey the same into a kernell of a nut or cheristone c. and the same again into ones pocket how to make one draw the same or any card you list and all under one device pag. 236. Of fast or loose how to knit a hard knot upon a hanckercher and to undo the same with words p. 237. A notable feat of fast or loose namely to pull three beadstones from off a cord while you hold fast the ends thereof without removing of your hand ibid. Iuggling knacks by confederacy and how to know whether one â—ast crosse or pile by the ringing pag. 238. To make a shoale of goslings draw a timber log ibid. To make a pot or any such thing standing fast on the cubboord to fall down thence by vertue of words ibid. To make one danse naked pag. 239. To transforme or alter the colour of ones cap or hat ibid. How to tell where a stollen horse is become ibid. Boxes to alter one grain into another or to consume the grain or corn
witchmongers in this matter of conjurations pag. 320. Certain conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missal pag. 321. A conjuration written in the masse book Fol. 1. ibid. Oremus pag. 322. That popish priests leave nothing unconjured a form of exorcisme for incense ibid. The rules and lawes of popish Exorcists and other conjurors all one with a confutation of their whole power how S. Martine conjured the divell pag. 323. That it is a shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors doings their owne being of so little force Hippocrates his opinion herein pag. 325. How conjurors have beguiled witches what books they cary about to procure credit to their art wicke assertions against Moses and Ioseph pag. 326. All magicall arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have left written thereof proved by experience pag. 327. Of Solomons conjurations and of the opinion conceived of his cunning and practise therein pag. 328. Lessons read in all churches where the pope hath authority on Saint Margarets day translated into English word for word pag. 329. A delicate story of a Lumbard who by saint Magarets example would needs fight with a reall divel 330. The story of S. Margaret proved to be both ridiculous and impious in every point pag. 331. A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish priest pag. 332. The former miracle couâ—uted with a strange story of S. Lucy pag. 333. Of visions noises apparitions and imagined sounds and of other illusions of wandering soules with a confutation thereof ibid. Cardanus opinion of strange noises how counterfeit visions grow to be credited of popish appearances of pope Boniface pag. 335. Of the noise or sound of echo of one that narrowly escaped drowning thereby c. pag. 336. Of Theurgie with a confutation therof a letter sent to me concerning these matters ibid. The copy of a letter sent unto me R. S. by T. E. Maister of art and practiser both of physicke also in times past of certaine vaine sciences now condemned to die for the same wherein he openeth the truth touching those deceits pag. 337. The xvi Book A Conclusion in manner of an epilog repeating many of the former absurdities of witchmongers conceits confutations thereof and of the authority of Iames Sprenger and Henry Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mal. Pa. 339. By what meanes the common people have beene made beleeve in the miraculous works of witches a definition of witchcraft and a description thereof pag. 340. Reasons to prove that words and characters are but bables and that witches cannot do such things as the multitude supposeth they can their greatest wonders proved trifles of a young gentleman cousened pag. 341. Of one that was so bewitched that â—â— could read no scriptures but canonicall of a divell that could speake no Latine a proose that witchcraft is flat cousenage pag. 343. Of the divinatioÌ„ by the sive sheeres and by the booke and key Hemingius his opinion thereof confuted a bable to know what is a clocke of certaine iuggling knacks manifold reasons for the overthrow of witches and conjurors and their cousenages of the divels transformations of Ferrum candens c. p. 344. How the divel preached good doctrine in the shape of a priest how he was discovered that it is a shame after confutatioÌ„ of the greater witchcrafts for any man to give credit to the lesser points thereof pag. 347. A conclusion against witchcraft in manner and forme of an Induction pag. 348. Of naturall witchcraft or fascination pag. 349. Of inchanting or bewitching eies ibid. Of naturall witchcraft for love c. pag. 351. A Discourse upon divels and spirits and first of philosophees opinions also the manner of their reasoning hereupon and the same confuted Pag. 352. Mine owne opinion concerning â—his argument to the disproofe of some writers hereupon pag. 353. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits of their severall orders and a confutation of his errors therein pag. 354. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others concerning the actions and passions of spirits his definition of them and of his experience therein pag. 356. The opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching spirits and of his familiar divell pag. 357. The opinion of Plato concerning spirits divels and angels what sacrifices they like best what they feare and of Socrates his familiar divell pag. 358. Platos nine orders of spirits and angels Dionysius his division thereof not much differing from the same all disproved by learned divines pag. 359. The commencement of divels fondly gathered out of the 14. of Isaie of Lucifer and of his fall the Gabalists the Thalmudists and Schoolmens opinions of the creation of angels pag. 360. Of the contention betweene the Greeke and Latine church touching the fall of angels the variance among papists themselves herein a conflict betweene Michael and Lucifer pag. 361. Where the battell betweene Michael and Lucifer was fought how long it continued of their power how fondly papists and infidels write of them and how reverently Christians ought to think of them p. 362. Whether they became divels which being angels kept not their vocation in Jude and Peter of the fâ—nd opinions of the Rabbins touching spirits and bugs with a confutation thereof pag. 363. That the divels assaults are spirituall and not temporall and how grossely some understand and those parts of the scripture pag. 365. 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 alway as literally to be interpreted nor yet allegorically to be understoed p. 366. That it pleased God to manifest the power of his sonne and not of witches by miracles pag. 367. Of the possessed with divels pa. 368. That we being not throughly informed of the nature of divels and spirits must satisfie our selves with that which is dilivered us in the scriptures touching the same how this word divell is to be understood both in the singular plurall number of the spirit of God and the spirit of the divell of tame spirits of Ahab pag. 369. Whether spirits and soules can assume bodies of their creation and substance wherein writers do extreamely contend and vary pa. 370. Certaine popish reasons concerning spirits made of aire of day divels and night divels and why the divell loveth no salt in his meate pa. 371. That such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures have in their names their nature and qualities expressed with instances thereof p. 372. Diverse names of the divell whereby his nature and disposition is manifested pag. 373. That the idols or gods of the Gentiles are divels their diverse names and in what affaires their labours and authorities are employed wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered ibid Of the Romans chief gods called Dii selecti and of other heathen gods their names and offices pag. 375 Of diverse goods in diverse countries