time vsed that either can raise any infernall spirit or yet limitat him perforce within or without these circles For it is he onelie the father of all lyes who hauing first of all prescribed that forme of doing feining himselfe to be commanded restreined thereby wil be loath to passe the boundes of these injunctiones aswell thereby to make them glory in the impiring ouer him as I saide before As likewise to make himselfe so to be trusted in these little thinges that he may haue the better commoditie thereafter to deceiue them in the end with a tricke once for all I meane the euerlasting perdition of their soul body Then laying this ground as I haue said these conjurationes must haue few or mo in number of the persones conjurers alwaies passing the singuler number according to the qualitie of the circle and forme of apparition Two principall thinges cannot well in that errand be wanted holie-water whereby the Deuill mockes the Papistes and some present of a liuing thing vnto him There ar likewise certaine seasons dayes and houres that they obserue in this purpose These things being all readie and prepared circles are made triangular quadrangular round double or single according to the forme of apparition that they craue But to speake of the diuerse formes of the circles of the innumerable characters and crosses that are within and without and out through the same of the diuers formes of apparitiones that that craftie spirit illudes them with and of all such particulars in that action I remit it to ouer-manie that haue busied their heades in describing of the same as being but curious and altogether vnprofitable And this farre onelie I touch that when the conjured Spirit appeares which will not be while after manie circumstances long praiers and much muttring and murmuring of the conjurers like a Papist priest dispatching a hunting Masse how sone I say he appeares if they haue missed one iote of all their rites or if any of their feete once slyd ouer the circle through terror of his feareful apparition he payes himselfe at that time in his owne hande of that due debt which they ought him and other-wise would haue delayed longer to haue payed him I meane hee carries them with him bodie and soule If this be not now a just cause to make them wearie of these formes of conjuration I leaue it to you to judge vpon considering the long-somenesse of the labour the precise keeping of dayes and houres as I haue said The terriblenesse of apparition and the present perrell that they stande in in missing the least circumstance or freite that they ought to obserue And on the other parte the Deuil is glad to mooue them to a plaine and square dealing with him as I said before CHAP. VI ARGV The Deuilles contract with the Magicians The diuision thereof in two partes What is the difference betuixt Gods miracles and the Deuils PHILOMATHES INdeede there is cause inough but rather to leaue him at all then to runne more plainlie to him if they were wise he delt with But goe forwarde now I pray you to these turnes fra they become once deacons in this craft EPI From time that they once plainelie begin to contract with him The effect of their contract consistes in two thinges in formes and effectes as I began to tell alreadie were it not yee interrupted me for although the contract be mutuall I speake first of that part wherein the Deuill oblishes himselfe to them by formes I meane in what shape or fashion he shall come vnto them when they call vpon him And by effectes I vnderstand in what special sorts of seruices he bindes himselfe to be subject vnto them The qualitie of these formes and effectes is lesse or greater according to the skil and art of the Magician For as to the formes to some of the baser sorte of them he oblishes him selfe to appeare at their calling vpon him by such a proper name which he shewes vnto them either in likenes of a dog a Catte an Ape or such-like other beast or else to answere by a voyce onlie The effects are to answere to such demands as concernes curing of disseases their own particular menagery or such other base things as they require of him But to the most curious sorte in the formes he will oblish him selfe to enter in a dead bodie and there out of to giue such answers of the euent of battels of maters concerning the estate of commonwelths and such like other great questions yea to some he will be a continuall attender in forme of a Page He will permit himselfe to be conjured for the space of so many yeres ether in a tablet or a ring or such like thing which they may easely carrie about with them He giues them power to sel such wares to others whereof some will bee dearer and some better cheape according to the lying or true speaking of the Spirit that is conjured therein Not but that in verie deede all Devils must be lyars but so they abuse the simplicitie of these wretches that becomes their schollers that they make them beleeue that at the fall of Lucifer some Spirites fell in the aire some in the fire some in the water some in the lande In which Elementes they still remaine Whereupon they build that such as fell in the fire or in the aire are truer then they who fell in the water or in the land which is al but meare trattles forged be the author of al deceit For they fel not be weight as a solide substance to stick in any one parte But the principall part of their fal consisting in qualitie by the falling from the grace of God wherein they were created they continued still thereafter and shal do while the latter daie in wandring through the worlde as Gods hang-men to execute such turnes as he employes them in And when anie of them are not occupyed in that returne they must to their prison in hel as it is plaine in the miracle that CHRIST wrought at Gennezareth therein at the latter daie to be all enclosed for euer and as they deceiue their schollers in this so do they in imprinting in them the opinion that there are so manie Princes Dukes and Kinges amongst them euerie one commanding fewer or mo Legions and impyring in diuers artes and quarters of the earth For though that I will not denie that there be a forme of ordour amongst the Angels in Heauen and consequentlie was amongst them before their fall yet either that they bruike the same sensine or that God will permit vs to know by damned Deuils such heauenlie mysteries of his which he would not reueale to vs neither by Scripture nor Prophets I thinke no Christiane will once thinke it But by the contrarie of all such mysteries as he hath closed vp with his seale of secrecie it becommeth vs to be contented with an humble ignorance they being thinges not necessarie
fashions And as I deuided the Necromancers into two sorts learned and vnlearned so must I denie them in other two riche and of better accompt poore and of basser degree These two degrees now of persones that practises this craft answers to the passions in them which I told you before the Deuil vsed as meanes to intyse them to his seruice for such of them as are in great miserie and pouertie he allures to follow him by promising vnto them greate riches and worldlie commoditie Such as though riche yet burnes in a desperat desire of reuenge hee allures them by promises to get their turne satisfied to their hartes contentment It is to be noted nowe that that olde and craftie enemie of ours assailes none though touched with any of these two extremities except he first finde an entresse reddy for him either by the great ignorance of the person he deales with ioyned with an euill life or else by their carelesnes and contempt of God And finding them in an vtter despair for one of these two former causes that I haue spoken of he prepares the way by feeding them craftely in their humour and filling them further and further with despaire while he finde the time proper to discouer himself vnto them At which time either vpon their walking solitarie in the fieldes or else lying pansing in their bed but alwaies without the company of any other he either by a voyce or in likenesse of a man inquires of them what troubles them and promiseth them a suddaine and certaine waie of remedie vpon condition on the other parte that they follow his advise and do such thinges as he wil require of them Their mindes being prepared before hand as I haue alreadie spoken they easelie agreed vnto that demande of his And syne settes another tryist where they may meete againe At which time before he proceede any further with them he first perswades them to addict themselues to his seruice which being easely obteined he then discouers what he is vnto them makes them to renunce their God and Baptisme directlie and giues them his marke vpon some secreit place of their bodie which remaines soare vnhealed while his next meeting with them and thereafter euer insensible how soeuer it be nipped or pricked by any as is dailie proued to giue them a proofe thereby that as in that doing hee could hurte and heale them so all their ill and well doing thereafter must depende vpon him And besides that the intollerable dolour that they feele in that place where he hath marked them serues to waken them and not to let them rest while their next meeting againe fearing least otherwaies they might either forget him being as new Prentises and not well inough founded yet in that fiendlie follie or else remembring of that horrible promise they made him at their last meeting they might skunner at the same and preasse to call it back At their thirde meeting he makes a shew to be carefull to performe his promises either by teaching them waies howe to get themselues reuenged if they be of that sort Or els by teaching them lessons how by moste vilde and vnlawfull meanes they may obtaine gaine and worldlie commoditie if they be of the other sorte CHAP. III. ARGV The Witches actiones diuided in two partes The actiones proper to their owne persones Their actiones toward others The forme of their conuentiones and adoring of their Master PHILOMATHES YE haue said now inough of their initiating in that ordour It restes then that ye discourse vpon their practises fra they be passed Prentises for I would faine heare what is possible to them to performe in verie deede Although they serue a common Master with the Necromancers as I haue before saide yet serue they him in an other forme For as the meanes are diuerse which allures them to these vnlawfull artes of seruing of the Deuill so by diuerse waies vse they their practises answering to these meanes which first the Deuill vsed as instrumentes in them though altending to one end To wit the enlargeing of Sathans tyrannie and crossing of the propagation of the Kingdome of CHRIST so farre as lyeth in the possibilitie either of the one or other sorte or of the Deuill their Master For where the Magicians as allured by curiositie in the most parte of their practises seekes principallie the satisfying of the same and to winne to themselues a popular honoure and estimation These Witches on the other parte being intised ether for the desire of reuenge or of wordly riches their whole practises are either to hurte men and their gudes or what they possesse for satisfying of their cruell mindes in the former or else by the wracke in quhatsoeuer sorte of anie whome God will permitte them to haue power off to satisfie their greedie desire in the last poynt EPI In two partes their actiones may be diuided the actiones of their owne persones and the actiones proceeding from them towardes anie other And this diuision being wel vnderstood will easilie resolue you what is possible to them to doe For although all that they confesse is no lie vpon their parte yet doubtlesly in my opinion a part of it is not indeede according as they take it to be And in this I meane by the actiones of their owne persones For as I said before speaking of Magic that the Deuill illudes the senses of these schollers of his in manie thinges so saye I the like of these Witches PHI. Then I pray you first to speake of that part of their owne persons and syne ye may come next to their actiones towardes others EPI To the effect that they may performe such seruices of their false Master as he employes them in the deuill as Gods Ape counterfeites in his seruantes this seruice forme of adoration that God prescribed and made his seruantes to practise For as the seruants of GOD publicklie vses to conveene for seruing of him so makes he them in great numbers to conveene though publickly they dare not for his seruice As none conueenes to the adoration and worshipping of God except they be marked with his seale the Sacrament of Baptisme So none serues Sathan and conueenes to the adoring of him that are not marked with that marke wherof I alredy spake As the Minister sent by God teacheth plainely at the time of their publick conuentions how to serue him in spirit truth so that vncleane spirite in his owne person teacheth his Disciples at the time of their conueening how to worke all kinde of mischiefe And craues compt of all their horrible and detestable proceedinges passed for aduancement of his seruice Yea that he may the more viuelie counterfeit and scorne God he oft times makes his slaues to conveene in these verrie places which are destinat and ordeined for the conveening of the servantes of God I meane by Churches But this farre which I haue yet said I not onelie take it to be true
comes of faith and not of anie vaine arrogancie in themselues PHI. But what is their power against the Magistrate EPI Lesse or greater according as he deales with them For if he be slouthfull towardes them God is verie able to make them instrumentes to waken punish his slouth But if he be the contrarie he according to the iust law of God and allowable law of all Nationes will be diligent in examining and punishing of them GOD will not permit their master to trouble or hinder so good a woorke PHI. But fra they be once in handes and firmance haue they anie further power in their craft EPI That is according to the forme of their detention If they be but apprehended and deteined by anie priuate person vpon other priuate respectes their power no doubt either in escaping or in doing hurte is no lesse nor euer it was before But if on the other parte their apprehending and detention be by the lawfull Magistrate vpon the iust respectes of their guiltinesse in that craft their power is then no greater then before that euer they medled with their master For where God beginnes iustlie to strike by his lawfull Lieutennentes it is not in the Deuilles power to defraude or bereaue him of the office or effect of his powerfull and reuenging Scepter PHI. But will neuer their master come to visite them fra they be once apprehended and put in firmance EPI That is according to the estaite that these miserable wretches are in For if they be obstinate in still denying he will not spare when he findes time to speake with them either if he finde them in anie comfort to fill them more and more with the vaine hope of some maner of reliefe or else if hee finde them in a deepe dispaire by all meanes to augment the same and to perswade them by some extraordinarie meanes to put themselues downe which verie commonlie they doe But if they be penitent and confesse God will not permit him to trouble them anie more with his presence and allurementes PHI It is not good vsing his counsell I see then But I woulde earnestlie know when he appeares to them in Prison what formes vses he then to take EPI Diuers formes euen as he vses to do at other times vnto them For as I told you speking of Magie he appeares to that kinde of craftes-men ordinarily in an forme according as they agree vpon it amongst themselues Or if they be but prentises according to the qualitie of their circles or conjurationes Yet to these capped creatures he appeares as he pleases and as he findes meetest for their humors For euen at their publick conuentiones he appeares to diuers of them in diuers formes as we haue found by the difference of their confessiones in that point For he deluding them with vaine impressiones in the aire makes himselfe to seeme more terrible to the grosser sorte that they maie thereby be moued to feare and reuerence him the more And les monstrous and vncouthlike againe to the craftier sorte least otherwaies they might sturre and skunner at his vglinesse PHI. How can he then be felt as they confesse they haue done him if his bodie be but of aire EPI I heare little of that amongst their confessiones yet may he make himselfe palpable either by assuming any dead bodie and vsing the ministrie thereof or else by deluding as wel their sence of feeling as seeing which is not impossible to him to doe since all our senses as we are so weake and euen by ordinarie sicknesses will be often times deluded PHI. But I would speere one worde further yet concerning his appearing to them in prison which is this May any other that chances to be present at that time in the prison see him as well as they EPI Some-times they will and some-times not as it pleases God CHAP. VII ARGV Two formes of the deuils visible conuersing in the earth with the reasones wherefore the one of them was communest in the time of Papistrie And the other sensine Those that denies the power of the Deuill denies the power of God and are guiltie of the errour of the Sadduces PHILOMATHES HAth the Deuill then power to appeare to any other except to such as are his sworne disciples especially since al Oracles such like kinds of illusiones were taken awaie and abolished by the cumming of CHRIST EPI Although it be true indeede that the brightnesse of the Gospell at his cumming scaled the cloudes of all these grosse errors in the Gentilisme yet that these abusing spirites ceases not sensine at sometimes to appeare dailie experience teaches vs. Indeede this difference is to be marked betwixt the formes of Sathans conuersing visiblie in the world For of two different formes thereof the one of them by the spreading of the Euangell and conquest of the white horse in the sixt Chapter of the Reuelation is much hindred and become rarer there through This his appearing to any Christians troubling of them outwardly or possessing of them constraynedly The other of them is become communer and more vsed sensine I meane by their vnlawfull artes whereupon our whole purpose hath bene This we finde by experience in this Ile to be true For as we know moe Ghostes and spirites were seene nor tongue can tell in the time of blinde Papistrie in these Countries where now by the contrarie a man shall scarcely all his time here once of such things And yet were these vnlawfull artes farre rarer at that time and neuer were so much harde of nor so rife as they are now PHI. What should be the cause of that EPI The diuerse nature of our sinnes procures at the Iustice of God diuerse sortes of punishments answering thereunto And therefore as in the time of Papistrie our fathers erring grosselie through ignorance that mist of errours ouershaddowed the Deuill to walke the more familiarlie amongst them And as it were by barnelie and affraying terroures to mocke and accuse their barnelie erroures By the contrarie we now being sounde of Religion and in our life rebelling to our profession God iustlie by that sinne of rebellion as Samuel calleth it accuseth our life so wilfullie fighting against our profession PHI. Since yee are entred now to speake of the appearing of spirites I would be glad to heare your opinion in that matter For manie denies that anie such spirites can appeare in these daies as I haue said EPI Doubtleslie who denyeth the power of the Deuill woulde likewise denie the power of God if they could for shame For since the Deuill is the verie contrarie opposite to God there can be no better way to know God then by the contrarie as by the ones power though a creature to admire the power of the great Creator by the falshood of the one to considder the trueth of the other by the injustice of the one to considder the Iustice of the other And by the cruelty of the one
if their consent had not bene at it And the consent in these turnes is death of the law PHI. Then SAMVEL was a Witch For the Deuill resembled his shape and played his person in giuing response to SAVLE EPI SAMVEL was dead aswell before that and so none coulde slander him with medling in that vnlawfull arte For the cause why as I take it that God will not permit Sathan to vse the shapes or similitudes of any innocent persones at such vnlawful times is that God wil not permit that any innocent persons shalbe slandered with that vile defection for then the deuil would find waies anew to calumniate the best And this we haue in proofe by them that are carryed with the Phairie who neuer see the shaddowes of any in that courte but of them that thereafter are tryed to haue bene brethren and sisters of that craft And this was likewise proued by the coÌ„fession of a young Lasse troubled with spirites laide on her by Witchcraft That although shee saw the shapes of diuerse men women troubling her and naming the persons whom these shaddowes represents yet neuer one of them are found to be innocent but al clearely tried to be most guilty the most part of them confessing the same And besides that I think it hath ben seldome harde tell of that any whome persones guiltie of that crime accused as hauing knowen them to be their marrowes by eye-sight and not by hear-say but such as were so accused of Witch-craft could not be clearely tryed vpon them were at the least publickly knowen to be of a very euil life reputation so iealous is God I say of the fame of them that are innocent in such causes And besides that there are two other good helpes that may be vsed for their trial the one is the finding of their marke and the trying the insensiblenes thereof The other is their fleeting on the water for as in a secret murther if the deade carcase be at any time thereafter handled by the murtherer it wilgush out of bloud as if the blud wer crying to the heauen for reuenge of the murtherer God hauing appoynted that secret super-naturall signe for tryall of that secrete vnnaturall crime so it appeares that God hath appoynted for a super-naturall signe of the monstruous impietie of the Witches that the water shal refuse to receiue them in her bosom that haue shaken off them the sacred Water of Baptisme and wilfullie refused the benefite thereof No not so much as their eyes are able to shed teares thretten and torture them as ye please while first they repent God not permitting them to dissemble their obstinacie in so horrible a crime albeit the women kinde especially be able other-waies to shed teares at euery light occasion when they will yea although it were dissemblingly like the Crocodiles PHI. Well wee haue made this conference to last as long as leasure would permit And to conclude then since I am to take my leaue of you I pray God to purge this Cuntrie of these diuellishe practises for they were neuer so rife in these partes as they are now EPI I pray God that so be to But the causes ar ouer manifest that makes them to be so rife For the greate wickednesse of the people on the one parte procures this horrible defection whereby God justlie punisheth sinne by a greater iniquitie And on the other part the consummation of the worlde and our deliuerance drawing neare makes Sathan to rage the more in his instruments knowing his kingdome to be so neare an ende And so fare-well for this time FINIS 1. Sam. 28. 2. Cor. 11. 14. 1. King 22. Exod. 22. Exod. 7 8. 1. Sam. 15. Acts. â— Acts 16 Gen. 1. Heb. 5. 10. Gen. 3. Ierem. 1â— Mat. 8. Ast 3. Act. 16. 1. Pet. 5. Exo. 33 Apocrypha of â—â—ll and the Dragon Act. 12. Iohn 9. Ephes. 2 Mark 3 Esay 13 Iere. 50 â—an 4. Luc. 1 â—â—b 1. 〈…〉 n. 32. â—Kin 6 â—al 34. â—uk 16. Mat. 12 Mark 3 Mat. 7. Mark 7. 1. Sam. 15. Pro. 17. Rev 12.