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
trifling vanity as in most horrible executions as the revenger of a doting old womans imagined wrongs to the destruction of many innocent children and as a supporter of her passions to the undoing of many a poor soul. And I see not but a witch may as well inchant when she will as a lier may lie when he list and so should we possesse nothing but by a witches licence and permission And now forsooth it is brought to this point that all devils which were wont to be spiritual may at their pleasure become corporal and so shew themselves familiarly to witches and conjurors and to none other and by them only may be made tame and kept in a box c. So as a malicious old woman may command her devil to plague her neighbor he is afflicted in manner form as she desireth But then cometh another witch and she biddeth her devil help and he healeth the same party So as they make it a kingdome divided in it self and therefore I trust it will not long endure but will shortly be overthrown according to the words of our Saviour Omne regnum in se divisum desolabitur Every kingdome divided in it self shall be desolate And although some say that the devil is the witches instrument to bring her purposes and practises to passe yet others say that she is his instrument to execute his pleasure in any thing and therefore to be executed But then methinks she should be injuriously dealt withall and put to death for anothers offence for actions are not judged by instrumental causes neither doth the end and purpose of that which is done depend upon the mean instrument Finally if the witch do it not why should the witch die for it But they say that witches are perswaded and think that they do indeed those mischifs have a will to perform that which the devil committeth and that therefore they are worthy to dy By which reason ev'ry one should be executed that wisheth evil to his neighbor c. But if the will should be punished by man according to the offence against God we should be driven by thousands at once to the slauterhouse or butchery For whosoever loatheth correction shall die And who should escape execution if this lothsomnesse I say should extend to death by the civil lawes Also the reward of sin is death Howbeit every one that sinneth is not to be put to death by the Magistrate But my Lord it shall be proved in my book and your Lordship shall trie it to be true as well here at home in your native country as also abrode in your several circuits that besides them that be Veneficae which are plaine poisoners there will be found among our witches only two sorts the one sort being such by imputation as so thought of by others and these are abused and not abusors the other by acceptation as being willing so to be accounted these be meer couseners Calvine treating of these magicians calleth them couseners saying that they use their juggling knacks only to amase or abuse the people or else for fame but he might rather have said for gain Erastus himself being a principal writer in the behalf of witches omnipotency is forced to confes that these Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are most commoly put for illusion false packing cousenage fraud knavery and deceipt is further driven to say that in ancient time the learned were not so blockish as not to see that the promises of magicians and inchanters were false and nothing else but knavery cousenage old wives fables yet defendeth he their flying in the aire their transferring of corn or gras from one field to another c. But as Erastus disagreeth herein with himself and his friends so is there no agreement among any of those writers but only in cruelties absurdities impossibilies And these my Lord that fall into so manifest contradictions and into such absurd asseverations are not of the inferior sort of writers neither are they all papists but men of such account as whose names give more credit to their cause then their writings In whose behalfe I am sorry and partly for reverence suppress their fondest errors foulest absurdities dealing specially with them that most contend in cruelty whose feet are swift to shed blood striving as Iesus the son of Sirach saith hasting as Solomon the son of David saith to pour out the blood of the Innocent whose heat against these poor wretches cannot be allaied with any other liquor then blood And therfore I fear that under their wings will be found the blood of the souls of the poor at that day when the Lord shall say Depart from me ye bloud-thirsty men And because I know your Lordship will take no councel against innocent bloud but rather suppres them that seek to imbrew their hands therein I have made choise to open their case to you to lay their miserable calamity before your feet following herein the advise of that learned man Brentius who saith Si quis admonuerit Magistratum â—e in miseras illas mulierculas saeviat eum ego arbitror divinitus excitatum that is If any admonish the Magistrate not to deale too hardly with these miserable wretches that are called witches I think him a good instrument raised up for this purpose by God himself But it will perchance be said by witchmongers to wit by such as attribut to witches the power which appertaineth to God only that I have made choise of your Lordship to be a Patrone to this my book because I think you favor mine opinions and by that means may the more freely publish any error or conceit of mine own which should rather be warranted by your Lordships authority then by the word of God or by sufficient argument But I protest the contrary and by these presents I renounce all protection and despise all friendship that might serve to help towards the suppressing or supplanting of truth knowing also that your Lordship is far from allowing any injury done unto man much more an enemy to them that go about to dishonor God or to embeazel the title of his immortal glory But because I know you to be perspicuous and able to see down into the depth and bottome of causes are not to be carried away with the vain perswasion or superstition either of man custome time or multitude but moved with the authority of truth only I crave your countenance herein even so far forth no further then the law of God the law of nature the lawe of this land the rule of reason shall require Neither do I treat for these poore people any otherwise but so as with one hand you may sustaine the good and with the other suppresse the evill wherein you shall be thought a father to orphanes an advocate to widowes a guide to the blind a stay to the lame a comfort countenance to
miracle done at Lions c. What Bodin is I know not otherwise than by report but I am certain this his tale is a fond fable and Bodin saith it was performed at Lions and this man as I understand by profession is a civill lawyer CHAP. VI. A disproofe of their assemblies and of their bargain THat the joyning of hands with the devill the kissing of his bare buttocks and his scratching and biting of them are absurd lies every one having the gift of reason may plainly perceive insomuch as it is manifest unto us by the word of God that a spirit hath no flesh bones nor sinews whereof hands buttocks claws teeth and lips do consist For admit that the constitution of a devills body as Tatian and other affirme consisteth in spiritual congelations as of fire and aire yet it cannot be perceived of mortall creatures What credible witnesse is there brought at any time of this their corporall visible and incredible bargain saving the confession of some person diseased both in body and mind willfully made or injuriously constrained It is marvell that no peniteâ—t witch that forsaketh her trade confesseth not these things without compulsion Me thinketh their covenant made at baptisme with God before good witnesses sanctified with the word confirmed with his promises and established with his sacraments should be of more force then that which they make with the devill which no body seeth or knoweth For God deceiveth none with whom he bargaineth neither doth he mocke or disappoint them although he dance not among them The oath to procure into their league and fellowship as many as they can whereby every one witch as Bodin affirmeth augmenteth the number of fifty bewrayeth greatly their indirect dealing Hereof I have made triall as also of the residue of their cosening devises and have been with the best or rather the worst of them to see what might be gathered out of their counsels and have cunningly treated with them thereabouts and further have sent certain old persons to indent with them to be admitted into their society But as well by their excuses and delaies as by other circumstances I have tried and found all their trade to be meer cosening I pray you what bargain have they made with the devill that with their angry lookes bewitch lambs children c Is it not confessed that it is naturall though it be a ly What bargain maketh the sooth-sayer which hath his severall kinds of witch-craft and divination expressed iâ— the Scripture Or is it not granted that they make none How chanceth it that we hear not of this bargain in the Scriptures CHAP. VII A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions IT is Confessed say some by the way of objection even of these women themselves that they do these and such other horrible things aâ— deserveth death with all extremity c. Whereunto I answer that whosoever considerately beholdeth their confessions shall perceive all to be vain idle false inconstant and of no weight except their contempt and ignorance in religion which is rather the fault of the negligent pastor than of the simple woman First if their confession be made by compulsion of force or authority or by perswasion and under colour of friend-ship it is not to be regarded because the extremity of threats and tortures provokes it or the quality of fair word and allurements constraines it If it be voluntatary many circumstances must be considered to wit whether she appeach not her selfe to overthrow her neighbour which many times happeneth through their cankered and malicious melancholike humor then whether in that same malancholike mood and frantick humor she desire not the abridgement of her own dayes Which thing Aristotle saith doth oftentimes happen unto persons subject to malancholike passions and as Bodin and Sprenger say to these old women called witches which many times as they affirme refuse to live threatning the judges that if they may not be burned they will lay hands upon themselves and so make them guilty of their damnation I my self have known that where such a one could not prevaile to be accepted as a sufficient witnesse against himselfe he presently went and threw himselfe into a pond of water where he was drowned But the law saith Volenti mori non est habenda fides that is His word is not to be credited that is desirous to dy Also sometimes as else-where I have proved they confesse that whereof they were never guilty supposing that they did that which they did not by meanes of certain circumstances And as they sometimes confesse impossibilities as that they fly in the air transubstantiate themselves raise tempests transferre or remove corne c. so do they also I say confesse voluntarily that which no man could prove and that which no man would guesse nor yet beleeve except he were as mad as they so as they bring death wilfully upon themselves which argueth an unsound mind If they confâ—sse that which hath been indeed committed by them as poysoning or any other kind of murther which falleth into the power of such persons to accomplish I stand not to defend their cause Howbeit I would wish that even in that case there be not too rash credit given nor to hasty proceedings used against them but that the causes properties and circumstances of every thing be duly considered and diligently examined For you shall understand that as sometimes they confesse they have murthered their neighbours with a wish sometimes with a word sometimes with a look c. so they confesse that with the delivering of an apple or some such thing to a woman with child they have killed the child in the mothers wombe when nothing was added thereunto which naturally could be noysome or hurtfull In like manner they confesse that with a touch of their bare hand they sometimes kill a man being in perfect health and strength of body when all his garments are betwixt their hand and his flesh But if this their confession be examined by divinity philosophy physick law or conscience it will be found false and insufficient First foâ— that the working of miracles is ceased Secondly no reason can be yielded for a thing so farre beyond all reason Thirdly no receipt can be oâ— such efficacy as when the same is touched with a bare hand from whence the veines have passage through the body unto the heart it should not annoy the poyson and yet retain vertue and force enough to pearce through so many garments and the very flesh incurable to the place of death in another personr Cui argumento saith Bodin nescio quid responderi possit Fourthly no law will admit such a confession as yeeldeth unto impossibilities against the which there is never any law provided otherwise it would not serve a mans turne to plead and prove that he wâ—â— at Berwick that day that he is accused to have done a murther in Cantâ—â—bury for it might
man might as well cavillâ— the Holy Ghost as for the other CHAP. VI. In what kind of confectionâ— that witch-craft which is called Veâ—â—ficium consisteth of love-caps and the same confuted by pâ—eâ— AS touching this kind of witch-craft the principall part thereof â—â—â—sisteth in certain confections prepared by lewd people to prooâ—â— love which indeed are meer poisons bereaving some of the beneâ—â— the braine and so of the sense and understanding of the minde And 〈◊〉 some it taketh away life and that is more common then the other 〈◊〉 be called Philtra or Pocula amatoâ—â—â— or Venenosa pocula or Hippomeâ—â— which bad and blinde Physitians rather practise than witches or conjâ—â—â— c. But of what value these bables are towards the end why they 〈◊〉 provided may appear by the opinions of Poets themselves from whâ— was derived the estimation of that stuffe And first you shall hear 〈◊〉 Ovid saith who wrote of the very art of love and that so cunningly 〈◊〉 feelingly that he is reputed the speciall doctor in that science Fallitur Aemonias si quis decurrit ad artes Datque quod a teneri fronte revellet epui Non facient ut vivat amor Meddeides berbae Mistaque cum magicis mersa venena sonis Phasius Aesonidem Circe tenuisset Vlyssem Si modo servari carmine posset amor Nec data profuerinâ— pallentia philtra puellis Philtra nocent animis vimque furoris habent Who so doth run to Haemon arts I dub him for a dolt And giveth that which he doth pluck from forehead of a colt Medeas herbs will not procure that love shall lasting live Nor steeped poison mixt with ma gicke charmes the same can give The witch Medea had full fast held Jason for her own So had the grand witch Circe too Ulysses if alone With charmes maintaind and kept might be the love of twain in one No slibbersawees given to maides to make them pale and wan Will helpe such slibbersawces marre the minds of maide and man And have in them a furious force of phrensie now and than Viderit Aemoniae si quis mala pabula terra Et magicas artes posse juvare putate If any think that evill herbs in Haemon land which be Or witch-craft able is to helpe let him make proofe and seâ— These verses precedent do shew that Ovid knew that those beggerly â—orceries might rather kill one or make him starke mad than do him â—ood towards the atteinment of his pleasure of love and therefore he â—iveth his counsell to them that are amorous in such hot manner that either they must enjoy their love or else needs dy saying Sit procul omne nefas ut ameris amabilis estâ— â—arre off be all unlawfull meanes thou amiable be â—oving I meane that she with love may quit the love of thee CHAP. VII It is proved by more credible writers that love-cups rather ingender death through venome than love by art and with what toies they destroy cattell and procure love BUt because there is no hold nor trust to these Poets who say and 〈◊〉 say dallying with these causes so as indeed the wise may perceiâ—â— they have them in derision let us see that other graver authors speâ—â— hereof Eusebius Caesariensis writeth what the poet Lucretius was killed with one of those lovers poisoned cups Hierome reporteth that one 〈◊〉 herewith killed her husband whom she too much hated and 〈◊〉 killed hers whom she too much loved Calisthenes killed Luciu's Luciu the Emperour with a love-pot as Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos 〈◊〉 Pliny and Iosephus report that Caesonia killed her husband Caligula 〈◊〉 rio poculo with a lovers cup which was indeed starke poison Aristoâ—â—â— saith that all which is beleeved touching the efficacie of these matter lies and old wives tales He that will read more arguments and histâ—â—â— concerning these poisons let him look in 1. Wier de veneficiis The toies which are said to procure love and are exhibited in 〈◊〉 poison loving cups are these the haire growing in the nerhern 〈◊〉 part of a wolves taile a wolves yard a little fish called Remora the 〈◊〉 of a cat of a newt or of a lizzard the bone of a green frog the 〈◊〉 thereof being consumed with pismiers or ants the left bone whereâ—â— gendreth as they say love the bone on the right side hate Also said that a frogs bones the flesh being eaten off round about with whereof some will swim and some will sinke those that sinke bâ—â— hanged up with a white linnen cloth ingender love but if a man touched therewith hate is bred thereby Another experiment is thereof with young swallowes whereof one brood or nest being taken and 〈◊〉 in a crock under the ground till they be starved up they that be 〈◊〉 open mouthed serve to engender love they whose mouths are shut 〈◊〉 to procure hate Besides these many other follies there be to this purpâ—â—â— proposed to the simple as namely the garments of the dead 〈◊〉 that burne before a dead corps and needles wherewith dead bodies sowne or sockt into their sheets and diverse other things which the reverence of the reader and in respect of the uncleane speech to used in the description thereof I omit which if you read Dioscoâ—â—â— or diverse other learned physitians you may see at large In the meâ—â—â— while he that desireth to see more experiments concerning this matâ—â—â— let him read Leonardus Vairus de fascino now this present year 15â—â— newly published wherein with an incestuous mouth he affirmeth daâ—â—ly that Christ and his Apostles were Venefici very fondly prosecuting 〈◊〉 argument and with as much popish folly as may be labouring to 〈◊〉 it lawfull to charme and inchant vermine c. CHAP. VIII Iohn Bodin triumphing against Iohn Wier is overtaken with false Greek and false interpretation thereof MOnsieur Bodin triumpheth over doctor Wier herein pronouncing a heavy sentence upon him because he referreth this word to poison But he reigneth or rather rideth over him much more for speaking false Greek affirming that he calleth Veneficos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as true as the rest of his reports and fables of witches miracles contained in his book of devilish devises For in truth he hath no such word but saith they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas he should have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true accent being omitted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being enterpoled which should have been left out Which is nothing to the substance of the matter but must needs be the Printers fault But Bodin reasoneth in this wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes put for Magos or Praestigiatores â— Ergo in the translation of the Septuaginta it is so to be taken Wherein he manifesteth his bad Logick more then the others ill Greek For it is well known to the learned in this tongue that the usual and proper signification of this word with all
needs have the like successe These are their collections and as vaine as if they said that the building of Tenderden steeple was the cause of Goodwine sands or the decay of Sandwitch haven S. Augustine saith that these observations are most superstitious But we reade in the fourth psalme a sentence which might disswade any christian from this folly and impiety O ye sonnes of men how long will you turne my glory into shame loving vanity and seeing lies The like is read in many other places of scripture Of such as allow this folly I can commend Plinie best who saith that the operation of these auguries is as we take them For if we take then in good part they are signes of good luck if we take them in ill part ill loâ—â— followeth if we neglect them and way them not they do neither good nor harme Thomas of Aquine reasoneth in this wise The starres whose course is certaine have greater affinity and community with mans actions than auguries and yet our doings are neither directed nor proceed from the starres Which thing also Ptolomey witnesseth saying Sapiens dominabitur astrit A wiseman overruseth the starres CHAP. XVIII Fond distinctions of the heathen writers concerning augury THe heathen made a distinction betweene divine naturall and casual auguries Divine auguries were such as men were made beleeve were done miraculously as when dogs spake as at the expulsion of Tarnquinius out of his kingdome or when trees spake as before the death of Caesar or when horses spake as did a horse whose name was Zanthus Many learned christians confesse that such things as may indeed have divine cause may be called divine auguries or rather forewarnings of God and tokens either of his blessings or discontentation as the starre was a token of a safe passage to the magicians that sought Christ so was the cockcrowing an augury to Peter for his conversion And many such other divinations or auguries if it be lawful so to terme them are the in scriptures to be found CHAP. XIX Of natural and casual augury the one allowed and the other disallowed NAtural augury is a physical or philosophical observation because humane and natural reason may be yeelded for such events as if one heare the cock crow many times together a man may guesse that raine will follow shortly as by the crying of rookes and by their extraordinary using of their wings in their flight because through a natural instinct provoked by the impression of the heavenly bodies they are moved to know the times according to the disposition of the weather as it is necessary for their natures And therefore Jeremy saith Milvâ—s in coelo cognovit tempus suum The phisician may argue a strength towards in his patient when he heareth him neeze twice which is a natural cause to judge by and conjecture upon But sure it is meere casual and also very foolish and incredible that by two neezings a man should be sure of good luck or successe in his businesse or by meeting of a toade a man should escape a danger or atchieve an enterprise c. CHAP. XX. A confutation of casual augury which is meere witchcraft and upon what uncertainty those divinations are grounded WHat imagination worketh in man or woman many leaves would not comprehend for as the qualities thereof are strange and almost incredible so would the discourse thereof be long and tedious whereof I had occasion to speak elsewhere But the power of our imagination extendeth not to beasts nor reacheth to birds and therefore pertaineth nor hereunto Neither can the chance for the right or left side be good or bad luck in it selfe Why should any occurrent or augury be good Because it cometh out of that part of the heavens where the good or beneficial stars are placed By that reason all things should be good and happy that live on that side but we see the contrary experience and as commonly as that The like absurdity and error is in them that credit those divinations because the starres over the ninth house have dominion at the time of augury If it should betoken good luck joy or gladnesse to heare a noise in the house when the moone is in Aries and contrarywise if it beâ—signe of ill luck sorrow or griefe for a beast to come into the house the moone being in the same signe here might be found a foule error and contrariety And forsomuch as both may happen at once the rule must needs be false and ridiculous And if there were any certaine rules or notes to be gathered in these divinatious the abuse therein is such as the word of God must needs be verified therein to wit I will destroy the tokens of soothsayers and make them that conjecture sooles CHAP. XXI The figure-casters are witches the uncertainty of their art and of their contradictions Cornelius Agrippa's sentence against judicial astrologie THese casters of figures may be numbered among the cousening witches whose practise is above their reach their purpose to gaine their kgowledge stolne from poets their aâ—t uncertaine and full of vanity more plainly derided in the scriptures than any other folly And thereupon many other trifling vanities are rooted and grounded as physiognomy palmestry interpreting of dreames monsters auguries c. the professors whereof confesse this to be the necessary key to open the knowledge of all their secrets For these fellowes erect a figure of the heavens by the exposition whereof together with the conjectures of similitudes and signes they seeke to find out the meaning of the significaâ—tors attributing to them the ends of all things contrary to truth reason and divinity their rules being so inconstant that few writers agree in the very principles thereof For the Rabbins the old and new writers and the very best philosophers dissent in the cheese grounds thereof differing in the propriety of the houses whereout they wring the foretelling of things to come contending even about the number of spheres being not yet resolved how to erect the beginnings and endes of the houses for Ptolomy makeâ—h them after one sort Campanus after another c. And as Alpetragus thinketh that there be in the heavens divers movings as yet to men unknown so do others affirme not without probability that there may be starres and bodies to whom these movings may accord which cannot be seen either through their exceeding highnesse or that hitherto are not tried with any observation of the art The true motion of Mars is not yet perceived neither is it possible to find out the true entring of the Sunne into the equinoctiall points It is not denied that the astronomers themselves have received their light and their very art 〈◊〉 poets without whose fables the twelve signes and the northerly southerly figures had nevâ—r ascended into heaven And yet as C. Agrippa saith astrologers do live cosen men and gaine by these fables whiles the poets which are the inventors of
the divell with all their popish conjurations why there were no conjurors in the primitive Church and why the divell is not so soon cast out of the bewitched as of the possessed THe reason why some are not remedied for all their conjurations the papists say is for seven canses First for that the faith of the standers by is naught secondly for that theirs that present the party is no better thirdly because of the sins of the bewitched fourthly for the neglecting of meet remedies fiftly for the reverence of vertues going out into others sixtly for the purgation seventhly for the merit of the party bewitched And â—o the first four are proved by Matthew the 7. and Marke the 4. when one presented his sonne and the multitude wanted faith and the father said Lord help mine incâ—edulity or unbeleef Whereupon was said Oh faithlesse and perverse generation how long shall I be with you and where these words are written And Jesus rebuked him c. That is to say say they the possessed or bewitched for his sinnes For by the neglect of due remedies it appeareth that there were not with Christ good perfect men For the pillars of the faith to wit Peter Iames and Iohn were absent Neither was there fasting and prayer without the which that kind of divels could not be cast out For the fourth point to wit the fault of the exorcist in faith may appeare for that afterwards the disciples asked the cause of their impotency therein And Iesus answered it was for their incredulity saying that if they had as much faith as a graine of mustard seed they should move mountaines c. The fift is proved by Vitas patrum the lives of the fathers where it appeareth that S. Anthony could not do that cure when his scholar Paule could do it and did it For the proofe of the sixt excuse it is said that though the fault be taken away thereby yet it followeth not that alwayes the punishment is released Last of all it is said that it is possible that the divell was not conjured out of the party before baptisme by the exorcist or the midwife hath not baptized him well but omitted some part of the sacrament If any object that there were no exorcists in the primitive church it is answered that the church cannot now erre And saint Gregorie would never have instituted it in vaine And it is a generall rule that who or whatsoever is newly exorcised must be rebaptized as also such as walke or talke in their sleepe for say they call them by their names and presently they wake or fall if they clime whereby it is gathered that they are not truly named in baptisme Item they say it is somewhat more difficult to conjure the divell out of one bewitched then out of one possessed because in the bewitched he is double in the other single They have a hundred such beggerly foolish and frivolous notes in this behalfe CHAP. XXVI Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in this matter of conjurations SUrely I cannot see what difference or distinction the witchmongers doe put betweene the knowledge and power of God and the divell but that they think if they pray or rather talk to God till their heartsake he never heareth them but that the divell doth know every thought and imagination of their minds and both can and also will do any thing for them For if any that meaneth good faith with the divell read certaine conjurations he commeth up they say at a trice Marry if another that hath no intent to raise him reade or pronounce the words be will not stirre And yet 1. Bodin confesseth that he is afraid to read such conjurations as Iohn Wierus reciteth lest belike the divell would come up and scratch him with his fowle long nailes In which sort I wonder that the divell dealeth with none other then witches and conjurors I for my part have read a number of their conjurations but never could see any divels of theirs except it were in a play But the divell belike knoweth my mind to wit that I would be loth to come within the compasse of his clawes But lo what reason such people have Bodin Bartholomeus Spineus Sprenger and Institor c do constantly affirme that witches are to be punished with more extremity than conjurors and sometimes with death when the other are to be pardoned doing the same offense because say they the witches make a league with the divell and so do not conjurors Now if conjurors make no league by their owne confession and divels indeed know not our cogitations as I have sufficiently proved then would I weet of our witchmongers the reason if I read the conjuration and performe the ceremony why the divell will not come at my cal But oh absurd credulity Even in this point many wise and learned men have been and are abused whereas if they would make experience or duly expend the cause they might be soone resolved specially when the whole art and circumstance is so contrary to Gods word as it must be false if the other be true So as you may understand that the papists do not only by their doctrine in bookes and sermons teach and publish conjurations and the order thereof whereby they may induce men to bestow or rather cast away their money upon masses and suffrages for their soules but they make it also a parcell of their sacrament or orders of the which number a conjuror is one and insert many forms of conjurations into their divine service and not only into their pontificals but into their masse bookes yea into the very canon of the masse CHAP. XXVII Certaine conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missall BUt see yet a little more of popish conjurations and conferre them with the other In the Pontificall you shall find this conjuration which the other conjurours use as solemnely as they I conjure thee thou creature of water in the name of the fa ✚ ther of the so ✚ nne and of the Holy ✚ ghost that thou drive away the divell from the bounds of the just that he remaine not in the darke corners of this church and altar * You shall find in the same title these words following to be used at the hallowing of churches There must a crosse of ashes be made upon the pavement from one end of the church to the other one handfull broad and one of the priests must write on the one side thereof the Greeke alphabet and one the other side the Latin alphabet Durandus yeeldeth this reason thereof to wit It representeth the union in faith of the Jewes and Gentiles And yet well agreeing to himselfe he saith even there that the crosse reaching from the one end to the other signifieth that the people which were in the head shall be made the taile ¶ A conjuration written in the masse booke Fol. 1. I conjure thee O creature of
to enter into such desperate perill to endure such intolerable torments for no gaine or commodity how it comes to passe that witches are overthrowne by their confessions 42 How melancholy abuseth old women and of the effects thereof by sundry examples pag. 43. That voluntary confessions may be untruly made to the undoing of the confessors and of the strange operation of melancholie proved by a familiar and late example p. 45. The strange and divers effects of melancholy and how the same humor abounding in witches or rather old women filleth them ful of marvellous imaginations and that their confessions are not to be credited 46. A confutation of witches confessions especially concerning their league pag. 48. A confutation of witches confessions concerning making of tempests and raine of the natural cause of raine that witches or divels have no power to do such things ibid. What would ensue if witches confessions or witchmongers opinions were true concerning the effects of witchcraft inchantments c. 50 Examples of forein nations who in their warres used the assistance of witches of eybiting witches in Ireland of two archers that shot with familiars pag. 51. Authors condemning the fantasticall confessions of witches and how a popish doctor taketh upon him to disprove the same pag. 52. Witchmongers reasons to prove that witches can worke wonders Bodins tale of a Friseland priest transported that imaginations proceeding of melancholie do cause illusions pag. 53. That the confession of witches is insufficient in civill and common 〈◊〉 to take away life What the sounder divines and decrees of councels determine in this case pag. 54. Of foure capitall crimes objected against witches all fully answered and confuted as frivolons p. 55. A request to such readers as loath to heare or read filthy bawdy matters which of necessity are here to be inserted to passe over eight chapters pag. 56 The fourth Book OF witchmongers opinions concerning evill spirits how they frame themselves in more excellent sort than God made us Pag. 58. Of bawdy Incubus and Succubus and whether the action of venery may be performed betweene witches and divels and when witches first yeelded to Incubus ibid. Of the divels visible and invisible dealing with witches in the way of lechery pag. 60. That the power of generation is both outwardly and inwardly inpeached by witches and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by witches and by the same meanes againe restored ibid. Of bishop Sylvanus his leachery opened and covered againe how maids having yellow haire are most combred with Incubus how maried men are bewitched to use other mens wives and to refuse their owne pag. 62. How to procure the dissolving of bewitched love also to enforce a man how proper so ever he be to love an old hag and of a bawdy tricke of a priest in Gelderland ibid. Of divers saincts and holy persons which were exceeding bawdy and lecherous and by certain miraculous meanes became chast pag. 63. Certaine popish and magicall cures for them that are bewitched in their privities ibid. A strange cure done to one that was molested with Incubus pag. 64. A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus which by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knavery wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is overthrowne pag. 65. That Incubus is a naturall disease with remedies for the same besides magicall cures herewithall expressed pag. 69. The censure of G. Chancer upon the knavery of Incubus pag. 67. The fift Book OF transformations ridiculous examples brought by the adversaries for the confirmation of their foolish doctrine Pag. 66. Absurd reasons brought by Bodin such others for confirmation of transformations pag. 71. Of a man turned into an asse and returned againe unto a man by one of Bodins witches S. Augustines opinion thereof pag. 72. A summarie of the former fable with a refutation thereof after due examination of the same pag. 74. That the body of a man cannot be turned into the body of a beast by a witch is proved by strong reasons scriptures and authorites pag. 75. The witchmongers objections concerning Nebuchadnezzar answerred and their error concerning Lycanthropia consuted pag. 77. A speciall objection answered concerning transportations with the consent of diverse writers thereupon pag. 78. The witchmongers objection concerning the history of Iob answered 79. What severall sorts of witches are mentioned in the scriptures how the word witch is there applied pag. 82. The sixt Book THe exposition of this Hebrue word Chasaph wherein is answered the objection contained in Exodus 22. to wit Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live and of Simon Magnus Acts. 8. pag. 84. The place of Deuteronomy expounded wherein are recited all kind of witches also their opinions confuted which hold that they can worke such miracles as are imputed unto them pag 85. That women have used poisoning in all ages more then men and of the inconvenience of poisoning pag. 87. Of divers poisoning practises otherwise called veneficia committed in Italy Genua Millen Wittenberge also how they were discovered and executed pag 88. A great objection answered concerning this kind of witchcraft calâ—ed Veneficium pag. 89. In what kind of confections that witchcraft which is called Veneficium consisteth of love-cups the same confuâ—ed by poets ibid. It is proved by more credible writers that love-cups rather ingender death through venome than love by arâ— and with what toies they destroy cattell procure love p. 92. J. Bodin triumphing against I. Wier is over taken with false â—reeke and false interpretation thereof p. 93. The seventh Booke OF the Hebrue word Ob what it signifieth where it is found of Pythonisses called Ventriloquae who they be and what their practises are experience and examples thereof shewed Pag. 94. How the lewd practise of the Pythonist of Westwell came to light and by whom she was examined and that all her diabolicall speach was but ventriloquie and plaine cousenage which is proved by her owne confession pag. 96. Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of Endor with a true story of a counterfeit Dutchman pag 98. Of the great oracle of Apollo the Pythonist how men of al sorts have been deceived and that even the apostles have mistaken the nature of spirits with an unanswerable argument that spirit can take no shapes pag. 99. Why Apollo was called Pytho wherof those witches were called Pythonists Gregory his letter to the divell pag. 101. Apollo who was called Pytho compared to the Rood of grace Gregories letter to the divell coÌ„fused 102 How diverse great clarkes and good authors have beene abused in this matter of spirits through false reports and by means of their credulity have published lies which are confuted by Aristotle and the scriptures Ibid. Of the witch of Endor and whetler she accomplished the raising of Samuel truly or by deceipt the opinion of some Divines hereupon p. 103. That Samuel was not raised indeed and how