alwayes haue theÌ„ more more obedient vnto him Yea I wil moreouer say thus much that these figures charecters are of themselues but meere toyes colourable trifles to bleare mens eyes which being layd before theÌ„ by their most wicked schoolemaister doo kéepe vnto him those his wretched schollars who séeke for no other nor truer cause of that euent although in déed they be of no force to bring the thing to effect which they goe about neither doo the Sorcerers vnderstand how much they doo auaile But like as certen iuglers which would séeme to doo many straunge feates in the midst of a circle or ring of people by sundry gestures casting of the handes and with much babling and prittle prattle of wordes doo fil wéery the eares and eyes of the lookers on that they shall not perceiue how in the place of one little bal they lay down thrée or foure which they kept couertly betweene their fingers which notwithstaÌ„ding is all done by nimblenes of their handes so likewise Satan representeth these vaine and friuolous colours showes of figures woordes vnto the eyes of his accomplises whom hee is willing to kéepe from the diligent inquiry of suche matters y being amoped with theÌ„ only they may be stayâ—d vnto him and not searche with any greater care or diligence what should bee the grounde and cause of the matter which notwithstanding are of no suche kynde or nature of causes as may bring foorthe any such effect Anthony Tell me then Theophilus by what meanes worketh SataÌ„ in déed whilest he would séeme to worke by enchauntmentes or superstitious describing of Charecters or certen fourmes of prayers Theophil I am about to doo so And to begin with all I am certen and well assured of this that Satan can doo nothing but by naturall meanes and causes For whatsoeuer hee doth eyther by him self or by his the Magicians Sorcerers it is altogither eyther illusion of their myndes and eyes or only the true effect of naturall causes As for any other thing or that is of more force hee can not doe it Anthony Can hee not also worke miracles as Sainct Paule sayeth in the second to the Thessalonians the second chapter the ix verse And Sainct Iohn in the reuelation the sixtene Chapter and fourtenth verse Theophilus What call you a miracle Anthony Anthony I call a miracle a certaine worke which is done in a natural body coÌ„trary to the naturall course and disposition thereof created by god As for example when iron swimmeth vpon the water as is reported in the story of Elias in the second booke of kinges the vi Chapter and vj. verse when a stone flitteth vpon the water when water is truely turned into wine when the dead are vnfeynedly restored vnto lyfe Theophil Truely you haue properly defined a miracle For as Sainct Augustine writeth y must only be called a miracle which surmounteth the power of all thinges created neither can be wrought by them So that a miracle is only the worke of Gods power being most worthely and properly to be tearmed by that name But Sainct Paule and the Reuelation in those places which you haue commended vse not this worde so strictly and precisely but rather more at large for any kinde of woorke which may séeme straunge and meruelous vnto men although it procéede from naturall meanes and causes So that this worde Miracle is oftentymes vsed for that which may more rightly bée called a woonder For as touching a Miracle Satan truely is able to worke none as you haue most properly described a Miracle Anthony Is there then any diuersitie betwéene a woonder and a Miracle Theoph. Yea very large whether you haue respect to the name or to the thing And as touching the word MiruÌ„ a wonder which is also called of GreciaÌ„s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one thing MiraculuÌ„ a Miracle called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another S. Augustine so distinguisheth these words in the third booke De Trinitate So that a wonder is a worke which is not vulgare or coÌ„mon â–ª yet that is wrought by naturall causes Howbeit they be many times vnknowne vnto vs or known to fewe only or else are done by such meanes as we men caÌ„not vse or are not wont or haue not lerned to doo in the same or the like matter As for example sake when that great cunning workman also famous Philosopher Archytas Tarentinus shewed openly to the people a doue of wood which flue in the ayre it was a wonderful thing but it was no miracle For this motion was caused in the woodden body through certen equallitie of weight by meanes of certeÌ„ lines workmanship and by so neare narrow ioyning of them that one drew foreward another so all that worke was but naturall Likewise when the same Archytas caused as it is written by Plutarch in the life of Mercellus y whilest Syracuâ—e in Sicilia was beséeged one lad drew after him plucked on land by an hooke a ship for burthen of monstrous weight and bignes it was a wonderfull péece of worke but no miracle For it was done by naturall meanes by deuises of rowles and turning wormes gathered out of the Mathematical rules So likewise learned Phisitions woorke many wonders and so doo handicraftes men but no miracles Therefore as touching wonders that bee so called Satan can easily and with small traueile worke many those far more excelleÌ„t theÌ„ we men caÌ„ in respect that his streÌ„gth wit is much better theÌ„ ours yet for all this he can worke no miracles Anthony Why so Theophil For sundry causes chiefly for thrée And first in respect of the excellencie of his nature aboue ours For hée is of an Angelicall and Spirituall nature and wee are earthly and carnall by reason whereof hee can doo many thinges which we can not Secondly for his moouing and the great quicknes of dooing his actions For in a moment he can come so long a iourney as wee that are heauy and slowe can not doo the like in six dayes So that in a minute hee can passe from one place to another be it neuer so far a sunder for the ayre doth not stay nor let him Thirdly for his manifold skil in the natures of thinges and longe experience which hée hath gotten to whose if ours were compared it is but ignorance whereby it commeth to passe that hee hath the knowledge and can worke in such sort as we are not able to attaine to the lyke Anthony How chaunceth it then that as you say Satan can worke no miracles Theophilus Fyrst bicause that in woorking of miracles it behooueth to destroy take away the nature from thinges which God hath geuen them which Satan can not doo for it belongeth to god only that as hee can create and make the nature of thinges so can he also ouerthrow and destroy it Secondly that in a miracle it is
nether haue I bin desirous of it otherwise and vnlesse the present time and the daily beating and handling of this question moued occasion to bee somthing inquisitiue therof I would not at all meddle with that kinde of matter For the earnest and gréedie desyre to heare of these thinges what els doth it signifie but that they which inquire so much therafter would faine also become witches sorcerers them selues Wherfore answer I pray you to such things as I shal demaund so far as may be vnderstood decided by thauctoritie of that most excellent booke wherin the word of God is contayned Theoph. First I besech almightie god â–ª that he will giue strength to my vnderstanding towards the accomplishing of the same and that it may please him to kéepe me within the precinct of his word that I may not wander therefro For what other is our disputation lyke to bée if we depart from that then old wyues tales which in this argument many men do followe or out of Scylla to fall into Charibdis as the prouerbe sayth that is to wit in the end to fall into méere mazes and labyrinthes of confusion and darkenes Sufficient proofe wherof let the writings be of the scoolemen and Doctors and of others which haue written of that matter For howe diuers and variable are the schoolemen in this only one questioÌ„ namely Whether the deuil can work miracles and create new bodies thereby to deceyue men forasmuch as wée reade how Scotus disagréeth from Thomas therin and Occanus from them both and many mo one from another who notwithstanding procéeded all forth of one schoole But go on hardely and demaunde of mée what you please Anthony Fyrst I would know of you what this word Sortiarius a Sorcerer signifieth and from whence it is deriued seeing you tearme them also witches The first Chapter VVhat this word Sortiarius a Sorcerer signifieth and from whence it first tooke beginning Theophilus THis word Sortiarius a sorcerer doubtlesse is deriued from the more frequented Latine woord Sortilegus which the latines also confirmed vnto the imitation of the Greekes for as these tearmed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so likewise do the latines cal them Sortilegi that is to say casters of lots or tellers of fortunes But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bée those who through diuelish artes foretell thinges to come and Sortilegi also bee they who by reuelation and conference with the same Satan by casting certen lottes such as in the olde tyme were huckle bones or dyce and now a dayes by an hearen bagge which will turne rounde at the mumbling of certen superstitious woordes The Frenchmen folowing the accustomable proprietie of theyr toongue and by clipping shorter the word out of the latine Sortilegus haue made it Sorcier The Hebrues in this deduction of woordes haue no affinitie nor agréement eyther with the Gretians or Latines or with vs Frenchmen For those whom wée tearme Sortiarij Sorcerers those they call Chobarim for that they put their mischéeuous practises in vre through sinister and secret craft And it is not to bee doubted but that the woorde Sortiarius is deryued of the more auncieÌ„t word Sortilegus Which by what meanes it coÌ„meth to passe I will now declare First it is euident that among the manifolde causes wherupon men ioyne binde themselues to the diuel this hath bin the chiefest and most auncient namely such béeing the vanitie curiositie of vs al eueÌ„ of nature to knew things to come and to foretel them also to other For there is none of vs contented with his owne estate but we striue al to reach vnto the misteries of God supposing our selues to haue attayned to the top of the most high predestination if we get any vnderstanding in thinges to come which are hid from other This foolish vanitie when Satan perceyued in al ages to reigne in the harts of meÌ„ and that they much desired to foreknowe what was to come he omitted no diligence in taking this occasion therby to curry fauour with theÌ„ to win their hartes to make them beholding vnto him Thus made hee promise vnto theÌ„ that he would perfourme that which they required that he would giue them vnderstaÌ„ding of things to come if they would obey and harken vnto him which these vaine mad and curious men refused not to doe So that in conclusion there was made a most firme league and couenaunt betwéene Satan these gréedie desirers to know thinges to come that he would tell them what should ensue and they should hereafter continue in bondage slauery vnto him Thus first of al sprang vp these deuiners sorcerers which were the first men of all that had any dealinges or frindship with the Diuel wherby afterward it came to passe the whosoeuer were seruisable or addicted to Satan were called by the name which is wel knowne and commune that is â–ª Sorcerers Neither was ther yet euer any age that waÌ„ted this wicked kind of Diuellish deuiners these practizes and artes being reported to bée of very auncient continuance founde out and frequented almost euer since the first foundation of the world and the creation of man. Anthony How prooue you that Theophil Fyrst by the expresse auctoritie of Gods word reciting this kynde of wickednes among the most auncient crimes of the world For how auncient was the art and diuellish deuination of the Aegiptian Magicians whereof mention is made in the fourtie and one and fourtie chapters of Genesis Also Marcus Varro a man generally learned and a most diligent searcher out of al antiquities sheweth how that these foure kyndes of deuinations haue remayned since the fyrst age of the world continuing still in vse euen vnto his tyme For out of the foure Element◠〈◊〉 this world by which men were taught by Satan to pronounce of thinges to come sprang foorth the foure kindes of deuination namely Pyromantia which is doone by Fyer Aëromantia by the Ayre Hydromantia by Water and last of all Geomantia whereby they gessed foreknowledge of things to come by the Earth or out of the Earth Other also which came after found out fiue kindes of deuination or rather deuised them But the holy scripture being far more certain and auncient then all these reckneth vp sundry other kindes of diuellish predictions specially making rehearsal of eight howbeit therein it hath not comprised them all For it is not possible to name any kynde of creature which men through suggestion of the Diuell haue not abused to that purpose Anthony Which be those eight kyndes whereof as you say the holy Scripture maketh mention Theophil I ad no more then trueth is For in Deuter. the .18 Chapter the .10 and .11 verse Lykewise in the .23 Chapâ—â—â— of Leuiticus the .23 verse There are so many euidently distinguished and recited in reciting whereof vnto you I purpose not to â—nsâ—e the same order as they be there named but to declare them vnto you as breefly and as
therefore it hapneth vnto them that they be deliuerd ouer into so reprobate sense of mynde that God punisheth them most iustly who as I haue declared doe most obstinately and vnthankfully eyther despise Christes gospel which is offred vnto them or when they haue receiued it and vnderstood it they taste thereof very coldly and lightly In which twoo poyntes the most greatest and gréeuous contempt of God is perceiued Howbeit frende Anthony mée thinketh I may truely say this much the like as our Lord God purposed to ennoble and celebrate the first comming of his only begotten sonne Iesus Christ and minding to make the same famous and renowmed throughout all the world would haue that there should be at that present many possessed with Diuels limatick persons blinde dumbe deafe whom Christ should restore to health and whom the father did in such wise prepare for the sunne therehence for him to reape glorie so in this our age wherein by his great and incomprehensible benefites towardes mankinde as a special gift he hath restored vnto vs the light of his holy gospell of very iustice he will haue it that moe despisers of this reuealed light rather at this day then before fall into the snares of Satan and become Sorcerers that is to say addicted vnto Satan and that they which despise God may be the more terrefied by example of these wretches and the Godly which with true faith embrace the gospel may more earnestly praise god and in consideration of so great a benefit bestowed vpon them yéeld vnto god the greater thankes iudging their owne state to be blessed since by the singular benefit of God they are deliuered from so great a mischéefe and so great power of the Diuel Doe you now vnderstand frende Anthony why there be now a dayes moe witches and Sorcerers then were heretofore Anthony Yea verely Theophilus and I geue you thankes for telling it vnto me But now to thintent I may be throughly confirmed in your opinion adde hereunto your third argument which as you sayd ▪ consisteth in the reason of vpright iudgement Theophil You put me well in mynde thereof for I had almost let that passe But now I will take it in hand Reason of vpright and sincere iudgement willeth vs to beleue that there be Sorcerers The same is this wheresoeuer is the true and efficient cause of any thing there is it necessary also that the effect doe follow For example sake wheresoeuer the Sunne is there is both light day bicause the Sunne is true and efficient cause of both Wheresoeuer the Northerne winde bloweth there it is cold bicause the winde is ingenderer of coldnesse And to apply this generall assumption to our present argument thus doe the Philosophers teach vs which are conuersant in searching declaring the causes of thinges such causes as are endued with soule will if wil power doo there meete togither to doo any thing necessarily and immediately theron ensueth the effect For example If a man be hungrie and haue bread lying by him he will eate if he be a thirst and haue drinke nere he wil drinke if he be a colde and he be brought to a fyre he will warme himself For by this meanes he hath both a will and abilitie wherefore we must necessarely conclude that he will doe it Doubtlesse Satan is the cause of these witches and intoxicatiōs He hath both a desire and abilitie ioinct to doo that mischief to drawe men vnto him and to lincke them vnto him this power being geuen vnto him by the iust iudgement of God ouer rebellious men wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he would win enforce them to that kinde of wickednes On which point that I may the more largely discourse this much I think you will graunt me Anthony that there haue alwayes bin vnbeleuing men in the world that is to wit not knowing God out of his word or not regarding him when they knew him Anthony You may well presume so much séeing we sée to many of that sort Theophil Neither will you also deny this that Satan since the time he renounced his first originall and was made a Diuell alwayes applyed this and as much as in him lay indeuored to plucke away men from knowledge of the true god frō their assured hope of saluatiō finally to make thē cōtēne refuse the promises of god persuading thē to yéeld geue ouer thēselues vnto him whō he sawe to be cold in the worshipping of god necligent in embracing his promises Anthony You say trueth for Satan is like a roaring Lyon who alwayes runneth about seking whom he may deuoure and pul from God as sayeth S. Peter The first of Peter the v. chapter and viii verse Theophil You well remember the place Anthony and the same is the cause why he is also in the Reuelation called the olde Serpent in the xx chapter and second verse which is to say the cōmon sworne enemy of mankinde as our sauiour Christ sayeth in the xiii chapter of Mathew the xxviii verse working and bringing to effect chiefly in the children of vnbeleefe whatsoeuer he will or lifteth as sayth S. Paule the second chapter to the Ephesians the ii verse For the wrath of God commeth vpon stubburne men Now therefore since by all these places it is euident that Satan hath a will and desire to drawe men away from the feare and faith of God it remayneth now that we see whether he haue power also to pull them away Anthony Then shall your whole reason be concluded and ended But I pray you Theophilus hath Satan so great power ouer men that he can plucke them frō God and pull them to himselfe being the creatures of God made according to his Image and specially seruing vnto his onely glory Theophilus Truely Anthony I confesse that Satan coulde neuer haue had that power vnlesse it were geuen vnto him by almighty God which by this most iust meanes doth punish them which most vnthankefully and wickedly dooe forsake him Howbeit we are not able to shew the reasō why God deliuereth this man more then that man vnto Satan and wyll haue him be myslead more then to say that this is the iust wyl of God which hath so determined Notwithstanding there was neuer yet any Sorcerer but he was lead amisse through his owne fault and vnlesse wittingly and willingly he had renounced God his creatour and maker the aucthour of his lyfe and geuer of all good thinges whom he forsaketh and most impudently and most trayterously refuseth to take him for his God if he betake himselfe to Satan and become a Sorcerer Anthonie Is this credible which you say Theophilus that any man would renoūce his God not onely geue eare become obediēt vnto Satan whom he knoweth surely to be Satan but also become his seruant and bondslaue Theophil This is to true for so doo they al of thē whosoeuer become sorcerers For after
the Satan hath once talken with them whom he goeth about to win ouerthrow he then afterwarde openly confesseth that he is Satan the very Diuell of whom the scripture maketh mencion Wherefore he coÌ„maundeth them to forswere God theyr creator al his power promising perpetually to obey worship him who there staÌ„deth in their presence that they shall acknowledge him for their god cal vpoÌ„ him pray to him trust in him Then biddeth he theÌ„ that they fall down worship him after what maner and gesture of body he pleaseth and best liketh of Thus some of them fall downe at his knées some offre vnto him black burning caÌ„dles other kisse him in some part of his body where he appeareth visibly other after others fashioÌ„s as he commaundeth to be done Anthony O how iustly deseruedly are these wretched detestable men thus punished of god whom they doe so wickedly falsâ—y and wittingly renounce being their creatour father and sauiour wherefore now I meruayle no more at it Theophil For this cause which I haue recited God geueth Satan so great power ouer them as I haue shewed First of the Kinges .22 chap. the .22 verse And vnlesse God did geue it surely Satan should haue no power at all Anthony In all this your discourse I haue perceaued nothing to be so far from trueth as some suppose And truly I much meruayle why they cannot persuade theÌ„selues that there be witches and Sorcerers Theophil I wyll yet ad one thing that I may at length conclude this wholâ— matter namely howe men doe become such kynde of people vpon diuers and sundry causes Some through great distrust in the promises loue of God towardes them other moued with exceding horrible vanitie of mynde ouermuch curiositie doe fal into the same vice toto loftily despising the measure and degrée of humane nature This how true in déede it is you may behold for some are made sorcerers through hope of sufficiencie to sustaine their pouertie to whom Satan promiseth whole mountaynes of Gold as the prouerbe sayth Such of lykelihoode lacked mony to supply the ordinary charges of theyr housholde or els were farre in debt so that they gaue themselues vp willingly to the Diuell in hope of mony Others seing theÌ„selues oppressed by some of more power not hauing abilitie to defende themselues not able to abide or put vp the iniuries doone vnto them haue desiered helpe of Satan who is very ready to reuenge doo murther and with willing myndes haue submitted themselues vnto him and become his slaues Which two sortes of men hauâ— fallen onely vnto suche wickednesse through great distrust the god doth not loue theÌ„ nor wil help them as though God had forsaken theÌ„ would not help theÌ„ in theyr aduersitie By these meanes many are caried away by satan specially couÌ„trey men ignoraÌ„t poore people such as are iniuried being willing to be made Sorcerers Other some there be who being borne away with fonde vanitie of a proude mynde whyle they are not able to containe themselues within the compas of mans vnderstanding capacitie doo yéelde themselues vassals to Satan being desierous to know thinges to come to foretel them to other or els ambitiously desiering easely with smal trauayle to dooe those thinges which other cannot By which meanes many both of the honourable and learned sorte are seduced by satan as certen noble men women of worship honour and many schollars Whom all God iustly hath punished for that they haue refused him and wittingly vowed theÌ„selues to the Diuel Anthony Now verely Theophil I doo fully persuade my selfe that there are diuellish witches Sorcerers that there are certen intoxications by theÌ„ coÌ„mitted â–ª But I beseche you resolue me also in this one thing In what kynd of things can they exercise powre forth their satanical poisoÌ„s Theophil I am willing so to doo but so farre no farther then I haue learned out of true histories For I lyke not of theyr trauayl who in handling of this argumeÌ„t falling into discourse of olde wyues tales haue painefully reported them in theyr great volumes ¶ The .iij. Chapter In vvhat kindes of thinges Sorcerers can cast their poysons to hurt them Anthony THat shal be sufficient for me for I am not delighted with those childish toyes How theÌ„ Theophilus can this kynde of people cast their diuellish poysons and intoxications vppon men or brute beastes What can they infect with their Sorceries the Ayre Water Herbes and make hauocke vpon all thinges as themselues doe playnely confesse that they haue corrupted the Ayre of certen cities and the whole soyle about by their Artes Theophil This may stande with good reason frende Anthony like as you sée that he that can cast down an huge Giant he may wel ouerthrow a young childe that is weake and feeble Euen so he that can hurt a man with poyson can much more hurt any other thing For man is a prudeÌ„t creature wise prouident foreséeing daungers created to the Image and likenesse of god He that can deceaue hurt him wyll confesse that he can much more easely intoxicate a brute beast without vnderstanding as is a Horse a Shéepe an Oxe a Cowe which cannot so diligently prouide looke to themselues in daungers as can a man And he the can infect a brute beast can much more bewitch an Hearbe a Trée Corne the bolt of a doore the scales of a ladder Wyne Water and the Ayre All which thinges we touch handle when we lyst And ouer all these things Sorcerers haue power so farre as it pleaseth God through them to reuenge the contempt of himselfe vpon men and to punish our offences Anthony Then haue they power ouer euery thing neither is there any thing so farre as I can perceaue that can escape their poysoning and witchcraft Theophil Forasmuch as these witches be diuellish very crafty truely they are able to infect with their poyson whatsoeuer is in the earth that is corruptible mortall vnlesse it be preserued by god And there is nothing in this inferior worlde which is not of that sort that is to wyt mortall corruptible Wherefore we must néedes confesse that their Arte hath power ouer all these inferiour thinges Anthony Shew me some examples of these thinges gentle Theophilus Theophil I wyll doo so And first it is most certen they haue power ouer men for that we dayly behold whilst some they kyll with their poysons some they make sicke and past recouery I haue séene them who with onely laying their handes vpon a nurses breastes haue drawne foorth all the milke and dryed them vp I haue séene that haue caused vnto some most greuous paine of the Cholick wringinges in the belly the Goute the Palsie the Apoplexie that haue also made men lame and feeble and caste them into other diseases whiche neither themselues afterwarde neither yet most excellent learned Phisitions could
they foretell certen thinges to come and worke straunge wonders whereby they allure and seduce men By meanes whereof certen foolish women turning after Satan being seduced by fantasies and illusions of Diuels doo beleeue and professe how in the night tyme they ryde abroade with Diana the Goddesse of the Pagans or els with Herodias and Minerua and other multitudes of women innumerable and that they obey their commaundementes For Satan himself who transfigureth himself into an Aungell â—flight when hee hath possessed the minde of any of those foolish women and through their infidelitie brought them in subiection vnto him immediately transfourmeth himself into similitudes and representations of sundry persons and deluding the mynde in sleepe which he holdeth captiue and representing vnto them sometime mery thinges sometime sad thinges sometime knowne persons sometime vnknowne persons leadeth theÌ„ about through many straunge places And when only the vnbeleeuing spirite â—uffreth these thinges supposing that they happen neither to the mynde alone nor to the body alone is therfore ouer foolish and grosse thinking that to happen to the body which is but only done in spirite seeing Ezechiel and the other prophetes Iohn also the Euangelist and the Apostles saw visions in the spirite and not in the body What may bee sayd more firmely plainly on my syde Theophilus and that is more repugnant contrary to your opinion wherein if you doo sufficiently satisfie mée I will yéeld then vnto your iudgement wherein you affirme that Sorcerers be bodely present at their assemblies Theophil I deny not but that this matter hath bin in great controuersie Anthony seeming vnto some altogither incredible and I graunt you this also that many thinges are by them reported which were neuer done that many times that they are of opinion but falsly that they be talking and conuersaunt with those which are farre distant from them Al these thinges I graunt not vnwillingly Howbeit I deny that you can gather hereof that which you conclude that therefore they neuer be present at any assembly or Synagoge And therefore they which diffine so peremptorely that the bodies of the Sorcerers are at home whilest they thinke thâ—selues to be conuersant in the midst of the stockes of their fellowes truely they speake ouer boldly for why experience it self teacheth otherwise Haue there not bin many seene who being pricked forwarde with to much vain curiositie of minde haue gone vnto those asseÌ„blies and were bodily preseÌ„t in those places where the sorcerers haue met togither froÌ„ wheÌ„ce thei haue returned home pasâ—ing weery of trauaile their neighbours vnderstaÌ„ding of it seing it It is told also of a certeÌ„ maÌ„ in the froÌ„tiers of the Ambarrj which at this present is called the Duchie of Niuerse who came thither being constrayned by his owne ploughman Likewise report goeth in this our age of another which dwelt in the cuntrey of Poâ—â—ters who being wonderfully enamoured on a certeÌ„ noble womaÌ„ who resorted thither to the asseÌ„bly amoÌ„g thâ—Ì„ was her self a Sorceresse came thither also to see her and to speake with her Moreouer how could it come to passe that the Sorcerers could note the places know the persons againe by their faces remember the number the trées that growe nigh the hedges riuers and distinguish the houses if we say that these were but vayne shewes and representations of mynde and that in very deede they were not present at those meetinges why should they depart out of their owne houses and out of their townes late in the night to méete there why should they be wéery of their iourney how should they returne personally and visibly from those places vnlesse personally presently they had bin there not by only dreaming or imagination of mynde Thus Anthony the constant coÌ„fessions of Sorcerers themselues with other infinite testimonies are against you your opinion But you will say these be their boastinges and doting dreames Yea but surely they be very dauÌ„gerous dreames Anthony For they confesse this when they are neare their death and when they are condemned and lead to execution for that offence and when they bée tormented when such talke can helpe them no longer Finally it is thus in euery place Moreouer as the most godly Father Athanasius writeth in his booke of the Humanitie of Christ the cogitations and thoughtes of our mynde how stronge and déepe soeuer they bée yet can they not cary our bodies from place to place neither can they affect or touch those that bee absent But sorcerers bodies are conueyed away wherefore we must thinke that this chaunceth not alonly by cogitation of minde And as concerning your arguments I say that they must be distinguished There be certeÌ„ thinges whereof they falsly vaunt which can not possibly bee done by course of nature which notwithstanding they affirme that they doo them These thinges happen vnto them through vaine illusion of mynd But I beséech you what cause what reason what course or order of nature doth stop or hinder that they should not be there present specially since corporally and visibly they returne from thence that is to say in very deed and during al that time were absent from those places in which they were before For the same accused person whereof you made mencion erewhyle which went downe vnto hell was twoo dayes absent and when hée was diligently sought for throughout all the prison yet could he not be found wherfore such thinges as are repugnant to the natures of our bodies if they say that they doo any such thing they be false and worthely to bee reputed mere illusions of the Diuell Such as bée those whereof the counsell of Aquilea maketh mencioÌ„ as to ride in the Moone to talke with Herodias with Diana with Minerua which are called the gods of the Paganes and to speake with a man that is dead and to sée any of them whom they cal the xij worthies that is to say Hector Achilles Rouland such lyke with many other lyke mere fantasies vaine deuises of Satan which by him are represented vnto the eyes or myndes of men Of this sort also are they which you haue alleaged both out of s. Augustine and also out of the booke De spiritu et anima which in déed caÌ„ not be so bicause the accomplishing and trueth therof plainly repugneth against the course of nature But this which we affirme coÌ„cerning the assembling méeting togither of sorcerers and the maner of their cumming togither what hath it in it contrary to the course of nature or disagreeing from the force and essencie of our bodies To conclude they that doo so certenly define that in those extraordinary visions and rauishinges and traunces of the mynd alwayes our bodies are altogither absent froÌ„ the sightes which we then beholde truely they speake more boldly then the holy seruant and Apostle of Christ Sainct Paule who speaking of his owne rauishing and taking vp albeit it was farre vnlyke to this
néedefull to geue vnto the thing new vertues and properties which he can by no meanes doe For the true God is onely aucthour and creatour of the properties which are in thinges Thirdly that a true miracle is such a worke which surpasseth the vertue and power of all thinges created be they neuer so excellent Wherefore Sainct Peter the Apostle in the third of the Actes the .xij. verse when he had healed the lame man and had wrought a true miracle sayde thus Yee men of Israëll vvhy doe you wonder at this or vvhy doe you looke vpon vs so earnestly as though vve had vvrought it by our owne power or godlynesse that this man should vvalke The God of Abraham the God of Isaac c. By which wordes it is signified as you sée that the power to worke miracles is proper vnto God onely Anthony But the blessed Angels Apostles and many other holy men haue wrought miracles Theoph. Truely they haue wrought miracles by the working of God in them For the power which worketh them is in God onely and in him onely resident and neuer transported to any creature for as it is written in Esay God will neuer geue away his peculiar glory to another Wherefore they whom you haue last recyted Good Angells Apostles Prophets and holy men in woorking of those miracles which they are reported to haue done were onely gods instruments in working of them that meere passiue not actiue as they terme them and yet notwithstanding it followeth not that if God vsed the ministrie of those his seruauntes he doth also vse Satan likewyse woorking miracles by him also For God of his iustice wyll not communicate his glory in such measure vnto Satan and Diuells as hée geueth it vnto the blessed Angells and holy men Which is euidently confirmed by this onely example in as much as Moses and Aaron the seruauntes of God wrought true miracles which Pharaos Magicians although they were schollars very well practized in the artes of Satan and his most excellent mynisters could neuer doe the lyke acknowledging the true effect thereof to be wrought by the finger of God onely and confessing that the thinges which they did farre surmounted the course of nature as it is wrytten in the eight Chapter of Exodus the eightenth verse And the cause of this diuersitie betwéene Satan and the true seruauntes of God and the diuersitie of his counsell and prouidence is this in that Satan in woorking of miracles séeketh not the glory of God but the good Angells and holy men haue onely regarde and respect to that So that many tymes these men are the instrumentes of God but he neuer is And although this bée true that Satan of himselfe can doe nothing but how much and when it pleaseth God to geue him leaue so lykewise neither can hée destroy nor chaunge the order of thinges determyned by God neither hath God geuen him such power neither that he may woorke by any other thinges then naturall although sometymes they be hid from vs finally he enforceth them with such celeritie that the whole woorke séemeth vnto vs to be a miracle For he quickly gathereth the meanes and causes whereby he worketh As for example he soone gathereth cloudes together to cause rayne he soone driueth together thickneth the Ayre that thereby he may represent vnto our sight some shape or thickened visible body and in a momeÌ„t he can compound poysons to do hurt withall immediatly he can resemble or driue away whatsoeuer is of him required or demauÌ„ded Moreouer he worketh all these thinges with such swiftnes that the expedition thereof seemeth straunge vnto vs which notwithstanding he worketh al by naturall causes Wherefore as I haue sayde before figures drawing of lines and circles noyses enchauntments breefly superstitious mumbling of certen prayers are not the causes of such thinges as the Sorcerers doe worke but rather pleadges and tokens onely of Satans promises vnto them So then Satan himselfe worketh those thinges which they thinke theÌ„ selues to haue done by vertue of those meanes For he hath instituted these tokens which he will not haue seeme either vnprofitable either impossible or friuolous Wherfore all those thinges are done by meanes of Satan onely Wherein the opinion of Saint Ierome onely who doubteth thereof ought not to moue vs For he wauereth therein and Iohn Chrisostome is flatly against him in his homilies vpon the Epistle of Sainct Paule to the Galathians the iii. Chapter and seconde verse and others also of no lesse aucthoritie And among later wryters what Peter Martyr an excellent well learned Deuine wryteth vpon the .xxviij. Chapter of the first booke of Samuel all men doe well knowe Wherefore to conclude in fewe woordes Satan woorketh all those thinges vpon couenauÌ„t By the same meanes it commeth to passe that Sorcerers doe coniure exorcize as they call it the Diuell or call him foorth or call him vp or speake with him face to face hauing apointed and agreeed vppon such couenauntes that at sometimes he should appeare and at other tymes depart away â–ª After this maner Numa Pompilius the seconde king of the Romanes a great Magician Sorcerer if euer there were any communed and talked oftentymes with Diuells as Plutarch a graue authour wryteth in his lyfe And now Anthony that I haue answered vnto your thrée questions what remayneth there more Anthony I aske you this question whether all the poysons which Sorcerers doe vse be mortall and bring men into perill of death Theophilus Why would you learne this of mée which they them selues doe not knowe God onely knoweth that in whose hande lyeth our death and lyfe not in the power of the Sorcerer no not of the Diuell him selfe as it is wrytten in the eight Chapter and ninth Uerse of â—cclesiasticus For the mynde and desyer of the Sorcerer is varyable in that poinct many times to doe hurt onely for a tyme they caste theyr poysons vppon men and oftentymes theyr poysons bée mortall and deadly And therefore when they bée threatned they seeke meanes to vndooe and take away theyr poysons from those whome they haue bewitched and poysoned and therein they requyre healpe of the Diuell howbeit sometimes they cannot vndooe it whatsoeuer they attempt forasmuch as God hath otherwyse determined of vs For he hath appointed the tearme of our lyfe which we can not passe as it is written in Iob the fouretenth Chapter and fift verse Anthony Ouer and besides this Theophilus after they bée come intoo the Iudges handes and caste intoo Prison can they then vse those their poysons and doe any harme Theophilus If I shall saye what I thinke I wyll aunswere that they can if so bée they haue any conference with theyr maister Satan But if you aske mee what the common people think thereof surely that they can not So that if they can by anye meanes fréely and commodiously come by those theyr Diuellishe poysons and conferre wyth Satan as otherwyse they myght if they