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
strange if in this place he ether did amisse or forgat himself But admit y Ierome were of y opinion notwithstaÌ„ding other no lesse graue learned interpretours of the place doo write otherwise gather out of this place of S. Paul that there be sorcerers Of which opinioÌ„ was Chrisostome an approued writer with others also of later yeares As for August who in no respect is inferior to IeroÌ„e what he hath written we haue shewed before Anthony These doo satisfie me Theoph. neither require I any moe mens testimonies but performe the whch you promised which is the seconde proofe of your opinion Teach me I say that it is founde out by experience that there are Sorcerers Theophil You require of me but y which is due you remeÌ„ber euery thing in order wherefore I wil briefly comprise all in a worde or two Anthony Procéede then Theophil Now as coÌ„cerning experieÌ„ce that most certen true thus much I say that in al ages it hath bin obserued founde y ther hath béen alwaies some which haue vsed this diuellish arte meanes to entoxicate men For els why should there haue béen lawes writteÌ„ against theÌ„ if there had neuer bin any such at al why should their punishmeÌ„ts haue béen appointed For ther are no laws set forth to repres any crimes that are not there is one selfesame iudgemeÌ„t to be geueÌ„ by the ciuile law on thinges that are not as on thinges that appéere not as the lawiers doo teach When the question was demauÌ„ded of the most wisest lawmaker of the AtheniaÌ„s Solon why he wrote no lawes against such as slewe their fathers answered that he thought that ther would neuer be any such So verely both before the birth of Christe also sithence hath this kinde of witches bin coÌ„monly abroade in the world And that they were before Christe sufficieÌ„tly most faithfully y most holy man of God Moyses witnesseth who by coÌ„maundment of God maketh meÌ„cion of theÌ„ condeÌ„neth theÌ„ namely in Exod. the .22 chap .9 verse In Leuit. the 19. chap. .31 verse likewise in the .20 chap. .27 verse In the booke of NuÌ„b. the .23 cha the .28 verse In Deu. the .18 cha .. .11 verse Some write y Zoroastes a man of the cuÌ„try of Persia a great MagiciaÌ„ expert in the iudiciarie Astrologie first of all men founde and practized witchcraft and afterwardes taught it to other who were al of theÌ„ Idolaters as he was Now that there were also some of the same sort since the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ infinite histories beare record and the sundry reportes of men in wryting touching the same the sentences also of Iudges geuen vpon them are witnesses lawes likewise and punishments published against theÌ„ doe beare record established aswell by the Ciuile lawe as the Canon being at this day both whole Titles Rubrikes fouÌ„de written against that kinde of crime like as appeareth in Gratianes Decree causa .xxvi. quest i. ii.iii.iiii v. Moreouer these sortes of witches haue alwayes been well knowne in our countrey of Fraunce which to be trew the innumerable actes of Parliament against theÌ„ dooe testifie which many learned mâ—n haue gathered together of the matâ—er But cheefly a certen famous solemne coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of articles opinioÌ„s made by a Sorbonist of Paris vnder Charles the .6 king of Fraunce in the yeare of our Lord .1398 maketh much to the proofe of our opinioÌ„ which opinions the schollars of the vniuersitie commonly professed in Paris Yea hath not this our age seene many witches condemned of witchcraft Anthony Can you shewe mée the cause Theophil why it should so be in our time Theophil Truely it is the terrible iudgement of God agaynst vs the cause whereof is vnknowne vnto vs For the iudgementes of God although they be hid from vs yet are they iust and holy as it appeareth in the xxv Psalme and x. verse most truely godly in the like argument and as S. Augustine sayeth in his worke of Deuinacion of Diuels Anthony How theÌ„ hath God any iuster cause to punish men in this our age theÌ„ he had in foretime thrée huÌ„dred yéeres agoe â–ª Theophil Yea surely Anthony greater then heretofore how much the more the worlde at this present doth more shamefully and obstinately reiect the woord of God and the reuealed light thereof For how much the more men doe now a dayes shewe themselues vnthankfull towardes God the more iust cause God taketh to forsake them and geue them ouer vnto Satan to reuenge the contempt of his name So that in these dayes wherein is séene a most gréeuous pitiefull rebellion of men against Gods true doctrine Satan hath receyued the power froÌ„ God to allure theÌ„ vnto him and to sifte them and there is geuen vnto him the very effect and force of errour to deceiue intrappe and leade away many as the spirite of God hath long since witnessed it should bée in the seconde to the Thessalonians the second Chapter tenth verse and that God would geue him the power and gift to deceyue that men should geue credence to Satan and to lyes and such should bée damned as beléeued not the trueth but haue yéelded to vnrighteousnes bicause they haue not embraced the loue of the trueth that they might be saued Anthony But some there be that hold opinion that al these thinges which are reported of Sorcerers are but deuised feyned and if any such thing doe chance they come only by some sicknes of the mynd or by reason of some melancholicke humour these appearances fansies trouble them not being any tokens or signes of the iuste iudgement of God against men Theophil But truely they be very much deceiued frende Anthony no lesse then those which supposed that the madde men and possessed with diuels which liued in the time of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ and were by him healed were none other then men sick and troubled with melancholick chollerick diseases whose opinioÌ„ is altogither blasphemous for thei take away the certentie of the christian faith and deny the deuine nature of our Lord Iesus Christ repugning lying against the trueth of the thing for how could the diuels haue spoken with in their bodies or with so great force haue gone out of the possessed persons haue torne the members partes of their bodies if these thinges were but mere dreemes of troubled minds fansies only fits of melaÌ„cholick diseases So are sorcerers plainly miserable slaues vnto Satan in subiection vnto him him doe they worship to him doo they coÌ„mit themselues yea offer vnto him caÌ„dles of waxe in token of honour Yet some of theÌ„ doo séeme far more abiecte filthily seruisable For when Satan sheweth himself vnto them in the likenes of a man the which is to shamful to speak they kisse his buttocks which thiÌ„g certeÌ„ of theÌ„ afterward haue fraÌ„ckli coÌ„fessed theÌ„selues to haue don And
be true Theophilus Wherin then doe you disagrée from me Anthony Antho. Forsooth in these thrée thinges First in this that the Sorcerers say and you likewise folowing the truthe of their confession doe affirme the same that verely and corporally they bée present in those assemblies which are called by Satan Secondly where you say that they bee caried by Satan vnto those places Thirdly in that whiche you sayde laste that they can intoxicate men without any mingling of poyson For I can not perswade my selfe that any thing can possibly be by méere voyces wordes figures or charecters hurte holpen poysoned or intoxicated Theophilus I will answere you orderly to these thrée poyntes And as touching the first Doe you not thinke Anthony that Sorcerers doe méete togither and be present in those their diuelishe conuenticles and Synagogues notwithstanding that they vaunt themselues thereof How I pray you then doe you thinke it is Anthony Onely in cogitation of mind and illusion of the Diuell like as in our sléepe we thinke that we haue seene many thinges and to haue beene in suche places where we neuer were and many times that we haue talken with those that are very farre of from vs yea perhaps more than two hundred miles The like whereof happeneth to Sorcerers through crafte of the Diuel who sundry times also deludeth vs in other matters in so muche that oftentimes we thinke that we see touche and feele thinges whiche in deede we neither see nor feele And that you shal not thinke that I am of this opinion without sufficient reason I haue many excellent learned and auncient men of myne opinion Throughout all the discourse of this question you haue often commended Sainct Augustine But he in place where he intreateth of the chaunged shapes of men as in the .xviii. booke de Ciuitate Dei teacheth howe thinges that are beléeued and supposed doo so come to passe in déede for as much as therein that power of the minde which is one of the chiefe fiue and is termed the Phantasie and resteth in the foremost part of the brayne I meane the phantasie is hurt and disturbed by Satans meanes and the outwarde senses buried and by him maruelously troubled Why then should we not so thinke of the méeting and presence of Sorcerers And if drunken men when hote vapours ascende out of their stomackes into their brayne suppose they see such thinges as be absent and if the sickenesse of melancholie doe persuade many thinges to those that are sicke of that disease whiche they neyther doe sée nor are present we may thinke and define that these thinges happen to Sorcerers by illusion of Satan who is of greater force than any of the aboue named causes to trouble the vertues and powers of the minde and not to thinke that in déede such thinges be present or that them selues be in place where they suppose For Satan is able to hurt binde the powers of the minde and strength of the body as Thomas Aquinas teacheth and as before him S. Augustine in the .vii. booke of Genesis vpon the letter the .xi. Chapter hath written Besides this the same S. Augustine in a certayne Epistle of his vnto his familiar friend Nebridius which is the .lxxii. in number distinguisheth the thrée kinds of our fantastical sightes and appearances The first kinde is of them whiche our fantasie or imagination conceaueth of thinges whiche we haue seene The seconde kinde is of thinges whiche our fantasie it selfe hath founde out the lyke whereof it neuer see nor hearde of before The thirde kynde is of thinges whyche our imagination conceaueth and deuiseth vppon the wordes and reporte of other And these â—oyes and imaginations of Sorcerers are of the second kinde namely when our fantasie of herselfe deuiseth and imagineth many thinges Which that I may more substantially confirme vnto you out of the same Authour the same S. Augustine in the hundred and one Epistle to Euodius of straunge sightes writeth that when those sightes are so liuely and effectually represented vnto vs that wee thinke verely wee haue seene them for all that our soules doe not wander out of our bodies neyther goe abroade in those places wherein wee thought our selues conuersaunt but they remayne within our bodies euen in the same moment wherein they behelde those thinges so euidently so that it happeneth by meanes of the obiectes that we see them In the meane season our bodely senses are asleepe within vs so that they can by no meanes be awaked while wee bee occupied in this sighte whereby it happeneth that afterwarde wee beeing awaked suppose that wee talked and dranke and eate and sawe all those thinges The reason is because the liuely and effectuall fourme of all those thinges was represented vnto our mynde wherewith wee were then busied And examples heereof are commonly to bee foundâ— in the same Sainct Augustine For in the hundred Epistle he maketh mention of a certayne Phisition of Carthage called Gennadius who doubting whether after this life there were another to bée hoped for sawe the companies of Aungels and hearde theâ—â— singing so playnely in his sleepe that hee thoughte hee was in heauen whose body notwithstanding lay all the while in the bedde and remayned in the Chamber as hee him selfe afterwarde confessed Likewise in the .xviij. booke De Ciuitate Dei the .xviij. Chapter hee telleth of another who affirmed for a truth that he conferred with a certen Platonicall Philosopher in his sléepe concerning Platoes writinges of whom hee learned the Authours meaning in a certayne place whiche before he vnderstoode not In the booke which is intituled Vitae Patrum the life of the Fathers it is written of a certayne father who not in the night nor in a dreame but at midde day and broade light when he behelde with his eyes his owne daughter it seemed to him that he sawe a Cowe whiche notwithstanding others and especially Macharius acknowledged and testified that it was a humane creature and a Uirgin What Theophilus haue not you your self somtime read in the xvj booke De Diebus Genialibus whiche are written by Alexander Neopolitanus the .xxi. Chapter of a certeyne accused person who thought that he wente downe to hell whereof he reported to the Iudge moste euident testimonies For he discouered and opened a certayne secrete of his whiche was knowne to no man What in the xxvi Canon of Bishop the .v. question whiche was copied foorth of the Counsell of Aquilea is it not there openly pronounced that all these voyces and imaginations of Sorcerers are but vayne showes meere toyes and illusions of the mynde whyche Satan chyefe workeman of suche trumperie representeth vnto them theyr bodyes notwithstandyng remayning styll in the same place In conclusion that I may at length shut vp all this place these bée the wordes either of S. Augustine or whosoeuer els was aucthour of that booke which is intituled De spiritu litera where in the 28. chapter he writeth thus VVherefore
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
as they doo report Yea moreouer they doo this which I wil tell a thing passing meruelous they wil tie a knot vpon a point as our cuntreymen speake that is to say they can hinder and binde maryed couples that they shal not pay their due one to the other or at leastwise that one of them shall not Anthony What is that you say Theophil Theoph. It is euen as I tell you Anthony For if they be able with their poysons to impaire the good helth of men to diminish the strength force of the body weakē the sinnes dull the senses to distemper the inward humours what merueile is it if they can hinder the vertue acte of generation which is contayned within the bodie in certen vessels of seed either by casting in by their venim an ouer coldnes of the vessels or else raysing a certen hatred or misliking one of the other betwéene man wife ▪ whom in suchwise they doo trouble which I doo easily graūt the they doe by Satanicall artes yet doe they it to thintent they may sow discorde and contencion betwéene them betwéene whom ought to be sounde and great agréement Thus these wicked men reuenge themselues bicause they hate them whom they doe so molest although vndeseruedly and without cause but to the imitacion and example of Satan their master they reioyce to sowe cockle among men Mathew the xiii Chapter .xxxix. verse Iohn the third Chapter and x. verse Anthony Haue you any examples or argumentes to confirme your saying Theophil Yea I haue both And as for examples they are almost infinite dayly hapning and conuersant before our eyes And as touching testimonies argumēts I haue that are most sure First S. Augustine amōg the sundry meanes of hurting which he attributeth vnto Sorcerers in the vii treatise vpon S. Iohn reciteth bindinges whereof this binding is a kinde of which we now speake Moreouer that which Virgil prince of Poetes and best learned of all the learned of his time in the eight Ecloge prooueth the same For this is taken from dayly experiēce which he sayth Knit collers three in three knots them Amaryllis fitte Knit Amaryllis and say thus I Venus knots doe knit The same also is cōfirmed by the Canon Si. Per. which is the last xxxiij.j question in the Decrée And if Sorcerers can let hinder the nourishing facultie of the soule as Thomas Aquinas in the .i. Sum. the .iij. quest iiij article largely disputeth proueth by the same meanes also they may corrupt hinder the engendring facultie Anthony You driue me to that exigent that I knowe not what to say or whyther to turne my selfe Theophilus What if I should also ad that which will séeme much more meruelous which notwithstāding S. Augustine and Apuleus doe credibly wryte yet am I of opinion that it can not be so Anthony What is that Theophil Forsooth that Sorcerers can chaunge men into other formes shapes that is to wit into wolues Beares Asses Anthony I pray you doth S. Augustin◠wryte so Theophil Yea truly Anthony reade the 17. 18. Chapter of his worke De Ciuitate dei where S. Augustine reporteth that many both heathen men and Christians haue sayd that they were so transfourmed specially one Daniaenetus and Praestans with many other moe Anthony Surely that can not bée that an euyl spirite or Diuell can chaunge our nature or being as they call it For this is the only propertie and power of God that as he hath created the natures of thinges so is he able to chaunge them which Satan cannot doe by any meanes neither by himself neither by his seruantes the Sorcerers Theophil You say trueth and so sainct Augustine also writeth in another place Howbeit they that say they were so transfourmed they doo but suppose that sometime they liued so yet they are deceiued and those be none other then false fansies and imaginations which by meanes of some stronge illusion or great sicknesse are imprinted in their myndes But I doo not likewise deny but that Satan bringeth some into that persuasion which that hée may bring to passe hée bringeth a sléepe and blyndeth their outward senses then bringeth hée into their imagination sundry fourmes of thinges which he imprinteth so effectually within their troubled myndes and humoures that they thinke themselues in déed to be at that present to haue bin such things So likewise phisitiōs teach vs that there are certē diseases of the bodie wherein a man shall séeme to himself to be a Woulfe an Hogge an Oxe a Mule likewise that they bée all made of glasse or of Waxe such other like thing I haue also séene one that would affirme and sweare that hée was a Cocke wherefore the true and vndoubted cause of such illusions and deceiptions of minde which may be done by Sorcerers arte dependeth vpon this that the humours and temperament of the bodie being distempered the parties themselues séeme after a sort to be chaunged and alienated from themselues by working of the Diuell that they shall not know any other thinges that are represented vnto them So that those that be so vexed doe easily persuade themselues that they are such as they reporte which notwitstanding are but mere illusions of the Diuell Anthony But Nabucadnezar King of Assyrians was transfourmed into a brute beast and eate grasse the space of seuen yeares as it is read in Daniel the fourth chapter Theophil So it is But that is thus to be vnderstoode of Nabucadnezer that we must not thinke that his humane nature was conuerted into the essencie or being of a brute beast But his conuersation was chaunged and his mynde and affection which was wont to be desirous of mās company Moreouer that we must graunt that all this befell vnto him by the power of almightie God our creatour and not by Satans meanes by which onely Sorcerers doe worke to haue béene brought to passe For God is able to take away or change the essēcies or natures of thinges but Satan is not able Wherefore those things which are reported how some men are cōuerted into wolues are to be iudged most false Howbeit there be some that affirme such thinges to be doone among the farre Northerne people nigh to the riuers Borysthenes Tanais But wheras Varro wryteth that there is a Lake in Arcadia ouer which those that doe passe become Wolues I think it must thus be vnderstoode that by reason of the feare which men conceaue in passing ouer the most perillous Lake they thinke thēselues to be wolues otherwise I would say that all that history is but méere tryfles and oulde wyues tales Anthony Hitherto you haue sufficiētly declared ouer what kynd of thinges sorcerers haue power Shew me also this one thing why these wicked men are able to intoxicate poyson good and godly Christian men which thing most certen and dayly experience proueth to be true Theophil The solution of this your demaunde is easy
De Diebus Genialibus writeth of a certayne Monke called Thomas commonly accompted a credible person who was wōt to tel that if it had hapned him to be much offended with any of his brother Monkes in that heate of mynde had withdrawen himselfe into the desart that then Satan would appeare vnto him in the lykenesse of a man and would goe foorth talking with him a great way persuading him to doo many thinges And at length when they were come vnto a great streames side in the same desart he told how Satan would take him vp vppon his shoulders carry him ouer to the further side of the water Whereby it appeareth that it is no new thing if Satan doe cary any to thintent to win them or to binde them more firmely vnto him Anthony But it séemeth scarse possible that he can carry a man so soone specially the place being so farre distant where as they say they doe meete Theophil I haue tolde you before what is playnly wrytten of Christe in the .iiij. of Luke the fift verse that he was in a moment brought vy Satan to Ierusalem and al the kingdomes in the world shewen vnto him Wherefore Anthony I sée no cause at all why you should so long doubt of this matter since the celeritie quicknesse of this carryar satan is so great and his power and force in workeing so nimble For none of all those thinges can let him which hinder vs whē we make spéed about any thing Neither is it so harde or paynefull to him to pearce the ayer when he runneth as it is vnto vs For he is of a most fine and subtile nature after the maner of Angels and not of a bodily substance for that he is a spirit And therefore Sainct Augustine in his booke De Diuinatione Daemonum the third Chapter wryteth of him that hée surpasseth the most swiftest men in runninge or any other beast yea the birdes themselues Whose opinion Thomas Aquinas folowing in the Summe of quest C.x. the third question wryteth that these grosse bodies doe geue place vnto Satan through which therefore he conueyeth himself with more expedition bicause they shall not lette or hinder him And that you may bée no longer in doubt of this matter Anthony nor varyable in your mynde I wyl bring foorth vnto you also both sayinges and examples of profane wryters that you may not suppose that this hath béen of later times receyued and beléeued only of Christians For is there any thing I pray you more notorious in al histories of the Romanes than the sodayne taking away of Romulus first authour and founder of the Citie of Rome Who in sight of many witnesses was taken away by Satan for the horrible deuinations superstitions theftes and stealing of women whiche he had instituted and commaunded And albeit others write otherwise of his death yet Plutarche an author of great credite and amongest all Greeke and Latin writers euer accompted the moste diligent and trustiest reporteth thus of him namely that for a truthe vppon a day he was by Satan taken vp into the ayre and carried away all the people of Rome béeing present and beholding it Which that it was done by Satan the sundry circumstances of the matter whiche by him are there recited doe sufficiently declare For before this was done there arose a great storme and tempest in the ayre with darknesse as it had béene nighte and also horrible thunder in so muche that all the people which was assembled béeing amazed in these terrible accidences most fearfully ran thence away which is a most euident example of the carrying away of a mans bodie by Satan which that it may be done the same Plutarch setteth foorth and confirmeth by twoo examples namely by Aristeus Proconesiensis and Cleomedes Astipaleensis For Aristeus was taken away by a Diuell out of a fullers shoppe and in a moment caried into a citie in Italy called Crotona standing in Calabria where hee talked with many men And Cleomedes being of bodie as huge bigge as a Giaunt and a fierce man who hauing miserably cruelly slaine certen children and being therfore narrowly and diligently pursued after by their fathers was driuen to such extremitie that with much a doo he shut himself vp in a cheast which cheast being founde and broken vp by the angry fathers of the children notwithstanding Cleomedes was not found there for hee was immediately caried away from thence by a diuel I would here bring forth the carying away of Alexander surnamed Sextus Pope of Rome which is in euery mans mouth and is constantly reported to haue bin done by Satā But I am affeard least you should thinke that I doo it in hatred of the Popes vnto whō truely I beare little good will wherefore vpon all these thinges it may be concluded that it is an easie matter vnto Satan who is of his owne nature an Angell to take vp our bodies and to carry them elswhere and that in a moment In confirmation whereof I can recite vnto you that which is written in the story of Susan the xxxv verse of Habacuc for it is written there how hee was carried in a moment foorth of Iudaea into Babilon by an Angel. But I suppose now that you are wholy become of mine opiniō Anthony In déed Theophilus you haue brought my minde now something in suspense but you haue not yet throughly persuaded mée which you shall doo if you will also satisfie this my last demaund Tel mée I pray you if it bee true which you haue sayd why Satā willeth thē whom he will carry to vse certen oyntmentes and oyles when there is no néed of them Theoph. I perceiue you are an earnest defender of your opinion since you stick thus vpon euery questiō howbeit I wil declare vnto you that which you require And first you must not think that Satā willeth all sorcerers to vse those ointments For he commaundeth but certen of thē to doo that whō he perceiueth to be either fearfull to venture or more deintie then that they can abide his horrible touching of thē like as are women and certē men also For by those confections wherewith he willeth them to bée oynted he benūmeth their senses that they shall feele no payne while they are carried or stand in horrour of his handes or of his bearing of them For those oyntmentes or oyles are of no effect nor any thing appertayning to the mouing of thē or to their iourney but he commaundeth it to be done eyther by the meanes to detayne or kéepe them from thinking how he handleth them or surely if they auayle any thing they auaile in this respect that by meanes therof the bodily senses are layd a sléepe and in the meane while Satan him self carrieth them Howbeit Satan also therin shooteth at another marke namely to imitate and falsly to coūterfeit the holy sacraments of the church ordeined by god wherby the miserable sorcerers may learne accustome themselues to
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