detection of Witches but the very true way by God himselfe in all true reason intended and commanded And from this way it is both by multitudes of examples by experience and reason manifest that neither Witches nor the Diuel himselfe is altogether able to hide or defend their guilt Diligence therefore herein duely and carefully exercising it selfe certainely shall not nor can proue the Lawe of God vaine nor the owne indeuour frustrate or voyde although haply difficulties and impediments may sometimes interrupt as in all other cases and affaires is vsuall Thus hath been made manifest how Witch-craft is discouerable by sense and euident by reason likewise that it is no more inscrutable or hidden from detection in the inquisition thereof by signes of presumption probable and likely coniecture or suspicion then all other intricate or hidden subiects or obiects of the vnderstanding what soeuer For although presumptions are alone not sufficient proofe yet doe they yeeld matter and occasion of diligent and iudicious inquisition which is the reasonable way and due method of vpright proceeding and the common hopefull and warranted path vnto all detections in all other cases of doubt and difficulty whatsoeuer wherein I see no cause or reason why iudicious wary wise practice and proofe weighing pressing circumstances into the bone marrow should not equally in case of Witch-craft as in al other cases of iudgement inquisitions though not euer because that exceedes the nature of presumption equally I say and as oft should not confound the guilty and chase and winde out as faire an issue Certainely if men would more industriously exercise their sharper wits exquisite sense and awaked iudgements according vnto the former reasonable religious and iudicious wayes exempt from the burden and incumbrance of blinde superstitions traditionarie and imaginarie inuentions and customes no doubt but experience would yeeld and bring forth in short time a much more rich increase of satisfaction and more happy detection in iudiciall proceedings It is true that in the case of Witch-craft many things are very difficult hidden and infolded in mists and clouds ouershadowing our reason and best vnderstanding Notwithstanding why should men be more impatient or deiected that in matter of Witch-craft many things are oft hidden from our knowledge and discouery when the same darknesse obscuritie difficultie and doubtfulnes is a thing ordinary in many other subiects beside as necessary vnto vs and concerning which it may be no lesse truely said that in this life of mortalitie much more is that which is vnknowne then that which is knowne and reuealed vnto vs. Hence is that ancient saying of the Philosopher Hoc tantum scio quòd nihil scio that is so few are those things which are demonstratiuely truely and certainely knowne that they are nothing in comparison of the infinite number and multitude of such things as are either onely probable or obscure or inscrutable For to deny that God hath giuen vnto man a great measure of knowledge in many things were not onely grosse darknesse and blindnesse but great ingratitude yea impiety Neuerthelesse it were also as great fatuity not to see or acknowledge that God hath mixed this knowledge with much intricate difficultie and ambiguitie which notwithstanding he doth in his wisedome more or lesse reueale distribute and dispense in seuerall measures vnto seuerall men according to their seuerall cares studies indefatigable paines and more industrious indeauour in seeking and inquiring it in defect whereof more commonly then either in Gods decreed restraint or natures abnuence mens desires and labours are so often annihilate CHAP. XIII The confutation of diuers erroneous wayes vnto the discouerie of Witches vulgarly receiued and approued AS true religion doth truely teach the true worship of God in that true manner which he requireth commandeth so superstition in an vnapt measure or manner doth offer vp sacrifice her vaine foolish zeale or feare Vnto her therefore and her sacrifice thus doth Almightie God reply Who required this at your hands I hate and abhor your Sabboths and your new Moones Isaiah 12. 13. The heathen Oratour could say Religio continetur cultu pio Deorum True religion consisteth in the holy and true worship of God Vnto the aduancing of the worship of the true God the extirpation of Witches and Witch-craft because it is the most abominable kinde of Idolatry is a speciall seruice and acceptable duty vnto God expressely commanded by himselfe Deut. 17. 3 4 5. In the performance therefore of this worship as it is solely and truely religious to seeke their extermination by those meanes and in that manner which Almightie God doth approue and allow so with misgouerned zeale or feare in the ignorance or neglect of the right manner or way inconsiderately to follow vnwarranted pathes thereto is plaine Superstition Iulius Scaliger in his third booke of Poetrie thus describeth very liuely the nature of Superstition Superstitio satisfacit ad notandum eum habitum quo metuimus aut Deum sine ratione aut ei opera attribuimus quae opera ne cogitauit quidem vnquam ille that is this word Superstition doth serue to set forth such an habite or disposition of minde wherein wee worship or so feare God as is voide of cause or reason or vnto our owne hurt or damage we attribute vnto God as of God those workes or things which Almightie God himselfe neuer thought or intended The word which the Greekes vse for Superstition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inconsulta absurda diuinae potentiae formido that is in absurd and ill-aduised feare or worship of God which certainely is there where he neither requireth it nor is true cause or reason either of such worship or in such sort or manner In this special part therefore of the worship and feare of God namely in the discouery of Witch-craft and Sorcery as wee haue before laboured to finde out those wayes which are lawfull iustifiable and allowed so let vs now briefely display the folly and vanity of erroneous and blinde pathes pointing deceitfully thereto that wee seeke not superstitiously to serue God in our inioyned and commanded duties of the discoueries of Witches with our owne vanities or follies rash inuentions or deuices but in reasonable iust discreete and religious proceeding which is onely and solely acceptable with God In former ages and times haue been published by diuers writers many ridiculous traditions herein so vaine and so farre vnworthy any serious confutation that they scarce deserue so much as bare mention Of this sort are the imagined profligations of the fits of the bewitched by beholding the face of a Priest by being touched by hallowed oyntments or liniments by the vertue of exorcisation of incense of odours of certaine mumbled sacred or mysticall words I will therefore omit these as by time it selfe worne exolete found worthlesse and almost of later writers left namelesse and will onely oppose and examine such later experiments as doe in
which vsually and for the most part is seene and obserued to come to passe If any man not rightly apprehending reason make a doubt or question of any such possible exquisitnes let him consider and behold it by an easie example In an inequalitie of one and the same Vermiculant pulse where the beginning of the same distension is quicker the next continuation or middle part is flower and the beginning of the end thereof ending almost before it begin it must needs be very difficult nay almost impossible vnto the first view of Sense or Reason or to a common iudgement or learning to diuide really and distinguish this one short small motion into two or three distinct times and parts of motion the space so very short the faculty of mouing so low and weake and the mouing it selfe almost altogether in an insensible exiguitie and an indiuisible degree of lownesse We see oft-times a common vulgar cannot in his reason conceiue it much lesse by his sense at all perceiue it Neither is it found easie to euery man though learned therein yea or educate thereto either perfectly to apprehend the general Idea of such a motion or at all in the first proofes and tryals of his sense or hand to deprehend any particular Notwithstanding the Physicion that exquisitely discerneth and iudgeth doth both in reason see that euery single smallest motion hath his diuers distinct diuision of parts and also by his discerning wary iudicious and exercised touch doth apertly detect and discouer it And thus hath been proued by seuerall instances taken in the Art of Physike in steade of all other Arts and Sciences for auoiding tediousnesse and confusion that all knowledge all Art all Science whatsoeuer giuen vnto man hath no other entrance meanes or wayes thereto but thorow Sense or Reason or prudent and artificiall coniecture sagacitie and exquisitenesse of iudging and discerning thereby And that it may the better appeare that beyond these waies and lights the Physicion cannot sinde any knowledge or discouery of Diseases let vs view some particular examples of some Diseases for this cause vndiscouerable and not to be detected and therewith consider the impossibilitie of discouerie to consist solely herein namely for that they are remoued from any capacitie of Sense or Reason and from the reach of all artificiall search scrutiny and accurate insight deriued from both which is the highest straine of humane Vnderstanding In the generall it cannot be denied except of such whose vnderstandings are extremely blinde that it is impossible that those diseases should or can bee at all so much as suspected and therefore much lesse knowne which yeeld no shew no signe no indication of themselues There needeth hereof no other nor better proofe then the enumeration of some particular diseases of this kinde Are not diuers secret and hidden Apostemations other inward collections of vicious matter in the body dayly Seminaries of vnexpected and wondred shapes of corruption and putrifaction which lying long hidden in the body and by an insensible growth taking deepe roote in the end sodainely breake forth beyond all possible expectation or thought of the most excellent exquisie and subtill circumspection and disquisition For a briefe confirmation hereof Hollerius doth mention a man the cause of whose disease while he liued being vnknowne to Physicions and Art after his decease his guts were found gangrened and perished and therein things viewed like vnto Water-snakes and his Liuer full of schirrose knots There happened vnto my selfe this yeere last past a Patient a very worthy Gentleman who being extremely vexed with the Strangury Disurie and Ischurie together with pissing of blood in great abundance and the stone who by the vse and accommodation of remedies found much ease mitigation of paines and qualification of the extremitie of all the former accidents Notwithstanding for that there were certaine indications of an Vlcer in the body or capacitie of the Bladder his recouerie was not expected but after his decease in the dissection of his body his Bladder was found rotten broken and black without any manifest matter therin as cause thereof or so much as one stone although hee had formerly and immediately before auoided many stones at seuerall times This I produce being fresh in memory as an instance of impossibilitie of knowledge vnto a Physicion in many and frequent cases For how could the fracture or colour of his Bladder while the Patient was liuing by any exquisitenesse of Art or vnderstanding be knowne in any possibilitie meanes or power of man although all the other accidents aboue mentioned were vndoubtedly by certaine indications and signes discouered I might here deliuer many other like Examples out of mine owne knowledge I will onely call to remembrance one more I was of late yeares Physicion vnto a right Noble Lady the cause of whose apparent dangerous estate diuers learned and famous Physicions conioyned with my selfe could neuer discouer In the dissection of her body after her decease her heart was found inclosed with a shining rotten gelly and the very substance of the heart of the same colour In the same Lady an intolerable paine about the bottome of her stomack by fits depriued her of all ease by day and of rest by night and could neuer be either knowne in the cause or remoued in the accident by any meane or remedy but after death in the dissection of her body before mentioned a black round gelly as bigge as a Tenice ball did manifest it selfe in that place where in her life the intolerable paine was seated and fixed Of this euill discoloration of her heart of the matter and euill colour of that matter wherewith her heart was inuironed as also of that collected gelly in her stomake what possible knowledge thinke you or exquisite vnderstanding or art of man could euer in her life time giue any notice or information Like vnto this is that which Hollerius in the 21. of his rare obseruations doth mention In a sicke man perplexed in a strange manner from an vnknowne cause in his life after his death his liuer and epiploon did appeare corrupted and putrified his stomake toward the bottome bruised and full of blacke iuice or humour Christophorus Sillineus opening the body of a childe after death reporteth that he saw in the small veines running thorow the substance of the liuer many small scrauling wormes then liuing Beniuenius doth make mention of a woman tormented grieuously by a needle in her stomake which was impossible by any art or exquisitnesse of vnderstanding to be conceiued or suspected if nature it selfe working it out thorow the body and substance of the stomake vnto the outward view and sense had not so discouered it I will not here mention the generation of worms stones and the like in the guts gall heart longs and other parts of which no art or excellence of knowledge can possibly take notice vntil they haue proued themselues vnto the sight Many diseases of these kindes
habet de Magia that is Astrology that is not mixed nor intermeddleth with Magicke Wherby is necessarily concluded that Astrology may be and sometimes is impure and defiled with Magicke and Sorcerie In other places of the same worke he maketh a difference betweene Astrologers simply and such as with Astrologie ioined Magicke And out of Brentius he reciteth these words Non negat Hierimias eam partem Astrologiae quae sequitur manifest as naturae rationes that is the Prophet Ieremy doth not deny or condemne that part of Astrology which is guided by manifest reason or cause in nature Hereby then is vnauoidably concluded that the Prophet of God cōdemneth that part of Astrology which exceedeth causes reason in nature that necessarily must needs be Sorcery and Magicke As it is not obscure that some men vnder the colour of Astrology haue practised Magicke and Sorcery so is it no lesse euident that many others vnder the pretense of aduising and counselling in Physicke of curation or prognostication of diseases haue likewise exercised the same diuelish practice That this hath beene no new vpstart custome the multitude of diseases which ancient times doe register to haue been cured by enchaunted Spels and words and Magicke skill doth plentifully witnesse The most ancient father of all Physicke and Physicions the in comparable worthy founder of Method and Art Hippocrates Dioscorides Theophrastus with other succeeding Ancients do generally all acknowledge the force and power of Magicall curation Galen in his younger time gaue no credit thereto but in the more aged experience of right obseruatiō he doth acknowledge it I will not stuffe this small Treatise with the particular citation of euery Author Later Physicians also of the best and most choyse note doe herein with former ages consent and concurre and experience doth confirme all truth in both Whosoeuer is acquainted with books and reading shal euery where meet a world of the wonders of cures by words by lookes by signes by figures by characters and ceremonious rites As what the practice of former ages hath beene is manifest so what our age and later time doth herein afford is almost no where in this kingdome obscure The neerest vnto that impudence which here in this our time doth produce and set forth is that history of a Germane Witch reported in the Malleus Maleficarum There was as the Author of that worke sayth sometime a Sorceresse in Germany who vsually cured not only all that were bewitched but all kinde of diseased people so farre beyond all power or course of Art and Nature and with such facility that all vse of the Art of Physicke or of Physicions was altogether for a time neglected and forsaken while people from all Countries both neere and remote in such numbers and frequence resorted vnto her that the Gouernour of that Countrey imposing vpon euery man one penny that resorted vnto her thereby raised himselfe a mighty treasure What others among the most ancient Authors that are not Physicians do publish concerning the power of incantations in the curing of diseases is needlesse to write Hee that hath read any few lines of old Homer or of diuers other aged Poets shall finde plentifull record hereof Herodotus is not silent herein But to omit all their needlesse testimonies Physicians of these last times of the most eminent note worth whose pennes are yet scarce drie doe witnesse the truth hereof from their owne knowledge sight and experience Aboue the rest Fernelius de Abditis rerum causis is worthy any mans paines or view Let vs now lastly see what may bee collected out of the booke of God concerning the power of the Diuell in curing diseases from whom all these inferiour Agents Witches and Sorcerers do deriue their power and skill If it bee in his power where God doth permit to induce diseases it must needes be in his power to cease or calme diseases because both causing and curing consist in the vertue and force of the same meanes He therefore that knoweth how and by what cause the disease is induced doth necessarily vnderstand that by the remouall of that cause it is cured and according to that rule can equally as well by the remouall of that cause cure as by the induction of the cause bring sickenesse For this reason it is a maxime in Physicke infallible that hee is the most excellent Physician who knoweth best the causes of diseases and who vpon the knowledge of their true causes doth found the right method of their curation That the Diuell doth both know the causes of diseases and also how by them to procure and produce diseases is manifest by the history of Iob vpon whom hee brought that grieuous generall botch and byle ouer all his body Iob. chap. 2. verse 7. That he did this by the force of causes in nature must needes be euident first because hee is a creature and subiect and limited by nature vnto and within her lists and therefore is not able absolutely and simply without causes and meanes in nature to produce any effects in nature although our ignorance of his power and knowledge because it so farre excelleth our power or nature doth call all his workes iustly supernaturall Secondly for that byles and botches are knowne naturall diseases and therefore had naturall causes although haply vnknowne to any man and beyond the nature of knowledge or skill in man These reasons of the Diuels impossibility to worke those effects without nature are thus yet more briefly and cleerely made infallible Of nothing simply to produce any thing vnto a true being and existence is the sole and proper worke of an infinite Creator and impossible vnto any creature Therefore the Diuell being a creature could not bring those diseases vpon Iob but by created meanes preexisting in created nature in which he is contained and limited And thus much concerning that kinde of Witch and Sorcerer which is enquired at concerning the curing and issue of diseases which we will conclude with this note that all learned men of the best experience haue obserued that in those cures by Witches and Sorcerers the Diuell hath neuer perfectly healed but for a time or els where he hath seemed most perfectly to cure it hath been for a reseruation of the body by him cured vnto a greater and further mischiefe in time to succeede Besides this kind of Witch by meanes vnknown to man or by a supernaturall vertue in knowne means aboue beyond their nature vndertaking to cure the sick or to foretell the euent and issues of diseases there is also another kind which doth vndertake to bee enquired at for extraordinary reuelation of such diseased persons as are bewitched or possessed by the Diuell This kinde is not obscure at this day swarming in this kindom wherof no man can be ignorant who lusteth to obserue the vncontrouled liberty license of open ordinary resort in all places vnto wise-men
sciences the excellencie and necessitie thereof doth brightly shine so most apertly vnto common obseruation it doth proue and manifest it selfe in the two seuerall professions of the Logician and the Oratour The Logician in his discrepations and questions concerning doubts and ambiguities by the diligence of subtill dispute from the light of probabilitie rectifieth the vnstable fluctuation of vnconstant opinion and produceth through mature disquisition and raciocination what is most safe most consonant with truth to hold affirme or bee perswaded The Oratour in his coniecturall state or questions in his pleas of doubtfull and controuersed facts or rights wherein oft-times probabilitie and likelihood seeme to stand equall and vnpartiall vnto both parts notwithstanding by mature acute and seasonable pressing and vrging that which is most like most reasonable and consonant with right with law and equitie in the end doth bring into light and discouer what is most equall vpright and worthy to be credited or respected What euictions of truth and right what conuictions of guilt and errour doe dayly issue from hence common experience doth proue and demonstrate Thus much briefely prefixed in generall concerning the necessitie light and truth of probabilities it now remaineth to consider the vse and power thereof likewise in our particular proposed subiect of Witch-craft which common sense doth not onely iustifie as in all other subiects but the word of vndoubted truth Almightie God in case of Idolatrie doth not onely publish and proclaime his detection of that great sinne it selfe but therewith doth include whatsoeuer hath any probabilitie of respect or reference thereto whether in affection and inclination or in ceremonie or superstitious shew This is euident Deut. 18. ver 9. where he first forbiddeth his people so much as to imitate or doe after the maners of the Gentiles and afterward particularizeth their making their sonnes and daughters to passe thorow the fire Likewise Leu. 19. ver 27 28. where he forbiddeth as much as the cutting of his peoples heads or the corners of their heads round or marring the tufts of their beards or marking or cutting of their flesh as was the manner of Infidels and Gentiles in their mourning and lamenting of the dead Likewise Deut. 16. verse 21. where hee forbiddeth so much as the planting of any groues of trees neere his Altar because it was the custome inuention manner and resemblance of Idolaters As in case of Idolatry so in case of Witch-craft which is likewise a kinde of Idolatry because the worship of Diuels Almighty God in those places of holy Writ where hee publisheth and proclaimeth his high displeasure against Witches and Sorcerers with that abominable sinne it selfe doth also condemne as abominable First in general all kind of shew of affection liking inclination or respect thereof Secondly any customes fashions rites ceremonies superstitions or gestures from thence deriued or belonging thereto The first is manifest Leuit. 19. verse 31. There the Prophet from their God Iehouah doth charge his people that they do not so much as turne toward or decline toward Sorcerers or South-sayers vouchsafe to aske any question or to respect them and Leuit. 20. verse 6. hee giueth iudgement and sentence of death against that soule that doth but turne or look toward them The second is likewise manifest Isaiah 8. verse 19. where Almightie God noteth the superstitious peepings whisperings and mutterings of Sorcerers and according to those gestures doth with reproch terme them whisperers mutterers and peepers and Deut. 18. verse 10 11. hee rehearseth their mumblings charmings and their superstitious marking the flying of fowles and Leuit. 19. verse 26. hee noteth their vaine and ceremonious obseruing of times If then Almightie God be so strict that hee will not endure or tolerate so much as a friendly looking toward Sorcerers the least respect giuen vnto them or so much as a demaund of a question at their hands any inclination toward them any their ceremonies rites or superstitions yea so smal a matter as their very outward gestures how can religious zeale or the duty of man toward God his Creator esteeme any of these or the like or the least of them lesse then sufficient matter of probable doubt presumption religious iealousie and suspicion against such men as doe or dare presume to imitate to practice or vse them As the holy Scripture hath pointed out some few gestures maners and rites of Sorcerers for an example and light vnto all other of the same kinde so hath the dayly obseruations of succeding times added infinite more which haue doe and still may encrease multiply and be added and newly inuented and put on new different shapes and fashions according to the fancie of the contractors therein which are the Diuel and man possessed by him in whose powers and will according to the nature qualitie conditions of their contract dependeth and consisteth the variation or innouation of ceremonious rites For this cause among Authors and records both of elder and later times we reade of such diuersities and numbers of superstitious litations dedications performances and diabolicall solemnities As therefore wee haue manifested such superstitious rites ceremonies and gestures of Sorcerers as the holy Scripture hath noted and deciphered so let vs propound some other by after-times and other Authors obserued Some haue vsed in their intention or execution of their Diabolicall workes or in the way of prelusion one kinde of ceremonious homage and some another Some do neuer attempt nor enterprise a Diabolicall execution but with mumblings whisperings and secret sounds and words heard grumbling in their mouthes as Theophrastus in his 9. booke of herbes and plants doth witnesse concerning certaine Magicians in gathering Helleborus and Mandragora and as is likewise vndoubtedly discouered by the great attributes that are by many famous Writers ascribed vnto the Caball of the Iewes and vnto letters caracters words sillables and sentences superstitiously pronounced Galen writeth that a certaine Sorcerer by vttering and muttering but one word immediately killed or cause to dye a Serpent or Scorpion Beniuenius in his booke de Abd. morb caus affirmeth that some kinde of people haue beene obserued to do hurt and to surprise others by vsing only certaine sacred and holy words It is apparant likewise that others haue accomplished their diuelish ends by apparitions shapes or figures raised or coniured into glasses as Fernelius an eye-witnesse in his booke de Abdit rer caus doth publish Some receiue power and vertue from the Diuell vnto their Diabolical preparations by certaine inchaunted herbs or medicines which they mixe and gather sometimes with brasse hooks sometimes by Moone-shine in the night sometimes with their feete bare and naked and their bodies clothed with white surplices as Pliny reporteth Some are reported to obtaine of the Diuell their desired ends or works by deliuering vnto the Diuel bonds or couenants written with their owne hands This Serres the French Chronicler doth report confessed by certaine Witches in the raigne