better cherish his Family went down into the same cave hoping to find some Money But he going on a little way and finding nothing but Mens bones there in great amazement instantly came back again quite frustrated of his hope Teste Johanne Stumpffio in Chron. Helvetiae VIncentius reports this out of Helinandus lib. 3. cap. 27. that In the Diocesse of Colony there is a famous and great Palace which looks over into the River Rhene 't is called Juvamen where many Princes in former times being met suddenly there came to them a small Bark which being fastned to her neck a Swan hall'd along with a silver chain From thence a young Souldier not known to any of them skip't forth and the Swan brought home the ship Afterwards this Souldier married and had children At last remaining in the same Palace and beholding the Swan comming with the same Bark and chain he presently went into the Ship and was never seen more but his children abide there till this very day From him in the Castle Clivens where you may see also a very high and antient Tower named Cygnea on the top whereof the picture of a Swan is whurried to and fro most bravely wrought do they derive the antient pedigree of the Clivens Dukes Vierius lib. 2. cap. 46. de praestigiis Daemon WHen the Persians Megara being invaded betook themselves to the City Thebes to Mardonius their General by Diana's pleasure 't was dark on a sudden they mistaking their way went on the hilly side of the Country There by the delusions of Spirits were armies shooting darts at the stroaks of them the next rocks did as 't were groan again they thinking they were men that groaned by reason of their wounds and hurts never gave over shooting till they had spent all their arrows And when 't was day those of Megara being well-armed fell upon them that had no weapons very violently and slew a great number of their army And for this successefull event they erected an Image to Diana their Protectresse Pausanias in Atticis IN the Battel of Marathon against the Persians a certain rude and rustick fellow both by shape and habit help't the Athenians who when with his plough he had killed very many of those barbarous people on a sudden he vanished away And when the Athenians made enquiry who he was the Oracle made this answer onely Honour noble Ethelaeus In that very place they set up a trophy made of white stone Pausanias in Atticis In the same fight Theseus his Ghost was seen by many to invade the Medes After that the Athenians adored him as a God Plutarchus in ejus vita WHen the Persians under the command of Xerxes went to Minervaes Chappel which is before Apolloes Temple at the same time lightning fell down from Heaven upon them and two stones at the top of Parnassus making an huge noise fell down and prevented many of them Whereupon they which were in Minervaes Chappel gave a great shout rejoycing much The Barbarians fled those of Baeotia made known their ruine And they which remained fled straightway to Baeotia reporting that they saw two huge armed men following after them The people of Baeotia told them they were two noble Heroes of their own Country Phylacus and Autonous whose Temples are to be seen That which was Phylacus his Temple was the same way beyond Minervaes but the Temple of Autonous was hard by Castalia under the top Hyampeus The stones which fell down from Parnassus were in Herodotus his time whole fixt in Minervaes Temple porch to which the Barbarians brought them Herodotus lib. 2. WHil'st the Greeks were fighting against Xerxes at Salamin 't is rumour'd that a great light shone from the City Eleusis and that there was such a great noise in the fields of Thria as 't were of a great many men that they heard them even to the Sea side from this company which made the noise was seen a cloud arising a little above the Earth and to go from that continent and to fall upon the Ships Others saw as 't were armed men reaching forth their hands from Aegina to help the Graecian ships they did suppose that they belong'd to Aeacides whom before the battel they had humbly implored Plutarchus in Themistocle WHen the Arcadians in a hostile manner came on the coasts of the City Elis and the Inhabitants thereof had set themselves in battle array against them 't is reported that a woman which gave suck to a man-child came to the chief officers of the Eleans and that she said when she told them 't was her child that she was warn'd in a dream that he should be put to the Eleans as a Souldier to fight on their side the Generals took order that the naked Infant should be rank't before the Colours because they were of opinion that the woman was to be credited The Arcadians making the first onset the child in the open view of them all was Metamorphosed into a Snake the Enemies being affrighted with this strange and prodigious sight presently ran away This notable victory being obtained he was named Sosipolis from the City which was preserved this Snake was seen to hide himself The battell being over they raised up a Temple and dedicated it to its proper genius Sosipolis Honours were ordained for Lucina because by her means this child was born into the World Pausanias libr. 6. WHen the people of Locris skirmished with the Crotoni in the Locrensians army were seen two young men on milk-white Horses they were the foremost in the fight who when they had conquer'd and subdued their enemies never appeared more The Victory in the same instant it was obtain'd was publish'd at Athens Lacedemon and Corinth though places far remote from Locris and Croton three hundred thousand of the people of Sybaris were slain by a small number and the city it self utterly destroyed Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 6. THe Ereâ—rians on a time going from their own City Eubea by ship and invading the Country Tahagrus they say that Mercury led forth some young striplings and himself also who was but a youth armed onely in a wrestlers habit in comparison of the rest forc'd the Eubeans to take their heels and for this very cause thâ—y erected a Temple to Mercurius Promachus Pausanias in Baeoticis IN the fight which the Romans had against Tarquinius going to Rome as the report goes that Castor and Pollâ—x were seen in the battel and immediately after the fight was done the horses being very hot and trickling down with sweat messengers also of the victory were seen in the Market place where in stead of their well they have a house From whence they consecrated a day to Castor and Pollux in the Ides of July In the Romane war Castor and Pollux were seen to wipe off the sweat of their horses at the lake Juturna when their house which was near the fountain was wide open Valerius Maximus lib. 1. cap. 6. When A. Posthumius
very long beard and hair and blacker then any Crow so that he might seem to be Vulcan himself had he been lame He without any more complement askt the Factor Whether he met his Workmen He answered That indeed he saw certain Men who said they were going to build at Aetna but whether they were his Workmen or no he knew not but if they were he would be glad to know what moved him to undertake so strange a piece of Work as to build in a Mountain so high and so deep in Snow that it is hard for the ablest Traveller to passe there Then said this unknown Architect Although you little credit my words you shall shortly know and your eyes shall bear you witnesse that I am able to perform this and much more if I please And with these words he vanished out of his sight At this the man became so terrified that he had like to have dyed in the place but with much ado he got back to the Town full of horrour and according to the custome procured a Priest was confest declared his vision and the same evening departed this life The beginning of the night following the 23. of March there was a great Earthquake and exceeding great flames of fire burst out of the top of the Mountain Aetna on the East side and were violently carried toward the Sun-rising insomuch that the Clergy and people of Catana were so struck with terrour that they all ran to the Church of St. Agatha to implore divine assistance from whence the voyce of their prayers and excessive weeping with their dolefull ditties and unanimous cry for mercy the bells all the while ringing mournfully came to the Church dedicated to the Purification of the Blessed Virgin And O wonderful event before their prayers were ended the fire began to decrease and in a short time became utterly extinct Gilbert Cognat libro octavo narrationum DAmascius Syrus Simplicius and some other learned men came out of Sicilie together and went into Persia to see King Cosroes of whose fame and vertue they had heard great report In their coming home as they returned they found the body of a man in the field unburied They abhorring the inhumanity of the Persians buried it In the night time the shape or Ghost of an old honourable person seem'd to haunt one of the retinue saying Do not interre that unburried corps let the Dogs tear it in pieces The Earth is the Mother of us all it admits not of that man who depraves his Mother When he was awake he told his vision to the rest Wherefore going back again in the morning into the field they saw the naked corps lay in the open field Agathius lib. 2. seems to speak of it among his Greek Epigrams 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let this unburied Corps no buriall have Our Mother Earth to Mother-wrongers lends no grave EDward the third King of England when on a time the Collectors of the Tribute-money which was impos'd on the people had brought before him a huge heap of money given out of that tribute to make him merry he suddenly thought he saw the Devill sporting and playing about the money and therefore abhorring money of this nature as a detestable thing they say he presently commanded it to be taken out of his sight and to be restored to the people Polydor. lib. 8. WHen Thyana a City of Asia which had rebelled was taken Aurelianus the Emperour being in his Pavilion all alone very angry thinking how to destroy it he saw with great terror Apollonius Thyaneas the Philosopher appearing to him which was dead long since and advising him Aurelianus if thou desirest to be a Conquerour think not to slay my Citizens Aurelianus if thou wilt be a Ruler shed no innocent blood Aurelianus be mild and gentle if thou wilt be a Victor Calius lib. 17. cap. 13. ex Fl. Vopisco ST Martin the Bishop of Yours in France was greatly tempted by the Devil On a time the Devil appeared to him all in purple and with a Diadem in the person of Christ Martin seeing this was amaz'd the Devil saith unto him Know Martin whom thou adorest I am Christ I am going to the Earth I would first make my self known to thee Here when Martin replyed not he saith again Martin why doest thou doubt to believe in me seeing thou seest me I am Christ Then he being taught in Gods Word by the Holy Ghost saith My Christ was crucified and wounded but I see you in no such habit neither put I my belief in you At this word he vanished Marulus ex Severo Sulpitio WE read in the Life of S. German a Bishop that on a night when the cloth was laid in an Inne after Supper he much wondring at it was inquisitive for whom that Supper was provided and answer was made For good Men and Women which straggle up and down in the night Whereupon the holy man intended to watch them And lo a great company of men and women came to the Table whom he charging not to go away the whole houshold lookt if they knew any of them They saying they were all neighbours every bodies house being searcht he found them all in their beds Whereupon he presently put them all to their oaths who acknowledged that they were evil spirits or Devils MEnippus the Scholer of the Philosopher Demetrius a very handsome young man when he went to Cenchraea by Corinth he met the shape of a strange Maid beautifull and rich which said that she was in love with him Thereupon she invited him to go to her house He being loveâ—smitten oftentimes kept her company there and did think to marry her She had a house furnished like a Princess Apollonius Thyaneus considering all things in that house cry'd out that she was one of the Fairies whom some call Hagges others walking Ghosts Philostratus in vita Apollonii JAmblicus that famous Magician when a certain Egyptian whilst he was making his challenge had an apparition to the great terrour of all the standers by bad them be of good cheer and not wonder at it for he knew it to be the Ghost of a certain Fencer who was then lately slain in a single Combat Eunapius in Aedesio WHen Constantine the Great made Gallus Governour of the East Julianus being in great hope of compassing the Empire himself sought throughout all Greece for Southsayers and Wisards and consulted all he could meet with about the successe of his designes At last he met with one who promised him great satisfaction in the foretelling of what future events he should propose And having led him into a room beset with Images the Magician began to call upon his Devills and they presently appeared but as they are wont in an ugly black hue and shape insomuch that Julianus being sore afraid signed his forehead with the sign of the Crosse whereat the Devils suddenly vanished as minded of the victory of our Lord
often appeared to them like a Goat having Golden horns But some of the Germans and likewise the Greeks call the quiet and gentle spirits Cobalos in that they are imitatours of men for they shew themselves merry they laugh and seem to do many things when they are doing nothing at all Others call them Small men of the mountains because they appear as dwarfs 3. spans long They seem to be drowsy dotards habited like the mettal-men These are inoffensive to them although sometimes perhaps they may provoke the workmen with throwing gravell but they never hurt them unlesse by jeering or railing they provoke them They are chiefly seen to work or haunt those Caves out of which mettals may be digged or at least-wise they hope so Therefore these labourers are not frighted from their work but hereby promising themselves good successe they are more chearfull and work more eagerly wishing for them THeodosius the Emperour having spent and exhausted his treasure by continual Wars imposed a new subsidy upon his Cities onely the city Antioch refused to make paiment of it and not onely so but having made a mutiny the people in a contumelious manner drew up and down the City the Image of Placella the Empresse though already dead fitting and fastning a rope to her feet Which villanous act the Emperour as well he might took so hainously that unlesse being perswaded by the intreaties of D. Flavianus the Bishop and the authority of D. Ambrosius he had bin bound by oath to determine nothing against offenders till the 13th day was over he had made there also a great Massacre among them as he had done at Thessalonica Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 42. 'T is reported that night before this mutiny a tall woman was seen in the Ayre huge and very great of a most dreadfull and fearfull countenance which running through the streets of the City in the Ayre beat the Ayre with her fan making such a noise as they used to do which in dark places excite beasts to rage Idem lib. 9. cap. 42. AMong the Italians there was a Governour of a City which most proudly and covetously domineer'd over his Citizens and by his high words and fierce deeds was wont to punish his subjects in a slavish manner though they did those things he commanded and performed them well yet for small causes did he torment or fine them By chance a good honest fellow though of small substance poor and despicable did so beat his Lord and Masters greyhound whereof he was wonderfully carefull that he thought for it he should be put to death When the Governour understood it being very angry and with a stern and menacing countenance grievously chiding him commanded him to be cast into a most base prison and there being fast bound was kept in a miserable custody After some dayes came they who were willing to observe his commands as they used to do the prison dore being fast and as well the dores as every passage made close that he could not get forth they could find him no where within the Prison who searching a long time and he appeared not neither was there any step or symptome of his escape to be seen they brought the news to their Governour which seeming to him incredible he was strangely amazed Within three dayes the same dores being strongly barr'd that very same he which of late was deputed to prison every one being ignorant thereof was again forc't and thrust into the same Prison and like to one in an amaze requested that he might with all speed be admitted to his Lord for he had somewhat of consequence to tell him in all haste which was not to be delayed And when he was presently brought to him he told him he was released by some of the infernall crew that since he could not endure the uglinesse of the Prison he was grown desperate and being afraid of his doom not knowing what to do he call'd to an evill spirit that he would be helpfull to him and release him out of that ill-favoured dungeon A little while after the Devill appeared to him in the same Prison of a deformed shape and terrible countenance and that he had agreed with him that he should free him from thence and all Iron bolts and locks and should cast him into the infernall places great depths and the lowest part of the Earth there he might view and behold all things the torments of the wicked and their ungodly places their eternal darknesse and miseries loathsome and horrible corners their Kings and chief Rulers were tortured covered as 't were with thick darknesse and tormented with the burning lights of furies he saw also the Bishops with their mitres and robes richly adorn'd and beautified with gems and many other wretched effigies of all sorts ages and ranks afflicted in severall habits lying along in profound and deep gulphs punish'd in eternall torments and their damned wickednesses everlastingly tormented with grief and wo amongst whom he had noted many which he knew in their life-time and especially an intimate and familiar friend of his who while he was living was his companion and he said to him speaking unto him he knew him very well and calmly required of him what businesse he had there and what he expected there He making answer that his country was by hard duties and rigid government entâ—ralled was charged to tell the Governour and bid him have a care that he did so no more and that he should not oppresse his subjects by burthensome taxes and unjust toll-money for he foretold him that there was a place which he saw not far off lefr for him And that he might not doubt his promise he saith that he should call to mind their private consultation and mutuall agreement which they made when they were Souldiers together whereof no body knew which when he had readily declared and recited not onely what was said and covenanted but every word and their promises whereby they were both obliged to each other the governour hearing these things in order being more serious and attentive was wonderfully amazed and great trembling fell upon him when he considered how those things which were disclos'd to him alone and never to any other that dull pate and blockish fellow as 't were inspired with some deity should know them and repeat them with an undaunted look To this miracle also is added That he asked him with whom he was talking with in Hell who appeared in handsome and neat habit and attire whether they were any wayes punish't that went in rich apparell and vestments of Gold he replyed with everlasting burning and amongst the greatest torments they were with continuall wo oppressed and tormented and that which before glittered with Gold and Purple was now all flame and fire He willing to make triall thereof put his hand nearer to the Purple being warned by him not to touch it and yet it could not be but by the blast of heat the palm of his
deliverance Hence was it called the shirt of necessity because it was put on in the greatest necessities Thus it was made On Christmas day at night maids of most known chastity did in the Devils name spin yarn out of the mud weaved the same and sewed it together In the breast of it there were two heads sewed of which that on the right side had a long beard covered as it were with a helmet but that on the left side was grim crowned and like the Devil on either side was a crosse made in length it wrought from the neck down to the middle part of a Man being compleat with sleeves c. Vierus writes in his fourth book and 15. c. of the sleights of the Devils That he saw one of them in the Possession of a very Noble person left him by his Grandfather a Souldier and a most stout man and that they were very commonly used in times past by Kings and Emperours THe Polonians in a battle they had with them at Legnicia in the year of our Lord 1240. bore very hard upon the Tartars and when they gave ground prosecuted the pursuit There was in the very rear of the Tartarians an Ensign whose Motto was onely the letter X and upon the spear of it there was the image of an ugly black long-bearded man When as the Ensign-bearer did very much shake and waver this colour it raised a very thick and black smoak This cloud did not onely obscure the Tartars from the sight of the Polonians but killed many of the Polonians with the stink of it The Tartarians did this by some incantations they used which as well as many other ariolations and divinations they very much practise as well in war as upon other occasions and do often make conjectures of future events by the entrals of men The Barbarians when they saw the Enemy in a fear rallying and encouraging one another they made a great impression upon them and having disordered their ranks made no small slaughter in which Pompo the leader of the Christians with many of his valiant associates died There was so great a massacre of the Christians that day that the Barbarians having cut off all their ear-rings filled nine great sacks therewith Cromerus libro 8. A Cruel Warr happening between the Kings of the Danes and Suesia in the year 1563. It is written out of the Danes Castles That the Suecian King when he was in his pomp and prosperity carried four old Witches about with him which by their enchanted verses did procure all the Victories to the Danes that he could not do any hurt to his Enemy And those which were besieged by the Suesian King were debilitated and made weak and unfit for War so that they were glad to yield themselves captives And although at first there was no credit given to the report yet afterward one of these Witches was taken captive by a Souldier of Mounsieur Comitis a Schwarzenburg Guntheri of the Duke's Army and those things which she confessed to him are written down Afterwards there was found about the Wells Springs and Fenny grounds a long thred extended out a great length upon which were many woodden crosses and pictures with strange characters described on them Vierus saith That they grievously offend against the manifest Commands of God that they require such unlawfull means or helps from the Suesians and the Danes they are afraid of those magical delusions and divellish deceits and mockeries Lib. 2. cap. 33. de Praestigiis Daemon EMpedocles Agrigentinus the Magitian writes these things of himself Medicamenta quae et mala et senectutem propulsant Audies tibi enim soli ego ista omnia conficiam Et sedabis indefessorum ventorum vires qui in terram Ruentes flatibus rura corrumpunt Et vicissim si voles reduces ventos adduces Et efficies ex imbre nigro tempestivam siccitatem Hominibus et efficies ex aestiva siccitate Flumina foecunda quaeque in aestate spirant Et reduces ex Orco defuncti animam viri Ope now the labyrinth of thy mare-like ear And then strange Cures and Medicines thou shalt hear That will all evils and old age repell To thee alone I will this mystery tell And thou shalt hush the rumors of the wind Destruction's beesom when thou dost it find To sweep the Country with its poysonous breath And Dragon-like doth storm many to death And if thou wilt that Aeolus should bluster 'T is in thy power all the winds to muster If black big-belly'd Clouds appear again As though they would nothing afford but rain Then thou shalt cause in them a barrennesse And a great drought and bring a great distresse Upon poor mortals and when th' Earth is dry It shall be sleckt by tears of weeping eyes But when it 's parcht with Summers sultry weather The foaming floods shall then all flow together And quench its thirst yea from black Pluto's den With Orpheus thus thou'lt fetch thy friend agen When for a certain while the winds did so vehemently blow and bluster at Etesia that they hurt the grain he gave order that Asses should be excoriated or their skins should be pluckt off and make bottles and to be so far extended in the Promontory that they might receive the wind And he being asleep was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if one should say The stayer of the Winds Suidas THere are a certain people amongst the Lydians who are called Persici their Cities being Hierocaesaria and Hippaepae and in each City there are Temples very large and Vaults in them with Altars upon these are ashes of a far different colour then our ashes are A Magitian entring in here covers his head with a gallant attire where the wood is laid upon the Altar and calls upon the name of his god whosoever he be but reciting a heathenish verse out of a book where he hath prayed there shines forth a pure flame out of the wood the fire being not stirr'd Pausanias lib. 5. saith he saw this himself HErodotus testifies lib. 7. of Xerxes's Governours that in a tempest of three dayes they lost four hundred Ships untill the fourth day that their Magitians Thety and the Nereidians did allay the tempestuous winds by their sacrifices CAstabilis is the Phane of the Persians Diana where they say religious women go upon hot coals barefoot and are not burnt Strabo lib. 12. Under the Mountain of Soracte there is a City called Feronia it is called by that name from a goddesse they had which the bordering people thereabout worship very much In the same place there stands a Temple having a wonderfull kind of sacrifice For they that are inspired with the Deity do walk upon burning coals with their naked feet And therefore there comes a great multitude every year as well by reason of the solemnity and celebration as to see the sight Idem lib. 5. TUllius Hostilius the Roman King in the imitation of Numa Pompilius whilest he
endeavoured to raise up Jupiter Elicius was struck with lightning when the Palace took fire Tussia a vestall Virgin being accused of incest at Rome that she might be cleared of it and her innocency and chastity might be discovered by her prayers she drew water with a sieve in the 609 year after the City was burnt Plinius lib. 28. cap. 2. ARmiplus an Egyptian Magitian in that War which the Romans had with the Quadi when there was a cruell skirmish and battel and the victory hanging in Aequilibrio they did not know who should get the battle by his magical Arts and Inchantments called upon that Mercury who dwells in the Airy Region and other spirits and begged of these a great deal of pouring rain and thereby did so affright the Quadi that the Romans got the Victory Dion Niceus in Antonino Suidas Some attribute this to Julian the Chaldean THere was in old times a Northern people called Finni that in times past did sell winds to Merchants offering them three knots twisted by magicall cunning the first knot being opened they should have gentle winds and soft gales the second bâ—ing untwined they were to have somewhat more vehement winds and the third knot being loosed they should have tempestuous winds and storms Olaus lib. 3. cap. 16. ex Sax. Grammat IN the year of our Lord 1462. Ferdinand the King of the Neapolitans did besiege very closely the Marcos Town being subjected under the Tower or Castle of the Draconian Mountain scituated near the entrance of the Massick Mountains and by reason of the scarcity and want of water he almost compell'd them to yield and surrender themselves When the wicked Priests durst by their conjurations cause great showers for there were found in the Townesmen who were besieged who in the night-time deceiving the Castles Watches thievously stole to the shore through rough and hard rocks bringing with them the Image of Christ crucified on the Crosse first with imprecations cursing it and prosecuting it with Magicall Verses afterwards they fall into a frenzy calling upon Heaven Earth and Sea for a Tempest At what time these Priests the wickedest and blasphemousest of all mankind studied by their prophane arts to please the Souldiers persisting in their wicked rites and ceremonies by which means as it is reported they procured rain and an Asse being set before the dores of their house and they sung an Elegy as though he were troubled in mind Afterward the Sacrament was thrown into his mouth the Asse making great moan and lamenting as though with funeral songs at length they buried him quick before the dores of the Temple But the rite or ceremony being scarce finished the Sky began to be clouded and the Sea was begun also to be tempestuous and the splendour of the noon-day was eclipsed with darknesse and now the Heavens began to shine with their flashing fiery lightning then all other light was obscured Heaven and Earth trembled with thunder and Earthquakes the poles of the Earth were aguish the Trees that were eradicated and plucked up by the roots they were blown about in the whirl-winds the rocks that were cloven with lightning filled the Ayre with clamorous noises and there came such a deluge by this rain and storms that the Cisterns and Conduits were not able to contain it but the parched stones and scorched Rocks did diffuse and spread about every where those showers torrents and Rivers which the storm brought so that the King whose onely hope was to get the Town by want of rain was frustrated of his purpose and returned to his old Castles at Savonta Pontanus lib. 9. belli Neapolitani NEar Elton Pagum a little mile from Embrica placed in the Dutchesse of Clivensis near the high way about forty two years since there was a spirit that vexed travellers after divers fashions beating them throwing them from their horses and overthrowing Waggons neither was there ever any thing seen but the picture of a hand they called it Eckerken the Neighbours thereabout did attribute this wickednesse to the conjuration of a Witch Wherefore a hand was sacrificed to a Sybill Woman named Puiscops who by right was a servant to the Earl of Montensis and at the last the hand being burnt the grievance ceased Vierius lib. 5. cap. 2. de praestig Daemon PElopsin an Olympick charriotter got some spell or inchantment of Amphion that the horses in that very plain might alwayes be troubled with an unaccustomed fury and terrour Pausanias lib. 6. PYthagoras called a very cruel savage Bear of a great bignesse who struck those that looked on him with fear and fed and nourished him with himself he once with a low voice as though he were Conjuring in muttering and whispering words he charged him that he should hurt no living creatures after that the Bear going away went into the Woods and gathering her Whelps together and with much faithfulnesse she which is very rare in men did perform that she was sworn to Perhaps from hence said Augustine came Pythagoricall nercomancy by the numbers of Letters and by the Moon And it is certainly reported that Pythagoras saw an Oxe near Tarentum spoiling the Fabacian Corn with his eating as also by the trampling of his feet as the Neatherd told him he counselled the Oxe to spare the Corn. The Neatherds wife laughing I saith she have not learnt Oxe-language but thou seemest to be verst in that kind of learning and therefore take my place presently Pythagoras bending himself to its ears whispered some Magical words into them and that which is to be admired at the most obedient Oxe being willing to be taught of oâ—e that was wiser then himself not onely gave over tearing the Corn then but abstained from eating corn of that sort afterwards and also was freed from his Neatherd and was turned from a country rustical swain to a Citizen-peripatetick and waxed old at Tarentum and was fed by mens hands Caelius lib. 19. cap. 1. A. L. Plutarchus in vita Numae The same Pythagoras as Aristotle saith killed a Serpent in Etruria by biting who destroyed others by biting Apollonius in Mirabil Historiis APollonius Tyaneus going from Rome to Byazntium by the Citizens leave did expell out of that City a great company of Serpents and Scorpions lest they should hurt any one and did quell and represse the intemperate neighing of horses at the Randevouz of Princes The same thing was requested of him when he came to Antioch for when the Antiochians were vexed by Scorpions and gnats he made a brazen Serpent and put it upon a pillar erected on the earth he commanded the people to carry reeds in their hands and run about the City striking and lashing with their reeds and to cry out Let the City be free from gnats And by that means the Serpents and gnats were driven out of the City Cedrenus IN the bigger India there is a Province called Maabas famous for pretious stones and pearls for that Sea being very
did often attempt to take Elea against Augea's posterity whose King was then Eleus they were commanded by the Oracle that when they sailed back again they should make Trioculus Captain And by chance Oxylus met him sprung out of and begotten of Aemon of Thoas his son being a banished man in Aetholia playing in the Sun unwittingly he kill'd a man And when he had blinded a Mule of one of his eyes Orespontes ingeniously conjectured that the Oracle belonged to Oxylus therefore the Captain being elected they passed to Peloponnesus in a ship for he conceived that by a Foot-Army they could not attempt to break thorough the straits so the Dorienses obeyed and they presently got Elea. Pausanias lib. 5. THe Lacedemonians were alwayes overcome in Warr by the Tegeans they asked advice of the Oracle How and by what means they might so please their gods that they might overcome the Tegeans Pythia answered That Orestes the son of Agâ—meâ—non his bones were to be brought to Lacedemon and they doubting and being uncertain of the place in which they were hid The Oracle answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this purpose There 's an Arcadian liveth in a Cot Where wind is by two hulls together got Where type on th' antitype one dint is set Upon another where lye bury'd yet The spoyles of Agamemnon if that ground And Cot thou purchase there they may be found When no man could understand the Oracle Liches one of the benefactors of the Spartanes came to Tegea and sitting down in a Brazier's Shop wondred at his works To whom the Smith said Why dost thou wonder O thou stranger saith he at these thou wouldst much more wonder if thou shouldst see a Sepulchre which I have found by digging a Well under ground in which I saw bones seven cubits long which I again buried in the earth Then Liches instantly call'd to mind the Oracle within himself and conceived that those two winds which the Oracle had spoken of were the bellows of the Smith and that the anvil was an antitype for he was to suffer in rowing back and that the hammer was a sign or emblem which struck the Anvil of evil first passive because it suffers from the hammer afterwards also active because it was invented for mens destruction And Liches ruminating with himself did communicate this thing to the Lacedemonians and feigning an escape returned to the Tegeans and he bought the skeleton of the Smith and privily carried the bones to Lacedemon And then it came to passe that the Lacedemonians overcame the Spartanes in Warr almost at that very same time in which Cyrus took the Kingdom from Croesus Herodotus lib. 1. IN the reign of Tiberius the Emperour there was an Oracle given out at Rome in these words Bis ter trecentis circumvolventibus annis Seditio perdet Romanos Ere thrice three hundred Snakes incircled bee Rome by Sedition ruin'd you shall see Which they did think came to passe in Nero's time which fell out near that time the people repeated these words when part of the City was wickedly burnt by Nero Nero to pacifie the people said That there was never such words spoken Which done the people sung this Sybills verse Ultimus Aeneadum matrem necat Induperator The last of the Aenea's Family shall kill his Mother he being Emperour Which happened and whether it was an Oracle from God or from a prophetick spirit that was amongst the people or by a guesse that they had from the state that things was then in I know not for Nero was the last of the Julian-Family which sprung from Aeneas which ruled Xiphilinus in Nerone A Little before the coming of the Spaniards into America the King of the Island which after the name of the Finders they called Hispaniolam he consulted the Idol of Zemus and religiously underwent a Fast for five dayes together also much whipping that he might know what would become of his Kingdom The Devill answered That there were bearded which should be armed men that should take away the Kingdom by force and that by one fatal blow they by their swords should anatomize many bodies and that they should oppresse the Inhabitants by cruel servitude The King hearing the words of the Oracle and that he might appease the wrath of the gods he epitomized and comprehended in a verse which they call Arentum which he would have to be sung at their Festivals with solemn ceremonies therefore many of the Inhabitants when they saw the Spaniards-first come into the Island they consulted how they might escape remembring the Oracle Petrus Cieza tom 2. rerum Indicarum cap. 33. SArdanapalus an Assyrian King was besieged by Arbaces a Mede â—n the City of Ninus there was an Oracle given to his Ancestors That Ninus could never be taken unless the Enemy should make a River to the City which he verily believed could never be taken and therefore he thought he could bear out the siege and also expected aid to come to him When he had held out the siege for the space of two years by lethargiz'd and idle besiedged persons the River by continual showers did flow to a very great heighth and when it had deluged a good part of the City and had cast and thrown down the Walls for the length of twenty furlongs The King thinking the time of the Oracle was come to passe despaired of remedy and lest that he should be taken of the enemies he burnt the Palace Arbaces creeping thorough the ruines of the walls was made King Diodorus lib. 2. cap. 7. THere was an Oracle given to the Poet Hesiod that he should have a care of the Temple of Naemean Jupiter when therefore he took his flight from Nemean at Peloponnesus by chance he came into Oeneon of Locris where there was a Temple of Jupiter Naemean and being in that place unawares he was slain by Amphiphane and Ganetor the sons of Physigeus because they believed their Sister was deflowred by him and that Stesichorus was sprung from him by that illegitimate means Thucyd. apud Gyrald Dial. 2. hist Pâ—ët EPaminondas the Thebane received this from Apollo's Oracle at Delphos That he was to have a care of Pelagus which he thought was to be understood of the Sea wherefore it was his greatest care lest he should be carried or transported any where by Galleys or by any other vessel But the Devil had forewarned him not that he should avoid the Sea but a Grove that he was to eschew at Mantinea whose name was Pelagus where he dyed Paâ—sanias in Arcadicis Suidas THere was an Oracle also given to Cambyses a Persian King out of the City of Latona of Butus that he was to yield himself to the fates in the way to Ecbatanis he understood it of Ecbatana of Meda but when he was in Syria after the death of Apis the Egyptian god he got upon
another Verse which was written in these words Ye Romane enemies if ye will drive away the impostume which commeth from far Nations I Judge playes are to be vowed to Apollo the which let them be faithfully done every year to Apollo when the people shall give a part in publique let private persons prepare to use them for them and theirs Over these sports the Praetor or Major shall be chief he who shall administer the greatest right to the people and the multitude And let the ten chief men or Decemviri after the custome of the Greeks perform holy things by sacrifice These things if ye shall rightly do ye shall alwayes rejoyce and your affairs shall wax better for that God shall put out the stubborn enemy which feedeth pleasantly on your fields This verse being openly interpreted sports were vowed to Apollo and solemnized in a Circle Sabellic book 4. Ennead 5. PRocopius the Tyrant being slain by Valens the Emperour the Walls of Chalcedon because the Citizens of that City had favoured Procopius his party were made equal with the ground The which while it was done they found a table of stone in their foundations on which these words were written When Nymphs shall nigh the holy City dance And wayes adorn'd with garlands and by chance After the wretched walls for placing baths Shall be converted burning in maddish wrathes A thousand shapes of men for greedy prey From divers Nations thou shalt see I say With forces strong alas to go beyond The Istrian and Cimmerian Sea-ey bond Then Scythick people then the Maesian Land Shall be destroy'd with slaughter's bitter hand When at the length unto the Men of Thrace The covetous lust of gain leading a Trace The cruel barbarism shall make a breach It shall be quenched by lot's partial reach This Prophecy was not then understood but was afterward fulfilled when Valens had built a conveyance for water and had brought abundance of waters to the City For the walls being overthrown he made use of the stones for the conveyance of the water which he called Valense by his own name that he might gratifie the Townesmen and the baths might be holpen by this bringing of water although some called them Constantius his baths At length Clearch Governour of the City in a place whose name is Taurus afterward called The street of Theodosius built Nymphaeam or a washing-place that he might shew the grace and pleasantnesse of the water brought in By these buildings the stony tablâ—s signified the coming even now of the Barbarians who in Thrace it self after destructions or robbings of the people made were all slain Cuspinian in Valens IN the sixth year of Justine the Great the City Edessa was miserably defiled with uncleannesse and of the River Scirtus and in the bank of the River a Table of stone found written on in Hieroglyphical or mystical Aegyptian letters to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The River Scirtus shall dance or leap for the mischief of the Citizens Cedrenus UNto Alexander the Great going out of India to Babylon Nearchus Admiral of the Navy who had returned from the Ocean being carried into Euphrates sheweth him that certain Chaldeans had gathered themselves together who warned him that he should abstain from Babylon He being nothing moved went forward notwithstanding where he perished Plutarch in Alexander WHen L. Vitellius for the favour of Herod the Tetrarch would lead an Army against the Arabians they report Aretas King of the Arabians news being received of the dispatch of Vitellius to have gathered by sooth-sayings that it was impossible for that Army to have come to the rock For one of the Captains was first to dye either he which may prepare the War or he by whose command it may be provided or him against whom it is to be moved Neither was the divination vain For when Vitellius was as yet at Jerusalem a message being brought concerning Tiberius Caesar his death he made the Expedition void Josephus book 18. chap. 7. APollonius an Aegyptian foretold the death of Caius Caligula Emperour of the Romans who for that cause being sent to Rome was brought to Cuius that day in which he was to dye the death Xiphiline the abbreviatour of Dio in Caligula APollonius the Tyanean the son of Jupiter foretold That Cilix a certain man beyond measure lascivious should be killed on the third day and that so fell out Philostratus in his life LArginus Proclus foretold openly in Germany That Domitian Emperour of the Romans was to dye the death on which day he departed out of life And when for this cause by him who was chief over the Province he was sent to Rome he then also affirmed it should be so Therefore he was condemned for a capital matter But Domitian nevertheless could not escape the danger of life because on the same day he was killed Xiphiline JUlian Emperour moving against Constance pierced Illyricum daily espying the intrails of beasts and birds that he might contemplate of the issue At which time a certain Souldier lifting up the intrails with his hand being fallen flat on the ground he cryed out many hearing him The Trojane was fallen Constance should dye with the Mopsocrenians in Cilicia The which he saith should be by and by verified from Ambassadours Cuspinian ALexander Severus Emperour when as he spake unto his Army in France desiring to begin his speech from a lucky word fortune brought a contrary one the which was received as an evil token for he began Heliogabalus the Emperour being slain begining his speech from the Emperours death But when from thence he went unto the Persian War an outragious woman spake these words in the French tongue Go thy way neither promise victory to thy self neither rely thy self on the faithfulnesse of thy Souldiers That which was rightly told the event taught he himself not long after being killed by his Souldiers Fulgosus in book 1. chap. 3. A Certain woman meeting the two Maximines in the Julian Market-place when they came against the Senate with an Army with her hair spread abroad and a black garment calling on the Maximines with a great voyce fell down dead before their feet After a few dayes the Army slew the Maxinines in the same place WHen Dioclesian as yet warring in lesser places stayed at Tungrim in France in a certain Tavern and had familiar company with Druys a certain woman and she blamed the niggardlinesse of the man he is reported to have answered in jest not in earnest Then he would be liberal when he should be Emperour To these words she saith Do not jest O Dioclesian plainly thou shalt be Emperour and also thou shalt kill a Boar. Which word indeed of the woman he taking in the room of a-fore token began diligently to follow wild Boars in hunting not understanding to wit the riddle of the Prophecies which the issue afterward declared For Numerian Emperour had been slain by the faction of Arrius Aper which
a great multitude of Carians and led them toward Memphis and pitched his Camps beside the Temple of Isis in the Pallace which was distant from the City five furlongs and a fight being begun he got the victory From these Carians a certain part of Memphis was called Caro-memphites Polynaeus book 7. Herodotus SYbill foretold That the warlike glory of the Macedonians gotten Philip the son of Amyntas reigning in the times of another Philip should go backward The glory of Macedon's people of Arcadia's Kings What Philip reigning sometimes profits sometimes losses brings For one the greater of the two his Captains shall impose On people strange and Cities but forsooth by Western foes The lesse shall tamed be in years to come and by and by Illustrious honours he shall lose by Eastern destiny For the Romans who are to the West by the ayd of Attalus and the Mysians who lye toward the rising of the Sun deprived Perseus the son of Philip both of his Kingdom and life Pausanias in Achaick affairs UNder Boleslaus the chaste Prince of the Polanders in the Territory of Cracovia a certain Man-child having teeth on the same day in which he was born spake distinctly and point by point untill being a young beginner in Christian Religion he lost both his teeth and the use of speech But another six moneths old in the City of Cracovia spake That the Tartarians should come and he foretold they should cut off the heads of the Polonians and being asked he answered he knew that thing from God and that evil hung over his own head also which after the twelfth year came to passe HAlâ— Abenragell makes mention That in the King's Pallace he saw an Infant borâ— which scarce as yet twenty four hours were finished began to speak and make signs with the hand At which thing the King being exceedingly astonished a greater miracle happened For he saith The King standing by and my self also with many others the Infant cryed out saying I am unhappily born to disclose the losse of the Kingdom and the destruction and desolation of the Nation Which words being pronounced he fell down dead Coelius book 29. chap. 14. PHerecides the son of Bades a Syrian a heater of Pittacus walking on the Samian shore when he had seen a certain Ship running with full sayls he foretold That a little after it should be sunk and it happened he beholding it Laertius and Apollonius in their History of wonderful things Also Apollonius the Tyanean having gotten a Vessel fit enough to sail in when he had reached Leucas about to go to Achaia Let us go down saith he out of this Ship But she although then quiet a little after was overwhelmed Philostratus Mithridates besieging Cyzicum Aristagoras said he had received from Minerva that he being a pleasant singer would bring the Trumpeter into the Lybick Sea therefore he bade the Citizens to be of good courage And straightway the South-wind blowing more strongly Mithridates his Navy was troubled and their warlike Engines for the most part cast asunder Coelius book 20. chap. 24. THey tell that Pherecydes sometimes thirsting in the Island Scyrus desired water from one of his Schollars the which when he had drank he pronounced That after three dayes there was to be an Earthquake in that Island which saying as the end proved it true he brought back great glory Apollonius History of Wonders GLaucus the son of Epicydides a Spartan when as he had received a great sum of money from Milesius a guest under the name of a depositum or pledge and after his death his sons had required the money Glaucus after four moneths avouched that he would give an answer In the mean time he enquired of the Oracle at Delphos Whether by denying through a suborned oath the money laid up with him he should make a gain Pythia answered It may indeed for bold-fac'd Glaucus turn to present gain Thus by an oath to conquer and by robbery to detain The moneys Afterward 't is death to swear but he the man That consciously regards an oath sustaineth with his hand But of the oath the Lad is alway mindful neither hee With hands nor feet as swift doth make approach but if of thee He taketh hold will all thy house and progeny destroy But th'after stock of swearer just shall better things enjoy Glaucus being affrighted with that answer prayed for pardon or leave But Pythia affirmed the same is to tempt God and to do it Glaucus indeed being returned home restored the money to the young men of Milesim but not long after his whole house and off-spring was wholly put out Herodotus book 6. ALphonsus King of Arragon and Sicily besieged Neapolis a certain man came to him of a reverend countenance and foretold that he should conquer the City about the Calends of June but not much after a doubtfull battle was to be in which the Captain should be taken perswading him that he would not commit himself to so great danger The former part of the Prophecie was true For on the 4th of Nones of June he reduced the City into his power A little after being about to fight in battle against Anthony at Caudola in the Campanian field his friends disswading him and objecting unto him the Prophesie he answered Death indeed will not affrighten a valiant man much lesse doubtfull Oracles A battel being made he was overcome and taken at Caudola Aen. Sylv. book 2. Com. on Panormitan's Alphonsus AGathius in his second book of the Gothish War saith that the Germanes to have used sometime women for Prophetesses likewise with a most true event Plutarch in Caesar calls them holy women and they guessed at things to come by the whirlpools and noyse of Rivers Coelius book 18. chap. 20. ABaris the son of Seuthias a divine of the Hyperboreans or those above the North-wind wrote Oracles in the Countries which he wandred thorow which are at this day extant He also foretold earth-quakes Plagues and the like and heavenly things They say when he had come to Sparta that he warned the Laconians of turning away evills by holy things which things being finished no Plague afterward was at Lacedemon Apollonius in Hist of Wonders AeDesius the son of Chrysanthius a Philosopher of Sardis had a body so nimble that it exceeded the belief of all and was plainly carried up on high There was such a nearnesse to him with a god that there was no need of a Crown of bayes to be placed on his head but true Oracles and framed to the proper likenesse of a spirit blown up by a power He onely beholding the Sun would powre forth speech although he neither knew the Law or order of Verses nor yet well knew the Rules of Grammar Eunapius THere is at Sparta before the Altar of Augustus in the Market place a brazen portrayture of Agias They say this Agias to have divined unto Lysander that he should conquer the navy of the Athenians at the
Plutarch in Marcellus ANiharis King of the Longobards brother of Garibald King of the Bavarians â—ooâ— Theodelinda his bride in the Veronian field Not far from thence a tree being struck from Heaven Agigulph Duke of the Taurinians a soothsayer being asked Counâ—ell of received an answer Theodelinda the Virgin to marry Antharis but a little after to be a Widow for Agilulph The issue confirmed the promise of the Sooth-saying For Antharis when he had fairly reigned six years was taken away by poyson at Tiotnam The Longobards gave power to Theodelinda his Wife for her mildnesse and too much courtesy that it should be lawfull for her to take that Husband whom she desired and they promised they would have him for their King But she chose Agilulph The Marriage was solemnized at Mediolum where by the agreement of all he is declared King of the Longobards or Lombards Bonfine Book 8. Of the first Decade BAtabaces in the Cimbrian War a Priest of the great Mother â—dea came to Pessinunt This man brought word that the goddesse had shewn him in his passage that a victory and great glory of war was to come to the people of Rome When there was an approvement of the Senate and it had decreed a Temple to the goddesse for Victories-sake A. Pompey Tribune of the common people forbade him going into the assembly that he might utter these things to the people calling him jugler and with disgrace drave the man out of the place of their Common-pleas Which thing most of all commended his sayings For assoon as the assembly being dismissed Pompey returned to his house so great a force of a Feaver possessed him that it was manifest to all and much spread abroad that he died within the seventh day Plutarch in the life of Marius L. Sylla being returned out of Asia against Cinna and Marius he tells that in Silvina of Pontium Servus a mad man to have spoken to him who said he shewed to him from Bellona that he should have the Palme or conquering Crown and Victory of the War The which unlesse he should perfect the Capitoll was to be burnt and that happened on the same day which he had foretold which was the day before the Nones of the fifth Moneth which now we call July Plutarch in Sylla CReophilus in the bounds of the Ephesians saith those that built Ephesus when they were greatly in doubt of the place at length they sent unto the Oracle those which should ask where the City was to be placed But the Devil answered Where a fish had evidently shewn and a wild Boar had taught But there is a report that where the Fountain now called Hypelaeus is and the holy Haven certain fishermen provided a dinner Then a certain one of the Fishes leaped out together with the dead coals and fell down into a bundle of Chaff a green turf is presently inflamed in which a wild boar by chance lay hid who being much affrightned with fire ran through a good part of a Mountain even thither where Trachea is now called and fell down being wounded with a dart where now the Temple of Pallas is erected Then the Ephesians possessing the Island when they had inhabited it twenty and one years in the twenty and second they built Trachea and afterward Corissum and there raised up the Temple of Diana in the market-place and of Pythius Apollo in the haven Athenaeus Book 8. chap. 11. THere was among the Locrians a wooden Dog having such a History For a lot was rendred unto a certain Locrian there he should build a City where a wooden Dog had fastned a biting on him For which cause when he had sailed unto the other shore of the Sea he trod upon a kunosbaton that is a Dog bush or bramble a kind of thorn from thence when he thought the Oracle to have an end he built the Cities which the Locrians call or esteem Ozolae Coelius Book 17. chap. 28. out of Athenaeus Book 2. chap. 33. LEonides in his fourth book of the people of Attica saith when Thymaetes the younger brother who was a bastard had beheaded Aphidantes King of the Athenians he himself reigned at Athens Whereby it was brought about that Melanthus the Messenian a banished man from his Country received an Oracle where he was to dwell to whom it was answered where it should be received for gifts from guests setting feet and heads before him in a supper the which afterwards happened in Eleusina For when as they had a certain solemn feast according to their countrey manner and had spent all the flesh and the feet onely and heads had remained these very things they brought to Melanthus Athenaeus Book 3. chap. 9. BYzantium before called Lygos was built by the Lacedemonians Pausanias being Captain in the most narrow Sea of Europe and Asia unto whom it was said by the Oracle of Apollo Pythius that they should place it against blind seats that is the Megarians who built Chalcedon in a barren soyl of the Countrey a wealthy bank being let passe Strabo book 7. This City Constantine the Great who passed over the seat of the Empire from the City of Rome into the East to restrain the inroads of the Parthians compassed with new walls being warned from God and adorned it with most high Towers and stately buildings that it might be thought rather the habitation of gods than of Emperours This City when the Emperour would name Nea the common people from the builder called Constantinople Cuspinian THere is a report that a Wonderfull meeting of a Sow that had piggs made a divination to the Trojanes of building a City who Aeneas being Captain had come into Italy They say she was great with young and to have come to the Altars being strucken with the hands of the sacrificers thence to have sit down on a little Tomb four and twenty furlongs from the Sea in a place surely hideous and very difficult Aeneas mindfull of the Oracle followed the Sow aloof off with a few that were by chance present lest being nigh the trace she should turn from the destinous way But then contemplating the nature of the place when as he perceived nothing in it which might invite him to the tillage of it being doubtfull in his counsell he was vexed neither could he bring it into his mind that such unfit seats were shewn him by destiny And he was now late busied in advising of that one thing whether he ought to be there or should go as yet farther When as from the next place a voice without an Authour was given which commanded the Trojans to remain there Onely they should go forward to build other things they should leave to the destinies Others are Authours that the shape of houshold gods was here in a dream set before the eyes of Aeneas by which he was commanded to fortify the place But whatever kind of Oracle that was it is a certain report that the Sow being the day after
and unaccustomed way which when he had related to Interpreters they advised the King to take heed lest he whom he accounted rude a beast and monster being armed with wisdom should drive him out of his Kingdom and that what was shewed him by the Sun portended a change to the people which happened accordingly for Brutus whose brother the King had oppressed and whose wit he but sported and mocked at drove away the King and Kingly Title and the Roman State was so altered that instead of one perpetual King it begun to have yearly two Magistrates Petrarcha de Somniis ex Ciceronis lib. 1. de Natura Deorum Accii Bruto HIppocrates the most valiant Duke of Athens being alone chanced to see at Olympia a sight portending strange things for when he had immolated the host the pots as they were ordered were full of flesh and water and without any fire put to them grew so hot that the water boyled over which portent Chilon the Lacedemonian who by chance came thither beholding first perswaded him that he should not bring his Wife thither being fruitfull Secondly if he had a Wife that he should put her away and if she had born him ever a son he should resign him but Hippocrates not observing the counsel of Chilon but promoting his son Pisistratus he invaded the Tyrant at Athens Herodot l. 1. Sabel l. 6. Ennead 2. AT Thebes in Boetia in the Temple of the Law-giving Ceres the time when by the conduct of Epiminundas the people of Leuctrica overcame the Spartanes the Spiders had woven white webs about the Valleys the Macedonians now by the conduct of Alexander the Great invading the Coasts there presently appeared sights portending ruine and destruction to the City all things were filled with black workmanship Pausanias in Boeoticis This sign was three moneths before Alexander came to Thebes about that time the Statues which stood in the Common Hall were seen to send out of the huge gravings abundance of sweat besides these things it was testified to the Magistrates That the Pond or standing Lake which was at Onchestus sent forth a noyse like to the Lowing of Cattle and that there was in Dirces a certain horrid bloody shape which swimmed upon the water and there were not wanting some of Delphos who said That the top of the house which the Thebans built appeared to the Phocensian people to be full of blood the Prophets said That the Web did portend the gods migration from the City the shape of the Heavenly bow perturbation and various sorts of molestations the sweat sent from the Statues extream losses and moreover the blood which was seen to appear in many places shewed that bloody slaughter would ensue at Thebes Diodor. lib. 17. AT Saguntum before it had suffered the misery which Hannibal afterwards inflicted upon it amongst many and daily monstrous sights which were seen A child which was almost born out of his Mothers belly returned back to the Mothers womb again Which Prodigie the prophets said did foreshew a destructive Warr imminent and fatal destruction so that it was utterly overthrown by slaughter Alex. lib. 2. cap. 31. ARchilaus Tetrarch of Judea and Idumea was sent for being accused of Tyranny by Caesar to Rome who after hearing the accusations of his enemies and his own defence banished him to Vienna in France and taking all his substance from him before he exiled him in the tenth year of his Government before he was sent for to Rome he told to his friends this Dream He saw ten ripe ears of corn full of wheat taken away by Oxen and considering that his dream was worthy to be taken notice of he consulted with interpreters of dreams concerning it who disagreeing concerning the meaning thereof Simon one of the Essaei to wit one that abstained from flesh wine and women as all the Jews of that Order did making an apologie said That this vision did portend change to Archilaus and that to the worse for that Oxen did signifie misery because this kind of creature is under continual labours and furthermore it foreshewed mutation of things because the ground being turn'd by the labour retains neither the same place nor form but those ten ears of corn shew the number of ten years for that they go about by annual turnings and that immediately there would ensue an end of the domination or rule of Archilaus so did this Jew interpret the dream Five dayes after this vision Caesar sends a procurator to Judaea to summon Archilaus before him Joseph l. 17. c. ult AT the Palatine house of Mediolanum seven dayes before the Lievtenant Governour Barnabas was taken by his Cosen Galeacius there was such vehement lightning that the hangings of his Inner Chamber were burnt with a Thunder-bolt and his Ensign being a marble Viper was shattered in pieces A Prophet then a domestick whose sirname was Medicina in the nones of May observed the unhappy conjunction of three Stars he had formerly predicted much and then he endeavoured to retain him whom he saw running precipitately towards his destruction which was thereby threatned but such was the hidden power of his fate that he went on his way being wretchedly infatuated Jovius in Barnaba ZEnon the Emperour hearing of the discomfiture of his Army lees into a little Castle sited upon an hill which the people called Constantinople which considering immediately after his coming thither he with sighing said to his company Poor man Is it the sport of the gods who have thus deluded me for the Prophets did confidently affirm That it behoved me to be at Constantinople in the moneth of July whereupon I thought I should have been in the City but poor wretch as I am I am onely in this little Hill which beareth the like appellation A Certain man called Harold who bragged that he had a familiar spirit told Frederick the second that he should die in the Florentine field Therefore in that his last journey from Thuscia to Apulia he used all possible care to avoid it but falling into a grievous Feaver he was forc't to lye at the Castle of Apulia six miles distant from Luceria which they call Florentinum assoon as he remembred the prediction of Hariolus and the name of Florentinum he perceived that the end of his life was at hand Collenutius l. 4. Historiae regni Neopolitani CErtain Writers affirm Ezelinus a Roman and Albericus brethren bloudy and fierce men to have been the sons of Adebheida a Lady of the Noble bloud of the Tuscans of so high a wit and discretion that beyond belief as well by observing the Heavens and Stars as Magicall Art she foresaw things to come Many Predictions which accordingly fell out were demonstrated to her Husband and Children and especially this one That on the day of her death she pronounced three Verses in manner of an Oracle in which she chaâ—ted forth the might and progresse and the very place of the death of her sonnes and it
and fell upon him but was by one blow with his sword suddenly dispatched The King then catching hold of a bough of the Tree within his reach helped himself off his knees and begun to provoke his enemies to fight in which interim Peusestes one of the Squires of the Kings body scaling the Wall was the first that came to the defence of his Prince and after him many more who put the Barbarians to flight and delivered Alexander from further danger Diodorus lib. 17. A Certain servant a Syrian born in Apemea whose name was Eunus who delighted in Magicall enchantments and circulatory legerdemains served amongst the Eunensians in Sicilia This fellow would take upon him that he could by instinct and revelation from the Gods who appeared to him in his sleep tell things to come shortly after he bragged that he could foretell future events not onely for that the gods appeared to him asleep but also waking and that they plainly told him of things to come when as by many of his Prophesies he was found a notorious liar yet in the mean time some things came to passe according to his predictions which was a reason that no man questioned him for his false Prophecies but what he chanced truly to foretell was so observed and applauded that the people shortly had a high esteem of him at last he devised to blow a flame of fire out of his mouth with a certain fanatick fury he Prophesied like as it had been one of the Priests of Apollo to which purpose he had a nut or something of like nature bored through in which he put fire and combustible matter to nourish it and putting it into his mouth and blowing sometimes sent forth sparks and sometimes flames this fellow was used before any defection to brag that the Syrian goddesse did appear to him in his sleep and tell him that he should obtain regall dignity and he did not tell this onely to the ordinary sort of people but likewise he daily related the same to Antigines the Eunensian his own Master his relation raysing much laughter and Antigines taking great delight in his prodigious lies had him as a jester to wait upon him at his feasts and would enquire of him concerning state-affairs and what would become of all the company and when he answered them all with great confidence and promised that it would come to passe that he should shew great lenity and clemency to his Lords he raysed great laughter amongst them The common people raysing a tumult come to this Eunus and asked him if the gods favoured their enterprise he approving the thing perswaded them to go on therein and presently four hundred of his fellow servants taking him for their Captain brake into the City and made such a horrible slaughter that they spared not very sucking Infants and this was the beginning of the servile Warre which made such horrible destruction in Sicily that Rutilius at length with much ado made an end of it Diodorus Siculus lib. 34. WHen at the Thermopilae long Mountains passing through Graece to the Egaean Sea three hundred Lacedemonians were to fight against Xerxes Megistias Acarnas a Propher of the race of Melpodes told that it was apparent That death was imminent over all their heads though Leonides offered openly to dismiss him that he should not undergo such hazard of his life yet he would not depart but also caused his onely son to go along with him and be a Souldier all the rest of his fellow-Souldiers which were discharged of their service went their wayes the Thesbiensian and Theban Souldiers went on and continuing with the Lacedemonians they all perisht together Herodotus lib. 7. WHereas it was often given out as an Edict That whosoever either privately or publickly did predict or foretell the death of any man should suffer death at length Domitian the Emperour commanded Ascletario to be burnt and Larginus Proclus to be hang'd for that they foretold the day of his death the one of these Fortune-tellers was sent by the Governour of the Province of Germany to Rome where he constantly affirmed what he had predicted concerning Domitian and named a certain day not long too wherein the verity or vanity of his Art might be judged therefore it pleased the Emperour to defer the execution of his senâ—ence till that day upon which his prediction came to passe wherefore by the favour of the noble Roman he was freed P. Aerodius Suetonio GRillandus saith That Perusinus was the greatest Magitian of all Italy who singing Mass upon a certain day and coming to that part of it at which he was to turn to the people and say Orate pro me c. he said Pray for the Castles of the Church who are now expiring their lives and at the same instant the Souldiers of a Castle twenty five miles distant from Perusium where he said Mass were slain The like story we read in Philip Comineus of a certain Italian Archbishop of Vienna who in the presence of King Lewis the 11th celebrating Mass upon the day of the Epiphanie at the Church of St. Martin at Turon when he offered the Pax to the King to kiss pronounced these words Peace to thee O King thy enemy is dead And it appeared that Charls Duke of Burgundie dyed the same hour at Nanceum in Lotharingia Cominaeus telleth many things of this Archbishop which seem to be the certain effects of meer Witchcraft Of the Dreams Visions Revelations and other such kind of Legerdemanes and mockeries of Evil Spirits AGamemnon leader of the Greeks against Troy when he had taken Briseides from Achilles Thetis interceding Jove for her son that he would subject the Graecians to the Trojans till they really perceived and found by wofull revenge what losse trouble and vexation they had caused to Achilles by their injurious dealing with him Jupiter sends a dream to Agamemnon wherein he commands him to draw out his Army 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for now he should take Troy Jove cannot lye that he full well knew yet he well saw that he could not take the City that day Jupiter plaid or sported with him by the abstruse meaning of the word for the adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the Greek not onely present but instant and hath that latitude that it signifies past and not much past and to come and not far off Jupiter therefore meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tenth year which was then present which was not long from the destruction of Troy But Agamemnon interpreting or construing his Dream to mean the present day he drew out his Army immediately and received a great overthrow Iliados β. CYrus King of the Persians leading an Army against the Massagetians being at rest dreamed that he saw Darius the eldest son of Hystaspes having two wings with the one whereof he overshadowed Asia and with the other Europe This Darius being twenty years of Age at this time was left by his father at
him Neither yet could he avoid even this by his brother-killing Murther whereby Smerdes the Magitian who feigned himself to be the true Smerdes Son of Cyrus should the lesse invade the Kingdome Cambyses going up to horse being wounded in the Thigh with a Sword died Herodotus Book 3. DArius had moved out of Susa against Alexander being supported with a multitude of Armies for he had six hundred thousand Souldiers under his Ensigns trusting to a certain dream the which the Magitians flattering him had interpreted more than according to the likenesse of truth The troop of the Macedonians seemed to shine together with a great brightnesse of fire But Alexander to wait on him in the habit wherewith he had been cloathed when he was Ascandes that is a Messenger or Ascantes that is Chamberlain to the King And when he had entred into the Temple of Belus to have been withdrawn from before his eyes By these things in my opinion God foreshewed that the Macedonians were to carry on honourable and famous matters and Alexander to obtain Asia as Darius had enjoyed it being of a Messenger or Chamberlain made King but in a short time to lay down his life with his glory Plutarch in Alexander Curtius hath delivered that the King imagined the Camps to shine with a great brightnesse Sabellicus Book 4. Ennead 4. THey report Domitian to have dreamed that a bunch sprang out from him behind a Golden neck and to have had it for certain that a more blessed and joyfull condition of the Common-wealth was foreshewn to be after him As indeed it so fell out in a short time through the abstinence and moderation of following Princes Sueton. EZeline surnamed Monk a bloudy and most cruel Tyrant at his rest saw the fortune of his sons that night in which he first came together with his wife who was by name Adela a Tuscian of the stock of the ancient Earls of Montaion For he seemed to himself to see a little hill in which a Roman Town was in the Patavine field placed the which he commanded and was thence called Romanus or a Roman so to be carried up and exalted that it touched heaven with its top and the same a little after to be melted as Snow and so to be let down that it could no more stand up The chances of his sons brought this effect For the elder Son and he Ezeline by name possessed the rule of Verona Patavium Vincentia Feltrium and Cividal and Marchia But the younger Alberick entred on the Kingdom of Tarvisium and other places But afterwards fortune changing in the two hundred fifty and sixth year above the thousandth of salvation when as the Pope and the Guelphians together had moved war against Ezeline his son he lost Patavium with the whole land But when he trusted that he should possesse the City of Mediolum by craft and for that thing had passed over the River Abdua being besieged by his enemies overcome in battell a wound being received being taken nigh to Soncinum in that very same place he died and was buried His brother Alberick being strucken with fear by this chance when as he distrusted that he could keep Tarvisium he betook himself into the Castle of Saint Zeno. Where in the year of Salvation 1200. being betrayed by his own Souldiers he came into the power of his enemies There having beheld six sons to be killed before him and his wife Margaret with two young maids to be burnt he himself being cut through all his limbs by piece-meal he saw as his father had in his dreams his Roman stock or nation to be ended Fulgosus book 1. chap. 5. THe Mother of Phalaris saw Mercury whose Image holding a goblet in his hand she worshipped at her own house among the shapes of gods in her dreams to sprinkle bloud on the ground out of that goblet and being dashed on the pavement to bubble back untill by little and little it overflowed all the house up to the top That which was seen in one the bloudy cruelty of her son made true in many houses Ponticus Heraclidus is the Author of this Vision a learned man as saith Tully and Scholler of Plato Petrarcha AMilcar Captain of the Carthaginians besieging Syracusa seemed to hear in his sleep that the next day after he should sup within the walls of the besieged City By that thing being turned to a hope of Conquest he being chearfull set the Army in order in the morning to besiege the City Unto him considering and attempting such enterprises as often comes to passe a great uproar arose in the Camps the Carthagenians and Sicilians disagreeing among themselves The Townes-men laying hold of the occasion come suddenly forth of the Gates and their enemies being scattered the Conquerours take their Captain desiring to succour their ranks being disturbed and therefore neglecting himself And so being brought into the City supping in fetters he understood what a false expounder of the dream he had been Valer. Max. Book 1. chap. 7. and Cicero Book 1. Of Divination Artemidore writeth a shew was presented to a certain one in his sleep as that he should sup with Saturn and it so happened that the day following he was cast into Prison Caelius Book 13. chap. 21. Of Book of Antiq. JUpiter commanded T. Latinus a man of the common people in his sleep that he should tell the Consulls that he was not pleased with the neighbouring Circean playes of the leaders of the dance which thing unlesse being heeded it were satisfied by the renewing of sports no small danger of the City was to follow He fearing least with some disprofit unto his Religion he should extoll the highest command kept silence And straightway his Son being taken with the sudden force of a disease died He also at the time of sleep being asked by the same whether he had sufficiently weighed the great punishment of his royall command neglected continuing in his purpose was recompenced with a weaknesse of his body And then at length by the counsell of his friends being brought in a horse-litter unto the Consuls Judgment-seat and from thence to the Senate the order of his whole chance being explained with the great admiration of all the strength of his members being recovered he returned home on his feet Valerius in book 1. chap. 7. Cicero in book 1. Of Divination And Livy book 2. Decad. 1. THe Tartars inhabit beyond the Mountain Belgia the Sea lying between Changius or their fiâ—st Emperour saw again a white horseman who had foretold unto him the Empire in his sleep that it was the will of the immortal god That in the Mountain Belgia being passed over they should go forward into the West and subdue all Kingdoms But as soon as they had come to the Mountain Belgia in that part which the Sea floweth on the Mountain that they should go down and their faces being turned toward the East they with nine bowings of the knee worship the
answer that the god which was worshipped in Heliopolis being appeased he should look upon the face of a woman which knew no man carnally besides her own Husband so beginning from his own Wife when he had many he found none that was uncorrupted besides the wife of a certain Gardiner whom he took to Wife after he had received his sight but he burned all the rest in a certain Village Which place the Aegyptians afterwards called The holy Turf But he giving thanks to the god of Heliopolis according to the Oracle received he erected two Obelisks of one stone eight foot broad and an hundred high Diodorus lib. 1. cap. 4. WHen a certain woman said to Adrian the Emperour being very sick that she was admonished in her sleep by the gods to exhort him not to kill himself although he seemed to languish under a tedious disease because in a short time he should receive his health The same woman did put out her own eyes because the health of the Prince did not answer in time according to her report Lastly also she was admonished to kisse the knees of Adrian and wash her eyes with the water which was in the Temple and having followed the advice of her dream she presently received her sight In like manner a certain man being come from Pannonia which was blind from his birth having touched Adrian obtained his sight and Adrian was restored to his former good health AMasis King of the Aegyptians married a Wife which some would have to be the daughter of Battus the son of Archesilaus others of Critobulus a very honourable man amongst his people by name Ladices with whom when he lay in bed he could not perform his marriage duty as when he made use of other women When it was so a long time Amasis said to her Thou O Wife hast bewitched me and therefore thou canst not escape by any policy whereby thou mightest not perish by the worst death among all women When Ladices could not appease Amasis by denying it she vowed within her self to Venus that if Amasis might copulate that night with her she would send an Image to her at Cyrena Her wish being granted Amasis copulated with her and afterwards as often as he lay with her he performed his matrimoniall duty and afterwards he loved her dearly And Ladices performed her vow having made a Statue and sent it to Cyrena which remained whole till the time of Herodotus being placed without the Cyrenensian City Herodotus lib. 2. WHen Milo Epirota had cast a spear at Laodamia the daughter of Pyrrhus which fled to the Altar of Diana as to a defence the goddesse revenging her he ran mad whereby he died within the space of 12. dayes WHen a certain sacrifice was performed to Jupiter Ascraeus a herd of Goats belonging to Helicarnassus being brought to the Temple stood and the prayers being ended one of them no body guiding it went forward till he came to the Altar which the Priest taking sacrificed Apollonius de Hist. Mirab IN Boeotia they think that Hercules doth shut and open the Temple of Ceris Micalessia every night Moreover they put all the Apples which Autumn brings forth at the feet of the Image and they remaine very fresh the whole year Pausanias in Boeoticis THere was a Village of the Nyssaenes between Tralles and Nyssa not far from the City by name Achrata where is a place belonging to Pluto encompassed with a sumptuous Grove Also the Temple of Pluto and Juno and the Den of Charon admirable by nature which is above the Grove They report that sick people that desire to be cured by these gods do go thither and tarry in a Village near the Cave with those that are skillfull in the holy things who sleeping receive cures for them in their dreams The Priests calling for the remedies of the gods do oftentimes lead them into the Den where remaining as in a Cave they spend many dayes fasting and sleeping sometimes those that are sick do receive health in their own Dreams by the guiding and advice of the Priests Strabo lib. 14. EPidaurus a City of Peloponesus being ennobled by the famousnesse of Aesculapius who as the ancients write hath cured divers kinds of diseases But the Temple was filled with a multitude of sick people and Tables hanging up in which the diseases that were cured were written In the same manner it was in the Island Coa and likewise in Trica The City was scituated in the innermost Closet of the bosome of Saronicus Strabo lib. 8. The same Strabo writeth that there was a famous Temple of Aesculapius at Tetrapolis which City was inhabited by the Jonians and Carians That Temple was full of an innumerable convention of sick people troubled with divers diseases and the walls were every where covered with painted Tables wherein were written the diseases and names of them which were cured by that god THey record that there is a Temple of Minerva Ilias in which Dogs are nourished to whom it is given naturally as also by some certain knowledge to fawn upon the Graecians when they come but follow the Barbarians with barking wheresoever they shew themselves Coelius lib. 23. cap. 30. Antiq. lect THere is a round Temple of Hercules of admirable structure in the beast-market of Rome into which they relate neither Dogs nor flyes can enter As no bird can enter into the Temple of Achillâ—s before Borysthenes Alexander ab Alexand. lib. 2. cap. 14. THere was a Temple of Pallas at Methon a City of Peloponnesus Diomedes dedicating an Image because before that he received damage by most violent Winds in those parts blowing very unseasonably which presently after ceased when they prayed to the goddesse and afterwards no such calamity came upon the Inhabitants From whence she got the name Minerva Coelius lib. 20. cap. 24. Antiq. lect WHen Greece was troubled with a continuall drought and the rest of Greece was no lesse distracted for want of rain which was without Isthmus than all Peloponnesus they sent to Delphos that they might know by the Oracle the cause and remedy of the calamity There Pythia answered that they must appease Jupiter but they must make use of Aeacus to sue for them so that he is willing to obey Therefore when they had received that answer they sent out of every City to entreat Aeacus to undertake the entreaty He having finished the sacrifices to Jupiter and offered the vows replenished all Greece with abundance of rain For the memory of the thing the Citizens of Argos did erect statues for the Ambassadors Pausanias in Corinthiacis THe Sepulchre of Aristomenes of Messene is worthy to be seen in a Colledge of Messene a City of Achaia in Greece which they say in good earnest is not empty and a monument set up for honour of the body not present For although he being driven from the Spartanes died in banishment yet by the command of Pythius Apollo his bones were carried back
into his Countrey and such things were ordained to be holy They bound a Bull which was destinated to the Altar to a Pillar not far from the Tomb. He being mad and raging because of his bonds did strive to go away Which if the vvhile the Bull moveth nimbly and danceth according to that it is ominous to the Messenians but if on the contrary the Bull shal stand immoveable they interpret that it portends some calamity to them The Lacedemonians report the Heroick Aristomenes to have been at the Leuctrican fight 187. years after his death vvho assisting the Thebans against them vvrought so that he afflicted them vvith a great discomfiture Pausanias in Messenicis AT Pachinum a Promontory of Sicily Apollo Lybistinus is worshipped with great devotion for when the Lybians were about to invade Sicilie their Navy having arrived at the Promontory Apollo being invocated by the Inhabitants sent the Plague amongst their enemies and destroyed almost all of them with suddain death whereupon Lybistinus was added as a sirname to him Macrobius lib. 1. cap. 17. THe Persians Xerxes leading them to the Chappel of Minerva which standeth before the Temple of Delphos as they came thither upon a suddain a Thunder-bolt from Heaven fell amongst them with the two heads of Parnassus being rent from the rest of the Mountain with an horrid noise tumbled down and intercepted very many of them whereupon from the very Chappel of Minerva came most joyfull vociferations and jubilations The Barbarians committing themselves to flight departing from Delphos they published their great discomfiture those which escaped of them fled to Boetia reporting That two armed men more noble then any of humane nature could possibly be pursuing them These two they said were Natives and Heroick men at Delphos the one Phylacus the other Antonius the Temples dedicated to them being there to be seen That dedicated to Phylacus standeth by the way above the Temple of Minerva and that which was dedicated to Antonius near Castalia under the whirl-pool Hyampeum Herodotus lib. 8. IN the Sabine Warr which was waged against the Romans for ravishing the Virgins The Romans made haste to shut the gate which was at the foot of the Viminalian Hill which afterwards by occasion of what happened was called the gate of Janus because the enemies did rush upon it after it was made fast flew open and when again and again the third time the same thing happened more armed men came to the threshold of it because they could not shut it to make it good against the enemy And when the enemies fought most fiercely on the other side it was presently given out That the Romans were overcome by Tacitus for which cause which defended the gate or entrance of the City fled And when the Sabines had made an irruption into it through the gate it is reported that from the house of Janus by this passage the great power of torrents scattering water all about broke out burning the great and vaste numbers of their enemies with scalding waters and devouring them with rapacious gulphs Macrobius lib. 1. Saturnal cap. 9. THe holy sheep of the Sunne which are at Apollonia in the bosome of Ionicum which in the day time feed along the River side which floweth out of the Mountain Lacmonen through the Apolloniatan field into the Sea and chosen men honourable by birth and Riches amongst the people keep them lodged in the night in a Cave not farr from the City the people every year making new election for that the Apolloniatae by a certain Oracle were brought to put an high value upon the Sheep There a certain Gentleman called Evenius chosen to take the care of looking to the Sheep upon a time fell a sleep and Wolves entring into the Cave killed sixty of them which when the Apolloniatae understood they condemned him to the losse of his eyes for sleeping when he should have watched upon execution of which sentence their cattle ceased to bring forth young ones and the earth to yield her fruit and they had Cattle at Dodona and Delphos The Prophets being asked the cause of this present evill answered because they had unjustly deprived Evenius the keeper of the holy sheep of his eyes and that the Wolves were sent by the gods and that their punishments for this wrong should not cease till he was satisfied by those who had perpetrated this wrong to him whatsoever Evenius himself conceived due satisfaction and then that the Gods would so blesse them that they would find themselves happy The Apolloniatae keeping these Oracles close chose certain Citizens to perform them who come to Evenius sitting in a station for the purpose and sitting down with him discourse of other things at last came to speak of the miseries of the times which making as an introduction to speak of his wrong they demand of him what mulct he would wish the Apolloniatae to undergo for his full satisfaction who having not heard of the sentence of the Oracle said that he desired two mannours which he conceived the greatest revennues belonging to the Apolloniatae and a house which he knew to be the best in the City the Citizens presently assented and telling what directions they had received from the Oracle and buying the Mannours of the Owners thereof gave them to Evenius who presently thereupon obtained divination from the gods whereby he grew famous Herodotus Libro 9. cap. 7. THe Pilappii inhabit that furthest part of Scandinavia bordering upon the frozen Sea and almost inclosed with the Sea These neither till the ground nor nourish any cattle but the Tarandus or Buff which they make use of in the Winter when the waters are glaz'd and all things made stiff with the Frost for they live by hunting and fishing and they have ever hitherto worshipped wood and stones when they went on hunting fishing or began any other business having used certain adjurations they endeavour to move out of their place their gods which they consult which if they easily perform they conceive they favour their enterprise and promise successe but if they cannot move them without much trouble they think their success is denyed and if they cannot possibly move them out of their places they conclude that their gods are offended And therefore they think they are to be appeased by a certain sacrifice which they order in this manner They have a brazen vessel wherein are the pictures of all kinds of four-footed Beasts of Birds and Fishes which are common and plentifull amongst them they have the image of a Frog made of brass annexed to a piece of Iron fastned to the middle of the vessel like a plumb afterwards using adjurations they beat upon the vessel and into the picture of whatsoever creature the Frog doth thereupon fall or leap as soon as the frog had but touched it they procure a living creature of that kind they kill it and hang the head thereof upon a Tree which they account holy the
body and that with the edge and point of his sword he slasht and thrust many other Images of Saints which were placed by the Cross c. Hitherto Schelkrop was mad with fury and rage and what followes will declare how miraculously divine revenge seized on him for suddenly dreadfully and miraculously blood flowed from the cuts slashes and thrusts that he had made in the Images as if not Images made of wood but living men had suffered that injury and Schelkope now as one attain'd to the full measure of execrable impiety stood still not able to move a foot till he was deprehended in his raging crime by passengers that found him in the place where he had perpetrated that villany for which they seised upon him and brought him before the Magistrates by whom he was most deservedly condemned to die and accordingly was burnt in the sight of all the people not far from the City in the place which the people commonly call the Jews Sand because they were used there to interr their dead And the Images famous by their hurts and the blood which issued from them were translated by the hands of Priests from that little Church to the Temple of the Holy Cross where to this day that dreadfull blood is to be seen and so religiously honoured and many mortals variously afflicted making vows to visit that place have obtained of the most great and good God such mercy as to be cured of their infirmities and delivered from their afflictions Theodâ—ricus Gresmundus legum doctor ANd although this impiety and petulancy of furious men is no way to be tolerated but rather by Laws and punishments to be repressed yet I believe that without doubt these miracles were wrought by the fraud and imposture of the Devil to confirm Idolatry in the hearts of men by the worship and adoration of Images by which they would confine God to dwell in trunks and stones which Idolatry was most frequent and to this day is in the Papacy See concerning these signs and prodigies Paul's latter Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 2. and seriously consider the Text. IN the twenty fourth year of Constantine at Coprominum in Beritum the Image of Christ was contumeliously abus'd by the Jews whereupon blood and water openly appeared to issue out of the side thereof whereby many were cured of their infirmities they putting it into vials sent of it all the World over by reason whereof an Holy-day was instituted the fifth Ide of November in remembrance of the Passion of the Image of Christ Sigebert in the year of our Lord 765 saith The Fathers in the Nicene Council were of opinion that this happened in the time of Athanasius and that he particularly related and commended it to posterity It was translated from Syria as it is reported rather by Divine then humane counsel Sabellicus lib. 9. Ennead 8. et Cuspinianus A Certain Jew in the time of Pope Pelagius stealing the Image of our Saviour out of the Church and thrusting it through with a weapon carried it privately home with him and being about to burn it when he perceived it bloodied he was so amazed thereat that he desists from his intent and went and hid it which the Christians seeking for it found it by the track of blood which fell from it as it was carried for which fact they stoned the Jew to death Sigebertus in Chron. OTho and Philip contending in War for the Empire many committed themselves and their goods to the Temple of Saint Govarus not far from Trevers because the place as they conceived was excellently well fenced both by nature and art Whither Vernerus Bolanus coming to fight against it the besieged fearing lest the enemy should enter by a window which they conceived the weakest part of the Church placed there the Image of our Saviour upon a Cross which was made of wood whereby they thought they had sufficiently secured it from the irruption of the enemy that way a certain bow-man ayming at that place shot his arrow into the Image of Christ and presently the blood flowed out of it as if it had been a living body Vernerus terrified therewith takes the cross and threw it into the Sea to warr against the enemies of Christ and the Image and Arrow was conserved with the blood sprinkled on them notwithstanding Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 6. GRegory the Great in his Epistle to Theoctistus saith That a certain Longobard of the Region of Transpadua found a golden Key of Peter's which he sent as a great Present to the King of the Longobards who caused it to be engraven on his sword which as soon as he made use of struck with Satanical fury he cut his own throat with it and dyed the same hour Whence had Peter so pretious a key and to what purpose ALdegisius whom Pandulphus Prince of Capua commanded to go to Cassinum and from thence to Planeta and bring with him the Chalice of the Emperour and other more pretious ornaments of the Church as a pledge whilest he was about to endeavour to perform the command of his Master at the Altar before which he stood adorned he fell upon his face struck with the Palsie and Falling-sicknesse becoming thereby a miserable spectacle to the beholders from which sicknesse though he after a sort recovered yet his eyes and mouth continued pittifully distorted and moreover the Prince did not onely persist in his enterprise of sacriledg but designed greater against the brethren but after his death a certain boy told to huntsmen that he saw him tyed with Iron bonds and drown'd up to the throat in a miery stinking Lake and that by two ugly black spirits he saw him one while cast into the deep and another while pulled out the cause of such horrid punishment inquired by the boy of him he answered It was because he had taken a golden Chalice out of the Monastery of St. Benedict and had neglected to restore it before his death desiring the boy to acquaint his Wife herewith and wish her to restore what goods were taken from the Monastery which notwithstanding the woman being covetous refused to perform Chronicon lib. 2. cap. 62. A Certain Hermite inhabiting in a Rock near an High-way of a Neapolitan Seigniory looking out at a window to see what time of the night it was after he had said over the Nocturnal Psalms saw a long rank of Blackmoors going loaded with straw and threatning fire who asking them Who they were they answered That they were Devils and they meant to bestow the combustible matter they carried upon men and that now they went for Pandulph Prince of Capua who was a dying in which very hour as it afterwards appeared Pandulph expired his life and presently after Vesuvius a Mountain vomited out such flames that store of scorching Sulphur rising thence appeared like a torrent with great force and violence discharging it self into the Sea Chron. Cassinense lib. 2. cap. 84. URspergensis Platina