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
Sepulchre and there sacrificed her Soon after the Battle began wherein the Lacedemonians received that memorable overthrow of Leuctria by Boeotarchus and Pelopidas Plutarchus in Pelopida WHen Gennadius the Chief of Constantinople under Leo the Great Emperour was by night standing at the Altar and praying to God for the world a certain evil spirit appeared to him which being by him forc't away by his making a crosse answered him thus in the voyce of a man That as long as he liv'd indeed he would avoid and be at quiet but afterward he would leave no way unattempted to trouble the Church of God Nicephorus lib. 15. cap. 23. Suidas Cedrenus A Little before that Henry the seventh Emperour dyed and the slaughter of the chief Rulers of the Nation as Musatus Patavinus and Franciscus Petrarcha do history it the Inhabitants of Mediolanum in the house-floor of Matthaeus the chief Governour who also merited the name af Matthaeus the Great when Sun was set an armed horseman appear'd to him far bigger then the shape of man when many for an hours space had beheld it it then vanish'd away with great terrour to the beholders Likewise three dayes after at the third hour in the very same place two horsemen in the like shape being seen skirmishing between themselves vanished also Sabellicus libro 1. cap. 4. TWo famous Merchants going into France through the groves near the Alpes in Italy they met a man bigger then the ordinary size of men he calling them suddenly charged them thus Speak to my Brother Ludovicus Sfortia and give him these Letters from me They being amazed and enquiring Who he was he replyed That he was Galeacius Sfortia and straightway he vanished from their sight They returned in all haste to Mediolanum from thence to Viglevanus where Maurus lived They present their lâ—tters to the Prince the Courtiers scoff at them but they standing stiff in their errand were cast into prison and being put upon the wrack they shewed by their constancy that there was no fraud in them In the mean while with great fear and ostonishment they deliberated about opening the Letters All the rest making doubt what to do one Galeacius a Commander in chief feared not The letter was folded up like a Bishops Writ as they term it very long fastened with small instruments of brasse The words whereof were these O O O Ludovicus take heed to thy self For the Venetians and the French have conspired to ruine thee and thy off-spring But if you will give me a thousand nobles I will endeavour to reconcile their high spirits and to turn away your ill fortune and I doubt not to accomplish it if you do not stubbornly refuse me Farewell The subscription was The spirit of Galeacius thy Brother Here some being astonished at the strangenesse of the thing others laughing at the device and most averring he must put money into his hands yet lest he should make himself a laughing-stock the Prince refrain'd this superstitious prodigality and sent home the Merchants again But in a short while after he was unthron'd by Ludovicus the Twelfth King of the French and carried away prisoner Artunus Section 1. historiae Medionens oculatus testis THe Father of Ludovicus Alodisius who was possessour of all the wealth of the City Imola a little after he went from hence appeared in a private place to the man in his journey whom his sonne Ludovicus sent to a City in Italy called Ferraria sitting on horseback with a hawk as 't was his manner in hawking to hold him and spake to him although in great fear to bid his sonne to come that very next day into the same place for he would tell him of a businesse of great consequence Hearing that Ludovicus both because he was incredulous thereof and was also afraid of some treachery sent another in his stead That same ghost meeting him which appeared before was very sad that his son came not for he said he would tell him many more things But at that time he bad him tell him onely this That twelve years being expired and one moneth the day likewise being particularly set down he should be no longer Governour of that City which he had The time which the Ghost had foretold of was come with great diligence in that very same night which his Fathers evil Angels suspected Philippus his Souldiers Captain of the City Mediolanum with whom he had made a Covenant and therefore fear'd him not the trenches being hard frozen scaled the Walls and with ladders took the City and its Governour Sabeb lib. 1. cap. 4. Exempl WHen Constantinople was besieged by the savage Turks both by Land and Sea There was seen at Come a City near adjoyning to France a great company of doggs whirried up and down in the Ayr and after them flocks of divers kinds of beasts and as it were many footmen first of a slender harnesse then pikemen and other weapon'd men followed after and horsemen followed them divided into Troops with a great Army set in battle array They seemed for the space almost of three hours to be an Army at hand At length a huge and formidable Man of a high stature such as cannot be expressed as General of the Army sitting upon a dreadfull horse advanced and some other vain Apparitions the forerunners of great mischiefs till night drawing on whatsoever they saw vanished away Which Wonders every body thought did foretell ruine destruction and misery to follow after which the fates had necessitated and so it came to passe Alexander lib. 3. cap. 15. AS Sigebertus reports in his Chronicle Antiochus by a Divine hand of Judgment was overturned and cast down in the second year of Mauritius A certain Citizen of the place a man of singular piety and full of charity and liberall in his Alms saw an old man all in white with two more with him standing in the midst of the City with a handkerchief in his hand with which striking the middle part of the City it suddenly was overturned houses men and all And his two companions had much ado to perswade him to spare the rest of the City that stood so when he had used many comfortable speeches to this good man they appeared no more IN the year of our Lord 1536. a certain Factor of Sicilia journying from Catana to Messana upon the 21 day of March took up his lodging at Taurominium thence next morning travelling on his way not far from the Town he met 10 Pargettors as they seemed to be carrying with them their tools he asking whither they were bound They answered To Aetna commonly called the Mountain Gibellus And soon after ten more of them who being asked whither they all went returned the same answer That their Master Workman had sent them to build a certain Edifice at Aetna and being asked who their Master was they said He came a little after them And suddenly he met a man exceedingly taller then any ordinary man with a
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
such strange Apparitions were seen in his stately houses that every body left them and no body durst inhabit them That Rich Epicure appeared with his guests in the dining room which he had divided for his delicacies and dainties that servants stood by giving attendance with lights in their hands setting on Golden cups and Vessels upon the Table and filling it with most gallant dishes the Fidlers moreover and Musicians were standing by and no gallantry was wanting that this rich man usually enjoyed when he was alive By God's permission and the operation of the Devill these spectrals were obvious to the eyes of men that others might be terrified from that horrid impiety and ungodlinesse of the Epicureans â—incelius lib. 2. IN the year 1559. In Marchia fell out a very strange thing which many of great account and credit did affirm truly so to happen In harvest time on a sudden appeared some men in the fields at first fifteen at last twelve all of an unwonted magnitude and an odious shape both first and last were without heads All these having siccles did on a cluster reap down the Oats that the noise of the Iron was easily heard yet all this while no Oats were cut Immediately the report of this marvellous sight came to the Court and many both of the Courtiers and Citizens went forth and were eye-witnesses of this miraculous Vision Many also going nearer to them aske of them who they were and of what Countrey and what they would have To which they made no reply but fel stoutly to their work which they had begun Some also did dare to lay hands upon them and to hold them but they quickly escaped out of their hands Whereupon it evidently appeared to all that were then present that they were Spirits That Illustrious Prince of Marchia having convocated many of his most eminent Divines desired to know of them what they thought of this strange prodigy Most of them were of opinion that it was the omen of an ensuing Plague Fincelius lib. 3. IN the year 1530. on the 18 19 and 20th of July near Spira there was a Vision on this manner Three fishermen when endeavouring to catch some Salmon in the River Reine they lost their labour they washed their Nets and laid them down to sleep When they had so done a Monk coming to them raised one of the Fishermen and bid him go on the further bank of Reine The Fisherman was obsequious to the Monks commands and instantly came six more in look and habit like to Monks who going into the Ship sailed along with them over the River Reine These coming forth the Ship was with a most violent and swift course brought back again through Reine and presently some other Monks entering into the same Ship passed over the River as the former had done At last the Fisherman being returned to the place where he had laid himself down to take rest shortly after fell sick On another night another Fisherman was awakened in the same manner to transport some Monks over the River Reine who coming to the ship Saith one of the Monks this Ship will not hold all that are to go over you must get a bigger And passing over the second time came 12. Monks clad partly in white and some in black with ugly hook-noses and they going into the Ship were also carried over who when they went out others presently stepped in and failed over But whither the Monks went and whither the Ship or how he came back to the place of his rest the Sailer knew not And he also within a small time was very ill On the third night the like chanced to the third man who being awakened was likewise charged to make use of a new Ship to transport more Monks who not knowing where to acquire one seemed to go through rough places and rugged Rocks till he found a Ship that was new made into which many Monks some of small others of a great stature having on black white and severall kinds of hoods were Shipped passing straitwaies through the same River not speaking one word and when they were come to an uneven place beset with Trees they refused to go out bidding them to Sail on When the Monks went forth the Ship of it self came against the Tide near the City Spira The fisherman not knowing himself was returned home and the Ship restored again into his own place The Monks when at first they questioned them whither they went answered towards the City Basill to the Councill There is one that describes these passages in an Epistle that calls himself Suredabus Cancrinus who also displayes and unfolds this Apparition to the life Of the same Spectacle out of an Elegy of GEORGE SABINE THere is an ancient City seated on The River Reine not far from Vangion People cal'd Nemeâ—es enjoy'd it there Four Roman Generals intombed were Caesarean coh'rts made it their seat of old Whence the name Spira at this day't doth hold Here liv'd one who no noble birth could vaunt Of a small fishing Ship an occupant In which when Titan had withdrawn his beams He us'd t'deceive the Tenants of the Streams Whilst he his Nets and Hooks did fit and trim Of gliding Reine almost upon the brim Behold a shape presented to his sight Of one he knew not in the edg of night His vesture was as Friars use to wear Such a black coul his crown was shaven bare The Fisher greets him at his wonted rate And asks him What makes him abroad so late He answer'd he was sent from far by 's Lord Desir'd him he would waft him o're that Foord That he might th'sooner gain the other side Which curtesy he granted nee'r deny'd Now the night 's near half spent Bootes waiâ— Had turn'd its course when in the virid plain Behold five more in Hoods towards him came Whom he saluted in good Fortunes name And ask't them Whither they so late were bound When night had finish't half her constant round One of the five reply'd Dangers constrain Us thus by night our safety to obtain We are infested by a wicked rout That seek to kill us ' cause we are devout If in thee any love of good abide Then waft us in thy Boat to th' other side That we may passe the waters by thy means And be not hindred by the swelling streams So shall thy labour prosper at thy will And so thy Nets the Pish shall crouding fill He gave consent and them his Boat affoarded Whereby his Ship they soon and safely boarded But then sayes he who shall the fraught defray One of them answer'd We 've no coin to pay Thou knowst to th' people since we are so hatefull They seldome give us ought but wee 'l be gratefull If once our fortune shall establish't be Wee 'l well reward thee for thy curtesy He loost from shore now 's Ship did gently glide Almost i' th middle of the pleasant Tide When spissy clouds ore-veild the Stars
liberi patres to the Libethrians out of Thrace that their City should be raced out and destroyed by a swine when the Sun first should see Orpheus's bones And therefore they being so well versed and accustomed to the Oracle that they never mistrusted any thing neither did they believe that there was any wild beast endued with such strength that could deface such a City which relyed no lesse upon their own confidence then it 's great strength But when it pleased the Gods that these things should come to passe a certain shepheard at noon-tide being weary laid down beside Orpheus his Tomb. And by chance falling asleep in his dream began to chant and to sing Orpheus Verses in a sweet and delectable tone and by that sweet chanting those shepheards that were hard by and those Plowmen that were plowing not far off being much taken with it left their work and ran to hear the sweet song of the sleeping shepheard and there when they joggled and justled one another nearer and nearer to the shepheard they threw down the Pillar and that being cast down the Urne was broken up which done the Sun saw Orpheus's bones Therefore in the following night a great deal of rain came and the River sides being one of Olympus streams cast down the walls of the Libethrians and o'returned the holy Temples and buildings and destroyed all the men and beasts which were within the wals Pausaunias in Baeoticis THe Siphâ—ian Ilanders by reason of their silver and gold-Mines are very rich heaping up great Treasures and yearly did send their tenths to Apollo at Delphos they inquired of the Oracle Whether they were to possess their present enjoyments long or no Pythia answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When you a Market-House and Council-Hall Erect all white beware a cunning blade With woodden Troops and with red Ensigns shall Thy Coasts and Thee with cruelty invade The Event confirmed the Oracle for the Siphnians at that time had a Market-place and a Councel-house built of white Parian Marble when the Samians instantly came themselves to Siphnum and sending a Ship with their Ambassadours to the City which was as all ancient ships used to be painted red the Messengers did require ten talents the Siphnians refused The Samians possessed themselves of their fields and slew many of their City and took many prisoners which the Siphnians redeemed for a hundred Talents Then at last although it was very late they understood the Oracle of a woodden Army and a red Ship of Legates and Ambassadors Herodotus lib. 3. THere was an ancient Oracle given to the Messanensians in Sicily Carthaginenses urbis suae lixas futuros Which they understood in this sense that the Carthagenians were to be slaves of the City Messana and to be serviceable to them and by this hope were puffed up with pride therefore they attempted to oppose themselves against Hamilcar the Carthaginian Captain but their City being taken at the last they understood the equivocall sense of the Oracle for Hamilcar did command the Carthaginian Souldiers like servants that they should demolish and pull down all their houses and that they should leave nothing unruinated and not pull'd down and to burn all and to spatter the ruines all about neither was there any delay for his commands they did ruinate the walls and o'return the buildings with such violence that the multitude hasting and being urgent in a short time they had finished the work all the Monuments were presently abolished and the manner of the place was utterly blotted out and the ground where the City formerly stood did appear so overthrown and trampled that scarce any tokens of habitation could be any where discerned c. Diodorus lib. 14. THe Phocenses being miserably vexed with War by the Thessalians sent to consult the Oracle at Delphos concerning their affairs and their Ambassadours received this answer Mortalem atque Deum jubeo decernere ferro Victor uterque aliud sed enim mortalis habeto The god and man I do command to try It out by sword who shall have victory They both are conquerors I do confesse But yet the morâ—al shall the god possesse The Phocenses being pusled with this dubious Oracle and not at all understanding the meaning of it sent out three hundred Scouts who were all slain even to the last man with their Captain Gelo. This slaughter struck the Camp with a very great terrour And at last they were come to that height of desperation that they brought together their Wives Children all their goods and whatsoever they could wrap or wring as gold silver and rich clothes and amongst the rest the Ensigns of their gods and building about them a very great Pile they left onely thirty men to look to them with strict charge that when they were in fight with their enemies if they saw any thing go cross or against them they should first slay their wives and children and then cast all the goods upon the Pile and then put fire to it and lastly that they should either kill one another or run desperately upon their enemies weapons from which amongst the Greeks all cruel and immane Councels and Designs were called Phocica or Phocensian Things being thus ordered by the advice and counsel of Tellias an Elian Prophet they draw out against the enemy and being resolute rush most desperately in amongst them and being acted with utter desperation plyed their hands so furiously that they obtained the most absolute and signal victory that ever any Age could boast of Then was the Oracle plain and obvious to every ordinary understanding For according to their custome in War the Generals on both sides gave to their Souldiers tesserae or marks to be known by from the enemy as we do our Watch-word And these happened then to fall pat with the answer of Apollo The Thessalians giving Etonia Minerva and the Phocenses the Founder of their Country Phocus THe Lacedemonians having received the most healthfull and good Laws of Lycurgus after his death being as we say prick'd with provender and not content longer to enjoy their ease and quiet puft with the conceit of being more noble then the Arcadians they consult Pythia whether they might not attain the possession of that whole Kingdom to themselves entirely To whom she returned this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wouldst thou Arcadia have a pretious boon Yet I will grant many fruit-eaters soon Arcadia enter shall these it impair And this I grant thee Thou shalt there a fair And plenteous harvest reap their Land about All rich with fetters thou shalt measure out When the Lacedemonians had received this answer they declined their assault of the rest of Arcadia and onely set upon the Tegeates taking fetters along with them to wit that having an Oracle to that purpose they might
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
him because he deferred to bring War on Greece The thing being talked of with Artabanus he constrained Artabanus cloathed with the King's garments to take a sleep in the King's Throne The same resemblance was also presented before the eyes of Artabanus Therefore he incensed Xerxes unto the Warr of Greece with no less diligence than before he had withstood indeed the evil fate of Xerxes so urging it that the most proud King might pay the punishments of his rashness and pride The same Xerxes seemed to himself to be crowned with an Olive-grass with the boughs of which Olive the whole Earth was overwhelmed and presently the Crown tyed fast about his head vanished This dream was more famous and sure than the former Xerxes had affrighted the world with Warlike preparation and now seemed to triumph over Greece Athens being taken when as he was by the diligence of Themistocles broken he was forced by a shamefull flight to shift for his life Herodotus book 7. THe Spartans Callicratidas being Captain were to fight at Arginusa in a Sea-battell with the Athenians the diviners on both sides disswading them For the head of a sacrificed beast lying on the shore dispersed the Lacedemonians being drawn through the rage of a wave the Soothsayers shewed all these things betokened that the Pretor of the Navy was to perish in that combat Which thing being heard they say Callicratidas answered he should withdraw nothing from the Spartane worthinesse if by fighting he should fall But unto Thrasibulus the Athenian who being then Pretor led the Navy and to whom that day the top of Royall Authority had come by lot by night this dream appeared It seemed to him together with six other Praetors to act the Tragedy of Euripides whose title is inscribed Phoenissas in the common Theatre But it seemed his adversaries acting the Tragedy whose name is Supplices the Cadmean Victory to have happened to them and all to have perished by imitating the Captains who had pitched their Tents for the assaulting of Thebes These things being heard a Prophet being called to interpret they so expounded it that seven Captains were to fall in that battell But the holy things otherwise openly promising Victory he bade the Captains that it may be shewed unto their companions alone concerning every ones death but that they divulge a Victory betokened by those very holy things throughout the whole Army A battell being joyned Callicratidas some Ships of the Enemies being first overcharged dyed the conquest remained in the power of the Athenians 25. Ships being lost 77. of the Enemies sunk They fought on both sides with little lesse then four hundred Ships and that battel is mentioned to be the greatest of all which indeed Greeks with Greeks ever fought Diodore in Book 13. UNto Pyrrhus King of the Epirots besieging Sparta such a dream was offered All Lacedemon being stricken with a Thunderbolt seemed to him thereby to be set on fire and he thereupon to leap for joy He being stirred up with gladnesse commands his Captains that they set the Souldiers in order and expoundeth the dream to his friends as if he was to vanquish the City Unto which thing when as others wonderfully agreed the sight pleased not Lysimachus He saith he feared least as the places that were blasted with Thunderbolt remain inaccessible so the god signified to Pyrrhus that he was not to enter the City When as Pyrrhus answered this man Those were meer delusions and full of uncertainty but that every man holding weapons in his hands ought to bring into his remembrance Optimum id augurium pro Pyrrho exponere vitam Of Divination that 's the chief For Pyrrhus to adventure life In the first of the morning he sets upon the City But the Lacedemonians not sluggishly and beyond their strength defending themselves he was constrained to loose the siege Plutarch in Pyrrhus CN Pompey having followed King Mithridates unto Euphrates fell by night At which time it is blazed by report that Mithridates saw a resemblance in his sleep which foreshewed him things to come It seemed to him to sail in the Pontick Sea with a prosperous wind and now to foresee Bosphorus and courteously to speak to those that were carried together with him as who rejoyceth in his sure and undoubted safety but suddenly he was found forsaken by all and tossed in a small broken piece of a Ship His friends standing by stirred him up being busied with those troubles and Images shewing that Pompey was at hand A fight therefore instead of a bulwark being begun he was overcome Far more then ten thousand were slain and the Camps were taken Mithridates himself with a draught of eight hundred Horsemen with him brake through the Romans By and by the rest sliding away he is left alone with three among whom was the Harlot Hipsicratia who had alway been of a manly boldnesse Wherefore the King called her Hispicratia But then she being cloathed with a man's Persian garment and carried on a Horse neither seemed she to be weary in body from the tediousnesse of the flight neither the Kings body and horse being taken care of was he tired untill they came unto the Towre or Castle Inor where the Kings Money and Treasures were heaped up Thence Mithridates took his pretious stones which he distributed unto those that assembled unto him out of the flight Moreover he gave a deadly poyson to a certain friend of his to be carried with him lest any one should come into the enemies hands From thence he strives to go into Armenia to Tigranes Which thing when he forbade him and had pronounced a hundred talents on his head the Springs of Euphrates being passed by he bends his flight through Colchis Plutarch in Pompey BEfore the Pharsalian fight it seemed to Cn. Pompey by night in his sleep he entering into the Theatre the people to applaud him and that he adorned the Temple of Venus the Conqueresse with many spoils This sight partly raised him up partly made him carefull fearing somewhat least Grace and famousnesse should come from him unto Caesars family chanting on Venus and some Panick fears awakened him out of sleep In the fourth watch over Caesars Camps where all things were quiet a great light shined out A flaming Torch kindled thereby was brought into Pompey's Camps Caesar himself said he saw this while he went about the Watches The same Author in the same place HEcuba being great with young she seemed to bring forth a burning Torch which burned Asia and Europe She not long after brought forth Paris by whose unchast loves the country of Troy being destroyed their forces being wasted Greece was consumed by a long war and undone Sabellicus book 1. ch 1. Volatteran book 18. Anthropol CAmbyses King of Persians saw Smerdes in his sleep sitting in the Kings Throne to touch the Heaven with his Crown He for that thing fearing lest his Brother Smerdes should possesse the kingdome sent Prexaspes to kill
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
Lastly despairing he killed himself willfully leaving a great fear to the Citizens of violating Religion Diodorus lib. 14. WHen Delos was heretofore the chief Emporium of all Greece and that onely fenced with Religion it defended all the inhabitants from the injuries of all others But Menophantes a certain Commander of the Armies of Mithridates who being driven by the command of the King or his own insolence arose against the Island and invaded it with his Navy having neither the defence of Walls nor Arms. Where all things being beaten down taken away and pillaged at length he laid the very City eeven with the ground In that destruction he cast the Image of Apollo proudly being taken from its seat into the Sea That being brought by the raging of the Sea to the bounds of the Boeotians at Laconia named the place Epidelium But neither Menophantes nor Mithridates himself did escape the wrath of the god For not long after the calamity of Delos when he was carried into the Sea the Merchants which had escaped his hand slew Menophantes But the god compelled Mithridates to lose his courage having lost his Kingdome already and being driven to and fro by the Romans he could rest no where There are some which say that he begged as a great favour from one of the Mercenary Barbarians to be killed Pausanias in Laconicis WHen the Graecians had dragged out by force and killed those who came to pray in the Temple of Neptune in the City of Helires a great and sudden Earthquake did not onely overturn the very walls but also defaced the very foundation of the City that there was not so much as any tokens left whereby it might be known to future ages And they record that another such destruction happened Helires was incompassed with a deluge of the Sea in the winter season and the very Grove of Neptune was so overwhelmed with that inundation that the tops of the highest Trees could hardly be discovered which comming to passe the whole City with its inhabitants was suddenly destroyed as well by the most violent motion of the Earth as the most abundant over-running rage of the Sea In the fourth year of the Olympiad 191. Pausanias in Achaicis WHen the Lacedemonians were inraged against the Inhabitants of Ilota which worshipped at the Temple of Neptune Asphalius that is the safe as Suidas saith which is at Teneros Sparta was shaken as well with vehement as frequent impulsions of the Earth that not one house escaped ruine except four houses amongst all the rest which escaped unruined Pausanias in Achaicis et Aelianus Libro 6. variae Historiae WHen Cytharoedes did dispute in contending for the honour of Juno at Sybarum for that was the cause that provoked the Sybaritans to that contentious disputation and when they had mutually gone to arms Cytharoedes fled with his Stole to the Altar of Juno but they forbore not to lay violent hands upon him in that place but a little after they saw bloud sprinkled about the Temple as if it had issued out of a continually-flowing Fountain But when the Sabaritans had sent to ask counsell at the Oracle of Delphos they received this answer Stand off my Sacred Tables come not near Whose hands are drench't in bloud should Justice fear Which fresh distilling thee forbids to venter Into the threshold of my Temple t' enter Good fates to them can never be foretold Who to stain Junoes Temple dare be bold The Muses harmlesse servant thou hast slain The god's revenge for which thou must sustain Who perpetrates base willfull facts may know He 's sure to suffer heavy Judgments blow Inexorable toth' unjust immortalls prove Descended though by birth from mighty Jove Who on their necks and childrens childrens dear Justly will heaped vengeance send to bear Neither was revenge delayed For when they waged Warre with the inhabitants of Crotonia they were overcome by them and their City was overthrown Aelianus libro 1. de var. Histor IN the Mountain Halesius near Mantinea was the Temple of Warlike Neptune built by Trophonias and Agamedes with Oaken boards forbidding entrance not by the opposition of any bolt but onely with a small Wollen rope drawn before it which had a secret force to drive men away Never any one entered into this Temple besides Aepytus King of Arcadia who having lost his Son as soon as he entered into the Temple he was smitten blind by the sudden force of the Sea-water boyling out of holy fountains and not long after died When the Emperour Adrianus did build it up again he did set overseers amongst the workmen lest any one should look into the antient Altar or suffer any rubbel to be carried from it to any other place Pausanias in Arcadicis IN the Mountain Lycaeus of Arcadia was the Altar of Jupiter Lycaeus whither no man could come If any one entred despising the Religion of the place it was certainly requisite that he must dye within the space of that year It is a wonderfull thing also that as they say as well men as beasts which by chance come into the circuit of this place have no shadow of their bodies And truly a Hunter cannot follow wild beasts that fly thither but standing at the entrance he cannot perceive any shadow that they have It is certain that the men of Syena a City of Aethiopia do shew no shadows from their bodies at that time of the year when Cancer is in Conjunction with the Sun But in this Lycaeus it doth happen in any part of the year Pausanias in Arcadicis THey report that in Cerynaea a City of Achaia was the Temple of the Eumenides dedicated by Orestes They believed that if any one entred in hither to see it polluted either with slaughter or any incest or kind of impiety he being troubled in mind would presently be cruelly terrified Wherefore the entrance of the Temple was forbidden to all that strived otherwise Pausanias in Arcadicis WHen Erisichthon a certain Thessalonian had cut down the Grove of Ceres she sent to him perpetuall hunger and caused that he should never be satisfied with meat He had a daughter named Mestra very well skilled in Witch-craft whom he often sold being turned into divers forms of living Creatures which running away a little after would return to her father having taken her former shape and so she helped her fathers hunger according to her ability Lastly he was driven to so great hunger that he eat his own flesh Natales Comes Mythol libro 5. cap. 14. WHen Cambyses King of the Persians came to the Theban Aegyptians he sent fifty thousand to destroy the Ammonians and commanded that they should burn the Oracle of Jupiter Ammon Therefore when they had gone seven dayes on their journey along the sands and dined between the City Oasis and the Ammonians a strong South-wind overwhelmed the whole Army with heaps of Sand carried along He being gone against the Macrobian Aethiopians with the rest of the Army
and dreamed that he saw Martin and Briccius together discoursing concerning his sicknesse and that Martin signed his forehead with the sign of the Crosse and with a staff which he carried in his hand touched that part of him which was diseased Therefore being awakened for joy he cries out with a loud voice to whom his servants wondring at the noyse run with speed and removing the cloth wherewith the sore place was bound found that it was whole and that there onely remained a scar in the place where the Canker had been Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 5. THere was near Brundulum an holy Temple of Saint Michael unto which one Temple the people of Clodia Matemancum and the Venetians themselves came with great Zeal to do their devotions It happened also that at Senogallia a certain man called Sergius a Prince in wealth and Authority was afflicted with a grievous disease who heard a voice in the night which said if he would make a vow to visit the holy Temple of Saint Michael he should recover his health Whereupon he made a vow and according thereto leaving his Country soyl visited the Temple and bestowing great gifts upon it returned home to his own house being freed from his sicknesse Egnatius lib. 1. cap. 6. JOhn Orphanotropus brother to Michael Emperour of Paphlagonia the Physicians despairing of his cure in his sleep he saw Nicolas the Great who admonished him to go to Myra assuring him that assoon as he came thither he should recover his health He therefore speedily repairs thither where deservedly bestowing upon the Clergy of that place Oyntment and other rich and pretious gifts and encompassing the famous City of Myra with a most strong wall he returns home perfectly cured of his disease Cedrenus HEnry the second Emperour when he took with great pain an exact view of the Cities of Apulia was so miserably infested with the stone that almost all men despaired of his recovery but he sustained his sicknesse with so great patience judging it to be as a rod of correction for his sins sent to him from Almighty God that as he ascended the hill Cassinum desiring the intercession of Saints Saint Benedict and Saint Scolastica for Physitians could do him no good He saw in his sleep Benedict standing by him and with a Knife to have opened his privy members and took out a great stone making the wound whole and putting it into the Kings hand who awakened from his sleep seeing and perceiving the great miracle called his guard to him that they might fetch his Prince to whom he shewed this great miracle which transcended humane capacity and belief together with the scar of the incision out of which the stone had been taken Therefore giving immense thanks to the most good great and immortal God and giving to the Temple of Saint Benedict most great gifts and offerings and endowing it with great possessions and yearly rents near adjoyning thereunto He departed from Cassinum Cuspianus MAnuel a Captain under Theophilus the Emperour who had disapproved the worship of Images and then wavered in his Judgment concerning the same fell into a grievous sicknesse insomuch that it was verily believed he would dye thereby certain Monks of the Monastery of Studium to whom it was shewed that he was dying came to him and approaching to his bed side found by his breathing that he was yet alive and delivered to him the joyfull tydings that he should recover his health how can this be saith he speaking with a weak and low voice the faculties of his Soul being much weakened and his body dried up with heat the Monks answered All things are possible with God therefore if when he should recover his health he would endeavour that Images might be restored according to the decrees of the Antients they assured him that he should be restored to life and health which when they had with much certainty declared they departed In a short time after his sicknesse was asswaged and his naturall faculties restored to their former strength he was altogether freed from his sicknesse Cedrenus A Certain friend to Julian travayling with much haste towards him then in Persia being forced for want of an Inne to go somewhat out of his way to a Church which was near reposed himself all night therein whether sleeping or waking he knew not he saw in the night many of the Apostles Congregated complaining of the contumelies and disgraces of the Emperour cast upon the Church taking counsell amongst themselves what was to be done and having deliberately spoken of it and many things more they appearing as it were perplexed two of them rising up in the midst of them advising them to be of good cheer making hast to destroy the Empire they left that counsell or conference The man who had this admirable Vision neglecting the journey he had begun that he might see the issue of his Vision stayes another night and sleeps in the same place and sees the same assembly to whom upon a sudden they which the night before went to fight against Julian came in as returned from their journey and declared to the company that Julian was dead Sozomenus lib. 6. cap. 2. NAuglerus lib. 2. Generatione decima-tertia reports that Basill Bishop of Caesaria Cappadocia by reason of Julian his threatning to destroy Caesaria as he returned from the Persian War proclaiming a fast to be kept for three dayes in the Temple to implore the help of Almighty God in the Church of the Virgin Mary after finishing whereof he saw in his sleep Mercury a Souldier lately dead who by the command of the Virgin Mary killed Julian and that the arms hanging over his Tomb were gone thence and the keeper of the Church demanded what was become of them said he knew not but did affirm by Oath that they were there the last evening Basill therefore returning to the Hill called others up and told them that Julian was dead and going with them to the Sepulchre of Mercury found his launce restored to the place it used to hang all bloudy But Hermanus Gyges in storibus temporum reports this in the time of Julian not by Basill but Blasius a certain Bishop of Cerastenses EDward the third King of England having almost reigned his twenty fourth year there was a Ring brought him from Jerusalem by certain men who came thence which he long before had privately given to a poor man who obtained it as an alms which he sought for the love that the King bore to Saint John the Evangelist and not long after falling sick having learnt the most absolute vertue of a Christian which is contentedly to resign his Soul to the most great and glorious God he was buried in the Temple of Westminster and shortly after canonized a Saint The ring was long after kept with great veneration in the same Church which was a present cure to all infeebled and weak members of Men and Women and by the touch of it the
blood and shut up the earth which was shaved away with the blood in Crystall Catalogus Treverensis COnstantine the Emperour did alwayes adore the nayles of Christ being crucified which were given him by Helena his Mother he fastned one to the Crest of his helmet he made a bridle for his horse with the other which may be seen at Mediolanum to this day having confidence that in the help of these he should eschew all dangers of his life But what is more wicked then that thou shouldst ascribe those things to the iron which belong to the most high God Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 2. de cultu divino ex Ambrosio POpe Gregory II. sent three holy Sponges to Eudon the great Duke of Aquitan which were wont to be used at his table He distributed them being cut in pieces to his army which he did conduct against the Saracens and it happened that none of them which did partake of it were wounded or slain Eudoni epistola ad Gregorium in lib. Pont. A Monk of the Roman Convent which being a boy was delivered by his Parents to an Abbot where he did offer sacrifice and leaving his Religion he married a Wife But being sick of the Quinsie he was brought back into the Monastery receiving the habit and repentance and he was beaten cruelly with whips by St. Andrew and Gregory for his faults committed Hence leaping out of his bed he put on a garment made of Goats-hair and another that was to cast over his shoulders and having entred the Temple of St. Andrew he said to the standers by Behold I being so purified by the stripes of the Saints I depart out of my body as formerly I issued out clean by baptism And dyed while they were muttering a Soul-mass for the dead Vincentius lib. 25. cap. 57. A Certain man of Colonis an I le in the Argolick Gulph born of a Jew his father but being converted when he perceived the body of our Lord in the Paschall Feast he carryed it whole I know not for what use in his mouth home with him But he being affrighted with the Divinity did bury it in the Church-yard The Priest came suddenly upon him by chance and discrying what was done having opened the pit he found the form of a Child which when he hasted to carry it to the Church it vanished into the thin Ayr. Trithemius in Hirsaugiensi Chronico A Certain infamous woman at the yearly solemnization of the Passeover at Castrum which is called The golden Mountain when she perceived the body of our Lord in her mouth she shut it up whole in her chest at home A little after when one of her Lovers by chance opened it he found the sacrifice as they call it of our Lord's body changed into the shape of flesh and blood in the year of our Lord 1181. Sigeberti continuator By these delusions Satan doth strive to confirm the Popish fiction of Transubstantiation IN the year of Christ 1345 when certain men consecrated a sacrifice they did steal the memories of all the Saints with their own dish which was dedicated out of the Temple and because they found the dish not gold as they believed but brass gilded they cast it into a filthy Pond at the Village Bubalum near the City of Cracovia Presently the place shined with frequent fires and little fire-brands some dayes and nights continually When that miracle was presented to the Bishop not as yet discovering the cause thereof after he had proclaimed a three dayes fast when he went thither with an annual Pomp and having found the Eucharist there he brought it thither from whence it was carried But in the very same place where it was found Cazimirus II. King did build a magnificent Temple with exceeding rich walls entituled The body of Christ and in process of time environing a very large space of ground with a wall he built a new City and called it Cazimiria after his own name Cromerus lib. 12. JOnathas Judaeus of Bruxells a famous City of Brabant in the year of Christ M.CCC.LXIX redeemed certain sacrifices as they call them dedicated to Holy Katherin and being slain in a Garden by the assault of his enemies he left them to his Wife to keep and she to her son Abraham who on Friday in the Holy Congregation of the Jews having chosen out his sacrifice he pierced it and did tear it in pieces But abundance of blood proceeding the Mother of Abraham being converted divulged the miracle Wencislaus the Duke of Brabant having made diligent search he took care that Abraham and his associates should be burned alive before the Temple of holy Katherine and religiously placed the sacrifice in the Cathedral Temple of Saint Gudula Ludovicus Guicciardinus in descriptione Germaniae inferioris HEretofore the Rule of the Mass for the soul of the dead was sang openly and with a loud voice But Pope Vigilius instituted That it should not be performed but in a holy place in holy garments and a low voice It happened once as Shepherds having put bread ridiculously upon a stone in the field rehearsed the words of the Canon by which it was transubstantiated and so suddenly seeing bloody humane flesh before them and stricken by the appointment of God they presently dyed Hermannus Gygas WHen the bodies were thought to rest in their graves the earth would be carried out of the vault of the Temple of Paulinus at Treveris where the Theban Legions were killed by Ricticnarius Maximianus heretofore Lievtenant to the Emperour a certain head being cast forth by the Priest unwarily did bleed excessively and remains bloody even to this day Schaffnaburgensis Anno 1072. REgino doth declare that Clodoveus King of France because that irreligiously he plucked the body of Dionysius out of his grave and broke his arm and snatched him with violence presently being astonished fell mad and after two years lost his life and Kingdom Idem Adon Vienensis aetate 6. Nauclerus generatione 23. Sigebertus circa annum Domini 660. HEctor Boëthius doth relate That if any woman kicked the Tomb of a blessed woman at Guanora in Scotland she ever after remained barren Cardanus de Rerum varietate lib. 8. cap. 44. A Certain woman which had carried the shoes of holy Genovepha to Lutetia suddenly lost her eyes and having begged pardon received her sight Bonfinius lib. 5. Decad. 1. WHen a Robber came to the Tomb of Wencislaus IV. the honourable King of the Bohemians upbraiding the dead man's life a stony Statue put upon the Sepulchre gave him a buffet and presently being smitten blind he suffered for his wickedness Afterwards the Statue was laid in the privy Chappel and another Brazen one was put in the place thereof Aeneas Sylvius capite 28. Histor Bohem. A Certain Constantine the overthrower of Artabasdus seeing the Image of the God-bearing-Virgin standing having caught up a stone he threw it at the Image and brake it and when it fell kick'd it And he saw her in
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
in a pool there which they decyphered to him he obeys this Vision and bestowing himself in fasting seven dayes he with his son Crispus were washed with baptism by holy Sylvester having been anointed with oyl at which time an extraordinary miraculous light illustrated the place and a melodious sound was heard and Constantine himself being touched by a Divine hand cometh out of the Laver safe and sound from his infirmity Nicephorus lib. 7. cap. 33. et Cedrenus LOtharingus being a prisoner at Constantinople was so robustious and strong that the Turks were afraid lest he should break his chain and fetters and therefore they made an Iron Collar or chain and put it about his neck with chains of Iron fastned to it five fingers broad and three fingers thick reaching to his fetters in which condition the prisoner remembring St. Nicolas who had lived in his Countrey invocates him to intercede to Almighty God for him whereupon sleeping that night after the next morning when the Sexton opens early in the morning the door of the Temple of St. Nicolas at Varanguilles he finds there this Captive sleeping who awakened acknowledged himself miraculously brought thither in his sleep it being two thousand miles distant from Nanceum where the day before he had invocated this Saint's intercession The miracle being divulged the people run to see it and after Mass having sung some praises to Almighty God four Smiths are sent for to free him from his chains which when it appeared that they could by no humane power be dissolved of their own accord as it were but by the command of Almighty God leapt in sunder Vierus lib. 2. cap. 29. de praestigiis Daemonum ex libello de Galliae Sanctuariis GRegorius Turonensis lib. 5. cap. 6. writeth That Bituricus Archdeacon of Lions by the cutting of Cataracts or skins which grew upon his eyes lost his sight and being helpless by Physitians made his address himself by the devotion of fasting and prayers for two or three moneths to the Church of Martin that he might receive his sight and ardently making his prayers upon the Feast-day of St. Martin obtained his desire POpe Leo in the time of Charls the Great when he had led the Procession through the City of Rome to the Church of Sylvester by his chief Officer for the celebrating the Paschal and Pambulis a Priest whose filthy life he had often corrected was stript of his Pontificial Robes and deprived of sight and speech and coming to the Monastery of Erasmus and carried to the Image of Albinus in the Church of St. Peter as it is reported he there received again his eyes and tongue Sigebertus Anno 799. et Bonfinius lib. 9. Decad 1. GRegorius Turonensis libro de gloria confessorum cap. 96 tells a miraculous story of one visited with the Palsie who being drawn in a Coach to celebrate the Feast of Alban the Andigavensian Bishop in his sleep at night he saw a man coming to him and saying Rise the third hour and go into the Temple for it will come to passe that at that time Martin and Alban will be there and if thou likewise be there at that instant thou shalt recover thy health Which Miracle according to the prediction had in his dream was wrought in the sight of many spectators Turonensis affirmat A Certain Priest sick of the Palsie brought to the Tomb of St. Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury was presently restored to health At the same Sepulchre a certain man possessed with a Devil vomits him up with much blood Vincentius lib. 24. cap. 95. At Grandavus in the year 1010 before the body of St. Bavones which then by chance was brought thither Mansuindis a Maid of Antwerp was cured of the Palsie Jacobus Meyer in Chronico Flandrensi COsroes King of Persia hearing that Sergius the Martyr granted all things that were desired of him sought of him ayd for the defence of his Kingdom and foecundity to his Wife being barren which obtaining of him he sent to Gregorie a golden Cross dish cup censer and other giâ—s in honour of Sergius the blessed Martyr Evagrius l. 6. cap. 21. COnstantine Bishop of Cyprus tells in the fourth Nicene Act of a certain man who by driving a nayl into a wall struck it into the forehead of St. Peter's picture and found that he was presently troubled with an Head-ache whereupon commanded to pull out the nayl he obeying was presently made whole FRenchmen being sent by Pippin to Floriacum to carry the bones of Benedict to the Cassianensian Monastery as they were going into the Temple by the vertue of Benedict were struck blind whereupon they returned back conceiving that he rebuked them because he would not have France deprived of such holy reliques Scribit Sigebertus Anno Dom. 753. Vincentius lib. 13. cap. 155. A Certain man named Garganus a Citizen of Pontinum who fed a great herd of Cattle in the Mountain Prium lying in Apuleia which is now called Garganus or the Mount of St. Michael in the time when the Goths infested Italy by war seeking a Bull which was strayed from the herd at last finds him in a cave which was in a hard rock naturally without man's labour and angry at his straying beast he shoots at him the arrow lighting upon the back of the Bull rebounded back upon Garganus which he construed to have some divine signification wherefore he declared what happened to Lawrence a Priest who prolaiming a Fast for three dayes in the night when he was asleep he had a Vision or Dream wherein Michael the Arch-Angel appeared to him affirming to him that it was his doing that the arrow retorted from the Bull that he would have that place known to be the oratory wherein he would have a Church for his service and when the Neapolitans had besieged the City of Sipontinum Lawrence declaring the Oracle of the Arch-Angel the hour they had appointed to break in the Vision was believed and the cave of the Arch-Angel which seemed as if it had been made by handy-work began religiously to be worshipped and the dedication of Gelasius the chief Bishop which he prepared was disapproved by the Arch-Angel for that a place divinely consecrated wanted no dedication Therefore the cave being consecrated with a most royall Temple most men were wont to come thither once every year there were tables wherein were written the form of religion and prayers hanged upon the walls all about shewing their titles And where the Altar that belonged to the Statue of the Arch-Angel was in a place inaccessible by men there the Statue was placed which beholding the mind of man struck with a silent fear by the contemplation of so great and holy meditations powreth forth its prayers Other Altars also made by neither cost nor artifice of man which seem natural increase devotion Pont. l. 2. belli Neapol AN old Fisherman told to the Duke Bartholomaeus Grandonicus when the waters rose above their ordinary custome and thereby