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
stands an ugly ghost he makes his name known and confesses the truth of the crime saying That he was a common thief and was put to death for his villanies and by the common peoples ignorance was honour'd for a Martyr Then Martin makes an Edict That the Altar should out of hand be taken away and by this means delivered the people from their superstition Severus Sulpitius in ejus vita WHen Simonides Cous supp'd at Scopas his house in Thessaly and had sung that song which he had made on him wherein many things for ornament sake as the Poets use to do were written on Castor and Pollux Scopas told him he would give him half according to their agreement for that song but the other half he must demand of Castor and Pollux whom he had equally commended with him A little while after comes in a Messenger to Simonides and tells him there were two Men at the gate calling for him very earnestly Up he arose and went forth but saw no body In this very interim of time down falls that very room where Scopas was feasting and crusht to death him and all his company Cicero in lib. de Oratore IN the year of our Lord 654. In the eleventh year of the reign of Constans it rained ashes so that Constantinople was in great fear fire fell from Heaven and a most grievous plague mightily increas'd for the 3 hot moneths A good and bad Angel were seen by every body to go in the night time about the City and as often as by the good Angels command the bad Angel did smite any ones door with a javelin which he had in his hand so many dyed out of that house the next day Sigebertus in Chronicis et Paulus Diaconus lib. 19. rerum Romanarum IN the sixth year of Constantinus Copronymus in the month of January about 4 of the clock there was an earthquake round about Palaestine and all Syria which destroyed many Churches and Monasteries And a Plague beginning in Sicily and Calabria goes quite through Monobasia and Hellades and through the neighbouring Isles and at last it comes to Constantinople Many perplext in mind thought they saw some strange men of a stern look following them and speaking unto them and to enter their houses and either to wound them there or cast them forth out of dores and so it was indeed in the event For that infection made houses which were full empty and there was such a multitude that died that all the Sepulchres in the City and Suburbs being fill'd Vaults Lakes Vineyards and Gardens were made places to bury in Anno Dom. 748. juxta Sigebertum IT was a strange and almost prodigious kind of death that Theodoricus King of the Ostrogoths died For in a while after that he had slain Symmachus and Boethius when a great fish's head was set before him on the table at supper he imagined he saw Symmachus his head in it biting his nether lip in as if he threatned him as he himself afterwards told his Physitian Elpidius With which representation he was so affrighted that at that time going to bed he was alway saying as long as he lived That image amazed him THe Castrobians report that Aristeus Proconnesius the Poet going into a Fullers shop in the Isle called Marmora died there and the Fuller shutting up his shop went away to acquaint his neighbours that such an one was dead this rumour being spread quite through the City that Aristeus was dead suddenly there came one whose name was Cyzycenus a Philosopher of Athens from the City Artace who said that he was in Company with Aristeus at a place called Cyzicus and spake with him Whilst he endeavoured to confirm it all the neighbours were in a readinesse having all things convenient to carry men forth The house being open'd Aristeus appeared neither living nor yet quite dead and 7. years after he was seen in Proconnesus when he composed those Verses which at this time are called by the Greeks Arimaspei which when they were made he again vanished The inhabitants of Metapontis in Italy say that Aristeus was seen in those quarters 300 and 40. years after and charged that Apolloes Altar should be erected and called by the name of Aristeus Proconnesius c. Herodotus lib. 4. ONe Leonard at Basill about the year of Christ 1520. one of no ingenuity and who stammer'd in his speech he was commonly called Lienimannus He I know not by what skill entring that vault which opens to the City Basill and going further then ever any yet could tells of strange and wonderfull sights One going down into the Cave with a lighted Taper in his hand said that he must first passe by an Iron gate then out of one Vault into another and then into fair and flourishing Gardens In the middle was a Hall to be seen most richly beautified and a very handsome Virgin to the middle with a Golden Diadem round about her head downwards she was like an ugly Serpent she would lead me by the hand to the Iron chest Upon that lay two black Mastiffe Dogs who with their horrible barking scar'd away all that came near them But the maid restrained them Then untying the bundle of keyes about her she opend the chest and took out all kind of moneys Gold Silver and Brasse whereof by the Virgins bounty he said he brought much out of the Vault with him He said moreover that the Virgin used to say that she was by direfull imprecations long since devoted hither and transformed into such a Monster but she was sprung from a royall stem and thought there was no other way to recover her safety then if she received 3. kisses from a pure and undefiled young man For then her own form would return to her and she would give her whole treasure otherwise called her Dower which was hid in that place to him that freed her He averred also that he kissed twice and twice took notice of her deportment so terrible for over-much joy of her hoped for liberty that he was afraid that she would tear him in pieces alive In this intervall of time it so fell out that his Nephews bringing him to a baudy-house he accompanied with an Harlor With which foul crime being contaminated he could never after find the way to the vault nor enter it Whereof poor Soul he often with weeping tears made complaint Who sees not that this was a Diabolicall phantasm but yet verily that antient Romane coin which he brought out of the Cave and made sale of to many of our City do plainly shew that some treasure was hid in that hollow place which some covetous Devill hath in custody just as the evill spirits to their own great perill do in Golden mines Lest any should think these things fabulous there are some witnesses yet alive that heard Lienimannus make relation of all things After him a Citizen of Basill in a very great dearth and scarcity that he might the
the Dictatour and Manilius Octavus General of the Thusculan forces did with all might at the lake called Regillus encounter one with another and neither for a long time was worsted Castor and Pollux Champions for the Romane party appearing utterly routed all their men of War Idem lib. 1. cap. 8. WHen the Brutii and Lucani with inveterate hatred and main strength endeavoured to destroy the City Thurina and Fabritius Lucinus Cos chiefly by his care would preserve it safe but the event was doubtfull both armies being met in one place the Romans not daring to enter the fight a young man of good stature at first began to exhort them to take courage then finding them faint-hearted and very backward up he takes the ladder and away he went to the enemies tents through the midst of their army and scales their bulwark Then crying out with a loud voice that he had made the first step to the victory and thus he enticed and drew on the Romans to take the Enemies Garrison and the Lucani and Brutii to defend their own thus they stood doubtfull to encounter But he again by the instigation of his harnesse delivered up to the Romans their prostrate enemies to be slain and taken For twenty thousand were killed five thousand with Statius Statilius General of their Country were taken with three and twenty Colours The day after when Cos had told him that he reserved a garland amongst the renowned for him of whose industry he had made use by whom their quarters were supprest and he could not be found that could ask such a reward 'T is likewise known and believed that Mars was propitious to the Romans Among other things of this nature these are manifest and clear tokens his head-piece pointed with two spires wherewith his heavenly pate was covered was also one Argument Therefore by the command of Fabritius supplication was made to Mars and testimonial given that his helping hand was forgotten by all the Souldiers crown'd with lawrells with great jollity Valerius lib. 1. cap. 8. EMpusa or Onocale an evil ghost sent by Hecate to them that are in distresse because she can transform her self into divers shapes thence called so because it goes with one foot the other is made of brasse or is an Asses foot Some thought it appeared at noon when sacrifices were offered to the dead Aristophanes in Ranis Dialog But I see a great beast What manner of one An ugly one and of many shapes For now 't is an Oxe now a Mule another while a very handsome woman Where is it I 'le go near to it But now 't is no woman 't is now a dog then 't is Empusa all his face is as 't were on fire and he hath a foot of Brasse Suidas IN that Lybia which encloseth the Syrtes sometimes and most of all in a calm season do appear shapes of severall living creatures in the Ayre some of which are still some stir and these sometimes flie from one sometimes follow after one but all of a large stature they terrifie and affright the ignorant But they that follow after environ him they catch laying cold paws upon him Diodorus lib. 3. cap. 4. THe Orthomeii commonly report of Actaeon that there is a field haunted by that Ghost which rested on that stone which is between the Plataeans and Megarans Wherefore consulting Apolloes Oracle they were charged to bury the reliques or remainders if they found any and moreover that they should fasten that representation of a Goblin which was made of Brasse unto a stone Pausanias in Baeoticis IN Parnassus a hill of Baeotia dedicated to Apollo Bacchus his feasts are every other year solemnized and there do meet and are to be seen a numerous company of Satyrs which may be heard for the most part to speak in their own language there is Musick likewise to be heard Macrobius lib. 1. Saturnal cap. 18. THey say Gellus had a maid that died young and 't is generally believed her ghost walks to and fro at Lesbos haunting children whereupon they impute to this Gellus the death of any children that die in their minority Hence comes the Proverb Puerorum amans Gello Erasmus in Adagiis STrabo in the sixth book of his Geography relates it That Temese was the chiefest City of Brutia from Laus called from him afterward Templa which being built by the Ausonians the Aetolians Thoas his companions did then enjoy and when they were expelled thence the Brutii at last Hannibal and the Romans utterly destroyed it Nere it was a chappel beset with Olive trees dedicated to one Polites Ulysses his associate This man because he was affronted by the Barbarians was very irefull against them so that it was turned into a Proverb and they would usually say Take heed Temessaeus his Ghost is a coming Then when the Locri and Epizephyrii possest it there was one Euthymus as saith Aelian that came thither out of Italy a famous champion and mighty strong who also carried about with him a stone of an huge magnitude which he used to shew the Locri. He encountered with Polites and return'd from the duel victor and so his neighbours by his means were freed from paying tribute Money which he was wont to force from them He also made him to return with interest whatsoever he had taken away from them And from hence he thinks arose this Proverb To them that make wicked and unlawfull gain that Temessaeus his genius would come to them whereby they signified that some time or other they must with usury pay back again those things which they had wrongfully and by fraud or force taken from them Pausanias in Eliacis tells the story somewhat otherwise to wit that a comrade of Ulysses was for ravishing a Virgin kill'd and for that very fact his Goblins unlesse they were yearly appeased by offering a Virgin used to be very fierce and angry and they spared no Sex nor Age. And him indeed the common people do believe to be the genius of that place which Euthymus that noble Champion returning from Temessa supprest by setting at liberty and marrying that Virgin which they had promised Erasmus in Chiliadibus THere is an Isle of Aega from whence the Aegaean Sea took its name consecrated to Neptune wherein scarce any one could take any rest Nicocrates told this ex phantasmatum Dei occursaculis but now and then they are disturbed and cannot sleep Caelius lib. 30. cap. 9. A. L. BEfore that C. Caesar Caligula his body was interred the Gardiners were haunted and disquieted with spirits And they said in that house where he died they were every night affrighted untill the house was burnt to the ground Suetonius NEro murthered his Mother Agrippina finding out and severely chastening him for what he had said and done But he was alwaies after troubled in Conscience for that wicked act although the Souldiers Senate and people encouraged him in it and gave him many thanks for so doing he often
an easy matter saith Luther for Satan to assume the shape of a Man or Woman ex colloquiis Lutheri ONe descended of a most illustrious progeny invited Martin Luther and some other learned men to his Countrey-house at Wittenberg and when for his pleasure he rode forth to hunt the hare a Hare of an incredible bignesse and Forces running very swiftly over the fields objected themselves to his view The noble man being excellently well-mounted followed them with a great shour and presently his horse fell down dead under him and the Hare vanished into the Ayre This was a truly Satanicall Phantasm IN the 1546. year after Christ Martin Luther related at a Supper at Islebia That at Thuringia about the mountain which they call Horselberg certain noble youths very intent in the night time in catching of Hares took in their Nets about eight which when they returned home and hung up they found to be in the morning onely so many horse-heads such as are to be found stinking in some loathsome ditch Ex colloquiis Lutheri AT Rotenberg a certain man most gloriously attired and one that bragged of great Nobility and Riches did frequent the house of a very honest Man and had two companions no lesse gorgeous in their apparel then himself He brought a Fidler and a Piper made Banquets called Dances and all under pretence of marrying the daughter of this good Man a very vertuous Maid He affirmed he was born to Noble Parents had immense Riches Castles Farms Towns and many of them in Forrain Countries Nor did he want any thing this world could afford but a Wife to his likening qualified and educated This â—â—â—ortunity of his guest and his companions pleased not the Master of the house which caused him to call in the Minister of the place against they came that so whilst they were at Supper he might intermeddle some holy discourse out of holy Writ These Colloquies very much offended his guest and his friends Wherefore they desired some other subject and argued that many witty conceits and neat jests were more suitable to feasting and did more exhilarate the hearts of men then the exposition of holy writ therefore they would intreat them to be no more troublesome to them with discourse of that nature By which the Master of the house found what diabolicall spirits they had and being now well armed against the snares of the Devill he said to his guests Avaunt or depart O ye wicked Caitifs you shall have nothing to do with me nor mine we are Baptized and Redeemed by the pretious Bloud of Christ and he will defend us against your Diabolicall machinations At these words this devillish Impostor together with his hellish companions vanished leaving behind them a most noisome stink and the dead bodies of three men who had been hanged Manlius in collectaneis A Certain Man who abounded with wealth living about thirty Miles from Gorlitz inviting some friends to a Supper most exquisitely cooked and they refusing to come he grew so extream angry that in a rage he said If they will not come I wish all the Devils in Hell would This wish was not frustrate for immediately a great company of them which he had called for in his wrath came to him which he not knowing at the first sight went to entertain them courteously But when instead of hands they stretched forth their claws to him being exceedingly affrighted he well thought what kind of guests he had in his house Thus trembling with his Wife he fled out of his Castle and left an Infant in the Cradle and a Fool sitting on a Stove by it to see to it But the Fool brought the Child safe from amongst those fiends Jobus Fincelius de Miraculis SOme florid and learned Men in the Basil Council for recreation sake went forth into a small Wood friendly to confer about the disputes of those times As they were going along they heard a pretty little Bird singing most sweetly like a Nightingale they are ravished at her pleasant Musick not knowing what Birds note it should be Entring the Wood they espy a small Bird sitting on a Tree and singing most pleasantly without giving over they were all very attentive At last one having more courage and better spirited then the rest speaks thus to the Bird I adjure thee in the Name of Christ to tell us who thou art The Bird made answer That she was one of the damned Souls and was designed to that place till the last day and then she must undergo everlasting torment When she had said this she flew away from the Tree crying O how immense and of long continuance is Eternity Philippus Melancthon saith I am of opinion that this was the Devil inhabiting there All that were present at this adjuration fell very sick and within a little after dyed In collectaneis Manlii A Certain powerful Man and very ancient had devoted himself to conjure the Devil maintaining his study herein by that saying The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head as if man had power given him over the Devil that he might call him forth and cast him out when he pleased I am not saith Luther of that belief to dare to use the commerce of Devils And added moreover what happened to Nicolaus Ambsdorffius Bishop of Ciz who as himself related it and truly acknowledged on a time in the City Maidenburg when he was Priest there sleeping by night in an Inne he was awakened by two Noblemen long since dead before whom went two young men carrying Torches in their hands and not being afraid when there was no danger being commanded to arise he did so There these Noble-men dictated Letters to him which he wrote and charged him to present them to a certain Prince When they had done these things they vanished He delivered the Letters to whom he was commanded IN the year 1545. an evil spirit straggled up and down the City Rotwil having the shape sometime of an Hare sometimes of a Goose and sometimes of a Weazel threatning with a loud voice that he would burn the City Which did not a little terrifie the Inhabitants thereof Pincâ—lius lib. 1. IN the year 1534. On Christmas Eve in a City of Saxoniâ— Satan taking upon him the form of a Man came confidently to Laurentius Donerus Priest of that place when he should hear them that were the next day to come to the holy Supper of the Lord to make confession of their sins earnestly desiring him to hear his confession Being admitted he belched out most horrible blasphemies against Christ the Son of God But being convicted by the Minister with the power of Gods Word he departed leaving an unsufferable scent behind him Idem AT Friâ—urga a famous City in Misnia was there a Man renowned for his Religion and Age who being very dangerously sick and almost at the point of death The Devil clad in a prelaticall garb came unto him left by chance all alone
and perplexing and troubling the old Man in that agony demanded of him to tell him in order all the faults which he had committed in his life and he having in a readinesse paper and ink would set them all down But when the old Man by Gods Word mightily opposed the Devil's demands and yet he would not desist from his importunity at last saith the old Man Since you presse it so upon me that I should particularly declare to you my faults Write then First of all beginning thus The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Which he hearing threw down his paper and ink upon the ground and leaving behind him an ill favour vanished away The good old Man not long after departed in peace Doctor Willerus et Manlius in collectaneis THere was at Heidelberg a Doctor of Divinity a favourer of the Gospel whose servant was born in Lower Germany when having visited his Father and was returning to Heidelberg not far from the City he met an horseman sitting upon a great horse by whom he was violently caught up upon the horse when he perceived himself to be on horseback that he might take heed of falling the other horseman straightway vanished but he was snatch'd off the horse into the ayr aloft and from â—ence thrown down with great force near the City hard by the Bridge where for some time deprived of his senses he lay as if he were dead at last when he had recovered some strength he apprehended that he was nigh to the City he rose up and going into his Inne he lay there half a year before he could be restored to his former health IN the lower Germany they say walks a Monster in the bignesse of a Man but in the form of a dogg that breathed upon them that were to dye as if he smelt on them And 't was seen by many upon whom it breathed not and they did not dye that year They called it the Index of a Funeral They which feared death was coming upon them hastened by Idolatrous Masse to get relief and salvation Thus Satan brought Man to Idolatry NOt far from Torga one born of a noble linage walking over â—he Fields to refresh himself met one in the habit of a Knight or Gentleman but it was the Devill complementing with him he takes him to wait upon him not knowing at that time what he was and commits the care of his horses to him This noble man was very impious and lived chiefly by robbery and pillage for which purpose he had got him a fit servant On a time when he was to go a journey he commended his Horse to him above all things His servant conveighs the Horse up into a very high Tower the Horse out of the Tower knows his Master coming home and putting forth his head out of the Turret-window he neighs aloud his Master greatly wondring asks who it was that carried up his horse thither that good servant answers 't was he that so carefully performed his Masters commands Then were they constrained to let down the Horse again being fastned with Ropes from the Tower It happened moreover that they whom this noble man had plundered pursued him then saith the servant to his Master Master fly and presently he pulls forth a device out of his budget whereby to prevent the Horses of them that followed after and to stop their course At length being cast into Prison he implores his servants assistance The servant makes answer that he was fast bound with fetters and he could not set him free The Master is very urgent till he perswades his servant to do his endeavour herein for him Then saith the servant I will set you at liberty but upon this condition that you stir not with your hands and make no signs for your defence He carries him away being taken from hence with his chains and fetters a great height into the Ayre He being amazed cryes out O Eternall God Whither am I a going and immediately the Devill casts him down into a Moorish place Then making haste home to his Wife bids her go help her Husband that stuck fast in the Fennes and was bound with Fetters CErtain Monks travailing with their Governour or Father as they call him inned with an Host that had one of his Chambers haunted with an evill spirit The Host being glad of the Holy fathers coming to his house entertained them courteously in hopes they could by their enchantments easily cast forth that Ghost and therefore makes a bed for them in that room At night when these Holy men were fast asleep this foul spirit often twitched and pulled them by the hair till they made them bald At length Guardian conjures the spirit and charges him to go from thence into the Monastery This evill spirit does as he is bidden and having changed his Colony was there before the Monks returned home he salutes and welcomes them coming in into the Monastery and proffers them his service The Monks entertain him and point him out his place in the kitchin and give him a hood and a bell hanging by him whereby to know him and they often employed him to carry drink and many other things which they wanted When he went for Beer he would not be cheated of his measure telling them See I give you good Mâ—ney do you likewise give me good Measure Finally he hanged the Cooks servant that often vext and troubled him crosse over a beam throwing sometimes hot water sometimes dirty water upon him But as to his life he did not prejudice it The Monks fearing a sad event hereof made resignation of their office to this their servant Ex colloquiis Lutheri CRescentius the Popes Nuncio in the Councell of Trent in the year 1552. the 25. day of March was very busy in writing Letters to the Pope and continued his employment till night Then arising to refresh himself lo he saw a black Dog of such a bignesse as was not usuall fiery eyes and his ears hanging down to the ground coming in and directly towards him he came and at last he fell down underneath the Table Being stupefied and amazed hereat when he came to himself he calls to his servants that were in a chamber hard by he bids them bring a light and to search out the Dog And when he could in no place be found he took a sad conceit and falling into a disease he died Dying also they say he cryed out to his servant to beat away the Dog that came up to his bed Sleidanus lib. 23. AT Halberstade was there one that abounded in wealth every day living in riot and following his own delight and pleasure that he became so carelesse of Religion Christian piety and eternall salvation that he did not stick to say if he might alwaies live so here upon Earth he would never envy God in the fruition of Heaven Shortly after before he was aware he died After his death every day in the Evening
prayers Thirty years at the least being spent in this diabolicall marriage at length in the year of our Lord 1546. by Gods blessing and favour and not by reason of her Merit Magdalene returned to her self and began to detest the Devill but the Aethiop taking grievously her apostacy and after diverse manners tormenting her she beyond all expectation freely discovered her wickednesse to them whom they call the visitors of that Order and to them she confessed her sin implored help and was by them imprisoned Neither did the Devill notwithstanding all this leave the place but at morning prayers to the great wonder and amazement of the Monks was present in the shape and vesture of Magdalene and oft did perform other her offices The Monk now abhorring their Abattesse whom for twelve years they had entertained at the last they were very importunate that the whole manner being found out Magdalene might be expelled the Cloister that so those enchantments might cease Neither was there any great punishment inflicted on her because of her serious repentance and ingenuous confession and that As by her feigned and daemoniacal sanctity she had encreased the superstition of many So by her true and Christian penitency she shewed by this memorable example that the fountains and floud-gates of Gods mercy are not dam'd up or shut to any repentant sinner IN the year 1532. a Noble man out of his tyrannicall malice commanded one of the country men which he had power over that he should carry home a great Oak out of the wood at once by his horse-Cart and threatned him sore if he did not execute his command the clown easily understanding that it was utterly unpossible for him to obey his Masters precept entred the Wood with great sighs and sad complaints there came to him a Devill haveing taken upon him a humane shape and enquired of him the cause of his grief to whom the rustick revealed the thing in order The Devill bad him be of good cheer and return to his house he would bring the Oak to his Masters house without delay the Clown was scarce got home ere the Devill threw the huge Oak loadned with thick boughs a thwart before the house of the Noble man and shut up the passage by reason of the thicknesse of the Tree boughs and when the Oak had contracted an adamant-like hardnesse neither could it by any strength or Art be cut the Noble man was glad to break a wall on the other side of the house and to make a new gate in his other houses not without great trouble and cost Fincelius book 2. THere appeared to a certain honest Matron a widow a kinswoman to Phillip Melancthon sitting alone in her Parlour her Husband being dead a day or two before having for his companion a Monk of tall stature The husband spoke to his wife with all the sugred and loving expressions he could saying Be of good comfort my Wife for I am thy Husband and weighty businesses have compelled me to come to thee when he had almost talked with her a whole hour he exhorted her that she would take care that Masse should be celebrated for him being dead and going away he importun'd her that she should reach forth her right hand to him which being reached out he coloured it as black as a coal and her hand was marked and blotted with that colour all her life after Fincelius Book 2. IN the year 1555. there was a spectrum appeard after this manner At Brunsviga in the Village of Gehern two miles distant from Blomenaw there was a certain country man being imployed with his horses and Cart going into the wood saw before the entrance of the wood some troops of horsemen harnessed all with black armour whereat being terrified he ran back to his house and reported that a great troop of Souldiers appeared abroad the Elders therefore and the Minister of the Word there accompanying them hastily went forth and almost a hundred persons some men and some women went with them and did see these horsemen and they reckoned them to be about fourteen troops which immediately divided themselves into two companies and they being Marshalled into order one company stood opposite to the other At the last there issued out a tall man of a black hue very formidable out of each company and both of them lighting from their horses did view accurately each company Which being done they mounted their horses again the Army being set in rank and file and the troops set against one another the horsemen went forward and filled the whole camp the country men were spectatours of their march untill night came on But when they heard no further at that time of any war or marching of the foot or horsemen they all agreed that it was a prodigy from the Devill or a sign of Gods anger Fincelius first Book of Miracles IN the year 1567. in Trawtenaw a City of Bohemia there was one Stephen Hubener that gathered such great Riches built such stately houses and was so successefull that all admired And at last falling sick dyed and was very honourably inter'd But a short while after his death and buriall his body or that which is more likely the Devill by his Diabolicall power carried about his body did pinch many men with such strait embracements that many of them died yet diverse recovered again who all with one consent confessed that they were thus clasped or beclipped by this rich man in that very habit in which they had seen him alive therefore the Magistrate of that place that he might void or lay this Satanical sight commanded the body of that man to be digged out of the grave after he had lain in the Earth twenty weeks yet was not corrupted or rotten but fat as young and well fed bodies use to be the body was delivered to the Hangman to be carried away to the place of execution where he cut off his head with his Axe and anatomizing him took out his heart and did cleave it there issued out of his body bloud as if he had been alive witch-like to sustain punishment therefore the Hangman threw the body into the fire a great company standing by his head being bound to his feet and so he tyed neck and heels ABout two hundred years since in Hammel a Town in Germany the Devill in the likenesse of a man walked about the streets of the City playing many youthfull pranks inticed many boyes and girls to him and drawing them without the City gates unto a bordering mountain he together with them vanished away which when it was told to the Citizens by a wench which was afar off and secure they with great care sought their children in the Rivers woods and all about the Country but none ever knew why or how they were thus deprived of them Which History is recorded in the Annals of that forementioned City and is read by many Famous and illustrious men Fincelius first book ON
of the rumour was sought out but none appeared but the news was put off from one to another every one clearing themselves of it and being as it were labrynthed and plunged in a vast Ocean they could not make it appear from what original or Fountain it proceeded the fame of which quickly overspread the City But a Messenger and letters meeting Domitian in his journey leading out the Legions to war intimating victory so that one day was the day of Trophyes and of Fame too in places distant more then two thousand five hundred Miles Plutarchus in Aemilio SOsipatra a woman of Alexandrina at a certain time being amongst her acquaintance and a disputation arising about the Soul she was wrapt by a certain fury suddenly she seemed as though her voice was taken away and was for a while dumb by and by she began to cry out My Cozen Philometor being transported in a Charriot is now ore-turn'd in a thorny place and hath hurt his ellow and his hands are wounded and a certain man complaining the thing was a while after known which confirmed the truth Eunapius in Aedesio THamus an Egyptian Pilot sayling to Rome late at night near the Echinad Islands night being far spent heard the voice of an unknown Author which cal'd him by his own name they that were in the ship were all amazed and when it called the third time he answered then saith the voice When thou comest into the next Island the voice being heard as if it were on the foredeck Thamus being astonished and religiously given obeyed its commands and immediately after it had given its precepts such howling mourning and lamentations was heard in the Ayre that all thereabouts was almost dead with fear The news quickly arrived at Rome and Tiberius Caesar commanded Thamus to be brought before him and examined that he might know the truth of it the Augures and High Priests consulting about it they answered Pana perhaps was born of Mercury and Penelope Plutarch relates this in his book of Oracles which Oracles then were made dumb in which place although we may acknowledge the subtily of Satan and the Devill being busied about bringing the death of Christ into question and to mock it by such a fiction except he would by Pans death infer that mens Souls after death should be destroyed or annihilated MOnobazus the King of the Adiabenians his sirname was Barles being in love with Helens sister married her and of her had Monobazus and other children of other wives At the last lying with his wife big with child and laying his hand upon his wives belly he thought he heard a certain voice bidding him to take off his hand from her belly lest he should oppresse her young which as it was begun with divine providence so it was likely to have a prosperous end He was affrighted with this voice and shewed the thing instantly to his wife and he called the Son Izatch that was born at that birth And by reason of this prediction he made him Heyre to the Kingdome But he together with his mother embracing the Jewish Religion restored Artabanus the King again to the Parthian Kingdome and fortunately fought against the Arabians and Parthians in the 55. year of his age and 24. of his reign he died and left the Kingdome to his Brother Monobazus Ex Joseph Book 20. chap. 2. NIcephorus Phaeus the Emperour did fortify the Palace of the Constantinopolitan Tower in which it was foretold him that he should dye At what time the walls of the Palace was builded in the night season a certain man sailing on the Sea cryed out after this manner O Emperour thou makest up thy walls and although thou raisest them up to Heaven whilst that which is within is evill the City may be easily taken He that spoke those things was a long time and very much sought after but never could be found out the wall was finished he perished that same day that he had the keyes delivered by him that had the businesse committed to him Cedrenus WHen Opicinus Cacia Novaria being very thoughtfull or Melancholly walked alone in his house at noon-tide he heard something call him by his name but saw no Man and afterwards said Wouldst thou be willing that thy Son should dye To whom he answered having no time to consider of it he would but afterwards coming to himself quickly denyed that which he had assented to and was very sorry for the cruelty of the prodigy therefore within three dayes his son John Baptist having no more fell sick and two dayes after dyed Fulgosus Book 1. chap. 4. BEfore Neroes death there was a confused murmure mixed with laughter and a tumult in the Theater with great mourning was heard when no man was there In Albania it rained bloud and both the dores of Mauseolus in which were the Tombs of the Caesars he being the last of that stock and the dores of his bed of their own accord flew open out of which there was heard a voice calling Nero to him Xiphilinus ex Dione M. Antonius Majoragius reported that in the Moneth of Aprill there was heard in Eupilus Lake a sound or voice crying after this sort Oh oh oh oh oh The first part of which had a Musicians song the latter part of the voice had their brief and in those years nor in any other were there ever a more plentifull encrease of Wine Wheat and other things Cardane Book 15. chap. 85. de rerum Varietate THere appeared to Hircanus the Captain of the Jews and being also High Priest a certain sight which enquired about his successour being carefull of Aristobulus and Antigonus his eldest which he loved above all their other brethren But when God had shewed the picture of Alexander the youngest sorrowfull that he should be successefull and prosperous in all his proceedings commanded that he should be brought out of Galilee lest he should be in any capacity of having the Kingdome after him but the event made the Oracle be believed for he was possessed of the Kingdome after Aristobulus who before had slain Antigonus and killed the other brother that withstood him but the other that was contented with a private life he honoured Josephus Book 13. chap. 20. BEfore Camillus's banishment M. Cedicitius a vulgar person declared or gave it out that in the night before he was called out of his way which they call the new way by a loud voice and looking back and seeing no man he heard a voice greater then a mans which spoke thus to him Go to M. Cedicitius and tell the Tribunitian Souldiers betimes in the morning they may expect the French within a few dayes The Tribunes despised and laughed at those relations A little after this came Camillus's distresse and the Invasion of the French Plutarch in Camillo et Sabellicus book 9. Ennead 3. LYcurgus hapned to come to Olympia and was a spectator of the games there it is reported that this befell him viz.
the sign to the Argonautes that the time was now come of performance of the thing they out of a prospective glasse saw fire and then supposing the King was dead came swiftly demanding the City and going upon the walls and with glittering drawn swords went straightway to the Palace kill'd all the watches that withstood them c. Diodorus lib. 4. cap. 3. JOhannes Teutonicus very famous in old time his Father was a Priest and by reason of the good opinion of learning that was had of him he was preferred to Halberstatensem Parish to which none but Noblemen and true begotten legitimate were to be admitted but he was much despised of his colleagues for his base birth he invited them to a sumptuous Banquet and taking occasion asked them whether or no they would see their own fathers And when they told him that they earnestly desired that he would do so and by his Magicall art he made appear horrid ghastly spectrums representing the shape of Cooks Stable-grooms fools â—usticks whose faces they confessed themselves that they had sometimes seen at their fathers houses But Teutonicus did Conjure up his father in the comeliest beautifullest shape he could with canonicall Priestly habit in a fat Visage The shadows being passed away he asked his guests whose father now they judged to be the nobler they being affrighted as it were Planet-struck and confounded with shame went every one home to their own houses and after they never troubled Johannes who was ennobled by his vertue if not by his extraction or birth Johannes NIcholas Venetus in his Indian History tells of a Pilot of India when the winds did cease invoking his God which he called Muthian and that at length he went to a certain Arabian and that the Man being impulsed by some invisible spirit ran along the Vessel till he came to a Table that for that purpose was fixed to the Mast and devoured certain coals that lay thereby and calling for a Cocks bloud when they had killed one and brought him the bloud of it he drank it off and when he had done askt them what they desired and when the Pilot answered Wind he re-demanded what wind and when he told him an East-wind he promised them for three dayes they should have it at will and admonished them that they would be carefull to improve the opportunity When the Conjuration was past the Arabian remembred nothing of what he had Prophesied done or suffered but to a minute of the time all things fell out accordingly Cardanus de subtilitate libro de Daemonibus S. Jerome writes in the life of Hilarion the Eremite That in a Mart Town of Gaza a young Man languished for the exceeding love he bare to a young maid a neighbour of his who when he could do no good by frequent courtings touchings jestings noddings whisperings and other allureing dalliances the common exordiums of the decay of chastity he went to Memphis that so having made known his condition he might be instructed by the Magitians how to circumvent this young Lady And after he had been disciplined for a years time by the Priests of Aesculapius he returned and hides under the threshold of the young maidens dore certain Magical words and inchanting figures graven in plates of Cyprian brasse Suddenly the maid grows mad and casting by the decent binding of her head tears her hair gnasheth with her teeth calls upon the name of the young man such was the extasy of her love that made her raging mad Her Parents bring her to a Monastery deliver her to an old man immediately the Devill howling confesseth I have suffered violence having been brought hither against my will how bravely did I delude people by Memphian dreams O the crosses and torments that I suffer Thou wouldst have me go out and I am fast bound under the threshold I will not go out unlesse the young man that holdeth me bound dismisse me Then the old man saith Great is thy fortitude who art bound by the drawings out of threds and plates tell why thou wast so bold as to enter into a young maid the servant of God That I might preserve her a Virgin Thou preserve her thou betrayer of chastity Why diddest thou not rather enter into him that sent thee To what purpose should I enter into him who had my colleague the Devill of love The holy man did not command him to seek out the plates or gravings lest the Devill might have seemed to have quitted the inchantments or he to have given credit to the Devills speech affirming the Devills deceitfull and dexterous in dissimulation Moreover having restored the young maid to her former right wits he much blamed the Virgin for committing such faults whereby the Devill should enter her These things Hierome WHen by the severe laws of Pope Hadrian the sixt the pestilence seemed little restrained by the touching of the sick that so increased that many dead corps were to be seen in the streets and crosse wayes and in few dayes that seemed to depopulate the City but that a certain Greek by name Demetrius Spartanus the common people favouring him undertook the work of removing the Plague no man being so bold as to forbid his superstition For a wild Bull the half of whose horn he had cut off putting a Magick verse into his right ear suddenly he made him so tame that casting a small thred about his whole horn leading him which way he pleased he immolated him at the Amphitheater to appease the divine power nor did he wholly deceive the hope of the credulous multitude for by the prosperous offering of that vain sacrifice the sicknesse began to asswage Jovius lib. 21. As his kinsman concerning that matter of observation and worthy animadversion writeth in the year of Christ 1522. a most grievous pestilence invaded Rome There was then a certain Greek who had a long beard with an ugly aspect who professed himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a helper of evil he promised if he should have thirty pieces of Gold to him and his heirs monethly to cause a cessation of the Plague The Romans accept of the condition He commandeth to bring him a black bull and find out a new well in the suburbs of the City in the dead of night he commeth to the bottom of the hill Marius where he found the Bull prepared and the Well he sets upon making a rope and as he was weaving that sometimes with a high and sometimes a low voice I know not what he murmured out in Greek the clamour of his voice was heard by many spectators afterwards he casting a rope about the neck of the Bull they report the Bull being made tame and gentle he led him thrice about the Well then casting the Bull prostrate upon the ground the Bull making three weak or harmlesse kicks presently with little reluctancy suffered him to cut off his horns which done he commanded the Bull to be led by the
at last came into Troy where they fell asleep then a great company of domesticall mice did eat and gnaw the strings of their Bowes and Shields so that when they awaked and rose up they could make no more use of their Bowes therefore they thought that the Mice were the Enemies that were foretold to them by the Oracle and sate down and lived in that place and builded the Town Sminthe because the Cretans call mice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eustachius Iliad THe Phrygians being carried by Aeneas their Captain into the Laurell field were not willing to go any further but listned to the Oracle that it might shew them some future events and contingencies the Oracle told them That there they were to have their permanent dwellings where for hunger they should be driven to eat their Tables Which not very long after their repulse hapned and then they remembred and made themselves bread-trenchers which was for their meat that for want of it they eat and then there was a cry from one to another that now they were destroyed and dead men because of their errour for there should they have their Mansions and dwellings where they should eat such kind of Tables for want of meat which words were received with favour and consent by all them that stood about It is not very evident where they rejected that answer of the Trojan some think at Dodonaeum others in the Tent Cottage of Ida in Erythris which Sybill did inhabit a Maid-prophetesse and dweller there It is also said that the Trojans were commanded to sail to the Western Countries untill they were driven into that place where they should be forced to eat their Tables for want of bread And when that happened they knew that time was come that they should end their wandring and that they were arrived at the fatall land Sabellicus Lib. 7. Aeneid 1. THe Lacedemonians were led into the Tarentine Colony by their Captain Phalanthus a Spartane the Oracle at Delphos predicted that when he did observe rain under Aethra then he should be Master or overcomer of the field and City But when he himself by the clew of his own reason could not trace out the meaning of the Oracle neither knew what it meant nor consulted any interpreter he made ready his Navy to go into Italy and there when he had overcome the barbarous Nations and neither could compasse field nor City when it came into his mind that it was utterly unpossible that that which the Oracle said should be and began to suspect it whether it was the voice of God or no because it could never come to passe that it should rain when it is a pure Crystalline serene Heaven which the Greeks call Aethra His Wife very lovingly did comfort him by all means who did so despond and despair and sometimes leaning his head upon her knees and killing flies her tears for sorrow of heart and the hard fortune of her husband trickled down that her hope was so frustrated Wherefore opening the sluces and floud-gates of her eyes she did bedew and wet her Husbands head then were the knots of the Oracle unloosed for the name of his Wife was Aethra Therefore in that very night which followed that day he took the City and a rich Sea-Town of the Tarentines Pausanias in Phocicis COdrus an Athenian King sprung out of Thrace when the whole Attick Region was destroyed with the Peloponnesian Warr he advising with the Oracle had this answer That they should be Victors whose Captain perished by a warlike hand therefore putting off his Kingly regal habit he was like to a common Souldier and offered himself to the force of his enemy and one of the adverse Souldiers struck him with his weapon and so he voluntarily run upon his own death and was willing rather to perish himself then that the Athenians should perish Cicero in fine lib. 1. Tusc quaest et lib. 5. de finibus WHen Xerxes made War with the Grecians the Lacedemonians enquiring of the Oracle about the event of the Warr they received this answer from Pythia That the Athenians were to be overcome by the Persians but that the Spartan King was to be kill'd in the field Mardonius saith the Athenians being relinquished and left three hundred of the Lacedemonians were slain with their King Leonidas Herodot lib. 8. THe Romans making Warr against Pyrrhus the Epirotes King Paulus Aemilius received this answer from the Oracle That he should be the Victor if he should build an Altar in that place where he saw a man swallowed up in his running A few dayes after he saw Valerius Torquatus swallowed up in the ground and therefore he built an Altar there and got the Victory and sent an hundred and sixty Elephants to Rome carrying Towers on their backs Plutarchus in Parallelis IN the Cimbrick Warr Batabaces came to Pessinunte being Priest to the Mother of great Idaea he brought the Goddess out of the Temple to declare Victory to the Romans and of the great glory and credit of the Warr which was to come And when the Senate was agreed on it and for Victory sake had determined to go to the Temple of the Goddess of Victory and when he was comeing â—orâ—h to make his Oration to the People that he might declare these things to them A. Pompeius the Tribune of the people did hinder Batabaces calling him a deluder a deceiver and pluckt him out of his Pulpit with great indignity when the thing it self spoke for it and commended his words and when Pompeius returned home with whispering and muttering speeches such a Feaver bore him company as every one knew that he dyed within seven dayes after Plutarchus in Marii vita WHen the Vejentes in a sharp and long Warr were driven within the City Walls by the Romans and yet the City could not be taken and the delay did seem no lesse burdensome and intolerable to the besiegers then to the besieged the immortal gods by a wonderful miracle did make way for them that they might accomplish their desired Victory on a suddain the Albane Lake or Gulph not being at all encreased by any showers from Heaven neither had it any addition from any inundation from earth did overflow its banks and for inquisition sake to know the reason of it Ambassadours were sent to Apollo's Oracle at Delphos to know the reason of it They received this answer That the water of that Lake should be diffused thorough the fields for so even should the Vejos be over-run and brought into subjection by the Romans And before the Legates might proclaim or declare a Southsayer of the Vejentians was taken by a Roman Souldier for they wanted Interpreters of their own and he was brought into the Tents and did prophesie and predict Therefore the Senate being warned by a double admonition and prediction almost at the same time did obey the Oracle and was possessed of the City Valerius Maximus lib. 1. cap. 6. WHen the Dorienses
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
his horse his sword was naked wounded the King in the thigh tormented with fear and grief and he asked What was the name of the next Town and when he knew that it was Ecbatana he did acknowledge his errour and dyed despairing Herodotus lib. 3. PYthia did prophesie and predict the death of Philip King of Macedonia in this manner Taurus adest finis adest ferietque minister Et Graecis pariter O utinam fierem Jovis ales in aethere juxta Thermodoontis aquas procul ut bella horrida ab alto Despicerem victus flet at hic qui vicit obivit A Bull being present thy end 's not absent far The servant o're the Greeks shall domineer O that I were Jove's Bird eagling on high Towring alwayes near to the azure sky O're Thermodonian waters for to see Such crimson and such scarlet Tragedie Where conquer'd shall bewail with weeping eye The Conquerour conquer'd by the fates shall dye This doubtfull speech King Phillip interpreted on his side and thought that it was predicted by the Oracle as though Perses were to be sacrificed in the manner of a sacrifice But the meaning was far otherwise which signifyed quite contrary to wit Phillip being amongst a great company of men amongst the sacrifices where there ought to be a crowned Bull sacrificed and therefore he was very glad and sacrificed joyfully supposing afterwards to have his tutelar Gods to help him to bring Asia under the dominion of Macedonia and when he offered great oblations in honour of the Gods and his daughter Cleopatra which came of his Wife Olympias was espoused to Alexander the King of the Epirots his Brother he commanded that the Marriage should be celebrated in Aegis the City of Macedonia and many out of all the parts of Greece flocked to that jolly wedding and magnificent consorts of Musick and contention in it and also a great feast made to receive the friends and guests he in the midst of the ceremonies invested in a white garment was slain by Pausaunias one of the guard at the Thermodonian River near Chaeronea where a little while before he had got a famous victory of the Grecians for Pausaunias took hainously that he was complained of for ravishing of Attalas the Neece of Olympias and was ofâ—en derided of the King for it Diodorus lib. 16. Pausaunias in Arcad. THe same King when he had consulted the Delphick Oracle what he might do that he might come and attain to a full and perfect age Pythia commanded him that he should avoid Quadrigas which he understood was meant a Cart drawn with four horses which hearing he gave order that all Carts throughout his whole Kingdome should be removed and would not go into Boetia which was called Quadrigas At the last he was slain by Pausaunias who carried a Cart and four Horses engraven in the hilt of his Sword Valerius Maximus libro primo Cicero de fato Plutarch in Alexandro Others say that when he encircled and rid about the Thebane Marsh which was called Currus he was slain AESchylus the tragick Athenian Poet was told by the Oracle that he should dye by a blow therefore being a banished man in Sicilia he did eschew roofs lest he should be oppress'd by their ruine or knock't on the head by their fall but it hapned that sitting on a stone in the Country with his head uncovered and an Eagle flying on high called Morphos whose sole property it is to break the Sea shell-fish and being hallucinated and deceaved by the whitenesse of his bald pate thinking it to be a chalky stone let the shell-fish fall upon it to have the shell-fish broken and so Aeschylus perished by that fall and stroak Idem lib. 9. cap. 12. DAphidas the Sophister when he Ironically had consulted the Delphick Oracle whether he might have an Horse upon which he might be carried The Oracle answered that there might be found one but that he should be so troubled and vexed by it that he should dye A while after he went to Attalus the King whom he had formerly offended and was apprehended and so precipitated and cast down from a stone was called Equus Cicero de fato Et Valer. Max. lib. 1. de Miraculis WHen Dionysius the Seniour Tyrant of Syracusa acted a Tragedy to the Aâ—henians in their Bachanalian feasts and when he by all their suffrages and voices was declared Victor one of the Queristers or chanters of the Musicall company thinking that he should have some great reward if he were the first Messenger that should relate the Victory sailed in all haste to Corinth And there found a Ship that was to go to Sicily and boarding on it with prosperous winds and gales sailing to his desired Haven and arriving at Syracusa and then incontinently related the Victory to the Tyrant and was gratified with great rewards Dionysius was exceeding glad of the news and offered gratulatory sacrifices to his Gods and celebrated great feasts banquettings and Bacchanalians and when he had invited his friends and familiars indulging and overcharging himself with too much wine fell into a grievous sicknesse by reason of his too much gulphing of Wine But when he was told by his Gods that he was to dye when he had overcome his betters He taking the Oracle in this sense to wit as having reference to the Carthagenians that they were better stronger and more warlike men then he Wherefore having many conflicts bickerings skirmishes with them if the victory seemed to hang in equilibrio i.e. eeven ballance or rather his side was likely to have the Praestat he was wont to make the two Wings of his army to fly away and to be ore-come of their own accord least he should seem to overcome his betters but yet for all this Matchevilian Policy he could not escape the sentence which the fates had determined against him But being an indifferent good Poet was adjudged by the Aâ—henian suffrages to overcome better Poets therefore the truth of the Oracle being in some measure accomplished and fulfilled the term and date of his life ended Diodorus lib. 15. ALexander the Epirot's King being called into Italy by the Tarentines and by the lots of the Dodonean Oracle he was warned to have a care of Atherusia and the City of Pandosia for there he was to yield himself to the fates for this cause he sent betime into Italy that he might keep a distance from Pandosia a City of Epirus and Acheron its River which the Thesprotian bosome received it flowing out of Molossis standing hellish black jet-like pools and bayes But no humane providence or foresight could eschew fatal necessity which for the most part rushes soonest into that which is aimed most to avoid Oftentimes Alexander had overcome the Brutians and Lucans in battell and had taken many of their Cities In the mean time he had fortified and strengthened three Monuments not far from the Pandosian City which did grieve and molest the borders of the
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
powred into it with which it was not full he therefore commands again more Oyl to be bestowed upon it and found that the Urne was nothing fuller than before yet he continues seeking to fill it till he found that all his labour was in vain and then the Monument being shut he departs in great grief and sorrow he had fifty myriads of men in an army designed against the Greeks but returning he miserably ended his life being kill'd by night in the streets by the hands of his own son Aelianus ex Herodoti lib. 3. SYlvester the second formerly called Gilbertus a French-man as â—hey say by evill arts obtained the Popedome When he was a young man he was a Monk in a Monastery of Florence scituated in the Aurelian Diocesse but leaving the Monastery the Devill followed him to whom he wholly surrendred himself he came to Hispalis a City of Spain to study being very desirous of learning in which he was so great a proficient that in a short time of a Scholler he became chief Master Martinius testifies that Robert King of France and Lotharius a man famous by Nobility and learning who was afterwards created Arch-Bishop of Senosenses were his Schollers Gilbertus therefore provoked by ambition and diabolicall desire of governing first by largenesse and gifts he obtained the Arch-Bishoprick of Rhemes then of Ravenna and lastly the Popedome it self the Devill helping his endeavours herein but upon this condition That after his death he should be wholly his by whose assistance he had got so great dignity he moved the Devill to tell him how long he should continue Pope the Enemy of mankind answering as he is wont ambiguously If thou shalt not come near Jerusalem thou shalt live long When therefore in the fourth year and first Moneth of his Popedome the tenth day he had sacrificed in the great Church of the Holy Crosse at Rome he knew that by his fate he was to dye forthwith he therefore repented and acknowledged his wickednesse before the people and renouncing all ambition and diabolicall fraud he exhorted all to a good and pious life WHen the Boetians wasted the Sea-coasts of Attica and the Athenians were about their expedition against Aegrina there comes an Oracle from Delphos that the Aeginetians could not be hurt for thirty years in the thirtieth year when the Aeginetians had dedicated a Temple to Aeacus that things might succeed with them they began their war with them but as they made violent war against them so they received many losses and brought great detriment to themselves and at the last were in great extremity when the Athenians heard of this Oracle they likewise dedicated a Temple to Aeacus which is now to be seen in their Market-place but they thought they were not to forbear war for thirty years which time they heard to be fatall but that if they forbore war they should receive many wrongs from the Aeginetians Herodotus lib. 5. THe Wisedome of the Persian Magies and their skill in divination is kept in memory by many Monuments who as they fore old many things so they predicted by many secret signes the cruelty that Artâ—xerxes Ochus afterwards exercised against those he subâ—ued and the miserable slaughter that ensued for when Ochus subdued the Government of the Persians one of them advised a certain Magitian one of the Eunuchs to observe the Table being covered uâ—on what meaâ— amongst all that the Table was furnished with the King should first lay his hands who intentively marking Ochus with both his hands stretched out with his right hand he hastily took to him a knife and with the other the biggest loaf upon the Table which with flesh upon the board he carved and ate heartily and chearfully these two Prophets hereupon concluded that there would ensue during his reign fruits of the Earth in great plenty and a seasonable time to gather them but frequent slaughters Elianus lib. 2. et Diodor. lib. 17. Bibliothecae AMongst the Pedasensians which live above Halicarnassus it is reported that as often as any adverse fortune is ready to seize upon the Amphiensians who live near that City a huge beard suddenly groweth upon the chin of their chief Priest of Minerva the Goddesse which happened twice amongst them Herodotus lib. 8. BEleses a Chaldean exhorted Arbares General of the Medes to invade the Kingdome of the Babilonians promising to him certain victory which after two years and much losse by slaughter given and received on both sides undermining the City of Ninus King of Sardinapalus he desperately burned the Kings Pallace and obtained it Diodorus lib. 2. cap. 7. THales the Milesian perceiving that the next year would be a very plentiful season for oyl by the rising of the seven Stars bargained afore-hand with his customers for all that years oyls at a greater rate than otherwise by reason of the great plenty he could have sold them for And likewise foreseeing the next year there would be a great scarcity he aforehand bought up many mens oyls at a cheap rate and the year following sold them very dear and thereby became rich Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 11. and others Pliny ascribes this piece of Policy to Democritus and sayes That Sextius a Roman used the very same cunning at Athens This man commanded his body when he was dead should be buried in a very obscure place of the Milesian fields foreseeing that there should be a forum or common Mart erected there by the Romans Plutarchus in Solone AT Mnesarchis the common Cryer Boetus was told by the Chaldaeans that his son should be victor in Contentions Wherefore he would have had his son become a Fencer But afterwards he set to write Tragedies and therein was indeed the victor of all others Gellius lib. 15. cap. 20. who relates it out of Theopompus THe Birth-day of the Emperour Augustus fortuned to fall on that very time that Cataline's Cause of his Conjuration was a pleading in Court And his Father Octavius staying a little longer than ordinary excused himself for that his Wife was newly brought to bed P. Nigidius then present looking his birth-hour is said to affirm That then was born the Lord of the whole World He being at Apollonia went with Agrippa to Theogenes his Chamber But when Theogenes had predicted most high things as he thought of Agrippa's birth-day betwixt fear and shame lest his destiny should prove inferiour could hardly be perswaded to tell his Nativity And when he declared it Theogenes is said to have danced about with joy and to have worshipped him which somewhat animated Augustus so that he afterwards published his destiny and stamped a Coyn with the sign of Capricorn in which he was born Sabellicus lib. 8. Ennead 6. ex Suetonio WHen Livia bore Tiberius Scribonius the Mathematitian promised great matters yea and that he should reign one time or other but without a regal diadem For then you must understand the power of Caesars was altogether unknown and unheard of amongst
in unlocking his door which Coponus had before prevented by putting a little wire into the lock that he might have the better opportunity for his design beat out his brains with an Ax and being questioned for it alledged no other thing for the fact but that he was incited thereto by Cocles his own self telling him that he must be a murtherer and nothing else Jovius in Elogiis A Certain Astrologer in the Court of Frederick the second Emperour much reverenced Rodolphus the Haspurgensian Earl with exceeding observance though he had but a mean estate and valued not at all men far more potent and being demanded a reason thereof by the Emperour he answered I know that Rodolphus shall be Emperour and when thy Issue shall decline his renown shall be spread abroad far and near though he be esteemed by few at this time Neither did his presage want a true event for in the year of our Lord 1273. in the Calends of October he was chosen King of the Romans by the Princes of Germany at Franckford when he besieged the Pallace Cuspianus in Caesaribus WHen the Mathematicians looked into the Geniture of the Great Sfortia and observed the excellent positure of the Stars and their admirable sites and aspects they predicted to him High Empire immortal glory and a happy off-spring but at length they added That he should not attain old age but should perish by an untimely death Jovius in ejus vita BRaccius the excellent Montenensian Duke seeing the body of his Enemy Sfortia the Great drowned in the River of Piscaria fell a praising the dead man with most exquisite Encomiums which of right belonged to him but he not being freed from so great danger of a present battle shewed to his Souldiers a more cheerful countenance because he being conscious of a fatal secret had learned from Astrologers that Sfortias indeed was to go before as taken with a violent death but a little after himself also as it were with the like lot should undergo the same fortune of departure He scarce lived over the fifth moneth when as for thirteen moneths space making assault at Aquila and it being in vain besieged at length in a memorable battel being overcome and slain by the sword of the Sfortian Souldier he fullfilled both the truth of the Stars and many prophets Jovius in the life of Sfortias UNto Uladislaus Jagellon King of the Polanders Sophia his wife brought forth sons Uladislaus and Andrew Casimir There was at Cracovia Henry a Bohemian a famous Astrologer and studious of Magick this man foretold That an Infant new born should be long-lived but unfortunate and that he reigning Poland should be afflicted with great evils and calamities but his brother Uladislaus was to be most famous and most victorious and unlesse Nature's destinies should envy a longer life to him he should command many Nations Both which things the issue afterwards proved For Uladislaus who was chosen King of Poland and King of Hungary being slain at Varna by the Turks in the 20th year of his age gave not satisfaction to this famous hope But Casimir who succeeded his brother in the Kingdom of Poland reigned 45 years lived 64 was bent rather on the Lituanian huntings than on the Common-wealth Cromér book 19. 29. BAsil a Mathematician but most certain soothsayer a certain Greek foretold the murder of Alexander of Medicis Duke of the Florentines to be committed by Laurence Medices his near kinsman he not onely shewed him the murder but also the certain smiter who should be intimate with him of a slender form of a boxy-coloured countenance and of a doubtfull silence almost not keeping company at all with others in the Court Also unto Cosmus of Medices they promised for certain forasmuch as in the very marking the hour of his birth he had a happy Star of Capricorn as once Augustus enlightned with a wonderfull aspect of Stars agreeing together it should come to passe that he should increase in a wealthy inheritance Alexander indeed hearing it and Cosmus smiling when as a great number of his kindred was to be consumed by death before any even a small inheritance could come unto him Jovius JOhn Liechtenberg in the yearly predictions of his Ephemeris as I may so say admonished the Prince of Bavaria in a serious manner both by writing and painting that a Lyon should seek hiding places for fear of an Eagle He despised it but not long after he was assaulted with a grievous Warr by Maximilian the Emperour Agricola in Germane Proverbs PAul Farnese the 3d chief Bishop seeing he was most skillfull in Astrology and Magick writeth to his son Peter Aloyse who had by force entred on the tyrannical Government of Placentia and Parma that he should beware of the tenth day of September of the year 1547 as unlucky to him The father indeed could warn but the son could not avoid the danger but by Conspirators Augustine Landus and James Scott Earls of Placentia in his own Castle under pretence of talk he was slain and being a long time hung up by the privy parts he was exposed to be cruelly torn in pieces by the people Sleidan 19 book of Commentaries THere was a Town of the Xanthians that had a bridge laid over the small River Lycus in which were said to have been brazen Tables wherein letters were ingraven The Empire of the Persians was sometime to be overthrown by the Graecians The tables with the bridge being shaken down a little before that it was fought at Granicum by Alexander the Great they had fallen into the channel of the River Alexander being much moved at the report of the tables when as for some time he had stood doubtful into which part he might chiefly bend the course of victory turning to the right hand he subdued with wonderfull speed all the Sea-coast from Lydia even into Phaenicia Sabellicus book 4. Ennead 4. out of Plutarchs Alexander IN the second Carthagenian war besides many things seen and heard which were accounted instead of wonders a verse or song of Martius being curious and sounded at the same time brought the greatest care to the City That being by a most true event proved gave no doubtfull credit of the things that were to be He had written who ever that Martius was O thou Trojan born flee thou Cannae the River of Romana neither let strangers constrain thee to joyn in battell in the field of Diomedes but neither shalt thou believe me untill thou shalt fill up the field with bloud and the River shall bring down many thousands of thine slain out of a fruitfull land into the great Sea for fishes and birds and wild beasts which inhabit the Earth unto these let thy flesh be for meat Because these things were in great part represented before the eyes of men for the common sort were acquainted both with the fields of Diomedes and when they had fought at Canna there was the greater care of procureing
signifies a Boar. Which thing being brought to light the Souldiers chose Dioclesian the revenger and with one accord salute him Emperour He therefore after an assembly had whereby he might fulfill the saying of Druys thrusts Aper thorow with his own hand adding that of Maro Aeneae manu dextrâ cadis Thou fall'st thou dost not stand By great Aeneas his right hand Cuspinian ZEno Emperour of Constantinople asked some secrets of Marian a most wise Earl Who should succeed him in the Empire He answered One of the Silentiaries shall take thy Empire and Wife but me thou shalt unjustly kill Both of these the end proved in its time AGilulph Duke of the City Taurina when as he brought unto Authar King of the Longobards his Bride Theodelinda the daughter of the King of Boiaria had a Sooth sayer with him who by the stroak of a Thunder bolt foretold unto him that a little after he should enjoy the Bride her self and the Kingdom and that thing the issue proved to be true For Authar being killed in War Agilulph succeeded him in his Kingdom and wedlock Paul Deacon of the deeds of the Longobards chap. 14. ANtonine the son of Sosipater and Eustathius the Cappadocian had a school at Canobicum the door of Nilus He foretold to his Schollars that after his death the Temples of Serapis a god of the Egyptians should be overthrown The event confirmed the prophesie under Theodosius the Emperour Eunapius in Aedesio REmex a certain Rhodian being estranged or angry in his mind began to witness with a loud voyce that before the thirtieth day there should be very great slaughters and robberies at Dyrrhachium in Greece and fire and flight but the Navy it self to return home When Cn. Pompey who being Pretor was chief over the Navy had heard that and had told it unto three men Cicero Varro and Cato all being moved also some of them are said to be exceedingly affrighted But the space of a few dayes coming between Labienus fleeing out of the battel in Thessaly brought news of the overthrow of the Legions and that the Army of Pompey was scattered in a great battel by and by the publique corn was snatched out of the barns and scattered abroad through the whole City they that were there having departed with a headlong flight were both forsaken by the Rhodians and being unwilling to follow the ships were burnt PRocopius in his third book of the Vandall-war sheweth that there was wont to be an old Proverb tossed up and down in Carthage by the children that Gamma should sometimes persecute Beta and again Beta Gamma I think the childrens sport to have looked hitherto that between neighbours there might oftentimes rise discord But this childish saying was wrested unto the event of things because Genserick King of the Vandalls had expelled Boniface Afterwards Belisarius Gilimer The Proverb arose not from what happened but was a Riddle of the Carthagenian Children as an Oracle of that which happened afterwards Erasmus in his adagies THere stood Tombs in the Leuctrian field of the daughters of Scedasus which they call Leuctrides from the place For by chance when they were by force ravished by the Spartan-guests they had been buried in that place That so cruell and wicked act being committed their father having wished for curses on the Spartans when he could nor by request obtain revenge from Lacedemon stabbed himself upon their Sepulchres From thence the Prophesies and Oracles daily foretold the Spartans they should avoid and turn away the Leuctrian revenge by the gods But that thing many did not so understand but doubted of the place because also a little Town placed on the shore of Laconia is named Leuctron Besides there is a neighbouring place of that name in Megalopola of Arcadia At length the Lacedemonians being in the Leuctrian field of Baeotia over come with a most cruell slaughter by the Thebanes lost their rule Plutarch in the life of Pelopidas THere was with M. Anthony the triumvir or one of the three chief men of Rome a certain Magitian of Aegypt who had often moved Anthony that he might withdraw himself from Octavius Thy fortune saith he O Anthony is of it self famous and large but when it cleaves to Octavius it is continually blunted Thy daemon or spirit feareth his Genius or Angell and when as it is of it self high and chearfull yet at the approach of this it is made low and fearfull He the more easily gave him credit because whether by lots or pairs of Cocks and Hens or Quails committed to hand Anthony was alwaies inferiour to Octavius He therefore being stirred with these things going with Octavia from whom he had already begotten a little daughter out of Italy sailed unto Athens Sabellicus in his ninth book Ennead 6. MOst antient Prophets had sung It was wickednesse for Romane weapons to go beyond Ctesiphon a Town and the Captains that dared to do it were to receive punishment They think M. Crassus purposing that thing to have perished with his Army M. Ulpius having attempted to go beyond Trajanum recovered not Italy and to have lost five Provinces on the other side Tygris presently and he had been better not to have undertaken the journey he wasted and almost consumed his legions of Souldiers with long pains And although the Conquerour drew out his bounds farther yet he profited not much desiring to go beyond Ctesiphon Tygris being overcome Valerian was taken by Sapor King of the Persians But Odenatus Palmyrene a conquerour of Romane Majesty came beyond Tygrim even to Ctesiphon Carus Emperour led the Army of Probus a large conquerour from the Sarmaâ—ian Warr into Persia he wasted the Enemies Kingdom he vanquished Seleucia compassed about with Euphrates the which Aelius the true Antonine had in times past taken And then he requiring or assaulting Ctesiphon and willing to proceed farther either a disease or the stroak of a thunder-bolt in a troublesome and lightning heaven took him away Cuspinian SYbill prophesied of the destruction of Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again he then an evill time shall see When his own Net will his destruction bee Some understand by the snare or net the place wherein Antichrist is to be choaked Theodore Bibliander a most learned man of the Art of Printing whose matter is flax steeped and glewed together to wit paper with this flax Antichrist shall be dispatched because it is that in which the holy Gospel of Christ and all the Prophets being written together are contained by whose authority as it were by the breath of Christ's mouth the three-headed Beast shall be brought to destruction PSammeticus took away Tementes King of Aegypt The god Ammon had answered Tementes asking counsel of the Oracle concerning the Kingdom That he should beware of the Cocks Psammeticus using familiarly Pigritatus a Carian when he had known from him that the first or chief Carians put Cocks on the top of their heads he understood the mind of the Oracle and hired
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
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
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
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
their fighting Ut Zonoras Tomo 3. indicat ARiulphus Duke of Spoleto fighting against the Romans at Camertes and obtaining Victory inquires of his Souldiers who it was that behaved himself so stoutly and gallantly in the battle they answered 't was a Prince Whereupon he replies he was more powerfull then any mortall man for when ever I was assaulted fiercely by the enemy he with a Buckler defended me from their fury then going with all possible speed to Spoleto seeing the Temple wherein the body of Saint Sabinus is intombed he asked what Church it was when they answered It was the Temple of Sabinus he hastily leaps from his horse calling his Souldiers who as they say alwayes waited diligently upon him walks into the Church and seeing his Image he presently with an Oath affirmed 't was he that protected him from the violent assaults of his numerous enemies whereupon 't was presently believed that Sabinus was the most pious Patron of Souldiers Ariulphus would not for any thing have wanted the experience of this Protection of Saints which is so frequent amongst Christians Bonfinius lib. 8. Decad. 1. THe great Sfortia for the honour he bore St. Leonard Christned his Son which he had by Catella Alopa sister to Pandulphus Alopus after his name for that he dreamed he saw Leonard in the same shape he is usually pictur'd in Churches coming to him being a Prisoner with relief breaking the Iron bars of the window of the Prison and with his power loosing his shackles The event proved this Vision to be very true for the day following this blessed dream Jacobus Gallus King by sedition was driven out of the Neopolitan Kingdome and lost both Rule and Liberty and Sfortia was delivered out of Prison and to the great content of all was restored to be Master of the Horse Jovius in vita ejus IN the time of Ferdinand first King of Aragon the City Neopolitane in a most flourishing condition and the Kingdome free from all calamity it is manifest that Cataldus about a thousand years before that time an holy man had been Bishop at Tarentinum and that the Citizens thereof did worship him as their Patron in the middest of the night he again and again appeared to a Minister of holy things who had lately taken the order of Priest-hood having been educated amongst those who vow chastity that he should without delay take out of the ground a little book which he in his life time had writ and hid in a private place wherein some divine writings were and bring it to the King giving little credit to this dream although he saw him in his sleep very oft and alwayes of the same shape and fashion being all alone early in the morning in the Temple he plainly appeared to the Priest with a Mitre in such Bishops weeds as he used in his life time to be aparrelled in advised him as he desired to avoid great punishment that the next day without further delay he should dig for the Book which he had written and which was hidden as he had formerly shewed him by Visions and bring it to the King the Priest and people went the next day to the place wherein for many ages this little book had been hid and found it bound with a leaden cover and locked wherein it appeared that the destruction of the Kingdome miserable calamities and sad times were at hand whereof the King was warned we have learned by experience that this Prophecy was fully executed and shewed it self to be so divine that not long after Ferdinand himself either by the justly incensed wrath of Almighty God or other inscrutable causes of his divine will could avoid what he was so fully admonished of but in the very first appearance of War departed this life and Charls the eight King of France with a strong hand having an huge Army of Neopolitans invaded the Kingdom and Alfonsus the eldest son of Ferdinand after his fathers death having but newly undertaken the government of the Kingdome was thereof deprived basely running away and dying in flight as a banished man shortly the second son of Ferdinand the hopefullnesse of whose youth had endeared him to all men to whom upon the death of his brother the Kingdome fell was intangled with a miserable and fatall War died of an immature death in the very flower of his age afterwards the French and Spaniards obtaining the Kingdome divided it chasing away Frederick another Son of Ferdinand the elder with a larger Army wherewith they invaded the Kingdome took to themselves all whether holy or prophane plundered Towns and Cities laying all waste committing most vile and filthy immanities Alexander ab Alexand. cap. 15. JAmes the son of Zebedee appeared to Charls the Great three seveâ—all nights and did exhort him to drive out of the Countrey of Spain in which his body rested the Saracens and assured him for his labour and travail therein he should obtain an everlasting crown Henricus Erphordiensis ex Turpino Romensi Episcopo refert cap. 68. THe Monks of the Abbey of Florence assured of the expedition of the Normans into France carry the body of Saint Benedict to Aurelia conceiving it a more safe receptacle from the Enemy at the comming of the Normans they burnt the Abbey of Florence and laid it wast the night following Saint Benedict appeared to Count Sigillosus to whom the care and defence of that Monastery was cammitted and in a Vision heavily chideth him because he had not resisted the Normans when they fell upon the Monastery The Earl awakening presently fell to his arms and with a handfull of men pursues the enemies loaden with plunder following them with a swift course fiercely falls upon them and by the help of Saint Benedict kills them every man and redeems all the Prisoners and booty Robertus Ganquinus lib. 5. CHildebert being King of France the Arch-Angell Michael again and again admonished Anbertus the Abrencatensian Bishop that wholly in the Sea which by reason of his eminency is called his Tomb he should build a Church in memory of him requiring such veneration to be given him in the Sea as was exhibited to him in Gorganum in the mean time a Bull which was taken by a Lyon was found bound in that place Whereupon the Bishop was commanded the third time that he should lay the foundation of the Temple where he should find the Bull and as he should observe the ground beaten with the feet of the Bull he should draw the compasse of the Temple which he built in honour of Saint Michael and from that time as in the Mountain Gorganum formerly in that place also now in danger of the Sea the worship of the Angell was begun Sigebert Anno Dom. 799. AGnes Wife to Leopold Marquesse of Austria desired her Husband to design some place wherein to build a Monastery that the prayses of Christ and his Mother might therein be said From a Castle seated in the Mountain Cecium
over against Danubia a gentle Western wind snatched from the head of Agnes a vail and whirled it into a Wood hard by which when Leopold nine years after in his game of hunting found undecayed being as fresh as when 't was lost in that very place he built the Monastery desired by his Wife Cuspianus in Austria THe second Caesar busied in divers Wars the Longobards conspired and entred into covenant by oath to be subject to Conrade only to the reducing of whom to obedience Caesar came to Mediolanum where the Bishop thereof had as it were the Government and besieged it during which time most fearful thunder there stupified and terrified the people and as it was reported by them the Bishop and others saw in the Ayr whilest that tempest lasted Ambrose threatning cruel miseries to Caesar to be short the Subburbs being burned the Emperour removed his siege in the year of our Lord 1013 and left them to the enjoyment of their covenant according to the account of Sigebertus 1039. COlomannus King of the Hungarians resolving with himself to destroy by fire Jadera a City of Dalmatia for her frequent revolts dreamed that Nicolas who in times past had been a Bishop of the Jaderensians appearing to him for the wickedness which he in his mind had determined caught him by the hair of the head and scourged him heavily with a golden whip insomuch that awaking he both felt and saw the marks of his beating Therefore though Jadera was a City given much to seek after innovations he winked at their folly and suffered them therein without molestation Bonfinius lib. 5. Decad. 2. SAint Bernard coming to Spira read in the Statue of the blessed Virgin these consecrated Inscriptions Oh Clement O sweet oh holy Mary mother Then presently as they report a voyce out of the Statue said God save you Bernard But he suspecting the Legerdemains of the Devil answereth Paul forbids a woman to speak in the Church They say this Image remains to this very day behind the walls of the Temple of Spira MEdericus an Abbot at Edunum put his cloak upon a Monk burning with libidinous cogitations whereby he was delivered from that misery and the Devil the provoker thereof was heard departing from him to howl and the Monk afterwards according to his vow continued undefiledly firm and constant freed from so much as the least itch or lust of uncleanness Another brother of the Society gathering together and taking the reliques from the table of Medericus repressed the unquietness of his restless wandring mind whereas formerly he had by the instigation of the Devil been so far deluded that he could by no means possible stay in the Church but alwayes before Divine Service was done he ran out of the Church Marulus lib. 5. cap. 7. GEnovepha when upon the Sabbath about the time of Cocks crowing coming into the Church of Saint Dionysius the Torch which was carried before her was by chance put out the Virgins in her company being much troubled thereat lest they should thereby suffer filthiness or horrour she commands the Torch to be delivered to her which as soon as it was but touched by her sacred hands lighted of it self which carried to the sick and languishing cured most of them Bonfinius lib. 5. Decad. 1. POpe Leo the fourth quenched a fire by the sign of the cross which had long raged destroying many houses of the Saxons and Longobards and was making towards the Church of Saint Peter when he extinguisht it upon the eighth day from the Assumption of the blessed Mother of God which day ever after was kept holy not far from the Temple of St. Lawrence without the walls WHen in the time of Pope Calixt there was such an huge exceeding fire having consumed almost all the City and imminently appearing to be ready to seize upon the Monastery the Monks took the corporal of the Challice which thrown into the fire it most miraculously was forced to retreat not daring to proceed further besides the Citizens saw a certain hand which drove back the fire from the Monastery The violence of the fire had no power at all to burn the corporal or do it any hurt at all Chron. Cassinense WHen for fear of the Normans the reliques of Martin were translated to Antisiodorum the Monks disagreed amongst themselves some of them contending that the Temple should be called Martin's Church and others the Church of Liborius who had first been worshipped there whereupon a leprous man is placed betwixt the Statues of the Saints and prayers are made with great devotion that they would exercise their power whereupon a voyce out of the Tomb of Martin saith Thou art made whole by me from thy Leprosie on the one side the other I leave to my brother Liborius to heal for strangers ought alwayes to be honoured Then the sick man urning himself to Liborius his other side was immediately cured Platina in vita Stephani ABout the year of our Lord 1016 certain Monks returning from Jerusalem brought a small part of the towell wherewith our Lord wiped the feet of his Apostles before his last Supper to Cassinum It not being believed by many certain men superstitiously desiring to prove the truth cast it upon hot burning coals whereupon it presenly put on the colour of linnen but as soon as it was taken out of the fire it received its former form Chron. Cassinense lib. 2. cap. 34. WHen at a certain Feast at Bononia a Cock was dressed served up to the table and carved with much art one of the guests said It is impossible Saint Peter should restore this Cock thus carved to life again immediately upon his words the Cock leapeth up restored to life and clapping his wings together scatters the broth which was in the dish into the faces of them who sate at the table the blasphemer was immediately punish'd with an hereditary Leprosie Vincentius lib. 25. cap. 64. THe Bishop of Alexandria a very religious man had a certain Philosopher to his neighbour named Evagrius addicted to the Graecian superstition who had been Schoolfellow to the Bishop this man the Bishop desiring to convert from his foolish worshiping of false gods to the saith of Christ called him often to him and disputed with him but the Philosopher more and more averse to the Christian faith as 't is reported spoke to the Bishop in these words Verily reverend Bishop besides other things which I dislike of your opinion I can by no means approve of the judgment of you Christians who say That the end of the world is to be and that all dead bodies shall then arise and that every one shall have reward at the last for every good deed which he hath done he that moved with mercy giveth to the poor lendeth it to God and shall receive it an hundred fold and life everlasting The Bishop excellently affirming and proving that nothing of the Christian Religion was vain Evagrius departed not yet fully
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
whereupon the vehemency of his sickness was immediately remitted and he arising took meat was perfectly well and freed from his disease but when this recovery of his in this manner seemed to the people as a thing not to be believed that he might take away the incredulity of them he went on horseback into the Market-place Cuspinianus IN the time that Ptolomey sought for the cross with great anxiety because he could no where find it other Monuments of the Passion of our Lord miraculously discovered themselves to mortals At Lutetia Ludovicus the son of Philip Augustus for three years the King being absent upon his holy expedition was visited with such violent sicknesse that every one expected the expiration of his life which was onely known to be in him by weak and almost insensible breathings Mauritius the Bishop of Paris brought with great reverence to Lutetia a part of the blessed crown of Thorns which was kept at the Church of Dionysius and the sacred nayl obtained by prayers which as soon as 't was but moved towards the sick Prince his sicknesse was driven away and his health perfectly restored Aemilius lib. 6. A Certain man mortally wounded by tasting a little bread consecrated by St. Bernard was immediately healed he could by benediction make bread continue many years uncorrupt retaining its colour to the sight and sweetnesse for the taste In the Tolosanum Province many sick by tasting the bread which St. Bernard had blessed recovered their health A certain Salernitanian Citizen with the water wherein St. Bernard the Abbot had washed his hands was restored to health Autor vitae THe Malmendrensian Monks after they had in vain by prayers and tears sought the free restitution of their Monastery from Caesar who had subjectd it to the Colonie of Antistitus they sought for the bones of St. Remachus and brought them to Leodium and layd them upon the King's Table sitting then at meat which broken with the weight thereof they by falling broke the legs and feet of a certain Noble-man who by the intercession of Remachus imploring the help of Almighty God was made whole and that in such sort that there remained not so much as the least scarr or mark where his hurts had been And when as more Miracles were wrought by these reliques the King did not onely restore what he had taken from the Monastery but bestowed gifts upon the Monks Anno 171. Schaffnaburgensis IN the Confines of Biturgum and Turonum Claudiomagus being Governour there being a famous Church in a secret place whereof when in his pilgrimage Saint Martin coming thither lodged upon straw upon whose departure the Priests and Virgins in devotion for that they had a most reverent esteem of his piety divided amongst them the straw whereon he lay part whereof when they hanged about the neck of one possessed with a Devil he was suddenly dispossest Bonfinius l. 5. Dec. 1. CHronicon Martini manuscriptum reporteth That a certain Noble woman ignorantly translating the bones or reliques of Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople thinking they had been the bones of her Mother it happened That the Devil 's howling in the ayr discovered the Angels harmoniously singing driving them away and the daughter of the Emperour possessed with a Devil cryed out If Stephen come I shall be presently made well A Certain Noble man a Prefect or provost under Otho the second Emperour being possessed with a Devil by a chain which as it was believed had bound St. Peter put about his neck was presently dispossest in the year 983. Ut Chronicon Saxoniae habet Vincentius lib. 24. cap. 88. Othonis primi temporibus accidisse narrat Sigebertus verò secundi THe people strewing herbs about the Tomb of Nicetius the Lugdunensian Bishop Augulphus the Deacon coming from Rome and bringing with him some of them which were given him by a Priest gave of them in a draught of cold water to severall visited with Feavers and they were suddenly restored to health Gregory of Turon affirms as a most certain truth that this was done in his time It is reported that the Albanensian Bishop sick of a Feaver taking bread and water out of a dish out of which St. Bernard was wont to eat meat as soon as he tasted thereof recovered his health Autor vitae Bernardi Gregorius Turonensis de gloria confessorum cap. 85. de Sylvestri Calvillonensis Episcopi lectulo funibus ligatur ligato mira quaedam narrat Many sick of Feavers being laid upon this bed of the Bishop have been refreshed made whole and lusty he saith he saw many troubled with infirmities who but by touching some small particles which had been cut from the ropes of the bed restored to their former health he likewise saith he saw his Mother with a particle of a rope which had been cut from the ropes of that bed to cure a woman sick of a Feaver by putting it about her neck IVo in Chronico Paulus Diaconus libro 6. cap. 2. de gestis Longobardorum narrant That in the time of Constantine about the year of our Lord 682 during the three moneths of July August and September a pestilence had so depopulated Ticinum and so many of the Inhabitants which remained alive fled out of the City that grass and weeds sprung up in the streets thereof whereupon it was revealed to certain men that the Plague would not thence depart till they had built up the Altar of the Martyr Sebastian in the Church of Saint Peter And that it came accordingly to passe for the reliques of Sebastian being translated from Rome to Ticinum and the Altar built the Pestilence ceased And hence it is that the superstition which possest the minds of the ruder sort of men by conceiving Sebastian a guardian and defender of men from the Plague first took its rise COnstantine the Great having overcome Maxentius there appeared as a symbol the sign of the Cross in the firmament when he likewise thought to fall upon Maximinus a deadly enemy to the Christians he was suddenly afflicted with a disease called the Elephantiasie all his Physitians despairing of his recovery at last the Greeks having a place in their Capitol in which they affirm If the Emperour wash it being filled with the blood of children he should recover his former health Without all doubt that kind of remedy was familiar with the Kings of Aegypt Scribit Plinius lib. 26. cap. 1. the Children therefore are called together and the hangman ready expecting an Edict to perpetrate that villany but the Emperour being a most humane gallant man was so moved with tears of the tender Mothers that he could by no means find in his heart to deprive them of their children but delivered them to their Mothers choosing rather to dye then to â—elieve himself by the innocent blood of children The next night he saw by Vision Peter and Paul coming to him who admonished him to go to Sylvester the chief Bishop of Rome and wash himself
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
Lord 1330 invaded Italy falling sick of the Gowt underwent great perill in his affairs circumvented by the unfaithfull dealing of his couzen german General Leodrisius who leading the Rhaetian and Helvetian cohorts and with a strong hand gathering together all banished men came to Abdua Actius though troubled with the Gowt raised Souldiers in every place and left his Garrisons well fortified to the care of Governours till such time as his expected recruits should come to him And committing the Van-guard of his Army to his Lievtenant Nervianus the Leodrisianians had prevailed against them had not St. Ambrose the Mediolanensian guardian Saint been seen by many of the City in form of an Horseman succouting them apparently in their distress for there came at that time to their relief Hector Panicus with a wing of Cataphractans Albrogians sent by Ludovicus Subaudius father-in-law to Actius which overcame the Rhaetians unseasonably exulting and resting themselves disorderly putting them to the sword and took Leodrisius himself prisoner there being slain at that time above four hundred thousand men And in the field where this Victory was obtained a Temple was built to St. Ambrose in memory thereof where yearly upon the twenty fourth of February the Mediolanensian people coming together in great pomp with the Praetor and Counsellors celebrated his Feast with sacred solemnities Jovius in Actio But Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 6. writeth That the Auxiliaries which came to relieve Actius as soon as they began battel clearly saw Ambrose with a whip to fall upon the Barbarians which Martinus Scaliger led being hired thereunto by Leodrisius and in memory of this Victory Ambrose was pictured with a whip in his hand ever after this IN the battle wherein Ramirus King of Spain fought against the Saracens before Calugurium James the Apostle was seen by all who were there leading the Christian Army and putting the Saracens to flight NIcephorus lib. 8. cap. 23. reporteth That Chrysanthus and Musonius being Bishops who sate in the Nicene Council and dying before they had subscribed those Articles of Faith which were there agreed upon the Fathers of the Council therefore went to their Monuments and holding a writing in their hands which contained in it the Articles they spoke to them as if they had been living men hearing them Holy Fathers you have fought a good fight with us you have finished your course and kept the faith if therefore what we have done ought to be allowed and confirmed it is meet and needfull that you who are illustrated by the splendour of the Trinity whose beatificall Vision frees you from all obscurity and hindrance which lets us from the clear and perfect discerning of things with us subscribe this little book who when they had spoke these words laid it down before the Tomb sealed and going to their rest that night and returning in the morning they found the book sealed with the seals inviolated and their subscriptions inserted with the rest which they perceived to be newly written in these words We Chrysanthus and Musonius with all the Fathers in the first holy Oecumenical and Nicene Council do agree and although translated from our bodies yet with our own proper hands we have subscribed the Articles in this book PLergilis a Priest prayed That he might see what species laid hid under the form of bread and wine and whilest he continued his supplications for the same an Angel from Heaven appearing to him speaketh saying Arise quickly if thou desire to see Christ he is present cloathed with that body which the holy Mother of God bore he therefore casting his eyes upon the Altar seeth the child the onely begotten Son of the Father whom with trembling arms he takes and kisses and presently restores again to the top of the Altar and falling prostrate upon his knees again he implored Almighty God again that he would turn him again into his pristine species and as soon as he had finished his prayer he found the body of Christ returned to his wonted form as by prayer he had desired Rabbanus de Sacramento Eucharistiae cap. 30. Paschasius in libro de corpore et sanguine Domini cap. 41. A Certain Souldier in the City of Rome extinct by the Plague when he revived said That he saw a narrow bridge under which ran a River ugly and caliginous which sent forth an incredible stinking savour but on the other side of the bridge upon the bank-side of the River he saw pleasant places which with the variety of flowers which grew therein sent forth such fragrant odours as much delighted the smelling faculty and habitations all about which were of a certain divine form and splendour but amongst the rest one was greater and excelled in glory for that it was wholly built with golden bricks but for whom it was built he could not understand but he considered that he observed that the just most securely passed that bridge and that the unjust and reprobate fell into the River then he saw as he said a stranger a Priest who inoffensively passed through those streights having quietly and contentedly suffered the going thorow the turnings therein for that he had lived piously in this world but amongst those which he saw fall whom the whirlpool of the froathy snatching stream tossed about he saw Peter chief Bishop of the Ecclesiasticall Family who four years since coming that way infolded with Iron chains and in vain striving to swim through the horrible hollow passage he therefore had a warrant as a punishment to him to punish those that hereafter should be guilty rather severely then indulgently Marulus lib. 6. cap. 14. IN the Castle of the seven holy brethren Albericus a certain Noble child when he attained the tenth year of his age afflicted with sicknesse was brought even to deaths-door at which time he lay immoveable without sense as if he had been quite dead seven dayes and nights In which interval brought by the blessed Apostle Peter and two Angels he cometh to the infernal gulph at length he was brought to see the pleasant things of Paradise and lifted up into the aerie Heaven he was sufficiently instructed by Peter of things contained in the Old Testament of the punishments due to sinners and the glory of Saints he saw certain secret things which he was forbid to speak and so for seventy dayes he being led about the Provinces by him he was restored to life Chronicon Cassionense lib. 4. cap. 68. VIncentius hath a long Narration extant in his book 27. chap. 99. of Tundalus whose soul was led by an Angel as well to the infernal place of punishments as purgatory where he saw many whom he knew at his first entrance amongst the blessed he met with a multitude of men and women enduring the misery of rains and winds pining away with hunger and thirst but injoying light molested with no stink who as the Angel told me had not lived very honestly nor had been charitable to the poor were
deplored her fortune leaning with her head upon her hand neither was she satisfied or contented with this but did mangle and break in pieces divers other Statues and Images and knocked them on the head with hammers some certain Pedlars diligently taught birds to imitate humane words so that in the streets and porches they would sing with their ordinary voice Justitia Politica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicetas IN the time of Galerius Maximinius a persecutor of the Christians there was one Theotecnus at Athens who was an enchanter and a cruel enemy to the Christians and did as much as in him lay to cause the Christians to be accused and brought before the Emperour and by this deceit he did it by his conjurations and Sorceries he caused Jupiter's image to utter these words Speak to Jupiter that these Christians may be expelled out of the City and fields and banished as being enemies to him The subtilty of this wicked Magitian easily took effect under such a wicked Prince Eusebius lib. 8. JAson the son of Aeson Nephew to Pelias the Thessalonian King wishing to do something worthy of memory and to imitate some heroick deeds of Persius and others Pelias did consent to his desire not that he might encrease the glory of his youth nor adde splendour to it but hoping that he would quickly be slain in some warlike Expedition or other for he feared his brother Aeson lest by the help of his son he should get the Kingdom from him In the mean while he promised him ayd for his Warr if he would prepare for a Voyage to Cholcos to get the Golden Fleece Then was Pontus inhabited by the Barbarians and wild Nations and they were so cruel to strangers that they slew all them that sailed thereabouts Wherefore Jason makes a Ship near the Pelian Mountain of a greater bigness and bulk and which had greater furniture then in those dayes they usually had for there was onely then used some little Ships or Frigots The rumour of this thing was spread all through Greece so that he invited many gallant young men of their own accord to come to his Warr Jason chose the chief of them that desired to go with him which number was four and fifty Of these who were famous was Castor and Pollux Hercules Telamon Orpheus Atalanta Schenei besides Thespius's sons and the author of the Voyage Jason The Ship we will not say when dipped in the water was called Argo from Argos its builder who also took care of repairing her when she was sailing on her Voyage or else named Argos for her admirable swiftnesse because the Ancients called any thing that was swift Argon they preferred Hercules to be their Captain the chiefest for Vertue and Fortitude The wings of fame flying all abroad the Countrey did bring news that all those that sailed with Jason to Pontus perished by a mortality In the first place Pelias made Jason's father to drink Bull 's blood he slew his brother Pomachus being but as yet a boy Alchimede his Mother was designed for death for all she was a Woman yet she did one very memorable thing with a manly courage when she fled into the inmost recesses of the Palace and there begging of the gods that they would reward and revenge such impiety she ran her self thorough with a sword Jason returned back into Thessaly and the Argonautes promised him to do what they could to revenge such an hainous wickednesse if he would fight against the City Medea promised that by her craft she would kill Pelias and would deliver the Kingdom unto them without any danger and that she would do her task too for she was to instruct them in every thing and she from the Palace was to give signs of the whole Affair smoke by day fire by night to the Keepers of the Watch-Tower on the Sea-coast therefore preparing Diana's Image which was convex and hollow in which she hid divers kinds of venomous things Afterwards by her medicines making her hairs gray and her face to be so rugged and wrinckled that she seemed to all that lookt on her to be an old woman then taking Diana's image went forth into the City and stirred all up to superstition as though she came from the Northern Countries for the King and Citie 's good and welfare divers worshipped her religiously as a Goddess all the whole people was so besotted and they brought Medea into the King's Palace These things much increased Pelia's superstition yea and his daughters were so bewitched by Medea's Inchantments that they were perswaded that she was a goddess that was come for the prosperity and felicity of the Kingdom for she did affirm that Diana was carried through the Ayr by Dragons and that she had gone about the greatest part of the World and that she might be perpetually worshipped they ought to choose the most Religious King they could get and moreover that the Goddesse had commanded her that with some Medicines she should take away the old age from Pelias and turn him young again At which words the King admiring commanded Medea to try the experiment upon her self that they might believe what she said She required that some pure water might be brought her by one of his daughters and when she had shut her self up in her bed she anointed her body and by the strength of herbs she was reduced to her former age It is reported that she by her enchantments caused a Goddesse in the likenesse of Dragons to fly through the air and supported by the Hyberboreans which seemed to turn towards Pelias Pelias esteemed very much of Medea and diligently commanded his daughters to do what she commanded and be observant of her and whatsoever she gave in charge to be done about her body that they should do it In the following night it 's reported that Medea should say that it was necessary that the body of Pelias should be boyled in Copper which when the Virgins were about to do it they required one experiment that they might give trust to her words then there was a Ram that was kept in the house for many years to whom she promised to the Virgins if she should first boyl that she would afterwards restore it into its former condition again When the Virgins did consent they relate she did boyl the body of the Ram which was divided into little pieces and by her medicines brought forth the figure of a Lamb out of the kettle which being done and believing Medea all the virgin-daughters except Alcestis who for her eminent Piety abstained from doing violence to her father they slew their father by beating of him Then it 's said That Medea lest that they should boyl the body of Pelias made as though she would first perform her Vow to the Moon and commanded the Virgins with their lamps to ascend to the top of the Palace and there in the Cholchians tongue made a long speech to drive away the time and gave