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
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
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
confessed that he was haunted with his Mother's ghost and beaten with furies The Magicians preparing a sacrifice he attempted to call upon and intreat the Gods In the pilgrimage to Greece he did not dare to appear at the solemnities of the Eleusinians because at the beginning of them the wicked and prophane were summoned by the call of the Cryen Suetonius OTho the Emperour when Galba was slain beginning his reign with tortures and terrours the first night was so troublesome and grievous to him that not sleeping on a sudden being horribly affrighted he groaned heavily and was found by them which went to his chamber lying on the floor Whereupon he endeavoured to pacifie and asswage Galba his ghosts by whom he thought he was troubled and disturbed The next day devising what to do a great tempest arose he falling down ever and anon mutter'd and mumbled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suetonius ZOnaras relateth out of Thracesius Isaacius Comnenus the Empeâ—our hunting about Neapolis saw a wild boar of a fearfull aspect which loosening his horses reins he follow'd as fast as he could plunging into the Sea it vanished some judged it not to be a Boar but some Diabolical spirit In this interim a sudden brightnesse like lightning so dazled the Emperour that striking his horse for fear and foaming at the mouth he was laid all along on the ground in an amaze and from thence was carried in a fishers boat into the Kings Palace he afterwards betook himself to a Monastery Zonaras IT is reported by Augustinus that the Tribune Hesperius had a plat of ground in the territory Fusalensis which was sorely haunted by evill spirits so that the servants and brute beasts were grievously tormented being therefore necessitated by this Domestick misery he went to the Elders of the Church and requested that some of them would vouchsafe to read prayers there One of them went his way thither and prayed fervently and zealously he also administred the Lords Supper there and immediately that vexatious crew of hobgoblins gave over coming Libro de civitate Dei vigesimo 2. capite 8. SEverus Sulpitius writes in the life of Martin his first book and likewise in Clemens his life That a certain Monk an hermit whose father lived hard by him who not loving his son carryed a hatchet with him wherewith he cut down trees to carry home as he returned Upon which the Devill in the shape of an Angell appeared to this Monk then in the form of his Father he was coming to him with a hatchet to kill him telling him and averring he came to that end and purpose an Hermit advising him to prevent his intent and resolution and rather first to kill him then be killed by him Thinking therefore his father comming towards him and saluting him to be the Devill presently killed him and on the other side the Devill instantly throtles the Monk UNder the Emperour Ludovicus the 3d the City Moguntia was miserably haunted with a daemoniall spirit There is in Germany and in the third part of Gallia a little from the town Bingus where the River Navas and Rhene meet a country town commonly called by the name of Camontus quasi caput montium the highest mountain There in the year 858. a stragling fugitive spirit did many strange miracles and plaid many jugling tricks so that he was a great vexation and trouble to the Inhabitants First he was a deadly dangerous ghost which none could see throwing stones at men and knocking at their dores Anon in the shape of a most pestilent and wicked genius lying lurking in corners and Prophecying discovering robberies most infamously branding all manner of delicts and stirring up strife and contention among them By degrees he burnt down their barns and small cottages to one he was more vexatious haunting him wheresoever he went and at last set his house on fire And that he might incense all the neighbourhood against this innocent man to put him to death this abominable forger of lies bragg'd up and down 'T was for his impieties that this place was so infamous and execrable He was made to stand all night in the cold for their night hobgoblin by force kept this good man from his house He to satisfie his neighbours carried a hot Iron in his hand and receiving no hurt thereby he approved himself guiltlesse yet neverthelesse his corn being cock't up in the fields This wicked and forlorn creature burnt down his dwelling house And when he persisted daily more and more spightfull the Townesmen bring the cause before their Governour or Bishop The Priests were to purifie and expiate their fields and Town with holy and devout prayers and holy water This wicked and disturbed spirit at first was opposite and stubborn wounding some with stones but being inchanted with divine hymnes and by prevalent prayers conjured was at last bush't and was never after seen When these were gone came another turbulent Ghost and saith While those bald Priests mumbled over and over I know not what I hid my self under one of their surplisses and heard him by name to take notice of him who the night before through my perswasion lay with his hosts daughter When this relation was done making a great howling the Ghost departed from those quarters and vanished up into the Ayre Sigerbertus Chron. Hirsaug Antoninus Aâ—entinus lib. 4. IN the Northern parts there were night-walkers that used to enclose and strangely to disturb the field-keepers looking to their charge with prodigious and wonderfull sights of divers kinds the inhabitants thereabouts cal'd this nightly sports of Monsters The Elves-daunce of whom this is their opinion that their Souls who were inclin'd to carnall pleasures and delights being once parted from the body rove up and down the world Amongst the number of which they reckon them to be which yet in this our age do apply themselves in mans shape to the services of men taking pains by night and looking to their horses and flocks you may see the footsteps verily sometimes in the grasse in a dewy morning but sometimes they are utterly consumed Olaus Magnus libro 3. cap. 11. Septentrional gentium THere is a Castle in the coasts of Finlandia under the same dominion of Suâ—cia 't is called the New-Castle because built with admirable and rare workmanship insomuch that 't is doubted whether by Nature or Art For 't is scituated on a round mountain having onely one ingresse and another egresse on the West This by a great piece of Timber fastned with great Iron chains which by strong labour every day by the help of some pulleys by reason of the impetuous waters is in the night time attracted by the keepers to one side of the river By this castle runs an immense and vast River of an unknown profundity coming out from a white pool which is caused by a piece of ground of a black colour especially in the mote about this Tower that hath and engenders fishes all black and yet of
because he had so exactly drawn as 't were to the life the Virgin Maries picture and had not answered the costs and labours of Novesianus the Limner who thereby suffered much damage This was true Hereupon he added the manner how he might be absolved viz. that this crime could not be expiated nor he by any means freed unlesse for Religions sake this Phillip would travail into some parts of Germany whom for his integrity the Devill thought to be a fit instrument for his sports and three Masses were read to procure his liberty viz. de Trinit de Domin and de Temp. The Divines of Colony consulted to satisfy his request and the rest of the Monks desired the same of their Abbot Gerard Strailgen Morsens who thought that Phillip was rather to be converted into another opinion by sounder doctrine and sharp reproof that relying on God the Father of all mercy with a lively Faith and Christ our onely Saviour he might stoutly contemn the impostures of the Devill and tell that Ghost returning back that he was not under his jurisdiction that he lived under the rule of others and therefore he could not observe his commands Which being done The Ghosâ— replyed Tell the Deputy for he hoped he would confirm his purpose Whereupon the Abbot when he perceived the Devill to persevere and the Monk not confidently enough to resist his illusions instructed him again carefully admonishing him to repent and not to be so prone to hearken to the sleights of the Devill but if he continued to hear those spirits as formerly he threatned most severely to whip him and heavily to beat him Hereupon the Ghost seeing his endeavours to be vain by reason of the Abbots constancy and Phillips mind more elevated with trust in God against the fraudulent and destructive policies of the Devill never came again but went some where else Vierus Lib. 4. cap. 29. ANtonius Surquetus Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter and likewise a Counsellour left behind him a Son which was base born who afterwards married a wife at Brugus This woman within a while after she was married was lamentably tormented by an evill genius insomuch that whithersoever she went though in the midst of good and honest Matrons she was snatcht out of their company and hal'd out of one Chamber into another and oftentimes conveyed away sometimes into this hole sometimes into that notwithstanding all that were present did with all reluctancy and might endeavour to hold her fast yet all this was without any great harm or prejudice to her body Every body believed and were perswaded that this befell to her by a drab that envied her Husband with whom formerly she was in love withall for he was indeed as I may so say another Narcissus In this interim she was with child neverthelesse was she thus ill-handled Her time of delivery being at hand when there was but one onely woman with her and she sent away the servant to call the Midwife this Harlot seemed to come in unto her and performed the Midwifes office for her She for very grief and trouble of mind swounded away when she came to her self she felt that she was delivered of her burden but the child appeared not every body exceedingly wondring at it But the day after it happened that when she awaked she found the Babe by her in the Bed swadled up which she often suckled But not long after when she was asleep the Infant was taken away from her and never afterwards found They said I know not what Papers with Magick notes were found in the dore-lock Historiam recenset Vierus Lib. 2. cap. 48. de praestig Daemon A Religious maid whose name was Judith was by the Devill most cruelly writhed with Convulsion fits and her jaws clang together so that she could not eat her tongue also sometimes was so restrained that she could not speak but made a most hideous and dreadfull noise Idem lib. 3. cap. 13. A Certain Country Priest living at Durweis about Esweiler did confidently promise that he would set at quiet a pretty young maid named Helena which was haunted with a Devill in a Village called Loes scituated by Aldenhovia some of his neighbouring Priests being convocated to this solemn sight and strange wonder At last the Devill told this Exorcist having for some while taken great pains to little or no purpose in disturbing him that he must now desist for about the glasse which was set to illustrate him were many of his co-partners which would confirm him This poor Priest giving credence to this father of lies goes about by the glasse to force them away but when he perceived that he laboured in vain being very angry he brake out into this speech If thou canst go out of one Christian into another come forth out of her into me To whom the Devill presently replyed What need I tempt him whom at the last day I am certain is my proper right to enjoy Afterwards being desirous to know what the Devills opinion was concerning the Masse Johannes Sartorius Parochus in Leon askt him in plain English Why this little maid instantly at the ringing of the Bell to Masse was alwaies by him brought into the Temple To this question he said He could not presently make his answer but he would consider on it Actus hic celebratus Anno 1559. circiter 17. Augusti Vierus lib. 4. cap. 21. de praestigiis Daemonum THe Nuns of Ventetus shut up close in the County of Horn were cruelly handled by an evill spirit A poor woman in Lent time borrowed three Measures of Salt of the Virgins and restored almost twice as much about Easter Here in the bed-chamber were found small white balls as 't were seeds pargetted over with Sugar but being tasted they were salt In the same place they took notice of a Ghost walking there and groaning they heard also that many Virgins were called to arise and to go with her to the fire advertising them that she was not well If at any time they took the Chamberpot to make water it was by force taken from them and they watered their bed Sometimes they were haled by the feet out of their beds and were tickled at the Soles of their Feet that with overmuch laughter they were ready to dye Some had pieces of flesh pul'd off many had their legs arms and Faces writhed the contrary way Some were so tormented though for fifty and odde dayes they eat nothing but Turnep Porrage without bread yet they spued up such abundance of black stuffe like Ink it self so sharp that it took off the skin from their Mouth Some were lifted up above a Mans height and instantly thrown down again When about 13. friends came to visit and comfort them that were sick they fell down from the Table not speaking a word nor sensible thereof others lay as if they were dead with their legs and arms Crosse one was lift up aloft and although some
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
a Wolf that was wounded in the hanch or Thigh with a Dart which afterwards being turned into a Man laid in his bed with the Arrow in him and being plucked out he that was wounded acknowledged it this was proved at that time and in that forementioned place both by his own confession and by divers other testimonials JOb Fincelius writeth that at Padua there was one man fell mad and his Wolvish feet being cut off instantly he appeared a man that was stumped or had his members cut off by which example saith Bodinus the Judgment against Witches is confirmed and a great company of Witches in the shape of Cats were wont to congregate and gather to the Castle and there were set four or five men who were set to watch them all night and then a great multitude of Cats did invade and set upon them one of them was slain the rest were sore hurt and wounded but many Cats being cut and hurt afterwards turned into women were found to be sore slash't But because the thing seems so incredible the sentence and Judgment is mute and silent Petrus Marmorius in his book of divinations saith that he himself was an eye-witnesse of this transformation of Men into Wolves in Lubaudia and Henry Coloniensis in his Vol. de lamiis of VVitches affirms it for an undoubted truth and also Ulricus Molitor in his book which he dedicated to Sigismundus Caesar setting down the disputation that was made before the Emperour and proves by many reasons and also by his own experience this strange Metamorphosing of men into Wolves and tells of one that was thus transformed at Constance who was accused convicted condemned and confessing it was executed This is shewed in many books that are set forth in Germany one of which relates that there was a Christian King who was lately deceased that oftentimes turned himself into a Wolf that he might be the Prince and chief of Magitians And the truth is this kind of VVitchcraft over-spread all Greece and Asia and some of the VVestern countries as our Merchants say that there were some that were put in the stocks and imprisoned who turned themselves from the shape of men into VVolves Therefore in the year 1542. Sultan Solyman getting invested in the Empire there was such a company of VVolves at Constantinople that the Emperour was in arms marching against them with his Praetorian Souldiers and compelled a hundred and fifty of them to fly and vanish out of the City all the people being spectators Job Fincelius in his second book de Mirabilibus and the whole Country agree to this The Germans call these Wolves Werwolf the French Loups garous Picardians Loups Warous as if thou shouldst say divers Wolves for the French put G in the room of W the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Versipelles as Plinius not Ovid writing of this Metamorphosis Pomponatius and Theophrastus the chiefest Princes of Philosophers in their age do confirm that certainly there was such a transformation of men into Wolves Casper Peucerus son in law of Phillip Melancthon writes that formerly these seemed alwayes but as meer fables and fictions to him but at last he was forced to believe that which so many Merchants of good account and credit did confirm in Livonia many being accused convicted and confessed and so were executed and therefore he sets down the manner which they observe in Livonia for every year about the end of December there was a knavish fellow who did stir up all the Magitians that they might have a Congregation in such an appointed place and if they did not appear there they were corrected by the Devill with an Iron rod so that the common rout were a great while after their Captain who marching before Millions followed to a certain River and passing over it they were transformed into Wolves and would fall upon men and beasts and brought great detriment to the Country and twelve dayes after rowing again over the River they reassumed the figures and shapes of men I Have oftentimes visited one Languetus Bâ—rgundus a Learned man negotiating about important affairs with the Duke of Saxony and also with the King of France for his Lord and Master here he toll'd a story not much unlike to this He said That having some businesse with an old man in Livonia the thing was known amongst the people I have about me some letters of a certain German who was a Pensioner of King Henry the second written to the Constable of France by which he certifies the Constable the which Intelligence was given at Mosch in Livonia and furthermore he adds In those Countreys where Herodotus seems to place the Neurians among whom there were those that could change themselves into Wolves which was a common and usuall thing in Livonia many things which were related by Herodotus seeming incredible following Ages have found to be true And the same Author saith That there were Magitians that by certain short sentences allayed that tempest in which Xerxes had above fourty Ships sunk and cast away And we read in Olaus Magnus lib. 3. cap. 18. of the Lappi that could sell storms and calms by unloosing some ropes which all Marriners know by frequent experience WE also read in the History of John Tritemii in the year 1470 of a certain Jew Bajanus by name the son of Simeon who when be pleased could transform himself into a Wolf and vanish out of sight and made himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible ANd it is a wonderfull thing and yet methinks 't is more admirable that many will not believe it when people of all Nations and Historians with one consent acknowledge and confesse it not onely Herodotus hath written of it 2000 and 200 years since and Homer 40. but Pomponius Mela Solinus Strabo Dionysius Afer M. Varro Virgilius Ovidius and sixty other and so Virgilius upon this Has herbas atque haec Ponto mihi lecta venena Ipse dedit Moeris naseuntur plurima Ponto His ego saepe lupum fieri se condere sylvis Moerin These herbs and poysons cull'd me Maeris gave Not a few such the briny Marshes have By this I oft Maeris a Wolf have seen When in the covert woods h 'as hidden been And taking these into a Wolf was chang'd Hiding my self into Maeris Woods rang'd But Pliny lib. 8. cap. 22. wonders that Authors should agree about this That men saith he should be turned into Wolves and again return unto their proper shape we ought to esteem false or believe all that which we find recorded in fabulous Annals this he durst not affirm fearing lest he should be believed for among the chiefest of Greek Authors he bringeth Evanthes upon the stage who saith That in Arcadia there was one of the Antaean Nation that did swim over a pool and was transfigured into a Wolf and after some few years coming to the same pool again and when he did
Aristimentum in Persia Cyrus awakened out of his dream and suspended with this nocturnal vision and casting many wayes what should be the meaning thereof at last said That thereby was revealed to him from the gods that Hystaspes and his son Darius did lye in wait to surprise him and his Kingdom he used therefore his utmost endeavours to return into his own Countrey the Massegetians being conquered and leaves his son in his place but that Vision foretold That Cyrus should be shortly overthrown and that ere long Darius should obtain his Kingdom which came to passe after a short reign of Cambyses which came betwixt this and Darius his Conquest Sabellicus lib. 6. Ennead 2. SOcrates foresaw in his dreams that his Scholler Plato would be an excellent Orator and Philosopher for the day before he being brought to him by his father Socrates in his dream saw a white Swan fly into his bosome which by his musicall striking of his wings filled the Ayr which Dream as soon as Plato was brought to him he declared Pausanias in Atticis HIppocrates in his Epistle to Philopomenes relates his Dream thus That meditating solicitously of Democritus to whom being called to cure the Abderitani he saith that health would meet him in the morning I saw quoth he Aesculapius and as we were both before and even at the ports of the Abderitari Aesculapius appeared not as his pictures speak him mild and gentle but with squalid habit and an horrid aspect and there followed him Dragons a fierce kind of creeping creatures of huge length hissing in desarts and lawnes he had in his company likewise men that followed him with boxes of medicaments handsomely closed up immediately he reacheth forth his hand to salute me which God knowes I most joyfully imbraced I desired to wait upon him and to serve him in his administring Physick but he answered for present 't was not needful for this goddess of mortals and immortals will conduct thee being a stranger Whereupon turning my self I beheld a goodly fair Lady neatly and gloriously adorned about whose eyes there appeared such a circle of shining splendour that exceeded the glorious brightnesse of Stars He thereupon departed but the Lady taking me kindly by the hand leads me on a grave pace through the City and when we approached near a house wherein I thought I should have been entertained she departed like a ghost saying To morrow I shall find you with Democritus To whom as she was going away I said Dear Lady who are you and how may I call you Truth sayes she but she that thou seest coming towards thee and presently another Lady not uncomely appeared to me of a more bold aspect and more fierce whose name she told me was Opinion and that she lived with the Abderetani When I therefore awaked from my Dream I conceived the interpretation of it to be That Democritus needs not a Physitian God departing from administring of Physick when there is no matter or sicknesse which requires it but that Truth which alwayes dwelleth with Democritus saith he is in health and that Opinion which saith he is sick remaineth amongst the mad Abderetani ALexander was descended from Hercules by Carinus and from Aeacus on his Mothers side by Neoptolemus as it was verily thought It is reported that when Phillip King of Macedon first courted Olympiades taken with her beauty by the help of her brother Arybba whom Diodore in his sixteenth book calleth Arymba whose friendship he obtained he stole her away from her Parents and married her and that the night before they enjoyed nuptial rights in a dream he thought he saw Jove touch his belly being descended from Heaven in thunder whereupon there was a huge fire which arose and presently dispersed it self into flames all about The same Philip a short time after his marriage dreamed That he sealed his Wives belly and that the sculpture of the seal as it seemed to him was the Image of a Lyon which vision he declaring to some that took upon them the interpretation of dreams they advised him to set a strict Watch or Guard upon his Wife but Telemesus said She would bring a Lyon-like child for that no vain thing is to be sealed therefore the dream signified that she would have a child of perfect animosity and courage Plutarchus in Alexandro SOphocles did often dream that Hercules speaking to him by name called him thief because he had stoln a golden vessel out of his Temple And that being detected and brought before the State he confessed himself guilty of the theft whereof Hercules accused him wherefore from that time ever after the Temple was called by the name of Hercules his Temple Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 5. ANnaeus Seneca a Senator of Rome being commanded by Claudius the Emperour to undertake the Tutorship of Nero as yet a child hopefull by a towardly genius the night after he received him as 't is reported he dreamed that he had to his Scholler Caligula whose famous cruelty had appeared to the World Not long after the conditions and manners of Nero changing or rather being detected appearing he proved himself to have a soul void of humanity insomuch that it was admired because he was so like Caligula how it could otherwise come to pass but by the transmigration of Caligula his soul out of Hell into Nero. Petrarcha ex Suetonio Dione EUdemus a Cyprian a familiar friend of Socrates travelling into Macedonia cometh to Pherae a rich and famous City of Thessaly but oppressed and brought somewhat low by the inhumane tyranny of one Alexander he was there taken with such heavy sickness that Physitians despaired of his health who thus afflicted dreams that he saw a gallant young man who coming to him assured him of three things to come That he though now extreamly sick should shortly recover his health That the Tyrant of that City should dye within a few dayes And that he within five years should go to his own Country And the two first did manifestly come to passe accordingly for he beyond all hopes recovered his health the Tyrant was slain by his Wives brothers the third was somewhat more obscure for about the end of the fifth year as he was going from Sicily where he then lived to Cyprus he was taken out of this World by Wars at Syracusa we find that Interpreters of Dreams excuse the not coming of Eudemus home according to the dream by saying That by death his soul was delivered from the bonds of his body and returned to her Countrey Petrarcha ASpasia the daughter of Hermotimus after her Mother Phocensis dyed in labour together with her child being educated in penury and want of a Parent yet modestly and handsomely she often dreamed that she saw one who told her that her fortune should be such that she should be married to a gallant and honest Gentleman it chanced to the Maid that a swelling rose upon her very chin most ugly to behold which was
narrant That John Baptist appeared to a certain rapacious and sacrilegious fellow who came to the Monument of Rothares King of the Longobards in a Church built for the repose of his dead body and took away all the ornaments wherewith it was buried and blamed him for his presumption to dare to touch his body who although he had not walked in the strict way of truth yet he had committed himself to his patronage and protection By reason of this impiety this sacrilegious person could never after go into the Temple for as often as he assayed to enter thereinto he was driven back by a ghost which offered to cut his throat if so be he proceeded and so was forced to retreat IN that Warr that Charls the Eighth King of France waged against Anne Dutchess of Britain whom afterwards he married a certain Souldier of Britain going out of the City of Rhemes to plunder in the Temple of a certain Town whereinto the Countrey people had brought the greatest part of their goods he breaks open a Chest thinking that it belonged to some secular person and loading himself with as much as he could well carry of the goods therein returning home with them he looking amongst his plunder saw amongst the rest certain small pieces of linnen cloath like to handkerchiefs and not conceiving that they were such as Priests use for a napkin to carry the host he bestowed them on his Landlady who perceiving them bloody she first looked upon her hands which when she found hurt but could not perceive any blood issue from thence she searched her bosome and found all the skin of her breast lining of her Wastcoar and lower petticoat imbroydered with blood the woman carrying these cloaths to the River to wash could not possibly take the blood out of them though by washing thereof the water seemed bloody Which is not unlike what happened to Pope Leo who to those that sought from him holy reliques he cutting part of a napkin which is called the Corporal gave it them but when he perceived a certain man to despise it Leo in his presence pricked the corporal whereby he made it plainly appear that blood flowed from it Fulgosus lib. 1. cap. 6. GRegorius Turonensis cap. 81. de gloria confessorum writes concerning Marianus the Hermite a Holy-day in remembrance of whom was wont yearly to be kept that the house of a certain man who to perform domestick business and his necessary occupations neglecting the observance thereof and being rebuked for it by a neighbour answered That it was better to perform his necessary work then shew such devotion to such a Saint whose salvation was doubted was set on fire and destroyed with revengefull flames in such manner that his neighbours houses joyning close to his received no hurt at all thereby A Certain Aurelianensian about to labour in his vineyard in the holy Feast of Avitus the Cartonensian Abbot admonished by others to forbear work as soon as he betook himself to labour his face was writhed towards his back to wit by the Devil the murtherer of mankind turned the contrary way It was a terrible sight therefore to a multitude of Spectators but the man going into the Temple of Avitus and desiring forgivenesse of his sin obtained that pardon insomuch that his face was turned to its right place Gregor Turonens lib. de gloria Confess cap. 99. A Certain Citizen of Paris having pawn'd his cloaths to a Jew being not able to redeem them promised to the Jew if he would restore his apparrell to give him for the same the host which he should receive the next Easter which the Jew consenting to he according to his promise bringing to him the Jew takes the host which he received and casts it into a vessel full of boyling oyl and water and with blasphemous words falls to scorn and reproach it whereupon as 't is reported a most beautifull young man leapt out and with wonderfull agility avoided the Jew who sought to drown him with a staff that had an Iron hook at the end thereof his sons standing by and frighted with the strangenesse of the sight run to their Mother and tell her the cruelty of their father against the young man immediately there is a great concourse of people who take the host from the Jew which the Bishop carryed to the Church of St. John in Gravia the Wife and Children of the Jew were by this miracle converted to the Christian faith and he brought to prison where with many words he bragg'd of the virtue of the Talmud and calls for it to be brought to him to deride thereby the superstition of the times which when he had received and began to hope that he was secure from suffering for his impiety he with his book were consumed by flames which issued from a pile of wood made for that purpose as violently and swiftly as an arrow out of a bowe Thomas Patriarcha Barbariensis lib. 3. Fortalicii fidei IN the Arvernensian Church a certain impious fellow swore untruly whereupon his tongue was suddenly tyed for that he could not speak but lowed like a beast And grieving heartily with sighs for the perjury he had perpetrated he humbly casts himself down at the Sepulchre of the Bishop Dretemonius imploring his help not God's as 't is commanded and finds his tongue loosed and himself able to speak as expeditely as formerly publickly confessing his sin for which wittingly and willingly committed this punishment fell upon him Gregorius Turonensis de confessoribus cap. 29. MEscho Prince of the Polonians by stratagem taking Cracovia from Boleslaus Duke of Bohemia the Princes making a Truce met together at Cracovia where Boleslaus is taken at a Feast and both his eyes put out and his Nobles cruelly slain the Prisbuicensians being privy to the treachery and partakers of the wickednesse the same also endeavour treacherously to kill the brother of Boleslaus for Cochares drawing the young man into a Wood upon pretence of hunting commanded him to be bound to the stock of a Tree and shot at with arrows It is reported that at that time St. John Baptist invocated by him received the arrows upon an hairy cover or skin and so defended him and that he warned his Wife by Vision to relieve her Husband in that great danger whereupon Overa a servant to the Prince with great haste and good speed declared the Treason to the people who speedily comming to the relief of the Duke released him and killed the Traytors In that place the Monastery of the order of Saint Benedict was built and a greater Altar placed where the Tree to which Janures was bound stood Aeneas Sylvius in histor Bohem. COmnenus the Emperour being sick and seeming ready to faint was restored by the Image of our Saviour for an holy imbroydered vail placed upon the Chalice which had the picture of our Saviour wrought upon it was spread upon the bed wherein he lay and his body wrapped in it
him to do in like manner Not long after Benedict gloriously shining appeared to Edelbertus the Monk and told him that he was translated from Purgatory to Beatitude Odilones and the Monks praying for him he appeared again to Odilones giving him thanks for that he had received so great mercy chiefly by his prayers Idem Ibidem RObertus Gaguinus telleth That John the Anchorite reported to Ansoaldus Bishop of Pictavum That he was raised by a certain reverend old man from his sleep and commanded to pray for the soul of Dogabert King of France the hour of his death which when he had done he saw a company of Devils in the middest of the Sea who carried the soul of the King in a boat hawling him to torments he calling upon Martin Maurice and Dionysius the Martyrs to help him against them and that those three men came to him cloathed in white garments professing they were the men he called on who helped Dogabert and freed the soul of the suppliant King from torments without delay and carried him with them to heaven Sigebertus in Chronico about the year of our Lord 645. telleth to a certain man That the soul of Dagobert coming to Judgment was accused by many Saints for his spoyling of Churches and that evill Angels endeavouring to take him away Dionysius the Parisiensian intervened and freed him onely prescribing that in satisfaction of the wrong he had done he should to the honour of God and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul whom he had offended build a Church MAurice the Rothamagensian Bishop brought into the Temple after his death having received his soul again said to them that stood about him Mark well the last words of your Pastour I am naturally dead but am revived that I may declare to you what I have seen for I am to retain my soul no longer then I speak to you my conductors whose apparrell and countenance was most fair and lovely to behold and their speech most pleasant promised me going towards the Sun-rising the delectable and wished for enjoyment of Paradise and having finished the adoration of Saints at Jerusalem we went towards Jordan by the Inhabitants whereof our company increasing I was filled with exceeding joy and when I made haste to passe the River my companions reported that our Lord had taught that veniall sins which I had not formerly washed away by confession would be purged by the aspect and fear of the Devil which thereupon I should conceive forthwith there appeared an army of most ugly spirits flourishing and tossing most sharp Spears and vomitting out of their mouthes flames of fire so that the ayr seemed all over filled with Iron and flames at which sight I was miserably filled with horrour That therefore you may consult and provide for your safeties I have assumed this habite to speak to you and presently again he expired Vincentius lib. 25. cap. 4. MAcarius of Alexandria upon a time walking in Scyâ—hiotican solitude looking upon the skull of a dead man lying upon the ground began to obtest it by the name of Jesus and to interrogate it of what Countrey he was when he lived and in what place his soul sometimes his Inhabitant now abode His dry mouth denudated of flesh and nerves burst forth into speech answering he had been a Gentile and an Inhabitant of the next Village and that now his soul was thrust crowded as remotely deep into the Gulph of infernal perdition as Heaven is distant from the Earth but the incredulous Jews were thrown lower then he and Hereticks who endeavoured to pervert with falshood the revealed truth of Divinity lower then they Idem CYrillus Hierosolymitanus reporteth Whilest in great heaviness he was at prayer desiring that he might know the condition of the soul of Ruffus his dead Nephew he first smell 't a most heavy stink intolerable if he had not stopt his nose and presently after he saw Ruffus bound in burning chains vomiting flames out of his mouth mixt with smoak his body all over by reason of the heaâ— he seemed to suffer within sparkling fire and being much affrighted with this sad spectacle he earnestly desired to know for what cause a man who for his integrity of life was beloved of all men should be judged worthy of such punishments No fault was objected against him for ought he could find for which he was so tormented but his playing at dice which he sundry times using thought it a light sin or none at all and therefore neglected to confess it to a Priest Idem A Certain man in the confines of the Province Valeria before the Priest Severus came to him to absolve him of his sinnes finished his course presently the same day the Lord looking upon the pâ—â—â—ers and tears of Severus the young man revived and being asked what became of his soul whilest his body was deprived of it he answered That it was snatched by certain men blacker then Moors who breathed fire out of their mouthes and nostrils who carried him through open and rough places but as he was thus led being met by young men arrayed in white garments shining with a glorious light the Devils were forced to dismiss him and restore him to his body for that they said God had granted this to Severus who had by prayer devoutly desired it Therefore having confessed his sins to the same Priest and done penance he dyed the seventh day again but more happily then before Marulus ex Gregorio IN the time that Rome was repaired after the Goths had wasted it one rather wicked then ignoble being dead revived As his friends were bewailing his death and said Send one to the Church of Lawrence the Martyr to enquire what Tiburtius the Priest doth for I saw him put upon a pile of wood fiercely burning I also saw another pile which with the point of the flame thereof seemed to reach Heaven I heard a voyce breaking out of the flame which shewed for whom this punishment is prepared which having declared he was stricken not with a Planet but death it self and again returneth from whence he came and it appeared Tiburtius at that instant exhaled his wretched soul whom every man almost fore-judged every one detesting his life for though he was a Priest he had nothing belonging to his place besides the figure and name Idem STephen a Roman illustrious in his age going to Constantinople fell sick and dyed and because they who accompanied him had a desire by reason of the respect they owed him to carry his body to his native Countrey they enquired for one to imbalm him by taking out his bowels and applying Spices and ordinary means to keep the body from putrifying in the Journey They could find no imbalmer by all their inquisition they made after one but the next day the dead body was restored to life and lived long after though not so reformedly as he ought Wherefore many rebuked him because what horrid sights he had seen
a time the Devill made a great moan and complaint as though he was afflicted by some terrible pain saying he was the Soul of this and the other man that he might delude men there are very many Histories of this kind and we have reckoned some before Peter Mamorius saith there was a thing happened about the River at Vienna in France in some houses of Capland in the year 1458. that the Devil did give out he was the Soul of one deceased filling all places with his sighs clamours and lamentations wishing he had some prayers made for him and that pilgrimages might be undergone and declaring very many other things But said one to him If thou wouldest have us to believe thee say Have mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy in Christ He made answer he could not do so then they that stood by mocked him and he being fretted went away D. Bartholomew Fayus writes when Nicolas Alberia Vervinensis had prayers made at his Grand-fathers grave there came out of the ground a man wrapped with a sheet who spoke to a woman and told her he was her Grandfather and that he might be delivered from Purgatory it was needfull that they should sing Masse and have a Progression into the house of the Virgin Mary then uncovering himself she saw he was her Grandfather then she procured a great company of Masses to be said but when she ceased from their celebration she was grievously tormented and at last he confessed that he was Beelzebub But this story being blazed about all France I shall say no more of it But now see another new story which is well-known to the Citizens of Paris also printed which happened at Lutetia at the sign of the Red Horse in the Street of St. Honoratus A certain man called Metaxarius when he saw a Neece of his who was an Orphan he took her home Whilst she prayed at her father Gervase's grave the Devill met her in the shape of a tall man of black colour and taking her by the hand said Friend do not fear thy father and thy Mother are in a good place But yet there should some Masses be said and she should go a pilgrimage to our Queen and Lady of vertues and so straightway they should go to Paradise to the Virgin She asking who he was he gave this answer That he was Satan and admonished her least she should be afraid the maid did what he commanded which done Satan bad her take a pilgrimage to St. James To whom she said I cannot take such a long journey from that time Satan gave not over importunately to urge her and familiarly calling her said How cruell thou art saying she will not put her shears into her bosome for me which when she had done so to satisfy him that she might free her self from his importunity he furthermore asked that she would give him something at the last proceeding so far that he asked one of her hairs she gave him one sometimes he assayed to perswade her to drown her self and at another time to strangle her self and he putting a rope about her neck had been choaked if she had not cryed out and sometimes her Uncle desirous to defend her was so beaten he knew not by whom that he lay sick above 15. dayes and once the Evill spirit offered to lye with her and to offer violence to her chastity but she strongly resisting was so beaten with his stripes that the bloud gushed out of her body in divers places Amongst those that saw her there was a certain Secretary of the Bishop of Valentiâ—e named Choinius who told the maid that the best way to drive the Divell away was not to give answer to his words although he bad her pray to God which he never did but after a blasphemous manner or mocking that devotion using it to created beings the Devill seeing that the maid would not answer him and that he could do no good of her in that case took her and threw her upon the ground and from that time she never saw him after Bodin relates these things in his Treatise of Magicall Demon. Book 3. chap. 6. MIchael Curopalates Rancabes Imp. had a certain maid that was his bond-servant which at an Eclipse or conjunction of the Moon with the Sun was struck with Madnesse and cryed to the Emperour Descend descend and give place to others this being often done made the Emperour afraid therefore taking counsell of his servant Theodatus Michael F. asked the wench that was mad to what house of the Palatinate that might belong or concern and by what signes and tokens he might know When the maid was in her frantick fit and asked she did intimate and signify the Armenian Lion namely and described its marks and its fashion But when she commanded Theodatus to come down from his Tower she did Prophecy of two men which should meet him whereof one of them sitting on a Mule should be he that should possesse and enjoy the Kingdome Theodatus went to that appointed place to search about the thing and there knew the man by his token which the girl had before taught them and so they perceived that she did not prophecy false by reason that she was inspired by the Devill by whom she was possessed Cedrenus and Zonaras tome 3. ERasmus Roterdamus in an Oration which he writ in the praise of Physick saith that he saw a Man one Phliarius Poletanus by name who being an Italian and not at all skilled in the Dutch yet perfectly did speak that language as though he had been possessed by the Devill Wherefore he was taken in hand by a famous Panacean Physitian and giving him Physick brought out of him a great sort of Worms and so freed the man of his disease and also deprived him of his Germain language Cardan de Rer. var. Book 8. chap. 43. NOrbertus at Nigella using exorcisms to dispossesse a certain maid that was possessed with the Devill was derided by him who did repeat the Canticles from one end to the other in the mouth of the girl and after did Interpret it in the Latine and Germain tongue but at last a Bishop sharply withstanding him he was expelled out of her in the year 1122. As the continuator of Sigebert hath it IN Italy there was a certain Virgin possessed by the Devill and utterly ignorant of the Latine Tongue and being asked by Lazarus Bonamicus a Bononian Professour which was the best Verse in Virgill she answered or rather the Devill out of her Discite justitiam moniti non temnere divos Be warn'd to learn right and obey the gods Manlius first Book by the relation of Phil. Melancth IN a Wildernesse of the Countrey of Tingut the voices of Devils and spirits are heard who call those by their own names who are walking alone or else wandring aside from their company and feigns the voices of their companions and so misleading them out of their way
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
Lucans and Brutians and did grievously oppresse the Countrey thereabouts But continuall showers did so deluge and overflow the fields that lay between and so the army being parted into three could not get help from any other Alexander not being able to get supplies made two Bulworks or Castles of defence therefore they environed with their siege the Captain parting with and losing a great part of his riches and provision There were of the Lucans exuls and banished men about Alexander 200 by this means they with their party promised that they would bring the King into their power either alive or dead Therefore the King daring to adventure broke through the midst of his enemies with his out-spread waving hands and arms and killed the Captain of the Lucans fighting with him hand to hand and gathering together his army into one he with a full body came to the River the strength of whose Tide a little before had broke down the bridge and when he consulted of an escape over it being not fathomed by him and his Army being tyred out and by chance one blab'd forth the name of the River which was much hated by the King and so exclaimed and cryed out Art thou called Acheron which being known he made a great haesitation whether or no he should passe over the River and when he so delayed one Sotinus a servant gave warning that the Lucans did seek places to lye in wait for them and when the King thought that they were ready to rush upon him with his naked Sword he leapt into the River A Horse on the overthwart bank stood to receive him which when one of the Lucans had wounded him with casting a Dart and the streaming Tides carryed him down his Spear sticking fast towards the enemies Camp dead and they tearing it to pieces and cutting it in the midst one part they sent away the oâ—her was kept for to be mocked which they a long while battered with stones and darts and at the last they delivered it to a Woman that she might keep it to be a ransome to redeem her Husband and children which were captives on the adverse party and they sent away the bones of the burned body to their enemies at Metapontus from whence they were further sent to Cleopaetra and to her sister Olympias the Mother of Great Alexander Strabo lib. 6. Valerius Maximus lib. 1. THere was an old Oracle came from the Altar of Jupiter Ammon concerning the death of Annibal the famous Carthagenian Captain Lybyssa corpus teget tuum Lybyssa shall be thy grave Anniball did suspect Africa and that his buriall should be in Carthage and thought he should end his life there for there is a fabulous place of Bythinia beside the Sea not far off there is a little Village called Lybyssa and by chance Annibal was banished there and because he alwayes suspected the mollities and tendernesse of the King of Prussia and abhorred the Romans therefore he opened seaven subterraneal holes or passages before his house or out of his Tent and divers foramina or oilet holes made in which there was many secret conspirators privately combineing together And when he received that commandement of T. Quintius Flaminius the Roman Ambassadour which he had desired and obtained of the King he attempted a flight through the private holes but when he fell into the Kingdomes snares he determined to kill himself Some report him to wrap his neck in his Cloak and commanded his servant that he should infix his knee in his posteriours and twine and twist him hard untill he should dye Livius lib. 8. Decad. 4. and had poison given him which he had power to mix and mingle himself and taking the cup himself said We free at last the Roman people by this dayes work when he believed that it was expected there should be a long and a tedious death of that hated old man and by this means they say Anniball perished Plutarchus in Flaminio Pausaunias vero in Arcadicis that when he got upon a horse he of his own accord wounded his hand and had not rid far when a Feaver got hold of him by reason of the inflammation of his wound and that he dyed within three dayes And so the fatall name of the man whom the Nicomedienses called Lybyssam fulfilled the Oracle APpius Claudius in a Civil war in which Cn. Pompeius falling out with Caesar breaking the league bringing both detriment to himself and to the Common-wealth desirous to find out the spring and root of that great sedition for he excelled in strength the Achaian Empire he compelled the chief Governour of the Delphick Tripos to descend into the inmost concave that they might know certain things consulting with the Oracles they were almost choaked such a damp and stinking vapour of that divine or rather diabolical spirit was drawn in by them Therefore an inspired Virgin by the instinct of the Deity and with a horrid voice sung with such quavering sounds of words uttered the destiny or Oracle For it is nothing saith she to thee in this Romane war thou shalt get the Valley of Euboea but he thinking to be admonished by Apollo's Oracles lest there should arise any contention or difference about it departed into that Region and Countrey which is between Rhamminta that noble and renouned part of Micka and Caristum bordering upon the Chalcidick Sea lying between got the name of Euboea where he was spent and consumed of a disease before the Pharsalian combat and fight and he possessed that burying place which was foretold him by the Devill Valerius Max. lib. 1. cap. 8. THe Antianaean Oracles gave an Item unto C. Caligula that he should have a care of Cassius therefore he gave order that Cassius Longinus the Pro-consull of Asia being a Lawyer to be put to death but before he had satisfied his tyrannicall desires he was slain by Cassius Chaerea not being able to eschew his fate Rutilius in vita Cassii MIchael Comnenus Palaeologus Emperour grieved with a pain at his heart and being much troubled and perplexed with the fear of death he asked those that stood about him what was the name of that place When he had heard the name of Pachonii and Allages with a great sigh he said that there was he to finish his life and that his death was decreed by the fates and therefore bitterly accused himself that before that time he had not blinded and pluck't out the eyes of that honest man Pachonius for that an Oracle was publickly reported to be given out concerning the Emperour that being deceased Pachonius should succeed him in the Kingdome and being deceived and blinded with the love of ruling he had not hastned to make Pachonius unserviceable for the Empire Gregoras lib. 5. THere was a famous City in Olympos whose name was Libethra which Mountain stretched it self forth into Macedonia not far from which City there is Orpheus's Tomb and Monument and there was formerly an Oracle had from
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