into that from whence they were exhaled and drawne faith Tertullian Eadem ratione species illa intercepta est qua edita fuerat si non fuit initium visibile nec finis By which it appeareth that the Doue that descended from heauen and lighted vpon Christ Iesus was fashioned of aire and not of earth for it is said Descendit spiritus sanctus corporali specie sicut columba in ipsum The like may be said of the firy tongues that sate vpon the Apostles at the feast of Whitsontide Factus est repente de coelo sonus tanquam aduenientis spiritus vehementis So that it is cleere that these apparances are framed of aire as the cloud out of which God the Father spake to his Sonne in his transfiguration which vanished into aire as did Moyses also whose body in that apparition was composed of the same element and whiles the Apostles eyes were fixed on these obiects it vanished and they saw none but Christ Iesus alone So when the Angell appeared to Manoah the father of Samson he mounted vp into heauen in a flame of fire and in his ascent was visibly seene of him but by little and little Manoah and his wife lost the sight of him because his body began to dissolue into the first matter whereof it was framed Thus did the Angell that accompanied Tobias in his iourney It is now time said hee for me to returne to him that sent me and presently hee vanished from them And for addition vnto the truth hereof some alleage experience saying that if a man should cut such airie bodies it would fare with them as it doth with the Sun-beame which doth runne together and presently vnite it selfe without any signe of such separation which very well agreeth with the nature of aire and is fit to confute the error of Psellus who in the seuenth chapter of his booke maintaineth that they haue a naturall body yet in the 23. chapter he granteth that such bodies being smit asunder doe ioyne againe as doth the aire when it is diuided whence he might easily haue collected that these bodies must bee made of aire and not proper vnto Angels For touching the reason which he bringeth that if they had not bodies they could not be tormented with fire it is certaine that the diuine prouidence may easily bring to passe that a body may really worke vpon a spirit and likewise the contrary which no Christian can deny to bee by diuine prouidence wrought in the Sacrament of Baptisme where the water as the instrument of the diuine bountie doth really and truly wash and purge the soule that is a spirit and experience teacheth vs this truth in nature for imaginations which are corporall things doe depresse the soule and make it heauie euen vnto death as Christ Iesus himselfe said Besides by this reason we should say that the soules of the damned being departed from this world are not cast into hell-fire because they haue no bodies and must therefore bee impassible And so wee shal fall into their heresie that maintaine that the soules lie sleeping till the day of iudgement which doth directly oppose the holy Scriptures which shew vnto vs that the soules of good men returne vnto God who hath created them to be at quiet in his hands and vnder his protection as S. Stephen saith Domine suscipe spiritum meum and S Paul wished for death to no other end but to be with Christ Cupio inquit dissolui esse cum Christo which is confirmed by S. Iohn in the Reuelation saying Henceforth doe the soules rest from their labours for their good workes follow them and death saith S. Paul shall be a gaine vnto me on the other side they teach that the soules of the reprobate are tormented in the flames of hell as appeareth in the Gospell by the rich Glutton and by the saying of Saint Iohn Baptist who told the Pharisies that the axe was alreadie applied vnto the roote of the tree and euery tree that brought not foorth good fruite should bee hewen downe and cast into the fire This S. Iude affirmeth is already happened to the Sodomites as also to Chorah Dathan and Abiron with their complices and that they went quicke downe to hell But here may an obiection be made how Spirits are able to frame vnto themselues such bodies at their own pleasure S. Augustine answereth that Spirits by a certaine agilitie and naturall power can bring to passe whatsoeuer may be done in nature for they doe perfectly know not onely the effects of nature but the causes also which proceedeth from the refinednesse and subtilitie of spirit wherewith they are indowed which they so well know how to manage and applie that whatsoeuer nature maketh successiuely and at leisure they doe the same in an instant We see the aire diuers times being disposed thereunto by certaine causes is variously depainted with colours and diuers semblances and in the sommer wee sometimes see toades and frogs fall with the raine which proceedeth frō the corruption of the aire from whence also butter-flyes and catterpillers and the like vermine are ingendred all which is produced from the successiue operations of nature The like effects may bee produced by Spirits by vniting of causes whereupon the effects doe necessarily follow Thus we reade that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of a Serpent which cannot be denied as also that Pharaohs Magicians by the assistance of Satan did make serpents and frogs appeare before the people and surely they may in the like manner shape and counterfeit any other figure yea of a man himselfe as is cleere by the apparitions recited in the book of Genesis From whence we must draw this necessarie conclusion that it is contrary both to naturall reason and to Scrip that Spirits should haue bodies but that they are incorporeall and inuisible The resolution of all this discourse may bee had in the booke intituled De Ecclesiastic is dog matibus which is amongst the workes of S. Augustine where in the 11. chapter he saith We beleeue that God is inuisible and incorporeall because hee is euery where and is present in all places yet not bounded in by any place but we beleeue that intellectuall substances are corporeall because they are circumscribed in a place as the soule within the body and hence it is that they are called corporeall because they are limited in their substances It remaineth that wee endeuour to know when they were created since Moyses maketh no mention of it and from whence it proceedeth that there is a difference betwixt Spirits so that some are good and some bad CHAP. III. Of the Creation goodnesse or maliciousnesse of Angels SAint Athanasius when he was to giue his full resolution and opinion concerning Spirits vnto Prince Antiochus demandeth in the first place whether Angels were created or no for Moses maketh no mention thereof in the first chap. of Genesis
Paradise you cannot goe any other way beleeue mee this is the path that leadeth to Heauen The same day Verrine bid Father Francis Billet to take the Stole and the booke of Exorcismes and willed him from God in the vertue of thē to command him to dictate this ensuing letter directed vnto a Preist of the Christian doctrine that was tempted to doubt of his vocation the Exorcismes being performed accordingly he began to dictate in forme as followeth Dearest and welbeloued brother I heere aduertise you that we assuredly know for a truth that whatsoeuer your Reuerence hath conceiued against your vocation is nothing else but a meere suggestion of the Deuil who is an vtter enemie to God and all obedience He endeuoureth to infuse into you rebellion against God and your Superiour and would haue you to beleeue that your iudgment is able to comprehend all the secrets of God But I assure you it would require and take vp all our time if we should endeauour to learne and enquire into the secrets of God For his secrets and iudgments are so abstruse that none of themselues can bee certaine of the manner of them Many there are that haue a conceite they know the will of God and that their vnderstanding is very perfitely illuminated but for the most part they are beguiled For wee see by daily experience that they may be deceaued and no question are deceaued since euery day there are new wonders full of rare and admirable strangenes discouered in this our God And perceauing a burthen and pressure vpon my soule if I should bee wanting vnto you in this office I haue sent this letter vnto you to wishe you instantly to dispatch your selfe hither for S. Baume with as much speed as possibly you may If you come before Christmasse you shall vnderstand as I conceiue diuers passages so excellent in themselues and so aduantageous vnto you that you would not for the world but bee made familiar with them for they are so full of nouelty and strangenesse that no man aliue did euer see the like Knowe that Louyse Capean whom you haue formerly beene acquainted withall one of the vnworthiest and meanest Sisters of the company of S. Vrsula that are at Aix is bewitched and possessed by three Deuils that are within her body It was a Charme that gaue way to this possession of Deuils which did befall her by the permission of God and out of a zeale shee had to suffer Hell it selfe and all the paines thereof so that she might not be separated thereby from her God for his glory and the saluation of soules And being setled for many yeares in this resolution and comming often times to blessed Communion shee prayed still vnto God that he would take compassion vpon the soules of her neighbours and this she demanded with such ardency of desire that it is almost impossible for any to attaine vnto the like And being moued by him that internally spake vnto her and said Whether if it were expedient to hazard thy body and to expose it euen vnto death for the saluation of thy neighbours wouldst thou willingly vndertake the same she accepted of it many times saying that shee was ready to endure all and that it was fit to prefer the soule of our neighbour before our body or our owne life Thus God out of his great goodnesse hath made choice of her for a worke which neither you nor I euer dreamed of nor should euer haue beleeued if wee had not seene the experience of the same and those who haue not had the oportunity to behold it may perchance heereafter at the least haue meanes to read this wonder For euery one laboureth with all diligence that may be to make such vnhard of euents and so strange a Miracle to appeare vnto the world And I doe assure you if you did but vnderstand it aright you would leaue meate and drinke nay your very studies to haue knowledge of that which euery day offereth it selfe vnto our considerations For Father Michaelis being inspired from God counselled Father Romillon to bring Magdalene from Palud and to search out al other that were bewitched and bring them to S. Baume that they might there make their vowes Being there Louyse Capeau came from Aix her selfe alone accompanied with none of the rest that were possessed where shee found Magdalene already arriued Touching Louyse she would by no meanes at the first heare tell of Exorcismes saying that she was not possessed and that all might arise from naturall causes or by the sleights and power of the Deuils that were in the body of Magdalene She was at Aix when they discouered themselues and it was done in the time of Confession◠then was Magdalene at S. Maximin and although her Confessours did cleerly demonstrate vnto her that this straine and fancie of hers against possession could no way sute with probability yet was shee so swolne with pride arrogancy and rebellion that shee would not submit her iudgment vnto her Superiour who commanded diuerse to make inquiry of this matter at S. Baume And the Deuill within her said I will not obey him so that when it was offered vnto her consideration how that she was no win the presence of God himselfe for it was within the Church of S. Vrsula and when he that confessed her at the time the Deuils began to bee discouered did reproue her and say How darest thou to speake thus before thy Superiour She answered that she would subiect her selfe to the command neither of Gouernour nor Gouernesse neither would she regarde or thinke of them that shee thought her selfe more knowing how to conduct her selfe in her owne behauiours and deportments then they could be that she would rely vpon her owne iudgment and that Superiours did many times command things very vnfit to be put in execution All this while did not she vnderstand that this was a stratagem of the Deuils to giue hindrance and stoppe vnto the worke which is now so well begun And although the Deuill would haue shifted this off by sundry slights and collusions yet in the end either by force or out of loue she was contented to be obedient although she still was stiffe in her opinion that she would not suffer her selfe to be exorcised But God changed her intendment and disposed her hart to embrace the good pleasure of God and of her Superiour and to renounce and disclaime her owne so that she came to S. Baume and there suffered her selfe to be exorcised Whereupon one of the Deuils named Verrine began to speake and to tell his name and after many adiurations where withal he was chained and bound vp he reuealed the names of his companions and vpon the continuance of the Exorcismes he said and swore taking a solemne oath with all the properties and particulars there unto belonging vpon the blessed Sacrament saying these words I sweare by the liuing God that all which I haue spoken is
transgression the most seuerely threatned and auenged This doctrine is the decision of Saint Thomas who concludes that if a man suffer death for any vertue whatsoeuer it is a true Martyrdome And he all eageth the example of Saint Iohn Baptist who was a true Martyr in that hee did defend continency against the incestuousnesse of Herode In like manner was that good Monke declared by a Councell to be a Martyr because in running betwixt two fencers to part them hee was slaine by them Saint Chrysostome doth precisely say that he which may be healed of some malady by inchantments and refuseth all such helpe least he might offend God and had rather dye then haue the vse of the same in this case saith he he is a Martyr Furthermore Cardinall Caietane commenting vpon the aboue-cited article of Saint Thomas saith that if a man bee slaine to auoid a veniall sinne that death is a Martyrdome for it chanced vnto him because he would not offend God and because hee desired to support vertue Those that would play the Philosophers and say the deceased King called not on the name of God in the last period of his life let them know that he might do that so suddenly and secretly that none about him might perceiue it much lesse vnderstand it How easily might he lift vp his heart and inward parts vnto God and that in a moment of time especially for that his precedent desire might minister quicke assistance heereunto because that day hee powred out his prayers vnto God more particularly and for a longer space then he accustomed to do Besides that honorable company which were with him in his Caroche do shew that hee went not surcharged with any wicked proiect or purpose THE VII DOVBT It tendeth litle to edification where it is said that the blessed Sacrament was troden vnder feet ANSWERE I Haue cleered this very largely in the Epistle to the Reader Besides the myracle which followed thereupon did much condemne Sorcerers and tended to the edification of good Christians It was further necessary to touch vpon this pointe as well for the integrity of this History as also because the said prophanation was already published and all the hereticke ministers of Xaintogne and Languedoc made their best aduantages from the same as may be seene in the said Epistle The But and aime of this History is to declare how much God is offended with such vnhallowed and sacrilegious persons as will appeare through the whole frame and body of this History I should desire that the historians in such cases would imitate the sacred Scripture which neuer sets before vs any prophanation of those things that are sanctified but it presently subioynes a miracle as may be seene in the History of the sonnes of Heli and of their death of the Philistins prophaning the Arke and their plagues of the Bethsamites who were too curious to behold it and the fire that fell from heauen vpon them of the two sonnes of Aaron Nabad and Abiud and the fire that went out from their Censers and destroied them of Choran and Dathan taking their Censers and the earth opening vnder them of king Ozias offering incense on the Altar and of the leprosie where with hee was stricken In the new Testament of the prophaners of the Temple and the whippes wherewith they were chased away which Saint Ierome taketh to be a great miracle of Ananias and Saphira and of their sudden death and to come neerer to our purpose of Iudas prophaning the blessed Eucharist and of his death the morrow after with his belly breaking asunder in the middle Saint Paul was well practised in this who when he had told the Corinthians of this prophanation he presently sets before their consideration those that for this cause were dead sick and feeble by the vengeance of the iust iudgement of God And it is a cleere truth that at sundry other times things sacred haue beene made prophane which the holy Ghost passeth ouer in silence because there insued no miracle â—hereupon which when it happeneth may edifie as much or more then the prophanation can giue occasion of scandall The same is held by S. Cyprian and S. Greâ—ory in his Dialogues To this purpose may bee alleaged â—he example of the Donatists that gaue the blessed Saâ—rament vnto doggs who running presently mad turâ—ed vpon them and tore them in peeces As also of him â—ho came in to the city of Beâ—ith recited in the workes of S. Athanasius and of him of Paris whose markes â—re yet in the Church of Bulliettes in Latine Ecclesia Doâ—ini Bullientis the blessed Sacrament being throwne â—â—to a boyling cauldron Another miracle is to be seene 〈◊〉 the holy Chapel at Diion Besides the blessed Euchaâ—â—st is more prophaned when it entereth into a soule â—â—at is polluted with the infections of sinne then it can â—e said to be in this place THE VIII DOVBT How and for what reason did Magdalene by the aduice of her Confessour write one letter to the blessed Virgin and another to the glorious S. Magdalene ANSWERE IT is a very profitable way which our spirituall fathers â— do vse to instruct inure those that haue any knowâ—edge to holy exercises and meditations and by this â—eans they become ready expert therein As a schole-â—aster coÌ„mandeth his scholar to write letters to his faâ—her or mother to the King or to the Pope not that he would haue the letters sent but that his scholar should â—y this gaine some skil and ability for it is one thing to write and another thing to send a letter So many in our â—ge haue with great deuotion dedicated the epistles of â—heir books to the blessed Virgin not with an intent to send them but to giue contentment to their deuotion As for example the Epistle of the Booke touching cases of conscience made by Frier Benedictus and of the Booke of Euangelical demonstrations vpon the 3. Maries made by another Frier The same was also practised by the Emperour Theodosius who wrote a letter to S. Chrysostome that was dead more then 30. yeeres before which letter is to be seene in Nicephorus Touching the correction of this letter which was made by the Diuell we are to conceiue that he was inforced by God to busy himselfe in the conuersion of Magdalene as is by experience verified vnto vs. There is no difficulty of this for it is apparant that a spirit is more sharpe-sighted and peircing and more particularly familiar with mens faults and imperfections then any man can be either with his owne or with others THE IX DOVBT How the Diuell could pray to God for the conuersion of the Magician presenting to God the Father the merits of the death and passion of his Sonne of the blessed Virgine and of all the Saints of Paradise ANSWERE WHen a good or bad Spirit doth put motions into a man if hee yeeld his consent and doth operate with them
I affirme that if they be humble they will acknowledge that thou art omnipotent and that being so thou art able to wring truth from the very Diuels not from their free disposition and will for we are all of vs accursed but compulsorily and as constrained thereunto by thy power We are more loyall vnto God then many Christians yet for all this we are still Diuels And heere must they denie the authoritie of the Church Why is it that those that are possessed be exorcised if it bee not auaileable and if the Diuell cannot speake truth I say it is all lost labour you may take your bookes speaking to the Exorcist and throw them all into the fire Then he spake in a great rage to her that was possessed and said What thinkest thou Louyse why doest thou suffer thy selfe to be exorcised if neither by God nor the tenents of the Church we are able to tell the truth Ha miserable wretches how many othes haue been taken in the vertue of the name of God by Exorcismes all which must proceede from Louyse if they must not be accepted of our part But miserable and abhorred wretches as you are you deceiue your selues you are exceedingly replenished and surcharged with vnthankfulnes and mis-apprehension You haue so good a God that if it were needfull that hee should suffer death for you againe he would willingly vndergoe it more especially for two soules which now I cannot name Magdalene it is true that Louyse is for thy sake possessed and will if it be requisite lay down her bodie for thy soule It is true all sinners are accursed and obstinate You will peraduenture say that God doth loue much And why Lord Hast thou neede of Christians No no thou couldest not bee God and haue neede of the aide of any creature whatsoeuer I say the creature hath neede of thee And it is a fixed truth that the more miserable the creature shall bee the more cleerely shall thy bountie shine and appeare in relieuing it It is not so great a wonder that children should goe to heauen but this is the miracle that sinners who haue a long time snored in their obstinacie should repent and turne to God I doe assure you who heare this that if you doe not treasure vp these things for your profit and health we will be your accusers at the day of iudgement We must here note that some daies past Magdalene told the Dominican father that vpon the eighth exhortation which Verrine made vnto her she felt her selfe so affrighted as if she had alreadie one foote in the pit of hell The acts of the 12. of December 1610. which was the third Aduent Sunday ON this day it was thought behoofull that the Father of the Doctrine and the Dominican Father should so interchangeably aid one another that whiles the Dominican Father was busied in exorcising one of the possessed Father Francis should supplie the place of a Scribe to note summarily the sentences that proceeded from the Diuell by the mouth of Louyse On the other side when the Father of the Doctrine did exorcise the Dominican Father should transcribe that so in conclusion all might be subiected to the Censure of the Church for the further glorie of God The same day in the morning were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the Dominican Father In the beginning whereof many persons of the neighbouring Townes and Villages which were by this time aduertised of this accident that happened at S. Baume being assembled thither in great troupes Verrine began thus to speake Cursed be this witchcraft for from hence will God worke out a thousand benefits and a thouâ—and acts of his mercie It was not our intendment nor the purpose of the Magician that such accidents should happen Our proiect was to get her consent that so wee might haue carried her to hell Cursed cursed cursed be S Baume a thousand thousand thousand times accursed It is a wonderfull thing that the slaues of hell should be the instruments to conuert the children of light Do but obserue what I shall say vnto you Some hunt after riches and all their affection is enuassailed and taken vp therewith who by giuing a little almes imagine to goe to heauen in a featherbed without any more adoe or obseruation of the law and Commandements of God Some others are poore and haue a conceit that for their pouertie they shall enter into glorie Indeede happie are the poore but they must be poore in spirit You that are poore endure your pouertie with patience and you shall merit much Haue you in your cogitations the God of glorie how he was borne in pouertie for your sakes and laid in the manger of a stable God from all eternitie foresaw this day and that in S. Baume the Diuels should discouer themselues to the conuersion of soules Do not repine at your comming nither you I say who oftentimes haue prostituted â—our selues to the hazard of losing your goods bodies â—nd soules to offend and trespasse against him What a â—hame will it be that any should not be conuerted wheÌ„â—he Diuell himselfe exhorteth them thereunto God is â—ost powerfull and is able to bestow rewards and riâ—nes vpon you but he is not able to doe two things he â— not able to sinne and hee cannot faile of his proâ—aise Shake off your sins you who haue mortally sinned â—nd depart not from hence vntill you be coâ—sessed To â—y extreame griefe and vexation doe I speake this â—orsake your couetous desire of worldly goods which â—oth so much possesse you You poore people reioyce in your pouertie This day â—m I compelled by Mary and Magdalene to tell it â—nto you by Mary from her sonne by Magdaleneâ—om â—om her Master Humble your selues after the example of him who â—ecame poore for your sakes He died for you and not for vs. Mary knoweth well that he died on a Crosse being naked and not able to get a glasse of water The same knoweth Magdalene and Iohn the Euangelist and that for you he suffered death on the Crosse. It is strange that hell should exhort you to goe to Paradise And speaking to Louyse he said Cursed bee thy desires thou hast longed aboue a thousand times to suffer euen the paines of hell for thy neighbour Humble thy selfe Louyse and that speedily otherwise beleeue it thou art the most vnhappy the most abhorred the most detestable and accursed of all creatures Louyse beleeue me Enter into the abisme of thy lesse then nothing God would haue thee humbled Desist from beleeuing all that men will thrust vpon thee The sinnes from which God hath preserued thee are as great benefits as those for which he hath pardoned thee Thou hadst beene in hell if God had not preserued thee thou hadst remained a Huguenot and shouldest not haue had the vnderstanding to begge for that which was conuenient for thee Preachers doe trauell themselues much to thinke vpon what
a schedull to the Diuel Magdalene which Louyse neuer saw It is a truth Magdalene that when thou wert first seduced thou wert in thy Fathers house and as true is it that thou hast giuen leaue and licence vnto the Diuell to enter into thy body Take heede Magdalene take heede take heede least thou incurre some dreadfull iudgement thou being now confessed as thou art if it were not so I had no reason to speake it Thy Confessours are wise and haue not reuealed thy sinnes vnto me This is most true Magdalene Louyse knoweth nothing of it beware therefore beware beware how thou doest coniecture that this should come either from thy Confessours or from Louyse This is true Magdalene this is true neuer striue and struggle for the matter it is for the glory of God and thou shalt receiue benefit by it It is true Magdalene that hee stands not in neede of thee for he should not be God if he had neede of thee or of any other creature All shall redound vnto thy profit doe not vexe at it God is so gracious that his end is not to publish any mens disgrace to the world but to conuert them Then hee â—aid to those that were present if you doe not make inquirie after him you shall all stand charged with him thereby meaning Lewis He further said with a high voice you Priests be not you troubled at any thing euill Priests cannot preiudice those that are good neither are the good to be despised or disesteemed because there are some that are euill If Lewis will not be conuerted hee well deserueth to be burned aliue It is true Magdalene hee first seduced thee to renounce thy God thy Baptisme and thy part in Paradise Thou hast chosen Hell for thy Mansion place yet shalt thou not goe thither because God will assist thee It is true Magdalene the Magician hath those schedules trouble not thy selfe he shall be forced to restore them It is true Magdalene the Priests haue watched with thee and happie was it for thee that they did so if they had not the Diuels would haue carried thee away It is true Magdalene thou art a Witch and hast performed whatsoeuer belongeth thereunto in great solemnitie Thou hast renounced God at three seuerall Masses one at mid-night another at the dawning of the day and the third was at high Masse It is true Magdalene God hath pardoned thee resist cursed Belzebub the Diuels haue no more force then is allotted vnto them It is true Magdalene thou hast alwaies withstoode thy God his inspirations and all other admonitions as well of the Angels of heauen as of the men of this world so that they could preuaile nothing in thy behalfe yet is thy God so gracious Magdalene that hee hath harkened vnto many soules that haue beene acceptable vnto him when they made intercession for thee It is true Magdalene many haue said Masses many haue done pennance and giuen almes many haue wrought good workes for thy sake and all this hath beene done by thy Fathers and Mothers as well corporall as spirituall Magdalene if the Starres of heauen were capable to thanke God for thee or the leaues of trees or the very stones of this Baume they would willingly do it for thy sinnes in number doe surmount the sand of the Sea O Magdalene the goodnesse of God doth not shine so bright in Peter Paul Dauid William the hermite in Theophilus or in Cyprianus as it shineth in thee It appeareth not so bright in Magdalene the sister of Martha nor in Pelagia nor in Thais nor in Marie of Aegypt nor in the woman of Samaria as it shineth in thee Yet Magdalene art thou a greater sinner then they Then Verrine cried to all the Assembly that they should haue compassion of her soule and that if God did not protect them with his grace they would bee farre worse then she Then he said humble thy selfe Magdalene and acknowledge that thou art lesse then nothing It were no wonder to see a little Innocent goe to heauen but O great wonder to see a soule that hath renounced her Maker Baptisme and Heauen to returne to God Hell it selfe is confounded thereat Lucifer now doe all thou canst call together all the Princes which are in the body of Magdalene for this is done against thee Then he began to talke in this manner What a wonder would it be to see a King take a Pismire and exalt it vnto honour Men would be amazed to see him thus honour a Pismire and this amazement would be encreased if he should take it and set it in his Chamber to honour it the more His Princes would mocke at him and say there were Ladies enough for him to honour without exalting a Pismire or if hee should take a Country wench to wife they will say that Kings ought to wed with equals and those of their owne ranke Yet for all this the Pismire should not haue eares to vnderstand when it was honoured nor words to vaunt and boast it selfe nor a proud body to swell at it and continuing still a Pismire it would neuer come to be a Lyon a Leopard or an Horse but would alwaies remaine a Pismire So Louyse because thou art a Pismire thou shouldest the more admire the puissance wisedome bounty and humilitie of thy King that hath made election of thee and would haue thee to be prouident as is the Pismire fore-casting in the Summer how to liue in Winter So must thou Pismire doe thou must amasse and treasure vp much good workes in the Summer of this world against the Winter which is the houre of thy death From this Pismire will God glorifie himselfe and make vse of her although she be but a Pismire for hee is able to make a Pismire speake if he please This will he doe to gaine soules vnto himselfe and she shall doe well to conceiue that all proceedeth from God and that she her selfe is but as a leafe of a tree nay lesse nay that she is nothing thereby to declare that all this commeth from God Then turning againe to Magdalene he said Magdalene thy soule is like a common-wealth thou must put to death the Princes that are within that a peace may bee there established It is true Magdalene disarme them all their weapons are thy consents cut off their heads and thy common-wealth will be free from danger Doest thou not know that God doth alwaies worke order out of disorder Courage Magdalene humble thy selfe and subiect thy selfe vnder the feete of euery one Then speaking to Belzebub Verrine said humble thy selfe cursed Belzebub and Verrine was the first that made him to humble himselfe who setting his foot vpon his head said Accursed miserable and proud Spirit Thou wouldest on Sunday last haue plucked God from his Throne if thou haddest been able and wouldest not worship him yet now thou art debased vnder my feete Then he cried to the Assembly Come heere and
exclamation and said O great miracle although in saying thus what noueltie doe I speake for it is no new thing that the Sonne of God should yeeld obedience vnto a Preist Ha God! it is no great wonder for thee to raise the dead to make the blinde to see or the dumbe to speak with many works of wonder of a parallell nature but the wonder of wonders is that the Sonne of God with foure words should be made to descend vpon this Altar although I could tell you another great wonder too and that is that the Deuill is here forced to deliuer the truth I doe auerro that it is more strange that a Deuill should thus deliuer truth then to create 1000. worlds or to raise 1000. from the dead for it is a matter of ease and course with God to command those things that giue no stoppe or resistance vnto his will When God created the World hee said but Fiat When he raised the dead he said but the word and all thing obeyed him But when he comes to command a Deuill he had need to employ all his power to enforce him to performe his will For the Deuill is so mischeeuously bent that he resisteth as much as he is able and is euer disputing with God propounding diuers reasons vnto him saying they haue preachers and they haue stoore of bookes let them giue credite vnto them He further said God is like the master of a great shop he is his crafts-master in all trades and will giue euery one of you wherewith all to employ himselfe He is so skilfull and gallant a Taylor that hee cutteth out garments with much dexterity and wants nothing but whom he may set on worke Hee is well experienced to cut out your worke you Ecclesiasticall men may doe well to employ your selues vnder him because you that are priestes ought rather to lead the life of Angels then of men and are to bee instrusted with the counsels and Commandements of God Then he turned himselfe to the Layity and said No no the Priests haue not the world at will as you conceiue they must be humble chast and poore and must chastice and mortifie themselues sundry waies which is a point full of difficulty vnto those that are deuoid of charity Then he spake to the Monkes and said You that liue in Cloisters haue an eye vnto your estate for it is not enough to bee mued vp in your walls and then to liue at your ease no you must rise at midnight you must be very studious you must bee humble you must be modest You should be a glasse vnto secular persons and harmelesse and vnblameable in your conuersations yet doe you worldlings thinke that religious persons doe liue in idlenesse and ease I tell you that the employment of one houre at mens studies is a greater toile then the trauels of a labouring man that sweateth at his worke a whole weeke The good conuersation of religious persons is of inestimable vse amongst Christians therefore obey God and his Church and ten thousand soules will be conuerted after your example Say not wee are young if you had a licence or warrant from another world I might then perchance aduise you to delay your amendment but thinke of death and consider how suddenly men are surprised by it Death is a theese and stealeth vpon men when they least looke for it Happie are they that are found to doe good and miserable are they that wallow in their sinnes when death approacheth for death will spare neither great nor small Then he spake vnto the Laity and said you are to line euery one according to his calling In Paradise there are Kings and there are poore people for some of all estates and conditions are saued Doe not mutter and say wee are poore wee haue not wherewithall to liue God will haue regard vnto your pouerty and will saue you but the great ones cannot excuse themselues you that are poore haue reason to reioyce when you shall consider that God became poore for your sakes God is a Taylor that wanteth nothing but workemen he is a Physition and a Surgeon that maketh enquirie after those that are infirme or wounded Reade well the booke of the Crucifix and you shall there find all variety of knowledge if thou doest obiect I am not able to reade this booke I tell thee thou liest for this booke may bee read by men and women yea by people of the most grosse and muddy capacity that may bee you may reade it in Churches in your houses in your beds and in the fields and all manner of vnderstanding is treasured vp in this booke that may any way concerne the saluation of your soules Looke on this booke and reade it well for in it you shall find all sorts of vertues humility pouerty patience obedience and whatsoeuer else may make full a mans perfection Rich and poore and people of all conditions looke in the glasse of the Crosse and behold therein a God so great so humble and yet so full of Maiesty you shall there see your God poore will you then hate or detest pouerty If pride suggest these haughty thoughts into you thinke that your God tooke man vpon him to humble himselfe to the death of the Crosse. It is a greater miracle to see God dwelling in the flesh of man then to behold the creation of one hundred thousand worlds The Word equall vnto his father hath taken humane nature vpon him to suffer and to be put to a cruell death And you Mary haue endured much also which hath bin the cause of the saluatiō of many soules If a King should haue a slaue and would redeeme him by giuing 10000. Crownes for his ransome this were a great summe and an extraordinarie fauour but if he should giue a Million of gold his grace and loue would shew it selfe the more by how much the more the summe encreased But this would appeare but a slender curtesie if hauing but one only sonne he would giue him away to redeeme and purchase back this slaue vnto him how infinitely would men maruell at the cortesie of such a King But all this is nothing in comparison of your God who hath but one only Sonne yet gaue him vp for you that are sinners this sonne I say that is equall to his father in power in wisedome and in goodnesse that is the blessed Word O great wonder that the Sonne of God should thus suffer for such vngrateful creatures who make so little profit of the same If stones were capable of vnderstanding they would expresse some action of acknowledgment and if leaues could bee furnished with the same they would also declare their thankfulnesse but you are the most vngratefull of creatures and doe not acknowledge the loue and tender care that God hath ouer you whose greatnesse is such that if you had but the least knowledge or side-long glance thereof you would creep with your
of your selues and the paines of that other world as a malefactor would doe that waiteth hourely for the sentence of his death I tell you that this expectation is many times more grieuous then the torment it selfe and doth oft preuent punishment by hastening on of death Say vnto your soule Soule remember thy worth and consider how God hath created thee capable of eternal blisse How expedient then is it that thou walke in the commandements of thy God and that the Bride should be obseruant of her Spouse Al that thou canst performe is not able to ballance the least of his mercies yea hee should shew compassion towards thee in punishing thee with the tortures of hell You that goe to Church to heare Masse are to say Soule whether goest thou Thou goest to receiue either thy saluation or damnation I doe not say said Verrine that sinners offend God afresh in going to heare Masse but I affirme that they are like vnto those who when a shower of raine falleth stop all the spouts and conduit-pipes of their cisterne for feare left the water should be conueied into it If those are not watered with the dew of Gods grace the Priest is no cause thereof but they themselues whose heart is fashioned out of stone not composed of earth which is apt to bring foorth fruit Say further Soule let vs goe and craue pardon of God for being a wretched malefactor and worthie of condemnation it is reason the soule should prostrate it selfe and implore his mercie Yet fareth it not with sinners as with malefactors who appeale vnto the Court and Counsell of the King at Paris for oftentimes notwithstanding their delaies and paines they loose their life and the first sentence of death is ratified against them But your God doth inuite you vnto him saying Come vnto me and I will refresh you aske and I will giue you Notwithstanding the requests which you present vnto me must be of vertues and of spiritual blessings which concerne the saluation of your soules not of earthly goods or of riches or of knowledge or of any curiositie whatsoeuer Search after the light of your soules for God doth communicate it to all the world to rich and poore to noble and to men of base condition Your memorie resembleth the eternall Father your vnderstanding the Sonne your will the holy Ghost and all your soule the sacred Trinitie The Father saith vnto you call to mind the benefits which I haue diuided amongst you the Sonne saith in these benefits which you haue receiued from your God contemplate his power and his mercie his wisedome and his iustice the holy Ghost pusheth you on to the feare and loue of your God The memorie the vnderstanding and the wil are three things and yet but one thing the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are three persons and yet but one God When you heare Masse enter you into a deepe meditation and say thus vnto your selues Infinit God and Saint of Saints I do not know but this may be the last Masse that euer I shall heare for you are to take a strict account of your conscience as if your last houre were pronounced against you since that death doth threaten you all at all times and in all places But alas what man thinketh vpon these things the Angels tremble before the Maiesty of God and the malefactors are lulled asleepe in their stupide repose and securitie the first borne do honour their Creator with all awfull reuerence and the seruants go on in their vneuen courses without any feare at all Then he cried vnto God saying of a truth thou art the God of might and puissance and makest thy selfe to bee obeyed by men and Angels yea by the Diuels themselues as it plainely appeareth at this instant Herein thy Omnipotencie doth make full declaration of it selfe and amazeth the world with this new wonder for O great God thou doest not esteeme the wisdome of this world but al they that humble themselues shall participate of thy light and those that are puffed vp shall remaine obstinate in their pride You should demand three things from your God before all things else whatsoeuer first the glory of heauen then whatsoeuer appertaineth to your saluation and thirdly the good of your neighbour You are also to beg of your Creator in humility of spirit that hee will make you prosper and grow by the dew of his grace and this you are to doe as malefactors vpon your knees with an halter about your necke and must say My God and my Lord grant me thy light to consider confesse my sins implant within me a penitent and broken heart that I may bewaile my offences and haue my sinnes in detestation that so I may bee accounted worthy to receiue absolution from the Priest If thy body may stand thy brother instead to saue his soule doe not delay to bestow it vpon him or if his body haue need of sustentation by thy goods thou art not to deny them vnto him for it is not the will of God that you should giue a soule for a soule or a body for body or goods for goods but that you should preferre the saluation of a soule before the life and the life before goods and worldly possessions not that you should alwaies be tied vnto this but that hee who putteth it in practise doth doe the will of God for God hath said thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but how few are there that doe this Then he cried out and alleaging an example answerable vnto what he formerly spake he said Ha Thomas thou wert not ignorant of the death of thy master thou knewest well that hee was to rise againe yet diddest thou say except I touch the prints of the nailes and put my hand into his side I will not beleeue I doe not speake this to disgrace thee but I say that if thou haddest beene more pregnant to beleeue thy Sauiour had not reproued thee neither shouldest thou as afterward thou diddest haue had experience of thy frailty yet wert thou named in the roll of the Apostles as well as the rest and diddest afterward constantly suffer death in confirmation of that truth whereof thou haddest formerly doubted God pardoned Dauid that you might know he hath power to remit sinnes hee did eate with the Publican to declare that hee came not meerely for the iust nay I say further that your God doth make narrower search and inquisition after the lost sheepe which is the sinfull soule then after that soule that standeth in her sanctity and innocency O great God thou art that true shepheard who hath laid downe his life for the saluation of his wandring flocke thou hast searched and at last found thy sheepe which stragled away from the pasturage of their shepheard The same day Magdalene said that there came a certaine Diuell from abrode to speake with Carreau who was one of those that resided in her body saying come
of this sacke emptied there was neuer such villany seene neither was there euer the like miracle or the like remedy Verrine also said vnto the Dominican Father in the presence of the aboue-mentioned Sub-prior Take the booke of Exorcismes and enioyne me in the name of God to goe the third time to Marseille to solicite and labour the conuersion of the Magician When Verrine issued forth Gresil who held his place declared that he would speake to the Magician in another manner then he did to Magdalene And as Magdalene at the first would not beleeue because the Diuell busied himselfe in the cause of God or rather because Louyse did take vpon her to teach and instruct her or else some Diuell in her as was reported so should not this Magician regard any thing which should be spoken for his reformation The same day in the morning the Dominican Father did exorcise Verrine began to speake in this manner The will that is guided by the grace of God is able to compasse any thing and is mightier then the powers of hell it selfe How Idle then are they that say I cannot be conuerted It is vnbeseeming to adde excuses to your sinnes it was the old dotage of Adam and Eue. Adam thou haddest sufficient grace to keepe thy selfe vntainted but thou diddest suffer thy selfe to bee abused as many wretched sinners doe euery day The soule is the mistrisse and the body as the Chambermaid yet when the soule shall say let vs rise betimes to pray and serue God the body will forthwith oppugne it and say I am yet but young let old age first approch we shall haue leisure and time enough before vs to be repentant The memory will say let vs call to mind the blessings which are showred vpon vs from aboue the vnderstanding will thereunto adioyne let vs contemplate the goodnesse wisedome and power of the Creator in these his blessings and the will is ready to push vs on to loue and feare this good God because he is the sourse and first originall of all your happinesse The soule will say I will heedfully obserue thy diuine inspirations and will bequeath my selfe vnto thy seruice I will endure no longer that my seruant should inuade the gouernment of my house To which the chambermaid will reply Ha mistrisse what meane you to doe with your selfe take compassion of your tendernesse you are of too delicate a composition to bee martyred with such austere courses of life you haue time enough to repent you solace and glut your selfe with delights whiles occasion is offered and vse your goods with freenesse and profusenesse that you may varie and runne through all manner of pastimes whiles the time will giue this liberty vnto you Then Verrine said My words you see sauour of the spirit and doe maintaine that the soule is and ought to be the mistrisse of the body It is certaine that where the chambermaid holdeth the raines of gouernment in her hands the family will soone sinke and fall to decay therefore it ill beseemes the body to beare sway because it resembleth a woman who wanteth discretion to gouerne her selfe and God will not exact a reckoning from the body but from the soule and the soule shall haue the precedency of the body both in the reward and in the punishment because the soule ought rather to beleeue him that framed it then the seruant A blind man is vnfit to raigne and why because he is blind The soule is a common-wealth and if the conscience bee in quiet all the rest is the more peaceable Hence it is that the soule should gouerne and not the body because it is deuoid of all true apprehension of the misery which it may suffer Eue spake but once in excuse of her fault but the body grumbles and kickes perpetually Your God hath an armory garnished with all perfections and can euery day present new graces to those that demand them of him for hee keepeth them in his storehouse to bestow them vpon his children In like manner hath your God giuen the holy Scriptures the new Testament and the liues of Saints vnto his Church yet he resteth not heere but doth euery day offer new presents vnto her Embrace your God who for you hanged naked vpon on the Crosse for he is your father and the blessed mother of God is your aduocate Angels and Saints are your brethren and their pedigree is very noble God will also ennoble you after the same manner and this nobility is more venerable then all the royalty of descents that may bee giuen to the Kings of the earth The King of France lately deceased did worthily esteeme of this nobilitie he did humble himselfe and call vpon his God demeaning himselfe in his presence as a malefactor and oftentimes heard Masse with much deuotion and effusion of teares I tell you many Priests doe not so attentiuely meditate vpon the greatnesse and excellency of God as he did therefore was his death a kinde of martyrdome because hee would rather suffer death for the regard and reuerence which he bare vnto his God then giue credit to that which the Magicians had foreshowne vnto him and in dying hee pronounced the word Iesus and recommended his soule into the hands of God Hee had offended his God as David had done before him and was guilty as hee was and they were both Kings of mighty Nations but this had been infected with heresie as thou Louyse formerly wert yet O Henry it is a truth thou art now in Paradise Be glad Marie of Medicis for thou hast the honour to haue wedded a King who is now a Saint in heauen and if thou shalt imitate his godly end God will inuest thee with the same honour and thou Dauphin now a young tender King bee thou an imitator of the rare indowments of thy father who was so solicitous to giue thee vertuous education And doe you all loue this Prince for he well deserueth to beeloued by you and cursed be him that shall bandy or plot against this Prince and will not yeeld all dutifull obedience vnto him especially vnto a Prince of so sweet and harmelesse a nature as this is who will proue another Lewes in France that for his great vertue was canonized a Saint Reioyce little King for thy father is high in the glory of heauen I speake now to you that are but wormes of the earth examine well your selues for if your Prince did so humble and deiect himselfe how much more should you be prostrated in the lowlinesse of spirit thinke and consider seriously of these things Since also the holy Father doth humble himselfe who knoweth no superiour in this world it is to be admired that you should bee negligent or dainty in humbling of your selues The same day Verrine went againe to the Magician but before hee departed from the body of Louyse hee discoursed of the wretched estate of the Magician and of the mercy
Mother Vncle and Aunt and almost all the kindred of Louyse were damned that it was thought fit that shee should speake this with her owne mouth and that he himself was constrained to reueale that they were damned saying Louyse of a truth thy father and mother are damned in Hell Who would euer haue told Iohn Cappeau and Louyse de Baume that their daughter would openly publish vnto the world their eternall damnation I doe not conceiue Louyse that thy heart is made of stone Then Louyse wept very bitterly so that the Assembly was so melted with compassion that they all fell a weeping also After that Verrine had for a season keept silence vpon the sudden he cryed out againe the father of thy father the father of thy mother the father of thy grandfather and the father of thy grand-mother and all thy kindred be damned then hee said the King of France of happy memory was an Heretick but died in the state of grace father Romillon the superiour of Louyse was also an heretick but now he is her spirituall father also Louyse her selfe was at the first brought vp after the fashion of hereticks Then Verrine began to cry that God might do well to vse the seruice of a Queene or a Princesse in a worke of this nature in the which if hee had made choice of Vrsula who was a Queene or some such as shee was it were not to be wondred And directing his speech vnto God hee said Why diddest thou not rather chuse a Queene or an Empresse then this worme here But thou wilt reply that thou hast no need of thy creatures but that they haue neede of thee that thou art alwaies ready to bestow vpon theÌ„ if they wil further co-operate with thy heauenly pleasure that it sufficeth thee to finde a soule framed disposed vnto that which thou wouldest impose vpon it Of a truth Louyse thou hast begged at Gods hands to suffer the paines of hell if it might be agreeable vnto him and this thou hast desired for the enlarging of his glory yet that this might bee without any finall depriuation of the sight of God according to thy request God hath yeelded vnto thy petition because thou diddest put thy selfe vpon his pleasure and diddest not indent with him to suffer after such such a fashion but diddest make a free offer of thy selfe to be disposed by him as hee pleased And the truth is all shall redound to the glory of God to the exaltation of his Church and to the aduancement of thy calling yet art thou to expect nothing but confusion and shame hereby which thou doest confesse thou hast well deserued to wit all sorts of iniuries and reproachfull contempts which thou canst suffer for his loue It is true Michaelis thou diddest indeed affirme that thou haddest an inspiration infused into thee to put such an intended reformation in practise I tell thee it is rather a reuelation but thy humility was pleased to giue it that modest appellation for those that are humble had rather call it by that name I tell you that the Reuelation of Michaelis the inspiration of Romillon and the will of God doe make a Trinitie that is one thing in three for the other two are dissolued into the will of God If two different persons do meet in the concurrence of friendship I affirme that there is but one heart and one soule so when the creatures conforme their wil vnto the wil of God they haue then the same will with God After many other discourses hee swore in behalfe of the sacred Trinity and of all the church triumphant and militant to the confusion of all Diuels and to his owne vtter disgrace and shame which oath he tooke in great solemnity vpon the blessed sacrament disauoâ—ing all double and sinister intention Moreouer he called Belzebub and all his companions saying vnto them speake now if you haue any thing to reply if I haue keept in any thing that is fit to be reuealed I promise you to deliuer it for all this not one of them dared so much as to grumble Then Verrine began to cry in the presence of the blessed Sacrament how admirable is thy power great God who hast permitted yea and commanded the Diuels to bring hither to his Church Magicians and witches to bee informed of that which from thee I am constrained to speake against them Hell is diuided and in distraction it waxeth feeble and the cousonages and subtleties thereof are dismasked Lewes the Magician shall exorcise the witchcrafts of the house of S. Vrsula are at an end and all the sisters shall be deliuered except Louyse and Magdalene who are to goe to Rome where Verrine by the mouth of Louyse with Magdalene shall make his declarations The same day Verrine said to Magdalene giue the keyes of thy house to God who is the father of thy family as the soule is the mistresse and the body the seruant of the same giue the keyes to God the Father the staffe of command vnto the Sonne and the fewell that is in thy house vnto the holy Ghost for they will setle a good order there which is beyond the spheare of thy power to accomplish The same day also Verrine was asked how hee meant that Moses was in the terrestriall Paradise because the Scripture mentioneth his death Hereunto he answered Hee may well be dead and yet be in the terrestriall Paradise too according to his body for God might raise him vp to life because he is one of the foure trumpets who are appointed in the last daies of the world to denounce the iudgements of God to the foure parts of the earth and it is certaine that neither his body nor the body of Iohn the Euangelist could euer be found But some man may heere cauill that the Apocalypse mentioneth but two witnesses to wit Enoch and Elias whom Antichrist shal put to death Verrine answered that which Iohn hath said of the two witnesses is a firme truth yet doth hee not exclude others but maketh mention onely of them that were to giue testimony of God by their death and not of Iohn or Moses who had already tasted of the same Then he said that his ranke was amongst the number of Thrones and that hee had command ouer three legions of Angels That the greatest ruine and downfall that was in heauen was the fall of Thrones that all the Princes and heads of all the orders were fallen that the greatest breach was made by the ruine of Thrones and that therefore God would fill vp his breach by the meanes and labours of Thrones He further added that Belzebub had tempted Adam and himselfe Eue and spake to her in the shape of the Serpent but in all his temptations which hee vsed towards her hee euer retained the face of a gitle The same day in the euening the Dominican father exorcised in the beginning whereof Verrine began to gibe and to
conscience hauing at that time many inspirations Being demanded why the Magician so often opened the window of the refectorie where he abode and that in the midst of Winter he answered because that sometimes their assemblie is held aboue on the top of the house and then hee had commerce with the Witches calling vpon the Diuels for fauour and saying Diabolos venite in adintorium meum being reprooued for his in congruitie of speech he answered that he reported the words of the Magician in the same sort as he pronounced them for he can not speake Latine said he Being demanded wherefore he went so often to the garden next the refectorie hee answered that all the while he stayed at Saint Baume the assemblie of Witches was alwayes held the neerest they could to the place where hee was to the end they might the more easily haue conference with him Being demanded whence it came to passe that eating with vs in the refectorie hee left vpon his trencher all the meate that was giuen him he answered smiling is he a man fit to seede vpon your fish he eates of the flesh of pies which wee bring him from the assemblie inuisible Being demanded why hee walked so often with his head hanging downe hee answered that he then walked with the witches Being demanded wherefore hee being inioyned to lie all night in the holy house could not abide there but a litle while hee answered that it was because the assembly could not be held there which he must of necessity be present at At night at the second exorcisme Belzebub being demanded and adiured to tell how it came to passe that so great a number of Princes were in the body of Magdalene hee answered shee is a Princesse and deserues well to be honoured of Princes Being demanded whether the punishments imposed on the Magician were not of force to bring him to some grieuous disease or to death he answered yes for that he suffered from the head to the foote as if he had been in a continuall fire Notwithstanding out of his great obstinacy hee had demanded whether hee could not liue till the comming of Antichrist to assist him and to whet his rage and malice against Iesus Christ. To which I answered said hee that he could not it being onely in Gods power to effect that neuerthelesse hee should comfort himselfe in this that he did as great iniuries to Iesus Christ as Antichrist himselfe should bee able to doe and greater too but Antichrist cannot be begotten by thee as thou desirest said he for hee shall be borne of a Iewish woman and conceiued far enough from hence Being demanded whether the paines hee indured softned his heart he answered that they rather hardned him the more and that he would be well content to indure all the paines of the damned vpon condition hee might regaine Magdalene There is extant an example hereof in the hardnes of Pharaos heart among the plagues which God sent vpon him Being demanded whether his paines should bee grieuous after his death he answered if he be damned his punishment shall be more heauie then that of Lucifer for with more malice and lesse respect hath he been iniurious to Iesus Christ. The acts of the 30. of Ianuary being Septuagesima Sunday IN the morning Magdalene being willing to present her selfe for confession as shee was wont to father Michaelis Belzebub would not suffer her to kneele but ran diuers times towards the Church doore yet at length the forenamed father imposing on him very grieuous punishments if he suffered her not to confesse Hee replyed impose all these punishments on the Magician who commanded me to doe it and command him also to forbeare me if I shall suffer her to confesse Which when the said father had performed in the vertue of Gods name and the bloud of Iesus Christ Magdalene returned to her selfe and being in her sound and perfect sense made her confession After this at the Masse of father Francis Billet he comted great outrages plucking the Priest by his cope and taking hold of him hee also cryed aloud and hindred his deuotion Being exorcised after the Masse and adiured to yeeld the reason of his vnusuall out-rage hee answered vpon Sunday the Magician endeuoureth to doe the greatest iniury he can to Iesus Christ. Hee came to me this morning and said in despite of God I will vse my greatest rage in the Church this day doe thou the same at the Masse of thine Exorcist He hath confessed to day said he at Acoules and cast forth gentle soft cries as he was taking the confessions and being demanded by the women whose confessions he tooke why he did so he answered that hee found himselfe some-what ill but in very deed his greatest torments were the punishments imposed on him by the Priest Being adiured diuers times in the name of God to shew the meanes how the Magician might be inforced to render back Magdalens obligations he would answere nothing remaining as it were dumbe at last after many grieuous punishments imposed he answered that they should neuer be rendred vnlesse that he were either conuerted or punished by iustice or dead of a naturall death and yet said he after death they cannot be restored neither being buried deepe in the earth Being demanded why hee had not rendred them when hee was commanded by father Michaelis being Priour of the place and Inquisitour of the faith hee answered that Lewes was not subiect to him but to his Bishop Being adiured and commanded to goe to Marseille and to bring the writings thither hee answered that it could not bee done without the consent of the Magician who had them in keeping And further added that in vaine men seeke after those kinde of writings for before they can come to the houses where they are the Diuels conuay them some-where else in vaine also quoth he doe they search after those who are either slaine or wounded for they cast the dead carkases either into the sea or into some riuer neere adioyning and for such as are hurt if the wound bee not deadly they know how to couer and heale it with an oyntment notwithstanding they remaine sick and when the wound is deadly they conuay away the witches some-where else and in this fashion many women are made away if heed were taken of it At night at the entrance of the Exorcismes Belzebub began to torment Magdalene in fearfull manner causing her to tremble euery ioint and making her head to tumble some-while backwards and againe suddenly forward euen to her belly beating the earth with both her hands in so much as they were inforced to put a cushion vpon the ground for her to beat vpon notwithstanding shee still vexed her selfe and this continued for the space of aboue halfe an houre Being adiured to tell why he tormented her so terribly hee answered that it was because shee had submitted her selfe to her superiour Afterwards Belzebub
left vnto posterity they haue stolne or borrowed the same from the customs of the people of Israel S. Chrysostome commendeth the inuention of Poets in describing the sonne drawne in a burning Chariot by foure horses running at full speede this is not a meere fable saith he if it be rightly vnderstood because the Sunne in Greeke is called Helios For finding that Helias was carried to heauen in a firy Chariot drawne with foure horses they applied this vnto the Sunne conceiting that the Scripture spake metaphorically and by Helias meant Helion that is the Sunne The Cherubins also are said to be drawne in a Chariot and Abacuc calleth them the horses of God saying Qui ascendis super equos tuos This the Poets would expresse when they say that the heauens are wheeled and rowled about by Angels as if they were drawne by swift horses Moreouer whereas the Iewes had within their Temple two manner of Oracles the one vocall the other mute and without a voyce the first was when God spake out of the midle of the Tabernacle to Moyses the other when from the precious stones of the high Priests Ephod their beamed forth a certaine splendor that betokned good fortune which is mentioned in the 1. of Kings The Gentiles herein endeauoured to imitate the Iewes and had also two manner of Oracles the one which spake and was called Oraculum Dodoneum the other which spake not and was called Oraculum Hammonium which word Oracle signifieth in the Hebrew nothing else but a place of speaking and where answeres are commonly giuen for it is called Debir in Greeke it may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Loquuterium as Saint Ierome hath obserued And as it is commanded in the Law that they should offer cakes vnto God in their sacrifices but that no sacrifice should be without salt so doth Pliny also note of the Gentiles omnibus sacrificijs adhiberi solitam molam salsam which is also witnessed by Ouid Ante deos homini quod conciliare valebat far erat puri lucida mica salis Hence haue the customes of the Gentiles there beginning and this Plato hath more excellently and accurately followed then any other whereupon he gained the surname of Diuine being commonly styled Diuinus Plato We are not then to wonder though Plato do affirme that Angels haue bodies of fire or ayre since that the Scripture doth so cleerely and frequently make repetition of the same and it may be that he vnderstood those speeches according to the sense and meaning of the Scripture that is to say metaphorically because either they are not so grosse and heauy as humane bodies which indure wearinesse in their motion or rather because they are like birds or clouds in the ayre or else because they appeare to men in such formes and fashions For if it bee lawfull for Moyses to say that God is a fire Deus noster inquit ignis consumens est because he was thus represented vnto him in the bush and vpon the mountaine why may it not be lawfull for vs to say that Spirits are made of aire or fire because in their apparitions they euer take an airie or a firie body vpon them And thus wee are to vnderstand S. Augustine when he seemeth to affirme that spirits haue bodies and thus S Bernard also is to bee interpreted that is that spirits are then said to haue bodies when they would appeare vnto vs for they can haue no other meaning since our eye hath no proportion with spirituall substances It may well be that some haue thus spoken of them thereby to intimate that spirits are not pure qualities but essences subsisting of themselues which maketh much against the error of the Sadduces who reduced all the apparitions recited in the fiue bookes of Moyses to the imaginations and fancies of men whereas indeed Angels doe vnderstand conferre and direct men managing and gouerning Prouinces and kingdomes and as our Sauiour saith they doe alwaies behold the face of God the Father which is in heauen Thus ought Tertullian to be vnderstood when he saith that God hath a bodie not that he hath the least composition of matter but he is a body that is to say a thing really subsisting accommodating his manner of speaking to the weakenes of ruder apprehensions and it may bee to the vnderstandings of certaine Anthropomorphites who as Cassianus saith by reason of their great dulnesse and simplicitie could not conceiue that any thing could bee reallie subsisting vnlesse it had a body not being able as wee are vsed to say to iudge further then their nose Notwithstanding the experieÌ„ce of the soules working may be sufficient to sublime mens thoughts from such earthie conceptions touching Spirits since the soule doth discourse and worke although the body be fallen into a sound sleepe Adam when he sleeped very profoundly saw God when he tooke from him one of his ribbes thereof to make the woman and when the soule at the houre of death is diuorsed from the body it cannot bee seene by any because it is a spirit as Christ himselfe vpon such an occasion did say Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum and afterward inclinate capite emisit spiritum That we may vse these phrases of speaking in a good sense it appeareth by that which wee haue formerly said for wee cannot doe amisse in vsing Scripture-phrases if so bee they bee taken according to the meaning of the Scripture as Christ Iesus himselfe declareth in S. Iohn chap. 10. where he argueth against the Pharisies who in those daies stood nicely vpon words as wee haue many of that captious bâ—ood amongst vs in these times Againe it is not to be conceiued that so great and learned personages should be so ignorant as not to be conuersant in the texts of the new Testament which doe cleerely declare that they haue no bodies In the third place they doe for the most part expresse and interpret themselues as S. Atbanasius amongst the rest who in his definition of Angels doth briefly say Angelus est animal rationale but because the word Animal doth signifie a bodily substance he doth therefore afterwards explane himselfe and say Est autem expers materia Wherein although he seemes to contradict himselfe yet his meaning is that since the holy Scripture doth stile these spirits Animalia in Exodus and Abacuc In medio duorum animalium it is no absurditie to giue vnto them the same appellations but these places are to bee vnderstood metaphorically and then there can be no inference of bodily substance fastened vpon them Thus doth Didymus S. Ieromes Master say that an Angell can bee but in one place at one time and lest any man should misconceiue him as though he should maintaine them to be corporeall because it is the propertie of a body to be circumscribed in a place hee addeth in that very passage that they
execrable is that impure carnall commixtion with Diuels although there be onely a desire delectation or contentment in the same But to confute him in one word since in his 12. proposition he mainteineth that Magicians doe really renounce God and their Baptisme and doe adore the Diuell doing all which hee commandeth them and putting their whole trust and confidence in him so farre as to recommend their soules and bodies vnto him at the point of death wee would aske a reason of him why Sorcerers should not be as lyable vnto death as those whoÌ„ he calleth Magicians when they trespasse in the same or in amore abominable manner then the others doe For example if a murtherer be guilty of death much more doth a parricide deserue the same and if a fornicatour be seuerely punished a far greater degree of castigation ought to be inflicted vpon him that committeth adultery but it is certaine that Sorcerers are knowen to do whatsoeuer he conceiueth Magicians are able to performe nay many tymes they doe a great deale worse and therefore are more punishable then they And what letteth it but that all these things may concurre in one man since the Scripture itselfe maketh mention of some that were Inchanters Magicians Diuiners Poysoners and Witches altogether as amongst the rest King Manasses for one So that we shall do wel to call those sentences to minde which wee haue formerly cited to this purpose as also those which are alleaged in the 6. chapter of this booke But this mans errour is in that he thinketh it an impossibility that Diuels should carry men or women in the aire or should haue carnall knowledge with women or that such kind of persoÌ„s should haue the resemblaÌ„ces of woolfes doggs or cats as hee expresseth it in his 68. Proposition as also in the 69. and 71. All which errours haue their full confutation in this booke The grace of our Lord be present with vs alwayes Amen THE EXTRACT OF THE SENTENCE GIVEN IN AVIGNON AGAINST EIGHTEENE men and women Witches in the yeere of grace 1582. at which I my selfe was present and was an assistant vnto the Inquisitour of the faith which is heere set downe in Latine iust as it was then read and pronounced EXEMPLAR SENTENTIAE CONTRA fascinarios latae Auenioni anno domini 1582. VIsis processibus contra N.N.N. c. coram nobis constitutosreos accusatos delatos quibus tam per vestram quorumlibet vestrum relationem ac propriam confessionem iuridicè coram nobis factam saepius inramento vestro medio quà m per testium depositiones eorumque accusationes altas legitimas probationes ex dictis actis processuresultantes nobis legitimè constitit constat quod vos vestrum quilibet Deum nostrum omnium creatorem opificem vnum trinum abnegastis immitem diabolum hostem antiquum humani geneneris coluistis vosque illi perpetuò deuonistis sacratissimo baptismati his qui in eo fuerant susceptores leuantes proparentes vestraeque parti paradisi aeternae haereditatis quam provobis toto generi humano dominus noster Iesus Christus sua morte acquisiuit coram praefato cacodaemone in humana specie existente abrenunciastis infundente fundente ipso rugiente diabolo denuò aquam quam accepistis vestro vero mutato nomine in sacro baptismatis fonte vobis imposiâ—o sicque aliud commentitium nomen vobis imponi fictitio baptismate passi fuistis accepistis atque in pignus fidei daemoni datae vestimentorum vestrorum fragmentum particulam illi dedistis vt à libro vitae vos deleâ—i obliterari pater mâ—ndacij curaret signa vestra propria manu ipso mandante iubentâ— in reproborum damnatorum mortisque perpetuae libro nigerrimo ad hoc parato apposuistis vt ad tantam perfidiam impietatem vos maiori vinculo deuinciret notam vel stigma cuilibet vestrum veluti rei suae propriae inussiâ— illius maÌ„datis iussis iureiurando super circulo quod diuinitatis symbolum est in terram sculpto quae scabellum pedum Dei est per vos quemlibet vestrum praestito vos obstrinxistis signo dominico cruce conculcato illi parendo adminiculo baculi quodam uefandissimo vnguento ab ipâ—o diabolo vobis praescripto illit i cruribus positi per aera ad locum constitutum intempesta nocte hora commoda malefactoribus statisque diebus ab ipso tentatore portati translati fuistis ibique in communi synagoga plurimorum aliorum maleficiorum sortilegorum haereticorum fascinarioruÌ„ cultorumque daemonum accenso igne tetro post mult as iubilationes saltationes comessationes compotationes ludos in honorem ipsius praesidentis Belzebub principis daemoniorum in formam speciem foedissimi nigerrimi hirci immutati vt Deum re verbis adorastis adillum complicatis genibus supplices aecessistis candelas piceas accensas obtulistis illius foedissimum ac â—urpissimu anum prob pudor summa cum reuerentia ore sacrilegâ— deosculatiestis illumque sub veri Dei nomine inuocastis illiusque auxilium pro vindicta in omnes vobis velinfensos vel petita denegantes exercenda efflagitastis atque abipso edocti vindictas maleficia fascinationes ium in human as creaturas tum etiam in animalia exercuistis atque homicidia infantium quam plurima commisistis imprecationes ablactationis tabes alios grauissimos morbos ope iam dicti sathanae immisistis infantes que per vos nonnullis etiam scientibus tantum annuentibus arte iam dicta malefica oppressos confossos interfectos fuisse ac denique in coemeterio sepultos noctu clà m exhumastis atque in synagogam praedictam fascinariorum collegium poriastis denique daemoniorum principi in solio sedenti obtulistis detracta vobis conseruata pinguedine capite manibus pedibus abscissis truncumque decoqui elixari interdum assari curastis iubentéque ac mandante praefato patre vestro comedistis damnabiliter deuorastis mala denique malis addendo vos viri cum succubis vos mulieres cum incubis fornicaâ—i est is sodomiam veram nefandissimum crimen misere cum illis tactus frigidissimo exercuistis quod etiam detestabilissimum est Augustissimum Eucharistiae sacramentum per vos in Ecclesia sancta Dei aliquando sumptum iam dicti serpentis à paradâ—so eiecti praecepto in ore retinuistis illudque in terram nefariè expuistis vt cum maiori omnis contumelia impietatis contemptus specie Deum nostrum verum sanctum dehonestaretis ipsum verò diabolum eiusque gloriam honorem triumphum regnum promoueritis atque omni honore decore laudibus dignitate authoritate adoratione honoraretis decoraretis honestaretis Quae omnia grauissima horrendissima ac nefandissima sunt directè in omnipotentis Dei
ancient father and Martyr made no difficulty to grant that the Diuell should at the end of the world visibly appeare to Christians and should tell them I will that thou deny thy Baptisme for he is of opinion that Antichrist shall bee a Diuell cloathed with the semblance of an humane body although there be not many that adhere to this opinion because S. Paul doth plainly affirme that hee shall bee a true man and shall at last be put to death by the power of Christ Iesus Howsoeuer it be he saith positiuely that the Diuel shal propose these words vnto the Christians Nego Creatorem coel◠terrae nego adorationem à me Deo praestari solitam nego Baptisma tibi adhaeresco in te credo Another reason why the Diuell would haue vs deny our Baptisme is because by baptisme our soules are affianced and wedded to Christ Iesus and by it wee reciue the ring of faith from him and therefore by accepting of this we doe expresly renounce the Diuell and all his workes There are also certaine Exorcismes vsed against Satan in Baptisme and therefore hee had rather that men should deny their Baptisme then any other Sacrament nay hee hath for a long time had his Baptisme also euer imitating and aping God Almighty Tertullian doth well witnesse this Hic quoque inquit studium diaboli recognoscimus res Dei aemulantis cum ipse baptismum in suis exercet whence hee concludeth that many in his time did by experience find it that the Diuels did for this cause exceedingly haunt fountaines and pooles THE THIRD ANNOTATION Whether the wicked Spirit doth cause the names to bee changed which were giuen in Baptisme MVtato vero nomine c. aliudque commentitium c. There are two things to bee considered of in this point for the better instruction of Parents The first is to cause such names to bee giuen vnto their children which may put them in minde to make head against the Diuell the second is to prouide for them Godfathers and Godmothers of honest report and conuersation For since the Diuell is not contented to make men renounce their Baptisme but will haue them also to renounce their Godfathers and Godmothers and are desirous to change the name which is giuen them in Baptisme it is an euident signe that these things are very contrary vnto him And this is certainely true for if wee marke the auncient fathers of the Iewes did giue vnto children their names vpon the day of their circumcision as appeareth in the Gospell by the circumcision of Christ and S. Iohn Baptist so that then they were wholy deliuered from the bondage of Satan and were inrolled in the band and were to fight vnder the banner of the true God that they might hence foreward manfully combat against his aduersary the Diuell As therefore souldiers when they are receiued vnder the banner and pay of an Emperour or Captaine doe presently cause their names to bee registred that they may be alwaies ready to march when they shall be commanded thereunto so that in the Monarchie of Roome Nomen dare did signifie all that which hath bin now said in like manner in this Sacrament men doe giue names vnto children that they may alwaies remember what they haue promised and vnder what banner they ought to march And this was a custome amongst the very Gentiles as S. Ierome hath well noted who gouerned themselues moraly well according to the law and light of nature and did not impose idle or friuolous names vpon their children but rather made choise of certaine names appellatiues that betokened some vertue vnto which they would appropriate and dedicate their children and to admonish them to liue conformeable vnto the signification of their names Thus wee finde many who haue beene called by these names Victor Castus Commodus Pius Probus and amongst the Greekes Sophronius Eusebius Theophilus But the fathers of the old Testament obserued another custome for although many were called by names which signified good manners as the word Micah which signifieth humilitie yet for the most part they added vnto their names the appellation of God as in Heliseus Samuel Abdias Zacharias Esayas and this is a generall obseruation to bee noted in Angels who are called by the names of Michael Gabriel Raphael or at the leaft they reteined the name of some holy man that their childrē might imitate his vertues And therefore those that were present at the circumcision of S. Iohn Baptist did wonder why they would call him Iohn since that there was neuer any man of that ancient and illustrious family who was so called Which very wel declareth that they did more religiously retaine the names of their good auncestors then they did the heritage which was left vnto them Heereupon S. Chrysostome did admonish the people not to vse any superfluous thing in Baptisme but to looke well vnto this rule to giue no names vnto their children but the names of Saints and for the children that they should retaine this name and not suffer it to bee changed for any other vpon what occasion soeuer They must doe as Ioseph did who notwithstanding that Pharaoh had changed his name after the Aegyptian manner would yet keepe him still vnto his first name as appeareth when he said Ego sum Ioseph frater vester And the Scripture it selfe doth euer call him by the name of Ioseph and passeth ouer that prophane appellation which Pharaoh imposed vpon him the same did Daniel and his three companions for although Nabuchodonosor had called Daniel by the Chaldean name of Balthasar and the other three by the names of Sidrac Misac and Abednago yet when Daniel writeth his booke he euer saith Ego Daniel as also the three children being in the furnace cryed out Benedicite Anania Asaria Misael Domino neither did they acknowledge any other names but these that were giuen vnto them in Iudea S. Chrysostome giueth the reason heereof These kinde of names saith hee were giuen to children to put them in minde to imitate holy men whose names they carryed for if they doe not imitate such and such a Saint it is an assured truth as hee said else where that the prayers and merits of this Saint shall not bee auaileable vnto them for their saluation From whence this conclusion may be drawne that it is not lawfull to giue the names of sinfull men vnto children although they haue beene famous in their generations or haue been our progenitours and ancestours because such impositions can serue for nothing but for spurrs in their sides to prick them on to imitate their pride and wicked conuersation How worthy then of reprehension are those fathers and mothers who disdaine the name of Saints and had rather giue their children the names of Infidels and Idolaters who are now frying in flames of hell And it is to be doubted that if our Lord had specified the name of the rich man in the
Gospell they would rather haue taken it and called their children by the same then haue giuen the name of Lazarus vnto them but hee would not mention his name for many waighty reasons and amongst the rest this may serue for one It is therefore cleere that this is a meere trick and deuise of Satan because hee abhorreth the name giuen in Baptisme and taken as the vsual custome of Christians is from Saints who vpon this occasion are the readier to aide vs and to beare a particular fauour vnto vs. The Germanes are obserued to haue for a long tyme retained a barbarous fashion in two things especially first in eating Bacon without seething it and feeding vpon horse flesh the second in giuing Scythian names vnto their children when they were baptised yet at last vpon better instructious they redressed and mended these faults It is therefore expedient to chuse honest people for Godfathers and Godmothers which is an auncient custome in the Church and practised euer since the time of Pope Thelesphorus who was but 100. yeeres after the death and passion of Christ Iesus For in regard that faith in Baptisme is not infused into the childe to operate but onely to purifie the soule it behooueth him to haue a Godfather to instruct him in the workes of faith and to protest in his behalfe that he shall beleeue in Christ Iesus and shall be one of his Church and this is to be done although the childe be dumbe and deafe as S. Ierome hath it And further it is to bring him to receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation where the child who hath bin baptised commeth now to ratifie the promise made by his Godfather and Godmother for him at his baptisme and by a consequent hee commeth to receiue new grace that hee may bee strengthened to resist all the assaults and temptations of the Diuell Hence it commeth that because in these dayes this Sacrament is so vniuersally neglected the Diuell doth deceiue so many people and maketh them with ease to renounce their baptisme which they haue not yet confirmed for hee doth no more but make them say I am not tyed to that which my Godfathers and Godmothers haue promised for me And therefore Saint Cyprian doth not wonder that Nouatus had abandoned his faith promised in baptisme because saith hee hee did not ratifie the same by the Sacrament of confirmation Hereupon ought the Pastors of the Church and fathers and mothers also to be vigilant in this particular left it should happen both to the one and to the other as chanced vnto Hely and his children vnto whom Anna and little Samuel were directly opposite in their courses And concerning alteration of names Magdalene did affirme that all did change their names in the Synagogues to the end that they might not be discouered by those who perchance might call them into question for the same THE FOVRTH ANNOTATION Whether the Diuell exacteth any homage or tribute VEstimentorum vestrorum fragmentum c. The Diuell hath no need of any thing we haue in this world except the faith and grace of God which is infused into vs yet because as wee haue formerly alleaged out of S. Augustine he is greatly delighted that men should doe him homage as to a God hee willeth these poore hood-winkt wretches to present vnto him in signe of their acknowledgment some thing or other as for example a peece of their garment Hee exacteth this from these poore people who haue nothing dearer vnto them amongst their earthly fortunes then is their garment And therfore God in the old Law doth strictly forbid that any one shuld take a poore mans clothes for a pawne and if he should take them hee commandeth that they be rendred vnto him againe before Sun-set otherwise he threatneth to take vengeance on such a person Thus wee see this accursed beast getteth them to offer vnto him the best of what they haue for of all the goods of fortune he desireth the garment of all the gifts of nature he craueth mens children and of all the endowments of grace and spirituall blessings he longeth after faith and Baptisme He also doth somtimes desire the blood of men as appeareth by the Priests of Baal who when they would pray that fire might descend from heauen they cut and flashe their flesh with Launces But because most men did abhorre and hold this mangling of themselues in detestation he did from thence forward content himselfe with mens goods such as are their garments and it may be he desireth by this kind of tribute to be acknowledged for a King For it was the custome of the Iewes when they would make or proclaime any one King to put off their vpper garments and to vse them for the seruice of this King by putting them vnder his feet for him to tread on as wee see in the history of Iehu and in the relation of Christ Iesus his being receiued after a triumphant manner into Ierusalem vpon Palme-sunday To these poore and blinded wretches we may fitly apply the Greeke prouerbe which in Latine runneth thus Veste circumfers ignem For their garment is an externall signe that they are for euer chained vnto that eternall fire And that may well agree vnto them which is commonly said Vest is virum facit To the same purpose is that which Tertullian said Diabolus tunc se regnare putat quando sanctos à religione Dei deturbat THE FIFTH ANNOTATION Whether the Diuell doth marke Witches SIgnum seu stigma cuilibet vestrum c. This point alone is able to conuince those who conceit that these things are meerely dreames For experience doth demonstratiuely proue that this kind of marke which they haue in their bodies is leprous and deuoid of all sense in so much as we haue tried with a needle or a pinne that if a man doth secretly and finely thrust vp a pinne into the same they feele it no more then if they were direct lepers But there must good heed be taken that they do not perceiue you for if they doe they wil make shew they feele the same when they doe not but howsoeuer you shall be sure that you shal draw no blood from those marked parts And this manner of Satan is very ancient although it hath receiued diuers changes according to the diuersity of times Tertullian saith that the Diuels custome is to marke those that bee his in imitation of God who doth inwardly marke vs in Baptisme by a stampe or character that doth adheare and cleaue vnto our soules as both S. Paul and S. Iohn do witnesse And againe he doth externally marke vs by the Chrisome and signe of the Crosse. Thus doth Satan stampe in the soules of his seruants the marke of sinne and not content with this hee now addeth an outward badge although it may be very possible that the Diuell in former ages did not vse to marke his with the
as Arias Montanus hath well obserued For mention hereof is made in Osea where it is said Populus meus in ligno suo interrogauit baculus eius annunciauit ei And it may bee that the Diuell did inuent this custome to counterfait Moyses who vsed a staffe or a rod in the working of his great miracles and mention is also made of Aarons rod that budded and miraculously brought forth fruit As for the oyntment wherewithall they annoint their staues and bodies it is certaine that the Diuel the better to abuse these people and to cloake and couer his owne malice doth make a compound of sundry idle and vneffectuall ingredients as of hearbes rootes and the like for the diuell knoweth full well that this medley is not a whit powerfull to transport their bodies thorow the ayre from one place to another and experience it selfe doth also sufficiently auow the same So that he doth this to couer his malicious ends and his aime is leuelled at no other marke then to commit murthers and imbrue their hands in sheading of blood as doth cleerely appeare by the depositions of all Sorcerers who doe concurre and agree vpon this point that at the first it sufficeth if they can borrow oyntment of their neighbours but when they are at the assembly the Diuell doth declare vnto them that they are to haue oyntment of their owne and that it cannot be effectuall and for their purpose vnlesse they get the grease of young children that haue been strangled by them It is then vndoubtedly true that all these hearbes and flowers are nothing else but Parerga that is to say things that serue for no vse but to set a glosse and colour vpon that which is their principall and primary intention as when a Painter draweth some lines or florishes about the border of a perfect portrature And these are the goodly workes which Aben Ezra doth in more obscure tearmes mention Helias the Leuite reporteth that Lilith that is to say a woman that wanders by night vsed secretly to steale into the bed-chambers of those that are newly deliuered to kill young children that were not aboue eight daies old He also saith that the Therasins whereof the Scripture maketh mention could not be made without murther Saint Ierome writeth that Witches cast abroad their charmes by touching of dead bodies Attingunt inquit malefici corpora mortuorum and Tertullian doth inlarge himselfe in tearmes more perspicuous for our purpose saying Pluribus notum est daemoniorum quoque opera immaturas atroces effici mortes quas incur sibus deputant And a little before Per vim inquit iniuriam saeuus immaturus finis extorsit where he saith that the Diuell doth bring to passe all these goodly deuises of his by the meanes of those who haue vowed themselues vnto his seruice And therefore S. Augustine wondreth with himselfe and asketh a reason why God should permit that such massacres should bee committed vpon poore innocent children yea and vpon those who haue receiued the character of his Baptisme whereunto he answereth that this proceedeth from the iudgement of God which is hidden and remoued from our knowledge and if there were no other thing but the tribute which wee owe vnto death thorow originall sinne it would sufficiently conclude that God doth permit this according to all equity Neither is this so new a thing vnto vs since by diuine permission so many young children were slaine in Aegypt by Pharaoh and in Iudea by Herod vnto which these two Tyrants were incited by the instigations of the Diuell We are further to obserue what Apuleius writeth touching this argument who was a part of his owne history by seeing a young woman that was a Witch playing of her prankes before him whereupon he was accused to bee a Sorcerer and because thosâ— that were contaminated with this diuellish art were then put to death without mercy he was saine to make two Apologies thereby to purge himselfe of these crimes before the gouernours of Africke There are some that conceiue his history to bee meerely fabulous but as himselfe reporteth of a great Orator who when hee saw that Apuleiâ—s would by no meanes credit that a man might bee carried thorow the ayre or transformed into an Owle tooke him vp short and told him Friend you talke like a young man that hath as yet made no experience of things which aâ—e so full of secresie and importance And he further reciteth that afterward he had experience of the truth of the same But that which giueth reputation and authority vnto his history is that S. Augustine doth oftentimes alleage him and doth not brand him with any hard opinion of lightnesse or fiction This Apuleius doth declare that on a certaine euening by the assistance of a chambermaid hee was brought about midnight to behold the mistrisse of the house wherunto he was guided annointing of her selfe with a certaine vnguent which she had within a pot and when she had made an end of besmearing her selfe shee was changed into an Owle and began to flie out of the house He also doth relate what the ingredients of this vnguent were to wit certaine aromaticall hearbeâ— and some parts of dead bodies that had beene buried and were digged vp againe for that purpose that all was boyled together in a great brason Caldron in Well water together with the milke of a Cow the hony of mountaines and other stuffe of the like nature vsing certaine magicall words ouer the whole compound And this we found also verified by the Witches that were condemned by the aboue cited sentence who confessed that they did boyle dead bodies whom they came and digged vp by night and with the grease of their kidneâ—es and cerâ—aine otheâ— heaâ—bes they made a certaine oyntment which they did vse From hence it did arise that the RomaÌ„s of Apuleius his time did punish witches with death because they did violate the graues of the dead to pilfer from thence the bodies of those which lay there â—nâ—erred which is not onely repugnant to the law of nature but vnto the law of nations called Ius gentium For if those who forced open Sepulchres that they might from thence steale the iewels and rings which were buried with the dead corps were without mercy put to death as sacrilegious persons how much more seuerely ought they to bee punished who steale away the bodies themselues Which Apuleius also witnesseth relating that it was then the custome to hier certaine men to watch dead courses for feare least the Witches should come to gnaw and dismember them adding that himselfe one euening being set to watch a Course that lay in a certaine Hall there came a Weesell to gnaw the said Course but this being discouered by him the Weesell ran out at the hole thorow which it entred So that it is authentically true that the Diuell hath anciently practised this villany for seeing that himselfe caÌ„not