not to know nor desire to know more then is allowed or needfull needfull not in our desires but Gods Decree Here then let me intreat reasonable men not too much as is vsuall to swell with indignation or to be puffed with impatience where God doth not apertly reueale plainely as they desire and thinke needfull the subtill engines and mysticall craft of the Diuell in the Machinations of Witches and Sorcerers but soberly modestly and discreetly so farre forth be contented to pursue the tryall and iust way of their discouery as with sense with reason with Religion is iust and righteous knowing that whatsoeuer is beyond these lists is reasonlesse senselesse and impious For since God and Nature as is before said hath limited the scrutinie of all true Arts and Sciences all naturall knowledge for discouerie of controuersies and resolutions vnto the lights of Reason and Sense artificiall coniecture prudence Art Sagacitie and subtiltie of vnderstanding deriued from thence vnto that other barre or seate of Iustice can Witch-craft appeale or be brought It may be obiected the Art of Witch-craft being supernaturall and the practice thereof sustained by an extraordinary power that therefore the meanes and wayes of discouerie must bee likewise more then ordinary and supernaturall Hereto is truely answered that since the nature and power of Spirits is vnknowne vnto man as all things supernaturall and can bee and is no otherwise knowne but by examining the workes issuing from thence and comparing them aright with that which is naturall because man in his Reason and vnderstanding cannot discerne that which is truely transcending his Nature otherwise then obseruing how farre it exceedeth that which is according to Nature therefore I say the workes of the Diuell or Witches though sustained and produced by a supernaturall power yet can haue no other way for their detection by man but that which is ordinary vnto man and naturall and possible vnto man for that which is aboue or beyond his power or Nature is not his owne From hence must necessarily be concluded that there is no other ordinary way vnto man who knoweth or can know nothing but that is naturall vnto the discouerie of that is supernaturall but that way which is likewise naturall Although therefore the subiect of Witch-craft require a greater measure of knowledge to discerne that which is therein really and truely supernaturall from that which in nature oft times hath a very great likenesse and a deceiueable similitude therewith yet is the way vnto that knowledge the common high way which conducteth vnto all other knowledge whatsoeuer And that this also is the same way direction which the holy Scripture it selfe doeth intend for the discouery of witches and their sentensing is manifest Num. 39. 30. Deut. 17. 6. and 19. 15. Matth. 18. 16. Iohn 8. 17. 2. Corinth 13. 1. Hebr. 10. 28. In these named places it is required that no man bee iudged in matter of weight or death but by the testimony of two witnesses at the least Witch-craft therefore being a matter both of weight and death cannot according vnto Gods word bee iudged but by testimony of witnesses whatsoeuer is witnessed must necessarily bee subiect to sense since no man can witnesse ought whereof there is not sense From hence then it is ineuitably concluded that the workes of Witches are no other way to bee discerned or iudged but by the common way of discouery by deedes and workes apparent to sense and the testimony thereof Let men then bee perswaded and contented since God hath alotted and allowed vnto the nature and power of man no other way in this onely warranted true way to seeke the discouery to finde the footing path and steppings of Witch-craft as of all other things which by the Decree of God are reuealed vnto man and subiect vnto the knowledge of man It may bee here demanded whether Almighty God doth not extraordinarily and miraculously at some time discouer this so abominable sinne of Witch-craft aswell as by ordinary meanes leaue it vnto discouerie This doubt shall more fitly in more due place be hereafter at large discoursed It hath now beene here manifested that there is or can bee no other ordinary tryall of Witch-craft then that which is common vnto all other detections of trueth and also that all detections subiect vnto the discouerie of man as hath beene before cleared are drawne and deriued either from Sense or Reason or likely probability raised from both Before I doe proceed farther for his more facill vnderstanding I doe admonish the Reader that hee distinguish what is meant by the supernaturall workes namely whatsoeuer is effected in vpon or by any corporall substances or sublunarie bodies which is aboue the nature and power of those bodies or sublunarie substances They are not supernaturall in regard of those spirituall substances which are the proper agents and vnto whom such workes are no more then naturall but in regard of those bodily substances vpon which in which or by which those spirituall substances doe worke as meerely their patients and being in themselues or owne nature depriued of any such possibilitie CHAP. IIII. Of the workes of Witches and Diuels BEfore wee proceed further to treate concerning matter of Witch-craft according to the former waies of discouery and inuestigation it will be needfull to distinguish who is the true Author cause and immediate workman of the supernaturall workes which by Sorcery and Witch-craft are compassed or brought to passe All created substances indowed with powers and vertue from God their Creator are either bodily or corporall substances or spirituall or mixt and betweene both Bodily and corporall substances are the heauens the celestiall bodies of the Starres of the Sunne of the Moone the bodies of the elements and all elementarie substances from them deriued and composed Spirituall substances are either Angels or Diuels or soules of men after death separated from their bodies Mixed substances partly Spirituall partly bodily are mankinde compounded of a naturall body and vnderstanding soule Hence it commeth to passe that man by his vnderstanding Spirit doth together with Angels Spirits and Diuels participate and vnderstand many things as the Scripture reuealed the History and Creation of the whole world many truths of God the grounds of Reason the principles of Nature many generall rules and obseruations and infinite particular obiects of many things past present and to come But for that this vnderstanding Soule is depressed and imprisoned in this life by the body by the passions diseases and manifold incumbrances thereof and cannot extend or inlarge it selfe further vnto any portion of knowledge then thorow the narrow windowes closures parts and organs of the body therefore must necessarily the knowledge of man be much inferiour vnto that measure of knowledge which Spirits being of a more subtill essence and free from the burden and incumbrance of an earthly tabernacle or prison doe in a more large extent inioy As is said of the difference
discerned and discouered otherwise then the very same that they were in dreame likewise beleeued From hence it doth also follow very necessarily that what man soeuer shall vndertake these supernaturall iuglings which are onely possible in the power of Spirits of the Diuell alone is thereby as truely conuinced to bee a Witch or-Sorcerer as he that vndertaketh any of the former reall supernaturall workes or any other of the like kinde because they are both and all alike proper onely to the diuell and wherein man can haue no property or power but by and through him Let vs now then againe returne vnto the Diuels reall supernaturnall performances and workes vnto Sorcerers from whence by the way of answer vnto the former doubt concerning Pythagoras his supposed realty of being at once in two places we haue hitherto onely digressed It is written as a thing vsuall vnto many famous Magicians Sorcerers and Witches vnto the view and sight of some admitted spectators to raise resemblances of the dead which seemeth a thing vndoubted by the Witch of Endor raising Samuel the Prophet vnto Saul the King before mentioned In this kinde those famous and renowned Witches Medea and Circe in old and ancient times are reported to excell Hence among the Heathen had Necromancie the reason of the name and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is diuination by calling vp or raising the dead Later times haue not been behinde former times in the record of the like but to adde reason to inforce the truth of report herein I will answer an obiection which may bee made Whether in these apparitions there be onely illusion and imagination or some thing truely and really visible vnto the outward sense As touching the reall raising of the dead it is impossible vnto the limited power of the Diuell either in the substance of body or soule to reduce or bring the dead back into this world or life or sense againe because in death by the vnchangeable and vnalterable decree of God in his holy Writ the body returneth into dust from whence it came and the Soule to God who gaue it Notwithstanding since the outward shape and figure and proportion of any substance and not the substance it selfe or creature is the true and naturall obiect of the eye according to the Philosopher who truely saith Res non videntur sed rerum species that is the substances or things themselues are not offered nor come vnto the sight but only their shape and outward figure as also for that common sense and experience doe teach vs that it is a thing absurd and impossible that all those bodies and substances which in infinite number wee dayly see and behold really and materially in their corporall substances and dimensions should be contained in the small body of the eye for these causes I say it is possible according to reason that the Diuell in these supposed apparitions of the bodies and substances of dead men may present true reall and naturall obiects certaine and assured vnto the eye and sight if hee can onely present thereto the outward liuely pourtraitures and shapes of the substances or bodies though the bodies themselues be away That the Diuell can doe this is no doubt For if man by Art can vsually diuide the outward shapes and figures of creatures and substances from the substances and creatures themselues as is apparent by the looking glasse and the cunning Painter can in another borrowed substance separated from their true right and proper substance represent perfectly the true and liuely shape of men other creatures euen when they are not onely absent and remoued in farre distant places but when oft-times they haue many yeares beene swallowed of the graue why should it be thought impossible vnto the Diuell who certainely is more then exquisite Apelles excellent to offer and present vnto the eye likewise any true shape whatsoeuer If he can offer the true shape as is not to be doubted he doth offer a true and perfect obiect and therefore that which is truely and certainely manifest to sense although speech and the motion thereof without another visible bodie to sustaine it being impossible vnto shapes and pourtraitures drawne by men be things supernaturall and truely spirituall which doe therefore make it a worke proper vnto the Diuell And thus it is apparent that the supposed apparitions which the Diuell doth offer of dead men may be esteemed and reckoned among such supernaturall workes of diuels and Sorcerers as manifestly are brought to outward sense Now let vs turne to view some other kinds of the same workes of the same Authors It is reported by some Writers of worthy credit that the bodies of Sorcerers Witches haue bin really carried and locally remooued from on place into another by the diuell And of later times as Bartholomaeus de Spina doth witnesse the inquisitions haue condemned vnto perpetuall prison and their detained Witches who by their owne confession and others proofe haue by the Diuell been transported into so farre distant places in few houres that afterward it hath bin a trauell of many dayes by their owne naturall power to returne againe from whence they were manifestly by the diuell carried It is a thing likewise written and vulgarly receiued that Witches are oft-times seene bodily to haunt places fields houses graues and sepulchers in an vnusuall and miraculous manner and wondred fashion These things and infinite more whether true or no cannot be knowne but to him that doth himselfe behold and can from his owne sight auouch them really true and not imaginarie To performe some manner of asportation and locall translation of the bodies of Witches and Sorcerers it seemeth in reason a thing whereunto the Diuell is not vnable First for that it appeareth within the power of a Spirit by the history of the Prophet Habacuc whom the Angel carried by the hayre of the head out of Iudea into Babylon The naturall faculties and properties of a Spirit giuen in their creation and by their essentiall formes vnited vnto them the Diuell doth participate with all other Spirits whatsoever though in his fall from heauen he lost their true happinesse and perfect fruition in the face and fauour of God his Creator Secondly for that there are vndoubted examples in holy Scripture of the diuels power in the locall translation not onely of bodies inanimate as fire windes tempests houses as is apparent in the history of Iob and of animate bodies also or bodies of brute creatures as is euident in the heards of swine which he carried head long into the Sea but likewise of the bodies of men as is cleere in the Gospel where it is said that the Diuell did cast the bodies of the possessed into the middest of the people If the Diuel could cast or carry their bodies the distance there expressed whatsoeuer or how little so euer it was it doth manifestly prooue his power in the locall motion of mens bodies although the full extent of
oddes the learned Physicion euen in the first scarce sensible budding of indication and in the first most imperfect and scarce-being thereof doth oft discouer that true euent which vsually and for the most part is seene and obserued to come to passe If any man not rightly apprehending reason make a doubt or question of any such possible exquisitnes let him consider and behold it by an easie example In an inequalitie of one and the same Vermiculant pulse where the beginning of the same distension is quicker the next continuation or middle part is slower and the beginning of the and thereof ending almost before it begin it must needes be very difficult nay almost impossible vnto the first view of Sense or Reason or to a common iudgement or learning to diuide really and distinguish this one short small motion into two or three distinct times and parts of motion the space so very short the faculty of mouing so low and weake and the mouing it selfe almost altogether in an insensible exiguitie and an indiuisible degree of lownesse Wee see oft-times a common vulgar cannot in his reason conceiue it much lesse by his sense at all perceiue it Neither is it found easie to euery man though learned therein yea or educate thereto either perfectly to apprehend the generall Idea of such a motion or at all in the first proofes and tryals of his sense or hand to deprehend any particular Notwithstanding the Physicion that exquisitely discerneth and iudgeth doth both in reason see that euery single smallest motion hath his diuers distinct diuision of parts also by his discerning wary iudicious and exercised touch doth apartly detect and discouer it And thus hath been proued by seueral instances taken in the art of Physicke insteade of al other Arts and Sciences for auoiding tediousnesse and confusion that all knowledge all Art all Science whatsoeuer giuen vnto man hath no other entrance meanes or wayes thereto but thorow Sense or Reason or prudent and artificiall coniecture sagacitie and exquisitenesse of iudging and discerning thereby And that it may the better appeare that beyond these waies and lights the Physicion cannot finde any knowledge or discouery of Diseases let vs view some particular examples of some Diseases for this cause vndiscouerable and not to be detected and therewith consider the impossibilitie of discouery to consist solely herein namely for that they are remoued from any capacitie of Sense or Reason and from the reach of all artificiall search scrutiny accurate insight deriued from both which is the highest straine of humane Vnderstanding In the generall it cannot be denied except of such whose vnderstandings are extremely blinde that it is impossible that those diseases should or can bee at all so much as suspected and therefore much lesse knowne which yeeld no shew no signe no indication of themselues There needeth hereof no other nor better proofe then the enumeration of some particular diseases of this kinde Are not diuers secret and hidden Apostemations and other inward collections of vicious matter in the body dayly Seminaries of vnexpected and wondred shapes of corruption and putrifaction which lying long hidden in the body and by an insensible growth taking deepe roote in the end sodainely breake forth beyond all possible expectation or thought of the most excellent exquisite and subtill circumspection and disquisition For a briefe confirmation hereof Hollerius doth mention a man the cause of whose disease while he liued being vnknowne to Physicions and Art after his decease his guts were sound gangrened and perished and therein things viewed like vnto Water-snakes and his Liuer full of schirrose knots There happened vnto my selfe this yeare last past a Patient a very worthy Gentleman who being extremely vexed with the Strangury Disurie and Ischurie together with pissing of blood in great abundance and the stone by the vse and accommodation of remedies found much ease mitigation of paines and qualification of the extremitie of all the former accidents Notwithstanding for that there were certaine indications of an Vlcer in the body or capacitie of the Bladder his recouerie was not expected but after his decease in the dissection of his body his Bladder was found rotten broken and black without any manifest matter therein as cause thereof or so much as one stone although hee had formerly and immediately before auoided many stones at seuerall times This I produce being fresh in memory as an instance of impossibilitie of knowledge vnto a Physicion in many and frequent cases For how could the fracture or colour of his Bladder while the Patient was liuing by any exquisitenesse of Art or vnderstanding be knowne in any possibilitie meanes or power of man although all the other accidents aboue mentioned were vndoubtedly by certaine indications and signes discouered I might here deliuer many other like Examples out of mine owne knowledge I will onely call to remembrance one more I was of late yeares Physicion vnto a right Noble Lady the cause of whose apparent dangerous estate diuers learned and famous Physicions conioyned with my selfe could neuer discouer In the dissection of her body after her decease her heart was found in closed with a shining rotten gelly and the very substance of the heart of the same colour In the same Lady an intolerable paine about the bottome of her stomack by fits depriued her of all ease by day and of rest by night and could neuer be either knowne in the cause or remooued in the accident by any meane or remedy but after death in the dissection of her body before mentioned a black round gelly as bigge as a Tenice ball did manifest it selfe in that place where in her life the intolerable paine was seated and fixed Of this euill discoloration of her heart of the matter and euill colour of that matter wherewith her heart was inuironed as also of that collected gelly in her stomacke what possible knowledge thinke you or exquisite vnderstanding or art of man could euer in her life time giue any notice or information Like vnto this is that which Hollerius in the 21. of his rare obseruations doth mention In a sicke man perplexed in a strange manner from an vnknowne cause in his life after his death his liuer and epiploon did appeare corrupted and putrified his stomacke toward the bottome bruised and full of blacke iuice or humour Christophorus Schillincus opening the body of a childe after death reporteth that hee saw in the small veines running thorow the substance of the liuer many small scrauling wormes then liuing Beniuenius doth make mention of a woman tormented grieuously by a needle in her stomack which was impossible by any art or exquisitnesse of vnderstanding to bee conceiued or suspected if nature it selfe working it out thorow the body and substance of the stomacke vnto the outward view and Sense had not so discouered it I will not here mention the generation of wormes stones and the like in the guts gall heart longs
and supernaturall manner and sort Marke the first Luke 4. Math. 17. Marke the ninth Was not the very voice of a Spirit heard and distinguished when the diuell in so fearefull and merueilous manner cryed out in the possessed Math. 8. Mark 5. Luke 8 Did not the people behold the miraculous force of the diuell casting the possessed into the middest of them Luk. 4. 33. 34 35 Did not the people heare behold a foule Spirit crying aloud in an admirable power manner comming out of the possessed Marke 1. 24 25 26 26 All these were workes supernaturall of the diuell and manifest to outward sense yet no mention no suspicion no reason of mention or suspicion of a Witch or Sorcerer wherein therefore the diuell alone was sole Agent But it may be obiected that these examples out of the holy Scriptures are recorded as things specially seene or noted in some speciall ages times which after-times other ages doe not or cannot affoord The contrary is manifest by the faithfull histories and true reports of Ethnicke writers who liuing in distant ages do not differ in the true consent and harmony of the same report concerning the same things as they haue succeeded in their seuerall ages It is not incredible but certaine vnto any common Reader what diuers authors of approoued faith and credit in seuerall ages haue written how the diuell not onely out of the bodies and seuerall parts a part of the bodies of men haue vttered words and spoken with the voice of men euen as in the Gospell he did out of the possessed but also out of trees caues of earth images and statues The first is euident by the generall report from one succeeding age vnto another concerning the Pythons Pythonici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ventriloqui and the like The second was neuer hid many hundreth of yeares for many ages long before the birth of our blessed Sauiour as is apparent by the famous Oracle of Delphos the Oake of Dodona the Statue of Memnon Petrus Gregorius Tholosanus in his Syntagma Juris reciteth this history concerning certaine statues at Alexandria that they did fall vnto the ground sudainly and with an audible voice declared the death of Mauricius the Emperour euen at the same moment and point of time when he was then slaine at Rome As the Diuell doth shew himselfe by voices and sounds in trees caues statues and the like so doth he in diuers other outward shapes and formes of other creatures Thus he appeared vnto Eua and spake vnto her in the shape of a Serpent aforesaid Of his appearance in diuers other formes likewise are many Testimonies Neither doe Philosophers differ or doubt herein Aristotle in his Metaphysickes hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is substances are called simple bodies as water earth fire and the like and things compounded thereof as liuing creatures and spirits which is so farre forth to be vnderstood of spirits as they were in assumed shapes visible Orpheus doth number sixe kinds of these visible diuels or spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Spirits inhabiting the heauenly regions Spirits ruling in the ayre in the water in the fire in the earth and vnder the earth The Spirits in the Aire Plato saith are presidents of diuination of miracles and of Chaldaike Magicke The Spirits in the earth and vnder the earth are such as appeare in the shape of Dogges and Goates and the like moouing men vnto foule and vnlawfull lusts as Ianus Jocobus Boissardus in his tractate de Magia genijs doth testifie The same Authour vnto this purpose citeth Saint August lib. 2. Super Genesim ad literam confirming that Spirits doe vse the helpe of Aerie bodies or substances that they may appeare vnto men Vnto this opinion of the apparitions of Spirits variety of story likewise doth bring forth faith and credit I will not mention the apparition which happened vnto Athenodorus the Philosopher reported by Pliny nor Brutus his Genius after the death of Iulius Caesar appearing and speaking vnto him nor those representations which in the shape of men appeared vnto Lucius Domitius returning toward Rome as Suetonius reporteth adding for confirmation of truth in the Historie that the apparition touching his beard it instantly changed from the former perfect blacke vnto a liuely yellow and thereupon he was afterward sirnamed Oenobarbus I will not farther cite ancient times herein Let vs come vnto later daies and writers It is reported by Iohn de Serres the French Chronicler that the late renowmed K. of France Henry the 4. being in his hunting sports a Diuell or Spirit presented vnto the Kings eares and his whole company a great cry of hounds and winding of hornes The King commanded Count Soissons to goe see who it was wondering who durst interrupt his game The Earle still issuing forward toward the noise still heard it but seemed nothing neerer vnto it though desiring to come neerest vnto it At length a bigge blacke man presented himselfe in the thickest of the bushes and speaking vnto the Earle some few words sudainly vanished There could be no deceit in so many eares and witnesses nor can the obiection of a meere imagination stand vncontrouled of the iust reproofe of want of wit and good manners in doubt or deniall of so faire and so well aduised due testimonies Master Fox in the life of Martin Luther doth relate the apparition and conference of the Diuell with a yong man who vpon contracts agreed betweene the Diuell and himselfe deliuered vnto the Diuell his bond for conditioned performances Speede in his Chronicle and relation of the passage of many affaires within the time of Henry the 4. doth make mention of the apparition of the Diuell in the habite of a Minorite Eryer at Danbury Church in Essex with such thundring lightning tempests and fire-bals that the vault of the Church brake and halfe the Chancell was carried away I will not further recite infinite Histories and Reports which may seeme to depend vpon the obscure or doubted credit of superstitious factions or partiall Authors but of such onely as by the common consent of times and generall voice of all Writers exact credit and esteeme In this kinde what a multitude of Examples doth the whole current and streame of all Writers of all ages afford Who almost that readeth any ancient classicall Author can auoide the common mention of fained gods and godesses of the field of the woods of the mountaines of houses of desarts of riuers of springs and the like offering themselues vnto men and people sometimes in one shape sometimes in another requiring worship ceremonies and rites some in one manner some in another doing strange and admired workes oft-times sometimes pleasantly encountring people sometimes menacing Herevpon grew the multitude and varietie of names giuen vnto them according to the seuerall manners shapes gestures and places which they vsed as Fauni Satyri Nymphae Empusa Lemures All
Deut. 16. 21. where he forbiddeth so much as the planting of any groues of trees neere his Altar because it was the custome inuention manner and resemblance of Idolaters As in case of Idolatrie so in case of Witch-craft which is likewise a kinde of Idolatry because the worship of Diuels Almightie God in those places of holy Writ where he publisheth and proclaimeth his high displeasure against Witches and Sorcerers with that abominable sinne it selfe doth also condemne as abominable First in generall all kinde of shew of affection liking inclination or respect thereof Secondly any customes fashions rites ceremonies superstitions or gestures from thence deriued or belonging thereto The first is manifest Leuit. 19. verse 31. There the Prophet from their God Iehouah doth charge his people that they doe not so much as turne toward or decline toward Sorcerers or South-sayers vouchsafe to aske any question or to respect them and Leuit. 20. verse 6. he giueth iudgement and sentence of death against that soule that doth but turne or looke toward them The second is likewise manifest Isaiah 8. verse 19. where Almightie God noteth the superstitious peepings whisperings and mutterings of Sorcerers and according to those gestures doth with reproch terme them whisperers mutterers and peepers and Deut. 18. verse 10 11. he rehearseth their mumblings and charmings and their superstitious marking the flying of fowles and Leuit. 19. verse 26. he noteth their vaine and ceremonious obseruing of times If then Almightie God be so strict that he will not endure or tolerate so much as a friendly looking toward Sorcerers the least respect giuen vnto them or so much as a demand of a question at their hands any inclination toward them any their ceremonies rites or superstitions yea so small a matter as their very outward gestures how can religious zeale or the duty of man toward God his Creator esteeme any of these or the like or the least of them lesse then sufficient matter of probable doubt presumption religious iealousie and suspicion against such men as doe or dare presume to imitate to practise or vse them As the holy Scripture hath pointed out some few gestures manners and rites of Sorcerers for an example and light vnto all other of the same kinde so hath the daily obseruations of succeeding times added infinite more which haue doe and still may encrease multiply and be added and newly inuented and put on new different shapes and fashions according to the fancie of the contractors therein which are the Diuell and man possessed by him in whose powers and will according to the nature qualitie and conditions of their contract dependeth and consisteth the variation or innouation of ceremonious rites For this cause among Authors and records both of elder and later times wee reade of such diuersities and numbers of superstitious litations dedications performances and a diabolicall solemnities As therefore we haue manifested such superstitious rites ceremonies and gestures of Sorcerers as the holy Scripture hath noted and deciphered so let vs propound some other by after-times and other Authors obserued Some haue vsed in their intention or execution of their Diabolicall workes or in the way of prelusion one kinde of ceremonious homage and some another Some doe neuer attempt nor enterprise a Diabolicall execution but with mumblings whisperings and secret sounds and words heard grumbling in their mouthes as Theophrastus in his 9. booke of herbes and plants doth witnesse concerning certaine Magicians in gathering Helleborus and Mandragora and as is likewise vndoubtedly discouered by the great attributes that are by many famous Writers ascribed vnto the Caball of the Iewes and vnto letters characters words sillables and sentences superstitiously pronounced Galen writeth that a certaine Sorcerer by vttering and muttering but one word immediately killed or caused to dye a Serpent or Scorpion Beniuenius in his booke de Abd. morb caus affirmeth That some kinde of people haue beene obserued to doe hurt and to surprise others by vsing only certaine sacred and holy words It is apparent likewise that others haue accomplished their diuelish ends by apparitions shapes or figures raised or coniured into glasses as Fernelius an eye-witnesse in his booke de Abdit rer caus doth publish Some receiue power and vertue from the Diuell vnto their Diabolicall preparations by certaine inchanted hearbes or medicines which they mixe and gather sometimes with brasse hookes sometimes by Moone-shine in the night sometimes with their feete bare and naked and their bodies clothed with white shirts as Plinie reporteth Some are reported to obtaine of the Diuell their desired ends or workes by deliuering vnto the Diuell bonds or couenants written with their owne hands This Serres the French Chronicler doth report confessed by certaine Witches in the raigne of Henry the fourth And Mr. Fox in the life of Martin Luther doth make mention of a yong man who deliuered a bond vnto the Diuell vpon certaine conditions which bond was written with the yong mans owne blood and vpon his repentance and the earnest zealous prayer of the people vnto God in his behalfe was redeliuered and cast into the Church in the view and sight of the whole assembly there and then being Some deriue an effectuall vertue vnto their decreed Diuellish workes by hanging characters or papers about the necke as Plinie reporteth Some practise to bring their Diuelish ends vnto issue by coniured images and pictures of waxe golde earth or other matter as Thomas Aquinas in his booke de occultis Naturae witnesseth Holingshed page 534. doth chronicle the execution of certaine Traitours for conspiring the king of Englands death by Sorcerous and Magicall pictures of waxe The same author page 1271. doth report that in the twentith yeere of Queene ELIZABETH a figure-flinger as hee termeth him being suspected as a Coniurer or Witch sudainely dying there was found about him besides bookes of coniuration and other Sorcerous papers or Characters the picture of a man wrought out of Tynne Some late writers haue obserued that diuers Witches by such pictures haue caused the persons thereby represented secretly to languish and consume as was lately prooued against some late famous Witches of Yorke-shire and Lancaster by the testimonies beyond exception of witnesses not onely present but presidents in their tryall and arraignment Some execute their hellish intentions by infernall compositions drawne out of the bowels of dead and murthered Infants as Ioannes Baptist Porta in his booke de Magia naturali doth from his owne knowledge affirme and thereto the Malleus Maleficarum with others doe assent Some practise also Sorcery by tying knots as Sant Ierome testifieth in vita Hilarij concerning a priest of Aesculapius at Memphis Some practise Witch-craft by touching with the hand or finger onely as Biniuenius saith Some in their Sorcerous acts or coniurations vse partchment made of the skinne of Infants or children borne before their time as Serres reporteth from the confession of Witches in the time and raigne of Henry the