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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03468	A treatise against vvitchcraft: or A dialogue, wherein the greatest doubts concerning that sinne, are briefly answered a Sathanicall operation in the witchcraft of all times is truly prooued: the moste precious preseruatiues against such euils are shewed: very needful to be knowen of all men, but chiefly of the masters and fathers of families, that they may learn the best meanes to purge their houses of all vnclean spirits, and wisely to auoide the dreadfull impieties and greate daungers which come by such abhominations. Hereunto is also added a short discourse, containing the most certen meanes ordained of God, to discouer, expell, and to confound all the Sathanicall inuentions of witchcraft and sorcerie.; Treatise against witchcraft.	Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.	1590 (1590)	STC 13590; ESTC S104153	71,772	90

hoc modo Deus incogitantiae argueretur ac silegem tulisset de rebus quae nullae sunt Surely it were gracelesse boldnes to denie that the artes of magicke haue euer beene practised for so God might be argued to want iudgement as if he had giuen a Law of things which haue no beeing Nowe to be short concerning this treatise which here I offer thee good Reader albeit I cannot teach thee as I would to discouer and to auoide the Sathanicall delusions of witchcraft so variable so straunge and so secret are Sathans practises yet that good which I purposed I haue I trust in some part performed Whatsoeuer I haue written in all humble submission I offer it to the Censure and iudgement of all the godly learned in the Church of God I was the more bolde to publish this discourse for that but few haue written to any purpose any thing which may giue light in this argument in the english tongue master George Gifford onely excepted vnto whom we are much bound in the Lorde An other cause which mooued me is the continuall trafficke and market which the rude people haue with witches For like as the old heathen as Tulli saieth de reb maiorib semper aut delphis oraculum aut ab Hammone aut à Dodona petebant that is in their greatest affaires sought alwaies after the master witches and in common affaires hid their common auguries so likewise our blockish Christians they haue their common base witches and their master coniurers vnto whom they ride and goe in all their neede some twentie some thirtie some fortie miles and what is moste lamentable such is their brutish ignorance they thinke it not vnlawfull for them so to doe Wherefore I doe here also humbly request all those whome God hath blessed with knowledge and giftes to discerne in any measure these hid and horrible abhominations that they would with all their might helpe to vncouer them The ministers of Christ must both in doctrine and conuersation oppose themselues vnto the ministers of Antichrist Th● doctrine of the Gospell which we professe is flat contrarie we knovv vnto all the principles of poperie so let our conuersation also be vnto the practise of all the Romish prelates The monkes the friers and all of the shauen ministerie were not in any account for learning which made not an open profession of these sciences and of the Popes themselues sundry of them attained their popedome by these holy meanes as Sylvester the 2. Benedictus the 8. Geegorie the seuenth Iohn 20. 21. Alexander the 6. if we may credit their ovvne Platina and others Our enimies then worshipping the beast and his image and bearing these brandes of sorcery vvitchcraft idolatrie and all impietie in their handes and foreheads let vs with all might avoide them for without repentance the scripture hath forewarned they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured into the cuppe of his wrath and shall bee tormented in fire and brim stone which is the second death Accept what I haue written good reader or of thy curtesie giue it free passage vnto others FAREWEL Thine in Christ Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHAP. I. Of the witches mentioned in Scripture where is shewed by euident demonstrations how they had a reall conference confederacy with Satā himselfe by whom they practised wrought their abominatiōs Theophilus Mysodaemon WHat sayest thou Mysodaemon is it not strange that men at this day make so small account to discouer and auoid the moste horrible and dreadfull sinnes of witchcraft Mysodaemon I would gladly heare somwhat of you concerning this argument for the common sort of men indeed doe lightlie regard this sinne and the rather because some men as they say of learning and reputation affirme that this art being rightly discouered containeth nothing but cousenage and secret practises of wicked men and foolish women which are full of restles melancholick imaginations Theoph. True it is they say so indeed but how prooue they all such strong affirmations they speake much and fill volumes of many bookes but prooue litle soundly of that which they haue vainely and wickedly conceiued for when their proofe is out of the Scripture they neuer faile to wrest and bend that blessed word most prophanely to their owne purpose And as for other learned men which haue written painefulle of this argument they are all without difference scorned reiected and railed vpon in moste vile manner Their best proofe is from their owne braine and most wicked experience and yet some wise men as they say beleeue them Mysodaemon Surely Theophilus I can not myselfe be anie way perswaded that the common sorte of our witches worke by the deuill or haue any conference with him for so I remember Bodin others define a witch to be one that wittingly willingly vseth deuilish artes to atteine that hee purposeth therefore 〈…〉 women are no witches for they haue no such artes alack● poore fooles they are no seducers but rather poore seduced soules Theoph. I see Mysodaemon you haue read ouer some of their great volumes can you so pretely bemone our old witches true it is manie of the common sort I beleeue well are not right witches indeed notwithstanding they are guiltie of other most vile sinnes and most worthie of death Mysodaemon As for other sinnes as coosnage poisoning and such like I will not couer them our witches are full of such practises but that these seely women haue anie artes to coniure the deuill or to conuey him into a boxe as they say to raise tempests to kill and make aliue I thinke all these are but vaine surmises of credulous and foolish people Theoph. Satan is full of delusions and filleth the mindes eies and eares of such as the Lorde hath iustlie giuen ouer vnto his handes for the contempt of the truth to beleeue lies he is a flying serpent and not so narrowly inclosed albeit hee perswadeth his vassals by such vaine delusions least wanting his presence they should bee discouraged in his seruice But let vs come vnto the purpose that there haue bene are and may be such Sathanicall witches which worke indeed many wonders by the help and ministrie of Satan Mysodaemon I knowe not where to turne mee in this controuersie for they say the scripture hath not answered this question wee haue no scripture against our vvitches or which can discouer them Theoph. If the scripture will not suffice and serue vs for this purpose let vs impute that to our weakenes and not to the want of that most perfect booke of God which is said to be so sufficient that it is able to make the man of God absolute And hath not the Scripture prophesied of the chaunge of Empyres of the variable state of the Church before and after Christes incarnation of Antichrist his comming his miracles c. And doe we not finde all those diuine and propheticall predictions

for their God his arts for Gods word would haue Athisme to come in place of pure religion Wherfore if they erre of ignorance they erre dangerously against the very foundation of Christian religion if they erre of malice they are the very imps limmes of Satan and seeing that they seeme to turne such honourable personages from faith and religion and from true obedience vnto the worde of the Lord as Elimas the sorcerer sought to turne Sergius Paulus that prudent man when he desired to heare the word of God from the faith let them vnderstand that Paul may thunder more iustly against them professing Christianity in the Church as he did against that vile Pagan sorcerer in this maner O full of all subtiltie all mischiefe the child of the deuill and enimy of all righteousnes wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight waies of the Lord The ground and the mother of all good lawes is the law of god and all other lawes do giue attendance therupon and haue their being to this end to keep and preserue the holy lawes of God inuiolable and if they want this scope as the learned say they are vnnecessary in the Church or common wealth The lawes of god are most sharp against this sinne and punish it with death as all other sinnes of the first table were punished the words of the lawe are these Exod. 20. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Againe Lev. 20. 27. if a man or a woman haue a spirit of diuination or sooth saying in them they shall dye the death they shall stone them to death their blood shall be vpon them Againe Deut. 18. 10 11. many kinds of magitians are numbred which the Lorde straightly chargeth should not be left to liue in the land These lawes of God did the forenamed godly kings their iudges rulers and magistrates most religiousllie and zealouslie obey and put in practise and wherfore Christian princes iudges c. ought not with greater care loue zeale religion do the same vnder the gospel no man liuing shal euer be able with any sensible reason to prooue vnto vs. Wherfore such iudges as are so sharp sighted in the lighter sinnes of the 2. table and as it were blind in the disobedience of the first are as M. Beza Danaeus Bodin say truly great contēners of God thēselues therefore the greater account shall they make Bodin cōplaineth in these wordes Equidem saepe miratus sum cur à multis principib quaestiones institutae iudices extra ordinem dati delegatique fierent in fures quaestores aerarios faeneratores viarū obsessores per quos tamen turpissima summè horrenda impiaque magorū facta manserunt impunita This lawyer as you see wondreth at the custome of some countries where he knoweth the iudges and magistrates are very sharp against theeues robbers vsurers and such like common sinnes but to passe ouer the most horrible sinnes of sorcerie vnpunished M. Beza also complaineth against this negligence in magistrates as we haue before shewed Danaeus saith that to make lawes doth belong appertain to kings princes notwithstanding he wisheth albeit lawes might seem to be wāting that the honourable iudges magistrates c. would punish magitians sorcerers for sundry other sorts of sin which they do impiously commit Bodin numbreth their sinnes in this order First they renounce God and all true religion 2. they blaspheme prouoke his diuine maiesty with vnspeakable contempt 3. they beleeue in the deuill adore him sacrifice vnto him 4. they offer their children vnto deuils 5. they sweare vnto Satan promise to bring as many as they can vnto his seruice professiō 6. they inuocate Satan in their praiers sweare by his name 7. they commit incestuous adulteries for Satan telleth thē that none can proue a perfect magitian or sorcerer but such a one as is of the father the daughter or the mother the son whereupon Catullus wrote these verses Nam magus ex matre gnato gignatur oportet Si vera est Persarum impia religio The right magitian by the sonne of mother is begotte Sayth Persian faith if that be true t is Satans birde I wotte 8. They cōmit horrible murders kil yong infants 9. al sorcerers for the most part exercise poison to kill with poison is far more heinous then simple murder for so the law speaketh grauius est occidere veneno quam ferro 10. they kill mens cattel c. 11. lastly the witches as themselues confesse cōmit abominatiōs filthines with their deuils when they ly with their husbands Aug. saith that to denie this is great impudency These sinnes here named euery one euē the lest deserueth a most exquisite death as can be deuised for all such sinners are cōmanded to be stoned to death which kinde of death was a most dreadful death among the Iews And surely it is well known by common experience that al professed sorcerers c. are guiltie of many most monstrous impieties for this cause the law saith simply Mechasephath Lo tichieth let not a witch liue expressing vnto vs how expedient it is that iustice be speedily exercised against these vile kind of men And thus far I thought good to shew how wise and religious magistrates haue doe and may proceed against the discouery of the most horrible and detestable sinnes of witchcraft or ●●●ery not for that I can or would teach any our honourable wise learne● magistrates their duties in this pointe but to let the common sort of Christians see what the lawe of God commandeth and what diligence good Magistrates haue vsed in elder times against these euils Wherefore if we which professe Christ Iesus in this cleare Sunne shine of the gospell be found more remisse colde backward in performing these duties to God and his Church that I may say more we seeme to come to farre behind those noble presidents in the loue of 〈◊〉 hatred of sinne and behinde I feare if wee so persist shall wee come ●nto the kingdome efheauen To conclude therefore let vs all as many as haue the place of inferiours in this Christian common wealth pray mightely vnto God so to illuminate our superiours the wise and honourable magistrates our godly learned ministers with his holy word to know his will and so to enflame their hearts with his holy spirit that they may moste diligently put the same in practise as for the discouery confusion extirpation of al sinnes so more particularly most carefully of these most horrible dreadfull detestable sinnes of witchcraft and sorcery c. that so God may be purely worshipped his saints comforted his greatest enemies either conuerted to their good or confounded with their deuills to their endlesse shame and confusion So be it Vnto the King euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto

heresies and superstitions to spring in his Church that those that are his might be knowen as the Lorde teacheth vs. Myso-daemon Howe farre then may Sathans power reach when God so permitteth him or sendeth him for the execution of his iustice Theophilus Almightie God doeth vse Satan for to worke his signes and iudgements in the heauens in the ayer and in the earth and to execute his iustice vpon all the children of disobedience yea and to afflict his Saintes as ofter as the Lord knoweth it expedient for his glorie and their saluation For the Scripture speaketh plainelie that he can driue downe lightnings and flames of fire from heauen to hurt the creatures vpon earth Againe that he can infect and poyson the ayer and water with pestiferous exhalations when God sendes him as in the plagues of Egypt which were wrought by the ministerie of Sathan for it is written that God cast foorth his indignation and wrath vpon them in all those plagues By sending out euill angels among them He can destroy also the other creatures and man him selfe by fyers by windes and tempestes when he is let loose against them Myso-daemon The witches boast indeede that Sathan can do much and they likewise by their acquaintance with him but some thinke that all this is but to fray men many men often hurt themselues and others by fond imaginations Theophilus As for Sathans might it is but weake if the Lorde graunt him not strength to execute his will he can not doe it and whereas some suppose that all these artes are but strong phantasies they be greatly deceiued for albeit that some doe hurt themselues with euill imaginations c. yet let a witch or any other imagine what he will against thee his imagination can neither kill thee Myso-daemon nor take away one haire from thy head but we knowe and see that Sathan by witches can doe both and this is the confession of the witches of all times nations and people euen at the very point of death Myso-daemon If Sathan can hurt the bodies and soules of men I will neuer doubt he may soone hurt the other creatures tell me therefore first what can he doe to infidels and wicked prophane people Theophilus As for the wicked the Scripture saith 1 Sathan is their God 1. Cor. 4. 4. 2 Sathan is their father Ioh. 8. 44. act 13. 10. 3 Sathan hath the vse of their bodies soules Eph. 2. 2. Matt. 12. 43 4 Satan workes his owne workes in them 1. Ioh. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 2. 5 Sathan blyndes their minds and makes them fooles in vnderstanding 2. Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 4. 18. 1. Cor. 2. 14 6 Sathan robs them of the good vse of Gods word by many delusions Luk. 8. 12. and makes them storme and fret against it Prou. 14. 16. Now then seeing that Sathan hath this dominion ouer the soules which are farre more precious then their bodies he may no doubt and doeth often tosse their bodies when God permits him at his pleasure Myso-daemon My heart trembles and quakes Theophilus when I vnderstand by the holy Scripture how all prophane and wicked men in the Church euen among vs are thus fast bound in Sathans snares and chaines and what is more miserable they are so blind they know it not Theophilus Yea and what is most dreadfull in these daies God hath giuen ouer sundry men for the contempt of his word so farre into Sathans power and into a reprobate sense that men reiect the very natural course of ciuil life that men sport themselues in doeing wickedly that men worke all vncleannes euen with greedines And such is the impudent boldnes and grouth of sinne in these times that if any one man refraine from euill he is a monster among men a gazing flocke and as the Prophet saith maketh himselfe a pray S. Cyprian complaineth of his time Esse iam inter nocentes innoxium cr●men est malos quisquis non imitatur offendit And the Milesians prouerbe was men thinke there ought to be no place for any honest man among them Mys. The Lord defend vs from them and graunt vs that wee may so liue by them that we be not hurt of them but may not Sathan and his witches hinder and hurt the Saints of God also Theophilus No doubt they may for Sathan sought to winnow euen the very Apostles and preuailed somewhat and hindred them often in the course of their ministerie Mysodaemon How shewe you that Sathan can hurt their bodies Theoph. The Apostle had the messenger of Sathan to buffet him as for Iob Sathan so poisoned his bodie all ouer that there was no part of him whole from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foot yea what is more feareful it may be seene by Mary Magdalens example that if god permit he may not onely hurt the bodies of the Saints but before grace also haue a reall possession of them Again our continual warfare is against him if we want any part of our armour described Eph. 6. he may soone hurt vs. Mys. Teach me two things more Theophilus and then I cease to molest you First how I may be cured if witches do hurt me and secondly how I may best auoid them for I see wel we be in daunger all by them Theoph. First as for the cure of any man poisoned by Sathan it is knowen by the experience of many learned phisitions a thing most difficult the reason is sathan vseth poisons that haue hidden vnknowne and straunge operations in the bodies of men for he is an Empiricke of many yeeres experience notwithstanding wee ought to vse all good meanes that Phisicke offereth vs continually intreating the Lord so to blesse thē as they may be for our health if it shall seeme expedient for his glorie and our saluation and if by these meanes we can not receiue health we must wait patiently vpon God commit and commend our bodies and soules vnto his hands for he saith The Lord knoweth the daies of vpright men and their inheritance shal be perpetuall Againe man is not Lord ouer the spirit to reteine the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death nor deliuerance in the battaile neither shall wickednes deliuer the possessors thereof Mysodaemon I heare often that many great mens houses are troubled with straunge visions What thinke you Theophilus are these vncleane spirits and how may such euils be auoided Theoph. It is well you speake of great mens houses for there commonly are the greater sinnes Nero could hardly rest for fearefull and straunge apparitions Suetonius saith Saepe confessus exagitari se materna specie verberibus furiarum ac taedis ardentibus The like say the stories of Brutus Pysistratus and others The greater sinnes defile any place the greater libertie is giuen Sathan the more it is swept and garnished for his continuall habitation To expell all such euills