Ireland against that famous and renowned Prince Henry the seuenth putting him in great danger of his life and crowne of England Example 4 In the late raigne of Queene Mary there arose an Impostor stiling himselfe Edward the sixth The danger of the progresse of that Impostor if it had preuailed who knoweth not The manifest wrongs iniuries and impeachments also from counterfeit prophecies reuelations and predictions issuing not onely vnto priuate men and families but vnto Kingdomes Empiers and Common-weales are infinite Example 5 Iulian an Emperour of Rome though otherwise a mightie and learned Prince and valiant souldier by a prophecie of an Impostresse or seeming Pythonisse promising his conquest and triumph ouer the Kingdome of Persia was thither hastened vnto his deserued death and the vengeance of God vpon his infamous Apostasie Example 6 It is reported by Iohn de Serres the French Chronicler that the power and force of some pretended reuelations and visions of a young Shepheard in the raigne of Charles the seuenth King of France was to preualent that it perswaded Pothon that great and famous French Captaine with the Martiall of France to arme and incounter the then victorious English in the bowels of that Kingdome by which vnaduised attempt the French were supprised and taken by the English Example 7 It is recorded by the same Author that one Martha Brosier counterfeiting the fits and passions of such as were possessed in short time became so powerfull in illusion that she ministred much matter of wonder and amazement not onely vnto priuate men but vnto the Kings Counsell to Preachers in pulpits yea vnto the whole Parliament vntill the counterfeit Diuell induring some punishment and restraint forsooke his pretended possession Example 8 If wee require examples in our owne countrty behold in the raigne of Edward the fourth his brother George Duke of Clarence was hastened vnto his vntimely death euen by the allowance of his brother King vpon the feare of a vaine and flying prophecie that G. of King Edwards heires should be the murtherer In the time of Henry the eight the holy Maide of Kent Example 9 by her seeming miraculous reuelations deceiuing not onely the common sort but euen diuers learned and some men of the best ranke and prime note stirred vp in the King great iealousie and feare of his Crowne and safety as by the records of her attaindour doeth appeare wherein doeth stand prooued and sentenced her treason-some imposture of most dangerous consequent if it had obtained equall issue In the same kings raigne the bewitching esteeme credit Example 10 and hope of force vertue in counterfeit predictions and pretended reuelations whet the ambitious heart of Edward Lord Stafford Duke of Buckingham first into high Treason and to reach at the Crowne and after from thence thrust him headlong or headlesse into his graue In the raigne of Edward the sixt there was a prophecie Example 11 divulged from the mouth of some pretended Wizard by which the coniuâ—ation of Kett and those Norfolke Rebels was hartned and encouraged to proceede in their rebellion and outrage vnto the great danger and damage of the Kingdome and in the end vnto their owne destruction That blind pretended prophecie in the insidiation of vaine and credulous mindes was somewhat like vnto that ambiguous Oracle in the Poet. Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse I say the sonne of Aeacus the Romane power shall quell This Oracle may on either side indifferently either actiuely or passiuely bee vnderstood Like vnto it was that prestigious prophecie which the rebellious Norfolcians with their Kett trusted Hob Dic and Hic with câ—es and clâ—uted shoone Shall fill vp Duffin-dale with slaughtered bodies soone The Rebels vnderstanding this blinde reuelation or prediction concerning the victory wherein they themselues should bee Agents and not Patients as afterward their owne ruine did truely interpret it and dreaming the filling vp of the Dussin dale to be intended of other mens dead bodies and not their owne where thereby incited with furious courage vnto the hazard of the kingdome and their natiue Country vntill their owne mangled and slaughtered carcases became butchered spectacles and bloody monuments of such illusion and imposture Example 12 How many other fearefull and horrid treasons haue bin built and grounded vpon other the like prodigious impostures To recite the damages and wrongs done vnto priuate men by imposture in manifold kinds were infinite What should wee mention Prior Bolton of St. Bartholmewes in London who in the raigne of Henry the eight vpon the impression of an vniuersall World floud grounded vpon pretended miraculous predictions ridiculously buildeth himselfe an house or neast on the top of Harrow hill to saue himselfe from drowning What mighty terrors did the wicked imposturous predictions of strange euents in the admirable yeere 88. strike into the common people or vulgars of England from whence what different distractions in many priuate men did bring foorth to relate were iust matter of profound laughter What translations of dwellings peregrinations into other Countries exchange of inheritances for monies and other ridiculous extrauagant molitions did the approach of that yeere diuersly prepare I will not waste paper in any more particular recitals Our later age and time hath not beene barren of many wicked and harmefull fruites of imposturous prophecies neither haue they altogether escaped the eye of Iustice nor the blurre of infamy written in their names and chronicled memory And although many impostures because practised vpon priuate and more obscure personages are lesse knowne and published then such as are committed against Princes and States and therefore are more remarkeable in the eyes of all men yet are they both equally in their natures pernicious It were not now impertinent from the declaration of the mischiefes of imposture in generall to descend vnto some such in particular as are practised vnder the lying pretense and false colour of a transcendent and Magicke vertue In examples of this kinde Reignald Scott doeth ouer-abound in his discouery I haue my selfe noted and knowne some men I could say some men of the Clergie who to draw wonder and custome vnto their practise in Physicke wherein Sacriligiously they spend their best and chiefe time and howers with open neglect of God and his seruice I know some I say who are not ashamed prophanely and most irreligiously to affect among vulgars to gaine the opinion of skill in Coniuration Magicke and Diuell-charming By this imposturous Art or deuice many yeeres together not among men Religious Orthodoxe or iudiciously learned but among vulgars and sometimes also among some great and mighty men they haue become vnworthily magnified Physitions aboue other farre more worthy and performing sometimes some things praise worthy as is oft-times contingent vnto the meanest practisers they still gaine countenance and time to robbe God of the first fruites of their time strength and labours and the Church of their more requisite maine study
and who vpon the knowledge of their true causes doeth found the right method of their curation That the Diuell doeth both know the causes of diseases and also how by them to procure and produce diseases is manifest by the History of Iob vpon whom he brought that grieuous generall bâ—ch and byle ouer all his body Iob chap. 2. verse 7. That hee did this by the force of causes in nature must needes bee euident First because hee is a creature and subiect and limited by nature vnto and within heâ— liâ— and therefore is not able absolutely and simply without causes and meanes in nature to produce any effects in nature although our ignorance of his power and knowledge because it so farre excelleth our power or nature doeth call all his workes iustly supernaturall Secondly for that by â—es and dotches are knowne naturall diseases and therefore had naturall causes although haply vnknowne to any man and beyond the nature of knowledge or skill in man These reasons of the Diuels impossibilitie to worke those effects without nature are thus yet more briefly and cleerely made infallible Of nothing simply to produce any thing vnto a true being and existence is the sole and proper worke of any infinite Creator and impossible vnto any creature Therefore the Diuell being a creature could not bring those diseases vpon Job but by created meanes preexisting in created nature in which he is contained and limited And thus much concerning that kinde of Witch and Sorcerer which is enquired at concerning the curing and issue of diseases which we will conclude with this note that all learned men of the best experience haue obserued that in those cures by Witches and Sorcerers the Diuell hath neuer perfectly healed but for a time or else where hee hath seemed most perfectly to cure it hath beene for a reseruation of the body by him cured vnto a greater and further mischiefe in time to succcede Besides this kinde of Witch by meanes vnknowne to man or by a supernaturall vertue in knowne meanes aboue and beyond their nature vndertaking to cure the sicke or to foretell the euent and issues of diseases there is also another kind which doeth vndertake to bee enquired at for extraordinary reuelation of such diseased persons as are bewitched or possessed by the Diuell This kinde is not obscure at this day swarming in the Kingdome whereof no man can bee ignorant who lusteth to obserue the vncontrouled libertie and license of open and ordinary resort in all places vnto wise-men and wise-women so vulgarly termed for their reputed knowledge concerning such diseased persons as are supposed to be bewitched But it may bee obiected that many of these two last mentioned forts are rather deceiuers and Impostors onely who by an opinion of this power and not by any reall power herein doe deceiue seduce and beguile the people This cannot in some be denied notwithstanding least impious imposture bee still tolerated to bee a couert to hide the manifest diuellish practise of Witches vnder pretense thereof whereby it shall euer continue in this shape neglected or vnspied I will both briefely giue satisfaction how the one may bee distinguished from the other and also declare how men ceasing to enquire at Diuels and Witches or Impostors may learne to enquire of their God alone and by the light of nature and reason which hee hath giuen vnto them in his feare with his allowance and approbation more truely and certainely informe themselues CHAP. IX Of Wizards and Impostors how they differ from Witches HOw Witch-craft in diuers kinds may according to euidence of reason be detected hath beene before made manifest How imposture may be discouered sense there is so good vse and necessitie of the distinction thereof for the more perfect separating and setting a part of Witch-craft by it selfe wee will likewise briefly make manifest The Impostor is he who pretendeth truth but intendeth falshood For this cause sometimes vnder an holy pretense he maketh God the Author of his vnholy prestigiation and slandereth God vnto his face sometimes to be reputed an Angell of light he maketh himselfe a license to counterfeit the Diuell He proposeth it his trade to seduce and liueth by lying Sometimes in shew and pollicitation he is a Witch but in the performance of the greater sinne hee is lesse iust and in the personate resemblance solely a Iugler For as the Witch performeth that which in true and infallible reason is transcendent and aboue nature so the Impostor performeth that which in false and fallible reason and opinion onely seemeth parallel Hence as Witches doe strange and supernaturall workes and truely vnto reason worthy of wonder so the Impostor doth things voide of accomptable reason in shadow shew and seeming onely supernaturall wondred and admired And hence it commeth to passe that with vndiscerning mindes they are sometimes mistaken and confounded on for another From hence it is also necessarily concluded that as Witch-craft is discouered by a supernaturall worke aboue reason whereto the Witches consent if accessary so an Impostor is detected by a worke voide of accomptable reason but in a deceiuing false Visar or shew wherewith the purpose and intention of the Deceiuer or Impostor doth concurre As therefore the suspected Witch is tyed to answere vnto any iust doubt which may bee directly vrged against his or her manifest voluntary action that is prooued supernaturall so is a truely doubted Impostor bound to giue satisfaction for such his ambiguous actions as doe in likely reason appeare fraudulent vaine prestigious iuggling couzening or deceiuing And thus shall each appeare in his owne true shape apart of diuers kindes of Witch-craft I haue before produced examples I am here likewise very pertinently for further illustration propose some examples of Imposture in generall that the odiousnesse of this foule sinne may appeare more foule and the ougly face thereof may be more fully discoured Among multitude of examples I will recite onely some few whereof some consist in lewd and guilefull contriuement of action other in the bewitching power of false prophecies reuelations predictions and prognostications Concerning the first who can be ignorant of the impious Example 1 and infamous Impostures of Mahomet who by guilefull counterfeit miracles and pretended angelicall illuminated workes first magnified and set vp that heathenish Empire and Religion of the blasphemous Turkes The History of Sebastian the pretended Portugall King Example 2 as it is set forth by Iohn de Serres according to Master Crimstones translation thereof if he were a true Impostor indeed and were not iniuriously traduced and blurred with vndeserued reproch is an incomparable example aboue and beyond many other I will referre my Reader to to the Author himselfe If we desire more neere or domesticall examples herein Example 3 behold in the raigne of Henry the seuenth a boy of meane parentage through imposturous machinations opposed set vp and crowned King in
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 Holing shed 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 fourth detected Some for the promoting of their Diuelish deuices vse the ministery of liuing creatures or of Diuels and spirits in their likenesse as histories report and Theocritus in his Pharmacentria seemeth to credit inducing there a Sorceresse who by the power of her bird did drawe and force her Louer to come vnto her This seemeth not impossible vnto a Witch by the multitude of liuing shapes which the Diuell in former ages hath vsually assumed termed Faunes Satyres Nymphes and the like familiarly conuersing with men Some bring their cursed Sorcery vnto their wished end by sacrificing vnto the Diuell some liuing creatures as Serres likewise witneseth from the confession of Witches in Henry the fourth of France deprehended among whom one confessed to haue offered vnto his Diuell or Spirit a Beetle This seemeth not improbable by the Diabolicall litations and bloudy sacrifices not onely of other creatures but euen of men wherewith in ancient time the heathen pleased their gods which were no other then Diuels And rather then the Diuell will altogether want worship he is sometimes contented to accept the parings of nailes as Serres from the confession of certaine French Witches doth report Some Authors write that some sorts of Sorcerers are obserued to fasten vpon men their Magicall mischieuous effects and workes by conueying or deliuering vnto the persons whom they meane to assault meats or drinkes or other such like as is euident by the generall knowne power of the Magicke cups of the inchaunted Filtra or loue draughts and as seemeth iustified by S. Augustine in his 18. booke de Ciuitate Dei making mention of a woman who be witched others by deliuering only a piece of cheese Some of our late Countrie-men haue obserued some Witches to mischiefe or surprise such as they intend maliciously to destroy by obtaining some part or parcell of their garments or any excrements belonging vnto them as their hayre or the like It is not to be doubted that the Diuell that old Protens is able to change and metamorphise his rites ceremonies and superstitions into what new shapes or formes are best sutable to his pleasure and his fellow-contractors most commodious vses and purposes Concerning all the former mentioned although it be exceeding difficult nay an impossible thing for any man to auouch euery of them true in his owne knowledge or experience yet for that some kindes of them wee may assuredly know and beleeue from God himselfe who hath in his sacred word nominated both apparitions of the Diuel as also incantations charmes spels and familiarity with Spirits as also for that reason doth demonstrate that there may be many more kinds besides those named of the same likenesse nature abused and diuelish vse and for that vnto othersome the credit worth and merit of those Writers by whom they haue been obserued and published doth giue weight and estimation it may be approoued as an infallible conclusion that wheresoeuer any of them or the like being diligently enquired after are either really found or in apparence or shew resembling that there with the concurrence of circumstances and approoued precedence of a manifest worke of Sorcery consenting that there