they are the breath of living creatures some that one of them begat another some that they were created of the least part of the masse whereof the earth was made and some that they are substances betweene God and man and that of them some are terrestriall some celestiall some watery some airy some firy some starry and some of each and every part of the elements and that they know our thoughts and carry our good works and prayers to God and returne his benefits backe unto us and that they are to be worshipped wherein they meete and agree iumpe with the papists as if you read the notes upon the second chapter to the Colossians in the Seminaries testament printed at Rhemes you shall manifestly see though as contrary to the word of God as blacke to white as apppeareth in the Apocalypse where the angell expresly forbad Iohn to worship him Againe some say that they are meane betwixt terrestiall and celestiall bodies communicating part of each nature and that although they be eternall yet that they are moved with affections and as there are birds in the aire fishes in the water and wormes in the earth so in the fourth element which is the fire is the habitation of spirits and divels And lest we should thinke them idle they say they have charge over men and government in all countries and nations Some say that they are onely imaginations in the mind of man Tertullian saith they are birds and fly faster then any sowle of the aire Some say that divels are not but when they are sent and therefore are called evill angels Some thinke that the divell sendeth his angels abroad and â—e himselfe maketh his continuall abode in hell his mansion place CHAP. III. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits of their severall orders and a confutation of his errors therein PSellus being of authority in the church of Rome and not impugnable by any catholike being also instructed in these supernaturall or rather diabolicall matters by a monke called Marcus who had been familiarly conversant a long time as he said with a certaine divell reporteth upon the same divels owne word which must needs understand best the state of this question that the bodyes of angels and divels consist not now of all one element though perhaps it were otherwise before the fall of Lucifer and that the bodyes of spirits and divels can feele and be felt do hurt and be hurt in so much as they lamenâ— when they are stricken and being put to the fire are burnt and yet that they themselves burne continnually in such sort as they leave ashes behind them in places where they have beeâ—e as manifest tryall thereof hath been if he say truly in the borders of Italy He also saith upon like credit and assurance that divels and spirits do avoid and shed from out of their bodyes such seed or nature as whereby certaine vermine are ingendered and that they are nourished with food as we are saving that they receive it not into their mouthes but sucke it up into their bodies in such sort as sponges soke up water Also he saith they have names shapes and dwelling places as indeed they have though not in temporall and corporâ—â— sort Furthermore he saith that there are six princiall kind of divels which are not only corporall but temporall and worldly The first sort consist of fire wandering in the region neere to the moone but have no power to go into the moone The second sort consisting of aire have their habitation more low and neere unto us these saith he are proud and great boasters very wise and deceitfull and when they come downe are seene with streames of fire at their taile He saith that these are commonly conjured up to make images laugh and lamps burne of their owne accord and that in Assyria they use much to prophesie in a bason of water Which kinde of incantation is usuall among our conjurors but it is here commonly performed in a pitcher or pot of water or else in a viall of glasse filled with water wherein they say at the first a little sound is heard without a voice which is a token of the divels comming Anon the water seemeth to be troubled and then there are heard small voyces wherewith they give their answers speaking so softly as no man can well heare them because saith Cardane they would not be argued or rebuked of lies But this I have else-where more largely described and confuted The third sort of divels Psellus saith are earthly the fourth watery or of the sea the fift under the earth the sixt sort are Lucifugi that is such as delight in darkenes and are scant indued with sense and so dull as they can scarse be moved with charmes or conjurations The same man saith that some divels are worse than other but yet that they all hate God and are enemies to man But the worser moity of divels are Aquei Subterranei and Lucifugi that is watery under the earth and shunners of light because saith he these hurt not the soules of men but destroy mens bodies like mad and ravening beasts molesting both the inward and outward parts thereof Aquei are they that raise tempests and drowne seafaring men and do all other mischiefes on the water Subterranei and Lucifugi enter into the bowels of men and torment them that they possesse with the phrensie and the falling evill They also assault them that are miners or pioners which use to worke in deepe and darke holes under the earth Such divels as are earthy and aiery he saith enter by subtilty into the minds of men to deceive them provoking men to absurd and unlawfull affections But herein his philosophy is very unprobable for if the divell be earthy he must needs be palpable if he be palpable he must needs kill them into whose bodies he entereth Item if he be of 〈…〉 then must he also be visible and untransformable in that 〈…〉 God 's creation cannot be annihilated by the creature So as though it were granted that they might adde to their substance matter and forme c. yet it is most certaine that they cannot diminish or alter the substance whereof they consist as not to be when they liâ—t spirituall or to relinquish and leave earth water fire aire or this and that element whereof they are created But howsoever they imagine of water aire or fire I am sure earth must always be visible and palpable yea and aire must alwayes be invisible and fire must be hot add water must be moist And of these three latter bodies specially of water and aire no forme nor shape can be exhibited to mortall eye naturally or by the power of any creature CHAP. IIII. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others concerning the actions and passions of spirits his definition of them and of his experience therein MOreover the same author saith that
the sword famine and pestilence They sacrifice their own children to the devill before baptisme holding them up in the aire unto him and then thrust a needle into their braines Ans. If this be true I maintain them not herein but there is a 〈◊〉 to judge them by Howbeit it is so contrary to sense and nature that were folly to beleeve it either upon Bodins bare word or else upon 〈◊〉 presumptions especially when so small commodity and so great danger and inconvenience insueth to the witches thereby They burn their children when they have sacrificed them Ans Then let them have such punishment as they that offered thâ—â— children unto Moloch Levit. 20. But these be meer devises of witâ—â—-mongers and inquisito's that with extreame tortures have wrung such confessions fâ—om them or else with false reports have belyed them 〈◊〉 by flattery and fair words and promises have won it at their hands at 〈◊〉 length They swear to the devil to bring as many into that society as they 〈◊〉 Ans. This is false and so proved elsewhere They swear by the name of the devill Ans. I never heard any such oath neither have we warrant to 〈◊〉 them that so do swear though indeed it be very lewd and impious They use incestuous adulâ—eâ—y with spirits Ans. This is a stale ridiculously as is proved apparently hereafter They boile infants after they have murthured them unbaptised 〈◊〉 their flesh be made potable Ans. This is untrue incredible and impossible They eat the flesh and drink the bloud of men and children openly Ans. Then are they kin to the Anthropophagi and Canibals But I beleeve never an honest man in England nor in France will affirme that he hath seen any of these persons that are said to be witches do so if they should I beleeve it would poyson them They kill men with poyson Ans. Let them be hanged for their labour They kill mens cattell Ans. Then let an action of trespasse be brought against them for so doing They bewitch mens corne and bring hunger and barrennesse into the country they ride and flie in the air bring stormes make tempests c. Ans. Then will I worship them as Gods for those be not the works of man nor yet of a witch as I have elsewhere proved at large They use venery with a devil call'd Incubus even when they ly in bed with their husbands have children by them which become the best witches Ans. This is the last ly very ridiculous and confuted by me elsewhere CHAP. X. A refutation of the former surmised crimes patched together by Bodin and the onely way to escape the inquisitors hands IF more ridiculous or abhominable crimes could have been invented these poor women whose chief fault is that they are scolds should have been charged with them In this libell you do see is contained all that witches are charged with and all that also which any witch-monger surmiseth or in malice imputeth unto witches power and practise Some of these crimes may not onely be in the power and will of a witch but may be accomplished by naturall meanes and therefore by them the matter in question is not decided to wit whether a witch can work wonders supernaturally For many a knave and whore doth more commonly put in execution those lewd actions than such as are called witches and are handged for their labour Some of these crimes also laid unto witches charge are by me denyed and by them cannot be proved to be true or committed by any one witch Othersome of these crimes likewise are so absurd supernaturall and impossible that they are derided almost of all men and as false fond and fabulous reports condemned insomuch as the very witch-mongers themselves are tashamed to hear of them If part be untrue why may not the residue be thought false For all these things are laid to their charge at one instant even by the greatest doctors and patrones of the sect of witch-mongers producing as many proofs for witches supernaturall and impossible actions as for the other So as if one part of their accusation be false the other part deserveth no credit If all be true that is alledged of their doings why should we beleeve in Christ because of his miracles when a witch doth as great wonders as ever he did But it will be said by some As for those absurd and popish writers they are not in all their allegations touching these matters to be credited But I assure you that even all sorts of writers herein for the most part the very doctors of the church to the school men Protestants and Papists learned and unlearned Poets and historiographers Jewes Christians or Gentiles agrâ—e in these impossible and ridiculous matters Yea and these writers out of whome I gather most absurdities are of the best credit and authority of all writers in this matter The reason is because it was never throughly looked into but every fable credited and the word Witch named so often in Scripture They that have seen further of the inquisitors orders and customes say also that there is no way in the world fâ—r thâ—sâ— poor women to escape the inquisitors hands and so consequently burning but to gild their hands with money whereby oftentimes they take pitty upon them and deliver them as sufficiently purged For they have authority to exchange the punishment of the body with the punishment of the purse applying the same to the office of their inquisition whereby they reap such profit as a number of these silly women pay them yearly pensions to the end they may not be punished again CHAP XI The opinion of Cornelius Agrippa concerning witches of 〈◊〉 pleading for a poor woman accused of witch craft and how be convinced the inquisitors COrnelius Agrippa saith that while he was in Italie many inquisitoâ— in the dutchie of Millen troubled divers most honest and noble matrones privily wringing much money from them untill their knavery was detected Further he saith that being an advocate 〈◊〉 councellor in the Common-wealth of Maestright in Brabant he had sorâ— contention with an inquisitor who through unjust accusations drew â— poor woman of the country into his butchery and to an unsit placeâ— not so much to examine her as to torment her Whom when C. Agrippa had undertaken to defend declaring that in the things done these was no proof no signe or token that could cause her to be tormented the inquisitor stoutly denying it said One thing there is which is proof and matter sufficient for her mother was in times past burned for a witch Now when Agrippa replyed affirming that this article was impertinent and ought to be refused by the judge as being the deed of another alledging to the inquisitor reasons and law for the same he replied again that this was true because they used to sacrifice their children to the devill as soon as they were borne and also because they usually conceived by spirits transformed
aures Good Lord how light of credit is the wavering mind of man How unto tales and lies his eares attentive all they can Generall councels and the Popes canons which Bodin so regardeth do condemne and pronounce his opinions in this behalfe to be absurd and the residue of witchmongers with himselfe in the number to be worse than infidels And these are the very words of the canons which else-where I have more largely repeated Whosoever beleeveth thâ—â— any creature can be made or changed into better or worse or transformed into any other shape or into any other similitude by any other thâ—â— by God himselfe the creator of all things without all doubt is an infidel and worse than a pagan And there withall this reason is rendred to wiâ—â— because they attribute that to a creature which onely belongeth to God the creator of all things CHAP. IV. A summary of the former fable with a refutation thereof after 〈◊〉 examination of the same COncerning the verity or probability of his enterlude betwixt Bodâ—â— M. Mal. the witch the asse the masse the merchants the inquisâ—â—tors the tormentors c. First I wonder at the miracle of transubstantiation Secondly at the impudency of Bodin and Iames Sprenger for affirming so grosse a ly devised belike by the knight of the Rhodes to make a foole of Sprenger and an asse of Bodin Thirdly that the asse had no more wit than to kneele downe and hold up his forefeet to a peece of starch of flowre which neither would nor could nor did helpe him Fourthly that the masse not reform that which the witch transformed Fiftly that the merchants the inquisitors and the tormentors could nor either severally or jointly do it but referre the matter to the witches courtesâ—â— and good pleasure But where was the young mans own shape all these three yeares wherein he was made an asse It is a certaine and a generall rule that two substantiall formes cannot be in one subject simul semel both at once which is confessed by themselves The forme of the beast occupied some place in the air and so I think should the forme of a man do also For to bring the body of a man without feeling into such a thine airy nature as that it can neither be seen nor felt it may well be unlikely but it is very impossible for the air is inconstant and continueth not in one place So as this airy creature would soon be carried into another region as else where I have largely proved But indeed our bodies are visible sensitive and passive and are indued with many other excellent properties vvhich all the devills in hell are not able to alter neither can one haire of our head perish or fall away or be transformed without the speciall providence of God Almighty But to proceed unto the probability of this story What luck was it that this young fellow of England landing so lately in those parts and that old woman of Cyprus being both of so base a condition should both understand one anothers communication England and Cyprus being so many hundred miles distant and their languages so farre differing I am sure in these daies wherein trafficke is more used and learning in more price few young or old mariners in this realme can either speake or understand the language spoken at Salamin in Cyprus which is a kind of Greek and as few old women there can speake our language But Bodin will say You heare that at the inquisitors commandement and through the tormentors correction she promised to restore him to his own shape and so she did as being thereunto compelled I answer that as the whole story is an impious fable so this assertion is false and disagreeâ—ble to their own doctrine which maintaineth that the witch doth nothing but by the permission and leave of God For if she could do or undo such a thing at her own pleasure or at the commandement of the inquisitors or for fear of the tormentors or for love of the party or for remorse of conscience then is it not either by the extraordinary leave nor yet by the like direction of God except you will make him a conâ—ederate with old witches I for my part wonder most how they can â—urne and tosse a mans body so and make it smaller and greater to wit like a mouse or like an asse c. and the man all this while to feel no paine And I am not alone in this maze for Danaeus a speciall maintainer of their follyes saith that although Augustine and Apuleius do write very credible of these matters yet will he never beleeve that witches can change men into other formes as asses apes wolves bears mice c. CHAP. V. That the body of a man cannot be turned into the body of a beast by a witch is proved by strong reasons scriptures and authorities BUt was this man an asse all this while Or was this asse a man Bodin saith his reason onely reserved he was truly transubstantiated into an asse so as there must be no part of a man but reason remaining in this asse â—nd yet Hermes Trismegistus thinketh he hath good authority and reason 〈◊〉 say Aliud corpus quam humanum non capere animam humanam nec fas esse in corpus animae ratione carentis animam rationalem corruere that is An humane soule cannot receive any other than an humane body nor yet can light into a body that wanteth reason of mind But S. Iames saith The body without the spirit is dead And surely when the soul is departed from the body the life of man is dissolved and therefore 〈◊〉 wished to be dissolved when he would have been with Christ. The body of man is subject to divers kinds of agues sicknesses and infirmities whereunto an asses body is not inclined and mans body must be fed with bread c. and not with hay Bodins asse-headed man must either eat hay or nothing as appeareth in the story Mans body also is subject unto death and hath his daies numbred If this fellow had died in the mean time as his hour might have been come for any thing the devils the witch or Bodin knew I marvell then what would have become of this asse or how the witch could have restored him to shape or whether he should have risen at the day of judgement in an asses body and shape For Paul saith that that very body which is sowne and buried a naturall body is raised a spirituall body The life of Jesus is made manifest in our â—â—rall flesh and not in the flesh of an asse God hath endued every man and every thing with his proper nature substance forme qualities and gifts and directeth their wayes â— for the waies of an asse he taketh no such care howbeit they have so their properties and substance severall to themselves For there is 〈◊〉 flesh saith Paul of men another flesh of beasts
dilatáque longâ Haesit nocte dies legi non paruit aeâ—ber Torpuit praeceps audito carmine mundus The course of nature ceased quite The aire obeyed not his lawe The day delay'd by length of night Which made both day and night to yawe And all was through that charming geare Which caus'd the world to quake for feare Carmine Thessalidum dura in praecordia fluxit Non fatis adductus amor flaminÃsque severi Illicitis arsere ignes With Thessall charmes and not by fate Hot love is forced for to flowe Even where before hath been debate They cause affection for to grow Gens invisa diis maculandi callida coeli Quos genuit terra mali qui sidera mundi Iuráque fixarum possunt perverâ—ere rerum Nam nunc stare polos flumina mittere nôrunt Aethera sub terras adigunt montésque revellunt These witches hatefull unto God And cunning to defile the aire Which can disorder with a nod The course of nature every where Do cause the wandering starres to stay And drive the winds below the ground They send the streames another way And throw downe hills where they abound linguis dixere volucrum Consultare fibras rumpere vocibus angues Solicitare umbras ipsúmque Acheront a movere In noctémque dies in lucem vertere noctes Omnia conando docilis solertia vincit They talked with the tongues of birds Consulting with the salt sea coasts They burst the snakes with witching words Solliciting the spirituall ghosts They turne the night into the day And also drive the light away And what ' its that cannot be made By them that do apply this trade CHAP. VIII Poetry and popery compared is inchantments popish witchmongers have more advantage herein than protestants YOu see in these verses the poets whether in earnest or in jest I know not ascribe unto witches and to their charmes more than is to be found in humane or diabolical power I doubt not but the most part of the readers hereof will admit them to be fabulous although the most learned of mine adversaries for lack of scripture are â—aine to produce these poetries for proofes and for lack of judgement I am sure do think that Actaeons transformation was true And why not As well as the metamorphosis or transubstantiation of Ulysses his companions into swine which S. Augustine and so many great clerkes credit and report Neverthelesse popish writers I conâ—esse have advantage herein of our protestants for besides these poeticall proofes they have for advantage the word and authority of the pope himselfe and others of that holy crew whose charmes conjurations blessings cursings c. I mean in part for a taste to set down giving you to understand that poets are not altogether so impudent as papists herein neither seeme they so ignorant prophane or impious And therefore I will shew you how lowd also they lie and what they on the other side ascribe to their charmes and conjurations and together will set down with them all manner of witches charmes as conveniently as I may CHAP. IX Popish periapts amulets and charmes agnus Dei a wastecote of proofe a charme for the falling evill a writing brought to S. Leo from heaven by an angell the vertues of S. Saviours epistle a charme against theeves a writing found in Christs wounds of the crosse c. THese vertues under these verses written by pope Urbane the fifth to the emperour of the Grecians are contained in a periapt or tablet be continnally worne about one called Agnus Dei which is a little cake having the picture of a lambe carrying of a flag on the one side and Christs head on the other side and is hollow so as the gospel of Iohn written in fine paper is placed in the concavitie thereof and it is thus compounded or made even as they themselves report Balsamus munda cera cum chrismatis unda Conficiunt agnum quod munus do tibi magnum Fonte velut natum per mystica sanctificatum Fulgura de sur sum depellit omne malignum Peccatum frangit ut Christi sanguis angit Praegnans servatur simul partus liâ—eratur Dona refert dignis virtutem destruit ignis Portaâ—us mundè de fluctibus eripit undae Balme vigine wax and holy water An Agnus Dei make A gift than which none can be greater I send thee for to take From fountain clear the same hath issue In secret sanctified 'Gainst lightning it hath soveraigne vertue And thunder crackes beside Each hainous sinne it weares and wasteth Even as Christs precious blood And women whiles their travel lasteth It saves it is so good It doth bestowe great gifts and graces On such as well deserve And borne about in noisome places From peril doth preserve The force of fire whose heat destroyeth It breaks and bringeth down And he or she that this enjoyeth No water shall them drowne A Charme against shot or a wastecote of proof BEfore the coming up of these Agnus Dei's a holy garment called a wastecote for necessity was much used of our forefathers as a holy relique c. as given by the pope or some such arch-conjuror who promised thereby all manner of immunity to the wearer thereof insomuch as he could not be hurt with any shot or other violence And otherwise that woman that would weare it should have quick deliverance the composition thereof was in this order following On Christmas day at night a threed must be spunne of flax by a little virgine girle in the name of the devil and it must be by her woven and also wrought with the needle In the brest or fore-part thereof must be made with needle-worke two heads on the head at the right side must be a hat and a long beard the left head must have on a crowne and it must be so horrible that it may resemble Beelzebub and on each side of the wastecote must be made a crosse Against the falling evill MOreover this insuing is another counterfeit charme of theirs whereby the falling evill is presently remedied Gaspar fert myrrham thus Melchior Balthasar aurum Haec tria qui secum portabit nomina regum Solvitur à morbo Christi pietate caduco Gasper with his mirth beganne These presents to unfold Then Melchior brought in frankincense And Balthasar brought in gold Now he that of these holy kings The names about shall bear The falling ill by grace of Christ Shall never need to fear THis is as true a copy of the holy writing that was brought downe from heaven by an angell to S. Leo pope of Rome and he did bid him take it to king Charles when he went to the battel at Ronceval And the angell said that what man or woman beareth this writing about them with good devotion and saith every day three Pater nosters three Aves and one Creede shall not that day be overcome of his
witchmongers in this matter of conjurations pag. 320. Certain conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missal pag. 321. A conjuration written in the masse book Fol. 1. ibid. Oremus pag. 322. That popish priests leave nothing unconjured a form of exorcisme for incense ibid. The rules and lawes of popish Exorcists and other conjurors all one with a confutation of their whole power how S. Martine conjured the divell pag. 323. That it is a shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors doings their owne being of so little force Hippocrates his opinion herein pag. 325. How conjurors have beguiled witches what books they cary about to procure credit to their art wicke assertions against Moses and Ioseph pag. 326. All magicall arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have left written thereof proved by experience pag. 327. Of Solomons conjurations and of the opinion conceived of his cunning and practise therein pag. 328. Lessons read in all churches where the pope hath authority on Saint Margarets day translated into English word for word pag. 329. A delicate story of a Lumbard who by saint Magarets example would needs fight with a reall divel 330. The story of S. Margaret proved to be both ridiculous and impious in every point pag. 331. A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish priest pag. 332. The former miracle couâ—uted with a strange story of S. Lucy pag. 333. Of visions noises apparitions and imagined sounds and of other illusions of wandering soules with a confutation thereof ibid. Cardanus opinion of strange noises how counterfeit visions grow to be credited of popish appearances of pope Boniface pag. 335. Of the noise or sound of echo of one that narrowly escaped drowning thereby c. pag. 336. Of Theurgie with a confutation therof a letter sent to me concerning these matters ibid. The copy of a letter sent unto me R. S. by T. E. Maister of art and practiser both of physicke also in times past of certaine vaine sciences now condemned to die for the same wherein he openeth the truth touching those deceits pag. 337. The xvi Book A Conclusion in manner of an epilog repeating many of the former absurdities of witchmongers conceits confutations thereof and of the authority of Iames Sprenger and Henry Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mal. Pa. 339. By what meanes the common people have beene made beleeve in the miraculous works of witches a definition of witchcraft and a description thereof pag. 340. Reasons to prove that words and characters are but bables and that witches cannot do such things as the multitude supposeth they can their greatest wonders proved trifles of a young gentleman cousened pag. 341. Of one that was so bewitched that â—â— could read no scriptures but canonicall of a divell that could speake no Latine a proose that witchcraft is flat cousenage pag. 343. Of the divinatioÌ„ by the sive sheeres and by the booke and key Hemingius his opinion thereof confuted a bable to know what is a clocke of certaine iuggling knacks manifold reasons for the overthrow of witches and conjurors and their cousenages of the divels transformations of Ferrum candens c. p. 344. How the divel preached good doctrine in the shape of a priest how he was discovered that it is a shame after confutatioÌ„ of the greater witchcrafts for any man to give credit to the lesser points thereof pag. 347. A conclusion against witchcraft in manner and forme of an Induction pag. 348. Of naturall witchcraft or fascination pag. 349. Of inchanting or bewitching eies ibid. Of naturall witchcraft for love c. pag. 351. A Discourse upon divels and spirits and first of philosophees opinions also the manner of their reasoning hereupon and the same confuted Pag. 352. Mine owne opinion concerning â—his argument to the disproofe of some writers hereupon pag. 353. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits of their severall orders and a confutation of his errors therein pag. 354. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others concerning the actions and passions of spirits his definition of them and of his experience therein pag. 356. The opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching spirits and of his familiar divell pag. 357. The opinion of Plato concerning spirits divels and angels what sacrifices they like best what they feare and of Socrates his familiar divell pag. 358. Platos nine orders of spirits and angels Dionysius his division thereof not much differing from the same all disproved by learned divines pag. 359. The commencement of divels fondly gathered out of the 14. of Isaie of Lucifer and of his fall the Gabalists the Thalmudists and Schoolmens opinions of the creation of angels pag. 360. Of the contention betweene the Greeke and Latine church touching the fall of angels the variance among papists themselves herein a conflict betweene Michael and Lucifer pag. 361. Where the battell betweene Michael and Lucifer was fought how long it continued of their power how fondly papists and infidels write of them and how reverently Christians ought to think of them p. 362. Whether they became divels which being angels kept not their vocation in Jude and Peter of the fâ—nd opinions of the Rabbins touching spirits and bugs with a confutation thereof pag. 363. That the divels assaults are spirituall and not temporall and how grossely some understand and those parts of the scripture pag. 365. The equivocation of this word spirit how diversly it is taken in the scriptures where by the way is taught that the scripture is not alway as literally to be interpreted nor yet allegorically to be understoed p. 366. That it pleased God to manifest the power of his sonne and not of witches by miracles pag. 367. Of the possessed with divels pa. 368. That we being not throughly informed of the nature of divels and spirits must satisfie our selves with that which is dilivered us in the scriptures touching the same how this word divell is to be understood both in the singular plurall number of the spirit of God and the spirit of the divell of tame spirits of Ahab pag. 369. Whether spirits and soules can assume bodies of their creation and substance wherein writers do extreamely contend and vary pa. 370. Certaine popish reasons concerning spirits made of aire of day divels and night divels and why the divell loveth no salt in his meate pa. 371. That such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures have in their names their nature and qualities expressed with instances thereof p. 372. Diverse names of the divell whereby his nature and disposition is manifested pag. 373. That the idols or gods of the Gentiles are divels their diverse names and in what affaires their labours and authorities are employed wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered ibid Of the Romans chief gods called Dii selecti and of other heathen gods their names and offices pag. 375 Of diverse goods in diverse countries
and the stars Some write that with wishing they can send needles into the livers of their enemies Some that they can transferre corn in the blade from one place to another Some that they can cure diseases supernaturally flie in the air and dance with devils Some write that they can play the part of Succubus and contract themselves to Incubus and so young prophets are upon them begotten c. Some say they can transubstantiate themselves and others and take the formes and shapes of asses wolves ferrets cows apes horses dogs c. Some say they can keep devils and spirits in the likenesse of todes and cats They can raise spirits as others affirme drie up springs turne the course of running waters inhibit the sun and stay both day and night changing the one into the other They can go in and out at awger-holes and saile in an egge shell a cockle or muscel-shell through and under the tempestuous seas They can go invisible and deprive men of their privities and otherwise of the act and use of venery They can bring soules out of the graves They can teare snakes in peeces with words and with lookes kill lambes But in this case a man may say that Miranda canunt sed non credenda Poetae They can also bring to passe that cherne as long as you lift your butter will not come especially if either the maids have eaten up the creame or the good-wife have sold the butter before in the market Whereof I have had some triall although there may be true and naturall causes to hinder the common course thereof as for example Put a litle sope or sugar into your cherne of creame and there will never come any butter cherne as long as you list But M. Mal. saith that there is not so little a village where many women are not that bewitch infect and kill kine and dry up the milke alledging for the strengthening of that assertion the saying of the Apostle Nunquid Deo cura est de bobus doth God take any care of oxen CHAP. V. A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and witchcraft and how detestable a sinne it is to repaire to them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction BUt whatsoever is reported or conceived of such manner of witchcrafts I dare avow to be false and fabulous cosenage dotage and poysoning excepted neither is there any mention made of these kind of witches in the Bible If Christ had known them he would not have pretermitted to inveigh against their presumption in taking upon them his office as to heale and cure diseases and to work such miraculous and supernaturall things as whereby he himselfe was specially knowne beleeved and published to be God his actions and cures consisting in order and effect according to the power by our witch-mongers imputed to witches Howbeit if there be any in these dayes afflicted in such strange sort as Christs cures and patients are described in the new testament to have been we fly from trusting in God to trusting in witches who do not only in their cosening art take on them the office of Christ in this behalfe but use his very phrase of speech to such idolaters as come to seeke divine assistance at their hands saying Go thy waies thy son or thy daughter c. shall do well and be whole It will not suffice to disswade a witch-monger from his credulity that he seeth the sequele and event to fall out many times contrary to their assertion but in such case to his greater condemnation he seeketh further to witches of greater fame If all faile he will rather thinke he came an hour too late than that he went a mile too far Truly I for my part cannot perceive what it is to go a whoring after strange gods if this be not He that looketh upon his neighbours wise and lusteth after her hath committed adultery And truly he that in heart and by argument maintained the sacrifice of the masse to be propitiatory for the quick and the dead is an idolater as also he that alloweth and commendeth creeping to the crosse and such like idolatrous actions although he bend not his corporall knees In like manner I say he that attributeth to a witch such divine power as duly and onely appertaineth unto GOD which all witch-monger do is in heart a blasphemer an idolater and full of grosse impiety although he neither go nor send to her for assistance CHAP. VI. A further confutation of witches miraculous land omnipotent power by invincible reasons and authorities with disswasions from such fond credulity IF witches could do any such miraculous things as these and other which are imputed to them they might do them againe and againe at any time or place or at any mans desire for the devill is as strong at one time as at another as busy by day as by night and ready enough to do all mischief and careth not whom he abuseth And insomuch as it is confessed by the most part of witch-mongers themselves that he knoweth not the cogitation of mans heart he should me thinks sometimes appear unto honest and credible persons in such grosse and corporall forme as it is said he doth unto witches which you shall never heare to be justified by one sufficient witnesse For the devill indeed entreth into the mind and that way seeketh mans confusion The art alwaies presupposeth the power so as if they say they can do this or that they must shew how and by what meanes they do it as neither the witches nor the witch-mongers are able to do For to every action is required the faculty and ability of the agent or doer the aptnes of the patient or subject and a convenient and possible application Now the witches are mortall and their power dependeth upon the analogy and consonancy of their minds and bodies but with their minds they can but will and understand and with their bodyes they can do no more but as the bounds and ends of terrene sense will suffer and therefore their power extended not to do such miracles as surmounteth their own sense and the understanding of others which are wiser than they so as here wanteth the vertue and power of the efficient And in reason there can be no more vertue in the thing caused than in the cause or that which proceedeth of or from the benefit of the cause And we see that ignorant and impotent women or witches are the causes of incantations and charmes wherein we shall perceive there is none effect if we will credit our own experience and sense unabused the rules of phylosophy or the word of God For alas What an unapt instrument is a toothles old impotent and unweildy woman to flie in the aire Truely the devill little needs such instruments to bring his purposes to passe It is strange that we should suppose that such persons can worke such feates and it is more strange that
we will imagine that to be possible to be done by a witch which to nature and sense is impossible specially when our neighbours life dependeth upon our credulity therein and when we may see the defect of ability which alwaies is an impediment both to the act and also to the presumption thereof And because there is nothing possible in law that in nature is impossible therefore the judge doth not attend or regard what the accused man saith or yet would do but what is proved to have been committed and naturally falleth in mans power and will to do For the law saith that to will a thing unpossible is a signe of a mad-man or of a soole upon whom no sentence or judgement taketh hold Furthermore what jury will condemne or what Judge will give sentence or judgement against one for killing a man at Berwicke when they themselves and many other saw that man at London that very day wherein the murther was committed yea though the party confesse himselfe guilty therein and twenty witnesses depose the same But in this case also I say the judge is not to weigh their testimony which is weakened by law and the judges authority is to supply the imperfection of the case and to maintain the right and equity of the same Seeing therefore that some other things might naturally be the occasion and cause of such calamities as witches are supposed to bring let not us that professe the Gospel and knowledge of Christ be bewitched to beleeve that they do such things as are in nature impossible and in sense and reason incredible If they say it is is done through the devils helpe who can worke miracles why do not theeves bring their businesse to passe miraculously with whom the devil is as conversant as with the other Such mischiefes as are imputed to witches happen where no witches are yea and continue when witches are hanged and burnt why then should we attribute such effect to that cause which being taken away happeneth neverthelesse CHAP. VII By what meanes the name of witches becometh so famous and how diversly people be opinioned concerning them and their actions Surely the naturall power of man or woman cannot be so inlarged as to do any thing beyond the power and vertue given and ingrafted by God But it is the will and mind of man which is vitiated and depraved by the devill neither doth God permit any more than that which the naturall order appointed by him doth require Which naturall order is nothing else but the ordinary power of God powred into every creature according to his state and condition But hereof more shall be said in the title of witches confessions Howbeit you shall understand thâ— few or none are throughly perswaded resolved or satisfied that witches can indeed accomplish all these impossibilities but some one is bewitched in one point and some are cosened in another untill in fine all these impossibilities and many more are by several persons affirmed to be true And this I have also noted that when any one is cosened with a cosening toie of witch-craft and maketh report thereof accordingly verifiing a matter most impossible and false as it were upon his own knowledge as being overtaken with some kind of illusion or other which illusions are right inchantments even the selfe same man will deride the likely proceeding out of another mans mouth as a fabulous matter unworthy of credit It is also to be wondered how men that have seen some part of witches cosenages detected and see also therein the impossibility of their own presumptions and the folly and false-hood of the witches confessions will not suspect but remaine unsatisfied or rather obstinately defend the residue of witches supernatural actions like as when a jugler hath discovered the slight and illusion of his principal seats one would fondly continue to thinke that his other petty jugling knacks of legierâ—emaine are done by the helpe of a familiar and according to the folly of some papists who seeing and confessing the Popes absurd religion in the erection and maintenance of idolatry and superstition specially in Images pardons and reliques of saints will yet persevere to think that the rest of his doctrine and trumpery is holy and good Finally many maintain and cry out for the execution of witches that particularly beleeve never a whit of that which is imputed unto them if they be therein privately dealt withall and substantially opposed and tryed in argument CHAP. VIII Causes that move as well witches themselves as others to think that they can work impossibilities with answers to certain objections where also their punishment by law is touched CArdanus writeth that the cause of such credulity consisteth in three points to wit in the imagination of the melancholike in the constancy of them that are corrupt therewith and in the deceit of the Judges who being inquisitors themselves against hereticks and witches did both accuse and condemne them having for their labour the spoile of their goods So as these inquisitors added many fables hereunto least they should seem to have done injury to the poor wretches in condemning and executing them for none offence But fithens saith he the springing up of Luthers sect these priests have tended more deligently upon the execution of them because more wealth is to be caught from them insomuch as now they deale so loosly with witches through distrust of gaines that all is seen to be malice solly or avarice that hath been practised against them And whosoever shall search into this cause or read the chief writers hereupon shall find his words true It will be objected that we here in England are not now directed by the Popes laws and so by consequence our witches not troubled or convented by the inquisitors Haereticae pravitatis I answer that in times past here in England as in other nations this order of discipline hath been in force and use although now some part of old rigor be qualified by two severall statutes made in the first of Elizabeth and 33 of Henry the eight Neverthelesse the estimation of the omnipotency of their words and charmes seemeth in those statutes to be somewhat maintained as a matter hitherto generally received and not yet so looked into as that it is refuted and decided But how wisely soever the Parliament-house hath dealt therein or how mercifully soever the Prince beholdeth the cause if a poor old woman supposed to be a witch be by the civill or canon law convented I doubt some canon will be found in force not onely to give scope to the tormentor but also to the hangman to exercise their offices upon her And most certain it is that in what point soever any of these extremities which I shall rehearse unto you be mitigated it is through the goodnesse of the Queens Majesty and her excellent magistrates placed amongst us For as touching the opinion of our writers therein in our age yea in our