Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	book_n	year_n	young_a	57	3	5.8123	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55138	A pleasant treatise of witches their imps, and meetings, persons bewitched, magicians, necromancers, incubus, and succubus's, familiar spirits, goblings, pharys, specters, phantasms, places haunted, and devillish impostures : with the difference between good and bad angels, and a true relation of a good genius / by a pen neer the covent of Eluthery.	Pen neer the Covent of Eluthery.	1673 (1673)	Wing P2564; ESTC R9332	44,947	136

manner of life they followed adding that he was not ignorant how their Order was hated by many because of their Dr. St. Thomas whom they followed in that Opinion that the Virgin Mary was conceived in Original Sin Nevertheless many of their Enemies were grievously tormented by the vengeance of God and the Town of Berne would perish if it did not expell the Franciscan Friars who were of opinion that the Virgin was conceived without And that particularly Dr. Alexander Dr. Ales and Iohn Scotus the subtil Doctor both Franciscan Fryers were grievously tormented in Purgatory for inducing the people to hold that opinion At last the said spirit did counterfeit the Virgin Mary herself assuring him she was conceived with sin and certified him also in many other things he desired to know from her She made also in his right hand a mark of her Son Jesus Christ by peircing his hand with a very sharpe Naile then to appease the pain she put Lint into it made of the clouts she wrapped her Child with in Aegypt But not contented alone with this the said Friers gave him to drink a certain Magick Liquor by which he lost his sence and understanding and then with Aquafoŕtis made four more wounds upon him Afterwards when by means of a second Liquor he came to himself he was much astonished at his wounds but they perswaded him they came from God and put him afterwards into a little Cell all hung with the Pictures of the passions of Christ they gave him also a drink that made him froath at the mouth and perswaded him that he was then fighting against death as Christ had done To conclude they play'd so many pranks with this poor Monk that at last he began to perceive the delusion and escaping out of their hands discovered all their devillish practises Whereupon the actors of this wickedness Iohn Vetter Prior Steven Boltzhorst Preacher Francis Ulchi under-Prior and Henry Steniecker receiver of the Rents were condemned to be burnt alive in a field before the company of the Franciscans There is a pleasant relation amongst the Narrations Mundi Fortuitas which I shall not omit in this place how in a Village of France inhabited by rude country Boors a Man fitter for the Cart than a Pulpit yet as being the best Scholler in the Town was made Vicar and according to custome nothing was done nothing thought upon but the Vicar was ever present among the good women Insomuch that by such frequent familiarily he grew to be well acquainted with one Lisetta a Parishioners wife Her Husband was not so blind but he could perceive his horn a growing and from that time permitted not the Vicar to come any more to his house Thus was all the fat in the fire and their hopes cancelled had not love found out another way for according to the Vicars instruction Lisetta counterfeited her self possessed with the Devil turning her eyes arms and legs in strange postures froathing at the mouth and ratling in her throat The simple neighbourhood astonished at these actions cry'd she was possessed and her poor Husband not a little troubled at it forgot what was past and goes for the Vicar to exorcise the Spirit Alas my friend saith the other thy Jealousy and suspition I fear of our holy Order hath been the cause of this misfortune for asmuch as the Chastest Matrons have ran mad and have been possessed upon this account Then taking his Robes Book and what was fitting on this account he goes along with him to his wife and the usual ceremony in such cases being performed he askes the spirit who it was Lisetta as she was before instructed answered in a small voice I am the father of this young woman who am to do Penance for ten years space in one body or other Her Husband thinking it to be her Fathers spirit my Father said he I desire thee for Gods Sake to come out of her Then the spirit reply'd I will indeed come out of her but I shall enter into thee to compleat the rest of my time alloted for my Penance The poor man was so terrified at this that falling at the Parsons feet my friend said he do you not know some way to avert this heavy Judgement either by Prayers Fastings Alms or other Charitable deeds then Lisetta perceiving all things to succeed according to her desire thou art too poor said she to hinder thy fate by Alms or charitable Deeds and instead of these thou must go visit forty Religious places and pray in every one and entreat God to forgive thee thy sins otherwise never look to escape what Heaven hath ordained Moreover the spirit went on concerning his false Jealousy and suspition of Holy Men insomuch that he fell at the Vicars feet asking forgiveness and shortly after began his Pilgrimage In the mean time the Vicar was always with his wife under pretence to lay the spirit but 't is questionable whether he raised not a worse In the year 1534. The Praetors wife Aurelia had taken care before she dyed that she might be buried privately without Pompe and Ceremonies for then it was a custome in Erance that when any Noble person dyed the Heralds should call the people together by Cymbals and such like instruments and then rehearse the Nobility and worth of the person deceased desiring the people to pray for them many mendicant Fryars also attended the Corps with an infinite company of lights So that by a kind of emulation the more the Pompe was and the greater the concourse of people the nobler the Family was esteemed But her Husband obeying her last desire gave no more to the Franciscans that buryed her than six Crowns whereas much more was expected and afterward when he cut down wood and denyed them some they were so incensed that they resolved in revenge to make the people believe his wife was damned in Hell To which purpose they placed a youth upon the roof of the Church who at night in Prayer-time made a great noise there and notwithstanding their exorcisms and conjurations would answer nothing then being commanded to give some sign that he were a dumb spirit for a sign he made a great noise the next day the Franciscans related to the people what hapned but desired them not in any wise to absent themselves for that So the next night when Prayers began the spirit also made a noise in the former manner but being asked what he was made a sign that he was not to speak he was commanded therefore to answer by signs for there was a hole made where the youth could hear what the exorcists said and he had a Tablet in his hand by striking upon which he gave signs that could be heard beneath first therefore being asked if he were any of those that had been buryed there he made a sign he was then many names being recited of all the persons buryed there when they came to the Praetors wife he knoc'd for a sign

they unlockt the door and entered the Chamber with a great company of lights and saw by their Daughter a most horrid Monster more terrible in shape then what can be described believed The beholders of this strange Spectacle all run away save an holy Priest that staid began to read St. Johns Gospel and when he came to this passage The Word was made Flesh the evil Spirit with a horrid noise flew away with the window of the chamber And the woman at the fright was delivered of a horrid Monster which the Midwives least it might be a reproach to the Family burnt upon a pile of wood immediately In the year 1480. as the same Author affirms a Merchants Ship was going to Flanders to Traffique when on a sudden there arose so vehement a Storm that the Mast was broke and great damage done to the rest of the Tackling insomuch that nothing could be expected but present destruction The Master wondring at this unclemency of the Air for it was then about the Summer Solstice when he could attribute it to no natural cause concluded it was rather by some evil spirit Which as he related to the Passengers comforting them forasmuch as he trusted God would not suffer them to perish by those means of the Devil a pittiful voyce was heard from the bottom of the Ship of one of the passengers a woman accusing her self that for many years she had had familiarity with a Devil in mans shape and that he was then with her and that she deserved to be thrown into the Sea to save the rest from the imminent danger The Minister therefore was sent down to this distressed creature who pray'd by her and after her confession earnestly entreated her to repent and ask of God forgiveness for what she had done This the poor distressed woman no so●…ner began to do but a black and thick mist seemed to rise up out of the pump of the Ship and with a great noise flame smoak and stink threw it self into the Sea after which the Tempest ceased and the Ship got safe to harbour Vincentius writes that a certain strong young man well skilled in Swimming was bathing himself by Moon-shine in the Sea and that a woman swimming after him took him by the hair as if it were one of his companions that would have ducked him to whom he spoke but no answer was made nevertheless she followed him to shoar and the youth taken by the great excellence of her beauty covered her with some of his garments and brought her to his home and not long after marryed her But being jeered often by his companions that he had marryed a Phantasm forasmuch as she would never speak he drew his Sword one day and threatned he would kill the Child she bore if she would not speak and tell her Original Alas poor man said she that loosest a good wife by forcing me to speak I had remained long with thee and done thee much good had I not broken the silence enjoyned me and therefore henceforth thou shalt see me no more and then she vanished But the child grew and began to use himself much to swim till at last as he swimmed one day in the Sea many people admiring him he was taken way out of their sight by his Mother Hieronymus reports the like of a Monk invited to uncleaness by a Succubus in the shape of a very fair and beautiful woman but when went to embrace her she sent forth a great cry as she was nothing in reality but a meer shade and Phantasm vanished out of his arms deceiving and deriding the foolish Monk that had by his Lust rendred himself like the horse and bruit beasts without understanding CHAP. VI. Of Familiar Spirits Goblings and Pharies GIlbert writes in the eight Book of his Narrations that a young Gentleman of Lo●…rain of a good Family but corrupted by ill company frequenting often Ordinaries and such like houses of Debauchery was one day walking in the fields melancholy by himself for want of money To whom a Spirit appearing in mans shape asked the reason of his solitariness profering to do him service in whatever troubled him providing he would stedfastly believe all that was in a little Book he would give him and swear never to open or shew it to any body This when the young man had promised the other produced a little Book in his left hand and shaked 60. Crowns out of it into his right bidding the young man do the like who produced the same effect But at last when he wanted for nothing being overcome with curiosity he resolved to see what was contained in it and opening it he saw in the midst a round Circle divided with certain lines in form of a Cross on which was painted a horrible face of a Devil At this sight the young man was so frighted that his Eyes became black and his Brains turned that he thought to have some heavy load on his shoulders He was forced therefore to confess the matter to his friends who perswaded him to through the Book into the fire which although there was nothing in it but Paper yet remained an hour in the fire before it consumed A certain Souldier travelling through Marchia a country of Almaigne and finding himself weary in his journey abode in an Inn till he might recover his strength and committed to his Hostesses custody certain money which he had about him Not long after when he was to depart he required his money but the woman having consulted with her Husband denyed the Receit and return thereof accusing him also of wrong in demanding that which she never received the Souldier on the other side fretting amain accused her of cousenage which stir when the man of the house heard though privy to all before yet dissemblingly took his Wives part and thrust the souldier out of doors who being throughly chafed with that indignity drew his Sword and ran at the door with the point of it whereat the Host cried Theeves Theeves saying that he would have entered his House by force so that the poor Souldier was taken and put in Prison and by process of Law to be condemned to death but the very day wherein this hard Sentence was to be pronounc●…d and executed the Devil entred into the prison and told the Souldier he was condemned to dye nevertheless if he would give himself body and soul to him he would promise to deliver him out of their hands the prisoner answering said that he had rather dye being innocent then be delivered on such conditions Again the Devil propounded to him the great danger his life was in and also used all cunning means possible to perswade him But the other resolutely withstood his temptation that at last he promised to revenge him of his enemies for nothing advising him moreover to plead not guilty to declare his innocency and their wrong and to entreat the Judge to grant him one that stood by in a

treachery Many such like services did the young Blackmoor to Siarra and his companion the last was as followeth As these two with four more were travelling up a certain Mountain to view the subjacent places they perceived a man of prodigious stature walking up and down very melancholy who often cast such terrible looks upon them that as well by a certain fear caused by the extenuation of the air when Spirits are near as by a conception they had that he was so they were much astonished and afraid whereupon the young Blackmoor that served Siarra's companion ran towards him and kneeled down and as it were entreated him whereupon he immediately flew up into the air out of their sight This caused greater astonishment then what ever had hapned before and therefore his Master never left examining his boy what he was till at last he confessed after this manner I am though otherwise I have appeared to you in form of a boy a Spirit of this Region subject to the great Master Agnan whom you just now saw ascend into the air after he seemed to bewail the loss of his people and his Worship which the Spaniards have destroyed he was certainly come to do you mischief as formerly he had done to some of your company but my intreaties disswaded him having told upon what account I served you nor shall any of his ministers torment you as long as you stay in this place as you may beleive by what is already past For when the Five hundred set upon you I caused above a Thousand Spaniards to appear before their sight which was the cause of their suddain flight Now the reason why I serve you for according to the charge laid upon me I was to declare it before I left you is because you spared formerly a Moor whom you took with your own hand in flight a tall person with a Hawks nose the same was a Priest to our great Master and had a Spirit granted him to attend on him by his charge I was sent to protect you as long as you stay in this Countrey for the favour you shewed him in sparing his life Having thus said he ran a little from them and beating the ground thrice with his foot he was carryed into the Air out of their sight Not long after as they returned to Spain a great storm arose during which it was so dark that none of the Heavenly light appeared and all hopes of safety were taken away till at last Siarra perceived as he thought the young Moor in the Shrouds after which that dismal Storm ceased and their Voyage became Calme and pleasant Pharies OF Pharies also those little Mimick Elves that appear alwayes very small of stature and busy themselves chiefly in imitating the operations of men we read in Georgius Agricola that great searcher of Subterraneal mines that they appear frequently in those places whence precious Metals are dug and from their manners are called Cobali or Imitators of men these seem to laugh to be cloathed like the workmen to dig the earth and to do many things that really they do not mocking sometimes the workmen but seldome or never hurting them The Latins have called them Lares and Larvae frequenting as they say Houses delighting in neatness pinching the Slut and rewarding the good housewife with money in her shoe Siarra hath left us this notable Relation that there lived in his time in Spain a table and beautiful Virgin but far more famous for her excellence at her Needle insomuch that happy did that Courtier think himself that could wear the smalest piece of her work though at a price almost invaluable It hapned one day as this admirable Semstress sate working in her Garden that casting aside her Eye on some fair Flower or Tree she saw as she thought a little Gentleman yet one that shew'd great Nobility by his cloathing come riding towards her from behind a bed of Flowers thus surprised how any body should come into her Garden but much more at the stature of the person who as he was on Horseback exceeded not a foots length in height she had reason to suspect that her eyes deceived her But the Gallant spurring his Horse up the Garden made it not long though his Horse was little before he came to her then greeting the Lady in most decent manner after some Complements past he acquaints her with the cause of his bold Arival that forasmuch as he was a Prince amongst the Pharies and did intend to celebrate his Marriage on such a day he desired she would work him Points for him and his Princess against the time he appointed The Lady consented to his demands and he took his leave but whether the multitude of business caused the Lady to forget her promise or the strangeness of the thing made her neglect the work thinking her sight to have been deceived I know not yet so it fell out that when the appointed time came the work was not ready The hour wherein she had promised the Phary Prince some fruits of her Needle hapned to be one day as she was at dinner with many Noble persons having quite forgot her promise when on a suddain casting her eye to the door she saw an infinite train of Pharies come in so that fixing her eyes on them and remembring how she neglected her promise she sate as one amazed and astonished the whole company But at last the train had mounted upon the Table and as they were prancing on their Horses round the brims of a large dish of white-broth an Officer that seemed too busy in making way before them fell into the dish which caused the Lady to burst into a suddain fit of laughter and thereby to recover her sences When the whole Phary company was come upon the Table that the brims of every dish seemed fill'd with little Horsemen she saw the Prince coming towards her hearing she had not done what she promised seemed to go away displeased The Lady presently fell into a fit of Melancholly and being asked by her friends the cause of these alterations and astonishments related the whole matter but notwithstanding all their consolations pined away and dyed not long after 'T is reported likewise of a countrey girl being sent out dayly by her Mother to look to a Sow that was then big with pigs that the Sow alwayes stray'd out of the girls sight and yet alwayes came safe home at night this the maid often observing resolved to watch her more narrowly and followed her one day so close till they both came to a fair green Valley where was layd a large bason full of milk and white bread the Sow having eaten her Mess returned home and that night pigg'd eleven pigs the good wife rising early the next morning to look to her beast found on the threshold of the stye ten half Crowns and entring in saw but one pig judging by these things that the Pharies had fed her fow and bought