out of that Desart they fixed their eyes vpon three strange humane shapes of a fearefull and vnmeasurable stature in long loose gownes and habited after the manner of Mourners with blacke and grisly haire hanging ouer their shoulders but of countenance most terrible to behold Who calling and beckoning to them both with voice and gesture and they not daring to approch them they vsed such vndecent skipping and leaping with such brutish and immodest gestures that halfe dead with feare they were inforced to take them to their heeles and runne till at length they light vpon a poore countrey-mans cottage in which they were relieued and comforted Sabellicus deliuereth this discourse The father of Ludovicus Adolisius Lord of Immola not long after his decease appeared to a Secretarie of his in his journey whom he had sent vpon earnest businesse to Ferrara The Spectar or Sylvan Spirit being on horse-backe attyred like an huntsman with an Hawke vpon his fist who saluted him by his name and desired him to entreat his sonne Lodowicke to meet him in that very place the next day at the same houre to whom hee would discouer certaine things of no meane consequence which much concerned him and his estate The Secretarie returning and reuealing this to his Lord at first he would scarse giue credit to his report and jealous withall that it might be some traine laid to intrap his life he sent another in his stead to whom the same Spirit appeared in the shape aforesaid and seemed much to lament his sonnes diffidence to whom if hee had appeared in person hee would haue related strange things which threatned his estate and the means how to preuent them Yet desired him to commend him to his sonne and tel him That after two and twenty yeares one moneth and one day prefixed he should lose the gouernment of that City which he then possessed And so he vanished It happened iust at the same time which the Spectar had predicted notwithstanding his great care and prouidence That Philip Duke of Mediolanum the same night besieged the City and by the helpe of Ice it being then a great frost past the Moat and with ladders scaled the wall surprised the city and tooke Lodowicke prisoner Fincelius remembreth vnto vs That in the yeare 1532 a Nobleman of his country had commanded a countreyman a Tenant of his with whom he was much offended either to bring home to his Mannor house a mighty huge Oke which was newly felld betwixt that and Sun-set or he should forfeit his time and the next day be turned out of his cottage The poore husbandman bringeth his cart to the place but looking vpon the massie timber and finding it a thing vnpossible to be done he sits down wrings his hands and falls into great lamentation When presently appeared before him one of these Spirits in the shape of a laboring man and demanding him the cause of his sorrow he was no sooner resolued but If that be all saith the Diuell follow me and I will saue thee the forfeiture of thy Leafe Which he no sooner said but he tooke the huge Oke boughes branches and all and threw it vpon his shoulder as lightly as if it had beene a burthen of Firres or Broome and bearing it to the house cast it crosse the gate which was the common entrance into the house and there left it The Gentleman returning towards night with his friends from hawking spying the doore barricadoed commanded his seruants to remoue the tree But forcing themselues first to stir it then to hew it with axes and lastly to set it on fire and finding all to be in vaine the master of the Mannor was inforced to haue another doore cut out in the side of his house to let his Ghests in for at the backe gate hee had vowed not to enter hauing before made a rash Oath to the contrarie By the aid of these Spirits as Caspinianus giueth testimonie the Bulgarians gaue the Romans a great ouerthrow in the time of the Emperour Anastasius The like the Huns did to the French King Sigebert defeating him notwithstanding the oddes of his great and puissant Armie Of this kinde those were said to be who when the Poet Simonides was set at a great feast came like two yong men and desired to speake with him at the gate Who rising in haste from the table to know their businesse was no sooner out of the roome but the roofe of the hall fell suddenly and crushed all the rest to pieces he onely by this meanes escaping the ruin Those Spirits which the Greekes cal Paredrij are such as haunt yong men maids and pretend to be greatly in loue with them yet many times to their hurts and dammage Mengius speaketh of a Youth about sixteene yeares of age who was admitted into the Order of Saint Francis whom one of these Spirits did so assiduately haunt that hee scarce could forbeare his company one instant but visibly he appeared to him sometimes like one of the Friers belonging to the house sometimes one of the seruants and sometimes againe he would personate the Gouernour Neither was he onely seene of the Youth himselfe whom he pretended so much to loue but of diuers of the Domesticks also One time the Youth sent this Spirit with a Present of two Fishes vnto a certaine Monke who deliuered them to his own hands and brought him backe a commendatorie answer The same Mengius in the selfe same booke speaketh likewise of a faire yong Virgin that dwelt in a Noblemans house of Bonnonia and this saith he happened in the yere 1579. haunted with the like Spirit who whithersoeuer she went or came stirred not from her but attended on her as her Page or Lackey And if at any time vpon any occasion her Lord or Lady had either chid or strooke her he would reuenge that iniury done to her vpon them with some knauish tricke or other Vpon a time hee pretending to be extremely angry with her catched her by the gowne and tore it from head to heele which shee seeming to take ill at his hands hee in an instant sowed it vp so workeman-like that it was not possible to discerne in what place hee had torne it Againe she being sent downe into the cellar to draw wine he snatcht the candle out of her hand and cast it a great distance from her by which occasion much of the wine was spilt this he confest he did only to be reuenged on them who the same day before threatened her Neither could he by any exorcismes be forced to leaue her company till at length shee was persuaded to eat so often as she was forced to do the necessities of nature and thereby she was deliuered from him Another of these Paredrij haunted a Virgin of the same City who was about the age of fifteene yeares who would doe many trickes in the house sometimes merrily and as often vnhappily
place to relate for they would require too large a circumstance Concerning the name of God it is generally obserued That none can properly be conferred vpon him because he is onely and alone And yet to distinguish the Creator from the Creature needfull it is that it should be done by some attribute or other which ineffable name in the Hebrew language consisteth of one word containing foure letters i. Iehovah which descendeth of the verbe Haiah fuit which is as much as to say He Was Is and Shall be Which declareth his true property for as he hath bin alwaies so hee shall be eternally for Eternitie is not Time nor any part of Time And almost all Nations and Languages write and pronounce the word by which the name of God is specified with foure letters onely foure being a number euen and perfect because hee hath no imperfection in him For besides the Hebrewes the Persians write the name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Wisards and Soothsayers of that countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alla the Assyrians Adad the AEgyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines Deus the French Dieu the Spaniards Dios the Italians Idio the Dutch and Germanes Gott the English and Scots Godd with a double d as hath been obserued in all Antiquities He is likewise called Alpha and Omega which are the first and last letters of the Greeke Alphabet His Epithites or Appellations in Scripture are Almighty Strong Great Incomprehensible Vncircumscribed Vnchangeable Truth Holy of Holies King of Kings Lord of Lords Most Powerfull Most Wonderfull with diuers other Attributes Some define him to be a Spirit Holy and True of whom and from whom proceeds the action and agitation of all things that are to whom and to the glory of whom the end conclusion of all things is referred Iustine Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew defineth God in these words I call him God that hath essence in Himself and is continually permanent in one and the same kinde without receiuing any change and hath giuen beginning to all the things that are created Cicero calleth God a certain Intelligence or Spirit free and ready separate from all mortall mixture or concretion knowing and mouing all things and hauing in himselfe an eternall motion So much many Ethnyck Authors haue acknowledged as in their Workes is to be frequently read Dionysius in his booke de Divin Nominib is of opinion that all things which denote perfection and excellence are in God most eminent and on Him deseruedly to be conferred On the contrarie all such things as are subiect vnto imperfection or defect because they do not fall within His nature are to be remoued and banished from his description Therfore in these words Ens Infinitum i. Infinite Being he includes the prime chief and soueraign Truth Soueraigne Goodnesse Soueraigne Mercy Soueraigne Iustice Wisedome Power Benignitie Beneficence Clemency Intelligence Immortalitie Immobilitie Invariabilitie Amabilitie Desiderabilitie Intelligibilitie Stabilitie Soliditie Act Actiue Mouer Cause Essence Substance Nature Spirit Simplicitie Reward Delectation Pulchritude Iucunditie Refreshing Rest Securitie Beatitude or whatsoeuer good laudable or perfect thing can fall within the conception or capacitie of Man But when all haue said what they can let vs conclude with Saint Augustine Solus Deus est altissimus quo altius nihil est Onely God is most high than whom there is nothing higher And in another place Quid est Deus est id quod nulla attingit opinio id est What is God Hee is that thing which no Opinion can reach vnto There is no safetie to search further into the Infinitenesse of the Diuine Nature than becommeth the abilitie of finite Man lest we precipitate our selues into the imputation of insolence arrogance For God saith in Iob Comprehendaem sapientes in Astutia eorum Which is as much as had he said I will make it manifest that the wisedome of all those who seeme to touch Heauen with their fingers and with the line of their weake vnderstanding to take measure of my Nature is their meere ignorance let them beware lest their obstinacie without their repentance and my mercie hurry them into irreuocable destruction Augustus Caesar compared such as for light causes would expose themselues to threatning dangers to them that would angle for small Fish with a golden hooke who should receiue more dammage by the losse of the bait than there was hope of gain by the prey There is reported a fable of an Huntsman who with his Bow and Arrowes did vse to insidiate the Wilde-beasts of the Wildernesse and shoot them from the couerts and thickets insomuch that they were often wounded and knew not from whence The Tygre more bold than the rest bad them to secure themselues by flight for he onely would discouer the danger Whom the hunter espying from the place where he lay concealed with an arrow wounded him in the leg which made him to halt and lagge his flight But first looking about him and not knowing from whom or whence he receiued his hurt it was the more grieuous to him Him the Fox meeting saluted and said O thou the most valiant of the beasts of the Forrest who gaue thee this deepe and terrible wound To whom the Tygre sighing replied That I know not onely of this I am sensible to my dammage That it came from a strong and a daring hand All ouer-curious and too deepe Inquisitors into Diuine matters may make vse of this vnto themselues Sentences of the Fathers concerning the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie AVgustine lib. de Trinitate we reade thus All those Authors which came within the compasse of my reading concerning the Trinitie who haue writ of that subiect What God is according to that which they haue collected out of the sacred Scriptures teach after this manner That the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost of one and the same substance in an inseparable equalitie insinuate one and the same Vnitie and therefore there are not three gods but one God though the Father begot the Sonne therefore he is not the Sonne being the Father The Sonne is begot of the Father and therefore he is not the Father because the Sonne The Holy-Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but onely the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and to the Father and the Sonne coequall as concerning the Vnitie of the Trinitie Neither doth this infer that the same Trinitie was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontius Pilat buried and rose againe the third day and after that ascended into heauen but it was onely the Sonne who died and suffered those things the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost as they are inseparable so they haue their vnanimous and vnite operations And againe Lib. 1. de Trinitate Neither more dangerously can a man erre neither more laboriously can
be assembled he told them the whole circumstance before related Who vpon no other euidence summoned the party to make his appearance who after strict examination confessed the fact and made restitution of the Vessell For which discouery the Temple was euer after called Templum Herculis Indicis Alexander the Philosopher a man knowne to be free from all superstition reporteth of himselfe That sleeping one night hee saw his mothers funeralls solemnised being then a dayes journey distant thence and waking in great sorrow and many teares hee told this apparition to diuers of his Familiars and Friends The time being punctually obserued certaine word was brought him the next day after That at the same houre of his Dreame his mother expired Iovius reporteth That Sfortia Anno 1525 in a mornings slumber dreamed That falling into a Riuer he was in great danger of drowning and calling for succour to a man of extraordinary stature and presence such as Saint Christopher is pourtrayed who was on the farther shore he was by him sleighted and neglected This Dreame he told to his wife and seruants but no farther regarded it The same day spying a child fall into the water neere vnto the Castle Pescara thinking to saue the childe leaped into the Riuer but ouer-burthened with the weight of his Armor he was choked in the mud and so perished The like Fulgentius lib. 1. cap. 5. reporteth of Marcus Antonius Torellus Earle of Cynastall who admonished of the like danger in his sleep but contemning it the next day swimming in which exercise he much delighted though many were neere him yet he sunke in the midst of them and was drowned not any one being at that time able to helpe him Alcibiades Probus Iustine and Plutarch relate of him That a little before his death which happened by the immanitie of Tismenius and Bagâ—as sent from Critia dreamed That he was cloathed in his mistresses Petticoat or Kirtle Whose body after his murther being throwne out of the city naked and denied both buriall and couerture his Mistresse in the silence of the night stole out of the gates and couered him with her garment as well as she was able to shadow his dead Corps from the derision and scorne of his barbarous enemie No lesse strange was the Dreame of Croesus remembred by Herodotus and Valerius Max. Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Who of Atis the eldest and most excellent of his two sonnes dreamed That he saw him wounded and trans-pierced with steele And therefore with a fatherly indulgence sought to preuent all things that might haue the least reflection vpon so bad a disaster And thereupon where the youthfull Prince was before employed in the wars hee is now altogether detained at home in peace He had of his owne a rich and faire Arcenall or Armorie furnished with all manner of weapons in which hee much delighted which is shut vp and hee quite debarred both the pleasure and vse thereof His Seruants and Attendants are admitted into his presence but they are first vnarmed Yet could not all this care preuent Destiny for when a Bore of extraordinarie stature and fiercenesse had made great spoile and slaughter in the adiacent Region insomuch that the king was petitioned to take some order how he might be destroied the noble Prince by much importunitie and intercession obtained leaue of his father to haue the honour of this aduenture but with a strict imposition that he should expose his person vnto no seeming danger But whilst all the Gallantry that day assembled were intentiue on the pursuit of the Beast one Adrastus aiming his Bore-speare at him by an vnfortunate glance it turned vpon the Prince and slew him Valerius Maximus telleth vs of one Aterius Ruffus a Knight of Rome who when a great Sword-play was to be performed by the Gladiators of Syracusa dreamed the night before That one of those kinde of Fencers called Rhetiarij which vsed to bring Nets into the Theatre and by cunning cast them so to intangle their aduersaries to disable them either for offence or defence gaue him a mortal wound Which dream he told to such of his friends as fate next him It happened presently after That one of those Rhetiarij was brought by a certaine Gladiator being then Challenger into a Gallery next vnto the place where Aterius and his friends were seated as spectator Whose face hee no sooner beheld but hee started and told his Friends that hee was the man from whose hands he dream'd he had receiued his deadly wound When suddenly rising with his Friends to depart thence as not willing to tempt that Omen in thrusting hastily to get out of the throng there grew a sudden quarrell in which tumult Aterius was transpierced by the same mans sword and was taken vp dead in the place being by no euasion able to preuent his fate Cambyses King of Persia saw in a Vision his brother Smerdis sitting vpon an Imperiall Throne and his head touching the clouds And taking this as a forewarning that his brother had an aspiring purpose to supplant him and vsurpe the Crowne he wrought so far with Praxaspes a Nobleman and then the most potent in the Kingdome that by his practise he was murthered Yet did not all this avert the fate before threatned for another Smerdis a Magition and base fellow pretending to be the former Smerdis and the sonne of Cyrus after enioyed the Kingdome and Cambyses mounting his Steed was wounded with a knife in his hip or thigh of which hurt he miserably died Many Histories to the like purpose I could cite from Aristotle Plato Hippocrates Galen Pliny Socrates Diogines Laertius Themistocles Alexander Aphrodiensis Livy AElianus and others As of Ptolomeus besieging Alexandria Of Galen himselfe Lib. de venae Sectione Of two Arcadians trauelling to Megara Of Aspatia the daughter of Hermilinus Phocensis who after was the Wife of two mighty Kings Cyrus of Persia and Artaxes whose history Elianus de Varia Historia lib. 12. writeth at large As also that of Titus Atimius remembred by Cicero Lib. de Divinat 1. By Valer. Maxim Lib. 1. Cap. 7. By Livy lib. 2. By Macrâ—b Saturn 1. with infinite others To the further confirmation that there are Spirits I hold it not amisse to introduce some few Histories concerning Predictions The Emperor Nero asking counsel of the Diuell How long his empire and dominion should last Answer was returned him from that crafty and equivocating Pannurgist To beware of 64. Nero being then in youth and strength was wondrous ioyful in his heart to heare so desired a solution of his doubt and demand presuming that his principalitie should vndoubtedly continue to that prefixed yeare if not longer But soone after â—alba who was threescore and foure yeares of age being chosen to the Imperiall Purple deposed and depriued him both of his Crowne and life The like we reade of Philip King of Macedon and Father to
Hee answered That hee had a naturall inclination to it and therefore no persuasion could diuert him from it The other replied vpon him I pray where died your Father he answered At Sea Again he asked him Where his Grandfather died Who told him At sea And are not you then said he sor that cause afraid to go to sea The Captaine made answer Before I resolue you fully of your demand let me also be satisfied in one thing from you I pray you where died your father He answered In his bed And where saith he died your Grandfather Hee likewise answered In his bed He then replied Why are you not then for that cause onely afraid to go to bed It is a true saying No man dieth more willingly than such as haue liued most honestly And wherefore should we be afraid to meet with that which wee know it is not possible for vs to shun Heraclitus calleth it the Law of Nature the Tribute of the Flesh the Remedie of Euils and the Path either to heauenly Felicitie or eternall Miserie Claudian lib. 2. de Raptu Proserp speaking of Death writeth after this manner Sub tua purpurei venient vestigiareges Deposito luxu turbaque cum paupere mixti Omniamors equat c. Purple-rob'd Kings their glory layd aside And pompous state beneath thy steps shall fall Mixt with the poorer throng that 's void of pride And vaine excesse 'T is Death which equalls all And Ovid speaking of the vnpartialitie of the fatall Sisters Metam lib. 10. saith Omnia debentur vobis paulumque morati Serius aut citius c. All things to you are due after small stay Sooner or later we must walke one way There 's but one common path to vs assign'd To that all tend as there to be confin'd It is a great and weighty thing saith the Philosopher and not soone learned When that inevitable houre shall come to entertaine it with patience Thou canst not fly the necessitie thereof ouercome it thou maist namely if thou dost not first yeeld vnto it if quietly thou expectest it if vnmoued thou receiuest it if thou dost persist certaine against incertaintie and fearelesse against that which most men feare then maist thou be said truly to conquer and ouercome it There is nothing so bitter but an equall and constant spirit can easily digest for many in their patient sufferings seeme to despise the most exquisite torments Mutius the Fire Regulus the Crosse Anaxarchus the contusion of all his members Theramenes and Socrates Poyson and when sentence of death was deliuered to Canius from the Tyrant hee then playing at Chesse seemed so little daunted at the message that without change of countenance he played out his game And so of others Now whence grew this magnanimitie but from a sound and cleare conscience assiduate practise of Vertue and a courage armed against all disasters Nothing is more calamitous than a minde doubtfull of what is to come To be alwayes troubled is to be miserable before miserie happen for there is nothing more foolishly wretched than to be still in feare especially of death which if nothing else the very necessitie thereof and the common equalitie with all Mankind ought to make tollerable First diligently thinke with thy selfe That before thou diest all thy vices die in thee And next That thou makest a consummation of thy life before thy death O! when thou shalt see that time in which thou shalt perceiue no time to belong vnto thee in which thou shalt be temperate and calme and in thy saâ—ietie carelesse of the morrow Then that day which now thou fearest as thy last shall appeare to thee thy birth day to eternitie Dost thou weepe and lament These things belong to those which are new borne Dost thou thinke those things to be lost which thou leauest Why shouldst thou dote vpon that which was not thine own but leant Who is it that would set a price vpon Time or at a deare rate estimate the Day who truly vnderstandeth that hee is euery houre dying In this we much deceiue our selues That we see not Death afarre off nor apprehend it neere That part of our age which is past is free that which is behinde is in the power of Death neither do we fall vpon Death suddenly but step by step we meet it by degrees we daily die for euery day a part of our life is taken from vs and euen at that time when we increase our life decreaseth we lose our Infancie first our Childehood next then our Youth and euery one of these when it arriueth to the full period perisheth for yesterdayes life is this day wanting and tomorrow this dayes being hath ceased to be nay euen this day which wee breath wee diuide with Death for it is the very moment and point of time in which we can be said to liue yea lesse if lesse can be imagined neither of that little or lesse space can we assure our selues Saint Chrisostome super Math. calleth Death The necessarie gift of corrupt Nature which ought not fearefully to be auoided but rather chearefully embraced for by making that voluntarie which is compulsiue that which is to God a due debt we offer vnto him as a free gift Moreouer a foolish and ridiculous thing it is for men to delight in sleepe and feare death when sleepe is nothing else but the imitation of Death Saint Augustine lib. de Natura Gracia vseth these words If thou boastest thy selfe of Nobilitie Riches or Honour of thy Countrey or the applause giuen vnto thee by the People looke into thy selfe and consider That thou camest from the earth and into it againe thou must returne Looke about and behold all those which in times past haue flourished in the like splendours Where be the insuperable Emperors Where be those that frequented Meetings Musicke and Feasts and delighted in the braue breed of Horses Where be their Robes of state their rich and gorgeous Vesture Where their troupes of Followers and large traine of Attendants Where their sportings and Reuellings Where be the Captains of Armies Champions Iudges Tyrants are not all Earth Dust and Ashes and their magnificence and memorie in a small Tombe and short Epitaph contained Looke into their gorgeous and glittering Sepulchres and see how much the Lord differs from the Seruant Tell me which is the Rich man and which the Poore Distinguish if thou canst the Captiue from the Conqueror the Valiant from the Timerous or the Faire from the Deformed Therefore remember thy selfe ô Man of thy fraile and weake nature least thou beest any way tumor'd with Pride Arrogance or Vain-glory. Bernard in one of his Sermons saith Novissima sunt quatuor c. The foure last things are Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie Than Death what more horrible Than Iudgement what more terrible Than Hell what more intollerable Than Glory what more delectable It will not I hope appeare much impertinent to introduce one of Lucians Dialogues because the
yeare 1548 the Chancellor caused his Ring in the publique market place to be layd vpon an Anvil and with an iron hammer beaten to pieces Mengius reporteth from the relation of a deare friend of his a man of approued fame and honestie this historie In a certain towne vnder the jurisdiction of the Venetians one of these praestigious Artists whom some call Pythonickes hauing one of these Rings in which he had two familiar Spirits exorcised and bound came to a Predicant or preaching Frier a man of sincere life and conuersation and confessed vnto him that hee was possessed of such an inchanted Ring with such Spirits charmed with whom he had conference at his pleasure But since he considered with himselfe that it was a thing dangerous to his Soule and abhominable both to God and man he desired to be clearely acquit thereof and to that purpose hee came to receiue of him some godly counsell But by no persuasion would the Religious man be induced to haue any speech at all with those euill Spirits to which motion the other had before earnestly solicited him but admonished him to cause his Magicke Ring to be broken that to be done with all speed possible At which words the Familiars were heard as it were to mourne and lament in the Ring and to desire that no such violence might be offered vnto them but rather than so that it would please him to accept of the Ring and keepe it promising to do him all seruice and vassallage of which if he pleased to accept they would in short time make him to be the most famous and admired Predicant in all Italy But he perceiuing the Diuels cunning vnder this colour of courtesie made absolute refusall of their offer and withall conjured them to know the reason why they would so willingly submit themselues to his patronage After many euasiue lies and deceptious answers they plainly confessed vnto him That they had of purpose persuaded the Magition to heare him preach that by that sermon his conscience being pricked and galled he might be weary of the Ring and being refused of the one be accepted of the other by which they hoped in short time so to haue puft him vp with pride and heresie to haue precipitated his soule into certaine and neuer-ending destruction At which the Church-man being zealously inraged with a great hammer broke the Ring almost to dust and in the name of God sent them thence to their own habitations of darknesse or whither it pleased the higher Powers to dispose them Of this kinde doubtlesse was the Ring of Gyges of whom Herodotus maketh mention by vertue of which he had power to walke inuisible who by the murther of his Soueraigne Candaules maried his Queene and so became King of Lydia Such likewise had the Phocensian Tyrant who as Clemens Stromataeus speaketh by a sound which came of it selfe was warned of all times seasonable and vnseasonable in which to mannage his affaires who notwithstanding could not bee forewarned of his pretended death but his Familiar left him in the end suffering him to be slain by the Conspirators Such a Ring likewise had one Hieronimus Chancellor of Mediolanum which after proued to be his vntimely ruine Concerning the mutation or change of Sex which some haue attributed to the fallacies of the Diuell it is manifest that they haue been much deceiued therein since of it many naturall reasons may be giuen as is apparant by many approued histories Phlegon in his booke De Mirabil Longev telleth vs That a virgin of Smyrna called Philotis the same night that she was maried to a yong man those parts which were inuerted and concealed began to appeare and shee rose in the morning of a contrarie sex As likewise That in Laodicea a city of Syria one AEteta after the same manner rose from her husbands side a yong man and after altered her name to AEtetus at the same time when Macrinus was President of Athens and L. Lamia and AElianus Veter were Consuls in Rome In the time that Ferdinand the first was King of Naples one Ludovicus Guarna a citisen of Salern had fiue daughters of which the two eldest were called Francisca and Carola either of which at fifteene yeares of age found such alteration in themselues that they changed their foeminine habits and names also the one being called Franciscus the other Carolus In the reigne of the same King the daughter of one Eubulus being deliuered vnto an husband returned from him altered in her sex sued for her dowerie and recouered it Amatus Lucitanus testifieth that in the town of Erguira distant some nine leagues from Couimbrica there liued a Nobleman who had a daughter named Maria Pachecha who by the like accident prouing to be a yong man changed her habit and called her selfe Manuel Pachecha Who after made a voiage into the Indies and became a valiant souldier attaining to much wealth and honour and returning married a Lady of a noble Family but neuer attained to haue issue but had an effoeminat countenance to his dying day The like Livy remembreth of a woman of Spoleta in the time of the second Punicke war But a story somewhat stranger than these is related by Anthonius Torquinada That not far from the city Beneventum in Spain a Countrey-man of a meane fortune married a wife who because she was barren vsed her very roughly insomuch that shee lead with him a most discontented life Whereupon one day putting on one of her husbands suits to disguise her self from knowledge she stole out of the house to proue a more peaceable fortune elsewhere and hauing been in diuers seruices whether the conceit of her mans habit or whither Nature strangely wrought in her but she found a strange alteration in her selfe insomuch that she who had been a wife now had a great desire to do the office of an husband and married a woman in that place whither she had retyred her selfe Long she kept these things close to her selfe till in the end one of her familiar acquaintance trauelling by chance that way and seeing her to be so like vnto that woman whom hee before knew demanded of her If she were not brother to the wife of such a man who had forsaken his house so many yeares since To whom vpon promise of secrecy she reuealed all according to the circumstances before rehearsed Examples to this purpose are infinite let these suffice for many A strange Tale is that which Phlegon the freed-man of Hadrianus reporteth of which he protests himselfe to haue bin eye witnesse Philemium saith he the daughter of Philostratus and Charitus fell deepely inamoured of a yong man called Machates who at that time ghested in her fathers house Which her parents tooke so ill that they excluded Machates from their family At which she so much grieued that soone after she died and was buried Some six moneths after the yong man returning
prodigalitie was such His exhibition he exceeded much And when his money was exhausted cleane His credit flaw'd and there remain'd no meane Either to score or pawne he walks alone And fetching many a deepe suspire and grone His melanch'ly grew almost to despaire Now as we finde the Diuels ready are And prest at such occasions ev'n so than One of these Sp'rits in semblance of a man Appeares and of his sadnesse doth demand The cause Which when he seem'd to vnderstand He makes free protestation That with ease He can supply him with what Coine he please Then from his bosome drawes a Booke and it Presents the Youth and saith If all that 's writ Within these leaues thou giv'st beleefe to I Will furnish all thy wants and instantly Vpon condition thou shalt neuer looke On any page or once vnclaspe the booke The yong man 's pleas'd the contract he allowes And punctually to keepe it sweates and vowes Now saith the Spectar note and vnderstand What thou seest done Then holds in his left hand The fast-shut booke his right he casts about Then with his thumbe and finger stretched out Meaning the middle of that hand holds fast The charmed Volume speaking thus at last Natat as saliat Aurum and instantly Six hundred Crownes into his pocket fly This shew'd and done he stands himselfe aloofe Giues him the Booke and bids the Youth make proofe As he before did The same order kept The selfe same summe into his bosome leapt They part the youthfull Schollar is surpris'd With ioyes incredible and well advis'd Within himselfe thinks he How should I curse To lose this more than Fortunatus Purse Which to preuent the surest way I 'le chuse Transcribiug it lest I perchance might loose Th'originalll copy Then downe close he sits Shuts fast his dore and summons all his wits From hand to hand the Booke he moues and heaues Weighing and poising the inchanted leaues Then layes it ope But in the stead of Histories Or Poëms he spies nought saue Magicke mysteries First page by page he turnes it ouer all Saue Characters most diabolicall He nothing sees then pausing a good space His eye by chance insists vpon a place At which he wonders namely'a circle that Is fill'd with confus'd lines he knowes not what Their meaning is and from the Center riseth A Crucifix which the Crosse much disguiseth Clov'n through th' midst and quite throughout dissect Aboue an head of horrible aspect Resembling the great Diuels ougly foule Which seemes on his rash enterprise to scoule On the right side two Crosses more appeare That after a strange guise conioyned were And these are interchangeably commixt And vpon each a Caca-Damon fixt Vpon the left that part exposed wide Which modest women most desire to hide Oppos'd as ev'n as iust proportion can Was plac'd th' erected virile part of man At these much wondring and asham'd withall He feeles a sudden feare vpon him fall Which Feuer shakes him his eye 's dull and dead And a strange megrim toxicates his head Imagining behinde him one to reach Ready t' arrest him for his promise-breach He calls aloud his Tutor is by chance At hand beats ope the dore and halfe in â—â—ance He findes his Pupill and before him spies This booke of most abhorrid blasphemies And questions how it came there He tells truth Then he in stead of chiding cheares the Youth And hauing caus'd a great fire to be made Now sacrifice this cursed Booke he said The Pupill yeelds the flame about it flashes Yet scarce in a full houre 't is burnt to ashes Though it were writ in paper Thus we see Though these Familiar Spirits seeming bee Mans profest friends their loue 's but an induction Both to the Bodies and the Soules destruction Explicit Metrum Tractatus octavi Theologicall Philosphicall Poeticall Historicall Apothegmaticall Hierogliphicall and Emblematicall Obseruations touching the further illustration of the former Tractat. PRide was the first sinne and therefore the greatest It was the Fall of Angels and is that folly in Man to bring him to perdition It striueth to haue a hand in euery noble Vertue as it hath an interest in euerie detestable Vice The Valiant it swells with vain-glory the Learned with selfe-conceit Nay further it hath beene knowne That men of most submissiue spirits haue gloried That they could so far humble themselues as being proud that they haue not been more proud It hath made zealous men presume of their merit wretched men to boast of their misery Come to the Deadly sins It is Pride in the Enuious man to maligne the prosperitie of his neighbor in the Wrathfull man to triumph in the slaughter of his enemy in the Luxurious man to trick himselfe vp and glory in the spoile of his Mistresse in the Sloathfull to scorne labour and delight in his ease in the Auaritious to despise the Poore and trust in his aboundance According to that of Ovid in the fift booke of his Metamorph. Sum foelix quis enim neg at hoc foelixque manebo Hoc quoque quis dubitat tutum me copia fecit Happy I am for who can that deny And happy will remaine perpetually For who shall doubt it Plenty makes me such Bee'ng made so great that Fortune dares not touch Pride saith Isiodor est amor propriae excellentiae It is a loue of our proper excellencie Saint Augustine telleth vs That all other vices are to be feared in euill deeds but Pride is not to be trusted euen in good actions lest those things which be laudibly done and praise-worthy bee smothered and lost in too much desire of Praise Humilitie maketh men like Angels but Pride hath made Angels Diuels It is the beginning the end and cause of all other euills for it is not onely a sinne in it selfe but so great an one that no other sinne can subsist without it All other iniquities are exercised in bad deeds that they may be done but Pride in good deeds that they may be left vndone Pride saith Hieron was borne in heauen still striuing to possesse and infect the sublimest mindes and as if it coueted still to soare vp to the place from whence it fell it striues to make irruption and breake into the glory and power of men which first broke out from the glory and power of Angels that whom it found Copartners in nature it might leaue Companions in ruin From heauen it fell saith Hugo but by the suddennesse of the fall hauing forgot the way by which it fell though thither it aime it can neuer attaine All other Vices seek only to hinder those Vertues by which they are restrained and brideled as Wantonnesse Chastitie Wrath Patience and Avarice Bounty c. Pride onely aduanceth it selfe against all the Vertues of the minde and as a generall and pestiferous disease laboureth vniuersally to corrupt them Now the signes by which Pride is discouered and knowne are Loquacâ—ty and clamor in speech bitternes in silence
therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should die and be made a god which could not happen to any man whilest he was yet liuing Cardanus speaking of fiery Spectars amongst many others relateth this story A friend of mine saith hee of approued faith and honesty trauelling one night late from Mediola to Gallerata when the Sky was full of clouds and the weather inclining to raine being within some foure miles of his journies end he saw a light and heard rhe voice as he thought of certain Cow-herds vpon his left hand and presently a hedge onely being interposed he saw a fiery Chariot couered with flames and out of it he might heare a voice crying aloud Cave cave Beware beware Being much terrified with this strange prodegie he put spurres to his horse and whether he galloped or rid softly the Chariot was stil before him He then betooke him to his orisons and supplications vnto God at length after the space of a full houre hee came to a Temple dedicate to the memorie of Saint Lawrence standing iust without the gate and there the Chariot of fire herdsmen and all sunke into the earth and was seene no more Cardanus hauing disputed something of the nature of this fire addeth That the Gallaterans suffered the same yeare not only a great plague but diuers other afflictions and disasters To these Spirits of the fire is ascribed that diuination by Pyromancie which some call Puroscopan In which superstition old pitch was cast into the fire with the invocation of certain of these Spirits Sometimes a Tead or Torch dawbed ouer with pitch was lighted and marked with certaine characters If the flame of the Tead gathered it selfe into one it was prosperous if diuided disastrous if it arose tripartite it presaged some glorious euent if it were diuersly dispersed it diuined to a sicke man death to a sound man sicknesse if it made a sparkling noise it was infortunat if it was suddenly extinct it threatned great misfortune So likewise in their sacrificing fires if the flame went streight vpward like a Pyramis it was a signe of a good omen if it diuided and dispersed of a bad There were diuers coniectures also from the colour the brightnesse the dulnesse the ascent the sparkling c. and this kinde of Magicke was frequent amongst the Liâ—uanians c. From the fiery I proceed to the Spirits of the Aire We reade in the sacred Scriptures That Sathan caused fire to fall from heauen to deuour and consume Iobs seruants and his cattell As likewise hee raised a vehement Whirle-winde and tempest which oppressed his sonnes and daughters with the house where they were then feasting with a sudden ruin Remigius telleth a story which is likewise affirmed by Delrius That a countrey-man of the prouince of Triuere setting some Plants in his garden with a yong maid his daughter the father commended her for going so neatly and quickly about her businesse The Girle telleth him that she can do stranger things than these and more stupendious The father demands What Withdraw your selfe but a little saith she and name but in what place of the garden a showre of raine shall fall and water the earth and in what not The countrey-man curious of noueltie withdrew himselfe and bad her vse her skill Shee presently made an hole in the ground into which she poured her owne water and stirring it about with a sticke murmuring certaine magicke words to her selfe presently a showre fel watering only that part of the gronnd which he had named vnto her and in the other fell not one drop of raine Gasper Spitellus writeth That some Indians haue much familiaritie with these Spirits For when they want rain one of their Magicke Priests with a shrill voice makes an acclamation That all the people shall assemble to such a mountain hauing first obserued a Fast which is to abstaine from the eating of salt pepper or any thing that is boiled That done he lowdly calls vpon the Stars and with deuout Orisons entreats of them that they would afford them seasonable showres Then they turne their eyes towards the lower grounds vpon their fields and houses taking in their hands a bowle full of charmed liquour which they receiue from the hands of a young man of their most noble families which they haue no sooner drunke but they lie intranced without sence or motion After being come to themselues they commix honey water and Maiz together and with them sprinkle the aire The next day they chuse out one of the most eminent men of their Nation both for nobilitie and age and lay him in a bed with a soft fire vnder it and when he beginnes to sweat they wipe off the moisture and put in a bason which they mingle with the bloud of a Goose and sprinkling it again into the aire as if they meant it should touch the clouds they then solicit the Starres againe That by the vertue of the old mans sweat the bloud of the goose and the water before mixed they may haue seasonable and temperat showres Which if they haue according to their desires they giue great thanks to the Starres and Planets and the Priest from the people is rewarded with rich gifts and presents Hieronimus Mengius writeth That a certaine Magition in a field adjacent to the tower or citadell of Bonnonia shewed two famous Generals Iohannes Bentivolus and Robertus Sanseverinus a spectacle in the aire in which was heard such a noise of drummes clangor of trumpets clamor of men neighing of horses and clashing of arms that the Spectators were afraid lest the heauen and the earth would haue met at the instant but in all the inuironing grounds saue onely in that place the aire was vntroubled Diodorus Siculus reporteth also That in the Syrtes of Lybia the Spirits of the aire are oftentimes visible in the shape of diuers birds and beasts some mouing some without motion some running some flying others in other strange postures But which is most miraculous sometimes they will come behinde men as they are trauelling leape vp and sit vpon their shoulders who may feele them to be much colder than eitheâ— snow or ice Olaus Magnus in his Historie remembreth That these airy Spirits haue such a predominance in the Circium sea they continually do so exasperat shake and trouble it that scarfe any ship can saile that way without wracke and foundring In the Isle called Island vnder the dominion of the King of Denmarke there is a port called Vestrabor not far from which men are vsually taken and wrapt vp in whirl-winds by the power of these Spirits are hurried many furlongs off Likewise in the Westerne parts of Norway these spirits with their noxious and blasting touch cause that neither grasse nor trees burgeon or beare fruit Likewise vpon the Bothnian continent the roofes are vsually blowne off from
their houses and carried a great distance off And in the fields of Bonaventum and Narbon as Procopius writes men armed wagons laden or whatsoeuer comes in the way are snatched vp into the aire and whirled about like a feather and after let fal vpon the earth not onely bruised but broken to pieces So that they doe not onely vncouer houses demolish buildings ruin turrets and towers blow vp trees by the roots snatch vp men in whirl-winds and prostrat whatsoeuer standeth before them but as Vincentius witnesseth they teare vp cities from their foundations somtimes and strew the fields adjacent with their ruins In the Councell of Basill certaine learned men taking their journey through a forrest one of these Spirits in the shape of a Nightingall vttered such melodious tones and accents that they were all amased and stayed their steps to sit downe and heare it At length one of them apprehending that it was not possible that such rarietie of musicke could be in a bird the like of which hee had neuer heard demanded of it in the name of God what or who it was The Bird presently answered I am the Soule of one that is damned and am enioyned to sing thus till the last day of the great Iudgement Which said with a terrible shrieke which amased them all she flew away and soone vanished The euent was That all that heard those Syrenicall notes presently fel into grieuous sicknesses and soone after died Of this sort of Spirits was that no doubt of which Aventinus witnesseth Bruno the Bishop of Herbipolitanum sailing in the riuer of Danubius with Henry the third then Emperour being not far from a place which the Germanes call â—en Strudel or the deuouring Gulfe which is neere vnto Grinon a castle in Austria a Spirit was heard clamouring aloud Ho ho Bishop Bruno whether art thou trauelling but dispose of thy selfe how thou pleasest thou shalt be my prey and spoile At the hearing of these words they were all stupified and the Bishop with the rest crost and blest themselues The issue was That within a short time after the Bishop feasting with the Emperor in a Castle belonging to the Countesse of Esburch a rafreâ— fell from the roofe of the chamber wherein they sate and strooke him dead at the table Of the Watry Spirits next and of them some briefe stories The manner how the Duke of Venice yearely marrieth the Ocean with a Ring and the originall thereof though it haue nothing in it belonging vnto magicke yet will it not much mis-become this place therefore I begin first with that The Duke in the Feast of Christs Ascention commeth to a place named Bucentaur without the two Apostle gates â—eituate at the entrance of the Gulfe and casteth a rich Ring into the sea which is no argument of superstition or inchantment but onely a symbole or emblem of Domination and Rule which by this earnest the Senat of Venice makes a contract with the Ocean The ground and first beginning of this ceremonie came from Pope Alex. the third whom Otho the soone of Fredericke AEnâ—barbus so persecuted that he was forced to fly and to shelter himselfe in Venice in the Monasterie of Saint Charitie where he liued for a time secretly and vnknowne But after notice being giuen to the Venetians what and who he was they brâ—ught him thence with great honour and obseruance He also found both their land and sea Forces ready for the seruice of him and the Churchâ— insomuch that in a great Naâ—all conâ—â—ict Otho was by the Venetians taken prisoner and presented as a Vassall to the Pope For which the Pope tooke a Ring from his finger and gaue it to Sâ—hastianus Zianus General for the Fleet speaking thus By vertue of my authority whilst thou keepest this Ring thou shalt be Lord and Husband of the Ocean and annually thou and thy posterity on this day in which thou hast obtained so glorious a victorie for the Church shalt espouse the Sea that all men may know that the dominion of the Sea is granted vnto thee because thou hast so prosperously vndertooke the study care and defence of the Sea Apostolique And be this a presage of thy benediction and thy happy successe in the future for euer Thus Villamontinus sets it downe Lib. 1. Peregrinat cap. 34. And Sabel Dec. 1. lib. 7. out of whom the former Author extracted it This following Historie you may reede in Olaus Magnus Hotherus King of Suetia and Dacia being hunting and by reason of a thicke dampish fog wandred or strayed from his company hee hapned vpon a Syluan den or caue which entring he espied three faire and beautifull Virgins who wiâ—hout blaming his intrusion called him by his name and â—ad him welcome doing him that obeysance and obseruance which his state required At which he wondring courteously demanded of them what they were To whom one replied That they were Virgins into whose power all the Auspices and euents of war were giuen and they had abilitie to dispose of them at their pleasure and that they were present in all conflicts and battels though vnseene to conferre vpon their friends honour and victorie and to punish their enemies with disgrace and ouerthrow Exhorting him withall that as he tendered their fauours hee should by no meanes trouble Balderus with war who by his genealogie might claim allyance with the gods Which words were no sooner deliuered but the den and they disappeared together and he was left aloâ—â— in the open aire without any couering Blame him not to be much amased at this so vnexpected and sudden a prodigie notwithstanding after some recollection he winding his â—orne his seruants came about him by whom he was conducted to the Court not reuealing this Vision to any Some few yeares after being vexed and prosecuted with sharpe and vnsuccessefull war he was forced to wander thorow forrests groues and thickets and seeke out by wayes and make vntrodden paths the better to secure himselfe At length he light vpon another remote and desolaâ— Vault where sate three Virgins who notwithstanding vpon better aduisement he presumed to be the same who at their last departure scattered a garment which he tooke vp and found by experience that all the time he wore it his body was invulnerable They demand of him the cause of his comming thither He presently complains vnto them of his infortunat euents in warre adding withall That all things had hapned vnto him aduerse to their promise To whom they answered That he accused them vniustly for though hee seldome returned an absolute Victor yet in all his enterprises he did as much dammage and made as great slaughter on his Enemies as he had receiued strage or execution from them and bad him not to dispaire for if hee could by any exploit or stratagem preuent the Enemie of any one dish of meat which was prouided for his dyet and table hee should without question in
you therefore to repent For know ill-gotten goods are lewdly spent Pray let me see your Buttry Turne your face Saith the Cooke that way you may view the place That casement shewes it Well done saith the Priest Now looke with me and tell me what thou seest When presently appeares to them a Ghost Swolne-cheekt gor-bellied plumper than myne Host His legs with dropsie swell'd gouty his thighes And able scarse to looke out with his eyes Feeding with greedinesse on ev'ry dish For nothing could escape him flesh or fish Then with the empty jugges he seemes to quarrell And sets his mouth to th' bung hole of a barrell Lesse compast than his belly at one draught He seemes to quaffe halfe off then smil'd and laught When jogging it he found it somewhat shallow So parted thence as full as he could wallow Mine Host amas'd desires him to vnfold What Monster 't was made with his house so bold To whom his Vncle Hast thou not heard tell Of Buttry-Sp'rits who in those places dwell Where cous'nage is profest Needs must you waine In your estate when such deuour your gaine All such as study fraud and practise euill Do only starue themselues to plumpe the Deuill The Cooke replies What course good Vncle than Had I best take that am you know a man Would prosper gladly and my fortunes raise Which I haue toil'd and labour'd diuers waies He mildely answers Be advis'd by mee Serue God thy neighbour loue vse charitie Frequent the Church be oft deuouâ— in pray'r Keepe a good conscience cast away all care Of this worlds pelfe cheat none be iust to all So shalt thou thriue although thy gaine be small For then no such bad Spirit shall haue pow'r Thy goods directly gotten to deuour This said he left him Who now better taught Begins to loue what 's good and hate what 's naught He onely now an honest course affects And all bad dealing in his trade corrects Some few yeares after the good man againe Forsakes his cloister and with no small paine Trauels to see his Kinsman in whom now He findes a change both in his shape and brow Hee 's growne a Bourger offices hath past And hopes by changing copy at the last To proue chiefe Alderman wealth vpon him flowes And day by day both gaine and credit growes Most grauely now he entertaines his Ghest And leads him in the former roome to feast Some conf'rence past betwixt them two at meat The Cooke spake much the Church-man little â—at But findes by many a thankfull protestation How he hath thriv'd since his last visitation The table drawne the Ghests retyr'd aside He bids him once more ope the casement wide That looks into the Larder where he spies The selfe-same Sp'rit with wan cheekes and sunke eies His aspect meagre his lips thin and pale As if his legs would at that instant faile Leaning vpon a staffe quite clung his belly And all his flesh as it were turn'd to gelly Full platters round about the dresser stood Vpon the shelues too and the meat all good At which he snatcht and catcht but nought preuail'd Still as he reacht his arme forth his strength fail'd And though his greedy appetite was much There was no dish that he had pow'r to touch He craules then to a barrell one would thinke That wanting meat he had a will to drinke The Vessels furnisht and full gag'd he saw But had not strength the spigot forth to draw He lifts at juggs and pots and cannes but they Had been so well fill'd that he vnneths may Aduance them though now empty halfe so hy As to his head to gaine one snuffe thereby Thus he that on ill gotten goods presum'd Parts hunger-starv'd and more than halfe consum'd In this discourse far be it we should meane Spirits by meat are fatted or made leane Yet certaine 't is by Gods permission they May ouer goods extorted beare like sway 'T were not amisse if we some counsell had How to discerne good Spirits from the bad Who since they can assume the shape of light In their discov'ry needfull is foresight In one respect th' agree for both can take Bodies on them and when they please forsake Their shapes and figures but if we compare By circumstance their change they diffrent are As in their true proportionâ— operation Language and purpose of their transmutation Good Angels though vndoubtedly they can Put on all formes still take the shape of Man But the bad Daemons not with that content When they on their curst embassies are sent In figures more contemptible appeare One like a Wolfe another like a Beare Others resembling Dogs Apes Monkies Cats And sometimes Birds as Crowes Pies Owles and Bats But neuer hath it yet been read or told That euer cursed Sp'rit should be so bold To shew his damned head amongst them all In th' innocent Lambes or Doues that haue no gall Some giue this reason God would not permit Since by the Lambe his deare Sonne thought it fit Himselfe to shadow and the Holy-Ghost As in that Bird whom he delighted most T'assume her figure in his apparition That Fiends should in these shapes shew any vision Whoso will sift their actions he shall finde By their successe if well or ill inclin'd The one from other for the blessed still Square all their actions to th' Almighties will And to mans profit neither more nor lesse The limit that 's prescrib'd them they transgresse The Cacadaemons labour all they can Against Gods honour and the good of man Therefore the end of all their apparitions Are meere idolatrous lies and superstitions They to our frailties all grosse sinnes impute That may the body staine or soule pollute And when they aime against vs their chiefe batteries They bait their deadly hookes in candy'd flatteries In golden bowles they poys'nous dregs present Make shew to cure but kill incontinent And therefore it behooues man to haue care Whom thousand wayes they labour to ensnare Take Saint Iohns counsell Be not you saith hee Deceiv'd by your too much credulitie Beleeue not ev'ry Spirit but first try Whether he doth proceed from God on hy Examine ev'ry good thing they pretend Whether they likewise doo 't to a good end To diuers maladies they can giue ease Comfort and helpe vprores sometimes appease Predict mischances teach men to eschew Mischiefes which they prepar'd as well as knew In all their speech Gods name they neuer vse Vnlesse it to dishhonour and abuse Another speciall signe they cannot scape Namely That when they put on humane shape To giue man iust occasion to misdoubt them Some strange prodigious marke they beare about them In one deficient member These be notes To finde them out either the feet of Goats Foreheads of Satyrs nailes deform'd and crooked Eyes broad and flaming noses long and hooked Hands growne with haire and nosthrils broad and wide Teeth gagg'd and larger than their lips can hide The Crosses signe saith Athanasius
Christians who in that point doubted Somwhat like this is that which Paulus Diaconus writeth That in the vtmost parts of Germany towards the North and neere to the sea side there is a great mountaine and beneath it a darke and obscure Cauerne in which fiue men were found sleeping their bodies and garments in no part consumed but sound and whole as at the first who by their habits appeared to be antient Romans Certaine of the inhabitants had often made attempt to waken them but could not Vpon a time a wicked fellow purposing to dispoile and rob one of them of his garment he no sooner toucht it but his hand withered and dried vp Olaus Magnus was of opinion That they were confined thither to some strange purpose that when their trance was expired they might either discouer strange Visions reuealed vnto them or else they were to teach and preach the Christian Faith to Infidels who neuer knew the Euangelicall Doctrine I spake before of certaine notes or indubitable marks by which the good Spirits or Angels might be distinguished from the bad Genij or euill Daemons It shall not be amisse to amplifie that point somewhat more by Circumstance and illustrate it by Historie The good Angels are imployed in nothing saue the honour of God and the profit and preseruation of good men When on the contrarie the Caca-Daemons aime all their enterprises and endeauours to derogate from Gods worship and assume it to themselues and by their flattering deceptions and oily insinuations with man to worke the vtter subuersion both of soule and body For as Sathan hath the power to transforme himselfe from an ougly Diuel to an Angell of Light therefore ought we to haue the greater care both to distinguish him in his shape and discouer him in his nature For all apparitions whatsoeuer which persuade to blasphemie superstition lying man-slaughter luxurie or any other thing execrable doe infallibly proceed onely from the Diuell Againe that Spirit that coueteth to be adored or that prompts vs to desire knowledge in things curious and vnnecessarie or that counterfeits it selfe to become a subiect or seruant to man by the vertue of any herbe stone mettall wood or other creature he is a Diuell Those also that put themselues vnder any certain constellations by which to beget rare and prodigious effects whereby the worke is taken from the Creator and attributed vnto his creatures the Starres those are Diuels In briefe all those operations Conjurations Incantations Abjurations Murmurations all those Conuenticles and nightly assemblies in places desart and remote of Witches Sorcerers Magitions Conjurers and such like haue the great Diuell himselfe for their Authour and Abettor In a Chronicle belouging to the House of the Frier Minors in Auergne this historie is related This Couent hauing liued long in contented pouerty and peace of minde as Saint Francis their Founder had left them the Diuell enuying theit abstinence and strictnesse of life takes vpon him the shape of a seruant and insinuateth himselfe into a Noblemans family whose house was not far from the Monasterie to whom he was so diligent and appeared so obseruant in all things that hee made him his Steward committed all his affaires vnto his charge and gaue him the gouernment of his whole house and family Hauing crept into this great credit and fauour and obseruing that his Lord and Master was of a penurious and gripple condition and although this poore religious Brotherhood was placed neere him yet he neuer at any necessitie relieued them with any charitable largesse or almes Of whom when mention was made in any discourse betwixt his Lord and him this subtill Impostor began exceedingly to commend their sanctitie and asperitie of life and persuaded his master That he could performe no one act so acceptable vnto God and profitable for his soules health as to relieue this Fraternitie with a free and boâ—ntifull hand His words proued so effectuall with his Lord that thinking to do a meritorious act hee sent them dayly full dishes from his table vpon the open dayes flesh of all sorts and vpon their dayes of fast of fish the most curious and delicate that could be prouided so that in a short time the good Friers had left the care of their bookes to take charge of their bellies and neglected their deuotions to feed high and drinke hard Which being obserued by one of the Seniors of the Societie who much grieued that they had fotsakeu their former austeritie to embrace such a dissolute life and perceiuing whence they grew to be such Libertines he tooke with him one of the same Fellowship a man of his own strict conuersation with purpose to giue the Nobleman a visit Who making them friendly and courteous entertainment this Frier amongst other discourse demanded of the Lord the reason why he being so many yeares together so sparing and close-handed toward his Brethten was of late grown so profusely bountifull Who answered That it was at the great intercession of his iust and faithfull Steward whom he much loued and no lesse trusted The Religious man desired that he might be acquainted with this good seruanr To which motion the Nobleman was very willing and caused him to be enquired for and called into his presence Who after much delay being forced to shew himselfe the Deuout man by some secret marke or other before spoken of knowing him to be a wicked Spirit hee instantly disappeared and was no more seene Thus the Impostor being discouered to the great wonder of the Nobleman the good Frier returning backe to the Monasterie told to the Brotherhood what had happened by which hee reduced them to their former deuotion and austeritie of life Against these subtill temptations of this crafty and deceitfull Pannurgust there are no such profitable and wholsome preuentions as fasting and prayer as appeareth by that of Antonius Laverinus the vnblemished authoritie of whose name we haue vsed before the better to countenance some former Histories He comming by godly meditations to heale a Daemoniacke or one possessed with a Diuell after he had vsed certaine holy and deuout prayers such as are vsed in the like Exorcismes the obstinat Diuell began to menace him and told him that hee would be with him that night to his great terror and affright and therefore wished him to prepare himselfe against his expected comming To whom he againe as confidently answered that if he failed of his word and kept not his promise he would hold him for one of the basest and most abject Diuels that fell with their arch-Captaine Lucifer That night Anthon. Laver. heard him knocke three seuerall times at his chamber doore and suspecting him to be the Diuell betooke himselfe to his deuotions and prayers commending his safetie to the protection of God and his good Angells and made no other answer The Diuell went then to the top of the house and began to vntile the roofe as if hee purposed there
to euery sundry Planet 445. The vainnesse of these superstitions discovered 446 All Magicke condemned at Paris 447. Of wilfull ignorance 448. Salomon of wilfull Ignorance 449. The excellencie of Knowledge 450. Of the Knowledge of our selues 451. The Poets of Selfe-knowledge 452. The difference betwixt knowledge and wisdom 453. The etymologie of Wisedome ibid The excellencie of Wisedome 454. The wisedome of the Iust ibid. The Poets of Wisedome 455. Wise and witty sayings 457. Ianus Vitalis of antient Rome 459. Sundry Apothegmes of Orators Captaines and Emperors 460. Of things prodigious 462. Of Prodegies hapning before the death of Princes 463. God made not death 464. Adam Eve and the Serpent 465. Of Spirits that challenge to themselues Diuine worship 466. The Sarronides of Gaul 467. Humane Sacrifices performed at Rome 468. The antiquitie of Magicke as being before the Floud 469. The seuerall sorts of Magicke ibid. Of the Witch Hercyra and the Magition Artesius 470. All Magicke includes a compact with the diuell 471. A strange historie of one Theophilus ibid The manner of homage done to the Diuell 472 Of Pythagoras and the Magition Iamnes 473 A story of the Count of Vestravia 474. The Witch Oenoponte and others 475. Of Spirits called Paredrij inclosed in Rings and of such as vsed them 476. Of women that haue changed their sex 477. Histories to that purpose 478. The history of Machates and Philemium 479. Spirits that haue possessed dead bodies 480. A discourse of Astrologie 481. Philosophers concerning it 482. Against Iudicatorie Astrologie 483. Of Mathesis or Mathema 484. An Emblem 485. A Meditation 488. THE CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTH TRACTAT OF Daemons in generall 495 Homer Tresmegistus and others of Daemons 496 Their power and practise 497. Powers and Potestates of the aire 499. Spirits called Incubi and Succubae 500. A story of an Incubus and a Succubus 501. Spirits of the foure Elements 502. Spirits of fire and strange prodegies 503. Of Ignes fatui Ambulones c. 505. Spirits of the aire strange prodegies wrought by them 506. Spirits of the water 507. A strange historie of two Scottish noblemen 508 Of diuers great Magitions 509. Spirits of the earth Genij Lares Larvae Lemures c. 510. Discourse of Spectars 511. Further of Paredrij or Familiar Spirits 512. A pleasant story of Iohn Teutonicus ibid. A strange story of a familiar Spirit 514. Of Galeatius Sforza and others 515 c. Of Pride 519. The effects of Pride 520. Of Pambo and the pride of Domitian Caesar 522. Of Sapor King of Persia and others 523. Of Ingratitude 525 c. Of Michael Traulus and others 528. Scripture and the Poets of Ingratitude 529. Of Humilitie 530. The Fathers of Humilitie 531. The Poets of Humilitie 532. Of Gratitude 534. Histories of Gratitude 535. An Hierogliphycke 536. An Emblem 537. The Poets extolling Gratitude 538. The story of a Votaresse called Christian 539. Of the Mahumetan Neffesoglij 540. A strange accident hapning in the Diocesse of Cullein 541. A strange and miraculous Birth ibid. Diuers other strange relations ibid c. Spirits haue no power of the heauens nor starres 543. A strange tale of Spectars 544. Stories of the Spirits of the aire and of the Indian Magi 545. Strange prodigious things in the aire 546. Of Bruno Bishop of Herbipol 547. The manner how the Duke of Venice yearly marieth the Ocean ibid. A strange story of Hotherus king of Suetia and Daciae 548. Strange things of watry Spirits 549. Diuers sorts of Spirits of the earth 550. A strange disease as strangely cured 551. Of Spectra Meridiana or Noone-Diuels ibid. Discourse of Alastores 552. The Lamiae or Larvae and stories concerning them 553. A desperat aduenture of two Bohemian knights 554. An Emblem 555. A Meditation 558. THE CONTENTS OF THE NINTH TRACTAT THe power and strength of Wine 564. Of the King ibid. Of Women 565. Of Truth 566. Of Zijm Ohim Satyrs Ostriches c. 567. Of Subterren Spirits called Cobali 568 Spirits the cause of earth-quakes 569. Of treasure kept by Spirits 570. A strange attempt of a Botcher 571. A strange story of Cabades King of Persia 573. Of Spirits called Luci-fugi Hob-goblins Robin Good-fellowes Fairies c. 574. A strange story reported by Fincelius 575. Of Dacius Bishop of Mediolanum ibid. A strange story of one recouered to life 576. A pleasant story of a Spirit of the Buttry 577. Certaine marks to know good Spirits from bad 580. What shape Diuels may assume and what not ibid. How euill Spirits may be knowne 581 Of Musicke and the velocitie of the heauens and Planets 582. The ambition of man to search into hidden secrets 583. Seueral opinions of Philosophers touching God ibid. Their opinions of the Soule 585. And the immortalitie thereof 586. Of Couetousnesse 589. The Poets of Couetousnesse 590. The sordidnesse thereof 591. The power of Gold 592. The Fathers of Auarice 594. Historicall examples of Auarice 595. Couetous Emperors 596. An Hierogliphycke Emblem c. of Couetousnesse 597. The Witches of Warboys 598. Of seuerall kindes of Spirits 599. A strange story of a Nobleman of Silesia 600. Diuers stories of Sylvan Spirits 601 c. The seuen Sleepers 606. A strange story of a Spirit 607. Anton. Laverinus and the Diuell 609. Miserable ends of sundry Magitions 610. Empedocles Michael Sidecita and others 613 614. The miserable end of Cornel. Agrippa 615. An Emblem 616. A Meditation 619. FINIS Errata PAg. 9 Lin. 21. reade effect p 12 l. 4. r. one p. 14. l 13. r. Theognis p. 30. l. 4. r. summus p. 51 l. 18. adde puella p. 61 l. 20. a mistake in the star p. 148. l. 16. r. tenent p. 188. l. 1 r. Vrbem p. 190 l. 30. r. blessed p. 200 l. 7. for two r. three p. 203. l. 26 r. the other p. 212 l. 20 r. or p. 242 l. 1. then r when p. 263 l. 35. r globus p. 264 larco r. lurco nique r inque ni r. in p. 283 l. 28. r. symptoms p. 297 lâ— 31. r. flouds p. 349 l. 22 r. tye p. 382 l. 18. r. terram p. 400. l. 30. r. Acherontis p. 433 l. 10. alasâ—e r. a losse p. 439 l. 19. aine r. paine p. 485 l. vlt. r. cupessas p. 506 l. 11. r. tunnes p. 538 l. 17. r. rependere l. 24. r. medullis p. 557 l. 4. r. meus p. 574 l. 3 adde sends God in the Conscience In the Stars The Sun The Moon The Earth The Beasts Riuers Fields Seas The globe of the Earth Man Homo microcosmus Hermes Tresmâ—gist Cicer. de Nat. Deor. lib. 2. Arist. Metaph. The Poets concerning God Tit. Calphur. Eglog 4. Hor. lib. 3. Od. 4. Lucan lib 3. de Bel. Ciuil Metamor lib. 8 Petron. Arbit in Fragm Stat. Sylv. ti 5. Meaning the Angels Arist. ad Antip. AEneas Numa Pompil Virg. AEnead Epirus Brennus Sacriledge punished Religion from the beginning The multiplicitie of gods among the Gentiles * As twice borne Priap god of
Philosophy In Magick Lucius Apul. de Deo sacrat ex Beat Thom. part 1. G. 41. Art 1. Homer Arnob. in Ps. 36 Hermes Thermegistus Cipr. de Idoler vanitat Div. Thom. 3. Met. lib. 12. Tex 10. Dr. Strozâ— l. de Spir. lucant Iob. cap. 1. Meaning his Wife whom some Rabbies thinkâ— to be Dinab the Daughter of Iacob rauished by Sychem c Acts. Apost Eustr â— 1. moral 1. Cor. c. 2. v. 7 8 Ambr. sup Cor. cap. 2. Meaning the Daemons or Potestats of the Aire Simplicis ergo viae Dux est Deus Ille per vnum Ire jubet mortale genus quam dirigit Ipse c. Lib. 2. Cont Symach Spirits called Incubi Succubae Scotus These were Henricus Iustitor Iacobus Sprangerus Rottemb a Towne in vpper Germanyâ— A History of an Incubus Vincent lib. 3. Hist. An History of a Succubus Of that kind of Spirits you shall read in the Sequell Seuerall kinds of Spirits according to Marc. sup Psel Spirits of Fire Three Moones seene at once with a bearded Comet This appeared Annâ— 1514. A strange History of fiery Spirits Anno 1536. Mar. 21. This hapned after the mouÌ„taine had lest burning Ignes Fatui or Ambulones Helena Castor and Pollux Okumantâ—ia Onichomanteia Libonomantia Capnomantia Pyromantia Thurifumia Of the Spirits of the Aire Wooll tained This hapned Anno 931. Fish Graine fel froÌ„ the aire Two straunge Tombes Of Sepater the Magitian Iob cap. 1. Of the Finnes and Laplands Ericus King of the Goathes Of the Archimage Zoâ—oaster AEromantia Terotoscopeia OrnithomaÌ„tea Of the Spirits of the Water Fatae Feé Sybils white Nymphs Night-Ladies The Feasts of Numa Pompil The Nymphe AEgaerea The Feasts of Scotus Parmensis The Feast of the Brackmana and of Pet Albanus Pasaetis two famous Magitians A strange hist. of two Scotch Noblemen Mackbeth and Banco Stuart These were Names of Honor which Mackbeth had afore receiued Banco Stuart slain by Makb Ollarus the Magitian Othim Magus Oddo Magus Spirits the cause of Deluges Alex. the 7 This hapned anno 1515. Of the Spirits of the Earth The Spirits called Genij Lares Familiars Larvae or Lemures The Hist. of an euill Genius Spirits called Spectars Origen apud Celsum The History of a Spectar Card. ex Boeth Spiritus familiores Macr. de satur Olaus Magu A pleasant History of Iohn Teutonicus A place in high Germany Iobus Reply This was done Anno 1612. A strange History of one of these familiar Spirits Barn Arlun sec. 1. Hist. Med. The Letter Gilbert Cogn lib. 8. Narrat Of Pride Isiod l. Etimolâ— Epist. ad Diosâ— Aug in Reg. Hug. lib. â— de Anim. Cass. supr Ps. 18. Philosophicall Sentences Artabanus to Xerxes Apothegmes Pambo The Pride of Domitian Caesar Of Sabor K. of Persia. Lib. 2. cap. 1. de devin Institut advers gentes Prov. 17. Psal. 102. Valer. lib. 5. de Iâ—gratis Of Humility Cap. 5. Math. 18.19 Aug. ad Diosc. Lib 3. Similitudines Of Gratitude Lib. 7. cap. 3. Apothegmes Lib. 12. cap. 24. De vâ—ria Hist. lib. 4. Sabell Exemp lib. 7. cap. 1. Hierogliphick Emblem D. Strozza In vitis Patr. A Woman of Constance Miraculous Stories A strange and miraculous Birth Alcippe Hist. Scotia l. 8. A strange History of a Scotch Lady Anno 1586. A straunge thing of a woman at Sea Of the Spirits call'd Succubi A strange thiÌ„g of a French Gentleman Bonfinâ—us Iordan Gothus Of the Spirits of Fire Aug. Cont. Manichees de Agon Christ. Deuination from Thunder Lightning Cardanus A strange tale of Spectars The maner of Deuination by Pyromancy Diuination by the sacrificing Fire Of the Spirits of the Aire Iob. 1. Remigius Delrius Of a countrey Maid Gasp. Spitellus The Indian Magi. Hier. Mengius A prodigious noise in the Aire Diod. Sicul. Olaus Magnus Their power in the CirciuÌ„ sea Vestrabor Norway Boâ—hnia Bonauentum and Narbon Vincentius Vincentius Auentinus Bruno Bishop of Herbipol Of the Spirits of the Water Villamont l. 1. Peregrin c. 34. Sabel Dec. â— l. 7. A strange History of Hotheruâ— K. of Suetia and Dacia The Emperor Pertinax Sâ—heâ— lib. â— Zonarus Isaaccius Comnenes A strange Water in Finland A Lake neere Cracouia Alex. ab Alex. Sabell lib. 7. Of the Spirits of the earth Man consisting of 3 parts The Genius of Constantine Emperor A strange History of a Melancholy man A strange Disease as straÌ„gely cured Noon-Diuâ—ls S. Bartholmew Simon Iude. Alastores Pet. Diac. lib. 9. rerum Romanarum Egob in Chronic. An Alaster like an old Woman Apparitions before Henry the 7. emperor Cassius Parm. The Lamiae or Laruae Dion of Syracusa Drusus Consul of Rome Iacobus Donatus Venetus Stephanus Hubnerus Nider lib. vltim Formic The desperat aduenture of two Knights of Bohemia Nature hath giuen to man no better thing than Death Pliny Degeneres Animos timor arguit Virg. AEnead lib. 4. Quantumquisque timet tantum fâ—git Petr. Arbit Satyr Tunc plurima versat Pessimus in dubijs Augur Timor Stat. lib. 3. Theban Miserimâ—m est timere cum Speres nihil Seneca in Troad * The Houres 1. Esdr. c. 3. v. 10. The Power Strength of Wine The Power and Strength of the King The Power and Strength of Women The Power Strength of Truth aboue all things Esay 13.21 Cap. 34.11 This is a Marginall note in the Geneua translation Zijm Iijm Okim c. Subterren Spirits Olaus Magnus lib. â— cap. 10. Cobali The diuel called Anneberg The Diuel Snebergius Spirits the cause of earthquakes Strange earthquakes In Constant. In DyrrachiuÌ„ In Rome Anno 361. In the Eastern parts In Antioch In Illiria Pannonia Dalmatia Morauia Bauaria Dacia Auentinus reports this of Bauaria superior Conrad Medenb Philos. Mathem Of Treasure hid in the Earth kept by Spirits As Psellius As Laureat Ananias This is the opinion of D. Vlatius Treuirensis A strange attempt of a Botcher This place is called Angusta Raura Cora. Peke-hils in Darby-shire Ouky hole in Summerset shire So reported by Luciginus and Philostratus And. Theuerus A strange History of Cabades King of Persia. D. Faustus and Cornel. Agrip. Of spirits called Lucifugi Iohn Milesius Pugs Hobgoblins Robin good-fellow Fairies Reported by Sueton. Tranq Plin. in Epist. A strange story reported by Fincelius Georg. Tauronensis of Datius Bishop of Mediolanum A strange History of one recouered to Life Enapius remembred by Plutarch A strange History of the Spirit of the Buttry Certain marks by which good Spirits are distinguished from the bad What shapes diuels may assume what they cannot Their actions A special mark to know euill Spirits by Athanasius Lactantius Of Musicke A Coelo Symphonia The velocitie of the heauens and planets The ambition of Man to search into hidden Arts. Plenâ—i vâ—cuâ—â— Iob cap. 38. Cor. cap. 3.16 Iob 5.13 Eccles. 8. The Academicks The Pyrhonicks Contra negantem principia non est disputandum c. Diag Milesius Theod. Cyrenus Epicurus Protagoras Opinions concerning the Soule Crâ—â—es Theban Hypocrates Lysippus Hippâ—as Anâ—xag Diâ—g Hâ—siodus Epic. Boethius Ant. Cleantâ—es Zeâ—â— Diarch Galenus Chrisip Archel Heraclitus Thales Xenocrates Of the Seat of the Soule Hippocrates Hierophilus Erasiâ—tratus Diogen Chrisip Cum Stoicis Emped Arist. Plato Concerning the Immortality of the Soule Pythagoras Plato The Stoicks Aristotle He that would find the truth let him search the Scriptures Aug. de Trinitat lib. 1. cap. 3. Aurel. Imperat. Against Couetousnes The Poets of Couetousnes Prov. cap. 11. Cap. 15. Cap. 28. Eccles cap. 5. Ibid. 14. The Fathers of Avarice Historicall Examples Brusonius lib. 1. c. 1. ex Plut. Stob. serm 10. Max. serm 12. Caligula Comnodus Hierogliphick Emblem 85. Apologus The Witches of Warboys in Huntington shire Macrob. lib. 1 satur cap. 18. A straÌ„ge story of a NoblemaÌ„ of Silesia A strange Vision of Syluane Spirits Sabell lib. 1. c. 4. A stranhe History of a Syluane Spectar Another recorded by Fincelius Gaspin Meng in CompeÌ„dio Mantuae A yong man beloued of a Spirit A yong Maid beloued of a Spirit Of another Maid of Bonnonia Onomonteia Arithmanteia Stoicheiomanteia This History I receiued from D. Strozza lib. de Incant These questioÌ„s haue been diuersly argued The names of the 7 sleepers Paulus Diac. Necessary obseruations D. Strozza Remedâ—es against the teÌ„ptations of the Diuell Anton. Lauer. Tobit c. 8. v. 3. The miserable ends of notorious Magitians Simon Magus Nicenus of Simon Magus Zito the Bohemian a cuÌ„ning Iugler A triall of skill betwixt two Magitians This story is reported by an ItaliaÌ„ Doctor Of Zedech a Iew a great Magitian Polidor Virgill The miserable end of Empedociss Mich. Sidesita a Sorcerer Of Eumus an English Magitian and his wretched end Scafius the Magition A Magition of Nuburch The miserable end of Cornel. Agrippa Levit. 20. v. 6. SERAPH Vriel CHERVE Iophiel THRONES Zaphkiâ—l DOMINAT Zadkiel VERTVES Haniel POWERS Raphael PRINCIP Chamael ARCHANGELL Michael ANGELL Gabriel