Sabbath night Also if any lights do appear and seem to fall about those places and there their light is extinguished and goeth out and somtimes there seeme to be great flashes of wind in their house whose the treasure is and where it is hid and there are seene many visions and strange Phantasies and many strange Rumors and noises are there heard Where such things happen they are heard and do shew themselves most commonly about the middle time of the night And the cause of these noises and sights are commonly that there is treasure hid in or about that place neither is there any other reason thereof to be given Nevertheless many who have not understood these things have had many various opinions hereof Some have thought that these Phantasies have been caused by the devil or by some Inchantment or by some in that house who have some worke or famliarity with the Devil or who have given or bound themselves to the devil or have made some promise unto him whereby it comes to pass that that wicked and malignant accuser causeth these things to be seene and heard that they might expect the expiration of their dayes which he doth so much desire should be fulfilled Others do believe that some have been secretly died and buryed there others do thinke that some wicked man hath died in that place whose Spirit hath been forced to wander thereabouts and there have been other various and sundry opinions But all these Judgements are vaine and false except onely those who conclude that the occasion of the noises are that there is treasure hid about that place or that sometimes when the devil hath been driven out of som body that he hath possessed he hath been permitted to stay about that place but where those noises are it is a great Testimony that there is treasure hid there There are two kinds of treasures hid some that may be found and some that cannot be gotten the difference whereof is this such is easie to be found which containeth the Metals of Gold and silver and are such kinde as we make and have onely been used and handled amongst men that kinde of treasure is not easie to be found which is Gold and silver that is made coyned and hid by the Nymphes and Sylphes which kinde of Gold and silver doth somtimes come to be found and used amongst men and is by the Nymphes suddenly again buryed in the earth and afterwards cannot easily be found and gotten again These things are most worthy our knowledge especially the signes before spoken of are most diligently to be noted because there are Magical Rods which are deceitful and are too easily inclinable to bend to any money that is let fall or lost There are other visions also which appeare in looking-glasses Christals and such like things which Nigromancers that dig treasures do use but they are all false and deceitful wherefore there is little credit to be given unto them We come now to speake of the manner of digging for treasure how a time may be taken that we may have a happy progress in the digging which is as followeth First under an influence of the Moone or Saturn and when the Moone transits Taurus Capricorne or Virgo is a good time to begin to seeke or dig after treasure Neither need you use any other Ceremonies nor to draw any Circles or to use any Inchantments whatsoever onely those that dig must be of a cheereful minde free and alienated from any evil thoughts or cogitations and not to be moved nor feare any phantasies visions or Imaginations of the Spirits although they should corporally appeare yet they are onely visions Therefore those that dig ought to discourse sing and be cheereful and not to be affrighted at any thing but to have a good courage And by no meanes soever let them keepe silence as some perfidious Negromancers have taught Now when they come neere to the place where the Treasure is that it is almost detected and do heare many noises and strange visions and horible sights are seene which oftentimes happens to be It sheweth that the Pygmies and Sylphes are there who do envy that men should have those treasures and will not willingly part from them especially if it be their own or such as they brought thither Such treasures are to be left if the keepers thereof consent not And although they may be gotten and taken away as a Robbery from those keepers yet these keepers have an Art whereby they can change these treasures in this way gained into a vile and base matter as into earth clay dung and such-like things as I have seene by examples wherefore when any such transmutations happen we are not therefore to despaire in our mindes although we find nothing like either Gold or silver neither would any one suppose any such thing to be there We ought therefore to fly to the holy Scripture which saith thus God shall judge the world by fire and in the Psalmes thus Gold and silver are tryed in the fire and are found pure and cleane wherefore in any such transmutations the fire ought to be the judge the proceeding in the tryal thereof ought to be after the same manner as the refining and separating of minerals and Metals And by this meanes it will be forced of necessity to return to the same essence which it had before There is another thing remarkeable in these kindes of transmutations for somtimes the diggers are deluded and there are found oftentimes pots of earth full of brass ridiculous things and matter as bones egge-shells pieces of wood and such things which have been buryed there many years before And they that have found the same have supposed it to be the true treasure Gold or Silver and to have been changed by the evil Spirits which is false For treasure found suddenly and unsought for cannot be changed by the Spirits but remaineth in the same substance which it had before Therefore these things are not to be accounted a transmutation but rather a vexation for somtime these vexers of men do bury such things that they which seeke after the treasure might labour in vaine Therefore such things are not to be regarded which are of no worth and may easily be known by the lightness of their weight But if they be of a heavy and ponderous body like to a Mineral or Mineral sand there may an experiment thereof be made by fire That we may omit nothing that may conduce hereunto we will adde also this objection Some may aske How comes it to pass that Treasure is somtime easily found which is not sought after The cause whereof we may suppose to be this Those Spirits which are the keepers of treasures do best know the mindes thoughts and cogitations of men therefore because they know that men have not any thoughts or will to dig or seeke after any treasures in such a place they give no diligence to keepe the same neither do they
by evil Spirits and the great abuse which hitherto hath been committed by many in such kinde of business NOw to come to speake of the driving away of evil Spirits it is to be known that very few since the times of Christ and his Apostles have rightly been driven away For they knew not how to use any other meanes but Ceremonyes and Conjurations wherewith they endeavored to expel the malignant Spirits and the devil whereas this is altogether a false foundation and by no meanes to be followed or imitated Although sometimes some have been delivered by this way and the devil hath been driven from them nevertheless it hath not been done neither can it be done without loss Like as if a Prince would vanquish some Country or City with the Sword this he could not possibly do without some apparent damage and loss to that place A common proverb hereby cometh to minde which saith That he that cannot get good words from good men shall much less wrest them from evil men although they be compelled by force the more evil is to be feared as by examples is too often seen to come to pass Therefore that opinionated power is to be relinquished which is used in Ceremonies and Conjurations But you ought to expell wicked Spirits as Christ and his Apostles did and no other way But if you do otherwise you undertake great Labours against the Devil for certainly the Devil is forced through great difficulty to go out of men and seeketh all iniquities and wicked occasions to stay and retain them in his power But when he seeth that he can no longer stay and remain in the possessed but is forced to go out then he requireth power and licence to enter into some other man or beast or into some other place which if he be permitted there followeth a greater loss thereupon Therefore there is no other place to be permitted or assigned unto him but hell from whence he cometh and which God hath ordained for him and cast him into that it may not happen as we have an example as we faithfully believe when Christ permitted the devil which he cast out of the man to enter into the herd of swine which no sooner had the devil entred into them but they were drowned in the Sea Therefore they are in no wise to be permitted to enter into any other men lest suddenly after they deprive them of their lives as they did these swine Neither are they to be permitted to go into any Rivers lakes or ponds which if it should be done they will drown many men therein and draw them into the deepe under those waters and will deride them as a fool doth his master with his fingers and therewith the devils are more delighted then before neither ought they to have any power given them or to their desires to go into any house or Castle for they will perpetually possess it and will so reigne there that no body will any more be able to dwell or inhabit in that place but they will alway be inhabitable as many both houses and Castles are in many Countries which are left desolate for this very cause many whereof I could name in this place but I pass them by to avoyd prolixity let Satan therefore aske what he will where or to what place he would go nothing else ought to be granted to him then to return into hell which God ordained for him and thrust him into from whence he came into the man and into which he ought to enter when he goeth out of the man c. Also if the devil shall cause the man to speake many vaine trifles we ought not to answer thereunto or to speake much with him But if any one will speake with him let him say I command thee Oh thou unclean Spirit by the word power and virtue whereby thou wert cast out by Christ his Apostles that thou go out of this man c. He is no other way to be conjured neither are these words to be taken for a Conjuration but for an answer by which alone he is not cast out but this is first to be done to wit to watch and pray for Christ saith This kinde is onely to be cast out by fasting and prayer with faith Wherefore it is chiefly necessary to induce and force such as are thus possest to prayer though it be very difficult to be done because the devil so Ruleth their tongues that he suffereth them not to pray Therefore there must be prayers made before them and if they will not pray with and after those that are praying they must be more sharply dealt withall That is to say the possessed must be fast bound both his hands and feete and afterwards let some other man lie across over them and shew himself to be very angry with them and severely compel them to prayer but he ought to pray before them and to exhort them to pray after him the same words By this meanes such people may be induced to pray when they cannot be brought to it by any other meanes which ought to be continued day by day and the devil will go out of them and leave them This shall suffice to have spoken concerning the casting out of uncleane and evil Spirits because I am restrained to use brevity in other places CHAP. X. Of Tempests THat we may now come to speak of the original of Tempests how they may be expelled away Also how and by what meanes any one may preserve himself and his from Thunder lightning and haile We shall declare in the first place that all Tempests do proceed from the four Capital windes viz. the East South West and North Then from the Centre of both that is to say of the Aire and Firmament there are no tempests can arise But from the four Fountaines before spoken of which comes chiefly to be considered Wherefore he that desires to preserve his goods House Lands garden field meadow and such things from all manner of thunder haile and Tempest he ought first to know these things whereby he may also know how to assimilate inferiours to Superiours We will therefore in this place briefly declare the original of all Tempests The original of tempests is certainly nothing else but the appearance of Spirits and lightning or corruscation preceding is the presence of them whereby it may be certainly known whether those tempests will pass away with or without danger and that after this manner is to be understood to wit as a stranger will not enter into any ones house unless first he speake so these Spirits do not appeare unto us without speaking first But their voice is thunder which as we see immediately follows every flash of lightning Also if a stranger should suddenly fly into the house of another where he is not known it seems to signifie no good but evil rather either he himself is prosecuted by others or else brings some damage to them So likewise
are we to understand of the lightning of heaven the more quick it comes the more dangerous it is for commonly some Thunder-bolt followes It is therefore very necessary to know how every one may defend and save himself herefrom that he fall not into some place that he would not or receive some other hurt the Ringing of Bells do availe nothing in these cases although I do not reject them especially in such tempests as are caused by Magicians inchantments by reason of the Spirits by them raised in the Aire For the Spirits do love silence and quietness whereby it comes to pass that great noises as the sounds of bells and Trumpets do partly diminish and disperse tempests by them stirred up But in Thunders and haile they do no good as the Monks and Sacrificers have to their loss too often found And for this cause they used ceremonies wherewith they seduced the Vulgar and common people perswading them that besprinkling places with holy water as they call it preserved them safe from Thunder and haile likewise by burning holy candles or some palme or other herb by them sanctified or with the perfume of Frankincense or Myrrhe of these sacrificers they were preserved secure O thou fool and unwise sacrificer and Monk who art hitherto Ignorant of these things and understandest them not in this place thou mayst be taught the contrary how that Malignant Spirits are not driven away with sweet perfumes but are mightily delighted therwith and do run more freely swiftly to them then to stinking smells whether they be good Spirits or evil But if in stead of Frankincense and Myrrhe you had taught to have made a fumigation of Assa Fetida you might therewith drive away both good and evil Spirits For the good odour of Frankincense and Myrrh is nothing else but the sacrifice of the Spirits wherewith we attract and draw them unto us But of this we have spoken enough Now to return to that which we intended to write of and first how any place may be preserved from Thunder and haile note therefore that to place a preservative in the centre of a house garden or field c. availeth not at all but at the four Angles East West South and North then the place shall be secured as a building set upon four Pillars is more strong and firme then that which is founded onely upon one which is set in the middle of the centre or some other place this is more easily overthrown by the winde or Spirits Now the materials which belong to this preservative and of which these four pillars are made note that they consist of simple bodies every one whereof is sufficient and hath strength and virtue in it self for the effects before spoken of As Mugwort St John's wort Perewincle Celandine Rue Devils bit and many such herbs and roots and especially if they be gathered and taken in the right influence There are also other things of far greater strength and vertue as Coral Azoth and one of the Characters before spoken of being drawn in a certain table or ingraven In these three things is a great secret against all Inchantments and workes of witches and the Devil himself In which preservatives we may trust in our greatest necessities CHAP. XI Of the great abuse of the Magicke Art by them that use it for Negromancy and Witch-craft THe Magicke Art in it self is the most secret and occult science of all supernatual things in the world That those things which are impossible to be searched out by humane reasons by this Art to wit Magick it may be found out and known wherefore it is the most occult and secret wisedom and reasoning against it is nothing else but extream folly It were therefore very necessary that the Divines would learn to know something of this Art and be experienced in Magick what it is and not so unworthily without any ground at all to call it Witchcraft The Magical science were very profitable for them to know seeing they will undertake to be the Masters and teachers of the holy Scriptures and perswade themselves to be so Not that I would have them use the Magical Art or operate any thing by it but to be expert therein and to know the virtues and effects thereof for the high and great mysterious secrets which are hidden in the holy Scriptures delivered by the Apostles Prophets and Christ himself and which we by our humane reason cannot understand nor search out What Divine that is Igrorant of Magicke can cast out the Devil drive away or binde a Spirit or that can call one unto him and command him to come or that which is far less can he heale the sick or administer any other help to him by his faith alone I wil be silent of his removing a mountain into the Sea There followeth then that faith whereof Christ speaketh of which they understand neither much nor little Nevertheless they make a great shew and profession thereof with their mouthes and do teach and speake much thereof but themselves know not how to make proofe thereof or to give any signe thereof by their faith whereby it may be said that they understand this faith and to make use of it in the proofe thereof But if any one should come who by his faith and Magicke should perform a good signe you having not the reason of knowing whether it be good or evil will forthwith call him a Negromancer and Witch because he hath done something above your reason and humane wisdom when you your selves cannot tell how to discerne a Negromancer or Witch from a Magician Magicke is therefore a most necessary and pure Art not defiled nor corrupted with any Ceremonies or Conjurations as Nigromancy For in Magicke there is no use of Ceremonies Consecrations Conjurations Blessings or Curses but of faith alone whereof Christ speaks saying that by it we shall be able to remove Mountains and cast them into the Sea And to compel loose and binde all Spirits This is the true foundation and Instrument of Magicke Truely therefore it is a thing chiefly necessary to looke into this ART that it be not turned into superstition and abuse and to the destruction or damage of men and hereby it is made Nigromancy and Witch-craft and at length not undeservedly so called by all men because Witches and Sorcerers have violently intruded themselves into the Magicke Art like Swine broke into a delicate Garden So is Magicke corrupted and made Nigromancy by these perfidious men wherefore it hath not undeservedly been burnt in the fire with these Witches and Sorcerers For these kinde of men are the most nocent and hurtful and the worst enemies to mankinde that they have not worse enemies in all the world which prosecute them with a more deadly hatred from a present publique enemy and corporal persecuter who endeavoreth to invade us with the most cruel weapons Guns or Darts we may beware of such a one or take up Arms against
him for our defence with Brigandines or Darts c. or else a man may tarry in his house and keep himself suffering none to enter in but his Friends But of these Witches and Sorcerers no man can beware or defend himself because against this kind of Enemies of God and men no Weapons Coats of Mayl or Brigandines will help no shutting of doors or locks for they penetrate through all things and all things are open unto them And if any one were inclosed in Towers of Iron or Brass he would not thereby be secured from these enemies Although in their own proper bodies they seldom bring hurt to any one but raise up and send Spirits unto them by their corrupt Faith and hurt them in some part of their bodies although they are absent from them an hundred miles distance they either smite wound or kill them although no outward and external wound can be seen appear because they cannot hurt the outward man but only the internal spirit Wherefore no Coats of Mayl can defend them be they never so good but they must put on other weapons and fortifications to wit the Armor of Faith This is the true way and then let him be clothed with a Linen garment the wrong end turned upwards and after that hath been often worn thou shalt be more safely delivered than if thou wert armed and girt with all manner of weapons Although there are many preservatives which will keep and defend men from all these Fascinations and Witchcrafts which are wrought by the arising of these evil Spirits such as are Coral Azoth and the like which being used according to their due use and order will well preserve from these enormities before spoken of For the prevention and preservation from them is easie but the cure is difficult nevertheless it is possible But in such cases the proceeding thereunto must be magical and supernatural From thence sprung that saying which some use That none can better help the bewitched than them that hurt them This is a true saying which cannot be contradicted but they which use it understand not the Cause of this thing neither can they give any reason thereof why Witches do best of all most happily readily and surely help and Cure the bewitched Therefore of this thing you shall be here sufficiently instructed Some Witches make and form Images in the form and likeness of some man which they propose to themselves and conceive in their own minds and do stick a nail in the sole of his foot and after this manner hurt the man that he invisibly feeleth the pain of a nail in his foot and is so tormented therewith that he is not able to go until the nail is pulled out of the foot of the Image which being drawn away the man is healed which no man knoweth better how to do than he that fixed the nail in the Image nor where it was fixed or what the Cause of the Disease was It oftentimes also cometh to pass that after the same manner a nail is somtimes by these witches fixed in the teeth of the Image of the man so that afterwards he cannot take any rest in his teeth unless the nail be taken away or his teeth drawn out In like manner are nails struck into any other members of the Image by these arch-Sorcerers and hereby they hurt men without making any impression or signe thereof upon their skin Oftentimes also it so happeneth to men that there arise Tumors in their heads or elsewhere about their bodies which are like Pushes or sky-colour spots that appear suddenly and vex men in their bodies as if they had been beaten with knotted Ropes to whom any such accident happeneth without any visible blow or bruise to be perceived he will not judge any otherwise but that he is smitten by these Images It is too often seen to fall out that a man sometimes loseth an Eye suddenly or is struck quite blind or deaf in one or both Ears dumb or some imperfection in his speech crooked lame or dieth all which accidents are wrought by Witches through the divine permission All which are Magical acceptions and torments and are made and completed by the Ascendants In these Cases the Physitians ought to take heed and be advised that when they perceive such kinds of Diseases to be supernatural that then they do not judge them to be natural Diseases and so think to Cure them with their common Apothecaries Medicaments For thereby they will reap nothing but disgrace which often happens to many of them It is a cross say they or affliction by God laid upon them which no Physitian can help Oh you Quacksalvers it is not as you think but indeed it is a chastisement by the permission of God wrought by Witches and evil men wherefore the Physitian ought to consider the Signs whereby he may know and judge of the Disease and thereby may inform himself which way to effect the Cure thereof And Medicines are to be used and applied thereunto In the first place it is necessary that he ask the Patient How and in what manner the Disease took him or happened unto him what was the original of the evil Whether it were occasioned by any fall blow thrust bruise or if any other natural Cause can be perceived or that there be any Flux or inward corruption of blood but if none of these signs appear then let him again demand of the Patient Whether he hath any body in suspition that is â—n enemy or one not wishing well to him that might be a Witch If he answer that he hath some mistrust of any such then he shall judge that it hath happened to him as is above declared Therefore it is most necessary for the Physitian to understand rightly after what manner he is to deal with the Patient if he desire to be perfect in this art But the Ancients have not written at all any thing concerning this kinde of Cure neither Galen nor Avicenna nor any other we shall therefore lay down the manner of the Cure in Order which follows They who are bewitched cannot be Cured any better than by hurting again the same place afflicted that is by making through Faith and imagination such a like member as is hurt or else a whole Image out of Wax which he shall either anoint or binde up with Plaisters where the Tumors Signs or Spots be is a present help for that person in whose name it shall be made and the pain shall cease c. But if he be so bewitched that he is in danger to lose an eye his hearing or be impedited in the Generative faculty of his privy Members in his Speech or hath his Members made crooked or wreathed awry then let there be made an Image of the whole body of Wax with a firm Faith upon which Image let the intent of your imagination be firmly fixed and afterwards let the whole Image be consumed with fire in due order Make no
incurable Therefore if any one be in any manner taken with this Disease let him thus do â„ž of pure Gold â„¥ ii of Lead Ê’ ii Against the Palsey CHAP. VI. Against the Stone and Sand in the Reins THe Money against the Stone consists of 4 Metals to wit of Gold Silver Tynne and Lead As followeth â„ž of Gold Ê’ iii. of Silver Ê’ iii. of Tynne Ê’ i. of Lead Ê’ i. ss Let all these Metals be melted together in a new Melting-pot for Gold on Saturday at 10 of the Clock before noon ☽ increasing which being melted cast in Saltpeter mixed with Tartar for this cause only to make them the more tractable and easie to be molten and wrought upon Afterwards let them be poured out and cast into the form of a Lamen and let it be cut and polished and filed in the hour of ♂ and day of ♀ but as yet let nothing be engraven thereon Also the Ring is not to be forged that it come not into the fire any more after the melting but is to be formed with a File wherefore the Lamen is to be poured out and cast the larger and broader that the Ring and Lamen may be both one piece And if it can be let the Lamen be so poured out after the melting that by the mixture of divers Metals especially of the Lead and Tynne the brittle matter may evade and the substance remain hard that it may not be wrought with the Hammer nor cut with Scissers This being done then look for the Moon and in the point of the New Moon then begin the Sculpture and make haste that one side of the Lamen may be finished in that hour which is marked with the Letter A. Afterwards let this Money be safely kept until some day of ♃ when ☽ is in Aspect with some good Planet as ♃ ♀ or ☿ then let the Words and Characters be engraven on the other-side marked with B in the hour of ☿ as you see them in the following Figure Then let the Lamen be hanged about the Neck of the Patient that hath the Stone when the Moon is decreased on the day and hour of ☽ The Ring ought to be made of Iron to which the Lamen is hanged Let the Patient also drink Wine every morning wherein the said Seal hath been steeped all night and afterwards hang it about his Neck again This doth wonderfully expel the Stone and Sand or Gravel out of the Reins for which thing also Spirit of Roman Vitriol is good to drink For the Stone in the Reins CHAP. VII Of the Members of Generation THe loss of Strength and Virtue in the Members of Generation is a certain Sympathy proceeding from gross Fatness which as a certain Spasma impedites the power of the Members of that place This happens by divers accidents some whereof are natural others are against nature by Witchcraft For the Remedy of the natural Passion we use this remedy Let these Words with the Characters adjoyned be written in new Parchment which afterwards is to be bound about the nut of the yard AVGALIRIOR 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Writing in Parchment ought to be renewed every day by the space of 9 dayes before Sun-rising every morning by binding it or rowling it with the Writing backwards about the Prepure and there let it remain night and day and as often as you renew the Parchment or change it let the old-one which you take off be burnt to ashes and let the Patient drink it in a draught of warm wine This is a most excellent Remedy to be had with the least cost But if any one desires to be preserved from these evils let him wear about his Neck a Lamen of Silver with the same Words and Signs engraven thereupon Or if one make a Lamen of Gold and engrave the same Words and Characters thereupon it will be far better But when it happens that this Disease is brought upon any one by Witchcraft or some Diabolical Art wrought by the malice of wicked people let the Patient take a piece of a Horse-shooe found in the high-way of which let there be made a Trident-Fork on the day of ♀ and hour of ♄ as you see in this Figure following The Fork aforesaid being made let those Words with their Caracters be engraven upon the Three teeth as you see in the Figure And upon the Handle thereof those Words and Signs which you see in the Figure on Sunday before Sun-rising which being done let the Fork be fastned in the ground under a running Stream of Water so deep that the handle may not be seen and that it cannot be found by this means thou shalt be delivered in 9 dayes and the person that hath wrought this mischief upon thee shall get somthing himself in that place from which he shall not so easily be delivered So we ought to resist Diabolicall Arts by Nature as Christ by the holy Scripture proposed to the Devil in the Wilderness CHAP. VIII That a Horse shall live Sound a long time SOme will think that I write Witchcraft or some such like things which are far absent from me For this I certainly affirm That I write nothing here which is supernatural and which is not wrought and effected by the power of nature and Celestial influences and whereof for the most part we are not altogether ignorant As this Let a Sadler make a Bridle for a Horse of a Lyons Skin and upon the Reyns thereof let these Words and Characters following be written in their certain time And you shall perceive this Horse to live not like a Horse but like a Man and longer and his strength not to be abated So that you do not use him extraordinarily contrary to his wonted custome Also according as you apply those Bridly-reins to him he will live thirty or forty yeers more or less contrary to the common term of a Horses life The Bridle is thus to be prepared that it serve him for a Halter without a Bit. The Leather-Dresser ought to prepare this Skin in the hour of ♃ that is then to put it into his Pit which being so prepared let the Sadler cut the Thongs of it in the hour of ☉ and afterwards make it into a Bâ—idle when you will To this Bridle is to be affixed the Lamens following in the hour of ♀ upon the Thong of the Head made of Tynne S. U. R. Q. L. R. E. Upon the Thong going down from the Fore-head to the Nose let there be affixed these which follow made of Copper in the hour of ☽ ♃ ♠φ λ y. χ. το. SELE The following Lamens ought to be made of Silver in th hour of ♃ And affixed to the Bridle in the hour of ♃ A.K.R.X.X.X.X.X. These which are last ought to be made of Gold and affixed to the Bridle in the hour of ♂ 3.9 And apply this Bridle to the Horse in the hour of ♀ then you shall see with what power Nature worketh in Words and Characters
Prophets From whence had the Prophets their wisdome and knowledge and from whence were those Mysteries of God revealed unto them by which they had those Spiritual and supernatural visions in dreams It is necessary therefore in the first place to the finde out the true foundation thereof and to lay the same upon the right stone which is the word of God and his promises and to pray daily unto God whereby it shall come to pass that he will give us all things which he hath promised in his word There is also another vision belonging to dreams which we may take from them that are dead and do appear spiritually unto us in dreâ—ms although they have been dead fifty or 〈◊〉 hundred years this is very much to be taken â—…to consideration for many have undertaken 〈◊〉 treat thereof which for their too much proâ—…ity which we endeavour to avoid we will pass them by reserving them to their place Nevertheless this I will declare viz. Where it happeneth that one of these Ghosts do appeare it is most necessary diligently to note and marke what he sheweth unto us what he speaketh with us about or doth spiritually Negotiate and not always to account thereof as fables For if it were possible for a man to retaine the same reason sleeping which he hath waking that he could aske and enquire of such a Spirit he should know the truth from him about all his desires whatsoever But it 's not needful to speake any more largely in this place concerning this thing Of Persons and Spirits wandring under the Earth UNder the Earth do wander half-men which possess all temporal things which they want or are delighted with they are Vulgarly called Gnomi or Inhabiters of the Mountains but by their proper name they are called Sylphes or Pigmies They are not Spirits as others are but are compared unto them for the Similitude of their Arts and Industry which are common to them with the Spirits they have flesh and blood as men which no real Spirit hath as Christ spoke unto his Disciples when he came amongst them when the doores were shut and they were affraid saying Feele me and touch me for a Spirit hath not flesh and blood nor bones as I have By this he himself hath taught us that a Spirit hath no true body that can be touched nor bones nor flesh nor blood but existeth in its own essence of winde or Aire But of this we have briefly spoken enough But to return to the earthly Pigmies or halfe-men we are to know that these are not to be reputed Spirits but like to Spirits but if they are or shall be called Spirits they ought to be called earthly Spirits because they have their Chaos and habitation under the earth and not in the winde and Aire as the other Spirits have Many terrene earthly Spirits are found seen and heard to be in such places wherein great treasures and mighty store of wealth and Riches are hid and also under those Mountains where there is plenty of Gold and Silver with which things they are delighted and do take the care and custody thereof and not willingly do they part from it Such as digge Metals have the best knowledge of these Spirits for they are most troubled with them and do vexe them and much persecute them with blowes and stripes somtimes also they do afford benefits unto them admonishing them and warning them of death as when they are heard once twice thrice or oftener to Knock and strike in the same place it signifies the death of him that diggeth or laboureth in that place either he is buryed up by the fall of the Mountain or dyeth by some such occasion this is certainly experienced by them that do digge in Mines These Spirits are worst against those who do not appear to be Devils and chiefly against those which they hate but between these Spirits and the Devil there is a great difference because he dyeth not but these perish after they have lived a long life otherwise they might be called Spirits for this reason but that which hath flesh and blood is obnoxious to death and ought once to die There is another thing which we shall more largely declare from the common proverb whereby it is reported that the Devil aboundeth in Riches and possesseth much wealth money gold and silver and to have all treasures hidden in the earth under his power and to give out of them what he will to them that make any Covenant with him And from hence that common saying tooke its beginning that the Devil for this very cause giveth not onely Riches plentifully and every thing that he desireth gold or silver to any one that prescribeth himself unto him giveth up himself solely to be his so as to renounce and forget his Creator But I say that all these things are lyes and fained fables without any foundation or ground which ought to be rejected of every discreet and wise man For the devil is the poorest of all creatures so that there is no creature so miserable poore above or under the earth or in all the other Elements Neither hath he any money nor Riches nor any power over them how then can he give to this or that person that which he possesseth not But he is infinitely skilful and cunning in Arts and hath power to give and to teach them to those he favoreth and that he can wrest away and delude with his deceit he hath no money neither gold nor silver can he give to any one neither doth he ever take or require any bonds or obligations from men sealed with their blood or any other compact or Covenant But there are other Spirits which do such things such as are the Sylphes or Pygmies which although they are persons that are little by nature yet they can appear to men as they will great or little faire deformed rich or poore they are not defective nor wanting of knowledge in all kinde of Arts that are or can be found out in all the light of nature but they have them and contain the knowledge of them all within themselves they have enough of gold and silver and the mines of all Metals under their power and custody In old times many of them have been found and heard amongst men but now they cease but no man hitherto hath known or could give a reason of their severing and separation seeing they have alwayes been esteemed to be Immortal creatures because no man could certainly be able to know or finde out their death or could consider any cause of their absence neither could any man for a long time be able to know what they now are or whence they proceeded or whither they wander or what gift or office they have Many do suppose that where they bring any benefits or good to men that they are Angels or good and familiar Spirits sent to those men from God and are afterwards by him taken from them by
reason of the greatness of their sins for oftentimes they bring to men very many good offices and benefits and do undertake and sustaine many hard labours for them Others believe that they will not be seen by us because that when a man seeth them he cryeth out so that they vanish away and will not appear any more Many that do see or hear these Spirits suppose that they are the Spirits and soules of men that have come to an evil death so that they have either desperately drowned or hanged themselves or killed themselves some other wayes and departing from God their Saviour have given themselves to the devil and for that cause do wander about and are reserved by the devil unto the day of the last Judgement There have been some who have supposed that they are vaine Phantasies and that they have fore-shown and presaged much good fortune to those places wherein they have been seen or heard which many times also hath so happened and come to pass but for the most part faith effecteth it for of their own nature they do not bring any fortune unless God compelleth them or our faith And on the contrary they are not able to cause any misfortune unless it be by the permission of God And many do thinke that they are the Inchantments of the Magicians There are others who having seen and heard them about treasures have judged that they are the Spirits of men who have hid treasures in that place and ought to remain there until the the Last Judgement or untill their custody thereof is found out and this opinion they receive from the words of Christ where he saith Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also But I do not see any reason why they should understand the heart for the Spirit but that there is much difference between them wherefore I say that all the Judgements which are spoken of before are but false opinions when as these are to be understood to be halfe-men that bear rule and wander in the four Elements and in the first and pristine times of nature they have been taken and worshipped in stead of God These are they of whom God Almighty admonisheth us in that Commandment of the first Table saying that we shall not have any other Gods but him neither in the waters where the Nymphs are understood nor under the Earth by which he meaneth Sylphes or Pygmies For the Lord our God is a jealous God and for such an offence punisheth the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation The Mountain of Venus in Italy was much possessed with these Spirits for Venus her self was a Nymph and that Mountain was by a comparison as her Kingdome and Paradice But she is dead whereby her Kingdome ceaseth to be but where or in what place is there any mention heard to be made of them as in former time when Danhanserus and many others entred in unto them Neither did they Invent these fables they were of such a nature and condition that they loved all men that loved them and hated them that hated them wherefore they gave Arts and Riches in abundance to them who prescribed and bound themselves to them and they know both our minds and thoughts whereby it comes to pass that they are easily moved by us to come to us I do not say this that I would give this Counsel to any one but that the true ground and foundation thereof might be known and the true difference which is between the devil and these Semi-homines The devil hath not any body unless he take any thing to himself from the four Elements for he hath neither flesh nor blood he remaineth perpetual not subject to any infirmities or a finite death wherefore he dieth nor but the Pygmies do nevertheless they are both subject to a natural and everlasting death and are both deprived of everlasting life wherefore whosoever giveth or subscribeth himself unto them the same event happeneth unto him as to them Let every one therefore have a special care unto himself and consider well what he doth before he subscribeth himself for he suddenly doth that whereby he shall alwayes be compelled to be obedient unto them and to fulfill all their commands And if he shall chance to be disobedient unto them or anger them they very much impaire or totally destroy and take away his life there have been found many examples of this kinde to wit sometimes men have been found dead their neckes turned about or otherwise miserably handled where any such thing hath happened it hath hitherto commonly been said that the Devil hath done this for this cause either that the man hath not kept his promise and compact with him or that the time which he covenanted and subscribed himself unto him for is expired and that now he receiveth his last reward But these opinions do not proceed from the fountaine of truth for the office of the Devil containeth no such thing in his power but rather he suggesteth unto men evil thoughts and Cogitations whereby he draweth them away from obeying the will and commandments of God by which means he maketh them to be the greatest sinners and to forget and deny God their Creator and afterwards draweth them into despaire so that they cannot any more be able to pray unto God wherefore the Elementary Spirits are most like unto the devil and oftentimes they are executioners of the wrath and vengeance of God nevertheless they do oftentimes also admonish and warne us and do watch over us and defend us from many dangers and sometimes do deliver some from prison and afford to men many other helps Wherefore such men as are burdened and overwhelmed with grief and sorrowful Imaginations are not to be left alone but ought to be entertained with various and pleasant discourse which may delight their mindes and expel their sorrow The Devils likewise are in these cases not idle but as busie as those terrene Spirits do easily tempt such kinde of men From hence it comes to pass that some people especially women in child-bed have been so oppressed in the night in their sleepe that they have thought themselves to be as it were strangled neither could they possibly cry out or call any helpe but in the Morning have reported that they were Ridden by a hag And they are still accounted to be witches or Inchanters that do this whereas their bodies cannot possibly enter into the chambers where the doores and Windowes are shut but the Sylphes and Nymphes easily can O thou of little faith as doubtful as Peter who sufferest thy self to be tossed with every winde and art easily drowned thou thy self art the cause hereof by reason of thy little dubious and weake faith also thy evil thoughts do draw thee unto this Thou hast also in thy self a secret Magnes that attracteth every like This is the Celestial Load-stone above all others which attracteth Iron and steel