so to account of Gods enemie as of their particular friend where by the contrarie all we that are Christians ought assuredly to know that since the comming of Christ in the flesh and establishing of his Church by the Apostles all miracles visions prophecies appearances of Angels or good spirites are ceased Which serued onely for the first sowing of faith planting of the Church Where now the Church being established and the white Horse whereof I spake before hauing made his conqueste the Lawe and Prophets are thought sufficient to serue vs or make vs inexcusable as Christ saith in his parable of Lazarus and the riche man CHAP. III. ARGV The description of a particular sort of that kind of following spirites called Incubi and Succubi And what is the reason wherefore these kindes of spirites hauntes most the Northerne and barbarous partes of the world PHILOMATHES THE next question that I would speere is likewise concerning this first of these two kindes of spirites that ye haue conjoyned and it is this ye knowe how it is commonly written and reported that amongst the rest of the sortes of spirites that followes certaine persons there is one more monstrous nor al the rest in respect as it is alleaged they converse naturally with them whom they trouble and hauntes with and therefore I would knowe in two thinges your opinion herein First if suche a thing can be and next if it be whether there be a difference of sexes amongst these spirites or not EPI That abhominable kinde of the Deuills abusing of men or women was called of old Incubi and Succubi according to the difference of the sexes that they conuersed with By two meanes this great kinde of abuse might possibly be performed The one when the Deuill onelie as a spirite and stealing out the sperme of a dead bodie abuses them that way they not graithlie seeing anie shape or feeling anie thing but that which he so conuayes in that part As we reade of a Monasterie of Nunnes which were burnt for their being that way abused The other meane is when he borrowes a dead bodie and so visiblie and as it seemes vnto them naturallie as a man converses with them But it is to be noted that in whatsoeuer way he vseth it that sperme seemes intollerably cold to the person abused For if he steale out the nature of a quick person it cannot be so quicklie carryed but it will both tine the strength and heate by the way which it could neuer haue had for lacke of agitation which in the time of procreation is the procurer wakener vp of these two natural qualities And if he occupying the dead bodie as his lodging expell the same out thereof in the dewe time it must likewise be colde by the participation with the qualities of the dead bodie whereout of it comes And whereas yee inquire if these spirites be diuided in sexes or not I thinke the rules of Philosophie may easelie resolue a man of the contrarie For it is a sure principle of that arte that nothing can be diuided in sexes except such liuing bodies as must haue a naturall seede to genere by But we know spirites hath no seede proper to themselues nor yet can they gender one with an other PHI. How is it then that they say sundrie monsters haue bene gotten by that way EPI These tales are nothing but Aniles fabulae For that they haue no nature of their owne I haue shewed you alreadie And that the cold nature of a dead bodie can woorke nothing in generation it is more nor plaine as being already dead of it selfe as well as the rest of the bodie is wanting the naturall heate and such other naturall operation as is necessarie for woorking that effect and in case such a thing were possible which were allutterly against all the rules of nature it would bread no monster but onely such a naturall of-spring as would haue cummed betuixt that man or woman and that other abused person in-case they both being aliue had had a doe with other For the Deuilles parte therein is but the naked carrying or expelling of that substance And so it coulde not participate with no qualitie of the same Indeede it is possible to the craft of the Deuill to make a womans bellie to swel after he hath that way abused her which he may do either by steiring vp her own humor or by herbes as we see beggars daily doe And when the time of her deliuery should come to make her thoil great doloures like vnto that naturall course and then subtillie to slippe in the Mid-wiues handes stockes stones or some monstruous barne brought from some other place but this is more reported and gessed at by others nor beleeued by me PHI. But what is the cause that this kinde of abuse is thought to be most common in such wild partes of the worlde as Lap-land and Fin-land or in our North Iles of Orknay and Schet-land EPI Because where the Deuill findes greatest ignorance and barbaritie there assayles he grosseliest as I gaue you the reason wherefore there was moe Witches of women kinde nor men PHI. Can anie be so vnhappie as to giue their willing consent to the Deuilles vilde abusing them in this forme EPI Yea some of the Witches haue confessed that he hath perswaded them to giue their willing consent thereunto that he may thereby haue them feltred the sikarer in his snares But as the other compelled sorte is to be pittied and prayed for so is this most highlie to be punished and detested PHI. It is not the thing which we cal the Mare which takes folkes sleeping in their bedds a kinde of these spirites whereof yeare speaking EPI No that is but a naturall sicknes which the Mediciners hath giuen that name of Incubus vnto ab incubando because it being a thick fleume falling into our breast vpon the harte while we are sleeping intercludes so our vitall spirites and takes all power from vs as maks vs think that there were some vnnaturall burden or spirite lying vpon vs and holding vs downe CHAP. IIII. ARGV The description of the Daemoniackes possessed By what reason the Papistes may haue power to cure them PHILOMATHES VVEL I haue told you now all my doubts and ye haue satisfied me therein concerning the first of these two kindes of spirites that ye haue conjoyned Now I am to inquire onely two thinges at you concerning the last kinde I meane the Daemoniackes The first is whereby shal these possessed folks be discerned fra them that ar trubled with a natural Phrensie or Manie The next is how can it be that they can be remedied by the Papistes Church whome wee counting as Hereticques it should appeare that one Deuill should not cast out an other for then would his kingdome be diuided in it selfe as CHRIST said EPI As to your first question there are diuers symptomes whereby that heauie trouble may be discerned from a
Alwaies for that part that witchcraft and Witches haue bene and are the former part is clearelie proved by the Scriptures and the last by dailie experience and confessions PHI. I know yee will alleadge me Saules Pythonisse but that as appeares will not make much for you EPI Not onlie that place but divers others But I marvel why that should not make much for me PHI. The reasones are these first yee may consider that Saul being troubled in spirit and having fasted long before as the text testifieth and being come to a woman that was bruted to haue such knowledge and that to inquire so important news he having so guiltie a conscience for his hainous offences and specially for that same vnlawful curiositie and horrible defection and then the woman crying out vpon the suddaine in great admiration for the vncouth sicht that she alledged to haue sene discovering him to be the King thogh disguysed denied by him before it was no wounder I say that his senses being thus distracted he could not perceaue hir faining of hir voice hee being himselfe in an other chalmer and seeing nothing Next what could be or was raised The spirit of Samuel Prophane and against all Theologie the Diuell in his likenes as vnappeirant that either God would permit him to come in the shape of his Saintes for then could neuer the Prophets in those daies haue bene sure what Spirit spake to them in their visiones or then that he could fore-tell what was to come there after for Prophecie proceedeth onelie of GOD and the Devill hath no knowledge of things to come EPI Yet if yee will marke the wordes of the text ye will finde clearely that Saul saw that apparition for giving you that Saul was in an other Chalmer at the making of the circles conjurationes needeful for that purpose as none of that craft will permit any vthers to behold at that time yet it is evident by the text that how sone that once that vnclean spirit was fully risen shee called in vpon Saul For it is saide in the text that Saule knew him to be Samuel which coulde not haue bene by the hearing tell onely of an olde man with an mantil since there was many mo old men dead in Israel nor Samuel And the common weid of that whole Cuntrey was mantils As to the next that it was not the spirit of Samuel I grant In the proving whereof ye neede not to insist since all Christians of whatso-ever Religion agrees vpon that and none but either mere ignorants or Necromanciers or Witches doubtes thereof And that the Diuel is permitted at som-times to put himself in the liknes of the Saintes it is plaine in the Scriptures where it is said that Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light Neither could that bring any inconvenient with the visiones of the Prophets since it is most certaine that God will not permit him so to deceiue his own but only such as first wilfully deceiues them-selves by running vnto him whome God then suffers to fall in their owne snares and justlie permittes them to be illuded with great efficacy of deceit because they would not beleeue the trueth as Paul sayth And as to the diuelles foretelling of things to come it is true that he knowes not all thinges future but yet that he knowes parte the Tragicall event of this historie declares it which the wit of woman could never haue fore-spoken not that he hath any prescience which is only proper to God or yet knows anie thing by loking vpon God as in a mirrour as the good Angels doe he being for euer debarred from the fauorable presence countenance of his creator but only by one of these two meanes either as being worldlie wise and taught by an continuall experience ever since the creation judges by likelie-hood of thinges to come according to the like that hath passed before and the naturall causes in respect of the vicissitude of all thinges worldly Or else by Gods employing of him in a turne and so foreseene thereof as appeares to haue bin in this whereof we finde the verie like in Micheas propheticque discourse to King Achab. But to prooue this my first proposition that there can be such a thing as witch-craft witches there are manie mo places in the Scriptures then this as I said before As first in the law of God it is plainely prohibited But certaine it is that the Law of God speakes nothing in vaine nether doth it lay curses or injoyne punishmentes vpon shaddowes condemning that to be il which is not in essence or being as we call it Secondlie it is plaine where wicked Pharaohs wise-men imitated ane number of Moses miracles to harden the tyrants heart there by Thirdly said not Samuell to Saull that disobedience is as the sinne of Witch-craft To compare to a thing that were not it were too too absurd Fourthlie was not Simon Magus a man of that craft And fiftlie what was she that had the spirit of Python beside innumerable other places that were irkesom to recite CHAP. II. ARGV What kynde of sin the practizers of these vnlawfull artes committes The division of these artes And what are the meanes that allures any to practize them PHILOMATHES BVT I thinke it very strange that God should permit anie man-kynde since they beare his owne Image to fall in so grosse and filthie a defection EPI Although man in his Creation was made to the Image of the Creator yet through his fall having once lost it it is but restored againe in a part by grace onelie to the elect So all the rest falling away from God are given over in the handes of the Devill that enemie to beare his Image and being once so given over the greatest and the grossest impietie is the pleasantest and most delytefull vnto them PHI. But may it not suffice him to haue indirectly the rule and procure the perdition of so manie soules by alluring them to vices and to the following of their own appetites suppose he abuse not so many simple soules in making them directlie acknowledge him for their maister EPI No surelie for hee vses everie man whom of he hath the rule according to their complexion and knowledge And so whome he findes most simple he plaineliest discovers himselfe vnto them For hee beeing the enemie of mans Salvation vses al the meanes he can to entrappe them so farre in his snares as it may be vnable to them thereafter suppose they would to rid themselues out of the same PHI. Then this sinne is a sinne against the holie Ghost EPI It is in some but not in all PHI. How that Are not all these that runnes directlie to the Devill in one Categorie EPI God forbid for the sin against the holie Ghost hath two branches The one a falling backe from the whole service of GOD and a refusall of all his preceptes The other is the doing
betuixt the power of God and of the Deuill As to their forme of extasie and spirituall transporting it is certaine the soules going out of the bodie is the onely difinition of naturall death and who are once dead God forbid wee should thinke that it should lie in the power of all the Deuils in Hell to restore them to their life againe Although he can put his owne spirite in a dead bodie which the Necromancers commonlie practise as yee haue harde For that is the office properly belonging to God and besides that the soule once parting from the bodie cannot wander anie longer in the worlde but to the owne resting place must it goe immediatlie abiding the conjunction of the bodie againe at the latter daie And what CHRIST or the Prophets did miraculouslie in this case it cannot in no Christian mans opinion be maid common with the Deuill As for anie tokens that they giue for proouing of this it is verie possible to the Deuils craft to perswade them to these meanes For he being a spirite may hee not so rauishe their thoughtes and dull their sences that their bodie lying as dead hee may object to their spirites as it were in a dreame as the Poets write of Morpheus represente such formes of persones of places and other circumstances as he pleases to illude them with Yea that he maie deceiue them with the greater efficacie may hee not at that same instant by fellow angelles of his illude such other persones so in that same fashion whome with he makes them to beleeue that they mette that all their reportes and tokens though seuerallie examined may euerie one agree with an other And that whatsoeuer actiones either in hurting men or beasts or whatsoeuer other thing that they falselie imagine at that time to haue done may by himselfe or his marrowes at that same time be done indeede so as if they would giue for a token of their being rauished at the death of such a person within so shorte space thereafter whom they beleeue to haue poysoned or witched at that instante might hee not at that same houre haue smitten that same person by the permission of GOD to the farther deceiuing of them and to mooue others to beleeue them And this is surelie the likeliest way and most according to reason which my judgement can finde out in this and whatsoeuer vther vnnaturall poyntes of their confession And by these meanes shall we saill surelie betuixt Charybdis and Scylla in eschewing the not beleeuing of them altogether on the one part least that drawe vs to the errour that there is no Witches and on the other parte in beleeuing of it make vs to eschew the falling into innumerable absurdities both monstruouslie against all Theologie diuine and Philosophie humaine CHAP. V ARGV Witches actiones towardes others Why there are more women of that craft nor men What thinges are possible to them to effectuate by the power of their master The reasons thereof What is the surest remedie of the harmes done by them PHILOMATHES FOrsooth your opinion in this seemes to carrie most reason with it and sence yee haue ended then the actions belonging properly to their owne persones say forwarde now to their actiones vsed towardes others EPI In their actiones vsed towardes others three thinges ought to be considered First the maner of their consulting thereupon Next their part as instrumentes And last their masters parte who puts the same in execution As to their consultationes thereupon they vse them oftest in the Churches where they conveene for adoring at what time their master enquiring at them what they would be at euerie one of them propones vnto him what wicked turne they would haue done either for obteining of riches or for reuenging them vpon anie whome they haue malice at who granting their demande as no doubt willinglie he wil since it is to doe euill he teacheth them the means wherby they may do the same As for little trifling turnes that women haue ado with he causeth them to ioynt dead corpses to make powders thereof mixing such other thinges there amongst as he giues vnto them PHI. But before yee goe further permit mee I pray you to interrupt you one worde which yee haue put mee in memorie of by speaking of Women What can be the cause that there are twentie women giuen to that craft where ther is one man EPI The reason is easie for as that sexe is frailer then man is so is it easier to be intrapped in these grosse snares of the Deuill as was ouer well proued to be true by the Serpents deceiuing of Eua at the beginning which makes him the homelier with that sexe sensine PHI. Returne now where ye left EPI To some others at these times hee teacheth how to make Pictures of waxe or clay That by the rosting thereof the persones that they beare the name of may be continuallie melted or dryed awaie by continuall sicknesse To some hee giues such stones or poulders as will helpe to cure or cast on diseases And to some he teacheth kindes of vncouthe poysons which Mediciners vnderstandes not for he is farre cunningner then man in the knowledge of all the occult proprieties of nature not that anie of these meanes which hee teacheth them except the poysons which are composed of thinges naturall can of them selues helpe any thing to these turnes that they are employed in but onelie being Gods Ape as well in that as in all other thinges Even as God by his Sacramentes which are earthlie of themselues workes a heavenlie effect though no waies by any cooperation in them And as CHRIST by clay spettle wrought together opened the eies of the blynd man suppose there was no vertue in that which he outwardlie applyed so the Deuill will haue his out-warde meanes to be shewes as it were of his doing which hath no part of cooperation in his turnes with him how farre that euer the ignorantes be abused in the contrarie And as to the effectes of these two former partes to wit the consultationes and the outward meanes they are so wounderfull as I dare not allege anie of them without ioyning a sufficient reason of the possibilitie thereof For leauing all the small trifles among wiues and to speake of the principall poyntes of their craft For the common trifles thereof they can do without conuerting well inough by themselues These principall poyntes I say are these They can make men or women to loue or hate other which may be verie possible to the Deuil to effectuat seing he being a subtile spirite knowes well inough how to perswade the corrupted affection of them whom God will permit him so to deale with They can lay the siknesse of one vpon an other which likewise is verie possible vnto him For since by Gods permission he layed siknesse vpon IOB why may he not farre easilier lay it vpon any other For as an old practisian he knowes well inough what
naturall sickenesse and speciallie three omitting the diuers vaine signes that the Papistes attributes vnto it Such as the raging at holie water their fleeing a back from the Croce their not abiding the hearing of God named and innumerable such like vaine thinges that were alike fashious and feckles to recite But to come to these three symptomes then whereof I spake I account the one of them to be the incredible strength of the possessed creature which will farre exceede the strength of six of the wightest and wodest of any other men that are not so troubled The next is the boldning vp so far of the patients breast and bellie with such an vnnaturall sturring and vehement agitation within them And such an ironie hardnes of his sinnowes so stiffelie bended out that it were not possible to prick out as it were the skinne of anie other person so far so mightely works the Deuil in all the members and senses of his body he being locallie within the same suppose of his soule and affectiones thereof hee haue no more power then of any other mans The last is the speaking of sundrie languages which the patient is knowen by them that were acquainte with him neuer to haue learned and that with an vncouth and hollowe voice and al the time of his speaking a greater motion being in his breast then in his mouth But fra this last symptome is excepted such as are altogether in the time of their possessing bereft of al their senses being possessed with a dumme and blynde spirite whereof Christ releiued one in the 12. of Mathew And as to your next demande it is first to be doubted if the Papistes or anie not professing the the onelie true Religion can relieue anie of that trouble And next in-case they can vpon what respectes it is possible vnto them As to the former vpon two reasons it is grounded first that it is knowen so manie of them to bee counterfite which wyle the Clergie inuentes for confirming of their rotten Religion The next is that by experience we finde that few who are possessed indeede are fullie cured by them but rather the Deuill is content to release the bodelie hurting of them for a shorte space thereby to obteine the perpetual hurt of the soules of so many that by these false miracles may be induced or confirmed in the profession of that erroneous Religion euen as I told you before that he doth in the false cures or casting off of diseases by Witches As to the other part of the argument in-case they can which rather with reuerence of the learned thinking otherwaies I am induced to beleeue by reason of the faithfull report that men sound of religion haue made according to their sight thereof I think if so be I say these may be the respectes whereupon the Papistes may haue that power CHRIST gaue a commission and power to his Apostles to cast out Deuilles which they according thereunto put in execution The rules he bad them obserue in that action was fasting and praier the action it selfe to be done in his name This power of theirs proceeded not then of anie vertue in them but onely in him who directed them As was clearly proued by Iudas his hauing as greate power in that commission as anie of the reste It is easie then to be vnderstand that the casting out of Deuilles is by the vertue of fasting and prayer and in-calling of the name of God suppose manie imperfectiones be in the person that is the instrumente as CHRIST him selfe teacheth vs of the power that false Prophets fall haue to caste out Devils It is no wounder then these respects of this action being considered that it may be possible to the Papistes though erring in sundrie points of Religion to accomplish this if they vse the right forme prescribed by CHRIST herein For what the worse is that action that they erre in other thinges more then their Baptisme is the worse that they erre in the other Sacrament and haue eiked many vaine freittes to the Baptisme it selfe PHI. Surelie it is no little wonder that God should permit the bodies of anie of the faithfull to be so dishonoured as to be a dwelling place to that vncleane spirite EPI There is it which I told right now would prooue and strengthen my argument of the deuils entring in the dead bodies of the faithfull For if he is permitted to enter in their liuing bodies euen when they are ioyned with the soule how much more will God permit him to enter in their dead carions which is no more man but the filthie and corruptible caise of man For as CHRIST sayth It is not any thing that enters within man that defiles him but onely that which proceedes and commeth out of him CHAP. V. ARGV The description of the fourth kinde of Spirites called the Phairie What is possible therein and what is but illusiones How far this Dialogue entreates of all these thinges and to what end PHILOMATHES NOW I pray you come on to that fourth kinde of spirites EPI That fourth kinde of spirites which by the Gentiles was called Diana and her wandring court and amongst vs was called the Phairie as I tould you or our good neighboures was one of the sortes of illusiones that was rifest in the time of Papistrie for although it was holden odious to Prophesie by the deuill yet whome these kinde of Spirites carryed awaie and informed they were thought to be sonsiest and of best life To speake of the many vaine trattles founded vpon that illusion How there was a King and Queene of Phairie of such a iolly court train as they had how they had a teynd dutie as it were of all goods how they naturallie rode and went eate and drank and did all other actiones like naturall men and women I thinke it liker VIRGILS Campi Elysij nor anie thing that ought to be beleeued by Christians except in generall that as I spake sundrie times before the deuil illuded the senses of sundry simple creatures in making them beleeue that they saw and harde such thinges as were nothing so indeed PHI. But how can it be then that sundrie Witches haue gone to death with that confession that they haue ben transported with the Phairie to such a hill which opening they went in and there saw a faire Queen who being now lighter gaue them a stone that had sundrie vertues which at sundrie times hath bene produced in judgement EPI I say that euen as I said before of that imaginar rauishing of the spirite foorth of the bodie For may not the deuil object to their fantasie their senses being dulled and as it were a sleepe such hilles houses within them such glistering courts and traines and whatsoeuer such like wherewith he pleaseth to delude them And in the meane time their bodies being senselesse to conuay in their hande any stone or such like thing which he makes them to imagine to