Chapter XII: Part 12

The prophesies in the old testament treat of the continuance, the governement, and the difference of estates: of the distinction of the foure monarchies, of their order, decaie, and instauration; of the changes and ruines of the kingdomes of _Juda_, _Israel_, _Aegypt_, _Persia_, _Græcia_, &c_: and speciallie of the comming of our Saviour Jesus Christ; and how he should be borne of a virgine, and where, of his tribe, passion, resurrection, &c. These prophesies were published by Gods speciall and peculiar prophets, endued with his particular and excellent gifts, according to his promise; I will raise them up a prophet out of the midst of their brethren, I will put my words in his mouth, &c. Which though it were speciallie spoken of Christ, yet was it also spoken of those particular prophets, which were placed among them by God to declare his will; which were also figures of Christ the prophet himselfe. Now, if prophesie be an extraordinarie gift of God, and a thing peculiar to himselfe, as without whose speciall assistance no creature can be a prophet, or shew what is to come; whie should we beleeve, that those lewd persons can performe by divinations and miracles that which is not in humane but in divine power to accomplish?

♦The subject of the prophesies of the old testament.♦

Howbeit, when I denie that witches can ride in the aire, and the miraculous circumstance thereof: by and by it is objected unto me, that _Enoch_ and _Elie_ were rapt into heaven bodilie; and that _Abacuke_ was carried in the aire, to feed _Daniel_: and so falselie oppose a divels or a witches power against the vertue of the Holy-ghost. If I deride the poets opinions, saieng, that witches cannot _Cœlo deducere lunam_, fetch the moone from heaven, &c: they tell me that at _Joshuas_ battell the sunne staied, and at the passion of Christ there was palpable darknes. If I denie their cunning in the exposition of dreames, advising them to remember _Jeremies_ counsell, not to followe or credit the expositors of dreames; they hit me in the teeth with _Daniel_ and _Joseph_: for that the one of them expounded _Pharao_ the _Persian_ kings, the other _Nabuchadnez-zar_ the _Aegyptian_ kings dreame. If I saie with _Salomon_, that the dead knowe nothing, and that the dead knowe us not, neither are remooveable out of _Abrahams_ bosome, &c: they produce the storie of _Samuel_: wherein, I saie, they set the power of a creature as high as the creator. If I saie, that these witches cannot transubstantiate themselves, nor others into beasts, &c. they cite the storie of _Nabuchadnez-zar_; as though indeed he were made a materiall beast, and that also by witchcraft; and strengthen that their assertion with the fables of _Circe_ and _Ulysses_ his companions, &c.

♦2. Reg. 2. 13.♦

♦Eccles. 9, 5.♦

♦1. Sam. 28.♦

The seventh Chapter.

_What were the miracles expressed in the old testament, and what are
they in the new testament: and that we are not now to looke for
anie more miracles._

The miracles expressed in the old testament were manie, but the end of them all was one, though they were divers and differing in shew: as where the sacrifices of _Moses_, _Elias_, and _Salomon_, being abundantlie wet were burnt with fier from heaven, &c. The varietie of toongs at the building of _Babylon_, _Isaachs_ birth of _Sarah_ being by nature past children, the passage through the red sea, _Daniels_ foretelling of the foure monarchies, in the fourth whereof he apparantlie foresheweth the comming of the Lord. All these, and manie other, which are expressed in the old testament, were mercifull instructions and notable miracles to strengthen the faith of Gods people in their Messias. If you had gone to _Delphos_, _Apollo_ would have made you beleeve with his amphibologicall answers, that he could have foretold you all these things.

♦Gen. 11, 6. Gen. 21. Dan. 11.♦

The miracles wrought by Christ were the raising up of the dead (which manie would impute to the woman of _Endor_, and also to our witches and conjurors) the restoring of the lame to lims, the blind to sight, the dumbe to speach, and finallie the healing of all diseases; which manie beleeve our witches can doo; yea, and as they themselves will take it upon them. As for casting out of divels (which was another kind of miracles usuall with Christ) witches and conjurors are said to be as good thereat as ever he was: and yet, if you will beleeve Christs words, it cannot be so. For he saith; Everie kingdome divided against it selfe, shall be brought to naught, &c. If sathan cast out sathan, he is divided, &c: and his kingdome shall not endure, &c.

♦A summe of Christs miracles.♦

♦Matt. 12. 25.♦

_Peters_ chaines fell off in prison, so did _Richard Gallisies_ fetters at _Windsor_: marrie the prison doores opened not to _Richard_, as they did to _Peter_. _Helias_ by speciall grace obtained raine, our witches can make it raine, when they list, &c. But sithens Christ did these miracles, and manie more, and all to confirme his truth, and strengthen our faith, and finallie for the conversion of the people (as appeareth in _John._ 6. 7, and 12: in so much as he vehementlie reprooved such, as upon the sight of them would not beleeve, saieng; Wo be to thee _Chorazin_, we be to thee _Bethsaida_. If the miracles had beene doone in _Tyre_ and _Sidon_, which have beene doone in you, they had a great while ago repented, &c. Let us settle and acquiet our faith in Christ, and beleeving all his wonderous works, let us reject these old wives fables, as lieng vanities: whereof you may find in the golden legend, _M. Mal._ and speciallie in _Bodin_ miraculous stuffe, enough to checke all the miracles expressed in the old and new testament; which are of more credit with manie bewitched people, than the true miracles of Christ himselfe. Insomuch as they stand in more awe of the manacies of a witch, than of all the threatnings and cursses pronounced by God, and expressed in his word. And thus much touching the word _Kasam_.

♦Luk. 10, 13.♦

¶ _The tenth Booke._

The first Chapter.

_The interpretation of this Hebrue word Onen, of the vanitie of
dreames, and divinations thereupon._

_Onen_ differeth not much from _Kasam_, but that it is extended to the interpretation of dreames. And as for dreames, whatsoever credit is attributed unto them, proceedeth of follie: and they are fooles that trust in them, for whie they have deceived many. In which respect the Prophet giveth us good warning, not to followe nor hearken to the expositors of dreames, for they come through the multitude of busines. And therefore those witches, that make men beleeve they can prophesie upon dreames, as knowing the interpretation of them, and either for monie or glorie abuse men & women therby, are meere couseners, and worthie of great punishment: as are such witchmongers, as beleeving them, attribute unto them such divine power as onelie belongeth to God: as appeereth in _Jeremie_ the Prophet.

♦Ecclus. 24.♦

♦Jerem. 27. Eccle. 5.♦

♦Jerem. 23. 25. 26. 27. Read the words.♦

The second Chapter.

_Of divine, naturall, and casuall dreames, with their differing
causes and effects._

_Macrobius_ recounteth five differences of images, or rather imaginations exhibited unto them that sleepe, which for the most part doo signifie somewhat in admonition. There be also many subdivisions made hereof, which I thinke needlesse to reherse. In _Jasper Peucer_ they are to be seene, with the causes and occasions of dreames. There were woont to be delivered from God himselfe or his angels, certeine dreames and visions unto the prophets and holie fathers: according to the saieng of _Joel_; I will powre my spirit upon all flesh, your yoong men shall dreame dreames, and your old men shall see visions. These kind of dreames (I say) were the admonishments and forewarnings of God to his people: as that of _Joseph_, to abide with _Marie_ his wife, after she was conceived by the Holie-ghost, as also to conveie our Saviour Christ into _Aegypt_, &c: the interpretation whereof are the peculiar gifts of God, which _Joseph_ the patriarch, and _Daniel_ the prophet had most speciallie.

♦_Peucer in divinat. ex somniis._♦

♦Joel. 2.♦

♦Matth. 1. 20.♦

♦Matth. 2, 13.♦

♦Gen. 39. & 40. & 41. Dani. 2.♦

As for physicall conjectures upon dreames, the scriptures [*]improove them not: for by them the physicians manie times doo understand the state of their patients bodies. For some of them come by meanes of choler, flegme, melancholie, or bloud; and some by love, surfet, hunger, thirst, &c. _Gallen_ and _Boetius_ were said to deale with divels, bicause they told so justlie their patients dreames, or rather by their dreames their speciall diseases. Howbeit, physicall dreames are naturall, and the cause of them dwelleth in the nature of man. For they are the inward actions of the mind in the spirits of the braine, whilest the bodie is occupied with sleepe: for as touching the mind it selfe, it never sleepeth. These dreames varie, according to the difference of humors and vapors. There are also casuall dreames, which (as _Salomon_ saith) come through the multitude of businesse. For as a looking glasse sheweth the image or figure thereunto opposite: so in dreames, the phantasie & imagination informes the understanding of such things as haunt the outward sense. Whereupon the poet saith:

_Somnia ne cures, nam mens humana quod optat,
Dum vigilat sperans, per somnum cernit id ipsum:_

_Regard no dreames, for why the mind
Of that in sleepe a view dooth take,
Which it dooth wish and hope to find,
At such time as it is awake._

♦Eccles. 5.♦

♦[*] [? reproove]♦

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

The third Chapter.

_The opinion of divers old writers touching dreames, and how
they varie in noting the causes thereof._

_Synesius_, _Themistius_, _Democritus_, and others grounding themselves upon examples that chance hath sometimes verified, persuade men, that nothing is dreamed in vaine: affirming that the hevenlie influencies doo bring foorth divers formes in corporall matters; and of the same influencies, visions and dreames are printed in the fantasticall power, which is instrumentall, with a celestiall disposition meete to bring foorth some effect, especiallie in sleepe, when the mind (being free from bodilie cares) may more liberallie receive the heavenlie influencies, wherby many things are knowne to them sleeping in dreames, which they that wake cannot see. _Plato_ attributeth them to the formes and ingendred knowledges of the soule; _Avicen_ to the last intelligence that moveth the moone, through the light that lighteneth the fantasie in sleepe; _Aristotle_ to the phantasticall sense; _Averroës_ to the imaginative; _Albert_ to the influence of superior bodies.

♦A dissonancie in opinions about dreames.♦

The fourth Chapter.

_Against interpreters of dreames, of the ordinarie cause of
dreames, Hemingius his opinion of diabolicall dreames, the
interpretation of dreames ceased._

There are bookes carried about concerning this matter, under the name of _Abraham_, who (as _Philo In lib. gigantum_ saith) was the first inventor of the exposition of dreames: and so likewise of _Salomon_ and _Daniel_. But _Cicero In lib. de diviniatione_ confuteth the vanitie and follie of them that give credit to dreames. And as for the interpretors of dreames, as they knowe not before the dreame, nor yet after, any certeintie; yet when any thing afterwards happeneth, then they applie the dreame to that which hath chanced.

Certeinlie men never lightlie faile to dreame by night, of that which they meditate by daie: and by daie they see divers and sundrie things, and conceive them severallie in their minds. Then those mixed conceits being laid up in the closset of the memorie, strive togither; which, bicause the phantasie cannot discerne nor discusse, some certeine thing gathered of manie conceits is bred and contrived in one togither. And therefore in mine opinion, it is time vainelie emploied, to studie about the interpretation of dreames. He that list to see the follie and vanitie thereof, maie read a vaine treatise, set out by _Thomas Hill_ Londoner, 1568.

♦The pleasant art of the interpretation of dreames.♦

Lastlie, there are diabolicall dreames, which _Nicolaus Hemingius_ divideth into three sortes. The first is, when the divell immediatlie of himselfe (he meaneth corporallie) offereth anie matter of dreame. Secondlie, when the divell sheweth revelations to them that have made request unto him therefore. Thirdlie, when magicians by art bring to passe, that other men dreame what they will. Assuredlie these, and so all the rest (as they maie be used) are verie magicall and divelish dreames. For although we maie receive comfort of mind by those, which are called divine dreames, and health of bodie through physicall dreames: yet if we take upon us to use the office of God in the revelation or rather the interpretation of them; or if we attribute unto them miraculous effects (now when we see the gifts of prophesie, and of interpretation of dreames, and also the operation of miracles are ceased, which were speciall and peculiar gifts of God, to confirme the truth of the word, and to establish his people in the faith of the Messias, who is now exhibited unto us both in the testament, and also in the bloud of our Saviour Jesus Christ) we are bewitched, and both abuse and offend the majestie of God, and also seduce, delude and cousen all such as by our persuasion, and their owne light beleefe, give us credit.

♦_N. Hemin. in admonitionib. de superstitionib. magicis vitādis._♦

♦The end & use of prophesie, interpretatiō of dreames, operation of miracles, &c.♦

The fift Chapter.

_That neither witches, nor anie other, can either by words
or hearbs, thrust into the mind of a sleeping man, what
cogitations or dreames they list; and whence magicall dreames
come._

I grant there maie be hearbs and stones found and knowne to the physicians, which maie procure dreames; and other hearbs and stones, &c: to make one bewraie all the secrets of his mind, when his bodie sleepeth, or at least wise to procure speech in sleepe. But that witches or magicians have power by words, herbs, or imprecations to thrust into the mind or conscience of man, what it shall please them, by vertue of their charmes, hearbs, stones, or familiars, &c: according to the opinion of _Hemingius_, I denie: though therewithall I confesse, that the divell both by daie and also by night, travelleth to seduce man, and to lead him from God; yea and that no waie more than this, where he placeth himselfe as God in the minds of them that are so credulous, to attribute unto him, or unto witches, that which is onlie in the office, nature, and power of God to accomplish.

♦Seeke for such stuffe in my booke of Hartumim.♦

Doth not _Daniel_ the prophet saie, even in this case; It is the Lord onelie that knoweth such secrets, as in the exposition of dreames is required? And doth not _Joseph_ repeat those verie words to _Pharaos_ officers, who consulted with him therein? Examples of divine dreames you maie find a great number in the scripture, such (I meane) as it pleased God to reveale his pleasure by. Of physicall dreames we maie both read in authors, and see in our owne experience dailie, or rather nightly. Such dreams also as are casuall, they are likewise usuall, and come (as hath beene said) through the multitude of affaires and businesse. Those which in these daies are called magicall or diabolicall dreames, maie rather be called melancholicall. For out of that blacke vapor in sleepe, through dreames, appeareth (as _Aristotle_ saith) some horrible thing; and as it were the image of an ouglie divell: sometimes also other terrible visions, imaginations, counsels, and practises. As where we read of a certeine man, that dreamed there appeared one unto him that required him to throwe himselfe into a deepe pit, and that he should reape great benefit thereby at Gods hands. So as the miserable wretch giving credit thereunto, performed the matter, and killed himselfe. Now I confesse, that the interpretation or execution of that dreame was indeed diabolicall: but the dreame was casuall, derived from the heavie and blacke humor of melancholie.

♦Dan. 2.♦

♦Gen. 11, 8. Gen. 37, & 11. Isai. 11. Dan. 2.♦

♦_Aristot. de somnio._♦

The sixt Chapter.

_How men have beene bewitched, cousened or abused by dreames to
dig and search for monie._

How manie have beene bewitched with dreames, and thereby made to consume themselves with digging and searching for monie, &c: whereof they, or some other have drempt? I my selfe could manifest, as having knowne how wise men have beene that waie abused by verie simple persons, even where no dreame hath beene met withall, but waking dreames. And this hath beene used heretofore, as one of the finest cousening feates: in so much as there is a verie formall art thereof devised, with manie excellent superstitions and ceremonies thereunto belonging, which I will set downe as breeflie as maie be. Albeit that here in _England_, this proverbe hath beene current; to wit, Dreames proove contrarie: according to the answer of the priests boy to his master, who told his said boy that he drempt he kissed his taile: Yea maister (saith he) but dreames proove contrarie, you must kisse mine.

♦Such would be imbarked in the ship of fooles.♦

♦An english proverbe.♦

The seventh Chapter.

_The art and order to be used in digging for monie, revealed
by dreames, how to procure pleasant dreames, of morning and
midnight dreames._

There must be made upon a hazell wand three crosses, and certeine words both blasphemous and impious must be said over it, and hereunto must be added certeine characters, & barbarous names. And whilest the treasure is a digging, there must be read the psalmes, _De profundis, Missa, Misereatur nostri, Requiem, Pater noster, Ave Maria, Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos à malo, Amen. A porta inferi credo videre bona, &c. Expectate Dominum Requiem æternam._ And then a certeine praier. And if the time of digging be neglected, the divell will carie all the treasure awaie. See other more absolute conjurations for this purpose, in the word _Iidoni_ following.

♦Note this superstitious dotage.♦

You shall find in _Johannes Baptista Neapolitanus_, diverse receipts by hearbes and potions, to procure pleasant or fearefull dreames; and perfumes also to that effect: who affirmeth, that dreames in the dead of the night are commonlie preposterous and monstrous; and in the morning when the grosse humors be spent, there happen more pleasant and certeine dreames, the bloud being more pure than at other times: the reason whereof is there expressed.

♦_J. Bap. Neap. in natural. mag. lib. 2 cap. 26. fol. 83. & 84._♦

The eight Chapter.

_Sundrie receipts and ointments, made and used for the
transportation of witches, and other miraculous effects:
an instance therof reported and credited by some that are
learned._

It shall not be amisse here in this place to repeate an ointment greatlie to this purpose, rehearsed by the foresaid _John Bapt. Neap._ wherein although he maie be overtaken and cousened by an old witch, and made not onelie to beleeve, but also to report a false tale; yet bicause it greatlie overthroweth the opinion of _M. Mal. Bodin_, and such other, as write so absolutelie in maintenance of witches transportations, I will set downe his words in this behalfe. The receipt is as followeth.

℞. The fat of yoong children, and seeth it with water in a brasen vessell, reserving the thickest of that which remaineth boiled in the bottome, which they laie up and keepe, untill occasion serveth to use it. They put hereunto _Eleoselinum, Aconitum, Frondes populeas_, and Soote.

Another receipt to the same purpose.

℞. _Sium, acarum vulgare, pentaphyllon_, the bloud of a flitter-mouse, _solanum somniferum, & oleum_. They stampe all these togither, and then they rubbe all parts of their bodies exceedinglie, till they looke red, and be verie hot, so as the pores may be opened, and their flesh soluble and loose. They joine herewithall either fat, or oile in steed thereof, that the force of the ointment maie the rather pearse inwardly, and so be more effectuall. By this means (saith he) in a moone light night they seeme to be carried in the aire, to feasting, singing, dansing, kissing, culling, and other acts of venerie, with such youthes as they love and desire most: for the force (saith he) of their imagination is so vehement, that almost all that part of the braine, wherein the memorie consisteth, is full of such conceipts. And whereas they are naturallie prone to beleeve anie thing; so doo they receive such impressions and stedfast imaginations into their minds, as even their spirits are altered thereby; not thinking upon anie thing else, either by daie or by night. And this helpeth them forward in their imaginations, that their usuall food is none other commonlie but beets, rootes, nuts, beanes, peaze, &c.

♦Confections or receipts for the miraculous transportation of witches.♦

Now (saith he) when I considered throughlie hereof, remaining doubtfull of the matter, there fell into my hands a witch, who of hir owne accord did promise me to fetch me an errand out of hand from farre countries, and willed all them, whome I had brought to witnesse the matter, to depart out of the chamber. And when she had undressed hir selfe, and froted hir bodie with certeine ointments (which action we beheld through a chinke or little hole of the doore) she fell downe thorough the force of those soporiferous or sleepie ointments into a most sound and heavie sleepe: so as we did breake open the doore, and did beate hir exceedinglie; but the force of hir sleepe was such, as it tooke awaie from hir the sense of feeling: and we departed for a time. Now when hir strength and powers were wearie and decaied, shee awooke of hir owne accord, and began to speake manie vaine and doting words, affirming that she had passed over both seas and mountaines; delivering to us manie untrue and false reports: we earnestlie denied them, she impudentlie affirmed them. This (saith he) will not so come to passe with everie one, but onlie with old women that are melancholike, whose nature is extreame cold, and their evaporation small; and they both perceive and remember what they see in that case and taking of theirs.

♦_Vetule, quas à strigis similitudine, striges vocant, quæq; noctu puerulorum sanguinem in cunis cubantium exsorbent._♦

The ninth Chapter.

_A confutation of the former follies, as well concerning
ointments, dreames, &c. as also of the assemblie of witches,
and of their consultations and bankets at sundrie places, and
all in dreames._

But if it be true that S. _Augustine_ saith, and manie other writers, that witches nightwalkings are but phantasies and dreames: then all the reportes of their bargaine, transporting, and meetings with _Diana_, _Minerva_, &c: are but fables; and then do they lie that mainteine those actions to be doone in deed and veritie, which in truth are doone no waie. It were marvell on the one side (if those things happened in dreames, which neverthelesse the witches affirme to be otherwise) that when those witches awake, they neither consider nor remember that they were in a dreame. It were marvell that their ointments, by the opinions having no force at all to that effect, as they confesse which are inquisitors, should have such operation. It were marvell that their ointments cannot be found anie where, saving onelie in the inquisitors bookes. It were marvell, that when a stranger is annointed therewith, they have sometimes, and yet not alwaies, the like operation as with witches; which all the inquisitors confesse.

♦_Barthol. Spinæus, q. de strigib. c. 31._♦

But to this last, frier _Bartholomæus_ saith, that the witches themselves, before they annoint themselves, do heare in the night time a great noise of minstrels, which flie over them, with the ladie of the fairies, and then they addresse themselves to their journie. But then I marvell againe, that no bodie else heareth nor seeth this troope of minstrels, especiallie riding in a moone light night. It is marvell that they that thinke this to be but in a dreame, can be persuaded that all the rest is anie other than dreames. It is marvell that in dreames, witches of old acquaintance meet so just togither, and conclude upon murthers, and receive ointments, roots, powders, &c: (as witchmongers report they doo, and as they make the witches confesse) and yet lie at home fast asleepe. It is marvell that such preparation is made for them (as _Sprenger_, _Bartholomew_, and _Bodin_ report) as well in noble mens houses, as in alehouses; and that they come in dreames, and eate up their meate: and the alewife speciallie is not wearied with them for non paiment of their score, or false paiment; to wit, with imaginarie monie, which they saie is not substantiall, and that they talke not afterwards about the reckoning, and so discover the matter. And it is most marvell of all, that the hostesse, &c: dooth not sit among them, and take part of their good cheere. For so it is, that if any part of these their meetings and league be true, it is as true and as certeinlie prooved and confessed, that at some alehouse, or sometime at some Gentlemans house, there is continuall preparation made monethlie for this assemblie: as appeereth in S. _Germans_ storie.

♦_Bar. Spin. qu. de strigib. c. 30._♦

♦New matter & worthie to be marvelled at.♦

♦_Legend. aur. in vita S. Germani._♦

The tenth Chapter.

_That most part of prophesies in the old testament were
revealed in dreames, that we are not now to looke for such
revelations, of some who have drempt of that which hath come
to passe, that dreames proove contrarie, Nabuchadnez-zars
rule to knowe a true expositor of dreames._

It is held and mainteined by divers, and gathered out of the 12. of _Numbers_, that all which was written or spoken by the prophets, among the children of Israel (_Moses_ excepted) was propounded to them by dreames. And indeed it is manifest, that manie things, which are thought by the unlearned to have beene reallie finished, have beene onlie performed by dreams and visions. As where _Salomon_ required of God the gift of wisdome: that was (I say) in a dreame; and also where he received promise of the continuance of the kingdome of Israel in his line. So was _Esais_ vision in the 6. of his prophesie: as also that of _Ezechiel_ the 12. Finallie, where _Jeremie_ was commanded to hide his girdle in the clift of a rocke at the river _Euphrates_ in _Babylon_; and that after certeine daies, it did there putrifie, it must needs be in a dreame; for _Jeremie_ was never (or at leastwise not then) at _Babylon_. We that are christians must not now slumber and dreame, but watch and praie, and meditate upon our salvation in Christ both daie and night. And if we expect revelations in our dreames, now, when Christ is come, we shall deceive our selves: for in him are fulfilled all dreames and prophesies. Howbeit, _Bodin_ holdeth that dreames and visions continue till this daie, in as miraculous maner as ever they did.

♦1. Re. 3, 5. 15.♦

♦1. Reg. 9.♦

♦Isai. 6. Ezech. 12. Jerem. 13.♦

♦_J. Bodin. lib. de dæmon. 1. cap. 5._♦

If you read _Artemidorus_, you shall read manie stories of such as drempt of things that afterwards cam to passe. But he might have cited a thousand for one that fell out contrarie: for as for such dreamers among the Jews themselves, as had not extraordinarie visions miraculouslie exhibited unto them by God, they were counted couseners, as may appeere by these words of the prophet _Zacharie_; Surelie the idols have spoken vanitie, and the soothsaiers have seene a lie, and the dreamers have told a vaine thing. According to _Salomons_ saieng; In the multitude of dreames and vanities are manie words. It appeereth in _Jeremie_ 23. that the false prophets, whilest they illuded the people with lies, counterfetting the true prophets, used to crie out; Dreames, dreames; We have dreamed a dreame, &c. Finallie, _Nabuchadnez-zar_ teacheth all men to knowe a true expositor of dreames; to wit, such a one as hath his revelation from GOD. For he can (as _Daniel_ did) repeate your dreame before you discover it: which thing if anie expounder of dreames can doo at this daie, I will beleeve him.

♦Zach. 10, 2.♦

♦Eccles. 5, 6. Jerem. 23.♦

♦Daniel. 2.♦

¶ _The eleventh booke._

The first Chapter.

_The Hebrue word Nahas expounded, of the art of augurie, who
invented it, how slovenlie a science it is: the multitude of
sacrifices and sacrificers of the heathen, and the causes
therof._

_Nahas_, is To observe the flieng of birds, & comprehendeth all such other observations, where men do ghesse upon uncerteine toies. It is found in _Deut._ 18. and in 2. _Chron._ 33. and else-where. Of this art of augurie _Tyresias_ the king of the _Thebans_ is said to be the first inventor: but _Tages_ first published the discipline thereof, being but a little boie; as _Cicero_ reporteth out of the bookes of the _Hetruscans_ themselves. Some points of this art are more high and profound than some others, and yet are they more homelie and slovenlie than the rest; as namelie, the divination upon the entrailes of beasts, which the Gentiles in their sacrifices speciallie observed. Insomuch as _Marcus Varro_, seeing the absurditie thereof, said that these gods were not onlie idle, but verie slovens, that used so to hide their secrets and counsels in the guts and bowels of beasts.

♦The slovenlie art of augurie.♦

How vainlie, absurdlie, and superstitiouslie the heathen used this kind of divination in their sacrifices, is manifested by their actions & ceremonies in that behalfe practised, as well in times past, as at this houre. The _Aegyptians_ had 666. severall sorts and kinds of sacrifices; the _Romans_ had almost as manie; the _Græcians_ had not so few as they; the _Persians_ and the _Medes_ were not behind them; the _Indies_ and other nations have at this instant their sacrifices full of varietie, and more full of barbarous impietie. For in sundrie places, these offer sacrifices to the divell, hoping thereby to moove him to lenitie: yea, these commonlie sacrifice such of their enimies, as they have taken in warre: as we read that the Gentiles in ancient time did offer sacrifice, to appease the wrath and indignation of their feigned gods.

The second Chapter.

_Of the Jewes sacrifice to Moloch, a discourse thereupon, and
of Purgatorie._

The _Jewes_ used one kind of diabolical sacrifice, never taught them by _Moses_, namelie, to offer their children to _Moloch_, making their sonnes and their daughters to runne through the fire; supposing such grace and efficacie to have beene in that action, as other witches affirme to be in charmes and words. And therfore among other points of witchcraft, this is speciallie and namelie forbidden by _Moses_. We read of no more miracles wrought hereby, than by any other kind of witchcraft in the old or new testament expressed. It was no ceremonie appointed by God, no figure of Christ: perhaps it might be a sacrament or rather a figure of purgatorie, the which place was not remembred by _Moses_. Neither was there anie sacrifice appointed by the lawe for the releefe of the Israelites soules that there should be tormented. Which without all doubt should not have beene omitted, if any such place of purgatorie had beene then, as the Pope hath latelie devised for his private and speciall lucre. This sacrificing to _Moloch_ (as some affirme) was usuall among the Gentiles, from whence the Jewes brought it into Israel: and there (of likeliehood) the _Eutichists_ learned the abhomination in that behalfe.

♦2. Re. 23, 10 2. Chr. 33. Jerem. 7.♦

♦Deut. 18, 10 Levi. 18, 21. Id. cap. 20. 2.♦

♦An invincible argument against purgatorie.♦

The third Chapter.

_The Canibals crueltie, of popish sacrifices exceeding in
tyrannie the Jewes or Gentiles._

The incivilitie and cruell sacrifices of popish preests do yet exceed both the Jew and the Gentile: for these take upon them to sacrifice Christ himselfe. And to make their tyrannie the more apparent, they are not contented to have killed him once, but dailie and hourelie torment him with new deaths; yea they are not ashamed to sweare, that with their carnall hands they teare his humane substance, breaking it into small gobbets; and with their externall teeth chew his flesh and bones, contrarie to divine or humane nature; and contrarie to the prophesie, which saith; There shall not a bone of him be broken. Finallie, in the end of their sacrifice (as they say) they eate him up rawe, and swallow downe into their guts everie member and parcell of him: and last of all, that they conveie him into the place where they bestowe the residue of all that which they have devoured that daie. And this same barbarous impietie exceedeth the crueltie of all others: for all the Gentiles consumed their sacrifices with fier, which they thought to be holie.

♦Against the papists abhominable and blasphemous sacrifice of the masse.♦

♦Psal. 34, 20.♦

The fourth Chapter.

_The superstition of the heathen about the element of fier,
and how it grew in such reverence among them, of their
corruptions, and that they had some inkling of the godlie
fathers dooings in that behalfe._

As touching the element of fier, & the superstition therof about those businesses, you shall understand, that manie superstitious people and nations have received, reverenced, & reserved fier, as the most holy thing among their sacrifices: insomuch (I saie) as they have worshipped it among their gods, calling it _Orimasda_ (to wit) holie fier, and divine light. The Greekes called it ἑσίαν, the Romans _Vesta_, which is, The fier of the Lord. Surelie they had heard of the fier that came downe from heaven, and consumed the oblations of the fathers; and they understood it to be God himselfe. For there came to the heathen, the bare names of things, from the doctrine of the godlie fathers and patriarchs, and those so obscured with fables, and corrupted with lies, so overwhelmed with superstitions, and disguised with ceremonies, that it is hard to judge from whence they came. Some cause thereof (I suppose) was partlie the translations of governements, whereby one nation learned follie of another; and partlie blind devotion, without knowledge of Gods word: but speciallie the want of grace, which they sought not for, according to Gods commandement and will. And that the Gentiles had some inkling of the godlie fathers dooings, may diverslie appeare. Doo not the _Muscovits_ and [*]_Indian_ prophets at this daie, like apes, imitate _Esaie_? Bicause he went naked certeine yeares, they forsooth counterfet madnes, and drinke potions for that purpose; thinking that whatsoever they saie in their madnes, will certeinelie come to passe. But hereof is more largelie discoursed before in the word _Kasam_.

♦[*] The Gymnosophists of India their apish imitation of Esaie.♦

The fift Chapter.

_Of the Romane sacrifices: of the estimation they had of augurie,
of the lawe of the twelve tables._

The _Romans_, even after they were growne to great civilitie, and enjoied a most flourishing state and commonwealth, would sometimes sacrifice themselves, sometimes their children, sometimes their friends, &c: consuming the same with fier, which they thought holie. Such estimation (I saie) was attributed to this art of divination upon the entrails of beasts, &c: at _Rome_, as the cheefe princes themselves exercised the same; namelie, _Romulus_, _Fabius Maximus_, _&c_: in so much as there was a decree made there, by the whole senate, that six of the cheefe magistrats sonnes should from time to time be put foorth, to learne the mysterie of these arts of augurie and divination, at _Hetruria_, where the cunning and knowledge thereof most abounded. When they came home well informed and instructed in this art, their estimation and dignitie was such, as they were accounted, reputed, and taken to be the interpreters of the gods, or rather betweene the gods and them. No high preest, nor anie other great officer was elected, but these did either absolutelie nominate them, or else did exhibit the names of two, whereof the senate must choose the one.

In their ancient lawes were written these words: _Prodigia & portenta ad Hetruscos aruspices (si senatus jusserit) deferunto, Hetruriæq; principes disciplinam discunto. Quibus divis decreverunt, procuranto, iisdem fulgura & ostenta pianto, auspicia servanto, auguri parento_: the effect of which words is this; Let all prodigious and portentous matters be carried to the soothsaiers of _Hetruria_, at the will and commandement of the senat; and let the yoong princes be sent to _Hetruria_, there to learne that discipline, or to be instructed in that art and knowledge. Let there be alwaies some solicitor, to learne with what gods they have decreed or determined their matters, and let sacrifices be made unto them in times of lightening, or at anie strange or supernaturall shew. Let all such conjecturing tokens be observed; whatsoever the soothsaier commandeth, let it be religiouslie obeied.

♦The lawe of the twelve tables.♦

The sixt Chapter.

_Colleges of augurors, their office, their number, the
signification of augurie, that the practisers of that art
were couseners, their profession, their places of exercise,
their apparrell, their superstition._

_Romulus_ erected three colleges or centuries of those kinds of soothsaiers, which onelie (and none other) should have authoritie to expound the minds and admonishments of the gods. Afterwards that number was augmented to five, and after that to nine: for they must needs be od. In the end, they increased so fast, that they were feine to make a decree for staie from the further proceeding in those erections: like to our statute of _Mortmaine_. Howbeit, _Silla_ (contrarie to all orders and constitutions before made) increased that number to foure and twentie.

♦_Magna charta. Hen. 3. 36. 7 Ed. 1. 15. Ri. 2. 5._♦

And though _Augurium_ be most properlie that divination, which is gathered by birds; yet bicause this word _Nahas_ comprehendeth all other kinds of divination, as _Extispicium_, _aruspicium_, &c_: which is as well the ghessing upon the entrailes of beasts, as divers other waies: omitting physiognomie and palmestrie, and such like, for the tediousnes and follie thereof; I will speake a little of such arts, as were above measure regarded of our elders: neither mind I to discover the whole circumstance, but to refute the vanitie thereof, and speciallie of the professors of them, which are and alwaies have beene cousening arts, and in them conteined both speciall and severall kinds of witchcrafts. For the maisters of these faculties have ever taken upon them to occupie the place and name of God; blasphemouslie ascribing unto themselves his omnipotent power, to foretell, &c: whereas, in truth, they could or can doo nothing, but make a shew of that which is not.

One matter, to bewraie their cousening, is; that they could never worke nor foreshew anie thing to the poore or inferior sort of people: for portentous shewes (saie they) alwaies concerned great estates. Such matters as touched the baser sort, were inferior causes; which the superstition of the people themselves would not neglect to learne. Howbeit, the professors of this art descended not so lowe, as to communicate with them: for they were preests (which in all ages and nations have beene jollie fellowes) whose office was, to tell what should come to passe, either touching good lucke, or bad fortune; to expound the minds, admonitions, warnings and threatnings of the gods, to foreshew calamities, &c: which might be (by their sacrifices and common contrition) remooved and qualified. And before their entrance into that action, they had manie observations, which they executed verie superstitiouslie; pretending that everie bird and beast, &c, should be sent from the gods as foreshewes of somewhat. And therefore first they used to choose a cleare daie, and faire wether to doo their busines in: for the which their place was certeinelie assigned, as well in _Rome_ as in _Hetruria_, wherein they observed everie quarter of the element, which waie to looke, and which way to stand, &c. Their apparell was verie preestlike, of fashion altered from all others, speciallie at the time of their praiers, wherein they might not omit a word nor a syllable: in respect whereof one read the service, and all the residue repeated it after him, in the maner of a procession.

♦A manifest discoverie of augurors cousenage.♦

The seventh Chapter.

_The times and seasons to exercise augurie, the maner and order
thereof, of the ceremonies thereunto belonging._

No lesse regard was there had of the times of their practise in that ministerie: for they must beginne at midnight, and end at noone, not travelling therein in the decaie of the day, but in the increase of the same; neither in the sixt or seventh houre of the daie, nor yet after the moneth of August; bicause then yoong birds flie about, and are diseased, and unperfect, mounting their fethers, and flieng out of the countrie: so as no certeine ghesse is to be made of the gods purposes by them at those seasons. But in their due times they standing with a bowed wand in their hand, their face toward the east, &c: in the top of an high tower, the weather being cleare, watch for birds, noting from whence they came, and whether they flie, and in what sort they wag their wings, &c.

♦Note the superstitious ceremonies of augurors.♦

The eight Chapter.

_Upon what signes and tokens augurors did prognosticate,
observations touching the inward and outward parts of beasts,
with notes of beasts behaviour in the slaughterhouse._

These kind of witches, whom we have now in hand, did also prognosticate good or bad lucke, according to the soundnes or imperfection of the entrailes of beasts; or according to the superfluities or infirmities of nature; or according to the abundance of humors unnecessarie, appearing in the inward parts and bowels of the beasts sacrificed. For as touching the outward parts, it was alwaies provided and foreseene, that they should be without blemish. And yet there were manie tokens and notes to be taken of the externall actions of those beasts, at the time of sacrifice: as if they would not quietlie be brought to the place of execution, but must be forceablie hailed; or if they brake loose; or if by hap, cunning, or strength they withstood the first blowe; or if after the butchers blowe, they leaped up, rored, stood fast; or being fallen, kicked, or would not quietlie die, or bled not well; or if anie ill newes had beene heard, or anie ill sight seene at the time of slaughter or sacrifice: which were all significations of ill lucke and unhappie successe. On the other side, if the slaughterman performed his office well, so as the beast had beene well chosen, not infected, but whole and sound, and in the end faire killed; all had beene safe: for then the gods smiled.

♦Observations in the art augurificall.♦

The ninth Chapter.

_A confutation of augurie, Plato his reverend opinion thereof,
of contrarie events, and false predictions._

But what credit is to be attributed to such toies and chances, which grow not of nature, but are gathered by the superstition of the interpretors? As for birds, who is so ignorant that conceiveth not, that one flieth one waie, another another waie, about their privat necessities? And yet are the other divinations more vaine and foolish. Howbeit, _Plato_ thinketh a commonwealth cannot stand without this art, and numbereth it among the liberall sciences. These fellowes promised _Pompeie_, _Cassius_, and _Cæsar_, that none of them should die before they were old, and that in their owne houses, and in great honor; and yet they all died cleane contrarilie. Howbeit doubtles, the heathen in this point were not so much to be blamed, as the sacrificing papists: for they were directed hereunto without the knowledge of Gods promises; neither knew they the end why such ceremonies and sacrifices were instituted; but onelie understood by an uncerteine and slender report, that God was woont to send good or ill successe to the children of Israell, and to the old patriarchs and fathers, upon his acceptance or disallowance of their sacrifices and oblations. But men in all ages have beene so desirous to know the effect of their purposes, the sequele of things to come, and to see the end of their feare and hope; that a seelie witch, which had learned anie thing in the art of cousenage, may make a great manie jollie fooles.

♦_Plato in Phædro, in Timeo, in lib. de Republ._♦

♦Wherein the papists are more blame worthie than the heathen.♦

The tenth Chapter.

_The cousening art of sortilege or lotarie, practised especiallie by
Aegyptian vagabonds, of allowed lots, of Pythagoras his lot, &c._

The counterfeit _Aegyptians_, which were indeed cousening vagabonds, practising the art called _Sortilegium_, had no small credit among the multitude: howbeit, their divinations were as was their fast and loose, and as the witches cures and hurtes, & as the soothsaiers answers, and as the conjurors raisings up of spirits, and as _Apollos_ or the Rood of graces oracles, and as the jugglers knacks of legierdemaine, and as the papists exorcismes, and as the witches charmes, and as the counterfeit visions, and as the couseners knaveries. Hereupon it was said; _Non inveniatur inter vos menahas_, that is _Sortilegus_, which were like to these Aegyptian couseners. As for other lots, they were used, and that lawfullie; as appeareth by _Jonas_ and others that were holie men, and as may be seene among all commonwelths, for the deciding of diverse controversies, &c: wherein thy neighbour is not misused, nor God anie waie offended. But in truth I thinke, bicause of the cousenage that so easilie may be used herein, God forbad it in the commonwealth of the Jewes, though in the good use thereof it was allowed in matters of great weight; as appeareth both in the old and new testament; and that as well in doubtfull cases and distributions, as in elections and inheritances, and pacification of variances. I omit to speake anie thing of the lots comprised in verses, concerning the lucke ensuing, either of _Virgil_, _Homer_, or anie other, wherein fortune is gathered by the sudden turning unto them: bicause it is a childish and ridiculous toie, and like unto childrens plaie at _Primus secundus_, or the game called The philosophers table: but herein I will referre you to the bable it selfe, or else to _Bodin_, or to some such sober writer thereupon; of whome there is no want.

♦Sortilege or lotshare.♦

♦Levit. 16. Num. 33. & 36. Josu. 14. 1. Chron. 24 & 26. Prover. 18. Jonas. 1. Acts. 1.♦

There is a lot also called _Pythagoras_ lot, which (some saie) _Aristotle_ beleeved: and that is, where the characters of letters have certeine proper numbers; whereby they divine (through the proper names of men) so as the numbers of each letters being gathered in a summe, and put togither, give victorie to them whose summe is the greater; whether the question be of warre, life, matrimonie, victorie, &c: even as the unequall number of vowels in proper names portendeth lacke of sight, halting, &c: which the godfathers and godmothers might easilie prevent, if the case stood so.

♦Of Pythagoras lot.♦

The eleventh Chapter.

_Of the Cabalisticall art, consisting of traditions and unwritten
verities learned without booke, and of the division thereof._

Here is place also for the Cabalisticall art, consisting of unwritten verities, which the Jewes doo beleeve and brag that God himselfe gave to _Moses_ in the mount _Sinai_; and afterwards was taught onelie with livelie voice, by degrees of succession, without writing, untill the time of _Esdras_: even as the scholers of _Archippus_ did use wit and memorie in steed of bookes. They divide this in twaine; the one expoundeth with philosophicall reason the secrets of the lawe and the bible, wherein (they saie) that _Salomon_ was verie cunning; bicause it is written in the Hebrew stories, that he disputed from the Cedar of _Libanus_, even to the Hisop, and also of birds, beasts, &c. The other is as it were a symbolicall divinitie of the highest contemplation, of the divine and angelike vertues, of holie names and signes; wherein the letters, numbers, figures, things and armes, the prickes over the letters, the lines, the points, and the accents doo all signifie verie profound things and great secrets. By these arts the Atheists suppose _Moses_ wrote all his miracles, and that hereby they have power over angels and divels, as also to doo miracles: yea and that hereby all the miracles that either anie of the prophets, or Christ himselfe wrought, were accomplished.

♦The art Cabalisticall divided.♦

But _C. Agrippa_ having searched to the bottome of this art, saith it is nothing but superstition and follie. Otherwise you maie be sure Christ would not have hidden it from his church. For this cause the Jewes were so skilfull in the names of God. But there is none other name in heaven or earth, in which we might be saved, but Jesus: neither is that meant by his bare name, but by his vertue and goodnes towards us. These Cabalists doo further brag, that they are able hereby, not onelie to find out and know the unspeakeable mysteries of God; but also the secrets which are above scripture; whereby also they take upon them to prophesie, and to worke miracles: yea hereby they can make what they list to be scripture; as _Valeria Proba_ did picke certeine verses out of _Virgil_ alluding them to Christ. And therefore these their revolutions are nothing but allegoricall games, which idle men busied in letters, points, and numbers (which the Hebrew toong easilie suffereth) devise, to delude and cousen the simple and ignorant. And this they call Alphabetarie or Arythmanticall divinitie, which Christ shewed to his apostles onelie, and which _Paule_ saith he speaketh but among perfect men; and being high mysteries are not to be committed unto writing, and so made popular. There is no man that readeth anie thing of this _Cabalisticall_ art, but must needs think upon the popes cunning practises in this behalfe, who hath _In scrinio pectoris_, not onelie the exposition of all lawes, both divine and humane, but also authoritie to adde thereunto, or to drawe backe therefrom at his pleasure: and this may he lawfullie doo even with the scriptures, either by addition or substraction, after his owne pontificall liking. As for example: he hath added the Apocrypha (whereunto he might as well have joined S. _Augustines_ works, or the course of the civill lawe, &c:) Againe, he hath diminished from the decalog or ten commandements, not one or two words, but a whole precept, namelie the second, which it hath pleased him to dash out with his pen: and trulie he might as well by the same authoritie have rased out of the testament S. _Markes_ gospell.

♦_C. Agrippa lib. de vanit. scient._♦

♦The blasphemie of the Cabalists.♦

♦_In concil. Trident._♦

♦[C. of Trent 1550]♦

The twelfe Chapter.

_When, how, and in what sort sacrifices were first ordained,
and how they were prophaned, and how the pope corrupteth the
sacraments of Christ._