Chapter XIV: Part 14

♦_Ovid Metamorph. lib. 3. fab. 2._♦

♦_Ovid. Metamorph. 14. fab. 5, 6._♦

Neverthelesse, popish writers (I confesse) have advantage herein of our protestants: for (besides these poeticall proofes) they have (for advantage) the word and authoritie of the pope himselfe, and others of that holie crue; whose charmes, conjurations, blessings, curssings, &c: I meane in part (for a tast) to set downe; giving you to understand, that poets are not altogither so impudent as papists herein, neither seeme they so ignorant, prophane, or impious. And therefore I will shew you how lowd also they lie, and what they on the other side ascribe to their charmes and conjurations; and togither will set downe with them all maner of witches charmes, as convenientlie as I maie.

♦The authors transition to his purposed scope.♦

The ninth Chapter.

_Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastcote of
proofe, a charme for the falling evill, a writing brought to
S. Leo from heaven by an angell, the vertues of S. Saviors
epistle, a charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs
wounds, of the crosse, &c._

These vertues under these verses (written by pope _Urbane_ the fift to the emperour of the _Græcians_) are conteined in a periapt or tablet, to be continuallie worne about one, called _Agnus Dei_, which is a little cake, having the picture of a lambe carrieng of a flag on the one side; and Christs head on the other side, and is hollow: so as the gospell of S. _John_, written in fine paper, is placed in the concavitie thereof: and it is thus compounded or made, even as they themselves report.

_Balsamus & munda cera, cum chrismatis unda
Conficiunt agnum, quod munus do tibi magnum,
Fonte velut natum, per mystica sanctificatum:
Fulgura desursum depellit, & omne malignum,
Peccatum frangit, ut Christi sanguis, & angit,
Prægnans servatur, simul & partus liberatur,
Dona refert dignis, virtutem destruit ignis,
Portatus mundè de fluctibus eripit undæ:_

_Balme, virgine wax, and holie water,
an Agnus Dei make:
A gift than which none can be greater,
I send thee for to take._
_From founteine cleere the same hath issue,
in secret sanctifide:
Gainst lightning it hath soveraigne vertue,
and thunder crackes beside.
Ech hainous sinne it weares and wasteth,
even as Christs precious blood,
And women, whiles their travell lasteth,
it saves, it is so good.
It doth bestow great gifts and graces,
on such as well deserve:
And borne about in noisome places,
from perill doth preserve.
The force of fire, whose heat destroieth,
it breaks and bringeth downe:
And he or she that this enjoieth,
no water shall them drowne._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

♦Looke in the Beehive of the Romish church. Lib. 4. cap. 1. fol. 243.♦

¶ _A charme against shot, or a wastcote of proofe._

Before the comming up of these _Agnus Deis_, a holie garment called a wastcote for necessitie was much used of our forefathers, as a holy relike, &c: as given by the pope, or some such archconjuror, who promised thereby all manner of immunitie to the wearer thereof; in somuch as he could not be hurt with anie shot or other violence. And otherwise, that woman that would weare it, should have quicke deliverance: the composition thereof was in this order following.

On Christmas daie at night, a threed must be sponne of flax, by a little virgine girle, in the name of the divell: and it must be by hir woven, and also wrought with the needle. In the brest or forepart thereof must be made with needle worke two heads; on the head at the right side must be a hat, and a long beard; the left head must have on a crowne, and it must be so horrible, that it maie resemble Belzebub, and on each side of the wastcote must be made a crosse.

♦The maner of making a wastecote of proofe.♦

¶ _Against the falling evill._

Moreover, this insuing is another counterfet charme of theirs, whereby the falling evill is presentlie remedied.

_Gaspar fert myrrham, thus Melchior, Balthasar aurum,
Hæc tria qui secum portabit nomina regum,
Solvitur à morbo Christi pietate caduco._

_Gasper with his myrh beganne
these presents to unfold,
Then Melchior brought in frankincense,
and Balthasar brought in gold.
Now he that of these holie kings
the names about shall beare,
The falling yll by grace of Christ
shall never need to feare._

This is as true a copie of the holie writing, that was brought downe from heaven by an angell to S. _Leo_ pope of _Rome_; & he did bid him take it to king _Charles_, when he went to the battell at _Roncevall_. And the angell said, that what man or woman beareth this writing about them with good devotion, and saith everie daie three _Pater nosters_, three _Aves_, and one _Creede_, shall not that daie be overcome of his enimies, either bodilie or ghostlie; neither shalbe robbed or slaine of theeves, pestilence, thunder, or lightening; neither shall be hurt with fier or water, nor combred with spirits, neither shall have displeasure of lords or ladies: he shall not be condemned with false witnesse, nor taken with fairies, or anie maner of axes, nor yet with the falling evill. Also, if a woman be in travell, laie this writing upō hir bellie, she shall have easie deliverance, and the child right shape and christendome, and the mother purification of holy church, and all through vertue of these holie names of Jesus Christ following:

♦These effects are too good to be true in such a patched peece of poperie.♦

_✠ Jesus ✠ Christus ✠ Messias ✠ Soter ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Sabbaoth ✠
Adonai ✠ Unigenitus ✠ Majestas ✠ Paracletus ✠ Salvator noster
✠ Agiros iskiros ✠ Agios ✠ Adanatos ✠ Gasper ✠ Melchior ✠ &
Balthasar ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes._

The epistle of S. _Savior_, which pope _Leo_ sent to king _Charles_, saieng, that whosoever carrieth the same about him, or in what daie so ever he shall read it, or shall see it, he shall not be killed with anie iron toole, nor be burned with fier, nor be drowned with water, neither anie evill man or other creature maie hurt him. The crosse of Christ is a woonderfull defense ✠ the crosse of Christ be alwaies with me ✠ the crosse is it which I doo alwaies worship ✠ the crosse of Christ is true health ✠ the crosse of Christ dooth lose the bands of death ✠ the crosse of Christ is the truth and the waie ✠ I take my journie upon the crosse of the Lord ✠ the crosse of Christ beateth downe everie evill ✠ the crosse of Christ giveth all good things ✠ the crosse of Christ taketh awaie paines everlasting ✠ the crosse of Christ save me ✠ O crosse of Christ be upon me, before me, and behind me ✠ bicause the ancient enimie cannot abide the sight of thee ✠ the crosse of Christ save me, keepe me, governe me, and direct me ✠ Thomas bearing this note of thy divine majestie ✠ Alpha ✠ Omega ✠ first ✠ and last ✠ middest ✠ and end ✠ beginning ✠ and first begotten ✠ wisedome ✠ vertue ✠.

¶ _A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but
carried about one, against theeves._

I doo go, and I doo come unto you with the love of God, with the humilitie of Christ, with the holines of our blessed ladie, with the faith of _Abraham_, with the justice of _Isaac_, with the vertue of _David_, with the might of _Peter_, with the constancie of _Paule_, with the word of God, with the authoritie of _Gregorie_, with the praier of _Clement_, with the floud of _Jordan_, _ꝑ ꝑ p c g e g a q q est p t 1 ka b g l k 2 a x t g t b am[*] g 2 4 2 1 q; p x c g k q a 9 9 p o q q r_. Oh onelie Father ✠ oh onlie lord ✠ And Jesus ✠ passing through the middest of them ✠ went ✠ In the name of the Father ✠ and of the Sonne ✠ and of the Holie-ghost ✠.

♦[_ꝑ_ = _per_ or _par_]♦

♦[*] [_a m_ 2. ed.]♦

¶ _Another amulet._

_Joseph_ of _Arimathea_ did find this writing upon the wounds of the side of Jesus Christ, written with Gods finger, when the bodie was taken away frō the crosse. Whosoever shall carrie this writing about him, shall not die anie evill death, if he beleeve in Christ, and in all perplexities he shall soone be delivered, neither let him feare any danger at all. _Fons ✠ alpha & omega ✠ figa ✠ figalis ✠ Sabbaoth ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Adonai ✠ o ✠ Neray ✠ Elay ✠ Ihe ✠ Rentone ✠ Neger ✠ Sahe ✠ Pangeton ✠ Commen ✠ a ✠ g ✠ l ✠ a ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes ✠ ✠ ✠ titulus triumphalis ✠ Jesus Nasarenus rex Judæorum ✠ ecce dominicæ crucis signum ✠ fugite partes adversæ, vicit leo de tribu Judæ, radix, David, aleluijah, Kyrie eleeson, Christe eleeson, pater noster, ave Maria, & ne nos, & veniat super nos salutare tuum: Oremus, &c._[*]

♦[*] [From _Fons_ is in Rom. from _titulus_ in Ital.]♦

I find in a Primer intituled The houres of our Ladie, after the use of the church of _Yorke_, printed anno 1516. a charme with this titling in red letters; To all them that afore this image of pitie devoutlie shall saie [*]five _Pater nosters_, five _Aves_, and one _Credo_, pitiouslie beholding these armes of Christs passion, are granted thirtie two thousand seven hundred fiftie five yeares of pardon. It is to be thought that this pardon was granted in the time of pope _Boniface_ the ninth; for _Platina_ saith that the pardons were sold so cheape, that the apostolicall authoritie grew into contempt.

♦[*] If the party faile in the number, he may go whistle for a pardon.♦

¶ _A papisticall charme._

_Signum sanctæ crucis defendat me à malis præsentibus, præteritis, & futuris, interioribus & exterioribus_: that is, The signe of the crosse defend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward.

¶ _A charme found in the canon of the masse._

Also this charme is found in the canon of the masse, _Hæc sacrosancta commixtio corporis & sanguinis domini nostri Jesu Christi fiat mihi, omnibúsque sumentibus, salus mentis & corporis, & ad vitam promerendam, & capessendam, præparatio salutaris_: that is, Let this holie mixture of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto me, and unto all receivers thereof, health of mind and bodie, and to the deserving and receiving of life an healthfull preparative.

¶ _Other papisticall charmes._

_Aqua benedicta, sit mihi salus & vita:_
_Let holie water be, both health and life to me._
_Adque nomen Martini omnis hæreticus fugiat pallidus,_
_When Martins name is soong or said,
Let heretikes flie as men dismaid._

♦_By Ab. Fleming._♦

But the papists have a harder charme than that; to wit, Fier and fagot, Fier and fagot.

¶ _A charme of the holie crosse._

_Nulla salus est in domo,
Nisi cruce munit homo
Superliminaria.
Neque sentit gladium,
Nec amisit filium,
Quisquis egit talia._

_No health within the house dooth dwell,
Except a man doo crosse him well,
at everie doore or frame,
He never feeleth the swords point,
Nor of his sonne shall loose a joint,
that dooth performe the same._

_Furthermore as followeth._

_Ista suos fortiores
Semper facit, & victores,
Morbos sanat & languores,
Reprimit dæmonia.
Dat captivis libertatem,
Vitæ confert novitatem,
Ad antiquam dignitatem,
Crux reduxit omnia.
O Crux lignum triumphale,
Mundi vera salus vale,
Inter ligna nullum tale,
Fronde, flore, germine.
Medicina Christiana,
Salva sanos, ægros sana,
Quod non valet vis humana,
Fit in tuo nomine, &c._

♦_Sancta crux æquiparatur salutifero Christo. O blasphæmiam inenarrabilem!_♦

_It makes hir souldiers excellent,
and crowneth them with victorie,
Restores the lame and impotent,
and healeth everie maladie.
The divels of hell it conquereth,
releaseth from imprisonment,
Newnesse of life it offereth,
it hath all at commandement.
O crosse of wood incomparable,
to all the world most holsome:
No wood is halfe so honourable,
in branch, in bud, or blossome.
O medcine which Christ did ordaine,
the sound save everie hower,
The sicke and sore make whole againe,
by vertue of thy power.
And that which mans unablenesse,
hath never comprehended,
Grant by thy name of holinesse,
it may be fullie ended, &c._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._ Looke in the Beehive of the Romish church. lib. 4. cap. 3. fol. 251, 252.♦

¶ _A charme taken out of the Primer._

This charme following is taken out of the Primer aforesaid. _Omnipotens ✠ Dominus ✠ Christus ✠ Messias ✠_ with 34. names more, & as many crosses, & then proceeds in this wise; _Ista nomina me protegant ab omni adversitate, plaga, & infirmitate corporis & animæ, plenè liberent, & assistent in auxilium ista nomina regum, Gasper, &c: & 12 apostoli (videlicet) Petrus, &c: & 4 evangelistæ (videlicet) Matthæus, &c: mihi assistent in omnibus necessitatibus meis, ac me defendant & liberent ab omnibus periculis & corporis & animæ, & omnibus malis præteritis, præsentibus, & futuris, &c._

The tenth Chapter.

_How to make holie water, and the vertues therof. S. Rufins
charme, of the wearing and bearing of the name of Jesus, that
the sacrament of confession and the eucharist is of as much
efficacie as other charmes, & magnified by L. Vairus._

If I did well, I should shew you the confection of all their stuffe, and how they prepare it; but it would be too long. And therefore you shall onlie have in this place a few notes for the composition of certeine receipts, which in stead of an Apothecarie if you deliver to any morrowmasse preest, he will make them as well as the pope himselfe. Marie now they wax everie parlement deerer and deerer; although therewithall, they utter many stale drugs of their owne.

If you looke in the popish pontificall, you shall see how they make their holie water; to wit, in this sort: I conjure thee thou creature of water, in the name of the father, and of the sonne, & of the Holie-ghost, that thou drive the divell out of everie corner and hole of this church, and altar; so as he remaine not within our precincts that are just and righteous. And water thus used (as _Durandus_ saith) hath power of his owne nature to drive away divels. If you will learne to make any more of this popish stuffe, you may go to the verie masse booke, and find manie good receipts: marrie if you search _Durandus_, &c; you shall find abundance.

♦_In ecclesiæ dedicatione._♦

♦_In rationali divinorum officiorum._♦

I know that all these charmes, and all these palterie confections (though they were farre more impious and foolish) will be mainteined and defended by massemongers, even as the residue will be by witchmongers: and therefore I will in this place insert a charme, the authoritie wherof is equall with the rest, desiring to have their opinions herein. I find in a booke called _Pomœrium sermonum quadragesimalium_, that S. _Francis_ seeing _Rufinus_ provoked of the divell to thinke himselfe damned, charged Rufinus to saie this charme, when he next met with the divell; _Aperi os, & ibi imponam stircus_, which is as much to saie in English as, Open thy mouth and I will put in a plumme: a verie ruffinlie charme.

♦_Pom. sermon. 32._♦

_Leonard Vairus writeth, De veris, piis, ac sanctis amuletis fascinum atq́; omnia veneficia destruentibus_; wherein he speciallie commendeth the name of Jesus to be worne. But the sacrament of confession he extolleth above all things, saieng, that whereas Christ with his power did but throwe divels out of mens bodies, the preest driveth the divell out of mans soule by confession. For (saith he) these words of the preest, when he saith, _Ego te absolvo_, are as effectuall to drive awaie the princes of darknes, through the mightie power of that saieng, as was the voice of God to drive awaie the darknes of the world, when at the beginning he said, _Fiat lux_. He commendeth also, as holesome things to drive awaie divels, the sacrament of the eucharist, and solitarines, and silence. Finallie he saith, that if there be added hereunto an _Agnus Dei_, and the same be worne about ones necke by one void of sinne, nothing is wanting that is good and holesome for this purpose. But he concludeth, that you must weare and make dints in your forhead, with crossing your selfe when you put on your shooes, and at everie other action, &c: and that is also a present remedie to drive awaie divels, for they cannot abide it.

♦_L. Vairus. lib. de fascin. 3. cap. 10._♦

♦_Idem, ibid._♦

♦_Idem, ibid._♦

The eleventh Chapter.

_Of the noble balme used by Moses, apishlie counterfeited in
the church of Rome._

The noble balme that _Moses_ made, having indeed manie excellent vertues, besides the pleasant and comfortable savour thereof; wherewithall _Moses_ in his politike lawes enjoined kings, queenes, and princes to be annointed in their true and lawfull elections and coronations, untill the everlasting king had put on man upon him, is apishlie counterfeited in the Romish church, with diverse terrible conjurations, three breathings, crossewise, (able to make a quezie stomach spue) nine mumblings, and three curtsies, saieng thereunto, _Ave sanctum oleum, ter ave sanctum balsamum_. And so the divell is thrust out, and the Holie-ghost let into his place. But as for _Moses_ his balme, it is not now to be found either in _Rome_ or elsewhere that I can learne. And according to this papisticall order, witches, and other superstitious people follow on, with charmes and conjurations made in forme; which manie bad physicians also practise, when their learning faileth, as maie appeare by example in the sequele.

The twelfe Chapter.

_The opinion of Ferrarius touching charmes, periapts,
appensions, amulets, &c. Of Homericall medicines, of constant
opinion, and the effects thereof._

_Argerius Ferrarius_, a physician in these daies of great account, doth saie, that for somuch as by no diet nor physicke anie disease can be so taken awaie or extinguished, but that certeine dregs and relikes will remaine: therefore physicians use physicall alligations, appensions, periapts, amulets, charmes, characters, &c, which he supposeth maie doo good; but harme he is sure they can doo none: urging that it is necessarie and expedient for a physician to leave nothing undone that may be devised for his patients recoverie; and that by such meanes manie great cures are done. He citeth a great number of experiments out of _Alexander Trallianus_, _Aetius_, _Octavianus_, _Marcellus_, _Philodotus_, _Archigines_, _Philostratus_, _Plinie_, and _Dioscorides_; and would make men beleeve that _Galen_ (who in truth despised and derided all those vanities) recanted in his latter daies his former opinion, and all his invectives tending against these magicall cures: writing also a booke intituled _De Homerica medicatione_, which no man could ever see, but one _Alexander Trallianus_, who saith he saw it: and further affirmeth, that it is an honest mans part to cure the sicke, by hooke or by crooke, or by anie meanes whatsoever. Yea he saith that _Galen_ (who indeed wrote and taught that _Incantamenta sunt muliercularum figmenta_, and be the onlie clokes of bad physicians) affirmeth, that there is vertue and great force in incantations. As for example (saith _Trallian_) _Galen_ being now reconciled to this opinion, holdeth and writeth, that the bones which sticke in ones throte, are avoided and cast out with the violence of charmes and inchanting words; yea and that thereby the stone, the chollicke, the falling sicknes, and all fevers, gowts, fluxes, fistulas, issues of bloud, and finallie whatsoever cure (even beyond the skill of himselfe or anie other foolish physician) is cured and perfectlie healed by words of inchantment. Marie M. _Ferrarius_ (although he allowed and practised this kind of physicke) yet he protesteth that he thinketh it none otherwise effectuall, than by the waie of constant opinion: so as he affirmeth that neither the character, nor the charme, nor the witch, nor the devill accomplish the cure; as (saith he) the experiment of the toothach will manifestlie declare, wherein the cure is wrought by the confidence or diffidence as well of the patient, as of the agent; according to the poets saieng:

♦_Arg. Fer. lib. de medendi methodo. 2. cap. 11._ _De Homerica medicatione._♦

♦This would be examined, to see if Galen be not slandered.♦

_Nos habitat non tartara, sed nec sidera cœli,
Spiritus in nobis qui viget illa facit._

_Not hellish furies dwell in us,
Nor starres with influence heavenlie;
The spirit that lives and rules in us,
Doth every thing ingeniouslie,_

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

This (saith he) commeth to the unlearned, through the opinion which they conceive of the characters and holie words: but the learned that know the force of the mind and imagination, worke miracles by meanes thereof; so as the unlearned must have externall helps, to doo that which the learned can doo with a word onelie. He saith that this is called _Homerica medicatio_, bicause _Homer_ discovered the bloud of the word suppressed, and the infections healed by or in mysteries.

The xiii. Chapter.

_Of the effects of amulets, the drift of Argerius Ferrarius in
the commendation of charmes, &c: foure sorts of Homericall
medicines, & the choice thereof; of imagination._

As touching mine opinion of these amulets, characters, and such other bables, I have sufficientlie uttered it elsewhere: and I will bewraie the vanitie of these superstitious trifles more largelie hereafter. And therefore at this time I onelie saie, that those amulets, which are to be hanged or carried about one, if they consist of hearbs, rootes, stones, or some other metall, they maie have diverse medicinable operations; and by the vertue given to them by God in their creation, maie worke strange effects and cures: and to impute this vertue to anie other matter is witchcraft. And whereas _A. Ferrarius_ commendeth certeine amulets, that have no shew of physicall operation; as a naile taken from a crosse, holie water, and the verie signe of the crosse, with such like popish stuffe: I thinke he laboureth thereby rather to draw men to poperie, than to teach or persuade them in the truth of physicke or philosophie. And I thinke thus the rather, for that he himselfe seeth the fraud hereof; confessing that where these magicall physicians applie three seeds of three leaved grasse to a tertian ague, and foure to a quartane, that the number is not materiall.

But of these Homericall medicines he saith there are foure sorts, whereof amulets, characters, & charmes are three: howbeit he commendeth and preferreth the fourth above the rest; and that he saith consisteth in illusions, which he more properlie calleth stratagems. Of which sort of conclusions he alledgeth for example, how _Philodotus_ did put a cap of lead upon ones head, who imagined he was headlesse, whereby the partie was delivered from his disease or conceipt. Item another cured a woman that imagined, that a serpent or snake did continuallie gnaw and teare hir entrailes; and that was done onelie by giving hir a vomit, and by foisting into the matter vomited a little serpent or snake, like unto that which she imagined was in hir bellie.

♦Foure sorts of Homericall medicines, and which is the principall.♦

Item, another imagined that he alwaies burned in the fier, under whose bed a fier was privilie conveied, which being raked out before his face, his fancie was satisfied, and his heate allaied. Hereunto perteineth, that the hickot is cured with sudden feare or strange newes: yea by that meanes agues and manie other strange and extreame diseases have beene healed. And some that have lien so sicke and sore of the gowt, that they could not remove a joint, through sudden feare of fier, or ruine of houses, have forgotten their infirmities and greefes, and have runne awaie. But in my tract upon melancholie, and the effects of imagination, and in the discourse of naturall magicke, you shall see these matters largelie touched.

♦The force of fixed fansie, opinion, or strong conceipt.♦

The xiiii. Chapter.

_Choice of Charmes against the falling evill, the biting of
a mad dog, the stinging of a scorpion, the toothach, for a
woman in travell, for the Kings evill, to get a thorne out
of any member, or a bone out of ones throte, charmes to be
said fasting, or at the gathering of hearbs, for sore eies,
to open locks, against spirits, for the bots in a horsse, and
speciallie for the Duke of Albas horsse, for sowre wines, &c._

There be innumerable charmes of conjurers, bad physicians, lewd surgians, melancholike witches, and couseners, for all diseases and greefes; speciallie for such as bad physicians and surgions knowe not how to cure, and in truth are good stuffe to shadow their ignorance, whereof I will repeate some.

_For the falling evill._

Take the sicke man by the hand, and whisper these wordes softlie in his eare, I conjure thee by the sunne and moone, and by the gospell of this daie delivered by God to _Hubert_, _Giles_, _Cornelius_, and _John_, that thou rise and fall no more. ❇ Otherwise: Drinke in the night at a spring water out of a skull of one that hath beene slaine. ❇ Otherwise: Eate a pig killed with a knife that slew a man. ❇ Otherwise as followeth.

_Ananizapta ferit mortem, dum lædere quærit,
Est mala mors capta, dum dicitur Ananizapta,
Ananizapta Dei nunc miserere mei._

{ _Ananizapta smiteth death, }
{ whiles harme intendeth he, }
{ This word Ananizapta say, }
{ and death shall captive be, }
{ Ananizapta ô of God, }
have mercie now on me._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

¶ _Against the biting of a mad dog._

Put a silver ring on the finger, within the which these words are graven _✠ Habay ✠ habar ✠ hebar ✠_ & saie to the person bitten with a mad dog, I am thy saviour, loose not thy life: and then pricke him in the nose thrise, that at each time he bleed. ❈ Otherwise: Take pilles made of the skull of one that is hanged. ❈ Otherwise: Write upon a peece of bread, _Irioni, khiriora, esser, khuder, feres_; and let it be eaten by the partie bitten. ❈ Otherwise: _O rex gloriæ Jesu Christe, veni cum pace: In nomine patris max, in nomine filii max, in nomine spiritus sancti prax: Gasper, Melchior, Balthasar ✠ prax ✠ max ✠ Deus I max ✠_

But in troth this is verie dangerous; insomuch as if it be not speedilie and cunninglie prevented, either death or frensie insueth, through infection of the humor left in the wound bitten by a mad dog: which bicause bad surgions cannot cure, they have therfore used foolish cousening charmes. But _Dodonæus_ in his herball saith, that the hearbe Alysson cureth it: which experiment, I doubt not, will proove more true than all the charms in the world. But where he saith, that the same hanged at a mans gate or entrie, preserveth him and his cattell from inchantment, or bewitching, he is overtaken with follie.

♦_J. Bodinus. lib. de dæmon 3. cap. 5._♦

¶ _Against the biting of a scorpion._

Saie to an asse secretlie, and as it were whispering in his eare; I am bitten with a Scorpion.

¶ _Against the toothach._

Scarifie the gums in the greefe, with the tooth of one that hath beene slaine. ❇ Otherwise: _Galbes galbat, galdes galdat_. ❇ Otherwise: _A ab hur hus_, &c. ❇ Otherwise: At saccaring of masse hold your teeth togither, and say [*]_Os non comminuetis ex eo_. ❇ Otherwise: _strigiles falcesq; dentatæ, dentium dolorem persanate_; O horssecombs and sickles that have so many teeth, come heale me now of my toothach.

♦[*] That is, You shall not breake or diminish a bone of him.♦

¶ _A charme to release a woman in travell._

Throwe over the top of the house, where a woman in travell lieth, a stone, or any other thing that hath killed three living creatures; namelie, a man, a wild bore, and a she beare.

¶ _To heale the Kings or Queenes evill, or any other sorenesse in the
throte._

Remedies to cure the Kings or Queenes evill, is first to touch the place with the hand of one that died an untimelie death. ❇ Otherwise: Let a virgine fasting laie hir hand on the sore, and saie; _Apollo_ denieth that the heate of the plague can increase, where a naked virgine quencheth it: and spet three times upon it.

¶ _A charme read in the Romish church, upon saint Blazes daie, that
will fetch a thorne out of anie place of ones bodie, a bone out of
the throte, &c: Lect. 3._

For the fetching of a thorne out of any place of ones bodie, or a bone out of the throte, you shall read a charme in the Romish church upon S. _Blazes_ daie; to wit, Call upon God, and remember S. _Blaze_. This S. _Blaze_ could also heale all wild beasts that were sicke or lame, with laieng on of his hands: as appeareth in the lesson red on his daie, where you shall see the matter at large.

¶ _A charme for the headach._

Tie a halter about your head, wherewith one hath beene hanged.

¶ _A charme to be said each morning by a witch fasting, or at least
before she go abroad._

The fier bites, the fier bites, the fier bites; Hogs turd over it, hogs turd over it, hogs turd over it; The father with thee, the sonne with me, the holie-ghost betweene us both to be: ter. Then spit over one shoulder, and then over the other, and then three times right forward.

¶ _Another charme that witches use at the gathering of their
medicinable hearbs._

_Haile be thou holie hearbe
growing on the ground
All in the mount [*]Calvarie
first wert thou found,
Thou art good for manie a sore,
And healest manie a wound,
In the name of sweete Jesus
I take thee from the ground._

♦[*] Though neither the hearbe nor the witch never came there.♦

¶ _An old womans charme, wherewith she did much good in the
countrie, and grew famous thereby._

An old woman that healed all diseases of cattell (for the which she never tooke any reward but a penie and a loafe) being seriouslie examined by what words she brought these things to passe, confessed that after she had touched the sicke creature, she alwaies departed immediatelie; saieng:

_My loafe in my lap,
my penie in my pursse;
Thou are never the better,
and I am never the wursse._

_Another like charme._

♦Note the force of constant opinion, or fixed fancy.♦

A Gentlewoman having sore eies, made hir mone to one, that promised hir helpe, if she would follow his advise: which was onelie to weare about hir necke a scroll sealed up, whereinto she might not looke. And she conceiving hope of cure thereby, received it under the condition, and left hir weeping and teares, wherewith she was woont to bewaile the miserable darkenesse, which she doubted to indure: whereby in short time hir eies were well amended. But alas! she lost soone after that pretious jewell, and thereby returned to hir woonted weeping, and by consequence to hir sore eies. Howbeit, hir jewell or scroll being found againe, was looked into by hir deere friends, and this onelie posie was conteined therein:

_The divell pull out both thine eies,
And [*]etish in the holes likewise._

♦[*] Spell the word backward, and you shall soone see this slovenlie charme or appension.♦

Whereby partlie you may see what constant opinion can doo, according to the saieng of _Plato_; If a mans fansie or mind give him assurance that a hurtfull thing shall doo him good, it may doo so, &c.

_A charme to open locks._

As the hearbes called _Aethiopides_ will open all locks (if all be true that inchanters saie) with the help of certeine words: so be there charmes also and periapts, which without any hearbs can doo as much: as for example. Take a peece of wax crossed in baptisme, and doo but print certeine floures therein, and tie them in the hinder skirt of your shirt; and when you would undoo the locke, blow thrise therin, saieng; _Arato hoc partiko hoc maratarykin_. I open this doore in thy name that I am forced to breake, as thou brakest hell gates, _In nomine patris, & filii, & spiritus sancti, Amen_.

♦Theevish charmes.♦

¶ _A charme to drive awaie spirits that haunt anie house._

Hang in everie of the foure corners of your house this sentence written upon virgine parchment; _[a]Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum: [b]Mosen habent & prophetas: [c]Exurgat Deus et dissipentur inimici ejus_.

♦This is called and counted the Paracelsian charme.♦

♦[a] Psal. 150.♦

♦[b] Luk. 16.♦

♦[c] Psa. 64.♦

¶ _A prettie charme or conclusion for one possessed._

The possessed bodie must go upon his or hir knees to the church, how farre so ever it be off from their lodging; and so must creepe without going out of the waie, being the common high waie, in that sort, how fowle and durtie soever the same be; or whatsoever lie in the waie, not shunning anie thing whatsoever, untill he come to the church, where he must heare[*] masse devoutlie, and then followeth recoverie.

♦[*] Memorandum that hearing of masse be in no case omitted, quoth Nota.♦

¶ _Another for the same purpose._

There must be commended to some poore begger the saieng of five _Pater nosters_, and five _Aves_; the first to be said in the name of the partie possessed, or bewitched: for that Christ was led into the garden; secondlie, for that Christ did sweat both water and bloud; thirdlie, for that Christ was condemned; fourthlie, for that he was crucified guiltlesse; and fiftlie, for that he suffered to take awaie our sinnes. Then must the sicke bodie heare masse eight daies together, standing in the place where the gospell is said, and must mingle holie water with his meate and his drinke, and holie salt also must be a portion of the mixture.

¶ _Another to the same effect._

The sicke man must fast three daies, and then he with his parents must come to church, upon an embering fridaie, and must heare the masse for that daie appointed, and so likewise the saturdaie and sundaie following. And the preest must read upon the sicke mans head, that gospell which is read in September, and in grape harvest, after the feast of holie crosse _In diebus quatuor temporum_, in ember daies: then let him write it and carrie it aboute his necke, and he shall be cured.

♦_Johannes Anglicus ex Constantino, Gualtero, Bernardo, Gilberto, &c._♦

¶ _Another charme or witch-craft for the same._

This office or conjuration following was first authorised and printed at _Rome_, and afterwards at _Avenion_, _Anno._ 1515. And least that the divell should lie hid in some secret part of the bodie, everie part thereof is named; _Obsecro te Jesu Christe, &c_: that is: I beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ, that thou pull out of everie member of this man all infirmities, from his head, from his haire, from his braine, from his forhead, from his eies, from his nose, from his eares, from his mouth, from his toong, from his teeth, from his jawes, from his throte, from his necke, from his backe, from his brest, from his paps, from his heart, from his stomach, from his sides, from his flesh, from his bloud, from his bones, from his legs, from his feete, from his fingers, from the soles of his feete, from his marrowe, from his sinewes, from his skin, and from everie joint of his members, &c.

Doubtles Jesus Christ could have no starting hole, but was hereby everie waie prevented and pursued; so as he was forced to doo the cure: for it appeareth hereby, that it had beene insufficient for him to have said; Depart out of this man thou uncleane spirit, and that when he so said he did not performe it. I doo not thinke that there will be found among all the heathens superstitious fables, or among the witches, conjurors, couseners, poets, knaves, fooles, &c: that ever wrote, so impudent and impious a lie or charme as is read in _Barnardine de bustis_; where, to cure a sicke man, Christs bodie, to wit: a wafer cake, was outwardlie applied to his side, and entred into his heart, in the sight of all the standers by. Now, if grave authors report such lies, what credit in these cases shall we attribute unto the old wives tales, that _Sprenger_, _Institor_, _Bodine_, and others write? Even as much as to _Ovids Metamorphosis_, _Aesops fables_, _Moores Utopia_, and diverse other fansies; which have as much truth in them, as a blind man hath sight in his eie.

♦_Barnard. de bustis in Rosar. serm. serm. 15._♦

¶ _A charme for the bots in a horsse._

You must both saie and doo thus upon the diseased horsse three daies together, before the sunne rising: _In nomine pa✠tris & fi✠lii & spiritus✠sancti; Exorcizo te vermem per Deum pa✠trem, & fi✠lium & spiritum✠sanctum_: that is, In the name of God the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy-ghost, I conjure thee O worme by God the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy-ghost; that thou neither eat nor drinke the flesh bloud or bones of this horsse; and that thou hereby maist be made as patient as _Job_, and as good as S. _John Baptist_, when he baptised Christ in _Jordan_, _In nomine pa✠tris & fi✠lii & spiritus✠sancti_. And then saie three _Pater nosters_, and three _Aves_, in the right eare of the horsse, to the glorie of the holie trinitie. _Do✠minus fili✠us spiri✠tus Mari✠a._

There are also divers bookes imprinted, as it should appeare with the authoritie of the church of _Rome_, wherein are conteined manie medicinall praiers, not onelie against all diseases of horsses, but also for everie impediment and fault in a horsse: in so much as if a shoo fall off in the middest of his journie, there is a praier to warrant your horsses hoofe, so as it shall not breake, how far so ever he be from the Smithes forge.

Item, the Duke of _Alba_ his horsse was consecrated, or canonized, in the lowe countries, at the solemne masse; wherein the popes bull, and also his charme was published (which I will hereafter recite) he in the meane time sitting as Vice-roy with his consecrated standard in his hand, till masse was done.

♦The smiths will canne them small thankes for this praier.♦

¶ _A charme against vineager._

That wine wax not eager, write on the vessell, [*]_Gustate & videte, quoniam suavis est Dominus_.

♦[*] [Ps. 33. 9. Vulg.]♦

♦O notable blasphemie.♦

The xv. Chapter.

_The inchanting of serpents and snakes, objections aunswered
concerning the same; fond reasons whie charmes take effect
therin, Mahomets pigeon, miracles wrought by an Asse at
Memphis in Aegypt, popish charmes against serpents, of
miracle workers, the tameing of snakes, Bodins lie of snakes._

Concerning the charming of serpents and snakes, mine adversaries (as I have said) thinke they have great advantage by the words of _David_ in the fiftie eight psalme; and by _Jeremie_, chapter eight, expounding the one prophet by _Virgil_, the other by _Ovid_. For the words of _David_ are these; Their poison is like the poison of a serpent, and like a deafe adder, that stoppeth his eare, and heareth not the voice of the charmer, charme he never so cunninglie. The words of _Virgil_ are these, _Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis_. As he might saie, _David_ thou liest; for the cold natured snake is by the charmes of the inchanters broken all to peeces in the field where he lieth. Then commeth _Ovid_, and he taketh his countriemans part, saieng in the name and person of a witch; _Vipereas rumpo verbis & carmine fauces_; that is, I with my words and charmes can breake in sunder the vipers jawes. Marrie _Jeremie_ on the other side encountereth this poeticall witch, and he not onelie defendeth, but expoundeth his fellowe prophets words, and that not in his owne name, but in the name of almightie God; saieng, I will send serpents and cockatrices among you, which cannot be charmed.

♦Psal. 58.♦

♦_Virg. eclog. 8._♦

♦_Ovid. metamor. 7._♦

♦Jerem. 8. 17.♦

Now let anie indifferent man (christian or heathen) judge, whether the words and minds of the prophets doo not directlie oppugne these poets words (I will not saie minds:) for that I am sure they did therein but jest and trifle, according to the common fabling of lieng poets. And certeinlie, I can encounter them two with other two poets; namelie _Propertius_ and _Horace_, the one merrilie deriding, the other seriouslie impugning their fantasticall poetries, concerning the power and omnipotencie of witches. For where _Virgil_, _Ovid_, _&c_: write that witches with their charmes fetch downe the moone and starres from heaven, etc.; _Propertius_ mocketh them in these words following:

_At vos deductæ quibus est fallacia Lunæ,
Et labor in magicis sacra piare focis,
En agedum dominæ mentem convertite nostræ,
Et facite illa meo palleat ore magis,_
_Tunc ego crediderim vobis & sidera & amnes
Posse Circeis ducere carminibus:_

_But you that have the subtill slight,
Of fetching downe the moone from skies;
And with inchanting fier bright,
Attempt to purge your sacrifies:
Lo now, go to, turne (if you can)
Our madams mind and sturdie hart,
And make hir face more pale and wan,
Than mine: which if by magicke art
You doo, then will I soone beleeve,
That by your witching charmes you can
From skies aloft the starres remeeve,
And rivers turne from whence they ran._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

And that you may see more certeinlie, that these poets did but jest and deride the credulous and timerous sort of people, I thought good to shew you what _Ovid_ saith against himselfe, and such as have written so incrediblie and ridiculouslie of witches omnipotencie:

_Nec mediæ magicis finduntur cantibus angues,
Nec redit in fontes unda supina suos:_

_Snakes in the middle are not riven
with charmes of witches cunning,
Nor waters to their fountaines driven
by force of backward running._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

As for _Horace_ his verses I omit them, bicause I have cited them in another place. And concerning this matter _Cardanus_ saith, that at everie eclipse they were woont to thinke, that witches pulled downe the sunne and moone from heaven. And doubtles, hence came the opinion of that matter, which spred so farre, and continued so long in the common peoples mouthes, that in the end learned men grew to beleeve it, and to affirme it in writing.

♦_Card. lib. 15. de var. rer. cap. 80._♦

But here it will be objected, that bicause it is said (in the places by me alledged) that snakes or vipers cannot be charmed; _Ergo_ other things may: To answer this argument, I would aske the witchmonger this question, to wit; Whether it be expedient, that to satisfie his follie, the Holie-ghost must of necessitie make mention of everie particular thing that he imagineth may be bewitched? I would also aske of him, what privilege a snake hath more than other creatures, that he onelie may not, and all other creatures may be bewitched? I hope they will not saie, that either their faith or infidelitie is the cause thereof; neither doo I admit the answer of such divines as saie, that he cannot be bewitched: for that he seduced _Eve_; by meanes whereof God himselfe curssed him; and thereby he is so privileged, as that no witches charme can take hold of him. But more shall be said hereof in the sequele.

♦An objection answered.♦

_Danæus_ saith, that witches charmes take soonest hold upon snakes and adders; bicause of their conference and familiaritie with the divell, whereby the rather mankind through them was seduced. Let us seeke then an answer for this cavill; although in truth it needeth not: for the phrase of speach is absolute, & importes not a speciall qualitie proper to the nature of a viper anie more, than when I saie; A connie cannot flie: you should gather & conclude thereupon, that I ment that all other beasts could flie. But you shall understand, that the cause why these vipers can rather withstand the voice & practise of inchanters and sorcerers, than other creatures, is: for that they being in bodie and nature venomous, cannot so soone or properlie receive their destruction by venome, wherby the witches in other creatures bring their mischeefous practises more easilie to passe, according to _Virgils_ saieng

♦_Dan. in dialog. cap. 3._♦

_Corrupítque lacus, infecit pabula tabo,_

♦_Virg. geo. 4._♦

_She did infect with poison strong
Both ponds and pastures all along._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

And thereupon the prophet alludeth unto their corrupt and inflexible nature, with that comparison: and not (as _Tremelius_ is faine to shift it) with stopping one eare with his taile, and laieng the other close to the ground; bicause he would not heare the charmers voice. For the snake hath neither such reason; nor the words such effect: otherwise the snake must know our thoughts. It is also to be considered, how untame by nature these vipers (for the most part) are; in so much as they be not by mans industrie or cunning to be made familiar, or traind to doo anie thing, whereby admiration maie be procured: as _Bomelio Feates_ his dog could doo; or _Mahomets_ pigeon, which would resort unto him, being in the middest of his campe, and picke a pease out of his eare; in such sort that manie of the people thought that the Holie-ghost came and told him a tale in his eare: the same pigeon also brought him a scroll, wherein was written, _Rex esto_, and laid the same in his necke. And bicause I have spoken of the docilitie of a dog and a pigeon, though I could cite an infinite number of like tales, I will be bold to trouble you but with one more.

♦Feates his dog, and Mahomets pigeon.♦

At _Memphis_ in _Aegypt_, among other juggling knacks, which were there usuallie shewed, there was one that tooke such paines with an asse, that he had taught him all these qualities following. And for gaine he caused a stage to be made, and an assemblie of people to meete; which being done, in the maner of a plaie, he came in with his asse, and said; The _Sultane_ hath great need of asses to helpe to carrie stones and other stuffe, towards his great building which he hath in hand. The asse immediatlie fell downe to the ground, and by all signes shewed himselfe to be sicke, and at length to give up the ghost: so as the juggler begged of the assemblie monie towards his losse. And having gotten all that he could, he said; Now my maisters, you shall see mine asse is yet alive, and dooth but counterfet; bicause he would have some monie to buie him provender, knowing that I was poore, and in some need of releefe. Hereupon he would needs laie a wager, that his asse was alive, who to everie mans seeming was starke dead. And when one had laid monie with him thereabout, he commanded the asse to rise, but he laie still as though he were dead: then did he beate him with a cudgell, but that would not serve the turne, untill he addressed this speech to the asse, saieng (as before) in open audience; The _Sultane_ hath commanded, that all the people shall ride out to morrow, and see the triumph, and that the faire ladies will then ride upon the fairest asses, and will give notable provender unto them, and everie asse shall drinke of the sweete water of _Nilus_: and then lo the asse did presentlie start up, and advance himselfe exceedinglie. Lo (quoth his maister) now I have wonne: but in troth the Maior hath borrowed mine asse, for the use of the old ilfavoured witch his wife: and thereupon immediatlie he hoong downe his eares, and halted downe right, as though he had beene starke lame. Then said his maister; I perceive you love yoong prettie wenches: at which words he looked up, as it were with joifull cheere. And then his maister did bid him go choose one that should ride upon him; and he ran to a verie handsome woman, and touched hir with his head: &c. A snake will never be brought to such familiaritie, &c. _Bodin_ saith, that this was a man in the likenesse of an asse: but I maie rather thinke that he is an asse in the likenesse of a man. Well, to returne to our serpents, I will tell you a storie concerning the charming of them, and the event of the same.

♦A storie declaring the great docilitie of an asse.♦

♦_J. Bod. lib. de dæm. 2. cap. 6._♦

In the citie of _Salisborogh_ there was an inchanter, that before all the people tooke upon him to conjure all the serpents and snakes within one mile compasse into a great pit or dike, and there to kill them. When all the serpents were gathered togither, as he stood upon the brinke of the pit, there came at the last a great and a horrible serpent, which would not be gotten downe with all the force of his incantations: so as (all the rest being dead) he flew upon the inchanter, and clasped him in the middest, and drew him downe into the said dike, and there killed him. You must thinke that this was a divell in a serpents likenesse, which for the love he bare to the poore snakes, killed the sorcerer; to teach all other witches to beware of the like wicked practise. And surelie, if this be not true, there be a great number of lies conteined in _M. Mal._ and in _J. Bodin_. And if this be well weighed, and conceived, it beateth downe to the ground all those witchmongers arguments, that contend to wring witching miracles out of this place. For they disagree notablie, some denieng and some affirming that serpents maie be bewitched. Neverthelesse, bicause in everie point you shall see how poperie agreeth with paganisme, I will recite certeine charmes against vipers, allowed for the most part in and by the church of _Rome_: as followeth.

♦_Mal. malef. part 2. qu. 3. cap 9._ _John. Bodin._♦

I conjure thee O serpent in this houre, by the five holie woonds of our Lord, that thou remove not out of this place, but here staie, as certeinelie as God was borne of a pure virgine. ❈ Otherwise: I conjure thee serpent _In nomine patris, & filii, & spiritus sancti_: I command thee serpent by our ladie S. _Marie_, that thou obeie me, as wax obeieth the fier, and as fier obeieth water; that thou neither hurt me, nor anie other christian, as certeinelie as God was borne of an immaculate virgine, in which respect I take thee up, _In nomine patris & filii, & spiritus sancti: Ely lash eiter, ely lash eiter, ely lash eiter_. ❈ Otherwise: O vermine, thou must come as God came unto the Jewes. ❈ Otherwise: _L. Vairus_ saith, that _Serpens quernis frondibus contacta_, that a serpent touched with oke leaves dieth, and staieth even in the beginning of his going, if a feather of the bird _Ibis_ be cast or throwne upon him: and that a viper smitten or hot with a reed is astonied, and touched with a beechen branch is presentlie numme and stiffe.

♦Exorcismes or conjuratiōs against serpents.♦

♦_L. Vair. lib. de fascinat. 1. cap. 4._♦

Here is to be remembred, that manie use to boast that they are of S. _Paules_ race and kinred, shewing upon their bodies the prints of serpents: which (as the papists affirme) was incident to all them of S. _Paules_ stocke. Marie they saie herewithall, that all his kinsfolks can handle serpents, or anie poison without danger. Others likewise have (as they brag) a _Katharine_ wheele upon their bodies, and they saie they are kin to S. _Katharine_, and that they can carrie burning coles in their bare hands, and dip their said hands in hot skalding liquor, and also go into hot ovens. Whereof though the last be but a bare jest, and to be doone by anie that will prove (as a bad fellow in _London_ had used to doo, making no tariance at all therein:) yet there is a shew made of the other, as though it were certeine and undoubted; by annointing the hands with the juice of mallowes, mercurie, urine, &c: which for a little time are defensatives against these scalding liquors, and scortching fiers.

♦Usurpers of kinred with blessed Paule and S Katharine.♦