Chapter XV: Part 15

But they that take upon them to worke these mysteries and miracles, doo indeed (after rehearsall of these and such like words and charmes) take up even in their bare hands, those snakes and vipers, and sometimes put them about their necks, without receiving anie hurt thereby, to the terror and astonishment of the beholders, which naturallie both feare and abhorre all serpents. But these charmers (upon my word) dare not trust to their charmes, but use such an inchantment, as everie man maie lawfullie use, and in the lawfull use thereof maie bring to passe that they shalbe in securitie, and take no harme, how much soever they handle them: marie with a woollen rag they pull out their teeth before hand, as some men saie; but as truth is, they wearie them, and that is of certeintie. And surelie this is a kind of witchcraft, which I terme private confederacie. _Bodin_ saith, that all the snakes in one countrie were by charmes and verses driven into another region: perhaps he meaneth _Ireland_, where S. _Patrike_ is said to have doone it with his holinesse, &c.

♦_J. Bodin. lib. de dæm. 1. cap. 3._♦

_James Sprenger_, and _Henrie Institor_ affirme, that serpents and snakes, and their skins exceed all other creatures for witchcraft: in so much as witches doo use to burie them under mens threshholds, either of the house or stalles, whereby barrennes is procured both to woman and beast: yea and that the verie earth and ashes of them continue to have force of fascination. In respect whereof they wish all men now and then to dig awaie the earth under their threshholds, and to sprinkle holie water in the place, & also to hang boughes (hallowed on midsummer daie) at the stall doore where the cattell stand: & produce examples thereupon, of witches lies, or else their owne, which I omit; bicause I see my booke groweth to be greater than I meant it should be.

The xvi. Chapter.

_Charmes to carrie water in a sive, to know what is spoken of
us behind our backs, for bleare eies, to make seeds to growe
well, of images made of wax, to be rid of a witch, to hang
hir up, notable authorities against waxen images, a storie
bewraieng the knaverie of waxen images._

_Leonardus Vairus_ saith, that there was a praier extant, whereby might be carried in a sive, water, or other liquor: I thinke it was Clam claie; which a crow taught a maid, that was promised a cake of so great quantitie, as might be kneded of so much floure as she could wet with the water that she brought in a sive, and by that meanes she clamd it with claie, & brought in so much water, as whereby she had a great cake, and so beguiled hir sisters, &c. And this tale I heard among my grandams maides, whereby I can decipher this witchcraft. Item, by the tingling of the eare, men heretofore could tell what was spoken of them. If anie see a scorpion, and saie this word (_Bud_) he shall not be stoong or bitten therewith. These two Greeke letters Π and Α written in a paper, and hoong about ones necke, preserve the partie from bleereiednesse. Cummin or hempseed sowne with curssing and opprobrious words grow the faster and the better. _Berosus Anianus_ maketh witchcraft of great antiquitie: for he saith, that _Cham_ touching his fathers naked member uttered a charme, wherby his father became emasculated or deprived of the powers generative.

♦_L. Vairus lib. fascin. 1. ca. 5. Oratio Tuscæ vestalis._♦

♦Of the word (_Bud_) and the Greeke letters Π & Α.♦

¶ _A charme teaching how to hurt whom you list with images of
wax, &c._

Make an image in his name, whom you would hurt or kill, of new virgine wax; under the right arme poke whereof place a swallowes hart, and the liver under the left; then hang about the necke thereof a new thred in a new needle pricked into the member which you would have hurt, with the rehearsall of certeine words, which for the avoiding of foolish superstition and credulitie in this behalfe is to be omitted. And if they were inserted, I dare undertake they would doo no harme, were it not to make fooles, and catch gudgins. ❈ Otherwise: Sometimes these images are made of brasse, and then the hand is placed where the foote should be, and the foote where the hand, and the face downeward. ❈ Otherwise: For a greater mischeefe, the like image is made in the forme of a man or woman, upon whose head is written the certeine name of the partie: and on his or hir ribs these words, _Ailif, casyl, zaze, hit mel meltat_: then the same must be buried. ❇ Otherwise: In the dominion of _Mars_, two images must be prepared, one of wax, the other of the earth of a dead man; each image must have in his hand a sword wherwith a man hath beene slaine, & he that must be slaine may have his head thrust through with a foine. In both must be written certeine peculiar characters, and then must they be hid in a certeine place. ❇ Otherwise: To obteine a womans love, an image must be made in the houre of _Venus_, of virgine wax, in the name of the beloved, wherupon a character is written, & is warmed at a fier, and in dooing therof the name of some angell must be mentioned. To be utterlie rid of the witch, and to hang hir up by the haire, you must prepare an image of the earth of a dead man to be baptised in another mans name, whereon the name, with a character, must be written: then must it be perfumed with a rotten bone, and then these psalmes read backward: _Domine Dominus noster_, _Dominus illuminatio mea_, _Domine exaudi orationem meam_, _Deus laudem meam ne tacueris_: and then burie it, first in one place, and afterwards in another. Howbeit, it is written in the 21 article of the determination of _Paris_, that to affirme that images of brasse, lead, gold, of white or red wax, or of any other stuffe (conjured, baptised, consecrated, or rather execrated through these magicall arts at certeine days) have woonderfull vertues, or such as are avowed in their bookes or assertions, is error in faith, naturall philosophie, and true astronomie: yea it is concluded in the 22 article of that councell, that it is as great an error to beleeve those things, as to doo them.

♦The practiser of these charmes must have skill in the planetarie motions, or else he may go shoo the goose.♦

But concerning these images, it is certeine that they are much feared among the people, and much used among cousening witches, as partlie appeereth in this discourse of mine else-where, & as partlie you may see by the contents of this storie following. Not long sithence, a yoong maiden (dwelling at new _Romnie_ heere in Kent) being the daughter of one M. _L. Stuppenie_ (late Jurat of the same towne but dead before the execution hereof) and afterwards the wife of _Thomas Eps_, who is at this instant Maior of _Romnie_) was visited with sicknesse, whose mother and father in lawe being abused with credulitie concerning witches supernaturall power, repaired to a famous witch called mother _Baker_, dwelling not far from thence at a place called _Stonstreet_, who (according to witches cousening custome) asked whether they mistrusted not some bad neighbour, to whom they answered that indeed they doubted a woman neere unto them (and yet the same woman was, of the honester & wiser sort of hir neighbors, reputed a good creature.) Nevertheles the witch told them that there was great cause of their suspicion: for the same (said she) is the verie partie that wrought the maidens destruction, by making a hart of wax, and pricking the same with pins and needels; affirming also that the same neighbor of hirs had bestowed the same in some secret corner of the house. This being beleeved, the house was searched by credible persons, but nothing could be found. The witch or wise woman being certified hereof, continued hir assertion, and would needs go to the house where she hir selfe (as she affirmed) would certeinlie find it. When she came thither, she used hir cunning (as it chanced) to hir owne confusion, or at leastwise to hir detection: for heerein she did, as some of the wiser sort mistrusted that she woulde doo, laieng downe privilie such an image (as she had before described) in a corner, which by others had beene most diligentlie searched & looked into, & by that means hir cousenage was notablie bewraied. And I would wish that all witchmongers might paie for their lewd repaire to inchantors, and consultation with witches, and such as have familiar spirits, as some of these did, and that by the order of the high commissioners, which partlie for respect of neighborhood, and partlie for other considerations, I leave unspoken of.

♦A proved storie concerning the premisses.♦

The xvii. Chapter.

_Sundrie sorts of charmes tending to diverse purposes, and first,
certeine charmes to make taciturnitie in tortures._

_Imparibus meritis tria
pendent corpora ramis,
Dismas & Gestas,
in medio est divina potestas,
Dismas damnatur,
Gestas ad astra levatur:_

♦This charm seemeth to allude to Christ crucified betweene the two theevs.♦

_Three bodies on a bough doo hang,
for merits of inequalitie,
Dismas and Gestas, in the midst
the power of the divinitie.
Dismas is damned, but Gestas lif-
ted up above the starres on hie._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

Also this: _Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum veritatem nunquam dicam regi._ ❇ Otherwise: As the milke of our ladie was lussious to our Lord Jesus Christ; so let this torture or rope be pleasant to mine armes and members. ❇ Otherwise: _Jesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat._ ❇ Otherwise: You shall not break a bone of him.

♦Psal. 44.♦

♦Luk. 4.♦

♦John. 19♦

¶ _Counter charmes against these and all other witchcrafts, in the
saieng also whereof witches are vexed, &c._

_Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum, dicam cuncta opera mea regi._ ❇ Otherwise: _Domine labia mea aperies, & os meum annunciabit veritatem._ ❇ Otherwise: _Contere brachia iniqui rei, & lingua maligna subvertetur._

♦Psal. 44. Scripture properlie applied.♦

¶ _A charme for the choine cough._

Take three sips of a chalice, when the preest hath said masse, and swallow it downe with good devotion, &c.

¶ _For corporall or spirituall rest._

_In nomine patris_, up and downe,
_Et filii & spiritus sancti_ upon my crowne,
_Crux Christi_ upon my brest,
Sweete ladie send me eternall rest![*]

♦[*] [Ital. & Rom.]♦

¶ _Charmes to find out a theefe._

The meanes how to find out a theefe, is thus: Turne your face to the east, and make a crosse upon christall with oile olive, and under the crosse write these two words [_Saint Helen_].[*] Then a child that is innocent, and a chast virgine borne in true wedlocke, and not base begotten, of the age of ten yeares, must take the christall in his hand, and behind his backe, kneeling on thy knees, thou must devoutlie and reverentlie saie over this praier thrise: I beseech thee my ladie S. _Helen_, mother of king _Constantine_, which diddest find the crosse whereupon Christ died: by that thy holie devotion, and invention of the crosse, and by the same crosse, and by the joy which thou conceivedst at the finding thereof and by the love which thou barest to thy sonne _Constantine_, and by the great goodnes which thou dooest alwaies use, that thou shew me in this christall, whatsoever I aske or desire to knowe; Amen. And when the child seeth the angell in the christall, demand what you will, and the angell will make answer thereunto. _Memorandum_,[†] that this be doone just at the sunne rising, when the wether is faire and cleere.

♦O most woonderfull vertue hidden in the letters of S. Helens holie name!♦

♦[*] [So in text.]♦

♦[†] [Rom.]♦

_Cardanus_ derideth these and such like fables, and setteth downe his judgement therein accordinglie, in the sixteenth booke _De rerum_ _var._ These conjurors and couseners forsooth will shew you in a glasse the theefe that hath stolne anie thing from you, and this is their order. They take a glasse viall full of holie water, and set it upon a linnen cloth, which hath beene purified, not onelie by washing, but by sacrifice, &c. On the mouth of the viall or urinall, two olive leaves must be laid acrosse, with a litle conjuration said over it, by a child; to wit thus: _Angele bone, angele candide, per tuam sanctitatem, meámq; virginitatem, ostende mihi furem_: with three _Pater nosters_, three _Aves_, and betwixt either of them a [*]crosse made with the naile of the thumbe upon the mouth of the viall; and then shall be seene angels ascending and descending as it were motes in the sunne beames. The theefe all this while shall suffer great torments, and his face shall be seene plainlie, even as plainlie I beleeve as the man in the moone. For in truth, there are toies artificiallie conveied into the glasse, which will make the water bubble, and devises to make images appeare in the bubbles: as also there be artificiall glasses, which will shew unto you that shall looke thereinto, manie images of diverse formes, and some so small and curious, as they shall in favour resemble whom so ever you thinke upon. Looke in _John Bap. Neap._ for the confection of such glasses. The subtilties hereof are so detected, and the mysteries of the glasses so common now, and their cousenage so well knowne, &c: that I need not stand upon the particular confutation hereof. _Cardanus_ in the place before cited reporteth, how he tried with children these and diverse circumstances the whole illusion, and found it to be plaine knaverie and cousenage.

♦_Card. lib. 16. de var. rer. cap. 93._♦

♦[*] For if the crosse be forgotten all is not woorth a pudding.♦

¶ _Another waie to find out a theefe that hath stolne anie
thing from you._

Go to the sea side, and gather as manie pebles as you suspect persons for that matter; carrie them home, and throwe them into the fier, and burie them under the threshhold, where the parties are like to come over. There let them lie three daies, and then before sunne rising take them awaie. Then set a porrenger full of water in a circle, wherein must be made crosses everie waie, as manie as can stand in it; upon the which must be written: Christ overcommeth, Christ reigneth, Christ commandeth. The porrenger also must be signed with a crosse, and a forme of conjuration must be pronounced. Then each stone must be throwne into the water, in the name of the suspected. And when you put in the stone of him that is guiltie, the stone will make the water boile, as though glowing iron were put thereinto. Which is a meere knacke of legier de maine, and to be accomplished diverse waies.

¶ _To put out the theeves eie._

Read the seven [*]psalmes with the Letanie, and then must be said a horrible praier to Christ, and God the father, with a cursse against the theefe. Then in the middest of the step of your foote, on the ground where you stand, make a circle like an eie, and write thereabout certeine barbarous names, and drive with a coopers hammar, or addes into the middest thereof a brasen naile consecrated, saieng: _Justus es Domine, & justa judicia tua_. Then the theefe shall be bewraied by his crieng out.

♦[*] [penitential]♦

¶ _Another waie to find out a theefe._

Sticke a paire of sheeres in the rind of a sive, and let two persons set the top of each of their forefingers upon the upper part of the sheeres, holding it with the sive up from the ground steddilie, and aske _Peter_ and _Paule_ whether A. B. or C. hath stolne the thing lost, and at the nomination of the guiltie person, the sive will turne round. This is a great practise in all countries, and indeed a verie bable. For with the beating of the pulse some cause of that motion ariseth, some other cause by slight of the fingers, some other by the wind gathered in the sive to be staid, &c: at the pleasure of the holders. Some cause may be the imagination, which upon conceipt at the naming of the partie altereth the common course of the pulse. As may well be conceived by a ring held steddilie by a thred betwixt the finger and the thombe, over or rather in a goblet or glasse; which within short space will strike against the side therof so manie strokes as the holder thinketh it a clocke, and then will staie: the which who so prooveth shall find true.

♦These be meere toies to mocke apes, and have in them no commendable devise.♦

¶ _A charme to find out or spoile a theefe._

Of this matter, concerning the apprehension of theeves by words, I will cite one charme, called S. _Adelberts_ cursse, being both for length of words sufficient to wearie the reader, and for substantiall stuffe comprehending all that apperteineth unto blasphemous speech or curssing, allowed in the church of _Rome_, as an excommunication and inchantment.

¶_Saint Adelberts cursse or charme against theeves._

By the authoritie of the omnipotent Father, the Sonne, and the Holie-ghost, and by the holie virgine _Marie_ mother of our Lord Jesu Christ, and the holie angels and archangels, and S. _Michaell_, and S. _John Baptist_, and in the behalfe of S. _Peter_ the apostle, and the residue of the apostles, and of S. _Steeven_, and of all the martyrs, of S. _Sylvester_, and of S. _Adelbert_, and all the confessors, and S. _Alegand_, and all the holie virgins, and of all the saints in heaven and earth, unto whom there is given power to bind and loose: we doo excommunicate, damne, cursse, and bind with the knots and bands of excommunication, and we doo segregate from the bounds and lists of our holie mother the church, all those theeves, sacrilegious persons, ravenous catchers, dooers, counsellers, coadjutors, male or female, that have committed this theft or mischeefe, or have usurped any part therof to their owne use. Let their share be with _Dathan_ and _Abiran_, whome the earth swallowed up for their sinnes and pride, and let them have part with _Judas_ that betraied Christ, Amen: and with _Pontius Pilat_, and with them that said to the Lord, Depart from us, we will not understand thy waies; let their children be made orphanes. Curssed be they in the field, in the grove, in the woods, in their houses, barnes, chambers, and beds; and curssed be they in the court, in the waie, in the towne, in the castell, in the water, in the church, in the churchyard, in the tribunall place, in battell, in their abode, in the market place, in their talke, in silence, in eating, in watching, in sleeping, in drinking in feeling, in sitting, in kneeling, in standing[,] in lieng, in idlenes, in all their worke, in their bodie and soule, in their five wits, and in everie place. Curssed be the fruit of their wombs, and curssed be the fruit of their lands, and curssed be all that they have. Curssed be their heads, their mouthes, their nostrels, their noses, their lips, their jawes, their teeth, their eies and eielids, their braines, the roofe of their mouthes, their toongs, their throtes, their breasts, their harts, their bellies, their livers, all their bowels, and their stomach.

♦This is not to doo good to our enimies, nor to praie for them that hurt and hate us; as Christ exhorteth.♦

Curssed be their navels, their spleenes, their bladder. Curssed be their thighs, their legs, their feete, their toes, their necks, their shoulders. Curssed be their backs, curssed be their armes, curssed be their elbowes, curssed be their hands, and their fingers, curssed be both the nails of their hands and feete; curssed be their ribbes and their genitals, and their knees, curssed be their flesh, curssed be their bones, curssed be their bloud, curssed be the skin of their bodies, curssed be the marrowe in their bones, curssed be they from the crowne of the head, to the sole of the foote: and whatsoever is betwixt the same, be it accurssed, that is to saie, their five senses; to wit, their seeing, their hearing, their smelling, their tasting, and their feeling. Curssed be they in the holie crosse, in the passion of Christ, with his five wounds, with the effusion of his bloud, and by the milke of the virgine _Marie_. I conjure thee _Lucifer_, with all thy soldiers, by the [*]father, the son, and the Holie-ghost, with the humanitie and nativitie of Christ, with the vertue of all saints, that thou rest not day nor night, till thou bringest them to destruction, either by drowning or hanging, or that they be devoured by wild beasts, or burnt, or slaine by their enimies, or hated of all men living. And as our Lord hath given authoritie to _Peter_ the apostle, and his successors, whose place we occupie, and to us (though unworthie) that whatsoever we bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever we loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven: so we accordinglie, if they will not amend, doo shut from them the gates of heaven, and denie unto them christian buriall, so as they shall be buried in asses leaze. Furthermore, curssed be the ground wherein they are buried, let them be confounded in the last daie of judgement, let them have no conversation among christians, nor behouseled[†] at the houre of death; let them be made as dust before the face of the wind: and as _Lucifer_ was expelled out of heaven, and _Adam_ and _Eve_ out of paradise; so let them be expelled from the daie light. Also let them be joined with those, to whome the Lord saith at the judgement; Go ye curssed into everlasting fier, which is prepared for the divell and his angels, where the worme shall not die, nor the fier be quenched. And as the candle, which is throwne out of my hand here, is put out: so let their works and their soule be quenched in the stench of hell fier, except they restore that which they have stolne, by such a daie: and let everie one saie, Amen. After this must be soong [‡]_In media vita in morte sumus, &c._

♦[*] Thus they make the holie trinitie to beare a part in their exorcisme, or else it is no bargaine.♦

♦[†] [be-houseled _text_.]♦

♦Matth. 15.♦

♦[‡] That is, In the midst of life we are in death, &c.♦

This terrible cursse with bell, booke, and candell added thereunto, must needs worke woonders: howbeit among theeves it is not much weighed, among wise and true men it is not well liked, to them that are robbed it bringeth small releefe: the preests stomach may well be eased, but the goods stolne will never the sooner be restored. Hereby is bewraied both the malice and follie of popish doctrine, whose uncharitable impietie is so impudentlie published, and in such order uttered, as everie sentence (if oportunitie served) might be prooved both hereticall and diabolicall. But I will answer this cruell cursse with another cursse farre more mild and civill, performed by as honest a man (I dare saie) as he that made the other, whereof mention was latelie made.

So it was, that a certeine sir _John_,[*] with some of his companie, once went abroad a jetting, and in a moone light evening robbed a millers weire, and stole all his eeles. The poore miller made his mone to sir _John_ himselfe, who willed him to be quiet; for he would so cursse the theefe, and all his confederates, with bell, booke, and candell, that they should have small joy of their fish. And therefore the next sundaie, sir _John_ got him to the pulpit, with his surplisse on his backe, and his stole about his necke, and pronounced these words following in the audience of the people.

♦[*] [i.e. a priest.]♦

_All you that have stolne the millers eeles,[*]
Laudate Dominum de cœlis,
And all they that have consented thereto,[*]
Benedicamus Domino._

♦[*] [Rom.]♦

♦A cursse for theft.♦

Lo (saith he) there is sauce for your eeles my maisters.

¶ _Another inchantment._

Certeine preests use the hundred and eight psalme as an inchantment or charme, or at the leastwise saieng, that against whome soever they pronounce it, they cannot live one whole yeere at the uttermost.

The xviii Chapter.

¶ _A charme or experiment to find out a witch._

_In die dominico sotularia juvenum axungia seu pinguedine porci, ut moris est, pro restauratione fieri perungunt_: and when she is once come into the church, the witch can never get out, untill the [*]seachers for hir give hir expresse leave to depart.

♦[*] [= seekers]♦

But now it is necessarie to shew you how to prevent and cure all mischeefes wrought by these charmes & witchcrafts, according to the opinion of _M. Mal._ and others. One principall waie is to naile a horsse shoo at the inside of the outmost threshhold of your house, and so you shall be sure no witch shall have power to enter thereinto. And if you marke it, you shall find that rule observed in manie countrie houses. ❈ Otherwise: Item the triumphant title to be written crossewise, in everie corner of the house, thus: _Jesus ✠ Nazarenus ✠ rex ✠ Judæorum ✠_. _Memorandum_[*] you may joine heerewithall, the name of the virgine _Marie_, or of the foure evangelists, or _Verbum caro factum est_. ❈ Otherwise: Item in some countries they naile a woolves head on the doore. ❈ Otherwise: Item they hang _Scilla_ (which is either a roote, or rather in this place garlike) in the roofe of the house, for to keepe awaie witches and spirits: and so they doo Alicium also. ❈ Otherwise: Item perfume made of the gall of a blake dog, and his bloud besmeered on the posts and walles of the house, driveth out of the doores both devils and witches. ❈ Otherwise: The house where _Herba betonica_ is sowne, is free from all mischeefes. ❇ Otherwise: It is not unknowne that the Romish church allowed and used the smoke of sulphur, to drive spirits out of their houses; as they did frankincense and water hallowed. ❈ Otherwise: _Apuleius_ saith, that _Mercurie_ gave to _Ulysses_, when he came neere to the inchantresse _Circe_, an hearbe called _Verbascum_, which in English is called Pullein, or _Tapsus barbatus_, or Longwoort; and that preserved him from the inchantments. ❈ Otherwise: Item _Plinie_ and _Homer_ both doo saie, that the herbe called Molie is an excellent herbe against inchantments; and saie[,] all that thereby _Ulysses_ escaped _Circes_ hir sorceries, and inchantments. ❈ Otherwise also diverse waies they went to worke in this case, and some used this defensative, some that preservative against incantations.

♦Preservatives from witchcraft according to M. Mal. L. Vairus & others.♦

♦[*] [Rom.]♦

And heerein you shall see, not onelie how the religion of papists, and infidels agree; but also how their ceremonies and their opinions are all one concerning witches and spirits.

_For thus writeth Ovid touching that matter:[*]_

_Térque senem flamma, ter aqua, ter sulphure lustrat:_

♦_Ovid de Medea._♦

_She purifies with fier thrise
old horie headed Aeson,
With water thrise, and sulphur thrise,
as she thought meet in reason._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

_Againe, the same Ovid commeth in as before:[*]_

_Adveniat, quæ lustret anus, lectúmque locúmque,
Deferat & tremula sulphur & ova manu._

_Let some old woman hither come,
and purge both bed and place,
And bring in trembling hand new egs
and sulphur in like case._

♦_By Ab. Fleming._♦

_And Virgil also harpeth upon the like string:[*]_

——————————————————_baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro:_

♦_Virg. in Bucolicis._♦

_Of berrie bearing baccar bowze [boughs]
a wreath or garland knit,
And round about his head and browze
see decentlie it sit;
That of an evill talking tung
Our future poet be not stung._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

♦[*] [_Ital._]♦

Furthermore, was it not in times of tempests the papists use, [*]or superstition, to ring their belles against divels; trusting rather to the tonging of their belles, than to their owne crie unto God with fasting and praier, assigned by him in all adversities and dangers: according to the order of the _Thracian_ preests, which would rore and crie, with all the noise they could make, in those tempests. _Olaus Gothus_ saith, that his countriemen would shoot in the aire, to assist their gods, whome they thought to be then togither by the eares with others, and had consecrated arrowes, called _Sagittæ Joviales_, even as our papists had. Also in steed of belles, they had great hammers, called _Mallei Joviales_, to make a noise in time of thunder. In some countries they runne out of the doores in time of tempest, blessing themselves with a cheese, whereupon there was a crosse made with a ropes end upon ascension daie. Also three hailestones to be throwne into the fier in a tempest, and thereupon to be said three _Pater nosters_, and three _Aves_, S. _Johns_ gospell, and _in fine fugiat tempestas_, is a present remedie. Item, to hang an eg laid on ascension daie in the roofe of the house, preserveth the same from all hurts. [†]Item, I conjure you haile and wind by the five wounds of Christ, by the three nailes which pearsed his hands and his feete, and by the foure evangelists, _Matthew_, _Marke_, _Luke_, and _John_, that thou come downe dissolved into water. Item, it hath beene a usuall matter, to carrie out in tempests the sacraments and relikes, &c. Item, against stormes, and manie dumme creatures, the popish church useth excommunication as a principall charme. And now to be delivered from witches themselves, they hang in their entries an hearbe called pentaphyllon, cinquefole, also an olive branch, also frankincense, myrrh, valerian, verven, palme, antirchmon, &c: also haythorne, otherwise white[t]horne gathered on Maie daie: also the smoke of a lappoints fethers driveth spirits awaie. There be innumerable popish exorcismes, and conjurations for hearbs and other things, to be thereby made wholsome both for the bodies and soules of men and beasts, and also for contagion of weather. _Memorandum_,[‡] that at the gathering of these magicall herbs, the _Credo_ is necessarie to be said, as _Vairus_ affirmeth; and also the _Pater noster_, for that is not superstitious. Also _Sprenger_ saith, that to throw up a blacke chicken in the aire, will make all tempests to cease: so it be done with the hand of a witch. If a soule wander in the likenesse of a man or woman by night, molesting men, with bewailing their torments in purgatorie, by reason of tithes forgotten, &c: and neither masses nor conjurations can helpe; the exorcist in his ceremoniall apparell must go to the toome of that bodie, and spurne thereat, with his foote, saieng; _Vade ad gehennam_, Get thee packing to hell: and by and by the soule goeth thither, and there remaineth for ever. ❇ Otherwise: There be masses of purpose for this matter, to unbewitch the bewitched. ❇ Otherwise: You must spet into the pissepot, where you have made water. ❇ Otherwise: Spet into the shoo of your right foote, before you put it on: and that _Vairus_ saith is good and holsome to doo, before you go into anie dangerous place. ❇ Otherwise: That neither hunters nor their dogs maie be bewitched, they cleave an oken branch, and both they and their dogs passe over it. ❇ Otherwise: S. _Augustine_ saith, that to pacifie the god _Liber_, whereby women might have fruite of the seeds they sowe, and that their gardens and feelds should not be bewitched; some cheefe grave matrone used to put a crowne upon his genitall member, and that must be publikelie done.

♦[*] [? of _or_ in.]♦

♦_Olaus Goth. lib. de gentib. Septentriona-lib. 3. cap. 8._♦

♦[†] A witches conjuration to make haile cease and be dissolved.♦

♦[‡] [Rom.]♦

♦_L. Vair. lib. de fascin. 2. cap. 11._♦

♦_Mal. Malef. par. 2. quæ 1. cap. 15._♦

♦Note that you read never of anie spirit that walked by daie, quoth Nota.♦

♦_Aug. de civit. Dei. lib. 7. cap. 12._♦

_To spoile a theefe, a witch, or anie other enimie, and to be
delivered from the evill._

Upon the Sabboth daie before sunrising, cut a hazell wand, saieng: I cut thee O bough of this summers growth, in the name of him whome I meane to beate or maime. Then cover the table, and saie _✠ In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠ ter_. And striking thereon saie as followeth (english it he that can) _Drochs myroch, esenaroth, ✠ betu ✠ baroch ✠ ass ✠ maaroth ✠_: and then saie; Holie trinitie punish him that hath wrought this mischiefe, & take it away by thy great justice, _Eson ✠ elion ✠ emaris, ales, age_; and strike the carpet with your wand.

¶ _A notable charme or medicine to pull out an arrowhead, or
anie such thing that sticketh in the flesh or bones, and cannot
otherwise be had out._

Saie three severall times kneeling; _Oremus, præceptis salutaribus moniti, Pater noster, ave Maria_. Then make a crosse saieng: The Hebrew knight strake our Lord Jesu Christ, and I beseech thee, O Lord Jesu Christ ✠ by the same iron, speare, bloud and water, to pull out this iron: _In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠_

♦The Hebrue knight was canonized a saint to wit, S. _Longinus_.♦

¶ _Charmes against a quotidian ague._

Cut an apple in three peeces, and write upon the one; The father is uncreated: upon the other; The father is incomprehensible: upon the third; The father is eternall. ❇ Otherwise: Write upon a massecake cut in three peeces; O ague to be worshipped: on the second; O sicknesse to be ascribed to health and joies: on the third; _Pax ✠ max ✠ fax ✠_ and let it be eaten fasting. ❇ Otherwise: Paint upon three like peeces of a massecake, _Pater pax ✠ Adonai ✠ filius vita ✠ sabbaoth ✠ spiritus sanctus ✠ Tetragrammaton ✠_ and eate it, as is afore said.

¶ _For all maner of agues intermittant._

Joine two little stickes togither in the middest, being of one length, and hang it about your necke in the forme of a crosse. ❇ Otherwise: For this disease the _Turkes_ put within their doublet a ball of wood, with an other peece of wood, and strike the same, speaking certeine frivolous words. ❇ Otherwise: Certeine monks hanged scrolles about the necks of such as were sicke, willing them to saie certeine praiers at each fit, and at the third fit to hope well: and made them beleeve that they should thereby receive cure.

♦A crossed appension, with other appensions.♦

_Periapts, characters, &c: for agues, and to cure all diseases,
and to deliver from all evill._

The first chapter of S. _Johns_ gospell in small letters consecrated at a masse, and hanged about ones necke, is an incomparable amulet or tablet, which delivereth from all witchcrafts and divelish practises. But me thinkes, if one should hang a whole testament, or rather a bible, he might beguile the divell terriblie. For indeed so would S. _Barnard_ have done, whom the divell told, that he could shew him seven verses in the psalter, which being dailie repeated, would of themselves bring anie man to heaven, and preserve him from hell. But when S. _Barnard_ desired the divell to tell him which they were, he refused, saieng, he might then thinke him a foole so to prejudice himselfe. Well (quoth S. _Barnard_) I will doo well enough for that, for I will dailie saie over the whole psalter. The divell hearing him saie so, told him which were the verses, least in reading over the whole psalter dailie, he should merit too much for others. But if the hanging of S. _Johns_ gospell about the necke be so beneficiall; how if one should eate up the same?

♦For bodie and soule.♦

♦S. Barnard overmatcheth the divell for all his subtiltie.♦

¶ _More charmes for agues._

Take the partie by the hand, and saie; _Aequè facilis sit tibi hæc febris, atque Mariæ virgini Christi partus_. ❇ Otherwise: Wash with the partie, and privilie saie this psalme, _Exaltabo te Deus meus, rex, &c._ ❇ Otherwise: Weare about your necke, a peece of a naile taken from a crosse, and wrapped in wooll. ❇ Otherwise: Drinke wine, wherein a sworde hath beene drowned that hath cut off ones head. ❇ Otherwise: Take three consecrated massecakes, and write upon the first: _Qualis est pater talis est vita_: on the second; _Qualis est filius, talis est sanctus_: on the third; _Qualis est spiritus tale est remedium_. Then give them to the sicke man, enjoining him to eate none other thing that daie wherein he eateth anie of them, nor yet drinke: and let him saie fifteene _Pater nosters_, and as manie _Aves_, in the honour and praise of the Trinitie. ❇ Otherwise: Lead the sicke man on a fridaie before sunne rising towards the east, and let him hold up his hands towards the sunne, and saie: This is the daie, wherein the Lord God came to the crosse. But as the crosse shall never more come to him: so let never the hot or cold fit of this ague come anie more unto this man, _In nomine patris ✠ & fi✠lii, & spiritus ✠ sancti ✠_. Then saie seven and twentie _Pater nosters_, and as manie _Aves_, and use this three daies togither. ❇ Otherwise:

♦Pretious restorities.[*]♦

♦[*] [? restorati[v]es]♦

_Fécana, cagéti, daphnes, gebáre, gedáco,
Gébali stant, sed non stant phebas, hecas,[*] & hedas._

♦This is too mysticall to be englished quoth Nota.♦

♦[*] [1584, _pheb as, hec as_]♦

♦_Fernelius._♦

Everie one of these words must be written upon a peece of bread, and be given in order one daie after another to the sicke bodie, and so must he be cured. This saith _Nicholas Hemingius_ he chanced to read in the schooles in jest; so as one noting the words, practised the medicine in earnest; and was not onelie cured himselfe, but also cured manie others thereby. And therefore he concludeth, that this is a kind of a miraculous cure, wrought by the illusion of the divell: whereas in truth, it will fall out most commonlie, that a tertian ague will not hold anie man longer than so, though no medicine be given, nor anie words spoken. ❇ Otherwise: This word, _Abra cadabra_ written on a paper, with a certeine figure joined therewith, and hanged about ones necke, helpeth the ague. ❇ Otherwise: Let the urine of the sicke bodie made earlie in the morning, be softlie heated nine daies togither continuallie, untill all be consumed into vapor. ❇ Otherwise: A crosse made of two litle twigs joined togither, wherewith when the partie is touched, he will be whole; speciallie if he weare it about his necke. ❇ Otherwise: Take a like quantitie of water out of three ponds of equall bignesse, and tast thereof in a new earthen vessell, and drinke of it when the fit commeth.

In the yeare of our lord 1568, the _Spaniards_ and _Italians_ received from the pope, this incantation following; whereby they were promised both remission of sinnes, and good successe in their warres in the lowe countries. Which whether it be not as prophane and impious, as anie witches charme, I report me to the indifferent reader. _✠ Crucem pro nobis subiit ✠ & stans in illa sitiit ✠ Jesus sacratis manibus, clavis ferreis, pedibus perfossis, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus:_ D_omine libera nos ab hoc malo, & ab hac peste_: then three _Pater nosters_, and three _ave Maries_. Also the same yeere their ensignes were by the authoritie aforesaid conjured with certeine ceremonies, & consecrated against their enimies. And if you read the histories of these warres, you maie see what victorie they gained hereby. Item, they baptised their cheefe standard, and gave it to name S. _Margaret_, who overthrew the divell. And bicause you shall understand the mysterie hereof, I have the rather set it downe elsewhere, being indeed worth the reading.

♦Notable follies of the Spaniards & Italians.♦

¶ _For a bloudie flux, or rather an issue of bloud._

Take a cup of cold water, and let fall thereinto three drops of the same bloud, and betweene each drop saie a _Pater noster_, and an _Ave_, then drinke to the patient, and saie; Who shall helpe you? The patient must answer _S. Marie_. Then saie you; _S. Marie_ stop the issue of bloud. ❈ Otherwise: Write upon the patients forhead with the same bloud; _Consummatum est_. ❈ Otherwise: Saie to the patient; _Sanguis mane in te, sicut fecit Christus in se; Sanguis mane in tua vena, sicut Christus in sua pœna; Sanguis mane fixus, sicut Christus quando fuit crucifixus: ter_. ❈ Otherwise, as followeth.

♦He must answer by none other, for she perhaps hath the curing thereof by patent.♦

_In the bloud of Adam death was taken ✠
In the bloud of Christ it was all to shaken ✠
And by the same bloud I doo thee charge,
That thou doo runne no longer at large._ ❈ Otherwise.

Christ was borne at _Bethelem_, and suffered at _Jerusalem_, where his bloud was troubled. I command thee by the vertue of God, and through the helpe of all saincts, to staie even as _Jordan_ did, when _John_ baptised Christ Jesus; _In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus |sancti_ ✠ ❈ Otherwise: Put thy nameles finger in the wound, and make therwith three crosses upon the wound, and saie five _Pater nosters_, five _Aves_, and one _Credo_, in the honour of the five wounds. ❈ Otherwise: Touch that part and saie, _De latere ejus exivit sanguis & aqua_. ❈ Otherwise: _In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠ &c. Chimrat, chara, sarite, confirma, consona, Imohalite._ ❈ Otherwise: _Sepa ✠ sepaga ✠ sepagoga ✠ sta sanguis in nomine patris ✠ podendi ✠ & filii ✠ podera ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠ pandorica ✠ pax tecum, Amen_.

♦_See J. Wier. cap. 11. conf._♦

¶ _Cures commensed and finished by witchcraft._

There was a jollie fellowe that tooke upon him to be a notable surgion, in the dutchie of _Mentz_, 1567. to whom there resorted a Gentleman that had beene vexed with sicknesse, named _Elibert_, having a kerchiefe on his head, according to the guise of sicke folke. But the surgion made him pull off his kerchiefe, and willed him to drinke with him freelie. The sickeman said he durst not; for he was forbidden by physicke so to doo. Tush (said this cunning man) they know not your disease: be ruled by me, and take in your drinke lustilie. For he thought that when he was well tippled, he might the more easilie beguile him in his bargaine, and make his reward the greater, which he was to receive in part aforehand. When they had well droonke, he called the sicke man aside, and told him the greatnes and danger of his disease, and how that it grew by meanes of witchcraft, and that it would be universallie spread in his house, and among all his cattell, if it were not prevented: and impudentlie persuaded the sicke man to receive cure of him. And after bargaine made, he demanded of the sicke man, whether he had not anie at home, whom he might assuredlie trust. The sicke man answered, that he had a daughter and a servant. The cousener asked how old his daughter was? The patient said, twentie. Well (said the cousener) that is fit for our turne. Then he made the mother and father to kneele on their knees to their daughter, and to desire hir in all things to obey the physician, and that she would doo in everie thing as he commanded hir; otherwise hir father could not be restored to his health. In which respect hir parents humblie besought hir on their knees so to doo. Then he assigned hir to bring him into his lodging hir fathers haire, and hir mothers, and of all those which he kept in his house, as well of men and women, as also of his cattell. When she came therewith unto him, according to the match made, and hir parents commandement, he lead hir downe into a lowe parlor, where having made a long speech, he opened a booke that laie on the boord, and laieth thereon two knives acrosse, with much circumstance of words. Then conjureth he, and maketh strange characters, and at length he maketh a circle on the ground, wherein he causeth hir to sticke one of those conjured knives; and after manie more strange words, he maketh hir sticke the other knife beside it. Then fell downe the maid in a swoone for feare; so as he was faine to frote hir and put a sop into hir mouth, after the receipt whereof she was sore troubled and amazed. Then he made hir brests to be uncovered, so as when they were bare, he dallied with them, diverslie and long together. Then he made hir lie right upward, all uncovered and bare belowe hir pappes. Wherein the maid being loth to obeie him, resisted, and in shame forbad that villanie. Then said the knave; Your fathers destruction is at hand: for except you will be ruled, he and all his familie shall susteine greater greefe and inconvenience, than is yet happened unto him. And no remedie, except you will seeke his utter overthrowe, I must have carnall copulation with you, and therewithall fell into hir bosome, and overthrew hir and hir virginitie. So did he the second daie, and attempted the like on the third daie. But he failed then of his purpose, as the wench confessed afterwards. In the meane time he ministred so cruell medicines to the sicke man, that through the torments therof he feared present death, and was faine to keepe his bed, whereas he walked about before verie well and lustilie. The patient in his torments calleth unto him for remedie, who being slacke and negligent in that behalfe, made roome for the daughter to accompanie hir father, who asked hir what she thought of the cure, and what hope she had of his recoverie. Who with teares remained silent, as being oppressed with greefe; till at the last in abundance of sorrowe she uttered the whole matter to hir father. This dooth _Johannes Wierus_ report, saieng, that it came unto him by the lamentable relation of the father himselfe. And this is here at this time for none other purpose rehearsed, but that men may hereby learne to take heed of such cousening merchants, and knowe what they be that take upon them to be so cunning in witchcraft; least they be bewitched: as maister _Elibert_ and his daughter were.

♦The surgion here most impudentlie setteth his knaverie abroch.♦

♦A pretended conjuration.♦

♦_Ad vada tot vadit urna quòd ipsa cadit._♦

¶ _Another witchcraft or knaverie, practised by the same surgion._

This surgion ministred to a noble man, that laie sicke of an ague, offering unto him three peeces of a roote to be eaten at three morsels; saieng to the first: I would Christ had not beene borne; unto the second: I would he had not suffered; unto the third: I would he had not risen againe. And then putting them about the sicke mans necke, said; Be of good cheere. And if he lost them, whosoever tooke them up, should therewithall take awaie his ague. ❇ Otherwise: Jesus Christ, which was borne, deliver thee from this infirmitie ✠ Jesus Christ which died ✠ deliver thee from this infirmitie ✠ Jesus Christ which rose againe ✠ deliver thee from this infirmitie. Then dailie must be said five _Pater nosters_, and five _Aves_.

♦Three morsels, the first charmed with christs birth, the second with his passion, the third with his resurrection.♦

¶ _Another experiment for one bewitched._

Another such cousening physician persuaded one which had a timpanie, that it was one old viper, and twoo yoong mainteined in his bellie by witchcraft. But being watched, so as he could not conveie vipers into his ordure or excrements, after his purgations: at length he told the partie, that he should suffer the paines of childbirth, if it were not prevented; and therefore he must put his hand into his breech, and rake out those wormes there. But the mother of the sicke partie having warning hereof, said she could doo that hir selfe. So the cousener was prevented, and the partie died onelie of a timpanie, and the knave ran awaie out of the countrie.

♦A cousening physician, and a foolish patient.♦

¶ _Otherwise._

_Monsieur Bodin_ telleth of a witch, who undertaking to cure a woman bewitched, caused a masse to be soong at midnight in our ladies chappell. And when she had overlien the sicke partie, and breathed certeine words upon hir, she was healed. Wherein _Bodin_ saith, she followed the example of _Elias_ the prophet, who raised the _Sunamitie_. And this storie must needs be true: for goodman _Hardivin Blesensis_ his host at the signe of the lion told him the storie.

♦_John. Bodin._♦

♦_Kakozelia._♦

¶ _A knacke to knowe whether you be bewitched, or no, &c._

It is also expedient to learne how to know whether a sicke man be bewitched or no: this is the practise thereof. You must hold molten lead over the sicke bodie, and powre it into a porrenger full of water; and then, if there appeare upon the lead, anie image, you may then knowe the partie is bewitched.

♦_Mal. malef. pa. 1. quæ. 17._♦

♦_Barth. Spin. in novo Mal. malef._♦

The xix. Chapter.

_That one witchcraft maie lawfullie meete with another._

_Scotus_, _Hostiensis_, _Gofridus_, and all the old canonists agree, that it is lawfull to take awaie witchcraft by witchcraft, _Et vana vanis contundere_. And _Scotus_ saith, It were follie to forbeare to encounter witchcraft by witchcraft; for (saith he) there can be none inconvenience therein; bicause the overthrower of witchcraft assenteth not to the works of the divell. And therefore he saith further, that it is meritorious so to extinguish and overthrow the divels workes. As though he should saie; It maketh no matter, though S. _Paule_ saie; _Non facies malum, ut indè veniat bonum_, Thou shalt not doo evill, that good maie come thereof. _Humbertus_ saith, that witchcraft maie be taken awaie by that meanes whereby it was brought. But _Gofredus_ inveieth sore against the oppugners thereof. Pope _Nicholas_ the fift gave indulgence and leave to bishop _Miraties_ (who was so bewitched in his privities, that he could not use the gift of venerie) to seeke remedie at witches hands. And this was the clause of his dispensation, _Ut ex duobus malis fugiatur majus_, that of two evils, the greater should be avoided. And so a witch, by taking his doublet, cured him, and killed the other witch: as the storie saith, which is to be seene in _M. Mal._ and diverse other writers.

♦_Scotus in 4. distinct. 34. de imperio._♦

♦_Dist. 4._♦

♦_Gofred. in summa sua._♦

The xx. Chapter.

_Who are privileged from witches, what bodies are aptest to be
bewitched, or to be witches, why women are rather witches
than men, and what they are._

Now if you will know who and what persons are privileged from witches, you must understand, that they be even such as cannot be bewitched. In the number of whome first be the inquisitors, and such as exercise publike justice upon them. Howbeit,[*] a justice in _Essex_, whome for diverse respects I have left unnamed, not long since thought he was bewitched, in the verie instant whiles he examined the witch; so as his leg was broken therby, &c: which either was false, or else this rule untrue, or both rather injurious unto Gods providence. Secondlie, such as observe dulie the rites and ceremonies of holie church, and worship them with reverence, through the sprinkling of holie water, and receiving consecrated salt, by the lawfull use of candles hallowed on Candelmas daie, and greene leaves consecrated on Palme sundaie (which things they saie the church useth for the qualifieng of the divels power) are preserved from witchcraft. Thirdlie, some are preserved by their good angels, which attend and wait upon them.

♦_Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 1. cap. 1._♦

♦[*] Whereof looke more in a little booke set foorth in print.♦