Chapter XXIV: Part 24

The doctors, councels, and popes, which (they saie) cannot erre, have confirmed the walking, appearing, & raising of soules. But where find they in the scriptures anie such doctrine? And who certified them, that those appearances were true? Trulie all they cannot bring to passe, that the lies which have beene spread abroad herein, should now beginne to be true, though the pope himselfe subscribe, seale, and sweare thereunto never so much. Where are the soules that swarmed in times past? Where are the spirits? Who heareth their noises? Who seeth their visions? Where are the soules that made such mone for trentals, whereby to be eased of the paines in purgatorie? Are they all gone into _Italie_, bicause masses are growne deere here in _England_? Marke well this illusion, and see how contrarie it is unto the word of God. Consider how all papists beleeve this illusion to be true, and how all protestants are driven to saie it is and was popish illusion. Where be the spirits that wandered to have buriall for their bodies? For manie of those walking soules went about that busines. Doo you not thinke, that the papists shew not themselves godlie divines, to preach and teach the people such doctrine; and to insert into their divine service such fables as are read in the Romish church, all scripture giving place thereto for the time? You shall see in the lessons read there upon S. _Stevens_ daie, that _Gamaliel Nichodemus_ his kinsman, and _Abdias_ his sonne, with his freend S. _Steven_, appeared to a certeine preest, called Sir _Lucian_, requesting him to remove their bodies, and to burie them in some better place (for they had lien from the time of their death, untill then, being in the reigne of _Honorius_ the emperor; to wit, foure hundred yeeres buried in the field of _Gamaliel_, who in that respect said to Sir _Lucian_; _Non mei solummodo causa solicitus sum, sed potiùs pro illis qui mecum sunt_; that is, I am not onlie carefull for my selfe, but cheefelie for those my friends that are with me. Whereby the whole course may be perceived to be a false practise, and a counterfet vision, or rather a lewd invention. For in heaven mens soules remaine not in sorow and care; neither studie they there how to compasse and get a worshipfull buriall here in earth. If they did, they would not have foreslowed it so long. Now therefore let us not suffer our selves to be abused anie longer, either with conjuring preests, or melancholicall witches; but be thankfull to God that hath delivered us from such blindnes and error.

♦This doctrine was not onlie preached, but also prooved; note the particular instāces following.♦

The xl. Chapter.

_Cardanus opinion of strange noises, how counterfet visions grow
to be credited, of popish appeerances, of pope Boniface._

_Cardanus_ speaking of noises, among other things, saith thus; A noise is heard in your house; it may be a mouse, a cat, or a dog among dishes; it may be a counterfet or a theefe indeed, or the fault may be in your eares. I could recite a great number of tales, how men have even forsaken their houses, bicause of such apparitions and noises: and all hath beene by meere and ranke knaverie. And wheresoever you shall heare, that there is in the night season such rumbling and fearefull noises, be you well assured that it is flat knaverie, performed by some that seemeth most to complaine, and is least mistrusted. And hereof there is a verie art, which for some respects I will not discover. The divell seeketh dailie as well as nightlie whome he may devoure, and can doo his feats as well by daie as by night, or else he is a yoong divell, and a verie bungler. But of all other couseners, these conjurors are in the highest degree, and are most worthie of death for their blasphemous impietie. But that these popish visions and conjurations used as well by papists, as by the popes themselves, were meere cousenages; and that the tales of the popes recited by _Bruno_ and _Platina_, of their magicall devises, were but plaine cousenages and knaveries, may appeare by the historie of _Bonifacius_ the eight, who used this kind of inchantment, to get away the popedome from his predecessor _Cœlestinus_. He counterfetted a voice through a cane reed, as though it had come from heaven, persuading him to yeeld up his authoritie of popeship, and to institute therein one _Bonifacius_, a worthier man: otherwise he threatened him with damnation. And therfore the foole yeelded it up accordinglie, to the said _Bonifacius_, _An._ 1264. of whom it was said; He came in like a fox, lived like a woolfe, and died like a dog.

♦_H. Card. lib. de var. rer. 15. ca. 92._♦

♦Pope _Cœlestinus_ cousened of his popedome by pope _Boniface_.♦

There be innumerable examples of such visions, which when they are not detected, go for true stories: and therefore when it is answered that some are true tales and some are false, untill they be able to shew foorth before your eies one matter of truth, you may replie upon them with this distinction; to wit: visions tried are false visions, undecided and untried are true.

♦Visions distinguished♦

The xli. Chapter.

_Of the noise or sound of eccho, of one that narrowlie escaped
drowning thereby, &c._

Alas! how manie naturall things are there so strange, as to manie seeme miraculous; and how manie counterfet matters are there, that to the simple seeme yet more wonderfull? _Cardane_ telleth of one _Comensis_, who comming late to a rivers side, not knowing where to passe over, cried out alowd for some bodie to shew him the foord: who hearing an eccho to answer according to his last word, supposing it to be a man that answered him and informed him of the waie, he passed through the river, even there where was a deepe whirlepoole, so as he hardlie escaped with his life; and told his freends, that the divell had almost persuaded him to drowne himselfe. And in some places these noises of eccho are farre more strange than other, speciallie at _Ticinum_ in _Italie_, in the great hall, where it rendereth sundrie and manifold noises or voices, which seeme to end so lamentablie, as it were a man that laie a dieng; so as few can be persuaded that it is the eccho, but a spirit that answereth.

♦_H. Card. lib. de subtilitat. 18._♦

♦_Idem, ibid._♦

The noise at _Winchester_ was said to be a verie miracle, and much wondering was there at it, about the yeare 1569. though indeed a meere naturall noise ingendered of the wind, the concavitie of the place, and other instrumentall matters helping the sound to seeme strange to the hearers; speciallie to such as would adde new reports to the augmentation of the woonder.

♦Of Winchester noise.♦

The xlii. Chapter.

_Of Theurgie, with a confutation thereof, a letter sent to me
concerning these matters._

There is yet another art professed by these cousening conjurors, which some fond divines affirme to be more honest and lawfull than necromancie, which is called Theurgie; wherein they worke by good angels. Howbeit, their ceremonies are altogether papisticall and superstitious, consisting in cleanlines partlie of the mind, partlie of the bodie, and partlie of things about and belonging to the bodie; as in the skinne, in the apparell, in the house, in the vessell and houshold stuffe, in oblations and sacrifices; the cleanlines whereof, they saie, dooth dispose men to the contemplation of heavenlie things. They cite these words of _Esaie_ for their authoritie; to wit: Wash your selves and be cleane, &c. In so much as I have knowne diverse superstitious persons of good account, which usuallie washed all their apparell upon conceits ridiculouslie. For uncleanlinesse (they say) corrupteth the aire, infecteth man, and chaseth awaie cleane spirits. Hereunto belongeth the art of _Almadel_, the art of _Paule_, the art of Revelations, and the art Notarie. But (as _Agrippa_ saith) the more divine these arts seeme to the ignorant, the more damnable they be. But their false assertions, their presumptions to worke miracles, their characters, their strange names, their diffuse phrases, their counterfet holines, their popish ceremonies, their foolish words mingled with impietie, their barbarous and unlearned order of construction, their shameles practises, their paltrie stuffe, their secret dealing, their beggerlie life, their bargaining with fooles, their cousening of the simple, their scope and drift for monie dooth bewraie all their art to be counterfet cousenage. And the more throughlie to satisfie you herein, I thought good in this place to insert a letter, upon occasion sent unto me, by one which at this present time lieth as a prisoner condemned for this verie matter in the kings bench, and reprived by hir majesties mercie, through the good mediation of a most noble and vertuous personage, whose honorable and godlie disposition at this time I will forbeare to commend as I ought. The person truelie that wrote this letter seemeth unto me a good bodie, well reformed, and penitent, not expecting anie gaines at my hands, but rather fearing to speake that which he knoweth further in this matter, least displeasure might ensue and follow.

♦Appendents unto the supposed divine art of Theurgie.♦

_The copie of a letter sent unto me R. S. by T. E.
Maister of art, and practiser both of physicke, and also
in times past, of certeine vaine sciences; now
condemned to die for the same: wherein he
openeth the truth touching these deceits._[*]

♦[*] [Lines 1, 3, 5 Rom. 2, 4 Ital.]♦

_Maister R. Scot,[†] according to your request, I have drawne out certeine abuses worth the noting, touching the worke you have in hand; things which I my selfe have seene within these xxvi. yeares, among those which were counted famous and skilfull in those sciences. And bicause the whole discourse cannot be set downe, without nominating certeine persons, of whom some are dead & some living, whose freends remaine yet of great credit: in respect therof, I knowing that mine enimies doo alreadie in number exceed my freends; I have considered with my selfe, that it is better for me to staie my hand, than to commit that to the world, which may increase my miserie more than releeve the same. Notwithstanding, bicause I am noted above a great manie others to have had some dealings in those vaine arts and wicked practises; I am therefore to signifie unto you, and I speake it in the presence of God, that among all those famous and noted practisers, that I have beene conversant withall these xxvi. yeares, I could never see anie matter of truth to be doone in those wicked sciences, but onelie meere cousenings and illusions. And they, whome I thought to be most skilfull therein, sought to see some things at my hands, who had spent my time a dozen or fourteen years, to my great losse and hinderance, and could never at anie time see anie one truth, or sparkle of truth therein. Yet at this present I stand worthilie condemned for the same; for that, contrarie to my princes lawes, and the lawe of God, and also to mine owne conscience, I did spend my time in such vaine and wicked studies and practises: being made and remaining a spectacle for all others to receive warning by. The Lord grant I may be the last (I speake it from my hart) and I wish it, not onlie in my native coūtrie, but also through the whole face of the earth, speciallie among Christians. For mine owne part I lament my time lost, & have repented me five yeares past: at which time I sawe a booke, written in the old Saxon toong, by one Sir John Malborne a divine of Oxenford, three hundred yeares past; wherein he openeth all the illusions & inventions of those arts and sciences: a thing most worthie the noting. I left the booke with the parson of Slangham in Sussex, where if you send for it in my name, you may have it. You shall thinke your labour well bestowed, and it shall greatlie further the good enterprise you have in hand: and there shall you see the whole science throughlie discussed, and all their illusions and cousenages deciphered at large. Thus craving pardon at your hands for that I promised you, being verie fearefull, doubtfull, and loth to set my hand or name under any thing that may be offensive to the world, or hurtfull to my selfe, considering my case, except I had the better warrant from my L. of Leicester, who is my verie good Lord, and by whome next under God (hir Majestie onelie excepted) I have beene preserved; and therefore loth to doo any thing that may offend his Lordships eares. And so I leave your Worship to the Lords keeping, who bring you and all your actions to good end and purpose, to Gods glorie, and to the profit of all Christians. From the bench this 8. of March, 1582. Your Worships poore and desolate friend and servant, T. E._

♦Marke the summe and scope of this letter.♦

♦[†] [This letter in Rom.]♦

♦S. John Malbornes booke detecting the devises of conjuratiō, &c.♦

I sent for this booke of purpose, to the parson of _Slangham_, and procured his best friends, men of great worship and credit, to deale with him, that I might borrowe it for a time. But such is his follie and superstition, that although he confessed he had it; yet he would not lend it: albeit a friend of mine, being knight of the shire would have given his word for the restitution of the same safe and sound.

The conclusion therefore shall be this, whatsoever heeretofore hath gone for currant, touching all these fallible arts, whereof hitherto I have written in ample sort, be now counted counterfet, and therefore not to be allowed no not by common sense, much lesse by reason, which should sift such cloked and pretended practises, turning them out of their rags and patched clowts, that they may appeere discovered, and shew themselves in their nakednesse. Which will be the end of everie secret intent, privie purpose, hidden practise, and close devise, have they never such shrowds and shelters for the time: and be they with never so much cautelousnesse and subtill circumspection clouded and shadowed, yet will they at length be manifestlie detected by the light, according to that old rimed verse:

♦The author his conclusion.♦

_Quicquid nix celat, solis calor omne revelat:_

_What thing soever snowe dooth hide,
Heat of the sunne dooth make it spide._

♦_Andrœas Gartnerus Mariæmontanus. Eng. by Ab. Fle._♦

And according to the verdict of Christ, the true Nazarite, who never told untruth, but who is the substance and groundworke of truth it selfe, saieng; _Nihil est tam occultum quod non sit detegendum_, Nothing is so secret, but it shall be knowne and revealed.

♦Matt. 10, 26. Mark 4, 22. Luke. 8, 17. [*]And. 12, 2,♦

♦[*] [= and]♦

¶ _The xvi. booke._

The first Chapter.

_A conclusion, in maner of an epilog, repeating manie of the
former absurdities of witchmongers conceipts, confutations
thereof, and of the authoritie of James Sprenger and Henrie
Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mal._

Hitherto you have had delivered unto you, that which I have conceived and gathered of this matter. In the substance and principall parts wherof I can see no difference among the writers heereupon; of what countrie, condition, estate, or religion so ever they be; but I find almost all of them to agree in unconstancie, fables, and impossibilities; scratching out of _M. Mal._ the substance of all their arguments: so as their authors being disapproved, they must coine new stuffe, or go to their grandams maids to learne more old wives tales, whereof this art of witchcraft is contrived. But you must know that _James Sprenger_, and _Henrie Institor_, whome I have had occasion to alledge manie times, were coparteners in the composition of that profound & learned booke called _Malleus Maleficarum_, & were the greatest doctors of that art: out of whom I have gathered matter and absurditie enough, to confound the opinions conceived of witchcraft; although they were allowed inquisitors and assigned by the pope, with the authoritie and commendation of all the doctors of the universitie of _Collen_, &c: to call before them, to imprison, to condemne, and to execute witches; and finallie to seaze and confiscate their goods.

♦The compilers or makers of the booke called A Mallet to braine witches.♦

These two doctors, to mainteine their their[*] credit, and to cover their injuries, have published those same monsterous lies, which have abused all Christendome, being spread abroad with such authoritie, as it will be hard to suppresse the credit of their writings, be they never so ridiculous and false. Which although they mainteine and stirre up with their owne praises; yet men are so bewitched, as to give credit unto them. For proofe whereof I remember they write in one place of their said booke, that by reason of their severe proceedings against witches, they suffered intollerable assaults, speciallie in the night, many times finding needdels sticking in their biggens, which were thither conveied by witches charmes: and through their innocencie and holinesse (they saie) they were ever miraculouslie preserved from hurt. Howbeit they affirme that they will not tell all that might make to the manifestation of their holines: for then should their owne praise stinke in their owne mouthes. And yet God knoweth their whole booke conteineth nothing but stinking lies and poperie. Which groundworke and foundation how weake and wavering it is, how unlike to continue, and how slenderlie laid, a child may soone discerne and perceive.

♦[*] [_sic_]♦

♦No marvel that they were so opinionative herein, for God gave them over into strong delusions.♦

The second Chapter.

_By what meanes the common people have beene made beleeve in
the miraculous works of witches, a definition of witchcraft,
and a description thereof._

The common people have beene so assotted and bewitched, with whatsoever poets have feigned of witchcraft, either in earnest, in jest, or else in derision; and with whatsoever lowd liers and couseners for their pleasures heerein have invented, and with whatsoever tales they have heard from old doting women, or from their mothers maids, and with whatsoever the grandfoole their ghostlie father, or anie other morrow masse preest had informed them; and finallie with whatsoever they have swallowed up through tract of time, or through their owne timerous nature or ignorant conceipt, concerning these matters of hagges and witches: as they have so settled their opinion and credit thereupon, that they thinke it heresie to doubt in anie part of the matter; speciallie bicause they find this word witchcraft expressed in the scriptures; which is as to defend praieng to saincts, bicause _Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus_ is written in _Te Deum_.

And now to come to the definition of witchcraft, which hitherto I did deferre and put off purposelie: that you might perceive the true nature thereof, by the circumstances, and therefore the rather to allow of the same, seeing the varietie of other writers. Witchcraft is in truth a cousening art, wherin the name of God is abused, prophaned and blasphemed, and his power attributed to a vile creature. In estimation of the vulgar people, it is a supernaturall worke, contrived betweene a corporall old woman, and a spirituall divell. The maner thereof is so secret, mysticall, and strange, that to this daie there hath never beene any credible witnes therof. It is incomprehensible to the wise, learned or faithfull; a probable matter to children, fooles, melancholike persons and papists. The trade is thought to be impious. The effect and end thereof to be sometimes evill, as when thereby man or beast, grasse, trees, or corne, &c; is hurt: sometimes good, as whereby sicke folkes are healed, theeves bewraied, and true men come to their goods, &c. The matter and instruments, wherewith it is accomplished, are words, charmes, signes, images, characters, &c: the which words although any other creature doo pronounce, in maner and forme as they doo, leaving out no circumstance requisite or usuall for that action: yet none is said to have the grace or gift to performe the matter, except she be a witch, and so taken, either by hir owne consent, or by others imputation.

♦The definition or description of witchcraft.♦

♦The formal cause.♦

♦The finall cause.♦

♦The materiall cause.♦

The third Chapter.

_Reasons to proove that words and characters are but bables,
& that witches cannot doo such things as the multitude
supposeth they can, their greatest woonders prooved trifles,
of a yoong gentleman cousened._

That words, characters, images, and such other trinkets, which are thought so necessarie instruments for witchcraft (as without the which no such thing can be accomplished) are but bables, devised by couseners, to abuse the people withall; I trust I have sufficientlie prooved. And the same maie be further and more plainelie perceived by these short and compendious reasons following.

First, in that the _Turkes_ and infidels, in their witchcraft, use both other words, and other characters than our witches doo, and also such as are most contrarie. In so much as, if ours be bad, in reason theirs should be good. If their witches can doo anie thing, ours can doo nothing. For as our witches are said to renounce Christ, and despise his sacraments: so doo the other forsake _Mahomet_, and his lawes, which is one large step to christianitie.

♦A necessarie sequele.♦

It is also to be thought, that all witches are couseners; when mother _Bungie_, a principall witch, so reputed, tried, and condemned of all men, and continuing in that exercise and estimation manie yeares (having cousened & abused the whole realme, in so much as there came to hir, witchmongers from all the furthest parts of the land, she being in diverse bookes set out with authoritie, registred and chronicled by the name of the great witch of _Rochester_, and reputed among all men for the cheefe ringleader of all other witches) by good proofe is found to be a meere cousener; confessing in hir death bed freelie, without compulsion or inforcement, that hir cunning consisted onlie in deluding and deceiving the people: saving that she had (towards the maintenance of hir credit in that cousening trade) some sight in physicke and surgerie, and the assistance of a freend of hirs, called _Heron_, a professor thereof. And this I know, partlie of mine owne knowledge, and partlie by the testimonie of hir husband, and others of credit, to whome (I saie) in hir death bed, and at sundrie other times she protested these things; and also that she never had indeed anie materiall spirit or divell (as the voice went) nor yet knew how to worke anie supernaturall matter, as she in hir life time made men beleeve she had and could doo.

♦_Probatum est_, by mother Bungies confessiō that al witches are couseners.♦

The like may be said of one _T._ of _Canturburie_, whose name I will not litterallie discover, who wonderfullie abused manie in these parts, making them thinke he could tell where anie thing lost became: with diverse other such practises, whereby his fame was farre beyond the others. And yet on his death bed he confessed, that he knew nothing more than anie other, but by slight and devises, without the assistance of anie divell or spirit, saving the spirit of cousenage: and this did he (I saie) protest before manie of great honestie, credit, & wisedome, who can witnesse the same, and also gave him good commendations for his godlie and honest end.

Againe, who will mainteine, that common witchcrafts are not cousenages, when the great and famous witchcrafts, which had stolne credit not onlie from all the common people, but from men of great wisdome and authoritie, are discovered to be beggerlie slights of cousening varlots? Which otherwise might and would have remained a perpetuall objection against me. Were there not [*] three images of late yeeres found in a doonghill, to the terror & astonishment of manie thousands? In so much as great matters were thought to have beene pretended to be doone by witchcraft. But if the Lord preserve those persons (whose destruction was doubted to have beene intended therby) from all other the lewd practises and attempts of their enimies; I feare not, but they shall easilie withstand these and such like devises, although they should indeed be practised against them. But no doubt, if such bables could have brought those matters of mischeefe to passe, by the hands of traitors, witches, or papists; we should long since have beene deprived of the most excellent jewell and comfort that we enjoy in this world. Howbeit, I confesse, that the feare, conceipt, and doubt of such mischeefous pretenses may breed inconvenience to them that stand in awe of the same. And I wish, that even for such practises, though they never can or doo take effect, the practisers be punished with all extremitie: bicause therein is manifested a traiterous heart to the Queene, and a presumption against God.

♦[*] J. Bodin in the preface before his booke of _Dæmonomania_ reporteth this by a conjuring preest late Curat of Islington: hee also sheweth to what end: read the place you that understād Latine.♦

But to returne to the discoverie of the aforesaid knaverie and witchcraft. So it was that one old cousener, wanting monie, devised or rather practised (for it is a stale devise) to supplie his want, by promising a yoong Gentleman, whose humor he thought would that waie be well served, that for the summe of fourtie pounds, he would not faile by his cunning in that art of witchcraft, to procure unto him the love of anie three women whome he would name, and of whome he should make choise at his pleasure. The yoong Gentleman being abused with his cunning devises, and too hastilie yeelding to that motion, satisfied this cunning mans demand of monie. Which, bicause he had it not presentlie to disbursse, provided it for him at the hands of a freend of his. Finallie, this cunning man made the three puppets of wax, &c: leaving nothing undone that appertained to the cousenage, untill he had buried them, as you have heard. But I omit to tell what a doo was made herof, and also what reports and lies were bruted; as what white dogs and blacke dogs there were seene in the night season passing through the watch, mawgre all their force and preparation against them, &c. But the yoong Gentleman, who for a litle space remained in hope mixed with joy and love, now through tract of time hath those his felicities powdered with doubt and despaire. For in steed of atchieving his love, he would gladlie have obteined his monie. But bicause he could by no meanes get either the one or the other (his monie being in hucksters handling, and his sute in no better forwardnes) he revealed the whole matter, hoping by that meanes to recover his monie; which he neither can yet get againe, nor hath paied it where he borrowed. But till triall was had of his simplicitie or rather follie herein, he received some trouble himselfe hereabouts, though now dismissed.

♦Note this devise of the waxen images found of late neere London.♦

The fourth Chapter.

_Of one that was so bewitched that he could read no scriptures
but canonicall, of a divel that could speake no Latine, a
proofe that witchcraft is flat cousenage._

Here I may aptlie insert another miracle of importance, that happened within the compasse of a childes remembrance, which may induce anie resonable bodie to conceive, that these supernaturall actions are but fables & cousenages. There was one, whom for some respects I name not, that was taken blind, deafe, & dumbe; so as no physician could helpe him. That man (forsooth) though he was (as is said) both blind, dumbe & deafe, yet could he read anie canonicall scriptures; but as for apocrypha, he could read none: wherein a Gods name consisted the miracle. But a leafe of apocrypha being extraordinarilie inserted among the canonicall scriptures, he read the same as authentike: wherein his knaverie was bewraied. Another had a divell, that answered men to all questions, marie hir divell could understand no Latine, and so was she (and by such meanes all the rest may be) bewraied. Indeed our witching writers saie, that certeine divels speake onelie the language of that countrie where they are resiant, as French, or English, &c.

♦A strange miracle, if it were true.♦

♦There the hypocrite was overmatcht for all his dissembled gravitie.♦

Furthermore, in my conceipt, nothing prooveth more apparentlie that witchcraft is cousenage, and that witches instruments are but ridiculous bables, and altogither void of effect; than when learned and godlie divines, in their serious writings, produce experiments as wrought by witches, and by divels at witches commandements: which they expound by miracles, although indeed meere trifles. Whereof they conceive amisse, being overtaken with credulitie.

The fift Chapter.

_Of the divination by the sive and sheeres, and by the booke
and key, Hemingius his opinion thereof confuted, a bable to
know what is a clocke, of certeine jugling knacks, manifold
reasons for the overthrowe of witches and conjurors, and
their cousenages, of the divels transformations, of Ferrum
candens,[*] &c._

♦[*] [Latin in Ital.]♦

To passe over all the fables, which are vouched by the popish doctors, you shall heare the words of _N. Hemingius_, whose zeale & learning otherwise I might justlie commend: howbeit I am sorie and ashamed to see his ignorance and follie in this behalfe. Neither would I have bewraied it, but that he himselfe, among other absurdities concerning the maintenance of witches omnipotencie, hath published it to his great discredit. Popish preests (saith he) as the _Chaldæans_ used the divination by sive & sheeres[*] for the detection of theft, doo practise with a psalter and a keie fastned upon the 49. psalme, to discover a theefe. And when the names of the suspected persons are orderlie put into the pipe of the keie, at the reading of these words of the psalme [If thou sawest a theefe thou diddest consent unto him][†] the booke will wagge, and fall out of the fingers of them that hold it, and he whose name remaineth in the keie must be the theefe. Hereupon _Hemingius_ inferreth, that although conjuring preests and witches bring not this to passe by the absolute words of the psalme, which tend to a farre other scope; yet sathan dooth nimblie, with his invisible hand, give such a twitch to the booke, as also in the other case to the sive and the sheeres, that downe falles the booke and keie, sive and sheeres, up starts the theefe, and awaie runneth the divell laughing, &c.

♦_Heming. in lib. de superst. magicis._♦

♦[*] [p. _262_]♦

♦[†] [[] in text]♦

♦The greatest clarkes are not the wisest men.♦

But alas, _Hemingius_ is deceived, as not perceiving the conceipt, or rather the deceipt hereof. For where he supposeth those actions to be miraculous, and done by a divell; they are in truth meere bables, wherein consisteth not so much as legierdemaine. For everie carter may conceive the slight hereof: bicause the booke and keie, sive and sheeres, being staied up in that order, by naturall course, of necessitie must within that space (by meanes of the aire, and the pulse beating at the fingers end) turne and fall downe. Which experience being knowne to the witch or conjuror, she or he doo forme and frame their prophesie accordinglie: as whosoever maketh proofe thereof shall manifestlie perceive it. By this art, practise, or experience, you shall knowe what it is a clocke, if you hold betweene your finger and your thumbe a thred of six or seven inches long, unto the other end whereof is tied a gold ring, or some such like thing: in such sort as upon the beating of your pulse, and the mooving of the ring, the same may strike upon either side of a goblet or glasse. These things are (I confesse) witchcraft, bicause the effect or event proceedeth not of that cause which such couseners saie, and others beleeve they doo. As when they laie a medicine for the ague, &c: to a childs wrists, they also pronounce certeine words or charmes, by vertue whereof (they saie) the child is healed: whereas indeed the medicine onelie dooth the feate. And this is also a sillie jugglers knacke, which wanteth legierdemaine, whom you shall see to thrust a pinne, or a small knife, through the head and braine of a chicken or pullet, and with certeine mysticall words seeme to cure him:[*] whereas, though no such words were spoken, the chicken would live, and doo well enough; as experience teacheth and declareth.

♦A naturall reason of the former knacke.♦

♦[*] [p. _346_.]♦

Againe, when such as have mainteined the art and profession of conjuring, and have written thereupon most cunninglie, have published recantations, and confessed the deceipts thereof, as _Cornelius Agrippa_ did, whie should we defend it? Also, when heathen princes, of great renowne, authoritie, & learning, have searched, with much industrie and charge, the knowledge & secrecie of conjuration and witchcraft, & finallie found by experience all to be false and vaine that is reported of them, as _Nero_, _Julianus apostata_, and _Valence_ did; whie should we seeke for further triall, to proove witchcraft and conjuration to be cousenage?

♦_C. Agripp. in lib. de vanit. scient. & in epistola ante librum de occulta philosophia._♦

♦_Plin. lib. natural. hist. 30. cap. 1._♦

♦_Pet. Mart. in locis communibus._♦

Also, when the miracles imputed unto them, exceed in quantitie, qualitie and number, all the miracles that Christ wrought here upon earth, for the establishing of his gospell, for the confirmation of our faith, and for the advancement of his glorious name; what good christian will beleeve them to be true? And when Christ himselfe saith; The works that I doo, no man else can accomplish; whie should we thinke that a foolish old woman can doo them all, and manie more?

Also, when Christ knew not these witches, nor spake one word of them in all the time of his being here upon earth, having such necessarie occasion (if at leastwise they with their familiars could doo as he did by the spirit of God, as is constantlie affirmed) whie should we suppose that they can doo as they saie, but rather that they are deceivers[?[*]] When they are faine to saie, that witches wrought not in that art, all those thirtie three yeares that Christ lived, and that there were none in _Jobs_ time, and that the cousening oracles are now ceased; who seeth not that they are witlesse, and madde fooles that mainteine it? When all the mischeefes are accomplished by poisons and naturall meanes, which they affirme to be brought to passe by words, it manifesteth to the world their cousenage. When all the places of scripture, which witchmongers allowe for the proofe of such witches, are prooved to make nothing for their purpose, their own fables & lies deserve small credit. When one of the cheefe points in controversie; to wit, execution of witches, is grounded upon a false translation; namelie, You shall not suffer a witch to live (which is in Latine,[†] _Veneficam non retinebitis in vita_) where the word in everie mans eare soundeth to be a poisoner, rather than a worker of miracles, and so interpreted by the seventie interpretors, _Josephus_, and almost of all the _Rabbins_, which were _Hebrues_ borne: whie should anie of their interpretations or allegations be trusted, or well accounted of? When working of miracles is ceased, and the gift of prophesie also; so as the godlie, through invocation of the holie spirit, cannot performe such wonderfull things, as these witches and conjurors by the invocation of divels and wicked spirits undertake, and are said to doo; what man that knoweth and honoureth God will be so infatuate as to beleeve these lies, and so preferre the power of witches and divels before the godlie endued with Gods holie spirit? When manie printed bookes are published, even with authoritie, in confirmation of such miracles wrought by those couseners, for the detection of witchcraft; and in fine all is not onelie found false, and to have beene accomplished by cousenage, but that there hath beene therein a set purpose to defame honest matrones, as to make them be thought to be witches: whie should we beleeve _Bodin_, _M. Mal. &c_: in their cousening tales and fables? When they saie that witches can flie in the aire, and come in at a little coane,[‡] or a hole in a glasse windowe, and steale awaie sucking children, and hurt their mothers; and yet when they are brought into prison, they cannot escape out of the grate, which is farre bigger: who will not condemne such accusations or confessions to be frivolous, &c? When (if their assertions were true) concerning the divels usuall taking of shapes, and walking, talking, conferring, hurting, and all maner of dealing with mortall creatures, Christs argument to _Thomas_ had beene weake and easilie answered; yea the one halfe, or all the whole world might be inhabited by divels, everie poore mans house might be hired over his head by a divell, he might take the shape and favor of an honest woman, and plaie the witch; or of an honest man, and plaie the theefe, and so bring them both, or whome he list to the gallowes: who seeth not the vanitie of such assertions? For then the divell might in the likenes of an honest man commit anie criminall offense; as _Lavater_ in his nineteenth chapter _De spectris_ reporteth of a grave wise magistrate in the territorie of _Tigurie_, who affirmed, that as he and his servant went through certeine pastures, he espied in a morning, the divell in likenes of one whome he knew verie well, wickedlie dealing with a mare. Upon the sight whereof he immediatlie went to that fellowes house, and certeinlie learned there, that the same person went not out of his chamber that daie. And if he had not wiselie boolted out the matter, the good honest man (saith he) had surelie beene cast into prison, and put on the racke, &c.

♦[*] [text (.)]♦

♦Note that during all Christs time upon earth, which was 33. yeares, witches were put to silence, &c.♦

♦[†] [Not in Vulg.]♦

♦[‡] [= crack] [Cf. p. _91_.]♦

The like storie we read of one _Cunegunda_, wife to _Henrie_ the second emperor of that name, in whose chamber the divell (in the likenes of a yoongman, with whome she was suspected to be too familiar in court) was often seene comming in and out. How beit, she was purged by the triall _Candentis ferri_, and prooved innocent: for she went upon glowing iron unhurt, &c. And yet _Salomon_ saith; Maie a man carrie fier in his bosome, and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man go upon coles, & his feete not scortched? And thus might the divell get him up into everie pulpit, and spred heresies, as I doubt not but he dooth in the mouth of wicked preachers, though not so grosselie as is imagined and reported by the papists and witchmongers. And because it shall not be said that I beelie them, I will cite a storie crediblie reported by their cheefest doctors; namelie _James Sprenger_, and _Henrie Institor_, who saie as followeth, even word for word.

♦But Christs argument was undoubted: _Ergo, &c._♦

♦I marvell for what purpose the magistrate went to that fellowes house.♦

♦_Albertus Crantzius in lib. 4. metropolis. cap. 4._♦

♦Prov. 6.♦

♦_Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 1. cap. 9._♦

The sixt Chapter.

_How the divell preached good doctrine in the shape of a
preest, how he was discovered, and that it is a shame (after
confutation of the greater witchcrafts) for anie man to give
credit to the lesser points thereof._

On a time the divell went up into a pulpit, and there made a verie catholike sermon: but a holie preest comming to the good speed, by his holinesse perceived that it was the divell. So he gave good eare unto him, but could find no fault with his doctrine. And therefore so soone as the sermon was doone, he called the divell unto him, demanding the cause of his sincere preaching; who answered: Behold I speake the truth, knowing that while men be hearers of the word, and not followers, God is the more offended, and my kingdome the more inlarged. And this was the strangest devise (I thinke) that ever anie divell used: for the apostles themselves could have done no more. Againe, when with all their familiars, their ointments, &c: whereby they ride invisiblie, nor with all their charmes, they can neither conveie themselves from the hands of such as laie wait for them; nor can get out of prison, that otherwise can go in and out at a mouse hole[*]; nor finallie can save themselves from the gallowes, that can transubstantiate their own and others bodies into flies or fleas, &c: who seeth not, that either they lie, or are beelied in their miracles? When they are said to transfer their neighbors corne into their owne ground, and yet are perpetuall beggers, and cannot inrich themselves, either with monie or otherwise: who is so foolish as to remaine longer in doubt of their supernaturall power? When never any yet from the beginning of the world till this daie, hath openlie shewed any other tricke, conceipt, or cunning point of witchcraft, than legierdemaine or cousenage: who will tarrie any longer for further triall? When both the common law and also the injunctions doo condemne prophesieng, & likewise false miracles, and such as beleeve them in these daies: who will not be afraid to give credit to those knaveries? When heereby they make the divell to be a god that heareth the praiers, and understandeth the minds of men: who will not be ashamed, being a christian, to be so abused by them? When they that doo write most franklie of these matters, except lieng _Sprenger_ & _Institor_, have never seene any thing heerin; insomuch as the most credible proofe that _Bodin_ bringeth of his woonderfull tales of witchcraft, is the report of his host at an alehouse where he baited: who will give further eare unto these incredible fables? When in all the new testament, we are not warned of these bodilie appearances of divels, as we are of his other subtilties, &c: who will be afraid of their bugs? When no such bargaine is mentioned in the scriptures, why should we beleeve so incredible and impossible covenants, being the ground of all witchmongers religion, without the which they have no probabilitie in the rest of their foolish assertions? When as, if any honest mans conscience be appealed unto, he must confesse he never saw triall of such witchcraft or conjuration to take effect, as is now so certeinlie affirmed: what conscience can condemne poore soules that are accused wrongfullie, or beleeve them that take upon them impiouslie to doo or worke those impossible things? When the whole course of the scripture is utterlie repugnant to these impossible opinions, saving a few sentences, which neverthelesse rightlie understood, releeve them nothing at all: who will be seduced by their fond arguments? When as now that men have spied the knaverie of oracles, & such pelfe, and that there is not one oracle in the world remaining: who cannot perceive that all the residue heeretofore of those devises, have beene cousenages, knaveries, and lies? When the power of God is so impudentlie transferred to a base creature, what good christian can abide to yeeld unto such miracles wrought by fooles? When the old women accused of witchcraft, are utterlie insensible, and unable to saie for themselves; and much lesse to bring such matters to passe, as they are accused of: who will not lament to see the extremitie used against them? When the foolisher sort of people are alwaies most mistrustfull of hurt by witchcraft, and the simplest and dotingest people mistrusted to doo the hurt: what wise man will not conceive all to be but follie? When it were an easie matter for the divell, if he can doo as they affirme, to give them great store of monie, and make them rich, and dooth it not; being a thing which would procure him more disciples than any other thing in the world: the wise must needs condemne the divell of follie, and the witches of peevishnesse, that take such paines, and give their soules to the divell to be tormented in hell fier, and their bodies to the hangman to be trussed on the gallowes, for nichels in a bag.

♦He should rather have asked who gave him orders and licence to preach.♦

♦[*] [pp. _91, 222_.]♦

♦_John. Bodin._♦

♦Yet manie that beare the shew of honest men are verie credulous heerein.♦

♦Witches are cōmonlie verie beggers.♦

The seventh Chapter.

_A conclusion against witchcraft, in maner and forme of
an Induction._

By this time all kentishmen know (a few fooles excepted) that Robin goodfellowe is a knave. All wisemen understand that witches miraculous enterprises, being contrarie to nature, probabilitie and reason, are void of truth or possibilitie. All protestants perceive, that popish charmes, conjurations, execrations, and benedictions are not effectuall, but be toies and devises onelie to keepe the people blind, and to inrich the cleargie. All christians see, that to confesse witches can doo as they saie, were to attribute to a creature the power of the Creator. All children well brought up conceive and spie, or at the least are taught, that juglers miracles doo consist of legierdemaine and confederacie. The verie heathen people are driven to confesse, that there can be no such conference betweene a spirituall divell and a corporall witch, as is supposed. For no doubt, all the heathen would then have everie one his familiar divell; for they would make no conscience to acquaint themselves with a divell that are not acquainted with God.

♦A generall conclusion against them whō the subject of this book concerneth♦

I have dealt, and conferred with manie (marrie I must confesse papists for the most part) that mainteine every point of these absurdities. And surelie I allow better of their judgements, than of others, unto whome some part of these cousenages are discovered and seene: and yet concerning the residue, they remaine as wise as they were before; speciallie being satisfied in the highest and greatest parts of conjuring and cousening; to wit, in poperie, and yet will be abused with beggerlie jugling, and witchcraft.

The eight Chapter.

_Of naturall witchcraft or fascination._

But bicause I am loth to oppose my selfe against all the writers heerin, or altogither to discredit their stories, or wholie to deface their reports, touching the effects of fascination or witchcraft; I will now set downe certeine parts thereof, which although I my selfe cannot admit, without some doubts, difficulties and exceptions, yet will I give free libertie to others to beleeve them, if they list; for that they doo not directlie oppugne my purpose.

Manie great and grave authors write, and manie fond writers also affirme, that there are certeine families in _Aphrica_ which with their voices bewitch whatsoever they praise. Insomuch as, if they commend either plant, corne, infant, horsse, or anie other beasts, the same presentlie withereth, decaieth and dieth. This mysterie of witchcraft is not unknowne or neglected of our witchmongers, and superstitious fooles heere in _Europa_. But to shew you examples neere home heere in _England_, as though our voice had the like operation: you shall not heare a butcher or horssecourser cheapen a bullocke or a jade, but if he buie him not, he saith, God save him; if he doo forget it, and the horsse or bullocke chance to die, the fault is imputed to the chapman. Certeinelie the sentence is godlie, if it doo proceed from a faithfull and a godlie mind: but if it be spoken as a superstitious charme, by those words and syllables to compound with the fascination and misadventure of infortunate words, the phrase is wicked and superstitious, though there were farre greater shew of godlinesse than appeereth therein.

♦_Isigonus. Memphradorus. Solon, &c. Vairus. J. Bodinus. Mal. malef._♦

The ninth Chapter.

_Of inchanting or bewitching eies._

Manie writers agree with _Virgil_ and _Theocritus_ in the effect of witching eies, affirming that in _Scythia_, there are women called _Bithiæ_, having two balles or rather blacks in the apple of their eies. And as _Didymus_ reporteth, some have in the one eie two such balles, and in the other the image of a horsse. These (forsooth) with their angrie lookes doo bewitch and hurt not onelie yoong lambs, but yoong children. There be other that reteine such venome in their eies, and send it foorth by beames and streames so violentlie, that therewith they annoie not onlie them with whom they are conversant continuallie; but also all other, whose companie they frequent, of what age, strength, or complexion soever they be: as _Cicero_, _Plutarch_, _Philarchus_, and manie others give out in their writings.

♦With the like propertie were the old Illyrian people indued: if we will credit the words of Sabinus grounded upon the report of Aul. Gell.♦

This fascination (saith _John Baptista Porta Neapolitanus_) though it begin by touching or breathing, is alwaies accomplished and finished by the eie, as an extermination or expulsion of the spirits through the eies, approching to the hart of the bewitched, and infecting the same, &c. Wherby it commeth to passe, that a child, or a yoong man endued with a cleare, whole, subtill and sweet bloud, yeeldeth the like spirits, breath, and vapors springing from the purer bloud of the hart. And the lightest and finest spirits, ascending into the highest parts of the head, doo fall into the eies, and so are from thence sent foorth, as being of all other parts of the bodie the most cleare, and fullest of veines and pores, and with the verie spirit or vapor proceeding thence, is conveied out as it were by beames and streames a certeine fierie force; whereof he that beholdeth sore eies shall have good experience. For the poison and disease in the eie infecteth the aire next unto it, and the same proceedeth further, carrieng with it the vapor and infection of the corrupted bloud: with the contagion whereof, the eies of the beholders are most apt to be infected. By this same meanes it is thought that the cockatrice depriveth the life, and a woolfe taketh awaie the voice of such as they suddenlie meete withall and behold.

♦_J. Bap. Neapol. in lib. de naturali magia._♦

♦_J. Bap. Neapol. in lib. de naturali magia._♦

♦This is held of some for truth.♦

Old women, in whome the ordinarie course of nature faileth in the office of purging their naturall monethlie humors, shew also some proofe hereof. For (as the said _J.B.P.N._ reporteth, alledging _Aristotle_ for his author) they leave in a looking glasse a certeine froth, by meanes of the grosse vapors proceeding out of their eies. Which commeth so to passe, bicause those vapors or spirits, which so abundantlie come from their eies, cannot pearse and enter into the glasse, which is hard, and without pores, and therefore resisteth: but the beames which are carried in the chariot or conveiance of the spirits, from the eies of one bodie to another, doo pearse to the inward parts, and there breed infection, whilest they search and seeke for their proper region. And as these beames & vapors doo proceed from the hart of the one, so are they turned into bloud about the hart of the other: which bloud disagreeing with the nature of the bewitched partie, infeebleth the rest of his bodie, and maketh him sicke: the contagion wherof so long continueth, as the distempered bloud hath force in the members. And bicause the infection is of bloud, the fever or sicknes will be continuall; whereas if it were of choler, or flegme, it would be intermittent or alterable.

♦_Non est in speculo res quæ speculatur in eo._♦

The tenth Chapter.

_Of naturall witchcraft for love, &c._

But as there is fascination and witchcraft by malicious and angrie eies unto displeasure: so are there witching aspects, tending contrariwise to love, or at the least, to the procuring of good will and liking. For if the fascination or witchcraft be brought to passe or provoked by the desire, by the wishing and coveting of anie beautifull shape or favor, the venome is strained through the eies, though it be from a far, and the imagination of a beautifull forme resteth in the hart of the lover, and kindleth the fier wherewith it is afflicted. And bicause the most delicate, sweete, and tender bloud of the belooved doth there wander, his countenance is there represented shining in his owne bloud, and cannot there be quiet; and is so haled from thence, that the bloud of him that is wounded, reboundeth and slippeth into the wounder, according to the saieng of _Lucretius_ the poet to the like purpose and meaning in these verses:

♦Nescio quis oculus teneros mihi fascinat agnos, saith _Virgil_: and thus Englished by _Abraham Fleming_: