THE DISCOVERIE

WITCHCRAFT
REGINALD

SCOT,

ESQUIRE

BEING A R E P R I N T OF T H E FIRST
PUBLISHED IN 1584

EDITION

Edited
WITH EXPLANATORY

NOTES, GLOSSARY, AND

INTRODUCTION

BY

BRINSLEY

NICHOLSON,

M.D.

DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL

LONDON
E L L I O T S T O C K , 62 P A T E R N O S T E R R O W , E.C.
1886

This edition of SCOT'S DISCOVERIE consists
of 250 copies only.—E.

S.

DR. NICHOLSON'S SUBSCRIBERS.
T H E ROYAL LIBRARY, WINDSOR CASTLE.

W. ALDIS WRIGHT, LL.D., Cambridge.
FABYAN AMERY, Esq., Ashburton.

J. E. BAILEY, Esq., Stratford, Manchester.
W. W. BAYNES, Esq., London.
ERNEST BLACKER, Esq., Midsomer Norton.
D. BRODIE, Esq., Canterbury.

A. H. BULLEN, Esq., West Hampstead.
Miss BURSILL, London.
J. PATTERSON CASSELLS, M.D., Glasgow.

Prof. CHRYSTAL, Edinburgh.
Sir ANDREW CLARK, Bart., M.D., LL.D., etc., London.
The Lord Chief Justice COLERIDGE, London.
C. W. SHIRLEY DEAKIN, Esq., Allahabad.

K. DEIGHTON, Esq., Agra.

EDW. DENHAM, Esq., New Bedford, U.S.A.
The Right Hon. the EARL OF DERBY, Knowsley Hall.
The D U K E OF DEVONSHIRE, Devonshire House.
R. D I L L , M.D., Brighton.
Dr. J. MATTHEWS DUNCAN, A.M., F.R.S., etc., London,

Mrs. D. P. EVANS, Clifton, Bristol
P. F. SPARKE EVANS, Esq., Clifton, Bristol.
Prof. JOHN FERGUSON, Glasgow.
ALEX. FORSYTH, M.D., Greenwich.

2

FRANCIS F. FOX, J.P., Chipping Sodbury, Bristol.
Prof. T. R. FRASER, M.D., Edinburgh.
H. H. FURNESS, Esq., Philadelphia, U.S.A.
JAMES GAIRDNER, Esq., London.

Prof. W. T. GAIRDNER, M.D., LL.D., Glasgow.
EDM. GOLDSMID, F.S.A. (Scot.), Edinburgh.
The Rev. A. B. GROSART, D.D., LL.D., Blackburn.
C. O. HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS, Esq., F.R.S., etc., Brighton.
HENRY HUCKS GIBBS, Esq., London.

The Rev. W. A. HARRISON, South Lambeth.
W. A. HAMMOND, Esq., New York.

C. M. INGLEBY, Esq., LL.D., Essex.
Sir W M . JENNER, Bart., M.D., F.R.S., etc., London.
W. OSCAR JENNINGS, M.D., Paris.

DAV. A. KING, M.B., London.
F. de M. LEATHES, Esq., London.

LIBRARY, British Museum.
Exeter College, Oxford.
Harvard Coll., Cambridge, U.S.A.
Royal Institution, London.
Leeds.
McGill University, Montreal.
National, of Ireland.
Society of Antiquaries, Scotland.
St. Andrew's University, Aberdeen.
Free, Sydney.
Louis LEISLER, Esq., Frankfort-on-the-Main.
The MARQUIS OF LOTHIAN, Newbattle Abbey.
DOVE MACCOLMAN, M.D., Argyleshire.

Prof. DOUGLAS MACLAGAN, M.D., Edinburgh.

J. D. MARWICK, Esq., LL.D., Glasgow.
Prof. DAVID MASSON, Edinburgh.
JOHN MORISON, Esq., Glasgow.

Prof. H. MORLEY, LL.D., London.

PREFACE.

^•j^HIS reprint is not a facsimile of the edition of 1584, for that was
"^ in black letter, and its page smaller and of quarto size. Being
also for modern readers, and for use, the i of the original has become,
where necessary, the / of the second edition ; the u and v have been
altered according to modern usage, that is, generally interchanged ;
while the short s replaces theyC Such modernisations render it more
readable by the historical and philosophical student, by the man of
science, and by the psychological physician, willing to learn all that
may instruct himself and benefit others. Neither would this reprint
have been undertaken, unless the work itself had appeared to my
friend and fellow-student, W. T. Gairdner, M.D., LL.D., Professor
of Medicine in the University of Glagow,—and led by him—to myself
and others, worthy on the above-mentioned grounds, of being reproduced, and as being both in matter and style a valuable English
classic.
While, however, it is not a facsimile, yet, excepting such variations
as are above noticed, and allowing for the few and trifling errors from
which no copy can expect to be free, not even a photographic one, as
experts in these matters well know, this will, I believe, be found a
correct reprint. Every proof has been thrice, and sometimes oftener,
read over with the original by myself, and these efforts have been
well supplemented by the intelligence and care of its printers.
Even the word-errors of the original, where not in its list of
errata, have been retained, though the true or conjectural readings
have been given in the margin, or in two or three instances in
the Notings at the end.
Except also in two instances, where
for necessity's sake alterations have been introduced within []s,
and the original given in the margin, the old punctuation has been
retained, it being, as a rule, very good, while any slight slips are

viii

Preface,

readily observed, and do not affect the sense. For such other differences as are due to the black letter, and for others like these, I would
refer the print-studying reader to the Introduction.
In the biographical portion of this Introduction, besides a supposition or two of my own, which from his writings seem to me highly
probable, there have been given notices of his pedigree, age, and
marriages, matters hitherto unknown or misstated, and for which I
would at once record my indebtedness to Edmund Ward Oliver, Esq.
This gentleman having taken an interest in investigating these questions, and being a perfect stranger to me, wrote and offered the results
of his inquiries so soon as he had learnt that I was engaged with this
reprint, and has since most obligingly answered the various questions
that I have had occasion to put to him. A copy of Scot's Will has
been also for the first time published, and some Notes and a Glossary
added. Were I to have imitated the learned editors of former days,
I should have added, not some, but exhaustive notes on every point,
gathered from every known and unknown source ; but I have confined myself to explanation, or to making a few remarks on the
text, giving also the author's agreement with, or obligations to Wier,
so far as I knew them, and Shakespeare's and Middleton's obligations
to himself; my reason for not entering into greater details being
that I am no student of the pseudo-science of witchcraft, but a student
only of what is useful, and true, and good.
It would be unseemly, especially after mentioning Mr. Oliver's
name, were I to close this without acknowledging the kind assistance
of my well-known friend, James Gairdner, Esq., of the Public Record
Office ; of my Shakespearian friends, W. Aldis Wright, LL.D., and
P. A. Daniel, Esq. ; of that given me by the Very Reverend Father
W. H. Eyre, lately Superior of Stonyhurst; by Mrs. Amelia Green; as
also by Prof. W. W. Skeat, and Dr. J. A. H. Murray, in my Glossary;
though all were, and personally are, strangers; as are Miss Kath. P.
Woolrych, Oare Vicarage, Kent, and Miss Ayscough, of Brabourne
Vicarage ; and especially that given me by my other Shakespearian
friends, the Rev. W. H. Harrison, of St. Anne's, South Lambeth, and
W. G. Stone, Esq. My best thanks are also due to Mr. J. J. Jervis
for the use, for the printer, of a partially incomplete copy of the first

Preface.

i%

edition ; to the University of Glasgow for the loan, for my own use,
for the greater part of a year, of another copy of this first edition;
and for the use for the same period of a copy of the third edition
to my Alma Mater of Edinburgh, endeared to me by the teachings,
remembrances, and kindnesses of Sir William Hamilton, Allan
Thomson, Christison, Traill, Jamieson, that most sagacious of
surgeons and teachers, Syme, and the ever-to-be-revered physician
and man, W. Pulteney Alison.
BR. NICHOLSON.

ERRATA.
The fiagings, as usual, are those of the first edition.
P. 20, heading, ch. ii, "inquistofs", read "inquisitors"*
P. 92,1. 5, 6, "UlyfFes" (bis), read "Ulysses".
P. 169,1. 9, "obsevation", read "observation".
P. 192,1. 3. "eaiai/", read "tartar".
P. 334,1. 2, from end, "three," read "three ;"
P. 347, 1.6, from end, " left it", read " left in".
P. 522,1. 6, from end, "Silyllce", read "Sibylla".

bb

INTRODUCTION.

E

X C E P T that they add the names of some who have opposed his
views, or some such trifling matters, all the writers of biographical notices of Scot have drawn their information from the account
given of him in Wood's Athence Oxon. Nor, indeed, until lately, unless original search h a d been made, were other sources available.
Hence I, in the first place, give his words verbatim from the edition
of 1691.
" R E Y N O L D E SCOT, a younger Son of Sir John Scot of Scots-hall,
near to Smeeth in Kent, by his Wife, Daughter of Reynolde Pimp of
Pimps-court Knight, was born in that County, and at about 17 years
of age was sent to Oxon, particularly, as it seems, to Hart hall, where
several of his Country-men and name studied in the latter end of K.
Hen. 8. and in the Reign of Ed. 6. Qr^c. Afterwards he retired to his
native Country without the honour of a degree, and settled at Smeeth,
where he found great incouragement in his studies from his kinsman
Sir Thos. Scot. About which time taking to him a Wife, he gave
himself up solely to solid reading, to the perusing of obscure authors
that h a d by the generality of Scholars been neglected, and at times
of leisure to husbandry and gardening, as it may partly appear from
these books following.
" A perfect platform of a Hop-garden, and necessary instructions for
the making and maintenance thereof, with notes and rules for reformation of all abuses, &c. Lond. 1576. qu. the 2. edit, as it seems.
, " T h e discovery of Witchcraft; wherein the leud dealing of Witches,
and Witchmongers is notably detected, the knavery of Conjurers,
the impiety of Inchantors, the folly of Southsayers, &c. With m a n y
other things are opened, which have long been hidden, howbeit very
necessary to be known. Lond. 1584. qu. in 16 books.
" Discourse upon Devils and Spirits.—In this, and the former, both
printed together, it plainly appears that the author was very well
versed in m a n y choice books, and that his search into them was so
profound, that nothing slip'd his Pen that might make for his purpose.
Further also in the said Discovery and Discourse, though he holds
that Witches are not such that were in his time and before, commonly
executed for Witches ; or that Witches were, or are not ; yet they,
which were written for the instruction of all Judges and Justices of
that age, (being the first of that nature that were published in the
Mother tongue,) did for a time make great impressions in the Magis-

Introduction.

xt

tracy and Clergy, tho afterwards condemned by James King of
Scots (the same who succeeded Qu. Elizabeth in the Monarchy of
England) in his Preface to Dcemonology, printed under his N a m e at
Edinburgh
in 1597. qu. and by several others since, among whom
was Rich. Bernard
of Batcomb, in his Epist. Ded. before his
Guide to Grand Jury-men,
&c. Lond. 1627. in oct. W h a t else our
author Scot hath written, I cannot yet tell, nor anything else of him,
only but that he dyed in Sept. or Oct. in fifteen hundred ninety and
nine, and was buried among his Ancestors in the Church at Smeeth
before-mentioned.
" In the time of the said Reynold Scot and before, have been conversant among the Muses in Hart hall, the Sackviles of Sussex, the
Colepepers of Kent anol Sussex, the Sedlies of Kent, and the Scots
before mentioned, with others of inferiour note of the said Counties. , ,
Notes added in Bliss's

Reprint.

" 7. T h e learned author in his Discovery is as vehement against
Popery as against witchcraft, and quite indecent in his abuse of the
saints of the Romish c h u r c h . " — C O L E . [His indecency being for the
most part a narrative of, and obvious reflections on, their indecency.
And this I say understanding the sense in which he uses the word.]
" 8. See a full account of this curious book, as Mr. Oldys calls it, in
his British Librarian, p. 213. All the copies of the first edit. 1584,
that could be found were burnt by order of K. J a m e s I. an author on
the other side of the question."—Vid. Hist. Dictionary, sub voce " Scot".
[ " R E G I N A L D U S S C O T U S , Anglus, tractatum de Incantamentis
scripsit, in quo plerasque traditiones de Magia Melancholias, & morbis
variis, aut artibus histrionicis adscribit."] " H u n c in Anglia publica
auctoritate combustum, sibi autem nunquam fuisse visum refert
Thomasius de crimine magiae § 3."—Vide [j. v.] V o g t , Cat. Libr. rar.,
p.6i7[i7i3].
" Liber in folio scriptus Anghca lingua a Reginaldo Scoto in quo
plurima occurrunt contra magiae existentiam argumenta. Est ille
etiam in Belgicam linguam conversus : sed plenior editio est ultima
Anglica."—Morhof., ii, 459.
[ T h e n a short note on the three editions.]
In j 874 there were privately printed, Memorials of the Scot Family,
by Jas. Renat Scott, Esq., and from them I extract the following tables:
Rich. Scott==Mary Whetenhall.

Reginald
author.

Richard ancestor of the
Scotts of Shrewsbury
and elsewhere.

Edward==May, d. of
I JohnWar| ren.

A quo the Scotts of Glemsford Suffolk and afterwards
Ohio and Massachusetts in America.

[2 d.]

of

Xll

Introduction,

Reg. Scott, b. 1541, = = Alice Cobbe, d. of Th. Cobbe of Cobbes
=
mar. ir Oct. 1568,
Place, Aldington, Kent.
died Oct. 1599.
Collyar=Marie.

Elizabeth=Sackville Turnor of Tablehurst,
Sussex.

But as the first part of the ancestry given in this book is not supported by anything beyond possibility and legend, so this latter
portion is incorrect in various particulars, Instead, however, of
taking each inaccuracy item by item, it will be simpler to give a
consecutive account of such facts as to his ancestry, and as to
Reginald Scott himself, as can be proved by documentary evidence
or rendered probable by deductions therefrom.
John Philipot, Rouge Dragon and Somerset Herald, who died in
1645, s e t forth the pleasant and picturesque, but slightly supported
origin of the family. I say pleasant, because the Scotts in the times
of Elizabeth, James, and Charles, were a family of large possessions,
wealth, and influence, influence so great that it is said that Elizabeth
refused the request made by Lord Buckhurst, or the Earl of Leicester,
that Sir Thomas Scott should be ennobled, saying that he had already
more influence in Kent than she had. She seems also to have had from
this, or from some other reason, a personal dislike to them, for in her
Progress in 1573, she having passed three days at his father-in-law's,
Sir John Baker, of Sissinghurst Castle, declined to visit Scotts-hall,
saying she wished to proceed to her own house, though on her way
thither she had to pass Sir Thomas's gates. In his Villare Cantianum, p. 313, Philipot has these words : "Scotts-hall, which is now
and hath been for divers Descents the Inheritance of eminent Gentlemen of that Sirname, whom I dare aver upon probable Grounds
were originally called BaliolL William Balioll, second brother to
Alexander de Balioll, frequently writ his Name William de Balioll
le Scot, and it is probable, that upon the Tragedy of John, Earl of
Atholl, who was made prisoner by Edward the first, and barbarously
executed, in the year 1307, (whilst he endeavoured more nobly than
successfully to defend the gasping Liberty of Scotland against the
Eruption of that Prince;) this Family to decline the Fury of that
Monarch, who was a man of violent passions, altered the name of

Introduction.

xiii

Balioll Xo that of their Extraction and Country, and assumed for the
future the Name of Scot That the Sirname of this Family was
originally Balioll, I farther upon these Reasons assert. First, the
ancient Arms of Balioll Colledge in Oxford, which was founded by
John Balioll, and dedicated to St. Katharine was a Katherin-Wheele,
being still part of the paternal Coat of this Family. Secondly, David
de Strabogie, who was Son and Heir to the unfortunate Earl abovesaid, astonished with an Example of so much Terror, altered his name
from Balioll to Strabogie, which was a Signory which accrued to him
the Right of his Wife, who was Daughter and Heir Xojohn Comin, Earl
of Badzenoth and Strabogie, and by this Name King Edward the
second, omitting that of Balioll restored Chilham-castle to him for
Life, in the fifteenth year of his reign. Thirdly, the Earls of Bttccleugh,
and the Barons of Burley in Scotland, who derive themselves originally from Balioll, are known at this instant by no other Sirname, but
Scot, and bear with some inconsiderable Difference, those very Arms
which are at present the paternal Coat of the Family of Scots-hall"
This tradition excluded, we find that Sir William Scot of Braberne,
now Brabourne, in Kent, is the first of whom we have historical
mention. He was knighted in 1336, when the Black Prince was
created Duke of Cornwall, and died in 1350 : a brass to his memory,
being in Weever's time (1631), the first of the memorials of the Scot
family in Brabourne church. According to Philipot, this Sir William
was the same with Sir William Scot, then Chief Justice of England;
but if Mr. Foss be right in stating that this latter died in 1346, the
year of the Black Death, this view cannot be upheld.
Another Sir William, apparently a grandson of the above, acquired
through his mother the manor of Combe in Brabourne, and through
his first wife and her relations—modes of increase in which the
family seem to have been fortunate—that of Orlestone, as well as
other places; and in 1420 he built Scotshall, in the manor of Hall in
Smeeth, and was in 1428 sheriff of the county, and in 1430 knight of
the shire in parliament. He died 1433. Scotshall, from time to
time enlarged or rebuilt, and especially so by Sir Edward Scot, in
the reign of Charles I, became the family seat for twelve generations.
Evelyn, under date August 2, 1663, records his visit to it (soon after
the young knight's marriage), and calls it " a right noble seate,

XIV

Introduction.

uniformely built, with a handsome gallery. It stands in a park well
stor'd, the land fat and good. W e wrere exceedingly feasted by the
young knight, and in his pretty chapell heard an excellent sermon by
his chaplaine." It was sold, with the remaining possessions of the
family, at the close of the last century, and destroyed in 1808. Some
undulations in a field on the north side of the road from Ashford to
H y t h e , about half a mile to the east of Smeeth church, alone mark
its site.
T h e son of this second Sir William, n a m e d Sir John, being connected with the Woodvilles, a n d therefore with the wife of Edward IV,
a n d being a staunch Yorkist, and apparently a m a n of intelligence,
was employed in special embassies to Charles, Duke of Burgundy,
especially in 1467, when he went to treat of the marriage of the king's
sister with the duke. H e h a d also various other and more substantial
favours conferred upon him from time to time, from 1461 onwards,
including that of Chilham Castle for life, as somewhat oddly, a n d
I think wrongly, noted in the extract from Philipot. H e died in 1485,
a n d probably intestate, as no will is recorded.
T o him succeeded his son, the third Sir William in this account,
and he dying in 1524, was succeeded by his son, a second Sir J o h n .
T h i s last, by his marriage with Anne, daughter of Reginald Pympe,
had three sons, and died on the 7th October 1533. T h e eldest,
William, followed his father on the 5th J u n e 1536, and leaving no
offspring, his next brother, Sir Reginald, took his place. Of the third
brother, Richard, t h e father of our Reginald, I shall speak presently.
Meanwhile, returning to t h e main line, I would say that Sir Reginald,
dying on the 16th October 1554, was succeeded by his son, Sir
T h o m a s , the " c o u s i n " to whom Reginald was much indebted, and
one of the four to whom he dedicated his Witchcraft.
H e was, in
his day, a man of note, intelligence, and action. Finding his estate
in debt, he yet kept one hundred at his table, was most hospitable,
and died owing nothing, though, of course, to provide for the
younger of his very numerous progeny, various portions of his estate
were by his will sold after his death. H e was deputy-lieutenant of
his county, sheriff of Kent in 1576, knight of the shire for the
Parliaments of 13 and 28 Elizabeth, chief of the Kentish forces at
Northbourne Downs, where th£y were assembled to repel any landing

Introduction.

xv

from the Armada; and it may be added, as showing his promptness,
readiness, and decision, that 4,000 of these were there, equipped for the
field, the day after he received his orders from the Privy Council.
He was one of the Commissioners to report on the advisability of
improving the breed of horses in this country, and either before or
after this, is said to have published a book on the subject. He was a
Commissioner for draining and improving Romney Marsh, and afterwards Superintendent of the improvements of Dover harbour. Various
letters to and from him in reference to Dover harbour, as well as to the
Kentish forces, are to be found in the State Calendars. Having been
the parent of seventeen children by his first wife, Emmeline Kempe, a
relative by maternal descent, he died on the 30th December 1594, and
Ashford parish offered to pay the expenses of his funeral if only they
were allowed to bury him in their church. Most of these facts are
noted in the following verses, which I give, chiefly because there are
some probabilities that they were by Reginald. A copy of them seems
to have been found among the family papers, in his handwriting.
That he made some of the verse translations given in his Witchcraft
is extremely probable, from the want in these cases of marginal
references to the translator's name; hence a second probability. The
verses themselves render it likely that they were one of those
memorial elegies then affixed €ir* ratyov by affectionate friends and
relatives, and not what we now call an epitaph; and the third verse
clearly shows that they were written at least some little time after Sir
Thomas's decease, and therefore were not improbably written to be
affixed to the handsome tomb erected over his remains. Hence a third
probability; but beyond the accumulated force of these we cannot go.
Epitaph on Sir Thomas Scott, as given in the " Memorials of the
Scott Family", and also in Pick's " Collection of Curious Pieces
in the World") vol. 3.
Here lyes Sir Thomas Scott by name ;
Oh happie Kempe that bore him !
Sir Raynold, with four knights of fame,
Lyv'd lyneally before him.
His wieves were Baker, Heyman, Beere ;
His love to them unfayned.
He lyved nyne andfiftieyeare,
And seventeen soules he gayned.

xvi

Introduction.
His first wief bore them every one ;
The world might not have myst her I*
She was a very paragon
The Lady Buckherst's syster.
His widow lyves in sober sort,
No matron more discreeter ;
She still reteiynes a good report,
And is a great housekeeper.
He (being called to special place)
Did what might best behove him.
The Queen of England gave him grace,
The King of Heav'n did love him.
His men and tenants waiPd the daye,
His Kinne and countriet cryed ;
Both young and old in Kent may saye,
Woe worth the day he dyed.
He made his porter shut his gate
To sycophants and briebors,
And ope it wide to great estates,
And also to his neighbours.
His House was rightly termed Hall
Whose bred and beefe was redie ;
It was a very hospitall
And refuge for the needie.
From whence he never stept aside,
In winter nor in summer ;
In Christmas time he did provide
Good cheer for every comer.
When any service shold be doun,
He lyked not to lyngar ;
The rich would ride, the poor wold runn,
If he held up his fingar.
He kept tall men, he rydd great hors,
He did write most finely ;
He used fewe words, but cold discours
Both wysely and dyvinely.
His lyving meane,J his charges greate,
His daughters well bestowed ;
Although that he were left in debt,
In fine he nothing owed.

* Though a paragon, she lived, he would say, a quiet, retired life, obedient
and loving to her husband.
+ " Countrie", seems not unlikely to be used here, as in the Discoverie not
unfrequently, and twice in Wood's notice just given, and, as then, for county.
% "Meane", that is, moderate, midway between the very rich and the poor.

Introduction.

xvn

But dyed in rich and happie state,
Beloved of man and woman
And (what is yeate much more than that)
He was envied* of no man.
In justice he did much excell,
In law he never wrangled :
He loved rellygion wondrous well,
But he was not new-fangled.
Let Romney Marsh and Dover saye ;
Ask Norborne camp at leyseur;
If he were woont to make delaye
To doe his countrie pleasure.
But Ashford's proffer passeth all—
It was both rare and gentle ;
They would have pay'd his funerall
T' have toomb'd him in their temple.
Before returning to Richard and Reginald, we may conclude this
short notice of their ancestors by mentioning the very probable circumstance that the former were, by the female line, descendants of
John Gower, the poet, as explained in the following table :
Sir John Pashell=Elizabeth, d. of Richard Wydeville, sister of Earl
|
Rivers, aunt of E d w a r d IV's wife.
John Pashell,===i. Ludovic (Lowys), d. of T h . Gower, ob. circa 1458.
ob. circa 1472. |

i

1

William,
ob. ante 1485,^./.

Elizabeth, or Isabel,===Reg. Pympe.
ob. ante 1485.
j

Anne—Sir John Scot, father of Richard Scot.
T h e Pashells, or Pashleys, were descended from Sir E d m u n d de
Passelege, a Baron of the Exchequer, who purchased a manor in
Smeeth in 1319 ; he died 1327. T h e family resided at Iden, Sussex ;
and the house there, and the manor in Smeeth, devolved on t h e
Scots, Anne Pympe being her father's only child. It is true that J o h n
Gower, the poet, does not mention any children in his extant will,
but he was probably seventy-eight when he died ; and, what is
more to the purpose, his published will was probably only his testament, the will or declaration of uses of the land being commonly at
* "Envied", most probably in its then frequent sense of hated.
C C

xviii

Introduction.

that time a separate instrument. Th. Gower, of Clapham, given above
as t h e father of Lowys, was probably the son or grandson of John
Gower (see Sir Harris Nicolas in The Retrosp.Rev.^ 2 Ser., ii, 103-17).
Also Gower the poet is known to have had property in Southwark; and
T h . Gower, of Clapham, refers in his will (1458) to his tenement called
T h e Falcon, in Southwark, near the h o s p i t a l ; and in Manning and
Bray's Surrey^ iii, 623, there is noticed a deed of conveyance dated
22nd November 1506, of part of the site of St. Thomas's Hospital, in
Southwark, m a d e by John Scot, of Iden, and Anne his wife, daughter
a n d heir of John Pashley, who was cousin and heir of John Gower.
It may be added as curious that Sir Robert Gower, who is believed
to have been uncle to the poet, was buried in Brabourne church in
1349 ; his monument, now destroyed, being noticed in Weever.
On p. 500, Scot speaks of " h i s kinseman M. Deering", Edw. Dering
the divine, a writer on theological subjects and chaplain to her
Majesty; but in what way they were kin I have been unable to discover.*
Returning now to Reginald's father, Richard, the youngest of the
three sons of that Sir John who died in 1533, we find that he married
Mary, daughter of Geo. Whetenall, whose father was sheriff of Kent
in 1527, and whose family had lived for three centuries at Hextall's
Place, near Maidstone. She survived her h u s b a n d ; and being remarried to Fulke Onslow, Clerk of the Parliaments, died before him,
8th October 1582, and was buried, as he afterwards was, in Hatfield
church, Herts, where a brass to their memory is fixed in the north
wall of the chancel. Of Richard himself nothing more is known.
H e probably died young, and certainly before December 1554, his
death being mentioned in the will of his brother Sir Reginald, who died
on the 16th of that month. I n this will, failing his own issue—a lapse
which did not occur—he left his real estate " unto Rainolde Scotte,
* My mother being a Dering, a daughter of the Thomas that was drowned
in the West Indies, when trying to reach his vessel H.M.S. Circe, induces
me to add, through the courtesy of Sir Edw. C. Dering, that a portrait of
this worthy is still to be seen at Surrenden Dering, and that a family tradition
has it, that preaching before her Majesty, he had the boldness to tell her, "that
she had no more controul over her passions than an untamed heifer." He
was speedily unfrocked, and is said to have emigrated to America, where an
Edw. Dering is at this moment the head of^that branch, and a large landowner in Maine.

Introduction.

xix
d

son and heire of my brother Richard Scotte, dec ", and Rainolde's
issue failing, it was devised to a more distant branch. Hence, contrary to the table given on page xi, from " T h e Memorials", " R a i n o l d e "
was either the only son of Richard, or the only son then living. T h e
same conclusion follows from the Inquis. post mortem of Lady
Wynifred Rainsfoord, taken the 20th March 1575/6, where Sir T h o m a s
Scot and his brothers are said to be co-heirs with Reynold of the lands
held by her in gavelkind, the sons having one moiety, and Reynold
the other.
This Inquisition also gives Reynold's then age as thirty-eight or
more, the words " et amplius" being, as was, usually at least, done in
these documents, attached to all the other ages mentioned. H e n c e
h e was born in or before 1538 (not in 1541), and as, according to
Wood, h e entered H a r t Hall, Oxford, when about seventeen, h e
entered it circa 1555 ; the intention that he should do so having been
probably entertained by Sir Reginald, his uncle, who died 16th
December 1554, and his expenses borne by his cousin, Sir T h o m a s .
I say probably, because we have seen that, failing his own issue, he
was named by Sir Reginald as the next heir to the estate, and also
because we know nothing of the circumstances in which his widowed
mother was left, nor as yet of the date at which she was re-married
to Onslow.
On the n t h of October he married Jane—not, as stated in " T h e
Memorials", Alice—Cobbe, the daughter of an old yeoman family
long resident at Cobbe's Place, in the adjoining parish of Aldington.
T h e entry in the Registers of Brabourne is—
" M* Reignold Scott and Jane Cobbe
were maryed the xith of October 1658."
T h e only issue of this marriage, the only issue (that at least survived)
of both his marriages—for the Maria in the table of " T h e Memorials"
was the daugher of his second wife by her first husband—was Elizabeth, afterwards married to Sackville Turnor ; and the only issue of
that marriage, prior at least to Reynold's death in 1599, was Cicely.
Elizabeth's birth must have been in or before 1574, for in the Inquis.
* To this upper portion of the " M " is added a character which may make
it " Mr." or " Married"; b u t ! have not myself yet seen the entry.

XX

Introduction.

post mortem of Reg. Scot generosus in 1602, she is said to be " 28 et
amplius". The Holy Maid of Kent (mentioned by Scot, p. 26) was
servant to one of her maternal progenitors, probably to her grandfather.
In this year, 1574, was also published the first issue of his brain,
his tractate on The Hoppe-Garden^ the first work, I believe, in which
not only was the culture of the hop in England advocated, both as
having been successfully tried by him, and as against its importation
from Poppering, in Flanders, where its mode of culture, etc., was endeavoured to be kept secret; but the whole subject of its growth,
culture, drying, and preservation was gone into in a practical manner,
and further explained by woodcuts. And here it may be worth noting
that in this year Reynold was necessarily absent so far from London
that the publisher inserted this apologetic note : " Forasmuch as M.
Scot could not be present at the printing of this his Booke, whereby
I might have used his advise in the correction of the same, and especiallie of the Figures and Portratures conteyned therein, whereof he
delivered unto me such notes as I being unskilfull in the matter, could
not so thoroughly conceyve, nor so perfectly expresse as . . . . the
Author, or you . . . . the Reader might in all poyntes be satisfied
[etc., etc.]." In the second edition, however, in 1576, it was : "Now
newly corrected and augmented," the augmentations increasing the
book from fifty-three pages, exclusive of the epilogue, to sixty, and
the corrections including one added and one emended engraving.
As a matter of curiosity, and as showing that neither the publisher
nor the author expected a second edition, it may be added that though
only two years had elapsed, some at least of the wood engravings
required to be re-cut in almost exact facsimile. A third edition was
issued in 1578, and from these we can date the commencement of the
hop harvests in Kent.
In 1575 he succeeded to one moiety of such part of Lady Winifred
Rainsford's estate as was held in gavelkind. Possibly, indeed, we may
place his enjoyment of it earlier, for Lady Rainsford was declared
insane; and to this, by the way, I am not disinclined to attribute
Reynold's prolonged absence from London in 1572, the attendance
of some one of the family being required, and he, being older than
the sons of Sir Thomas, and of a junior branch, and a man of busi-

Introduction.

xxi

ness, having been chosen or requested to go. And I think we may
place his loss of that estate between this date and that of 1584, the
date of the publication of the Witchcraft. At least, in this Discoverie
occur two passages which, taken together, seem to point to this. In his
dedication to Sir Th. Scot he says: A vi, a My foot being [not, having
been] under your table, my hand in your dish, or rather in your pursse"
—and, A viii: "If they will allow men knowledge and give them no
leave to use it, men were much better be without it than have it;
. . . . it is, as . . . . to put a candle under a bushell : or as to have
a ship, and to let hir lie alwaies in the docke : which thing how
profitable it is, I can saie somewhat by experience." Though it may
be said that Reynold was a man of business, and, as appears from
his writings, a man of decision and of unusual intelligence, still
circumstances may combine to bring disaster as a shipowner on such
a one, and more especially if he be new to the business. That he did
in some way lose his " moiety" is shown by the words of his will, for,
speaking of his second wife, he says, "whome yf I had not matched
w th all I had not dyed worth one groate." Not, improbably, I think,
it was to the time of his first marriage, or to his widowership, or to
both, that Wood more especially refers when he speaks of his giving
himself up to solid reading, etc.
When his first wife died and when he re-married is as yet unknown
to us. But this latter could hardly have taken place until the latter
end, at earliest, of 1584, since in that year he, as already quoted, describes himself as, "having his foot under your [Sir Th. Scot's] table",
etc., or in other words, as being a dependant not worth one groat. Nor
do we know more of this second wife beyond these slight particulars
that we gather from Reynold's will : that her Christian name was
Alice—given in " The Memorials" instead of Jane, to Cobbe, the first
wife—that she was a widow with a daughter by her former husband ;
and that she had some land, either in her own right or derived from
her former husband. That she was a widow at the time of her remarriage is shown by Reynold's bequest of "six poundes thirteene
shillings foure pence to my daughter in Lawe Marie Collyar for apparell [? mourning] desiring that her mother's hand be not anie thinge
the shorter towards her in that respect." Whether Collyar were this
daughter's maiden name, and therefore the name of her mother's first

XXII

Introduction,

husband, or whether it were the name of her own husband, is doubtful, though from the words just quoted I rather incline to this second
supposition, and that the husband was not a man of much means.
With regard to what I have said as to the mother's possession of property, it has been suggested to me by one of good judgment, and a
solicitor, that Reynold's expression as to not dying worth a groat was
merely an excuse for leaving the bulk of his property to his wife ; as
also that these concluding words of the will, and the resistance of probate to it made by Elizabeth, his daughter by his first wife, indicate
the existence of family differences, probably attributable to this second
marriage having been entered into with one of a social rank inferior
to his own. I cannot, however, deduce this latter supposition from
anything we know, neither can I thus interpret the last words of his
will, nor believe him guilty of such a perversion of the truth. Reading his will attentively, I think we find that Scot, with his usual fine
sense of justice, gives all the lands in "Aldington, Ruckinge, and
Sellinge", which had become his by his marriage with Alice, " to her
and to her [not to his] heires", while he only gives his lands in Romney Marsh and his lease of Brabourne Rectory to her for her life,
and then the lease at least, which had come to him "from his Cozen
Charles", to his daughter Elizabeth. Reading the last words of his
will verbatim, I think it consistent with justice to hold, that though he
may have obtained these lands in Romney Marsh through the use of
what had been his wife's former property, but was during his marriage
his own, he was entitled to leave them to his wife only for her life,
they then proceeding not, as did the others, to her heirs, but to his.
I strongly suspect, also, that his casual omission of any directions
as to whom these Romney Marsh lands were to go after her death
was the real cause of the probate of the will being resisted by his
daughter Elizabeth, so as to definitely raise this point.
Reserving all notice of his Witchcraft till I speak of it under its
bibliography, I would say that we know little more of his life. The
Rev. Jos. Hunter, in his Chorus Vatum^ states that he was "a Collector
of subsidies to Q. Elizabeth in 15..., for the county of Kent." Urged
to inquiry by this, my friend, Jas. Gairdner, Esq., kindly examined
for me the Exchequer documents in the Public Record Offices, and it
appears from them that he was collector of subsidies for the lathe of

Introduction,

xxiii

Shepway in the years 28 and 29 of Elizabeth (1586-87). It may be
added that, as appears from a previous document, i | - | , in the same
class of papers, that Sir Reynold Scot and other Commissioners for the
collection in the lathe of Shepway, of the first payment of the subsidy
granted by the Parliament, yj Henry VIII, had appointed a high
Collector. Thus we learn the mode of his appointment; and on looking through the lists we find that many such were "generosi", though
the payment was but small. For Scot, forty shillings was deducted
from the incomings ; and this not as a percentage, but as salary.
From the same documents we find that he is twice designated
"armiger", a word agreeing with his 1584 title-page, "by Reginald
Scot, Esquire", though in the editions of his Hoftpe Garden his name
alone is given. This was for myself an important find; but it will
suffice here to say that it confirms Hunter's supposition that this
esquireship was due to his having been made a justice of the peace,
though as to the date it can only as yet be said that this dignity was
probably granted between 1578 and 1584.
In an Accomftt of Sir Th. Heanage, knight, Treasurer at Warr,
in the Public Record Offices, and printed by J. Renat Scott in the
Arch. Canti., vol. xi, p. 388, we find the following entries :
"Sr Thomas Scott knighte Collonel generall of the footemen in
Kent forthhis Entertainment at xiijs iiijd p r diem for xxij dayesbegonne
the xxix of Julye and endinge the xix of Auguste the summe of
xiiip xiijs iiijd."
" Reinalde Scotte Trench mayster for his Enterteinment at iiijs
pr diem, and due to him for the same tyme
iiijH viijs."
" S r Thomas Scott knighte for Thenterteynem1 of lxiij Wachemen
& Garders appointed to watche & warde at Dongenesse for xxij dayes
begonne [etc., as above] at viij the pece p r diem
xlv'i^ iiijs."
From the Muster-roll taken on the 25th Jan. 1587-8, and now in the
possession of Mr. Oliver, it appears that the county had then furnished
8,201 footmen and 711 horsemen, and that Sir Thomas was captain of
the 309 trained foot raised in the lathe of Shepway, with four hundreds
of the lathe of Scraye and Romney Marsh. Hence his office as ColonelGeneral was not given him—indeed, this is shown by the Accompt—
until the men had been assembled in camp on the 29th July. In like

XXtZf

Introduction.

manner the Muster-roll gives Sir Jas. Hales as Captain of the
Lances ; but in the pay list Th. Scott (a son of Sir Thomas) is
Captain both of the Light Horse and Lances. With regard to
"Reinalde", who, under the name of Reginald, appears in the Musterroll as one of the thirteen captains over 1,499 untrained foot, Mr. J.
Renat Scott, in a note, states that he was a son of Sir Thomas Scott;
but though sons of Sir Thomas were also captains, this assertion is a
guess, unsupported by any known evidence.
He made his will on the 15th September 1599, and died twenty-four
days thereafter, on the 9th October. Some say that he was either
taken ill at Smeeth or died there, probably misinterpreting the words
of his will; some also say that he was buried there ; while some think
that he was buried by the side of and close to Sir Thomas Scott's tomb
in Brabourne church; but all these, like the supposition of Philipot in
his Kent Notes, Harl. MS. 3917, fol. 78a, that he erected that tomb,
are mere guessings, and as such we leave them.
To the few particulars thus gathered together we are obliged, with
the exception of two small points, one probable, and the other, I
think, certain, to confine ourselves. The first or probable point is,
that as his name appears five times as a witness to family business
documents between 1566 and 1594, his signature appearing in this
last year in Sir Thomas's will, he must have kept up familiar intercourse with the latter, and was not improbably, in some measure at
least, his man of business, and possibly his steward. The second
point, which also goes to confirm this first one, as also to confirm
the belief that he was made a justice of the peace, as being a person
whose attainments, if not his position, would render him useful in
such a post, is one to which I was independently led by his writings,
and which is, I find, borne out by almost contemporary testimony.
He who in his Hoppe Garden showed such practical thought and
foresight, and in his Witchcraft such independence of thought, was
not a man, especially when married and a father, to live in dependence
on a cousin. The wording, as well as the tone of his writings, agree
with this. We find in them traces of legal study, a habit of putting
things, as it were, in a forensic form, and noteworthy and not unfrequent
references to legal axioms or dicta, quoted generally in their original
Latin. The Dedication before his Hoppe Garden^ and the first before

Introduction.

XXV

his Witchcraft, are to men of high legal rank, judges, in fact, to whom
he acknowledges his obligations. Referring the reader to these, and
to the ambiguous sentence in the latter commencing " Finally" (sig>
A ii), I would also give the words in the latter, where he says, A. v :
"But I protest the contrarie, and by these presents I renounce all
protection"; and in the former the legal phraseology is carried on
throughout in—"and be it also knowne to all men by these presentes
that your acceptance hereof shall not be any wyse prejudiciall unto
you, for I delyver it as an Obligation, wherein I acknowledge my selfe
to stande further bounde unto you, without that, that I meane to receyve your courtesie herein, as a release of my further duties which I
owe," A. iii. v. And in B. v.: " neither reproove me because by these
presents I give notice thereof." So also he would seem to have been an
attendant at the assizes ; and if we look to the story, told at page 5, of
Marg. Simons, we find that he was not only present at the trial, but
busied himself actively in the matter, talking to the vicar, the accuser,
about it, advertising the poor woman as to a certain accusation, he
"being desirous to heare what she could saiefor hir selfe", and inquiring into the truth of her explanation by the relation of divers honest
men of that parish. In like manner, his Will is written "w th myne owne
hande" twenty-five days before his death ; and, on inquiring from a
lawyer, I find that it is drawn up in due legal form, and by one who
had had a legal training. Lastly, Thomas Ady, M.A., in A Candle in
the Dark, 1656, alias, A Perfect Discovery of Witches, 1661, a book,
like Scot's, against the reality of witchcraft, distinctly tells us, p. 87,
that Scot "was a student in the laws and learned in the Roman Laws",
the latter being exactly what such a man would be if he had turned
towards the law as a profession. These considerations appear to me
conclusive, even though it be added as an argument per contra that
his name has not been found among the rolls of the Temple, Inner
or Middle, or in those of Lincoln's or Gray's Inn.
And in taking leave of this portion of my subject, I cannot but
reiterate the obligations both the reader and the literary world generally are under to Mr. Edmund Ward Oliver. The suppositions as
to the cause of Scot's loss of his moiety of the estates of Lady Winnifred Rainsford—not, it is believed, a large sum—and as to his lawstudentship, based as they are on facts stated by Scot or derived from

dd

xxvi

Introduction,

his writings, and those of Th. Ady, are my own ; while in one or two
instances I have put forth opinions not quite in accord with that
gentleman's. But nearly all the biographical facts regarding Scot
himself and his marriages, in contradistinction to the supposed facts
hitherto set forth, are due to the intelligent research of Mr. Oliver,
and are not unfrequently stated in his own words.
The following table will bring into one view the pedigree of Reginald
Scot given in the previous pages :
[The 2nd] Sir William Scott,* d. 1433.=

I

Sir John Scott, d. 1485.=
Sir William Scott, d. 1524.=
Sir John Scott, d. 7 Oct. i533.==Anne, d. of Reginald Pympe.
Wm. Scott,
d. s. p. 5 June
1536.

Sir Reginald Scott,
d. 16 Dec. 1554.

Richd. Scott.=f=Mary Whetenail.

Sir Th. Scot, (1) Jane Cobbe.=Reginald Scott.=(2) Alice[Collyar?].
d. 30 Dec. 1594.
I
Elizabeth.===Sackville Turnor.

1
Cicely.
* It is noteworthy that, notwithstanding the memorial inscription to the first
Sir William, Reginald, or whoever was the author of the verses to Sir Thomas,
only traces the pedigree to this fourth knight after Sir Reginald. Either then
the first Sir William was then accounted somewhat mythical, or not being a
knight of fame, he was not recognised as the same with Sir William Scott,
the Chief Justice of England.

Introduction,

xxvii

W I L L OF RAYNOLD SCOT.
Extracted from the copy, not the original, in the Principal
Registry
of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty
Division of the High
Court of Justice.
S

In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

I N the N a m e of God Amen. I Raynolde Scott in the Countie of
Kent gent beinge of the Parish of Smeth Doe make and ordaine
and wth myne owne hande doe write this my Last will and Testament
on Saturdaye the fyfteenth of September Anno Dni a thousand fyve
hundred nyntie nyne and in the fortie one yeare of the raigne of o r
soveraigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth Fyrst I bequeath my Sowle to
Almightie god and my body to be buryed as yt shall seeme good to
Alice my wiefe whome I m a k e and ordaine to be myne onely
Executrix Item I bequeath to mysayde wief All my goods and chattells
plate housholde stuffe Juelles and Chaynes with all my leases and
goods moveable and vnmoveable savinge such as I shall by this my
Will other Wise dispose of Item I (for the trust I repose in MrEdwarde Hall of Ashforde and of my neighbou1" Raynolde Keale of
Smeeth in countie aforesaide doe make them two the overseers to
this my Last will and gyve to eyther of t h e ^ for theire paines and
trouble w ch they ar like to sustaine herebye fyve poundes Item I
bequeath to S r John Scott my lease of the banke or pond at Aldinge
Item I bequeath to my graund childe Cisley Turno r tenne poundes
to buy her a little Chaine Item I gyve to my daughter in Lawe Marie
Collyar six poundes thirteene shillings foure pence to be paide unto
her within one quarter after my decease, to be bestowed in app^rell
upon her selfe as she shall seeme good nether would I have her
mothers h a n d anie thinge the shorter towardes her in that respect
Item I give to my daughter Turno r the Covenant that I have of my
Cozen Charles Scott touchinge the renuinge of my lease when his
grace doth renne \read renue] his lease of Braborne Rectorie provided that my meaninge is, that my said wief shall enioye the full
tearme that I nowe possesse and howsoever yt shalbe renued my
daughter shall have the only renuinge which shalbe in effecte after
the whole tearme w ch I holde now be expired so as by any meane
[intervening] renuinge my saide wief be not defeated of my true
meaninge, towardes her Item I do bequeath to my saied wief and to
her heires for ever All my Landes Lyinge in Aldington and now in
thoccupaczbn of John Pollard and all my Landes in Ruckinge in
thoccupaczbn of
Diggons and all my Landes in Sellenge in the
occupac/on of
Coakar All which Landes lye in the aaydo sayde*
Countie of Kent Item I gyve and bequeath to my said wief all my
other Landes in Rumney Marshe or els where in the said countye
* Sic, first at end of line.

+ Sic, to be paide is interlined above this.

XXVlll

Introduction.

duringe her naturall lieff Item I doe gyve to my Servante Moyll
Smyth the some of twentie shillinges yearelie duringe his naturall Life
to be paide out of all my Landes halfe yearelie and that for defaulte
of payment yt shalbe Lawfull for him to distraine And so I ende
desyreinge the worlde to iudge the best hereof and of the consyderaczbns for greate is the trouble my poore wief hath had with me,
and small is the comforte she hath receyved at my handes whome yf
I had not matched wth all I had not dyed worth one groate.—
Ray: Scott.
By a short notice following the copy of the will, it was proved on
the 22nd November 1599. There is also a document setting forth
that Alicia Scott, relicta, and Elizabetha Tumor, als Scott, filia
naturalis et legitima, had disputed, before certain functionaries named
regarding the will, and that probate was granted as aforesaid on the
22nd November 1599. But as the cause or subject of the dispute is
not mentioned, this, like the short notice, is not given.

ABSTRACT OF INQUIS. POST MORTEM, 18 ELIZ. P. 1,
No. 84.
Inquisition taken at Maidstone on the death of Lady Wynifred
Rainsfoord, 30 March, 18 Eliz. [1575-6].
She was seised of the Manors of Nettlested and Hiltes with
appurtenances in E. and W. Peckham, Brenchley, W. Barmling,
Merewood, Marden ; also of the Manor of Pympe with appurtenances
in Yaulding, Marden, and Brenchley. Also various other lands,
some of which, called Stockenbury, Motelands, and Souchefields, are
in Brenchley.
She died 17 Oct. last, at Chelmsford in Essex.
Th. Scott, kt., is her next heir, viz., son and heir of Reginalde
Scotte, kt, sonne and heir of Anne Scotte, wife of John Scotte, kt.,
daughter and heir of Reginald Pympe, brother of John Pympe,
father of said Lady Winifred.
Thomas Scotte, kt., Charles Scott, Henry Scotte, George Scotte,
and William Scotte [brothers of the first-named Thomas Scotte, kt.],
and Reginald Scotte, are coheirs of the lands held in gavelkind. One
moiety thereof descends to Thomas, Charles, etc. [as named above],
sons and coheirs of Reginalde Scotte, kt., son and heir of Anne
Scotte ; and the other moiety to Reginald, son and heir of Richard
Scotte, junior, son of the said Anne.

Introduction.

xxix

Thomas miles is 39 et amplius, Charles 34 [etc.], Henry 32 [etc.],
George 30 [etc.], William 22 [etc.], and Reginald 38 years of age et
amplius.
The exact words regarding the co-heirs are: " descendebant et de
jure descendere debent praefato Thomae Scotte militi, Carolo Scott,
Henrico Scotte, Georgio Scotte et WilPo Scotte, fratribus dicti
Thomas Scotte militis et Reginaldo Scotte, consanguineo praedicti
Thomae Scotte militis, ut consanguineis et coheredibus praedictae
dominae Winifridae eo quod praedictae terrae . . . . ultimo recitata
sunt de natura de gavelkind." This disproves the assertion of Mr. J.
Renat Scott in Arch. Cant., xi, 388, and repeated in his genealogy of
the Scott family, that the Reginald Scott mentioned in the former as
receiving pay among those appointed in 1587-8 was " a son of Sir
Thomas".

ABSTRACT OF INQUIS. P.M., 45 ELIZ., PARS, I, N O . 71.
Inquisition taken at Maidstone, 2 Dec. [1602], after the death of
Reginald Scot, generosus.
He was seised of a tenement and 20 acres of land called Graynecourtte, held of Th. Scott, Esq., as of his manor of Brabourne, a
tenement called Essex, and 20 acres of land in two parcels in Ailington [Aldington], held of Edw. Hall, as of his manor of Pawlson.
One parcel of land called Haythorne field, containing 20 acres in
Bonington, held of the Queen in capite, and a tenement and one
parcel of land lying in Barefield, containing two acres in Brabourne,
tenure unknown, and one acre in Brabourne and 5 acres in Brabourne,
and two parcels in Smeeth, and 30 acres of marsh called Gatesleaf,
in Newchurch, held of Martin Barneham, Esq., as of his manor of
Bylsyngton.
He died 9 Oct., 41 Eliz. [1599], at Smeeth.
Elizabeth, wife of Sackville Turner, gent., is his daughter and next
heir, and was 28 years of age and more at his death.
Alice, his widow, has received the rents since his death.
[Elizabeth was the next heir to his own property, but that which
was his own through his wife Alice, he specially devised " to her and
to her heirs".]

XXX

Introduction.

The Cause and History of the Work.—That is, what induced Scot
to write it, and why did he set it forth as he did ? inquiries which involve, among other matters, a short notice of the position then and
previously held by witchcraft in England. His Hoppe-garden shows
him to us as a man of intelligence, foresighted and reflective of thought,
and desirous of improving the state of his country and countrymen.
It shows him also as one who could not only seize a thought and
commend it to others, but as one who had perseveringly put his idea
into practice, found it feasible, and then so learnt the processes necessary for growing the plant, and preparing its catkins and storing them
for use, that a priori one would suppose that he had done what he did
not, namely, visited Holland and learnt the processes on the spot.
The same qualities are seen in his Witchcraft, as is also his independence of thought. No sooner had his suspicions been aroused than he
proceeded, as shown by the work and its references, to investigate the
matter thoroughly and perseveringly. To this also he was encouraged,
or rather led, by yet other two qualities, his straightforwardness or
honesty of purpose, and his compassion, for these taught him that he
was engaged in a righteous work, that of rescuing feeble and ignorant,
though it may be too pretentious and shrewish, old women from false
charges and a violent death, and in a noble work in endeavouring to
stem the torrent of superstition and cruelty which was then beginning
to overflow the land.
Nor was this the result in any way of a mind sceptically inclined.
His book shows that he accepted the opinions of his day, unless he
had been led to inquire into them, and either re-receive them as
facts or discard them. Led doubtless by his academic training, it is
abundantly clear that he had inquired into the grounds of his belief
in the Established Church, and into the additions that had been made
to its faith in the course of illiterate ages by the Popish Church. He
had read Plotina, who taught him that the so-called vicars of Christ
and his vice-gerents on earth were often devils incarnate and standard-bearers of vice, and that the system which did now and again
produce a St. Francis d'Assis—all reverence to his name—produced
also the congeners of Loyola, and Loyola himself, whose followers,
while assuming to themselves the holy name of Socii Jesu, made that
name famous and infamous, and their tenets ^execrated throughout the

Introduction.

LsL'.sL'LX/ (s

civilised world. But he accepted with some doubting, having, as he
thought, great authority for it and no means of investigation, the story
of the Remora; and accepted without doubting the beliefs that the bone
of a carp's head, and none other, staunched blood, the value of the
unicorn's horn, and the like, and—notwithstanding his disbelief in
astrology—that seed-time and springing were governed by the waxing
and waning of the moon. He also believed that precious stones
owed their origin to the influences of the heavenly bodies; and besides
his credulous beliefs as to certain waters, narrated at the commencement, he in the next chapter gives the absurdly wonderful virtues of
these stones, some, as he says, believed in by him, " though many
things most false are added".
How then came he to inquire into and write so strongly against
witchcraft ? Before the time of the eighth Henry, sorcerers were dealt
with by the ecclesiastical law, which punished them as heretics.
Moreover, their supposed offences against the person seem, chiefly at
least, to have been taken notice of when they were supposed to interfere with high or state matters or persons, as in the cases of Joan of
Arc or Dame Eleanor Cobham. But in Henry's time, probably
through the extension of continental ideas, aided, it may be, by a
desire to restrain the ecclesiastical power, c. 8 of the thirty-third year
of his reign was passed. By this it was enacted, that witches, etc.,
who destroyed their neighbours, and made pictures [images] of them
for magical purposes, or for the same purposes made crowns, swords,
and the like, or pulled down crosses, or declared where things lost or
stolen were become, should suffer death and loss of lands and goods,
as felons, and lose the privileges of clergy and sanctuary. Afterwards,
by i Edw. I, c. 12, this and other offences first made felonies in
Henry's time were no longer to be accounted such. Thirdly, in the
fifth year of Elizabeth, Parliament, by its twelfth chapter, enacted,
that whereas many have practised sorceries to the destruction of
people and their goods, those that cause death shall suffer as was declared by 33 Henry VIII, c. 8, except that their wives and heirs shall
not have their rights affected by such attainder. But that when a
person was only injured, or their goods or cattle destroyed, the
offenders should for the first offence suffer a year's imprisonment, and
once a quarter be exposed in the pillory in a market town for six

^v-.^V'^V' C1/

Introduction,

hours, and there confess their offences; and for the second offence
suffer death as felons, with the exceptions before rehearsed. While
any who seek treasure, or would bring about unlawful love, or hurt anyone in his body or goods, should for a first offence be imprisoned and
suffer as before, and for a second be imprisoned for life and forfeit
his goods and cattle. This, so far as humanity is concerned, is a
distinct advance on Henry's enactment, though an apparent going
back from that of Edward. Perhaps, as before, it arose from a desire
to remove the offences from the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical law,
which would have burnt them, nor, as evidenced by its little results,
does it seem to have been made through any mania or scare in the
matter. This came on later, when, as we are told by Brian Darcie
in 1582, at what time, under pie-crust promises of favour, he was
endeavouring to get women to confess, and then be hanged,—" there
is a man of great learning and knowledge come over lately into our
Queenes Majestie, which hath advertised her what a companie and
numbers of Witches be within Englande : whereupon I and other of
her Justices have received Commission for the apprehending of as
many as are within these limites." Alas, this man of great learning
and knowledge seems to have been none other than that otherwise
light of the English Church, the great, good, and pious Bishop Jewel,
who, having returned from a forced residence abroad, was speedily
promoted by her Majesty, and in a sermon preached before her, in
1572, brought in the subject as follows:—
" Heere perhaps some man will replie, that witches, and conjurers
often times chase away one Divell by the meane of another. Possible
it is so ; but that is wrought, not by power, but by Collusion of the
Divels. For one Divell, the better to attaine his purpose, will give
place, and make as though he stood in awe of another Divell. And
by the way to touch but a word or two of this matter for that the
horrible using of your poore subjects inforceth thereunto. It may
please your Grace to understand, that this kind of people, I meenes
witches and sorcerers, within these few last yeeres, are marvellously
increased within this your Grace's realme. These eies have seene
most evident and manifest marks of their wickednesse. Your Grace's
subjects pine away even unto the death, their collour fadeth, their
flesh rotteth, their speech is benummed, their senses are bereft."

Introduction.

xxxiii

" Wherefore, your poore subjects most humble petition unto your
Highnesse, is, that the lawes touching such malefactours, may be put
in due execution. For the shole of them is great, their doings horrible, their malice intollerable, the examples most miserable. And I
pray God, they never practise further, then upon the subject. But
this only by the way, these be the scholers of Beelzebub the chief
captaine of the Divels.''
The plantings of the Queen in the commissions of her Justices thus
instigated and encouraged, produced an abundant crop. According
to the Dedications of Scot, Sir Roger Manwood, Lord Chief Baron of
the Exchequer, had had " in these causes such experience", A ii. v.,
while Sir Thomas Scot, as Justice of the Peace, had also had " manie
poore old women convented before him for . . . . witchcraft", A. vi.
Various booklets also, presently to be spoken of more at large, excited
still more the imaginations of a credulous people, and it had been
supposed, before Scot wrote, as will be seen on p. 473, and in my note
on that page, that the Queen's person had been aimed at in that way.
It thus appears that though Scot may have been brought up in a
traditional but little-regarded belief in witchcraft, he, when he was at
least thirty-four, was not only unprepared, but startled, to witness and
take part in this new departure from justice and mercy. Witchcraft,
chiefly looked on as useful in discovering things lost, or in bringing a
wished-for sweetheart to return the love of the seeker, or in curing
ailments simple or grievous, became feared, reviled, and sought out:
sought out by Commission of the Queen, sought out by the people as
a great and fearful evil rapidly overspreading the land, and able and
willing, like the Plague and Black Death, to count its victims by
thousands, and from the cottage to the throne itself. He, a man both
intelligent and compassionate, sees poor, old, decrepit creatures eking
out a miserable livelihood by begging an occasional dole from their
better off neighbours ; ill-tempered by age and condition, and therefore abusive when refused such dole, or on slighter causes, sometimes
perhaps through old knowledge or superstition, but probably more
often for the sake of gain, pretending to be wise above what is known ;
he sees these accused of selling their souls for the sake of such a
position in the world, he hears them accused sometimes of foul, more
frequently of unlikely, crimes and acts, nay, such as an unprejudiced
ee

XXXIV

Introduction.

common sense must laugh at, while the evidence is nearly always so
faulty that, were the accusation a different one, it would be at once
turned inside out and thrown aside. Unfortunately, too, some of
these old women being more or less mad, and others driven through
fear on the one hand, or through promised favour on the other,
confess themselves capable of doing these things, though any man of
sense and observation could detect their state or motives. Luckily,
too, he had had close to him, and in his wife's family, the known and
talked-of imposture of the Holy Maid of K e n t ; and in his own time
a n d close to his own door, the case of the Pythonist of Westwell, at
first carried ovX triumphantly, and then, on her own confession and
her re-acted acts, branded as an impostor, like the Holy Maid. T h e
Dutchman, too, at Maidstone, after being set forth as a worker of
miracles and an exorcist, was found to be a r o g u e ; and " m a n i e other
such miracles h a d beene latelie printed, whereof diverse h a d beene
bewraied." H e h a d taken part also—apparently as one engaged for
the defence—in that piece of folly called the trial of Margaret Simons,
a n d knew the history of Ade Davie, and of her restoration to sanity
without exorcism, hanging, or burning.
Is it not natural that his suspicions, and more than suspicions,
should have been aroused, and that he should have been thus led
to take up the whole subject seriously ? One who h a d given himself
up, as W o o d says, to reading and thought as well as to healthy and
useful exercise, must have sought for and obtained books on either
side of the subject, and in especial the known book of W i e r ; and
thoughtful reading of these, and meditation must have led him to
extend his views, and gather them into a harmonious and consistent
whole. Meanwhile, however, the bloodthirsty superstition daily increased, and there were published first, the mad book or books of
Richard Gallis—spoken of in pp. 132-3—of the witches at Windsor,
now, I believe, unfortunately lost, where, among other things, he
narrates how, at a Sabbath meeting, he had a hand-to-hand encounter
with the devil, and wounded him so sore that he stank of brimstone;
and in 1582, there took place the wholesale condemnation of the poor
old women of St. Osees, thirteen I believe of whom were hanged.
T h e r e had been no such condemnation before in England. It is not
unlikely that he himself witnessed their condemnation—see pp. xxv-vi.

Introduction.

XXXV

So unusual was it, that—as I cannot but believe on other evidence, as
stated in my noting on Macbeth—a ballad was written on it, which
became very commonly known, and was remembered as late as 1606.
This same unusual breadth of punishment also created so much
attention that Justice Brian Darcie thought it worth while to set forth
in print, not the trial, but the depositions taken before h i m , and thus
inform a too ignorant public that he and he alone was the primary
cause of such a purification.
These facts, and especially this last, aroused, I believe, Scot's
compassion and indignation, and m a d e both find vent in printed
words. And besides these likelihoods, including that of date, there
are two at first sight seemingly contradictory facts, which made themselves manifest to me when I first carefully read the book, and before
I h a d formed any opinion on their causes, and which are on this view
reconciled. T h e s e facts are, that while the plan which he has adopted,
and his facts and conclusions, seem to have been deliberately s^ ^ght
out, thought over, and canvassed, there are evidences throughout of
a feverous haste of composition, such feverous haste as the above
spoken of emotions would excite in a man like Scot, who h a d witnessed so horrible and so bloody a perversion of justice. T h e proof
of the first fact I leave to be observed by the intelligent r e a d e r ; but
while the second must also be observed by him, it is needful, to t h e
full exposition of my argument, that I should collect in one view most
at least of the details. This haste is evidenced in some of his corrected errata, but more in those that he did not correct. T h u s we have,
on p. 174, a curious slip, by which Pharaoh becomes a Persian, and
Nebuchadnezzar takes Pharaoh's place as an Egyptian king, for other
parts of the book prove conclusively that this was an unintentional
lapsus, and one a second time overlooked when the book was re-read
before the title-page and the preliminary leaves were set up. Similar
are his errors as to Haias and Sedaias, for at one time he speaks of
Rabbi Sedaias Haias, repeating it also at the last when he gives his
" forren authors" consulted, and between these speaks of them as two
persons, as they were. More especially would I call attention to his
blunders as to Argerius Ferrerius. H e quotes him—yet he is always
Ferrarius—five times in his text, twice in his table of contents, and
once in his "authors used". So in his translation from him, the " s " of

xxxvi

Introduction.

" verbis" being indistinct in some copies, he read the word as "verbi",
and thereby translated the sentence into such unmistakable nonsense that this alone should have shown him his error. So, also, we
have the senseless, because careless, rendering of the sword in hand
passage, p. 257; and with these may be classed his adoption of
T. R.'s curious mistranslations from Wier's Pseudomonarchia, or from
another copy of the Empto. Salomonis, for a moment's consideration
would have shown him their absurdity, and led him to turn to Wier.
In p. 19 also, we find "infants" where, as stated in my note, all the
editions of the Mai. Male/, in the British Museum have " infames";
and this, though a slip of memory, betokens, when taken with the rest,
overhaste. These slips, in an ordinary writer, would lead to another
conclusion, but not in this case, where we have evidence of both
ordinary and recondite knowledge, of conclusions tried by actual
experiment, of a quick and intelligent perception, and of what may
be called, in a good sense, a ready and acute subtlety in refuting or
retorting allegations or objections.
Our author's indebtedness to Cornelius Agrippa and to Wier has,
in a great measure, been anticipated in what has been said; but a few
words may here be added. Casually coming across their books when he
became a reader of out-of-the-way works, he did not become a follower
of theirs, and then write a book, as the disciples of Pythagoras wrote
books to expound and hand down the doctrines of their master. Wier
had written a book against witchcraft, and a clear and comprehensive
book. But while Scot certainly followed Wier in point of time, and
as certainly was much indebted to him for the perfecting of his book,
yet, as I have said, Scot seems to have taken up his belief against
the reality of witchcraft from what he in his own experience had
witnessed ; and my view, that he was then led to read Wier and
Cornelius Agrippa, and the writers on the other side, seems to me confirmed by what we find as to his indebtedness to Wier. The " Notings on Wier" show that, while he copied him in some other instances,
he borrowed from him mainly along list of illustrations, some of which
even he may have drawn independently from the same sources as did
Wier.
Bibliography.—We do not find an entry of Scot's Hoppe-garden
in the Stationers' Registers, because the entries about 1574 are want-

Introduction.

XXXVll

ing. But why do we not find so large and important a book as the
Witchcraft of 1584 so entered, the writer being of a family of no mean
repute, and the head of his house, Sir Th. Scot, being in those days
a man of some mark ? The answer, after what has been said, is
simple. He upheld and defended a heresy, the existence and diabolical powers and practices of witches being believed in and guarded
against, by the Queen, the bishops, and the people. Hence the reply
of the Stationers' Company would most certainly have been—the same
as in more trifling cases—" provided he shall get the bishop of London his alowance to yt", words which, under the circumstances,
would have been a refusal, and a refusal which, had any steps been
taken against him after its publication, would have told against him.
Hence he resolved to print it, taking all the blame and responsibility
on his own shoulders, no stationer's name being connected with it,
and the name of the printer appearing only at the end of the book,
without date or place of address—"Imprinted at London by | Williajn
Brome." And here, by the way, it may be mentioned that though
called in catalogues a quarto, its signatures are in eights. As
before stated, both Thomas Ady and Anthony a Wood tell us that
it "did for a time make great impressions on the Magistracy
and Clergy", and that it did so generally is shown by the appearance of Webster's, Ady's, and other books on the same side, and
those of GifFord, Perkins, and others, on the other, including King
James, who, in 1597, issued his Dcemonologie specially against it.
Whether Elizabeth or the authorities under her took any notice of it
is doubtful, for, as I have said, he was still an Esquire in 1587 ; and
the last words of his will, "for greate is the trouble my poor wief hath
had with me, and small is the comforte she hath receyved at my
hands", and his designation of himself as "gent.", point rather to a
voluntary surrender of his office, through weakness and ill-health,
than to a dismissal.
But zeal for the truth, as he believed it, combined with his fears for
himself, for he believed that he had been the object of witchcraft and
of the machinations of the evil powers more than once, though
luckily in vain, led the royal author on the other side to cause Scot's
book to be burned by the common hangman ; and, as is also said by
Cole, not one copy alone, as significant of its character, and of its

XXXVlll

Introduction.

being a liber prohibittis in the eyes of this Protestant Pope, but as
many as could be laid hands upon. While, too, I have as yet found
no direct proof of this latter statement, it is perhaps in some degree
confirmatory of it, that no copies of the book exist in the library of
St. Paul's Cathedral, nor in that of Lambeth Palace, nor in that of
Sion College. To the same cause is most likely due the exceedingly
neat copy of various chapters, and parts of chapters, contained in the
Sloane MS., fT. 2189, in the British Museum, its date according to
the experts there being circa 1620. At one time I had suspected that
these extracts had been made with the intent of writing a book either
for or against the truth of witchcraft; but the methodical neatness
of all but the first two or three pages, the manner in which the typographical form of the book is followed, the consecutive, though
broken manner, in which the extracts follow one another, the absence
of any word or any sign of remark or comment throughout, now cause
me to hold that it was a copy made by or for one who took such portions as he wished from a book otherwise inaccessible.
Turning back to this burning, I wrould say also that I have not
come across any English contemporary, or even early statement as
to it, much less as to its date. Perhaps, however, without much
fear of error, we may suppose it to have been done immediately after
the Act against witches, passed in the first year of James's reign. By it
the Act 5 Eliz. was repealed, and any conjuration, etc., of an evil
spirit was made a crime punishable by death as a felon, the culprit
losing all benefit of clergy and sanctuary. The finding of treasure by
magical means, provoking to unlawful love, or destroying of cattle,
was for the first offence to bring with it imprisonment for one year,
standing in the pillory once a quarter for six hours, and confessing his
crime, as in the Act repealed; and for the second offence death as a
felon, though the dowry and the heirship were not attainted. This Act
itself shows how strong were James's convictions in the matter, as
does the publication in London of his Dcemonologie in the same year,
it being entered on the Stationers' Registers on the 3rd April 1603.
Scot's book was therefore against James's belief, and the esteem in
which it was held against his own powers as a reasoner and author.
While, however, so far as I can find, we owe the knowledge of this
burning to a German source, its extreme likelihood is corroborated by

Introduction.

wvJ'V'J'V" L*\/

what I have said, that James's belief in witchcraft was with him an
undoubted Article of Faith, and by the fact that various books,
known and unknown, were at different times publicly burnt during
his reign, though no official records of these burnings have been
preserved.
Cole, as quoted in Bliss's edition of the Athen. Oxon., gives the
account as made by Thomasius de crimine magiae, a book which I
believe does not exist.
There is a Thesis inaugaralis de crimine
magiae submitted in 1701 by Johan Reiche to the Regia Academia
Fredericiana . . . praeside D. Christiano Thomasio. But Reiche
refers to an earlier writer—" Gisberti Voetii | Theologiae in Acad.
Ultrajectina Professoris | Selectarum | Disputationum | Theologicarum, | Pars Tertia. | . . . . | Ultrajecti, | Ex Officina Johannis A
Waesberge, | Anno CID ID C Lix, | " which says, p. 564 :
". . . . Reginaldus Scot nobilis Anglus magiae crimen aperte negavit,
& ex professo oppugnavit, omnes ejus mirabiles effectus aut ad melancoliam, aliosve naturales morbos, aut ad artem, industriam, & agilitatem hominum figmentis & praestigiis suis illudentium, aut ad stolidas
imaginationes, dictorum magorum, aut ad vanas nugas & fictiones
eorundem magorum referens. Ejus liber tit. Discoverie of Withcraft [sic] in Anglia combustus est ; quern nominatim etiam perstringit Sereniss. Magnae Briantniae [sic] Rex Jacobus in Dcemonologia,
eumque tangit diffusissimae eruditionis T\&o\o,gw'$ Johannes
Raynoldus,
in cens. lib. Apocryph. torn, iprcelect. 169. In eundem, sed innominatum
calamum strinxit eximius & subacti judicii Theologus, Guilelm. Perkinsus in traciatu de Bascanologia.
Pars libri istius Reginaldi
Scot
elenctica (nam reliqua in editione Anglicana conjurationes continebat,)
in Belgicum idioma translata est, ante annos aliquot Lugd. Batav.
per T h o m a m Basson : ex illius libri lectione, seu fonte perenni, non
pauci ab illo tempore docti & indocti in Belgio fluctuare, & de Magia
cKewriKi^eiv ac \ifiepTivi£eiv9 (ut Libertinis & Semilibertinis infesta
est patria nostra) quin eo ignorantiae saepe prolabi, ut non inique illis
applicari potuerit, quod Sereniss. Rex Jacobus in Dcemonologid subdito suo Reginaldo S c o t : esse quasi novos Sadduca?os: cum omnes
diabolorum operationes & apparitiones suaviter exibilant: tanquam
anicularum, aut superstitionis meticulosas phantasmata ac sabellas.
Sunt & alii, sed pessimi magiae patroni, qui ad Deum & divina charis-

xl

Introduction,

mata seu gratias gratis datas, aut ad angelos bonos, operationes
magicas referunt."
Dr. W. N. du Rieu, Librarian of the University of Leyden, kindly
informs me, that a translation into Dutch, " omitting some formulae
of malediction and other matters which would more interest English
readers," was made and edited by Th. Basson, an English stationer
living at Leyden in i2mo in 1609. It was undertaken at the instigation of the professors of law and history, and its dedication, dated
10th January 1609, was to the Curators of the University, and to the
burgomasters of Leyden. A second and corrected edition, published
by his son, G. Basson, was also printed at Leyden in 1637, though the
dedication is dated 8th May 1637, Amsterdam.
Though in various of the notes the passages have been spoken of,
yet to call attention to the matter, and in the hope that others may be
more successful, I would add that I have not discovered the principle
on which he went, nor his authorities, for his Scripture readings. In
his Latin quotations he generally quotes the Vulgate, twice or thrice
Beza, or Beza varied, while at other times he goes by some other
translation, or possibly makes it himself. So his long English
quotation, p. 284, is not taken from Wycliffe's, Tyndale's, Cranmer's,
Coverdale's, Matthews', or from the Genevan, Bishops', or Rheims
versions, though more like the* Genevan, while, curiously enough, it
precedes the one of 1611 by one or two verbal coincidences. Hence, I
believe that he varied the Genevan version according to his own views
and taste, and am the more inclined to this in that the passage is not
in Italics, the then type and mark of quotations, but in Romans.
Notwithstanding, however, the decree that had gone forth, and,
notwithstanding the strange Sadducean assertion, not argument, set
forth by James, and followed by John Rainolds, D.D., in his work on
the Apocrypha {torn, ii, 1032), and by Gisbert Voet, the book's inherent
excellency, as reported by Ady, and as evidenced by the notices of it
in the various books on either side that afterwards came forth, and in
part, perhaps, through that decree itself, called for its reproduction ;
and in 1651 it was issued with a new title-page, though naturally it
was again not entered on the Stationers' Registers. This time it was
really—as evidenced by the signatures—a quarto. The text was one
and the same with that printed off by Richard Cotes ; but there were

Introduction.

xli

three issues, and three slightly different title-pages. T h e first bears—
LONDON | Printed by Richard
Cotes. 1651.
T h e second h a s —
Printed by R. C. and are to be sold by Giles Calvert, dwelling at the
I Black Spread-Eagle at the West-endof'Pauls.
1651. And except
for these final words, separated on both title-pages by a line from the
rest, both are word for word, and even to the misprint " superstions"
identical. T h e explanation, in all probability, if not certainty, being
that my "first" one was the first issue, when the publisher thought it
more prudent to withhold his name ; the other, a second issue of
copies still called for, when, finding no ill results, he had become bolder.
T h e third has below the line spoken of : London | Printed by E . [not
R.] Cotes and are to be sold by T h o m a s Williams at the j Bible in
Little Britain 1654. In this " S C O T S " is printed without the apostrophe, " m e n " , "women", and "children", as also "treatise", have
capital initials ; on both occasions it has " Devils", not " Divels"; and
the last line but one above the dividing line ends " De-" not "Divels",
and "superstions" is rightly printed "superstitions". These variations
in the title-page, and the exact conformity of the text as to the various
peculiarities of the letters, words, and sizes of the punctuation, show
that Williams had come into possession of Calvert's remainder, or of
his set-up type, and had issued these sheets, prefixing a new title-page
of his own, printed by E . Cotes.
There is not the slightest evidence of a copy of the 1584 edition
having been prepared for the press, beyond the new title-page, and
on two occasions the translation of Latin, that Scot had not—as he
had done in similar instances—translated. T h e Latin-named ingredients on p. 184 are Englished, and I have thus been enabled to
give them in my notings with the more probability that they are
correct. T h e second instance is, as stated in my margin, on p. 416.
Two or three press errors are corrected, one of them not a certain
emendation, and all within the competency of an ordinary compositor
or reader ; but no others, not even that of " increase" for " incense",
p. 446, while fresh errors, indicative of a careless "reader", are
made.
W h a t has been thus said as to the character of this second reprint,
goes to prove that it was a publisher's venture based upon the demand
for the book, and, therefore, for gain, and one which he carried out spite

/ /

xlii

Introduction.

of its having been burnt, and placed among the " prohibited books".
In like manner, and for the like purpose, and as before, without entry
in the Stationers' Registers, there was brought out the third, and socalled folio edition of 1665, though the sheets are in sixes. All but
the title-page, which, curiously enough, was again re-written, though
still bearing, like the second, the words, " B y Reginald Scot Esquire";
it is a careless reprint of that second, with all its errors, and new
ones superadded. But as a novelty and inducement to buy, nine
chapters, commencing the fifteenth book, and a second book of the
" Discourse on Devils and Spirits", were added by an anonymous
author. W h o this anonymity was, I have uselessly spent some little
time in inquiring, time that might have been better employed, even h a d
I found him. But it goes to prove that these additions were merely
made for novelty's sake, and its glamour and gain, in that the writer
was a believer in, and not improbably, from his minute directions, as
well as from his reticence, a practiser of witchcraft, or of what he
thought to be witchcraft. H e also, and I give this as one possible
clue, was a strong believer in the perishable Astral spirit of a man, as
well as of Astral spirits in general, and much of his "Discourse" is
taken up with remarks on these.
. I may here add, as showing the carelessness with which these
second and third editions were edited, a note of the errata marked in
the first and not corrected in them.
75, 21. " W e , " so the second; in the third the (,) is rightly placed
after " years". A correction that could have been made by the least
intelligent of " readers".
168,31. " E a r t h read firmament/' Not corrected.
247,29. " Write add it." Not corrected.
269, 16. " If there be masses delete If." Retained, but the second
attempts to correct by inserting " no" before " masses", and the third
follows suit, though it is as nonsensical as before.
463, 16. " T h e i r business read that business." Not corrected.
Beyond these, the limited edition now printed is the only other
known to me. As stated in the preface, it is a reprint of the first
edition, with some slight alterations in the lettering, but not in the
spelling. Besides the few errata that have been found and recorded,
the small heading on its left hand pages up to p. 24 is " chap. —",

Introduction.

xliii

like that on the right hand, instead of being "i or 2 Booke". So
also in the earlier pages, the marginal references, though correct, are
not printed line for line with the original. The pictorial initial
letters of the first chapter of each book occupy in the original almost
a third of the page. The first word of a chapter has only its first two
letters—including its pictorial letter—in capitals, but the remainder,
as well as the rest of the first line, is in larger type than the rest. The
original being also in black letter was enabled to use both Romans
and Italics as variants, whereas the reprint could only use Italics.
The rule of the original is, however, in general very simple. " The
— Chapter", the contents of the chapter and proper names are in
Romans; " T h e — Booke"and quotations in Italics; the translations
of quotations in Romans. Wherever there can be any doubt the type
of the original is marked in the margin, as are occasional uses by the
author of [ ] to distinguish them from the editor's use of the same.
It may be added that " The — Chapter", and the contents of the
chapter, have been transposed. The V like arrangement of the lines
at the end of a chapter have not been followed, but been imitated
according to the spirit in which they were employed ; for, after an
investigation made for the purpose, it was found that they do not
indicate a division of the text or matter, but were simply compositors'
devices to fill up a page when that page either ended a book, or when
its blank space did not allow of the commencement of a new chapter.
Similarly, on one page, a ('. *) was added to complete the page. And,
in like manner, if there was still space at the end of a book, an engraving was inserted. I would add that all the page references that
I make are to the pages of the 1584 edition.
I had collected for an appendix various grammatical peculiarities
of the age; but they increased the number of pages, and therefore the
price of the book, without, as seemed to me, sufficient cause, more
especially as the reader can readily consult Dr. Abbott Shakesperian
Grammar^ as well as notices in other books. One point, however,
ought to be attended to. Though an educated and University man,
accustomed to Latin and Greek, he, like all of his time, followed the
then frequent habit of using singular verbs after plural nominatives
not immediately proceding them. A close examination of these, both
in Scot and Greene, another literate and Utriusque Academias in

xliv

Introduction.

Artibus Magister; and one notable one in Ben Jonson, who elsewhere,
so far as I know, avoids this e r r o r ; as well as those in Shakespeare
and others, have shown me that they cannot be explained as is sought
in Dr. Abbot's Shakesperian Grammar, § 333, where the form of the
verb is held to be a remnant of the northern early English third person
plural in "s". T h e instances alone of the auxiliary verbs so used set this
theory aside, and show that the custom was due to carelessness, habit,
the remoteness or after position of the true nominatives, and to the
nearness of another word, sometimes even to a transposed objective ;
or of a " that" or " which" that had the look of a singular, or in the
case of a double nominative, to both words being considered as implying one thought, as indeed they often did, being merely synonyms.
Our Elizabethan ancestors would have said : " Pity and compassion
moves me," because they held pity and compassion were one and
the same ; and the habit of using Saxon and Latin, or other synonyms, led them to use the same construction when the meanings
were but allied. This seems to me the more likely explanation : but
the reader may prefer this—that our ancestors took the phrase to
be elliptical, and that the verb really employed after both substantives
was to be understood after the first and before the a and".
Contemporary Notices of Scot.—Of strictly contemporary notices, I
know of but two. In Nash's Four Letters Confuted, 1593, he asks,
ed. Grosart, ii, 252 : " H o w is the Supplication a diabolicall Discourse,
otherwise than as it intreats of the diverse natures and properties of
Divels and spirits ? in that far fetcht sense may the famous defensative against supposed Prophecies, and the Discoverie of Witchcraft be
called notorious Diabolicall discourses, as well as the
Supplication,
for they also intreate of the illusions and sundrie operations of spirits."
T h e second is in Gabriel Harvey's Piercers Supererogation,
1593, ed.
Grosart, ii, 291 : " Scottes discoovery of Witchcraft, dismasketh
sundry egregious impostures, and in certaine principall Chapters, &
speciall passages, hitteth the nayle on the head with a witnesse: howsoever I could have wished, [G. H. is nothing if he be not quasicritical and emending] he had either dealt somewhat more curteously
with Monsieur Bodine, or cofuted him somewhat more effectually."
Of course, various of the after-writers on witchcraft, whichever
side they took, either spoke of him explicitly, or alluded to h i m ;

Introduction.

xlv

Webster, Wagstaffe, Ady, and others, on the same side as Scot, and
Meric Casaubon, Cotta, etc., ending with Glanvil on the other. But
these, the really curious in such matters may be left to search out
for themselves. Only I would like to mention John Deacon's and
John Walker's Dialogicall Discourses of... Devils [etc.], 1601, both
because they, being clergymen, had the boldness—besides adding new
arguments of their own, and though their wording is somewhat less
decided than their own evident belief—out of three explanations of the
case of the Witch of Endor which they set before the reader, to
plainly prefer Scot's view of her ventriloquism, both naming him in
the text, and giving the reference to his page in their margin ; and
secondly, because so far as a hasty look enables one to give an
opinion, they spoke more rationally on magical and other points than
one would at that date expect. They also quote the opinion of Hippocrates on magical cures, as given by Scot, p. 450, and show that
they take it, though not literally, from him, and not from Hippocrates
directly, by giving a reference to Scot in the margin. Afterwards
they published in 1603, a second large work, A summarie[?] answer
to John Darrelly the first work having been also suggested by the same
impostor, and his setting forth of himself as a caster out of devils.
I have said on p. xxii that the discovery of Scot's name in the- Subsidy Rolls for 1586 and 1587 with the affix of "Armiger" was for me an
important find. And now I would explain that it was so, inasmuch
as it set my mind at rest as to the oneness of the Raynold of the
Hoppe-garden with the Reginald Scot Esquire, of the Witchcraft.
Aware that Reynold and Reginald were variants of one name, used of
and by the same person, the following facts hindered me for a long
time from accepting the common belief that the Raynold and Reginald of these two works were one and the same. First, the author
of the Hoppe-garden in each of his signatures to the editions of
1574-6-8, three in each, appears as Raynold. In the marriage entry, in
the pay-account of the Kent forces, in the Muster-roll, and in the Will,
it is also Raynold. But in 1584, throughout the Witchcraft, that is,
four times in all, the name appears as Reginald. Secondly, in the Will
of 1599, in accordance with the want of any title on the title-page of the
Hoppe-garden, he describes himself as " gent", and in the Inquisitio
p. m., though he is called Reginald, the document being in Latin, he

xlvi

Introduction.

is, as in his Will, " generosus". But in the title-page of the Witchcraft, he is Reginald Scot Esquire. The finding no evidence of the
separate existence of a Raynold and a Reginald, the frequent references to the Scriptures in the Witchcraft, and the very frequent references to the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, in the "Address to the
Reader" of the Hoppe-garden, the use in both works, as already quoted,
of certain legal phrases, and the occurrence in the prefatory part of
the Hoppe-garden of "with the licour (or rather the lucre)", and
" condemne the man, or rather the mynde", a trick of language not
unfrequently repeated in the Discoverie, a trick resulting from his
love of irony, shook my doubts. But there were still, the want of any
title after the name in the Hoppe-garden, the " gent" of the Will,
and the "generosus" of the Inquisitio, as against the "Esquire" of the
Discoverie. First, however, Hunter's suggestion, that his esquireship
was due to his having been appointed a Justice of the Peace, and then
the discovery of armiger after his name, have removed all reasonable
doubts; and to turn our belief to a positive certainty, it only remains
to discover that he was a Justice of the Peace.
Possibly the reader may now expect some pages on Scot's style
as a writer, and on his claim—his claim, yet not one made by himself—to be considered an English classic. But, besides that, I am
not " greatly aesthetic", and besides having expressed my opinions
in more than one place in' this Introduction, I think that any reader,
with any appreciation of style, and of the manner in which an argument ought to be carried out, can come to but one conclusion. Such
belief, I may add, is strengthened by this, that most writers whom I
have consulted are of this opinion : and I would-conclude with three
quotations, chiefly regarding the way in which he carried out his
argument. The Rev. Jos. Hunter, in his MS. Chorus Vatum, ch. v,
says : " In fact, I had no notion of the admirable character of this
book till I read it this September 1839. It is one of the few instances
in which a bold spirit opposes himself to the popular belief, and
seeks to throw protection over a class of the defenceless. In my
opinion, he ought to stand very prominent in any catalogue of
Persons who have been public benefactors."
" To answer his argument was wholly impossible, and though the
publication of his book did not put an end to the notion which con-

Introduction.

xlvii

tinued very prevalent for a century afterwards [though we know from
Ady that it greatly checked the belief for a time], yet it had, I have
no doubt, much to do with the silent and gradual extinction of it."
So D'Israeli, in his Amenities ofLiterature-, has these words : a A
single volume sent forth from the privacy of a retired student, by its
silent influence may mark an epoch in the history of the h u m a n
mind."
" Such a volume was The Discoverie of Witchcraft, by Reginald
Scot, a singular work, which may justly claim the honour in this
country of opening that glorious career which is dear to humanity
and fatal to imposture."
Thirdly, Professor W . T. Gairdner, M.D. and LL.D., thus speaks,
in his address on " Insanity : Modern Views as to its Nature and
Treatment", read before the Glasgow Medico-Chirurgical Society :
" But I cannot leave it [witchcraft] . . . without expressing, more
strongly than even Mr. Lecky does, the unqualified admiration and
surprise which arise in the mind on finding that in 1584 . . . there
was at least one man in England . . . who could scan the whole field
of demonology, and all its terrible results in history, with an eye as
clear from superstition, and a judgment as sound and unwavering in
its opposition to abuses, as that of Mr. Lecky himself. There is only
one book, so far as I know, in any language, written in the sixteenth
or even the seventeenth century, that merits this praise : and it is a
book which, notwithstanding its wide h u m a n interest, its great and
solid learning, and a charming English style that makes it most
readable, even at the present day, has never been reprinted for two
hundred years, and is therefore extremely inaccessible to most
readers*.Reginald Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft.
. . stands brightly
out amid the darkness of its own and the succeeding age, as a perfectly unique example of sagacity amounting to genius." H e a d d s :
u
Nothing, however, is more evident than that Scot, however indebted
to Wier (and both of them, probably, to Cornelius Agrippa . . . ),
was far in advance of either in the clearness of his views and the
unwavering steadiness of his leanings to the side of humanity and
justice."

N O T E . — T h e italic
denote

the ftages of

those of the second

i7i the side

margins

the firsts the ordinary

numerals

members

edition.

The difcouerie
of witchcraft,
Wherein the lewde dealing of witches
and witchmongers

is notablie detected, the

knauerie of coniurors, the impietie of inchantors, the follie offoothfaiers, the impudent falf
hood of coufenors, the infidelitie of atheifts,
the pejiilent praflifes of Pythonifls, the
curiofitie of figurecafters, t h e vanitie of dreamers, the beggerlie art of Alcumyftrie,

T h e abhomination of idolatrie, the horrible art of poifoning> the vertue and power of
naturall magike, and all the conueiances
of Legierdemaine and iuggling are deciphered:
and many other things opened, which
haue long lien hidden, howbeit
verie necelTarie fb
be knowne.

Heerevnto is added a treatife vpon the
nature andfubftance
of fpirits and dtuels,
&c: all latelie written
by Reginald Scot
Efquire.
I. Iohn. 4, i.
Beleeue not euerie fpirit, but trie the fpirits, whether they are
of God ; for manie falfe prophets are gone
out into the world, &c.
i58^

*#########*#########*#############*#######
*#####*##*###*##*#########**####*####*#^

SCOTS

**
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#*
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*#
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#*
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*s*
3 *
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*#

Difcovery of W i t c h c r a f t :

**
**
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**

PROVING

T h e common opinions of Witches contracting with Divels, Spirits, or Familiars; and
their power to kill, torment, and confume the bodies of
men women, and children, or other creatures by difeafes
or otherwife; their flying in the Air, &c. T o be but imaginary
Erronious conceptions a n d novelties;
WHEREIN

ALSO,

*#
* * T h e lewde unchriftian practifes of Witchmongers, upon aged,
#*
melancholy, ignorant, and fuperftious people in extorting con**
**
feffions, by inhumane terrors and tortures is notably detected.
*#
**
**
**
**
**
**
**

**
**
**

**
#*
**
#*
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
#*
**
**
**

/ The knavery and confederacy of Conjurors.
I The impious blafphemy of Inchanters.
I The impofture of Soothfayers, and Infidelity of Atheifts.
A T Q r>' T h e delufion of Pythonifts, Figure-cafters, Aftrologers, and va- * *
A i & u
**
\
nity of Dreamers.
I The fruitleffe beggerly art of Alchimiftry.
I The horrible art of Poifoning and all the tricks and conveyV
ances of juggling and Liegerdemain are fully deciphered.

**
**
**
**
* * With many other things opened that have long lain hidden: though
very neceffary to be known for the undeceiving of Judges, Juftices,
**
**
**
**

and Juries, and for the prefervation of poor, aged, deformed, ignorant
people ; frequently taken, arraigned, condemned and executed for
Witches, when according to a right underftanding, and a good
confcience, Phyfick, Food, and neceffaries should be
adminiftred to them.

**
**
**
**
* * Whereunto is added, a treatife upon the nature, and fubftance of Spirits and Divels,
**
**
&c. all written and publifhed in Anno 1584. by Reginald Scot, Efquire.
**
**
**
**
**
LONDON,
**
**
Printed by Richard Cotes. 1651.
**
_

_ _ _

• «^;j;

Size, Fol., i o | in. x 6|.

J

THE

Difcovery of Witchcraft:
PROVING,

That the Compadls and Contracts of W I T C H E S
with Devils and all Infernal
Spirits or Familiars, are b u t
E r r o n e o u s Novelties and I m a g i n a r y Conceptions.
J Alfo difcovering, H o w far their power e x t e n d e t h , in Killing, T o r m e n t i n g ,
Confuming, or Curing the bodies of Men, Women, Children, or Animals,
by Charms, Philtres, Periapts, Pentacles, Curfes, and Conjurations. .
j

WHEREIN

LIKEWISE

The Unchriftian Practices and Inhumane Dealings of
Searchers and Witch-tryers upon Aged, Melancholia and Superftitious
people, in extorting Confeffions by Terrors and Tortures,
and in devifing falfe Marks and Symptoms, are notably Detected.
A n d the K n a v e r y of Juglers, Conjurers, Charmers,
Soothfayers,Figure?Cafters,
Dreamers, Alchymifts and Philterers-, with many other things
that have long lain hidden, fully Opened and Deciphered.
ALL
WHICH
A r e very neceffary to be known for t h e undeceiving of Judges,
Juftices,
and Jurors, before they pafs Sentence upon Poor, Miferable and Ignorant People;
who are frequenly Arraigned, Condemned, and Executed for Witches and Wizzards.
IN

By

SIXTEEN

BOOKS.

REGINALD

SCOT

Efquire.

Whereunto is added

An excellent Difcourfe of the Nature

and

"Subftance

OF

DEVILS and SPIRITS,
IN

The Firft

TWO

BOOKS:

by the aforefaid Author:

The Second now

a d d e d in this Third Edition, as Succedaneous t o the former,
and conducing t o t h e compleating of t h e Whole
Work:
With Nine Chapters at the beginning of the Fifteenth.* Book
of the
DISCOVERT.
LONDON:
Printed for A. Clark, and are to b e fold b y Dixy Page at t h e
in Comhil/ near the Roy all Exchange, 1665.

* [«**•.]

Turks-Head

To the Honorable,

mine especiall good

A. a. A.

Lord, Sir Roger Manwood Knight, Lord
cheefe Baron of hir Majesties Court
of the Eschequer.
^ S n ^ y | N S O M U C H as I know that your Lordship is by nature
ma \$&M whollie inclined, and in purpose earnestly bent to releeve
R H I K § 1 t ^ ie P oore > a n ( * ^ a t n o t o n ^ e w ^ ^ hospitalitie and almes,
Iffl^ro&yl but by diverse other devises and waies tending to their
comfort, having (as it were) framed and set your selfe to the helpe and
maintenance of their estate ; as appeareth by your charge and travell
in that behalfe. Whereas also you have a speciall care for the supporting of their right, and redressing of their wrongs, as neither
despising their calamitie, nor yet forgetting their complaint, seeking
all meanes for their amendement, and for the reformation of their disorders, even as a verie father to the poore. Finallie, for that I am a
poore member of that commonwelth, where your Lordship is a
principall person; I thought this my travell, in the behalfe of the poore,
the aged, and the simple, might be/ verie fitlie commended unto you : A. a. v.
for a weake house requireth a strong staie. In which respect I give
God thanks, that hath raised up unto me so mightie a freend for/thern A. v.
as your Lordship is, who in our lawes have such knowledge, in
government such discretion, in these causes such experience, and in
the commonwealth such authoritie; and neverthelesse vouchsafe to
descend to the consideration of these base and inferior matters, which
minister more care and trouble, than worldlie estimation.
And in somuch as your Lordship knoweth, or rather exerciseth the
office of a judge, whose part it is to heare with courtesie, and to
determine with equitie ; it cannot but be apparent unto you, that when
punishment exceedeth the fault, it is rather to be thought vengeance
than correction. In which respect I knowe you spend more time and
travell in the conversion and reformation, than in the subversion &
confusion of offenders, as being well pleased to augment your
owne private paines, to the end you may diminish their publike smart.
For in truth, that commonwealth remaineth in wofull state, where
fetters and halters beare more swaie than mercie and due compassion.
Howbeit, it is naturall to unnaturall people, and peculiar unto
witchmongers, to pursue the poore, to accuse the simple, and to kill
the innocent; supplieng in rigor and malice towards others, that

viii

The Epistle.

which they themselves want in proofe and discretion, or the other in
offense or occasion. But as a cruell hart and an honest mind doo
seldome meete and feed togither in a dish ; so a discreet and mercifull
magistrate, and a happie commonwealth cannot be separated asunder.
How much then are we bound to God, who hath given us a Queene,
that of justice is not only the very perfect image & paterne ; but also
A. 2. of mercie & clemencie (under God) the meere fountaine &/ bodie it
A. m. selfe ? In somuch as they which hunt most after bloud in/ these
daies, have least authoritie to shed it. Moreover, sith I see that in
cases where lenitie might be noisome, & punishment wholesome to
the commonwealth ; there no respect of person can move you, no
authoritie can abash you, no feare, no threts can daunt you in performing the dutie of justice.
In that respect againe I find your Lordship a fit person, to judge
and looke upon this present treatise. Wherein I will bring before
you, as it were to the barre, two sorts of most arrogant and wicked
people, the first challenging to themselves, the second attributing unto
others, that power which onelie apperteineth to God,a who onelie is
* Apoc. 4, i i .
» R o m . 8.
>
the Creator of all things,b who onelie searcheth the heart and reines,
Acts. 5.
Apoc. 2.
who onelie 0 knoweth our imaginations and thoughts, who onelied
c
Luke. 16.
openeth all secrets, who 6 onelie worketh great wonders, who onelie
d Dan. 2. &
28, & 47.
hath powerf to raise up & cast downe ; who onelie maketh thunder,
c
P s a l m . 72.
& 136.
lightning, raine, tempests, and restraineth them at his pleasure ; who
Jer. 5.
f
onelie 8 sendeth life and death, sicknesse & health, wealth and wo;
Job, 5. & 36
Sam. 12.
who neither giveth nor lendeth his h glorie to anie creature.
1. Reg. 8.
2. Reg. 3.
And therefore, that which greeveth me to the bottome of my hart,
Isaie. 5.
is, that these witchmongers cannot be content, to wrest out of Gods
Zach. 10.
& 14.
hand his almightie power, and keepe it themselves, or leave it with a
Amos. 4. 7.
witch : but that, when by drift of argument they are made to laie
g j o b . 1.
h
Isaie. 42, 8.
downe the bucklers, they yeeld them up to the divell, or at the least
praie aid of him, as though the raines of all mens lives and actions
were committed into his hand ; and that he sat at the sterne, to guide
and direct the course of the whole world, imputing unto him power
and abilitie inough to doo as great things, and as strange miracles as
ever Christ did.
A. 2. v.
But the doctors of this supernaturall doctrine saie/ somtimes, that
A. iii. v. the witch doth all these things by vertue of hir/ charmes ; sometimes
that a spirituall, sometimes that a corporall divell doth accomplish it;
sometimes they saie that the divell doth but make the witch beleeve
she doth that which he himselfe hath wrought; sometimes that the
divell seemeth to doo that by compulsion, which he doth most
willinglie. Finallie, the writers hereupon are so eloquent, and full of
varietie ; that sometimes they write that the divell dooth all this by

The Epistle,

IX

Gods permission onelie ; sometimes by his licence, somtimes by his
appointment: so as (in effect and truth) not the divell, but the high
and mightie king of kings, and Lord of hosts, even God himselfe,
should this waie be made obedient and servile to obeie and performe
the will & commandement of a malicious old witch, and miraculouslie
to answere hir appetite, as well in everie trifling vanitie, as in most
horrible executions ; as the revenger of a doting old womans imagined
wrongs, to the destruction of manie innocent children, and as a
supporter of hir passions, to the undoing of manie a poore soule.
And I see not, but a witch may as well inchant, when she will; as a
lier may lie when he list: and so should we possesse nothing, but by
a witches licence and permission.
And now forsooth it is brought to this point, that all divels, which
were woont to be spirituall, may at their pleasure become corporall,
and so shew themselves familiarlie to witches and conjurors, and to
none other, and by them onlie may be made tame, and kept in a box,
&c. So as a malicious old woman may command hir divell to plague
hir neighbor : and he is afflicted in manner and forme as she desireth.
But then commeth another witch, and she biddeth hir divell helpe,
and he healeth the same partie. So as they/ make it a kingdome A 3
divided in it selfe, and therefore I trust it will not long endure, but
will shortlie be overthrowne, according to the words of our Savior,
Omne regnum in se divisum desolabitur, Everie king/dome divided in A. an.
it selfe shalbe desolate.
And although some saie that the divell is the witches instrument,
to bring hir purposes and practises to passe : yet others saie that she
is his instrument, to execute his pleasure in anie thing, and therefore
to be executed. But then (me thinks) she should be injuriouslie dealt
withall, and put to death for anothers offense : for actions are not
judged by instrumentall causes ; neither dooth the end and purpose
of that which is done, depend upon the meane instrument. Finallie,
if the witch doo it not, why should the witch die for it ? But they saie
that witches are persuaded, and thinke, that they doo indeed those
mischeefs ; and have a will to performe that which the divell committeth : and that therefore they are worthie to die. By which reason
everie one should be executed, that wisheth evill to his neighbor, &c.
But if the will should be punished by man, according to the offense
against God, we should be driven by thousands at once to the
slaughterhouse or butcherie. For whosoever loatheth correction Proverb. 5.
shall die. And who should escape execution, if this lothsomnesse (I
saie) should extend to death by the civill lawes. Also the reward of
sinne is death. Howbeit, everie one that sinneth, is not to be put to
death by the magistrate. But (my Lord) it shalbe proved in my

The Epistle.

X

A 3v

lnstit.
lib.
5. ca. 8. sect. 6.
Item upon
Deut. cap. 18.
Lib. de lamiis,pag.
5.
A. iiij. v.

a
Isaie. 59, 7.
R o m . 3, 15.
b Eccl. 27, 5.
c P r o v . 1, 16.

d Jer. 2, 34.
e P s . 139, 15.
Esai. 33, 15.

A4

{A. v.]
In epistola
ad Jo. Wier.

booke, and your Lordship shall trie it to be true, as well here at home
in your native countrie, as also abrode in your severall circuits, that
(besides them that be Venificoe, which are plaine poisoners) there will
be found among our witches onelie two sorts; the one sort being such
by imputation, as/ so thought of by others (and these are abused, and
not abusors) the other by acceptation, as being willing so to be
accompted (and these be meere cousenors.)
Calvine treating of these magicians, calleth them cousenors, saieng
that they use their juggling knacks onelie to amase or abuse the
people ; or else for fame : but he/ might rather have said for gaine.
Erastus himselfe, being a principall writer in the behalfe of witches
omnipotencie, is forced to confesse, that these Greeke words, im<yia,
fia^a^la, (pappaicia, are most commonlie put for illusion, false packing,
cousenage, fraud, knaverie and deceipt : and is further driven to saie,
that in ancient time, the learned were not so blockish, as not to see
that the promises of magicians and inchanters were false, and nothing else but knaverie, cousenage, and old wives fables ; and yet
defendeth he their flieng in the aire, their transferring of corne or
grasse from one feeld to another, &c.
But as Erastus disagreeth herein with himselfe and his freends : so
is there no agreement among anie of those writers, but onlie in
cruelties, absurdities, and impossibilities. And these (my Lord) that
fall into so manifest contradictions, and into such absurd asseverations, are not of the inferior sort of writers ; neither are they all
papists, but men of such accompt, as whose names give more credit
to their cause, than their writings. In whose behalfe I am sorie, and
partlie for reverence suppresse their fondest errors and fowlest absurdities ; dealing speciallie with them that most contend in crueltie,a
whose feete are swift to shed bloud, striving (as bJesus the sonne of
Sirach saith) and hasting (as cSalomon the sonne of David saith) to
powre out the bloud of the innocent; whose heat against these poore
wretches cannot be allaied with anie other liquor than bloud. And
therfore I feare that d under their wings will be found the bloud of the
soules of the poore, at that daie, when the Lord shall saie ;/ e Depart
from me ye bloudthirstie men.
And bicause I know your Lordship will take no counsell against
innocent bloud, but rather suppresse them that seeke to embrue their
hands therein ; I have made choise to open their case unto you, and
to laie their miserable calamitie before your feete : following herein
the/ advise of that learned man Brentius, who saith ; Si quis admonuerit magistratum^ ne in miseras illas mulierculas sceviat, eum ego
arbitror divinities excitatum ; that is, If anie admonish the magistrate
not to deale too hardlie with these miserable wretches, that are called

The Epistle.

xi

witches, I thinke him a good instrument raised up for this purpose by
God himselfe.
But it will perchance be said by witchmongers ; to wit, by such as
attribute to witches the power which apperteineth to God onelie, that
I have made choise of your Lordship to be a patrone to this my booke;
bicause I think you favour mine opinions, and by that meanes may
the more freelie publish anie error or conceipt of mine owne, which
should rather be warranted by your Lordships authoritie, than by the
word of God, or by sufficient argument. But I protest the contrarie,
and by these presents I renounce all protection, and despise all freendship that might serve to helpe towards the suppressing or supplanting
of truth : knowing also that your Lordship is farre from allowing anie
injurie done, unto man ; much more an enimie to them that go about
to dishonor God, or to embezill the title of his immortall glorie. But
bicause I know you to be perspicuous, and able to see downe into the
depth and bottome of causes, and are not to be carried awaie with the
vaine persuasion or superstition either of man, custome, time, or
multitude, but mooved with the authoritie of truth onlie : I crave
your countenance herein, even so farre foorth, and no further, than
the lawe of God, the lawe of nature, the lawe of this land, and the/ rule A 4 v
of reason shall require. Neither doo I treat for these poore people
anie otherwise, but so, as with one hand you may sustaine the good,
and with the other suppresse the evill : wherein you shalbe thought a
father to orphans, an advocate to widowes, a guide to the blind, a
staie to the lame, a comfort & countenance to the honest, a scourge/
and terror to the wicked.
[A. v. v.}
Thus farre I have beene bold to use your Lordships patience, being
offended with my selfe, that I could not in brevitie utter such matter
as I have delivered amplie: whereby (I confesse) occasion of tediousnes might be ministred, were it not that your great gravitie joined
with your singular constancie in reading and judging be means of
the contrarie. And I wish even with all my hart, that I could make
people conceive the substance of my writing, and not to misconstrue
anie part of my meaning. Then doubtles would I persuade my selfe,
that the companie of witchmongers, &c : being once decreased, the
number also of witches, &c : would soone be diminished. But true
be the words of the Poet,*
i * Homer.]
Haudquaquam poteris sortirier omnia solus,
Ndmque aliis divi bello pollere dederunt,
Huic saltandi artent, voce huic cythardque canendi :
Rursum alii inseruit sagax in pectore niagnus
Jupiter ingenium, Qr^c.

xii

The Epistle.
And therefore as doubtfull to prevaile by persuading, though I have
reason and common sense on my side ; I rest upon earnest wishing ;
namelie, to all people an absolute trust in God the creator, and not
in creatures, which is to make flesh our arme : that God may
have his due honor, which by the undutifulnes of manie
is turned into dishonor, and lesse cause of offense
and errour given by common received evill
example. And to your Lordship I wish, as
increase of honour, so continuance of good health,
and happie
daies.

Your Lordships to be commanded
Reginald

Scot.

The Epistle.
To the right worshipfull Sir

xiii
^ v i ] A-a

Thomas Scot Knight, d^c.
[Rom-, and I t a l . of this reversed from original.]

Ir, I see among other malefactors manie poore old women
convented before you for working of miracles, other
wise called witchcraft, and therefore I thought you also a
meet person to whom I might comend my booke. And
here I have occasion to speake of your sincere administration of justice,
and of your dexteritie, discretion, charge, and travell emploied in that
behalfe, wherof I am oculatus testis. Howbeit I had rather refer the
reader to common fame, and their owne eies and eares to be satisfied/
than to send them to a Stationers shop, where manie times lies are
vendible, and truth contemptible. For I being of your house, of your
name, & of your bloud/ my foot being under your table, my hand in
your dish, or rather in your pursse, might bee thought to flatter you in
that, wherein (I knowe) I should rather offend you than please you.
And what need I currie favour with my most assured friend ? And if
I should onelie publish those vertues (though they be manie) which
give me speciall occasion to exhibit this my travell unto you, I should
doo as a painter, that describeth the foot of a notable personage, and
leaveth all the best features in his bodie untouched.
I therefore (at this time) doo onelie desire you to consider of my
report, concerning the evidence that is commonlie brought before you
against them. See first whether the evidence be not frivolous, &
whether the proofs brought against them be not incredible, consisting
of ghesses, presumptions, & impossibilities contrarie to reason, scrip-/
ture, and nature. See also what persons complaine upon them, A a 2
whether they be not of the basest, the unwisest, & most faithles kind
of people. Also/ may it please you to waie what accusations and IA. vi.».]
crimes they laie to their charge, namelie : She was at my house of
late, she would have had a pot of milke, she departed in a chafe
bicause she had it not, she railed, she curssed, she mumbled and
whispered, and finallie she said she would be even with me : and
soone after my child, my cow, my sow, or my pullet died, or was
strangelie taken. Naie (if it please your Worship) I have further
proofe : I was with a wise woman, and she told me I had an ill
neighbour, & that she would come to my house yer it were long, and
so did she ; and that she had a marke above hir waste, & so had she:
and God forgive me, my stomach hath gone against hir a great while.
Hir mother before hir was counted a witch, she hath beene beaten

The Epistle.

xiv

Aa2
W.vii.]

John. 5.
Prov. 15,:

Acts. 3.
Proverbs. 9.

Matth. 25.
Matth. 5.
Luke.
8.

and scratched by the face till bloud was drawne upon hir, bicause she
hath beene suspected, & afterwards some of those persons were
said to amend. These are the certeinties that I heare in their evidences.
Note also how easilie they may be brought to confesse that which
they never did, nor lieth in the power of man to doo : and then see
whether I have cause to write as I doo. Further, if you shall see
that infidelitie, poperie, and manie other manifest heresies be backed
and shouldered, and their professors animated and hartened, by
yeelding to creatures such infinit power as is wrested out of Gods
hand, and attributed to witches : finallie, if you shall perceive that I
have faithfullie and trulie delivered and set downe the condition and
state of the witch, and also of the witchmonger, and have confuted
by reason and lawe, and by the word of God it selfe, all mine adversaries objections and arguments : then let me have your countenance
against them that maliciouslie oppose themselves against me./
My greatest adversaries are yoong ignorance and old custome.
For what follie soever tract of time hath fostered, it is/ so superstitiouslie pursued of some, as though no error could be acquainted with
custome. But if the lawe of nations would joine with such custome, to
the maintenance of ignorance, and to the suppressing of knowledge/
the civilest countrie in the world would soone become barbarous, &c.
For as knowledge and time discovereth errors, so dooth superstition
and ignorance in time breed them. And concerning the opinions of
such, as wish that ignorance should rather be mainteined, than knowledge busilie searched for, bicause thereby offense may grow : I
answer, that we are commanded by Christ himselfe to search for
knowledge : for it is the kings honour (as Salomon saith) to search
out a thing.
Aristotle said to Alexander, that a mind well furnished was more
beautifull than a bodie richlie araied. What can be more odious to
man, or offensive to God, than ignorance : for through ignorance the
Jewes did put Christ to death. Which ignorance whosoever forsaketh,
is promised life everlasting : and therfore among Christians it should
be abhorred above all other things. For even as when we wrestle
in the darke, we tumble in the mire, &c : so when we see not the
truth, we wallow in errors. A blind man may seeke long in the rishes
yer he find a needle/ and as soone is a doubt discussed by ignorance.
Finallie, truth is no sooner found out in ignorance, than a sweet savor
in a dunghill. And if they will allow men knowledge, and give them
no leave to use it, men were much better be without it than have it.
For it is, as to have a tallent, and to hide it under the earthy or to
put a candle under a bushell : or as to have a ship, & to let hir lie

The Epistle.

xv

alwaies in the docke : which thing how profitable it is, I can saie
somewhat by experience./
But hereof I need saie no more, for everie man seeth that A a 2 v
none can be happie who knoweth not what felicitie meaneth.
For what availeth it to have riches, and not to have the use/
thereof? Trulie the heathen herein deserved more commen- [4. vii. v.]
dation than manie christians, for they spared no paine, no cost, nor
travell to atteine to knowledge. Pythagoras travelled from Thamus
to Aegypt, and afterwards into Crete and Lacedaemonia : and Plato
out of Athens into Italie and Aegypt, and all to find out hidden
secrets and knowledge : which when a man hath, he seemeth to be
separated from mortalitie. For pretious stones, and all other creatures of what value soever, are but counterfeits to this Jewell : they
are mortall, corruptible, and inconstant j this is immortall, pure
and certeine. Wherfore if I have searched and found out any
good thing, that ignorance and time hath smothered,
the same I commend unto you : to whom
though I owe all that I have, yet am
I bold to make other partakers with you in
this poore
gift.

Your loving cousen,
Reg. Scot.

XVI

[A. viii].
A« 3

The Epistle.
To the right worshipfull his loving friends,
Maister Doctor Coldwell Deane of RoChester, and Maister Doctor Readman Archdeacon of Canturburie, &*c.
[Rom. and Ital. reversed ; the italics of original smaller than in that to Sir Th. Scot. J

[* = wooden]

A a 3 v.
[-4. viii. P.]

]|Aving found out two such civill Magistrates, as for
direction of judgement, and for ordering matters concerning justice in this common wealth (in my poore
opinion) are verie singular persons, who (I hope) will
accept of my good will, and examine my booke by their experience,
as unto whom the matter therin conteined dooth greatlie apperteine:
I have now againe considered of two other points : namelie, divinitie
and philosophie, whereupon the groundworke of my booke is laid.
Wherein although I know them to be verie sufficientlie informed,
yet dooth not the judgement and censure of those causes so properlie
apperteine to them as unto you, whose fame therein hath gotten
preeminence above all others that I know of your callings : and in
that respect I am bold to joine you with them, being all good neighbours togither in this commonwelth, and loving friends unto me.
I doo not present this unto you, bicause it is meet for you/ but for
that you are meet for it (I meane) to judge upon it, to defend it, and
if need be to correct it/ knowing that you have learned of that grave
counseller Cato, not to shame or discountenance any bodie. For if
I thought you as readie, as able, to disgrace me for mine insufficiencie/ I should not have beene hastie (knowing your learning) to have
written unto you : but if I should be abashed to write to you, I should
shew my selfe ignorant of your courtesie.
I knowe mine owne weakenesse, which if it have beene able to
mainteine this argument, the cause is the stronger. Eloquent words
may please the eares, but sufficient matter persuadeth the hart. So
as, if I exhibit wholsome drinke (thought it be small) in a treene*
dish with a faithfull hand, I hope it will bee as well accepted, as
strong wine offered in a silver bowle with a flattering heart. And
surelie it is a point of as great liberalise to receive a small thing
thankeful/lie, as to give and distribute great and costlie gifts bountifullie : for there is more supplied with courteous answers than with
rich rewards. The ty/rant Dionysius was not so hated for his
tyrannie, as for his churlish and strange behaviour. Among the
poore Israelites sacrifices, God was satisfied with the tenth part of

The Epistle.

xvii

an E p h a h of flower, so as it were fine and good. Christ liked well
of the poore widowes mite, Lewis of F r a n c e accepted a rape root of
clownish Conan, Cyrus vouchsafed to drinke a cup of cold water out
of the hand of poore Sinaetes / and so it may please you to accept
this simple booke at my hands, which I faithfullie exhibit unto you,
not knowing your opinions to meet with mine, but knowing your
learning and judgement to be able as well to correct me where I
speake herein unskilfullie, as others when they speake hereof maliciouslie.
Some be such dogs as they will barke at my writings, whether I
mainteine or refute this a r g u m e n t : as Diogenes snarled both at the
Rhodians and at the Lacedaemonians : at the one, bicause they were
b r a v e / at the other, bicause they were not brave. H o m e r himselfe
could not avoid reprochfull speaches. I am sure that they which
never studied to learne anie good thing, will studie to find faults
hereat. I for my part feare not these wars, nor all the adversaries I
h a v e / were it not for certeine cowards, who (I knowe) will come
behind my backe and bite me.
But now to the matter. My question is not (as manie fondlie
suppose) whether there be witches or naie : but whether they can
doo such miraculous works as are imputed unto them. Good Maister Deane, is it possible for a m a n to breake his fast with you at
Rochester, and to dine that day at D u r h a m with Maister Doctor
M a t t h e w / or can your enimie maime you, when the Ocean sea is
betwixt you ? W h a t reall communitie is betwixt a spirit and a bodie ?
May a spirituall bodie become temporall at his pleasure ? Or may a
carnall bodie become invisible ? Is it likelie that the lives of all
Princes, magistrates, & subjects, should depend upon the will, or
rather upon the wish of a poore malicious doting old foole/ and that
power exempted from the wise, the rich, the learned, the godlie, &c ?
Finallie, is it possible for m a n or woman to do anie of those miracles
expressed in my booke, & so constantlie reported by great clarks ?
If you saie, n o / then am I satisfied. If you saie that God, absolutelie, or by meanes can accomplish all those, and manie more, I
go with you. But witches m a y well saie they can doo these things,
howbeit they cannot shew how they doo them. If I for my part
should saie I could doo/ those things, my verie adversaries would saie A a 4.
that I lied.
O Maister Archdeacon, is it not pitie, that that which is said to be
doone with the almightie power of the most high God, and by our
saviour his onelie sonne Jesus Christ our Lord, shouldbe referred to
a baggage old womans nod/ or wish, &c ? Good Sir, is it not one B. i.
manifest kind of Idolatrie, for them that labor and are laden, to come
c

xviii

The Epistle,

unto witches to be refreshed ? If witches could helpe whom they
are said to have made sicke, I see no reason, but remedie might as
well be required at their hands, as a pursse demanded of him that
hath stolne it. But trulie it is manifold idolatrie, to aske that of a
creature, which none can give but the Creator. T h e papist hath
some colour of scripture to mainteine his idoll of bread, but no
Jesuiticall distinction can cover the witchmongers idolatrie in this
behalfe. Alas, I a m sorie and ashamed to see how manie die, that
being said to be bewitched, onelie seeke for magicall cures, whom
wholsome diet and good medicines would have recovered. I dare
assure you both, that there would be none of these cousening kind
of witches, did not witchmongers mainteine them, followe them, and
beleeve in them and their oracles : whereby indeed all good learning
and honest arts are overthrowne. For these that most advance their
power, and mainteine the skill of these witches, understand no part
thereof: and yet being manie times wise in other matters, are m a d e
fooles by the most fooles in the world.
Me thinks these magicall physicians deale in the commonwelth,
much like as a certeine kind of Cynicall people doo in the church,
whose severe saiengs are accompted among some such oracles, as
may not be doubted of/ w7ho in- stead of learning and authoritie
(which they make contemptible) doo feed the people with their owne
devises and imaginations, which they prefer before all other divinitie :
and labouring to erect a church according to their owne fansies,
wherein all order is condemned, and onelie their magicall words and
curious directions advanced, they would utterlie overthrowe the true
Church. And even as these inchanting Paracelsians abuse the
people, leading them from the true order of physicke to their
charmes : so doo these other (I saie) dissuade from hearkening to
learning and obedience, and whisper in mens eares to teach t h e m
their frierlike traditions. And of this sect the cheefe author at this
A a 4 v time is/ one Browne, a fugitive, a meet cover for such a cup : as here[* Arians]
tofore the Anabaptists, the Arrians,* and the Franciscane friers.
Trulie not onlie nature, being the foundation of all perfection/
but also scripture, being the mistresse and director thereof, and of
all christianitie, is beautified with knowledge and learning. For as
nature without discipline dooth naturallie incline unto vanities, and
Rom. 2,27.
as it were sucke up errors : so doth the word, or rather the letter of
or 3
' ' '
the scripture, without understanding, not onlie make us devoure
errors, but yeeldeth us up to death & destruction : & therefore
Paule saith he was not a minister of the letter, but of the spirit.
T h u s have I beene bold to deliver unto the world, and to you, those
B. i. v. simple/ notes, reasons, and arguments, which I have devised or col-

The

Epistle.

xix

lected out of other authors : which I hope shall be hurtfull to none,
but to my selfe great comfort, if it may passe with good liking and
acceptation. If it fall out otherwise, I should thinke my paines ill
imploied. For trulie, in mine opinion, whosoever shall performe any
thing, or atteine to anie knowledge j or whosoever should travell
throughout all the nations of the world, or (if it were possible) should
peepe into the heavens, the consolation or admiration thereof were
nothing pleasant unto him, unles he had libertie to impart his knowledge to his friends. Wherein bicause I have m a d e speciall choise
of you, I hope you will read it, or at the least laie it up in your studie
with your other bookes, among which there is none dedicated
to any with more good will. And so long as you
have it, it shall be unto you (upon adventure of my life) a certeine amulet,
periapt, circle, charme, &c :
to defend you from
all inchantments.

Your loving

friend

Reg. Scot,

B. ii. B

T o the Readers.

Brfhl P | K 9 | 0 you that are wise & discreete few words may suffice :
|[l|$3 |J3Qj for such a one judgeth not at t h e first sight, nor reproovI R 9 H e l l e t ^ ^ y n e r e s a i e I ^ u t patientlie heareth, and thereby
|&BBLijfij| increaseth in understanding : which patience bringeth
foorth experience, whereby true judgement is directed. I shall not
need therefore to m a k e anie further sute to you, but that it would
please you to read my booke, without the prejudice of time, or former
conceipt : and having obteined this at your hands, I submit my selfe
unto your censure. But to m a k e a solemne sute to you that are
parciall readers, desiring you to set aside parcialitie, to take in good
part my writing, and with indifferent eies to looke upon my booke,
were labour lost, and time ill imploied. F o r I should no more prevaile herein, than if a hundred yeares since I should have intreated
your predecessors to beleeve, that Robin goodfellowe, that great and
ancient bulbegger, had beene but a cousening merchant, and no
divell indeed.
If I should go to a papist, and saie ; I praie you beleeve my
writings, wherein I will proove all popish charmes, conjurations,
exorcismes, benedictions and cursses, not onelie to be ridiculous,
and of none effect, but also to be impious and contrarie to Gods
word: I should as hardlie therein win favour at their hands, as hereB. ii v. in obteine credit at yours. Neverthelesse, I doubt not, but to/ use
the matter so, that as well the massemoonger for his part, as the
witchmoonger for his, shall both be ashamed of their professions.
But Robin goodfellowe ceaseth now to be much feared, and poperie
is sufficientlie discovered. Nevertheles, witches charms, a n d conjurors cousenages are yet thought effectuall. Yea the Gentiles have
espied the fraud of their cousening oracles, and our cold prophets
and inchanters make us fooles still, to the shame of us all, but
speciallie of papists, who conjure everie thing, and thereby bring to
passe nothing. T h e y saie to their candles ; I conjure you to endure
for e v e r : and yet they last not a pater noster while the longer. T h e y
conjure water to be wholesome both for bodie and soule : but the
bodie (we see) is never the better for it, nor the soule anie whit

The Epistle.

xxi

reformed by it. And therefore I mervell, that when they see their
owne conjurations confuted and brought to naught, or at the least
void of effect, that they (of all other) will yet give such credit, countenance, and authoritie to the vaine cousenages of witches and conjurors ; as though their charmes and conjurations could produce more/
apparent, certeine, and better effects than their owne.
Bv
But my request unto all you that read my booke shall be no more,
but that it would please you to conferre my words with your owne
sense and experience, and also with the word of God. If you find
your selves resolved and satisfied, or rather reformed and qualified
in anie one point or opinion, that heretofore you held contrarie to
truth, in a matter hitherto undecided, and never yet looked into ; I
praie you take that for advantage : and suspending your judgement,
staie the sentence of condemnation against me, and consider of the
rest, at your further leasure. If this may not suffice to persuade you,
it cannot prevaile to annoy you: and then, that which is written without offense, may be overpassed without anie greefe.
And although mine assertion, be somewhat differing from the old
inveterat opinion, which I confesse hath manie graie heares, whereby
mine adversaries have gained more authoritie than reason, towards
the maintenance of their presumptions and old wives fables : yet
shall it fullie agree with Gods glorie, and with his holie word. And
albeit there be hold taken by mine adver/saries of certeine few words B. m.
or sentences in the scripture that maketh a shew for them : yet when
the whole course thereof maketh against them, and impugneth the
same, yea and also their owne places rightlie understood doo nothing
at all releeve them : I trust their glorious title and argument of
antiquitie will appeare as stale and corrupt as the apothecaries drugs,
or grocers spice, which the longer they be preserved, the woorsse they
are. And till you have perused my booke, ponder this in your mind,
to wit, that Sagce, Thessalce, Strides, Lamice (which words and none
other being in use do properlie signifie our witches) are not once
found written in the old or new testament; and that Christ himselfe
in his gospell never mentioned the name of a witch. And that neither
he, nor Moses ever spake anie one word of the witches bargaine with
the divell, their hagging, their riding in the aire, their transferring of
corne or grasse from one feeld to another, their hurting of children
or cattell with words or charmes, their bewitching of butter, cheese,
ale, &c : nor yet their transubstantiation ; insomuch as the writers Mai. male/.
hereupon are not ashamed to say, that it is not absurd to affirme that par'2'qu*'
there were no witches in Jobs time. The reason is, that if there had
beene such witches then in beeing, Job would have said he had beene
bewitched. But indeed men tooke no heed in those daies to this

xxii

The Epistle.

doctrine of divels ; to wit, to these fables of witchcraft, which Peter
saith shall be much regarded and hearkened unto in the latter daies.
Howbeit, how ancient so ever this barbarous conceipt of witches
omnipotencie is, truth must not be measured by time : for everie old
opinion is not sound. Veritie is not impaired, how long so ever it be
suppressed ; but is to be searched out, in how darke a corner so ever
it lie hidden : for it is not like a cup of ale, that may be broched too
rathe. Finallie, time bewraieth old errors, & discovereth new matters
of truth. Danaeus himselfe saith, that this question hitherto h a t h
Danceus in
suo pro logo.
never beene h a n d l e d ; nor the scriptures concerning this matter have
never beene expounded. T o prove the antiquitie of the cause, to
B 2 confirme the opini/on of the ignorant, to inforce mine adversaries
arguments, to aggravate the punishments, & to accomplish the confusio of these old women, is added the vanitie and wickednes of
them, which are called witches, the arrogancie of those which take
B. iii. v. upon them to/ worke wonders, the desire that people have to hearken
to such miraculous matters, unto whome most commonlie an impossibilitie is more credible t h a n a veritie ; the ignorance of naturall
causes, the ancient and universall hate conceived against the n a m e
of a witch ; their ilfavoured faces, their spitefull words, their cursses
and imprecations, their charmes m a d e in ryme, and their beggerie ;
the feare of manie foolish folke, the opinion of some that are wise,
the want of Robin goodfellowe and the fairies, which were woont to
mainteine chat, and the common peoples talke in this behalfe ; the
authoritie of the inquisitors, the learning, cunning, consent, and
estimation of writers herein, the false translations and fond interpretations used, speciallie by papists ; and manie other like causes. All
which toies take such hold upon mens fansies, as whereby they are
lead and entised awaie from the consideration of true respects, to the
condemnation of that which they know not.
Howbeit, I will (by Gods grace) in this my booke, so apparentlie
decipher and confute these cavils, and all other their objections ; as
everie witchmoonger shall be abashed, and all good men thereby
satisfied. In the meane time, I would wish them to know that if
neither the estimation of Gods omnipotencie, nor the tenor of his
word, nor the doubtfulnes or rather the impossibilitie of the case, nor
the small proofes brought against them, nor the rigor executed upon
them, nor the pitie that should be in a christian heart, nor yet their
simplicitie, impotencie, or age may suffice to suppresse the rage or
rigor wherewith they are o p p r e s s e d ; yet the consideration of their
sex or kind ought to moove some mitigatio of their punishment.
For if nature (as Plinie reporteth) have taught a lion not to deale so
roughlie with a woman as with a man, bicause she is in bodie the
i . Pet. 4. 1.

The Epistle.

xxiii

weaker vessell, and in hart more inclined to pitie (which Jeremie in Lam. jer. 3
=
his lamentations seemeth to confirme) what should a man doo in this
fjse^o.
case, for whome a woman was created as an helpe and comfort unto *• p or - "• 9'

l

h i m ? In so much as, even in the lawe of nature, it is a greater
offense to slea a woman than a man : not bicause a m a n is not the
more excellent creature, but bicause a woman is the weaker vessell.
And therefore among all modest and honest persons it is thought a
shame to offer violence or injurie to a woman : in which respect
Virgil/ saith, Nullum memorabile nomen famine a in ftcena est.
God that knoweth my heart is witnes, and you that read my booke
shall see, that my drift and purpose in this enterprise tendeth onelie
to these respects. First, that the glorie and power of God be not so
abridged and abased, as to be thrust into the hand or lip of a lewd
old woman: whereby the worke of the Creator should be attributed to
the power of a creature. Secondlie, that the religion of the gospell
may be seene to stand without such peevish trumperie. Thirdlie,
that lawfull favour and christian compassion be rather used towards
these poore soules, than rigor and extremitie. Bicause they, which
are commonlie accused of witchcraft,/ are the least sufficient of all
other persons to speake for themselves ; as having the most base and
simple education of all others ; the extremitie of their age giving
them leave to dote, their povertie to beg, their wrongs to chide and
threaten (as being void of anie other waie of revenge) their humor
melancholicall to be full of imaginations, from whence cheefelie proceedeth the vanitie of their confessions ; as that they can transforme
themselves and others into apes, owles, asses, dogs, cats, &c : that
they can flie in the aire, kill children with charmes, hinder the
comming of butter, &c.
And for so much as the mightie helpe themselves together, and the
poore widowes crie, though it reach to heaven, is scarse heard here
upon earth : I thought good (according to my poore abilitie) to make
intercession, that some part of common rigor, and some points of
hastie judgement may be advised upon. F o r the world is now at that
stay (as Brentius in a most godlie sermon in these words affirmeth)
that even as when the heathen persecuted the christians, if anie were
accused to beleeve in Christ, the common people cried Ad leonem: so
now, if anie woman, be she never so honest, be accused of witchcraft,
they crie Ad ignem. W h a t difference is betweene the rash dealing of
unskilfull people, and the grave counsell of more discreet and learned
persons, may appeare by a tale of Danaeus his owne telling ; wherein
he opposeth the rashnes of a few townesmen, to the counsell of a
whole senate, preferring the follie of the one, before the wisdome of
the other.

Ibid. vers. 7.

Ge. 2.22. 18.
problem. 2. 9.

Vir. Georg.
IB. iv.]

B2 v

Ecci[us.] 35,15.

xxiv

The Epistle.

At Orleance on Loyre (saith he) there was a manwitch, not only/
IB. iv. ©.] taken and accused, but also convicted and condemned for witchcraft,
who appealed from thence to the high court of Paris. Which accusation the senate sawe insufficient, and would not allow, but laughed
thereat, lightlie regarding it ; and in the end sent him home (saith
he) as accused of a frivolous matter. And yet for all that, the magistrats of Orleance were so bold with him, as to hang him up within
short time after, for the same or the verie like offense. In which
example is to be seene the nature, and as it were the disease of this
cause : wherein (I saie) the simpler and undiscreeter sort are alwaies
more hastie & furious in judgements, than men of better reputation
and knowledge. Nevertheles, Eunichius saith, that these three t h i n g s ;
to wit, what is to be thought of witches, what their incantations can
doo, a n d whether their punishment should extend to death, are to be
well considered. And I would (saith he) they were as well knowne,
as they are rashlie beleeved, both of the learned, and unlearned.
And further he saith, that almost all divines, physicians and lawyers,
who should best know these matters, satisfieng themselves with old
custome, have given too much credit to these fables, and too rash and
unjust sentence of death upon witches. But when a m a n pondereth
(saith he) that in times past, all that swarved from the church of
Rome were judged heretikes ; it is the lesse marvell, though in this
matter they be blind and ignorant.
And surelie, if the scripture h a d beene longer suppressed, more
absurd fables would have sproong up, and beene beleeved. W h i c h
credulitie though it is to be derided with laughter; yet this their cruel B 3 tie is to be/ lamented with teares. F o r (God knoweth) manie of these
poore wretches had more need to be releeved than chastised ; and
more meete were a preacher to admonish them, than a gailor to keepe
them ; and a physician more necessarie to helpe them, than an
executioner or tormentor to hang or burne t h e m . For proofe and
due triall hereof, I will requite Danseus his tale of a manwitch (as h e
termeth.him) with another witch of the same sex or gender.
Lib. 15. cap.
Cardanus from the mouth of his owne father reporteth, that one
^attblerum.
Barnard, a poore servant, being in wit verie simple and rude, but in
his service verie necessarie and diligent (and in that respect deerelie
[B. v.] beloved of his maister) professing the art of witchcraft,/ could in no
wise be dissuaded from that profession, persuading himselfe that h e
knew all things, and could bring anie matter to passe ; bicause certeine countrie people resorted to him for helpe and counsell, as
supposing by his owne talke, that he could doo somewhat. At length
he was condemned to be burned : which torment he seemed more
willing to suffer, than to loose his estimation in that behalfe. But his

The Epistle.

xxv

maister having compassion upon him, and being himselfe in his
princes favor, perceiving his conceipt to proceed of melancholie,
obteined respit of execution for twentie daies. In which time (saith
he) his maister bountifullie fed him with good fat meat, and with foure
egs at a meale, as also with sweet wine : which diet was best for so
grosse and weake a bodie. And being recovered so in strength, that
the humor was suppressed, he was easilie woone from his absurd and
dangerous opinions, a n d from all his fond imaginations : and confessing his error and follie, from the which before no man could
remoove him by anie persuasions, having his pardon, he lived long a
good member of the church, whome otherwise the crueltie of judgement should have cast awaie and destroied.
This historie is more credible t h a n Sprengers fables, or Bodins
babies, which reach not so far to the extolling of witches omnipotencie,
as to the derogating of Gods glorie. F o r if it be true, which they
affirme, that our life and death lieth in the h a n d of a witch ; then is
it false, that God maketh us live or die, or that by him we have our
being, our terme of life appointed, and our daies numbred. But surelie
their charmes can no more reach to the hurting or killing of men or
women, than their imaginations can extend to the stealing and carrieng awaie of horsses & mares. Neither h a t h God given remedies
to sicknes or greefes, by words or charmes, but by hearbs and
m e d i c i n e s ; which he himselfe hath created upon earth, and given Amos. 3.6.
men knowledge of the s a m e ; that h e might be glorified, for that
\^ev'3'38
therewith he dooth vouchsafe that the maladies of men and cattell Rom. 9.20.
should be cured, &c. And if there be no affliction nor calamitie, but
is brought to passe by him, then let us defie the divell, renounce
all his works, and not so much as once thinke or dreame upon this
supernaturall power of witches ; neither let us prosecute them with
such despight, whome our fansie condemneth, and our reason acquiteth:
our/ evidence against them consisting in impossibilities, our proofes {B v. v.]
in unwritten verities, a n d our whole proceedings in doubts and
difficulties./
Now bicause I mislike the extreame crueltie used against some of B 3. v .
these sillie soules (whome a simple advocate having audience and
justice might deliver out of the hands of the inquisitors themselves)
it will be said, that I denie anie punishment at all to be due to anie
witch whatsoever. Naie, bicause I bewraie the follie and impietie of
them, which attribute unto witches the power of God : these witchmoongers will report, that I denie there are anie witches at all : a n d
yet behold (saie they) how often is this word [Witch]* mentioned in the * C ] in text.
scriptures ? Even as if an idolater should saie in the behalfe of
images and idols, to them which denie their power and godhead, and

d

The Epistle.

XXVI

inveigh against the reverence doone unto them ; How dare you denie
the power of images, seeing their names are so often repeated in the
scriptures ? But truelie I denie not that there are witches or images :
but I detest the idolatrous opinions conceived of them ; referring that
to Gods worke and ordinance, which they impute to the power and
malice of witches ; and attributing that honour to God, which they
ascribe to idols. But as for those that in verie deed are either
witches or conjurors, let them hardlie suffer such punishment as to
their fault is agreeable, and as by the grave judgement of lawe is
provided.
Places amended by the author, and to be read as followeth. The first
number standeth for the page, the second for the line.

[*i6

46. 16. except you.
51. 9. one Saddocke.
75. 21. that we of
110. 21. as Elimas.
112. 10. is reproved.
119. 16. one Necus.
126. 12. Magus as.
138. 2. the hart.
144. 25. in hir closet at
Endor, or in.
168. 31. the firmament.
187. 16. reallie finished.
192. put out the first line
of the page.
247. 29. write it.
"Corrected in this 4th edition.

257.
269.
333363366.
438.
450.
463.
47i.
472.
491.
49i.
503.
519.
542.

32. an image.
16. there be masses.
14. evenlie severed.
26. for bellowes.
27. his leman.
29. exercise the.
1. that it is.
I9.*that businesse.
19. coteineth nothing.
11. I did deferre.
6. so difficult.
27. begat another.
9. of all the.
7. the Hevites.
30. their reproch./

T h e numbers of the 3rd line in original, i.e., from 438,
are smaller.!

The forren authors used in this Booke.
TjO Lianus.
JUt
Aetius.
Albertus Crantzius.
Albertus Magnus.
Albumazar.
Alcoranum Franciscanorum.
Alexander Trallianus.
Algerus.
Ambrosius.
Andradias.
Andraeas Gartnerus.
Andrseas Massius.
Antonius Sabellicus.
Apollonius Tyanaeus.
Appianus.
Apuleius.
Archelaus.
Argerius Ferrarius.*
Aristoteles.
Arnoldus de villa nova.
Artemidorus.
Athanasius.
Averroes.
Augustinus episcopus
Hip.
Augustinus Niphus.
Avicennas.
Aulus Gellius.
Barnardinus de bustis.
Bartholomaeus Anglicus,
Berosus Anianus.
Bodinus.
Bordinus.
Brentius.
Calvinus.
Camerarius.
Campanus.
Cardanus pater.
Cardanus filius.
Carolus Gallus.
Cassander.
Cato.
Chrysostome.

Cicero.
Clemens.
Cornelius Agrippa.
Cornelius Nepos.
Cornelius Tacitus.
Cyrillus.
Danasus.
Demetrius.
Democritus.
Didymus.
Diodorus Siculus.
Dionysius Areopagita.
Dioscorides.
Diurius.
Dodonseus.
Durandus.
Empedocles.
Ephesius.
Erasmus Roterodamus.
Erasmus Sarcerius.
Erastus.
Eudoxus.
Eusebius Caesariensis.
Fernelius.
Franciscus Petrarcha.
Fuchsius.
Galenus.
Garropius.
Gelasius.
Gemma Phrysius.
Georgius Pictorius.
Gofridus.
Goschalcus Boll.
Gratianus.
Gregorius.
Grillandus.
Guido Bonatus.
Gulielmus de sancto
Clodoaldo.
Gulielmus Parisiensis.
Hemingius.
Heraclides.
Hermes Trismegistus.
Hieronymus.

[Avi.] [B41

Hilarius.
Hippocrates.
Homerus.
Horatius.
Hostiensis.
Hovinus.
Hyperius.
Jacobus de Chusa Carthusianus.
Iamblichus.
Jaso Pratensis.
Innocentius. 8. Papa.
Johannes Anglicus.
Johannes Baptista Nea~
politanus.
Johannes Cassianus.
Johannes Montiregius.
Johannes Rivius.
Josephus ben Gorion. [* Ferre-]
Josias Simlerus.
Isidorus.
Isigonus.

Juba.

Julius Maternus.
Justinus Martyr.
Lactantius.
Lavaterus.
Laurentius Ananias.
Laurentius a villavicentio,
Leo II. Pontifex.
Lex Salicarum.
Lex 12. Tabularum.
Legenda aurea.
Legenda longa Colonise.
Leonardus Vairus.
Livius.
Lucanus.
Lucretius.
Ludovicus Caelius.
Lutherus.
Macrobius.
Magna Charta.
Malleus Maleflcarum.

XXV111
Manlius.
Marbacchius.
Marbodeus Gallus.
Marsilius Ficinus.
Martinus de Aries.
Mattheolus.
Melancthonus.//
B, vi.».] B 4 v. Memphradorus.
Michael Andrseas.
Musculus.
Nauclerus.
Nicephorus.
Nicholaus 5. Papa.
Nider.
Olaus Gothus.
Origines.
Ovidius.
Panormitanus.
Paulus Aegineta.
Paulus Marsus.
Persius.
Petrus de Appona.
Petrus Lombardus.
Petrus Martyr.
Peucer.
Philarchus.
Philastrius Brixiensis.
Philodotus.
Philo Judseus.
Pirkmairus.
Platina.
Plato.
Plinius.
Plotinus.
Plutarchus.
Polydorus Virgilius.
Pomcerium sermonum
quadragesimalium.
Pompanatius.
Pontificale.
Ponzivibius.

Porphyrius.
Proclus.
Propertius.
Psellus.
Ptolomeus.
Pythagoras.
Quintilianus.
Rabbi Abraham.
Rabbi ben Ezra.
Rabbi David Kimhi.
Rabbi Josuah ben Levi.
Rabbi Isaach Natar.
Rabbi Levi.
Rabbi Moses.
Rabbi Sedaias Haias.
Robertus Carocullus.
Rupertus.
Sabinus.
Sadoletus.
Savanorola.
Scotus.
Seneca.
Septuaginta interpretes.
Serapio.
Socrates.
Solinus.
Speculum exemplorum.
Strabo.
Sulpitius Severus.
Synesius.
Tatianus.
Tertullianus.
T h o m a s Aquinas.
Themistius.
Theodoretus.
Theodorus Bizantius.
Theophrastus.
Thucidides.
Tibullus.
Tremelius.
Valerius Maximus.

Varro.
Vegetius.
Vincentius.
Virgilius.
Vitellius.
Wierus.
Xanthus historiographus.
If These

English.

Barnabe Googe.
Beehive of the Romish
church.
Edward Deering.
Geffrey Chaucer.
Giles Alley.
Gnimelf Maharba [Abraham Fleming].
Henrie Haward.
John Bale.
John Fox.
John Malborne.
John Record.
Primer after Yorke use.
Richard Gallis.
Roger Bacon.
Testament printed at
Rhemes.
T. E. a nameles author.
467.
Thomas Hilles.
Thomas Lupton.
T h o m a s Moore Knight.
Thomas Phaer.
T. R. a nameles author.
393William Lambard.
W . W . a nameles author.
542.

[These Contents in original end the book as do our Indices.]

The summe of everie chapter conteined in the sixteene bookes of this discoverie, with the discourse of divels and
spirits annexed thereunto.

^[ The first Booke,

E

N impeachment of witches power
in meteors and elementarie
bodies, tending to the rebuke of
such as attribute too much unto

T h e inconvenience growing b y mens credulitie herein, with a reproofe of some
churchmen, which are inclined to the common conceived opinion of witches omnipotencie, and a familiar example thereof,
pag.
4.
W h o they be that are called witches, with a
manifest declaration of the cause that
mooveth men so commonlie to thinke, &
witches themselves to beleeve that they
can hurt children, cattell, &c. with words
and imaginations : and of coosening
witches.
^
pag. 7.
W h a t miraculous actions are imputed to
witches by witchmongers, papists, and
poets.
pag. 9.
A confutation of the common conceived
opinion of witches and witchcraft, and
how detestable a sinne it is to repaire to
them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction,
. p a g . 11.
A further confutation of witches miraculous
and omnipotent power, b y invincible
reasons and authorities, with dissuasions
from such fond credulitie.
_ p a g . 12.
By what meanes the name of witches becommeth so famous, & how diverslie
people be opinioned concerning them a n d
their actions.
_
pa. 14.
Causes that moove as well witches themselves as others to thinke t h a t t h e y can
worke impossibilities, with answers to
certeine objections : where also their
punishment by law is touched.
p a g . 16.
A conclusion of the first booke, wherein is
foreshewed the tyrannicall crueltie of
witchmongers and inquisitors, with a request to the reader to peruse the same,
pag.
17IT The second Booke.
YXTHat testimonies and witnesses are
*V allowed to give evidence against reputed witches, by the report and allowance of the inquisitors themselves, & such
as are speciall writers herein.
P a g . 19.
T h e order of examination of witches by the
inquisitors.
pag. 20.

Matters of evidence against witches, pag. 22.
Confessions of witches, whereby they are
condemned,
pag. 24.
Presumptions, whereby witches are condemned,
pag. 25.
Particular interogatories used by the inquisitors against witches.
pa. 27.
T h e inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration,
pag. 29.
Certeine cautions against witches, and of
their tortures to procure confession, pag. 29.
T h e 15. crimes laid to the charge of witches,
b y witchmongers ; speciallie b y Bodin, in
Demonomania
32.
A refutation of the former surmised crimes
patched t o g h h e r by Bodin, and the oneiie
waie to escape the inquisitors hands, pag. 34.
T h e opinion of Cornelius Agrippa concerning witches, of his pleading/ for a poore S s. i. v
woman accused of witchcraft, and how he
convinced the inquisitors.
pag. 35.
W h a t the feare of death and feeling of torments m a y force one to doo, and that it
is no marvell though witches condemne
themselves by their owne confessions so
tyrannicallie extorted.
pag. 37.
% The third

Booke.

' " P H e witches bargaine with t h e divell, acA
cording to M . Mai. Bodin, Nider,
Daneus, Psellus, Erastus, Hemingius, Cum a n u s , Aquinas, Bartholomeus Spineus,
&c.
^
P a g . 40.
T h e order of the witches homage done (as it
is written by lewd inquisitors and peevish
witchmoongers) to the divell in person ; of
their songs and danses, and namelie of L a
volta, a n d of other ceremonies, also of
their excourses.
pag. 41.
H o w witches are summoned to appeere before the divell, of their riding in the aire,
of their accompts, of their conference with
the divell, of his supplies, and their conference, of their farewell and sacrifices:
according to Daneus, Psellus, &c.
p . 43.
T h a t there can no real league be made with
t h e divell the first author of the league,
and the weake proofes of the adversaries
for the same.
pag. 44.
Of the private league, a notable tale of Bodins concerning a French ladie, with a
confutation.
p a g . 46.

The

XXX

A disproofe of their assemblies, and of their
bargaine._
^
pag. 47.
A confutation of the objection concerning
witches confessions.
p a g . 49
W h a t follie it were for witches to enter into
such desperate perill, and to endure such
intolerable tortures for no gaine or commoditie, and how it comes to passe that
witches are overthrowne by their confessions.
51.
H o w melancholie abuseth old women, a n d
of the effects thereof b y sundrie examples,
pag. 52.
T h a t voluntarie confessions may be untrulie
made, to the undooing of t h e confessors,
and of the strange operation of melancholie, prooved by a familiar and late
example.
pag. 55.
T h e strange and divers effects of melancholie, and how the same humor abounding in witches, or rather old women, filleth
them full of mervellous imaginations, &
that their confessions are not to be credited. ^
p . 57.
A confutation of witches confessions, especiallie concerning their league.
pag. 59.
A confutation ^ of witches confessions, concerning making of tempests and raine : of
the naturall cause of raine, and that
witches or divels have no power to doo
such things.
pag. 60.
W h a t would ensue, if witches confessions or
witchmogers opinions were true, concerning the effects of witchcraft, inchantments,
&c.
pag. 63.
Examples of forren nations, who in their
warres used the assistance of witches ; of
eybiting witches in Ireland, of two archers
that shot with familiars.
pag. 64.
Authorities condemning t h e fantasticall confessions of witches, and how a popish doctor taketh upon him to disproove the
same.
pag. 65.
Witchmongers reasons, to proove t h a t
witches can worke wonders, Bodins tale of
a Friseland preest transported, that imaginations proceeding of melancholie doo
cause illusions.
_
_ _ pag. 67.
T h a t the confession of witches is insufficient
in civill and common law to take awaie
life. W h a t the sounder divines, and decrees of councels determine in this
case.
_
_
^
pag. 68.
Of foure capitall crimes objected against
witches, all fullie answered & confuted as
frivolous.
pag. 70./
S s. ii. A request to such readers as loath to heare
or read filthie & bawdie matters (which of
necessitie are here to be inserted) to passe
over eight chapters.
pag. 72.

1

The fourth

Booke.

f~\ F witchmoongers opinions concerning e^
vill spirits, how they frame themselves
in more excellent sort than God made
us.
P a g . 73.
Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and
whether the action of venerie may be per-

Contents.
formed betweene witches and divels,
and when witches first yeelded to Incubus. _
pag. 74.
Of the divels visible a n d invisible dealing
with witches in the waie of lecherie. pag. 76.
T h a t the power of generation is both outwardlie and inwardlie impeached b y
witches, and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by witches, and by
the same means againe restored, pag. 77.
Of bishop Sylvanus his leacherie opened &
covered againe, how maids having yellow
haire are most combred with Incubus, how
maried men are bewitched to use other mens
wives, and to refuse their owne. pag. 79.
H o w to procure the dissolving of bewitched
love, also to enforce a man (how proper
so ever he be) to love an old h a g : and
of a bawdie tricke of a priest in Gelderland.
pag. 80.
m
Of divers saincts and holie persons, which
were exceeding bawdie and lecherous,
and by certeine miraculous meanes became
chast.
pag. 81.
Certeine popish and magical 1 cures, for them
that are bewitched in their privities, p. 82.
A strange cure doone to one that was molested with Incubus.
pag. 83.
A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus, which by examples and
proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat
knaverie, wherein the carnall copulation'
with spirits is overthrowne.
pag. 85.
T h a t Incubus is a naturall disease, with
remedies for the same, besides magicall
cures herewithall expressed.
pag. 86.
T h e censure of G. Chaucer, upon the knaverie of Incubus.
pag. 88.

•ft The

fift

Booke.

f \ $ transformations, ridiculous examples
^
brought by the adversaries for the confirmation of their foolish doctrine. Pag. 89.
Absurd reasons brought by Bodin, & such
others, for confirmation of transformations,
pag. 93.
Of a man turned into an asse, and returned
againe into a man by one of Bodins
witches : S. Augustines opinion thereof,
cap.
94.
A summarie of the former fable, with a refutation thereof, after due examination of
the same.
pag. 97.
T h a t the bodie of a man cannot be turned
into the bcdie of a beast by a witch, is
prooved by strong reasons, scriptures, and
authorities.
pag. 99.
T h e witchmongers objections concerning
Nabuchadnez-zar answered, & their errour
concerningLycanthropia confuted, pag.ior.
A speciall objection answered concerning
transportations, with the consent of diverse
writers thereupon.
pag. 103.
T h e witchmongers objection concerning the
historie of J o b answered. ^
pag. 105.
W h a t severall sortes of witches are mentioned in the scriptures, & how the word
witch is there applied.
pag. 109.

The Contents,
U The sixt

Booke.

H T H e exposition of this Hebrue word Cha-*• saph, wherin is answe/red the objection
conteined in Exodus 22. to wit: Thou shalt
not suffer a witch to live, and of Simon
Magus. Acts. 8.
_
pag. i n .
T h e place of Deuteronomie expounded,
wherein are recited all kind of witches ;
also their opinions confuted, which hold
that they can worke worke* such miracles
as are imputed unto them. ^
pag. 113.
That women have used poisoning in all ages
more than men, & of the inconvenience of
poisoning.
pag. l l ( 5 .
Of divers poisoning practises, otherwise
called veneficia, committed in Italie,
Genua, Millen,Wittenberge, also how they
were discovered and executed, pag. 119.
A great objection answered concerning this
kind of witchcraft called Veneficium.
pag.

^

m

120.

I n what kind of confections that witchcraft,
which is called Veneficium, consisteth:
of love cups, and the same confuted b y
poets.
pag. 121.
I t is prooved by more credible writers, that
love cups rather ingender death through
venome, than love by a r t : and with what
toies they destroie cattell, and procure
love.
p . 125.
J o h n Bodin triumphing against J . Wier is
overtaken with false greeke & false interpretation thereof.
p . 125.
T[ The seventh

Booke.

r \ F the H e b r u e woord Ob, what it signifieth
^
where it is found, of Pythonisses called
Ventriloque, who they be, & what their
practises are, experience and examples
thereof shewed.
Pag. 126.
H o w the lewd practise of the Pythonist of
Westwell came to light, and by whome
she was examined ; and that all hir diabolicall speach was but ventriloquie a n d
plaine cousenage, which is prooved by hir
owne confession.
pag. 130.
<
Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of
Endor, with a true storie of a counterfeit
Dutchman.
pag. 132.
Of the great oracle of Apollo the Pythonist,
and how men of all sorts have beene deceived, and that even the apostles have
mistaken the nature of spirits, with an unanswerable argument, that spirits can
take no shapes.
pag. 133.
W h y Apollo was called P y t h o wherof those
witches were called Pythonists : Gregorie
his letter to the divell.
pag. 136.
Apollo, who was called P y t h o , compared to
the Rood of grace : Gregories letter to the
divell cofuted.
p . 137.
H o w diverse great clarkes and good authors
have beene abused in this matter of spirits
through false reports, and by means of
their credulitie have published lies, which
are confuted by Aristotle and the scriptures,
pag. 138.
Of the witch of Endor, and whether she

xxxi

accomplished the raising of Samuel trulie,
or by deceipt: the opinion of some divines
hereupon.
p. 139.
T h a t Samuel was not raised indeed, and S s. ii. v.
how Bodin and all papists dote h e r i n , a n d
that soules cannot be raised by witchcraft,
pag. 140.
T h a t neither the divell nor Samuel was
raised, but that it was a meere cousenage,
according to the guise of our Pythonists.
pag. < #
142. [*«V]
T h e objection of the witchmongers concerning this place fullie answered,and what circumstances are to be considered for the understanding of this storie, which is plainelie
opened from the beginning of the 28.chapt.
of the 1. Samuel, to the 12. verse, p a g . 143.
T h e 12. 13. & 14. verses of 1. Sam. 28. expounded : wherein is shewed that Saule
was cousened and abused by the witch, &
that Samuel was not raised, is prooved by
the witches/owne talke.
pag. 146. S s. iii.
T h e residue of 1. Sam. 28. e x p o u n d e d :
wherein is declared how cunninglie this
witch brought Saule resolutelie to beleeve
t h a t she raised Samuel, what words are
used to colour the cousenage, & how all
might also be wrought by ventriloquie.
p. m
148.
Opinions of some learned men, that Samuel
was indeed raised, not by the witches art
or power, but by the speciall miracle of
God, that there are no such visions in these
our daies, and that our witches cannot doo
t h e like.
^
pag. 151.
Of vaine apparitions, how people have beene
brought to feare bugs, which is partlie reformed by preaching of the gospel, the
true effect of Christes miracles, pag. 152.
Witches miracles copared to Chnsts, that
God is the creator of al things, of Apollo,
and of his names and portraiture, pag. 154.

IF The eight

Booke.

' T ' H a t miracles are ceased.
156.
*• T h a t the gift of prophesie is ceased.
Pag.
158.
T h a t Oracles are ceased.
pag. 160.
A tale written by manie grave authors, and
beleeved by manie wise men of the divels
death. An other storie written by papists,
and beleeved of all catholikes, approoving
the divels honestie, conscience, a n d courtesie.
pag. 162.
T h e judgments of the ancient fathers touching oracles, and their abolishment, and
that they be now transferred from Delphos
to Rome.
p. 164.
Where and wherein couseners, witches, and
preests were woont to give oracles, and to
worke their feats.
pag. 165.

H The ninth

Booke.

' X v H e Hebrue word Kasam expounded, and
-*- how farre a Christian may conjecture
of things to come.
Pag. 167.

xxxii

[* sic]

[* doe]

The Contents.
Proofes b y the old and new testament, that
certaine observations of the weather are
lawfull.
pag. 168.
T h a t certeine observations are indifferent,
certeine ridiculous, and certeine impious,
whence that cunning is derived of Apollo,
and of Aruspices.
pag. 169.
T h e predictions of soothsaiers & lewd
preests, the prognostications of astronomers and physicians allowable, divine
prophesies holie and good.
pag. 171.
T h e diversitie of true prophets, of Urim,
and of t h e prophedcall use of the twelve
pretious stones conteined therein, of the
divine voice called Eccho.
pag. 172.
Of prophesies conditionall: whereof the prophesies in the old testament dee* intreat,
and by whom they were published ; witchmongers answers to the objections against
witches supernaturall actions.
pag. 173.
W h a t were the miracles expressed in the
old testament, and what are they in t h e
new testament: and that we are not now to
looke for anie more miracles.
pag. 175.

If The tenth

Booke.

' " T H e interpretation of t h e H e b r u e word
A
Onen, of t h e vanitie of dreames, and
divinations thereupon.
P a g . 177.
Of divine, naturall, & casuall dreames, with
the differing causes and effects, pag. 178.
T h e opinion of divers old writers touching
dreames, and how they varie in noting
t h e causes therof.
p . 179.
Against interpreters of dreames, of the ordinarie cause of dreames, Hemingius his
opinion of diabolicall dreames, the interpretation of dreames ceased,
pag. 180./
S s. iii. v. T h a t neither witches, nor anie other, can
either by words or herbs, thrust into the
mind of a sleeping man, what cogitations
or dreames they l i s t ; and whence magicall dreames come.
pag. 181.
H o w men have beene bewitched, cousened
or abused by dreames to dig and search
for monie.
pag. 182.
T h e art & order to be used in digging for
monie, revealed by dreames, how to procure pleasant dreames, of morning and
midnight dreames.
p. 183.
Sundrie receipts & ointments, made and
S s iiii.
used for the transportation of witches, and
other miraculous effects : an instance
thereof reported and credited b y some
that are learned.
pag. 184.
A confutation of the former follies, as well
cScerning ointments, dreams, &c. as also
of the assemblie of witches, and of their
consultations and bankets at sundrie
places, and all in dreames.
pag. 185.
T h a t most part of prophesies in the old
testament were revealed in dreams, t h a t
we are not now to looke for such revelations, of some who have drempt of that
which hath come to passe, that dreames
proove contrarie, Nebuchadnez zars* rule
[* sic]
to know a true expositor of dreames.
pag.
187.

IF The eleventh

Booke.

H T H e H e b r u e word N a h a s expounded, of
*• the art of augurie, who invented it,
how slovenlie a science it is: the multitude
of sacrifices and sacrificers of the heathen,
and the causes thereof.
P a g . 189.
Of the Jewes sacrifice to Moloch, a discourse
thereupon, and of Purgatorie.
pag. 190.
T h e Cambals* crueltie, of popish sacrifices
exceeding in tyrannie the J e w e s or Gentiles,
pag. 191.
T h e superstition of t h e heathen about the
element of fier, and how it grew in such
reverence among them, of their corruptions, and that they had some inkling of
the godlie fathers dooings in that behalfe.
pag. 191.
Of the Romane sacrifices, of the estimation
they had of augurie, of the lawe of the
twelve tables.
pag. 192.
Colleges of augurors, their office, their number, the signification of augurie, that t h e
practisers of t h a t art were couseners, their
profession, their places of exercise, their
apparell, their superstition.
pag. 193.
T h e times and seasons to exercise augurie,
the maner and order thereof, of the ceremonies thereunto belonging.
pag. 195.
U p o n what signes and tokens augurors did
prognosticate, observations touching the
inward and outward parts of beasts, with
notes of beasts behaviour in t h e slaughterhouse.
^
pag 196.
A confutation of augurie, Plato his reverend
opinion thereof, of contrarie events, &
false predictions.
p . 196.
T h e cousening art of sortilege or lotarie,
practised especiallie by Aegyptian vagabonds, of allowed lots, of P y t h a g o r a s his
lot, &c.
pag. 197.
Of the Cabalisticall art, consisting of traditions and unwritten verities learned without
booke, and of the division thereof, cap. 198.
When, how, and in what sort sacrifices were
first ordained, and how they were prophaned, and how the pope corrupteth the
sacraments of Christ.
pag. 200.
Of the objects whereupon the augurors used
to prognosticate, with certeine cautions
and notes.
^
pag. 201.
T h e division of augurie, persons admittable
into t h e colleges of augurie, of their superstition,
pag. 202./
Of the common peoples fond and superstitious collections and observations, pag. 203.
H o w old writers varie about the matter, t h e
maner, and t h e meanes, whereby things
augurificall are mooved.
^ pag. 205.
H o w ridiculous an art augurie is, how Cato
mocked it, Aristotles reason against it,
fond collections of augurors, who allowed,
and who disallowed it.
pag. 206.
Fond distinctions of the heathen writers,concerning augurie.
pag. 208.
Of naturall and casuall augurie, the one
allowed, and the other disallowed, pag. 208.
A confutation of casual augurie which is
meere witchcraft, and upon what uncerteintie those divinations are grounded,
pag.
209.

The
That figure-casters are witches, the uncerteintie of their art, and of their contradictions, Cornelius Agrippas sentence against
judiciall astrologie.
pag. 210.
T h e subtiltie of astrologers to mainteine
the credit of their art, why they remaine
in credit, certeine impieties conteined in
astrologers assertions.
pag. 212.
Who have power to drive awaie divels with
their onelie presence, who shall receive of
God whatsoever they aske in praier, who
shall obteine everlasting life by meanes of
constellations, as nativitie-casters affirme.
pag.
214.
f

The twelfe

Booke.

HTHe Hebrue word H a b a r expounded,
A
where also the supposed secret force of
charmes and inchantments is shewed, and
the efficacie of words is diverse waies declared.
P a g . 216.
What is forbidden in scriptures concerning
witchcraft, of the operation of words, the
superstition of the Cabalists and papists,
who createth substances, to imitate God
in some cases is presumption, words of
sanctification.
pag. 217.
W h a t effect & offense witches charmes bring,
how unapt witches are, and how unlikelie
to worke those things which they are
thought to doo, what would follow if those
things were true which are laid to their
charge.
pag. 218.
Why God forbad the practise of witchcraft,
the absurditie of the law. of the twelve
tables, whereupon their estimation in
miraculous actions is grounded, of their
woonderous works.
pag. 220.
An instance of one arreigned upon the law
of the twelve tables, whereby the said law
is prooved ridiculous, of two witches that
could doo woonders.
pag. 221.
Lawes provided for the punishment of such
witches as worke miracles, whereof some
are mentioned, and of certeine popish
lawes published against them. pag. 222.
Poetical authorities commonlie alledged b y
witchmongers, for the proofe of witches
miraculous actions, and for confirmation
of their supernaturall power.
pag. 223.
Poetrie a n d p o p e r i e compared in inchantments,popish witchmongers have more advantage herein than protestants. pag. 229.
Popish periapts, amulets & charmes, a g n u s
Dei, a wastcote of proofe, a charme for t h e
falling evill, a writing brought to S. Leo
from heaven by an angell, t h e vertues
of S. Saviors epistle, a charme against
theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds,
of the crosse, &c.
pag. 230.
^[ A charme against shot, or a wastcote of
proofe. Against the falling evill, p. 231.
A popish periapt or charme, which must
never be said, but carried about one,
against theeves. Another amulet, pag. 23 3.
A papisticall charme. A charme found in
the ca/non of the masse. Other papisticall
charmes. pag. 234. A charme of the holie
crosse. pag. 235. A charme taken out of
the Primer.
pag. 236.

Contents.

xxxin

H o w to make holie water, and the vertues
thereof, S. Rufins charme, of the wearing
& bearing of the name of Jesus, that the
sacrament of confession & the eucharist
is of as much efficacie as other charmes,
and magnified by L. Vairus.
pag. 237,
Of the noble balme used by Moses, apishlie
counterfeited in the church of Rome,
pag. m
_
238.
n
T h e opinion of Ferrarius touching charmes,
periapts, appensions, amulets, &e.
Of
Homericall medicines, of constant opinion,
and the effects thereof.
pag. 239.
Of the effects of amulets, the drift of Argerius Ferrarius in the commendation of
charmes, &c : foure sorts of Homericall
medicines, and the choice thereof; of
imagination.
pag. 241.
Choice of charmes against the falling evill,
the biting of a mad dog, the stinging of a
scorpion, the toothach, for a woman in
travell, for the kings evill, to get a thorne
out of any member, or a bone out of ones
throte, charmes to be said fasting, or at
the gathering of hearbs, for sore eies, to
open locks, against spirits, for the bots
in a horsse, and speciallie for the D u k e of
Albas horsse, for sowre wines, &c. pag. 242.
«|[ For the falling evill. pa. 242. Against
the biting of a mad dog. pag. 243. Against
t h e biting of a scorpion.
Against the
toothach. A charme to release a woman
in travell. To heaie the Kings or Queenes
evill, or anie other sorenesse in the throte.
A charme read in the Komish church,
upon saint Blazes daie, that will fetch a
thorne out of anie place of ones bodie, a
bone out of the throte, &c : Lect. 3. pag.
244. A charme for the headach.
A
charme to be said ech morning by a
witch fasting, or at least before she go
abroad. Another charme that witches use
at the gathering of their medicinable
hearbs. A n old womans charme, wherwith she did much good in the countne,
and grew famous thereby, pag. 245. Another like charme. A charme to open
locks. A charme to drive awaie spirits
that haunt anie house, pag. 246. A prettie
charme or conclusion tor one possessed.
Another for t h e same purpose. Another
to the same effect. Another charme or
witchcraft for the same. pag. 247.
A
charme for the bots in a horsse. pag. 248.
A charme against vineger.
pa. 249.
T h e inchanting of serpents & snakes, objections answered concerning the same ; fond
reasons whie charmes take effect therein,
Mahomets pigeon, miracles wrought by
an Asse at Memphis in Aegypt, popish
charmes against serpents, of miracle-workers, the taming of snakes, Bodins lie
of snakes.
pag. 249.
m
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 authori- s s. iiii. v.
ties against waxen images, a storie bewraieng the knaverie of waxen images,
pag.
256,

The

XXXIV

[ S s . v.]

[ S s . v. v . ]

Contents.

*([ A charme teaching how to hurt whom you
list with images of wax, &c.
pag. 257.
Sundrie sorts of charmes tending to diverse
purposes, and first, certeine charmes to
make taciturnitie in tortures.
pag. 259.
If Counter charmes against these and all
other witchcrafts, in the saieng also
whereof witches are vexed, &c. A charme
for the choine cough. F o r corporall or
spirituall rest, Charmes to find out a
theefe. pag. 260. Another/ waie to find
out a theefe that hath stolne any thing
from you._ pag. 261. T o put out t h e
theeves eie. Another waie to find out a
theefe. pag. 262. A charme to find out
or spoile a theefe. S. Adelberts cursse or
charme against theeves. p a g 263. Another
inchantment.
pag, 266.
A charme or experiment to find out a witch,
pag. ^
266.
IT T o spoile a theefe, a witch, or any other
enimie, and to be delivered from the evill.
pag. 269. A notable charme or medicine
to puLl out an arrowhead, or any such
thing t h a t sticketh in the flesh or bones,
and cannot otherwise be had out. Charmes
against a quotidian ague. For all maner
of a g u e s intermittant. Periapts, characters, &c : for agues, and to cure all diseases, a n d to deliver from all evill. p . 270.
More charmes for agues, pag. 271. For a
bloudie fluxe, or rather an issue of bloud.
Cures co mmensed and finished by witchcraft, pa, 273. _ Another witchcraft or
knaverie, practised by the same surgion.
pag. 275. Another experiment for one
bewitched.
Otherwise. A knacke to
know whether you be bewitched, or no,
&c.
_
pag. 276.
T h a t one witchcraft m a y lawfullie meete
with another.
pag. 277.
W h o 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.
pag. 277.
W h a t miracles witchmongers report to have
been done by witches words &c : contradictions of witchmongers among themselves, how beasts are cured hereby, of
bewitched butter, a charme against
witches, & a cotmter charme, the effect of
charmes and words prooved by L. Vairus
to be woonderfull.
pag. 279.
IT A charme to find hir t h a t bewitched your
kine. Another, for all that have bewitched
any kind of cattell. p. 281. A speciall
charme to preserve all cattell from witchcraft.
_ pag. 282.
Lawfull charmes, rather medicinable cures
for diseased cattell.
T h e charme of
charmes, and the power thereof, pag. 283.
Tf T h e charme of charmes.
Otherwise,
pag.
284.
A confutation of the force and vertue falselie
ascribed to charmes and amulets, by the
authorities of ancient writers, both divines
and physicians.
pag. 285.
*i The xiii.

T

Booke.

H e signification of the H e b r u e word
H a r t u m i m , where it is found written

in the scriptures, and how it is diverslie
translated : whereby the objection of
Pharaos magicians is afterward answered
in this booke ; also of naturall magicke
not evill in it selfe.
Pag- 287.
H o w the philosophers in times past travelled
for the knowledge of naturall wiagicke, of
Salomons knowledge therein, who is to b e
called a naturall magician, a distinctio
therof, and why it is condemned for witchcraft,
pag. 288.
W h a t secrets doo lie hidden, and what is
taught in naturall magicke, how Gods
glorie is magnified therein, and that it is
nothing but the worke of nature, pag. 290.
W h a t strange things are brought to passe b y
naturall magicke.
pag. 29lT h e incredible operation of waters, both
standing and running ; of wels, lakes,
rivers, and of their woonderfull effects,
pag.
_ ^
^ 292.
T h e vertues and qualities of sundrie pretious stones, of cousening Lapidaries, &c.
pag.
293.
m
Whence t h e pretious stones receive their
operations, how curious Magicians use
them, and of their/ seales. _
pag. 297.
T h e sympathie and antipathie of naturall
and elementarie bodies declared by diverse examples of beasts, birds, plants,
&c.
pag. 301.
T h e former matter prooved by manie examples of the living and the dead. pag. 303.
T h e bewitching venome conteined in the
bodie of an harlot, how hir eie, hir toong,
hir beautie and behavior bewitcheth some
men : of bones and homes yeelding great
vertue.
pag. 304.
T w o notorious woonders and yet not marvelled at.
pag. 305.
Of illusions, confederacies, and legierdemaine, and how they may be well or ill
used.
_
pag. 307.
Of private confederacie, and of Brandons
pigeon.
pag. 308.
Of publike confederacie, and whereof it
consisteth.
_ pag. 309.
H o w men have beene abused with words of
equivocation, with sundrie examples thereof,
pag. 309.
H o w some are abused with naturall magike,
and sundrie examples therof when illusion is added thereunto, of Jacobs pied
sheepe, and of a blacke Moore, pag. 311.
T h e opinion of witchmongers, that divels
can create bodies, & of P h a r a o s magicians,
pag.
312H o w to produce or make monsters by art
magike, and why Pharaos magicians
could not make lice.
pa. 313.
T h a t great matters may be wrought by this
art, when princes esteeme and mainteine
it : of divers woonderfull experiments,
a n d of strange conclusions in glasses, of
the art perspective, &c.
pag. 315.
A comparison betwixt Pharaos magicians
and our witches, and how their cunning
consisted in juggling knacks.
pag. 317.
T h a t t h e serpents and frogs were trulie presented, and the water poisoned indeed by
J a n n e s and Jambres, of false prophets, and
of their miracles, of Balams asse. pag. 318

The
T h e art of juggling discovered, and in
what points it dooth principallie consist.
pag.
321.
Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therwith, also notable feats with
one or diverse balles.
pag. 322.
^[ To make a little ball swell in your hand
till it be verie great, p. 323. T o consume (or rather to conveie) one or manie
balles into nothing, pag. 324. H o w to rap
a wag upon the knuckles.
pag. 324.
Of conveiance of monie.
P a g- 324«
f To conveie monie out of one of your
hands into the other by legierdemaine.
P a g- 325* To convert or transubstantiate
monie into counters, or counters into
monie. pag. 325. To put one testor into
one hand, and an other into the other
hand, and with words to bring them togither. pag. 325. T o put one testor into a
strangers hand, and another into your
owne, and to conveie both into t h e
strangers hand with words, pag. 326. H o w
to doo the same or the like feat otherwise,
pa. 326. T o throwe a peece of monie
awaie, and to find it againe where you
list. pag. 326. With words to make a
groat or a testor to leape out of a pot, or
to run alongst upon a table, pag. 327. T o
make a groat or a testor to sinke through
a table, and to vanish out of a handkercher
verie strangelie.
pag. 327.
A notable tricke to transforme a counter to a
groat.
pag. 328.
An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece
lie plaine in the palme of your hand, and
to be passed from thence when you list,
pag.
329.
m
^[ To conveie a testor out of ones hand that
holdeth it fast. pag. 329. To throwe a
peece of monie into a deepe pond, and to
fetch it againe from whence you list,
pag.
33°V
m
To conveie one shilling being in one hand
into an other, holding your armes abroad
like a rood. pag. 330. H o w to rap a wag
on the knuckles.
P a g . 33°T o transforme anie one small thing into anie
other forme by folding of paper, pag. 331.
Of cards, with good cautions how to avoid
cousenage therein : speciall rules to conveie and handle the cards, and the maner
and order how to accomplish all difficult
and strange things wrought by cards,
pag.
33iIf How to deliver out foure aces, and to convert them into foure knaves, pag. 333. H o w
to tell one what card he seeth in the bottome, when the same card is shuffled into
the stocke. pag. 334. An other waie to doo
the same, having your selfe indeed never
seene the card. pag. 334. T o tell one without confederacie what card he thinketh.
P a £334H o w to tell what card anie man thinketh,
how to conveie the same into a kernell of
a nut or cheristone, &c : and the same
againe into ones pocket: how to make one
drawe the same or anie card you list, and
all under one devise.
pag. 335.
Of fast or loose, how to knit a hard knot

Contents.

xxxv

upon a handkercher, and to undoo the
same with words.
p. 336.
Tl A notable feat of fast or loose, namelie, to
pull three beadstones from off a cord,
while you hold fast the ends thereof, without remooving of your h a n d .
pag. 337.
J u g g l i n g knacks by confederacie, and how
to know whether one cast crosse or pile by
t h e ringing.
_
pag. 338.
IT T o make a shoale of goslings drawe a timber log. pag. 338. T o make a pot or anie
such thing standing fast on the cupboord,
to fall downe thense by vertue of words,
pag. 338. T o * one danse naked, pag. 339. [*make]
T o transforme or alter the colour of ones
cap or hat. pag. 339. H o w to tell where a
stollen horsse is become.^
p a g . 339.
Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to
consume the graine or corne to nothing,
pag.
340.
H H o w to conveie (with words or charmes)
the corne conteined in one boxe into an
other, pag. 340. Of an other boxe to convert wheat into flower with words, &c.
pag. 341. Of diverse petie juggling knacks,
pag.
341T o burne a thred, and to make it whole
againe with the ashes thereof.
pag. 341.
T T o cut a lace asunder in the middest, and
T
to make it whole againe. pag. 342. H o w
to pull laces innumerable out of your
mouth, of what colour or length you list,
and never anie thing seene to be therein,
pag.
343m
H o w to make a booke, wherein you shall
shew everie leafe therein to be white,
blacke, blew, red, yellow, greene, &c.
pag.
343Desperate or dangerous juggling knacks,
wherin the simple are made to thinke,
that a seelie juggler with words can hurt
and helpe, kiil and revive anie creature
at his p l e a s u r e : and first to kill anie [S s. vi.]
kind of pullen, and to give it life againe.
pag.
346.
m
*[[ T o eate a knife, and to fetch it out of anie
other place, pag. 346, To thrust a bodkin
into your head without hurt. pag. 347. T o
thrust a bodkin through your toong, and
a knife through your arme: a pittiful sight,
without hurt or danger, pag. 347. T o
thrust a peece of lead into one eie, and to
drive it about (with a sticke) betweene the
skin and flesh of the forehead, untill it be
brought to the other eie, and there thrust
out. pag. 348. T o cut halfe your nose
asunder, and to heale it againe presentlie
without anie salve.
pag. 3 4 8 /
T o put a ring through your cheeke. pag. 348. [S s vi. v. ]
T o cut off ones head, and to laie it in a
platter, Jkc : which the juglers call t h e
decollation of J o h n Baptist, pag. 349. T o
thrust a dagger or bodkin in your guts
verie strangelie, and to recover immediatlie. pag. 350. T o draw a cord through
your nose, mouth or hand, so sensiblie as it
is wonderfull to see.
.pag. 35*.
T h e conclusion wherein the reader is referred
to certeine patterns of instruments wherewith diverse feats here specified are to be
executed.
pag. 351 •

The

XXXVI
^I The xiiii.

[S s. iii.]

Contents.

Booke.

r~\ F the art of Alcumysterie, of their woords
^
of art and devises to bleare mens eies,
and to procure credit to their profession.
Pag.
353T h e Alcumysters drift, the Chanons yeomans
tale, of alcumystical stones and waters.
pag.
355#
Of a yeoman of the countrie cousened by an
Alcumyst.
pag. 357.
A certeine king abused b y an Alcumyst,
and of the kings foole a pretie jest.
pag.
_
_
360.
A notable storie written b y Erasmus of two
Alcumysts, also of longation and curtation.
pag. m m
^
361.
T h e opinion of diverse learned men touching
the follie of Alcumystrie.
pag. 368.
T h a t vaine and deceitfull hope is a great
cause why men are seduced by this alluring art, and that there labours therein are
bootelesse, &c.
pag. 371.
A continuation of the former matter, with a
conclusion of the same.
p. 372.

11 The xv.

Booke.

HP H e exposition of Iidoni, and where it is
-*• found, whereby the whole art of conjuration is deciphered.
P a g . 376.
An inventarie of the names, shapes, powers,
goyernement, and effects of divels and
spirits, of their severall segniorities and
degrees : a strange discourse woorth the
reading.
p . 377.
T h e houres wherein principall divels may be
bound ; to wit, raised and restrained from
dooing of hurt.
_
p . 393.
T h e forme of adjuring or citing of the spirits
aforesaid to arise & appeare.
page. 393.
A confutation of the manifold vanities conteined in the precedent chapters, speciallie
of commanding of divels.
pag. 396.
T h e names of the planets, their characters,
togither with the twelve signes of the
zodiake, their dispositions, aspects, and
government, with other observations.
.
397m PagTl T h e twelve signes of the zodiake, their
characters and denominations, &c. pag.
397. Their dispositions or inclinations. 397.
T h e disposition of the planets, pag. 398.
T h e aspects of the planets. 398. H o w the
daie is divided or distinguished. 398. T h e
division of the daie, and the planetarie
regiment, pag. 399. T h e division of t h e
night, and the planetarie regiment.
_ Pa&
399T h e characters of the angels of the seven
daies, with their names : of figures, seales
and periapts.
pag. 400.
A n experiment of the dead.
pag. 401.
A licence for Sibylia to go and come b y at
all times.
pag. 407.
T o know of treasure hidden in the earth.
pag. ^
^_
408.
% This is the waie to go invisible by these
three sisters of fairies.
408.

An experiment of Citrael, &c : angeli diet
dominici.
pag. 410.
^1 T h e seven angels of the seven daies, with
the praier called Regina linguce. pag. 410.
H o w to inclose a spirit in a christall stone,
pag.
411 /
A figure or type proportionall, shewing what
forme must be observed and kept, in making the figure whereby the former secret
of inclosing a spirit in christall is to be accomplished, &c.
pag. 414.
An experiment of Bealphares.
pag. 415.
^1" T h e twoo and twentieth Psalme. pag. 416.
This psalme also following, being the fiftie
one psalme, must be said three times over,
&c.
pag. 416.
% ^
T o bind the spirit Bealphares, and to lose
him againe.
pag. 418.
^1 A licence for the spirit to depart, pag. 419.
A type or figure of the circle for the maister
and his fellowes to sit in, shewing how &
after what fashion it should be made,
pag. m
^
420.
T h e making of the holie water,
pag. 421.
^1 T o the water saie also as followeth. pag.
421. T h e n take the salt in t h y hand, and
saie putting it into the water, making in
the maner of a crosse. pag. 421. T h e n
sprinkle upon anie thing, and saie as followeth.
_^
pag. 422.
T o make a spirit to appeare in a christall.
pag. m
422.
An experiment of the dead.
pag. 423.
^f Now the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo
must be said, and then the praier immediatlie following.
p. 425.
A bond to bind him to thee, and to thy N .
as followeth.
pag. 425.
«[[ This bod as followeth, is to call him into
your christall stone, or glasse, &c. pag.
428. T h e n being appeared, saie these
words following, pag. 429. A licence to
depart.
pag. 429.
W h e n to talke with spirits, and to have true
answers to find out a theefe.
pag. 430.
*T T o speake with spirits.
pag. 430.
A confutation of conjuration, especiallie
of the raising, binding and dismissing of
t h e divell, of going invisible and other
lewd practises.
pag. 430.
A comparison betweene popish exorcists and
other conjurors, a popish conjuration
published by a great doctor of the
Romish church, his rules and cautions,
pag.
.
.433A late experiment, or cousening conjuration
practised at Orleance by the Franciscane
Friers, how it was detected, and the
judgement against t h e authors of t h a t
comedie.
^
_ pag. 435.
W h o may be conjurors in the Romish church
besides priests, a ridiculous definition of
superstition, what words are to be used
and not used in exorcismes, rebaptisme
allowed, it is lawfull to conjure any thing,
differences betweene holie water and conjuration,
pag. 438.
T h e seven reasons why some are not rid of
the divell with all their popish conjurations, why there were no cojurors^ in the
primitive church, and why the divell is

The Contents.
not so soone cast out of the bewitched as
of the possessed.
^
_
pag. 441.
Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in
this matter^of conjurations.
pag. 443.
Certaine conjurations taken out of the pontifical! and out of the missall.
pag. 444.
% A conjuration written in the masse booke.
Fol. 1. pag. 445. Oremus. _ pag. 445.
T h a t popish priests leave nothing unconjured, a forme of exorcisme for incense,
pag.
. 446.
T h e rules and lawes of popish Exorcists and
other conjurors all one, with a confutation
of their whole power, how S. Martine conjured the divell.
_
pag. 447.
That it is a shame for papists to beleeve
other conjurors dooings, their owne being
of so litle force, Hippocrates his opinion
herein.
_
_ pag. 450./
How conjurors have beguiled witches, w h a t
bookes they carie about to procure credit
to their art, wicked assertions against
Moses and Joseph.
pag. 451.
All magicall arts confuted b y an argument
concerning Nero, what Cornelius Agrippa
and Carolus Gallus have left written therof, and prooved by experience, pag. 452.
Of Salomons conjurations, and of the opinion
conceived of his cunning and practise
therein.
_
pag. 454.
Lessons read in all churches, where the pope
hath authoritie, on Saint Margarets daie,
translated into English word for word,
pag.
455m
A delicate storie of a Lombard, who by
saint Margarets example would needs
fight with a reall divell.
pag. 457.
The storie of S. Margaret prooved to be
both ridiculous and impious in everie
point.
pag. 459.
m
A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish
preest.
_ pag. 460.
T h e former miracle confuted, with a strange
storie of S. Lucie.
_
p a g 461.
Of visions, noises, apparitions, and imagined
sounds, and of other illusions, of wandering soules : with a confutation thereof,
pag.
461.
Cardanus opinion of strange noises, how
counterfet visions grow to be credited, of
popish appeerances, of pope Boniface,
pag.
464.
Of the noise or sound of eccho, of one t h a t
narrowlie escaped drowning thereby &c.
pag
.
.
465Of Theurgie, with a confutation therof, a
letter sent to me concerning these matters,
pag.
466.
m
% T h e 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
t h e truth touching these deceits, pag. 467.
If The xvi.

Booke.

A Conclusion, in maner of an epilog, re^~*- peating manie of the former absurdities
of witchmongers conceipts, confutations

xxxvii

thereof, and of the authoritie_ of J a m e s
Sprenger and H e n r y Institor inquisitors
and compilers of M . Mai.
P a . 470.
By what meanes the common people have
beene made beleeve in the miraculous
works of witches, a' definition of witchcraft, and a description thereof, pag. 471.
Reasons to proove that words and characters
are but babies, and that witches cannot doo
such things as the multitude supposeth
they can, their greatest woonders prooved
trifles, of a yoong gentleman cousened.
Pas_
473Of one t h a t was so bewitched that h e could
read no scriptures but canonicall, of a
divell that could speake no Latine, a
proofe that witchcraft is flat cousenage.
pag. _
476.
<
Of the divination by the sive & sheeres, and
b y the booke and key, Hemingius his [ S s vii. v.]
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.
pag. 477.
H o w 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,
pag.
^
.
.
.
48i.
A conclusion against witchcraft, in maner
and forme of an Induction.
pag. 483.
Ofnaturall witchcraft or fascination, pag. 484.
Of inchanting or bewitching eies. pag. 485./
O f n a t u r a l l witchcraft for love, &c. pag. 487. [S s. viii.]

A Discourse upon divels and spirits, and
•**• first of philosophers opinions, also the
maner of their reasoning hereupon, and
the same confuted.
P a g . 489.
Mine owne opinion concerning this argument, to the disproofe of some writers hereupon. ^
pag. 491.
T h e opinion of Psellus touching spirits, of
their severali orders, and a confutation of
his errors therein.
pag. 492.
More absurd assertions of Psellus and such
others, concerning the actions and passions
of spirits, his definition of them, and of
his experience therein.
pag. 495.
T h e opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching
spirits, and of his familiar divell. pag. 497.
T h e opinion of Plato concerning spirits,
divels and angels, what sacrifices they
like best, what they feare, and of Socrates
his familiar divell.
pag. 498.
Platos nine orders of spirits and angels,
Dionysius his division thereof not much
differing from the same, all disprooved by
learnedaivines.
_
pag. 500.
T h e commensement of divels fondlie gathered
out of the 14. of Isaie, of Lucifer and of
his fall, the Cabalists the Thalmudists
and Schoolemens opinions of the creation
of angels.
pag. 501.
Of the cotention betweene the Greeke and

XXXV111

The Contents.

Latine church touching the fall of angels,
the variance among papists themselves
herein, a conflict betweene Michael and
Lucifer.
pag. 503.
W h e r e the battell betweene Michael and
Lucifer was fought, how long it continued,
and of their power, how fondlie papists
and infidels write of them, and how reverentlie Christians ought to thinke of them,
p.
504.
m
<
W h e t h e r they became divels which being
angels kept not their vocation, in J u d e
and P e t e r ; of the fond opinions of the
Rabbins touching spirits and bugs, with a
confutation thereof.
p a g . 506.
T h a t the divels assaults are spirituall and
not temporall, and how grosselie some
understand those parts of the scripture,
pag.
508.
m #
T h e equivocation of this word spirit, how
diverslie it is taken in the scriptures, where(by the waie) is taught that the scripture
is not alwaies literallie to be interpreted,
nor yet allegorical lie to be understood,
pa.
509,
T h a t it pleased God to manifest the power
of his sonne and not of witches by miracles,
pag. 512.
Of the possessed with devils.
pag. 513.
T h a t we being not throughlie informed of
the nature of divels and spirits, must
satisfie our selves with that which is dilivered us in the scriptures touching the
same, how this word divell is to be understood both in the singular & plurall number, of the spirit of God and the spirit of
the divell,of tame spirits,of Ahab pag. 154.
W h e t h e r spirits and soules can assume
bodies, and of their creation and substance,
wherein writers doo extreamelie contend
and varie.
^ pag. 516.
Certeine popish reasons concerning spirits
made of aier, of daie divels and night
divels, and why t h e divell loveth no salt
in his meate.
pag. 517.
T h a t such divels as are mentioned in the
scriptures, have in their names their nature and qualities expressed, with instances thereof.
P a g- 5*8.
[* Pneuma-] Diverse names of t h e divell, whereby his
nature and disposition is manifested.
pag.
520.
[S s viii. v.]

T h a t the idols or gods of the Gentiles are
divels, their diverse names, and/ in what
affaires their labours and authorities are
emploied, wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered,
pag.
521.
Of the Romans cheefe gods called Dii se~
lecti, and of other heathen gods, their
names and offices.
pag. 523.
Of diverse gods in diverse countries.
Of popish provinciall gods, a comparison betweene them and heathen gods, of physicall gods, and of what occupation everie
popish god is.
pag. 526.
A comparison betweene the heathen and
papists, touching their excuses for idolatrie.
_
pag. 529.
T h e conceipt of the heathen and the papists
all one in idolatrie, of the councell of
Trent, a notable storie of a hangman
arraigned after he was dead and buried,
&c.
_
pag. 530.
A confutation of the fable of the hangman,
of manie other feined and ridiculous tales
and apparitions, with a reproofe thereof.
P a S.
532.
A confutation of Johannes Laurentius, and
of manie others, mainteining these fained
and ridiculous tales and apparitions, &
what driveth them awaie ; of Moses and
Helias appearance in M o u n t Thabor.
* P a S.
.
534A confutation of assuming of bodies, and of
the serpent that seduced Eve.
pag. 536.
T h e objection concerning the divels assuming of the serpents bodie answered,
pag.
537.
Of the cursse _ rehearsed Genes. 3. and that
place rightlie expounded, J o h n Calvines
opinion of the divell.
pag. 539.
Mine owne opinion and resolution of the
nature of spirits, and of the divell, with his
properties.
_
pag. 540.
Against fond witchmongers, and their
opinions concerning corporall
divels.
pag.
_
542.
m
m
A conclusion wherin the Spirit of spirits is
described, by the illumination of" which
spirit all spirits are to be tried : with a
confutation of the Pneutomachi* flatlie denieng the divinitie of this Spirit, pag. 543.

FINIS.
If Imprinted at London by
William Brome.

[These Contents in original end the book as do our Indices.]

APPENDIX

I.

[Ch. i to 9 affixed to the i$th Book in Ed. 1665.]
CHAP.

I. C\F Magical Circles, and the reason of
^
their Instittction.
215
I I . How to raise up the Ghost of one that
hath hanged himself.
217
I I I . How to raise up the three
Spirits,
Paymon, Bathin, and Barma ; and
what
wonderful things may be effected
through
their Assistance.
218
IV. How to consecrate all manner of Circles,
Fumigations,
Fires, Magical
Garments,
and Utensils.
220
V. Treating more practically of the Conse-

Page.
cration of Circles, Fires, Garments
and
Fu m iga tions.
2.2.x
V I . How to raise and exorcise all sorts of
Spirits belonging to the A iry Region. 222
V I I . How to obtain the familiarity
of the
Genius, or Good Angel, and cause him to
appear.
223
V I I I . A form of Conjuring
Luridan the
Familiar,
otherwise called Belelah. 224
I X . How to conjure the Spirit Balkin the
Master of Luridan.
226

APPENDIX

II.

[Second Book of A Discourse on Devils and Spirits^]
BOOK
Chap.
I. /~\F Spirits in general, what they are,
^
and how to be considered, also how
far the power of Magilians
and
Witches,
is able to operate in Diabolical
Magick.
39
I I . Of the good and evil Daemons or G e n i i ;
whether they are, what they are, and how
they are manifested', also of their names,
powers, faculties, offices, how they are to
be considered.
42
I I I . Of the Astral
Spirits
of Men departed ; what they are, and why they appear again, and what witchcraft
may be
wrought by them.
45-

II.
Page.
I V . Of astral spirits, or separate daemons in
all their distinctions,
names, &> natures,
and places of habitations, &= what
maybe
wrought by their assistance.
49
V. Of the Infernal
Spirits, or Devils, < >
S°
damned souls, treating what their natures, names, & powers are.
56.
V I . Of the nature, force,
£?* forms
of
charms, periapts, amulets, pentacles, conjtirations,
ceremonies, dr'c.
66
V I I . Being the conclusion of the
whole,
wherein divers ancient spells,
charms,
incantations,
and exorcisms, are briefly
spoken of
68

THE END.

THE

DISCOVERIE

OF

WITCHCRAFT

The discoverie of Witchcraft.
If The first Booke.
The first Chapter.
An impeachment of Witches power in meteors and elementarie bodies
tending to the rebuke of such as attribute too much unto them.
HE fables of Witchcraft have taken so fast hold and deepe
root in the heart of man, that fewe or none can (nowadaies) with patience indure the hand and correction of
God. For if any adversitie, greefe, sicknesse, losse of
children, corne, cattell, or liber tie happen vnto them; by & by
they exclaime uppon witches. As though there were no God in
Israel that ordereth all things according to his will; punishing both
just and unjust with greefs, plagues, and afflictions in maner and
forme as he thinketh good : but that certeine old women heere on
earth, called witches, must needs be the contrivers of all mens
calamities, and as though they themselves were innocents, and had
deserved no such punishments. Insomuch as they sticke not to ride
and go to such, as either are injuriouslie tearmed witches, or else are
willing so to be accounted, seeking at their hands comfort and remedie
in time of their tribulation, contrarie to Gods will and commandement
in that behalfe, who bids us resort to him in all / our necessities.
Such faithlesse people (I saie) are also persuaded, that neither
haile nor snowe, thunder nor lightening, raine nor tempestuous winds
come from the heavens at the commandement of God : but are raised
by the cunning and power of witches and conjurers ; insomuch as a
clap of thunder, or a gale of wind is no sooner heard, but either they
run to ring bels, or crie out to burne witches; or else burne consecrated
things, hoping by the smoke thereof, to drive the divell out of the
aire, as though spirits could be fraied awaie with such externall toies :
howbeit, these are right inchantments, as Brentius affirmeth.
But certeinlie, it is neither a witch, nor divell, but a glorious a God
that maketh the thunder. I have read in the scriptures, that God b
maketh the blustering tempests and whirlewinds : and I find that it

Job. 5.

Matth. u.
p.

In condone.
a

Psai. 25.
sa 83
' '
„ ,

c Eccles 4.3

is c the Lord that altogither dealeth with them, and that they d blowe a Luke. g.
according to his will. But let me see anie of them all e rebuke and eM^t ^J 4I
still the sea in time of tempest, as Christ did ; or raise the stormie Luk e. 8,14
wind, as f God did with his word ; and I will beleeve in them. Hath f psai. 170.
B

2

chap. i.

The discoverie

anie witch or conjurer, or anie creature entred into the s treasures of
2t the snowe ; or seene/ the secret places of the haile, which GOD hath
prepared against the daie of trouble, battell, and warre? I for my part
Eccies. 43.
also thinke with Jesus Sirach, that at Gods onelie commandement the
snowe falleth ; and that the wind bloweth according to his will, who
hLeviti. 26.
onelie maketh all stormes to cease; and h who (if we keepe his
verse. 3. 4ordinances) will send us raine in due season, and make the land to
bring forth hir increase, and the trees of the field to give their fruit.
iPsal. 78,23.
But little thinke our witchmongers, that the * Lord commandeth the
clouds above, or openeth the doores of heaven, as David affirmeth ;
or that the Lord goeth forth in the tempests and stormes, as the
kNahum. 1.
Prophet k Nahum reporteth: but rather that witches and conjurers are
then about their businesse.
The Martionists acknowledged one God the authour of good things,
and another the ordeiner of evill : but these make the divell a whole
god, to create things of nothing, to knowe mens cogitations, and to
doo that which God never did ; as, to transubstantiate men into beasts,
j . &c. Which thing if divels could doo, / yet followeth it not, that
witches have such power. But if all the divels in hell were dead,
and all the witches in England burnt or hanged ; I warrant you we
should not faile to have raine, haile and tempests, as now we have :
according to the appointment and will of God, and according to the
constitution of the elements, and the course of the planets, wherein
God hath set a perfect and perpetuall order.
I am also well assured, that if all the old women in the world were
witches ; and all the priests, conjurers : we should not have a drop
ijob. 26,8of raine, nor a blast of wind the more or the lesse for them. For 2 the
Psaime". 135.
Lord hath bound the waters in the clouds, and hath set bounds
jer. io& 15.
about the waters, untill the daie and night come to an end : yea it is
God that raiseth the winds and stilleth them : and he saith to the
raOse. 13.
raine and snowe ; Be upon the earth, and it falleth. The m wind of the
Lord, and not the wind of witches, shall destroie the treasures of
their plesant vessels, and drie up the fountaines ; saith Oseas. Let
nPsa. 39, &c.
us also learne and confesse with the Prophet David, that we n our
selves are the causes of our afflictions ; and not exclaime upon
witches, when we should call upon God for mercie.
in epist. ad
The Imperiall lawe (saith Brentius) condemneth them to death
jo;Wierum. t h a t t r o u b i e a n c j mfect t h e a } r e . b u t j a fft r m e ( s a i t h he) that it is
neither in the power of witch not divell so to doo, but in God onelie.
Though (besides Bodin, and all the popish writers in generall) it
please Danceus, Hyfterius, Hemingius, Erastus, &c. to conclude
oExod. 13.
otherwise. The clouds 0 are called the pillers of Gods tents, Gods
Ps. 18,11.19.
chariots, and his pavillions. And if it be so, what witch or divell can

sjob. 38,22.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

make maisteries therof? S. Augustine saith, Non est putandum istis
transgressoribus angelis servire hancrerumvisibilium materiem,sedsoli
Deo: We must not thinke that these visible things are at thecommandement of the angels that fell, but are obedient to the onelie God.
Finallie, if witches could accomplish these things ; what needed it
seeme so strange to the people, when Christ by miracle P commanded
both seas and winds, &c. For it is written ; Who is this ? for both
wind and sea obeie him./

T h e second Chapter.

August. 3. de
saneta Trinit,

PMar. 4,41.

4- 3.

The inconvenience growing by mens credulitie herein, with a refiroofe of some churchmen, which are inclined to the common
conceived opinion of witches omnipotencie, and a familiar example
thereof.
UT the world is now so bewitched and over-run with this
fond error, that even where a man shuld seeke comfort
and counsell, there shall hee be sent (in case of necessitie)
from God to the divell; and from the Physician, to the
coosening witch, who will not sticke to take upon hir, by wordes
to heale the lame (which was proper onelie to Christ; and to
them whom he assisted with his divine power) yea, with hir
familiar & charmes she will take upon hir to cure the blind : though
in the a tenth of S. fohns Gospell it be written, that the divell cannot a Joh. 10,21.
open the eies of the blind. And they attaine such credit as I have
heard (to my greefe) some of the ministerie affirme, that they have
had in their parish at one instant, xvii. or xviii. witches : meaning
such as could worke miracles supernaturallie. Whereby they
manifested as well their infidelitie and ignorance, in conceiving Gods
word ; as their negligence and error in instructing their flocks. For
they themselves might understand, and also teach their parishoners,
that b God onelie worketh great woonders; and that it is he which ^Psai.72, & 136.
0

Jeremie, 5.

sendeth such punishments to the wicked, and such trials to the elect :
according to the saieng of the Prophet Haggaif I smote you with c Hag. 2,2%.
blasting and mildeaw, and with haile, in all the labours of your hands ;
and yet you turned not unto me, saith the Lord. And therefore saith
the same Prophet in another place ; d You have sowen much, and bring d Idem. cap. 1, 6.
in little. And both in e/oel and fLeviticus, the like phrases and proofes • Joel. 1.
evit1
are used and made. But more shalbe said of this hereafter.
'
S. Paule fore-sawe the blindnesse and obstinacie, both of these
blind shepheards, and also of their scabbed sheepe, when he said ;/ 5.
« They will not suffer wholsome doctrine, but having their eares itching, g 2 Tim. 4,34.
shall get them a heape of teachers after their own lusts ; and shall

4

Chap. 2.

The discoverie

turne their eares from the truth, and shall be given to fables. And
h in the latter time some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed
to spirits of errors, and doctrines of divels, which speake lies (as
witches and conjurers doo) but cast thou awaie such prophane and
old wives fables. In which sense Basil saith ; Who so giveth heed to
inchanters, hearkeneth to a fabulous and frivolous thing. But I will
rehearse an example whereof I my selfe am not onelie Oculatus testis,
but have examined the cause, and am to justifie the truth of my
report: not bicause I would disgrace the ministers that are godlie,
but to confirme my former assertion, that this absurd error is growne
into the place, which should be able to expell all such ridiculous follie
and impietie.
MargaretSimons,
At the assises holden at Rochester, Anno 1581, one Margaret
a supposed witch. Simons,/ the wife of John Simons, of Brenchlie in Kent, was araigned
for witchcraft, at the instigation and complaint of divers fond and
malicious persons ; and speciallie by the meanes of one John Ferrall
vicar of that parish : with whom I talked about that matter, and
found him both fondlie assotted in the cause, and enviouslie bent
towards hir : and (which is worse) as unable to make a good account
of his faith, as shee whom he accused. That which he, for his part,
laid to the poore womans charge, was this.
His sonne (being an ungratious boie, and prentise to one Robert
Scotchjord clothier, dwelling in that parish of Brenchlie) passed on a
daie by hir house; at whome by chance hir little dog barked. Which
thing the boie taking in evill part, drewe his knife, & pursued him
therewith even to hir doore : whom she rebuked with some such
words as the boie disdained, & yet neverthelesse would not be persuaded to depart in a long time. At the last he returned to his
maisters house, and within five or sixe daies fell sicke. Then was
called to mind the fraie betwixt the dog and the boie : insomuch as
the vicar (who thought himselfe so privileged, as he little mistrusted
that God would visit his children with sicknes) did so calculate ; as
he found, partlie through his owne judgement, and partlie (as he him6. selfe told/ me) by the relation of other witches, that his said sonne was
by hir bewitched. Yea, he also told me, that this his sonne (being as
it were past all cure) received perfect health at the hands of another
witch.
He proceeded yet further against hir, affirming, that alwaies in his
parish church,when he desired to read most plainelie, his voice so failed
him, as he could scant be heard at all. Which hee could impute, he
said, to nothing else, but to hir inchantment. When I advertised the
poore woman hereof, as being desirous to heare what she could saie
for hir selfe ; she told me, that in verie deed his voice did much faile

fa i Tim. 4. i

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 3.

5

him, speciallie when he strained himselfe to speake lowdest. How
beit, she said that at all times his voice was hoarse and lowe : which
thing I perceived to be true. But sir, said she, you shall understand,
that this our vicar is diseased with such a kind of hoarsenesse, as
divers of our neighbors in this parish, not long since, doubted that he
had the French pox ; & in that respect utterly refused to communicate with him: untill such time as (being therunto injoined by
M. D. Lewen the Ordinarie) he had brought fro London a certificat,
under the hands of two physicians, that his hoarsenes proceeded from
a disease in the lungs. Which certificat he published in the church,
in the presence of the whole congregation : and by this meanes hee
was cured, or rather excused of the shame of his disease. And this I
knowe to be true by the relation of divers honest men of that parish.
And truelie, if one of the Jurie had not beene wiser than the other, she
had beene condemned thereupon, and upon other as ridiculous matters
as this. For the name of a witch is so odious, and hir power so
feared among the common people, that if the honestest bodie living
chance to be arraigned therupon, she shall hardlie escape condemnation./

T h e third Chapter.

7. 5,

Who they be that are called witches, with a manifest declaration of
the cause that mooveth men so commonlie to thinke, and witches
themselves to beleeve that they can hurt children, cattell, &*c. with
words and imaginations : and of coosening witches,
iNE sort of such as are said to bee witches, are women
which be commonly old, lame, bleare-eied, pale, fowle,
and full of wrinkles ; poore, sullen, superstitious, and
] papists; or such as knowe no religion : in whose
drousie minds the divell hath goten a fine seat; so as, what
mischeefe, mischance, calamitie, or slaughter is brought to passe,
they are easilie persuaded the same is doone by themselves;
inprinting in their minds an earnest and constant imagination Cardan, devar.
hereof. They are leane and deformed, shewing melancholic in their rerum'
faces, to the horror of all that see them. They are doting, scolds,
mad, divelish; and not much differing from them that are thought to
be possessed with spirits ; so firme and stedfast in their opinions, as
whosoever shall onelie have respect to the constancie of their words
uttered, would easilie beleeve they were true indeed.
These miserable wretches are so odious unto all their neighbors,
and so feared, as few dare offend them, or denie them anie thing they
aske : whereby they take upon them ; yea, and sometimes thinke,
that they can doo such things as are beyond the abilitie of humane

6

Chap 3.

The discoverie

nature. These go from house to house, and from doore to doore for a
pot full of milke, vest, drinke, pottage, or some such releefe ; without
the which they could hardlie live : neither obtaining for their service
and paines, nor by their art, nor yet at the divels hands (with whome
they are said to make a perfect and visible bargaine) either beautie,
monie, promotion, welth, worship, pleasure, honor, knowledge,
8. learning, or anie other benefit whatsoever. /
It falleth out many times, that neither their necessities, nor their
expectation is answered or served, in those places where they beg or
borrowe ; but rather their lewdnesse is by their neighbors reprooved.
And further, in tract of time the witch waxeth odious and tedious to
hir neighbors ; and they againe are despised and despited of hir : so
as sometimes she cursseth one, and sometimes another; and that
from the maister of the house, his wife, children, cattell, &c. to the
little pig that lieth in the stie. Thus in processe of time they have all
displeased hir, and she hath wished evill lucke unto them all; perhaps
with cursses and imprecations made in forme. Doubtlesse (at length)
some of hir neighbors die, or fall sicke ; or some of their children are
visited with diseases that vex them strangelie : as apoplexies,
epilepsies, convulsions, hot fevers, wormes, &c. Which by ignorant
parents are supposed to be the vengeance of witches. Yea and their
opinions and conceits are / confirmed and maintained by unskilfull
physicians : according to the common saieng ; Inscitice pallium
maleficium &* incantatio^ Witchcraft and inchantment is the cloke
of ignorance : whereas indeed evill humors, & not strange words,
witches, or spirits are the causes of such diseases. Also some of their
cattell perish, either by disease or mischance. Then they, upon whom
such adversities fall, weighing the fame that goeth upon this woman
(hir words, displeasure, and cursses meeting so justlie with their misfortune) doo not onelie conceive, but also are resolved, that all their
mishaps are brought to passe by hir onelie meanes.
The witch on the other side exspecting hir neighbours mischances,
and seeing things sometimes come to passe according to hir wishes,
/. Bodin. U. 2. de cursses, and incantations (for Bodin himselfe confesseth, that not
dcemono: cap. 8- above two in a hundred of their witchings or wishings take effect)
being called before a Justice, by due examination of the circumstances
is driven to see hir imprecations and desires, and hir neighbors
harmes and losses to concurre, and as it were to take effect: and so
confesseth that she (as a goddes) hath brought such things to passe.
Wherein, not onelie she, but the accuser, and also the Justice are
fowlie deceived and abused ; as being thorough hir confession and
other circumstances persuaded (to the injurie of Gods glorie) that she
o hath doone, or can doo that which / is proper onelie to God himselfe.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 4.

7

Another sort of witches there are, which be absolutelie cooseners.
These take upon them, either for glorie, fame, or game, to doo anie
thing, which God or the divell can doo : either for foretelling of things
to come, bewraieng of secrets, curing of maladies, or working of
miracles. But of these I will talke more at large heereafter.

T h e fourth

Chapter.

What miraculous actions are imputed to witches by witchmongers,
papists, and poets.
LTHOUGH it be quite against the haire, and contrarie to
the divels will, contrarie to the witches oth, promise, and
homage, and contrarie to all reason, that witches should
helpe anie thing that is bewitched; but rather set forward
their maisters businesse: yet we read In malleo malejicarum> Mal- MaUf. par.
of three sorts of witches; and the same is affirmed by all the writers ' q u
heereupon, new and old. One sort (they say) can hurt and not
helpe, the second can helpe and not hurt, the third can both helpe
and hurt. And among the hurtfull witches he saith there is one
sort more beastlie than any kind of beasts, saving woolves : for these
usuallie devoure and eate yong children and infants of their owne
kind. These be they (saith he) that raise haile, tempests, and hurtfull
weather ; as lightening, thunder, &c. These be they that procure
barrennesse in man, woman, and beast. These can throwe children
into waters, as they walke with their mothers, and / not be seene. 7.
These can make horsses kicke, till they cast the riders. These can
passe from place to place in the aire invisible. These can so alter
the mind of judges, that they can have no power to hurt them. These
can procure to themselves and to others, taciturnitie and insensibilitie
in their torments. These can bring trembling to the hands, and
strike terror into the minds of them that apprehend them. These can
manifest unto others, things hidden and lost, and foreshew/ things 10.
to come ; and see them as though they were present. These can
alter mens minds to inordinate love or hate. These can kill whom
they list with lightening and thunder. These can take awaie mans
courage, and the power of generation. These can make a woman
miscarrie in childbirth, and destroie the child in the mothers wombe,
without any sensible meanes either inwardlie or outwardlie applied.
These can with their looks kill either man or beast.
All these things are avowed by James Sprenger and Henrie Institor
In malleo maleficarum, to be true, & confirmed by Nider, and the
inquisitor Cumanusj and also by Danceus, Hyperius, Hemingius, and
multiplied by Bodtnus, and frier Bartholomozus Spineus. But bicause
I will in no wise abridge the authoritie of their power, you shall have

Chap. 4.

*Ovid. lib.
metamorphoseon 7.
Danceus in
dialog.
Psellus in
operations
deem.
Virg.in Damo
Hora. epod. 5.
Tibul.de/ascinat.
lib. i . eleg. 2.
Ovid, epist 4.
Lex. 12.
7 abularum.
Mai. Male/.
Luca. de bello
civili. lib. 6.
Virg. eclog. 8.
Ovid, de remedio
amoris. lib. 1.
Hyperius.
Erastus.
Rich. Gal. in his
horrible treatise.
Hemingius.
Bar. Spineus.
Bryan Darcy
Con/essio
Windesor.
Virgil. Aeneid. 4.
C. Manlius
astrol. lib. x.

Mai. Male/,
part. 2. qucest
\. cap. 14.
1. Cor. 9, 9.

The discoverie

also the testimonies of manie other grave authors in this behalfe; as
folio weth.
*And first Oz//^affirmeth,that they can raise and suppresse lightening
and thunder, raine and haile, clouds and winds, tempests and earthquakes. Others doo write, that they can pull downe the moone and
the starres. Some write that with wishing they can send needles into
the livers of their enimies. Some that they can transferre corne in
the blade from one place to another. Some, that they can cure
diseases supernaturalHe, flie in the aire, and danse with divels. Some
write, that they can plaie the part of Succubus, and contract themselves to Incubus; and so yoong prophets are upon them begotten, &c.
Som saie they can transubstantiate themselves and others, and take
the forms and shapes of asses, woolves, ferrets, cowes, apes, horsses,
dogs, &c. Some say they can keepe divels and spirits in the likenesse
of todes and cats.
They can raise spirits (as others affirme) drie up springs, turne the
course of running waters, inhibit the sunne, and staie both day and
night, changing the one into the other. They can go in and out
at awger holes, & saile in an eggQ shell, a cockle or muscle shell,
through and under the tempestuous seas. They can go invisible,
and deprive men of their privities, and otherwise of the act and
use of venerie. They can bring soules out of the graves. They
can teare snakes in peeces with words, and with looks kill
lambes. But in this case a man may saie, that Miranda canunt \
sed non credenda Poetce. They can also bring to passe, that chearne
as long as you list, your butter will not come ; especiallie, if either
the maids have eaten up the creame ; or the goodwife have sold the
butter before in the market. Whereof I have had some triall,
although there may be true and naturall causes to hinder the common
course thereof: as for example. Put a little sope or sugar into your
chearne of creame, and there will never come anie butter, chearne as
long as you list. But M. Mai. saith, that there is not so little a
village, where manie women are not that / bewitch, infect,
and kill kine, and drie up the milke: alledging for the
strengthening of that assertion, the saieing of the Apostle, Nunquid
Deo cura est de bobus f
Dooth God take
anie care of
oxen?

of Witchcraft,

ch ap . 5.

9

T h e fift Chapter.
A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and
witchcraft, and how detestable a sinne it is to repaire to them for
counsellor helpe in time of affliction.
UT whatsoever is reported or conceived of such maner of
witchcrafts, I dare avow to be false and fabulous (coosinage, dotage, and poisoning excepted:) neither is there
any mention made of these kind of witches in the Bible.
If Christ had knowne them, he would not have pretermitted to
invaie against their presumption, in taking upon them his office :
as, to heale and cure diseases ; and to worke such miraculous and
supernaturall things, as whereby he himselfe was speciallie knowne,
beleeved, and published to be God; his actions and cures consisting (in order and effect) according to the power by our witchmoongers imputed to witches. Howbeit, if there be any in these
daies afflicted in such strange sort, as Christs cures and patients
are described in the new testament to have beene : we flie from
trusting in God to trusting in witches, who doo not onelie in their
coosening art take on them the office of Christ in this behalfe ; but
use his verie phrase of speech to such idolaters, as com to seeke
divine / assistance at their hands, saieng ; Go thy waies, thy sonne or I2.
thy daughter, &c. shall doo well, and be whole.
John. 5 -. 6.
It will not suffice to dissuade a witchmonger from his credulitie, that M a r k ' 5 ' 3 4 '
he seeth the sequele and event to fall out manie times contrarie to their
assertion ; but in such case (to his greater condemnation) he seeketh
further to witches of greater fame. If all faile, he will rather thinke
he came an houre too late ; than that he went a mile too far. Trulie
I for my part cannot perceive what is to go a whoring after strange To go to witches,
gods, if this be not. He that looketh upon his neighbors wife, and &c. is idoiatrie.
lusteth after hir, hath committed adulterie. And truelie, he that in
hart and by argument mainteineth the sacrifice of the masse to be
propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead, is an idolater ; as also he
that alloweth and commendeth creeping to the crosse, and such like
idolatrous actions, although he bend not his corporall knees.
In like manner I say, he that attributeth to a witch, such divine
power, as dulie and onelie apperteineth unto GOD (which all witchmongers doo) is in hart a blasphemer, an idolater, and full of grosse
impietie, although he neither go nor send to hir for assistance. /

C

io

chap. 6.

The discoverie
The sixt Chapter.

A further confutation of witches miraculous and omnipotent
power, by invincible reasons and authorities, with dissuasions
from such fond credulitie.
i g | S p | 5 1 F witches could doo anie such miraculous things, as these
llraj fttteM and other which are imputed to them, they might doo
Rpll K|ffl them againe and againe, at anie time or place, or at
I H ^ ^ ^ I anie mans desire : for the divell is as strong at one
time as at another, as busie by daie as by night, and readie enough
to doo all mischeefe, and careth not whom he abuseth. And
in so much as it is confessed, by the most part of witchmoongers
themselves, that he knoweth not the cogitation of mans heart, he
IJ. should (me thinks) sometimes appeere / unto honest and credible
persons, in such grosse and corporall forme, as it is said he dooth
unto witches : which you shall never heare to be justified by one
sufficient witnesse. For the divell indeed entreth into the mind, and
that waie seeketh mans confusion.
The art alwaies presupposeth the power ; so as, if they saie they
can doo this or that, they must shew how and by what meanes they
doo it; as neither the witches, nor the witchmoongers are able to doo.
For to everie action is required the facultie and abilitie of the agent or
dooer; the aptnes of the patient or subject; and a convenient and
possible application. Now the witches are mortall, and their power
dependeth upon the analogie and consonancie of their minds and
bodies ; but with their minds they can but will and understand ; and
with their bodies they can doo no more, but as the bounds and ends
of terrene sense will suffer : and therefore their power extendeth not
to doo such miracles, as surmounteth their owne sense, and the
understanding of others which are wiser than they ; so as here
wanteth the vertue and power of the efficient. And in reason, there
can be no more vertue in the thing caused, than in the cause, or that
which proceedeth of or from the benefit of the cause. And we see,
that ignorant and impotent women, or witches, are the causes of
incantations and charmes ; wherein we shall perceive there is none
effect, if we will credit our owne experience and sense unabused, the
Aristot. de
rules of philosophic, or the word of God. For alas ! What an unapt
Actr«. hb'2
instrument is a toothles, old, impotent, and unweldie woman to flie in
the aier ? Truelie, the divell little needs such instruments to bring his
purposes to passe.
Why shuid not
it is strange, that we should suppose, that such persons can worke
readied heipe a such feates: and it is more strange, that we will imagine that to be

of Witchcraft.

chap. 7.

11

possible to be doone by a witch, which to nature and sense is impos- *heefe reailie as
sible; speciallie when our neighbours life dependeth upon our
credulitie therein; and when we may see the defect of abilitie, which
alwaies is an impediment both to the act, and also to the presumption
thereof. And bicause there is nothing possible in lawe, that in nature L. muitum. I. si
gut's
is impossible ; therefore the judge dooth not attend or regard what sibi. alteri, vel
the accused man saith ; or yet would/ doo : but what is prooved to 10have beene committed, and na/turallie falleth in mans power and 14.
will to doo. For the lawe saith, that To will a thing unpossible, is a
signe of a mad man, or of a foole, upon whom no sentence or judgement taketh hold. Furthermore, what Jurie will condemne, or what
Judge will give sentence or judgement against one for killing a man
at Berwicke ; when they themselves, and manie other sawe that man
at London, that verie daie, wherein the murther was committed ; yea
though the partie confesse himself guiltie therein, and twentie witnesses depose the same ? But in this case also I saie the judge is not
to weigh their testimonie, which is weakened by lawe ; and the judges
authoritie is to supplie the imperfection of the case, and to mainteine
the right and equitie of the same.
Seeing therefore that some other things might naturallie be the
occasion and cause of such calamities as witches are supposed to
bring ; let not us that professe the Gospell and knowledge of Christ,
be bewitched to beleeve that they doo such things, as are in nature impossible, and in sense and reason incredible. If they saie it is doone An objection
answered.
through the divels helpe, who can work miracles; whie doo not theeves
bring their busines to passe miraculouslie, with whom the divdl is as
conversant as with the other ? Such mischeefes as are imputed to
witches, happen where no witches are ; yea and continue when witches
are hanged and burnt: whie then should we attribute such effect to that
cause, which being taken awaie, happeneth neverthelesse ?

T h e seventh

Chapter.

By what meanes the name of witches becommeth so famous, and
how diverslie people be opinioned concerning them and their
actions.
URELIE the naturall power of man or woman cannot
be so inlarged, as to doo anie thing beyond the power
and vertue given and ingrafted by God. But it is
the will and mind of man, which is vitiated and depraved by the divell: neither dooth God permit anie more, ^ceased
than that which the naturall order appointed by / him dooth 73.
require. Which naturall order is nothing else, but the ordinarie
power of God, powred into everie creature, according to his state

12

chap. 8.

The discoverie

and condition. But hereof more shall be said in the title of witches
confessions. Howbeit you shall understand, that few or none are
throughlie persuaded, resolved, or satisfied, that witches can indeed
accomplish all these impossibilities : but some one is bewitched in
one point, and some is coosened in another, untill in fine, all these
impossibilities, and manie mo, are by severall persons affirmed to be
true.
And this I have also noted, that when anie one is coosened with a
T h e opinions of
people concerncoosening toie of witchcraft, and maketh report thereof accordinglie
ing witchcraft
are diverse and
verifieng a matter most impossible and false as it were upon his owne
inconstant.
knowledge, as being overtaken with some kind of illusion or other
(which illusions are right inchantments) even the selfe-same man will
11. deride the/ like lie proceeding out of another mans mouth, as a
fabulous matter unworthie of credit. It is also to be woondered, how
men (that have seene some part of witches coosenages detected, and
see also therein the impossibilitie of their owne presumptions, &
the follie and falsehood of the witches confessions) will not suspect,
but remaine unsatisfied, or rather obstinatelie defend the residue of
witches supernaturall actions : like as when a juggler hath discovered
the slight and illusion of his principall feats, one would fondlie continue
to thinke, that his other petie juggling knacks of legierdemaine are
done by the helpe of a familiar : and according to the follie of some
papists, who seeing and confessing the popes absurd religion, in the
erection and maintenance of idolatrie and superstition, speciallie in
images, pardons, and relikes of saints, will yet persevere to thinke,
that the rest of his doctrine and trumperie is holie and good.
Finallie, manie mainteine and crie out for the execution of witches,
that particulate beleeve never a whit of that which is imputed unto
them ; if they be therein privatelie dealt withall, and substantiallie
16. opposed and tried in argument./

T h e eight

Chapter.

Causes that moove as well witches themselves as others to thinke that
they can worke impossibilities, with answers to certeine objections. where also their punishment by lawe is touched.
Card,
dtvar.
rerum. lib. 15.
cap. 80.

%ARDANUS writeth, that the cause of such credulitie
consisteth in three points; to wit, in the imagination of the melancholike, in the constancie of them
that are corrupt therewith, and in the deceipt of the
Judges ; who being inquisitors themselves against heretikes and
witches, did both accuse and condemne them, having for their
labour the spoile of their goods. So as these inquisitors added

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 5.

I 2

manie fables hereunto, least they should seeme to have doone
injurie to the poore wretches, in condemning and executing them for
none offense. But sithens (saith he) the springing up of Luthers sect,
these priests have tended more diligentlie upon the execution of them;
bicause more wealth is to be caught from them : insomuch as now
they deale so looselie with witches (through distrust of gaines) that
all is seene to be malice, follie, or avarice that hath beene practised
against them. And whosoever shall search into this cause, or read
the cheefe writers hereupon, shall find his words true.
It will be objected, that we here in England are not now directed An objection
by the popes lawes ; and so by consequence our witches not troubled
or convented by the inquisitors Hareticce pravitatis.
I answer, that
in times past here in England^ as in other nations, this order of
discipline hath beene in force and use; although now some part of
old rigor be qualified by two severall statutes made in the fift of
Elizabeth, and xxxiii of Henrie the eight. Nevertheles the estimation
of the omnipotencie of their words and charmes seemeth in those
statutes to be somewhat mainteined, as a matter hitherto generalise
received; and not yet so looked into, as / that it is refuted and decided. 12.
But how wiselie so ever the Parle/ment house hath dealt therin, or 77.
how mercifullie soever the prince beholdeth the cause : if a poore
old woman, supposed to be a witch, be by the civill or canon lawe
convented ; I doubt, some canon will be found in force, not onelie to
give scope to the tormentor, but also to the hangman, to exercise their
offices upon hir. And most certaine it is, that in what point soever
anie of these extremities, which I shall rehearse unto you, be mitigated,
it is thorough the goodnesse of the Queenes Majestie, and hir excellent
magistrates placed among us. For as touching the opinion of our
writers therein in our age; yea in our owne countrie, you shall see
it doth not onlie agree with forren crueltie, but surmounteth it farre.
If you read a foolish pamphlet dedicated to the lord Darcy by W. W booke,'prin1582. you shall see that he affirmeth, that all those tortures are farre § ^ n f^0
too light, and their rigor too mild; and that in that respect he
impudentlie exclameth against our magistrates, who suffer them to be
but hanged, when murtherers, & such malefactors be so used, which
deserve not the hundreth part of their punishments. But if you will
see more follie and lewdnes comprised in one lewd booke, I commend you to Ri. Ga. a Windsor man; who being a mad man hath
written according to his frantike humor : the reading wherof may
satisfie a wise man, how mad all these witchmoongers dealings be in
this behalfe.

chap. 9.

The discoverie
T h e ninth Chapter.

A conclusion of the first booke, wherein is fore-shewed the tyrannical I
crueltie of witchtnongers and inquisitors, with a request to the
reader to peruse the same.
JjND bicause it may appeare unto the world what trecherous and faithlesse dealing, what extreame and intolerable
tyrannie, what grosse and fond absurdities, what unnaturall & uncivil discourtisie, what cancred and spitefull
malice, what outragious and barbarous crueltie, what lewd
and false packing, what cunning and craftie intercepting, what
bald and peevish inter / pretations, what abhominable and divelish
inventions, and what flat and plaine knaverie is practised against
these old women; I will set downe the whole order of the
inquisition, to the everlasting, inexcusable, and apparent shame
of all witchmoongers. Neither will I insert anie private or doubtfull dealings of theirs ; or such as they can either denie to be
usuall, or justlie cavill a t ; but such as are published and renewed in
all ages, since the commensement of poperie, established by lawes,
practised by inquisitors, privileged by princes, commended by doctors,
confirmed by popes, councels, decrees, and canons ; and finallie *be
left of all witchmoongers ; to wit, by such as attribute to old women,
and such like creatures, the power of the Creator. I praie you
therefore, though it be tedious & intolerable (as you would be
heard in your miserable calamities) so heare with compassion, their
accusations, examinations, matters given in evidence, confessions,
presumptions, interrogatories, conjurations, cautions,
crimes, tortures and condemnations,
devised and practised
usuallie against
them./

of Witchcraft.

1f The second Booke.

chaP. *.

15

13t

The first Chapter.
What testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against
reputed witches, by the report &* allowance of the inquisitors
themselves, and such as are speciall writers heerein.
XCOMMUNICAT persons, partakers of the fait, infants, Mai. Male/.
wicked servants, and runnawaies are to be admitted to 9LBodSiib%}'
beare witnesse against their dames in this mater of cap-2'de da~
°

#

mon.

witchcraft: bicause (saith Bodin the champion of witchmoongers) none that be honest are able to detect them. Hereikes also and witches shall be received to accuse, but not to Arch, in c. ai~
excuse a witch. And flnallie, the testimonie of all infamous per- fn%TzSasu%'r.
sons in this case is good and allowed. Yea, one lewd person (saith verbaBodin) may be received to accuse and condemne a thousand suspected c'ap.i. dedcewitches. And although by la we, a capitall enimie may be challenged ; monyet James Sprenger, and Henrie Institor, (from whom Bodin, and all q£^u 5a6 ^
the writers that ever I have read, doo receive their light, authorities pa. 3, <& quae.
and arguments) saie (upon this point of lawe) that The poore frendlesse old woman must proove, that hir capitall enimie would have
illed hir, and that hee hath both assalted & wounded hir ; otherwise
she pleadeth all in vaine. If the judge aske hir, whether she have Ibidem.
anie capitall enimies ; and she rehearse other, and forget hir accuser \
or else answer that he was hir capitall enimie, but now she hopeth he
is not so : such a one is nevertheles admitted for a witnes. And Que. 7. act 2.
though by lawe, single witnesses are not admittable ; yet if one depose
she/ hath bewitched hir cow ; another, hir sow; and the third, hir 20.
butter : these saith (saith M. Mai. and Bodin) are no single witnesses ; [Redupi.]
bicause they agree that she is a witch.

The second Chapter.
The order of examination of witches by the inquistors.
^pIOMEN suspected to be witches, after their apprehension
M may not be suffered to go home, or to other places, to
[1 seek suerties : for then (saith Bodin) the people would
a t f j be woorse willing to accuse them; for feare least
at their returne home, they worke revenge upon them. In which
respect Bodin commendeth much the Scottish custome and order The Scottish
in this behalfe: where (he saith) a hollowe peece of wood cusing a witch.

S

I6

Chap. 2.

The discoverie

or a chest is placed in the church, into the which any bodie may
freelie cast a little scroll of paper, wherein may be conteined the
name of the witch, the time, place, and fact, &c. And the same chest
being locked with / three severall locks, is opened everie fifteenth daie
by three inquisitors or officers appointed for that purpose ; which
keepe three severall kaies. And thus the accuser need not be
knowne, nor shamed with the reproch of slander or malice to his
poore neighbour.
Item, there must be great persuasions used to all men, women, and
children, to accuse old women of witchcraft.
Item, there may alwaies be promised impunitie and favour to
witches, that confesse and detect others ; and for the contrarie, there
may be threatnings and violence practised and used.
Item, the little children of witches, which will not confesse, must be
attached ; who (if they be craftilie handled saith Bodiri) will confesse
against their owne mothers.
Item, witches must be examined as suddenlie, and as unawares as
is possible : the which will so amaze them, that they will confesse
any thing, supposing the divell hath forsaken them ; wheras if they
21, should first be comitted to prison, the divell would tem/per with them,
and informe them what to doo.
Item, the inquisitor, judge, or examiner, must begin with small
matters first.
Item, they must be examined, whether their parents were witches
or no : for witches (as these Doctors suppose) come by propagation.
/. Bod. lib. de A n( j Bodin setteth downe this principle in witchcraft, to wit. Si saga
acetnon. 4. cap, 4*
L.parentes
sitmater, sic etiam estfilia : howbeit the lawe forbiddeth it, Ob sands testibus.
guinis
reverentiamt
Item, the examiner must looke stedfastlie upon their eies : for they
cannot looke directlie upon a mans face (as Bodin affirmeth in one
place, although in another he saith, that they kill and destroie both
men and beasts with their lookes.)
Item, she must be examined of all accusations, presumptions, and
faults, at one instant; least sathan should afterwards dissuade hir
from confession.
Item, a witch may not be put in prison alone, least the divell dissuade hir from confession, through promises of her indemnitie. For
(saith Bodin) some that have beene in the gaole have prooved to flie
awaie, as they were woont to doo when they met with Diana and
Minerva, &c. : and so brake their owne necks against the stone
walles.
Item, if anie denie hir owne confession made without torture, she

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

jy

is neverthelesse by that confession to be condemned, as in anie other
crime.
Item, the judges must seeme to put on a pittifull countenance and
to mone them ; saieng, that It was not they, but the divell that committed the murther, and that he compelled them to doo i t ; and must
make them beleeve that they thinke them to be innocents.
Item, if they will confesse nothing but upon the racke or torture ;
their apparell must be changed, and everie haire in their bodie must
be shaven off with a sharpe razor.
Item, if they have charmes for taciturnitie, so as they feele not
the common tortures, and therefore confesse nothing : then some
sharpe instrument must be thrust betwixt everie naile of their fingers
and toes : which (as / Bodin saith) was king Childeberts devise, and is 15. Childeberts
K.
to this daie of all others the most effectuall. For by meanes of that cruell devise.
extreme paine, they will (saith he) confesse anie / thing.
22.
Item, Paulus Griilandus,
being an old dooer in these matters, P. Griilandus.
wisheth that when witches sleepe, and feele no paine upon the
torture, Domine labia mea aperies should be said, and so (saith he)
both the torments will be felt, and the truth will be uttered : Et sic ars
deluditur arte.
Item, Bodin saith, that at the time of examination, there should A subtill
be a semblance of great a doo, to the terrifieing of the witch : and and divelish devise
that a number of instruments, gieves, manacles, ropes, halters, fetters,
&c. be prepared, brought foorth, and laid before the examinate : and
also that some be procured to make a most horrible and lamentable
crie, in the place of torture, as though he or she were upon the racke,
or in the tormentors h a n d s : so as the examinate may heare it whiles
she is examined, before she hir selfe be brought into the prison ; and
perhaps (saith he) she will by this meanes confesse the matter.
Item, there must be subborned some craftie spie, that may seeme
to be a prisoner with hir in the like case ; who perhaps may in conference undermine hir, and so bewraie and discover hir.
Item, if she will not yet confesse, she must be told that she is detected,
and accused by other of hir companions ; although in truth there be
no such matter : and so perhaps she will confesse, t h e rather to be
revenged upon hir adversaries and accusers.

T h e third Chapter.
Matters of evidence against
witches.
I F an old woman threaten or touch one being in health,
who dieth shortlie after ; or else is infected with the
leprosie, apoplexie, or anie other strange disease : it is
(saith Bodin a permanent fact, and such an evidence,
D

i.8

chap. 3.

The discoverie

as condemnation or death must insue, without further proofe ;
if anie bodie have mistrusted hir, or said before that she was a
23. witch. /
Item, if anie come in, or depart out of the chamber or house, the
doores being shut; it is an apparent and sufficient evidence to a
witches condemnation, without further triall: which thing Bodin
never sawe. If he can shew me that feat, I will subscribe to his
follie. For Christ after his resurrection used the same : not as a
ridiculous toie, that everie witch might accomplish ; but as a speciall
miracle, to strengthen the faith of the elect.
Item, if a woman bewitch anie bodies eies, she is to be executed
without further proofe.
Item, if anie inchant or bewitch mens beasts, or corne, or flie in the
aire, or make a dog speake, or cut off anie mans members, and unite
them againe to men or childrens bodies ; it is sufficient proofe to condemnation.
Item, presumptions and conjectures are sufficient proofes against
16. witches. /
Bat .Spineus,
Item, if three witnesses doo but sale, Such a woman is a witch;
&, I. Bod. de
then is it a cleere case that she is to be executed with death. Which
dcemon. lib. 2.
cap. 2.
matter Bodin saith is not onelie certeine by the canon and civill
lawes, but by the opinion of pope Innocent, the wisest pope (as he
saith) that ever was.
Alexander.
Item, the complaint of anie one man of credit is sufficient to bring
L. ubi numerus de testibus.
a poore woman to the racke or pullie.
I. Bod. de daItem, a condemned or infamous persons testimonie is good and
mon. lib. 2.
cap. 2.
allowable in matters of witchcraft.
Item, a witch is not to be delivered, though she endure all the
tortures, and confesse nothing ; as all other are in anie criminall
cases.
Item, though in other cases the depositions of manie women at one
instant are disabled, as insufficient in lawe ; bicause of the imbecillitie
and frailtie of their nature or sex : yet in this matter, one woman,
though she be a partie, either accuser or accused, and be also
infamous and impudent (for such are Bodins words) yea and alreadie
condemned ; she may neverthelesse serve to accuse and condemne a
witch.
Item, a witnesse uncited, and offering himselfe in this case is to be
heard, and in none other.
Item, a capitall enimie (if the enimitie be pretended to growe by
24* meanes of witchcraft) may object against a witch ; and none / exception
is to be had or made against him.
Item, although the proofe of perjurie may put backe a witnesse in

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 4

all other causes ; yet in this, a perjured person is a good and lawfull
witnesse.
Item, the proctors and advocats in this case are compelled to be
witnesses against their clients, as in none other case they are to be
constrained there unto.
Item, none can give evidence against witches, touching their
assemblies, but witches onelie : bicause (as Bodin saith) none other
can doo it. Howbeit, Ri. Ga. writeth, that he came to the God speed,
and with his sword and buckler killed the divell ; or at the least he
wounded him so sore, that he made him stinke of brimstone.
Item, Bodin saith, that bicause this is an extraordinarie matter ;
there must heerein be extraordinarie dealing : and all maner of waies
are to be used, direct and indirect.

T h e fourth

J g
post,
9. his,
quibus
Alex.
L. 2.

legatum.
de ils
ut indig.
cap. 72.
&c.

In his foolish
pamphlet of the
execution of
Windsor witches

Chapter.

Confessions of witches, whereby they are

condemned.

||OME witches confesse (saith Bodin) that are desirous to
die ; not for glorie, but for despaire : bicause they are
tormented in their life time. But these may not be
spared (saith he) although the la we dooth excuse them.
The best and surest confession is at shrift, to hir ghostlie father.
Item, if she confesse manie things that are false, and one thing that
may be true ; she is to be taken and executed upon that confession. /
Item, she is not so guiltie that confesseth a falshood or lie, and
denieth a truth ; as she that answereth by circumstance.
Item, an equivocall or doubtfull answer is taken for a confession
against a witch. /
Item, Bodin reporteth, that one confessed that he went out, or
rather up into the aire, and was transported manie miles to the fairies
danse, onelie bicause he would spie unto what place his wife went to
hagging, and how she behaved hir selfe. Whereupon was much a doo
among the inquisitors and lawyers, to discusse whether he should be
executed with his wife or no. But it was concluded that he must die,
bicause he bewraied not his wife : the which he forbare to doo,
Propter reverentiam honoris &> faniilice.
Item, if a woman confesse freelie herein, before question be m a d e ;
and yet afterward denie i t : she is neverthelesse to be burned.
Item, they affirme that this extremitie is herein used, bicause not
one among a thousand witches is detected. And yet it is affirmed by
Sprenger, in M. Mai. that there is not so little a parish, but there are
manie witches knowne to be therein.

I. Bod. lib. 4.
cap. 3.
Is there anie
probabilitie that
such would continue witches ?
Idem Ibid.
Joan. An. ad
speculat. tit. » »
de litis contest, part. 2.
L. non alienum eodem.
L. de cp.tat. 5.
nihil eodem.
&c
I. Bod. de deemono, lib. 4.
cap. 3.

20

The discoverie

Chap. 5.

T h e fift
Presumptions,

Chapter.

whereby witches are

condemned.

j|F anie womans child chance to die at hir hand, so as no
bodie knoweth how ; it may not be thought or presumed
that the mother killed it, except she be supposed a witch :
and in that case it is otherwise, for she must upon that
presumption be executed ; except she can proove the negative or
contrarie.
Item, if the child of a woman that is suspected to be a witch, be
lacking or gone from h i r ; it is to be presumed, that she hath sacrificed
it to the divell : except she can proove the negative or contrarie.
Item, though in other persons, certeine points of their confessions
may be thought erronious, and imputed to error : yet (in witches
26. causes) all oversights, imperfections, and escapes must / be adjudged
impious and malicious, and tend to hir confusion and condemnation.
Item, though a theefe be not said in lawe to be infamous in any
other matter than in theft ; yet a witch defamed of witchcraft is said
to be defiled with all maner of faults and infamies universallie,
though she were not condemned ; but (as I said) defamed with the
name of a witch. For rumors and reports are sufficient (saith Bodin)
to condemne a witch.
Item, if any man, woman, or child doo saie, that such a one is a
I. Bod. de dcemono. lib. 4.
witch ; it is a most vehement suspicion (saith Bodin) and sufficient
cap. 4.
to bring hir to the racke : though in all other cases it be directlie
against lawe.
L. decurione
Item, in presumptions and suspicions against a witch, the common
de pcenis.
brute or voice of the people cannot erre.
Panorm. &
Felin. in C.
Item, if a woman, when she is apprehended, crie out, or s a i e ; I
veniens. 1.
de testtb. parsi
am undoone ; Save my life ; I will tell you how the matter standeth,
causa. 15 4.
&c : she is thereupon most vehementlie to be suspected and conLib. 4. numero.
12. usg; a 18.
demned to die. /
18.
Item, though a conjurer be not to be condemned for curing the
diseased by vertue of his a r t : yet must a witch die for the like case.
Item, the behaviour, looks, becks, and countenance of a woman,
are sufficient signes, whereby to presume she is a witch : for alwais
they looke downe to the ground, and dare not looke a man full in
the face.
Item, if their parents were thought to be witches, then is it
certeinlie to be presumed that they are so : but it is not so to be
thought of whoores.
Item, it is a vehement presumption if she cannot weepe, at the

I. Bod. de deemono, lib. 4
cap. 4.

of Witchcraft.

chap, e.

21

time of hir examination : and yet Bodin saith, that a witch may shed
three drops out of hir right eie.
Item, it is not onelie a vehement suspicion, and presumption, but
an evident proofe of a witch, if any m a n or beast die suddenlie where
she hath beene seene latelie ; although hir witching stuffe be not
found or espied.
Item, if any bodie use familiaritie or companie with a witch
convicted ; it is a sufficient presumption against that person to be
adjudged a witch. /
27.
Item, that evidence that may serve to bring in any other person to L. 5. de adult.
%. gl.Z*Bart,
examination, may serve to bring a witch to her condemnation.
c. venerabihs
Item, herein judgment must be pronounced & executed (as Bodin de electio. &c
I. Bod. de deesaith) without order, and not like to the orderlie proceeding and forme mono, lib. 4.
cap. 4.
of judgement in other crimes.
Item, a witch may not be brought to the torture suddenlie, or before
long examination, least she go awaie scotfree : for they feele no
torments, and therefore care not for the same (as Bodin affirmeth.)
Item, little children may be had to the torture at the first d a s h ; Idem Ibid.
but so may it not be doone with old women : as is aforesaid.
Item, if she have anie privie marke under hir arme pokes, under
hir haire, under hir lip, or in hir buttocke, or in hir privities : it is a
presumption sufficient for the judge to proceed and give sentence of
death upon hir.
T h e onlie pitie they shew to a poore woman in this case, i s ; that
though she be accused to have slaine anie bodie with her inchantments ; yet if she can bring foorth the partie alive, she shall not be
put to death. Whereat I marvell, in as much as they can bring the
divell in any bodies likenesse and representation.
Item, their lawe saith, that an uncerteine presumption is sufficient, Cap. pneterea
cum glos. extta
when a certeine presumption faileth.
de test.
Panormit.
in
C. vener. col.
2. eodem, &c.

T h e sixt Chapter.
Particular

Interogatories

used by the inquisitors

against

witches.

N E E D E not staie to confute such parciall and horrible
dealings, being so apparentlie impious, and full of tyrannie
which except I should have so manifestlie detected, even
with their owne writings and assertions, few or none
would have beleeved. But for brevities sake I will passe over the
same ; supposing that the ci / ting of such absurdities may stand for 28.
a suffici / e n t confutation thereof. Now therefore I will proceed to a 19.
more particular order and maner of examinations, &c : used by the
inquisitors, and allowed for the most part throughout all nations.

22

Chap. 7.

Mai. male/,
super, interrog.

Seneca intragced.
Mai. male/,
part. 3. queest
15. act. 10.

Num. 11, 4.
1. Sam. 11, 4.
2. Sa. 15,23.
Mat. 8. & 13 &
22. & 24. & 25.

Luke 3.&C

Seneca i
Uageed.

Eccl. 35, 15.

29*

The discoverie

First the witch must be demanded, why she touched such a child?
or such a cow, &c : and afterward the same child or cow fell sicke
or lame, &c.
Item, why hir two kine give more milke than hir neighbors. And
the note before mentioned is heere againe set downe, to be speciallie
observed of all men : to wit ; that Though a witch cannot weepe, yet
she may speake with a crieng voice. Which assertion of weeping is
false, and contrarie to the saieng of Seneca, Cato, and manie others ;
which affirme, that A woman weepeth when she meaneth most deceipt:
and therefore saith M. Mai. she must be well looked unto, otherwise
she will put spettle privilie upon hir cheeks, and seeme to weepe :
which rule also Bodin saith is infallible. But alas that teares should
be thought sufficient to excuse or condemne in so great a cause, and so
weightie a triall! I am sure that the woorst sort of the children of
Israel wept bitterlie : yea, if there were any witches at all in Israel,
they wept. For it is written, that all the children of Israel wept.
Finallie, if there be any witches in hell, I am sure they weepe : for
there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
But God knoweth, many an honest matrone cannot sometimes in
the heavines of her heart shed teares ; the which oftentimes are
more readie and common with craftie queanes and strumpets, than
with sober women. For we read of two kinds of teares in a womans
eie, the one of true greefe, the other of deceipt. And it is written,
that Dediscere flere fceminam est mendacium : which argueth, that
they lie which say, that wicked women cannot weepe. But let these
tormentors take heed, that the teares in this case which runne downe the
widowes cheeks, with their crie spoken of by Jesus Sirach, be not
heard above. But lo what learned, godlie, and lawfull meanes these
popish inquisitors have invented for the triall of true or false teares. /

T h e seventh

Chapter.

The inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration.
CONJURE thee by the amorous teares, which Jesus
Christ our Saviour shed upon the crosse for the salvation
of the world ; and by the most earnest and burning teares
of his mother the most glorious virgine Marie^ sprinkled
upon his wounds late in the evening; and by all the teares, which
everie saint and elect vessell of God hath powred out heere in the
world, and from whose eies he hath wiped awaie all teares ; that if
thou be without fault, thou maist powre downe teares aboundantlie ;
and if thou be guiltie, that thou weepe in no wise : In the name of the
Male/,
15, fa. 3.
father, of the sonne, and of the holie ghost; Amen. And note (saith
20. he) that the more you conjure, the lesse she weepeth. /

Triall of teares.

Mai.
qua.

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 8.

2X

T h e eight Chapter.
Certaine cautions against witches, and of their
confession.

tortures to procure

J!UT to manifest their further follies, I will recite some of
their cautions, which are published by the ancient inquisitors, for perpetuall lessons to their successors: as followeth.
T h e first caution is that, which was last rehearsed concerning weeping ; the which (say they) is an infallible note.
Secondlie, the judge must beware she touch no part of him,
speciallie of his bare ; and that he alwaies weare about his necke
conjured salt, palme, herbes, and waxe halowed : which (say they) are Ja. sprenger.
not onelie approoved to be good by the witches confessions ; but / also H. Institor.
JO.
by the use of the Romish church, which halloweth them onelie for
that purpose.
Item, she must come to hir arreignement backward, to wit, with hir Mai. male/.
taile to the judges face, who must m a k e manie crosses, at the time of pa" 3 ' q u e e ' I 5 '
hir approching to the barre. And least we should condemne that
for superstition, they prevent us with a figure, and tell us, that the Proiepsis or
same superstition may not seeme superstitious unto us. But this Preoccupation.
resembleth the persuasion of a theefe, that dissuadeth his sonne from
stealing; and neverthelesse telleth him that he may picke or cut a
pursse, and rob by the high waie.
One other caution is, that she must be shaven, so as there remaine
not one haire about hir : for sometimes they keepe secrets for taciturnitie, and for other purposes also in their haire, in their privities, and
betweene their skinne and their flesh. F o r which cause I marvell
they flea them not: for one of their witches would not burne, being in
the middest of the flame, as M. Mai. reporteth ; untill a charme Mai. male/.
written in a little scroll was espied to be hidden betweene hir skin
and flesh, and taken awaie. And this is so gravelie and faithfullie
set downe by the inquisitors themselves, that one may beleeve it if
he list, though indeed it be a verie lie. T h e like lie citeth Bodin, of John. Bod.
a witch that could not be strangled by the executioner, doo what he A n n o I4g5 a
could. But it is most true, that the inquisitor Cumanus in one yeare k n a v e inquisidid shave one and fourtie poore women, and burnt them all when he
h a d done.
Another caution is, that at the time and place of torture, the hal- Q. 16. de temlowed things aforesaid, with the seaven words spoken on the crosse, be {Zterrog^0
hanged about the witches necke ; and the length of Christ in waxe be
knit about hir bare naked bodie, with relikes of saints, &c. All which
stuffe (saie they) will so worke within and upon them, as when they

24

chap, s-

The discoverie

are racked and tortured, they can hardlie staie or hold themselves
from confession. In which case I doubt not but that pope, which
blasphemed Christ, and curssed his mother for a pecocke, and curssed
Blasphemous
pope Julie, of
God with great despights for a peece of porke, with lesse compulsion
that name the
third.
would have renounced the trinitie, and have worshipped the divell
upon his knees./
Another caution is, that after she hath beene racked, and hath
passed over all tortures devised for that purpose ; and after that she
3*> hath beene compelled to drinke holie water, she b e conveied / againe
to the place of torture : and that in the middest of hir torments, hir
accusations be read unto hir ; and that the witnesses (if they will) be
brought face to face unto h i r : and finallie, that she be asked, whether
for triall of hir innocencie she will have judgement,
Candentisferri,
Mai. malef.
tar. 3, qua. 16.
which is ; T o carrie a certeine weight of burning iron in hir bare hand.
But that may not (saie they) in anie wise be granted. F o r both
M. Mai. a n d Bodin also affirme, that manie things m a y be promised,
but nothing need be performed : for whie, they have authoritie to
promise, but no commission to performe the same.
Another caution is, that the judge take heed, that when she once
beginneth to confesse, he cut not off hir examination, but continue it
night and daie. F o r many-times, whiles they go to dinner, she returneth to hir vomit.
Another caution is, that after the witch hath confessed t h e annoieing of men a n d beasts, she be asked how long she hath h a d Incubus,
when she renounced the faith, and made the reall league, and what
that league is, &c. And this is indeede the cheefe cause of all their
incredible and impossible confessions : for upon the racke, when they
have once begunne to lie, they will saie what the tormentor list.
T h e last caution is, that if she will not confesse, she be had to some
strong castle or gaole. A n d after certeine daies, the gaolor must
make hir beleeve he goeth foorth into some farre countrie : a n d then
some of hir freends must come in to hir, and promise hir, that if she
will confesse to them, they will suffer hir to escape out of prison :
which they may well doo, the keeper being from home. A n d this
waie (saith M. Mai.) hath served, when all other meanes have failed.
Mai. malef.
tar. 3, quce. 16
And in this place it may not be omitted, that above all other times,
act. I I .
they confesse upon fridaies. Now saith James Sprenger, and Henrie
Institor, we must saie all, to wit: If she confesse nothing, she should
be dismissed by lawe; and yet by order she may in no wise be bailed,
but must be put into close prison, a n d there b e talked withall by
some craftie person (those are the words) and in the meane while
there must be some eves-dropers with pen and inke behind the wall,
to hearken and note what she confesseth : or else some of hir old

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 9.

25

companions and acquain / t a n c e may come in and talke with hir of old j2.
matters, and so by eves-droppers be also bewraied ; so as there shall
be no end of torture before she have confessed what they will./
22

T h e Ninth

Chapter.

The fifteene crimes laid to the charge of witches, by witchmongers
sfieciallie by Bodin, in Dcemonomania.

;

H E Y denie God, and all religion.
I
Answered
T h e n let them die therefore, or at the least [*Rom.]
be used like infidels, or apostataes.
They cursse, blaspheme, and provoke God with all
2
despite.
Answered
T h e n let t h e m have the law expressed in Levit. 24. and
Deut 13. & 17.
They give their faith to the divell, and they worship and offer sacri3
fice unto him.
Ans. Let such also be judged by the same lawe.
They doo solemnelie vow and promise all their progenie unto the
4
divell.
Ans. This promise proceedeth from an unsound mind, and is not
to be regarded ; bicause they cannot performe it, neither will it be
prooved true. Howbeit, if it be done by anie that is sound of mind,
let the cursse of Jeremie. 32. 36. light upon them, to wit, the sword,
famine and pestilence.
They sacrifice their owne children to the divell before baptisme,
5
holding them up in the aire unto him, and then thrust a needle into
their braines.
Ans. If this be true, I maintaine them not h e r e i n : but there is a
lawe to judge them by. Howbeit, it is so contrarie to sense and
nature, that it were follie to beleeve i t ; either upon Bodins bare word,
or else upon his presumptions ; speciallie when so small commoditie
and so great danger and inconvenience insueth to the witches thereby.
T h e y burne their children when they have sacrificed them.
5
Ans. T h e n let them have such punishment, as they that offered
their children unto Moloch : Levit. 20. But these be meere / devises 33of witchmoongers, a n d inquisitors, that with extreame tortures
have wroong such confessions from them ; or else with false reports
have beelied them ; or by flattene & faire words and promises have
woon it at their hands, at the length.
They sweare to the divell to bring as manie into that societie as
7
they can.
Ans. This is false, and so prooved elsewhere.
E

26

2. Booke.

The discoverie

8

They sweare by the name of the divell.
Ans. I never heard anie such oth, neither have we warrant to kill
them that so doo sweare; though indeed it be verie lewd and impious.
9
T h e y use incestuous adulterie with spirits.
Ans. T h i s is a stale ridiculous lie, as is prooved apparentlie
hereafter.
10
T h e y boile infants (after they have murthered them unbaptised)
untill their flesh be made potable.
23.
Ans. This is untrue, incredible, and impossible./
11
T h e y eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of men and children
openlie.
Ans. Then are they kin to the Anthropophagiand
Canibals.
But
I beleeve never an honest m a n in England nor in France, will affirme
that he hath seene any of these persons, that are said to be witches,
do so ; if they shuld, I beleeve it would poison them.
12
They kill men with poison.
Ans. Let them be hanged for their labour.
13
They kill mens cattell.
Ans. T h e n let an action of trespasse be brought against them for
so dooing.
14
They bewitch mens corne, and bring hunger and barrennes into
the countrie ; they ride a n d flie in the aire, bring stormes, make
tempests, &c.
Ans. T h e n will I worship them as g o d s ; for those be not the
works of man, nor yet of witch : as I have elsewhere prooved at
large.
15
They use venerie with a divell called Incubus, even when they lie
in bed with their husbands, and have children by them, which become
the best witches.
Ans This is the last lie, verie ridiculous, and confuted by me else34 where. /

T h e tenth Chapter.
A refutation of the former surmised crimes patched
Bodin, and the onelie waie to escape the inquisitors

togither
hands.

by

J|F more ridiculous or abhominable crimes could have
beene invented, these poore women (whose cheefe fault
is that they are scolds) should have beene charged with
them.
In this libell you dooe see is conteined all that witches are charged
wiih ; and all that also, which anie witchmoonger surmiseth, or in
malice imputeth unto witches power and practise.

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 10.

2J

Some of these crimes may not oneiie be in the power and will of a
witch, but may be accomplished by naturall meanes : and therefore by
them the matter in question is not decided, to wit ; W h e t h e r a witch T h e question
can worke woonders supernaturallie ? For manie a knave and whore or matter in
controversie:
that is to say,
dooth more commonlie put in execution those lewd actions, than such the proposition
as are called witches, and are hanged for their labour.
or theme.
Some of these crimes also laid unto witches charge, are by me
denied, and by them cannot be prooved to be true, or committed by
any one witch. Othersome of these crimes likewise are so absurd,
supernaturall, and impossible, that they are derided almost of all men,
and as false, fond, and fabulous reports condemned : insomuch as the
very witchmoongers themselves are ashamed to heare of them.
If part be untrue, why may not the residue be thought false? For
all these things are laid to their charge at one instant, even by the
greatest doctors and patrones of the sect of witchmongers, producing
as manie proofs for witches supernaturall and impossible actions, as
for the other. So as, if one part of their accusation be false, the other
part deserveth no credit. If all be true that is alledged of their
dooings, why should we beleeve in Christ, bicause of his miracles,
when a witch dooth as great/ wonders as/ ever he did ?
24.
55But it will be said by some ; As for those absurd and popish
writers, they are not in all their allegations, touching these matters, to
be credited. But I assure you, that even all sorts of writers heerein A generall error.
(for the most part) the very doctors of the church to the schoolemen,
protestants and papists, learned and unlearned, poets and historiographers, Jewes, Christians, or Gentiles agree in these impossible
and ridiculous matters. Yea and these writers, out of whome I gather
most absurdities, are of the best credit and authoritie of all writers in
this matter. T h e reason is, bicause it was never throughlie looked
into ; but everie fable credited ; and the word (Witch) named so often
in scripture.
They that have seene further of the inquisitors orders and customes, T h e oneiie way
for witches to
saie also ; that There is no waie in the world for these poore women avoid the into escape the inquisitors hands, and so consequentlie burning : but to quisitors hand-^
gild their hands with monie, wherby oftentimes they take pitie upon
them, and deliver them, as sufficientlie purged. For they have
authoritie to exchange the punishment of the bodie with the punishment of the pursse, applieng the same to the office of their inquisition : whereby they reape such profit, as a number of
these seelie women paie them yeerelie pensions, to the end they may
not be punished
againe.

2. Booke.

The discoverie
T h e eleventh Chapter.

The opinion of Cornelius Agrippa
concerning witches, of his
pleading for a poore woman accused of witchcraft, and how he
convinced the inquisitors.
[ P f j f l ^ l l ORNELIUS
AGRIPPA
saith, that while he was in
i r ^ l l H s l ^ ^ > m a n i e inquisitors in the dutchie oiMillen troubled
RLvtl«^B divers most honest & noble matrones, privilie wringing
[IlkJSSglaill much monie from them, untill their knaverie was
detected. Further he saith, that being an advocate or councellor
in the Commonwelth of Maestright
in Brabant,
he h a d sore
contention with an inquisitor, who through u n / j u s t accusations
drew a poore woman of the countrie into his butcherie, and to an unfit
place ; not so much to examine hir, as to torment hir. W h o m when
C. Agrippa had undertaken to defend, declaring that in the things
doone, there was no proofe, no signe or token that could cause hir to
be tormented ; the inquisitor stoutlie denieng it, said ; One thing
there is, which is proofe and matter sufficient : for hir mother was in
times past burned for a witch. Now when Agrippa replied, affirming
that this article was impertinent, and ought to be refused by the judge,
as being the deed of another ; alledging to the inquisitor, reasons and
lawe for the same : he replied againe that this was true, bicause they
used to sacrifice their children to the divell, as soone as they were
b o r n e ; and also bicause they usuallie conceived by spirits transformed
into mans shape, and that thereby witchcraft was naturallie ingraffed
into this child, as a disease that commeth by inheritance. /
C. Agrippa replieng against the inquisitors follie & superstitious
blindnesse, said ; O thou wicked p r e e s t ! Is this thy divinitie? Doost
thou use to drawe poore guiltlesse women to the racke by these forged
devises ? Doost thou with such sentences judge others to be heretikes,
thou being a more heretike than either Faustus or Donatus ? Be it
as thou saiest, dooest thou not frustrate the grace of Gods ordinance ;
namelie baptisme? Are the words in baptisme spoken in vaine? Or
shall the divell remaine in the child, or it in the power of the divell,
being there and then consecrated to Christ Jesus, in the name of the
father, the sonne, and the holie ghost ? And if thou defend their
false opinions, which affirm, that spirits accompanieng with women,
can ingender ; yet dotest thou more than anie of them, which never
beleeved that anie of those divels, togither with their stolne seed, doo
put part of that their seed or nature into the creature. But though
indeed we be borne the children of the divell and damnation, yet
in baptisme, through grace in Christ, sathan is cast out, and we are

of Witchcraft.

chap. 12.

29

m a d e new creatures in the Lord, from whome none can be separated
by another mans deed. The inquisitor being hereat offended,
threatened the advocate to proceed against him, as a supporter of
heretikes or witches ; yet neverthelesse he ceased not to defend the
seelie woman, and through the power of the la we he delivered hir / 37.
from the clawes of the bloodie moonke, who with hir accusers, were
condemned in a great summe of monie to the charter of the church
of Mentz, and remained infamous after that time almost to all men.
But by the waie you must understand, that this was but a petie inquisitor, and h a d not so large a commission as Cumanus,
Sprenger,
and such other had ; nor yet as the Spanish inquisitors at this daie
have. For these will admit no advocats now unto the poore soules,
except the tormentor or hangman may be called an advocate. You
may read the summe of this inquisition in few words set out by M.
John Fox in the Acts and monuments. F o r witches and heretikes John Fox in
are among the inquisitors of like reputation ; saving that the ex- monumeats.
tremitie is greater against witches, bicause through their simplicitie,
they may the more boldlie tyrannize upon them, and triumph over
them.

T h e twelfe Chapter.
What the feare of death and feeling of torments may force one to
doo, and that it is 710 marvell though witches condemne themselves
by their owne confessions so tyrannicallie
extorted.
J E that readeth the ecclesiasticall histories, or remembreth
the persecutions in Queene Maries time, shall find, that
manie good men have fallen for feare of persecution, and
returned unto the Lord againe. W h a t marvell then,
though a poore woman, such a one as is described else-where, &
tormented as is declared in these latter leaves, be m a d e to confesse
such absurd and false impossibilities; when flesh and bloud is
unable to endure such triall ? Or how can she in the middest of such
horrible tortures/ and torments, promise unto hir selfe constancie ; or 34.
forbeare to confesse anie thing ? Or what availeth it hir, to persevere
in the deniall of such matters, as are laid to her charge unjustlie ;
when on the one side there is never anie end of hir torments ; on
the other side, / if she continue in hir assertion, they saie she hath 38.
charmes for taciturnitie or silence ?
Peter the apostle renounced, curssed, and forsware his maister and Peters apostacie
our Saviour Jesus Christ, for feare of a wenches manaces ; or rather 0frchrist.Cmg
at a question demanded by hir, wherein he was not so circumvented,
as these poore witches are, which be not examined by girles, but by

2. Booke.

The discoverie

cunning inquisitors, who having the spoile of their goods, and bringing
with them into the place of judgement minds to maintaine their bloudie
purpose, spare no maner of allurements, thretenhigs, nor torments,
untill they have wroong out of them all that, which either maketh
to their owne desire, or serveth to the others destruction.
Peter (I saie) in the presence of his Lord and maister Christ, who
had instructed him in true knowledge manie yeares, being forewarned, not passing foure or five houres before, and having made a
reall league and a faithfull promise to the contrarie, without anie
other compulsion than (as hath beene said) by a question proposed by
a girle, against his conscience, forsooke, thrise denied, and abandoned his said maister: and yet he was a man illuminated, and placed
in dignitie aloft, and neerer to Christ by manie degrees, than the
witch, whose fall could not be so great as Peters j bicause she never
ascended halfe so manie steps. A pastors declination is much more
abhominable that the going astraie of anie of his sheepe : as an ambassadors conspiracie is more odious than the falshood of a common
person : or as a capteins treason is more mischeevous than a private
soldiers mutinie. If you saie, Peter repented ; I answer that the
witch dooth so likewise sometimes, and I see not in that case, but
mercie m a y be emploied upon hir. It were a mightie temptation to a
seelie old woman, that a visible divell (being in shape so ugglie, as
Danceus and others saie he is) should assalt hir in maner and forme
as is supposed, or rather avowed; speciallie when there is promise
made that none shall be tempted above their strength. T h e poore
old witch is commonlie unlearned, unwarned, and unprovided of
counsell and freendship, void of judgement and discretion to moderate
hir life and communication, hir kind and gender more weake and
fraile than the masculine, and much more subject to melancholie ; hir
bringing up and companie is so base, that nothing is to be / looked for
in hir speciallie of these extraordinarie qualities ; hir age also is commonlie such, as maketh her decrepite, which is a disease that mooveth
them to these follies.
Finallie, Christ did cleerelie remit Peter, though his offense were
committed both against his divine and h u m a n e person : yea afterwards he did put him in trust to feed his sheepe, and shewed
great countenance, freendship and love unto him. And therefore I see not, but we may shew compassion upon
these poore soules ; if they shew themselves
sorrowfull for their misconceipts
and wicked imaginations./

of Witchcraft.

chap. i.

If The third Booke.

31

40. 35.

T h e first Chapter.
The witches bargaine with the dwell, according to M. Mai. Bodin,
Nider, Danceus, Bsellus, Erastus, Hemingius, Cumanus,
Aquinas,
Bartholomceus Spineus, dr^c.
H A T which in this matter of witchcraft hath abused so
manie, and seemeth both so horrible and intolerable, is
a plaine bargaine, that (they saie) is made betwixt the
divell and the witch. And manie of great learning conceive it to be a matter of truth, a n d in their writings publish it
accordinglie : the which (by Gods grace) shall be prooved as vaine
and false as the rest.
T h e order of their bargaine or-profession is d o u b l e ; the one
solemne and publike ; the other secret and private. That which i s
called solemne or publike, is where witches come togither at certeine
assemblies, at the times prefixed, and doo not onelie see the divell in
visible forme ; but confer and talke familiarlie with him. In which
conference the divell exhorteth them to observe their fidelitie unto
him, promising them long life and prosperitie. T h e n the witches
assembled, commend a new disciple (whom they call a novice) unto
him : and if the divell find that yoong witch apt and forward in renunciation of christian faith, in despising anie of the seven sacraments, in treading upon crosses, in spetting at the time of the
elevation, in breaking their fast on fasting dales, and fasting on sundaies ; then the divell givethfoorth / his hand, and t h e novice joining
h a n d in h a n d with him, promiseth to observe and keepe all the divels
commandements.
This done, the divell beginneth to be more bold with hir, telling
hir plainlie, that all this will not serve his t u r n e ; and therefore requireth homage at hir hands : yea he also telleth hir, that she
must grant him both hir bodie and soule to be tormented in everlasting fire : which she yeeldeth unto. Then he chargeth hir, to procure as manie men, women, and children also, as she can, to enter
into this societie. T h e n he teacheth them to make ointments of the
bowels and members of children, whereby they ride in the aire, and
accomplish all their desires. So as, if there be anie children unbaptised, or not garded with the signe of the crosse, or orizons ; then the
witches may and doo catch them from their mothers sides in the
night, or out of their cradles, or otherwise kill them with their cere-

The double
witches with
t h e dlve11-

41.

Mai maief.
ftslionis.

32

3. Booke.

The discoverie

monies ; and after buriall steale them out of their graves, and seeth
them in a caldron, untill their flesh be made potable. Of the thickest
whereof they make ointments, whereby they ride in the aire ; but the
thinner potion they put into flaggons, whereof whosoever drinketh,
observing certeine ceremonies, immediatlie becommeth a maister or
36. rather a mistresse in that practise and facultie./

T h e second

Chapter.

The order of the witches homage done (as it is written by lewd
inquisitors and peevish witchmoongers) to the divell in person j of
their songs and danses, and namelie of La volta, and of other
ceremonies, also of their excourses.
J j O M E T I M E S their homage with their oth and bargaine
is received for a certeine terme of yeares ; sometimes for
ever. Sometimes it consisteth in the deniall of the
whole faith, sometimes in part. T h e first is, when the
soule is absolutelie yeelded to the divell and hell fier : the other is,
42. when they have but bargained [not] to / observe certeine ceremonies
and statutes of the c h u r c h ; as to conceale faults at shrift, to fast on
sundaies, &c. And this is doone either by oth, protestation of words,
or by obligation in writing, sometimes sealed with wax, sometimes
signed with bloud, sometimes by kissing the divels bare buttocks ; as
did a Doctor called Ed tin, who as (Bodin saith) was burned for
witchcraft.
You must also understand, that after they have delicatlie banketted
Bat.
Spineus,
cap. i. in novo
with the divell and the lad ie of the fairies ; and have eaten up a fat
Mai. male/.
oxe, and emptied a butt of malmesie, and a binne of bread at some
noble m a n s house, in the dead of the night, nothing is missed of all
this in the morning. F o r the ladie Sibylla, Minerva, or Diana with
a golden rod striketh the vessell & the binne, and they are fullie replenished againe. Yea, she causeth the bullocks bones to be brought
and laid togither upon the hide, and lappeth the foure ends thereof
togither, laieng her golden rod thereon ; and then riseth up the bullocke againe in his former estate and condition : and yet at their
returne home they are like to starve for h u n g e r ; as Spineus saith. And
Idem Ibid.
this must be an infallible rule, that everie fortnight, or at the least everie
moneth, each witch must kill one child at the least for hir part.
And here some of Monsieur Bodins lies may be inserted, who saith
I. Bod. de
d<emon. lib. 2,
that at these magicall assemblies, the witches never faile to danse ;
cap. 4.
and in their danse they sing these words ; H a r har, divell divell,
danse here, danse here, plaie here, plaie here, Sabbath, sabbath.
And
whiles they sing and danse, everie one hath a broome in hir hand,
Homage of
witches to the
divell.

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 3.

and holdeth it up aloft. Item he saith, that these night-walking or
rather night-dansing witches, brought out of Italie into France, that
danse, which is called La volta.
A part of their league is, to scrape off the oile, which is received
in extreame follie (unction I should have said). But if that be so
dangerous, they which socke the corps had neede to take great
care, that they rub not off the oile, which divers other waies may
also be thrust out of the forehead; and then I perceive all the vertue thereof is gone, and farewell it. But I marvell how they
take on to preserve the water powred on them in baptisme,
which I take to be largelie of as great force as the other; and yet
I thinke is commonlie wiped and washed off, within foure and
twentie houres / after baptisme : but this agreeth with the residue /
of their follie.
And this is to be noted, that the inquisitors affirme, that during the
whole time of the witches excourse, the divell occupieth the roome
and place of the witch, in so perfect a similitude, as hir husband in
his bed, neither by feeling, speech, nor countenance can discerne hir
from his wife. Yea the wife departeth out of her husbands armes
insensiblie, and leaveth the divell in hir roome visiblie. Wherein their
incredulitie is incredible, who will have a verie bodie in the feined
plaie, and a phantasticall bodie in the true bed : and yet (forsooth) at
the name of Jesus, or at the signe of the crosse, all these bodilie
witches (they saie) vanish awaie.

33

Mai male/.

37. 43-

GrUiandus.
wi.°traa.'

The third Chapter.
How witches are summoned to appeere before the divell, of their
riding in the aire, of their accompts, of their conference with the
divell, of his supplies, and their conference, of their farewell and
sacrifices : according to Danceus, Psellus, fy^c.
ITHERTO, for the most part, are the verie words
conteined in M. Mai. or Bodin, or rather in both ;
or else in the new M. Mai. or at the least-wise of
some writer or other, that mainteineth the almightie
power of witches. But Danceus saith, the divell oftentimes in Danausin
the likenes of a sumner, meeteth them at markets and faires, dial°s-cat'^
and warneth them to appeere in their assemblies, at a certeine
houre in the night, that he may understand whom they have slaine,
and how they have profited. If they be lame, he saith the divell
delivereth them a staffe, to conveie them thither invisiblie through the
aire ; and that then they fall a dansing and singing of bawdie songs,
wherein he leadeth the danse himselfe. Which danse, and other
conferencies being ended, he supplieth their wants of powders and
F

34

3-Booke.

The discoverie

roots to intoxicate withall; and giveth to everie novice a marke, either
with his teeth or with his clawes, and so they kisse the divels bare
44. buttocks, and depart: / not forgetting every daie afterwards to offer to
Ide. Ibidem,
him, dogs, cats, hens, or bloud of their owne. And all this dooth
Danceus report as a troth, and as it were upon his owne knowledge.
And yet else-where he saieth ; In these matters they doo but dreame,
Idem., in dialog, cap. i.
and doo not those things indeed, which they confesse through their
distemperature, growing of their melancholike humor : and therefore (saith he) these things, which they report of themselves, are but
meere illusions.
Psellus addeth hereunto, that certeine magicall heretikes, to wit ;
the Eutychians, assemblie themselves everie good fridaie at night;
and putting out the candles, doo commit incestuous adulterie, the
father with the daughter, the sister with the brother, and the sonne
with the mother; and the ninth moneth they returne and are delivered;
and cutting their children in peeces, fill their pots with their bloud ;
Card. lib. de
then burne they the carcases, and mingle the ashes therewith, and so
var.
remm.
preserve the same for magicall purposes. Cardanus writeth (though
I5» cap.%o.
38. in mine opinion not verie/ probablie) that these excourses, dansmgs,
&c : had their beginning from certeine heretikes called Duhini, who
devised those feasts of Bacchus which are named Orgia, whereunto
these kind of people openlie assembled ; and beginning with riot,
ended with this follie. Which feasts being prohibited, they nevertheles hanted them secretlie ; and when they could not doo so, then
did they it in cogitation onelie, and even to this daie (saith he) there
remaineth a certeine image or resemblance thereof among our
melancholike women.

T h e fourth

Chapter.

That there can no reall league be made with the dive11 the first
author of the league, and the weake proofes of the adversaries for
the same.
F the league be untrue, as are the residue of their
confessions, the witchmongers arguments fall to the
ground : for all the writers herein hold this bargaine
for certeine, good, and granted, and as their onelie
45. maxime. But surelie the/ indentures, conteining those covenants,
are sealed with butter; and the labels are but babies. What firme
bargaine can be made betwixt a carnall bodie and a spirituall ? Let
any wise or honest man tell me, that either hath beene a partie, or a
witnesse ; and I will beleeve him. But by what authoritie, proofe, or
Mai. Male/,
testimonie; and upon what ground all this geere standeth, if you read
far. 2. quce.y.
M, Mai. you shall find, to the shame of the reporters (who doo so
tap. 2.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 5.

varie in their tales, and are at such contrarietie :) and to the reproch
of the beleevers of such absurd lies.
For the beginning of the credit hereof, resteth upon the confession
of a baggage yoong fellow condemned to be burnt for witchcraft;
who said to the inquisitors, of likelihood to prolong his life, (if at
leastwise the storie be true, which is taken out of Niderj) If I wist
(quoth he) that I might obteine pardon, I would discover all that I
knowe of witchcraft. The which condition being accepted, and
pardon promised (partlie in hope thereof, and partlie to be rid of his
wife) he said as followeth.
The novice or yoong disciple goeth to some church, togither with
the mistresse of that profession, upon a sundaie morning, before the
conjuration of holie water, &* there the said novice renounceth the
faith, promiseth obedience in observing, or rather omitting of
ceremonies in meetings, and such other follies; and finallie, that
they doo homage to their yoong maister the divell, as they covenanted.
But this is notable in that storie, that this yoong witch, doubting
that his wives examination would bewraie his knaverie, told the
inquisitor; that in truth his wife was guiltie as well as he, but she will
never, I am sure (quoth he) though she should be burned a thousand
times, confesse any of these circumstances.
And this is in no wise to be forgotten, that notwithstanding his
contrition, his confession, and his accusation of his owne wrife (contrarie to the inquisitors / promise and oth) he and his wife were both
burned at a stake, being the first discoverers of this notable league,
whereupon the fable of witchcraft is mainteined; and whereby such
other confessions have beene from the like persons, since that time,
extorted and augmented. /

T h e fift Chapter.

35

Upon what
?eaneagueS
b an
^ to
credit.

39.

4^

Of the private league', a notable tale of Bodins concerning a French
ladie, with a confutation.
HE maner of their private league is said to be, when Themanerof
the divell invisible, and sometimes visible, in the i^ague\vSha c
middest of the people talketh with them privatelie; thediveii.
I promising, that if they will followe his counsell, he
will supplie all their necessities, and make all their endevors
prosperous : and so beginneth with small matters : whereunto they
consent privilie, and come not into the fairies assemblie.
And in this case (mee thinks) the divell sometimes, in such externall
or corporall shape, should meete with some that would not consent to
his motions (except you will saie he knoweth their cogitations) and so

36

3. Booke.

The discoverie

should be bewraied. They also (except they were idiots) would spie
him, and forsake him for breach of covenants. But these bargaines,
and these assemblies doo all the writers hereupon mainteine : and
Bodin confirmeth them with a hundred and odd lies ; among the
number whereof I will (for diverse causes) recite one.
J. Bod. lib. 2.
There was (saith he) a noble Gentlewoman at Lions, that being in
de dcemonobed with a lover of hirs, suddenlie in the night arose up, and lighted
mania. cap. 4.
a candle : which when she had done, she tooke a box of ointment,
wherewith she annointed her bodie ; and after a few words spoken,
she was carried awaie. Hir bedfellow seeing the order hereof, lept
out of his bed, tooke the candle in his hand, and sought for the ladie
round about the chamber, and in everie corner thereof. But though
he could not find hir, yet did he find hir box of ointment : and being
desirous to know the vertue thereof, besmeered himselfe therewith,
even as he perceived hir to have done before. And although he were
T h i s agreeth
not with their
not so superstitious, as to use anie words to helpe him forward in his
interpretation,
that saie, this
busines, yet by the vertue of that ointment (saith Bodin) he was
is onlie done .*,
by vertue of 4~( • immediatlie conveied / to Lorreine, into the assemblie of witches.
the legue ; nor
Which when he sawe, he was abashed, and said; In the name of
yet to them
that referre it
God, what make I heere ? And upon those words the whole assemblie
unto words:
vanished awaie, and left him there alone starke naked; and so was
quoth nota.
he faine to returne to Lions, But he had so good a conscience (for
you may perceive by the first part of the historie, he was a verie
honest man) that he accused his true lover for a witch, and caused
hir to be burned. But as for his adulterie, neither M. Mai. nor Bodin
doo once so much as speake in the dispraise thereof.
It appeareth. throughout all Bodins booke, that he is sore offended
with Cornelius Agrippa, and the rather (as I suppose) bicause the
said C. Agrippa recanted that which Bodin mainteineth, who thinketh
he could worke wonders by magicke, and speciallie by his blacke dog.
40. It should seeme he / had prettie skill in the art of divination. For
though he wrote before Bodin manie a yeare, yet uttereth he these
words in his booke De vanitate scientiarum: A certeine French
C. Agrippat
protonotarie (saith he) a lewd fellow and a coosener, hath written
cap. 51.
a certeine fable or miracle done at Lions, &°c. What
Bodin is, I knowe not, otherwise than by report; but
I am certeine this his tale is a fond fable: and
Bodin saith it was performed at Lions ;
and this man (as I understand) by profession
is a civill
lawier.

of Witchcraft.

chap.e.

37

T h e sixt Chapter.
A disproofe of their assemblies, and of their bargaine.
[KfFjKSJHAT the joining of hands with the divell, the kissing
O y J gyOl of his bare buttocks, and his scratching and biting
B i l l l l i i i °^ t n e m * a r e absurd lies ; everie one having the gift
[$SyUy£fj of reason may plainlie perceive: in so much as it
is manifest unto us by the word of God, that a spirit hath no
flesh, bones, nor sinewes, whereof hands, buttocks, claws, teeth,
and lips doo consist. For admit that the constitution of a divels
bodie (as Tatian and other affirme) consisteth in spirituall / congela- Tatianus 4&
tions, as of fier and aire ; yet it cannot be perceived of mortall
creatures. What credible witnesse is there brought at anie time, of
this their corporall, visible, and incredible bargaine ; saving the confession of some person diseased both in bodie and mind, wilfullie
made, or injuriouslie constrained ? It is mervell that no penitent
witch that forsaketh hir trade, confesseth not these things without
compulsion. Mee thinketh their covenant made at baptisme with
God, before good witnesses, sanctified with the word, confirmed with
his promises, and established with his sacraments, should be of more
force than that which they make with the divell, which no bodie
seeth or knoweth. For God deceiveth none, with whom he bargaineth; "
neither dooth he mocke or disappoint them, although he danse not
among them.
Their oth, to procure into their league and fellowship as manie as
they can (whereby everie one witch, as Bodin affirmeth, augmenteth
the number of fiftie) bewraieth greatlie their indirect dealing.
Hereof I have made triall, as also of the residue of their coosening The author
devices; and have beene with the best, or rather the woorst of them, ^ ^ u e
to see what might be gathered out of their counsels; and have proofeand
cunninglie treated with them thereabouts : and further, have sent
certeine old persons to indent with them, to be admitted into their
societie. But as well by their excuses and delaies, as by other
circumstances, I have tried and found all their trade to be meere
coosening.
I praie you what bargaine have they made with the divell, that
with their angrie lookes beewitch lambs, children, &c ? Is it not
confessed, that it is natural!, though it be a lie? What bargaine
maketh the soothsaier, which hath his severall kinds of witchcraft
and divination expressed in the scripture? Or is it not granted that
they make none? How chanceth it that we heare not of this bargaine
in the scriptures?/

3-Booke.

38

49* 41.

The discoverie

T h e seventh

Chapter.

A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions.

Confession
compulsorie ;
as by Hispanicall inquisition:
Looke Mai.
male/. &* Jo.
Bodin.
Confession
persuasorie; as
by flatterie :
Looke Bry.
Darcie against
Ursu. Kempe.

John.
Mai.

Bod,
Male/.

L. absent, de
poems.
cQt
L. 2. cumglos.
de its, qui ante
sentent. mortui sunt, sibi
necem consciscentes.

IT is confessed (saie some by the waie of objection)
even of these women themselves, that they doo these
and such other horrible things, as deserveth death,
with all extremitie, &c. Whereunto I answer, that
whosoever consideratelie beholdeth their confessions, shall perceive
all to be vaine, idle, false, inconstant, and of no weight; except their
contempt and ignorance in religion : which is rather the fault of the
negligent pastor, than of the simple woman.
First, if their confession be made by compulsion, of force or
authoritie, or by persuasion, and under colour of freendship, it is not
to be regarded ; bicause the extremitie of threts and tortures provokes i t ; or the qualitie of faire words and allurements constraines it.
If it be voluntarie, manie circumstances must be considered, to wit;
whether she appeach not hir selfe to overthrow hir neighbour, which
manie times happeneth through their cankered and malicious melancholike humor : then ; whether in that same melancholike mood
and frentike humor, she desire not the abridgment of hir owne daies.
Which thing Aristotle saith dooth oftentimes happen unto persons
subject to melancholike passions : and (as Bodin and Sprenger saie)
to these old women called witches, which manie times (as they
affirme) refuse to live ; thretning the judges, that if they may not be
burned, they will laie hands upon themselves, and so make them
guiltie of their damnation.
I my selfe have knowne, that where such a one could not prevaile,
to be accepted as a sufficient witnesse against himselfe, he presentlie
went and threw himselfe into a pond of water, where he was drowned.
But the lawe saith; Volenti mori non est habenda fides^ that is ;
His word is not to be credited that is desirous to/ die. Also sometimes (as else-where I have prooved) they confesse that whereof they
were never guiltie ; supposing that they did that which they did not,
by meanes of certeine circumstances. And as they sometimes confesse impossibilities, as that they flie in the aire, transubstantiate
themselves, raise tempests, transfer or remoove corne, &c : so doo
they also (I saie) confesse voluntarilie, that which no man could
proove, and that which no man would ghesse, nor yet beleeve, except
he were as mad as they; so as they bring death wilfullie upon themselves : which argueth an unsound mind.
If they confesse that, which hath beene indeed committed by them,

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 7.

39

as poisoning, or anie other kind of murther, which falleth into the
power of such persons to accomplish ; I stand not to defend their
cause. Howbeit, I would wish that even in that case there be not too
rash credit given, nor too hastie proceedings used against them: but
that the causes, properties, and circumstances of everie thing be dulie
considered, and diligentlie examined. For you shall understand, that Absurdities
in witches
as sometimes they confesse they have murthered their neighbours with confessions.
a wish, sometimes with a word, sometimes with a looke, &c: so they
confesse, that with/ the delivering of an apple, or some such thing, to 42.
a woman with child, they have killed the child in the mothers wombe,
when nothing was added thereunto, which naturallie could be noisome
or hurtfull.
In like maner they confesse, that with a touch of their bare hand,
they sometimes kill a man being in perfect health and strength of
bodie ; when all his garments are betwixt their hand and his flesh.
But if this their confession be examined by divinitie, philosophic,
physicke, lawe or conscience, it will be found false and insufficient.
First, for that the working of miracles is ceased. Secondlie, no
reason can be yeelded for a thing so farre beyond all reason. Thirdlie, no receipt can be of such efficacie, as when the same is touched
with a bare hand, from whence the veines have passage through the
bodie unto the hart, it should not annoie the poisoner ; and yet reteine
vertue and force enough, to pearse through so manie garments and
the verie flesh incurablie, to the place of death in another person.
cIt
Cui argumento (saith Bodin) nescio quid / responderi possii. Fourth- J. Bod. de
dcemon. lib.
lie, no lawe will admit such a confession, as yeeldeth unto im- 2. cap. 8.
possibilities, against the which there is never any lawe provided ;
otherwise it would not serve a mans turne, to plead and proove that
he was at Berwicke that daie, that he is accused to have doone a
murther in Canturburie ; for it might be said he was conveied to
Berwicke, and backe againe by inchantment. Fiftlie, he is not by conIn a little pamscience to be executed, which hath no sound mind nor
phlet of the
perfect judgement. And yet forsooth we read, that
acts and hanging of foure
one mother Stile did kill one Saddocke with a touch
witches, in
anno. 1579.
on the shoulder, for not keeping promise with
hir for an oipl cloake, to make hir a
safegard ; and that she was
hanged for hir
labour.

4<3

3. Bookie:

The discoverie
T h e eight Chapter.

What follie it were for witches to enter into such desperate perill,
and to endure such into Her able tortures for no gaine or commodities and how it comes to passe that witches are overthrowne by
their confessions.
|{LAS I if they were so subtill, as witchmongers make
them to be, they would espie that it were meere follie
for them, not onelie to make a bargaine with the
divell to throw their soules into hell fire, but their
bodies to the tortures of temporall fire and death, for the accomplishment of nothing that might benefit themselves at all: but
they would at the leastwise indent with the divell, both to inrich
them, and also to enoble them; and fmallie to endue them with all
worldlie felicitie and pleasure : which is furthest from them of all
other. Yea, if they were sensible, they would saie to the divell; Whie
should I hearken to you, when you will deceive me ? Did you not
promise my neighbour mother Dutton to save and rescue hir ; and yet
lo she is hanged ? Surelie this would appose the divell verie sore.
And it is a woonder, that none, from the beginning of the world, till
this daie, hath made this and such like objections, whereto the divell
2 could never / make answer.
But were it not more madnes for them
John Bod. 5 '
to serve the divell, under these conditions; and yet to endure/
43. whippings with iron rods at the divels hands ; which (as the witchmongers write) are so set on, that the print of the lashes remaine
upon the witches bodie ever after, even so long as she hath a daie
to live ?
But these old women being daunted with authoritie, circumvented
with guile, constrained by force, compelled by feare, induced by error,
and deceived by ignorance, doo fall into such rash credulitie, and so
are brought unto these absurd confessions. Whose error of mind and
blindnes of will dependeth upon the disease and infirmitie of nature :
and therefore their actions in that case are the more to be borne
withall; bicause they, being destitute of reason, can have no consent.
For, Delictum sine consensu non potest committi, neque injuria
L. si per errorem jurisd.
sine animo injuriandi ; that is, There can be no sinne without
cmni cum
inde.
consent, nor injurie committed without a mind to doo wrong.
Yet the lawe saith further, that A purpose reteined in mind, dooth
C. sed hoc d.
nothing to the privat or publike hurt of anie man; and much more
depubl. &c.
that an impossible purpose is unpunishable. Sance mentis voluntas,
Bah in leg.
voluntas rei possibilis est; A sound mind willeth nothing but that
which is possible.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 9.

41

T h e ninth Chapter.
How meianchoiie abuseth old women, and of the effects thereof by
sundrie examples.
16§lf^Jr a n * e m a n advisedlie marke their words, actions, cogi•PSS K r a tat * ons > anc * gestures, he shall perceive that meianchoiie
mPSm I P s ! aDOUnc iing in their head, and occupieng their braine, hath
iMffirrrntepfl deprived or rather depraved their judgements, and all their
senses: I meane not of coosening witches, but of poore melancholike
women, which are themselves deceived. For you shall understand, that
the force which meianchoiie hath, and the effects that it worketh in the
bodie of a man, or rather of a woman, are almost incredible. For as
some of these melancholike persons imagine, they are witches/ and by 53'
witchcraft can worke woonders, and doo what they list : so doo other,
troubled with this disease, imagine manie strange, incredible, and impossible things. Some, that they are monarchs and princes, and that all
other men are their subjects : some, that they are brute beasts : some,
that they be urinals or earthen pots, greatlie fearing to be broken: some,
that everie one that meeteth them, will conveie them to the gallowes ;
and yet in the end hang themselves. One thought, that Atlas, whome
the poets feigne to hold up heaven with his shoulders, would be
wearie, and let the skie fall upon him : another would spend a
whole daie upon a stage, imagining that he both heard and saw
interludes, and therewith made himselfe great sport One Theophilus
a physician, otherwise sound inough of mind (as it is said) imagined
that he heard and sawe musicians continuallie plaieng on instruments,
in a certeine place of his house. One Bessus, that had killed his father,
was notablie detected; by imagining that a swallowe upraided him
therewith : so as he himselfe thereby revealed the murther.
But the notablest example heereof is, of one that was in great 44.
perplexi/tie, imagining that his nose was as big as a house ; insomuch Of one that
as no freend nor physician could deliver him from this conceipt, nor meWholie
yet either ease his greefe, or satisfie his fansie in that behalfe : till at ^ini^that
the last, a physician more expert in this humor than the rest, used he had a nose
this devise following. First, when he was to come in at the chamber house, %>*.
doore being wide open, he suddenlie staied and withdrew himselfe ;
so as he would not in any wise approch neerer than the doore. The
melancholike person musing heereat, asked him the cause why he so
demeaned himselfe ? Who answered him in this maner : Sir, your
nose is so great, that I can hardlie enter into your chamber but I
shall touch it, and consequentlie hurt it. Lo (quoth he) this is the
man that must doo me good; the residue of my freends flatter me,
G

42

s.Booke.

The discoverie

and would hide mine infirmitie from me. Well (said the physician) I
will cure you, but you must be content to indure a little paine in the
dressing: which he promised patientlie to susteine, and conceived
certeine hope of his recoverie. Then entred the physician into the
chamber, creeping close by the walles, seeming to feare the touching
54- and hurting of his nose. Then did he blindfold him, which / being
doone, he caught him by the nose with a paire of pinsors, and threw
downe into a tub, which he had placed before his patient, a great
quantitie of bloud, with manie peeces of bullocks livers, which he had
conveied into the chamber, whilest the others eies were bound up,
and then gave him libertie to see and behold the same. He having
doone thus againe twoo or three times, the melancholike humor was
so qualified, that the mans mind being satisfied, his greefe was eased,
and his disease cured.
Thrasibulus, otherwise called Thrasillus, being sore oppressed
with this melancholike humor, imagined, that all the ships, which
arrived at port Pyrceus, were his : insomuch as he would number
them, and command the mariners to lanch, &c : triumphing at their
safe returnes, and moorning for their misfortunes. The Italian, whom
we called here in England, the Monarch, was possessed with the like
Danceus in
spirit or conceipt. Danceus himselfe reporteth, that he sawe one, that
dialog, cap. 3.
affirmed constantlie that he was a cocke; and saith that through
melancholic, such were alienated from themselves.
Now, if the fansie of a melancholike person may be occupied in
causes which are both false and impossible ; why should an old witch
J. Baptist. P.
N. cap. 2.
be thought free from such fantasies, who (as the learned philosophers
Card, de
var. rerum.
and physicians saie) upon the stopping of their monethlie melancholike
J. Wier. de
flux or issue of bloud, in their age must needs increase therein, as
prestigiis deemonum, &*c*
(through their weaknesse both of bodie and braine) the aptest
A ristotle.
persons to meete with such melancholike imaginations : with whome
their imaginations remaine, even when their senses are gone. Which
Bodin laboureth to disproove, therein shewing himselfe as good a
John. Bod.
physician, as else-where a divine.
But if they may imagine, that they can transforme their owne
bodies, which neverthelesse remaineth in the former shape : how
much more credible is it, that they may falselie suppose they can hurt
and infeeble other mens bodies ; or which is Iesse, hinder the comming of butter ? &c. But what is it that they will not imagine, and
consequentlie confesse that they can doo; speciallie being so earnestlie
45. persuaded thereunto, so sorelie tor/mented, so craftilie examined,
with such promises of favour, as wherby they imagine, that they shall
ever after live in great credit & welth ? &c.
5S> If you read the executions doone upon witches, either in times/ past

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 10.

43

in other countries, or latelie in this land; you shall see such impossibilities confessed, as none, having his right wits, will beleeve.
Among other like false confessions, we read that there was a witch Ant. Houin.
confessed at the time of hir death or execution, that she had raised
all the tempests, and procured all the frosts and hard weather that
happened in the winter 1565 : and that manie grave and wise men
beleeved hir.

The tenth Chapter.
That volunlarie confessions may be untrulie made, to the undooing
of the confessors, and of the strange operation of melancholie,
prooved by a familiar and late example.
UT that it may appeere, that even voluntarie confession
(in this case) may be untrulie made, though it tend to the
destruction of the confessor ; and that melancholie may
moove imaginations to that effect: I will cite a notable
instance concerning this matter, the parties themselves being yet
alive, and dwelling in the parish of Sellenge in Kent, and the matter
not long sithence in this sort performed.
One Ade Davie, the wife of Simon Davie, husbandman, being
reputed a right honest bodie, and being of good parentage, grew
suddenlie (as hir husband informed mee, and as it is well knowne in
these parts) to be somewhat pensive and more sad than in times past.
Which thing though it greeved him, yet he was loth to make it so
appeere, as either his wife might be troubled or discontented therewith, or his neighbours informed thereof; least ill husbandrie should
be laid to his charge (which in these quarters is much abhorred.) But
when she grew from pensivenes, to some perturbation of mind ; so as
hir accustomed rest began in the night season to be withdrawne from
hir, through sighing and secret lamentation ; and that, not without
teares, hee could not but demand the cause of hir conceipt and extraordina/rie moorning. But although at that time she covered the same,
acknowledging nothing to be amisse with hir : soone after notwithstanding she fell downe before him on hir knees, desiring him to
forgive hir, for she had greevouslie offended (as she said) both God
& him. Hir poore husband being abashed at this hir behaviour,
comforted hir, as he could ; asking hir the cause of hir trouble &
greefe : who told him, that she had, (contrarie to Gods lawe) & to
the offense of all good christians, to the injurie of him, & speciallie to
the losse of hir owne soule, bargained and given hir soule to the
divell, to be delivered unto him within short space. Whereunto hir
husband answered, saieng ; Wife, be of good cheere, this thy bargaine
is void and of none effect: for thou hast sold that which is none of

A Kentish
Lte'accident.

36.

christian
comfort of the
his wife.

3. fiooke.

The discoverie

thine to sell; sith it belongeth to Christ, who hath bought it, and
deerelie paid for it, even with his bloud, which he shed upon the
46. crosse ; so as the divell hath no interest in thee./ After this, with like
submission, teares, and penitence, she said unto him ; Oh husband, I
have yet committed another fault, and doone you more injurie : for I
have bewitched you and your children. Be content (quoth he) by the
grace of God, Jesus Christ shall unwitch us : for none evill can
happen to them that feare God.
And (as trulie as the Lord liveth) this was the tenor of his words
unto me, which I knowe is true, as proceeding from unfeigned lips,
and from one that feareth God. Now when the time approched that
the divell should come, and take possession of the woman, according
to his bargaine, he watched and praied earnestlie, and caused his wife
to read psalmes and praiers for mercie at Gods hands: and suddenlie
about midnight, there was a great rumbling beelowe under his
chamber windowe, which amazed them exceedinglie. For they conceived, that the divell was beelowe, though he had no power to come
up, bicause of their fervent praiers.
Confutation.
He that noteth this womans first and second confession, freelie and
voluntarilie made, how everie thing concurred that might serve to
adde credit thereunto, and yeeld matter for hir condemnation, would
not thinke, but that if Bodin were foreman of hir inquest, he would
crie ; Guiltie : & would hasten execution upon hir ; who would have
57' said as much before any judge in/ the world, if she had beene
examined ; and have confessed no lesse, if she had beene arraigned
therupon. But God knoweth, she was innocent of anie these crimes:
howbeit she was brought lowe and pressed downe with the weight of
this humor, so as both hir rest and sleepe were taken awaie from hir ;
& hir fansies troubled and disquieted with despaire, and such other
cogitations as grew by occasion thereof. And yet I beleeve, if any
mishap had insued to hir husband, or his children ; few witchmongers
would have judged otherwise, but that she had bewitched them. And
she (for hir part) so constantlie persuaded hir selfe to be a witch,
that she judged hir selfe worthie of death ; insomuch as being reteined
in hir chamber, she sawe not anie one carrieng a faggot to the fier,
but she would saie it was to make a fier to burne hir for witcherie.
But God knoweth she had bewitched none, neither insued there anie
hurt unto anie, by hir imagination, but unto hir selfe.
A comicaii
And as for the' rumbling, it was by occasion of a sheepe, which was
catastrophe. flawed, and hoong by the wals, so as a dog came and devoured it ;
whereby grew the noise which I before mentioned : and she being
now recovered, remaineth a right honest woman, far from such
impietie, and ashamed of hir imaginations, which she perceiveth to
have growne through melancholic

of Witchcraft,

chaP. u.

45

T h e eleventh Chapter.
The strange and divers effects of melancholie, and how the same
humor abounding in witches', or rather old women, filleth them
full of mervellous imaginations, and that their confessions are
not to be credited.
UT in truth, this melancholike humor (as the best phy- H. Card, de
sicians affirme) is the cause of all their strange, impossible, vca\rp\ I"
and incredible confessions :/ which are so fond, that I Jp-Wierus 47.
,

.

,

,

, ,

.

'

,

.

de prcest. lib, 6.

woonder how anie man can be abused thereby. Howbeit, cap. 8.
these affections, though they appeare in the mind of man, yet are they
bred in the bodie, and proceed from this humor, which is the verie
dregs of bloud, nourishing and feeding those places, from whence proceed feares, co/gitations, superstitions, fastings, labours, and such like. 5&
This maketh sufferance of torments, and (as some saie) foresight of Aristotle de
things to come, and preserveth health, as being cold and drie : it somniomaketh men subject to leanenesse, and to the quartane ague. They 2 ' ^ T ^ ^ ' 8
that are vexed therewith, are destroiers of themselves, stout to suffer
injuries, fearefull to offer violence ; except the humor be hot. They
learne strange toongs with small Industrie (as Aristotle and others
affirme.)
If our witches phantasies were not corrupted, nor their wils confounded with this humor, they would not so voluntarilie and readilie
confesse that which calleth their life in question ; whereof they could
never otherwise be convicted. J. Bodin with his lawyers physicke jo.Bod.conreasoneth contrarilie ; as though melancholie were furthest of all *™J?' Wu~
from those old women, whom we call witches : deriding the most
famous and noble physician John Wier for his opinion in that behalfe.
But bicause I am no physician, I will set a physician to him; namelie
Erastus, who hath these words, to wit, that These witches, through
their corrupt phantasie abounding with melancholike humors, by
reason of their old age, doo dreame and imagine they hurt those
things which they neither could nor doo hurt; and so thinke they
knowe an art, which they neither have learned nor yet understand.
But whie should there be more credit given to witches, when they
saie they have made a reall bargaine with the divell, killed a cow, bewitched butter, infeebled a child, forespoken hir neighbour, &c : than
when she confesseth that she transubstantiateth hir selfe, maketh it
raine or haile, flieth in the aire, goeth invisible, transferreth corne in
the grasse from one field to another ? &c. If you thinke that in the
one their confessions be sound, whie should you saie that they are
corrupt in the other ; the confession of all these things being made at

46

3. Booke.

The discoverie

one instant, and affirmed with like constancie, or rather audacitie ?
But you see the one to be impossible, and therefore you thinke
thereby, that their confessions are vaine and false. The other you
thinke may be doone, and see them confesse it, and therefore you
conclude, A posse ad esse ; as being persuaded it is so, bicause you
A ugust. lib.
thinke it may be so. But I saie, both with the divines, and
dcTrinit. 3.
philosophers, that that which is imagined of witchcraft, hath no truth
Idem, de civit. Dei.
of action ; or being besides their ima/gination, the which (for the most
Clemens, re- 59part) is occupied in false causes. For whosoever desireth to bring to
cogn. 3.
Iamblichus.
passe an impossible thing, hath a vaine, an idle, and a childish perJo. Wierus.
Card anus.
suasion, bred by an unsound mind : for Sana mentis voluntas,
Pampia.
&c.
voluntas rei possibilis est; The will of a sound mind, is the desire
48. of a possible thing./

The twelfe Chapter.
A confutation of witches confessions, especiallie concerning their
league.
| U T it is objected, that witches confesse they renounce the
An objection.
faith, and as their confession must be true (or else they
would not make it:) so must their fault be worthie of
death, or else they should not be executed. Whereunto
T h e resolution.
I answer as before ; that their confessions are extorted, or else proceed from an unsound mind. Yea I saie further, that we our selves,
which are sound of mind, and yet seeke anie other waie of salvation
than Christ Jesus, or breake his commandements, or walke not in
his steps with a livelie faith, &c : doo not onlie renounce the faith,
but God himselfe : and therefore they (in confessing that they forsake
God, and imbrace sathan) doo that which we all should doo. As
touching that horrible part of their confession, in the league which
tendeth to the killing of their owne and others children, the seething
of them, and the making of their potion or pottage, and the effects
thereof; their good fridaies meeting, being the daie of their deliverance, their incests, with their returne at the end of nine moneths,
when commonlie women be neither able to go that journie, nor to
returne, &c ; it is so horrible, unnaturall, unlikelie, and unpossible;
that if I should behold such things with mine eies, I should rather
thinke my selfe dreaming, dronken, or some waie deprived of my
senses ; than give credit to so horrible and filthie matters.
A forged
How hath the oile or pottage of a sodden child such vertue, as that
miracle.
a staffe annointed therewith, can carrie folke in the aire? Their
60. potable liquor, which (they saie) maketh maisters of that fa/cultie, is it
not ridiculous ? And is it not, by the opinion of all philosophers,

of Witchcraft.

chap. u.

47

physicians, and divines, void of such vertue, as is imputed thereunto ?
Their not fasting on fridaies, and their fasting on sundaies, their
spetting at the time of elevation, their refusall of holie water, their
despising of superstitious crosses, &c : which are all good steps
to true christianitie, helpe me to confute the residue of their confessions.

The xiii. Chapter.
A confutation of witches confessions, concerning making of tempests
and raine : of the naturall cause of raine, and that witches or
divels have no power to doo such things.
JJND to speake more generallie of all the impossible actions
referred unto them, as also of their false confessions ; I
saie, that there is none which acknowledgeth God to be
onlie omnipotent, and the onlie worker of all miracles,
nor anie other indued with meane sense, but will denie that the
elements are obedient to witches, and at their commandement; or
that they may at their pleasure send raine, haile, tempests, thunder,
lightening; when she being but an old doting woman, casteth a flint
stone o/ver hir left shoulder, towards the west, or hurleth a little sea The waies 49that witches

sand up into the element, or wetteth a broome sprig in water, and
sprinkleth the same in the aire ; or diggeth a pit in the earth, and
putting water therein, stirreth it about with hir finger ; or boileth hogs
bristles, or laieth sticks acrosse upon a banke, where never a drop
of water is; or burieth sage till it be rotten : all which things are
confessed by witches, and affirmed by writers to be the meanes that
witches use to moove extraordinarie tempests and raine, &c.
We read in M. Malefcarum, that a little girle walking abroad
with hir father in his land, heard him complaine of drought, wishing
for raine, &c. Whie father (quoth the child) I can make it raine/
or haile, when and where I list ? He asked where she learned it.
She said, of hir mother, who forbad hir to tell anie bodie thereof. He
asked hir how hir mother taught hir ? She answered, that hir mother
committed hir to a maister, who would at anie time doo anie thing
for hir. Whie then (said he) make it raine but onlie in my field. And
so she went to the streame, and threw up water in hir maisters name,
and made it raine presentlie. And proceeding further with hir father,
she made it haile in another field, at hir fathers request. Hereupon
he accused his wife, and caused hir to be burned ; and then he new
christened his child againe : which circumstance is common among
papists and witchmongers. And howsoever the first part hereof was

use to make
' ^
.Bod.
^ f e %*£
Frier Barth.
Banausic.

raine

Mal.MaUf.
cap. 12.
61.

48

3 Booke.

The dtscoverie

prooved, there is no doubt but the latter part was throughlie executed.
If they could indeed bring these things to passe at their pleasure, then
might they also be impediments unto the course of all other naturall
things, and ordinances appointed by God: as, to cause it to hold up,
when it should raine ; and to make midnight, of high noone: and by
those meanes (I saie) the divine power should beecome servile to the will
of a witch, so as we could neither eat nor drinke but by their permission.
Me thinks Seneca might satisfie these credulous or rather idolatrous
people, that runne a whorehunting, either in bodie or phansie, after
these witches, beleeving all that is attributed unto them, to the derogation of Gods glorie. He saith, that the rude people, and our ignorant
predecessors did beleeve, that raine and showers might be procured
and staied by witches charmes and inchantments: of which kind of
things that there can nothing be wrought, it is so manifest, that we need
not go to anie philosophers schoole, to learne the confutation thereof.
But Jeremie, by the word of God, dooth utterlie confound all that
Jere. 16, 22.
which may be devised for the maintenance of that foolish opinion,
saieng; Are there any among the gods of the gentiles, that sendeth
Dii
gentium
dcp.monia,
raine, or giveth showers from heaven ? Art not thou the selfe same
T h e gods of the
gentiles are
our Lord God? We will trust in thee, for thou dooest and makest
divels.
all these things. I may therefore with Brentius boldlie saie, that It
is neither in the power of witches nor divels, to accomplish that
matter ; but in God onelie. For when exhalations are drawne and
62. lifted up from out of the earth, by the power/ of the sunne, into the
middle region of the aire, the coldnes thereof constreineth and
T h e naturall
generation of
thickeneth those vapours ; which being beecome clouds, are dissolved
haile and raine.
againe by the heate of the sunne, wherby raine or haile is ingendred ;
50. raine, if by the waie the drops be not frosen and made haile. These/
circumstances being considered with the course of the whole scripture, it can neither be in the power of witch or divell to procure raine,
or faire weather
And whereas the storie of Job in this case is alledged against me
(wherein a witch is not once named) I have particularlie answered it
else-where. And therefore thus much onelie I say heere ; that Even
there, where it pleased God (as Calvine saith) to set downe circumstances for the instruction of our grosse capacities, which are not able
to conceive of spirituall communication, or heavenlie affaires; the
J o b 1, n .
divell desireth God to stretch out his hand, and touch all t h a t / i ^
hath. And though he seemeth to grant sathans desire, yet God himselfe sent fire from heaven, &c. Where, it is to be gathered, that
although God said, He is in thine hand : it was the Lords hand that
punished Job, and not the hand of the divell, who said not, Give me
l b . verse 16.
leave to plague him ; but, Laie thine hand upon him. And when Job
H e that can
lie, can steale;
as he that can
worke can plaie.

of Witchcraft,

chap. H.

49

continued faithfull notwithstanding all his afflictions, in his children,
bodie and goods ; the divell is said to come againe to God, and to
saie as before, to wit : Now stretch out thine hand, and touch his Job 2,5.
bones and his flesh. Which argueth as well that he could not doo it,
as that he himselfe did it not before. And be it here remembred, that M. Mai. and the residue of the witchmongers denie,
,

,

.

,

.

r

7

-~

,

' Mai. Male/.

that there were any witches in Jobs time. But see more hereof pa. 1, qua. 2.
elsewhere.

T h e xiiii. Chapter.
What would ensue, if witches confessions or wi\t\chmongers opinions
were true, concerning the effects of witchcraft, inchantments, &v.
JJF it were true that witches confesse, or that all writers But these
write, or that witchmongers report, or that fooles ar^faise1^^
beleeve, we should never have butter in the chearne, the consequen^

,

.

,,

£

11

nor cow in the close, nor corne in the field, nor
faire weather abroad, nor health within doores. Or if that which
is conteined in M. Mai. Bodin, &c : or in the pamphlets late set
foorth in English, of witches executions, shuld be true in those
things that witches are said to confesse, what creature could live in
securitie ? Or what needed such preparation of warres, or such trouble,
or charge in that behalfe ? No prince should be able to reigne or live
in the land. For (as Danceus saith) that one Marline a witch killed
the emperour of Germanie with witchcraft: so would our witches (if
they could) destroie all our magistrates. One old witch might overthrowe an armie roiall : and then what needed we any guns, or wild
fire, or any other instruments of warre ? A witch might supplie all
wants, and accomplish a princes will in this behalfe, even without
charge or bloudshed of his people.
If it be objected, that witches worke by the divell, and christian
princes are not to deale that way ; I answer, that few princes disposed
to battell would make conscience therin, speciallie such as take unjust
wars in hand, using other helpes, devises, & engines as unlawfull
and divelish as that; in whose campe there is neither the rule of
religion or christian order observed : insomuch as ravishments,
murthers, blasphemies and / thefts are there most commonlie and
freelie committed. So that the divell is more feared, and better
served in their camps, than God almightie.
But admit that spuldiers would be scrupulous herein, the pope
hath authoritie to dispense therewith ; as in like case he hath / doone,
by the testimonie of his owne authors and friends. Admit also, that
throughout all christendome, warres were justly mainteined, and
H

cies are not

true.

51.
Mai. Male/.
^BaS.ipineus.
64.

5°

3. Booke.

The discoverie

religion dulie observed in their camps ; yet would the Turke
and other infidels cut our throtes, or at least one anothers throte,
with the helpe of their witches ; for they would make no conscience
thereof.

T h e xv. Chapter.
Examples of forren nations, who in their warres used the assistance of witchesj of eybiting witches in Ireland, of two archers
that shot with
familiars.
Witches in
warres.

Eybiting
witches.

Pumher an
archer.

|N the warres between the kings of Denmarke and Sueveland, ij6j.
the Danes doo write, that the king of
Sueveland
caried about with him in his campe, foure
old witches, who with their charms so qualified the
Danes, as they were thereby disabled to annoie their enimies:
insomuch as, if they h a d taken in h a n d anie enterprise, they were
so infeebled by those witches, as they could performe nothing.
And although this could have no credit at the first, yet in the end,
one of these witches was taken prisoner, and confessed the whole
matter ; so as (saith he) the threds, the line, and the characters were
found in the high waie and water plashes.
T h e Irishmen
addict themselves wonderfullie to the credit and
practise hereof; insomuch as they affirme, that not onelie their children,
but their cattell, are (as they call it) eybitten, when they fall suddenlie
sicke, and terme one sort of their witches eybiters ; onelie in that
respect : yea and they will not sticke to affirme, that they can rime
either m a n or beast to death. Also the West Indians and Muscovits
doo the like : and the Hunnes (as Gregorie Turonensis writeth) used
the helpe of witches in time of war.
I find another storie written in M. Mai. repeated by Bodin; that
one souldier called Pumher, dailie through witchcraft killed with his
bowe and arrowes three of the enimies, as they stood peeping over
the walles of a castell besieged : so as in the end he killed them
65. all quite, saving one. T h e triall of the archers sinister / dealing,
and a proofe thereof expressed, i s ; for that he never lightly failed
when he shot, and for that he killed them by three a daie ; a n d h a d
shot three arrowes into a rood. This was he that shot at a pennie on
his sormes head, and made readie another arrow, to have slaine the
duke Remgrave that commanded it. And doubtlesse, bicause of his
singular dexteritie in shooting, he was reputed a witch, as dooing that
which others could not doo, nor thinke to be in the power of man to
doo : though indeed no miracle, no witchcraft, no impossibilitie nor
52. difhcultie consisted therein./

of Witchcraft.

chap. 16.

But this latter storie I can requite with a familiar example. For at
Towne Mailing in kent, one of Q. Maries justices, upon the complaint of many wise men, and a few foolish boies, laid an archer by
the heeles ; bicause he shot so neere the white at buts. F o r he was
informed and persuaded, that the poore m a n plaied with a flie, otherwise called a divell or familiar. And bicause he was certified that the
archer aforesaid shot better than the common shooting, which he
before had heard of or seene, he conceived it could not be in Gods
name, but by inchantment : whereby this archer (as he supposed by
abusing the Queenes liege people) gained some one daie two or three
shillings, to the detriment of the commonwealth, and to his owne
inriching. And therefore the archer was severelie punished, to the
great encouragement of archers, and to the wise example of justice;
but speciallie to the overthrowe of witchcraft. And now againe to
our matter.

51
A skilfull
archer punished
by an unskiifuii
Justice.

The xvi. Chapter.
Authorities
condemning the fantastical I confessions of witches,
how a popish doctor taketh upon him to disproove the same.

and

l l E R T E I N E generall councels, by their decrees, have
condemned the confessions and erronious credulitie
of witches, to be vaine, fantasticall and fabulous.
And even those, which are parcell of their league,
wherupon our witchmongers doo so build, to w i t ; their night
walkings and meetings with Herodias, and / the Pagan gods : at
which time they should passe so farre in so little a space on cockhorsse ; their transubstantiation, their eating of children, and their
pulling of them from their mothers sides, their entring into mens
houses, through chinks and little holes, where a flie can scarselie
wring out, and the disquieting of the inhabitants, & c : all which are
not onelie said by a generall councell to be meere fantasticall, and
imaginations in d r e a m e s ; but so affirmed by the ancient writers.
T h e words of the councell are these ; It may not be omitted, that
certeine wicked women following sathans provocations, being seduced
by the illusion of divels, beleeve and professe, that in the night times
they ride abroad with Diana, the goddesse of the Pagans, or else with
Herodias, with an innumerable multitude, upon certeine beasts, and
passe over manie countries and nations, in the silence of the night,
and doo whatsoever those fairies or ladies command, &c. And it
followeth even t h e r e ; Let all ministers therefore in their severall cures,
preach to Gods people, so as they may knowe all these things to be
false, &c. It followeth in the same councell; Therefore, whosoever
beleeveth that any creature may be either created by them, or else

66.

Co n cil.A cqu iren s
in decret.2d.qucE.
5. can. episcopi.
August, de spiritu <SJ° anima

cap.

8. Franc. Ponzivib. tract, de
lam. numero 49.
Griiiandus de
sort, numero. 6.

C 2
T

3. Booke.

The discoverie
changed into better or worsse, or be any way transformed into any
other kind or likenes of. any, but of the creator himselfe, is assuredlie
an infidell, and woorsse than a Pagan.
And if this be credible, then all these their bargaines and assemblies, &c : are incredible, which are onelie ratified by certeine foolish
In hist or. vel
and extorted confessions ; and by a fable of S. Germane, who
vita sancti Gerwatched the fairies or witches, being at a reere banket, and through
tnani.
53. his holinesse / staied them, till he sent to the houses of those neighbours, which seemed to be there, and found them all in b e d ; and so
tried, that these were divels in the likenesse of those women. Which
if it were as true, as it is false, it might serve well to confute this
their meeting and night-walking. F o r if the divels be onlie present
in the likenesse of witches, then is that false, which is attributed to
witches in this behalfe.
But bicause the old h a m m a r of Sprenger and Institor, in their
Novus Mai.
Mai. in quce. de
old Malleo Maleficarum,
was insufficient to knocke downe this
strigib. cap. 21.
22. 23, &>c.
councell; a yoong beetle-head called Frier Bartholomceus
Spineus
hath made a new leaden beetle, to beate downe the councell, and
67. to kill these old women. Wherein he counterfeiting / Aesops asse,
claweth the pope with his heeles : affirming upon his credit, that the
councell is false and e r r o n i o u s ; bicause the doctrine swarveth from
the popish church, and is not authenticall but apocryphall; saieng
(though untrulie) that that councell was not called by the commandement and pleasure of the pope, nor ratified by his authoritie, which
(saith he) is sufficient to disanull all councels. For surelie (saith this
frier, which at this instant is a cheefe inquisitor) if the words of this
councell were to be admitted, both I, and all my predecessors h a d
published notorious lies, and committed manie injurious executions ;
whereby the popes themselves also might justlie be detected of error,
contrarie to the catholike beleefe in that behalfe. Marrie he saith,
Bar. Spineus.
Mai. Male/,
that although the words and direct sense of this councell be quite
cap. 23. in quce.
de strigib.
contrarie to truth and his opinion ; yet he will make
an exposition thereof, that shall somewhat mitigate
the lewdnes of the same ; and this h e saith
is not onlie allowable to doo, but
also meritorious. Marke
the mans words,
and judge his
meaning.

of Witchcraft.

chap. i8.

53

The xvii. Chapter.
Witchmongers reasons, to proove that witches can worke
wonders,
Bodins tale of a Friseland preest transported, that
imaginations,
proceeding of melancholie doo cause illusions.
LD M. Maleficarum
also saith, that the councels and
doctors were all deceived heerein, and alledging authoritie
therfore, confuteth that opinion by a notable reason,
called Petitio principii,
or rather, Ignotum per ignotius, in this maner : They can put changlings in the place of
other children ; Ergo they can transferre and transforme themselves and others, &c : according to their confession in that behalfe.
Item h e saith, and Bodin justifieth it, that a preest in Friseland
was corporallie transferred into a farre countrie, as witnessed
another preest of Oberdorf his companion, who saw him aloft
in the aire : Ergo saith M. Mai. they have all beene decei/ved
hitherto, to the great impunitie of horrible witches. Wherein he
opposeth his follie against God and his church, against the truth, and
against all possibilitie.
But surelie it is almost incredible, how
imagination shall abuse such as are subject unto melancholie ; so as
they shall beleeve they see, heare, and doo that, which never was
nor shall b e ; as is partlie declared, if you read Galen De locis
affectis, and may more / plainelie appeere also if you read Aristotle
De somnio.
And thereof S. Augustine saith well, that he is too much a foole
and a blockhead, that supposeth those things to be doone indeed,
and corporallie, which are by such persons phantasticallie imagined :
which phantasticall illusions do as well agree and accord (as Algerus
saith) with magicall deceipts, as the veritie accompanieth divine
holinesse.

Mai. Male/.
GuU. Parlsi.

68.

54.
August, de

Lib. l.cat.j.
de eucharist.

T h e xviii. Chapter.
That the confession of witches is insufficient in civill and common
lawe to take awaie life.
What the sounder divines, and decrees
of councels determine in this case.
|iLAS ! what creature being sound in state of mind, it is not likelie
' would (without compulsion) make such maner of con- S f o ^ ^ a H e .
fessions as they d o ; or would, for a trifle, or nothing
make a perfect bargaine with the divell for hir soule,
to be yeelded up unto his tortures and everlasting flames, and
that within a verie short time ; specialise being through age most

C\A

3. Booke.

The discoverie

commonlie unlike to live one whole yeare? T h e terror of hell
fire must needs be to them diverslie manifested, and much more
terrible ; bicause of their weaknesse, nature, and kind, than to any
o t h e r : as it would appeere, if a witch were but asked, Whether
she would be contented to be hanged one yeare hence, upon
condition hir displesure might be wreked upon hir enimie p r e sentlie.
As for theeves, & such other, they thinke not to go
to hell fire; but are either persuaded there is no hell, or that
69. their crime deserveth it not, or else that they have time e/nough
to r e p e n t : so as, no doubt, if they were perfectlie resolved heereof,
they would never make such adventures. Neither doo I thinke, that
for any summe of monie, they would make so direct a bargaine to go
to hell fire. Now then I conclude, that confession in this behalf is
insufficient to take awaie the life of any body ; or to atteine such
For as Augustine
A ugust. de civit. credit, as to be beleeved without further proofe.
Dei. Isidor. lib.
and Isidore, with the rest of the sounder divines saie, that these
(g. cap. 9.)
Etymol. 26. quce. prestigious things, which are wrought by witches are fantasticall : so
5. ca. nee
mirum.
doo the sounder decrees of councels and canons agree, that in that
Ponzivibius de
case, there is no place for criminall action. And the lawe saith, that
la mi is, volum.
10.
T h e confession of such persons as are illuded, must needs be
L. error, &> L.
erronious, and therefore is not to be admitted : for, Confessio
cum fost. c. de
juris & facti
debet tenere verum &* possibile.
But these things are opposite
ignor. ac in L.
de (etat. §. item
both to lawe and nature, and therfore it followeth n o t ; Bicause these
de interrog.
witches confesse so, Ergo it is so. F o r the confession differeth
actio.
Per glos. Bal.
from the act, or from the possibilitie of the act. And whatsoever is
&* alios in L.
1. c. de confes.
contrarie to nature faileth in his principles, and therefore is naturallie
glos. nee. si de
confes. in 6. § ad impossible.
leg. Aquil L.
Neracius. §. fin.
Ut per Bald. &*
August, in L. I.
c. de confess,
&c.
Extra.de
presump.
literas.
Per Bald, in d.
leg. &c.
Extra, de test
cum Uteris.
Mai.
Malefpa.
3 qucest. 5.
55.
cap. 11.

T h e lawe also saith, In criminalibus
regulariter
non
statur
soli confessioni rei. In criminall cases or touching life, we must not
absolutelie stand to the confession of the accused partie : but in
these matters proofes must be brought more cleare than the light it
selfe. A n d in this crime no bodie must be condemned upon presumptions. And where it is objected and urged, that Since God
onelie knoweth the thoughts, therefore there is none other waie of
proofe/ but by confession : It is answered thus in the lawe, to wit:
Their confession in this case conteineth an outward act, and the same
impossible both in lawe and nature, and also unlikelie to be t r u e ;
and therefore Quod verisimile
non est, attendi non debet. So
as, though their confessions may be worthie of punishment, as
whereby they shew a will to commit such mischeefe, yet not worthie
of credit, as that they have such power. For, Si factum
absit,
soldque opinione laborent, e stultorum genere sunt;
If they confesse a fact performed but in opinion, they are to be reputed

of Witchcraft.

chap. i9.

among the number of fooles. Neither may any man be by lawe condemned for criminall causes, upon presumptions, nor yet by single
witnesses : neither at the accusation of a capitall enimie, who indeed
is not to be admitted to give evidence in this case ; though it please/
M. Mai. and Bodin to affirme the contrarie. But beyond all equitie,
these inquisitors have shifts and devises enow, to plague and kill
these poore soules : for (they say) their fault is greatest of all others ;
bicause of their carnall copulation with the divell, and therefore they
are to be punished as heretikes, foure maner of waies : to wit; with
excommunication, deprivation, losse of goods, and also with death.
And indeede they find lawe, and provide meanes thereby to
mainteine this their bloudie humor. For it is written in their popish
canons, that As for these kind of heretikes, how much soever they
repent and returne to the faith, they may not be reteined alive, or kept
in perpetuall prison ; but be put to extreame death. Yea, M. Mai.
writeth, that A witches sinne is the sinne against the Holie-ghost ; to
wit, irremissible : yea further, that it is greater than the sinne of the
angels that fell. In which respect I wonder, that Moses delivered not
three tables to the children of Israeli; or at the leastwise, that he exhibited not commandements for it. It is not credible that the greatest
should be included in the lesse, &c.
But when these witchmongers are convinced in the objection
concerning their confessions ; so as thereby their tyrannicall arguments cannot prevaile, to imbrue the magistrates hands in so much
bloud as their appetite requireth : they fall to accusing them of other
crimes, that the world might thinke they had some colour to
mainteine their malicious furie against them.

55

70.

Mai. male/,
qucest. 14. pa.

C. de male/. L.
nullus.
Lnemo.
& L. culpa, and
affirmed by
Mai. male/.
Mai. male/,
qucest. 17.

T h e xix. Chapter.
Of foure capitall crimes objected against witches\ allfullie answered
and confuted as frivolous.
IRST therefore they laie to their charge idolatrie. But 1. idolatrie, con alas without all reason : for such are properlie knowne
to us to be idolaters, as doo externall worship to idols
or strange gods. The furthest point that idolatrie can
be stretched unto, is, that they, which are culpable therein, are
such as hope for and seeke salvation at / the hands of idols, or of 71anie other than God ; or fix their whole mind and love upon
anie creature, so as the power of God be neglected and contemned thereby. But witches nei/ther seeke nor beleeve to have 5Q.
salvation at the hands of divels, but by them they are onlie
deceived; the instruments of their phantasie being corrupted, and

56

3. Booke.

The discoverie

so infatuated, that they suppose, confesse, and saie they can doo
that, which is as farre beyond their power and nature to doo, as to
kill a man at Yorke before noone, when they have beene seene at
London in that morning, &c. But if these latter idolaters, whose
idolatrie is spirituall, and committed onelie in mind, should be
punished by death ; then should everie covetous man, or other, that
setteth his affection anie waie too much upon an earthlie creature, be
executed, and yet perchance the witch might escape scotfree.
Secondlie, apostasie is laid to their charge, whereby it is inferred,
2. Apostasie,
confuted.
that they are worthie to die. But apostasie is, where anie of sound
judgement forsake the gospell, learned and well knowne unto them ;
and doo not onelie imbrace impietie and infidelitie; but oppugne and
resist the truth erstwhile by them professed. But alas these poore
women go not about to defend anie impietie, but after good admonition repent.
Thirdlie, they would have them executed for seducing the people.
3. Seducing of
the people,
But God knoweth they have small store of Rhetorike or art to seduce ;
confuted.
except to tell a tale of Robin good-fellow be to deceive and seduce.
Neither may their age or sex admit that opinion or accusation to be
just : for they themselves are poore seduced soules. I for my part
(as else-where I have said) have prooved this point to be false in
most apparent sort.
4. Carnall copuFourthlie, as touching the accusation, which all the writers use
lation with I n cubus, confuted. herein against them for their carnall copulation with Incubus : the
follie of mens credulitie is as much to be woondered at and derided, as
the others vaine and impossible confessions. For the divell is a
spirit, and hath neither flesh nor bones, which were to be used in the
performance of this action. And since he also lacketh all instruments,
substance, and seed ingendred of bloud ; it were follie to staie overlong in the confutation of that, which is not in the nature of things.
And yet must I saie somewhat heerein, bicause the opinion hereof is
72. so stronglie and universallie received, / and the fables hereupon so innumerable ; wherby M. Mai. Bodin^ Hemingius^ Hyperius, Danczus,
J5rastus,a.nd others that take upon them to write heerein, are so abused,
or rather seeke to abuse others ; as I woonder at their fond credulitie
in this behalfe. For they affirme undoubtedlie, that the divell plaieth
H o w the divell
Succubus to the man, and carrieth from him the seed of generation,
plaieth Succubus
which he delivereth as Incubus to the woman, who manie
and Incubus.
times that waie is gotten with child ; which will
verie naturallie (they saie) become a
witch, and such a one they
affirme Merline
was.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 30.

57

T h e xx. Chapter.
A request to stick readers as loath to heare or read Jilthie and
bawdie matters (which of necessitie are heere to be inserted) to
passe over eight chapters.
| U T in so much as I am driven (for the more manifest dreaders™ t0
bewraieng and displaieng of this most filthie and
horrible error) to staine my paper with / writing thereon 57.
certeine of their beastlie and bawdie assertions and
examples, whereby they confirme this their doctrine (being my
selfe both ashamed, and loth once to thinke upon such filthinesse, although it be to the condemnation thereof) I must intreat
you that are the readers hereof, whose chaste eares cannot well
endure to heare of such abhominable lecheries, as are gathered out of
the bookes of those witchmongers (although doctors of divinitie, and
otherwise of great authoritie and estimation) to turne over a few
leaves, wherein (I saie) I have like a groome thrust their bawdie
stuffe (even that which I my selfe loath) as into a stinking
corner : howbeit, none otherwise, I hope, but
that the other parts of my writing
shall remaine sweet, and
this also covered as
close as m a y
be./

I

58

. Bookc.

73- 85.

The dtscoverie

If The fourth

Booke.

T h e first Chapter.
Of witchmongers opinions concerning evill spirits, how they frame
themselves in 7nore excellent sort than God made us.
Mai.
male/.
Par. 2. cap. 4.
qucest. 1.

If his bodilie
eies were out, he
would see but
ilfavoredlie.

7+

\AMES SPRENGER and Henrie Institor, in M. Mai.
agreing with Bodin, Barth. Spineus, Danceus, Erastus, Hemingius, and the rest, doo make a bawdie
discourse ; labouring to proove by a foolish kind of
philosophic, that evill spirits cannot onlie take earthlie forms
and shapes of men ; but also counterfeit hearing, seeing, &c : and
likewise, that they can eate and devoure meats, and also reteine,
digest, and avoid the same : and finallie, use diverse kinds of activities, but speciallie excell in the use and art of venerie. For M. Mai.
saith, that The eies and eares of the mind are farre more subtill than
bodilie eies or carnall eares. Yea it is there affirmed, that as they
take bodies, and the likenesse of members ; so they take minds and
similitudes of their operations. But by the way, I would have them
answer this question. Our minds and soules are spirituall things. If
our corporall eares be stopped, what can they heare or conceive of
anie externall wisedome ? And truelie, a man of such a constitution
of bodie, as they imagine of these spirits, which make themselves,
&c : were of farre more excellent substance, &c : than the bodies of
them that God made in paradise ; and so the divels workmanship
should exceed the handie worke of God the father and creator of all
things. /

T h e second

Chapter.

Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of
venerie may be performed betweene witches and divels, and when
witches first yeelded to Incubus.
Nider in f0micar io.
T. Brabant in
lib. de apib.

||ERETOFORE (they saie) Incubus was faine to ravish
women against. their will, untill Anno. 1400 : but now
since that time witches consent willinglie to their
desires : in so much as some one witch exerciseth
that trade of lecherie with Incubus twentie or thirtie yeares togither ;
as was confessed by fourtie and eight witches burned at Ravensfiurge.

of Witchcraft,

chaP. *.

But what goodlie fellowes Incubus begetteth upon these witches,
is prooved by Thomas of Aquine,
Bodin, M. MaL Hyperius,
&*c.
This is prooved first by the divels cunning, in discerning the difference of the seed which falleth from men. Secondlie, by his understanding of the aptnes of the women for the receipt of such seed.
Thirdlie by his knowledge of the constellations, which are freendlie to
such corporall effects. A n d lastlie, by the excellent complexion of
such as the divell maketh choice of, to beget such notable personages
upon, as are the/ causes of the greatnesse and excellencie of the child
thus begotten.
And to proove that such bawdie dooings betwixt the divell and
witches is not fained, S. Augustine
is alledged, who saith, that Ail
superstitious arts h a d their beginning of the pestiferous societie
betwixt the divell and man. Wherein he saith truelie ; for that in
paradise, betwixt the divell and man, all wickednes was so contrived,
that man ever since hath studied wicked arts : yea and the divell will
be sure to be at the middle and at both ends of everie mischeefe.
But that the divell ingendreth with a woman, in maner and forme
as is supposed, a n d naturallie begetteth the wicked, neither is it true,
nor Atigustines meaning in this place.
Howbeit M. Mai. proceedeth, affirming that All witches take/ their
beginning from such filthie actions, wherein the divell, in likenes of
a prettie wench, lieth prostitute as Succubus to the man, and reteining
his nature and seede, conveieth it unto the witch, to whome he deliv e r e d it as Incubus.
Wherein also is refuted the opinion of them
that hold a spirit to be unpalpable. M. Mai. saith, T h e r e can be
rendred no infallible rule, though a probable distinction may be set
downe, whether Incubus in the act of venerie doo alwaies powre seed
out of his assumed bodie. And this is the distinction ; Either she is
old and barren, or yoong and pregnant. If she be barren, then dooth
Incubus use hir without decision of seed ; bicause such seed should
serve for no purpose. A n d the divell avoideth superfluitie as much
as he m a y ; and yet for hir pleasure and condemnation togither, he
goeth to worke with hir. But by the waie, if the divell were so compendious, what should he need to use such circumstances, even in
these verie actions, as to m a k e these assemblies, conventicles, ceremonies, &c : when he h a t h alreadie bought their bodies, and bargained for their soules ? Or what reason had he, to make them kill
so manie infants, by whom he rather loseth than gaineth any thing ;
bicause they are, so farre as either he or we knowe, in better case than
we of riper yeares by reason of their innocencie ? Well, if she be not
past children, then stealeth he seed awaie (as hath beene said) from

59
in. sen.dist. 4,
art 4
''
Gen. 6,4.

59.
Mai. male/.
**£ J;/^f" x
doctrina Christ,

75.

maief.
- l'^ar-x-

MaL
u<e

v

6o

Mai. male/,
par. 1. qua. 1.
Dan&us in
dialog, de
sortiariis.
Ja. Sprenger
in Mai. male.

60. j6.

4. Booke.

The discoverie

some wicked man being about that lecherous busines, and therewith
getteth yoong witches upon the old.
And note, that they affirme that this businesse is better accomplished
with seed thus gathered, than that which is shed in dremes, through
superfluitie of humors : bicause that is gathered from the vertue of the
seed generative. And if it be said that the seed will wax cold by the
waie, and so lose his naturall heate, and consequentlie the vertue :
M. Mai. Dan<zus, and the rest doo answere, that the divell can so
carrie it, as no heate shall go from it, &c.
Furthermore, old witches are sworne to procure as manie yoong
virgins for Incubus as they can, whereby in time they growe to be
excellent bawds : but in this case the preest plaieth Incubus. For
you shall find, that confession to a preest, and namelie this word
Benedicite, driveth Incubus awaie, when Ave Maries, crosses, and all
other charmes faile./

T h e third

Chapter.

Of the divels visible &* invisible dealing with witches in the waie
of lecherie.

This was doone
at Raven spurge.

Mal. Male/.

||UT as touching the divels visible or invisible execution
of lecherie, it is written, that to such witches, as before
have made a visible legue with the preest, (the divell
I should saie) there is no necessitie that Incubus should
appeere invisible : marrie to the standers by hee is for the most
part invisible. For proofe hereof James Sprenger and Institor
affirme, that Manie times witches are seene in the fields, and
woods, prostituting themselves uncovered and naked up to the navill,
wagging and mooving their members in everie part, according to the
disposition of one being about that act of concupiscence, and yet nothing seene of the beholders upon hir ; saving that after such a convenient time as is required about such a peece of worke, a blacke
vapor of the length and bignesse of a man, hath beene seene as it
were to depart from hir, and to ascend from that place. Neverthelesse, manie times the husband seeth Incubus making him cuckhold,
in the likenesse of a man, and sometimes striketh off his head with
his sword : but bicause the bodie is nothing but aire, it closeth
togither againe : so as, although the goodwife be some times hurt
thereby ; yet she maketh him beleeve he is mad or possessed, & that
he dooth he knoweth not what. For she hath more pleasure and
delight (they say) with Incubus that waie, than with anie mortall
man : whereby you may perceive that spirits are palpable. /

of Witchcraft.

chap. 4.

T h e fourth Chapter.

61
77.

That the power of generation is both outwardlie and inwardlie
impeached by witches', and of divers that had their genitals
taken
from them by witches, and by the same meanes againe restored.
| C f j P 1 S ^ | H E Y also affirme, that the vertue of generation is
leipS feffill i m P e a c n e ( i by witches, both inwardlie, and outward| P | | y W%M\ l ' e : f ° r intrinsecallie they represse the courage, and
I L ^ L T ^ S J I they stop the passage of the m a n s seed, so as it m a y
not descend to the vessels of generation : also they hurt extrinsecallie, with images, hearbs, &c. And to proove this true, you shall
heare certeine stories out of M. Mai. worthie to be noted.
A yoong priest at Mespurge in the diocesse of Constance was be- Mai. Male/.
witched, so as h e h a d no power to occupie any other or mo women cf^'^'qua'''
than one ; and to be delivered out of that thraldom, sought to flie into
another countrie, where he might use that preestlie occupation more
freelie. But all in vaine ; for evermore he was brought as far backward by night, as he went forward in the daie before ; sometimes by
land, sometimes in the aire, as though he flew. And if this be not
true, I am sure that fames Sprenger dooth lie.
For the further confirmation of our beleefe in Incubus, M. Mai.
citeth a storie of a notable matter executed at Ravenspurge, as true
and as cleanlie/ as the rest. A yoong man lieng with a wench in that 61.
towne (saith he) was faine to leave his instruments of venerie behind
him, by meanes of that prestigious art of witchcraft : so as in that
place nothing could be seene or felt but his plaine bodie. This yoong
man was willed by another witch, to go to hir whom he suspected,
and tiy faire or fowle meanes to require hir helpe : who soone after
meeting with hir, intreated hir faire, but that was in vaine ; and therefore h e caught hir by the throte, and with a to well strangled hir,
saieng : Restore me my/ toole, or thou shalt die for it : so as she being 78.
swolne and blacke in the face, and through his boisterous handling
readie to die, said ; Let me go, and I will helpe thee. And whilest he
was loosing the towell, she put hir hand into his codpeece, and
touched the place ; saieng ; Now hast thou thy desire : and even at
that instant he felt himselfe restored.
Item, a reverend father, for his life, holinesse, and knowledge Ja. sprenger. in
notorious, being a frier of the order and companie of Spire, reported, par.'™quce.\.
that a yoong man at shrift m a d e lamentable moane unto him for the
like losse : but his gravitie suffered him not to beleeve lightlie any
such reports, and therefore m a d e the yoong man untrusse his codpeece point, and sawe the complaint to be true and just. Whereupon

62

4. Booke.

Mai.
male/,
cap. 7. par. 2.
qucest. 1.

Note.

62.

79-

The discoverie

he advised or rather injoined the youth to go to the witch whome he
suspected, and with flattering words to intreat hir, to be so good unto
him, as to restore him his instrument : which by that meanes he obteined, and soone after returned to shew himselfe thankfull; and told
t h e holie father of his good successe in that behalfe : but he so beleeved him, as he would needs be Oculatus testis, and made him pull
downe his breeches, and so was satisfied of the troth and certeintie
thereof.
Another yoong m a n being in that verie taking, went to a witch for
the restitution thereof, who brought him to a tree, where she shewed
him a nest, and bad him clime up and take it. And being in the top
of the tree, he tooke out a mightie great one, and shewed the same to
hir, asking hir if he might not have the same. N a i e (quoth she)
that is our parish preests toole, but take anie other which thou wilt.
And it is there affirmed, that some have found 20. and some 30. of
them in one nest, being there preserved with provender, as it were
at the racke and manger, with this note, wherein there is no contradiction (for all must be true that is written against witches) that
If a witch deprive one of his privities, it is done onlie by prestigious
meanes, so as the senses are but illuded. Marie by the divell it is
reallie taken awaie, and in like sort restored. T h e s e are no jestes, for
they be written by them that were and are judges upon the lives and
deaths of those persons. /

T h e fift

Chapter.

Of bishop Sylvanus
his leacherie opened and covered againe, how
maides having yellow haire are most combred with Incubus-, how
maried men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to
refuse their own.
In vita
ronym.

Hie-

Saincts as holie
and chaste as
horsses &°
mares.

OU shall read in the legend, how in the night time
Incubus came to a ladies bed side, and made hot loove
unto h i r : whereat she being offended, cried out so lowd,
that companie came and found him under hir bed in the
likenesse of the holie bishop Sylvanus, which holie man was much
defamed therebie, untill at the length this infamie was purged by the
confession of a divell m a d e at S. Jeroins toombe. Oh excellent
peece of witchcraft or cousening wrought by Sylvanus ! Item, S.
Christine would needes take unto hir another maides Incubus, and
lie in hir roome : and the storie saith, that she was shrewdlie accloied.
But she was a shrew indeed, that would needes change beds with
hir fellow, that was troubled everie night with Incubus, and deale
with him hir selfe. But here the inquisitors note maie not be for-

of Witchcraft.

chaP.6.

63

gotten, to wit: that Maides having yellow haire are most molested Maides having
• ii• •
A 1
•
.
.
,
,
n
n
J yellow haire.
T
with this spirit. Also it is written m the Legend, of rS. Barnard,
that a pretie wench that had had the use of Incubus his bodie by the
space of six or seven yeares in Aquitania (being beelike wearie of
him for that he waxed old) would needes go to S. Barnard another
while. But Incubus told hir, that if she would so forsake him, being
so long hir true loover, he would be revenged upon hir, &c. But
befall what would, she went to S. Barnard, who tooke hir his staffe,
and bad her laie it in the bed besides hir. And indeed the divell
fearing the bedstaffe, or that S. Barnard laie there himselfe, durst
not approch into hir chamber that night: what he did afterwards,
I am uncerteine. Marrie you may find other circumstances hereof,
and manie other like bawdie lies in the golden Legend. But here
againe we maie not forget the in/quisitors note, to wit; that manie Mai. Male/. So.
are so bewitched that they cannot use their owne wives : but anie £*£ \\quce'2'
other bodies they maie well enough away withall. Which witchcraft
is practised among manie bad husbands, for whom it were a good
excuse to saie they were bewitched.

The sixt Chapter.
How to procure the dissolving of bewitched love, also to enforce
a man (how proper so ever he be) to love an old hag: and of a
bawdie tricke of a priest in Gelderland.
||HE priests saie, that the best cure for a woman thus
molested, next to confession, is excommunication. But
to procure the dissolving of bewitched and constrained
love, the partie bewitched must make a jakes of the
lovers shooe. And to enforce a man, how proper so ever he be, to
love an old hag, she giveth unto him to eate (among other meates)
hir owne doong: and this waie one old witch made three abbats of
one house succes/sivelie to die for hir love as she hir selfe confessed,
by the report of M. Mai. In Gelderland a priest persuaded a si eke
woman that she was bewitched; and except he might sing a masse
upon hir bellie, she could not be holpen. Whereunto she consented,
and laie naked on the altar whilest he sang masse, to the satisfieng of his lust; but not to the ^release of hir greefe.
Other cures I will speake of in other places more
civill. Howbeit, certeine miraculous
cures, both full of bawderie and
lies, must either have
place here, or
none at all./

63.
of a bawdie
gjest in Geider[* ? reieate.]

64

4-Booke.
81.

The discoverie
T h e seventh Chapter.

Of divers saincts and holie persons, which were exceeding bawdie
and lecherous, and by certeine miraculous meanes became chaste.
In coll. patrum.

\ASSIANUS
writeth, that S. Syren being of bodie verie
lecherous, and of mind woonderfull religious, fasted and
praied ; to the end his bodie might be reduced miraculouslie to chastitie. At length came an angell unto him
by night, and cut out of his flesh certeine kernels, which were the
sparkes of concupiscence ; so as afterwards he never had anie more
motions of the flesh. It is also reported, that the abbat Equicius
Gregor. lib.
dial. 2.
being naturallie as unchast as the other, fell to his beads so devoutlie
for recoverie of honestie, that there came an angell unto him in an
apparition, that seemed to geld him; and after that (forsooth) he
was as chaste as though he had had never a stone in his breech; and
before that time being a ruler over monkes, he became afterwards a
Even as it is said Helias the holie monke
In vitis tatrum. governour over nunnes.
Heraclides in
gathered thirtie virgins into a monasterie, over whom he ruled and
Paradiso.
reigned by the space of two yeares, and grew so proud and hot in the
codpeece, that he was faine to forsake his holie house, and flie to a
desert, where he fasted and praied two daies, saieng; Lord quench
my hot lecherous humors, or kill me. Whereupon in the nightfollowing, there came unto him three angels, and demanded of him
why he forsooke his charge : but the holie man was ashamed to tell
them. Howbeit they asked him further, saieng ; Wilt thou returne
to these damsels, if we free thee from all concupiscence ? Yea (quoth
he) with all my heart. And when they had sworne him solemnelie so
to doo, they tooke him up, & gelded him ; and one of them holding
his hands, and another his feete, the third cut out his stones. But the
storie saith it was not so ended, but in a vision. Which I beleeve,
because within five daies he returned to his minions, who pitiouslie
82. moorned for him all this/ while, and joyfullie embraced his sweete
companie at his returne. The like storie dooth Nider write
Nider in f0miof Thomas, whome two angels cured of that
cario.
lecherous disease ; by putting about
him a girdle, which they
brought downe with
them from
heaven.

of Witchcraft.

chap. s.

65

The eight Chapter.
Certeine popish

and magicall cures, for them that are bewitched
their
privities.

in

| | 0 R direct cure to such as are bewitched in the privie
members, the first and speciall is confession : then follow
in a row, holie water, and / those ceremoniall trumperies, 64Ave Maries, and all maner of crossings ; which are all
said to be wholesome, except the witchcraft be perpetuall, and in
that case the wife maie have a divorse of course.
Item, the eating of a haggister or pie helpeth one bewitched in A liter.
that member.
A liter.
Item, the smoke of the tooth of a dead man.
A liter.
Item, to annoint a mans bodie over with the gall of a crow.
Item, to fill a quill with quicke silver, and laie the same under the
cushine, where such a one sitteth, or else to put it under the threshold
of the doore of the house or chamber where he dwelleth.
Item, to spet into your owne bosome, if you be so bewitched, is A liter.
verie good.
Item, to pisse through a wedding ring. If you would know who is A liter.
hurt in his privities by witchcraft; and who otherwise is therein
diseased, Hostiensis answereth : but so, as I am ashamed to english
it : and therefore have here set downe his experiment in Latine ;
Quando virga nullatenus movetur, &* nunquam potuit
cognoscere;
hoc est signum frigiditatis:
sed quando movetur &r* erigitur, perficere
autem non potest, est signum
maleficii.
But Sir Th. Moore hath such a cure in this matter, as I am S. Thomas
Moores, medicinashamed to write, either in Latine or English : for in filthie baw- able receipt, &c.
derie it passeth all the tales that ever I heard. But that is / rather S3a medicine to procure generation, than the cure of witchcraft, though
it serve both turnes.
Item, when ones instrument of venerie is bewitched, certeine AUter.
characters must be written in virgine parchment, celebrated and
holied by a popish p r i e s t ; and thereon also must the 141. Psalme be
written, and bound Ad virifascinati
coxam.
Item, one Katharine Loe (having a husband not so readilie disposed AUter.
that waie as she wished him to be) made a waxen image to the
likenes of hir husbands bewitched member, and offered it up at S.
Anthonies altar; so as, through the holinesse of the masse it might be
sanctified, to be more couragious, and of better disposition and
abilitie, &c.
K

66

A' Booke.

The discovei'ie
T h e ninth Chapter.

A strange cure doone to one that was molested with

Incubus.

|OW being wearied with the rehearsall of so m a n i e
lecheries most horrible, and very filthie and fabulous
actions and passions of witches, together with the spirit
Incubus, I will end with a true storie taken out of Jason
Pratensis, which though it be rude, yet is it not altogither so
Jaso. Pratensis
de cerebri morbo,
uncleane as the rest.
ca, 16.
T h e r e came (saith he) of late a masse priest unto me, making
pitious moane, and saieng, that if I holpt him not, he should be
undoone, and utterlie overthrowne ; so great was his infirmitie: for
(saith he) I was woont to be faire and fat, and of an excellent complexion ; and lo how I looke, being now a verie ghost consisting of
•skinne and bone, &c. W h a t is the matter (quoth Jason ?) I will
shew you sir, said the priest. There commeth unto mee, almost
65. everie night, a certeine woman, unknowne unto me, and/ lieth so
heavie upon my brest, that I cannot fetch my breath, neither have
anie power to crie, neither doo my hands serve m e to shoove hir
awaie, nor my feete to go from hir. I smiled (quoth Jason) and told
84, him that he was vexed with a disease called In/cubus, or the m a r e ;
T h e priest is _
and the residue was phantasie and vaine imagination. Naie (said
opinionative in
the priest) it cannot be s o : for by our blessed ladie, I tell you
the error of his
phantasies
nothing but that with waking I saw with mine eies, and felt with
mine hands. I see hir when she commeth upon me, and strive to
r e p e l l h i r ; but I am so infeebled that I cannot: and for remedie I
have runne about from place to place, but no helpe that I could get.
At length I went to an old frier that was counted an od fellow; and
thought to have h a d help at his hands, but the divell a whit had I of
h i m ; saving that for remedie he willed me to praie to God; whome I
am sure I wearied with my tedious praiers long before. T h e n went I
unto an old woman (quoth the priest) who was said to be a cunning
witch: and she willed me, that the next morning, about the dawning
of the daie, I should pisse, and immediatlie should cover the pispot,
or stop it with my right netherstocke, and before night the witch
should come to visit me. And although (quoth he) the respect of
mine orders somewhat terrified me from the execution of hir advise;
yet my necessities diverse waies, and speciallie my paines moved
m e to m a k e triall of hir words. And by the masse (quoth the priest)
hir prophesie fell out as sure as a club. F o r a witch came to my
house, and complained of a greefe in hir bladder, and that she could
not pisse. But I could neither by faire nor fowle meanes obteine at

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 10.

67

hir hands, that she would leave molesting me by night; but she
keepeth hir old custome, determining by these filthie meanes to
dispatch me. I could hardlie (saith Jason) reclaime him from this The priest
mad humor; but by that time he had beene with me three or foure recovered.
times, he began to comfort himselfe, and at last perceiving it, he
acknowledged his disease, and recovered the same./

T h e tenth Chapter.

#•

A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus^ which
by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knaverie^
wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is overthrowne.
J|HUS are lecheries covered with the cloke of Incubus
and witchcraft, contrarie to nature and veritie : and
with these fables is mainteined an opinion, that men have
beene begotten without carnall copulation (as Hyperius
and others write that Merlin was, An. 440.) speciallie to excuse and Merlin begotten
mainteine the knaveries and lecheries of idle priests and bawdie ° ncu us"
monkes ; and to cover the shame of their lovers and concubines.
And alas, when great learned men have beene so abused, with the
imagination of Incubus his carnall societie with women, misconstruing the scriptures, to wit, the place in Genesis 6. to the seducing
of manie others; it is the lesse woonder, that this error hath passed so
generallie among the common people./
66.
But to use few words herein, I hope you understand that they
affirme and saie, that Incubus \$ a spirit ; and I trust you know that a
spirit hath no flesh nor bones, &c: and that he neither dooth eate
nor drinke. In deede your grandams maides were woont to set aboil
of milke before him and his cousine Robin good-fellow, for grinding
of malt or mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight: and you
have also heard that he would chafe exceedingly, if the maid or
good-wife of the house, having compassion of his nakednes, laid anie
clothes for him, beesides his messe of white bread and milke, which
was his standing fee. For in that case he saith ; What have
we here? Hemton hamten, here will I never more tread nor
stampen.
But to proceed in this confutation. Where there is no meate eaten, Quia humor
there can be no seed which thereof is ingendred : although it be \u%™a^Umentari
granted, that Robin could both eate and drinke, as being a/ cousening *™?mtU
idle frier, or some such roge, that wanted nothing either belonging to
lecherie or knaverie, &c. Item, where the genitall members want,
there can be no lust of the flesh: neither dooth nature give anie desire
of generation, where there is no propagation or succession required.

68

Ad
facultatem
generandi
tarn
interna
quam
externa organa
requiruntur.

4- Booke.

The discoverie

And as spirits cannot be greeved with hunger, so can they not be
inflamed with lustes. And if men should live ever, what needed
succession or heires ? For that is but an ordinance of God, to supplie
the place, the number, the world, the time, and speciallie to accomplish his will. But the power of generation consisteth not onlie
in members, but chieflie of vitall spirits, and of the hart: which
spirits are never in such a bodie as Incubus hath, being but a bodie
assumed, as they themselves saie. And yet the most part of writers
herein affirme, that it is a palpable and visible bodie; though all be
phansies and fables that are written hereupon.

T h e eleventh

Chapter.

That Incubus is a naturall disease, with remedies for the same,
besides magicall cures herewithall expressed,
UT in truth, this Incubus is a bodilie disease (as hath
beene said) although it extend unto the trouble of the
mind: which of some is called The mare, oppressing
manie in their sleepe so sore, as they are not able to
call for helpe, or stir themselves under the burthen of that heavie
humor, which is ingendred of a thicke vapor proceeding from
the cruditie and rawnesse in the stomach: which ascending up
into the head oppresseth the braine, in so much as manie are much
infeebled therebie, as being nightlie haunted therewith. They
are most troubled with this disease, that being subject thereunto,
lie right upward: so as, to turne and lie on the one side, is present
remedie. Likewise, if anie heare the groning of the partie, speake
unto him, so as he wake him, he is presentlie releeved. Howbeit,
87. there are magicall cures for it, as for example./
S. George, S. George, our ladies knight,
67He walkt by daie, so did he by night: \
Untill such time as he Mr found,
He Mr beat and he Mr bound,
Untill Mr troth she to him plight,
? him. MS.]
She would not come to Mr* that night.
Whereas S. George our ladies knight, was named three times
S. George.
Item, hang a stone over the afflicted persons bed, which stone hath
naturallie such a hole in it, as wherein a string may be put through
it, and so be hanged over the diseased or bewitched partie ; be it
man, woman, or horsse.
malefic.
Item, you shall read in M. Malefic, that excommunication is verie

W h a t Incubus is,
&° who be most
troubled therwith.

[

M.

of Witchcraft.

chap.12.

69

2
notable, and better than any charme for this purpose. There are also par. 2. quce. 2.
cap. 1. col,
other verses and charmes for this disease devised, which is the
Fuchsius
common cloke for the ignorance of bad physicians. But Leonard Leon.curandi
de
Fuchsius in his first booke, and 31. chapter, dooth not onelie describe ratione.
this disease, and the causes of i t ; but also setteth downe verie
learnedlie the cure thereof, to the utter confusion of the witchmongers
follie in this behalfe. Hyperius being much bewitched and blinded
in this matter of witchcraft, hoovering about the interpretation of
Genesis 6. from whence the opinion of Incubus and Succubus
is extorted, Viderunt filii Dei filias hominum, quod elegantes
essent, acceperunt sibi in uxores ex omnibus, quas elegerant, &*c:
seemeth to mainteine upon heare-saie, that absurd opinion; and
yet in the end is driven to conclude thus, to wit : Of the evill
spirits Incubus and Succubus there can be no firme reason or
proofe brought out of scriptures, using these verie words;
Hcec ut probabilia dicta sunto, quandoquidem scripturarum pr<zsidio hac in causa destituimur.
As if he should saie, Take this
as spoken probablie; to wit, by humane reason, bicause we are
destitute of scriptures to mainteine the goodnesse of the cause.
Tertullian and Sulpicius Severus doo interpret Filios Dei in that Tertuii. in
place to be angels, or evill spirits, and to have beene enamored with muliebri"
the beautie of those wenches ; and finallie, begat giants by / them. S^itom7hiltnR^
Which is throughlie confuted by Chrysostome, Horn. 22. in Gen: but sacr.
speciallie by the circumstance of the text.

The twelfe Chapter;
The censure of G. Chaucer; upon the knaverie of Incubus.
,OW will I (after all this long discourse of abhominable
cloked knaveries) here conclude with certeine of G.
Chaucers verses, who as he smelt out the absurdities
of poperie, so found he the priests knaverie in this
matter of Incubus, and (as the time would suffer him) he derided
their follie and falshood in this wise :
* For now the great charitie andpraiers
Of limitors and other ho lie friers,
That searchen everie land and everie streame
As thicke as motes in the sunne beame,\
Blissing halles, kitchens, chambers &-* bowers,
Cities, borroghes, castels and hie towers,
Thropes, barnes, shepens, and dairies,
This niaketh that there beene now nofairies ;

Geffr. Chau. in
the beginning of
the wife of Baths
tale.

68.
[* Ital.2

7o

[*Text J.3

The discoverie
For there as woont to walken was an elfe,
There walketh now the limitor himselfe,
In undermeales, and in mornings,
And saith his mattens and his holie things
As hegoeth in his limitatiowne,
Women may go safelie up and downe>
In everie bush, and under everie tree,
There nis none other *Incubus but hee9 &*c./ /

of Witchcraft.

cha P . r.

\ The fift Booke.

7*

s9.

69.

T h e first Chapter.
Of transformations ^ ridiculous examples brought by the
saries for the confirmation of their foolish
doctrine.

adver-

O W that I may with the verie absurdities, conteined
in their owne authors, a n d even in their principall
doctors a n d last writers, confound them that mainteine the transubstantiations of witches ; I will shew
you certeine proper stuffe, which Bodin (their cheefe champion of % Bod-lih-2this age) hath gathered out of M. MaL and others, whereby he cap, 6.
laboureth to establish this impossible, incredible, and supernaturall,
or rather unnaturall doctrine of transubstantiation.
First, as touching the divell {Bodin saith) that he dooth most J- Bodin
,.

j

••,.,

r

,.

,r

.

,

,

r

'

abuseth scripture

properlie and commonlie transforme himselfe into a gote, confirming to proove a He.
that opinion by the 33. and 34. of Esaie : where there is no one title* C = tittle.]
*
sounding to anie such purpose. Howbeit, he sometimes alloweth
the divell the shape of a blacke Moore, and as he saith he used to
appeare to Mawd Cruse, Kate Darey, and fone Harviller.
But I
mervell, whether the divell createth himselfe, when he appeareth in
the likenesse of a man ; or whether God createth him, when the
divell wisheth it. As for witches, he saith they speciallie transubstantiate themselves into wolves, and them whom they bewitch into
asses : though else-where he differ somewhat herein / from himselfe. go.
But though he affirme, that it may be naturallie brought to passe, Pudendis tunc
that a girle shall become a boie ; and that anie female m a y b e turned pentibus£.rum'
into the male : yet he saith the same hath no affinitie with Lycanthropia ; wherein he saith also, that men are wholie transformed, and
citeth infinite examples hereof.
First, that one Garner in the shape of a woolfe killed a girle of the
age of twelve yeares, and did eat up hir armes and legges, and carried
t h e rest home to his wife. Item, that Peter Burget, and Michael
Werdon, having turned themselves with an ointment into woolves,
killed, and finallie did eate up an infinite number of people. W h i c h
lie Wierus dooth sufficientlie confute. But untill you see and read j 0 . Wier. lib. 6.
that, consider whether Peter could eate rawe flesh without sur- de mag ca-12fetting, speciallie flesh of his owne kind. Item, that there was an
arrowe shot into a woolves thigh, who afterwards being turned into his

72

s.Booke.

The discoverie

former shape of a man, was found in his bed, with the arrowe in his
thigh, which the archer that shot it knew verie well. Item, that
another being Lycanthropus in the forme of a woolfe, h a d his woolves
feet cut off, and in a moment he became a man without hands or
feete.
J. Bodinus
H e accuseth also one of the mightiest princes in christendome,
mendaciorum
even of late daies, to be one of those kind of witches (so as he could,
*heluo.
[*Text heliio.]
when he list, turne himselfe to a woolfe) affirming that he was espied
and oftentimes seene to performe that villanie ; bicause he would be
counted the king of all witches. H e saith that this transubstantiation
70. is most common in Greece J and through out all Asia, as merchant
strangers have reported to him. F o r Anno Domini. 1542, when
Sultan Solimon reigned, there was such force and multitude of
these kind of woolves in Constantinople, that the emperour drave
togither in one flocke 150. of them, which departed out of the citie in
the presence of all the people.
A warme season
T o persuade us the more throughlie heerein, he saith, that in
to swim in.
Livonia, yearelie (about the end of December) a certeine knave or
divell warneth all the witches in the countrie to come to a certeine
I mervell that
place : if they faile, the divell commeth and whippeth them with an
they forsake not
iron rod ; so as the print of his lashes remaine upon their bodies for
the divell, who
punisheth them
ever. T h e capteine witch leadeth the waie through a / great poole of
so sore: ywis
they get not so
water : manie millians of witches swim after. T h e y are no 'sooner
much at his
gjt
passed through that water, but they are all transformed into woolves,
hands.
and flie upon and devoure both men, women, cattell, &c. After twelve
daies they returne through the same water, and so receive humane
shape againe.
Item, that there was one Bajanus a Jew, being the sonne of Simeon,
which could, when he list, turne himselfe into a woolfe ; and by that
meanes could escape the force and danger of a whole armie of men.
Which thing (saith Bodin) is woonderfull: but yet (saith he) it is much
more marvelous, that men will not beleeve it. For manie poets
affirme i t ; yea, and if you looke well into the matter (saith he) you
shall find it easie to doo. Item, he saith, that as naturall woolves persecute beasts; so doo these magicall woolves devoure men, women, and
Leviti. 16. [26,22] children.
And yet God saith to the people (I trowe) and not to the
cattell of I s r a e l i ; If you observe not my commandements, I will send
Deut. 32. [v. 24]
among you the beasts of the feeld, which shall devoure both you and
your cattell. Item, I will send the teeth of beasts upon you. W h e r e is
Bodins distinction now become ? H e never saith, I will send witches
in the likenes of wolves, &c : to devoure you or your cattell.
Nevertheles, Bodin saith it is a cleare case : for the matter was disputed upon before pope Leo the seventh, and by him all these matters

of Witchcraft.

chap. i.

73

were judged possible : and at that time (saith he) were the transformations of Lucian and Apuleius made canonicall.
Furthermore he saith, that through this art they are so cunning that Stasus a witch
could not be
no man can apprehend them, but when they are a sleepe. Item, he apprehended,
nameth another witch, that (as M. Mai. saith) could not be caught, and why ?
bicause he would transforme himselfe into a mouse, and runne into
everie little hole, till at length he was killed comming out of the hole of
a jamme in a windowe : which indeed is as possible, as a camell to go % Bodin.
through a needels eie. Item, he saith, that diverse witches at Vernon Mai. male/.
turned themselves into cats, and both committed and received much
hurt. But at Argentine there was a wonderfull matter done, by three John. Bodin.
Mai.
witches of great wealth, who transforming themselves into three cats, Barth. male/.
Spin.
assalted a faggot-maker : who having hurt them all with a faggot &*c.
sticke, was like to have beene put to death. But he was miraculouslie Mai. malef.
delivered, and they worthilie punished; as the storie saith, from part. 3.
whence/ Bodin had it.
Q2.
After a great manie other such beastlie fables, he inveieth against An error about
such physicians, as saie that Lycanthropia is a disease, and not a Lycanthropia.
transformation. Item, he mainteineth, as sacred and true, all Homers
fables of Circes and/ Ulyffes his companions : inveieng against Chry- 71.
sostome, who rightlie interpreteth */fomers meaning to be, that Ulyffes [*Sic]
his people were by the harlot Circes made in their brutish maners to
resemble swine.
But least some poets fables might be thought lies (whereby the
witchmongers arguments should quaile) he mainteineth for true the
most part of Ovids Metamorphosis, and the greatest absurdities and
impossibilities in all that booke: marie he thinketh some one tale
therein may be fained. Finallie, he confirmeth all these toies by the
storie of Nabuchadnez-zar. And bicause (saith he) Nabuchadnez-zar
continued seven yeres in the shape of a beast, therefore may witches
remaine so long in the forme of a beast; having in all the meane
time, the shape, haire, voice, strength, agilitie, swiftnes, food and
excrements of beasts, and yet reserve the minds and soules of
women or men. Howbeit, 6*. Augustine (whether to confute or con- August, lib. 8
de
flrme that opinion judge you) saith ; Non est credendum, humanum cap.civit. Dei.
18.
corpus dcemonum arte vel potestate in bestialia lineamenta Idem. lib. de
spiritu
&anima,
converti posse: We may not beleeve that a mans bodie may be cap. 26.
altered into the lineaments of a beast by the divels art or power.
Item, Bodin saith, that the reason whie witches are most commonlie
turned into woolves, i s ; bicause they usuallie eate children, as
woolves eate cattell. Item, that the cause whie other are truelie
turned into asses, is ; for that such have beene desirous to understand
the secrets of witches. Whie witches are turned into cats, he
L

74

s.Booke.

The disc overie

alledgeth no reason, and therefore (to helpe him foorth with that
paraphrase) I saie, that witches are curst queanes, and manie times
scratch one another, or their neighbours by the faces ; and therefore
perchance are turned into cats. But I have put twentie of these
witchmongers to silence with this one question; to wit, W h e t h e r a
witch that can turne a woman into a cat, &c : can also turne a cat
into a woman ?/

Ironia.

T h e second Chapter.

93Absurd

reasons brought by Bodin, and such others, for
of'transformations.

confirmation

]|HESE Examples and reasons might put us in doubt, that
everie asse, woolfe, or cat that we see, were a man, a
woman, or a child. I marvell that no man useth this
distinction in the definition of a man. But to what end
should one dispute against these creations, and r e c r e a t i o n s ; when
Bodin washeth away all our arguments with one word, confessing that
none can create any thing but God ; acknowledging also the force of
the canons, and imbracing the opinions of such divines, as write
against him in this behalfe ? Yea he dooth now (contrarie to himselfe elsewhere) affirme, that the divell cannot alter his forme. And
lo, this is his distinction, Non essentialis forma {id est ratio) sedfigura
J. Bod. lib. 2.
de mag. dcemon.
solum
fiermutatur:
T h e essentiall forme (to wit, reason) is not
cap. 6.
changed, but the shape or figure. And thereby he prooveth it easie
enough to create.men or beasts with life, so as they remaine without
reason. Howbeit, I thinke it is an easier matter, to turne Bodins
reason into the reason of an asse, than his bodie into the shape of a
Gen. 19, 24. >yn sheepe : which he saith is an easie m a t t e r ; bicause Lots / wife was
&>26. & 2 7 .
'*'
turned into a stone by the divell. Whereby he sheweth his grosse
ignorance. As though God that commanded Lot upon paine of death
not to looke backe, who also destroied the citie of Sodome at that
instant, had not also turned hir into a salt stone. And as though
all this while God had beene the divels drudge, to go about this
businesse all the night before, and when a miracle should be wrought,
the divell must be faine to doo it himselfe.
J. Bod lib. de
Item, he affirmeth, that these kind of transfigurations are more
dcemon. 2.
common with them in the west parts of the world, than with us here
cap. 20.
M. Mai. pa. 1.
in the east. Howbeit, this note is given w i t h a l l ; that that is ment of
qua. 9.
the second persons, and not of the first : to wit, of the bewitched, and
94. not of the witches. For they can trans/forme themselves in everie
John. Bodin. lib. part of the world, whether it be east, west, north, or south.
Marrie he
de dcemon. 2.
saith, that spirits and divels vex men most in the north countries, as
cap. 1.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 3

Norway, Finland, &>c: and in the westerne Hands, as in the west
India: but among the heathen speciallie, and wheresoever Christ is
not preached. And that is true, though not in so foolish, grosse, and
corporall a sense as Bodin taketh it. One notable instance of a
witches cunning in this behalfe touched by Bodin in the chapter
aforesaid, I thought good in this place to repeat : he taketh it out of
M. Mai. which tale was delivered to Sprenger by a knight of the
Rhods, being of the order of S. Jones at Jerusalem ; and it folioweth
thus.

75

Mai. malefic,
far. 2. quce. 2.
cap. 4.

T h e third Chapter.
Of a man turned into an asse, and returned
one of Bo dins witches: S. Augustines

againe into a man by
opinion thereof

I T happened in the city of Salamin, in the kingdome of
Cyprus (wherein is a good haven) that a ship loaden with
merchandize staied there for a short space. In the meane
time many of the souldiers and mariners went to shoare,
to provide fresh victuals. Among which number, a certaine English W h a t the divel
witch
man, being a sturdie yoong fellowe, went to a womans house, a little shuld the make
meane to
waie out of the citie, and not farre from the sea side, to see whether chois of the
English man ?
she had anie egs to sell. W h o perceiving him to be a lustie yoong
fellowe, a stranger, and farre from his countrie (so as upon the losse
of him there would be the lesse misse or inquirie) she considered
with hir selfe how to destroie him ; and willed him to staie there
awhile, whilest she went to fetch a few egs for him. But she tarried
long, so as the yoong man called unto hir, desiring hir to make hast :
for he told hir that the tide would be spent, and by that meanes his
ship would be gone, and leave him behind. Howbeit, after some
detracting of time, she brought him a few egs, willing him to returne to
hir, if his ship were gone when h e came. T h e young fel/lowe returned
9Stowards his ship : but before he went aboord, hee would needs eate
an eg or twaine to satisfie his hunger, and within short space he A strange met 1
became dumb and out of his wits (as he afterwards said.) W h e n he morphosis, of
bodie, but not
would have entred into the ship, the mariners beat him backe with a of mind.
cudgell, saieng ; W h a t a murren lacks the asse ? Whi/ther the divell 73.
will this asse ? T h e asse or yoong man (I cannot tell by which name
I should terme him) being many times repelled, and understanding
their words that called him asse, considering that he could speake
never a word, and yet could understand everie bodie ; he thought
that he was bewitched by the woman, at whose house he was. And
therefore, when by no meanes he could get into the boate, but was
driven to tarrie and see hir departure ; being also beaten from place

j6

5-Booke.

Note the devotion of the asse.

96.

August- lib. 18.
de civi. Dei.
cap. ij & 18.

At the alps in
Arcadia.

The discoverie

to place, as an asse : he remembred the witches words, and the
words of his owne fellowes that called him asse, and returned to the
witches house, in whose service hee remained by the space of three
yeares, dooing nothing with his hands all that while, but carried such
burthens as she laied on his backe ; having onelie this comfort, that
although he were reputed an asse among strangers and beasts, yet
that both this witch, and all other witches knew him to be a man.
After three yeares were passed over, in a morning betimes he went
to towne before his dame ; who upon some occasion (of like to make
water) staied a little behind. In the meane time being neere to a
church, he heard a little saccaring bell ring to the elevation of a
morrowe masse, and not daring to go into the church, least he should
have beene beaten and driven out with cudgels, in great devotion he
fell downe in the churchyard, upon the knees of his hinder legs, and
did lift his forefeet over his head, as the preest doth hold the sacrament at the elevation. Which prodigious sight when certeine
merchants of Genua espied, and with woonder beheld ; anon commeth
the witch with a cudgell in hir hand, beating foorth the asse. And
bicause (as it hath beene said) such kinds of witchcrafts are verie
usuall in those parts ; the merchants aforesaid made such meanes, as
both the asse and the witch were attached by the judge. And she
being examined and set upon the racke, confessed the whole matter,
and promised, that if she might have libertie to go home, she would
restore him to his old/ shape : and being dismissed, she did accordinglie. So as notwithstanding they apprehended hir againe, and burned
hir: and the yoong man returned into his countrie with a joifull and
merrie hart.
Upon the advantage of this storie M. Mai. Bodin, and the residue
of the witchmongers triumph; and speciallie bicause S. Augustine
subscribeth thereunto; or at the least to the verie like. Which I
must confesse I find too common in his books, insomuch as I judge
them rather to be foisted in by some fond papist or witchmonger, than
so learned a mans dooings. The best is, that he himselfe is no eiewitnesse to any of those his tales; but speaketh onelie by report;
wherein he uttereth these words : to wit, that It were a point of great
incivilitie, &c: to discredit so manie and so certeine reports. And in
that respect he justifieth the corporall transfigurations of Ulysses his
mates, throgh the witchcraft of Circes: and that foolish fable of
Prcestantius his father, who (he saith) did eate provender and haie
among other horsses, being himselfe turned into an horsse. Yea he
verifieth the starkest lie that ever was invented, of the two alewives
that used to transforme all their ghests into horsses, and to sell them
awaie at markets and faires. And therefore I saie with Cardanus,

of

Witchcraft,

Chap. 4.

77

that how much Augustin saith he hath seen with his eies, so much I Card. deVar.
I

- i i

-r-r

1

•

r>

>•

•

1

1

1

.

am/content to beleeve. Howbeit S. Augustin concludeth against
itodfo. For he affirmeth these transubstantiations to be but fantasticall, and that they are not according to the veritie, but according to
the appearance. And yet I cannot allow of such appearances made
by witches, or yet by divels : for I find no such power given by God
to any creature. And I would wit of S. Augustine, where they became, whom Bodins transformed woolves devoured. But
S quam
Credula mens hominis, dr* erectce fabulis aures !
* Good Lord I how light of credit is
the waveriug mind of man /
How unto tales and lies his eares
attentive all they can ?j
Generall councels, and the popes canons, which Bodin sojegardeth,
doo condemne and pronounce his opinions in this behalfe to be
absurd; and the residue of the witchmongers, with himselfe in the
number, to be woorsse than infidels. And these are the verie words
of the canons, which else-where I have more largelie repeated; Whosoever beleeveth, that anie creature can be made or changed into
better or woorsse, or transformed into anie other shape, or into anie
other similitude, by anie other than by God himselfe the creator of all
things, without all doubt is an infidell, and woorsse than a pagan.
And therewithall this reason is rendered, to wit: bicause they
attribute that to a creature, which onelie belongeth to God the creator
of all things.

T h e fourth

Chapter.

A sumrnarie of the former fable, with a refutation thereof after due
examination of the same.
JjONCERNING the veritie or probabilitie of this enterlude,
betwixt Bodin, M. Mai. the witch, the asse, the masse,
the merchants, the inquisitors, the tormentors, &c: First
I woonder at the miracle of transubstantiation: Secondlie
at the impudencie of Bodin and James Sprenger, for affirming so
grosse a lie, devised beelike by the knight of the Rhodes, to make a
foole of Sprenger, and an asse of Bodin: Thirdlie, that the asse had
no more wit than to kneele downe and hold up his forefeete to a peece
of starch or flowre, which neither would, nor could, nor did helpe him:
Fourthlie, that the masse could not reforme that which the witch
transformed: Fiftlie, that the merchants, the inquisitors, and the tormentors, could not either severallie or jointlie doo it, but rcferre the
matter to the witches courtesie and good pleasure.

terum. lib.

I5

cap. 80.
74.
decZt'.^ei.^'

[*Rom.]
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

97-

Canon. 26.
qua. 5. episcopi

excon.acqmr.

78

5. Booke.

The discoverie

But where was the yoong mans owne shape all these three yeares,
wherein he was made an asse ? It is a certeine and a generall rule,
that two substantiall formes cannot be in one subject Simul &* semel,
98, both at once: which is confessed by themselves. The/ forme of the
75. beast occupied some/ place in the aire, and so I thinke should the
Mai. male/.
forme of a man doo also. For to bring the bodie of a man, without
Par. 1. quce. :
feeling, into such a thin airie nature, as that it can neither be seene
nor felt, it may well be unlikelie, but it is verie impossible: for the
aire is inconstant, and continueth not in one place. So as this airie
creature would soone be carried into another region: as else-where I
In my discourse
have largelie prooved. But indeed our bodies are visible, sensitive,
of spirits and
diveis, being the and passive, and are indued with manie other excellent properties,
17 booke of this
which all the diveis in hell are not able to alter: neither can one haire
volume.
of our head perish, or fall awaie, or be transformed, without the
speciall providence of God almightie.
But to proceed unto the probabilitie of this storie. What lucke was
it, that this yoong fellow of England, landing so latelie in those parts,
and that old woman of Cyprus, being both of so base a condition,
should both understand one an others communication; England and
Cyprus being so manie hundred miles distant, and their languages so
farre differing ? I am sure in these daies, wherein trafficke is more
used, and learning in more price; few yong or old mariners in this
realme can either speake or understand the language spoken at
Salamin in Cyprus, which is a kind of Greeke\ and as few old women
there can speake our language. But Bodin will saie; You heare, that
at the inquisitors commandement, and through the tormentors correction, she promised to restore him to his owne shape: and so she did,
as being thereunto compelled. I answer, that as the whole storie is
an impious fable; so this assertion is false, and disagreeable to their
owne doctrine, which mainteineth, that the witch dooth nothing but
by the permission and leave of God. For if she could doo or undoo
such a thing at hir owne pleasure, or at the commandement of the
inquisitors, or for feare of the tormentors, or for love of the partie, or
for remorse of conscience: then is it not either by the extraordinarie
leave, nor yet by the like direction of God; except you will make him
a confederate with old witches. I for my part woonder most, how
they can turne and tosse a mans bodie so, and make it smaller and
greater, to wit, like a mowse, or like an asse, &c: and the man all this
Dan. in dialog,
while to feele no paine. And I am not alone in this maze: for
cap. 3.
Danceus a special mainteiner of their fol/lies saith, that although
Augustine and Apuleius doo write verie crediblie of these matters ;
August, lib. de
civit. Dei. cap.
yet will he never beleeve, that witches can change men into other
17.18.
formes ; as asses, apes, woolves, beares, mice, &c.
His shape was
in the woods:
where else
should it be ?

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 5.

79

T h e fift Chapter.
That the bodie of a man cannot be turned into the bodie of a beast by
a witch, is grooved by strong reasons, scriptures, and
authorities.
U T was this man an asse all this while ? Or was this
asse a m a n ? Bodin saith (his reason onelie reserved) he
was trulie transubstantiated into an a s s e ; so as there
must be no part of a man, but reason remaining in this
asse. And yet Hermes Trismegistus thinketh he hath good authoritie
and reason to saie ; Aliudcorpus
quam humanum non capere animam
humanam ; necjfas esse in corpus anitnce ratione carentis animam
rationalem corruere; that i s ; An humane soule cannot receive anie
other than an humane bodie, nor yet canne light into a bodie that
wanteth reason of mind. But S.James saith; the bodie without the
spirit is dead. And surelie, when the soule is departed from the
bodie, the life of m a n is dissolved: and therefore Paule wished to be
dissolved, when h e would have beene with Christ. T h e bodie of m a n
is subject to divers kinds of agues, sicknesses, and infirmities, whereunto an asses bodie is not inclined: and mans bodie must be fed with
bread, &c : and not with hay. Bodins asseheaded man must either
eate haie, or nothing: as appeareth in the storie. Mans bodie also is
subject unto death, and hath his daies numbred. If this fellowe h a d
died in the meane time, as his houre might have beene come, for anie
thing the divels, the witch, or Bodin knew; I mervell then what would
have become of this asse, or how the witch could have restored him
to shape, or whether he should have risen at the daie of judgement in
an asses bodie and shape. F o r Paule saith, that that verie bodie
which is sowne and buried a naturall bodie, is raised/ a spirituall bodie.
T h e life of Jesus is m a d e manifest in our mortall flesh, and not in the
flesh of an asse.
God h a t h endued everie m a n and everie thing with his proper
nature, substance, forme, qualities, and gifts, and directeth their
waies. As for the waies of an asse, he taketh no such care : howbeit,
they have also their properties and substance several! to themselves.
F o r there is one flesh (saith Paule) of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, another of birds. And therefore it is absolutelie
against the ordinance of God (who hath made me a man) that I should
flie like a bird, or swim like a fish, or creepe like a worme, or become
an asse in shape: insomuch as if God would give me leave, I cannot
doo it; for it were contrarie to his owne order and decree, and to the
constitution of anie bodie which he hath made. Yea the spirits them-

1

Hermes Trismeg
^r^° erian~
76.
l

Jam. 2, 26.
Phiii. 1,33.

1 Cor. 15. 44.
100.

1. Cor. 15,39.

Psai. 119.

8o

5-Booke.

The discoverie

selves have their lawes and limits prescribed, beyond the which they
cannot passe one haires breadth; otherwise God should be contrarie
to himselfe: which is farre from him. Neither is Gods omnipotencie
hereby qualified, but the divels impotencie manifested, who hath none
other power, but that which God from the beginning hath appointed
unto him, consonant to his nature and substance. He may well be
restreined from his power and will, but beyond the same he cannot
passe, as being Gods minister, no further but in that which he hath
from the beginning enabled him to doo: which is, that he being a
spirit, may with Gods leave and ordinance viciat and corrupt the spirit
and will of man : wherein he is verie diligent.
What a beastlie assertion is it, that a man, whom GOD hath made
according to his owne similitude and likenes, should be by a witch
turned into a beast ? What an impietie is it to affirme, that an asses
bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost ? Or an asse to be the child of
God, and God to be his father ; as it is said of man ? Which Paule
i. Cor. 6,19
to the Corinthians so divinelie confuteth, who saith, that Our bodies
are tne
verse! I5.' &°°
members of Christ. In the which we are to glorifie God: for
verse. 13.
the bodie is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the bodie. Surelie he
meaneth not for an asses bodie, as by this time I hope appeareth: in
77. such wise as Bodin may go hide him for / shame; especiallie when he
shall understand, that even into these our bodies, which God hath
101. framed after his owne like/nesse, he hath also brethed that spirit, which
Bodin saith is now remaining within an asses bodie, which God hath
Psalm. 8.
so subjected in such servilitie under the foote of man; Of whom God is
verses 5, , ,
g o m j n ( jf u j^ ^at foe hath made him little lower than angels, yea than
himselfe, and crowned him with glorie and worship, and made him to
have dominion over the workes of his hands, as having put all things
under his feete, all sheepe and oxen, yea woolves, asses, and all other
beasts of the field, the foules of the aire, the fishes of the sea, &c.
Bodins poet, Ovid, whose Metamorphosis make so much for him,
saith to the overthrow of this phantasticall imagination :
Os hornini sublime dedit, ccelumque videre
fussit, &* erectos ad sydera tollere vultus.
The effect of which verses is this ;
[*Rom.]
* The Lord did set mans face so hie,
That he the heavens might behold.
And looke up to the starrie skie,
To see his woonders manifold.
Now, if a witch or a divell can so alter the shape of a man, as contrarilie to make him looke downe to hell, like a beast ; Gods works
should not onelie be defaced and disgraced, but his ordinance should
be woonderfullie altered, and thereby confounded.

of Witchcraft,

chaP. 6.

81

T h e sixt Chapter.
The witchmongers objections, concerning Nabuchadnez-zar answered^ and their errour concerning Lycanthropia confuted.
ALLEUS MALEFICARUM, Bodin, and manie other of
them that mainteine witchcraft, triumph upon the storie of
Nabuchadnez-zar; as though Circes had transformed him
with hir sorceries into an oxe, as she did others into
swine, &c. I answer, that he was neither in bodie nor shape transformed at all, accor/ding to their grosse imagination ; as appeareth
both by the plaine words of the text, and also by the opinions of the
best interpretors thereof: but that he was, for his beastlie government
and conditions, throwne out of his kingdome and banished for a
time, and driven to hide himselfe in the wildernesse, there in exile to
lead his life in beastlie sort, among beasts of the field, and fowles of
the aire (for by the waie I tell you it appeareth by the text, that he
was rather turned into the shape of a fowle than of a beast) untill he
rejecting his beastlie conditions, was upon his repentance and amendment called home, and restored unto his kingdome. Howbeit, this
(by their confession) was neither divels nor witches dooing; but a
miracle wrought by God, whom alone I acknowledge to be able to
bring to passe such workes at his pleasure. Wherein I would know
what our witchmongers have gained./
I am not ignorant that some write, that after the death of Nabuchadnez-zar, his sonne *Eilurnorodath gave his bodie to the ravens to be
devoured, least afterwards his father should arise from death, who of
a beast became a man againe. But this tale is meeter to have place
in the Cabalisticall art, to wit : among unwritten verities than here.
To conclude, I saie that the transformations, which these witchmongers doo so rave and rage upon, is (as all the learned sort of
physicians affirme) a disease proceeding partlie from melancholie,
wherebie manie suppose themselves to be woolves, or such ravening
beasts. For Lycanthropia is of the ancient physicians called Lupina
melancholia, or Lupina insania. J. Wierus declareth verie learnedlie,
the cause, the circumstance, and the cure of this disease. I have
written the more herein; bicause hereby great princes and
potentates, as well as poore women and innocents,
have beene defamed and accounted
among the number
of witches./
M

Their
groundworks is
as sure as
to hold a
quick eele
by the
taile.
102.
Dan. 4.

78.
Cor. Agrip. de
vanit.
scient.
cap. 44.
[* tr. of

Euil]

Paul. Aeginet. li. 3. c. 16.
Aetius. lib. 6.
cap. I I .
J. Wier. de
Prcest. deem,
lib. 4. cap. 23,

82

5.Booke.

IOJ.

The discoverie

T h e seventh Chapter.
A speciall objection answered concerning transportations',
consent of diverse writers
thereupon.

Matth. 4,
Luk. 3, 9.

Answer to
the former
objection.

Matt. 26,

Job. i,
Job. 2,

with

the

||0R the maintenance of witches transportations, t h e y
object the words of the Gospell, where the divell is said to
take up Christ, and to set him on a pinnacle of the
temple, and on a mountaine, &c. Which if he had doone
in maner and forme as they suppose, it followeth not therefore that
witches could doo the like ; nor yet that the divell would doo it for
them at their pleasure ; for they know not their thoughts, neither can
otherwise communicate with them. But I answer, that if it were so
grosselie to be understood, as they imagine it, yet should it make
nothing to their purpose. For I hope they will not saie, that Christ
had made anie ointments, or entred into anie league with the divell,
and by vertue thereof was transported from out of the wildernes, unto
the top of the temple of Jerusalem ; or that the divell could have
maisteries over his bodie, whose soule he could never laie hold upon ;
especiallie when he might (with a becke of his finger) have called unto
him, and have had the assistance of manie legions of angels. Neither
(as I thinke) will they presume to make Christ partaker of the divels
purpose and sinne in that behalfe. If they saie ; This was an action
wrought by the speciall providence of God, and by his appointment,
that the scripture might be fulfilled : then what gaine our witchmongers by this place ? First, for that they maie not produce a particular example to prove so generall an argument. And againe, if it
were by Gods speciall providence and a p p o i n t m e n t ; then why should
it not be doone by the hand of God, as it was in the storie of Job ?
Or if it were Gods speciall purpose and pleasure, that there should be
so extraordinarie a matter brought to passe by the h a n d of t h e divell;
could not God have given to the wicked angell extraordinarie power,
and cloathed him with extraordinarie shape ; where/by he might be
IO4.
made an instrument able to accomplish that matter, as he did to his
angeli that carried Abacuck to Danielle and to them that he sent to
79. destroie Sodome ? But you shall understand, that / this was doone in
a vision, and not in veritie of action. So as they have a verie cold
pull of this place, which is the speciall peece of scripture alledged of
them for their transportations.

J. Calvi?ie in
harmon. Evang. in
Matth. 4. &>
Luk. 4.

H e a r e therefore what Calvine saith in his commentarie upon that
place, in these words ; T h e question is, whether Christ were carried
aloft indeed, or whether it were but in a vision ? Manie affirme verie

of Witchcraft.

cha P . 7 .

obstinatlie, that his bodie was trulie and reallie as they saie taken
up : bicause they thinke it too great an indignitie for Christ to be
made subject to sathans illusions. But this objection is easilie washed
awaie. For it is no absurditie to grant all this to be wrought through
Gods permission, or Christes voluntarie subjection : so long as we
yeeld not to thinke that he suffered these temptations inwardlie, that
is to saie, in mind or soule. And that which is afterwards set downe
by the Evangelist, where the divell shewed him all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glorie of the same, and that to be doone (as it is
said in Luke) in the twinkling of an eie, dooth more agree with a
vision than with a reall action. So farre are the verie words of
Calvine.
Which differ not one syllable nor five words from that
which I had written herein, before I looked for his opinion in the
matter. And this I hope will be sufficient to overthrow the assertions
of them that laie the ground of their transportations and flieng in the
aire hereupon.
H e that will saie, that these words ; to wit, that Christ was taken
up, &c : can hardlie be applied to a vision, let him turne to the
prophesie of Ezechiell\ and see the selfe-same words used in a vision :
saving that where Christ is said to be taken up by the divell, Ezechiell
is taken up, and lifted up, and carried by the spirit of God, and yet
in a vision. But they have lesse reason that build upon this sandie
rocke, the supernaturall frame of transubstantiation ; as almost all our
witching writers doo. For Sprenger & Institor saie, that the divell
in the likenesse of a falcon caught him up. Danceus saith, it was in
the similitude of a m a n ; others saie, of an angell painted with w i n g s ;
others, invisiblie: Ergo the di/vell can take (saie they) what shape he
list. But though some may cavill upon the divels transforming of
himselfe ; yet, that either divell or witch can transforme or transubstantiat others, there is no tittle nor colour in the scriptures to helpe
them. If there were authoritie for it, and that it were past all peradventure, lo, what an easie matter it is to resubstantiate an asse into a
man. For Bodin saith upon the word of Apuleius, that if the asse
eate new roses, anise, or baie leaves out of spring water, it
will presentlie r e t u m e him into a man. W h i c h thing
Sprenger saith maie be doone, by washing the
"asse in faire water : yea he sheweth an
instance, where, by drinking of
water an asse was turned
into a man.

83

Ezec. 3,12.
a n d I4>

Mai. male/.

/05.

j . Bod. lib. de
depm 3 ca 5
' * *'
in Mai. mai,

84

5 Booke.

The discoverie
T h e eight Chapter.

The witchmongers objection concerning the historic of Job answered.
HESE witchmongers, for lacke of better arguments, doo
manie times object Job against me ; although there be
never a word in that storie, which either maketh for
them, or against me : in so much as there is not/ the
80.
name of a witch mentioned in the whole booke. But (I praie you)
what witchmonger now seeing one so afflicted as Job, would not
» job. i. 14.
saie he were bewitched, as Job never saith ? a For first there came a
messenger unto him, and said ; Thy oxen were plowing, and thy
b verse, 15.
asses were feeding in their places, b and the Sabeans came violentlie
and tooke them ; yea they have slaine thy servants with the edge of
c verse, 16.
the sword ; but I onelie am escaped to tell thee. c And whilest he was
yet speaking, another came, and said ; T h e fier of God is fallen from
the heaven, & hath burnt up thy sheepe and thy servants, and ded verse, 17.
voured them ; but I onlie am escaped to tell thee. d And while he
was yet speaking, another came, and said ; T h e Chaldceans set out
their bands, and fell upon thy camels, and have taken them, and have
106. slaine thy servants with the edge of the sword; but I onelie am/
*verse, 18.
escaped alone to tell thee. e And whilest he was yet speaking, came
another, and said ; Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating and
f verse, 19.
drinking wine in their elder brothers house, f and behold there came a
great wind from beyond the wildernesse, and smote the foure corners
of the house, which fell upon thy children, and they are dead ; and I
gibid. ca. 2.
onlie am escaped alone to tell thee. ^Besides all this, he was smitten
vers 7
- with biles, from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head. If
anie man in these daies called Job should be by the appointment or
hand of God thus handled, as this Job was ; I warrant you that all
the old women in the countrie would be called Coram nobis: warrants
would be sent out on everie side, publike and private inquirie made
what old women latelie resorted to Jobs house, or to anie of those
places, where these misfortunes fell. If anie poore old woman had
chanced within two or three moneths to have borrowed a curtsie of
[* ? searsing]
*seasing, or to have fetcht from thence a pot of milke, or had she
required some almes, and not obteined it at Jobs hand ; there had
beene argument enough to have brought hir to confusion : and to be
more certeine to have the right witch apprehended, figures must have
beene cast, the sive and sheares must have beene set on worke;
yea rather than the witch should escape, a conjuror must have earned
a little monie, a circle must have beene made, and a divell raised to

of Witchcraft,

chap. 8.

tell the truth : mother Bungie must have been gon unto, and after
she had learned hir name, whom Job most suspected, she would
have confirmed the suspicion with artificiall accusations : in the
end, some woman or other must have beene hanged for it. But as
Job said; Dominus dedit: so said he not ; Diabolus vel Lamia sed
Dominus abstulit. Which agreeth with the tenor of the text, where
it is written, that the divell at everie of Jobs afflictions desired God
to laie his hand upon him. Insomuch as Job imputed no part of his
calamitie unto divels, witches, nor yet unto conjurors, or their
inchantments; as we have learned now to doo. Neither sinned he,
or did God any wrong, when he laid it to his charge : but we dishonour God greatlie, when we attribute either the power or proprietie
of God the creator unto a creature.
^Calvine saith ; We derogate much from Gods glorie and omnipotencie, when we saie he dooth but give sathan leave to doo it : which
is (saith he) to mocke Gods justice ; and so fond an asser/tion, that if
1/

1

1

ti

1

•

-i-

1

^

85

% Calvin, in

?obm cap' *' "'

*J. Calvin, in
s°ermon' I."
MuscuLin I0y
loc.comm.

'

asses could speake, they would speake more wiselie than so. For a idem, ibidem.
temporall judge saith not to /the hangman ; I give thee leave to hang 81.
this offender, but commandeth him to doo it. But the mainteiners of
witches omnipotencie, saie ; Doo you not see how reallie and palpablie the divell tempted and plagued Job ? I answer first, that there
is no corporall or visible divell named nor seene in any part of that
circumstance ; secondlie, that it was the hand of God that did i t ;
thirdlie, that as there is no communitie betweene the person of a
witch, and the person of a divell, so was there not any conference or
practise betwixt them in this case.
And as touching the communication betwixt God and the divell, J. Calvine in
behold what Calvine saith, writing or rather preaching of purpose h^Lsnerj^in
upon that place, wherupon they thinke they have so great advantage;
When sathan is said to appeere before God, it is not doone in some
place certeine, but the scripture speaketh so to applie it selfe to our
rudenes. Certeinlie the divell in this and such like cases is an instrument to worke Gods will, and not his owne : and therefore it is
an ignorant and an ungodlie saieng (as Calvine judgeth it) to affirme,
that God dooth but permit and suffer the divell. For if sathan were
so at his owne libertie (saith he) we should be overwhelmed at a
sudden. And doubtlesse, if he had power to hurt the bodie, there
were no waie to resist : for he would come invisiblie upon us, and
knocke us on the heads ; yea hee would watch the best and dispatch
them, whilest they were about some wicked act. If they saie; God
commandeth him, no bodie impugneth them : but that God should
give him leave, I saie with Calvine, that the divell is not in such
favour with God, as to obteine any such request at his hands.

86

5. Booke.

The discoverie

And wheras by our witchmongers opinions and arguments, the
witch procureth the divell, and the divell asketh leave of God to
plague whom the witch is disposed : there is not (as I have said) any
such corporall communication betweene the divell and a witch, as
J. Calvine in
Job. cap. 1.
witchmongers imagine. Neither is God mooved at all at sathans sute,
sermon. 5.
who hath no such favour or grace with him, as to obteine any thing
at his hands.
But M. Mai. and his friends denie, that there were any witches in
Mai. malef.
pa. I. qucest. 1.
Jobs time : yea the witchmongers are content to saie, that/ there were
Idem part. 1.
qutest. 4. 108. none found to exercise this art in Christs time, from his birth to his
death, even by the space of thirtie three yeares. If there had beene
Note what
anie (saie they) they should have beene there spoken of. As touching
chingthT"
the authoritie of the booke of Job, there is no question but that it is
booke of
verie canonicall and authentike. Howbeit, manie writers, both of the
Jewes and others, are of opinion, that Moses was the author of this
booke ; and that he did set it as a looking glasse before the people :
to the intent the children of Abraham (of whose race he himselfe
came) might knowe, that God shewed favour to others that were not
of the same line, and be ashamed of their wickednesse : seeing an
uncircumcised Painime had so well demeaned himselfe. Upon which
argument Calvine (though he h a d written upon the same) saith, that
Forsomuch as it is uncerteine, whether it were Res gesta or Exempli
gratia, we must leave it in suspense. Nevertheles (saith he) let us
take that which is out of all d o u b t ; namelie, that the Holy-ghost
hath indited the booke, to the end that the Jewes should knowe that
God hath had a people alwaies to serve him throughout the world,
82. even of such as were no/ Jewes, nor segregated from other nations.
Howbeit, I for my part denie not the veritie of the storie ; though
indeed I must confesse, that I thinke there was no such corporall
enterlude betweene God, the divell, and Job, as they imagine : neither
anie such reall presence and communication as the witchmongers
conceive and mainteine ; who are so grosse herein, that they doo not
onlie beleeve, but publish so palpable absurdities concerning such
reall actions betwixt the divell and man, as a wise man would be
in legenda
ashamed to read, but much more to credit : as that S. Dunstan lead
the divell about the house by the nose with a paire of pinsors or tongs,
and m a d e him rore so lowd, as the place roong thereof, &c : with a
thousand the like fables, without which neither the art of pbperie
nor of witchcraft could stand. But you may see more of this matter
else-where, where in few words (which I thought good here to omit,
least I should seeme to use too manie repetitions) I answer efTectuallie
to their cavils about this place./

of Witchcraft,

T h e ninth

chap. 9.

Chapter.

What several! sorts of witches are mentioned in the scriptures;
how the word witch is there applied.

87

log.
and

U T what sorts of witches so ever M. Mai. or Bodin saie
there are ; Moses spake onlie of foure kinds of impious
couseners or witches (whereof our witchmongers old
women which d a n s e with the fairies, & c ; are none.) T h e
first were Prcestigiatores
Pharaonis,
which (as all divines, both
Hebrues and others conclude) were but couseners and jugglers,
deceiving the kings eies with illusions and sleights; and making false
things to appeare as true : which nevertheles our witches cannot
doo. T h e second is Mecasapha, which is she that destroieth with
poison. T h e third are such as use sundrie kinds of divinations, a n d
hereunto perteine these words, Kasam, Onen, Ob, Idoni.
T h e fourth
is Habar, to wit : when magicians, or rather such, as would be reputed cunning therein, mumble certeine secret words, wherin is
thought to be great efficacie.
These are all couseners and abusers of the people in their severall
kinds. But bicause they are all termed of our translators by the
name of witches in the Bible : therefore the lies of M. Mai. and
Bodin, and all our old wives tales are applied unto these names, and
easilie beleeved of the common people, who have never hitherto beene
instructed in the understanding of these words. In which respect, I
will (by Gods grace) shew you (concerning the signification of them)
the opinion of the most learned in our age ; speciallie of Johannes
Wierus ; who though hee himselfe were singularlie learned in t h e
toongs, yet for his satisfaction and full resolution in the same, he sent
for the judgement of Andrceas Massius, the most famous Hebrician in
the world, and h a d it in such sense and order, as I meane to set
downe unto you. And yet I give you this note by the waie, that
witchcraft or inchantment is diverslie taken in the scriptures; somtimes nothing tending to such end as it is commonlie thought to doo.
F o r in 1 Sa/muell, 15, 23. it is all one with rebellion. Jesabell for hir
idolatrous life / is called a witch. Also in the new testament, even S.
Paule saith the Galathians are bewitched, bicause they were seduced
a n d lead from the true understanding of the scriptures.
Item sometimes it is taken in good p a r t ; as the magicians that came
to worship and offer to Christ: and also where Daniell is said to be
an inchanter, yea a principall inchanter : which title being given him
in divers places of that storie, he never seemeth to refuse or dislike ;

1. Praestigiatores
Pharaonis.

2. Mecasapha.
3. Kasam.
Onen.
Ob.
Idoni.
4. Habar.

[or Mas/us]
Note,

IIO.
1. Sa. 15, 23.
2. R e . 9, 22. 8 3 .
Gal. 3, 1.

Matth. 2, r
Daniel. 4.

88

Dan. 2,8.
Actes. 19.
Gen. 4,18.
•13, & 7 c.
Acts 13.
&c ' '
AxS. 19!
Canticles
mon. cap. 4.
verse 9
**

Deut. 18,2.
A^ts!^.27'

5. Booke.

The discoverie

but rather intreateth for t h e pardon a n d qualification of t h e rigor
towards other inchanters, which were meere couseners indeed : as
appeareth in t h e second chapter of Darnell, where you m a y see that
the king espied their fetches.
Sometimes such are called conjurors, as being but roges, a n d lewd
people, would use t h e n a m e of Jesus to worke miracles, whereby,
though they being faithlesse could worke nothing ; yet is their practise
condemned b y t h e n a m e of conjuration. Sometimes jugglers a r e
called witches. Sometimes also they are called sorcerers, t h a t
impugne t h e gospell of Christ, a n d seduce others with violent persuasions. Sometimes a murtherer with poison is called a witch.
Sometimes they a r e so termed by t h e verie signification of their
names ; as Elimas, which signifieth a sorcerer. Sometimes bicause
they studie curious a n d vaine arts. Sometimes it is taken for woonding or greeving of t h e hart. Y e a t h e verie word Magus, which is
Latine for a magician, is translated a witch ; a n d yet it was hertofore
alwaies taken in t h e good part. A n d at this daie it is indifferent to
saie in t h e English t o o n g ; S h e is a witch ; or, S h e is a wise woman.
Sometimes observers of dreames, sometimes soothsaiers, sometimes
the observers of the flieng of foules, of t h e meeting of todes, t h e falling of salt, &c : are called witches. Sometimes h e or she is called a
. witch, that take upon them either for gaine or glorie, to doo miracles;
and yet can doo nothing. Sometimes they a r e called witches in
common speech, that a r e old, lame, curst, or melancholike, as a nickname. But as for our old women, that are said to hurt children with
their eies, or lambs with their lookes, or that pull downe
the moone out of heaven, or m a k e so foolish a bargaine,
or doo such homage to t h e divell; you shall
not read in t h e bible of a n y such
witches, or of any such actions
imputed to them.//

of Witchcraft.

chaP. i.

\ The sixt Booke.

89

m. 84.

T h e first Chapter.
The exposition of this Hebrue word Chasaph, wherein is answered
the objection conteined in Exodus 22. to wit: Thou shalt not
suffer a witch to live, and of Simon Magus. Acts. 8.
H A S A P H , being an H e b r u e word, is Latined Veneficium,
and is in English, poisoning, or witchcraft; if you will
so have it. T h e H e b r u e sentence written in Exodus, 22.
is by the 70. interpreters translated thus into Greeke,
fyapiLCLKovs OVK €7ri^ew(T€T6, which in Latine is, Venefcos (sive) venefcas
non retinebitis in vita, in English, You shall not suffer anie poisoners,
or (as it is translated) witches to live. T h e which sentence fosephus
Joseph, in
an Hebrue borne, and a man of great estimation, learning and fame, antiquitat.
interpreteth in this wise ; Let none of the children of Israel have any
poison that is deadlie, or prepared to anie hurtfull use. If anie be
apprehended with such stuffe, let him be put to death, and suffer that
which he ment to doo to them, for whom he prepared it. T h e Rabbins
exposition agree heerewithall. Lex Cornelia differeth not from this
sense, to wit, that he must suffer death, which either maketh, selleth,
or hath anie poison, to the intent to kill anie man. This word is found
in these places following : Exodus. 22, 18. Deut. 18, 10. 2. Sam.
9, 22. Dan. 2, 2. 2. Chr. 33, 6. Esay. 47, 9, 12. Malach, 3, 5. ferem.
27, 9. Mich. 5, 2. Nah. 3, 4. bis. Howbeit, in all our English / trans- 112.
lations, Chasaph is translated, witchcraft.
And bicause I will avoid prolixitie and contention both at once, I
will admit that Venefcce were such witches, as with their poisons did
much hurt among the children of Israeli ; and I will not denie that
there remaine such untill this daie, bewitching men, and making
them beleeve, that by vertue of words, and certeine ceremonies, they
bring to passe such mischeefes, and intoxications, as they indeed
accomplish by poisons. And this abuse in cousenage of people,
together with the taking of Gods n a m e in vaine, in manie places of
the scripture is reprooved, especiallie by the name of witchcraft, even
where no poisons are. According to the sense which S. Paule useth
to the Galathians in these words, where he sheweth plainelie, that
t h e true signification of witchcraft is cousenage ; O ye foolish Gala- Gal. 3,1.
N

90

6. Booke.

The discoverie

thians (saith he) who hath bewitched you ? to wit, cousened or abused
you, making you beleeve a thing which is neither so nor so. Whereby
he meaneth not to aske of them, who have with charmes, &c : or with
poisons deprived them of their health, life, cattell, or children, &c:
but who hath abused or cousened them, to make them beleeve lies.
Job. is, 12.
This phrase is also used by Job. 15. But that we may be throughlie
resolved of the true meaning of this phrase used by Paule, Gal. 3.
let us examine the description of a notable witch called Simon
Acts. 8,9.
Magus, made by S. Luke ; There was (saith he) in the citie of
85. Samaria, a certeine man called Simon, / which used witchcraft, and
bewitched the people of Samaria, saieng that he himself was some
great man. I demand, in what other thing here do we see anie
witchcraft, than that he abused the people, making them beleeve he
could worke miracles, whereas in truth he could doo no such thing ;
as manifestlie may appeare in the 13. and 19. verses of the same
chapter : where he wondered at the miracles wrought by the apostles,
and would have purchased with monie the power of the Holy-ghost
to worke wonders.
Acts. 8,11.
It will be said, the people had reason to beleeve him, bicause it is
written, that he of long time had bewitched them with sorceries.
But let the bewitched Galathians be a warning both to the bewitched
Samaritans, and to all other that are cousened or bewitched through
false doctrine, or legierdemaine ; least while they attend to such
11 j . fables and lies, they be brought into ignorance, / and so in time be led
with them awaie from God. And finallie, let us all abandon such
witches and couseners, as with Simon Magus set themselves in the
place of God, boasting that they can doo miracles, expound dreames,
foretell things to come, raise the dead, &c : which are the workes of
1. Reg. 8,39.
the Holy-ghost, who onlie searcheth the heart and reines, and onelie
^a2*"292.4'
worketh great wonders, which are now staied and accomplished in
Acts. 1,24.
Christ, in whome who so stedfastlie beleeveth shall not need to be
Rom'. 8,27.
by such meanes resolved or confirmed in his doctrine and gospell.
Lukk62' &
And as for the unfaithfull, they shall have none other miracle shewed
"• & 9unto them, but the signe of Jonas the prophet.
& 6. & 13.'
And therefore I saie, whatsoever they be that with Simon Magus
ta e u on
Lukn' 29.3'
^ P
them to worke such wonders, by soothsaieng, sorcerie, or
Ecci. 34,5.
witchcraft, are but liers, deceivers, and couseners, according to Syrachs
saieng; Sorcerie, witchcraft, soothsaieng, and dreames, are but
Ecci. 34,8.
vanitie, and the lawe shalbe fulfilled without such lies. God commanded the people, that they should not regard them that wrought
Levi. 19,3".
with spirits, nor soothsaiers : for the estimation that was attributed
unto them, offended God.

of Witchcraft.

chaP.2.

91

T h e second Chapter.
The place of Deuteronomie expounded, wherin are recited all kind
of witches j also their opinions confuted, which hold that they can
worke such miracles as are imputed unto them.
j'HE greatest and most common objection is, that if there
were not some, which could worke such miraculous or
supernaturall feats, by themselves, or by their divels, it
should not have beene said ; Let none be found among
you, that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go through the fier, or
that useth witchcraft, or is a regarder of times, or a marker of the
flieng of fowles, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or that counselleth with
spirits, or a soothsaier, or that asketh counsell of the dead, or (as
some translate it) / that raiseth the dead. But as there is no one place
in the scripture that saith they can worke miracles, so it shalbe easie
to proove, that these were all couseners, everie one abusing the people
in his/severall kind ; and are accurssed of God. Not that they can
doo all such things indeed, as there is expressed ; but for that they
take upon them to be the mightie power of God, and to doo that
which is the onelie worke of him, seducing the people, and blaspheming the name of God, who will not give his glorie to anie
creature, being himselfe the king of glorie and omnipotencie.
First I aske, what miracle was wrought by their passing through
the fier ? Trulie it cannot be prooved that anie effect followed ; but
that the people were bewitched, to suppose their sinnes to be purged
thereby ; as the Spaniards thinke of scourging and whipping themselves. So as Gods power was imputed to that action, and so forbidden as an idolatrous sorcerie. What woonders worketh the
regarder of times ? What other divell dealeth he withall, than with
the spirit of superstition ? Doth he not deceive himselfe and others,
and therefore is worthilie condemned for a witch ? What spirit useth
he, which marketh the flieng of fowles ? Nevertheles, he is here condemned as a practiser of witchcraft; bicause he couseneth the people,
and taketh upon him to be a prophet; impiouslie referring Gods
certeine ordinances to the flittering fethers and uncerteine waies of a
bird. The like effects produceth sorcerie, charming, consultation with
spirits, soothsaieng, and consulting with the dead : in everie of the
which Gods power is obscured, his glorie defaced, and his commandement infringed.
And to proove that these soothsaiers and witches are but lieng
mates and couseners ; note these words pronounced by God himselfe,

Deut. 18.10.

114.
86.

Esay. 42,8.
' ' " *

P s 2 4 8 I0

92

6. Booke.

The discoverie

Deut. 18,14

even in the selfe same place to the children of Israeli : Although the
Gentiles suffered themselves to be abused, so as they gave eare to
these sorcerers, &c : he would not suffer them so, but would raise
them a prophet, who should speake the truth. As if he should saie ;
The other are but lieng and cousening mates, deceitful! and undermining merchants, whose abuses I will make knowne to my people.
And that everie one maie be resolved herein, let the last sentence of
this precept be well weighed ; to wit, Let none be found among you,
115- that asketh counsell of (or rai/seth the dead.)
f aP- 3> *•
First you know t h e soules of the righteous are in t h e h a n d s of God,
Luk. 16, 23.

job. 14,12.
Psal. 88, 10.

J

&

'

and resting with Lazarus in Abrahams bosome, doo sleepe in Jesus
Christ. And from that sleepe, man shall not be raised, till the heavens
k e n o m o r e : according to this of David : Wilt thou shew woonders
°

Deut. 18,11.
Luk. 16.29.

among the dead ? Nay, the Lord saith, The living shall not be
taught by the dead, but by the living. As for the unrighteous, they
are in hell, where is no redemption ; neither is there anie passage
Luk. 16,22.
from heaven to earth, but by God and his angels. As touching the
joh. 5, 21.
resurrection and restauration of the bodie, read John, 5. and you
shall manifestlie see, that it is the onelie worke of the father, who hath
given the power therof to the sonne, and to none other, &c. Dominus
Ose. 6.
percutit, &° ipse medetur: Ego occidam, &" ego vivefaciam. And in
ts I7 25
m a n i e other places it is written, that God giveth life and beeing to all.
2 8. " " *
Tim. 6,13.
Although Plato, with his maister Socrates, t h e cheefe pillers of these
vanities, say, that one Pamphilus was called up out of hel, who when
h e c a m a m o n g t h e people, told manie incredible tales concerning
87- infernall actions. But herein I take u p t h e p r o v e r b e ; /
Amicus
Plato, amicus Socrates, sed major arnica Veritas.
So as this last precept, or last part thereof, extending to that which
neither can be done by witch nor divell, maie well expound the other
parts and points therof. For it is not ment hereby, that they can
doo such things indeed; but that they make men beleeve they doo
them, and thereby cousen the people, and take upon them the office
of God, and therewithall also blaspheme his holie name, and take it
in vaine ; as by the words of charmes and conjurations doo appeare,
which you shall see, if you looke into these words, Habar and Idoni.
In like manner I saie you may see, that by the prohibition of divinations by augurie, and of soothsaiengs, &c, who are witches, and can
indeed doo nothing but lie and cousen the people, the lawe of God
condemneth them not, for that they can worke miracles, but bicause
26. qua. 7. non. they saie they can doo that which perteineth to God, and for cou1398? act. 17.
senage, &c. Concerning other points of witchcraft conteined therein,
Augiist.de
a n c i bicause some cannot otherwise be satisfied, I will alledge under
spirit. &° am-

ma. cap. 28.

7

.

°

one sentence, the decretals, the mind of S. Augustine, the councell

of Witchcraft,

chap. 3.

93

Aurelian, and the determination of/ Paris, to wit: Who so observeth, 116.
or giveth heed unto soothsaiengs, divinations, witchcraft, &c, or doth
give credit to anie such, he renounceth christianitie, and shalbe
counted a pagane, & an enemie to God ; yea and he erreth both in
faith and philosophic And the reason is therewithall expressed in
the canon, to wit; Bicause hereby is attributed to a creature, that
which perteineth to God onelie and alone. So as, under this one
sentence (Thou shalt not suffer a poisoner or a witch to live) is forbidden both murther and witchcraft; the murther consisting in
poison ; the witchcraft in cousenage or blasphemie.

T h e third

Chapter.

That women have used poisoning in all ages more than men, and of
the inconvenience of poisoning.
P K S a ' S f S women in all ages have beene counted most apt to
mr SSI | i | conceive witchcraft, and the divels speciall instruments
KJiiEi HI t n e r m > a n ^ t n e onelie or cheefe practisers therof: so
[pKJJflmma also it appeareth, that they have been the first inventers,
and the greatest practisers of poisoning, and more naturallie addicted
and given thereunto than men : according to the saiengof Quintilian;
Latrocinium facilius in viro, venefcium in fcemina credam. From
whom Plinie differeth nothing in opinion, when he saith, Scientiam piin. lib, 25.
fceminarum in veneficiis prcevalere. To be short, Augustine, Livie, cai>'2'
Valerius, Diodorus, and manie other agree, that women were the
first inventers and practisers of the art of poisoning. As for the rest
of their cunning, in what estimation it was had, may appeare by these
verses of Horace, wherein he doth not onelie declare the vanitie of
witchcraft, but also expoundeth the other words, wherewithall we are
now in hand.
Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,
Nocturnos lemures, portentdq; Thessala rides : //
These dreames and terrors magicall,
117.
88.
these miracles and witches,
Night-walking sprites, or Thessal bugs,
esteeme them not twoo rushes.
Here Horace (you see) contemneth as ridiculous, all our witches
cunning: marrie herein he comprehendeth not their poisoning art,
which hereby he onelie seemed to thinke hurtfull. Pythagoras and
Democritus give us the names of a great manie magicall hearbs and
stones, whereof now, both the vertue, and the things themselves also
are unknowne: as Marmaritin, whereby spirits might be raised:

94

6. Booke.

Archimedon,
which would make one bewraie in his sleepe, all the
secrets in his heart: Adincantida,
Calicia, Mevais, Chirocineta, &r*c:
which h a d all their severall vertues, or rather poisons. But all these
now are worne out of knowledge: marrie in their steed we have hogs
turd a n d chervill, as the onelie thing whereby our witches worke
miracles.
Trulie this poisoning art called Veneficium, of all others is most
abhominable; as whereby murthers maie be committed, where no
suspicion maie be gathered, nor anie resistance can be m a d e ; the
strong cannot avoid the weake, the wise cannot prevent the foolish,
the godlie cannot be preserved from the hands of the wicked; children
maie hereby kill their parents, the servant the maister, the wife hir
husband, so privilie, so inevitablie, and so incurablie, that of all other
it hath beene thought the most odious kind of murther; according to
the saieng of Ovid:
non hospes ab hospite tutus,
Non socer a genero,fratrum
qudq; gratia
raraest:
Imminet exitio vir conjugis, ilia matiti,
Lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercce,
Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos. \

Ovid, metatnorph. lib. i.

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

[Misp. 86]

Aeneid. 4.
lib 4.

The discoverie

by
n§%

89.

The travelling ghest opprest
\
Booth stand in danger of his host,
{
the host eke of his ghest:
(
The father of his sonne in lawe,
'
yea rare is seene to rest
Twixt brethren love and amitie,
andkindnesse
void of strife ;
The husband seekes the goodwifes
death,
and his againe the wife.
Ungentle stepdames grizlie poison temper and doo give :
The sonne too soone dooth aske how long
his father is to live.
T h e monke that poisoned king John, was a right Veneficus; to
wit, both a witch and a murtherer: for he killed the king with poison,
a n d / persuaded the people with lies, that he h a d doone a good and
a meritorious act: and doubtlesse, manie were so bewitched, as they
thought he did verie well therein. Antonius
Sabellicus writeth of a
horrible poisoning murther, committed by women at Rome, where
were executed (after due conviction) 170. women at one t i m e ;
besides 20. women of that consort, who were poisoned with that poison
which they had prepared for others. /

of Witchcraft.
T h e fourth Chapter.

chaP. 4

95
up.

Of divers poisoning practises, otherwise called veneficia, committed
in Italic, Genua, Millen, Wittenberge, also how they were discovered and executed,
NOTHER practise, not unlike to that mentioned in the Veneficae
former chapter, was doone in Cassalis at Salassia in in tahe '
Italie, Anno 1536. where 40. Veneficce or witches being of
one confederacie, renewed a plague which was then
almost ceased, besmeering with an ointment and a pouder, the posts
and doores of mens houses; so as thereby whole families were
poisoned: and of that stuffe they had prepared above 40. crocks for
that purpose. Herewithall they conveied inheritances as it pleased
them, till at length they killed the brother and onelie sonne of one
Necus (as lightlie none died in the house but the maisters and their
children) which was much noted; and therewithall that one Androgina haunted the houses, speciallie of them that died: and she being
suspected, apprehended, and examined, confessed the fact, conspiracie,
and circumstance, as hath beene shewed. The like villanie was
afterwards practised at Genua, and execution was doone upon the veneficae
offenders. At Millen there was another like attempt that tooke none g Mnien
effect. This art consisteth as well in poisoning of cattell as of men:
and that which is doone by poisons unto cattell, towards their destruction, is as commonlie attributed to witches charms as the other. And
I doubt not, but some that would be thought cunning in incantations,
and to doo miracles, have experience in this behalf. For it is written
by divers authors, that if wolves doong be hidden in the mangers,
racks, or else in the hedges about the pastures, where cattell go
(through the antipathie of the nature of the woolfe and other cattell)
all the beasts that savour the same doo not onlie forbeare to eate, but
run about as though they were mad, or (as they say) bewitched.
But Wierus telleth a notable storie of a Veneficus, or destroier/ of 120.
cattell, which I thought meete heere to repeat. There was (saith he) Of a butin the dukedome of Wittingberge, not farre from Tubing, a butcher, veneficall
anno 1564. that bargained with the towne for all their hides which which [?witch.]
were of sterven cattell, called in these parts Morts. He with poison
privilie killed in great numbers, their bullocks, sheepe, swine, &c: and
by his bargaine of the hides and tallowe he grew infinitlie rich.
And at last being suspected, was examined, confessed the matter and
maner thereof, and was put to death with hot tongs, wherewith his
flesh was pulled from his bones. We for / our parts would have killed 90.
five poore women, before we would suspect one rich butcher.

96

6. Booke.

The discoverie
T h e fift

Chapter.

A great objection answered concerning this kind of witchcraft
called Veneficium.
T is objected, that if Veneficium were comprehended
under the title of manslaughter, it had beene a vaine
repetition, and a disordered course undertaken by Moses,
to set foorth a lawe against Venefcas severallie. But it
might suffice to answer any reasonable christian, that such was the
pleasure of the Holie-ghost, to institute a particular article herof, as
of a thing more odious, wicked and dangerous, than any other kind of
murther. But he that shall read the lawe of Moses, or the testament
of Christ himselfe, shall find this kind of repetition and reiteration of
the law most common. For as it is written Exod. 22, 2r. Thou shalt
not greeve nor afflict a stranger, for thou wast a stranger in the land of
Levit. 19,33.
Aegypt: so are the same words found repeated in Levit. 19, 33. Polling
and shaving of heads and beards ^s forbidden in Deut. 27. which was
before prohibited in 22. It is written in Exodus the 20. Thou shalt
not steale : and it is repeated in Leviticus 19. and in Deut. 5. Murther is generallie forbidden in Exod. 20. and likewise in 22. and
repeated in Num. 35. But the aptest example is, that magicke is
121. forbidden in three severall places, to wit, once/ in Levit. 19. and twise
in Levit. 20. For the which a man might as well cavill with the
Holie-ghost as for the other.

T h e sixt Chapter.
In what kind of confections that witchcraft, which is called Venificium, consisteth : of love cups, and the same confuted by poets.
S touching this kind of witchcraft, the principall part
thereof consisteth in certeine confections prepared by
lewd people to procure love; which indeed are meere
poisons, bereaving some of the benefit of the braine, and
so of the sense and understanding of the mind. And from some it
taketh awaie life, & that is more common than the other. These be
called Philtra, or Pocula amatoria, or Venenosa pocula, or Hippomanes \ which bad and blind physicians rather practise, than witches
or conjurers, &c. But of what value these babies are, towards the
end why they are provided, may appeere by the opinions of poets
themselves, from whence was derived the estimation of that stuffe.

of Witchcraft.

cha P . 6.

97

And first you shall heare what Ovid saith, who wrote of the verie art
of love, and that so cunninglie a n d feelinglie, t h a t he is reputed the
speciall doctor in that science :
Fallitur Ammonias si quis decurrit ad artes,
Ddtqj quod a tenerifronte
revellit equi.
Nonfacient ut vivat amor Medeides herbee,j
Mistdq; cum magicis mersa venena sonis.
Phasias ^sonidem,
Circe tenuisset
Ulyssem,
Si modb servari carmine posset amor :
Nee data profuerint pallentia philtra
puellis,
Philtra nocent animis, vimqj furoris
habent.j
Who so dooth run to Hcemon arts,
I dub him for a dolt,
And giveth that which he dooth plucke
Jromforhead
of a colt:
Medeas herbs will not procure
that love shall lasting live.
Nor steeped poison mixed with magicke charms the same can give.
The witch Medea had full fast
held fason for Mr owne,
So had the grand witch Circe too
Ulysses, if alone
With charms mainteind &° kept might be
the love of twaine in one.
No slibbersawces given to maids,
to make them pale and wan,
Will helpe: such slibbersawces marre
the minds of maid and man,
And have in them a furious force
ofphrensie now and than.
Viderit Aemonioe si quis mala pabula
Et magicas artes posse juvare
putat.
If any thinke that evill herbs
in Hcemon land which be,
Or witchcraft able is to helpe,
let him make proofe and see.

terra,

Ovid. lib. 2.
de arte amandi.

91.

122.
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

Philtra,
slibbersaKrces to procure love.

Ovid. lib. de
remedio amoris, i.
Ab.

T h e s e verses precedent doo shew, that Ovid knew that those/
beggerlie sorceries might rather kill one, or make him starke mad, 123
than doo him good towards the atteinement of his pleasure or love;
O

Fleming.

98

e.Booke.

The discoverie

and therefore he giveth this counsell to them that are amorous in
such hot maner, that either they must enjoy their love, or else needs
die; saieng:
Sit procul omne nefas, ut ameris amabilis esto :
Englished by
Abraham
Fleming.

Farre off be all unlawfull meanes
thou amiable bee,
Loving I meane, that she with love
may quite the love of thee. \

92.

T h e seventh

Chapter.

/ / is proved by more credible write?sy that love cups rather ingender
death through venome, than love by art: and with what toies
they destroie cattell, and procure love.
||UT bicause there is no hold nor trust to these poets, who
saie and unsaie, dalliengwith these causes; so as indeed
the wise may perceive they have them in derision : let
us see what other graver authors speake hereof. Eusebius Ccesariensis writeth, that the poet Lucretius was killed with one
Hieronym.
in Ruff.
of those lovers poisoned cups. Hierome reporteth that one Livia
Plin. lib. 25.
herewith killed hir husband, whome she too much hated ; and
cap. 3. Joseph
lib. 11. dejuLucilla killed hirs, whome she too much loved. Calisthenes killed
dceotum antiquit.
Lucius Lucullus the emperor with a love pot, as Plutarch and
Aristot. lib.
Cornelius Nepos saie. Plinie & Josephus report, that Ccesonia killed
8. de natura
animal,
hir husband Caligula Amatorio poculo with a lovers cup, which was
cap. 24.
indeed starke poison. Aristotle saith, that all which is beleeved
Jo. Wier.
de venef.
touching the efficacie of these matters, is lies and old wives tales. He
cap. 40.
that will read more arguments and histories concerning these poisons,
let him looke in J. Wier De Veneficiis. /
The toies, which are said to procure love, and are exhibited in their
Toies to 124.
mocke
poison looving cups, are these: the haire growing in the nethermost
apes.
part of a woolves taile, a woolves yard, a little fish called Remoray the
braine of a cat, of a newt, or of a lizzard: the bone of a greene frog, the
flesh thereof being consumed with pismers or ants; the left bone
whereof ingendereth (as they saie) love; the bone on the right side,
hate. Also it is said, that a frogs bones, the flesh being eaten
off round about with ants, whereof some will swim, and some will
sinke: those that sinke, being hanged up in a white linnen cloth,
ingender love, but if a man be touched therewith, hate is bred thereby.
Another experiment is thereof, with yoong swalowes, whereof one
brood or nest being taken and buried in a crocke under the ground,

of Witchcraft.

chap. s.

till they be starved up; they that be found open mouthed, serve to
engender love; they whose mouthes are shut, serve to procure hate.
Besides these, manie other follies there be to this purpose proposed
to the simple ; as namelie, the garments of the dead, candels that
burne before a dead corps, and needels wherwith dead bodies are
sowne or sockt into their sheetes: and diverse other things, which for
the reverence of the reader, and in respect of the uncleane speach to
be used in the description thereof, I omit; which (if you read Dioscorides, or diverse other learned physicians) you maie see at large. In
the meane while, he that desireth to see more experiments concerning
this matter, let him read Leonardus Vairus de fascino, now this
present yeare 1583. newlie published; wherein (with an incestuous
mouth) he affirmeth directlie, that Christ and his apostles were
Venefici; verie fondlie prosecuting that argument, and with as much
popish follie as may be; labouring to proove itlawfull to charme and
inchant vermine, &c. / /

T h e eight Chapter.

99

Dioscorid. de
"diJn™ me'
L. Vairusde
{af.^i^rope
Mem.

125. 93.

John Bodin triumphing against John Wier is overtaken with Jalse
Greeke &> false interpretation thereof.
ONSIEUR BODIN triumpheth over doctor Wier herein, v, Bodin.
pronouncing a heavie sentence upon him ; bicause he
referreth this word to poison. But he reigneth or rather
] rideth over him, much more for speaking false Greeke ;
affirming that he calleth Veneficos ^apfxaKevav^y which is as true as
the rest of his reports and fables of witches miracles conteined in
his bookes of divelish devises. For in truth he hath no such word,
but saith they are called ^apfxaKeveist, whereas he should have said
QapfiaiceU, the true accent being omitted, and ev being interposed,
which should have beene left out. Which is nothing to the substance
of the matter, but must needs be the Printers fault.
But Bodin reasoneth in this wise, Qap/iaiceis is sometimes put
for Magos or Prcestigiatores: Ergo in the translation of the Sefituagintay it is so to be taken. Wherein he manifesteth his bad
Logicke, more than the others ill Greeke. For it is well knowne to
the learned in this toong, that the usuall and proper signification of
this word, with all his derivations and compounds doo signifie
Veneficos, Poisoners by medicine. Which when it is most usuall and
proper, why should the translators take it in a signification lesse
usuall, and nothing proper. Thus therefore he reasoneth and concludeth with his new found Logicke, and old fond Greeke ; Some-

6. Booke.

The discoverie

times it signifieth so, though unproperlie, or rather metaphoricallie;
Ergo in that place it is so to be taken, when another fitter word
might have beene used. Which argument being vaine, agreeth well
with his other vaine actions- The Septuaginta had beene verie destitute of words, if no proper word could have beene found for this
purpose. But where they have occasion to speake of witchcraft in
their translations, they use Magzan, Maggagian, &c : and
therfore belike they see some difference betwixt
them and the other, and knew some
cause that mooved them to use
the word (bappaiceia,
Veneficium. / /

of

Witchcraft.

101

Chap. i.

If The seventh Booke.

126.

94.

T h e first Chapter.
Of the Hebrue word Ob, what it signifieth where it is found, of
Pythonisses called Ventriloquce, who they be, and what their
practises are, experience and examples thereof shewed.
HIS word Ob, is translated Pytho, or Pythonicus spiritus :
Deutre. 18. Isaie. 19. 1. Sam. 28. 2. Reg. 23. &c : somtime, though unproperlie, Magus as 2. Sam. 33. But Ob
signifieth most properlie a bottle, and is used in this place,
bi cause the Pythonists spake hollowe; as in thebottome of their bellies,
whereby they are aptlie in Latine called Ventriloqui: of which sort was
Elizabeth Barton, the holie maid of Kent, &c. These are such as
take upon them to give oracles, to tell where things lost are become,
and finallie to appeach others of mischeefs, which they themselves
most commonlie have brought to passe : whereby many times they
overthrowe the good fame of honest women, and of such others of
their neighbors, with whome they are displeased. For triall hereof,
letting passe a hundred cousenages that I could recite at this time,
I will begin with a true storie of a wench, practising hir diabolicall
witchcraft, and ventriloquie An. 1574. at Westwell in Kent, within six
miles where I dwell, taken and noted by twoo ministers and preachers
of Gods word, foure substantiall yeomen, and three women of good
fame & reputation, whose names are after written./
Mildred, the base daughter of Alice Norrington, and now servant
to William Sponer of Westwell in the countie of Kent, being of the
age of seventeene yeares, was possessed with sathan in the night and
daie aforesaid. About two of the clocke in the afternoone of the
same day, there came to the same Sponers house Roger Newman
minister of Westwell, John Brainford minister of Kenington, with
others, whose names are underwritten, who made their praiers unto
God, to assist them in that needfull case; and then commanded
sathan in the name of the eternall God, and of his sonne Jesus
Christ, to speake with such a voice as they might understand, and to
declare from whence he came. But he would not speake, but rored
and cried mightilie. And though we did command him manie
times, in the name of God, and of his sonne Jesus Christ, and in his

T h e holie
maid of
Kent a ventriloqua.

An. Domi.
1574Octob. 13.
Confer
this storie
with the
woman of
Endor,
1. Sam. 28.
and see
whether
the same
might not
be accomplished by
this devise.

jgj

102

7- Booke.

The discoverie

mightie power to speake ; yet he would not: untill he had gon
through all his delaies, as roring, crieng, striving, and gnashing of
teeth ; and otherwhile with mowing, and other terrible countenances,
and was so strong in the maid, that foure men could scarse hold hir
downe. And this continued by the space almost of two houres. So
sometimes we charged him earnestlie to speake ; and againe praieng
unto GOD that he would assist us, at the last he spake, but verie
strangelie ; and that was thus ; He comes, he comes : and that
oftentimes he repeated; and He goes, he goes. And then we/
95. charged him to tell us who sent him. And he said; I laie in her waie
like a log, and I made hir runne like fier, but I could not hurt hir.
And whie so, said we ? Bicause God kept hir, said he. When
earnest thou to her, said we ? To night in her bed, said he. Then
we charged him as before, to tell what he was, and who sent him,
and what his name was. At the first he said, The divell, the divell.
Then we charged him as before. Then he rored and cried as before,
and spake terrible words ; I will kill hir, I will kill hir; I will teare
hir in peeces, I will teare hir in peeces. We said, Thou shalt not hurt
hir. He said, I will kill you all. We said, Thou shalt hurt none of
us all. Then we charged him as before. Then he said, You will
give me no rest. Wee said, Thou shalt have none here, for thou
must have no rest within the servants of God : but tell us in the
name of God what thou art, and who sent thee. Then he said he
would teare hir in peeces. We said, Thou shalt not hurt hir. Then/
128. he said againe he would kill us all. We said againe, Thou shalt hurt
none of us all, for we are the servants of God. And we charged him
as before. And he said againe, Will you give me no rest? We said,
Thou shalt have none here, neither shalt thou rest in hir, for thou
hast no right in hir, sith Jesus Christ hath redeemed hir with his
bloud, and she belongeth to him; and therefore tell us thy name,
and who sent thee ? He said his name was sathan. We said, Who
sent thee ? He said, Old Alice, old Alice. Which old Alice, said we ?
Old Alice, said he. Where dwelleth she, said we? In Westwell
streete, said he. We said, How long hast thou beene with hir?
These twentie yeares, said he. We asked him where she did keepe
him? In two bottels, said he. Where be they, said we? In the
backside of hir house, said he. In what place, said we ? Under the
wall, said he. Where is the other ? In Kenington. In what place,
said we? In the ground, said he. Then we asked him, what she did
give him. He said, hir will, hir will. What did shee bid thee doo,
said we ? He said, Kill hir maid. Wherefore did she bid thee kill
hir, said we ? Bicause she did not love hir, said he. We said ; How
long is it ago, since she sent thee to hir ? More than a yeare, said he.

of Witchcraft.

chap. i.

Where was that, said we ? At hir masters, said he. Which masters,
said we ? At hir master Brainfords at Kenington, said he. How oft
wert thou there, said we ? Manie times, said he. Where first, said
we ? In the garden, said he : Where the second time ? In the hall :
Where the third time ? In hir bed : Where the fourth time? In the
field : Where the fift time? In the court : Where the sixt time? In
the water, where I cast hir into the mote : Where the seventh time.
In hir bed. We asked him againe, where else ? He said, in
Westwell. Where there, said we ? In the vicarige, said he. Where
there? In the loft. How earnest thou to hir, said we? In the likenesse of two birds, said he. Who sent thee to that place, said we ? Old
Alice, said he. What other spirits were with thee there, said we? My
servant, said he. What is his name, said we ? He said, little divell.
What is thy name, said we ? Sathan, said he. What dooth old Alice
call thee, said we? Partener, said he. What dooth she give thee, said
we? Hir will, said he. How manie hast thou killed for hir, said we?
Three, said he. Who are they, said we ? A man and his child, said/
he. What were their names, said we ? The childs name was/
Edward, said he : what more than Edward, said we ? Edward Ager,
said he. What was the mans name, said we ? Richard, said he.
What more, said we ? Richard Ager, said he. Where dwelt the man
and the child, said we? At Dig at Dig, said he. This Richard
Ager of Dig, was a Gentleman of xl. pounds land by the yeare, a
verie honest man, but would often saie he was bewitched, and
languished long before he died. Whom else hast thou killed for hir,
said we ? Woltons wife said he. Where did she dwell ? In Westwellsaid he. What else hast thou doone for hir said we? What
she would have me, said he. What is that said we? To fetch
hir meat, drinke, and come, said he. Where hadst thou it, said
we ? In everie house, said he. Name the houses, said we ?
At Petmans, at Farmes, at Millens, at Fullers, and in everie house.
After this we commanded sathan in the name of Jesus Christ to
depart from hir, and never to trouble hir anie more, nor anie man
else. Then he said he would go, he would go : but he went not.
Then we commanded him as before with some more words. Then
he said, I go, I go; and so he departed. Then said the maid, He is
gone, Lord have mercie upon me, for he would have killed me. And
then we kneeled downe and gave God thanks with the maiden;
praieng that God would keepe hir from sathans power, and assist hir
with his grace. And noting this in a peece of paper, we departed.
Sathans voice did differ much from the maids voice, and all that he
spake, was in his owne name. Subscribed thus :

104

7.Booke.

[* Rom.]

The discoverie
Witnesses to this, that heard and*
sawe this whole matter', as follow eth :
Roger Newman^ vicar of Westwell.
fohn Brainford, vicar of Kennington.
Thomas Tailor.
Henrie Tailors wife.

no

fohn Tailor.
Thomas Frenchboms wife.
William Spooner.
fohn Frenchborne,
and his wife.j

The second Chapter.
How the lewd practise of the Pythonist of Westwell came to light,
and by whome she was examined; and that all Mr diabolicall
speach was but ventriloquie and plaine cousenage, which is
prooved by Mr owne confession.

Matt. 24, 44.
2. Thes. 2, 9.

T h e ventriloqua of
Westwell
discovered.

||T is written, that in the latter daies there shalbe shewed
strange illusions, &c: in so much as (if it were possible)
the verie elect shal/be deceived: howbeit, S. Paule saith,
they shalbe lieng and false woonders. Neverthelesse,
this sentence, and such like, have beene often laid in my dish, and are
urged by diverse writers, to approve the miraculous working of witches,
whereof I will treat more largelie in another place. Howbeit, by the
waie I must confesse, that I take that sentence to be spoken of Antichrist, to wit: the pope, who miraculouslie, contrarie to nature,
philosophic, and all divinitie, being of birth and calling base, in
learning grosse; in valure, beautie, or activitie most commonlie a verie
lubber, hath placed himselfe in the most loftie and delicate seate,
putting almost all christian princes heads, not onelie under his girdle,
but under his foote, &c.
Surelie, the tragedie of this Pythonist is not inferior to a thousand
stories, which will hardlie be blotted out of the memorie and credit
either of the common people, or else of the learned. How hardlie
will this storie suffer discredit, having testimonie of such authoritie ?
How could mother Alice escape condemnation and hanging, being
arreigned upon this evidence ; when a poore woman hath beene cast
away, upon a cousening oracle, or rather a false lie, devised by Feats
the juggler, through the malicious instigation of some of hir adversaries ?
But how cunninglie soever this last cited certificat be penned, or
what shew soever it carrieth of truth and plaine dealing, there maybe
found conteined therein matter enough to detect the cousening
knaverie therof. And yet diverse have been deepelie deceived there-

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

with, and can hardlie be removed from the cre/dit thereof, and without
great disdaine cannot endure to heare the reproofe thereof. And
know you this by the waie, that heretofore Robin goodfellow, and
Hob gobblin were as terrible, and also as credible to the people, as
hags and witches be now: and in time to come, a witch will be as
much derided and contemned, and as plainlie perceived, as the
illusion and knaverie of Robin goodfellow. And in truth, they that
mainteine walking spirits, with their transformation, &c: have no
reason to denie Robin goodfellow, upon whom there hath gone as
manie and as credible tales, as upon witches ; saving that it hath not
pleased the translators of the Bible, to call spirits by the name of
Robin goodfellow, as they have termed divinors, soothsaiers, poisoners, and couseners by the name of witches.
But to make short worke with the confutation of this bastardlie
queanes enterprise, & cousenage ; you shall understand, that upon
the brute of hir divinitie and miraculous transes, she was convented
before M. Thomas Wotton of Bocton Malherbe, a man of great
worship and wisedome, and for deciding and ordering of matters in
this commonwealth, of rare and singular dexteritie; through whose
discreet handling of the matter, with the assistance & aid of M.
George Darrell esquire, being also aright good and discreet Justice of
the same limit, the fraud was found, the coosenage confessed, and she
received condigne punishment. Neither was hir confession woone,
according to the forme of the Spanish inquisition; to wit, through
extremitie of tortures, nor yet by guile or flatterie, nor by presumptions; but through wise and perfect triall of everie circumstance the
illusion was manifestlie disclosed: not so (I say) as / witches are
commonlie convinced and condemned; to wit, through malicious
accusations, by ghesses, presumptions, and extorted confessions,
contrarie to sense and possibilitie, and for such actions as they can
shew no triall nor example before the wise, either by direct or indirect
meanes; but after due triall she shewed hir feats, illusions, and
transes, with the residue of all hir miraculous works, in the presence of divers gentlemen and gentlewomen of great worship
and credit, at Bocton Malherbe, in the house of the
aforesaid M. Wotton. Now compare this
wench with the witch of Endor, &
you shall see that both the
cousenages may be
doone by one
art./

P

105
IJI.

The PythoconhifotnJ
confession.

weii

98.

io6

7.Booke.

The discoverie

132.

T h e third Chapter.
Bodins

J. Bodin. lib.
dedcemon.i.

stuffe concerning the Pyihonist of Endor,
storie of a counterfeit
Dutchman.

with a true

I S p ^ S p | ^ ^ ^ *he ^ e t a * e s dooth Bodin build his doctrine, calling
t n a t wil1 n o t
If g g M M t h e m Atheists
beleeve him, adding to this
kind of witchcraft, the miraculous works of diverse
maidens, that would spue pins, clowts, &c: as one Agnes
Brigs, and Rachell Pinder of London did, till the miracles were
detected, and they set to open penance. Others he citeth of that
sort, the which were bound by divels with garters, or some such like
stuffe to posts, &c: with knots that could not be undone, which is an
Aegyptians juggling or cousening feat. And of such foolish lies
joined with bawdie tales, his whole booke consisteth: wherein I
warrant you there are no fewer than twoo hundreth fables, and as
manie impossibilities. And as these two wenches, with the maiden
of Westwell, were detected of cousenage; so likewise a Dutchman at
Maidstone long after he had accomplished such knaveries, to the
astonishment of a great number of good men, was revealed to be a
cousening knave; although his miracles were imprinted and published
at London', anno 1572. with this title before the booke, as followeth.

^[ A

verie

wonderfull

and

strange

mi-

racle of God, shewed upon a Dutchman of the age of
23. yeares, which was possessed of ten divels, and was by Gods mightie providence dispossessed of them againe, the 27.
of Januarie last past, 1572.

U

N T O this the Maior of Maidstone, with diverse of his brethren
subscribed, chieflie by the persuasion/ of Nicasius Vander Schuere,
99, the mi/nister of the Dutch church there, John Stikelbow, whome (as
it is there said) God made the instrument to cast out the divels, and
foure other credible persons of the Dutch church. T h e historie is so
strange, & so cunninglie performed, that had not his knaverie afterwards brought him into suspicion, he should have gone awaie unsuspected of this fraud. A great manie other such miracles have beene
latelie printed, whereof diverse have beene bewraied: all the residue
doubtles, if triall had beene made, would have beene found like unto
these. But some are more finelie handled than othersome. Some

of Witchcraft.

Ghap. 4.

I07

have more advantage by the simplicitie of the audience, some by the
majestie and countenance of the confederates ; as namelie, that
cousening of the holie maid of Kent.
Some escape utterlie unsuspected, some are prevented by death; so as that waie their examination is untaken. Some are weakelie examined: but the most part
are so reverenced, as they which suspect them, are rather called to
their answers, than the others.

T h e fourth

Chapter.

Of the great oracle of Apollo the Pythonist, and how men of all
sorts have been deceived, and that even the apostles have mistaken
the nature of spirits, with an unanswerable argument, that spirits
can take no shapes.
j | I T H this kind of witchcraft, Apollo and his oracles abused
and cousened the whole world: which idoll w a s SO f a m o u s
that I need not stand long in the description thereof.
T h e princes and monarchs of the earth reposed no small
confidence therein: the preests, which lived thereupon, were so
cunning, as they also overtooke almost all the godlie and learned
men of that age, partlie with their doubtfull answers; as that which
was made unto Pyrrhus, in these words, A to te Aeacida
Romanos
vincere posse, and to Croesus his ambassadours in these words, Si
Croesus arma Persis inferat, magnum imperium evertat; and otherwise thus, Croesus Halin \ penetrans, magnam subvertet opum vim : or
thus, Croesus perdet Halin, trangressus plurima regna, S^c: partlie
through confederacie, whereby they knew mens errands yer they
came, and partlie by cunning, as promising victorie upon the sacrificing of some person of such account, as victorie should rather be
neglected, than the murther accomplished. And if it were, yet should
there be such conditions annexed thereunto, as alwaies remained
unto them a starting hole, and matter enough to cavill upon; as that
the partie sacrificed must be a virgin, no bastard, &c. Furthermore,
of two things onelie proposed, and where yea or naie onelie dooth
answer the question, it is an even laie, that an idiot shall conjecture
right. So as, if things fell out contrarie, the fault was alwaies in the
interpretor, and not in the oracle or the prophet. But what mervell,
(I saie) though the multitude and common people have beene abused
herein; since lawiers, philosophers, physicians, astronomers, divines,
generall councels, and princes have with great negligence and
ignorance been deceived and seduced hereby, as swallowing up and
de/vouring an inveterate opinion, received of their elders, without due
examination of the circumstance ?

Th

.e amgies of oracles
*

134.

The subtiltfeofora-

100.

io8

7-Booke.

The discoverie

Howbeit, the godlie and learned fathers (as it appeereth) have
alwaies had a speciall care and respect, that they attributed not unto
God such divelish devises; but referred them to him, who indeed is
the inventer and author thereot, though not the personall executioner,
in maner and forme as they supposed: so as the matter of faith was
not thereby by them impeached. But who can assure himselfe not to
John. 20,9.
be deceived in matters concerning spirits, when the apostles themselves were so far from knowing them, as even after the resurrection
of Christ, having heard him preach and expound the scriptures, all
his life time, they shewed themselves not onelie ignorant therein, but
also to have misconceived thereof? Did not the apostle Thomas
thinke that Christ himselfe had beene a spirit; until Christ told him
plainelie, that a spirit was no such creature, as had flesh and bones,
the which (he said) Thomas might see to be in him ? And for the
further certifieng and satisfieng of his mind, he commended unto him
his hands to be seene, and his sides to be felt. Thomas, if the
answer be true that some make hereunto, to wit: that spirits take
J
35- formes and / shapes of bodies at their pleasure, might have answered
Christ, and remaining unsatisfied might have s a i d ; Oh sir, what do
you tell me that spirits have no flesh and bones ? W h y they can
take shapes and formes, and so perchance have you doone. Which
argument all the witchmongers in the world shall never be able to
answere.
Some of them that mainteine the creation, the transformation, the
transportation, and transubstantiation of witches, object that spirits are
not palpable, though visible, and answer the place by me before cited:
so as the feeling and not the seeing should satisfie Thomas.
But
he that shall well weigh the text and the circumstances thereof, shall
. perceive, that the fault of Thomas his incredulitie was secondlie
bewraied, and condemned, in that he would not trust his owne eies,
nor the view taken by his fellow apostles, who might have beene thought
too credulous in this case, if spirits could take shapes at their pleasure.
John. 20,29.
Jesus saith to him; Bicause thou hast seene (and not, bicause thou
hast felt) thou beleevest. Item he saith; Blessed are they that
beleeve and see not (and not, they that beleeve and feele not.)
Whereby he noteth that our corporall eies may discerne betwixt a
spirit and a naturall bodie; reprooving him, bicause he so much
relied upon his externall senses, in cases where faith should have
prevailed; & here, in a matter of faith revealed in the word, would
not credit the miracle which was exhibited unto him in most naturall
and sensible sort.
Erau.f0l.d2.
Howbeit, Erastus saith, and so dooth Hyperius,
Hemingius,
Ddnceus, M. Mai. Bodi'u, &^c. that evill spirits eate, drinke, and keepe

of Witchcraft.

chap. 5-

companie with men, and that they can take palpable formes of bodies,
producing examples thereof, to wit: Spectrum Germanicum seu
Augustanum, and the angell whose feet Lot washed ; as though
bicause God can indue his messengers with bodies at his pleasure,
therefore the divell and everie spirit can doo the like. How the
eleven apostles were in this case deceived, appeareth in Luke. 24. and
in Mark. 16. as also in Matth. 14. where the apostles and / disciples
were all deceived, taking Christ to be a spirit, when he walked on the
sea. And why might they not be deceived herein, as well as in that
they thought Christ had spoken of a temporall kingdome, when he
preached of the kingdome of hea/ven ? Which thing they also much
misconceived; as likewise when he did bid them beware of the
leven of the Pharisies, they understood that he spake of materiall
bread.

109

lvuk; 24£37
Mat. 14,16. 101.

Matth. 20. 136.
Matt. 16, u.

T h e fift Chapter.
Why Apollo was called Pytho whereof those witches were called
Pythonists : Gregorie his letter to the divell.
UT to returne to our oracle of Apollo at Delphos, who
was called Pytho, for that Apollo slue a serpent so called,
whereof the Pythonists take their name : I praie you conI sider well of this tale, which I will trulie rehearse out of
the ecclesiasticall historie, written by Eusebius, wherein you shall see Euseb. lib. 7.
the absurditie of the opinion, the cousenage of these oraclers, and the ca ' *5'
deceived mind or vaine opinion of so great a doctor bewraied and
deciphered altogither as followeth.
Gregorie Neoccesariensis in his jornie and waie to passe over the
Alpes, came to the-temple of Apollo : where Apollos priest living
richlie upon the revenues and benefit proceeding from that idoll, did
give great intertainement unto Gregorie, and made him good cheare.
But after Gregorie was gone, Apollo waxed dumbe, so as the priests
gaines decaied: for the idoll growing into contempt, the pilgrimage
ceased. The spirit taking compassion upon the priests case, and upon
his greefe of mind in this behalfe, appeared unto him, and told him
flatlie, that his late ghest Gregorie was the cause of all his miserie.
For (saith the divell) he hath banished me, so that I cannot returne
without a speciall licence or pasport from him. It was no need to
bid the priest make hast, for immediatlie he tooke post horsses, and
galloped after Gregorie, till at length he overtooke him, and then
expostulated with him for this discourtesie profered in recompense of
his good cheare; and said, that if he would not be so good unto him,
as to write his letter to the divell in his behalfe, he should be utterlie/

IIO

Note the
cousenage
of oracles.

7-Booke.

The discoverie

137- undone. T o be short, his importunitie was such, that he obtained
Gregorie his letter to the divell, who wrote unto him in maner and
forme following, word for word: Permitto tibi redire in locum tuum,
&* agere quce consuevisti;
which is in English; I am content thou
returne into thy place, and doo as thou wast woont.
Immediatlie
upon the receipt of this letter, the idoll spake as before. And here
is to be noted, that as well in this, as in the execution of all their
other oracles and cousenages, the answers were never given Ex tempore, or in that daie wherein t h e question was demanded, because
forsooth they expected a vision (as they said) to be given the night
following, whereby the cousenage might the more easilie be wrought./

102.

T h e sixt Chapter.
Apollo', who was called Pytho, compared to the Rood of grace :
Gregories letter to the divell confuted.

Zach. 10.
IJ8.

w. Lambert
tn^i u o ox-

H A T need manie words to confute this fable? F o r if
Gregorie had beene an honest man, he would never have
willinglie permitted, that the people should have beene
further cousened with such a lieng spirit: or if he h a d
beene halfe so holie as Eusebius maketh him, he would not have consented or yeelded to so lewd a request of the priest, nor have written
such an impious letter, no not though good might have come thereof.
And therefore as well by the impossibilitie and follie conteined therein,
as of the impietie (whereof I dare excuse Gregorie) you maie perceive it
to be a lie. Me thinks they which still mainteine that the divell m a d e
answer in the idoll of Apollo, &c: maie have sufficient persuasion to
revoke their erronious opinions: in that it appeareth in record, that
such men as were skilfull in augurie, did take upon them to give
oracles at Delphos, in the place of Apollo : of which number Tisanius
the sonne of Antiochus was one. But vaine is the answer of idols.
Our Rood of grace, with the helpe of little S. Rumball, was not
inferior to the idoll of Apollo : for these could / not onlie worke
externall miracles, but manifest the internall thoughts of the hart, I
beleeve with more livelie shew, both of humanitie and also of divinitie,
than the other. As if you read M. Lamberts booke of the perambulation of Kent, it shall partlie appeare. But if you talke with them
that have beene beholders thereof, you will be satisfied herein. And
yet in the blind time of poperie, no man might (under paine of
damnation) nor without danger of death, suspect the fraud. Naie,
what papists will yet confesse they were idols, though the wiers that
m a d e their eies gogle, the pins that fastened them to the postes to

of Witchcraft.

chap. s.

111

make them seeme heavie, were seene and burnt together with the
images themselves, the knaverie of the priests bewraied, and everie
circumstance thereof detected and manifested ?

T h e seventh

Chapter.

How diverse great clarkes and good authors have beene abused in
this matter of spirits through false reports, and by meanes of
their credulitie have published lies, which are confuted by Aristotle and the scriptures.
H KzSJ^lLUTARC H, Livie, and Valerius Maximus, with manie
| y I B W Jll o t n e r g r a v e authors, being abused with falfe reports,
H iSSSf^li w r * t e t n a t m t i m e s P a s t beasts spake, and that images
[EnaSauV could have spoken and wept, and did let fall drops of
blood, yea and could walk from place to place: which they/ saie was 103.
doone by procuration of spirits. But I rather thinke with Aristotle,
that it was brought to passe Hominum 6° sacerdotum deceptionibus, >
to wit: by the cousening art of craftie knaves and priests. And therefore let us follow Esaies advise, who saith; When they shall saie unto Esai. 8,19.
you, Enquire of them that have a spirit of divination, and at the soothsaiers, which whisper and mumble in your eares to deceive you, &c:
enquire at your owne God, &c. And so let us doo. And here you
see they are such as runne into corners, and cousen the people with
lies, &c. For if they could doo as they saie, they could not aptlie be
called liers, / neither need they go into corners to whisper, &c.
jog.

T h e eight

Chapter.

Of the witch ofEndor, and whether she accomplished the raising of
Samuel truelie, or by deceipt: the opinion of some divines hereupon.
HE woman of Endor is comprised under this word Ob :
for she is called Pythonissa. It is written in 2. Sam. cap. 2. Sam 28.
28. that she raised up Sa?nuel from death, and the other
words of the text are stronglie placed, to inforce his verie
resurrection. The mind and opinion of Jesus Syrach evidentlie
appeareth to be, that Samuel in person was raised out from his
grave, as if you read Eccl. 46. 19, 20. you shall plainlie perceive.
Howbeit he disputeth not there, whether the storie be true or false,
but onlie citeth certaine verses of the 1. booke of Samuel cap. 18.
simplie, according to the letter, persuading maners and the imitation

ii2

7. Booke.

The discoverie

of our vertuous predecessors, and repeating the examples of diverse
excellent men; namelie of Samuel-, even as the text it selfe urgeth
the matter, according to the deceived mind and imagination of Saule,
and his servants. And therefore in truth, Sirach spake there according to the opinion of Saule, which so supposed, otherwise it is neither
heresie nor treason to saie he was deceived.
He that weigheth well that place, and looketh into it advisedlie,
shall see that Samuel was not raised from the dead; but that it was an
Sap 3.
illusion or cousenage practised by the witch. For the soules of the
Chrysost. hi'righteous are in the hands of God: according to that which ChrysosHf^h 2uin
t°me saith; Soules are in a certeine place expecting judgement, and
cannot remove from thence. Neither is it Gods will, that the living
should be taught by the dead. Which things are confirmed and
Luke. 16.
approved by the example of Lazarus and Dives : where it appeareth
according to Deut. 18. that he will not have the living taught by the
dead, but will have us sticke to his word, wherein his will and testa140, rnent is declared. In deed / Lyra and Dionysius incline greatlie to the
•letter. And Lyra saith, that as when Balaam would have raised a divell,
God interposed himselfe: so did he in this case bring up Samuell,
when the witch would have raised hir divell. Which is a probable
interpretation. But yet they dare not stand to that opinion, least they
Au ust lib
should impeach S. Augustines credit, who (they confesse) remained in
quce. vet. et 104. judgement and opinion (without contradiction of the church) / that
"ucesL^".™' Samuell was not raised. For he saith directlie, that Samuellhimselfe
item, part. 2. w a s n o t ca lled up. And indeed, if he were raised, it was either wilcap.

26.

item, qua. $•
Zs£&
cian.hb.2.93

r

linglie, or perforce: if it were willinglie, his sinne had beene equall
wi
*h the witches.
And Peter Martyr (me thinks) saith more to the purpose, in these
adDulciti,
.
„,,/
.
,
,
,
^
i
-i
-it
um. quce. 6.
words, to wit: lnis must nave beene doone by Gods good will, or
aVa\>'Jlbchr't. perforce of art magicke: it could not be doone by his good will,
bicause he forbad it; nor by art, bicause witches have no power over
Deut. 18,
the godlie. Where it is answered by some, that the commandement
Exodus. 20.
w a s o n i i e t 0 prohibit the Jewes to aske counsell of the dead, and so
no fault in Samuell to give counsell. We may as well excuse our
neighbours wife, for consenting to our filthie desires, bicause
it is onlie written in the decalog ; Thou shalt not desire
thy neighbours wife. But indeed Samuell was directlie forbidden to answer Saule before he died:
and therefore it was not likelie that
God would appoint him, when
he was dead, to
doo it.
v

y

of Witchcraft.

T h e ninth

chaP. 9.

113

Chapter.

That Samuel was not raised indeed, and how Bodin and all
papists dote herein, and that soules cannot be raised by witchcraft.
URTHERMORE, it is not likelie that God would answer
Saule by dead Samuell, when he would not answer him
by living Samuell: and most unlikelie of all, that God
would answer him by a divell, that denied to doo it by a
prophet. That he was not brought up perforce, the whole course of
the scripture witnesseth, and/ prooveth ; as also our owne reason may
give us to understand. For what quiet rest could the soules of the
elect enjoy or possesse in Abrahams bosome, if they were to be
plucked from thence at a witches call and commandement ? But so
should the divell have power in heaven, where he is unworthie to
have anie place himselfe, and therefore unmeete to command others.
Manie other of the fathers are flatlie against the raising up of
Samuell: namelie, Tertullian in his bookeZte anima, Justine Martyr
In explicatione, qua. 25. Rabanus In epistolis ad Bonas.Abat, Origen
In historia de Bileamo, &*c. Some other dote exceedinglie herein,
as namelie Bodin, and all the papists in generall: also Rabbi Sedias
Haias, & also all the Hebrues, saving R. David Kimhi, which is the
best writer of all the Rabbins : though never a good of them all. But
Bodin, in maintenance therof, falleth into manie absurdities, prooving
by the small faults that Saule had committed, that he was an elect :
for the greatest matter (saith he) laid unto his charge, is the reserving
of the Amalekits cattell, &c. He was an elect, &c : confirming his
opinion with manie ridiculous fables, & with this argument, to wit :
His fault was too little to deserve damnation ; for Paule would not
have the incestuous man punished too sore, that his soule might be
saved. Justine Martyr in another place was not onlie deceived in the
actuall raising up of Samuels soule, but affirmed that all the soules of
the prophets and just men are subject to the power of witches./ And
yet were the Heathen much more fond herein, who (as Lactantius
affirmeth) boasted that they could call up the soules of the dead, and
yet did thinke that their soules died with their bodies. Whereby is
to be seene, how alwaies the world hath beene abused in the matters
of witchcraft & conjuration. The Necromancers affirme, that the
spirit of anie man may be called up, or recalled (as they terme it)
before one yeare be past after their departure from the bodie. Which
C. Agrippa in his booke De occulta philosophia saith, may be doone
Q

141.

% Bod. lib. de
dam 2 cap 3
'' '
r. Samu. 28.
1. Cor. 5.
^ Martyr in
coiioquio
m judao.
105.
Lact. lib. 7.
ca % I3
* '

ii4

7- Booke.

The discoverie

by eerteine naturall forces and bonds. And therefore corpses in times
past were accompanied and watched with lights, sprinkled with holie
water, perfumed with incense, and purged with praier all the while
they were above ground : otherwise the serpent (as the Maisters of
the Hebrues saie) would devoure them, as the food appointed to him
142. by God : Gen. 3. alled/ging also this place; We shall not all sleepe,
but we shall be changed, bicause manie shall remaine for perpetuall
meate to the serpent : whereupon riseth the contention betweene him
Jud, vers. 9.
a n c [ Michaell, concerning the bodie of Moses ; wherein scripture is
alledged. I confesse that Augustine, and the residue of the doctors,
that denie the raising of Samuell, conclude, that the divell was fetcht
up in his likenesse : from whose opinions (with reverence) I hope I
may dissent.

T h e tenth

Chapter.

That neither the divell nor Samuell was raised, but that it was a
meere cousenage, according to the guise of our Pythonists.
J|GAINE, if the divell appeared, and not Samuell: whie is
it said in Eccle. that he slept? for the divell neither
sleepeth nor dieth. But in truth we may gather, that it
was neither the divell in person, nor Samuell: but a
circumstance is here described, according to the deceived opinion and
imagination of Saule. Howbeit Augustine saith, that both these
sides may easilie be defended. But we shall not need to fetch an
exposition so farre off: for indeed (me thinkes) it is Longe petila ;
nor to descend so lowe as hell, to fetch up a divell to expound this
Pompanaciplace. For it is ridiculous (as Pompanacius saith) to leave manifest
us lib. de inthings, and such as by naturall reason may be prooved, to seeke
eant. cap. 2.
unknowne things, which by no likeliehood can be conceived, nor tried
by anie rule of reason. But in so much as we have libertie by S.
Augustines rule, in such places of scripture as seeme to conteine
either contrarietie or absurditie, to varie from the letter, and to make
a godlie construction agreeable to the word ; let us confesse that
Samuell was not raised (for that were repugnant to the word) and see
whether this illusion may not be contrived by the art and cunning of
the woman, without anie of these supernaturall devices : for I could
cite a hundred papisticall and cousening practises, as/ difficult as this,
I43> and as cleanlie handled. And it is to be surelie thought, if it had
beene a divell, the text would have noted it in some place of the storie:
as it dooth not. But Bodin helpeth me exceedinglie in this point,
wherein he for/saketh (he saith) Augustine, Tertullian, and D. Kimhi
106.

of Witchcraft.

Chap. i i .

1 1 ^

himselfe, who saie it was the divell that was raised up : which (saith J. Bod. lib. de
Bodifi) could not be ; for that in the same communication betweene dcem'2* cap'3"
Saule and Samuel/, the name of Jehovah is five times repeated, of
which name the divell cannot abide the hearing.

The eleventh Chapter.
The objection of the witchmongers concerning this place fullie
answered, and what circumstances are to be considered for the
understanding of this storie, which is plainelie opened from the
beginning of the 28. chap, of the 1. Samuel, to the 12. verse.
HERE such a supernaturall miracle is wrought, no doubt
it is a testimonie of truth ; as Peter Martyr affirmeth.
And in this case it should have beene a witnesse of lies :
for (saith he) a matter of such weight cannot be attributed
unto the divell, but it is the mightie power of God that dooth accomplish it. And if it laie in a witches power to call up a divell, yet it
lieth not in a witches power to worke such miracles : for God will not
give his power and glorie to anie creature. To understand this place,
we must diligentlie examine the circumstance thereof. It was well
knowne that Saule, before he resorted to the witch, was in despaire of
the mercies and goodnes of God; partlie for that Samuell told him
long before, that he should be overthrowne, and David should have
his place ; and partlie bicause God before had refused to answer him,
either by Samuell when he lived, or by anie other prophet, or by
Urim or Thumim, &c. And if you desire to see this matter discussed, turne to the first of Samuell, the 28. chapter, and conferre my
words therewith./
Saule seeing the host of the Philistines come upon him (which thing
could not be unknown to all the people) fainted, bicause he sawe
their strength, and his owne weaknesse, and speciallie that he was
forsaken : so as being now straught of mind, desperate, and a verie
foole, he goeth to certeine of his servants, that sawe in what taking
he was, and asked them for a woman that had a familiar spirit, and
they told him by and by that there dwelt one at Endor. By the waie
you shall understand, that both Saule and his servants ment such a one
as could by hir spirit raise up Samuell, or any other that was dead and
buried. Wherein you see they were deceived, though it were true, that
she tooke upon hir so to doo. To what use then served hir familiar
spirit, which you conceive she had, bicause Saules servants said so ?
Surelie, as they were deceived and abused in part, so doubtlesse were
they in the rest. For to what purpose (I saie) should hir familiar serve,

P. Martyr
** sZZ^Zs*'
•
verse
- 9-

Isa

*- 42.

144.

1. Sam. 28,7.

familiar.

116

7- Booke.

The discoverie

if not for such intents as they reported, and she undertooke ? I thinke
you will grant that Saules men never sawe hir familiar : for I never
heard any yet of credit saie, that he was so much in the witches favour,
as to see hir divell ; although indeed we read among the popish trumperie, that S. Cicilie had an angell to hir familiar, and that she could
shew him to whom she would, and that she might aske and have what
107. she or hir/ friend list : as appeareth in the lesson read in the popish
church on saint Cicilies daie. Well, I perceive the woman of Endors
spirit was a counterfeit, and kept belike in hir closet at Endor, or in
the bottle, with mother Alices divell at Westwell, and are now
bewraied and fled togither to Limbopatrum, &-V. And though Saule
were bewitched and blinded in the matter ; yet doubtlesse a wise
man wold have perchance espied her knaverie. Me thinks Saule
D. Burcot,
was brought to this witch, much after the maner that doctor Burcot
was brought to Feats, who sold maister Doctor a familiar, wherby
he thought to have wrought miracles, or rather to have gained good
store of monie. This fellowe by the name of Feats was a jugler, by
the name of Hilles a witch or conjurer, everie waie a cousener : his
qualities and feats were to me and manie other well knowne
and detected. And yet the opinion conceived of him was most
strange and woonderfull; even with such and in such cases, as it
greeveth me to thinke of; speciallie bicause his knaverie and
J
4S- cou/senage reached to the shedding of innocent bloud. But now
i. Sam. 28,8
forsooth Saule covereth himselfe with a net ; and bicause he would
not be knowne, he put on other garments. But to bring that matter
1. Sa 10,23.
to passe, he must have beene cut shorter by the head and shoulders,
for by so much he was higher than any of the people. And therfore
whatsoever face the craftie quene did set upon it, she knew him well
enough. And for further proofe thereof, you may understand, that
the princes of the Jewes were much conversant with the people. And
ibidem.
it appeereth manifestlie, that Saule dwelt verie neere to Endor, so as
she should the rather knowe him ; for in the evening he went from
his lodging unto hir house : neither should it seeme that she was
gone to bed when he came. But bicause that may be uncerteine, you
may see in the processe of the text, that in a peece of the night he
went from his house to hirs, and with much adoo intreated her to
consent to his request. She finished hir conjuration, so as both
Saules part, the witches part, and also Samuels part was plaied : and
after the solemnization therof, a calfe was killed, a batch of bread
baked, and a supper made readie and eaten up ; and after all this, he
went home the same night : and had need so to doo, for he had some
businesse the next daie. By these and manie other circumstances it
may bee gathered, that she dissembled, in saieng she knew him not,

of Witchcraft.

chap. 12.

and consequentlie counterfaited, and made a foole of him in all the
rest.
It appeereth there, that he, with a couple of his men, went to hir
by night, and said ; Conjecture unto me by thy familiar spirit, and
bring me up whom I shall name unto thee. The godlie learned
knowe that this was not in the power of the witch of Endor, but in the
God of heaven onelie to accomplish. Howbeit, Saule was bewitched
so to suppose : and yet is he more simple that will be overtaken with
the devises of our old witches, which are produced to resemble hir.
And why should we thinke, that GOD would rather permit the witch to
raise Samuel, than that Dives could obteine Lazarus to come out of
Abraha7ns bosome, upon more likelie and more reasonable conditions ? Well now dooth this strumpet (according to the guise of our
cousening witches and conjurers) make the matter strange unto
Saule, saieng that he came to take hir in a snare, &c./ But witches
seldome make/ this objection, saving when they mistrust that he which
commeth to them will espie their jugling: for otherwise, where the
witchmonger is simple and easie to be abused, the witch will be as
easie to be intreated, and nothing dangerous of hir cunning ; as you
see this witch was soone persuaded (notwithstanding that objection)
bicause she perceived and sawe that Saule was affraid and out of his
wits. And therfore she said unto him; Whom shall I raise up?
As though she could have brought unto him Abraham, Isaac, or
Jacob ; who cannot heare us, therefore cannot rise at our call. For
it is written ; Looke thou downe from heaven and behold us, &c : as
for Abraham he is ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not.

117

ibidem,

i-Sam. 28,9.108.
14&

1. Sa. 28.12.
Isa. 63,15.16

T h e twelfe Chapter.
The 12. 13. 6° 14. verses of 1. Samuel 28. expounded: wherin is
shewed that Saule was cousened and abused by the witch, and
that Samuel was not raised, is prooved by the witches owne talke.
8Cfl J ^ J H E manner and circumstance of their communication, or
|[Jy3 y&M1 °f *^r conjuration, is not verbatim set downe and exi p g | f||§§| pressed in the text; but the effect thereof breeflie
|ESBLJ^J3I touched : yet will I shew you the common order of their
conjuration, and speciallie of hirs at this time used. When Saule Themaner
had told hir, that he would have Samuel brought up to him, she
of Endors

departed from his presence into hir closet, where doubtles she had
hir familiar; to wit, some lewd craftie preest, and made Saule stand
at the doore like a foole (as it were with his finger in a hole) to heare
the cousening answers, but not to see the cousening handling thereof,

^ ^ y

118

7 Booke.

The discoverie

and the couterfetting of the matter. And so goeth she to worke, using
ordinarie words of conjuration, of which there are sundrie varieties
a n d formes (whereof I shall have occasion to repeat some in another
place) as you see the juglers (which be inferior conjurors) speake
*47- certeine strange words of course to lead awaie the eie from espi/eng
the m a n e r of their conveiance, whilest they may induce the mind to
conceive and suppose that he dealeth with spirits ; saieng, Hay,
fortune furie, nunq; credo>, passe, passe, when come you sirra.
So
belike after many such words spoken, she saith to hir selfe ; Lo now
the matter is brought to passe, for I see woonderfull things. So as
i. Sa. 28,13.
Saule hearing these words, longed to knowe all, and asked hir what
she sawe, W h e r e b y you may know that Saule sawe nothing, but
stood without like a mome, whilest she plaied hir part in hir closet :
1. Sa. 28,21.
a s m a y m o s t evidentlie appeere by the 21. verse of this chapter where
it is s a i d ; T h e n the woman came out unto Saule.
Howbeit, a little
before she cunninglie counterfaited that she sawe Samuel, and thereby
knewe it was Saule that was come unto hir. W h e r e b y all the world
may perceive the cousening, and hir dissimulation. For by that
which hath beene before said, it must needs be that she knew him.
A n d (I praie you) why should she not have suspected aswell him to
be Saule before, when in expresse words he required hir to bring
unto him Samuel, as now, when Samuel appeered unto hir ? /
i.Sa.28, 4.109.
Well, to the question before proposed by Saule, she answereth and
lieth, that she saw angels or gods ascending up out of the earth.
T h e n proceedeth she with her inchanting phrases and words of
course : so as thereby Saule gathereth and supposeth that she hath
raised a man. F o r otherwise his question dependeth not upon any
thing before spoken. F o r when she hath s a i d ; I sawe angels ascending, &c : the next word he saith is ; W h a t fashion is he of? Which
(I saie) hangeth not upon hir last expressed words. And to this
she answered not directlie, that it was Samuel; but that it was an old
m a n lapped in a mantell : as though she knew not him that was the
most notorious m a n in Israeli, that had beene her neighbour by the
space of manie yeeres, and upon whom (while he lived) everie eie
was fixed, and whom also she knew within lesse than a quarter of an
houre before, as by whose meanes also she came acquainted with
1. Sa. 28, \2.
Saule.
Read the text and see.
But she describeth his personage, and the apparell which he did
usuallie weare when he lived : which if they were both buried togither, were consumed and rotten, or devoured with wormes before
148. that time. Belike he had a new mantell m a d e him in hea/ven : and
yet they saie Tailors are skantie there, for that their consciences are
so large here. In this countrie, men give awaie their garments when

of Witchcraft.

ch ap . i 3 .

119

they die : if Samuel had so doone, hee could not have borrowed it
againe ; for of likliehood it would have beene worne out in that space,
except the donee had beene a better husband than I: for the testator
was dead (as it is supposed) two yeares before.

The xiii. Chapter.
The residue of 1. Sam. 28. expounded: wherin is declared how
cunninglie this witch brought Saule resolutelie to beleeve that she
raised Samuel, what words are used to colour the cousenage, and
how all might also be wrought by ventriloquie.
K k ^ K r a O W commeth in Samuel to plaie his part: but I am perB r & v ^ i y s u a ded ^ w a s performed in the person of the witch hir
Qraft^Kl se ^ e » o r °f k*r confederate. He saith to Saule ; Why
[Ca^^iHJ has thou disquieted me, to bring me up ? As though
without guile or packing it had beene Samuel himselfe. Saule
answered that he was in great distresse : for the Philistines made warre
upon him. Whereby the witch, or hir confederate priest might easilie
conjecture that his heart failed, and direct the oracle or prophesie
accordinglie : especiallie understanding by his present talke, and
also by former prophesies and dooings that were past, that God had
forsaken him, and that his people were declining from him. For
when Jonathan (a little before) overthrew the Philistines, being thirtie
thousand chariots and six thousand horssemen ; Saule could not
assemble above six hundred souldiers.
Then said Samuel (which some suppose was sathan, and as I
thinke was the witch, with a confederate ; for what need so farre
fetches, as to fetch a divell supernaturallie out of hell, when the
illusion may be here by natu/rall meanes deciphered ? And if you
note the words well, you shall perceive the phrase not to come out/
of a spirituall mouth of a divell, but from a lieng corporall toong of
a cousener, that careth neither for God nor the divell, fro whence
issueth such advise and communication, as greatlie disagreeth from
sathans nature and purpose. For thus (I saie) the said Samuel
speaketh : Wherefore dooest thou aske me, seeing the Lord is gone
from thee, and is thine enemie? Even the Lord hath doon unto him
as he spake by mine hand: for the Lord will rent thy kingdome out
of thine hand, and give it to thy neighbour David, bicause thou
obeiedst not the voice of the Lord, &c. This (I say) is no phrase of
a divell, but of a cousener, which knew before what Samuel had
prophesied concerning Saules destruction. For it is the divels condition, to allure the people unto wickednes, and not in this sort to

1. Sa. 28,15.
Ibidem.

1. Sa. 13,15.

110.
14Q.

1. Sam. 28.
* 'I7'
1. Sa. 15,28.

120

7. Booke.

The discoverie

admonish, warne, and rebuke them for evill. And the popish writers
confes, that the divell would have beene gone at the first naming of
God. If it bee said, that it was at Gods speciall commandement and
will, that Samuel or the divell should be raised, to propound this
admonition, to the profit of all posteritie: I answer, that then he
would rather have doone it by some of his living prophets, and that
sathan had not beene so fit an instrument for that purpose. After
this falleth the witch (I would saie Samuel) into the veine of prophei.Sa 28,17.
sieng, and speaketh to Saule on this wise ; The Lord will rent thy
kingdome out of thine hand, and give it to thy neighbor David,
bicause thou obeiedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his
fierse wrath upon the Amalekites: therefore hath the Lord doone this
19.
unto thee this daie. Moreover, the Lord will deliver thee into the
hands of the Philistines, and to morrowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be
with me, and the Lord shall give the host of Israel into the hands of
the Philistines. What could Samuel have said more ?
Me thinks the divell would have used another order, encouraging
Saule rather than rebuking him for his evill. The divell is craftier
than to leave such an admonition to all posterities, as should be
prejudiciall unto his kingdome, and also be void of all impietie. But
so divine a sentence maketh much for the maintenance of the witches
credit, and to the advancement of hir gaines. Howbeit, concerning the
veritie of this prophesie, there be many disputable questions: first,
whether the battell were fought the next daie; secondlie, whether all
ISO. his sonnes were kil/led with him; item, whether they went to heaven
or hell togither, as being with Samuel, they must be in heaven, and
being with sathan, they must be in hell. But although everie part of
this prophesie were false, as that all his sonnes were not slaine (Ishbosheth living and reigning in Israel two yeares after Saules death) and
that the battell was not on the morrow, and that wicked Saule, after
2. Reg. 4.
that he had killed himselfe, was not with good Samuel; yet this witch
did give a shrewd gesse to the sequele. Which whether it were true
or false, perteins not to my purpose ; and therfore I will omit it. But
as touching the opinion of them that saie it was the divell, bicause
that such things came to passe ; I would faine knowe of them where
" they learne that divels foreknow things to come. If they saie he
gesseth onelie upon probabilities, the witch may also doo the like.
Canon. 26.
But here I may not forget the decrees, which conclude, that Samuel
Vefmirum.5' appeered not unto Saule ; but that the historiographer set foorth/
111. Saules mind and Samuels estate, and certeine things which were said
& seene, omitting whether they were true or false : and further, that
it were a great offense for a man to beleeve the bare words of the
storie. And if this exposition like you not, I can easilie frame my

of Witchcraft.

chap. 14.

121

selfe to the opinion of some of great learning, expounding this place,
and that with great probabilitie, in this sort; to wit, that this
Pythonist being Ventriloqua; that is, Speaking as it were from the
bottome of hir bellie, did cast hir selfe into a transe, and so abused
Saule, answering to Saule in Samuels name, in hir counterfeit
hollow voice : as the wench of Westwell spake, whose historie I have
rehearsed before at large, in pag. 127 and this is right Ventriloquie.j qufe.

T h e xiiii. Chapter.

151.

Opinions of some learned men, that Samuel was indeed raised, not
by the witches art or power, but by the speciall miracle of God,
that there are no such visions in these our dales, &* that our
witches cannot doo the like.
IAS and Sadaias write, that when the woman sawe the
miracle indeed, and more than she looked for, or was
woont to doo; she began to crie out, that this was a
vision indeed, and a true one, not doone by hir art, but
by the power of God. Which exposition is far more probable than
our late writers judgements hereupon, and agreeth with the exposition
of diverse good divines. Gelasius saith, it was the verie spirit of
Samuel: and where he suffered himself to be worshipped, it was but
in civill salutation and courtesie; and that God did interpose Samuel,
as he did Elias to the messenger of Ochosias, when he sent to
Belzebub the god of A charon. And here is to be noted, that the
witchmongers are set up in this point: for the papists saie, that it
cannot be a divell, bicause Jehovah is thrise or five times named in
the storie. Upon this peece of scripture arguments are daielie
devised, to proove and mainteine the miraculous actions of witchcraft, and the raising of the dead by conjurations. And yet if it were
true, that Samuel himselfe were raised, or the divell in his likenesse;
and that the witch of Endor by hir art and cunning did it, &c: it
maketh rather to the disproofe than to the proofe of our witches,
which can neither do that kind of miracle, or any other, in any such
place or companie, where their jugling and cousenage may be seen
and laid open. And I challenge them all (even upon the adventure
of my life) to shew one peece of a miracle, such as Christ did trulie,
or such as they suppose this witch did diabolicallie, be it not with
art nor confederacie, whereby some colour thereof may be made ;
neither are there any such visions in these daies shewed.
Heretofore God did send his visible angels to men : but now/ we
heare not of such apparitions, neither are they necessarie. Indeed it

R

£^2^*
differhere-

A bold, disfaltMm
challen e
g

132

12 2

7- Booke.

The discoverie

pleased God heretofore, by the hand of Moses and his prophets, and
speciallie by his sonne Christ and his apostles, to worke great
112. miracles, for the establish/ing of the faith: but now whatsoever is
necessarie for our salvation, is conteined in the word of God: our
faith is alredie confirmed, and our church established by miracles; so
as now to seeke for them, is a point of infidelitie. Which the papists
(if you note it) are greatlie touched withall, as in their lieng legends
appeareth. But in truth, our miracles are knaveries most commonlie,
and speciallie of priests, whereof I could cite a thousand. If you
read the storie of Bell and the dragon, you shall find a cousening
miracle of some antiquitie. If you will see newer devises, read
[* ns read us.]
Wierus, Cardanus, Baleus, and speciallie Lavaterns,* &*c. There
* At Canhave beene some ^walking spirits in these parts so conjured not long
turburie by
Rich. Lee
since, as afterwards they little delighted to make anie more appariesquire, &
tions.
others,
anno. 1573.
At Rie by
maister
Gaymor &
others,
anno. 1577.

T h e xv. Chapter.
Of vaine apparitions, how people have beene brought to feare bugges,
which is partlie reformed by preaching of the gospell, the true
effect of Christes miracles.

| U T certeinlie, some one knave in a white sheete hath
cousened and abused manie thousands that waie; speciallie when Robin good-fellow kept such a coile in the
countrie. But you shall understand, that these bugs
speciallie are spied and feared of sicke folke, children, women, and
cowards, which through weaknesse of mind and bodie, are shaken
with vaine dreames and continuall feare. The Scythians, being a
J. Wier. lib. 3
cap. 8.
stout and a warlike nation (as divers writers report) never see anie
Theodor.
Bizantius.
vaine sights or spirits. It is a common saieng; A lion feareth no
Lavat. de
bugs. But in our childhood our mothers maids have so terrified us
sped. 6" lemurib.
with an ouglie divell having homes on his head, fier in his mouth, and
Cardan, de 153. a taile in/ his breech, eies like a bason, fanges like a dog, clawes like
var. rerum
a beare, a skin like a Niger, and a voice roring like a lion, whereby
Peucer. &c.
we start and are afraid when we heare one crie Bough: and they have
so fraied us with bull beggers, spirits, witches, urchens, elves, hags,
fairies, satyrs, pans, faunes, sylens, kit with the cansticke, tritons,
centaurs, dwarfes, giants, imps, calcars, conjurors, nymphes, changlings, Incubus, Robin good-fellowe, the spoorne, the mare, the man in
the oke, the hell waine, the fierdrake, the puckle, Tom thombe, hob
gobblin, Tom tumbler, boneles, and such other bugs, that we are afraid
of our owne shadowes: in so much as some never feare the divell, but
in adarkenight; and then a polled sheepe is a perillous beast, and

of Witchcraft.

chap. i5

123

manie times is taken for our fathers soule, speciallie in a churchyard,
where a right hardie man heretofore scant durst passe by night, but
his haire would stand upright. For right grave writers report, that Lavat. de
spirits most often and speciallie take the shape of women appearing to sped.
monks, &c : and of beasts, dogs, swine, horsses, gotes, cats, haires; of
fowles, as crowes, night owles, and shreeke owles; but they delight
most in the likenes of snakes and dragons. Well, thanks be to God,
this wretched and cowardlie infidelitie, since the preaching of the
gospell, is in part forgotten : and doubtles, the rest of those illusions
will in short time/ (by Gods grace) be detected and vanish awaie.
113.
Divers writers report, that in Germanie, since Luthers time, spirits Car. de var.
and divels have not personallie appeared, as in times past they were return. de
J. Wier.
woont to doo. This argument is taken in hand of the ancient fathers, prcest. dcemon.
&c.
to proove the determination and ceasing of oracles. For in times
past (saith Athanasius) divels in vaine shapes did intricate men with Athanas. de
humanitate
their illusions, hiding themselves in waters, stones, woods, &c. But verbi.
now that the word of GOD hath appeared, those sights, spirits, and
mockeries of images are ceased. Truelie, if all such oracles, as that
of Apollo, &c (before the comming of Christ) had beene true, and
doone according to the report, which hath beene brought through
divers ages, and from farre countries unto us, without preestlie fraud
or guile, so as the spirits of prophesie, and working of miracles, had
beene inserted into an idoll, as hath beene supposed: yet we christians
may conceive, that Christs coming was not so fruteles and pre/judi- JS4ciall in this point unto us, as to take awaie his spirit of prophesie and
divination from out of the mouth of his elect people, and good
prophets, giving no answers of anie thing to come by them, nor by
Urim nor Thumim, as he was woont, &c. And yet to leave the divell
in the mouth of a witch, or an idoll to prophesie or worke miracles,
&c: to the hinderance of his glorious gospell, to the discountenance of T h e true
end of mihis church, and to the furtherance of infidelitie and false religion, racles.
whereas the working of miracles was the onelie, or at least the most
speciall meanes that mooved men to beleeve in Christ: as appeareth
in sundrie places of the gospell, and speciallie in John, where it is John 2.
written, that a great multitude followed him, bicause they sawe his
2
miracles which he did, &c. Naie, is it not written, that Jesus was Act. 2.5.
John.
approoved by God among the Jewes, with miracles, wonders
and signes, &c ? And yet, if we conferre the miracles
wrought by Christ, and those that are imputed
to witches ; witches miracles shall
appeare more common, and
nothing inferior
unto his.

124

7. Booke.

The discoverie

T h e xvi. Chapter.
Witches miracles compared to Christs, that God is the creator of all
things, of Apollo, and of his names and portraiture.
IiF this witch oi Endor had performed that, which manie
conceive of the matter, it might have beene compared
An ironiwith the raising up of Lazarus. I praie you, is not the
call collaconverting of water into milke, as hard a matter as the
tion.
turning of water into wine ? And yet, as you may read in the gospell,
that Christ did the one, as his first miracle; so may you read in M.
Mai, and in Bodin, that witches can easilie doo the other : yea, and
that which is a great deale more, of water they can make butter.
Mai. male/,
But to avoid all cavils, and least there should appeare more matter in
par. 2. quce. I
Christs miracle, than the others, you shall find in M. Mai. that they
cap. 14.
*55- can change water into wine: and what is it to attribute to/ a creature,
the power and worke of the creator, if this be not ? Christ saith,
Acts. 17.
Opera quce ego facio nemo potest facere. Creation of substance was
Tim. 6, 13.
Col. 1, 16. 114. never granted to man nor angell; Ergo neither t o / witch nor divell:
Athanas.
for God is the onlie giver of life and being, and by him all things are
symbol.
made, visible and invisible.
Finallie, this woman of Endor is in the scripture called Pythonissa:
whereby it may appeare that she was but a verie cousener. For Pytho
himselfe, whereof Pythonissa is derived, was a counterfet. And the
Apollo Pyoriginall storie of Apollo, who was called Pytho, bicause he killed a
tho uncaserpent of that name, is but a poeticall fable. For the poets saie he
sed.
was the god of musicke, physicke, poetrie, and shooting. In heaven
he is called Sol, in earth Liber pater, in hell Apollo. He florisheth
alwaies with perpetuall youth, and therefore he is painted without a
beard: his picture was kept as an oracle-giver: and the preests that
attended thereon at Delphos were couseners, and called Pythonists of
Pytho, as papists of Papa ; and afterwards all women that used that
trade, were named Pythonissce, as was this woman of Endor.
But bicause it concerneth this matter, I will breefelie note
the opinions of divers learned men, and certeine other proofes, which I find in the
scripture touching the ceasing of
miracles, prophesies and
oracles.//

of

Witchcraft.

% The eight booke.

Chap. i.

125

156.

115.

T h e first Chapter.
That miracles are ceased.
SJLTHOUGH in times past, it pleased God, extraordina- Psal. 136. 4.
Psal. 72. 18.
rilie to shew miracles amongest his people, for the Psal. 88. 10.
strengthening of their faith in the Messias; and againe at
his comming to confirme their faith by his wonderfull
dooings, and his speciall graces and gifts bestowed by him upon the
apostles, &c: yet we ordinarilie read in the scriptures, that it is the
Lord that worketh great wonders. Yea David saith, that among the
dead (as in this case of Samuel) God himselfe sheweth no wonders. I Isai. 42.
3,
find also that God will not give his glorie and power to a creature. John 7, 2.
Ibid.
16.
Nichodemus being a Pharisie could saie, that no man could do such In annotat.
miracles as Christ did, except God were with him, according to the in Johan. 3.
saieng of the prophet to those gods and idols, which tooke on them
the power of God ; Doo either good or ill if you can, &c. So as the Isai. 45.
prophet knew and taught thereby, that none but God could worke
miracles. Infinite places for this purpose might be brought out of
the scripture, which for brevitie I omit and overslip.
S. Augustine, among other reasons, whereby he prooveth the August, de
verbis
ceasing of miracles, saith; Now blind flesh dooth not open the eies secundumDom.
Matth. serof the blind by the miracle of God, but the eies of our hart are mone. 18.
opened by the word of God. Now is not our dead carcase raised
any more up by miracle, but our dead bodies be still in the grave,/
and our soules are raised to life by Christ. Now the eares of the *S7deafe are not opened by miracle, but they which had their eares shut
before, have them now opened to their salvation. The miraculous
healing of the sicke, by annointing, spoken of by S.James, is objected James. 5, 14.
by manie, speciallie by the papists, for the maintenance of their
sacrament of extreame unction : which is apishlie and vainelie used
in the Romish church, as though that miraculous gift had continuance till this daie : wherein you shall see what Calvine speaketh in J. Calvin. In
his institutions. The grace of healing (saith he) spoken of by S. stitut.19.lib. 4.
cap.
sect.
James, is vanished awaie, as also the other miracles, which the Lord 18.
would have shewed onelie for a time, that he might make the new
preaching of the gospell mervellous for ever. Why (saith he) doo not Idem, ibid.
these (meaning miraclemongers) appoint some Siloah to swim in, sect. 15 7Isai. 9
whereinto at certeine ordinarie recourses of times sicke folke maie

126

s. Booke.

The discoverie

plunge themselves ? Why doo they not lie a long upon the dead,
bicause Paule raised up a dead child by that meanes ? Verelie (saith
he) James in the miracle to annoint, spake for that time, whiles the
church still enjoied such blessings of God. Item, he saith, that the
Lord is present with his in all ages ; and so often as need is, he helpeth their sicknesses, no lesse than in old time. But he dooth not so
utter his manifest powers, nor distributeth miracles, as by the hands
of the apostles, bicause the gift was but for a time. Calvine even
there concludeth thus ; They saie such vertues or miracles remaine,
but experience saith naie. And see how they agree among themselves. DancBUs saith, that neither witch nor divell can worke
116. miracles. Giles Alley saith directlie, / that witches worke miracles.
Calvine saith they are all ceased. All witchmongers saie they continue. But some affirme, that popish miracles are vanished and gone
awaie : howbeit witches miracles remaine in full force. So as S. Loy
is out of credit for a horsseleach, Maister T. and mother Bungie remaine in estimation for prophets : naie Hobgoblin and Robin goodfellow are contemned among yoong children, and mother Alice and
mother Bungie are feared among old fooles. The estimation of these
continue, bicause the matter hath not beene called in question : the
credit of the other decaieth, bicause the matter hath beene looked
into. Whereof I saie no more, but that S. Anthonies blisse will helpe/
158. your pig, whensoever mother Bungie dooth hurt it with hir cursse.
Prov. 51.
And therefore we are warned by the word of God, in anie wise not to
feare their cursses. But let all the witchmongers, and speciallie the
miraclemongers in the world answer me to this supposition ; Put
case that a woman of credit, or else a woman-witch should saie unto
them, that she is a true prophet of the Lord, and that he revealeth
those secret mysteries unto hir, whereby she detecteth the lewd acts
and imaginations of the wicked, and that by him she worketh
miracles, and prophesieth, &c : I thinke they must either yeeld, or
H. Card, de
confesse that miracles are ceased. But such things (saith Cardane)
miracuL
as seeme miraculous, are cheeflie doone by deceipt, legierdemaine, or confederacie ; or else they maie
be doone, and yet seeme unpossible,
or else things are said to be
done, and never were
nor can be
doone.

Acts. 20, 10.
Idem. ibid,
nempe J. Calvine.

of Witchcraft,

Chap. 2.

12 7

The second Chapter.
That the gift ofprophesie is ceased.
HAT witches, nor the woman of Endor, nor yet hir
familiar or divell can tell what is to come, may plainelie
appeare by the words of the prophet, who saith ; Shew Isai. 41.
what things are to come, and we will saie you are gods
indeed. According to that which Salomon saith ; Who can tell a
man what shall happen him under the sunne ? Marrie that can I 1. Sam. 28.
(saith the witch of Endor to Saute.) But I will rather beleeve Paule x°Qox. 12.
and Peter, which saie, that prophesie is the gift of God, and no I# Pet- '•
worldlie thing. Then a cousening queane, that taketh upon hir to \del. the full stop]
doo all things, and can doo nothing but beguile men : up steppeth also
mother Bungie, and she can tell you where your horsse or your asse
is bestowed, or anie thing that you have lost is become, as Samuell
could; and what you have doone in all your age past, as Christ did
to the woman of Sichar at Jacobs well; yea and what your errand is, John. 4.
before you speake, as EUZCEUS did.
Peter Martyr saith, that onelie God and man knoweth the/ heart of i$g.
man, and therefore, that the divell must be secluded, alledging these p. Martyr.
places ; Solus Deusest scrutator cordium, Onelie God is the searcher sfctiT' 9
of hearts. And, Nemo scit quce sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis qui
est in eo, None knoweth the things of man, but the spirit of man
which is within him. And Salomon saith, Tu solus nosti cogitationes
hominum, Thou onelie knowest the thoughts of men. And feremie
saith in the person of God, Ego Deus scrutans corda &> renes, I am
God searching hearts and reines. Also Matthew saith of Christ,
Jesus autem videns cogitationes eorum, And Jesus seeing their
thoughts, who in scripture is called the searcher and knower/ of the 117.
thoughts in the heart : as appeareth in Acts, 1. &*> 15. Pom. 8. Matth.
9. 12. (Sr9 22. Marke. 2. Luke. 6, &* 7. &* 11. John. 1. 2. 6. <> 13. Apoc.
5°
2. 6^ 3. and in other places infinite.
The same Peter Martyr also saith, that the divell maie suspect, p. Martyr.
but not know our thoughts : for if he should know our thoughts, he tn loc-commshould understand our faith ; which if he did, he would never assalt
us with one temptation. Indeed we read that Samuel could tell
where things lost were straied, &c : but we see that gift also ceased
by the comming of Christ, according to the saieng of Paule; At Hebr. 1,8.
sundrie times, and in diverse maners God spake in the old times by
our fathers the prophets, in these last daies he hath spoken unto us
by his sonne, &c. And therefore I saie that gift of prophesie, where-

128

8. Booke.

The discoverie

with God in times past endued his people, is also ceased, and counterfeits and couseners are come in their places, according to this saieng
2. Pet. a. i,
of Peter : There were false prophets among the people, even as there
shalbe false teachers among you, &c. And thinke not that so notable
a gift should be taken from the beloved and elect people of God, and
committed to mother Bungie, and such like of hir profession.
The words of the prophet Zacharie are plaine, touching the ceasing
Zsich. 13.
both of the good and bad prophet, to wit : I will cause the prophets
and uncleane spirits to depart out of the land, and when anie shall
yet prophesie, his parents shall saie to him ; Thou shalt not live, for
thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord : and his parents shall
J. ChrysosL
thrust him through when he prophesieth, &c. No, no : the foretelling
in evang. Jo^
of things to come, is the onelie worke of God, who disposeth all
han. horn. 18
Pet. Blest,
things sweetlie, of whose counsell there hath never yet beene anie man.
epist. 49.
160. And to know our labours, the times / and moments God hath placed in
his owne power. Also Phavorinus saith, that if these cold prophets or
oraclers tell thee prosperitie, and deceive thee, thou art made a miser
through vaine expectation: if they tell thee of adversitie, &c : and lie,
thou art made a miser through vaine feare. And therefore I saie, we
maie as well looke to heare prophesies at the tabernacle, in the bush,
of the cherubin, among the clouds, from the angels, within the arke, or
out of the flame, &c: as to expect an oracle of a prophet in these daies.
But put the case, that one in our common wealth should step up
and saie he were a prophet (as manie frentike persons doo) who
would beleeve him, or not thinke rather that he were a lewd person ?
Canon, de
See the statutes Elizah. 5. whether there be not lawes made against
malef. (sf
them, condemning their arrogancie and cousenage : see also the
mathemat,
canon lawes to the same effect.

T h e third

Chapter.

That Oracles are ceased.
JOUCHING oracles, which for the most part were idols of
silver, gold, wood, stones, &c : within whose bodies some
saie uncleane spirites hid themselves, and gave answers :
as some others saie, that exhalations rising out of the
. ground, inspire their minds, whereby their priests gave out oracles ;
so as spirits and winds rose up out of that soile, and indued those men/
118. with the gift of prophesie of things to come, though in truth they were
all devises to cousen the people, and for the profit of preests, who
received the idols answers over night, and delivered them backe to
the idolaters the next morning : you shall understand, that although

Thucidid.
lib. 2.
Cicer. de di~
vin. lib. 2.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 3.

129

it had beene so as it is supposed ; yet by the reasons and proofes
before rehearsed, they should now cease : and whatsoever hath
affinitie with such miraculous actions, as witchcraft, conjuration,
&c : is knocked on the head, and nailed on the crosse with Christ,
who hath broken the power of divels, and satisfied Gods justice,/
who also hath troden them under his feete, & subdued them, &c. At 161.
whose comming the prophet Zacharie saith, that the Lord will cut Zach. 13,2.
the names of idols out of the land, and they shall be no more remembered; and he will then cause the prophets and uncleane spirits to
depart out of the land. It is also written; I will cut off thine Mich. 5,12.
inchanters out of thine hand, and thou shalt have no more soothsaiers.
And indeed the gospell of Christ hath so laid open their knaverie,
&c: that since the preaching thereof, their combes are cut, and few
that are wise regard them. And if ever these prophesies came to
take effect, it must be upon the coming of Christ, whereat you see the
divels were troubled and fainted, when they met him, saieng, or
rather exclaming upon him on this wise; Fili Dei cur venisii nos
cruciare ante tempus f O thou sonne of God, whie commest thou to
molest us (or confound us) before our time appointed ? Which he
indeed prevented, and now remaineth he our defender and keeper
from his clawes. So as now you see here is no roome left for such
ghests.
Howbeit, you shall heare the opinion of others, that have beene as
much deceived as your selves in this matter: and yet are driven to
confesse, that GOD hath constituted his sonne to beat downe the
power of divels, and to satisfie Gods justice, and to heale our wound
received by the fall of Adam, according to Gods promise in Genesis. Gen. 3.
3. The seed of the woman shall tread downe the serpent, or the
divell. Eusebius (in his fift booke De prcedicatione Evangelii, the Euseb. lib. 5,
title whereof is this, that the power of divels is taken awaie by the cap. 1.
comming of Christ) saith; All answers made by divels, all soothsaiengs and divinations of men are gon and vanished awaie. Item
he citeth Porphyrie in his booke against christian religion, wherein Idem. Ibid.
these words are rehearsed; It is no mervell, though the plague be so Porphyr. in
hot in this citie: for ever since Jesus hath beene worshipped, we can lib. contra
christ. relig.
obteine nothing that good is at the hands of our gods. And of this
defection and ceasing of oracles writeth Cicero long before, and that Cic. de divin.
lib. 2.
to have happened also before his time. Howbeit, Chrysostorne % Chrysost.
living long since Cicero, saith, that Apollo was forced to grant, that de laud.
Paul, horn 4.
so long as anie relike of a martyr was held to his nose, he could not
make anie answer or oracle. So as one may perceive, that the
heathen were wiser in this behalfe than manie christians, who in/
times past were called Oppugnatores incantamentorum, as the English 162.
S

130

s.Booke.

The discoverie

princes are called Defensores fidei. Plutarch calleth Bceotia (as we
call bablers) by the name of manie words, bicause of the multitude
of oracles there, which now (saith he) are like to a spring or fountaine which is dried up. If anie one remained, I would ride five
119. hundred miles to see it: but in the whole world/ there is not one to
be seene at this houre ; popish cousenages excepted.
Porphyr.
But Plutarch saith, that the cause of this defection of oracles, was
writeth
the divels death, whose life he held to be determinable and mortall,
verses in A Polios name,
saieng they died for verie age; and that the divining preests were
of the death
of Apollo:
blowne up with a whirlewind, and soonke with an earthquake.
cited by
Others imputed it to the site or the place of the planets, which
J. Bod. fol. 6.
when they passed over them, carried awaie that art with them, and
by revolution may returne, &c. Eusebius also citeth out of him the
storie of Pan, which bicause it is to this purpose, I will insert the
same; and since it mentioneth the divels death, you may beleeve
it if you list: for I will not, as being assured that he is reserved alive
to punish the wicked, and such as impute unto those idols the power
of almightie God.

T h e fourth

Chapter.

A tale written by manie grave authors, and beleeved by manie wise
men of the divels death. An other storie written by papists, and
beleeved of all catholikes, approoving the divels honestie, conscience, and courtesie.
[*read£/>f]

Thamus
having little to doo,
thought to
plaie with
his companie, whom
he might
easilie overtake
with such
a jest.

I6J.

fri§i3^LUTARCH
saith, that his countriman *Epotherses told
him, that as he passed by sea into Italie, manie passengers being in his bote, in an evening, when they were
about the ilands Echinadce, the wind quite ceased: and
the ship driving with the tide, was brought at last to Paxe. And
whilest some slept, and others quaft, and othersome were awake (perhaps in as ill case as the rest) after supper suddenlie a voice was
heard calling, Thamus; in such sort as everie man marvelled. This
Thamus was a pilot,/ borne in Aegypt, unknowne to manie that were
in the ship. Wherefore being twise called, he answered nothing; but
the third time he answered : and the other with a lowder voice commanded him, that when he came to Palodes, he should tell them that
the great God Pan was departed. Whereat everie one was astonied
(as Epitherses affirmed ) And being in consultation what were best
to doo, Thamus concluded, that if the wind were hie, they must passe
by with silence; but if the weather were calme, he must utter that

of Witchcraft.

chap.*

131

which he had heard. But when they came to Pa/odes, and the wether
calme, Thamus looking out toward the land, cried alowd, that the
great god Pan was deceased: and immediatlie there followed a
lamentable noise of a multitude of people, as it were with great
woonder and admiration. And bicause there were manie in the ship,
they said the fame thereof was speedilie brought to Rome, and Thamus
sent for by Tiberius the Emperour, who gave such credit thereto, that
he diligentlie inquired and asked, who that Pan was. The learned men
about him supposed, that Pan was he who was the sonne of Mercurie
and Penelope, &c. Eusebius saith, that this chanced in the time of
Tiberius the Emperor, when Christ expelled all divels, &c.
Paulus Marsus, in his notes upon Ovids Fasti, saith, that this voice
was/ heard out of Paxe, that verie night that Christ suffered, in the 120.
yeare of Tiberius the nineteenth. Surelie, this was a merrie jest
devised by Thamus, who with some confederate thought to make sport A detectiwith the passengers, who were some asleepe, and some droonke, and ^shis
some other at plaie, &c: whiles the first voice was used. And at knaveriethe second voice, to wit, when he should deliver his message, he
being an old pilot, knew where some noise was usuall, by meanes
of some eccho in the sea, and thought he would (to the astonishment of them) accomplish his devise, if the wether prooved calme.
Whereby may appeare, that he would in other cases of tempests,
&c: rather attend to more serious busines, than to that ridiculous
matter. For whie else should he not doo his errand in rough
wether, as well as in calme? Or what need he tell the divell
thereof, when the divell told it him before, and with much more expedition could have done the errand himselfe ?
* But you shall read in the Legend a fable, an oracle I would/ saie, 164.
more authentike. For many will say that this was a prophane storie, ^Legend, aur.
and not so canonicall as those which are verefied by the popes autho- J*'Tndre^f'
ritie : and thus it is written. A woman in hir travell sent hir sister to f°1,39<
Diana, which was the divell in an idoll (as all those oracles are said
to be) and willed hir to make hir praiers, or rather a request, to knowe
of hir safe deliverie : which thing she did. But the divell answered;
Why praiest thou to me ? I cannot helpe thee, but go praie to
Andrew the apostle, and he may helpe thy sister, &c. Lo, this was
not onelie a gentle, but a godlie divell, pittieng the womans case, A gentle
who revealing his owne disabilitie, enabled S. Andrew more. I He^Tveih
knowe some protestants will saie, that the divell, to mainteine idolatrie, &c: referred the maid to S. Andrew. But what answer will the
papists make, who thinke it great pietie to praie unto saints, and so
by consequence honest courtesie in the divell, to send hir to S,
Andrew, who wold not faile to serve hir turne, &c.

8. Booke.

The discoverie

T h e fift Chapter.
The judgments of the ancient fathers touching oracles, and their
abolishment, and that they be now transferred from Delphos to
Rome.
HE opinions of the fathers, that oracles are ceased by the
coming of Christ, you shall find in these places following,
to wit: Justinus In dialogis adversus Judceos, Athanasius De humanitate verbi, Augustine De civ itate Dei,
Eusebius Lib. 7. cap. 6, Item lib. 5. cap. 1. 8. Rupertus In Joan. lib.
10. 12. Plutarch De abolitione oraculorum, Plinie lib. 30. natural,
histories. Finallie, Athanasuis concludes, that in times past there
were oracles in Delphos, Boeotia, Lycia, and other places : but
now since Christ is preached to all men, this madnesse is
ceased. So as you see, that whatsoever estimation in times
past, the ancient fathers conceived (by heeresaie) of those miraculous matters of idols and oracles, &c: they themselves refuse
now, not onelie to beare witnesse of; but also affirme, that ever /
since Christs comming their mouthes have beene stopped. /
For the ceasing of the knaveries and cousening devises of preests,
I see no authoritie of scripture or ancient father, but rather the contrarie ; to wit, that there shall be strange illusions shewed by them,
even till the end. And truelie, whosoever knoweth and noteth the
order and devises of and in popish pilgrimages, shall see both the
oracles & their conclusions remaining, and as it were transferred
from Delphos to Rome, where that adulterous generation continuallie
seeketh a signe, though they have Moses & the prophets, yea even
Christ & his apostles also, &c.

T h e sixt Chapter.
Where and wherein couseners, witches, and preests were woont to
give oracles, and to worke their feats.
HESE cousening oracles, or rather oraclers used (I saie)
to exercise their feats and to doo their miracles most
commonly in maids, in beasts, in images, in dens, in
cloisters, in darke holes, in trees, in churches or churchyards, &c: where preests, moonks, and friers had laid their plots, and
made their confederacies aforehand, to beguile the world, to gaine
monie, and to adde credit to their profession. This practise began

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133

in the okes of Dodona, in the which was a wood, the trees thereof Strabo Geog.
16.
(they saie) could speake. And this was doone by a knave in a lib Wier. li. 1.
J.
de press, dam.
hollowe tree, that seemed sound unto the simple people. This wood cap. 12.
was in Molossus a part of Greece, called Epyrus, and it was named
Dodonas oracles. There were manie oracles in Aegypt; namelie, of
Hercules, of Apollo, of Minerva, of Diana, of Mars, of Jupiter, and
of the oxe Apys, who was the sonne of Jupiter, but his image was
worshipped in the likenesse of an oxe. Latona, who was the mother
of Apollo, was an oracle in the citie of Bute. The preests of Apollo,
who alwaies counterfaited furie and madnesse, gave oracles in the
temple called Clarius,withm the citie of Colophon in Greece. At Thebes
in Bceotia and also in Lcebadia, Trophonius was the cheefe oracle.
At Memphis a cow, at Corinth an oxe called Mineus, in Arsinoe a
crocodile, in Athens a prophet called Amphiaraus, who / indeed 166.
died at Thebes, where they saie the earth opened, & swallowed him
up quicke. At Delphos was the great temple of Apollo, where
divels gave oracles by maides (as some saie) though indeed it was
doone by preests. It was built upon Parnassus hill in Greece.
And the defenders of oracles saie, that even as rivers oftentimes
are diverted to another course; so likewise the spirit, which inspired the cheefe prophets, may for a time be silent, and revive
againe by revolution.
Demetrius saith, that the spirits, which attended on oracles, waxed
wearie of the peoples curiositie and importunitie, and for shame forsooke the temple. But as *one that of late hath written against * H . Haw. in
his defenprophesies saith ; It is no marvell, that when the familiars that sative aspeake in trunks were repelled from their harbour for feare of dis- gainst prophesies.
coverie, the blocks almightie lost their senses. For these are all
gone now, and their knaverie is espied ; so as they can no longer
abuse the world with such babies. But whereas / these great doctors 122.
suppose, that the cause of their dispatch was the comming of Christ;
if they meane that the divell died, so soone as he was borne, or that
then he gave over his occupation: they are deceived. For the popish
church hath made a continuall practise hereof, partlie for their owne
private profit, lucre, and gaine ; and partly to be had in estimation
of the world, and in admiration among the simple. But indeed,
men that have learned Christ, and beene conversant in his word,
have discovered and shaken off the vanitie and abhomination
heereof. But if those doctors had lived till this daie, they would
have said and written, that oracles had ceased, or rather beene driven
In whose
out of England in the time of K. Henrie the eight, and of Queene daies oraElizabeth his daughter ; who have doone so much in that behalfe, as cles ceased
in England
at this houre they are not onlie all gone, but forgotten here in this

s. Booke.

The discoverie

English nation, where they swarmed as thicke as they did in Bceotia^
or in any other place in the world. But the credit they had, depended
not upon their desart, but upon the credulitie of others. Now therefore I will conclude and make an end of this matter, with the
opinion and saieng of the prophet; Vaine is the answer
of idols. For they have eies and see not,
eares and heare not, mouthes and
speake not, &c: and let them
shew what is to come,
and I will saie
they are gods
indeed.//

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If The ninth

chap. i.

Booke.

135

167.

123.

T h e first Chapter.
The Hebrue word Kasam expounded, and how farre a Christian
may conjecture of things to come.
ASAM (as fohn Wierus upon his owne knowledge
affirmeth, and upon the word of Andrceas Masius re- J. Wier. lib.
porteth) differeth little in signification from the former de prcest. daemon.
word Ob: betokening Vaticinari, which is, To prophesie,
and is most commonlie taken in evill part; as in Deut. lS.ferem. 27.
&c: howbeit, sometime in good part, as in Esaie 3. verse. 2. To
foretell things to come upon probable conjectures, so as therein we All divinaare
reach no further than becommeth humane capacitie, is not (in mine tionsconnot
opinion) unlawfull, but rather a commendable manifestation of wise- demnable.
dome and judgment, the good gifts and notable blessings of GOD,
for the which we ought to be thankfull ; as also to yeeld due honour
and praise unto him, for the noble order which he hath appointed in
nature: praieng him to lighten our hearts with the beames of his
wisedome, that we may more and more profit in the true knowledge
of the workemanship of his hands. But some are so nise, that they
condemne generallie all sorts of divinations, denieng those things
that in nature have manifest causes, and are so framed, as they forshew things to come, and in that shew admonish us of things after to
insue, exhibiting signes of unknowne and future matters to be judged
upon, by the order, lawe, and course of nature / proposed unto us by l68.
God.
And some on the other side are so bewitched with follie, as they
attribute to creatures that estimation, which rightlie and truelie
apperteineth to God the creator of all things ; affirming that the
publike and private destinies of all humane matters, and whatsoever
a man would knowe of things come or gone, is manifested to us in the
heavens : so as by the starres and planets all things might be
knowne. These would also, that nothing should be taken in hand or
gone about, without the favourable aspect of the planets. By which,
and other the like devises they deprave and prophane the ancient and
commendable observations of our forfathers : as did Coiebrasus, who Coiebrasus
taught, that all mans life was governed by the seven planets ; and erronious
& impious
yet a christian, and condemned for heresie. But let us so farre foorth opinion.
imbrace and allow this philosophie and prophesieng, as the word of
God giveth us leave, and commendeth the same unto us. /

136

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124.

The discovet'ie
T h e second Chapter.

Proofes by the old and new testament, that certaine
of the weather are lawfull.

Psalm. 13.
Jerem. 54.
Gen. 1.
Ezech. 1.
Gen. 9.

Ecclus. 43.
Ps. 19. < 50.
&

Ecclus. 43.
Baruch. 3.

i6g.
Luk. 12, 24.
[*Mispr. saire.]
Matt. 16. 2,
3-

Lactant.
contra astrologos.
Peucer. de
astrol. pag.
383.

observations

[ H E N God by his word and, wisedome h a d m a d e the
heavens, and placed the starres in the firmament, he
said ; Let t h e m be for signes, and for seasons, and for
daies, and yeares. W h e n h e created the rainebowe in
the clouds, he said it should be for a signe and token unto us.
W h i c h we find true, not onelie of the floud past, but also of shewers
to come. A n d therefore according to Jesus Sirachs advise, let us
behold it, and praise him that m a d e it. T h e prophet David saith ;
T h e heavens declare the glorie of God, and the firmament sheweth
his handie worke : daie unto daie uttereth the same, and night unto
night teach eth knowledge. It is also written that by the commandement
of the holie one the starres are placed, and continue in their order, &
faile not in their watch. It should appeare, that Christ himselfe did not
altogither neglect the course & order of t h e heavens, in that he said;
W h e n you see a / cloud rise out of the west, streight waie you saie a
shewer commeth : and so it is. And when you see the southwind
blowe ; you saie it will be hot, and so it commeth to passe. Againe,
when it is evening, you saie faire* weather, for the skie is r e d : and
in the morning you saie, to daie shalbe a tempest, for the skie is red
and lowring. Wherein as he noteth that these things doo trulie come
to passe, according to ancient observation, and to the rule astronomicall: so doth he also by other words following admonish us,
that in attending too much to those obsevations, we neglect not
speciallie to follow our christian vocation.
T h e physician is commended unto us, and allowed in the scriptures :
but so to put trust in him, as to neglect & distrust God, is severelie
forbidden and reproved. Surelie it is most necessarie for us to know
and observe diverse rules astrologicall; otherwise we could not with
oportunitie dispatch our ordinarie affaires. And yet Lactantius condemneth and recounteth it among the number of witchcrafts : from
whose censure Calvine doth not much varie. T h e poore h u s b a n d m a n
perceiveth that the increase of the moone maketh plants and living
creatures frutefull : so as in the full moone they are in best strength,
decaieng in the wane, and in the conjunction doo utterlie wither
and vade. Which when by observation, use and practise they
have once learned, they distribute their businesse accordinglie ; as
their times and seasons to sowe, to plant, to proine, to let their cattell
bloud, to cut, &c./

of Witchcraft.

The third

chap. 3.

Chapter.

137

125.

That certeine observations are indifferent, certeine ridiculous,
certeine impious, whence that cunning is derived of Apollo,
of' Aru spices.

and
and

K N O W not whether to disallow or discommend the
curious observation used by our elders, who conjectured
upon nativities : so as, if Saturne and Mercurie were
opposite in anie brute signe, a man then borne should be
dumbe or stammer much ; whereas it is dailie seene, that children
naturallie imitate their p a r e n t s / conditions in that behalfe. Also they
have noted, that one borne in the spring of the moone, shalbe
healthie ; in that time of the wane, when the moone is utterlie decaied,
the child then borne cannot live ; and in the conjunction, it cannot
long continue.
But I am sure the opinion of Julius Maternus is most impious,
who writeth, that he which is borne when Saturne is in Leone, shall
live long, and after his death shall go to heaven presentlie. And so
is this of Alburnazar, who saith, that whosoever praieth to God, when
the moone is in Capite draconis, shalbe heard, and obteine his praier.
Furthermore, to plaie the cold prophet, as to recount it good or bad
lucke, when salt or wine falleth on the table, or is shed, &c : or to
prognosticate that ghests approch to your house, upon the chattering
of pies or haggisters, wherof there can be yeelded no probable
reason, is altogither vanitie and superstition : as hereafter shalbe
more largelie shewed. But to make simple people beleeve, that a
man or woman can foretell good or evill fortune, is meere witchcraft
or cousenage. For God is the onlie searcher of the heart, and delivereth not his counsell to so lewd reprobates. I know diverse
writers affirme, that witches foretell things, as prompted by a reall
divell; and that he againe learneth it out of the prophesies written in
the scriptures, and by other nimble sleights, wherein he passeth anie
other creature earthlie ; and that the same divell, or some of his
fellowes runnes or flies as farre as Rochester, to mother Bungie ; or to
Canturburie to M. T; or to Delphos, to Apollo; or to
Aesculapius,
in Pargamo ; or to some other idoll or witch, and there by waie of
oracle answers all questions, through his understanding of the prophesies conteined in the old testament, especiallie in Daniel and
Esaie : whereby the divell knew of the translation of the monarchie
from Babylon to Gratia, &c. But either they have learned this of
some oracle or witch ; or else I know not where the divell they find it,
T

T h e ridiculous art of
nativitiecasting.

T?0.

Julius Maternus his
most impious opinion.

Bodinus.
Danceus.
Erastus.
Hemingius.
Mai.
male/.
Thom. Aquinas, &c.

138

Apollos
passions.

9-Booke.

The discoveric

Marrie certeine it is, that herein they shew themselves to be witches
and fond divinors : for they find no such thing written in Gods
word.
Of the idoll called Apollo, I have somewhat alreadie spoken in
the former title of Ob or Pytho ; and some occasion I shall have
to speake thereof hereafter : and therfore at this time it shall
suffice to tell you, that the credit gained thereunto, was by the craft /
17'i. and cunning of the priests, which tended thereupon ; who with their
126. counterfeit miracles so/ bewitched the people, as they thought such
vertue to have beene conteined in the bodies of those idols, as God
hath not promised to anie of his angels, or elect people. For it is
said, that if Apollo were in a chafe, he would sweat : if he had
remorse to the afflicted, and could not help them, he would shed
teares, which I beleeve might have beene wiped awaie with that
handkerchiefe, that wiped and dried the Rood of graces face, being
in like perplexities. Even as another sort of witching priests called
Aruspices, prophesied victorie to Alexander, bicause an eagle lighted
on his head : which eagle might (I beleeve) be cooped or caged with
Mahomets dove, that picked peason out of his eare.

T h e fourth Chapter.
The predictions of soothsaiers and lewd priests, the prognostications
of astronomers and physicians allowable, divine prophesies holie
and good.

W h a t prophesies allowable.

J. Bod. lib. de
dipm. lib 1.
J
cap. 4.
/<*'

|HE cousening tricks of oracling priests and monkes, are
and have beene speciallie most abhominable. The superstitious observations of sensles augurors and soothsaiers
(contrarie to philosophic, and without authoritie of scripture) are verie ungodlie and ridiculous. Howbeit, I reject not the
prognostications of astronomers, nor the conjectures or forewarnings
of physicians, nor yet the interpretations of philosophers ; although
in respect of the divine prophesies conteined in holie scriptures, they
are not to be weighed or regarded. For the end of these and the
other is not onlie farre differing ; but whereas these conteine onlie
the word and will of God, with the other are mingled most horrible
lies and cousenages. For though there may be many of them learned
and godlie, yet lurke there in corners of the same profession, a great
number of counterfets and couseners. J. Bodin putteth this difference betweene divine prophets and inchantors ;/ to wit, the one saith
alwaies true, the others words (proceeding from the divell) are
alwaies false ; or for one truth they tell a hundred lies. And then

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chap. 5.

139

why maie not everie witch be thought as cunning as Apollo ? And
why not everie counterfet cousener as good a witch as mother Bungiel
For it is ods, but they will hit the truth once in a hundred divinations
as well as the best.

The fift Chapter.
The diversitie of true prophets, of Urim, and of the propheticall
use of the twelve precious stones conteined therein, of the divine
voice called Eccho.
PSjjngSBT should appeare, that even of holie prophets there were
afsg h^M diverse sorts. For David and Salomon, although in
w i l l K § M ^[ieir psalmes and parables are conteined most excellent
jjfflt^nBiJ mysteries, and notable allegories: yet they were not indued
with that degree of prophesie, that Elie and Elisha were, &c./ For as
often as it is said, that God spake to David or Salomon, it is meant
to be done by the prophets. For Nathan or Gad were the messengers
and prophets to reveale Gods will to David. And Ahiam the Silonite was sent from God to Salomon. Item, the spirit of prophesie,
which Elias had, was doubled upon Elisha. Also some prophets
prophesied all their lives, some had but one vision, and some had
more, according to Gods pleasure; yea some prophesied unto the
people of such things as came not to passe, and that was where Gods
wrath was pacified by repentance. But these prophets were alwaies
reputed among the people to be wise and godlie ; whereas the heathen
prophets were evermore knowne and said to be mad and foolish : as
it is written both of the prophets of Sibylla, and also of Apollo ; and
at this daie also in the Indies, &c.
But that anie of these extraordinarie gifts remaine at this daie,
Bodin, nor anie witchmonger in the world shall never be able to
proove : though he in his booke of divelish madnesse would make
men beleeve it. For these were miraculouslie mainteined/ by God
among the Jewes, who were instructed by them of all such things as
should come to passe ; or else informed by Uritn : so as the preests
by the brightnes of the twelve pretious stones conteined therein,
could prognosticate or expound anie thing. Which brightnes and
vertue ceased (as Josephus reporteth) two hundred yeares before he
was borne. So as since that time, no answers were yelded thereby
of Gods will and pleasure. Nevertheles, the Hebrues write, that
there hath beene ever since that time, a divine voice heard among
them, which in Latine is called Filia vocis, in Greeke i/x^> *n
English The daughter of speech.

Divers

e d«prophesie. 127.
2. Reg. 2.

J. Bodin.
173.

Joseph, de anttqmU

josue films
pfrieaboth.

140

. Booke.

The discoverie
The sixt Chapter.

Of prophesies conditionall:
whereof the prophesies in the old
testament doo intreate, and by whom they were published;
witchmongers aunswers to the objections against witches
siipernattirall
actions.

Phophesies
conditional!.

174.
T h e subject 1 2 8 .
of the prophesies of
the old testament.

2. Reg. 2. 13.

1 H R I S T and his apostles prophesied of the calamities and
afflictions, which shall greeve and disturbe the church of
God in this life : also of the last daie, and of the signes
and tokens that shall be shewed before that daie : and
finallie of all things, which are requisite for us to foreknowe. Howbeit, such is the mercie of God, that all prophesies, threatnings,
plagues, and punishments are annexed to conditions of repentance :
as on the other side, corporall blessings are tied under the condition
of the crosse and castigation. So as by them the mysteries of our
salvation being discovered unto us, we are not to seeke new signes and
miracles ; but to attend to the doctrine of the apostles, who preached
Christ exhibited and crucified for our sinnes, his resurrection, ascension, and thereby the redemption of as manie as beleeve, &c.
T h e prophesies in the old testament treat of the continuance, the
governement, and the difference of estates : of the distinction of the
foure monarchies, of their order, decaie, and instauration ;/ of the
changes and/ ruines of the kingdomes of fuda, Israel, Aegypt,
Persia,
Grcecia, S^c : and speciallie of the comming of our Saviour Jesus
Christ ; and how he should be borne of a virgine, and where, of his
tribe, passion, resurrection, &c. These prophesies were published
by Gods speciall and peculiar prophets, endued with his particular
and excellent gifts, according to his promise ; I will raise them up a
prophet out of the midst of their brethren, I will put my words in his
mouth, &c. Which though it were speciallie spoken of Christ, yet
was it also spoken of those particular prophets, which were placed
among them by God to declare his will; which were also figures of
Christ the prophet himselfe. Now, if prophesie be an extraordinarie
gift of God, and a thing peculiar to himselfe, as without whose speciall
assistance no creature can be a prophet, or shew what is to come ;
whie should we beleeve, that those lewd persons can performe by
divinations and miracles that which is not in humane but in divine
power to accomplish ?
Howbeit, when I denie that witches can ride in the aire, and the
miraculous circumstance thereof: by and by it is objected unto me,
that Enoch and Elie were rapt into heaven bodilie ; and that Abacuke

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chaP. 7.

141

was carried in the aire, to feed Daniel: and so falselie oppose a divels
or a witches power against the vertue of the Holy-ghost. If I deride
the poets opinions, saieng, that witches cannot Coelo deducere lunam,
fetch the moone from heaven, &c: they tell me that at Joshuas battell
the sunne staied, and at the passion of Christ there was palpable
darknes. If I denie their cunning in the exposition of dreames, advising them to remember Jeremies counsell, not to followe or credit
the expositors of dreames ; they hit me in the teeth with Daniel and
Joseph : for that the one of them expounded Pharao the Persian
kings, the other Nabuchadnez-zar the Aegyptian kings dreame. If I
saie with Salomon, that the dead knowe nothing, and that the Eccie3.9, s.
dead knowe us not, neither are remooveable out of Abrahams
bosome, &c : they produce the storie of Samuel: wherein, I saie, 1. Sam. 28.
they set the power of a creature as high as the creator. If I saie,
that these witches cannot transubstantiate themselves, nor others
into beasts, &c. they cite the storie of Nabuchadnez-zar; as though
indeed he were made a materiall beast, and that also by witch-/
craft; and strengthen that their assertion with the fables of Circe and 775.
Ulysses his companions, &c.

The seventh Chapter.
What were the miracles expressed in the old testament, and what
are they in the new testament: and that we are not now to looke
for anie more miracles.
J R S R K j ^ H E miracles expressed in the old testament were manie,
wlllI E S S k u t t n e e n d °f them all was one, though they were divers
ySjSa lii§J a n ( i differing in shew : as where the sacrifices of Moses,
ffiM-jjj^jfifll Elias, and Salomon, being abundantlie wet were burnt
with fier from heaven, &c. The varietie of toongs at the building of Gen. n, 6.
Babylon, Isaachs birth of Sarah being by nature past children,/ the ^an' * V.
passage through the red sea, Daniels foretelling of the foure
monarchies, in the fourth whereof he apparantlie foresheweth the
comming of the Lord. All these, and manie other, which are expressed
in the old testament, were mercifull instructions and notable miracles
to strengthen the faith of. Gods people in their Messias. If you had
gone to Delphos, Apollo would have made you beleeve with his
amphibologicall answers, that he could have foretold you all these
things.
The miracles wrought by Christ were the raising up of the dead A summe
(which manie would impute to the woman of Endor, and also to our miracles?
witches and conjurors) the restoring of the lame to lims, the blind to

129

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The discoverie

sight, the dumbe to speach, and finallie the healing of all diseases ;
which manie beleeve our witches can doo ; yea, and as they themselves will take it upon them. As for casting out of divels (which
was another kind of miracles usuall with Christ) witches and conjurors are said to be as good thereat as ever he was : and yet, if you
will beleeve Christs words, it cannot be so. For he saith ; Everie
kingdome divided against it selfe, shall be brought to naught, &c. If
sathan cast out sathan, he is divided, &c : and his kingdome shall not
endure, &c./
Peters chaines fell off in prison, so did Richard Gallisies fetters at
Windsor: marrie the prison doores opened not to Richard, as they
did to Peter. Helias by speciall grace obtained raine, our witches
can make it raine, when they list, &c. But sithens Christ did these
miracles, and manie more, and all to confirme his truth, and strengthen
our faith, and finallie for the conversion of the people (as appeareth
mjohn. 6. 7, and 12 : in so much as he vehementlie reprooved such,
as upon the sight of them would not beleeve, saieng; Wo be to thee
Chorazin, wo be to thee Bethsaida. If the miracles had beene doone in
Tyre and Sidon, which have beene doone in you, they had a great while
ago repented, &c. Let us settle and acquiet our faith in Christ, and
beleeving all his wonderous works, let us reject these old wives fables,
as lieng vanities : whereof you may find in the golden legend, M. Mai.
and speciallie in Bodin miraculous stuffe, enough to checke all the
miracles expressed in the old and new testament ; which are of more
credit with manie bewitched people, than the true miracles of
Christ himselfe. Insomuch as they stand in more awe
of the manacies of a witch, than of all the
threatnings and cursses pronounced
by God, and expressed in his
word. And thus much
touching the word
Kasam.11

of Witchcraft.

cha P . 2.

If The tenth Booke.

143

177.

130.

T h e first Chapter.
7#£ interpretation of this Hebrue word Onen, of the vanitie of
dreames, and divinations thereupon.
JjNEN differeth not much fromKasam, but that it is extended
to the interpretation of dreames. And as for dreames, whatsoever credit is attributed unto them, proceedeth of follie:
and they are fooles that trust in them, for whie they have
deceived many. In which respect the Prophet giveth us good warning, not to followe nor hearken to the expositors of dreames, for they
come through the multitude of busines. And therefore those witches,
that make men beleeve they can prophesie upon dreames, as knowing
the interpretation of them, and either for monie or glorie abuse men
& women therby, are meere couseners, and worthie of great punishment : as are such witchmongers, as beleeving them, attribute unto
them such divine power as onelie belongeth to God : as appeereth in
Jeremie the Prophet./

T h e second Chapter.

Ecclns. 24.
Jerem. 27,
Eccle. 5.

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

178.

Of divine, naturally and casuall dreames, with their differing
causes and effects.
llACROBIUS recounteth five differences of images, or
rather imaginations exhibited unto them that sleepe,
which for the most part doo signifie somewhat in admonition. There be also many subdivisions made hereof,
which I thinke needlesse to reherse. In Jasper Peucer they are to be
seene, with the causes and occasions of dreames. There were woont
to be delivered from God himselfe or his angels, certeine dreames
and visions unto the prophets and holie fathers : according to the
saieng of Joel; I will powre my spirit upon all flesh, your yoong men
shall dreame dreames, and your old men shall see visions. These
kind of dreames (I say) were the admonishments and forewarnings
of God to his people : as that of Joseph, to abide with Marie his wife,
after she was conceived by the Holie-ghost, as also to conveie our
Saviour Christ into Aegypt, &c : the interpretation whereof are the
peculiar gifts of God, which Joseph the patriarch, and Daniel the
prophet had most speciallie.
As for physicall conjectures upon dreames, the scriptures *improove

Peucer in
divinat. ex
somniis.

Joel. 2.
Matth. 1.20.
Matth. 2,13.
Gen. 39. &
g^^ £*
[* ? reproove]

144

ro. Booke.

The discoverie

them not : for by them the physicians manie times doo understand
the state of their patients bodies. For some of them come by meanes
of choler, flegme, melancholie, or bloud ; and some by love, surfet,
hunger, thirst, &c. Gallen and Boetius were said to deale with
131. divels, bicause they/ told so justlie their patients dreames, or rather
by their dreames their speciall diseases. Howbeit, physicall dreames
are naturall, and the cause of them dwelleth in the nature of man.
F o r they are the inward actions of the mind in the spirits of the
braine, whilest the bodie is occupied with sleepe : for as touching
the mind it selfe, it never sleepeth. These dreames varie, according
to the difference of humors and vapors. There are also casuall
Eccies. 5. iyg. dreames, which (as Salomon saith) / come through the multitude of
businesse. For as a looking glasse sheweth the image or figure thereunto opposite : so in dreames, the phantasie & imagination informes
the understanding of such things as haunt the outward sense.
Whereupon the poet saith :
Somnia ne cures, nam mens humana quod opt at,
Du?n vigilat sperans,per somnum cernit id ipsum :
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

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

by

T h e third Chapter.
The opinion

A dissonancie in opinions about
dreames.

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

J | Y N E S I U S , Themistius, Democritus, and others grounding
themselves upon examples that chance hath sometimes
verified, persuade men, that nothing is dreamed in vaine :
affirming that the hevenlie influencies doo bring foorth
divers formes in corporall matters ; and of the same influencies, visions
and dreames are printed in the fantasticall power, which is instrumentall, with a celestiall disposition meete to bring foorth some effect,
especiallie in sleepe, when the mind (being free from bodilie cares) may
more liberallie receive the heavenlie influencies, wherby many things
are knowne to them sleeping in dreames, which they that wake cannot
see. Plato attributeth them to the formes and ingendred knowledges
of the soule ; Avicen to the last intelligence that moveth the moone,
through the light that lighten eth the fantasie in sleepe ; Aristotle
to
the phantasticall sense ; Averroes to the imaginative ; Albert to the
influence of superior bodies.//

of Witchcraft.
The fourth

chaP. 4.

Chapter.

145

180.

132.

Against interpreters of dreames, of the ordinarie cause of dreames,
Hemingius his opinion of diabolicall dreames, the
interpretation
of dreames ceased.
j H E R E are bookes carried about concerning this matter,
under the name of Abraham, who (as Phito In lib. gigantism saith) was the first inventor of the exposition of
d r e a m e s : and so likewise of Salomon and Daniel.
But
Cicero In lib. de divinatione confuteth the vanitie and follie of them
that give credit to dreames. And as for the interpreters of dreames,
as they knowe not before the dreame, nor yet after, any certeintie;
yet when any thing afterwards happeneth, then they applie the dreame
to that which h a t h chanced.
Certeinlie men never lightlie faile to dreame by night, of that which
they meditate by daie : and by daie they see divers and sundrie
things, and conceive them severallie in their minds. Then those
mixed conceits being laid up in the closset of the memorie, strive
togither; which, bicause the phantasie cannot discerne nor discusse,
some certeine thing gathered of manie conceits is bred and contrived
in one togither. And therefore in mine opinion, it is time vainelie
emploied, to studie about the interpretation of dreames. H e that list
to see the follie and vanitie thereof, maie read a vaine treatise, set
out by Thomas Hill Londoner, 1568.
Lastlie, there are diabolicall dreames, which Nicolaus
Hemingius
divideth into three sortes. T h e first is, when the divell immediatlie
of himselfe (he meaneth corporallie) offereth anie matter of dreame.
Secondlie, when the divell sheweth revelations to them that have
m a d e request unto him therefore. Thirdlie, when magicians by art
bring to passe, that other men dreame what they will. Assuredlie
these, and so all the rest (as they maie be used) are verie magicall
a n d divelish dreames. F o r although we maie receive comfort of
mind by those, which are called divine/ dreames, and health of bodie
through physicall dreames : yet if we take upon us to use the office of
God in the revelation or rather the interpretation of them ; or if we
attribute unto them miraculous effects (now when we see the gifts of
prophesie, and of interpretation of dreames, and also the operation of
miracles are ceased, which were speciall and peculiar gifts of God, to
confirme the truth of the word, and to establish his people in the faith
of the Messias, who is now exhibited unto us both in the testament,
and also in the bloud of our Saviour Jesus Christ) we are bewitched,
U

T h e pleasant art of
the interpretation
of dreames.
N. Hemin. in
admonitionib. de superstitionib.
magicis vitddis.

l8l.

T h e end &
use of prophesie, interpretatiQ
of dreames,
operation
of miracles, &c.

146

io. Booke.

The discoverie

and both abuse and offend the majestie of God, and also seduce,
delude and cousen all such as by our persuasion, and their owne
light beleefe, give us credit. /

133.

T h e fift

Chapter.

That neither witches, nor anie other, can either by words or hearts,
thrust into the mind of a sleeping man, what cogitations or
dreames they list; and whence magicall dreames come.
Seeke for
such stuffe
in my booke
of Hartumim.

G R A N T there maie be hearbs and stones found and
knowne to the physicians, which maie procure d r e a m e s ;
and other hearbs and stones, &c : to make one bewraie
all the secrets of his mind, when his bodie sleepeth, or at
least wise to procure speech in sleepe. But that witches or magicians
have power by words, herbs, or imprecations to thrust into the mind
or conscience of man, what it shall please them, by vertue of their
charmes, hearbs, stones, or familiars, &c : according to the opinion
of Hemingius,
I denie : though therewithall I confesse, that the
divell both by daie and also by night, travelleth to seduce man, and
to lead him from God ; yea and that no waie more than this, where
h e placeth himselfe as God in the minds of them that are so credulous, to attribute unto him, or unto witches, that which is onlie in
the office, nature, and power of God to accomplish.
Dan. 2.
Doth not Daniel the prophet saie, even in this c a s e ; It is t h e /
182. Lord onelie that knoweth such secrets, as in the exposition of dreames
is required ? And doth not Joseph repeat those verie words to Pharaos
Gen. 11, 8.
Gen. 37, &
officers, who consulted with him therein ? Examples of divine
11.
Isai. 11.
dreames you maie find a great number in the scripture, such (I
Dan. 2.
meane) as it pleased God to reveale his pleasure by. Of physicall
dreames we maie both read in authors, and see in our owne experience dailie, or rather nightly. Such dreams also as are casuall, they
are likewise usuall, and come (as hath beene said) through the multitude of affaires and businesse. Those which in these daies are
called magicall or diabolicall dreames, maie rather be called melancholicall. For out of that blacke vapor in sleepe, through dreames,
appeareth (as Aristotle saith) some horrible thing ; and as it were the
A ris tot. de
somnio.
image of an ouglie divell: sometimes also other terrible visions,
imaginations, counsels, and practises. As where we read of a certeine man, that dreamed there appeared one unto him that required
him to throwe himselfe into a deepe pit, and that he should reape
great benefit thereby at Gods hands. So as the miserable wretch
giving credit thereunto, performed the matter, and killed himselfe.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 7.

147

Now I confesse, that the interpretation or execution of that dreame
was indeed diabolicall : but the dreame was casuall, derived from the
heavie and blacke humor of melancholie./

T h e sixt Chapter.

134.

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

T h e seventh

Such would
ted^i the
ship of
fooles.

ISJ.
Anengiish

prover e-

Chapter.

The art and order to be used in digging for monie, revealed by
dreames, how to procure pleasant dreames, of morning and midnight dreames.
HERE must be made upon a hazell wand three crosses, Note this
and certeine words both blasphemous and impious must superstitious dobe said over it, and hereunto must be added certeine tage.
characters, & barbarous names. And whilest the treasure is a digging, there must be read the psalmes, De profundis,
Missa, Misereatur nostri, Requiem, Pater noster, Ave Maria, Et ne
nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos d malo, Amen. A porta
inferi credo videre bona, d^c. Expectate Dominum, Requiem ceternam.
And then a certeine praier. And if the time of digging be neglected,
the divell will carie all the treasure awaie. See other more absolute
conjurations for this purpose, in the word Iidoni following.
You shall find in Johannes Baptista Neapolitanus, diverse receipts ^i^naturaif'
by hearbes and potions, to procure pleasant or fearefull dreames ; and mas- ift- 2.
perfumes also to that effect: who affirmeth, that dreames in the dead of 83. & 84.
'*

148

io. Booke.

The discoverie

the night are commonlie preposterous and monstrous; and in the morning when the grosse humors be spent, there happen more pleasant and
certeine dreames, the bloud being more pure than at other times:
the reason whereof is there expressed.//

184. 135.

T h e eight Chapter.
Sundrie receipts and ointments, made and used for the transportation of witches, and other miraculous effects: an instance therof
reported and credited by some that are learned.

Confections or receipts for
the miraculous
transportation of
witches.

IIT shall not be amisse here in this place to repeate an
ointment greatlie to this purpose, rehearsed by the foresaid fohn Bapt. Neap, wherein although he maie be
overtaken and cousened by an old witch, and made not
onelie to beleeve, but also to report a false tale ; yet bicause it
greatlie overthroweth the opinion of M. Mai. Bodin, and such other,
as write so absolutelie in maintenance of witches transportations, I
will set downe his words in this behalfe. The receipt is as followeth.
R. The fat of yoong children, and seeth it with water in a brasen
vessell, reserving the thickest of that which remaineth boiled in the
bottome, which they laie up and keepe, untill occasion serveth to use
it. They put hereunto Eleoselinum, Aconitum, Frondes populeas, and
Soote.
Another receipt to the same purpose.
R. Slum, acarum vulgare, pentaphyllon, the bloud of a flittermouse, solanum somniferum, &-> oleum. They stampe all these
togither, and then they rubbe all parts of their bodies exceedinglie,
till they looke red, and be verie hot, so as the pores may be opened,
and their flesh soluble and loose. They joine herewithall either fat,
or oile in steed thereof, that the force of the ointment maie the rather
pearse inwardly, and so be more effectuall. By this means (saith he)
in a moone light night they seeme to be carried in the aire, to feasting, singing, dansing, kissing, culling, and other acts of venerie, with
such youthes as they love and desire most : for the force (saith he) ot
their imagination is so vehement, that almost all that part of the
braine, wherein the memorie consisteth, is full of such conceipts.
I8J. And whereas they are naturallie prone/ to beleeve anie thing ; so doo
they receive such impressions and stedfast imaginations into their
minds, as even their spirits are altered thereby ; not thinking upon
anie thing else, either by daie or by night. And this helpeth them
forward in their imaginations, that their usuall food is none other
commonlie but beets, rootes, nuts, beanes, peaze, &c.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 9.

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

T h e ninth

149
Vetuie,quas
utudine'ttri'
&& vocant,
TiZruiorum
]^fcnuZJ?
Hum exsor-

136.

Chapter.

A confutation of the former follies', as well concerning ointments,
dreames, S^c. as also of the assemblie of'witches; and of their consultations and bankets at sundrie places, and all in dreames.
UT if it be true that S. Augustine saith, and manie other
j writers, that witches nightwalkings are but phantasies
and dreames : then all the reportes of their bargaine,
j transporting, and mee/tings with Diana, Minerva, &c : 186.
are but fables ; and then do they lie that mainteine those actions to
be doone in deed and veritie, which in truth are doone no waie. It
were marvell on the one side (if those things happened in dreames,
which neverthelesse the witches affirme to be otherwise) that when
those witches awake, they neither consider nor remember that they
were in a dreame. It were marvell that their ointments, by the Barthoispiphysicians opinions having no force at all to that effect, as they con- ^fg^q'c, \z,
fesse which are inquisitors, should have such operation. It were
marvell that their ointments cannot be found anie where, saving onelie
in the inquisitors bookes. It were marvell, that when a stranger is
annointed therewith, they have sometimes, and yet not alwaies, the
like operation as with witches ; which all the inquisitors confesse.

i5o

io. Booke.

The discoverie

But to this last, frier Bartholomceus saith, that the witches themselves, before they annoint themselves, do heare in the night time a
great noise of minstrels, which flie over them, with the ladie of the
fairies, and then they addresse themselves to their journie. But then
I marvell againe, that no bodie else heareth nor seeth this troope of
minstrels, especiallie riding in a moone light night. It is marvell
that they that thinke this to be but in a dreame, can be persuaded
New matthat all the rest is anie other than dreames. It is marvell that in
ter & wordreames, witches of old acquaintance meet so just togither, and conthie to be
marvelled
clude upon murthers, and receive ointments, roots, powders, &c : (as
at.
witchmongers report they doo, and as they make the witches confesse)
and yet lie at home fast asleepe. It is marvell that such preparation
is made for them (as Sprenger, Bartholomew, and Bodin report) as
well in noble mens houses, as in alehouses ; and that they come in
dreames, and eate up their meate : and the alewife speciallie is not
137. wearied with them for non paiment of their score,/ or false paiment ;
to wit, with imaginarie monie, which they saie is not substantiall, and
that they talke not afterwards about the reckoning, and so discover
the matter. And it is most marvell of all, that the hostesse, &c: dooth
not sit among them, and take part of their good cheere. For so it is,
that if any part of these their meetings and league be true, it is as
true and as certeinlie prooved and confessed, that at some alehouse,
187. or sometime at some Gen/tlemans house, there is continuall preingv?ttsUr'
paration made monethlie for this assemblie : as appeereth in S.
Germani.
Germans storie.
Bar. Spin. qu.
de strigib. c.
30.

T h e tenth

Chapter.

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

1. Re. 3,5,15.
1. Reg. 9.

T is held and mainteined by divers, and gathered out of
the 12. of Numbers, that all which was written or spoken
by the prophets, among the children of Israel {Moses excepted) was propounded to them by dreames. And indeed
it is manifest, that manie things, which are thought by the unlearned
to have beene reallie finished, have beene onlie performed by dreams
and visions. As where Salomon required of God the gift of wisdome : that was (I say) in a dreame ; and also where he received
promise of the continuance of the kingdome of Israel in his line. So

of Witchcraft.

chap. 10.

151

was Esais vision in the 6. of his prophesie : as also that of Ezechiel isai. 6.
Ezech. 12.
the 12. Finallie, where Jeremie was commanded to hide his girdle in Jerem. 13.
the clift of a rocke at the river Euphrates in Babylon ; and that after
certeine daies, it did there putrifie, it must needs b e in a dreame ; for
Jeremie was never (or at leastwise not then) at Babylon. W e that are
christians must not now slumber a n d dreame, but watch and praie,
and meditate upon our salvation in Christ both daie and night. A n d
if we expect revelations in our dreames, now, when Christ is come,
we shall deceive our selves : for in him are fulfilled all dreames and
prophesies. Howbeit, Bodin holdeth that dreames and visions con- J. Bodin.
lib. de dcetinue till this daie, in as miraculous maner as ever they did.
mon. 1. cap. 5.
If you read Artemidorus,
you shall read manie stories of such as
drempt of things that afterwards cam to passe. But he might have
cited a thousand for one that fell out contrarie : for as for / such 188.
dreamers among t h e Jews themselves, as h a d not extraordinarie
visions miraculouslie exhibited unto them by God, they were counted
couseners, as may appeere by these words of the prophet Zacharie; Zach. 10, 2.
Surelie the idols have spoken vanitie, and the soothsaiers have seene
a lie, a n d t h e dreamers have told a vaine thing. According to
Salomons saieng ; I n t h e multitude of dreames a n d vanities are Eccies. 5, 6.
manie words. It appeereth in Jeremie 23. that the false prophets, Jerem. 23.
whilest they illuded t h e people with lies, counterfetting the true
prophets, used to crie out ; Dreames, dreames ; W e have dreamed a
dreame, &c. Finallie, Nabuchadnez-zar
teacheth all men to knowe a
true expositor of d r e a m e s ; to wit, such a one as hath his
revelation from G O D . F o r h e c a n (as Daniel did)
Daniel. 2.
repeate your dreame before you discover i t :
which thing if anie expounder of
dreames can doo at
this daie, I will
beleeve
him.//

*52
i8

9> 138.

n.Booke.

The discoverie

^f The eleventh booke.
T h e first Chapter.
The Hebrue word Nahas expounded, of the art of augurie, who
invented it, how slovenlie a science it is : the multitude of sacrifices and sacrificers of the heathen, and the causes therof

IAHAS, is To observe the flieng of birds, & comprehendeth
all such other observations, where men do ghesse upon
uncerteine toies. It is found in Deut. 18. and in 2.
Chron. 33. and else-where. Of this art of augurie Tyresias
the king of the Thebans is said to be the first inventor : but Tages
first published the discipline thereof, being but a little boie ; as Cicero
The sioreporteth out of the bookes of the Hetruscans themselves. Some
of augurie.
points of this art are more high and profound than some others, and
yet are they more homelie and slovenlie than the rest; as namelie,
the divination upon the entrailes of beasts, which the Gentiles in
their sacrifices speciallie observed. Insomuch as Marcus Varro,
seeing the absurditie thereof, said that these gods were not onlie idle,
but verie slovens, that used so to hide their secrets and counsels in
the guts and bowels of beasts.
How vainlie, absurdlie, and superstitiouslie the heathen used this
kind of divination in their sacrifices, is manifested by their actions
& ceremonies in that behalfe practised, as well in times past, as at
this houre. The Aegyptians had 666. severall sorts and kinds of
1go. sacrifices ; the Romans had almost as manie ; the Grcsjcians had not
so few as they ; the Persians and the Medes were not behind them ;
the Indies and other nations have at this instant their sacrifices full
of varietie, and more full of barbarous impietie. For in sundrie
places, these offer sacrifices to the divell, hoping thereby to moove
him to lenitie : yea, these commonlie sacrifice such of
their enimies, as they have taken in warre : as
we read that the Gentiles in ancient time
did offer sacrifice, to appease the
wrath and indignation of
their feigned
gods.

of Witchcraft,

chap. 3.

153

T h e second Chapter.
Of the J ewes sacrifice to Moloch, a discourse thereupon, and of
Purgatorie.
||HE fewes used one kind of diabolical sacrifice, never 2 Re> 23> I0
taught them by Moses, namelie, to offer their children to j'J^] 33Moloch, making their sonnes and their daughters to runne
through the fire ; supposing such grace and efficacie to
have beene in that action, as other witches affirme to be in charmes
and words. And therfore among other points of witchcraft, this is Deut< l8 IO
speciallie and namelie forbidden by Moses. We read of no more \^vi-l8»"•
miracles wrought hereby, than by any other kind of witchcraft in the
old or new testament expressed. It was no ceremonie appointed by An invinGod,/ no figure of Christ : perhaps it might be a sacrament or rather cible argu- 139.
ment
a figure of purgatorie, the which place was not remembred by Moses. gainst apurNeither was there anie sacrifice appointed by the lawe for the releefe gatorieof the Israelites soules that there should be tormented. Which without all doubt should not have beene omitted, if any such place of
purgatorie had beene then, as the Pope hath latelie devised for his
private and speciall lucre. This sacrificing to Moloch (as some
affirme) was usuall among the Gentiles, from whence the J ewes
brought it into Israel: and there (of likeliehood) the Eutichists learned
the abhomination in that behalfe./

T h e third Chapter.

igi.

The Canibals crueliie, of popish sacrifices exceeding in tyrannie the
fewes or Gentiles.
IIHE incivilitie and cruell sacrifices of popish preests do Against the
yet exceed both the Jew and the Gentile : for these take papists abhominable
upon them to sacrifice Christ himselfe. And to make and blasphemous
their tyrannie the more apparent, they are not contented sacrifice of
to have killed him once, but dailie and hourelie torment him with the masse.
new deaths ; yea they are not ashamed to sweare, that with their
carnall hands theyteare his humane substance, breaking it into small
gobbets ; and with their externall teeth chew his flesh and bones,
contrarie to divine or humane nature; and contrarie to the prophesie,
which saith ; There shall not a bone of him be broken. Finallie, in Psal. 34,
the end of their sacrifice (as they say) they eate him up rawe, and
swallow downe into their guts everie member and parcell of him :
X

I CA

i i . Booke.

The discoverie

and last of all, that they conveie him into the place where they
bestowe the residue of all that which they have devoured that daie.
And this same barbarous impietie exceedeththe crueltie of all others:
for all the Gentiles consumed their sacrifices with fier, which they
thought to be holie.

T h e fourth Chapter.
The superstition of the heathen about the element of fier', and how it
grew in such reverence among them, of their corruptions^ and
that they had some inkling of the godlie fathers dooings in that
behalfe.
||S touching the element of fier, & the superstition therof
about those businesses, you shall understand, that manie
superstitious people and nations have received, reverenced,
& reserved fier, as the most holy thing among their sacriig2. fices: insomuch (I saie) as they have worshipped it a/mong their
gods, calling it Orimasda (to wit) holie fier, and divine light. T h e
Greekes called it ealav, t h e R o m a n s Vesta, which is, T h e fier of the
Lord.
Surelie they had heard of the fier that came downe from
heaven, and consumed the oblations of the fathers; and they understood it to be God himselfe. For there came to the heathen, the
bare n a m e s of things, from the doctrine of the godlie fathers and
140. patriarchs, and those so ob/scured with fables, and corrupted with
lies, so overwhelmed with superstitions, and disguised with ceremonies,
that it is hard to judge from whence they came. Some cause thereof
(I suppose) was partlie the translations of governements, whereby
one nation learned follie of another ; and partlie blind devotion,
without knowledge of Gods word : but speciallie the want of grace,
which they sought not for, according to Gods commandement and
will. And that the Gentiles had some inkling of the godlie fathers
dooings, may diverslie appeare. Doo not the Muscovits and ^Indian
* T h e Gymnosophists
prophets at this daie, like apes, imitate Esaie?
Bicause he went
of India
n a k e d certeine yeares, they forsooth counterfet madnes, and
their apish
imitation
drinke potions for that purpose ; thinking that whatof Esaie.
soever they saie in their madnes, will certeinelie come to passe. But hereof
is more largelie discoursed
before in the word
Kasam.

of Witchcraft,

chap. 5

155

T h e fift Chapter.
Of the Romane

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

of

H E Romans, even after they were growne to great
civilitie, and enjoied a most flourishing state and commonwealth, would sometimes sacrifice themselves, sometimes their children, sometimes their friends, &c : consuming the same with fier, which they thought holie. Such estimation
(I saie) was attributed to this art of divination upon the entrails of
beasts, &c : at Rome, as the cheefe princes themselves exercised the
s a m e ; namelie,/ Romulus, Fabius Maximus,
&*c : in so much as
there was a decree m a d e there, by the whole senate, that six of the
cheefe magistrats sonnes should from time to time be put foorth, to
learne the mysterie of these arts of augurie and divination, at Hetruria, where the cunning and knowledge thereof most abounded.
When they came home well informed and instructed in this art, their
estimation and dignitie was such, as tbey were accounted, reputed,
and taken to be the interpretors of the gods, or rather betweene the
gods and them. N o high preest, nor anie other great officer was
elected, but these did either absolutelie nominate them, or else did
exhibit the names of two, whereof the senate must choose the one.
In their ancient lawes were written these words : Prodigia &
portenta ad Hetruscos
aruspices (si senatus jusserit)
deferunto,
Hetruriceqj principes disciplinam discunto.
Quibus divis decreverunt,
procuranto,
iisdem fulgura
&* ostenta pianto, auspicia
servanto,
auguriparento
: the effect of which words is this ; Let all prodigious
and portentous matters be carried to the soothsaiers of
Hetruria,
at the will and commandement of the s e n a t ; and let the yoong
princes be sent to Hetruria, there to learne that discipline, or to be
instructed in that art and knowledge. Let there be alwaies some
solicitor, to learne with what gods they have decreed or determined
their matters, and let sacrifices be m a d e unto them in times
of lightening, or at anie strange or supernaturall
shew. Let all such conjecturing tokens be
observed ; whatsoever the soothsaier commandeth, let it
be religicuslie
obeied./

IQJ.

The lawe
^eive
tables.

156

i.Booke.

141.

The discoverie
T h e sixt Chapter.

Colleges of augurors, their office, their number, the signification of
augurie, that the practisers of that art were couseners, their
profession, their places of exercise, their apparrell, their superstition.
]]0MULUS erected three colleges or centuries of those
kinds of soothsaiers, which onelie (and none other) should
have authoritie to expound the minds and admonishments of the gods. Afterwards that/ number was aug194.
mented to five, and after that to nine : for they must needs be od.
Magna
In the end, they increased so fast, that they were feine to make a
charta.
Hen.
decree for staie from the further proceeding in those erections : like
3. 36. 7 Ed. 1.
15. Rt. 3. 5.
to our statute of Mortmaine. Howbeit, Silla (contrarie to all orders
and constitutions before made) increased that number to foure and
twentie.
And though Augurium be most properlie that divination, which is
gathered by birds ; yet bicause this word Nahas comprehendeth all
other kinds of divination, as Extispicium, aruspicium, &*c : which is
as well the ghessing upon the entrailes of beasts, as divers other
waies : omitting physiognomie and palmestrie, and such like, for the
tediousnes and follie thereof; I will speake a little of such arts, as
were above measure regarded of our elders : neither mind I to discover the whole circumstance, but to refute the vanitie thereof, and
speciallie of the professors of them, which are and alwaies have beene
cousening arts, and in them conteined both speciall and severali
kinds of witchcrafts. For the maisters of these faculties have ever
taken upon them to occupie the place and name of God; blasphemouslie ascribing unto themselves his omnipotent power, to foretell, &c :
whereas, in truth, they could or can doo nothing, but make a shew of
that which is not.
A manifest
One matter, to bewraie their cousening, is ; that they could never
discoverie
worke nor foreshew anie thing to the poore or inferior sort of people :
of augurors
cousenage.
for portentous shewes (saie they) alwaies concerned great estates.
Such matters as touched the baser sort, were inferior causes;
which the superstition of the people themselves would not neglect
to learne. Howbeit, the professors of this art descended not so
lowe, as to communicate with them : for they were preests (which in
all ages and nations have beene jollie fellowes) whose office was, to
tell what should come to passe, either touching good lucke, or bad
fortune ; to expound the minds, admonitions, warnings and threat-

of Witchcraft.

chap. 8.

157

nings of the gods, to foreshew calamities, &c : which might be (by
their sacrifices and common contrition) remooved and qualified. And
before their entrance into that action, they had manie observations,
which they executed verie superstitiouslie ; pretending that everie
bird and beast, &c, should be sent from the gods as foreshewes of
somewhat. And/ therefore first they used to choose a cleare daie, and *95'
faire wether to doo their busines in : for the which their place was
certeinelie assigned, as well in Rome as in Hetruria, wherein they
observed everie quarter of the element, which waie to looke, and
which way to stand, &c./ Their apparell was verie preestlike, of 142.
fashion altered from all others, speciallie at the time of their praiers,
wherein they might not omit a word nor a syllable : in respect
whereof one read the service, and all the residue repeated it after
him, in the maner of a procession.

The seventh Chapter.
The times and seasons to exercise augurie, the maner and order
thereof, of the ceremonies therewito belonging.
O lesse regard was there had of the times of their practise Note the
in that ministerie : for they must beginne at midnight, ou^cere-"
and end at noone, not travelling therein in the decaie of monies of
°

augurors.

the day, but in the increase of the same ; neither in the
sixt or seventh houre of the daie, nor yet after the moneth of August;
bicause then yoong birds flie about, and are diseased, and unperfect,
mounting their fethers, and flieng out of the countrie : so as no
certeine ghesse is to be made of the gods purposes by them at those
seasons. But in their due times they standing with a bowed wand in
their hand, their face toward the east, &c: in the top of an high
tower, the weather being cleare, watch for birds, noting from whence
they came, and whether they flie, and in what sort they wag their
wings, &c./

The eight Chapter.
Upon what signes and tokens augurors did prognosticate', observations touching the inward and outward parts of beasts, with
notes of beasts behaviour in the slaughterhouse.
HESE kind of witches, whom we have now in hand, did
also prognosticate good or bad lucke, according to the
soundnes or imperfection of the entrailes of beasts ; or
according to the superfluities or infirmities of nature ; or
according to the abundance of humors unnecessarie, appearing in
the inward parts and bowels of the beasts sacrificed. For as touch-

Ig^

158

I I . Booke.

The

discoverie

ing the outward parts, it was alwaies provided and foreseene, that
they should be without blemish. And yet there were manie tokens
and notes to be taken of the externall actions of those beasts, at the
time of sacrifice : as if they would not quietlie be brought to the
place of execution, but must be forceablie hailed ; or if they brake
loose ; or if by hap, cunning, or strength they withstood the first
blowe ; or if after the butchers blowe, they leaped up, rored, stood
fast; or being fallen, kicked, or would not quietlie die, or bled not
well; or if anie ill newes had beene heard, or anie ill sight seene at
the time of slaughter or sacrifice : which were all significations of ill
lucke and unhappie successe. On the other side, if the slaughterman
performed his office well, so as the beast had beene well chosen, not
infected, but whole and sound, and in the end faire killed ; all had
beene safe : for then the gods smiled./

Observations in the
art augurificall.

143

T h e ninth Chapter.
A confutation of augurie, Plato his reverend opinion thereof of
contrarie events, and false predictions.

Plato in
Phcedro, in
Timeo, in
lib. de Republ.
Wherein
the papists
are more
blame worthie than
the heathen.

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

of Witchcraft.

chap. 10.

159

The tenth Chapter.
The cousening art of sortilege or lotarie, practised especial lie by Aegyptian vagabonds, of allowed lots, of Pythagoras his lot, &°c.
| H E counterfeit Aegyptians, which were indeed cousening Sortilege
vagabonds, practising the art called Sortilegium, had no or lotshare.
small credit among the multitude : howbeit, their divinations were as was their fast and loose, and as the
witches cures and hurtes, & as the soothsaiers answers, and as the
conjurors raisings up of spirits, and as Apollos or the Rood of graces
oracles, and as the jugglers knacks of legierdemaine, and as the
papists exorcismes, and as the witches charmes, and as the counterfeit visions, and as the couseners knaveries. Hereupon it was said ;
Non invejniatur inter vos menahas, that is Sortilegus, which were like IQ8.
to these Aegyptian couseners. As for other lots, they were used, and
that lawfullie ; as appeareth by Jonas and others that were holie men,
and as may be seene among all commonwelths, for the deciding of
diverse controversies, &c : wherein thy neighbour is not misused, nor
God anie waie offended. But in truth I thinke, bicause of the cousenage that so easilie may be used herein,/ God forbad it in the 144.
commonwealth of the Jewes, though in the good use thereof it was
allowed in matters of great weight; as appeareth both in the old and Levit. 16.
N u m . 33.
new testament; and that as well in doubtfull cases and distributions, & 3 6 .
as in elections and inheritances, and pacification of variances. I omit Josu. 14. 24
1. Chron.
to speake anie thing of the lots comprised in verses, concerning the & 2 6 .
Proven 18.
lucke ensuing, either of Virgil, Homer, ox anie other, wherein fortune Jonas. 1.
is gathered by the sudden turning unto them : bicause it is a childish Acts. 1.
and ridiculous toie, and like unto childrens plaie at Primus secundus,
or the game called The philosophers table : but herein I will referre
you to the bable it selfe, or else to Bodin, or to some such sober writer
thereupon; of whome there is no want.
There is a lot also called Pythagoras lot, which (some saie) Ari- Of Pythastotle beleeved : and that is, where the characters of letters have goras lot.
certeine proper numbers ; whereby they divine (through the proper
names of men) so as the numbers of each letters being gathered in
a summe, and put togither, give victorie to them whose summe is
the greater; whether the question be of warre, life, matrimonie, victorie, &c : even as the unequall number of
vowels in proper names portendeth lacke of sight,
halting, &c : which the godfathers and godmothers might easilie prevent, if the
case stood so.

i6o
i i Booke.

The discoverie
T h e eleventh Chapter.

Of the Cabalisticall art, consisting of traditions and unwritten verities learned without booke, and of the division thereof
ERE is place also for the Cabalisticall art, consisting
of unwritten verities, which the Jewes doo beleeve and
brag that God himselfe gave to Moses in the mount
Sinai; and afterwards was taught/ onelie with livelie
voice, by degrees of succession, without writing, untill the time
of Esdras : even as the scholers of Archippus did use wit and
memorie in steed of bookes. They divide this in twaine ; the one
The art
Cabalistiexpoundeth with philosophicall reason the secrets of the lawe and
call divided.
the bible, wherein (they saie) that Salomon was verie cunning;
bicause it is written in the Hebrew stories, that he disputed from the
Cedar of Libanus, even to the Hisop, and also of birds, beasts, &c.
The other is as it were a symbolicall divinitie of the highest contemplation, of the divine and angelike vertues, of holie names and
signes ; wherein the letters, numbers, figures, things and armes, the
prickes over the letters, the lines, the points, and the accents doo all
signifie verie profound things and great secrets. By these arts the
Atheists suppose Moses wrote all his miracles, and that hereby
they have power over angels and divels, as also to doo miracles : yea
and that hereby all the miracles that either anie of the prophets, or
Christ himselfe wrought, were accomplished.
But C. Agrippa having searched to the bottome of this art, saith it
C. Agrippa
lib. de vanit.
is nothing but superstition and follie. Otherwise you maie be sure
scient.
Christ would not have hidden it from his church. For this cause the
145. Jewes/ were so skilfull in the names of God. But there is none other
name in heaven or earth, in which we might be saved, but Jesus :
neither is that meant by his bare name, but by his vertue and goodnes towards us. These Cabalists doo further brag, that they are able
The blasphemie of
hereby, not onelie to find out and know the unspeakeable mysteries of
the CabaGod ; but also the secrets which are above scripture; whereby also
lists.
they take upon them to prophesie, and to worke miracles : yea hereby
they can make what they list to be scripture ; as Valeria Proba did
picke certeine verses out of Virgil alluding them to Christ. And
therefore these their revolutions are nothing but allegoricall games,
which idle men busied in letters, points, and numbers (which the
Hebrew toong easilie suffereth) devise, to delude and cousen the
simple and ignorant. And this they call Alphabetarie or Arythmanticall divinitie, which Christ shewed to his apostles onelie, and which

of Witchcraft.

chaP. n.

161

Paule saith he speaketh but among perfect men; and being high
mysteries are not to be committed unto writing, and so made
popular. There is no man that readeth anie thing of / this Cabalis- 200.
ticall art, but must needs think upon the popes cunning practises in
this behalfe, who hath In scrinio pectoris, not onelie the exposition of incondi.
all lawes, both divine and humane, but also authoritie to adde there- Tndentunto, or to drawe backe therefrom at his pleasure : and this may he
lawfullie doo even with the scriptures, either by addition or substraction, after his owne pontificall liking. As for example : he hath added
the Apocrypha (whereunto he might as well have joined S. Augustines [C. of Trent 1550]
works, or the course of the civill lawe, &c :) Againe, he hath diminished from the decalog or ten commandements, not one or two words,
but a whole precept, namelie the second, which it hath pleased him
to dash out with his pen: and trulie he might as well by the same
authoritie have rased out of the testament S. Markes gospell.

T h e twelfe

Chapter.

When, how, and in what sort sacrifices were first ordained, and
how they were prophaned, and how the pope corrupieth the
sacraments of Christ.
T the first God manifested to our father Adam, by the
prohibition of the apple, that he would have man live
under a lawe, in obedience and submission ; and
not to wander like a beast without order or discipline. And after man had transgressed, and deserved thereby Gods
heavie displeasure ; yet his mercie prevailed ; and taking compassion
upon man, he promised the Messias, who should be borne of a
woman, and breake trie serpents head: declaring by evident testimonies, that his pleasure was that man should be restored to favour
and grace, through Christ: and binding the minds of men to this
promise, and to be fixed upon their Messias, established figures and
ceremonies wherewith to nourish their faith, and confirmed the same
with miracles, prohibiting and excluding all mans devises in that
behalfe. And upon his promise renewed, he injoined (I say) and
erected a new forme of worship, whereby/ he would have his promises
constantlie beheld, faithfullie beleeved, and reverentlie regarded. He
or/deined six sorts of divine sacrifices ; three propitiatorie, not as
meriting remission of sinnes, but as figures of Christs propitiation :
the other three were of thanksgiving. These sacrifices were full of
ceremonies, they were powdered with consecrated salt, and kindled
y

Gen. 2.17.

Gen. 3. 6.
Gen. 3.15.

|evit. 12.3.
148.
201.

l62

A gird at
the pope
for his sawcinesse in
Gods matters.

ii. Booke.

The discoverie

with fier, which was preserved in the tabernacle of the Lord : which
fier (some thinke) was sent downe from heaven. GOD himselfe
commanded these rites and ceremonies to our forefathers, Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, &c : promising therein both the amplification of their families, and also their Messias. But in tract of time
(I saie) wantonnesse, negligence, and contempt, through the instigation of the divell, abolished this institution of GOD : so as in the
end, God himselfe was forgotten among them, and they became
pagans & heathens, devising their owne waies, untill everie countrie
had devised and erected both new sacrifices, and also new gods particular unto themselves. Whose example the pope followeth, in
prophaning of Christs sacraments, disguising them with his devises
and superstitious ceremonies ; contriving and comprehending therein
the follie of all nations : the which bicause little children doo now
perceive and scorne, I will passe over ; and returne to the Gentiles,
whome I cannot excuse of cousenage, superstition, nor yet of vanitie
in this behalfe. For if God suffered false prophets among the
children of Israeli, being Gods peculiar people, and hypocrits in the
church of Christ ; no marvell if there were such people amongst the
heathen, which neither professed nor knew him.

T h e xiii. Chapter.
Of the objects whereupon the augurors used to prognosticate, with
certeine cautions and notes.
|-HE Gentiles, which treat of this matter, repeat an
innumerable multitude of objects, whereupon they prognosticate good or bad lucke. And a great matter is
made of neezing, wherein the number of neezings & the
time therof is greatlie noted ; the tingling in the finger, the elbowe,
202. the toe, the knee, &c : are sin'gular notes also to be observed in this
art; though speciallie heerin are marked the flieng of fowles, and
meeting of beasts ; with this generall caution, that the object or
matter whereon men divine, must be sudden and unlooked for : which
regard, children and some old fooles have to the gathering primrose,
true loves, and foure leaved grasse ; Item the person unto whome
such an object offereth it selfe unawares ; Item the intention of the
divinor, whereby the object which is met, is referred to augurie ; Item
the houre in which the object is without foreknowledge upon the
Plin. lib. nc
sudden met withall; and so foorth.
tural. hist.
Plinie reporteth that griphes flie alwaies to the place of slaughter,
10. cap. 6.

of Witchcraft.

chap. i4.

163

two or three daies before the battell is fought ; which was seene and
tried at the battell of Troie : a n d in respect thereof, the griph was
allowed to/ be the cheefe bird of augurie. But among the innumer- 147.
able number of the portentous beasts, fowles, serpents, and other Arist. in auguriis.
creatures, the tode is the most excellent object, whose ouglie deformitie
signifieth sweete and amiable fortune : in respect whereof some superstitious witches preserve todes for their familiars. And some one of
good credit (whome I could name) having convented the witches
themselves, hath starved diverse of their divels, which they kept in
boxes in the likenesse of todes.
Plutarch Chironceus saith, that the place and site of the signes Plutarch
doteth by
that we receive by augurie, are speciallie to be noted : for if we his leave,
for all his
receive them on the left side, good lucke ; if on the right side, ill learning.
lucke insueth : bicause terrene and mortall things are opposite & contrarie to divine and heavenlie things ; for that which the gods
deliver with the right hand, falleth to our left side ; and so contrariwise.

T h e xiiii. Chapter.
The division

of augurie, persons admittable into the colleges
of augurie, of their
superstition.

jHE latter divinors in these mysteries, have divided their
soothsaiengs into twelve superstitions : as Augustinus
Niphus termeth them.
T h e first is prosperitie ; the
second, ill lucke, as when one goeth/ out of his house, and
seeth an unluckie beast lieng on the right side of his waie ; the third
is destinie ; the fourth is fortune ; the fift is ill h a p , as when an infortunate beast feedeth on the right side of your waie ; the sixt is
utilitie ; the seventh is h u r t ; the eight is called a cautell, as when a
beast followeth one, and staieth at any side, not passing beyond him,
which is a signe of good lucke ; the ninth is infelicitie, and that is
contrarie to the eight, as when the beast passeth before o n e ; the
tenth is perfection ; the eleventh is imperfection; the twelfe is conclusiin.* T h u s farre he.
Among the Romans none could be received into the college of
augurors that had a bile, or had beene bitten with a dog, &c : and at
the times of their exercise, even at noone daies, they lighted candels.
F r o m whence the papists conveie unto their church, those points of
infidelitie. Finallie, their observations were so infinite and ridiculous,
that there flew not a sparkle out of the fier, but it betokened somewhat.

Aug. Niphus
^™msurns'
203.

[*ra*rf,—sion]
who were
not admittable into
the college
of augurors
among the
Romans.

164

ii. Booke.

The discoverie
T h e xv. Chapter.

Of the common peoples fond and superstitious collections and
observations,
O vaine
follie and
foolish vanitie !
148.
[* read, witch—]
V*read,—kie]
[* read, his]

Martin, de 0 / -,^
20
Aries in
4'
tract, de supers t. contra
maleficta*
Appian. de
bello civili.
thread,—ficia.]

Augurificall toifcs.

MONGST us there be manie women, and effeminat men
(marie papists alwaies, as by their superstition may
appeere) that make great divinations upon the shedding
of salt, wine, &c : and for the observation of daies, and
houres use as great *withcraft as in anie thing. For if one/ chance to
take a fall from a horsse, either in a slipperie or stumbling waie, he will
note the daie and houre, and count that time unluckch* for a journie.
Otherwise, he that receiveth a mischance, wil consider whether he
met not a cat, or a hare, when he went first out of hfr* doores in the
morning ; or stumbled not at the threshhold at his going out; or put
not on his shirt the wrong side outwards ; or his left shoo on his
right foote, which Augustus Ccesar reputed for the woorst lucke that
might befall. But above all other nations (as Martinus de Aries
wit/nesseth) the Spaniards are most superstitious herein ; & of
Spaine, the people of the province of Lusitania is the most fond.
For one will saie ; I had a dreame to night, or a crowe croked upon
my house, or an owle flew by me and screeched (which augurie
Lucius Silla tooke of his death) or a cocke crew contrarie to his
houre. Another saith ; The moone is at the prime ; another, that the
sun rose in a cloud and looked pale, or a starre shot and shined in
the aire, or a strange cat came into the house, or a hen fell from the
top of the house.
Many will go to bed againe, if they neeze before their shooes be on
their feet ; some will hold fast their left thombe in their right hand
when they hickot; or else will hold their chinne with their right hand
whiles a gospell is soong. It is thought verie ill lucke of some, that
a child, or anie other living creature, should passe betweene two
friends as they walke togither; for they say it portendeth a division
of freendship. Among the papists themselves, if any hunters, as they
were a hunting, chanced to meet a frier or a preest; they thought it
so ill lucke, as they would couple up their hounds, and go home,
being in despaire of any further sport that daie. Marrie if they had
used venerie with abegger, they should win all the monie they plaied
for that daie at dice. The like follie is to be imputed unto them, that
observe (as true or probable) old verses, wherein can be no reasonable
cause of such effects ; which are brought to passe onlie by Gods
power, and at his pleasure. Of this sort be these that follow :

of Witchcraft.

chap. 16.

165

Vincenti festo si sol radiet memor esto,
Englished by
Abraham
Remember on S. Vincents dale,
Fleming.
If that the sunne his beames displaie.
Clara dies Pauli bona tempora denotat anni,
If Paule th? apostles daie be cleare,
By Ab. Fleming.
It dooth foreshew a luckie yeare.
Si sol splendescat Maria fturificante,
Major erit glacies post festum qtiam fuit ante, II
If Maries purifieng daie,
205. 149.
Be cleare and bright with sunnie raie,
By Ab. Fleming.
Then frost and cold shalbe much more,
After the feast than was before.
Serb rubens ccelum eras indicat esse serenum,
Si mane rubescit, ventus vel filuvia crescit.
The skie being red at evening,
By Ab. Fleming.
Foreshewes a faire and cleare morning;
But if the morning riseth red,
Of wind or raine we shalbe sped.
Some sticke a needle or a buckle into a certeine tree, neere to the
cathedrall church of S. Christopher, or of some other saint; hoping
thereby to be delivered that yeare from the headach. Item maids
forsooth hang some of their haire before the image of S. Urbane,
bicause they would have the rest of their haire grow long and be
yellow. Item, women with child runne to church, and tie their girdles
or shoo latchets about a bell, and strike upon the same thrise, thinking that the sound thereof hasteth their good deliverie. But sithence
these things beginne to touch the vanities and superstitions of incan- Seeke more
hereof in
tations, I will referre you thither, where you shall see of that stuffe the word
Habar.
abundance ; beginning at the word Habar.

The xvi. Chapter.
How old writers varie about the matter, the maner and the meanes,
whereby things augurificall are mooved.
JiHEOPHRASTUS and Themistitis affirme, that whatsoever happeneth unto man suddenlie and by chance,
commeth from the providence of God. So as Themistius
gathereth, that men in that respect/ prophesie, when they 206.
speake what commeth in their braine, upon the sudden ; though not
knowing or understanding what they saie. And that seeing God hath

166

ii. Booke.

Averroes. 12.
metaphysic.

150.

The discoverie

a care for us, it agreeth with reason (as Theophrastus saith) that he
shew us by some meane whatsoever shall happen. For with Pythagoras he concludeth, that all foreshewes and auguries are the voices
and words of God, by the which he foretelleth man the good or evill
that shall beetide.
Trismegistus affirmeth, that all augurificall things are mooved by
divels ; Porphyrie saith by gods, or rather good angels : according to
the opinion of Plotinus and Iamblichus. Some other affirme they
are mooved by the moone wandering through the twelve signes of
the Zodiake: bicause the moone hath dominion in all sudden
matters. The Aegyptian astronomers hold, that the moone ordereth not those portentous matters, but Stella errans, a. wandering
starre, &c./

T h e xvii. Chapter.

How ridiculous an art augurie is, how Cato mockedit\ Art's to ties
reason against it, fond collections of augurors, who allowed, and
who disallowed it.
llERELIE all these observations being neither grounded
T h e fond
on Gods word, nor physicall or philosophicall reason, are
art of augurie convinvanities, superstitions, lies, and meere witchcraft; as
ced.
whereby the world hath long time beene, and is still
abused and cousened. It is written ; Non est vestrum scire tempora
Acts, i, 7.
&* momenta, &*c: It is not for you to knowe the times and seasons,
which the father hath put in his owne power. The most godlie men
and the wisest philosophers have given no credit hereunto. S.
Augustine saith ; Qui his divinationibus credit, sciat sefdem christianam &* baptismum prcevaricasse, &* paganum Deiq; inimicum esse.
One told Cato, that a rat had carried awaie and eaten his hose, which
the partie said was a woonderfull signe. Naie (said Cato) I thinke not
so; but if the hose had eaten the rat, that had beene a wonderfull
20J. token indeed. When/ Nonius told Cicero that they should have good
successe in battell, bicause seven eagles were taken in Pompeies
campe, he answered thus ; No doubt it will be even so, if that we
chance to fight with pies. In the like case also he answered Labienus,
who prophesied like successe by such divinations, saieng, that
through the hope of such toies, Pompeie lost all his pavillions not long
before.
What wiseman would thinke, that God would commit his counsell
to a dawe, an owle, a swine, or a tode ; or that he would hide his
Arist. de
secret purposes-in the doong and bowels of beasts? Aristotle thus
somno.
reasoneth ; Augurie or divinations are neither the causes nor effects

of Witchcraft.

cbaP. is.

167

of things to come; Ergo, they doo not thereby foretell things trulie,
but by chance. As if I dreame that my freend will come to my
house, and he commeth indeed : yet neither dreame nor imagination
is more the cause of my freends comming, than the chattering of
a pie.
When Hanibal overthrew Marcus Marcellus, the beast sacrificed
wanted a peece of his hart; therefore forsooth Marius, when he
sacrificed at Utica, and the beast lacked his liver, he must needs have
the like successe. These are their collections, and as vaine, as if
they said that the building of Tenderden steeple was the cause of
Goodwine sands, or the decaie of Sandwich haven. S. Augustine August, lib.
doct.
saith, that these observations are most superstitious. But we read in de cap. 2.chri.
2.
Psa.1. 4, 2.
the fourth psalme, a sentence which might dissuade anie christian
from this follie and impietie ; O ye sonnes of men, how long will you
turne my glorie into shame, loving vanitie, and seeking lies? The
like is read in manie other places of scripture.
Of such as allow this follie, I can commend Plinie best, who saith, Plin. lib. natural,
hist.
that the operation of these auguries is as we take them. For if we 28. cap. 2.^
Tho. Aquin.
take them in good part, they are signes of good lucke ; if we take
lib. de sortib.
them in ill part, ill lucke/ followeth ; if we neglect them, and wey 151.
them not, they doo neither good nor harme. Thomas of Aquine
reasoneth in this wise ; The starres, whose course is certeine, have
greater affinitie and communitie with mans actions, than auguries ;
and yet our dooings are neither directed nor proceed from the starres.
Which thing also Ptolome witnesseth, saieng ; Sapiens dominabitur
astris, A wiseman overruleth the starres./

The

18. Chapter.

Fond distinctions of the heathen writers, concerning augurie.
HE heathen made a distinction betweene divine, naturall,
and casuall auguries. Divine auguries were such, as
men were made beleeve were done miraculouslie, as
when dogs spake ; as at the expulsion of Tarquinius out
of his kingdome ; or when trees spake, as before the death of Ccesar ;
or when horsses spake, as did a horsse, whose name was Zanthus.
Manie learned christians confesse, that such things as may indeed
have divine cause, may be called divine auguries ; or rather forewarnings of God, and tokens either of his blessings or discontentation:
as the starre was a token of a safe passage to the magicians that
sought Christ ; so was the cockcrowing an augurie to Peter for his
conversion. And manie such other divinations or auguries (if it be
lawfull so to terme them) are in the scriptures to be found.

208

C. Epidius.
Homer. Iliad. 19.

168

ii. Booke.

The discoverie
The 19. Chapter.

20Q,

152.

T h e vanitie of casuall augurie.

Of naturall and casual/ augurie, the one allowed, and the other
disallowed.
jJATURALL augurie is a physicall or philosophicall observation ; bicause humane and naturall reason may be
yeelded for such events : as if one heare the cocke crow
manie times together, a man may ghesse that raine will
followe shortlie ; as by the crieng of rooks, and by their extraordinarie using of their wings in their flight, bicause through a naturall
instinct, provoked by the impression of the heavenlie bodies, they
are mooved to know the/ times, according to the disposition of the
weather, as it is necessarie for their natures. And therefore Jeremie
saith ; Milvus in ccelo cognovit tempus suum. The physician may
argue a strength towards in his patient, when he heareth him neeze
twise, which is a naturall cause to judge by, and conjecture upon.
But sure it is meere casuall, and also verie foolish and incredible, that
by two neezings, a man should be sure of good lucke or successe in
his businesse ; or by meeting of a tode, a man should escape a
danger, or atchieve an enterprise, &c./

The xx. Chapter.
A confutation of casuall augurie which is meere witchcraft, and upon
what uncertaintie those divinations are grounded.
JjHAT imagination worketh in man or woman, many
leaves would not comprehend; for as the qualities
thereof are strange, and almost incredible, so would the
discourse thereof be long and tedious, wherof I had
occasion to speake elsewhere. But the power of our imagination
extendeth not to beasts, nor reacheth to birds, and therefore perteineth
not hereunto. Neither can the chance for the right or left side be
good or bad lucke in it selfe. Why should any occurrent or augurie
be good ? Bicause it commeth out of that part of the heavens, where
the good or beneficiall stars are placed ? By that reason, all things
should be good and happie that live on that side ; but we see the
contrarie experience, and as commonlie as that.
The like absurditie and error is in them that credit those divinations ; bicause the starres, over the ninth house have dominion at the
time of augurie. If it should betoken good lucke, joy or gladnesse, to
heare a noise in the house, when the moone is in Aries: and contrari-

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 21.

169

wise, if it be a signe of ill lucke, sorrowe, or greefe for a beast to
come into the house, the moone being in the same signe : here might
be found a fowle error a n d contrarietie./ A n d forsomuch as both 210.
may happen at once, the rule must needs be false and ridiculous.
And if there were any certeine rules or notes to be gathered in these
divinations ; the abuse therein is such, as the word of God must needs
be verefied therein ; to wit, I will destroie t h e tokens of soothsaiers, Isai. 44,25.
and make them that conjecture, fooles.

The xxi. Chapter.
That figure-casters are witches, the uncerteintie of their art, and of
their contradictions, Cornelius A grip ft as sentence against judicial I
astrologie.
J H E S E casters of figures may bee numbred among the
cousening witches, whose practise is above their reach,
their purpose to gaine, their knowledge stolne from poets,
their art uncerteine & full of vanitie, more plainly derided
in the scriptures, than any other follie. A n d thereupon many other
trifling vanities are rooted a n d grounded ; as physiognomie, palmestrie, interpreting of dreames, monsters, auguries, &c : the professors
whereof confesse this to be the necessarie key to open the knowledge of
all their secrets. F o r these fellowes erect a figure of the heavens, by T h e vaine
the exposition whereof (togither with t h e conjectures of similitudes and trifling
trickes of
and signes) they seeke to find out t h e meaning of t h e significators, figure-casters.
attributing to them the ends of all things, contrarie to truth, reason,
and divinitie : their rules being so inconstant, that few writers agree
in/ the verie principles therof. F o r the Rabbins, t h e old a n d new 153.
writers, and the verie best philosophers dissent in t h e cheefe grounds
thereof, differing in the proprietie of the houses, whereout they wring
the foretelling of things to come, contending even about the number
of spheres, being not yet resolved how to erect t h e beginnings and
endes of the houses : for Ptolomie maketh them after one sort, Camftanus after another, &c.
And as Alftetragus
thinketh, that there be in the h e a v e n s /
diverse movings as yet to men unknowne, so doo others affirme (not
without probabilitie) that there maie be starres and bodies, to whome
these movings maie accord, which cannot b e seene, either through
their exceeding highnes, or that hitherto are not tried with anie observation of t h e art. T h e true motion of Mars is not yet perceived, Johan. Montiregius in
neither is it possible to find out the true entring of the sunne into epistola ad
the equinoctiall points. It is not denied, that the astronomers them- Blanchime:

Z

I 70

ir. Booke.

& Gulielmus de sancto Clodoald.
Rabbi Levi.
C. A grip, in
lib. de vanit.
scient.
Archelaus.
Cassander.
Eudoxus,

The discoverie

selves have received their light, and their verie art from poets, without whose fables the twelve signes and the northerlie and southerlie
figures had never ascended into heaven. And yet (as C. Agrippa
saith) astrologers doo live, cousen men, and gaine by these fables ;
whiles the poets, which are the inventors of them, doo live in
beggerie.
T h e verie skilfullest mathematicians confesse, that it is unpossible
to find out anie certeine thing concerning the knowledge of judgements, as well for the innumerable causes which worke togither with
the heavens, being all togither, and one with the other to be considered : as also bicause influencies doo not constraine but incline.
For manie ordinarie and extraordinarie occasions doo interrupt them ;
as education, custome, place, honestie, birth, bloud, sickness^, health,
strength, weakenes, meate, drinke, libertie of mind, learning, &c. And
they that have written the rules of judgement, and agree neerest
therein, being of equall authoritie and learning, publish so contrarie
opinions upon one thing, that it is unpossible for an astrologian to
pronounce a certeintie upon so variable opinions ; & otherwise, upon
so uncerteine reports no man is able to judge herein.
So as
(according to Ptolomie) the foreknowledge of things to come by the
starres, dependeth as well upon the affections of the mind, as upon
the observation of the planets, proceeding rather from chance than art,
as whereby they deceive others, and are deceived themselves also./

T h e xxii Chapter.
The subtiltie of astrologers to mainteine the credit of their art, why
they re77iaine in credit, certeine impieties cojiteined in astrologers
assertions,
Astrologers prognostications are like
the answers
of oracles.

F you marke the cunning ones, you shall see them speake
darkelie of things to come, devising by artificiall subtiltie,
doubtfull prognostications, easilie to be applied to everie
thing, time, prince, and nation : and if anie thing come to
passe according to their divinations, they fortifie their old prognosti154. cations with new reasons. Nevertheles, in the multitude/ and varietie
of starres, yea even in the verie middest of them, they find out some
places in a good aspect, and some in an i l l ; and take occasion hereupon to saie what they list, promising unto some men honor, long life,
wealth, victorie, children, marriage, freends, offices ; & finallie everlasting felicitie.
But if with anie they be discontent, they saie the starres
be not favourable to them, and threaten them with hanging, drowning,
beggerie, sickenes, misfortune, &c. And if one of these prognostica-

of Witchcraft.

chap. «.

tions fall out right, then they triumph above measure.
If the
prognosticators be found to forge and lie alwaies (without such
fortune as the blind man had in killing the crow) they will excuse the
matter, saieng, that Sapiens dominatur astris, wheras (according to
Agrippas
words) neither the wiseman ruleth the starres, nor the
starres the wiseman, but God ruleth them both. Corn. Tacitus saith,
that they are a people disloiall to princes, deceiving them that
beleeve them. And Varro saith, that the vanitie of all superstitions
floweth out of the bosome of astrologie. And if our life & fortune
depend not on the starres, then it is to be granted, that the astrologers
seeke where nothing is to be found. But we are so fond, mistrustfull
& credulous, that we feare more the fables of Robin good fellow ; astrologers, & witches, & beleeve more the things that are not, than the
things that are. And the more uhpossible a thing is, the more we stand
in feare thereof; and the lesse likelie to be true, the more/ we beleeve it.
And if we were not such, I thinke with Cornelius Agrippa, that these
divinors, astrologers, conjurors, and cousenors would die for hunger.
And our foolish light beleefe, forgetting things past, neglecting
things present, and verie hastie to know things to come, doth so
comfort and mainteine these cousenors ; that whereas in other men,
for making one lie, the faith of him that speaketh is so much mistrusted, that all the residue being true is not regarded. Contrariwise,
in these cousenages among our divinors, one truth spoken by hap
giveth such credit to all their lies, that ever after we beleeve whatsoever they saie ; how incredible, impossible or false soever it be. Sir
Thomas Moore saith, they know not who are in their owne chambers,
neither who maketh themselves cuckoldes that take upon t h e m all this
cunning, knowledge, and great foresight. But to enlarge their credit,
or rather to manifest their impudencie, they saie the gift of prophesie,
the force of religion, the secrets of conscience, the power of divels,
the vertue of miracles, the efficacie of praiers, the state of the life to
come, &c : doth onlie depend upon the starres, and is given and knowne
by them alone. For they saie, that when the signe of Gemini is
ascended, and Saturne and Mercurie be joined in Aquarie, in the
ninth house of the heavens, there is a prophet borne : and therefore
that Christ had so manie vertues, bicause he had in that place Saturne
and Gemini.
Yea these Astrologers doo not sticke to saie, that the
starres distribute all sortes of religions: wherein Jupiter is the especiall
patrone, who being joined with Saturne, maketh the religion of the
Jewes; with Mercurie, of the Christians; with the Moone, of Antichristianitie. Yea they affirme that the faith of everie man maie be
knowne to them as well as to God. And that Christ himselfe did use
the election of houres in his miracles; so as the Jewes could not hurt

171

213.

s. Thomas
^u°mrpeesat
judiciaii

As t r ogi
1 1 ?! "

phemies.

172
[*read, he.]
Joh 11. 8.
&9.

214. 155.

n.Booke.

The discoverie

him whilest he went to Jerusalem, and therefore that *the said to his
disciples that forbad him to go; Are there not twelve houres in the
daie ?//

T h e xxiii. Chapter.
Who have pozver to drive awaie divels with their onelie presence,
who shall receive of God whatsoever they aske in praier, who shall
obteine everlasting life by meanes of constellations, as nativiiiecasters affirme.

T h e follie
ot our genethliaks,
or nativiticasters.

Senec. lib. de
qutest. natural. 4.

2I5.
Hilarius
Pirkmair
i,
arte af odemica.

H E Y saie also, that he which hath Mars happilie placed
in the ninth house of the heavens, shall have power to
drive awaie divels with his onelie presence from t h e m
that be possessed. And he that shall praie to God, when
he findeth the Moone and Jupiter joined with the dragons head in the
middest of the heavens, shall obteine whatsoever he asketh: and that
Jupiter and Saturne doo give blessednes of the life to come. But if
anie in his nativitie shall have Saturne happilie placed in Leone, his
soule shall have everlasting life. And hereunto subscribe Peter de
Appona, Roger Bacon, Guido Bonatus, Arnold de villa nova, and the
Cardinall of Alia.
Furthermore, the providence of God is denied,
and the miracles of Christ are diminished, when these powers of the
heavens and their influencies are in such sort advanced.
Moses,
Esaie, Job and Jeremie, seeme to dislike and reject it: and at Rome
in times past it was banished, and by Justinian
condemmed under
paine of death. Finallie, Seneca derideth these soothsaieng witches
in this sort; Amongst the Cleones (saith he) there was a custome, that
the x«^«f00^aK"es (which were gazers in the aier, watching when a
storme of haile should fall) when they sawe by anie cloud that the
shower was imminent and at h a n d ; the use was (I saie) bicause of the
hurt which it might doo to their vines, &c: diligentlie to warne the
people thereof; who used not to provide clokes or anie such
defense against it, but provided sacrifices; the rich, cockes a n d
white lambes ; the poore would spoile themselves by cutting their
thombes ; as though (saith he) that little bloud could ascend up
to the cloudes, and doo anie good there for their releefe in this/
matter.
And here by the waie, I will impart unto you a Venetian superstition, of great antiquitie, and at this daie (for ought I can read to the
contrarie) in use. It is written, that everie yeere ordinarilie upon
ascension daie, the Duke of Venice, accompanied with the States,
goeth with great solemnitie unto the sea, and after certeine ceremonies
ended, casteth thereinto a gold ring of great value and estimation for

of Witchcraft.

chap. *3.

173

a pacificatorie oblation : wherewithall their predecessors supposed
that the wrath of the sea was asswaged. By this action, as a late
writer saith, they doo Desfionsare sibi mare, that is, espouse the sea Joannes Gar^

.

'

J

r

Q

'

r

unto themselves, &c.
Let us therefore, according to the prophets advise, aske raine
of the Lord in the houres of the latter time, and he shall
send white cloudes, and give us raine &c : for surelie,
the idols (as the same prophet saith) have spoken
vanitie, the soothsaiers have seene a lie, and
the dreamers have told a vaine thing.
They comfort in vaine, and therefore
they went awaie like sheepe, &c.
If anie sheepebiter or witch*
monger will follow them,
they shall go alone
for me.//

ropiusin Ve-

net. &> Hy^ ^ . I0 1
verse 2.

The discoverie

*74

216. 156.

1f The twelfe Booke.
T h e first Chapter.
The Hebrue word Habar expounded,
force of charmes and inchantments
words is diverse waies declared.

J|HIS Hebrue word Habar, being in Greeke Epathin, and
in Latine Incantare, is in English, To inchant, or (if you
h a d rather have it so) to bewitch.
I n these inchantments, certeine wordes, verses, or charmes, &c : are
secretlie uttered, wherein there is thought to be miraculous efficacie.
T h e r e is great varietie hereof : but whether it be by charmes, voices,
images, characters, stones, plants, metals, herbes, &c : there must
herewithall a speciall forme of words be alwaies used, either divine,
diabolicall, insensible, or papisticall, whereupon all the vertue of the
worke is supposed to depend. This word is speciallie used in the 58.
psalme, which place though it be taken up for mine adversaries
strongest argument against me ; yet me thinkes it maketh so with
me, as they can never be able to answer it. For there it plainelie
appeareth, that the adder heareth not the voice of the charmer,
charme he never so cunninglie : contrarie to the poets fabling,

Psal. 58. 4- 5-

Frigidus

Virgil, in
Damone.
By Ab. Fieming.

Prover. 18,
Chron. 30.
Psal. 10.
Psal. 51.
Psal. 139.
Jerem. 32.
Isai. 6.
Isai. 50.
Exod. 7. 8Prov. 16.

217.

9-

where also the supposed secret
is shewed, and the efficacie of

in pratis

cantando rumpitur

anguis.j

The coldish snake in medowes greene,
With charmes is burst in peeces cleene.
But hereof more shall be said hereafter in due place.
I grant that words sometimes have singular vertue and efficacie,
either in persuasion or disuasion, as also diverse other waies ; so as
thereby some are converted from the waie of perdition, to the
estate of salvation : and so contrariwise, according to the
saieng of Solomon; Death and life are in the instrument of the toong : but even therein God worketh
all in all, as well in framing the heart of
the one, as in directing the toong of
the other : as appeareth in
manie places of the holie
scriptures.

of Witchc7'aft.
T h e second

ch ap . 2.

r 75

Chapter.

What is forbidden in scriptures concerning witchcraft', of the operation of words; the superstition of the Cabalists and papists', who
createth substances, to imitate God in some cases is
presumption,
words of sanctification.
J H A T which is forbidden in the scriptures touching inchantment or witch craft, is not the wonderfull working
with words. For where/ words have had miraculous
operation, there hath beene alwaies the speciall providence, power and grace of God uttered to the strengthening of the
faith of Gods people, and to the furtherance of the gospell: as when
the apostle with a word slue Ananias and Saphira.
But the prophanation of Gods name, the seducing, abusing, and cousening of the
people, and mans presumption is hereby prohibited, as whereby manie
take upon them after the recitall of such names, as God in the
scripture seemeth to appropriate to himselfe, to foreshew things to
come, to worke miracles, to detect fellonies, &c : as the Cabalists in
times past tooke upon them, by the ten names of God, and his angels,
expressed / in the scriptures, to worke woonders : and as the papists
at this daie by the like names, by crosses, by gospels hanged about
their necks, by masses, by exorcismes, by holie water, and a thousand
consecrated or rather execrated things, promise unto themselves and
others, both health of bodie and soule.
But as herein we are not to imitate the papists, so in such things,
as are the peculiar actions of God, we ought not to take upon us to
counterfet, or resemble him, which with his word created all things.
F o r we, neither all the conjurors, Cabalists, papists, soothsaiers,
inchanters, witches, nor charmers in the world, neither anie other
h u m a n e or yet diabolicall cunning can adde anie such strength to
Gods workmanship, as to m a k e anie thing anew, or else to exchange
one thing into another. New qualities may be added by humane art,
but no new substance can be made or created by man. And seeing
t h a t art faileth herein, doubtles neither the illusions of divels, nor
the cunning oi witches, can bring anie such thing truelie to passe.
F o r by the sound of the words nothing commeth, nothing goeth, otherwise than God in nature hath ordeined to be doone by ordinarie
speech, or else by his speciall ordinance. Indeed words of sanctification are necessarie and commendable, according to S. Paules rule ;
Let your meat be sanctified with the word of God, and by praier. But
sanctification dooth not here signifie either change of substance of the

157-

Acts. 5.

218.

Jonas. 1.

Words of
tTo^a^d
^heFrei£
sist.

176

i2 Booke.

The discoverie

meate, or the adding of anie new strength thereunto ; but it is sanctified, in that it is received with thanksgiving and praier ; that our
bodies may be refreshed, and our soule thereby made the apter to
glorifie God.

T h e third Chapter.
What effect and offense witches charmes bring, how unapt witches
are, and how unlikelie to worke those things which they are
thought to doo, what would' followe if those things were true which
are laid to their charge.

An ample
description
of women
commonlie
called witches.

| H E words and other the illusions of witches, charmers,
and conjurors, though they be not such in operation and effect, as they are commonlie taken to be :
21
9 IfcdfigEsaShJl yet they are offensive to the majestie/ and name of
God, obscuring the truth of divinitie, & also of philosophic For
if God onlie give life & being to all creatures, who can put any
158. such ver/tue or livelie feeling into a body of gold, silver, bread, or
wax, as is imagined ? If either preests, divels, or witches could so
doo, the divine power shuld be checked & outfaced by magicall
cunning, & Gods creatures made servile to a witches pleasure. W h a t
is not to be brought to passe by these incantations, if that be true
which is attributed to witches? & yet they are women that never went
to schoole in their lives, nor had any teachers : and therefore without
art or learning; poore, and therefore not able to make any provision
of metal or stones, &c : whereby to bring to passe strange matters, by
naturall m a g i c k e ; old and stiffe, and therefore not nimble handed to
deceive your eie with legierdemaine; heavie, and commonlie lame,
and therefore unapt to flie in the aire, or to danse with the fairies;
sad, melancholike, sullen, and miserable, and therefore it should be
unto them (Invita Minerva) to banket or danse with Minerva;
or
yet with Herodias, as the common opinion of all writers heerein is.
On the other side, we see they are so malicious and spitefull, that if they
by themselves, or by their divels, could trouble the elements, we should
never have faire weather. If they could kill men, children, or cattell,
they would spare n o n e ; but would destroy and kill whole countries
and housholds.
If they could transfer corne (as is affirmed) from
their neighbors field into their owne, none of them would be poore,
none other should be rich. If they could transforme themselves and
others (as it is most constantlie affirmed) oh what a number of apes
and owles should there be of u s ! If Incubus could beget Merlins
among us, we should have ajollie manie of cold prophets./

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 4.

T h e fourth Chapter.

177
220.

Why God forbad the practise of witchcraft, the absurditie of the
lawe of the twelve tables, whereupon their estimation in miraculous actions is grounded, of their woonderous works.
HOUGH it be apparent, that the Holie-ghost forbiddeth
this art, bicause of the abuse of the name of God, and the
cousenage comprehended therein: yet I confesse, the customes and lawes almost of all nations doo declare, that all
these miraculous works, before by me cited, and many other things
more woonderfull, were attributed to the power of witches. The which
lawes, with the executions and judicials thereupon, and the witches
confessions, have beguiled almost the whole world. What absurdities
concerning witchcraft, are written in the law of the twelve tables,
which was the highest and most ancient law of the Romans ? Whereupon the strongest argument of witches omnipotent power is
framed; as that the wisedome of such lawgivers could not be abused.
Whereof (me thinks) might be made a more strong argument on our
side; to wit, If the cheefe and principall lawes of the world be in this
case ridiculous, vaine, false, incredible, yea and contrarie to Gods
lawe; the residue of the lawes and arguments to that effect, are to
be suspected. If that argument should hold, it might proove all
the popish lawes against protestants, & the hea/thenish princes lawes
against christians, to be good and in force: for it is like they would
not have made them, except they had beene good. Were it not
(thinke you) a strange proclamation, that no man (upon paine of
death) should pull the moone out of heaven? And yet verie many of
, - . . - .

i t -

\

the most learned witchmongers make their arguments upon weaker
grounds; as namelie in this forme and maner; We find in poets,
that witches wrought such and such miracles; Ergo they can accomplish and doo this or that wonder. The words of the lawe are these;/
Qui fruges incantasset pcenas dato, Neve alienam segetem pellexeris
excantandO) neqj incantando, Ne agrum defruganto: the sense
wherof in English is this; Let him be executed that
bewitcheth corne, Transferre not other mens
corne into thy ground by inchantment,
Take heede thou inchant not at all
neither make thy neighbors
field barren: he that dooth
these things shall
die, &c.
AA

A common
^JJjf*",..
ror.

159.

£ Bodinus.
Danceus.

Hyperius.
^^spineus*
Mal
- Male/.
* spinous.
221.

12. Booke.'

178

The

discovene

T h e fift Chapter.
An instance of one arreigned upon the lawe of the twelve tables',
whereby the said lawe is proved ridiculous, of two witches that
could doo woonders.
J l L T H O U G H among us, we thinke them bewitched that
wax suddenlie poore, and not them that growe hastilie rich ;
yet at Rome you shall understand, that (as Plinie reporteth)
upon these articles one C. Furius Cressus was convented
before Spurius Albinus\ for that he being but a little while free, and
delivered from bondage, occupieng onelie tillage; grew rich on the
sudden, as having good crops: so as it was suspected that he transferred
his neighbors corne into his fields.
N o n e intercession, no delaie,
none excuse, no deniall would serve, neither in jest nor derision, nor
yet through sober or honest meanes : but he was assigned a peremptorie daie, to answer for life. And therefore fearing the sentence of
condemnation, which was to be given there, by the voice and verdict
of three men (as we heere are tried by twelve) made his appearance
at the daie assigned, and brought with him his ploughs and harrowes,
spades and shovels, and other instruments of husbandrie, his oxen,
horsses, and working bullocks, his servants, and also his daughter,
which was a sturdie wench and a good huswife, and also (as Piso
reporteth) well trimmed up in apparell, and said to the whole bench
in this wise ; Lo heere my lords I make mine appearance, according
to my promise and your pleasures, presenting unto you my charmes
and witchcrafts, which have so inriched me. As for the labour, sweat,
wat/ching, care, and diligence, which I have used # in this behalfe, I
cannot shew you them at this time. And by this meanes he was dismissed by the consent of that court, who otherwise (as it was thought)
should hardly have escaped the sentence of condemnation, and
punishment of death.

A notable
purgation
of C. F . C
convented
for a witch.

It is constantlie affirmed in M. Mai. that Stafus used alwaies to
hide himselfe in a *monshoall, and had a disciple called Hoppo, who
m a d e Stadlin a maister witch, and could all when they list invisiblie
transferre the third part of their neighbours doong, hay, corne, &c: into
160. theire owne ground, make/ haile, tempests, and flouds, with thunder
and lightning; and kill children, cattell, & c : reveale things hidden,
and many other tricks, when and where they list. But these two
shifted not so well with the inquisitors, as the other with the Romane
and heathen judges. Howbeit, Stafus was too hard for them all:

Mai. malef.
par. 2. qua;, i.
cap. 5.
[* moushoall]

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 6.

iyg

for none of all the lawiers nor inquisitors could bring him to
appeere before them, if it be true that witchmongers write in these
matters.

T h e sixt Chapter.
Lawes provided for the punishment
of such witches as
miracles, whereof some are mentioned, and of certeine
lawes published against them.

worke
popish

H E R E are other lawes of other nations made to this incredible effect: as Lex Salicarum provideth punishment
for them that flie in the aire from place to place, and
meete at their nightlie assemblies, and brave bankets, carrieng with them plate, and such stuffe, & c : even as we should make
a lawe to hang him that should take a church in his hand at Dover,
and throwe it to Callice. And bicause in this case also popish lawes
shall be seene to be as foolish and lewd as any other whatsoever, and
speciallie as tyrannous as that which is most cruell: you shall heare
what trim new lawes the church of Rome hath latelie devised. These
are therefore the words of pope Innocent the eight to the inquisitors/
oi Almanie, and of pope Julius the second, sent to the inquisitors of
Bergomen.
It is come to our eares, that manie lewd persons, of both
kinds, as well male as female, using the companie of the divels
Incubus and Succubus, with incantations, charmes, conjurations, &c :
doo destroie, & c : the births of women with child, the yoong of all
cattell, the come of the feeld, the grapes of the vines, the frute of the
trees : Item, men, women, and all kind of cattell and beasts of the
feeld : and with their said inchantments, &c : doo utterlie extinguish,
suffocate, and spoile all vineyards, ortchards, medowes, pastures,
grasse, greene corne, and ripe corne, and all other podware: yea men
and women themselves are by their imprecations so afflicted with
externall and inward paines and diseases, that men cannot beeget,
nor women bring foorth anie children, nor yet accomplish the dutie of
wedlocke, denieng the faith which they in baptisme professed, to the
destruction of their owne soules, &c. Our pleasure therefore is,
that all impediments that maie hinder the inquisitors office, be utterlie
removed from among the people, least this blot of heresie proceed to
poison and defile them that be yet innocent. And therefore we doo
ordeine, by vertue of the apostolicall authoritie, that our inquisitors
of high Almanie, maie execute the office of inquisition by all tortures
a n d afflictions, in all places, and upon all persons, what and where-

Punishmet
bilities.

223.
A wise lawe
noSund"
Julie> ^ e r e
theywanwheTthey
made it.

I 80

" . Booke.

The discoverie

soever, as well in everie place and diocesse, as upon anie person ;
and that as freelie, as though they were named, expressed, or cited in
this our commission./

161.

T h e seventh

Chapter.

Poetical authorities commonlie alleaged by witchmongers, for the
proofe of witches miraculous actions, and for confirmation of their
supernatural I power.

224.
Virg. eclog. 8.
[*

mutavit\

Virg. ecl&g. 8.

ERE have I place and oportunitie, to discover the whole
art of witchcraft ; even all their charmes, periapts,
characters, amulets, praiers, blessings, curssings, hurtings,
helpings, knaveries, cousenages, &c. But first I will
shew what authorities are produced to defend and mainteine the
same, and that in serious sort,/ by Bodin, Spinous, Hemingius,
Vairus, Danceus, Hyperius : M. Mai. and the rest.
Carmina vel ccelo possunt deducere lunam,
Carminibus Circe socios mut avit * Ulyssis,
Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis ;
Inchantments plucke out of the skie,
The moone, though she be plaste on hie :
Dame Circes with hir charmes so fine,
Ulysses mates did turne to swine :
The snake with charmes is burst in iwaine,
In medowes, where she dooth remaine.
Againe out of the same poet they citefurther matter.
Has herbas, atqj hcec 'Ponto mihi lecta venena,
Ipsa dedit Mceris: nasamtur plurima Ponto.
His ego scepe lupam fieri, &* se condere sylvis,
Mcerim scepe animas imis exire sepulchris,
A tqj satas alio vidi traducere messes.
I^hese herbs did Meris give to me,
And poisons pluckt at Pontus,
For there they growe and multiplie,
And doo not so amongst us.
With these she made hir selfe become,
A wolfe, and hid hir in the wood,
She fetcht up soules out of their toome,
Remooving cornefrom where it stood.

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 7.

181

Furthermore out of Ovid they alledge these folowing.
Node volant, puerosq; petunt nutricis egentes,
Et vitiant cunis corpora capta suis :
Carpere dicuntur lactentia viscera rostris,\
Et plenumpotu^ sanguine gutur habent:
To children they dooflie by night,
And catch them while their nursses sleep e,\
Andspoile their little bodies quite,
And home they beare them in their beake.
Againe out of Virgill in forme following.
Hinc mihi Massy la gentis monstrata sacerdos,
Hesperidum templi custos, epuldsqj draconi
Quo? dabat, &* sacros servabat hi arbore ramos,
Spargens humida mella, soporiferumqj papaver.
HCBC se carminibus promittit solvere mentes,
Quas velit, ast aliis dur as® immittere curas,
Sistere aquam fluviis, &* vertere sidera retro,
Nocturndsq; ciet manes, mugire videbis
Stib pedibus terram, &•* descendere montibus ornos :
From thence a virgine preest is come,
jr

j.

-n/r

J

r

J

from out Massy la land,
Sometimes the temple there she kept,
and from hir heavenlie hand
The dragon meate did take: she kept
also the frute divine,
With herbes and liquors sweete that still
to sleepe did men incline.
The minds of men (she saith) from love
with charmes she can unbind,
In whom she list: but others can
she cast to cares unkind.
The running streames doo stand, and from
their course the starres doo wreath,
And soules she conjure can: thou shall
see sister underneath
The ground with roring gape, and trees
and mountaines turne upright, &-*c.
Moreover out of Ovid they alledge asfolloweth.
Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes
Infontcs* rediere suos, conaissaq; sis to, I

0vid fasU

6>

'

162.

22

5-

Vtrg Aene 4

'

' '

[* duras]

Tko. Phaiers
translation

of

the

/ormer
words of

Ovid, met*.\*infontes\

l 8 2

The discoverie

12. Booke.

226.

163.

Stantia concutio, cantu freta nubila pello,
Nubildqj Induco, ventos abigoqj vocoqj,
Vipereas rumpo verbis 6° carmine fauces,\
Vivdque saxa, sua convulsdque robora terra,
Et sylvas moveo, jubeoque tremescere montes,
Et mugire solum, manesque exire sepulchris,
Tdque luna traho, &c :
The rivers I can make retire,
Into the fountaines whence they fio,
(Whereat the banks themselves
admire)
I can jnake standing waters go,
With charmes I drive both sea and clowd,
I make it calme and blowe alowd.
The vipers jawes, the rockie stone,
With words and charmes I breake in twaine
The force of earth conge aidin one,
I moove and shake both woods andplaine j
I make the soules of men arise,
I pull the moone out of the skies.
Also out of the same poet.

Ovid, de
Medea
-

Virbdque ier dixit placidos facientia somnos,
Quce mare turbatum, qucBflumina concita sistant :
And thrise she spake the words that causd
Sweete sleepe and quiet rest,
She staid the raging of the sea,
And mightie flouds
supprest.

Ovid, de

Et miserum tenues in jecur urs:et acus.
J

Medea,

episto a. 4.

gfo sticketn

a/so

&

'

needels fine

In livers, whereby men doo pine.
3. A mar.

A Iso out of other poets.

Eclog. 6.

22J.

Carmine Icesa Ceres, sierilem vanescit in herbam,
Deficiunt Icesi carmine fontis aquce,
Illicibus glandes, cantatdque vitibus uva\
Decidit, 6° nullo poma movente fluunt :
With charmes the come is spoiled so,
As that it vades to barren gras,
With charmes the springs are dried lowe,
That none can see where water was.

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 7.

183

The grapes from vines, the mast from okes,
And beats downefrute with charming strokes.!
Quce sidera excantata voce Thessala
Lundmque ccelo diripit :
She plucks downe moone and starresfrom
With chaunting voice of Thessalie.

164.
skie,

Hanc ego de coelo ducentem sidera vidi,
Fluminis ac rapidi carmine vertit iter,
HCEC cantu finditque solum, manesque
sepulchris
Elicit, &> tepido devorat ossa rogo :
Cum lubet hcec tristi depellit lumina ccelo,
Cum lubet cestivo convocat orbe nives :

Horac* epod. 5
[*Horat]

Tibul. de
fascinatrice,
lib. 1. Eleg. 2.

She plucks each star out of his throne,
And turneth backe the raging waves,
With charmes she makes the earth to cone,
And raiseth soules out of their graves :
She burnes mens bones as with
afire,
And pulleth downe the lights from
heaven,
And makes it snowe at hir desire
Even in the midst of summer season.
Mens hausti nulla sanie polluta
veneni,
Incantata perit :
A 7nan inchanted runneth
mad,
That never anie poison had.

Lucan. lib. de
bello civili. 6.

Cessavere vices rerum, dilatdque longa
Hcesit node dies, legi non paruit cether,
Torpuit & prceceps audito carmine mundus :

Idem.

The course of nature ceased quite,/
The aire obeied not his lawe,
The dale delaid by length of night,
Which made both dale and night
toyawej
And all was through that charming geare,
Which causd the world to quake for feare.
Carmine Thessalidum dura in prcccordia fluxit,
Non fatis adductus amor, flammisque severi
II licit is arse re ignes:
With Thessall charmes,
Hot love is forced for
Even where before hath
They cause affection for

and not by fate
toflowe,
beene debate,
to growe.

Ibid.

228.

Idem.

Ibid.

184
Idem.

12. Booke.

Ibid.

165.

C. Manilius
astronom.
suce. lib. i.

22Q.

The discoverie

Gens invisa diis maculandi callida cceli,j
Quos genuit terra, mali qui sidera niundi
Jurdque Jixarum possunt pervertere rerum :
Nam nunc stare polos; &~° flumina mittere
norunt,
Aethera sub terras adigunt, montdsque
revellunt:
These witches hatefull unto God,
And cunning to defile the aire,
Which can disorder with a nod
The course of nature everie where,
Doo cause the wandring starres to stale
And drive the winds bee low the ground.
They send the streames another waie,
And throwe downe hilles where they abound.
-Unguis dixere
volucrum,
Consultare fibras, &> rumpere vocibus angues,
Solicitare umbras, ipsumque Acheronta
movere,
In nocte'mque dies, in luce7n vertere nodes,
Omnia conando docilis solertia vincit :
They talked with the toongs of birds,
Consulting with the salt sea coasts,
They burst the snakes with witching words,]
Solliciting the spirituall
ghosts,
They turne the night into the dale,
And also drive the light awaie:
And what ist that cannot be 7nade
By them that doo applie this trade t

T h e eight

Chapter.

Poetrie and poperie compared in inchantments,
have more advantage herein than

Ovid Metamorph. lib. 3.
fab. 2.

popish
witchmongers
protestants.

OU see in these verses, the poets (whether in earnest or
in jest I know not) ascribe unto witches & to their
charmes, more than is to be found in humane or diabolicall power. I doubt not but the most part of the
readers hereof will admit them to be fabulous ; although the most
learned of mine adversaries (for lacke of scripture) are faine to produce these poetries for proofes, and for lacke of judgement I am sure
doo thinke, that Actceons transformation was true. And why not ?
As well as the metamorphosis or transubstantiation of Ulysses his

of Witchcraft.

cimP. 9.

185

companions into swine : which S. Augustine* and so manie great Ooid.Meta.

,

&

7

o

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

T h e ninth

Chapter.

morph.iA,.

fab. 5, 6.

166.
T h e authors tran-

stton'to his
j^£sed

230.

Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastcote of
proofe, a char7ne for the falling evilly a writing brought to S. Leo
from heaven by an attgell, the vertues of S. Saviors epistle, a
charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds, of
the crosse, &>c.
||HESE vertues under these verses (written by pope Urbane
the fift to the emperour of the Grcecians) are conteined in
a periapt or tablet, to be continuallie worne about one,
called Agnus Dei, which is a little cake, having the
picture of a lambe carrieng of a flag on the one side ; and Christs
head on the other side, and is hollow : so as the gospell of S. John,
written in fine paper, is placed in the concavitie thereof: and it is
thus compounded or made, even as they themselves report.
Balsamus &* munda cera, cum chrismatis unda
Conficiunt agnum, quod munus do tibi magnum,
Fonte velut natum, per mystica sanctifcatum :
Fulgura desursum depellit, &* omne malignum,
Peccatum frangit, ut Christi sanguis, &* angit,
Prcegnans servatur, simul &* partus liberatur,
Dona refert dignis, virtutem destruit ignis,
Portatus munde de fluctibus eripit tmdce :
Balme, virgine wax, and holie water,
an Agnus Dei make :
A gift than which none can be greater,
I send thee for to take.

Englished by
Abraham
Fleming.
Looke in
the Beehive of the

13 B

*2- Book«.

I 86
Romish
church.
Lib. 4. cap. ]
fol. 243.

231.

167.

The discoverie
From founteine cleere the same hath issue,
in secret sanctifide:
Gainst lightning it hath soveraigne vertue,
and thunder crackes beside./
Ech hainous sinne it weares and wasteth,
even as Christs precious blood,
And women, whiles their travell lasteth,
it saves, it is so good.
It doth bestow great gifts and graces,\
on such as well deserve :
And borne about in noisome places,
from fierill doth preserve.
The force of fire, whose heat destroieth,
it breaks and bringeth downe :
And he or she that this enjoieth,
no water shall them drowne.
^f A charme against shot, or a wastcote of proofe.

comming
Agnus
holie garment
BEfore the wastcote forup of thesewas much Deis, ofa our forefathers,
called a
necessitie
used
as a holy relike, &c : as given by the pope, or some such archconjuror, who promised thereby all manner of immunitie to the wearer
thereof; in somuch as he could not be hurt with anie shot or other
violence. And otherwise, that woman that would weare it, should
have quicke deliverance : the composition thereof was in this order
following.
On Christmas daie at night, a threed must be sponne of flax, by a
little virgine girle, in the name of the divell : and it must be by hir
woven, and also wrought with the needle. In the brest or forepart
thereof must be made with needle worke two heads ; on the head at
the right side must be a hat, and a long beard ; the left head must
have on a crowne, and it must be so horrible, that it maie resemble
Belzebub, and on each side of the wastcote must be made a crosse.

T h e maner
of making
a wastecote of
proofe.

^[ Against the falling

evill.

insuing is another counterfet charme
M Oreover, this falling evill is presentlie remedied.
whereby the

232.

Gasparfert myrrham, thus Melchior, Balthasar
Hac tria qui secum portabit nomina regum,\
Solvitur a morbo Christi pietate caduco.

of theirs,

aurum,

of Witchcraft.

chap. 9.

187

Gasper with his myrh beganne
these presents to unfold,
Then Melchior brought in frankincense,
and Balthasar brought in gold.
Now he that of these holie kings
the names about shall beare,
The falling yll by grace of Christ
shall never need tofeare.
This is as true a copie of the holie writing, that was brought downe
from heaven by an angell to S. Leo pope of Rome; & he did bid/ him 168.
take it to king Charles, when he went to the battell at RoncevalL And J hese ef.

fects are

the angell said, that what man or woman beareth this writing about them too good to be
with good devotion, and saith everie daie three Pater nosters, three Aves, ^d/a patand one Creede, shall not that daie be overcome of his enimies, either chedpeece
bodilie or ghostlie ; neither shalbe robbed or slaine of theeves, pestilence, thunder, or lightening; neither shall be hurt with fier or water,
nor combred with spirits, neither shall have displeasure of lords or
ladies : he shall not be condemned with false witnesse, nor taken with
fairies, or anie maner of axes, nor yet with the falling evill. Also, if a
woman be in travell, laie this writing upo hir bellie, she shall have
easie deliverance, and the child right shape and christendome, and
the mother purification of holy church, and all through vertue of these
holie names of Jesus Christ following :
>i*fesus •{« Christus >i* Messias ^ Soter •{< Emmanuel ^ Sabbaoth
^ Adonai •{< Unigenitus •{* Majestas^ Paracletus ^ Salvator noster
^ Agiros iskiros •{* Agios ^ Adanatos >J« Gasper H * Melchior >J« &*
E
Balthasar ^ Matthceus •{< Marcus ^ Lucas ^ fohannes.
The epistle of S. Savior, which pope Leo sent to king Charles,
saieng, that whosoever carrieth the same about him, or in what daie
so ever he shall read it, or shall see it, he shall not be killed with anie
iron toole, nor be burned with fier, nor be drowned with water, neither
anie evill man or other creature maie hurt him. The crosse of Christ
is a woonderfull defense •{< the crosse/ of Christ be alwaies with ^JJ.
me Hh t n e crosse is it which I doo alwaies worship •{« the crosse of
Christ is true health *i* the crosse of Christ dooth lose the bands of
death ^ the crosse of Christ is the truth and the waie ^ I take my
journie upon the crosse of the Lord ^ the crosse of Christ beateth
downe everie evill *i* the crosse of Christ giveth all good things ^ the
crosse of Christ taketh awaie paines everlasting > « the crosse of
{
Christ save me ^ O crosse of Christ be upon me, before me, and
behind me *i* bicause the ancient enimie cannot abide the sight of

i88

The discoverie

12. Booke.

thee ^ the crosse of Christ save me, keepe me, governe me, and direct
me *i* Thomas bearing this note of thy divine majestie •£< Alpha ^
Omega *i* first •{< and last ^ middest *i* and end •!« beginning ^ and
first begotten >%* wisedome »^ vertue *i*.
% A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but
carried about one, against theeves.
go, and doo come unto you
love of
with
I Doohumilitie ofI with thewith the holineswithourthethe vertue God,David,
the
Christ,
of
blessed ladie, with the
faith of Abraham,
justice of Isaac, with
of
with the might of Peter, with the constancie of Pauie, with the word
of God, with the authoritie of Gregorie, with the praier of Clement,
Up=per or par] with the floud of Jordan, _p _p p c g e g a q q est p t I ka b g I k 2 a x
[«a m2. ed.]
t g t b am* g24.2i qypxcgkqaggpoqqr.
Oh onelie Father
•!< oh onlie lord Hh And Jesus •f* passing through the middest of
169. them ^ went •£• In the name of/ the Father •£• and of the Sonne •£<
and of the Holie-ghost >J«.
1" Another amulet.
Oseph of Arimathea did find this writing upon the wounds of the
side of Jesus Christ, written with Gods finger, when the bodie was
taken away fr5 the crosse. Whosoever shall carrie this writing about
him, shall not die anie evill death, if he beleeve in Christ, and in all
perplexities he shall soone be delivered, neither let him feare any
danger at all. Fons •{« alpha &** omega •p Jiga ^Jigalis •p Sabbaoth
•J* Emmanuel •{« Adonai >i* o •{* Neray •p Elay •£< I he *i* Rentone ^
Neger •{* Sake +fc Pangeton *J« Commen *i* a > « g ^ I *i* a *%t Mat{
thceus >i« Marcus *J* Lucas ^ Johannes Hh H^ 4* titulus triumphalis ^
234. Jesus Nasajrenus rex Judceorum •{< ecce dominicce crucis signum •{<
fugite partes adverse?, vicit leo de iribu Judce, radix, David, aleluijah,
Kyrie eleeson, Christe eleeson, pater nosier, ave Maria, &* ne nos,
[* From Fons is & veniat super nos salutare tuum : Oremus, d^c*
Tituius\n°m
I find m a Primer intituled The houres of our Ladie, after the use of
Ital
-J
the church of Yorke, printed anno 1516. a charme with this titling in
red letters ; To all them that afore this image of pitie devoutlie shall
* .-5f t.he Party
saie * five Pater nosters, five Aves, and one Credo, pitiouslie behold-

7

.

.

/.

r

faile in the

.

number,
whlsdefor
a pardon.

ing these armes of Chnsts passion, are granted thirtie two thousand
seven hundred fiftie five yeares of pardon. It is to be thought that
this pardon was granted in the time of pope Boniface the ninth ; for
Platina saith that the pardons were sold so cheape, that the apostolicall authoritie grew into contempt.

.

of Witchcraft,

cha P . 9.

189

^f A papisticall charme.
Signum sanctce cruets defendat me a malis prcesentibus, prcEteritis,
&*futuris, interioribus &* exterioribus : that is, The signe of the crosse
defend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward.
% A charme found in the canon of the masse.
Also this charme is found in the canon of the masse, Hcec sacrosancta commixtio corporis &° sanguinis domini nostri Jesu Christi
fiat mihi, ojnnibusque sumentibus, salus mentis 6° corporis, &* ad
vilam promerendam, 6° capessendam, prceparatio salutaris : that is,
Let this holie mixture of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ,
be unto me, and unto all receivers thereof, health of mind and bodie,
and to the deserving and receiving of life an healthfull preparative.
^f Other papisticall charmes.
Aqua benedicta, sit mihi salus &r> vita :
By Ab. FleLet holie water be, both health and life to me.
ming.
Adque nomen Martini omnis hcereticus fugiat pallidus,
When Martins name is soong or said,
Let heretikes flie as men dismaid.j
But the papists have a harder charme than that ; to wit, Fier and 235fagot, Fier and fagot./
^[ A charme of the holie crosse.

170.

Nulla salus est in domo,
Nisi cruce munit hotno
Superliminaria.
Neque sentit gladium,
Nee amisit filium,
Quisquis egit talia.
No health within the house dooth dwell,
Except a man doo crosse him well,
at everie doore or frame,
He never feeleth the swords point,
Nor of his sonne shall loose a joint,
that dooth performe the same.
Furthermore as followeth.
Ista suos fortiores
Semper facit, 6° victores,

Sancta crux
atquiparatur
salutifero

I 90

«• Booke.

Christo.
O blasphcemiam inenarrabilem!

The discoverie
Morbos sanat < r languores,
S»
Reprimit dcemonia.
Dat captivis libertate?n,
VUCB confert novitatem,
Ad antiquam dignitatem,
Crux reduxit omnia.
0 Crux lignum triumphale,
Mundi vera salus vale,
Inter ligna nullum tale,
Fronde, flore, germine.
Medicina Christiana,
Salva sanos, cegros sana,
Quod non valet vis humana,
Fit in tuo nomine, 8r*c.l

Englished
2j6.
by Abraham
Fleming.
Looke in
the Beehive of the
Romish
church, lib.
4- cap. 3.
fol. 251, 252.

171.

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

If A charme taken out of the Primer.
This charme following is taken out of the Primer aforesaid.
Omnipotens ^ Dominus ^ Christus > « Messias ^ with 34. names more,
{
& as many crosses, & then proceeds in this wise ; Ista nomina me
protegant ab omni adversitate, plaga, 6r* infirmitate corporis 6r*

of Witchcraft.

chap. 10.

191

animce, plene liberent, &* assistent in auxilium ista nomina regum,
Gasper, &c: &* 12 apostoli {videlicet) Petrus, Q^c: &> 4 evangelistce
{videlicet) Matthceus, ds^c: miki assistent in omnibus necessitatibus
meis, ac me defendant &* liberent ab omnibus periculis fir-9 corporis &*
anima, &* omnibus malis prceteritis, prcesentibus, &*futuris, &»c.j

T h e tenth Chapter.

337.

How to make holie water, and the vertues therof. S. Rufins
charme, of the wearing and bearing of the name of Jesus, that
the sacrament of confession and the eucharist is of as much
efficacie as other charmes, &° magnified by L. Vairus.
J|F I did well, I should shew you the confection of all their
stufife, and how they prepare it; but it would be too long.
And therefore you shall onlie have in this place a few
notes for the composition of certeine receipts, which in
stead of an Apothecarie if you deliver to any morrowmasse preest,
he will make them as well as the pope himselfe. Marie now they
wax everie parlement deerer and deerer j although therewithall, they
utter many stale drugs of their owne.
If you looke in the popish pontificall, you shall see how In ecclesiee
dedications
they make their holie water; to wit, in this sort : I conjure
thee thou creature of water, in the name of the father, and of
the sonne, & of the Holie-ghost, that thou drive the divell out of
everie corner and hole of this church, and altar; so as he remaine
not within our precincts that are just and righteous. And water thus
used (as Durandus saith) hath power of his owne nature to drive in rationaii
away divels. If you will learne to make any more of this popish divinorum
officioruvt.
stuffe, you may go to the verie masse booke, and find manie good
receipts : marrie if you search Durandus, &c ; you shall find
abundance.
I know that all these charmes, and all these palterie confections
(though/ they were farre more impious and foolish) will be mainteined 172.
and defended by massemongers, even as the residue will be by witchmongers : and therefore I will in this place insert a charme, the
authoritie wherof is equall with the rest, desiring to have their
pom,s
opinions herein. I find in a booke called Pomcerium sermonum quad- tnon' 3
ragesimalium, that S. Francis seeing Rufinusj provoked of the divell 238.
to thinke himselfe damned, charged Rufinus to saie this charme, when
he next met with the divell; Aperi os, &* ibi imponam stircus, which is

192

is. Booke.

L. Vairus. lib.
de fascin. 3.
cap. 10.
Idem, ibid.

Idem, ibid.

The discoverie

as much to saie in English as, Open thy mouth and I will put in a
plumme : a verie ruffinlie charme.
Leonard Vairus writeth, De verts, pits, ac Sanctis amuletis fascinum
atq; omnia veneficia destruentibus ; wherein he speciallie commendeth the name of Jesus to be worne. But the sacrament of confession he extolleth above all things, saieng, that whereas Christ with
his power did but throwe divels out of mens bodies, the preest
driveth the divell out of mans soule by confession. For (saith he)
these words of the preest, when he saith, Ego te absolvo, are as
effectuall to drive awaie the princes of darknes, through the mightie
power of that saieng, as was the voice of God to drive awaie the
darknes of the world, when at the beginning he said, Fiat lux. He
commendeth also, as holesome things to drive awaie divels, the sacrament of the eucharist, and solitarines, and silence. Finallie he saith,
that if there be added hereunto an Agnus Dei, and the same be worne
about ones necke by one void of sinne, nothing is wanting that is
good and holesome for this purpose. But he concludeth, that you
must weare and make dints in your forhead, with crossing your selfe
when you put on your shooes, and at everie other action, &c : and
that is also a present remedie to drive awaie divels, for they cannot
abide it.

T h e eleventh

Chapter.

Of the noble balme used by Moses, apishlie counterfeited in the
church of Rome.
||HE noble balme that Moses made, having indeed manie
excellent vertues, besides the pleasant and comfortable
savour thereof; wherewithall Moses in his politike lawes
enjoined kings, queenes, and princes to be annointed in
their true and lawfull elections and coronations, untill the everlasting
2jo. king had put on/ man upon him, is apishlie counterfeited in the
Romish church, with diverse terrible conjurations, three breathings,
crossewise, (able to make a quezie stomach spue) nine mumblings,
and three curtsies, saieng thereunto, Ave sanctum oleum, ter ave
sanctum balsamum. And so the divell is thrust out, and the Holieghost let into his place. But as for Moses his balme, it is not now to
be found either in Rome or elsewhere that I can learne. And according to this papisticall order, witches, and other superstitious people
follow on, with charmes and conjurations made in forme ; which
manie bad physicians also practise, when their learning faileth, as
maie appeare by example in the sequele./

of Witchcraft.

T h e twelfe

chap. ».

Chapter.

193

173.

The opinion of Ferrarius touching charmes, periapts, appensions,
amulets\ &c. Of Homericall medicines, of constant opinion, and
the effects thereof
RGERIUS FERRARIUS, a physician in these daies of
great account, doth saie, that for somuch as by no diet
nor physicke anie disease can be so taken awaie or extinguished, but that certeine dregs and relikes will
remaine : therefore physicians use physicall alligations, appensions,
periapts, amulets, charmes, characters, &c, which he supposeth maie
doo good ; but harme he is sure they can doo none : urging that it is
necessarie and expedient for a physician to leave nothing undone that
may be devised for his patients recoverie ; and that by such meanes
manie great cures are done. He citeth a great number of experiments
out of Alexander Trallianus, Aetius, Octavianus, Marcellus, Philodotus, Archigines, Philostratus, Plinie, and Dioscorides; and would
make men beleeve that Galen (who in truth despised and derided all
those vanities) recanted in his latter daies his former opinion, and all
his invectives tending against these magicall cures : writing also a
booke intituled De Homerica medicatione, which no man could ever
see, but one Alexander Trallianus, who saith he saw it:/ and further
affirmeth, that it is an honest mans part to cure the sicke, by hooke
or by crooke, or by anie meanes whatsoever. Yea he saith that Galen
(who indeed wrote and taught that Incantamenta sunt muliercularum
figmenta, and be the onlie clokes of bad physicians) affirmeth, that
there is vertue and great force in incantations. As for example (saith
Trallian) Galen being now reconciled to this opinion, holdeth and
writeth, that the bones which sticke in ones throte, are avoided and
cast out with the violence of charmes and inchanting words ; yea and
that thereby the stone, the chollicke, the falling sicknes, and all fevers,
gowts, fluxes, fistulas, issues of bloud, and finallie whatsoever cure
(even beyond the skill of himselfe or anie other foolish physician) is
cured and perfectlie healed fcy words of inchantment. Marie M.
Ferrarius (although he allowed and practised this kind of physicke)
yet he protesteth that he thinketh it none otherwise eflfectuall, than
by the waie of constant opinion : so as he affirmeth that neither the
character, nor the charme, nor the witch, nor the devill accomplish
the cure; as (saith he) the experiment of the toothach will manifestlie
declare, wherein the cure is wrought by the confidence or diffidence
CC

Arg. Fer. lib.
de medendi
methodo. 2.
cap. 11.
De Homerica
medicatione.

24O.

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

194

is. Booke.

The discoverie

as well of the patient, as of the agent ; according to the poets
saieng:
Nos habitat non tartara, sed nee sidera coeli,
Spiritus in nobis qui viget ilia faeit.
Englished by
Abraham
Fleming.

Not hellish furies dwell in us,
Nor starres with influence heavenliej
The spirit that lives and rules in us,
Doth every thing ingenious lie,j

174.

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

*4*-

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

of Witchcraft.

chap. 14.

But of these Homericall medicines he saith there are foure sorts,
whereof amulets, characters, & charmes are three : howbeit he commendeth and preferreth the fourth above the rest; and that he saith
consisteth in illusions, which he more properlie calleth stratagems,
Of which sort of conclusions he alledgeth for example, how Philodotus
did put a cap of lead upon ones head, who imagined he was headlesse,
whereby the partie was delivered from his disease or conceipt. Item
another cured a woman that imagined, that a serpent or snake did
continuallie gnaw and / teare hir entrailes ; and that was done onelie
by giving hir a vomit, and by foisting into the matter vomited a little
serpent or snake, like unto that which she imagined was in hir bellie.
Item, another imagined that he alwaies burned in the fier, under
whose bed a fier was privilie conveied, which being raked out before
his face, his fancie was satisfied, and his heate allaied. Hereunto
7

195
F

<>ure sorts
call Sedi""
^Sh^
theprin-

cipa

242.
The force
fansie3, opinion or
>
strong con-

perteineth, that the hickot is cured with sudden feare or strange ceipt.
newes : yea by that meanes agues and manie other strange and
extreame diseases have beene healed. And some that have lien so
sicke and sore of the gowt, that they could not remove a joint,
through sudden feare of fier, or mine/ of houses, have forgotten their 175.
infirmities and greefes, and have runne awaie. But in my tract
upon melancholie, and the effects of imagination, and in the discourse
of naturall magicke, you shall see these matters largelie touched.

T h e xiiii. Chapter.
Choice of Charmes against the falling evilly the biting of a mad
dog, the stinging of a scorpion, the toothach, for a woman in
travell,for the Kings evill, to get a thorne out of any member;
or a bone out of ones throte, charmes to be said fasting, or at the
gathering of hearbs, for sore eies, to open locks, against spirits,
for the bots in a horsse, and speciallie for the Duke of A Ibas
horsse,for sowre wines, &c.
(HERE be innumerable charmes of conjurers, bad physicians, lewd surgians, melancholike witches, and couseners,
for all diseases and greefes; speciallie for such as bad
physicians and surgions knowe not how to cure, and in
truth are good stufFe to shadow their ignorance, whereof I will
repeate some.
For the falling evilL
Ake the sicke man by the hand, and whisper these wordes
softlie in his eare, I conjure thee by the sunne and moone,/

T

196

i2. Booke.

The discoverie

243. and by the gospell of this daie delivered by God to Hubert, Giles,
Cornelius, and John, that thou rise and fall no more. •#- Otherwise :
Drinke in the night at a spring water out of a skull of one that hath
beene slaine. •#• Otherwise : Eate a pig killed with a knife that slew
a man. •#- Otherwise as followeth.
Ananizapta ferit mortem, dum loedere queerit,
Est mala mors capta, dum dicitur Ananizapta,
Ananizapta Dei nunc miserere mei.
Englished by
A braham
Fleming.

( Ananizapta smitetk death,
\
whiles harme intendeth he,
*L This word Ananizapta say,
J and death shall captive be,
\ Ananizapta 6 of God,
have mercie now on me.

}
f
S
\
)

^] Against the biting of a mad dog.
J. Bodinus.
lib. de damon
3- cap. 5.

a silver ring on
within
these
are
P Utgravena madHabaytheamfinger,saviour, the whichthy lifeto:wordsperson
^
^ habar *J* hebar Hh & saie
the
bitten with
dog, I
thy
loose not
and then

pricke him in the nose thrise, that at each time he bleed, -ft- Otherwise : Take pilles made of the skull of one that is hanged. •#• Otherwise : Write upon a peece of bread, Irioni, khiriora, esser, khuder,
176. feres ; and let it be eaten by the/ partie bitten. •%• Otherwise : Q rex
glorioz Jesu Christe, veni cum pace : In nomine patris max, in nomine
filii max, in nomine spiritus sancti prax: Gasper, Melchior, Balthasar
•{< prax »£t max •{* Deus I max >i*
But in troth this is verie dangerous ; insomuch as if it be not
speedilie and cunninglie prevented, either death or frensie insueth,
through infection of the humor left in the wound bitten by a mad
dog : which bicause bad surgions cannot cure, they have therfore
used foolish cousening charmes. But Dodonceus in his herball saith,
that the hearbe Alysson cureth it : which experiment, I doubt not,
will proove more true than all the charms in the world. But where
he saith, that the same hanged at a mans gate or entrie, preserveth
him and his cattell from inchantment, or bewitching, he is overtaken
with follie./
244.

^f Against the biting of a scorpion.
to an asse secretlie, and
SAieI am bitten with a Scorpion. as it were whispering in his eare ;

of Witchcraft.

chap, x*

197

IT Against the toothack.
Carifie the gums in the greefe, with the tooth of one that
hath beene slaine. -:> Otherwise : Galbes galbat, galdes galdat.
•§ Otherwise : A ab hur hus, &c. • > Otherwise : At saccaring of
§•
* That is,
masse hold your teeth togither, and say * Os non comminuetis ex eo. YouThaTi
•#• Otherwise : strigiles falcesq; dentatce, dentium dolorem persanate; £° dimmish
O horssecombs and sickles that have so many teeth, come heale me a bone of
now of my toothach.

S

51 A charme to release a woman in travell.

T

Hrowe over the top of the house, where a woman in travell
lieth, a stone, or any other thing that hath killed three living
creatures ; namelie, a man, a wild bore, and a she beare.
^f To heale the Kings or Queenes evill, or any other sorenesse in
the throte.
Emedies to cure the Kings or Queenes evill, is first to touch
the place with the hand of one that died an untimelie death.
•*> Otherwise : Let a virgine fasting laie hir hand on the sore, and
saie ; Apollo denieth that the heate of the plague can increase,
where a naked virgine quencheth it : and spet three times upon it.

R

5[ A charme read in the Romish church, upon saint Blazes daie,
that will fetch a thorne out of anie place of ones bodie, a bone
out of the throte, &C: Led. 3.

F

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

T Ie a halter about your head, wherewith one hath beene hanged.
^f A charme to be said each morning by a witch fasting, or at least
before she go abroad.
H E fier bites, the fier bites, the fier bites ; Hogs turd over it,
hogs turd over it, hogs turd over it; The father with thee, the

T

245. 177.

198

12. Booke.

The discoverie

sonne with me, the holie-ghost betweene us both to be : ter. Then
spit over one shoulder, and then over the other, and then three times
right forward.
\ Another charme that witches use at the gathering of their
medicinable hearts,
Haile be thou holie hearbe
growing on the ground
All in the mount ^Calvarie
first wert thou found,
Thou art goodfor manie a sore,
And healest manie a wound,
In the name of sweete fesus
I take thee from the ground.

* Though
neither the
hearbe nor
the witch
never came
there.

If An old womans charme, wherewith she did much good in the
countrie, and grew famous thereby.
old woman that healed all
of
the
AN she never tooke any reward diseasespeniecattell a(forloafe) which
but a
and
being
seriouslie examined by what words she brought these things to passe,
confessed that after she had touched the sicke creature, she alwaies
departed immediatelie ; saieng :
My loafe in my lap,
my penie in my purssej
Thou are never the better,
and I am never the wursse.j
246.

Another like charme.
hir mone to
that
A Gentlewoman having soresheeies, madefollowsealedadviseone,which
promised hir helpe, if
would
his
:
was onelie to weare about hir necke a scroll
up, whereinto

Note the
force of
constant
opinion, or
fixed fancy.

she might not looke. And she conceiving hope of cure thereby,
received it under the condition, and left hir weeping and teares, wherewith she was woont to bewaile the miserable darkenesse, which she
doubted to indure : whereby in short time hir eies were well amended.
But alas ! she lost soone after that pretious Jewell, and thereby
returned to hir woonted weeping, and by consequence to hir sore
eies. Howbeit, hir Jewell or scroll being found againe, was looked
into by hir deere friends, and this onelie posie was conteined
therein :/

of Witchcraft.

chap. i4

The divell pull out both thine eies,
And *etish in the holes likewise.
Whereby partlie you may see what constant opinion can doo,
according to the saieng of Plato; If a mans fansie or mind give him
assurance that a hurtfull thing shall doo him good, it may doo so,
&c.

199
178.
* Spell the
word backward, and
you shall
soone see
this slovenlie charme
or appension.

A charme to open locks.
the hearbes called
will open all locks
all be
A S true that inchanters Aethiopides the help of certeine(ifwords:
saie) with

Theevish
charmes.

so be there charmes also and periapts, which without any hearbs
can doo as much : as for example. Take a peece of wax crossed in
baptisme, and doo but print certeine floures therein, and tie them in
the hinder skirt of your shirt ; and when you would undoo the locke,
blow thrise therin, saieng ; Arato hoc partiko hoc maratarykin. I
open this doore in thy name that I am forced to breake, as thou
brakest hell gates, In nomine patris, &>fillip&* spiritus sa?icti, Amen.
\ A charme to drive awaie spirits that haunt ante house.

This is called and

the foure corners
H Ang in everie of virgine parchment;of your house this sentence counted
written upon
Omnis spiritus laudet ceLan™
a

Dominum : b Mosen habent &° prophetas:
pentur inimici ejus.

c

Exurgat Deus et dissi-j

c

^™m*'
* Luk! 16.' 247.
« Psa. 64.

^| A prettie charme or conclusion for one possessed.

T

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

must
commended to some poore
saieng
THerethePaterbenosters, and or bewitchedtheforfirstbegger the was the
of five
five Aves;
to be said in
name of
partie possessed,
:
that Christ
led
into the garden ; secondlie, for that Christ did sweat both water and
bloud ; thirdlie, for that Christ was condemned ; fourthlie, for that he
was crucified guiltlesse ; and fiftlie, for that he suffered to take awaie

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

200

12. Booke.

The discoverie

our sinnes. Then must the sicke bodie heare masse eight daies together, standing in the place where the gospell is said, and must
mingle holie water with his meate and his drinke, and holie salt also
must be a portion of the mixture.
^[ Another to the same effect.
Johannes
Anglicus ex
Constantino,
Gualtero,
Bernardo,
Gilberto, &c.

T

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

179.

T

His office or conjuration following was first authorised and
printed at Rome, and afterwards at Avenion, Anno. 1515. And
248. least that the divell should lie hid in some secret part of the/ bodie,
everie part thereof is named ; Obsecro te fesu Christe, &*c: that is :
I beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ, that thou pull out of everie
member of this man all infirmities, from his head, from his haire,
from his braine, from his forhead, from his eies, from his nose, from
his eares, from his mouth, from his toong, from his teeth, from his
jawes, from his throte, from his necke, from his backe, from his brest,
from his paps, from his heart, from his stomach, from his sides, from
his flesh, from his bloud, from his bones, from his legs, from his feete,
from his fingers, from the soles of his feete, from his marrowe, from
his sinewes, from his skin, and from everie joint of his members, &c.
Doubtles Jesus Christ could have no starting hole, but was hereby
everie waie prevented and pursued; so as he was forced to doo the
cure: for it appeareth hereby, that it had beene insufficient for him
to have said; Depart out of this man thou uncleane spirit, and that
when he so said he did not performe it. I doo not thinke that there
will be found among all the heathens superstitious fables, or among
the witches, conjurors, couseners, poets, knaves, fooles, &c: that ever
Barnard,
de
wrote, so impudent and impious a lie or charme as is read in Barnarbustis in Rodine de bustis; where, to cure a sicke man, Christs bodie, to wit: a
sar. serm.
serm. 15.
wafer cake, was outwardlie applied to his side, and entred into his
heart, in the sight of all the standers by. Now, if grave authors
report such lies, what credit in these cases shall we attribute unto the

of Witchcraft.

chaP. i4.

201

old wives tales, that Sprenger, Institor, Bodine, and others write ?
Even as much as to Ovids Metamorphosis^ Aesops fables, Moores
Utopia, and diverse other fansies; which have as much truth in them,
as a blind man hath sight in his eie.
^[ A charme for the bots in a horsse.
must both saie
doo thus upon
Y Ou&* spiritus^sancti;and the sunne terising:theIndiseased horsse three
daies together, before
nomine pa ^tris dr
f^lii
Exorcizo
vermem per Deum pa^trem,
9

&* folium
&* spiritum^ sanctum: that is, In the name of God the
Father, the Sonne, & the Holy-ghost, I conjure thee O worme by God
the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy-ghost; that thou neither eat nor
drinke the flesh blcud or bones of this horsse ; and that thou
hereby maist be made as patient as Job, and as good as S. fohnj
Baptist, when he baptised Christ in Jordan, In nomine pa^tris &* 24Q.
Ji^lii &> spiritus^sancti.
And then, saie three Pater nosters, and
three Aves, in the right eare of the horsse, to the glorie of the holie
trinitie. Do^minusfli
{ us spiri^tus
•
Marina.
There are also divers bookes imprinted, as it should appeare
with the authoritie of the church of Rome, wherein are conteined
manie medicinall praiers, not onelie against all diseases of horsses,
but also for everie impediment and fault in a horsse: in so much as
if a shoo fall off in the middest of his journie, there is a praier to
warrant your horsses/ hoofe, so as it shall not breake, how far so ever 180.
T
he be from the Smithes forge.
*}? smiths
0

will canne

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

T

^f A charme against vineager.
Hat wine wax not eager, write on the vessell,* Gustate &* videte, PPs.339.Vuig.]
quoniam suavis est Dominus.
Sasph£le

DD

202

iz.Booke.

The discoverie
T h e xv. Chapter.

The inchanting of serpents and snakes-, objections aunswered concerning the same j fond reasons whie charmes take effect therin,
Mahomets pigeon, miracles wrought by an Asse at Memphis in
A egypt, popish charmes against serpents, of miracle workers, the
tameing of snakes, Bodins lie of snakes,
H O N C E R N I N G the charming of serpents and snakes,
mine adversaries (as I have said) thinke they have great
advantage by the words of David in the fiftie eight
psalme ; and by Jeremie,
chapter eight, expounding
the one prophet by Virgil, the other by Ovid, For the words of
David are these ; Their poison is like the poison of a serpent, and
Psal. 58.
250, like a deafe adder, that stoppeth his/ eare, and heareth not the voice
of the charmer, charme he never so cunninglie. T h e words of Virgil
Virg. eclog. 8.
are these, Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis. As he might
saie, David thou liest; for the cold natured snake is by the charmes
of the inchanters broken all to peeces in the field where he lieth.
T h e n commeth Ovid, and he taketh his countriemans part, saieng in
Ovid, tnetamor. 7.
the n a m e and person of a witch ; Vipereas rumpo verbis 6 ° carmine
fauces ; that is, I with my words and charmes can breake in sunder
the vipers jawes. Marrie feremie on the other side encountereth
Jerem. 8. 17.
this poeticall witch, and he not onelie defendeth, but expoundeth his
fellowe prophets words, and that not in his owne name, but in the
n a m e of almightie G o d ; saieng, I will send serpents and cockatrices
among you, which cannot be charmed.
Now let anie indifferent man (christian or heathen) judge, whether
the words and minds of the prophets doo not directlie oppugne these
poets words (I will not saie minds :) for that I am sure they did therein
but jest and trifle, according to the common fabling of lieng poets.
And certeinlie, I can encounter t h e m two with other two poets ;
namelie Propertius and Horace, the one merrilie deriding, the other
seriouslie impugning their fantasticall poetries, concerning the power
and omnipotencie of witches. F o r where Virgil, Ovid, &*c : write
that witches with their charmes fetch downe the moone and starres
from heaven, e t c . ; Propertius
mocketh them in these words following : /

181.

At vos deductce quibus estfallacia
Luna,
Et labor in magicis sacra piare focis,
En agedum domince mentem convertite nostra*,
Et facile ilia meo palleat ore magis,

of

Witchcraft,

203

Chap. 15.

Tunc ego crediderim vobis &* sidera &* atnnes
Posse Circeis ducere carminibus:
But you that have the subtill slight.
Of fetching downe the moone from skies;
And with inchanting fier bright',
Attempt to purge your sacrifies:
Lo now, go to, turne {if you can)
Our madams mind and sturdie hart,/
And make Mr face more pale and wan,
Than mine : which if by magicke art
You doo, then will I soone beleeve,
That by your witching charmes you can
From skies aloft the starres remeeve,
And rivers turne from whence they ran.

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

25*-

And that you may see more certeinlie, that these poets did but jest
and deride the credulous and timerous sort of people, I thought
good to shew you what Ovid saith against himselfe, and such as have
written so incrediblie and ridiculouslie of witches omnipotencie :
Nec medics magicis finduntur cantibus angues,
Nee redit in fontes unda supina suos :
Snakes in the middle are not riven
with charmes of witches cunning,
Nor waters to their fountaines driven
by force of backward running.

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

As for Horace his verses I omit them, bicause I have cited them in
another place. And concerning this matter Cardanus saith, that at Card. lib. 15.
everie eclipse they were woont to thinke, that witches pulled downe ceapas0.rer'
the sunne and moone from heaven. And doubtles, hence came the
opinion of that matter, which spred so farre, and continued so long in
the common peoples mouthes, that in the end learned men grew to
beleeve it, and to affirme it in writing.
But here it will be objected, that bicause it is said (in the places by An objection
me alledged) that snakes or vipers cannot be charmed ; Ergo other red.answethings may : To answer this argument, I would aske the witchmonger
this question, to wit; Whether it be expedient, that to satisfie his
follie, the Holie-ghost must of necessitie make mention of everie
particular thing that he imagineth may be bewitched ? I would also
aske of him, what privilege a snake hath more than other creatures,
that he onelie may not, and all other creatures may be bewitched ?

204

Dan. in
log, cap.

la.Booke.

The discoverie

182. I hope they will not saie, that either/ their faith or infidelitie is the
cause thereof ; neither doo I admit the answer of such divines as saie,
252. that he cannot be bewitched :,/ for that he seduced Eve ; by meanes
whereof God himselfe curssed him ; and thereby he is so privileged,
as that no witches charme can take hold of him. But more shall be
said hereof in the sequele.
diaDancBUs saith, that witches charmes take soonest hold upon snakes
3.
and adders ; bicause of their conference and familiaritie with the
divell, whereby the rather mankind through them was seduced. Let
us seeke then an answer for this cavill ; although in truth it needeth
not : for the phrase of speach is absolute, & importes not a speciall
qualitie proper to the nature of a viper anie more, than when I saie ;
A connie cannot flie: you should gather & conclude thereupon, that
I ment that all other beasts could flie. But you shall understand, that
the cause why these vipers can rather withstand the voice & practise
of inchanters and sorcerers, than other creatures, is: for that they
being in bodie and nature venomous, cannot so soone or properlie
receive their destruction by venome, wherby the witches in other
creatures bring their mischeefous practises more easilie to passe,
according to Virgils saieng

Vifg. geo. 4.
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

Feates his
dog, and
Mahomets
pigeon.

Corrupitque

by

lacus, infecitpabula

tabo,

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

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

of Witchcraft.

ch*P. i5.

205

At Memphis in Aegypt, among other juggling knacks, which were A storie
declaring
there usuallie shewed, there was one that tooke such paines with an the great
asse, that he had taught him all these qualities following. And for docilitie of
an asse.
gaine he caused a stage to be made, and an assemblie of people to
meete ; which being done, in the maner of a plaie, he came in with
his asse, and said ; T h e Sultane hath great need of asses to helpe to
carrie stones and other stuffe, towards his great building which he
hath in hand. T h e asse im/mediatlie fell downe to the ground, and 183.
by all signes shewed himselfe to be sicke, and at length to give up
the g h o s t : so as the juggler begged of the assemblie monie towards
his losse. And having gotten all that h e could, he said ; Now my
maisters, you shall see mine asse is yet alive, and dooth but counterf e t ; bicause he would have some monie to buie him provender,
knowing that I was poore, and in some need of releefe. Hereupon he
would needs laie a wager, that his asse was alive, who to everie mans
seeming was starke dead. A n d when, one h a d laid monie with him
thereabout, he commanded the asse to rise, but he laie still as though
he were dead : then did he beate him with a cudgell, but that would
not serve the turne, untill he addressed this speech to the asse, saieng
(as before) in open audience ; T h e Sultane hath commanded, that
all the people shall ride out to morrow, and see the triumph, and
that the faire ladies will then ride upon the fairest asses, and will give
notable provender unto them, and everie asse shall drinke of the
sweete water of Nilus : and then lo the asse did presentlie start up,
and advance himselfe exceedinglie. Lo (quoth his maister) now I
have wonne : but in troth the Maior hath borrowed mine asse, for
the use of the old ilfavoured witch his wife : and thereupon immediatlie he hoong downe his eares, and halted downe right, as though he
had beene starke lame. T h e n said his maister ; I perceive you love
yoong prettie wenches : at which words he looked up, as it were with
joifull cheere. And then his maister did bid him go choose one that
should ride upon him ; and he ran to a verie handsome woman, and
touched hir with his head : &c- A snake will never be brought to
such familiaritie, &c. Bodin saith, that this was a man in the like- J. Bod. lib. dc
nesse of an asse : but I maie/ rather thinke that he is an asse in deem. 2. cap. 6.
the likenesse of a man. Well, to returne to our serpents, I will tell 254you a storie concerning the charming of them, and the event of
the same.
In the citie of Salisborogh there was an inchanter, that before all
the people tooke upon him to conjure all the serpents and snakes
within one mile compasse into a great pit or dike, and there to kill
them. W h e n all the serpents were gathered togither, as he stood
upon the brinke of the pit, there came at the last a great and a

Mai. male/,
part 2. qu. 2.
cap. 9.
John.
Bodin.

206

12. Booke.

The discoverie

horrible serpent, which would not be gotten downe with all the force
of his incantations : so as (all the rest being dead) he flew upon the
inchanter, and clasped him in the middest, and drew him downe into
the said dike, and there killed him. You must thinke that this was
a divell in a serpents likenesse, which for the love he bare to the
poore snakes, killed the sorcerer ; to teach all other witches to beware of the like wicked practise. And surelie, if this be not true,
there be a great number of lies conteined in M. Mai. and in J. Bodin.
And if this be well weighed, and conceived, it beateth downe to the
ground all those witchmongers arguments, that contend to wring
witching miracles out of this place. For they disagree notablie, some
denieng and some affirming that serpents maie be bewitched.
Neverthelesse, bicause in everie point you shall see how poperie
agreeth with paganisme, I will recite certeine charmes against vipers,
allowed for the most part in and by the church of Rome: as
folio weth.
Exorcismes
I conjure thee O serpent in this houre, by the five holie woonds
or conjuratiOs against 1 8 4 . of our/ Lord, that thou remove not out of this place, but here staie,
serpents.
as certeinelie as God was borne of a pure virgine. •#• Otherwise :
I conjure thee serpent In nomine patris, &* filii, &* spiritus sancti:
I command thee serpent by our ladie S. Marie, that thou obeie
me, as wax obeieth the fier, and as fier obeieth water ; that thou
neither hurt me, nor anie other christian, as certeinelie as God
was borne of an immaculate virgine, in which respect I take thee
up, In nomine patris &* filii, &> spiritus sancti: Ely lash eiter, ely
lash eiter, ely lash eiter. •#• Otherwise : O vermine, thou must come
as God came unto the Jewes. - > Otherwise : L. Vairus saith,
»•
L. Vair. lib.
de
fascinat.
that Serpens quernis frondibus contacta, that a serpent touched with
l. cap. 4.
oke leaves dieth, and staieth even in the beginning of his going, if
a feather of the bird Ibis be cast or throwne upon him : and that/
a viper smitten or hot with a reed is astonied, and touched with a
955*
beechen branch is presentlie numme and stiffe.
Usurpers of
Here is to be remembred, that manie use to boast that they are of
kinred with
S. Paules race and kinred, shewing upon their bodies the prints of
blessed
Paule and
serpents: which (as the papists affirme) was incident to all them of
S Katharine.
S. Paules stocke. Marie they saie herewithall, that all his kinsfolks
can handle serpents, or anie poison without danger. Others likewise
have (as they brag) a Katharine wheele upon their bodies, and they
saie they are kin to S. Katharine, and that they can carrie burning
coles in their bare hands, and dip their said hands in hot skalding
liquor, and also go into hot ovens. Whereof though the last be but a
bare jest, and to be doone by anie that will prove (as a bad fellow in
London had used to doo, making no tariance at all therein:) yet there

of Witchcraft.

chap. 15.

is a shew made of the other, as though it were certeine and undoubted;
by annointing the hands with the juice of mallowes, mercurie, urine,
&c: which for a little time are defensatives against these scalding
liquors, and scortching fiers.
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 feareand 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.
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 hoiie water in the place, & also tohang 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.

207

J- Bodin. lib.
cap. 3. '

256.

185.

208

12. Booke.

The discoverie

T h e 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 wet I, 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.
L. Vairus lib.
fascin. I. ca. 5.
Oratio Tuscan vest a lis.

K " ^ ^ 3 J E 0 N A R D U S V A I R U S saith, that there was a praier
| | | E|wf|f3| extant, whereby might be carried in a sive, water, or
111 M ^ P y o t ^ e r U ( l u o r • I thinke it was Clam claie ; which a crow
[ g L H s S j B 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 g r a n d a m s 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
Of the
word (Bud)
letters II and A written in a paper, and hoong about ones necke, preand the
serve the partie from bleereiednesse. Cummin orhempseed sowne with
Greeke letters n & A .
curssing and opprobrious words grow the faster and the better. Berosus
Anianus maketh witchcraft of great antiquitie : for he saith, that/
2
57> Cham touching his fathers naked member uttered a charme, wherby
his father became emasculated or deprived of the powers generative.

^f A charme teaching how to hurt whom you list with images of
wax, &*c.

M

Ake 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 h a n g 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
h a n d is placed where the foote should be, and the foote where the
hand, and the face downeward. •$• Otherwise : For a greater mischeefe,

of Witchcraft.

chap. 16.

209

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, easy I, zaze, hit I me I meltat: then the same 186.
Th
must be buried. •#» Otherwise : In the dominion of Mars, two images ser eofpractithese
must be prepared, one of wax, the other of the earth of a dead m a n ; charm es
must have
each image must have in his h a n d a sword wherwith a man hath skill in the
beene slaine, & he that must be slaine may have his head thrust planetarie
motions, or
through with a foine. In both must be written certeine peculiar else he may
go shoo
characters, and then must they be hid in a certeine place, -fr Other- goose. the
wise : 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. T o 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 Domimis noster, Dominus illuminatio mea, Domine
exaudi orationem meam, Dens laudem meant ne tacueris : and then
burie it, first in one place, and/ afterwards in another. Howbeit, it is 258.
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 philosophic, 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.
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 t h e same
towne but dead before the execution hereof) and afterwards the
wife of Thomas Efis, 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
E E

A proved
storie concerning the
premisses.

2io

is.Booke.

The discoverie

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
187. used hir cunning (as it chanced) to hir owne confusion, or at least/wise
to hir detection : for heerein she did, as some of the wiser sort mis2$g. trusted 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.

The xvii. Chapter.
Sundrie sorts of charmes tending to diverse purposes, and first,
certeine charmes to make taciturniiie in tortures.
MP A RIB US 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.

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

Psal. 44.

by

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 lifted up above the starres on hie.
Also this : Erudavit cor meum verbum bonum veritaiem nunquam
dicam regi. 4fr Otherwise : As the milke of our ladie was lussious to
our Lord Jesus Christ; so let this torture or rope be pleasant to mine

of Witchcraft.

chap. 17.

211

armes and members. 4fr Otherwise: Jesus autem transiensper medium Luk. 4.
John lg
illorum ibat. •#• Otherwise : You shall not break a bone of him./
' '
If Counter charmes against these and all other witchcrafts, in the
saieng also whereof witches are vexed, dr^c.

260.

JlfRuctavit cor meum verbum bonum, dicam cuncta opera mea Psa.!- 44regi% •#• Otherwise : Domine labia mea aperies, &> os meum properiie
annunciabit veritatem. •?£• Otherwise : Contere brachia iniqui rei, dr* a PP l i e d lingua maligna subvertetur.

T

^f A charmefor the choine cough.
Ake three sips of a chalice, when the preest hath said masse,
and swallow it downe with good devotion, &c./
\ For corporalI or spirituall rest.
In nomine patris, up and downe,
Etfilii &> spiritus sancti upon my crowne,
Crux Christi upon my brest,
Sweete ladie send me eternall rest !°

188.

[* Ital. & R o m . ]

% Charmes to find out a theefe.
He meanes how to find out a theefe, is thus : Turne your face to O most
woonderthe east, and make a crosse upon christall with oile olive, and full vertue
hidden in
under the crosse write these two words [Saint Helen].* Then a child the letters
Hethat is innocent, and a chast virgine borne in true wedlocke, and not of S. holie
lens
base begotten, of the age of ten yeares, must take the christall in his name !
hand, and behind his backe, kneeling on thy knees, thou must [* So in text.]
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 [* R o m . ]
26l.
at the sunne/ rising, when the wether is faire and cleere.
Card.
Cardanus derideth these and such like fables, and setteth downe de var. lib. 16.
rer.
his judgement therein accordinglie, in the sixteenth booke De rerum cap. 93.

T

212

12. Booke.

The discoverie

var. T h e s e 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 tuatn
sanctitatem,
medmq; virginitatem,
ostende mihi furem: with three Pater nosters,
#For if the
three Aves, and betwixt either of them a *crosse made with the naile
forgotten
of the thumbe upon the mouth of the viall; and then shall be seene
^oorth ?
angels ascending and descending as it were motes in the sunne
pudding.
beanies. T h e 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. T h e subtilties hereof
are so detected, and the mysteries of the glasses so common now,
189. 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.

^f Another

G

waie to find out a theefe that hath stolne anie
from you.

thing

O to the sea side, and gather as manie pebles as you suspect
persons for that m a t t e r ; 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
262. 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 i t ; upon the which must be written : Christ overcommeth,
Christ reigneth, Christ commandeth. T h e porrenger also must be
signed with a crosse, and a forme of conjuration must be pronounced.
T h e n 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

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 17. .

213

thereinto. Which is a meere knacke of legier de maine, and to be
accomplished diverse waies.
If To put out the theeves eie.
* psalmes with the Letanie, and
R Ead the seven praier Jo Christ, and God the father, then must be [• penitential]
said a horrible
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.
% Another waie to find out a theefe.
of sheeres in
rind of a sive, and
two
STicke a paire the top of each thetheir forefingers upon theletupper SThese be
persons set
of
mocke
e

es

part of the sheeres, holding it with the sive up from the ground ^Pes« ?nd
steddilie, and aske Peter and Paule whether A. B. or C. hath stolne them no
the thing lost, and at the nomination of the guiltie person, the sive daMe dewill turne round. This is a great practise in all countries, and in- visedeed 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 : 263.
the which who so prooveth shall find true.
^f A charme to find out or sftoile a theefe.
concerning
theeves by
OF this matter, one charme,the apprehension of cursse, beingwords,
I will cite
called S. Adelberts
both
for/ length of words sufficient to wearie the reader, and for substan- 190.
tiall stuffe comprehending all that apperteineth unto blasphemous
speech or curssing, allowed in the church of Rome, as an excommunication and inchantment.

214

12. Booke.

The discoverie

% Saint Adelberts cursse or charme against theeves.
the authoritie
the
and the
BY Holie-ghost,andofby theomnipotent Father, the Sonne,our Lord
holie virgine Marie mother of
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 misT h i s is not
cheefe, or have usurped any part therof to their owne use. Let their
to doo good
share be with Dathan and Abiran, whome the earth swallowed up
to our enimies, nor to
for their sinnes and pride, and let them have part with Judas that
praie for
betraied Christ, Amen : and with Pontius Pilat, and with them that
them that
hurt and
said to the Lord, Depart from us, we will not understand thy waies ;
hate us ; as
Christ exlet their children be made orphanes. Curssed be they in the field, in
horteth.
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
264. 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.
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 be-

of Witchcraft.

chap. 17.

215

twixt 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 efFusi/on of his bloud, and by the milke 191.
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 * Thus they
nativitie of Christ, with the vertue of all saints, that thou rest not day folie trininor night, till thou bringest them to destruction, either by drowning tie to beare
or hanging, or that they be devoured by wild beasts, or burnt, or their exorslaine by their enimies, or hated of all men living. And as our Lord elsJTit i^no
hath given authoritie to Peter the apostle, and his successors, whose bargains
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 be/houseled* at the houre of death ; 265.
let them be made as dust before the face of the wind ; and as Lucifer [*be-houseied
text,]

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 Matth. 15.
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 * That is, In
one saie, Amen. After this must be soong *In media vita in morte ijfeweare°
SUMUS, &*C.
.

»? 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 [*»'.e. a priest.]

2l6

12. Booke.

The discoverie

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.

[* Rom.]

All you that have stolne the millers eeles*
Laudate Dominum de coslis,
And all they that have consented thereto,*/
Benedicamus Domino.\

A cursse
for theft,

192.

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

inchantment.

C

Erteine 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.

[* =seekers]

Preservatives from
witchcraft
according
to M. Mai.
L.Vairus
& otners.

[* Rom.]

\N die dominico sotularia juvenum axungia seu pingiiedine
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.
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. Mai. 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 *i* Nazarenus
*i* rex *i*Jud<zorum •{«. 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

of Witchcraft.

chaP is.

217

(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 m a d e 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 : T h e house/ where Herba betonica is sowne, is free from all 267.
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 Verbascu?n, which in
English is called Pullein, or Tarsus barbatus, or Longwoort; and
that preserved him from the inchantments. Jfy 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.
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 :*

[*

Torque senemflamma,
ter aqua, ter sulphure lustrat :
She purifies withjier
thrise
old horie headed Aeson,\
With water thrise, and sulphur thrise »
as she thought meet in reason.

Ital.l

Ovid de Medea.
Englished by
A braham
Fleming.

193.

Againe, the same Ovid commeth in as before : *
Adveniat, quce lustret anus, lectumque locumque,
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.
And

By Ab. Fleming.

Virgil also harpeth upon the like string : **
baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro

Virg. in Bucolicis.

//
F F

2i8
Englished by 268.
A braham
Fleming.

12. Booke.

The

discoverie

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

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 d a n g e r s :
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
Olaus Goth,
lib. de gentib.
their gods, whome they thought to be then togither by the eares with
Septentrionaothers, and had consecrated arrowes, called Sagittce foviales, even as
lib. 3. cap. 8.
our papists had. Also in steed of belles, they had great hammers,
called Mallei foviales, 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. fohns 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
* A witches
conjuration
Christ, by the three nailes which pearsed his hands and his feete,
to make
and by the foure evangelists, Matthew, Marke, Luke, and fohn, that
haile cease
and be disthou come downe dissolved into water. Item, it hath beene a usuall
solved.
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
There be
26Q. smoke of a lappoints fethers driveth spirits/ awaie.
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.
194.
Memorandum f that at the gathering of these magicall herbs, the
[* Rom.]
Credo is necessarie to be said, as Vairus affirmeth ; and also the
L. Vair. lib. de
fascin. 2. cap.
Pater noster, for that is not superstitious. Also Sprenger saith, that
[* ?of or in.]

of Witchcraft.

chap. is.

219

to throw up a blacke chicken in the aire, will make all tempests to Mai. Male/.
cease : so it be done with the hand of a witch. If a soule wander cTp. \squcP'l'
in the likenesse of a man or woman by night, molesting men, with Note that
bewailing their torments in purgatorie, by reason of tithes forgotten, J°* ^ a &c : and neither masses nor conjurations can helpe ; the exorcist in nie spirit
his ceremoniall apparell must go to the toome of that bodie, and b^daS,
spurne thereat, with his foote, saieng ; Vade ad gehennam, Get thee quoth Notapacking 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. 4^ 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, Aug.decithat to pacifie the god Liber, whereby women might have fruite of 7*^."*2.* '
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.

To spoile a theefe, a witch, or anie other enimie, and to be deliveredfrom the evill.
the Sabboth daie before sunrising, cut
hazell wand,
U Pon him :whome thee O bough of thismaime. aThen cover the
saieng I cut
summers growth, in
name of
I meane to beate or
the
table, and saie •{« In nomine patris *i* &>ftlii •f* &* spiritus sancti •J"
ter. And striking thereon saie as folioweth (english it he that can)
Drochs myroch, esenaroth, >fr betu *J* baroch *i* ass Hh maaroth ^ /
and then saie; Holie trinitie punish him that hath/ wrought this 270.
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.
severall times kneeling;
prceceptis salutaribus
SAie three Pater noster, ave Maria. Oremus, make a crosse saieng :
moniti,
Then
The Hebrew knight strake our Lord Jesu Christ, and I beseech thee, The

12. Booke.

220
brue knight
was canonized a
saint to wit,
S. Longinus.

The discoverie

O Lord Jesu Christ ^ by the same iron, speare, bloud and water,
to pull out this iron : In nomine patris >< Or* filii •£• &" spiritus
J
sancti •p
\ Charmes against a quotidian ague.
apple
and write upon
one ; The father
CUtis an third ; in: three peeces,eternall. father istheincomprehensible:
uncreated upon the other ; The
upon the
The father is
•$!:- 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 *i* max •£< fax ^ and let it be eaten fasting. •#• Otherwise :
Paint upon three like peeces of a massecake, Pater pax ^ Adonai
•f« filius vita •{« sabbaoth ^ spiritus sanctus •{« Tetragrammaton *J*
and eate it, as is afore said./

195
A crossed
appension,
with other

^f For all maner of agues intermittant.

J

Oine two little stickes togither in the middest, being of one
length, and hang it about your necke in the forme of a crosse.
4fr 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. 4fr 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.
Periapts, characters, &»c: for agues, and to cure all diseases,
and to deliver from all evill.

For bodie
and soule.

S. Barnard
overmatch eth the
divell for
all his subtiltie.

2JI.

in small
consecrated
THe afirst chapter of S.fohns gospell necke, islettersin/comparable
at masse, and hanged about ones
an
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

of Witchcraft.

chap. is.

221

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 ?
\ More charmes for

agues.

T

Ake the partie by the hand, and saie ; Aequl facilis sit tibi hcec
febris, atque Maries virgini Christi partus.
4fc Otherwise :
Wash with the partie, and privilie saie this psalme, Exaltabo te Deus
metis, rex, &^c. -ifr Otherwise : W e a r e about your necke, a peece of
a naile taken from a crosse, and wrapped in wooll. •#• Otherwise :
Drinke wine, wherein a sworde h a t h beene drowned that h a t h cut off
ones head. •$• Otherwise : T a k e three consecrated massecakes, and
write upon the first : Qualis est pater talis est vita : on the second ;
Qualis est films, talis est sanctus : on the third ; Qualis est spiritus
tale est remedium.
T h e n give them to the sicke man, enjoining him Pretious
to eate none other thing that daie wherein he eateth anie of them,
nor yet drinke : and let him saie fifteene Pater nosters, and as manie
Aves, in the honour and praise of the Trinitie. -jjr- Otherwise : Lead
the sicke m a n on a fridaie before sunne rising towards the east, and
let him hold up his hands towards the sunne, and saie : This is the
daie, wherein the Lord God came to the crosse. But as the crosse
shall never more come to him : so let never the hot or cold fit of this
ague come anie more unto this man, In nomine patris •p &*fi>i*lii,
6° spiritus •£< sancti HK T h e n saie seven and twentie Pater nosters,
and as manie Aves, and use this three daies togither. •$• Otherwise:/
Fecana, cageti, daphnes, gebdre, geddco,
Gebali stant, sednon slant phebas, hecas,® &> hedas.
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 j e s t ; so as one noting the words, practised
the medicine in e a r n e s t ; 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. 4f? 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.

272.
This is too
mysticall
to be englished
quoth Nota. 1 9 6
[*
15S4,phebas,
hec as]

Fernelius.

222

Notable
follies of
the Spaniards &
Italians.

i2. Booke.

The discoverie

•ifr 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. -sfc Otherwise : T a k e 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 *i* &* stans in ilia sitiit *i* Jesus
sacratis manibus, clavis ferreis,
pedibus perfossis, Jesus,
Jesus,
Jesus: T>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
n a m e S. Margaret,
who overthrew the divell. And bicause you
*73- shall under/stand the mysterie hereof, I have the rather set it downe
elsewhere, being indeed worth the reading.

\

For a bloudie Jlux,

or rather

an issue of bloud.

T
H e must
answer by
none other, for
she perhaps hath
the curing
thereof by
patent.

Ake 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 ; W h o
shall helpe you ? T h e patient must answer S. Marie.
T h e n saie
you ; S. Marie stop the issue of bloud. •$• Otherwise: W r i t e upon
the patients forhead with the same b l o u d ; Consummatum
est.
4fr Otherwise : Saie to the p a t i e n t ; Sanguis mane in te, sicut fecit
Christus in sej Sanguis mane in tua vena, sicut Christus in suaposna ;
Sanguis
mane fixus, sicut Christus quando fuii crucifixus:
ter.
4fr Otherwise, as followeth.
In the bloud of Adam death was taken ^
In the bloud of Christ it was all to shaken •{«
And by the same bloud I doo thee charge,
That thou doo runne no longer at large.
-$> Otherwise.

Christ was borne at Bethelem, and suffered at Jerusalem, where
his bloud was troubled.
I command thee by the vertue of God,
197. and through/ the helpe of all saincts, to staie even as Jordan did,

of Witchcraft.

chaP. is.

223

when John baptised Christ Jesus ; In nomine patris ^ &>filii•{« &*
spiritus \sancti •{« 4fr 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 See J. Wier.
exivit sanguis &* aqua, -fr Otherwise : In nomine patris ^ &°filii •£» cap' "• conj
&* spiritus sancti *i* &"c. Chimrat, chara, sarite, confirma, consona,
Imohalite. •$• Otherwise : Sepa ^ sepaga ^ sepagoga *i* sta sanguis
in nomine patris *i* podendi•{< &* Jilii >i* podera >i* < r spiritus sancti
5*
•J*pandorica ^pax tecum. Amen.
^| Cures commensed and finished by witchcraft.
Here was a
fellowe
upon him to be a notable
TGentleman in jolliedutchie ofthat tooke sicknesse, named/ resorted 2J4.
surgion,
the
Mentz, 1567. to whom there
a
that had beene vexed with
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 great nes 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 The surgimade, he demanded of the sicke man, whether he had not anie at SosHmpuhome, whom he might assuredlie trust. The sicke man answered, deVttl1!^set"
that he had a daughter and a servant. The cousener asked how old knaverie
his daughter was ? The patient said, twentie. Well (said the a roc '
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,

224

A pretended conjuration.

275>

Ad vada
tot vadit
urna quod
ipsa cadit.

u . Booke.

The discoverie

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/
198. they were bare, he dal/lied 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 bis
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.

^f Another witchcraft or knaverie, practised by the same surgion.
Three
morsels,
the first
charmed
with christs
birth, the

surgion ministred
a noble man,
of
THismorsels ; saieng to himto three : peeces of that laieto sickeeaten an
ague, offering unto
a roote
be
at
three
the first I would Christ had not beene

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 18.

2 2^

borne; unto the second: I would he had not suffered ; unto the second
third : I would he had not risen againe. And then putting them piLio^the
about the sicke mans necke, said ; Be of good cheere. And if he ftird with
'

°

nis resur-

lost them, whosoever tooke them up, should therewithall take awaie/ rection.
his ague. •$• Otherwise : Jesus Christ, which was borne, deliver thee 276,
from this infirmitie Hh Jesus Christ which died ^ deliver thee from this
infirmitie •{< Jesus Christ which rose againe •f" deliver thee from this
infirmitie. Then dailie must be said five Pater nosters, and five
Aves.
If Another experiment for one bewitched.
cousening physician
AN other suchthat it was one old viper,persuaded one which had a
timpanie,
and twoo yoong mainteined

A cousening physician, and
a foolish
patient.

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.
% Otherwise.

'AtfOnsieur Bodin telleth of a witch, who undertaking to cure John.Bodin.
a woman bewitched, caused a masse to be soong at midnight in our ladies chap/pell. And when she had overlien the 199.
sicke partie, and breathed certeine words upon hir, she was healed.
Wherein Bodin saith, she followed the example of Elias the prophet, Kakozelia.
who raised the Sunainitie. And this storie must needs be true : for
goodman Hardivin Blesensis his host at the signe of the lion told
him the storie.
If A knacke to knowe whether you be bewitched, or no, d^c.
is
to
how
know
man Mai.
1T be also expedient no learne is theto practisewhether a sicke must Barih.male/. !'
bewitched or
: this
thereof. You
spin
i

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./
GG

u

in novo
Mai. male/.

>

226

n.Booke.

*77.

The

discoverie

The xix. Chapter.
That one witchcraft male lawfullie meete with another.

Scotus in 4.
distinct. 34.
de imperio.

Dist. 4.
Go/red. in
summa sua.

COTUS, 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 fades
malum, ut inde 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. Mai. and diverse other writers.

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.

Mai. male/,
par. 2. qua. 1.
cap. 1.
278.
* Whereof
looke more
in a little
booke set
foorth in
print.

!3!ow 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 in/quisitors, 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. Second-

of Witchcraft.

chap.30.

lie, 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.
But I maie not omit here the reasons, which they bring, to prove
what bodies are the more apt and effectuall to execute the art of
fascination. And that is, first they saie the force of celestiall bodies,
which indifferentlie communicate their vertues unto men, beasts,
trees, stones, &c. But this gift and naturall influence of fascination
maie be increased in man, according to his affections and perturbations ; as thorough anger, feare, love, hate, &c. For by hate (saith
Vairus) entereth a fierie inflammation into the eie of man, which
being violentlie sent out by beams and streames, &c : infect and bewitch those bodies against whome they are opposed. And therefore
he saith (in the favour of women) that that is the cause why women
are oftener found to be witches than men. For (saith he) they
have such an unbrideled force of furie and concupiscence naturallie,
that by no meanes it is possible for them to temper or moderate the
same. So as upon everie trifling occasion, they (like brute beasts)
fix their furious eies upon the partie whom they bewitch. Hereby
it commeth to passe, that whereas women having a mervellous fickle
nature, what greefe so ever happeneth unto them, immediatlie all
peaceablenes of mind departeth ; and they are so troubled with
evill humors, that out go their venomous exhalations, ingendred
thorough their ilfavoured diet, and increased by meanes of their
pernicious excrements, which they expell. Women are also (saith
he) monethlie filled full of superfluous humors, and with them/
the melancholike bloud boileth ; whereof spring vapors, and are
carried up, and conveied through the nosethrels and mouth, &c : to
the bewitching of whatsoever it meeteth. For they belch up a
certeine breath, wherewith they bewitch whomsoever they list. And
of all other women, leane, hollow eied, old, beetlebrowed women
(saith he) are the most infectious. Marie he saith, that hot, subtill,
and thin bodies are most subject to be bewitched, if they be moist,
and all they generallie, whose veines, pipes, and passages of their
bodies are open. And finallie he saith, that all beautifull things
whatsoever, are soone subject to be bewitched; as namelie goodlie
yoongmen, faire women, such as are naturallie borne to be rich, goodlie
beasts, faire horsses, ranke corne, beutifull trees, &c. Yea a freend

227

200.

L. Vair. lib. de
fascin. i. c. 12.

Much like
the d e b i ting witches, of
whom we
have elswhere
spoken.

*79-

W h o are
most likelie
to bewitch,
and to be
bewitched.

228

". Book©.

The discoverie

of his told him, that he saw one with his eie breake a pretious stone
in peeces. And all this he telleth as soberlie, as though it were true.
And if it were true, honest women maie be witches, in despight of
all inquisitors : neither can anie avoid being a witch, except shee
locke hir selfe up in a chamber.

The xxi. Chapter.
What miracles witchmongers report to have beene done by witches
words, £>v; contradictions of witchmongers among themselves,
how beasts are cured herby, of bewitched butter, a charme against
witches, and a counter charme, the effect of charmes and words
proved by L. Vairus to be woonderfull.

L. Vair. lib. de
fascin. i. ca. 5.
280.
* According
to Ovids saieng of Proteus & Medea, which he
indeed alledgeth
therefore,
Nunc
aqua,
nunc ales,
modb bos,
modb cervus abibat.

IF I should go about to recite all charmes, I should take
an infinite worke in hand. For the witching writers
hold opinion, that anie thing al/most maie be therby
brought to passe ; & that whether the words of the
charme be understandable or not, it skilleth not : so the charmer
have a steddie intention to bring his desire about. And then what
is it that cannot be done by words ? For L. Vairus saith, that old
women have infeebled and killed children with words, and have
made women with child miscarrie ;/ they have made men pine awaie
to death, they have killed horsses, deprived sheepe of their milke,
transformed men into beasts, flowne in the aire, tamed and staied
wild beasts, driven all noisome cattell and vermine from corne, vines
and hearbs, staied serpents, &c : and all with words. In so much
as he saith, that with certeine words spoken in a bulles eare by a
witch, the bull hath fallen downe to the ground as dead. Yea some
by vertue of words have gone upon a sharpe sword, and walked upon
hot glowing coles, without hurt; with words (saith he) verie heavie
weights and burthens have beene lifted up ; and with words wild
horsses and wild bulles have beene tamed, and also mad dogs ; with
words they have killed wormes, and other vermine, and staied all
maner of bleedings and fluxes : with words all the diseases in mans
bodie are healed, and wounds cured; arowes are with wonderfull
strangenesse and cunning plucked out of mens bones. Yea (saith
he) there be manie that can heale all bitings of dogs, or stingings of
serpents, or anie other poison : and all with nothing but words
spoken. And that which is most strange, he saith, that they can
remedie anie stranger, and him that is absent, with that verie sword
wherewith they are wounded. Yea and that which is beyOnd all

of Witchcraft.

chap. 21.

admiration, if they stroke the sword upwards with their fingers, the
partie shall feele no paine; whereas if they drawe their finger
downewards thereupon, the partie wounded shall feele intolerable
paine. With a number of other cures, done altogither by the vertue
and force of words uttered and spoken.
Where, by the waie, I maie not omit this speciall note, given by
M. Mai. to wit, that holie water maie not be sprinkled upon bewitched beasts, but must be powred into their mouthes. And yet he,
and also Nider, saie, that It is lawfull to blesse and sanctifie beasts,
as well as men ; both by charmes written, and also by holie words
spoken. For (saith Nider) if your cow be bewitched, three crosses,
three Pater nosters, and three Aves will certeinlie cure hir : and
likewise all other ceremonies ecclesiasticall. And this is a sure
Maxime* that they which are delivered from witchcraft by shrift, are
ever after in the night much molested (I beleeve by their ghostlie
fathers.) Also they loose their monie out of their pursses and
caskets : as M. Mai. saith he knoweth by experience./ Also one
generall rule is given by M. Mai. to all butter wives, and dairie
.

i

maides, that they neither give nor lend anie butter, milke, or cheese,
to anie witches, which alwaies use to beg therof, when they meane
to worke mischeefe to their kine or whitmeats. Whereas indeed
there are in milke three substances commixted; to wit, butter,
cheese, and whaie : if the same be kept too long, or in an evill
place, or be sluttishlie used, so as it be stale and sower, which happeneth sometimes inj winter, but oftener in summer, when it is set
over the fier, the cheese and butter runneth togither, and congealeth,
so as it will rope like birdlime, that you maie wind it about a sticke,
and/ in short space it will be so drie, as you maie beate it to powder.
Which alteration being strange, is woondered at, and imputed to
witches. And herehence sometimes proceedeth the cause, why
butter commeth not, which when the countrie people see that it commeth not, then get they out of the suspected witches house, a little
butter, whereof must be made three balles, in the name of the holie
trinitie; and so if they be put into the cherne, the butter will
presentlie come, and the witchcraft will cease ; Sic ars deluditur arte.
But if you put a little sugar or sope into the cherne, among the
creame, the butter will never come : which is plaine witchcraft, if it
be closelie, cleanlie, and privilie handled. There be twentie severall
waies to make your butter come, which for brevitie I omit; as to
bind your cherne with a rope, to thrust thereinto a red hot spit, &c:
but your best remedie and surest waie is, to looke well to your dairie
maid or wife, that she neither eat up the creame, nor sell awaie your
butter.

229

Mal

- Male/.
*%'. 7.qu*' *'
Niderin tree^fpTucT.Ti.
Niderin/ornicarw
MaL
Male/.
^ itai]"
281.
.g°°dde"

A

v l s e

t o

starve up
^n. 6 W°
Mai. Male/.
^IV* quee ' 2>

198.^

".Booke.

230

The discoverie
^f A charme to find hir that bewitched your

kine.

P

U t a paire of breeches upon the cowes head, and beate hir out
of the pasture with a good cudgell upon a fridaie, and she
will runne right to the witches doore, and strike thereat with hir
homes.

A ridiculous
charme.

^f Another, for all that have bewitched anie kind of

cattell,

W

H e n anie of your cattell are killed with witchcraft, hast you
to the place where the carcase lieth, and traile the bowels of
282. the beast unto your house, and drawe them not in at/ the doore, but
under the threshhold of the house into the kitchen ; and there make
a fier, and set over the same a grediron, and thereupon laie the
inwards or bowels ; and as they wax hot, so shall the witches
entrailes be molested with extreame heate and paine.
But then
must you make fast your doores, least the witch come and fetch
awaie a cole of your fier : for then ceaseth hir torments. And we
have knowne saith M. Mai. when the witch could not come in, that
the whole house hath beene so darkened, a n d the aire round about
the same so troubled, with such horrible noise and earthquakes ;
that except the doore h a d beene opened, we had thought the house
would have fallen on our heads.
Thomas Aquinas, a principall
treator herein, alloweth conjurations against the changelings, and in
diverse other cases : whereof I will saie more in the word lidoni.

^f A speciall charme to preserve
I n anie case
observe the
festivall
time, or
else you
marre all.
[*or]

199.1[2]

all cattell from

witchcraft.

A'

T E a s t e r you must take certeine drops, that lie uppermost of

thereof : and upon some sundaie morning rath, light it, and hold it,
so as it maie drop upon and betweene the h o m e s and eares of the
beast, saieng : In nomine ftatris, &* filii, et duplex s s: and burne
the beast a little betweene the h o m e s on* the eares with the same
wax : and that which is left thereof, sticke it in crossewise about the
stable or stall, or upon the threshold, or over the doore, where the
cattell use to go in and out, and for all that yeare your cattell shall
never be be/witched. •#• Otherwise : Jacobus de Chusa
Carthusianus
sheweth, how bread, water, and salt is conjured, and saith, that if
either m a n or beast receive holie bread and holie water nine daies
together, with three Pater nosters, and three Aves, in the honour of
the trinitie, and of S. Hubert, it preserveth that man or beast from

of Witchcraft.

chap. 22.

all diseases, and defendeth them against all assaults of witchcraft,
of satan, or of a mad dog, &c.
Lo this is their stuffe, mainteined to be at the least effectuall, if
not wholsome, by all papists and witchmongers, and speciallie of
the last and proudest writers. But to proove these things to be
effectuall, God knoweth their reasons are base and absurd. For
they write so, as they take the matter in question as granted,/ and
by that meanes go awaie therewith. For L. Vairus saith in the
beginning of his booke, that there is no doubt of this supernaturall
matter, bicause a number of writers agree herein, and a number of
stories confirme it, and manie poets handle the same argument, and
in the twelve tables there is a lawe against it, and bicause the consent
of the common people is fullie with it, and bicause immoderate
praise is to be approoved a kind of witchcraft, and bicause old
women have such charmes and superstitious meanes as preserve
themselves from it, and bicause they are mocked that take awaie the
credit of such miracles, and bicause Salomon saith ; Fascinatio
malignitatis obscurat bona, and bicause the apostle saith; O insensati
Galata, quis vos fascinavit ? And bicause it is written, Qui timent
te, videbunt me. And finallie he saith, least you should seeme to
distrust and detract anie thing from the credit of so manie grave
men, from histories, arid common opinion of all men : he meaneth
in no wise to proove that there is miraculous working by witchcraft
and fascination ; and proceedeth so, according to his promise.

2^1

28j.
L. Vair. lib.
cap?™*

Sapi. 4.
p^aJ] i\9,

T h e xxii. Chapter.
Lawfull charmes, or rather medicinable cures for diseased cattell.
The charme of charmes, and the power thereof.
| U T if you desire to learne true and lawfull charmes, to
cure diseased cattell, even such as seeme to have extraordinarie sicknesse, or to be bewitched, or (as they saie)
strangelie taken : looke in B. Googe his third booke,
treating of cattell, and happilie you shall find some good medicine or
cure for them : or if you list to see more ancient stuffe, read Vegetius
his foure bookes thereupon : or, if you be unlearned, seeke some
cunning bullocke leech. If all this will not serve, then set fobs
patience before your eies. And never thinke that a poore old woman
can alter supernaturallie the notable course, which God hath appointed
among his/ creatures. If it had beene Gods pleasure to have permitted such a course, he would no doubt have both given notice in

Direct and
meanes
°atteiin&c

284.

232

i2.Booke.

The discoverie

his word, that he had given such power unto them, and also would
have taught remedies to have prevented them.
Furthermore, if you will knowe assured meanes, and infallible
charmes, yeelding indeed undoubted remedies, and preventing all
maner of witchcrafts, and also the assaults of wicked spirits ; then
200.'-2-' despise first all cou/sening knaverie of priests, witches, and couseners:
and with true faith read the sixt chapter of S. Paule to the Ephesians,
and followe his counsell, which is ministred unto you in the words
following, deserving worthilie to be called by the name insuing :
The charme of charmes.
Finallie my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of
his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may stand
against the assaults of the divell. For we wrestle not against flesh
and bloud, but against principalities and powers, <S^ against worldlie
governors the princes of the darkenes of this world, against spirituall
wickednes, which are in the high places. For this cause take unto
you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evill
dale j and having finished all things, stand fast. Stand therefore,
and your loines girded about with veritie, and having on the brestplate
of righteousnes, &>c : as followeth in that chapter, verses 15. 16. 17.
18. 1 Thes. 5. 1 Pet. 5, verse. 8. Ephes. 1. and elsewhere in the
holie scripture.
% Otherwise.
F you be unlearned, and want the comfort of freends, repaire to
some learned, godlie, and discreet preacher. If otherwise need
require, go to a learned physician, who by learning and experience
knoweth and can discerne the difference, signes, and causes of such
diseases, as faithlesse men and unskilfull physicians impute to
witchcraft./ /

A charme
of charmes
taken out
of the sixt
chapter of
S. Paule
to the E phesians.

I

28s.

201.

T h e xxiii. Chapter.
A confutation of the force and vertue falselie ascribed to charmes
and amulets, by the authorities of ancient writers, both divines
and physicians.
Y meaning is not, that these words, in the bare letter, can
doo anie thing towards your ease or comfort in this
behalfe ; or that it were wholesome for your bodie or
soule to weare them about your necke: for then would
I wish you to weare the whole Bible, which must needs be more

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2*.

233

effectuall than anie one parcell thereof. But I find not that the
apostles, or anie of them in the primitive church, either carried S.
Johns gospell, or anie Agnus Dei* about them, to the end they might [*Zte/.]
be preserved from bugges : neither that they looked into the foure
corners of the house, or else in the roofe, or under the threshhold, to
find matter of witchcraft, and so to burne it, to be freed from the
same ; according to the popish rules. Neither did they by such and Mai. Male/,
2.
such verses or praiers m a d e unto saints, at such or such houres, part. 6. qu. 2.
cap.
seeke to obteine grace : neither spake they of anie old women that
used such trades. Neither did Christ at anie time use or command
holie water, or crosses, &c : to be used as terrors against the divell,
who was not affraid to assault himselfe, when he was on earth. And
therefore a verie vaine thing it is to thinke that he feareth these
trifles, or anie externall matter.
Let us then cast awaie these 1. Tim. 4, 7.
prophane and old wives fables. F o r (as Origen saith) Incantationes Origin, lib. 3.
in Job.
stmt dcemonil irrisiones idololatrice fcex, animarum infatuatio, cV^.
Chrysostome saith ; T h e r e be some that carrie about their necks a J. Chrysost.
peece of a gospell. But* is it not dailie read (saith he) and heard of i?i Matth.
* Marke
all men ? But if they be never the better for it, being put into their that here
was no laeares, how shall they be saved, by carrieng it about their necks? tine service.
And further he saith ; W h e r e is the vertue of the gospell ? In the Idem. Ibid.
figure of the letter, or in the understanding of the sense ? If in the
figure, thou dooest well to weare it about thy/ necke ; but if in the 286.
understanding, then thou shouldest laie it up in thine heart.
Augus- August. 26.
tine saith ; Let the faithfull ministers admonish and tell their people, qttce. ultim.
that these magicall arts and incantations doo bring no remedie to the
infirmities either of men or cattell, &c.
T h e heathen philosophers shall at the last daie confound the
infidelitie and barbarous foolishnes of our christian or rather antichristian and prophane witchmongers. F o r as Aristotle saith, that
Incantamenta sunt muliercularum figmenta :• so dooth Socrates (who
was said to be cunning herein) affirme, that Incantationes sunt verba
animas decipientia humanas.
Others saie ; Inscitice pallium
sunt
cannula, tnaleficium, &* incantatio.
Galen also saith, that such as
impute the falling e/vill, and such like diseases to divine matter, and 285. [ = 203.]
not rather to naturall causes, are witches, conjurers, &c.
Hippocrates Galen, in lib.
de
comitiali
calleth them a r r o g a n t ; and in another place affirming that in his morbo.
time there were manie deceivers and couseners, that would undertake Hippocrat.
lib. de
to cure the falling evill, &c : by the power and helpe of divels, by sacro. morbo
burieng some lots or inchantments in the ground, or casting them
into the sea, concludeth thus in their credit, that they are all knaves
and couseners : for God is our onlie defender and deliverer.
O
notable sentence of a heathen philosopher !/
H H

234

13. Booke.

287.

The discoverie

% The xiii. booke.
T h e first Chapter.
The signification of the Hebrue word Hartumirn, where it is found
written in the scriptures, and how it is diverslie
translated:
whereby the objection of Pharaos magicians is afterward
answered
in this booke j also of naturall magicke not evil I in it selfe.

| A R T U M I M is no naturall Hebrue word, but is borrowed
of some other nation : howbeit, it is used of the Hebrues
in these places ; to wit, Gen. 4. 1. 8. 24. Exod. 7. 13. 24.
& 8. 7. 18. & 9. 11. Dan. 1, 20. & 2. 2. Hierome someHieronymus.
in Gen. 41. 8,
times translateth it Conjectores, sometimes Malefici,
sometimes
& 24. In
Exod. 7,13.
Arioli: which we for the most part translate by this word witches.
In Dan. 1, 20
But the right signification heereof may be conceived, in that the
inchanters of Pharao, being magicians of Aegyftt, were called Hartumim.
And yet in Exodus they are named in some Latine translations Venefici.
Rabbi Levi saith, it betokeneth such as doo strange
and woonderfull things, naturallie, artificiallie, and deceitfullie.
Rabbi Isaac Natar affirmeth, that such were so termed, as amongst
the Gentiles professed singular wisedome. Aben Ezra expoundeth
it, to signifie such as knowe the secrets of nature, and the qualitie of
203. stones and hearbs, & c : which is atteined unto by art, and/ speciallie
by naturall magicke. But we, either for want of speach, or know288. lege, call them all by the n a m e / and terme of witches.
Certeinlie, God indueth bodies with woonderfull graces, the perfect
knowledge whereof man hath not reached u n t o : and on the one
side, there is amongst them such mutuall love, societie, and c o n s e n t ;
and on the other side, such naturall discord, and secret enimitie, that
therein manie things are wrought to the astonishment of mans
capacitie. But when deceit and diabolicall words are coupled therewith, then extendeth it to witchcraft and conjuration ; as whereunto
those naturall effects are falselie imputed. So as heere I shall have
T h e authors insome occasion to say somewhat of naturall magicke ; bicause under
tention
touching
it lieth hidden the venome of this word Hartumim.
This art is said
the matter
by some to be the profoundnesse, and the verie absolute perfection
hereafter
to be disof naturall philosophie, and shewing foorth the active part thereof,
coursed
upon.
& through the aid of naturall vertues, by the convenient applieng of

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 2.

235

them, works are published, exceeding all capacitie and a d m i r a t i o n ;
and yet not so much by art, as by nature. This art of it selfe is not
evill; for it consisteth in searching foorth the nature, causes, and
effects of things. As farre as I can conceive, it hath beene more
corrupted and prophaned by us Christians, than either by Jewes or
Gentiles.

T h e second

Chapter.

How the philosophers in times past travelled for the knowledge oj
natural I magicke, of Salomons knowledge therein, who is to be
called a naturall magician, a distinction thereof and why it is
condemned for
witchcraft.
I AN I E philosophers ; as namely Plato,
Pythagoras,
Empedocles, Democritus,
& c : travelled over all the
world, to find out & learne the knowlege of this a r t ; &
at their returne they preached and taught, professed
and published it. Yea, it should appeere by the magicians that
came to adore Christ, that the knowledge and re/putation thereof
was greater, than we conceive or m a k e account of. But of all other,
Salomon was the greatest traveller in this art, as m a y appeere
throughout the booke of Ecclesiastes : and speciallie in the booke of
Wisedome, where hee saith* God hath given me the true science of
things, so as I knowe how the world was made, and the power of the
elements, the beginning and the end, and the middest of times, how
the times alter, and the change of seasons, the course of the yeare,
and the situation of the starres, the nature of living things, and the
furiousnesse of beasts, the power of the wind, and the imaginations
of men, the diversities of plants, and the vertues of roots, and all
things both secret and knowne, &c. Finallie, he was so cunning in
this art, that he is said to have bene a conjurer or witch, and is so
reputed in the Romish church at this daie. Whereby you may see,
how fooles and papists are inclined to credit false accusations in
matters of/ witchcraft and conjuration. T h e lesse knowledge we
have in this art, the more we have it in c o n t e m p t : in which respect
Plato saith trulie to Dionysius; T h e y make philosophie a mockerie,
that deliver it to prophane and rude people. Certeinlie, the witchcraft, conjuration, and inchantment that is imputed to Salomon, is
gathered out of these his words following : I applied my mind to
knowledge, and to search and seeke out science, wisedome and
understanding, to knowe the foolishnesse of the ungodlie, and the

28g.

Sap. 7,17
I9.'
20
-

21.

uid0ni\%'

204.

Eccie. i.&i

236

13. Booke.

The discoverie

error of doting fooles. In this art of naturall magike (without great
heed be taken) a student shall soone be abused. For manie (writing
by report, without experience) mistake their authors, and set downe
one thing for another. T h e n the conclusions being found false, the
experiment groweth into contempt, a n d in the end seemeth ridiculous,
though never so true.
Plinie and Albert being curious writers
heerein, are often deceived ; insomuch as Plinie is called a noble
lier, and Albert a rusticall lier ; the one lieng by heeresaie, the other
by authoritie.
A magician
A magician is indeed that which the Latines call a wise man, as
described
and the art
Numa Pompilius was among the Romans ; T h e Greeks, a philosopher,
distinguias Socrates was among them ; the Aegyfttians a preest, as Hermes
shed.
w a s ; the Cabalists called them prophets. But although these
2go. distinguished this art, accounting the one part/ thereof infamous, as
being too much given unto wicked, vaine, and impious curiositie, as
unto moovings, numbers, figures, sounds, voices, tunes, lights, affections of the mind, and words ; and the other part commendable, as
teaching manie good and necessarie things, as times and seasons to
sowe, plant, till, cut, &c : and diverse other things, which I will make
manifest unto you heereafter : yet we generallie condemne the whole
art, without distinction, as a part of witchcraft ; having learned to
hate it, before we knowe it ; affirming all to be witchcraft, which our
grosse heads are not able to conceive, and yet can thinke that an
old doting woman seeth through it, &c. Wherein we consider not
how God bestoweth his gifts, and hath established an order in his
works, grafting in them sundrie vertues to the comfort of his severall
creatures ; and speciallie to the use and behoofe of man : neither
doo we therein weigh that art is servant unto nature, and waiteth
upon hir as hir handmaiden.

T h e third

Chapter.

What secrets do lie hidden, and what is taught in
naturall
magicke, how Gods glorie is magnified therein, and that it is
nothing but the worke of nature.
Read Plim'e
in
natural,
hist. Cardan
de rerum
variet.
A Ibertus de occulta rerum
Profrietate.

| N this art of naturall magicke, God almightie hath hidden
manie secret mysteries ; as wherein a man may learne
the properties, qualities, and knowledge of all nature.
F o r it teacheth to accomplish maters in such sort and
oportunitie, as the common people thinketh the same to be miraculous;

of Witchcraft.

chap. 4.

and to be compassed none other vvaie, but onelie by witchcraft.
1

11

• 1

•

1•

1

1

i

237

And Barth.oi.Ne1

e

yet in truth, naturall magicke is nothing else, but the worke 01
na/ture. For in tillage, as nature produceth corne and hearbs ; so
art, being natures minister, prepareth it. Wherein times and seasons
are greatlie to be respected : for Annus non arvus producit
aristas.
But as manie necessarie and sober things are heerein taught : so
dooth it partlie (I saie) consist in such experiments a n d conclu/sions
as are but toies, but neverthelesse lie. hid in nature, and being
unknowne, doo seeme miraculous, speciallie when they are intermedled and corrupted with cunning illusion, or legierdemaine, from
whence is derived the estimation of witchcraft. But being learned
and knowne, they are contemned, and appeere ridiculous : for that
onelie is woonderfull to the beholder, whereof he can conceive no
cause nor reason, according to the saieng of Ephesius^
Miraculum
solvitur unde videtttr esse miraculum.
And therefore a m a n shall
take great paines heerein, and bestow great cost to learne that which
is of no value, and a meere jugling knacke. Whereupon it is said,
that a man may not learne philosophie to be rich ; but must get
riches to learne philosophie : for to sluggards, niggards, & dizzards,
the secrets of nature are never opened. And doubtlesse a man may
gather out of this art, that which being published, shall set foorth
the glorie of God, and be m a n y waies beneficiall to the common°'

J

'

ap. in

natu-

ral. magi a, 6r*
ot ers
'
205.
many

2Qi,

Naturall
h S ^ l doubieend,
which pro-

Wealth : the first is doone by the manifestation of his w o r k s ; the veth ye exsecond, by skilfullie applieng them to our use and service.
the same °

T h e fourth
What

strange

things

are brought

Chapter.
to passe by naturall

magicke.

I K E dailie use and practise of medicine taketh awaie all
admiration of the woonderfull effects of the same.
Manie other things of lesse weight, being more secret
and rare, seeme more miraculous. As for example (if it
be true that J. Bap. Neap, and many other writers doo constantlie
affirme.) Tie a wild bull to a figtree, and he will be presentlie t a m e ;
or h a n g an old cocke thereupon, and he will immediatlie be t e n d e r ;
as also the feathers of an eagle consume all other feathers, if they
be intermedled together. Wherein it may not be denied, but nature
sheweth hir selfe a proper workwoman. But it seemeth unpossible,
that a little fish being but halfe a foot long, called Remora or Remiligo, or/ of some Ec/teneis, staieth a mightie ship with all hir loade 2Q2.

238

i3. Booke.

Pompanatius. lib. de incant, cap. 3.
J. Wierus
de lam Us.
Jasp. Peucer
H. Cardan.

206.

The discoverie

and tackling, and being also under saile. And yet it is affirmed by
so manie and so grave authors, that I dare not denie it ; speciallie,
bicause I see as strange effects of nature otherwise : as the propertie
of the loadstone, which is so beneficiall to the mariner ; and of
Rheubarb, which onelie medleth with choler, and purgeth neither
flegme nor melancholie, & is as beneficiall to the physician, as the
other to the mariner./

T h e fift Chapter.
The incredible operation of waters, both standing and running;
wels, lakes, rivers, and of their woonderfull effects.

of

H E operation of waters, and their sundrie vertues are
also incredible, I meane not of waters compounded a n d
distilled : for it were endlesse to treate of their forces,
speciallie concerning medicines.
But we have heere
even in England naturall springs, wels, and waters, both standing
a n d running, of excellent vertues, even such as except we h a d seene,
and h a d experiment of, we would not beleeve to be In rerum
natura.
And to let the physicall nature of t h e m passe (for the which we
cannot be so thankefull to God, as they are wholsome for our bodies)
is it not miraculous, that wood is by the qualitie of divers waters
Of late experience
heere in England transubstantiated into a stone ? T h e which vertue
neere Cois also found to be in a lake besides the citie Masaca in Cappadocia,
ventrie, &c.
there is a river called Scarmandrus,
that maketh yellow sheepe.
Yea, there be manie waters, as in Pontus & Thessalia, and in the
Aristot. in
land of Assy rides, in a river of Thracia (as Aristotle saith) that if
lib. de hist,
a white sheepe being with lambe drinke thereof, the lambe will be
animalium.
blacke. Strabo writeth of the river called Crantes, in the borders of
Italie, running towards Tarenium, where mens haire is m a d e white
Plin. de laand yellow being washed therein. Plinie dooth write that of what
nicii colore.
293> colour the veines are under the rammes toong, of/ the same colour
or colours will the lambs be.
There is a lake in a field called
Cornetus, in the bottome whereof manifestlie appeareth to the eie,
t h e carcases of snakes, ewts, and other serpents : whereas if you
put in your hand, to pull them out, you shall find nothing there.
T h e r e droppeth water out of a rocke in Arcadia, the which neither
a silverne nor a brasen boll can conteine, but it leapeth out, and
sprinkleth awaie ; and yet will it remaine without motion in the hoofe
of a mule. Such conclusions (I warrant you) were not unknowne to
fannes and fambres.

of Witchcraft.

chaP. e.

239

T h e sixt Chapter.
The verities and qualities

of sundrie pretious
Lapidaries, Q^c.

stones•, of

cousening

| H E excellent vertues and qualities of stones, found, conceived and tried by this art, is woonderfull. Howbeit
m a n y things most false and fabulous are added unto
their true effects, wherewith I thought good in part to
trie the readers patience and cunning withall. An Aggat (they saie)
hath vertue against the biting of scorpions or serpents. It is written
(but I will not stand to it) that it m a k e t h a m a n eloquent, and procureth the favour of princes ; yea that the fume thereof dooth turne
awaie tempests. Alectorius is a stone about the bignesse of a beane,
as cleere as/ the christall, taken out of a cocks bellie which hath 207.
beene gelt or m a d e a capon foure yeares. If it be held in ones Ludovicus
mouth, it asswageth thirst, it maketh the husband to love the wife, Ccelius. Rhodo. lib. antiq.
and the bearer invincible : for heereby Milo was said to overcome led. 11. ca. jo.
his enimies. A crawpocke delivereth from prison. Chelidonius is Bart hoi. Anglicus, lib. 16.
a stone taken out of a swallowe, which cureth melancholie : howbeit, some authors saie, it is the hearbe wherby the swallowes recover
the sight of their yoong, even if their eies be picked out with an
instrument. Geranites is taken out of a crane, and Draconites out
of a dragon. But it is to be noted, that such stones must be taken
out of the bellies of the serpents, beasts, or birds,/ (wherein they
2Q4.
are) whiles they live : otherwise, they vanish awaie with the life, and
so they reteine the vertues of those starres under which they are.
Amethysus maketh a droonken man sober, and refresheth the wit.
T h e * corrall preserveth such as beare it from fascination or bewitch- * Avicenna
ing, and in this respect they are hanged about childrens necks. But cano. 2. tract.
2. cap. 124.
from whence that superstition is derived, and who invented the lie, Serapio agg.
cap. 100.
I knowe n o t : but I see how readie the people are to give credit Dioscor. lib. 5.
thereunto, by the multitude of corrals that waie emploied. I find cap. 93.
in good authors, that while it remaineth in the sea, it is an hearbe ;
a n d when it is brought thence, into the aire, it hardeneth, and
becommeth a stone.
Heliotropius stancheth bloud, driveth awaie poisons, preserveth
health : yea, and some write that it provoketh raine, and darkeneth
t h e sunne, suffering not him that beareth it to be abused. Hyacinthus
dooth all that the other docth, and also preserveth from lightening.
Dinothera hanged about the necke, collar, or yoke of any creature,
tameth it presentlie. A Topase healeth the lunatike person of his

240

13. Booke.

The discoverie

passion of lunacie. Aitites, if it be shaken, soundeth as if there
were a little stone in the bellie thereof: it is good for the falling
sicknesse, and to prevent untimelie birth. Amethysus aforesaid
resisteth droonkenesse, so as the bearers shall be able to drinke
freelie, and recover themselves soone being droonke as apes : the
same maketh a m a n wise. Chalcedonius maketh the bearer luckie
in lawe, quickeneth the power of the bodie, and is of force also
against the illusions of the divell, and phantasticall cogitations
arising of melancholie. Corneolus mitigateth the heate of the mind,
and qualifieth malice, it stancheth bloudie fluxes, speciallie of women
that are troubled with their flowers. Heliotropius aforesaid darkenPlin. lib. 37.
cap. 10.
eth the sunne, raiseth shewers, stancheth bloud, procureth good
Albert, lib. 2.
cap. 7.
fame, keepeth the bearer in health, and sufFereth him not to be
Solin. cap. 32.
deceived. If this were true, one of them would be deerer than a
thousand diamonds.
Hyacinthus delivereth one from the danger of lightening, driveth
awaie poison and pestilent infection, and hath manie other vertues.
Iris helpeth a woman to speedie deliverance, and maketh rainebowes to appeere.
A Saphire preserveth the members, and
maketh them livelie, and helpeth agues and gowts, and suffereth
2Q5. not the bearer to be afraid : it h a t h vertue against/ venome, and
* Rabbi Mostaieth bleeding at the nose being often put thereto. *A Smarag
5
parttc.°22*m' * s g ° ° d f ° r the eiesight, and suffereth not carnall copulation, it
isidor. lib. 14.
maketh one rich and eloquent. A Topase increaseth riches, healSavanorola,
eth the lunatike passion, and stancheth bloud. Mephis (as Aaron
208. and Hermes] report out of Albertus Magnus) being broken into
powder, and droonke with water, maketh insensibilitie of torture.
Heereby you may understand, that as God hath bestowed upon these
stones, and such other like bodies, most excellent and woonderfull
virtues ; so according to the abundance of humane superstitions and
follies, manie ascribe unto them either more vertues, or others than
they have : other boast that they are able to adde new qualities unto
them. And heerin consisteth a part of witchcraft and common
cousenage used sometimes of the Lapidaries for gaines ; sometimes
of others for cousening purposes. Some part of the vanitie heereof I
will heere describe, bicause the place serveth well therefore. And it
is not to be forgotten or omitted, that Pharos magicians were like
enough to be cunning therein.
Neverthelesse, I will first give you the opinion of one, who professed himselfe a verie skilfull and well experimented Lapidarie, as
appeereth by a booke of his owne penning, published under this title
of Dactylotheca, and (as I thinke) to be had among the bookesellers.
And thus followeth his assertion :

of Witchcraft.

chap. 6.

241
Marbodeus
Gallus in sua
dactylotheca,
Pag. 5, 6.

Evax rex Arabum fertur scripsisse Neroni,
{Qui post Angus turn regnavit in orbe secundus)
Quot species lapidis, quce nomina, quive colores,
Quceqj sit his regio, vel quanta potentia cuiqj,
Ocult as* etenim lapidum cognoscere vires,
Quorum causa latens effectus dat manifestos,
Egregium quiddam v&lumus rarumque videri.
Scilicet hinc solers medicorum cura juvatur®
Auxilio lapidum morbos expellere do eta.
Nee minus inde dari cunctarum commoda rerum
Autores perhibent, quibus hcec perspecta feruntur.
Nee dubium cuiquam debet falsumque videri,
Quin sua sit gemmis divinities insita virtus :\

[* Ocultas]

[*,]:

Evax an old Arabian king
is named to have writ
A treatise, and on Neros Grace
to have bestowed it,
(Who in the world did second reigne
after Augustus time)
Of pretious stones the sundrie sorts,
their names, and in what clime
And countrie they were to be found,
their colours and their hue,
Their privie power and secret force,
the which with knowledge true
To understand, their hidden cause
mostplaine effects declare :
And this will we a noble thing
have counted be. and rare]
The skilfull care of leeches learnd
is aided in this case,
And hereby holpen, and are taught
with aid of stones to chase
Awaiefrom men such sicknesses
as have in them a place.
No less precise commodities
of althings else fherebie
Are minis tred and given to men,
if authors doo not lie,
To whome these things are said to bee
most manifestlie knowne.

2Q6.
Englished by
AbrahamFleming.

209.
Vis gemmarum < ° lapil&
lorum pretiosorum negatur, quia occulta est, rarissimique
sub sensum
cadit.

}

II

2 A. 2

13. Booke.

The discoverie
/ / shall no false or doubtfull case
appeare to anie one.
But that by heavenlie influence
each pretious pearle and stone.
Hath in his substance fixed force
e
and vertue largelie sowne,

2gy.

Manie mo
authors
may be named of no
lesse antiquitie and
learning.

)

Whereby it is to be concluded, that stones have in them cer/teine
proper vertues, which are given them of a speciall influence of the
planets, and a due proportion of the elements, their substance being
a verie fine and pure compound, consisting of well tempered matter
wherein is no grosse mixture : as appeareth by plaine proofe of India
and Aethopia, where the sunne being orient and meridionall, dooth
more effectuallie shew his operation, procuring more pretious stones
there to be ingendred, than in the countries that are Occident and
septentrionall. Unto this opinion doo diverse ancients accord;
namelie, Alexander Peripateticus, Hermes, Evax, Bocchus Zoroastes,
Isaac fudceus, Zacharias Babylonicus, and manie more beside.

The seventh Chapter.
Whence the pretious stones receive their operations, how curious
Magicians use them, and of their seales.
||URIOUS Magicians affirme, that these stones receive their
vertues altogether of the planets and heavenlie bodies,
and have not onelie the verie operation of the planets,
but sometimes the verie images and impressions of the
starres naturallie ingraffed in them, and otherwise ought alwaies to
have graven upon them, the similitudes of such monsters, beasts, and
other devises, as they imagine to be both internallie in operation, and
externallie in view, expressed in the planets. As for example, upon
the Achate are graven serpents or venomous beasts ; and somePlin. lib. 37.
times a man riding on a serpent: which they know to be Aesculapius,
cap. 10.
Albert, miwhich is the celestiall serpent, whereby are cured (they saie) poisons
ner, li. 2. ca. 1.
Solin. cap. 11.
and stingings of serpents and scorpions. These grow in the river of
Diurius in
scrin.cap.de 2 1 0 . Achates, where the/ greatest scorpions are ingendred, and their
complexioninoisomnes is thereby qualified, and by the force of the scorpions the
bus &* complexatis.
stones vertue is quickened and increased. Also, if they would induce
love for the accomplishment of venerie, they inscribe and expresse in
SQ8. the stones, amiable embracings and love/lie countenances and gestures, words and kissings in apt figures. For the desires of the mind
are consonant with the nature of the stones, which must also be set

of

Witchcraft.

Chap. 7.

in rings, and upon foiles of such metals as have affinitie with those
stones, thorough the operation of the planets whereunto they are
addicted, whereby they may gather the greater force of their working.
As for example, T h e y make the images of Saturne in lead, of Sol
in gold, of Luna in silver. Marrie there is no small regard to be h a d
for the certeine and due times to be observed in the graving of them:
for so are they m a d e with more life, and the influences and configurations of the planets are m a d e thereby the more to abound in them. As
if you will procure love, you must worke in apt, proper, and freendlie
aspects, as in the houre of Venus, Q^c : to make debate, the direct
contrarie order is to be taken. If you determine to make the image
of Venus, you must expect to be under Aquarius or Capricornus: for
Saturne, Taurus, and Libra must be taken heed of. Manie other
observations there be, as to avoid the infortunate seate and place
of the planets, when you would bring a happie thing to passe, and
speciallie that it b e not doone in the end, declination, or heele (as
they terme it) of the course thereof: for then the planet moorneth and
is dull.
Such signes as ascend in t h e daie, must be taken in the daie ; if
in the night they increase, then must you go to worke by night,
&c. For in Aries, Leo, and Sagittarie is a certeine triplicitie, wherein
the sunne hath dominion by daie, Jupiter by night, and in the twielight the cold star of Saturne.
But bicause there shall be no excuse wanting for the faults espied herein, they saie that the vertues
of all stones decaie through tract of time : so as such things are
not now to be looked for in all respects as are written. Howbeit
Jannes and Jambres were living in that time, and in no inconvenient
place ; and therefore not unlike to have that helpe towards the
abusing of Pharao.
Cardane saith, that although men attribute no
small force unto such seales ; as to the seale of the sunne, authorities, honors, and favors of princes ; of Jupiter, riches and freends ;
of Venus, pleasures ; of Mars, boldnes ; of Mercurie, diligence ; of
Saturne, patience and induring of labour ; of Luna, favour of
people : I am not ignorant (saith he) that stones doo good, and yet
I knowe the seales or figures doo/ none at all. And when Cardane
had shewed fullie that art, and the follie thereof, and the maner of
those terrible, prodigious, & deceitfull figures of the planets with
their characters, &c. : he saith that those were deceitfull inventions
devised by couseners, and h a d no vertue indeed nor truth in thern.
But bicause we spake somewhat even now of signets and seales, I
will shew you what I read reported by Vincentius in suo speculo,
where making mention of the Jasper stone, whose nature and propertie Marbodeus Gallus describeth in the verses following :/

243

Geor

> &?*<>doct. medici
J^?5f"rbod. dactyl.

H. Card. lib.
suhtl I0
' "

de

2QQ.
H. Card. lib.
A.TIp.^o.

244

i3.Booke.

Marbodeus
211°
in sua dactylotheca, pag.
41, 52.

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

Memorandum the
authors
meaning
is, that this
stone be set JOO.
in silver, &
worne on
the finger
for a ring:
as you shall
see afterwards.

The discoverie
Jaspidis esse decern species septemque feruntur,
Hie &* multorum cognoscitur esse colorum,
Et multis nasciperhibeturpartibus orbis,
Optimus in viridi translucentique colore,
Et qui plus solea t virtutis habere probatur,
Caste gestatus febrem fug at, arcet hydropem,
A dpositusque juvat mulierem parturientem,
Et tutamenium portanti creditur esse.
Nam consecratus gratum facit atque potentem,
Et, sicut perhibent, phantasmata noxia pellit,
Cujus in argento vis fortior esse putatur.
Seven kinds and ten ofJasper stones
reported are to be,
Of manie colours this is knowne
which noted is by me,
And said in manie places of
the world for to be seene,
Where it is bred; but yet the best
is thorough shining greene,
And that whichprooved is to have
in it more virtue plaste :
For being borne about of such
as are of living chaste,]
It drives awaie their ague fitsy
the dropsie thirsting drie,
And put unto a woman weake
in travell which dooth lie
It helps, assists, and comforts hir
in pangs when she dooth crie.
Againe, it is beleevd to be
A safegard franke and free,
To such as weare and beare the same;
and if it hallowed bee
It makes the parties gratious,
and mightie too that have it,
And noysome fansies {as they write
that menl not to deprave it)
It dooth displace out of the mind :
the force thereof is stronger,
In silver if the same be set,
and will endure the longer.

}

of Witchcraft.

chap. s.

But (as I said) Vincentius making mention of the Jasper stone,
touching which (by the waie of a parenthesis) I have inferred Marbodeus his verses, he saith that some Jasper stones are found having in
them the livelie image of a naturall man, with a sheeld at his necke
and a speare in his/ hand, and under his feete a serpent: which stones
so marked and signed, he preferreth before all the rest, bicause they
are antidotaries or remedies notablie resisting poison. Othersome also
are found figured and marked with the forme of a man bearing on
his necke a bundle of hearbs and flowres, with the estimation and
value of them noted, that they have in them a facultie or power restrictive, and will in an instant or moment of time stanch bloud.
Such a kind of stone (as it is reported) Galen wore on his finger.
Othersome are marked with a crosse, as the same author writeth,
and these be right excellent against inundations or overflowings of
waters. I could hold you long occupied in declarations like unto
these, wherein I laie before you what other men have published and
set foorth to the world, choosing rather to be an academicall discour/ser, than an universall determiner: but I am desirous of brevitie.

T h e eight

245
Vincent, lib.
Di0aScor.7iib.
5- cap.100.
Lapidario.
212.

JOI.

Chapter.

The sympaihie and antipathie of naturall and elementarie bodies
declared by diverse examples of beasts, birds, plants, d^c.
J F I should write of the strange effects of Sympathia and Agreement
Antipathia, I should take great paines to make you menUiTsufwoonder, and yet you would scarse beleeve me. And if I ferance.
should publish such conclusions as are common and
knowne, you would not regard them. And yet Empedocles thought
all things were wrought hereby. It is almost incredible, that the
grunting or rather the wheeking of a little pig, or the sight of a simple
sheepe should terrifie a mightie elephant: and yet by that meanes the
Romans did put to flight Pyrhus and all his hoast. A man would
hardlie beleeve, that a cocks combe or his crowing should abash a
puissant lion : but the experience herof hath satisfied the whole
world. Who would thinke that a serpent should abandon the shadow
of an ash, &c ? But it seemeth not strange, bicause it is common,
that some man otherwise hardie and stout enough, should not dare
to abide or endure the sight of a cat. Or that a draught of drinke
should so overthrow a man, that never a part or member of his bodie
should be able to performe his dutie and office ; and should also so

246

13. Booke.

The discoverie

corrupt and alter his senses, understanding, memorie, and judgement,
that he should in everie thing, saving in shape, beecome a verie beast.
And herein the poets experiment of liquor is verified, in these words
following :
-sunt qui non corpora tantum.
Verum animas etiam valeant mutare liquores:
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

302.

Readalitle 213.
tract of Erasmus intituled De
amicitia,
where enough is
said touching this
point.

Xanthus
in
hist, prima.

Jub. lib. 25.
cap. 2.

Some waters have so powerfull ben,
As could not onelie bodies change^
But even the verie minds of men,
Their operation is so strange.]
The freendlie societie betwixt a fox and a serpent is almost incredible : how loving the lizzard is to a man, we maie read, though we
cannot see. Yet some affirme that our newt is not onlie like to the
lizzard in shape, but also in condition. From the which affection towards a man, a spaniell doth not much differ, whereof I could cite
incredible stories. The amitie betwixt a castrell and a pigeon is much
noted among writers ; and speciallie how the castrell defendeth hir
from hir enimie the sparowhawke : whereof they saie the doove
is not ignorant. Besides, the woonderfull operation and vertue of
hearbs, which to repeat were infinite: and therfore I will onlie referre
you to Mattheolus his herball, or to Dodonceus. There is among them
such naturall accord and discord, as some prosper much the better
for the others companie, and some wither awaie being planted neere
unto the other. The lillie and the rose rejoise in ech others neighborhood. The flag and the fernebush abhorre each other so much,
that the one can hardlie live besides the other. The cowcumber
loveth water, and hateth oile to the death. And bicause you shall not
saie that hearbs have no vertue, for that in this place I cite none, I
am content to discover two or three small qualities and vertues, which
are affirmed to be in hearbs : marie as simple as they be, Jannes and
Jambres might have done much with them, if they had had them. If
you pricke out a yoong swallowes eies, the old swallow restoreth againe
their sight, with the application (they saie) of a little Celondine. Xanthus the author of histories reporteth, that a yoong dragon being
dead, was revived by hir dam, with an hearbe called
Balim. And Juba saith, that a man in Arabia
being dead was revived by the
vertue of another
hearbe./

of Witchcraft.
T h e ninth
The former

chap. 9.

Chapter.

247

303.

matter prooved by manie examples of the living and
the dead.

|ND as we see in stones, herbs, &c : strange operation and
naturall love and dissention : so doo we read, that in the
combodie of a man, there be as strange properties and vertues This expemon
naturall. I have heard by credible report, and I have rience can
read many grave authors constantlie affirme, that the wound of a man justifie.
murthered reneweth bleeding; at the presence of a deere freend, or
of a mortall enimie. Diverse also write, that if one passe by a murthered bodie (though unknowne) he shalbe striken with feare, and
feele in him selfe some alteration by nature. Also that a woman,
above the age of fiftie yeares, being bound hand and foote, hir clothes
being upon hir, and laid downe softlie into the water, sinketh not in
a long [time; some saie, not at all. By which experiment they were J. Wierus.
woont to trie witches, as well as by Ferrum candens: which was,
to hold hot iron in their hands, and by not burning to be
tried. Howbeit, Plutarch saith, that Pyrhus his great toe had Plutarch, in
in it such naturall or rather divine vertue, that no fier could vita Pyrhi.
burne it.
And Albertus saith, and manie other also repeat the same storie, Albert, lib. de
saieng,/ that there were two such children borne in Germanie, as if mor. 3.animal.
cap.
that one of them had beene carried by anie house, all the doores right 214.
against one of his sides would flie open : and that vertue which the
one had in the left side, the other brother had in the right side. He
saith further, that manie sawe it, and that it could be referred to
nothing, but to the proprietie of their bodies. Pompanatius writeth Pompan. lib.
that the kings of France doo cure the disease called now the kings de incant.
cap. 4.
evill, or queenes evill; which hath beene alwaies thought, and to this
daie is supposed to be a miraculous and a peculiar gift, & a speciall
grace given to the kings and queenes of England. Which some referre
to the proprietie of their persons, some to the peculiar gift of God, and
some to the/ efficacie of words. But if the French king use it no 304woorsse than our Princesse doth, God will not be offended thereat :
for hir maiestie onelie useth godlie and divine praier, with some almes,
and referreth the cure to God and to the physician. Plutarch writeth Plutar. in
vita Catonis.
that there be certeine men called Psilli, which with their mouthes
heale the bitings of serpents. A n d / . Bap. Neap, saith, that an olive J. Bap. Neap,
in
being planted by the hand of a virgine, prospereth ; which if a harlot tur.lib. de namagia. i
doo, it withereth awaie. Also, if a serpent or viper lie in a hole, it

248

13. Booke.

The discoverie

maie easilie be pulled out with the left hand, wheras with the right
hand it cannot be remooved. Although this experiment, and such
like, are like enough to be false ; yet are they not altogether so
impious as the miracles said to be done by characters, charmes, &c.
For manie strange properties remaine in sundrie partes of a living
creature, which is not universallie dispersed, and indifferentlie spred
through the whole bodie : as the eie smelleth not, the nose seeth not,
the eare tasteth not, &c.

The tenth Chapter.
The bewitching venome conteined in the bodie of an harlot, how Mr
eie, Mr toong, Mr beautie and behavior bewitcheth some wen:
of bones and homes yeelding great vertue.
T h e venom
or poison of
an harlot.

Matth. 13.
Marke. 6.
Luke. 4.
J o h n . 4.

Wonderfull naturall effects
in bones

IHE vertue conteined within the bodie of an harlot, or
rather the venome proceeding out of the same maie be
beheld with great admiration. For hir eie infecteth,
entiseth, and (if I maie so saie) bewitcheth them manie
times, which thinke themselves well armed against such maner of
people. Hir toong, hir gesture, hir behaviour, her beautie, and other
allurements poison and intoxicate the mind : yea, hir companie induceth impudencie, corrupteth virginitie, confoundeth and consumeth
the bodies, goods, and the verie soules of men. And finallie hir
bodie destroieth and rotteth the verie flesh and bones of mans
bodie. And this is common, that we woonder not at all thereat, naie
JOS- we have not/ the course of the sunne, the moone, or the starres in so
great admiration, as the globe, counterfeting their order : which is in
respect but a bable made by an artificer. So as (I thinke) if Christ
himselfe had continued long in the execution of miracles, and had left
that power permanent and common in the church ; they would have
215. growne into contempt, and not have beene esteemed, according/ to his
owne saieng: A prophet is not regarded in his owne countrie. I
might recite infinite properties, wherewith God hath indued the bodie
of man, worthie of admiration, and fit for this place. As touching
other living creatures, God hath likewise (for his glorie, and our behoofe) bestowed most excellent and miraculous gifts and vertues upon
their bodies and members, and that in severall and woonderfull wise.
We see that a bone taken out of a carps head, stancheth bloud, and
so doth none other part besides of that fish. The bone also in a hares
foot mitigateth the crampe, as none other bone nor part else of the

of Witchcraft,

chaP. n.

249

hare doth. How pretious is the bone growing put of the forehead of ?f fishes
a unicorne ; if the home, which we see, growe there, which is doubted :
and of how small accompt are the residue of all his bones ? At the
excellencie whereof, as also at the noble and innumerable vertues
of herbs we muse not at all ; bicause it hath pleased God to make
them common unto us. Which perchance might in some part assist
Jannes and Jambres, towards the hardning of Pharaos heart. But of
such secret and strange operations read Albert De mineral, cap. 1.
11. 17. Also Marsilius Ficinus, cap. 1. lib. 4. Cardan, de rerum
varietate. J. Bap. Neap, de magia naturali. Peucer, Wier, Pompanacius, Fernelius, and others.

T h e eleventh

Chapter.

Two notorious woonders and yet not marvelled at.
THOUGHT good here to insert two most miraculous
matters, of the one I am Testis oculatus, an eie witnesse ;
of the other I am so crediblie and certeinelie informed,
that I dare and doo beleeve it to be verie true. When
Maister T. Randolph returned out of Russia, after his ambassage
dispatched, a gentleman of his traine/ brought home a monument of 3°6great accompt, in nature and in propertie very wonderfull. And bicause
I am loath to be long in the description of circumstances, I will first
describe the thing it selfe : which was a peece of earth of a good
quantitie, and most excellentlie proportioned in nature, having these
qualities and vertues following. If one had taken a peece of perfect
Steele, forked and sharpened at the end, and heated it red hot, offer- Strange
*•

'

ing therewith to have touched it ; it would have fled with great celeritie : and on the other side, it would have pursued gold, either in
coine or bulloine, with as great violence and speed as it shunned the
other. No bird in the aire durst approch neere i t ; no beast of the
field but feared it, and naturallie fled from the sight thereof. It would
be here to daie, and to morrowe twentie miles off, and the next daie
after in the verie place it was the first daie, and that without the helpe
of anie other creature.
Johannes Fernelius writeth of" a strange stone latelie brought out of
India, which hath in it such a marvellous brightnes, puritie, and
shining, that therewith the aire round about is so lightned and
cleared, that one may see to read .thereby in the darknes of night,
It will not be conteined in a close roome, but requireth an open and
KK

properties
in a peece
of earth

"

Strange
fnTstone:
^ J ^ in
other stons:
^ftiiI93'

250

i3. Booke.

The discoverie

free place. It would not willing/lie rest or staie here belowe on the
earth, but alwaies laboureth to ascend up into the aire. If one presse
it downe with his hand, it resisteth, and striketh verie sharpelie. It
is beautifull to behold, without either spot or blemish, and yet verie
unplesant to taste or feele. If anie part thereof be taken awaie, it is
never a whit diminished, the forme thereof being inconstant, and at
everie moment mutable. These two things last rehearsed are strange,
and so long woondered at, as the mysterie and moralitie thereof
remaineth undiscovered : but when I have disclosed the matter, and
told you that by the lumpe of earth a man is ment, and some of his
qualities described ; and that that which was conteined in the farre
fetcht stone, was fier, or rather flame : the doubt is resolved, and
the miracle ended. And yet (I confesse) there is in these two
creatures conteined more miraculous matter, than in all the loadstones and diamonds in the world. And hereby is to be noted,
that even a part of this art, which is called naturall or witching
magicke, consisteth as well in the deceipt of words, as in the/
3°7- sleight of hand : wherein plaine lieng is avoided with a figurative
speech, in the which, either the words themselves, or their interpretation have a double or doubtfull meaning, according to that which hath
* Being the
beene said before in the title* Ob or Pytho: and shall be more at
7 booke of
large hereafter in this treatise manifested.
this disco-

196, 197.
198, 199,
300.

210.

verie : See
tag. 133, 134,.
135, 136,
137, 138,
160, &c.
Where discourse is
made of oracles, &c.

Look hereafter in this
booke for

T h e twelfe Chapter.
Of illusions, confederacies, and legierdemaine, and how they may
be well or ill used.
ANIE writers have beene abused as well by untrue reports,
as by illusion, and practises of confederacie and legierdemaine, &c : sometimes imputing unto words that which
resteth in the nature of the thing ; and sometimes to the
nature of the thing, that which proceedeth of fraud and deception of
sight. But when these experiments growe to superstition or impietie,
they are either to be forsaken as vaine, or denied as false. Howbeit,
if these things be doone for mirth and recreation, and not to the hurt
of our neighbour, nor to the abusing or prophaning of Gods name, in
mine opinion they are neither impious nor altogether unlawfully
though herein or hereby a naturall thing be made to seeme supernaturall. Such are the miracles wrought by jugglers, consisting in
fine and nimble conveiance, called legierdemaine : as when they seeme

of Witchcraft.

chaP. i3.

251

to cast awaie, or to deliver to another that which they reteine still in divers con1

•

1

1

-

i

-

i - / -

c e l t s

o f

their owne hands ; or conveie otherwise : or seeme to eate a knife, or juggling
some such other thing, when indeed they bestowe the same secretlie at^iargj^beinto their bosoms or laps. Another point of juggling is, when they jj^ni321.at
pag. ff
thrust a knife through the braines and head of a chicken or pullet,
and seeme to cure the same with words : which would live and doo
well, though never a word were spoken. Some of these toies
also consist in arythmeticall devises, partlie in experiments of
naturall magike, and partlie in private as also in publike confederate./ /

T h e xiii. Chapter.

308. 217.

Of private confederacies and of Brandons pigeon.
||RIVATE confederacie I meane, when one (by a speciall
plot laid by himselfe, without anie compact made with
others) persuadeth the beholders, that he will suddenlie
and in their presence doo some miraculous feat, which
he hath alredie accomplished privilie. As for example, he will shew
you a card, or anie other like thing : and will saie further unto
you; Behold and see what a marke it hath, and then burneth it ;
and nevertheles fetcheth another like card so marked out of some
bodies pocket, or out of some corner where he himselfe before had
placed it ; to the woonder and astonishment of simple beholders,
which conceive not that kind of illusion, but expect miracles and
strange works.
What woondering and admiration was there at Brandon the Example
juggler, who painted on a wall the picture of a dove, and seeing a f01fs woonpigeon sitting on the top of a house, said to the king ; Lo now deryour Grace shall see what a juggler can doo, if he be his craftes
maister ; and then pricked the picture with a knife so hard and so
often, and with so effectuall words, as the pigeon fell downe from
the top of the house starke dead. I need not write anie further circumstance to shew how the matter was taken, what woondering was
thereat, how he was prohibited to use that feat anie further, least
he should emploie it in anie other kind of murther ; as though he,
whose picture so ever he had pricked, must needs have died, and so
the life of all men in the hands of a juggler : as is now supposed to
be in the hands and willes of witches. This storie is, untill the daie
of the writing hereof, in fresh remembrance, & of the most part
beleeved as canonicall, as are all the fables of witches : but when you

252

. Bookc

The discoverie

are taught the feate or sleight (the secrecie and sorcerie of the matter
being bewraied, and discovered) you will thinke it a mockerie, and a
simple illusion.
To interpret unto you the revelation of this
mysterie ; so it is, that the poore pigeon was before in the hands of
30Q. the juggler,/ into whome he had thrust a dramme of Nux vomica, or
This I have
some other such poison, which to the nature of the bird was so exprooved
upon crows
treame a venome, as after the receipt thereof it could not live above
and pies.
the space of halfe an houre, and being let lose after the medicine
ministred, she alwaies resorted to the top of the next house : which
she will the rather doo, if there be anie pigeons alreadie sitting there,
and (as it is alreadie said) after a short space falleth downe, either
starke dead, or greatlie astonnied. But in the meane time the juggler
T h i s might
be done by
useth words of art, partlie to protract the time, and partlie to gaine
a confederate, who
credit and admiration of the beholders. If this or the like feate should
standing at
be done by an old woman, everie bodie would crie out for fier and
some window in a
faggot to burne the witch./
church
steeple, or
other fit
place, and
holding the
pigeon by
the leg in a
string, after
a signe given by his
fellowe,
pulleth
downe the
pigeon, and
so the
woonder is
wrought.

218.

T h e xiiii. Chapter.
Of publike confederacies and whereof it consisteth.
JUBLIKE confederacie is, when there is before hand a
compact made betwixt diverse persons ; the one to be
principall, the rest to be assistants in working of miracles, or rather in cousening and abusing the beholders.
As when I tell you in the presence of a multitude what you have
thought or doone, or shall doo or thinke, when you and I were
thereupon agreed before. And if this be cunninglie and closelie
handled, it will induce great admiration to the beholders ;
speciallie when they are before amazed and abused
by some experiments of naturall magike, arythmeticall
conclusions, or legierdemaine. Such were, for the
most part, the conclusions and devises of
Feates : wherein doubt you not, but
fannes and fambres were
expert, active, and
readie.

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 15.

253

T h e xv. Chapter.
How men have beene abused with words of equivocation^ with sundrie
examples thereof.
}|OME have taught, and others have written certeine experiments ; in the expressing whereof they have used
such words of equivocation, as wherby manie have beene
overtaken and abused through/ rash credulitie : so as 310.
sometimes (I saie) they have reported, taught, and written that which
their capacitie tooke hold upon, contrarie to the truth and
asincere meaning of the author. It is a common jest among the water A jest wamong
termen
men of the Thames, to shew the parish church of Stone to the passentouching
gers, calling the same by the name of the lanterne of Kent; affirming, Stone
and that not untrulie, that the said church is as light (meaning in churchasin
Kent
weight and not in brightnes) at midnight, as at noonedaie. Where- light at
midnight
upon some credulous person is made beleeve, and will not sticke to as at midaffirme and sweare, that in the same church is such continuall light, daie.
that anie man may see to read there at all times of the night without
a candle.
An excellent philosopher, whome (for reverence unto his fame and
learning) I will forbeare to name, was overtaken by his hostesse at
Dover ; who merrilie told him, that if he could reteine and keepe in
his mouth certeine pibbles (lieng at the shore side) he should not perbreake untill he came to Calice, how rough and tempestuous so ever
the seas were. Which when he had tried, and being not forced by
sicknes to vomit, nor to lose his stones, as by vomiting he must needs
doo, he thought his hostesse had discovered unto him an excellent
secret, nothing doubting of hir amphibologicall speech : and therefore
thought it a worthie note to be recorded among miraculous and
medicinable stones ; and inserted it accordinglie into his booke,
among other experiments collected with great industrie, learning,
travell, and judgement. All these toies helpe a subtill cousener/ to 2 1 9 .
gaine credit with the multitude. Yea, to further their estimation,
manie will whisper prophesies of their owne invention into the eares of
such as are not of quickest capacitie ; as to tell what weather, &c : shall
followe. Which if it fall out true, then boast they and triumph, A slender
to save
as though they had gotten some notable conquest ; if not, they shiftcredit
the
denie the matter, forget it, excuse it, or shift it off; as that of their
cunning.
they told another the contrarie in earnest, and spake that but in
jest. All these helps might Pharaos jugglers have, to mainteine

254

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The discoverie

their cousenages and illusions, towards the '^hardening of Pharaos
hart.
Hereunto belong all maner of charmes, periapts, amulets, characters, and such other superstitions, both popish and prophane : where371. by (if that were true, which either papists, conjurors, or wit/ches
undertake to doo) we might dailie see the verie miracles wrought
indeed, which Pharaos magicians seemed to performe. Howbeit,
bicause by all those devises or cousenages, there cannot be made so
much as a nit, so as Jannes and Jambres could have no helpe that
waie, I will speake thereof in place more convenient.

T h e xvi. Chapter.
How some are abused with naturall magike^ and sundrie examples
thereof when illusion is added thereunto', of facobs pied sheepe,
and of a blacke Moore.
| U T as these notable and wonderfull experiments and conclusions that are found out in nature it selfe (through
wisedome, learning, and industrie) doo greatlie oppose
and astonnish the capacitie of man : so (I saie) when
deceipt and illusion is annexed thereunto, then is the wit, the faith, &
constancie of man searched and tried. For if we shall yeeld that to
T h e inconvenience
be divine, supernaturall, and miraculous, which we cannot compreof holding
hend ; a witch, a papist, a conjuror, a cousener, and a juggler may
opinion,
that whatmake us beleeve they are gods : or else with more impietie we shall
soever passeth our caascribe such power and omnipotencie unto them, or unto the divell, as
pacitie, is
onelie and properlie apperteineth to God. As for example. By condivine, supernatufederate or cousenage (as before I have said) I may seeme to manifest
ral!, &c.
the secret thoughts of the hart, which (as we learne in Gods booke)
none knoweth or searcheth, but God himselfe alone. And therfore,
whosoever beleeveth that I can doo as I may seeme to doo, maketh
a god of me, and is an idolater. In which respect, whensoever we
heare papist, witch, conjuror, or cousener, take upon him more than
lieth in humane power to performe, we may know & boldlie saie it is
a knacke of knaverie ; and no miracle at all. And further we may
know, that when we understand it, it will not be woorth the knowing.
And at the discoverie of these miraculous toies, we shall leave to
wonder at them, and beginne to wonder at our selves, that could be so
312. abused with/ babies. Howbeit, such things as God hath laid up
secretlie in nature are to be weighed with great admiration, and to be

of Witchcraft.

chap. i7.

searched out with such industrie, as may become a christian man :
I meane, so as neither God, nor/ our neighbour be offended thereby,
which respect doubtlesse Jannes and Jambres never had. We find in
the scriptures diverse naturall and secret experiments practised ; as
namelie that of Jacob, for pied sheepe : which are confirmed by prophane authors, and not onelie verified in lambs and sheepe, but in
horsses, pecocks, connies, &c. We read also of a woman that brought
foorth a yoong blacke Moore, by meanes of an old blacke Moore who
was in hir house at the time of her conception, whome she beheld in
phantasie, as is supposed : howbeit, a gelous husband will not be
satisfied with such phantasticall imaginations. For in truth a blacke
Moore never faileth to beget blacke children, of what colour soever
the other be : Et sic Z contra.

255
220.

J. Bap. Neapol. in natural, mag.

The xvii. Chapter.
The opinion of witchmongers, that divels can create bodies, and of
Pharaos magicians..
T is affirmed by James Sprenger and Henrie Institor, in
M. Mai. who cite Albert In lib.de animalib. for their M.Male/.p.
purpose, that divels and witches also can truelie make l' q'Ia
living creatures as well as God ; though not at an instant,
yet verie suddenlie. Howbeit, all such as are rightlie informed in
Gpds word, shall manifestlie perceive and confesse the contrarie, as j0hn. 1,3.
hath beene by scriptures alreadie prooved, and may be confirmed by Coloss- 1>l6places infinite. And therefore I saie Jannes and Jambres, though
sathan and also Belzebub had assisted them, could never have made
the serpent or the frogs of nothing, nor yet have changed the waters
with words. Neverthelesse, all the learned expositors of that place
affirme, that they made a shew of creation, &c : exhibiting by cunning
a resemblance of some of those miracles, which GOD wrought by the
hand of Moses. Yea S. Augustine and manie other hold, that
they made by art (and that trulie) the serpents, &c./
But that they may by art approch somewhat neerer
J/Jto those actions, than hath beene yet declared,
shall and may appeere by these and
manie other conclusions,
if they be
true.

256

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The discoverie

T h e xviii. Chapter.
How to produce or make monsters by art magike, and why Pharaos
magicians could not make lice.
TRATO, Democritus, Empedocles, and of late, Jo. Bap.
Neap, teach by what meanes monsters may be produced,
both from beast and also from fowle. Aristotle himselfe
teacheth to make a chicken have foure legs, and as manie
wings, onlie by a doubled yolked eg : whereby also a serpent may be
made to have manie legs. Or any thing that produceth egs, may
likewise be made double membred, or dismembred : & the viler
creature the sooner brought to monstrous deformitie, which in more
221. noble creatures is more hardlie/ brought to passe. There are also
prettie experiments of an eg, to produce anie fowle, without the
T o produce
anie fowle
naturall helpe of the hen : the which is brought to passe, if the eg be
out of an eg,
without the
laid in the powder of the hens doong, dried and mingled with some of
naturall
the hens fethers, & stirred everie fourth houre. You may also prohelpe of
the hen.
duce (as they saie) the most venomous, noisome, and dangerous
serpent, called a cockatrice, by melting a little arsenicke, and the
poison of serpents, or some other strong venome, and drowning an eg
therein, which there must remaine certeine daies ; and if the eg be
set upright, the operation will be the better. This may also be
doone, if the eg be laid in doong, which of all other things giveth the
most singular and naturall heate : and as J. Bap. Neap, saii.h '-'s
*Mirabzlium rerum parens; who also writeth, that Crines /amino,
* T h e mother of marmenstruosce are turned into serpents within short space : and he
vels.
further saith, that basill being beaten, and set out in a moist place,
betwixt a couple of tiles, dooth ingender scorpions. The ashes of a
ducke, being put betweene two dishes, and set in a moist place, dooth
ingender a huge tode : Quod etiam efficit sanguis menstruosus. Manie
314. writers conclude, that there be two maner of todes, the/ one bred by
naturall course and order of generation, the other growing of themT w o kind
of todes,
selves, which are called temporarie, being onlie ingendred of shewers
naturall &
and dust: and (as /. Bap. Neap, saith) they are easie to be made.
tempori.ll.
Plutarch and Heraclides doo saie, that they have seene these to
descend in raine, so as they have lien and cralled on the tops of
houses, &c. Also Aelianus dooth saie, that he sawe frogs and todes,
whereof the heads & shoulders were alive, & became flesh; the
hinder parts being but earth, & so cralled on two feete, the other
being not yet fashioned or fullie framed. And Macrobius reporteth,
Natural 1
conclusion.

of Witchcraft,

chap. i9.

that in Aegypt, mice growe of earth and shewers; as also frogs, todes,
and serpents in other places. They saie that Danmatus Hispanus
could make them when & as manie as he listed. He is no good
angler, that knoweth not how soone the entrales of a beast, when they
are buried, will engender maggots (which in a civiler terme are called
gentles) a good bait for small fishes. Whosoever knoweth the order
of preserving silkewormes, may perceive a like conclusion : bicause
in the winter, that is a dead seed, which in the summer is a livelie
creature. Such and greater experiments might be knowne to Jannes
and fambres, and serve well to their purpose, especiallie with such
excuses, delaies, and cunning, as they could joine therewithall. But
to proceed, and come a little neerer to their feats, and to shew you a
knacke beyond their cunning ; I can assure you that of the fat of a
man or a woman, lice are in verie short space ingendered : and yet I
saie, Pharaos magicians could not make them, with all the cunning
they had. Whereby you may perceive, that God indeed performed
the other actions, to indurate Pharao, though he thought his magicians
did with no lesse dexteritie than Moses worke miracles and woonders.
But some of the interpreters of that place excuse their ignorance in
that matter, thus ; The divell (saie they) can make no.creature under
the quantitie of a barlie corne, and lice being so little cannot therefore
be created by them. As though he that can make the greater, could
not make the lesse. A verie grosse absurditie. And as though
that he which hath power over great, had not the like over
small./ /

T h e xix. Chapter.
That great matters may be wrought by this art, when princes esteeme
and mainteine it: of divers woonderfull experiments, and of
strange conclusions in glasses, of the art perspective, d^c.
O WBEIT, these are but trifles in respect of other experiments to this effect ; speciallie when great princes
mainteine & give countenance to students in those
magicall arts, which in these countries and in this age is
rather prohibited than allowed, by reason of the abuse commonlie
coupled therewith ; which in truth is it that mooveth admiration and
estimation of miraculous workings. As for example. If I affirme,
that with certeine charmes and popish praiers I can set an horsse or
an asses head upon a mans shoulders, I shall not be beleeved ; or if
I doo it, I shall be thought a witch. And yet iff. Bap. Neap, experiLL

257

Maggotts
ingendred
of the inwards of a
beast are
good for
angling.

Giles. Alley :
See the
poore mans
librarie.

JIS- 222.

258

13- Booke.

The discoverie

ments be true, it is no difficult matter to make it seeme so : and the
charme of a witch or papist joined with the experiment, will also make
the woonder seeme to proceed thereof. The words used in such case
are uncerteine, and to be recited at the pleasure of the witch or cousener. But the conclusion is this : Cut off the head of a horsse or an
asse (before they be dead) otherwise the vertue or strength thereof
will be the lesse effectuall, and make an earthern vessell of fit
T o set an
horsses or
capacitie to conteine the same, and let it be filled with the oile and
an asses
head on a
fat therof; cover it close, and dawbe it over with lome : let it
mans neck
boile over a soft fier three daies continuallie, that the flesh boiled
and shoulders,
may run into oile, so as the bare bones may be seene : beate the
haire into powder, and mingle the same with the oile ; and annoint
the heads of the standers by, and they shall seeme to have horsses or
asses heads. If beasts heads be annointed with the like oile made of
a mans head, they shall seeme to have mens faces, as diverse authors
soberlie affirme. If a lampe be annointed heerewith, everie thing shall
seeme most monstrous. It is also written, that if that which is called
3l6. Sperma in anie beast be bur/ned, and anie bodies face therewithall
annointed, he shall seeme to have the like face as the beast had.
But if you beate arsenicke verie fine, and boile it with a little sulphur
in a covered pot, and kindle it with a new candle, the standers by will
seeme to be hedlesse. Aqua composita and salt being fiered in the
night, and all other lights extinguished, make the standers by seeme
as dead. All these things might be verie well perceived and knowne,
and also practised by fannes and Jambres, But the woonderous
devises, and miraculous sights and conceipts made and conteined in
glasse, doo farre exceed all other; whereto the art perspective is verie
Strange
things to
necessarie. For it sheweth the illusions of them, whose experiments
be doone
be seene in diverse sorts of glasses ; as in the hallowe, the plaine, the
by perspective glasses.
embossed, the columnarie, the pyramidate or piked, the turbinall,
the bounched, the round, the cornerd, the inversed, the eversed, the
massie, the regular, the irregular, the coloured and cleare glasses :
for you may have glasses so made, as what image or favour soever
you print in your imagination, you shall thinke you see the same
therein. Others are so framed, as therein one may see what others
doo/ in places far distant ; others, wherby you shall see men hanging
in the aire; others, whereby you may perceive men flieng in the
aire ; others, wherin you may see one comming, & another going ;
others, where one image shall seeme to be one hundred, &c. There
be glasses also, wherein one man may see another mans image, and
not his owne; others, to make manie similitudes; others, to make none
at all. Others, contrarie to the use of all glasses, make the right side
turne to the right, and the left side to the left; others, that burne before
Wonderfull experiments.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 20.

259

Cocerning
and behind; others, that represent not the images received within them, these glasbut cast them farre off in the aire, appearing like aierie images, and ses remember that
by the collection of sunne beames, with great force setteth fier (verie the eie sight
farre off) in everie thing that may be burned. There be cleare glasses, is deceived:
for Non est
that make great things seeme little, things farre off to be at hand ; in specula res
quce
and that which is neere, to be far off; such things as are over us, to tur in specula'
eo.
seeme under us; and those that are under us, to be above us. There are
some glasses also, that represent things in diverse colours, & them
most gorgeous, speciallie any white thing. Finally, the thing most
worthie of admiration concerning these glasses, is, that the lesser
glass dooth lessen/ the shape : but how big so ever it be, it maketh the 3*7shape no bigger than it is. And therfore Augustine thinketh some
hidden mysterie to be therein. ViteZlius, and J. Bap. Neap, write
largelie hereof. These I have for the most part seene, and have the
receipt how to make them : which, if desire of brevitie had not forbidden me, I would here have set downe. But I thinke not but
Pharaos magicians had better experience than I for those and such
like devises. And (as Pompanacius saith) it is most true, that some Rash opinifor these feats have beene accounted saints, some other witches. And on can never judge
therefore I saie, that the pope maketh rich witches, saints ; and soundlie.
burneth the poore witches.

The xx. Chapter.
A comparison betwixt Pharaos magicians and our witches^ and how
their cunning consisted in juggling knacks.
| H U S you see that it hath pleased GOD to shew unto men
that seeke for knowledge, such cunning in finding out,
compounding, and framing of strange and secret things,
as thereby he seemeth to have bestowed upon man, some
part of his divinitie. Howbeit, God (of nothing, with his word) hath
created all things, and dooth at his will, beyond the power and also
the reach of man, accomplish whatsoever he list. And such miracles
in times past he wrought by the hands of his prophets, as here he did
by Moses in the presence of Pharao, which Jannes and Jambres
apishlie followed. But to affirme that they by themselves, or by all
the divels in hell, could doo indeed as Moses did by the power of the
Holie-ghost, is woorsse than infidelitie. If anie object and saie, that
our witches can doo such feats with words and charms, as Pharaos
magicians did by their art, I denie it ; and all the world will never be

An apish
imitation
in Jannes
and J a m bres of
working
woonders,

2 6 0

13. Booke.

The discoverte

able to shew it. That which they did, was openlie done; as our
witches and conjurors never doo anie/ thing: so as these cannot doo
as they did. And yet (as Calvine saith of them) they were but
318. jugglers. Neither could they doo, as manie/ suppose. For as
Clemens saith ; These magicians did rather seeme to doo these
woonders, than worke them indeed. And if they made but prestigious
shewes of things, I saie it was more than our witches can doo. For
Erast. in disputat. de
witchcrafts (as Erastus himselfe confesseth in drift of argument) are
la mi is.
but old wives fables. If the magicians serpent had beene a verie
serpent, it must needs have beene transformed out of the rod. And
therein had beene a double worke of God ; to wit, the qualifieng and
extinguishment of one substance, and the creation of another. Which
are actions beyond the divels power, for he can neither make a bodie
Actions impossible to
to be no bodie, nor yet no bodie to be a bodie ; as to make something
divels : Ergo
nothing, and nothing something ; and contrarie things, one : naie,
to witches
conjurors,
they cannot make one haire either white or blacke.* If Pharaos
&<\
[* Matt. 5, 36]
magicians had made verie frogs upon a sudden, whie could they not
drive them awaie againe ? It they could not hurt the frogs, whie
should we thinke that they could make them ? Or that our witches,
which cannot doo so much as counterfet them, can kill cattell and other
creatures with words or wishes ? And therefore I saie with famblichus,
Quce fascinati irnaginamur, prater imaginamenta nulla habent
Jamb, de mysteriis.
actionis &* essentice veritatem ; Such things as we being bewitched
doo imagine, have no truth at all either of action or essence, beside
the bare imagination.

Jo. Calvine,
lib. institut. 1.
cap. 8.
224.
Cle. recog. 3.

The xxi. Chapter.
That the serpents and frogs were trulie presented, and the water
poisoned indeed by Jannes andfambres, of false prophets, and of
their miracles, of Balanis asse.
IjRUELIE I thinke there were no inconvenience granted,
though I should admit that the serpent and frogs were
truelie presented, and the water truelie poisoned by fannes
Pharaos
and fambres ; not that they could execute such miracles of
magicians
were not
themselves, or by their familiars or divels : but that God, by the hands
maisters of
of those counterfet couseners, contrarie to their owne expectations, overtheir owne
actions.
tooke them, and compelled them in their ridiculous wickednes to be/
3*9> instruments of his will and vengeance, upon their maister Pharao :
so as by their hands God shewed some miracles, which he himselfe

of Witchcraft.

chap. 21.

261

wrought : as appeareth in Exodus. For God did put the spirit of Exod. 10.
truth into Baalams mouth, who was hiered to cursse his people.
And although he were a corrupt and false prophet, and went about a
mischeevous enterprise; yet God made him an instrument (against God useth
his will) to the confusion of the wicked. Which if it pleased God as instruto doo here, as a speciall worke, whereby to shew his omnipotencie, ™ ecute°his
to the confirmation of his peoples faith, in the doctrine of their counsels &
Messias delivered unto them by the prophet Moses, then was it JU gmentsmiraculous and extraordinarie, and not to be looked for now. And
(as some suppose) there were then a consort or crew of false prophets,
which could also foretell things to come, and worke miracles. I
answer, it was extraordinarie and miraculous, & that it pleased God
so/ to trie his people ; but he worketh not so in these daies : for the 225.
working of miracles is ceased. Likewise in this case it might well The.con~
stand with Gods glorie, to use the hands of Pharaos magicians, fectsthat
towards the hardening of their maisters hart ; and to make their Ses^nvioillusions and ridiculous conceipts to become effectuall. For God had sesandthe
promised and determined to harden the heart of Pharao. As for the the Aegypmiracles which Moses did, they mollified it so, as he alwaies relented ^ ^ wroght
upon the sight of the same. For unto the greatnesse of his miracles in the hart
were added suchmodestie and patience, as might have mooved even
a heart of Steele or flint. But Pharaos frowardnes alwaies grew upon
the magicians actions : the like example, or the resemblance whereof,
we find not againe in the scriptures. And though there were such
people in those daies suffered and used by God, for the accomplishment of his will and secret purpose : yet it followeth not, that now,
when Gods will is wholie revealed unto us in his word, and his sonne
exhibited (for whome, or rather for the manifestation of whose
comming all those things were suffered or wrought) such things and
such people should yet continue. So as I conclude, the cause being
taken awaie, the thing proceeding thence remaineth not. And to
assigne our witches and conjurors their roome, is to mocke and
contemne Gods woonderfull works ; and to oppose against them
cousenages, juggling knacks, and things of nought. And therefore,
as they must/ confesse, that none in these daies can doo as Moses 320.
did : so it may be answered, that none in these daies can doo as
Jannes and Jambres did : who, if they had beene false prophets, as
they were jugglers, had yet beene more privileged to exceed our old
women or conjurors, in the accomplishing of miracles, or in prophesieng, &c. For who may be compared with Balaam ? Naie, I dare
saie, that Balaams asse wrought a greater miracle, and more supernaturall, than either the pope or all the conjurors and witches in
the world can doo at this daie.

262

13- Booke.

To conclude, it is to be avouched (and there be proofes manifest
enough) that our jugglers approch much neerer to resemble Pharaos
magicians, than either witches or conjurors, & can make a more
livelie shew of working miracles than anie inchantors can doo : for
these practise to shew that in action, which witches doo in words and
termes. But that you may thinke I have reason for the maintenance
of mine opinion in this behalfe, I will surcease by multitude of words
to amplifie this place, referring you to the tract following of the art
of juggling, where you shall read strange practises and cunning
conveiances ; which bicause they cannot so convenientlie be described by phrase of speech, as that they should presentlie sinke into
the capacitie of you that would be practitioners of the same ; I have
caused them to be set foorth in forme and figure, that your understanding might be somewhat helped by instrumentall demonstrations.
And when you have perused that whole discoverie of juggling,
compare the wonders thereof with the woonders imputed to conjurors
and witches, (not omitting Pharaos sorcerers at anie hand in this
comparison) and I beleeve you will be resolved, that the miracles
doone in Pharaos sight by them, and the miracles ascribed unto
witches, conjurors, &c : may be well taken for false miracles, meere
delusions, &c : and for such actions as are commonlie practised by
cunning jugglers ; be it either by legierdemaine, confederacie, or
otherwise./ /

T h a t the
art of juggling is
more, or
at least no
les strange
in working
miracles
than conjuring,
witchcraft,
&c.

321.

The discoverie

226.

The xxii. Chapter.
The art of juggling discovered, and in what points it dooth
principallie consist.

In what respects juggling is tollerable and
also commendable.

||OW because such occasion is ministred, and the matter
so pertinent to my purpose, and also the life of witchcraft and cousenage so manifestlie delivered in the art
of juggling ; I thought good to discover it, together with
the rest of the other deceiptfull arts ; being sorie that it falleth out
to my lot, to laie open the secrets of this mysterie, to the hinderance
of such poore men as live thereby : whose dooings herein are not
onlie tollerable, but greatlie commendable, so they abuse not the
name of God, nor make the people attribute unto them his power ;
but alwaies acknowledge wherein the art consisteth, so as thereby
the other unlawfull and impious arts may be by them the rather
detected and bewraied.

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 23.

The true art therefore of juggling consisteth in legierdemaine ; to
wit, the nimble conveiance of the hand, which is especiallie performed three waies. The first and principall consisteth in hiding and
conveieng of balles, the second in the alteration of monie, the third
in the shuffeling of the cards. He that is expert in these may shew
much pleasure, and manie feats, and hath more cunning than all
other witches or magicians. All other parts of this art are taught
when they are discovered : but this part cannot be taught by any
description or instruction, without great exercise and expense of
time. And for as much as I professe rather to discover than teach
these mysteries, it shall suffice to signifie unto you, that the endevor
and drift of jugglers is onelie to abuse mens eies and judgements.
Now therefore my meaning is, in words as plaine as I can, to rip up
certeine proper tricks of that a r t ; whereof some are pleasant and
delectable, other some dreadfull and desperate, and all but meere
delusions, or counterfet actions, as you shall soone see by due observation of everie knacke by me heereafter deciphered./

T h e xxiii. Chapter.

T h e three
principall
points
wherein
legierdemaine or
nimblenes
of hand
dooth consist.

322.

Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therewith, also
notable feats with one or diverse balles.
|ONCERNING the ball, the plaies & devises thereof are
infinite, in somuch as if you can by use handle them
well, you may shewe therewith a hundreth feats. But
whether you seeme to throw the ball into your left hand,
or into your mouth, or into a pot, or up into the aier, &c : it is to be
kept still in your right hand. If you practise first with a leaden
bullet, you shall the sooner and better doo it with balles of corke.
The first place at your first learning, where you are to bestow a great
ball, is in the palme of your hand, with your ringfinger : but a small
ball is to be placed with your/ thombe, betwixt your ringfinger and
midlefinger, then are you to practise to doo it betwixt the other
fingers, then betwixt the forefinger and the thombe, with the forefinger
and midlefinger jointlie, and therein is the greatest and strangest
cunning shewed. Lastlie the same small ball is to be practised in
the palme of the hand, and by use you shall not onelie seeme to put
anie one ball from you, and yet reteine it in your hand ; but you
shall keepe foure or five as cleanelie and certeinelie as one. This
being atteined unto, you shall worke woonderfull feats : as for
example.

Great varietie of plaie
with the
balles, &c

227.

These feats
are nimbly,
cleanly, &
swiftly to
be conveied ; so as the
eies of the
beholders
may not

264

13. Booke.

The discoverie

Laie three or foure balles before you, and as manie small candlesticks, bolles, saltsellers, or saltseller covers, which is the best.
Then first seeme to put one ball into your left hand, and therwithall
seeme to hold the same fast : then take one of the candlesticks,
or anie other thing (having a hollow foot, & not being too great) and
seeme to put the ball which is thought to be in your left hand, underneath the same, and so under the other candlesticks seeme to bestow
the other balles : and all this while the beholders will suppose each
ball to be under each candlesticke : this doone, some charme or
forme of words is commonlie used. Then take up one candlesticke
3*3- with one hand, and blow, saieng ; Lo, you see that is/ gone : & so
likewise looke under ech candlesticke with like grace and words, &
Memoranthe beholders will woonder where they are become. But if you, in
dum that
lifting up the candlesticks with your right hand, leave all those three
t h e juggler
must set a
or foure balles under one of them (as by use you may easilie doo,
good grace
on the mathaving turned them all downe into your hand, and holding them fast
ter : for that
with your little and ringfingers) and take the candlesticke with your
is verie requisite.
other fingers, and cast the balles up into the hollownes thereof (for
so they will not roll so soone awaie) the standers by will be much
astonied. But it will seeme woonderfull strange, if also in shewing
how there remaineth nothing under an other of those candlesticks,
taken up with your left hand, you leave behind you a great ball, or
anie other thing, the miracle will be the greater. For first they
thinke you have pulled awaie all the balles by miracle; then, that
you have brought them all togither againe by like meanes, and they
neither thinke nor looke that anie other thing remaineth behind under
anie of them. And therefore, after manie other feats doone, returne
to your candlesticks, remembring where you left the great ball, and
in no wise touch the same ; but having an other like ball about you,
seeme to bestow the same in maner and forme aforesaid, under a
candlesticke which standeth furthest fro that where the ball lieth.
And when you shall'with *words or charmes seeme to conveie the
* As, Hey,
same ball from under the same candlesticke, and afterward bring it
fortuna furie, nununder the candlesticke which you touched not, it will (I saie) seeme
quam crewoonderfull strange.
do, passe,

discerne or
perceive
the drift.

passe, when
come you
sirra: See
fag. 147'•

To make a little ball swell in your hand till it be verie great.
great ball
your
three
big
TAke a verieand shewing inone or left hand, or balles, indifferent put
balles ;
three little
seeme to
them into your said left hand, concealing (as you may well doo) the
other balles which were there in before : then use words, and make

of Witchcraft,

chap 24.

265

them seeme to swell, and open your hand, &c. This plaie is to be
varied a hundreth waies : for as you find them all under one candlesticke, so may you go to a stander by, and take off/ his hat or cap, 228.
and shew the balles to be there, by conveieng them thereinto, as you
turne the bottome upward./
To consume {or rather to conveie) one or manie balles into
nothing.

024.

you
or
& seeme to put it into your
I F hand, take one ball,you more,charming words, you conveie other
and whilest
use
them
out of your right hand into your lap ; it will seeme strange. For
when you open your left hand immediatlie, the sharpest lookers on
will saie it is in your other hand, which also then you may open ; &
when they see nothing there, they are greatlie overtaken.
How to rap a wag upon the knuckles,

B

Ut I will leave to speake anie more of the ball, for herein I might
hold you all daie, and yet shall I not be able to teach you to
use it, nor scarslie to understand what I meane or write concerning
it: but certeinelie manie are persuaded that it is a spirit or a flie,
&c. Memorandum^ that alwaies the right hand be kept open and
streight, onlie keepe the palme from view. And therefore you may
end with this miracle, ^f Laie one ball upon your shoulder, an other
on your arme, and the third on the table : which because it is round,
and will not easilie lie upon the point of your knife, you must bid a
stander by laie it thereon, saieng that you meane to throwe all those
three balles into your mouth at once : and holding a knife as a pen
in your hand, when he is laieng it upon the point of your knife, you
may easilie with the haft rap him on the fingers, for the other matter
wilbe hard to doo.

[* Rom.]

£ndethate
cheefeiie
ving of
I^mfrth.

The xxiiii. Chapter.
Of conveiance of monie.
HE conveieng of monie is not much inferior to the ball,
but much easier to doo. The principall place to keepe
. . .
,
IT,
-ii.
a peece of monie is the palme of your hand, the best
peece to keepe is a testor ; but with exercise all will be
alike, except the mony be verie small, and then it is to be kept
MM

T h e monie

must not be
of too small
nor of too
cS^ence
forhinde-

266

I.?. Rook*.

The discoverie

betwixt the fingers, almost at the fingers end, whereas the ball is to
be kept beelowe neere to the palme./

ring of the
convefance.

325-

To conveie monie out of one of your hands into the other by
legierdemaine.
you must hold open your right hand, & lay
a
F irstsome big peece usemonie : and upon thereupontherintoptestor, or
of
then laie
the
of your
long left finger, and
words,
the sudden slip your right

hand from your finger wherwith you held downe the testor, and bending your hand a verie little, you shall reteine the testor still therein :
and suddenlie (I saie) drawing your right hand through your left, you
shall seeme to have left the testor there speciallie when you shut in
due time your left hand. Which/ that it may more plainelie appeare
Thisispret- 229. to be trulie doone, you may take a knife, and seeme to knocke against
it, so as it shall make a great sound : but in stead of knocking the
cunninglie
handled :
peece in the left hand (where none is) you shall hold the point of the
for both the
eare and
knife fast with the left hand, and knocke against the testor held in
the eie is
the other hand, and it will be thought to hit against the mony in the
deceived
by this deleft hand. Then use words, and open your hand, and when nothing
vise.
is seene, it will be woondered at how the testor was remooved.

To convert or transubstantiate monie into counters, or counters
into monie.
waie
deceive
before, with
A Nother seemetoto keeping athe lookers on, is; to dooofasthe left hand
a testor ; and
counter in the palme
secretlie to
put the testor thereinto which being reteined
still in the right hand, when the left hand is opened, the testor will
seeme to be transubstantiated into a counter.

To put one testor into one hand, and an other into the other hand,
and with words to bring them togither.
Varietie of
trickes maybe shewed
in juggling
with mony.

that hath
to the facilitie
one peece
H E of monie oncehisatteined hand, reserveshewof areteining as pleasant
in
right
may
hundreth
conceipts by that meanes, and may
two or three
well as
one. And lo then may you seeme to put one peece into your left
hand, and reteining it still in your right hand, you may togither
therewith take up another like peece, and so with words seeme to
bring both peeces togither./

of Witchcraft.

chap. 24.

To put one testor into a strangers hand, and another into
your owne, and to conveie both into the strangers hand with
words.

267
326.

may take
set togither, and put the
ALso you in stead oftwo testors evenlie strangers hand, and then
same
one testor, into,, a
making as though you did put one testor into your left hand, with
words you shall make it seeme that you conveie the testor in your
hand, into the strangers hand : for when you open your said left
hand, there shall be nothing seene ; and he opening his hand shall
find two, where he thought was but one. By this devise (I saie) a
hundreth conceipts may be shewed.

How to doo the same or the likefeate otherwise.
keepe
testor, &c :
serveth speciallie for
T O this anda suchupon thebetwixt your finger,your hand, and cause
like purposes. Hold out
one to laie a testor
palme thereof, then shake the same up
almost to your fingers ends, and putting your thombe upon i t ; you
shall easilie, with a little practise, conveie the edge betwixt the middle
and forefinger, whilest you proffer to put it into your other hand
(provided alwaies that the edge appeere not through the fingers on
the backside) which being doone, take up/ another testor (which you
may cause a stander by to laie downe) and put them both together,
either closelie instead of one into a strangers hand, or keepe them
still in your owne : & (after words spoken) open your hands, and
there being nothing in one, and both peeces in the other, the beholders will woonder how they came togither.

You must
take heed
close and
yoU:d°srCre!e
dit the art.

To throwe a peece of monie awaie, and to find it againe where
you list.

Y

Ou may, with the middle or ringfinger of the right hand, conveie
a testor into the palme of the same hand, & seeming to cast it
awaie, keepe it still : which with confederacie will seeme strange : to Use and exercise ma-

wit, peece. But these things where exercise cannot be doone, and readie and
like when you find it againe, withoutanother hath bestowed the verie keth men
practive.
therefore I will proceed to shew things to be/ brought to passe by 327.
monie, with lesse difficultie ; & yet as strange as the rest : which
being unknowne are marvellouslie commended, but being knowne,
are derided, & nothing at all regarded.

268

13- Booke.

The discoverie

With words to make a groat or a testor to leape out of a pot\ or
to run alongst upon a table.
This feat is
the stranger if it be
doone bynight ; a
candle
placed betweene the
lookers on
& the juggler : for by
that means
their eiesight is hindered from
discerning
the conceit.
[* = him ward]

shall
a juggler
groat
a testor,
into
Y Ouacause see laie it in take amidst ofoforthe table,or&and throwe it him,
pot, or
the
a
with inchanting
words
the same to leape out
pot,
run towards
or from him ward* alongst the table. Which will seeme miraculous,
untill you knowe that it is doone with a long blacke haire of a womans
head, fastened to the brim of a groat, by meanes of a little hole
driven through the same with a Spanish needle. In like sort you
may use a knife, or anie other small thing : but if you would have it
go from you, you must have a confederate, by which meanes all
juggling is graced and amended.

To make a groat or a testor to sinke through a table^ and to vanish
out of a handkercher verie strangelie.
will borrow a groat
&c and
A Juggler also sometimesand seeme to put the or a testor, the :midmarke it before you,
same into

dest of a handkercher, and wind it so, as you may the better see and
feele it. Then will he take you the handkercher, and bid you feele
whether the groat be there or naie ; and he will also require you to
put the same under a candlesticke, or some such thing. Then will
he send for a bason, and holding the same under the boord right
against the candlesticke, will use certeine words of inchantments ;
and in short space you shall heare the groat fall into the bason. This
doone, one takes off the candlesticke, and the juggler taketh the
handkercher by a tassell, and shaketh it; but the monie is gone :
which seemeth as strange as anie feate whatsoever, but being knowne,
the miracle is turned to a bable. For it is nothing else, but to sowe
A discoverie of this
a groat into the corner of a handkercher, finelie covered with a peece
juggling
knacke.
of linnen, little bigger than your groat : which corner you must conveie in steed of the groat delivered to you, into the middle of your
231. handkercher ; leaving the other either in your hand/ or lap, which
328. afterwards you must/ seeme to pull through the boord, letting it fall
into a bason, &c.
A notable tricke to transforme a counter to a groat.
Ake
groat, or some lesse peece of monie,
it verie
Tonethina thethe one side ; othertake the other side :and grind smooth
at
and
two counters, and grind them,
the
at
one side, the
on
glew the

of Witchcraft.

chap. 25.

side of the groat to the smooth side of one of the counters, joining
them so close together as may be, speciallie at the edges, which may
be so filed, as they shall seeme to be but one peece ; to wit, one side
a counter, and the other side a groat. Then take a verie little greene
waxe (for that is softest and therefore best) and laie it so upon the
smooth side of the other counter, as it doo not much discolour the
groat: and so will that counter with the groat cleave togither, as
though they were glewed ; and being filed even with the groat and
the other counter, it will seeme so like a perfect entire counter, that
though a stranger handle it, he shall not bewraie it; then having a
little touched your forefinger, and the thombe of your right hand
with soft waxe, take therewith this counterfet counter, and laie it
downe openlie upon the palme of your left hand, in such sort as an
auditor laieth downe his counters, wringing the same hard, so as you
may leave the glewed counter with the groat apparentlie in the palme
of your left hand ; and the smooth side of the waxed counter will
sticke fast upon your thombe, by reason of the wax wherwith it is
smeered, and so may you hide it at your pleasure. Provided alwaies,
that you laie the waxed side downeward, and the glewed side upward:
then close your hand, and in or after the closing thereof turne the
peece, & so in stead of a counter (which they suppose to be in your
hand) you shall seeme to have a groat, to the astonishment of the
beholders, if it be well handled./

T h e xxv. Chapter.

269

T h e juggler must
have none
of his trinkets wanting : besides
that, it behooveth
him to be
mindfull,
least he
mistake his
trickes.

3*9-

An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece lie plaine in the palme
of your hand, and to be passed from thence when you list.
|| UT a little red wax (not too thin) upon the naile of your
longest finger, then let a stranger put a two penie peece
into the palme of your hand, and shut your fist suddenlie,
and conveie the two penie peece upon the wax, which
with use you may so accomplish, as no man shall perceive it. Then
and in the meane time use *words of course, and suddenlie open
your hand, holding the tippes of your fingers rather lower than
higher than the palme of your hand, and the beholders will woonder
where it is become. Then shut your hand suddenlie again, & laie
a wager whether it be there or no ; and you may either leave it there,
or take it awaie with you at your pleasure. This (if it be willt
handled) hath more admiration than any other feat of the hand.

* As, Ailif,
casyl, zaze,
hit mel
meitat: Saturnus, Jupiter, Mars,
Sol, Venus,
Mercurie,
L u n a : or
such like,
[t for well]

i3 Booke.

270

The discoverie

Memorandum* this may be best handled, by putting the wax upon
the two penie peece, but then must you laie it in your hand your
selfe./

[* Rom.]

232,

To conveie a testor out of ones hand that holdeth it fast.
a little wax
your thombe,
a
by
STicke finger, shewingupon the testor, andand takehimstander byput
the
him
telling
you will

the same into his hand : then wring it downe hard with your waxed
thombe, and using many words looke him in the face, & as soone as
you perceive him to looke in your face, or fro your hand, suddenlie
take awaie your thombe, & close his hand, and so will it seeme to
him that the testor remaineth : even as if you wring a testor upon
ones forehead, it will seeme to sticke, when it is taken awaie, especiallie if it be wet. Then cause him to hold his hand still, and with
speed put into another mans hand (or into your owne) two testors
330. in stead of one, and use words of course, wher/by you shall make
not onelie the beholders, but the holders beleeve, when they open
their hands, that by inchantment you have brought both togither.
To throwe a peece of monie into a deepe pond, and to fetch it againe
from whence you list.
In these
knacks of
confederacie Feats
had the
name, whilest he lived.

a
of feats
doone
T Hereorbeaniemarvellous numberthrowe the to be into aaswithormonie,a
but if you will worke by private confederacie,
to marke
shilling,
other thing, and
same
river
deepe
pond, and having hid a shilling before with like marks in some other
secret place ; bid some go presentlie & fetch it, making them beleeve,
that it is the verie same which you threw into the river: the beholders
will marvell much at it. And of such feats there may be doone a
marvellous number; but manie more by publike confederacie,
whereby one may tell another how much monie he hath in his pursse,
and a hundreth like toies, and all with monie.

To conveie one shilling being in one hand into another, holding
your armes abroad like a rood.
A knacke
more merrie than
marvellous.

E

Vermore it is necessarie to mingle some merie toies among your
grave miracles, as in this case of monie, to take a shilling in
each hand, and holding your armes abroad, to laie a wager that you
will put them both into one hand, without bringing them anie whit
neerer togither. The wager being made, hold your armes abroad

of Witchcraft.

chap.-26.

271

like a rood, and turning about with your bodie, laie the shilling out
of one of your hands upon the table, and turning to the other side
take it up with the other hand : and so you shall win your wager.
How to rap a wag on the knuckles.
peece of monie with the left hand
one,
DEliver oneperson another, and offer him that youto wouldand toona
second
rap

Another to
the same
purpose
pag.

the fingers the third ; for he (though he be ungratious and subtill) read in
seeing the other receive monie, will not lightlie refuse it : and when 324.
he ofFereth to take it, you may rap him on the fingers with a knife,
or somewhat else held in the right/ hand, saieng that you knew by your 233
familiar, that he ment to have kept it from you./

T h e xxvi. Chapter.

33i-

To transforme anie one small thing into anie otherforme by
folding of paper.
|AKE a sheete of paper, or a handkercher, and fold or
double the same, so as one side be a little longer than
an other : then put a counter betweene the two sides or
leaves of the paper or handkercher, up to the middle of
the top of the fold, holding the same so as it be not perceived, and
laie a groat on the outside thereof, right against the counter, and fold
it downe to the end of the longer side : and when you unfold it
againe, the groat will be where the counter was, and the counter
where the groat was; so as some will suppose that you have transubstantiated the monie into a counter, and with this manie feats may
be doone.
The like or rather stranger than it may be done, with two papers
three inches square a peece, divided by two folds into three equall
parts at either side, so as each folded paper remaine one inch square:
then glew the backsides of the two papers together as they are folded,
& not as they are open, & so shall both papers seeme to be but one ; * Such as
you shall
& which side soever you open, it shall appeare to be the same, if you find in pag.
323, & 329.
hide handsomelie the bottome, as you may well doo with your middle in the marfinger, so as if you have a groat in the one and a counter in the other, ginal notes
you (having shewed but one) may by turning the paper seeme to strangee
transubstantiate it. This may be best performed, by putting it under ye0r™0^fne
a candlesticke, or a hat, &c : and with °words seeme to doo the feat, devising.

272

i3. Booke.

The discoverie
The xxvii. Ghapter.

Of cards, with good cautions how to avoid cousenage therein:
speciall rules to conveie and handle the cards, and the maner and
order how to accomplish all difficult and strange things wrought
with cards.
[AVING now bestowed some waste monie among you, I
will set you to cards ; by which kind of witchcraft a
great number of people have juggled awaie not onelie
33*their monie, but also their lands,/ their health, their
time, and their honestie. I dare not (as I could) shew the lewd
juggling that chetors practise, least it minister some offense to the
well disposed, to the simple hurt and losses, and to the wicked
Of dice
occasion of evill dooing. But I would wish all gamesters to beware,
plaie & the
not onlie with what cards and dice they plaie, but speciallie with
like unthriftie
whome & where they exercise gaming. And to let dice passe (as
games,
whereby a man maie be inevitablie cousened) one that is skilfull to
mark these
two olde
make and use Bumcards, may undoo a hundreth wealthie men that
verses: Ludens
taxillis
are given to gaming : but if he have a confederate present, either of/
bene respice
If you
quid sit in 2 3 4 . the plaiers or standers by, the mischiefe cannot be avoided.
tilts, Mors tua
plaie among strangers, beware of him that seemes simple or drunken;
fors tua res
tua spes tua
for under their habit the most speciall couseners are presented, &
fendet in tiwhile you thinke by their simplicitie and imperfections to beguile
lts: and remember
them (and therof perchance are persuaded by their confederats, your
them.
verie freends as you thinke) you your selfe will be most of all overtaken. Beware also of bettors by, and lookers on, and namelie of
them that bet on your side : for whilest they looke in your game
without suspicion, they discover it by signes to your adversaries, with
whome they bet, and yet are their confederates.
But in shewing feats, and juggling with cards, the principall point
consisteth in shuffling them nimblie, and alwaies keeping one certeine
card either in the bottome, or in some knowne place of the stocke,
foure or five cards from it. Hereby you shall seeme to worke woonders ; for it will be easie for you to see or spie one card, which
though you be perceived to doo, it will not be suspected, if you
shuffle them well afterwards. And this note I must give you, that in
Note.
reserving the bottome card, you must alwaies (whilest you shuffle)
keepe him a little before or a little behind all the cards lieng underneath him, bestowing him (I saie) either a little beyond his fellowes
before, right over the forefinger, or else behind the rest, so as the little

of Witchcraft.

cha r . 27.

273

finger of the left hand may meete with it : which is the easier, the
readier, and the better waie. In the beginning of your shuffling, shuffle
as thicke as you can ; and in the end throw upon the stocke the nether
card (with so manie mo at the least as you would have preserved for
anie purpose) a little before or behind the rest. Provided alwaies, that
your forefinger, if the packe be laied before, or the little finger, if the
packe lie be/hind, creepe up to meete with the bottome card, and not lie 333.
betwixt the cards : and when you feele it, you may there hold it, untill
you have shuffled over the cards againe, still leaving your kept card below. Being perfect herein, you may doo almost what you list with the
cards. By this meanes, what packe soever you make, though it
consist of eight, twelve, or twentie cards, you may keepe them still
together unsevered next to the nether card, and yet shuffle them often
to satisfie the curious beholders. As for example, and for brevities
sake, to shew you diverse feats under one.
How to deliver out foure aces, and to convert them into
foure knaves.

M

Ake a packe of these eight cards ; to wit, foure knaves and
foure aces : and although all the eight cards must lie immediatlie together, yet must ech knave and ace be evenlie severed, and
the same eight cards must lie also in the lowest place of the bunch.
You must
Then shuffle them so, as alwaies at the second shuffling, or at least be well adwise at the end of your shuffling the said packe, and of the packe one vised in the
shuffling of
ace may lie nethermost, or so as you may know where he goeth and the bunch,
least you
lieth : and alwaies (I saie) let your foresaid packe with three or foure overshoot
cards more lie unseparablie together immediatlie upon and with that ace. your selfe.
Then using some speech or other devise, and putting your hands with
the cards to the edge of the table to hide the action, let out privilie a
peece of the second card, which is one of the knaves, holding/ foorth 235.
the stocke in both your hands, and shewing to the standers by the
nether card (which is the ace or kept card) covering also the head or
peece of the knave (which is the next card) with your foure fingers,
draw out the same knave, laieng it downe on the table : then shuffle
againe, keeping your packe whole, and so have you two aces lieng
together in the bottome. And therfore, to reforme that disordered
card, as also for a grace and countenance to that action, take off the
uppermost card of the bunch, and thrust it into the middest of the
cards ; and then take awaie the nethermost card, which is one of your
said aces, and bestow him likewise. Then may you begin as before,
shewing an other ace, and in steed thereof, laie downe an other knave:
and so foorth, untill in steed of foure aces you/ have laied downe foure 334.
NN

274

13. Booke.

The discoverie

knaves. The beholders all this while thinking that there lie foure
aces on the table, are greatlie abused, and will marvell at the transformation.
How to tell one what card he seeth in the bottome, when the
same card is shuffled into the stocke.
seene a
privilie, or
you
W Hen you haveyour card cardagaine belowasinthoughcards marked it
not, laie the same undermost, and shuffle the
as before
you are taught, till
lie
the bottome. Then

*_

,

* For that
will drawe
the action
into the
greater admiratlon

-

shew the same to the beholders, willing them to remember it : then
shuffle the cards, or let anie other shuffle them; for you know the
card alreadie, and therefore may at anie time tell them what card they
saw : which* neverthelesse would be done with great circumstance and
°
s h e w of dlfficultlC

An other waie to doo the same, having your selfe indeed never
seene the card.
F you can see no card, or be suspected to have seene that which
you meane to shew, then let a stander by first shuffle, and afterwards take you the cards into your hands, and (having shewed and
not seene the bottome card) shuffle againe, and keepe the same card,
as before you are taught; and either make shift then to see it when
their suspicion is past, which maie be done by letting some cards fall,
or else laie downe all the cards in heaps, remembring where you laid
your bottome card. Then spie how manie cards lie in some one
heape, and laie the heape where your bottome card is upon that
heape, and all the other heapes upon the same : and so, if there were
five cards in the heape wheron you laied your card, then the same
must be the sixt card, which now you may throw out, or looke upon
without suspicion : and tell them the card they saw.

I

To tell one without confederacie what card he thinketh.
T h e eie bewraieth the
thought.

table, little waie distant, and bid a
LAie three cards on awaver, abut thinke one of them three, stander
by be true and not
and by
his eie you shall assuredlie perceive which he both seeth and thinketh.
335- And you shall doo the like, if you cast downe a whole/ paire of cards
236. with the faces upward,/ wherof there will be few or none plainlie
perceived, and they also coate cards. But as you cast them downe
suddenlie, so must you take them up presentlie, marking both his eie
and the card whereon he looketh.

of Witchcraft.

chap. *8.

275

T h e xxviii. Chapter.
How to tell what card anie man thinketh, how to conveie the same
into a kernell of a nut or cheristone, &*c: and the same againe
into ones pocket: how to make one drawe the same or anie card
you list, and all under one devise.
KE a nut, or a cheristone, & burne a hole through the
side of the top of the shell, and also through the kernell
(if you will) with a hot bodkin, or boare it with a nail;
and with the eie of a needle pull out some of the kernell,
so as the same may be as wide as the hole of the shell. Then write
the number or name of a card in a peece of fine paper one inch or
halfe an inch in length, and halfe so much in bredth, and roll it up
hard : then put it into a nut, or cheristone, and close the hole with a
little red waxe, and rub the same with a litle dust, and it will not be
perceived, if the nut or cheristone be browne or old. Then let
your confederate thinke that card which you have in your nut, &c :
and either conveie the same nut or cheristone into some bodies
pocket, or laie it in some strange place : then make one drawe the
same out of the stocke held in your hand, which by use you may
well doo. But saie not; I will make you perforce draw such a
card : but require some stander by to draw a card, saieng that it
skils not what card he draw. And if your hand serve you to use
the cards well, you shall prefer unto him, and he shall receive (even
though he snatch at an other) the verie card which you kept, and
your confederate thought, and is written in the nut, and hidden in
the pocket, &c. You must (while you hold the stocke in your hands,
tossing the cards to and fro) remember alwaies to keepe your card
in your eie, and not to loose the sight thereof. Which feate, till
you be perfect in, you may/ have the same privilie marked ; and when
you perceive his hand readie to draw, put it a little out towards his
hand, nimblie turning over the cards, as though you numbred them,
holding the same more loose and open than the rest, in no wise suffering him to draw anie other: which if he should doo, you must let three
or foure fall, that you may beginne againe. IT This will seeme most
strange, if your said paper be inclosed in a button, and by confederacie
sowed upon the doublet or cote of anie bodie. This tricke they commonlie end with a nut full of inke, in which case some wag or unhappie
boie is to be required to thinke a card ; and having so doone, let the

Tricks with
^hfch m°ust
be
doone
derade.

336.

A merrie

concdpt,
whereof

nut be delivered him to cracke, which he will not refuse to doo, if he gjjj j j ^ g .
have seene the other feate plaied before./
324, & 330-

276

i3- Booke.

T h e xxix. Chapter.

237.

Of fast

Fast and
loose with
handkercher.

The discoverie

or loose; how to knit a hard knot upon a handkercher,
to undoo the same with words.

and

J H E Aegyptians juggling witchcraft or sortilegie standeth
much in fast or loose, whereof though I have written
somwhat generallie alreadie, yet having such oportunitie
I will here shew some of their particular feats ; not
treating of their common tricks which is so tedious, nor of their fortune telling which is so impious ; and yet both of them meere
cousenages. IT Make one plaine loose knot, with the two corner
a
ends of a handkercher, and seeming to draw the same verie hard, hold
fast the bodie of the said handkercher (neere to the knot) with your
right hand, pulling the contrarie end with the left hand, which is the
corner of that which you hold. T h e n close up handsomlie the knot,
which will be yet somewhat loose, and pull the handkercher so with
your right hand, as the left hand end may be neere to the knot : then
will it seeme a true and a firme knot. And to make it appeare more
assuredlie to be so indeed, let a stranger pull at the end which you hold
in your left hand, whilest you hold fast the other in your right
h a n d : and then holding the knot with your forefinger & thombe,
& the nether part of your handkercher with your other fingers,/
as you hold a bridle when you would with one hand slip up the knot
337>
and lengthen your reines. This doone, turne your handkercher over
the knot with the left hand, in dooing whereof you must suddenlie
slip out the end or corner, putting up the knot of your handkercher
with your forefinger and thombe, as you would put up the foresaid
knot of your bridle. T h e n deliver the same (covered and wrapt in
the middest of your handkercher) to one, to hold fast, and so after
some words used, and wagers laied, take the handkercher and shake
it, and it will be loose.

A notable feate of fast or loose; namelie, to pull three headstones
from off a cord, while you hold fast the ends thereof
without
remooving of your hand.
Fast or lose
with whipcords and
beades.

T

Ake two little whipcords of two foote long a peece, double
them equallie, so as there may appeare foure ends. Then take
three great beadstones, the hole of one of them beeing bigger than
the rest ; and put one headstone upon the eie or bowt of the one

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 30.

cord, and an other on the other cord. Then take the stone with
the greatest hole, and let both the bowts be hidden therein: which
may be the better doone, if you put the eie of the one into the eie
or bowt of the other. Then pull the middle bead upon the same,
being doubled over his fellow, and so will the beads seeme to be
put over the two cords without partition. For holding fast in each
hand the two ends of the two cords, you may tosse them as you
list, and make it seeme manifest to the beholders, which may not see
how you have doone it, that the beadstons are put upon the two
cords without anie fraud. Then must you seeme to adde more
effectuall binding of those beadstones to the string, and make one/
halfe of a knot with one of the ends of each side; which is for no
other purpose, but that when the beadstones be taken awaie, the
cords may be seene in the case which the beholders suppose them
to be in before. For when you have made your halfe knot (which
J

,

. ,

,

J

x

x

277

238.
This conmust be
closelie
d o o n e : Ergo

in anie wise you may not double to make a perfect knot) you must it must be
deliver'into the hands of some stander by those two cords ; namelie, "e°rs wo?ke.
two ends evenlie set in one hand, and two in the other, and then
with a wager, &c: beginne to pull off your beadstones, &c: which if
you handle nimblie, and in the end cause him to pull his two ends,
the two cords will/ shew to be placed plainelie, and the beadstones 338.
to have come through the cords. But these things are so hard and
long to be described, that I will leave them ; whereas I could shew
great varietie.

T h e xxx.

Chapter.

Juggling knacks by confederacies and how to know whether one
cast crosse or pile by the ringing.
|AIE a wager with your confederate (who must seeme
simple, or obstinatlie opposed against you) that standing
behind a doore, you will (by the sound or ringing of
the monie) tell him whether he cast crosse or pile: so
as when you are gone, and he hath fillipped the monie before the
witnesses who are to be cousened, he must saie: What is it, if it what is it ?
„T1

.

.

.

.

.

.

I

,

,

.

W h a t ist?

be crosse ; or What 1st, if it be pile : or some other such signe, as signes of
you are agreed upon, and so you need not faile to gesse rightlie. raSfe.de
By this meanes (if you have anie invention) you may seeme to doo
a hundreth miracles, and to discover the secrets of a rnans thoughts,
or words spoken a far off.

278

13. Booke.

The discoverie

To make a shoale of goslings drawe a timber log.

T

O make a shoale of goslings, or (as they saie) a gaggle of geese
to seeme to drawe a timber log, is doone by that verie meanes
that is used, when a cat dooth drawe a foole through a pond or
river: but handled somewhat further off from the beholders.
To make a pot or anie such thing standing fast on the cupboord,
to fall downe thense by vertue of words,

L

Et a cupboord be so placed, as your confederate may hold a
blacke thred without in the court, behind some window of that
roome ; and at a certeine lowd word spoken by you, he may pull
the same thred, being woond about the pot, &c. And this was the
feate of Eleazar^ which fosephus reporteth to be such a miracle./

Eleazers
feate of c5federacie.

To make one danse naked.

339-

M

Ake a poore boie confederate with you, so as after charmes,
&c : spoken by you, he uncloth himselfe, and stand naked,
239. seeming (whilest he undres/seth him) to shake, stampe, and crie, still
hastening to be unclothed, till he be starke naked: or if you can procure
none to go so far, let him onelie beginne to stampe and shake, &c:
and to uncloth him, and then you may (for the reverence of the companie) seeme to release him.
To transforme or alter the colour of ones cap or hat.
* As, Droch
myroch, &
senaroth
betu baroch assmaaroth, rousee farounsee, hey
passe passe,
& c : or such
like strange
words.
Pope and
Tailor cofederates.
[* ? then]

T

Ake a confederates hat, and use certeine *words over it, and
deliver it to him againe, and let him seeme to be wroth, and
cast it backe to you againe, affirming that his was a good new blacke
hat, but this is an old blew hat, &c: and then you may seeme to
countercharme it, and redeliver it, to his satisfaction.
How to tell where a stollen horsse is become.

B

Y meanes of confederate, Steeven Tailor and one Pope abused
divers countrie people. For Steeven Tailor would hide awaie his
neighbours horsses, &c: and send them* to Pope, (whom he before had
told where they were) promising to send the parties unto him, whomehe
described and made knowne by divers signes : so as this Pope would
tell them at their first entrance unto the doore. Wherefore they came,
and would saie that their horsses were stollen, but the theefe should

of Witchcraft.

chap. 3 i.

279

be forced to bring backe the horsses, &c : and leave them within one
mile south and by west, &c: of his house, even as the plot was laid, and
the packe made before by Steeven and him. This Pope is said of some
to be a witch, of others he is accompted a conjuror ; but commonlie
called a wise man, which is all one with a soothsaier or witch./

T h e xxxi. Chapter.

340.

Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to consume the graine or
corne to nothing.
HERE be divers juggling boxes with false bottoms, wherein
manie false feates are wrought. First they have a box
covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottome
of the one end being no deeper than as it may conteine
one lane of corne or pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put
into the hollow end thereof some other kind of graine, ground or unground; then doo they cover it, and put it under a hat or candlesticke : and either in putting it therinto, or pulling it thence, they
turne the box, and open the contrarie end, wherein is shewed a contrarie graine : or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they
suddenlie thrust into a boll or bag of such graine as is glewed alreadie
thereupon) and secondlie the emptie box./
How to conveie {with words or charmes) the corne conteined in
one box into an other.
Here is another box fashioned like a bell, wherinto they doo put
so much, and such corne or spice as the foresaid hollow box can
conteine. Then they stop or cover the same with a peece of lether,
as broad* as a testor, which being thrust up hard towards the midle
part or waste of the said bell, will sticke fast, & beare up the corne.
And if the edge of the leather be wet, it will hold the better. Then
take they the other box dipped (as is aforesaid) in corne, and set downe
the same upon the table, the emptie end upward, saieng that they will
conveie the graine therein into the other box or bell : which being
set downe somewhat hard upon the table, the leather and the corne
therein will fall downe, so as the said bell being taken up from the
table, you shall see the corne lieng thereon, and the stopple will be
hidden therwith, & covered : & when you uncover the other box,
nothing shall remaine therein. But presentlie the corne must be
swept downe with one hand into the other, or into your lap or hat.

Note the
maner of
this conveiance.

240.

T

[• = thick]

Y

°u must
that when
commeth
out it cover
leather, &c.

28o

13. Booke.

The discoverie

Manie feats maie be done with this box, as to put therein a tode,
affirming the same to have beene so turned from corne, &c: and then
34i- manie beholders will/ suppose the same to be the jugglers divell,
whereby his feats and miracles are wrought. But in truth, there is
more cunning witchcraft used in transferring of corne after this sort,
than is in the transferring of one mans corne in the grasse into an
other mans feeld : which* the lawe of the twelve tables dooth so
* See the 12
booke of
forceablie condemne : for the'one is a cousening slight, the other is a
this discoverie, in the
false lie.
title Habar,
cap. 4. pag.

Of an other boxe to convert wheat into flower with words, &>c.

220, 2 2 1 .

is an
boxe
a
in
T Heremiddleother shewedusuall among jugglers, withOnebottomealso
the
thereof, made for the like purposes.
other
like a tun, wherin is
great varietie of stuffe, as well of liquors
as spices, and all by means of an other little tun within the same,
wherein and whereon liquors and spices are shewed. But this would
aske too long a time of descripton.
Of diverse fietie juggling
These are
such sleights
that even a
bungler
may doo
t h e m : and
yet prettie,
&c.

241.

knacks,

are
to beguile
T Heretopassemanieanother beggerlie feats ablethereon, as the simple,
as
make
ote stir by spetting
though it
came to
by words. Item to deliver meale, pepper, ginger, or
anie powder out of the mouth after the eating of bread, &c: which is
doone by reteining anie of those things stuffed in a little paper or
bladder conveied into your mouth, and grinding the same with your
teeth. % Item, a rish through a peece of a trencher, having three
holes, and at the one side the rish appearing out in the second, at the
other side in the third hole, by reason of a hollow place made
betwixt them both, so as the slight consisteth in turning the peece of
trencher./

T h e xxxii. Chapter.
To burne a thred, and to make it whole againe with the ashes
thereof.

T is not one of the woorst feats to burne a thred handsomelie, and to make it whole againe : the order whereof
is this. Take two threds, or small laces, of one foote in
length a peece : roll up one of/ them round, which will be
34*- i
then of the quantitie of a pease, bestow the same betweene your left

Marke the
maner of
this conceit and devise.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 32.

281

forefinger and your thombe. Then take the other thred, and hold it
foorth at length, betwixt the forefinger and thombe of each hand,
holding all your fingers deintilie, as yong gentlewomen are taught to
take up a morsell of meate. Then let one cut asunder the same thred T h a t is,
neatlie and
in the middle. When that is doone, put the tops of your two thombes deintilie.
together, and so shall you with lesse suspicion receive the peece of
thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening
of your left finger and thombe : then holding these two peeces as you
did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in
the middest, and they conveied againe as before, untill they be cut
verie short, and then roll all those ends together, and keepe that ball
of short threds before the other in your left hand, and with a knife
thrust out the same into a candle, where you may hold it untill the
said ball of short threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull backe the
knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other ball
betwixt the forefinger and thombe of your left hand, and with the two
thombs & two forefingers together seeme to take paines to frot and
rub the ashes, untill your thred be renewed, and drawe out that thred A thred cut
in manie
at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and peeces and
thombe. This is not inferior to anie jugglers feateif it be well handled, burned to
ashes made
for if you have legierdemaine to bestowe the same ball of thred, and to whole againe.
change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may
easilie be doone) then will it seeme verie strange.
To cut a lace asunder in the middest, and to make it whole againe.

B

Y a devise not much unlike to this, you may seeme to cut
asunder any lace that hangeth about ones necke, or any point,
girdle, or garter, & c : and with witchcraft or conjuration to
make it whole and closed together againe. For the accomplishment whereof, provide (if you can) a peece of the lace, &c : which T h e means
discovered.
you meane to cut, or at the least a patterne like the same, one
inch and a halfe long, & (keeping it double privilie in your left
hand, betwixt some of your fingers neere to the tips thereof) take the
other lace which you meane to cut, still hanging about ones necke,/
and drawe downe your said left hand to the bought thereof: and 343putting your owne peece a little before the other (the end or rather
middle whereof you must hide betwixt your forefinger and thombe)
making the eie or bought, which shall be seene, of your owne patterne,
let some stander by cut the same a/sunder, and it will be surelie 242.
thought that the other lace is cut; which with words and froting,
&c : you shall seeme to renew & make whole againe. This, if it be
well.handled, will seeme miraculous.
OO

232

13. Booke.

The discoverie

How to pull laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour
or length you list, and never anie thing seene to be therein.
A common
juggling
knacke of
flat cousenage plaied
among the
simple, &c.

for pulling laces out
the
A Swhereby jugglers gaineof moniemouth, it is somewhat a stale jest,
among maides, selling lace by
the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottome as fast as
they pull out an other, and at the just end of everie yard they tie a
knot, so as the same resteth upon their teeth : then cut they off
the same, and so the beholders are double and treble deceived, seeing as much lace as will be conteined in a hat, and the same of what
colour you list to name, to be drawne by so even yards out of his mouth,
and yet the juggler to talke as though there were nothing at ail in his
mouth.

T h e xxxiii. Chapter.
How to make a booke, wherein you shall shew everie leafe therein
to be white, blacke, blew, red, yellow, greene, d^c.
[ H E R E are a thousand jugglings, which I am loth to spend
time to describe, whereof some be common, and some
rare, and yet nothing else but deceipt, cousenage, or confederacie : whereby you may plainelie see the art to be a
Juggling a
kind of
kind of witchcraft. I will end therfore with one devise, which is not
witchcraft.
common, but was speciallie used by Clarvis, whome though I never
T h e invention of
saw to exercise the feat, yet am I sure I conceive aright of that invenClarvis.
tion. He had (they/ saie) a booke, whereof he would make you thinke
344first, that everie leafe was cleane white paper: then by vertue of words
he would shew you everie leafe to be painted with birds, then with
beasts, then with serpents, then with angels, &c : the devise thereof
is this. ^[ Make a booke seven inches long, and five inches broad, or
This knack
is sooner
according to that proportion: and let there be xlix, leaves ; to wit,
learned by
seven times seven conteined therin, so as you may cut upon the edge
demonstrative means,
of each leafe six notches, each notch in depth halfe a quarter of an inch,
than taught
bywords of
and one inch distant. Paint everie foureteenth and fifteenth page
instruction.
(which is the end of everie sixt leafe, & the beginning of everie
seventh) with like colour, or one kind of picture. Cut off with a paire
of sheares everie notch of the first leafe, leaving onlie one inch of
paper in the uppermost place uncut, which will remaine almost halfe a
quarter of an inch higher than anie part of that leafe. Leave an other
like inch in the second place of the second leafe, clipping away one
inch of paper in the highest place immediatlie above it, and all the
notches below the same, and so orderlie to the third, fourth, &c : so
as there shall rest upon each leafe one onlie inch of paper above the
rest. One high uncut inch of paper must answer to the first, directlie

of Witchcraft.

chap. 33.

283

in everie seventh leafe of the booke : so as when you have cut the
first seven leaves, in such sort as I first described,/ you are to begin in 243.
the selfe same order at the eight leafe, descending in such wise in the
cutting of seven other leaves, and so againe at the fifteenth, to xxi,
&c: untill you have passed through everie leafe, all the thicknes of
your booke.
Now you shall understand, that after the first seven leaves, everie
seventh leafe in the booke is to be painted, saving one seven leaves,
which must remaine white. Howbeit you must observe, that at each
Bumleafe or high inch of paper, seven leaves distant, opposite one
directlie and lineallie against the other, through the th'icknesse of the
booke, the same page with the page precedent so to be painted with
the like colour or picture ; and so must you passe through the booke
with seven severall sorts of colours or pictures : so as, when you shall
rest your thombe upon anie of those Bumleaves, or high inches, and
open the booke, you shall see in each page one colour or picture This will
through out the booke ; in an other rowe, an other colour, &c. To to^thl be-e
make that matter more plaine unto you, let this be the description holders.
hereof. Hold the booke/ with your left hand, and (betwixt your fore- 345.
finger and thombe of your right hand) slip over the booke in what
place you list, and your thombe will alwaies rest at the seventh leafe;
to wit, at the Bumleafe or high inch of paper from whence when your
booke is streined, it will fall or slip to the next, &c. Which when you
hold fast, & open the booke, the beholders seeing each leafe to have
one colour or picture with so manie varieties, all passing continuallie &
directlie thrugh the whole booke, will suppose that with words you
can discolour the leaves at your pleasure. But because perhaps you wher such
will hardlie conceive herof by this description, you shall (if you be ^ o o k ^ m a y
disposed) see or buie for a small value the like booke, at the shop of
W. Brome in Powles churchyard, for your further instruction, \ There
are certeine feats of activitie, which beautifie this art exceedinglie :
howbeit even in these, some are true, and some are counterfet; to
wit, some done by practise, and some by confederacie. ^j There are
likewise divers feats arythmeticall & geometricall : for them read
Gemma Phrystus, and Record, &*c. which being exercised by jugglers
ad credit to their art. ^f There are also (besides them which I have
set downe in this title of Hartumim) sundrie strange experiments
reported by Plinie, Albert, Joh. Bap. Port. Neap, and Thomas Lupton,
wherof some are true, and some false: which being knowne to Jannes
and Jambres, or else to our jugglers, their occupation is the more
magnified, and they thereby more reverenced, \ Here is place to See more
discover the particular knaveries of casting of lots, and drawing of thTn^book
cuts (as they terme it) whereby manie cousenages are wrought: so as of thi? di.sI dare not teach the sundrie devises thereof, least the ungodlie make a the title

284
Nahas, cap.
10 pag. 197,

i3 Booke.

The discoverie

practise of it in the commonwealth, where manie things are decided by
those meanes, which being honestlie meant may be lawfullie used.
But I have said alreadie somewhat hereof in generall, and therefore also the rather have suppressed the particularities, which (in
truth) are meere juggling knackes : whereof I could discover a great
number./

346. 244.

T h e xxxiiii. Chapter.
Desperate or dangerous juggling knacks, wherein the simple are
made to thinke, that a seelie juggler with words can hurt and
helpe, kill and revive anie creature at his pleasure : and jirst
to kill anie kind of pulien, and to give it life againe.

* T h e naturall cause
why a hen
thrust thorough the
head with a
bodkin
dooth live
notwithstanding.

J|AKE a hen, a chicke, or a capon, and thrust a nail or a fine
sharpe pointed knife through the midst of the head
thereof, the edge towards the bill, so as it may seeme
impossible for hir to scape death : then use words, and
pulling out the knife, laie otes before hir, &c : and she will eate and
live, being nothing at all greeved or hurt with the wound ; bicause
the* braine lieth so far behind in the head as it is not touched, though
you thrust your knife betweene the combe and it: and after you have
doone this, you may convert your speach and actions to the greevous
wounding and present recovering of your owne selfe.
To eate a knife, and to fetch it out of anie other place,

T

Ake a knife, and conteine the same within your two hands,
so as no part be seene thereof but a little of the point, which
you must so bite at the first, as noise may be made therewith.
Then seeme to put a great part thereof into your mouth, and letting your hand slip downe, there will appeare to have beene more
in your mouth than is possible to be conteined therein. Then send
for drinke, or use some other delaie, untill you have let the said
I t must be
knife slip into your lap, holding both your fists close together as
cleanelie
conveied
before, and then raise them so from the edge of the table where
in any case.
you sit (for from thence the knife may most privilie slip downe
into your lap) and in steed of biting the knife, knable a little upon
your naile, and then seeme to thrust the knife into your mouth,
opening the hand next unto it, and thrust up the other, so as it
may appeare to the standers by, that you have delivered your/
34J. hands therof, and thrust it into your mouth : then call for drinke,
after countenance made of pricking and danger, &c. Lastlie, put
your hand into your lap, and taking that knife in your hand, you
may seeme to bring it out from behind you, or from whence you

of Witchcraft.

chap. 34.

285

list. If But if you have another like knife and a confederate, you
may doo twentie notable woonders hereby : as to send a stander
by into some garden or orchard, describing to him some tree or
herbe, under which it sticketh ; or else some strangers sheath or
pocket, &c.
To thrust a bodkin into your head without hurt.

T

Ake a bodkin so made, as the haft being hollowe, the blade Themaner
thereof may slip thereinto as soone as you hold the point up- of Sils^ctiward : and set the same to your forehead, and seeme to thrust it into on*
your head, and so (with a little sponge in your hand) you may wring
out bloud or wine, making the be/holders thinke the bloud or the 245.
wine (whereof you may saie you have drunke verie much) runneth
out of your forehead. Then, after countenance of paine and greefe,
pull awaie your hand suddenlie, holding the point downeward ;
and it will fall so out, as it will seeme never to have beene thrust
into the haft : but immediatlie thrust that bodkin into your lap or
pocket, and pull out an other plaine bodkin like the same, saving in
that conceipt.
To thrust a bodkin through your toong, and a knife through your
arme : a pittifull sight, without hurt or danger.

M

Ake a bodkin, the blade therof being sundred in the middle, so A forme or
as the one part be not neere to the other almost by three patterne of
this bodkin
quarters of an inch, each part being kept a sunder with one small and knife
bought or crooked piece of iron, of the fashion described hereafter in you shal see
described if
place convenient. Then thrust your toong betwixt the foresaid space ; you turne
over a fewto wit, into the bought left it the bodkin blade, thrusting the said leaves forbought behind your teeth, and biting the same : and then shall it ward.
seeme to sticke so fast in and through your toong, as that one can
hardlie pull it out. % Also the verie like may be doone with a knife
so made, and put upon your arme : and the wound will appeare the
more terrible, if a little bloud be powred/ thereupon.
348.
To thrust a peece of lead into one eie, and to drive it about (with
a sticke) betweene the skin andflesh of the forehead, untill
it be brought to the other eie, and there thrust out.
peece
lead into one of the
lids your eie, as big
P Utasaand withaofapoint, juggling sosticke netherendyouofmaybeing without
a tag of
but not
long (which
doo
danger)
little
(one
therof
hollow)
seeme to thrust the like peece of lead under the other eie lid ; but
conveie the same in deed into the hollownes of the sticke, the stopple
or peg whereof may be privilie kept in your hand untill this feate be

286

13- Booke

The discoverie

doone. T h e n seeme to drive the said peece of lead, with the hollow
end of the said sticke, from the same eie: and so with the end of the
said sticke, being brought along upon your forhead to the other eie,
you maie thrust out the peece of lead, which before you h a d put
thereinto ; to t h e admiration of the beholders. If Some eat the lead,
and then shoove it out at the eie : and some put it into both, but t h e
first is best.

T h i s is easilie doone,
howbeit
being clen->
lie handled
it will deceive the
sight of the
beholders.

To cut halfe your nose asunder, and to heale it againe presentlie
without anie salve.
Ake a knife having a round hollow gap in the middle, and laie it
upon your nose, and so shall you seeme to have cut your nose
halfe asunder. Provided alwaies, that in all these you have an other
like knife without a gap, to be shewed upon the pulling out of the
same, and words of inchantment to speake, bloud also to beeraie t h e
wound, and nimble conveiance./

T

To put a ring through your

246.

cheeke.

T

H e r e is an other old knacke, which seemeth dangerous to the
cheeke. F o r the accomplishing whereof you must have two
rings, of like colour and quantitie ; the one filed asunder, so as you
m a y thrust it upon your cheeke ; the other must be whole, and conveied upon a sticke, holding your h a n d thereupon in the middle of the
sticke, delivering each end of the same sticke to be holden fast by a
stander by. T h e n conveieng the same cleanlie into your hand, or (for
349- lacke of good conveiance) into your lap or/ pocket, pull awaie your
hand from the sticke : and in pulling it awaie, whirle about the ring,
and so will it be thought that you h a v e put thereon the ring which
was in your cheeke.
To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, d^c: which the
jugglers call the decollation of John
Baptist.
T h i s was
doone by
one Kingsfield of
London, at
a Bartholomewtide,
An. 1 5 8 2 .
in the sight
of diverse
that came
to view this
spectacle.

T

O shew a most notable execution by this art, you must cause a
boord, a cloth, and a platter to be purposelie made, and in each
of them holes fit for a boies necke. T h e boord must be made of two
planks, the longer and broader the better : there must be left within
halfe a yard of the end of each planke halfe a hole ; so as both planks
being thrust togither, there may remaine two holes, like to the holes
in a paire of stocks : there must be made likewise a hole in the tablecloth or carpet. A platter also must be set directlie over or upon one
of them, having a hole in the midle thereof, of the like quantitie, and
also a peece cut out of the same, so big as his necke, through which
his head may be conveied into the middest of the platter: and then
sitting or kneeling under the boord, let the head onlie remaine upon

of Witchcraft.

chap. 34.

the boord in the same. Then (to make the sight more dredfull) put
a little brimstone into a chafing dish of coles, setting it before the
head of the boie, who must gaspe two or three times, so as the smoke
enter a little into his nostrils and mouth (which is not unholsome)
and the head presentlie will appeare starke dead ; if the boie set his
countenance accordinglie : and if a little bloud be sprinkled on his
face, the sight will be the stranger.
This is commonlie practised with a boie instructed for that purpose,
who being familiar and conversant with the companie, may be
knowne as well by his face, as by his apparell. In the other end of
the table, where the like hole is made, an other boie of the bignesse
of the knowne boie must be placed, having upon him his usuall
apparell : he must leane or lie upon the boord, and must put his head
under the boord through the said hole, so as his bodie shall seeme to
lie on the one end of the boord, and his head shall lie in a platter on
the other end. <(] There are other things which might be performed
in this action, the more to astonish the beholders, which because they
offer long descriptions, I omit : as to put about his necke a little dough
kneded with bul/locks bloud, which being cold will appeare like dead
flesh ; & being pricked with a sharpe round hollow quill, will bleed,
and seeme verie strange, &c. ^f Manie rules are to be observed
herein, as to/ have the table cloth so long and wide as it may almost
touch the ground, \ Not to suffer the companie to staie too long in
the place, &c.
To thrust a dagger or bodkin into your guts verie strangelie, and
to recover immediatlie.
N other miracle may be shewed touching counterfet executions ;
namelie, that with a bodkin or a dagger you shall seeme to kill
your selfe, or at the least make an unrecoverable wound in your bellie :
as (in truth) not long since a juggler caused himself to be killed at a
taverne in cheapside, from whence he presentlie went into Powles
churchyard and died. Which misfortune fell upon him through his
owne follie, as being then drunken, and having forgotten his plate,
which he should have had for his defense. The devise is this. \ You
must prepare a paste boord, to be made according to the fashion of
your bellie and brest: the same must by a painter be coloured cunninglie, not onelie like to your flesh, but with pappes, navill, haire,
&c : so as the same (being handsomelie trussed unto you) may shew
to be your naturall bellie. Then next to your true bellie you may put
a linnen cloth, and thereupon a double plate (which the juggler that
killed himselfe forgot, or wilfullie omitted) over and upon the which
you may place the false bellie. Provided alwaies, that betwixt the
plate & the false bellie you place a gut or bladder of bloud, which

287

S, e s ^S- e
°?shtohas[°"
holders.
35°247.

A

Of a jugf^^n
the feats of
his life.

288

13- Booke.

B u t herein
see you be
circumspect.

351.
A forme or
patterne of
this bridle
you shall
see desciibed if you
turne over
a few leaues.

248.

The discoverie

bloud must be of a calfe or of a sheepe; but in no wise of an oxe or a
cow, for that will be too thicke. Then thrust, or cause to be thrust
into your brest a round bodkin, or the point of a dagger, so far as it
may pearse through your gut or bladder : which being pulled out
againe, the said bloud will spin or spirt out a good distance from you,
especiallie if you straine your bodie to swell, and thrust therewith
against the plate. You must ever remember to use (with words,
countenance, and gesture) such a grace, as may give a grace to the
action, and moove admiration in the beholders./
To drawe a cord through your nose, mouth or hand, so sensiblie
as is woonderful to see,

T

Here is an other juggling knacke, which they call the bridle,
being made of two elder sticks, through the hollownes therof
is placed a cord, the same being put on the nose like a paire of tongs
or pinsars ; and the cord, which goeth round about the same, being
drawne to and fro, the beholders will thinke the cord to go through
your nose verie dangerouslie. The knots at the end of the cord,
which doo staie the same from being drawne out of the sticke,
may not be put out at the verie top (for that must be stopped up)
but halfe an inch beneath each end : and so I saie, when it is
pulled, it will seeme to passe through the nose ; and then may you
take a knife, and seeme to cut the cord asunder, and pull the bridle
from your nose./
The conclusion, wherin the reader is referred to certeine patterns
of instruments wherewith diverse feats heere specified
are to be executed.
might
infinitelie, but I
it sufficeth, that
H Erein Ideliveredwade you the principles,hope also the principallI
have
unto
and
feats belonging to this art of juggling ; so as any man conceiving
throughlie hereof may not onlie doo all these things, but also may
devise other as strange, & varie everie of these devises into other
formes as he can best conceive. And so long as the power of almightie
God is not transposed to the juggler, nor offense ministred by his
uncomlie speach and behaviour, but the action performed in pastime,
to the delight of the beholders, so as alwaies the juggler confesse in
the end that these are no supernaturall actions, but devises of men,
and nimble conveiances, let all such curious conceipted men as cannot
affoord their neighbors anie comfort or commoditie, but such as

of Witchcraft.

chaP.34.

pleaseth their melancholike dispositions say what they list, for this
will not onelie be found among indifferent actions, but such as
greatlie advance the power and glorie of God, discovering their pride
and falshood that take upon them to worke miracles, and to be the
mightie power of God, asjannes and Jamdres and also Simon Magus
did.
If anie man doubt of these things, as whether they be not as/ strange
to behold as I have reported, or thinke with Bodin that these matters
are performed by familiars or divels ; let him go into S. Martins, and
inquire for one John Catitares (a French man by birth, in conversation an honest man) and he will shew as much and as strange
actions as these, who getteth not his living hereby, but laboureth
for the same with the sweat of his browes, and neverthelesse hath the
best hand and conveiance (I thinke) of anie man that liveth this daie.
Neither doo I speake (as they saie) without booke herein. For if
time, place, and occasion serve, I can shew so much herein, as I am
sure Bodin, Sfiinceus, and Vairus, would sweare I were a witch, and
had a familiar divell at commandement. But truelie my studie and
travell herein hath onelie beene emploied to the end I might proove
them fooles, and find out the fraud of them that make them fooles, as
whereby they may become wiser, and God may have that which to
him belongeth.
And bicause the maner of these juggling conveiances are not easilie
conceived by discourse of words ; I have caused to be set downe
diverse formes of instruments used in this art ; which may serve for
7

J

289
Among
ons jugbe'"ounted.
352.
^ matchies
pHowe for
maine.

Touching
{ernes of
diverse jugglmg in-

patternes to them that would throughlie see the secrets thereof, and struments.
make them for their owne private practises, to trie the event of such
devises, as in this tract of legierdemaine are shewed. Where note,
that you shall find everie instrument that is most necessarilie
occupied in the working of these strange feats, to beare the just and
true number of the page, where the use thereof is in ample words
declared.
Now will I proceed with another cousening point of witchcraft, apt
for the place, necessarie for the time, and in mine opinion meet to be
discovered, or at the least to be defaced among deceitfull arts. And
bicause manie are abused heereby to their utter undooing, for
that it hath had passage under the protection of learning, wherby they pretend to accomplish their
works, it hath gone freelie without generall controlment
through all ages,
nations &
people.//
VP

2 O 0

[* Hence
Rom.]

13-Booke.

The discoverie

Heere follow patternes of certeine instruments
former juggling knacks.

to be used in the

T o pull
three beadstones from
off a cord,
while you
hold fast
the ends
thereof,
without
remooving
of your
hand.

T o draw a
cord thorough your
nose, mouth
or hand,
which is
called the
bridle.

be instructed in
T Opage 337. and 338. the righttheuse of the said headstones, read
As for
bridle, read page 351.
[These four pages of engravings are unpaged in the first and second editions.
The references are to thefirstedition pagings. ]

of Witchcraft.

chaP.34.

291

To thrust a bodkin into your head, and through your
toong, &*c.

T h e hethermost is the
bodkin w*
the bowt: y«
midlemost
is the bodkin with the
holow haft:
the further
most is the
plaine bodkin serving
for shew.

be
and
in
T Otheseinstructed read taught347. the right use and readie practise of
bodkins,
pag.

The discoverie

292

To thrust a knife through your arme, and to ad halfe your nose
asunder^ &*c.

T h e middle most
knife is to
serve for
shew; the
other two
be the
knives of
device.

T

O be readie in the use and perfect in the practise of these knives
here portraied, see page 347. and 348.

of

Witchcraft.

To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, which the jugglers
call the decollation of John Baptist.

w

Hat order is to be observed for the practising heereof with great
admiration, read page 349, 350.

The

353-

249.

discoverie

If The xiiii. Booke.
T h e first Chapter.
Of the art of Alcumystrie, of their woords of art and devises to
bleare mens eies, and to procure credit to their profession.

Alcumystrie a craft,
not an art.

G. Chaucer
in the Chanons mans
prolog.
[See note.]

ERE I thought it not impertinent to saie somewhat of the
art or rather the craft of Alcumystrie, otherwise called
Multiplication ; which Chaucer, of all other men, most
livelie deciphereth. In the bowels herof dooth both
witchcraft and conjuration lie hidden, as whereby some cousen others,
and some are cousened themselves. For by this mysterie (as it is
said in the chanons mans prolog)
They take upon them to turne upside downe,
All the earth betwixt Southwarke &* Canturburie towne,
And to pave it all of silver and gold, &*c.
But ever they lacke of their conclusion,
And to much folke they doo illusion.
For their stuffe slides awaie so fast,
That it makes them beggers at the last,
And by this craft they doo never win,
But make their pursse emfitie, and their wits thin.

And bicause the practisers heereof would be thought wise, learned,
cunning, and their crafts maisters, they have devised words of art,
354- sentences and epithets obscure, and confectious* so innu/merable
t * confections]
(which are also compounded of strange and rare simples) as confound
the capacities of them that are either set on worke heerein, or be
brought to behold or expect their conclusions. For what plaine man
would not beleeve, that they are learned and jollie fellowes, that have
[* enluting]
in such readinesse so many mysticall termes of a r t : as (for a tast)
T h e termes
of the art
their subliming, amalgaming, engluting,** imbibing, incorporating,
alcumysticementing, ritrination, terminations, mollifications, and indurations
cal devised
of purpose
of bodies, matters combust and coagulat, ingots, tests, &c. Or who
to bring
credit to
is able to conceive (by reason of the abrupt confusion, contrarietie,
cousenage.
and multitude of drugs, simples, and confections) the operation and
mysterie of their stuffe and workemanship. For these things and

of Witchcraft.

chaP.2.

295

many more, are of necessitie to be prepared and used in the execution of this indevor; namelie orpiment, sublimed Mercurie, iron
squames, Mercurie crude, groundlie large, bole armoniake, verdegrece, borace, boles, gall,* arsenicke, sal armoniake, brimstone,/ salt, 25C0].
paper, burnt bones, unsliked lime, claie, saltpeter, vitriall, saltartre, C*boies gall,
alcalie, sal preparat, claie made with horsse doong, mans haire, oile
of tartre, allum, glasse, woort, yest, argoll, resagor,f gleir of an eie, [t Resaigar]
powders, ashes, doong, pisse, &c. Then have they waters corosive
and lincall, waters of albification, and waters rubifieng, &c. Also
oiles, ablutions, and metals fusible. Also their lamps, their urinalles,
discensories, sublimatories, alembecks, viols, croslets, cucurbits,
stillatories, and their fornace of calcination : also their soft and
subtill fiers, some of wood, some of cole, composed speciallie of
beech, &c. And bicause they will not seeme to want anie point of
cousenage to astonish the simple, or to moove admiration to their
enterprises, they have (as they affirme) foure spirits to worke withall,
whereof the first is, orpiment; the second, quicksilver ; the third,
sal armoniake ; the fourth, brimstone. Then have they seven celestiall bodies ; namelie, Sol, Luna, Mars, Mercurie, Saturne, Jupiter,
and Venus; to whome they applie seven terrestriall bodies ; to wit,
gold, silver, iron, quickesilver, lead, tinne, and copper, attributing
unto these the operation of the other; speciallie if the terrestriall
bodies be qualified, tempered, and wrought in the houre and daie
according to the feats* of the celestiall bodies: with more like [*? seats]
vanitiej

T h e second Chapter.
The Alcumysters drift, the Chanons yeomans tale^ of alcumysticall
stones and waters.
OW you must understand that the end and drift of all
their worke, is, to atteine unto the composition of the
philosophers stone, called Alixer, and to the stone called
Titanus ; and to Magnatia, which is a water made of the
foure elements, which (they sale) the philosophers are sworne neither
to discover, nor to write of. And by these they mortifie quicke silver,
and make it malleable, and to hold touch : heereby also they convert
any other mettall (but speciallie copper) into gold. This science
(forsooth) is the secret of secrets; even as Salomons conjuration is
said among the conjurors to be so likewise. And thus, when they
chance to meete with yong men, or simple people, they boast and

296

i4.Booke.

The discoverie

brag, and saie with Simon Magus, that they can worke miracles, and
bring mightie things to passe. In which respect Chaucer truelie
heereof saith :
Each man is as wise as Salomon,
When they are togither everichone :
But he that seemes wisest, is mostfoole in preefe,
And he that is truest, is a verie theefe.
They seeme friendlie to them that knowe nought,
But they are feendlie both in word and thought,
Yet many men ride and seeke their acquaintance,
Not knowing of their false governance.!

Acts. 8.

G. Chaucer
in the Chanons mans
tale. [Prologue.]

He also saith, and experience verifieth his assertion, that they
looke ill favouredlie, & are alwaies beggerlie attired : his words are
these
ibid.
These feHowes looke ill favouredlie,
And are alwaies tired beggerlie,\
So as by smelling and thredbare araie,
356These folke are knowne and discerned alwaie.
But so long as they have a sheet to wrap them in by night,
Or a rag to hang about them in the day light,
They will it spend in this craft,
They cannot stint till nothing be laft.
Here one may learne if he have ought,
To multiplie and bring his good to naught.
But if a man aske them privilie,
Whie they are clothed so unthriftilie,
They will round him in the eare and saie,
If they espied were, men would them slaie,
And all bicause of this noble science:
Lo thus these folke beetraien innocence.
251.

Idem,

T h e points
or parts of
the art Alcumysticall
which may
be called
the mystie
or smokie
science.

The tale of the chanons yeoman published by Chaucer, dooth
make (by waie of example) a perfect demonstration of the art of
Alcumystrie or multiplication : the effect whereof is this. A chanon
being an Alcumyster or cousenor, espied a covetous preest, whose
pursse he knew to be well lined, whome he assaulted with flatterie
and subtill speach, two principall points belonging to this art. At
the length he borrowed monie of the preest, which is the third part
of the art, without the which the professors can doo no good, nor
indure in good estate. Then he at his daie repaied the monie, which
is the most difficult point in this art, and a rare experiment. Finallie,
to requite the preests courtesie, he promised unto him such instruc-

of Witchcraft.

chap. 3.

297

tions, as wherby with expedition he should become infinitelie rich,
and all through this art of multiplication. And this is the most
common point in this science ; for herein they must be skilfull
before they can be famous, or atteine to anie credit. The preest
disliked not his proffer ; speciallie bicause it tended to his profit,
and embraced his cpurtesie. Then the chanon willed him foorthwith
to send for three ownces of quicke silver, which he said he would
transubstantiate (by his art) into perfect silver. The preest thought
that a man of his profession could not dissemble, and therefore with
great joy and hope accomplished his request./
And now (forsooth) goeth this jollie Alcumyst about his busines 357.
and worke of multiplication, and causeth the preest to make a fier of
coles, in the bottome whereof he placeth a croslet; and pretending
onelie to helpe the preest to laie the coles handsomelie, he foisteth
into the middle ward or lane of coles, a beechen cole, within the
which was conveied an ingot of perfect silver, which (when the cole
was consumed) slipt downe into the croslet, that was (I saie) directlie
under it. The preest perceived not the fraud, but received the ingot mystsAba?t
of silver, and was not a little joy/full to see such certeine successe to catch a 252.
proceed from his owne handie worke wherein could be no fraud (as
he surelie conceived) and therefore verie willinglie gave the cannon
fortie pounds for the receipt of this experiment, who for that summe
of monie taught him a lesson in Alcumystrie, but he never returned
to heare repetitions, or to see how he profited.

T h e third

Chapter.

Of a yeoman of the countrie cousened by an Alcumyst.
COULD cite manie Alcumysticall cousenages wrought by
Doctor Burcot) Feates^ and such other; but I will passe
them over, and onelie repeate three experiments of that
art ; the one practised upon an honest yeoman in the
countie of Kent, the other upon a mightie prince, the third upon a
covetous preest. And first touching the yeoman, he was overtaken
and used in maner and forme following, by a notable cousening
varlot, who professed Alcumystrie, juggling, witchcraft, and conjuration : and by meanes of his companions and confederats discussed
the simplicitie and abilitie of the said yeoman, and found out his
estate and humor to be convenient for his purpose'; and finallie
came a wooing (as they saie) to his daughter, to whome he made
QQ

298

Note the
cousening
conveiance
of this alcumystical
practitioner.

A notable
foole.

i4 Booke.

The discoverie

love cunninglie in words, though his purpose tended to another
matter. And among other illusions and tales, concerning his owne/
338. commendation, for welth, parentage, inheritance, alliance, activitie,
learning, pregnancie, and cunning, he boasted of his knowledge and
experience in Alcumystrie ; making the simple man beleeve that he
could multiplie, and of one angell make two or three. Which seemed
strange to the poore man, in so much as he became willing enough
to see that conclusion : whereby the Alcumyster had more hope a n d
comfort to atteine his desire, than if his daughter had yeelded to have
maried him. To be short, he in the presence of the said yeoman,
did include within a little ball of virgine wax, a couple of a n g e l s ;
and after certeine ceremonies and conjuring words he seemed to
deliver the same unto him : but in truth (through legierdemaine) he
conveied into the yeomans hand another ball of the same scantling,
wherein were inclosed manie more angels than were in the ball which
he thought he had received. Now (forsooth) the Alcumyster b a d
him laie up the same ball of wax, and also use certeine ceremonies
(which I thought good heere to omit). And after certeine daies,
houres, and minuts they returned together, according to the appointment, and found great gaines by the multiplication of the angels.
Insomuch as he, being a plaine man, was heereby persuaded, that he
should not onelie have a rare and notable good sonne in lawe ; but
a companion that might helpe to adde unto his welth much treasure,
and to his estate great fortune and felicitie. And to increase this
opinion in him, as also to winne his further favour ; but speciallie to
bring his cunning Alcumystrie, or rather his lewd purpose to passe ;
h e told him that it were follie to multiplie a pound of gold, when as
easilie they might multiplie a millian : and therefore counselled him/
25?. to produce all the monie he had, or could borrowe of his neighbours
and freends ; and did put him out of doubt, that he would multiplie
the same, and redouble it exceedinglie, even as he sawe by experience
how he delt with the small summe before his face. This yeoman, in
hope of gaines and preferment, &c : consented to this sweete motion,
and brought out and laid before his feete, not the one halfe of his
goods, but all that he had, or could make or borrowe anie maner of
waie. Then this juggling Alcumyster, having obteined his purpose,
folded the same in a ball, in quantitie farre bigger than the other, and
339. conveieng the same into his/ bosome or pocket, delivered another
ball (as before) of the like quantitie unto the yeoman, to be reserved
and safelie kept in his c h e s t ; whereof (bicause the matter was of
importance) either of them must have a key, and a severall locke,
that no interruption might be made to the ceremonie, nor abuse by
either of them, in defrauding ech other. Now (forsooth) these cir-

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 4-

299

cumstances and ceremonies being ended, and the Alcumysters
purpose therby performed ; he told the yeoman that (untill a certeine A. cousedaie and houre limitted to returne) either of them might emploie by running
themselves about their busines, and necessarie affaires ; the yeoman s ^ t h e
to the plough, and he to the citie of London, and in the meane time credit of
the gold shuld multiplie, &c. But the Alcumyster (belike) having other
matters of more importance came not just at the houre appointed,
nor yet at the daie, nor within the yeare : so as, although it were
somewhat against the yeomans conscience to violate his promise, or
breake the league ; yet partlie by the longing h e had to see, and
partlie the desire he h a d to enjoie the fruit of that excellent experiment, having (for his owne securitie) and the others satisfaction, some
testimonie at the opening thereof, to witnesse his sincere dealing, he
brake up the coffer, and lo he soone espied the ball of wax, which he
himselfe h a d laid up there with his owne hand. So as he thought
(if the hardest should fall) he should find his principall : and whie
not as good increase hereof now, as of the other before. But alas !
when the wax was broken, and the metall discovered, the gold was
much abased, and beecame perfect lead.
Now who so list to utter
hisfollie,
Let him come foorth, and learne to multiplie j
And everie man that hath ought in his cofer,
Let him appeare, and waxe a philosopher,
In learning of this elvish nice lore,
All is in vaine, and par dee mtich more
Is to learne a* lewd man this sutteltee,
Fie, speake not thereof it woll not bee :
For he that hath learning, and he that hath none,
Conclude alike in
multiplicatione.\\

T h e fourth Chapter.
A certeine king abused by an Alcumyst,
a pretie jest.

G. Chaucer
in the tale
of the chanons yeoman. [Prologue.]

360.

254.

and of the kings foole

J H E second example is of another Alcumyst that came to Akingcoua certeine king, promising to worke by his art manie Aicumygreat things, as well in compounding and transubstantiat- strie ing of mettals, as in executing of other exploites of no
lesse admiration. But before he beganne, he found the meanes to

300

i4.Booke.

The discoverie

receive by vertue of the kings warrant, a great summe of monie in
prest, assuring the king and his councell, that he would shortlie
returne, and accomplish his promise, &c. Soone after, the kings
foole, among other jestes, fell into a discourse and discoverie of fooles,
and handled that common place so pleasantlie, that the king began
to take delight therein, & to like his merrie veine. Whereupon he
would needes have the foole deliver unto him a schedull or scroll,
conteining the names of all the most excellent fooles in the land.
So he caused the kings name to be first set downe, and next him
all the names of the lords of his privie councell. The king seeing
him so sawcie and malepert, ment to have had him punished : but
some of his councell, knowing him to be a fellow pleasantlie conceipted, besought his majestie rather to demand of him a reason of
his libell, &c : than to proceed in extremitie against him. Then the
foole being asked why he so sawcilie accused the king and his
councell of principall follie, answered ; Bicause he sawe one foolish
knave beguile them all, and to cousen them of so great a masse of
monie, and finallie to be gone out of their reach. Why (said one of
the councell) he maie returne and performe his promise, &c. Then
(quoth the foole) I can helpe all the matter easilie. How (said the
king) canst thou doo that ? Marie sir (said he) then I will blotte out
your name, and put in his, as the most foole in the world. Manie
other practises of the like nature might be hereunto annexed, for the
361. detection of their kna/verie and deceipts whereupon this art dependeth,
whereby the readers maie be more delighted in reading, than the
practisers benefited in simplie using the same. For it is an art
consisting wholie of subtiltie and deceipt, whereby the ignorant and
plaine minded man through his too much credulitie is circumvented,
and the humor of the other slie cousener satisfied.

T h e fift Chapter.
A notable storie written by Erasmus of two Alcumysts, also of
longation and curtation.
Eras, in collog, de arte
alcumystica.
255.

HE third example is reported by Erasmus, whose excellent learning and wit is had to this daie in admiration.
He in a certeine dialog intituled Alcumystica doth finelie
bewraie* the knaverie of this craftie art ;/ wherein he
proposeth one Balbine, a verie wise, learned, and devout preest,
howbeit such a one as was bewitched, and mad upon the art of

of Witchcraft.

chap. 5.

301

Alcumystrie. Which thing another cousening preest perceived, and
dealt with him in maner and forme following.
flattering
M. Doctor Balbine (said he) I being a stranger unto you maie A clawing
&
seeme verie saucie to trouble your worship with my bold sute, who preamble.
alwaies are busied in great and divine studies. To whome Balbine^
being a man of few words, gave a nodde : which was more than he
used to everie man. But the preest knowing his humor, said ; I am
sure sir, if you knew my sute, you would pardon mine importunitie.
I praie thee good sir John (said Balbine) shew me thy mind, and be
breefe. That shall I doo sir (said he) with a good will. You know
M. Doctor, through your skill in philosophic, that everie mans destinie
is not alike; and I for my part am at this point, that I cannot tell
whether I maie be counted happie or infortunate. For when I weigh
mine owne case, or rather my state, in part I seeme fortunate, and in
part miserable. But Balbine being a man of some surlinesse, alwaies
willed him to draw his matter to a more compendious forme : which
thing the preest/ said he would doo, and could the better performe ; 362.
bicause Balbine himselfe was so learned and expert in the verie matter he had to repeat, and thus he began.
I have had, even from my childhood, a great felicitie in the art of
Alcumystrie, which is the verie marrow of all philosophic Balbine
at the naming of the word Alcumystrie, inclined and yeelded himselfe
more attentivelie to hearken unto him: marie it was onelie in gesture
of bodie ; for he was spare of speech, and yet he bad him proceed
with his tale. Then said the preest, Wretch that I am, it was not my
lucke to light on the best waie : for you M. Balbine know (being so
universallie learned) that in this art there are two waies, the one Longation
called longation, the other curtation ; and it was mine ill hap to fall a.nd c.ur*fJ
_
upon longation. When Balbine asked him the difference of those cumystrie.
two waies ; .Oh sir said the preest, you might count me impudent, to
take upon me to tell you, that of all other are best learned in this art,
to whome I come, most humblie to beseech you to teach me that
luckie waie of curtation. The cunninger you are, the more easilie
you maie teach it me : and therefore hide not the gift that God hath
given you, from your brother, who maie perish for want of his desire
in this behalfe; and doubtlesse Jesus Christ will inrich you with
greater blessings and endowments.
Balbine being abashed partlie with his importunitie, and partlie
with the strange circumstance, told him that (in truth) he neither
knew what longation or curtation meant; and therefore required him
to expound the nature of those words. Well (quoth the preest) since
it is your pleasure, I will doo it, though I shall thereby take upon me
to teach him that is indeed much cunninger than my selfe. And thus he

'202

The discoverie

began : Oh sir, they that have spent all the daies of their life in this
divine facultie, doo turne one nature and forme into another, two waies,
the one is verie breefe, but somewhat dangerous; the other much longer, marie verie safe, sure, and commodious. Howbeit, I thinke my
selfe most unhappie that have spent my time and travell in that
256. waie which utterlie misliketh me, and/ never could get one to shew
m e the other that I so earnestlie desire. And now I come to your
worship, whom I know to be wholie learned and expert herein,
hoping that you will (for charities sake) comfort your brother,/
363' whose felicitie and well doing now resteth onelie in your h a n d s ; and
therefore I beseech you releeve me with your counsell.
By these and such other words when this cousening varlot h a d
avoided suspicion of guile, and assured Balbine that he was perfect
and cunning in the other waie : Balbine his fingers itched, and his
hart tickled; so as he could hold no longer, but burst out with
these words : Let this curtation go to the divell, whose name I did
never so much as once heare of before, and therefore doo much lesse
understand it. But tell me in good faith, doo you exactlie understand longation ? Yea said the preest, doubt you not hereof: but I
have no fansie to that waie, it is so tedious. W h y (quoth Balbine)
what time is required in the accomplishment of this worke by waie of
longation ? Too too much said the Alcumyster, even almost a whole
words
fooles
yeere : but this is the best, the surest, and the safest waie, though it be
and
offers
for so manie moneths prolonged, before it yeeld advantage for cost and
the
charges expended thereabouts. Set your hart at rest (said Balbine) it
is no matter, though it were two yeeres, so as you be well assured to
bring it then to passe.
Finallie, it was there and then concluded, that presentlie the preest
should go in h a n d with the worke, and the other should beare the
charge, the gaines to be indifferentlie divided betwixt them both, and
the worke to be doone privilie in Balbins house. And after the
mutuall oth was taken for silence, which is usuall and requisite alwaies
in the beginning of this mysterie ; Balbine delivered monie to the Alcumyster for bellowes, glasses, coles, &c : which should serve for the
erection and furniture of the forge. W h i c h monie the Alcumyster
had no sooner fingered, but he ran merilie to the dice, to the alehouse,
& to the stewes, and who there so lustie as cousening sir John : who
indeed this waie made a kind of alcumysticall transformation of monie.
Now Balbine urged him to go about his businesse, but the other told
him, that if the matter were once begun, it were halfe ended : for
therein consisted the greatest difficultie.
Well, at length he began to furnish the fornace, but now forsooth a
new supplie of gold must be made, as the seed and spawne of that

Note how
the cousener circumventeth
Balbine.

Faire
make
faine,
large
blind
wise.

14-Booke.

of Witchcraft.

cha P . 5 .

which must be ingendred and grow out of this worke of Alcumystrie.
For even as a fish is not caught without a bait, no/ more is gold multiplied without some parcels of gold : and therfore gold must be the
foundation and groundworke of that art, or else all the fat is in the
fier. But all this while Balbine was occupied in calculating, and
musing upon his accompt ; casting by arythmetike, how that if one
ownce yeelded fifteene, then how much gaines two thousand ownces
might yeeld : for so much he determined to emploie that waie.
When the Alcumyst h a d also consumed this monie, shewing great
travell a moneth or twaine, in placing the bellowes, the coles, and
such other stuffe, and no whit of profit proceeding or comming thereof : Balbine demanded how the world went, our Alcumyst was as a
man amazed./ Howbeit he said at length ; Forsooth even as such
matters of importance commonlie doo go forward, wherunto there is
alwaies verie difficult accesse. There was (saith he) a fault (which I
have now found out) in the choice of the coles, which were of oke,
and should have beene of beech. One hundreth duckets were spent
that waie, so as the dising house and the stewes were partakers of
Balbines charges. But after a new supplie of monie, better coles were
provided, and matters more circumspectlie handled. Howbeit, when
the forge had travelled long, a n d brought foorth nothing, there was
another excuse found out ; to wit, that the glasses were not tempered
as they ought to have beene. But the more monie was disbursed hereabouts, the woorsse willing was Balbine to give over, according to
the disers veine, whome frutelesse hope bringeth into a fooles
,.

'

f

t>

303
364.

257.

Balbine
™db^h"
desire of
gold, &c.

paradise.
The Alcumyst, to cast a good colour upon his knaverie, tooke on
like a man moonesicke, and protested with great words full of forgerie
and lies, that he never had such lucke before. But having found the
error, he would be sure enough never hereafter to fall into the like
oversight, and that henceforward all should be safe and sure, and
throughlie recompensed in the end with large increase. Hereupon
t h e workehouse is now the third time repaired, and a new supplie yet
once againe put into the Alcumysts hand ; so as the glasses were
changed. And now at length the Alcumyst uttered another point of
his art and cunning to Balbine; to wit, that those matters would pro- Notable
ceed much better, if he sent our Ladie a few French crownes in cousenage.
reward : for the art/ being holie, the matter cannot prosperously 365.
proceed, without the favour of the saints. Which counsell exceedinglie
pleased Balbine, who was so devout and religious, that no daie escaped
him but he said our Ladie mattens.
Now our Alcumyster having received the offering of monie, goeth
on his holie pilgrimage, even to the next village, & there consumeth

304

14- Booke.

The discoverie

it everie penie, among bawds and knaves. And at his returne, he told
Balbine that he had great hope of good lucke in his businesse ; the
holie virgine gave such favourable countenance, and such attentive
eare unto his praiers and vowes. But after this, when there had
beene great travell bestowed, and not a dram of gold yeelded nor
levied from the forge; Balbine began to expostulate and reason somewhat roundlie with the cousening fellowe ; who still said he never had
such filthie lucke in all his life before, and could not devise by what
meanes it came to passe, that things went so overthwartlie. But after
much debating betwixt them upon the matter, at length it came into
Balbines head to aske him if he had not foreslowed to heare masse,
or to saie his houres : which if he had doone, nothing could prosper
under his hand. Without doubt (said the cousener) you have hot the
naile on the head. Wretch that I am ! I remember once or twise
being at a long feast, I omitted to saie mine Ave Marie after dinner.
So so (said Balbine) no marvell then that a matter of such importance
hath had so evill successe. The Alcumyster promised to doo
penance; as to heare twelve masses for two that he had foreslowed ; and for everie A ve overslipped, to render and repeate twelve
to our Ladie.
Soone after this, when all our Alcumysters monie was spent, &also/
258. his shifts failed how to come by any more, he came home with this
devise, as a man woonderfullie fraied and amazed, pitiouslie crieng and
lamenting his misfortune. Whereat Balbine being astonished, desired
H e r e the
to knowe the cause of his complaint. Oh (said the Alcumyster) the
Alcumycourtiers have spied our enterprise; so as I for my part looke for
ster uttereth a notonothing but present imprisonment. Whereat Balbine was "abashed,
rious point
of cousebicause it was flat fellonie to go about that matter, without speciall
ning knalicence. But (quoth the Alcumyster) I feare not to be put to death, I
verie.
would it would fall out so : marrie I feare least I shall be shut up
366. in some/ castell or towre, and there shall be forced to tug about this
worke and broile in this businesse all the daies of my life.
Now the matter being brought to consultation, Balbine, bicause he
was cunning in the art of rhetorike, and not altogither ignorant in
lawe, beat his braines in devising how the accusation might be
answered, and the danger avoided. Alas (said the Alcumyster) you
trouble your selfe all in vaine, for you see the crime is not to be denied,
it is so generallie bruted in court : neither can the fact be defended,
bicause of the manifest lawe published against it. To be short, when
manie waies were devised, and divers excuses alledged by Balbine,
and no sure ground to stand on for their securitie ; at length the
Alcumyster having present want and need of monie, framed his speech
in this sort ; Sir said he to Balbine, we use slowe counsell, and yet

T h e Alcumyster
bringeth
Balbin into a fooles
paradise.

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 5.

the matter requireth hast. For I thinke they are comming for me
yer this time to hale me awaie to prison ; and I see no remedie
but to die valiantlie in the cause. In good faith (said Balbine) I
knowe not what to saie to the matter. N o more do I said the
Alcumyster, but that I see these courtiers are hungrie for monie,
and so much the readier to be corrupted & framed to silence. And
though it be a hard matter, to give those rakehels till they be
satisfied : yet I see no better counsell or advise at this time. N o
more could Balbine, who gave him thirtie ducats of gold to stop
their mouthes, who in an honest cause would rather have given so
manie teeth out of his head, than one of those peeces out of his
pouch. This coine h a d the Alcumyster, who for all his pretenses
& gaie gloses was in no danger, other than for lacke of monie
to leese his leman or concubine, whose acquaintance he would not
give over, nor forbeare hir companie, for all the goods that h e
was able to get, were it by never such indirect dealing and unlawfull
meanes.
Well, yet now once againe dooth Balbine newlie furnish the forge,
a praier being made before to our Ladie to blesse the enterprise. And
all things being provided and made readie according to the Alcumysters owne asking, & all necessaries largelie ministred after his owne
liking ; a whole yeare being likewise now consumed about this bootlesse businesse, and nothing brought to p a s s e ; there fell out a
strange chance, and that by this meanes insuing, as you shall heare./
Our Alcumyster forsooth used a little extraordinarie lewd copanie
with a courtiers wife, whiles he was from home, who suspecting the
matter, came to the doore unlooked for, and called to come in,
threatning them that he would breake open the doores upon them.
Some present devise (you see) was now requisite, and there was
none other to be had,/ but such as the oportunitie offered ; to wit, to
leape out at a backe window: which he did, not without great hazard,
and some hurt. But this was soone blazed abroad, so as it came to
Balbines eare, who shewed in countenance that he had heard heereof,
though h e said nothing. But the Alcumyster knew him to be devout,
& somewhat superstitious : and such men are easie to be intreated
to forgive, how great soever the fault be, and devised to open the
.

, -

.

7

r

305
Marke how
myster g*o^reeof 6
cousenage
o a n o aer
'

367.

259.

The miiesoftesTiiture
\* c5~
monhe soo-

matter in maner and forme following.
nest abused.
O Lord (saith he before Balbine) how infortunatlie goeth our
businesse forward! I marvell what should be the cause. W h e r e a t
Balbine, being one otherwise that seemed to have vowed silence,
tooke occasion to speake, saieng; It is not hard to knowe the impedim e n t and stop heereof: for it is sinne that hindereth this m a t t e r ;
which js not to be dealt in but with pure hands. Whereat the AlcumysRR

;o6

14 Booke.

The discoverie

ter fell upon his knees, beating his breast, & lamentablie cried, saieng ;
Oh maister Balbine, you saie most trulie, it is sinne that hath doone
us all this displeasure ; not your sinne sir, but mine owne, good maister
Balbine.
Neither will I be ashamed to discover my filthinesse unto
you, as unto a most holy and ghostlie father. T h e infirmitie of t h e
flesh h a d overcome me, and the divell had caught me in his snare.
Oh wretch that I am ! Of a preest I am become an adulterer.
Howbeit, the monie that erstwhile was sent to our Ladie, was not
utterlie l o s t : for if she h a d not beene, I h a d certeinlie beene slaine.
F o r the good man of the house brake open the doore, and the windowe was lesse than I could get out thereat. And in that extremitie
of danger it came into my mind to fall downe prostrate to the virgine;
beseeching hir (if our gift were acceptable in hir sight) that she
would, in consideration thereof, assist me with hir helpe. And to be
En
immensa
cavi spirant
short, I ran to the windowe, and found it bigge enough to leape out
mend act a
folles.
at. W h i c h thing Balbine did not onelie beleeve to be true, but in
36S. respect therof forgave him, religiouslie admonishing/ him to shew
himselfe thankfull to that pitifull and blessed Ladie.
Now once againe more is made a new supplie of monie, and
mutuall promise m a d e to handle this divine matter hence forward
purelie and holilie. T o be short, after a great number of such parts
plaied by the Alcumyster ; one of Balbins acquaintance espied him,
that knew him from his childhood to be but a cousening merchant;
and told Balbine what h e was, and that he would handle him in the
end, even as he had used manie others : for a knave he ever was, and
Balbine is
so he would proove. But what did Balbine, thinke you ? Did he comashamed
plaine of this counterfet, or cause him to be punished? N o , but h e
that he
should be
gave him monie in his pursse, and sent him awaie ; desiring him, of
overshot
and overall courtesie, not to blab abroad how he h a d cousened him. And as
seene in a
for the knave Alcumyster, he needed not care who knew it, or what
case of flat
cousenage.
came of it : for he h a d nothing in goods or fame to be lost. And as
for his cunning in Alcumystrie, be had as much as an asse. By this
discourse Erasmus would give us to note, that under the golden name
of Alcumystrie there lieth lurking no small calamitie ; wherein there
be such severall shifts and sutes of rare subtilties a n d deceipts, as
that not onelie welthie men are thereby manie times impoverished,
and that with the sweete allurement of this art, through their owne
260. covetousnesse ;/ as also by the flattering baits of hoped gaine : but
even wise and learned men hereby are shamefullie overshot, partlie
for want of due experience in the wiles and subtilties of the world,
and partlie through the softenesse and pliablenesse of their good
nature, which cousening knaves doo commonlie abuse to their owne
lust and commoditie. and to the others utter undooing.

of Witchcraft.

T h e sixt

chap. e.

307

Chapter.

The opinion of diverse learned men touching thefollie
of A Icumystrie.
IiLBERT in his booke of minerals reporteth, that Avicenna T h e sub~
treating of Alcumystrie, saith; Let the dealers in Alcumys- things are
trie understand, that the verie nature and kind of things Mutable!"
cannot be changed,/ but rather made by art to resemble j6g.
the same in shew and likenesse: so that they are not the verie things
indeed, but seeme so to be in appearance : as castels and towers
doo seeme to be built in the clouds, whereas the representations
there shewed, are nothing else but the resemblance of certeine
objects beelow, caused in some bright and cleere cloud, when the
aire is void of thicknes and grossenes. A sufficient proofe hereof
maie be the looking glasse. And we see (saith he) that yellow or
orrenge colour laid upon red, seemeth to be gold. Francis Petrarch Franc. Petreating of the same matter in forme of a dialogue, introduceth a dis- ™med. utr.
ciple of his, who fansied the foresaid fond profession and practise, f°rtm I# capm IO'
saieng; I hope for prosperous successe in Alcumystrie. Petrarch
answereth him ; It is a woonder from whence that hope should
spring, sith the frute thereof did never yet fall to thy lot, nor yet at
anie time chance to anie other; as the report commonlie goeth, that
manie rich men, by this vanitie and madnes have beene brought to
beggerie, whiles they have wearied themselves therewith, weakened
their bodies, and wasted their wealth in trieng the means to make
gold ingender gold. I hope for gold according to the workemans
promise, saith the disciple. He that hath promised thee gold, will
runne awaie with thy gold, and thou never the wiser, saith Petrarch.
He promiseth mee great good, saith the disciple. He will first serve
his owne turne, and releeve his private povertie, saith Petrarch ; for
Alcumysters are a beggerlie kind of people, who though they confesse themselves bare and needie, yet will they make others rich and
welthie : as though others povertie did more molest and pitie them
than their owne. These be the words of Petrarch, a man of great
learning and no lesse experience ; who as in his time he sawe the
fraudulent fetches of this compassing craft: so hath there beene no
age, since the same hath beene broched, wherein some few wisemen
have not smelt out the evill meaning of these shifting merchants,
and bewraied them to the world.
An ancient writer of a religious order, who lived above a thousand CBoiifrdiHU

308

i 4 Booke.

The

discovene

s. August, hi
yeares since, discovering the diversities of theftes, after a long enumera-n'o, foTUt
ti o n > bringeth in Alcumysters, w h o m h e callethFalsificantesmetallorum
col. b. c.d.&> 1. Q^ minerauumt)
witches and counterfetters of metals and minerals ;
261. 370. and setteth/ them as deepe in the/ degree of theeves, as anie of the
rest, whose injurious dealings are brought^to open arreignment. It
is demanded (saith he) why the art of Alcumystrie doth never proove
that in effect, which it pretendeth in precept and promise. T h e
answer is readie ; that if by art gold might be m a d e , then were it
behoovefull to know the maner and proceeding of nature in generation ; sith art is said to imitate and counterfet nature. Againe, it is
bicause of the lamenesse and unperfectnesse of philosophic, speciallie
concerning minerals: no such manner of proceeding being set downe
N o cerlein
ground in
by consent and agreement of philosophers in writing, touching the
the art Alcumysticall.
true and undoubted effect of the same. W h e r e upon one supposeth that gold is m a d e of one kind of stuffe this waie, others of
another kind of stuffe that waie. And therefore it is a chance if anie
atteine to the artificiall applieng of the actives and passives of gold
and silver. Moreover, it is certeine, that quicke silver and sulphur
are the materials (as they terme them) of mettals, and the agent is
heate, which directeth : howbeit it is verie hard to know the due proportion of the mixture of the materials ; which proportion the generation of gold doth require. And admit that by chance they atteine to
such proportion ; yet can they not readilie resume or doo it againe in
another worke, bicause of the hidden diversities of materials, and
the uncerteintie of applieng the actives and passives.
Idem ibid.
T h e same ancient author concluding against this vaine art, saith,
that of all christian lawmakers it is forbidden, and in no case tollerable
in anie commonwelth : first bicause it presumeth to forge idols for
covetousnes, which are gold and s i l v e r ; whereupon saith the
apostle, Covetousenesse is idolworship : secondlie, for that (as
Avaritia
idoloru m
Aristotle saith) coine should be skant and rare, that it might be
lultus.
deere ; but the same would waxe vile, and of small estimation, if by
the art of Alcumystrie gold and silver might be multiplied : thirdlie,
bicause (as experience prooveth) wisemen are thereby bewitched,
couseners increased, princes abused, the rich impoverished, the
poore beggered, the multitude made fooles, and yet the craft and
craftesmaisters (oh madnes !) credited. T h u s far he. Whereby in
few words he discountenanceth that profession, not by the imaginations of his owne braine, but by manifold circumstances of mani3J1. fest proofe. Touching the which practise 1/ thinke inough hath
beene spoken, and more a great deale than needed ; sith so
plaine and demonstrable a matter requireth the lesse travell in confutation.

S

of Witchcraft.

T h e seventh

chaP. 7

309

Chapter.

That vaine a,7id deceitfull hope is a great cause why men are
seduced by this alluring art, and that there labours therein are
bootelesse, &*c,
ITHERTO somewhat at large I have detected the knaverie
of the art Alcumysticall, partlie by reasons, and partlie by
examples : so that the thing it selfe maie no lesse appeare
__ to the judiciall eie of the considerers ;/ than the bones
and sinewes of a bodie anatomized, to the corporall eie of the beholders. Now it shall not be amisse nor impertinent, to treate somewhat of the nature of that vaine and frutelesse hope, which induceth
and draweth men forward as it were with chordes, not onelie to the
admiration, but also to the approbation of the same : in such sort
that some are compelled rufullie to sing (as one in old time did,
whether in token of good or ill lucke, I doo not now well remember)
Spes &> forluna valete ; Hope and good hap adieu.
No mervell then though Alcumystrie allure men so sweetlie, and
intangle them in snares of follie ; sith the baits which it useth is the
hope of gold, the hunger wherof is by the poet termed Sacra, which
some doo English, Holie; not understanding that it is rather to be
interpreted, *Curssed or detestable, by the figure Acyron, when a
word of an unproper signification is cast in a clause as it were a cloud:
or by the figure Antiphrasis. when a word importeth a contrarie
.

,

, • ,

:

,.

,

,

~

,

1

262.
Of vaine
ope
'

*j.Cai.in
^p0n™j£utm
serm. 127.
pa. 781. col. 1

meaning to that which it commonlie nam. For what reason can there number. 40.
be, that the hunger of gold should be counted holie, the same having
(as depending upon it) so manie milians of mischeefes and miseries :
as treasons, theftes, adulteries, manslaughters, trucebreakings, perjuries, cousenages, and a great troope of other enormities, which were
here too lorrg/ to rehearse. And if the nature of everie action be 3J2.
determinable by the end thereof, then cannot this hunger be holie, A maxime.
but rather accurssed, which pulleth after it as it were with iron
chaines such a band of outrages and enormities, as of all their
labor, charge, care and cost, &c: they have nothing else left them
in lieu of lucre, but onlie some few burned brickes of a ruinous
fornace, a pecke or two of ashes, and such light stuffe, which they
are forced peradventure in fine to sell, when beggerie hath arrested
and laid his mace on their shoulders. As for all their gold, it is
resolved In primam materiam, or rather In levem quendam fimiuhitn, into a light smoke or fumigation of vapors, than the which

3io

14- Booke.

The discoverie

nothing is more light, nothing lesse substantiall, spirits onelie
excepted, out of whose nature and number these are not to be
exempted.

T h e eight Chapter.
A continuation of the former matter, with a conclusion of the
same,
HAT which I have declared before, by reasons, examples,
and authorities, I will now prosecute and conclude by
one other example ; to the end that we, as others in
former ages, maie judge of vaine hope accordinglie, and
be no lesse circumspect to avoid the inconveniences therof, than
Ulysses was warie to escape the incantations of Circes that old transforming witch. Which example of mine is drawne from Lewes the
French king, the eleventh of that name, who being on a time at
Erasmus
in
colloq. cut tiBurgundie, fell acquainted by occasion of hunting with one Conon, a
tulus
Convivium
fabuclownish but yet an honest and hartie good fellow. For princes and
losum.
263. great men de/light much in such plaine clubhutchens. The king
oftentimes, by meanes of his game, used the countrimans house for
his refreshing ; and as noble men sometimes take pleasure in homelie
and course things, so the king did not refuse to eate turnips and rape
rootes in Conons cotage. Shortlie after king Lewes being at his
373- pallace, void of troubles and disquietnesse, Conons wife/ wild him to
repaire to the court, to shew himselfe to the king, to put him in mind
of the old intertainement which he had at his house, and to present
him with some of the fairest and choisest rape rootes that she had in
store. Conon seemed loth, alledging that he should but lose his
labour : for princes (saith he) have other matters in hand, than to
intend to thinke of such trifeling courtesies. But Conons wife overcame him, and persuaded him in the end, choosing a certeine number
of the best and goodliest rape rootes that she had : which when she
had given hir husband to carrie to the court, he set forward on his
jpurnie a good trudging pase. But Conon being tempted by the waie,
A hungrie
bellie will
partlie with desire of eating, and partlie with the toothsomnes of the
not be brideled.
meate which he bare, that by little and little he devoured up all the
roots saving one, which was a verie faire and a goodlie great one
indeed. Now when Conon was come to the court, it was his lucke to
stand in such a place, as the king passing by, and spieng the man,
did well remember him, and commanded that he should be brought
in. Conon verie cheerelie followed his guide hard at the heeles, and
no sooner sawe the king, but bluntlie comming to him, reached out

of Witchcraft.

chap, s.

311

his hand, and presented the gift to his maiestie. The king received
it with more cheerefulnes than it was offered, and bad one of those
that stood next him, to take it, and laie it up among those things which
he esteemed most, & had in greatest accompt. Then he had Conon
to dine with him, and after dinner gave the countriman great thanks
for his rape roote ; who made no bones of the matter, but boldlie made
challenge and claime to the kings promised courtesie. Whereupon
the king commanded, that a thousand crownes should be given him A princeiie
r

, .

largesse.

in recompense for his roote.
The report of this bountifulnes was spred in short space over all
the kings houshold : in so much as one of his courtiers, in hope of
the like or a larger reward gave the king a verie proper ginnet.
Whose drift the king perceiving, and judging that his former liberalise
to the clowne, provoked the courtier to this covetous attempt, tooke
the ginnet verie thankefullie : and calling some of his noble men
about him, began to consult with them, what mends he might make
his servant for his horsse. Whiles this was a dooing, the courtier
conceived passing good/ hope of some princeiie largesse, calculating jy^.
and casting his cards in this maner ; If his maiestie rewarded a
sillie clowne so bountifullie for a simple rape roote, what will he doo
to a jollie courtier for a gallent gennet ? Whiles the king was debating the matter, and one said this, another that, and the courtier
travelled all the while in vaine hope, at last saith the king, even upon
the sudden ; I have now bethought me what to bestowe upon him :
and calling one of his nobles to him, whispered him in the eare, and
willed him to fetch a thing, which he should find in his chamber
wrapped up in silke. The roote is brought wrapped in silke, which sic ars deluthe/ king with his owne hands gave to the courtier, using these words
ii^arte'
therewithall, that he sped well, in so much as it was his good hap to
have for his horsse a Jewell that cost him a thousand crownes. The
courtier was a glad man, and at his departing longed to be looking
what it was, and his hart dansed for joy. In due time therefore he
unwrapped the silke (a sort of his fellow courtiers flocking about him
to testifie his good lucke) and having unfolded it, he found therein a
drie and withered rape roote. Which spectacle though it set the
standers about in a lowd laughter, yet it quailed the courtiers courage,
and cast him into a shrewd fit of pensifenes. Thus was the confidence of this courtier turned to vanitie, who upon hope of good speed
was willing to part from his horsse for had I wist.
This storie dooth teach us into what follie and madnes vaine hope ral! .'of the
The mo1
may drive undiscreete and unexpert men. And therefore no mervell praemisses.
though Alcumysters dreame and dote after double advantage, faring
like Aesops dog, who greedilie coveting to catch and snatch at the

312

14. Booke.

shadowe of the flesh which he carried in his mouth over the water,
lost both the one and the other : as they doo their increase and their
principall. But to breake off abruptlie from this matter, and to leave
these hypocrits (for whie may they not be so named, who as Homer,
speaking in detestation of such rakehelles, saith verie divinelie and
trulie ;
Odi etenim seu claustra Erebi, quicunque
loquuntur
Ore alitid, tacitoque aliud sub pectore claudunt :\

Homer.
j?j.
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

The discoverie

by

I hate even as the gates of hell,
Those that one thing with toong doo tell,
And notwithstanding
closelie keepe,
Another thing in hart full deepe)
T o leave these hypocrits (I saie) in the dregs of their dishonestie,
I will conclude against them peremptorilie, that they, with the rable
above rehearsed, and the rowt hereafter to be mentioned, are ranke
couseners, and consuming cankers to the common wealth, and therefore to be rejected and excommunicated from the fellowship of all
honest men. For now their art, which turneth all kind of metals that
they can come by into mist and smoke, is no lesse apparent to the
world, than the cleere sunnie raies at noone sted ; in so much that I
may saie with the poet,
Hos populus ridet, multumque torosa juventus
Ingeminat tremulos naso crispante cachinnos :

Aid. Persius, satyr. 3.
Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

All people laugh them now to scorne,
each strong and lusiie blood
Redoubleth quavering laughters lowd
with wrinkled nose a good.

So that, if anie be so addicted unto the vanitie of the art Alcumys265. ticall/ (as everie foole will have his fansie) and that (beside so manie
experimented examples of divers, whose wealth hath vanished like a
vapor, whiles they have beene over rash in the practise hereof) this
discourse will not moove to desist from such extreame dotage, I saie
to him or them and that aptlie,
idem, ibid.
By Ab. Fleming.

dicilque facitque quod ipse
Non sani esse hominis non sahus juret
Orestes:
He saith and dooth that verie thing,
which mad Orestes might
With oth averre beecame a man
beereft of reason right. \

of Witchcraft.

\

The xv.

chaP i.

Booke.

313

376.

T h e first Chapter.
The exposition of Iidoni, and where it is founds whereby
art of conjuration is deciphered.

the

whole

J H I S word Iidoni is derived of lada, which properlie signifieth to knowe: it is sometimes translated, *Divinus, which l*Ital.]
is a divinor or soothsaier, as in Deut. 18. Levit. 20 : sometimes *Ario/us, which is one that also taketh upon him to
foretell things to come, and is found Levit. 19. 2. Kings. 23. Esai. 19.
T o be short, the opinion of them that are most skilfull in the toongs, T h e large
significatiis, that it comprehendeth all them, which take upon them to knowe on of the
word Iiall things past and to come, and to give answers accordinglie. It doni.
alwaies followeth the word *Ob, and in the scriptures is not n a m e d
severallie from it, and differeth little from the same in sense, and
doo both concerne oracles uttered by spirits, possessed people, or
couseners. W h a t will not couseners or witches take upon them to
doo ? Wherein will they professe ignorance ? Aske them anie
question, they will undertake to resolve you, even of that which
none but God knoweth.
And to bring their purposes the better
to passe, as also to winne further credit unto the counterfet art
which they professe, they procure confederates, whereby they worke
wonders.
And when they have either learning,/ eloquence, or 266.
nimblenesse of h a n d s to accompanie their confederacie, or ra/ther 377knaverie, then (forsooth) they passe the degree of witches, and intitle Vide Philast
themselves to the n a m e of conjurors. And these deale with no infe- episc. Brix.
hcereseriour causes : these fetch divels out of hell, and angels out of h e a v e n ; on catal. de
phitonissa.
these raise up what bodies they list, though they were dead, buried,
and rotten long before ; and fetch soules out of heaven or hell with
much more expedition than the pope bringeth them out of purgatorie.
T h e s e I saie (among the simple, and where they feare no law nor
accusation) take upon them also the raising of tempests, and earthquakes, a n d to doo as much as God himselfe can doo. T h e s e are no
small fooles, they go not to worke with a baggage tode, or a cat, as J. Wierus in
witches d o o ; but with a kind of majestie, and with authoritie they Pseudomo-deenarchia
call up by name, and have at their commandement seventie and nine
principall and princelie divels, who have under them, as their ministers, a great multitude of legions of pettie divels ; as for example.
SS

3J4

15. Booke.

The discoverie

T h e second Chapter.
An inventarie
of the names, shapes, powers, governement,
and
effects of divels and spirits, of their severall segniories and degrees : a strange discourse woorth the reading.
H E I R first and principall king (which is of the power of
the east) is called Baell; who when he is conjured up,
appeareth with three heads ; the first, like a tode ; the
second, like a man ; the third, like a cat. H e speaketh
with a hoarse voice, he maketh a m a n go invisible, he hath under his
obedience and rule sixtie and six legions of divels.
Agaves.
T h e first duke under the power of the east, is named Agares, he
commeth up mildlie in the likenes of a faire old man, riding upon a
crocodile, and carrieng a hawke on his fist; hee teacheth presentlie
all m a n e r of toongs, he fetcheth backe all such as runne awaie, and
maketh them runne that stand still ; he overthroweth all dignities
378. supernaturall and temporall, hee maketh earth/quakes, and is of the
order of vertues, having under his regiment thirtie one legions.
Marbas, * alias Barbas is a great president, and appeareth in the
Marbas.
[* Ital.-]
forme of a mightie lion ; but at the commandement of a conjuror
commeth up in the likenes of a man, and answereth fullie as touching
anie thing which is hidden or secret : he bringeth diseases, and
cureth them, he promoteth wisedome, and the knowledge of mechanicall arts, or handicrafts ; he changeth men into other shapes, and
under his presidencie or gouvernement are thirtie six legions of divels
conteined.
Amon.
Amon, or Aamon, is a great and mightie marques, and commeth
abroad in the likenes of a woolfe, having a serpents taile, spetting
267. out and/ breathing flames of fier ; when he putteth on the shape of a
man, he sheweth out dogs teeth, and a great head like to a mightie
raven ; h e is the strongest prince of all other, and understandeth of
all things past and to come, he procureth favor, and reconcileth both
freends and foes, and ruleth fourtie legions of divels.
Barbatos.
Barbatos, a great countie or earle, and also a duke, he appeareth in
Signo sagittarii sylvestris, with foure kings, which bring companies
and great troopes. H e understandeth the singing of birds, the barking of dogs, the lowings of bullocks, and the voice of all living
creatures.
H e detecteth treasures hidden by magicians and inchanters, and is of the order of vertues, which in part beare rule :
he knoweth all things past, and to come, and reconcileth freends

Salomons
notes of
conjuration.
Baell.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

and powers ; and governeth thirtie legions of divels by his authoritie.
Buer is a great president, and is seene in this signe ; he absolutelie
teacheth philosophic morall and naturall, and also logicke, and the
vertue of herbes : he giveth the best familiars, he can heale all
diseases, speciallie of men, and reigneth over fiftie legions.
Gusoin is a great duke, and a strong, appearing in the forme of a
Xenophilus, he answereth all things, present, past, and to come, expounding all questions. H e reconcileth freendship, and distributeth
honours and dignities, and ruleth over fourtie legions of divels.
Botis, otherwise Otis, a great president and an earle he com-/
meth foorth in the shape of an ouglie viper, and if he put on
humane shape, he sheweth great teeth, and two h o m e s , carrieng a
sharpe sword in his hand : he giveth answers of things present,
past, and to come, and reconcileth friends, and foes, ruling sixtie
legions.
Batkin, sometimes called Mathim, a great duke and a strong, he
is seene in the shape of a verie strong man, with a serpents taile,
sitting on a pale horsse, understanding the vertues of hearbs and
pretious stones, transferring men suddenlie from countrie to countrie,
and ruleth thirtie legions of divels.
Purson, *alias Curson, a great king, he commeth foorth like a man
with a lions face, carrieng a most cruell viper, and riding on a beare ;
and before him go alwaies trumpets, he knoweth things hidden, and
can tell all things present, past, and to come : he bewraieth treasure,
he can take a bodie either h u m a n e or aierie; he answereth truelie of
all things earthlie and secret, of the divinitie and creation of the world,
and bringeth foorth the best familiars ; and there obeie him two and
twentie legions of divels, partlie of the order of vertues, & partlie of
the order of thrones.
Eligor, * alias Abigor, is a great duke, and appeereth as a
goodlie knight, carrieng a lance, an ensigne, and a scepter : he
answereth fullie of things hidden, and of warres, and how
souldiers should meete : he knoweth things to come, and procureth the favour of lords and knights, governing sixtie legions of
divels.
Leraie, *alias Oray, a great marquesse, shewing himselfe in the like-/
nesse of a galant archer, carrieng a bowe and a quiver, he is author
of all battels, he dooth putrifie all such wounds as are made with
arrowes by archers, Quos optimos objicit tribus diebus, and he hath
regiment over thirtie legions.
Valefar, *alias Malefthar, is a strong duke, comming foorth in the
shape of a lion, and the head of a theefe, he is verie familiar with them

315

Buer.

Gusoin.

Both.
j/g.

Bathin.

Purson.
t* I t a l ^

Eligor.

Leraie.
268.

vaiefar.

2 I6

15 Booke

The discoverie

to whom he maketh himselfe acquainted, till he hath brought them to
the gallowes, and ruleth ten legions.
Morax.
Morax, *alias Foraii, a. great earle and a president, he is seene like
[* 7*a/.]
a bull, and if he take unto him a mans face, he maketh men wonderfull cunning in astronomie, & in all the liberall sciences : he giveth
good familiars and wise, knowing the power & vertue of hearbs and
380. stones which are pretious, and ruleth thirtie six le/gions.
Ipos.
Ipos, *alias Ayporos, is a great earle and a prince, appeering in the
shape of an angell, and yet indeed more obscure and filthie than«a lion,
with a lions head, a gooses feet, and a hares taile : he knoweth things
to come and past, he maketh a man wittie, and bold, and hath under
his jurisdiction thirtie six legions.
Naberius.
Naberius, *alias Cerberus, is a valiant marquesse, shewing himselfe
in the forme of a crowe, when he speaketh with a hoarse voice : he
maketh a man amiable and cunning in all arts, and speciallie in
rhetorike, he procureth the losse of prelacies and dignities : nineteene
legions heare and obeie him.
Glasya LaGlasya Labolas, *alias Caacrinolaas, or Caassimolar, is a great
bolas.
president, who commeth foorth like a dog, and hath wings like a griffen,
he giveth the knowledge of arts, and is the captaine of all mansleiers:
he understandeth things present and to come, he gaineth the minds
and love of freends and foes, he maketh a man go invisible, and hath
the rule of six and thirtie legions.
Zepar.
Zepar is a great duke, appearing as a souldier, inflaming women
with the loove of men, and when he is bidden he changeth their
shape, untill they maie enjoie their beloved, he also maketh them
barren, and six and twentie legions are at his obeie and commandement.
Bileth.
Bileth is a great king and a terrible, riding on a pale horsse, before
whome go trumpets, and all kind of melodious musicke. When he is
called up by an exorcist, he appeareth rough and furious, to deceive
him. Then let the exorcist or conjuror take heed to himself, and to
allaie his courage, let him hold a hazell bat in his hand, wherewithall
he must reach out toward the east and south, and make a triangle
without besides the circle ; but if he hold not out his hand unto him,
and he bid him come in, and he still refuse the bond or chaine of
spirits ; let the conjuror proceed to reading, and by and by he will
submit himselfe, and come in, and doo whatsoever the exorcist commandeth him, and he shalbe safe. If Bileth the king be more
stubborne, and refuse to enter into the circle at the first call, and the
conjuror shew himselfe fearfull, or if he have not the chaine of spirits,
certeinelie he will never feare nor regard him after. Also, if the
place be unapt for a triangle to be made without the circle, then set

of Witchcraft.

chap. *.

317

there a boll of/ wine, and the ex/orcist shall certeinlie knowe when he 269. 3S1.
commeth out of his house, with his fellowes, and that the foresaid
Bileth will be his helper, his friend, and obedient unto him when he
commeth foorth. And when he commeth, let the exorcist receive him
courteouslie, and glorifie him in his pride, and therfore he shall
adore him as other kings doo, bicause he saith nothing without other
princes. Also, if he be cited by an exorcist, alwaies a silver ring of
the middle finger of the left hand must be held against the exorcists
face, as they doo for Amaimon. And the dominion and power of so VideAmaigreat a prince is not to be pretermitted ; for there is none under the
power & dominion of the conjuror, but he that deteineth both men
and women in doting love, till the exorcist hath had his pleasure.
He is of the orders of powers, hoping to returne to the seaventh
throne, which is not altogether credible, and he ruleth eightie five
legions.
Sitri, *alias Bitru^ is a great prince, appeering with the face of a Sitri a bawleopard, and having wings as a griffen : when he taketh humane shape, |?,ie d"Je11,
he is verie beautifull, he inflameth a man with a womans love, and
also stirreth up women to love men, being commanded he willinglie
*deteineth secrets of women, laughing at them and mocking them, [* See note.]
to make them luxuriouslie naked, and there obeie him sixtie
legions.
Paimon is more obedient to Lucifer than other kings are. Lucifer paimon.
is heere to be understood he that was drowned in the depth of his
knowledge : he would needs be like God, and for his arrogancie was
throwne out into destruction, of whome it is said; Everie pretious Ezech. 88.
stone is thy covering. Paimon is constrained by divine vertue to
stand before the exorcist ; where he putteth on the likenesse of a
man : he sitteth on a beast called a dromedarie, which is a swift
runner, and weareth a glorious crowne, and hath an effeminate
countenance. There goeth before him an host of men with trumpets
and well sounding cymbals, and all musicall instruments. At the
first he appeereth with a great crie and roring, as in Circulo Saiomonis,
and in the art is declared. And if this Paimon speake sometime that
the conjuror understand him not, let him not therefore be dismaied.
But when he hath delivered him the first obligation, to observe his
desire, he must bid him also answer him distinctlie and plainelie to
the questi/ons he shall aske you, of all philosophie, wisedome, and 382.
science, and of all other secret things. And if you will knowe the
disposition of the world, and what the earth is, or what holdeth it up
in the water, or any other thing, or what is Abyssus, or where the
wind is, or from whence it commeth, he will teach you aboundantlie.
Consecrations also as well of sacrifices as otherwise maybe reckoned.

318

15. Booke.

Cautions
o°rcist 6 or X "
conjuror.
270.

The fall of

3S3.

Salomon
gathered ai

The discoverie

H e giveth dignities and confirmations ; he bindeth them that resist
him in his owne chaines, and subjecteth them to the conjuror ; he
prepareth good familiars, and hath the understanding of all arts.
Note, that at the calling up of him, the exorcist must looke towards
tne
northwest, bicause there is his house. W h e n he is called up, let
^ e exorcist receive him constantlie without feare, let him aske what
questions or demands he list, and no doubt he shall obteine the same
of him. And the exorcist must beware/ he forget not the creator, for
those things, which have beene rehearsed before of Paimon, some saie
he is of the order of dominations ; others saie, of the order of cherubim.
There follow him two hundred legions, partlie of the order of angels,
and partlie of potestates. Note that if Paimon be cited alone by an
offering or sacrifice, two kings followe him ; to wit, Beball & Abalam,
& other potentates : in his host are twentie five legions, bicause the
spirits subject to them are not alwaies with them, except they be
compelled to appeere by divine vertue.
Some saie that the king Beliall was created immediatlie after
Lucifer, and therefore they thinke that he was father and seducer of
them which fell being of the orders. For he fell first among the
worthier and wiser sort, which went before Michaeland other heavenlie
angels, which were lacking. Although Beliall went before all them
that were throwne downe to the earth, yet he went not before them
that tarried in heaven. This Beliall is constrained by divine vertue,
when he taketh sacrifices, gifts, and offerings, that he againe may
give unto the offerers true answers. But h e tarrieth not one houre in
the truth, except he be constrained by the divine power, as is said.
H e taketh the forme of a beautifull angell, sitting in a firie chariot;
h e speaketh faire, h e distributeth preferments of senatorship, and t h e
favour of friends, and excellent familiars : he hath rule over eightie
legions, partlie of the order of vertues, partlie of angels ; he/
is found in the forme of an exorcist in the bonds of spirits. T h e
exorcist must consider, that this Beliall doth in everie thing assist
his subjects. If he will not submit himselfe, let the bond of spirits
he r e a d : the spirits chaine is sent for him, wherewith wise Salomon
gathered them togither with their legions in a brasen vessell, where

the divels

°

togither in
vesseiien

were inclosed among all the legions seventie two kings, of whome
tne
cheefe was Bileth, the second was Beliall, the third Asmoday,
and above a thousand thousand legions. Without doubt (I must
confesse) I learned this of my maister Salomon ; but he told me not
why h e gathered them together, and shut them up so : but I beleeve
it was for the pride of this Beliall.
Certeine nigromancers doo saie,
that Salomon, being on a certeine daie seduced by the craft of a
certeine woman, inclined himselfe to praie before the same idoll,

°

1 , 1 - , .

•

-, •

*.

,

of Witchcraft.

ch ap . 2.

319

Beliall by name : which is not credible. And therefore we must
rather thinke (as it is said) that they were gathered together in that
great brasen vessell for pride and arrogancie, and throwne into a
deepe lake or hole in Babylon.
For wise Salomon did accomplish
his workes by the divine power, which never forsooke him. And
therefore we must thinke he worshipped not the image Beliall;
for
then he could not have constrained the spirits by divine vertue : for
this Beliall, with three kings were in the lake. But the Babylonians
The Babywoondering at the matter, supposed that they should find therein a ap^ofntelT
great quantitie of treasure, and therefore with one consent went of their
p
downe into the lake, and uncovered and brake the vessell, out of the
'
which immediatlie flew the capteine divels, and were delivered to
their former and proper places. But this Beliall entred into a certeine
image, and there gave answer to them that offered and sacrificed
unto him : as Tocz. in his sentences reporteth, and the
Babylonians
did worship and sacrifice thereunto./
Bune is a great and a strong Duke, he appeareth as a dragon with Bune. 271.
three heads, the third whereof is like to a man ; he speaketh with a
divine voice, he maketh the dead to change their place, and divels to
assemble upon the sepulchers of the dead : he greatlie inricheth a
man, and maketh him eloquent a n d wise, answering trulie to all
demands, and thirtie legions obeie him.
Forneus is a great marquesse, like unto a monster of the sea, he Fomeus.
maketh men woonderfull in rhetorike, h e adorneth a man/ with a 384.
good name, and the knowledge of toongs, and maketh one beloved
as well of foes as freends : there are under him nine and twentie
legions, of the order partlie of thrones, and partlie of angels.
Ronove a marquesse and an earle, he is resembled to a monster, Ronove.
he bringeth singular understanding in rhetorike, faithfull servants,
knowledge of toongs, favour of freends and foes; and nineteene
legions obeie him.
Berith is a great and a terrible duke, and h a t h three names. Of Berith a
some he is called Beall;
of the Jewes Berith ; of Nigromancers d°vefh
Bolfry : he commeth foorth as a red souldier, with red clothing, and
upon a horsse of that colour, and a crowne on his head. H e answereth trulie of things present, past, and to come. H e is compelled at a
certeine houre, through divine vertue, by a ring of art magi eke. H e
is also a lier, he turneth all mettals into gold, he adorneth a man with
dignities, and confirmeth them, he speaketh with a cleare and a subtill voice, and six and twentie legions are under him.
Astaroth is a great and a strong*duke, comming foorth in the shape Astaroth.
of a fowle angell, sitting upon an infernall dragon, and carrieng on
his right h a n d a viper : he answereth trulie to matters present, past,

320

15- Booke.

The discoverie

and to come, and also of all secrets. He talketh willinglie of the
creator of spirits, and of their fall, and how they sinned and fell : he
saith he fell not of his owne accord. He maketh a man woonderfull
learned in the liberall sciences, he ruleth fourtie legions. Let everie
exorcist take heed, that he admit him not too neere him, bicause of
his stinking breath. And therefore let the conjuror hold neere to his
face a magicall ring, and that shall defend him.
Foras.
Foras, *alias Forcas is a great president, and is seene in the forme
[* Ital.]
of a strong man, and in humane shape, he understandeth the vertue
of hearbs and pretious stones : he teacheth fullie logicke, ethicke,
and their parts : he maketh a man invisible, wittie, eloquent, and to
live long; he recovereth things lost, and discovereth treasures, and is
lord over nine and twentie legions.
Furfur is a great earle, appearing as an hart, with a firie taile, he
Furfur.
lieth in everie thing, except he be brought up within a triangle; being
385. bidden, he taketh angelicall forme, he speaketh/ with a hoarse voice,
and willinglie maketh love betweene man and wife ; he raiseth thunders and lightnings, and blasts. Where he is commanded, he
answereth well, both of secret and also of divine things, and hath
rule and dominion over six and twentie legions.
Marchosias.
Marchosias is a great marquesse, he sheweth himselfe in the shape
272. of a/ cruell shee woolfe, with a griphens wings, with a serpents taile,
and spetting I cannot tell what out of his mouth. When he is in a
mans shape, he is an excellent fighter, he answereth all questions
trulie, he is faithfull in all the conjurors businesse, he was of the
order of dominations, under him are thirtie legions : he hopeth after
1200. yeares to returne to the seventh throne, but he is deceived in
that hope.
Malphas.
Malphas is a great president, he is seene like a crowe, but being
cloathed with humane image, speaketh with a hoarse voice, he buildeth houses and high towres wonderfullie, and quicklie bringeth
artificers togither, he throweth downe also the enimies edifications,
he helpeth to good familiars, he receiveth sacrifices willinglie, but he
deceiveth all the sacrificers, there obeie him fourtie legions.
Vepar.
Vepar, *alias Separ, a great duke and a strong, he is like a mermaid,
he is the guide of the waters, and of ships laden with armour; he
bringeth to passe (at the commandement of his master) that the sea
shalbe rough and stormie, and shall appeare full of shippes ; he
killeth men in three daies, with putrifieng their wounds, and producing maggots into them ; howbeit, they maie be all healed with
diligence, he ruleth nine and twentie legions.
Sabnacke.
Sabnacke, *alias Salmac, is a great marquesse and a strong, he
commeth foorth as an armed soldier with a lions head, sitting on a

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

321

pale horsse, he dooth marvelouslie change mans forme and favor, he
buildeth high towres full of weapons, and also castels and cities ; he
inflicteth men thirtie daies with wounds both rotten and full of maggots, at the exorcists commandement, he provideth good familiars,
and hath dominion over fiftie legions.
Sidonay, *alias Asmoday, a great king, strong and mightie, he is sidonay.
seene with three heads, whereof the first is like a bull, the second like E*ItaL
a man, the third like a ram, he hath a serpents taile, he belcheth
flames out of his mouth, he hath feete like a goose, he sitteth/ on an 386.
infernall dragon, he carrieth a lance and a flag in his hand, he goeth
before others, which are under the power of Amaymon. When the
conjuror exerciseth this office, let him be abroad, let him be warie
and standing on his feete ; if his cap be on his head, he will cause
all his dooings to be bewraied, which if he doo not, the exorcist
shalbe deceived by Amaymon in everie thing. But so soone as he
seeth him in the forme aforesaid, he shall call him by his name,
saieng ; Thou art Asmoday: he will not denie it, and by and by he
boweth downe to the ground ; he giveth the ring of vertues, he absolutelie teacheth geometrie, arythmetike, astronomie, and handicrafts.
To all demands he answereth fullie and trulie, he maketh a man
invisible, he sheweth the places where treasure lieth, and gardeth it,
if it be among the legions of Amaymon, he hath under his power
seventie two legions.
Gaaft, *alias Tap, a great president and a prince, he appeareth in a Gaap.
meridionall signe, and when he taketh humane shape he is the guide
of the foure principall kings, as mightie as Bileth. There were certeine necromancers that offered sacrifices and burnt offerings unto
him; and to call him up, they exercised an art, saieng that Salomon
the wise made it./ Which is false: for it was rather Cham, the sonne 273.
of Noah, who after the floud began first to invocate wicked spirits. Who was
TT

.

1

^

r

,

,

,

•

1 •

1

1

1

the first ne-

He mvocated Bileth, and made an art in his name, and a booke cromancer.
which is knowne to manie mathematicians. There were burnt offerings and sacrifices made, and gifts given, and much wickednes
wrought by the exorcists, who mingled therewithall the holie names
of God, the which in that art are everie where expressed. Marie
there is an epistle of those names written by Salomon, as also write
Helias Hierosolymitanus and Helisceus. It is to be noted, that if
anie exorcist have the art of Bileth, and cannot make him stand
before him, nor see him, I may not bewraie how and declare the
meanes to conteine him, bicause it is abhomination, and for that
I have learned nothing from Salomon of his dignitie and office.
But yet I will not hide this ; to wit, that he maketh a man woonderfull in philosophic and all the liberall sciences : he maketh love,
TT

322

i 5 . Booke.

The

discoverie

hatred, insensibilitie,* invisibilitie, consecration,! and consecration
of those things that are belonging unto the domination of Amay3S7. moti) and delivereth familiars out of the possession of o/ther
conjurors, answering truly and perfectly of things present, past, & to
come, & transferreth men most speedilie into other nations, he ruleth
sixtie six legions, & was of the order of potestats.
Shax.
Shax, %alias Scox, is a darke and a great marquesse, like unto a
[% Ital.}
storke, with a hoarse and subtill voice : he dooth marvellouslie take
awaie the sight, hearing, and understanding of anie man, at the command ement of the conjuror : he taketh awaie monie out of everie
kings house, and carrieth it backe after 1200. yeares, if he be com[§ : in Wier]
manded^ he is a horssestealer, he is thought to be faithfull in all
commandements : and although he promise to be obedient to the
conjuror in all things ; yet is he not so, he is a lier, except he be
brought into a triangle, and there he speaketh divinelie, and telleth of
things which are hidden, and not kept of wicked spirits, he promiseth
good familiars, which are accepted if they be not deceivers, he hath
thirtie legions.
Procell is a great and a strong duke, appearing in the shape of an
Procell.
[Pucel, Wier]
angell, but speaketh verie darklie of things hidden, he teacheth
geometrie and all the liberall arts, he maketh great noises, and
causeth the waters to rore, where are none, he warmeth waters, and
distempereth bathes at certeine times, as the exorcist appointeth him,
he was of the order of potestats, and hath fourtie eight legions under
his power.
Furcas is a knight and commeth foorth in the similitude of a cruell
Furcas.
man, with a long beard and a hoarie head, he sitteth on a pale horsse,
carrieng in his hand a sharpe weapon, he perfectlie teacheth practike
philosophic, rhetorike, logike, astronomie, chiromancie, pyromancie,
and their parts : there obeie him twentie legions.
Murmur is a great duke and an earle, appearing in the shape of a
souldier, riding on a griphen, with a dukes crowne on his head; there
go before him two of his ministers, with great trumpets, he teacheth
philosophic absolutelie, he constraineth soules to come before the
exorcist, to answer what he shall aske them, he was of the order
[II and, etc.,
partlie of thrones, and partlie of angels, ||and ruleth thirtie legions.
in Wier]
Cairn is a great president, taking the forme of a thrush, but when
Cairn.
274. he put/teth on mans shape, he answereth in burning ashes, carrieng in
3S8. his hand a most sharpe swoord, he maketh the best/ disputers, he giveth
men the understanding of all birds, of the lowing of bullocks, and
barking of dogs, and also of the sound and noise of waters, he answereth best of things to come, he was of the order of angels, and ruleth
thirtie legions of divels.
[* Not in Wier]
[t Press duplication]

of Witchcraft.

chap. a.

323

Raum, or Raim is a great earle, he is seene as a crowe, but when Raum.
he putteth on humane shape, at the commandement of the exorcist,
he stealeth woonderfullie out of the kings house, and carrieth it
whether he is assigned, he destroieth cities, and hath great despite
unto dignities, he knoweth things present, past, and to come, and
reconcileth freends and foes, he was of the order of thrones, and
governeth thirtie legions.
Halphas is a great earle, and commeth abroad like a storke, with a Haiphas,
hoarse voice, he notablie buildeth up townes full of munition and
weapons, he sendeth men of warre to places appointed, and hath
under him six and twentie legions.
Focalor is a great duke comming foorth as a man, with wings like a Focalor.
griphen, he killeth men, and drowneth them in the waters, and overturneth ships of warre, commanding and ruling both winds and seas.
And let the conjuror note, that if he bid him hurt no man, he willinglie
consenteth thereto : he hopeth after 1000. yeares to returne to the
seventh throne, but he is deceived, he hath three legions.
Vine is a great king and an earle, he showeth himselfe as a lion, Vine.
riding on a blacke horsse, and carrieth a viper in his hand, he gladlie
buildeth large towres, he throweth downe stone walles, and maketh
waters rough. At the commandement of the exorcist he answereth
of things hidden, of witches, and of things present, past, and to
come.
Bifrons is seene in the similitude of a monster, when he taketh the Bifrons.
image of a man, he maketh one woonderfull cunning in astrologie,
absolutelie declaring the mansions of the planets, he dooth the like in
geometrie, and other admesurements, he perfectlie understandeth the
strength and vertue of hearbs, pretious stones, and woods, he changeth
dead bodies from place to place, he seemeth to light candles upon the
sepulchres of the dead, and hath under him six and twentie legions.
Gamigin is a great marquesse, and is seene in the forme of a little Gamigin.
horsse, when he taketh humane shape he speaketh with a/ hoarse JSQ.
voice, disputing of all liberall sciences j he bringeth also to passe,
that the soules, which are drowned in the sea, or which dwell in
purgatorie (which is called Cartagra, that is, affliction of soules) shall
take aierie bodies, and evidentlie appeare and answer to interrogatories
at the conjurors commandement; he tarrieth with the exorcist, untill
he have accomplished his desire, and hath thirtie legions under
him.
Zagan is a great king and a president, he commeth abroad like a Zagan.
bull, with griphens wings, but when he taketh humane shape, he
maketh men wittie, he turneth all mettals into the coine of that
dominion, and turneth water into wine, and wine into water, he also

'Z2A

J

5' Booke.

The discoverie

turneth bloud into wine, & wine into bloud, & a foole into a wise man,
he is head of thirtie and three legions./
Orias.
275.
Orias is a great marquesse, and is seene as a lion riding on a strong
horsse, with a serpents taile, and carrieth in his right hand two great
serpents hissing, he knoweth the mansion of planets, and perfectlie
teacheth the vertues of the starres, he transformeth men, he giveth
dignities, prelacies, and confirmations, and also the favour of freends
and foes, and hath under him thirtie legions.
Valac.
Valac is a great president, and commeth abroad with angels wings
like a boie, riding on a twoheaded dragon, he perfectlie answereth of
treasure hidden, and where serpents may be seene, which he delivereth
into the conjurors hands, void of anie force or strength, and hath
dominion over thirtie legions of divels.
Gomory.
Gomory a strong and a mightie duke, he appeareth like a faire
woman, with a duchesse crownet about hir midle, riding on a camell,
he answereth well and truelie of things present, past, and to come, and
of treasure hid, and where it lieth : he procureth the love of women,
especiallie of maids, and hath six and twentie legions.
Decarabia or Carabia, he commeth like a * and knoweth the force
Decarabia.
of herbes and pretious stones, and maketh all birds flie before the
exorcist, and to tarrie with him, as though they were tame, and
that they shall drinke and sing, as their maner is, and hath thirtie
legions.
A mduscias a great and a strong duke, he commeth foorth as an
A mduscias.
39°- unicorne, when he standeth before his maister in humane/ shape, being
commanded, he easilie bringeth to passe, that trumpets and all
musicall instruments may be heard and not seene, and also that trees
shall bend and incline, according to the conjurors will, he is excellent
among familiars, and hath nine and twentie legions.
Andras.
Andras is a great marquesse, and is seene in an angels shape with
a head like a blacke night raven, riding upon a blacke and a verie
strong woolfe, flourishing with a sharpe sword in his hand, he can kill
the maister, the servant, and all assistants, he is author of discords,
and ruleth thirtie legions.
A ndrcalAndrealphus is a great marquesse, appearing as a pecocke, he
phus.
raiseth great noises, and in humane shape perfectlie teacheth geometric, and all things belonging to admeasurements, he maketh a man
to be a subtill disputer, and cunning in astronomie, and transformeth
a man into the likenes of a bird, and there are under him thirtie
legions.
Ose.
Ose is a great president, and commeth foorth like a leopard, and
counterfeting to be a man, he maketh one cunning in the liberall
sciences, he answereth truelie of divine and secret things, he trans-

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2.

325

formeth a mans shape, and bringeth a man to that madnes, that he
thinketh himselfe to be that which he is not; as that he is a king or a
pope, or that he weareth a crowne on his head, Duratque id regnum
*adhoratn.
^] W i e r h a s n °
Aym or Haborim is a great duke and a strong, he commeth foorth Aym.
with three heads, the first like a serpent, the second like a man having
two * the third like a cat, he rideth on a viper, carrieng in his hand
a light fier brand, with the flame whereof castels and cities are fiered,
he maketh one wittie everie kind of waie, he answereth truelie of privie
matters, and reigneth over twentie six legions./
Orobas is a great prince, he commeth foorth like a horsse, but when Orobas. 276.
he putteth on him a mans idol, he talketh of divine vertue, he giveth
true answers of things present, past, and to come, and of the divinitie,
and of the creation, he deceiveth none, nor suffereth anie to be
tempted, he giveth dignities and prelacies, and the favour of freends
and foes, and hath rule over twentie legions.
Vapula is a great duke and a strong, he is seene like a lion/ Vapuia.
with griphens wings, he maketh a man subtill and wonderfull in jgi.
handicrafts, philosophic, and in sciences conteined in bookes, and is
ruler over thirtie six legions.
Cimeries is a great marquesse and a strong, ruling in the parts of Cimeries.
Aphrica; he teacheth perfectlie grammar, logicke, and rhetorike, he
discovereth treasures and things hidden, he bringeth to passe, that a
man shall seeme with expedition to be turned into a soldier, he rideth
upon a great blacke horsse, and ruleth twentie legions.
Amy is a great president, and appeareth in a flame of fier, but Amy.
having taken mans shape, he maketh one marvelous in astrologie, and
in all the liberall sciences, he procureth excellent familiars, he bewraieth treasures preserved by spirits, he hath the governement of
thirtie six legions, he is partlie of the order of angels, partlie of
potestats, he hopeth after a thousand two hundreth yeares to returne
to the seventh throne : which is not credible.
Flauros a strong duke, is seene in the forme of a terrible strong Flauros.
leopard, in humane shape, he sheweth a terrible countenance, and
fierie eies, he answereth trulie and fullie of things present, past, and
to come; if he be in a triangle,t he lieth in all things Jand deceiveth in [f ? transpose;
other things, and beguileth in other busines, he gladlie talketh of the ^ n erroneous
divinitie, and of the creation of the world, and of the fall; he is duplication of
constrained by divine vertue, and so are all divels or spirits, to burne
and destroie all the conjurors adversaries. And if he be commanded,
he suffereth the conjuror not to be tempted, and he hath twentie
legions under him.
Balam is a great and a terrible king, he commeth foorth with three Baiam.

326

15. Booke.

The discoverie

heads, the first of a bull, the second of a man, the third of a ram, he
hath a serpents taile, and flaming eies, riding upon a furious beare,
and carrieng a hawke on his fist, he speaketh with a hoarse voice,
answering perfectlie of things present, past, and to come, hee maketh
a man invisible and wise, hee governeth fourtie legions, and was of the
order of dominations.
Ailocer.
Allocer is a strong duke and a great, he commeth foorth like a
soldier, riding on a great horsse, he hath a lions face, verie red, and
3Q2. with flaming eies, he speaketh with a big voice, he maketh a/ man
woonderfull in astronomie, and in all the liberall sciences, he bringeth
good familiars, and ruleth thirtie six legions.
Saleos.
Saleos is a great earle, he appeareth as a gallant soldier, riding on
a crocodile, and weareth a dukes crowne, peaceable, &c.
Vuali.
Vuall is a great duke and a strong, he is seene as a great and
terrible dromedarie, but in humane forme, he soundeth out in a base
voice the ^Egyptian toong. This man above all other procureth the
277. especiall love/ of women, and knoweth things present, past, and to
come, procuring the love of freends and foes, he was of the order of
potestats, and governeth thirtie seven legions.
Haagentu
Haagenti is a great president, appearing like a great bull, having
the wings of a griphen, but when he taketh humane shape, he maketh
a man wise in everie thing, he changeth all mettals into gold, and
changeth wine and water the one into the other, and commandeth as
manie legions as Zagan.
Phmdx.
Phoenix is a great marquesse, appearing like the bird Phcenix^
having a childs voice : but before he standeth still before the conjuror, he singeth manie sweet notes. Then the exorcist with his
companions must beware he give no eare to the melodie, but must by
and by bid him put on humane shape; then will he speake marvellouslie of all woonderfull sciences. He is an excellent poet, and
obedient, he hopeth to returne to the seventh throne after a thousand
two hundreth yeares, and governeth twentie legions.
stolas
Stolas is a great prince, appearing in the forme of a nightraven,
before the exorcist, he taketh the image and shape of a man, and
teacheth astronomie, absolutelie understanding the vertues of herbes
and pretious stones ; there are under him twentie six legions.
% Note that a legion is 6 6 6 6. and now by multiplication
count how manie legions doo arise out of
everie particular. \

of Witchcraft.

ch ap . 4.

•J* Secretum secretorum,
The secret of secrets j
Tu operans sis secretus horumj*
Thou that workst them, be secret in them.

The third Chapter.
The houres wherin principall divels may be bound, to wit, raised
and restrained from dooing of hurt.
jJMAYMON king of the east, Gorson king of the south,
Zimimar king of the north, Goap king and prince of the
west, may be bound from the third houre, till noone, and
from the ninth houre till evening. Marquesses may be
bound from the ninth houre till compline, and from compline till the
end of the daie. Dukes may be bound from the first houre till noone;
and cleare wether is to be observed. Prelates may be bound in anie
houre of the daie. Knights from daie dawning, till sunne rising ; or
from evensong, till the sunne set. A President may not be bound in
anie houre of the daie, except the king, whome he o/beieth, be invocated ; nor in the shutting of the evening. Counties or erles may be
bound at anie houre of the daie, so it be in the woods or feelds, where
men resort not.

327
T h i s was
JQJ.
the work of
one T . R.
written in
faire letters of red
& blacke
upo parchment, and
made by
him, Ann.
1570. to
the maintenance of
his living,
the edifieng of the
poore, and
the glorie
of gods holie n a m e :
as he himselfe saith.
[* T h e L a t :
Rom.]

278.

The fourth Chapter.
The forme of adjuring or citing of the spirits aforesaid to arise
and aftpeare.
HEN you will have anie spirit, you must know his name
and office; you must also fast,t and be cleane from all [t jfcst not in
Wier]
pollusion, three or foure daies before; so will the spirit
be the more obedient unto you. Then make a circle, and
call up the spirit with great intention, and holding a ring in your
hand, rehearse in your owne name, and your companions (for one
must alwaies be with you) this/ praier following, and so no spirit shall jg^.
annoie you, and your purpose shall take effect, t And note how this [j This not in
Wier]
agreeth with popish charmes and conjurations.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the •{< father *J* and the
sonne ^ and the Holie-ghost H* holie trinitie and unseparable unitie,
E

328

is. Booke.

The discoverie

I call upon thee, that thou maiest be my salvation and defense, and
the protection of my bodie and soule, and of all my goods* through the
vertue of thy holie crosse, and through the vertue of thy passion, I
beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ, by the merits of thy blessed mother
S. Marie, and of all thy saints, that thou give me grace and divine
power over all the wicked spirits, so as which of them soever I doo
call by name, they may come by and by from everie coast, and
accomplish my will, that they neither be hurtfull nor fearefull unto
me, but rather obedient and diligent about me. And through thy
vertue streightlie commanding them, let them fulfill my commandements, Amen. Holie, holie, holie, Lord God of sabboth, which wilt
Note what
come to judge the quicke and the dead, thou which art A and Q, first
names are
and last, King of kings and Lord of lords, loth, Aglanabrath, El,
attributed
unto Christ
Abie I, Anathiel, Amazim, Sedomel, Gayes, He li, Messias, Tolimi,
by the conjuror in this
Elias, Ischiros, Athanatos, /mas. By these thy holie names, and by
his exorciall other I doo call upon thee, and beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ,
sing exercise.
by thy nativitie and baptisme, by thy crosse and passion, by thine
ascension, and by the comming of the Holie-ghost, by the bitternesse
of thy soule when it departed from thy bodie, by thy five wounds, by
the bloud and water which went out of thy bodie, by thy vertue, by
the sacrament which thou gavest thy disciples the daie before thou
sufferedst, by the holie trinitie, and by the inseparable unitie, by
blessed Marie thy mother, by thine angels, archangels, prophets,
patriarchs, and by all thy saints, and by all the sacraments which are
made in thine honour, I doo worship and beseech thee, I blesse and
desire thee, to accept these praiers, conjurations, and words of my
mouth, which I will use. I require thee O Lord Jesus Christ, that
thou give me thy vertue & power over all thine angels (which were
throwne downe from heaven to deceive mankind) to drawe them to
me, to tie and bind them, & also to loose them, to gather them togither
before me, & to command them to doo all that they can/and that by
395- 279. no meanes they con/temne my voice, or the words of my mouth;/ but
that they obeie me and my saiengs, and feare me. I beseech thee by
thine humanitie, mercie and grace, and I require thee Adonay, Amay,
Horta, Vege\ dora, Mitai, Hel, Suranat, Ysion, Ysesyy% and by all thy
[f Vzgedara,
Wier]
holie names, and by all thine holie he saints and she saints, by all thine
[ t Ysyesy, Wier]
angels and archangels, powers, dominations, and vertues, and by that
[§
Elhrock,Wier] name that Salomon did bind the divels, and shut them up, Elhrach,%
\E'banher, Agle, Goth, loth, Othie, Venoch, Nabrat, and by all thine
[|| eban her,
Wier]
holie names which are written in this booke, and by the vertue of
them all, that thou enable me to congregate all thy spirits throwne
W h a t wondowne from heaven, that they may give me a true answer of all my
derfull
force condemands, and that they satisfie all my requests, without the hurt of
jurors doo
[* goods.
Through, Wier]

of Witchcraft,

chap. 5.

329

my bodie or soule, or any thing else that is mine, through our Lord beieeve
T

A-i

•

1

1• 1

1.

1

1

•

1

• -i

1

•

1

cCsisteth in

Jesus Christ thy sonne, which hveth and reigneth with thee in the
unitie of the Holie-ghost, one God world without end.
Oh father omnipotent, oh wise sonne, oh Holie-ghost, the searcher
of harts, oh you three in persons, one true godhead in substance,
which didst spare Adam and Eve in their sins; and oh thou sonne,
which diedst for their sinnes a most filthie death, susteining it upon
the holie crosse ; oh thou most mercifull, when I flie unto thy mercie,
and beseech thee by all the means I can, by these the holie names of
thy sonne ; to wit, A and O, and all other his names, grant me thy
vertue and power, that I may be able to cite before me, thy spirits
which were throwne downe from heaven, & that they may speake
with me, & dispatch by & by without delaie, & with a good will, &
without the hurt of my bodie, soule, or goods, &c : as is conteined in
the booke called Annulus Salomonis.
Oh great and eternall vertue of the highest, which through disposition, these being called to judgement, *Vaicheon, Stimulamaton,
Esphares, Tetragrammaton, Olioram, \ Cryon, Esytion, Existion,
Eriona, Onela, Brasim, JVoym, Messias, Soter, Emanuel, Sabboth,
Adonay, I worship thee, I invocate thee, I {imploie thee with all the
strength of my mind, that by thee, my present praiers, consecrations,
and conjurations be hallowed : and whersoever wicked spirits are
called, in the vertue of thy names, they may come togither from everie
coast, and diligentlie fulfill the will of me the exorcist. %Fiat^ fiat,
fiat, A men. I

T h e fift Chapter.

these forof^£risteS

[*Rom.]
[t t'rion, Wiei]
[J implore,

[§ //*/.]

396-

A confutation of the manifold vanities conteined in the precedent
v
chapters, special lie of commanding of dive Is.
jJE that can be persuaded that these things are true, or
wrought indeed according to the assertion of couseners,
or according to the^upposition of witchmongers & papists,
may soone be brought to beieeve that the moone is made
ofgreene cheese. You see in this which is called Salomons conjuration, there is a perfect inventarie registred of the number of divels, of
their names, of their offices, of their personages, of their qualities, of
their powers, of their properties, of their kingdomes,/ of their govern- 280.
ments, of their orders, of their dispositions, of their subjection, of
their submission, and of the waies to bind or loose them; with a note ^Vto0011"
what wealth, learning, office, commoditie, pleasure, &c : they can the scripUU

33Q

15. Booke.

The discoverie

give, and may be forced to yeeld in spight of their harts, to such (forsooth) as are cunning in this art : of whome yet was never seene any
rich man, or at least that gained any thing that waie ; or any unlearned man, that became learned by that meanes ; or any happie
man, that could with the helpe of this art either deliver himselfe, or
his freends, from adversitie, or adde unto his estate any point of
felicitie: yet these men, in all worldlie happinesse, must needs exceed
all others ; if such things could be by them accomplished, according
as it is presupposed. For if they may learne of Marbas, all secrets,
A breviarie
of the inand to cure all diseases ; and of Furcas, wisdome, and to be cunning
ventarie of
spirits.
in all mechanicall arts ; and to change anie mans shape, of Zefiar : if
Bum can make them rich and eloquent, if Beroth can tell them of all
things, present, past, and to come; if Asmodaie can make them go
invisible and shew them all hidden treasure ; if Salmacke will afflict
whom they list, & Allocer can procure them the love of any woman ;
if Amy can provide them excellent familiars, if Caym can make them
understand the voice of all birds and beasts, and Buer and Bifrons
397* can make them live long ; and finallie, if Orias\ could procure unto
them great friends, and reconcile their enimies, & they in the end
had all these at commandement; should they not live in all worldlie
honor and felicitie ? whereas contrariwise they lead their lives in all
obloquie, miserie, and beggerie, and in fine come to the gallowes ; as
though they had chosen unto themselves the spirit Valefer, who they
saie bringeth all them with whom he entreth into familiaritie, to no
T h e aubetter end than the gibet or gallowes. But before I proceed further
thors furto the confutation of this stufife, I will shew other conjurations, dether purpose in the
vised more latelie, and of more authoritie ; wherein you shall see how
detection
of c5juring.
fooles are trained to beleeve these absurdities, being woone
by little and little to such credulitie. For the author
heereof beginneth, as though all the cunning
of conjurors were derived and fetcht
from the planetarie motions,
and true course of the
stars, celestiall
bodies,
&c./

ture, which
saith that
everie good
gift commeth from
the father
of light, &c.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 6.

T h e vi. Chapter.

281.

The names of the planets, their characters, togither with the
twelve signes of the zodiake, their dispositions, aspects,
and government, with other observations.

Con mrtftton £ £ C T, v rf. G 9 g D. the charaftcrs of the Planrn.
Qusdrac
Q $"Z5at*r' &&*****» M» r<*»h ****** ****•
Trine
Opposition

£ ^

Satftr. 1*lfKr?Mitfi;So!>\retm< Merc*, turn.

ThcltwcIvclignesofthc^odiakE, their chara-

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Pi/fo.

Thcif difpofkions or inclinations.
r s t f ; Good £ \ AfJjLip >Bvill > C SSUIS PSign i n ;ncs
Ttnt. • *
T tf» rf* Very good fi&nq. i y B Si tf _ Very evHl fignw.-

332

398.

The discoverie

15- Booke.

282.

The disposition of the planets.

b pe o* 0 x°^x ©
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The aspects of the planets.
T h e five
planetarie
aspects :
Conjunct.
Sextil.

Trine.

Quartil.
Opposit.

6
*
A
D
$

Is the best aspect, with good planets, and woorst with evill.
Is a meane aspect in goodnesse or badnesse.
Is verie good in aspect to good planets, & hurteth not in evill.
This aspect is of enimitie not full perfect.
This aspect is of enimitie most perfect.

How the daie is divided or distinguished.
A daie naturall is the space of foure and twentie houres, accounting
the night withall, and beginneth at one of the clocke after midnight.
An artificial! daie is that space of time, which is betwixt the rising
and falling of the © &c. All the rest is night, & beginneth at the
© rising.
Hereafter followeth a table, showing how the daie and the night is divided
by houres, and reduced to the regiment of the planets.//

of

Witchcraft.

The division of the dale, and the planetarie
regiment.

1
\\i

"^ i 2, 31 4 * <T 7 s \9 FlO i i ia|
0 if / c t> 26 S o \A? e *
i® b 2£ <** © x° V c b *£ ^ ©
¥ p o -^ C »? 2€ <f o
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7
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7
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L®.

The division of the night, and the planetarie
regiment.

7 1A

400.

15. Booke.

284.

The discoverie

T h e seventh

Chapter.

The characters of the angels of the seaven dales, with their names:
of figures, seales and periapts.

[1st ed. ve]

7%*J* figures
seales of
the
{ which no spirit are called theexcept thouthe earth, withoutthee. )) jl
will appeere,
have them with

of

Witchcraft.

335

C h a p . 8.

401.

285.

[fo - foe]

T h e eight Chapter.
An experiment of the dead.
IRST fast and praie three daies, and absteine thee from Conjuring
for a dead
all filthinesse ; go to one that is new buried, such a one spirit.
as killed himselfe or destroied himselfe wilfullie : or else
get thee promise of one that shalbe hanged, and let him
sweare an oth to thee, after his bodie is dead, that his spirit shall
come to thee, and doo thee true service, at thy commandements, in
all daies, houres, and minuts. And let no persons see thy doings, but
thy *fellow. And about eleven a clocke in the night, go to the place * F o r the
cousenor
where he was buried, and saie with a bold faith & hartie desire, to (the conjushould
have the spirit come that thou doost call for, thy fellow having a ror I can
saie)
candle in his left hand, and in his right hand a christall stone, and do nothing
pursaie these words following, the maister having a hazell wand in his to anywithpose
out his coright hand, and these names of God written thereupon, \Tetragram- federate.
maton *%*/ Adonay ^ Agla •!« Craton ^ Then strike three strokes on[ t R o m . ] 402.
the ground, and saie ; Arise N. Arise N. Arise N. I conjure thee Note that
numerus
spirit N> by the resurrection of our Lord Jesu Christ, that thou doo ternarius,
which is
obey to my words, and come unto me this night verelie and trulie, as counted
thou beleevest to be saved at the daie of judgement. And I will mysticall,
be observed.
sweare to thee an oth, by the perill of my soule, that if thou wilt
come to me, and appeare to me this night, and shew me true
visions in this christall stone, and fetch me the fairie Sibylia, that
I may talke with hir visiblie, and she may come before me, as
the conjuration leadeth : and in so dooing, I will give thee an/

336

i5.Booke.

The discoverie

almesse deed, and praie for thee N. to my Lord God, wherby thou
maiest be restored to thy salvation at the resurrection daie, to
be received as one of the elect of God, to the everlasting glorie,
Amen.
The maister standing at the head of the grave, his fellow having
in his hands the candle and the stone, must begin the conjuration as
followeth, and the spirit will appeare to you in the christall stone,
in a faire forme of a child of twelve yeares of age. And when
he is in, feele the stone, and it will be hot ; and feare nothing,
for he or shee will shew manie delusions, to drive you from your
worke. Feare God, but feare him not. This is to constraine him, as
followeth.
I conjure thee spirit N. by the living God, the true God, and by
the holie God, and by their vertues and powers which have created
both thee and me, and all the world. I conjure thee N. by these
holie names of God, * Tetragramtnalon >J* Adonay •!« Algramay •f*
[* Rom.]
Saday •fi Sabaoth •f* Planaboth *i* Panthon •{< Craton •{< Neupmaton
•J* Deus •{< Homo •{« Omnipotens *fr Sempiturnus •J* Ysus *%* Terra
•J* Unigenitus ^ Salvator •{< Via •{* Vita >J« Manus ^ Fons *i* Origo
•J* Filius *%* And by their vertues and powers, and by all their names,
by the which God gave power to man, both to speake or
thinke ; so by their vertues and powers I conjure thee spirit
N, that now immediatlie thou doo appeare in this christall
stone, visiblie to me and to my fellow, without anie tarrieng
or deceipt. I conjure thee N. by the excellent name of Jesus
Christ A and Q. the first and the last.
For this holie name
of Jesus is above all names : for in this name of Jesus
403- everie knee dooth bow and obeie, both of heavenlie/ things,
earthlie things, and infernall. And everie toong doth confesse,
that our Lord Jesus Christ is in the glorie of the father : neither is
there anie other name given to man, whereby he must be saved.
Therefore in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and by his nativitie,
resurrection, and ascension, and by all that apperteineth unto his
passion, and by their vertues and powers I conjure thee spirit N. that
thou doo appeare visiblie in this christall stone to me, and to my
fellow, without anie dissimulation. I conjure thee N. by the bloud of
the innocent lambe Jesus Christ, which was shed for us upon the
crosse : for all those that* doo beleeve in the vertue of his bloud,
* Dcemones
shalbe saved. I conjure thee N. by the vertues and powers of all the
credendo
contremisriall names and words of the living God of me pronounced, that thou
citnt.
be obedient unto me and to my words rehearsed. If thou refuse this
to doo, I by the holie trinitie, and their vertues and powers doo condemne thee thou spirit AT. into the place where there is no hope of

Ex inferno 2 8 6 .
nulla redemfitio, saith
the scripture : Ergo
you lie
quoth Nota.

of Witchcraft.

cimp. 8.

^^7

remedie or rest, but everlasting horror and paine there dwelling, and A heavie
a place where is paine upon paine, dailie, horriblie, and lamentablie, denounced
thy paine to be there augmented as the starres in the heaven, and as °lw™n~
the gravell or sand in the sea : except thou spirit N. doo appeare to gainst the
i

r ,i

. . . . . .

, . . . . , .

,

.

„

,

spirit in case

me and to my fellow visiblie, immediatlie m this christall stone, and of disobediin a faire forme and shape of a child of twelve yeares of age, and that t^rnpt^or
thou alter not thy shape, I charge thee upon paine of everlasting con- negligence.
demnation. I conjure thee spirit N. by the golden girdle, which
girded the loines of our Lord/ Jesus Christ : so thou spirit N. be thou 287.
bound into the perpetuall paines of hell fier, for thy disobedience and
unreverent regard, that thou hast to the holie names and words, and
his precepts. I conjure thee N. by the two edged sword, which John
sawe proceed out of the mouth of the almightie ; and so thou spirit M
H
N. be torne and* cut in peeces with that sword, and to be condemned How can
into everlasting paine, where the fier goeth not out, and where the whena'spiworme dieth not. I conjure thee N. by the heavens, and by the "gidf*
celestiall citie of Jerusalem, and by the earth and the sea, and by allflesh,bioud,
things conteined in them, and by their vertues & powers. I conjure
thee spirit N. by the obedience that thou doost owe unto the principall
prince. And except thou spirit N. doo come and appeare in this
christall stone visiblie in my presence, here imme/diatlie as it is afore- 4°4said. Let the great cursse of God, the anger of God, the shadowe
and darknesse of death, and of eternall condemnation be upon thee
spirit N. for ever and ever ; bicause thou hast denied thy faith, thy
health, & salvation. For thy great disobedience, thou art worthie to
be condemned. Therefore let the divine trinitie, thrones, dominions,
principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and all the
soules of saints, both of men and women, condemne thee for ever,
and be a witnesse against thee at the daie of judgement, bicause of
thy disobedience. And let all creatures of our Lord Jesus Christ, saie
thereunto; Fiat^Jlat^Jiat: Amen.
And when he is appeared in the christall stone, as is said before,
bind him with this bond as followeth ; to wit, I conjure thee spirit N.
that art appeared to me in this christall stone, to me and to my fellow ;
I conjure thee by* all the riall words aforesaid, the which did con- * The constraine thee to appeare therein, and their vertues ; I charge thee spirit {eth^Tap"by them all, that thou shalt not depart out of this christall stone, peanngof
untill my will being fulfilled, thou be licenced to depart. I conjure constraint
and bind thee spirit N. by that omnipotent God, which commanded quoth^ta.
the angell S. Michael to drive Lucijer out of the heavens with a
sword of vengeance, and to fall from joy to paine ; and for dread of
such paine as he is in, I charge thee spirit N. that thou shalt not go
out of the christall stone ; nor yet to alter thy shape at this time,
XX

338

i5.Booke.

The discoverie

except I command thee otherwise ; but to come unto me at all places,
and in all houres and minuts, when and wheresoever I shall call thee,
by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ, or by anie conjuration of
words that is written in this booke, and to shew me and my freends
true visions in this christall stone, of anie thing or things that we
would see, at anie time or times : and also to go and to fetch me the
fairie Sibylia, that I may talke with hir in all kind of talke, as I shall
call hir by anie conjuration of words conteined in this booke. I conjure thee spirit N. by the great wisedome and divinitie of his godhead,
my will to fulfill, as is aforesaid : I charge thee upon paine of condemnation, both in this world, and in the world to come, Fiat, fiat,
fiat: Amen.
This done, go to a place fast by, and in a faire parlor or chamber,
405. make a circle with chalke, as hereafter followeth : and make/ another
circle for the fairie Sibylia to appeare in, foure foote from the circle
thou art in, & make no names therein, nor cast anie holie thing there288. in, but/ make a circle round with chalke ; & let the maister and his
fellowe sit downe in the first circle, the maister having the booke in
his hand, his fellow having the christall stone in his right hand,
looking in the stone when the fairie dooth appeare. T h e maister also
must have upon his brest this figure here written in parchment,
and beginne to worke in the new of
the ]> and in the houre of % the 0
and the D to be in one of inhabiters signes, as ® £ X- This bond
as followeth, is to cause the spirit in
the christall stone, to fetch unto thee
the fairie Sibylia. All things fulfilled,
beginne this bond as followeth, and
be bold, for doubtles they will come
before thee, before the conjuration
be read seven times.
I conjure thee spirit N. in this
christall stone, by God the father,
by God the sonne Jesus Christ, and by God the Holie-ghost, three
persons and one God, and by their vertues. I conjure thee spirit, that
thou doo go in peace, and also to come againe to me quicklie, and to
And whie
bring with thee into that circle appointed, Sibylia fairie, that I may
might not
talke wTith hir in those matters that shall be to hir honour and glorie ;
he doo it

himseife, as
dam Ti'byii'a.

.

and so I charge thee declare unto hir. I conjure thee spirit N. by the
bloud of the innocent lambe, the which redeemed all the world ; by
the vertue thereof I charge thee thou spirit in the christall stone, that
thou doo declare unto hir this message. Also I conjure thee spirit

of Witchcraft.

chap. s.

339

N. by all angels and archangels, thrones, dominations, principats,
potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by their vertues and
powers. I conjure the N. that thou doo depart with speed, and also
to come againe with speed, and to bring with thee the fairie Sibylla,
to appeare in that circle, before I doo read the conjuration in
this booke seven times. Thus I charge thee my will to be fulfilled, upon paine of everlasting condemnation : Fiat, fiat, fiat;
Amen.
Then the figure aforesaid pinned on thy brest, rehearse the words
therein, and saie, *i* Sorthie •£< Sorthia ^ Sorthios •& then beginne
your conjuration as followeth here, and saie ; 1/ conjure thee Sibylla, 406.
0 gentle virgine of fairies, by the mercie of the Holie-ghost, and by Ji e S" r i e
the dreadfull daie of doome, and by their vertues and powers ; I C O n - conjured
jure thee Sibylla, O gentle virgine of fairies, and by all the angels t0 appeare '
of % and their characters and vertues, and by all the spirits of % and
$ and their characters and vertues, and by all the characters that be
in the firmament, and by the king and queene of fairies, and their
vertues, and by the faith and obedience that thou bearest unto them.
1 conjure thee Sibylla by the bloud that ranne out of the side of our
Lord Jesus Christ crucified, and by the opening of heaven, and by the
renting of the temple, and by the darkenes of the sunne in the time
of his death, and by the rising up of the dead in the time of his
resurrection, and by the virgine Marle\ mother of our Lord Jesus 289.
Christ, and by the unspeakable name of God, Tetragrammaton.
I
conjure thee O Sibylla, O blessed and beautifull virgine, by all the
riall words aforesaid; I conjure thee Sibylla by all their vertues to
appeare in that circle before me visible, in the forme and shape of a
beautifull woman in a bright and vesture white, adorned and garnished
most faire, and to appeare to me quicklie without deceipt or tarrieng,
and that thou faile not to fulfill my will & desire effectuallie. For I
will choose thee to be my blessed virgine, & will have common
copulation with thee. Therfore make hast & speed to come unto me,
and to appeare as I said before : to whome be honour and glorie for
ever and ever, Amen.
The which doone and ended, if shee come not, repeate the conjuration till they doo come : for doubtles they will come. And when
she is appeared, take your censers, and incense hir with frankincense,
then bind hir with the bond as followeth. ^f I doo conjure thee The maner
Sibylla, by God the Father, God the sonne, and God the Holie- t°hfeb[airieg
ghost, three persons and one God, and by the blessed virgine Sibyiiaat
Marie mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by all the whole and rinrgappea
holie companie of heaven, and by the dreadfull daie of doome, and
by all angels and archangels, thrones, dominations, principates,

340

is. Booke.

The discoverie

potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and their vertues and
powers. I conjure thee, and bind thee Sibylia, that thou shalt
not depart out of the circle wherein thou art appeared, nor yet to alter
thy shape, except I give thee licence to depart. I conjure thee Sibylia
407. by the bloud that ranne out of the side/ of our Lord Jesus Christ
crucified, and by the vertue hereof I conjure thee Sibylia to come to
me, and to appeare to me at all times visiblie, as the conjuration of
words leadeth, written in this booke. I conjure thee Sibylia, O blessed
virgine of fairies, by the opening of heaven, and by the renting of the
temple, and by the darknes of the sunne at the time of his death, and
by the rising of the dead in the time of his glorious resurrection, and
if ail this
by the unspeakable name of God •£• Tetragrammaton *J< and by the
fetcVhfr
king and queene of fairies, & by their vertues I conjure thee Sibylia
up the dito appeare, before the conjuration be read over foure times, and that
knave.a
visiblie to appeare, as the conjuration leadeth written in this booke,
and to give me good counsell at all times, and to come by treasures
hidden in the earth, and all other things that is to doo me pleasure,
and to fulfill my will, without anie deceipt or tarrieng ; nor yet
that thou shalt have anie power of my bodie or soule, earthlie
or ghostlie, nor yet to perish so much of my bodie as one haire
of my head. I conjure thee Sibylia by all the riall words aforesaid, and by their vertues and powers, I charge and bind thee
by the vertue thereof, to be obedient unto me, and to all the
words aforesaid, and this bond to stand betweene thee and me,
upon paine of everlasting condemnation, Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen./

290.

T h e ninth

Chapter.

A licence for Sibylia to go and come by at all times.
CONJURE thee Sibylia, which art come hither before
me, by the commandement of thy Lord and mine, that
thou shalt have no powers, in thy going or comming unto
me, imagining anie evill in anie maner of waies, in the
earth or under the earth, of evill dooings, to anie person or persons.
I conjure and command thee Sibylia by all the riall words and vertues
that be written in this booke, that thou shalt not go to the place from
whence thou earnest, but shalt remaine peaceablie invisiblie, and
looke thou be readie to come unto me, when thou art called by anie
conjuration of words that be written in this booke, to come (I saie) at
408. my commandement, and to answer unto me truelie/ and duelie of all

of Witchcraft.

chap. 10.

341

things, my will quicklie to be fulfilled. Vade in pace, in nomine patris,
fe^filii, &* spiritus sancti. And the holie *i* crosse •!« be betweene thee
and me, or betweene us and you, and the lion of Juda, the roote
of Jesse, the kindred of David, be betweene thee & me ^
Christ commeth ^ Christ commandeth *i* Christ giveth power
>i* Christ defend me H and his innocent bloud *J* from all
h
perils of bodie and soule, sleeping or waking : Fiat, fiat, Amen.

The tenth Chapter.
To know of treasure hidden in the earth.
|RITE in paper these characters following, on the satur- This would
daie, in the houre of D, and laie it where thou thinkest praS^ed if
treasure to be : if there be anie, the paper will burne, else h were n.ot
7

*

r

not. And these be the characters.

'

a

couserung

knacke.

This is the waie to go invisible by these three sisters of
fairies.

291.

the
of the
and
the Sonne,
of the HolieI N ghost.name andgo toFather, parlorofor-chamber, isand even ground,
First
a faire
& an
and in no loft,
from people nine daies ; for it the better : and
let all thy clothing be cleane and sweete. Then make a candle of
virgine waxe, and light it, and make a faire fier of charcoles, in a faire
place, in the middle of the parlor or chamber. Then take faire cleane
water, that runneth against the east, and set it upon the fier: and
*yer thou washest thy selfe, saie these words, going about the fier, [*=ere.]
three times, holding the candle in the right hand •J* Panthon • <
{
Craton •£• Muriton *i* Bisecognaton >%* Siston H Diaton ^ Maton
W
409.
•ft Tetragrammaton •{* Agla >i* Agarion •ft Tegra >fc Pentessaron *i*
Tendicata ^ Then reherse these names •{« Sorthie ^Sorthia >fr

342

15. Booke

The discoverie

Sorthios •£< Milia •!« Achilia >{* Sibylia *%t in nomine patris,
S^fiUi,
&* spiritus sancti, Amen. I conjure you three sisters of fairies, Milia,
Achilia, Sibylia, by the father, by the sonne, and by the Holie-ghost,
a n d by their vertues and powers, and by the most mercifull and living
T h e three
sisters of
God, that will command his angell to blowe the trumpe at the daie
the fairies,
of j u d g e m e n t ; a n d he shall saie, Come, come, come to j u d g e m e n t ;
Milia, Achilia, and
and by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats,
Sibylia.
potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by their vertues and
powers. I conjure you three sisters, by the vertue of all the riall
words aforesaid : I charge you that you doo appeare before me
visiblie, in forme and shape of faire women, in white vestures, and to
bring with you to me, the ring of invisibilitie, by the which I may go
invisible at mine owne will and pleasure, and that in all houres and
minuts : in nomine patris, d^Jilii, &* spiritus sancti, Amen. •$ Being
appeared, saie this bond following.
O blessed virgins •{< Milia ^ Achilia *i* I conjure you in the n a m e
of the father, in the name of the sonne, and in the name of the
Holie-ghost, and by their vertues I charge you to depart from me
in peace, for a time. And Sibylia, I conjure thee, by the vertue
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the vertue of his flesh and pretious bloud, that he tooke of our blessed ladie the virgine, and by
all the holie companie in heaven : I charge thee Sibylia, by all the
vertues aforesaid, that thou be obedient unto me, in the name of
God ; that when, and at what time and place I shall call thee by
this foresaid conjuration written in this booke, looke thou be readie
to come unto me, at all houres and minuts, and to bring unto me
the ring of invisibilitie, whereby I may go invisible at my will
T h e ring of
and pleasure, and that at all houres and m i n u t s ; Fiat,
fiat.
invisibilitie.
Amen.
And if they come not the first night, then doo the same the
second night, and so the third night, untill they doo come : for doubtles they will come, and lie thou in thy bed, in the same parlor or
chamber. A n d laie thy right h a n d out of the bed, and looke thou
have a faire silken kercher bound about thy head, and be not afraid,
they will doo thee no harme. F o r there will come before thee three
410. faire/ women, and all in white clothing; and one of them will put *a
292. ring upon thy finger, wherwith thou shalt go/ invisible. Then with
* Such a
speed bind them with the bond aforesaid. W h e n thou hast this ring
ring it was
on thy finger, looke in a glasse, and thou shalt not see thy selfe. And
that advanced Giges
when thou wilt go invisible, put it on thy finger, the same finger that
to the kingdome of
they did put it on, and everie new D renew it againe. F o r after the
Lydia:
first time thou shalt ever have it, and ever beginne this worke in the
Plato, lib. 2
de justo,
new of the ]) and in the houre of % and the D in 2© t K.

of Witchcraft.
T h e eleventh

chap.».

343

Chapter.

An experiment following, of Citrael, &*c : *angeli diei
dominici.

[* These three
words Ital.]

51 Sale first the praiers of the angels everie daie, for the space of
seaven dales.
Ye glorious angels written in this square,
Michael. 0
be you my coadjutors & helpers in all
Gabriel. 5)
questions and demands, in all my busines,
Samael. S
and other causes, by him which shall come
Raphael. * i to judge the quicke and the dead, and the world by
Sachiel. % fier. 0 angeli gloriosi in hac quadra scripti, estote
Anael.
9 coadjutores &^ auxiliatores in omnibus qucestionibus
Cassiel. h cV interrogationibus, in omnibtis negotiis, cceterisque
causis, per etim qui venturus est judicare vivos &*
mortuos, 6° mundum per ignem.
% Sale this praier fasting, called' *Regina lingua?.

* o queene
or governesse of the

•I* Letnaac •£• sohnaac •{* elmay ^ gezagra •fi raamaasin >J* ezierego •{«
mial >J« egziephiaz •{* fosamin H* sabach •{* ha Hh a^m *i* re •{« b >%* e
E
*%< sepha >%* sephar ^ ramar •{« semoit Hh lemaio *i* pheralon *i* amic
Hh phin *i* gergoin ^ letos •{< Amin *i* amin 4<.
In the name of the most pitifullest and rnercifullest God of Israel
and of paradise, of heaven and of earth, of the seas and of/ the 4ITinfernalles, by thine omnipotent helpe may performe this worke,
which livest and reignest ever one God world without end, Amen.
O most strongest and mightiest God, without beginning or ending,
by thy clemencie and knowledge I desire, that my questions, worke,
and labour may be fullie and trulie accomplished, through thy worthines, good Lord, which livest and reignest, ever one God, world
without end, Amen.
O holie, patient, and mercifull great God, and to be worshipped,
the Lord of all wisedome, cleare and just; I most hartilie
desire thy holines and clemencie, to fulfill, performe
and accomplish this my whole worke, thorough
thy worthines, and blessed power : which
livest and reignest, ever one God,
Per omnia sozcula
sceculorum,
Amen./

244

isBooke.

293.

The discoveme
T h e twelfe Chapter.
How to enclose a spirit in a christall stone.

Observations of clenlinesse, abstinence,
and devotion.
['* penitential]

An observation touching the
use of the
five swords.
412.

[ t sic]

A weightie
charge of
conjuration
upon the
five K. of the
north.

HIS operation following, is to have a spirit inclosed into
a christall stone or berill glasse, or into anie other like
instrument, &c. \ First thou in the new of the ]) being
clothed with all new, and fresh, & cleane araie, and
shaven, and that day to fast with bread and water, and being cleane
confessed, saie the seaven* psalmes, and the letanie, for the space of
two daies, with this praier following.
I desire thee O Lord God, my mercifull and most loving God, the
giver of all graces, the giver of all sciences, grant that I thy welbeloved JV. (although unworthie) may knowe thy grace and power,
against all the deceipts and craftines of divels. And grant to me
thy power, good Lord, to constraine them by this art : for thou art
the true, and livelie, and eternall GOD, which livest and reignest
ever one GOD through all worlds, Amen.
Thou must doo this five daies, and the sixt daie have in a redines,
five bright swords : and in some secret place make one circle, with
one of the said swords. And then write this name, Sitrael: which
doone, standing in the circle, thrust in thy sword into that name.
And write againe Malanthon, with another sword ; and/ Thamaor,
with another; and Falaur, with another; and Sitranii, with another:
and doo as ye did with the first. All this done, turne thee to Sitrael,
and kneeling saie thus, having the christall stone in thine hands.
O Sitrael, Malantha,^ Thamaor, Falaur, and Sitrami, written in
these circles, appointed to this worke, I doo conjure and I doo
exorcise you, by the father, by the sonne, and by the Holy-ghost, by
him which did cast you out of paradise, and by him which spake the
word and it was done, and by him which shall come to judge the
quicke and the dead, and the world by fier, that all you five infernall
maisters and princes doo come unto me, to accomplish and to fulfill
all my desire and request, which I shall command you. Also I
conjure you divels, and command you, I bid you, and appoint you,
by the Lord Jesus Christ, the sonne of the most highest God, and
by the blessed and glorious virgine Marie, and by all the saints, both
of men and women of God, and by all the angels, archangels, patriarchies, and prophets, apostles, evangelists, martyrs, and confessors,
virgins, and widowes, and all the elect of God. Also I conjure you,
and everie of you, ye infernall kings, by heaven, by the starres, by
the © and by the D and by all the planets, by the earth, fier, aier,

of Witchcraft.

chaP. ».

and water, and by the terrestriall paradise, and by all things in them
conteined, and by your hell, and by all the divels in it, and dwelling
about it, and by your vertue and power, and by all whatsoever, and
with whatsoever it be, which maie constreine and bind you. Therefore by all these foresaid vertues and powers, I doo bind you and
constreine you into my will and power ; that you being thus bound,
may/ come unto me in great humilitie, and to appeare in your
circles before me visiblie, in faire forme and shape of mankind
kings, and to obeie unto me in all things, whatsoever I shall desire,
and that you may not depart from me without my licence. And if
you doo against my precepts, I will promise unto you that you shall
descend into the profound deepenesse of the sea, except that you
doo obeie unto me, in the part of the living sonne of God, which
liveth and reigneth in the unitie of the Holie-ghost, by all world of
worlds, Amen.
Saie this true conjuration five courses, and then shalt thou see
come out of t h e northpart five kings, with a marvelous com/panie :
which when they are come to the circle, they will allight downe off
from their horsses, and will kneele downe before thee, saieng :
Maister, command us what thou wilt, and we will out of hand be
obedient unto thee. U n t o whome thou shall saie ; See that ye
depart not from me, without my licence ; and that which I will
command you to doo, let it be done trulie, surelie, faithfullie and
essentiallie. And then they all will sweare unto thee to doo all
thy will. And after they have sworne, saie the conjuration immediatlie following.
I conjure, charge, and command you, and everie of you, * Sirrael,
^Malanthan, Thamaor, Falaur, and Sitrami* you infernall kings, to
put into this christall stone one spirit learned and expert in all arts
i

i

i

/• -i •

r s^

i

m

345

294.

forPn"f^ppearing, &c.

4J3>

[* Sitraei,]
splits of
t h e nort h :
, „
as you shall

and sciences, by the vertue of this name of God Tetragrammaton,
see in the
and by the crosse of our Lord Jesu Christ, and by the bloud of the
^ ^ ^ '
innocent lambe, which redeemed all the world, and by all their 414. next
folowing.

vertues & powers I charge you, ye noble kings, that the said [f A third
spirit may teach, shew, and declare unto me, and to my freends, at variation]
all houres and minuts, both night and daie, the truth of all things,
both bodilie and ghostlie, in this world, whatsoever I shall request
or desire, declaring also to m e my verie name. And this I command
in your part to doo, and to obeie thereunto, as unto your owne lord
a n d maister. T h a t done, they will call a certeine spirit, whom they
will command to enter into the centre of the circled or round
christall. Then put the christall betweene the two circles, and thou
shalt see t h e christall made blacke.
T h e n command them to command the spirit in the christall, not
YY

346

i5.Booke.

The discoverie

to depart out of the stone, till thou give him licence, & to fulfill
thy will for ever. That done, thou shalt see them go upon the
christall, both to answer your requests, & to tarrie your licence.
[* i.e. do thou] That doone, the spirits will crave licence : and *say ; Go ye to your
•
place appointed of almightie God, in the name of the father, &c.
And then take up thy christall, and looke therein, asking what thou
wilt, and it will shew it unto thee. Let all your circles be nine foote
everie waie, & made as followeth. Worke this worke in © rrt or
X in the houre of the ] or %. And when the spirit is inclosed,
>
if thou feare him, bind him with some bond, in such sort as is elsewhere expressed alreadie in this our treatise.//
4T4> 295. A figure or type proportionally shewing what forme must be observed and kept, in making the figure whereby the for7ner secret
of inclosing a spirit in christall is to be accomplished, &C.

[t A 4 th
variation]

T h e names
written
within the
five circles
doo signifie
the five
infernall
kings: See
pag. 411. 412
4*3-

of Witchcraft.
The xiii. Chapter.

chap. u.

347

4*5-

296.

An experiment of Bealphares.
HIS is proved the noblest carrier that ever did serve anie
man upon the earth, & here beginneth the inclosing of
the said spirit, & how to have a true answer of him,
without anie craft or harme ; and he will appeare unto
thee in the likenesse of a faire man, or faire woman, the which spirit
will come to thee at all times. And if thou wilt command him to
tell thee of hidden treasures that be in anie place, he will tell it thee :
or if thou wilt command him to bring to thee gold or silver, he will
bring it thee : or if thou wilt go from one countrie to another, he
will beare thee without anie harme of bodie or soule. Therefore
* he that will doo this worke, shall absteine from lecherousnes and * Memorandum with
dronkennesse, and from false swearing, and doo all the abstinence what vices
the cousethat he may doo ; and namelie three daies before he go to worke, nor (the
and in the third daie, when the night is come, and when the starres conjuror I
doo shine, and the element faire and cleare, he shall bath himselfe should saie)
must not be
and his fellowes (if he have anie) all together in a quicke welspring. polluted:he
therfore
Then he must be cloathed in cleane white cloathes, and he must must be no
have another privie place, and beare with him inke and pen, where- knave, &c.
with he shall write this holy name of God almightie in his right hand
*j* Agla ^ & in his left hand this name >j* J T ( g ^ \ o r / (&J •£< And
he must have a drie thong of a lions or of a harts skin, and make
thereof a girdle, and write the holie names of God all about, and
in the end *fc A and Q *i* And upon his brest he must have
this present figure or marke written
in virgine parchment, as it is here
shewed. And it must be sowed
upon a peece of new linnen, and so
made fast upon thy brest. And if
thou wilt have a fellow to worke
with thee, he must be appointed in
the same maner. You must have
also a bright knife that was never
occupied, and he must write on the
one/ side of the blade of the knife •{«
Agla •{« and on the other side of the
knifes blade HhJX ( B f ? \ 2 7 QlS
•{* And with the same knife he must
make a circle, as hereafter followeth : the which is called Salomons

348

i 5 .Bo<ke.

The discoverie

circle. W h e n that he is made, go into the circle, and close againe
the place, there where thou wentest in, with the same knife, and
saie ; Per cruets hoc signum >J< fugiat procul omne malignumj
Et
[* translated in
per idem signum >%* salvetur quodque benignum* and make suffumiga2 ed, see note]
tions to thy selfe, and to thy fellowe or fellowes, with frankincense,
mastike, lignum aloes: then put it in wine, and saie with good devot299. tion,/ in the worship of the high God almightie, all together, that
[t so & onwards] h e m a ^ defend you from all evils. And when he that is maister will
close the spirit, he shall saie towards the east, with meeke and devout
devotion, these psalmes and praiers as followeth here in order.

^f The two and twentieth
Memorandum that
you must
read the 22.
and 51.
psalms all
over: or else
rehearse
them by
h a r t : for
these are
counted
necessarie,
&c.

psahne.

O

My God my God, looke upon me, whie hast thou forsaken me,
and art so farre from my health, and from the words of my
complaint ? ^f And so foorth to the end of the same psalme, as it is
to be founde in the booke.

This psalme also following; being the fiftie one psalme,
said three times over, &°c.

H

must be

Ave mercie upon me, O God, after thy great goodnes, according
to the multitude of thy mercies, doo awaie mine offenses.
^[ And so foorth to the end of the same psalme, concluding it with,
G l o n e to the F a t h e r and to the Sonne, and to the Holie-ghost, As
it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end,
Amen. T h e n saie this verse : O Lord leave not my soule with the
wicked ; nor my life with the bloudthirstie. Then saie a Pater noster
an Ave Maria, and a Credo, &* ne nos inducas.
O Lord shew us
thy mercie, and we shall be saved. Lord heare our praier, and let
our crie come unto thee. Let us praie.
O Lord God almightie, as thou warnedst by thine angell, the three
kings of Cullen, Jasper, Melchior, and Balthasar, when they came
with worshipfull presents towards Bethleem : Jasper brought myrrh ;
Melchior, incense ; Balthasar,
gold ; worshipping the high king of
417. all t h e world, Jesus Gods sonne of hea/ven, the second person in
[ t ?the]
ttrinitie, being borne of the holie and cleane virgine S. Marie, queene
of heaven, empresse of hell, and ladie of all the world : at that time
the holie angell Gabriel warned and bad the foresaid three kings,
that they should take another waie, for dread of perill, that Herod
the king by his ordinance would have destroied these *three noble
*Gaspar,
kings, that meekelie sought out our Lord and saviour. As wittilie
Balth[a]sar

of Witchcraft,

chaP. i3.

349

and truelie as these three kings turned for dread, and tooke another and Melchior, who
waie : so wiselie and so truelie, O Lord G O D , of thy mightifull followed
mercie, blesse us now at this time, for thy blessed passion save us, the starre,
wherin was
e
and keepe us all together from all evill ; and thy holie angell defend y image of
a litle babe
us. Let us praie.
bearing a
crosse if
O Lord, king of all kings, which conteinest the throne of heavens, Longa : legeand beholdest all deepes, weighest the hilles, and shuttest up with da Coioniee
lie not.
thy hand the earth ; heare us, most meekest G O D , and grant unto
us (being unworthie) according to thy great mercie, to have the veritie and vertue of knowledge of hidden treasures by this spirit invocated, through thy helpe O Lord Jesus Christ, to whome be all honour
and glorie, from worlds to worlds everlastinglie, Amen. T h e n saie
these names *J* Helie >J< helyon >J< esseiere* >{< Deus czternus >{< eloyL* jere.
2nd ed.]
\%i clemens >J< heloye >fr Deus sanctus >J< sabaoth >J< Deus
exercituum
•£< adonay >J< Deus mirabilis >J< iao >J< verax >J< anepheneton >J< Deus
ineffabilis >J< so/doy >J< dominator dominus >J< on fortissimus
>J< Deus 300.
•f< qui, the which wouldest be praied unto of sinners : receive (we
beseech thee) these sacrifices of praise, a n d our meeke praiers, which
we unworthie doo offer unto thy divine majestie. Deliver us, and
have mercie upon us, a n d prevent with thy holie spirit this worke,
and with thy blessed helpe to followe after ; that this our worke
begunne of thee, m a y be ended by thy mightie power, Amen. T h e n
saie this anon after >|< Homo ^ sacarus >J< museolameas^ >J< cheru- [f Two words,
bozca *i* being the figure upon thy brest aforesaid, the girdle about and lomeas in
engr.]
thee, the circle made, blesse the circle with holie water, and sit downe
in the middest, and read this conjuration as followeth, sitting backe
to backe at the first time.
I exorcise and conjure Bealphares, the practiser and preceptor of
this art, by the m a k e r of heavens and of earth, and by his vertue,
and by his unspeakable name Tetragrammaton,
and by all/ the holie 418.
sacraments, and by the holie majestie and deitie of the living God.
I conjure and exorcise thee Bealphares by the vertue of all angels,
archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes,
cherubim and seraphim, and by their vertues, and by the most truest
a n d speciallest name of your maister, that you doo come unto us, in
faire forme of man or womankind, here visiblie, before this circle,
and not terrible by anie manner of waies. This * circle being our * Which
must be
tuition and protection, by the mercifull goodnes of our Lord and environed with
Saviour Jesus Christ, and that you doo make answer
a goodlie
truelie, without craft or deceipt, unto all my
companie
of crosses.
demands and questions, by the vertue
and power of our Lord Jesus
Christ, Amen.

15. Booke.

35°

The discoverie
T h e xiiii. Chapter.

To bind the spirit Bealphares^

and to lose him

againe.

[JOW when he is appeared, bind him with these words
which folio we. ^| I conjure thee Bealphares, by God the
father, by God the sonne, and by God the Holie-ghost,
B j and by all the holie companie in heaven ; and by their
vertues and powers I charge thee Bealphares^ that thou shalt not
depart out of my sight, nor yet to alter thy bodilie shape, that thou
art appeared in, nor anie power shalt thou have of our bodies or
soules, earthlie or ghostlie, but to be obedient to me, and to the
words of my conjuration, that be written in this booke. I conjure
thee Bealphares^ by all angels and archangels, thrones, dominations,
principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by their
vertues and powers. I conjure and charge, bind and constreine thee
Bealphares, by all the riall words aforesaid, and by their vertues,
that thou be obedient unto me, and to come and appeare visiblie
unto me, a n d that in * all daies, houres, and minuts, whersoever I
* On sundaies, festibe, being called by the vertue of our Lord Jesu Christ, the which
vall daies,
and holie
words are written in this booke. Looke readie thou be to appeare
daies, none
unto me, and to give me good counsell, how to come by treasures
excepted.
301. hidden in the earth, or in the water, and how to come to dig/nitie
a n d knowledge of all things, that is to saie, of the magike art, and
419. of grammar, dialectike, rhetorike, arythmetike, musike, geo/metrie,
and of astronomie, and in all other things my will quicklie to be
fulfilled : I charge thee upon paine of everlasting condemnation,
Fiat) fiat) fiat. Amen.
H e dares
doo no other being
so conjured
I trowe.

W h e n he is thus bound, aske him what thing thou wilt, and he
will tell thee, and give thee all things that thou wilt request of him,
without anie sacrifice dooing to him, and without forsaking thy God,
that is, thy maker. And when the spirit h a t h fulfilled thy will and
intent, give him licence to depart as followeth.

["* All this par.
in much smaller
type.]

%

A licence for the spirit to depart.
(~~* O unto the place predestinated and appointed for thee, where
v - J thy Lord G O D hath appointed thee, untill I shall call thee
againe. Be thou readie unto me and to my call, as often as I shall
call thee, upon paine of everlasting damnation. And if thou wilt,
thou maiest recite, two or three times, the last conjuration, untill thou

of Witchcraft.

chaP. r4.

351

doo come to this tearme, In throno. If he will not depart, and then* [*? th°ul
say In throno, that thou depart from this place, without hurt or damage of anie bodie, or of anie deed to be doone ; that all creatures
may knowe, that our Lord is of all power, most mightiest, and that
there is none other God but he, which is three, and one, living for
ever and ever. And the malediction of God the father omnipotent,
the sonne and the holie ghost, descend upon thee, and dwell alwaies
with thee, except thou doo depart without damage of us, or of any
creature, or anie other evill deed to be doone : & thou to go to the
place predestinated. And by our Lord Jesus Christ I doo else send
thee to the great pit of hell, except (I saie) that thou depart to the
place, whereas thy Lord God hath appointed thee. And see thou
be readie to me and to my call, at all times and places, at mine owne
will and pleasure, daie or night, without damage or hurt of me, or of
anie creature ; upon paine of everlasting damnation : Fiat, fiat, fiat;
Amen, Amen, ^pp The peace of Jesus Christ bee betweene us and
you ; in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the Holieghost: Amen. Per cruets hoc *J« signum, &c. Saie In principio
erat verbum, Sr° verbum erat apud Deum ; In the beginning was the
word, and the word was with God, and God was the word : and so
forward, as followeth in the first chapter of saint Johns Gospell,
staieng at these words, Full of grace and truth : to whom be all
honour and glorie world without end, Amen.

-C/^SEA^

\cAndoTi -ffie offier/ide
This -name JL c&w <&

T h e fashion
or forme of
the conjuring knife,
with the
names theron to bee
graven or
written.

352

420.

i 5 . Booke.

302.

The discoverie

A type or figure of the circle for the maister and his fellowe s to
sit in, shewing how and after what fashion it should
be made.

T h i s is the circle for the maister to sit in, and his fellowe or fellowes, at the first calling, sit backe to backe, when he calleth
the spirit ; and for the fairies make this circle with
chalke on the ground, as is said before. This spirit
Bealphares being once called and found, shall
never have power to hurt thee.
Call him in the houre
of % or $ the D
increasing.//

of Witchcraft.

chaP. i5.

T h e xv. Chapter.

353

421. 303.

T h e making of the holie water.*
XORCISO\ te creaturam satis, per Deum vivum ^ per Absque exDeum *%* verum •J* per Deum sanctum
per Deum qui non sit san~
te per Elizceum prophetam in aquam mitti jussit, ut ct^li,
*

,

-J>/

u

^

•

•

7

•

u

•

I* These Rom.}

sanaretur sterihtas aquce, ut efficiaris sal exorcisatus in ^ Lat
salutem credentium ; ut sis omnibus te sumentibus sanitas animce &* Ital^
corporis, &** effugiat atque discedat ab eo loco, qui aspersus
fuerit
omnis phantasia &* nequitia, vel versutia diabolicce fraudis,
omnisq;
spiritus immundus, adjuratus per eum, qui venturus
est judicare
vivos 6r* mortuos, & sccculum per ignem, Amen.
Oremus :
Immensam clementiam tuam, omnipotens ceterne Deus, humiliter
imploramus, ut hanc creaturam salis, quam in usum generis
humani
tribuisti, benetfcdicere &-* sanctityicare
tua pietate digneris, ut sit
omnibus sumentibus salus mentis &> corporis, ut quicquid ex eo tactum
fuerit, vel respersum, careat 07nni immundicia, omniqj
impugnatione
spiritualis nequitice, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum
jilium
tuum, qui tecum vivit &* regnat in unitate spiritus sancti, Deus per
omnia s&cula sceculorum, Amen.
To the water saie also as followeth.
T^Xorciso te creaturam aquce in nomine Hh patris ^ 6 ° Jesu Christi
filii ejus Domini nostri, &* in virtule spiritus >J« sancti ^ ut fias
aqua exorcisata, ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici, &* ipsum
inimicum eradicare &* explantare valeas, cum angelis suis apostatis,
per virtutem ejusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui venturus est
judicare vivos Sr* mortuos, dr* sceculum per ignem, Amen.
Oremus :
Deus, qui ad salutem humani generis maxima quceque sacramenta
in aquarum substantia condidisti, adesto propitius
invocationibus
nostris, &r* elemento huic multimodis purificationibus prceparato, virtutem tuce bene^dictionis
infunde, ut creatura tua mysteriis tuis
serviens, ad abigendos dcemones, morbosq; pellendos, divince gratice
sumat effectum, ut quicquid in domibus, vel in locis jidelium hcec
unda resperserit, careat omni immundicia, liberetur a noxa, non illic
resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens, discedant omnes
insidice latentis inimici, &* si quid est, quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquce effugiat\ ut salubritas
per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita ab omnibus sit impugZZ

in

smau

354

is-Buoke.

The discoverie

nationibus defensa, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum
filium
tuum, qui tecum vivit &**> regnat, in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per
omnia scecula sceculorum,
Amen.)
304.

T h e n take the salt in thy hand, and saie putting it into the
water, making in the maner of a crosse.

Co7nmixtio salts &° aquce pariter fiat, in nomine patris, &-* filii, &*
spiritus sancti, Amen.
Dominus
vobiscum, Et cum spiritu
tuo,
Oremus : *j Deus invictce virtutis author, &* insuperabilis
imperii
rex, ac semper magnificus triumphator,
qui adversce
dominationis
vires reprimis, qui inimici rugientis scevitiam superas, qui hostiles
nequitias potens expugnas ; te Domine trementes &* supplices deprecamur ac petimus, ut hanc creaturam salis &* aquce aspicias, benignus
illustres, pietatis tuce rore sancti fices, ubicunqj fuerit aspersa, per
invocationem sancti tui nominis, om?iis infestatio immundi
spiritus
422. abjiciatur, terrorqj venenosi serpentis procul pellatur, &*/ prcesentia
sancti spiritus nobis misericordiam
tuam poscentibus ubiqj adesse
dignetur, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui
tecum vivit <5r* regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia
scecula sceculorum,
Amen.

Oratio ad
Deum ut salt exorcisato
vires addat.

T h e n sprinkle upon anie thing, and saie as followeth.
Oratio, in
qua dicenda,
exorcista sese sacri laticis asfergine debes
ferrorare.

Asperges me Domine hyssopo, &° mundabor, lavabis me, &* supra
nivem dealbabor.
Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam
misericordiam tuam, &r° supra nivem dealbabor.
Gloria patri, &•* filio, &*
spiritui sane to: Sicut erat in principio, &* nunc, &> semper, &r> in
scecula sceculorum, Amen.
Et supra nivem dealbabor, asperges me,
6r*c. Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam, 8^ salutare tuum da
nobis ; exaudi nos Domine sancte, pater omnipotens, ceterne Deus, &*
mittere dignare sanctum angelum tuum de c&lis, qui
custodiat,foveat,
visitet, &> defendat omnes habitantes hi hoc habitaculo, per
Christum
Dominum nostrum, Amen,
Amen.

T h e xvi. Chapter.
To make a spirit to appeare in a
D O O conjure thee N.
the Holie-ghost, the
ending, the first and
judgement, that thou
stone, or anie other instrument,

christall.

by the father, and the sonne, and
which is the beginning and the
the last, and by the latter daie of
N. doo appeare, in this christall
at my pleasure, to mee and to my

of Witchcraft.

cha P . 16.

felow, gentlie and beautifullie, in faire forme of a boy of twelve
yeares of age, without hurt or damage of anie of our bodies or soules ;
and certeinlie to informe and to shew me, without anie guile or craft,
all that we doo desire or demand of thee to know, by the vertue of
him, which shall come to judge the quicke and the dead, and the
world by fier, Amen.
Also I conjure and exorcise thee N. by the sacrament of the altar,
and by the substance therof, by the wisedome of Christ, by the sea,
and by his vertue, by the earth, & by all things that are above the
earth,/ and by their vertues, by the © and the 3) by J? % £ and ?
and by their vertues, by the apostles, martyrs, confessors, and the
virgins and widowes, and the chast, and by all saints of men or of
women, and innocents, and by their vertues, by all the angels and
archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes,
cherubim, and seraphim, and by their vertues, & by the holie
names of God, Tetragrammaton, El, Ousion, Agla, and by all the
other holie names of God, and by their vertues, by the circumcision,
passion, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the heavines
of our ladie the virgine, and by the joy which she had/ when she
sawe hir sonne rise from death to life, that thou N. doo appeare in
this christall stone, or in anie other instrument, at my pleasure, to
me and to my felow, gentlie, and beautifullie, and visiblie, in faire
forme of a child of twelve yeares of age, without hurt or damage of
anie of our bodies or soules, and trulie to informe and shew unto me
& to my felow, without fraud or guile, all things according to thine
oth and promise to me, whatsoever I shall demand or desire of thee,
without anie hinderance or tarrieng, and this conjuration be read of
me three times, upon paine of eternall condemnation, to the last daie
of judgement : Fiat fiat, fiat, Amen.
And when he is appeared, bind him with the bond of the dead
above written : then saie as followeth. If I charge thee N. by
the father, to shew me true visions in this christall stone,
if there be anie treasure hidden in such a place
N. & wherin it lieth, and how manie
foot from this peece of
earth, east, west,
north, or
south.

355

Marke how
thisTs^th
P°Perie» &c305.

423.

For hidden
treasure.

356

15- Booke.

The discoverie

T h e xvii. Chapter.
An experiment of the dead.
|lRST go and get of some person that shalbe put to death,
a promise, and sweare an oth unto him, that if he will
come to thee, after his death, his spirit to be with thee,
and to remaine with thee all the daies of thy life, and
will doo thee true service, as it is conteined in the oth and promise
following. Then laie thy hand on thy booke, and sweare this oth
Promises &
unto him. I N. doo sweare and promise to thee N. to give for thee
oths interchangeaan almesse everie moneth, and also to praie for thee once in everie
blie made
weeke, to saie the Lords praier for thee, and so to continue all the
betweene
the conjudaies of my life, as God me helpe and holie doome, and by the
ror & the
spirit.
contents of this booke. Amen.
Then let him make his oth to thee as followeth, and let him saie
after thee, laieng his hand upon the booke. %\ N. doo sweare this
oth to thee N. by God the father omnipotent, by God the son Jesus
Christ, and by his pretious bloud which hath redeemed all the world,
by the which bloud I doo trust to be saved at the generall daie of
judgment, and by the vertues therof, I N. doo sweare this oth to thee
424. N. that my spirit that is within my bodie now,/ shall not ascend,
nor descend, nor go to anie place of rest, but shall come to thee N.
806. and be verie well pleased to remaine/ with thee N. all the daies of
thy life, and so to be bound to thee N. and to appeare to thee N. in
anie christall stone, glasse, or other mirror, and so to take it for my
resting place. And that, so soone as my spirit is departed out of my
bodie, streightwaie to be at your commandements, and that in and
at all daies, nights, houres, and minutes, to be obedient unto thee
N. being called of thee by the vertue of our Lord Jesu Christ, & out
of hand to have common talke with thee at all times, and in all
houres & minuts, to open and declare to thee N. the truth of all
things present, past, and to come, and how to worke the magike art,
and all other noble sciences, under the throne of God. If I doo not
Note the
penaltie of
performe this oth and promise to thee N. but doo flie from anie part
breaking
thereof, then to be condemned for ever and ever. Amen.
promise
with the
Also I N. doo sweare to thee by God the Holie-ghost, and by the
spirit.
great wisedome that is in the divine Godhead, and by their vertues,
and by all the holie angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by all their
vertues doo I N. sweare, and promise thee to be obedient as is

of Witchcraft.

ch ap . 17.

rehearsed. And heere, for a witnesse, doo I N. give thee N. my
right hand, and doo plight thee my faith and troth, as God me helpe
and holiedoome. And by the holie contents in this booke doo I N.
sweare, that my spirit shall be thy true servant, all the daies of thy
life, as is before rehearsed. And here for a witnesse, that my spirit
shall be obedient to thee N. and to those bonds of words that be
written in this N. before the bonds of words shall be rehearsed
thrise ; else to be damned for ever : and thereto saie all faithfull
soules and spirits, Amen, Amen.
Then let him sweare this oth *three times, and at everie time kisse
the booke, and at everie time make marks to the bond. Then perceiving the time that he will depart, get awaie the people from you,
and get or take your stone or glasse, or other thing in your hand,
and saie the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo, and this praier as folioweth. And in all the time of his departing, rehearse the bonds of
words ; and in the end of everie bond, saie oftentimes ; Remember
thine oth and promise. And bind him stronglie to thee, and to thy
stone, and suffer him not to depart, rea/ding thy bond 24 times. And
everie daie when you doo call him by your other bond, bind him
stronglie by the first bond : by the space of 24 daies applie it, &
thou shalt be made a man for ever.

357

* Three
reference"
[*J£?^^
Trinitie.P.

425>

Now the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo must be said, arid then
the praier immediatlie following.
of Abraham,
Jacob,
O Godt which diddestGod of Isaac, God ofchildrenGod of Tobias ;
the
deliver the three
from the hot

[t This par. in
smaller type.]

burning oven, Sidrac, Misac and Abdenago,% and Susanna from the
false crime, and Daniel from the lions power : even so O Lord omnipotent, I beseech thee, for thy great mercie sake, to helpe me in
these my works, and to deliver me this spirit of N. that he may be
a true subject to me N. all the daies of my life, and to remaine with
me, and with this N. all the daies of my life./ O glorious God,
Father, Sonne, and Holie-ghost, I beseech thee to help me at this
time, and to give me power by thine holie name, merits and vertues,
wherby I may conjure & constreine this spirit of N. that he may be
obedient unto me, and may fulfill his oth and promise, at all times,
by the power of all thine holines. This grant O Lord God of hosts,
as thou art righteous and holy, and as thou art the word, and the
word God, the beginning and the end, sitting in the thrones of thine
everlasting kingdoms, & in the divinitie of thine everlasting Godhead,
to whom be all honour and glorie, now and for ever and ever, Amen,
Amen.

IX sic]

307.

358

15. Booke.

The discoverie
T h e xviii. Chapter.

A bond to bind him to thee, and to thy N. as followeth.
N. conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the living
God, by the true God, and by the holie God, and by
their vertues and powers I conjure and constreine the
spirit of thee N. that thou shalt not ascend nor descend
out of thy bodie, to no place of rest, but onelie to take thy resting
[* i.e. me]
place with *N. and with this N. all the daies of my life, according to
thine oth and promise. I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by
these holie names of God •{« Tetragrammaton •{< Adonay *i» Agla •{*
Saday *i* Sabaoth >$* planabothe *i* panthon ^ craton ^ neupmaton Hh
Deus ^ homo Hh omnipotens •{« sempiternus >J* ysus •{< terra •{« unigenitus •{* salvator ^ via Hh vita *i* manus *i* fons *i* origo •!« filius
*i* and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constreine the
spirit of N. that thou shalt not rest nor remaine in the fier, nor in
the water, in the aier, nor in anie privie place of the earth, but
426. onelie with me N. and with this N. all the/ daies of my life. I
charge the spirit of N. upon paine of everlasting condemnation,
remember thine oth and promise. Also I conjure the spirit of N,
and constreine thee by the excellent name of Jesus Christ, A and Q,
the first and the last; for this holie name of Jesus is above all names,
for *unto it all knees doo bow and obey, both of heavenlie things,
* Scripture
as well apearthlie things, and infernalles. Nor is there anie other name given
plied of the
to man, whereby we have anie salvation, but by the name of Jesus.
conjuror,
as that of
Therefore by the name, and in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and
satan in
by his nativitie, resurrection and ascension, and by all that appertempting
Christ,
teineth to his passion, and by their vertues and powers, I doo conjure
Matth. 4, 6.
and constreine the spirit of N. that thou shalt not take anie resting
place in the
nor in the D nor in 1? nor in % nor in $ nor in ?
nor in 5 nor in anie of the twelve signes, nor in the concavitie of
the clouds, nor in anie other privie place, to rest or staie in, but
onelie with me N. or with this N. all the daies of my life. If thou
be not obedient unto me, according to thine oth and promise, I N.
doo condemne the spirit of N. into the pit of hell for ever, Amen.
I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the bloud of the innocent lambe Jesus Christ, the which was shed upon the crosse, for all
308. those that/ doo obeie unto it, and beleeve in it, shall be saved and
by the vertue thereof, and by all the aforesaid riall names and words
of the living God by mee pronounced, I doo conjure and constreine
the spirit of N. that thou be obedient unto me, according to thine
Note the
summe of
this obligation or
bond.

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 18.

Note what
oth and promise. If thou doo refuse to doo as is aforesaid, I N. by sore penalthe holie trinitie, and by his vertue and power doo comdemne the ties the spispirit of N. into the place whereas there is no hope of remedie, but rit istoinjoined
sufeverlasting condemnation, and horror, and paine upon paine, dailie, fer for disbedience.
horriblie, & lamentablie the paines there to be augmented, so
thicke as the stars in the firmament, and as the gravell sand in the
sea : except thou spirit of N. obeie me N. as is afore rehearsed ;
else I N. doo condemne the spirit of N. into the pit of everlasting
condemnation; Fiat, fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee, and constreine
the spirit of N. by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations,
principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim & seraphim, & by the foure
evangelists, Matthew, Marke, Luke, and John, and by all things
conteined in the old lawe and the new, and by their vertues, and by
the twelve apo/stles, and by all patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, con- 427.
fessors, virgins, innocents, and by all the elect and chosen,* is, and [* ? which or
shall be, which followeth the lambe of God ; and by their vertues that]
and powers I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. stronglie, to
have common talke with me, at all times, and in all daies, nights,
houres, and minuts, and to talke in my mother toong plainelie, that
I may heare it, and understand it, declaring the truth unto me of all
things, according to thine oth and promise ; else to be condemned
for ever ; Fiat, fiat, Amen.
Also I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the * golden * There is
no mention
girdle, which girded the loines of our Lord Jesus Christ, so thou made in the
that
spirit of N. be thou bound, and cast into the pit of everlasting con- gospels was
Christ
demnation, for thy great disobedience and unreverent regard that woorth a
golden
thou hast to the holie names and words of God almightie, by me girdle.
pronounced : Fiat, Amen.
Also I conjure, constreine, command, and bind the spirit of N. by
the two edged sword, which John saw proceed out of the mouth of
God almightie : except thou be obedient as is aforesaid, the sword Bugs words.
cut thee in peeces, and condemne thee into the pit of everlasting
paines, where the fier goeth not out, and where the worme dieth not;
Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen.
Also I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the throne of the
Godhead, and by all the heavens under him, and by the celestiall
citie new Jerusalem, and by the earth, by the sea, and by all things
created and conteined therein, and by their vertues and powers, and
by all the infernalles, and by their vertues and powers, and all things
conteined therein, and by their vertues and powers, I conjure and
constreine the spirit of N. that now immediatlie thou be obedient
unto me, at all times hereafter, and to those words of me pronounced, * Is it possiaccording to thine oth and promise : * else let the great cursse of ble to be
greater

360

is. Booke,

The discoverie

God, the anger of God, the shadowe and darknesse of everlasting
condemnation be upon thee thou spirit of N. for ever and ever,
bicause thou hast denied thine health, thy faith, and salvation, for
thy great disobedience thou are worthie to be con/demned. Therefore let the divine trinitie, angels, and archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and
all the soules of the saints, that shall stand on the right hand of our
428. Lord Jesus/ Christ, at the generall daie of judgement, condemne the
spirit of N. for ever and ever, and be a witnesse against thee,
bicause of thy great disobedience, in and against thy promises, Fiat,
fiat. Amen.
Being thus bound, he must needs be obedient unto thee, whether
he will or no : proove this. And here followeth a bond to call him
to your N. and to shew you true visions at all times, as in the houre
of f? to bind or inchant anie thing, and in the houre of % for peace
and concord, in the houre of $ to marre, to destroie, and to make
sicke, in the houre of the © to bind toongs and other bonds of men,
in the houre of 9 to increase love, joy, and good will, in the houre
of g to put awaie enimitie or hatred, to know of theft, in the houre
of the }) for love, goodwill and concord, 1? lead % tinne $ iron 0
gold $ coppar g quicksilver }) silver, &c.

than S. Adelberts
cursse ?
See in Ha bar.
lib. 12. ca. 17:
pag. 263,
309,
264, 265.

T h e xix. Chapter.
This bond as followeth, is to call him into your christall stone,
or glasse, Sr^c.

* A popish
supplement.

(LSO I doo conjure thee spirit N. by God the father, by
God the sonne, and by God the holie-ghost, A and O,
the first and the last, and by the latter daie of judgement,
of them which shall come to judge the quicke and the
dead, and the world by fier, and by their vertues and powers I constreine thee spirit N. to come to him that holdeth the christall stone
in his hand, & to appeare visiblie, as hereafter foloweth. Also I
conjure thee spirit N. by these holie names of God *J< Tetragrammaton •£• Adonay ^ El ^ Ousion >$* Agla >%* Jesus ^ of Nazareth
and by the vertues thereof, and by his nativitie, death, buriall, resurrection, and ascension, and by all other things apperteining unto his
passion, and by the *blessed virgine Marie mother of our Lord Jesu
Christ, and by all the joy which shee had when shee saw hir sonne
rise from death to life, and by the vertues and powers therof I con-

^

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 19.

361

streine thee spirit N. to come into the christall stone, & to appeare
visiblie, as herafter shalbe declared. Also I conjure thee N. thou
spirit, by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats,
potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by the © D I? 1(1 £
9 §1 and by the twelve signes, and by their vertues and powers,/
and by all things created and confirmed in the firmament, and by 4*9their vertues & powers I constreine thee spirit N. to appeare visiblie
« Belike
in that christall stone, in faire *forme and shape of a white angell, had the he
a greene angell, a blacke angell, a man, a woman, a boie, a maiden gift to apvirgine, a white grehound, a divell with great homes, without anie peare in
sundrie
shapes,
hurt or danger of our bodies or soules, and trulie to informe and it is saidasof
shew unto us, true visions of all things in that christall stone, accord- Proteus in
Ovid lib.
ing to thine oth and promise, and that without anie hinderance or/ metamor. 8.
a
o:and
tarrieng, to appeare visiblie, by this bond of words read over by mee /of£ . iVertum- 3 1 0 .
three times, upon paine of everlasting condemnation ; 'Fiat, fiat, nus; lib. metamor. 14.
Amen.
fab. 16.
Then being appeared, saie these words following.
thee spirit, by
father,
visions
I Conjuref christall stone, God thethere be that thoumshew trueplace or [t This par. is i
in that
where
anie N.
such a
.

,

,

.

,.

,

,

.

.

,,

.

,

.

no, upon paine of everlasting condemnation, Fiat, Amen. Also I
conjure thee spirit N. by God the sonne Jesus Christ, that thou doo
shew true visions unto us, whether it be gold or silver, or anie other
metals, or whether there were anie or no, upon paine of condemnation, Fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by God the Holieghost, the which dooth sanctifie all faithfull soules and spirits, and
by their vertues and powers I constreine thee spirit N. to speake,
open, and to declare, the true waie, how we may come by these
treasures hidden in N. and how to have it in our custodie, & who are
the keepers thereof, and how manie there be, and what be their
names, and by whom it was laid there, and to shew me true visions
of what sort and similitude they be, and how long they have kept it,
and to knowe in what daies and houres we shall call such a spirit,
N. to bring unto us these treasures, into such a place A7! upon paine
of everlasting condemnation •[«[.] Also I constreine thee spirit N. by
all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats,
virtutes, cherubim & seraphim, that you doo shew a true vision in
this christall stone, who did conveie or steale away such a A7! and
where it is, & who hath it, and how farre off, and what is his or hir
name, and how and when to come unto it, upon paine of eternall
condemnation, Fiat, Amen, Also I conjure thee spirit N. by the
© D h % $ ? g and by all the characters in the firmament, that
3A

small type.]

Note that

the spirit is.
bedieceun-'
,J r c g e m _
nation and
hel1 tier
"

The discoverte

362

thou doo shew unto me a true vision in this christall stone, where
such N. and in what state he is, and how long he hath beene there,
and what time he will be in such a place, what daie and houre : and
this and all other things to declare plainelie, in paine of hell fier;
Fiat) Amen.
A licence to depart.
[* This in still

sma e r ]

430.

311.

T^vEpart* out of the sight of this christall stone in peace for a time,
- L ' and readie to appeare therein againe at anie time or times I
shall call thee, by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the
bonds of words which are written in this booke, and to appeere
visiblie, as the words be rehersed. I constreine thee spirit N. by
the divinitie of the Godhead, to be obedient unto these words
rehearsed, upon paine of everlasting condemnation, both in this world,
and in the world to come ; Fiat, fiat, fiat', Amen.//

T h e xx. Chapter.
When to talke with spirits, and to have true answers to find out
a theefe.

T h i s is condemned for
ranke follie •
by the doctors : as by
Chrysos. sup.
Matth. Gregor. in ho mil.
sup.
Epiphan.
Domini;
and
others.

||HE daies and houres of J? $ $ a n d the D is best to doo
all crafts of necromancie, & for to speake with spirits,
and for to find theft, and to have true answer thereof, or
of anie other such like. % And in the daies and houres
of 0 % ? is best to doo all experiments of love, and to purchase
grace, and for to be invisible, and to doo anie operation, whatsoever
it be, for anie thing, the D being in a convenient signe. % As when
thou laborest for theft, see the moone be in an earthie signe, as #
n# yp, <or of the aier, as n ^ ^7. If And if it be for love, favor
or grace, let the D be in a signe of the fier, as ( > Si ti a n d for
y
hatred, in a signe of the water, as © m X- For anie other experiment, let the D be in T . 11 And if thou findest the © & the D
in one signe that is called in even number, then thou maiest write,
consecrate, conjure, and make readie all maner of things that thou
wilt doo, &c.
To speake with spirits.

[t T h i s par. in
the second-sized
type.]

names, Orimoth,
Lymocke,
say
CAllt theseyou up by the namesBelimoth,angels Saturandand thus : I
conjure
of the
Azimor,

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2t.

363

that you intend to me in this houre, and send unto me a spirit called
Sagrigrit, that hee doo fulfill my commandement and desire, and
that also can understand my words for one or two yeares, or as long
as I will, &c.

T h e xxi. Chapter.
A confutation of conjuration,
especiallie of the raising,
binding
and dismissing of the divell, of going invisible, and other lewd
practises.
H U S farre have we waded in shewing at large the vanitie All the former practiof necromancers, conjurors, and such as pretend to have ses breeflie
reall conference and consultation with spirits and divels : confuted.
wherein (I trust) you see what notorious blasphemie is
committed, besides other blind superstitious ceremonies, a disordered
heap, which are so far from building up the endevors of these blacke
art practitioners, that they doo altogether ruinate & overthrow
them, making them in their follies and falshoods as bare and naked
as an anatomie. As for these ridiculous conjurations, last rehearsed,
being of no small reputation among the ignorant, they are for the
most part made by T. R. (for so much of his n a m e he bewraieth)
and fohnj Cokars, invented and devised for the augmentation and 43imaintenance of their living, for the edifieng of the poore, and for the
See the tipropagating and inlarging of Gods glorie, as in the beginning of tle of the
booke, with
their booke of conjurations they protest ; which in this place, for the authors
the further manifestation of their impietie, and of t h e witchmongers intent, in a
marginal 1
follie and credulitie, I thought good to insert, whereby the/ residue of note, pag. 312.
their proceedings may be judged, or rather detected. F o r if we 393seriouslie behold the matter of conjuration, and the drift of conjurors, [of this book.]
we shall find them, in mine opinion, more faultie than such as take
upon them to be witches, as manifest offenders against the majestie
of God, and his holie lawe, and as apparent violators of the lawes
and quietnesse of this realme : although indeed they bring no such
thing to passe, as is surmised and urged by credulous persons,
couseners, liers, and witchmongers. For these are alwaies learned,
a n d rather abusers of others, than they themselves by others abused.
But let us see what appearance of truth or possibilitie is wrapped
within these mysteries, and let us unfold the deceipt. They have
m a d e choice of certeine words, whereby they saie they can worke
miracles, &c. And first of all, that they call divels & soules out of

The discoverte

364
Luk. 16. &c.

An ironicall confutation.

hell (though we find in the scriptures manifest proofes that all passages are stopped concerning the egresse out of hell) so as they may
go thither, but they shall never get out, for Ab inferno nulla est
redemption out of hell there is no redemption. Well, when they have
gotten them up, they shut them in a circle made with chalke, which
is so stronglie beset and invironed with crosses and names, that they
cannot for their lives get out ; which is a verie probable matter.
Then can they bind them, and lose them at their pleasures, and
make them that have beene Hers from the beginning, to tell the truth :
yea, they can compell them to doo anie thing. And the divels are
forced to be obedient unto them, and yet cannot be brought to due
obedience unto God their creator. This done (I saie) they can worke
all maner of miracles (saving blew miracles) and this is beleeved of
manie to be true :
Tarn credula mens hominis, &r* arrectce fabulis aures,

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

432.

So light of beleefe is the mind of man,
And attentive to tales his eares now and than.

But if Christ (onelie for a time) left the power of working mi/racles
among his apostles and disciples for the confirmation of his gospell,
and the faith of his elect : yet I denie altogether, that he left that
power with these knaves, which hide their cousening purposes under
those lewd and foolish words, according to that which Peter saith ;
With feined words they make merchandize of you. And therfore
2, Pet. 2.
Ephes. 5.
the counsell is good that Paule giveth us, when he biddeth us take
Ps. 72, & 78.
heed that no man deceive us with vaine words. For it is the Lord
only that worketh great woonders, and bringeth mightie things to
Sap. 16.
passe. It is also written, that Gods word, and not the words of
Ecclus. 43.
conjurors, or the charmes of witches, healeth all things, maketh
tempests, and stilleth them.
But put case the divell could be fetched up and fettered, and loosed
againe at their pleasure, &c : I marvell yet, that anie can be so
bewitched, as to be made to beleeve, that by vertue of their words,
anie earthlie creature can be made invisible. We thinke it a lie, to
saie that white is blacke, and blacke white : but it is a more shamelesse assertion to affirme, that white is not, or blacke is not at all ;
T o denie
the subsi- 313. and yet more impudencie to hold that/ a man is a horsse ; but most
stence or
apparent impudencie to saie, that a man is no man, or to be extenunatural 1
being of a
ated into such a quantitie, as therby he may be invisible, and yet
thing maremaine in life and health, &c : and that in the cleare light of the
teriall and
visible is
daie, even in the presence of them that are not blind. But surelie,
impudecie.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 2*.

he that cannot make one haire wrhite or blacke, whereof (on the
other side) not one falleth from the head without Gods speciall
providence, can never bring to passe, that the visible creature of
God shall become nothing, or lose the vertue and grace powred therinto by God the creator of all things.
If they saie that the divell covereth them with a cloud or veile, as
M. Mai. Bodin, & manie other doo affirme ; yet (me thinkes) we
should either see the cover, or the thing covered. And though perchance they saie in their harts ; Tush, the Lord seeth not, who
indeed hath blinded them, so as seeing, they see not: yet they shall
never be able to persuade the wise, but that both God and man dooth
see both them and their knaverie in this behalfe. I have heard of a
foole, who was made beleeve that he should go invisible, and naked;
while he was well whipped by them, who (as he thought) could not
see him. Into which fooles paradise they saie* he was brought, that
enterprised to kill the prince of Orenge./

365

Ezec. 8. & 9.
Isai. 6, & 20
and 30.

* J o h n Jauregui servant to
Gasper Anastro both
Spaniards.
Ann. Dom.
1582. March
18. after dinner upon a sundaie this mischeefe was doone. Read the whole discourse hereof printed at
London for T h o : Chard and Will : Brome bookesellers.

T h e xxii. Chapter.

433-

A comparison betweene popish exorcists and other conjurors, a
popish conjuration published by a great doctor of the Romish
church, his rules and cautions.
J SEE no difference betweene these and popish conjurations;
for they agree in order, words, and matter, differing in no
circumstance, but that the papists doo it without shame
openlie, the other doo it in hugger mugger secretlie. The
papists (I saie) have officers in this behalfe, which are called exorcists
or conjurors, and they looke narrowlie to other cousenors, as having
gotten the upper hand over them. And bicause the papists shall be
without excuse in this behalfe, and that the world may see their
cousenage, impietie, and follie to be as great as the others, I will cite
one conjuration (of which sort I might cite a hundred) published by
Jacobus de Chusa, a great doctor of the Romish church, which serveth Jac. de Chusce
in lib. de af>to find out the cause of noise and spirituall rumbling in houses, paritionib.
churches, or chappels, and to conjure walking spirits: which evermore quorundam
spirituum.
is knaverie and cousenage in the highest degree. Marke the cousening devise hereof, and conferre the impietie with the others.
ObservatiFirst (forsooth) he saith it is expedient to fast three daies, and to ons for the
exorcising
celebrate a certeine number of masses, and to repeate the seven preest.

366

is- Booke.

The discoverie

psalmes penitentiall : then foure or five preests must be called to the
place where the haunt or noise is, then a candle hallowed on candle314. mas daie must be lighted, and in the light/ing thereof also must the
seven psalmes be said, and the gospell of S. John. Then there must
be a crosse and a censer with frankincense, and therewithall the
place must be censed or perfumed, holie water must be sprinkled, and
a holie stoale must be used, and (after diverse other ceremonies) a
praier to God must be made, in maner and forme following:
O Lord Jesus Christ, the knower of all secrets, which alwaies/
434- revealest all hoalsome and profitable things to thy faithfull children,
and which sufferest a spirit to shew himselfe in this place, we beseech
thee for thy bitter passion, &c : vouchsafe to command this spirit, to
reveale and signifie unto us thy servants, without our terror or hurt,
what he is, to thine honour, and to his comfort ; In nomine ftatris,
&C. And then proceed in these words : We beseech thee, for Christs
sake, O thou spirit, that if there be anie of us, or among us, whom
thou wouldest answer, name him, or else manifest him by some
signe. Is it frier P. or doctor D. or doctor Burc. or sir Feats, or sir
Memorandum that
John, or sir Robert: Et sic de cceteris circunstantibus. For it is well
he must be
the veriest
tried (saith the glosse) he will not answer everie one. If the spirit
knave or
make anie sound of voice, or knocking, at the naming of anie one, he
foole in all
the comis the cousener (the conjuror I would saie) that must have the charge
panie.
of this conjuration or examination. And these forsooth must be the
interrogatories, to wit: Whose soule art thou ? Wherefore earnest
thou ? What wouldest thou have ? Wantest thou any suffrages,
masses, or almes ? How manie masses will serve thy turne, three,
six, ten, twentie, thirtie, &c ? By what preest ? Must he be religious
or secular? Wilt thou have anie fasts? What ? How manie? How
great ? And by what persons ? Among hospitalles ? Lepres ? Or
beggars ? What shall be the signe of thy perfect deliverance ?
Wherefore liest thou in purgatorie ? And such like. This must be
doone in the night.
These spiIf there appeare no signe at this houre, it must be deferred untill
rits are not
another houre. Holie water must be left in the place. There is no
so cunning
by daie as
feare (they saie) that such a spirit will hurt the conjuror : for he can
by night.
sinne no more, as being in the meane state betweene good and evill,
* For so they
and as yet in the state of satisfaction. *If the spirit doo hurt, then it is
might be
a damned soule, and not an elect. Everie man may not be present
bewraied.
hereat, speciallie such as be weake of complexion. They appeare
in diverse maners, not alwaies in bodie, or bodilie shape (as it is read
For so the
cousenage
in the life of S. Martine, that the divell did) but sometimes invisible,
may be best
handled.
as onelie by sound, voice, or noise. Thus farre Jacobus de Chusa.
But bicause you shall see that these be not emptie words, nor

of Witchcraft,

cha P . 23.

slanders; but that in truth such things are commonlie put in practise
in the Romish church, I will here set downe an instance,/ latelie 435.
and truelie, though lewdlie performed : and the same in effect as
folio weth./

T h e xxiii. Chapter.

315.

A late experiment, or cousening conjuration practised at Orleance
bythe Franciscane Friers, how it was detected, and the judgement
against the authors of that comedie.
jJN the yeare of our Lord 1534. at Orleance in France, the A cousening conMaiors wife died, willing and desiring to be buried with- juration.
out anie pompe or noise, &c. Hir husband, who reverenced the memoriall of hir, did even as she had willed
him. And bicause she was buried in the church of the ^Franciscans, * Of this order read
besides her father and grandfather, and gave them in reward onelie noble stuffe
six crownes, whereas they hoped for a greater preie ; shortlie after it in a booke
printed at
chanced, that as he felled certeine woods and sold them, they desired Franke/ord
him to give them some part thereof freelie without monie : which he underofthe
title
Alflatlie denied. This they tooke verie greevouslie. And whereas be- coran. Franciscanorum.
fore they misliked him, now they conceived such displeasure as they
devised this meanes to be revenged; to wit, that his wife was damned
for ever. The cheefe workemen and framers of this tragedie were
Colimannus, and Stephanus Aterbatensis, both doctors of divinitie ;
this Coliman. was a great conjuror, & had all his implements in a
readines, which he was woont to use in such busines. And thus they
handled the matter. They place over the arches of the church, a Note how
yoong novice ; who about midnight, when they came to mumble their the Franciscans canpraiers, as they were woont to do, maketh a great rumbling, and noise. not conjure
Out of hand the moonks beganne to conjure and to charme, but he without a
confedeanswered nothing. Then being required to give a signe, whether he rate.
were a dumme spirit or no, he beganne to rumble againe : which
thing they tooke as a certeine signe. Having laid this foundation)
they go unto certeine citizens, cheefe men, and such as favoured
them, decla/ring that a heavie chance had happened at home in their 43^
monasterie ; not shewing what the matter was, but desiring them to
come to their mattens at midnight. When these citizens were come, O notorius
and that praiers were begunne, the counterfet spirit beginneth to impudenmake a marvellous noise in the top of the church. And being asked cie ! with
such shamelesse faces
what he meant, and who he was, gave signes that it was not lawfull to abuse so

3 68
worshipfull a cornpan ie.

* T h e confederate
spirit was
taught that
lesson before.

For so
might the
confederate be
found.

15. Booke.

The discoveiHe

for him to speake. Therefore they commanded him to make answer
by tokens and signes to certeine things they would demand of him.
Now was there a hole made in the vawt, through the which he might
heare and understand the voice of the conjuror. And then had he in
his hand a litle boord, which at everie question, he strake, in such
sort as he might easilie be heard beneath. First they asked him,
whether he were one of them that had beene buried in the same
place. Afterwards they reckoning manie by name, which had beene
buried there ; at the last also they name the Maiors wife : and there
by and by the spirit gave a signe that he was hir soule. He was
further asked, whether he were damned or no ; and if he were, for
what cause, for what desert, or fault; whether for covetousnes, or
wanton lust, for pride or want of charitie ; or whether it were for
316. heresie, or for the sect of Luther] newlie sproong up : also what he
meant by that noise and stirre he kept there; whether it were to have
the bodie now buried in holie ground to be digged up againe, and
laid in some other place. To all which points he answered by signes,
as he was commanded, by the which he affirmed or denied anie thing,
according as he strake the boord twise or thrise together. And when
he had thus given them to understand, that* the verie cause of his
damnation was Luthers heresie, and that the bodie must needs be
digged up againe : the moonks requested the citizens, whose presence
they had used or rather abused, that they would beare witnesse of
those things which they had seene with their eies ; and that they
would subscribe to such things as were doone a few days before. The
citizens taking good advise on the matter, least they should offend the
Maior, or bring themselves in trouble, refused so to doo. But the
moonks notwithstanding take from thence the sweete bread, which
they called the host and bodie of our Lord, with all the relikes of
saintes, and carrie them to another place, and there saie their masse.
43J. The bishops substi/tute judge (whome they called Officiall) understanding that matter, commeth thither, accompanied with certeine
honest men, to the intent he might knowe the whole circumstance
more exactlie : and therefore he commandeth them to make conjuration in his presence ; and also he requireth certeine to be chosen to
go up into the top of the vawt, and there to see whether any ghost
appeered or not. Stephanus Aterbatensis stiffelie denied that to be
lawfull, and marvellouslie persuading the contrarie, affirmed that the
spirit in no wise ought to be troubled. And albeit the Official urged
them verie much, that there might be some conjuring of the spirit;
yet could he nothing prevaile.
Whilest these things were dooing,the Maior, when he had shewed the
other Justices of the citie, what he would have them to doo, tooke his

of Witchcraft.

chap. *3.

369

journie to the king, and opened the whole matter unto him. And
bicause the moonks refused judgement upon plea of their owne lawes
and liberties, the king choosing out certeine of the aldermen of Pan's,
giveth them absolute and full authoritie to make inquirie of the
matter. The like dooth the Chancelor maister Anthoniiis Pratensis
cardinall and legat for the pope throughout France. Therefore, when
they had no exception to alledge, they were conveied unto Paris, and
there constrained to make their answer. But yet could nothing be An obstiwroong out of them by confession, whereupon they were put apart nate and
wilfull perinto divers prisons : the novice being kept in the house of maister sisting in
the deniFumanus, one of the aldermen, was oftentimes examined, and earn- eng or not
estlie requested to utter the truth, but would notwithstanding confesse confessing
of a fault
nothing ; bicause he feared that the moonks would afterwards put him committed.
to death for staining their order, and putting it to open shame. But
when the judges had made him sure promise that he should escape
punishment, and that he should never come into their handling, he
opened unto them the whole matter as it was doone: and being
brought before his fellowes, avouched the same to their faces. The
moonks, albeit they were convicted, and by these meanes almost
taken tarde* with the deed doing; yet did they refuse the judges, [* = tarred]
bragging and vaunting themselves on their priviledges, but all in
vaine. For sentence passed upon them, and they were/ condemned 317.
to be carried backe againe to Orleance, and there to be cast in prison,
and so should finallie be/ brought foorth into the cheefe church of the 43*citie openlie, and from thence to the place of execution, where they
should make open confession of their trespasses.
Surelie this was most common among moonks and friers, who
mainteined their religion, their lust, their liberties, their pompe, their
wealth, their estimation and knaverie by such cousening practises.
Now I will shew you more speciall orders of popish conjurations, that A parecuaare so shameleslie admitted into the church of Rome, that they are sis or transition of the
not onelie suffered, but commanded to be used, not by night secretlie, author to
matter furbut by daie impudentlie. And these forsooth concerne the
ther purposed.
curing of bewitched persons, and such as are possessed; to
wit, such as have a divell put into them by witches
inchantments. And herewithall I will set
downe certeine rules delivered unto
us by such popish doctors,
as are of greatest
reputation.

3B

37o

1$. Bool.e.

T/te discoverie
T h e xxiiii. Chapter.

Who may be conjurors in the Romish church besides priests, a
ridiculous definition of superstition^ what words are to be used
and not used in exorcismes, rebaptisme allowed, it is lawfull to
conjure any thing, differences betweene holie water and conjuration.
HOMAS AQUINAS saith, that anie bodie, though he be
of an inferior or superior order, yea though of none order
at all (and as Gulielmus Durandus glossator Raimundi
affirmeth, a woman so she blesse not the girdle or the
garment, but the person of the bewitched) hath power to exercise the
order of an exorcist or conjuror, even as well as any preest may saie
masse in a house unconsecrated. But that is (saith M. Mai) rather
through the goodnesse and licence of the pope, than through the
grace of the sacrament. Naie, there are examples set downe, where
some being bewitched were cured (as M. Mai. taketh it) without any
conjuration at all. Marrie there were certeine Pater nosters, Aves, and
439> Credos] said, and crosses made, but they are charmes, they saie,
and no conjurations. For they saie that such charmes are lawfull,
bicause there is no superstition in them, &c.
And it is woorth my labour, to shew you how papists define
superstition, and how they expound the definition thereof. SuperstiEt glos super
illo ad coll. 2.
tion (saie they) is a religion observed beyond measure, a religion
practised with evill and imperfect circumstances. Also, whatsoever
usurpeth the name of religion, through humane tradition, without the
popes authoritie, is superstitious : as to adde or joine anie hymnes
to the masse, to interrupt anie diriges, to to* abridge anie part of
[* sic]
the creed in the singing thereof, or to sing when the organs go,
and not when the quier singeth, not to have one tohelpe the priest to
masse : and such like, &c.
Mend aces
These popish exorcists doo manie times forget their owne rules.
debent esse
For they should not directlie in their conjurations call upon the divell
memores,
multb magis
(as they doo) with intreatie, but with authoritie and commandement.
astuti exorcist*.
3 1 8 . Nei/ther should they have in their charmes and conjurations anie unknowne names. Neither should there be (as alwaies there is) anie
falshood conteined in the matter of the charme of conjuration,
as (saie they) old women have in theirs, when they saie ; The
blessed virgine passed over Jordan, and then S. Steven met hir,
and asked hir, &c. Neither should they have anie other vaine
characters, but the crosse (for those are the words:) and manie other

In 4 dist.
23. sent.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 24.

371

such cautions have they, which they observe not, for they have made
it lawfull elsewhere.
But Thomas their cheefe piller prooveth their conjuring and charmes Tho. Aquin.
super. Marc,
lawfull by S. Marke, who saith ; Signa eos qui crediderunt;
And, ultim.
In nomine meo dcemonia ejicient, &>c: whereby he also prooveth that Mark, 16, 17
they maie conjure serpents. And there he taketh paines to proove,
that the words of God are of as great holinesse as relikes of saints,
whereas (in such respect as they meane) they are both alike, and indeed nothing woorth. And I can tell them further, that so they maie
be carried, as either of them maie doo a man much h a r m e either in
bodie or soule.
But they proove this by S. Augustine,
saieng ; Non est minus A trimme
verbum Dei, quam corpus Christi:
whereupon they conclude thus ; consequent
By all mens opinions it is lawfull to carrie about reverentlie the relikes
of saints; Ergo it is-lawfull against evill spirits, to in/vocate the name 44O.
of God everie waie ; by the Pater noster, the Ave, the nativitie, the
passion, the five wounds, the title triumphant, by the seven words
spoken on the crosse, by the nailes, &c : and there maie be hope
reposed in them. Yea, they saie it is lawfull to conjure all things, Mai. male/,
bicause the divell maie have power in all things. And first, alwaies par. 2. qua. 2.
the person or thing, wherein the divell is, must be exorcised, and then
the divell must be conjured. Also they affirme, that it is as expedient
to consecrate and conjure porrage and meate, as water and salt, or
such like things.
The right order of exorcisme in rebaptisme of a person possessed Rites, ceremonies, and
or bewitched, requireth that exsufflation and abrenunciation be doone relikes of
toward the west. Item, there must be erection of hands, confession, exorcisme
in rebaptiprofession, oration, benediction, imposition of hands, denudation and sing of the
unction, with holie oile after baptisme, communion, and induition of possessed or
bewitched.
the surplis. But they saie that this needeth not, where the bewitched
is exorcised : but that the bewitched be first confessed, and then to
hold a candle in his hand, and in steed of a surplise to tie about his
bare bodie a holie candle of the length of Christ, or of the crosse
whereupon he died, which for monie maie be h a d at Rome.
Ergo
(saith M. Mai.) this maie be said ; I conjure thee Peter or Barbara
being sicke, but regenerate in the holie water of baptisme, by the living
God, by the true God, by the. holie God, by the God which redeemed
thee with his pretious bloud, that thou maiest be made a conjured
man, that everie fantasie and wickednesse of diabolicall deceipt doo
avoid and depart from thee, and that everie uncleane spirit be conjured
through him that shall come to judge the quicke and the dead, and
the world by fier, Amen : Oremus, &c. And this conjuration, with
Oremus, and a praier, must be thrise repeated, and at the end alwaies

"2 7 2

15- Booke.

The discoverie

must be said ; Ergo maledicte diabole recognosce sententiam
tuam,
319. &C. And this order must alwaies be/ followed. And finallie, there
must be diligent search made, in everie corner, and under everie
Memorandum that
coverlet and pallet, and under everie threshhold of the doores, for
this is for
instruments of witchcraft. And if anie be found, they must streightone bewitched.
waie be throwne into the fier. Also they must change all their bedding, their clothing, and their habitation. And if nothing be found,
the partie that is to be exorcised or conjured, must come to the church
441. rath in the morning : and the holier the daie is, the/ better, speciallie
our Ladie daie. And the preest, if he be shriven himselfe and in
perfect state, shall doo the better therein. And let him that is exorcised hold a holie candle in his hand, &c. Alwaies provided, that
Note the
proviso.
the holie water be throwne upon him, and a stoale put about his necke,
with Deus in adjutorium, and the Letanie, with invocation of saints.
And this order maie continue thrise a weeke, so as (saie they) through
multiplication of intercessors, or rather intercessions, grace maie be
obteined, and favor procured.
There is also some question in the Romish church, whether the
sacrament of the altar is to be received before or after the exorcisme.
Item in shrift, the confessor must learne whether the partie be not
excommunicate, and so for want of absolution, endure this vexation.
Thomas sheweth the difference betwixt holie water and conjuration,
Tho.
Aquin.
supr. dist. 6.
saieng that holie water driveth the divell awaie from the externall and
outward parts ; but conjurations from the internall and inward
p a r t s ; and therefore unto the bewitched partie both are to be
applied.

T h e xxv. Chapter.
The seven reasons why some are not rid of the divell with all
their popish conjurations,
why there were no conjurors in the
primitive
church, and why the divell is not so soone cast out of
the bewitched as of the possessed.

4
5
6
-7
442.

H E reason why some are not remedied for all their conjurations, the papists say is for seven causes. First, for
that the faith of the standers by is n a u g h t ; secondlie, for
..
_ that theirs that present the partie is no better ; thirdlie,
bicause of the sinnes of the bewitched ; fourthlie, for the neglecting
of meete remedies ; fiftlie, for the reverence of vertues going out into
others ; sixtlie, for the purgation ; seventhlie, for the merit of the
partie bewitched. And lo, the first foure are proved by Matthew the
7- and Marke the 4./ when one presented his sonne, and the multitude

of Witchcraft.

-chap. *6.

wanted faith, & the father said, Lord help mine incredulitie or unbeleefe. Wherupon was said, Oh faithlesse and perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you ? And where these words are written ;
And Jesus rebuked him, &c. That is to saie, saie they, the possessed
or bewitched for his sinnes. For by the neglect of due remedies it
appeereth, that there were not with Christ good and perfect men : for
the pillers of the faith ; to wit, Peter, James, and John were absent.
Neither was there fasting and praier, without the which that kind of
divels could not be cast out. For the fourth point; to wit, the fault
of the exorcist in faith maie ap/peare; for that afterwards the disciples
asked the cause of their impotencie therin. And Jesus answered, it
was for their incredulitie ; saieng that if they had as much faith as a
graine of mustard seed, they should move mountaines, &c. The fift
is prooved by Vitas patrum, the lives of the fathers, where it appeereth
that S. Anthonie could not doo that cure, when his scholar Paule
could doo it, and did it. For the proofe of the sixt excuse it is said,
that though the fault be taken • awaie therby ; yet it followeth not
that alwaies the punishment is released. Last of all it is said,
that it is possible that the divell was not conjured out of the partie
before baptisme by the exorcist, or the midwife hath not baptised him
well, but omitted some part of the sacrament. If any object that
there were no exorcists in the primitive church, it is answered, that
the church cannot now erre. And saint Gregorie would never have
instituted it in vaine. And it is a generall rule, that who or whatsoever is newlie exorcised, must be rebaptised : as also such as walke
or talke in their sleepe ; for (saie they) call them by their names, and
presentlie they wake, or fall if they clime : whereby it is gathered,
that they are not trulie named in baptisme. Item they saie, it is
somewhat more difficult to conjure the divell out of one bewitched,
than out of one possessed : bicause in the bewitched, he is double ;
in the other single. They have a hundred such beggerlie, foolish, and
frivolous notes in this behalfe./

T h e xxvi. Chapter.
Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in this matter of
conjurations.
URELIE I cannot see what difference or distinction the
witchmongers doo put betweene the knowledge and power
of God and the divell ; but that they think, if they praie,
or rather talke to God, till their hearts ake, he never
heareth them ; but that the divell dooth knowe everie thought and

373
Proper
proofes of
the former
seven reasons.

320.

W h y there
were no
conjurors
in y e primitive church
with other
subtill
points.

443.

374

IS. Booke.

The discoverie

imagination of their minds, and both can and also will doo any thing
for them. For if anie that meaneth good faith with the divell read
certeine conjurations, he commeth up (they saie) at a trice. Marrie
if another that hath none intent to raise him, read or pronounce the
words, he will not stirre. And yet / . Bodin confesseth, that he is
A conjuror
then belike
afraid to read such conjurations, as John Wierus reciteth ; least
must not be
timerous or
(belike) the divell would come up, and scratch him with his fowle
fearefull.
long nailes. In which sort I woonder that the divell dealeth with
none other, than witches and conjurors. I for my part have read a
number of their conjurations, but never could see anie divels of
theirs, except it were in a plaie. But the divell (belike) knoweth my
mind; to wit, that I would be loth to come within the compasse of
Where a
his clawes. But lo what reason such people have. Bodin^ Bartholowitch cumeus Sfimeus, Sfirenger, and Institor, &c : doo constantlie affirme,
reth by incantation,
that witches are to be punished with more extremitie than conjurors;
and the
conjuror
and sometimes with death, when the other are to be pardoned doing
by conjuration.
the same offense : bicause (say they) the witches make a league with
321. the divell, &/ so doo not conjurors. Now if conjurors make no league
by their owne confession, and divels indeed know not our cogitations
(as I have sufficientlie prooved) then would I weet of our witchmongers the reason, (if I read the conjuration and performe the
ceremonie) why the divell will not come at my call ? But oh absurd
credulitie ! Even in this point manie wise & learned men have
444- beene & are abused:/ wheras, if they would make experience, or
dulie expend the cause, they might be soone resolved; specially when
the whole art and circumstance is so contrarie to Gods word, as it
must be false, if the other be true. So as you may understand, that
the papists do not onlie by their doctrine, in bookes & sermons teach
& publish conjurations, & the order thereof, whereby they may induce
men to bestowe, or rather cast awaie their monie upon masses
and suffrages for their soules; but they make it also a parcell of their sacrament of orders (of the which number
a conjuror is one) and insert manie formes of
conjurations into their divine service, and
not onelie into their pontificals, but
into their masse bookes ;
yea into the verie
canon of the
masse.

of Witchcraft.

ch a p . 27.

375

T h e xxvii. Chapter.
Certaine conjurations taken out of the pontifical I and out of
the missalL
UT see yet a little more of popish conjurations, and conferre them with the other. In the *pontificall you shall * Tit. de ecfind this conjuration, which the other conjurors use as 'catfone*
solemnelie as they : I conjure thee thou creature of water
in the name of the farther, of the so^nne, and of the Holie^ghost,
that thou drive awaie the divell from the bounds of the just, that he
remaine not in the darke corners of this church and altar. •$ You Ibidem, fol.
shall find in the same title, these words following, to be used at the 108.
hallowing of churches. There must a crosse of ashes be made upon
the pavement, from one end of the church to the other, one handfull
broad : and one of the priests must write on the one side thereof the
Greeke alphabet, and on the otherside the Latin alphabet. Durandus Durand. de
yeeldeth this reason thereof; to wit, It representeth the union in faith dicatiowlib.
of the Jewes and Gentiles. And yet well agreeing to himselfe he !•/*'• «•
saith even there, that the crosse reaching from the one end to the
other, signifieth that the people, which were in the head, shalbe made
the taile./
^f A conjuration written in the masse booke. Fol. 1.

445-

salt by
by the God •£ that liveth, in
•
I Conjure thee O creaturebyofthe holieGod,beGod, whichinto< Elizceus theTheMissah,
by the true *i* God,
H*
E
by
prophet commanded, that thou shouldest
throwne
the water,
maner
that it thereby might be made whole and sound, that thou salt [here ring°sait~
let the preest looke upon the salt] maist be conjured for the health of
all beleevers, and that thou/ be to all that take thee, health both of 322.
bodie and soule ; and let all phantasies and wickednesse, or diabolicall craft or deceipt, depart from the place whereon it is sprinkled ;
as also everie uncleane spirit, being conjured by him that judgeth
both the quicke and the dead by fier. Resp : Amen. Then folioweth
a praier to be said, without Dominus vobiscum; but yet with Oremus-,
as followeth :
^f Oremus.
Lmightie and everlasting God, we humblie desire thy clemency A praier to
[here let the preest looke upon the salt] that thou wouldest to tlSformer exorvouchsafe, through thy pietie, to bl^esse and sanc^tifie this creature cisme.

A

376

is. Rooke.

The discovei'ie

of salt, which thou hast given for the use of mankind, that it may be
to all that receive it, health of mind and bodie; so as whatsoever
shall be touched thereby, or sprinkled therewith, may be void of all
uncleannesse, and all resistance of spirituall iniquitie, through our
Lord, Amen.
What can be made but a conjuration of these words also, which
are written in the canon, or rather in the saccaring of masse ? This
holie commixtion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ,
let it be made to me, and to all the receivers thereof, health of mind
and bodie, and a wholesome preparative for the deserving and receiving of everlasting life, through our Lord Jesus, Amen./

446.

T h e xxviii. Chapter.
That popish priests leave nothing unconjured, a forme of
exorcisme for incense.

[* ? sort. •{«]
A conjuration of
frankincense set
foorth in
forme.

[f read incense,
Tobit, viii..2, 3.]

LTHOUGH the papists have manie conjurations, so as
neither water, nor fier, nor bread, nor wine, nor wax, nor
tallowe, nor church, nor churchyard, nor altar, nor altar
cloath, nor ashes, nor coles, nor belles, nor bell ropes,
nor copes, nor vestments, nor oile, nor salt, nor candle, nor candlesticke, nor beds, nor bedstaves, &c ; are without their forme of
conjuration : yet I will for brevitie let all passe, and end here with
incense, which they doo conjure in this sort •£< .* I conjure thee most
filthy and horrible spirit, and everie vision of our enimie, &c : that
thou go and depart from out of this creature of frankincense, with
all thy deceipt and wickednes, that this creature may be sanctified,
and in the name of our Lord ^ Jesus ^ Christ •£< that all they that
taste, touch, or smell the same, may receive the virtue and assistance
of the Holie-ghost; so as wheresoever this incense or frankincense
shall remaine, that there thou in no wise be so bold as to approch or
once presume or attempt to hurt : but what uncleane spirit so ever
thou be, that thou with all thy craft and subtiltie avoid and depart,
being conjured by the name of God the father almightie, &c. And
that wheresoever the fume or smoke thereof shall come,
everie kind and sort of divels may be driven awaie, and
expelled ; as they were at the increaset
of the liver of fish, which the
archangell Raphaell
made, &c./

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 29.

T h e xxix. Chapter.

377

447. 323.

The rules and /awes of popish Exorcists and other conjurors all
one, with a confutation of their whole power, how S. Marline
conjured the divell
|HE papists you see, have their certeine generall rules and
lawes, as to absteine from sinne, and to fast, as also
otherwise to be cleane from all pollusions, &c : and even
so likewise have the other conjurors. Some will saie
that papists use divine service, and praiers ; even so doo common
conjurors (as you see) even in the same papisticall forme, no whit
swarving from theirs in faith and doctrine, nor yet in ungodlie and
unreasonable kinds of petitions. Me thinks it may be a sufficient
argument, to overthrow the calling up and miraculous works of spirits,
that it is written ; God onelie knoweth and searcheth the harts, and
onelie worketh great woonders. The which argument being prosecuted to the end, can never be answered : insomuch as that divine
.

.

Papists and
cousening
com eers

P

1. Sam. 16, 7.
jere.eg 17, ra
Esa}* f4,2l'
Psal.

power is required in that action.
And if it be said, that in this conjuration we speake to the spirits,
and they heare us, & therefore need not know our thoughts and
imaginations : I first aske them whether king Baell, or Amoimon,
which are spirits reigning in the furthest regions of the east (as they
saie) may heare a conjurors voice, which calleth for them, being in
the extreamest parts of the west, there being such noises interposed,
where perhaps also they may be busie, and set to worke on the like
affaires. Secondlie, whether those spirits be of the same power that
God is, who is everiewhere, filling all places, and able to heare all
men at one instant, &c. Thirdlie, whence commeth the force of such
words as raise the dead, and command divels. If sound doo it, then
may it be doone by a taber and a pipe, or any other instrument that
hath no life. If the voice doo it, then may it be doone by any beasts
or birds. If words, then a parret may doo it. If in mans words
onlie, where is the/ force, in the first, second, or third syllable ? If
in syllables, then not in words. If in imaginations, then the divell
knoweth our thoughts. But all this stuffe is vaine and fabulous.
It is written ; All the generations of the earth were healthfull, and
there is no poison of destruction in them. Why then doo they conjure holsome creatures ; as salt, water, &c : where no divels are ?
God looked upon all his works, and sawe they were all good. What
effect (I praie you) had the 7. sonnes of Sceva; which is the great

3C

*

72, 18.

448.
s ap . 1.14.
Genfi!'9*
Act. 19.

378

is.Booke.

The discoverie

objection of witchmongers ? They would needs take upon them to
conjure divels out of the possessed. But what brought they to passe?
Yet that was in the time, whilest God suffered miracles commonlie to
be wrought. By that you may see what conjurors can doo.
Where is such a promise to conjurors or witches, as is made in the
Mark 16.17.
Gospell to the faithfull? where it is written ; In my name they shall
324. cast/ out divels, speake with new toongs : if they shall drinke any
deadlie thing, it shall not hurt them ; they shall take awaie serpents,
they shall laie hands on the sicke, and they shall recover. According
to the promise, this grant of miraculous working was performed in
the primitive church, for the confirmation of Christs doctrine, and
the establishing of the Gospell.
But as in another place I have prooved, the gift thereof was but
for a time, and is now ceased; neither was it ever made to papist,
witch, or conjuror. They take upon them to call up and cast out
divels ; and to undoo with one divell, that which another divell hath
doone. If one divell could cast out another, it were a kingdome
divided, and could not stand. Which argument Christ himselfe
maketh : and therfore I maie the more boldlie saie even with Christ,
*isai. 43.11.
that they have no such power. For a besides him, there is no saviour,
61
13
b
cap ^! '
none can deliver out of his hand. Who but hee can declare, set in
verse.
7.
order, appoint, and tell what is to come ? He destroieth the tokens
verse.

25.

7

1 J-

?

of soothsaiers, and maketh the conjecturers fooles, &c. He declareth
things to come, and so cannot witches.
Isai. 46. 10.
There is no helpe in inchanters and soothsaiers, and other such
i2Pit7&cfS'
vaine sciences. For divels are cast out by the finger of God, which
Luke'. 11.20.
Matthew calleth the spirit of God, which is the mightie power of
Acts,' 8*' 19.
God, and not by the vertue of the bare name onelie, being spoken
449' or pronounced : for then might everie wicked man/ doo it. And
Simon Magus needed not then to have proffered monie to have
bought the power to doo miracles and woonders : for he could
speake and pronounce the name of God, as well as the apostles. Indeed they maie §oone throwe out all the divels that are in frankincense, and such like creatures, wherein no divels are : but neither
they, nor all their holie water can indeed cure a man possessed with
a divell, either in bodie or mind ; as Christ did. Naie, why doo they
not cast out the divell that possesseth their owne soules ?
Let me heare anie of them" all speake with new toongs, let them
drinke but one dramme of a potion which I will prepare for them, let
them cure the sicke by laieng on of hands (though witches take it
upon them, and witchmongers beleeve it) and then I will subscribe
unto them. But if they, which repose such certeintie in the actions
of witches and conjurors, would diligentlie note their deceipt, and

of Witchcraft.

chap. 3o.

how the scope whereat they shoote is monie (I meane not such
witches as are falselie accused, but such as take upon them to give
answers, &c : as mother Bungie did) they should apparentlie see the
cousenage. For they are abused, as are manie beholders of jugglers,
which suppose they doo miraculouslie, that which is doone by slight
and subtiltie.
But in this matter of witchcrafts and conjurations, if men would
rather trust their owne eies, than old wives tales and lies, I d a r e
undertake this matter would soone b e at a perfect p o i n t ; as being
easier to be perceived than juggling. But I must needs confesse,
that it is no great marvell, though the simple be abused therein, when
such lies concerning those matters are mainteined by such persons of
account, and thrust into their divine service. As for example :/ It is
written that S. Martine thrust his fingers into ones mouth that h a d a
divell within him, and used to bite folke ; and then did bid him
devoure them if he could. And bicause the divell could not get out
at his mouth, being stopt with S. Martins fingers, he was faine to
run out at his fundament. O stinking lie ! /

T h e xxx. Chapter.
That it is a shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors
their owne being of so title force> Hipocrates his
herein.

379
Monieis
wherea?6
ai witches
rors doo
alme
*

325.
s. Martins
f^f^n'cti
Martini.

4JO.
dooings,
opinion

J N D still me thinks papists (of all others) which indeed
are most credulous, and doo most mainteine the force of
witches charmes, and of conjurors cousenages^ should
perceive and judge conjurors dooings to be void of effect.
F o r when they see their owne stuffe, as holie water, salt, candles, &c:
conjured by their holie bishop and preests ; & that in the words of
consecration or conjuration (for so* their owne doctors terme them) * To wit,
they adjure the water, &c : to heale, not onelie the soules infirmitie, %?nicn'in°aibut also everie maladie, hurt, or ach of the bodie ; and doo also com- his'-in octam a n d the candles, with the force of all their authoritie and power, ne. 15.
and by the effect of all their holie words, not to consume : and yet
^orrist^'
neither soule nor bodie anie thing recover, nor the candles last one
minute the longer : with what face can they defend the others miraculous workes ; as though the witches and conjurors actions were
more effectuall than their owne ? Hippocrates being but a heathen,
and not having the perfect knowledge of God, could see and perceive

380

i 5 . Booke.

The discoverie

their cousenage and knaverie well enough, who saith ; They which
boast so, that they can remoove or helpe the infections of diseases, with
sacrifices, conjurations, or other magicall instruments or meanes, are
but needie fellowes, wanting living ; and therefore referre their words
to the divell: bicause they would seeme to know somewhat more
than the common people. It is marvell that papists doo affirme, that
their holie water, crosses, or bugges words have such vertue and
violence, as to drive awaie divels : so as they dare not approch to
anie place or person besmeered with such stuffe; when as it appeareth
in the gospell, that the divell presumed to assault and tempt Christ
451. himselfe. For the divell indeed most ernestlie busieth him/selfe
to seduce the godlie : as for the wicked, he maketh reckoning and
just accompt of them, as of his owne alreadie. But let us go forward
in our refutation./

The xxxi. Chapter.
How conjurors have beguiled witches, what bookes they carie
about to procure credit to their art, wicked assertions against
Moses and Joseph.

[* See p. 117,]

A fowle offense to
backbite
y e absent,
& to beelie the
dead.

Acts. 19.

[ t ? Pomoncel
Just. lib. 16.

B R f S S H H U S you see that conjurors are no small fooles. For
Bjlsl \fflSk whereas witches being poore and needie, go from doore
cfili sira t 0 ^ o o r e f° r re l e efe, have they never so manie todes or
llMfgrnpffiJI cats at home, or never so much hogs doong and charvill*
about them, or never so manie charmes in store : these conjurors (I
saie) have gotten them offices in the church of Rome, wherby they
have obteined authoritie & great estimation. And further, to adde
credit to that art, these conjurors carrie about at this daie, bookes
intituled under the names of Adam, Abel, Tobie, & Enoch ; which
Enoch they repute the most divine fellow in such matters. They
have also among them bookes that they saie Abraham, Aaron and
Salomon made. Item they have bookes of Zacharie, Paule, Honorius,
Cyprian, Jerome, Jeremie, Albert, and Thomas : also of the angels,
Riziel, Razael, and Raphael; and these doubtlesse were such bookes
as were said to have beene burnt in the lesser Asia, And for their
further credit they boast, that they must be and are skilfull and learned
in these arts ; to wit, Ars Almadell, ars Notoria, ars Bulaphice, ars
Arthephii, ars Pomena^ ars Revelationis, 8F*C. Yea, these conjurors
in corners sticke not (with Justine) to report and affirme, that Joseph,
who was a true figure of Christ that delivered and redeemed us, was

of Witchcraft.

chaP. 32.

381

learned in these arts, and thereby prophesied and expounded dreames:
and that those arts came from him to Moses, and finallie from Moses
to them: which thing both Plinie and Tacitus affirme of Moses. Also PUn. lib. 30.
Strabo in his cosmographie maketh the verie like blasphemous sttab'lib. 16.
report. And likewise Apollonius,\ Molon, Possidonius, Lisimachus, 452.
and Appian terme Moses both a magician and a conjuror : whom
Eusebius confuteth with manie notable arguments. For Moses
differed as much from a magician, as truth from falshood, and pietie
from vanitie : for in truth, he confounded all magicke, and made the
world see, and the cunningest magicians of the earth confesse, that
their owne dooings were but illusions, and that his miracles were
wrought by the finger of God. But that the poore old witches knowledge reacheth thus farre (as Danozus affirmeth it dooth) is untrue : Dan. in dialog, de sortifor their furthest fetches that I can comprehend, are but to fetch a ariis.
pot of milke, &c : from their neighbors house, halfe a mile distant
from them./

T h e xxxil. Chapter.

327.

All magicall arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero,
what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have left written
thereof andprooved by experience.
||URELIE Nero prooved all these magicall arts to be
vaine and fabulous lies, and nothing but cousenage and
knaverie. He was a notable prince, having gifts of
nature enow to have conceived such matters, treasure
enough to have emploied in the search thereof, he made no conscience
therein, he had singular conferences thereabout; he offered, and
would have given halfe his kingdome to have learned those things,
which he heard might be wrought by magicians ; he procured all
the cunning magicians in the world to come to Rome, he searched
for bookes also, and all other things necessarie for a magician ; and
never could find anie thing in it, but cousenage and legierdemaine.
At length he met with one Tiridates, the great magician, who having
with him all his companions, and fellowe magicians, witches, conjurors, and couseners, invited Nero to certeine magicall bankets and
exercises. Which when Nero required to learne,/ he (to hide his
cousenage) answered that he would not, nor could not teach him,
though he would have given him his kingdome. The matter of his
refusall (I saie) was, least Nero should espie the cousening devises
thereof. Which when Nero conceived, and sawe the same, and all

Tiddates
?r?at
biddeth
rorNenT
J-° a ^an*
^JJ,

the

382

15. Booke.

The discoverie

the residue of that art to be vaine, lieng and ridiculous, having onelie
shadowes of truth, and that their arts were onelie veneficall; he prohibited the same utterlie, and made good and strong lawes against
the use and the practisers thereof : as Plinie and others doo report. It
is marvell that anie man can be so much abused, as to suppose that
sathan may be commanded, compelled, or tied by the power of man :
as though the divell would yeeld to man, beyond nature ; that will
not yeeld to God his creator, according to the rules of nature. And
in so much as there be (as they confesse) good angels as well as bad;
I would know whie they call up the angels of hell, and not call downe
lib.
the angels of heaven. But this they answer (as Agrippa saith.)
Good angels (forsooth) doo hardlie appeare, and the other are readie
at hand. Here I may not omit to tell you how Cor. Agrippa bewraieth, detecteth, and defaceth this art of conjuration, who in his
youth travelled into the bottome of all these magicall sciences, and
was not onelie a great conjuror and practiser thereof, but also wrote
cunninglie De occulta philosophia. Howbeit, afterwards in his wiser
age, he recanteth his opinions, and lamenteth his follies in that behalfe, and discovereth the impietie and vanities of magicians, and
inchanters, which boast they can doo miracles : which action is now
ceased (saith he) and assigneth them a place with fannes and fambres,
affirming that this art teacheth nothing but vaine toies for a shew.
Carolus Gallus also saith ; I have tried oftentimes, by the witches
and conjurors themselves, that their arts (especiallie those which doo
328. consist of charmes, impossibilities,/ conjurations, and witchcrafts,
whereof they were woont to boast) to be meere foolishnes, doting lies,
and dreames. I for my part can saie as much, but that I delight not
to alledge mine owne proofes and authorities ; for that mine adversaries will saie they are parciall, and not indifferent./

Nero made
lawes against conjurors and
conjurations.

C. A grip.
deyanitat.
scient.

T h e xxxiii. Chapter.
Of Salomons conjurations, and of the opinion conceived of his
cunning and practise therein.
fcHSjj liJJfljT is affirmed by sundrie authors, that Salomon was the
IIHN Kflill first inventor of those conjurations; and thereof fosephus
R S I B $ B *s t ^ ie ^ r s t r e P o r t e r > w n o m hi s fift booke De fudceorum
iMfirprwNl antiquitatibus, cap. 22. rehearseth soberlie this storie following ; which Polydore Virgil, and manie other repeat verbatim, in this
wise, and seeme to credit the fable, whereof there is skant a true word.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 33-

383

Salomon was the greatest philosopher, and did philosophie about
all things, and had the full and perfect knowlege of all their proprieties : but he had that gift given from above to him, for the profit
and health of mankind : which is effectuall against divels. He made
also inchantments, wherewith diseases are driven awaie ; and left
diverse maners of conjurations written, whereunto the divels giving
place are so driven awaie, that they never returne. And this kind of
healing is very common among my countrimen : for I sawe a neighbour of mine, one Eleazer, that in the presence of Vespasian and his Probatum
sonnes, and the rest of the souldiers, cured many that were possessed est upon a
patient bewith spirits. The maner and order of his cure was this. He did fore witnes:
put unto the nose of the possessed a ring, under the seale wherof was Ergo no lie.
inclosed a kind of roote, whose verture Salomon declared, and the
savour thereof drewe the divell out at his nose ; so as downe fell the
man, and then Eleazer conjured the divell to depart, & to return no
more to him. In the meane time he made mention of Salomon,
reciting incantations of Salomons owne making. And then Eleazer
being willing to shew the standers by his cunning, and the wonderfull
efficacie of his art, did set not farre from thence, a pot or basen full
of water, & commanded the divell that went out of the man, that by
the overthrowing thereof, he would give a signe to the beholders, that
he had utterlie forsaken and leaft the man./ Which thing being doone, 455none there doubted how great Salomons knowledge and wisedome
was. Wherin a jugling knacke was produced, to confirme a cogging
cast of knaverie or cousenage.
Another storie of Salomons conjuration I find cited in the sixt
lesson, read in the church of Rome upon S. Margarets daie, far more
ridiculous than this. Also Peter Lombard maister of the sentences, Lib. 4 dist. 14.
and Gratian his brother, the compiler of the golden decrees ; and Decret. au~
reum. dist.
Durandas in his Rationale divinorum, doo all soberlie affirme Salomons Rub. de ex- 21
cunning in this behalfe; and speciallie this tale ; to wit, that Salomon orcist.
inclosed certeine thousand di/vels in a brasen bowle, and left it in a 329.
deepe hole or lake, so as afterwards the Babylonians found it, and
supposing there had beene gold or silver therein, brake it, and out flew
all the divels, &c. And that this fable is of credit, you shall perceive,
in that it is thought woorthie to be read in the Romish church as parcell of their divine service. Looke in the lessons of S. Margarets Led. 5. & 6.
daie the virgine, and you shall find these words verbatim : which I
the rather recite, bicause it serveth me for divers turnes ; to wit, for
Salomons conjurations, for the tale of the brasen vessell, and for the
popes conjurations, which extended both to faith and doctrine, and to
shew of what credit their religion is, that so shamefullie is stained
with lies and fables.

384

isBooke.

The discoverie
T h e xxxiiii. Chapter.

Lessons read in all churches, where the pope hath authoritie,
on S. Margarets dale, translated into English word for
word.
j|OLIE Margaret required of GOD, that she might have
a conflict face to face with hir secret enimie the divell;
Led. in die
and rising from praier, she sawe a terrible dragon, that
sanctissimce
Marg. vir. 5.
would have devoured hir, but she made the signe of the
crosse, and the dragon burst in the middest.
Afterwards, she sawe another man/ sitting like a Niger, having his
456hands bound fast to his knees, she taking him by the haire of the head,
threw him to the ground, and set hir foote on his head ; and hir
praiers being made, a light shined from heaven into the prison where
she was, and the crosse of Christ was seene in heaven, with a doove
sitting thereon, who said ; Blessed art thou O Margaret, the gates of
paradise attend thy comming. Then she giving thanks to God, said
to the divell, Declare to me thy name. The divell said ; Take awaie
thy foote from my head, that I may be able to speake, and tell thee :
which being done, the divell said, I am Veltis, one of them whome
Looke in
the word
Salomon shut in the brasen vessell, and the Babylonians comming,
Iidoni,
pag. 383.
and supposing there had beene gold therein, brake the vessell, and
then we flew out : ever since lieng in wait to annoie the just. But
seeing I have recited a part of hir storie, you shall also have the
end therof: for at the time of hir execution this was hir praier
following.
Grant therefore O father, that whosoever writeth, readeth, or heareth
my passion, or maketh memoriall of me, may deserve pardon for all his
sinnes : whosoever calleth on me, being at the point of death, deliver
him out of the hands of his adversaries. And I also require, O Lord,
that whosoever shall build a church in the honor of me, or ministreth
* For the
unto me anie candles* of his just labour, let him obteine whatsoever
preests prohe asketh for his health. Deliver all women in travell that call upon
fit, I warrant you.
me, from the danger thereof.
T h i s is coHir praier ended, there were manie great thunderclaps, and a doove
mon (they
came downe from heaven, saieng ; Blessed art thou O Margaret the
saie) when
a witch or
spouse of Christ. Such things as thou hast asked, are granted unto thee;
conjuror
dieth.
330. there/fore come thou into everlasting rest, &c. Then the hangman
(though she did bid him) refused to cut off hir head : to whome she
said ; Except thou doo it, thou canst have no part with me, and then
lo he did it, &c. But sithens I have beene, and must be tedious, I

of Witchcraft.

chap. 35.

385

thought good to refresh my reader with a lamentable storie, depending upon the matter precedent, reported by manie grave authors, word
for word, in maner and forme following. /

T h e xxxv. Chapter.

457-

A delicate storie of a Lombard, who by S. Margarets example
would needs fight with a reall divell.
H E R E was (after a sermon made, wherein this storie of
S. Margaret was recited, for in such stuffe consisted
not onelie their service, but also their sermons in the
blind time of poperie:) there was (I saie) a certeine
yoong man, being a Lombard, whose simplicitie was such, as he
had no respect unto the commoditie of worldlie things, but did
altogither affect the salvation of his soule, who hearing how great
S. Margarets triumph was, began to consider with himselfe, how
full of slights the divell was. And among other things thus he
said ; Oh that God would suffer, that the divell might fight with me
hand to hand in visible forme ! I would then surelie in like maner
overthrow him, and would fight with him till I had the victorie. And
therefore, about the twelfe houre he went out of the towne, and finding
a convenient place'where to praie, secretlie kneeling on his knees, he
praied among other things, that God would suffer the divell to appeare
unto him in visible forme, that according to the example of S.
Margaret, he might overcome him in battell. And as he was in the
middest of his praiers, there came into that place a woman with a
hooke in hir hand, to gather certeine hearbs which grew there, who
was dumme borne. And when she came into the place, and saw the
yoong man among the hearbs on his knees, she was afraid, and waxed
pale, and going backe, she rored in such sort, as hir voice could not
be understood, and with hir head and fists made threatning signes
unto him. The yoong man seeing such an ilfavoured fowle queane,
that was for age decrepit and full of wrinkles, with a long bodie,
leane of face, pale of colour, with ragged cloathes, crieng verie lowd,
and having a voice not understandable, threatning him with the
hooke which she carried in hir hand, he thought surelie she had
beene no woman, but a divell appea/ring unto him in the shape of a
woman, and thought God had heard his praiers. For the which
causes he fell upon hir lustilie, and at length threw hir downe to the
ground, saieng; Art thou come thou curssed divell, art thou come ?
No no, thou shalt not overthrow me in visible fight, whome thou
hast often overcome in invisible temptation.
3D

Kakozdia.

Mutuaii
^eanes7
of sudden

Slg

458.

386

r5.Booke.

The discovei'ie

And as he spake these words, he caught hir by the haire, and drew
hir about, beating hir sometimes with his hands, sometimes with his
heeles, and sometimes with the hooke so long, and wounded hir so
331. sore, that he/ left hir a dieng. At the noise whereof manie people
came running unto them, and seeing what was doone, they appreS. Vincent
hended the yoong man, and thrust him into a vile prison. S. Vincent
raiseth the
by vertue of his holines understanding all this matter, caused the
dead woman to life.
bodie that seemed dead to be brought unto him, and thereupon
(according to his maner) he laid his hand upon hir, who immediatlie
revived, and he called one of his chaplines to heare hir confession.
But they that were present said to the man of God, that it were
altogether in vaine so to doo, for that she had beene from hir
nativitie dumbe, and could neither heare nor understand the priest,
neither could in words confesse hir sinnes. Notwithstanding, S.
S. Vincent
Vincent bad the priest heare hir confession, affirming that she should
maketh the
verie distinctlie speake all things unto him. And therfore, whatsodumbe to
speake.
ever the man of God commanded, the priest did confidentlie
accomplish and obeie : and as soone as the priest approched unto
hir, to heare hir confession, she, whome all Cathalonia knew to be
dumbe borne, spake, and confessed hir selfe, pronouncing everie
word as distinctlie, as though she had never beene dumbe. After hir
confession she required the eucharist and extreame unction to be
ministred unto hir, and at length she commended hir selfe to God ;
and in the presence of all that came to see that miracle, she spake as
long as she h a d anie breath in hir bodie. T h e yoong man that killed
hir being saved from the gallowes by S. Vincents meanes, and at his
intercession, departed home into Italie.
This storie last rehearsed
Dist. 8. exempt. 17.
is found in Speculo exemplorum%
and repeated also by Robert
serm. 59.
cap. 20.
Carocul:
bishop of Aquinas,
and manie others, and preached
publikelie in the church of Rome.\

459-

T h e xxxvi. Chapter.
The storie of Saint Margaret prooved to be both ridiculous
impious in everie point.

and

| | I R S T , that the storie of S. Margaret
is a fable, may be
prooved by the incredible, impossible, foolish, impious,
and blasphemous matters conteined therein, and by the
ridiculous circumstance thereof. Though it were cruellie
doone of hir to beat the divell, when his hands were bound ; yet it
was courteouslie doone of hir, to pull awaie hir foot at his desire. H e

of Witchcraft.

chap. 37.

387

could not speake so long as she troad on his head, and yet he said ;
Tread off, that I may tell you what I am. She sawe the heavens open
and yet she was in a close prison. But hir sight was verie cleare,
that could see a little dove sitting upon a crosse so farre off. For
heaven is higher than the s u n n e ; and the sunne, when it is neerest
to us, is 3966000. miles from us. And she had a good paire of eares, Secundum
that could heare a dove speake so farre off. And she had good lucke, Bordinum
Corrigens.
that S. Peter, who (they saie) is porter, or else the pope, who hath Qucesit.
Math, tract.
more dooings than Peter, h a d such leisure as to staie the gates so 1. sect. 77.
long/ for hir. Salomon provided no good place, neither tooke good 332.
order with his brasen bowle. I marvellhow they escaped that let out
the divels. It is marvell also they melted it not with their breath
long before : for the divels carrie hell and hell fier about with them
alwaies ; in so much as (they saie) they leave ashes evermore where
they stand. Surelie she made in hir praier an unreasonable request. Psellus de
But the date of hir patent is out : for I beleeve that whosoever at this operatione
damonum.
daie shall burne a pound of good candle before hir, shall be never the
better, but three pence the worsse. But now we may find in S. Margarets life, who it is that is Christes wife : whereby we are so much
wiser than we were before. But looke in the life of S.
Katharine,
in the golden legend, and you shall find that he was also married
to S. Katharine, and that our ladie m a d e the marriage, &c. An
excellent authoritie for/bigamie. H e r e I will also cite other of their 460.
notable stories, or miracles of authoritie, and so leave shaming of
them, or rather troubling you the readers thereof. Neither would
I have written these fables, but that they are authentike among the
papists, and that we that are protestants m a y be satisfied, as well
of conjurors and witches miracles, as of the others : for the one is
as grosse as the other.

T h e xxxvii. Chapter.
A pleasant

miracle wrought

by a popish

preest.

[ H A T time the Waldenses heresies beganne to spring, inspeculo
certeine wicked men, being upheld and mainteined by
^/sT^Zxlik
diabolicall vertue, shewed certeine signes and woonders, exempforum,
wherby they strengthened and confirmed their heresies, empCl^\ '*'
and perverted in faith many faithfull m e n ; for they walked on the
water a n d were not drowned. But a certeine catholike preest
seeing the same, and knowing that true signes could not be joined
with false doctrine, brought the bodie of our Lord, with the pix, to

388

15. Booke.

The discoverie

the water, where they shewed their power and vertue to the people,
and said in the hearing of all that were present: I conjure thee O
divell, by him, whom I carrie in my hands, that thou exercise not these
great visions and phantasies by these men, to the drowning of this
people. Notwithstanding these words, when they walked still on the
water, as they did before, the preest in a rage threw the bodie of our
Lord, with the pix into the river, and by and by, so soone as the sacrament touched the element, the phantasie gave place to the veritie ;
and they being prooved and made false, did sinke like lead to the
bottome, and were drowned ; the pix with the sacrament immediatlie
was taken awaie by an angell. The preest seeing all these things,
was verie glad of the miracle, but for the losse of the sacrament he
was verie pensive, passing awaie the whole night in teares and
moorning : in the morning he found the pix with the sacrament upon
the altar.//

Memorandum, it is
confessed
in poperie
that true
miracles
cannot be
joined with
false doctrine : Ergo
neither papist, witch,
nor conjuror can
worke miracles.

T h e xxxviii. Chapter.
461.

333.

Led. in die
sanctee Luciee
7 &•> 8 .

The former miracle confuted, with a strange storie of saint Lucie.
j|OW glad Sir John was now it were follie for me to saie.
How would he have plagued the divell, that threw his
god in the river to be drowned ? But if other had had
no more power to destroie the Waldenses with sword and
fier, than this preest had to drowne them with his conjuring boxe &
cousening sacraments, there should have beene many a life saved.
But I may not omit one fable, which is of authoritie, wherein though
there be no conjuration expressed, yet I warrant you there was
cousenage both in the dooing and telling thereof. g§gp° You shall
read in the lesson on saint Lucies daie, that she being condemned,
could not be remooved from the place with a teeme of oxen, neither
could any fier burne hir, insomuch as one was faine to cut off hir
head with a sword, and yet she could speake afterwards as long as
she list. And this passeth all other miracles, except it be that which
Bodin and M. Mai. recite out of Nider, of a witch
that could not be burned, till a scroll
was taken awaie from where
she hid it, betwixt
hir skin and
flesh.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 39.

389

The xxxix. Chapter.
Of visions, noises-, apparitions, and imagined sounds, and of other
illusions, of wandering soules: with a confutation thereof.
I AN IE thorough melancholie doo imagine, that they see „
81

,

. .

. .

,

A

.

•

o

Seethesto-

or heare visions, spirits, ghosts, strange noises, &c : as rieofSimo
I have alreadie prooved before, at large. Manie againe Ade'Sis^
thorough feare proceeding from a cowardlie nature and wife, lib. 3.
complexion, or from an effeminate and fond bringing up, are timerous ^f'sl°,'^g'
and afraid of/ spirits, and bugs, &c. Some through imperfection of 462.
sight also are afraid of their owne shadowes, and (as Aristotle saith)
see themselves sometimes as it were in a glasse. And some through
weakenesse of bodie have such unperfect imaginations. Droonken
men also sometimes suppose they see trees walke, &c : according to
that which Salomon saith to the droonkards ; Thine eies shall see
strange visions, and mervellous appearances.
In all ages moonks and preests have abused and bewitched the Against the
world with counterfet visions ; which proceeded through idlenes, and
2 ^
restraint of marriage, wherby they grew hot and lecherous, and popish
therefore devised such meanes to compasse and obteine their loves, other couAnd the simple people being then so superstitious, would never ^g 1 "^ 6 "
seeme to mistrust, that such holie men would make them cuckholds,
but forsooke their beds in that case, and gave roome to the cleargie.
Item, little children have beene so scared with their mothers maids,
that they could never after endure to be in the darke alone, for feare
of bugs. Manie are deceived by glasses through/ art perspective. 334.
Manie hearkening unto false reports, conceive and beleeve that which
is nothing so. Manie give credit to that which they read in authors.
But how manie stories and bookes are written of walking spirits and
soules of men, contrarie to the word of God ; a reasonable volume
cannot conteine. How common an opinion was it among the papists,
that all soules walked on the earth, after they departed from their
bodies ? In so much as it was in the time of poperie a usuall matter,
to desire sicke people in their death beds, to appeare to them after
their death, and to reveale their estate. The fathers and ancient
doctors of the church were too credulous herein, &c. Therefore no
mervell, though the common simple sort of men, and least of all,
that women be deceived herein. God in times past did send downe
visible angels and appearances to men ; but now he dooth not so.
Through ignorance of late in religion, it was thought, that everie

390

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

is- Booke.

The discoverie

churchyard swarmed with soules and spirits : but now the word of
God being more free, open, and knowne, those conceipts and illusions
are made more manifest and apparent, &c.
The doctors, councels, and popes, which (they saie) cannot erre,
463. 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 7nei solummodo causa solicitus
sum, sed ftotius 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
335. 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./

of Witchcraft.

chap. 40.

391
464>

T h e xl. Chapter.
Cardanus opinion of strange noises, how counterfet visions grow
to be credited, of popish appeerances, of pope Boniface.
—

ARDANUS 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 Coelestinus. 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./
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
j

.j

j

,

visions, undecided and
untried are
true./

H. Card. lib.
i\™£™'

p ope cceieS U
^ Q\h^se~
popedome
nifaa?.

465.

Visions distinguished

392

IS- Booke.

The discoverie
T h e xli. Chapter.

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

H. Card. lib.
de subtilitat. 18.

Idem,

ibid.

Of W i n chester
noise.

466.

LAS ! 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 Ticimim 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.
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. /

T h e xlii. Chapter.
Of Theurgie, with a confutation thereof a letter sent to me
concerning these matters.
j|HERE is yet another art professed by these cousening
conjurors, which some fond divines afhrme 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

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 42.

393

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. 337.
Hereunto belongeth the art of Almadel, the art of Paule, the art Appendents unof Revelations, and the art Notarie. But (as Agrippa saith) the to the supposed dimore divine these arts seeme to the ignorant, the more damnable vine art
they be. But their false assertions, their presumptions to worke of T h s u r miracles, their characters, their strange names, their diffuse phrases, gie.
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 mer/cie, 4*7through 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.

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.]

AISTER R. SCOT,\ according to your request, I have Markethe
drawne out certeine abuses worth the noting, touching the scop^o*11
worke you have in handj things which I my selfe have this letterseene within these xxvi. yeares, among those which were [nRom] etter
counted famous and skilfull in those sciences. And bicause the whole
3 E

394

s. John
booke* deC-S
tecting the
conjuratis,
&c
-

15-Hooke.

The discoverie

discourse cannot be set downe, without nominating certeine persons, of
whom some are dead &* some livings whose freends remaine yet of
great credit: in respect therof I knowing that mine enimies doo
alreadie in number exceed my freends j 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 j I am therefore to signifie unto you, and I speake it in the
presence of God, that among all those famous and noted
practisersr
that I have beene conversant withall these xxvi. yeares, I could never
468. 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
338. 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 j for that, contrarie to my princes lawes, and
the lawe of God, and also to mine owne conscience, I did spend my
time in stich 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 L wish it, not
onlie in my native coiltrie, but also through the whole face of the
earth, speciallie among Christians.
For 7nine owne part L lament
my time lost, &* have repented me five yeares past: at which time L
sawe a booke, written in the old Saxon toong, by one Sir fohn
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.
L 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 yoic 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 L had
the better warrant from my L. of Leicester, who is my verie good
Lord, and by whome next under God (Mr Majestie onelie excepted) L
have beene preserved;
and therefore loth to doo any thing that may
46Q. offend his Lordships eares.j 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

of Witchcraft.
the bench this 8. of March, 1582.
friend and servant, T. E.

cha P . 42 .

Your Worships poore and

395

desolate

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 i t ; yet he would
not lend i t : 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 £ h e author
gone for currant, touching all these fallible arts, whereof hitherto I sion.
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 t h e m
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 :/
Quicquid nix celat, so/is calor omne

revelat:

What thing soever snowe dooth hide,
Heat of the sunne dooth make it spide.
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./

339.
Andrceas
Gartnerus
~M.aricem.ontanus, Eng.
by Ab. Fie.

Matt. 10, 26.
Mark 4 22.
Luke. 8, 17.
*And. 12, 2,
[* = a n d ]

396

i6. Bookc.

470.

The discoverie

\ The xvi. booke.
The first Chapter.
A conclusion, in manerof an epilog\ repeating manie of the former
absurdities of witchmongers conceipts, confutations thereof and
of the authoritie of fames Sprenger and Henrie Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mai.

IITHERTO 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. Mai. 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 fames
T h e compilers or
Sprenger, and Henrie Institor, whome I have had occasion to alledge
makers of
the booke
manie times, were coparteners in the composition of that profound
called A
& learned booke called Malleus Maleficarum, & were the greatest
Mallet to
braine witdoctors of that art: out of whom I have gathered matter and absurches.
ditie 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 con471.
demne, and to execute witches ; and finallie to seaze and confiscate
their goods./
[*«*]
These two doctors, to mainteine their their* credit, and to cover their
340.
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
N o marvel
that they
one place of their said booke, that by reason of their severe prowere so opinionative
ceedings against witches, they suffered intolerable assaults, speciallie
herein, for
in the night, many times finding needdels sticking in their biggens,
God gave

of Witchcraft.

chap. *.

397

which were thither conveied by witches charmes : and through their them over
innocencie and holinesse (they saie) they were ever miraculouslie delusions!*
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.

T h e 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
HE common people have beene so assorted and bewitched,
with whatsoever poets have feigned of witchcraft, either
I in earnest, in jest, or else in derision ; and with whatsoI ever 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 472.
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.
T h e definiAnd now to come to the definition of witchcraft, which hitherto I tion or dedid deferre and put off purposelie : that you might perceive the true scription of
witchcraft.
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
T h e formal
betweene a corporall old woman, and a spirituall divell. The maner cause.
thereof is so secret, mystical!,/ and strange, that to this daie there hath 341.
never beene any credible witnes therof. It is incomprehensible to
the wise, learned or faithfull; a probable matter to children, fooles,

The discoverie

398

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 dr gift to
performe the matter, except she be a witch, and so taken, either by
hir owne consent, or by others imputation./

T h e finall
cause.

T h e material 1 cause.

473-

T h e third Chapter.
Reasons to firoove that words and characters are but babies, 6°
that witches cannot doo such things as the multitude supposeth
they can, their greatest woonders prooved trifles, of a yoong
gentleman cousened.

A necessarie sequele.

Probatum
est, by mother Bungies confessio that
al witches
are couseners.

HAT 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 babies, devised by couseners, to
abuse the people withal!; 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.
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

of Witchcraft.

chaP.3.

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 t h e assistance of a freend of hirs,/
cal/led 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 h a d
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 m a d e
men beleeve she had and could doo.
The like may be said of one T. of Canturburie, whose n a m e I will
not litterallie discover, who wonderfullie abused manie in these parts,
making them thinke he could tell where anie thing lost b e c a m e : 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 witnes,se 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 h a d 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. W e r e 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
°

.

°

342.
474.

T*JRodin .
the preface
boo°ke ofS
D
«monomania re-

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 babies could have brought those matters
.

399

.

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

porteth
conjuring
g ^ J ^
Islington:
sheath
to
what
e n d : read

the place
undeStad
Latine.
^75.

40O

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

i6. Booke.

The discoverie

is manifested a traiterous heart to the Queene, and a presumption
against God.
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
343. 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./

476-

T h e fourth Chapter.
Of one that was so bewitched that he could read no scriptures
but canonical^ of a divel that could speake no Latine, a proofe
that witchcraft is flat cousenage.

A strange
miracle, if
it were
true.

| | wM% H E R E I may aptlie insert another miracle of importance,
El EQSJ H that happened within the compasse of a childes rememH KHy Hi k r a n c e > which may induce anie resonable bodie to
I L s y s ^ l conceive, that these supernaturall actions are but fables
& cousenages. There was one, whom for some respects I name not,

of Witchcraft.

chap. 5.

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.
Furthermore, in my conceipt, nothing prooveth more apparentlie
that witchcraft is cousenage, and that witches instruments are but
ridiculous babies, 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.//

T h e fift Chapter.

401

T h e r e the
hypocrite
was overmat cht for
all his dissembled
gravitie.

477-

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.

344.

[* Latin in Ital.]

O passe over all the fables, which are vouched by the popish
doctors, you shall heare the words of N. Hemingius, Heming.in
whose zeale & learning otherwise I might justlie commend: mag/Js!
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 Chald&ans used the divination by
sive & sheeres* for the detection of theft, doo practise with a psalter [* p. 262]
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]t the booke will [t [] in text]
3 F

4-02

Booke.

T h e greatest clarkes
are not the
wisest men.

47*.

A naturall
reason of
the former
knacke.

345.

I* v. 346-1

C. Agripp. in
lib. de vanit.
scient. dr» in
epistola ante
librum de
occulta philosophia.

The discoverie

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.
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 babies,
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 doof
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.
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 Witchcraft.

Chap. 5.

403

of them, as Nero, Julidnus apostata, and Valence did ; whie should Plin. lib.
we seeke for further triall, to proove witchcraft and conjuration to be natural, 1. hist.
30. cap.
Pet. Mart,
cousenage ?
in locis comAlso, when the miracles imputed unto them, exceed in quantitie, munibus.
qualitie and number, all the miracles that Christ wrought here upon
earth, for the establishing of his gospell, for the confir/mation of our 479>
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 deceiversp*] When they are faine to saie, that witches wrought not in that [* text (.)]
art, all those thirtie three yeares that Christ lived, and that there were Note that
during all
none in Jobs time, and that the cousening oracles are now ceased ; Christs
time upwho seeth not that they are witlesse, and madde fooles that mainteine on earth,
it ? When all the mischeefes are accomplished by poisons and which was
33. yeares,
naturall meanes, which they affirme to be brought to passe by words, witches
were put
it manifesteth to the world their cousenage. When all the places of to silence,
scripture, which witchmongers allowe for the proofe of such witches, &c.
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,t Veneficam non retinebitis in vita) where the word in CtNotinVulg.]
everie mans eare soundeth to be a poisoner, rather than a worker
of miracles, and so interpreted by the seventie interpreters, 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 in/fatuate as to beleeve these lies, 346.
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 480.

404

i6. Booke.

The discoverie

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. Mai. &°c: in, their cousening
tales and fables ? When they saie that witches can flie in the aire,
[« = crack]
and come in at a little coane,* or a hole in a glasse windowe, and
[* Cf. p. ? / . ]
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,
But Christs
Christs argument to Thomas had beene weake and easilie answered ;
argument
was unyea the one halfe, or all the whole world might be inhabited by divels,
doubted :
everie poore mans house might be hired over his head by a divell, he
Ergo, &c.
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
I mar veil
mare. Upon the sight whereof he immediatlie went to that fellowes
for what
purpose the
house, and certeinlie learned there, that the same person went not out
magistrate
of his chamber that daie. And if he had not wiselie booked out the
went to that
fellowes
matter, the good honest man (saith he) had surelie beene cast into
house.
prison, and put on the racke, &c.
The like storie we read of one Cunegunda, wife to Henrie the second
A Ibertus
Crantzius
in
emperor of that name, in whose chamber the divell (in the likenes of
lib. 4. metropolis, cap. 4.
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
Prov. 6.
went upon glowing iron unhurt, &c. And yet Salomon saith ; Maie
481. 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
Mai.
male/.
crediblie reported by their cheefest doctors ; namelie James Sprengery
Par. 2. qua. I.
and Henrie Institor^ who saie as followeth, even word for word./
cap. 9.

of Witchcraft.

Chap. 6.

The sixt Chapter.

347.

How the divell preached good doctrine in the shape of a pre est, 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
N 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 Sprengerfk
Jnstitor^ have never seene any thing heerin ; insomuch as the most
credible proofe that Bodin bringeth of his woonderfull tales of witch-

He should
***** Jj^ e
gave him
JcencVto
Preach-

[* PP. gi, 222.]

482.

John. Bodin.

406

16. Bookc.

The discoverie

craft, 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
Yet manie
that beare
any honest mans conscience be appealed unto, he must confesse he
the shew of
honest men 3 4 8 . never saw triall of such witch/craft or conjuration to take effect, as is
are verie
now so certeinlie affirmed : what conscience can condemne poore
credulous
heerein.
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
483- the power of God is so impudentlie transferred to a base crea/ture,
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
Witches
easie matter for the divell, if he can doo as they affirme, to give them
are comongreat store of monie, and make them rich, and dooth it not ; being a
lie verie
beggers.
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.

of Witchcraft,

chap. 7.

407

The seventh Chapter.
A conclusion against witchcraft\ in maner and forme of
an Induction,
J|Y 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.
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.
|UT 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

A generaii
against

fheTuIject
of this book

484.

349.

4o8

16. Booke.

The discoverie

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.
Isigonus.
Manie great and grave authors write, and manie fond writers also
Memphraaffirme, that there are certeine families in Aphrica which with their
dorus.
Solon, &*c.
voices bewitch whatsoever they praise. Insomuch as, if they comVair us.
J.
Bodinus.
mend either plant, corne, infant, horsse, or anie other beasts, the same
Mai.
male/.
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 heerein
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
4$5* 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.

T h e ninth Chapter.
Of inchanting or bewitching eies.
ANIE writers agree with Virgil and Theocritus in the
effect of witching eies, affirming that in Scythia, there are
W i t h the
women called Bithice, having two balles or rather blacks
like propertie were
in the apple of their eies. And as Didymus reporteth,
the old IIlyrian peosome have in the one eie two such balles, and in the other the image
ple i n d u e d :
of a horsse. These (forsooth) with their angrie lookes doo bewitch
if we will
credit the
and hurt not onelie yoong lambs, but yoong children. There be other
words of
Sabinus
350. that/ reteine such venome in their eies, and send it foorth by beames
grounded
and streames so violentlie, that therewith they annoie not onlie them
upon the
report of
with whom they are conversant continuallie ; but also all other,
Aul. Gell
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.
This fascination (saith John Baptista Porta Neapolitanus) though
J. Bap. Neapol. in lib. de
it begin by touching or breathing, is alwaies accomplished and
naturali
finished by the eie, as an extermination or expulsion of the spirits
viagia.

of Witchcraft.

chap. 9.

409

through the eies, approching to the hart of the bewitched, and J. Bap. Neapol. z';z lib. de
infecting the same, &c. W h e r b y it commeth to passe, that a child, naturalt
or a yoong man endued with a cleare, whole, subtili and sweet bloud, niagia.
yeeldeth the like spirits, breath, a n d vapors springing from the purer
bloud of the hart. And the lightest and finest/ spirits, ascending into 486.
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 h e that beholdeth sore eies This is held
of some
shall have good experience. For the poison and disease in the eie in- truth. for
fecteth 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.
Old women, in whome the ordinarie course of nature faileth in the
office of purging their naturall monethlie humors, shew also some
proofe hereof. F o r (as the sda&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 Non est in
the beames which are carried in the chariot or conveiance of the speculo res
qua specuspirits, from the eies of one bodie to another, doo pearse to the in- latur in eo.
ward 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 t h e rest of his bodie, and
maketh him sicke : the contagion wherof so long cont i n u e d , 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.//

3G

16 Booke.

4io
351.

The discoverie,
T h e tenth

&c.

Chapter.

Of naturall witchcraft for love, <Srv.
Nescio quis oculus teneros mihi fascinat agnos, saith Virgil:
and thus Englished by Abraham
Fleming:
I wote not I
What witching eie
Doth use to hant
My tender lams
Sucking their dams
And them i?ichant,

[UT 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 :
Idque petit corpus, mens unde est saucia amore,
Ndmque omnes plerfinque cadunt in vulnus, &* illam
Emicat in partem sanguis, unde icimur ictu ;
Et si commits est, os turn ruber occupat humor:

Englished
Abraham
Fleming.

by

And to that bodie tis rebounded,
Fro7n whence the mind by love is wounded,
For in a maner all and some,
Into that wound of love doo come,l
And to that part the bloud doth flee
From whence with stroke we striken bee,
If hard at hand, and neere in place,
Then ruddie colour files the face.
Thus much may seeme sufficient touching this matter of naturall
magicke; whereunto though much more may be annexed, yet for the
avoiding of tediousnes, and for speedier passage to that which
rerriaineth; I will breake off this present treatise.
And now somewhat shall be said concerning divels and spirits
in the discourse
following.//

A Discourse upon divels and spirits, *s?and first of philosophers opinions, also the
maner of their reasoning hereupon / *
and the same confuted.

351L2L

[* T h i s line Ital.]

The first Chapter.
[ H E R E is no question nor theme (saith Hierome Cardane) H. Card. lib.
de var. rer.
so difficult to deale in, nor so noble an argument to dis- 16. cap. 93.
pute upon, as this of divels and spirits. F o r that being
confessed or doubted of, the eternitie of the soule is
either affirmed or denied. T h e heathen philosophers reson hereof
amongest themselves in this sort. First, they that mainteine the T h e Platonists and
perpetuitie of the soule, saie that if the soule died with the bodie ; Stoiks.
to what end should men take paines either to live well or die well,
when no reward for vertue nor punishment for vice insueth after
this life, the which otherwise they might spend in ease and securitie?
T h e other sort saie that vertue a n d honestie is to be pursued, Non T h e Epicureans and
speprcemii, sed virtutis amore, that is, Not for hope of reward, but Peripatefor love of vertue. If the soule live ever (saie the other) the least tiks.
portion of life is here. And therefore we that mainteine the perpetuitie of the soule, may be of the better comfort a n d courage, to
susteine with more constancie the losse of children, yea and the
losse of life it selfe : whereas, if the/ soule were mortall, all our hope 490.
and felicitie were to be placed in this life, which manie Atheists (I
warrant you) at this daie doo.
But both the one and the other
missed the cushion. For, to doo anie thing without Christ, is to
wearie our selves in vaine ; sith in him onelie our corruptions are
purged. And therefore the follie of the Gentils, that place Summum Summum
bonum in the felicitie of the bodie, or in the happines or pleasures of bonum cannot consist
t h e mind, is not onelie to be derided, but also abhorred. For, both in the hapour bodies a n d minds are intermedled with most miserable calamities: pines of the
bodie or
a n d therefore therin cannot consist perfect felicitie. But in the word mind.
of God is exhibited and offered unto us that hope which is most
certeine, absolute, sound & sincere, not to be answered or denied by
the j u d g e m e n t of philosophers themselves. For they that preferre Morall teperance.

chap. 2.

412

Morall
prudence.

Morall
justice.

Morall
fortitude.

R o m . 2.

temperance before all other things as Summum bonum, must needs
see it to be but a witnesse of their naturall calamitie, corruption and
wickednes ; and that it serveth for nothing, but to restraine the
dissolutenes, which hath place in their minds infected with vices ;
which are to be bridled with such corrections : yea and the best of
them all faileth in some point of modestie. Wherefore serveth our
philosophers prudence, but to provide for their owne follie and
miserie ; whereby they might else be utterlie overthrowne ? And if
their nature were not intangled in errors, they should have no need/
353. of such circumspection. T h e justice whereof they speake, serveth
but to keepe them from ravine, theft, and violence : and yet none of
them all are so just, but that the verie best and uprightest of them
fall into great infirmities, both dooing and suffering much wrong and
injurie. And what is their fortitude, but to arme them to endure
miserie, greefe, danger, and death it selfe ? But what happinesse or
goodnesse is to be reposed in that life, which must be waited upon
with such calamities, and finallie must have the helpe of death to
finish it ? I saie, if it be so miserable, why doo they place Summum
bonum therein ? S. Paule to the Romans sheweth, that it cannot be
that we should atteine to justice, through the morall and naturall
actions and duties of this life : bicause that never the Jewes nor the
Gentiles could expresse so much in their lives, as the verie lawe of
nature or of Moses required. And therefore he that worketh without
Christ, doth as he that reckoneth without his host./

T h e second

49*Mine

T h e question about
spirits
doubtful 1
and difficult.

A discourse of

Chapter.

owne opinion concerning this argument,
some writers
hereupon.

to the disproofe

of

F O R my part doo also thinke this argument, about the
nature & substance of divels and spirits, to be so difficult,
as I am persuaded that no one author hath in anie certeine
or perfect sort hitherto written thereof. In which respect
I can neither allow the ungodly and prophane sects and doctrines of the
Sadduces & Peripatetiks,
who denie that there are any divels or
spirits at a l l ; nor the fond & superstitious treatises of Plato, Proclus,
Plotinus, Porphyrie; nor yet the vaine & absurd opinions of Psellus,
Nider, Sprenger, Cumanus, Bodin, Michael, Andrceas, fanus
Matthcsus, Laurentius Ananias, famblichus, &*c : who with manie others
write so ridiculouslie in these matters, as if they were babes fraied

Divels and spirits.

cha P . 2.

with bugges ; some affirming that the soules of the dead become
spirits, the good to be angels, the b a d to be divels ; some that
spirits or divels are onelie in this life ; some, that they are men ;
some, that they are women ; some, that divels are of such gender
as they list themselves ; some, that they h a d no beginning, nor
shall have ending, as the Manicheis
m a i n t e i n e ; some, that they
are mortall & die, as Plutarch affirmeth of Pan ; some, that they
have no bodies at all, but receive bodies, according to their phantasies & imaginations ; some, that their bodies are given unto t h e m ;
some, that they make themselves. Some saie they are wind ; some,
that they are the breath of living creatures ; some, that one of them
begat a n o t h e r ; some, that they were created of the least part of
the masse, whereof the earth was m a d e ; a n d some, that they are
substances betweene God and man, and that of them some are terrestriall, some celestiall, some waterie, some airie, some fierie, some
starrie', and some of each and everie part of the elements, and that
they know our thoughts, and carrie our good works and praiers to
God, and returne his benefits backe unto us,/ a n d that they are to be
worshipped : wherein they meete and agree j u m p e with the papists ;
as if you read the notes upon the second chapter to the ColossiansJ in
the Seminaries testament printed at Rhemes, you shall manifestlie see,
though as contrarie to the word of God as blacke to white, as appear-

413
Piotinus.
X
Lour.
lnanias
The ManiPlutarch.
p el us
*} - ,f
Avicen, and

5is®s

aba

"

The Thai'
Psdlus, &*c.

m u lsts

ThePiato-

T he Pa

.

492-

~

354.
A

I0

eth in the Apocalypse, where the angell expresselie forbad John to ibid. 22. 8. 9.
worship him.
Againe, some saie that they are meane betwixt terrestriall and
celestiall bodies, communicating part of each n a t u r e ; and that
although they be eternall, yet that they are mooved with affections :
and as there are birds in the aire, fishes in the water, and wormes in
the earth ; so in the fourth element, which is the fier, is the habitation
of spirits and divels. And least we should thinke them idle, they saie
they have charge over men, and governement in all countries and
nations. Some saie that they are onelie imaginations in the
The Sadduces
mind of man. Tertullian saith they are birds, and flie faster
'
than anie fowle of the aire.
Some saie that divels
are not, but when they are s e n t ; and therefore are
called evill angels. Some thinke that the
divell sendeth his angels abrode, and
he himselfe maketh his continuall abode in hell,
his mansion
place.

414

chap. 3.

A discourse of

T h e third Chapter.
The opinion of Psellus touching spirits, of iheir severall
and a confutation of his errors therein.

orders,

S E L L U S being of authoritie in the church of Rome, and
not impugnable by anie catholike, being also instructed
in these supernaturall or rather diabolicall matters by a
monke called Marcus, who had beene familiarlie conversant a long time, as h e said, with a certeine divell, reporteth upon the
same divels owne word, which must needs understand best the state of
this question, that the bodies of angels and divels consist not now of all
one element, though perhaps it were otherwise before the fall of LucijSuch are 493- fer\ and that the bodies of spirits and divels can feele and be felt, doo
spirits
hurt and be h u r t : in so much as they lament when they are stricken;
walking
in white
and being put to the fier are burnt, and yet that they themselves
sheetes, &c.
burne continuallie, in such sort as they leave ashes behind them in
places where they have beene ; as manifest triall thereof hath beene
(if h e saie truelie) in the borders of Italic
H e also saith upon like
Psellus, ibid,
cap. 9.
credit and assurance, that divels and spirits doo avoid and shed from
out of their bodies, such seed or nature, as whereby certeine vermine
are ingendered; and that they are nourished with food, as we are,
saving that they receive it not into their mouthes, but sucke it up
into their bodies, in such sort as sponges soke up water. Also he
Idem. cap. 10.
saith they have names, shapes, and dwelling places, as indeed they
have, though not in temporall and corporall sort.
Idem ibid,
Furthermore, he saith, that there are six principall kind of divels,
cap. n .
which are not onelie corporall, but temporall and worldlie. T h e first
Oh hethenish, nay oh
sort consist of fier, wandering in the region neere to the moone, but/
papisticall
T h e second sort consisting of
follie!
3 5 5 , have no power to go into the moone.
aire, have their habitation more lowe and neere unto u s : these (saith
he) are proud and great boasters, verie wise and deceitfull, and when
they come downe are seene shining with streames of fier at their
taile. H e saith that these are commonlie conjured up to make images
T h e opinions of all
laugh, and lamps burne of their owne accord ; and that in Assyria
papists.
they use much to prophesie in a bason of water. Which kind of
A cousening knaincantation is usuall among our conjurors : but it is here commonlie
verie.
performed in a pitcher or pot of water ; or else in a violl of glasse
filled with water, wherin they say at the first a litle sound is heard
without a voice, which is a token of the divels comming. Anon the
water seemeth to be troubled, and then there are heard small voices,

Psellus de
operatione
deemonum,
cap. 8.

Divels and spirits.

chap. 3.

415

wherewith they give their answers, speaking so softlie as no man can
lib.
well heare them : bicause (saith Cardane) they would not be argued H. Card.rer.
devar.
or rebuked of lies. But this I have else-where more largelie de- 16. cap. 93.
scribed and confuted. The third sort of divels Psellus saith are
earthlie ; the fourth waterie, or of the sea ; the fift under the earth ;
the sixt sort are Lucifugi, that is, such as delight in darkenes, & are
scant indued with sense, and so dull, as they can scarse be mooved
with charmes or conjurations./
The same man saith, that some divels are woorse than other, but 494yet that they all hate God, and are enimies to man. But the woorser
moitie of divels are Aquei, Subterranei^ and Lucifugi-?- that is, Divels of
diverse nawaterie, under the earth, and shunners of light: bicause (saith he) tures, and
these hurt not the soules of men, but destroie mens bodies like mad their operations.
and ravening beasts, molesting both the inward and outward parts [* These three
thereof. Aquei are they that raise tempests, and drowne seafaring Ital.]
men, and doo all other mischeefes on the water. Subterranei and
Lucifugi enter into the bowels of men, and torment them that they
possesse with the phrensie, and the falling evill. They also assault
them that are miners or pioners, which use to worke in deepe and
darke holes under the earth. Such divels as are earthie and aierie,
he saith enter by subtiltie into the minds of men, to deceive them,
provoking men to absurd and unlawfull affections.
forBut herein his philosophic is verie unprobable, for if the divell be T h e opinimer
earthie, he must needs be palpable; if he be palpable, he must needs on confukill them into whose bodies he entereth. Item, if he be of earth ted.
created, then must he also be visible and untransformable in that
point: for Gods creation cannot be annihilated by the creature. So
as, though it were granted, that they might adde to their substance
matter and forme, &c : yet is it most certeine, that they cannot
diminish or alter the substance whereof they consist, as not to be
(when they list) spirituall, or to relinquish and leave earth, water,
fier, aier, or this and that element whereof they are created. But
howsoever they imagine of water, aier, or fier, I am sure earth must
alwaies be visible and palpable; yea, and aier must alwaies be invisible,
and fier must be hot, and water must be moist. And of these
three latter bodies, speciallie of water and aier, no
forme nor shape can be exhibited to
mortall eies naturallie, or by
the power of anie
creature.//

4i6

495-

chap. 4 .

356.

A discourse of
The fourth Chapter.

More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others, concerning the
actions and passions of spirits, his definition of them, and of
his experience
therein.
JjOREOVER, the same author saith, that spirits whisper
in our minds, and yet not speaking so lowd, as our eares
may heare them : but in such sort as our soules speake
together when they are dissolved ; making an example
by lowd speaking a farre off, and a comparison of soft whispering
neere hand, so as the divell entreth so neere to the mind as the eare
need not heare him ; and that everie part of a divell or spirit seeth,
heareth, a n d speaketh, &c. But herein I will beleeve Paule better
than Psellus, or his monke, or the moonks divell. For Paule saith ;
Cor. \2.
If the whole bodie were an eie, where were hearing ? If the whole
bodie were hearing, where were smelling, &c. Whereby you may
see what accord is betwixt Gods word and witchmongers.
T h e papists proceed in this matter, and saie, that these spirits use
great knaverie and unspeakeable bawderie in the breech and middle
parts of m a n and woman, *by tickeling, and by other lecherous
devises ; so that they fall jumpe. in judgement and opinion, though
verie erroniouslie, with the foresaid Psellus, of whose doctrine also
Psellus. ibid,
cap. 13.
this is a p a r c e l l ; to wit, that these divels hurt not cattell for the hate
they beare unto them, but for love of their naturall and temperate
If a babe of
two yeeres
heate and moisture, being brought up in deepe, drie and cold places:
old thro we
stones from
marie they hate the heate of the sun and the fier, bicause that kind
Powles
of heate drieth too fast. They throwe downe stones upon men, but
steeple,
they will
the blowes thereof doo no harme to them whome they hit ; bicause
doo hurt,
&c.
they are not cast with anie force : for (saith he) the divels have little
and small strength, so as these stones doo nothing but fraie and
Howbeit I
terrifie men, as scarecrowes doo birds out of the corne feelds. But
thinke the
when these divels enter into the pores, than doo they raise woonderspirit of
tentation
to be that 496. full tumults in the bodie/ and mind of man. And if it be a subterrene
divell ; &
divell, it dooth writh and bow the possessed, and speaketh by him,
therefore
using the spirit of the patient as his instrument. But he saith, that
Christ biddeth us
when Lucifugus possesseth a man, he maketh him dumbe, and as it
watch and
praie, least
were dead : and these be they that are cast out (saith he) onelie by
we be temfasting and praier.
ted, &c.
Psel. in op,
T h e same Psellus, with his mates Bodin and the penners of M.
rat. dam.
cap. 14.
Mai. and others, doo find fault with the physicians that affirme such
Psellus lib.
de bperat.
deem. cap. 12.
If this were
spoken of
the temptations, &c.
of satan, it
were tollerable.

Divels and

spirits.

Chap 4.

4i7

infirmities to be cureable with diet, and not by inchantments ; saieng,
that physicians doo onlie attend upon the bodie, & that which is
perceiveable by outward sense ; and that as touching this kind of
divine philosophie, they have no skill at all. And to make divels and Idem. cap. 17
spirits seeme yet more corporall and terrene, he saith that certeine
divels are belonging to certeine countries, and speake the languages
of the same countries, and none other ; some the Assyrian, some
the Chaldozan, & some the Persian toong, and that they feele stripes,
and feare hurt, and speciallie the dint of the sword/ (in which respect 357.
conjurors have swords with them in their circles, to terrifie them) and
that they change shapes, even as suddenlie as men doo change colour
with blushing, feare, anger, and other moods of the mind. He saith
yet further, that there be brute beasts among them, and yet divels, Beastlike
and subject to anie kind of death ; insomuch as they are so foolish, divels.
as they may be compared to flies, fleas, and wormes, who have no
respect to any thing but their food, not regarding or remembring the
hole from out of whence they came last. Marrie divels compounded
of earth, cannot often transforme themselves, but abide in some one
shape, such as they best like, and most delight in ; to wit, in the
shape of birds or women : and therefore the Greeks call them JVeidas,
Nereidas, and Dreidas in the feminine gender; which Dreidce inhabited (as some write) the ilands beside Scotlandcalled Druidce, which
by that meanes had their denomination and name. Other divels that
dwell in drier places transforme themselves into the masculine kind.
Finallie Psellus saith they know our thoughts, and can prophesie of
things to come. His definition is, that they are perpetuall minds in But Psellus,
sawe noa passible bodie.
thing himselfe.
To verefie these toies he saith, that he himselfe sawe in a certeine
night a man brought up by Aletus Libius into a moun/taine, and that 497*
he tooke an hearbe, and spat thrise into his mouth, and annointed
his eies with a certeine ointment, so as thereby he sawe great troopes Probable
and likelie
of divels, and perceived a crowe to flie into his mouth ; and since stuffe.
that houre he could prophesie at all times, saving on good fridaie,
and easter sundaie. If the end of this tale were true, it might not
onelie have satisfied the Greeke church, in keeping the daie of easter,
togither with the church of Rome; but might also have made the
pope (that now is) content with our Christmas and easter daie, and
not to have gathered the minuts together, and reformed it so, as to
shew how falselie he and his predecessors (whome they saie could
not erre) have observed it hitherto. And trulie this, and the dansing
of the sunne on easter daie morning sufficientlie or rather miraculouslie proveth that computation, which the pope now beginneth to doubt
of, and to call in question.
3H

4i8

chap. 5.

A discourse of

T h e fift Chapter.
The opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching spirits, and of his
familiar divell.
Fasc. Card,
operat. de
dcemon.

fASCIUS CARDANUS had (as he himselfe and his sonne
Hierome Cardanus report) a familiar divell, consisting of
the fierie element, who, so long as he used conjuration,
did give true answers to all his demands : but when he
burned up his booke of conjurations, though he resorted still unto
him, yet did he make false answers continuallie. He held him bound
twentie & eight yeares, and loose five yeares. And during the time
that he was bound, he told him that there were manie divels or spirits.
He came not alwaies alone, but sometimes some of his fellowes with
358. him. He rather a/greed with Psellus than with Plato : for he said
they were begotten, borne, died, and lived long ; but how long, they
told him not: howbeit as he might conjecture by his divels face, who
was 42. yeares old, and yet appeared verie yoong, he thought they
lived two or three hundred yeares ; and they said that their soules/
4Q8. and ours also died with their bodies. They had schooles and universities among them : but he conceived not that anie were so dull
headded, as Psellus maketh them. But they are verie quicke in
credit, that beleeve such fables, which indeed is the groundworke of
witchcraft and conjuration. But these histories are so grosse and
palpable, that I might be thought as wise in going about to confute
them, as to answer the stories of Frier Rush, Adam Bell, or the
golden Legend.

T h e sixt Chapter.
The opinion of Plato concerning spirits, divels and angels, what
sacrifices they like best, what they feare, and of Socrates his
familiar divell.
The Platonists opinion.

|LATO and his followers hold, that good spirits appeare
in their owne likenesse; but that evill spirits appeare
and shew themselves in the forme of other bodies ; and
that one divell reigneth over the rest, as a prince dooth
in everie perfect commonwelth over men. Item, they obteine their
purposes and desires, onelie by intreatie, of men and women ; bicause

Divels and spirits.

chaP. 6.

419

in nature they are their inferiors, and use authoritie over men none
otherwise than priests by vertue of their function, and bicause of
religion, wherein (they saie) they execute the office of God. Sometimes they saie that the fierie spirits or supreme substances enter
into the puritie of the mind, and so obteine their purpose; sometimes
otherwise, to wit, by vertue of holie charmes, and even as a poore
man obteineth for Gods sake anie thing at a princes hand as it were
by importunatnesse.
The other sort of divels and defiled soules are so conversant on
earth, as that they doo much hurt unto earthlie bodies, speciallie in
a t kind
lecherie. Gods and angels (saie they) bicause they want all materiall W hsacrifices
of
and grosse substance, desire most the pure sacrifice of the mind? each spirit
The grosser and more terrestrial! spirits desire the grosser sacrifices; liketh best.
as beasts and cattell. They in the middle or/ meane region delight 499.
to have frankincense, and such meane stuffe offered unto them : and
therefore (saie they) it is necessarie to sacrifice unto them, all maner
of things, so the same be slaine, and die not of their owne accord :
for such they abhorre. Some saie that spirits feare woonderfullie
vaine threats, and thereupon will depart; as if you tell them that
you will cut the heavens in peeces, or reveale their secrets, or complaine of them to the gods, or saie that you will doo anie impossibilitie, or such things as they cannot understand; they are so
timerous, as they will presentlie be gone : and that is thought the
best waie to be rid of them. But these be most commonlie of that
sort or companie,/ which are called Princifiatus, being of all other 359.
the most easie to be conjured.
Of SocraThey saie Socrates had a familiar divell: which Plato relieth much tes his priupon, using none other argument to proove that there are such spirits, vate divell
or familiar
but bicause Socrates (that would not lie) said so ; and partlie bicause spirit.
that divell did ever dissuade and prohibit, not onelie in Socrates his
owne cases, but sometimes in his freends behalfe ; who (if they had
beene ruled) might through his admonition have saved their lives.
His disciples gathered that his divell was Saturnall, and a principall
fierie divell; and that he, and all such as doo naturallie know their
divels, are onlie such as are called Damonii viri, otherwise, Couseners. Item, they saie that fierie spirits urge men to contemplation,
the aierie to busines, the waterie to lust; and among these there are
some that are Martiall, which give fortitude; some are Joviall, giving
wisedome ; some Saturniall, alwaies using dissuasion and dehorting.
Item, some are borne with us, and remaine with us all our life; some
are meere strangers, who are nothing else but the soules of men
departed this life, &c./

420

chap. 7.

500.

A discourse of

T h e seventh Chapter.
Platos nine orders of spirits and angels, Dionysius his division
thereof not much differing from the same, all disprooved by
learned divines.

LATO proposeth or setteth foorth nine severall orders of
spirits, besides the spirits and soules of men. The first
spirit is God that commandeth all the residue; the
second are those that are called Idece, which give all
things to all men ; the third are the soules of heavenlie bodies which
are mortall ; the fourth are angels ; the fift archangels ; the sixt are
divels, who are ministers to infernall powers, as angels are to supernail ; the seventh are halfe gods ; the eight are principalities ; the
Dionys. in
ninth are princes. From which division Dionysius dooth not much
ccelest. hieswarve, saving that he dealeth (as he saith) onelie with good spirits,
rarch. cap.
9. 10.
whome he likewise divideth into nine parts or offices. The first he
calleth Seraphim, the second Cherubim, the third thrones, the fourth
dominations, the fift vertues, the sixt powers, the seventh principalities, the eight archangels, the ninth and inferior sort he calleth angels.
Howbeit, some of these (in my thinking) are evill spirits : or else
Paule gave us evill counsell, when he willed us to fight against prinEphes. 6.
cipalities, and powers, and all spirituall wickednes.
But Dionysius in that place goeth further, impropriating to everie
Dionys. in
ccelest. hiecountrie, and almost to everie person of anie accompt, a peculiar
rareh.
angell; as to Jewrie, he assigneth Michael; to Adam, Razael; to
Abraham, Zakiel; to Isaach, Raphael; to Jacob, Peliel; to Moses,
Metraton, &c. But in these discourses he either folowed his owne
imaginations and conceipts, or else the corruptions of that age.
J. Calv. lib.
i?istit. 1. c. 14.
Nevertheles, I had rather confute him by M. Calvine, and my
360. kinseman M. Deering, than by my selfe, or/ mine owne words.
For M. Calvine saith, that Dionysius herein speaketh not as by
hearesaie, but as though he had slipped downe from heaven, and
Soi. told of things which he had seene. And yet (saith he)/ Paule
was rapt into the third heaven, and reporteth no such matters. But
if you read M. Deering upon the first chapter to the Hebrues, you
Edw. Deering, in lect.
shall see this matter notablie handled ; where he saith, that whensoupon the
Hebrues
ever archangell is mentioned in the scriptures, it signifieth our saviour
reading. 6.
Christ, and no creature. And certeine it is that Christ himselfe was
called an angell. The names also of angels, as Michael, Gabriel,
Mai. 3. 1.
&>c : are given to them (saith Calvine) according to the capacitie of

Divels and spirits.

chap. s.

421

our weakenesse. But bicause the decision of this question is neither
within the compasse of mans capacitie, nor yet of his knowledge, I
will proceed no further to discusse the same, but to shew the absurd
opinions of papists and witchmongers on the one side, and the most
sober and probable collections of the contrarie minded on the other
side.

T h e eight Chapter.
The commensement of divels fondlie gathered out of the 14. of
I saie) of Lucifer and of his fall, the Cabalists the Thalmudists
and Schoolemens opinions of the creation of angels.
HE witchmoongers, which are most commonlie bastard
divines, doo fondlie gather and falselie conceive the
commensement of divels out of the fourteenth of Isaie ;
where they suppose Lucifer is cited, as the name of an Isai. 14.
angell ; who on a time being desirous to be checkemate with God
himselfe, would needs (when God was gone a litle asside) be sitting
downe, or rather pirking up in Gods owne principall and cathedrall
chaire ; and that therfore God cast him and all his confederates out
of heaven : so as some fell downe from thence to the bottome of the
earth ; some having descended but into the midle region, and the
taile of them having not yet passed through the higher region, staied
even then & there, when God said, Ho. But God knoweth there is
no such thing ment nor mentioned in that place. For there is onlie
foreshewed the deposing and deprivation of king Nabuchadnez-zar,\
who exalting himselfe in pride (as it were above the starres) esteemed J02.
his glorie to surmount all others, as farre as Lucifer the bright morning starre shineth more gloriouslie than the other common starres,
and was punished by exile, untill such time as he had humbled himselfe ; and therefore metaphoricallie was called Lucifer.
But forsooth, bicause these great clarkes would be thought methodicall, and to have crept out of wisedomes bosome, who rather cralled
out of follies breeches ; they take upon them to shew us, first, whereof
these angels that fell from heaven were created; to wit, of the left The opiniside of that massie moold, whereof the world was compounded, the Thaimu6
which (saie they) was Putredo terrce, that is, the rottennesse of the distsearth. The Cabalists', with whome Avicen seemeth to agree, saie that
one of these begat another :/ others saie, they were made all at once. 361.
The Greekes doo write that angels were created before the world.
The Latinists saie they were maple the fourth daie, when the starres

chap. 9.

422
Laur.
Anan.
lib. de natur.
deem. i.
Crceavit* caelum & terrant.
[* Creavit]
[* Gen. i. i.
Vulg.]
Lau.
Anan.
lib. de natur.
deem. i.

SOS.

A discourse of

were made. Laurence Ananias saith, they were made the first daie,
and could not be made the fourth daie, bicause it is written ; Quando
facta sunt sidera, laudaverunt me angeli: so as (saith he) they were
made under the name of the heavens.
There is also a great question among the schoolemen, whether more
angels fell downe with Lucifer', or remained in heaven with Michael.
Manie having a bad opinion of the angels honesties, affirme that the
greater part fell with Lucifer: but the better opinion is (saith
Laurentius Ananias) that the most part remained. And of them
that thinke so, some saie the tenth part were cast downe, some the
ninth ; and some gather upon S.John, that the third part were onelie
damned ; bicause it is written, that the dragon with his taile plucked
downe with him the third part of the starres./

The ninth Chapter.
Of the contention betweene the Greeke and Latine church touching
the fall of angels, the variance among papists themselves herein,
a conflict betweene Michael and Lucifer.

Lau.
Anan.
lib. de natur.
dam. i.

[f Isai. 14. 12]

I will settle
my selfe in
the north,
and will be
like the
highest.
[J Isai. 14-13, 14]

I I H E R E was also another contention betweene the Greeke
church and the Latine ; to wit, of what orders of angels
they were that did fall with Lucifer. Our schoolemen saie
they were of all the nine orders of angels in Lucifers
conspiracie. But bicause the superior order was of the more noble
constitution and excellent estate, and the inferior of a lesse worthie
nature, the more part of the inferior orders fell as guiltie and offenders
with Lucifer. Some saie the divell himselfe was of the inferior order
of angels, and some that he was of the highest order : bicause it is
written, In cherubim extentus &" protegens posui te in monte sancto
Dei. And these saie further, that he was called the dragon, bicause
of his excellent knowledge. Finallie, these great doctors conclude,
that the divell himselfe was of the order of seraphim, which is the
highest, because it is written, Quomodo enim mane oriebaris Lucifer f\
They of this sect affirme, that Cacodcemones were they that rebelled
against Jove ; I meane they of Plato his sect, himselfe also holding
the same opinion. Our schoolemen differ much in the cause of
Lucifers fall. For some said it was for speaking these words,
Ponam sedem meam in aquilone, &> similis ero altissimo:% others saie,
bicause he utterlie refused felicitie, and thought scorne therof;
others saie, bicause he thought all his strength proceeded from him-

Divels and spirits.

chap. 10.

423

selfe, and not from God ; others saie that it was, bicause he attempted
to doo that by himselfe, and his owne abilitie, which he should have
obteined by the gift of another ;/ others saie, that his condemnation 362.
grew hereupon, for that he challenged the place of the Messias ;
others saie, bicause he detracted the time to adore the majestie of
God, as other angels did ; others saie, bi/cause he utterlie refused it. 5°4>
Scotus and his disciples saie that it was, bicause he rebelliouslie claimed
equall omnipotencie with God : with whom lightlie the Thomists
never agree. Others saie it was for all these causes together, and
manie more: so as hereupon (saith Laurentius Ananias') grew a Laur.Anan.
wonderfull conflict betweene Michael and the good angels on the one deem. \.a U '
side, and Lucifer and his freends on the other : so as, after a long
and doubtfull skirmish, Michael overthrew Lucifer•, and turned him
and his fellowes out of the doores.

T h e tenth

Chapter.

Where the battell betweene Michael and Lucifer was fought, how
long it continued, and of their power, how fondlie papists and
infidels write of them% and how reverentlie Christians ought to
thinke of them.
||OW where this battell was fought, and how long it continued, there is as great contention among the schoolemen, as was betwixt Michael and Lucifer.
The
Thomists saie this battell was fought in the mpereiall*
heaven, where the abode is of blessed spirits, and the place of
pleasure and felicitie. Augustine and manie others saie, that the
battell was fought in the highest region of the aier; others saie, in
the firmament; others in paradise. The Thomists also saie it continued but one instant or pricke of time ; for they tarried but two
instants in all, even from their creation to their expulsion. The
Scotists saie, that betweene their production and their fall, there were
just foure instants. Nevertheles, the greatest number of schoolemen
affirme, that they continued onelie three instants * bicause it stood
with Gods justice, to give them three warnings ; so as at the third
warning Lucifer fell downe like led (for so are the words) to the
bottome of hell; the rest were left in the aire, to tempt man. The
Sadduces were as grosse the other waie : for they said, that by angels
was ment nothing else, but the motion that God dooth inspire in men,
or the/ tokens of his power. He that readeth Eusebius shall see

[*«V]

viz,
punctum
Mivid™ '
um Nunc
*

InstanSy

305.

424

chap. io.

A discourse of

manie more absurd opinions and asseverations of angels: as how
manie thousand yeares they serve as angels, before they come to the
promotion of archangels, &c.
Monsieur Bodin, M. Mai. and manie other papists gather upon the
seventh of Daniel, that there are just ten millians of angels in heaven.
iooooooo.
Johannes
Manie saie that angels are not by nature, but by office. Finallie, it
Cassianus
in confessiwere infinite to shew the absurd and curious collections hereabout. I
one theolog.
for my part thinke with Calvine, that angels are creatures of God ;
tripart.
though Moses spake nothing of their creation, who onelie applied himselfe to the capacitie of the common people, reciting nothing but
things seene. And I saie further with him, that they are heavenlie
spirits, whose ministration and service God useth : and in that respect
3 6 3 . are called angels. I saie yet againe with him,/ that it is verie certeine,
J. Cal. lib. inthat they have no shape at all ; for they are spirits, who never have
stit. i. cap. 14. ~
anie: and finallie, I saie with him, that the scriptures, for the
sect. 8.
capacitie of our wit, dooth not in vaine paint out angels unto us with
wings ; bicause we should conceive, that they are readie swiftlie to
succour us. And certeinlie all the sounder divines doo conceive and
give out, that both the names and also the number of angels are set
downe in the scripture by the Holie-ghost, in termes to make us
understand the greatnesse and the manner of their messages ; which
(I saie) are either expounded by the number of angels, or signified by
their names.
Furthermore, the schoole doctors affirme, that foure of the superior
Mich.
And.
thes. 107. 101.
orders of angels never take anie forme or shape of bodies, neither
Idem thes.
are sent of anie arrand at anie time. As for archangels, they are
103. 108.
sent onelie about great and secret matters ; and angels are common hacknies about evere trifle ; and that these can take what shape
or bodie they list: marie they never take the forme of women or
children. Item they saie that angels take most terrible shapes : for
Gabriel appeared to Marie, when he saluted hir, Facie rutilante,
veste coruscante, ingressu ntirabili, aspectu terribili, &^c: that is,
with a bright countenance, shining attire, wonderfull gesture, and a
dredful vissage, &c. But of apparitions I have spoken somewhat
before, and will saie more hearafter. It hath beene long, and conJ06. tinueth yet a constant opinion, not one/lie among the papists ; but
among others also, that everie man hath assigned him, at the time of
his nativitie, a good angell and a bad. For the which there is no
reason in nature, nor authoritie in scripture. For not one angell, but
all the angels are said to rejoise more of one convert, than of ninetie
and nine just. Neither did one onelie angell conveie Lazarus into
Luk. 15,7.
Luk. 16, 23.
Abrahams bosome. And therefore I conclude with Calvine, that he
J. Cal. lib. inwhich referreth to one angell, the care that GOP hath to everie one
stit. 1. cap. 14.

Euseb. in ecclesi. histor.

Divels and spirits.

chap. u.

425

of us, dooth himselfe great wrong : as may appeare by so manie fierie
chariots shewed by Elizozus to his servant. But touching this mysterie 2. Reg. 16.17
of angels, let us reverentlie thinke of them, and not curiouslie search
into the nature of them, considering the vilenes of our condition, in
respect of the glorie of their creation. And as for the foresaid fond
imaginations and fables of Lucifer, &*c they are such as are not
onelie ridiculous, but also accomptable among those impious curiosities, and vaine questions, which Pairie speaketh of : neither have
they anie tittle or letter in the scripture for the maintenance of their
grosse opinions in this behalfe.

T h e eleventh

Chapter.

Whether they became divels which being angels kept not their
vocation, injude andPeter; of the fond opinions of the Rabbins
touching spirits and bugs, with a confutation thereof
| E doo read in fude, and find it confirmed in Peter, that
the angels kept not their first estate, but left their owne
habitation, and sinned, and (as fob saith) committed
follie : and that God therefore did cast/ them downe into
hell, reserving them in everlasting chaines under darkenes, unto the
judgement of the great daie. But manie divines saie, that they find
not anie where, that God made divels of them, or that they became
the princes of the world, or else of the aire ; but rather prisoners.
Howbeit, divers doctors affirme, that this Lucifer, notwithstanding
his fall, hath/ greater power than any of the angels in heaven : marrie
they say that there be certeine other divels of the inferiour sort of
angels, which were then thrust out for smaller faults, and therefore
are tormented with little paines, besides eternal damnation : and these
(saie they) can doo little hurt. They affirme also, that they onelie use
certeine jugling knacks, delighting thereby to make men laugh, as
they travell by the high waies : but other (saie they) are much more
churlish. For proofe heereof they alledge the eighth of Matthew,
where he would none otherwise be satisfied but by exchange, from
the annoieng of one man, to the destruction of a whole heard of
swine. The Rabbines, and namelie Rabbi Abraham, writing upon the
second of Genesis, doo say, that God made the fairies, bugs, Incubus,
Robin good fellow, and other familiar or domesticall spirits & divels
on the fridaie : and being prevented with the evening of the sabboth,
finished them not, but left them unperfect ; and therefore, that ever
31

Jud. vers. 6.
2. Pet. 2 4.

364.

Mai.
male/,
par. 2. qua; 1.
cap. 2. 3.
j0yt
Mai. male/
part. 2. cap. 1.
qucest. 1.

Mich.
Laur
Mai.
&c.

And.
Anan.
male/.

Author, lib.
Zeor hammor
in Gen. 2.

chap. \2.

426

A discourse of

since they use to flie the holinesse of the sabboth, seeking darke
holes in mountaines and woods, wherein they hide themselves till the
end of the sabboth, and then come abroad to trouble and molest
men.
But as these opinions are ridiculous and fondlie collected ; so if we
have onelie respect to the bare word, or rather to the letter, where
spirits or divels are spoken of in the scriptures, we shall run into as
T h e grosse
dangerous absurdities as these are. For some are so carnallie minded,
dulnesse of
that a spirit is no sooner spoken of, but immediatlie they thinke of a
manie at
the hearing
blacke man with cloven feet, a paire of homes, a taile, clawes, and
of a spirit
named.
eies as broad as a bason, &c. But surelie the divell were not so wise
in his generation, as I take him to be, if he would terrifie men with
such uglie shapes, though he could doo it at his pleasure. For by
that meanes men should have good occasion & oportunitie to flie
from him, & to run to God for succour ; as the maner is of all them
that are terrified, though perchance they thought not upon God of
long time before. But in truth we never have so much cause to be
afraid of the divell, as when he flatteringlie insinuateth himselfe into
our harts, to satisfie, please, and serve our humors, entising us to
prosecute our owne appetits and pleasures, without anie of these
externall terrors. I would weete of these men, where they doo find
508. in the scrip/tures, that some divels be spirituall, and some corporall ;
or how these earthie or waterie divels enter into the mind of man.
A 71 g. in ser. 4,
Augustine saith, and diverse others affirme, that sathan or the divell
Greg. 29.
while we feed, allureth us with gluttonie : he thrusteth lust into our
sup. Job.
Leo font. ser.
generation ; and sloth into our exercise ; into our conversation, envie ;
8. Nativit.
into our traffike, avarice ; into our correction, wrath ; into our government, pride : he putteth into our harts evill cogitations ; into our
mouthes, lies, &c. W h e n we wake, he mooveth us to evill works ;
when we sleepe, to evill and filthie dreames ; he provoketh the merrie
to loosenesse, and the sad to despaire./

365.

T h e twelfe

Chapter.

That the divels assaults are spirituall and not temporally and how
grosselie some understand those parts of the scripture.

Ephe. 6, 11,

P O N that, which hitherto hath beene said, you see that
the assaults of sathan are spirituall, and not temporall: in
which respect Paule wisheth us not to provide a corselet
of Steele to defend us from his clawes ; but biddeth us
put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against

Divels and spirits.

Chap. 13.

the invasions of the divell. For we wrestle not against flesh and
bloud ; but against principalities, powers, and spirituall wickednesse.
And therefore he adviseth us to be sober and watch : for the divell
goeth about like a roring lion, seeking whome he may devoure. He
meaneth not with carnall teeth : for it followeth thus, Whome resist
ye stedfastlie in faith. And againe he saith, That which is spirituall
onelie discerneth spirituall things : for no carnall man can discerne the
things of the spirit. Why then should we thinke that a divell, which
is a spirit, can be knowne, or made tame and familiar unto a naturall
man; or contrarie to nature, can be by a witch made corporall, being
by God ordeined to a spirituall proportion ?
The cause of this grosse conceipt is, that we hearken more diligentlie to old wives, and rather give credit to their fables, than/
to the word of God; imagining by the tales they tell us, that the divell
is such a bulbegger, as I have before described. For whatsoever is
proposed in scripture to us by parable, or spoken figurativelie or
significativelie, or framed to our grosse capacities, &c : is by them so
considered and expounded, as though the bare letter, or rather their
grosse imaginations thereupon were to be preferred before the true
sense and meaning of the word. For I dare saie, that when these
blockheads read Jothans parable in the ninth of Judges to the men
of Sichem; to wit, that the trees went out to annoint a king over
them, saieng to the olive tree, Reigne thou over us : who answered
and said, Should I leave my fatnesse, &c ? They imagine that the
woodden trees walked, & spake with a mans voice : or else, that
some spirit entred into the trees, and answered as is imagined they
did in the idols and oracles of Apollo, and such like ; who indeed
have eies, and see not; eares and heare not; mouthes, and speake
not, &c./

T h e xiii. Chapter.

4.2 V

2. Tim. 2,8,9.
idem ibid.
1. Cor. 2.14.

509.

judg. 9. 7, 8,
- > »»

9 10 XI 12

366.

The equivocation of this word spirit, how diverslie it is taken in
the scriptures, where (by the waie) is taught that the scripture
is not alwaies literallie to be interpreted, nor yet allegorical lie
to be understood.
UCH as search with the spirit of wisedome and understanding, shall find, that spirits, as well good as bad, are
in the scriptures diverslie taken : yea they shall well
perceive, that the divell is no horned beast. For a some- » Exod. 31,1
times in the scriptures, spirits and divels are taken for infirmities of

428

chap. 13.

A discourse of

b Acts. 8,19.
the b o d i e ; b sometimes for the vices of the m i n d ; sometimes also
c John. 6.
for the gifts of either of them. c Sometimes a m a n is called a divell,
as
^."cor!^.
Judas in the sixt of John, and Peter in the xvi. of Matthew.
Ga
d
*- 3Sometimes a spirit is put for the G o s p e l l ; sometimes for the mind
2. Cor*. 7.
or soule of man ; sometimes e for the will of man, his mind and
L
C 9
i. Cor . s '
counsell ; sometimes f for teachers and p r o p h e t s ; sometimes g for
Ph
A!i p lm S10' zeale to/wards God ; sometimes 1 1 for joie in the Holie-ghost, &c.
f 1. John.'4.
And to interpret unto us the nature and signification of spirits, we
h Eple™." 5.'
find
these words written in the scripture ; to wit, T h e spirit of the
isai. ii, 2.
Lord shall rest upon him ; T h e spirit of counsell and strength ; T h e
Zach. 12,10.
spirit of wisedome and understanding ; T h e spirit of knowledge and
the feare of the Lord. Againe, I will powre out my spirit upon the
house of David, Qr*c : T h e spirit of grace and compassion. Againe,
Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but the spirit of adoption.
?°Cor2i258
^ n < ^ t n e r e ^ o r e Paule saith, To one is given, by the spirit, the word of
9,10. '
wisedome ; to another, the word of knowledge by the same spirit ;
to another, the gift of healing ; to another, the gift of faith by the
1. Co. 12,11.
same spirit ; to another, the gift of prophesie ; to another, the operation of great works ; to another, the discerning of spirits; to another,
the diversitie of toongs; to another, the interpretation of toongs: and
all these things worketh one and the selfesame spirit. Thus farre the
isai. 19,14.
words of Paule.
And finallie, Esaie saith, that the Lord mingled
among them the spirit of error. And in another place, T h e Lord
Isaie. 29.
h a t h covered you with a spirit of slumber.
As for the spirits of divination spoken of in the scripture, they are
1. Sam. 28.
such as was in the woman of Endor, the Philifipian woman, the
Hest. 16.
wench of Westwell, and the holie maid of Kent; who were indued
with spirits or gifts of divination, whereby they could make shift to
gaine monie, and abuse the people by slights and craftie inventions.
But these are possessed of borrowed spirits, as it is written in the
Sap. 15,15,
booke of Wisedome ; and spirits of meere cousenage and deceipt, as
I9
'
I have sufficientlie prooved elsewhere. I denie not therefore that
there are spirits and divels, of such substance as it hath pleased G O D
to create them. But in what place soever it be found or read in the
scriptures, a spirit or divell is to be understood spirituallie, and is
neither a corporall nor a visible thing. W h e r e it is written, that God
judg. 9,23.
sent an evill spirit betweene Abimelech, and the men of Sichem, we
367. are to/ understand, that he sent the spirit of hatred, and not a bulNum. 5, 14.
begger. Also where it is said ; If the spirit of gelosie come upon
him : it is as much to saie as ; If he be mooved with a gelous m i n d :
and not that a corporall divell assaulteth him. It is said in the GosLuke. 13,11.
pell; There was a woman, which had a spirit of infirmitie 18. yeeres,/
JII.
who was bowed togither, &c : whome Christ, by laieng his hand upon

Dive Is and spirits.

chap. i4.

hir, delivered of hir disease. Wherby it is to be seene, that although
it be said, that sathan had bound hir, &c: yet that it was a sicknes or
disease of bodie that troubled hir; for Christs owne words expound
it. Neither is there any word of witchcraft mentioned, which some
saie was the cause thereof.
There were seven divels cast out of Marie Magdalen. Which is
not so grosselie understood by the learned, as that there were in hir
just seven corporall divels, such as I described before elsewhere ; but
that by the number of seven divels, a great multitude, and an uncerteine number of vices is signified : which figure is usuall in divers
places of the scripture. And this interpretation is more agreeable
with Gods word, than the papisticall paraphrase, which is ; that
Christ, under the name of the seven divels, recounteth the seven
deadlie sinnes onelie. Others allow neither of these expositions ;
bicause they suppose that the efficacie of Christs miracle should this
waie be confounded : as though it were not as difficult a matter, with
a touch to make a good Christian of a vicious person ; as with a word
to cure the ague, or any other disease of a sicke bodie. I thinke not
but any of both these cures may be wrought by meanes, in processe
of time, without miracle ; the one by the preacher, the other by the
physician. But I saie that Christs worke in both was apparentlie
miraculous : for with power and authoritie, even with a touch of his
finger, and a word of his mouth, he made the blind to see, the halt to
go, the lepers cleane, the deafe to heare, the dead to rise againe, and
the poore to receive the Gospell, out of whom (I saie) he cast divels,
and miraculouslie conformed them to become good Christians, which
before were dissolute livers ; to whome he said, Go your waies and
sinne no more./

T h e xiiii.

Chapter.

429

Mark. 16,9.

Levit. 26.
jj°£ \^\

Matth. 8,16.

Luk. 4,36.
u 7 2I
' ' '
J° hn 8. "•

512.

That it pleased God to manifest the power of his sonne and not of
witches by miracles.
ESUS CHRIST, to manifest his divine power, rebuked Luke. 8,14.
the winds, and they ceased ; and the waves of water, and
it was calme : which if neither our divines nor physicians
can doo, much lesse our conjurors, and least of all our old
witches can bring anie such thing to passe. But it pleased God to
manifest the power of Christ Jesus by such miraculous & extraordinarie meanes, providing and as it were preparing diseases, that
none otherwise could be cured, that his sonnes glorie, and his peoples

430

chap. i4.

A discourse of

Levit. 14, 7, 8
faith might the more plainelie appeere ; as namelie, leprosie, lunacie,
. 7.17.4.
a n ( j "bxindnesse : as it is apparent in the Gospell, where it is said, that
John. 9.
the man was not stricken with blindnesse for his owne sinnes, nor for
368. any offense of his ancestors ;/ but that he was made blind, to the
intent the works of God should be shewed upon him by the hands of
Jesus Christ. But witches with their charmes can cure (as witchmongers afHrme) all these diseases mentioned in the scripture, and
manie other more ; as the gowt, the toothach, &c : which we find not
that ever Christ cured.
Mat
- 4.17,
As touching those that are said in the Gospell to be possessed of
spirits, it seemeth in manie places that it is indifferent, or all one, to
saie ; He is possessed with a divell; or, He is lunatike or phrentike:
which disease in these daies is said to proceed of melancholie. But
if everie one that now is lunatike, be possessed with a reall divell;
then might it be thought, that divels are to be thrust out of men by
medicines. But who saith in these times with the woman of Canaan;
My daughter is vexed with a divell, except it be presupposed, that she
meant hir daughter was troubled with some disease ? Indeed we
saie, and saie truelie, to the wicked, The divell is in him : but we
meane not thereby, that a reall divell is gotten into his guts. And if
313. it were so, I marvell/ in what shape this reall divell, that possesseth
them, remaineth. Entreth he into the bodie in one shape, and into
the mind in another ? If they grant him to be spirituall and invisible*
I agree with them.
Some are of opinion, that the said woman of Chanaan ment indeed
that hir daughter was troubled with some disease; bicause it is
Matt. 15,28.
written in sted of that the divell was cast out, that hir daughter was
made whole, even the selfesame houre. According to that which is
Matt. 12,22.
said in the 12. of Matthew \ There was brought unto Christ one possessed of a divell, which was both blind and dumbe, and he healed
him : so as, he that was blind and dumbe both spake and sawe.
But it was the man, and not the divell, that was healed,
and made to speake and see. Whereby (I saie) it is
gathered, that such as were diseased, as well
as they that were lunatike, were
said sometimes to be
possessed of
divels.

Divels and spirits.

chap. 15.

431

T h e xv. Chapter.
Of the possessed with divels.
ERE I cannot omit to shew, how fondlie diverse writers ;
and namelie, fames Sprenger, and Henrie Institor doo Mai. male/.
gather and note the cause, why the divell maketh choise to Quast-5- ^a- L
possesse men at certeine times of the moone ; which is
(saie they) in two respects : first, that they may defame so good a
creature as the moone ; secondly, bicause the braine is the moistest
part of the bodie. The divell therefore considereth the aptnesse and
conveniencie thereof (the *moone having dominion over all moist * A maxime
things) so as they take advantage therby, the better to bring their ph£hasS°
purposes to passe. And further they saie, that divels being conjured *e su.ni?e
and called up, appeere and come sooner in some certeine constella- siccis.
tions, than in other some : thereby to induce men to thinke, that
there is some godhead in the starres. But when Saule was releeved
with the sound of the harpe, they saie that the departure of the divell
was/ by meanes of the signe of the crosse imprinted in Davids veines. 514.
Whereby we maie see how absurd the imaginations and de/vises of 369.
men are, when they speake according to their owne fansies, without
warrant of the word of God. But me thinks it is verie absurd that
fosefihus affirmeth: to wit, that the divell should be thrust out of anie Joseph, dean,

r

A

1

•

•

^ 7.

. 1

tiquitat.

Jud.

man by vertue of a root. And as vaine it is, that JElianus writeth item de beiio
of the magicall herbe Cynospastus, otherwise called Agla[o]photis; &ff' hb' 7*ca'
which is all one with Salomons root named Baaros, as having force
to drive out anie divell from a man possessed.

T h e xvi. Chapter.
That we being not throughlie informed of the nature of divels
and spirits, must satisfe our selves with that which is delivered us in the scriptures touching the same, how this word
divell is to be understood both in the singular andplurallnumber, of the spirit of God and the spirit of the divell, of tame
spirits, of Ahab.
jjHE nature therfore and substance of divels and spirits,
bicause in the scripture it is not so set down, as we may
certeinlie know the same : we ought to content and
frame our selves faithfullie to beleeve the words and sense
there delivered unto us by the high spirit, which is the Holie-ghost, Num. 27,16.

43 2

chap. 16.

A discourse of

who is Lord of all spirits ; alwaies considering, that evermore spirits
are spoken of in scripture, as of things spirituall; though for the helpe
of our capacities they are there sometimes more grosselie and corporallie expressed, either in parables or by metaphors, than indeed they
are. As for example (and to omit the historie of Job, which elsei. Reg. 18.
verse. 23.
where I handle) it is written ; T h e Lord said, W h o shall entise Ahab,
verse. 4.
that he maie fall at Ramoth Gilead, Gr*c? T h e n came foorth a spirit,
and stood before the Lord, and said ; I will entise him. And the
Lord said, Wherewith ? And he said ; I will go and be a lieng spirit
in the mouth of all his prophets. T h e n he said ; Go foorth, thou
shalt prevaile, &c./
This storie is here set foorth in this wise, to beare with our capaci5I5>
ties, and speciallie with the capacitie of that age, that could not
otherwise conceive of spirituall things, than by such corporall demonstrations. And yet here is to be noted, that one spirit, and not
manie or diverse, did possesse all the false prophets at once. Even
Luke. 8.
as in another place, manie thousand divels are said to possesse one
27. 28.
Mark. 5. 9.
m a n : and yet it is also said even in the selfe same place, that the
Luk. 8.
same man was possessed onelie with one divell. For it is there said
that Christ met a man, which h a d a divell, and he commanded the
J. Cal. lib. infowle spirit to come foorth of the man, &c. But Calvine saith ;
stit. lib. 1. cap.
14. sect. 14.
W h e r e sathan or the divell is named in the singular number, thereby
is meant that power of wickednesse, that standeth against the kingdome of justice. And where manie divels are named in the scriptures, we are thereby taught, that we must fight with an infinite
multitude of e n i m i e s ; least despising the fewnesse of them, we should
be more slacke to enter into battell, and so fall into securitie and
idlenes.
On the other side, it is as plainelie set downe in the scripture, that
370. some/ are possessed with the spirit of God, as that the other are endued
and bound with the spirit of the divell. Yea sometimes we read,
Num. 11.
that one good spirit was put into a great number of persons ; and
againe, that diverse spirits rested in and upon one man : and yet no
reall or corporall spirit meant. As for example ; T h e Lord tooke of
Ibid. vers. 25
the spirit that was upon Moses, and put it upon the seventie elders, and
when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. W h y should not
this be as substantiall and corporall a spirit, as that, wherewith the
Acts 16.
maid in the Acts of the apostles was possessed ? Also Elisha in2. Reg. 2.
treated Elia, that when he departed, his spirit might double upon
Judg. 3. 10.
a Judg. 11. 39.
him. W e read also that the spirit of the Lord came upon a Othniel,
* Ibid. 14. 6.
>
upon hGedeon, Jefttha, ^Samson, ^Balaam, fSaule, %David, hEzechiel,
c Ibid. 14. 6.
d
Nura 24. 2
l
e
Zacharie, ^Amasay : yea it is written, that Caleb had another spirit
1. Sam. 16.
13than all the Israelits beside : & in another place it is said, that

Divels and spirits.

ch^P. i7.

433

l

Daniel had a more excellent spirit than anie other. So as, though ' 1. Sam. 18.
14.
the spirits, as well good as bad, are said to be given by number and g Ezec. 11. s
k 2. Chr. 14.
proportion ; yet the qualitie and not the quantitie of them is alwaies i i . C h . 12. 18.
thereby ment and presupposed.
Howbeit I must confesse, that k N u m b . 14.
I D a n . 5. 11.
Christ had the spirit of God without mea/sure, as it is written in the John. 3, 34.
evangelist John.
But where it is said that spirits can be made tame, 5*6and at commandement, I saie to those grosse conceivers of scripture
with Salomon, who (as they falslie affirme was of all others the
greatest conjuror) saith thus in expresse words ; N o man is lord over Eccies. 8. [8.]
a spirit, to reteine a spirit at his pleasure.
[Azariah is omitted in the text, and the margin references are wrong; they are rightly given
opposite ]

T h e xvii. Chapter.
Whether spirits and soules can assume bodies, and of their
creation and substance, wherein writers doo extreamelie
contend
and varie.

[a Judg. 3. 10.
b [Judg. 6. 34-1
c Judg. 11. [2]9.
dilbid 14. 6.
e N u m . 24. 2
f [1. Sam. 11. 3.]
g 1 Sam. 16. 13.
1. Sam. 18. 14.
h
Ezec. 11. 5
h*2Chr. I4-CI5- 1
is Azariah.]
* [Zech. 24. 20.]
k 1 Chr. 12. 18.
Num. 14. [24.]]

jjOME hold opinion, that spirits a n d soules can assume &
take unto them bodies at their pleasure, of what shape
or substance they list : of which mind all papists, and
some protestants are, being more grosse than another
sort, which hold, that such bodies are m a d e to their h a n d s . Howbeit, these doo varie in the elements, wherewith these spirituall bodies
are composed. F o r (as I have said) some affirme that they consist
of fier, some thinke of aier, and some of the starres and other celestiall
powers. But if they be celestiall, then (as Peter Martyr saith) must
they follow the circular motion : and if they be elementarie, then For everie
must they follow the motions of those elements, of which their bodies natural 1is
motion
consist. Of aier they cannot be : for aier is Corpus homogenium;
so either circular or eas everie part of aier is aier, whereof there can be no distinct members lemetarie.
made. For an organicall bodie must have bones, sinewes, veines,
flesh, &c : which cannot be made of aier. Neither (as Peter
Martyr
affirmeth) can an aierie bodie receive or have either shape or figure.
But some ascend up into the clouds, where they find (as they
saie) diverse shapes and formes even in the aier. U n t o
which objection P. Martyr answereth, saieng,
a n d . t h a t trulie, that clouds are not/
altogether aier, but have a mix371.
ture of other elements
mingled with
them.
3 K

434

517-

chap. is.

A discourse of

T h e xviii. Chapter.
Certeine popish reasons concerning spirits made of aier, of daie divels
and night divels, and why the divell loveth no salt in his meate.

| | A N I E affirme (upon a fable cited by M. Mai.) that spirits
are of aier, bicause they have beene cut (as he saith) in
sunder, and closed presentlie againe ; and also bicause
they vanish awaie so suddenlie. But of such apparitions
I have alreadie spoken, and am shortlie to saie more, which are
rather seene in the imagination of the weake and diseased, than in
veritie and truth. Which sights and apparitions, as they have beene
common among the unfaithfull ; so now, since the preaching of the
gospell they are most rare. And as among faintharted people ;
namelie, women, children, and sicke folkes, they usuallie swarmed :
so among strong bodies and good stomachs they never used to
appeare ; as elsewhere I have prooved : which argueth that they
were onelie phantasticall and imaginarie. Now saie they that imagine
divels and spirits to be made of aier, that it must needs be that they
consist of that element ; bicause otherwise when they vanish suddenlie awaie, they should leave some earthie substance behind them.
If they were of water, then should they moisten the place where
they stand, and must needs be^shed on the floore. If they consisted
of fier, then would they burne anie thing that touched them : and
Gen. 18, 19.
yet (saie they) Abraham and Lot washed their feete, and were neither
scalded nor burnt.
j . Bod. lib. de
I find it not in the Bible, but in Bodin, that there are daie divels,
d<rm.3.ca.4.
T h e same fellow saith, that Deber is the n a m e of
a n ( j jjjghj. divels.
that divell, which hurteth by night ; and Cheleb is he that hurteth by
daie : howbeit, he confesseth that Sathan can hurt both by daie and
by night ; although it be certeine (as he saith) that he can doo more
harme by night than by d a i e ; producing for example, how in a night
5/c?. he slew the first borne of ^Egypt.j
And yet it appeareth plainelie i
Exod. 12 29.
t h e text, that the Lord himselfe did it. W h e r e b y it seemeth, that
Bodin putteth no difference betweene God and the divell. For further
confirmation of this his foolish assertion, that divels are more valiant
Psa. 104.20.
by night than by daie, he alledgeth the 104. Psalme, wherein is
written, Thou makest darknesse, and it is night, wherein all the
beasts of the forrest creepe foorth, the lions rore, &c : when the
sunne riseth, they retire, &c. So as now he maketh all beasts to be
divels, or divels to be beasts. Oh barbarous blindnes ! This Bodin

Divels and spirits.

435

Chap. 19.

Bod lib

also saith, that the divell loveth no salt in his meate, for that it is a J- - - de
signe of eternitie, and used by Gods commandement in all sacrifices; am'3' ca" 5 '
abusing the scriptures, which he is not ashamed to quote in that L«vit- r.
behalfe. But now I will declare how the scripture teacheth our dull
capacities to conceive what maner of thing the divell is, by the verie
names appropriated unto him in the same./

T h e xix. Chapter.

372.

Thai such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures, have in their
names their nature and qualities expressed, with instancies
thereof.
UCH divels as are mentioned in the scriptures by name,
have in their names their nature and qualities expressed,
being for the most part the idols of certeine nations
idolatrouslie erected, in steed, or rather in spight of God.
For Beelzebub, which signifieth the lord of the flies, bicause he
taketh everie simple thing in his web, was an idol or oracle erected
at Ekron, to whom Ahaziah sent to know whether he should recover
his disease : as though there had beene no God in Israeli. This
divell Beelzebub was among the Jewes reputed the principall divell.
The Grcecians called him Pluto, the Latines Sumanus, quasi summum
deorum manium, the cheefe ghost or spirit of the dead whom they
supposed to walke by night : although they absurdlie beleeved also
that the soule died with the bodie. So as they did put a difference
be/tweene the ghost of a man and the soule of a man : and so doo
our papists ; howbeit, none otherwise, but that the soule is a ghost,
when it walketh on the earth, after the dissolution of the bodie, or
appeareth to anie man, either out of heaven, hell, or purgatorie, and
not otherwise. a Nisroch signifieth a delicate tentation, and was
worshipped by Senacherib in Assyria. hTarcat* is in English, fettered,
and was the divell or idoll of the Hevites. c Beelphegor, otherwise
called Priapus, the gaping or naked god was worshipped among the
Moabits. d Adramelech, that is, the cloke or power of the king, was
an idoll at Sepharvais, which was a citie of the Assyrians. eChamos,
that is feeling, or departing, was worshipped among the Moabits.
1
Dagon, that is, corne or greefe, was the idoll of the Philistines.
e
Astarte, that is, a fold or flocke, is the name of a shee idoll at
Sydonia, whom Salomon worshipped : some thinke it was Venus.

2. Reg. 13.

Matth. 10.
Mark. 3.
Luk. n.
jig.

[* Tartac]
* *• |^s-19c
. 6se. 9, u. [10]
D ^J; lf'&m 4
l°*\2e2' I7
* Numb.' 21!
2! Reg. 23!
'Jjjjte* l6<
g'i. Reg. n'.
2 Reg n
' * '

chap. 2o.

436

A discourse of

h

h

2. Reg. 23.
1. Chro. 20.
Jerem. 49.

Joseph, lib. de
antiquit.
Judeeor. 6.
cap. 14.
1. Sam. 7.
2. Reg. 23.

Psal. 96, [Vulg.
vers.]

373.

320.

Melchom, that is, a king, was an idoll or divell, which the sonnesvof
Amnion worshipped.
Sometimes also we find in the scriptures, that divels and spirits
take their names of wicked men, or of the houses or stats of abhominable persons : as Astaroth, which (as Josephus saith) was the idoll
of the Philistines, whome the Jewes tooke from them at Salomons
commandement, and was also worshipped of Salomon. Which
though it signifie riches, flocks, &c : yet it was once a citie belonging
to Og the king of Basan, where they saie the giants dwelt. In these
respects Astaroth is one of the speciall divels named in Salomons
conjuration, and greatlie emploied by the conjurors. I have sufficientlie prooved in these quotations, that these idols are Dii gentium,
the gods of the Gentiles : and then the prophet David may satisfie
you, that they are divels, who saith Dii gentium dcemonia sunt, The
gods of the Gentiles, are divels. What a divell was the rood of grace
to be thought, but such a one as before is mentioned and described,
who tooke his name of his courteous and gratious behaviour towards
his worshippers, or rather those that offered/ unto him? The idolatrous
knaverie wherof being now bewraied, it is among the godlie reputed
a divell rather than a god : and so are diverse others of the same
stampe./

T h e xx. Chapter.
Diverse names of the divell, whereby his nature and disposition
is manifested.

» Job. 40.
Job. 3.
Isai. 27.
b Matth. 6.
Matt. 4, &c.
Marc. 16.
c Jam. 2.
d Matth. 4.

John. 8.

Apoc. 12.
• . Apoc. 9.

[T hath also pleased GOD to informe our weake capacities,
as it were by similitudes and examples, or rather by comparisons, to understand what manner of thing the divell
is, by the verie names appropriated and attributed unto
him in the scriptures : wherein sometimes he is called by one name,
sometimes by another, by metaphors according to his conditions.
a
Elephas is called in fob, Behemoth, which is, Bruta ; whereby the
greatnes and brutishnes of the divell is figured. Leviathan is not
much different from Elephas ; whereby the divels great subtiltie and
power is shewed unto us. b Mammon is the covetous desire of monie,
wherewith the divell overcommeth the reprobate. c Dcemon signifieth
one that is cunning or craftie. Cacodcemon is perverslie knowing.
All those which in ancient times were worshipped as gods, were so
called. dDiabolus is Calumniator, an accuser, or a slanderer. Sathan
is Adversarius, an adversarie, that troubleth and molesteth. eAbad-

Divels and spirits.

chap. 21.

437

Marc.
don a destroier. f Legio, bicause they are manie. g Prince of the fLuke. 8.5.
aire. h Prince of the world. *A king of the sonnes of pride. k A g E p h . 2.
h
John.
roring lion. l An homicide or manslear, a lier, and the father of lies. 14. 16. 8. 12.
1
m
n
Job. 41.
The author of sinne.
A spirit. Yea somtimes he is called the k 1. Pet. 5.
1
spirit of the Lord, as the executioner and minister of his displeasure, m John. 8.
I.John.
&c. Sometimes, the ° spirit of fornication, &c. And manie other n Acts. 16. 3.
like epithets or additions are given him for his name. He is also 0 Ose. 4.
P Psal. 34.
called P the angell of the Lord, q The cruell angell. The r angell of I. Chr. 21.
s
t
Prov.
sathan. The angell of hell. The great dragon, for his pride and 1 2. Cor. 17.
r
12.
force. The u red dragon for his blouddines. A x serpent. An y owle, 81 Apoc. 9.
Apoc 12.
z
a kite, a satyre, a crowe, a pellicane, a hedghog, a griph, a storke, u Job. 41.
*. Gen. 3.
&c./
y
Apoc. 12.
[x should reach to Isai. 27. and y Mark Isai. 13. 34.]

T h e xxi. Chapter.

2

I s a i 27.
Isai. 13. 34.

5*1-

That the idols or gods of the Gentiles are divels, their diverse names,
and in what affaires their labours and authorities are emploied,
wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discovered.
||ND for so much as the idols of the gentiles are called
divels, and are among the unlearned confounded and
intermedled with the divels that are named in the scriptures ; I thought it convenient here to give you a note of
them, to whome the Gentiles gave names, according to the offices
unto them assigned. Penates are the domesticall gods, or rather
divels/ that were said to make men live quietlie within doores. But
some thinke these rather to be such, as the Gentiles thought to be
set over kingdomes : and that Lares are such as trouble private
houses, and are set to oversee crosse waies and cities. Larva are
said to be spirits that walke onelie by night. Genii are the two
angels, which they supposed were appointed to wait upon each man.
Manes are the spirits which oppose themselves against men in the
waie. Dcemones were feigned gods by poets, as Jupiter, Juno, &c.
Virunculi terrei are such as was Robin good fellowe, that would
supplie the office of servants, speciallie of maids ; as to make a fier
in the morning, sweepe the house, grind mustard and malt, drawe
water, &c : these also rumble in houses, drawe latches, go up and
downe staiers, &c. Dii geniales are the gods that everie man did
sacrifice unto at the daie of their birth. Tetrici be they that make
folke afraid, and have such ouglie shape, which manie of our divines

Psalm. 96.

Juno and
Minerva.

374.

Cousening
gods or
knaves.

Terra, aqua,
aer, ignis, sol,
& Luna.

438

chap. 21.

A discourse

of

doo call Subterranei.
Cobalt are they that followe men, and delight
to m a k e them laugh, with tumbling, juggling, and such like toies.
Virunculi are dwarfes about three handfulles long, a n d doo no h u r t ;
but seeme to dig in mineralles, and to be verie busie, and yet doo
nothing. Guteli or Trulli are spirits (they saie) in the likenes of
522. women, shewing great kind/nesse to all men : & hereof it is that we
call light women, truls. Dcemones montani are such as worke in the
mineralles, and further the worke of the labourers woonderfullie, who
are nothing afraid of them. Hudgin is a verie familiar divell, which
* Hudgin of
Germanie,
will doo no bodie hurt, except he receive injurie : but he cannot abide
and Rush
of England.
that, nor yet be mocked : he talketh with men freendlie, sometimes
[* Hutgin,
visiblie, and sometimes invisiblie. There go as manie tales upon
Wier.1
this Hudgin, in some parts of Germanie, as there did in England of
Robin good fellowe.
But this Hudgin was so called, bicause he
alwaies ware a cap or a h o o d t ; and therefore I thinke it was Robin
tt See note.]
hood. Frier Rush was for all the world such another fellow as this
Hudgin, and brought up even in the same schoole ; to wit, in a
kitchen: in so much as the selfe-same tale is written of the one as of
the other, concerning the skullian, which is said to h a v e b e e n e slaine,
&c : for the reading whereof I referre you to Frier Rush his storie,
J. Wier. lib.
or else to John Wierus De presstigiis
dcemonum.
de prcest. deem.
J. cap. 23.
There were also Familiares dcemones, which we call familiars: such
as Socrates and Ccesar were said to have ; and such as Feats sold to
doctor Burcot.
Quintus Sertorius h a d Diana hir selfe for his familiar ; and Numa Pompilius h a d Aegeria : but neither the one nor
the other of all these could be preserved by their familiars from
being destroied with untimelie death. Simon Samareus
boasted,
that he h a d gotten by conjuration, the soule of a little child that was
slaine, to be his familiar, and that he told him all things that were
to come, &c. I marvell what privilege soules have, which are departed from the bodie, to know things to come more than the soules
within m a n s bodie. T h e r e were spirits, which they called Albce
mulieres, and Albce Silyllce, which were verie familiar, and did much
h a r m e (they saie) to women with child, and to sucking children.
Deumus as a divell is worshipped among the Indians in Calecute, who
(as they thinke) h a t h power given him of God to judge the earth, &c:
his image is horriblie pictured in a most ouglie shape. Thevet saith,
375. that a divell/ in America, called Agnan, beareth swaie in that countrie.
Bawdie
In Ginnie one Grigrie is accounted the great divell, and keepeth the
preestsin
woods : these have preests called Charoibes, which prophesie, after
they have lien by the space of one houre prostrate upon a wench/
S2j. of twelve yeares old, and all that while (saie they) he calleth upon a
divell called Hovioulsira,
and then commeth foorth and uttereth his

Divels and spirits,

chap. 22.

439

prophesie. For the true successe whereof the people praie all the
while that he lieth groveling like a lecherous knave. There are a
thousand other names, which they saie are attributed unto divels ;
and such as they take to themselves are more ridiculous than the
names that are given by others, which have more leasure to devise
them. In litle bookes conteining the cousening possessed, at Looke in
Maidstone, where such a woonder was wrought, as also in other (objub. 7.
places, you may see a number of counterfeit divels names, and other caP- 3- Pastrish trash.

T h e xxii. Chapter.
Of the Romanes cheefe gods called Dii selecti, and of other
heathen gods, their names and offices.
ffSnRSHERE
were among the Romans twentie idolatrous gods,
Wmk 11301 which were called Dii selecti sive electi, chosen gods ;
PPMI |||P9| whereof twelve were male, and eight female, whose
|rmn?i lunMl names doo thus followe : Janus, Saturnus, Jupiter,
Genius, Mercurius, Apollo, Mars, Vulcanus, Neptunus, Sol, Orcus
and * Vibar, which were all hee gods : Tellus, Ceres, Juno, Minerva,
Luna, Diana, Venus, and Vesta, were all she gods. No man might
appropriate anie of these unto himselfe, but they were left common
and indifferent to all men dwelling in one realme, province, or
notable citie. These heathen gentiles had also their gods, which
served for sundrie purposes ; as to raise thunder, they had Statores,
Tonantes, Feretrii, and Jupiter Elicius. They had Cantius, to
whome they praied for wise children, who was more apt for this
purpose than Minerva that issued out of Jupiters owne braine.
Lucina was to send them that were with child safe deliverie, and in
that respect was called the mother of childwives. Opis was called
the mother of the babe new borne, whose image women with child
hanged upon their girdles before their bellies, and bare it so by/ the
space of nine moneths ; and the midwife alwaies touched the child
therewith, before she or anie other laied hand thereon.
If the child were well borne, they sacrificed therunto, although the
mother miscaried : but if the child were in any part unperfect, or
dead, &c : they used to beate the image into powder, or to burne or
drowne it. Vagianus was he that kept their children from crieng, and
therefore they did alwaies hang his picture about babes necks :
for they thought much crieng in youth portended ill fortune in age.
Cuninus, otherwise Cunius, was he that preserved (as they thought)

[* Liber\

A good god
dessffor
women.

524.

The names
heathenish
g°dsr>and
liar offices.

44-0

chap. 23.

A discourse of

their children from misfortune in the cradell. Rtiminus was to keepe
their dugs from corruption. Volumnus and his wife Volumna were
376. gods, the one for yoong men, the other for/ maids that desired
marriage : for such as praied devoutlie unto them, should soone be
married. Agrestis was the god of the fields, and to him they praied
for fertilitie. Bellus was the god of warre & warriers, and so also
was Victoria, to whome the greatest temple in Rome was built.
Honorius was he that h a d charge about inkeepers, that they should
well intreat pilgrimes. Berecynthia was the mother of all the gods.
Aesadanus
was to discover their mines of gold and silver, and to him
they praied for good successe in that behalfe. Aesculapius
was to
cure the sicke, whose father was Apollo, and served to keepe weeds
out of the corne. Segacia was to make seeds to growe. Flora preserved the vines from frosts and blasts. Sylvanus was to preserve
them that walked in gardens. Bacchus was for droonkards, Favor
for cowherds ; Meretrix
for whores, to whose honour there was
a temple built in Rome, in the middest of fortie and foure streets,
which were all inhabited with common harlots. Finallie Colatina,
*alias Clotina, was goddesse of the stoole, the jakes, and the privie,
[*a/*'«jltal.]
A verie
to whome as to everie of the rest, there was a peculiar temple edified:
homelie
besides that notable temple called Pantheon, wherein all the gods
charge.
were placed togither; so as everie man and woman, according to their
follies and devotions, might go thither and worship what gods they
list./

5*5.

T h e xxiii. Chapter.
Of diverse gods in diverse

Beasts,
birds, vermine, fishes,
herbs and
other trumperie worshipped as
gods.

countries.

J|HE Aegyptians were yet more foolish in this behalfe than
the Romans (I meane the heathenish Romans that then
were, and not the popish Romans that now are, for no
nation approcheth neere to these in anie kind of idolatrie.)
T h e Aegyptians worshipped Anubis in the likenesse of a dog, bicause
he loved dogs and hunting. Yea they worshipped all living creatures,
as namelie of beasts, a bullocke, a dog, & a c a t ; of flieng fowles,
Ibis (which is a bird with a long bill, naturallie devouring up venemous things a n d noisome serpents) and a sparrowhawke ; of fishes
they had two gods ; to wit, Lepidotus piscis, and Oxyrinchus.
The
Saltans and Thebans had to their god a sheepe. In the citie Lycopolis they worshipped a woolfe ; in Herinopolis, the Cynocephalus ;
the Leopolitans, a lion ; in Lcetopolis, a fish in Nilus called La/us.

Divels and spirits.

ch ap . 24.

441

In the citie Cynopolis they worshipped Anubis.
At Babylon, besides
Memphis, they m a d e an onion their god ; the Thebans an eagle ; the
Mozndeseans, a goate ; the Persians, a fier called Orimasda ; the
Arabians, Bacchus, Venus, and Diasaren ; the Boeotians,
Amphiaraus; the Aphricans,
Mopsus ; the Scithians, Minerva ; the Afa#cratits, Serapis, which is a s e r p e n t ; Astartes (being as Cicero writeth
the fourth Venus, who was she, as others affirme, whom Salomon
worshipped at his concubines request) was the goddesse of the
Assyrians.
At Noricum, being a part of Bavaria, they worship
Tibilenus; the Moores worship Juba ; the Macedonians,
Gabirus;
the Poenians, Uranius ; at Samos Juno was their god ; at Paphos,
Venus ; at Lemnos, Vulcane;
at Naxos, Liberus ; at/ Lampsacke,
377.
Priapus with the great genitals, who was set up at Hellespont to be
adored. In the ile Diomedea, Diomedes;
at Delphos, Apollo ; at
Ephesus, Diana was worshipped. And bicause they would plaie
small game ra/ther than sit out, they h a d Acharus Cyrenaicus, to 526.
keepe them from flies and flieblowes; Hercules Canopius, to keepe
them from fleas ; Apollo Parnopeius,
to keepe their cheefes from
being mouseaten. T h e Greeks were the first, that I can learne to imperiaii
have assigned to the gods their principall kingdomes and offices : a s their assiJupiter to rule in heaven, Pluto in hell, Neptune in the sea, &c. T o stants these they joined, as assistants, divers commissioners ; as to Jupiter,
Saturne, Mars, Venus; Mercuric, and Minerva : to Neptune,
Nereus,
&°c. Tutilina was onelie a mediatrix to Jupiter, not to destroie corne
with thunder or tempests, before whom they usuallie lighted candels
in the temple, to appease the same, according to the popish custome
in these daies. But I may not repeate t h e m all by name, for the
gods of the gentiles were by good record, as Varro and others T h e num,

^

,

1

1

-.

-CTTI

,

1

berofgods

report, to the number of 30. thousand, and upward. Whereby the among the
reasonable reader may judge their superstitious blindnesse.
gentiles

T h e xxiiii. Chapter.
OJ popish provinciall gods, a comparison betweene them and
heathen gods, of physical I gods, and of what occupation everie
popish god is.
'
ffi^PJI5||OW
if I thought I could make an end in anie reasonable
l y P O ^ i y ' time, I would begin with our antichristian gods, otherH # * « ^ H w * s e c a ^ e ( ^ popish idols, which are as ranke divels as
lEBnffliMl Dii gentium spoken of in the psalmes: or as Dii montium
* ch?.^0.'
set foorth & rehearsed in the first booke of the kings ; or as Dii 1. Chr. 16.

3L

442
Judg. 3.
2. Chr. 33.
2. Reg. 2*3,
&c.

chap. 24.

A discourse of

terrarum or Dii populorum mentioned in the second of the Chronicles
32. & in the first of the Chronicles 16. or as Dii terrce in Judges 3. or
as Diifiliorum
Seir in the second of the Chronicles 25. or as Dii
alieniy which are so often mentioned in the scriptures.
Surelie, there were in the popish church more of these in number,
more in common, more private, more publike, more for lewd purposes, and more for no purpose, than among all the heathen, either
527' heretofore, or at this present time : for I dare undertake,/ that
for everie heathen idoll I might produce twentie out of the popish
Popish gods
church. For there were proper idols of everie nation : as S. George
of nations.
on horssebacke for England (excepting whome there is said to be no
more horssemen in heaven save onelie saint Martine) S. Andrew for
Burgundie and Scotland, S. Michael for France, S. James for Spaine,
S. Patrike for Ireland, S. Davie for Wales, S. Peter for Rome, and
some part of Italic
H a d not everie citie in all the popes dominions
his severall patrone ? As Paule for London, Denis for Paris, Ambrose
for Millen, Loven for Gaunt, Romball for Mackline, S. Marks lion for
378. Venice, the three magician kings for Cullen* and so of other./ Yea, had
they not for everie small towne, and everie village and parish,t (the
Parish gods
or popish
names wherof I am not at leisure to repeat) a severall idoll? As S.
idols
Sepulchre, for one ; S. Bride, for a n o t h e r ; S. All halowes, All saints,
[* = Cologne]
and our Ladie for all at once : which I thought meeter to rehearse,
[ t . in text]
than a bedrollf of such a number as are in that predicament. H a d
[J = bead—]
they not hee idols and shee idols, some for men, some for women,
some for beasts, and some for fowles, &c ? Doo you not thinke
that S. Martine might be opposed to Bacchus ? If S. Martine be too
weake we have S. Urbane, S. Clement, and manie other to assist
him. W a s Venus and Meretrix an advocate for whoores among the
Gentiles ? Behold, there were in the Romish church to encounter
with them, S. Aphra, S. Aphrodite, and S. Maudline.
But insomuch
as long Meg was as verie a whoore as the best of them, she had
wrong that she was not also canonized, and put in as good credit as they:
for she was a gentlewoman borne ; whereunto the pope hath great
respect in canonizing of his saints. For (as I have said) he canonizeth
the rich for saints, and burneth the poore for witches. But I doubt
not, Magdalen, and manie other godlie women are verie saints in
heaven, and should have beene so, though the pope had never canonized
them : but he dooth them wrong, to make them the patronesses of
harlots and strong strumpets.
See the
W a s there such a traitor among all the heathen idols, as S. Thomas
golden L e Beckett
Or such a whoore as S. Bridget!
I warrant you S. Hugh
gend for
the life of
was as good a huntesman as Anubis.
W a s Vulcane the protector of
S. Bridget.
the heathen smithes ? Yea forsooth, and S. Euloge was patrone for

Divels and spirits.

chap. *4-

ours. Our painters had Luke, our weavers/ had Steven, our millers
had Arnold, our tailors h a d Goodman, our sowters had Crispine, our
potters had S. Gore with a divell on his shoulder and a pot in his hand.
W a s there a better horseleech among the gods of the Gentiles than
S. Loy ? Or a better sowgelder than S. Anthonie?
Or a better
toothdrawer than S. Apollinel
I beleeve that Apollo Parnopeius was
no better a ratcatcher than S. Gertrude, who hath the popes patent
and commendation therefore. T h e Thebans had not a better shepherd
than S. Wendeline, nor a better gissard to keepe their geese than
Gallus. But for physicke and surgerie, our idols exceeded them all. For
S. John, and S. Valentine excelled at the falling evill, S. Roch was
good at the plague, S. Petronill at the ague. As for S. Margaret, she
passed Lucina for a midwife, and yet was but a maid : in which
respect S. Marpurge is joined with hir in commission.
For mad men, and such as are possessed with divels, S. Romane
was excellent, & frier Ruffine was also pretilie skilfull in that art. For
botches and biles, Cosmus a n d Damian ; S. Clare for the eies, S.
Apolline for teeth, S. Job for the * pox. And for sore brests S. Agatha
was as good as Ruminus.
Whosoever served Servatius well, should
be sure to loose nothing : if Servatius
failed in his office, S. Vinden
could supplie the matter with his cunning; for he could cause all things
that were lost to be restored againe. But here laie a strawe for a
while, and I will shew you the names of some, which exceed these
verie far, and might have beene canonized for archsaints ; all the other
saints or idols being in comparison of them but bunglers, and benchwhistlers. And with your leave, when all/ other saints h a d given over
the matter, and the saints utterlie forsaken of their servitors, they repaired to these that I shall name unto you, with the good consent of
the pope, who is the fautor, or rather the patrone of all the saints,
divels, and idols living or dead, and of all the gods save one. And
whereas none other saint could cure above one disease, in so much as
it was idolatrie, follie I should have said, to go to Job for anie other
maladie than the p o x ; nothing commeth amisse to these. F o r they
are good at anie thing, and never a-whit nice of their cunning : yea
greater matters are said to be in one of their powers, than is in all the
other saints. And these are they : S. mo/ther Bungie, S. mother Paine,
S. Feats, S. mother Still, S. mother Button, S. Kytrell, S.
Ursula Kempe, S. mother Newman, S. doctor Heron,
S. Rosimund a good old father, & diverse
more that deserve to be registred
in the popes kalendar, or
rather the divels
rubrike.

443
528,
H e saints &
shee saincts
of the old
stamp with
their peculiar vertues
touching
the curing
of diseases.

* For the
Freeh pox
or the comon kind
of pox, or
both ? T h i s
would be
knowne.

379.

52Q.
New saints.

444

chap. 25

A discourse of
T h e xxv. Chapter.

A comparison

betweene the heathen and papists•, touching
excuses for
idolatrie.

their

|JND bicause I know, that the papists will saie, that their
idols are saints, and no such divels as the gods of the
Gentiles were : you may tell them, that not onelie their
saints, but the verie images of them were called Divi.
Which though it signifie gods, and so by consequence idols or feends :
Divos vo<
cant Gramyet put but an (//) thereunto, and it is Divi II in English. But they
ma tic i eos
qui ex howill saie also that I doo them wrong to gibe at t h e m ; bicause they
minibus
dii
were holie men and holie women. I grant some of them were so, and
facti
sunt.
further from allowance of the popish idolatrie emploied upon them,
than greeved with the derision used against that abuse. Yea even as
silver and gold are made idols unto them that love them too well, and
seeke too much for them : so are these holie men and women m a d e
idols by them that worship them, and attribute unto them such honor,
as to God onelie apperteineth.
T h e heathen gods were for the most part good men, and profitable
members to the commonwealth wherein they lived, and deserved fame,
&c : in which respect they made gods of them when they were d e a d ;
as they made divels of such emperors and philosophers as they hated,
or as had deserved ill among them. And is it not even so, and woorsse,
in the commonwealth and church of poperie? Dooth not the pope
excommunicate, cursse, and condemne for heretikes, and drive to the
bottomlesse pit of hell, proclaming to be verie divels, all those that
either write, speake or thinke contrarie to his idolatrous doctrine ?
Cicero, when he de/rided the heathen gods, and inveied against them
that yeelded such servile honor unto them, knew the persons, unto
Cic. de natur.
deorum.
whom such abuse was committed, h a d well deserved as civill citizens ;
and that good fame was due unto them, and not divine estimation.
Yea the infidels that honored those gods, as hoping to receive benefits
for their devotion emploied that waie, knew a n d conceived that the
380. statues and images, before whome with such reverence/ they powred
foorth their praiers, were stockes and stones, and onelie pictures of
those persons whome they resembled : yea they also knew, that the
parties themselves were creatures, and could not doo so much as the
T h e papists
papists and witchmongers thinke the Roode of grace, or mother
see a moth
in the eie of
Bttngie could doo. And yet the papists can see the abuse of the
others, but
no beame
Gentils, and may not heare of their owne idolatrie more grosse and
in their
damnable than the others.
owne.

Divels and

T h e xxvi.

spirits.

C h a p . 26.

445

Chapter.

The conceipt of the heathen and the papists all one in
of the councell of Trent, a notable storie of a
arraigned after he was dead and buried, &*c.

idolatrie,
hangman

U T papists perchance will denie, that they attribute so
much to these idols as I r e p o r t ; or that they thinke it so
meritorious to praie to the images of saints as is supposed,
affirming that they worship God, and the saints themselves, under the formes of images. W h i c h was also the conceipt of
the heathen, and their excuse in this behalfe ; whose eiesight and
insight herein reached as farre as the papisticall distinctions published
by popes and their councels. Neither doo anie of them admit so
grosse idolatrie, as the councell of Trent hath doone, who alloweth ?he
*>

i

1

•

i

that worship to the Rood that is due to Jesus Christ himselfe, and so
likewise of other images of saints. I thought it not impertinent
therfore in this place to insert an example taken out of the Rosarie of our Ladie, in which booke doo remaine (besides this) ninetie
and eight examples to this effect : which are of such authoritie in/
the church of Rome, that all scripture must give place unto them.
And these are either read there as their speciall homilies, or preached
by their cheefe doctors. And this is the sermon for this daie verbatim translated out of the said Rosarie, a booke much esteemed and
reverenced among papists.
A certeine h a n g m a n passing by the image of our Ladie, saluted
hir, commending himselfe to hir protection. Afterwards, while h e
praied before hir, he was called awaie to h a n g an offendor : but his
enimies intercepted him, and slew him by the waie. And lo a certeine holie preest, which nightlie walked about everie church in the
citie, rose up that night, and was going to his ladie, I should saie to
our ladie church. And in the churchyard he saw a great manie dead
men, and some of them he knew, of whome he asked what the
matter was, &c. W h o answered, that the hangman was slaine, and
the divell challenged his soule, the which our ladie said was hirs :
a n d the judge was even at hand comming thither to heare the cause,
& therefore (said they) we are now come togither. T h e preest
thought he would be at the hearing hereof, and hid himselfe behind
1

i

.

.

,. . „

idola

"

trous coun-

,.

.

, .

ceil of
rent
'

531-

Exempt. 4.

But our ladie spied

a tree ; and anon he saw the judiciall seat readie prepared and fur- him well
nished, where the judge, to wit Jesus Christ, sate, who tooke up his
H°^:
mother unto him. Soone after the divels brought in the hangman shai read.

446

chap. 27.

A discourse of

pinnioned, and prooved by good evidence, that his soule belonged to
381. them. On the/ other side, our ladie pleaded for the hangman, prooving that he, at the houre of death, commended his soule to hir. T h e
j u d g e hearing t h e matter so well debated on either side, but willing
to obeie (for these are his words) his mothers desire, and loath to doo
the divels anie wrong, gave sentence, that the hangmans soule should
returne to his bodie, untill he had m a d e sufficient satisfaction ;
ordeining that the pope should set foorth a publike forme of praier
for the hangmans soule. It was demanded, who should doo the
arrand to the popes holines ? Marie quoth our ladie, that shall yonT h e preests
der preest that lurketh behind the tree. T h e preest being called
arse made
foorth, and injoined to m a k e relation hereof, and to desire the pope
buttons.
to take the paines to doo according to this decree, asked by what
token he should be directed. T h e n was delivered unto him a rose
of such beautie, as when the pope saw it, he knew his message was
true. And so, if they doo not well, I praie God we may./

53*'

The xxvii. Chapter.
A confutation of the fable of the hangman, of manie other feined
and ridiculous tales and apparitions, with a reproofe thereof

Our B . ladies favor.

[* P- 132.]
Greg. 4. dialog, cap. 51.
Alexand
lib.
5. cap. 23. &>
Itb. 2. cap. 9.
&>c.

IiY the tale above mentioned you see what it is to worship
the image of our ladie. For though we kneele to God
himselfe, and make never so humble petitions unto him,
without faith and repentance, it shall doo us no pleasure
at all. Yet this hangman had great freendship shewed him for one
point of courtesie used to our ladie, having not one d r a m m e of faith,
repentance, nor yet of honestie in him. Neverthelesse, so credulous
is the nature of man, as to beleeve this and such like fables: yea,
to discredit such stuffe, is thought among the papists flat heresie.
And though we that are protestants will not beleeve these toies,
being so apparentlie popish : yet we credit and report other appearances, and assuming of bodies by soules and spirits ; though they
be as prophane, absurd, and impious as the other. W e are sure the
holie maide of Kents vision was a verie cousenage : but we can
credit, imprint, and publish for a true possession or historie, the
knaverie used by a cousening varlot at Maidstone ;* and manie other
such as that was. W e thinke soules and spirits may come out of
heaven or hell, and assume bodies, beleeving manie absurd tales told
by the schoolemen and Romish doctors to that effect : but we dis-

Divels and spirits.

chap. 27.

447

credit all the stories that they, and as grave men as they are, tell us Greg. lib. 4.
dialog, ca. 40.
upon their knowledge and credit, of soules condemned to purgatorie, idem cap. 55,
wandering for succour a n d release by trentals and masses said by a and in other places
popish preest, &c : and yet they in probabilitie are equall, and in elsewhere
innumeranumber farre exceed the other.
ble.
We thinke that to be a lie, which is written, or rather fathered upon Micha. And.
thes. 151.
Luther; to wit, that he knew the divell, a n d was verie conversant
with him, and had eaten manie bushels of salt and made jollie good
cheere with him ; and that he was confuted in a/ disputation with a 533reall divell/ about the abolishing of private masse. Neither doo we 382.
beleeve this report, that the divell in the likenes of a tall man, was
present at a sermon openlie made by Carolostadius ; and from this Alex, ab Alexand. lib. 4.
sermon went to his house, and told his sonne that he would fetch genealog. diehim awaie after a daie or twaine : as the papists saie he did in deed, rum, cap. 19.
Plutarch,
although they lie in everie point thereof most maliciouslie. But we oratione ad
Apollonhim.
can beleeve Platina and others, when they tell us of the appearances Item. Basiliens, in
of pope Benedict the eight, and also t h e ninth ; how the one rode Platina epist.
de
upon a blacke horsse in the wildernesse, requiring a bishop (as I vitis pontificum.
remember) whome he met, that he would distribute certeine monie Nauclerus. 2
for him, which he h a d purloined of that which was given in almes to general. 35.
the poore, &c : and how the other was seene a hundred yeares after
the divell h a d killed him in a wood, of an heremite, in a beares
skinne, and an asses h e a d on his shoulders, &c : himselfe saieng
that he appeared in such sort as he lived. A n d diverse such stuffe
rehearseth Platina.
Now bicause S. Ambrose writeth, that S. Anne appeared to Con- Ambr. ser. 90
de passione
stance the daughter of Constantine, and to hir parents watching at Agn.
Euseb. lib.
hir sepulchre : and bicause Eusebius and Nicephorus saie, that the eccles. hist. 5.
Pontamian virgine, Origins disciple, appeared to S. Basils and put a Niceph. lib. 5
cap. 7.
crowne upon his head, in token of the glorie of his martyrdome, Hieronym.
which should shortlie followe : and bicause Hierome writeth of Paules in vita Pau.
Theodor. lib.
appearance ; and Theodoret^ of S.John the Baptist;
and
Athanasius, hist. 5. ca. 24.
A than, in
of Ammons, &*c: manie doo beleeve the same stories and miraculous vita Ant ho.
appearances to be true. But few protestants will give credit unto
such shamefull fables, or anie like t h e m , when they find them written
in the Legendarie, Festivall, Rosaries of our Ladie, or anie other
such popish authors. Whereby I gather, that if the protestant
beleeve some few lies, the papists beleeve a great number. This I
write, to shew the imperfection of m a n , how attentive our eares are
to hearken to tales. And though herein consist no great point of
faith or infidelitie ; yet* let us that professe the gospell take warning
of papists, not to be carried awaie with everie vaine blast of doctrine:
but let us cast awaie these prophane and old wives fables. And

448

chap. 28.

A discourse of

although this matter have passed so long with generall credit and

534- authoritie : yet manie * grave authors have condemned/ long since
*
Melancth.
in Calendar.
Manlii. 23.
April.
Marbach.
lib. de miracul. adversus
Ins.
Johannes Rivius de veter.
superstit.
Athan.
lib.
99. quae. 11.
August, de
cura pro
mortu. ca. 13.
Luk. 16.

383.

all those vaine visions and apparitions, except such as have beene
shewed by God, his sonne, and his angels. Athanasius saith, that
soules once loosed from their bodies, have no more societie with
mortall men. Augustine saith, that if soules could walke and visit
their freends, &c : or admonish them in sleepe, or otherwise, his
mother that followed him by land and by sea would shew hir selfe
to him, and reveale hir knowledge, or give him warning, &c. But
most true it is that is written in the gospell; We have Moses and the
prophets, who are to be hearkened unto, and not the dead./

T h e xxviii. Chapter.
A confutation of Johannes Laurentius, and of manie others, mai7tteining these fained and ridiculous tales and apparitions, and
what driveth them awaie: of Moses and Helias appearance in
mount Thabor.

| U R T H E R M O R E , to prosecute this matter in more words;
if I saie that these apparitions of soules are but knaveries
and cousenages ; they object that Moses and Helias
Matth 17.
appeared in mount Thabor, and talked with Christ, in
Luke. 9.
the presence of the principall apostles : yea, and that God appeared
Johan.
Laur.
in the bush, &c. As though spirits and soules could doo whatsoever
lib. de natur.
dcemon.
it pleaseth the Lord to doo, or appoint to be doone for his owne
glorie, or for the manifestation of his sonne miraculouslie. And
therefore I thought good to give you a taste of the witchmongers
absurd opinions in this behalfe.
And first you shall understand, that they hold, that all the soules
Mich. An dr.
thes. 222, &>c
in heaven may come downe and appeare to us when they list, and
assume anie bodie saving their owne : otherwise (saie they) such
soules should not be perfectlie happie. They saie that you may
Idem thes.
235- &• 136.
know the good soules from the bad verie easilie. For a damned
soule hath a verie heavie and sowre looke ; but a saints soule hath
535- a cheerefull and a merrie countenance : these also are white/ and
shining, the other cole blacke. And these damned soules also maie
Idem thes.
come up out of hell at their pleasure ; although Abraham made
226.
Dives beleeve the contrarie. They affirme that damned soules walke
Th. Aq. 1. pa.
qua>. 89. ar. 8.
oftenest: next unto them the soules of purgatorie ; and most seldome
the soules of saints. Also they saie that in the old lawe soules did

Divels and spirits.

chap. 28.

449

appeare seldome ; and after doomes daie they shall never be seene Gregor.
dial. 4.
more : in the time of grace they shall be most frequent. T h e walking of these soules (saith Michael Andr.) is a most excellent argu- Mich. And.
ment for the proofe of purgatorie : for (saith he) those soules have thes. 313.
316.317testified that which the popes have affirmed in that behalfe ; to wit,
that there is not onelie such a place of punishment, but that they are
released from thence by masses, a n d such other satisfactorie w o r k s ;
whereby the goodnes of the masse is also ratified and confirmed.
These heavenlie or purgatorie soules (saie they) appeare most Idem thes.
commonlie to them that are borne upon ember daies, and they also 346. serm. de
Leo.
walke most usuallie on those ember daies : bicause we are in best jejuni is 10.
state at that time to praie for the one, and to keepe companie with mens. i7i epiGelas.
the other. Also they saie, that soules appeare oftenest by night ; stola ad episc.
bicause men may then be at best leasure, and most quiet. Also they Mich. Andr.
never appeare to the whole multitude, seldome to a few, and most thes. 345.
commonlie to one alone : for so one may tell a lie without controlment. Also they are oftenest seene by them that are readie to die : Greg. dial. 4.
cap. 1. 12. 14.
as Trasilla sawe pope Fcelix;
Ursine, Peter and Paule ; Galla Mich. And,
Romana, S. Peter ; and as Musa the maid sawe our Ladie : which thes. 347are the most certeine appearances, credited and allowed in the church
Greg. dial.
of Rome : also they may be seene of some, and of some other in that cap. 11. 4.
presence not seene/ at a l l ; as Ursine sawe Peter and Paule, and yet Mich. And. 384.
thes.
manie at that instant being present could not see anie such sight, but Mich. 347And.
thought it a l i e : as I doo. Michael Andrceas confesseth, that papists thes. 341.
Ide. thes. 388.
see more visions than protestants : he saith also, that a good soule
can take none other shape than of a m a n ; marie a d a m n e d soule
may and dooth take the shape of a blacke moore, or of a beast, or of
a serpent, or speciallie of an heretike. T h e christian signes that Ide. thes. 411.
Mai. malef.
drive awaie these evill soules, are the crosse, the n a m e of Jesus, and J. Bod. &c.
Mich. And.
the relikes of saints : in the number whereof are holiwater, holie these. 412.
bread, Agnus Dei, &^>c. F o r Andrew
saith, that notwithstanding
Julianus was/ an Apostata, and a betraier of christian religion : yet
Idem. thes.
at an extremitie, with the onelie signe of the crosse, he drave
414.
awaie from him manie such evill spirits ; whereby
also (he saith) the greatest diseases and
sicknesses are cured, and the
sorest dangers
avoided.

3M

45°

chap. 29.

A discourse of

T h e xxix. Chapter.
A confutation

of assuming of bodies, and of the serpent
seduced Eve.

that

j | R S n K H | H E Y that contend so earnestlie for the divels assuming
WB£S e r a 9 °^ ^ 0< ^^ es a n c * visible shapes, doo thinke they have a
K|Hi fllpfl great advantage by the words uttered in the third of
lIKffl^jafeil Genesis, where they saie, the divell entered into a serpent
G e n 3< , 4#
J
5or snake : and that by the cursse it appeareth, that the whole displeasure of God lighted upon the poore snake onlie. How those
words are to be considered may appeare, in that it is of purpose so
spoken, as our weake capacities may thereby best conceive the substance, tenor, and true meaning of the word, which is there set downe
in the manner of a tragedie, in such h u m a n e and sensible forme, as
woonderfullie informeth our understanding; though it seeme contrarie
to the spirituall course of spirits and divels, and also to the nature
and divinitie of God himselfe ; who is infinite, and whome no m a n
ever sawe with corporall eies, and lived. And doubtles, if the serpent
there had not beene taken absolutelie, nor metaphoricallie for the
divell, the Holie-ghost would have informed us thereof in some part
of that storie. But to affirme it sometimes to be a divell, and sometimes a snake ; whereas there is no such distinction to be found or
seene in the text, is an invention and a fetch (me thinks) beyond the
Gen. 3.1.
compasse of all divinitie. Certeinlie the serpent was he that seduced
1. Cor. 11.3.
£ve . n o w w h e t h e r it were the divell, or a snake ; let anie wise man
(or rather let the word of God) judge. Doubtles the scripture in
manie places expoundeth it to be the divell. A n d I have (I am sure)
537. one wiseman on my side/ for the interpretation hereof, namelie
Sap. 2,24.
Salomon ; who saith, Through envie* of the divell came death into
* [ = hatred]
^ e world : referring that to the divell, which Moses in the letter
did to the serpent.
But a better expositor hereof needeth not,
than the text it selfe, even in the same place, where it is written ;
I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman, and betweene
thy seed a n d hir seed : he shall breake thy head, and thou shalt
bruse his heele. W h a t christian knoweth not, that in these words
385. the mysterie of/ our redemption is comprised and promised ? W h e r e in is not meant (as manie suppose) that the common seed of
woman shall tread upon a snakes head, and so breake it in
peeces, & c : but that speciall seed, which is Christ, should be
borne of a woman, to the utter overthrow of sathan, and to the

Divels and spirits,

chap. 30.

451

redemption of mankind, whose heele or flesh in his members the
divell should bruse and assault, with continuall attempts, and carnall
provocations, &c.

T h e xxx.

Chapter.

The objection concerning the divels assuming
bodie answered.

of the

serpents

H I S word Serpent in holie scripture is taken for the
divell: T h e serpent was more subtill than all the beasts
of the feeld.
It likewise signifieth such as be evill
speakers, such as have slandering toongs, also heretiks,
&c : They have sharpned their toongs like serpents. It dooth likewise
betoken the death and sacrifice of Christ : As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wildernesse, so must the sonne of man be lifted up
upon the crosse. Moreover, it is taken for wicked men : O yee
serpents and generation of vipers. Thereby also is signified as well
a wise as a subtile m a n : and in that sense did Christ himselfe use
i t ; saieng, Be ye wise as serpents, &c. So that by this breefe
collection you see, that the word serpent, as it is equivocall, so likewise it is sometimes taken in the good and sometimes in the evill
part. But where it is said, that the serpent was father of lies, author
of death, and the worker of deceipt : me/ thinks it is a ridiculous
opinion to hold, that thereby a snake is meant ; which must be, if the
letter be preferred before the allegorie. Trulie Calvines opinion is to
be liked and reverenced, and his example to be embraced and
followed, in that he offereth to subscribe to t h e m that hold, that the
Holie-ghost in that place did of purpose use obscure figures, that the
cleare light thereof might be deferred, till Christs comming. H e saith
also with like commendation (speaking hereof, and writing upon this
place) that Moses doth accommodate and fitten for the understanding
of the common people, in a rude and grosse stile, those things which
he there delivereth ; forbearing once to rehearse the name of sathan.
A n d further he saith, that this order may not be thought of Moses his
owne devise ; but to be taught him by the spirit of God : for such
was (saith he) in those daies the childish age of the church, which
was unable to receive higher or profounder doctrine. Finallie, he
saith even hereupon, that the Lord hath supplied, with the secret
light of his spirit, whatsoever wanted in plainenes and clearenes of
externall words.
If it be said, according to experience, that certeine other beasts are

Gen. 3,1.

Psai. 139,4.
Num. 8. & 9.
J° hn -3. HMatt

- 23> 33-

Matt

-

IO l6

> -

SjS.
f- Cai.inGe-

idem ibid.

idem ibid.
idem ibid.

452

chap. 3r.

A discourse of

farre more subtill than the serpent: they answer, that it is not absurd
to confesse, that the same gift was taken awaie from him, by God,
bicause he brought destruction to mankind. Which is more (me
Matt. 10, 16.
thinkes) than need be granted in that behalfe. For Christ saith not;
386. Be yee wise as serpents/ were before their transgression : but, Be
wise as serpents are. I would learne what impietie, absurditie,
or offense it is to hold, that Moses, under the person of the poisoning
serpent or snake, describeth the divell that poisoned Eve with his
Isai. 30, 6.
deceiptfull words, and venomous assault. Whence commeth it else,
Matth 3.
that the divell is called so often, The viper, The serpent, &c : and
12. 13.
Luk. 3, &c.
that his children are called the generation of vipers ; but upon this
Gen. 3.
first description of the divell made by Moses ? For I thinke none so
grosse, as to suppose, that the wicked are the children of snakes,
according to the letter : no more than we are to thinke and gather,
that God keepeth a booke of life, written with penne and inke upon
paper ; as citizens record their free men./

539-

The xxxi. Chapter.
Of the cursse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place right lie expounded,
John Calvines opinion of the divelL

Farailie of
love.

HE cursse rehearsed by God in that place, whereby witchmongers labour so busilie to proove that the divell entered into the bodie of a snake, and by consequence can
take the bodie of anie other creature at his pleasure, &c:
reacheth (I thinke) further into the divels matters, than we can comprehend, or is needfull for us to know, that understand not the waies
of the divels creeping, and is farre unlikelie to extend to plague the
generation of snakes : as though they had beene made with legs
before that time, and through this cursse were deprived of that
benefit. And yet, if the divell should have entred into the snake, in
maner and forme as they suppose ; I cannot see in what degree of
sinne the poore snake should be so guiltie, as that God, who is the
most righteous judge, might be offended with him. But although I
abhorre that lewd interpretation of the familie of love, and such
other heretikes, as would reduce the whole Bible into allegories : yet
(me thinkes) the creeping there is rather metaphoricallie or significativelie spoken, than literallie ; even by that figure, which is there
prosecuted to the end. Wherein the divell is resembled to an odious
creature, who as he creepeth upon us to annoie our bodies ; so doth

Divels and spirits.

chap. 32.

the divell there creepe into the conscience of Eve, to abuse and
deceive hir : whose seed nevertheles shall tread downe and dissolve
his power and malice. And through him, all good christians (as
Calvine saith) obteine power to doo the like. For we may not imagine such a materiall tragedie, as there is described, for the ease of
our feeble and weake capacities.
For whensoever we find in the scriptures, that the divell is called)
god, the prince of the world, a strong armed man, to whome is given
the power of the aier, a roring lion, a serpent, &c : the Holie-ghost
mooved us thereby, to beware of the most subtill, strong and mightie
enimie, and to make prepara/tion, and arme our selves with faith
against so terrible an adversarie. And this is the opinion and counsell of Calvine, that we seeing our owne weakenes, & his force m a n i fested in such termes, may beware of/ the divell, and may flie to God
for spirituall aid and comfort. And as for his corporall assaults, or
his attempts upon our bodies, his nightwalkings, his visible appearings, his dansing with witches, &c : we are neither warned in the
scriptures of them, nor willed by God or his prophets to flie them ;
neither is there anie mention made of them in the scriptures. And
therefore thinke I those witchmongers and absurd writers to be as
grosse on the one side, as the Sadduces are impious and fond on the
other; which saie, that spirits and divels are onlie motions and
affections, and that angels are but tokens of Gods power. I for my
part confesse with Augustine, that these matters are above my reach
and capacitie : and yet so farre as Gods word teacheth me, I will
not sticke to saie, that they are living creatures, ordeined to serve the
Lord in their vocation. And although they abode not in their first
estate, yet that they are the Lords ministers, and executioners of his
wrath, to trie and tempt in this world, and to punish the reprobate in
hell fier in the world to come.

453

j . Cai. lib. in^ \%ap'I4"

S4°% Cai.M. hist.
12

387.

Aug. de cura

pro mort.

&c.

T h e xxxii. Chapter.
Mine owne opinion and resolution of the nature of spirits, and of
the divell, with his properties,
JUT to use few words in a long matter, and plaine termes p. Mart, in
in a doubtfull case, this is mine opinion concerning this ls°fc't'°™' 9'
present argument. First, that divels are spirits, and no
bodies. For (as Peter Martyr saith) spirits and bodies
are by antithesis opposed one to another : so as a bodie is no spirit,

454

Gha

p- 32-

A discourse of

nor a spirit a bodie. And that the divell, whether he be manie or
i. Sam. 22.
one (for by the waie you shall understand, that he is so spoken of in
Luk. 8.
the scriptures, as though there were abut one, and sometimes as though
John. 8.
b
E p h . 6.
one/ were manie legions, the sense whereof I have alreadie declared
2. T i m . 2. 54*i. Pet. 5according to Calvins opinion, he is a creature made by God, and that
kColoss. i,
for vengeance, as it is c written in Eccl. 39. verse. 28 : and of himverse. 16.
i. Cor. IO.
selfe naught, though emploied by God to necessarie and good purMatth. 8,
&, io.
poses. For in places, where it is written, that d all the creatures of
L u k e . 4.
God are good ; and againe, when God, in the creation of the world,
c. S a p . 1.
e
Apocal. 4.
sawe all that he had made was good: the divell is not comprehended
d
1. T i m . 4, 4
e Gen. 1.
within those words of commendation. For it is written that he was
a f murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, bicause
t Gen. 8. 44.
a

there is no truth in him ; but when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of
his owne, as being a lier, and the father of lies, and (as John saith) a
sinner from the beginning. Neither was his creation (so farre as I
can find) in that weeke that God made man, and those other creatures
mentioned in Genesis the first; and yet God created him purposelie
to destroie. I take his substance to be such as no man can by learning define, nor by wisedome search out. M. Deering saith, that
Edw. Deering, in his
Paule himselfe, reckoning up principalities, powers, &c : addeth,
read, upon
Everie name that is named in this world, or in the world to come.
the Hebr. 1.
reading
A cleere sentence (saith he) of Paules modestie, in confessing a holie
the 6.
388. ignorance of the state/ of angels : which name is also given to divels
in other places of the scripture. His essence also and his forme is
so proper and peculiar (in mine opinion) unto himselfe, as he himselfe
cannot alter it, but must needs be content therewith, as with that
which God hath ordeined for him, and assigned unto him, as pecuEph. 6, 12.
Col. 2, 16.
liarlie as he hath given to us our substance without power to alter
Matth. 25.
the same at our pleasures. For we find not that a spirit can make a
bodie, more than a bodie can make a spirit : the spirit of God
excepted, which is omnipotent. Nevertheles, I learne that their
nature is prone to all mischeefe : for as the verie signification of an
enimie and an accuser is wrapped up in Sathan and Diabolus ; so
1. Pet. 5.
dooth Christ himselfe declare him to be in the thirteenth of Matthew.
Idem ibid.
And therefore he brooketh well his name : for he lieth dailie in wait,
not onelie to corrupt, but also to destroie mankind ; being (I saie)
Matt. 25. 41.
the verie tormentor appointed by God to afflict the wicked in this
world with wicked temptations, and in the world to come with hell
Mai. malef.
fier. But I may not here forget how M. Mai. and the residue of that
par. 1. qua. 5.
54*- crew doo ex/pound this word Diabolus : for Dia (saie they) is Duo,
and Bolus is Morsellus ; whereby they gather that the divell eateth
T h e etymon of the
up a man both bodie and soule at two morselles. Whereas in truth
word Diabohis.
the wicked may be said to eate up and swallowe downe the divell,
1, Joh. 3. 8.
Isai. 54. 16.

Divels and spirits.

chap. 33-

455

rather than the divell to eate up them ; though it may well be said
by a figure, that the divell like a roring lion seeketh whome he may
devoure: which is ment of the soule and spirituall devouring, as verie
novices in religion may judge.

T h e xxxiii. Chapter.
Against fond witchmongers, and their opinions concerning
corporalI divels.
OW, how Brian Darcies he spirits and shee spirits, Tittie
and Tiffin, Suckin and Pidgin, Liard and Robin, &c : his
white spirits and blacke spirits, graie spirits and red
spirits, divell tode and divell lambe, divels cat and divels
dam, agree herewithall, or can stand consonant with the word of
GOD, or true philosophic, let heaven and earth judge. In the meane
time, let anie man with good consideration peruse that booke published by W. W. and it shall suffice to satisfie him in all that may be The booke
required touching the vanities of the witches examinations, confes- published,
sions, and executions : where, though the tale be told onlie of the &caccusers part, without anie other answer of theirs than their adversarie setteth downe; mine assertion will be sufficientlie prooved true.
And bicause it seemeth to be performed with some kind of authoritie,
I will saie no more for the confutation thereof, but referre you to the
booke it selfe ; whereto if nothing be added that may make to their
reproch, I dare warrant nothing is left out that may serve to their
condemnation. See whether the witnesses be not single of what
credit, sex and age they are ; namelie lewd, miserable, and envious
poore people ; most of them which/ speake to anie purpose being old 389.
women, & children of the age of 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. or 9. yeares.
And note how and what the witches confesse, and see of what
weight and importance the causes are ; whether their confessions/ be 543not woonne through hope of favour, and extorted by flatterie or
threats, without proofe. But in so much as there were not past
seventeene or eighteene condemned at once at S. Osees in the countie At S. Osees
of Essex, being a whole parish (though of no great quantitie) I will ^itches^osaie the lesse : trusting that by this time there remaine not manie in demned at
that parish. If anie be yet behind, I doubt not, but Brian Darcie
will find them out ; who, if he lacke aid, Richard Gallis of Windesor
were meete to be associated with him ; which Gallis hath set foorth
another booke to that effect, of certeine witches of Windsore executed

Chap. 34.

A discourse of

at Abington. But with what impudencie and dishonestie he hath
finished it, with what lies and forgeries he hath furnished it, what
follie and frensie he hath uttered in it; I am ashamed to report: and
therefore being but a two pennie booke, I had rather desire you to
buie it, and so to peruse it, than to fill my booke with such beastlie
stuffe.

The xxxiiii. Chapter.
A conclusion wherein the Spirit of spirits is described\ by the illumination of which spirit all spirits are to be tried : with a confutation of the Pneumatomachiflat lie denieng the divinitie of
this Spirit.
J|OUCHING the manifold signification of this word [Spirit]*
I have elsewhere in this breefe discourse told you my
mind : which is a word nothing differing in Hebrue from
breath or wind. For all these words following ; to wit,
Spiritus, Ventus, jFlalus, Ualitus, are indifferentlie used by the Holieghost, and called by this Hebrue word JlYl *n the sacred scripture.
For further proofe whereof I cite unto you the words of Isaie; For
his spirit (or breath) is as a river that overfloweth up to the necke,
. 30, 28.
&c : in which place the prophet describeth the comming of God in
heate and indignation unto judgement, &c. I cite also unto you the
words of Zacharie ; These are the foure spirits of the heaven, &c.
Zach. 6, 5.
Gen. 1, 2.
Likewise in Genesis; And the spirit of GOD mooved upon the waters.
Joh. 3, 8. 544. Moreover, I cite unto you the words of Christ; The spirit (or/ wind)
bloweth where it listeth. Unto which said places infinite more might
be added out of holie writ, tending all to this purpose ; namelie, to
give us this for a note, that all the saiengs above cited, with manie
more that I could alledge, where mention is made of spirit, the
Hebrue text useth no word but one ; to wit, H*n which signifieth
(as I said) Spiritum, ventum,fatum, halitum ; which may be Englished, Spirit, wind, blast, breath.
But before I enter upon the verie point of my purpose, it shall not
be amisse, to make you acquainted with the collection of a certeine
Eras. SarSchoole divine, who distinguisheth and divideth this word [Spirit]*
cer. in dictio.
Scholast.
into six.significations ; saieng that it is sometimes taken for the aier,
do dr. lit. S.
390. sometimes for the wind, sometimes for/ the bodies of the blessed,
sometimes for the soules of the blessed, sometimes for the power
imaginative or the mind of man : and sometimes for God. Againe
[* [J in t e x t ]

Dive Is and spirits,

chap.34.-

457

he saith, that of spirits there are two sorts, some created and some
uncreated.
A spirit uncreated (saith he) is God himselfe, and it is essentiallie
taken, and agreeth unto the three persons notionallie, to the Father,
the Sonne, and the Holie-ghost persenallie. A spirit created is a
creature, and that is likewise of two sorts ; to wit, bodilie, and bodilesse. A bodilie spirit is also of two sorts : for some kind of spirit
is so named of spiritualnes, as it is distinguished from bodilinesse :
otherwise it is called Spiritus & spirando, id est\ dflando, of breathing
or blowing, as the wind dooth.
A bodilesse spirit is one waie so named of spiritualnes, and then
it is taken for a spirituall substance ; and is of two sorts : some
make a full and complet kind, and is called complet or perfect, as a
spirit angelicall: some doo not make a full and perfect kind, and is
called incomplet or unperfect, as the soule. There is also the spirit
vitall, which is a certeine subtill or verie fine substance necessarilie
disposing and tending unto life. There be moreover spirits naturall,
which are a kind of subtill and verie fine substances, disposing and
tending unto equall complexions of bodies. Againe there be spirits
animall, which are certeine subtill and verie fine substances disposing
and tempering the bodie, that it might be animated of the forme,
that is, that it might be perfected of the reasonable soule. Thus
farre he. In whose division you see a philosophicall kind of proceeding, though not altogether/ to be condemned, yet in everie point 545.
not to be approoved.
Now to the spirit of spirits, I meane the principall and holie spirit Emsm. Sar.
of God, which one defineth or rather describeth to be the third person )%hp'r(l0d%fjs,
in trinitie issuing from the father and the sonne, no more the charitie
dilection and love of the father and the sonne, than the father is the
charitie dilection and love of the sonne and Holie-ghost. An other
treating upon the same argument, proceedeth in this reverent manner:
The holie spirit is the vertue or power of God, quickening, nourish- Laurent, d
ing, fostering and perfecting all things : by whose onlie breathing it
^ll^cs^tls°
commeth to passe that we both know and love GOD, and become at script, nt'.s.
the length like unto him : which spirit is the pledge and earnest pag'I7 '
pennie of grace, and beareth witnesse unto our heart, whiles wee crie
Abba, Father. This spirit is called the spirit of GOD, the spirit of Rom. 8,15.
2 Cor 6 5
Christ, and the spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead.
* * '*
Jesus Christ, for that he received not the spirit by measure, but in
fulnesse, doth call it his spirit; saieng: When the comforter shall John. 15,26.
come, whome I will send, even the holie spirit, he shall testifie of
me. This spirit hath diverse metaphoricall names attributed thereunto in the holie scriptures. It is called by the name of water,

3 N

458

chap. 34.

A discourse of

bicause it washeth, comforteth, moisteneth, softeneth, and maketh
fruitefull with all godlinesse and vertues the minds of men, which
otherwise would be uncleane, comfortlesse, hard, drie, and barren of
Isai. 44.
all goodnesse : wherupon the prophet Isaie saith; I will powre water
391. upon the thirstie, and floods upon the drie ground, &c./ Wherewithjohn. 7,38
all the words of Christ doo agree ; H e e that beleeveth in me, as
saith the scripture, out of his bellie shall flowe rivers of waters of
John. 4, 14.
life. And else where ; Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him, shall never be more a thirst. Other places likewise there
be, wherein the holie spirit is signified by the n a m e of water and
flood : as in the 13. of Isaie, the 29. of Ezech. t h e 146. Psalme, &>c.
T h e same spirit by reason of the force and vehemencie thereof is
termed fier. F o r it doth purifie and cleanse the whole m a n from top
to toe, it doth burne out the soile and drosse of sinnes, and setteth
him all in a flaming and hot burning zeale to preferre and further
Gods glorie. Which plainelie appeared in the apostles, who when
546. they h a d re/ceived the spirit, they spake fierie words, yea such words
as were uncontrollable, in so much as in none more than in them
jer. 23,29.
this saieng of the prophet Jeremie was verified, Nunquid
non verba
mea sunt quasi ignis?
Are not my words even as it were fier? This
was declared and shewed by those fierie toongs, which were seene
upon the apostles after they h a d received the holie spirit.
Moreover, this spirit is called annointing, or ointment, bicause that
as in old time preests and kings were by annointing deputed to their
office and charge, and so were m a d e fit and serviceable for the same :
even so the elect are not so much declared as renewed and made apt
by the training up of the holie spirit, both to live well and also to
1. joh. 2, 20.
glorifie God. Whereupon dependeth the saieng of John-, And yee
have no need that anie should teach you, but as the same ointment
doth teach you. It is also called in scripture, T h e oile of gladnesse
Psai. 44.
and rejoising, whereof it is said in the booke of Psalmes ; God even
thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of joy & gladnes, &c.
Cyrili.ineAnd by this goodlie and comfortable name of oile in the scriptures
vang. Joh. lib.

. .

3. cap. 14.

is the mercie of God oftentimes expressed, because the nature of that
doth agree with the propertie and qualitie of this. F o r as oile doth
flote and swim above all other liquors, so the mercie of God doth
surpasse and overreach all his works, and the same doth most of all
disclose it selfe to miserable man.
It is likewise called the finger of God, that is, the might and power
of God : by the vertue whereof the apostles did cast out divels ; to
wit, even by the finger of God. It is called the spirit of truth,
because it maketh men true and faithfull in their vocation : and for
that it is the touchstone to trie all counterfet devises of mans braine,

Exod. 8.

. _ „ , . . - .

Divels and spirits.

chaP.34.

and all vaine sciences, prophane practises, deceitfull arts, and circumventing inventions; such as be in generall all sorts of witchcrafts
and inchantments, within whose number are comprehended all those
wherewith I have had some dealing in this my discoverie; to wit,
charmes or incantations, divinations, augurie, judiciall astrologie,
nativitie casting, alcumystrie, conjuration, lotshare, poperie which is
meere paltrie, with diverse other : not one wherof no nor all together
are able to stand to the triall and examination, which this spirit of
truth shall and will take of those false and evill spirits. Naie, they
shalbe found, when/ they are laid into the balance, to be lighter than
vanitie : verie drosse, when they once come to be tried by the fervent
heate of this spirit; and like chaffe, when this spirit bloweth upon
them, driven awaie with a violent whirlewind: such is the per/fection,
integritie, and effectuall operation of this spirit, whose working as it
is manifold, so it is marvellous, and therefore may and is called the
spirit of spirits.
This spirit withdrawing it selfe from the harts of men, for that it
will not inhabit and dwell where sinne hath dominion, giveth place
unto the spirit of error and blindnesse, to the spirit of servitude and
*

.

.

compunction, which biteth, gnaweth, and whetteth their harts with
a deadlie hate of the gospell ; in so much as it greeveth their minds
and irketh their eares either to heare or understand the truth; of
which disease properlie the phariseis of old were, and the papists
even now are sicke. Yea, the want of this good spirit is the cause
that manie fall into the spirit of perversenes and frowardnes, into the
spirit of giddinesse, lieng, drowzines, and dulnesse : according as the
prophet Isaie saith ; For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit
of slumber, and hath shut up your eies : and againe else-where,
Dominus miscuit in medio, d^c: The Lord hath mingled among them
the spirit of giddinesse, and hath made Aegyftt to erre, as a dronken
man erreth in his vomit: as it is said by Pauley And their foolish hart
was blinded, and God gave them over unto their owne harts lusts.
Which punishment Moses threateneth unto the Jews ; The Lord shall
smite thee with madnesse, with blindnesse and amazednesse of
mind, and thou shalt grope at high noone as a blind man useth to
grope, &c.
In summe, this word [Spirit] dooth signifie a secret force and
power, wherewith our minds are mooved and directed ; if unto holie
things, then is it the motion of the holie spirit, of the spirit of Christ
and of God : if unto evill things, then is it the suggestion, of the
wicked spirit, of the divell, and of satan. Whereupon I inferre, by
the waie of a question, .with what spirit we are to suppose such to be
mooved, as either practise anie of the vanities treated upon in this

459

547392.

The hoiie
abide no! hin s th?f
1S

carnall,

and un-

isai. 29,10.
Isai. 19,14.
Ro. i, 21,23.
Deuter. 28,
2 29
' "

A question.

460

chap. 34.

548.
An answer.

A groat
likelihood
no doubt.

Judgement
distinguished.

393.

I* Itah]

* Josias Simlerus It. 4. ca.
5. adversus
veteres &
novos Antitrinitarios,

549'

A discourse of

booke, or through credulitie addict themselves thereunto as unto
divine oracles, or the voice of angels breakeing through the clouds ?
W e cannot impute this motion unto/ the good spirit; for then they
should be able to discerne betweene the nature of spirits, and not
swarve in judgement : it followeth therefore, that the spirit of blindnes and error dooth seduce them ; so that it is no mervell if in the
alienation of their minds they take falsehood for truth, shadowes for
substances, fansies for verities, &c : for it is likelie that the good
spirit of God hath forsaken them, or at leastwise absented it selfe from
them.: else would they detest these divelish devises of men, which
consist of nothing but delusions and vaine practises, whereof (I
suppose) this my booke to be a sufficient discoverie.
It will be said that I ought not to judge, for he that judgeth shalbe
judged. W h e r e t o I answer, that judgement is to be understood of
three kind of actions in their proper n a t u r e ; whereof the first are
secret, and the judgement of them shall apperteine to God, who in
time will disclose what so ever is done in covert, and that by his just
judgement. T h e second are mixed actions, taking part of hidden and
part of open, so that by reason of their uncerteintie and doubtfulnes
they are discussable and to be tried ; these after due examination are
to have their competent judgement, and are incident to the magistrate.
T h e third are manifest and/ evident, and such as doo no lesse apparentlie shew themselves than an inflammation of bloud in the bodie:
and of these actions everie private m a n giveth judgement, bicause
they be of such certeintie, as that of them a man may as well conclude, as to gather, that bicause the sunne is risen in the east, Ergo*
it is morning : he is come about and is full south, Ergo* it is high
noone; he is declining and closing up in the west, Ergo* it is evening.
So that the objection is answered.
Howbeit, letting this passe, and spirituallie to speake of this spirit,
which whiles manie have wanted, it hath come to passe that they
have prooved altogether c a r n a l l ; & not savouring heavenlie divinitie
have tumbled into worsse than philosophicall barbarisme : & these
be such as of writers are called Pneumatomachi,
a sect so injurious to
the holie spirit of God, that contemning the sentence of Christ,
wherein he foretelleth that the sinne against the holie spirit is never
to be pardoned, neither in this world nor in the world to come, they
doo not onelie denie him to be God, but also pull from him all being,
and with the Sadduces main/teine there is none such ; but that under
and by the name of holie spirit is ment a certeine divine force, wherewith our minds are mooved, and the grace and favour of God whereby
we are his beloved. Against these shamelesse enimies of the holie
spirit, I will not use materiall weapons, but syllogisticall charmes. And

Divels and spirits.

chaP. 34.

461

first I will set downe some of their paralogysmes or false arguments ;
and upon the necke of them inferre fit confutations grounded upon
sound reason and certeine truth.
Their first argument is knit up in this manner. T h e holie spirit is 1. ObjectiS.
T h e scripno where expresselie called God in the scriptures ; Ergo he is not ture dooth
never call
God, or at leastwise he is not to be called God. T h e antecedent of the holie
this argument is false ; bicause the holie spirit hath the title or name spirit God.
of God in the fift of the Acts.
Againe, the consequent is false. For * T h e first
although he were not expresselie called God, yet should it not ther- answer.
A refutatiupon be concluded that he is not verie God ; bicause unto him are on of the
anteceattributed all the properties of God, which unto this doo equallie dent. &c.
belong. And as we denie not that the father is the true light, although
it be not directlie written of the father, but of the sonne ; H e was the
true light giving light to everie man that cometh into this world : so
likewise it is not to be denied, that the spirit is God, although the
scripture dooth not expresselie and simplie note i t ; sithence it
ascribeth equall things thereunto ; as t h e properties of God, the
works of God, the service due to G O D , and that it dooth interchangeablie take the names of Spirit and of God oftentimes. They
therefore that see these things attributed unto the holie spirit, and
yet will not suffer him to be called by the name of God ; doo as it
were refuse to grant unto Eve the n a m e of Homo,f whome notwith- \MtaL1
standing they confesse to be a creature reasonable and mortall.
2. ObjectiS.
T h e second reason is this. Hilarie in all his twelve bookes of the Hilarie doth
Trinitie dooth no where write that the holie spirit is to be worshipped; not call the
he never giveth therunto the n a m e of God, neither dares he otherwise spirit God,
neither is
pronounce thereof, than that it is the spirit of God. Besides this, he so named in the
there are usuall praiers of the church commonlie called the Collects, common
whereof some are m a d e to the father, some to the sonne, but none to collects.
the holie spirit; and/ yet in them all mention is m a d e of the three 395[4L
* The
persons. "^Hereunto I answer, that although Hilarie dooth not answer.2.
openlie call the holie spirit, God :/ yet doth he constantly denie it to 550.
be a creature. Now if any aske me why Hilarie was so coie & nice Hilarius lib.
to name the holie spirit, God, whom he denieth to be a creature, when 12. de Triade
as notwithstanding betweene God and a creature there is no meane :
I will in good sooth saie what I thinke. I suppose that Hilarie, for
himselfe, thought well of the godhead of the holie spirit : but this
opinion was thrust and forced upon him of the Pneumatomachi,
who
at that time rightlie deeming of the sonne did erwhiles joine themselves to those that were sound of judgement. There is also in the
ecclesiasticall historie a little booke which they gave Liberius a bishop
of Rome, whereinto they foisted the Nicene creed. And that Hilarie
was a freend of the Pneumatomachi,
it is perceived in his booke De

chap. 34.

462
T h e place
is long, and
therefore
I had rather
referre the
reader unto
the booke
than heere
to insert so
many lines.

Coiiecta in die
domin. sanctce Trinit.

[* ? is]

A discourse of

synodis, where h e writeth in this m a n e r ; Nihil antem mirum vobis
videri debet, fratres charissimi^&c:
It ought to seeme no wonder
unto you deere brethren, &c. As for the objection of the praiers of
t h e church called the collects, that in them the holie spirit is not
called upon by name : we oppose and set against them the songs of
the church, wherein the said spirit is called upon. But the collects
are more ancient than the songs, hymnes, and anthems. I will not
now contend about ancientnesse, neither will I compare songs and
collects togither; but I say thus much onelie, to wit, that in the most
ancient times of the church the holie spirit hath beene openlie called
upon in the congregation. Now if I be charged to give an instance,
let this serve. In the collect upon trinitie sundaie it is thus said :
Almightie and everlasting God, which hast given unto us thy servants
grace by the confession of a truth to acknowledge the glorie of the
eternall trinitie, and in the power of the divine Majestie to worship
the unitie : we beseech thee that thorough the stedfastnesse of this
faith, we may evermore be defended from all adversitie, which livest
and reignest one God world without end. Now bicause that in this
collect, where the trinitie is expresselie called upon, the names of
persons are not expressed ; but almightie and everlasting God invocated, who abideth in trinitie and unitie ; it doth easilie appeare
elsewhere also that the-persons being not named, under the name of
almightie and everlasting God, not onelie the father* to be understood,
but God which abideth in trinitie and unitie, that is the father, the
sonne, and the Holie-ghost./

A third objection of theirs is this. T h e sonne of G O D oftentimes
praieng in the gospels, speaketh unto the father, promiseth the holie
spirit, and dooth also admonish the apostles to praie unto the heavenlie father, but yet in the name of the sonne. Besides that, he pres c r i b e d them this forme of praier : Our father which art in heaven.
Ergo\ the father onlie is to be called upon, and consequentlie the
[t Hal.]
father onelie is that one and verie true God, of whome it is written ;
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelie shalt thou
. serve.
* W h e r e t o I answer first by denieng the consequent ; T h e sonne
* 3. Answer
T h e consepraied to the father onelie, Ergo\ the father onlie is of us also to be
quent is denied.
praied unto. F o r the sonne of G O D is distinguished of us both in
person and in office : he as a mediator maketh intercession for us to
395. the father : and although the/ sonne and the holie spirit doo both
togither receive and take us into favour with God ; yet is he said to
intreat the father for us ; bicause the father is the fountaine of all
counsels & divine works.
Furthermore, touching the forme of
praieng prescribed of Christ, it is not necessarie that the fathers
55*-

3. Objectio.
T h e spirit
is not to be
praied unto
but the father onlie.

Divels and spirits.

chap. 34.

name shuld personallie be there taken, sith there is no distinction of
persons made: but by the name of father indefinitelie we understand
God or the essence of God, the father, the son, and the Holie-ghost.
For this name hath not alwaies a respect unto the generation of the
sonne of God ; but God is called the father of the faithfull, bicause
of his gratious and free adopting of them, the foundation whereof is
the sonne of God, in whom we be adopted : but yet so adopted, that
not the father onelie receiveth us into his favour; but with him also
the sonne and the holy spirit dooth the same. Therefore when we
in the beginning of praier doo advertise our selves of Gods goodnesse towards us ; we doo not cast an eie to the father alone, but
also to the sonne, who gave us the spirit of adoption ; and to the
holie spirit, in whom we crie Abba, Father. And if so be that invocation and praier were restreined to the father alone, then had the
saints doone amisse, in calling upon, invocating, and praieng to the
sonne of God, and with the sonne the holy spirit, in baptisme, according to the forme by Christ himselfe assigned and delivered.
Another objection is out of the fourth of Amos, in this maner.
For lo it is I that make the thunder, and create the spirit, and/ shew
unto men their Christ, making the light and the clouds, and mounting
above the hie places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is his name,
Now bicause it is read in that place, Shewing unto men their Christ;
the Pneumatomachi contended that these words are to be understood
of the holie spirit.
*But Ambrose in his booke De spiritu sancto, lib. 2. cap. 7. doth
rightlie answer, that by spirit in this place is ment the wind: for if
the prophets purpose and will had beene to speake of the holie spirit,
he would not have begunne with thunder, nor have ended with light
and clouds. Howbeit, the same father saith ; If anie suppose that
these words are to be drawne unto the interpretation of the holie
spirit, bicause the prophet saith, Shewing unto men their Christ;
he ought also to draw these words unto the mysterie of the Lords
incarnation : and he expoundeth thunder to be the words of the
Lord, and spirit to be the reasonable and perfect soule. But the
former interpretation is certeine and convenient with the words of
the prophet, by whom there is no mention made of Christ; but the
power of God is set foprth in his works. Behold (saith the prophet)
he that formeth the mountaines, and createth the wind, and declareth
unto man what is his thought, which maketh the morning darknesse,
and walketh upon the hie places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts
is his name. In this sort Sanies a right skilfull man in the Hebrew
toong translateth this place of the prophet. But admit this place
were written of the holie spirit, & were not appliable either to the

463

[Am. 4,13.]
552.
4- Objectis.
that the sPi** J a s °re
* 4. Answer.
tffpiace
signifieth

Shifto155
be m*de
not.

no°t

464

chap. 34.

A discourse of

wind or to the Lords incarnation : yet doth it not follow that the
holie spirit is a creature ; bicause this word of Creating doth not
Euscb.Ccp.saalwaies signifie a making of something out of nothing ; as Eusebius
riens. It. 3. adverstis
Marin expounding these words (The Lord created me in the beginning of
cellum.
396. his waies) writeth thus. The prophet in the person of God,/ saieng ;
Behold I am he that made the thunder, and created the spirit, and
shewed unto men their Christ : this word Created is not so to be
taken, as that it is to be concluded thereby, that the same was not
before. For God hath not so created the spirit, sithence by the same
he hath shewed & declared his Christ unto all men. Neither was it
a thing of late beginning under the sonne : but it was before all
beginning, and was then sent, when the apostles were gathered
555; togither, when a sound like thunder came/ from heaven, as it had
beene the comming of a mightie wind: this word Created being used
for sent downe, for appointed, ordeined, &c : and the word thunder
signifieng in another kind of maner the preaching of the gospels.
The like saieng is that of the Psalmist, A cleane hart create in me
O God : wherein he praied not as one having no hart, but as one
that had such a hart as needed purifieng, as needed perfecting : &
this phrase also of the scripture, That he might create two in one
new man ; that is, that he might joine, couple, or gather together,
&c.
5. Objecti 5.
Furthermore, the Pneumatomachi by these testimonies insuing
All things
endevor to proove the holie spirit to be a creature. Out of John the
were made
by the son,
1. chap. By this word were all things made, and without it nothing
Ergo the spirit was also
was made. Out of i. Cor, 8. Wee have one God the father, even he
made by
from whome are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ,
him.
through whome are all things, and we by him. Out of the i. Coloss.
By him were all things made, things in heaven, and things in earth,
visible and invisible, &c. Now if al things were made by the sonne,
it followeth that by him the holie spirit was also made.
* 5. Answer.
* Whereto I answer, that when all things are said to be made by
Universall
the sonne, that same universall proposition is restrained by John
propositios
or speeches
himselfe to a certeine kind of things : Without him (saith the evanare to be restrained.
gelist) was nothing made that was made. Therefore it is first to be
shewed that the holie spirit was made, and then will we conclude out
of John, that if he were made, he was made of the sonne. The
scripture doth no where saie that the holie spirit was made of the
father or of the sonne, but to proceed, to come, and to be sent from
them both. Now if these universall propositions are to suffer no
restraint, it shall follow that the father was made of the sonne : than
the which what is more absurd and wicked ?
6. ObjectiS.
Againe, they object out of Matth. u . None knoweth the sonne

Divels and spirits,

cimp. 34.

465

but the father, and none the father but the sonne ; to wit, of and by T h e spirit
himselfe : for otherwise both the angels, & to whomsoever else it knoweth fanot the
shall please the sonne to reveale the father, these doo know both the ther & t h s
father and the sonne. Now if so be the spirit be not equall with the
father and the sonne in knowledge, he is not onelie unequall and
lesser than they, but also no God: for ignorance is not/ incident unto 554God.
* Whereto I answer, that where in holie scripture we doo meete * 6. Answer,
H o w exwith universall propositions negative or exclusive, they are not to be clusive proexpounded of one person, so as the rest are excluded ; but creatures positions or
speeches
or false gods are to be excluded, and whatsoever else is without or are to be
beside the essence and being of God. Reasons to proove and con- interpreted.
firme this interpretation, I could bring verie manie, whereof I will
adde some for example. In the seaventh of John it is said ; When
Christ shall come, none shall knowe from whence he is: notwithstanding which words the Jewes thought that neither God nor his angels
should be ignorant from whence Christ/ should be. In the fourth to 397.
the Galathians ; A mans covenant or testament confirmed with
authoritie no bodie dooth abrogate, or adde anie thing thereunto.
No just man dooth so ; but tyrants and truce-breakers care not for
covenants. In John eight; Jesus was left alone, and the woman
standing in the middest. And yet it is not to be supposed that a
multitude of people was not present, and the disciples of Christ likewise ; but the word Solus, alone, is referred to the womans accusers,
who withdrew themselves awaie everie one, and departed. In the
sixt of Marke ; When it was evening, the ship was in the middest of
the sea, and he alone upon land : he was not alone upon land or
shore, for the same was not utterlie void of dwellers : but he had not
anie of his disciples with him, nor anie bodie to carrie him a shipboord unto his disciples. Manie phrases or formes of speeches like
unto these are to be found in the sacred scriptures, and in authors
both Greeke and Latine, whereby we understand, that neither universall negative nor exclusive particles are strictlie to be urged, but to
be explaned in such sort as the matter in hand will beare. When as
therefore the sonne alone is said to know the father, and it is demanded whether the holie spirit is debarred from knowing the father;
out of other places of scriptures judgment is to be given in this case.
In some places the holie spirit is counted and reckoned with the
father and the sonne jointlie : wherefore he is not to be separated.
Else-where also it is attributed to the holie spirit that he alone dooth
know the things which be of God, and searcheth the deepe secrets
of God : wherefore from him the knowing of God is not to be excluded./

30

466

chap. 34.

A discourse of

They doo yet further object, that it is not convenient or fit for God
after the manner of suters to humble and cast downe himselfe : but
the holie spirit dooth so, praieng and intreating for us with unspeakeable grones : Rom. 8. Ergo the holie spirit is not God.
7. Answer.
* Whereto I answer that the holie spirit dooth praie and intreat, in
T h e spirit
so much as he provoketh us to praie, and maketh us to grone and
dooth provoke us to
sigh. Oftentimes also in the scriptures is that action or deed
praie.
attributed unto God, which we being stirred up and mooved by him
doo bring to passe. So it is said of God unto Abraham; Now I
know that thou fearest God : and yet before he would have sacrificed
Isaach) God knew the verie heart of Abraham : and therefore this
word Cognovi, I know, is as much as Cognoscerefeci, I have made or
caused to know. And that the spirit to praie and intreat, is the same
that, to make to praie and intreat, the apostle teacheth even there,
writing that we have received the spirit of adoption, in whome we
crie Abba Father. Where it is manifest that it is we which crie, the
Holie-ghost provoking and forcing us thereunto.
8. ObjectiS.
Howbeit they go further, and frame this reason. Whosoever is
T h e spirit
sent, the same is inferior and lesser than he of whome he is sent, and
is sent from
the father
furthermore he is of a comprehensible substance, bicause he passeth
and the son.
by locall motion from place to place : but the holie spirit is sent of
the father and the sonne, John. 14, 15, & 16. It is powred foorth and
shed upon men, Acts. 10. Ergo the holie spirit is lesser than the
Father and the Sonne, and of a comprehensible nature, and consequentlie not verie God./
8. Answer. 398. * Whereto I answer first, that he which is sent is not alwaies lesser
sphiUs6
than he that sendeth : to proove which position anie meane wit may
sent
inferre manie instances. Furthermore, touching the sending of the
holie spirit, we are here to imagine no changing or shifting of place.
For if the spirit when he goeth foorth from the father and is sent,
changeth his place, then must the father also be in a place, that he
may leave it and go to another. And as for the incomprehensible
nature of the spirit, he cannot leaving his place passe unto another.
Therefore the sending of the spirit is the eternall and unvariable will
of God, to doo something by the holie spirit; and the revealing and
336. executing of this will by the/ operation and working of the spirit.
The spirit was sent to the apostles ; which spirit was present with
them, sith it is present everie-where : but then according to the will
of God the father hee shewed himselfe present and powerfull.
Some man may saie ; If sending be a revealing and laieng open of
presence and power, then may the father be said to be sent, bicause
he himselfe is also revealed. I answer, that when the spirit is said to
be sent, not onlie the revealing, but the order also of his revealing is

7. Objectio.
T h e spirit
praieth for

Divels and spirits.

cha P . 34.

467

declared ; bicause the will of the father and of the sonne, of whom he
is sent, going before, not in time, but in order of persons, the spirit
dooth reveale himselfe, the father, and also the sonne. The father
revealeth himselfe by others, the sonne and the holie spirit, so that
his will goeth before. Therefore sending is the common worke of all
the three persons; howbeit, for order of dooing, it is distinguished by
diverse names. The father will reveale himselfe unto men with the
sonne and the spirit, and be powerfull in them, and therefore is said
to send. The sonne and the spirit doo assent unto the will of the
father, and will that to be doone by themselves, which God will to be
doone by them ; these are said to be sent. And bicause the will of
the sonne dooth go before the spirit in order of persons, he is also said
to send the spirit.
Yet for all this they allege, that if the spirit had perfection, then 9; Objectio.
would he speake of himselfe, and not stand in need alwaies of anothers speaketh
admonishment : but he speaketh not of himselfe, but speaketh what JSfef im
he heareth, as Christ expresselie testifieth John. 16. Ergo he is unperfect, and whatsoever he hath it is by partaking, and consequentlie
he is not God.
* Whereto I answer, that this argument is stale: for it was objected * The 9. anby heretikes long ago against them that held the true opinion, as
Cyrzll $2L\\h ; who answereth, that by the words of Christ is rather to Cyrill. lib. 13.
be gathered, that the son and the spirit are of the same substance.
For, the spirit is named the mind of Christ. 1. Cor. 2: and therefore he
speaketh not of his owne proper will, or against his will in whom and
from whom he is; but hath all his will and working naturallie proceeding from the substance as it were of him.
Lastlie they argue thus : Everie thing is either unbegotten or 10. Objecunborne, or begotten and created ; the spirit is not unbegotten,/
for then he were the father ; & so there should be two without be- J57ginning : neither is he begotten, for then he is begotten of the father,
and so there shall be two/ sonnes, both brothers ; or hee is begotten 399.
of the sonne, and then shall he be Gods nephue, than the which what
can be imagined more absurd ? Ergo he is created.
* Wherto I answer, that the division or distribution is unperfect: * 10. Ans.
for that member is omitted which is noted of the verie best divine proceePdTth
that ever was, even Jesus Christ our saviour ; namelie, to have proceeded, or proceeding : That same holie spirit (saith he) which proceedeth from the-father. Which place Nazanzen dooth thus interpret.
The spirit, bicause he proceedeth from thence, is not a creature :
and bicause he is not begotten, he is not the son ; but bicause he is
the meane of begotten and unbegotten, he shall be God, &c.
And thus having avoided all these cavils of the *Pneurnatomachi> a # Such were

468

chap. 34.

the Arrians,
Tritheits,*
Samosatenians, &c.
[« Tritheists]

Sus magis in
cceno gaudet
qud.ni fonte
sereno.

T h e hethenish philosophers acknowledged the holie spirit.

jjS.
Cyriii. lib. i.
iianumU'

C

Marsiiius Fi?*Cratyia.rg'
Plat.
400.

A discourse of

sect of heretikes too too injurious to the holie spirit, insomuch as
they seeke what they can, to rob and pull from him the right of his
divinitie; I will all Christians to take heed of their pestilent opinions,
the poison whereof though to them that be resolved in the truth it
can doo little hurt, yet to such as stand upon a wavering point it can
doo no great good. Having thus far waded against them, and overthrowne their opinions; I must needs exhort all to whom the reading
hereof shall come, that first they consider with themselves what a
reverend mysterie all that hitherto hath beene said in this chapter
concerneth ; namelie, the spirit of sanctification, and that they so
ponder places to and fro, as that they reserve unto the holie spirit
the glorious title of divinitie, which by nature is to him appropriate :
esteeming of these Pneumatomachi or Theontachi, as of swine, delighting more in the durtie draffe of their devises, than in the faire
fountaine water of Gods word : yea, condemning them of grosser
ignorance than the old philosophers, who though they savoured little
of heavenlie theologie, yet some illumination they had of the holie
and divine spirit, marrie it was somewhat mistie, darke, lame and
limping ; neverthelesse, what it was, and how much or little soever it
was, they gave thereunto a due reverence, in that they acknowledged
and intituled it Animam mundi, The soule or life of the world, and
(as Nazanzen witnesseth) TOV TOV 7ravT09 vouv, The/ mind of the universal!, and the outward breath, or the breath that commeth from
without. Porphyrie expounding the opinion of Plato», who was not
utterlie blind in this mysterie, saith that the divine substance doth
proceed and extend to three subsistencies and beings : and that God
is chieflie and principallie good, next him the second creator, and the
third to be the soule of the world : for he holdeth that the divinitie
doth extend even to this soule. As for Hermes Trismegistus, he
saith that all things have need of this spirit: for according to his
worthinesse he supporteth all, he quickeneth and susteineth all, and
he is derived from the holie fountaine, giving breath and life unto
all, and evermore remaineth continuall, plentifull, and unemptied.
And here by the waie I give you a note woorth reading and considering ; namelie, how all nations in a manner, by a kind of heavenlie
influence, agree in writing and speaking the name of God with no
more than foure letters. As for example, the ^Egyptians doo call
^im Theut, the Persians call him Syre, the /ewes expresse his unspeakable name as well as they can by/ the word Adonai consisting
of foure vowels ; the Arabians call him Alia, the Mahometists call
him Abdi, the Greekes call him T/ieos, the Latines call him Deus, &-V.
This, although it be not so proper to our present purpose, yet (because we are in hand with the holie spirits deitie) is not altogether

Divels and spirits.

chaP. 34.

469

impertinent. But why GOD would have his name as it were universallie bounded within the number of foure letters, I can give
sundrie reasons, which require too long a discourse of words by
digression : and therefore I will conceale them for this time. These
opinions of philosophers I have willinglie remembred, that it might
appeare, that the doctrine concerning the holie spirit is verie ancient;
which they having taken either out of Moses writings, or out of the
works of the old fathers, published and set foorth in bookes, though
not wholie, fullie, and perfectlie understood and knowne : and also
that our Pneumatomachi may see themselves to be more doltish in
divine matters than the heathen, who will not acknowledge that
essentiall and working power of the divinitie wherby all things are
quickened : which the heathen did after a sort see ; after a sort (I
saie) bicause they separated the soule of the world (which they also
call the begotten mind) from the most sovereigne and unbe/gotten S59*
God, and imagined certeine differences of degrees, and (as Cyrill
saith) did Arrianize* in the trinitie.
[* Arianize]
So then I conclude against these Pneumatomachi, that in so much
as they imitate the old giants, who piling up Pelion upon Ossa, and Ovid. lib. methem both upon Olympus, attempted by scaling the heavens to pull ^T.%d'egiJupiter out of his throne of estate, & to spoile him of his principalitie, f*^^*gand were notwithstanding their strength, whereby they were able to
carrie huge hilles on their shoulders, overwhelmed with those mountaines, and squized under the weight of them even to the death : so
these Pneumatomachi, being enimies both to the holie spirit, and no
freends to the holie church (for then would they confesse the trinitie
in unitie, and the unitie in trinitie, and consequentlie also the deitie
of the holie spirit) deserve to be consumed with the fier of his mouth,
the heate whereof by no meanes can be slaked, quenched, or avoided.
For there is nothing more unnaturall, nothing more monstrous, than
against the person of the deitie (I meane the spirit of sanctification)
to oppose mans power, mans wit, mans policie, &c : which was well
signified by that poeticall fiction of the giants, who were termed
Anguipedes, Snakefooted: which zsjoachirnus Camerarius expoundeth
of wicked counsellors, to whose filthie persuasion tyrants doo trust as
unto their feete ; and James Sadolet interpreteth of philosophers, who Jacob. Sadoi.
trusting overmuch unto their owne wits, become so bold in challenging }aud.'pdhiiopraise for their wisedome, that in fine all turneth to follie and con- soph inscript. •
fusion : so I expound of heretickes and schismatikes, who either by
corrupt doctrine, or by mainteining precise opinions, or by open
violence, &c : assaie to overthrow the true religion, to breake the
unitie of the church, to denie Ccesar his homage, and GOD his dutie,
&c : and therefore let Jovis fitimen, wherewith they were slaine,

470

chap. 34.

A discourse of

spirits.

assure these that there is Divina ultio due to all such, as dare in the
ficklenes of their fansies arreare themselves against the holie spirit;
of whom sith they are ashamed here upon earth (otherwise they would
401. confidentlie and boldlie confesse him both/ with mouth and pen) he
will be ashamed of them in heaven, where they are like to be so farre
from having anie societie with the saints, that their portion shalbe
even in full and shaken measure with miscreants and infidels. And
360. therefore let us,/ if we will discerne and trie the spirits whether they
be of God or no, seeke for the illumination of this inlightning spirit,
which as it bringeth light with it to discover all spirits, so it giveth
such a fierie heat, as that no false spirit can abide by it for feare of
burning. Howbeit the holie spirit must be in us, otherwise this prerogative of trieng spirits will not fall to our lot.
Peter Mart.
But n e r e s o m e will peradventure move a demand, and doo aske
in loc. com.
how the holie spirit is in us, considering that Infiniti adfinitum nulla
18. sect. 33.
est proportion neque loci angustia quod immensum est potest circumpag. 628.
scribi: of that which is infinite, to that which is finite there is no
proportion ; neither can that which is unmeasurable be limited or
bounded within anie precinct of place, &c. I answer, that the most
excellent father for Christes sake sendeth him unto us, according as
Christ promised us in the person of his apostles ; The comforter
John. 14,26.
(saith he) which is the holie spirit, whome my father will send in my
name. And as for proportion of that which is infinite to that which
is finite, &c : I will in no case have it thought, that the holie spirit is
in us, as a bodie placed in a place terminablie ; but to attribute
thereunto, as dulie belongeth to the deitie, an ubiquitie, or universall
presence ; not corporallie and palpablie ; but effectuallie, mightilie,
John. 16, 14.
mysticallie, divinelie, &c. Yea, and this I may boldlie adde, that
& J l6
4> «
Christ Jesus sendeth him unto us from the father: neither is he
given us for anie other end, but to inrich us abundantlie
with all good gifts and excellent graces ;
and (among the rest) with the discerning of spirits aright, that
we be not deceived.
And here an
end.

FINIS.

[APPENDIX

I.]

[The nine chapters forming the beginning of the fifteenth Book in the third edition, :66 5 ,
are numbered Ch. I, etc., and Scot's Ch. I made Ch. X, and so o n w a r d ]

BOOK
CHAP.

XV.

215.
[ T h i s is the
paging of
3rd ed.]

I.

Of Magical Circles, and the reason of their

Institution.

I Agitians, and the more learned sort of Conjurers, make imaginary
use of Circles in various manners, and to various intentions. First, when convenience serves not, as to
time or place that a real Circle should be delineated,
they frame an imaginary Circle, by means of Incantations and Consecrations, without either Knife, Pensil,
or Compasses, circumscribing nine foot of ground round about them,
which they pretend to sanctifie with words and Ceremonies, spattering
their Holy Water all about so far as the said Limit extendeth ; and
with a form of Consecration following, do alter the property of the
ground, that from common (as they say) it becomes sanctifi'd, and
made fit for Magicall uses.
How to consecrate an imaginary Circle.

L

Et the Exorcist, being cloathed with a black Garment, reaching to The form of
his knee, and under that a white Robe of fine Linnen that falls Consecration.
unto his ankles, fix himself in the midst of that place where he intends
to perform his Conjurations : And throwing his old Shooes about ten
yards from the place, let him put on his consecrated shooes of russet
Leather with a Cross cut on the top of each shooe. Then with his
Magical Wand, which must be a new hazel-stick, about two yards of
length, he must stretch forth his arm to all the four Windes thrice,
turning himself round at every Winde, and saying all that while with
fervency :
/ who am the servant of the Highest, do by the vertue of his Holy
Name Immanuel, sanctifie unto my self the circtimference of nine foot

The

472

T* ? Mispr.
for
Worrah.]
T h e time for
Conjurations.

T h e places for
Circles.

216.

T h e form of a
Circle.

Ct sic]
T h e reason of
Circles.

Discovery

round about me, >J< >j« •!«. from the East, (folautal); from the West,
(SJartott; from the North, Cation; from the South, ISerjtf) ; which
ground I take for my proper defence from all malignant spirits, that
they may have no power over my soul or body, nor come beyond these
Limitations, but answer truely being summoned, without daring to
transgress their bounds: SHortfj.* toorraf). Jarcot. ©amfmlon. *i* Hh *&Which Ceremonies being performed, the place so sanctified is
equivalent to any real Circle whatsoever. And in the composition of
any Circle for Magical feats, the fittest time is the brightest Moon-light,
or when storms of lightning, winde, or thunder, are raging through the
air; because at such times the infernal Spirits are nearer unto the
earth, and can more easily hear the Invocations of the Exorcist.
As for the places of Magical Circles, they are to be chosen melancholly, dolefull, dark and lonely ; either in Woods or Deserts, or in a
place where three wayes meet, or amongst ruines of Castles, Abbies,
Monasteries, Sr^c. or upon the Sea-shore when the Moon shines clear,
or else in some large Parlour hung with black, and the floor covered
with the same, with doors and windowes closely shut, and Waxen
Candles lighted. But if the Conjuration be for the Ghost of one
deceased, the fittest places to that purpose are places of the slain,/
Woods where any have killed themselves, Church-yards, BuryingVaults, &*c. As also for all sorts of Spirits, the places of their abode
ought to be chosen, when they are called ; as Pits, Caves, and hollow
places, for Subterranean Spirits : The tops of Turrets, for Aerial
Spirits: Ships and Rocks of the Sea, for Spirits of the Water: Woods
and Mountains for Faries, Nymphs, and Satyres ; following the like
order with all the rest.
And as the places where, so the manner how the Circles are to be
drawn, ought to be perfectly known. First, for Infernal Spirits, let a
Circle nine foot over be made with black, and within the same another
Circle half a foot distant, leaving half a foot of both these Circles
open for the Magitian and his assistant to enter in : And betwixt these
Circles round about, write all the holy Names of God, with Crosses
and Triangles at every Name ; making also a larger triangle at one
side of the Circle without on this manner with
the names of the Trinity at the seven corners,

viz, gef)otoat),t *£u8tJ luteal), Emmanuel, written
in the little circles.
The reason that Magitians give for Circles Q ^
"*0
and their Institution, is, That so much ground
being blessed and consecrated by holy Words,
hath a secret force to expel all evil Spirits from the bounds thereof;
and being sprinkled with holy water, which hath been blessed by the

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. II.

Master, the ground is purified from all uncleanness; besides the holy
Names of God written all about, whose force is very powerful; so
that no wicked Spirit hath the ability to break through into the Circle
after the Master and Scholler are entered, and have closed up the
gap, by reason of the antipathy they possesse to these Mystical
Names. And the reason of the Triangle is, that if the Spirit be
not easily brought to speak the truth, they may by the Exorcist
be conjured to enter the same, where by vertue of the names of the
Sacred Trinity, they can speak nothing but what is true and right.
But if Astral Spirits as Faries, Nymphs, and Ghosts of men, be
called upon, the Circle must be made with Chalk, without any Triangles ; in the place whereof the Magical Character of that Element
to which they belong, must be described at the end of every Name./

Air, Water, Fire.

Woods, Caves,
Mountains.

Mines, Desolate
Buildings.

CHAP. II.
How to raise up the Ghost of one that hath hanged himself

T

His experiment must be put in practice while the Carcass
hangs ; and therefore the Exorcist must seek out for the
straightest hazel wand that he can find, to the top whereof he
must binde the head of an Owl, with a bundle of St. fohn's Wort,
or Millie's Perforatum : this done, he must be informed of some
miserable creature that hath strangled himself in some Wood or
Desart place (which they seldom miss to do) and while the Carcass
3P

474

T h e ceremonies of Necromancy,

T h e Conjuration.

T h e answers
of the Spirit.

How to lay the
Spirit.

BOOK

XV.

The Discovery

hangs, the Magitian must betake himself to the aforesaid place, at 12
a clock at night, and begin his Conjurations in this following manner.
First, stretch forth the consecrated W a n d towards the four corners
of the World, saying, By the mysteries of the deep, by the flames of
Battal, by the power of the East, and the silence of the night, by the
holy rites of fyttatt, I conjure and exorcize thee thou distressed
Spirit,
to present thy self here, and reveal unto me the cause of thy Calamity,
why thou didst offer violence to thy own liege life, where thou art now
in beeing, and where thoti wilt hereafter be.
T h e n gently smiting the Carcase nine times with the rod, say, /
conjure thee thou spirit of this N . deceased, to answer my demands
that I am to propound unto thee, as thoti ever hopest for the rest of
the holy ones, and the ease of all thy misery ; by the blood of festi
which he shed for thy soul, I conjure and bind thee to utter unto me
what I shall ask thee.
T h e n cutting down the Carcass from the tree, lay his head towards
the East, and in the space that this following Conjuration is repeating,
set a Chafing-dish of fire at his right hand, into which powre a little
Wine, some Mastick, and Gum Aromatick, and lastly a viol full of the
sweetest Oyl, having also a pair of Bellows, and some unkindled Charcole to make the fire burn bright at the instant of the Carcass's rising.
T h e Conjuration is this :
/ conjure thee thou spirit of N . that thou do immediately enter into
thy antient body again, and answer to my demands, by the virtue of
the holy resurrection, and by the posture of the body of the Saviour of
the world, I charge thee, I conjure thee, I command thee on pain of
the torments and wandring
of thrice seven years, which I by the
power of sacred Magick rites, have power to inflict upon thee ; by
thy sighs and groans, I conjure thee to utter thy voice; so help thee
God and the prayers of the holy Church.
Amen.
Which Conjuration being thrice repeated while the fire is burning
with Mastick and Gum Aromatick, the body will begin to rise, and at
last will stand upright before the Exorcist, answering with a faint and
hollow voice, the questions proposed unto it. W h y it strangled it self;
where its dwelling is ; what its food and life is ; how long it will be
ere it enter into rest, and by what means the Magitian may assist it to
come to r e s t : Also, of the treasures of this world, where they are
hid : Moreover, it can answer very punctually of the places where
Ghosts reside, and how to communicate with them; teaching the nature
of As 1 Spirits and hellish beings, so far as its capacity reacheth.
All which when the Ghost hath fully answered, the Magitian ought
out of commiseration and reverence to the deceased, to use what
means can possibly be used for the procuring rest unto the Spirit.

of Witchcraft.

CHAP, IIL

475

T o which effect he must dig a grave, and filling the same half full of
quick Lime, and a little Salt and common Sulphur, put the Carcass
naked into the same ; which experiment, next t o the burning of the
body into ashes, is of great force to quiet and end the disturbance of
the Astral Spirit.
But if the Ghost with whom the Exorcist consulteth, be of one that
dyed the common death, and obtain'd the ceremonies of burial, the
body must be dig'd out of the ground at 12 a clock at n i g h t ; and the
Magician must have a com/panion with him, who beareth a torch in 218.
his left hand, and smiting the Corps thrice with the consecrated rod,
the Exorcist must turn himself to all the four winds, saying :
By the virtue of the holy resurrection, and the torments of the damned, Another form.
/ conjure and exorcize thee spirit of N . deceased, to answer my liege
demands, being obedient unto these sacred ceremonies on pain of everlasting torment and distress: T h e n let him say, ISeraltr, Beroaltr,
ISaltutt gafc gafoot agafia; Arise, arise, I charge and command thee.
After which Ceremonies, let him ask what he desireth and he shall
be answered.
But as a faithful caution to the practicer of this Art, I shall con- A Caution for
elude with this, That if the Magician, by the Constellation and Position
of the Stars at his nativity, be in the predicament of those that follow
Magical Arts, it will be very dangerous to try this experiment for fear
of suddain death ensuing, which t h e Ghosts of men deceased, can
easily effect upon those whose nativities lead them to Conjuration :
And which suddain and violent death, the Stars do alwayes promise
to such as they m a r k with the Stigma of Magicians.

CHAP. I I I .
How to raise up the three Spirits, Paymon, Bathin, and Barma /
And what wonderful
things may be effected through their
assistance.

T

H e Spirit Paymon is of the power of the Air, the sixteenth in Their order.
the ranck of Thrones, subordinate to Corban and Marbas.
Bathin is of a deeper reach in the source of the fire, the
second after Lucifers familiar, and hath not his fellow for agility
and affableness, in the whole Infernal Hierarchy.
Barma is a mighty Potentate of the order of Seraphims, whom 20
Legions of Infernal Spirits do obey ; his property is to metamorphose

BOOK xv.

476

T h e Utensils
to be used.

T h e Circle.

The

Discovery

the Magician or whom he pleaseth, and transport into foreign
Countreys.
These three Spirits, though of various ranks and orders, are all
of one power, ability and nature, and the form of raising them
all is one. Therefore the Magician that desireth to consult with
either of these Spirits, must appoint a night in the waxing of the
Moon, wherein the Planet Mercury reigns, at 11 a clock at night ;
not joyning to himself any companion, because this particular action
will admit of none ; and for the space of four dayes before the
appointed night, he ought every morning to shave his beard, and shift
himself with clean linnen, providing beforehand the two Seals of the
Earth, drawn exactly upon parchment, having also his consecrated
Girdle ready of a black Cats skin with the hair on, and these names
written on the inner side of the Girdle: ga, $ a •£< 8Ue, 8ate ^ <£ltfcra
>i* <£Iof)tm •f" Satrag >i* I^a!) ^ttronag ^ tuo robore ^ Cinctus sum ^t.
Upon his Shooes must be written Cetragrammatott, with crosses
round about, and his garment must be a Priestly Robe of black, with a
Friers hood, and a Bible in his hand.
When all these things are prepared, and the Exorcist hath lived
chastly, and retired until the appointed time : Let him have ready a
fair Parlour or Cellar, with every chink and window closed ; then
lighting seven Candles, and drawing a double Circle with his own
blood, which he must have ready before hand : let him divide the
Circle into seven parts, and write these seven names at the seven
divisions, setting at every Name a Candle lighted in a brazen Candlestick in the space betwixt the Circles : The names are these, Catros ><
J

<&$if)tvit A &tticft >fi £afi:bac g £agun ^ ^ &fca ^ Sftalfoot!) A/
219,
T h e Consecration.
[* transp.

it,]

T h e Conjuration.

When the Candles are lighted, let the Magician being in the midst
of the Circle, and supporting himself with two drawn Swords, say
with a low and submissive voyce ; I do by the vertue of these seven
holy Names which are the Lamps of the living God, Consecrate unto
my use this inclosed Circle', and exterminate out of it% all evill Spirits,
and their power; that beyond the limit of their circumference they
enter not on pain of torments to be doubled, gat), &giott, f^eltot,
p^Itfiaf), xAmen.
When this Consecration is ended, Let him sprinkle the Circle with
consecrated Water, and with a Chafing-dish of Charcole, perfume it
with Frankincense and Cinamon, laying the Swords a cross the Circle,
and standing over them ; then whilest the fumigation burneth, let him
begin to call these three Spirits in this following manner :
/ Conjure and Exorcize you the three Gentle and Noble Spirits of
the power of the North, by the great and dreadful name of $eolpf)att
your King, and by the silence of the night, and by the holy rites of

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. HI.

477

Magick, and by the number of the Infernal Legions, I adjure and
invocate you ; That without delay ye present your selves here before
the Northern quarter of this Circle, all of you, or any one of you, and
answer my demands by the force of the words contained in this Book.
This must be thrice repeated, and at the third repetition, the three
Spirits will either all appear, or one by lot, if the other be already
somewhere else imployed ; at their appearance they will send before
them three fleet Hounds opening after a Hare, who will run round JnheeestPjJyj
the Circle for the space of half a quarter of an hour ; after that more
hounds will come in, and after all, a little ugly ALthiop, who will take
the Hare from their ravenous mouths, and together with the Hounds
vanish ; at last the Magician shall hear the winding of a Hunts-mans
horn, and a Herald on Horseback shall come galloping with three
Hunters behind upon black Horses, who will compass the Circle
seven times, and at the seventh time will make a stand at the Northern
quarter, dismissing the Herald that came up before them, and turning
their Horses towards the Magician, will stand all a brest before him,
saying; (£tl pragma fmrtfjott macfjatan tremtat}; to which the Magician
must boldly answer; Beral, Beroaltr, Corattj, lUrmtel; By the sacred rites
of Magick ye are welcome ye three famous Hunters of the North, and
my command is, that by the power of these Ceremonies ye be obedient
and faithful unto my summons, unto which I conjure you by the holy
Names of God, j©afj, <£tatt, gottv, gal), Jteljobaf), Emmanuel, Cetragram^
matott, $*a?j, &tronag, ^afctag, Jberaptjitt; Binding and obliging you to
answer plainly, faithfully and truly, by all these holy names, and by
the awful name of your mighty King tjteolpljott.*
[*«vj
Which when the Magician hath said, the middle Hunter named TheConditi$agmon, will answer, <M pragma tmrrfiott macfjatan trennaf), We are the
three mighty Hunters of the North, in the Kingdom of Fiacim, and are
come hither by the sound of thy Conjurations, to which we swear by him
that liveth to yield obedience, if Judas that betrayed him be not named.
Then shall the Magician swear, By him that liveth, and by all that The Magicians
is contained in this holy Book, I swear unto you this night, and by the 0ath "
mysteries of this action, I swear unto you this night, and by the bonds
of darkness I swear unto you this night, That Judas the Traitor
shall not be named, and that blood shall not be offered unto you, but
that truce and equal terms shall be observed betwixt us. Which being
said, the Spirits will bow down their heads to the Horses crests, and
then alighting down will call their Herald to withdraw their Horses ;
which done, The Magician may begin to bargain with all, or any one
of them, as a familiar invisibly to attend him, or to answer all difficulties that he propoundeth : Then may he begin to ask them of the
frame of the World, and the Kingdoms therein contained, which are

478

BOOK xv.

The

Discovery

unknown unto Geographers: H e may also be informed of all Physical
processes and operations ; also how to go invisible and fly through
the airy Region : They can likewise give unto him the powerful Girdle
T h e girdle of
Victory.
of Victory, teaching him how to compose and consecrate the same,
221. which hath/ the force, being tyed about him, to make him conquer
[*.<?., 2 2 0 . ] Armies, and all men whatsoever.
Besides, there is not any King or
E m p e r o u r throughout the world ; but if he desires it, they will engage
to bring him the most pretious of their Jewels and Riches in twenty
four h o u r s ; discovering also unto him the way of finding hidden
treasures and the richest mines.
And after the Conjurer h a t h fulfilled his desires, he shall dismiss
T h e form of
discharge.
the aforesaid Spirits in this following form.
/ charge you ye three officious Spirits to depart unto the place whence
ye were called, without injury to either man or Beast, leaving the tender Corn untouched, and the seed unbruised'; I dismiss you, and licence
you to go back until 11 call you, and to be alwayes ready at my desire,
especially thou nimble ISatfjut, whom I have chosen to attend me, that
thou be alwayes ready when I ring a little Bell to present thy self
without any Magical Ceremonies perfonned;
and so depart ye froin
hence, and peace be betwixt you and us, In the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
W h e n the Magician hath repeated this last form of dismission, he
will hear immediately a horn winding, after which the Herald with
the jet black Horses, and the three Spirits will mount upon them,
compassing the Circle seven times, with the Herald winding his horn
before them, and at every Candle they will bow towards the Horses
crest, till coming towards the Northern quarter, they will with great
obeysance seem to march away out through the solid wall as through
a City gate.

CHAP.

IV.

How to Consecrate all manner of Circles, Fumigations,
Magical Garments, and Utensills.
W h a t things
are to be consecrated.

C

Fire,

onsecrations are related either to the person or the thing
consecrated. T h e person is the Magitian himself, whose consecration consisteth in Abstinence, Temperance, and holy
Garments. T h e things consecrated are the Oyl, the Fire, the Water.
T h e Fumigations consisting of oriental Gums and Spices ; the
magical Sword, Pensils, Pens and Compasses, the measuring Rule

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. IV.

and waxen Tapers, the Pentacles, Periapts, Lamins, and Sigils, Vests,
Caps, and Priestly Garments ; these are the materials to be consecrated.
T h e sacred Pentacles are as signs and charms for the binding of
Evil Daemons, consisting of Characters a n d N a m e s of t h e Superior
order of the good Spirits opposite unto those evil ones whom the
Magitian is about to Invocate : A n d of sacred Pictures, Images, a n d
Mathematical Figures adapted to the names and natures of separated
Substances whither good or evil. Now the form of Consecrating such
Magical Pentacles is to n a m e the vertue of the holy N a m e s a n d
Figures, their Antiquity and Institution with the intention of the
Consecration purifying the Pentacle by consecrated fire, and waving
the same over the flames thereof.
When the Exorcist would consecrate Places or Utensils, Fire or
Water for magical uses, he must repeat the Consecration or Dedication of Solomon the King at the building of the Temple, the Vision
of Moses at the Bush, and t h e Spirit of the Lord on the tops of t h e
Mulberry-trees, repeating also the sacrifice of it self being kindled ;
the Fire upon Sodom, and the W a t e r of Eternal Life : Wherein the
Magitian must still remember to speak of the seven golden Candlesticks, and Ezekiels Wheels, closing the Consecration with t h e deep
and mysterious N a m e s of God a n d holy Daemons.
W h e n particular I n s t r u m e n t s are to be sanctified, the Magitian
must sprinkle the same with consecrated W a t e r , a n d fumigate t h e m
with fumigations, anoint them with consecrated O y l : And lastly,
Seal them with holy/ Characters ; after all which is performed, an
Oration or Prayer must follow, relating the particulars of the Consecration with Petitions to that Power in whose N a m e and Authority
the Ceremony is performed.
And in like manner shalt thou consecrate a n d sanctifie every
Utensil whatsoever, by Sprinklings, Fumigations, Unctions, Seals,
and Benedictions, commemorating and reiterating the sanctifyings in
the holy Scripture, of the Tables of the Law delivered t o Moses;
of the two Testaments in the New Covenant, of the holy Prophets
in their Mothers wombs, and of Aholiah, a n d Aholibah, whom t h e
Spirit of God inspired to frame all sorts of curious workmanship for
t h e Tabernacle. This is the sum of Consecrationn.*

479

Pentacles.

Utensils.

Instruments.

221.

Howtoconse'

crate

i*sic\

480

BOOK x v .

The

Discovery

CHAP.

V.

Treating more practically of the Consecration of Circles, Fires,
Garments, and Fumigations.
Circles how to

be made.

Fumigations.

T N the Construction of Magical Circles, the hour, day, or night,
J^ a n ( j s e a s o n 0 f t h e year, and the Constellation are to be considered; as also what sort of Spirits are to be called; and to what
Region, Air, or Climate they belong: Therefore this method is to be
followed for the more orderly and certain proceeding therein. First,
a Circle nine foot over must be drawn, within which another Circle
three inches from the outermost must be also made, in the Center
whereof the name of the hour, the Angel of the hour, the Seal of the
Angel, the Angel of the day predominant, wherein the work is undertaken. Note, these attributes are to be inscribed betwixt the Circles
round about with Alpha at the beginning, and Omega at the close.
When the Circle is composed, it must be sprinkled with holy
Water, while the Magician saith, Wash me O Lord, and I shall be
whiter then Snow: And as for the Fumigations over them, this Benediction must be said ; O God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, bless
these thy subservient creatures, that they may multiply the force of
their excellent odors, to hinder evil spirits and phantasms from entring
the Circle, through our Lord. Amen.

An Exorcism for the fire.
The Exorcist ought to have an earthen Censer, wherein to preserve
the fire for magical uses, and the expiations and fumigations, whose
consecration is on this manner.
By him that created Heaven and Earth, and is the God and Lord
of all, I exorcize and sanctifie thee thou creature of Fire, that immediately thou banish every phantasm from thee, so that thou prove not
hurtful in any kind: Which I beseech thee O Lord to confirm by
sanctifying and making pure this creature of fire, that it may be blessed
and consecrate to the honour of thy holy Name. Amen.

At the putting on the Garments,
Garments.

Let the Magician say, By the figurative mystery of this holy Stole
or Vestment, I will cloath me with the armotir of Salvation in

of Witchcraft,

CHAP. VI.

481

the strength of the highest. 3toot*, &macot, &ttutreg, STfteotrontas, &nttor.
That my desired end may be effected through thy strength &troitat, to
whom the praise and glory will for ever belong.
Which Ceremonies being finished, the Exorcist shall proceed to Practice.
the practical part of Invocation and Conjuration of all degrees of
Spirits, having every utensil and appendix in readiness for the performance, and proceeding according to the method in these following
Chapters.

CHAP.

VI.

222.

How to raise and exorcize all sorts of Spirits belonging to the
Airy Region.
He Garment which the Exorcist is cloathed withall at the What sort of

T

-

_ . .

,

,.

,

. .

Garments must

performance of this action, ought according to the opinions be used.
of the chiefest Magicians, to be a Priestly Robe, which if it
can no where be procured, may be a neat and cleanly linnen Vest,
with the holy Pentacle fastned thereunto upon Parchment made
of a Kids skin, over which an Invocation must be said, and then
the Pentacle must be sprinkled with holy Water. At the putting
on the Magical Garment, this Prayer must be repeated : By thy
holy power &tronat 5:af)aotf), And by the power and merit of thine
Angels and Archangels•, and by the vertue of holy Church, which thou
hast sanctified^ do I cloath me with this consecrated Garment, that
what I am to practice may take effect through thy Name who art
for ever and ever.
Now as for the time of operation, and the manner thereof, The The manner of
Instructions before set down, are sufficient to direct the Exorcist; ConJunnsonly the Acter and his Scholar must be mindful in the way, as they
go towards the place of Conjuration, to reiterate the sacred forms of
Consecrations, Prayers, and Invocations, the one bearing an Earthen
Vessel with consecrated fire, and the other the Magical Sword, the
Book and Garments, till approaching nigh the place where the Circle
is to be drawn, they must then proceed to compose it after the aforesaid
manner. And at last Exorcize the Spirits on this following manner:
Seeing God hath given us the power to bruise the Serpents head, The form.
and command the Prince of Darkness, much more to bear rule over
every airy Spirit : Therefore by his strong and mighty Name
Jtefjobaf) do I conjure you, (naming the Spirits), and by his secret commands delivered to Moses on the Mount, and by his holy Name
3Q

482

The Apparitions.

What these
Spirits can do.

223.
An example of
their power.

How to dismiss
them.

BOOK xv.

The

Discovery

H£zttaQtammatfm,and by all his wonderful Names andAttributes', Jratrat,
<SHlon, <£mtllaf), &tf)attati)8, $aracIetos, &c. That ye do here immediately
appear before this Circle, in humane form, and not terrible or of monstrous shape, on pain of eternal misery that abides you, unless you
speedily fulfil my commands, ISatfjar, Baitat, &xtt)imf &ttafctm, ffcafttm.
Amen.
When the Exorcist hath finished this Conjuration, he and his
companion shall continue constantly turning themselves to the East,
West, North and South, saying, with their Caps in their hands,
<Her0Ott, &tteft, llepfjaton, ttoamtaf), Cation ; and within a little space
they will behold various apparitions upon the ground, and in the air,
with various habits, shapes, and instruments ; after that, he shall
perceive a troop of armed men with threatning carriage appear before
the Circle, who after they are conjured to leave off their phantasms,
will at last present themselves before the Exorcist in humane form.
Then the Master must be mindful to take the consecrated Sword,
and the cup of Wine into his hands ; the Wine he shall pour into the
fire, and the Sword he shall brandish in his right arm, being girded
about with a Scarlet Ribbon ; after this the Magician shall say,
<B5?a1)tte, (SJeptjtta, &tteptjmton ; then the Spirits will begin to bow unto
the Exorcist, saying, We are ready to fulfil thy pleasure.
So that when the Magician hath brought the Spirits to this length,
he may ask what ever he desireth, and they will answer him, provided
the questions belong to that order whereof they are.
Now the properties wherein they excel, are these ; They can give
the gift of Invisibility, and the fore-knowledge of the change of
weather; they can teach the Exorcist how to excite Storms and Tempests, and how to calm them again ; they can bring news in an hours
space of the success of any Battle, Seidge, or Navy, how farr off soever;
they can also teach the language of Birds, and how to fly through
the air invisibly./
'Twas through the assistance of these airy Spirits, that Chanchiancungi, the Tartarian Emperour did give the Chinois such a desperate
rout near the year 1646. for it is reported, that he had constantly in
his presence two Magicians, named Ran and Sionam, who perceived
every motion of the China's Army, and had intelligence by these
Spirits of the Emperour s private Counsels and Consultations.
And it is credibly reported by Magicians, that wonderful things may
be with facility effected through the assistance of these aforesaid
Spirits, so that the Exorcist must be very affable unto them, and
gently dismiss them (when he is satisfied) in this following manner ;
Seeing ye have willingly answered all our Interrogations and desires, we give you leave and licence, In the Name of the Father, Son,

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. VII.

and Holy-Ghost, to depart unto your place, and be ever ready to attend
our call; Depart, I say, in peace, and peace be confirmed betwixt us
and you. Amen. ^ •£< >J<.
After all these Ceremonies are finished, the Spirits will begin to
depart, making obeysance as they go; and then the Master must
demolish the Circle, and taking up all the Utensils repeat the Pater
Noster as they are going away from the place of Conjuration.

CHAP. VIF.
How to obtain the familiarity of the Genius* or Good Angel, and
cause him to appear.
ccording to the former Instructions in conjuring Spirits,
we must proceed to consult with the Familiars or Genii;
first, after the manner prescribed by Magicians, the Exorcist
must inform himself of the name of his good Genius, which he may
find in the Rules of Travius and Philermus; as also, what Character
and Pentacle, or Lamin, belongs to every Genius. After this is done,
Let him compose an earnest Prayer unto the said Genius, which he
must repeat thrice every morning for seven dayes before the Invocation.
The Magician must also perfectly be informed to what Hierarchy
or Order the Genius belongs, and how he is dignified in respect of
his Superiours and Inferiours ; for this form of Conjuration belongs
not to the Infernal or Astral Kingdom, but to the Celestial Hierarchy;
and therefore great gravity and sanctity is herein required, besides
the due observation of all the other injunctions, until the time
approach wherein he puts the Conjuration in execution.
When the day is come wherein the Magician would invocate his
proper Genius, he must enter into a private closet, having a little
Table and Silk Carpet, and two Waxen Candles lighted ; as also a
Chrystal Stone shaped triangularly about the quantity of an Apple,
which Stone must be fixed upon a frame in the center of the Table :
And then proceeding with great devotion to Invocation, he must
thrice repeat the former Prayer, concluding the same with Pater
Noster, &r*c. and a Missale de Spiritu Sancto.
Then he must begin to Consecrate the Candles, Carpet, Table and
Chrystal; sprinkling the same with his own blood, and saying, / do
by the power of the holy Names &gIaon, <£Iot, <£tot, Stefcfcatljott, &nepf)^

A

raton, Jfaf), &gtan, Jfaj, JlejobaS, Emmanuel, &trijott atofjonton, £atrat,

4§4
T h e form of
Consecration.

BOOK x v .

The

Discovery

Jkatrat, Jeobaacfjafj, &c. sanctifie and consecrate these holy utensils to
the performance of this holy work, In the Name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, Amen.
T h e Prayer.
Which done, the Exorcist must say this following Prayer with his face
towards the East, and kneeling with his back to the consecrated Table.
O thou blessed $l)attad my Angel Guardian, vouchsafe to descend
with thy holy Influence and presence into this spotless Chrystal, that
I may behold thy glory and enjoy thy society O thou who art higher
224. then the fourth Heaven, and know'st the secrets off <£IaneI. Thou that
ridest upon the wings of the wind, and art mighty and potent in thy
celestial and super-lunary motion, do thou descend and be present I
pray thee, and desire thee, if ever I have merited thy society, or if my
actions and intentions be pure and sanctified before thee, bring thy
external presence hither, and converse with thy submissive Pupil, by
the tears of Saints and Songs of Angels, In the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, who are one God for ever and ever.
This Prayer being first repeated towards the East, must be afterwards said towards all the four winds thrice. And next the yo.
Psalm repeated out of a Bible that hath been consecrated in
like manner as the rest of the utensils ; which ceremonies being
seriously performed ; the Magician must arise from his knees, and
sit before the Crystal bare-headed with the consecrated Bible in his
hand, and the Waxen Candles newly lighted, waiting patiently and
internally for the coming and appearance of the Genius.
signs of the
Now about a quarter of an hour before the Spirit come. There
appearance
vvill appear great variety of apparitions and sights within the glass ;
as first a beaten road or tract, and travelers, men and women marching silently along; next there will Rivers, Wells, Mountains and Seas
appear : after that a Shepherd upon a pleasant hill feeding a goodly
flock of Sheep, and the Sun shining brightly at his going down ; and
lastly, innumerable shews of Birds and Beasts, Monsters and strange
appearances, noises, glances, and affrightments, which shews will all
at last vanish at the appearance of the Genius.
The AppearAnd then the Genius will present it self amidst the Crystal, in the very
ance
same apparel and similitude that the person himself is in, giving instructions unto the Exorcist how to lead his life and rectifie his doings.
But especially (which is the proper work of every Genius) he
will touch his heart and open his senses and understanding, so
that by this means, he may attain to the knowledge of every Art and
Science, which before the opening of his Intellect was lockt and kept
secret from him.
After which, the Genius will be familiar in the Stone at the Prayer
of the Magician.

of Witchcraft.

CHAP.

CHAP. VIII.

485

VIII.

A form of Conjuring Hurttran the Familiar, otherwise called

L

^ I r t a t is a Familiar Domestick Spirit of the Norths who is T h e nature of
now become servant to ISalitm, Lord and King of the Northern Htmtran.
Mountains, he calls himself the Astral Genius of Pomonia, an
Island amongst the Orcades beyond Scotland* But he is not
particularly resident there ; for in the dayes of Solomon and
David, he was in Jerusalem, or Salem, being then under the
name of Uettlafj; after that he came over with Julius Ccesar, and
remained some hundred of years in Cambria, or Wales, instructing
their Prophetical Poets in British Rhimes, being then surnamed
Urthin-Wadd Elgin, from thence he betook himself unto this
Island, Anno 1500. and continued there for 50 years, after which
he resigned his Dominion to Balkin, and hath continued ever since
an attendant unto this Prince.
He is a Spirit of the Air in the order of dKIaurott, and is said to H i s Office
procreate as mortals do; He is often sent by his Master upon errands
to Lapland, Finland, and Strik-finia ; as also to the most Northern
parts of Russia, bordering on the Northern frozen Ocean : His office
(being called by Magicians) is to demolish strong holds of Enemies,
destroying every night what they build the day before ; to extinguish
fires, and make their Gunshot that it hath no power to be enkindled;
for his nature is to be at enmity with fire.* and under his Master with
many Legions he wageth continual warrs with the fiery Spirits that
inhabit the Mountain Hecla in Ise-land, where they endeavour to
extinguish these fiery flames, and the inhabiting Spirits defend the
flames from his Master and his Legions./
In this contest they do often totally extirpate and destroy one 225.
another, killing and crushing when they meet in mighty and violent T h e Warrs of
Spirits.
Troops in the Air upon the Sea; and at such a time many of the
fiery Spirits are destroyed, when the Enemy hath brought them off
the Mountain to fight upon the water ; on the contrary, when the
battle is on the Mountain it self, the Spirits of the Air are often
worsted, and then great mournings and doleful noises are heard both
in Iseland and Russia, and Norway for many days after.
But to proceed to the form of conjuring this aforesaid Spirit, the T h e form of
Magician must draw a Circle in a Moonshine night in some solitary the Circle and
Ceremonies.
Valley; the Circle must be 18 foot over, and another Circle a foot
distance within the same, being both drawn with chalk, and the

486

BOOK x v .

The

Discovery

Exorcist being girded about with two Snakes skins tyed together,
and having many Snakes skins tyed to his cap, and hanging down
before and behinde, must also with Chalk draw the form of a fiery
Mountain at one side of the Circle on this manner ;

The ConsecraM^untato!

c* ? Kattron]
[t immanuel]
The Conjura-

And round about the Mountain these following names must be wrote,
<§Iauton, <©*>otofc, Balftttt, <©j)otolt, SUttfjtit, <©ptoft, g>toafettar, jStaZaf),
(Btyotoft, *i* *i* HK After the Mountain is drawn, he must consecrate
the same in these following words, <©frott, &ttepfjetatott, ISarott ISatatfjtott, $afj fjalge tout tjeda, In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, Amen. *i* •{* •{«. After the Magician hath consecrated the Mountain, he must write betwixt the circles these following words ; Sittljttt
•{< jkalc fjii •!< ^ mtrtral l&atttrott* •£< &gla *i* ifelaura >i* BasSemo •{<
$ljotoal) ^ <£Iof)ittt >i* Immanntlf 4< Amen. A •{< A >b A •{*. Which
done, he must begin to Invocate the Spirit on this following manner.
o ye Powers of the East, &tf)attaton; of the West, <£rgott; of the
South, HJotalim; of the North, <&lauvort; I charge and command you
by the dreadful Names here mentioned, and the Consecration of this
terrible Mountain, to present your selves one of every sort before this
Circle by the power of timmanutl, and his holy Name. After this hath
with fervency been thrice repeated, the Exorcist will hear great noises
of Swords and fighting, Horses neighing, and Trumpets sounding,

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. ix.

and at last there will appear four little Dwarfs or Pigmies naked
before the Circle, their speech will be antient Irish ; which afterwards
being confined to a Triangle, they will interpret; the substance
thereof will be from whence they came last, and what wonderful
things they can do ; Then the Magician must ask them, if they know
one Huritran a familiar ; they will answer/ i^amaf) rti trullol) ISalftm,
he is Secretary or servant unto ISalftitt, and after the Exorcist hath
charged them to bring the said Huritran unto him, they will immediately bring him like a little Dwarf with a crooked nose, and present
him before the Magician in the triangle ; then the Magician shall
bind and tye him with the bond of obligation, and with his own blood,
without any contract of conditions to be performed, that he will
attend him constantly at his thrice repeating Huritran, Huritran,
Huritran, And be ever ready to go whether he will, to the Turks, or to
the uttermost parts of the Earth, which he can do in an hour, and
destroy all their Magazines.
After the Magician hath so bound him, he shall receive from the
Spirit a scrole written in this manner ;

487
TheAppariti*

ons

226.
Huritran.

The Compact.

which is the Indenture to serve him for a year and a day ; and then
the Magician shall dismiss him for that time in the form of dismission.

CHAP. IX.
How to Conjure the Spirit ISalfcitt the Master ^Huritran.
S in the former Chapter, the Exorcist is instructed to draw
the form of the Mountain Hecla within the circle, so in this
form of Conjuration he must do the same, adding these
names to be written round the Mountain Mathiel ; 3£aDumsI, The names of
&erapjiel, ^gnid, Itagel, Jfraciel, These are the names of Olyntftick Angels!C^
Angels, governing the North, and ruling over every airy Spirit that
belongs unto the Northern Climate ; so that the authority of these
names must be used in the calling up of this Spirit, because he is a
great Lord, and very lofty, neither will he appear without strong and
powerful Invocations.
Therefore the Magician must make upon Virgin Parchment the two
Seals of the Earth, and provide unto himself a Girdle made of a

A

BOOK x v .

The

Discovery

Bears skin with a rough side next his body, and these names wrote
round about in the outerside, >< &lpf)a •£< (Eorottfott, gal), CattiaJ,
J

&trottag •£• gboneas ^ Bamael •{« Engelt fortes •{< pur pur ^ <£Iti>ra,
<£loj)tm •fr <©mega ^ per flammam ignis •& per bttam Corottfott >%* Amen.
•{«. Also he must provide a black Priestly Robe to reach to his
ankles, and a new Sword with &gla on the one side, and <®n upon the
other ; having likewise been very continent and chast for three days
before the execution of his design : and when the appointed night
approacheth, he must take with him an earthen pan with fire
therein, and a little Viol with some of his own blood, as also some of
the Gum or Rozin that comes from the Firr-tree.
And coming to the appointed place in some solitary Valley, the
circle must be drawn with chalk, as the former, one circle within
another, and these powerful names in the circumference, (JMJeos Ott
^auttjon Hh Brescf)it, Hastjatnaim, &2Haf)aretf Slffiialjagafj ^ Cojju •{< ba
ISolju 7^ *fc ^ •{< 7% maguus eg tu fszn <&Io!)im <*ui super alas betitorum
ertuitarts •p.
This Circumscription is accounted amongst Magicians of all the
most powerful and prevalent.
After this the Circle, Mountain, Fire, Turpentine, Girdle, Garments,
Sword and Blood must be consecrated according to the foregoing
forms of Consecration, adding also this to the end of the consecration.
Mighty art thou O &trottas, <£lof)jm, ga, 8a, &te, &ie, &cimog, who
hast created the light of the day, and the darkness of the nighty tmto
whom every knee bows in Heaven and on Earthy who hast created the
Cofju and the 13ofjU, that is stupor or numbness in a thing to be
227. admired^ and mighty are thy magnificient Anjgels Hamael and OrUael,
whose influence can make the winds to bow, and every airy Spirit
stoop ; Let thy right hand sanctifie these consecrated utensils, exterminating every noxious thing from their bodies, and the circumference of this Circle. Amen. (Merita, J^alom, J:j)aIom, &gla on
ibassur, Catrae, &ugelt fortes. In Nomine Patris, Filii, &> Spiritus
Sancti. Amen, Amen, Amen. After that, he shall sweep the circle
gently with a Foxes tayl, and sprinkle the same round with his blood,
dipping also the Sword, or anointing it with the same, and brandishing the same in his right hand, he shall begin to conjure the Spirit on
this following manner:
I Exorcize and Conjure thee thou great and powerful USaZititt, Lord
0/(ffirlauron, Lordof&uxiism, and of fifteen hundred Legions, Lord of
the Northern Mountains, and of every Beast that dwells thereon by
[* Athanatos]
the holy and wonderful Names of the Almighty Jeljobafj, &tj)attato* ^

&tottoa ^ Homtnus semptternus >b &letf)etos •£• &atrag *i* SeJobaJ,

Of

Witchcraft.

CHAP.

IX.

tfteiresf), <£I gator •{« T&tm fortiestmus *i* anapjeraton, amotule,
ameron •£« •£• Hh ^antfjon Hh Craton •£» ifftttrttron ^ JaS, l^obaf),
<£lofjtm pentasseron •!< •£» trtmis et itnus ^ ^ ^ A / Exorcize and
Conjure, I Invocate and Command thee thou aforesaid Spirit, by the
powers of Angels and Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim, by the
mighty Prince Corott|Ott, by the blood of Abel, by the righteousness of
Seth, and the Prayers 0 / N o a h , by the %/oyces of Thunder and dreadful
day of fudgment;
by all these powerful and royal words abovesaid,
that without delay or malitious intent, thou do come before me here at
the circumference of this consecrated Circle, to answer my proposals
and desires without any manner of terrible form either of thy self, or
attendants; but only obediently, fairly, and with good intent, to present
thy self before me, this Circle being my defence, through his power who
is Almighty, and hath sanctified the same, In the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
After the Magician hath thrice repeated this Conjuration, Let him
immediately set the fire before him, and put the Rozin thereon to
fumigate at the appearance of the conjured Spirits, and at the instant
of their appearance he shall hold the Censer of fire in his left hand,
and the Sword in his right, still turning round as the Spirits do.
For in a little space after the Invocation is repeated, he shall hear
the noise of Thunders, and perceive before him in the Valley a mighty
storm of Lightning and Rain ; after a while the same will cease, and
an innumerable company of Dwarfs or Pigmies will appear mounted
upon Chamelions to march towards the Circle surrounding the same.
Next comes Balfttlt with his Attendants ; he will appear like the
god Bacchus upon a little Goat, and the rest that follow will march
after him afoot.
Assoon as they come near the Circle, they will breath out of their
mouths a mist, or fog, which will even obscure the light of the Moon,
and darken the Magician, that he cannot behold them nor himself;
yet let him not be discomfited, or afraid, for that fog will be quickly
over ; and the Spirits will run round the Circle after Ualtun their
Lord, who rides upon a G o a t ; they will continue to surround the
Circle, till the Magician begin the form of obligation or binding their
Leader or King in this form, with the Sword in his right hand, the
Fire and Rozin burning before him.
/ conjure and bind thee Balfctlt, who art appeared before me, by the
Father, by the Son, and by the Holy Ghost, by all the holy Consecrations I have made, by the powerful Names of Heaven, and of Earth,
and of Hell, that I have used and uttered in calling upon thee, by the
Seals which thou here beholdest, and the Sword which I present* unto
thee, by this sanctified Girdle, and all the sanctified and potent
things
3R

490

[* as]

BOOK xv.

The

Discovery

aforesaid. That here thou remain peaceably, and of thy present shape
before the Northern quarter of this Circle, without injury to me in
body, soul, or fortune ; but on the contrary, to answer faithfully unto
my demands, and not hence to remove, till I have licenced thee to
depart, In the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, A men. I
228.
When he is thus obliged, he will alight from his Goat, and cause
his Attendants to remove further into the Valley, then will he stand
peaceably before the Circle to answer the Magician.
After this the Magician shall begin to demand into his own possession a Familiar to build or pull down any Castle or strong hold in a
night ; and that this Familiar bring with him the Girdle of Conquest,
or Victory, that the Magician being girded with the same may overcome all enemies whatsoever,
And further, the Spirit is able to inform him of all questions
concerning Thunder and Lightning, the Motions of the Heavens, the
Comets and Apparitions in the air, Pestilence and Famine, noxious
and malevolent blasts, as also of the Inhabitants of the Northern Pole,
and the wonders undiscovered throughout the world.
Likewise if the Exorcist inquire concerning the habitations of starry
Spirits, he will readily answer him, describing their orders, food, life,
and pasttime truly and exactly.
After the Magician hath satisfied himself with inquiries, and curious
questions unto the Spirit, there will come from amongst the company a
little Spirit of a span long, like a little Elhiop, which the great King
i&alftttt will deliver unto the Exorcist to continue as a Familiar with
him as long as his life shall last. This familiar the possessor may
name at* it pleaseth him.
The three last, who had this Spirit into possession, were three
Northern Magicians, the first Honditros a Norwegian, who called it
PJilenar, and commanded it at his pleasure with a little Bell.
After him Benno his eldest Son injoy'd the same under the same
name.
And Swarkzar a Polonian Priest was the last who enjoy'd it under
the Name of JHuttcuIa; all which names were imposed upon it,
according to the pleasure of the Masters ; and therefore the naming
of this familiar is left to the discretion of the Exorcist.
Now when the Master hath taken this familiar into his custody and
service, the Spirit Balfcttt will desire to depart, being wearied if the
action continue longer then an hour. Therefore the Magician must
be careful to dismiss him in this following form :
Because thou hast diligently answered my demands, and been ready
to come at my first call, I do here licence thee to depart unto thy proper
place, without injury or danger to ma7i or Beast; depart, I say, and

of Witchcraft.

CHAP. IX.

be ever ready at my call, being duly exorcized and conjured by sacred
Rites of Magick ; I charge thee to withdraw with quiet and peace ;
and peace be continued betwixt me and thee, In the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Then the Spirits company will begin to march about their Prince,
and in a formal Troop will march along the Valley, whilest the Magician repeateth Pater Noster,&>c. until the Spirits be quite out of sight
and vanished.
This is a compleat form of conjuring the aforesaid Spirit, according
to the Rules of Vaganostus the Norwegian.

491

49 2

A Discourse

concerning

[APPENDIX

II.]

[ T h i s second Book of " A Discourse concerning Devils and Spirits", like the Chapters in
Appendix I, were added to the third edition, 1665, by some one unknown.]
A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A ^k
w w w w V V w V w w V V w w w V v V v w V V w w w w V

BOOK II
CHAP.

I.

Of Spirits in General; What they are and how to be considered: Also how farr the Power of Magitians and Witches
is able to operate in Diabolical Magick.
T h e reason of
this Addition.

T h e nature of
Spirits.

1. N BraK^9lEcause the Author in his foregoing Treatise, upon the
II ^ S r ^ Nature of Spirits and Devils•, hath only touched the subm f § 3 M J e c t t n e r e ° f superficially, omitting the more material part;
IpLwSBaql and with a brief and cursory Tractat, hath concluded to
speak the least of this subject which indeed requires most amply to
be illustrated ; therefore I thought fit to adjoyn this subsequent
discourse; as succedaneous to the fore-going, and conducing, to the
compleating of the whole work.
2. The Nature of Spirits is variously to be considered, according
to the source to which each Caterva doth belong : for as some are
altogether of a divine and celestial nature ; not subject to the abominable Inchantments and Conjurations of vitious mankind ; so others
are the grand Instigators, stirring up mans heart to attempt the
enquiry after the darkest, and most mysterious part of Magick, or
Witchcraft: neither is this their suggestion without its secret end :
that is, that by the private insinuation, and as it were incorporating
themselves into the affection, or desire of the Witch, or Magician ;
they may totally convert him into their own nature : reducing him at
last by constant practice, to such obdurateness and hardness of heart,
that he becometh one with them, and delighted with their association,
being altogether dead to any motions in himself that may be called
good.
3. And if we may credit example, which is the surest proof; the

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. I.

493

very imaginations, and affection of a Magician, doth create an evil T h e original
Essence or Devil; which was not before in being : for, as the Astral of evil essences.
Spirits are believed by many to Germinate and procreate one another,
so likewise are the infernal Spirits capable of multiplication in their
power and essence, according to their Orders, Ranks and Thrones ;
by means of the strong imagination in a Witch, or malevolous person,
earnestly desiring their assistance.
4. Not that the Spirits or Devils so begotten do any whit add or Their Germicontribute to the number in general ; for as they are capable of nation.
increasing into distinct and separated substances, so are they likewise
again contracted, and as it were annihilated ; when the force of that
Imagination is gone, which was the cause of their production : The
nature of a spirit, whither heavenly or hellish, being to dilate, or contract themselves into as narrow compass, as they please ; so that in
a moment they can be as big in circumference as an hundred worlds,
and on a sodain reduce themselves to the compass of an atome.
5. Neither are they somuch limited as Tradition would have them; Their Habitafor they are not at all shut up in any separated place: but can remove tion.
millions of miles in the twinkling of an eye, yet are they still where
they were at first : for, out of their own element, or quality, they can
never come : go whither they will, they are in darkness : and the
cause is within them, not without them : as one whose mind is
troubled here in England, can remove/ his Carcase from the place 40.
where it was before ; but should he go to the utmost bounds of the
Earth, he cannot leave his perplexed and tormented minde behind
him.
6. As for the shapes and various likenesses of Devils, It is gener- Their shapes.
ally believed, that according to their various capacities in wickedness,
so their shapes are answerable after a Magical manner / resembling
spiritually some horrid and ugly monsters, as their conspiracies
against the power of God, were high and monstrous, when they fell
from Heaven : for the condition of some of them is nothing but
continual horrour and despair ; others triumph in firie might and
pomp, attempting to pluck God from out of his Throne ; but the
quality of Heaven is shut from them, that they can never find it,
which doth greatly add to their torment and misery.
7. But that they are materially vexed and scorched in flames of Their place of
fire, is inferiour to any to give credit to, who is throughly verst in pleasure or torment.
their nature and existence : for their substance is spiritual; yea their
power is greater, then to be detain'd or tormented with any thing
without them : doubtless their misery is sufficiently great, but not
through outward flames ; for their Bodies are able to pierce through
Wood and Iron, Stone, and all Terrestrial things : Neither is all the

494

T h e cause of
their torment.

How Magicians deal with
them.

T h e Orders of
heavenly Beings.

T h a t they are

BOOK IT.

A Discourse

concerning

fire, or fewel of this World able to torment them ; for in a moment
they can pierce it through and through. But the infinite source of
their misery is Li themselves, and is continually before them, so that
they can never enjoy any rest, being absent from the presence of
God .* which torment is greater to them, then all the tortures of this
world combin'd together.
8. The wicked souls that are departed this life, are also capable of
appearing again, and answering the Conjurations of Witches, and
Magicians, for a time: according to Nagar the Indian, and the
Pythagoreans. And it cannot be easily conceived, that their torment
is much different from the rest of the Devils : for the Scripture saith:
every one is rewarded according to their works. And, that which a
man sows, that he shall reap. Now as the damned Spirits, when
they lived on earth, did heap up vanity, and load their souls with
iniquity, as a treasure to carry with them into that Kingdom, which
sin doth naturally lead into .• so when they are there, the same
abominations which here they committed, do they ruminate and feed
upon ; and the greater they have been, the greater is the torment,
that ariseth before them every moment.
9. And although these Infernal Spirits, are open Enemies to the
very means which God hath appointed for mans salvation ; yet such
is the degenerate and corrupted mind of mankind, that there is in
the same an itching after them for converse and familiarity, to procure their assistance, in any thing that their vain imagination suggesteth them with : to effect which, they inform themselves in every
Tradition of Conjuration and Exorcism ; as also in the names,
natures and powers of Devils in general, and are ever restless, till
their souls be totally devoted to that accursed and detestable nature,
which is at enmity with God and goodness.
JO. Now to proceed in the description of these Infernal Spirits
and separated Dcemons, or Astral Beings, as also of those in the
Angelical Kingdom ; they that pertain to the Kingdom of Heaven,
are either Angels which are divided into their degrees and orders ;
or else the righteous souls departed, who are entred into rest : And
it cannot be, but that the life of Angels and Souls departed, is the
same in Heaven, as also the food that nourisheth them, and the fruits
that spring before t h e m ; Nor is it possible for any, how expert so
ever in Magical Arts, to compel either of them, of what degree soever they be, to present themselves, or appear before them: Although
many have written large Discourses and Forms of Convocation, to
compel the Angels unto communication with them by Magical Rites
and Ceremonies.
11. It may indeed be believed, that seeing there are infinite num-

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. II.

495

bers of Angels, they are also imployed for the glory of God, and not subject to
conjurations.
protection of man/kind, (but not subject to Conjurations :) And that 41.
they accompany many righteous men Invisibly, and protect Cities
and Countries from Plagues, War, and infestings of wicked Spirits,
against which Principalities and Powers of Darkness, it is their place
to contend and war, to the confusion of the Kingdom of Darkness.
12. But such Spirits as belong to this outward World, and are of W h a t Spirits
may
the Elemental quality, subject to a beginning and ending, and to jured.be condegrees of continuance ; These may be solicited by Conjurations,
and can also inform Magicians in all the secrets of Nature ; yet so
darkly, (because they want the outward organ); that it is hardly
possible for any that hath fellowship with them, to learn any manual
operation perfectly and distinctly from them.
13. Many have insisted upon the Natures of these Astral Spirits : T h e nature of
some alledging, That they are part of the fain Angels, and conse- the Astral Spirits.
quently subject to the torments of Hell at the last fudgment: Others,
That they are the departed souls of men and women, confined to these
outward Elements until the Consummation: Lastly, others, As Del
rio, Nagar the Indian Magician, and the Platonists affirm, That their
nature is middle between Heaven and Hell; and that they reign in
a third Kingdom from both, having no other judgment or doom to
expect for ever.
14. But to speak more nearly unto their natures, they are of the T h e i r degrees.
source of the Stars, and have their degrees of continuance, where of* [* whereof]
some live hundreds, some thousands of years : Their food is the Gas
of the Water, and the Bias of the Air: And in their Aspects, or
countenances, they differ as to vigour and cheerfulness : They occupy
various places of this world ; as Woods, Mountains, Waters, Air, fiery
Flames, Clouds, Starrs, Mines, and hid Treasures : as also antient
Buildings, and places of the slain. Some again are familiar in Houses,
and do frequently converse with, and appear unto mortals.
15. They are capable of hunger, grief, passion, and vexation: they Their actions
and affections
have not any thing in them that should bring them unto God / being
meerly composed of the most spiritual part of the Elemeutsf: And [f n reversed]
when they are worn out, they return into their proper essence or
primary quality again ; as Ice when it is resolved into Water : They
meet in mighty Troops, and wage warr one with another : They do
also procreate one another; and have power sometimes to make great
commotions in the Air, and in the Clowds, and also to cloath themselves with visible bodies, out of the four Elements, appearing in
Companies upon Hills and Mountains, and do often deceive and
delude the observers of Apparitions, who take such for portents of
great alterations, which are nothing but the sports and pastime of

496

BOOK II.

A

Discourse concerning

these frolick Spirits : as Armies in the Air, Troops marching on the
Land, noises and slaughter, Tempest and Lightning, &°c.
T h e distinct
16. These Astral Spirits are variously to be considered ; some are
orders of starry Spirits.
beings separate and absolute, that are not constitute to any work or
service : Others are subservient to the Angels that have dominion
over the Influences of the Stars : Others are the Astral Spirits of
men departed, which (if the party deceased was disturbed and
troubled at his decease,) do for many years, continue in the source of
this world ; amongst these airy Spirits, to the great disquietness of
the soul of the person, to whom they belong : Besides the causes are
various that such Spirits rest not; i. When by Witchcraft they are
inchanted, and bound to wander so many years; as thrice or fourtimes
seven, before they can be resolved into nothing. 2. When the person
hath been murthered ; so that the Spirit can never be at rest, till the
crime be discovered. 3. When desires and lusts, after Wife, or
Children, House, Lands, or Money, is very strong at their departure;
it is a certain truth, that this same spirit belonging to the Starrs will
be hanckering after these things, and drawn back by the strong
desires and fixation of the Imagination, which is left behind it: Nor
can it ever be at rest, till the thing be accomplished, for which it is
disturbed. 4. When Treasure hath been hid, or any secret thing
42. hath been commit/ted by the party ; there is a magical cause of
something attracting the starry spirit back again, to the manifestation
of that thing. Upon all which, the following Chapters do insist more
largely and particularly.

CHAP. II.
Of the Good and Evil Daemons or Genii : Whither they are;
what they are, and how they are manifested; also of their
names', powers, faculties', offices ; how they are to be considered.
1.
The office of
CkZiinS°r

A Ccording to the disposition of the mind, or soul, there
J L J L *S a good or evil Dcemon that accompanies the party
visibly, or invisibly; and these are of such rancks and
orders, and names, as the capacity of the persons soul is, to whom
they belong : Their Office is said to be, fore-warning the person
of eminent danger, sometimes by inward instinct, sometimes by
dreams in the night, and sometimes by appearing outwardly. The
Dcemon or Genius changeth its nature and power, as the person

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP.II.

497

changeth his: and if from good, the party degenerate to iniquity; then
by degrees the good Angel leaves him, and an evil Damon doth
naturally succeed : for each thing draws after that which is like
it self.
2. Magicians mention three several wayes of enjoying the society Three ways of
of the Bonus Genius ; first by intellectual association, when secret society.
and mental instigations do arise in their hearts, to do this or that, and T h e firstwayto forbear the other : as in the Manuscript of Nagar the Indian, his
own testimony of himself is t o this effect : My blessed
Guardian
Hamtlftar, hath now so sweetly communicated himself unto me ; That
by all the manifestations', whereby a holy Daemon can attend and converse with mankind, he appeareth unto me : first in .the
intellectual
way, he is ever present, and every moment prompts me, what to act,
what to forbear from acting : Ah had he not rushed up through the
powers of my soul, and suddenly warned me in my Travel to Quiansi
in China, through the airy Region, to turn nimbly to the right hand,
at an instant, a mighty Troop of Devils, whose Leader was dKtacjjttOeft,
coming through that tract of air, had crusht me into a thousand
peices: This is the first degree of its appearing.
3. Then he proceedeth in the language of Sina, describing the The second
second way of its manifestation: And ivhen the deepest sleep hath over- w a y #
-poured me, I am never without him ; sometimes my Hattttlftar stands
before me like a glorious Virgin, administring
to me a Cup of the
drink of the Gods, which my Intellectual
man exhausteth : sometimes
he brings ccelestial Companies, and danceth round about me; and
when after the weariness of the Senses, through contemplation I fell
into gentle sleep on the holy Mountain of Convocation, which is called
Adan, he shelved me the motion of the Heavens, the nattire of all things,
and the power of every evil Daemon.
4. Thirdly, h e continueth to describe the External appearance of The third way
the Genius, to this effect: Uanulftar appears before me at my desire ; £earanc*.P
for my desires are as his desires : When I slept a long space in my
private dwelling, he appeared outwardly, and watering me with the
dew of the fourth Heaven, I awakned, when he hadthrise
said&mkixi
# a g a t ; so the time being come, we mounted through the Air, unto the
holy Mountain of Convocation.
5. In this Example the three degrees of the Apparition of the Bonus Their number.
Genius, or Good Dcemon are excellently deciphered, which is also the
same in the appearance of the bad Genius: and according to the
deepest Magicians, there be seven good Angels, who do most frequently
become particular Guardians, of all others, each to their respective
capacities ; and also seven evil Dcemons, that are most frequent in
association with depraved persons, as Guardians to them./

498
T h e seven
43.
good Angels.

[*his is text]

BOOK.

ii.

A Discourse

concerning

6. These are the seven good A ngels, or Damons.
Jufcattlatrace a mighty Prince in the Dominion of Thrones, he cometh
unto such as follow national affairs, and are carryed forth unto warr
and conquest; he beareth alwayes a flaming Sword, and is girded
about, having a helmet upon his head, and appearing still before the
party in the Air : he must be sollicited and invocated with Chastity,
Vows, Fumes, and Prayers : and this is his* Character to be worn as
a Lamin.

8&!Mt=#afj one of the Powers, accompanying such as are Virgins,
and devoted to Religion, and a Hermits life : he teacheth all the
names and powers of Angels, and gives holy Charms against the
assaults of Evil Damons : he must be addrest unto by Prayer,
resignation, and fasting, with a celestial Song out of the Canto's of
Nagar: this is his Character.

HPQTT1
$akjja!) appearing to those that are devoted to the knowledge of
Magick ; teaching them how to exercise Infernal Witchcraft without
danger, and in despight to the Devils : he must be sought by hours,
minutes, constellations, privacy and blood, &*£. He hath a bow bent
in his hand, and a Crown of Gold upon his head : this is his
Character.

HtdSttom one of the Powers who hath the ability of subservient
administration ; that is, at one time to be present with many ; he
resembleth a Ew with Lamb, typifying his nature in that appear-

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. II.

499

(feaottittt an Angel, causing his Pupil to go invisible, and transporting him at his pleasure in a moment, to the outmost parts of the
earth.
f^alanu the Instructer in Manual operations, by whom Bezaliah,
and Aholibah were divinely inspired for the structre* of the[*sic]
Tabernacle.
i£ama~umt who is the Instructer in Cabalistical Magick, and
reveals the secrets of numbers, the names of Angels, and the virtue
of Boim.
7. These are the seven bad Angels or Damons.
As the power and capacity of the good, proceeds from the strength T h e nature of
both.
of God, in the quality of heaven ; so is the force of the evil Genii, in
the hellish quality correspondent : for it is to be noted, that these
evil Angels did before their fall, enjoy the same places and degrees
that now the good or holy Angels do : so that as their power is to
instruct men in Government, Abstinence, Philosophy, Magick, and
Mechanick Arts, for a good intent, and for the glory of God : The
power of the evil ones is the very same to inform and instigate unto
the same attainments, as farr as they may be instrumental for the
Devil, or the Kingdom of Darkness therein.
8. Their names are 1. ^attalcarp, like a Crocodile with two heads. T h e seven evil
Genii,
2. ISatattott appearing like a Conjurer in a Priestly habit. 3. s?otttren- mannerand the
of
their appeanaj like a Hunts-man. 4. <&m?motiaI accompanying his Pupil like a rances.
Spaniel-Dog. 5. ttalltgargim the grand Inticer to theeving and robbery,
till he hath brought his followers to destruction. 6. J&orborgtatt who
can put on various likenesses, especially appearing as a Serving-man.
7. tSanttatt who most commonly possesseth the soul of those that are
joyned unto him./
9. These are the names of the 7 good and evil Dcemons ; according 44.
to the antient writing, on the Magical Art: who do also to many
particular Cities and Countries, ascribe certain good and evil Angels;
the one whereof protects and defends, the other inflicts Pestilence and
Famin upon them: Like unto which is the story recorded by Sigbertus An example.
in Chronicis: That in the 11 th year of the reign of Constans, a good
Angel and a bad were seen by the whole City of Constantinople, nightly
tofly about the City; and as often as by the command of the good Angel,
the other smote any house with a dart in his hand, such was the number
that dyed in that house, according to the stroaks given.
10. And indeed it is to be feared, that whosoever have ever T h e uncertainpretended, or do at present alledge, that they enjoy familiarity with a ty of communicating with
familiar Spirit; I say its greatly to be suspected, that all such Angels.
familiars belong to the Kingdom of Darkness ; for such are too too
officious, and ready to attend the depraved desires of mortal men;

5oo

Familiars in
the time of the
Jews.

Several men
have wrote and
methodized
the Art of
Conjuration.

BOOK II.

A Discourse concerning

whereas if communication with Angels, or good a n d holy Guardians
be at all attainable, yet such is t h e difficulty of t h e attainment, that
the examples thereof, if true, are exceeding rare : But in general, t h e
writings of Magicians a n d Naturallists do plentifully abound with
examples of this nature ; whether good or evil, is yet to be determined.
I have been told of a certain Country-man, in these dayes, who was
continually pestered with t h e company of a woman, discerned by
none but by himself: If h e was upon Horse-back, she would b e
behind him : if at dinner, she sate at his elbow ; if lying on his bed,
there she was also p r e s e n t ; A n d if at any time h e h a d taken a
journey, or gone about some unprofitable business, at such a time she
accompanyed him not ; a n d seldom escaped h e some mischief when
she was absent : But at last, for all her dutiful pretences, as she
accompanyed him, riding through a deep a n d swift running River, she
tumbled him into t h e deepest part, a n d lay upon him till she h a d
strangled or drowned him.
n . Amongst the Jews this kind of Idolatry was frequent, to consult
with a n d associate themselves unto familiar Spirits, whom they compelled to do them domestick service, dressing their Camels, lifting
their burthens, a n d doing their messages : for t h e attaining their
service they h a d many blasphemous Forms, a n d superstitious Ceremonies a n d Sacrifices ; making the holy N a m e s of God subservient
to their accursed practices : one whose n a m e was ?Saat=$$ett=ammttt,
was adjudged by the Law of Moses to b e burnt for t h e like practices ;
being condemned in the time of one Judah a high Priest in t h e
Captivity for killing an Infant, and with its blood performing Sacrifice
to Haafye&ul), with various ceremonies intermixed; by which means
his God had bequeathed unto him a certain Lacky from t h e Infernal
Troop to attend and serve him for his whole life time : this is to b e
found in Zoar's Coment upon Berosus, and Be/us, who affirms, That
at his tryal he endeavoured to prove, that the same was the good
Angel or Genius given unto him by the mercy of God.
12. Both t h e Hebrew Cabalists a n d Heathen Magicians, as also
those addicted to Magick in Christianity, have all of them laid down
certain forms of attaining t h e company of a good, or evil Angel, by
number and astrological Observations, fitted to t h e rules of Conjuration a n d Invocations : A n d many of the superstitious Rabbfs have
affirmed, That they were able by sttch practices, to cause the ghost of
Adam, Eve, or any of the holy Patriarchs to appear unto them : which
was surely t h e delusion of Satan to harden their hearts. But in t h e
Addition to the 15 t h Book of t h e Discovery this Subject is more
practically handled ; where many forms of obtaining the Society of
the Bonus, or Malus Genius, are plainly decyphered : so far as with
safety and convenience they could be described./

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP.

CHAP. m.

III.

501

45.

Of the Astral Spirits of men departed: What they are: And why
they appear again:
And what Witchcraft may be wrought
by them.
S the Astral

Spirits

separate, which belong not to a n y
years survive, or continue;
departed in discontent, a n d
melancholy, it is often known that they return again, and causing
terrour to families a n d houses, do wait for opportunity to disburthen themselves, that at length they m a y come into their
desired rest.
2. The opinion of many is, That the Devill in their likenesse is all
that appears: But the more Learned have sufficiently demonstrated,
through Example, and Experience ; That the apparition is really
fitoper to the person deceased. Nor can it easily b e denyd, That to
every man, and woman, while they live the natural Life, there belongs
a Syderial, or starry Spirit;
which takes its originaLwholly from the
Elemental property : A n d according to t h e weaker, or stronger
capacity of the party, it hath the longer, or shorter continuance, after
the bodyes decease.
3. Such persons as are secretly murthered, a n d such as secretly
murthur themselves, do most frequently appear again, a n d wander
near the place where their Carcase is, till the radical moisture be totally
consumed : according to t h e opinion of Paracelsus, after t h e consumption whereof, they can re-appear no longer, but are resolv'd into
their first being, or Astrum, after a certain term of months, or years,
according to the vigour, or force of that first attraction which was t h e
only cause of their returning.
4. T h e manner and seasons of their appearing are various : Sometimes before the person, unto whom they do belong, depart this life,
they do by external presentations forewarn him, near t h e time, that
the day of death approacheth. As it is reported of Codrus Lacenus, to
whom an empty, meager Ghost appeared at midnight, signifying unto
him, how sad and lachrymable a Tragedy was shortly to attend him ;
and also adding, that he would visit him in the Execution
thereof:
which proved not contrary to the words of the apparition ; for at t h e
very instant, when his Treacherous Wife had stab'd him at the heart,
on a suddain he beheld the same, with preparations for his interment,
whilst he yet survived, after the fatall wound was given.

do for
'•K deceased e person, deceased many
so if t h party
hath

T h e spirits of
men return again.

All men have
starry Spirits.

W h a t sort of
persons most
frequently reappear.

T h e manner
and time of
their appearance.

502
T h e reason
thereof.

BOOK II.

A

Discourse concerning

5. Sometimes the starry spirit of a person appears to his beloved
Companion, many hundred of miles asunder, who was ignorant of
the death of the party : And it hath often been heard, that when none
of the kindred or family of the said party deceased, have ever been
disturbed by it, or in the least been sensible of its appearing; yet to
some of its most intimate acquaintance, it discovers it self, and
importunes them to perform some ceremony, or other, that it may be
returned into rest ; or else discovers some treasure, which was hid by
the party whilest alive, or else some murther which it had commited :
But the most frequent cause of their returning, is when the party hath
himself been privately murthered.
T h e power of
6. For such is the poysonous malice, and bloudy spirit of the
Magitians over
murtherers, that it sufficeth them not to have privately bereaved them
them.
of their Lives ; but also by certain earnest Wishes, Curses, and Conjurations, they do afterwards adjure them, that for such a term of
years, they shall never have power to appear again : Which wishes,
being earnestly given forth, from the hellish root in the murtherer, do
exceedingly torment the murthered parties spirit, taking deep impression thereon ; so that it is alwayes in continual sorrow, and
anguish, till the term of years be expired, and till the murther be
made manifest to the world : after which discovery, it returns to
perfect rest ; This is well known to those that are exercised in
Witchcraft, and cruell Murthers, though not common to those that
murther but once./
7. There be many Ancient families, in Europe, to whom the Ghost
46.
of their first Progenitor, or Ancestor appears immediately before the
departure of some Heir, or chief in the same family : which assertion
Example.
is confirmed by Cardan, in an Example of "an Antient family, in the
1
Dukedome of Parma, called the Tortells, to whom there belongs an
' ancient Castle, with a spatious Hall; near the Chimney of the said
' Hall an old decrepit Woman, for these hundreds of years, is wonted
' to appear, when any of the Family is about to dye : And it is
* reported amongst them that the same is the Ghost of one belonging
:
' to the same name, and family, who for her Riches, was murthered by
some of her Nephews, and thrown into a pit.
T h e cause of
8. Many such apparitions do for many years continue to be seen in
the difficulty
one particular place; ever watching for opportunity, to discover some
and paucity of
appearances.
murther, or Treasure hid : And the cause of the difficulty of the said
discovery, consists in the nature of their substance ; for could they
make use of the organ of the Tongue, they might quickly discover
it : or if they had the outward benefit of Hands, they might produce the said Treasure, or Carcase murthered, but this they are
seldome able to accomplish ; being destitute of the outward Organs,

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. m.

503

and mediation of Hands to hold withall, or Tongue to vent their
grievances : And that this is true, the manner of their appearance
doth confirm it: For all that they are able to effect, if they have
been murthered, is commonly to appear near the very place, where
their body lies, and to seem as if they sunk down, or vanished in the
same ; or else to appear in the posture of a murthered person, with
mangled, and bloudy wounds, and hair disshevel'd : But it is rarely
known, that any such apparitions have plainly spoken, or uttered by
words, the time of their murther, with the cause, the persons name,
or place ; unless the murther, by circumstances hath been more then
ordinary, horrid, and execrable : then the remembrance of the same
doth sometimes enable the apparition to frame a voice, by the
assistance of the Air, and discover the fact.
9. But to speake in general concerning apparitions, why they are so More particuseldome seen ; and why such spirits as appear, can not without mans same.
assistance accomplish their design ; It may easily be apprehended,
that all Spirits, or spiritual Substances, and Devills, have their life,
breath, and motion in another source, or Element then this external
world ; And as any creature, whom the Element of Water hath
nourished, and bred, can live but short while upon the Land ; So its
with them, when they come out of their proper habitations : which is
the cause of the rarity of apparition; it being as difficult for any
spirit to manifest it self in this Outward principle, of the four
Elements, as for a man to continue with his head under water : yea
it is rather pain, then pleasure for any spirit, whether good, or bad, to
come into this outward world.
10. Great is the villany of Necromancers, and wicked Magicians, T h e nefarious
. . .

•,

-i

• •

r

i

1

1

1

•

practices of

in dealing with the spirits of men departed ; whom they invocate, Necromancers
with certain forms, and conjurations, digging up their Carkasses m an example again, or by the help of Sacrifices, and Oblations to the infernal Gods;
compelling the Ghost to present it self before them : how this was
performed in antient times, by Hags, and Witches, is notably
described in the Ethiopian History of Heliodorus, in the practice
" of an antient woman, who coming into the Camp, in the dead of
"night; where amongst many slaughtered bodies, the body of her
" Son was also slain ; whose carkase she laid before her, digging a
" hole, and making a fire on each side, with the body in the midst ;
" Then taking an earthen pot from a three footed stool, she poured
" honey out of it, into the pit; then out of another pot, she poured
" milk; and likewise out of the third : Lastly, she cast a Lump of
u
hardned dough, in the form of a man into the pit : the Image was
" Crowned with Lawrell: then she threw in some of the Shrub called
" Bdellium : This done, with a sword she ran frantickly up and down,

504

BOOK ii.
"
"
"
47. "
"

Example.

The state of the
Starry Spirit.

W h y the Ghost
of Samuel appeared.

T h e opinions
of Plato.

A

Discourse

concerning

cutting herself; and with a Lawrell branch sprinkled of her blood
into the fire : at length whispering at her Sons ear, she caused him
to arise, and questioning him of the fortune of his Brother, what was
become of him, he answered dubiously speaking prospe/rity to two
persons that secretly beheld her, and telling her, T h a t suddain death
u
for her impiety attended her, which came to passe ere she left the
" place ; after all these predictions, the Carcase ceased to answer any
" more : and tumbled groveling on the ground again.
11. And although by most men, as also by the Author in his foregoing Discovery, it is constantly believed, that t h e Witch of Endor
raised not Samuel, nor the Ghost of Samuel, as not beleeving that
there is an Astral Spirit or Ghost belonging unto every Man ; yet it
is very probable, that by her conjurations she caused his Sydereal
Spirit to appear : which is possible to be effected : and hath been
often done : as Weaver in his Funeral
Monuments
records of
Edward Kelly, " who in the P a r k of Walton Ledale in the County
"Lancaster,
with one Paul Waring, Invocated a Devil, and after" wards digg'd up the Corps of a poor man, that had been buried that
" very day, in a place near the same, called Law Church-yard:
whom
" he compelled by Incantations, and Conjurations to speak, and
" utter prophetical words, concerning the master of one of his
" Assistants.
12. According to the state and condition wherein a person dyes,
so is it with their Astral Spirit', for if they died in perfect peace, and
h a d come through the valley of true Repentance ; being dead to this
Life before it left them ; then their starry Spirit doth enter into
rest, in its proper source, or quality at the instant of their D e c e a s e :
nor is it possible for all the Conjurations in Hell, to cause them to
return, or appear again.
13. But some might object, T h a t Samuel was an Holy
Prophet,
and attaind tinto a perfect Life ; which is thus to be answered, that
before Christ came into the world, none of the most Holy Prophets
of God, did ever attain to that degree of blessednesse, that the Christians after Christ possessed: for in the time of the Law, a covering, or
vail was spread over the faces of all people : and something there
was that letted, or hindred their souls from any plain and perfect
vision, and fruition of G o d ; otherwise then through types, and
shaddows, which partition wall, the end of Christs Incarnation was to
break down.
14. In the writings of Plato, there be many strange Relations of
the apparitions of Souls, of their torments, and purgations, of the
cause of their returning, what their nature is, what their substance
and property is, and what their food, and nourishment is : but he

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. m.

505

mistakes the Soul for the Astral Spirit: for the Soul in its returning
and apparition is farr different; if a Holy Soul appear, it is to
persons like it self, and that in sleep, warning them of dangers, and
discovering heavenly secrets unto them : And if a Damned Soul
appear, it is likewise to such as are of a nature like it self: whom
it instigates, asleep, teaching them notorious Villanies in Dreams ;
and provoking them to every wicked cogitation.
15. The sect of Pythagoras have strange and antick opinions, con- Of Pythagoras.
cerning Souls, and Ghosts, or starry Spirits : whom they alledge
to be frequently converted into Gods, or Damons', or Demi-Gods, and
Heroes: (as the Platonicks do,) And that there is a continual traduction, and transmigration of Souls, from one to another, till they
attain to be deify'd at last; and then that they do frequently appear,
to those that be like themselves ; instructing, and forewarning
them : It was also the belief of many wise, and antient Philosophers,
that the Oracles were from such Dcemons, as had been the Ghosts, or
Souls of wise and excellent men: as ApolWs Oracle, and the
Oracle of Pallas, or Minerva : which opinions have much of reason
and probability.
16. It is also the opinion of some, that the particular Spirits of Of other Phifamous men do after the death of the body, take up some particular osop ers '
habitations, near such places Cities, Towns, or Countries, as they
most do affect, as Tutelaries, and Guardians unto them ; Which is
reported by Vopiscus, of Apollonius Thyaneus ; That when his City
Thyana was taken by Aurelianus the Emperour : and when he was
in his Tent, pondering furiously how to destroy the same; the
Ghost of Apollonius appeared unto him saying, Aurelianus, if thou
desirest to be a Conquerour, suppose not to slay these my Citizens :
Aurelianus, if thou wilt be a Ruler, shed no innocent blood: Aurelianus,
be meek, and gentle, if thou wouldst be a Conquerour. /
17. I have heard many wonderful Relations from Lunaticks or such 48.
as are almost natural fools, who have asserted, That being for many The Raptures
dates together conversant amongst Faeries in Woods, Mountains, and
Caverns of the Earth, they have feasted with them, and been magnificently Eniertaind with variety of dainties, where they have seen
several of their Neighbours or Familiar acquaintance in the habit they
were wont to weare, notwithstanding they were known to have been
dead some years before.
18. And many Learned Authors have also insisted upon this par- Their Enterticular, alledging, That when such as the Faeryes have brought into a i n m e n stheir Society do feast and junket with them, though they have a real
and perfect knowledge of their neighbours and acquaintance amongst
the rest, yet their Language they are not able to understand, neither
3T

506

BOOK ii.

A

Discourse concerning

do these Acquaintance of theirs acknowledge or take notice of them at
all, but do either sit {both they and all the rest) in a profound and
tedious silence, or else discourse in a most stupendious kinde of Gibberish, 7101 intelligible to strangers.
A strange ex19. But more particularly to illustrate this conjecture, I could name
amp e
*
the person who hath lately appeared thrice since his Decease, at
least some Ghostly being or other, that calls it self by the name
of such a person who was dead above an hundred years agoe, and
in his life time accounted as a Prophet or Prsedicter by the
assistance of Sublunary Spirits. And now at his appearance did also
give out strange Predictions concerning Famine, and Plenty, Warrs,
and Bloodshed, and the end of this world.
20. By the affirmation of the person that had Communication
with him, the last of his Appearances was on this following manner ;
/ had been, said he, to sell a Horse at the next Market Town, but not
attaining my price', as I returned home by the way I met this man aforesaid who began to be familiar with me, asking what news, and how
affairs moved throughout the Country ; I answered as I thought fit;
withall I told him of my Horse whom he began to cheapen, and proceeded with me so far, that the price was agreed upon ; so he turned
back with me and told me, that if I would go along with him, I should
receive my Money ; on our way we went, I upon my Horse and he on
another milk white beast; after much discourse I askt him where he
dwelt, and what his name was ; he told me, That his dwelling was
about a mile off, at a place called Farran ; of which place I had never
heard though I knew all the Country round about ; he also told
me, That he himself was that person of the Family of Learmonts so
much spoken off for a Prophet; At which I began to be somewhat
fearful, perceiving us in a road which I had never been in before,
which increased my fear and admiration more. Well on we went till
he brought me under ground I know not how into the presence of a
beautiful woman that payd me the moneys without a word speaking;
he conducted me out again through a large and long entry, where I
saw above 600 men in Armour layd prostrate on the ground as if
asleep : at last I found my self in the open field by the help of
Moon-light in that very place where first I met him, and made shift
to get home by three in the morning, but the money I received was
just double of what I esteemed it, and what the woman payd me, of
which at this instant I have several pieces to show consisting of nine
pences, thirteen pence halfpennies, G^c.
Apparitions be21. The variety of Examples throughout the writings of Learned
nity, were fremen may serve as stronge inducements to confirm this particular of
quent.
Astral Spirits, or Ghosts that belong unto Mortal men, returning

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. m.

507

after death untill the cause of their returning b e taken
away. I n Ancient times before t h e name of Christianity, there
was nothing more frequent than millions of Apparitions in fields
where battails h a d been fought, seeming to fight as they h a d
done at first, which t h e Ancient H e a t h e n s believed to proceed from
the want of Burying. And from this arose the Poetical R o m a n c e of
the wandring of Ghosts besides the River Styx for an hundred years.
And the custome of Solemn Interment amongst them.
22. But with more probability, T h e Custome of the Funeral Piles W h y Funeral
used by the Romans, and the U r n s to reduce their Corpses into Ashes, stimted.
was instituted at first to prevent t h e torment of the Deceased, least
his Ghost should wander, or return, which doubtlesse from a natural
cause may have the same effect, that the/ reducing of the carcase into 49^
Ashes suddainly after its decease m a y prevent t h e return of t h e
Astral S p i r i t ; for if it be true what is affirmed by Paracelsus, that
the starry Spirit can continue no longer then the radical moisture in
the body; it will naturally follow that its appearance is at an end
when the body is burnt, seeing that the moisture is totally exterminate and consumed thereby. And in some sense the Ceremony may
be said to be Laudable a n d Judicious, having so beneficial a consequence.
23. As there is some semblance of a natural cause in the custome What the want
of the Antient urns, so likewise may t h e Interment of slaughtered seth.1™
bodies by t h e like cause prevent t h e like Appearances ; for many
are the examples that I have read of such as appeared to their
surviving kindred and acquaintance, after they had been slaughtered
in t h e W a r r s , beseeching them to perform unto their bodies the
Sacred Funeral Rites that their Ghosts might return into Rest, for
which many have consulted with the Oracles to be informed whether
the deceased deserved Burial, because they held it unlawful to bury
Miirtherers, Incestuous a n d Sacriligious, persons, which Nature her
self doth also seem to hold if this following Relation b e not false :
which was, " T h a t some Learned men returning from Persia where
" they had been to see the King Cosroes, by the way interr'd a dead
" Carcase which they found unburied : And in the following night the
" Ghost of an Ancient Matron, a s if it h a d been t h e Spirit of t h e
" World or M a d a m N a t u r e her self, appeard unto them, saying, Why
" Interr ye that nefarious Carcase f let the Doggs devoure it; The
" Earth who is the Mother of us all admitts not of that man that
"depraves
his Mother-. So returning they found t h e Carcase yet
" unburied.
24. T o confirm t h e verity of Astral Spirits proper, a n d their T
x
returning, I shall conclude this Chapter with t h e Example of t h e of this Chap-

5o8
ter with an
example.

[* sic]

BOOK

II.

A Discourse

concerning

famous Aristeus the Poet who " in the Isle Marmora dyed suddainly,
" a t which instant a certain Philosopher of Athens arriving there,
" affirmed, That he had lately been in Company and discourst with him.
" In the mean time going to Bury him they found him yet alive, but
" never after that had he any constant residence amongst Mortals.
" Seven years after that he was seen at Proconnesus his native Town,
" and remaind a while composing several Poems and Verses called
" Arimaspei, and then vanished. In Metapontis he was seen 300
" years after that, charging that Apollo's Altar should be erected by
" the name of Aristeus Proconnesius. The like stories are reported of
Apollonius, and Pythagoras, whom their followers would have to be
Ubiquitaryes, affirming, That at one instant of time they were seen in
several places thousands of miles in distance. And though in *fam~
blichus who hath wrote the Life of Pythagoras, in Philostratus that
wrote the Life of Apollonius Tyanus, there be many fabulous things
reported as to the Astral Spirits separation, and return unto the
body; Yet I have sufficiently here endeavoured to separate the true
from the more Poetical part in this particular Subject of the starry
Spirits belonging to every individual man and woman, and their
returning after the body falls away.

CHAP.

IV.

Of Astral Spirits or separate Dcemons in all their distinctions,
names, and natures, and places of Habitation, and what may be
wrought by their Assistance.
Astral Spirits
common.

I t sic]
T h e Spirits 5 0 .
of the Planets.

Aving in the foregoing Chapter sufficiently illustrated the
nature of the Astral Spirits proper, that belong to every
individual; The subject of this present Chapter shall be of
Astral Spirits separate ; which are not constitute to any peculiar
work or service, but do only, according to their nature and temper,
haunt such places in the sublunary world as are most correspendentf
to their natures, and existence./
2. According to the Judgment of Magicians, the Seven Planets
have seven starry Spirits peculiar to themselves, whose natures are
answerable to that peculiar Planet under which they are constitute.
And they are said to be substitute under the seven Caelestial Angels
that govern the influences of the superiour Spheres, being equal in

H

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. IV.

509

their name and continuance with that planet whose Spirit they are,
that is, till the Consummation of all things visible.
3. And in that houre, month, day or year, wherein their Planet The Power of
hath the most dominion, then is their efficacy most prevalent, and the Planets their operation the most powerful upon inferiour bodies, whether to
the destruction or prosperity of that animal vegitative or mineral
subject to their Influences, according to the dignification of the
Planet at that instant Dominion ; for if ill affected, their nature is to
blast with Mildew, Lightning, and Thunder any Vegetative proper
to their Planet ; To deprive any Animal of sight or the motion of
the nerves under their Dominion ; And lastly, bring Plagues, Pestilence, and Famine, Storms, and Tempests, or on the Contrary to bring
sweet and excellent Influences upon Animals, or Vegetatives under
their Planetary Regiment, if well and honourably dignified.
4. Innumerable are the Spirits that inhabit the Aiery Region, Spirits of the
germinating amongst themselvs as Magicians affirm, and begetting
one another after a Mystical manner. It is their property to be instant
in storms and boistrous weather, which is said to be joy and delight
unto them; And in such a season they may with most facility be
calld upon, and make their appearance, which they do accordingly
to their age, and youthfulness, seeming young or old at their appearance answerable to their years. Besides they march in mighty
Troops through the Aiery Region, waging warr amongst themselves,
and destroying one an others beings or Existences, after which they
are reduced to the primary source or nature of the Starrs. This is
likewise to be observed that according to the Language, Vigour, Life,
and Habit of that Region wherein they live, such is their Habit,
Language, and Ability, one Caterva or Company being ignorant of
their Neighbours, or Enemies Language, so that they have need of the
Assistance of such Spirits as dwell in omnibus Elementisi to be their
Interpreters.
5. And doubtless from hence arise the various deceptions that* Their Actions.
men are incident unto in their judgments of Apparitions, perswading [*thut/«tf]
themselves that they are portents and foretokens of Warr and Famine,
when such numerous Spirits are beheld Fighting or Marching either
in the Air, Earth, or Water : whereas it is nothing else but the bare
effect of the Natures and Tempers of such Aerial beings to fight and
randevouse immediately after sun-set,, or else later in the Summer
evenings, which is their principal time of such Conventions. And
though it must be confest that such Spirits may be, and are the
Devils Instruments as appertaining to the Kingdom whereof he is
Ruler ; Yet considered in themselves, their Nature is wholly harmless,
as to ought that may be called innate Evilly having nothing in them

5io

BOOK II.

A Discourse concerning

that is eternal as t h e Soul of Man : and consequently nothing in them
that is able to make them capable of enjoying Heaven, or induring
the torments of Hell.
Spirits appro6. And it is believed by some, that according to t h e motion of t h e
Spheres! e
spheres, there are certain companies of Aerial Spirits good a n d b a d
that follow them in their motions round t h e earth, the good distilling
influences that are good, a n d t h e bad, such influences as are destructive to every thing that is under their Dominion. It is also believed
that by the assistance of Devils, a n d damned Spirits, such Aerial
[* read, and]
Spirits are given for Familiars to some Magicians add* Witches with
whom they are said to have actual copulation, a n d t h e enjoyment of
every dainty meat through their assistance, being able thereby to go
invisible, to fly through the air, and steal Treasures a n d Jewels from
the Coffers of Princes, as also carouse in Wine-sellers, a n d Pantries
of those that a r e most amply provided with t h e choisest Daynties.
Terrestial Spi7- Subordinate unto these of t h e Air a r e t h e Terrestrial Spirits,
nts
which are of several degrees according to the places which they
51. occupy, as Woods, Moun/tains, Caves, Fens, Mines, Ruins, Desolate
places, a n d Antient Buildings, calld by t h e Antient H e a t h e n s after
[* read, Lamice] various names, as Nymphs, Satyrs, Lamiif* Dryades, Sylvanes,
Cobalt,
&^>c. And more particularly the Faeries, who do principally inhabit
the Mountains, and Caverns of t h e E a r t h , whose nature is to m a k e
strange Apparitions on the E a r t h in Meddows, or on Mountains being
like Men, a n d W o m e n , Souldiers, Kings, and Ladyes Children, a n d
Horse-men cloathed in green, to which purpose they do in t h e night
steal hempen stalks from the fields where they grow, to Convert them
into Horses as t h e Story goes. Besides, it is credibly affirmed a n d
beleev'd by many, T h a t such as are real Changlings, or Lunaticks,
have been brought by such Spirits a n d Hobgoblins, the true Child
being taken away by them in the place whereof such a r e left, being
commonly half out of their wits, and given to m a n y Antick practices,
and extravagant fancies, which passions do indeed proceed from t h e
powerful influence of t h e Planet in their nativity, a n d not from such
foolish conjectures.
Faeries.
8. Such jocund a n d facetious Spirits are sayd to sport themselvs in
the night by tumbling a n d fooling with Servants a n d Shepherds in
Country houses, pinching them black a n d blew, a n d leaving Bread,
Butter, a n d Cheese sometimes with them, which if they refuse to eat,
some mischief shall undoubtedly befall them by t h e means of these
Faeries. And many such have been taken away by t h e sayd Spirits,
for a fortnight, or a month together, being carryed with them in
Chariots through the Air, over Hills, and Dales, Rocks and Precipices,
till at last they have been found lying in some Meddow or Mountain

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. IV.

5 IT

bereaved of their sences, and commonly of one of their Members to
boot.
9. Certainly the Lares and Penates, or houshold Gods of t h e antient Lares, and DoHeathens were no other than such like Spirits who for several years Jits?"5* p i
would keep their residence in one house till upon some displeasure
offered, or offences done by any of the sayd Family, they departed
and were never afterwards h e a r d of. T h e r e are plenty of such
examples to be found in Olaus Magnus, a n d Hector Boethus* in his l* read, BoeHistory of Scotland, relating wonderful passages of
Robin-goodfellows,
and such as have been familiar amongst mankind.
10. Htmtratt a familiar of this kinde did for m a n y years inhabit the Luridan a faIsland Pomonia, the largest of the Orcades in Scotland, suplying the m a i a r p i n t place of Man-servant and Maid-servant with wonderful diligence t o
these Families whom he did haunt, sweeping their rooms, and washing
their dishes and making their fires before any were up in the morning.
This Hurttratt affirmed, T h a t h e was the genius Astral, of that Island
that his place or residence in the dayes of Solomon and David was at
Jerusalem ; T h a t then he was called by the Jewes ISeMaij, and after
that he remaind Long in the Dominion of Wales, instructing their
Bards in Brittish Poesy and Prophesies being called Sirtfjttt, Mlatrtr,
<fi*ljjm: And now said he, I have removed hither, and alas my continuance is but short, for in 70 years I must resigne m y place to
Balftm Lord of the Northern mountains.
11. Many wonderful and incredible things did he also relate of this Baikin a FamiItalftttt, whom he called the Lord of the Northern Mountains, affirming
that he was shaped like a Satyr a n d fed upon the Air, having Wife
and Children to the number of 12 thousand which were the brood of
the Northern Faeries inhabiting Southerland
and Catenes with the
adjacent Islands ; And that these were the Companies of Spirits that
hold continual wars with t h e Fiery Spirits in the Mountain Heckla
that vomits fire in Islandia.
T h a t their speech was antient Irish,
and their dwelling the Caverns of the Rocks, and Mountains, which
relation is recorded in the Antiquities of Pomonia.
12. I have read another wonderful relation in a book de Annulis
A strange exAntiquorum,
Concerning a young man from whom the power of a m p e '
Venus was taken away so that he could not Company with his new
marryed Wife. T h e Story is briefly thus ; " Being busy a t play or
" exercise with some of his Companions on his marriage day, he put
" his wedding Ring on the finger of the Statue of Venus that stood
" besides the place least it should be l o s t ; when he h a d done, returning
" to take his Ring, the finger was bended inward, so that he could by
" no m e a n s pluck off/ the Ring to his great amazement, a t which 52.
" instant he forsooke the place, and in the night the Image of Venus

5i2

BOOK II.

A

Discourse concerning

" appeared unto him, saying, Thou hast espoused me, and shalt not
" meddle with any other : in the morning returning, the Ring was gone,
" and the finger made straight again, which troubled him mightily, so
" that he consulted with a Magician, who wrote a Letter to some
" Principal Spirit in that Dominion to which Venus belong'd, bidding
" the party stand watching at such a place at such an houre till he saw
" many troops of Spirits pass by him, and describing one in a Chariot,
" of stern and terrible Countenance, to whom he bad him deliver the
" Letter ; All which he performed, and after the person in the Chariot
" had read the contents thereof, he broke out into this expression,
"great God, how long shall we be subject to the insolencies of this
"accursed Rascal,naming the Magitian : But withal calling to a most
" beauteous Woman from amongst the Company, he charged her to
" deliver back the Ring which at length she did with much aversness,
" and after that he injoyd his Marriage rites without impediment.
Spirits of
13. Besides the innumerable Troops of Terrestrial Spirits called
Mountains?
Faeryes there are also Nymphs of the Woods, Mountains, Groves, and
[* read, Aegie] Fountains, as <B*agIe,* &retf)U0a, 5o, Jftetuppa, Krette, &c. who are sayd
to be altogether of the faeminine kinde, sporting and dancing, and
feasting amongst the trees in Woods, and bathing in clean and limpid
Fountains ; such have been seen by many, and are often alluded to,
by the Roman and Greek Poets. There is also a relation of a German
Prince, u who being exceeding thirsty and weary with hunting and
" hawking, lost his Company in the Woods, on a suddain beheld an
" opening at a little hillock amongst the trees, and a most beautiful
" Maiden offering a Golden Horn full of Liquor, which he received and
" drunk, and after rid quite away with the sayd Horn, not regarding the
" Virgins tears, who lamented after him ; tis sayd that having spilt
u
some of the sayd Liquor, it fetcht the hair from off his Horses skin,
" and the horn is yet to be seen in Germany, which I have been told by
" one that hath seen and handled it, affirming, That the Goldfor purity
" cannot be paralleled,
incubi, and
14* Another sort are the Jimifct, and J^uccttit, of whom it is reported,
Succubu
t h a t t h e Hunns have the original, being begotten betwixt these Jhtcufct,
and certain Magical women whom Philimer the King of the Goths
banished into the deserts, whence arose that savage and untamed
Nation, whose speech seemed rather the mute attempts of brute
Beasts, than any articulate sound and well distinguished words. To
these Incubi are attributed the diseases of the blood called the Nighthag, which certainly have a natural cause, although at the instant of
time when the party is oppressed, it is probable that certain malevolent
Spirits may mix themselvs therein and terrifie the soul and minde of
the afflicted party.

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. iv.

r
15. And amongst such Spirits as are resident amongst mortals,
there is a very froward kinde, who take delight to pull down what
man hath builded, who have been seen at the building of strong and
mighty Castles to come in the night and tumble all to the ground
that the workmen had reared the day before ; of this sort were f^orott,
g>ttIfcon, <£Iaura, and IftOTolIa, four pestiferous, and turbulent Animals
that for many years infested the first founders of the Emperours
Seraglio : Till one of the holy Musselmans did by certain Charms,
and Exorcisms constrain and bind them, to tell their names, and the
cause of their disturbing, which they declared, and were by him confined to destroy the mines of Copper in Hungaria.
16. There is also a Relation extant in the life of Paul the Hermit
of a Satyr appearing to him in the Woods, and discoursing with him
that it was a mortal Creature as he, and served the same God,
dehorting the people to worship them for demi-Gods, as they had
been accustomed to ; Like unto this is the Story of the Death of the
great God Pan ; That a Mariner sailing by the Island of Cic/lia,
was called by his name from the shore, and by a certain voice was
bid to tell the Inhabitants of the next Island, that the great God Pan
was dead, which he o/beyed, and though in the next Island there were
no Inhabitants, yet when he approached he proclaimed, towards the
shoar that Pan was deceased, immediately after which Proclamation
he could sensibly hear most doleful and lachrymable Cryes, and
noyses, as of those that lamented his departure.
17. Eatttfje, is sayd by Magitians, to be a water Spirit, who is ever
present when any are drownd in the water, being delighted much in
the destruction of mankinde, that it may enjoy the Company of their
Astral Spirits after their decease; for according to the four Complexions or Constitutions of the body of Man, The Astral Spirit
associates it self with separated substances ; The Phlegmatick,
to the watry Spirits : The Sanguine, to those of the Aire ; The
Cholerick, to the Fire; and the Melancholy, to the Terrestrial
Spirits. But this is only to be supposed of such persons as dyed
in discontent, and restlesness.
18. Of another sort are such Aquatick Animals as in former times
have conversed, and procreated with mankinde bearing divers Children;
And at length snatching all away into the watry Element again,
whereof there are variety of Examples in Cardanus and Bodin. Of
this sort was the Familiar of Paulus a Mendicant Frier, called by him
dflotimtlla, and entertaind as his Bed-fellow for forty years, though
unknown and unseen to any but himself, till upon some unhandsome
carriage of the Fryer, his Companion accompanying him over the
Danube, leapt into the River and was never after seen.

3 u

513
Afroward
° pm

Example.

Example.
53.

janthea.s?\x
*

of the water

Watry Spirits
Procreate-

that

5*4
Apparitions on
the water.

BOOK II.

A

Discourse concerning

19. Innumerable are the reports and accidents incident unto such
f r e q U e n t t h e s e a S ) a s fisher-men and sailers who discourse of noises,
flashes, shadows, ecchoes, and other visible appearances nightly seen,
and heard, upon the surface of the water. And as the disposition of the
Heavens is according to the constellations, and climates, so are these
spectres appropriate to particular parts, and coasts, from the North to
the Southern Pole. But more especially, abounding in the North,
about Norweigh Isleland, Green Land, and Nova Zembla.
Prophetical ri20. Neither are the Storyes of the Greek, and Latine Poets all
ca[SfountaIns.
together to be sleighted in this particular ; for many verities are inter-woven with their fictions, they speak of vocal Forrests, as Dodona, of
Talkative Rivers, as Scamander, of sensitive Fountains as Arethusa,
Menippa, and JEagle ; Which more credible Historians have partly
confirmed in the Relation of Dodona, asserting that the trees do seem
to speak by reason of the various Apparitions, and Phantasms, that
attend the Forrest. And also in the Story of the River Scamander,
which is sayd at this day to afford plenty of spectres, and prophetical
Spirits, that have nightly conversation with the Turkish Sailers
coming by that way with Gallyes into the Mediterranean.
21. The like is reported of a Castle in Norweigh standing over a
Lake wherein a Satyr appeareth sounding a Trumpet before the death
of any Souldier, or Governour belonging to the same, tis sayd to be
Example.
the Ghost of some murdered Captain that hath become so Fatal, and
Ominous to his Successors. But with more probability may be
called a Spectre proper to the place according to the Constellation.
22. And it hath been the conjecture of eminent speculators that
Spirits in
from the Loins of such arise the numerous brood of Elves, Faeryes,
Lycanthropi; And Pigmyes, sometimes visible, sometimes invisible in
Green-Landand the adjacent rocks where they have no concomitants,
but bears and scurvy-grass to mix, and make merry withal, except
they pass from thence to the Northern parts of America, where they
shall find their off-spring adored for Gods, and Goddesses, by the
ignorant Inhabitants about new Albion, and as far South as Mexico,
as is amply related in the discourses of Drake, Cortes and Purchas
concerning the conquest and discovery of these Territoryes.
Destroying
23. By Apparitions upon the water many have been tempted to leap
Spmts.
j n t Q t j i e g e a - n p U r s u i t thereof till they were drowned, of which
spectres there is a sort called by Psellus, Ordales, who do appear like
Ducks or other Water fouls, till they by fluttering upon the water, do
entice their followers to pursue them so farr that many perish in the
54. attempt, which doth greatly delight these faithless/ Spirits who (as we
have said before) do long to accompany their Astral Spirits after their
decease. An Example of this kinde I my self knew, besides the
ag

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP, IV.

515

numerous relations I have had from the mouths of others, which confirm the opinions of the antient Magicians concerning these water
Spirits, that of all the rest they are the most deceitful, and dangerous,
like the flattering Seas, and swift gliding Torrents, that when they
have wonn any thing, to admire, and sound them, do carry them
violently into the abysse of their own Element.
24. But we will leave the waters and insist a little on the nature of
Igneous or Fiery Spirits that inhabit the Mountains in Hecla, ALtna, Fiery Spirits.
Propo Champ, and Poconzi; Where the Courts, and Castles of these
puissant Champions are kept. The opinion of some is, That they are What these
not Astral, but Infernal Spirits, and Damned Souls, that for a term p i n s are '
of years are confined to these burning Mountains for their Iniquities :
Which opinion although it be granted, yet we may assert, That for
the most part the apparitions, sounds, noices, clangors, and clamors,
that are heard about the Mountain Hecla in Island and other places,
are the effects of separated Starry beings, who are neither capable of
good nor evill, but are of a middle vegetative nature, and at the
dissolution of the Media Natura shall be again reduced into their
primary either.
25. And from natural Causes, it may be easily demonstrated, That why they dethere is great Correspondence betwixt such substances, and the Ele- }lfgiemenf.fie
ment of fire, by reason of the Internal Flagrat and Central Life
proceeding from the Quintessence or* one only Element which upholds Q* ? of ]
them, in Motion, Life, and Nourishment. As every natural, and
supernatural being is upheld, and maintain'd out of the self-same
root from whence it had its original, or rise ; So the Angels feed upon
the Celestial Manna, The Devils of the fruits of Hell, which is
natural to their appetite, as trash for swine ; the Astral beings ; of the
source of the stars, the Beasts, Birds, or Reptiles of the fruits of
the Eatth,t and the gas of the Air, the fishes of the blass of the [t sic}
Water; But more particularly, every thing is nourished by its
Mother, as Infants at the Breast, either by exhausting or fomentation.
26. Such Spirits are very officious in the burnings of Towns, or Spirits that
Cole-pits, delighting much to dance and exult amidst the flames, and
become Incendiaries worse then the material Cause of the Combustion, often tempting men in drukeness,J to burn their own Houses, [t «V]
and causing Servants carelesly to sleep, that such unlucky accidents
may happen. As the Story of Kzarwilwui a Town in Poland doth
confirm, which was reduced to ashes by three of these pestilentious
Animals, called Jbaggoa, IStoutrtral, and ISattrtom, who after many open
Threatnings for six months together, that they would destroy the City,
and Citizens, did on a dark and stormy night, set all on fire on a

5*6

T h e i r food and
pastime.

W h y they delight in the
fiery quality.

Fire]

Astral Spirits 5 5 ,
ministers to
the devill.

[• sic]

W h y the devil
requires their

help.

BOOK II.

A Discourse concerning

suddain in twenty or thirty several places, which irrecoverably destroyed t h e Inhabitants.
27. As for t h e nourishment of fiery Spirits, it is radical heat, a n d
the influence of the Aery Region ; their sport a n d pastime consisteth
for t h e most part in tumbling, a n d fooling one with another when t h e
flames are most impetuous, and violent in t h e Mountains .• A n d it is
likewise credited by some that their office is to cruciate and punish
some Evil Livers, retaining, and tormenting their Souls, or Astral
Spirits for many years after the Bodies decease, which is too empty a
notion to be hearkened unto by any that are well informed of their
natures.
28. Neither is it to be wondered at that they are so much delighted
with the fiery quality in regard of their affinity and appropriation with
infernal spirits, whose state a n d being is altogether damnable and
deplorable ; for although they have not t h e ability of attaining either
the Heavenly or Infernal quality, by reason that they are utterly voyd
of the innermost Center, and may be rather called bruits, then rational
Animals, yet because they belong to the outermost ^principle, such is
their innate Affinity, and Unity with the dark World, or infernal Kingdome that they do often become t h e Devils Agents to propagate his
works upon the face of the Earth./
29. By t h e Instigations of infernal Spirits they are often sent to
terrifie men with nocturnal visions, in the likeness of monstrous Beasts
or Ghosts of their deceased Friends. They are moreover often abetted
to tempt a n d provoke melancholy people to execute themselves ;
besides innumerable wayes they have of executing the pleasures of
*iniquous Spirits through malicious Instigations, and secret Stratagems
projected b y them to the destruction of mortal men, especially when
the work to be effected by t h e Devil is too too hard for his subtle a n d
spiritual nature to bring to pass, because the same belongs to t h e
Astral source or outward principle to which these dubious Spirits do
properly belong ; then are they frequently sollicited to mediate in such
treacherous actions, as the hellish Spirits have conspired against t h e
Lives of mortal men.
30. More particularly, T h e s e Spirits that belong to the fiery Element,
are most officious in this kinde of service, being naturally such as t h e
Antecedent matter hath sufficiently demonstrated ; but according to
the ranks a n d Categoryes to which they belong, some of them are
more inveterate, and malicious in their undertakings then the rest.
But every kinde of Astral Spirit is obsequious to the Kingdome of
darkness, that the devilish Spirits can effect little or nothing without
their assistance in this external principle of the Starrs a n d Elements
upon the bodies or possessions of Mankind ; because their bodies are

Divels and Spirits.

CHAP. IV.

517

too crude and rough for the conveyance of their, influence, either in
Dreams, Raptures, Philtres, Charms, or Constellations, as the following Chapter of the nature of Infernal beings shall make plain, wherein
the nature and capacity of every damned Spirit is decyphered
according to the truth of the antient Philosophy.
31. Leave we now the Spirits of the fire, to illustrate the natures of Subterranean
Spirits.
subterranean Beings, whose Orders, Species, and Degrees, are various;
for they consist in these distinctions, viz. Spirits of men deceased,
Souls of men deceased, separated Spirits Astral, separate Spirits
semi-Infernal, Spirits appropriate to the Constellations where any of
the seven metals, viz. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Venus,
Mercury, are found in the bowels of the Earth ; and as farr as the
natures of Minerals are distinct one from the other, so much distant
are these Subterranean Spirits in Nature and Faculty in respect of
their places, shapes, names, and qualities.
32. But they are not all confined unto the metallick Kingdome; for Spirits of the
there are also Spirits of the Mountains, Vallies, Caves, Deeps, Hiata's, Mountains,
Caves, and
or Chasma's of the Earth, hidden Treasures, Tombs, Vaults, and T o m b s .
Sepultures of the Dead. To the last belong the Astral Spirits of
deceased Mortals, that delight to hover over the antient Carcases to
which they belong'd, seeking still to be dissolved, and diligently
enquiring the Cause of their retention ; such are resident in silent
Caves, and solitary Vaults, where the deceased lie till the Humidum
Radicale be exciccate, and totally dryd up, after which their tricks
are no more manifest, but are utterly extinguished, and annihilated.
^. To the next, belong such Spirits as are Protectors of hidden Spirits of hidTreasures, from a natural Cause, from whence they do exceedingly den Treasures.
envy mans benefit, and accomodation in the discovery thereof, ever
haunting such places where money is conceal'd, and retaining malevolent and poysonous Influences, to blast the Lives and Limbs of those
that dare to attempt the discovery thereof: Peters of Devonshire with
his confederates, who by Conjuration attempted to dig for such
defended Treasures, was crumbled into Atomes, as it were, being
reduced to Ashes with his Companions in the twinkling of an eye.
34. And upon this particular, we have plenty of Examples of the T h e nature of
destruction of such as by Magical experiments have discovered hidden such Spirits.
Treasures ; which instances do rather seem to prove, That such as
haunt these places do more nearly belong to the Infernal, then to the
Astral Hierarchy, in regard that they are so infesting and inveterate
to Mortal men, that the Grand Intention of the Prince of darkness
may be accomplished in their designs./
35. But of all the rest such as haunt Mines and mettle men, are the 56.Spirits that infest Mines and
most pernicious, and frequent from the same Cause with the former. Miners.

5i8

An Example
of a turbulent
Spirit.

Conclusion.

BOOK II.

A

Discourse concerning

The nature of such is very violent; they do often slay whole Companies
of Labourers, they do sometimes send inundations that destroy both the
Mines, and Miners, they bring noxious and malignant vapours to stifle
the laborious workmen ; briefly, their whole delight and faculty consists in tormenting, killing, and crushing men that seek such Treasures,
that mankind may never partake thereof to relieve their Cares, and
worldly necessities.
36. Such was Ancebergius a most virulent Animal that did utterly
confound the undertakings of those that laboured in the richest Silver
mine in Germany, called Corona Rosacea. He would often shew himself in the likeness of a he-goat with Golden horns, pushing down the
workmen with great violence, sometimes like a Horse breathing flames,
and pestilence at his Nostrils. At other times he represented a Monk
in all his Pontificalibus, flouting at their Labour, and imitating their
Actions with scorn and dedignation, till by his daily and continued
molestation he gave them no further ability of perseverance.
37. Thus, I have hinted the various distinctions, and sub-distinctions of Astral Spirits proper or common, illustrating their natures
according to the opinions of the Learned ; from thence I proceed to
say what the Infernal Hierarchy is, and whereof it doth consist in this
fifth Chapter following.

CHAP.

V.

Of the Infernal Spirits, or Devils, and damned Souls treating,
what their Natures, Names, and Powers are, &c.
W h a t this
I.
Chapter treats
of.

T h e place of
hell or the habitation of devils.

L

Eaving the Astral Kingdome, I will now proceed to describe
the natures, and distinctions of Infernal Spirits or Devils, and
damned Souls, who are to be considered according to their
ranks, and orders, exactly correspondent to the Quires, and Hierarchies
of the Angels, or Celestial beings, wherein I will insist upon their
names, shapes, places, times, orders, powers, and capacities, proceeding gradually from a general narration, to a particular Anatomy of
every sort of Spirit in its proper place and order.
2. As for the Locality or Circumscription of the Kingdome of darkness, it is farr otherwise to be considered then the vulgar account it,
who esteem the hellish habitation, a distinct Chasma or Gulph in a

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. V.

519

certain place, above, under, or in the Center of the Earth, where innumerable Devils, and wicked Souls inhabit, who are perpetually
scorched, and tormented with material flames of fire. This is the
opinion which naturally all men are addicted and prone unto. But if
we will rightly consider the Kingdome of Heaven and Hell, in respect
of one another, we must look upon the similitude of light and darkness
in this outward world, who are not circumscribed, nor separate as to
Locality from one another ; for when the sun arises, the darkness of
the night disappeareth, not that it removes it self to some other place
or Country, but the brightness of the light overpowereth it, and
swallows it up, so that though it disappeareth, yet it is as really there
as the light is.
3. This is also to be considered in* the description of the Habitations Illustrated by
a similitude.
of good, or evill beings, that they are really in one another, yet not [* text iu]
comprehended of one another, neither indeed can they be, for the
evil Spirits if they should remove ten thousand miles, yet are they in
the same quality and source, never able to finde out or discover where
the Kingdome of Heaven is to be found, though it be really through,
and through with the dark Kingdome, but in another quality which
makes them strangers to one another.
4. A similitude hereof we have in the faculties of the humane Life, T h e differs
rence [sic]
as to the indowments of the Soul considered in the just, and in the betwixt heaven
wicked ; for to be good, pure, and holy, is really present as a quality and hell.
mpotentia with the depraved/ soul, although at that instant the Soul 57.
be cloathed with Abominations, so that the eye which should behold
God or Goodness is put out. Yet if the soul would but come out of
it self, and enter into another source or principle, in the center it
might come to see the Kingdome of Heaven within it self, according
to the Scripture, and Moses, \The word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and [ t Deut. 30, 1 9 ]
in thy Mouth.
5. True it is that the Devils and damned Souls cannot sometimes How the Devils
can
into
manifest themselvs in this Astral World, because the nature of some this come l d .
Wor
of them is more near unto the external quality then of others, so that
although properly the very innermost and outermost darkness be
their proximate abode, yet they do frequently flourish, live, move, and
germinate in the Aery Region* being some of them finite and determinate Creatures.
6. But according to their fiery nature, it is very difficult for them to T h e great diffiappear in this outward worldj because there is a whole principle or culty of their
appearance.
gulph betwixt them, to wit, they are shut up in another quality or
existence, so that they can with greater difficulty finde out the being
of this World, or come with their presence into the same, then we can
remove into the Kingdome of Heaven, or Hell with our intellectual

520

T h e cause of
few appearances now.

T h e Devils
power in t h e
time of the
Law.

H i s power under Christ in
the flesh.

Under Christianity.

BOOK I I .

A

Discourse concerning

man ; for if it were otherwise, and that the Divels had power to
appear unto Mortals as they list, how many Towns, Cities, d^c. should
be destroyed, and burnt to the ground, how many Infants should be
kild by their malicious power ! yea few or none might then escape in
Lives, or Possessions, and sound minds, whereas now all these enjoyments are free amongst mortals, which proves, that it is exceeding
hard for evill Spirits to appear in the third principle of this world, as
for a man to live under water, and fishes on the Land. Yet must we
grant, that when the imaginations, and earnest desires of some
particular Wizards, and envious Creatures have slirr'd up the center
of Hell within themselvs, that then the Devil hath sometimes access
to this world in their desires, and continues here to vex, and torment
so long as the strength of that desire remains which was the first
attractive Cause.
7. For the very cause of the paucity of appearances in these dayes,
is the fulness of time, and the brightness of Christianity, dispelling
such mists, as the sun doth cause the clouds to vanish, not by any
violence or compulsion, but from a natural cause ; even so the Kingdome of Light as it grows over mans soul, in power and dominion,
doth naturally close up the Center of darkness, and scatter the
influences of the Devil so that his tricks lye in the dust, and his will at
length becomes wholly passive as to man.
8. In the time of the Law, when the wrath and jealousie of the
Father, had the dominion in the Kingdom of Nature, all Infernal
Spirits had more easie access unto mankind then now they have ; for
before the Incarnation of Christ, the anger of God had more dominion
over the soul of Man, and was more near in nature unto the same ; so
that the Devils could with more facility spring up in the element of
Wrath, to manifest themselves in this outward principle, because the
very Basis and Foundation of Hell beneath, is built and composed of
the Wrath of God, which is the channel to convey the Devil into this
sublunary World.
9. But when Christ began to be manifest unto the World, the
multiplicity of Appearances, and possessed with Devils, began insensibly to decay and vanish. And if any should object, That betwixt
the space of his Incarnation and his Suffering, such accidents were
rather more frequent than in the times before: To this I answer,
That the Devil knowing well that his time was but short ; and also
knowing, that till the great Sacrifice was offered up, he had leave to
range and rove abroad the Kingdom of this World ; therefore he
imployed all his forces and endeavours to torment those miserable
souls and captives to whom Christ came to Preach Deliverance.
10. But after the Partition wall was broken down, and the vail of

Devils and Spirits,

CHAP. v.

521

Moses, and of the anger of God from off the soul in the death of Christ,
there was a sensible and visible decay of the Devils prancks amongst
mortals, and that little remnant/ of Lunaticks and Possessed, which 58.
continued after Christ, did the Apostles relieve and set at liberty,
through the influence and virtue of the promise of the Son of God (to
wit) the Holy Ghost, or the Comforter, which could not come until he
went away: And on the day of Pentecost, whilst they waited in
humility for the fulfilling of his promise, the very effect of Christs
birth and sufferings did first manifest it self, when the Holy Ghost
sprung up amongst them, to the destruction of Sin and Satan.
11. And so long as the purity of Christianity continued in the Under ApostaPrimitive Church, there were very few that the Devil could personally
or actually lay hold of in the Astral Man, for the space of two hundred years after the death of Christ, until that from Meekness and
Abstinence, the Christians began to exalt themselves in Loftiness
and Worldly Honours ; then the Devil began to exalt his head
amongst the Lip-Christians, bewitching them into every Lust ; and
captivating their inward and outward faculties at his pleasure. As
all along in Popery is clearly seen.
12. Yet notwithstanding, the coming of Christ hath prevented the Under idoiaDevils force in general. Such Nations as have never embraced the
Christian Faith, are still deluded and bewitched by him ; because
the center hath never been actually awakened in any of them, so
that the Devils power prevails over them mightily, to seduce them to
worship things visible, and not the true God : For where the most
darkness is in Religion and Worship, or in natural understanding,
there his power is most predominant; As in Tartary, China, and
the East-Indies; also in Lapland, Finland, and the Northern
Islands.
13. In the West-Indies or America, his access is very facil and How power in
freequent to the Inhabitants, so that by custom and continuance they Lands.
were at the first discovery thereof, become so much substitute and
obsequious to his power, that though they knew him to be a power
of Darkness, yet they adored him lest he should destroy them and
their Children. And unto such a height were they come at the Landing of Cortes, Drake, and Vandernort, that they could familiarly
convert themselves into Wolves, Bears, and other furious Beasts ; in
which Metamorphosis their Enthusiasms and Divinations were
suggested, and such were held in greatest esteem.
14. Till upon the Invasion of the Spaniards, the greater evil drove Hi s power in
out the less, and the cruel Murthers of that Antichristian tradition,
did both depopulate the Islands and most of the Continent ; and
also by accident, though not through any good intention, extirpate
3X

522

BOOK ii.

A Discourse concerning

the race of such as addicted themselves to this infamous sort of
Divination. I n which devastation, a n d bloody inquisition, their Idols
were discovered with their Oracles and Inchantments, far different
from t h e European Conjurers, and any of their Ceremonies.
T h e variety of
15. But that which is the most remarkable in the Infernal proceedConjurations
ings, is this, T h a t there is not any Nation under the Sun, but t h e
according to
the Countries.
Devil hath introduced himself amongst them through their Ceremonies a n d Worship, though quite opposite to one another : F o r in
the Kingdom of China, by the sacrifice of Blood and Panaak, he is
Conjured a n d Exorcized through the repetitions of several Superstitious Invocations to the Sun a n d Moon. I n Tartary the Magicians
go quite another way to work, with Offerings to the Ocean, to the
Mountains, a n d the Rivers, fuming Incense, a n d divers sorts of
Feathers ; by which means the Devils are compelled to appear. So
that we see how this Proteus can dispose himself in the divers Kingdoms of this W o r l d ; being called by other names in Tartary,
China,
the East and West-Indies, &c. then amongst the European Conjurers.
Likewise the Greeks a n d Romans could Invocate Spirits by Prayers
unto the Moon, a n d divers Sacrifices of Milk, Honey, Vervine, a n d
Blood. And those that are addicted to Conjurations in Christianity,
have attained to a more lofty a n d ample manner of Incantation a n d
Conjuring with Magical Garments, Fire, Candles, Circles, Astrological Observations, Invocations, a n d holy N a m e s of God, according to
the Kaballa of the Jews./
Why few are 59.
16. So that every distinct Nation hath conformed its Conjuration
unto t n e
Spirits.ralSG
Ceremonies of that Religion which it professeth : And it is
to b e observed, T h a t from a natural cause every Nation hath its
Conjurations a n d N a m e s of Devils, from the Constellation under
which the Countrey lyeth, a n d from the Air or W i n d to which such
particular Dominations do b e l o n g ; so that no effect would follow, if
one Countrey should traditionally inure themselves to t h e Forms and
Exorcisms that are used by another Nation. A n d therefore is it that
so many attempts are offered in vain amongst professed Christians to
raise Spirits, because they have little or nothing from their own
Constellation, but make, use of what they have borrowed from t h e
Greeks a n d Romans, or t h e ancient Imbecillity of t h e
Egyptians
Priests ; I mean, their simple forms of Invocation.
The Names of
17. But because we are rather upon the discovery of t h e Infernal
rime^oAhe116 Kingdom, as it hath no dependence upon the doings of mortal Men ;
Law.
therefore we will proceed to discover what the Antients have said
concerning it : So t h e next which we fall upon after the description of their Habitations, a n d the manner of their Appearances, is
their Names and Appellations diversly considered. First, from t h e

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP.v.

523

Creation of the World to t h e coming of Christ, they retained the
Hebrew names, as ISeltal, Baal, ISaal^imfr, 2UIaf), IStror, &foatrtrim, &c.
according to the seculum under which they were Invocated ; assuming names according to the present occasion about which they were
imployed.
18. Under the Constellation of China, they a r e Invocated by the Their Names
in China.
Names Itan, Jbtnoam, bantam, iSal, ISaltal, £1jeaU, the six Governours
or Presidents : Cfjatttattgian, t h e chief of t h e Devils : $ 0 , Pagttt,
&aWn, f^teio, the Devils of the four W i n d s : Heatt, Han, $att, &fcal, the
Devils of the four Elements. And according to the nature of their
language or words which do all consist of no more then one syllable,
so are the Devils named. Yea, as it is conjectured by m a n y learned
Magicians, this language of the Chinenses is more Magical and adapted to Conjurations, then all t h e Oriental Tongues, because of the
consonancy and copiousness thereof, together with the numerous and
various Characters used by them.
19. I n the East-Indies, and in Tartary, t h e N a m e s are t h e same In the EastIndies.
with those of China, though the Ceremonies differ. In Persia,
Arabia, Tartaria.
Greece.
Natolia, JEgypt, ^Ethiopia, the N a m e s are the same with the Jewish Italy.
Rabbins.
But the Greeks and Romans have different from the rest, West Indies.
according to their Language a n d Superstitions. T h e Turks, Muscovites, Russians, Lapponians,
a n d Norwegians,
make use of the
Sclavonian
tongue in all their Conjurations. T h e
West-Indians
have very strange and antick N a m e s a n d Ceremonies of their own,
nothing depending on the Traditions and Practices of the old W o r l d ;
for, as is related before, the Devil is sufficiently capable of introducing himself through the Religious Superstitions of any Nation whomsoever, according to t h e Constellations, although strangers to t h e
Rites and Ceremonies of others.
20. But though their N a m e s be conformable to the Language and T h e nature
of their Names.
Climate of that Nation where they are raised o r . c a l l e d ; yet have
they divers Names, suppose twenty or thirty to one Devil, according
to the several ministrations they have had from t h e Creation to this
day, leaving a several name behinde them at each of their appearances upon the e a r t h ; for, according to t h e testimony of the Devil
himself, if credit may be given to Devils, they, as they are abstractively considered in their own Kingdom, have no imposed N a m e s of
distinction, but are forced to assume them when they rise up in t h e
external principle of this World : although in some measure it must
be granted, that there be some principal Kings and Dukes in t h e
Infernal Hierarchy, that have N a m e s establish'd upon them which
cannot be transferred or altered.
21. As for the Names that are recorded in this precedent Discovery T h e names of

524

BOOK ii.

of \_sic\ Devils in
Scot.

A

Discourse concerning

of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot Esq ; being a Catalogue of Devils

60. in their Rancks/ and Hierarchies, they are supposed to be fictitious

[*«V]

T h e names of
Damned souls.

Whence the
names of Devils are.

T h e names of
Devils in the
Kingdom of
Fiacim.

T h e Shapes of
Devils.

and totally imaginary, being taken out of Bodin or Wyerus, which
they recorded from the mouth of Tradition, and obscure Manuscrips :*
And indeed were there any certainty in this List of Devils, it were to
be preferred as the most ample and exact delineation that is extant.
But it is the rather to be suspected, because of the little coherence
it hath with the former received Names of Devils eitheir in Europe,
Asia, Africa, or America.
22. But if we would speak of Damned Souls and their Names or
Appellations, they are farr otherwise to be considered then the Devils;
for such as their imposed Names were here on earth, such is the
Name they have in the Kingdom of Darkness, after a Magical manner,
according to the language of nature in the first principle of Darkness ; as the Saints in heaven retain their Names in a Ccelestial
manner : And also, as the Astral Spirit of a Man deceased, retains
its antient Name according to the Astral source in the principle of
the one only Element.
23, For as the language of Nature is found in the second Principle,
it is likewise manifest in the dark Worlds property, according to the
first Principle of Wrath ; as also the monstrous shapes of Devils
and Damned Souls is correspondent to the Magical postures of their
Souls whilst they were alive ; of which I shall speak more largely
when their Shapes are to be described. According unto which, as
also according to the rest of their attributes, viz. their Rancks, Numbers, Times, Powers, Places, &c. their Names are fitted and conformed
according to the uniformity of name and thing in the principles of
the eternal and external nature.
24. And as all other Nations have their various Appellations for
Devils and Damned Souls, like their natural tone or language; so we
can mention one Kingdom more admirable then the rest, viz. the
Kingdom of Fiacim at the Northern Pole, where all the Counsellors
are Magicians ; and the Names which they use in Invocations, are
Mathematically disposed in a wonderful harmony and efficacy, to the
performance of Magical operations. So much of the Places and
Names of Infernal Beings ; the next to be considered is their Shapes
and Likenesses.
25, The Shapes of Devils are answerable to the cause of their
Fall, and the Dominions to which they belong. Those that belong
to the Supreme Hierarchy, when they are called by Magicians, do at
first appear in the form of fierce and terrible Lyons, vomiting fire,
and roaring hideously about the Circle ; from thence they convert
themselves into Serpents, Monkies, and other Animals, till the Magi-

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. V.

525

cian do repeat the form of Constriction or Confinement to a Trine or
Triangle, as before is mentioned in the Fifteenth Book of the Discovery.
26. After the Conjuration is repeated, they forsake these bestial As they appear
shapes, and *indow the humane form at first like troops of Armed In the Highest
Men; till at last by frequent repetitions of other Ceremonies, they rank*
appear as naked Men of gentle countenance and behaviour. Yet is [* = indue]
the Magician to take care that they deceive him not by insinuations ;
for their fraudulency is unspeakable in their appe arance and dealings
with Mankind ; because we may be assured they appear not willingly,
but are by forceable Conjurations compelled : so that they will ever
minde their own ends in medling with man ; that is, to deprave his
minde, or subvert the Lives and Estates of others through his means
and assistance.
27. The rest of the Infernal Dominions have various appearances, in the lower
The two next Orders affect to represent the beautiful colours of Birds, ordersand Beasts, as Leopards, Tygers, Pecocks, &€. But by Conjurations
they may be likewise reduced to a Manlike form, wherein they will
readily answer every demand within the compass of their capacity,
answerable to the Order unto which they belong : Yet many of them
appear in Monstrous forms, and can hardly be conjured to desert
them. Though the Exorcist Charm them never so wisely,/ they will 61.
shew him a pair of Crocodiles jaws, or a Lyons paw, with other
dreadful menaces, enough to terrifie any Novice from such Damnable
Injunctions as the practice of Magick.
28. But more especially, the opinion of the antients is, That accord- That the Deing to the division of the clean and unclean Beasts in the Law given rabieto^hewe
unto Moses, the Shapes of Devils are disposed in the Infernal unclean Beasts.
Kingdom : So that the most perverse and potent amongst the Devils
represent the most ugly and mischievous amongst the Beasts, according to this following division ; viz. such Devils as gtetarotl), Huctfer,
Uartrott, $otottoft, who incline men and instigate them to pride and
presumptuousness, have the shapes of Horses, Lyons, Tygars, Wolves
Such as instigate to Lust and Covetousness have the forms of Hogs,
Serpents, and other filthy reptiles or envious Beasts, as Dogs, Cats,
Vultures, Snakes, &°c. Such as incline to Murther, have the shapes
of every Bird and Beast of prey. Such as Answer Questions humane
in Philosophy, or Religion, have more tolerable shapes, almost manly,
but with crooked Noses, like Mermaids, or Satyres. And of all the
rest it is to be observed, that as not one single Lust or Vice hath
dominion without mixture in the evil Spirits, so they are not of a
distinct shape lik one single Beast, but compounded into Monsters,
with Serpents-tails, four eyes, many feet and horns, &*c.

526
T h e shapes of
Damned Souls.

T h e i r times
and seasons.

Their places of
appearance.

When Tempests reign.

According to
the situation
of Regions.

BOOK

II.

A Discourse

concerning

29. And as in general, these are the shapes of Devils, so the particular shapes of D a m n e d Souls are to be considered in the same
manner with the rest, only with this difference, that they are more
addicted to metamorphose themselves and vary their appearances.
Though, for the most part, the D a m n e d Souls retain the humane shape
after a Magical manner, so that the greatest part of that numberless
number are in their antient shapes, especially when they appear in
sleep to their surviving acquaintance. Their aspects are very dismal
and melancholy like the Ghosts of the Astral source.
30. Now to speak of the Times and Seasons of their Appearance.
T h e better sort of Magicians to square their times with Astrological
hours, especially of Saturn, Luna, and Venus, in the Moons increase,
and the middle of the night, or twelve a clock at noon : In which
hours they do likewise compose their Garments, Caps, Candlesticks,
Figures, Lamins, Pentacles, and Circles for Conjuration. As for the
Times in respect of their Infernal Courses, the fittest are when they
spring up in the Wrath, or when they sink in the Dispair, which is a
mystery to the learned Conjurers of Europe.
31. In respect of this exterior World, they can most easily appear
in solitary places, when the Sun is down ; for they are naturally at
enmity with the Sun, because it stands as a type of the Mediator, or
H e a r t and Centre which they lost utterly in their fall, and now are
destitute of, like a wheel without an axletree. And indeed, the want
of this is the chief cause of all their torment, and of the rising of the
gnawing W o r m , when they consider of their irrevocable sentence, and
irrecoverable loss.
32. In storms of Hail, or Snow, Wind, Tempest, and Lightning, is
accounted amongst Magicians, a time for Conjuring at an easie rate.
And they say, T h a t such Ceremonies will prove very effectual, if a
Conjurer begin his Exorcisms in the hour and day of Luna, in the
middest of a furious storm of Lightning, Rain, and Thunder, in a low
Vault or Celler that is close and retired. Also when the Wind blows
high, without Rain, they say, the Devils are more near the Kingdom
of this World, and may with great facility be sollicited or raised at
such a season, because they delight in all extremities of weather,
being themselves the first cause of the disorder of the properties in
the Kingdom of Nature.
33. But in some Countries they can more easily appear then in
others, according to the Constellations, for they delight much in the
extremities of the two Poles toward Lapland, Nova Zembla, Greenland, Tartary ; and in the South towards the Islands scattered
about the confines of Terra Incognita.
They are likewise easily
Invocated on the shoar amongst lofty Rocks and Precipices, or in/

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. v.

527

Deserts and Wildernesses far from Towns or Inhabitants. A n d it is 62.
said, they do much respect the motion of the Seas in their appearance
unto such as solicite them in places Maritime or Plagiary.
34. As for their Rancks or Orders, there is some difficulty in t h e Their Ranks
and Orders.
true discovery thereof, by reason that we know not certainly of what
Orders they were that Fell.
T h e opinion of most men is, That of
every Order many fell. But those that better know the nature of t h e
Heavenly Hierarchies, have sufficiently proved, That of any Ranck or
Order none can fall unless all do follow.
Therefore with more reason
may it be judged, That before the Devils fell, the Hierarchy of Heaven
did consist of three Rancks or Orders ; to wit, the Order of $lttei, of
iittcfjael, of Uttctfet: That of Uttctfer is totally in Hell: T h e other
which is under jftfttcfjael, is the dominion of Heaven : T h e last which
is $Ettel0, are more in the dominion of this third principle of the Stars,
having the Planets in their dominion, with the influences thereof.
35. So that the foregoing Catalogue, transcribed b y t h e Author of In three distinctions.
this Discovery, is utterly feigned and fictitious, because it makes these
many sorts of Devils to have Dominion over several Legions in several
distinctions of Seraphims, Powers, Thrones, Dominations,
Cherubims,
&c. Whereas the whole Kingdom of Hell consists but of one only
Hierarchy, which is that of fluctfet and his Legions, reduced by their
exorbitances into that Lacrymable posture wherein they now are a n d
shall be for ever. Which Doctrine seriously weigh'd will prove t h e
attempts of Conjurers a n d Magicians to b e utterly vain, and their
forms of Invocation vanity and falshood.
36. Their number may b e thought upon more narrowly, if we con- Their numbers. *
sider that they consist of one Hierarchy a n d no more ; yet must we
confess that the limit is not to b e put thereunto, because their nature
is to Germinate and Multiply as they please, contracting and dilating
themselves according to t h e force of their imaginative powers a n d
faculties. But although this b e granted, yet there is a setled number
of Devils that varyeth not. Though of D a m n e d Souls the number is
numberless and unfathomable ; yet as to their extent of room or place,
it is never the more because of their multitude, they being able to truss
a thousand Legions into the carcass of a man. As for the opinions of
Authors, they are various ; it is believed by some, That the Starrs are
answerable to their number; others speak of the Sands upon the Seashore : however it be, this is certain, They are even innumerable
in
respect of humane
Capacities.
37. Their Natures are now to be considered as they belong to t h e Their natures
and properties.
hellish source or quality. In themselves they rest not, neither are
they capable of the length or shortness of time, nor of the alternate
courses of day and night. T h e wickedness which they committed in

528

BOOK ii.

A

Discourse concerning

this life, are their continual torment, which do Magically gnaw and
corrode them, rising and boyling up perpetually within them, all the
refrigeration which they have, is by intercourse when the height of
Wickedness begins to stirr them in blasphemies against God, and
towring up above heaven and goodness, in their adulterated Imaginations, which is unto them as sport and pastime with one another, and
lasteth such a space as with us makes up forty minutes. Neither
Their torments doth this any whit advantage them, but rather adds to their torment;
for pain discontinued is the greater : neither would vexation be vexation, if it had no respite or forbearance ; That the contrary might be
also manifest, Nam contrariajuxta seposita majus elucescunt. Yet is
their torment exceedingly different, so that the torment of one, in respect
of another, is but a Dream or Phansie ; I mean, amongst the Damned
Souls, and not the Devils, for the pain and sorrow of the Devils is
greater then the greatest of the lost Souls, by many thousand degrees,
according to the course of nature and reason ; for that which falls
highest, suffers most, and optima corrupta fiunt pessimal
The Variety 63.
38. But wonderful and manifold are the torments which all in
general of the Infernal troops, do suffer according to the various lusts
they reigned in whilst they lived upon the earth. The cruel Murtherers
that died in the boyling source of blood and envy, their torment is the
greatest, they are continually Murthering in their imaginations, and
seeking, like dreaming men, to do what the want of the Organ will not
suffer them ; for according to the saying of the wisest upon this Subject, this is the torment and misery of all the Damned, That they are
continually wishing and woulding; and in wouldings they generate
Ideas and representations, which are the species of their continual
aggravations and deceiving phansies.
The Nature
39. Those that were buryed in Lust and Gluttony, Drunkenness and
thereof.
Lasciviousness, are also in miserable torments, yet much inferiour to
the first; they are continually imagining their former pleasures in the
Magia as in a dream, which when they wake, torments them cruelly ;
they are often hanging, stabbing, and mangling themselves for love,
and perpetually sinking down in sorrow and despair, if they were such
as died in love, or in the height of their Astral affections, leaving
behind them a heap of desires and lusts, which are the only cause of
all their torment. And we may well compare the passions of Melancholy persons, or such as in Deserts, Woods, and Mountains, pine
away for love of Women, unto their torments ; which indeed being
the trouble of the mind, are absolutely the greatest and heaviest that
the source or property of this World affordeth, I mean, the perturbations of the minde in general.
Their torment
40. Such souls in whom the boyling source of Anger and Rage,

Devils and Spirits,

CHAP.V.

529

hath had a dwelling or receptacle, if they depart unmortified, do also
1

•./• 1 1 •

-.

/-

i - i

•

11

•

,

enter into a most dreadful kind of torment, which continually anseth
as a biting Worm and hungry fire to double and accumulate the
excess of despair upon them, if they have much domineered therein
whilst they lived in this World. Also these that reigned in Pride and
Envy, are ever seeking to pluck God from his Throne, and towring up
in their Imaginations, as men that dream, still seeking for the Kingdom of heaven, to insult and boast therein ; but the quality thereof is
utterly occult and estranged from them ; so that they can never finde,
taste, hear, nor see it, though it be through and through with their
own peculiar principle. This adds perpetually to their misery, and
ariseth at times with horrible pangs and gnawings, like the irksome
and vexatious pains and aches subject to Mans body, which cease
a while and then begin to shoot and ake by intercourse, as the Gowt,
Tooth-ach, Head-ach, Convulsion, Gripings, and the Stone.
41. Thus their torments are in brief described, but indeed the
capacity of Man is not able to reach the description of their cruel
miseries, and continual pangs which they contracted upon themselves;
for every faculty is sufficiently plagued. The Sence of Hearing is
disturb'd with harsh and rugged sounds, which are as an antipathy
to that Organ ; as rough and scraping sounds externally offend the
ears, and set the teeth on edge, by affecting the tender fibres of the
same. Their Sight is likewise cruelly offended and affrighted with
monstrous appearances and Ideas represented continually to their
imaginations. And there is not any loathsome taste in the Kingdome
of this World, either Animal, Vegetative, or Mineral, which they are
at any time void of, being continually pestered and suffocated with
filthy fumes and smoaks of hellish fruits, as of Sulphurean stinks, and
abominations.
42. Neither are the other Sences of the Touch and Smell behind
in participation of the like Torments, which their own iniquities do
perpetually excite and create unto them; besides, they - are ever
vexing one another; and if any be in the same misery with whom
they had acquaintance here on *eath, the very Magical knowledge,
and perceivance, or remembrance thereof, doth beyond utterance or
conception, most miserably afflict and macerate their Souls and all
their Sences./
43. For the nature of their habitation is such, that their torment is
exceedingly aggravated thereby, because the extremity of the four
Elements is there converted into a whole Principle of wrath and
vexation. The excess of cold and heat, drought and moisture, are
continually raging amongst them by intercourse. Neither is there
any light or lustre to be seen within their Courts, but that which
3Y

in h e

t

source

of A n g e r .

in all the
Senses.

five

By their acearth!tance °n
pread, earth]

64.
The^Natureof

530

T h e food of
Devils.

[* ? eternal]

Their food in
the Astral
source.

Their Speech.

W h a t Language they affect.

BOOK ii.

A Discourse

concerning

comes from their fiery Eyes, as a deadly glance or glimmering, being
sudden fiery flashes and sparkling, as the enkindling of Gunpowder,
or Aurtun fulminans
for a similitude.
44. And as every kinde of Being feeds upon somewhat of its own
nature, property, and element, whither it be Plant, Animal, or
Metalline kinde ; so the Devils are neither destitute of meat, drink,
nor cloathing, according to their own Kingdom and quality, having
fruits springing and growing before them of hellish, sour and
poysonous natures, which are real and palpable unto them, and not
imaginary or typical, though to us magical and invisible ; neither is
this to be wondered at, if we consider the nature of Man's Soul, In
Media Natura; for if it feed not upon the internal* and substantial
Word, which is the very Bread of Life it self, it must of necessity ruminate on something else, viz. the fruits of Iniquity, which it takes in
and drinketh up as the Oxe drinks water, so that to the soul the sin
becomes palpable, glutting, and satiating; yea, so substantial unto
the Soul, as Dirt or Ink upon fair white Linnen is to our external
Eyes ; neither can the Soul be freed from these spots till the water
above the Firmament wash them away.
45. Also in respect of the Astral source they are not destitute of
food, when they bring themselves into the same ; for the gas of
the air and bias of the water is their nourishment, while they stay
here, as is before alledged : These influences of the air and water
they take into their Limbus, and convert into their own poysonous
natures ; as of sweet and wholsome herbs the filthy Toads and other
venemous Beasts do make their poyson, converting them into a nature
like themselves. And on the contrary, the poysonous herbs are converted into good and wholesome nourishment by other cleanly
Beasts.
46. And as the Infernal Troops are considered in respect of the four
Elements, they have a distinct and peculiar tone or language, which
they exercise and speak one amongst one another, as mortals do.
But they have utterly lost the dignity of their sounds according to the
eternal nature. And are likewise totally corrupted in their pronouncing, or Dialect, since they fell from their first cselestial glory ;
so that their speech is harsh, doleful, and terrible, like the fruits they
feed upon, and the life they dwell in. W h i c h depravation is very
apparent in the Kingdom of this World in the divided Languages of
every Region, according to the Constellation under which they are
situated : T h e true and magical Language of nature being hid from
all the Countreys of the earth.
47. But when they appear in the outward Elements, they do many
times express themselves in Irish, Welch, Latine; or Russian, which

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. V.

531

are the Languages most affected by them to answer unto Conjurations,
or Compacts. So that if any Magician, who is ignorant of these
aforesaid Languages do at any time Raise or Exorcise such Spirits,
he must be mindful to confine them to his mother tongue ; least their
gibberish prove altogether unintelligible ; for as every thing appears
in what it most affecteth, or is addicted t o ; even so the Spirits have
their distinct affections, passions, and postures, both in word, habit,
shape, and gesture ; so that the Magician must be wary in Exorcizing
with them, that he confine them to a different place, posture, shape,
and language, to answer their intentions without impediment.
48. For they are very variable and unconstant in their dealings Their unconwith mankind, nor will they stand t o any thing that hath not bound stancy.
them by the obligations of W o r d s , Characters, and Imprecations,
except the skill of the Exorcist be such, that he is able to confine
them into a Magical Triad, which hath the certain force of obliging
or compelling them to utter truth, and nothing false in/ all their 65.
Answers, or Informations. But with such miserable men and women
as they have m a d e Covenants and Indentures for body, soul, and
works ; with such I say, they keep no faith, nor are they lyable to their
commands ; but on the contrary, have them hampered and subjected
to their will and power, till they have terminated their lives in their
destruction.
49. Yet have not any of the most potent Princes in the Hellish Their Power.
Power, the least ability to destroy the least of the sons of men, without the consent of the mind and senses of the Soul ; for until the
will of the Soul be opened unto him, his threatnings, sleights and
stratagems are without any power or force, as the nerves of a dead,
man. Although naturally every evil Spirit boasteth, as if all the
world were a t its command, and every Soul were subject to its
authority and beck, with the Goods or Possessions of t h e external
World.
$0. W h e n any evil Spirit is raised up by Conjurations, without W h e n they are
League, or C o m p a c t ; these Spirits so raised, are exceeding fraudulent called up.
and deceitful, as stubborn servants that do their Masters will by
constraint, and not by any natural act of obedience unto his Commands.
But with such as they have compacted, they are frequent and officious,
imploying them as Agents for the destruction of others and their
substance : and being marryed unto such, they are even become one
with them, being incorporated into them, so that they are nothing
different from incarnate Devils, save that the spark of divine Light,
which was the gift of God unto repentance, is not totally eradicated
until the body fall away.
51. F r o m such as Covenant with these unconstant Spirits, do they Fumigations

BOOK II.

532
made unto
them.

T h e Conclusion.

66.

A

Discourse

concerning

daily obtain Fumigations, Odours, and Offerings, or Sacrifices of
Blood, Fire, Wine, Ointments, Incense, Fruits, Excrements, Herbs,
Gums, Minerals, and other Ingredients, by which from a Magical
^
cause, they have more influence and authority over the bewitched
party to insinuate into their affectfon, peircing even through their
bones and marrow, till they have so habituated them to their service,
that the same becomes their daily bread and sole delight in accomplishing every villany and abomination which the malicious and
subtle instigation of Satan leads them to.
52. Thus have I Essayed to illustrate the Natures of Infernal
Beings, which notwithstanding is a Subject so intricate and copious in
it self, that great difficulty accompanies the Explication thereof; by
reason of the variety of their natures in the source of darkness,
wherein they live, move, eat, breath, and inhabit, having qualities,
actions, and passions innumerable, to us men-kinde utterly unknown
and incomprehensible : So that to attempt an ample demonstration
of this present Subject, would require deeper speculation then the
matter doth deserve, in regard that there be so many Protei and
Changlings in that gloomy Kingdom, who do never stay or continue in the same nature, property, and form for an hour together ;
but may be compared to the swiftness of the Windes, or the likeness
and form of swift running Waters, that pass away as a thought; and
are no more remembered. So it is with the Spirits of Darkness,
whose life is a meer anguish and inconstancy from one sorrow to
another unto all Eternity./

CHAP. VI.
Treating of the Nature^ Force and Forms of Charms^ Periapts,
Amulets, Pentacles, Conjurations', Ceremonies^ &c.

Shews before
Spirits appear.

A Relation of
a Magician.

i . T ^ E f o r e Appearances are made, after forms of Conjuration are
J 3 repeated, the Infernal Spirits make various and wonderful
shews, noises, and attempts as fore-runners to their appearance:
At the first attempts of novices in Conjuration, they are accompanyed
with noises, tremblings, flashes, howlings, and most dreadful shriekes,
till after further progress and experience therein they approach nearer
unto this Elemental nature, till by degrees they can manifestly be
apparent unto their Exorcist.
2. When Chiancungi, and his sister Napala, did first attempt to

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP.VI.

533

call up Spirits, they begun with the Spirit ISolttm, in the twentieth
degree : they hung a vault under ground with black both on the top
and bottom, lining it therewith ; and having drawn the Circle of the
Order of Thrones, with the seven Planets, and their Magical Characters in the Center, they proceeded to the Ceremonies of Conjuration
after they had frequently repeated the forms of calling, and nothing
as yet appeared; they were grown so desperate therein, that forsaking
the Circle, and every defensive Character or Ceremony, they at last
betook themselves to the most accursed and detestable branch of
Magick, which consists of Compacts, or Confederacy ; and having by
a solemn League summoned the aforesaid Spirit ISofttttt, they obtain'd
155. years from the Spirit, Covenanting therewith for body, soul, and
works.
3. In which damned life they continued exercising strange wonders His Actions.
in every Countrey. By the help of this Magician the Tartars did
destroy above ioo sail of Ships belonging unto China ; many losses
did he bring upon that Kingdom in their Children, Fruits, Corn, Silk,
and Navigation; he could frequently transport himself through the
Air, and carry in one hand a thousand pound weight, to the astonishment of all that knew him. He had many publick contests with
Magicians of other Countries, being tryals of skill in Magical Art,
wherein he was said to excel all that ever went before him.
4. Such another was Lewis Gaufridi a French Priest, who had Another Macompacted with the Devil, and served him 14 years in these de- gician*
testable works, sacrificing Infants unto him, worshipping him in a
filthy shape, and tempting others to their Magical society or nocturnal
Conventions ; in^which, as it is reported, they did ever feast and junket
with varieties and dainties, which though they did seem delectable,
were yet notwithstanding gustless and unsavoury.
5. Leaving these relations, something shall be said of Charms and W h a t Charms
Spells^ as they are divided in this following manner; first, such are.
Amulets as being engraven and molded in the fashion of Money, or
Coyn, do serve to provoke any one desired unto love and familiarity,
being hung about the neck in certain Planetary hours. Secondly,
Spells or Charms in Parchment with Magical Characters, as Periapts
to Cure diseases ; to make one valiant, memorative, and constant.
Thirdly, Corselets, which are an ancient Danish Charm of Neck-laces,
composed of Thunderstones ingraven with Magical Letters, to resist
all noxious influences, and the danger of Lightning.
6. Pentacles are a fourth sort of appendix, which Conjurers, Pentacies.
Charmers, and Magicians use, being made with five corners, according to the five Senses, and the operation thereof inscribed upon the
corners ; the matter whereof they are composed, is fine Linnen

534

BOOK

iL

A Discourse

concerning

doubled, and done with Cere-cloth between. This figure the Magician
holds in his hand, lifting it up from the skirt of his Garment to which
it is annexed, when Spirits that are raised are stubborn and rebellious,
refusing to be conformable unto the Ceremonies and Rites of Magick.
Their force.
7« Also by the holding forth oiPentacles, with these words, CKIautOtt,
67. &mor,/ ^morula, 33eor, Beorfca, Beroattr, 8te$ljmtott, repeated at the
instant. The evil Spirits that possess the bodies of bewitched people are
cruelly tortured and amazed, being by the frequent repetition thereof
forced at last to depart by the assistance of the Exorcism of the sixth
Cannon for the order of Seraphims.
Telesms.
8. When Magicians exercise Conjuration by Moon-light in the
Mountains or Valleys, they have another sort of Charm by way of
Telesms, which they bury within a hundred paces of the place where
the Circle is composed towards the East, West, North, and South ;
For such spells have the secret power to hinder any living creature
for coming near them, till their Exercize be done, except the Infernal
Spirit, whose presence they do so ardently desire.
For Diseases.
9. Such Spells as are made in some Edible matter, with Characters
upon them, are given for Agues, Head-ach, Epilepsie, Mother, &c.
Especially being powerful in operation, when the party is ignorant of
the Charm taken in ; many such I know have taken wonderful effect.
But as for Philtres, Potions, and Love-cups, they proceed rather from
a natural cause ; whether their effects be to afflict with Diseases to
Poyson, or to provoke unto Love of a Party whom they disdain :
Neither are such to be numbered amongst Charms ; because their
effect is meerly natural, from a natural cause.
Fumigations.
io. But to insist further upon the nature of Conjuration, Magicians
do much exercise their time in Fumigations unto those Spirits whom
they are about to provoke ; their fumes being distributed according
to the nature of the Spirit under any of the seven Planets, which the
antient Conjurers were very punctual in observing, though in these
days it be much forgot, as superfluous, or rather dangerous to insert
amongst the Ceremonies of Conjuration. A division of Fumigations
according to the Influence of the Planets, and Orders of Spirits, we
will here set down in this manner.
For Satum.
11. Fumigations for Saturn are made of Frankincense Trees, Pepperl* sic\
-wort Rooots,* Storax, and Galbanum; by these the Spirits JHarto, Corfcatt, Jbttlfcoit, it»O0, &c. And all of the first order in the astringency are
appeased and provoked, when the fumes are put upon a Tripod in the
hour of Saturn according to the Planetary division. These Fumigations make these Spirits appear like old men, with promiss beards, and
meager looks ; like Serpents, Cats, Wolves, Badgers, Panthers ; like
old Men in Armour ; like Trumpeters in many ranks and divisions.

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP.VI.

535

12. For Spirits under Jupiter, they take Lignum Aloes, Ashen-Keys, Jupiter.
Benjamin, Storax, Peacocks-feathers, and -Lapis Lazuli, mixing the
same with the blood of a Stork, a Swallow, or a Hart; the brains being
also added. The fumes are kindled in Jupiters hour, and in a place
appropriate to his nature. And by this sacrifice the Spirits of the
next order are called up, like glorious Kings with many .attendants,
and mighty pomp; with Heralds before them, and Ensign-bearers,
Trumpeters, Guards, and all sorts of musical Instruments.
13. They make Fumigations unto such Spirits of the order of Mars.
Powers, as are under Mars, in the Planetary division with Aromatick
Gum, Bdellium, Euphorbium, Load-stone, Hellebore white and black,
and an addition of Sulphur to make them into an Amalgama, with
Man's blood, and the blood of a black Cat ; which mixtures are said
to be exceeding magical: so that without any other addition, they say,
this fumigation is able of it self to make such Spirits to appear before
the Exorcist; at their appearance they come with weapons brandishing, and shining Armour, being terrible in their looks ; yet of power
inferiour to the Spirits of Saturn, though they can likewise shew
themselves as Lions, Wolves, Tygers, Bears, and all other cruel or
ravenous Beasts.
14. They do likewise unto the Spirits under Sol, being of the order Sol.
of Thrones, Suffumigate Saffron, Musk, Laurel, Cinnamon, Ambergriece, Cloves, Myrrhe, and Frankincense, Musk, and the Balsamick
Tree mixed up together with the brain of an Eagle, and the blood of
a white Cock, being made up like Pills, or little Balls, and put upon
the Tripod-, their appearances are Castles, Gardens,/ Mountains, 68.
Rivers, Fisher-men, Hunters, Reapers, Dogs, Sheep, Oxen, and other
domestick Beasts.
15. Under Venus are the Spirits of the sixth order in the Powers ; Venus.
their appearances are very stately, like the nature of the Planet; like
Courtiers, Ladies, Princes, Queens, Infants, Children, and fragrant
smells. The fumigations appropriate unto them are Roses, Coral,
Lignum Aloes, and Sperma Ceti made up with Sparrows, brains and
blood of Pidgeons to be fumigated with a Song.
16. Mercury sendeth Horsemen, Fishers, Labourers, Priests, Mercury.
Students, Servants, &V. Also, Foxes, Serpents, Dogs, Hares,-Hyena's,
Hydra's, and other Monstrous Animals ; unto him they fumigate
Frankincense, Mastick, Cinkfoyl, incorporated with the brain of a
Fox, and the blood of a Mag-Pye.
17. Spirits under Luna are like Ghosts and shadows, very gastly to Luna.
behold ; though in humane shape sometimes male, sometimes female.
Fumigations are offered unto them of Frogs dryed, white Poppy-seed,
Bulls Eyes, Camphire, and Frankincense, incorporated with Gooses
blood, and the menstruous blood of Women.

BOOK ii.

536

A Discourse

concerning

18. These are the divisions of fumigations, neither can it be denyed,
but that in many Ceremonies of this kind, there is great inherent
virtue according to the Doctrines of Sympathy and Antipathy,
whereby every thing is drawn by its like in the Idea, whither by words
or actions, according to the saying, In verbis, herbis &* lapidibus
latet virtus, so that the Ceremonies and Charms, with other circumstances used by Magicians, are doubtless prevalent to the accomplishment of that work which they undertake ; to wit, The calling up and
Exorcizing of Infernal Spirits by Conjurations.

W h y such Ceremonies are
of force.

CHAP.

VII.

Being the Conclusion of the Whole ; wherin divers antient Spells,
Charms, Incantations and Exorcisms are briefly spoken of.
Charms.

Natural Operations.

Places ascribed to the
seven Planets.
I* sic]

,

F I Esides what the Author hath set down, there be many other

Spells and Charms, which Tradition hath left unto Posterity,
being many of them effectual for the thing intended by them,
as in the precedent Chapter is set down, wherein the Orders of Fumigations are described. Besides there are Magical Characters attributed to the Planets, whereof Telesms, Periapts, Amulets, and Philters,
are composed by buryings, writings, bindings, engravings, alligations,
&c. to effect various purposes in Astrological hours. To conquer
Enemies, cure diseases, overturn Cities, stop Inundations, render
bodies Invulnerable, and the like ; which are all effected by medium's
of this kind, with the assistance of Imagination.
2. Yet are there many natural Compositions, which have very stupendous effects of themselves, without assistance of Superstition; for
the comcnixtion of things is of two-fold force or vertue : First, When
the Celestial vertues are duly disposed in any natural body j so that
in one thing are couched various Influences of superiour Powers. The
second is, from Artificial mixtures and Compositions of natural things
amongst themselves, in a certain proportion to agree with the Heavens
under certain Constellations. This proceeds from the correspondence
of natural things amongst themselves, whereby things are effected even
unto admiration, as Agrippa declares, Cap. 35. lib. 1.
3. And as unto every Planet certain fumigations are ascribed ; so
unto such Spirits as are under them, certain Places are adopted for
the Ceromonies* of Conjuration, which Magicians chose when they set

Devils and Spirits.

CHAP. vn.

537

upon their works of Darkness. U n t o Saturn are ascribed dark
melancholy Places, Vaults, Tombes, Monasteries, empty Houses, Dens,
Caves, Pits. Unto Jupiter, Theaters, Schools, Musick houses, Judgment seats. To Mars, Fields where Battels have been fought, Bake-houses, Glass-houses, Shambles, Places,* of Execution. T o Sol, I* sic]
Palaces,/ Mountains, Meddows, Sunshine, Groves, and upper Rooms. 69.
To Venus, Fountains, Meadows, Gardens, and t h e Sea-shore. U n t o
Mercury, all publick places belonging unto Cities. T o Luna,
Wildernesses, Woods, Rocks, Forrests, Ships, High-wayes, d^c.
4. In like manner are Spells a n d Charms adapted to t h e thing Spells.
which they must effect, according to t h e matter, form and place of
their composition ; as for the procuring of Love, they bury Rings,
Ribbons, Seals, Pictures, Looking-Glasses, &>c. in Stews, Baths, Beds,
that in such places they may contract some Venereal faculty : W h e n
they gather Herbs or other Ingredients ; they chuse the hour a n d
place, when such Planets have Dominion as a r e over these Herbs,
which they collect, ever remembring to turn their faces to the East, or
South, when Saturnine, Martial or Jovial Herbs are gathered, because
their Principal houses are Southern signs ; for Venereal, Mercurial, or
Lunary herbs, they must look towards t h e West or North, because
their houses are chiefly Northern signs. Yet in any Solar or Lunar
operations the body of the Sun a n d Moon must be respected in t h e
operation.
5. Colours are also much regarded amongst Magicians, according Secret Conto the Planet, as black, leaden, brown, unto Saturn ; saphire, vernal, c uslons *
green, purple, golden, unto Jupiter;
red, burning, violet, bloody, and
iron colours unto Mars ; golden, saffron, scarlet, &*c. unto the Sun ;
white, fair, green, ruddy, pleasant mixed colours unto Venus,
Murcury,
and Luna.
I n like manner they ascribe colours unto t h e twelve
Houses, and according to the Planets have also certain compositions
for fire that produce wonderful operations ; as Lamps of Serpents
skins will make Serpents to appear. Oyl that hath stood under Grapes,
being lighted, presenteth the Chamber full of Grapes. Centaury and
t h e Lapwings blood makes people seem like Gyants, a n d in t h e
open air will make t h e Stars seem to move up a n d down in t h e
Elements. T h e fat of a Hare lighted in a Lamp, will cause W o m e n to
b e exceeding merry and facetious. A n d Candles composed of things
that a r e Saturnine,
raise terrours and melancholy in the party that
lights them, and in those that are lighted by them.
6. Such wonderful effects have natural things being fitted unto their The Candle of
H o u r s and Constellations, as also when they are used to prove such Ilfe '
effects as t h e nature of the things doth produce of it self, though in a
weaker degree. T o raise Tempests Magicians burn the Liver of a

3Z

538

BOOK ii.

A Discourse

concerning

Camaslion on the house top. To cause strange sights they hang the Gall
of a Ox over their Beds ; to bring Apparitions and Spirits, they make
a strange fume of a Mans Gall, and the Eyes of a black Cat ; Which,
Agrippa saith, he hath often made experience of There is also a
strange Magical Candle described amongst Chymical Authors, which
being lighted, foretells the death of the party to whom it belongs .
*
The manner thereof is thus ; They take a good quantity of the venal
blood luke-warm as it came out of the vein, which being Chymically
prepared with Spirit of Wine and other Ingredients, is at last made
up into a Candle, which being once kindled, never goes out till the
death of the party whose blood it is composed of \ for when he is sick, or
in danger, it burns dim and troubled; and when he is dead, it is quite
extinguished'; of which Composition a Learned man hath wrote an
intire Tractate, De Biolychnio, or, The Lamp of Life.
T h a t Chara7. But to proceed to the nature of Characters, Sigils, and other
cters are comCeremonies, we find that not only such as pretend to command over
pacts.
all sorts of Spirits ; but also they that do make Compacts, and have
sold themselves unto him, do make use of such ; which instance is
sufficient to prove what a wise man hath asserted, that although Evil
Spirits have so blinded Mens Eyes, as to make them believe they are
defended by such Ceremonies, and that these Characters are as Munitions against the Devils malignancy ; Yet these very Characters,
Sigils, Lamins, &c, are Compacts themselves, which the Devils did at
first cunningly disguise with strange Repetitions in uncouth Language.
8. So that we have grounds to believe, that none, is able absolutely
without Compact to call up any Spirit. But that whosoever hath pre70. tended to be famous in/ the Art of Magick or Conjuration, hath (to
himself unknown) compacted with and worshipped the Devil, under
strange Repetitions and mystical Characters, which to him seemed to
have effects quite contrary to what they really had.
T h e force of
9. Neither is this to be admired, that without the Knowledge or
Words and
Consent of the Magician, a Contract is made with Evil Spirits ; when
Characters.
we consider the magical strength of Words and Characters, which of
themselves can cure Diseases, pull down, infect, save, destroy, charm
and inchant without the Parties assistance, either in knowledge of the
Cause, or in belief of the Consequence or Effect.
10. But on the contrary, I could instance a multitude of Examples
T h e vanity of
Conjuration.
of such as have spent much time in Conjurations to no purpose, still
attempting by Exorcisms and Defensive Prayers to conjure a Spirit, or
cause Personal Appearances, with severe Imprecations and powerful
Charges, and yet notwithstanding have never attain'd their purpose,
nor at any time heard, or seen any Beeing, which may be called
Spectre, or Apparition.

Devils and Spirits,

CHAP.VII.

11. Which is nothing wonderful, if we minde the sympathy of things
in Nature, how each desires its like, and hunteth after it as the
Loadstone draws Iron ; the male coveteth the female ; the evil after
the evil, and the good after the good ; which is seen in wicked Men
and their Association, in Birds and Beasts of prey ; while on the contrary, the Lamb delights not in the Lyon, nor the Sheep in the society
of the Wolf; neither doth the nature which is totally depraved and
estranged from God, care to be forced or drawn compulsively by
another contrary nature, viz. innocent, just, and harmless.
12. Neither doth it consist with natural reason, That Evil Spirits
should affect the society of those that are their Enemies, who make use
of the dreadful and holy Names of God in Conjurations to call them
up; whereas they are rather antidotes against Apparations,* as may be
seen in various Examples of holy Men, who by Prayers and Exorcisms
have banished Evil Spirits in all Ages, which is also further evident,
in that the very form of Dispossessing and Exorcising is made up of
divers Prayers and Defensive Blessings against the obnoxious
influences of Infernal Spirits.
13. Therefore though I would be far from describing an undenyable
course of Conjuring Spirits, or of causing Apparitions : Yet this I
must assert conclusively from what is before alledged, That if any
thing would be called or wrought upon, it must be with something
which is of its own nature, as a bait to catch or tempt it; for in catching Birds, Beasts, or Fishes, such esculents as are properly for these
Animals, are made use of to allure them, neither can mankinde
command them by any threats to come into his custody.
14. How much less is mankind able to compel the Infernal Spirits.
i

1

r

1• i

T7-

i

•

11

•/-•!

T

•

539
By Similitude.

Exorcising, or
'

cas ing o u

I* sic]

Like desires

Nothing is
compelled by

the very least of which Kingdom, is able, if let loose, to exterminate a contraries.
thousand lives, and utterly over-turn poor mortals and their doings,
as various by-past accidents can evince : But whosoever hath compacted with them for body, soul, and works, such they are at unity
with, and unto such they appear for the advancement of their Kingdom
in the destruction of others ; for they are grafted into them and
incorporated into their very heart and soul, which unavoidably
becomes their wages when the body falls away.
15. Yet many wayes there be by Images, Telesms, and Amulets,
which have little or no dependance upon Conjuration, or the strength
thereof, being rather effectual from sympathetical Causes, as many
natural conclusions prove. And Paracelsus speaks of a way by the
Image of any Bird or Beast to destroy that Animal, though at a
distance ; so by hair, fat, blood, excrements, excrescences, 6-v. of any
Animal or Vegetable, the ruin or cure of that thing may be effected.
16. Which is seen in the Armary Unguent, and the Sympathetical

54-0

BOOK II.

A Discourse concerning

Powder. I n t h e instance of divers Histories, of such as used Waxen
Images, composed in divers postures, and under certain Constellations,
whereby several have been tormented and macerated even unto death;
and according to the punishment or torment which t h e Magician
71. intends to afflict, accordingly do they dispose the/ hour of the Composition, and the posture or semblance of the Image.
Of Images of
17. F o r if a malitious minded Witch intends to consume a n d pine
W a x , and what
away the Life or Estate of any miserable Man or W o m a n , she makes
is wrought by
them.
his Image of W a x in such an ominous aspect as may conduce to h e r
design, making several magical Characters upon the sides of the head,
describing t h e Character of t h e hour or Planetary time upon t h e
breast of the Image ; the name of t h e party on his forehead ; t h e
intended effect to b e wrought upon him upon his back. W h e n they
cause aches, pains, and violent pangs in the sinews a n d the flesh, they
stick thorns and pins in divers places of their arms, breasts, a n d legs.
W h e n they cast them into Feavers and Consumptions, they spend an
hour in every day to warm and turn the Image before a doleful a n d
lingring fire, composed of divers exotick Gums, and magical Ingredients of sweet Odours, and strange Roots of shrubs, efficient for their
purpose.
Further con18. Wonderful are t h e various postures and pranks which Magicians
cerning
play with Images ; neither will I mention t h e most perfect and preImages.
valent part of t h e practice of Images, a n d the powerful operations
thereof, least t h e evil minded should work abominations therewith
upon the Persons or Possessions of their neighbours.
Of Images
19. According to t h e nature of what they would effect they frame
provoking
their Images ; if by Images they would provoke two parties to love,
Love,
or be enamoured on one another, they frame their Images naked, with
Astrological Observations a n d Imbraces of those that are Venereal ;
to provoke unto enmity they place malignant Characters and Aspects,
and the Images in a fighting posture.
20. If their intentions be for good, all their Characters are engraven
upon the foreparts of the body. But if they would afflict the party
with Consumption, or with death, they thrust Needles through t h e
hearts, a n d engrave their Characters upon their Posteriors, or upon
their shoulders, using all their Conjurations retrograde, and repeating
every Charm opposite to the former.
21. Thousands of strange a n d uncouth Charms might be here
described, according to the exact form wherein Tradition hath left
t h e m ; But I have only insisted upon the description of the natures
in General ; A n d as by Images and Telesms, t h e Etiropeans
have
[* sic]
effected admirable t h i n g s : so the Tartars have a wonderful ways* of
Forms of
producing the like effects, by Botles, Sheep-skins, Rods,
Basins,

Devils and Spirits,

CHAP. vn.

541

Letters, or Missives, unto certain Spirits, a n d many otherwayes
unheard of in Europe.
22. As for the Tying of the Point, which is a strong impediment
in Conjugal Rites, to restrain the acts of secresie betwixt two
marryed persons ; This knot or ligament is become so notorious both
in the practice and effect throughout France, Italy, and Spain, as also
in all the Eastern Countries, that t h e Laws of several Nations have
prohibited the performance thereof; neither is it fit to b e openly
described in this place.
23. Other stratagems they have by turning the Sive with a pair of
Sizzers by voices uttered out of skins, which is in common amongst the
Tttrks by Letters wrote unto certain Spirits, which by due appointments will have their answers returned. By the Turning of the Cord
,

1• 1

•1

•

Charms in
ar ary
'
The tying of

Charming by

fy Bottles,
Skins, Letters,

with several names wrapped round t h e same, which with certain Cords, Lots.
repetitions will of it self b e tyed into several strange knots which unty
themselves again. Besides the many wayes b y Lots, in extractings* I* sic]
Scrolls, consulting with t h e Staff and the empty Pot, with others
tedious to be enumerated.
24. T h e Art of Transplantation
is also reckoned amongst Charms Transpiantatiwith t h e vulgar. A n d indeed one member thereof, viz. t h e Trans- ni^usT"10"
ferring of Diseases is really Magical, and much in practice amongst [t Ceremonies]
Witches ; for by certain baits given to a n y domestick Beasts they
remove Feavers, Agues, and Consumptions from. Martial men, or from
one to another by burying certain Images in their neighbours
ground they bring all evil fortune to t h e owner of the ground,
yet/ though they add strange W o r d s and Conjurations in the practice, 72.
the effects thereof are more from Nature then Conjuration.
25. For, b y t h e same Cause, those that are profound, can destroy Andmeerly
natural.
diseases, take off W a r t s , and other Excrescences, kill, cure, purge and
poyson at a distance from the party, by their hair, fatt, blood, nails,
excrements, &*c. or by any root, or carnuous substance, rubbed upon
their hands, breasts or leggs, by burying which, they free them from
Diseases, which experiments take effect according to the Mediums
a n d their Consumption under ground.
26. And as by natural reason every Magical Charm or Receipt had Magical inits first institution; I n like manner have Magicians disposed t h e s t r u m e n t s :
Matter a n d Manner together with t h e times of their Utensils and
Instruments, according to t h e Principles of Nature : As t h e H o u r
wherein they compose their Garments, must either be in t h e hour of
Luna, or else of Saturn, in the Moons increase.
27. Their Garjnents they compose of White Linnen, black Cloth, Their matter,
black Cat-skins, Wolves, Bears, or Swines skins. T h e Linnen
because of its abstracted Quality for Magick delights not to have any

542

Substance,

And Form.

The Conclu-

S10n#

BOOK II.

A

Discourse,

&c.

Utensils that are put to common uses. The skins of the aforesaid
Animals are by reason of the Saturnine and Magical qualities in the
particles of these beasts : Their sowing thred is of silk, Cats-guts,
mans Nerves, Asses hairs, Thongs of skins from Men, Cats, Bats,
Owls, Moles, and all which are enjoyn'd from the like Magical
cause.
28. Their Needles are made of Hedge-hog prickles, or bones of any
of the abovesaid Animals : Their Writing-pens are of Owls or
Ravens, their Ink of Mans blood : Their Oyntments Mans fat, Blood,
Usnea, Hoggs-grease, Oyl of Whales. Their Characters are ancient
Hebrew or Samaritan : Their Speech is Hebrew or Latine. Their
Paper must be of the Membranes of Infants, which they call Virgin-parchment, or of the skins of Cats, or Kids. Besides, they compose
their Fires of sweet Wood, Oyl or Rosin : And their Candles of the
Fatt or Marrow of Men or Children : Their Vessels are Earthen,
their Candlesticks with three feet, of dead mens bones : Their Swords
are steel, without guards, the poynts being reversed. These are
their Materials, which they do particularly choose from the Magical
qualities whereof they are composed.
29. Neither are the peculiar shapes without a natural cause. Their
Caps are Oval, or like Pyramids with Lappets on each side, and furr
within : Their Gowns reach to the ground, being furr'd with white
Fox-skins, under which they have a Linnen Garment reaching to their
Knee. Their Girdles are three inches broad, and have many Caballistical Names, with Crosses, Trines and Circles inscribed thereon.
Their Knives are Dagger-fash ion : and the Circles by which they
defend themselves are commonly nine foot in breadth, but the Eastern
Magicians give but seven. And these are the matter and manner of
their Preparations, which I thought fit here to insist upon, because of
their affinity with the Instruments of Charms, for both which a
natural cause is constantly pretended.
30. Thus I have briefly spoken of the Nature of every Spirit good
or evil) so farr as safety or convenience would permit; adding also
this last Discourse of Charms and Conjurations, in their speculative
part, forbearing to describe the Forms themselves, because many of
them are not only facil, but also of mighty power when they are
seasonably applyed : So that to describe distinctly, by what means
Magicians kill, cure, or conquer, were to strengthen the hands of the
Envious against their Neighbours Lives and Fortunes. And therefore the Readers must rest contented with what is here related of the
Nature of Astral or Infernal Spirits.
FINIS.

SHAKESPEARE

NOTINGS.

P. 99. Bodin's " asseheaded man". N . Drake, in his Shakespeare
and his Times, vol. ii, p. 351, suggested that Bottom's "translation"
was derived from p. 315 in Scot, where a receipt for such transformations is given. This may in part have been in Shakespeare's memory,
as may the commonly received belief that magicians could do such
things. H e may, too, have remembered another tale, told at p. 533,
of Pope Benedict IX having been condemned after death to walk
the earth (I presume at night, after his purgatorial day) in a bear's
skin, with an ass's head in such sort as he lived. But I incline to
think that these after-statements only caused him to remember the
more this first, full, and remarkable M. Mal-Bodin-Cyprus tale ; and
more especially this passage, for in iv, i, 30, Bottom declares—
" Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay : good hay, sweet
hay hath no fellow." So acute and ready an observer may have the
more remembered the epithet " asseheaded" because, as most readers
must observe, Scot uses this word, though the sailor in the tale is an
ass from his snout and ears down to the end of his tail and the tips
of his hoofs.
P. 542. His " w h i t e spirits". Because in the 1623 folio Macbeth
we have in iv, 1, Musicke and a Song.
Blacke Spirits, &*c, and
because in Middleton's Witch the words are given at length, it has
been held that Middleton was either Shakespeare's coadjutor, or his
after interpolator, that these lines were his, and were first used in his
Witch.
But, according to most of Malone's arguments—for one
certainly is not sound—the Witch was some years later than Macbeth,
as is also likely from Middleton's age. And that it was later is in
especial shown by a hitherto unnoticed passage in ii, 1:
" Some knights' wives in town
Will have great hope upon his reformation," etc.
For it is clear that this must have been written when the price and
quality of knighthood had much come down, and its commonness
increased beyond what it was in 1605. Secondly, it is an assumption,
and a most unlikely one, that the Macbeth M S . intimation of the song
was due to the players' knowledge of it through the Witch.
It presupposes that the supernumeraries who played the witches' parts were
the same in both plays. Also that the writers of the M S . knew that
these would be the same, and would certainly remember the words:
for a playhouse copy is either for the use of the prompter, or a text
whence the players' parts can be extracted. Moreover, the Witch

544

Shakespeare

Notings.

h a d been, as the author himself tells us, " a n ignorantly ill-fated
labour", in other words, a failure.
But in reference to the supposed right of Middleton to these lines,
we now find, in 1584, when Middleton was a boy, that the first of the
two lines—or, if one chooses, the first two of the four, the words being
in each half phrase inverted, possibly to vary the too great sing-song
of the sentence—was copied by Scot as part of a known series of
rhyming lines. Shakespeare, who wrote later, has the " B l a c k spirits",
etc.; Middleton, in his Witch, where we find passages taken verbatim and almost verbatim from Scot, has these and the other rhymes
given by Scot very slightly altered in i, 2, and the " Black spirits",
etc., with " Mingle, mingle", and some of the other rhymes in v, 2.
Hence they are neither Shakespeare's nor Middleton's. Whose then are
they? Scot gives them as from W . W.'s booklet on the Witches at
St. Osees, Essex. But certainly the lines, nor any of them, are not
in that booklet. These things, however, are there. Ursula Kempe's
little boy deposes, and she herself, on promise from the Justice,
Brian Darcie, Esq., of favour being shown her—which promise, by
the way, both in her case and that of others, was carried out by their
being hanged—that she h a d two he- and two she-spirits, the shes
being Tyffen, in the shape of a white lamb, and Pigine, black like a
toad ; the hes, Tittie, like a little grey cat, and Jacke, black like a cat.
Nor are these merely thus mentioned by each, but the old woman
specifies their doings through three or four of the earlier pages
(A 3, v—A 8). Mother Bennet's spirits were two, Suckin, like a black
dog, and Lyerd, redde like a Lyon (B 3, etc., B 7). Besides these, but
less prominently brought forward, were these. Mother H u n t h a d
two little things like horses, one white and one black, kept in a pot
amongst black and white wool (A 5, v and 6). Ales H u n t had also
two spirits, one white and one black, like little colts, and named Jacke
a n d Robbin (C 3). Marg. Sammon had a T o m and a Robyn, but
these were like toads. H. Sellys, aged nine, deposes that his mother
h a d two imps, one Herculus sothe hons [sic] or Jacke, black, and a he,
who, in the night, and in the likeness of his sister, pulled his younger
brother's leg and otherwise hurt him so that he cried o u t ; the second,
Mercurie, a she and white (D v). Ales Baxter says that the cow
while being milked was viciously unruly, and that something like a
white cat struck at her heart, so that she became so weak that she could
not stand, and being found leaning against a style, was carried h o m e
in a chair (D 4, v). Ales Mansfield had given her by margaret
Grevell (elsewhere Gravell)—for these imps seem to have been given
away without will of their own, like brute beasts, and being hungry
were fed on milk, beer, bread, oats, hay, straw, and especially a sup
of blood sucked from the body—two he- and two she-spirits, named
Robin, Jack, William, and Puppet, alias Mamet, like black cats (D 6).
Mother Eustace also h a d three imps, like white, gray, and black cats.
Annis Dowsing, aged seven, base daughter of Annis Herd, tells B.
Darcie that her mother had six Avices or Blackbirds, black speckled
with white or all black. Also six imps like cows, but " as big as
rattes", one of which, black and white, and named Crowe, had been

Shakespeare Notings.

545

given to her, while Donne [? Dun], another, was red and white (G. 4.
v). I have, perhaps, overlengthened this tale through wishing to
show that these imps, besides being hungry, generally took a white
or black, and sometimes a red or grey, colour, and because these
notings from this unique book and authentic record might be otherwise acceptable. So much do the names and the notice of the colours
of the imps strike a reader, that Bishop Hutchinson, in his Historical
Essay concerning Witchcraft, 1718, says, p. 29, " A n account of them
was written by Brian Darcie, with the N a m e s and Colours of their
spirits." But here an end after the remarks. First, that the chief
witnesses, and leaders up to these confessions, were their own children
of from 6^ to 9 years of age. Secondly, that these confessions were,
as plainly as possible, first made by some and then followed by others
through promises of favour, promises lyingly carried out to condemnation and death. Thirdly, that, as shown by such instances as "[she]
desired to speake alone with me, the said Bryan Darcey, whereupon
I went into my garden", etc., and by the frequent use of " before
mee"—the initials W.W. were either fictitious, or not improbably those
of his clerk, and that the real author was Brian Darcie, Esq., Justice
of the Peace, who desired to gain favour from his kinsman, Lord
Darcie, to whom the book was dedicated, or possibly, through him
and it, the notice of her Majesty, as a clever, zealous, and trustworthy
seeker-out of these old-new things.
It need hardly be added that ballading was then a profession, and
that its professors seized upon anything of interest,—an atrocious
murder, the last words of the murderer (spoken or not), unusual
floods or storms, the effects of lightning, the cruise of an adventurous
vessel, shipwrecks, the story of a strange fish " i n forme of a woman
from the wast upward", that appeared "forty thousand fathom above
water [or otherwise], and sang as followeth". How then should the
condemnation of some sixteen old women for horrible crimes escape
being "balletted"? It was new, rare, came home to all, and was in
more senses than one deadly. T h e very rhymes in Scot prove it, for
they could not be Scot's own words, and they have the very rhythm,
or rather lilt, of a ballad. On looking calmly, therefore, at the evidence, I am convinced that neither Shakespeare nor Middleton could
have been the one who tacked together these rhymes between 1582 and
1584, but that Shakespeare did here, as he sometimes did, and notably
in Ophelia's madness, quote such lines as " Black spirits and white",
etc., because the words suited his scene of devilish enchantment,
and gave it reality; while Middleton, in a Magical Tragi-Comedy, gave,
with very slight variation, the whole of the words quoted by Scot.
I trust my reader will not merely excuse it when it regards Shakespeare and Macbeth, if I go a little out of my present road and add
the few words following. As it has been held that Middleton wrote
" Black spirits", etc., so it ihas been supposed that the lines on the
" Touching for the Evil" were interpolated by Middleton or some
other, because negative evidence seemed to show that James did not
take upon himself this custom till a date much later than 1605.
Lately, however, Prof. S. R. Gardiner has discovered that James
4A

546

Shakespeare Notings.

" t o u c h e d " and was almost compelled to " t o u c h " as early as 1603.
Its efficacy had been believed in, and was set forth in b o o k s ; so that
the very assumption of this prerogative proved its efficacy, and thus
proved his rightful heirship to the English crown,—a proof, I suspect,
not lost sight of by the astute counsellors who counselled its adoption,
nor by James himself. And I think that he must be blind who
cannot see how this, added to the other evidence set forth in the play,
a n d to t h e true, though somewhat, and of purpose, indirectly exposed
intent of Macbeth, proved both James's heirship and set forth the
certain overthrow of all such devilishly contrived plots,—such as, to
n a m e but three, the attempt at the Carse of Gowrie; the plot in which
Raleigh was, or was supposed to be, concerned ; and lastly, the gunpowder plot—as would alter the predestinate decree of Heaven, that
J a m e s I and V I should be King of Great Britain. Unless, too, I
am much mistaken, the fears of James were the direct or indirect
instigators of Shakespeare's play, and the cause of that autograph
letter to the poet, for which no shadow of a reason can otherwise be
assigned.
For convenience' sake I here include some notings illustrative of
either Shakespeare's indebtedness to Scot, or of those beliefs and
forms of expression which led both to write as they did.
P. 10. " T h e y can pull down the moon." This belief, derived from
classic times, is authority for Prospero's " A witch . . . so strong
T h a t could control the moon" (v, i). So also ii, 1, 174.
" Corne in the blade." T h e r e is frequent reference to this
in Scot, as here and at pp. A iiii, v, 49, 58, 63, 219,221,482, and elsewhere.
But as Staunton saw, this is the nearest to
Macbettis
" t h o u g h bladed corn be lodged" (iv, 1). Also, though this h a p p e n s
more or less in several of the instances, yet especially here, the context agrees with the thoughts and context-words of Macbeth.
P. 33. "Anthropophagi and Canibals." Associated synonymes probably suggested to both by the same heading in p. 1100 of Seb.
Miinster's Cosmography (Basil, 1550).
P. 42. " Never faile to danse." An authority for the dancing of
Macbettis witches, and a probable authority for the dancing of
the latter with broomsticks headed with brooms in their hands.
P. 54. T h e " Monarcho" of L. L. Lost appears from this to have
been a madman.
P. 64. " R i m e either m a n or beast to death." An extension of the
Shakespearean and general belief that they rhymed (Irish) rats to
death. As You Like It, iii, 2.
P. yy. " N o power to occupy." Proof that this last word was used in
the sense of to use or be busied with, from which general use it came
to be employed as common slang for a disreputable and vile using.
P. 170. " Chattering of pies and haggisters."
A haggister is the
Kentish term for a pie, or magpie. T h e passage explains why
Duncan (i, 5) is not welcomed by these, but by the ill-omened raven
that is hoarse with croaking his approach. W . Perkins on Witchcraft,
works, ed. 1613, s a y s : " W h e n a raven stands on a high place and
looks a particular way and cries, a corse comes thence soon."

Shakespeare Notings.

547

P. 187. " A thousand for one that fell out contrary." W e would
more correctly write—" A thousand that fell out contrary for one that
fell out rightly or correctly." But this and others are examples of
what we would call a more than loose way of expressing oneself,
though then it was allowable, for Scot was an educated and intelligent man, who wrote well.
" E a c h putter out of five for one",
Tempest, iii, 2, is an almost exactly similar instance. T h e putting out
of five for one is considered as one action, and is—pace Dyce—the
receiving, as Malone says, at the rate of five for one, the putter out
being he who puts out in the hope of receiving five for one.
P. 212. " T h e blind m a n . . . in killing the crow." Green's Defence of Cony-Catching,
p. 70, ed. Grosart, gives this proverbial
saying—"as blinde men shoote the crowe". Hamlet, 4to., 1603, has
the variant—"as the blinde m a n catcheth the hare".
" A green silk curtain." These words, also in Middleton's Witch,
i, 2, illustrate the custom which led Sir Toby ( 7 w . M, i, 4) to say,
"Wherefore have these gifts a curtain before ' e m ? Are they like to
take dust like Mistress Moll's picture ?" And these last words, by the
way, prove that this same Moll had, for her own purposes, the portrait
exposed in some painter's shop, or painters' shops, or rather free
fronts, without a curtain.
P. 269. " If a soule wander . . . by night." Proof that the wandering of Hamlet's father's ghost was strictly in accordance with
traditional folk-lore. So, p. 462, we have, " How common an opinion
. . . reveale their estate"; and p . 535, " They affirme . . . soules of
saints''.
P. 347. " Bodkin." T h e text and margin show that this was used for
a small dagger, and the woodcut on the next page that it was sometimes at least a rod-like and pointed weapon. Being thus shaped it
was small, more easily carried at the waist, and less readily broken
either by a bone or by an adversary's stroke.
P. 382. "Beliall"
This goes to show that he was " t h e other devil"
whose name h a d escaped Macbeth's porter. Its being less common
in men's and preachers' mouths would account for his non-remembrance.
P. 416. " L i g n u m aloes? Against any argument drawn from the
italic use of Hews in Son. 20, and its not being italicised in its first
use in the same line, nor anywhere else in Shakespeare, the fact
that A Hoes appears in The Lover's Complaint, as well as do other
words in the Sonnets, has been brought forward.
But without
entering in detail into the question, I would note that three substantives, all names of vegetables, are here mentioned, and that this
alone is placed in italics. So, in the Appendix I I , 1665, pp. 67-8, we
have a number of aromatics named, but this only, and only on its
second occurrence, is with Sfterma Ceti placed in italics—the reason,
I presume, being, that as a medicine, a more strange and less-known
n a m e to the commonalty, and a Latin one, it was treated as a quoted
proper name.
P. 497. " H e burned his booke." A precedent, as was Acts ix, 19,
for Prospero's " I'll drown my book", when he left his island.

548

Shakespeare Notings.

P. 498. " Bicause they want." One example, among many, from
Elizabethan and present authors, and from provincial use, where
want = " b e " , or " a r e without". This in part explains Macbeth, iii,
6, where Lennox exclaims, " W h o cannot want the t h o u g h t ? " T h e
true difficulty lies in the use of the negative "cannot". But while a
more correct style would have " can", the more colloquial and hasty
use of the former was, I think, permissible, just as was the use of the
double negative where it was not meant to be, as it usually was,
emphatic. Moreover, it gives here a double or ambiguous sense,
such as, I think, Lennox wanted to express.
P. 504. " One instant or pricke of time." Illustrates somewhat
differently than I think is usually explained, " the prick of noon". R.
and Jul., and other places.
P. 516. u Diverse shapes and forms." Shakespeare follows this
ruling when he makes Ariel and his co-spirits assume different shapes,
though some modern critics find fault because he being on some
occasions invisible, these changes are, in their opinion, unnecessary.
But the appearance of these spirits, sometimes as invisible, sometimes
as visible, sometimes in spirit form, sometimes as Juno or Ceres,
sometimes as harpies, is not only in accordance with the then beliefs
as to airy spirits, but to me, and to those who have seen their representatives, it is more pleasant to see them in forms appropriate to
their office, besides bringing their spiritual existence and power more
vividly before us. Critics here, as well as elsewhere, too often insist
on considering Shakespeare as the author of books to be read, and
not of plays to be acted and seen.
P. 518. " This devil Beelzebub." So seems to have thought MacbetJUs porter.
P. 520. " T h e cruell angel." Here in Prov. 17 [11] we have one of
the principles on which Macbeth was planned and executed.
P- 533- " Soules appeare oftenest by n i g h t ; . . . never to the whole
multitude, also may be seene of some[,] and of some other in that
presence not seene at all." Here is proof of the folk-lore correctness
of the ghost appearing only when Marcellus and Bernardo were alone
on watch, and of his being afterwards invisible to the Queen in her
own chamber, though visible to Hamlet while there in obedience to
her summons.
Appendix I I , p. 46, par. 8. "But it is rarely known"
Though this
is after Shakespeare's time, the belief, in all probability, was in existence in his day, and shows how the writer of the first and unknown
Hamlet followed in Hamlet's ghost the beliefs of his day.
"Feature."
An example of its being used for the make of a man,
and not merely of the features of his countenance, to which it is now
appropriated ; but till I can find—and as yet I have found none,
though I have looked out for it—an example of feature used for things
inanimate, I cannot accept the interpretation of song or sonnet in
Touchstone's As You Like It, iii, 3, 3. Feature here, as any shape or
proportions, is perfectly intelligible. Did it refer to verse we should
expect "features". From no man, as Touchstone is depicted by Shake-

Shakespeare No tings.

549

speare, could we less expect verse-making, and all his reference to it
in this passage may readily have arisen from his reference to his new
situation as like that of the honest poet Ovid among the Goths. H a d
he been poetical and given her verses, he could not have explained
to Aubrey that he, being a poet, only feigned to love her.
P. 198. " P r i m t i s secundus"
This goes far to show—proves, I
think—that the Clown's " Primo, secundo, tertio is a good play" {Tw.
TV., v, 1), a passage on which no commentator known to me has
touched, thinking it a merely jocular remark, is, in fact, taken from a
well-known "play" or game. W h a t the game was is unknown to me,
but children still use various numerals, provincial or otherwise,
mingled with rhyme, to settle anything, as, for instance, who shall
hide in the game of hide and seek.
P. 471. " Biggins." Shows, as does 2 Hy. IV, iv, 5, 27, that, if not
nightcaps, they meant, among other significations, caps worn at night
and in bed, and that " homely" was not a generic epithet.
Introd. Rainolde Scot's Will " bank or pond". I note this because
it may possibly help to some future interpretation of Iris's words in
the Tempest, iv, 1, 64, " T h e banks with pioned . . . brims."

MIDDLETON'S -WITCH".
P. 117. "Marniaritin",
etc. In i, 2, he copies these names, altering only their order for the sake of the verse, and probably for the
u
same reason omitting Mevais".
" I could give thee
Chirocinata, adincantida,
Archimedon, marmaritin, calicia,
Which I could sort to villainous barren ends."
P. 124. " Needles wherwith dead bodies are sowne or sockt into
their sheetes." [Noted amidst charms procuring love and hate.] In
i, 2, following the marmaritin passage, we find—
" More I could instance
As, the same needles thrust into their pillows
That sews and socks up dead men in their sheets."
This is the more noteworthy, as to sock a corpse seems to have been
a Kentish phrase. " A privy gristle", etc., as given by Middleton, was,
I presume, one of the other things which, "for reverence of the reader",
Scot omits, though whence the former got it I know not.
Among other " toies which procure love" are, " a little fish
called Remora". In the same scene of the Witch, we find—
" Hcec.

Thou com'st for a love charm now

*

*

*

*

*

*

I'll give thee a remora, shall bewitch her straight.

*

*

*

*

*

*

a small fish."
Scot also gives " t h e bone of a greene frog, the flesh thereof
being consumed with pismers or ants". And Middleton's Hecate
adds—
" The bones of a green frog too, wondrous precious,
The flesh consum'd by pismires."
" T h e haire growing on the nethermost part of a woolves
taile . . . t h e b r a i n e of a cat." In ii, 2, Almachildes, speaking of love
charms, says : " T h e whorsom old hellcat would have given me the
brain of a cat . . . and a little bone in the hithermost part of a wolf's
tail." In the words " bone" and "hithermost" he may have erred in
memory, or there may in the latter word have been a copyist's error.
P. 153. Hecate, i, 2, enumerates " Urchins, Elves, Hags, [fairies]

Middletons

'' Witch".

55i

Satyrs, Pans, Fauns, Sylvans, Kitt-with-the-candlestick, Tritons,
Centaurs, Dwarfs [giants], Imps [
], the Spoo[r]n, the Mare,
the Man-i-the-oak, the Hellwaine, the Fire-drake, the Puckle ! "
[ . . . . ] . These, except the omissions marked by . . . . and by [ ] ,
are exactly those mentioned by Scot, and in the same order.
P. 184. Scot, from J. B. Porta. Neap., gives a receipt to be used by
witches when they would transport themselves through the air. " R
The fat of yoong children and seethe it [etc., etc.] . . . They put there,
into Eleoselinum, Aconitum, Frondes populeas and Soote . . . Another
receipt . . . R, Sium, acarum vulgare, pentaphyllon, the bloud of a
flittermouse, solanum somniferum, & oleum."
In i, 2, we have these bits almost verbatim—
" Hec. There take this unbaptised brat,
Boil it well; preserve the fat:
You know 'tis precious to transfer
Our 'nointed flesh into the air
In moonlight nights,

*

*

*

*

I thrust in eleoselinum lately,
Aconitum, frondes populeas and soot—

*

*

*

*

Then sium, acorum vulgare too,
Pentaphyllon, the blood of a flitter-mouse
Solanum sommjicum et oleum.''
" By this means (saith he) in a moonlight night [see fifth
line of i, 2, just quoted] they seeme to be carried through the air, to
feasting, singing, dansing, kissing, colling, and other acts of venerie,
with such youthes as they love and desire most." In i, 2, just after the
previous lines, are these—
" When hundred leagues in the air, we feast and sing,
Dance, kiss, and coll, use everything :
What young man can we wish to pleasure us,
But we enjoy him in an incubus."
P. 186. "frier Bartholomaeus" [Spinaeus] saith that . . . " t h e
witches before they annoint themselves do heare in the night time a
great noise [ = b a n d or troop] of minstrels, which flie over them, with
the ladie of the fairies, and . . . to their journie." In iii, 1, Firestone
says . . . " Hark, hark, mother, they are over the steeple already, flying
over your head with a noise of musicians."
P. 222. " It is constantlie affirmed in M. Mai. that Stafus . . .
had a disciple called Hoppo^ who made Stadlin a maister witch, and
could all when they list, invisiblie transferre the third part of their
neighbors doong, hay, corne, &c : into their own ground, make haile,
tempests, and flouds, with thunder and lightning." Bodin also, bk. ii,
c. 6 ; but he makes Hoppo and Stadlin co-disciples of Stafus and
master witches. Compare i, 2, ad init. for Hoppo and Stadlin, while
further on comes—

552

Middletoris

"Witch".

" Stadlin's within :
She raises all your sudden ruinous storms
That shipwreck barks, and tear up growing oaks.

*

*

#

*

#

I'll call forth Hoppo, and her incantation
Can straight destroy the young of all his cattle ;
Blast vineyards, orchards, meadows ; or in one night
Transport his dung, hay, corn, by reeks, whole stacks,
Into thine own ground."
P. 244. "A ab hur hus" A charm against the toothache. H e n c e it
is most probable, especially if the ! of " Puckle !" be in the original,
that Hecate, after reaching that name, is interrupted by a sudden
spasm of toothache, which she would exorcise by this "A ab hur hus".
T h e sudden pause, the contortions of her haggard visage, and the
grotesque movements of the 117-year-old hag would greatly add to t h e
comedy of the scene.
P. 542. W h e n this mortal witch Hecate—not the Queen of Hell and
of Witchdom, as was the Hecate of antiquity and of Shakespeare, and
others in the middle ages, for, says one of the after writers given in
the later editions of M. Mai., " Hecate artem magicam doceret"—uses
in i, 2, the very rhymes spoken of under this page in the Shakespeare
writings, some [ands] and [ & c , his] being omitted, and " devil-lambe"
being changed to "devil-ram". In v, 2, she again mentions " Titty
and Tiffin, Leaid and Robin", and thistime " Pucky", for the rhyme's
sake. Hellwin and Prickle are—as shown by her other mention of
them (see note, p. 153), as well as her mention of them elsewhere—
mere copyists' or printers' errors for Hellwain and Puckle.
P. 222. One would here add the quotation from Ovid's Metam. made
by Hecate, the first line running in Scott, Middleton, Corn. Agrippa
{Occult Phil., 1. 1, c. 72), and in Bodin, Dcemono, 1. 2, c. 2 : u Cum
volui . . . ipsis mirantibus" instead of "Quorum ope cum . . . mirantibus"; but that from the accidental dropping of the line " Vivaque
saxa", etc., in Bodin, and its omission also in Middleton, it would seem,
as Dyce remarks, that Middleton took it from Bodin. In concluding, I would state that most, but not all, of these references are taken
from Dyce's Middleton.

EXTRACTS FROM WIER.
I.
Besides those noted by Scot in the margins, I have gathered the
following from Wier, though very possibly some may have been overlooked. By far the greater number occur in the 12th Book of Scot;
that is, they consist chiefly of various charms and illustrative tales.
I would not be understood, however, as thinking that Scot in all
these cases copied from Wier, any more than I would assert that some
tater AstronomenRoyaljhas quoted from Herschel, without mentioning him, the fact " that the earth revolves around the sun". T h e
reference in both to the Ho?nerica medicatio from Ferrerius (in Scot,
Ferrarius) is a notable one in point, and two other instances will be
found in Notes on the Text. I quite agree, also, with Prof. W .
T. Gairdner w h e n | he says, Insanity, p . 6 1 : " N o t h i n g , however, is
more evident than that Scot, however indebted to Wier (and both
of them probably to Cornelius Agrippa . . . ), was far in advance of
either in the clearness of his views and the unwavering steadiness of
his leanings to the side of humanity and justice."
N.B.—"&c." for the words following in the page has been omitted,
as unnecessary.
P. 7. T h e reader may compare the first, and the first part of par. 2
of ch. 3 with Wier, De Lamzis, c. 5, " Quocirca earn", etc., and judge
whether the remembrance of this latter did not suggest Scot's words.
P. 53. " One Bessus?'
F r o m Plutarch. Also given by Wier ; but
I have lost the reference.
P. i n . " Chasafih? Scot seems to have remembered Wier ii, 1, § 2,
but not to have copied him. Wier gives Exod. 22, 18. oh irepi^vhaaT^
Scot, OVK ewi^ewae're, a variant I know not whence obtained, not being
in the Oxford 1821 ed. of the Sept.
P . 123. " Eusebius . . . poison." Wier iii, 38, § 2 and 4. Both call
Lucilia Lucilla. Scot omits § 3 regarding Alphonso of Arragon.
P . 126. " This word Ob . . . Ventriloqui"
Wier ii, 1, § 12.
P . 177. " Onen . . . to the interpretation of dreames." Wier ii, 1,
§ 8, " aliquando observara somnia."
P. 183. " T h e a r t . . . in digging for monie [ . . . omit]. T h e r e must
. . . t r e a s u r e awaie." Wier v, n , f § 1. Scot adds " b o n a " after
" videre".
P. 184. U R T h e fat . . . impudentlie affirmed them" [close of ch.].
W i e r iii, 17, § 2, 3. But from the first and last words of Scot's chapter,
he, as well as Wier, took these things from J. B. Porta, though he
may have been led by Wier to consult Porta.
4B

554

Extracts from

Wier.

P. 230. "Balsamtts."
Scot's words at the beginning of the chapter
were suggested by Wier v, 9, § 4, though he has added some descriptive particulars; then these words are given by both, Wier adding
that three Agnus Dei's were sent by Pope Urban.
P. 231. "A wastcote of proofed Wier v, 8, § 2. Scot's "little virgine
girl" is a "junioribus notae castitatis puelles", his " h a t " is "galea".
"Gaspar." These verses, with a longer proem, are in Wier v,
8, § 1.
P. 240. "Homerica medicatio."
Wier v, 19, § 1. See note in its
place. Wier quotes at length from Ferrarius, § 2, 3, and 4, gives his
name rightly, and rightly reads in the present passage verbis, and
not as Scot, verbi.
" N o s habitat"
Wier v, 19, § 3, from Ferrarius.
P. 242. " F o r the falling e v i l . . . no more." Wier v, 8, § 2 ; but he
finishes the charm with " In nomine [etc.^.
Amen."
P. 243. " Ananizafitd\
v, 9, § 6. Wier gives Ananisapta, has "quae"
instead of "dum", 1. 1, and adds " contra febres a quodam nebulone
. . . offerantur".
" Write upon a piece of bread" [for the bite of a mad d o g ] .
This Scot gives from v, 8, § 6. But Wier has ". . . Khiriori essera
. . . fede". Afterwards, " Vel hoc scriptum in papiro, aut pane, homini
sive cani in os inseritur". In the O rex, etc., there are crosses after
each person of the Trinity, and a " prax77 after Gaspar, while " I max"
is "ymax".
P. 244. " A g a i n s t the toothache." "Ga/bes, etc. . . . persanate."
T h e s e two charms, omitting the intervening one, are in Wier v, 8, § 6,
adding to the persanate one, " hoc scriptum appenditur". T h e second,
" At saccaring", etc., is given v, 4, § 2.
" Let a virgine", v, 8, § 3. W i e r preceding this with the words,
" Ita antiquitas credebat,verbascum cum sua radice tusum, vino aspersum, folioque involutum, & in cinere calefactum, strumisque impositum, eas abigere, si hoc fecisset virgo jejuna jejuno, & m a n u
tangens supino dixisset."
P. 246. "A gentlewoman'', v, 18, § 1. But the charm is a versification,
probably by Scot himself, of a German prose sentence, and it was
given and the story told " a viro Ecclesiastico, non infirm nominis
Theologo". Scot evidently thought that this description of the perpetrator of so indecorous a jest might better be omitted, even though
he were a German.
"To open locks . . . . T a k e a peece . . . Amerf\ v, 11, § 2 ;
but " hinder" is anteriore. T h e essential part of the words just m a r k e d
as omitted is in v, 11, § 3.
U
A charme to drive . . . house." This and the marginal note
are in v, 14, § 4. But W i e r places " vel" between each of the Bible
sentences, therefore Scot's " this sentence" should have been " any of
these sentences".
P. 247. " Another for the same", v, 14, § 2, beginning " Item".
Scot has shortened his "fiftlie", and omitted that the beggar must pray
with all attention. Also in his haste he omits that the conjuror gave
doses of rhubarb and other herbs twice daily.

Extracts from

Wier,

555

P. 247. " T h e sicke man", v, 23, § 6. Wier gives the words of the
" gospell" that is to be carried about his neck—" Hoc genus daemonii
non ejicitur, nisi jejunio & oratione"—taken, though apparently by
memory only, from Matt. 17, 20, Vulg. T h e names in Scot's margin
are in Wier, Gualterio, Bernhardo.
Pp. 247-8. " This office or conjuration." T h e paragraph is from v,
22, § 6, with a slight condensation of the first words.
P. 248. "A ckarmefor the dots", v, 4, § 8. Scot only omitting the
"sanctus" before " J o b " .
P. 249. " There are also", v, 4, § 7. W i e r commences—" Vidi, haud
ita pridem apud magnae authoritatis virum nobilem, librum conscriptum execrabilem, flammis dignissimum, plenum exorcismis, frequenti
crucis consignatione, & ex sancta Scriptura formulis in nomine
Patris [etc.] finitis, contra equorum non modo morbos quoslibet," etc.
But he has not " as it . . . Rome."
" Item, the Duke of Alba", v, 4, § 5. " Equo item Vice-regis
in sacello suum fuisse locum ubi celebraretur Missa. Continebat &
dux exercitus vexillum in manu, quamdiu sollennibus ritibus idipsum
uti campanae solent, baptizaretur. Ornabat & hunc actum effigies D.
Virginis Marias cum filiolo in eodem volans, & duae complicatae
manus ad stipulantium morem."
" T h a t wine", v, 4, § 9. Scot omitting after eager, " e o
anno".
P.252. "Mahomets pigeon", i, 19, § 3, 4. Scot omitting all notice of
the apostate confederate Sergius, of the trained bull, and of the words
before rex esto, viz., " Quicunque tauro jugum imponat".
P. 253, " A t Memphis in Aegypt", i, 19, § 1, faithfully yet freely.
P. 254. " I conjure thee O serpent . . . unto the Jewes", v, 4, § 10.
But Wier has no "otherwise", nor any signs of the whole being two
conjurations. After Jewes he has, " t e vermem a me discedere oportet,
velut a Judaeis discessit Deus noster". His magical words are " Eli lass
eiter, . . . eitter, . . . eitter". Scot's second " I conjure" is "exorciso", and for fear of error, Wier's u Divam Mariam" becomes " S.
Mary".
P. 257. " A charme . . . with images of wax . . . afterwards in
another." P. 258,1. 1, is in Wier v, 11, § 6, 7, 8, except that " A n d if they
were inserted", etc., is Scot's. T h e charm words in Wier are "Alif
cafiel zaza . . ." adding "leviatan leutatace". Scot also gives a sentence
which perplexed me till I turned to Wier, "& ferrum, quo homo necatus
fuit, traditur alteri imagini, [of wax] ut alterius necandi simulachri
caput transigat". Also, after " angell must be mentioned", Wier
adds, " N o n absimile monstrum fingitur, ut quis tibi in omnibus
obsequatur".
P. 259. " I m p a r i b u s . . . breake a bone of him", v, 12, § 1. I doubt,
however, Scot's dividing* "Jesus autem " [etc.] from " You shall not"
[etc.] by the last " otherwise", for Wier does not, and in § 3 tells
of one who silently submitted to all tortures, and on whom was found
— " s u b scruffiam inter crines quandam parvam schedulam", containing
"*i* Jesus autem transiens >J< per mediam illorum •ft os non comminueris ex eo •!«".

556

Extracts from

Wier.

P. 260. " Charmes to . . . theefe", to end of second paragraph, except from "even as plainlie" to "confutation hereof", will be found in
v, 5, § 1, 2. But there are some additions in Wier (it may be from
Cardan) which I leave to the student reader to look up.
P. 261. "Another waie . . . theef£\ v, 5, § 6. Wier adds, " ex sacrifici * libro clam a me subtracta". Scot's " sea side" is " fluentem
a q u a m " , the, " f o r m e of conjuration" is " p e r Christi passionem,
mortem, & resurrectionem (quam propter impie curiosus celo)".
P. 262. "To put out the theeves eie", v, 5, § 7. " A coopers h a m m a r ,
or addes", is " malleo cypressimo".
P. 263. "Saint A delberts curs se" to "in morte sumus", Wier, v, 6, § 1.
Scot, evidently by accident, omits after made orphanes : " sint maledicti in civitate", and by a press or other error the "&" odio habeantur>\
etc., becomes "or hated of alii men living", a change slightly injuring
the sense. I know not whether it be due to the more frequent repetition of maledicti in the Latin, but this curse reads to me more
horrible in the original than when translated. I would also note that
here, as sometimes elsewhere, Wier speaks more, and more strongly,
against some of these things than does Scot.
P. 266. u They naile a wolves head", v, 20, § 3.
P. 267. "Terque", given in Wier, v, 21, § 1.
'
"Adveniaf\
v, 21, § 6.
u
Baccare", v, 21, § 4.
P. 269. " To spoile a theefe", v, 5, § 8. But the strange words are in
Wier, u Droch, myrroch esenaroth", and in the next set of unintelligible
words "Eson 4<" is " ^ e s o n " and "age** is "ege". H e also explains
more clearly, I think, that all these conjuring terms are to be thrice
repeated.
P. 270. " Say three severall times", v, 4, § 6, the final Amen and
some ^ s being omitted.
" Charmes against a quotidian", v, 8, § 7. With these
differences, the three pieces, " t h e jejunus", should " e a s d e m tribus
diebus edat". Instead of Scot's " Otherwises" we have " Si minus successerit, in pane missali scribitur : O febrem omni laude colendam :
in altero, . . . in tertio . . . Si nee hie modus juverit, denuo in pane
dicto toties pingatur : . . . quern diebus, ut supra, mane absumat."
W h e n c e it would seem that three massecakes were in each instance
to be used, and not one divided into three, a thought probably suggested by the three pieces of apple.
"For . . , agues intermittent?
T h e whole paragraph is in v,
8, §7.
U
P. 271. S. Barnard', Wier i, 16, § 6.
u
Take three consecrated . . . Trinitie", v, 4, § 2, " Recipe
tres panes Missales", etc.
P. 272. " In the yeere." This paragraph is, with a little freeness of
translation and a slight addition, both in the unimportant parts, from
v, 4, § 5.
P. 273. " Take a cup of cold water." This paragraph is from v, 4, § 3.
Scot's English verses are thus in Wier : u •{« In sanguine Adae orta
est mors : •!« in sanguine Christi redempta est mors : •fi in eodem

Extracts from Wier.

557

sanguine Christi praecipio tibi >J« 6 sanguis, ut fluxum tuum cohibeas".
Wier then goes to " A l i u d : D e latere ejus" [etc.], and c o n t i n u e s :
"Item (Otherwise) ex quacunque corporis parte profluentum sanguinem
cohibere nituntur his verbis : Christus natus est in Bethlehem" [etc.];
and then, without any Aliud, Item, or other sign that it is not a continuation of the same charm, " Tene innominatum digitum in vulnere,
&fac cum eo" [etc.]; Scot's "five wounds" being " s a n c t o r u m quinque
vulnerum".
P. 273. " There was a jollie fellowe" to " This dooth Joh : Wierus",
etc., is from v, 15, § 1. Wier begins, " A d insignis malitiae chirurgum",
but Scot's "jollie" seems to have been taken from his drinking habits,
which in Wier are spoken of in a more pronounced manner.
P. 275. " This surgion", v, 15, § 2. But Scot's " a g u e " is in Wier
" febrem", and it is added that not long afterwards the patient died, in
his (Wier's) opinion of an empyema. 1 marvel that Scot omitted this
last.
P. 276. " Otherwise: Jesus Christ", v, 15, § 3. Scot omits the •p after
the first Christ.
"Another such cousening", v, 15, § 4.
P. 282. " A t Easter", v, 40, § 4. Note, in the margin I have placed
[? or] for the " o n " of text. T h e " ?" is unnecessary, for in Wier it is
" infra cornua vel aures".
" Otherwise Jacobu^, v, 40, § 3.
P. 294. u T h e corral", v, 21, § 5. But Scot refers to Avicenna, though
Wier does not ; nor do the names of the precious stones spoken of,
nor the remarks upon them, coincide with those in Wier at the above
reference.
P. 303. " A l s o that a woman", W i e r vi, 9, § 1, gives this, but his
words differ so much, that it can only be that both happened to notice
this common superstition.
P. 421. " Exorciso te creaturam agues . . . aftostalis", v, 21, § 16,
giving u apostaticis". But Scot's giving the whole form, both of this
and of the exorcism of salt, and his italics, show that he took it from,
I suppose, the Missale or other R. C. book of devotions, though
Wier may have given the idea.
P- 433- "Jacobus de Chusd\\, 13, § 1, to middle of 6. Scot's first
paragraph is different; in the rest he sometimes amplifies, sometimes condenses, sometimes omits Wier's words, and Wier says that
he gives J. de Chusa's verba fideliter. T h e first prayer at its close is
in Scot shortened.
P. 445. " I conjure thee." This, like the ". . . creaturam salis", 421, is
given in Latin by Wier, v, 21, § 27, down to "adjuratus". Both t h e
Latin and English in Scot are the same, except a slight difference
after " judicare", arising from Scot, in this second instance, giving the
sense rather than the verba ifisissima.
P. 507. "Rabbi Abraham . . . collected." Translated from i, 6, § 7.
P. 518. " For Beelzebub . . . maniutn", i, 5, § 3.
519. Nisroch (5); Tartac [not Tarcat] (4); Beelphegor (1); Adramalech ( 2 ) ; Chamos (6); Dagon (8) ; Astarte (7); Melchom (7) ; are in
Wier i, 5, § 3, with other gods, and in the order here marked. T h e

558

Extracts from

Wier.

wording after each is also Wier's, as is the error "Ozee 9, 11" for 9, 10.
Both also make the same mistake as to the duality of Astarte and
Astaroth, because in 1 Kings ii, 5, she is called Astarthe in the Vulg.,
whence Wier took his names, and Scot followed him, and not his
English Bible. Both mention that the word means " r i c h e s , &c.",
and that it was a city of O g ; though both, curiously enough, here
forget the observation they had made elsewhere as to other cities,
that it was dedicated to, and therefore called after, the deity. Scot
omits also Wier's supposition that both Beelzebub and Beelphegor
were Priapus.
P. 520. This chapter, from the " h e a d i n g " to the end, is derived
from i, 21, § 1, to § 25, but is much abbreviated ; some titles also are
omitted ; but except for a slight change in the positions of both Diabo/us, and his last names, " owle", etc., Scot follows the order of
Wier.
P. 521. " Lares . . . cities", i, 6, § 6, except that W i e r has " cuam
agere" for both " trouble"—an odd word here—and " set to oversee".
"Virunculi
terrei . . . drawe water." Follows generally,
though not quite literally, i, 22, § 5.
"Dii geniales . . . birth", i, 6, § 6, shortened.
P. 522. "Tetrici . . . Subterraneij
Cobalt j Guteli or Trulli (the etymology being Scot's) ; Virunculi [montani, Wier] ; Dcemones montani"
T h e s e being in the same order, are adopted from W i e r i, 22,
§ 8-11, but much shortened. "Hudgin" immediately follows as " H u t k i n " ^ 12.
" Hudgin. . . . ware a cap", i, 22, § 12. H e r e it is said—
" pileo caput opertus unde & vulgo Pileatum eum appellabant rurales, hoc est, ein Hedeckin, lingua Saxonica."
" F a m i l i a r e s Dcemones . . . Simon Samareus . . . to come",
etc.—but of course omitting Feats and Dr. Burcot—are from i, 22, § 7.
Also "Albas mulieres and Albas Sibyllas", though shortened. T h e " d i d
much harm" is from Wier. "Deumus, Agnan, Grigii, Charoibes" and
"Hovioulsira"
follow in order, § 23-26. See note on Deumus.
P. 523. " Raise thunder . . . Eltcius", i, 6, § 6, but in the enumeration of the " Dii selecti" Wier and Ennius are not followed, but
Varro.
P. 525. "As namelie of beasts . . . Latus", is, I believe, from Strabo
originally, but by Scot was taken, I think, from Wier i, 6, § 2.
P- 533- " P o p e Benedict the eight and ninth", i, 16, § 3 and 4. But
Scot's " seen a hundred years after", whereas W i e r only has " postea",
seems to show that the former had referred to Platina.

Extracts from

Wier.

559

11.
S C O T ON T H E N A M E S , E T C . , O F D E V I L S F R O M
BUT PROBABLY THROUGH T. R., MENTIONED P.

WIER,

JpJ.

P. 3J7, 1. 13. " Seventie and nine." T h e list given by Scot is 68 +
1 accidentally omitted -j- Beelzebub not mentioned + the 4 kings of
the N., S., E. and W e s t = 74. W i e r himself gives no total, but t h e
discrepancy in Scot may perhaps have arisen from his copying 79
from T. R., from whom, as an intermediary, and not directly from
Wier, or from some other, I think, from facts presently to be mentioned, it will be rendered probable that he copied.
P. 378. "Marbas?
After this n a m e Scot omits from Wier's list—
" Purflas, alibi invenitur Busas, magnus Princeps & Dux est, cujus
mansio circa turrim Babylonis, & videtur in eo flamma foris, caput
autem assimilatur magno nycto-coraci. Autor est et promotor discordiarum, bellorum, rixarum et mendaciorum. Omnibus in locis non
intromittatur. Ad quassita respondet abunde. Sub sunt huic legiones
vingenti sex, partim ex ordine Th'roni, partim Angelorum." T h e edition of Wier that I have used, I may here remark, is chiefly that of
1660, but where any doubt arose, that of 1583. But from whence did
W i e r obtain these things ? U n d e r Belial (I give Scot's English) he
says : " W i t h o u t doubt (I must confesse) I learned this of my master
Salomon ; but he told me not why he gathered them together, and
shut them up so. But I beleeve it was for the pride of this BeliallP
Secondly, under Gaaft, he says: " I may not bewraie how and declare
the meanes to conteine him, bicause it is abhomination [nefandam],
and for that I have learned nothing from Salomon of his dignitie and
office". And Wier has in his margin "Scelerati necromantici verba
sunt". Thirdly, Wier, in his address before his Pseudomonarchia, says:
" h a n c . . . ex Acharonticorum Vasallorum archivo subtractam"; and
at the close of this address : " Inscribitur vero a maleferiato hoc
hominum genere Officium spirituum, vel, Liber officiorum spirituum,
seu Liber dictus Empto.[rium] Salomonis, de principibus & regibus
daemoniorum, qui cogi possunt divina vertute & humana. At mihi
nuncupabitur Pseudomonarchia Daemonum."
P p . 377-93. Scot, in these second, third, and fourth chapters, follows
Wier, but for these reasons did not, I think, directly translate h i m :
1. As stated under Marbas, p. 37% Purflas is omitted.
2. T h r e e sentences are retained in their original Latin, as though
the translator could not understand them, {a) U n d e r Barbatos, ". . .
in signo sagittarii sylvestris", he probably knowing Sagittarius, but not
sure as to what sign or who Sagittarius sylvestris might be. (b) U n d e r
Leraze, ". . . quos optimos objicit tribus diebus''. Wier here places
" optimos" as the third word, but the sense to me and my friends is
an unsolved puzzle, (c) U n d e r Oze, ". . . Duratque id regnum ad
horairr" (but Wier omits the " a d " ) , " And this sovereignty lasts
an hour [and no longer], differing in this from ordinary mono-

560

Extracts from

Wier.

mania." 3. U n d e r Bileth Scot a n d Wier say, ". . . as for AmaimorC\ and Scot in the margin has " V i d e Amaimon"; yet neither
mentions him under a heading, nor more than by name, as " Amaymon king of the East", in chap. iv. 4. U n d e r Murmur, Scot ends
with " and ruleth thirtie legions", but Wier omits this, as do both
in t h e cases of Oze, Vine, and Saleos.
5. There are differences and
slips of translation which Scot could not, I think, have made.
(a) Scot invariably, in the rest of his works, speaks of " t h e order
of virtutes", but in this chapter, where it is used five times under
Agares, Barbatos, Purson, and Belial, and ch. iv, p. 395, it is " vertues".
(b) Barbatos is said to come " with foure kings, which bring companies and great troopes". But Wier has " c u m quatuor regibus tubas
ferentibus". From this it is clear that the translator read " t u b a s " as
"tribus". (c) " U g l y viper" is the translation of "viperse species deterrima". (d) " H e giveth answers of things present, past, and to come",
is in Wier " Dat perfecte responsa vera de . . . futuris & abstrusis";
Scot omitting both " perfecte" and " abstrusis". See under Botis for both
(c) and (d). (e) "Bune Muta loquitur voce", rendered in Scot, " he
speaketh with a divine voice". T h e translator apparently looked out for
" m u t u s " in a dictionary, such as T h . Cooper's, where in Old English
he found "dumme", and read it—as I at first sight did, and with great
astonishment, though I confess my thoughts were running on the
puzzle—"divine". ( / ) U n d e r Bileth, ". . . before whome go trumpets
and all kind of melodious musicke", Scot has, " or if he have not the
chaine of spirits [the book called Vinculum Spirituum\
certeinelie he
will never feare nor regard him after", but Wier has, u . . . sciet haud
dubie exorcista, malignos spiritus postea eum non verituros, et semper
viliorem habituros". (g) " Sitri . . . willinglie deteineth secrets of
women", is in W i e r , " secreta libenter detegit fseminarum". Here there
are in the English two gross blunders, as is evident on reading the
rest of the Latin text. " Ludificansque", also, is not "mocking", but
"toying with them", "ut se luxuriose nudent". (h) U
nderPaimon,Wiefs
" i n Empto.[rium] Salomonis" is " i n Circulo Salomonis". "Aquilonem"
is " North-west", though Th. Cooper and Holyokes Rider, and, I
believe, all dictionaries, only give it and its adjectives as North,
North-east, and Northern. "Accedant", also, is translated " m a y be
reckoned", to the complete extinction of the sense, (J) Belial is,
" eorum qui ex Ordine [Potestatum] ceciderunt", and is translated, " of
them which fell being of the orders". (J) " H e is found in the forme
of an exorcist in the bonds of spirits", is, in more ways than one, a
strange and most ambiguous rendering, altogether unlike Scot, of
" F o r m a exorcistae [the form of exorcising that is to be used] invenitur in
[the book] Vinculo Sftirituum".
(k) " Si autem se submittere noluerit
Vinculum Spirituum legatur, quo sapientissimus Salomon",etc, becomes
" If . . . let the bond of spirits be read, the spirits chaine [apparently an unintentional doubling of the previous words], is sent for him
wherewith wise Salomon", etc. I might add that twice in the course
of this chapter "sapientissimus S." becomes "wise S.", in " v a s e vitreo'
u
in a brazen vessel", and " i n puteum grandem" " into a deep lake or
hole", and twice afterwards " lake" only. (/) Under Furfur, "fulgura,

Extracts

from

Wier.

561

coruscationes & tonitrua" is translated " t h u n d e r s and lightnings,
and blasts", (m) In Malfihas, "artifices maximos" is "artificers", (n)
Under Vefiar, "Contra inimicos exorcistas per dies tres . . . homines
inficit" becomes, without qualification, " he killeth men in three days".
(p) Under Sydonay, " C u m h u j u s officia exercet exorcista", instead of
" When the exorcist would make use of the offices [the incantations
for] of this [spirit]", or " W h e n the exorcist would make use of the
forms of invocation proper to this spirit", it is translated, " W h e n the
conjurer exerciseth this office". T h e next words, " fit [? sit] fortis", become " let him be abroad", "foris" having been read instead of "fortis".
" If his cap be on his head", Wier has " si coopertus", " if he be overwhelmed" [with fear, etc.], the translator possibly wishing to express
this by "if his cap be so far on his head" [through fear as to cover his
eyes], then, etc. Besides this, there is an ambiguity in Wier which is
fully followed in the translator. In Wier we have : " si vero coopertus
fuerit, ut in omnibus detegatur, efHciet: Quod si non fecerit exorcista,
ab Amaymone in cunctis decipietur :" I can only suppose from the
punctuation that the "Quod si non", etc.,was intended to refer to his not
being *' fortis", and (as in Scot) "warie and standing on his feete". (p)
U n d e r Gaap, Scot says, " i f anie exorcist . . . nor see him"; Wier h a s
the same, but follows it up with " n i s i per artem". On the other hand,
Wier has no equivalent for " insensibility", (r) Shax: ". . . there
he speaketh divinely" is " loquitur de divinis rebus", an error Scot
could not have made, and which is not made elsewhere in this chapter.
(s) Procell: " . . . in the shape of an angell, but speaketh darkly of
things hidden", is in Wier, " in specie angelica, sed obscura valde :
loquitur de occultis". {t) Raum : " . . . he stealeth wonderfully out of
the kings house"; Wier, " m i r e ex regis domi vel alia suffuratur". {v)
In Vine,) "lapideos domos" is translated " s t o n e walles". {w) Flauros:
Wier says,"vere respondet. Si fuerit in triangulo mentitur in cunctis."
Scot follows the same punctuation,but h a d he translated it,he,as a man
of intelligence, must have seen that the (.) before "Si" should have been
struck out and placed after "triangulo", or a "non" inserted after "Si", for
this triangle was made specially for the exorcist's safety and the spirit's
obedience and truthful speaking (see under Bileth, Furfur'and
Shax).
It must, however, be confessed to be a mark of haste in Scot to have
admitted such mistakes, even though he only copied, the more so as
he must have known the Pseudomonarchia.
" And deceiveth in other
things, and beguileth in other business", is a duplicate translation of
"et fallit in aliis negotiis". T h e omission of "twentie" (viginti) before
"legions" may be a press error, but the " d e divinitate", translated "of
divinity", must be, I think, a translator's error, for it really means "of
the Divinity" (see " Purson"). (x) U n d e r Buer, Wier has "conspicitur
in signo*"; under Decarabia^ "venit simili*-"; under Aym, " altero
[capiti, simili] homini duos * habenti." Clearly the book or MS. used
by Wier was in these places illegible, or more likely the copier h a d been
unable to fill in the wanting word or words, and indicated this by a *.
But Scot's authority did not understand it on its first occurrence
under Buer> and, not mentioning any sign, translates it, " is seene in
this sign;"! (y) T h e names of the fiends differ also sometimes in
4C

562

Extracts from

Wier,

spelling; omitting such instances as " i " for "y", " c " f o r " k "> etc -> * S i v e
Wier first, followed by Scot's form. " B a t h y m " , alibi " M a r t h i m ' ' —
" B a t h i n " , " M a t h i n " ; " Pursan"— " P u r s o n " ; "Loray"—"Leraie", this
latter being wrong, because his alias is "Oray". Wier, by the way, also
shows that " L e r a i e " was not pronounced "Leraje", as given in the
second edition of Scot. " Ipes", alias "Ayperos"—" Ipos", "Ayporos";
"Naberus"—"Naberius", probably the wrong form; " R o n e v e " — " R o nove"; " F o r r e s " — " F o r a s " ; "Marchocias"—"Marchosias"; " C h a x " —
"Shax"; "Pucel"—"Procell"; "Zagam"—"Zagan"; "Volac"---"Valac";
"Androalphus"—"Andrealphus"; " Oze"—"Ose"; "Zaleos"—"Saleos";
" Wal, 1660", is " Vual (as Scot), 1583". It will be noticed that " e " is
five times used for u o " , a M S . copyist's error.
I think I had some other proofs in a M S . sheet since lost; but these
are now overmany to prove that Scot had access to some other copy
than Wier's Pseudomonarchia,
and m a d e use of it, and that his translator was not very conversant with Latin. Wier, it may be added,
a
puts S e c r e t u m . . . horum" in one line, and without a capital to t h e
" Tu", and gives no explanation of the words in any way, and Scot confirms our conclusion from these facts by the marginal, u This was |
the work of | one T. R." | etc., and t h e words " written [ & c ] vpo
parchment" seem to show that this 1570 translation was in M S .
(See also General Notings, p. 418.)
P. 379. ^Eligor?
I do not understand the double titles here and
elsewhere given, nor why "miles" should here be translated " a k n i g h t " ,
while under Zepar, Furcas, Murmur, and Allocer it is "soldier". In
chapter iii, p. 393, is given the time when knights (" Milites", Wier)
may be bound, but nothing, of course, is said of " soldiers".
P. 383. " Tocz.", like a contraction, but Wier h a s " Tocz" ^without
any stop.
P. 384. "Astarothy
Scot, merely copying, is not responsible for her
being a male. At p. 519 and p. 525, he writing, calls Astarte a u she
idoll".
P. 389. "Valac . . . with angels wings like a boie", cannot, I think,
be Scot's translation of " uti puer alis angeli".
" GomoryP
Wier says " ducali corona", but the rest is the
same; and it must be remembered that a fiend (as in Incubus and Succubus) could be of either sex.
P. 390. "Aym . . . a light firebrand." H e r e (as elsewhere in Scot)
we find, as was then often done, the past of verbs ending in t or d
elided the ed, or, rather, coalesced them. Wier has " ingentem
facem ardentem".
P. 391. "Flauros . . . if he be commanded." Wier adds " virtute
numinis".
P. 392. "Note that a legion." W i e r simply has "Legio 6666". T h e
rest is, in all probability, Scot's own.
P. 393. " C h . 3" is " § 69" of Wier.
" C h . 4" is " C i t a t i o Praedictorum Spirituum", and though
not marked as a new chapter, is one having § 1, § 2 , etc.
T h e s e are the variations between Wier and Scot in this
chapter 4, or Citatio, Wier being in Latin, Scot in English, (a) " For

Extracts

from

Wier.

563

one [companion] must always be with you"; " si praesto fuerit". (b)
394,"effect"; Wier adds," imo tuae animae perditione". (c) "And note",
etc., is Scot's own. {d) T h e ^ before "holie trinitie" is in Scot only.
(e) Scot omits R a f t e r "holie crosse". ( / ) Wier's "anathi Enathiel" is
in Scot " Anathiel". (g) T h e " H e l i , Messias", after "Gayes" in Scot, are
in Wier at the end of the list, (h) Scot's "Tolimi" is Wier's "Tolima".
(/) [Second list of names.] Scot's " H o r t a " is Wier's "hortan"; his " Vege
dora", "vigedora", Wier's letters, in 1583, being several of them so
separated that they could easily be read as two words; Scot's "Ysesy"
is "ysyesy". ( / ) [Third list.] Scot's " Elhrac" is Wier's " E l h r o c " ;
Ebanher", "eban her", (k) P. 666, Scot's " Cryon" is " irion"; "Sabboth"
is, as before, more rightly "sabaoth". And I may add that while every
word in Scot is capitalised except u dora", really the sequel of "Vige",
only " D e u s Sabaoth", "A" and "n", "Rex", "Joth", "Aglanabrath",
" E l " "Enathiel", "Amazim", "Elias", and " Messias" of the first list,
none of the second list, " Elhroch" the first of the third list, a n d
none of the fourth list are capitalised.
P. 395. "As is conteined in the booke called", etc. This ambiguous
sentence is better explained by Wier's " Continua ut in libro * Annuli
Salomonis continetur", that is, continue the " etc." as etc. It may
be added that the *, the mark of an omission, is omitted in the
English.
Scot (z>., his authority) wholly omits Wier's final § 5 :
" Haec blasphema & execranda hujus mundi fasx & sentina pcenam
in magos prophanos bene constitutam, pro scelerato mentis ausu jure
meretur." Scot, I think, would be unlikely not to translate this, or be
incited by it to write something similar, but it would be wholly
against the purport of T. R. Some of the differences entered into,
both just above and previously, seem to favour the belief that two
independent copies of the Empto. Salomonis were used, but very
many merely show carelessness, and possibly no great amount of
Latin. T h e giving of the name "Hh Secretum secretorum", etc., at the
same place, viz., just at the end of the enumeration, etc., of the principal devils, might seem to favour a copying from Wier; but we must
remember that the Empto. Salomonis from which these leaves are
copied may itself, and possibly by way of proving its genuineness, have
copied these details from an earlier, or supposedly earlier, " S e c r e t u m
secretorum".

A D D I T I O N S T O P A R T I, P .

558.

Wier, i, 7, § 10. " Similiter ex parte postica & uteri collo novit
implicatos crines, arenas copiam, clavos ferreos, ligna, vitra confracta,
stupam, lapides, ossa, et similia praestigiis movere, offuscata interim
oculorum acie : insecta auribus furtive immittere, quae postea vel prodeant, vel evolent." See also iv, c. 7, § 1-4. Cf. Scot, p. 132. In all
probability a mere coincidence of thought.
Wier, iv, c. 11, § 8 . " I n lacte tres sunt substantias commixtae,
nimirum butyrum, caseus & serum." Cf. Scot, p. 281, copied verbatim.

GENERAL NOTINGS ON SCOT'S TEXT.
For words not given here see

Glossary.

P. 2. " Ring bells." Still done in Switzerland, and, I think, elsewhere.
P. 10. " A s Merlin?
Cf. p. 72.
P. 14. " T h a t cause . . . taken away." T h e mediaeval Latin saying, " ablata causa tollitur effectus". Repeated p. 319.
P. 17. " W . W . 1582." [In his preface.] A proof that witches were
not then burnt in England; but it shows how the question of witchcraft was then exercising the people that Ade Davie, the wife of a
husbandman, pp. 55-7, thought that she was to be burnt. W . W . says
also that Mr. Justice Darcie, persuading Eliz. Bennett to confess,
s a i d : " As thou wilt have favour confesse the truth. F o r so it is,
there is a m a n of great learning and knowledge come over lately into
our Queenes Majestie, which hath advertised her what a companie
and numbers of Witches be within E n g l a n d e : whereupon I and other
of her Justices have received Commission for the apprehending of as
many as are within these limites, and they which doe confesse the
truth of their doeings, they shall have much favour : but the other
they shall be burnt and hanged" (B. 6). She and others that confessed had the favour of being hanged like the rest; possibly they h a d
the additional favour of being hanged first. T h e first notice that I
have yet come across of burning is that of Mother Lakeman at
Ipswich, 1645. W . W v in his Dedication, speaks of these witches as
u
rygorously punished. Rygorously, sayd I ? W h y it is too milde
and gentle a tearme for such a mercilesse generation. I should rather
have sayd most cruelly [? civilly] executed : for that no punishment
can be thought upon, be it never so high a degree of tormet, which
may be deemed sufficient for such a divelishe & danable practise";
and again, " the magistrates of forren landes . . . burning t h e m with
fire, whome the common lawe of Englande (with more mercie then is
to be wished) strangleth with a rope." T h e burning was, I presume,
inflicted under the ecclesiastical law, D e haeret. comburendo.
But burning was not at first universally adopted (a proof that it
was not imposed by the common law), for at the Assizes at Maidstone,
1652, they were hanged, but " Some . . . wished rather they might
be burnt to Ashes : alledging that it was a received opinion amongst
many [for in some cases it was held as proof against a witch that her
mother h a d been burnt for the same crime] that the body of a witch
being burnt, her blood is prevented thereby from becomming
hereditary to the Progeny in the same evill, which by hanging is
not/'
P. 19. " Excommunicat persons." Evidence of Scot's haste, and of

General Notings on Scot's Text.

565

his trusting to his memory. Wishing to find the Latin for " r u n n a waie", I looked into M. M. and found : " Nota quod excommunicati,
item participes & socii criminis, item infames, et criminosi nee servi
contra dominos admittentur ad agendum, & testificandum in causa
fidei quacunque." It will be observed that he remembered " infames"
as " infants", and, as there might have been a misprint in his copy, I
have consulted all—not a short list—in the British Museum. Possibly he was influenced by W . W.'s book, which h a d taken a strong
hold on him, if it were not one of the causes of his writing, for there,
children from 6 ^ to 9 years (infants in law) were taken as witnesses
against their mothers, while one woman's proof was that her infant
in arms pointed to the house !
P. 24. " T o the God speed." This, by the context, might be taken as
meaning that h e came to a fortunate issue. But it was, and is, in use
as given to a person setting forth on a journey, etc. Hence, here,
and especially at p. 481, it seems to mean that he came at the commencement, when one receives or gives this salutation. As is recorded
in an instance at Windsor, " R. S. probably gave the God speed at
the assembly, and God's n a m e so frayed the witches that they fled,
and so frayed the devil that h e was conquered in a hand-to-hand
fight."
"At shrift." This was laid down by R o m a n Catholic priests,
though it was, and is, a rule with them that no confessor can reveal a
confession, even before a court of law !
P. 41. " But bargained to." T h e sense requires " [not] to observe".
Probably a slip of the printer, possibly through the " but", and the
concurrence of two t's.
P. 42. " La volta" A fact strangely overlooked (as is David's dancing) by the damners of dancing.
" Socke the corps." T h e same in p. 124 explains that this is
sewing the body in its winding-sheet or sheets. T h e phrase is
Kentish.
P. 45. " Young maister", i.e., their new master, they having just come
under the devil's sway.
P. 48. " Of fiftie." In Scot, as in others, we find uses of "of " which
are to us strange. H e r e is a clearer example than usual of its
synonymity with our " by". Cf. also p. 76, and Auth. Ver., 1 Cor.
xv, 5-8.
P. 50. " T h e veines have passage." F o r as little, others—as Paracelsus, by R. Browning, etc.—have been credited—to the discomfiture of
Harvey—with the knowledge of the circulation of the blood. Even
Shakespeare is so credited by some whose knowledge will assert positively that the moon is not made of green cheese.
P. 60. " Their not fasting on fridaies." Scot's Protestantism here
went beyond the ordained Protestantism of his age, as did that of B.
Jonson's Cob.
P . 78. " Clime up and take it." Not the nest, but his own belongings.
A good example of the pronoun not referring to its grammatical antecedent, but to the antecedent which was most in the mind of the
narrator.

566

General Notings on Scofs

Text.

P. 80. " A w a y withall" = " C o m p a n i o n with" here, in other places
" agree with". An expression that sounds odd to us, but then used
practically and metaphorically, from the idea of companionship on
a journey, when companionship was almost or altogether necessary.
P. 84. " T h e [night]mare." Most, I suppose—among them I myself
—have known that these occur at times to a person in a deep sleep.
My fourth nightmare, a horrible, troubled, and inconsequent dream,
so far as I can remember, occurred some two years ago ; three, at
only a month or two's interval between each, occurred years ago, when
in a snake country. T h e n one appeared to be on and in my primitive
bed, or wriggling about my wattle and daub bedroom, the only room I
had. I thought myself wide-awake, bed, bedroom, and furniture being
plainly visible, and my thoughts and conclusions were as coherent,
and myself as self-possessed as at any moment of my life, until a
sense of unreality came upon me, and by two or more vigorous efforts
of both mind and body I awoke myself. My experience, a n d that
recorded p. 84, will explain various ghostly stories—I do not say all—•
wherein the sufferer asserts positively, and believes, that he was wideawake.
" As sure as a club." T h e derivation and meaning—as sure
as is a tangible club that can or will strike you—is obvious; but I have
heard it at the card-table, as though derived from the sureness of the
cards thus named. An example of a false application arising from
the apparent sameness of the words, and possibly in the first instance
from a jocular use of the phrase.
P. 85. " H a m p t o n . " Folk-lore worth recording. I conjecture, but
only conjecture, that this word was suggested by the hempen or flaxen
garments laid for his use, its sequent " hamten" being coined to rhyme
with " stampen".
P. 87. " T o her that night." I have placed " h i m " in the margin,
my own conjecture and the reading of the British Museum M S . of
parts of Scot. But in Fletcher's M. Thomas, iv, 6, we have the same
spell, with some slight variations, and ending—
" She would not stir from him [St, George] that night",
which more agrees with Shakespeare's quotation in Lear, iii, 4—St.
Withold
" B i d her alight
And her [the nightmare's] troth plight."
" Viderunt", etc. Altered, apparently, from Vulgate, which
has " Videntes . . . essent pulchrse", etc.
"FiliosDei."
Scot here alters "Filii" to the objective, because
it follows " doo interpret". H e does the same elsewhere, whether it
be English verb or preposition that precedes. Thus, 422, we have
"VitasPatrum",because
it follows "prooved"; 458, "inSpeculo exentfilorum" ; and 381, " i n Circulo Salomom's; 544, " Spiritum", because
the words follow " signifieth". W e find one instance of the same in
Nash's Summers Last Will and Test,

General Notings on Scot's Text.

567

P. 90. " H e accuseth." Bodin, ii, 6.
P . 91. " A faggot maker." Bodin, ii, 6.
P. 94. " In the western ilands", as in the " still vexed Bermoothes".
P. 95. " S a c c a r i n g b e l l " = a sacring bell, the bell rung at the
elevation of the host, when all true, i.e., Roman Catholic, worshippers
fall on their knees.
" A morrowe masse"—a morning mass. All masses, except,
I think, on Christmas Day and Good Friday, and except in certain
churches, where the older usage was by prescription allowed, being in
Scot's time, and now, celebrated before noon. This rule was m a d e
by the Pope in 1550-58.
P. 99. " (His reason onelie reserved)." Not Bodin's reason, but
that of the sailor.
P. 104. "Abacuck?
Bel and the Dragon, 36, 37.
" One syllable nor five wQrds." A curiously sounding
phrase ; but h e seems to have used " syllable" as we do, figuratively,
meaning, " in the same sense", while the five words are, " not even
differing five words in the form of expression".
P. 107. " Witch is disposed", [to plague] being understood.
P. n o . " M a k e so foolish a bargaine or doo such homage to the
devill." W e would more exactly say " b a r g a i n e [with] or".
P. i n . " E x o d . 22" [18]. Did Scot quote from memory? T h e
Sept., 0 ov 7roi7j(reT€ [var.] Trepifiiwaere Ox. ed., nor have I found Scot's
verb as a recognised variant.
P. 113. " E c c l . " is twice in the margin put for " E c c l u s . " , the
Apocryphal Book. In p. 145, by, I suppose, a printer's error, " Eccle."
is put for " E c c l u s . " Elsewhere, Scot rightly gives " E c c l u s . "
P. 115. " Osee 6" [1, 2]. Vulg. has " 2 . Quia ipse cepit, et sanabit
nos ; percutiet, et curabit nos. 3. Vivificabit nos post duos dies."
T h e " ego", etc., is only found in Deut. xxxii, 39, where the Vulg. has
" vivere faciam".
" I f you looke into [what I have written concerning] Uabar",
etc.
P. 119. " B e s m e a r i n g with an ointment." Such beliefs then current justify more than is now supposed the beliefs of Elizabeth and
her counsellors, and the execution of her would-be murderer.
" Wolves doong." A bit of folk-lore, which has, I think,
sufficient vraisemblance as to be worthy of trial, the more so as it is
said to this day that a young dog shows fear at the smell of a dried
piece of wolfs skin.
P. 126. " E l i z . Barton"
See Froude's Hist., v, 1. She was of
Aldington, Kent, and a servant of the father or grandfather of J a n e
Cobbe, Reg. Scot's first wife.
P. 127. " In his mightie power." Either the " i n " of the line above
brought about its insertion here, or, more likely, it was used as it is
" in his name", though in such a case as this we should say "through"
or " b y " .
P. 132. " 1572." This booklet is not known, I believe ; nor is it in
the Stat. Regs.

568

General Notings on Scot's Text.

P. 142. " E c c l e " [Ecclus, 49, 16, 17].
P. 145. " Covered himself with a net." An excellent example that
this p h r a s e meant disguising himself, or trying to conceal himself.
It m a y seem odd, that " with a net" should mean this, because one
naturally thinks of a single fold ; but a fisherman conceals his head
a n d body in folds of netting.
P. 146. " Finger in a hole." I presume it is meant that Saul shut
himself out of all means of knowing what really went on, as much as
if he had closed up a hole in a shut door or window-shutter, through
which alone he could see—or have light thrown upon—the subject.
P. 147. " She saith to herself" [but intentionally loud enough for
Saul to hear].
P. 150. " R i g h t ventriloquie." This excellent investigation of the
Bible story might be read with advantage by those who even now
hold that Samuel really appeared by God's allowance or command.
Such a belief involves three impossibilities. First, that God having
repeatedly declined to answer Saul by lawful means, now by an afterthought changed His mind. Secondly, that H e who from the time of
Moses h a d so condemned witchcraft, that Saul had put it down as
far as he could, and that with blood, now favoured the action of a
witch, and that in so notorious a case that it could not but be, as it
was, known to all Israel. Thirdly, that the Deity must, have put a
lying spirit into the mouth of a true and God-blessed prophet, since
the prophecy did not come true in more than one important point.
P. 151. "Aias and Sadaias?
H e r e he rightly distinguishes the
two ; but in 141, and in his list of authors consulted, he gives " R a b b i
Sedaias Haias". " Haias Hai", or "Haja", was a celebrated Babylonian Rabbi, born 969 A.D.; died 1038. Sedaias or Saadja flourished
circa 900-40.
P. 155. " Called Pythonissa." Not by that exact word, either in
Sept., or Vulg., or Greek N . T . Vulg., 1 Sam. xxviii, 7, has " mulier
pythonem habens"; and in Acts xvi, 16, the Greek, the Vulg., and
Beza have similar wordings.
" Liber pater." " Liber" is " Bacchus" in Scot himself;
but Porphyrius—whom T h . Cooper and Calepine follow—says of
" Liber pater": " E u n d e m Solem apud superos : Liberum patrem in
terris : Apollinem apud inferos."
P. 158. " Then a cousening q u e a n e " = T h a n [believe that], etc. I
note: 1. T h a t the (.) before " Then" should probably be a (,), though
occasionally we have (;) where only (,) is required. 2. T h a t as in this
book we rarely have " then" for " than", I conjecture that this mode
of spelling was not at the time universal, but only commencing.
P. 159. " N e m o scit." Slightly altered from the question. 1 Cor.
ii, 11, and not the Vulgate words, but apparently more those of Beza.
" Tu solus''' [2 Chron. vi, 30]. Vulg. reads, " tu enim solus
nosti corda Jiliorum hominem"; it has also "corda", where David
speaks to Solomon similarly, 1 Chron. xxviii, 9 ; but " universas mentium cogitationes" follows it.
" Ego Deus" [Jer. xvii, 10]. H e omits "firobans" before
" renes" in Vulg.

General No tings on Scot's Text,

569

P. 162. " Epotherses." Rightly, in 163, " Epitherses".
P. 166. " By revolution." I presume by revolution of the planets
•(and stars, as was then thought), until they came into a certain "constellation", i.e., position as regards one another. This I gather from
a previous page.
[Margin] "Zach. 10." W e have here a further example of
the loose references, common in those days, to the Bible m a d e by
both Roman Catholics and Protestants. T h e first clause is in sense
is given Zach. 10 [,2], and somewhat, Isai. 44 [9, 10]; but the remainder
from Ps. cxxxv, 16, 17; though " m o n t h s " , etc., is placed third instead
of first, while " l e t them shew" is, I take it, a variant of Isai. xli, 23.
P. 168. " F i r m a m e n t . " His error in writing " e a r t h " shows his haste,
and explains in part the wording of his Scripture quotations. Cf. pp.
19, 174. But see also note, p. 503.
P. 169. " T h e increase of the moon." This, his doubtful doubt as to
the Remora, his belief that the bone in a carp's head staunched blood,
show that Scot was not naturally sceptical in matters of knowledge,
but that he only gave up the beliefs of his day after investigation.
P. 171. " Mahomets dove." H e would express his belief, as Wier
does more openly, that it (as the eagle) was taught to do its feats.
P. 173. " rjx^\
In those days the H, now confined to the capitals,
was used, as here in the original, for the small letter tj.
P. 174. " P h a r a o h the Persian kings." Other references to the
Pharaohs in this book show that these curioirs transpositions were due
to haste of composition and of revisal bofh of his M S . and of the
printed copy.
P. 176. " M a n a c i e s . " Not having met with this form, I presume
that it is a press error for "menacies". It is so changed in the second
edition.
P. 180. " Faile to dreame by night." Scot's general statement m a y
be true, but must in some instances be modified. F r o m my youth, for
many—say at least twenty—years, I tried to remember my dreams for
this very purpose, and could remember them for a short while very
well ; but never could I find that what I h a d thought on during the
day, or the days before, gave even a suggestion to my dreams. Thrice,
however, of late years, I have been able to trace my dream to something I h a d casually thought of, though not meditated on. This
edition of Scot, as well as the question of witchcraft, has occupied
both my mind and time since November, and it is now October, yet
not a single dream has h a d reference to anything connected with
these subjects. Similarly, family matters have both busied me a n d
worried me for some months, and yet these matters have never intruded themselves, not even when my dreams, and at one time a near
approach to nightmare, showed that my digestion was out of order.
F r o m m y own instance, I should rather say that dreams most
frequently seem to be natural reliefs to the thoughts that I h a d indulged
in, or that might have beset me, in my waking hours.
P. 182. " O f physicall dreames." I suppose he means dreams
from physical causes.
4D

570

General Notings on Scot's Text,

P. 182. u Melancholic all." Proceeding from " b l a c k bile", which, in
the opinions of that day, produced melancholy, that form of madness
called melancholia. I would add that " melancholy" is often used in
Scot for m a d melancholia, and for the supposed humour melancholy
or black bile, and that, unless this is borne in mind, some of his
sentences will be misunderstood.
P. 183. " De Profundis." P s . cxxix; Vulg. cxxx; Prayer Book. All
that follow are given consecutively, I think, in the Rit. Rom. Officium
Defunctorum.
" P l e a s a n t and certain dreams."
Formerly an at least
English notion, as expressed by the servant-lover of Bombastes :
" And morning dreams, they say, come true."
P. 184. " Eleoselinum." Translated in the second edition as
" mountain parsley."
" Sium" in the second edition is " yellow water-cress".
" A c a r u m vulgare", " common acorus"—our " A s a r u m
Europ."
P. 185. " A n errand . . . from farre countries." A similar tale is
told—in some English work against witchcraft after Scot—of an
Italian judge who thus tried a supposed witch.
P. 187. "A thousand for one that." H e r e the " t h a t " does not, as
with us, refer to the " o n e " but to the " t h o u s a n d " = " h e might have
cited a thousand that fell out contrarie" for one that fell out truly.
A thousand for one, though four words seem, as it were, to have
been considered one thought. See Shakespearean noting under this
page.
P. 190. " T o offer . . . to Moloch." Curious that Scot, knowing
that fire was accounted holy, should not have seen that this idolatrous
rite was in its essence a purifying, and possibly an expiatory, one.
P. 198. "Meneha^ (example, Deut. xix, 10). Hebr. £^ll3/!3- H e r e he
does not quite agree with Wier, i, § 9.
" Philosophers table." Cf. Strutt, s. n. T h e philosopher's
game, played on a " table" or board.
" Sober writer." Of course, ironical.
" Of each letters." Either misprint for letter, or rather, perhaps, a loose way of saying "of each [set of] letters", or "of the
letters of each person's name or names".
" Unequal number of vowels." A bit of folk-lore as yet, I
think, unnoticed.
P. 200. " A d d e d the Apocrypha." Council of Trent, 1550, m a d e
them of equal authority with those which the Church of England
defines as " Canonical Scriptures".
P . 202. " T r u e loves." Garden pansies, viola tricolor, L. (Britten
and H.), four-leaved grass, occasional variations of the three-leaved
grass, trefoil.
" T o our left side." So far an explanation why horse-shoes,
salt, etc., are thrown against ill-luck over the left shoulder.
P. 205. "Sero rubens?
P. 169, Scot quotes this in English as a

General No tings on Scot's Text.

571

lawful divining from natural causes, in fact, as a weatherwise observation.
P . 206. "Stella errans."
I presume he m e a n s a planet, partly because a comet was then thought a portent, differing in origin and
nature from a star, partly because Cicero uses the plural in the sense
of planets.
"Non est." N o t from Vulg. or Beza ; probably his own
rendering.
P. 209. " Milvus" [Jer. viii, 7]. Sentence as in Vulg., while the
Geneva version, like our Authorised version, has storke.
P. 210. " Significators", i.e., of the planets which have meanings
according to their positions and co-positions or " constellations".
P. 2i2. " S a p i e n s . " A sop of flattery for their client.
P. 213. " M a k e t h themselves c u c k o l d e s . " = W h o by their negligence
and ignorance cause themselves to be made cuckolds, while pretending to know every other person's future.
P. 225. " Phaers Virgil" [B. 4, ad Jin.']. Scot, however, has printed
each line as two.
P. 230. " Balme", etc. Note that each longer line has an extra
syllable at the end.
P. 232. " This is as true a copy." Apparently a press error for
" T h i s is a true c o p y ' \ as given in the second edition, the printer having, inadvertently, almost reduplicated the "is".
P . 233. " ^ Thomas." His and our " N . " (or sometimes "John",
etc.), anyone who may be the invoker.
" A popish periapt." T h e distances between these letters
are somewhat variable, the " k a " and " a m " are near enough to be
syllables. But I have not misspent my time in a search for the true
original.
P. 234. " W h i s t l e for a pardon."
An expression still used for
other things t h a n pardon. Possibly founded on an ironical reference
to the nautical idea, that when you whistle for a wind you get it, and
more of it than you want. I have been spoken to for whistling on
board ship. More probably, however, because whistling denoting
want of care and thought, as in bench-whistler, one might as well expect a pardon or the thing wished for, after merely whistling for it, as
expect larks to drop into one's mouth.
P. 238. " Plumme." I know not whether Scot meant to translate
" Stircus" literally, but it would be curious to know whether this
signification was formerly given to " plum". It could well bear it.
P. 240. " Constant opinion " = f i r m belief or firm faith.
" Homerica Medication
T h e physician was " Ferrerius ",
alias "Auger", or " Oger Ferrier"-—not " Ferrarius", as given throughout the text, in his list of authors, and in his contents—born at Toulouse,
1513, physician in ordinary to Catherine de Medicis, and afterwards
returned to his birthplace, where he died in 1588. B . 2, ch. ii, of his
Vera medendi modus is headed " De Homerica Medicatione". And
here I would at once say, that for the discovery of "Ferrarius" and
of the following passages, and of the cause of Scot's curious blunder,
the reader and myself are indebted to my ever-ready Shakespearean

5.72

General Notings on Scot's Text,

friend, the Rev. W . A. Harrison. " W h e n , " says Ferrier, " p a t i e n t s
will not yield to ordinary treatment, one must have recourse to another
kind," which he describes generally in the margin as " A m u l e t a " .
A n d first he speaks of "appensiones et physicse alligationes", then
of " Caracteras & Carmina". These, he says, Galen (and Trallianus)
at first ridiculed, but that Trallian had seen (I believe in his mind's
eye) a tractate of Galen's in which, as the heading of a chapter, or
somewhere else, were the words " Homericam medicationem; quad
Homerus suppression verbis sanguinem, et mysteriis sanatos effectus
prodiderit"
T h e italicised passage is that nonsense-sentence of Scot's
at the end of the chapter. It could only have arisen from Scot's
haste, but was also due to the fact that, as in the British Museum
copy of the Lyons edition, 1574, the " s " of " v e r b i s " is so faint as
to give the not careful reader the form "verbi'. But Ferrier, like
Scot, attributed such cures to imagination or a " fixed fansie", or "constant opinion"; on which also I would refer to Sir H. Holland's book
on the Effect of Imagination
in Disease. T h u s he continues : " Deprehendiitaquecurationishujus eventum non a caracteribus non ex carmina
permanare. Sed tanta est vis animi nostri, ut si quid honesti sibi
persuaserit, atque in ea persuasione firmiter perseveravit, idipsum
quod concepit agat, & potenter operetur. . . Si neque fidentem, neque
diffidentem nihilominus vis animi agentis operabatur. Id in dentium
doloribus . . aperte videre licet. N a m praecantator ita movet non
reluctantis aegroti animum, ut dolor . . . sensim extinguatur. . . At si
forte aeger diffidet, aut plane ridiculum existimet remedium . . praecantante vis nulla erit. . . Non sunt ergo carmina, non sunt caracteres
quo talia possunt, sed vis animi confidentis, & cum patiente concordis."
W i e r v, 19, §1-4, gives the Ferrerius quotation, as well as his name,
rightly. T h e staunching of blood by words refers to the cure in the
Odyssey.
P. 242. " Through sudden feare." Similar cases are known to
physicians at the present day, whether through fear or some other
sudden emotion. A Protestant medical man can well believe some
of the tales of diseased pilgrims cured at, say, the shrine of Our Lady
of Lourdes, though no more believing in such miracles than do
Roman Catholics when Protestant anointers anoint and sometimes
cure through the same cause.
P. 243. " H e a r b e Alysson." So called because it cured hydrophobia (Pliny). Phil. Holland says, " Some take it to be
Asperula,
the wood-rose"; Holyokes Rider gives " rubia minor, cannabis
agrestis".
*»
P . 244. " Scarifie." Might be done with a gum l a n c e t ; but the
magical tooth might have the advantage in some instances of
affecting the thoughts, and through them the body, as noted,
p. 240.
" Os non." This, preceded by "•f* Jesus autem transiens
>J< per medium illorum ibat 4*", with a ^ after "eo", was, according to
Paulus Grillandus, who twice witnessed it, a charm producing taciturnity and insensibility under torture ! Something, either this or
something else, being repeated by the prisoner in an inaudible voice,

General Notings on Scot's Text,

573

a scroll containing these words and signs was found " in capite sub
scruffia scilicet inter crines" (Wier v, 12, §3).
P. 244. " Throwe." H e might have added, " when you have got
it", before which time she would have been released, if not one way
yet by another.
P. 245. " T y e . " Is like the "scarifie"; as one generally uses a
handkerchief.
P. 248. " That thou hereby . . patient as Job." This is to me one
of the oddest examples I have seen of the confusion of two or more
pronouns as to their subject; for though the " thou" a line above
clearly refers to the worm, this one cannot refer to anything but to
the horse ; for after exorcising the worm in the name of the Trinity,
he surely would not exhort it to be as " patient as Job " and as " good
as St. John", particularly as the exorcism was made that the worm
might be expelled and die.
P. 251. " Remeeve." An excellent example of the devices h a d recourse to by Elizabethan versifiers to obtain a rhyme.
P. 257. " Certeine name." I presume this caution is inserted lest
one hurt T o m instead of Harry.
" E a c h image must have in his hand." F o r the true reading cf. " E x t r a c t s from Wier". Scot must, I think, have trusted too
much to his memory.
" D o m i n e Dominus", etc. Pss. 8. 27. 102. 109. Prayer Book
numbering.
P. 264. "Bladder." Clearly a press error for bladders.
" R i b b e s and genitals." Conjoined, apparently, from a remembrance of the procreation of Eve, Genesis ii, 21, 22.
P. 265. " S i r John . . . pulpit."
As the story was told of " a s
honest a man . . . whereof mention was lately made", he was of the
Church of England ; see under p. 461 for "Sir". And since, I have
found that Bishop Hutchinson in his Dedication calls him Sir John
Grantham. Seemingly we thus have evidence of the dress in the
pulpit; but one unwilling to be convinced might retort that the very
mention of his sacerdotal dress is proof that he went into the pulpit
exceptionally, attired, and not to preach, but to perform a quasi-sacerdotal office.
P. 266. " H u n d r e d and eight." Here, from the "sayers of the
charm", the authority is, in all probability, the Vulg. Its 108 is our
109, Scot not having in this instance changed the numbering.
"Seachers." Probably "Sea[r]chers", as given in the second
edition, but it may have been a form of seekers, since s e c h e = s e e k .
" Horsse shoo.'' This superstition probably had its origin
from Stonehenge times and before, since the inner stones there,
apparently the more sacred portion, and, so far as one can now judge,
the corresponding part at Avebury, each form a horse-shoe. Sir H.
James first, I believe, noticed the true shape at Stonehenge, and I
afterwards independently observed it, both there and then at Avebury,
and connected it with this horse-shoe superstition in The
Antiquary,
vol. ii, Oct. 1880.
"Alicium"
Have not as yet found this.

574

General Notings on Scot's Text.

P. 267. " H e r b e betonica." u S t a c h y s betonica", Plin., b. 25, c. 8.
"Pullein", etc. " V e r b a s c u m " ; " T h a p s u s " , L., "bullock's
lungwort" (Kent). Tusser, like Scot, calls it "Longwort , , ) a variant
of " Lungwort".
P. 268. "Baccar." " N a r d u m rusticum", or, according to Sprengel,
"Valeriana Celtica", L.; others "foxglove", or "asarabacca".
"Browze". Gives us the meaning of Bowze=boughs, it
being so spelt to accord, as was the custom, not only in rhyme but in
spelling.
"Vervain." " V e r b e n a officinalis", L. (and other verbenas ?),
used, according to Park, " against poison, venom of beasts, and bewitched drinks 55 .
u
Palma." Willows in England were used as the palm on
Palm Sunday ; sometimes the yew; but here I incline to think he
means Palma Christi, a flat-hand rooted orchis.
"Antirchmon.' 5 I suspect a misprint for "antirrhinum",
calf s snout, snap-dragon, A—. Linn. Pliny, b . 25, c. 8, says it is much
esteemed by enchanters,
" L a p p o i n t . " Minshen gives "Lapouin", as t h e F r e n c h
for lapwing, but I have been unable to find this word. W i e r v, 21 § 6,
says, as Scot, " D i c u n t u r & pennse upupae suffitae, phantasmata
fugare", a n d the upupa, then as now, was taken to be the lapwing,
though T h . Cooper says, "Wherefore [from his crest as described]
it cannot be our lapwing . . . it is rather . . . an Houpe" [hoopoe],
which it is likely from the names, both being onomatopeiatic. T h e
daughter of the vicar of Oare, near Faversham, Kent, Miss K. P.
Woolrych, says that an old man, when young, heard lappoint as t h e
common n a m e for the still-abounding lapwing.
P. 269. "Cleave an oken branch." One is tempted to think this bit
of folk-lore is a reminiscence of Druidical times.
P. 271. " P s . Exaltabo."
Ps. 245, Pr. B. vers.
P. 273. " N a m e l e s finger." Wier, "innominatum". F r o m this^ last,
which is not so much nameless as "unhappy", etc., I think the middle
finger is meant, "digitus impudicus 55 , "famosus", "infamis", under
which latter epithet, cf. Persius, Sat. ii, for the reason. At 325 he
calls the middle finger the long, and at 326 the middle, at 329 the
longest finger.
P. 275. " M a d e room." Gave occasion or opportunity.
P. 284. "Finalize."
This is in italics, the mark of a quotation, but
it is not from the Rhemish Test, of 1582, given as one of the books he
consulted, nor have I yet found from what Protestant version he took
it.
P. 289. " E c c l e . 1. & 1." Probably a press error for 1 & 13, the
words being a remembrance of the sense of verses 13 and 17. It is
not Ecclus.
P. 294. " T h e corral." Can we see in this the origin of the almost
universal coral for children when teething ?
" Dinothera." Cannot find it.
"Aitites." Properly "Aetites", a stone said to be found in
the eagle's nest. Plin., b. 7, c. 3.

General Notings on Scot's Text.

575

P. 294. " Droonke as apes." An expression readily understood by
those who have watched the purposeless doings of apes a n d their
throwing themselves about.
"Amethysus." This occurs twice, but I know it not as a
variant of amethystus. "Corneolus." Various descriptions are given
of this by Pliny, Bartholome, Th. Cooper, Minshen, and Holyokes
Rider, but I presume (as given by Bailey) it is our cornelian.
P. 295. " Smarag." T h e emerald. "Mephis." Unknown to me.
P. 296. " Whereby . . . concluded." It is improbable that this is,
as elsewhere, concealed irony. Much more probably Scot was not
free from a belief in the influences of the stars on the formation of
these stones, just as h e believed in the influence of the moon in the
sowing of seeds, though he did not believe in astrology.
P. 300. "Academicall discourses." H e refers to the disputations
held by students and candidates at the colleges, as these, of course,
naturally set forth the opinions of others.
P . 301. " Serpent abandon." Is this fabulous folk-lore or not ?
P. 302. "Celondine, Chelidonius", cf. p. 293. It appears from
Dioscorides and Pliny, 25, 8, that the Chel. majus, L., is that spoken
of.
P. 303. " Reneweth bleeding." This variant, that it does so either
at " the presence of a deare friend or mortall enimie", and not merely
at that of the murderer, is worthy of note.
P. 304. " Our Princess doth." This, vouched for by one such as
Scot, shows the real piety and wisdom of Elizabeth as against the
scandals of the then times and the beliefs of after times.
P. 312. " B l a c k children." I put this down either to looseness of
writing or to that want of discrimination (or colour blindness) which
led Elizabethans to speak of things as black, etc., which approached
that colour. "As black as a toad."
P. 314. " T w o manner of todes." An example of the universal
belief that all insects, and some eels, serpents, and toads, were not
begotten, but produced by the action of the sun on inanimate matters,
in fact by spontaneous generation. Even the generation of man was
held to require the co-operation of the sun.
" Of the fat of a man . . . lice." H e means, I presume, of
fat beneath the skin of a living person, a belief apparently confirmed
by the death of persons from lice ; for Bartholome, Batman's alias
Trevisa's translation, says, 1. 18, c. 88 : " Lice and nits gender in the
head or in the skinne"; and just before, they are engendered "of right
corrupt air & vapoures that sweate out betweene the skinne and the
flesh by pores."
P. 316. "Aqua composita." Not in Ovid's sense, but, I p r e s u m e s
spirits of wine or rectified wine, etc., though I have not come across
the term elsewhere. I may add that Aqua was u s e d = S u c c u s .
P. 319. " T h e cause being taken away." See note, p. 14.
P- 333* " N e t h e r card." Scot evidently did not know " t h e pass";
possibly his age did not.
P. 338. " Gaggle of geese." T h e then correct term for a flock of
geese. Cf. The Boke of St. Albans, at the end of " Hawking".

576

General Notings on Scot's

Text.

P- 339- " S e n d them to Pope." Unable to refer " t h e m " to the
" horses" or to the " neighbors", I am forced to believe it an error
for " then".
" U n t o the doore." This (.) should be (,) the " W " marking,
as usual, the beginning of (the purport of) his speech.
P. 342. " You meane to cut." H e would say, "which you would
make believe to cut".
P. 367. " Extraordinary."
Beyond the number of his ordinary
lemans.
P. 374. " H a d I wist." A proverbial saying, at one time much in
fashion—had I known. Used here for an uncertainty which turned
out an ill certainty.
P. 386. " Goeth before." Takes precedency of.
" Be abroad." Cf. " Extracts from Wier I I . "
" If his cap be on his head." Cf. " E x t r a c t s from Wier I I . "
P. 390. "Duratqtie"
W h e n Dr. Fian was examined, J a m e s VI being
present, he, after the two torturings of the rope, and boots, confessed,
among other things, that he had bewitched a gentleman—a rival lover
—and " caused the sade Gentleman that once in xxiiii howers he fell
into a lunacie and madnes and so continued one hower together".
T h e gentleman was brought before the king, and went violently
mad for an hour, leaping so high that he touched the ceiling with his
head, and behaving so violently that the gentlemen present had to get
assistance and bind him hand and foot. Fian became penitent, and
renounced the devil; next day said the devil had appeared and would
again have persuaded him, but he resisted him. However, he, Fian,
obtained the key of his prison door and fled. Re-captured, he denied
all his confession, saying that he had only made it through fear of
torture. T h e n " H i s nailes upon all his fingers were riven and pulled
out with . . . a payre of pincers, and under everie naile there was
thrust in two needels over even up to the heads. [Here, I presume,
there is a hysteron proteron.] T h e n was he . . . convaied again to
the torment of the bootes wherein he continued a long time, and did
abide, so many blowes in them, that his legges were crusht and beaten
together as small as might bee, and the bones and flesh* so brused,
that the bloud and marrow spouted forth in great abundance, wherby
they were made unserviceable for ever," he still declaring that what
he had said before "was onely done and said for feare of paynes
which he h a d endured". H e was strangled, and his body burnt,
according to law, towards the end of Jan. 1591. T h e italicising is
mine. Can anyone read this without a shudder, and witbc*ut feelings of
indignation that will express themselves ?
T h e gentleman who went mad for an hour, and then said he h a d
been in a sound sleep, doubtless acted a part to confirm the tale of his
friend. This is confirmed by the fact that, violently as he behaved, he
seems to have hurt no one, not even himself.
P. 406. " C o m m o n copulation." Used as "friendly conjunction" or
working together, in opposition to " c a r n a l copulation", a phrase he
employs when necessary.
" T o whome be honour." Is there an omission here of (as

General No tings on Scot's Text.

577

seems most likely) " In the name", etc., or are we to look back as far
as "Tetragrammaton", etc., for antecedents? a course in which I cannot myself believe.
P. 413. " My verie name." Cf. App. II, p. 60, § 22, though I know
not that this phrase is there explained, we may conjecture from it
that we have, while alive, spiritual "names after a Magical manner",
whatever that may mean.
P. 414. "ffalaur" (Diagram). If one were really wanted, a most
excellent example—whether we look to Scot's other uses of this word,
or to the names of the other three spirits in the diagram—that "K" was
merely "F".
P. 416. " Ps. xxii and li." Prayer Book numbers and version.
P. 418. "Are written in this booke." It is clear, therefore, that
Scot took this experiment of Bealphares, and in all probability from
ch. 8 inclusive to this one, from some conjuring book, not improbably
T. R.'s.
P. 419. "In throno? Neither this nor its English equivalent is to
be found in any of these conjurations. In p. 417 we have, "which
conteinest the throne of heaven"; but unless the true translation be
" which are conteined in the throne of the heavens", this cannot be
44
in throno". On the whole, I think that it refers to some conjuration
not copied by Scot, thus strengthening the supposition set forth under
Extracts from Wier II, and p. 418.
" Then say In throno? I feel by no means content with
the change of "then" to "thou". "And" may be an = "if", but I do
not remember an instance of Scot's use of "and" in this sense. Or
this "and" may be an accidental insertion by the printer, when after
" throno" we might understand [adding] " that thou depart", etc.; and
this, I suspect, is the sense intended, whatever the emendation may
be.
P. 421. " Ch. xv." The making of the holy water is the Latin form
of that Englished from the Missal at p. 445. Hence, I presume, the
blessing of the salt is from the same.
P. 423. " In such a place N." There being no (,) N. seems here to
be used for any place, as it has been used for any man or spirit. So
"this N.", p. 424, refers to a bond or document. In pp. 425-6, where
*'N." occurs four times, it can, so far as I can see, mean nothing else
but the place, the crystal or other matter, in which the spirit is to
appear. In p. 428, we have also " to your N.", explained just afterwards as "into your christall stone, glasse", etc. And in p. 429, "anie
N;" = gold, silver, etc. "N." was therefore a general indefinite, not
used, as now, for a man only ; stilly its most likely etymon seems to
be the initial of "Nomen".
" On thy booke." In 424 we have " by the holie contents
in this booke", and "kisse the booke". From these, and from the
statements in the additions to the third edition that the conjuror is to
consecrate and take a Bible with him, I presume, that one is here
meant to be used.
P. 425. " Other bond." That, I presume, which follows on this
page.
4 E

578

General Notings on Scot's Text.

P. 425. "Made a man for ever." I note this 1584 use of the
phrase.
P. 426. " I constreine the spirit of N." The after text might induce
one to suppose that "the"=thee, but the phrase is repeated seventeen
times in this chapter, and "thee spirit of N." not once, though we have
" the spirit of thee N." once, and u thou spirits of N." thrice. Our
Elizabethan ancestors were apt thus to mingle up the second and
third persons.
P. 428. " Proove this." Try it ; put it to the proof.
P. 431. "(Blew miracles)." A friend suggests "trew"; but though
this is probably the sense, yet I hesitate to change the word. W. B.,
in Notes and Queries, fully explains this as "blaues wunder", an "amazing or wonderful wonder", the adjective being intensative, as is perhaps
" blue'1 in the phrase, " once in a blue moon," i.e., never.
P. 434. " Doctor Burc." The Burcot cozened into buying a
familiar from Feats, p. 522.
" He strake." Spirit-rapping, therefore, is older than this
century, though the manner was different.
P. 436. " Matins at midnight." The Franciscans solemnise matins
directly midnight is passed.
P. 437. "Officiall." The French name. Cf. Cotgrave and Du Cange.
P. 439. " To to abridge." A printer's repetition ; one being at the
end of a line, the second at the beginning of the next.
P. 441. uDeus in adjutorium"
Ps. lxx. Prayer Book.
" Excommunicate." 479. " Infatuate." The form originated
circa 1400, from " infatuatus", etc., before the verbs existed, and are
not examples of "ed" eliding or coalescing when the verb ends in "d"
or "t". This last, however, is found in Scot, and in a work at least
ten years older.
P. 442. " Vitas." See note 87. 458. Ditto.
P. 444. " Except in a plaie." Probably, therefore, had witnessed
Moralities, etc.
P. 446. " Increase." Error for " incense". Tobit viii, 5. (W. A.
Harrison.) Vulg. has no word for this in viii, 2 ; " Fumus", in vi, 8.
Genevan version, " perfume". Whether " incense" be Scot's own
word, or the rendering of some English version, I know not.
P. 459. " Sunne . . . is 3966000." The nearest to this computation
that I can find is that of Archimedes, who made the sun's distance
1,160 times the earth's semi-diameter, that is, 3,985,760 miles. Scot,
however, must have taken some later computation, as he speaks of
the sun's " neerest" distance.
Note, a pound of good candles, such as were offered in
church, cost threepence.
P. 461. "Sir John"=the aforesaid priest. Cf. 265, 361, and "Sir
Lucian", 463 ; also 468, the translation of " Dominus".
P. 466. " Kings bench." Note, still so called in 1583.
P. 467. " Most noble and vertuous personage." Probably Leicester.
Cf. close of letter.
P. 468. "Sir John Malborne," 1384. Hence an Englishman, and
not a German, was in all probability the first to raise his voice against
the cozenages of mediaeval witchcraft.

General Notings on Scot's Text.

579

P. 471. "Collen." Cologne.
P. 474. " Three images." As pointed to by the text, it appears from
Bodin that, "Un Prestre Sorcier curd d'Istincton [Islington] demi
lieue pres de Londres, a estd trouve' saisis 1578 de trois images de cire
conjure'es, pour faire mourir la Reyne d'Angleterre, & deux autres
proches de sa personne."
P. 476. "Wherein a Gods name." = Wherein in God's name. No
oath, but he means to explain that the miracle consisted in his being
able to read the canonical scriptures written in God's name, or
inspired by Him, but not the fabulous Apocrypha.
" The good speed." See note, p. 24.

GLOSSARY.
The numbers refer to the pages of the first edition, and refer to
an occurrence of the word, but not necessarily to the only occurrence
of it. Should the inquirer fail to find any word, he should consult
the Notings.
A.
Abhominable. He always uses
the " h" as did H olofernes, Gab.
Harvey, etc., from the false derivation "ab homine".
Abremmciation, 440. A word used
probably, as Richardson suggests, as a stronger form of
renunciation. It was used as a
technical for the renunciation of
the devil and all his works in
the baptisms of the Roman
Catholic Church.
Accloied, 79. As cloyed=encumbered, satiated.
Achate, 297. The more Latinate
form of agate (achates).
Acyron,3Ji. Greek unauthorised.
Addicted, 298. Joined or attached
to.
A doo, 475. The "a" = at in this
and like words was then frequently printed apart, or according to them—a part.
^Egyptians, 197. Gypsies.
Alligations, 239. Spells, or the
like, bound to one's arm, etc.
Anatomic, 430. A skeleton.
Apparent lie, 511. Clearly, evidently.
Appensions, 239. Spells, or the
like, hung about one.
Applicable, 582. Able to be applied.
Appointed^ 415. Dressed in order,

or conformably, as we still use
the word appointments.
Appose, 51. Our pose.
Aqua composita, 316. See note.
Assotted, 5. Adsotted; our besotted.
Astonnied, 309. Astonished in the
original sense, i.e., astounded, or
so lying in a swoon, that she
lay as dead.
Avoid, 240, 493. To void or
empty, either "make void" or
"void from". This use is as
early at least as Trevisa, or
circa 1397.
Axes, 232. The French A eels.
Hence in Sussex and the North
=agues. But I am told that in
Kent it bears the secondary
sense of aches.
B.
Babies, 166. Toys, trifling childish things.
Baggage tode, $77. A foul tode.
The epithet is now only used
of an ill-conditioned woman of
low degree.
Bat, 380. A staff.
Bedstaffe, 79. The Johnson-N ares
explanation is, I believe, wrong.
With Miss Emma Phipson, I
rather take it to be a staff to
summon attendance, a substitute for the modern bell still

Glossary.
used by invalids and others.
Cf. Ev. M. in his Humour; i, 4.
It has been also suggested that
it is the staff used to beat up
the bed, etc.
Become. Used as then in 126, 158,
323,329, as equivalent to " gone
to". Cf. 3 Henry VI, ii, 1, 9, 10.
And in acnlaw of Henry VIII
(ann. ^
* 8) are the words
"where things lost or stolen
should be become", when it
speaks of the acts of magicians,
fortune-tellers, etc.
Beetle-head, 66. = Our hammerheaded fellow, a beetle being
such a hammer or rammer as
paviors now use and so call.
Bench whistlers, 528. Idle, sottish
fellows, who spend their time on
ale-benches rather than seek
occupation, and whistling from
want of thought or occupation.
A then-known phrase.
Bewraieth, 69, and frequent. Betray. Also, though a different
word and not in Scot, to befoul.
In 328 the verb is used thus:
"the thing shall be so well and
perfectly done, that a stranger,
though he handle it, shall not
bewraie it" {i.e., discover the
fraud either to himself or others].
Biggin, 4.71. Fr. be'guin. Cf. Cotgrave. Properly, according to
Minsheu, a child's [close] covering for the head or cap.
Also generally a close or skull
cap ; here, as in Sh., 2 Henry
IV, iv, 4, used for a night-cap.
Bile, 203. A boil.
Blisse, 157, ad fin. Being opposed
to "cursse" seems=blessing.
Boolted, 480. A miller's, etc.
technical for sifted.
Bowt, 337, 347. This (or bout)
and bight are still nautical for
the bending, or loop, of a rope.
Scot uses it for the loop, or
bending, of any thing.

581

Bowze, 268. Boughs.
Bucklers, laie down the, A iii.
Submit, own themselves defeated. The origin of this and
similar phrases is unknown.
From the words "Clypeus salvus
in Cic." and "Clypeum abjicere",
it may be from the usages of
classic times,—or it may be
mediaeval.
Bugges, 288. Frightful and unnatural appearances, as in bugbears, a now equivalent word.
Bulbeggers, B 2. Terrifying goblins. I see no difficulty in the
derivation from Bui, a bull, or
bull's face, it being terrifying
enough, especially when, enraged or mad, it is directly opposed to you ; and a bulbegger
is an over-bold beggar, etc.
Bum card. I believe a card
slightly longer or wider than
the rest, so that the trickster,
etc., may distinguish it.
Bum leaf. A leaf similarly distinguished.
By and by, 460. Immediately.
Elsewhere he thus translates
Wier's "mox" and "statim".
C.
Carter, 478. Used, as in "carter's
logic", for a dull-witted ignoramus, much in the sense in which
we depreciatingly use costermonger. Carter's logic is not
the logic of physical persuasion,
but the ergo of the first gravedigger in Hamlet.
Castrell, 302. Kestrel, Tinunculus. The hovering hawk, a wild
kind not tamable, that frightens
other hawks (possibly by its loud,
ringing voice), and whose effigy
was placed near doves, etc., to
deter other hawks. Hence, probably, arose the fable spoken of
in the text.
Cautelousness, 469. Artful caution.

582

Glosssary.

Censure, A viii. Sentence, or judgment.
Chapman, 485. Generally the
seller, but also, as here, the
buyer; he that chaps or cheapens.
Choine cough, 211. Chin-cough,
the hooping-cough.
Choler, 205. One of the supposed
four humours. The compound
humour generated in the liver
was divided into two parjs, one
going to the blood, the other
to the gall, as this choler or
bile. It differed from melancholy, or black bile, for the
reservoir of this was the spleen.
Cf. Batman on Barth., iv, 10,
and v, 39.
Circumstance, 24. Elsewhere, as
75, used for round-about or
superfluous means. Here it has
a greater ill-meaning—a roundabout statement that would
evade declaring the truth.
Clam, 208. To stick on; various
dialects.
Claweth, 67. Scratcheth (where
he itcheth), pleaseth, and therefore flattereth. Cf. the proverb,
" Claw me, claw thee", or " K.
me, K. thee", a polite abbreviation, which, I think, betokens the
odious origin of the phrase.
Clubhutchins, 372. Old Kentish,
now, I believe, almost obsolete,
for a plain, rough countryman.
Coate card, 335. Our court card.
Cold prophet, B ii. v. 170. One
whose prophecies are far from
the mark, just as children at play
are hot or cold, when near or
far from the thing sought.
Others say that cold, as in
Chaucer = col.
Commend, 134. Commit to, in the
sense of giving, entrusting, or
setting forth for his examination.
Latinate.
Complexion, 461. The four complexions or dispositions were

supposed to be due to the excess of (1) blood, (2) phlegm,
(3) choler, (4) melancholy.
Here it is used more generally
for disposition.
Compline, 393. Part of the Romish
even-song (Cotgrave), which,
said just after sunset, completes
the offices of the day.
Conceipts, yib. Merry or strange
tricks.
Cone, 227. I found, I forget
where, " to cone findere", hence
marginal note.
Confirmed, 429. Apparently "made
firm"; placed or stationed together, each in his fixed place.
Constellation. Is sometimes used
in old books, seemingly as denoting the co-ordination or coposition of the heavenly bodies
(as regards one another) at any
particular time. It was from
these constellations that nativities were calculated.
Constreineth. In its primary or
literal sense of drawn together.
Contagion of weather, 269. For
= against.
Convenient (with).
Coming together with, agreeing with.
Convented, 16. Brought together
with {i.e., before) the judge, or
other.
Convinced, 70, 131. Overcome. )T
Corrupt, 16. Corrupted; the "ed
being assimilated by, or made
to coalesce with, the "t". Cf.
note, p. 441.
Countrie, A iiii. Used, as occasionally then, for county.
Cousen, A vii. v. Used then as a
term implying relationship of
any kind, or simply between
royal personages as a term of
courtesy and friendliness.
Credit, 498. Belief; we should
say crediting, etc.
Croslet, 357. A crucible.
Crosse of a coin, 388. The reverse

Glossary.
bore a cross. Now called the tail
in " h e a d s or tails".
Curious, 333. As frequently in
those days, "curiosus", full of
care, careful; those who would
inquire carefully or curiously
into the matter.
Cushion, 7nissed the, 490. N a r e s
says it evidently alludes to
archery : an unsupported guess,
and not, I think, a probable one.
More likely the reference is to
some game, such as a variant of
stool ball, or possibly to the
cushion dance. Or it may simply mean missed his seat.
D.
Dangerous of, 146. Fearful of
[showing], or, as some say it is
in Chaucer, shy.
Detected, 27. Uncovered.
Determination,
153. Termination,
or ending.
Detracting,
94.
Drawing out,
spinning out.
Dilection. A choosing, preferring,
loving.
Diriges, 439.
Dirges ; a word
derived from the Latin dirige.
Disagreeable to, 98. Disagreeing
with, differing from.
Dish, laid in my, 130. F o r me to
chew upon.
Dismembred,
313. T h e r e being
no talk of the members of an
animal being taken away, I take
it that he means diversely membered from what it was naturally,
as was the serpent with "manie
legs".
Dizzards, 291. Evidently fool or
blockhead. T h a t it was a name
for the vice or fool of a play is
by no means a proof of its
prater or diseur origin, for he
was not so much a prater as a
funny lout who bore himself
apishly, and "moved his body as
him list". Rather cognate to dizzy.

583

Donee, 148. Noted as an early
use of the word.
Doubt in, 482 ; doubted, 6. Two
excellent examples of the then
frequent use of these words for
fear and feared.
Duplex s. s., 282. Should have
been duplicis, but the writer
probably thought that this would
be liable to a misrendering.
S[piritus] S[ancti] is of course
meant.
E.
Eager, 249. Sour ; French, aigre,
as in vinegar.
Earnest pennie, 542. T h e small
sum given as part payment in
earnest that, or as assurance
that, the bargain h a d been
made.
Embossed, 316. [Spoken of glasses
in "perspective" devices.] Convex (?).
Enabled, 164. Made able, strengthened.
Eversed, 316.
[As under E?nbossed.] Possibly concave (?).
Exchange,
218. T o change or
transform.
Excourse, 43. LaL excursus, outgoing.
Expend, 444. H a n g , or rather
weigh out.
Experiment,
82. Trial, or mode
of proof; the verb is similarly
used.
Exsufflation,
440.
In Roman
Catholic baptism the devil is
rejected by exsufflando (blowing
him away) and by abrenunciation (the renouncing) of him
and his works.
Extermination,
485. A driving
out beyond the boundary or terminus.
Eybitten, 64. " Master Scot in
his Discovery telleth us, That
our English people in Ireland,
I whose posterity were lately bar-

584

Gloi

barously cut off, were much Grifthes, 202. Vultures here,
though in some authors it is the
given to this Idolatry in the
griffin or dragon.
Queen's time, insomuch that
there being a Disease amongst Gudgins, 257. Gudgeons. This
fish is a bait, and is easily
their Cattel that grew blind, becaught. From this latter ciring a common Disease in that
cumstance it is here, as freCountry, they did commonly
quently, and as in Shakespeare,
execute people for it, calling
used for a fool.
them eye biting witches" {A
Candle in the Dark, by Th. Ady,
M.A., 1656, p. 104). Scot did
H.
not tell him this, but the ex- /lagging, went to, 25. I suppose
planation prevents erroneous
went to perform her part or duty
guesses,
as a witch. From hag-ridden,
hag-tracks, and hag-worn, hag
F.
seems to have been used as a
Fautor, 528. (Lat.) Favourer, supsynonyme for wicked or witch.
porter.
Haggister, 82. Kentish for the
Fetches, n o . Devices, ruses, trickmagpie.
eries.
Hailed, 196. Haled, hauled.
Fitten, 538. Make fit.
Hair, against the, 9. Contrary to
the inclination, a phrase which
Flawed, 57. Flayed.
might readily be drawn as to
Foine, 257. A rapier, or, more
other animals, but which, I think,
generally, the thrust (or parry)
arose from dressing a horse.
made by a rapier. But see note
Hair, hang her up by the, 257.
on passage.
Seems from the word "utterly"
Fond, 204. Foolish, as commonly
to have been used metaphorithen.
cally for make away with. PerFooted, 340. A rather awkward
haps because Absalom was, and
way of describing a box with
is popularly supposed to have
two covers (opposite one anso died; or possibly from this it
other) and double-bottomed.
was a civiller synonyme for beForeslowed, 365. Slowed overing hung.
much, i.e., omitted at times.
So we have other words in fore Hallowe, 316. Hollow.
—foregrown, etc. Foresftoken, Handle, 368. Used in one inhas been said to be a comstance for to go about, or carry
pound of our fore, meaning
on, in a good sense ; in the
bespeak or predict (Rich.). But
second, as to make a passive
it is not to predict, but to do.
instrument of, as the monkey
Hence, I rather take it as equal
when he used the cat's paw for
to speak over-much against, i.e.,
the hot chestnuts.
bewitch.
Heeles, by the, 65. Arrested and
confined him, because offenders
Frote (A. N.). To rub.
were often put for safety into the
stocks.
G.
Hickot, 242. Hiccough.
Gissard, 528. A goose-herd.
Graffing, 290. A form, an older Ho, 501. Our "woa".
form, of "grafting", and so the Honestie, 81. Chastity.
Freverb graff.
quently used of mental as well
(

Gloss
mry.

585

in Scot, explaining, as it were,
as bodily chastity.
W e still
how the French joli, pretty, bespeak in this sense of an "honest
came our jolly, as in the phrase,
woman".
"a pretty fellow". Sometimes,
Hot, 255. Preterite of hit. An
as in the last phrase, it seems to
old, and also frequent, Kentish
have a somewhat lowering sense.
form of the past in many verbs.
In 273 he seems called jollie
Houseled, be, 265. Receive the
because he drank.
Eucharist.
Hugger mugger, 433. An early Jumpe with, 492. Equally or exactly with.
example, explained by "secretlie" ; but it also means, I think, Jurat, 258. One sworn to administer justice, a magistrate or
as a consequence of the secrecy,
sheriff.
in a hurried, tumbling, indecorous fashion.
K.
Hundreth, 338. A then common Knable, 346. To nibble.
variant for hundred.
L.
I.
Lane, 340, 357. F r o m the latter
Idol, 390. EiSoXov, similitude.
reference i gather that i t = l a y e r .
Illuded, 69. Cozened, deceived.
Lapidaries, 295. Early use.
Impugnable, 492. Not able to be Learne a lewd man, 359. Chaucer,
imposed.
This
able form
to teach.
not in our dictionaries.
Leaze (asses), 264. Sense pretty
Incestuous,
124.
In Latinate
evident, but I know not the
sense, full of pollution.
word.
Qy., same as lees, or
Indifferent (freq.). Impartial.
leese, losings or leavings.
Infirnalles, 426. Used as s.
Lewd, Lewdness,
19, 358, 359,
Insensible, 216. Without sense
(Chaucer) 8, etc.
Sometimes
or meaning.
i g n o r a n t ; sometimes in a similar sense as lay, opposed to
Intend, 430. Attend.
clerkly or l e a r n e d ; sometimes
Intermedled, 490. Intermingled.
wicked or nefarious. Lewdness,
Intricate.
Entangle.
in 8, seems to equal uselessness,
Inversed, 316. Qy., inverted or
or doing nothing for their livturned
upside down.
But
ing.
several of these terms I cannot
Limitors, 88. Chaucer, Begging
explain.
friars, because their limits were
Irremissabley 70. Not able to be
appointed.
sent away, remitted or forgiven.
Loose, lose. These spellings are
used interchangeably in this
Jamme (of a window), 91.
The
work, but, I think, are spelled the
j a m b , supporter, or side-post of,
more frequently as they now are.
here, a window.
Cf. Than and Then.
Naught
Jetting,a, 265. Jet, to fling, strut,
and Nought.
etc., from the Fr. jeter, and
though I have not found a similar
M.
phrase, it seems here used in the Martinists.
Those who followed
, sense of having a fling, or aspree.
Martin Mar-Prelate.
John, Si?-, 265. Cf. note.
Masse cake, 270. As shown by
Jollie, 197, 273. W e find its use
Wier, the Roman Catholic wafer
4F

Glossary.

586

used in the celebration of the I
mass.
Meane stuff, 499. Not mean in
our sense, but middle or midway,
as explained in the line before.
Sacrifices of frankincense are a
mean between sacrifices of the
mind and those of ^attell. So
mean sense, 60, is used for ordinary or middling sense.
Meere, A ii. v. Unmixed, therefore pure. '
1
Melancholic'1
See note, p. 182.
Mends, 373.
Our 'mends, or
amends, or rather requital.
Merchant, B ii, 368. .Dealer or
go-between, without reference
to commodities or goods.
Miser,
i 6 o r (bis).
Latinate, awretched one.
Moralitie, 368^ T h e uhderlying
meaning, ais in the1 Moralities.
Morrowmasse,
232. See note.
•'

m

Nail, a, 335. An awl.
Nameles finger, 273. See note.
Namelie.
By name,'and therefore
especially. •
Naught and Nought,
E i t h e r is
spelled as itself or as the other.
Neezing, 201.' Sneezing.
Nephue, 557. This use of nephew
as grandson was then the rule,
just as was the French neveu,
and the Latin nepos. Cf. Minsheu, Cotgrave, Baret, etc.
Grand-child is used by Cotgrave, but hardly appears to
have been in use. Sh. uses
grandam, etc., tolerably frequently, but grand-child only
once, in Coriolanus, and grandson, etc., never.
Netherstocke, 84. Stocking.

specie angelica, but not white,but
darker than a lion, and filthy.
Occupy, J*/;
ied, 415. Se,e note.
Onely, 114. A good example-:i of
the position then commonly
given to the word in a sentence.
H e does not mean that this, is
the only work of God, but t h e
work of God only.
Orient, 297. This word was then
oddly used.
An orient pearl
was so called by the Romans
because it was large, and large
pearls generally came from the
East. So here, easterly seems
to be used as an equivalent for
hot. T h e eastern regions being
in his astronomy nearer the
sun's rising, they were hotter,
—a false explanation of a true
fact.
Orisons, 41. Orisons.
Other.
Frequently here, as contemporarily, used for others.
Overtaken, 324. Here, surprised.
But in another passage it is
deceived.

'" '*' :
P.
Pack, 339. Agreement, and though
not a mere variant of it, pact.
Paire of cards, 335. Our pack.
So a pair-royal is composed of,
three cards.
Palme, 268. See note.
Passible, 496. Passable, able to
pass away, temporary.
Peevishness,
483.
Foolishness.
Greene seems sometimes to use
the adjective for perverse or
rascally, Planetomachia,
40, 22
—95, 18, etc., ed. Grosart.
Perbreake,
310, or Par break.
Vomit.
Perceived, 131.
Seen through,
truly understood.
Periapts, 230. Cf. text. Uepiainiv,
O.
Obeie, s., 380.
I bind, wrap around, attach to.
Obscure, 380. " Leone obscurior & Perish, 407. Causal sense, make
turpis", Wier ; i.e., he appears
to perish.

Glossary.
Perspective», 315, etc. Not our perspective, but the arrangement
of glasses and mirrors so as to
show other things than you expect to see, etc.
Perspicuous, A v. Perspicacious.
Philosophic, did, 454. See note.
Pile, 385. Pile and crosse=our
heads and tails.
Pioners. Diggers. The word is
now confined to military diggers.
Pitie, 369. Verb used in causal
• sense.
Plashes, water, 64. Poolsj: puddles.
Plumme, 238. Was this word
then used in this way? Scot
was not too squeamish.
Cf.
^etish", p. 246, etc.
Podware, 223. Agricultural produce producing pods.
Points, 341. Tags or tying laces.
PollusionSy 447. Pollutions.
Practive, 326, marg. Able to
practise readily, practised.
Pregnancy, 358^ Ability to conceive or understand.
Pregnant, 7'5. Able to become
pregnant. •
Prelacies, 390. Wier's prozlaturce
seems to have been used by him
generally, but Dtr Cange makes
it specific as the office of a dean,
and Holyokes Rider as that of
an archdeacon.
Present, 238. Immediate.
Prest, in, 360. In readiness, therefore in loan, in advance.
Pretended, 474. Latinate, set
forth. Under 20 this is its main
meaning, but the sentence shows
how it came to mean our pretend.
Prevent, 417. Latinate, come or
go before. Its lapse into our
sense is well shown in 30.
Progeny, 32. Offspring. Noted
because Shakespeare and others
sometimes used it as progenitors.
Proposeth, 361. Setteth forth.
Proprieties, 210, 303. Properties.

587

So Trevisa on BarthoL 1379
(t. page, I think).
Prove, 255. Proved, 21. Try,
attempt.
Purchase, 430. Obtain. The same
usage (found in other authors)
shows that the thieves' cant ridiculed in Shakespeare was but
an appropriation of this.
Question be made, 25. Torture
applied.
Quezie, 239. Squeamish, apt to
iJ
vomit.
- *
Quick, 415. Live, springing, running.' '
R.
Rank, 279: Thick, full, abundantly
fertile.
Rath, 441, Early:
Really sometimes ='Royal.
Recount, 17b. Qy., to say (or
esteem), in reference to the
spelling,' etc: ; or is it equal to
account ?
Recreations, 93. Re-creations, creations over again.
Reere banquet, 66=^a rere-supper,
or eating and drinking after
supper.
Regiment, 378. Rule, as often
then."
Remorse, 171. Pity, as'often then.
Remove, 242. Used as our move,
the Joint being looked on as
passive, and different from the
moving power. " ; '
Resiant, 476. Fr. reseant, resident,
Cotgrave, who gives also the
Engl, resiant.
Resistance, 445. Not resistance
of or from, but resistance [to
God] proceeding from, or belonging to, spirituall iniquitie.
Rest, 344. Remain, "but here unl
usually used:
Rish, 341. Rush.
Roome, made, 275. Made way, i.e.,
gave opportunity. '

Glossary,

588
s.

Saccaring, etc., 95. Sacring, consecrating. T h e sacring bell is
the bell rung at the time of consecrating and elevating the
host.
Safeguard, 51. A skirt or outside
petticoat worn when riding.
Scantling, 358. Dimension. Nautical ; is properly dimensions of
timber when reduced to its proper size, but sometimes the
piece so reduced.
Scot free, 71. Primarily, free from
charge; secondarily,from punishment.
See lie, 35. Harmless, thence simple.
Severall, 527. Separate.
Shepens, 88. Stalls for cows. Some
say also for sheep.
Shouldered, A vi. v. Here, supported, as when one shoulders
another for that purpose.
Shrewdly,
79.
Maliciously or
keenly.
Sinewes, 47, 24T. Probably from
the want of knowledge of anatomy, this was used both for our
sinews, but more generally, I
think, for nerves. W e find it,
certainly in this, and, I think, in
both senses, in Batman, or
rather Trevisa upon Barth., and
for nerves in medical writers, as
in Boord, and in the translation
of Vigo. In 248, where "marrow" precedes, it is most probab l y = n e r v e s . Wier in the same
passage has "a nervis".
Sir John, 265, etc. See note.
Sithens, 458. Since.
Skits not, it, 335. It matters not.
So.
Frequently used where we
use as.
Sock a corpse, 42, 124. T o sew a
corpse in its winding sheet.
Kentish.
Sort, 374. Set, or company.
Spie him, 46. Spy him out.

Spoil a witch, 269. Injure a witch.
Square, 410. Used for an unequalsided parallelogram [ ] .
Sterne, A iii. Used, as not unfrequently then, for helm.
Sterven.
Punished by any means,
though not intentionally killed.
Starved
up, 124, is used for
starved to death.
Straught, 144. Our distraught.
Strumpet, 145. Used as a term
of reproach without reference to
its sexual sense. So he uses
incestuous.
Success, 196, 197, 272. Event or
sequel, whether bad or good.
Hence we still speak of "good
success".
Suffocate, 11^. Qy., to choke with
weeds.
Suffrages, 434, 444. Du Cange (8).
Prayers by which the help of
God is implored.
T.
Temper with them, 20. May be
variant or error for tamper; may
perhaps be our temper them,
work them up fittingly, etc.
Temporally
B v.
Carnally or
materially bodied.
Tester, ox Testor, 340. Sixpence.
Testifie, 374. Not to testifie to,
but to make themselves witnesses of.
Than, then. See note, p. 158.
Therefore, 528. On that account,
or for that thing.
Thomas, 233. Anyone, as John,
or N. or M.
Thropes, 88. Thorps or villages.
Travel, A ii. Travel and travail
were both so spelled.
Treene, A vi. Tree-en, wooden.
Trench master.
H e — says G.
Markham, Soldier's
Grammar,
p. 128—"hath c o m m a n d over
all the pyoners . . . and by his
[the master general of the ordnance] directions seeth all man-

Glossary.

589

ner of trenches cast up, whether 1
it be for guard and inclosing of
the campe, or for other particular annoyance to the enemye, or
for the building of sconces or '
other defence or offence, as
directions shall be given."
Grose, Mil. Antiq.,
i, 223-4,
who adds, " This officer seems
sometimes to have been stiled
Devisour of the fortifications to
be made."
Tried, 66, 211, 453. Proved, as
gold is tried by touchstone, etc.
Trish trash, 523. A reduplicate,
and therefore emphatic, form.
Tuition, 415. Defence. Lat. tuere.
Turbinall, 3(6. Qy., top-shaped,
from Lat. turbo.

Wax, 249.
T o increase and
thence to grow, and to grow or
become, whether the growth be
increase or not.
Wealth, A iii. Weal.
Wheeking, 301. An onomatopasic
word.
Where, 429. Whether.
Whereas, 419. Whereat, at which.
Whitmeats, 281. Milk-whitepots,
custards, cheese-cakes, butter,
cheese (Bailey). In fact, any
thing or any dish m a d e of milk.
Lactucarid (Th. Cooper, Holyokes R i d e r ) .
Wist, had I, 374. See note.
Witch.
Used by Scot and others
for both wizards and witches,
though the former word was
known in English in 1582
( Witches at St. Osees, by W. W.).
U.
So used till at least 1670.
Undermeales,
88.
Intermediate
(a) T h o s e who
meals after dinner, and thence, Witchmonger.
dealt with witches, as with wise
as h e r e = i n the afternoon.
women, (b) Those who sought
Unproper, 371.
them out for punishment.
Untame, 252.
Wreath, 225. Translation of Lat.
vertere, to wrest or twist vioV.
lently.
Vade, 169. Used contemporarily
as fade, but generally as a Wrote, 199. Wrought.
strengthened or more emphatic
X.
form, as shown here by " utterly
Xenophilus,
378. Wier's Zenowither".
philus. A friend suggests same as
Valure, 130. Valour.
0 / \ o f 61/09, a friend to strangers,
Virtutes.
Virtues, i.e., the order
of angels so called. PI. of Lat.
hospitable.
T h e difficulty is,
virtus.
what is such a one's outwardly
Void=Avoid,
and so Trevisa,
distinctive form ?
Wag, 324. Probably used in an
ill sense, as a chatterer who
makes himself conspicuous by
his interference.

Y.
Yaw, 228. T o go, or stray, out
of their course. Now nautical
only.
Yer, A vii. Ere.

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