What those things are which men see and heare: and first
that good Angels do sometimes appeare. Chap.14. Fol.159.
That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill angels
doo appeare. Chap.15. Fol.163.
Of wondrous monsters, and such like. Chap.16. Fol.164.
That it is no hard thing for the diuell to appeare in
diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.
Chap.17. Fol.167.
Diuels do sometimes bid men do those things which are
good, and auoyde things that are euill: sometimes they
tell truth, and for what cause. Chap.18. Fol.171.
_The Chapters of the third part._
God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull,
and punish the vnbeleeuers. Chap.1. Fol.175.
What the cause is that in these our dayes, so fewe spirites
are seene or heard. Chap.2. Fol.183.
Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinary
rumblings to be heard before some notable alterations, or
otherwise. Chap.3. Fol.186.
After what sort they should behaue themselues, which
see good or euill spirits, or meete with other straunge
aduentures: and first how both Iewes and Gentiles behaued
themselues in the like cases. Chap.4. Fol.187.
How Christian men ought to behaue themselues when
they see spirits, and first, that they ought to haue a
good courage, and to be stedfast in faith. Chap.5. Fol.190.
It behoueth them which are vexed with spirites to
pray especially, and to giue themselues to fasting,
sobrietie, watching, and vpright and godly liuing.
Chap.6. Fol.193.
That spirits which vse to appeare, ought to be iustly
suspected: and that we may not talke with them, nor
enquire any thing of them. Chap.7. Fol.195.
Testimonies out of the holy Scripture, and one example
whereby it is prooued, that such kinde of apparitions
are not to be credited, and that we ought to be verie
circumspect in them. Chap.8. Fol.201.
After what sort the faithfull in the primatiue church,
vsed themselues, when they met with spirits. Chap.9. Fol.204.
That sundry kindes of superstition haue crept in, wherby
men haue attempted to driue away spirits. Chap.10. Fol.206.
That spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and
banning. Chap.11. Fol.214.
After what sort we ought to behaue our selues, when we
heare straunge cracks, or when other forewarnings happen.
Chapter.12. Fol.216.
_FINIS._
[Illustration]
The first parte of this Booke, concerning Spirits walking by night.
Wherin is declared, that Spirits and sights _do appeare, and that
sundry strange and monstrous things doo happen_.
CHAP. I.
Concerning certaine wordes whiche are often vsed in this
Treatise of Spirits, and diuers other diuinations of
things to come.
To the intent, that those men which occupie themselues in reading of
this my Booke, and especially in perusing of other auncient writers,
may the better vnderstand euery thing, I will at the first enteraunce
briefly expounde those things which shall séeme to concern the
proprietie of words and termes vsed in this my Treatise of Spirits.
[Sidenote: Spectrum.]
_Spectrum_, amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of
some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight.
=Scaliger= affirmeth, that _Spectrum_ is a thing which offereth it
selfe to be séene, either truly, or by vaine imagination. The Diuines
take it to be a substance without a bodie, which being heard or
séene, maketh men afraide.
[Sidenote: Visum.]
_Visum_, signifieth an imagination or a certaine shewe, which men
being in sléepe, yea and waking also, séeme in their iudgement to
behold: as we read of Brutus, who saw his owne angell. =Cicero= in
his first booke =Acadæm, quest.= writeth, that _Visum_, amongst
the Grecians is called φαντασία, a fantasie, or vaine
imagination.
[Sidenote: Visio.]
Also the Latines call those things _Visiones_, which the Grecians
name φαντασίας.
[Sidenote: Terriculamenta.]
_Terriculamenta_, are vain visions or sights, which make men afraide.
The Latines also call it _Terriculum_, because it bréedeth feare.
[Sidenote: Phantasma.]
[Sidenote: _Mat._24.]
[Sidenote: _Marke_ 6.]
That which S. =Matth. 24.= and =Marke 6.= call φαντασμα,
Erasmus doth translate it _Spectrum_, but the old interpreter vseth
the Gréeke word.
[Sidenote: Phasma.]
φασμα in like manner doth signifie an elfe, a sighte or
vaine apparition. =Suidas= maketh a difference betwéene _Phantasma_
and _Phantasia_, saying, that _Phantasma_ is an imagination, an
appearance or sight of a thing which is not, as are those sightes
which men in their sléepe do thinke they sée: but that _Phantasia_,
is the séeing of that onely which is in very déede.
[Sidenote: Pneuma.]
[Sidenote: _Luk._24.]
πνεῦμα is taken in =Luke 24.= chapter, for a spirite or vaine
imagination. Howbeit most commonly some other word is ioyned vnto it,
if it bee put for an euill spirite: as πνεύματα πλανά πονηρα. The
Gentiles (as S. =Augustine= and other Fathers doo testifie) supposed
that the soules of men became _Dæmones_, that is, good or euil
angels: which if they had done well, then were they called _Lares_,
that is priuate gods: but if they haue done euill, then were they
named _Lemures_, or _Larue_, bugs and Elues. But if it were doubted
whether they had liued well or ill, then were they called _Manes_.
=Apuleius= and other old writers affirme, that _Genij_ and _Lares_
were all one.
[Sidenote: Lares.]
[Sidenote: Præstites.]
It was supposed (as =Festus= witnesseth) that _Lares_, were
the soules of men, or else infernall gods. _Lares_ were called
_Præstites_, because they made all things safe with their eies: that
is, they saued and preserued all things.
[Sidenote: Hostilij.]
And Authors affirme, they were called _Hostilij_, for that they were
supposed to driue away enemies. Neither were they thought to beare
rule only in priuate houses, & in crosse méeting waies, but also to
defend Cities. They were likewise worshipped priuately in houses, and
openly in the high wayes. As touching those that were called _Lares_,
you may read more in =Anthonius Constantius=, of =Fauentia= his
Commentaries, and in =Ouid.lib.5.Fastorum=.
[Sidenote: Genius.]
_Genius_ (say the Grammarians) is the naturall god of euery place,
of euery thing, or of euery man when we are borne, as it is written,
we haue two _Genij_, whereof the one encourageth vs to doo well, the
other to doo euill. _Genius_ (saith =Censorinus=) is a god in whose
gouernance euery man doth liue, so soone as he is borne: either
because hée taketh care for our begetting, or that he is engendred
with vs, or else that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are
begotten. Sure it is, he is called _Genius_, _à gignendo_, that is,
of begetting.
[Sidenote: Penates].
_Penates_ likewise are domesticall gods. =Macrobius= affirmeth,
that they are gods by whom we onely breathe, by whom we enioy this
body, and by whom we possesse the reason of our mindes. =Nonius=
saith, _Lemures_ are spirites walking by night, and terrors rising
of pictures of mē & beasts. Other say, that _Lemures_ are euil and
hurtfull shapes which appeare in the night, yea and that they be the
soules of those that make men black and blew, called after that name.
[Sidenote: Vmbræ.]
Some men call the ghosts of all dead things by yͤ name of
_Lemures_. Thus saith =Apuleius=, Of those _Lemures_, he that hath
care of his posteritie, and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and
quiet kinde of rule, was called _Lar familiaris_, god of the house.
And be cause among the people of olde time, as they counted _Lares_
good, so they supposed _Lemures_ to be naught, therefore to driue
them away, they did sacrifice vnto them.
[Sidenote: Lemures.]
Some other affirme, that _Lemures_ are soules which tarry about the
bodies. =Porphyrius= calleth them the wandring soules of men departed
before their time, as it were _Remures_, taking their name of
=Remus=, whose soule folowed his brother =Romulus=: who to the intent
he might pacifie them, instituted feastes called _Lemuria_.
[Sidenote: Laruæ.]
[Sidenote: Ceriti.]
=Seruius= writeth, that _Vmbræ_ were called L_aruæ_: and they called
dead mens soules by the name of V_mbræ_. Of L_aruæ_ men are called
L_aruati_, that is to say, frantike men, and such as are vexed with
spirits. Who also as (=Nonius= witnesseth) are called _Ceriti_.
[Sidenote: Manes.]
=Seruius= saith, that mennes soules are called _Manes_, at suche
time as departing from their bodies, they are not yet passed into
other bodies. And he iudgeth that they are so called by the figure
ἁντίφρασις, (whiche is when one speaketh by contraries) of
the olde adiectiue _Manus_, that is good, because they were nothing
lesse than good. For the auncient people supposed, that _Manes_ were
infernall gods, and therefore did they number them amongst their euil
gods, and pacified them with sacrifice, least they should hurt them.
Some affirme that _Manes_ are indéed infernall gods, but yet good:
whereof commeth _Mane_, which signifieth good, and _Dii Manes_, as
if you would say, good and prosperous gods, and therof also is said
_Immanes_, for, not good.
Some other suppose, that soules separated from the bodies, were
called after this name: Wherby we sée the auncient monuments of
tumbes haue bene dedicated to _Diis Manibus_, to the infernall gods:
In the which opinion =Apuleius= was, as we said a little before.
There are some that iudge _Manes_, to be the very same, that the
old people called _Genii_, and that there were two of these _Manes_
assigned vnto mens bodies, euen immediately after their begetting,
which forsake them not whē they are dead, but continue in the graues
after the bodies are consumed. For the which cause, those men who
defaced Monuments, were thought to doo wrong vnto the gods called
_Manes_. The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the
infernall gods by the name of _Manes_, and that because they beléeued
(as =Festus= doth write) that all things did _manare_, that is, were
deriued from them. Other thinke they were so called _à manando_, of
flowing, because the places betwéen the circle of the Moone and the
earth, from whence they come, are full of soules.
[Sidenote: Maniæ.]
_Maniæ_ are deformed creatures, as =Festus= saith: and also vgly
shapes, wherwith nursses make children afraid.
[Sidenote: Mormo.]
μορμω is a woman with a face almost of a monstrous fashion:
hereof it is taken for a heg: as also μορμοιλύκειον, doth
signifie a terrible sight, a spirit, or an elfe. =Nicephorus= saith
in his Ecclesiasticall history, that a woman vsing to walke by night,
is called by the name of =Gilo=.
[Sidenote: Lamiæ.]
L_amiæ_ were supposed of the auncient people to be women hauing eies
to put out or in at their pleasure, or rather certaine shapes of
diuels, which taking on them the shewe of beautifull women, deuoured
children and yoong men, allured vnto them with swéete inticements.
=Philostratus= in his booke =Appollonio=, writeth a maruellous
history or fable of one =Menippus=, beloued of an hegge. The same
authour writeth, that L_amiæ_ are called of some men L_aruæ_, spirits
walking by night: and L_emurei_, night spirits of horrible shapes:
and of many _Empusa_, ghoasts of variable fashion: and that nursses
so named them to make their children afraide.
=Chrysostomus Dion= writeth, that in the inmost part of _Affrike_ are
certain wild beasts, hauing the countenance of a woman, which in like
manner are called L_amiæ_: and he saith that they haue their paps and
al the rest of their breast so faire as any Painters wit can deuise,
which being vncouered, they deceitfully allure men vnto them, and
when they haue taken them, doo forthwith deuoure them.
[Sidenote: Lamiæ of Hier chap.4.]
In the fourth chapter of the Lamentations of =Hieremie=, it is saide:
_Lamiæ nudauerunt mammas suas_, _&c._ =Apuleius= writeth, that
_Lamiæ_ are things that make Children affraide.
[Sidenote: Striges.]
_Lamiæ_ are also called _Striges_. _Striges_ (as they say) are
vnluckie birdes, which sucke out the blood of infantes lying in their
cradles. And hereof some men will haue Witches take their name, who
also are called _Volaticæ_, as =Festus= writeth.
[Sidenote: Gorgones.]
The name of _Gorgon_, was inuented to make children afraid: for they
say these _Gorgons_ are rauening spirites, such as men faine _Lamiæ_
to be.
[Sidenote: Incubi.]
[Sidenote: Succubi.]
_Ephialtæ_, and _Hyphialtæ_, that is, _Incubi_ & _Succubi_, (which we
call Maares) are night spirits or rather Diuels, which leape vpon men
in their sléepe. The Phisitians do affirme, that these are nothing
else but a disease.
[Sidenote: Empusa.]
_Empusa_, is an apparition of the Diuel, or a spirit which sheweth
it selfe vnto such as are in misery, chaunging his shape into diuers
formes, and for the most part appeareth at noone time. Read more
hereof in =Suidas=.
[Sidenote: Dicelon.]
[Sidenote: Hecatæa.]
_Dicelon_, is so called because it is sent to make men afraid:
those kinds of terrors the Grecians call _Hecatæa_, as =Apollonius=
writeth, because =Hecate= or =Proserpina= is the cause of them, who
therefore is called βριμώ άπὸ τοῦ βριμᾷν, that is of terrifying, and
that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp
by her.
[Sidenote: Acco.]
[Sidenote: Alphito.]
=Plutarchus= writeth, that _Acco_ and _Alphito_, were monstrous
women, by naming of whome, mothers kept their children in awe, and
made them feare to do euil.
[Sidenote: Telchinnes.]
=Cardanus= calleth these Diuels which kéepe vnder the earth, and many
times kill men as they are vndermining, by the name of _Tilchinnes_.
Men vsing witchcraft, and such as are possessed with a Spirit,
and out of their wits, are called amongst the Grecians, τελχῖνες.
[Sidenote: Pan.]
[Sidenote: Faunus.]
Of these sort are those monsters, halfe like men, and halfe like
beastes, whiche men say are founde in woods, and oftentimes haue
appeared vnto men. It is saide, that _Panes_ and _Fauni_, are all
one, hauing their nether parts like vnto Goates féete.
[Sidenote: Satyri.]
[Sidenote: Sileni.]
And menne saye, that _Satyri_, are almost lyke vnto men: And those
whiche are of full age are called _Sileni_.
[Sidenote: Onocentaurus.]
_Onocentaurus_, is a beast of a straunge fashion, which is reported
to be like a man in the vpper part, and downward like an asse.
[Sidenote: Onosceli.]
_Onosceli_, as it is written in =Plutarche=, are Diuels, hauing
legges like vnto asses.
[Sidenote: Hyppocentaurus.]
The olde people imagined, that _Hippocentauri_, were creatures, who
before were like to men, but the hinder parts had the similitude of
horses.
[Sidenote: Sphinx.]
And they do faine, that _Sphinx_ is _Animal_ ανθροπομορφον, a beast
of the similitude of a man.
[Sidenote: Scilla.]
[Sidenote: Harpyæ.]
_Scilla_, and _Harpyæ_, are rauening Diuels, with faces like vnto
maydens.
[Sidenote: Triton.]
[Sidenote: Nereides.]
[Sidenote: Syrenes.]
As touching men liuing in the Sea, as _Tritones_, _Nereides_ and
_Syrenes_, who as the auncient people affirmed, had faces like vnto
men. Reade =Gesnerus= in _Historia Aquatilium_, where he intreateth
of them. For he prooueth out of many Authors, that there are founde
Monsters in the Sea, hauing shapes and countenaunces somewhat like
vnto men.
Some of these Monsters which are indéede, bee of the kinde of Apes,
and some are onely fabulous, or false: yet notwithstanding, it may
be, that the Diuell doth deceiue men vnder the formes of them.
Thus much concerning tearmes, which we must vse in this our Treatise
of Spirits or Visions.
Hereunto haue I adioyned straunge happes, and foretokens, which for
the most part chaunce before great matters. And therefore I knit them
vnto these, because they haue great resemblance vnto them.
[Sidenote: Portentum.]
For vaine imaginations also appeare vnto our sights: armed men as
it were are seene on earth, or in the aire: and other such like
shapes, voyces, noyses, crackes, and such like. But as touching
the very words, _Portentum_ is that which foresheweth some thing
to come, as when straunge bodies appeare in the aire, or blazing
starres, or thunder in faire weather, or whirlewindes do chaunce.
=Festus= saith, that albeit _Portentum_ be a naturall thing, yet it
happeneth sildome, and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after
a certaine season.
[Sidenote: Ostentum.]
_Ostentum_, is some straunge thing, which sheweth some thing to come
to effect speedily. They giue the like examples of them both.
[Sidenote: Prodigium.]
_Prodigium_, is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of
nature, yet notwithstanding it doth alwaies betoken some euill thing,
being called _Prodigium_, as it were of _porro agendum_, to be done
afterward.
[Sidenote: Monstrum.]
_Monstrum_, is that which hapneth against nature, as when any thing
is brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde: the
which is also called _Promonstrum_, as who should say, _Porro aliquid
monstrans, siue monens_, that is, shewing or warning some thing
to happen afterward. Notwithstanding these termes are many times
confounded togither, and taken in one signification, and that because
they respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of
things to come. The vaine visions wheron we here intreat, appertaine
nothing to naturall philosophers, neither yet these things which we
haue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning,
or rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing
chance which standeth by naturall reason, it doth not properly belong
vnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things
passe, we will by Gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it
selfe.
CHAP. II.
Melancholike persons, and mad men, imagine many things
which in verie deed are not.
[Sidenote: Some men deny there are Spirits.]
[Sidenote: _Act.23._]
There haue bin very many in al ages, which haue vtterly denied
that there bee any spirits or straunge sightes. The Philosophers
of =Epicurus= sect, did iest & laugh at all those things which
were reported of them, and counted them as fained and counterfeyt,
by the which only children and fooles, and plaine simple men were
made afraide. When =Cassius=, who was an =Epicurian=, vnderstood by
=Brutus=, that he had séene a certaine vision, he (as =Plutarch= doth
testifie) indeuoured to attribute the matter vnto naturall causes.
We read in the 23. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles, that the
Sadduces did not beléeue there should be any Resurrection of the
dead, and that they denied there were any spirites or angels: Yea
and at this day, many good & godly men beléeue those things to be
but tales, which are talked of too and fro concerning those imagined
visions: partly because in all their life, they neuer sawe any such,
and partly or rather especially, because in time past men haue bin
so often deceiued with apparitions, visions and false miracles done
by Monkes and Priestes, that now they take things yͭ are true, to
be as vtterly false. Whatsoeuer the cause is, it may be proued, by
witnesse of many writers, and by daily experience also, that spirites
and strange sightes do sometime appeare, and that in very déed many
strange and maruellous things do happen. True it is, that many men
do falsly perswade themselues that they sée or heare ghoasts: for
that which they imagine they sée or heare, procéedeth either of
melancholie, madnesse, weakenesse of the senses, feare, or of some
other perturbation: or else when they sée or heare beasts, vapors, or
some other naturall thing, then they vainly suppose, they haue séene
sightes I wotte not what, as hereafter I will shewe particularly by
many and notable examples.
There is no doubt, but that almost al those things which the common
people iudge to be wonderfull sightes, are nothing lesse than so. But
in the meane season it cannot be denied, but that straunge sightes,
and many other such lyke things, are sometimes heard and also séene.
[Sidenote: Sundry imaginations of melancholike persons.]
[Sidenote: Theatrum a place to behold plaies and pastimes in.]
[Sidenote: Ioannes Sertorius.]
[Sidenote: Ste. Ludouic. Cæliu. li 17. ca.2 antiquitat.]
And first it cannot be denied, but that some men which either by
dispositions of nature, or for that they haue susteined great
miserie, are now become heauie and full of melancholy, imagine many
times with themselues being alone, miraculous and straunge things.
Sometimes they affirme in great soothe, that they verily heare and
sée this or that thing, whiche notwithstanding neither they, nor
yet any other man did once sée or heare. Which thing we sometimes
sée by experience to be true in those men, which be troubled with
great headache, or subiect to other diseases of the bodie, or cannot
take rest in the night, or are distraughted of their wittes. Those
which dwell with suche kinde of men, when they here them tell such
absurd tales, such straunge things, and such maruellous visions,
albeit they pittie their vnfortunate estate, yet can they not many
times containe themselues from laughing. =Aristotle= in his booke
_de rebus mirandis_, writeth of a certaine man distraught of his
wittes, who going into the Theatre of _Abydos_ a Cittie of _Asia_,
when no man was therein, and there sitting alone, by clapping of
his hands, signified that he liked as well euery thing there, as if
some Comedie or Tragedie had bin notably set foorth on a stage. The
verie lyke Historie hath =Horace=, in his second booke of Epistles,
of a certain man, who comming into the Theatre at _Argos_, behaued
himselfe euen as the other man did: And when his kinsfolke through
the helpe of good Phisitians, had restored him to his right wittes
againe, he was very angry with them, saying, that he neuer liued
more pleasantly than while he was beside himselfe. =Atheneus lib.=
12. writeth of one =Tresilaus=, whose braines were so distempered,
that he verily supposed all the ships which arriued at Port =Piræus=,
to be his owne: he would number them, he commaunded the Mariners to
launch from shore, and when they returned after their voyage home
againe, he as much reioyced as if he had bene owner of all wherewith
they were laden. The same man affirmed, that in all the time of his
madnesse he liued a verie pleasant life, vntill the Phisitian had
cured him of his disease. I myselfe haue séene a man, =Iohannes
Leonardus Sertorius= by name, whom very honest and graue men, which
knew him well, would testifie to be a godly man, which was throughly
perswaded with himselfe, that hée could prooue our Religion which we
now professe, to be true and Catholike, euen by a miracle from heauen
as sometime =Helias= did. He desired the Magistrates of certain
Countries to call togither their Papists, and Protestants: for he
was readie (he sayd) to shewe this miracle, and in case he did it
not openly before them all, he refused not to sustain any kynd of
punishment. The lyke reason is also of other men whiche are besides
themselues: for they take on them maruellous things, either because
they haue mused long time on some matter conceiued in their minds,
as cunning Artificers oftentimes doo: or because they haue bin long
weried with sicknesse, or else because they loue extremely. You shall
finde some that imagine themself as it were armed with horns of an
Oxe: other appeare to themselues to be erthen vessels, and therfore
they wil shun euery thing for feare they be broken.
[Sidenote: Galen de locis affectis.]
[Sidenote: Libro de Simtomatum diff. chap.3]
Of such an one writeth =Galene=, _De locis affectis_ _lib._3._cap._6.
and also _lib._4._cap._1. Other suppose themselues dead, other
thinke themselues great Princes, other to be learned men, other
to be Prophets & Apostles, & therfore they wil foretel things to
come. The same he writeth of them yͭ are taken with frenzie * and
namely, of one =Theophilus= a Phisitian, who in other things was
wise, and coulde dispute wel and perfectly knowe euery man: yet
notwithstanding, hee thought there were certain minstrels did haunt
that corner of his house where he vsed to lye, and that they tuned
their pypes and played on them euery daye: And hée verily thoughte,
that he sawe them, some sitting, and some standing, and in such
sorte continually pyping without intermission, that they ceased at
no time, neither in the day, nor in the night. And therfore he neuer
ceased to crie, and to commaunde his seruants to driue them out of
his doores. When he was throughly recouered of his sicknesse, then
he tolde all other things which euery one of them had sayd or done:
and also he called to mind the imaginations which he conceiued of the
tediousnesse of the minstrels.
[Sidenote: Paulus Aegineta.]
[Sidenote: Licanthropia.]
[Sidenote: Augustine vppon Genesis.]
[Sidenote: Hidrophobia.]
[Sidenote: Rufus.]
=Paulus Aegineta= writeth in his thirde booke and xv. chap. that
those that are taken with _Licanthropia_ (which is a kynde of
madnesse) leape out of their houses in the night, in all things
imitating the nature of wolues, and that vntill it waxe day, they
kéep about the graues of dead men. Moreouer, somtimes the diuel
(enemie to mankinde) so deceiueth men, that they séeme vnto them
selues to bée beastes. Whereof Augustin writeth =In Genesin ad
litteram lib.7.cap.11.= they which are bitten with madde Dogges are
afraide of water. This disease they call _Hidrophobiam_: out of which
=Aegineta lib.5.ca.cap.3.= reporteth, that they which are troubled
with this disease, looking on the water, and béeing broughte vnto it,
flée from them soone: other vtterly refuse all kind of moisture: and
that there are some which barke like Dogges, and bite them that come
vnto them. =Rufus= shewing the cause of their feare, saith that they
suppose they sée in the water the shadowe of the Dog which bitte them.
[Sidenote: Ephialtes the maare.]
_Ephialtes_, which the Phisitions call the Maare, is a disease of the
stomacke, concerning which, reade =Paulus Aegineta= =li.=3.=cap.=6.
Many which are taken with this disease, imagine that a man of
monstrous stature sitteth on them, which with his hands violently
stoppeth their mouth, that they can by no meanes cry out, and they
striue with their armes and hands to driue him away, but all in
vain. Some led with vaine fantasie, thinke him who oppresseth them,
to créepe vp by little and little on the bed, as it were to deceiue
them, and anon to runne downe. They séeme also to themselues to heare
him. This disease is called by an other name πνιγαλίον and πνιγἁμων.
[Sidenote: Madmen.]
Madde men which haue vtterly lost the vse of reason, or are vexed
by Gods permission, with a Diuell, whome the Gospell calleth
δαιμονιζομἁνους, doo maruellous thinges, talke of many visions and
diuers other matters. Their sight deceiueth them, in so much as they
mistake one man for another: which thing we sée by experience, in
Bedleme houses where madde and frantike men are kept. We read that
=Aiax= tooke the matter so gréeuously, when =Achilles= armour was
adiudged vnto =Vlisses=, that becomming mad through griefe, and
drawing out his sworde, he set vpon herds of swine, supposing that
he fought with the whole army of the Grecians. Afterwards hanging vp
two of the greatest of them on postes, with rayling words he whipped
them, thinking one of them to be =Agamemnon=, the other =Vlisses=,
of whom with the first he was angry as an euil iudge, with the other
bicause he was by him vanquished in iudgement. But afterwards when
he came againe to himselfe, for very shame he slew himselfe. It hath
many times chaunced in battaile, that the souldiers falling into
great fury, their captaines haue bene forced to take away their
armour, because by rage they tooke their own felowes for enemies, and
began to set on them violently.
[Sidenote: Tertullian.]
=Tertullianus= saith thus: Those which are mad sée one man in an
other, as =Orestes= sawe his mother in his sister, =Aiax= beheld
=Vlisses= in an heard of swine, =Athamas= and =Agaue= wilde beastes
in their owne children, &c.
CHAP. III.
Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straunge
things.
[Sidenote: 2._Pet._3.]
That whiche we haue hitherto spoken concerning melancholicke men,
and men out of their wits, may also be vnderstood of timorous and
fearefull men. For if any man be timorous by nature, or subiect
to feare through great daungers, or by some other wayes, he also
imagineth straunge things which indéed are not so, especially if
he haue in him any store of melancholy. Women, which for the most
part are naturally giuen to feare more than men, (for which cause S.
=Peter= in his first Epistle speaking of the dutie of married folks,
calleth them the weaker vessell,) do more often suppose they sée
or heare this or that thing, than men doo. And so do yoong women,
because commonly they are afraide. If when men sit at the table,
mention be made of spirites and elues, many times women and children
are so afraide that they dare scarce go out of doores alone, least
they should meete with some euill thing: and if they chaunce to heare
any kinde of noise, by and by they thinke there are some spirites
behinde them, such vaine perswasions they haue. A cowardly souldiour
iudgeth his enemies to be more in number than they are: the noyse of
a leafe being mooued so affrighteth him (which thing God in his lawe
threatneth his people of _Israel_, except they do their duties) that
he betaketh himself to his héeles: if he but heare a woodspeck with
his bill beating on a trée, he straight thinketh the enemy readie to
leape on his shoulders: yea if he heare but a mouse moue, by and by
his heart is in his hose. These and such like things neuer trouble a
stout and couragious souldier.
And yet sometimes in the chase, lustie souldiers flying away from
their companie, are so troubled in minde, that they thinke their
friends enemies, and cannot tell in the world where they are, and
whither they go: all the which commeth by feare.
[Sidenote: Plutarche.]
=Plutarche= in his booke _De sera numinis vindicta_, reporteth a
maruellous and notable historie, of one called =Bessus=: who after
he had murthered his father, hid himselfe a long season. But on
a time as he went to supper, espying a swallowes neast, with his
speare be thrust it downe: and when those which supped togither with
him, misliked and abhorred his cruelty (for we like not those men
that trouble little birdes and other beastes, because we iudge them
austere and cruell) he answered: haue they not (saieth hée) falsly
accused me, a great while crying out on me, that I haue slaine
and murthered my father. Those which were present, being striken
with great admiration, reported these his words to the king, who
immediately caused him to bee tormented, and examining the matter
diligently, at the last found him guiltie, and punished him as a
manquiller of his owne father. Hereof ye may gather what feare can
doo: the swallowes coulde not speake, and yet he perswaded himselfe
that they vpbrayed him with murthering his father. Euen so many
through feare, imagine that they heare and sée many thinges whiche in
déede are méere trifles.
[Sidenote: Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Symmachus.]
[Sidenote: Matth.14.]
[Sidenote: Luke.24.]
[Sidenote: Stout and coragious men seldom see any Spirits.]
=Procopius= in the beginning of the warres of _Italie_, declareth,
that as =Theodoricus= satte at meate, after he had put to death
=Boethius= and =Symmachus= his sonne in lawe, a fishes head being
brought before him, he sawe in it the countenance of =Symmachus=
looking horribly, which byting the nether lip with lowring eyes
séemed to threaten him, wherewith the King being sore abashed, fell
into a gréeuous sicknesse, wherof he afterwards died. Yea feare if it
be vnmeasurable maketh vs to abhorre those thinges, which otherwise
should be comfortable vnto vs. The apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ
may be examples hereof. Who in the night season being in greate
daunger in the Sea, when they sawe Christe walking on the water
approching towards them wer maruelously appalled. For they supposed
they sawe a Spirit, and cried out for feare. But the Lorde came to
deliuer them out of that present daunger wherein they were. After his
resurrection they were maruellously affraide, and as S. Luke saith,
they verily supposed they sawe a Spirit, when in déede he appeared
vnto them in his owne body. Therfore the lord comforteth & hartneth
them saying: Behold my hands & my féet, for I am euē he: handle me
and sée: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye sée I haue. They
through great ioy could not beléeue it, but maruelled at it. Héere
thou séest, by feare it came to passe, that the Disciples supposed
yͤ Lord him self to haue bin a ghost. And therfore no man ought to
maruell if we hindered by feare, mistake one man for an other, and
perswade our selues that we haue séene spirits, whereas no such were.
They which are of stout and hautie courage, frée from all feare,
seldome times sée any spirits. It is reported of the Scithians, a
warlike natiō dwelling in mountains (from whom it is thought the
Turkes take their originall) that they neuer sée any vaine sightes of
spirits. Authors write that Lions are not feared with any bugs: for
they are full of stomacke and deuoide of feare.
CHAP. IIII.
Men which are dull of seeing and hearing, imagine many
things which in verie deed are not so.
[Sidenote: Dronken men see straunge things.]
[Sidenote: Euripides.]
[Sidenote: Pro.23.]
They whiche are weake of sight, are manye times in suche sorte
deceyued, that they beholde one man in steade of an other.
Poare-blinded men whome the Gréekes call Μὑοπες, whiche can
not sée any thing, except it be verie neare their eyes (as for the
most part students are, which night and day turne ouer their bookes)
are so much deceiued in their sight, that they are many times ashamed
to vtter what they haue thought they haue séene. And it standeth by
naturall reason, that an oare séemeth to be broken in the water:
and a tower foure cornered, a farre off sheweth to be rounde. Those
which drinke wine immoderately, in such sort that their eyes begin
to waxe dimme, and stare out of their heads, like hares which haue
bin caried hanging on a staffe a mile or twaine, sée things farre
otherwise than sober men doo. They suppose they sée two candles on
the table, when there is but one: desiring to reach the potte, they
put their hand amisse. In =Euripides= Tragedie named =Bacchis=,
=Pentheus= affirmeth, that he seeth two Sunnes and two citties of
_Thebes_: For his braines were maruellously distempered. It is a
common saying, that if wine haue the victorie, all things seeme to
haue turned vpside downe: trées to walke, mountaines to be moued, and
riuers to run against the head, &c. =Salomon= exhorteth all men from
drunkennesse, in his prouerbs, cap.23. shewing what discommodities
ensue therof, and amongst other thinges he saith thus: Thy eyes
shall sée straunge (to wit) visitions and maruellous apparitions.
For as timorous men imagine miraculous things, euen so doo drunken
men, who of purpose corrupt and spoile their sight. And albeit God
shew many wonders in the aire, and in the earth, to the ende he may
stir men vp from idlenesse and bring them to true repentaunce, yet
notwithstanding, we must thinke that dronken men which sit vp vntill
midnight, do often say, that haue séene this or that vision, they
haue beheld this or that wonder, when as indéed they are vtterly
deceiued. For in case they had returned home in due season, and not
ouercharged themselues with too much wine, no such thing had appeared
vnto them. For indéede their eyesight had not bene blinded. Doth it
not often come to passe, that when men are once throughly warmed with
wine, they mistake one for another, of whom they thought they were
abused in word or déede, and violently flie on them with weapon? The
place before alleaged out of =Salomon=, may also be vnderstood to
this purpose: Thy eyes shall sée straunge (to wit,) women, to lust
after them. For experience teacheth vs that men being drunke, assaie
to rauish matrones and maidens, which being sober they would neuer
once think vppon. Wine immoderately taken, is the nurse of rashe
boldnesse and filthie lust.
[Sidenote: Some see themselues.]
=Aristotle= writeth, that some men through the féeblenesse of their
sight, beholding in the aire neare vnto them (as it were in a glasse)
a certaine image of themselues, suppose they sée their owne angels
or soules: and so as the Prouerbe is, they feare their owne shadow.
Although men in obscure and darke places can sée nothing, yet do
they not (I pray you) imagine they sée diuers kindes of shapes and
colours. And we many times suppose those things which we sée, to be
farre otherwise than indéed they are.
[Sidenote: Hearing deceiueth.]
It is well knowne, a mans sight may be so deceiued, that he verily
thinkes that one deuoureth a sword, spitteth out money, coales,
and such like: that one eateth bread, and spitteth foorth meale:
one drinketh wine, which after runneth out of his forehead: that
one cutteth off his fellowes head, which afterwardes he setteth on
againe: and that a Cocke séemeth to drawe after him a huge beame of
timber, &c. Moreouer it may be brought to passe by naturall things,
as by perfumes and such like, that a man would sweare in earnest,
that all men sitting at the table with him, haue no heds at all, or
else that they are like the heads of asses: & that somtimes a vine
spreadeth it self as it were ouer al the house, whē indéed it is
a mere deceit, or a plaine iugling cast. Of which matter there be
bookes commonly set abroad. The like reason is in hearing, & in the
other senses. Those men whose hearing is somewhat decaied, many times
séeme in their owne imagination, to heare the noyse of boysterous
winde, or violent tempest, the sparkling of fire, the roaring of
waters sodeinly increased, singing and sounding of instruments,
and also the iangling of belles, when as indeed these things are
not so, but only chaunce by default of hearing: for others which
are conuersant with them, hauing the right vse of hearing, do not
heare any such thing at all. Somtimes in very déed such things are
heard, as the crackling of wainscot walles, and such like, which are
naturall signes of some tempest shortly after ensuing.
[Sidenote: The sense of feeling is deceiued.]
There are also certaine hollowe places, through the which the winde
whiszing, giueth a pleasant sound, as it were through a pipe, much
like vnto singing, so that men wonder verie much thereat. We reade in
writers of Philosophie, that the very same also chaunceth in bankes
of riuers, which bende a little in compasse. Hearing is also deceiued
when we thinke we heare thunder, and it is indéed but the rumbling
of some Carte. There be many which thinke they handle something, and
yet are deceiued: If men sicke of the ague, drinke wine of the best
and swéetest sorte, yet they thinke it is more bitter than Gall: if
they eate pottage neuer so good, yet they iudge it vnsauorie: which
thing commeth not of any faulte in the Cooke, but of the mouth and
stomacke whiche is distempered with sicknesse. For vnto them which
haue abundance of choller, all things séeme bitter. And euen so it
commeth to passe, that a man supposeth he seeth, heareth, féeleth, or
is felt of some spirit, when indéed it is not so, and yet no man can
perswade him the contrary.
[Sidenote: VVeakenesse of the sight and feare.]
If feare and weaknesse of the sight and of other senses méete
togither, then men fall into strange and maruellous imaginations,
beléeuing things vtterly false, to be verie true: Neither will they
be brought from their owne opinions by any meanes or reason.
We reade that not only perticular and priuate men, but also whole
armies of souldiers generally haue bene so deceiued, that they
haue verily thought their enemies hard at their héeles, when as no
man followed. And hereof haue procéeded many horrible flightes in
battaile.
[Sidenote: Cominæus.]
[Sidenote: King.4.]
=Cominæus=, a knight and diligent writer of histories, in the
ende of his first booke of the Acts of =Lewes= the II. King of
_Fraunce_, writeth, that when =Charles= Duke of _Burgundie_, with
other Princes, had remooued their armie to _Paris_, they vnderstood
by their espials, that the next day the king had determined to set
on them with all his power of men. Wherefore the next day =Charles=
sent out certaine horsemen to view his enemies: who comming foorth,
by reason that the element was somewhat darke, supposed they sawe a
huge number of pikes and speares, but when they had passed a little
further and that the aire was a little clearer, they vnderstood the
same place wherein they iudged the king to be with all his armie,
to be planted and ouergrowne with many high thistles, which a far
off shewed as it had bene long speares. For the night beguileth mens
eyes. And therefore none ought to maruell, if trauellers towardes
night or at midnight, mistake stones, trées, stubbes, or such like,
to be sprites or elues. We reade in the last booke of the kings the
3.chap. that after the death of king =Achab=, the Moabites reuolted
from =Ioram= his sonne, wherefore he desired =Iosaphat= to aide him,
and with all his power he determined to make warre on the Moabites,
to reduce them to obedience, and subiection. Which thing when the
Moabites heard, they prepared to defend themselues, so many as were
able to beare armour. But when they had set foreward verie earely in
the morning against their enemies, supposing in the rising of the
Sunne, the waters which God had miraculously brought out to be redde,
they said amongst themselues: Surely the two Kings haue encountred
togither, and eache haue destroyed other, wherevppon they running on
heapes without order, to spoile the Israelites Tents, were by them
vanquished and slaine: here you sée all the Armie mistooke water in
stead of bloud.
CHAP. V.
Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose they
haue heard or seene Spirits.
[Sidenote: Salomons pro.]
Furthermore, it commeth to passe many times that not only pleasant
and mery conceited men, but also spitefull and malitious men,
chaunging their apparell, make others extreamely affraide. It is a
common custome in many places, that at a certaine time of the yeare,
one with a nette or vizarde on his face maketh Children affraide, to
the ende that euer after they should laboure and bee obedient to the
Parentes, afterward they tel them that those which they saw, were
Bugs, Witches and Hagges, which thing they verily beléeue, and are
commonly, miserably affraide. Howbeit, it is not expedient alwayes
so to terrefie Children. For sometimes through great feare they fall
into dangerous diseases, and in the night crie out, when they are
fast a sléepe. =Salomon= teacheth vs to chasten children with the
rod, and so to make them stand in awe: he doth not say, we must beare
them in hand they shall be deuoured of Bugges, Hags of the night, and
such like monsters.
[Sidenote: Daunsing Spirits.]
Many times, pleasant & mery yong men, disguise themselues like vnto
Diuels, or ofe shroud themselues in white shéetes to make other men
affraide: with whome if simple men chaunce to méete, they make no
doubt of the matter, but verily thinke they haue séene spirites, and
straunge sightes. And yet it is not alwayes the safest way, so to
deceiue men with iests and toyes; for many examples might be brought
to shewe how euill some men haue sped hereby. It is an vsuall and
common thing that yoong men merily disposed, when they trauell by the
way, comming to their Inne at night, tie ropes to the bed side, or to
the couerlet or garments, or else hide themselues vnder the bedde,
and so counterfeiting themselues to be Spirites, deceiue and mocke
their fellowes. It chaunced once at _Tigurin_ where we dwel, that
certaine pleasant yong men disguising themselues, daunced about the
Churchyard, one of them playing on a béere with two bones, as it were
on a drumme. Which thing when certaine men had espied, they noysed it
about the citie, how they had séene dead men daunce, and that there
was great danger, least there should shortly ensue some plague or
pestilence.
Moreouer, it is well knowne to all men, that harlots, and
whooremongers, haue practised their wickednesse a long season vnder
this cloake and pretence, perswading their family, that walking
Spirites haunt the house, least they should bee taken with the déede
dooing, and that they might enioy their desired loue. Many times such
bugges haue bin caught by the magistrates, and put to open shame.
Théeues likewise vnder this colour haue many times robbed their
neighboures in the night time, who supposing they heard the noyse of
walking Spirits, neuer went about to driue the théeues away. Touching
this point, that an euil Spirit, by means of naturall things which
haue strange vertues, can do maruellous things, by deceiuing mens
senses, I will at this present speake nothing.
CHAP. VI.
Priestes and Moncks fained themselues to be Spirites:
also how _Mundus_ vnder this colour defiled _Paulina_,
and _Tyrannus_ abused many noble and honest matrones.
To these thinges may bee added, that there haue bin in all ages
certaine Priests, which practising strange deuises, and giuing
themselues to Necromancie, haue bewitched foolish men that highly
estéemed them, to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches,
and follow their lustfull pleasures. Touching which matter, to the
ende godly disposed men may be the more héedfull, I will rehearse a
fewe histories.
[Sidenote: Iosephus de antiquitatib.]
=Iosephus= a writer of histories, in his 18.booke and 4.chap. of
Antiquities, remembreth a notorious deed which hapned at =Rome=, in
the time of =Tyberius Cesar= vnder the pretence of sacrificing to the
goddesse =Isis=. I will record the historie as it is translated by
=Galenius=, a very learned man.
[Sidenote: Paulina and Mundus.]
There dwelled at =Rome= a woman named =Paulina=, no lesse renoumed
for honestie of life, than for the nobilitie of parentage: She was
also very rich and excéeding beautful, as one that was now in the
floure of her age, and especially adorned with the great vertue of
chastitie, and married she was to one =Saturnius=, a man worthie of
such a wife. It chaunced that =Decius Mundus=, a famous yoong knight,
became very much enamored with her: and because she was a woman of
greater wealth than that she might be won with rewardes and money, so
much the more was this louers madnesse inflamed, in so much that he
stuck not to proffer her for one night .200000. groates. The Atticke
groat and the Romain peny are by common valuation all one. =Budeus=
accounteth one of them worth 8. Crusados: so this summe according to
his reckoning, amounteth to 26000. Florens.
[Sidenote: Ruffinus.]
And yet not being able by these means to moue her constant mind,
bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue, he determined, by
abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of life and loue togither.
This determination was not vnknowne to =Ide=, =Mundus= Fathers
bondseruaunt, a maide cunning in many artes, but such as were not to
be liked. She maruellously gréeued with the yoong mans wilfulnesse in
absteining frō meat, talking with him, by swéete and flattring words
began to encourage him, assuring him that she would bring to passe,
that he should at his pleasure embrace =Paulina=. After that he had
gladly condiscended to her entreatie, she telleth him she must néedes
haue fiftie thousand groates to ouerthrow the Gentlewomans chastitie.
So putting the yoong man in good hope, and receiuing as much mony as
she required, because she wel knew =Paulina= could not be wonne with
mony, she deuiseth a new way to deceiue her. Vnderstanding therefore
that she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of =Isis=, she
inuenteth these meanes: She talketh with some of =Isis= Priests, and
hauing receiued sure promise of them to kéepe all things secrete,
and (which is most effectuall) hauing shewed their reward, promising
presently 25000. groates, and when they had done the déed, other
25000. she openeth vnto them the yoong mans loue, beséeching them
to helpe by al means possible, that shée might enioy the same. They
touched at the heart with desire of the mony, gently promised their
helpe. Wherefore the eldest of them spéedily goeth to =Paulina=,
and being admitted to her spéech, after hee had obtained to talke
with her in secrete, he declareth that he is come vnto her being
sent by the great God =Anubis= (this =Anubis= hauing a head lyke
to a Dogge, was worshipped togither in one Temple with =Isis=) who
is maruellously in loue with her beautie, and doth commaund her to
repaire vnto him. She ioyfully receiued the message, and forthwith
vaunteth among her familiar acquaintaunce, that the God =Anubis=
hath vouchsafed to loue her: And shée telleth her husband, that shée
must suppe and lye with him. Which thing was so much the more easily
graunted vnto her, for that her husband had had good experience and
knowledge of her chastitie. Whereupon shée goeth to the Temple, and
after supper when time of rest drew neare, being shut in by the
priest, shée méeteth with =Mundus=, who had priuily hidden himselfe
there, the darkenesse bringing them togither, without any suspition.
And so all that night shée satisfied the yong mans desire, supposing
she had done pleasure vnto the God. Afterwards he departing from hir,
=Paulina= early in the morning, before the priestes (who were priuie
to this deceit) were stirring, returned home to her husband, to whome
she recounteth her meeting with =Anubis=, and also with great words
setteth out the same amongst her gossips and friends. They could not
beléeue her, considering the nature of the thing, and yet could they
not chuse but maruell, waying the great chastitie of the woman. Thrée
dayes after the déede done, =Mundus= méeting by chaunce with his
beloued, saide vnto her: O well done =Paulina=, thou hast saued me
200000. groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches, and
yet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire, for I way it not
that thou hast despised =Mundus=, sith vnder the title of =Anubis=,
I haue enioyed my desired lust, which words said, he departed. But
the woman then first perceiuing this villany, began to teare her
garments, and opening the whole matter vnto her husband, beséecheth
him that he suffer not such a notorious mockery to go vnpunished. Her
husband then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure =Tiberius=:
who after he had learned all things by diligent examination, trusseth
vp these iugling priests on the gallowes, togither with =Ide=, the
author of all this mischiefe, by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie
of this noble Gentlewoman was defiled: and ouerthrowing their
temple, he commaunded the Image of =Isis= to be sunke in the riuer
of _Tibris_. But it pleased him to chasten =Mundus= with banishment,
a more gentle kind of punishmēt, ascribing his fault to yͤ weaknes
of his immoderat loue. By this history it may easily be gathered how
sathan in times past bewitcht the Gentils, and how their priests
persuaded them yͭ their Gods appearing in visible forme spake this
or yͭ vnto them, which notwithstāding were very false. Vnder the
pretence of worshipping their gods, they gaue thēselues to wicked
deuises. For how often may we wel thinke they cōmitted abhominable
mischief (although indéed yͤ matter it selfe neuer came to light.)
If they brought it to passe, yͭ =Mundus= by their meanes enioyed
his desired loue, surely there is no doubt, but yͭ they thēselues
vnder the colour of holinesse defloured other mēs daughters & wiues:
for otherwise this deuise could neuer haue bin so ready in mind. This
matron would neuer haue bin so wel cōtent, vnles yͤ very same had
bin practised with other dames before. Neither yet wold her husbād
haue suffered her to lodge in the Church all night. What néed was
there for yͤ gods to haue beds prepared for thē in yͤ Church,
whē it was most aparant they neuer lodged in thē. Princes also may
learne by yͤ example of =Tiberius=, although he were a wicked
tyrant, how such varlets are to be restrained. To this purpose maketh
yͭ historie which =Ruffinus= a Priest of _Aquilia_ reporteth in
=Li.=11.=ca.=25. of his ecclesiasticall history.
[Sidenote: Tyrannus a wicked priest.]
There was a priest in _Alexandria_ in _Egipt_, vowed to =Saturn=,
whose name was =Tyrānus=. This mā as it had bin frō the mouth of
god, vsed to say vnto al such noble & principall men, whose Ladies
he liked & lusted after, that =Saturne= had cōmanded, yͭ such a
ones wife shuld lie al night in the temple. Then he which heard yͤ
message, reioycing much yͭ the god vouchsafed to call for his
wife, decking her vp brauely, & giuing her great gifts (forsooth
lest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie) sent her foorth
vnto yͤ temple, where the woman being shut vp in the presence of
al men, =Tirannus= whē he had fast locked the doores, surrendring
the keyes departed his wayes. Afterwards in great silence passing
through priuie caues vnder the ground, he issued foorth out of the
open holes into the image of =Saturne=: which image was made hollow
in the backe, and cunningly fastned to the wall. And as the candles
burned within the Church, he spake sodeinly vnto the woman (giuing
great care, and praying deuoutly) through yͤ image made of hollow
brasse, in such sort that the vnhappie woman, trembled betwéene feare
and ioy, because she thought her selfe worthie of the spéech of so
great a god. Now after the baudie god had talked his pleasure to
bring her in great feare, or to prouoke her to lust and wantonnesse,
sodeinly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abroad of
shéets, by a certain cunning deuise. And then descending out of
the image, he committed adultery with the woman much abashed and
afraid, vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto her. When he had
thus dealt a long season, almost with all the wiues of these silly
Gentlemen, it chaunced in the end, that a certain chast Gentlewoman
began to abhorre and loath the deede, and marking the matter more
héedfully, knew it to be =Tyrannus= voice: and there vpon returning
home againe, declared the slie conueiance of this horrible déed vnto
her husband. He being set on fire with rage for the iniurie done vnto
his wife, or rather vnto his selfe, apprehēded =Tyrannus=, & brought
him to yͤ place of torments, where being conuicted he cōfessed al
yͤ matter, & thē other deceits being likewise detected, al shame &
dishonor was spred throughout the houses of yͤ Pagans: the mothers
were found adulterers, fathers incestuous persons, and their children
illegittimate and bastardes. Which thing so soone as it was brought
to light and noysed abroad, togither both Church and image, and
wickednesse, and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied. We reade
that =Numa Pompilius= bare the people of _Rome_ in hande that hée
hadde familiar company with =Egeria= a Goddesse of the waters, to the
ende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes.
CHAP. VII.
_Timotheus Aelurus_, counterfeiting himself to be an
Angell, obteined a bishopricke: foure Monkes of the order
of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at _Berna_.
[Sidenote: Lippis & tonsoribus notum.]
It might be somewhat borne withall, if these things had only chaunced
among the Gentiles, which were without the word of God, if we did
not euidently sée the like happen oftentimes amongest Christians,
and in case it were not to be feared least many such things should
happen euen at this day also. For it is well knowne to all men, that
there haue bene many Magiciens, Sosserers, and Coniurers, and those
especially Monkes and Priests, who would easily counterfeit visions,
and miracles, and familiar talking with soules.
[Sidenote: Theodorus.]
[Sidenote: Foure Monks of Berna.]
=Theodorus Lector=, =collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica lib.1.=
writeth of =Timotheus Aelurus=, that he, before =Proterius= bishop
of =Alexandria= was put to death, gaping for the bishoppricke, in
the night cladde in blacke apparrell walked about the celles of the
Monkes, and calling eache man by his name, they answering, sayd vnto
them, that he a spirit, one of Gods seruants came to warne them, that
euery one reuolting from =Proterius=, should ioyne himselfe vnto
=Timotheus=. And by his craft and deceit obteining the bishoppricke,
hée made great vproares in the Church of God. Here I cannot refraine
my selfe as touching this present matter, but that I rehearse a
famous historie, of foure Monkes of the order of Preachers (who were
bernt at =Berna= in =Heluetia=, in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the
last day of May) by what subtilties they deceiued a poore simple
Frier whom they had lately reteined into their monastery: concerning
which thing, many bookes were written at the same time when these
things were done, which are yet extant both in the Latin and in the
Germain toong. There was great contention betwéen the Monkes of yͤ
order of Preachers, and the Friers =Minorites=, or =Franciscans=,
touching the conceptiō of yͤ virgin =Mary=. The Friers preachers
affirmed, that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall
sin, that the =Franciscans= denied and stoutly denied. At the last
the matter came to that issue, that the preachers determined to
auouch and prooue their opinion by false and fayned miracles: taking
aduisement in a certaine Synode (which they call a chapter) holden
at _Vimpenium_ a cittie of _Germanie_, where the most conuenient
and fittest place for this matter might be founde: and at the last
they chose out _Berna_ in _Heluetia_, because the people there were
plaine and simple, and giuen to the warres. Foure therefore of the
chiefest in the Abbay of the order of preachers beganne the pageant
at _Berna_: and because the Supprier one of the foure, was well seene
in coniuring, he bounde the Diuell to ioyne in councell with them
by what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe. Hée
appearing vnto them in the likenesse of a =Negro= or blacke Morian,
promised them all that he could doo, vnder this condition, that they
should yéeld and giue themselues vnto him, which thing they willingly
did, deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hand and
blood. And it chaunced at the same time very fitly, that one =Iohn
Iezerus=, a plaine fellowe, a Taylour by occupation, was chosen into
their order, who séemed to be verie fit for their purpose. They tryed
him by throwing stones into his chamber in the night time, making
a great noyse, and faining themselues to be Spirits. The matters
séemed vnto them, euen from the beginning, that it would take good
successe. On a certaine day being Friday, the Supprior shrouding
himselfe in a shéete, togither with other Spirites, whom he had
coniured vp for this purpose, brake into the Friers cell with great
force and noyse, faining with many teares, that he desired his ayd
and help. Now had they priuily conueied Holy water and the Reliques
of Saints into his Cell before. The poore Frier halfe dead with
feare, denied that he could by any meanes helpe him, recommending
himselfe to Christ our Sauior, and to his holy mother. The Spirite
aunswered, that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him
out of this miserie, if he would suffer himselfe for the space of
viij. dayes, euery day to be whipped vntill the blood followed, and
moreouer, cause eight Masses to be sung for his sake in S. =Iohns=
Chappell, himselfe while they were sung, lying in the floore with
his armes spread abroad. After hée tolde him that the next Friday
before midnight, he wold come again with greater noyse, willing him
in any wise not to be afrayd, for the Diuels could nothing hurt him,
because he was an holy man. The next day this foolish Frier openeth
all the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise, beséeching them to
assist him, that the miserable soule might be deliuered. The matter
was out of hand rumored about the Citie. The Monkes preached openly
hereof in the pulpit, commending highly yͤ holinesse of their
order, which euen hereby might be séene, for that the spirite craued
helpe of them, and not of the wicked drunken =Franciscans=. At the
time appointed, the spirite accompanied with the other euill spirits,
came againe with great noyse to the Friers Cell, who adiuring and
coniuring him, questioned with him touching certaine points. The
spirit shewed him who he was, and for what cause he was so miserably
vexed: and withall gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his
fathers, for being touched wͭ remorse of him, adding, yͭ in case
there were yet 30. Masses sung, and 4. Vigiles obserued, and yͭ
he would yet once again whip himself vntil he bled, thē he shuld be
clean deliuered out of most cruell torments, which he had cōtinually
endured a 160. yéers. He had conference with him also of other
maruellous matters, which we néed not here to reherse. Afterwards
yͤ same spirit appeared again vnto the Frier, and preferred the
order of preachers before all others, bearing him in hand, that many
of them which had bene aduersaries vnto this order, suffered most
horrible torment in purgatorie, and that the citie of _Berna_ should
be vtterly ouerthrowne, except they banished yͤ =Franciscans=, and
refused yͤ yéerly stipends which they receiued at the French kings
hands. He also talked of sundry things which had hapned to the Frier
(which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular
confession.) Moreouer he hartily thanketh the Frier for the great
benefit of his deliuerance, giuing him to vnderstand, that he was
now admitted into the eight degrée of Angels, and that he should say
Masse there for his benefactors.
After these things thus done, an other night one comming vnto him in
the apparell of a woman, said he was =S. Barbara=, whom he deuoutly
serued, and told him yͭ the blessed virgin would shortly appear
vnto him, and make ful answere vnto those questions which one of the
Monkes had writtē in paper for him. This paper =Barbara= promised
that she her self would deliuer vnto our Lady, which they should
shortly after find in a holy place sealed & signed miraculously. The
Frier vpon this reuealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers, desiring
to be confessed of his sinnes, wherby he might be found worthy the
apparition or séeing of our Lady. He willed them to search in yͤ
halowed place for the scroll, which at the last they found in the
Fratry (as they term it) where they had laid it before. Thē they
caried it with great reuerēce vnto the high alter, affirming yͭ
it was sealed with Christs blood, and that the tapers lightned of
their own accord. In the morning the virgin =Mary= appeared vnto him
againe, rehearsing many things which her sonne Iesus commaunded her
to tell vnto him; to wit, that Pope =Iulius= was that holy man, which
should reconcile the two orders in friendship againe, and institute
and ordaine the feast of the defiled conception of our Lady, for she
would send vnto the Pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of her
sonnes blood, in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne: and
that they should find an other crosse marked with fiue drops of blood
in their fratrie, which they must conuey to _Rome_, for the Pope
would allowe and confirme it with large indulgences, and after return
it to _Berna_ again: other things likewise she said, whereof many
things were both reported and written too and fro.
But in witnesse of the aforesaid things, the same =Mary= droue an
yron nayle through the hande of the poore Frier, saying: this wounde
shall be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified, and
in the feast of my sonnes bodie. After they tooke a burning water
made by Necromancie, by the which they taking away his senses, made
foure other woundes in his bodie. And after that he came againe
vnto himselfe, they bare him in hand that there was a certaine holy
thing I wotte not what, which appeared about him. And when they sawe
that many men came flocking about him to sée this newe Christ, they
taught him (for hée was of rude conditions) howe to behaue himselfe.
And when they had giuen him a drinke beréeuing him of his senses,
and causing him to fome at the mouth, then they sayd he striued
and wrestled with death, euen as Christ did in the mount Oliuet.
After all this, another of them appeared vnto him, telling him many
things: but yͤ Frier knowing him by his voyce, beganne to suspect
and mislike the whole matter, and with violence thrust him from him.
The next night the Frier himselfe appeared vnto him, saying that he
was =Mary= of whome he had bene in doubt, and to the ende he should
be out of all suspition, she had brought him the host of her sonnes
bodie (for he brought him an host stiped in poyson) to the ende hée
shoulde no more thinke he sawe an euil spirite: he also affirmed,
that he had brought a vessel of glasse full of her sonnes bloud,
which he would giue vnto him, and vnto his Monasterie. But the Frier,
who also had this vision in suspition, answered: If (sayde he) thou
be not an euil spirit, rehearse thy =Pater noster= and thy =Aue
Maria= with me. The Prior sayde the =Pater noster=, and afterward
sayd in the person of our Lady: =Hayled am I Mary full of grace, the
Lord be with me. &c.= The Frier knowing the Priors voyce, caught a
knife, and wounded him therewith, and when he defended himselfe, the
Frier stoutly resisted, and draue him backe. These things thus done,
the Supprior béeing in good hope to restore all that they had lost,
appeared againe to the Frier, saying that he was =S. Catherin= of
_Sena_, and therwith begun to chide him, for that he so discurteously
had intreated the holy Virgin: adding moreouer, I am sent (quoth he)
to shewe thée, that the wounds which thou hast in thy body, are the
very true wounds of Christ, which neyther I, nor yet S. Francis hath,
and that he enlarged with many words. Yet notwithstanding, the Frier
so entertayned him, that he was glad to saue him selfe with running
away. Now bicause the Frier wold no longer be mocked at their hands,
they, maruellously troubled, and almost at their wits ende, taking
aduise among them selues, brake the matter vnto him, and tolde him,
that in verie déede they fréely confessed many of those apparitions
which he had séene to be fayned, and that for no other cause, but to
the ende he should perseuere in his profession and Religion, howbeit
the very effect of the matter was most true, and that he ought not
to doubt, but that he bare the wounds of Christ in his body. And
forsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad, they earnestly
besought him, that he would not refuse to go on in the matter, for
otherwise their order should incurre open shame, and both he and
they fall into present daunger, but in case he woulde persist in
his enterprised purpose, the thing would fall out to his and their
great aduantage. And so with fairer words, they perswaded him to make
promise to be ruled by them hereafter.
After long instruction and teaching, they placed him on the altar
of our Lady, knéeling on his knées within a chappell before the
image of the holy virgine: Where one of the Monkes standing behinde
a cloath, spake through a cane réede, as if it were Christ talking
with his mother, in this wise: Mother why dost thou weepe? haue I not
promised thée, yͭ whatsoeuer thou willest, shall be done? Wherto
the image made answere. Therfore I wéepe, bicause this businesse
findeth no end. Then said the image of Christ: Beléeue mee mother,
this matter shall be made manifest. This doone, the Monke priuily
departing, the chappell doores were shut. Assoone as these things
were scattered about the citie, by & by there was a great thronging
of people. Amongst whome also came foure monks, dissembling and
fayning, that they knewe not what was there doone, and therfore they
commanded the doores to be opened, and after asked the Frier howe
and after what sorte he came there. He answered them that he was
carried by a spirit. And moreouer told them what words the image had
spoken, and that he could by no meanes moue out of that place before
that foure of the chiefest Aldermen were come vnto him, vnto whom
he had certaine things to be declared: he also desired to receiue
the holy sacrament. The Aldermen were foorthwith called, and then
the Frier declared vnto them, how the virgin Mary lamented and
sorrowed, for that the citie of _Berna_ should be shortly destroyed,
for receiuing yearely pentiōs of the French king: Also for that they
droue not the =Franciscans= out of their citie, who honoured her with
the fayned tytle of vndefiled cōception. Vnto this hir talke the
Aldermen answered very little. By and by the other Monkes gaue him
the host infected with poyson, which when he refused to receiue, they
brought him an other, which he tooke, then they led him with greate
pompe into the quire, (for so they call the vppermost parte of the
churche.) The Frier & the other foure Monkes were soone after called
before the Aldermen, to testifie the truth whether those things
were so or not. But the foure fearing exceedingly least he should
betray something because they knew he suspected thē, endeuoured by
all meanes to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his
meate, & therefore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson,
which he presently cast vp againe by vomit: finally they so vexed and
tormented him by so many wayes, that in the end he left the Colledge
and ran away, and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men.
In the meane time the Monkes dispatched two Legates or messengers to
=Rome=, to obtaine a confirmation of these things of the Pope, that
hereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary
or mislike the same. And when these messengers were returned, (and
as the Prouerbe is) thought themselues in a safe heauen, the noble
Senate had commaunded the foure Monkes to be fast kept in prison: for
they had learned the whole circumstance of the matter before of the
Frier, whome they had committed to ward. And sparing neither labour
nor mony, sent also vnto =Rome=, that they might perfectly knowe,
what they should do in this matter. In the end both the Frier & the
foure Monkes were all put to torments, and there confessed all the
matter. And when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles, and
horrible deeds, by the Popes permission they were first putte from
the orders (which they commonly call degradation) and afterwards
burned in the fire.
It was commonly reported, that in case the noble Senate of _Berna_
hadde not prosecuted the matter with great constancie, and courage,
the Cleargie woulde haue cloaked all the knauerie, and haue sette
the authors at libertie. For they had greate cause to doubte, as
it after came to passe, lest they should loose their credit and
authoritie amongst many of the orders of Monks, and that these things
whereon the Popedome resteth, as it were vpon pillers, should now
be had in great suspition with all men. For it is most euident,
that after the impietie, deceit & wickednesse of these Monkes began
to be knowne abroad, the opinion of the Cleargie began to decaie,
and to be suspected more and more euery day, of good and godly
men: when as they sayd this or that soule required their helpe:
that tapers lighted of their own accord: that this or that image
spake, wept, or moued it selfe from place to place: that this or
that Saint endowed their monasterie with precious reliques: or that
Crosses were sprinkeled with the blood of Christ: yea and although
they had obteined confirmation of these matters from the Pope, yet
notwithstanding many afterwards would in no wise beléeue it to be so.
Likewise they would not bee perswaded, that this holy father falling
into a traunce, saw any miraculous things: or that =Francis= and
=Catherin= of _Sena_, bare the markes of Christes fiue woundes in
their bodie.
Furthermore, not without great cause, men began to doubt of
transubstantiation of bread into the body of Christ, sith they had
so often poysoned the Sacrament: and also of those things which they
chaunted vpon with open mouth, touching pardons, vigilies, orders,
purgatorie, holy water, and satisfaction. For that we let passe many
things, it is clearer then the daylight, euen by this historie, that
many things haue bene beaten into the peoples heads touching these
foresaid matters, which were only deuised and inuented by these idle
bellies.
CHAP. VIII.
Of a counterfait and deceiuing spirit at _Orleance_ in
_France_.
And that no man thinke the Friers Preachers alone to haue bene so
bolde, and wicked, and so readie in deuising so many monsters, let
vs hearken a while to a notable historie of the =Franciscan= Friers,
reported by =Sleidane= in the ninth booke of his Commentaries,
concerning the state of religion and the Common wealth in the time of
=Charles= the fifth.
In the yeare (saith he) of our Lord 1534. the =Franciscan= Monkes
played a bloodie and deadly pageant at _Orleaunce_ in _France_.
The Maiors wife of the same Citie, when shée died, commaunded in
her will, that she shoulde be buried without any pompe or noyse,
solemnely vsed at that time. (So also =William Bude=, a rare
and singular ornament of _Fraunce_, lying on his death bedde at
_Paris_, in the yeare of our Lord 1540. in the month of August,
left commaundement with his friendes to bury him without any great
solemnitie and pompe.) The womans husband, who reuerenced the
memoriall of his wife, did euen as she had willed him, and because
she was buried in the Church of the =Franciscans=, besides her father
and grandfather, gaue them in rewarde only sixe Crownes, whereas they
hoped for a farre greater pay. Shortly after, it chaunced that as he
felled certaine woods, and solde them, they desired him to giue vnto
them some parte of it fréely without money: which hee flatly denied.
This they tooke very gréeuously, and whereas before they misliked
him, they deuised this meanes to bee reuenged: forsooth to report
that his wife was damned for euer. The chiefe workemen and framers
of this tragedy were =Colimannus=, and =Stephanus Atrebatensis=,
both doctors of diuinitie, and =Colimannus= a great coniurer,
hauing all his implements in a readinesse, which he woonted to vse
in such businesse: and thus they handled the matter. They place
ouer the arche of the church a yong nouice: he about midnight when
they came to mumble their praiers (as they were wont to do) maketh
a great rumbling & noise: out of hand the Monks began to coniure
& charme, but he answereth nothing, then being required to giue a
signe whether he were a dumbe Spirit or no, he begins to rumble and
stir again: which thing they tooke as a certaine signe. Hauing laid
this foundation, they go vnto certain citizens, chief men and such
as fauored them, declaring that a heauy chaunce had hapned at home,
in their monasterie, not shewing what the matter was, but desiring
thē to come to their mattens at midnight. Whē those citizens
were come and that praiers were now begun, the counterfeit spirit
beginneth to make a maruellous noise in the top of yͤ church, and
being asked what he meant, and who he was, he giueth them signes that
it is not lawful for him to speak: Therfore they commaunde him to
make aunswere by tokens and signes, to certaine things they woulde
demaunde of him. Nowe there was a hole made in the vaute, through
the which he might heare and vnderstand the voyce of the coniurer:
and then had he in his hande a little boord which at euery question
he strake in such sort as he might easily be heard beneath. First
therefore they aske him whether he were one of them that had bin
buried in the same place, afterwards they reckning vp many by name
which had bin buried there, at the last also name the Maiors wife:
and there by and by, the Spirit gaue the signe that he was her soule.
He was further asked whether he were damned or no, and if he were,
for what desert or fault? Whether for couetousnesse, or wanton lust,
for pride, or want of charitie, or whether it were for heresie, and
for the secte of =Luther= newly sprung vp? Also what he meant by that
noyse and sturre he kept there? Whether it were to haue the bodie
now buried in holy ground to be digged vp again, and to be laide in
some other place? To all the which points, he answered by signes as
he was commanded, by the which he affirmed, or denied any thing,
according as he strake the boord twise or thrise togither. And when
he had thus giuen them to vnderstand, that the very cause of his
damnation was =Luthers= heresie, and that the bodie must needs be
digged vp againe, the Monkes request the citizens (whose presence
they had vsed) that they would beare witnesse of those things which
they had séene with their eyes, and that they would subscribe to
such things, as were done a fewe dayes before. The citizens taking
good aduise on the matter, least they should offend the Maior,
or bring themselues in trouble, refuse so to do: but the Monkes
notwithstanding take from thence the swéete bread, which they call
the host, and body of our Lord, togither with all yͤ reliques of
saints, and cary them to an other place, & there say their Masse. The
bishops substitute iudge (whom they call =Officiall=) vnderstanding
this matter, commeth thither accompanied with certain honest men, to
yͤ intēt he might know yͤ whole circumstances more exactly, &
therfore he cōmandeth them to make cōiuration in his presence,
& also he requireth certaine to be chosen to go vp to yͤ top of
the vault, and ther to see whether any ghost appeared or not. That
=Stephanus Atrebatēsis= stifly denied, and maruellously persuading
yͤ cōtrary, affirmed, that the spirit in no wise ought to be
trobled. And albeit the =Officiall=, vrged thē very much, yͭ
there might be some coniuring of the spirit, yet could he nothing
preuail. In the mean while that these things wer a doing, the Maior,
whē he had shewed the other iustices of the citie, what he wold
haue thē do, tooke his iorny to the king, and opened the whole
matter vnto him. And because the Monks refused iudgement vpon plea
of their owne lawes and liberties: the king choosing out certaine of
the Aldermen of _Paris_, giueth them absolute and full authoritie,
to make enquirie on the matter. The like doth the chancelor, maister
=Anthonius Pratensis=, Cardinall and Legate for the Pope, throughout
_Fraunce_. Therefore when they had no exception to alleadge, they
were conueyed vnto _Paris_ and there constreyned to make their
aunswere: but yet could nothing be wroong out of them by confession.
Wherevpon they were put a part into diuers prisons, the Nouice
beeing kéept in the house of maister_Fumæus_, one of the Aldermen,
who being oftentimes examined & earnestly requested to vtter the
truthe, woulde notwithstanding confesse nothing, because he feared
that the Monks would afterwards put him to death, for stayning their
order, and putting it to open shame: but whē the Iudges had made
him sure promise, that he should escape punishment, and that he
should neuer come into theire handling, he repped vp vnto them the
whole matter, as it was done, and being brought before his fellowes,
aduoucheth the same to their faces. The Monkes albeit they were by
these meanes conuicted, and almost taken tardy with the déede doing,
yet did they refuse the Iudges, bragging and vaunting them selues
on their priuiledges: but al in vaine: for sentence passed on them,
and they were condemned: that they being caried backe againe to
_Orleaunce_, and there cast in prison, should finally be broughte
foorth to the chiefe Church of the citie openly, and from thence to
the place of execution, where they should make open cōfession of
their trespasses. But there chaunced at the very same time a greeuous
persecution against the =Lutherans=, which was the cause why that
sentence, (albeit was too gentle for so great an offence) was neuer
put in executiō. For they feared much, because =Luthers= name
was odious euery where, least if any sharpe iudgement hadde passed,
they should not so muche haue punished the offenders, as shamed
their order: and many supposed that whatsoeuer had hapned vnto them,
would haue bin a pleasant and ioyful pageaunt and spectacle for the
=Lutherans=. Now the order of the =Franciscane= Friers, hath the
opinion of great holinesse with the common people: insomuch, that
when they being condemned, were carried to _Orleaunce_, certaine
fonde women moued with foolish pittie, followed them to the very
gates of the citie, weeping & sighing abundantly. When they were
come to _Orleaunce_, and were there cast into diuers prisons, againe
they vaunted and bare themselues very brag on their priuiledges, and
liberties: and so at the last when they had lyen long in prison,
they were in the end deliuered without any greater punishment. All
the while they were in prison, they wanted nothing: for there was
bestowed vpon them, especially by women, very largely, for to serue
for their liuing, and to purchase to them help and fauour. Except
these persecutions and troubles, which we spake of before, had
hindred the matter, the king (as many reported) was fully determined,
to haue ouerthrowne their house, and made it euen with the ground.
This Historie also doth demonstrate and shewe, that Spirits are not
alwayes heard, when some men affirme they are.
CHAP. IX.
Of a certaine parish Priest at _Clauenna_, whiche
fayned himselfe to bee our Ladie, and of an other that
counterfeited himselfe to be a soule: as also of a
certaine disguised Iesuite Frier.
[Sidenote: Ioannes Stumpfius.]
To the ende wee may the better vnderstande this matter, I will yet
rehearse an other Historie of a certaine parishe Prieste, which
chaunced a yeare before the other I spake of, which is sette foorth
briefely, but yet truely, by =Ioannes Stumpfius=, in the Germane
Chronicles of the =Heluetians=, in the twentieth Booke and eighth
Chapter, whereof also many notable men at this day beare suffucient
witnesse. A certaine parish Priest of _Clauenna_, (whiche is a Citie
neare the Laake or water =Larius=, in the Countrey of _Rhetia_),
being farre in loue with an honest and faire mayden, the daughter
of a citizen in the same town, oftentimes followed her, as she went
vnto her fathers barne: and attempted to haue defloured her, but she
euer resisted, and put him backe. In the ende when he saw he could
not obtaine his purpose, he priuily stole out of the church a blew
cloth, beset with sundry starres, and therwith couering himselfe,
saue only that he left his armes & féete naked, which he also berayed
with blood, he hideth himselfe without the towne, and there muffling
his face with a thinne linnen cloath, méeteth again with the mayd,
fayning himself with a counterfeit voyce, to be the blessed virgin
=Mary=. Then in many words he declareth vnto her diuers plages, which
were shortly like to fall on the Citie, for the heresies of =Luther=,
(for at other times also hée had bitterly enueyed against =Luther=,
in his open Sermons:) he also commaunded the mayd to shew many
things vnto the citizens, touching holy dayes, fastings, generall
processions, &c. And amongst other things he added, that there was a
certain holy and religious man, whiche had heeretofore asked a thing
at her hands in the very same place, which she had hitherto denied
him, but now it was her pleasure, if he required yͤ same again,
she should in any wise grant it, if she would attain euerlasting
life: and yͭ aboue all thing, she must conceale and kéep close this
latter point vnto her self. The maydē by & by blazed it about al the
citie, that our Lady had visibly appeared vnto her, & foretold her
of sundry plagues likely to happen vnto the citie. The inhabitants
taking good aduise on this matter, at the last for feare of these
imminent dangers and plages, gaue commandement, that three daies
shuld be kept holy. In the which time, the mayd, supposing she shuld
do high seruice to the virgin =Mary=, fulfilleth the lust of that
wicked knaue. This trecherie and deceit being shortly after detected
by the wonderfull prouidence of God, the varlet was first beheaded,
and afterward burnt in fire.
[Sidenote: Erasmus.]
[Sidenote: Spectrum.]
=Erasmus Roterodamus=, writeth in his two and twentieth booke of
Epistles, vnto a certaine Bishop, excusing himself, touching certaine
points, which he had moued vnto him, to the ende he should be very
circumspect: and amongst other things, making mention there of
spirits or wandring soules, he reporteth this Historie. There was
(saith he) a certaine parish Priest, who had dwelling with him in
his house, a Néece of his, a woman well stored with money: In whose
Chamber hee woulde oftentimes conuey himselfe, being disguised in
a shéete lyke vnto a Spirite: And then he cast foorth a doubtfull
voyce, hoping that the woman would either procure a coniurer for her
helpe, or else her selfe make him answere. But she hauing a man-like
courage, priuily requesteth one of her friendes to lodge in her
Chamber secretly all night. The man being armed with a clubbe insteed
of other coniuring tooles, and being well tippled with drinke, to
auoyd feare, hideth himselfe in the bedde. Sodainly commeth the
Spirit roaring very miserably: The coniurer with his clubbe awaketh,
leapeth out of his bedde scant sober, and setteth vpon him. Then the
Spirit with his voyce and iesture, beginneth to make him afrayd. But
the drunken coniurer soone answered him: If (quoth he) thou be the
Diuel, I am thy mother: and therewith catching holde on him, all to
beat him with his club, and would also haue slaine him, if he had
not chaunged his voyce, and cryed; O spare me for Gods sake, I am
no soule, but I am sir Iohn. Which voyce when the woman heard and
knewe, she leapes out of her bedde, and parts the fraye, &c. The same
=Erasmus= writeth in the foresayd Epistle, that this Priest vpon
Easter eue, put liue crabbes priuily into the churchyard, hauing waxe
candles on light cleauing to their sides: which when they crawled
amongst the graues, séemed to bee suche a terrible sight, that no man
durst approach néere them. Hereof rose a fearfull reporte, wherewith
all men béeing amazed, the priest declareth to yͤ people in the
pulpit, that they were yͤ soules of deade men which desired to be
deliuered out of their torments by Masses & almes déeds. This deceite
was espied by these meanes: that at the last one or two of the
crabbes were found amongst the rubbish, hauing the candles done out
cleauing on their backs, which yͤ priest had not takē vp.
[Sidenote: Georgius Buchananus.]
=Georgius Buchananus=, prince of all Poets in this our age, reporteth
an historie in his Commodie called =Franciscanus=, of one =Langus=
a priest, who falsly affirming that in a field of Scotland full of
Brimstone there were soules miserablie tormented, which continually
cried for helpe and succour, suborned a countrie clowne whome he
would coniure, as if he had bin one of those soules. Which deceite of
his, yͤ husbandmā afterward discouered whē he was drunk. I would
here repeate his verses, but that his bookes are nowe in euery mans
hands. While I was writing these things, it was reported vnto me by
credible persons, that in =Augusta=, a noble citie of Germanie, this
present yeare 1569. there was a maide and certaine other men seruants
in a great mans family, which little regarded the sect of the
=Iesuite= Friers: & that one of the saide order made promise to their
master, that he wold easily bring them to an other opinion: & so
disguising himselfe like vnto a Diuel, was hid in a priuie corner of
yͤ house: vnto the which place, one of the maides going, either of
hir owne accorde to fetche some thing, or being sent by her master,
was by yͤ disguised Iesuite made maruellously afraide: which thing
she presently declared vnto one of the mē seruants exhorting him
in any wise to take héede of the place. Who shortly after going to
the same place, & laying hold on his dagger, sodeynly stabbed in
the counterfeit diuell, as he came rushing on him. This history is
written in Duch verses, and put in print, and now almost in euery
mans hands.
CHAP. X.
That it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in old
time, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there
be any at this day.
Many other like examples might be brought, but these may suffise to
proue euidently, to what point ambition, couetousnesse, enuy, hatred,
stubburnesse, idlenesse and loue, do most commonly driue men.
[Sidenote: Ambition.]
We sée by common experience, that proude ambitious men dare aduenture
any thing. If they may hurt or hinder other men by accusations,
slanders, or any other wayes or meanes, whome they suppose may
preiudice or let their exalting to honour, they sticke not at all
to doo it. What maruell is it then that Monkes and Priests, which
desire to be aloft, indeuour now a daies to purchase vnto themselues
authoritie by false miracles, vaine apparitions, and such other like
trumpery.
[Sidenote: Couetousnesse.]
[Sidenote: Paule.]
All men know what a pernitious thing couetousnesse is. For they which
are not contented to liue with a litle, but will néeds be rich,
neither care for any man, nor yet spare any man. Hungry guttes séeke
sundrie wayes to fill themselues: fewe willingly endure hunger.
Wherefore it is not be maruelled at, if amongst Monks and Priests at
these our dayes, who haue bene euer reported to be couetous, there
be some founde, which by false apparitions of soules, séeke their
gaines, inuenting holy pilgrimages, and other baytes to get mony. For
what wil not idle and slothfull lubbers attempt to purchase riches?
Doth not Saint =Paule= say, that those which will waxe rich by
idlenesse, fall into the snares of the Diuell?
[Sidenote: Enuis.]
Emulation, wilfulnesse, enuie, hatred, contention, desire to
ouercome, what they may doo, what they may bring to passe, daily
experience teacheth vs. The Preachers of _Berna_, when they perceiued
they could not ouercome their aduersaries by any other means, yéelded
themselues (which is horrible to be spoken) vnto the diuel, making
him one of their counsell. And who can deny but yͤ priests now
adayes are also for the most part, stubborne, and full of contention.
[Sidenote: Idlenesse.]
Idlenesse is the nurse and mother of all mischiefe: what goodnesse
then may ye looke for of them, which not only exercise themselues in
no labours prescribed by God, neither yet apply themselues to good
learning, but day and night play the gluttons? Tell me I pray thée,
whether the laboring husbandman, or the idle man, who alwayes spent
his time in inuenting pernitious mischiefes, first founde out those
cruel instruments of warre which they call gunnes?
[Sidenote: Loue.]
It might be declared in many words what loue is able to do. Now
because Monks and Priests liue idlely, abounding in all wantonnesse,
and yet are restrained from holy marriage, what maruell is it if at
this time also they faine and counterfeit many visions, that they
might thereby the easier enioy their loue? And here I wil not say
it is to be feared, that there are many amongst them so wicked and
villanous, as to exercise & practise magicall Artes, and such like,
which are vtterly forbidden. Who can then maruell hereafter, if it be
sayd, they counterfeyt spirites, affirming they haue let men see this
or that soule? For in what men soeuer these vices be, which we haue
rehearsed, surely those dare boldly aduenture any thing.
No kinde of men are more obnoxious to these kinde of things, than
those which leade their life in Monasteries, and Colledges: and
therefore no man ought to maruell or thinke it a straunge thing, if
we say that in times past many false visions haue bene practised,
and may also at this day likewise happen. For yͤ world, as all men
iustly complaine, waxeth worse and worse. Men are now more impudent,
more bold, more couetous, and more wicked, than euer they were in
times past.
Moreouer, the Cleargie of _Rome_ haue in many places this
prerogatiue aboue others, that most men (especially such as are led
by superstition) make much of them, worshipping them with great
reuerence, no man so much as suspecteth them to apply their mindes
to euill matters, to subtiltie, craft, and deceit: all men looke for
other things at their hands. If therefore they addict themselues to
euill deuises, they may easily deceiue men, except God miraculously
reueale their wickednesse, and bring it to light, as we declared in a
fewe examples rehearsed before.
[Sidenote: Popes haue fained visions.]
[Sidenote: Bruno.]
[Sidenote: Gregorius 7.]
[Sidenote: Bartholomeus Platina.]
[Sidenote: Bonifacius.]
And perchance for this cause also, Priests and Monkes could not bee
so well blamed, for their so often deceiuing plaine meaning folkes
with craft and subtiltie, in so much as some of their moste holy
Fathers, I meane Popes of _Rome_, haue bin very cunning in magicall
sciences, as their owne Historiographers affirme, and by meanes of
those artes, haue aspired to the high top of Popedome. =Beno= (or
rather =Bruno=, for so I iudge his name is) who was also a Cardinall,
set foorth the life of Pope =Gregorie= the seuenth, in writing,
in the which hée sheweth the sayd Bishop to haue bene a proude,
arrogant, malicious and couetous Monke, and that hée was throughly
séene in the blacke art of Negromancie. =Bartholomeus Platina= (who
being a sworne seruant with the Pope, excusing their faults as much
as he can) writeth of =Siluester= the second, yͭ he gaue himselfe
to the diuel, and that by his meanes, his counsell & magical deuises,
he atteined yͤ great office of papacie. Doo ye think, that it is a
hard thing for him yͭ is confederat with the enemy of mankind, to
faine spirits & soules, or to cōiure a diuel, to make men beléeue he
were a soule, do you thinke such men abhorre to doo such mischiefe?
The =Historiographers= report that =Bonifacius= the 8. deceiued
his predecessor =Celestinus=, by a voyce sent through a cane réed,
as though it had come from heauen, perswading him to giue ouer his
office of Popeship, and to institute therein, one =Bonifacius= a
worthier man than he, except he would be thrust out of the kingdome
of heauen. The poore simple Pope obeying this voyce, ordeined
=Bonifacius= Pope in his steade, in the yeare of our Lord 1294. who
first brought in the yeare of Iubile. Of this =Boniface=, the common
people would say, _He came in like a Fox, he raigned like a wolfe,
and died like a Dog_. If the very vicar of Christ, who hath all
knowledge as it were fast lockt in the Coffer of his brest, could be
deceiued, lette no man maruel any more if simple credulous husbandmen
and citezens haue ben deceiued, and that it hath bin said to them:
God spake this: This soule did aske helpe: and such like things,
which are most false and vaine. Yf this man coulde counterfeit the
voyce of God, coulde he not also faine the voice of dead men?
[Sidenote: Sometimes Laye men beguile the Priests.]
Before I procéede any further, this is also to be obserued, that
plesaunt conceited fellowes, may oftentimes deceiue the priests,
themselues. For when the priests did brag, that they coulde coniure
Spirits and deliuer mens soules, it may be that other being wrapped
in shéets, hauing vnderneth them liue coales in an earthen pot,
appeared vnto priests, who by and by were persuaded they sawe
saules which required their helpe to be deliuered. =Erasmus= in his
=Colloquio= or talke which he intituled =Exorcismus, vel spectrum=,
or a coniuration or vision, writeth howe one =Polus= maruellously
deceiued a priest called =Faustus=. But there is no doubt but that
priests being many times deceiued in iest by the lay men for pastimes
sake, haue on the other side more often times beguiled them in
earnest.
[Sidenote: Men walking by night.]
I haue spoken hitherto of men being awake, and now I will adde a
fewe words of such as sléepe. There be many which haue such a kinde
of disease, that they walke in their sléepe: which thing we reade to
haue bin true in one =Theon= a =Stoicke=, and in =Pericles= seruant,
who in their sléepe climed vp to the top of the house. I haue hearde
of some which in their sléepe haue done that which béeing awake, they
could not do by any meanes. If a man sée such a one walking in the
night, either apparrelled or naked, and after here him say he was at
the same time in his bed, he will straight thinke, it was his soule
that he sawe, the like will he do if he heare such a one at his owne
house.
CHAP. XI.
That many naturall things are taken to be ghoasts.
[Sidenote: Fayries of the earth.]
There happen daily many things by the ordinary course of nature,
which diuers men, especially they that are timorous and fearefull,
suppose to be visions or spirits. As for example, when they heare the
crying of ratts, catts, weasels, martins, or any other beaste, or
when they heare a horse beate his féete on the plankes in the stable
at midnight, by and by they sweat for feare, supposing some bugges to
walke in the dead of the night. Somtimes a bittour, or hearne (which
birds are sildome séene with vs in _Germany_) or some other straunge
birds, make a noise in the aire: many fooles straightwayes dreame,
they haue heard I wotte not what. If a worme which fretteth wood,
or that bréedeth in trées, chaunce to gnawe a wall of waynescot, or
other timber, many will iudge they heare one softly knocking vppon
an anduill with a sledge: and sometimes they imagine they heare
many hammers at one time. Simple foolish men hearing these things,
imagine, I know not how, that there be certaine elues or fairies of
the earth, and tell many straunge and maruellous tales of them, which
they haue heard of their grandmothers and mothers, how they haue
appeared vnto those of the house, haue done seruice, haue rocked the
cradle, and (which is a signe of good lucke) do continually tarry
in the house. If such dwarfes or elues haue bene séene at any time,
surely they were euill spirits. For we reade that the Gentiles in
time past, had their familiar or houshold gods, whome they worshipped
with great deuotion, because (as they thought) they tooke care of
their house, and defended their family: and vnto these men, euil
spirits did sometimes appeare, thereby to confirme them the more in
their blinde superstition.
[Sidenote: Olaus Magnus.]
=Olaus Magnus= Archbishop of _Vpsalia_, writeth in his history =de
Gentibus Septentrionalibus=, that euen at this day also, there are
spirits séene in these countries, which hauing the shape of men, do
men seruice in the night, dressing their horse, and looking to their
cattell. The winde in the night, ouerthroweth some thing, or shaketh
a casement or lid of the window: many by and by thinke they sée a
spirite, and can very hardly be brought from that vaine opinion.
[Sidenote: Echo.]
This thing is also according to nature, that when a man either crieth
or speaketh in the woods, valies, or other hollow places, =Echo= wil
resound the later word or sillable, so plainly many times, that a man
would verily thinke some liuing bodie made him answere againe. Many
would be afraide hereof at all times, but especially in the night
season, except he knew very well it were a naturall thing.
[Sidenote: Cardanus.]
=Cardanus= in his booke =de Subtilitate lib.18.= rehearseth a
maruellous historie of one =Comensis=, who very late in the night,
comming to a riuersside, not knowing where he might passe ouer,
called out aloude for some bodie to shewe him the foorde, and when
the =Echo= made him answere, hee supposing it to be a man, asked him
if he might passe ouer here: to whom the =Echo= answered again in
yͤ Italian tong, Here, here. But in yͭ place was a whirlpoole,
and a great roring of the water: Therfore yͤ man douting, asketh
once or twice againe, whether the riuer might be past ouer in the
same place: to which the =Echo= answered stil that it might. In the
end, when he had escaped yͤ passage without danger, he told his
friends, how by the persuasiō of the diuel, he had almost throwne
himself hedlong into the riuer, and drowned himself. In the same
place, he saith, that the great Hall at =Ticinium= in _Italy_, doth
render sundry and manifold voyces, if one speake in it, and that the
voyces as it were die and make an end much lyke a mans voyce, when he
lyeth a dying, in so much that a man can scant be perswaded it is the
noyse of =Echo=.
[Sidenote: Things shyning by night.]
[Sidenote: Hector Boethius.]
There are certain things which shine only in the night, as some
precious stones doo, the eyes of certaine beastes, a Glowoorme, or
Globard, as also some kinde of rotten wood, wherewith many times
children so terrifie their play-fellowes, that they imagine with
themselues, to sée euil spirites, or men all burning with fire.
=Hector Boethius= writeth, that a certain King of Scots caused some
of his men to be disguised in garments with bright shining scales,
hauing in their hands rotten wood instéed of staues, and so to
appeare to his nobilitie and Lords in the night, exhorting them to
fight couragiously with their enemies, and promising them to obtaine
victorie. Whereby the noble men supposing they had séene angels,
behaued themselues valiantly, and atchieued the victorie.
[Sidenote: Burning lights.]
Many times candles & small fires appeare in the night, and séeme to
runne vp and downe. And as the yong men in _Heluetia_, who with their
firebrands which they light, at the bonfires in Shroftide, sometime
gather themselues togither, and then scatter abroad, and againe,
méeting togither, march in a long rancke: euen so doo those fires
sometime séeme to come togither, and by and by to be seuered & runne
abroad, and at the last to vanish cleane away. Sometime these fires
goe alone in the night season, and put such as sée them, as they
trauell by night, in great feare. But these things, and many such
lyke haue their naturall causes: and yet I will not deny, but that
many times Diuels delude men in this maner.
[Sidenote: Exhalatons.]
Natural Philosophers write, that thicke exhilations aryse out of
the earth, and are kindled. Mynes full of sulphur and brimstone, if
the aire enter vnto it, as it lyeth in the holes and veines of the
earth, will kindle on fier, and striue to get out. Sometimes fire
bursteth out of the earth, as high as a tall trée, and is suddeinly
put out againe. Which thing is to be thought to procéede of fierie
matter, séeking a vent to gush out. Wee reade of the mount _Aetna_
in _Cicilie_, that in times past it burnt continually, day and
night, casting forth flames of fire, fiery stones and ashes in great
aboundance. The lyke is read also at _Vesuuius_ a hill in _Campaine_,
about a Germaine mile from _Naples_: The same hill in the time of
=Titus= the Emperour, as S. =Hierom= reporteth, cast foorth of it so
much fire, that it burnt the country, and cities, and people rounde
about it, and filled the fieldes adioyning full of cinders and ashes.
These two hilles, euen in our dayes boyling with great heate, haue
very much indamaged the people inhabiting thereabout. In _Iseland_,
as =Olaus Magnus= witnesseth, are found fiers which breake out of
the earth. And as whole hilles and mountaines may burne, euen so may
a litle fire be kindled in the earth, and yet wander very large.
They which trauelling by the way, or by some other meanes chaunce to
sée these things, and know not the naturall causes of them, imagin
by reason of feare, that they haue séene men burning like fire, or
some other straunge thing, which they haue heard other men talke of.
And by means of their great feare, oftentimes they fall into great
daungerous diseases.
[Sidenote: Glasses.]
The arte perspectiue doth also worke this wonderfull feate, that
diuers and sundrie shapes will appeare in glasses, made and sette
togither aftter a certeine artificial sorte: sometimes they will
séeme to goe out of the doores, and resemble men of our familiar
acquaintance. Many things in very déed are naturall, although we
cannot finde any naturall reason for them.
And yet by the way, they shewe themselues too foolishe, which labour
to bring all things to natural causes. Here I will say nothing of
these men, which can beare plaine and rude people in hande, that
they, or some other of their acquaintance, haue séene strange things,
which they earnestly auouch to be true, when as indéede there was
no suche thing. How often I pray you, do we heare things affirmed
as true, which afterward proue most false: as that one was caried
away bodie and soule, that an other was put to death, and an infinit
nomber of such like reports.
CHAP. XII.
A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that Spirites and
Ghoasts do oftentimes appeare.