A short extract from a discussion on Spirits, written about three
hundred years ago by an English inquirer into their nature and
propensities, may find a place here. This description occurs in a work
by Thomas Nash, Gentleman, entitled 'Pierce Penilesse his Supplication
to the Deuill; Describing the ouer-spreading of Vice, and the
suppression of Vertue; Pleasantly interlac'd with variable delights; and
pathetically intermixt with conceipted reproofes. London, 1592.' It does
not clearly appear whether the author's remarks are intended to refer
especially to the Spirits of England; but this probably is the case.
True, he describes them as more ill-tempered than those on the Continent
are generally said to be; but this may perhaps be merely owing to the
gloominess of the English climate. Howbeit, these troublesome Spirits
are most likely not so bad as we find them here depicted; for, is it not
a well-known fact, also mentioned by Thomas Nash, Gentleman, that they
love music?
"The spirits of the earth keepe, for the most part, in forrests and
woods, and doo hunters much noyance; and sometime in the broad fields,
where they lead trauelers out of the right way, or fright men with
deformed apparitions, or make run mad through excessiue melancholy, like
Aiax Telamonious, and so proue hurtful to themselves, and dangerous to
others: of this number the chiefe are Samaab and Achymael, spirits of
the east, that haue no power to doo great harm, by reason of the
vnconstancie of their affections. The vnder-earth spirits are such as
lurk in dens and little cauernes of the earth, and hollow crevices of
mountaines, that they may dyue into the bowels of the earth at their
pleasures: these dig metals and watch treasures, which they continually
transport from place to place that non should haue vse of them: they
raise windes that vomit flames, and shake the foundation of buildins;
they daunce in rounds in pleasant lawnds, and greene medowes, with
noises of musick and minstralsy, and vanish away when any comes nere
them: they will take vpon them any similitude but that of a woman, and
terrefie men in the likeness of dead mens ghosts in the night time."