4. Carnall copulation with Incubus, confuted.

Fourthlie, as touching the accusation, which all the writers use

herein against them for their carnall copulation with _Incubus_: the

follie of mens credulitie is as much to be woondered at and derided,

as the others vaine and impossible confessions. For the divell is

a spirit, and hath neither flesh nor bones, which were to be used

in the performance of this action. And since he also lacketh all

instruments, substance, and seed ingendred of bloud; it were follie

to staie overlong in the confutation of that, which is not in the

nature of things. And yet must I saie somewhat heerein, bicause the

opinion hereof is so stronglie and universallie received, and the

fables hereupon so innumerable; wherby _M. Mal. Bodin_, _Hemingius_,

_Hyperius_, _Danæus_, _Erastus_, and others that take upon them to

write heerein, are so abused, or rather seeke to abuse others; as I

woonder at their fond credulitie in this behalfe. For they affirme

undoubtedlie, that the divell plaieth _Succubus_ to the man, and

carrieth from him the seed of generation, which he delivereth as

_Incubus_ to the woman, who manie times that waie is gotten with child;

which will verie naturallie (they saie) become a witch, and such a one

they affirme _Merline_ was.

♦How the divell plaieth Succubus and Incubus.♦

The xx. Chapter.

_A request to such readers as loath to heare or read filthie

and bawdie matters (which of necessitie are heere to be

inserted) to passe over eight chapters._

But in so much as I am driven (for the more manifest bewraieng and

displaieng of this most filthie and horrible error) to staine my paper

with writing thereon certeine of their beastlie and bawdie assertions

and examples, whereby they confirme this their doctrine (being my selfe

both ashamed, and loth once to thinke upon such filthinesse, although

it be to the condemnation thereof) I must intreat you that are the

readers hereof, whose chaste eares cannot well endure to heare of such

abhominable lecheries, as are gathered out of the bookes of those

witchmongers (although doctors of divinitie, and otherwise of great

authoritie and estimation) to turne over a few leaves, wherein (I saie)

I have like a groome thrust their bawdie stuffe (even that which I my

selfe loath) as into a stinking corner: howbeit, none otherwise, I

hope, but that the other parts of my writing shall remaine sweet, and

this also covered as close as may be.

♦A peroration to the readers.♦

¶ _The fourth Booke._

The first Chapter.

_Of witchmongers opinions concerning evill spirits, how they frame

themselves in more excellent sort than God made us._

_James Sprenger_ and _Henrie Institor_, in _M. Mal._ agreing with

_Bodin_, _Barth. Spineus_, _Danæus_, _Erastus_, _Hemingius_, and the

rest, doo make a bawdie discourse; labouring to proove by a foolish

kind of philosophie, that evill spirits cannot onlie take earthlie

forms and shapes of men; but also counterfeit hearing, seeing, &c:

and likewise, that they can eate and devoure meats, and also reteine,

digest, and avoid the same: and finallie, use diverse kinds of

activities, but speciallie excell in the use and art of venerie. For

_M. Mal._ saith, that The eies and eares of the mind are farre more

subtill than bodilie eies or carnall eares. Yea it is there affirmed,

that as they take bodies, and the likenesse of members; so they take

minds and similitudes of their operations. But by the way, I would have

them answer this question. Our minds and soules are spirituall things.

If our corporall eares be stopped, what can they heare or conceive of

anie externall wisedome? And truelie, a man of such a constitution of

bodie, as they imagine of these spirits, which make themselves, &c:

were of farre more excellent substance, &c: than the bodies of them

that God made in paradise; and so the divels workmanship should exceed

the handie worke of God the father and creator of all things.

♦_Mal. malef. par. 2. cap. 4 quæst. 1._♦

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

The second Chapter.

_Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of

venerie may be performed betweene witches and divels, and

when witches first yeelded to Incubus._

Heretofore (they saie) _Incubus_ was faine to ravish women against

their will, untill Anno. 1400: but now since that time witches consent

willinglie to their desires: in so much as some one witch exerciseth

that trade of lecherie with _Incubus_ twentie or thirtie yeares

togither; as was confessed by fourtie and eight witches burned at

_Ravenspurge_. But what goodlie fellowes _Incubus_ begetteth upon

these witches, is prooved by _Thomas_ of _Aquine_, _Bodin_, _M. Mal.

Hyperius_, _&c._

♦_Nider in fornicario._♦

♦_T. Brabant in lib. de apib._♦

♦_In. sen. dist. 4. art. 4._♦

This is prooved first by the divels cunning, in discerning the

difference of the seed which falleth from men. Secondlie, by his

understanding of the aptnes of the women for the receipt of such seed.

Thirdlie by his knowledge of the constellations, which are freendlie

to such corporall effects. And lastlie, by the excellent complexion of

such as the divell maketh choice of, to beget such notable personages

upon, as are the causes of the greatnesse and excellencie of the child

thus begotten.

♦Gen. 6, 4.♦

And to proove that such bawdie dooings betwixt the divell and witches

is not fained, S. _Augustine_ is alledged, who saith, that All

superstitious arts had their beginning of the pestiferous societie

betwixt the divell and man. Wherein he saith truelie; for that in

paradise, betwixt the divell and man, all wickednes was so contrived,

that man ever since hath studied wicked arts: yea and the divell will

be sure to be at the middle and at both ends of everie mischeefe. But

that the divell ingendreth with a woman, in maner and forme as is

supposed, and naturallie begetteth the wicked, neither is it true, nor

_Augustines_ meaning in this place.

♦_Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 1_

_August. de doctrina Christ._♦

Howbeit _M. Mal._ proceedeth, affirming that All witches take their

beginning from such filthie actions, wherein the divell, in likenes

of a prettie wench, lieth prostitute as _Succubus_ to the man, and

reteining his nature and seede, conveieth it unto the witch, to whome

he delivereth it as _Incubus_. Wherein also is refuted the opinion of

them that hold a spirit to be unpalpable. _M. Mal._ saith, There can

be rendred no infallible rule, though a probable distinction may be

set downe, whether _Incubus_ in the act of venerie doo alwaies powre

seed out of his assumed bodie. And this is the distinction; Either she

is old and barren, or yoong and pregnant. If she be barren, then dooth

_Incubus_ use hir without decision of seed; bicause such seed should

serve for no purpose. And the divell avoideth superfluitie as much as

he may; and yet for hir pleasure and condemnation togither, he goeth

to worke with hir. But by the waie, if the divell were so compendious,

what should he need to use such circumstances, even in these verie

actions, as to make these assemblies, conventicles, ceremonies, &c:

when he hath alreadie bought their bodies, and bargained for their

soules? Or what reason had he, to make them kill so manie infants, by

whom he rather loseth than gaineth any thing; bicause they are, so

farre as either he or we knowe, in better case than we of riper yeares

by reason of their innocencie? Well, if she be not past children, then

stealeth he seed awaie (as hath beene said) from some wicked man being

about that lecherous busines, and therewith getteth yoong witches upon

the old.

♦_Mal. malef. quæ. 1. par. 1._♦

And note, that they affirme that this businesse is better accomplished

with seed thus gathered, than that which is shed in dremes, through

superfluitie of humors: bicause that is gathered from the vertue of the

seed generative. And if it be said that the seed will wax cold by the

waie, and so lose his naturall heate, and consequentlie the vertue: _M.

Mal. Danæus_, and the rest doo answere, that the divell can so carrie

it, as no heate shall go from it, &c.

♦_Mal. malef. par. 1. quæ. 1._

_Danæus in dialog. de sortiariis._♦

Furthermore, old witches are sworne to procure as manie yoong virgins

for _Incubus_ as they can, whereby in time they growe to be excellent

bawds: but in this case the preest plaieth _Incubus_. For you shall

find, that confession to a preest, and namelie this word _Benedicite_,

driveth _Incubus_ awaie, when _Ave Maries_, crosses, and all other

charmes faile.

♦_Ja. Sprenger in Mal. male._♦

The third Chapter.

_Of the divels visible & invisible dealing with witches in the waie

of lecherie._

But as touching the divels visible or invisible execution of lecherie,

it is written, that to such witches, as before have made a visible

legue with the preest, (the divell I should saie) there is no

necessitie that _Incubus_ should appeere invisible: marrie to the

standers by hee is for the most part invisible. For proofe hereof

_James Sprenger_ and _Institor_ affirme, that Manie times witches are

seene in the fields, and woods, prostituting themselves uncovered and

naked up to the navill, wagging and mooving their members in everie

part, according to the disposition of one being about that act of

concupiscence, and yet nothing seene of the beholders upon hir; saving

that after such a convenient time as is required about such a peece

of worke, a blacke vapor of the length and bignesse of a man, hath

beene seene as it were to depart from hir, and to ascend from that

place. Neverthelesse, manie times the husband seeth _Incubus_ making

him cuckhold, in the likenesse of a man, and sometimes striketh off

his head with his sword: but bicause the bodie is nothing but aire, it

closeth togither againe: so as, although the goodwife be some times

hurt thereby; yet she maketh him beleeve he is mad or possessed, & that

he dooth he knoweth not what. For she hath more pleasure and delight

(they say) with _Incubus_ that waie, than with anie mortall man:

whereby you may perceive that spirits are palpable.

♦This was doone at Ravenspurge.♦

♦_Mal. Malef._♦

The fourth Chapter.

_That the power of generation is both outwardlie and inwardlie

impeached by witches, and of divers that had their genitals

taken from them by witches, and by the same meanes againe

restored._

They also affirme, that the vertue of generation is impeached by

witches, both inwardlie, and outwardlie: for intrinsecallie they

represse the courage, and they stop the passage of the mans seed, so

as it may not descend to the vessels of generation: also they hurt

extrinsecallie, with images, hearbs, &c. And to proove this true, you

shall heare certeine stories out of _M. Mal._ worthie to be noted.

A yoong priest at _Mespurge_ in the diocesse of _Constance_ was

bewitched, so as he had no power to occupie any other or mo women than

one; and to be delivered out of that thraldom, sought to flie into

another countrie, where he might use that preestlie occupation more

freelie. But all in vaine; for evermore he was brought as far backward

by night, as he went forward in the daie before; sometimes by land,

sometimes in the aire, as though he flew. And if this be not true, I am

sure that _James Sprenger_ dooth lie.

♦_Mal. Malef. cap. 6. quæ. 1 pa. 2._♦

For the further confirmation of our beleefe in _Incubus_, _M. Mal._

citeth a storie of a notable matter executed at _Ravenspurge_, as true

and as cleanlie as the rest. A yoong man lieng with a wench in that

towne (saith he) was faine to leave his instruments of venerie behind

him, by meanes of that prestigious art of witchcraft: so as in that

place nothing could be seene or felt but his plaine bodie. This yoong

man was willed by another witch, to go to hir whom he suspected, and

by faire or fowle meanes to require hir helpe: who soone after meeting

with hir, intreated hir faire, but that was in vaine; and therefore

he caught hir by the throte, and with a towell strangled hir, saieng:

Restore me my toole, or thou shalt die for it: so as she being swolne

and blacke in the face, and through his boisterous handling readie to

die, said; Let me go, and I will helpe thee. And whilest he was loosing

the towell, she put hir hand into his codpeece, and touched the place;

saieng; Now hast thou thy desire: and even at that instant he felt

himselfe restored.

Item, a reverend father, for his life, holinesse, and knowledge

notorious, being a frier of the order and companie of _Spire_,

reported, that a yoong man at shrift made lamentable moane unto him for

the like losse: but his gravitie suffered him not to beleeve lightlie

any such reports, and therefore made the yoong man untrusse his

codpeece point, and sawe the complaint to be true and just. Whereupon

he advised or rather injoined the youth to go to the witch whome he

suspected, and with flattering words to intreat hir, to be so good

unto him, as to restore him his instrument: which by that meanes he

obteined, and soone after returned to shew himselfe thankfull; and

told the holie father of his good successe in that behalfe: but he so

beleeved him, as he would needs be _Oculatus testis_, and made him pull

downe his breeches, and so was satisfied of the troth and certeintie

thereof.

♦_Ja. Sprenger. in Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 1._♦

Another yoong man being in that verie taking, went to a witch for the

restitution thereof, who brought him to a tree, where she shewed him

a nest, and bad him clime up and take it. And being in the top of the

tree, he tooke out a mightie great one, and shewed the same to hir,

asking hir if he might not have the same. Naie (quoth she) that is our

parish preests toole, but take anie other which thou wilt. And it is

there affirmed, that some have found 20. and some 30. of them in one

nest, being there preserved with provender, as it were at the racke and

manger, with this note, wherein there is no contradiction (for all must

be true that is written against witches) that If a witch deprive one of

his privities, it is done onlie by prestigious meanes, so as the senses

are but illuded. Marie by the divell it is reallie taken awaie, and in

like sort restored. These are no jestes, for they be written by them

that were and are judges upon the lives and deaths of those persons.

♦_Mal. malef. cap. 7. par. 2. quæst. 1._♦

♦Note.♦

The fift Chapter.

_Of bishop Sylvanus his leacherie opened and covered againe,

how maides having yellow haire are most combred with Incubus,

how maried men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to

refuse their own._

You shall read in the legend, how in the night time _Incubus_ came

to a ladies bed side, and made hot loove unto hir: whereat she being

offended, cried out so lowd, that companie came and found him under

hir bed in the likenesse of the holie bishop _Sylvanus_, which holie

man was much defamed therebie, untill at the length this infamie was

purged by the confession of a divell made at S. _Jeroms_ toombe. Oh

excellent peece of witchcraft or cousening wrought by _Sylvanus_! Item,

S. _Christine_ would needes take unto hir another maides _Incubus_,

and lie in hir roome: and the storie saith, that she was shrewdlie

accloied. But she was a shrew indeed, that would needes change beds

with hir fellow, that was troubled everie night with _Incubus_, and

deale with him hir selfe. But here the inquisitors note maie not be

forgotten, to wit: that Maides having yellow haire are most molested

with this spirit. Also it is written in the Legend, of S. _Barnard_,

that a pretie wench that had had the use of _Incubus_ his bodie by

the space of six or seven yeares in _Aquitania_ (being beelike wearie

of him for that he waxed old) would needes go to S. _Barnard_ another

while. But _Incubus_ told hir, that if she would so forsake him, being

so long hir true loover, he would be revenged upon hir, &c. But befall

what would, she went to S. _Barnard_, who tooke hir his staffe, and bad

her laie it in the bed besides hir. And indeed the divell fearing the

bedstaffe, or that S. _Barnard_ laie there himselfe, durst not approch

into hir chamber that night: what he did afterwards, I am uncerteine.

Marrie you may find other circumstances hereof, and manie other like

bawdie lies in the golden Legend. But here againe we maie not forget

the inquisitors note, to wit; that manie are so bewitched that they

cannot use their owne wives: but anie other bodies they maie well

enough away withall. Which witchcraft is practised among manie bad

husbands, for whom it were a good excuse to saie they were bewitched.

♦_In vita Hieronym._♦

♦Saincts as holie and chaste as horsses & mares.♦

♦Maides having yellow haire.♦

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

The sixt Chapter.

_How to procure the dissolving of bewitched love, also to

enforce a man (how proper so ever he be) to love an old hag:

and of a bawdie tricke of a priest in Gelderland._

The priests saie, that the best cure for a woman thus molested, next

to confession, is excommunication. But to procure the dissolving of

bewitched and constrained love, the partie bewitched must make a jakes

of the lovers shooe. And to enforce a man, how proper so ever he be,

to love an old hag, she giveth unto him to eate (among other meates)

hir owne doong: and this waie one old witch made three abbats of one

house successivelie to die for hir love as she hir selfe confessed,

by the report of M. _Mal._ In _Gelderland_ a priest persuaded a sicke

woman that she was bewitched; and except he might sing a masse upon

hir bellie, she could not be holpen. Whereunto she consented, and laie

naked on the altar whilest he sang masse, to the satisfieng of his

lust; but not to the [*]release of hir greefe. Other cures I will

speake of in other places more civill. Howbeit, certeine miraculous

cures, both full of bawderie and lies, must either have place here, or

none at all.

♦Of a bawdie priest in Gelderland.♦

♦[*] [? releafe.]♦

The seventh Chapter.

_Of divers saincts and holie persons, which were exceeding

bawdie and lecherous, and by certeine miraculous meanes

became chaste._

_Cassianus_ writeth, that S. _Syren_ being of bodie verie lecherous,

and of mind woonderfull religious, fasted and praied; to the end his

bodie might be reduced miraculouslie to chastitie. At length came an

angell unto him by night, and cut out of his flesh certeine kernels,

which were the sparkes of concupiscence; so as afterwards he never

had anie more motions of the flesh. It is also reported, that the

abbat _Equicius_ being naturallie as unchast as the other, fell to

his beads so devoutlie for recoverie of honestie, that there came an

angell unto him in an apparition, that seemed to geld him; and after

that (forsooth) he was as chaste as though he had had never a stone in

his breech; and before that time being a ruler over monkes, he became

afterwards a governour over nunnes. Even as it is said _Helias_ the

holie monke gathered thirtie virgins into a monasterie, over whom he

ruled and reigned by the space of two yeares, and grew so proud and hot

in the codpeece, that he was faine to forsake his holie house, and flie

to a desert, where he fasted and praied two daies, saieng; Lord quench

my hot lecherous humors, or kill me. Whereupon in the night following,

there came unto him three angels, and demanded of him why he forsooke

his charge: but the holie man was ashamed to tell them. Howbeit they

asked him further, saieng; Wilt thou returne to these damsels, if we

free thee from all concupiscence? Yea (quoth he) with all my heart.

And when they had sworne him solemnelie so to doo, they tooke him

up, & gelded him; and one of them holding his hands, and another his

feete, the third cut out his stones. But the storie saith it was not so

ended, but in a vision. Which I beleeve, because within five daies he

returned to his minions, who pitiouslie moorned for him all this while,

and joyfullie embraced his sweete companie at his returne. The like

storie dooth _Nider_ write of _Thomas_, whome two angels cured of that

lecherous disease; by putting about him a girdle, which they brought

downe with them from heaven.

♦_In coll. patrum._♦

♦_Gregor. lib. 1. dial. 2._♦

♦_In vitis patrum. Heraclides in paradiso._♦

♦_Nider in fornicario._♦

The eight Chapter.

_Certeine popish and magicall cures, for them that are bewitched in

their privities._

For direct cure to such as are bewitched in the privie members, the

first and speciall is confession: then follow in a row, holie water,

and those ceremoniall trumperies, _Ave Maries_, and all maner of

crossings; which are all said to be wholesome, except the witchcraft be

perpetuall, and in that case the wife maie have a divorse of course.

Item, the eating of a haggister or pie helpeth one bewitched in that

member.

♦_Aliter._♦

Item, the smoke of the tooth of a dead man.

♦_Aliter._♦

Item, to annoint a mans bodie over with the gall of a crow.

♦_Aliter._♦

Item, to fill a quill with quicke silver, and laie the same under

the cushine, where such a one sitteth, or else to put it under the

threshold of the doore of the house or chamber where he dwelleth.

Item, to spet into your owne bosome, if you be so bewitched, is verie

good.

♦_Aliter._♦

Item, to pisse through a wedding ring. If you would know who is hurt

in his privities by witchcraft; and who otherwise is therein diseased,

_Hostiensis_ answereth: but so, as I am ashamed to english it: and

therefore have here set downe his experiment in Latine; _Quando virga

nullatenùs movetur, & nunquam potuit cognoscere; hoc est signum

frigiditatis: sed quando movetur & erigitur, perficere autem non

potest, est signum maleficii._

♦_Aliter._♦

But Sir _Th. Moore_ hath such a cure in this matter, as I am ashamed to

write, either in Latine or English: for in filthie bawderie it passeth

all the tales that ever I heard. But that is rather a medicine to

procure generation, than the cure of witchcraft, though it serve both

turnes.

♦S. Thomas Moores, medicinable receipt, &c.♦

Item, when ones instrument of venerie is bewitched, certeine characters

must be written in virgine parchment, celebrated and holied by a popish

priest; and thereon also must the 141. Psalme be written, and bound _Ad

viri fascinati coxam_.

♦_Aliter._♦

Item, one _Katharine Loe_ (having a husband not so readilie disposed

that waie as she wished him to be) made a waxen image to the

likenes of hir husbands bewitched member, and offered it up at S.

_Anthonies_ altar; so as, through the holinesse of the masse it might

be sanctified, to be more couragious, and of better disposition and

abilitie, &c.

♦_Aliter._♦

The ninth Chapter.

_A strange cure doone to one that was molested with Incubus._

Now being wearied with the rehearsall of so manie lecheries most

horrible, and very filthie and fabulous actions and passions of

witches, together with the spirit _Incubus_, I will end with a true

storie taken out of _Jason Pratensis_, which though it be rude, yet is

it not altogither so uncleane as the rest.

♦_Jaso. Pratensis de cerebri morbo, ca. 16._♦

There came (saith he) of late a masse priest unto me, making pitious

moane, and saieng, that if I holpt him not, he should be undoone, and

utterlie overthrowne; so great was his infirmitie: for (saith he) I

was woont to be faire and fat, and of an excellent complexion; and lo

how I looke, being now a verie ghost consisting of skinne and bone,

&c. What is the matter (quoth _Jason_?) I will shew you sir, said

the priest. There commeth unto mee, almost everie night, a certeine

woman, unknowne unto me, and lieth so heavie upon my brest, that I

cannot fetch my breath, neither have anie power to crie, neither doo

my hands serve me to shoove hir awaie, nor my feete to go from hir. I

smiled (quoth _Jason_) and told him that he was vexed with a disease

called _Incubus_, or the mare; and the residue was phantasie and

vaine imagination. Naie (said the priest) it cannot be so: for by our

blessed ladie, I tell you nothing but that with waking I saw with mine

eies, and felt with mine hands. I see hir when she commeth upon me,

and strive to repell hir; but I am so infeebled that I cannot: and

for remedie I have runne about from place to place, but no helpe that

I could get. At length I went to an old frier that was counted an od

fellow; and thought to have had help at his hands, but the divell a

whit had I of him; saving that for remedie he willed me to praie to

God; whome I am sure I wearied with my tedious praiers long before.

Then went I unto an old woman (quoth the priest) who was said to be

a cunning witch: and she willed me, that the next morning, about the

dawning of the daie, I should pisse, and immediatlie should cover the

pispot, or stop it with my right netherstocke, and before night the

witch should come to visit me. And although (quoth he) the respect of

mine orders somewhat terrified me from the execution of hir advise;

yet my necessities diverse waies, and speciallie my paines moved me

to make triall of hir words. And by the masse (quoth the priest) hir

prophesie fell out as sure as a club. For a witch came to my house, and

complained of a greefe in hir bladder, and that she could not pisse.

But I could neither by faire nor fowle meanes obteine at hir hands,

that she would leave molesting me by night; but she keepeth hir old

custome, determining by these filthie meanes to dispatch me. I could

hardlie (saith _Jason_) reclaime him from this mad humor; but by that

time he had beene with me three or foure times, he began to comfort

himselfe, and at last perceiving it, he acknowledged his disease, and

recovered the same.

♦The priest is opinionative in the error of his phantasie.♦

♦The priest recovered.♦

The tenth Chapter.

_A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus,

which by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be

flat knaverie, wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is

overthrowne._

Thus are lecheries covered with the cloke of _Incubus_ and witchcraft,

contrarie to nature and veritie: and with these fables is mainteined an

opinion, that men have beene begotten without carnall copulation (as

_Hyperius_ and others write that _Merlin_ was, An. 440.) speciallie to

excuse and mainteine the knaveries and lecheries of idle priests and

bawdie monkes; and to cover the shame of their lovers and concubines.

♦Merlin begotten of Incubus.♦

And alas, when great learned men have beene so abused, with the

imagination of _Incubus_ his carnall societie with women, misconstruing

the scriptures, to wit, the place in _Genesis_ 6. to the seducing of

manie others; it is the lesse woonder, that this error hath passed so

generallie among the common people.

But to use few words herein, I hope you understand that they affirme

and saie, that _Incubus_ is a spirit; and I trust you know that a

spirit hath no flesh nor bones, &c: and that he neither dooth eate nor

drinke. In deede your grandams maides were woont to set a boll of milke

before him and his cousine Robin good-fellow, for grinding of malt or

mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight: and you have also heard

that he would chafe exceedingly, if the maid or good-wife of the house,

having compassion of his nakednes, laid anie clothes for him, beesides

his messe of white bread and milke, which was his standing fee. For in

that case he saith; What have we here? Hemton hamten, here will I never

more tread nor stampen.

But to proceed in this confutation. Where there is no meate eaten,

there can be no seed which thereof is ingendred: although it be

granted, that Robin could both eate and drinke, as being a cousening

idle frier, or some such roge, that wanted nothing either belonging to

lecherie or knaverie, &c. Item, where the genitall members want, there

can be no lust of the flesh: neither dooth nature give anie desire of

generation, where there is no propagation or succession required.

♦_Quia humor spermaticus ex succo alimentari provenit._♦

And as spirits cannot be greeved with hunger, so can they not be

inflamed with lustes. And if men should live ever, what needed

succession or heires? For that is but an ordinance of God, to supplie

the place, the number, the world, the time, and speciallie to

accomplish his will. But the power of generation consisteth not onlie

in members, but chieflie of vitall spirits, and of the hart: which

spirits are never in such a bodie as _Incubus_ hath, being but a bodie

assumed, as they themselves saie. And yet the most part of writers

herein affirme, that it is a palpable and visible bodie; though all be

phansies and fables that are written hereupon.

♦_Ad facultatem generandi tam interna quàm externa organa requiruntur._♦

The eleventh Chapter.

_That Incubus is a naturall disease, with remedies for the same,

besides magicall cures herewithall expressed._

But in truth, this _Incubus_ is a bodilie disease (as hath beene said)

although it extend unto the trouble of the mind: which of some is

called The mare, oppressing manie in their sleepe so sore, as they

are not able to call for helpe, or stir themselves under the burthen

of that heavie humor, which is ingendred of a thicke vapor proceeding

from the cruditie and rawnesse in the stomach: which ascending up into

the head oppresseth the braine, in so much as manie are much infeebled

therebie, as being nightlie haunted therewith. They are most troubled

with this disease, that being subject thereunto, lie right upward: so

as, to turne and lie on the one side, is present remedie. Likewise, if

anie heare the groning of the partie, speake unto him, so as he wake

him, he is presentlie releeved. Howbeit, there are magicall cures for

it, as for example.

♦What Incubus is, & who be most troubled therwith.♦

_S. George, S. George, our ladies knight,

He walkt by daie, so did he by night:

Untill such time as he hir found,

He hir beat and he hir bound,

Untill hir troth she to him plight,

She would not come to hir[*] that night._

♦[*] [? him. MS.]♦

Whereas S. _George_ our ladies knight, was named three times S.

_George_.

Item, hang a stone over the afflicted persons bed, which stone hath

naturallie such a hole in it, as wherein a string may be put through

it, and so be hanged over the diseased or bewitched partie; be it man,

woman, or horsse.

Item, you shall read in _M. Malefic._ that excommunication is verie

notable, and better than any charme for this purpose. There are also

other verses and charmes for this disease devised, which is the common

cloke for the ignorance of bad physicians. But _Leonard Fuchsius_

in his first booke, and 31. chapter, dooth not onelie describe this

disease, and the causes of it; but also setteth downe verie learnedlie

the cure thereof, to the utter confusion of the witchmongers follie

in this behalfe. _Hyperius_ being much bewitched and blinded in this

matter of witchcraft, hoovering about the interpretation of _Genesis

6._ from whence the opinion of _Incubus_ and _Succubus_ is extorted,

_Viderunt filii Dei filias hominum, quòd elegantes essent, acceperunt

sibi in uxores ex omnibus, quas elegerant, &c_: seemeth to mainteine

upon heare-saie, that absurd opinion; and yet in the end is driven to

conclude thus, to wit: Of the evill spirits _Incubus_ and _Succubus_

there can be no firme reason or proofe brought out of scriptures,

using these verie words; _Hæc ut probabilia dicta sunto, quandoquidem

scripturarum præsidio hac in causa destituimur_. As if he should saie,

Take this as spoken probablie; to wit, by humane reason, bicause we are

destitute of scriptures to mainteine the goodnesse of the cause.

♦_M. malefic. par. 2. quæ. 2. cap. 1. col, 2._♦

♦_Leon. Fuchsius de curandi ratione._♦

_Tertullian_ and _Sulpicius Severus_ doo interpret _Filios Dei_ in that

place to be angels, or evill spirits, and to have beene enamored with

the beautie of those wenches; and finallie, begat giants by them.

Which is throughlie confuted by _Chrysostome_, _Hom._ 22. in _Gen_: but

speciallie by the circumstance of the text.

♦_Tertull. in libro de habitu muliebri._♦

♦_Sulp. Sever. in epitome hist. sacr._♦

The twelfe Chapter.

_The censure of G. Chaucer, upon the knaverie of Incubus._

Now will I (after all this long discourse of abhominable cloked

knaveries) here conclude with certeine of _G. Chaucers_ verses, who

as he smelt out the absurdities of poperie, so found he the priests

knaverie in this matter of _Incubus_, and (as the time would suffer

him) he derided their follie and falshood in this wise:

[*]_For now the great charitie and praiers

Of limitors and other holie friers,

That searchen everie land and everie streame

As thicke as motes in the sunne beame,

Blissing halles, kitchens, chambers & bowers,

Cities, borroghes, castels and hie towers,

Thropes, barnes, shepens, and dairies,

This maketh that there beene now no fairies;_

_For there as woont to walken was an elfe,

There walketh now the limitor himselfe,

In undermeales, and in mornings,

And saith his mattens and his holie things

As he goeth in his limitatiowne,

Women may go safelie up and downe,

In everie bush, and under everie tree,

There nis none other [†]Incubus but hee, &c._

♦_Geffr. Chau._ in the beginning of the wife of Baths tale.♦

♦[*] [_Ital._]♦

♦[†] [Text J.]♦

¶ _The fift Booke._

The first Chapter.

_Of transformations, ridiculous examples brought by the adversaries

for the confirmation of their foolish doctrine._

Now that I may with the verie absurdities, conteined in their owne

authors, and even in their principall doctors and last writers,

confound them that mainteine the transubstantiations of witches; I will

shew you certeine proper stuffe, which _Bodin_ (their cheefe champion

of this age) hath gathered out of _M. Mal._ and others, whereby he

laboureth to establish this impossible, incredible, and supernaturall,

or rather unnaturall doctrine of transubstantiation.

♦_J. Bod. lib. 2. de dæmon. cap, 6._♦

First, as touching the divell (_Bodin_ saith) that he dooth most

properlie and commonlie transforme himselfe into a gote, confirming

that opinion by the 33. and 34. of _Esaie_: where there is no one

title[*] sounding to anie such purpose. Howbeit, he sometimes alloweth

the divell the shape of a blacke Moore, and as he saith he used to

appeare to _Mawd Cruse_, _Kate Darey_, and _Jone Harviller_. But I

mervell, whether the divell createth himselfe, when he appeareth in

the likenesse of a man; or whether God createth him, when the divell

wisheth it. As for witches, he saith they speciallie transubstantiate

themselves into wolves, and them whom they bewitch into asses: though

else-where he differ somewhat herein from himselfe. But though he

affirme, that it may be naturallie brought to passe, that a girle shall

become a boie; and that anie female maybe turned into the male: yet he

saith the same hath no affinitie with _Lycanthropia_; wherein he saith

also, that men are wholie transformed, and citeth infinite examples

hereof.

♦J. Bodin abuseth scripture to proove a lie.♦

♦[*] [= tittle.]♦

♦_Pudendis tunc primùm erumpentibus._♦

First, that one _Garner_ in the shape of a woolfe killed a girle of

the age of twelve yeares, and did eat up hir armes and legges, and

carried the rest home to his wife. Item, that _Peter Burget_, and

_Michael Werdon_, having turned themselves with an ointment into

woolves, killed, and finallie did eate up an infinite number of people.

Which lie _Wierus_ dooth sufficientlie confute. But untill you see

and read that, consider whether _Peter_ could eate rawe flesh without

surfetting, speciallie flesh of his owne kind. Item, that there was

an arrowe shot into a woolves thigh, who afterwards being turned into

his former shape of a man, was found in his bed, with the arrowe in

his thigh, which the archer that shot it knew verie well. Item, that

another being _Lycanthropus_ in the forme of a woolfe, had his woolves

feet cut off, and in a moment he became a man without hands or feete.

♦_Jo. Wier. lib. 6. de mag ca. 12._♦

He accuseth also one of the mightiest princes in christendome, even of

late daies, to be one of those kind of witches (so as he could, when

he list, turne himselfe to a woolfe) affirming that he was espied and

oftentimes seene to performe that villanie; bicause he would be counted

the king of all witches. He saith that this transubstantiation is most

common in _Greece_, and through out all _Asia_, as merchant strangers

have reported to him. For _Anno Domini._ 1542, when _Sultan Solimon_

reigned, there was such force and multitude of these kind of woolves in

_Constantinople_, that the emperour drave togither in one flocke 150.

of them, which departed out of the citie in the presence of all the

people.

♦_J. Bodinus mendaciorum [*]heluo._♦

♦[*] [Text _helüo_.]♦

To persuade us the more throughlie heerein, he saith, that in

_Livonia_, yearelie (about the end of December) a certeine knave or

divell warneth all the witches in the countrie to come to a certeine

place: if they faile, the divell commeth and whippeth them with an

iron rod; so as the print of his lashes remaine upon their bodies for

ever. The capteine witch leadeth the waie through a great poole of

water: manie millians of witches swim after. They are no sooner passed

through that water, but they are all transformed into woolves, and flie

upon and devoure both men, women, cattell, &c. After twelve daies they

returne through the same water, and so receive humane shape againe.

♦A warme season to swim in.♦

♦I mervell that they forsake not the divell, who punisheth them so

sore: ywis they get not so much at his hands.♦

Item, that there was one _Bajanus_ a _Jew_, being the sonne of

_Simeon_, which could, when he list, turne himselfe into a woolfe; and

by that meanes could escape the force and danger of a whole armie of

men. Which thing (saith _Bodin_) is woonderfull: but yet (saith he) it

is much more marvelous, that men will not beleeve it. For manie poets

affirme it; yea, and if you looke well into the matter (saith he) you

shall find it easie to doo. Item, he saith, that as naturall woolves

persecute beasts; so doo these magicall woolves devoure men, women,

and children. And yet God saith to the people (I trowe) and not to the

cattell of Israell; If you observe not my commandements, I will send

among you the beasts of the feeld, which shall devoure both you and

your cattell. Item, I will send the teeth of beasts upon you. Where is

_Bodins_ distinction now become? He never saith, I will send witches in

the likenes of wolves, &c: to devoure you or your cattell. Nevertheles,

_Bodin_ saith it is a cleare case: for the matter was disputed upon

before pope _Leo_ the seventh, and by him all these matters were

judged possible: and at that time (saith he) were the transformations

of _Lucian_ and _Apuleius_ made canonicall.

♦Leviti. 16. [26, 22]♦

♦Deut. 32. [v. 24]♦

Furthermore he saith, that through this art they are so cunning that

no man can apprehend them, but when they are a sleepe. Item, he nameth

another witch, that (as _M. Mal._ saith) could not be caught, bicause

he would transforme himselfe into a mouse, and runne into everie little

hole, till at length he was killed comming out of the hole of a jamme

in a windowe: which indeed is as possible, as a camell to go through a

needels eie. Item, he saith, that diverse witches at _Vernon_ turned

themselves into cats, and both committed and received much hurt. But

at _Argentine_ there was a wonderfull matter done, by three witches of

great wealth, who transforming themselves into three cats, assalted a

faggot-maker: who having hurt them all with a faggot sticke, was like

to have beene put to death. But he was miraculouslie delivered, and

they worthilie punished; as the storie saith, from whence _Bodin_ had

it.

♦Stasus a witch could not be apprehended, and why?♦

♦_J. Bodin. Mal. malef._♦

♦_John. Bodin. Mal. malef. Barth. Spin. &c._♦

♦_Mal. malef. part. 3._♦

After a great manie other such beastlie fables, he inveieth against

such physicians, as saie that _Lycanthropia_ is a disease, and not a

transformation. Item, he mainteineth, as sacred and true, all _Homers_

fables of _Circes_ and _Ulyffes_ his companions: inveieng against

_Chrysostome_, who rightlie interpreteth [*]_Ho_mers meaning to be,

that _Ulyffes_ his people were by the harlot _Circes_ made in their

brutish maners to resemble swine.

♦An error about Lycanthropia.♦

♦[*] [Sic.]♦

But least some poets fables might be thought lies (whereby the

witchmongers arguments should quaile) he mainteineth for true the

most part of _Ovids Metamorphôsis_, and the greatest absurdities and

impossibilities in all that booke: marie he thinketh some one tale

therein may be fained. Finallie, he confirmeth all these toies by the

storie of _Nabuchadnez-zar_. And bicause (saith he) _Nabuchadnez-zar_

continued seven yeres in the shape of a beast, therefore may witches

remaine so long in the forme of a beast; having in all the meane

time, the shape, haire, voice, strength, agilitie, swiftnes, food and

excrements of beasts, and yet reserve the minds and soules of women

or men. Howbeit, _S. Augustine_ (whether to confute or confirme that

opinion judge you) saith; _Non est credendum, humanum corpus dæmonum

arte vel potestate in bestialia lineamenta converti posse_: We may

not beleeve that a mans bodie may be altered into the lineaments of a

beast by the divels art or power. Item, _Bodin_ saith, that the reason

whie witches are most commonlie turned into woolves, is; bicause they

usuallie eate children, as woolves eate cattell. Item, that the cause

whie other are truelie turned into asses, is; for that such have beene

desirous to understand the secrets of witches. Whie witches are turned

into cats, he alledgeth no reason, and therefore (to helpe him foorth

with that paraphrase) I saie, that witches are curst queanes, and

manie times scratch one another, or their neighbours by the faces; and

therefore perchance are turned into cats. But I have put twentie of

these witchmongers to silence with this one question; to wit, Whether a

witch that can turne a woman into a cat, &c: can also turne a cat into

a woman?

♦_August. lib. 8 de civit. Dei. cap. 18._

_Idem. lib. de spiritu & anima, cap. 26._♦

♦_Ironia._♦

The second Chapter.

_Absurd reasons brought by Bodin, and such others, for confirmation

of transformations._

These examples and reasons might put us in doubt, that everie asse,

woolfe, or cat that we see, were a man, a woman, or a child. I marvell

that no man useth this distinction in the definition of a man. But to

what end should one dispute against these creations, and recreations;

when _Bodin_ washeth away all our arguments with one word, confessing

that none can create any thing but God; acknowledging also the force

of the canons, and imbracing the opinions of such divines, as write

against him in this behalfe? Yea he dooth now (contrarie to himselfe

elsewhere) affirme, that the divell cannot alter his forme. And lo,

this is his distinction, _Non essentialis forma (id est ratio) sed

figura solùm permutatur_: The essentiall forme (to wit, reason) is not

changed, but the shape or figure. And thereby he prooveth it easie

enough to create men or beasts with life, so as they remaine without

reason. Howbeit, I thinke it is an easier matter, to turne _Bodins_

reason into the reason of an asse, than his bodie into the shape of

a sheepe: which he saith is an easie matter; bicause _Lots_ wife

was turned into a stone by the divell. Whereby he sheweth his grosse

ignorance. As though God that commanded _Lot_ upon paine of death

not to looke backe, who also destroied the citie of _Sodome_ at that

instant, had not also turned hir into a salt stone. And as though all

this while God had beene the divels drudge, to go about this businesse

all the night before, and when a miracle should be wrought, the divell

must be faine to doo it himselfe.

♦_J. Bod. lib. 2. de mag. dæmon. cap. 6._♦

♦Gen. 19, 24. & 26. & 27.♦

Item, he affirmeth, that these kind of transfigurations are more common

with them in the west parts of the world, than with us here in the

east. Howbeit, this note is given withall; that that is ment of the

second persons, and not of the first: to wit, of the bewitched, and

not of the witches. For they can transforme themselves in everie part

of the world, whether it be east, west, north, or south. Marrie he

saith, that spirits and divels vex men most in the north countries,

as _Norway, Finland, &c_: and in the westerne ilands, as in the west

_India_: but among the heathen speciallie, and wheresoever Christ is

not preached. And that is true, though not in so foolish, grosse,

and corporall a sense as _Bodin_ taketh it. One notable instance of

a witches cunning in this behalfe touched by _Bodin_ in the chapter

aforesaid, I thought good in this place to repeat: he taketh it out

of _M. Mal._ which tale was delivered to _Sprenger_ by a knight of

the Rhods, being of the order of S. _Jones_ at _Jerusalem_; and it

followeth thus.

♦_J. Bod. lib. de dæmon. 2. cap. 20._

_M. Mal. pa. 1. quæ. 9._♦

♦_John. Bodin. lib. de dæmon. 2. cap. 1._♦

♦_Mal. malefic. par. 2. quæ. 2. cap. 4._♦

The third Chapter.

_Of a man turned into an asse, and returned againe into a man

by one of Bodins witches: S. Augustines opinion thereof._

It happened in the city of _Salamin_, in the kingdome of _Cyprus_

(wherein is a good haven) that a ship loaden with merchandize staied

there for a short space. In the meane time many of the souldiers and

mariners went to shoare, to provide fresh victuals. Among which number,

a certaine English man, being a sturdie yoong fellowe, went to a womans

house, a little waie out of the citie, and not farre from the sea

side, to see whether she had anie egs to sell. Who perceiving him to

be a lustie yoong fellowe, a stranger, and farre from his countrie (so

as upon the losse of him there would be the lesse misse or inquirie)

she considered with hir selfe how to destroie him; and willed him to

staie there awhile, whilest she went to fetch a few egs for him. But

she tarried long, so as the yoong man called unto hir, desiring hir to

make hast: for he told hir that the tide would be spent, and by that

meanes his ship would be gone, and leave him behind. Howbeit, after

some detracting of time, she brought him a few egs, willing him to

returne to hir, if his ship were gone when he came. The young fellowe

returned towards his ship: but before he went aboord, hee would needs

eate an eg or twaine to satisfie his hunger, and within short space he

became dumb and out of his wits (as he afterwards said.) When he would

have entred into the ship, the mariners beat him backe with a cudgell,

saieng; What a murren lacks the asse? Whither the divell will this

asse? The asse or yoong man (I cannot tell by which name I should terme

him) being many times repelled, and understanding their words that

called him asse, considering that he could speake never a word, and yet

could understand everie bodie; he thought that he was bewitched by the

woman, at whose house he was. And therefore, when by no meanes he could

get into the boate, but was driven to tarrie and see hir departure;

being also beaten from place to place, as an asse: he remembred the

witches words, and the words of his owne fellowes that called him asse,

and returned to the witches house, in whose service hee remained by the

space of three yeares, dooing nothing with his hands all that while,

but carried such burthens as she laied on his backe; having onelie this

comfort, that although he were reputed an asse among strangers and

beasts, yet that both this witch, and all other witches knew him to be

a man.

♦What the divel shuld the witch meane to make chois of the English man?♦

♦A strange metamorphôsis, of bodie, but not of mind.♦

After three yeares were passed over, in a morning betimes he went to

towne before his dame; who upon some occasion (of like to make water)

staied a little behind. In the meane time being neere to a church,

he heard a little saccaring bell ring to the elevation of a morrowe

masse, and not daring to go into the church, least he should have beene

beaten and driven out with cudgels, in great devotion he fell downe in

the churchyard, upon the knees of his hinder legs, and did lift his

forefeet over his head, as the preest doth hold the sacrament at the

elevation. Which prodigious sight when certeine merchants of _Genua_

espied, and with woonder beheld; anon commeth the witch with a cudgell

in hir hand, beating foorth the asse. And bicause (as it hath beene

said) such kinds of witchcrafts are verie usuall in those parts; the

merchants aforesaid made such meanes, as both the asse and the witch

were attached by the judge. And she being examined and set upon the

racke, confessed the whole matter, and promised, that if she might

have libertie to go home, she would restore him to his old shape:

and being dismissed, she did accordinglie. So as notwithstanding they

apprehended hir againe, and burned hir: and the yoong man returned into

his countrie with a joifull and merrie hart.

♦Note the devotion of the asse.♦

Upon the advantage of this storie _M. Mal. Bodin_, and the residue

of the witchmongers triumph; and speciallie bicause S. _Augustine_

subscribeth thereunto; or at the least to the verie like. Which I

must confesse I find too common in his books, insomuch as I judge

them rather to be foisted in by some fond papist or witchmonger,

than so learned a mans dooings. The best is, that he himselfe is no

eiewitnesse to any of those his tales; but speaketh onelie by report;

wherein he uttereth these words: to wit, that It were a point of great

incivilitie, &c: to discredit so manie and so certeine reports. And in

that respect he justifieth the corporall transfigurations of _Ulysses_

his mates, throgh the witchcraft of _Circes_: and that foolish fable

of _Præstantius_ his father, who (he saith) did eate provender and

haie among other horsses, being himselfe turned into an horsse. Yea

he verifieth the starkest lie that ever was invented, of the two

alewives that used to transforme all their ghests into horsses, and

to sell them awaie at markets and faires. And therefore I saie with

_Cardanus_, that how much _Augustin_ saith he hath seen with his eies,

so much I am content to beleeve. Howbeit S. _Augustin_ concludeth

against _Bodin_. For he affirmeth these transubstantiations to be but

fantasticall, and that they are not according to the veritie, but

according to the appearance. And yet I cannot allow of such appearances

made by witches, or yet by divels: for I find no such power given by

God to any creature. And I would wit of S. _Augustine_, where they

became, whom _Bodins_ transformed woolves devoured. But

♦_August lib. 18. de civi. Dei. cap. 17 & 18._♦

♦At the alps in Arcadia.♦

♦_Card. de Var. rerum. lib. 15 cap. 80._♦

♦_August. Lib. 18. de civit. Dei._♦

—————————————————————————————_ô quàm

Credula mens hominis, & erectæ fabulis aures!_

[*]_Good Lord! how light of credit is

the waveriug mind of man!

How unto tales and lies his eares

attentive all they can?_

♦[*] [Rom.]♦

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

Generall councels, and the popes canons, which _Bodin_ so regardeth,

doo condemne and pronounce his opinions in this behalfe to be absurd;

and the residue of the witchmongers, with himselfe in the number, to

be woorsse than infidels. And these are the verie words of the canons,

which else-where I have more largelie repeated; Whosoever beleeveth,

that anie creature can be made or changed into better or woorsse, or

transformed into anie other shape, or into anie other similitude, by

anie other than by God himselfe the creator of all things, without all

doubt is an infidell, and woorsse than a pagan. And therewithall this

reason is rendered, to wit: bicause they attribute that to a creature,

which onelie belongeth to God the creator of all things.

♦_Canon. 26. quæ. 5. episcopi ex con. acquir. &c._♦

The fourth Chapter.

_A summarie of the former fable, with a refutation thereof,

after due examination of the same._

Concerning the veritie or probabilitie of this enterlude, betwixt

_Bodin_, _M. Mal._ the witch, the asse, the masse, the merchants, the

inquisitors, the tormentors, &c: First I woonder at the miracle of

transubstantiation: Secondlie at the impudencie of _Bodin_ and _James

Sprenger_, for affirming so grosse a lie, devised beelike by the knight

of the _Rhodes_, to make a foole of _Sprenger_, and an asse of _Bodin_:

Thirdlie, that the asse had no more wit than to kneele downe and hold

up his forefeete to a peece of starch or flowre, which neither would,

nor could, nor did helpe him: Fourthlie, that the masse could not

reforme that which the witch transformed: Fiftlie, that the merchants,

the inquisitors, and the tormentors, could not either severallie or

jointlie doo it, but referre the matter to the witches courtesie and

good pleasure.

But where was the yoong mans owne shape all these three yeares, wherein

he was made an asse? It is a certeine and a generall rule, that two

substantiall formes cannot be in one subject _Simul & semel_, both

at once: which is confessed by themselves. The forme of the beast

occupied some place in the aire, and so I thinke should the forme of

a man doo also. For to bring the bodie of a man, without feeling, into

such a thin airie nature, as that it can neither be seene nor felt,

it may well be unlikelie, but it is verie impossible: for the aire is

inconstant, and continueth not in one place. So as this airie creature

would soone be carried into another region: as else-where I have

largelie prooved. But indeed our bodies are visible, sensitive, and

passive, and are indued with manie other excellent properties, which

all the divels in hell are not able to alter: neither can one haire of

our head perish, or fall awaie, or be transformed, without the speciall

providence of God almightie.

♦His shape was in the woods: where else should it be?♦

♦_Mal. malef. par. 1. quæ. 2._♦

♦In my discourse of spirits and divels, being the 17 booke of this

volume.♦

But to proceed unto the probabilitie of this storie. What lucke was it,

that this yoong fellow of _England_, landing so latelie in those parts,

and that old woman of _Cyprus_, being both of so base a condition,

should both understand one anothers communication; _England_ and

_Cyprus_ being so manie hundred miles distant, and their languages so

farre differing? I am sure in these daies, wherein trafficke is more

used, and learning in more price; few yong or old mariners in this

realme can either speake or understand the language spoken at _Salamin_

in _Cyprus_, which is a kind of _Greeke_; and as few old women there

can speake our language. But _Bodin_ will saie; You heare, that at

the inquisitors commandement, and through the tormentors correction,

she promised to restore him to his owne shape: and so she did, as

being thereunto compelled. I answer, that as the whole storie is an

impious fable; so this assertion is false, and disagreeable to their

owne doctrine, which mainteineth, that the witch dooth nothing but by

the permission and leave of God. For if she could doo or undoo such a

thing at hir owne pleasure, or at the commandement of the inquisitors,

or for feare of the tormentors, or for love of the partie, or for

remorse of conscience: then is it not either by the extraordinarie

leave, nor yet by the like direction of God; except you will make him

a confederate with old witches. I for my part woonder most, how they

can turne and tosse a mans bodie so, and make it smaller and greater,

to wit, like a mowse, or like an asse, &c: and the man all this while

to feele no paine. And I am not alone in this maze: for _Danæus_ a

special mainteiner of their follies saith, that although _Augustine_

and _Apuleius_ doo write verie crediblie of these matters; yet will he

never beleeve, that witches can change men into other formes; as asses,

apes, woolves, beares, mice, &c.

♦_Dan. in dialog. cap. 3._♦

♦_August. lib. de civit. Dei. cap. 17. 18._♦

The fift Chapter.

_That the bodie of a man cannot be turned into the bodie of a

beast by a witch, is prooved by strong reasons, scriptures,

and authorities._

But was this man an asse all this while? Or was this asse a

man? _Bodin_ saith (his reason onelie reserved) he was trulie

transubstantiated into an asse; so as there must be no part of a man,

but reason remaining in this asse. And yet _Hermes Trismegistus_

thinketh he hath good authoritie and reason to saie; _Aliud corpus

quàm humanum non capere animam humanam; nec fas esse in corpus animæ

ratione carentis animam rationalem corruere_; that is; An humane

soule cannot receive anie other than an humane bodie, nor yet canne

light into a bodie that wanteth reason of mind. But S. _James_ saith;

the bodie without the spirit is dead. And surelie, when the soule is

departed from the bodie, the life of man is dissolved: and therefore

_Paule_ wished to be dissolved, when he would have beene with Christ.

The bodie of man is subject to divers kinds of agues, sicknesses, and

infirmities, whereunto an asses bodie is not inclined: and mans bodie

must be fed with bread, &c: and not with hay. _Bodins_ asseheaded man

must either eate haie, or nothing: as appeareth in the storie. Mans

bodie also is subject unto death, and hath his daies numbred. If this

fellowe had died in the meane time, as his houre might have beene

come, for anie thing the divels, the witch, or _Bodin_ knew; I mervell

then what would have become of this asse, or how the witch could have

restored him to shape, or whether he should have risen at the daie of

judgement in an asses bodie and shape. For _Paule_ saith, that that

verie bodie which is sowne and buried a naturall bodie, is raised a

spirituall bodie. The life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortall

flesh, and not in the flesh of an asse.

♦_Hermes Trismeg in suo Periandro._♦

♦Jam. 2, 26.♦

♦Phili. 1, 23.♦

♦1. Cor. 15. 44.♦

God hath endued everie man and everie thing with his proper nature,

substance, forme, qualities, and gifts, and directeth their waies. As

for the waies of an asse, he taketh no such care: howbeit, they have

also their properties and substance severall to themselves. For there

is one flesh (saith _Paule_) of men, another flesh of beasts, another

of fishes, another of birds. And therefore it is absolutelie against

the ordinance of God (who hath made me a man) that I should flie like a

bird, or swim like a fish, or creepe like a worme, or become an asse in

shape: insomuch as if God would give me leave, I cannot doo it; for it

were contrarie to his owne order and decree, and to the constitution of

anie bodie which he hath made. Yea the spirits themselves have their

lawes and limits prescribed, beyond the which they cannot passe one

haires breadth; otherwise God should be contrarie to himselfe: which is

farre from him. Neither is Gods omnipotencie hereby qualified, but the

divels impotencie manifested, who hath none other power, but that which

God from the beginning hath appointed unto him, consonant to his nature

and substance. He may well be restreined from his power and will, but

beyond the same he cannot passe, as being Gods minister, no further but

in that which he hath from the beginning enabled him to doo: which is,

that he being a spirit, may with Gods leave and ordinance viciat and

corrupt the spirit and will of man: wherein he is verie diligent.

♦1. Cor. 15, 39.♦

♦Psal. 119.♦

What a beastlie assertion is it, that a man, whom GOD hath made

according to his owne similitude and likenes, should be by a witch

turned into a beast? What an impietie is it to affirme, that an asses

bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost? Or an asse to be the child of

God, and God to be his father; as it is said of man? Which _Paule_ to

the _Corinthians_ so divinelie confuteth, who saith, that Our bodies

are the members of Christ. In the which we are to glorifie God: for

the bodie is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the bodie. Surelie he

meaneth not for an asses bodie, as by this time I hope appeareth: in

such wise as _Bodin_ may go hide him for shame; especiallie when

he shall understand, that even into these our bodies, which God hath

framed after his owne likenesse, he hath also brethed that spirit,

which _Bodin_ saith is now remaining within an asses bodie, which God

hath so subjected in such servilitie under the foote of man; Of whom

God is so mindfull, that he hath made him little lower than angels, yea

than himselfe, and crowned him with glorie and worship, and made him to

have dominion over the workes of his hands, as having put all things

under his feete, all sheepe and oxen, yea woolves, asses, and all other

beasts of the field, the foules of the aire, the fishes of the sea,

&c. _Bodins_ poet, _Ovid_, whose _Metamorphôsis_ make so much for him,

saith to the overthrow of this phantasticall imagination:

_Os homini sublime dedit, cœlúmque videre

Jussit, & erectos ad sydera tollere vultus._

The effect of which verses is this;

[*]_The Lord did set mans face so hie,

That he the heavens might behold,

And looke up to the starrie skie,

To see his woonders manifold._

♦1. Cor. 6, 19 verse. 15, &c verse. 2. verse. 13.

♦Psalm. 8. verses 5, 6, 7, 8.♦

♦[*] [Rom.]♦

Now, if a witch or a divell can so alter the shape of a man, as

contrarilie to make him looke downe to hell, like a beast; Gods works

should not onelie be defaced and disgraced, but his ordinance should be

woonderfullie altered, and thereby confounded.

The sixt Chapter.

_The witchmongers objections, concerning Nabuchadnez-zar

answered, and their errour concerning Lycanthropia confuted._

_Malleus Maleficarum_, _Bodin_, and manie other of them that mainteine

witchcraft, triumph upon the storie of _Nabuchadnez-zar_; as though

_Circes_ had transformed him with hir sorceries into an oxe, as she did

others into swine, &c. I answer, that he was neither in bodie nor shape

transformed at all, according to their grosse imagination; as appeareth

both by the plaine words of the text, and also by the opinions of the

best interpretors thereof: but that he was, for his beastlie government

and conditions, throwne out of his kingdome and banished for a time,

and driven to hide himselfe in the wildernesse, there in exile to lead

his life in beastlie sort, among beasts of the field, and fowles of

the aire (for by the waie I tell you it appeareth by the text, that he

was rather turned into the shape of a fowle than of a beast) untill

he rejecting his beastlie conditions, was upon his repentance and

amendment called home, and restored unto his kingdome. Howbeit, this

(by their confession) was neither divels nor witches dooing; but a

miracle wrought by God, whom alone I acknowledge to be able to bring

to passe such workes at his pleasure. Wherein I would know what our

witchmongers have gained.

♦Their groundworke is as sure as to hold a quick eele by the taile.♦

♦Dan. 4.♦

I am not ignorant that some write, that after the death of

_Nabuchadnez-zar_, his sonne [*]_Eilumorodath_ gave his bodie to the

ravens to be devoured, least afterwards his father should arise from

death, who of a beast became a man againe. But this tale is meeter

to have place in the _Cabalisticall_ art, to wit: among unwritten

verities than here. To conclude, I saie that the transformations,

which these witchmongers doo so rave and rage upon, is (as all the

learned sort of physicians affirme) a disease proceeding partlie from

melancholie, wherebie manie suppose themselves to be woolves, or such

ravening beasts. For _Lycanthropia_ is of the ancient physicians called

_Lupina melancholia_, or _Lupina insania_. _J. Wierus_ declareth verie

learnedlie, the cause, the circumstance, and the cure of this disease.

I have written the more herein; bicause hereby great princes and

potentates, as well as poore women and innocents, have beene defamed

and accounted among the number of witches.

♦_Cor. Agrip. de vanit. scient. cap. 44._♦

♦[*] [tr. of _Euil_]♦

♦_Paul. Aeginet. li. 3. c. 16._

_Aetius. lib. 6. cap. 11._

_J. Wier. de præst. dæm. lib. 4. cap. 23._♦

The seventh Chapter.

_A speciall objection answered concerning transportations, with the

consent of diverse writers thereupon._

For the maintenance of witches transportations, they object the words

of the Gospell, where the divell is said to take up Christ, and to

set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and on a mountaine, &c. Which

if he had doone in maner and forme as they suppose, it followeth not

therefore that witches could doo the like; nor yet that the divell

would doo it for them at their pleasure; for they know not their

thoughts, neither can otherwise communicate with them. But I answer,

that if it were so grosselie to be understood, as they imagine it,

yet should it make nothing to their purpose. For I hope they will not

saie, that Christ had made anie ointments, or entred into anie league

with the divell, and by vertue thereof was transported from out of the

wildernes, unto the top of the temple of Jerusalem; or that the divell

could have maisteries over his bodie, whose soule he could never laie

hold upon; especiallie when he might (with a becke of his finger)

have called unto him, and have had the assistance of manie legions of

angels. Neither (as I thinke) will they presume to make Christ partaker

of the divels purpose and sinne in that behalfe. If they saie; This

was an action wrought by the speciall providence of God, and by his

appointment, that the scripture might be fulfilled: then what gaine

our witchmongers by this place? First, for that they maie not produce

a particular example to prove so generall an argument. And againe, if

it were by Gods speciall providence and appointment; then why should

it not be doone by the hand of God, as it was in the storie of _Job_?

Or if it were Gods speciall purpose and pleasure, that there should be

so extraordinarie a matter brought to passe by the hand of the divell;

could not God have given to the wicked angell extraordinarie power, and

cloathed him with extraordinarie shape; whereby he might be made an

instrument able to accomplish that matter, as he did to his angell that

carried _Abacuck_ to _Daniell_, and to them that he sent to destroie

_Sodome_? But you shall understand, that this was doone in a vision,

and not in veritie of action. So as they have a verie cold pull of this

place, which is the speciall peece of scripture alledged of them for

their transportations.

♦Matth. 4, 8.

Luk. 3, 9.♦

♦Answer to the former objection.♦

♦Matt. 26, 53.♦

♦Job. 1, 11.

Job. 2, 5.♦

Heare therefore what _Calvine_ saith in his commentarie upon that

place, in these words; The question is, whether Christ were carried

aloft indeed, or whether it were but in a vision? Manie affirme verie

obstinatlie, that his bodie was trulie and reallie as they saie taken

up: bicause they thinke it too great an indignitie for Christ to be

made subject to sathans illusions. But this objection is easilie washed

awaie. For it is no absurditie to grant all this to be wrought through

Gods permission, or Christes voluntarie subjection: so long as we yeeld

not to thinke that he suffered these temptations inwardlie, that is to

saie, in mind or soule. And that which is afterwards set downe by the

Evangelist, where the divell shewed him all the kingdoms of the world,

and the glorie of the same, and that to be doone (as it is said in

_Luke_) in the twinkling of an eie, dooth more agree with a vision than

with a reall action. So farre are the verie words of _Calvine_. Which

differ not one syllable nor five words from that which I had written

herein, before I looked for his opinion in the matter. And this I hope

will be sufficient to overthrow the assertions of them that laie the

ground of their transportations and flieng in the aire hereupon.

♦_J. Calvine in harmon. Evang. in Matth. 4. & Luk. 4._♦

He that will saie, that these words; to wit, that Christ was taken up,

&c: can hardlie be applied to a vision, let him turne to the prophesie

of _Ezechiell_, and see the selfe-same words used in a vision: saving

that where Christ is said to be taken up by the divell, _Ezechiell_

is taken up, and lifted up, and carried by the spirit of God, and yet

in a vision. But they have lesse reason that build upon this sandie

rocke, the supernaturall frame of transubstantiation; as almost all

our witching writers doo. For _Sprenger_ & _Institor_ saie, that the

divell in the likenesse of a falcon caught him up. _Danæus_ saith, it

was in the similitude of a man; others saie, of an angell painted with

wings; others, invisiblie: _Ergo_ the divell can take (saie they) what

shape he list. But though some may cavill upon the divels transforming

of himselfe; yet, that either divell or witch can transforme or

transubstantiat others, there is no tittle nor colour in the scriptures

to helpe them. If there were authoritie for it, and that it were past

all peradventure, lo, what an easie matter it is to resubstantiate an

asse into a man. For _Bodin_ saith upon the word of _Apuleius_, that if

the asse eate new roses, anise, or baie leaves out of spring water, it

will presentlie returne him into a man. Which thing _Sprenger_ saith

maie be doone, by washing the asse in faire water: yea he sheweth an

instance, where, by drinking of water an asse was turned into a man.

♦Ezec. 3, 12. and 14.♦

♦_Mal. malef._♦

♦_J. Bod. lib. de dæm. 3. cap. 5._♦

♦_In Mal. mal._♦

The eight Chapter.

_The witchmongers objection concerning the historie of Job

answered._

These witchmongers, for lacke of better arguments, doo manie times

object _Job_ against me; although there be never a word in that storie,

which either maketh for them, or against me: in so much as there is

not the name of a witch mentioned in the whole booke. But (I praie

you) what witchmonger now seeing one so afflicted as _Job_, would not

saie he were bewitched, as _Job_ never saith? [a]For first there came

a messenger unto him, and said; Thy oxen were plowing, and thy asses

were feeding in their places, [b]and the _Sabeans_ came violentlie

and tooke them; yea they have slaine thy servants with the edge of the

sword; but I onelie am escaped to tell thee. [c]And whilest he was

yet speaking, another came, and said; The fier of God is fallen from

the heaven, & hath burnt up thy sheepe and thy servants, and devoured

them; but I onlie am escaped to tell thee. [d]And while he was yet

speaking, another came, and said; The _Chaldæans_ set out their bands,

and fell upon thy camels, and have taken them, and have slaine thy

servants with the edge of the sword; but I onelie am escaped alone

to tell thee. [e]And whilest he was yet speaking, came another, and

said; Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in

their elder brothers house, [f]and behold there came a great wind

from beyond the wildernesse, and smote the foure corners of the house,

which fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I onlie am escaped

alone to tell thee. [g]Besides all this, he was smitten with biles,

from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head. If anie man in

these daies called _Job_ should be by the appointment or hand of God

thus handled, as this _Job_ was; I warrant you that all the old women

in the countrie would be called _Coram nobis_: warrants would be sent

out on everie side, publike and private inquirie made what old women

latelie resorted to _Jobs_ house, or to anie of those places, where

these misfortunes fell. If anie poore old woman had chanced within two

or three moneths to have borrowed a curtsie of [*]seasing, or to have

fetcht from thence a pot of milke, or had she required some almes,

and not obteined it at _Jobs_ hand; there had beene argument enough

to have brought hir to confusion: and to be more certeine to have the

right witch apprehended, figures must have beene cast, the sive and

sheares must have beene set on worke; yea rather than the witch should

escape, a conjuror must have earned a little monie, a circle must have

beene made, and a divell raised to tell the truth: mother _Bungie_

must have been gon unto, and after she had learned hir name, whom _Job_

most suspected, she would have confirmed the suspicion with artificiall

accusations: in the end, some woman or other must have beene hanged for

it. But as _Job_ said; _Dominus dedit_: so said he not; _Diabolus vel

Lamia sed Dominus abstulit_. Which agreeth with the tenor of the text,

where it is written, that the divell at everie of _Jobs_ afflictions

desired God to laie his hand upon him. Insomuch as _Job_ imputed no

part of his calamitie unto divels, witches, nor yet unto conjurors, or

their inchantments; as we have learned now to doo. Neither sinned he,

or did God any wrong, when he laid it to his charge: but we dishonour

God greatlie, when we attribute either the power or proprietie of God

the creator unto a creature.

♦_J. Calvin. in Job. cap. 1. 21._♦

♦[a] Job. 1, 14.♦

♦[b] verse, 15.♦

♦[c] verse, 16.♦

♦[d] verse, 17.♦

♦[e] verse, 18.♦

♦[f] verse, 19.♦

♦[g] Ibid. ca. 2. vers. 7.♦

♦[*] [? searsing]♦

[*]_Calvine_ saith; We derogate much from Gods glorie and

omnipotencie, when we saie he dooth but give sathan leave to doo it:

which is (saith he) to mocke Gods justice; and so fond an assertion,

that if asses could speake, they would speake more wiselie than so. For

a temporall judge saith not to the hangman; I give thee leave to hang

this offender, but commandeth him to doo it. But the mainteiners of

witches omnipotencie, saie; Doo you not see how reallie and palpablie

the divell tempted and plagued _Job_? I answer first, that there is

no corporall or visible divell named nor seene in any part of that

circumstance; secondlie, that it was the hand of God that did it;

thirdlie, that as there is no communitie betweene the person of a

witch, and the person of a divell, so was there not any conference or

practise betwixt them in this case.

♦[*] _J. Calvin. in Job, cap. 2. Sermon. 8._

_Muscul. in loc. comm._

_Idem, ibidem._♦

And as touching the communication betwixt God and the divell, behold

what _Calvine_ saith, writing or rather preaching of purpose upon that

place, wherupon they thinke they have so great advantage; When sathan

is said to appeere before God, it is not doone in some place certeine,

but the scripture speaketh so to applie it selfe to our rudenes.

Certeinlie the divell in this and such like cases is an instrument to

worke Gods will, and not his owne: and therefore it is an ignorant

and an ungodlie saieng (as _Calvine_ judgeth it) to affirme, that God

dooth but permit and suffer the divell. For if sathan were so at his

owne libertie (saith he) we should be overwhelmed at a sudden. And

doubtlesse, if he had power to hurt the bodie, there were no waie

to resist: for he would come invisiblie upon us, and knocke us on

the heads; yea hee would watch the best and dispatch them, whilest

they were about some wicked act. If they saie; God commandeth him,

no bodie impugneth them: but that God should give him leave, I saie

with _Calvine_, that the divell is not in such favour with God, as to

obteine any such request at his hands.

♦_J. Calvine in his sermon upon Job._♦

And wheras by our witchmongers opinions and arguments, the witch

procureth the divell, and the divell asketh leave of God to plague whom

the witch is disposed: there is not (as I have said) any such corporall

communication betweene the divell and a witch, as witchmongers imagine.

Neither is God mooved at all at sathans sute, who hath no such favour

or grace with him, as to obteine any thing at his hands.

♦_J. Calvine in Job. cap. 1. sermon. 5._♦

But _M. Mal._ and his friends denie, that there were any witches in

_Jobs_ time: yea the witchmongers are content to saie, that there were

none found to exercise this art in Christs time, from his birth to his

death, even by the space of thirtie three yeares. If there had beene

anie (saie they) they should have beene there spoken of. As touching

the authoritie of the booke of _Job_, there is no question but that it

is verie canonicall and authentike. Howbeit, manie writers, both of the

Jewes and others, are of opinion, that _Moses_ was the author of this

booke; and that he did set it as a looking glasse before the people: to

the intent the children of _Abraham_ (of whose race he himselfe came)

might knowe, that God shewed favour to others that were not of the same

line, and be ashamed of their wickednesse: seeing an uncircumcised

Painime had so well demeaned himselfe. Upon which argument _Calvine_

(though he had written upon the same) saith, that Forsomuch as it is

uncerteine, whether it were _Res gesta_ or _Exempli gratia_, we must

leave it in suspense. Nevertheles (saith he) let us take that which is

out of all doubt; namelie, that the Holy-ghost hath indited the booke,

to the end that the Jewes should knowe that God hath had a people

alwaies to serve him throughout the world, even of such as were no

Jewes, nor segregated from other nations.

♦_Mal. malef. pa. 1. quæst. 1._

_Idem part. 1. quæst. 4._♦

♦Note what is said touching the booke of Job.♦

Howbeit, I for my part denie not the veritie of the storie; though

indeed I must confesse, that I thinke there was no such corporall

enterlude betweene God, the divell, and _Job_, as they imagine: neither

anie such reall presence and communication as the witchmongers conceive

and mainteine; who are so grosse herein, that they doo not onlie

beleeve, but publish so palpable absurdities concerning such reall

actions betwixt the divell and man, as a wise man would be ashamed to

read, but much more to credit: as that S. _Dunstan_ lead the divell

about the house by the nose with a paire of pinsors or tongs, and made

him rore so lowd, as the place roong thereof, &c: with a thousand the

like fables, without which neither the art of poperie nor of witchcraft

could stand. But you may see more of this matter else-where, where in

few words (which I thought good here to omit, least I should seeme to

use too manie repetitions) I answer effectuallie to their cavils about

this place.

♦_In legenda aurea._♦

The ninth Chapter.

_What severall sorts of witches are mentioned in the

scriptures, and how the word witch is there applied._

But what sorts of witches so ever _M. Mal._ or _Bodin_ saie there are;

_Moses_ spake onlie of foure kinds of impious couseners or witches

(whereof our witchmongers old women which danse with the fairies, &c;

are none.) The first were _Præstigiatores Pharaonis_, which (as all

divines, both Hebrues and others conclude) were but couseners and

jugglers, deceiving the kings eies with illusions and sleights; and

making false things to appeare as true: which nevertheles our witches

cannot doo. The second is _Mecasapha_, which is she that destroieth

with poison. The third are such as use sundrie kinds of divinations,

and hereunto perteine these words, _Kasam_, _Onen_, _Ob_, _Idoni_. The

fourth is _Habar_, to wit: when magicians, or rather such, as would

be reputed cunning therein, mumble certeine secret words, wherin is

thought to be great efficacie.

♦1. Præstigiatores Pharaonis.♦

♦2. Mecasapha.♦

♦3. Kasam.

Onen.

Ob.

Idoni.♦

♦4. Habar.♦

These are all couseners and abusers of the people in their severall

kinds. But bicause they are all termed of our translators by the name

of witches in the Bible: therefore the lies of _M. Mal._ and _Bodin_,

and all our old wives tales are applied unto these names, and easilie

beleeved of the common people, who have never hitherto beene instructed

in the understanding of these words. In which respect, I will (by Gods

grace) shew you (concerning the signification of them) the opinion

of the most learned in our age; speciallie of _Johannes Wierus_; who

though hee himselfe were singularlie learned in the toongs, yet for his

satisfaction and full resolution in the same, he sent for the judgement

of _Andræas Massius_, the most famous _Hebrician_ in the world, and

had it in such sense and order, as I meane to set downe unto you. And

yet I give you this note by the waie, that witchcraft or inchantment

is diverslie taken in the scriptures; somtimes nothing tending to such

end as it is commonlie thought to doo. For in 1 _Samuell_, 15, 23.

it is all one with rebellion. _Jesabell_ for hir idolatrous life is

called a witch. Also in the new testament, even S. _Paule_ saith the

_Galathians_ are bewitched, bicause they were seduced and lead from the

true understanding of the scriptures.

♦[or _Masius_]♦

♦Note.♦

♦1. Sa. 15, 23.♦

♦2. Re. 9, 22.

Gal. 3, 1.♦

Item sometimes it is taken in good part; as the magicians that came

to worship and offer to Christ: and also where _Daniell_ is said to

be an inchanter, yea a principall inchanter: which title being given

him in divers places of that storie, he never seemeth to refuse or

dislike; but rather intreateth for the pardon and qualification of the

rigor towards other inchanters, which were meere couseners indeed: as

appeareth in the second chapter of _Daniell_, where you may see that

the king espied their fetches.

♦Matth. 2, 1.♦

♦Daniel. 4.♦

♦Dan. 2, 8.♦

Sometimes such are called conjurors, as being but roges, and lewd

people, would use the name of Jesus to worke miracles, whereby, though

they being faithlesse could worke nothing; yet is their practise

condemned by the name of conjuration. Sometimes jugglers are called

witches. Sometimes also they are called sorcerers, that impugne

the gospell of Christ, and seduce others with violent persuasions.

Sometimes a murtherer with poison is called a witch. Sometimes they are

so termed by the verie signification of their names; as _Elimas_, which

signifieth a sorcerer. Sometimes bicause they studie curious and vaine

arts. Sometimes it is taken for woonding or greeving of the hart. Yea

the verie word _Magus_, which is Latine for a magician, is translated

a witch; and yet it was hertofore alwaies taken in the good part. And

at this daie it is indifferent to saie in the English toong; She is a

witch; or, She is a wise woman.

♦Actes. 19.♦

♦Gen. 4, 18.

Exod. 7, 13, &c.

Acts 13.

Exod. 22, &c.

Acts. 13.

Acts. 19.

Canticles of Salomon. cap. 4. verse. 9.♦

Sometimes observers of dreames, sometimes soothsaiers, sometimes the

observers of the flieng of foules, of the meeting of todes, the falling

of salt, &c: are called witches. Sometimes he or she is called a witch,

that take upon them either for gaine or glorie, to doo miracles; and

yet can doo nothing. Sometimes they are called witches in common

speech, that are old, lame, curst, or melancholike, as a nickname. But

as for our old women, that are said to hurt children with their eies,

or lambs with their lookes, or that pull downe the moone out of heaven,

or make so foolish a bargaine, or doo such homage to the divell; you

shall not read in the bible of any such witches, or of any such actions

imputed to them.

♦Deut. 18, 2.

Jerem. 27.

Acts. 8.♦

¶ _The sixt Booke._

The first Chapter.

_The exposition of this Hebrue word Chasaph, wherein is

answered the objection conteined in Exodus 22. to wit: Thou

shalt not suffer a witch to live, and of Simon Magus. Acts.

8._

_Chasaph_, being an Hebrue word, is Latined _Veneficium_, and is

in English, poisoning, or witchcraft; if you will so have it. The

Hebrue sentence written in _Exodus_, 22. is by the 70. interpretors

translated thus into Greeke, Φαρμακοῦς οὐκ ἐπιζεώσετε, which in Latine

is, _Veneficos (sive) veneficas non retinebitis in vita_, in English,

You shall not suffer anie poisoners, or (as it is translated) witches

to live. The which sentence _Josephus_ an Hebrue borne, and a man of

great estimation, learning and fame, interpreteth in this wise; Let

none of the children of Israel have any poison that is deadlie, or

prepared to anie hurtfull use. If anie be apprehended with such stuffe,

let him be put to death, and suffer that which he ment to doo to them,

for whom he prepared it. The _Rabbins_ exposition agree heerewithall.

_Lex Cornelia_ differeth not from this sense, to wit, that he must

suffer death, which either maketh, selleth, or hath anie poison, to the

intent to kill anie man. This word is found in these places following:

_Exodus._ 22, 18. _Deut._ 18, 10. 2. _Sam._ 9, 22. _Dan._ 2, 2. _2.

Chr._ 33, 6. _Esay._ 47, 9, 12. _Malach_, 3, 5. _Jerem._ 27, 9. _Mich._

5, 2. _Nah._ 3, 4. _bis_. Howbeit, in all our English translations,

_Chasaph_ is translated, witchcraft.

♦_Joseph. in Judæorum antiquitat._♦

And bicause I will avoid prolixitie and contention both at once, I

will admit that _Veneficæ_ were such witches, as with their poisons

did much hurt among the children of Israell; and I will not denie that

there remaine such untill this daie, bewitching men, and making them

beleeve, that by vertue of words, and certeine ceremonies, they bring

to passe such mischeefes, and intoxications, as they indeed accomplish

by poisons. And this abuse in cousenage of people, together with the

taking of Gods name in vaine, in manie places of the scripture is

reprooved, especiallie by the name of witchcraft, even where no poisons

are. According to the sense which S. _Paule_ useth to the _Galathians_

in these words, where he sheweth plainelie, that the true signification

of witchcraft is cousenage; O ye foolish _Galathians_ (saith he) who

hath bewitched you? to wit, cousened or abused you, making you beleeve

a thing which is neither so nor so. Whereby he meaneth not to aske of

them, who have with charmes, &c: or with poisons deprived them of their

health, life, cattell, or children, &c: but who hath abused or cousened

them, to make them beleeve lies. This phrase is also used by _Job._

15. But that we may be throughlie resolved of the true meaning of this

phrase used by _Paule_, _Gal._ 3. let us examine the description of a

notable witch called _Simon Magus_, made by S. _Luke_; There was (saith

he) in the citie of _Samaria_, a certeine man called _Simon_, which

used witchcraft, and bewitched the people of _Samaria_, saieng that

he himself was some great man. I demand, in what other thing here do

we see anie witchcraft, than that he abused the people, making them

beleeve he could worke miracles, whereas in truth he could doo no such

thing; as manifestlie may appeare in the 13. and 19. verses of the same

chapter: where he wondered at the miracles wrought by the apostles, and

would have purchased with monie the power of the Holy-ghost to worke

wonders.

♦Gal. 3, 1.♦

♦Job. 15, 12.♦

♦Acts. 8, 9.♦

It will be said, the people had reason to beleeve him, bicause it is

written, that he of long time had bewitched them with sorceries. But

let the bewitched _Galathians_ be a warning both to the bewitched

_Samaritans_, and to all other that are cousened or bewitched through

false doctrine, or legierdemaine; least while they attend to such

fables and lies, they be brought into ignorance, and so in time be

led with them awaie from God. And finallie, let us all abandon such

witches and couseners, as with _Simon Magus_ set themselves in the

place of God, boasting that they can doo miracles, expound dreames,

foretell things to come, raise the dead, &c: which are the workes of

the Holy-ghost, who onlie searcheth the heart and reines, and onelie

worketh great wonders, which are now staied and accomplished in Christ,

in whome who so stedfastlie beleeveth shall not need to be by such

meanes resolved or confirmed in his doctrine and gospell. And as for

the unfaithfull, they shall have none other miracle shewed unto them,

but the signe of _Jonas_ the prophet.

♦Acts. 8, 11.♦

♦1. Reg. 8, 39.

Matth. 9. 4. 12. 25. 22.

Acts. 1, 24. & 15, 8.

Rom. 8, 27.

Mark. 2.

Luk. 6, 17. & 11. & 9.

Joh. 1 & 2. & 6. & 13.

Apoc. 2. & 3.

Luk. 11, 29.♦

And therefore I saie, whatsoever they be that with _Simon Magus_

take upon them to worke such wonders, by soothsaieng, sorcerie, or

witchcraft, are but liers, deceivers, and couseners, according to

_Syrachs_ saieng; Sorcerie, witchcraft, soothsaieng, and dreames, are

but vanitie, and the lawe shalbe fulfilled without such lies. God

commanded the people, that they should not regard them that wrought

with spirits, nor soothsaiers: for the estimation that was attributed

unto them, offended God.

♦Eccl. 34, 5.♦

♦Eccl. 34, 8.♦

♦Levi. 19, 31.♦

The second Chapter.

_The place of Deuteronomie expounded, wherin are recited all

kind of witches; also their opinions confuted, which hold

that they can worke such miracles as are imputed unto them._

The greatest and most common objection is, that if there were not

some, which could worke such miraculous or supernaturall feats, by

themselves, or by their divels, it should not have beene said; Let

none be found among you, that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go

through the fier, or that useth witchcraft, or is a regarder of times,

or a marker of the flieng of fowles, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or

that counselleth with spirits, or a soothsaier, or that asketh counsell

of the dead, or (as some translate it) that raiseth the dead. But

as there is no one place in the scripture that saith they can worke

miracles, so it shalbe easie to proove, that these were all couseners,

everie one abusing the people in his severall kind; and are accurssed

of God. Not that they can doo all such things indeed, as there is

expressed; but for that they take upon them to be the mightie power of

God, and to doo that which is the onelie worke of him, seducing the

people, and blaspheming the name of God, who will not give his glorie

to anie creature, being himselfe the king of glorie and omnipotencie.

First I aske, what miracle was wrought by their passing through

the fier? Trulie it cannot be prooved that anie effect followed;

but that the people were bewitched, to suppose their sinnes to be

purged thereby; as the _Spaniards_ thinke of scourging and whipping

themselves. So as Gods power was imputed to that action, and so

forbidden as an idolatrous sorcerie. What woonders worketh the regarder

of times? What other divell dealeth he withall, than with the spirit of

superstition? Doth he not deceive himselfe and others, and therefore is

worthilie condemned for a witch? What spirit useth he, which marketh

the flieng of fowles? Nevertheles, he is here condemned as a practiser

of witchcraft; bicause he couseneth the people, and taketh upon him

to be a prophet; impiouslie referring Gods certeine ordinances to the

flittering fethers and uncerteine waies of a bird. The like effects

produceth sorcerie, charming, consultation with spirits, soothsaieng,

and consulting with the dead: in everie of the which Gods power is

obscured, his glorie defaced, and his commandement infringed.

♦Deut. 18. 10. 11.♦

♦Esay. 42, 8.

Ps. 24. 8. 10.♦

And to proove that these soothsaiers and witches are but lieng mates

and couseners; note these words pronounced by God himselfe, even

in the selfe same place to the children of Israell: Although the

Gentiles suffered themselves to be abused, so as they gave eare to

these sorcerers, &c: he would not suffer them so, but would raise them

a prophet, who should speake the truth. As if he should saie; The

other are but lieng and cousening mates, deceitfull and undermining

merchants, whose abuses I will make knowne to my people. And that

everie one maie be resolved herein, let the last sentence of this

precept be well weighed; to wit, Let none be found among you, that

asketh counsell of (or raiseth the dead.)

♦Deut. 18, 14♦

First you know the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God,

and resting with _Lazarus_ in _Abrahams_ bosome, doo sleepe in Jesus

Christ. And from that sleepe, man shall not be raised, till the heavens

be no more: according to this of _David_: Wilt thou shew woonders among

the dead? Nay, the Lord saith, The living shall not be taught by the

dead, but by the living. As for the unrighteous, they are in hell,

where is no redemption; neither is there anie passage from heaven to

earth, but by God and his angels. As touching the resurrection and

restauration of the bodie, read _John._ 5. and you shall manifestlie

see, that it is the onelie worke of the father, who hath given the

power therof to the sonne, and to none other, &c. _Dominus percutit,

& ipse medetur: Ego occidam, & ego vivefaciam._ And in manie other

places it is written, that God giveth life and beeing to all. Although

_Plato_, with his maister _Socrates_, the cheefe pillers of these

vanities, say, that one _Pamphilus_ was called up out of hel, who

when he cam among the people, told manie incredible tales concerning

infernall actions. But herein I take up the proverbe; _Amicus Plato,

amicus Socrates, sed major amica veritas_.

♦Sap. 3, 1.

Luk. 16, 23.♦

♦Job. 14, 12.

Psal 88, 10.

Deut. 18, 11.

Luk. 16. 29. 31.♦

♦Luk. 16, 22.♦

♦Joh. 5, 21.♦

♦Ose. 6.

Acts. 17. 25. 28.

Tim. 6, 13.♦

So as this last precept, or last part thereof, extending to that which

neither can be done by witch nor divell, maie well expound the other

parts and points therof. For it is not ment hereby, that they can doo

such things indeed; but that they make men beleeve they doo them, and

thereby cousen the people, and take upon them the office of God, and

therewithall also blaspheme his holie name, and take it in vaine; as by

the words of charmes and conjurations doo appeare, which you shall see,

if you looke into these words, _Habar_ and _Idoni_.

In like manner I saie you may see, that by the prohibition of

divinations by augurie, and of soothsaiengs, &c, who are witches, and

can indeed doo nothing but lie and cousen the people, the lawe of God

condemneth them not, for that they can worke miracles, but bicause they

saie they can doo that which perteineth to God, and for cousenage, &c.

Concerning other points of witchcraft conteined therein, and bicause

some cannot otherwise be satisfied, I will alledge under one sentence,

the decretals, the mind of S. _Augustine_, the councell _Aurelian_,

and the determination of _Paris_, to wit: Who so observeth, or giveth

heed unto soothsaiengs, divinations, witchcraft, &c, or doth give

credit to anie such, he renounceth christianitie, and shalbe counted

a pagane, & an enemie to God; yea and he erreth both in faith and

philosophie. And the reason is therewithall expressed in the canon, to

wit; Bicause hereby is attributed to a creature, that which perteineth

to God onelie and alone. So as, under this one sentence (Thou shalt

not suffer a poisoner or a witch to live) is forbidden both murther

and witchcraft; the murther consisting in poison; the witchcraft in

cousenage or blasphemie.

♦_26. quæ. 7. non. obser. fact. 1398. act. 17._

_August. de spirit. & anima. cap. 28._♦

The third Chapter.

_That women have used poisoning in all ages more than men, and of

the inconvenience of poisoning._

As women in all ages have beene counted most apt to conceive

witchcraft, and the divels speciall instruments therin, and the onelie

or cheefe practisers therof: so also it appeareth, that they have been

the first inventers, and the greatest practisers of poisoning, and

more naturallie addicted and given thereunto than men: according to

the saieng of _Quintilian_; _Latrocinium faciliùs in viro, veneficium

in fœmina credam_. From whom _Plinie_ differeth nothing in opinion,

when he saith, _Scientiam fœminarum in veneficiis prævalere_. To be

short, _Augustine_, _Livie_, _Valerius_, _Diodorus_, and manie other

agree, that women were the first inventers and practisers of the art

of poisoning. As for the rest of their cunning, in what estimation it

was had, may appeare by these verses of _Horace_, wherein he doth not

onelie declare the vanitie of witchcraft, but also expoundeth the other

words, wherewithall we are now in hand.

♦_Plin. lib. 25. cap. 2._♦

_Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,

Nocturnos lemures, portentáq; Thessala rides:_

_These dreames and terrors magicall,

these miracles and witches,

Night-walking sprites, or Thessal bugs,

esteeme them not twoo rushes._

Here _Horace_ (you see) contemneth as ridiculous, all our witches

cunning: marrie herein he comprehendeth not their poisoning art,

which hereby he onelie seemed to thinke hurtfull. _Pythagoras_ and

_Democritus_ give us the names of a great manie magicall hearbs

and stones, whereof now, both the vertue, and the things themselves

also are unknowne: as _Marmaritin_, whereby spirits might be

raised: _Archimedon_, which would make one bewraie in his sleepe,

all the secrets in his heart: _Adincantida_, _Calicia_, _Mevais_,

_Chirocineta_, _&c_: which had all their severall vertues, or rather

poisons. But all these now are worne out of knowledge: marrie in their

steed we have hogs turd and chervill, as the onelie thing whereby our

witches worke miracles.

Trulie this poisoning art called _Veneficium_, of all others is most

abhominable; as whereby murthers maie be committed, where no suspicion

maie be gathered, nor anie resistance can be made; the strong cannot

avoid the weake, the wise cannot prevent the foolish, the godlie

cannot be preserved from the hands of the wicked; children maie hereby

kill their parents, the servant the maister, the wife hir husband, so

privilie, so inevitablie, and so incurablie, that of all other it hath

beene thought the most odious kind of murther; according to the saieng

of _Ovid_:

——————————————————————_non hospes ab hospite tutus,

Non socer à genero, fratrum quóq; gratia rara est:

Imminet exitio vir conjugis, illa mariti,

Lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercæ,

Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos._

♦_Ovid. metamorph. lib. 1._♦

—————_The travelling ghest opprest }

Dooth stand in danger of his host, }

the host eke of his ghest: }

The father of his sonne in lawe, }

yea rare is seene to rest

Twixt brethren love and amitie,

and kindnesse void of strife;

The husband seekes the goodwifes death,

and his againe the wife.

Ungentle stepdames grizlie poi-

son temper and doo give:

The sonne too soone dooth aske how long

his father is to live._

♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦

The monke that poisoned king _John_, was a right _Veneficus_; to wit,

both a witch and a murtherer: for he killed the king with poison,

and persuaded the people with lies, that he had doone a good and

a meritorious act: and doubtlesse, manie were so bewitched, as they

thought he did verie well therein. _Antonius Sabellicus_ writeth of a

horrible poisoning murther, committed by women at _Rome_, where were

executed (after due conviction) 170. women at one time; besides 20.

women of that consort, who were poisoned with that poison which they

had prepared for others.

♦[Misp. 86]♦

♦_Aeneid. 4. lib 4._♦

The fourth Chapter.

_Of divers poisoning practises, otherwise called veneficia,

committed in Italie, Genua, Millen, Wittenberge, also how they

were discovered and executed._

Another practise, not unlike to that mentioned in the former chapter,

was doone in _Cassalis_ at _Salassia_ in _Italie_, Anno 1536. where

40. _Veneficæ_ or witches being of one confederacie, renewed a

plague which was then almost ceased, besmeering with an ointment and

a pouder, the posts and doores of mens houses; so as thereby whole

families were poisoned: and of that stuffe they had prepared above

40. crocks for that purpose. Herewithall they conveied inheritances

as it pleased them, till at length they killed the brother and onelie

sonne of one _Necus_ (as lightlie none died in the house but the

maisters and their children) which was much noted; and therewithall

that one _Androgina_ haunted the houses, speciallie of them that died:

and she being suspected, apprehended, and examined, confessed the

fact, conspiracie, and circumstance, as hath beene shewed. The like

villanie was afterwards practised at _Genua_, and execution was doone

upon the offenders. At _Millen_ there was another like attempt that

tooke none effect. This art consisteth as well in poisoning of cattell

as of men: and that which is doone by poisons unto cattell, towards

their destruction, is as commonlie attributed to witches charms as

the other. And I doubt not, but some that would be thought cunning in

incantations, and to doo miracles, have experience in this behalf. For

it is written by divers authors, that if wolves doong be hidden in the

mangers, racks, or else in the hedges about the pastures, where cattell

go (through the antipathie of the nature of the woolfe and other

cattell) all the beasts that savour the same doo not onlie forbeare to

eate, but run about as though they were mad, or (as they say) bewitched.

♦Veneficæ in Italie.♦

♦Veneficæ in Genua & Millen.♦

But _Wierus_ telleth a notable storie of a _Veneficus_, or destroier

of cattell, which I thought meete heere to repeat. There was (saith he)

in the dukedome of _Wittingberge_, not farre from _Tubing_, a butcher,

anno 1564. that bargained with the towne for all their hides which

were of sterven cattell, called in these parts _Morts_. He with poison

privilie killed in great numbers, their bullocks, sheepe, swine, &c:

and by his bargaine of the hides and tallowe he grew infinitlie rich.

And at last being suspected, was examined, confessed the matter and

maner thereof, and was put to death with hot tongs, wherewith his flesh

was pulled from his bones. We for our parts would have killed five

poore women, before we would suspect one rich butcher.

♦Of a butcher a right veneficall which [? witch.]♦

The fift Chapter.

_A great objection answered concerning this kind of witchcraft

called Veneficium._

It is objected, that if _Veneficium_ were comprehended under the

title of manslaughter, it had beene a vaine repetition, and a

disordered course undertaken by _Moses_, to set foorth a lawe against

_Veneficas_ severallie. But it might suffice to answer any reasonable

christian, that such was the pleasure of the Holie-ghost, to institute

a particular article herof, as of a thing more odious, wicked and

dangerous, than any other kind of murther. But he that shall read the

lawe of _Moses_, or the testament of Christ himselfe, shall find this

kind of repetition and reiteration of the law most common. For as it is

written _Exod._ 22, 21. Thou shalt not greeve nor afflict a stranger,

for thou wast a stranger in the land of _Aegypt_: so are the same words

found repeated in _Levit._ 19, 33. Polling and shaving of heads and

beards is forbidden in _Deut._ 27. which was before prohibited in 22.

It is written in _Exodus_ the 20. Thou shalt not steale: and it is

repeated in _Leviticus_ 19. and in _Deut._ 5. Murther is generallie

forbidden in _Exod._ 20. and likewise in 22. and repeated in _Num._ 35.

But the aptest example is, that magicke is forbidden in three severall

places, to wit, once in _Levit._ 19. and twise in _Levit._ 20. For the

which a man might as well cavill with the Holie-ghost as for the other.

♦Levit. 19, 33.♦

The sixt Chapter.