_Of the Astral Spirits of men departed: What they are: And why
they appear again: And what Witchcraft may be wrought by
them._
1. As the Astral Spirits separate, which belong not to any deceased
person, do for many years survive, or continue; so if the party
deceased hath departed in discontent, and melancholy, it is often known
that they return again, and causing terrour to families and houses, do
wait for opportunity to disburthen themselves, that at length they may
come into their desired rest.
♦The spirits of men return again.♦
2. The opinion of many is, _That the Devill in their likenesse is all
that appears_: But the more Learned have sufficiently demonstrated,
through Example, and Experience; _That the apparition is really proper
to the person deceased_. Nor can it easily be denyd, That to every
man, and woman, while they live the natural Life, there belongs a
_Syderial_, or _starry Spirit_; which takes its original wholly from
the Elemental property: And according to the weaker, or stronger
capacity of the party, it hath the longer, or shorter continuance,
after the bodyes decease.
♦All men have starry Spirits.♦
3. Such persons as are secretly murthered, and such as secretly murthur
themselves, do most frequently appear again, and wander near the place
where their Carcase is, till the radical moisture be totally consumed:
according to the opinion of _Paracelsus_, after the consumption
whereof, they can re-appear no longer, but are resolv’d into their
first being, or _Astrum_, after a certain term of months, or years,
according to the vigour, or force of that first attraction which was
the only cause of their returning.
♦What sort of persons most frequently re-appear.♦
4. The manner and seasons of their appearing are various: Sometimes
before the person, unto whom they do belong, depart this life, they do
by external presentations forewarn him, near the time, that the day of
death approacheth. As it is reported of _Codrus Laænus_, to whom an
empty, meager Ghost appeared at midnight, signifying unto him, _how sad
and lachrymable a Tragedy was shortly to attend him_; and also adding,
_that he would visit him in the Execution thereof_: which proved not
contrary to the words of the apparition; for at the very instant, when
his Treacherous Wife had stab’d him at the heart, on a suddain he
beheld the same, with preparations for his interment, whilst he yet
survived, after the fatall wound was given.
♦The manner and time of their appearance.♦
5. Sometimes the starry spirit of a person appears to his beloved
Companion, many hundred of miles asunder, who was ignorant of the death
of the party: And it hath often been heard, that when none of the
kindred or family of the said party deceased, have ever been disturbed
by it, or in the least been sensible of its appearing; yet to some of
its most intimate acquaintance, it discovers it self, and importunes
them to perform some ceremony, or other, that it may be returned into
rest; or else discovers some treasure, which was hid by the party
whilest alive, or else some murther which it had commited: But the most
frequent cause of their returning, is when the party hath himself been
privately murthered.
♦The reason thereof.♦
6. For such is the poysonous malice, and bloudy spirit of the
murtherers, that it sufficeth them not to have privately bereaved
them of their Lives; but also by certain earnest Wishes, Curses, and
Conjurations, they do afterwards adjure them, that for such a term
of years, they shall never have power to appear again: Which wishes,
being earnestly given forth, from the hellish root in the murtherer,
do exceedingly torment the murthered parties spirit, taking deep
impression thereon; so that it is alwayes in continual sorrow, and
anguish, till the term of years be expired, and till the murther
be made manifest to the world: after which discovery, it returns
to perfect rest; This is well known to those that are exercised in
Witchcraft, and cruell Murthers, though not common to those that
murther but once.
♦The power of Magitians over them.♦
7. There be many Ancient families, in _Europe_, to whom the Ghost of
their first Progenitor, or Ancestor appears immediately before the
departure of some Heir, or chief in the same family: which assertion
is confirmed by _Cardan_, in an Example of “an Antient family, in the
Dukedome of _Parma_, called the _Tortells_, to whom there belongs an
ancient Castle, with a spatious Hall; near the Chimney of the said
Hall an old decrepit Woman, for these hundreds of years, is wonted to
appear, when any of the Family is about to dye: And it is reported
amongst them that the same is the Ghost of one belonging to the same
name, and family, who for her Riches, was murthered by some of her
Nephews, and thrown into a pit.
♦Example.♦
8. Many such apparitions do for many years continue to be seen in one
particular place; ever watching for opportunity, to discover some
murther, or Treasure hid: And the cause of the difficulty of the said
discovery, consists in the nature of their substance; for could they
make use of the organ of the Tongue, they might quickly discover it:
or if they had the outward benefit of Hands, they might produce the
said Treasure, or Carcase murthered, but this they are seldome able to
accomplish; being destitute of the outward Organs, and mediation of
Hands to hold withall, or Tongue to vent their grievances: And that
this is true, the manner of their appearance doth confirm it: For all
that they are able to effect, if they have been murthered, is commonly
to appear near the very place, where their body lies, and to seem as
if they sunk down, or vanished in the same; or else to appear in the
posture of a murthered person, with mangled, and bloudy wounds, and
hair disshevel’d: But it is rarely known, that any such apparitions
have plainly spoken, or uttered by words, the time of their murther,
with the cause, the persons name, or place; unless the murther, by
circumstances hath been more then ordinary, horrid, and execrable: then
the remembrance of the same doth sometimes enable the apparition to
frame a voice, by the assistance of the Air, and discover the fact.
♦The cause of the difficulty and paucity of appearances.♦
9. But to speake in general concerning apparitions, why they are so
seldome seen; and why such spirits as appear, can not without mans
assistance accomplish their design; It may easily be apprehended, that
all Spirits, or spiritual Substances, and Devills, have their life,
breath, and motion in another source, or Element then this external
world; And as any creature, whom the Element of Water hath nourished,
and bred, can live but short while upon the Land; So its with them,
when they come out of their proper habitations: which is the cause
of the rarity of apparition; it being as difficult for any spirit to
manifest it self in this outward principle, of the four Elements, as
for a man to continue with his head under water: yea it is rather pain,
then pleasure for any spirit, whether good, or bad, to come into this
outward world.
♦More particularly of the same.♦
10. Great is the villany of Necromancers, and wicked Magicians, in
dealing with the spirits of men departed; whom they invocate, with
certain forms, and conjurations, digging up their Carkasses again,
or by the help of Sacrifices, and Oblations to the infernal Gods;
compelling the Ghost to present it self before them: how this was
performed in antient times, by Hags, and Witches, is notably described
in the _Æthiopian_ History of _Heliodorus_, in the practice “of an
antient woman, who coming into the Camp, in the dead of night; where
amongst many slaughtered bodies, the body of her Son was also slain;
whose carkase she laid before her, digging a hole, and making a fire on
each side, with the body in the midst; Then taking an earthen pot from
a three footed stool, she poured honey out of it, into the pit; then
out of another pot, she poured milk; and likewise out of the third:
Lastly, she cast a Lump of hardned dough, in the form of a man into the
pit: the Image was Crowned with Lawrell: then she threw in some of the
Shrub called _Bdellium_: This done, with a sword she ran frantickly up
and down, cutting herself; and with a Lawrell branch sprinkled of her
blood into the fire: at length whispering at her Sons ear, she caused
him to arise, and questioning him of the fortune of his Brother, what
was become of him, he answered dubiously speaking prosperity to two
persons that secretly beheld her, and telling her, That suddain death
for her impiety attended her, which came to passe ere she left the
place; after all these predictions, the Carcase ceased to answer any
more: and tumbled groveling on the ground again.
♦The nefarious practices of _Necromancers_ in an example.♦
11. And although by most men, as also by the Author in his foregoing
Discovery, it is constantly believed, that the Witch of _Endor_ raised
not _Samuel_, nor the Ghost of _Samuel_, as not beleeving that there is
an _Astral Spirit_ or Ghost belonging unto every Man; yet it is very
probable, that by her conjurations she caused his _Sydereal Spirit_ to
appear: which is possible to be effected: and hath been often done: as
_Weaver_ in his _Funeral Monuments_ records of _Edward Kelly_, “who
in the Park of _Walton Ledale_ in the County _Lancaster_, with one
_Paul Waring_, Invocated a Devil, and afterwards digg’d up the Corps
of a poor man, that had been buried that very day, in a place near the
same, called _Law Church-yard_: whom he compelled by Incantations, and
Conjurations to speak, and utter prophetical words, concerning the
master of one of his Assistants.
♦Example.♦
12. According to the state and condition wherein a person dyes, so is
it with their _Astral Spirit_: for if they died in perfect peace, and
had come through the valley of true Repentance; being dead to this
Life before it left them; then their _starry Spirit_ doth enter into
rest, in its proper source, or quality at the instant of their Decease:
nor is it possible for all the Conjurations in Hell, to cause them to
return, or appear again.
♦The state of the Starry Spirit.♦
13. But some might object, That _Samuel was an Holy Prophet, and
attaind unto a perfect Life_; which is thus to be answered, that before
Christ came into the world, none of the most Holy Prophets of God,
did ever attain to that degree of blessednesse, that the Christians
after Christ possessed: for in the time of the Law, a covering, or
vail was spread over the faces of all people: and something there was
that letted, or hindred their souls from any plain and perfect vision,
and fruition of God; otherwise then through types, and shaddows, which
partition wall, the end of Christs Incarnation was to break down.
♦Why the Ghost of _Samuel_ appeared.♦
14. In the writings of _Plato_, there be many strange Relations of the
apparitions of Souls, of their torments, and purgations, of the cause
of their returning, what their nature is, what their substance and
property is, and what their food, and nourishment is: but he mistakes
the _Soul_ for the _Astral Spirit_: for the Soul in its returning
and apparition is farr different; if a Holy Soul appear, it is to
persons like it self, and that in sleep, warning them of dangers, and
discovering heavenly secrets unto them: And if a Damned Soul appear,
it is likewise to such as are of a nature like it self: whom it
instigates, asleep, teaching them notorious Villanies in Dreams; and
provoking them to every wicked cogitation.
♦The opinions of _Plato_.♦
15. The sect of _Pythagoras_ have strange and antick opinions,
concerning Souls, and Ghosts, or starry Spirits: whom they alledge
to be frequently converted into _Gods_, or _Dæmons_, or _Demi-Gods_,
and _Heroes_: (as the _Platonicks_ do,) And that there is a continual
traduction, and transmigration of Souls, from one to another, till
they attain to be deify’d at last; and then that they do frequently
appear, to those that be like themselves; instructing, and forewarning
them: It was also the belief of many wise, and antient Philosophers,
that the _Oracles_ were from such _Dæmons_, as had been the Ghosts, or
Souls of wise and excellent men: as _Apollo’s Oracle_, and the _Oracle_
of _Pallas_, or _Minerva_: which opinions have much of reason and
probability.
♦Of _Pythagoras_.♦
16. It is also the opinion of some, that the particular Spirits of
famous men do after the death of the body, take up some particular
habitations, near such places Cities, Towns, or Countries, as they most
do affect, as Tutelaries, and Guardians unto them; Which is reported
by _Vopiscus_, of _Apollonius Thyaneus_; That when his City _Thyana_
was taken by _Aurelianus_ the Emperour: and when he was in his Tent,
pondering furiously how to destroy the same; the Ghost of _Apollonius_
appeared unto him saying, Aurelianus, _if thou desirest to be a
Conquerour, suppose not to slay these my Citizens_: Aurelianus, _if
thou wilt be a Ruler, shed no innocent blood_: Aurelianus, _be meek,
and gentle, if thou wouldst be a Conquerour_.
♦Of other Philosophers.♦
17. I have heard many wonderful Relations from Lunaticks or such as are
almost natural fools, who have asserted, _That being for many daies
together conversant amongst Faeries in Woods, Mountains, and Caverns
of the Earth, they have feasted with them, and been magnificently
Entertaind with variety of dainties, where they have seen several of
their Neighbours or Familiar acquaintance in the habit they were wont
to weare, notwithstanding they were known to have been dead some years
before_.
♦The Raptures of Lunaticks.♦
18. And many Learned Authors have also insisted upon this particular,
alledging, _That when such as the Faeryes have brought into their
Society do feast and junket with them, though they have a real and
perfect knowledge of their neighbours and acquaintance amongst the
rest, yet their Language they are not able to understand, neither
do these Acquaintance of theirs acknowledge or take notice of them
at all, but do either sit (both they and all the rest) in a profound
and tedious silence, or else discourse in a most stupendious kinde of
Gibberish, not intelligible to strangers_.
♦Their Entertainments.♦
19. But more particularly to illustrate this conjecture, I could name
the person who hath lately appeared thrice since his Decease, at
least some Ghostly being or other, that calls it self by the name of
such a person who was dead above an hundred years agoe, and in his
life time accounted as a Prophet or Prædicter by the assistance of
Sublunary Spirits. And now at his appearance did also give out strange
Prædictions concerning Famine, and Plenty, Warrs, and Bloodshed, and
the end of this world.
♦A strange example.♦
20. By the affirmation of the person that had Communication with him,
the last of his Appearances was on this following manner; _I had been_,
said he, _to sell a Horse at the next Market Town, but not attaining
my price, as I returned home by the way I met this man aforesaid who
began to be familiar with me, asking what news, and how affairs moved
throughout the Country_; I answered as I thought fit; withall I told
him of my Horse whom he began to cheapen, and proceeded with me so far,
that the price was agreed upon; so he turned back with me and told me,
_that if I would go along with him, I should receive my Money_; on our
way we went, I upon my Horse and he on another milk white beast; after
much discourse I askt him where he dwelt, and what his name was; he
told me, _That his dwelling was about a mile off, at a place called
Farran_; of which place I had never heard though I knew all the Country
round about; he also told me, _That he himself was that person of the
Family of_ Learmonts _so much spoken off for a Prophet_; At which I
began to be somewhat fearful, perceiving us in a road which I had never
been in before, which increased my fear and admiration more. Well on we
went till he brought me under ground I know not how into the presence
of a beautiful woman that payd me the moneys without a word speaking;
he conducted me out again through a large and long entry, where I saw
above 600 men in Armour layd prostrate on the ground as if asleep: at
last I found my self in the open field by the help of Moon-light in
that very place where first I met him, and made shift to get home by
three in the morning, but the money I received was just double of what
I esteemed it, and what the woman payd me, of which at this instant I
have several pieces to show consisting of nine pences, thirteen pence
halfpennies, _&c._
21. The variety of Examples throughout the writings of Learned men may
serve as stronge inducements to confirm this particular of _Astral
Spirits_, or _Ghosts_ that belong unto Mortal men, returning after
death untill the cause of their returning be taken away. In Ancient
times before the name of Christianity, there was nothing more frequent
than millions of Apparitions in fields where battails had been fought,
seeming to fight as they had done at first, which the Ancient Heathens
believed to proceed from the want of Burying. And from this arose the
Poetical Romance of the _wandring of Ghosts besides the River Styx for
an hundred years_. And the custome of Solemn Interment amongst them.
♦Apparitions before Christianity, were frequent.♦
22. But with more probability, The Custome of the Funeral Piles used
by the _Romans_, and the Urns to reduce their Corpses into Ashes, was
instituted at first to prevent the torment of the Deceased, least
his Ghost should wander, or return, which doubtlesse from a natural
cause may have the same effect, that the reducing of the carcase into
Ashes suddainly after its decease may prevent the return of the Astral
Spirit; for if it be true what is affirmed by _Paracelsus_, that _the
starry Spirit can continue no longer then the radical moisture in the
body_; it will naturally follow that its appearance is at an end when
the body is burnt, seeing that the moisture is totally exterminate and
consumed thereby. And in some sense the Ceremony may be said to be
Laudable and Judicious, having so beneficial a consequence.
♦Why Funeral Piles were instituted.♦
23. As there is some semblance of a natural cause in the custome of the
Antient urns, so likewise may the Interment of slaughtered bodies by
the like cause prevent the like Appearances; for many are the examples
that I have read of such as appeared to their surviving kindred and
acquaintance, after they had been slaughtered in the Warrs, beseeching
them to perform unto their bodies the Sacred Funeral Rites that their
Ghosts might return into Rest, for which many have consulted with the
Oracles to be informed whether the deceased deserved Burial, because
they held it unlawful to bury Murtherers, Incestuous and Sacriligious,
persons, which Nature her self doth also seem to hold if this following
Relation be not false: which was, “That some Learned men returning from
_Persia_ where they had been to see the King _Cosroes_, by the way
interr’d a dead Carcase which they found unburied: And in the following
night the Ghost of an Ancient Matron, as if it had been the Spirit of
the World or Madam Nature her self, appeard unto them, saying, _Why
Interr ye that nefarious Carcase? let the Doggs devoure it; The Earth
who is the Mother of us all admitts not of that man that depraves his
Mother_: So returning they found the Carcase yet unburied.
♦What the want of Burial causeth.♦
24. To confirm the verity of _Astral Spirits_ proper, and their
returning, I shall conclude this Chapter with the Example of the
famous _Aristeus_ the Poet who “in the Isle _Marmora_ dyed suddainly,
at which instant a certain Philosopher of _Athens_ arriving there,
affirmed, _That he had lately been in Company and discourst with him_.
In the mean time going to Bury him they found him yet alive, but never
after that had he any constant residence amongst Mortals. Seven years
after that he was seen at _Proconnesus_ his native Town, and remaind a
while composing several Poems and Verses called _Arimaspei_, and then
vanished. In _Metapontis_ he was seen 300 years after that, charging
that _Apollo_’s Altar should be erected by the name of _Aristeus
Proconnesius_. The like stories are reported of _Apollonius_, and
_Pythagoras_, whom their followers would have to be _Ubiquitaryes_,
affirming, _That at one instant of time they were seen in several
places thousands of miles in distance_. And though in [*]_Iamblichus_
who hath wrote the Life of _Pythagoras_, in _Philostratus_ that wrote
the Life of _Apollonius Tyanus_, there be many fabulous things reported
as to the _Astral Spirits_ separation, and return unto the body; Yet
I have sufficiently here endeavoured to separate the true from the
more Poetical part in this particular Subject of the _starry Spirits_
belonging to every individual man and woman, and their returning after
the body falls away.
♦The conclusion of this Chapter with an example.♦
♦[*] [sic]♦