_Being the Conclusion of the Whole; wherin divers antient Spells,
Charms, Incantations and Exorcisms are briefly spoken of._
1. Besides what the Author hath set down, there be many other _Spells_
and _Charms_, which Tradition hath left unto Posterity, being many of
them effectual for the thing intended by them, as in the precedent
Chapter is set down, wherein the _Orders_ of _Fumigations_ are
described. Besides there are _Magical Characters_ attributed to the
Planets, whereof _Telesms_, _Periapts_, _Amulets_, and _Philters_,
are composed by _buryings_, _writings_, _bindings_, _engravings_,
_alligations_, &c. to effect various purposes in Astrological hours.
To conquer Enemies, cure diseases, overturn Cities, stop Inundations,
render bodies Invulnerable, and the like; which are all effected by
medium’s of this kind, with the assistance of Imagination.
♦Charms.♦
2. Yet are there many natural Compositions, which have very stupendious
effects of themselves, without assistance of Superstition; for the
commixtion of things is of two-fold force or vertue: First, When the
Celestial vertues are duly disposed in any natural body; so that in
one thing are couched various Influences of superiour Powers. The
second is, from Artificial mixtures and Compositions of natural things
amongst themselves, in a certain proportion to agree with the Heavens
under certain Constellations. This proceeds from the correspondence of
natural things amongst themselves, whereby things are effected even
unto admiration, as _Agrippa_ declares, _Cap._ 35. _lib._ 1.
♦Natural Operations.♦
3. And as unto every Planet certain _fumigations_ are ascribed; so
unto such Spirits as are under them, certain _Places_ are adopted for
the Ceromonies[*] of Conjuration, which Magicians chose when they
set upon their works of Darkness. Unto _Saturn_ are ascribed dark
melancholy _Places_, Vaults, Tombes, Monasteries, empty Houses, Dens,
Caves, Pits. Unto _Jupiter_, Theaters, Schools, Musick houses, Judgment
seats. To _Mars_, Fields where Battels have been fought, Bakehouses,
Glass-houses, Shambles, Places,[†] of Execution. To _Sol_, Palaces,
Mountains, Meddows, Sunshine, Groves, and upper Rooms. To _Venus_,
Fountains, Meadows, Gardens, and the Sea-shore. Unto _Mercury_, all
publick places belonging unto Cities. To _Luna_, Wildernesses, Woods,
Rocks, Forrests, Ships, High-wayes, _&c._
♦Places ascribed to the seven Planets.♦
♦[*] [_sic_]♦
♦[†] [_sic_]♦
4. In like manner are _Spells_ and _Charms_ adapted to the thing which
they must effect, according to the matter, form and place of their
composition; as for the _procuring of Love_, they bury Rings, Ribbons,
Seals, Pictures, Looking-Glasses, _&c._ in Stews, Baths, Beds, that in
such places they may contract some Venereal faculty: When they gather
Herbs or other Ingredients; they chuse the hour and place, when such
Planets have Dominion as are over these Herbs, which they collect,
ever remembring to turn their faces to the East, or _South_, when
_Saturnine_, _Martial_ or _Jovial_ Herbs are gathered, because their
Principal houses are Southern signs; for _Venereal_, _Mercurial_, or
_Lunary_ herbs, they must look towards the _West_ or _North_, because
their houses are chiefly Northern signs. Yet in any _Solar_ or _Lunar_
operations the body of the Sun and Moon must be respected in the
operation.
♦Spells.♦
5. Colours are also much regarded amongst Magicians, according to
the Planet, as black, leaden, brown, unto _Saturn_; saphire, vernal,
green, purple, golden, unto _Jupiter_; red, burning, violet, bloody,
and iron colours unto _Mars_; golden, saffron, scarlet, _&c._ unto
the _Sun_; white, fair, green, ruddy, pleasant mixed colours unto
_Venus_, _Murcury_, and _Luna_. In like manner they ascribe colours
unto the twelve Houses, and according to the Planets have also certain
compositions for fire that produce wonderful operations; as Lamps of
Serpents skins will make Serpents to appear. Oyl that hath stood under
Grapes, being lighted, presenteth the Chamber full of Grapes. Centaury
and the Lapwings blood makes people seem like Gyants, and in the open
air will make the Stars seem to move up and down in the Elements. The
fat of a Hare lighted in a Lamp, will cause Women to be exceeding merry
and facetious. And Candles composed of things that are _Saturnine_,
raise terrours and melancholy in the party that lights them, and in
those that are lighted by them.
♦Secret Conclusions.♦
6. Such wonderful effects have natural things being fitted unto their
Hours and Constellations, as also when they are used to prove such
effects as the nature of the things doth produce of it self, though
in a weaker degree. To raise _Tempests_ Magicians burn the Liver of a
Camælion on the house top. To cause _strange sights_ they hang the
Gall of a Ox over their Beds; to bring _Apparitions_ and _Spirits_,
they make a strange fume of a Mans Gall, and the Eyes of a black
Cat; _Which_, _Agrippa_ saith, _he hath often made experience of_.
There is also a strange Magical Candle described amongst _Chymical_
Authors, which being lighted, foretells the death of the party to whom
it belongs. The manner thereof is thus; _They take a good quantity
of the venal blood luke-warm as it came out of the vein, which being
Chymically prepared with Spirit of Wine and other Ingredients, is at
last made up into a Candle, which being once kindled, never goes out
till the death of the party whose blood it is composed of; for when he
is sick, or in danger, it burns dim and troubled; and when he is dead,
it is quite extinguished_; of which Composition a Learned man hath
wrote an intire Tractate, _De Biolychnio_, or, _The Lamp of Life_.
♦The Candle of life.♦
7. But to proceed to the nature of _Characters_, _Sigils_, and other
_Ceremonies_, we find that not only such as pretend to command over all
sorts of Spirits; but also they that do make Compacts, and have sold
themselves unto him, do make use of such; which instance is sufficient
to prove what a wise man hath asserted, that although Evil Spirits
have so blinded Mens Eyes, as to make them believe they are defended
by such Ceremonies, and that these Characters are as Munitions against
the Devils malignancy; Yet these very _Characters_, _Sigils_, _Lamins_,
&c., are _Compacts_ themselves, which the Devils did at first cunningly
disguise with strange Repetitions in uncouth Language.
♦That Characters are compacts.♦
8. So that we have grounds to believe, that none is able absolutely
without _Compact_ to call up any _Spirit_. But that whosoever hath
pretended to be famous in the Art of Magick or Conjuration, hath (to
himself unknown) _compacted_ with and _worshipped the Devil_, under
strange _Repetitions_ and mystical _Characters_, which to him seemed to
have effects quite contrary to what they really had.
9. Neither is this to be admired, that without the Knowledge or Consent
of the Magician, a _Contract_ is made with _Evil Spirits_; when we
consider the magical strength of _Words_ and _Characters_, which of
themselves can cure Diseases, pull down, infect, save, destroy, charm
and inchant without the Parties assistance, either in knowledge of the
Cause, or in belief of the Consequence or Effect.
♦The force of Words and Characters.♦
10. But on the contrary, I could instance a multitude of Examples of
such as have spent much time in _Conjurations_ to no purpose, still
attempting by Exorcisms and Defensive Prayers to conjure a Spirit,
or cause Personal Appearances, with severe Imprecations and powerful
Charges, and yet notwithstanding have never attain’d their purpose, nor
at any time heard, or seen any Beeing, which may be called _Spectre_,
or _Apparition_.
♦The vanity of Conjuration.♦
11. Which is nothing wonderful, if we minde the _sympathy_ of things
in Nature, how each desires its _like_, and hunteth after it as the
Loadstone draws Iron; the male coveteth the female; the evil after the
evil, and the good after the good; which is seen in wicked Men and
their Association, in Birds and Beasts of prey; while on the contrary,
the Lamb delights not in the Lyon, nor the Sheep in the society of the
Wolf; neither doth the nature which is totally depraved and estranged
from God, care to be forced or drawn compulsively by another contrary
nature, _viz._ innocent, just, and harmless.
♦By Similitude.♦
12. Neither doth it consist with natural reason, That _Evil Spirits_
should affect the society of those that are their Enemies, who make use
of the dreadful and holy Names of God in Conjurations to call them up;
whereas they are rather antidotes against Apparations,[*] as may be
seen in various Examples of holy Men, who by Prayers and Exorcisms have
banished _Evil Spirits_ in all Ages, which is also further evident, in
that the very form of _Dispossessing_ and _Exorcising_ is made up of
divers Prayers and Defensive Blessings against the obnoxious influences
of _Infernal Spirits_.
♦Exorcising, or casting out.♦
♦[*] [_sic_]♦
13. Therefore though I would be far from describing an undenyable
course of Conjuring Spirits, or of causing Apparitions: Yet this I must
assert conclusively from what is before alledged, That if any thing
would be called or wrought upon, it must be with something which is of
its own nature, as a bait to catch or tempt it; for in catching Birds,
Beasts, or Fishes, such esculents as are properly for these Animals,
are made use of to allure them, neither can mankinde command them by
any threats to come into his custody.
♦Like desires its like.♦
14. How much less is mankind able to compel the _Infernal Spirits_, the
very least of which Kingdom, is able, if let loose, to exterminate a
thousand lives, and utterly over-turn poor mortals and their doings,
as various by-past accidents can evince: But whosoever hath compacted
with them for body, soul, and works, such they are at unity with, and
unto such they appear for the advancement of their Kingdom in the
destruction of others; for they are grafted into them and incorporated
into their very heart and soul, which unavoidably becomes their wages
when the body falls away.
♦Nothing is compelled by contraries.♦
15. Yet many wayes there be by _Images_, _Telesms_, and _Amulets_,
which have little or no dependance upon Conjuration, or the strength
thereof, being rather effectual from sympathetical Causes, as many
natural conclusions prove. And _Paracelsus_ speaks of a way by the
Image of any Bird or Beast to destroy that Animal, though at a
distance; so by hair, fat, blood, excrements, excrescences, _&c._ of
any Animal or Vegetable, the ruin or cure of that thing may be effected.
16. Which is seen in the Armary Unguent, and the Sympathetical
Powder. In the instance of divers Histories, of such as used Waxen
Images, composed in divers postures, and under certain Constellations,
whereby several have been tormented and macerated even unto death; and
according to the punishment or torment which the Magician intends to
afflict, accordingly do they dispose the hour of the Composition, and
the posture or semblance of the Image.
17. For if a malitious minded Witch intends to consume and pine away
the Life or Estate of any miserable Man or Woman, she makes his Image
of Wax in such an ominous aspect as may conduce to her design, making
several magical Characters upon the sides of the head, describing
the Character of the hour or Planetary time upon the breast of the
Image; the name of the party on his forehead; the intended effect to
be wrought upon him upon his back. When they cause aches, pains, and
violent pangs in the sinews and the flesh, they stick thorns and pins
in divers places of their arms, breasts, and legs. When they cast them
into Feavers and Consumptions, they spend an hour in every day to
warm and turn the Image before a doleful and lingring fire, composed
of divers exotick Gums, and magical Ingredients of sweet Odours, and
strange Roots of shrubs, efficient for their purpose.
♦Of Images of Wax, and what is wrought by them.♦
18. Wonderful are the various postures and pranks which Magicians play
with Images; neither will I mention the most perfect and prevalent part
of the practice of Images, and the powerful operations thereof, least
the evil minded should work abominations therewith upon the Persons or
Possessions of their neighbours.
♦Further concerning Images.♦
19. According to the nature of what they would effect they frame
their Images; if by Images they would provoke two parties to love,
or be enamoured on one another, they frame their Images naked, with
Astrological Observations and Imbraces of those that are Venereal; to
provoke unto enmity they place malignant Characters and Aspects, and
the Images in a fighting posture.
♦Of Images provoking Love.♦
20. If their intentions be for good, all their Characters are engraven
upon the foreparts of the body. But if they would afflict the party
with Consumption, or with death, they thrust Needles through the
hearts, and engrave their Characters upon their Posteriors, or upon
their shoulders, using all their Conjurations retrograde, and repeating
every Charm opposite to the former.
21. Thousands of strange and uncouth Charms might be here described,
according to the exact form wherein Tradition hath left them; But I
have only insisted upon the description of the natures in General; And
as by _Images_ and _Telesms_, the _Europeans_ have effected admirable
things: so the _Tartars_ have a wonderful ways[*] of producing the
like effects, by _Botles_, _Sheep-skins_, _Rods_, _Basins_, _Letters_,
or _Missives_, unto certain Spirits, and many otherwayes unheard of in
_Europe_.
♦[*] [_sic_]♦
♦Forms of Charms in _Tartary_.♦
22. As for the _Tying of the Point_, which is a strong impediment in
Conjugal Rites, to restrain the acts of secresie betwixt two marryed
persons; This knot or ligament is become so notorious both in the
practice and effect throughout _France_, _Italy_, and _Spain_, as also
in all the _Eastern_ Countries, that the Laws of several Nations have
prohibited the performance thereof; neither is it fit to be openly
described in this place.
♦The tying of the Point.♦
23. Other stratagems they have by _turning the Sive_ with a pair
of Sizzers by _voices uttered_ out of _skins_, which is in common
amongst the _Turks_ by _Letters_ wrote unto certain Spirits, which by
due appointments will have their answers returned. By the _Turning_
of the _Cord_ with several names wrapped round the same, which with
certain repetitions will of it self be tyed into several strange knots
which unty themselves again. Besides the many wayes by _Lots_, in
extractings[*] Scrolls, consulting with the Staff and the empty Pot,
with others tedious to be enumerated.
♦Charming by the Sive.♦
♦By Bottles, Skins, Letters, Cords, Lots.♦
♦[*] [_sic_]♦
24. The _Art of Transplantation_ is also reckoned amongst _Charms_ with
the vulgar. And indeed one member thereof, _viz._ the Transferring of
Diseases is really Magical, and much in practice amongst Witches; for
by certain baits given to any domestick Beasts they remove Feavers,
Agues, and Consumptions from Martial men, or from one to another by
burying certain Images in their neighbours ground they bring all evil
fortune to the owner of the ground, yet though they add strange Words
and Conjurations in the practice, the effects thereof are more from
Nature then Conjuration.
♦Transplantation, Ceremonious.[†]♦
♦[†] [Ceremonies]♦
25. For, by the same Cause, those that are profound, can destroy
diseases, take off Warts, and other Excrescences, kill, cure, purge and
poyson at a distance from the party, by their hair, fatt, blood, nails,
excrements, _&c._ or by any root, or carnuous substance, rubbed upon
their hands, breasts or leggs, by burying which, they free them from
Diseases, which experiments take effect according to the _Mediums_ and
their Consumption under ground.
♦And meerly natural.♦
26. And as by natural reason every Magical Charm or Receipt had its
first institution; In like manner have Magicians disposed the Matter
and Manner together with the times of their Utensils and Instruments,
according to the Principles of Nature: As the Hour wherein they compose
their Garments, must either be in the hour of _Luna_, or else of
_Saturn_, in the Moons increase.
♦Magical Instruments:♦
27. Their _Garments_ they compose of White Linnen, black Cloth, black
Cat-skins, Wolves, Bears, or Swines skins. The Linnen because of its
abstracted Quality for Magick delights not to have any Utensils that
are put to common uses. The skins of the aforesaid Animals are by
reason of the _Saturnine_ and _Magical qualities_ in the particles of
these beasts: Their sowing thred is of silk, Cats-guts, mans Nerves,
Asses hairs, Thongs of skins from Men, Cats, Bats, Owls, Moles, and all
which are enjoyn’d from the like Magical cause.
♦Their matter,♦
28. Their Needles are made of Hedge-hog prickles, or bones of any of
the abovesaid Animals: Their _Writing-pens_ are of Owls or Ravens,
their _Ink_ of Mans blood: Their _Oyntments_ Mans fat, Blood, Usnea,
Hoggs-grease, Oyl of Whales. Their _Characters_ are ancient _Hebrew_ or
_Samaritan_: Their _Speech_ is _Hebrew_ or _Latine_. Their _Paper_ must
be of the Membranes of Infants, which they call _Virgin-parchment_, or
of the skins of Cats, or Kids. Besides, they compose their _Fires_ of
sweet Wood, Oyl or Rosin: And their _Candles_ of the Fatt or Marrow
of Men or Children: Their _Vessels_ are Earthen, their _Candlesticks_
with three feet, of dead mens bones: Their _Swords_ are steel, without
guards, the poynts being reversed. These are their Materials, which
they do particularly choose from the Magical qualities whereof they are
composed.
♦Substance,♦
29. Neither are the peculiar shapes without a natural cause. Their
_Caps_ are Oval, or like Pyramids with Lappets on each side, and
furr within: Their _Gowns_ reach to the ground, being furr’d with
white Fox-skins, under which they have a Linnen Garment reaching to
their Knee. Their _Girdles_ are three inches broad, and have many
Caballistical Names, with Crosses, Trines and Circles inscribed
thereon. Their _Knives_ are Dagger-fashion: and the _Circles_ by which
they defend themselves are commonly nine foot in breadth, but the
_Eastern_ Magicians give but seven. And these are the matter and manner
of their Preparations, which I thought fit here to insist upon, because
of their affinity with the _Instruments_ of _Charms_, for both which a
natural cause is constantly pretended.
♦And Form.♦
30. Thus I have briefly spoken of the Nature of every Spirit _good_
or _evil_, so farr as _safety_ or _convenience_ would permit; adding
also this last Discourse of _Charms_ and _Conjurations_, in their
_speculative part_, forbearing to describe the _Forms themselves_,
because many of them are not only _facil_, but also of _mighty power_
when they are seasonably applyed: So that to describe distinctly, by
what means Magicians _kill_, _cure_, or _conquer_, were to strengthen
the hands of the Envious against their Neighbours Lives and Fortunes.
And therefore the Readers must rest contented with what is here related
of the _Nature_ of _Astral_ or _Infernal Spirits_.
♦The Conclusion.♦
_FINIS._