CHAPTER XX. When to talke with spirits, and to have true answers to
find out a theefe.
THE daies and houres of  
 and the  is best to doo all crafts
of necromancie, & for to speake with spirits, and for to find theft, and
to have true answer thereof, or of anie other such like. ¶ And in the
daies and houres of  
 is best to doo all experiments of love, and to
purchase grace, and for to be invisible, and to doo anie operation,
whatsoever it be, for anie thing, the being in a
convenient signe. ¶ As when thou laborest for theft, see the moone be in
an earthie signe, as  
 , or of the aier, as 
  . ¶ And if it be for love, favor or
grace, let the be in a signe of the fier, as
   , and for
hatred, in a signe of the water, as  
 . For anie other experiment, let the
be in . ¶ And if thou findest the &
the in one signe that is called in even number, then
thou maiest write, consecrate, conjure, and make readie all maner of
things that thou wilt doo, &c.
To speake with spirits.
Call these names,
Orimoth, Belimoth, Lymocke,
and say thus:
I conjure you up by the names of the angels Satur and
Azimor, that you intend to me in this houre, and send unto me a
spirit called Sagrigrit, that hee doo fulfill my commandement
and desire, and that also can understand my words for one or two yeares,
or as long as I will, &c.
CHAPTER XXI. A confutation of
conjuration, especiallie of the raising, binding and dismissing of the
divell, of going invisible, and other lewd practises.
THUS farre have we waded in shewing at large the vanitie of
necromancers, conjurors, and such as pretend to have reall conference and
consultation with spirits and divels: wherein (I trust) you see what
notorious blasphemie is committed, besides other blind superstitious
ceremonies, a disordered heap, which are so far from building up the
endevors of these blacke art practitioners, that they doo altogether
ruinate & overthrow them, making them in their follies and falshoods as
bare and naked as an anatomie. As for these ridiculous conjurations, last
rehearsed, being of no small reputation among the ignorant, they are for
the most part made by T. R. (for so much of his name he bewraieth) and
John Cokars, invented and devised for the augmentation and
maintenance of their living, for the edifieng of the poore, and for the
propagating and inlarging of Gods glorie, as in the beginning of their
booke of conjurations they protest; which in this place, for the further
manifestation of their impietie, and of the witchmongers follie and
credulitie, I thought good to insert, whereby the residue of their
proceedings may be judged, or rather detected. For if we seriouslie behold
the matter of conjuration, and the drift of conjurors, we shall find them,
in mine opinion, more faultie than such as take upon them to be witches,
as manifest offenders against the majestie of God, and his holie lawe, and
as apparent violators of the lawes and quietnesse of this realme: although
indeed they bring no such thing to passe, as is surmised and urged by
credulous persons, couseners, hers, and witchmongers. For these are
alwaies learned, and rather abusers of others, than they themselves by
others abused.
But let us see what appearance of truth or possibilitie is wrapped
within these mysteries, and let us unfold the deceipt. They have made
choice of certeine words, whereby they saie they can worke miracles, &c.
And first of all, that they call divels & soules out of hell (though we
find in the scriptures [Luk. 16. &c.] manifest proofes that all passages
are stopped concerning the egresse out of hell) so as they may go thither,
but they shall never get out, for Ab inferno nulla est redemptio,
out of hell there is no redemption. Well, when they have gotten them up,
they shut them in a circle made with chalke, which is so stronglie beset
and invironed with crosses and names, that they cannot for their lives get
out; which is a verie probable matter. Then can they bind them, and lose
them at their pleasures, and make them that have beene hers from the
beginning, to tell the truth: yea, they can compell them to doo anie
thing. And the divels are forced to be obedient unto them, and yet cannot
be brought to due obedience unto God their creator. This done (I saie)
they can worke all maner of miracles (saving blew miracles) and this is
beleeved of manie to be true:
Tam credula mens hominis, & arrectæ fabulis aures,
So light of beleefe is the mind of man,
And attentive to tales his eares now and than. (Englished by
Abraham Fleming)
But if Christ (onelie for a time) left the power of working miracles
among his apostles and disciples for the confirmation of his gospell, and
the faith of his elect: yet I denie altogether, that he left that power
with these knaves, which hide their cousening purposes under those lewd
and foolish words, according to that which Peter saith [2. Pet. 2. Epes.
5. Ps. 72, & 78.]; With feined words they make merchandize of you. And
therfore the counsell is good that Paule giveth us, when he biddeth us
take heed that no man deceive us with vaine words. For it is the Lord only
that worketh great woonders, and bringeth mightie things to passe. It is
also written [Sap. 16. Eccles. 43.], that Gods word, and not the words of
conjurors, or the charmes of witches, healeth all things, maketh tempests,
and stilleth them.
But put case the divell could be fetched up and fettered, and loosed
againe at their pleasure, &c: I marvell yet, that anie can be so
bewitched, as to be made to beleeve, that by vertue of their words, anie
earthlie creature can be made invisible. We thinke it a lie, to saie that
white is blacke, and blacke white: but it is a more shamelesse assertion
to affirme, that white is not, or blacke is not at all; and yet more
impudencie to hold that a man is a horsse; but most apparent impudencie to
saie, that a man is no man, or to be extenuated into such a quantitie, as
therby he may be invisible, and yet remaine in life and health, &c: and
that in the cleare light of the daie, even in the presence of them that
are not blind. But surelie, he that cannot make one haire white or blacke,
whereof (on the other side) not one falleth from the head without Gods
speciall providence, can never bring to passe, that the visible creature
of God shall become nothing, or lose the vertue and grace powred therinto
by God the creator of all things.
If they saie that the divell covereth them with a cloud or veile, as
M. Mal. Bodin, & manie other doo affirme; yet (me thinkes) we
should either see the cover, or the thing covered. And though perchance
they saie in their harts; Tush, the Lord seeth not, who indeed hath
blinded them, so as seeing, they see not: yet they shall never be able to
persuade the wise, but that both God and man dooth see both them and their
knaveriem this behalfe. I have heard of a foole, who was made beleeve that
he should go invisible, and naked ; while he was well whipped by them, who
(as he thought) could not see him. Into which fooles paradise they saie he
was brought, that enterprised to kill the prince of Orenge.
[John Jaure gui servant to Gasper. Anastro both Spaniards.
Ann. Dom. 1582. March 18. after dinner upon a sundaie this mischeefe was
done. Read the whole discourse hereof printed at London for Tho: Chard and
Will: Brome booksellers.]
CHAPTER XXII. A comparison
betweene popish exorcists and other conjurors, a popish conjuration
published by a great doctor of the Romish church, his rules and cautions.
I SEE no difference betweene these and popish conjurations; for they
agree in order, words, and matter, differing in no circumstance, but that
the papists doo it without shame openlie, the other doo it in hugger
mugger secretlie. The papists (I saie) have officers in this behalfe,
which are called exorcists or conjurors, and they looke narrowlie to other
cousenors, as having gotten the upper hand over them. And bicause the
papists shall be without excuse in this behalfe, and that the world may
see their cousenage,impietie, and follie to be as great as the others, I
will cite one conjuration (of which sort I might cite a hundred) published
by Jacobus de Chusa, [in lib. de apparitionib. quorundam
spirituum] a great doctor of the Romish church, which serveth to find
out the cause of noise and spirituall rumbling in houses, churches, or
chappels, and to conjure walking spirits: which evermore is knaverie and
cousenage in the highest degree. Marke the cousening devise hereof, and
conferre the impietie with the others.
Observations for the exorcising preest.
First (forsooth) he saith it is expedient to fast three daies, and to
celebrate a certeine number of masses, and to repeate the seven psalmes
penitentiall: then foure or five preests must be called to the place where
the haunt or noise is, then a candle hallowed on candlemas daie must be
lighted, and in the lighting thereof also must the seven psalmes be said,
and the gospell of S. John. Then there must be a crosse and a censer with
frankincense, and therewithall the place must be censed or perfumed, holie
water must be sprinkled, and a holie stoale must be used, and (after
diverse other ceremonies) a praier to God must be made, in maner and forme
following:
O Lord Jesus Christ, the knower of all secrets, which alwaies
revealest all hoalsome and profitable things to thy faithfull children,
and which sufferest a spirit to shew himselfe in this place, we beseech
thee for thy bitter passion, &c: vouchsafe to command this spirit, to
reveale and signifie unto us thy servants, without our terror or hurt,
what he is, to thine honour, and to his comfort; In nomine patris,
&c.
And then proceed in these words:
We beseech thee, for Christs sake, O thou spirit, that if there be
anie of us, or among us, whom thou wouldest answer, name him, or else
manifest him by some signe. Is it frier P. or doctor D. or doctor Burc.
or sir Feats, or sir John, or sir Robert: Et sic de cæteris
circunstantibus.
For it is well tried (saith the glosse) he will not answer everie one.
If the spirit make anie sound of voice, or knocking, at the naming of anie
one, he is the cousener (the conjuror I would saie) that must have the
charge of this conjuration or examination. And these forsooth must be the
interrogatories, to wit:
Whose soule art thou? Wherefore camest thou? What wouldest thou have?
Wantest thou any suifrages, masses, or almes? How manie masses will
serve thy turne, three, six, ten, twentie, thirtie, &c? By what preest?
Must he be religious or secular? Wilt thou have anie fasts? What? How
manie? How great? And by what persons? Among hospitalles? Lepres? Or
beggars? What shall be the signe of thy perfect deliverance? Wherefore
liest thou in purgatorie?
And such like. This must be doone in the night.
If there appeare no signe at this houre, it must be deferred untill
another houre. Holie water must be left in the place. There is no feare
(they saie) that such a spirit will hurt the conjuror: for he can sinne no
more, as being in the meane state betweene good and evill, and as yet in
the state of satisfaction. If the spirit doo hurt, then it is a damned
soule, and not an elect. Everie man may not be present hereat, speciallie
such as be weake of complexion. They appeare in diverse maners, not
alwaies in bodie, or bodilie shape (as it is read in the life of S.
Martine, that the divell did) but sometimes invisible, as onelie by sound,
voice, or noise. Thus farre Jacobus de Chusa.
But bicause you shall see that these be not emptie words, nor slanders;
but that in truth such things are commonlie put in practise in the Romish
church, I wili here set downe an instance, latelie and truelie, though
lewdlie performed: and the same in effect as followeth.
CHAPTER XXIII. A late
experiment, or cousening conjuration practised at Orleance by the
Franciscane Friers, how it was detected, and the judgement against the
authors of that comedie.
IN the yeare of our Lord 1534. at Orleance in France, the Majors wife
died, willing and desiring to be buried without anie pompe or noise, &c.
Hir husband, who reverenced the memoriall of hir, did even as she had
willed him. And bicause she was buried in the church of the Franciscans,
besides her father and grandfather, and gave them in reward onelie six
crownes, whereas they hoped for a greater preie; shortlie after it
chanced, that as he felled certeine
woods and sold them, they desired
him to give them some part thereof freelie without monie: which he flatlie
denied. This they tooke verie greevouslie. And whereas before they
misliked him, now they conceived such displeasure as they devised this
meanes to be revenged; to wit, that his wife was damned for ever. The
cheefe workemen and framers of this tragedie were Colimannus, and
Stephanus Aterbatensis, both doctors of divinitie; this Coliman. was a
great conjuror, & had all his implements in a readines, which he was woont
to use in such busines. And thus they handled the matter. They place over
the arches of the church, a yoong novice; who about midnight, when they
came to mumble their pralers, as they were woont to do, maketh a great
rumbling, and noise. Out of hand the moonks beganne to conjure and to
charme, but he answered nothing. Then being required to give a signe,
whether he were a dumme spirit or no, he beganne to rumble againe: which
thing they tooke as a certeine signe. Having laid this foundation, they go
unto certeine citizens, cheefe men, and such as favoured them, declaring
that a heavie chance had happened at home in their monasterie; not shewing
what the matter was, but desiring them to come to their mattens at
midnight. When these citizens were come, and that praiers were begunne,
the counterfet spirit beginneth to make a marvellous noise in the top of
the church. And being asked what he meant, and who he was, gave signes
that it was not lawfull for him to speake. Therefore they commanded him to
make answer by tokens and signes to certeine things they would demand of
him. Now was there a hole made in the vawt, through the which he might
heare and understand the voice of the conjuror. And then had he in his
hand a litle boord, which at everie question, he strake, in such sort as
he might easilie be heard beneath. First they asked him, whether he were
one of them that had beene buried in the same place. Afterwards they
reckoning manie by name, which had been buried there; at the last also
they name the Maiors wife: and there by and by the spirit gave a signe
that he was hir soule. He was further asked, whether he were damned or no;
and if he were, for what cause, for what desert, or fault; whether for
covetousnes, or wanton lust, for pride or want of charitie; or whether it
were for heresie, or for the sect of Luther newlie sproong up: also what
he meant by that noise and stirre he kept there; whether it were to have
the bodie now buried in holie ground to be digged up againe, and laid in
some other place. To all which points he answered by signes, as he was
commanded, by the which he affirmed or denied anie thing, according as he
strake the boord twise or thrise together. And when he had thus given them
to understand, that the verie cause of his damnation was Luthers heresie,
and that the bodie must needs be digged up againe: the moonks requested
the citizens, whose presence they had used or rather abused, that they
would beare witnesse of those things which they had seene with their eies;
and that they would subscribe to such things as were doone a few days
before. The citizens taking good advise on the matter, least they should
offend the Major, or bring themselves in trouble, refused so to doo. But
the moonks notwithstanding take from thence the sweete bread, which they
called the host and bodie of our Lord, with all the relikes of saintes,
and carrie them to another place, and there saie their masse. The bishops
substitute judge (whome they called Officiall) understanding that matter,
commeth thither, accompanied with certeine honest men, to the intent he
might knowe the whole circumstance more exaetlie: and therefore he
commandeth them to make conjuration in his presence; and also he requireth
certeine to be chosen to go up into the top of the vawt, and there to see
whether any ghost appeered or not. Stephanus Aterbatensis stiffelie denied
that to be lawfull, and marvellouslie persuading the contrarie, affirmed
that the spirit in no wise ought to be troubled. And albeit the Official
urged them verie much, that there might be some conjuring of the spirit;
yet could he nothing prevaile.
Whilest these things were dooing, the Maior, when he had shewed the
other Justices of the citie, what he would have them to doo, tooke his
journie to the king, and opened the whole matter unto him. And bicause the
moonks refused judgement upon plea of their owne lawes and liberties, the
king choosing out certeine of the aldermen of Park, giveth them absolute
and full authoritie to
make inquirie of the matter. The
like dooth the Chancelor maister Anthonius Pratensis cardinall and legat
for the pope throughout France. Therefore, when they had no exception to
alledge, they were conveied unto Paris, and there constrained to make
their answer. But yet could nothing be wroong out of them by confession,
whereupon they were put apart into divers prisons: the novice being kept
in the house of maister Fumanus, one of the aldermen, was oftentimes
examined, and earnestlie requested to utter the truth, but would
notwithstanding confesse nothing; bicause he feared that the moonks would
afterwards put him to death for staining their order, and putting it to
open shame. But when the judges had made him sure promise that he should
escape punishment, and that he should never come into their handling, he
opened unto them the whole matter as it was doone: and being brought
before his fellowes, avouched the same to their faces. The moonks, albeit
they were convicted, and by these meanes almost taken tarde with the deed
doing; yet did they refuse the judges, bragging and vaunting themselves on
their priviledges, but all in vaine. For sentence passed upon them, and
they were condemned to be carried backe againe to Orleance, and there to
be cast in prison, and so should finallie be brought foorth into the
cheefe church of the citie openlie, and from thence to the place of
execution, where they should make open confession of their trespasses.
Surelie this was most common among moonks and friers, who mainteined
their religion, their lust, their liberties, their pompe, their wealth,
their estimation and knaverie by such cousening practises. Now I will shew
you more speciall orders of popish conjurations, that are so shameleslie
admitted into the church of Rome, that they are not onelie suffered, but
commanded to be used, not by night secretlie, but by daie impudentlie. And
these forsooth concerne the curing of bewitched persons, and such as are
possessed; to wit, such as have a divell put into them by witches
inchantments. And herewithall I will set downe certeine rules delivered
unto us by such popish doctors, as are of greatest reputation.
CHAPTER XXIV. Who may be
conjurors in the Romish church besides priests, a ridiculous
definition of superstition, what words are to be used and not used in
exoreismes, rebaptisme allowed, it is lawfull to conjure any thing,
differences betweene holie water and coniuration.
THOMAS AQUINAS saith [in 4 dist. 23. sent.], that anie bodie, though he
be of an inferior or superior order, yea though of none order at all (and
as Gulielmus Durandus glossator Raimundi affirmeth, a woman so
she blesse not the girdle or the garment, but the person of the bewitched)
hath power to exercise the order of an exorcist or conjuror, even as well
as any preest may saie masse in a house unconsecrated. But that is (saith
M. Mal.) rather through the goodnesse and licence of the pope,
than through the grace of the sacrament. Naie, there are examples set
downe, where some being bewitched were cured (as M. Mal. taketh
it) without any conjuration at all. Marrie there were certeine Pater
nosters, Aves, and Credos said, and crosses made, but they
are charmes, they saie, and no conjurations. For they saie that such
charmes are lawful], bicause there is no superstition in them, &c.
And it is woorth my labour, to shew you how papists define
superstition, and how they expound the definition thereofi Superstition (saie
they) is a religion observed beyond measure, a religion practised with
evill and unperfect circumstances. Also, whatsoever usurpeth the name of
religion, through humane tradition, without the popes authoritie, is
superstitious: as to adde to joine
anie hymnes to the masse, to
interrupt anie diriges, to abridge anie part of the creed in the singing
thereof, or to sing when the organs go, and not when the quier singeth,
not to have one to helpe the priest to masse: and such like, &c.
These popish exorcists doo manie times forget their owne rules. For
they should not directlie in their conjurations call upon the divell (as
they doo) with intreatie, but with authoritie and commandement. Neither
should they have in their charmes and conjurations anie unknowne names.
Neither should there be (as alwaies there is) anie falshood conteined in
the matter of the charme of conjuration, as (saie they) old women have in
theirs, when they saie; The blessed virgine passed over Jordan, and then
S. Steven met hir, and asked hir, &c. Neither should they have anie other
vaine characters, but the crosse (for those are the words:) and manie
other such cautions have they, which they observe not, for they have made
it lawfull elsewhere.
But Thomas their cheefe piller prooveth their conjuring and charmes
lawfull by S. Marke, who saith [Mk. 16, 17]; Signa eos qui
credidaerunt; And, In nomine meo dæmonia ejicient, &c;
whereby he also prooveth that they maie conjure serpents. And there he
taketh paines to proove, that the words of God are of as great holinesse
as relikes of saints, whereas (in such respect as they meane) they are
both alike, and indeed nothing woorth. And I can tell them further, that
so they maie be carried, as either of them maie doo a man much harme
either in bodie or soule.
But they proove this by S. Augustine, saieng; Non est minus verbum
Dei, quàm corpus Christi: whereupon they conclude thus; By all mens
opinions it is lawfull to carrie about reverentlie the relikes of saints;
Ergo it is lawfull against evill spirits, to invocate the name of
God everie waie; by the Pater noster, the Ave, the
nativitie, the passion, the five wounds, the title triumphant, by the
seven words spoken on the crosse, by the nailes, &c: and there maie be
hope reposed in them. Yea, they saie [Mal. malef. par. 3. quæ 2.]
it is lawfull to conjure all things, bicause the divell maie have power in
all things. And first, alwaies the person or thing, wherein the divell is,
must be exorcised, and then the divell must be conjured. Also they affirme,
that it is as expedient to consecrate and conjure porrage and meate, as
water and salt, or such like things.
The right order of exorcisme in rebaptisme of a person possessed or
bewitched, requireth that exsufflation and abrenunciation be doone toward
the west. Item, there must be erection of hands, confession, profession,
oration, benediction, imposition of hands, denudation and unction, with
holie oile after baptisme, communion, and induition of the surplis. But
they saie that this needeth not, where the bewitched is exorcised: but
that the bewitched be first confessed, and then to hold a candle in his
hand, and in steed of a surplise to tie about his bare bodie a holie
candle of the length of Christ, or of the crosse whereupon he died, which
for monie maie be had at Rome. Ergo (saith M. Mal.) this maie be
said; I conjure thee Peter or Barbara being sicke, but regenerate in the
holie water of baptisme, by the living God, by the true God, by the holie
God, by the God which redeemed thee with his pretious bloud, that thou
maiest be made a conjured man, that everie fantasie and wickednesse of
diabolicall deceipt doo avoid and depart from thee, and that everie
uncleane spirit be conjured through him that shall come to judge the
quicke and the dead, and the world by fier, Amen: Oremus, &c. And
this conjuration, with Oremus, and a praier, must be thrise
repeated, and at the end alwaies must be said; Ergo maledicte diabole
recognosce sententiam tuam, &c. And this order must alwaies be
followed. And finallie, there must be diligent search made, in everie
corner, and under everie coverlet and pallet, and under everie threshhold
of the doores, for instruments of witchcraft. And if anie be found, they
must streightwaie be throwne into the fier. Also they must change all
their bedding, their clothing, and their habitation. And if nothing be
found, the partie that is to be exorcised or conjured, must come to the
church rath in the morning: and the holier the daie is, the better,
speciallie our Ladie daie. And the preest, if he be shriven himselfe and
in perfect state, shall doo the better therein. And let him that is
exorcised hold a holie candle in his hand, &c. Alwaies provided, that the
holie water be throwne upon him, and a stoale put about his necke, with
Deus in adjutorium, and the Letanie, with invocation of saints.
And this order maie continue thrise a
weeke, so as (saie they) through
multiplication of intercessors, or rather intercessions, grace maie be
obteined, and favor procured.
There is also some question in the Romish church, whether the sacrament
of the altar is to be received before or after the exorcisme. Item in
shrift, the confessor must learne whether the partie be not excommunicate,
and so for want of absolution, endure this vexation. Thomas sheweth the
difference betwixt holie water and conjuration, saieng that holie water
driveth the divell awaie from the externall and outward parts; but
conjurations from the internall and inward parts; and therefore unto the
bewitched partie both are to be applied.
CHAPTER XXV. The seven reasons
why some are not rid of the divell with all their popish conjurations, why
there were no conjurors in the primitive church, and why the divell is not
so soone cast out of the bewitched as of the possessed.
THE reason why some are not remedied for all their conjurations, the
papists say is for seven causes. First, for that the faith of the standers
by is naught; secondlie, for that theirs that present the partie is no
better; thirdlie, bicause of the sinnes of the bewitched; fourthlie, for
the neglecting of meete remedies; fiftlie, for the reverence of vertues
going out into others; sixtlie, for the purgation; seventhlie, for the
merit of the partie bewitched. And lo, the first foure are proved by
Matthew the 7. and Marke the 4. when one presented his sonne, and the
multitude wanted faith, & the father said, Lord help mine incredulitie or
unbeleefe. Wherupon was said, Oh faithlesse and perverse generation, how
long shall I be with you? And where these words are written; And Jesus
rebuked him, &c. That is to saie, saie they, the possessed or bewitched
for his sinnes. For by the neglect of due remedies it appeereth, that
there were not with Christ good and perfect men: for the pillers of the
faith; to wit, Peter, James, and John were absent. Neither was there
fasting and praier, without the which that kind of divels could not be
cast out. For the fourth point; to wit, the fault of the exorcist in faith
maie appeare; for that aiterwards the disciples asked the cause of their
impotencie therin. And Jesus answered, it was for their incredulitie;
saieng that if they had as much faith as a graine of mustard seed, they
should move mountaines, &c. The lift is prooved by Vitas patrum,
the lives of the fathers, where it appeereth that S. Anthonie could not
doo that cure, when his scholar Paule could doo it, and did it. For the
proofe of the sixt excuse it is said, that though the fault be taken awaie
therby; yet it followeth not that alwaies the punishment is released. Last
of all it is said, that it is possible that the divell was not conjured
out of the partie before baptisme by the exorcist, or the midwife hath not
baptised him well, but omitted some part of the sacrament. If any object
that there were no exorcists in the primitive church, it is answered, that
the church cannot now erre. And saint Gregorie would never have instituted
it in vaine. And it is a generall rule, that who or whatsoever is newlie
exorcised must be rebaptised: as also such as walke or talke in their
sleepe; for (saie they) call them by their names, and presentlie they
wake, or fall if they clime: whereby it is gathered, that they are not
trulie named in baptisme. Item they saie, it is somewhat more difficult to
conjure the divell out of one bewitched, than out of one possessed:
bicause in the bewitched, he is double; in the other single. They have a
hundred such beggerlie, foolish, and frivolous notes in this behalfe.
SURELIE I cannot see what difference or distinction the witchmongers
doo put betweene the knowledge and power of God and the divell; but that
they think, if they praie, or rather talke to God, till their hearts ake,
he never heareth them; but that the divell dooth knowe everie thought and
imagination of their minds, and both can and also will doo any thing for
them. For if anie that meaneth good faith with the divell read certeine
conjurations, he commeth up (they saie) at a trice. Marrie if another that
hath none intent to raise him, read or pronounce the words, he will not
stirre. And yet J. Bodin confesseth, that he is afraid to read such
conjurations as John Wierus reciteth; least (belike) the divell would come
up, and scratch him with his fowle long nailes. In which sort I woonder
that the divell dealeth with none other, than witches and conjurors. I for
my part have read a number of their conjurations, but never could see anie
divels of theirs, except it were in a plaie. But the divell (belike)
knoweth my mind; to wit, that I would be loth to come within the compasse
of his clawes. But lo what reason such people have. Bodin, Bartholomeus
Spineus, Sprenger, and Institor, &c: doo constantlie affirme, that witches
are to be punished with more extremitie than conjurors; and sometimes with
death, when the other are to be pardoned doing the same offense: bicause
(say they) the witches make a league with the divell, & so doo not
conjurors. Now if conjurors make no league by their owne confession, and
divels indeed know not our cogitations (as I have sufficientlie prooved)
then would I weet of our witchmongers the reason, (if I read the
conjuration and performe the ceremonie) why the divell will not come at my
call? But oh absurd credulitie! Even in this point manie wise & learned
men have beene & are abused: wheras, if they would make experience, or
dulie expend the cause, they might be soone resolved; specially when the
whole art and circumstance is so contrarie to Gods word, as it must be
false, if the other be true. So as you may understand, that the papists do
not onlie by their doctrine, in bookes & sermons teach & publish
conjurations, & the order thereof whereby they may induce men to bestowe,
or rather cast awaie their monie upon masses and suffrages for their
soules; but they make it also a parcell of their sacrament of orders (of
the which number a conjuror is one) and insert manie formes of
conjurations into their divine service, and not onelie into their
pontificals, but into their masse bookes; yea into the verie canon of the
masse.
CHAPTER XXVII. Certaine
conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missall.
BUT see yet a little more of popish conjurations, and conferre them
with the other. In the pontificall you shall find this conjuration, which
the other conjurors use as solemnelie as they:
I conjure thee thou creature of water in the name of the fa+ther, of
the so+nne, and of the Holie+ghost, that thou drive awaie the divell
from the bounds of the just, that he remaine not in the darke corners of
this church and altar.
You shall find in the same title, these words following, to be used at
the hallowing of the churches. There must a crosse of ashes be made upon
the pavement, from one end of the church to the other, one handfull broad:
and one of the priests must write on the one side
thereof the Greeke alphabet, and on
the otherside the Latin alphabet, Durandus yeeldeth this reason
thereof; to wit, It representeth the union in faith of the Jewes and
Gentiles. And yet well agreeing to himselfe he saith even there, that the
crosse reaching from the one end to the other, signifieth that the people,
which were in the head, shalbe made the taile.
¶ A conjuration written in the masse booke. Fol. I.
I conjure thee O creature of salt by God, by the God + that liveth,
by the true + God, by the holie + God, which by Elizæus the
prophet commanded, that thou shouldest be throwne into the water, that
it thereby might be made whole and sound, that thou salt [here let the preest looke upon the salt]
maist be conjured for the health of all beleevers, and that thou be to
all that take thee, health both of bodie and soule; and let all
phantasies and wickednesse, or diabolicall craft or deceipt, depart from
the place whereon it is sprinkled; as also everie uncleane spirit, being
conjured by him that judgeth both the quicke and the dead by fier.
Resp:
Amen.
Then followeth a praier to be said, without Dominus vobiscum;
but yet with Oremus; as followeth:
¶ Oremus.
Almightie and everlasting God, we humblie desire thy clemency
[here let the preest looke upon the salt]
that thou wouldest vouchsafe, through thy pietie, to bl+esse and
sanc+tifie this creature of salt, which thou hast given for the use of
mankind, that it may be to all that receive it, health of mind and bodie;
so as whatsoever shall be touched thereby, or sprinkled therewith, may
be void of all uncleannesse, and all resistance of spirituall iniquitie,
through our Lord, Amen.
What can be made but a conjuration of these words also, which are
written in the canon, or rather in the saccaring of masse?
This holie commixtion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus
Christ, let it be made to me, and to all the receivers thereof, health
of mind and bodie, and a wholesome preparative for the deserving and
receiving of everlasting life, through our Lord Jesus, Amen.
CHAPTER XXVIII. That popish
priests leave nothing unconjured, aforme of exorcisme for incense.
ALTHOUGH the papists have manie conjurations, so as neither water, nor
fier, nor bread, nor wine, nor wax, nor tallowe, nor church, nor
churchyard, nor altar, nor altar cloath, nor ashes, nor coles, nor belles,
nor bell ropes, nor copes, nor vestments, nor oile, nor salt, nor candle,
nor candle-sticke, nor beds, nor bedstaves, &c; are without their forme of
conjuration: yet I will for brevitie let all passe, and end here with
incense, which they doo conjure in this sort +.
I conjure thee most filthy and horrible spirit, and everie vision of
our enimie, &c: that thou go and depart from out of this creature of
frankincense, with all thy deceipt and wickednes, that this creature may
be sanctified, and in the name of our Lord + Jesus + Christ + that all
they that taste, touch, or smell the same, may receive the virtue and
assistance of the Holie-ghost; so as wheresoever this incense or
frankincense shall remaine, that there thou in no wise be so bold as to
approch or once presume or attempt to hurt: but what uncleane spirit so
ever thou be, that thou with all thy craft and subtiltie avoid and
depart, being conjured by the name of God the father almightie, &c. And
that wheresoever the fume or smoke thereof shall come, everie kind and
sort of divels may be driven awaie, and expelled; as they were at the
increase of the liver of fish, which the archangell Raphaell made, &c.
CHAPTER XXIX. The rules and
lawes of popish Exorcists and other conjurors all one, with a confutation
of their whole power, how S. Martine conjured the divell
THE papists you see, have their certeine generall rules and lawes, as
to absteine from sinne, and to fast, as also otherwise to be cleane from
all pollusions, &c: and even so likewise have the other conjurors. Some
will saie that papists use divine service, and praiers; even so doo common
conjurors as you see) even in the same papisticall forme, no whit swarving
from theirs in aith and doctrine, nor yet in ungodlie and unreasonable
kinds of petitions. Me thinks it may be a sufficient argument, to
overthrow the calling up and miraculous works of spirits, that it is
written; God onelie knoweth and searcheth the harts, and onelie worketh
great woonders. The which argument being prosecuted to the end, can never
be answered: insomuch as that divine power is required in that action. [I.
Sam. 16, 7. I. Reg. 8, 39. Jere. 17, 10. Psal. 44, 21. Psal. 72, 18.]
And if it be said, that in this conjuration we speake to the spirits,
and they heare us, & therefore need not know our thoughts and
imaginations: I first aske them whether king Baell, or
Amoimon, which are spirits reigning in the furthest regions of the
east (as they saie) may heare a conjurors voice, which calleth for them,
being in the extreamest parts of the west, there being such noises
interposed, where perhaps also they may be busie, and set to worke on the
like affaires. Secondlie, whether those spirits be of the same power that
God is, who is everiewhere, filling all places, and able to heare all men
at one instant, &c. Thirdlie, whence commeth the force of such words as
raise the dead, and command divels. If sound doo it, then may it be doone
by a taber and a pipe, or any other instrument that hath no life. If the
voice doo it, then may it be doone by any beasts or birds. If words, then
a parret may doo it. If in mans words onlie, where is the force, in the
first, second, or third syllable? If in syllables, then not in words. If
in imaginations, then the divell knoweth our thoughts. But all this stuffe
is vaine and fabulous.
It is written [Sap. 1. 14. Ecclesi. 9. Gen. 1.]; All the generations of
the earth were healthfull and there is no poison of destruction in them.
Why then doo they conjure holsome creatures; as salt, water, &c: where no
divels are? God looked upon all his works, and sawe they were all good.
What effect (I praie you) had the 7. sonnes of Sceva [Act. 19.];
which is the great objection of witchmongers? They would needs take upon
them to conjure divels out of the possessed. But what brought they to
passe? Yet that was in the time, whilest God suffered miracles commonlie
to be wrought. By that you may see what conjurors can doo.
Where is such a promise to conjurors or witches, as is made in the
Gospell [Mark 16.17.] to the faithfull? where it is written; In my name
they shall cast out divels, speake with new toongs: if they shall drinke
any deadlie thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall take awaie serpents,
they shall laie hands on the sicke, and they shall recover. According to
the promise, this grant of miraculous working was performed in the
primitive church, for the confirmation of Christs doctrine, and the
establishing of the Gospell.
But as in another p]ace I have prooved, the gift thereof was but for a
time, and is now ceased; neither was it ever made to papist, witch, or
conjuror. They take upon them to call up and cast out divels; and to undoo
with one divell, that which another divell hath doone. If one divell could
cast out another, it were a kingdome divided, and could not stand. Which
argument Christ himselfe maketh: and therfore I maie the more boldlie saie
even with Christ, that they have no such power. For besides him, there is
no saviour, none can deliver out of his hand. Who but hee can declare, set
in order, appoint, and tell what is to come? He destroieth the tokens of
soothsaiers, and maketh the conjecturers fooles, &c. He declareth things
to come, and so cannot witches. [Isai. 43. 11. verse. 13. cap. 44. verse.
7. verse. 25.]
There is no helpe in inchanters and soothsaiers, and other such vaine
sciences. For divels are cast out by the finger of God, which Matthew
calleth the spirit of God, which is the mightie power of God, and not by
the vertue of the bare name onelie, being spoken or pronounced: for then
might everie wicked man doo it. And Simon Magus needed not then to have
proffered monie to have bought the power to doo miracles and woonders:for
he could speake and pronounce the name of God, as well as the apostles.
Indeed they maic soone throwe out all the divels that are in frankincense,
and such like creatures, wherein no divels are: but neither they, nor all
their holie water can indeed cure a man possessed with a divell, either in
bodie or mind; as Christ did. Naie, why doo they not cast out the divell
that possesseth their owne soules? [Isai. 46. 10. cap. 47. vers. 12. 13,
&c. Luke, 11. 20. Matt. 12. 28. Acts, 8. 19.]
Let me heare anie of them all speake with new toongs, let them drinke
but one dramme of a potion which I will prepare for them, let them cure
the sicke by laieng on of hands (though witches take it upon them, and
witchmongers beleeve it) and then I will subscribe unto them. But if they,
which repose such certeintie in the actions of witches and conjurors,
would diligentlie note their deceipt, and how the scope whereat they
shoote is monie (I meane not such witches as are falselie accused, but
such as take upon them to give answers, &c: as mother Bungie did)
they should apparentlie see the cousenage. For they are abused, as are
manie beholders of jugglers, which suppose they doo miraculouslie, that
which is doone by slight and subtiltie.
But in this matter of witchcrafts and conjurations, if men would rather
trust their owne eies, than old wives tales and lies, I dare undertake
this matter would soone be at a perfect point; as being easier to be
perceived than juggling. But I must needs confesse, that it is no great
marvell, though the simple be abused therein, when such lies concerning
those matters are mainteined by such persons of account, and thrust into
their divine service. As for example: It is written that S. Martine thrust
his fingers into ones mouth that had a divell within him, and used to bite
folke; and then did bid him devoure them if he could. And bicause the
divell could not get out at his mouth, being stopt with S. Martins
fingers, he was fame to run out at his fundament. O stinking lie!
CHAPTER XXX. That it is a
shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors dooings, their owne being
of so litle force, Hipocrates his opinion herein.
AND still me thinks papists (of all others) which indeed are most
credulous, and doo most mainteine the force of witches charmes, and of
conjurors cousenages, should perceive and judge conjurors dooings to be
void of effect. For when they see their owne stuffe, as holie water, salt,
candles, &c: conjured by their holie bishop and preests; & that in the
words of consecration or conjuration (for so their owne doctors terme
them) they adjure the water, &c: to heale, not onelie the soules
infirmitie, but also everie maladie, hurt, or ach of the bodie; and doo
also command the candles, with the force of all their authoritie and
power, and by the effect of all their holie words, not to consume: and yet
neither soule nor bodie anie thing recover, nor the candles last one
minute the longer: with what face can they defend the others miraculous
workes; as though the witches and conjurors actions were more effectuall
than their owne? Hippocrates being but a heathen, and not having the
perfect knowledge of God, could see and perceive their cousenage and
knaverie well enough, who saith; They which boast so, that they can
remoove or helpe the infections of diseases, with sacrifices,
conjurations, or other magicall instruments or meanes, are but needie
fellowes, wanting living; and therefore referre their words to the
divell: bicause they would seeme to
know somewhat more than the common people. It is marvell that papists doo
affirme, that their holie water, crosses, or bugges words have such vertue
and violence, as to drive awaie divels: so as they dare not approch to
anie place or person besmeered with such stuffe; when as it appeareth in
the gospell, that the divell presumed to assault and tempt Christ himselfe.
For the divell indeed most ernestlie busieth himselfe to seduce the godlie:
as for the wicked, he maketh reckoning and just accompt of them, as of his
owne alreadie. But let us go forward in our refutation.
CHAPTER XXXI. How conjurors
have beguiled witches, what bookes they carie about to procure credit to
their art, wicked assertions against Moses and Joseph.
THUS you see that conjurors are no small fooles. For whereas witches
being poore and needie, go from doore to doore for releefe, have they
never so manie todes or cats at home, or never so much hogs doong and
charvill about them, or never so manie charmes in store: these conjurors
(I saie) have gotten them offices in the church of Rome, wherby they have
obteined authoritie & great estimation. And further, to adde credit to
that art, these conjurors carrie about at this daie, bookes intituled
under the names of Adam, Abel, Tobie, & Enoch; which Enoch
they repute the most divine fellow in such matters. They have also among
them bookes that they saie Abraham, Aaron and Salomon
made. Item they have bookes of Zacharie, Paule, Honorius, Cyprian,
Jerome, Jeremie, Albert, and Thomas: also of the angels,
Riziel, Razael, and Raphael; and these doubtlesse were such
bookes as were said to have beene burnt in the lesser Asia [Acts. 19.].
And for their further credit they boast, that they must be and are
skilfull and learned in these arts; to wit, Ars Almadell, ars Notoria,
ars Bulaphiæ ars Arthephii, ars Pomena, ars Revelationis, &c. Yea,
these conjurors in corners sticke not (with Justine [lib. 16.])
to report and affirme, that Joseph, who was a true figure of Christ that
delivered and redeemed us, was learned in these arts, and thereby
prophesied and expounded dreames: and that those arts came from him to
Moses, and finallie from Moses to them: which thing both Plinie [lib. 30.
cap. 2.] and Tacitus affirme of Moses. Also Strabo in his cosmographie
[lib. 16.] maketh the verie like blasphemous report. And likewise
Apollonius, Molon, Possidonius, Lisimachus, and Appian terme
Moses both a magician and a conjuror: whom Eusebius
confuteth with manie notable arguments. For Moses differed as much from a
magician, as truth from falshood, and pietie from vanitie: for in truth,
he confounded all magicke, and made the world see, and the cunningest
magicians of the earth confesse, that their owne dooings were but
illusions, and that his miracles were wrought by the finger of God. But
that the p oore old witches knowledge reacheth thus farre (as Danæus
affirmeth it dooth [in dialog. de sortiariis.]) is untrue: for
their furthest fetches that I can comprehend, are but to fetch a pot of
milke, &c: from their neighbors house, halfe a mile distant from them.
CHAPTER XXXII. All magicall
arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero, what Cornelius Agrippa and
Carolus Gallus have left written thereof and prooved by experience.
SURELIE Nero prooved all these magicall arts to be vaine and fabulous
lies, and nothing but cousenage and knaverie. He was a notable prince,
having gifts of nature enow to have conceived such matters, treasure
enough to have emploied in the search thereof, he made no conscience
therein, he had singular conferences thereabout; he offered, and would
have given halfe his kingdome to have learned those things, which he heard
might be wrought by magicians; he procured all the cunning magicians in
the world to come to Rome, he searched for bookes also, and all other
things necessarie for a magician; and never could find anie thing in it,
but cousenage and legierdemaine. At length he met with one Tiridates, the
great magician, who having with him all his companions, and fellowe
magicians, witches, conjurors, and couseners, invited Nero to certeine
magicall bankets and exercises. Which when Nero required to learne, he (to
hide his cousenage) answered that he would not, nor could not teach him,
though he would have given him his kingdome. The matter of his refusall (I
saie) was, least Nero should espie the cousening devises thereof. Which
when Nero conceived, and sawe the same, and all the residue of that art to
be vaine, lieng and ridiculous, having onelie shadowes of truth, and that
their arts were onelie veneficall; he prohibited the same utterlie, and
made good and strong lawes against the use and the practisers thereof: as
Plinie and others doo report. It is marvell that anie man can be so much
abused, as to suppose that sathan may be commanded, compelled, or tied by
the power of man: as though the divell would yeeld to man, beyond nature;
that will not yeeid to God his creator, according to the rules of nature.
And in so much as there be (as they confesse) good angels as well as bad;
I would know whie they call up the angels of hell, and not call downe the
angels of heaven. But this they answer (as Agrippa saith [de vanitat.
scient.].) Good angels (forsooth) doo hardlie appeare, and the other
are readie at hand. Here I may not omit to tell you how Cor. Agrippa
bewraieth, detecteth, and defaceth this art of conjuration, who in his
youth travelled into the bottome of all these magicall sciences, and was
not onelie a great conjuror and practiser thereof, but also wrote
cunninglie De occulta philosophia. Howbeit, afterwards in his
wiser age, he recanteth his opinions, and lamenteth his follies in that
behalfe, and discovereth the impietie and vanities of magicians, and
inchanters, which boast they can doo miracles: which action is now ceased
(saith he) and assigneth them a place with Jannes and Jambres, affirming
that this art teacheth nothing but vaine toies for a shew. Carolus Gallus
also saith; I have tried oftentimes, by the witches and conjurors
themselves, that their arts (especiallie those which doo consist of
charmes, impossibilities, conjurations, and witchcrafts, whereof they were
woont to boast) to be meere foolishnes, doting lies, and dreames. I for my
part can saie as much, but that I delight not to alledge mine owne proofes
and authorities; for that mine adversaries will saie they are parciall,
and not indifferent.
CHAPTER XXXIII. Of Salomons
conjurations, and of the opinion conceived of his cunning and practise
therein.
IT is affirmed by sundrie authors, that Salomon was the first inventor
of those conjurations; and thereof Josephus is the first reporter, who in
his fift booke De Judæorum antiquitatibus, cap. 22. rehearseth
soberlie this stone following; which Polydore Virgil, and manie
other repeat verbatim, in this wise, and seeme to credit the fable,
whereof there is skant a true word.
Salomon was the greatest philosopher, and did philosophic about all
things, and had the full and perfect knowlege of all their proprieties:
but he had that gift given from above to him, for the profit and health of
mankind: which is effectuall against divels. He made also inchantments,
wherewith diseases are driven awaie; and left diverse maners of
conjurations written, whereunto the divels giving place are so driven
awaie, that they never returne. And this kind of healing is very common
among my countrimen: for I sawe a neighbour of mine, one Eleazer, that in
the presence of Vespasian and his sonnes, and the rest of the souldiers,
cured many that were possessed with spirits. The maner and order of his
cure was this. He did put unto the nose of the possessed a ring, under the
scale wherof was inclosed a kind of roote, whose verture Salomon declared,
and the savour thereof drewe the divell out at his nose; so as downe fell
the man, and then Eleazer conjured the divell to depart, & to return no
more to him. In the meane time he made mention of Salomon, reciting
incantations of Salomons owne making. And then Eleazer being willing to
shew to standers by his cunning, and the wonderfull efficacie of his art,
did set not faire from thence, a pot or basen full of water, & commanded
the divell that went out of the man, that by the overthrowing thereof, he
would give a signe to the beholders, that he had utterlie forsaken and
leaft the man. Which thing being doone, none there doubted how great
Salomons knowledge and wisedome was. Wherin a jugling knacke was produced,
to confirme a cogging cast of knaverie or cousenage.
Another stone of Salomons conjuration I find cited in the sixt lesson,
read in the church of Rome upon S. Margarets daie, far more ridiculous
than this. Also Peter Lombard maister of the sentences, and Gratian his
brother, the compiler of the golden decrees; and Durandus in his
Rationale divinorum, doo all soberlie affirme Salomons cunning in
this behalfe; and speciallie this tale; to wit, that Salomon inclosed
certeine thousand divels in a brasen bowle, and left it in a deepe hole or
lake, so as afterwards the Babylonians found it, and supposing there had
beene gold or silver therein, brake it, and out flew all the divels, &c.
And that this fable is of credit, you shall perceive, in that it is
thought woorthie to be read in the Romish church as parcell of their
divine service [Lect. 5. & 6.]. Looke in the lessons of S.
Margarets daie the virgine, and you shall find these words verbatim: which
I the rather recite, bicause it serveth me for divers turnes; to wit, for
Salomons conjurations, for the tale of the brasen vessell, and for the
popes conjurations, which extended both to faith and doctrine, and to shew
of what credit their religion is, that so shamefullie is stained with lies
and fables.
CHAPTER XXXIV. Lessons read
in all churches, where the pope hath authoritie, on S. Margarets daie,
translated into Enghsh word for word.
H0LIE Margaret required of GOD, that she might have a conflict face to
face with hir secret enimie the divell; and rising from praier, she sawe a
terrible dragon, that would have devoured hir, but she made the signe of
the crosse, and the dragon burst in the middest.
Afterwards, she sawe another man sitting like a Niger, having his hands
bound fast to his knees, she taking him by the haire of the head, threw
him to the ground, and set hir foote on his head; and hir praiers being
made, a light shined from heaven into the prison where she was, and the
crosse of Christ was scene in heaven, with a doove sitting thereon, who
said; Blessed art thou O Margaret, the gates of paradise attend thy
comming. Then she giving thanks to God, said to the divell, Declare to me
thy name. The divell said; Take awaie thy foote from my head, that I may
be able to speake, and tell thee: which being done, the divell said, I am
Veltis, one of them whome Salomon shut in the brasen vessell, and
the Babylonians comming, and supposing there had beene gold therein, brake
the vessell, and then we flew out: ever since lieng in wait to annoie the
just. But seeing I have recited a part of hir storie, you shall also have
the end therof: for at the time of hir execution this was hir praier
following.
Grant therefore O father, that whosoever writeth, readeth, or heareth
my passion, or maketh memoriall of me, may deserve pardon for all his
sinnes: whosoever calleth on me, being at the point of death, deliver
him out of the hands of his adversaries. And I also require, O Lord,
that whosoever shall build a church in the honor of me, or ministreth
unto me anie candles of his just labour, let him obteine whatsoever he
asketh for his health. Deliver all women in travell that call upon me,
from the danger thereof.
Hir praier ended, there were manic great thunderclaps, and a doove came
downe from heaven, saieng; Blessed art thou O Margaret the spouse of
Christ. Such things as thou hast asked, are granted unto thee; therefore
come thou into everlasting rest, &c. Then the hangman (though she did bid
him) refused to cut off hir head: to whome she said; Except thou doo it,
thou canst have no part with me, and then lo he did it, &c. But sithens I
have beene, and must be tedious, I thought good to refresh my reader with
a lamentable storie, depending upon the matter precedent, reported by
manic grave authors, word for word, in maner and forme following.
CHAPTER XXXV. A delicate storie
of a Lombard, who by S. Margarets example would needs fight with a reall
divell.
THERE was (after a sermon made, wherein this storie of S. Margaret was
recited, for in such stuffe consisted not onelie their service, but also
their sermons in the blind time of poperie:) there was (I saie) a certeine
yoong man, being a Lombard, whose simplicitie was such, as he had no
respect unto the commoditie of worldlie things, but did altogither affect
the salvation of his soule, who hearing how great S. Margarets triumph
was, began to consider with himselfe, how full of slights the divell was.
And among other things thus he
said; Oh that God would suffer,
that the divell might fight with me hand to hand in visible forme! I would
then surelie in like maner overthrow him, and would fight with him till I
had the victorie. And therefore about the twelfe houre he went out of the
towne, and finding a convenient place where to praie, secretlie kneeling
on his knees, he praied among other things, that God would suffer the
divell to appeare unto him in visible forme, that according to the example
of S. Margaret, he might overcome him in battell. And as he was in the
middest of his praiers, there came into that place a woman with a hooke in
hir hand, to gather certeine hearbs which grew there, who was dumme borne.
And when she came into the place, and saw the yoong man among the hearbs
on his knees, she was afraid, and waxed pale, and going backe, she rored
in such sort, as hir voice could not be understood, and with hir head and
fists made threatning signes unto him. The yoong man seeing such an
ilfavoured fowle queane, that was for age decrepit and full of wrinkles,
with a long bodie, leane of face, pale of colour, with ragged cloathes,
crieng verie lowd, and having a voice not understandable, threatning him
with the hooke which she carried in hir hand, he thought surelie she had
beene no woman, but a divell appearing unto him in the shape of a woman,
and thought God had heard his praiers. For the which causes he fell upon
hir lustilie, and at length threw hir downe to the ground, saieng; Art
thou come thou curssed divell, art thou come? No no, thou shalt not
overthrow me in visible fight, whome thou hast often overcome in invisible
temptation.
And as he spake these words, he caught hir by the haire, and drew hir
about, beating hir sometimes with his hands, sometimes with his heeles,
and sometimes with the hooke so long, and wounded hir so sore, that he
left hir a dieng. At the noise whereof manie people came running unto
them, and seeing what was doone, they apprehended the yoong man, and
thrust him into a vile prison. S. Vincent by vertue of his holines
understanding all this matter, caused the bodie that seemed dead to be
brought unto him, and thereupon (according to his maner) he laid his hand
upon hir, who immediatlie revived, and he called one of his chaplines to
heare hir confession. But they that were present said to the man of God,
that it were altogether in vaine so to doo, for that she had beene from
hir nativitie dumbe, and could neither heare nor understand the priest,
neither could in words confesse hir sinnes. Notwithstanding, S. Vincent
bad the priest heare hir confession, affirming that she should verie
distinctlie speake all things unto him. And therfore, whatsoever the man
of God commanded, the priest did confidentlie accomplish and obeie: and as
soone as the priest approched unto hir, to heare hir confession, she,
whome all Cathalonia knew to be dumbe borne, spake, and confessed hir
selfe, pronouncing everie word as distinctue, as though she had never
beene dumbe. After hir confession she required the eucharist and extreame
unction to be ministred unto hir, and at length she commended hir selfe to
God; and in the presence of all that came to see that miracle, she spake
as long as she had anie breath in hir bodie. The yoong man that killed hir
being saved from the gallowes by S. Vincents meanes, and at his
intercession, departed home into Italie. This stone last rehearsed is
found in Speculo exemplorum, and repeated also by Robert Garocul:
bishop of Aquinas, and manie others, and preached publikelie in the church
of Rome.
CHAPTER XXXVI. The storie of
Saint Margaret prooved to be both ridiculous and impious in everie point.
FIRST, that the storie of S. Margaret is a fable, may be prooved by the
incredible, impossible, foolish, impious, and blasphemous matters
conteined therein, and by the ridiculous circumstance thereof. Though it
were cruellie doone of hir to beat the divell, when his hands were bound;
yet it was
courteouslie doone of hir, to pull
awaie hir foot at his desire. He could not speake so long as she troad on
his head, and yet he said; Tread off, that I may tell you what I am. She
sawe the heavens open, and yet she was in a close prison. But hir sight
was verie cleare, that could see a little dove sitting upon a crosse so
farre off. For heaven is higher than the sunne; and the sunne, when it is
neerest to us, is 3966000. miles from us. And she had a good paire of
eares, that could heare a dove speake so farre off. And she had good lucke,
that S. Peter, who (they saie) is porter, or else the pope, who hath more
dooings than Peter, had such leisure as to staie the gates so on for hir.
Salomon provided no good place, neither tooke good order with his brasen
bowle. I marvell how they escaped that let out the divels. It is marvell
also they melted it not with their breath long before: for the divels
carrie hell and hell fier about with them alwaies; in so much as (they
saie) they leave ashes evermore where they stand. Surelie she made in hir
praier an unreasonable request. But the date of hir patent is out: for I
beleeve that whosoever at this daie shall burne a pound of good candle
before hir, shall be never the better, but three pence the worsse. But now
we may find in S. Margarets life, who it is that is Christes wife: whereby
we are so much wiser than we were before. But looke in the life of S.
Katharine, in the golden legend, and you shall find that he was also
married to S. Katharine, and that our ladie made the marriage, &c. An
excellent authoritie for bigamie. Here I will also cite other of their
notable stories, or miracles of authoritie, and so leave shaming of them,
or rather troubling you the readers thereof. Neither would I have written
these fables, but that they are authentike among the papists, and that we
that are protestants may be satisfied, as well of conjurors and witches
miracles, as of the others: for the one is as grosse as the other.
CHAPTER XXXVII. A pleasant miracle
wrought by a popish preest.
WHAT time the Waldenses heresies beganne to spring, certeine wicked
men, being upheld and mainteined by diabolicall vertue, shewed certeine
signes and woonders, wherby they strengthened and confirmed their
heresies, and perverted in faith many faithfull men; for they walked on
the water and were not drowned. But a certeine catholike preest seeing the
same, and knowing that true signes could not be joined with false
doctrine, brought the bodie of our Lord, with the pix, to the water, where
they shewed their power and vertue to the people, and said in the hearing
of all that were present:
I conjure thee O divell, by him, whom I carrie in my hands, that thou
exercise not these great visions and phantasies by these men, to the
drowning of this people.
Notwithstanding these words, when they walked still on the water, as
they did before, the preest in a rage threw the bodie of our Lord, with
the pix into the river, and by and by, so soone as the sacrament touched
the element, the phantasie gave place to the veritie; and they being
prooved and made false, did sinke like lead to the bottome, and were
drowned; the pix with the sacrament immediatlie was taken awaie by an
angell. The preest seeing all these things, was verie glad of the miracle,
but for the losse of the sacrament he was verie pensive, passing awaie the
whole night in teares and moorning: in the morning he found the pix with
the sacrament upon the altar.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. The former miracle
confuted, with a strange storie of saint Lucie.
HOW glad Sir John was now it were follie for me to saie. How would he
have plagued the divell, that threw his god in the river to be drowned?
But if other had had no more power to destroie the Waldenses with sword
and fier, than this preest had to drowne them with his conjuring boxe &
cousening sacraments, there should have beene many a life saved. But I may
not omit one fable, which is of authoritie, wherein though there be no
conjuration expressed, yet I warrant you there was cousenage both in the
dooing and telling thereof. You shall read in the lesson on saint
Lucies daie, that she being condemned, could not be remooved from the
place with a teeme of oxen, neither could any fier burne hir, insomuch as
one was faine to cut off hir head with a sword, and yet she could speake
afterwards as long as she list. And this passeth all other miracles,
except it be that which Bodin and M. Mal. recite out of Nider,
of a witch that could not be burned, till a scroll was taken awaie from
where she hid it, betwixt hir skin and flesh.
CHAPTER XXXIX. Of visions, noises,
apparitions, and imagined sounds, and of other illusions, of wandering
soules: with a confutation thereof
MANIE thorough melancholic doo imagine, that they see or heare visions,
spirits, ghosts, strange noises, &c: as I have alreadie prooved before, at
large. Manie againe thorough feare proceeding from a cowardlie nature and
complexion, or from an effeminate and fond bringing up, are timerous and
afraid of spirits, and bugs, &c. Some through imperfection of sight also
are afraid of their owne shadowes, and (as Aristotle saith) see themselves
sometimes as it were in a glasse. And some through weakenesse of bodie
have such unperfect imaginations. Droonken men also sometimes suppose they
see trees walke, &c: according to that which Salomon saith to the
droonkards; Thine eies shall see strange visions, and mervellous
appearances.
In all ages moonks and preests have abused and bewitched the world with
counterfet visions; which proceeded through idlenes, and restraint of
marriage, wherby they grew hot and lecherous, and therefore devised such
meanes to compasse and obteine their loves. And the simple people being
then so superstitious, would never seeme to mistrust, that such holie men
would make them cuckholds, but forsooke their beds in that case, and gave
roome to the cleargie. Item, little children have beene so scared with
their mothers maids, that they could never after endure to be in the darke
alone, for feare of bugs. Manie are deceived by glasses through art
perspective. Manie hearkening unto false reports, conceive and beleeve
that which is nothing so. Manie give credit to that which they read in
authors. But how manie stories and bookes are written of walking spirits
and soules of men, contrarie to the word of God; a reasonable volume
cannot conteine. How common an opinion was it among the papists, that all
soules walked on the earth, after they departed from their bodies? In so
much as it was in the time of poperie a usuall matter, to desire sicke
people in their death beds, to appeare to them after their death, and to
reveale their estate. The fathers and ancient doctors of the church were
too credulous herein,
&c. Therefore no mervell, though
the common simple sort of men, and least of all, that women be deceived
herein. God in times past did send downe visible angels and appearances to
men; but now he dooth not so. Through ignorance of late in religion, it
was thought, that everie churchyard swarmed with soules and spirits: but
now the word of God being more free, open, and knowne, those conceipts and
illusions are made more manifest and apparent, &c.
The doctors, councels, and popes, which (they saie) cannot erre, have
confirmed the walking, appearing, & raising of soules. But where find they
in the scriptures anie such doctrine? And who certified them, that those
appearances were true? Trulie all they cannot bring to passe, that the
lies which have beene spread abroad herein, should now beginne to be true,
though the pope himselfe subscribe, seale, and sweare thereunto never so
much. Where are the soules that swarmed in times past? Where are the
spirits? Who heareth their noises? Who seeth their visions? Where are the
soules that made such mone for trentals, whereby to be eased of the paines
in purgatorie? Are they all gone into Italie, bicause masses are growne
deere here in England? Marke well this illusion, and see how contrarie it
is unto the word of God. Consider how all papists beleeve this illusion to
be true, and how all protestants are driven to saie it is and was popish
illusion. Where be the spirits that wandered to have buriall for their
bodies? For manie of those walking soules went about that busines. Doo you
not thinke, that the papists shew not themselves godlie divines, to preach
and teach the people such doctrine; and to insert into their divine
service such fables as are read in the Romish church, all scripture giving
place thereto for the time? You shall see in the lessons read there upon
S. Stevens daie, that Gamaliel Nichodemus his kinsman, and Abdias his
sonne, with his freend S. Steven, appeared to a certeine preest, called
Sir Lucian, requesting him to remove their bodies, and to burie them in
some better place (for they had lien from the time of their death, untill
then, being in the reigne of Honorius the emperor; to wit, foure hundred
yeeres buried in the field of Gamaliel, who in that respect said to Sir
Lucian; Non mei solummodo causa solicitus sum, sed potius pro illis
qui mecum sunt; that is, I am not onlie carefull for my selfe, but
cheefelie for those my friends that are with me. Whereby the whole course
may be perceived to be a false practise, and a counterfet vision, or
rather a lewd invention. For in heaven mens soules remaine not in sorow
and care; neither studie they there how to compasse and get a worshipfull
buriall here in earth. If they did, they would not have foreslowed it so
long. Now therefore let us not suffer our selves to be abused anie longer,
either with conjuring preests, or melancholicall witches; but be thankfull
to God that hath delivered us from such blindness and error.
CHAPTER XL. Cardanus opinion of strange
noises, how counterfit visions grow to be credited, of popish appeerances,
of pope Boniface.
CARDANUS speaking of noises, among other things, saith thus; A noise is
heard in your house; it may be a mouse, a cat, or a dog among dishes; it
may be a counterfet or a theefe indeed, or the fault may be in your eares.
I could recite a great number of tales, how men have even forsaken their
houses, bicause of such apparitions and noises: and all bath beene by
meere and ranke knaverie. And wheresoever you shall heare, that there is
in the night season such rumbling and fearefull noises, be you well
assured that it is flat knaverie, performed by some that seemeth most to
complaine, and is least mistrusted. And hereof there is a verie art, which
for some respects I will not discover. The divell seeketh dailie as well
as nightlie whome he may devoure,
and can doo his feats as well by
daie as by night, or else he is a yoong divell, and a verie bungler. But
of all other couseners, these conjurors are in the highest degree, and are
most worthie of death for their blasphemous impietie. But that these
popish visions and conjurations used as well by papists, as by the popes
themselves, were meere cousenages; and that the tales of the popes recited
by Bruno and Platina, of their magicall devises, were but plaine
cousenages and knaveries, may appeare by the historic of Bonifacius the
eight, who used this kind of inchantment, to get away the popedome from
his predecessor Coelestinus. He counterfetted a voice through a cane reed,
as though it had come from heaven, persuading him to yeeld up his
authoritie of popeship, and to institute therein one Bonifacius, a
worthier man: otherwise he threatened him with damnation. And therfore the
foole yedded it up accordinglie, to the said Bonifacius, An. 1264. of whom
it was said; He came in like a fox, lived like a woolfe, and died like a
dog.
There be innumerable examples of such visions, which when they are not
detected, go for true stories: and therefore when it is answered that some
are true tales and some are false, untill they be able to shew foorth
before your eies one matter of truth, you may replie upon them with this
distinction; to wit: visions tried are false visions, undecided and
untried are true.
CHAPTER XLI. Of the noise or sound
of eccho, of one that narrowlie escaped drowning thereby, &c.
ALAS! how manie naturall things are there so strange, as to manie seeme
miraculous; and how manic counterfet matters are there, that to the simple
seeme yet more wonderfull? Cardane [H. Card. lib. de subtilitat. 18.]
telleth of one Gomensis, who comming late to a rivers side, not knowing
where to passe over, cried out alowd for some bodie to shew him the foord:
who hearing an eccho to answer according to his last word, supposing it to
be a man that answered him and informed him of the waie, he passed through
the river, even there where was a deepe whirlepoole, so as he hardlie
escaped with his life; and told his freends, that the divell had almost
persuaded him to drowne himselfe. And in some places these noises of eccho
are farre more strange than other, speciallie at Ticinum in Italie, in the
great hall, where it rendereth sundrie and manifold noises or voices,
which seeme to end so lamentablie, as it were a man that laie a dieng; so
as few can be persuaded that it is the eccho, but a spirit that answereth.
The noise at Winchester was said to be a verie miracle, and much
wondering was there at it, about the yeare 1569. though indeed a meere
naturall noise ingendered of the wind, the concavitie of the place, and
other instrumentall matters helping the sound to seeme strange to the
hearers; speciallie to such as would adde new reports to the augmentation
of the woonder.
CHAPTER XLII. Of Theurgie, with a
confutation thereof a letter sent to me concerning these matters.
THERE is yet another art professed by these consening conjurors, which
some fond divines affirme to be more honest and lawfull than necromancie,
which is called Theurgie; wherein they worke by good angels. Howbeit,
their ceremonies are altogether papisticall and superstitious, consisting
in cleanlines
partlie of the mind, partlie of the
bodie, and partlie of things about and belonging to the bodie; as in the
skinne, in the apparell, in the house, in the vessell and houshold stuffe,
in oblations and sacrifices; the cleanlines whereof they saie, dooth
dispose men to the contemplation of heavenlie things. They cite these
words of Esaie for their authoritie; to wit: Wash your selves and be
cleane, &c. In so much as I have knowne diverse superstitious persons of
good account, which usuallie washed all their apparell upon conceits
ridiculouslie. For uncleanlinesse (they say) corrupteth the aire,
infecteth man, and chaseth awaie deane spirits. Hereunto belongeth the art
of Almadel, the art of Paule [Ars Paulina], the art of
Revelations, and the art Notarie [Ars Notoria]. But (as Agrippa saith) the
more divine these arts seeme to the ignorant, the more damnable they be.
But their false assertions, their presumptions to worke miracles, their
characters, their strange names, their diffuse phrases, their counterfet
holines, their popish ceremonies, their foolish words mingled with
impietie, their barbarous and unlearned order of construction, their
shameles practises, their paltrie stuffe, their secret dealing, their
beggerlie life, their bargaining with fooles, their cousening of the
simple, their scope and drift for monie dooth bewraie all their art to be
counterfet cousenage. And the more throughlie to satisfie you herein, I
thought good in this place to insert a letter, upon occasion sent unto me,
by one which at this resent time lieth as a prisoner condemned for this
verie matter in the kings bench, and reprived by hir majesties mercie,
through the good mediation of a most noble and vertuous personage, whose
honorable and godlie disposition at this time I will forbeare to commend
as I ought. The person truelie that wrote this letter seemeth unto me a
good bodie, well reformed, and penitent, not expecting anie gaines at my
hands, but rather fearing to speake that which he knoweth further in this
matter, least displeasure might ensue and follow.
The copie of a letter
sent unto me R. S. by T. E. Maister of art, and practiser both of
physicke, and atso in times past, of certeine vaine sciences; now
condemned to die for the same: wherein he openeth the truth touching these
deceits.
MAISTER R. SCOT, according to your request, I have drawne out certeine
abuses worth the noting, touching the worke you have in hand; things which
I my selfe have seene within these xxvi. yeares, among those which were
counted famous and skilfull in those sciences. And bicause the whole
discourse cannot be set downe, without nominating certeine persons, of
whom some are dead & some living, whose freends remaine yet of great
credit in respect therof I knowing that mine enimies doo alreadie in
number exceed my freends; I have considered with my selfe, that it is
better for me to staie my hand, than to commit that to the world, which
may increase my miserie more than releeve the same. Notwithstanding,
bicause I am noted above a great manie others to have had some dealings in
those vaine arts and wicked practises; I am therefore to signifie unto
you, and I speake it in the presence of God, that among all those famous
and noted practisers, that I have beene conversant withall these xxvi.
yeares, I could never see anie matter of truth to be doone in those wicked
sciences, but onelie meere cousenings and illusions. And they, whome I
thought to be most skilfull therein, sought to see some things at my
hands, who had spent my time a dozen or fourteen years, to my great losse
and hinderance, and could never at anie time see anie one truth, or
sparkle of truth therein. Yet at this present I stand worthilie condemned
for the same; for that, contrarie to my princes lawes, and the lawe of
God, and also to mine owne conscience, I did spend my time in such vaine
and wicked studies and practises: being made and remaining a spectacle for
all others to receive warning by. The Lord grant I may be the last (I
speake it from my hart) and I wish it, not onlie in my native coutrie, but
also through the whole face of the earth, speciallie among Christians. For
mine owne part I lament my time lost, & have repented me five years past:
at which time I sawe a booke,
written in the old Saxon toong, by
one Sir John Malborne a divine of Oxenford, three hundred yeares past:
wherein he openeth all the illusions & inventions of those arts and
sciences: a thing most worthie the noting. I left the booke with the
parson of Slangham in Sussex, where if you send for it in my name, you may
have it. You shall thinke your labour well bestowed, and it shall greatlie
further the good enterprise you have in hand: and there shall you see the
whole science throughlie discussed, and all their illusions and cousenages
deciphered at large. Thus craving pardon at your hands for that I promised
you, being verie fearefull, doubtfull, and loth to set my hand or name
under any thing that may be offensive to the world, or hurtfull to my
selfe, considering my case, except I had the better warrant from my L. of
Leicester, who is my verie good Lord, and by whome next under God (hir
Majestie onelie excepted) I have beene preserved; and therefore loth to
doo any thing that may offend his Lordships eares. And so I leave your
Worship to the Lords keeping, who bring you and all your actions to good
end and purpose, to Gods glorie, and to the profit of all Christians. From
the bench this 8. of March, 1582. Your Worships poore and desolate friend
and servant, T. E.
I sent for this booke of purpose, to the parson of Slangham,
and procured his best friends, men of great worship and credit, to deale
with him, that I might borrowe it for a time. But such is his follie and
superstition, that although he confessed he had it; yet he would not lend
it: albeit a friend of mine, being knight of the shire would have given
his word for the restitution of the same safe and sound.
The conclusion therefore shall be this, whatsoever heeretofore hath
gone for currant, touching all these fallible arts, whereof hitherto I
have written in ample sort, he now counted counterfet, and therefore not
to be allowed no not by common sense, much lesse by reason, which should
sift such cloked and pretended practises, turmng them out of their rags
and patched clowts, that they may appeere discovered, and shew themselves
in their nakednesse. Which will be the end of everie secret intent, privie
purpose, hidden practise, and close devise, have they never such shrowds
and shelters for the time: and be they with never so much cautelousnesse
and subtill circumspection clouded and shadowed, yet will they at length
be manifestlie detected by the light, according to that old rimed verse:
Quicquid nix celat, solis calor omne revelat:
What thing soever snowe dooth hide,
Heat of the sunne dooth make it spide.
And according to the verdict of Christ, the true Nazarite, who never
told untruth, but who is the substance and groundworke of truth it selfe,
saieng; Nihil est tam occultum quod non sit detegendum, Nothing
is so secret, but it shall be knowne and revealed. [Matt. 10, 26. Mark 4,
22. Luke. 8, 17.] |
