¶ The xv. Booke. 376. (continued 2)

//The fashion or forme of the conjuring knife, with the names theron to bee graven or written.

420. 302.A type or figure of the circle for the maister and his fellowes to sit in, shewing how and after what fashion it should be made.

This is the circle for the maister to sit in, and his fellowe or fellowes, at the first calling, sit backe to backe, when he calleth the spirit; and for the fairies make this circle with chalke on the ground, as is said before. This spirit Bealphares being once called and found, shall never have power to hurt thee. Call him in the houre of ♃ or ♀ the ☽ increasing.//

The xv. Chapter.421. 303.

The making of the holie water.*[* These Rom.]

XORCISO†Absque exorcismo sal non sit sanctus. [† Lat. in small Ital.] te creaturam salis, per Deum vivum ✠ per Deum ✠ verum ✠ per Deum sanctum ✠ per Deum qui te per Elizœum prophetam in aquam mitti jussit, ut sanaretur sterilitas aquæ, ut efficiaris sal exorcisatus in salutem credentium; ut sis omnibus te sumentibus sanitas animæ & corporis, & effugiat atque discedat ab eo loco, qui aspersus fuerit omnis phantasia & nequitia, vel versutia diabolicæ fraudis, omnisq; spiritus immundus, adjuratus per eum, qui venturus est judicare vivos & mortuos, & sæculum per ignem, Amen. Oremus:

Immensam clementiam tuam, omnipotens ceterne Deus, humiliter imploramus, ut hanc creaturam salis, quam in usum generis humani tribuisti, bene✠dicere & sancti✠ficare tua pietate digneris, ut sit omnibus sumentibus salus mentis & corporis, ut quicquid ex eo tactum fuerit, vel respersum, careat omni immundicia, omniq; impugnatione spiritualis nequitiæ, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit & regnat in unitate spiritus sancti, Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum, Amen.

To the water saie also as followeth.

EXorciso te creaturam aquæ in nomine ✠ patris ✠ & Jesu Christi filii ejus Domini nostri, & in virtute spiritus ✠ sancti ✠ ut fias aqua exorcisata, ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici, & ipsum inimicum eradicare & explantare valeas, cum angelis suis apostatis, per virtutem ejusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui venturus est judicare vivos & mortuos, & sæculum per ignem, Amen. Oremus:

Deus, qui ad salutem humani generis maxima quæque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti, adesto propitius invocationibus nostris, & elemento huic multimodis purificationibus præparato, virtutem tuæ bene✠dictionis infunde, ut creatura tua mysteriis tuis serviens, ad abigendos dæmones, morbosq; pellendos, divinæ gratiæ sumat effectum, ut quicquid in domibus, vel in locis fidelium hæc unda resperserit, careat omni immundicia, liberetur à noxa, non illic resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens, discedant omnes insidiæ latentis inimici, & si quid est, quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquæ effugiat, ut salubritas per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita ab omnibus sit impugnationibus defensa, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit & regnat, in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum, Amen./

304.Then take the salt in thy hand, and saie putting it into the water, making in the maner of a crosse.

Oratio ad Deum ut sali exorcisato vires addat. Commixtio salis & aquæ pariter fiat, in nomine patris, & filii, & spiritus sancti, Amen. Dominus vobiscum, Et cum spiritu tuo, Oremus: ¶ Deus invictæ virtutis author, & insuperabilis imperii rex, ac semper magnificus triumphator, qui adversæ dominationis vires reprimis, qui inimici rugientis sævitiam superas, qui hostiles nequitias potens expugnas; te Domine trementes & supplices deprecamur ac petimus, ut hanc creaturam salis & aquæ aspicias, benignus illustres, pietatis tuæ rore sancti fices, ubicunq; fuerit aspersa, per invocationem sancti tui nominis, omnis infestatio immundi spiritus abjiciatur, terrórq; venenosi serpentis procul pellatur, &/422. præsentia sancti spiritus nobis misericordiam tuam poscentibus ubiq; adesse dignetur, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit & regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum, Amen.

Then sprinkle upon anie thing, and saie as followeth.

Oratio, in qua dicenda, exorcista sese sacri laticis aspergine debes perrorare.Asperges me Domine hyssopo, & mundabor, lavabis me, & supra nivem dealbabor. Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam, & supra nivem dealbabor. Gloria patri, & filio, & spiritui sancto: Sicut erat in principio, & nunc, & semper, & in sæcula sæculorum, Amen. Et supra nivem dealbabor, asperges me, &c. Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam, & salutare tuum da nobis; exaudi nos Domine sancte, pater omnipotens, æterne Deus, & mittere dignare sanctum angelum tuum de cælis, qui custodiat, foveat, visitet, & defendat omnes habitantes in hoc habitaculo, per Christum Dominum nostrum, Amen, Amen.

The xvi. Chapter.

To make a spirit to appeare in a christall.

DOO conjure thee N. by the father, and the sonne, and the Holie-ghost, the which is the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, and by the latter daie of judgement, that thou N. doo appeare, in this christall stone, or anie other instrument, at my pleasure, to mee and to my felow, gentlie and beautifullie, in faire forme of a boy of twelve yeares of age, without hurt or damage of anie of our bodies or soules; and certeinlie to informe and to shew me, without anie guile or craft, all that we doo desire or demand of thee to know, by the vertue of him, which shall come to judge the quicke and the dead, and the world by fier, Amen.

Also I conjure and exorcise theeMarke how consonant this is with poperie, &c. N. by the sacrament of the altar, and by the substance therof, by the wisedome of Christ, by the sea, and by his vertue, by the earth, & by all things that are above the earth,/305. and by their vertues, by the ☉ and the ☽ by ♄ ♃ ♂ and ♀ and by their vertues, by the apostles, martyrs, confessors, and the virgins and widowes, and the chast, and by all saints of men or of women, and innocents, and by their vertues, by all the angels and archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim, and seraphim, and by their vertues, & by the holie names of God, Tetragrammaton, El, Ousion, Agla, and by all the other holie names of God, and by their vertues, by the circumcision, passion, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the heavines of our ladie the virgine, and by the joy which she had/423. when she sawe hir sonne rise from death to life, that thou N. doo appeare in this christall stone, or in anie other instrument, at my pleasure, to me and to my felow, gentlie, and beautifullie, and visiblie, in faire forme of a child of twelve yeares of age, without hurt or damage of anie of our bodies or soules, and trulie to informe and shew unto me & to my felow, without fraud or guile, all things according to thine oth and promise to me, whatsoever I shall demand or desire of thee, without anie hinderance or tarrieng, and this conjuration be read of me three times, upon paine of eternall condemnation, to the last daie of judgement: Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen.

And when he is appeared, bind him with the bond of the dead above written: then saie as followeth.For hidden treasure. ¶ I charge thee N. by the father, to shew me true visions in this christall stone, if there be anie treasure hidden in such a place N. & wherin it lieth, and how manie foot from this peece of earth, east, west, north, or south.

The xvii. Chapter.

An experiment of the dead.

IRST go and get of some person that shalbe put to death, a promise, and sweare an oth unto him, that if he will come to thee, after his death, his spirit to be with thee, and to remaine with thee all the daies of thy life, and will doo thee true service, as it is conteined in the oth and promise following. Then laie thy hand on thy booke, and sweare this oth unto him.Promises & oths interchangeablie made betweene the conjuror & the spirit. I N. doo sweare and promise to thee N. to give for thee an almesse everie moneth, and also to praie for thee once in everie weeke, to saie the Lords praier for thee, and so to continue all the daies of my life, as God me helpe and holie doome, and by the contents of this booke. Amen.

Then let him make his oth to thee as followeth, and let him saie after thee, laieng his hand upon the booke. ¶ I N. doo sweare this oth to thee N. by God the father omnipotent, by God the son Jesus Christ, and by his pretious bloud which hath redeemed all the world, by the which bloud I doo trust to be saved at the generall daie of judgment, and by the vertues therof, I N. doo sweare this oth to thee N. that my spirit that is within my bodie now,/424. shall not ascend, nor descend, nor go to anie place of rest, but shall come to thee N. and be verie well pleased to remaine/306. with thee N. all the daies of thy life, and so to be bound to thee N. and to appeare to thee N. in anie christall stone, glasse, or other mirror, and so to take it for my resting place. And that, so soone as my spirit is departed out of my bodie, streightwaie to be at your commandements, and that in and at all daies, nights, houres, and minutes, to be obedient unto thee N. being called of thee by the vertue of our Lord Jesu Christ, & out of hand to have common talke with thee at all times, and in all houres & minuts, to open and declare to thee N. the truth of all things present, past, and to come, and how to worke the magike art, and all other noble sciences, under the throne of God.Note the penaltie of breaking promise with the spirit. If I doo not performe this oth and promise to thee N. but doo flie from anie part thereof, then to be condemned for ever and ever. Amen.

Also I N. doo sweare to thee by God the Holie-ghost, and by the great wisedome that is in the divine Godhead, and by their vertues, and by all the holie angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by all their vertues doo I N. sweare, and promise thee to be obedient as is rehearsed. And heere, for a witnesse, doo I N. give thee N. my right hand, and doo plight thee my faith and troth, as God me helpe and holiedoome. And by the holie contents in this booke doo I N. sweare, that my spirit shall be thy true servant, all the daies of thy life, as is before rehearsed. And here for a witnesse, that my spirit shall be obedient to thee N. and to those bonds of words that be written in this N. before the bonds of words shall be rehearsed thrise; else to be damned for ever: and thereto saie all faithfull soules and spirits, Amen, Amen.

Then let him sweare this oth *three* Three times, in reverence (peradventure) of the Trinitie, P. F. S S. times, and at everie time kisse the booke, and at everie time make marks to the bond. Then perceiving the time that he will depart, get awaie the people from you, and get or take your stone or glasse, or other thing in your hand, and saie the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo, and this praier as followeth. And in all the time of his departing, rehearse the bonds of words; and in the end of everie bond, saie oftentimes; Remember thine oth and promise. And bind him stronglie to thee, and to thy stone, and suffer him not to depart, rea/ding425. thy bond 24 times. And everie daie when you doo call him by your other bond, bind him stronglie by the first bond: by the space of 24 daies applie it, & thou shalt be made a man for ever.

Now the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo must be said, and then the praier immediatlie following.

O God†[† This par. in smaller type.] of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Tobias; the which diddest deliver the three children from the hot burning oven, Sidrac, Misac and Abdenago,‡ [‡ sic] and Susanna from the false crime, and Daniel from the lions power: even so O Lord omnipotent, I beseech thee, for thy great mercie sake, to helpe me in these my works, and to deliver me this spirit of N. that he may be a true subject to me N. all the daies of my life, and to remaine with me, and with this N. all the daies of my life./307. O glorious God, Father, Sonne, and Holie-ghost, I beseech thee to help me at this time, and to give me power by thine holie name, merits and vertues, wherby I may conjure & constreine this spirit of N. that he may be obedient unto me, and may fulfill his oth and promise, at all times, by the power of all thine holines. This grant O Lord God of hosts, as thou art righteous and holy, and as thou art the word, and the word God, the beginning and the end, sitting in the thrones of thine everlasting kingdoms, & in the divinitie of thine everlasting Godhead, to whom be all honour and glorie, now and for ever and ever, Amen, Amen.

The xviii. Chapter.

A bond to bind him to thee, and to thy N. as followeth.

N.Note the summe of this obligation or bond. conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the living God, by the true God, and by the holie God, and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constreine the spirit of thee N. that thou shalt not ascend nor descend out of thy bodie, to no place of rest, but onelie to take thy resting place with *N.[* i.e. me] and with this N. all the daies of my life, according to thine oth and promise. I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by these holie names of God ✠ Tetragrammaton ✠ Adonay ✠ Agla ✠ Saday ✠ Sabaoth ✠ planabothe ✠ panthon ✠ craton ✠ neupmaton ✠ Deus ✠ homo ✠ omnipotens ✠ sempiternus ✠ ysus ✠ terra ✠ unigenitus ✠ salvator ✠ via ✠ vita ✠ manus ✠ fons ✠ origo ✠ filius ✠ and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. that thou shalt not rest nor remaine in the fier, nor in the water, in the aier, nor in anie privie place of the earth, but onelie with me N. and with this N. all the/426. daies of my life. I charge the spirit of N. upon paine of everlasting condemnation, remember thine oth and promise. Also I conjure the spirit of N. and constreine thee by the excellent name of Jesus Christ, Α and Ω, the first and the last; for this holie name of Jesus is above all names, for †unto† Scripture as well applied of the conjuror, as that of satan in tempting Christ, Matth. 4, 6. it all knees doo bow and obey, both of heavenlie things, earthlie things, and infernalles. Nor is there anie other name given to man, whereby we have anie salvation, but by the name of Jesus. Therefore by the name, and in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and by his nativitie, resurrection and ascension, and by all that apperteineth to his passion, and by their vertues and powers, I doo conjure and constreine the spirit of N. that thou shalt not take anie resting place in the ☉ nor in the ☽ nor in ♄ nor in ♃ nor in ♂ nor in ♀ nor in ☿ nor in anie of the twelve signes, nor in the concavitie of the clouds, nor in anie other privie place, to rest or staie in, but onelie with me N. or with this N. all the daies of my life. If thou be not obedient unto me, according to thine oth and promise, I N. doo condemne the spirit of N. into the pit of hell for ever, Amen.

I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the bloud of the innocent lambe Jesus Christ, the which was shed upon the crosse, for all those that/308. doo obeie unto it, and beleeve in it, shall be saved and by the vertue thereof, and by all the aforesaid riall names and words of the living God by mee pronounced, I doo conjure and constreine the spirit of N. that thou be obedient unto me, according to thine oth and promise.Note what sore penalties the spirit is injoined to suffer for disobedience. If thou doo refuse to doo as is aforesaid, I N. by the holie trinitie, and by his vertue and power doo comdemne the spirit of N. into the place whereas there is no hope of remedie, but everlasting condemnation, and horror, and paine upon paine, dailie, horriblie, & lamentablie the paines there to be augmented, so thicke as the stars in the firmament, and as the gravell sand in the sea: except thou spirit of N. obeie me N. as is afore rehearsed; else I N. doo condemne the spirit of N. into the pit of everlasting condemnation; Fiat, fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee, and constreine the spirit of N. by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim & seraphim, & by the foure evangelists, Matthew, Marke, Luke, and John, and by all things conteined in the old lawe and the new, and by their vertues, and by the twelve apo/stles,427. and by all patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, confessors, virgins, innocents, and by all the elect and chosen,*[* ? which or that] is, and shall be, which followeth the lambe of God; and by their vertues and powers I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. stronglie, to have common talke with me, at all times, and in all daies, nights, houres, and minuts, and to talke in my mother toong plainelie, that I may heare it, and understand it, declaring the truth unto me of all things, according to thine oth and promise; else to be condemned for ever; Fiat, fiat, Amen.

Also I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the *golden* There is no mention made in the gospels that Christ was woorth a golden girdle. girdle, which girded the loines of our Lord Jesus Christ, so thou spirit of N. be thou bound, and cast into the pit of everlasting condemnation, for thy great disobedience and unreverent regard that thou hast to the holie names and words of God almightie, by me pronounced: Fiat, Amen.

Also I conjure, constreine, command, and bind the spirit of N. by the two edged sword, which John saw proceed out of the mouth of God almightie:Bugs words. except thou be obedient as is aforesaid, the sword cut thee in peeces, and condemne thee into the pit of everlasting paines, where the fier goeth not out, and where the worme dieth not; Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen.

Also I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. by the throne of the Godhead, and by all the heavens under him, and by the celestiall citie new Jerusalem, and by the earth, by the sea, and by all things created and conteined therein, and by their vertues and powers, and by all the infernalles, and by their vertues and powers, and all things conteined therein, and by their vertues and powers, I conjure and constreine the spirit of N. that now immediatlie thou be obedient unto me, at all times hereafter, and to those words of me pronounced, according to thine oth and promise: *else* Is it possible to be greater than S. Adelberts cursse? See in Habar. lib. 12. ca. 17: pag. 263, 264, 265. let the great cursse of God, the anger of God, the shadowe and darknesse of everlasting condemnation be upon thee thou spirit of N. for ever and ever, bicause thou hast denied thine health, thy faith, and salvation, for thy great disobedience thou are worthie to be con/demned.309. Therefore let the divine trinitie, angels, and archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and all the soules of the saints, that shall stand on the right hand of our Lord Jesus/428. Christ, at the generall daie of judgement, condemne the spirit of N. for ever and ever, and be a witnesse against thee, bicause of thy great disobedience, in and against thy promises, Fiat, fiat, Amen.

Being thus bound, he must needs be obedient unto thee, whether he will or no: proove this. And here followeth a bond to call him to your N. and to shew you true visions at all times, as in the houre of ♄ to bind or inchant anie thing, and in the houre of ♃ for peace and concord, in the houre of ♂ to marre, to destroie, and to make sicke, in the houre of the ☉ to bind toongs and other bonds of men, in the houre of ♀ to increase love, joy, and good will, in the houre of ☿ to put awaie enimitie or hatred, to know of theft, in the houre of the ☽ for love, goodwill and concord, ♄ lead ♃ tinne ♂ iron ☉ gold ♀ coppar ☿ quicksilver ☽ silver, &c.

The xix. Chapter.

This bond as followeth, is to call him into your christall stone, or glasse, &c.

LSO I doo conjure thee spirit N. by God the father, by God the sonne, and by God the holie-ghost, Α and Ω, the first and the last, and by the latter daie of judgement, of them which shall come to judge the quicke and the dead, and the world by fier, and by their vertues and powers I constreine thee spirit N. to come to him that holdeth the christall stone in his hand, & to appeare visiblie, as hereafter foloweth. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by these holie names of God ✠ Tetragrammaton ✠ Adonay ✠ El ✠ Ousion ✠ Agla ✠ Jesus ✠ of Nazareth ✠ and by the vertues thereof, and by his nativitie, death, buriall, resurrection, and ascension, and by all other things apperteining unto his passion, and by the *blessed* A popish supplement. virgine Marie mother of our Lord Jesu Christ, and by all the joy which shee had when shee saw hir sonne rise from death to life, and by the vertues and powers therof I constreine thee spirit N. to come into the christall stone, & to appeare visiblie, as herafter shalbe declared. Also I conjure thee N. thou spirit, by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by the ☉ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ♀ ☿, and by the twelve signes, and by their vertues and powers,/429. and by all things created and confirmed in the firmament, and by their vertues & powers I constreine thee spirit N. to appeare visiblie in that christall stone, in faire †forme† Belike he had the gift to appeare in sundrie shapes, as it is said of Proteus in Ovid lib. metamor. 8. fab. 10: and of Vertumnus; lib. metamor. 14. fab. 16. and shape of a white angell, a greene angell, a blacke angell, a man, a woman, a boie, a maiden virgine, a white grehound, a divell with great hornes, without anie hurt or danger of our bodies or soules, and trulie to informe and shew unto us, true visions of all things in that christall stone, according to thine oth and promise, and that without anie hinderance or/310. tarrieng, to appeare visiblie, by this bond of words read over by mee three times, upon paine of everlasting condemnation; Fiat, fiat, Amen.

Then being appeared, saie these words following.

I Conjure* [* This par. is in small type.] thee spirit, by God the father, that thou shew true visions in that christall stone, where there be anie N. in such a place or no, upon paine of everlasting condemnation, Fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by God the sonne Jesus Christ, that thou doo shew true visions unto us, whether it be gold or silver, or anie other metals, or whether there were anie or no, upon paine of condemnation, Fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by God the Holie-ghost, the which dooth sanctifie all faithfull soules and spirits, and by their vertues and powers I constreine thee spirit N. to speake, open, and to declare, the true waie, how we may come by these treasures hidden in N. and how to have it in our custodie, & who are the keepers thereof, and how manie there be, and what be their names, and by whom it was laid there, and to shew me true visions of what sort and similitude they be, and how long they have kept it, and to knowe in what daies and houres we shall call such a spirit, N. to bring unto us these treasures, into such a place N. upon paine of everlasting condemnation ✠[.] Also I constreine thee spirit N. by all angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim & seraphim, that you doo shew a true vision in this christall stone, who did conveie or steale away such a N. and where it is, & who hath it, and how farre off, and what is his or hir name, and how and when to come unto it, upon paine of eternall condemnation, Fiat, Amen. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by the ☉ ☽ ♄ ♃ ♂ ♀ ☿ and by all the characters in the firmament, that thou doo shew unto me a true vision in this christall stone,Note that the spirit is tied to obediēce under paine of condemnation and hell fier. where such N. and in what state he is, and how long he hath beene there, and what time he will be in such a place, what daie and houre: and this and all other things to declare plainelie, in paine of hell fier; Fiat, Amen.

A licence to depart.

DEpart*[* This in still smaller.] out of the sight of this christall stone in peace for a time, and readie to appeare therein againe at anie time or times I shall call thee, by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the bonds of words which are written in this booke, and to appeere visiblie, as the words be rehersed. I constreine thee spirit N. by the divinitie of the Godhead, to be obedient unto these words rehearsed, upon paine of everlasting condemnation, both in this world, and in the world to come; Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen.//

The xx. Chapter.430. 311.

When to talke with spirits, and to have true answers to find out a theefe.

HE 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. This is condemned for ranke follie by the doctors: as by Chrysos. sup. Matth. Gregor. in homil. sup. Epiphan. Domini; and others.¶ 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*[* This par. in the second-sized type.] 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.

The xxi. Chapter.

A confutation of conjuration, especiallie of the raising, binding and dismissing of the divell, of going invisible, and other lewd practises.

HUSAll the former practises breeflie confuted. 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,431. invented and devised for the augmentation and maintenance of their living, for the edifieng of the poore, and for the propagating and inlargingSee the title of the booke, with the authors intent, in a marginall note, pag. 393. [of this book.] 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/312. 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, liers, 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 hellLuk. 16. &c. (though we find in the scriptures 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;An ironicall confutation. which is a verie probable matter. Then can they bind them, and lose them at their pleasures, and make them that have beene liers 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:

But if Christ (onelie for a time) left the power of working mi/racles432. 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. Ephes. 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.Sap. 16. Ecclus. 43. It is also written, 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,To denie the subsistence or naturall being of a thing materiall and visible is impudēcie. or blacke is not at all; and yet more impudencie to hold that/313. 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 saieEzec. 8. & 9. Isai. 6, & 26 and 30. 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 knaverie in 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** John Jauregui servant to Gasper Anastro both Spaniards. Ann. Dom. 1582. March 18. after dinner upon a sundaie this mischeefe was doone. Read the whole discourse hereof printed at London for Tho: Chard and Will: Brome bookesellers. he was brought, that enterprised to kill the prince of Orenge./

The xxii. Chapter.433.

A comparison betweene popish exorcists and other conjurors, a popish conjuration published by a great doctor of the Romish church, his rules and cautions.

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,Jac. de Chusæ 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 light/ing314. 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/434. 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 itMemorandum that he must be the veriest knave or foole in all the companie. 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 suffrages, 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.

These spirits are not so cunning by daie as by 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* For so they might be bewraied. 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 shapeFor so the cousenage may be best handled. (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 will here set downe an instance,/435. latelie and truelie, though lewdlie performed: and the same in effect as followeth./

The xxiii. Chapter.315.

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.

NA cousening conjuration. the yeare of our Lord 1534. at Orleance in France, the Maiors 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,* Of this order read noble stuffe in a booke printed at Frankeford under the title of Alcoran. Franciscanorum. 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.Note how the Franciscans cannot conjure without a confederate. They place over the arches of the church, a yoong novice; who about midnight, when they came to mumble their praiers, 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, decla/ring436. 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.O notorius impudencie! with such shamelesse faces to abuse so worshipfull a companie. 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 beene 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/316. 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 confederate spirit was taught that lesson before. 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 Maior, 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 substi/tute437. 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 exactlie: 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 AterbatensisFor so might the confederate be found. 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 Paris, 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.An obstinate and wilfull persisting in the denieng or not confessing of a fault committed. 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*[* = tarred] 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/317. condemned to be carried backe againe to Orleance, and there to be cast in prison, and so should finallie be/438. 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 IA parecuasis or transition of the author to matter further purposed. 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.

The xxiiii. Chapter.

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 exorcismes, rebaptisme allowed, it is lawfull to conjure any thing, differences betweene holie water and conjuration.

HOMAS AQUINASIn 4 dist. 23. sent. saith, 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/439. said, and crosses made, but they are charmes, they saie, and no conjurations. For they saie that such charmes are lawfull, 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 thereof.Et glos. super illo ad coll. 2. 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 or joine anie hymnes to the masse, to interrupt anie diriges, to to*[* sic] 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.

Mendaces debent esse memores, multò magis astuti exorcistæ.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. Nei/ther318. 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.

Tho. Aquin. super. Marc. ultim.But Thomas their cheefe piller prooveth their conjuring and charmes lawfull by S. Marke, who saith; Signa eos qui crediderunt; And, In nomine meo dæmonia ejicient, &c:Mark, 16, 17 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.

A trimme consequentBut 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 in/vocate440. 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.Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 2. Yea, they saie 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.

Rites, ceremonies, and relikes of exorcisme in rebaptising of the possessed or bewitched.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/319. followed. And finallie, there must be diligent search made,Memorandum that this is for one bewitched. 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 streight-waie 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/441. 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.Note the proviso. 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. ThomasTho. Aquin. supr. dist. 6. 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.

The xxv. Chapter.

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.

HE reason why some are not remedied for all their conjurations, 1 2 3 4 5 6, 7 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./442. when one presented his sonne, and the multitude wanted faith, & the father said, Lord help mine incredulitie or unbeleefe.Proper proofes of the former seven reasons. 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 ap/peare;320. for that afterwards 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 fift 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.Why there were no conjurors in y^e primitive church with other subtill points. 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.

The xxvi. Chapter.443.

Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in this matter of conjurations.

URELIE 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. BodinA conjuror then belike must not be timerous or fearefull. 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.Where a witch cureth by incantation, and the conjuror by conjuration. 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, &/321. 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:/444. 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.

The xxvii. Chapter.

Certaine conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missall.

UT see yet a little more of popish conjurations, and conferre them with the other. In the *pontificall* Tit. de ecclesiæ dedicatione. 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.Ibidem, fol. 108. ❈ You shall find in the same title, these words following, to be used at the hallowing of 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. DurandusDurand. de ecclesiæ dedicatione lib. 1. fol. 12. 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. 1.445.

In Missali. fol. 1.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 throwneThe maner of conjuring salt. 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/322. 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.

ALmightieA praier to be applied to the former exorcisme. 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./

The xxviii. Chapter.446.

That popish priests leave nothing unconjured, a forme of exorcisme for incense.

LTHOUGH 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 candlesticke, 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 ✠.*[* ? sort. ✠] I conjureA conjuration of frankincense set foorth in forme. 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†[† read incense, Tobit, viii. 2, 3.] of the liver of fish, which the archangell Raphaell made, &c./

The xxix. Chapter.447. 323.

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

HE papistsPapists and conjurors cousening compeers. 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 faith 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;1. Sam. 16, 7. 1. Reg. 8, 39. Jere. 17, 10. Psal. 44, 21. Psal. 72, 18. 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.

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/448. 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.Act. 19. What effect (I praie you) had the 7. sonnes of Sceva; 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 to the faithfull?Mark 16. 17. where it is written; In my name they shall cast/324. 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 place 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 ^abesides^a Isai. 43. 11. him, there is no saviour, ^bnone^b verse. 13. cap. 44. verse. 7. verse. 25. 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. 46. 10. cap. 47. vers. 12. 13, &c. Luke. 11. 20. Matt. 12. 28. Acts, 8. 19.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/449. 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 maie 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?

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 monieMonie is the marke whereat al witches & conjurors doo aime. (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:/325. 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. MartinsS. Martins cōjuration: In die sancti Martini. lect. 1. fingers, he was faine to run out at his fundament. O stinking lie!/

The xxx. Chapter.450.

That it is a shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors dooings, their owne being of so litle force, Hipocrates his opinion herein.

ND 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** To wit, Vincent. dominica in albis: in octa. pasch. sermone. 15. Durand. de exorcist. 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 him/selfe451. 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./

The xxxi. Chapter.326.

How conjurors have beguiled witches, what bookes they carie about to procure credit to their art, wicked assertions against Moses and Joseph.

HUS 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*[* See p. 117.] about them, or never so manie charmes in store: these conjurors (I saie) have gotten them offices in the church of Rome, wherby they haveA fowle offense to backbite y^e absent, & to beelie the dead. 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 Pomenar,†[† ? Pomonæ] ars Revelationis, &c. Yea, these conjurors in corners sticke not (with Justine)Just. 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 PliniePlin. lib. 30. cap. 2. Strab. lib. 16. and Tacitus affirme of Moses. Also Strabo in his cosmographie maketh the verie like blasphemous report. And likewise Apollonius,/452. 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 poore old witches knowledge reacheth thus farre (as Danæus Dan. in dialog. de sortiariis. affirmeth it dooth) 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./

The xxxii. Chapter.327.

All magicall arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero, what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have left written thereof, and prooved by experience.

URELIE 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;Tiridates the great magician biddeth the emperor Nero to a banket, &c. 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 Nero453. 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 andNero made lawes against conjurors and conjurations. 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 yeeld 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 C. Agrip. lib. de vanitat. scient. saith.) 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,/328. 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./

The xxxiii. Chapter.454.

Of Salomons conjurations, and of the opinion conceived of his cunning and practise therein.

T 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 storie 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 philosophie 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 VespasianProbatum est upon a patient before witnes: Ergo no lie. 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 seale 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 the standers by his cunning, and the wonderfull efficacie of his art, did set not farre 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./455. 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 storie 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 GratianLib. 4 dist. 14. Decret. aureum. dist. 21 Rub. de exorcist. 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 di/vels329. 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. Looke in the lessons of S. MargaretsLect. 5. & 6. 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.

The xxxiiii. Chapter.

Lessons read in all churches, where the pope hath authoritie, on S. Margarets daie, translated into English word for word.

OLIE Margaret required of GOD, that she might have a conflict face to face with hir secret enimie the divell; and rising from praier,Lect. in die sanctissimæ Marg. vir. 5. 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.

Lect. 6.Afterwards, she sawe another man/456. 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 seene 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,Looke in the word Iidoni, pag. 383. 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** For the preests profit, I warrant you. 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.

This is cōmon (they saie) when a witch or conjuror dieth.Hir praier ended, there were manie 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; there/fore330. 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 manie grave authors, word for word, in maner and forme following./

The xxxv. Chapter.457.

A delicate storie of a Lombard, who by S. Margarets example would needs fight with a reall divell.

HERE 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. MargaretsKakozelia. 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.Mutuall error by meanes of sudden sight. 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 appea/ring458. 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/331. 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. VincentS. Vincent raiseth the dead woman to life. 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. VincentS. Vincent maketh the dumbe to speake. 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 distinctlie, 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. Dist. 8. exempl. 17. serm. 59. cap. 20.This storie last rehearsed is found in Speculo exemplorum, and repeated also by Robert Carocul: bishop of Aquinas, and manie others, and preached publikelie in the church of Rome./

The xxxvi. Chapter.459.

The storie of Saint Margaret prooved to be both ridiculous and impious in everie point.

IRST, 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.Secundùm Bordinum Corrigens. Quæsit. Math. tract. 1. sect. 77. 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 long/332. 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.Psellus de operatione dæmonum. 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/460. 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.