{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_51038/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_51038","id":"gutenberg_51038","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51038","summary":null,"tags":["Apparitions -- Early works to 1800","Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"Transcriber's Notes: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_\nand change of font text by =equal signs=. There is no Bold text\nto convert in this project. The caret character (^) is used for\nsuperscript numbers (see l. 2795)\n\nThe Greek passages were very to hard to read, and every effort has\nbeen made to reproduce them correctly.\n\nTypographical errors worth a special mention:\n\nLine 828: Original has 'Onocentanrus'. It should read: 'Onocentaurus'.\nCorrected.\n\nLine 1058: Original reads'=Paules Aegineta= writeth'. It should read:\n'=Paulus Aegineta= writeth'. Corrected.\n\nLine 1705: In the original book the abbreviation \"w[superscript 't']\nappears to be purely the author's own abbreviation for the word\n'with'. For clarity this has been changed to 'with' in this text\nversion.\n\nLine 2651: [Sidenote: The spirit of Athens.] Original reads: 'The\nspirit of Athen.'. Corrected.\n\nLine 4817: The original reads: 'in the 16. of =Ruke='. It should\nread: 'in the 16. of =Luke=.'. Corrected.\n\nLine 5848: Original contains an isolated bracket: 'life of\n=Cimon=, (as h\u00e9e is translated'. It has been left as shown in the\noriginal as uncertain as to where the missing bracket should be.\n\nLine 6173: Original reads: '(which many haue noted before mee\n(that many'. The bracket is reversed. It should read: '(which\nmany haue noted before mee) that many'. Corrected.\n\nLine 7762: Original reads: 'fault vpon his wife =Eua=,'. It should\nread:'fault vpon his wife =Eue=,'. Corrected.\n\nLine 8216: Original reads: 'passiuely, as they terme it in the\nschooles)'. The opening bracket is missing. It should read:\n'passiuely, (as they terme it in the schooles)'. Corrected.\n\n\n\n\n  OF\n  Ghostes and Spirites,\n  Walking by Night,\n\n  And of straunge Noyses, Crackes, and sundrie\n  forewarnings, which commonly happen before\n  the death of men: Great slaughters,\n  and alterations of Kingdomes.\n\n  One Booke,\n\n  Written by _Lewes Lauaterus of Tigurine_.\n\n  And translated into English by _R. H._\n\n  [Illustration]\n\n  Imprinted at London by Thomas Creede.\n  1596.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nTo the Reader.\n\n\nBeing desirous (gentle Reader) to exercise my selfe with some\ntranslation, at vacant times, and seeing, that since the Gospell\nhath been preached, this one question, touching the appearing of\nspirits and soules departed, hath not bin much handled amongst vs,\nand therfore many, otherwise well affected in religion vtterly\nignorant heerein, I thought it not amisse to take in hand some good\nand learned Treatise concerning this matter. Wherein as many haue\nboth learnedly, painfully, and religiously trauelled: so amongst\nothers, none in my iudgement hath more handsomly & eloqu\u0113tly, with\nmore iudgment & better method discoursed the same, th\u0113 _Lewes\nLauaterus_, Minister of Tigurine. Others haue h\u0101dled it indeed wel,\nbut yet _Nihil ad nostr\u0101 hunc_, being either too short, or too long,\nor too darke, or too doubtful, or otherwise so c\u014dfused, that they\nleaue the Reader more in suspence in the end, then they found him in\nthe beginning. As for Maister _Lauaterus_ his discretion heerein,\nI will no otherwise commend it, then to desire the Reader to view,\nand iudge himself. For thus much at the first sight he shall see: A\ncleare methode, with a familiar and easie stile, the matter throughly\nhandled _Pro_ and _Con_, on both sides, so that nothing seemeth to\nbe wanting, nor any thing redounding. And if it be true that Horace\nsaith, _Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit vtile dulci_, that is, He\nwinneth the prize, that ioyneth pleasure with profit: I thinke this\nAuthour may also in this respect be pronounced _Victor_, and adiudged\nto the best game. For he so intreateth this serious and terrible\nmatter of Spirits, that he now and th\u0113 inserting some strange story\nof Monks, Priestes, Friers, and such like counterfeits, doth both\nvery liuely display their falshood, and also not a litle recreate his\nReader: and yet in the end he so aptly concludeth to the purpose,\nthat his histories seeme not idle tales, or impertinent vagaries, but\nvery truthes, naturally falling vnder the compasse of this matter.\nAnd how profitable this his woorke is, those may best iudge, which\nare most ignorant in this question, some thinking euery small motion\n& noyse to be Spirites, and some so fondly perswaded that there\nare no Spirits, who being better enformed herein by this Authour,\nI suppose will confesse his work to haue done them some profit: if\nknowledge be profitable, and ignorance discommodious. And againe,\nthose which being hitherto borne in hande that mens soules returne\nagaine on earth, crauing helpe of the liuing, and haue spent much of\ntheir substaunce on idle Monkes and Friers, to relieue them, will\nconfesse the like. For when they shall see they haue bene falsely\ntaught, and that they were not the soules of men which appeared,\nbut either falshood of Monks, or illusions of diuels, franticke\nimaginations, or some other friuolous & vaine perswasions, they will\nthinke it profitable to haue knowne the truth, as well to auoid error\nhereafter, as to saue their mony from such greedy caterpillers.\nSome also which be otherwise well trained vp in Religion, and yet\nnot knowing what to thinke of these matters, will not iudge their\nlabour euill imployed, nor the worke vnprofitable, wherby they may\nbe brought out of doubt, and know certainly what to beleeue. There\nbe many also euen now a dayes, which are hanted & troubled with\nspirites, and know not howe to vse themselues, who when they shall\nlearne how a Christian man ought to gouern himselfe, being vexed with\neuil spirits, wil think it a very profitable point of doctrine, that\nshal teach them to direct themselues. Profitable therefore it is,\nand shalbe, no doubt, vnto many, and disprofitable vnto none, except\nperchance vnto popish Monks and Priests, who are like hereby to lose\na great part of their gaines, which sometimes they gathered togither\nin great abundaunce, by their deceitfull doctrine of the appearing\nof dead mens soules. But this their wicked and diuellish doctrine,\ntogither with all the patches and appendices therto belonging, he so\nnotably teareth and cutteth in peeces, that I am well assured they\nshal neuer be able to cobble and clout them vp again. And this doth\nhe with such a moderation of breuitie and tediousnesse, that I may\nrightly say; He hath said well, and not too much, and written truly,\nand not too litle.\n\nNow as touching my translation, although I haue not made him speake\nwith like grace in English, as hee dooth in Latine: yet haue I not\nchaunged his meaning, nor altered his matter, endeuouring my selfe\nrather to make thee vnderstand what thou readest, then to smoothe\nand pollish it with fine & picked words, which I graunt others might\nhaue done more exquisitely, and perchaunce I my selfe also somewhat\nbetter, if I would haue made thereof a study and labour, and not a\nrecreation and exercise. But howsoeuer I haue done herein, verily\ngood reader, I trust thou wilt take in good part, which is all that I\nesteeme: if any man shall mislike therof, let him amend it. I trust\nit be sufficient to testifie my good will to do thee good, and to let\nthee vnderstand the Authours meaning.\n\n  _Farewell._\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nTo the right excellent and most wise and vertuous Lord _Iohn\nSteigerus_ Consull _of the noble Common wealth of_ Berna, _his good\nLord and Patrone_, Lewes Lauaterus _of_ Tigurine, _wisheth health_.\n\n\nMany and diuers things are reasoned vpon, both of the learned and\nvnlearned, as wel of other matter, as also of Spirites, which are\nseene and heard, and make men afraid in the night season, and in the\nday time, by sea and by lande, in the fields, woods, and houses: And\nlikewise concerning such straunge things which for the most part\nhappen before the death of certain men, especially great Princes,\nand before notable innouations of Kingdomes and Empires. Many which\nneuer sawe or heard any of these things, suppose all that is reported\nof them, to be meere trifles and old wiues tales: for so much as\nsimple men, and such as are fearefull and superstitious, perswade\nthemselues they haue seen this or that, when indeed the matter is\nfarre otherwise. Againe, there are some, which assoone as they heare\nof any thing, especially if it happen in the night, they by and by\nthinke some spirite dooth walke, and are maruellously troubled in\nminde, because they cannot discerne naturall things from spirites.\nAnd some (chiefly those whiche hunt after gaines, by the soules of\ndead men) affirme that the most part of such things which are heard\nor seene, are the soules of dead men, which craue helpe of them\nthat are liuing, to be deliuered out of the torments of most cruell\npaine in Purgatorie. Many not only of the common sort, but also men\nof excellent knowledge, do maruell whether there be any spirits or\nno, and what maner of things they are. Yea and some of my familiar\nfriends haue many times requested me, to shew them my opinion\nconcerning these matters. Wherfore me seemeth it shall be worth my\nlaboure, if I declare briefly and plainly out of the word of God,\nwhat we ought to iudge concerning these things. For the Ministers\nof Gods Church can take nothing more profitable in hande, than to\ninstruct the people of God purely and plainly, in such necessary\nmatters as come in question out of the word of God, which is a\nlanterne (as the Psalmist saith) vnto our feete, and a light vnto our\npathes: and to deliuer them from all errour and superstition, and\nbring them out of all wauering and doubt. And verily their studie &\ndiligence is to be highly commended, who for these fewe yeares ago,\nhaue set forth certaine bookes drawne out of the scriptures, written\nin the Germaine tongue against sundrie errours: and theirs likewise\nwho in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache, instruct,\nand confirme the rude and vnlearned people. For amongst many other\nexcellent benefits, which God our heauenly Father hath bestowed vppon\nmankinde, this also is a great and most liberall gift, that in this\nlatter, and as it were old age of the world, he hath brought to light\nby the Art of Imprinting, aswel many other good Authours, as also\nthe holie scriptures of the old and new Testament, written in diuers\nlanguages: whereby he doth not onlie teach vs amply and fully what\nto beleeue, and what to doo, but also mightily subuerteth and quite\nouerthroweth diuers and sundrie errours, which by little and little\nhaue crept into the Church. Truly all such are verie vngrateful\ntowards God, which do not willingly acknowledge this so notable a\nbenefit.\n\n[Sidenote: The diuision or partes of this booke.]\n\nAs touching this my treatise concerning Spirits, and straunge wonders,\nI haue deuided it into three partes for the more cleare vnderstanding\ntherof. In the first parte I shewe, that there are visions and spirits,\nand that they appeare vnto men sometimes, and that many & maruellous\nthings happen besides the ordinarie course of nature. In the second\nI discusse what maner of things they are, that, is not the soules of\ndead men, as some men haue thought, but either good or euill angels,\nor else some secret and hid operations of God. In the third I declare\nwhy God doth somtime suffer Spirits to appear, and diuers forewarnings\nto happen: and also how m\u0113 ought to behaue themselues when they\nhappen to meete with such things. In these points or partes, the\nchiefest thing wheron men vse to reason touching this matter, are\nconteined. Now I mean to handle this matter, being very obscure and\nintricate, with many questions, (I trust) so plainly, & clerely out\nof the holy scriptures, whereon we may surely stay our selues, out\nof the anci\u0113t fathers, allowed historiographers, and other good\nwriters, that those which are studious and louers of Gods truth, may\nwell vnderstand what may be denied & thought of those apparitions, &\nother straunge & maruellous matters. And I also trust that euen our\naduersaries also, (in case they wil lay their affections aside, but a\nlitle while) wil say that I haue truly alleaged all their arguments,\nand confuted th\u0113 without any railing or bitternesse. For my purposed\nende is according to the doctrine of Saint _Paule_, to edifie and not\nto destroy.\n\nAs touching diuinations, blessings, iuglings, coniurings, and diuers\nkinds of sorcerie, and generally of all other diuellish practises,\ncertaine learned men of our time haue written bookes, as _Gasper\nPencerus_, _Ioannes Viera_, _Ludouicus Mellichius_, and perchaunce\nsome others also, whose worke I haue not yet seene. It is not long\nago since _Ioannes Riuius_ a man learned and eloquent, published a\nbooke in the latin toong, entreating of spirites and superstition. In\nthe which booke albeit very briefly, yet doth hee as he is wont in\nall things, very finely & eloquently intreat of this matter, and of\nother foolishe superstitions. And albeit that I do write more largely\nof this, yet was it not my minde to gather togither al those thinges\nwhich I could haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter: but\nonly such as seeme the chiefest and most especiall points, partly\nbecause I would not be tedious to the reader, & partly also least my\nbooks shuld grow vnto an ouer great quantity. I haue great hope that\n_Ioachimus Camerarius_, that excellent man, who readeth the auncient\nwriters both greeks and latins, with exquisite iudgem\u0113t, and hath great\nexperience in all things, will shortly write learnedly & at large\nof this matter, and also of others like vnto it. For so muche hee\nseemeth to promise in his preface to _Plutarches_ Booke, _De defectu\noraculorum, & figura, & consecrata Delphis_ (wherin he handleth the\nnature and operati\u014ds of diuels) and also in other of his writings. I\nfor my parte had once written this my treatise in the vulger tong,\nand now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men, I\nhaue translated it into latin, adding certaine things thereto.\n\n[Sidenote: The dedication.]\n\nThis my booke which I haue with great labour and study gathered out\nof other m\u0113s writings I present & offer vnto you (most noble consul)\naccording to the ancient fashion & custome: not for that I suppose\nyou haue any neede of my teaching, touching these things which are\nherein h\u0101dled. (For I am not ignoraunt, vnder what teachers you haue\natteined vnto true learning, and how you haue and do continually read\nouer sundry good authors with perfect knowledge in many tongues.) But\npartly that I might purchase credit and authoritie vnto this my booke\nwith those men, vnto whome your goodnes, godlinesse and constancie\n(which you haue alwaies hitherto euermore shewed, and yet do shewe,\nin setting forth true religi\u014d, & mainteining good lawes) is throughly\nknowne: and partly that I might shew my selfe in some respecte\nthankfull vnto you. For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on\nme, whom you onlie knowe by sight, and vppon other Ministers of the\nChurch, wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you, that I shall neuer be\nable to make any recompence.\n\nWherefore I most earnestly beseech you, not to refuse this signe and\ntoken of my good wil, be it neuer so simple: but rather to vouchsafe,\nwh\u0113 ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common wealth,\nto reade ouer this my booke: for I haue good hope it will not seeme\nvnpleasaunt vnto you & others in the reading, as wel for the plaine\norder I vse therin, as also for the sundrie and manifold histories in\nit recited.\n\nAlmightie God, who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts, that\nfor them, (albeit very yong) you haue aspired vnto the highest degree\nin your noble citie and domini\u014d of _Berna_, vouchsafe to preserue you\nin health, and increase and multiply his good gifts in you. My Lords\n& brethren the ministers of _Tigurin_, and also your old companion\nmaster _George Grebelius_, that excellent man in lerning, vertu, and\nnobilitie, hartily salute your Lordship. From _Tigurin_ in the month\nof Ianuary, the year of Christs Natiuitie. 1570.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nContents.\n\nA Table of the Chapters of the three principall parts, touching Spirits\nwalking by Night.\n\n\n   _Of the first part._\n\n   Concerning certaine words which are often vsed in this\n   Treatise of Spirites, and diuers other diuinations of\n   things to come. Chapter.1.                                   Folio.1.\n\n   Melancholike persons and madde men, imagining things\n   which in very deed are not. Chapter.2.                         Fol.9.\n\n   Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straunge\n   things. Chap.3.                                               Fol.14.\n\n   Men which are dull of seeing and hearing, imagine many\n   things which in very deed are not so. Chap.4.                 Fol.16.\n\n   Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose they\n   haue heard or seene spirits. Chap.5.                          Fol.21.\n\n   Priests and Monkes fained themselues to be spirits: also\n   how _Mundus_ vnder this colour defiled _Paulina_,\n   and _Tyrannus_ abused many noble and honest matrons.\n   Chap.6.                                                       Fol.23.\n\n   _Timotheus Aelurus_, counterfeiting himselfe to be\n   an Angell, obteined a Bishoppricke: foure Monkes of the\n   order of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at\n   _Berna_. Chapter.7.                                           Fol.28.\n\n   Of a counterfaite and deceiuing spirite at _Orleaunce_ in\n   _France_. Chap.8.                                             Fol.37.\n\n   Of a certaine parish priest at _Clauenna_, which\n   fained him selfe to be our Lady, and of an other that\n   counterfeited himselfe to be a Soule, as also of a certaine\n   disguised Iesuit Frier. Chapter.9.                            Fol.41.\n\n   That it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in olde\n   time, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there\n   be any at this day. Chap.10.                                  Fol.45.\n\n   That many naturall things are taken to be ghostes.\n   Chapter.11.                                                   Fol.49.\n\n   A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that ghostes do\n   oftentimes appeare. Chap.12.                                  Fol.53.\n\n   A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, and\n   of the writings of holy Fathers, that there are walking\n   spirits. Chap.13.                                             Fol.62.\n\n   That in the bookes, set foorth by Monkes, are many\n   ridiculous and vaine apparitions. Chap.14.                    Fol.65.\n\n   A proofe by other sufficient writers, that spirits do\n   sometime appeare. Chap.15.                                    Fol.68.\n\n   Daily experience teacheth vs, that spirites do appeare to\n   men. Chap.16.                                                 Fol.71.\n\n   That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications,\n   and that sodain noyses and cracks and such like, are heard\n   before the death of men, before battail, and before some\n   notable alterations and chaunges. Chap.17.                    Fol.77.\n\n   It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture, that spirites\n   are sometime seen and heard, and that other strange matters\n   do often chaunce. Chap.18.                                    Fol.85.\n\n   To whom, when, where, and after what sort, spirits do\n   appeare, and what they do worke. Chap.19.                     Fol.88.\n\n\n   _The Chapters of the second part._\n\n   The opinion or beleef of the Gentils, Iewes, and Turks,\n   concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies.\n   Chapter.1.                                                    Fol.98.\n\n   The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men,\n   and the appearing of them. Chap.2.                           Fol.102.\n\n   What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists,\n   concerning the appearing of mens soules. Chap.3.             Fol.110.\n\n   Testimonies out of the word of God, that neither the\n   soules of the faithful, nor of infidels, do walke vpon\n   the earth after they are once parted from their bodies.\n   Chapter.4.                                                   Fol.114.\n\n   Testimonies of the auncient Fathers, that deade mens\n   soules parted from their bodies, doo not wander here\n   vppon earth. Chap.5.                                         Fol.116.\n\n   A confutation of those mens arguments or reasons, which\n   affirme, that dead mens soules do appeare. And first,\n   that is answered which certaine do alleage, to wit, that\n   God is omnipotent, and therefore that hee can worke\n   contrary to the ordinary course of nature. Chap.6.           Fol.123.\n\n   That the true Samuel did not appeare to the Witch in\n   Endor. Chap.7.                                               Fol.127.\n\n   A confutation of their arguments, which woulde haue\n   Samuell himselfe to appeare. Chap.8.                         Fol.133.\n\n   Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the\n   shape of a faithfull man? Chap.9.                            Fol.140.\n\n   _Moses_ and _Elias_ appeared in the Mount vnto Christ our\n   Lorde: many haue beene raised from the dead both in bodie\n   and soule, and therefore soules after they are departed, may\n   returne on earth againe. Chap.10.                            Fol.145.\n\n   Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans\n   soule, when Christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after\n   his Resurrection. Chap.11.                                   Fol.148.\n\n   Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishoppes, and\n   common people, which say that soules doo visibly appeare.\n   Chap.12.                                                     Fol.151.\n\n   Whether soules doo returne againe out of Purgatorie,\n   and the place which they call _Limbus puerorum_.\n   Chapter.13.                                                  Fol.155.\n\n   What those things are which men see and heare: and first\n   that good Angels do sometimes appeare. Chap.14.              Fol.159.\n\n   That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill angels\n   doo appeare. Chap.15.                                        Fol.163.\n\n   Of wondrous monsters, and such like. Chap.16.                Fol.164.\n\n   That it is no hard thing for the diuell to appeare in\n   diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.\n   Chap.17.                                                     Fol.167.\n\n   Diuels do sometimes bid men do those things which are\n   good, and auoyde things that are euill: sometimes they\n   tell truth, and for what cause. Chap.18.                     Fol.171.\n\n\n   _The Chapters of the third part._\n\n   God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull,\n   and punish the vnbeleeuers. Chap.1.                          Fol.175.\n\n   What the cause is that in these our dayes, so fewe spirites\n   are seene or heard. Chap.2.                                  Fol.183.\n\n   Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinary\n   rumblings to be heard before some notable alterations, or\n   otherwise. Chap.3.                                           Fol.186.\n\n   After what sort they should behaue themselues, which\n   see good or euill spirits, or meete with other straunge\n   aduentures: and first how both Iewes and Gentiles behaued\n   themselues in the like cases. Chap.4.                        Fol.187.\n\n   How Christian men ought to behaue themselues when\n   they see spirits, and first, that they ought to haue a\n   good courage, and to be stedfast in faith. Chap.5.           Fol.190.\n\n   It behoueth them which are vexed with spirites to\n   pray especially, and to giue themselues to fasting,\n   sobrietie, watching, and vpright and godly liuing.\n   Chap.6.                                                      Fol.193.\n\n   That spirits which vse to appeare, ought to be iustly\n   suspected: and that we may not talke with them, nor\n   enquire any thing of them. Chap.7.                           Fol.195.\n\n   Testimonies out of the holy Scripture, and one example\n   whereby it is prooued, that such kinde of apparitions\n   are not to be credited, and that we ought to be verie\n   circumspect in them. Chap.8.                                 Fol.201.\n\n   After what sort the faithfull in the primatiue church,\n   vsed themselues, when they met with spirits. Chap.9.         Fol.204.\n\n   That sundry kindes of superstition haue crept in, wherby\n   men haue attempted to driue away spirits. Chap.10.           Fol.206.\n\n   That spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and\n   banning. Chap.11.                                            Fol.214.\n\n   After what sort we ought to behaue our selues, when we\n   heare straunge cracks, or when other forewarnings happen.\n   Chapter.12.                                                  Fol.216.\n\n_FINIS._\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe first parte of this Booke, concerning Spirits walking by night.\nWherin is declared, that Spirits and sights _do appeare, and that\nsundry strange and monstrous things doo happen_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. I.\n\n  Concerning certaine wordes whiche are often vsed in this\n  Treatise of Spirits, and diuers other diuinations of\n  things to come.\n\n\nTo the intent, that those men which occupie themselues in reading of\nthis my Booke, and especially in perusing of other auncient writers,\nmay the better vnderstand euery thing, I will at the first enteraunce\nbriefly expounde those things which shall s\u00e9eme to concern the\nproprietie of words and termes vsed in this my Treatise of Spirits.\n\n[Sidenote: Spectrum.]\n\n_Spectrum_, amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of\nsome thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight.\n\n=Scaliger= affirmeth, that _Spectrum_ is a thing which offereth it\nselfe to be s\u00e9ene, either truly, or by vaine imagination. The Diuines\ntake it to be a substance without a bodie, which being heard or\ns\u00e9ene, maketh men afraide.\n\n[Sidenote: Visum.]\n\n_Visum_, signifieth an imagination or a certaine shewe, which men\nbeing in sl\u00e9epe, yea and waking also, s\u00e9eme in their iudgement to\nbehold: as we read of Brutus, who saw his owne angell. =Cicero= in\nhis first booke =Acad\u00e6m, quest.= writeth, that _Visum_, amongst\nthe Grecians is called \u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03b1, a fantasie, or vaine\nimagination.\n\n[Sidenote: Visio.]\n\nAlso the Latines call those things _Visiones_, which the Grecians\nname \u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03b1\u03c2.\n\n[Sidenote: Terriculamenta.]\n\n_Terriculamenta_, are vain visions or sights, which make men afraide.\nThe Latines also call it _Terriculum_, because it br\u00e9edeth feare.\n\n[Sidenote: Phantasma.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat._24.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Marke_ 6.]\n\nThat which S. =Matth. 24.= and =Marke 6.= call \u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1,\nErasmus doth translate it _Spectrum_, but the old interpreter vseth\nthe Gr\u00e9eke word.\n\n[Sidenote: Phasma.]\n\n\u03c6\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1 in like manner doth signifie an elfe, a sighte or\nvaine apparition. =Suidas= maketh a difference betw\u00e9ene _Phantasma_\nand _Phantasia_, saying, that _Phantasma_ is an imagination, an\nappearance or sight of a thing which is not, as are those sightes\nwhich men in their sl\u00e9epe do thinke they s\u00e9e: but that _Phantasia_,\nis the s\u00e9eing of that onely which is in very d\u00e9ede.\n\n[Sidenote: Pneuma.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luk._24.]\n\n\u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fe6\u03bc\u03b1 is taken in =Luke 24.= chapter, for a spirite or vaine\nimagination. Howbeit most commonly some other word is ioyned vnto it,\nif it bee put for an euill spirite: as \u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c0\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac \u03c0\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u03c1\u03b1. The\nGentiles (as S. =Augustine= and other Fathers doo testifie) supposed\nthat the soules of men became _D\u00e6mones_, that is, good or euil\nangels: which if they had done well, then were they called _Lares_,\nthat is priuate gods: but if they haue done euill, then were they\nnamed _Lemures_, or _Larue_, bugs and Elues. But if it were doubted\nwhether they had liued well or ill, then were they called _Manes_.\n=Apuleius= and other old writers affirme, that _Genij_ and _Lares_\nwere all one.\n\n[Sidenote: Lares.]\n\n[Sidenote: Pr\u00e6stites.]\n\nIt was supposed (as =Festus= witnesseth) that _Lares_, were\nthe soules of men, or else infernall gods. _Lares_ were called\n_Pr\u00e6stites_, because they made all things safe with their eies: that\nis, they saued and preserued all things.\n\n[Sidenote: Hostilij.]\n\nAnd Authors affirme, they were called _Hostilij_, for that they were\nsupposed to driue away enemies. Neither were they thought to beare\nrule only in priuate houses, & in crosse m\u00e9eting waies, but also to\ndefend Cities. They were likewise worshipped priuately in houses, and\nopenly in the high wayes. As touching those that were called _Lares_,\nyou may read more in =Anthonius Constantius=, of =Fauentia= his\nCommentaries, and in =Ouid.lib.5.Fastorum=.\n\n[Sidenote: Genius.]\n\n_Genius_ (say the Grammarians) is the naturall god of euery place,\nof euery thing, or of euery man when we are borne, as it is written,\nwe haue two _Genij_, whereof the one encourageth vs to doo well, the\nother to doo euill. _Genius_ (saith =Censorinus=) is a god in whose\ngouernance euery man doth liue, so soone as he is borne: either\nbecause h\u00e9e taketh care for our begetting, or that he is engendred\nwith vs, or else that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are\nbegotten. Sure it is, he is called _Genius_, _\u00e0 gignendo_, that is,\nof begetting.\n\n[Sidenote: Penates].\n\n_Penates_ likewise are domesticall gods. =Macrobius= affirmeth,\nthat they are gods by whom we onely breathe, by whom we enioy this\nbody, and by whom we possesse the reason of our mindes. =Nonius=\nsaith, _Lemures_ are spirites walking by night, and terrors rising\nof pictures of m\u0113 & beasts. Other say, that _Lemures_ are euil and\nhurtfull shapes which appeare in the night, yea and that they be the\nsoules of those that make men black and blew, called after that name.\n\n[Sidenote: Vmbr\u00e6.]\n\nSome men call the ghosts of all dead things by y\u0364 name of\n_Lemures_. Thus saith =Apuleius=, Of those _Lemures_, he that hath\ncare of his posteritie, and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and\nquiet kinde of rule, was called _Lar familiaris_, god of the house.\nAnd be cause among the people of olde time, as they counted _Lares_\ngood, so they supposed _Lemures_ to be naught, therefore to driue\nthem away, they did sacrifice vnto them.\n\n[Sidenote: Lemures.]\n\nSome other affirme, that _Lemures_ are soules which tarry about the\nbodies. =Porphyrius= calleth them the wandring soules of men departed\nbefore their time, as it were _Remures_, taking their name of\n=Remus=, whose soule folowed his brother =Romulus=: who to the intent\nhe might pacifie them, instituted feastes called _Lemuria_.\n\n[Sidenote: Laru\u00e6.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ceriti.]\n\n=Seruius= writeth, that _Vmbr\u00e6_ were called L_aru\u00e6_: and they called\ndead mens soules by the name of V_mbr\u00e6_. Of L_aru\u00e6_ men are called\nL_aruati_, that is to say, frantike men, and such as are vexed with\nspirits. Who also as (=Nonius= witnesseth) are called _Ceriti_.\n\n[Sidenote: Manes.]\n\n=Seruius= saith, that mennes soules are called _Manes_, at suche\ntime as departing from their bodies, they are not yet passed into\nother bodies. And he iudgeth that they are so called by the figure\n\u1f01\u03bd\u03c4\u03af\u03c6\u03c1\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2, (whiche is when one speaketh by contraries) of\nthe olde adiectiue _Manus_, that is good, because they were nothing\nlesse than good. For the auncient people supposed, that _Manes_ were\ninfernall gods, and therefore did they number them amongst their euil\ngods, and pacified them with sacrifice, least they should hurt them.\nSome affirme that _Manes_ are ind\u00e9ed infernall gods, but yet good:\nwhereof commeth _Mane_, which signifieth good, and _Dii Manes_, as\nif you would say, good and prosperous gods, and therof also is said\n_Immanes_, for, not good.\n\nSome other suppose, that soules separated from the bodies, were\ncalled after this name: Wherby we s\u00e9e the auncient monuments of\ntumbes haue bene dedicated to _Diis Manibus_, to the infernall gods:\nIn the which opinion =Apuleius= was, as we said a little before.\n\nThere are some that iudge _Manes_, to be the very same, that the\nold people called _Genii_, and that there were two of these _Manes_\nassigned vnto mens bodies, euen immediately after their begetting,\nwhich forsake them not wh\u0113 they are dead, but continue in the graues\nafter the bodies are consumed. For the which cause, those men who\ndefaced Monuments, were thought to doo wrong vnto the gods called\n_Manes_. The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the\ninfernall gods by the name of _Manes_, and that because they bel\u00e9eued\n(as =Festus= doth write) that all things did _manare_, that is, were\nderiued from them. Other thinke they were so called _\u00e0 manando_, of\nflowing, because the places betw\u00e9en the circle of the Moone and the\nearth, from whence they come, are full of soules.\n\n[Sidenote: Mani\u00e6.]\n\n_Mani\u00e6_ are deformed creatures, as =Festus= saith: and also vgly\nshapes, wherwith nursses make children afraid.\n\n[Sidenote: Mormo.]\n\n\u03bc\u03bf\u03c1\u03bc\u03c9 is a woman with a face almost of a monstrous fashion:\nhereof it is taken for a heg: as also \u03bc\u03bf\u03c1\u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03bb\u03cd\u03ba\u03b5\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd, doth\nsignifie a terrible sight, a spirit, or an elfe. =Nicephorus= saith\nin his Ecclesiasticall history, that a woman vsing to walke by night,\nis called by the name of =Gilo=.\n\n[Sidenote: Lami\u00e6.]\n\nL_ami\u00e6_ were supposed of the auncient people to be women hauing eies\nto put out or in at their pleasure, or rather certaine shapes of\ndiuels, which taking on them the shewe of beautifull women, deuoured\nchildren and yoong men, allured vnto them with sw\u00e9ete inticements.\n\n=Philostratus= in his booke =Appollonio=, writeth a maruellous\nhistory or fable of one =Menippus=, beloued of an hegge. The same\nauthour writeth, that L_ami\u00e6_ are called of some men L_aru\u00e6_, spirits\nwalking by night: and L_emurei_, night spirits of horrible shapes:\nand of many _Empusa_, ghoasts of variable fashion: and that nursses\nso named them to make their children afraide.\n\n=Chrysostomus Dion= writeth, that in the inmost part of _Affrike_ are\ncertain wild beasts, hauing the countenance of a woman, which in like\nmanner are called L_ami\u00e6_: and he saith that they haue their paps and\nal the rest of their breast so faire as any Painters wit can deuise,\nwhich being vncouered, they deceitfully allure men vnto them, and\nwhen they haue taken them, doo forthwith deuoure them.\n\n[Sidenote: Lami\u00e6 of Hier chap.4.]\n\nIn the fourth chapter of the Lamentations of =Hieremie=, it is saide:\n_Lami\u00e6 nudauerunt mammas suas_, _&c._ =Apuleius= writeth, that\n_Lami\u00e6_ are things that make Children affraide.\n\n[Sidenote: Striges.]\n\n_Lami\u00e6_ are also called _Striges_. _Striges_ (as they say) are\nvnluckie birdes, which sucke out the blood of infantes lying in their\ncradles. And hereof some men will haue Witches take their name, who\nalso are called _Volatic\u00e6_, as =Festus= writeth.\n\n[Sidenote: Gorgones.]\n\nThe name of _Gorgon_, was inuented to make children afraid: for they\nsay these _Gorgons_ are rauening spirites, such as men faine _Lami\u00e6_\nto be.\n\n[Sidenote: Incubi.]\n\n[Sidenote: Succubi.]\n\n_Ephialt\u00e6_, and _Hyphialt\u00e6_, that is, _Incubi_ & _Succubi_, (which we\ncall Maares) are night spirits or rather Diuels, which leape vpon men\nin their sl\u00e9epe. The Phisitians do affirme, that these are nothing\nelse but a disease.\n\n[Sidenote: Empusa.]\n\n_Empusa_, is an apparition of the Diuel, or a spirit which sheweth\nit selfe vnto such as are in misery, chaunging his shape into diuers\nformes, and for the most part appeareth at noone time. Read more\nhereof in =Suidas=.\n\n[Sidenote: Dicelon.]\n\n[Sidenote: Hecat\u00e6a.]\n\n_Dicelon_, is so called because it is sent to make men afraid:\nthose kinds of terrors the Grecians call _Hecat\u00e6a_, as =Apollonius=\nwriteth, because =Hecate= or =Proserpina= is the cause of them, who\ntherefore is called \u03b2\u03c1\u03b9\u03bc\u03ce \u03ac\u03c0\u1f78 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b2\u03c1\u03b9\u03bc\u1fb7\u03bd, that is of terrifying, and\nthat by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp\nby her.\n\n[Sidenote: Acco.]\n\n[Sidenote: Alphito.]\n\n=Plutarchus= writeth, that _Acco_ and _Alphito_, were monstrous\nwomen, by naming of whome, mothers kept their children in awe, and\nmade them feare to do euil.\n\n[Sidenote: Telchinnes.]\n\n=Cardanus= calleth these Diuels which k\u00e9epe vnder the earth, and many\ntimes kill men as they are vndermining, by the name of _Tilchinnes_.\nMen vsing witchcraft, and such as are possessed with a Spirit,\nand out of their wits, are called amongst the Grecians, \u03c4\u03b5\u03bb\u03c7\u1fd6\u03bd\u03b5\u03c2.\n\n[Sidenote: Pan.]\n\n[Sidenote: Faunus.]\n\nOf these sort are those monsters, halfe like men, and halfe like\nbeastes, whiche men say are founde in woods, and oftentimes haue\nappeared vnto men. It is saide, that _Panes_ and _Fauni_, are all\none, hauing their nether parts like vnto Goates f\u00e9ete.\n\n[Sidenote: Satyri.]\n\n[Sidenote: Sileni.]\n\nAnd menne saye, that _Satyri_, are almost lyke vnto men: And those\nwhiche are of full age are called _Sileni_.\n\n[Sidenote: Onocentaurus.]\n\n_Onocentaurus_, is a beast of a straunge fashion, which is reported\nto be like a man in the vpper part, and downward like an asse.\n\n[Sidenote: Onosceli.]\n\n_Onosceli_, as it is written in =Plutarche=, are Diuels, hauing\nlegges like vnto asses.\n\n[Sidenote: Hyppocentaurus.]\n\nThe olde people imagined, that _Hippocentauri_, were creatures, who\nbefore were like to men, but the hinder parts had the similitude of\nhorses.\n\n[Sidenote: Sphinx.]\n\nAnd they do faine, that _Sphinx_ is _Animal_ \u03b1\u03bd\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03bc\u03bf\u03c1\u03c6\u03bf\u03bd, a beast\nof the similitude of a man.\n\n[Sidenote: Scilla.]\n\n[Sidenote: Harpy\u00e6.]\n\n_Scilla_, and _Harpy\u00e6_, are rauening Diuels, with faces like vnto\nmaydens.\n\n[Sidenote: Triton.]\n\n[Sidenote: Nereides.]\n\n[Sidenote: Syrenes.]\n\nAs touching men liuing in the Sea, as _Tritones_, _Nereides_ and\n_Syrenes_, who as the auncient people affirmed, had faces like vnto\nmen. Reade =Gesnerus= in _Historia Aquatilium_, where he intreateth\nof them. For he prooueth out of many Authors, that there are founde\nMonsters in the Sea, hauing shapes and countenaunces somewhat like\nvnto men.\n\nSome of these Monsters which are ind\u00e9ede, bee of the kinde of Apes,\nand some are onely fabulous, or false: yet notwithstanding, it may\nbe, that the Diuell doth deceiue men vnder the formes of them.\n\nThus much concerning tearmes, which we must vse in this our Treatise\nof Spirits or Visions.\n\nHereunto haue I adioyned straunge happes, and foretokens, which for\nthe most part chaunce before great matters. And therefore I knit them\nvnto these, because they haue great resemblance vnto them.\n\n[Sidenote: Portentum.]\n\nFor vaine imaginations also appeare vnto our sights: armed men as\nit were are seene on earth, or in the aire: and other such like\nshapes, voyces, noyses, crackes, and such like. But as touching\nthe very words, _Portentum_ is that which foresheweth some thing\nto come, as when straunge bodies appeare in the aire, or blazing\nstarres, or thunder in faire weather, or whirlewindes do chaunce.\n=Festus= saith, that albeit _Portentum_ be a naturall thing, yet it\nhappeneth sildome, and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after\na certaine season.\n\n[Sidenote: Ostentum.]\n\n_Ostentum_, is some straunge thing, which sheweth some thing to come\nto effect speedily. They giue the like examples of them both.\n\n[Sidenote: Prodigium.]\n\n_Prodigium_, is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of\nnature, yet notwithstanding it doth alwaies betoken some euill thing,\nbeing called _Prodigium_, as it were of _porro agendum_, to be done\nafterward.\n\n[Sidenote: Monstrum.]\n\n_Monstrum_, is that which hapneth against nature, as when any thing\nis brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde: the\nwhich is also called _Promonstrum_, as who should say, _Porro aliquid\nmonstrans, siue monens_, that is, shewing or warning some thing\nto happen afterward. Notwithstanding these termes are many times\nconfounded togither, and taken in one signification, and that because\nthey respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of\nthings to come. The vaine visions wheron we here intreat, appertaine\nnothing to naturall philosophers, neither yet these things which we\nhaue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning,\nor rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing\nchance which standeth by naturall reason, it doth not properly belong\nvnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things\npasse, we will by Gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it\nselfe.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. II.\n\n  Melancholike persons, and mad men, imagine many things\n  which in verie deed are not.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Some men deny there are Spirits.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Act.23._]\n\nThere haue bin very many in al ages, which haue vtterly denied\nthat there bee any spirits or straunge sightes. The Philosophers\nof =Epicurus= sect, did iest & laugh at all those things which\nwere reported of them, and counted them as fained and counterfeyt,\nby the which only children and fooles, and plaine simple men were\nmade afraide. When =Cassius=, who was an =Epicurian=, vnderstood by\n=Brutus=, that he had s\u00e9ene a certaine vision, he (as =Plutarch= doth\ntestifie) indeuoured to attribute the matter vnto naturall causes.\nWe read in the 23. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles, that the\nSadduces did not bel\u00e9eue there should be any Resurrection of the\ndead, and that they denied there were any spirites or angels: Yea\nand at this day, many good & godly men bel\u00e9eue those things to be\nbut tales, which are talked of too and fro concerning those imagined\nvisions: partly because in all their life, they neuer sawe any such,\nand partly or rather especially, because in time past men haue bin\nso often deceiued with apparitions, visions and false miracles done\nby Monkes and Priestes, that now they take things y\u036d are true, to\nbe as vtterly false. Whatsoeuer the cause is, it may be proued, by\nwitnesse of many writers, and by daily experience also, that spirites\nand strange sightes do sometime appeare, and that in very d\u00e9ed many\nstrange and maruellous things do happen. True it is, that many men\ndo falsly perswade themselues that they s\u00e9e or heare ghoasts: for\nthat which they imagine they s\u00e9e or heare, proc\u00e9edeth either of\nmelancholie, madnesse, weakenesse of the senses, feare, or of some\nother perturbation: or else when they s\u00e9e or heare beasts, vapors, or\nsome other naturall thing, then they vainly suppose, they haue s\u00e9ene\nsightes I wotte not what, as hereafter I will shewe particularly by\nmany and notable examples.\n\nThere is no doubt, but that almost al those things which the common\npeople iudge to be wonderfull sightes, are nothing lesse than so. But\nin the meane season it cannot be denied, but that straunge sightes,\nand many other such lyke things, are sometimes heard and also s\u00e9ene.\n\n[Sidenote: Sundry imaginations of melancholike persons.]\n\n[Sidenote: Theatrum a place to behold plaies and pastimes in.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ioannes Sertorius.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ste. Ludouic. C\u00e6liu. li 17. ca.2 antiquitat.]\n\nAnd first it cannot be denied, but that some men which either by\ndispositions of nature, or for that they haue susteined great\nmiserie, are now become heauie and full of melancholy, imagine many\ntimes with themselues being alone, miraculous and straunge things.\nSometimes they affirme in great soothe, that they verily heare and\ns\u00e9e this or that thing, whiche notwithstanding neither they, nor\nyet any other man did once s\u00e9e or heare. Which thing we sometimes\ns\u00e9e by experience to be true in those men, which be troubled with\ngreat headache, or subiect to other diseases of the bodie, or cannot\ntake rest in the night, or are distraughted of their wittes. Those\nwhich dwell with suche kinde of men, when they here them tell such\nabsurd tales, such straunge things, and such maruellous visions,\nalbeit they pittie their vnfortunate estate, yet can they not many\ntimes containe themselues from laughing. =Aristotle= in his booke\n_de rebus mirandis_, writeth of a certaine man distraught of his\nwittes, who going into the Theatre of _Abydos_ a Cittie of _Asia_,\nwhen no man was therein, and there sitting alone, by clapping of\nhis hands, signified that he liked as well euery thing there, as if\nsome Comedie or Tragedie had bin notably set foorth on a stage. The\nverie lyke Historie hath =Horace=, in his second booke of Epistles,\nof a certain man, who comming into the Theatre at _Argos_, behaued\nhimselfe euen as the other man did: And when his kinsfolke through\nthe helpe of good Phisitians, had restored him to his right wittes\nagaine, he was very angry with them, saying, that he neuer liued\nmore pleasantly than while he was beside himselfe. =Atheneus lib.=\n12. writeth of one =Tresilaus=, whose braines were so distempered,\nthat he verily supposed all the ships which arriued at Port =Pir\u00e6us=,\nto be his owne: he would number them, he commaunded the Mariners to\nlaunch from shore, and when they returned after their voyage home\nagaine, he as much reioyced as if he had bene owner of all wherewith\nthey were laden. The same man affirmed, that in all the time of his\nmadnesse he liued a verie pleasant life, vntill the Phisitian had\ncured him of his disease. I myselfe haue s\u00e9ene a man, =Iohannes\nLeonardus Sertorius= by name, whom very honest and graue men, which\nknew him well, would testifie to be a godly man, which was throughly\nperswaded with himselfe, that h\u00e9e could prooue our Religion which we\nnow professe, to be true and Catholike, euen by a miracle from heauen\nas sometime =Helias= did. He desired the Magistrates of certain\nCountries to call togither their Papists, and Protestants: for he\nwas readie (he sayd) to shewe this miracle, and in case he did it\nnot openly before them all, he refused not to sustain any kynd of\npunishment. The lyke reason is also of other men whiche are besides\nthemselues: for they take on them maruellous things, either because\nthey haue mused long time on some matter conceiued in their minds,\nas cunning Artificers oftentimes doo: or because they haue bin long\nweried with sicknesse, or else because they loue extremely. You shall\nfinde some that imagine themself as it were armed with horns of an\nOxe: other appeare to themselues to be erthen vessels, and therfore\nthey wil shun euery thing for feare they be broken.\n\n[Sidenote: Galen de locis affectis.]\n\n[Sidenote: Libro de Simtomatum diff. chap.3]\n\nOf such an one writeth =Galene=, _De locis affectis_ _lib._3._cap._6.\nand also _lib._4._cap._1. Other suppose themselues dead, other\nthinke themselues great Princes, other to be learned men, other\nto be Prophets & Apostles, & therfore they wil foretel things to\ncome. The same he writeth of them y\u036d are taken with frenzie * and\nnamely, of one =Theophilus= a Phisitian, who in other things was\nwise, and coulde dispute wel and perfectly knowe euery man: yet\nnotwithstanding, hee thought there were certain minstrels did haunt\nthat corner of his house where he vsed to lye, and that they tuned\ntheir pypes and played on them euery daye: And h\u00e9e verily thoughte,\nthat he sawe them, some sitting, and some standing, and in such\nsorte continually pyping without intermission, that they ceased at\nno time, neither in the day, nor in the night. And therfore he neuer\nceased to crie, and to commaunde his seruants to driue them out of\nhis doores. When he was throughly recouered of his sicknesse, then\nhe tolde all other things which euery one of them had sayd or done:\nand also he called to mind the imaginations which he conceiued of the\ntediousnesse of the minstrels.\n\n[Sidenote: Paulus Aegineta.]\n\n[Sidenote: Licanthropia.]\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine vppon Genesis.]\n\n[Sidenote: Hidrophobia.]\n\n[Sidenote: Rufus.]\n\n=Paulus Aegineta= writeth in his thirde booke and xv. chap. that\nthose that are taken with _Licanthropia_ (which is a kynde of\nmadnesse) leape out of their houses in the night, in all things\nimitating the nature of wolues, and that vntill it waxe day, they\nk\u00e9ep about the graues of dead men. Moreouer, somtimes the diuel\n(enemie to mankinde) so deceiueth men, that they s\u00e9eme vnto them\nselues to b\u00e9e beastes. Whereof Augustin writeth =In Genesin ad\nlitteram lib.7.cap.11.= they which are bitten with madde Dogges are\nafraide of water. This disease they call _Hidrophobiam_: out of which\n=Aegineta lib.5.ca.cap.3.= reporteth, that they which are troubled\nwith this disease, looking on the water, and b\u00e9eing broughte vnto it,\nfl\u00e9e from them soone: other vtterly refuse all kind of moisture: and\nthat there are some which barke like Dogges, and bite them that come\nvnto them. =Rufus= shewing the cause of their feare, saith that they\nsuppose they s\u00e9e in the water the shadowe of the Dog which bitte them.\n\n[Sidenote: Ephialtes the maare.]\n\n_Ephialtes_, which the Phisitions call the Maare, is a disease of the\nstomacke, concerning which, reade =Paulus Aegineta= =li.=3.=cap.=6.\nMany which are taken with this disease, imagine that a man of\nmonstrous stature sitteth on them, which with his hands violently\nstoppeth their mouth, that they can by no meanes cry out, and they\nstriue with their armes and hands to driue him away, but all in\nvain. Some led with vaine fantasie, thinke him who oppresseth them,\nto cr\u00e9epe vp by little and little on the bed, as it were to deceiue\nthem, and anon to runne downe. They s\u00e9eme also to themselues to heare\nhim. This disease is called by an other name \u03c0\u03bd\u03b9\u03b3\u03b1\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03bd and \u03c0\u03bd\u03b9\u03b3\u1f01\u03bc\u03c9\u03bd.\n\n[Sidenote: Madmen.]\n\nMadde men which haue vtterly lost the vse of reason, or are vexed\nby Gods permission, with a Diuell, whome the Gospell calleth\n\u03b4\u03b1\u03b9\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b9\u03b6\u03bf\u03bc\u1f01\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2, doo maruellous thinges, talke of many visions and\ndiuers other matters. Their sight deceiueth them, in so much as they\nmistake one man for another: which thing we s\u00e9e by experience, in\nBedleme houses where madde and frantike men are kept. We read that\n=Aiax= tooke the matter so gr\u00e9euously, when =Achilles= armour was\nadiudged vnto =Vlisses=, that becomming mad through griefe, and\ndrawing out his sworde, he set vpon herds of swine, supposing that\nhe fought with the whole army of the Grecians. Afterwards hanging vp\ntwo of the greatest of them on postes, with rayling words he whipped\nthem, thinking one of them to be =Agamemnon=, the other =Vlisses=,\nof whom with the first he was angry as an euil iudge, with the other\nbicause he was by him vanquished in iudgement. But afterwards when\nhe came againe to himselfe, for very shame he slew himselfe. It hath\nmany times chaunced in battaile, that the souldiers falling into\ngreat fury, their captaines haue bene forced to take away their\narmour, because by rage they tooke their own felowes for enemies, and\nbegan to set on them violently.\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\n=Tertullianus= saith thus: Those which are mad s\u00e9e one man in an\nother, as =Orestes= sawe his mother in his sister, =Aiax= beheld\n=Vlisses= in an heard of swine, =Athamas= and =Agaue= wilde beastes\nin their owne children, &c.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. III.\n\n  Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straunge\n  things.\n\n\n[Sidenote: 2._Pet._3.]\n\nThat whiche we haue hitherto spoken concerning melancholicke men,\nand men out of their wits, may also be vnderstood of timorous and\nfearefull men. For if any man be timorous by nature, or subiect\nto feare through great daungers, or by some other wayes, he also\nimagineth straunge things which ind\u00e9ed are not so, especially if\nhe haue in him any store of melancholy. Women, which for the most\npart are naturally giuen to feare more than men, (for which cause S.\n=Peter= in his first Epistle speaking of the dutie of married folks,\ncalleth them the weaker vessell,) do more often suppose they s\u00e9e\nor heare this or that thing, than men doo. And so do yoong women,\nbecause commonly they are afraide. If when men sit at the table,\nmention be made of spirites and elues, many times women and children\nare so afraide that they dare scarce go out of doores alone, least\nthey should meete with some euill thing: and if they chaunce to heare\nany kinde of noise, by and by they thinke there are some spirites\nbehinde them, such vaine perswasions they haue. A cowardly souldiour\niudgeth his enemies to be more in number than they are: the noyse of\na leafe being mooued so affrighteth him (which thing God in his lawe\nthreatneth his people of _Israel_, except they do their duties) that\nhe betaketh himself to his h\u00e9eles: if he but heare a woodspeck with\nhis bill beating on a tr\u00e9e, he straight thinketh the enemy readie to\nleape on his shoulders: yea if he heare but a mouse moue, by and by\nhis heart is in his hose. These and such like things neuer trouble a\nstout and couragious souldier.\n\nAnd yet sometimes in the chase, lustie souldiers flying away from\ntheir companie, are so troubled in minde, that they thinke their\nfriends enemies, and cannot tell in the world where they are, and\nwhither they go: all the which commeth by feare.\n\n[Sidenote: Plutarche.]\n\n=Plutarche= in his booke _De sera numinis vindicta_, reporteth a\nmaruellous and notable historie, of one called =Bessus=: who after\nhe had murthered his father, hid himselfe a long season. But on\na time as he went to supper, espying a swallowes neast, with his\nspeare be thrust it downe: and when those which supped togither with\nhim, misliked and abhorred his cruelty (for we like not those men\nthat trouble little birdes and other beastes, because we iudge them\naustere and cruell) he answered: haue they not (saieth h\u00e9e) falsly\naccused me, a great while crying out on me, that I haue slaine\nand murthered my father. Those which were present, being striken\nwith great admiration, reported these his words to the king, who\nimmediately caused him to bee tormented, and examining the matter\ndiligently, at the last found him guiltie, and punished him as a\nmanquiller of his owne father. Hereof ye may gather what feare can\ndoo: the swallowes coulde not speake, and yet he perswaded himselfe\nthat they vpbrayed him with murthering his father. Euen so many\nthrough feare, imagine that they heare and s\u00e9e many thinges whiche in\nd\u00e9ede are m\u00e9ere trifles.\n\n[Sidenote: Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Symmachus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Matth.14.]\n\n[Sidenote: Luke.24.]\n\n[Sidenote: Stout and coragious men seldom see any Spirits.]\n\n=Procopius= in the beginning of the warres of _Italie_, declareth,\nthat as =Theodoricus= satte at meate, after he had put to death\n=Boethius= and =Symmachus= his sonne in lawe, a fishes head being\nbrought before him, he sawe in it the countenance of =Symmachus=\nlooking horribly, which byting the nether lip with lowring eyes\ns\u00e9emed to threaten him, wherewith the King being sore abashed, fell\ninto a gr\u00e9euous sicknesse, wherof he afterwards died. Yea feare if it\nbe vnmeasurable maketh vs to abhorre those thinges, which otherwise\nshould be comfortable vnto vs. The apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ\nmay be examples hereof. Who in the night season being in greate\ndaunger in the Sea, when they sawe Christe walking on the water\napproching towards them wer maruelously appalled. For they supposed\nthey sawe a Spirit, and cried out for feare. But the Lorde came to\ndeliuer them out of that present daunger wherein they were. After his\nresurrection they were maruellously affraide, and as S. Luke saith,\nthey verily supposed they sawe a Spirit, when in d\u00e9ede he appeared\nvnto them in his owne body. Therfore the lord comforteth & hartneth\nthem saying: Behold my hands & my f\u00e9et, for I am eu\u0113 he: handle me\nand s\u00e9e: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye s\u00e9e I haue. They\nthrough great ioy could not bel\u00e9eue it, but maruelled at it. H\u00e9ere\nthou s\u00e9est, by feare it came to passe, that the Disciples supposed\ny\u0364 Lord him self to haue bin a ghost. And therfore no man ought to\nmaruell if we hindered by feare, mistake one man for an other, and\nperswade our selues that we haue s\u00e9ene spirits, whereas no such were.\nThey which are of stout and hautie courage, fr\u00e9e from all feare,\nseldome times s\u00e9e any spirits. It is reported of the Scithians, a\nwarlike nati\u014d dwelling in mountains (from whom it is thought the\nTurkes take their originall) that they neuer s\u00e9e any vaine sightes of\nspirits. Authors write that Lions are not feared with any bugs: for\nthey are full of stomacke and deuoide of feare.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IIII.\n\n  Men which are dull of seeing and hearing, imagine many\n  things which in verie deed are not so.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Dronken men see straunge things.]\n\n[Sidenote: Euripides.]\n\n[Sidenote: Pro.23.]\n\nThey whiche are weake of sight, are manye times in suche sorte\ndeceyued, that they beholde one man in steade of an other.\nPoare-blinded men whome the Gr\u00e9ekes call \u039c\u1f51\u03bf\u03c0\u03b5\u03c2, whiche can\nnot s\u00e9e any thing, except it be verie neare their eyes (as for the\nmost part students are, which night and day turne ouer their bookes)\nare so much deceiued in their sight, that they are many times ashamed\nto vtter what they haue thought they haue s\u00e9ene. And it standeth by\nnaturall reason, that an oare s\u00e9emeth to be broken in the water:\nand a tower foure cornered, a farre off sheweth to be rounde. Those\nwhich drinke wine immoderately, in such sort that their eyes begin\nto waxe dimme, and stare out of their heads, like hares which haue\nbin caried hanging on a staffe a mile or twaine, s\u00e9e things farre\notherwise than sober men doo. They suppose they s\u00e9e two candles on\nthe table, when there is but one: desiring to reach the potte, they\nput their hand amisse. In =Euripides= Tragedie named =Bacchis=,\n=Pentheus= affirmeth, that he seeth two Sunnes and two citties of\n_Thebes_: For his braines were maruellously distempered. It is a\ncommon saying, that if wine haue the victorie, all things seeme to\nhaue turned vpside downe: tr\u00e9es to walke, mountaines to be moued, and\nriuers to run against the head, &c. =Salomon= exhorteth all men from\ndrunkennesse, in his prouerbs, cap.23. shewing what discommodities\nensue therof, and amongst other thinges he saith thus: Thy eyes\nshall s\u00e9e straunge (to wit) visitions and maruellous apparitions.\nFor as timorous men imagine miraculous things, euen so doo drunken\nmen, who of purpose corrupt and spoile their sight. And albeit God\nshew many wonders in the aire, and in the earth, to the ende he may\nstir men vp from idlenesse and bring them to true repentaunce, yet\nnotwithstanding, we must thinke that dronken men which sit vp vntill\nmidnight, do often say, that haue s\u00e9ene this or that vision, they\nhaue beheld this or that wonder, when as ind\u00e9ed they are vtterly\ndeceiued. For in case they had returned home in due season, and not\nouercharged themselues with too much wine, no such thing had appeared\nvnto them. For ind\u00e9ede their eyesight had not bene blinded. Doth it\nnot often come to passe, that when men are once throughly warmed with\nwine, they mistake one for another, of whom they thought they were\nabused in word or d\u00e9ede, and violently flie on them with weapon? The\nplace before alleaged out of =Salomon=, may also be vnderstood to\nthis purpose: Thy eyes shall s\u00e9e straunge (to wit,) women, to lust\nafter them. For experience teacheth vs that men being drunke, assaie\nto rauish matrones and maidens, which being sober they would neuer\nonce think vppon. Wine immoderately taken, is the nurse of rashe\nboldnesse and filthie lust.\n\n[Sidenote: Some see themselues.]\n\n=Aristotle= writeth, that some men through the f\u00e9eblenesse of their\nsight, beholding in the aire neare vnto them (as it were in a glasse)\na certaine image of themselues, suppose they s\u00e9e their owne angels\nor soules: and so as the Prouerbe is, they feare their owne shadow.\nAlthough men in obscure and darke places can s\u00e9e nothing, yet do\nthey not (I pray you) imagine they s\u00e9e diuers kindes of shapes and\ncolours. And we many times suppose those things which we s\u00e9e, to be\nfarre otherwise than ind\u00e9ed they are.\n\n[Sidenote: Hearing deceiueth.]\n\nIt is well knowne, a mans sight may be so deceiued, that he verily\nthinkes that one deuoureth a sword, spitteth out money, coales,\nand such like: that one eateth bread, and spitteth foorth meale:\none drinketh wine, which after runneth out of his forehead: that\none cutteth off his fellowes head, which afterwardes he setteth on\nagaine: and that a Cocke s\u00e9emeth to drawe after him a huge beame of\ntimber, &c. Moreouer it may be brought to passe by naturall things,\nas by perfumes and such like, that a man would sweare in earnest,\nthat all men sitting at the table with him, haue no heds at all, or\nelse that they are like the heads of asses: & that somtimes a vine\nspreadeth it self as it were ouer al the house, wh\u0113 ind\u00e9ed it is\na mere deceit, or a plaine iugling cast. Of which matter there be\nbookes commonly set abroad. The like reason is in hearing, & in the\nother senses. Those men whose hearing is somewhat decaied, many times\ns\u00e9eme in their owne imagination, to heare the noyse of boysterous\nwinde, or violent tempest, the sparkling of fire, the roaring of\nwaters sodeinly increased, singing and sounding of instruments,\nand also the iangling of belles, when as indeed these things are\nnot so, but only chaunce by default of hearing: for others which\nare conuersant with them, hauing the right vse of hearing, do not\nheare any such thing at all. Somtimes in very d\u00e9ed such things are\nheard, as the crackling of wainscot walles, and such like, which are\nnaturall signes of some tempest shortly after ensuing.\n\n[Sidenote: The sense of feeling is deceiued.]\n\nThere are also certaine hollowe places, through the which the winde\nwhiszing, giueth a pleasant sound, as it were through a pipe, much\nlike vnto singing, so that men wonder verie much thereat. We reade in\nwriters of Philosophie, that the very same also chaunceth in bankes\nof riuers, which bende a little in compasse. Hearing is also deceiued\nwhen we thinke we heare thunder, and it is ind\u00e9ed but the rumbling\nof some Carte. There be many which thinke they handle something, and\nyet are deceiued: If men sicke of the ague, drinke wine of the best\nand sw\u00e9etest sorte, yet they thinke it is more bitter than Gall: if\nthey eate pottage neuer so good, yet they iudge it vnsauorie: which\nthing commeth not of any faulte in the Cooke, but of the mouth and\nstomacke whiche is distempered with sicknesse. For vnto them which\nhaue abundance of choller, all things s\u00e9eme bitter. And euen so it\ncommeth to passe, that a man supposeth he seeth, heareth, f\u00e9eleth, or\nis felt of some spirit, when ind\u00e9ed it is not so, and yet no man can\nperswade him the contrary.\n\n[Sidenote: VVeakenesse of the sight and feare.]\n\nIf feare and weaknesse of the sight and of other senses m\u00e9ete\ntogither, then men fall into strange and maruellous imaginations,\nbel\u00e9euing things vtterly false, to be verie true: Neither will they\nbe brought from their owne opinions by any meanes or reason.\n\nWe reade that not only perticular and priuate men, but also whole\narmies of souldiers generally haue bene so deceiued, that they\nhaue verily thought their enemies hard at their h\u00e9eles, when as no\nman followed. And hereof haue proc\u00e9eded many horrible flightes in\nbattaile.\n\n[Sidenote: Comin\u00e6us.]\n\n[Sidenote: King.4.]\n\n=Comin\u00e6us=, a knight and diligent writer of histories, in the\nende of his first booke of the Acts of =Lewes= the II. King of\n_Fraunce_, writeth, that when =Charles= Duke of _Burgundie_, with\nother Princes, had remooued their armie to _Paris_, they vnderstood\nby their espials, that the next day the king had determined to set\non them with all his power of men. Wherefore the next day =Charles=\nsent out certaine horsemen to view his enemies: who comming foorth,\nby reason that the element was somewhat darke, supposed they sawe a\nhuge number of pikes and speares, but when they had passed a little\nfurther and that the aire was a little clearer, they vnderstood the\nsame place wherein they iudged the king to be with all his armie,\nto be planted and ouergrowne with many high thistles, which a far\noff shewed as it had bene long speares. For the night beguileth mens\neyes. And therefore none ought to maruell, if trauellers towardes\nnight or at midnight, mistake stones, tr\u00e9es, stubbes, or such like,\nto be sprites or elues. We reade in the last booke of the kings the\n3.chap. that after the death of king =Achab=, the Moabites reuolted\nfrom =Ioram= his sonne, wherefore he desired =Iosaphat= to aide him,\nand with all his power he determined to make warre on the Moabites,\nto reduce them to obedience, and subiection. Which thing when the\nMoabites heard, they prepared to defend themselues, so many as were\nable to beare armour. But when they had set foreward verie earely in\nthe morning against their enemies, supposing in the rising of the\nSunne, the waters which God had miraculously brought out to be redde,\nthey said amongst themselues: Surely the two Kings haue encountred\ntogither, and eache haue destroyed other, wherevppon they running on\nheapes without order, to spoile the Israelites Tents, were by them\nvanquished and slaine: here you s\u00e9e all the Armie mistooke water in\nstead of bloud.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. V.\n\n  Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose they\n  haue heard or seene Spirits.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Salomons pro.]\n\nFurthermore, it commeth to passe many times that not only pleasant\nand mery conceited men, but also spitefull and malitious men,\nchaunging their apparell, make others extreamely affraide. It is a\ncommon custome in many places, that at a certaine time of the yeare,\none with a nette or vizarde on his face maketh Children affraide, to\nthe ende that euer after they should laboure and bee obedient to the\nParentes, afterward they tel them that those which they saw, were\nBugs, Witches and Hagges, which thing they verily bel\u00e9eue, and are\ncommonly, miserably affraide. Howbeit, it is not expedient alwayes\nso to terrefie Children. For sometimes through great feare they fall\ninto dangerous diseases, and in the night crie out, when they are\nfast a sl\u00e9epe. =Salomon= teacheth vs to chasten children with the\nrod, and so to make them stand in awe: he doth not say, we must beare\nthem in hand they shall be deuoured of Bugges, Hags of the night, and\nsuch like monsters.\n\n[Sidenote: Daunsing Spirits.]\n\nMany times, pleasant & mery yong men, disguise themselues like vnto\nDiuels, or ofe shroud themselues in white sh\u00e9etes to make other men\naffraide: with whome if simple men chaunce to m\u00e9ete, they make no\ndoubt of the matter, but verily thinke they haue s\u00e9ene spirites, and\nstraunge sightes. And yet it is not alwayes the safest way, so to\ndeceiue men with iests and toyes; for many examples might be brought\nto shewe how euill some men haue sped hereby. It is an vsuall and\ncommon thing that yoong men merily disposed, when they trauell by the\nway, comming to their Inne at night, tie ropes to the bed side, or to\nthe couerlet or garments, or else hide themselues vnder the bedde,\nand so counterfeiting themselues to be Spirites, deceiue and mocke\ntheir fellowes. It chaunced once at _Tigurin_ where we dwel, that\ncertaine pleasant yong men disguising themselues, daunced about the\nChurchyard, one of them playing on a b\u00e9ere with two bones, as it were\non a drumme. Which thing when certaine men had espied, they noysed it\nabout the citie, how they had s\u00e9ene dead men daunce, and that there\nwas great danger, least there should shortly ensue some plague or\npestilence.\n\nMoreouer, it is well knowne to all men, that harlots, and\nwhooremongers, haue practised their wickednesse a long season vnder\nthis cloake and pretence, perswading their family, that walking\nSpirites haunt the house, least they should bee taken with the d\u00e9ede\ndooing, and that they might enioy their desired loue. Many times such\nbugges haue bin caught by the magistrates, and put to open shame.\nTh\u00e9eues likewise vnder this colour haue many times robbed their\nneighboures in the night time, who supposing they heard the noyse of\nwalking Spirits, neuer went about to driue the th\u00e9eues away. Touching\nthis point, that an euil Spirit, by means of naturall things which\nhaue strange vertues, can do maruellous things, by deceiuing mens\nsenses, I will at this present speake nothing.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VI.\n\n  Priestes and Moncks fained themselues to be Spirites:\n  also how _Mundus_ vnder this colour defiled _Paulina_,\n  and _Tyrannus_ abused many noble and honest matrones.\n\n\nTo these thinges may bee added, that there haue bin in all ages\ncertaine Priests, which practising strange deuises, and giuing\nthemselues to Necromancie, haue bewitched foolish men that highly\nest\u00e9emed them, to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches,\nand follow their lustfull pleasures. Touching which matter, to the\nende godly disposed men may be the more h\u00e9edfull, I will rehearse a\nfewe histories.\n\n[Sidenote: Iosephus de antiquitatib.]\n\n=Iosephus= a writer of histories, in his 18.booke and 4.chap. of\nAntiquities, remembreth a notorious deed which hapned at =Rome=, in\nthe time of =Tyberius Cesar= vnder the pretence of sacrificing to the\ngoddesse =Isis=. I will record the historie as it is translated by\n=Galenius=, a very learned man.\n\n[Sidenote: Paulina and Mundus.]\n\nThere dwelled at =Rome= a woman named =Paulina=, no lesse renoumed\nfor honestie of life, than for the nobilitie of parentage: She was\nalso very rich and exc\u00e9eding beautful, as one that was now in the\nfloure of her age, and especially adorned with the great vertue of\nchastitie, and married she was to one =Saturnius=, a man worthie of\nsuch a wife. It chaunced that =Decius Mundus=, a famous yoong knight,\nbecame very much enamored with her: and because she was a woman of\ngreater wealth than that she might be won with rewardes and money, so\nmuch the more was this louers madnesse inflamed, in so much that he\nstuck not to proffer her for one night .200000. groates. The Atticke\ngroat and the Romain peny are by common valuation all one. =Budeus=\naccounteth one of them worth 8. Crusados: so this summe according to\nhis reckoning, amounteth to 26000. Florens.\n\n[Sidenote: Ruffinus.]\n\nAnd yet not being able by these means to moue her constant mind,\nbicause he could not endure the rage of his loue, he determined, by\nabstinence and hunger to make an ende both of life and loue togither.\nThis determination was not vnknowne to =Ide=, =Mundus= Fathers\nbondseruaunt, a maide cunning in many artes, but such as were not to\nbe liked. She maruellously gr\u00e9eued with the yoong mans wilfulnesse in\nabsteining fr\u014d meat, talking with him, by sw\u00e9ete and flattring words\nbegan to encourage him, assuring him that she would bring to passe,\nthat he should at his pleasure embrace =Paulina=. After that he had\ngladly condiscended to her entreatie, she telleth him she must n\u00e9edes\nhaue fiftie thousand groates to ouerthrow the Gentlewomans chastitie.\nSo putting the yoong man in good hope, and receiuing as much mony as\nshe required, because she wel knew =Paulina= could not be wonne with\nmony, she deuiseth a new way to deceiue her. Vnderstanding therefore\nthat she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of =Isis=, she\ninuenteth these meanes: She talketh with some of =Isis= Priests, and\nhauing receiued sure promise of them to k\u00e9epe all things secrete,\nand (which is most effectuall) hauing shewed their reward, promising\npresently 25000. groates, and when they had done the d\u00e9ed, other\n25000. she openeth vnto them the yoong mans loue, bes\u00e9eching them\nto helpe by al means possible, that sh\u00e9e might enioy the same. They\ntouched at the heart with desire of the mony, gently promised their\nhelpe. Wherefore the eldest of them sp\u00e9edily goeth to =Paulina=,\nand being admitted to her sp\u00e9ech, after hee had obtained to talke\nwith her in secrete, he declareth that he is come vnto her being\nsent by the great God =Anubis= (this =Anubis= hauing a head lyke\nto a Dogge, was worshipped togither in one Temple with =Isis=) who\nis maruellously in loue with her beautie, and doth commaund her to\nrepaire vnto him. She ioyfully receiued the message, and forthwith\nvaunteth among her familiar acquaintaunce, that the God =Anubis=\nhath vouchsafed to loue her: And sh\u00e9e telleth her husband, that sh\u00e9e\nmust suppe and lye with him. Which thing was so much the more easily\ngraunted vnto her, for that her husband had had good experience and\nknowledge of her chastitie. Whereupon sh\u00e9e goeth to the Temple, and\nafter supper when time of rest drew neare, being shut in by the\npriest, sh\u00e9e m\u00e9eteth with =Mundus=, who had priuily hidden himselfe\nthere, the darkenesse bringing them togither, without any suspition.\nAnd so all that night sh\u00e9e satisfied the yong mans desire, supposing\nshe had done pleasure vnto the God. Afterwards he departing from hir,\n=Paulina= early in the morning, before the priestes (who were priuie\nto this deceit) were stirring, returned home to her husband, to whome\nshe recounteth her meeting with =Anubis=, and also with great words\nsetteth out the same amongst her gossips and friends. They could not\nbel\u00e9eue her, considering the nature of the thing, and yet could they\nnot chuse but maruell, waying the great chastitie of the woman. Thr\u00e9e\ndayes after the d\u00e9ede done, =Mundus= m\u00e9eting by chaunce with his\nbeloued, saide vnto her: O well done =Paulina=, thou hast saued me\n200000. groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches, and\nyet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire, for I way it not\nthat thou hast despised =Mundus=, sith vnder the title of =Anubis=,\nI haue enioyed my desired lust, which words said, he departed. But\nthe woman then first perceiuing this villany, began to teare her\ngarments, and opening the whole matter vnto her husband, bes\u00e9echeth\nhim that he suffer not such a notorious mockery to go vnpunished. Her\nhusband then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure =Tiberius=:\nwho after he had learned all things by diligent examination, trusseth\nvp these iugling priests on the gallowes, togither with =Ide=, the\nauthor of all this mischiefe, by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie\nof this noble Gentlewoman was defiled: and ouerthrowing their\ntemple, he commaunded the Image of =Isis= to be sunke in the riuer\nof _Tibris_. But it pleased him to chasten =Mundus= with banishment,\na more gentle kind of punishm\u0113t, ascribing his fault to y\u0364 weaknes\nof his immoderat loue. By this history it may easily be gathered how\nsathan in times past bewitcht the Gentils, and how their priests\npersuaded them y\u036d their Gods appearing in visible forme spake this\nor y\u036d vnto them, which notwithst\u0101ding were very false. Vnder the\npretence of worshipping their gods, they gaue th\u0113selues to wicked\ndeuises. For how often may we wel thinke they c\u014dmitted abhominable\nmischief (although ind\u00e9ed y\u0364 matter it selfe neuer came to light.)\nIf they brought it to passe, y\u036d =Mundus= by their meanes enioyed\nhis desired loue, surely there is no doubt, but y\u036d they th\u0113selues\nvnder the colour of holinesse defloured other m\u0113s daughters & wiues:\nfor otherwise this deuise could neuer haue bin so ready in mind. This\nmatron would neuer haue bin so wel c\u014dtent, vnles y\u0364 very same had\nbin practised with other dames before. Neither yet wold her husb\u0101d\nhaue suffered her to lodge in the Church all night. What n\u00e9ed was\nthere for y\u0364 gods to haue beds prepared for th\u0113 in y\u0364 Church,\nwh\u0113 it was most aparant they neuer lodged in th\u0113. Princes also may\nlearne by y\u0364 example of =Tiberius=, although he were a wicked\ntyrant, how such varlets are to be restrained. To this purpose maketh\ny\u036d historie which =Ruffinus= a Priest of _Aquilia_ reporteth in\n=Li.=11.=ca.=25. of his ecclesiasticall history.\n\n[Sidenote: Tyrannus a wicked priest.]\n\nThere was a priest in _Alexandria_ in _Egipt_, vowed to =Saturn=,\nwhose name was =Tyr\u0101nus=. This m\u0101 as it had bin fr\u014d the mouth of\ngod, vsed to say vnto al such noble & principall men, whose Ladies\nhe liked & lusted after, that =Saturne= had c\u014dmanded, y\u036d such a\nones wife shuld lie al night in the temple. Then he which heard y\u0364\nmessage, reioycing much y\u036d the god vouchsafed to call for his\nwife, decking her vp brauely, & giuing her great gifts (forsooth\nlest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie) sent her foorth\nvnto y\u0364 temple, where the woman being shut vp in the presence of\nal men, =Tirannus= wh\u0113 he had fast locked the doores, surrendring\nthe keyes departed his wayes. Afterwards in great silence passing\nthrough priuie caues vnder the ground, he issued foorth out of the\nopen holes into the image of =Saturne=: which image was made hollow\nin the backe, and cunningly fastned to the wall. And as the candles\nburned within the Church, he spake sodeinly vnto the woman (giuing\ngreat care, and praying deuoutly) through y\u0364 image made of hollow\nbrasse, in such sort that the vnhappie woman, trembled betw\u00e9ene feare\nand ioy, because she thought her selfe worthie of the sp\u00e9ech of so\ngreat a god. Now after the baudie god had talked his pleasure to\nbring her in great feare, or to prouoke her to lust and wantonnesse,\nsodeinly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abroad of\nsh\u00e9ets, by a certain cunning deuise. And then descending out of\nthe image, he committed adultery with the woman much abashed and\nafraid, vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto her. When he had\nthus dealt a long season, almost with all the wiues of these silly\nGentlemen, it chaunced in the end, that a certain chast Gentlewoman\nbegan to abhorre and loath the deede, and marking the matter more\nh\u00e9edfully, knew it to be =Tyrannus= voice: and there vpon returning\nhome againe, declared the slie conueiance of this horrible d\u00e9ed vnto\nher husband. He being set on fire with rage for the iniurie done vnto\nhis wife, or rather vnto his selfe, appreh\u0113ded =Tyrannus=, & brought\nhim to y\u0364 place of torments, where being conuicted he c\u014dfessed al\ny\u0364 matter, & th\u0113 other deceits being likewise detected, al shame &\ndishonor was spred throughout the houses of y\u0364 Pagans: the mothers\nwere found adulterers, fathers incestuous persons, and their children\nillegittimate and bastardes. Which thing so soone as it was brought\nto light and noysed abroad, togither both Church and image, and\nwickednesse, and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied. We reade\nthat =Numa Pompilius= bare the people of _Rome_ in hande that h\u00e9e\nhadde familiar company with =Egeria= a Goddesse of the waters, to the\nende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VII.\n\n  _Timotheus Aelurus_, counterfeiting himself to be an\n  Angell, obteined a bishopricke: foure Monkes of the order\n  of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at _Berna_.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Lippis & tonsoribus notum.]\n\nIt might be somewhat borne withall, if these things had only chaunced\namong the Gentiles, which were without the word of God, if we did\nnot euidently s\u00e9e the like happen oftentimes amongest Christians,\nand in case it were not to be feared least many such things should\nhappen euen at this day also. For it is well knowne to all men, that\nthere haue bene many Magiciens, Sosserers, and Coniurers, and those\nespecially Monkes and Priests, who would easily counterfeit visions,\nand miracles, and familiar talking with soules.\n\n[Sidenote: Theodorus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Foure Monks of Berna.]\n\n=Theodorus Lector=, =collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica lib.1.=\nwriteth of =Timotheus Aelurus=, that he, before =Proterius= bishop\nof =Alexandria= was put to death, gaping for the bishoppricke, in\nthe night cladde in blacke apparrell walked about the celles of the\nMonkes, and calling eache man by his name, they answering, sayd vnto\nthem, that he a spirit, one of Gods seruants came to warne them, that\neuery one reuolting from =Proterius=, should ioyne himselfe vnto\n=Timotheus=. And by his craft and deceit obteining the bishoppricke,\nh\u00e9e made great vproares in the Church of God. Here I cannot refraine\nmy selfe as touching this present matter, but that I rehearse a\nfamous historie, of foure Monkes of the order of Preachers (who were\nbernt at =Berna= in =Heluetia=, in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the\nlast day of May) by what subtilties they deceiued a poore simple\nFrier whom they had lately reteined into their monastery: concerning\nwhich thing, many bookes were written at the same time when these\nthings were done, which are yet extant both in the Latin and in the\nGermain toong. There was great contention betw\u00e9en the Monkes of y\u0364\norder of Preachers, and the Friers =Minorites=, or =Franciscans=,\ntouching the concepti\u014d of y\u0364 virgin =Mary=. The Friers preachers\naffirmed, that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall\nsin, that the =Franciscans= denied and stoutly denied. At the last\nthe matter came to that issue, that the preachers determined to\nauouch and prooue their opinion by false and fayned miracles: taking\naduisement in a certaine Synode (which they call a chapter) holden\nat _Vimpenium_ a cittie of _Germanie_, where the most conuenient\nand fittest place for this matter might be founde: and at the last\nthey chose out _Berna_ in _Heluetia_, because the people there were\nplaine and simple, and giuen to the warres. Foure therefore of the\nchiefest in the Abbay of the order of preachers beganne the pageant\nat _Berna_: and because the Supprier one of the foure, was well seene\nin coniuring, he bounde the Diuell to ioyne in councell with them\nby what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe. H\u00e9e\nappearing vnto them in the likenesse of a =Negro= or blacke Morian,\npromised them all that he could doo, vnder this condition, that they\nshould y\u00e9eld and giue themselues vnto him, which thing they willingly\ndid, deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hand and\nblood. And it chaunced at the same time very fitly, that one =Iohn\nIezerus=, a plaine fellowe, a Taylour by occupation, was chosen into\ntheir order, who s\u00e9emed to be verie fit for their purpose. They tryed\nhim by throwing stones into his chamber in the night time, making\na great noyse, and faining themselues to be Spirits. The matters\ns\u00e9emed vnto them, euen from the beginning, that it would take good\nsuccesse. On a certaine day being Friday, the Supprior shrouding\nhimselfe in a sh\u00e9ete, togither with other Spirites, whom he had\nconiured vp for this purpose, brake into the Friers cell with great\nforce and noyse, faining with many teares, that he desired his ayd\nand help. Now had they priuily conueied Holy water and the Reliques\nof Saints into his Cell before. The poore Frier halfe dead with\nfeare, denied that he could by any meanes helpe him, recommending\nhimselfe to Christ our Sauior, and to his holy mother. The Spirite\naunswered, that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him\nout of this miserie, if he would suffer himselfe for the space of\nviij. dayes, euery day to be whipped vntill the blood followed, and\nmoreouer, cause eight Masses to be sung for his sake in S. =Iohns=\nChappell, himselfe while they were sung, lying in the floore with\nhis armes spread abroad. After h\u00e9e tolde him that the next Friday\nbefore midnight, he wold come again with greater noyse, willing him\nin any wise not to be afrayd, for the Diuels could nothing hurt him,\nbecause he was an holy man. The next day this foolish Frier openeth\nall the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise, bes\u00e9eching them to\nassist him, that the miserable soule might be deliuered. The matter\nwas out of hand rumored about the Citie. The Monkes preached openly\nhereof in the pulpit, commending highly y\u0364 holinesse of their\norder, which euen hereby might be s\u00e9ene, for that the spirite craued\nhelpe of them, and not of the wicked drunken =Franciscans=. At the\ntime appointed, the spirite accompanied with the other euill spirits,\ncame againe with great noyse to the Friers Cell, who adiuring and\nconiuring him, questioned with him touching certaine points. The\nspirit shewed him who he was, and for what cause he was so miserably\nvexed: and withall gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his\nfathers, for being touched w\u036d remorse of him, adding, y\u036d in case\nthere were yet 30. Masses sung, and 4. Vigiles obserued, and y\u036d\nhe would yet once again whip himself vntil he bled, th\u0113 he shuld be\nclean deliuered out of most cruell torments, which he had c\u014dtinually\nendured a 160. y\u00e9ers. He had conference with him also of other\nmaruellous matters, which we n\u00e9ed not here to reherse. Afterwards\ny\u0364 same spirit appeared again vnto the Frier, and preferred the\norder of preachers before all others, bearing him in hand, that many\nof them which had bene aduersaries vnto this order, suffered most\nhorrible torment in purgatorie, and that the citie of _Berna_ should\nbe vtterly ouerthrowne, except they banished y\u0364 =Franciscans=, and\nrefused y\u0364 y\u00e9erly stipends which they receiued at the French kings\nhands. He also talked of sundry things which had hapned to the Frier\n(which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular\nconfession.) Moreouer he hartily thanketh the Frier for the great\nbenefit of his deliuerance, giuing him to vnderstand, that he was\nnow admitted into the eight degr\u00e9e of Angels, and that he should say\nMasse there for his benefactors.\n\nAfter these things thus done, an other night one comming vnto him in\nthe apparell of a woman, said he was =S. Barbara=, whom he deuoutly\nserued, and told him y\u036d the blessed virgin would shortly appear\nvnto him, and make ful answere vnto those questions which one of the\nMonkes had writt\u0113 in paper for him. This paper =Barbara= promised\nthat she her self would deliuer vnto our Lady, which they should\nshortly after find in a holy place sealed & signed miraculously. The\nFrier vpon this reuealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers, desiring\nto be confessed of his sinnes, wherby he might be found worthy the\napparition or s\u00e9eing of our Lady. He willed them to search in y\u0364\nhalowed place for the scroll, which at the last they found in the\nFratry (as they term it) where they had laid it before. Th\u0113 they\ncaried it with great reuer\u0113ce vnto the high alter, affirming y\u036d\nit was sealed with Christs blood, and that the tapers lightned of\ntheir own accord. In the morning the virgin =Mary= appeared vnto him\nagaine, rehearsing many things which her sonne Iesus commaunded her\nto tell vnto him; to wit, that Pope =Iulius= was that holy man, which\nshould reconcile the two orders in friendship againe, and institute\nand ordaine the feast of the defiled conception of our Lady, for she\nwould send vnto the Pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of her\nsonnes blood, in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne: and\nthat they should find an other crosse marked with fiue drops of blood\nin their fratrie, which they must conuey to _Rome_, for the Pope\nwould allowe and confirme it with large indulgences, and after return\nit to _Berna_ again: other things likewise she said, whereof many\nthings were both reported and written too and fro.\n\nBut in witnesse of the aforesaid things, the same =Mary= droue an\nyron nayle through the hande of the poore Frier, saying: this wounde\nshall be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified, and\nin the feast of my sonnes bodie. After they tooke a burning water\nmade by Necromancie, by the which they taking away his senses, made\nfoure other woundes in his bodie. And after that he came againe\nvnto himselfe, they bare him in hand that there was a certaine holy\nthing I wotte not what, which appeared about him. And when they sawe\nthat many men came flocking about him to s\u00e9e this newe Christ, they\ntaught him (for h\u00e9e was of rude conditions) howe to behaue himselfe.\nAnd when they had giuen him a drinke ber\u00e9euing him of his senses,\nand causing him to fome at the mouth, then they sayd he striued\nand wrestled with death, euen as Christ did in the mount Oliuet.\nAfter all this, another of them appeared vnto him, telling him many\nthings: but y\u0364 Frier knowing him by his voyce, beganne to suspect\nand mislike the whole matter, and with violence thrust him from him.\nThe next night the Frier himselfe appeared vnto him, saying that he\nwas =Mary= of whome he had bene in doubt, and to the ende he should\nbe out of all suspition, she had brought him the host of her sonnes\nbodie (for he brought him an host stiped in poyson) to the ende h\u00e9e\nshoulde no more thinke he sawe an euil spirite: he also affirmed,\nthat he had brought a vessel of glasse full of her sonnes bloud,\nwhich he would giue vnto him, and vnto his Monasterie. But the Frier,\nwho also had this vision in suspition, answered: If (sayde he) thou\nbe not an euil spirit, rehearse thy =Pater noster= and thy =Aue\nMaria= with me. The Prior sayde the =Pater noster=, and afterward\nsayd in the person of our Lady: =Hayled am I Mary full of grace, the\nLord be with me. &c.= The Frier knowing the Priors voyce, caught a\nknife, and wounded him therewith, and when he defended himselfe, the\nFrier stoutly resisted, and draue him backe. These things thus done,\nthe Supprior b\u00e9eing in good hope to restore all that they had lost,\nappeared againe to the Frier, saying that he was =S. Catherin= of\n_Sena_, and therwith begun to chide him, for that he so discurteously\nhad intreated the holy Virgin: adding moreouer, I am sent (quoth he)\nto shewe th\u00e9e, that the wounds which thou hast in thy body, are the\nvery true wounds of Christ, which neyther I, nor yet S. Francis hath,\nand that he enlarged with many words. Yet notwithstanding, the Frier\nso entertayned him, that he was glad to saue him selfe with running\naway. Now bicause the Frier wold no longer be mocked at their hands,\nthey, maruellously troubled, and almost at their wits ende, taking\naduise among them selues, brake the matter vnto him, and tolde him,\nthat in verie d\u00e9ede they fr\u00e9ely confessed many of those apparitions\nwhich he had s\u00e9ene to be fayned, and that for no other cause, but to\nthe ende he should perseuere in his profession and Religion, howbeit\nthe very effect of the matter was most true, and that he ought not\nto doubt, but that he bare the wounds of Christ in his body. And\nforsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad, they earnestly\nbesought him, that he would not refuse to go on in the matter, for\notherwise their order should incurre open shame, and both he and\nthey fall into present daunger, but in case he woulde persist in\nhis enterprised purpose, the thing would fall out to his and their\ngreat aduantage. And so with fairer words, they perswaded him to make\npromise to be ruled by them hereafter.\n\nAfter long instruction and teaching, they placed him on the altar\nof our Lady, kn\u00e9eling on his kn\u00e9es within a chappell before the\nimage of the holy virgine: Where one of the Monkes standing behinde\na cloath, spake through a cane r\u00e9ede, as if it were Christ talking\nwith his mother, in this wise: Mother why dost thou weepe? haue I not\npromised th\u00e9e, y\u036d whatsoeuer thou willest, shall be done? Wherto\nthe image made answere. Therfore I w\u00e9epe, bicause this businesse\nfindeth no end. Then said the image of Christ: Bel\u00e9eue mee mother,\nthis matter shall be made manifest. This doone, the Monke priuily\ndeparting, the chappell doores were shut. Assoone as these things\nwere scattered about the citie, by & by there was a great thronging\nof people. Amongst whome also came foure monks, dissembling and\nfayning, that they knewe not what was there doone, and therfore they\ncommanded the doores to be opened, and after asked the Frier howe\nand after what sorte he came there. He answered them that he was\ncarried by a spirit. And moreouer told them what words the image had\nspoken, and that he could by no meanes moue out of that place before\nthat foure of the chiefest Aldermen were come vnto him, vnto whom\nhe had certaine things to be declared: he also desired to receiue\nthe holy sacrament. The Aldermen were foorthwith called, and then\nthe Frier declared vnto them, how the virgin Mary lamented and\nsorrowed, for that the citie of _Berna_ should be shortly destroyed,\nfor receiuing yearely penti\u014ds of the French king: Also for that they\ndroue not the =Franciscans= out of their citie, who honoured her with\nthe fayned tytle of vndefiled c\u014dception. Vnto this hir talke the\nAldermen answered very little. By and by the other Monkes gaue him\nthe host infected with poyson, which when he refused to receiue, they\nbrought him an other, which he tooke, then they led him with greate\npompe into the quire, (for so they call the vppermost parte of the\nchurche.) The Frier & the other foure Monkes were soone after called\nbefore the Aldermen, to testifie the truth whether those things\nwere so or not. But the foure fearing exceedingly least he should\nbetray something because they knew he suspected th\u0113, endeuoured by\nall meanes to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his\nmeate, & therefore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson,\nwhich he presently cast vp againe by vomit: finally they so vexed and\ntormented him by so many wayes, that in the end he left the Colledge\nand ran away, and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men.\nIn the meane time the Monkes dispatched two Legates or messengers to\n=Rome=, to obtaine a confirmation of these things of the Pope, that\nhereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary\nor mislike the same. And when these messengers were returned, (and\nas the Prouerbe is) thought themselues in a safe heauen, the noble\nSenate had commaunded the foure Monkes to be fast kept in prison: for\nthey had learned the whole circumstance of the matter before of the\nFrier, whome they had committed to ward. And sparing neither labour\nnor mony, sent also vnto =Rome=, that they might perfectly knowe,\nwhat they should do in this matter. In the end both the Frier & the\nfoure Monkes were all put to torments, and there confessed all the\nmatter. And when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles, and\nhorrible deeds, by the Popes permission they were first putte from\nthe orders (which they commonly call degradation) and afterwards\nburned in the fire.\n\nIt was commonly reported, that in case the noble Senate of _Berna_\nhadde not prosecuted the matter with great constancie, and courage,\nthe Cleargie woulde haue cloaked all the knauerie, and haue sette\nthe authors at libertie. For they had greate cause to doubte, as\nit after came to passe, lest they should loose their credit and\nauthoritie amongst many of the orders of Monks, and that these things\nwhereon the Popedome resteth, as it were vpon pillers, should now\nbe had in great suspition with all men. For it is most euident,\nthat after the impietie, deceit & wickednesse of these Monkes began\nto be knowne abroad, the opinion of the Cleargie began to decaie,\nand to be suspected more and more euery day, of good and godly\nmen: when as they sayd this or that soule required their helpe:\nthat tapers lighted of their own accord: that this or that image\nspake, wept, or moued it selfe from place to place: that this or\nthat Saint endowed their monasterie with precious reliques: or that\nCrosses were sprinkeled with the blood of Christ: yea and although\nthey had obteined confirmation of these matters from the Pope, yet\nnotwithstanding many afterwards would in no wise bel\u00e9eue it to be so.\nLikewise they would not bee perswaded, that this holy father falling\ninto a traunce, saw any miraculous things: or that =Francis= and\n=Catherin= of _Sena_, bare the markes of Christes fiue woundes in\ntheir bodie.\n\nFurthermore, not without great cause, men began to doubt of\ntransubstantiation of bread into the body of Christ, sith they had\nso often poysoned the Sacrament: and also of those things which they\nchaunted vpon with open mouth, touching pardons, vigilies, orders,\npurgatorie, holy water, and satisfaction. For that we let passe many\nthings, it is clearer then the daylight, euen by this historie, that\nmany things haue bene beaten into the peoples heads touching these\nforesaid matters, which were only deuised and inuented by these idle\nbellies.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VIII.\n\n  Of a counterfait and deceiuing spirit at _Orleance_ in\n  _France_.\n\n\nAnd that no man thinke the Friers Preachers alone to haue bene so\nbolde, and wicked, and so readie in deuising so many monsters, let\nvs hearken a while to a notable historie of the =Franciscan= Friers,\nreported by =Sleidane= in the ninth booke of his Commentaries,\nconcerning the state of religion and the Common wealth in the time of\n=Charles= the fifth.\n\nIn the yeare (saith he) of our Lord 1534. the =Franciscan= Monkes\nplayed a bloodie and deadly pageant at _Orleaunce_ in _France_.\nThe Maiors wife of the same Citie, when sh\u00e9e died, commaunded in\nher will, that she shoulde be buried without any pompe or noyse,\nsolemnely vsed at that time. (So also =William Bude=, a rare\nand singular ornament of _Fraunce_, lying on his death bedde at\n_Paris_, in the yeare of our Lord 1540. in the month of August,\nleft commaundement with his friendes to bury him without any great\nsolemnitie and pompe.) The womans husband, who reuerenced the\nmemoriall of his wife, did euen as she had willed him, and because\nshe was buried in the Church of the =Franciscans=, besides her father\nand grandfather, gaue them in rewarde only sixe Crownes, whereas they\nhoped for a farre greater pay. Shortly after, it chaunced that as he\nfelled certaine woods, and solde them, they desired him to giue vnto\nthem some parte of it fr\u00e9ely without money: which hee flatly denied.\nThis they tooke very gr\u00e9euously, and whereas before they misliked\nhim, they deuised this meanes to bee reuenged: forsooth to report\nthat his wife was damned for euer. The chiefe workemen and framers\nof this tragedy were =Colimannus=, and =Stephanus Atrebatensis=,\nboth doctors of diuinitie, and =Colimannus= a great coniurer,\nhauing all his implements in a readinesse, which he woonted to vse\nin such businesse: and thus they handled the matter. They place\nouer the arche of the church a yong nouice: he about midnight when\nthey came to mumble their praiers (as they were wont to do) maketh\na great rumbling & noise: out of hand the Monks began to coniure\n& charme, but he answereth nothing, then being required to giue a\nsigne whether he were a dumbe Spirit or no, he begins to rumble and\nstir again: which thing they tooke as a certaine signe. Hauing laid\nthis foundation, they go vnto certain citizens, chief men and such\nas fauored them, declaring that a heauy chaunce had hapned at home,\nin their monasterie, not shewing what the matter was, but desiring\nth\u0113 to come to their mattens at midnight. Wh\u0113 those citizens\nwere come and that praiers were now begun, the counterfeit spirit\nbeginneth to make a maruellous noise in the top of y\u0364 church, and\nbeing asked what he meant, and who he was, he giueth them signes that\nit is not lawful for him to speak: Therfore they commaunde him to\nmake aunswere by tokens and signes, to certaine things they woulde\ndemaunde of him. Nowe there was a hole made in the vaute, through\nthe which he might heare and vnderstand the voyce of the coniurer:\nand then had he in his hande a little boord which at euery question\nhe strake in such sort as he might easily be heard beneath. First\ntherefore they aske him whether he were one of them that had bin\nburied in the same place, afterwards they reckning vp many by name\nwhich had bin buried there, at the last also name the Maiors wife:\nand there by and by, the Spirit gaue the signe that he was her soule.\nHe was further asked whether he were damned or no, and if he were,\nfor what desert or fault? Whether for couetousnesse, or wanton lust,\nfor pride, or want of charitie, or whether it were for heresie, and\nfor the secte of =Luther= newly sprung vp? Also what he meant by that\nnoyse and sturre he kept there? Whether it were to haue the bodie\nnow buried in holy ground to be digged vp again, and to be laide in\nsome other place? To all the which points, he answered by signes as\nhe was commanded, by the which he affirmed, or denied any thing,\naccording as he strake the boord twise or thrise togither. And when\nhe had thus giuen them to vnderstand, that the very cause of his\ndamnation was =Luthers= heresie, and that the bodie must needs be\ndigged vp againe, the Monkes request the citizens (whose presence\nthey had vsed) that they would beare witnesse of those things which\nthey had s\u00e9ene with their eyes, and that they would subscribe to\nsuch things, as were done a fewe dayes before. The citizens taking\ngood aduise on the matter, least they should offend the Maior,\nor bring themselues in trouble, refuse so to do: but the Monkes\nnotwithstanding take from thence the sw\u00e9ete bread, which they call\nthe host, and body of our Lord, togither with all y\u0364 reliques of\nsaints, and cary them to an other place, & there say their Masse. The\nbishops substitute iudge (whom they call =Officiall=) vnderstanding\nthis matter, commeth thither accompanied with certain honest men, to\ny\u0364 int\u0113t he might know y\u0364 whole circumstances more exactly, &\ntherfore he c\u014dmandeth them to make c\u014diuration in his presence,\n& also he requireth certaine to be chosen to go vp to y\u0364 top of\nthe vault, and ther to see whether any ghost appeared or not. That\n=Stephanus Atrebat\u0113sis= stifly denied, and maruellously persuading\ny\u0364 c\u014dtrary, affirmed, that the spirit in no wise ought to be\ntrobled. And albeit the =Officiall=, vrged th\u0113 very much, y\u036d\nthere might be some coniuring of the spirit, yet could he nothing\npreuail. In the mean while that these things wer a doing, the Maior,\nwh\u0113 he had shewed the other iustices of the citie, what he wold\nhaue th\u0113 do, tooke his iorny to the king, and opened the whole\nmatter vnto him. And because the Monks refused iudgement vpon plea\nof their owne lawes and liberties: the king choosing out certaine of\nthe Aldermen of _Paris_, giueth them absolute and full authoritie,\nto make enquirie on the matter. The like doth the chancelor, maister\n=Anthonius Pratensis=, Cardinall and Legate for the Pope, throughout\n_Fraunce_. Therefore when they had no exception to alleadge, they\nwere conueyed vnto _Paris_ and there constreyned to make their\naunswere: but yet could nothing be wroong out of them by confession.\nWherevpon they were put a part into diuers prisons, the Nouice\nbeeing k\u00e9ept in the house of maister_Fum\u00e6us_, one of the Aldermen,\nwho being oftentimes examined & earnestly requested to vtter the\ntruthe, woulde notwithstanding confesse nothing, because he feared\nthat the Monks would afterwards put him to death, for stayning their\norder, and putting it to open shame: but wh\u0113 the Iudges had made\nhim sure promise, that he should escape punishment, and that he\nshould neuer come into theire handling, he repped vp vnto them the\nwhole matter, as it was done, and being brought before his fellowes,\naduoucheth the same to their faces. The Monkes albeit they were by\nthese meanes conuicted, and almost taken tardy with the d\u00e9ede doing,\nyet did they refuse the Iudges, bragging and vaunting them selues\non their priuiledges: but al in vaine: for sentence passed on them,\nand they were condemned: that they being caried backe againe to\n_Orleaunce_, and there cast in prison, should finally be broughte\nfoorth to the chiefe Church of the citie openly, and from thence to\nthe place of execution, where they should make open c\u014dfession of\ntheir trespasses. But there chaunced at the very same time a greeuous\npersecution against the =Lutherans=, which was the cause why that\nsentence, (albeit was too gentle for so great an offence) was neuer\nput in executi\u014d. For they feared much, because =Luthers= name\nwas odious euery where, least if any sharpe iudgement hadde passed,\nthey should not so muche haue punished the offenders, as shamed\ntheir order: and many supposed that whatsoeuer had hapned vnto them,\nwould haue bin a pleasant and ioyful pageaunt and spectacle for the\n=Lutherans=. Now the order of the =Franciscane= Friers, hath the\nopinion of great holinesse with the common people: insomuch, that\nwhen they being condemned, were carried to _Orleaunce_, certaine\nfonde women moued with foolish pittie, followed them to the very\ngates of the citie, weeping & sighing abundantly. When they were\ncome to _Orleaunce_, and were there cast into diuers prisons, againe\nthey vaunted and bare themselues very brag on their priuiledges, and\nliberties: and so at the last when they had lyen long in prison,\nthey were in the end deliuered without any greater punishment. All\nthe while they were in prison, they wanted nothing: for there was\nbestowed vpon them, especially by women, very largely, for to serue\nfor their liuing, and to purchase to them help and fauour. Except\nthese persecutions and troubles, which we spake of before, had\nhindred the matter, the king (as many reported) was fully determined,\nto haue ouerthrowne their house, and made it euen with the ground.\n\nThis Historie also doth demonstrate and shewe, that Spirits are not\nalwayes heard, when some men affirme they are.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IX.\n\n  Of a certaine parish Priest at _Clauenna_, whiche\n  fayned himselfe to bee our Ladie, and of an other that\n  counterfeited himselfe to be a soule: as also of a\n  certaine disguised Iesuite Frier.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Ioannes Stumpfius.]\n\nTo the ende wee may the better vnderstande this matter, I will yet\nrehearse an other Historie of a certaine parishe Prieste, which\nchaunced a yeare before the other I spake of, which is sette foorth\nbriefely, but yet truely, by =Ioannes Stumpfius=, in the Germane\nChronicles of the =Heluetians=, in the twentieth Booke and eighth\nChapter, whereof also many notable men at this day beare suffucient\nwitnesse. A certaine parish Priest of _Clauenna_, (whiche is a Citie\nneare the Laake or water =Larius=, in the Countrey of _Rhetia_),\nbeing farre in loue with an honest and faire mayden, the daughter\nof a citizen in the same town, oftentimes followed her, as she went\nvnto her fathers barne: and attempted to haue defloured her, but she\neuer resisted, and put him backe. In the ende when he saw he could\nnot obtaine his purpose, he priuily stole out of the church a blew\ncloth, beset with sundry starres, and therwith couering himselfe,\nsaue only that he left his armes & f\u00e9ete naked, which he also berayed\nwith blood, he hideth himselfe without the towne, and there muffling\nhis face with a thinne linnen cloath, m\u00e9eteth again with the mayd,\nfayning himself with a counterfeit voyce, to be the blessed virgin\n=Mary=. Then in many words he declareth vnto her diuers plages, which\nwere shortly like to fall on the Citie, for the heresies of =Luther=,\n(for at other times also h\u00e9e had bitterly enueyed against =Luther=,\nin his open Sermons:) he also commaunded the mayd to shew many\nthings vnto the citizens, touching holy dayes, fastings, generall\nprocessions, &c. And amongst other things he added, that there was a\ncertain holy and religious man, whiche had heeretofore asked a thing\nat her hands in the very same place, which she had hitherto denied\nhim, but now it was her pleasure, if he required y\u0364 same again,\nshe should in any wise grant it, if she would attain euerlasting\nlife: and y\u036d aboue all thing, she must conceale and k\u00e9ep close this\nlatter point vnto her self. The mayd\u0113 by & by blazed it about al the\ncitie, that our Lady had visibly appeared vnto her, & foretold her\nof sundry plagues likely to happen vnto the citie. The inhabitants\ntaking good aduise on this matter, at the last for feare of these\nimminent dangers and plages, gaue commandement, that three daies\nshuld be kept holy. In the which time, the mayd, supposing she shuld\ndo high seruice to the virgin =Mary=, fulfilleth the lust of that\nwicked knaue. This trecherie and deceit being shortly after detected\nby the wonderfull prouidence of God, the varlet was first beheaded,\nand afterward burnt in fire.\n\n[Sidenote: Erasmus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Spectrum.]\n\n=Erasmus Roterodamus=, writeth in his two and twentieth booke of\nEpistles, vnto a certaine Bishop, excusing himself, touching certaine\npoints, which he had moued vnto him, to the ende he should be very\ncircumspect: and amongst other things, making mention there of\nspirits or wandring soules, he reporteth this Historie. There was\n(saith he) a certaine parish Priest, who had dwelling with him in\nhis house, a N\u00e9ece of his, a woman well stored with money: In whose\nChamber hee woulde oftentimes conuey himselfe, being disguised in\na sh\u00e9ete lyke vnto a Spirite: And then he cast foorth a doubtfull\nvoyce, hoping that the woman would either procure a coniurer for her\nhelpe, or else her selfe make him answere. But she hauing a man-like\ncourage, priuily requesteth one of her friendes to lodge in her\nChamber secretly all night. The man being armed with a clubbe insteed\nof other coniuring tooles, and being well tippled with drinke, to\nauoyd feare, hideth himselfe in the bedde. Sodainly commeth the\nSpirit roaring very miserably: The coniurer with his clubbe awaketh,\nleapeth out of his bedde scant sober, and setteth vpon him. Then the\nSpirit with his voyce and iesture, beginneth to make him afrayd. But\nthe drunken coniurer soone answered him: If (quoth he) thou be the\nDiuel, I am thy mother: and therewith catching holde on him, all to\nbeat him with his club, and would also haue slaine him, if he had\nnot chaunged his voyce, and cryed; O spare me for Gods sake, I am\nno soule, but I am sir Iohn. Which voyce when the woman heard and\nknewe, she leapes out of her bedde, and parts the fraye, &c. The same\n=Erasmus= writeth in the foresayd Epistle, that this Priest vpon\nEaster eue, put liue crabbes priuily into the churchyard, hauing waxe\ncandles on light cleauing to their sides: which when they crawled\namongst the graues, s\u00e9emed to bee suche a terrible sight, that no man\ndurst approach n\u00e9ere them. Hereof rose a fearfull reporte, wherewith\nall men b\u00e9eing amazed, the priest declareth to y\u0364 people in the\npulpit, that they were y\u0364 soules of deade men which desired to be\ndeliuered out of their torments by Masses & almes d\u00e9eds. This deceite\nwas espied by these meanes: that at the last one or two of the\ncrabbes were found amongst the rubbish, hauing the candles done out\ncleauing on their backs, which y\u0364 priest had not tak\u0113 vp.\n\n[Sidenote: Georgius Buchananus.]\n\n=Georgius Buchananus=, prince of all Poets in this our age, reporteth\nan historie in his Commodie called =Franciscanus=, of one =Langus=\na priest, who falsly affirming that in a field of Scotland full of\nBrimstone there were soules miserablie tormented, which continually\ncried for helpe and succour, suborned a countrie clowne whome he\nwould coniure, as if he had bin one of those soules. Which deceite of\nhis, y\u0364 husbandm\u0101 afterward discouered wh\u0113 he was drunk. I would\nhere repeate his verses, but that his bookes are nowe in euery mans\nhands. While I was writing these things, it was reported vnto me by\ncredible persons, that in =Augusta=, a noble citie of Germanie, this\npresent yeare 1569. there was a maide and certaine other men seruants\nin a great mans family, which little regarded the sect of the\n=Iesuite= Friers: & that one of the saide order made promise to their\nmaster, that he wold easily bring them to an other opinion: & so\ndisguising himselfe like vnto a Diuel, was hid in a priuie corner of\ny\u0364 house: vnto the which place, one of the maides going, either of\nhir owne accorde to fetche some thing, or being sent by her master,\nwas by y\u0364 disguised Iesuite made maruellously afraide: which thing\nshe presently declared vnto one of the m\u0113 seruants exhorting him\nin any wise to take h\u00e9ede of the place. Who shortly after going to\nthe same place, & laying hold on his dagger, sodeynly stabbed in\nthe counterfeit diuell, as he came rushing on him. This history is\nwritten in Duch verses, and put in print, and now almost in euery\nmans hands.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. X.\n\n  That it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in old\n  time, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there\n  be any at this day.\n\n\nMany other like examples might be brought, but these may suffise to\nproue euidently, to what point ambition, couetousnesse, enuy, hatred,\nstubburnesse, idlenesse and loue, do most commonly driue men.\n\n[Sidenote: Ambition.]\n\nWe s\u00e9e by common experience, that proude ambitious men dare aduenture\nany thing. If they may hurt or hinder other men by accusations,\nslanders, or any other wayes or meanes, whome they suppose may\npreiudice or let their exalting to honour, they sticke not at all\nto doo it. What maruell is it then that Monkes and Priests, which\ndesire to be aloft, indeuour now a daies to purchase vnto themselues\nauthoritie by false miracles, vaine apparitions, and such other like\ntrumpery.\n\n[Sidenote: Couetousnesse.]\n\n[Sidenote: Paule.]\n\nAll men know what a pernitious thing couetousnesse is. For they which\nare not contented to liue with a litle, but will n\u00e9eds be rich,\nneither care for any man, nor yet spare any man. Hungry guttes s\u00e9eke\nsundrie wayes to fill themselues: fewe willingly endure hunger.\nWherefore it is not be maruelled at, if amongst Monks and Priests at\nthese our dayes, who haue bene euer reported to be couetous, there\nbe some founde, which by false apparitions of soules, s\u00e9eke their\ngaines, inuenting holy pilgrimages, and other baytes to get mony. For\nwhat wil not idle and slothfull lubbers attempt to purchase riches?\nDoth not Saint =Paule= say, that those which will waxe rich by\nidlenesse, fall into the snares of the Diuell?\n\n[Sidenote: Enuis.]\n\nEmulation, wilfulnesse, enuie, hatred, contention, desire to\nouercome, what they may doo, what they may bring to passe, daily\nexperience teacheth vs. The Preachers of _Berna_, when they perceiued\nthey could not ouercome their aduersaries by any other means, y\u00e9elded\nthemselues (which is horrible to be spoken) vnto the diuel, making\nhim one of their counsell. And who can deny but y\u0364 priests now\nadayes are also for the most part, stubborne, and full of contention.\n\n[Sidenote: Idlenesse.]\n\nIdlenesse is the nurse and mother of all mischiefe: what goodnesse\nthen may ye looke for of them, which not only exercise themselues in\nno labours prescribed by God, neither yet apply themselues to good\nlearning, but day and night play the gluttons? Tell me I pray th\u00e9e,\nwhether the laboring husbandman, or the idle man, who alwayes spent\nhis time in inuenting pernitious mischiefes, first founde out those\ncruel instruments of warre which they call gunnes?\n\n[Sidenote: Loue.]\n\nIt might be declared in many words what loue is able to do. Now\nbecause Monks and Priests liue idlely, abounding in all wantonnesse,\nand yet are restrained from holy marriage, what maruell is it if at\nthis time also they faine and counterfeit many visions, that they\nmight thereby the easier enioy their loue? And here I wil not say\nit is to be feared, that there are many amongst them so wicked and\nvillanous, as to exercise & practise magicall Artes, and such like,\nwhich are vtterly forbidden. Who can then maruell hereafter, if it be\nsayd, they counterfeyt spirites, affirming they haue let men see this\nor that soule? For in what men soeuer these vices be, which we haue\nrehearsed, surely those dare boldly aduenture any thing.\n\nNo kinde of men are more obnoxious to these kinde of things, than\nthose which leade their life in Monasteries, and Colledges: and\ntherefore no man ought to maruell or thinke it a straunge thing, if\nwe say that in times past many false visions haue bene practised,\nand may also at this day likewise happen. For y\u0364 world, as all men\niustly complaine, waxeth worse and worse. Men are now more impudent,\nmore bold, more couetous, and more wicked, than euer they were in\ntimes past.\n\nMoreouer, the Cleargie of _Rome_ haue in many places this\nprerogatiue aboue others, that most men (especially such as are led\nby superstition) make much of them, worshipping them with great\nreuerence, no man so much as suspecteth them to apply their mindes\nto euill matters, to subtiltie, craft, and deceit: all men looke for\nother things at their hands. If therefore they addict themselues to\neuill deuises, they may easily deceiue men, except God miraculously\nreueale their wickednesse, and bring it to light, as we declared in a\nfewe examples rehearsed before.\n\n[Sidenote: Popes haue fained visions.]\n\n[Sidenote: Bruno.]\n\n[Sidenote: Gregorius 7.]\n\n[Sidenote: Bartholomeus Platina.]\n\n[Sidenote: Bonifacius.]\n\nAnd perchance for this cause also, Priests and Monkes could not bee\nso well blamed, for their so often deceiuing plaine meaning folkes\nwith craft and subtiltie, in so much as some of their moste holy\nFathers, I meane Popes of _Rome_, haue bin very cunning in magicall\nsciences, as their owne Historiographers affirme, and by meanes of\nthose artes, haue aspired to the high top of Popedome. =Beno= (or\nrather =Bruno=, for so I iudge his name is) who was also a Cardinall,\nset foorth the life of Pope =Gregorie= the seuenth, in writing,\nin the which h\u00e9e sheweth the sayd Bishop to haue bene a proude,\narrogant, malicious and couetous Monke, and that h\u00e9e was throughly\ns\u00e9ene in the blacke art of Negromancie. =Bartholomeus Platina= (who\nbeing a sworne seruant with the Pope, excusing their faults as much\nas he can) writeth of =Siluester= the second, y\u036d he gaue himselfe\nto the diuel, and that by his meanes, his counsell & magical deuises,\nhe atteined y\u0364 great office of papacie. Doo ye think, that it is a\nhard thing for him y\u036d is confederat with the enemy of mankind, to\nfaine spirits & soules, or to c\u014diure a diuel, to make men bel\u00e9eue he\nwere a soule, do you thinke such men abhorre to doo such mischiefe?\nThe =Historiographers= report that =Bonifacius= the 8. deceiued\nhis predecessor =Celestinus=, by a voyce sent through a cane r\u00e9ed,\nas though it had come from heauen, perswading him to giue ouer his\noffice of Popeship, and to institute therein, one =Bonifacius= a\nworthier man than he, except he would be thrust out of the kingdome\nof heauen. The poore simple Pope obeying this voyce, ordeined\n=Bonifacius= Pope in his steade, in the yeare of our Lord 1294. who\nfirst brought in the yeare of Iubile. Of this =Boniface=, the common\npeople would say, _He came in like a Fox, he raigned like a wolfe,\nand died like a Dog_. If the very vicar of Christ, who hath all\nknowledge as it were fast lockt in the Coffer of his brest, could be\ndeceiued, lette no man maruel any more if simple credulous husbandmen\nand citezens haue ben deceiued, and that it hath bin said to them:\nGod spake this: This soule did aske helpe: and such like things,\nwhich are most false and vaine. Yf this man coulde counterfeit the\nvoyce of God, coulde he not also faine the voice of dead men?\n\n[Sidenote: Sometimes Laye men beguile the Priests.]\n\nBefore I proc\u00e9ede any further, this is also to be obserued, that\nplesaunt conceited fellowes, may oftentimes deceiue the priests,\nthemselues. For when the priests did brag, that they coulde coniure\nSpirits and deliuer mens soules, it may be that other being wrapped\nin sh\u00e9ets, hauing vnderneth them liue coales in an earthen pot,\nappeared vnto priests, who by and by were persuaded they sawe\nsaules which required their helpe to be deliuered. =Erasmus= in his\n=Colloquio= or talke which he intituled =Exorcismus, vel spectrum=,\nor a coniuration or vision, writeth howe one =Polus= maruellously\ndeceiued a priest called =Faustus=. But there is no doubt but that\npriests being many times deceiued in iest by the lay men for pastimes\nsake, haue on the other side more often times beguiled them in\nearnest.\n\n[Sidenote: Men walking by night.]\n\nI haue spoken hitherto of men being awake, and now I will adde a\nfewe words of such as sl\u00e9epe. There be many which haue such a kinde\nof disease, that they walke in their sl\u00e9epe: which thing we reade to\nhaue bin true in one =Theon= a =Stoicke=, and in =Pericles= seruant,\nwho in their sl\u00e9epe climed vp to the top of the house. I haue hearde\nof some which in their sl\u00e9epe haue done that which b\u00e9eing awake, they\ncould not do by any meanes. If a man s\u00e9e such a one walking in the\nnight, either apparrelled or naked, and after here him say he was at\nthe same time in his bed, he will straight thinke, it was his soule\nthat he sawe, the like will he do if he heare such a one at his owne\nhouse.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XI.\n\n That many naturall things are taken to be ghoasts.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Fayries of the earth.]\n\nThere happen daily many things by the ordinary course of nature,\nwhich diuers men, especially they that are timorous and fearefull,\nsuppose to be visions or spirits. As for example, when they heare the\ncrying of ratts, catts, weasels, martins, or any other beaste, or\nwhen they heare a horse beate his f\u00e9ete on the plankes in the stable\nat midnight, by and by they sweat for feare, supposing some bugges to\nwalke in the dead of the night. Somtimes a bittour, or hearne (which\nbirds are sildome s\u00e9ene with vs in _Germany_) or some other straunge\nbirds, make a noise in the aire: many fooles straightwayes dreame,\nthey haue heard I wotte not what. If a worme which fretteth wood,\nor that br\u00e9edeth in tr\u00e9es, chaunce to gnawe a wall of waynescot, or\nother timber, many will iudge they heare one softly knocking vppon\nan anduill with a sledge: and sometimes they imagine they heare\nmany hammers at one time. Simple foolish men hearing these things,\nimagine, I know not how, that there be certaine elues or fairies of\nthe earth, and tell many straunge and maruellous tales of them, which\nthey haue heard of their grandmothers and mothers, how they haue\nappeared vnto those of the house, haue done seruice, haue rocked the\ncradle, and (which is a signe of good lucke) do continually tarry\nin the house. If such dwarfes or elues haue bene s\u00e9ene at any time,\nsurely they were euill spirits. For we reade that the Gentiles in\ntime past, had their familiar or houshold gods, whome they worshipped\nwith great deuotion, because (as they thought) they tooke care of\ntheir house, and defended their family: and vnto these men, euil\nspirits did sometimes appeare, thereby to confirme them the more in\ntheir blinde superstition.\n\n[Sidenote: Olaus Magnus.]\n\n=Olaus Magnus= Archbishop of _Vpsalia_, writeth in his history =de\nGentibus Septentrionalibus=, that euen at this day also, there are\nspirits s\u00e9ene in these countries, which hauing the shape of men, do\nmen seruice in the night, dressing their horse, and looking to their\ncattell. The winde in the night, ouerthroweth some thing, or shaketh\na casement or lid of the window: many by and by thinke they s\u00e9e a\nspirite, and can very hardly be brought from that vaine opinion.\n\n[Sidenote: Echo.]\n\nThis thing is also according to nature, that when a man either crieth\nor speaketh in the woods, valies, or other hollow places, =Echo= wil\nresound the later word or sillable, so plainly many times, that a man\nwould verily thinke some liuing bodie made him answere againe. Many\nwould be afraide hereof at all times, but especially in the night\nseason, except he knew very well it were a naturall thing.\n\n[Sidenote: Cardanus.]\n\n=Cardanus= in his booke =de Subtilitate lib.18.= rehearseth a\nmaruellous historie of one =Comensis=, who very late in the night,\ncomming to a riuersside, not knowing where he might passe ouer,\ncalled out aloude for some bodie to shewe him the foorde, and when\nthe =Echo= made him answere, hee supposing it to be a man, asked him\nif he might passe ouer here: to whom the =Echo= answered again in\ny\u0364 Italian tong, Here, here. But in y\u036d place was a whirlpoole,\nand a great roring of the water: Therfore y\u0364 man douting, asketh\nonce or twice againe, whether the riuer might be past ouer in the\nsame place: to which the =Echo= answered stil that it might. In the\nend, when he had escaped y\u0364 passage without danger, he told his\nfriends, how by the persuasi\u014d of the diuel, he had almost throwne\nhimself hedlong into the riuer, and drowned himself. In the same\nplace, he saith, that the great Hall at =Ticinium= in _Italy_, doth\nrender sundry and manifold voyces, if one speake in it, and that the\nvoyces as it were die and make an end much lyke a mans voyce, when he\nlyeth a dying, in so much that a man can scant be perswaded it is the\nnoyse of =Echo=.\n\n[Sidenote: Things shyning by night.]\n\n[Sidenote: Hector Boethius.]\n\nThere are certain things which shine only in the night, as some\nprecious stones doo, the eyes of certaine beastes, a Glowoorme, or\nGlobard, as also some kinde of rotten wood, wherewith many times\nchildren so terrifie their play-fellowes, that they imagine with\nthemselues, to s\u00e9e euil spirites, or men all burning with fire.\n=Hector Boethius= writeth, that a certain King of Scots caused some\nof his men to be disguised in garments with bright shining scales,\nhauing in their hands rotten wood inst\u00e9ed of staues, and so to\nappeare to his nobilitie and Lords in the night, exhorting them to\nfight couragiously with their enemies, and promising them to obtaine\nvictorie. Whereby the noble men supposing they had s\u00e9ene angels,\nbehaued themselues valiantly, and atchieued the victorie.\n\n[Sidenote: Burning lights.]\n\nMany times candles & small fires appeare in the night, and s\u00e9eme to\nrunne vp and downe. And as the yong men in _Heluetia_, who with their\nfirebrands which they light, at the bonfires in Shroftide, sometime\ngather themselues togither, and then scatter abroad, and againe,\nm\u00e9eting togither, march in a long rancke: euen so doo those fires\nsometime s\u00e9eme to come togither, and by and by to be seuered & runne\nabroad, and at the last to vanish cleane away. Sometime these fires\ngoe alone in the night season, and put such as s\u00e9e them, as they\ntrauell by night, in great feare. But these things, and many such\nlyke haue their naturall causes: and yet I will not deny, but that\nmany times Diuels delude men in this maner.\n\n[Sidenote: Exhalatons.]\n\nNatural Philosophers write, that thicke exhilations aryse out of\nthe earth, and are kindled. Mynes full of sulphur and brimstone, if\nthe aire enter vnto it, as it lyeth in the holes and veines of the\nearth, will kindle on fier, and striue to get out. Sometimes fire\nbursteth out of the earth, as high as a tall tr\u00e9e, and is suddeinly\nput out againe. Which thing is to be thought to proc\u00e9ede of fierie\nmatter, s\u00e9eking a vent to gush out. Wee reade of the mount _Aetna_\nin _Cicilie_, that in times past it burnt continually, day and\nnight, casting forth flames of fire, fiery stones and ashes in great\naboundance. The lyke is read also at _Vesuuius_ a hill in _Campaine_,\nabout a Germaine mile from _Naples_: The same hill in the time of\n=Titus= the Emperour, as S. =Hierom= reporteth, cast foorth of it so\nmuch fire, that it burnt the country, and cities, and people rounde\nabout it, and filled the fieldes adioyning full of cinders and ashes.\nThese two hilles, euen in our dayes boyling with great heate, haue\nvery much indamaged the people inhabiting thereabout. In _Iseland_,\nas =Olaus Magnus= witnesseth, are found fiers which breake out of\nthe earth. And as whole hilles and mountaines may burne, euen so may\na litle fire be kindled in the earth, and yet wander very large.\nThey which trauelling by the way, or by some other meanes chaunce to\ns\u00e9e these things, and know not the naturall causes of them, imagin\nby reason of feare, that they haue s\u00e9ene men burning like fire, or\nsome other straunge thing, which they haue heard other men talke of.\nAnd by means of their great feare, oftentimes they fall into great\ndaungerous diseases.\n\n[Sidenote: Glasses.]\n\nThe arte perspectiue doth also worke this wonderfull feate, that\ndiuers and sundrie shapes will appeare in glasses, made and sette\ntogither aftter a certeine artificial sorte: sometimes they will\ns\u00e9eme to goe out of the doores, and resemble men of our familiar\nacquaintance. Many things in very d\u00e9ed are naturall, although we\ncannot finde any naturall reason for them.\n\nAnd yet by the way, they shewe themselues too foolishe, which labour\nto bring all things to natural causes. Here I will say nothing of\nthese men, which can beare plaine and rude people in hande, that\nthey, or some other of their acquaintance, haue s\u00e9ene strange things,\nwhich they earnestly auouch to be true, when as ind\u00e9ede there was\nno suche thing. How often I pray you, do we heare things affirmed\nas true, which afterward proue most false: as that one was caried\naway bodie and soule, that an other was put to death, and an infinit\nnomber of such like reports.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XII.\n\n  A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that Spirites and\n  Ghoasts do oftentimes appeare.\n\n\nAlbeit many melancholicke, madde, fearefull, and weake sensed men,\ndoo oftentimes imagine many things which in very d\u00e9ed are not, and\nare likewise deceiued, sometime by men, or by brute beasts: and\nmoreouer mistake things which proc\u00e9ede of naturall causes, to be\nbugges and spirites, as I haue hitherto declared by many examples,\nyet it is most certaine and sure, that all those things which\nappeare vnto men are not alwayes naturall things, nor alwayes vaine\nterrors to affray men: but that spirites doo often appeare, and many\nstraunge and maruellous things doo sundry times chance. For many\nsuch things of this sort, are to be red in diuers graue and auncient\nHistoriographers: and many men of no small credite, haue affirmed,\nthat they haue s\u00e9ene spirites both in the day and in the night also.\nAnd here I will orderly declare a fewe histories out of diuers\nallowed authors, touching spirites which haue appeared and shewed\nthemselues.\n\n[Sidenote: Triton appeared to Iulius C\u00e6sar.]\n\n=Suetonius Tranquillus= writeth, that when =Iulius C\u00e6sar= marching\nout of _Fraunce_ into _Italie_ with his army, and comming to the\nriuer _Rubico_, which diuideth _Italie_ from the hether _Fraunce_,\nstaying there a while, and reuoluing with himselfe howe great an\nenterprise hee had taken in hand, as he was wauering in mind whether\nhe shuld passe the water or not, suddeinly there appeared a man of\nexcelling stature and shape sitting hard by, pyping on a r\u00e9ede.\n(=Melancthon= in his Phisickes calleth him =Triton=) vnto whom when\nnot only shepheards, but also very many souldiers from the campe, and\namongst them diuers trumpetters had flocked to heare him, he sodeinly\nsnatched a trumpet from one of them, and leaped to the riuer, and\nwith a lustie breath blowing vp the alarum, went to the farther side.\nThen sayd =C\u00e6sar=, good lucke mates, let vs goe whither the gods\nwarnings leade vs, and whither our enemies iniquitie calleth vs: The\ndice are throwne. And so he transported ouer.\n\n[Sidenote: Theseus seene in the battaile of Maratho.]\n\n=Plutarke= writeth in =Theseus= life, that many which were in the\nbattaile of =Marathonia=, against the =Medians=, did affirme, that\nthey sawe the soule of =Theseus= armed, (who long time before died of\na fall) before the vauntgard of the =Grecians=, running and setting\non the barbarous =Medians=. For which cause the =Athenians= afterward\nwere moued to honor him as a demigod.\n\n=Pausanias= writeth in =Atticis=, That in the field of =Maratho=.\n400. yeares after the battaile there foughten, there was heard the\nneying of Horses, and the encountring of souldiers, as it were\nfighting euery night: And that they which of purpose came to heare\nthese things, could heare nothing, but those that by chaunce came\nthat way, heard it very sensibly.\n\nThe same =Plutarke= writeth in the life of =Cimon=, that when the\ncitizens of =Cherouesus=, had by faire words called home their\ncaptaine =Damon=, (who before for diuers murthers departed the citie)\nafterwards they cruelly slew him in a Hotehouse, as he was bathing\nhimselfe, and from that time foorth, there were many strange sightes\ns\u00e9ene in the same place, & many times also most gr\u00e9euous gronings\nwere there heard, insomuch that they were euer after constreined to\nstop vp the hotehouse doores.\n\nAlso in y\u0364 life of =Dion=, he reporteth that the saide =Dion= being\na stoute & a couragious man without any feare, sawe notwithstanding\na great and maruellous horrible sight. For when he chaunced to sit\nalone in the entry of his house in the euening (those are =Plutarks=\nowne words, as =Xiliander= interpreteth them) musing & discoursing\nmany things with himselfe, being sodeinly moued with a great noyse,\nhe arose and looked backe to the other side of the gallerie, and\nthere he espied a monstrous great woman, who in apparell and\ncountenaunce nothing differing from a Tragi, call furie, swept the\nhouse with a broome. With the which sight being amazed & terribly\nafraide, he called his friends and acquaintance vnto him, and\ndeclaring vnto them what he had s\u00e9ene, desired th\u0113 to remaine with\nhim al that night: for b\u00e9eing as it were stricken dead with feare,\nhe doubted least it would appeare vnto him againe, if he were alone,\nwhich ind\u00e9ede neuer hapned after. But a fewe daies after, his sonne\nthrewe himselfe headlong from the top of the house, and died, and he\nhimselfe being stabbed through the bodie, ended his miserable life.\n\nThe same author writeth in the life of =Decius Brutus=, how when\n=Brutus= was determined to transporte his army out of =Asia= into\n=Europe=, being in his tent about midnight, the candle burning dimly,\nand all the host quiet and silent, as he was musing and reuoluing\nwith himselfe, he s\u00e9emed that he hearde one entring the Tente into\nhim, and looking backe vnto the doore, he sawe a terrible and\nmonstrous shape of a bodie, which farre exc\u00e9eded the common stature\nof men, standing faste by him without any words, wherewith he was\nsore afraid: and yet he ventured to aske it this question. What art\nthou (saieth h\u00e9e) either a God, or a man? and why commest thou vnto\nme? Whereto the image answered: I am (quoth he) O =Brutus=, thy euill\nghoast, at =Philippos= thou shalt s\u00e9e m\u00e9e. Then saith =Brutus=,\nbeing nothing amazed: I will s\u00e9e th\u00e9e. When the sight was vanished,\nhe called his seruants, who tolde him, that they neither sawe any\nsuch thing, neither heard any voyce at all. All that night =Brutus=\ncould not sl\u00e9ep one winke. In the morning very early, he goeth vnto\n=Cassius= and sheweth him his straunge vision. =Cassius= who despised\nall such things (for he was an Epicure) ascribed the whole matter\nto naturall causes. For his disputation hereof, is yet extant in\n=Plutarke=. Afterwards =Brutus= (being vanquished by =Augustus=, and\n=Anthony=, in the field of =Philippi=) slew himselfe because he would\nnot bee deliuered into the hands of his enemies.\n\n[Sidenote: Caius Cassius sawe Iulius C\u00e6sar.]\n\n=Valerius Maximus=, in his first booke and sixt chap. writeth that\n=Caius Cassius= sawe =Iulius C\u00e6sar= in the battaile of =Philippi=,\n(in a shape of greater maiesty, than any man hath) setting spurres to\nhis horse, and running on him with a terrible threatning countenance:\nwhich when =Cassius= sawe, he turned his backe to the enemy, and\nfled, and shortly after murthered himselfe.\n\n[Sidenote: Drusus sawe a woman excelling all mortall creatures in\nmaiestie.]\n\n=Dio Cassius Nic\u00e6sus=, in his Roman historie from the beginning of\nhis 55.booke writeth of =Drusus=, who by spoyling _Germany_ far and\nn\u00e9ere on euery side, came euen to the riuer =Albis=, where when he\ncould not get ouer, erecting monuments of victorie, departed back\nagaine: For he there saw a woman, exc\u00e9eding the state of mortall\ncreatures, which met him, and sayd vnto him: =Drusus=, which canst\nfinde no end of thy gr\u00e9edie desire, whither goest thou? It is not\nlawfull for th\u00e9e to s\u00e9e al these things: but rather get th\u00e9e hence,\nfor the ende both of thy life and worthie d\u00e9edes is nowe at hand.\nWhen =Drusus= heard these things, he sodeinly chaunged his course,\nand being on his iourney, before he came to the riuer of =Rein=, he\nsickned and dyed. Other like foretokens the same author reporteth\nto haue hapned before his death, all the which notwithstanding, he\nnothing regarded. For two yong men appeared on horsebacke vpon the\nrampiers, and the shriking of women was also hearde, with many other\nsuch like. &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Plinius secundus writing of spirits.]\n\n=Plinius secundus= citizen of =Nouocomensis=, hath an Epistle of\nSpirits appearings, written vnto his friend =Sura= in the vii. booke\nof his Epistles, which we haue thought good to set downe whole in\nthis place: Leisure (saith he) graunteth me libertie to learne,\nand giueth th\u00e9e leaue to teache. Therfore I am very desirous to\nknowe whether thou thinke fantasies are any thing, and whether they\nhaue any proper figure of their owne, and be some kinde of diuine\npower, or else whether they take vppon them some vaine & variable\nshape, according to the feare which we haue of them? That I should\nso bel\u00e9eue, I am especially moued thereto by that which I heare\nsaie happened to =Curtius Rufus=, who was as then, companion to the\nProconsul of =Affrica=, bothe poore, and also of small reputation.\nAnd as he walked one day in a Gallerie towardes the euening their\nm\u00e9eteth with him the shape of a woman, more great & beautifull, than\nany liuing creature. Wherat he b\u00e9eing amazed, she telleth him that\nshe is _Affrica_, and is come vnto him to foretell him of good happe\nto followe: First that he should go to Rome, and there take on him\nthe state of great honoure, and afterwarde, that he should returne\ninto the same prouince with full and high authoritie, and there end\nhis daies. Which things came all to passe. And moreouer, the same\nfigure (as it is saide) mette with him againe on the shore side, as\nhe entred out of the ship, and came towardes _Carthage_ to take his\ncharge and regiment in hande. Afterwards falling sick, when no man\ndispayred of his healthe, coniecturing things to come by those that\nhad passed, and comparing aduersitie with his former prosperitie,\nhe vtterly cast away all hope of recouerie. Is not this also more\nterrible, and no lesse maruellous, whiche I will now repeate as I\nhaue heard it tolde?\n\n[Sidenote: The spirit of Athens.]\n\nThere was in _Athens_ a goodly and a very large house, but euill\nreported, and counted as an infortunate and vnluckie house. For about\nmidnight, there was heard the noyse of iron, and if one marked it\nwell, the ratling of chaines, as it were a farre off at the first,\nand so, n\u00e9erer and n\u00e9erer: shortly there appeared an image or shape,\nas it were an olde man, leane and loathsome to beholde, with a long\nbeard and staring haire: on his legges he had fetters, and in his\nhands carried chaines which he alwaies ratled togither. By meanes\nwhereof, those that inhabited the house, by reason of their feare,\nwatched many heauie and pittifull nights: after their watching\nfolowed sicknesse, and soone after, as feare increased, ensued death.\nFor in the day time also, albeit the image were departed, yet the\nremembrance thereof, was euer present before their eyes: so that\ntheir feare was longer than they had cause to feare. Vpon this the\nhouse stood desert and solitarie, wholly lefte vnto the monster\nwhiche haunted it: yet was it proclaimed to be solde, if happily any\nman whiche was ignorant of this great mischiefe, would either buy\nit or hire it. =Athenodorus= chanced to come to _Athens_, and there\nreadeth the writing on the doore: And when he had learned the price,\nbecause he suspected the good cheapenesse thereof, enquiring further,\nvnderstoode the whole matter, and notwithstanding any thing that he\nheard, he hired the house, so much the rather. When it waxed night,\nhe commaundeth his seruauntes to make his bedde in the vtter part\nof the house: he taketh his writing tables, his writing wier and a\ncandle, and sendeth all his seruaunts into the inner part of the\nhouse. He himselfe setleth his minde, his eyes and hand to write,\nleast his mind being vnoccupied, should imagine it heard straunge\nfigures, and should br\u00e9ed vaine feare. In the beginning of the night,\nthere was silence as is in all other places, but not long after\nthe iron began to ring, and the chaines to moue: but yet he would\nnot looke vp, nor let cease his writing, but hardned his hart, and\nstopped his eares. Then the noyse increaseth & draweth neare, and\ns\u00e9emeth sometimes to be without the porch, sometimes within. Th\u0113\nhe looketh back, and seeth and acknowledgeth the shape whereof he\nhad heard before: the image stood still and beckned with his finger\nas though he had called him, the philosopher on the other side\nsignifieth with his hand, that he should stay a while, and falleth\nagaine to his writing. The image shaketh his chaines ouer his head,\nas he sate writing. He looketh about againe, and seeth him beckning,\nas he did before. And so rising vp without delay, taketh the candle\nin his hand and foloweth: the image goeth before with a softly pace,\nas though he were heauily laden with chaines: After he had turned\naside into the court of the house, sodeinly vanishing away, leaueth\nhis walking mate alone. He being forsaken, laieth hearbes and leaues\ngathered togither vpon the place. The next day he goeth to the rulers\nof the citie, and willeth them to commaund the place to b\u00e9e digged\nvp, whiche done, they finde bones wrapped and tyed in chaynes: which\nthe bodie b\u00e9eing putrified and consumed with long lying in the earth,\nhad left lying in bondes: those bones being gathered togither, were\nburied solemnely: The house, after they were orderly laide in the\nground, was euer after cleare of all such ghostes.\n\nIn these things I must bel\u00e9eue other mens reports, but that which\nfolloweth, I can boldly affirme on mine owne knowledge.\n\nI haue one with m\u00e9e, sometime my bondseruaunt, but nowe enfraunchized\nand set at libertie, a man not vtterly vnlearned: with him my yonger\nbrother lay togither in one bed. He in his owne imagination seemed\nthat he saw a certain personage sitting vpon the bedde where he laie,\nputting kniues vnto his head, and therewith polling off his haires.\nWhen it was day light, the haires were found on the ground, he being\nin very d\u00e9ed notted about the crowne of his head. Shortly after the\nlike happened vnto him, which made all men bel\u00e9eue the first was\ntrue. The boy amongst a great many of his fellowes chaunced to sl\u00e9epe\nin the schoole, and being in sl\u00e9epe, there came certaine in at the\nwindowes (as he sayd) cloathed in white garments, and shore of his\nhaire as he laie, and so departed againe as they came. This polling,\nand also his haires scattered abroad, were founde when it was day.\nNo notable matter ensued hereof, except it were, perchaunce, that I\nwas not accused of treason, as I should haue bene, if =Domitianus=,\nwho died about this time, had liued longer. For there was a libell\nfound in his coffers, giuen vnto him against me, written by maister\n=Carus=. By which it may well be coniectured, that in so much as\nthose which are accused, doo vse to let their haire growe very long,\nthe cutting of my friends haire, was a sure signe of escaping the\ngreat daunger, which then hung ouer my head. Wherefore I hartily\nrequire you to straine your learning. The matter is worthie, wherein\nye may vse long and d\u00e9epe consideration: and I surely am vnworthie\nto whom ye shuld open your knowledge. You may therfore (if it please\nyou) dispute the matter on both sides, as ye are accustomed, but\nyet I pray you handle it more throughly on the one side, least ye\nsende me away wauering and hanging in doubt, whereas the cause of my\ns\u00e9eking counsel, is to the ende I might be quite out of doubt. Fare\nye well.\n\n[Sidenote: Manlius.]\n\nWhat answere master =Sura=, (who as it appeareth, was well learned)\nmade vnto maister =Pliny= I do not finde. But to say the truth, what\nsound answere could he, being a Gentile make herein? The like history\nis to be red in the collections of =Iohn Manlius= common places,\nwho (as =Philip Melancthon= reporteth) dooth write, that =Theodorus\nGaza= had a lordship or manour place in _Campania_, giuen him by\n=Nicholas= Pope of _Rome_. In the manour, when by chaunce, one of\nhis farmers had digged vp a coffin with dead mens bones in it, there\nsodeinly appeared a spirit vnto him, commaunding him to bury the\ncoffin againe, or else his sonne should shortly after die. Which when\nthe farmer refused to doo, shortly after his sonne was found slaine\nin the night. A fewe dayes after, the Spirit appeared againe vnto\nthe husbandman, menacing and threatning him, that in case he did not\nbury the aforesaid bones, he would kill his other sonne also. The man\ntaking warning by his losse, and s\u00e9eing his other sonne fallen sicke,\ngoeth vnto maister =Theodorus= and sheweth him all the matter. He\nvnderstanding it, goeth with him to the manour, and there in the same\nplace where the farmer had before digged vp the coffin, casting a new\ngraue, they bury the coffin with the bones. As soone as the bones\nwere laide in the graue, the husbandmans sonne immediatly recouered\nhis health.\n\n=Dion= writeth, that the Emperour =Traianus= was ledde out of the\nhouse, where he had taken vp his Inne, in the time of an earthquake,\ninto a more safer place.\n\n=Iulius Capitolinus=, which setteth out a fewe lines of the Romane\nEmperours, reporteth, that =Pertinax= for the space of thr\u00e9e days\nbefore he was slaine by a thrust, sawe a certaine shadow in one of\nhis fishponds, which with a sworde readie drawne threatened to slaie\nhim, and thereby much disquieted him.\n\n=Flauius Vopiscus= writeth, that whereas =Tacitus= fathers graue\nopened it selfe, the sides therof falling downe of their owne accord,\nand that his mothers soule appeared both to him and =Florianus=\nday and night, as if she had bene liuing, it was a most sure and\ninfallible signe, that he should die shortly after.\n\n=Ammianus Marcellinus=, writing of the signes or prognostications of\n=Constantius= death, saith that he was troubled and terrified in the\nnight season with shapes and figures.\n\nThe same Author affirmeth in his 25. booke, that a little before\n=Iulianus= died, as he sate writing in the tents, following the\nexample of =Iulius C\u00e6sar=, he sawe the image of the publicke\n=Genius=, or god of the place (which was wont to be painted with\n=Amaltheas= horne in his hand) departing from him, more deformed and\nill fauoured, than when it began to mount vp to the narrow top of the\ntent.\n\n[Sidenote: Lucan.]\n\n=Lucanus= as well an excellent Historiographer, as also a most\nlearned Poet, reckneth vp many forewarnings, in his first booke of\nthe battaile of =Pharsalia=, which chaunced before the great conflict\nbetw\u00e9en =Iulius C\u00e6sar=, and great =Pompeius=: and amongst other\nthings, he writeth thus.\n\n_The trumpets blew, and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace, So\ndid the night with silent shades increase her darkish face. And then\nthe ghosts of_ =Sylla= _fierce, were plainly seene in field, Thereby\ndeclaring euil signes, of blood that should be spild. And by the\nfloud of Anien, the husband did spie Great_ =Marius=, _out of broken\ngraue his head aduauncing hie_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XIII.\n\n  A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, and\n  of the writings of holie Fathers, that there are walking\n  Spirits.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Sozomenus.]\n\nIf we read ouer the Ecclesiasticall histories, we shall finde many of\nthese examples. =Sozomenus= writeth in his Ecclesiasticall historie,\nthe sixt booke and 28. chapter, of one =Apelles=, a black Smyth\nby occupation (whose name was at that time very famous throughout\n_Egipt_, for the gift of working miracles, wherwith he was indewed)\nwho as he was one night hard at his work, had appearing vnto him, a\nvision of a Diuel in the likenesse and attire of a very beautifull\nwom\u0101, mouing & intising him to the vice of lechery. But he sodenly\ncatching y\u0364 iron which he wrought on, glowing hot out of the fire,\nthrust it in y\u0364 diuels face, and scorched his visage, wherat he\nfretting & crying out, in al hast fled away.\n\nLikewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedition\nraised at _Antioche_, for the immoderat action and tribute which\n=Theodosius= layd on the citie in the time of warres, whereby the\npeople being offended, ouerthrew the images of the Emperour and his\nwife, dragging them in roapes about the citie, and reporting all\nkinde of villany and dispite against them, thus he saith. But in\nthe night before, assoone as the rebellion began, immediatly at the\nbreake of the day, it is certainly reported there was a straunge\nsight s\u00e9ene, of a woman hauing a huge stature and most horrible\nlooke, running vp and downe the citie through the str\u00e9etes aloft\nin the aire, whisking & beating the aire with a whip, rendring a\nfearefull sound. That as men are wont to prouoke wilde beasts to\nanger, which serue for publike spectacles: euen so it s\u00e9emed, some\neuil angell by the craft of the diuell stirred vp that commotion\namongst the people.\n\n[Sidenote: Theodorus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Nicephorus.]\n\n=Theodorus Lector=, in his first booke of Collectanies, out of the\nEcclesiasticall historie writeth, that as =Gennadius= Patriarch of\n_Constantinople_, came downe to the high aultar to make praiers and\norizons, there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a\nmost horrible shape and figure, which so soone as he had sharply\nrebuked, straightwaies he heard a voice crying out aloud, y\u036d so l\u014dg\nas he liued he would giue place & cease, but when he was once dead,\nhe would surely ransack and spoyle the Church. Which when y\u0364 good\nfather heard, he ernestly praied for y\u0364 preseruation of the church,\n& soone after departed this life. There are many things to be read in\n=Gregori^9 Nicephor^9=, who setteth foorth Ecclesiastical matters at\nlarge, & =Abdias= in the liues of the Apostles, concerning visions,\ndreames, miracles of saints, and also appearings of spirites. For\nwise men iudge, they were more diligent & ready in describing such\nthings, than in other matters, which might haue bin to greater\npurpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand.\n\nHe that readeth ouer the Histories, which in times past haue bene\nwritten, (and that especially by Monkes) shall m\u00e9ete with an\ninnumerable company of these sorts: Yet by the way I must n\u00e9edes say\nthis, that verie many things haue bin written by them, which the\nReaders may iustly suspect, and stand in great doubt of.\n\n=Ludouicus Viues=, =Beatus Rhenanus=, and many other learned men of\nour time, in describing other things, doo finde great fault with the\nChronicles written by Monkes, for that they were gathered togither\nby vnlearned dolts without any iudgement. But let euery man est\u00e9eme\nof them as he list. For albeit there are diuers things in them very\nfoolish and ridiculous, yet it may be well thought that many things\nwere so in very d\u00e9ed, as they haue committed them to writing.\n\n[Sidenote: Ambrose.]\n\nA man shall m\u00e9ete with many places concerning visions and appearings\nof spirits, euen in the old fathers also. S. =Ambrose= in his 90.\nSermon, writeth of a noble Virgin named =Agnes=, who was crowned\nwith martirdome for the professi\u014d of christian religion. And as her\nparents watched one night by her graue, they saw about midnight, a\ngoodly company of Virgins cloathed in golden vayles, amongst whome\nalso was their daughter, arraied like vnto the rest: who willing the\nother Virgins to staie awhile, turning her selfe towards her parents,\nwilled them in any case, not to bewaile her as if she were dead, but\nrather to reioyce with her, for that she had obteined of God eternal\nlife. Which assoon as she had spoken, she immediatly vanisht vanisht\nout of sight.\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\n[Sidenote: Felix appeared at Nola.]\n\n[Sidenote: Gregorie.]\n\nS. =Augustin= declareth in his booke, =De cura pro mortuis agenda=,\nthat when the Citie of _Nola_ was besieged by the Barbariens, the\ncitizens saw =Felix= the martyr plainly appearing vnto them. Touching\nS. =Gregorie=, who in his Dialogues writeth many such things, we will\nentreate hereafter when his turne commeth.\n\nYe shall read of many such like, in the liues of the auncient\nFathers, which al are not to be reiected as vain and fabulous, for\nsome part of them written by graue and learned men, whereof letting\nthe rest passe for breuitie sake, I will rehearse one short historie.\n\n[Sidenote: Basiliscus appeared to Chrysostome.]\n\nIt is to be s\u00e9ene in the life of =Ioannes Chrysostom=, that\n=Basiliscus= Bishop of _Comane_ (who suffered as a Martir with\n=Lucianus= the priest at _Antioch_, vnder =Maximianus= the Emperour)\nappeared vnto Saint =Chrysostome=, when hee was in exile, and sayd\nvnto him: Brother =Iohn=, be of good comfort, for to morrow we shall\nbe togither. But first he appeared to the priest of that Church, and\nsayd vnto him: prepare a place for our deare brother =Iohn=, who will\nshortly come hither. Which things the euent proued afterwards to be\ntrue.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XIIII.\n\n  That in the Bookes set foorth by Monkes, are many\n  ridiculous and vaine apparitions.\n\n\nWe made mention a litle before, of Chronicles written by Monkes.\nNow as touching their legendes of Saintes (as they terme their\nstorehouses of examples, and liues of auncient Fathers, in the which\nare many apparitions of diuels & spirits,) verily there is no cause\nat all why we should ascribe much vnto them, for the most part of\nsuch stuffe as is set forth in them, haue no shewe nor likelihood of\ntruth: perchaunce their minde was to bring men to great feare and\nReligion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories. But\nconcerning these, this place now serueth not to intreate.\n\nThe like may be sayd, of many superstitious Popish writers, who\nfollowing these mens steppes, haue written many vpon other mens\ncredit and reports, which least any man thinke I write, being moued\nwith enuie or hatred of the persons, I will shewe you one onely\nhistorie or fable amongst so many, that you may thereby haue as it\nwere a taste of that which I sayd euen now.\n\n[Sidenote: S. Seuerine Bishop of Colin.]\n\n=Petrus Damanus=, who first was a Monke after the order of S.\n=Benedict=, and afterward Bishop of _Hostia_, a man of great\nestimation among Papists, as well for the opinion they had of his\nlearning, as for the shewe of his vpright liuing, telleth a storie\nof a certaine Monke of _Colein_, who on a time passing ouer a Riuer\non horsebacke, espied Saint =Seuerinus= sometime Bishop of _Colein_\non the Riuer, who not long before was departed this life, and being\nburied at that time, was much renowmed for doing sundrie miracles.\nThe Bishop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle, and would not let\nhim passe any further: wherewith the Monke was sore afraide, and\ndiligently enquired of him, why he being so notable a man, was there\nwithholden in that place. The Bishop then required him to lende him\nhis hand, that h\u00e9e might vnderstand by f\u00e9eling how it was with him,\nwhich when he had done, and that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes\nhande downe into the water, sodeinly in one moment all the flesh\nof his hand, by reason of the extreame heate, was scalded off, so\nthat the bones only remained al bare. Vnto whom then the Monke, sith\n(quote h\u00e9e) thou art so famous a man in the Church, how commeth it to\npasse that thou art so gr\u00e9euously tormented? The Bishop aunswered:\nonly sayd h\u00e9e for this cause, for that I haue not sayd ouer my\nCanonicall houres in due time distinctly as I should haue done: for\nI was in the Emperours Court busied and occupied with matters of his\npriuie Counsell, in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once,\nall the rest of the day I was troubled with other businesse: and for\nthat cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat. But\nlet vs both togither call vnto Almightie God, that it may please him\nto restore thy hand againe, which came presently to passe assoone\nas they had thus saide. And then spake he to the Monke saying: Go\nmy sonne and desire the brethren of our Church, as also al other of\nthe Clergie there, to poure out their praiers for m\u00e9e, to giue almes\nto the poore and n\u00e9edie, and to perseuere incessantly in offring vp\ncontinuall sacrifice for me, for so soone as these things shal be\nfulfilled, I shal be deliuered out of these my torments, and shal be\nioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Citizens of\nheauen, which do earnestly desire my company. Out of this historie,\nthis argument or reason they make: If that good and godly Bishop, who\nbeing ouercharged with affaires of the Emperour leading to publike\nwealth, could not dispatch his taske of prayers in due time, and\ntherefore is so miserably vexed and tormented, what punishment may\nthey looke for, which hauing no necessarie businesse, say ouer the\nCanonicall houres very coldly, or else leaue them cleane vnsayd, that\nthey may the better followe their owne lustes and vaine deuises? And\nh\u00e9ere note by the way, they make no mention at all of omitting those\nthings which God hath expresly commanded vs. But in case the Popish\nBishoppes doo verily bel\u00e9eue this story to be true, let them thinke\nwith themselues, howe they can be able to excuse themselues before\nthe iudgement seate of Almightie God, for that they are content to\nbe created Bishops of those Churches, whereof notwithstanding they\nhaue no care or regarde, but either wholly intangle themselues with\nworldly matters, or if they do deale in matters of the Church, their\nwhole study is directed to this end, to stop the sincere preaching of\nGods word, and to tread those vnderfoote whose mindes are occupied\nday and night, to the aduancing and setting forth of Gods glory. Of\nthis stampe and sort, are most of those thinges wherewith the Monkes\ninferred and stuffed their bookes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XV.\n\n  A proofe by other sufficient writers, that Spirites doo\n  sometime appeare.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Alexander ab Alexandro.]\n\nAs touching other notable writers, they also make mention of spirites\nwhich do oftentimes appear. =Alexander ab Alexandro=, an excellent\nLawier, born at _Naples_, in his sec\u014dd booke _Gemalium dierum_, and\nninth chapter, writeth that a certain familiar friend of his, of\ngood credite, did celebrate y\u0364 funeral of one of his acquaintance,\nand as he returned towards _Rome_, he entred into an Inne fast by\nthe way, because it was night, and there laide himselfe downe to\nrest. As he laie there alone broad awake, sodeinly the image of his\nfriend lately deceased, came before him maruellous pale and leane,\neuen as he was when he sawe him last on his death bedde, whome when\nhe beheld, being almost besides himselfe with feare, he demaunded of\nhim who he was? But the ghost making no answer, but slipping off his\ncloathes laide him downe in the same bedde, and drew neare, as if he\nwould haue embraced him. The other gaue him place, and k\u00e9eping him\noff from him, by chance touched his foote, which s\u00e9emed so extr\u00e9emly\ncold, as no Ice in the world might be compared vnto it. Whereat the\nother looking very lowringly vpon him, tooke vp his clothes againe,\nand rose out of the bed, and was neuer afterwards s\u00e9ene. He reporteth\nother histories in the same place, which hapned in his time. He liued\naboue foure score yeares ago, or neare that time.\n\n[Sidenote: Baptista.]\n\n=Baptista Fulgosus=, Duke of _Genua_, in his booke of worthy sayings\nand doings of Emperors, Princes, Dukes, &c. (which he wrote being in\nexile to auoyd idlenesse: Touching straunge and monstrous things)\nwriteth that in the Court of =Mattheus=, surnamed the great Shiriffe\nof the Citie, in the euening after Sunne sette, there was seene a\nman farre exc\u00e9eding common stature, sitting on a horse in complete\narmour: who when he had bin there s\u00e9ene of many, by the space of\nan houre, in the end vanished away, to the greate terrour of those\nthat beheld him. About thr\u00e9e daies after in like maner, two men on\nhorsebacke of the same stature, were s\u00e9ene in the same place, about\nthr\u00e9e houres within night, fighting togither a long season, and in\nthe ende vanished away as the other didde before. Not long after,\nHenry the seuenth Emperor, departed this life, to the vtter vndoing\nof all the Shiriffes.\n\nImmediately after this Historie, he putteth an other more worthie\nmemorie than the foremost. =Lodouicus= father to =Alodisius=, ruler\nof _Immola_, not long after he died, appeared vnto a Secretarie, whom\n=Ludouicus= had sente to _Ferraria_, as he was on his iourney, riding\non a horse with a Hauke on his fist, as he was wonte when he liued,\nand willed the Secretarie (albeit wonderfully afraid) to bid his\nSonne the nexte day to repaire vnto the same place, for he had matter\nof greate importance to declare vnto him. Which when =Lodouicus=\nheard, partly because he could not bel\u00e9eue it, partly for that he\ndoubted some body laye in waight for him, he sent an other to answere\nin his roome. With whome the same soule m\u00e9eting as it did before,\nlamented very much that his Sonne was not come thither, for if he\nhad so doone, he saide, he would haue opened many other things vnto\nhim. But as then he willed the messenger to tell him, that twentie\ntwo yeares, one month and one day being passed, he should loose the\nrule and gouernment whiche he nowe possessed. As soone as the time\nforeshewed by the ghost was expired, albeit he were very circumspect\nand careful, yet the same night, the souldiours of =Philip= Duke of\n_Millen_, with whom he was in league & therfore stood came ouer the\nditches hard frozen with Ice vnto the walles, and raising vp ladders,\ntooke both Citie and Prince togither.\n\n[Sidenote: Melancthons Aunt.]\n\n=Phillip Melancthon=, writeth in his booke _De anima_, that he\nhimselfe hath s\u00e9ene some Spirits, and y\u036d he hath knowne many men\nof good credit, which haue auouched not only to haue s\u00e9ene ghostes\nthemselues, but also that they haue talked a great while with them.\nIn his booke which he intituleth _Examen Theologicum_, he rehearseth\nthis historie. Which was, that he had an aunt, who as she sat very\nheauily by the fire, after her husband was dead, two men came into\nher house, whereof the one being very like, said he was her husband\ndeceased, the other being verie tall, had the shape of a =Franciscan=\nFriar. This that s\u00e9emed to be the husband, came neare the chimney\nsaluting his heauy wife, bidding her not to be afraide, for (as he\nsaid) he came to commaund her certaine things: then he bid the long\nMonke to go aside a while into the stoue hard by. And there beginning\nhis talke, after many words, at the last be earnestly bes\u00e9echeth,\nand most hartily desireth her, to hire a Priest to say Masse for his\nsoule, and so being readie to depart, he biddeth her giue him her\nright hand: which thing (she being sore afraide) abhorring to doo,\nafter he had faithfully promised she should haue no harme, she giueth\nher hand, which albeit indeed it had no hurt, yet did it s\u00e9eme to be\nso scorched, that euer after it remained blacke. This being done, he\ncalleth foorth the =Franciscan=, and hastily going forth togither,\nthey vanish away. =Ioannes Manlius=, in his collectanies of Common\nplaces, writeth concerning other spirites which he and other men also\ndid s\u00e9e, the first tome in the Chapter _De malis spiritibus & ipsorum\noperibus_, and also in the Chapter _De satisfactione_.\n\n[Sidenote: Ludouicus Viues.]\n\n=Ludouicus Viues=, saith in his first booke _De veritate fides_, that\nin the new world lately found out, there is nothing more common,\nthan not only in the night time, but also at noone in the midday,\nto s\u00e9e spirits apparantly, in the Cities and fieldes, which speake,\ncommaund, forbid, assault men, feare and strike them. The very same\ndo other report which describe those nauigations of the great Ocean.\n\n[Sidenote: Hieronimus Cardanus.]\n\n=Hieronimus Cardanus= of _Millen_, excellently s\u00e9ene in Philosophie &\nPhisicke, remembreth a great many of these apparitions, in his booke\n_De subtilitate, & varietate rerum_: which who so listeth to reade, I\nreferre him to his bookes, for I am desirous to be br\u00e9efe.\n\n[Sidenote: Olaus.]\n\n=Olaus Magnus=, Archbishop of _Vpsalia_ in _Sueueland_, declareth\nin his history _De Gentibus Septentrionalibus_, the second booke\nand third chap. that spirits appeare in _Iseland_, in the shape &\nlikenesse of such, as men are acquainted withal: whom the inhabitants\ntake by the hand in stead of their acquaintance, before they haue\nheard any word of those their acquaint\u0101ce death, whose similitude and\nlikenesse they take on them, neither do they vnderstand that they are\ndeceiued, before they shrinke and vanish away. These things haue I\nbrought togither both out of the olde and also new writers, that it\nmight plainly appeare, that spirites do oftentimes walke and shewe\nthemselues vnto men.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVI.\n\n  Daily experience teach vs, that spirits do appeare to men.\n\n\nTo all the premisses before handled, this also is to be added, which\nno man can deny, but that many honest and credible persons of both\nkindes, as well men as women, of whome some are liuing, and some\nalready departed, which haue and do affirme, that they haue sometimes\nin the day, and sometimes in the night s\u00e9ene and heard spirits. Some\nman walketh alone in his house, and behold a spirit appeareth in his\nsight, yea and sometimes the dogs also perceiue them, and fal down\nat their masters f\u00e9et, and wil by no means depart fro them, for they\nare sore afraid themselues too. Some man goeth to bed, and laieth him\ndowne to rest, and by and by there is some thing pinching him, or\npulling off the clothes: sometimes it sitteth on him, or lieth downe\nin the bed with him: and many times it walketh vp and downe in the\nChamber. There haue bene many times men s\u00e9ene, walking on foote, or\nriding on horseback, being of a fierie shape, knowne vnto diuers men,\n& such as died not long before. And it hath come to passe likewise,\nthat some eyther slaine in the warres, or otherwise deade naturally,\nhaue called vnto their acquaintance b\u00e9eing aliue, and haue bene\nknowne by their voice.\n\n[Sidenote: Spirites requiring helpe.]\n\nMany times in the night season, there haue b\u00e9ene certaine spirits\nheard softly going, or spitting, or groning, who being asked what\nthey were, haue made aunswere that they were the soules of this or\nthat man, and that they nowe endure extreame tormentes. If by chaunce\nany man did aske of them, by what meanes they might be deliuered\nout of those tortures, they haue aunswered, that in case a certaine\nnumber of Masses were soong for them, or Pilgrimages vowed to some\nSaintes, or some other such like d\u00e9edes doone for their sake, that\nthen surely they shoulde be deliuered. Afterwardes appearing in\ngreate light and glorie, they haue said that they were deliuered, and\nhaue therefore rendred greate thankes to their good benefactours, and\nhaue in like manner promised, that they will make intercession to\nGod and our Ladye for them. And hereby it may be well proued, that\nthey were not alwayes Priestes, or other bolde and wicked men, which\nhaue fayned themselues to be soules of men deceased, as I haue before\nsaide: in so much that euen in those mennes chambers when they haue\nbene shut, there haue appeared such things, when they haue with a\ncandle diligently searched before, whither any thing haue lurked in\nsome corner or no. Many vse at this day to search and sifte euery\ncorner of the house before they go to bed, that they may sl\u00e9epe more\nsoundly: & yet neuerthelesse, they heare some scriking out, and\nmaking a lam\u0113table noise, &c.\n\nIt hath many times chanced, that those of the house haue verily\nthought, that some body hath ouerthrowne the pots, platters, tables\nand trenchers, and tumbled them downe the staires: but after it waxed\nday, they haue founde all things orderly set in their places againe.\n\nIt is reported, that some spirits haue throwne the doore off from\nthe hookes, and haue troubled and set all things in the house out of\norder, neuer setting them in their due place againe, and that they\nhaue maruellously disquieted men with rumbling and making a great\nnoyse.\n\nSometimes there is heard a great noyse in Abbeis, and in other\nsolitarie places, as if it were Coopers hooping and stopping vp wine\nvessels, or some other handicraftes men occupied about their labour,\nwhen it is most certaine, that all in the house are gone to bedde,\nand haue betaken themselues to rest.\n\n[Sidenote: Builders hear spirits in the night.]\n\nWhen houses are in building, the neighbours many times heare the\nCarpenters, Masons, and other Artificers handling all things in such\nsort, as if they were busily labouring in the day time. And this\nstraunge wonder is ioyfully receiued as a sure token of good lucke.\n\nThere be some which iudge it commeth to passe naturally, that we\nsuppose we heare these things in the night, which we heard before\nin the day time. Which question I leaue to be discussed of better\nlearned than my selfe.\n\n[Sidenote: Diuels are in Mines.]\n\nPioners or diggers for mettal, do affirme, that in many mines, there\nappeare straunge shapes and spirites, who are apparrelled like vnto\nother labourers in the pit. These wander vp and down in caues and\nvnderminings, and s\u00e9em to besturre themselues in all kinde of labour,\nas to dig after the veine, to carry togither oare, to put it into\nbaskets, and to turne the winding wh\u00e9ele to drawe it vp, when in very\nd\u00e9ed they do nothing lesse. They very sildome hurt the labourers (as\nthey say) except they prouoke them by laughing and rayling at them:\nfor then they threw grauel stones at them, or hurt them by some other\nmeans. These are especially haunting in pittes, where mettall moste\naboundeth.\n\nA certain godly and learned man wrote once vnto me, of a siluer mine\nat =Douosium= in the _Alpes_, vpon the which =Peter Buol= a noble\nman, the Schultish of the same place, (whom they call =Landammanus=,)\nhad bestowed great cost a fewe yeres before, and had gathered therby\ngood store of riches. In the same myne was a spirite or Diuell of\nthe mountaine, who when the laborers filled the stuffe they had\ndigged into their vessels, he seemed, for the most parte, euery\nFridaye, to be very busie, pouring the mettals of his owne accord\nout of one basket into an other. Wherewith the Schultish was not\noffended: and when he would eyther descende into the pit, or come\nvp againe, blessing himselfe with the signe of the Crosse, he neuer\nreceiued hurt. It chaunced on a time that while the saide spirit was\ntoo busie intermedling himselfe with euery thing, one of the miners\nbeing offended therewith, began to raile at him very bitterly, and\nwith terrible cursing words, bid him get him thence in the diuels\nname. But the spirit caught him by the pate, and so writhed his necke\nabout, that his face stoode behinde his backe, yet notwithstanding he\nwas not slaine, but liued a long time after, well knowne vnto diuers\nof his familiar friends, which yet liue at this day, howbeit he died\nwithin a fewe yeares after.\n\n[Sidenote: Agricola.]\n\n=Georgius Agricola=, whose learned workes which he wrote of\nmettalles, be yet extant in the end of his booke of creatures liuing\nvnder the earth, he maketh two kindes of Diuels haunting in certayne\nMynes abroade. For h\u00e9e saith, there are some cruell and terrible to\nbehold: which for the moste parte, doo very much annoy and hurt the\nlabourers digging for mettall.\n\nSuche a one was h\u00e9e which was called =Annebergius=, who only with his\nbreath, destroyed aboue 12. labourers at once, in the Caue called\n=Corona Rosacea=. The wind wherwith he slewe them, he let fl\u00e9e out\nof his mouth: for he appeared in the similitude and likenesse of an\nhorse.\n\nSuch an other was =Snebergius=, who wearing a blacke roll about his\nnecke, tooke vp a labourer aloft from the ground, and set him in the\nbrinke of a certaine exceeding d\u00e9epe place, where had sometime bene\ngreat store of siluer, not without gr\u00e9euous brusing of his bodie.\n\nAnd againe he saith, there be some very milde and gentle, whom some\nof the =Germanes= call =Cobali=, as the =Grecians= do, because they\nbe as it were apes and counterfeiters of men: for they leaping and\nskipping for ioy do laugh, and s\u00e9eme as though they did many things,\nwhen in very d\u00e9ed they do nothing. And som other call them elues,\nor dwarfes of the Mountaines, thereby noting their small stature,\nwherein they commonly appeare. They s\u00e9eme to be hoare, wearing\napparell like the mettall Finers, that is, in a peticoate laced,\nand an aperne of leather about their loynes. These hurt not the\nlabourers, except they misuse them, but do imitate them in all their\ndoings. And he saith, they are not much vnlike vnto those whom the\n=Germanes= call =Guteli=, because they s\u00e9eme to beare good affection\ntowards men, for they k\u00e9ep horses, and do other necessary businesse.\nThey are also like vnto them whom they call =Trulli=, who taking on\nthem the feined shapes of men and women, do serue as it is sayd,\nlike seruants, both amongst other nations, and specially amongst the\n=Suetians=.\n\nTouching these spirits haunting Mines of mettal, there is somewhat\nto be read in =Olaus Magnus de Gentibus Septentrionalibus=, the sixt\nbooke and tenth Chapter.\n\n[Sidenote: VVhich are people that eate and deuoure men.]\n\nThey which saile on the great Ocean sea, make report, that in\ncertaine places, where the =Anthropophagi= do inhabit, are many\nspirits, which doo the people there very much harme.\n\nHere many straunge things might be brought concerning visions\nappearing vnto men in their sl\u00e9epe: and also of them, which being in\na traunce, haue lyen a whole day and more without mouing, lyke vnto\ndead men: and after being restored to themselues againe, haue told\nmany miraculous things which they haue s\u00e9ene.\n\n[Sidenote: Cicero.]\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\n=Cicero= writeth of maruellous things in his booke of diuination,\nor soothsaying. And so do many other men also. Augustine himselfe\nreciteth in many places of his bookes, that some after they were\ndead, haue warned many their friends of diuers matters, and haue\ndisclosed vnto them secrete things, which were to come, and haue\nshewed sicke folkes good remedies for their diseases, and haue done\nmany such like things.\n\n[Sidenote: Marsilius.]\n\n=Auenzoar Albumato=, a Phisitian of _Arabia_, writeth, that he\nreceiued an excellent medicine for his sore eyes, of a Phisitian\nlately deceased, appearing vnto him in his sl\u00e9ep: as =Marcilius\nFicinus= doth testifie, writing of the immortalitie of the soule.\n=Lib. 16. cap. 5.=\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat.1.& 2._]\n\nThe holy Scriptures also teach vs, that God hath reuealed many things\nvnto men by dreames. =S. Mathew= in his first and second chapter\nwriteth, that the Angell of God appeared many times vnto =Ioseph=,\nour Sauiour Christes foster father in a dreame, and commaunded him to\nbeware of those which laie in wayt to destroy Christ Iesus.\n\n[Sidenote: _Acts._]\n\nWe reade in the tenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, that\nS. =Peter= fell into a traunce, sawe the heauens open, and sawe a\nvessell, as it were a great sh\u00e9ete, descend downe vnto him from\nheauen, knit togither at the foure corners, wherein were all maner\nof foure footed beastes of the earth, and wilde beasts, and cr\u00e9eping\nthings, and foules of the heauen. And there came a voyce vnto him:\nRise =Peter=, kill and eate.\n\n[Sidenote: _Acts 16._]\n\nAnd in the 16. Chapter, as S. =Paul= was yet in _Asia_, comming downe\ntowardes _Troada_, this vision appeared vnto him: There stoode a man\nof _Macedonia_ and prayed him, saying: Come into _Macedonia_ and\nhelpe vs. Hereby =Paule= gathered, it was the will of God, that he\nshould passe the sea, and should preach the Gospell in _Macedonia_.\n\nBut I purpose not to write of spirites and visions appearing vnto men\nin their sl\u00e9epe, least my Booke grow vnto an huge volume: but only of\nthose which we sensibly s\u00e9e when we are awake.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVII.\n\n  That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications,\n  and that sodein noyses and cracks and such like, are\n  heard before the death of men, before battaile, and\n  before some notable alterations and chaunges.\n\n\nIt hapneth many times, that wh\u0113 men lie sicke of some deadly disease,\nthere is some thing heard going in the chamber, like as the sicke men\nwere wont, when they were in good health: yea & the sicke parties\nthemselues, do many times hear the same, and by and by gesse what\nwill come to passe. Oftentimes a litle before they y\u00e9eld vp y\u0364\nghost, and sometime a litle after their death, or a good while after,\neither their own shapes, or som other shadowes of men, are apparantly\ns\u00e9en. And diuers times it commeth to passe, that when some of our\nacquaintaunce or friends lie a dying, albeit they are many miles\noff, yet there are some great stirrings or noises heard. Sometimes\nwe think y\u0364 house wil fal on our heads, or y\u036d some massy &\nwaightie thing falleth down throughout all y\u0364 house, rendring and\nmaking a disordered noise: and shortly within fewe moneths after, we\nvnderstand that those things happened, the very same house y\u036d our\nfriends departed in. There be some men, of whose stock none doth die,\nbut that they obserue and marke some signes and tokens going before:\nas that they heare the doores and windowes open and shut, that some\nthings runneth vp the staires, or walketh vp and downe the house, or\ndoth some one or other such like thing.\n\nBut here I cannot passe this in silence: that there are many\nsuperstitious m\u0113, which vainly persuade themselues that this cousin,\nand this or that friend of theirs will shortly die. For in the end,\nthe falling out of the matter it selfe, sheweth it was a vaine and\nfoolish persuasion, that they vnderstood such things by any signes.\n\n[Sidenote: Cardanus.]\n\n=Cardanus= in his booke _De veritate rerum_, writeth, that there was\na certaine noble Familie at _Parma_ in _Italy_, out of the which so\noften as any one died, there was s\u00e9ene an olde woman in the chimney\ncorner. On a certaine time sh\u00e9e appeared, when a mayden of the same\nfamily laie very sick, and therfore they cleane dispaired of her\nlife: but soone after she recouered again, and in the meane while, an\nother, which was then in good health, sodainly died.\n\nThere was a certaine parish priest, a very honest and godly man,\nwhome I knew well, who in the plague time, could tell before hand,\nwhen any of his parish should die. For in the night time he heard a\nnoyse ouer his bed, lyke as if one had throwne downe a sacke full of\ncorne from his shoulders: which when he heard, he would say: Now an\nother biddeth me farewell. After it was day, he vsed to inquire who\ndied that night, or who was tak\u0113 with y\u0364 plague, to the ende he\nmight comfort and strengthen them, according to the dutie of a good\npastor.\n\nIt hath bin often obserued in Guilde Halles where Aldermen sit, that\nwhen one of those Aldermen was at the point of death, there was heard\nsome ratling about his seate, or some other certaine signe of death.\nThe same thing happeneth beside pewes and stalles in Churches, or\nin other places where men are often conuersaunt, or accustomed to\nexercise their handie labour.\n\nIn Abbies, the Monkes seruants or any other falling sicke, many haue\nheard in the night, preparation of chestes for them, in such sort as\nthe Coffin-makers did afterwards prepare in d\u00e9ed.\n\nIn some country villages, when one is at deaths doore, many times\nthere are some heard in the Euening, or in the night, digging a graue\nin the Churchyard, and the same the next day is so founde digged, as\nthese men did heare before.\n\nThere haue bin s\u00e9ene some in the night when the Moone shined,\ngoing solemnely with the corpes, according to the custome of the\npeople, or standing before the doores, as if some bodie were to bee\ncarried to the Church to burying. Many suppose, they s\u00e9e their owne\nimage, or as they say, their owne soule, and of them diuers are\nverily perswaded, that except they die shortly after they haue s\u00e9en\nthemselues, they shall liue a very great time after. But these things\nare superstitious. Let euery man so prepare himselfe, as it he should\ndie to morrow, least by being too secure, he purchase himselfe harme.\n\nThere happen other straunge things also. For when some lye in the\nprison in chaines, readie to suffer punishment for their offences,\nmany times in the night season, there is heard a great noyse and\nrumbling, as if some bodie were breaking into y\u0364 gaile to deliuer\nthe prisoners. When men come to vnderstand the matter, they can\nneither hear, nor s\u00e9e any bodie, and the prisoners likewise say they\nheard no maner thing.\n\nSome executioners or hangmen do report, that for the most part, they\nknow before hand whether any man shall shortly bee deliuered into\ntheir handes to suffer: for their swordes will moue of their owne\naccord. And there are other that say, they can tell before, after\nwhat sort the prisoners shall suffer.\n\nMany wonderfull and straunge things happen about those which wilfully\ncast away themselues. Somtime their corpses must be carried a great\nway off, before they being thrust in a sack can be throwne into the\nsea: and being laid in a waggon or cart, the horse could scant draw\nthem downe the hill, but vp the hill they n\u00e9ed not labour at all, for\nthe cart would runne very fast of his owne accord.\n\n[Sidenote: De animorum immortalitate li.16.cap.5.]\n\n[Sidenote: Virgil.]\n\nSome men being slaine by th\u00e9eues, when the th\u00e9eues come to the dead\nbodie, by and by there gusheth out freshe blood, or else there is\ndeclaration by other tokens, that the th\u00e9efe is there present.\n=Plato= writeth in the first booke of his lawes, that the soules of\nsuch as haue bene slaine, do oftentimes cruelly molest & trouble the\nsoules of those which slew them. For which cause =Marsilius Fiscinus=\ndoth thinke it chaunceth, that the wound of a man being slaine, while\nthe carkasse lieth on the ground, doth send out blood against him,\nwhich wounded him, if he stand neare looking on his wound. Which\nthing both =Lucretius= affirmeth to come to passe, and also Iustices\nhaue diligently obserued. =Dido= in =Virgil= thus threatneth =Aeneas=.\n\n_And when the cold of death is come, and body voyd remaines, Each\nwhere my haunting spirit shall pursue thee to thy paines._\n\nThe like place is in =Horace= & in other Poets. As a th\u00e9efe sitteth\nat the Table, a cuppe being ouerthrowne, the wine pearceth through\nthe whole and sound wood of the Table, to all mens admiration.\n\nTouching these and other such maruellous things, there might be\nmany histories and testimonies alleaged. But whosoeuer readeth this\nbooke, may call to their remembrance, that they haue s\u00e9en these and\nsuch like things themselues, or that they haue heard them of their\nfriendes and acquaintance, and of such as deserue sufficient credit.\n\n[Sidenote: Suetonius.]\n\nBefore the alterations and chaunges of kingdomes and in the time of\nwarres, seditions, and other dangerous seasons, ther most comm\u014dly\nhappen very strange things in the aire, in y\u0364 earth, and amongst\nliuing creatures clean c\u014dtrary to the vsuall course of nature.\nWhich things men cal, wonders, signes, monsters, and forewarnings\nof matters to come. There are s\u00e9ene in the aire, swords, speares,\n& suche like, innumerable: there are heard and s\u00e9ene in the aire,\nor vppon the earth, whole armies of men encountring togither, and\nwhen one part is forced to flye, there is heard horrible cries, and\ngreat clattering of armour. Gunnes, launces and holberdes, with other\nkindes of weapons and artillerie, do often times moue of their owne\naccord as they lye in the armories. When as souldiers marche towards\ntheir enimies, and their ensignes will not displaie abroade but fold\nabout the stander-bearers heads: if the souldiours be therewith\namazed, they surely perswade themselues there is some great slaughter\ntowardes. It is saide also, that horses will be very sad and heauie,\nand will not lette their masters sit on their backes, before they go\nto the battaile wherin they shall haue the ouerthrow: but when they\nare coragious and lustilie neighing, it is a sure token of victorie.\n=Suetonius= writeth, that the company of horses which =Iulius C\u00e6sar=\nlet run at libertie, neuer to be put to labour againe, did w\u00e9epe\naboundantly when =C\u00e6sar= was slaine.\n\nWhen =Miltiades= addressed his people against the _Persians_, there\nwere heard tirrible noyses before the battaile, and certaine spirits\nwere s\u00e9ene, which the =Athenians= afterwards affirmed to be the\nshaddowe of =Pan=, who cast suche a feare on the _Persians_, that\nthey turned their backs and fled. Thereof =Terrores Panici= tooke\ntheir name, being spoken of sodayn feares vnlooked for, and terrours,\nsuche as =Lymphatici= metus are, which driue men out of their wits\nbeing taken therewith.\n\n[Sidenote: Cicero de diuinatione.]\n\nBefore the _Lacedemonians_ were ouerthrowne in y\u0364 battaile at\n=Leuctris=, the armour moued, & made a great noise in the temple\nof _Hestor_. At the same time the doores of =Hercules= temple at\n=Thebes= being fast shut with barres, opened sodainly of their owne\naccord: and the weapons and armour which hoong fastned on the wall,\nwere found lying vppon the grounde. These things are to be read in\n=Cicero= his first booke =De diuinatione=.\n\n[Sidenote: Liuie.]\n\nIn the second warres of _Carthage_, the standerd-bearer of the first\nbattaile of pikemen, could not remoue his ensigne out of his place,\nneither yet wh\u0113 many came to helpe, they could any thing preuayle.\nThese and suche other signes of euill lucke, =Caius Flaminius= the\nConsull, nothing regarded, but soone after his army was discomfited,\nand he himselfe slaine. Concerning which matter, =Titus Liuius=\nwriteth at large. In the beginning of the warres waged with the\npeople called =Marsi=, there was heard out of secrete places,\ncertaine voyces, and noyse of harnesse, which foreshewed the daunger\nof the warres to come.\n\n[Sidenote: Plinie.]\n\n=Plinie= writeth in his.2.booke and 59.chapter, that in the warres\nwith the _Danes_, and many times before, there was heard the clashing\nof armour, and the sound of trumpets out of Heauen.\n\n[Sidenote: Appianus.]\n\n=Appianus= declareth what signes and wonders went before the ciuill\nwarres at _Rome_: what miserable cries of men clashing of armour, and\nrunning of horses were heard, no man s\u00e9eing any thing.\n\n[Sidenote: Valeri. Max.li.1.cap.6.]\n\n=Valerius Maximus= in his firste booke and 6.chapter of straunge\nwonders, writeth how =Cneius Pompeius= had warning before, not to\nfight the fielde with =Iulius Cesar= for as he launced off, at\n=Dirrachium=, his souldiours were taken with a sodayne feare: and in\nthe night likewise before the battaile, their hearts and courages\nsodainly failed them. And after, the same author addeth that which\n=Cesar= himselfe rehearseth in his 3.booke =De bello ciuili=: how\nthat the very same day wherin =Cesar= fought his fortunate battaile,\nthe crying of the armie, and the sound of trumpets was heard at\n_Antioche_ in _Syria_, so sensibly, that the whole citie ranne in\narmour to defend their walles. The very same thing he saith, happened\nat =Ptolemais=, and that at =Pergamus= in the most priuie and secret\nparts of the temple where none may enter, saue only priests, which\nplace the _Grecians_ call \u1f04\u03b4\u03c5\u03c4\u03b1, there were heard the sound\nof drummes and timbrels.\n\n[Sidenote: Castor and Pollux.]\n\n[Sidenote: Plutarch.]\n\n[Sidenote: Iosephus.]\n\nThe historiographers reporte, that =Castor= and =Pollux= haue b\u00e9en\noften s\u00e9ene in battailes sitting on white horses, & valiantly\nfighting against y\u0364 enemies campe. =Plutarch= writeth in\n=Coriolanus= life, that they were s\u00e9ene in the battaile against\n=Tarquinius=, and that immediatly after, they bare tidings to _Rome_\nof the victory. The selfe same writeth =Titus Liuius= also in his\n8.booke of his first decade. We may reade in the history of the siege\nof the noble citie of _Magdeburge_ in _Saxonie_, that the enimie\nwhich laide siege to the towne, so often as the citizens issued out\nto skirmish with them, supposed that one vp\u014d a white horse came\nriding before the citizens battaile, when as the citizens themselues\nsawe no such man. =Iosephus= in his bookes of the warres in _Iurie_,\nrecordeth what straunge signes hapned before the destructi\u014d of\n=Ierusalem=: which were, that a brasen gate being fast rampierd\nwith barres, opened in the night time of his owne accord. And that\nbefore the Sunne set, there were s\u00e9ene chariots in the aire, and\narmies of men well furnished, enuironing the citie rounde about. And\nthat at Whitsontide, as the priests entred the temple to celebrate\ndiuine seruice, they heard a great noise, and by & by a voice crying\n=Migremus hinc=. Let vs depart hence. He reckeneth vp other like\nthings, which we n\u00e9ede not repeate in this place. The same night that\n=Leo= of =Constantinople= was slayne in the temple, the trauellers by\nsea heard a voice in the aire which said: that =Leo= had roared out\neuen to the same place.\n\n[Sidenote: Felix Malleolus.]\n\n=Felix Malleolus= doctor of both y\u0364 lawes, master of =Solodor=, &\ncanon at =Tigur\u016b=, a m\u0101 of great reading, as it may easily apeare\nby his lerned writings which ar yet ext\u0101t. (For he liued about y\u0364\ntime wh\u0113 y\u0364 Co\u016bcell of =Basil= was hold\u0113) writeth in his booke\n=de nobilitate=, =c.=30. y\u036d it is to be s\u00e9en in y\u0364 historie of\n=Rodulphus= king of the Romanes, that when the said =Rodulphus= had\nvanquished =Othotarus=, King of _Boemia_, continuing on the place all\nnight, where the battell was fought, about midnight, certain Spirits\nor Deuils, with horrible noise and tumulte, troubled and disordered\nhis whole armie. And that those were spirits walking by night, it\nappeared hereby, that they sodeynly vanished away like smoake.\n\nThe same Author writeth in his xxvi. chapter, That in the yeare of\nour Lord .1280. as one of the =Plebans= (as they call them) belonging\nto the churche of _Tigurine_ preached to the people, the graue stone\nof the tumbe or sepulchre of the two martires =Felix= and =Regula=,\npatrones of the same place, violently brake asunder, no man mouing\nor touching it, giuing a horrible sound like vnto thunder, so that\nthe people were no lesse astonished and afraide, than if the vaute\nof the Churche had fallen downe. And he saith, that the same yeare,\nthe third day of October, the greater part of the citie of =Tigurum=\nwas brent with fire, and moreouer, that sedition was moued amongst\nthe Citizens, for certaine Ecclesiastical disciplines, and for the\nImperiall Banne (as they terme it.) In the yeare of our Lord .1440.\nthe twelfe day of December, at y\u0364 dedication of the foresaid\nchurche, about midnight, there was the like noise hearde, and\nimmediatly after followed ciuill warres, which the _Tigurins_ held\nwith vncertaine successe against the other =Heluetians=, for the\nspace of seuen yeares and more.\n\nThe same writer in the .33. Chap. hath, that at the same time in the\nyeare of our Lorde .1444. before that valiaunt battaile, which a\nfeawe =Heluetians= fought against the innumerable companie of =Lewes=\nDolphin of =Fraunce=, fast by the wals of =Basill=, in the time of\nthe generall Councell, there was hearde certaine nightes about those\nplaces, the alarme of Souldiours, the clattering of harneys, and the\nnoyse of men encountring togither. &c.\n\nHere I purposely omit many such like examples, for there are many\nbookes, both of auncient and also of newe writers, touching straunge\nsignes and wonders, wherein these may be redde.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVIII.\n\n  It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture, that\n  spirites are sometime seene and heard, and that other\n  straunge matters do often chaunce.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Luke 14.]\n\nYet perchaunce it will be obiected vnto vs, that we bring no\ntestimony out of holy scripture, touching this matter: especially\nto proue, that Spirits do oftentimes appeare vnto men. I answer,\nthat truth it is, There are fewe things hereof in the scriptures,\nand yet notwithstanding somewhat is to be redde in them. It is read\nin S. =Matthew= his fourt\u00e9enth Chapter, of Christs Disciples, that\nwhen in the night season, by reason of a contrary wind, they were in\ngreat danger of drowning in the lake of =Genazareth=, and that in the\ndawning of the day, the Lord walked on the water, they being afraide,\ncried out, supposing they sawe a Spirit. Hereof we gather, that they\nknew well inough, that Spirits appeared vnto men vpon sea and land.\n\nLikewise when the Lord being risen from death, appeared vnto his\nDisciples, meaning to assure them of his resurrection, they thought\nat the first, that they sawe a Spirit. In the which place, Christ\ndenieth not but there are Spirits and straunge sightes, and that they\nare sometimes s\u00e9ene, but he rather confirmeth the same by putting a\ndifference betw\u00e9ene himselfe, and Spirits of vaine apparitions. But\nas touching these two testimonies, we wil speak more in another place.\n\n[Sidenote: 2.Samuel.]\n\nIt is a notable historie which we read in the seconde Booke of\n=Samuel= concerning =Saule=, who, at what time the Philistians warred\nvppon him, and that he was in verie great daunger of them, he came\nto a woman, who was a witch, and desired her to raise =Samuel= from\ndeath, that he might know his counsell touching the successe of\nthe wars. She raised him vp one, whom =Saule= tooke to be =Samuel=\nind\u00e9ede, who also tolde him what euente shoulde come of the warres.\nBut whether h\u00e9e were a true =Samuel= or a counterfait, w\u00e9e will\ndispute the matter more at large in his conuenient place.\n\n[Sidenote: 2.Samuel.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1.Paral.14.]\n\nAs concerning other maruellous things, there is somewhat to be read\nin the Scriptures: In the seconde of =Samuel= & the fift chap. Also\nin the first of =Paralipomenon=, and the .xiiii. chap. we reade, that\nthe Philistines went vp the seconde time into Iurie, to make warres\non =Dauid=: H\u00e9e went vnto the Lord, and shewed him the matter, who\ncommaunded him, that he shoulde embushe himselfe behinde the wood\nwith his armie, and when he heard a rustling or noise in the toppes\nof the tr\u00e9es, he should immediatly sette vppon them. This sounde they\nsay was a strange and supernaturall sound.\n\n[Sidenote: 2.Reg.6.7.]\n\nIt is written in the second booke of the Kings the .vi. and vii.\nchapters, that God deliuered the citie of _Samaria_ from great\nfamine, when it was fiercely besieged by =Benhadad= king of the\n_Assirians_, for in the night season their enemies did heare the\nnoise of the chariots, the neighing of horsses, and shr\u00e9eching of a\nhuge armie, as it were in their owne pauillions and tentes, supposing\ntherefore, that the kyng of Israel had gathered togither his footemen\nand horssemen, and had nowe sette vppon them, they soughte to saue\nthemselues by flighte, leauing theyr victuall and other prouision\nbehinde them in their tentes.\n\n[Sidenote: 1.Samu.7.]\n\nIn the first of =Samuel= and the seuenth chapter, God caused a\nwonderfull greate noyse to sounde ouer the Philistians, and so\ndestroyed them. I meane they were so affrighted with a kinde of\nstraunge feare, that it was an easie matter to vanquish them.\n\n[Sidenote: _Daniel_ 5.]\n\nIn the fifth Chapter of =Daniel= ye may reade, that king =Balthasar=\nin his roysting banquet, espied right against the candle, a hand\nwriting vpon the wall what his end should be.\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Macha._ 3.]\n\nIt is redde in the third Chapter of the seconde of the =Machabees=,\nthat there appeared a horsse vnto =Heliodorus=, seruant vnto\n=Seleucus= king of _Asia_, as he was about to destroy the temple of\n_Hierusalem_: and vpon the horsse s\u00e9emed to sit a terrible man, which\nmade towards him to ouerrun him. On eache side of him were two yoong\nmen of excellent beautie, which with whippes scourged =Heliodorus=.\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Mach._ 10.]\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Mach._ 11.]\n\nThe second of the =Machabees= and tenth chapter, =Iudas Machabeus=\nencountred with his enemies, and when the battaile was hotte, there\nappeared vnto the enemy out of heauen, fiue men sitting on horses,\nrayned with notable bridles of gold, who ledde the Iewes hoste, and\ntwo of them defended =Machabeus= from all his enemies. And vnto\n=Machabeus= appeared a horsman in a shining garment, his armour all\nof gold, and shaking his speare. Whereby it was signified, that he\nshould obtaine a notable and famous victorie. 2. =Macha.= 11.\n\nI alleadge not these examples, for that I adiudge the bookes of\n=Machabees=, of as good authoritie as the Canonicall bookes of the\nnew and old Testament: but only for that they are ioyned togither\nwith them, and may be read of euery one: and they were alwaies read\nof the auncient people. For albeit they neuer went about to approue\nany doctrine by them, yet were they of great authoritie am\u014dgst them.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XIX.\n\n  To whome, when, where, and after what sort, Spirites do\n  appeare, and what they do worke.\n\n\nBy all these examples we may plainly perceiue, that many strange\nthings are obiected to mens senses, and that sometimes Spirits\nare s\u00e9ene and heard, not only (as some haue thought, as =Plutark=\nwitnesseth in the life of =Dion=) of children, women, sicke folkes,\ndottards, and otherwise very plain and simple creatures, but also\nto men of good courage, and such as haue bin perfectly in their\nwits. Yet it may not be denied but that there appeare many more vnto\nsome, than vnto other some, as vnto trauellers, watch-men, hunters,\ncarters, and marriners, who leade all their life not only in the day\ntime, but also in night, in iourneying, in the water, woods, hills\nand vallies. You shall m\u00e9ete with some one who neuer sawe nor heard\nany of this geare in all his life time, and contrariwise, there be\nother some which haue s\u00e9ene and heard very many such like things.\n\nSo there are some which very sildom chance vpon Serpents, and againe,\nmany there are which oftentimes m\u00e9ete with them in their iourney.\nThe common people say, that those whose natiuities chance vpon the\nAngaries (for so they terme the foure seasons of the yeare) do s\u00e9e\nmore store of spirits, than those which are borne at other times,\nbut these are m\u00e9ere trifles. Those which are stedfast in true faith,\ns\u00e9e or heare such things more sildome than superstitious people, as\nin all other things. He that is superstitious, vseth some blessing\n(as they call it) to heale his Horsses disease, and it taketh good\neffect: he enchaunteth a Serpent, and it cannot once mooue out of the\nplace. He applieth a blessing to staunche bl\u00e9edyng, and it stoppeth\npresently: He taketh a hollie rod, or twisted wand inchanted, & it\nwill moue where a mettle mine is: but he that is of a sounde fayth\nand doth despise these things, (for he knoweth well they are contrary\nto the word of God, and also to the Popes decr\u00e9es) albeit perchaunce\nhe practise such things, yet notwithstanding he can bring nothing\nto passe. And so also it chaunceth that he seeth spirites and vaine\nvisions, a great deale more seldome than superstitious men do, for\nh\u00e9e knoweth well what h\u00e9e ought to d\u00e9eme and iudge of them. There are\nsome kinde of men, who thinke it a gay thing, if many such straunge\nsights appeare vnto them.\n\nThere were farre many more of these kindes of apparitions and\nmyracles s\u00e9ene amongest vs, at such times as we were giuen vnto\nblindnesse and superstition, than since that the Gospell was purely\npreached amongest vs: the cause whereof I will shewe hereafter.\n\nAnd moreouer it commeth oftentimes to passe, that some one man doth\nheare or s\u00e9e some thing most plainly, when an other which standeth by\nhim, or walketh with him, neyther seeth, nor heareth any such matter.\n\n[Sidenote: Some men see things which other men see not.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Actes_.9.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Actes_.22.]\n\nWe reade in the historie of =Heliseus=, that he sawe chariottes of\nfire, and many horsmen vpon the toppe of the Mountaine: and yet his\nseruaunt sawe nothing vntill the Prophet prayed vnto the Lord, that\nhe would vouchsafe for his confirmation and consolation, to open his\neyes that he might also behold this notable miracle. So likewise we\nreade in the 9. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles, that Christ\nouerthrew =Paule= before _Damascus_, and that he spake vnto him, and\nhis companions also hearde the voice. Afterwardes in the 22. chapter,\n=Paule= himselfe shewing vnto the people in the presence of =Lycias=,\nin the Castle at _Hierusalem_, what had happened vnto them, saith\nthat they heard not the voice of him that talked with him: which two\nplaces are not repugnant, for the meaning is, that they heard a voyce\nor sounde ind\u00e9ede, but they vnderstood not what the Lord had sayd\nvnto him.\n\n[Sidenote: Socrates familiar.]\n\n=Plato= writeth in his dialogue called _Theages_, that =Socrates=\nhad a familiar spirit, who was woonte to put him in mynd to cease\nfrom labouring, when that which he attempted should haue no happie\nsuccesse. This spirit he himselfe sawe not, and other men hearde not.\nThey say that sometimes Children doe s\u00e9e certaine things, which other\nmen see not, and by a certaine peculiar operation of nature, some men\nbehold that which others in no wise can perceiue.\n\n[Sidenote: At what time spirits appeare.]\n\n[Sidenote: Apocalips.]\n\nAs touching the time when spirits appeare, we reade in histories that\nit shall be after a thousand yeares which God hath appoynted, in\nthe which time Sainte Iohn prophesied in the Apocalips, that Sathan\nshoulde be lette loose, that is to saye, errours and superstition,\nand al kinde of misch\u00e9efe shuld abound, and many spirits appear euery\nwhere: for men gaue them more credite, than the Scriptures. If a\nspirit appeared, or was heard to say in case these or those things be\ndecreed, to wit, vowed Pilgrimage, and erecting Chappelles, and that\nthis shall be an acceptable kinde of worship vnto God, the Bishoppes\nand paryshe Priestes weighed not whether those things were agr\u00e9eable\nto the word of God or no, &c. Spirits appeared in old time, and do\nappeare still in these dayes both day and night, but especially in\nthe night, and before midnighte in our first sl\u00e9epe. Moreouer, on the\nfrydayes, satterdayes, and fasting dayes, to confirme superstition.\nNeither may we maruell, that they are heard more in the night, than\nin the day time. For he who is the author of these things, is called\nin the holye Scriptures the Prince of darkenesse, and therefore he\nshunneth the light of Gods word.\n\n[Sidenote: In what place spirits are seen.]\n\nAnd albeit these are heard or s\u00e9ene in al places, yet are they most\nespecially conuersant in the fieldes where battels haue bene fought,\nor in places where slaughters haue bene made: in places of execution;\nin woods into the which they have coniured deuils being cast out of\nmen: in Churches, Monasteries, and about Sepulchers, in the bounds\nof countries, and buts of lands: in prisons, houses and towers, and\nsometime also in the ruines and rubbish of Castles.\n\n[Sidenote: _Esay_ 13.]\n\n[Sidenote: Monsters of the desart.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Esay_.34.]\n\nGod threatneth the Babilonians in the 13. chap. of =Esay=, that\nSpirits and Satyres shal daunce where their magnificent houses and\nPallaces were, where they were wont to lead their daunces. And in\nhis 34. chapter, where he threatneth destruction vnto all nations\nand enemies of God, he saith: In the ruinous and tottering Pallaces,\nCastles, and houses, horrible spirites shall appeare with terrible\ncries, and the Satyro shall call vnto her mate, yea and the night\nhags shall take their rest there. For by the sufferaunce of God,\nwicked diuels worke straunge things in those places where men haue\nexercised pride and crueltie.\n\n[Sidenote: After what sort spirites appeare.]\n\nThe maner of appearing of spirits, is diuers and manifold, as it\nappeareth by those things which I haue alleaged before. For they\nshewe themselues in sundry sorts: sometimes in the shape of a man\nwhom we know, who is yet aliue, or lately departed: and otherwhile in\nthe likenesse of one whom we know not.\n\nI heard of a graue and wise man, which was a Magistrate in the\nTerritorie of _Tigurie_, who affirmed, that as he and his seruant\nwent through the pastures, in the sommer very early, he espied one\nwhome he knew very well, wickedly defiling himselfe with a Mare,\nwherewith being amazed, he returned back againe, and knocked at\nhis house, whome he supposed he had s\u00e9en, and ther vnderstood for\na certaintie, that he went not on foote out of his chamber y\u036d\nmorning. And in case he had not diligently searched out y\u0364 matter,\nthe good & honest man had surely bin cast in prison, and put on the\nrack. I reherse this history for this end, that Iudges should be\nvery circumspect in these cases, for y\u0364 diuell by these means doth\noftentimes circumuent y\u0364 innocent. =Chunegunda= wife vnto =Henry=\nthe 2. Emperour of y\u036d name, was greatly suspected of adultery, and\nthereuppon many false rumors scattered, that she was too familiar\nwith a certaine yoong man in the Court, for the Diuell in the\nlikenesse of the same yoong man, was oftentimes s\u00e9ene come out of\nthe Empresse Chamber. But she afterwards declared her innocencie by\ntreading vppon hotte glowing ploughshares, (as the custome was then)\nwithout any hurting her f\u00e9ete, as witnesseth =Albertus Cranzius=, in\nhis fourth booke, and first Chapter of his _Metropolis_.\n\nWe reade that many spirites haue appeared vnto certaine Hermites and\nMonkes in the shape of a woman, alluring and intising them to filthie\nlust. They appeare also in the fourme of brute beastes, sometime\nfoure footed, as of a Dogge, a Swine, a Horsse, a Goate, a Catte, or\na Hare: and sometimes of foules, and cr\u00e9eping wormes, as of a Crow, a\nnight Owle, a schritch Owle, a Snake, or Dragon, whereof the Gentiles\nhad great plentie in their Temples and houses, and nourished them,\nas we may reade euery where in the Poets. Spirits haue sometimes\nappeared in a pleasaunt fourme, and sometimes in a horrible shape.\nAt one time some hath bene s\u00e9ene ryding on horsebacke, or going on\nfoote, or crawling vppon all foure. At an other time hath appeared\na man all burning in fire, or beraide with blood: and somewhile,\nhis bowelles haue s\u00e9emed to traile out, his belly being as it were\nripped vp. Sometimes a shadow hath onely appeared: sometimes a hand,\nsometimes an instrument, as a staffe, a sworde, or some such lyke\nthing which the spirite helde in his hande. Sometimes he appeared\nin maner of a bundle of hey, burning on fire: another while onely a\nhoarse kinde of voyce was heard. Sometimes a spirit hath bene heard\nwalking in the inner parte of the house, turning the leaues of a\nBooke, or telling money, or playing at dice, or bounsing against\nthe wall. And sometimes there is heard a terrible noyse or clappe,\nas if a peale of Gunnes were discharged hard at hand. And spirits\nsometimes, taking a man by the arme or by the haire of the head, haue\nwalked with them.\n\n[Sidenote: Olaus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Daunces of Spirits.]\n\n[Sidenote: Saxo.]\n\n[Sidenote: Pomponius Mela.]\n\n[Sidenote: Solinus.]\n\n=Olaus Magnus= in his third booke and eleuenth Chapter _De Gentibus\nSeptentrionalibus_, writeth, that euen in these our dayes, in many\nplaces in the North partes, there are certaine monsters or spirites,\nwhich taking on them some shape or figure, vse (chiefly in the night\nseason) to daunce, after the sounde of all maner of instruments of\nmusicke: whom the inhabitants call companies, or dances of Elues,\nor Fairies. Somewhat also is to bee reade touching this matter in\n=Saxo Grammaticus=, in his historie of _Denmarke_. Such like things\nare those which =Pomponius Mela= reporteth in his third booke of the\ndescription of _Aethiopia_, that in _Mauritania_ beyonde the Mount\n_Atlas_, many times in the night season are s\u00e9ene great lightes,\nand that tinkling of Cymballs, and noyses of Pipes are also heard,\nand when it is daylight no man appeareth. =Solinus= writeth in his\nthirtie eight and fortie foure chapters, that in this same Mountaine,\n=\u00c6giptians= vse euery where to leade their daunces: of whom also\n=Plinie= maketh mention in his first booke and first Chapter. Men\nholde opinion, that they are =Panes=, =Faunes=, and =Satyres=, of\nwhom the olde writers haue mentioned many things.\n\n[Sidenote: Hierome.]\n\n[Sidenote: A Fable out Hierome, of a Centaure, A Monster hauing the\nforepart like a man, the hinder like a horse.]\n\nSaint =Hierome= writeth in the life of =Paule= the Hermit, that an\n=Hippocentaure=, appeared vnto =S. Anthonie=, in the same shape\nwhich is described of the Poets. In a stonie valley (saith he) he\nespied a Dwarffe of a small stature, hauing a crooked nose, and his\nforehead rough with hornes: the hinder part of his bodie, and his\nf\u00e9ete like vnto a Goate. =Anthony= nothing amazed with this sighte,\ntaketh vnto him the shield of faith, and the brestplate of hope, lyke\na good warriour. Notwithstanding the foresayde creature presented\nhim with Dates, to refresh him in his iourney, as witnesses of peace\nand friendship. Which when =Anthonius= vnderstood, he staide, and\nenquiring of him what he was, receiued this answere. I am (quoth he)\na mortall creature, and one of the inhabitants of this desart, whome\nthe Gentiles, being deceiued with many errors, dooth worship, calling\nvs =Faunes=, =Satyrs=, and night Mares.\n\nAnd I am sent as Embassador from our company, who earnestly bes\u00e9ech\nth\u00e9e, that thou wilt pray vnto the God of all creatures for vs, whom\nwe acknowledge to be come into the world, to saue the same, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Plutarch.]\n\nAnd here we may in no wise ouerpasse in silence, that notable\nhistorie which =Plutarch= in his booke _De fectu oraculorum_,\n(translated by that learned man =Adrianus Turnebus=) reciteth in\nthese words. Touching the death of diuels, I haue heard a certaine\nhistorie of one who was neither foolish, nor accustomed to lye. For\nit was =Epitherces=, my countreyman, a professour of Grammer, father\nvnto =\u00c6milianus= the Rhethoritian, of whome some of you also haue\nheard the same: He told me, that when he once tooke ship, meaning\nto go into _Italie_, because he carried with him not only great\nstore of marchandise, but also very many passengers, in the euening\nwhen they were about the Islands =Echinad\u00e6=, the wind quite ceased,\nand that the shippe driuing in the Sea, being brought at the last\nvnto _Paxe_, many then waking, and many also quaffing after they\nhad supped, sodeinly there was heard a voyce of one which called\n=Thamus=, in such sort that euery man maruelled. This =Thamus= was a\nPilotte borne in _Egipt_, vnknowne vnto many which were in the ship.\nWherefore being twice called, he held his peace, and the third time\nanswered: then the other with a louder voyce commaunded him, that\nwhen he came vnto =Palodes=, h\u00e9e should tell them that the great God\n=Pan= was departed. When this was heard, euery man was amazed with\nfeare, as =Epitherces= affirmed vnto vs: And being in consultation\nwhether they should do as was commaunded or not, =Thamus= thus iudged\nof the matter: that if the winde did blowe, they must passe by with\nsilence, but if it were calme without winde, he must vtter that\nwhich we had heard. When therefore they were come to _Palodes_, and\nno wind stirred, nor waue moued, =Thamus= looking out of the sterne\ntowards the lande, cryed out as he had heard, that the great God\n=Pan= was deceased: H\u00e9e had scant ended those words, when immediatly\nthere followed a great groning, not of one man, but of many, being\nadmixt as it were with great admiration. And because many were\npresent in the ship, (they said) the same hereof was sp\u00e9edely spred\nabroad at _Rome_, and =Thamus= sent by =Tiberius= y\u0364 Emperour, who\ngaue so much credit vnto the matter, that he diligently enquired,\nand asked who that =Pan= was. The learned men whome he had in great\nnumber about him, supposed that =Pan= was he, who was the sonne of\n=Mercurie= and =Penelope=, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: De preparatione Euang. li.5.chap.9.]\n\n[Sidenote: Paulus Marsus.]\n\nThese and such like things, (=Eusebius= who also reciteth this\nhistorie) affirmeth to haue chaunced in that time of =Tiberius=, in\nthe which Christ being conuersant amongst men, expelled all maner of\ndiuels from the societie of them. Other most godly professours of our\nReligion, affirme, (as namely =Paulus Marsus=, in his Annotations\nvppon the first of =Ouids Fasti=) that this voyce was heard out\nof _Paxe_, the very same night ensuing the day wherein our Lorde\nsuffered, in the 19. yeare of =Tiberius=, which was the same yeare\nthat Christ was crucified in: by the whiche voyce being vttered in a\nwildernesse of solitary rockes, it was declared that our Lord and God\nhad suffered for vs. For the word =Pan= in Greeke, signifieth all:\nand then the Lord of al the world was crucified.\n\nHe addeth moreouer, that =Theodosius= doth say, that the _Archadians_\ndoo worship this God, calling him \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u1f54\u03bb\u03b7\u03c2 \u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd,\nmeaning thereby to signifie a Lorde and Ruler, not of words, but of\nall manner of materiall substances: whose power is suche, that it\nis able to create the essence and substaunce of all bodies, whether\nthat they be heauenly, or earthly. And albeit he referre this vnto\nthe Sunne, yet if a man marke diligently, his mysteries haue a higher\nmeaning, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Hunting of Diuels.]\n\nHereunto belongeth those thinges which are reported touching the\nchasing or hunting of diuels, and also of the daunces of dead men,\nwhich are of sundry sortes. I haue heard of some which haue auouched,\nthat they haue s\u00e9ene them.\n\nNo man is able to rehearse all the shapes wherein spirits haue\nappeared, for the diuell, who for the most part is the worker of\nthese things, can (as the Poets faine of =Proteus=) chaunge himselfe\ninto all shapes and fashions.\n\nThese walking spirites sometimes stoppe the way before men as they\ntrauell, and leade them out of their way, and put them in suche great\nfeare, that sometimes they become grayheaded in one night. I remember\nI haue heard the like historie of my olde friende =Iohn Willing=, a\ngodly and learned man, of one in the Countie of _Hannow_, who not\nmany yeares ago, m\u00e9eting with a walkyng spirite in the night season,\nwas so much altered, that at his returning home, his owne Daughters\nknewe him not.\n\nSpirites oftentimes awake men out of their sl\u00e9epe, and cause many\nto forsake their owne houses, so that they cannot hire them out to\nany other. Sometimes they ouerthrow somewhat, or strike men, or cast\nstones at them, and hurt them either in their bodies or in their\ngoods: yea and sometime God doth suffer them to bereaue men of their\nliues. It often chaunceth that those mens faces and heads do swel,\nwhich haue s\u00e9ene or heard spirits, or haue bene blasted with them:\nand some are taken mad, as we s\u00e9e by experience. I remember well it\nhath happened, that some supposing they haue s\u00e9ene armed men, who\nwere ready to take them, haue therefore assaied to slaie themselues:\nwhich thing may be by craft of the diuel. Spirites do also trouble\ncattell in the night time, in the pastures.\n\nThus much concerning the first part of this worke, wherein (I trust)\nI haue proued, and made it euident, that albeit there be many which\nvainely perswade themselues they haue s\u00e9ene wandring spirits, or haue\nbeheld one inst\u00e9ed of an other: yet notwithstanding that there are\nwalking spirits, and that other strange things so sometime happen.\n\nI haue also shewed vnto whome they appeare especially, and where,\nwhen, after what sort, or in what fourmes they shewe themselues, and\nwhat things they worke and bring to passe.\n\nWhosoeuer dare flatly deny these manifold and agr\u00e9eable testimonies\nof the olde and new writers, he s\u00e9emeth vnworthie in my iudgement,\nof any credit, whatsoeuer he say. For as it is a great token of\nlightnesse, if one by and by beleeue euery man which saith, he hath\nseene spirits: so on the other side, it is great impudency, if a man\nrashly and impudently contemne all things which are aduouched, of so\nmany, and so credible Historiographers, and auncient Fathers, and\nother graue men of greate authoritie.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n  The seconde parte of this Booke doth shewe, that those\n  Spirits and other straunge sights, be not the soules of\n  men, but either _good or euil Angels, or else some secret\n  and hid operations_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. I.\n\nThe opinion or beliefe of the Gentiles, Iewes, and Turkes, concerning\nthe estate of Soules seperated from their bodies.\n\n\nIn the second part of this booke we haue to consider, what those\nthings be which (as wee haue before shewed) are both heard and s\u00e9ene,\nin the day time and in the night, whether they be the soules of dead\nmen or no: also what the olde writers haue iudged of them, and what\nthe holy scriptures, do teach vs herein.\n\n[Sidenote: Platos opinion.]\n\n=Plato= doth think, that Heroicall and excellent soules, as being of\nthe pure sort, do mount aloft: but that other base and viler soules,\nthat are defiled with the pleasures & lustes of the bodie, do wander\nbelow on the ground, and the same he d\u00e9emeth to be those spirits\nwhich are eftsoones s\u00e9ene.\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\nAlso other heathen and prophane writers say, they are heereby mooued\nto thinke that the soules of men doo liue after death, for that it\nis most cleare and euident, that many spirits wander and raunge\nhither and thither, and are oft times heard and s\u00e9ene, and founde to\ntalke with men: for they suppose that most of these are mens soules.\n=Tertullian= a very auncient writer, in his booke _De anima_, saith,\nthat the wise Heathens, which did define the soule to be immortall,\n(for some of them, as namely the Epicures, thought that the soules\ndied with their bodies) thought that the soules of the wise, if they\ndeparted from their bodies, hadde their abiding on high: but the rest\nwere throwne downe into Hell.\n\n[Sidenote: Homer.]\n\n[Sidenote: Virgil.]\n\nFurthermore, the Heathen thought the Soules should stray continually\nabroade before they founde rest, vnlesse the bodies from which they\nwere seuered, were rightly buried in the earth. Wherefore (as we may\nreade in Poets) it was a gr\u00e9euous crime to caste foorth any bodie\nvnburied. =Hector= in =Homere=, besought =Achilles= that he woulde\nnot cast foorth his carcasse to be deuoured of Dogs and birds, but\nthat he would deliuer the same to be enterred by olde =Priamus= his\nfather, and =Hecuba= his mother. =Patroclus= appeared in a vision\nby night after his deathe vnto =Achilles=, and requested him to\nbestowe vppon him all funeral solemnities. For otherwise he saide\nthe soules of those that were buried, woulde thrust him backe, that\nhe should not be able once to enter in at Hell gates. Which example\n=Tertullian= aledgeth, and therwithal c\u014dfuteth this vaine opinion\nof the heathen. =Palinurus= in =Virgill=, besought =\u00c6neas=, that he\nwoulde cast earth on him, when he was dead, and erect vnto him an\nhearse, for so did they call those Monuments of the deade, in whiche\nalbeit no man was layde, yet were they vsed in the honour of the\ndeceassed. =Virgill= writeth, that =Deiphobus= his Ghost wandred\nabroade, vnto the whiche =\u00c6neas= erected an Horse.\n\n[Sidenote: Plato.]\n\nFor the Gentiles were of suche an opinion in those dayes, that they\nthought an emptie and counterfeyted buriall profitted very much.\nMoreouer the heathen were perswaded that the soules which dyed before\ntheir naturall time (especially of those whiche perished by violent\ndeath, whom they call \u03b2\u03b9\u03bf\u03b8\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2, as by hanging, drowning,\nor beheading, &c.) did straie abroade so long time as they should\nhaue liued, if they had not bin slain by violent death. Which opinion\n=Tertullian= also confuteth. =Plato= in his ninth booke _De legibus_,\nwriteth, that the soules of those which are slain, do pursue their\nmurtherers so farre, that they do hurt them: the which, except it be\nvnderstood by way of a Metaphor, is likewise to be reiected.\n\n[Sidenote: The Iewes opinion.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iob_.7.]\n\nThe Catholike faith amongst the Iewes was, that the soules of the\ndead did not returne into this earth, but either were at rest, which\nwas when they died in the faith of the promised =Messias=, or were\nc\u014ddemned if they departed hence in their sinnes without repentance.\nFor =Iob= in his seuenth Chapter saith: Euen as the cloude vanisheth\nand fadeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no\nmore, nor returne into his house, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: _Psal._31.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Eccle._12.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Wisd._3.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Psal._49.]\n\nBut if thou wilt say that =Iob= was an Ethnicke, it may be alleaged\nof =Dauid=, that when he was in very great danger, and death euen\npresent before his eyes, he praied in the 31. Psalme. Into thy hands\nO Lord I commend my spirit. The Preacher also in his 12. Chapter\nsaith: The spirite shall returne to God that giueth it. In the booke\nof Wisedome (which of olde writers is attributed to =Philo Iudeus=)\nthe third Chapter thereof, it is written: the soules of the righteous\nare in the hande of God, and no torment shall touch them. And on the\nother side, the soules of the wicked go downe into hell. In the 49.\nPsalm it is written of those wealthie worldlings, which for lucres\nsake, depart from God and his Commaundements: They are laid as sh\u00e9epe\nin Hell, Death shall consume them, and Hell is their habitation, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Samu._ 12.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Eccle._ 38.]\n\nIf the Iewes had bel\u00e9eued, that the soules after this life were\ntormented in Purgatorie, no doubt amongst so many diuers kinds of\nsacrifices, which they offered for the sinnes of the liuing, they\nwould at least haue some one kind of sacrifice whereby to red\u00e9eme\nsoules, or in some part to assuage and mitigate their paines. And\nthat soules do returne after death, do offer themselues to be s\u00e9ene\nand beheld of men, and require aide of them, we finde no where in\nthe old Testament, but rather the contrary. In the 2. of =Samuel=\n12. =Dauid= speaketh this of his yoong childe, that he begat by\n=Bersaba=, that he could not bring him into life againe, that hee\nwould go to him, and the childe should neuer returne vnto him againe.\nAnd Iesus the sonne of =Syrach=, in his 38. chapter saith: There is\nno returning from death. Of the vision which was shewed to =Samuel=,\nwe will straightway speake in his proper place.\n\nAnd that in latter ages, long after Christ came in flesh, there\nwere some amongst the Iewes, who thought that the soules separated\nfrom their bodies, did straie and raunge abroad: it may hereby be\ngathered, for that certaine of the Rabbines write, that the soule of\n=Naboth= (which was slain, because he would not sell his Vineyard to\n=Achab=) was that spirit that promised his helpe to seduce =Achab=,\nbeing as it were one that coueted his death.\n\n[Sidenote: The Turkes opinion.]\n\nThe Turkes also bel\u00e9eue that the soule is immortall, and that assoone\nas they are loosed from the bodie, they come either into a place of\nrest, or of torment. But whether that they did thinke, that soules\nreturned againe into the earth, and roue there too and fro, I could\nfinde no plaine mention thereof in their _Alcaron_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. II.\n\n  The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men, and\n  the appearing of them.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Papists.]\n\n[Sidenote: Iacobus de Cusa.]\n\nThe Papists in former times haue publikely both taught and written,\nthat those spirites which men somtime s\u00e9e and heare, be either\ngood or bad angels, or els the soules of those which either liue\nin euerlasting blisse, or in Purgatory, or in the place of damned\npersons. And that diuers of them are those soules that craue aide\nand deliuerance of men. But that this doctrine of theirs, and the\nwhole state therof may be the more euidently perceiued, we will more\nlargely repeate the same out of their owne bookes. =Iacobus de Cusa=,\na _Carthusian_ Friar, and Doctor of diuinitie, wrote a booke of y\u0364\nApparition of soules, after they were seperated fro the bodies: which\nworke of his, hath in it many superstitious toyes, and was Printed in\na Towne belonging to the dominion of _Berna_, named _Burgdrofe_, in\nthe yeare of our Lord, 1475.\n\n[Sidenote: Foure places for soules.]\n\nPopish writers commenting on the 4. booke of the Maister of\nSentences, do appoint foure places to receiue soules, after they are\ndeparted from the bodies. Thr\u00e9e of the which places they say are\nperpetuall, and one which lasteth but for a time already limitted.\n\n[Sidenote: Heauen.]\n\n[Sidenote: Hell.]\n\n[Sidenote: Limbus puerorum which is a place wher the Papistes imagine\nthe soules of yong childr\u0113 to be, which departed without Baptisme.]\n\n[Sidenote: Purgatorie.]\n\nThe first place or receptacle is _C\u00e6lum Empireum_, the firie heauen,\nso termed of his passing great brightnesse and glory, which they\nsay is the seate ordeined for y\u0364 blissed sort: this place by an\nother name in scripture is called =Paradise=. The second place is\nHell vnder the earth, being the Mansion of Diuels and Infidels,\ndeparting hence in deadly sinne, without repentance. The third place\nthey tearme _Limbus puerorum_, which is prouided as well for the\nchildren of the faithfull, as of the vnfaithfull: who (they say)\nshall continually abyde there without any sense of payne, being only\ndepriued from the fruition of Gods presence. And therefore they say,\nthat after their death, they ought not to be buried in holy buriall.\nThe fourth place is Purgatorie, which is prepared for them that\ndeparte hence without deadly sinne, or if they committed any such\nsinnes, did some penance for them, but yet made not full satisfaction\nfor them, or else went hence only stained with venial sin.\n\nOf this place, to wit, Purgatorie, Popish writers teach maruellous\nthings. Some of them say, that Purgatorie is also vnder the earth as\nHell is. Some say that Hell and Purgatorie are both one place, albeit\nthe paines be diuers according to the deserts of soules. Furthermore\nthey say, that vnder the earth there are more places of punishment\nin which the soules of the deade may be purged. For they say, that\nthis or that soule hath bin seene in this or that mountaine, cloud,\nor valley, where it hath committed the offence: and that these\nare particuler Purgatories, assigned vnto them for some speciall\ncause, before the day of Iudgement, after which time all manner of\nPurgatories, as well general as particuler shall cease. Some of them\nsay, that the paine of Purgatorie is all one with the punishment of\nhel, and that they differ only in this, that the one hath an end, the\nother no ende: and that it is far more easie to endure all the paynes\nof this worlde, whiche all men since =Adams= time haue susteined,\neuen vnto the day of the last Iudgement, than to beare one dayes\nspace the least of these two punishmentes.\n\nFurther they holde that our fire, if it be compared with the fire of\nPurgatorie, doth resemble only a painted fire. S\u00e9eke their Doctours\nin this pointe, on the fourth booke of Sentences, the 20. distinction.\n\n[Sidenote: By whome Soules are tormented in purgatorie.]\n\nThis question also they moue, by whome the Soules in Purgatorie are\ntormented. Wherfore their opinions are very diuers, and disagr\u00e9eable\namong themselues.\n\n=Richardus de Media Villa= a _Franciscan_ Frier, writeth vpon the\nMaister of Sentences, and saith, he verily bel\u00e9eueth that soules\nare caried by good Angels, into the places of torment, but yet that\nthey themselues do not torment them, because they shall become at\nlength fellow citizens with them. Neyther yet are they punished by\nDeuils (who after this life do no longer tempte men) but only by the\nm\u00e9ere iustice of God. And yet (saith he) it may so come to passe,\nthat the Deuils be present at the doing thereof, and reioyce at\ntheir tortures. I thought good to repeate these things of Purgatorie\nsomewhat at large, the rather for that the reader might s\u00e9e, that\ntheir Doctours do disagr\u00e9e in a matter of great weight, by which they\nhaue both robbed men of their wealth, and plunged them into very\ngreat miserie.\n\n[Sidenote: Papists feigne that soules returne to earth againe.]\n\nH\u00e9ervnto they adde, that the spirits, as well of the good, as the\nill, do come and are sent vnto men liuing, from hell. And that by the\ncommon lawe of iustice, all men at the day of Iudgement shall come to\ntheir trial from hell: and that none before that time can come from\nthence. Farther they teache, that by Gods licence and dispensation,\ncertaine, yea before the day of Iudgement, are permitted to come\nout of hell, and that not for euer, but only for a season, for the\ninstructing and terrifying of the liuing. H\u00e9ervppon they recite\ndiuers kindes of visions, that certaine Clarkes, and Laye persons\nbeing damned, bothe men and women, haue appeared to their ghostly\nfathers, and others, and haue opened vnto them the causes of their\ndamnation: all which to rehearse h\u00e9ere were lost laboure. And that\nthe soules which be in euerlasting ioye, or in Purgatorie, do often\nappeare, it may be s\u00e9ene in =Gregories= Homelies and =Gregories=\nDialogues, who writeth that =Peter= and =Paule=, and other Saintes,\ndid not onely appeare vnto holie men, but did also conducte their\nSoules vnto Celestiall ioye. Moreouer that God doth licence soules\nto return from those two places, partly for the comfort and warning\nof the liuing, and partly to pray aide of them. And yet that those\nsoules doo not here represent themselues to be s\u00e9ene of men, when,\nand how often soeuer they list themselues. No doubt these men shewe\nthemselues to haue a sharpe wit and profound knowledge.\n\n[Sidenote: VVhether we may wish to see spirits.]\n\nThese Doctors moreouer moue this question, whether we may request\nwithout offence, that the soules of such as are departed, may shewe\nthemselues to be beheld and s\u00e9ene of the liuing.\n\nTo riue asunder this crabbed knotte, they bring this wedge: that\nif this request proceede of some good intent, without the spot of\nlightnesse & vanitie, that a man might vnderstand the state of some\nfriend, neighbour, benefactour, or of his parents, or some other,\ntherby to helpe and relieue them speedily of their torments, it is\nno offence at all: because dead mens soules doo of their owne accord\nshew them selues vnto the liuing, to receiue helpe of them, and\ntherefore nothing can let vs to aske this thing at Gods hand. Of this\nopinion is =Thomas= of =Aquine=.\n\nBut as concernyng the time and place, when and where Spirites doo\nproffer themselues to be s\u00e9ene, they say, no certaine rule can be\ngiuen: for this standeth wholly in Gods pleasure, who if he list to\ndeliuer any, suffereth him to make his appearaunce foorthwith, euen\nin such places as he may be well heard in. And that spirits do not\nalwayes appeare vnder a visible shape, but sometimes inuisibly, in\nso much that sometime nothing else is heard of them but sn\u00e9esing,\nspitting, sighing, and clapping of hands &c. Of which point I haue\nnoted somewhat before, when I spake generally of ghostes, because\nthey appeare in sundry sorts. And wheresoeuer these spirits be,\nthey say, that they endure punishment. Besides that soules doo not\nappeare, nor answere vnto euery mans interrogatories, but that of a\ngreat number they scantly appeare vnto one.\n\n[Sidenote: How a man ought to vse himself when spirits appeare\naccording to the Papists.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Dan._10.11.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1._Samu._3.]\n\nAnd therefore they teache. Whensoeuer such visions of spirits are\nshewed, men should vse fasting and praier or euer they demaunde any\nquestion of them: which (say they) in the tenth and eleuenth Chapters\nof =Daniell=, is read to haue bene done by =Daniell= himself. Besides\nthis, shrift, and massing should be vsed ere we question with them:\nfarther, that we should not giue credit assoone as we heare but one\nsign, but waite to heare the same thrice repeated, which in the first\nbooke of =Samuel= and third Chapter, is read to haue bin done by\n=Samuel= being yet a childe: for otherwise the diuell may delude and\ndeceiue vs, as he doth very often. And so soone as these thinges are\ndispatched and performed, that foure or fiue deuout priests are to be\nsent for, which should come to the place where the spirit was wont to\nshew himselfe, and that they should vse certaine ceremonies, as to\ntake a candle that hath bene halowed on Candlemasse day, and light\nit: also holy water, the signe of the Crosse, a censor in their hand,\nand when they light their candle, should pray ouer it (as I remember)\nthe seuen penitential psalms, or read the Gospell of S. =Iohn=. And\nwhen they come to the place, they should sprinkle it with holy water,\nand perfume it with Frankincense, casting about their neckes a holy\nstoale, and then that one of them kneeling on his kn\u00e9es, should\nrehearse this praier following.\n\nO Lord Iesu Christ, the searcher of all secrets, which art alwaies\nwont to reueale healthfull and profitable things vnto thy faithful\npeople and litle ones, which hast permitted some certaine spirit to\nshew himselfe in this place: we humbly bes\u00e9ech thee of thy great\nmercy, by thy death & passion, and by the sheading of thy most\nprecious bloud for our sinnes, that thou wilt vouchsafe to giue\nin charge to this spirite, that he may declare and open what he\nis, without any fraying or hurting of vs, or of any other creature\nbesides: shewing vnto vs thy seruants, or to other sinners as we be,\nwho he is, why he is come, and what he desireth, so that hereby thou\nmaist be honoured, he comforted, and thy faithfull people also holpen\nand succoured. In the name of the father, the sonne, and the holy\nghost. Amen.\n\nYet do they teach, that a man may choose to vse this or some other\nforme of praier, and ceremonies: because that without these, spirites\nhaue often appeared, & shewed what they required. This done, we\nshould (as they teach) fall to questioning with them, and say: Thou\nspirite, we bes\u00e9ech th\u00e9e by Christ Iesus, tell vs what thou art,\nand if there be any amongst vs, to whome thou wouldest gladly make\nanswere, name him, or by some signe declare so much? After this,\nthe question is to be moued, eache man there present being recited\nwhether he would answere vnto this or that man. And if at the name\nof any, h\u00e9e speake, or make a noyse, all other demaunds remaining,\nshould be made vnto him: As these and suche lyke. What mans soule he\nis? for what cause he is come, and what he doth desire? Whether he\nrequire any aide by prayers and suffrages? Whether by Massing, or\nalmes giuing he may be released? Farther, by how many Masses that may\nbe compassed, by thr\u00e9e, six, ten, twentie, thirtie. &c. Furthermore,\nwhat manner of priests should say Masse for him, Monks, or secular\npriests. Then if he aske for any fasting, by what persons, how long,\nand in what sort he wold haue it done: If he require almes d\u00e9eds,\nwhat almes d\u00e9eds they should be, how many, and on what persons\nbestowed, whether on him that lacketh harbour, or that is diseased of\nthe leprosie, or on some other sort of people.\n\nFurthermore, by what signe it may be perfectly knowne that he is\nreleased, and for what cause he was first shut vp in Purgatorie.\nAnd yet they hold, y\u036d no curious, vnprofitable, or superstitious\nquesti\u014ds shuld be demanded of y\u0364 spirit, except he wold of his\nown accord reueale and open th\u0113. And y\u036d it were best, y\u036d sober\npersons shuld thus questi\u014d with him, on som holiday before diner, or\nin y\u0364 night seas\u014d, as is comm\u014dly accustomed. And if the spirite\nwill shewe no signe at that time, the matter should be deferred vnto\nsome other season, vntill the spirit would shewe himselfe againe: and\nyet that the crosse and holy water should bee left there, for that\nby the secret iudgement of God, it was ordeined, that they should\nappeare at certaine houres, and to certaine persons, and not vnto\nall men. And farther, they say that we n\u00e9ede not to feare, that the\nspirite would doo any bodily hurt vnto that person, vnto whome it\ndoth appeare. For if such a spirit would hurt any, he might justly be\nsuspected that he were no good spirit.\n\n[Sidenote: By what tokens good spirites may be discerned from euil.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke_ 1.]\n\nMoreouer, popish writers teach vs to discerne good spirits from\neuill, by foure meanes. First they say, that if he be a good spirit,\nhe will at the beginning, somewhat terrifie men, but againe soone\nreuiue and comfort them. So =Gabriel= with comfortable words did\nlift vp the blessed Virgin which before was sore troubled by this\nsalutation. They also alleage other examples. The second note is to\ndiscrie them by their outwarde and visible shape. For if they appeare\nvnder the forme of a Lyon, Beare, Dog, Toade, Serpent, Cat, or blacke\nghoste, it may easily be gathered that it is an euil spirit. And that\non the other side, good spirits doo appeare vnder the shape of a\ndoue, a man, a lambe, or in the brightnesse, and cleare light of the\nSunne.\n\nWe must also consider whether the voyce whiche we heare be sweete,\nlowly, sober, sorrowfull, or otherwise terrible and full of reproach,\nfor so they terme it.\n\nThirdly we must note, whether the spirit teache ought that doth varie\nfrom the doctrine of the Apostles, and other Doctors approoued by the\nChurches censure: or whether he vtter any thing that doth dissent\nfrom the faith, good maners, and ceremonies of the Church, according\nto the Canonical rites or decr\u00e9es of Councels, and against the lawes\nof the holy church of _Rome_.\n\nFourthly, we must take diligent h\u00e9ede whether in his words, d\u00e9eds,\nand iestures, he do shewe forth any humilitie, acknowledging or\nconfessing of his sinnes & punishments, or whether we heare of him\nany groning, w\u00e9eping, complaint, boasting, threatning, slaunder or\nblasphemie. For as the beggar doth rehearse his owne miserie, so\nlikewise doo good spirits that desire any helpe or deliueraunce.\nOther signes also they haue to trie the good Angels from the bad: but\nthese are the chiefe.\n\n[Sidenote: How we may helpe and succoure soules.]\n\nNow touching the suffrages or waies of succour, wherby soules are\ndispatched out of Purgatorie, Popish doctors appoint foure meanes:\nThat is, the healthfull offering of the sacrifice in the Sacrament of\nthe aultar, almes giuing, prayer, fasting. And vnder these members,\nthey comprise all other, as vowed pilgrimages, visiting of Churches,\nhelping of the poore, and the furthering of Gods worship and glory,\n&c. But aboue all, they extoll their Masse, as a thing of greatest\nforce to red\u00e9eme soules out of misery: of whose wonderfull effect,\nand of the rest euen now recited by vs, they alleage many straunge\nexamples.\n\nOf these things they moue many questions, the which who so lust to\ns\u00e9e, let him search their bookes which haue bin written and published\nof this matter.\n\n[Sidenote: A notable deede to relieue soules.]\n\nNeither only in their writings, but in open pulpit also they haue\ntaught, how excellent and noble an act it is, for men touched with\ncompassion, with these foresaid workes to ridde the soule that\nappeareth vnto them and craueth their help, out of the paines of\npurgatorie: or if they cannot so doo, yet to ease and asswage their\ntorture. For say they, the soules after their deliuerance, ceasse not\nin moste earnest maner to pray for their benefactors, and helpers.\nOn the other side, they teach that it is an horrible and heynous\noffence, if a man giue no succoure to suche as s\u00e9eke it at his\nhands, especially if it be the soule of his parents, brethren and\nsisters. For except by them they might conueniently be released of so\nmanifolde miseries, they woulde not so earnestly craue their helpe.\nWherefore say they, no man should be so voyd of naturall affection,\nso cruell and outragious, that he should at any time deny to bestowe\nsome small wealth, to benefit those, by whom he hath before by diuers\nand sundry waies bene pleasured.\n\nIf they were not the soules of the dead which craue helpe and\nsuccour, but diuellish spirits, they would not will them to pray,\nfast, or giue almes for their sakes: for that the diuels doo hate\nthose, as also all other good workes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. III.\n\n  What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists,\n  concerning the appearing of mens soules.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Monkes by their doctrine of spirits haue heaped infinit\nriches.]\n\nBy these means it came to passe, that the common sort were of opini\u014d,\nthat those spirits which wer s\u00e9en and heard, were the soules of the\ndead, and y\u036d whatsoeuer they did say, was without gainsaying to\nbe bel\u00e9eued. And so the true, simple, and sincere doctrine of y\u0364\ncalling vp\u014d God in the name of Christ Iesus only: of the confidence\nin Christs merits, and redemption from sin and damnation: of y\u0364\ntrue d\u00e9eds of Christian charitie, was daily more and more impugned\nand oppressed. So that when men by litle and litle, forsooke holy\nscripture, and cast it aside, mens traditions and precepts began\nstraightway to be had in great price and estimation, yea, they were\nmore regarded than Gods owne word. A great offence was it taken to\nbe, if any would presume once to breake mens traditions. On those\napparitions of spirits, as on a sure foundati\u014d of their Purgatory is\nchiefly builded. For by talke had with them, Popish writers taught\nthat men atteined vnto saluation, by their owne, and by other mens\nmerits: which opinion so blinded them, that they became retchlesse,\nsecure, and sluggish. For if any dyd so perswade himselfe, that he\ncoulde hyre one for mony, which could worke one feate or other to\ndeliuer the deade from torments, then woulde he either delay the\namendment of his life, or vtterly neglect it. Wherfore vnto suche\nfellowes, that happened, whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish\nvirgins, of whom mention is made in the .25. of Matthew. By these\napparitions of spirits, masses, images, satisfaction, pilgrimages\nfor religion sake, relikes of saints, monasticall vowes, holidaies,\nauricular confession, and other kinds of worshippings and rites, and\nto be short, all things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture, by\nlittle and little grewe into authoritie and estimation. So that the\nmatter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse, that many\ndeuoute, and simple soules, pinched and nipped their owne bellies,\nthat they might y\u0364 better haue by these meanes, wherewithall to\nfinde and mainteine idle monks and priests, and to offer vnto images.\nThey founded chappels, alters, monasteries, perpetuall lights,\nanniuersaries, frieries, and such like, to release their friends out\nof the torments of Purgatorie. And this did the walking spirits will\nthem to do. And sometime also by their councell, mens last willes &\ntestaments were altered. Hereby priests and monks increased daily,\ntheir parishes, colleges & monasteries with yerely reuenewes, & got\ninto their hands y\u0364 best farmes, vineyards, lands, medowes, pondes,\nparkes, bond men, iurisdictions, great lordships, and the authoritie\nof the sword. For after y\u036d this opini\u014d once tooke firme roote in\nm\u0113s harts, y\u036d mens soules did walke after their death, & appeare\non y\u0364 earth, the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commanded th\u0113.\nAnd y\u036d it may more plainly be perceiued how much m\u0113 est\u00e9emed those\nvisions & such like pelf, & how in memorial of th\u0113 they deuised &\nframed to th\u0113selues new kinds of worshippings, I will recite vnto you\none or two histories.\n\n[Sidenote: Martinus Polonus.]\n\n=Martinus Polonus= Archebishop Of =Consentine=, and the Popes\nPenit\u0113tiarie, writeth in his Chronicles, that Pope =Clement= the\nfourth did canonize for a Saint at _Viterbe_, one =Eduergia=,\nDuchesse of _Polonia_, a widdow of great holinesse, who (among many\nnotable things that are written of her) when her canonization had\nbene many yeares delaied, at length appeared her selfe in a Vision to\nher Proctor in the Court of _Rome_, being heauie and pensiue about\nthis matter, and certified him, both of the sp\u00e9edie dispatching of\nthis businesse, and also of the day wherin it should be dispatched.\nCanonization amongst the Ethnicks, from whence it tooke his\noriginall, is named \u1f01\u03c0\u03bf\u03b8\u1f11\u03bf\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2, that is, deification, or\nmaking of a God.\n\n[Sidenote: All soules day wh\u0113ce it took originall.]\n\n[Sidenote: Polydore.]\n\n=Ioannes Tritenhemius= Abbotte of _Spanheim_, a man of great\nauthoritie, in his booke of Chronicles teacheth, that the memorie\nof all faithfull soules, termed All soules day, had his originall\nobseruation by this meanes: that when a certaine Monke returned from\n_Ierusalem_, and lodged in a certaine Hermits house in _Sicill_,\nabout the mount _Aetna_, which flasheth foorth fire, h\u00e9e learned of\nthe saide Hermit, that many soules of the dead were tormented there\nby fire, out of which again through the praiers of the faithful,\nthey were released, as it was taught him by the testimony euen of\nthe spirites themselues. Hereof also writeth =Polydore Virgil=, in\nhis sixt booke, and 9. Chapter, _De inuentione rerum_, that the\nfeast of All hallowes had the very same originall, whiche they shall\nfinde in _Petrus de natalibus_ his tenth booke, and first Chapter.\nWherby thou maist gather, that Feastes were first ordeyned by the\ntales of spirites appearing vnto men. The like fable is founde in\n=Damascene=, who writeth of =Macharius= thus: When according to his\nmaner he prayed for the dead, and was desirous to vnderstande whether\nhis prayers did profitte them ought, and whether they receiued any\ncomfort thereby, God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt,\ninspired a drie scull with the word of truth, so that the dead scull\nbrake forth into these words: When thou praiest for the dead, we\nreceiue comfort by thy praiers.\n\n[Sidenote: The beginning of the order of Carthusians.]\n\n[Sidenote: Polydore.]\n\nOf the like roote sprung the order of the =Carthusian= Monkes, which\nof the common sort is iudged to be the most holiest and straightest\norder of the which the Monks themselues of this broode haue put\nfoorth a booke. For as =Polydore Virgil= recordeth, they began vpon\nthis occasion in the Vniuersitie of _Paris_, in the yeare of our Lord\n1080. A certaine Doctor which for his learning and integritie of life\nwas very famous, chaunced to die, when he should haue bene buried\nin a certaine Church, he cried out with an horrible voyce: I am by\nthe iust iudgement of God accused. Wherupon they left the Coffin in\nthe Church by the space of thr\u00e9e dayes, during which time the people\nflocked togither out of sundry places, to behold this straunge sight.\nThe second day he cried againe: By the iust iudgement of God I am\niudged. The third day likewise he cried: I am by the iust iudgement\nof God condemned. And as =Vincentius Bellonacensis= saith, some adde\nhereunto, that he rose vp thrice vpon the b\u00e9ere, which perchaunce\nthey faine of their owne heads. Now because no man suspected that so\nnotable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer, euery man\nwas sore astonished thereat.\n\nWherfore =Bruno=, a Doctor of diuinitie borne in _Coleine_,\nfoorthwith forsooke all that he had, and taking to him sixe other\ngodly companions, gat him into a desart called _Carthusia_, in the\ndiocesse of _Grationopolis_: where he erected the first monasterie\nof that order, which drawing his name of the place, was called the\n=Carthusian= order. For this cause also, or for the like, many other\nmonasteries at the first beginning, were both founded and endowed\nwith great liuelihood.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IIII.\n\n  Testimonies out of the word of God, that neither the\n  soules of the faithfull, nor infidels, do walke vpon the\n  earth after they are once parted from their bodies.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Soules go either to hell or to heauen.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn 3._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn 5._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn 6._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn 14._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat.10._]\n\n[Sidenote: _2.Cor.5._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke 23._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Apo.14._]\n\nNow that the soules neither of the faithfull nor of infidels do\nwander any longer on the earth, when they be once seuered from the\nbodies, I wil make it plaine and euident vnto you by these reasons\nfollowing. First, certaine it is, that such as depart hence, either\ndie in faith, or in vnbeliefe. Touching those that go hence in a\nright beliefe, their soules are by and by in possessi\u014d of life\neuerlasting, and they that depart in vnbelief, do straightway becom\npartakers of eternal damnati\u014d. The souls do not vanish away & die\nwith the bodie, as y\u0364 Epicures opinion is, neither yet be in euery\nplace, as som do imagin: touching this matter I wil alleage pithie &\nmanifold testimonies out of the holy scripture, out of which alone\nthis questi\u014d may and ought to be tried & discussed. Our Sauiour\nChrist Iesus which could well iudge of these misteries, in the 3.\nof =Iohn= saith: So God loued the world, y\u036d he wold giue his only\nbegotten son, y\u036d who so bel\u00e9eueth on him, shuld not perish, but haue\nlife euerlasting. For god sent not his son into y\u0364 world to c\u014ddemn\ny\u0364 world: but that y\u0364 world by him might be saued. He y\u036d bel\u00e9eueth\nin him is not c\u014ddemned, & he y\u036d bel\u00e9eueth not, is c\u014ddemned alredy,\nbecause he bel\u00e9eued not in y\u0364 name of y\u0364 only begotten son of god.\nAnd in y\u0364 5. of =Iohn= he saith: Verily verily I say vnto you: he\nthat heareth my word, & bel\u00e9eueth on him y\u036d sent me, hath euerlasting\nlife, & shall not come into iudgem\u0113t or c\u014ddemnation, but hath passed\nalredy fr\u014d death to life: he doth not say y\u036d his sins shuld first be\npurged in purgatorie. And in the 6. cha. he saith: This is y\u0364 wil\nof him y\u036d sent me, that euery one y\u036d seeth the son, and beleeueth\non him, should haue life euerlasting, and I will raise him vp at\nthe last day againe: verily I say vnto you, he that bel\u00e9eueth on me\nhath life euerlasting. In the 14. of =Iohn=, also our Sauior Christ\nIesus saith, that he wil take vs vp to himselfe, that where he is,\nthere should we be also. &c. When Christ sent forth his disciples\nto publish his gospel in y\u0364 10. of =Mat.= he said vnto them: Go ye\ninto the whole world, and preach y\u0364 gospel to euery creature: he y\u036d\nbel\u00e9eueth and is baptized, shalbe saued, and he y\u036d beleeueth not\nshalbe c\u014ddemned: & in the 5. cha. of y\u0364 2. to y\u0364 =Cor.= y\u0364 apostle\nS. =Paul= saith: we know y\u036d if the earthly house of this tabernacle\nbe destroied, we haue a building of God, y\u036d is, a house not made\n[tw] hands, but eternal in y\u0364 heuens, &c. By these places it may be\neuidently gathered, y\u036d the soules of the faithful are tak\u0113 vp into\neternal ioy: and the soules of the vnfaithful assoone as they are\ndeparted fr\u014d their bodies are condemned to perpetual torment. And\ny\u036d this is done straightway after death, may be perceiued by the\nwords y\u036d Christ spake to the th\u00e9efe on the crosse, when he hoong\non his right hand: This day shalt thou be with me in paradice. And\nin the 14. cha. of the =Apoc.= it is written, And I heard a voice\ny\u036d said vnto me, write, Blessed ar y\u0364 dead y\u036d die in the lord,\n\u1f01\u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u1f31 =amodo=, as the old tr\u0101slati\u014d redeth, y\u036d is by & by, out of\nhand, without delaie. Steu\u0113 in the very point wh\u0113 he looked to be\nstoned, cried lord Iesu receiue my spirit. He douted nothing, but\nwas assuredly persuaded y\u036d his soul shold straitway be translated\nto eternal ioy. Paul in the 1. chap. of his epist. to the =Philip.=\nsaith: I desire to be losed, or I couet to depart hence, and to be\nwith Christ. Here is no menti\u014d at all of purgatory, in which the\nsoules should be first purged. If thou wilt here obiect that the\npersons afore alleaged were saints and martirs, we say farther, that\nparadice was opened also to the th\u00e9ef assoone as he became repentant.\nAnd that the soules both of the faithful & vnfaithful, which\npresently after their death are translated to heau\u0113 or hel, do not\nreturn thence into the earth before the day of the last iudgement,\nmay wel be perceiued by the parable of the rich man cloathed in\npurple, and =Lazarus=, as we read in the 16. of =Luke=. For when the\nrich man praised =Abraham= that he would send =Lazarus= vnto him, to\ncoole his toong, =Abraham= gaue him this answere: Betwixt this and\nvs, there is a great gulfe set, so that they which would go hence\n(from =Abrahams= bosome) to you (in Hell) cannot: neither can they\ncome from thence to vs. And when he besought him, that he would send\n=Lazarus= to his fathers house to admonish his fiue brethren, least\nthey also should come into that place of torment: he saide vnto him;\nThey haue =Moses= and the Prophets, let them heare them. And again:\nIf they heare not =Moses= and the Prophets, neither will they bel\u00e9eue\nthough one rose againe from the dead.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. V.\n\n  Testimonies of the auncient Fathers, that dead mens\n  soules parted from their bodies, doo not wander heere\n  vppon earth.\n\n\n[Sidenote: August.]\n\nThis matter was also thus vnderstood by the holy and auncient\nFathers. For =Augustine= in his 18. Sermon _De verbis Apostoli_,\nhath, that there be two mansions, the one in euerlasting fire, the\nother in the euerlasting kingdome.\n\n[Sidenote: Idem.]\n\nAnd in his 28. Chapter of his first booke, _De peccatorum meritis &\nremissione contra Pelagianos_, in the seuenth tome of his workes, he\nsaith: Neither can any man haue any middle or meane place, so that he\nmay be any other where than with the diuel, who is not with Christ.\n\n[Sidenote: Idem.]\n\nAnd in his notable worke _De ciuitate Dei_, the 13. booke and 8.\nChapter, he saith: The soules of the godly so soone as they be\nseuered from their bodies be in rest, and the soules of the wicked\nin torment, vntil the bodies of the one be raised vnto life, and the\nother vnto euerlasting death, which in scripture is called the second\ndeath.\n\n[Sidenote: Iustine.]\n\n=Iustine= also an auncient Father, writeth in _Responsione ad\nOrthodoxos, quest. 75._ that the difference of the iust and vniust,\nboth appeare euen assoone as the soule is departed from the body.\nFor they are carried by the angels into such places as are fit for\nthem: that is, the soules of the iust are brought vnto Paradice,\nwhere they haue the fruition of the sight and presence of Angels, and\nArchangels: and moreouer the sight of our Sauiour Christ, as it is\nconteined in that saying, whiles we are straungers from the bodie,\nwe are at home with God. And the soules of the vnrighteous on the\nother side, are carried to Hell, as it said of =Nabuchodonozor= the\nking of _Babylon_: Hell is troubled vnder th\u00e9e, being readie to m\u00e9ete\nth\u00e9e, &c. And so till to the day of resurrection and reward, are they\nreserued in such places as are m\u00e9etest for them.\n\n[Sidenote: Hillarie.]\n\nSaint =Hillarie= in the ende of his exposition of the second Psalme,\nwriteth: that mens soules are straightway after death, made partakers\nof rewards or punishments.\n\n[Sidenote: Dormitantii.]\n\n[Sidenote: Caluin.]\n\nAnd touching the soules of the old Patriarkes, that died before the\nnatiuitie of Christ, =Austin=, =Hierom=, =Nazianzen=, and other holy\nFathers teache, that God in certaine places by him chosen out for\nthat purpose, hath preserued the soules of al those that are departed\nfrom this life in the true faith of the =Messias= to come, in such\nsort that they f\u00e9ele no griefe, but yet are depriued of the sight of\nGod. This place they call =Abrahams= bosome, and Hell (for Hell doth\nnot alwaies betoken a place of torment, but also generally the state\nthat soules are in after this life.) And that our Lord Iesus Christ\ndid visit and release them, and when he ascended, carried them with\nhimselfe into heauen. Albeit certain of the Fathers, as =Ireneus=,\n=Tertullian=, =Hilarie=, & others, think that they shall at the last\nday ascend to heauen. Some also there be of our time which maintaine\nthis fonde opinion, that the soules sl\u00e9ep, vntil the day of the last\niudgement, in which they shall be again coupled with their bodies:\nbut this assertion hath no ground in holy scripture, of the which\npoint diuers haue entreated. But especially =Iohn Caluin=, that\nworthie seruant of God, in a proper Treatise that he wrote of the\nsame matter, in which he doth learnedly confute their reasons that\nmaintein the contrary opinion.\n\n[Sidenote: Ciprian mar.]\n\n[Sidenote: Soules do not walke.]\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\n[Sidenote: Athanasius.]\n\nWherefore sith holy scriptures, as the Fathers vnderstand and\ninterpret them, teache that the soules of men, as soone as they\ndeparte from the bodies, do ascende vp into heauen if they were\ngodly, descende into hell if they were wicked and faithlesse, and\nthat their is no thirde place in which soules should be deliuered,\nas it were out of prison, & that soules can neither be reclaimed out\nof heauen or hel. Hereby it is made euident, that they cannot wander\non the earth, and desire aide of men. For first the soules of the\nblessed n\u00e9ed no aid or help that men c\u0101 giue them: & on the other\nside, the damned sort can no way be rel\u00e9eued: the which S. =Ciprian=\nthe martir in his oration against =Demetrian=, doth plainly witnesse\nin these words: when we be once departed out of this world, there is\nafterward no place left for repentance, no way to make satisfacti\u014d:\nhere life is either woon or lost, & so forth. Albeit the testimonies\nalredy alleged on this point of doctrine, may well suffise those that\nloue the truth, and are desirous to come to the knowledge thereof:\nyet to increase the number, I wil recite other testimonies also out\nof y\u0364 fathers, to proue manifestly, y\u036d the soules departed, do\nnot againe return & wander on the earth, so that all they which\nhaue not yet stopped their eares that the truth might not pierce &\nenter into them, may euidently perceiue, that those anci\u0113t times\ntaught a far better doctrine of those spirits and ghosts, than other\nlatter times vnder poperie haue c\u014dmended and allowed. =Tertullian=\na very auncient writer, in the end of his booke =De anima=, saith,\nthe soules do not any longer abide on the earth, after they be once\nloosed from their bodies: & that neither by their owne accord,\nnor other mens c\u014dmandement, they do wander at all after they haue\ndescended into hell, but he saith, that euil spirits do vse this\nkinde of deceyt, to faine themselues to be the soules of suche as\nare deceased. And that Hell is not open to any soule, that it should\nafterward at any time depart thence, Christ our Lorde in the parable\nof the poore man that was in rest, and the rich glutton that was in\ntorment, doth plainely ratifie vnder the person of =Abraham=, that\nthere can be no man sent backe to shewe or tel ought of the state of\nhel. And albeit the fathers haue noted certaine errours and scapes\nin =Tertullian=, yet there was neuer any that reproued him for this\nopinion. =Athanasius= in his booke of questions, the xiii. questi\u014d,\ndoth giue a reason wherfore God will not suffer that any soule\ndeceased, shuld returne vnto vs, and declare what the state of things\nis in hel, and what great misery is there: hereby (saith he) many\nerrors wold easily spring vp among vs: for many diuels might so take\non th\u0113 the shape of men, and be transformed into y\u0364 likenesse of\nthe dead, and say, that they arose fr\u014d the dead, and so publish many\nlying tales, and false opinions of things there don, therby to seduce\nand hurt vs. Weigh these wordes of =Athanasius=, I pray th\u00e9e.\n\n[Sidenote: Chrisostome.]\n\nSainct Chrysostome in his nyneteenth Homilie on the eight chapter of\nsainct Matthewes Gospell, hath in maner the same woordes, for hee\nmoueth this question: Why suche as were possessed with Spirites,\nliued in graues? Therefore (sayeth he) they abode there, to put this\nfalse opinion in mens heads, that those persons soules whiche by\nviolent death departed, were turned into Diuels, and so did seruice\nvnto witches and soothsayers. The which opinion the diuell first\nbroughte in, thereby to diminishe the Martyrs prayse and glorie, that\nso the Sorcerers might slea those persons, whose wicked trauell and\nhelp they vsed, and those matters saith he, are far from truth. For\nhe proueth by the Scripture, that the spirits of the godly are not\nvnder the power of the Diuels, nor yet do stray abroade after death:\nthen that they woulde retourne vnto theyr owne bodies, if they mighte\nwander whether they lusted. And further if they didde any seruice too\ntheyr Murtherers, by that meanes they should at their handes receiue\na reward for an ill d\u00e9ed and displeasure. By naturall reason also\nit cannot come to passe, that a mans bodie should be turned into an\nother bodie, and therefore also the spirit of a man cannot be changed\ninto a diuel.\n\nBut among other things which properly belong to our purpose, he\nsaith: If we heare a noyse that saith, I am such a soule, we must\nthus thinke, that this talke proceedeth of some sleight and subtiltie\nof the diuel, and that it is not the soule of the dead bodie that\nspeaketh these things, but the diuell that deuiseth them to deceiue\nthe hearers. And by and by he saith, that there are to be counted\nold wiues words, or rather doting fooles toyes to mocke children\nwithall. For the soule when it is parted from the bodie cannot walke\nany longer in these parties. For the soules of the iust are in the\nhands of God. And on the other side, the soules of the wicked after\ntheir departure hence, are straightway ledde aside and withdrawne\nfrom vs, which may euidently be s\u00e9ene by Lazarus and the rich man.\nAnd in another place also the Lord saith: This day will they take thy\nsoule from th\u00e9e; wherefore the soule cannot heere wander when it is\ndeparted from the bodie.\n\nA little afterward he addeth, that it may be proued out of many\nplaces of scripture, that the soules of the iust do not here wander\nafter death. For =Steuen= said, Lord receiue my spirit, and =Paule=\ndesired to be loosed and to depart hence, and to be with Christ.\n\nAlso the scripture, as touching the Patriarks death, vseth this\nphrase, he is laide vnto his fathers, growne vp vnto a good olde\nage. And that the soules of sinners and wicked men, cannot after\ntheir departure, here abide any longer, we may learne by the riche\nmans words, if we will weigh and confider with our selues what be\ndemannded and could not obtaine. For if after death mens soules might\nany longer haue their conuersation heere on earth, no doubt the riche\nman himselfe woulde haue returned as his desire was, and certified\nhis friendes of hell torments. Out of which place of scripture it\nis most cleare, that soules immediatly vpon their departure from\ntheir body, are carried vnto a certaine place, whence they cannot of\nthemselues returne, but n\u00e9edes must waite there for that terrible day\nof iudgement.\n\nAlso in his second Homily of =Lazarus=, am\u014dg other things, he saith;\nIt is most plaine, not only by that we haue before rehearsed, but\nalso by this parable, that soules parted from the bodie, haue their\nabiding here no longer, but are forthwith lead away. For it came to\npasse (saith he) that he died, and was carried away by the Angels.\nAnd not onely the soules of the iust, but of the vniust and wicked,\nare hence led away, and carried to their proper places, which doth\neuidently appeare, by another rich man, of which mention is made in\nthe 12. of =Luke=, to whom the Lord said: Thou foole this night will\nthey take thy soule from th\u00e9e.\n\nAnd in his fourth Homily of =Lazarus=, he plainly teacheth, that we\nshould giue more credite to holy scripture, than to one that came\nfrom the dead, or an Angell from Heauen. Herewithall he also sheweth,\nthat the dead doo not only make no appearance vnto men liuing, but\nyeldeth reasons wherefore they do not returne hither, in these words.\nIf God had knowne that the dead being raised might haue profited\nthe liuing, he would neuer haue let passe so great a benefit, who\notherwise doth giue and prouide vs al things profitable.\n\nFurthermore he addeth, that if it were requisite still to raise vp\ndead men, to make relation vnto vs of such things as there are done,\nthis no doubt in continuaunce of time would haue bene neglected: and\nso the Diuell very easily would haue broached and brought in damnable\nopinions into the world. For he might often haue made counterfeit\nsightes, or suborne suche as should faine their selues to be dead and\nburied, and by and by to present themselues before men, as if they\nhad bin in d\u00e9ede raised from death, and by suche manner of persons\nmight so haue bewitched simple soules, that they would bel\u00e9eue\nwhatsoeuer he would haue. For if now when there is ind\u00e9ed no such\nthing, the vaine dreames as it were of men deceased, that haue bin\nshewed to men in sl\u00e9epe, haue deceiued, peruerted & distroied many:\nsurely much sooner would the same haue fallen out, if it had bin a\nthing truly don, & this opinion had preuailed in mens heads. For\nif many dead persons had retourned backe again into this life, the\nwicked spirit the diuell would easily haue deuised many sleights and\nwiles, and brought in much deceit into the life of man. And therfore\nGod hath clean shut vp this dore of deceit, and not permitted any\ndead man to returne hither & shew what things be don in y\u0364 other\nlife, least the diuel might gr\u00e9edily catch this occasi\u014d to plant his\nfraudulent policies. For when the prophets were, he raised vp false\nprophets: when the Apostles were, he stirred vp false Apostles:\nand when Christ apeared in flesh, he sent thither false Christs or\nantechrists: And when sincere & sound doctrine was taught, he brought\ninto the world corrupt & damnable opini\u014ds, sowing tares whersoeuer he\ncame. And therfore although it had come to passe, y\u0364 dead m\u0113 shold\nreturn again, yet would he haue counterfeited y\u0364 same also by his\ninstruments, by some fained raising of the dead through the blinding\nand bewitching of mens eyes: or otherwise by subborning of some which\nshould feine themselues to be dead (as I said before) he would haue\nturned all things topsituruie and vtterly haue confounded them. But\nGod who knoweth all things, hath stopped his way, that he should\nnot thus deceiue vs, and of his great mercie towards vs, hath not\npermitted that at any time any shuld return from th\u0113ce and tel vnto\nm\u0113 liuing, such things as there are don, hereby to instruct vs that\nwe should be of this opinion & iudgment, that the scriptures ought to\nbe beleeued before other things whatsoeuer, because that God in them\nhath most clearly taught vs the doctrine of the last resurrection.\nFurther, by them he hath conuerted the whole world, banished error,\nbrought in truth, and compassed all these things by vile and base\nfishers, and finally in them hath giuen vs euery where plentifull\narguments of his diuine prouidence, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Cyrillus.]\n\nS. =Cyril= in his 11. booke & 36. cha. vpon S. =Iohns= gospell saith:\nWe ought to beleeue, that when y\u0364 soules of holy men are gone away\nfrom the bodies, they are commended vnto the goodnesse of God, as\ninto the handes of a most deare father, and y\u036d they do not abide\nin y\u0364 earth, as some of the Heathens beleeued, vntill such time\nas they abhorred their graues: neither that they are carried as the\nsoules of wicked men, vnto a place of exc\u00e9eding torment, which is\nhel, Christ hauing first prepared this iourney for vs, but that they\nrather mount vp aloft into their heauenly fathers hands, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: The Glosse of the can\u014d law.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Deut._ 18.]\n\nAnd in the Popes canon law, _Causa._ 13. _qu\u00e6st._ 2. _Fatendum_,\nwe read, that many do bel\u00e9eue that some come from y\u0364 dead to the\nliuing: euen as on the other side holy Scripture doth witnesse that\n=Paule= was caught vp from the liuing into Paradice. Vpon these words\nthe glose saith, that some doo ind\u00e9ed so beleeue, but falsly, sith\nthey be but fansies and vain imaginations, as it is in _Causa_.26.\n_qu\u00e6stione_.5. _Episcopi_.\n\nWhat farther may bee saide to those men that knowe these things, and\nneuerthelesse do bel\u00e9eue that soules straie on the earth, I know not:\nand yet that I may laie out all thinges plainly, I will heere confute\ntheir chiefest arguments.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VI.\n\n  A confutation of those mennes arguments or reasons, which\n  affirme, that dead mens soules doo appeare: And first\n  that is aunswered whiche certaine doo alleage, to witte,\n  that God is omnipotent, and therfore that he can worke\n  contrary to the ordinary course of nature.\n\n\nFirst our aduersaries do laie against vs, that by the vsuall and\ncommon course of things, the soules of the godly abide in heauen, and\nthe soules of the wicked in hell, vntill the last day, and do not\nwalke at all: but yet that God may dispence with them to appear here\nsometimes, therby to instruct and admonish vs: And then =Samuel= did\nappeare after his death vnto king =Saule=, and =Moses= also which\nforsooke this life many yeres before: Likewise =Elias=, who was taken\nvp in to heauen in a firie charet, appeared vnto Christ our sauior &\nhis thr\u00e9e disciples, whom he tooke with him at his transfiguration\nin the mount. =Lazarus= also of _Bethanie_, returned from death into\ny\u0364 earth, and many other also were raised from death by Christ, his\nApostles, and Prophets.\n\nFarther they alledge this, y\u036d Christs Apostles bel\u00e9eued, that y\u0364\nspirit or soule either of Christ, (as som of the fathers vnderstand\nit) or of som other person did appear vnto them. Besides to proue\nthis matter, they alledge places out of the fathers, decr\u00e9es of\ncouncels, & the common report y\u036d hath bin bruted of those y\u036d\nreturned fr\u014d the dead. To al these reasons by Gods assistance, we\nwill briefly and orderly answere.\n\n[Sidenote: The soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the\ncommon course of nature, by the omnipotent power of god.]\n\nAs touching y\u0364 first obiection, y\u036d al things are possible vnto\nGod, we deny it not. We graunt then, that God can bring soules out of\nheauen or hel, and vse their trauell & seruice to instruct, comfort,\nadmonish, & rebuke men. But for y\u036d no text or example is found\nin holy scripture, that euer any soule came from y\u0364 dead, which\ndid so scoole & warn men: or y\u036d the faithfull learned or sought\nto vnderstand any thing of the soules deceased, we cannot allow\ny\u0364 sequele of their reason. We may not of Gods almightie power\ninferre conclusions to our pleasure. For this is a principle hold\u0113\nin schooles, y\u036d the reason doth not truly folow, y\u036d is set from\ny\u0364 power of doing, to the d\u00e9ed done. For God doth nothing against\nhimself, or his word writen, to warr\u0101t their reson: they shuld first\nhaue proued, that it was gods wil, y\u036d soules shuld return into the\nerth: for so do holy fathers intreat of gods almightie power.\n\n[Sidenote: How we oght to reason of the omnipotent power of God.]\n\n=Tertullian= against =Praxias= saith: Truly I neuer thought that any\nthing was hard to bee done of God, we may faine of God what we list,\nas if he had done the same, because he is able to doo it. But we must\nnot bel\u00e9eue that God hath therefore done all things, because he is\nable to doo them. But first wee ought to make enquirie whether hee\nhath done them.\n\n[Sidenote: Ambrose.]\n\nS. =Ambrose= in his sixt booke of epistles, and 37. epistle, writeth\nvnto =Cromatius= in this wise: Therefore what is there vnpossible\nvnto him? Not that thing which is harde to his power, but that which\nis contrary to his nature. It is vnpossible for him to lye, and this\nimpossibilitie in him, proc\u00e9edeth not of infirmitie, but of vertue\nand maiestie. For truth receiueth no lye, neither doth the vertue\nof God entertaine the vanitie of errour. Reade farther that which\nfolloweth in the same place.\n\n[Sidenote: Hierome.]\n\n=Hierome= writing to =Eustochia=, of the preseruing of her\nvirginitie, saith: I will boldly auouch this one thing, that though\nGod can do all things, yet can he not restore a virgin after her fall.\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\n=Augustine= in the tenth chapter of his fifth booke _De ciuitate\ndei_ hath: That God is sayd to be omnipotent in dooing that he will,\nand not in doing that he will not. Againe he addeth: Gods power is\nnot hereby any whit diminished, when we say, that God cannot die or\nbe deceiued. And immediately, therefore he cannot doo some things\nbecause he is omnipotent, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Theodoret.]\n\n=Theodoret= also teacheth vs, that it may not absolutely without\nexception be pronounced, that all things are possible vnto God.\nFor who so doth precisely affirme this, dooth in effect say this\nmuch, that all things both good and bad are possible vnto God, &c.\nWherefore f\u00e9eble is that obiection of theirs: God can sende soules\nvnto men, to teache and admonish them; therefore these spirites that\npraye ayde, bee soules that come out of Heauen or Hell. In the meane\ntime we do not denie the power of God, as some do maliciously report\nof vs: but we wold not haue the same made a denne or couert of errors.\n\n[Sidenote: VVee must learn nothing of the dead. _Deut._18.]\n\nHeare what the Lorde our God in the 18. of =Deuteronomie= speaketh:\nWhen thou shalt come into the lande whiche the Lorde thy God giueth\nth\u00e9e, doo not thou learne to doo after their abhominable rites, and\nvsages of those nations. Let none bee founde among you, that maketh\nhis sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire: nor a diuiner\nthat doth foreshew things to come, nor a sorcerer, nor a witche, nor\na charmer, nor one that consulteth with spirits, nor an inchanter,\nnor a Magitian, nor one that raiseth vp the dead. For the Lorde doeth\nabhorre all that doo such things: and because of these abhominations,\nthe Lord thy God hath cast them out before th\u00e9e. Be thou therfore\nsound and perfect before the Lord thy God: and by and by he promiseth\nto send them that great Prophet whom they should heare.\n\n[Sidenote: _Esay_ .8.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke_ .22.]\n\nIn the 8. of =Esay=, it is written: If they say vnto you, enquire of\nthem which haue a spirite of diuination, which whisper and murmure\nsoftely in youre eares to deceiue you. Should not euery people or\nnation enquire at their God? what shall they go from the liuing to\nthe dead? Let them goe vnto the lawes testimonie, suche as haue\nno light, should they not speake according to this word, which\nwho so should contemne, shall be hardened and hunger, &c. Heereby\nwe doo vnderstand, that vnder a great penaltie God hath precisely\nforbidden, that we shoulde learne and searche out any thing of the\ndead. He alone woulde be taken for our sufficient schoolemaister. In\nthe Gospell we read: They haue =Moses= and the Prophets, let them\nheare them. Vnto these may be added testimonies out of the Apostles\nwritings, that God doth not send vs soules hither to informe vs. The\ncommon and ordinarie way whereby it pleaseth God to deale with vs,\nis his word. Therwithall should we content our selues, and not wait\nfor new reuelations, or receiue any thing that doth not in all points\nagr\u00e9e therewith. But as touching this matter, we wil speak more in\nhis proper place.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VII.\n\n  That the true Samuell did not appeare to the Witch in\n  Endor.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Matth._8.]\n\nNow touching y\u0364 examples by them commonly alleaged, which do think\nthat the souls of y\u0364 dead do return again vnto the liuing vp\u014d the\nearth: I wil first intreat of =Samuels= apparition, of which matter\nnow adaies there is great contenti\u014d and reasoning. And (as I trust) I\nshall proue by strong arguments, that very =Samuell= himself did not\nappeare in soule and bodie, neither that his bodie was raised vp by\nthe sorcerers, which perchance then was rotten & consumed vnto dust\nin the earth, neither y\u036d his soule was called vp, but rather some\ndiuellish spirit. First the author of the two bookes of =Samuel=,\nsaith: that =Saule= did aske counsell of the Lord, and that he would\nnot answere him, neither by Visions, nor by =Vrim=, nor by his\nProphets. Wherefore if God disdained by his Prophets yet liuing, and\nother ordinary wayes to giue answer vnto him, whom he had alreadie\nreiected, we may easily coniecture, that he would much lesse haue\nraised a dead Prophet to make him answere. And the rather, for that\nas we haue a little before said, the lawe of God hath seuerely by a\ngreat threatening, forbidden to learne ought of the dead, and would\nnot haue vs to searche for the trueth of them, nor that any man vse\ndiuination by Spirites, and suche other diuellishe Artes. Secondly,\nif verie =Samuell= ind\u00e9ede appeared, that muste of necessitie haue\ncome to passe, either by the will of God, or by the worke of arte\nMagike. But Gods will was not that =Samuel= should retourne. For he\nhath condemned Necromancie, and would not haue vs to aske counsel\nat the dead: and that the spirit of God did that which was contrary\nherevnto, or did permit the Saints to do it, or was present with them\nthat did ought contrary thereto, it may not be graunted. And that\nthose things were done by the force and operation of Art Magike, w\u00e9e\ncan not affirme. For the wicked spirit hath no rule or power ouer the\nsoules of the faithfull to bring them out of their places when he\nlust, sith they be in the hand of God, and the bosome of =Abraham=,\nnay (which is lesse) he hath no power ouer filthy and vncleane swine,\nfor he was driuen (as we reade in the viii. chapter of Mathew) to beg\nleaue, before he could enter into the heard of swine: and how then\nshould he haue any power ouer the soule of man? yet can it not be\ndenied, that God somtimes for certain causes doth giue the Diuell and\nhis seruants, Magitians & Necromancers, power to do many things, as\nto hurt and lame man and beast, and to worke other straunge things.\nBut that God dooth giue the Diuell leaue to raise dead bodies, or to\ncall, bring foorth, or driue away soules especially out of Heauen,\nit hath no grounde at all in Scripture, neither can there be any\nreasonable cause alledged, wherefore God would or should giue the\nDiuell licence to doo these things contrary to the vsuall and common\norder, yea and againe his owne expresse commaundement. For vayne\nand childishe is the cause heereof that is giuen of some men, that\n=Samuell= shoulde appeare to terrifie and astonishe =Saule=: as if\nGod coulde not haue feared him by other waies and meanes. Was he\nnot before vtterly abashed and dismayed? Thirdly, if =Samuell= were\nbrought backe, the same was done either by his will and consent, or\nwithout the same, but that he did fr\u00e9ely and of his owne accord obey\nthe sorcerers, no man I thinke is so blinde to imagine.\n\n[Sidenote: Wordes of th\u0113selues haue no force.]\n\n[Sidenote: Iupiter Elicius.]\n\n[Sidenote: Plinie.]\n\nFor that were vtterly repugnant to the Lawe of God, that hee shoulde\nconfirme Witchcraft and Sorcerie by his example. If the Witch had\ncalled for =Samuell=, whilest he liued, doubtlesse he would haue\nnot approached vnto hir. And how then can we bel\u00e9eue that he came\nto hir after his death? We may not so say, that the Witch compelled\nhim to resort to hir against his will: for the Diuel hath no power\nouer the soules of the godly, and Magike of it selfe is of no force.\nHeathenish superstition no doubt it is, that wordes vttered by\nMagitians, after their peculiar manner, or figures drawne, should\nhaue suche a secret and hidden operation. For the Heathens bel\u00e9eued\nthat they could with a certain set stile & number of words, bring\nand draw downe =Iupiter= out of Heauen. Wherfore they termed him\n=Iupiter Elicius=. There are also certaine superstitious persons in\nthese our daies, which go about to cure diseases by certaine rites\nof blessings, and by coniurings. Some hang aboute their neckes\ncertaine scrolles of Paper, in which ther are written diuers strange\nwords, but whether wordes of themselues haue any force at all, reade\n=Plinie= in his 28. booke, and 2. chapter, and =C\u00e6lius Rhodiginus= in\nhis 16. booke and 16. chapter of Antiquities.\n\n[Sidenote: _Apoc._19.21.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Rom._12.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Actes_.12.]\n\nFourthely, if very =Samuel= himselfe had appeared, h\u00e9e would not haue\nbene worshipped of =Saule=. For we reade in the 19. and 22. chapter\nof the Reuelation, that =Iohn= would haue worshipped the angell,\nwhiche had opened vnto him great misteries, but the Angell of God\nforbad him so to do. Some h\u00e9ere aunswere, that =Saule= ment not to\ngiue vnto the Prophet, the honor that was due vnto God, but onely a\ncerteine outward and euill worship, such as we are wont to y\u00e9elde\nvnto honest men, and suche as haue well deserued of the Churche and\ncommon weale. For they say, that the Hebrue word =Schachah= there\nvsed, doth signifie to bend the kn\u00e9e, and to fall downe at a mans\nfeete: which kinde of worship we reade, that =Abigael= and =Nathan=\nthe Prophet gaue vnto King =Dauid=. And =Paule= also in the 12.\nChapter of his Epistle to the Romanes teacheth, that we should honour\none another. =Thomas= of =Aquine= intreating of those two places\nthat I euen nowe recited out of the Reuelation, saieth, that =Iohn=\nment not to worship the Angell, with the worship properly called\n=Latria=, but with an other kind of worship termed =Dulia=, that is\nto say, that =Iohns= will was not to withdrawe from God, the honor\ndue vnto him, but to worship the Angell that was sent from God, only\nwith a ciuill and outward homage: and yet the Angell would not so\nfar condiscend vnto him. In the new Testament the 10. chap. of the\nActs of the Apostles, we read that =Cornelius= met with =Peter=,\nfell downe at his f\u00e9et and worshipped him, yet, so as he had bene an\nembassadour from God and not God himselfe, and yet =Peter= lifted\nhim vp & said, Arise for I my selfe am a man also. He said not to\n=Cornelius= thou doest well herein: nor as his worthie Vicare (with\na mischiefe) is wont to do, proffered his foote vnto him to kisse.\nWe may read also that =Elias= disciples worshipped =Elizeus= that\nsucc\u00e9eded into his office, to which place the word to bowe the kn\u00e9e,\nor fall downe, is vsed. But whether the Prophet did except and allowe\nthis kind of reuerence or no, there is no expresse mention. Br\u00e9efly,\nit is not likely that the Prophet would haue suffered the King to\nfall downe at his f\u00e9ete.\n\n[Sidenote: Testimonies out of the Fathers touching Samuels appearing.]\n\n[Sidenote: Samuels appearing.]\n\nFiftly, if he had bin the true =Samuel=, he would no doubt haue\nexhorted =Saule= to repentance, and willed him to wait for aide from\nGod, to put his whole confidence in him, or at least way, to haue\ngiuen him some comforte, or counselled him to fight againste his\nenimies with more courage. For though the Prophets do often chide\nand threaten men, yet do they againe reuiue and solace them. Now\nbecause this =Samuel= doth beate no other thing into his heade, but\nthat God was displeased with him, and had alredy forsaken him, we may\nnot bel\u00e9eue that he was the true, but a meere counterfeit =Samuel=.\nSixtly, the auncient Fathers write, that the true =Samuel= was not\ns\u00e9ene.\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\n=Tertullian= in his booke _De anima_ saith, that the Diuill did there\nrepresent =Samuels= soule, God forbid (saith he) that we should\nbel\u00e9eue that the diuel can drawe the soule of any Saint, much lesse\na Prophet, out of his proper place, sith we are taught that Sathan\ndooth transfourme himselfe into an Angel of light, and much sooner\ninto a man of light: who also will auouch himselfe to be God, and\ndoo notable signes and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, the\nvery elect. S. =Augustine= is not alwaies of one iudgement touching\nthis apparition: in his second booke to =Simplician= Bishop of\n_Millaine_, and the third question thereof, h\u00e9e graunteth that by\nthe dispensation of Gods will, it might so come to passe, that the\nspirite of some holy Prophet, should consent to present it selfe in\nthe sight of the King, to come out of his owne place, and to speak\nwith him, but not to doo this by constrainte, or by the vertue of\nArte Magike, which might haue any power ouer it: but thereby to\nshew it selfe obedient to the secret dispensation of God: and yet\nhe doth not dissemble, that a better answer may be giuen, to witte,\nthat the spirite of =Samuel= was not truly and ind\u00e9ed raised vp from\nhis rest, but rather some vain vision and counterfeit illusion,\nthat should be brought to passe by the diuels practise, which the\nScripture therefore doth tearme by the name of =Samuel=, because the\nsame is woont to call the images and similitudes of things, by the\nnames of the things themselues. For who is he (saith =Augustine=)\nthat will be afraid to call a man painted, a man, considering that\nwithout staggering, we are accustomed to giue eache thing his proper\nname, assoone as we behold the picture of the same: as when we take\nthe viewe of a painted table, or wall, we say straightway, this is\n=Tullie=, this is =Salust=, h\u00e9e =Achilles=, that other =Hector=, this\nis the floud called _Symois_, that place tearmed _Rome_, whereof\nthese things be ind\u00e9ede no other than painted Images, of those things\nwhose names they beare. Sith this is so, he saith, it is not to be\nmaruelled that scripture saith =Samuel= was seen, when perchance\n=Samuels= image s\u00e9emed to appeare, through the craftie pollicie\nof him, that transformed himselfe into an Angell of light, and\nfashioneth his ministers like vnto the Ministers of righteousnesse.\n\nIn his booke _De octo Dulcitij questionibus_, the 6. question\nthereof, he vttereth all this in as many words, & in his booke _De\ncura pro mortuis gerenda_, he writeth that some are sent, from the\ndeade to the liuing: as on the other side, =Paule= was rapt vp from\nthe liuing vnto Paradice: h\u00e9e addeth there the example of =Samuel=\nbeing dead, which did foreshewe to =Saule=, things, that afterwardes\nshould come to passe. He saith further, that this place may otherwise\nbe vnderstanded, and that certaine faithful men haue bene of this\niudgement, that it was not =Samuel=, but that some spirit fit for\nsuch wicked practises, had taken vpon him his shape and similitude.\nAnd in other places, as we will shew hereafter, he affirmeth, that\nthere is a figure conteined in those wordes, because the name of the\nthing is giuen vnto the Image that dooth but represent the same: and\nthat it was not =Samuel= that appeared, but some diuellish spirit.\n\n[Sidenote: The Popes decrees.]\n\nOther Fathers of the Churche haue written nothing particularly of\nthis storie, so far as I know, but in certaine places of their\nworkes, they teache generally that good spirites are not pulled\nbacke into the earth by Magicall Art. Of =Iustine= and =Gregorie=\nI will speake anone. In the very Papall decr\u00e9es, 26. question 5.\nchapter, _Nec mirum_, it is written that it was not =Samuel=, but\nrather some wicked spirite that appeared to =Saule=: And that it were\na great offence that a man should bel\u00e9eue the plaine words of the\nstorie without some farther meaning, for how saith he could it come\nto passe, that a man from his byrth holie and iust in conuersation\nof life, should by Art Magicke be pulled out of his place? And if\nhe were not so drawne against his will, then he must n\u00e9edes agr\u00e9e\nthereto: both whiche are like absurde, to bee imagined of a iust\nman. This is the Diuels legerdimaine, to make shewe, as though he\nhad power ouer good men, thereby the rather to deceiue many. He\nthere farther addeth, that the Historiographers doo set foorth both\n=Saules= minde, and =Samuels= state, and also those things which were\nsayd and s\u00e9ene, omitting this, whether they were true or false. And\nother words followe, whiche who so list to s\u00e9e more of that matter,\nmay there reade.\n\n[Sidenote: Lyra.]\n\nBut here =Nicolas Lyras= iudgement (which in his Commentaries on the\nbookes of the Kings, mainteineth the contrary opinion) should bee\nlittle weighed and regarded of vs. Where he noteth, that the place by\nvs euen now alleaged, is not written according to the censure of the\nChurch, though it be found in the Popes lawe, for otherwise saith he,\nthey which ensued in latter times, wold not haue written contrary to\ny\u0364 same, for many of those things concerning which men haue written\notherwise in latter times, were neuerthelesse set foorth to the\nworld, to be beleeued, as the very expresse and sound iudgement of\nthe whole Christian Church, because they were put in the Popes booke\nof =Decretalls=.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VIII.\n\n  A Confutation of their arguments, which would haue Samuel\n  himselfe to appeare.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Eccle._46.]\n\nWe will now come to the Confutati\u014d of their Arguments, which\nmaintaine, that very =Samuel= himselfe appeared to the Sorcerers,\nfor he that rightly ouerthroweth his aduersaries arguments, is\nsupposed by the same meanes to confirme his owne cause. The ch\u00e9efest\narguments which our aduersaries vse, is taken out of the 46. chapter\nof =Ecclesiasticus=, where these words are found. =Samuel= before his\ndeath made protestation before God, and before his annointed, that\nhe tooke from no man his substance, no not so much as the value of\na shoe, and no man could then reproue him. And after his death he\nprophesied, and tolde the King of his ende. From the earth he lift\nvp his voyce, and shewed that the wickednesse of the people should\nperish.\n\nThis place somewhat troubled S. _Augustine_, and other godly Fathers.\nFor if the Diuell onely appeared, and not =Samuel=, howe is it there\nsaide that he slept, that is, died, for the Diuel neyther sl\u00e9epeth\nnor dieth. Hereunto I may shape this answere, that this booke is not\nto be nombred among the Canonicall bookes of the olde Testament, and\nthat Doctrine in controuersies, cannot bee proued by the authoritie\nthereof, the whiche Saint =Augustine=, also confesseth in his booke\n_De cura pro mortuis agenda_.\n\nBut howsoeuer that be credited as true or false, I answere them\nplainly, that Iesus the Sonne of =Syraches= intent was, to alleage\nthe Storie literally, as the wordes lye, and not by reason to debate\nthe matter, whether =Samuel= truly appeared or no. H\u00e9e speaketh there\naccording to the opinion of =Saule= and the Witche, which thought\nthat =Samuel= himselfe was raised. Further they say, that h\u00e9e which\nappeared vnto =Saule=, is sometimes expresly and in plaine words\ncalled =Samuel=. And an vns\u00e9emely matter it were, making much for the\nreproach of so great a Prophet, if his name had bene applied vnto\nthe Diuel. If say they, it had not bene =Samuel=, but some wicked\nspirite, the scripture would in some one word or other, haue noted\nthe same.\n\nTo this Argument first I aunswere, that euen in our common sp\u00e9eche,\nit is an vsuall phrase by the figure _Metonymia_, to terme the Image\nby the name of the thing, that it presenteth. So we terme the Armes\nand Ensigne of a Noble man, by the name of that Lord himselfe,\nthat giueth those Armes. We say, this is =Iulius C\u00e6sar=, =Nero=,\nSaint =Peter=, Saint =Paule=, or here thou maist s\u00e9e the Cities of\n_Tigurine_, and _Argentorat_, also the Duke of _Saringe_, whereas\nind\u00e9ed they are only their counterfeits, or Armes, and signes of\nhonour.\n\nIn a Comedie or Tragedie, we call this man =Saule=, that =Samuel=,\nan other =Dauid=, whereas they do but betoken and represent their\npersonages. So saith =Virgil=, in his first booke of =\u00c6neidos=: They\nwonder at =\u00c6neas= gifts, and haue =Iulius= in admiration. And yet\nwas it not =Iulius= or =Ascanius=, but =Cupid= feining himselfe to\nbe =Iulius=, whereby he might the easiler pearce the heart of the\nignorant Qu\u00e9ene, with his dart of Loue.\n\nSainte =Augustine= in his seconde Booke and ninthe chap. _De\nmirabilibus scriptur\u00e6_ saieth, that holie Scripture doeth sometimes\napplie the verie names of thinges to the Images and similitudes of\nthe same. H\u00e9e alleageth there this example, that the foule spirit\nis called =Samuel=, because h\u00e9e did falsely beare =Saule= in hande,\nthat h\u00e9e was =Samuell=: whiche fraude of the Diuell, coulde no waies\nturne to =Samuels= reproach. For who would say, that it should be a\nreproach for an honest man, if some knaue would terme himselfe by his\nname, as if he were he himselfe.\n\nThe false prophets sayde, they were true Prophets, and Gods\nservauntes, yea (which is more) they feined themselues to be the\nverie =Messias=, the Sonne of God. And that Scripture dooth not so\nmuche as in one word make mention, that this was verie =Samuell=\nin deede, but rather some spirite, we must thinke that it so came\nto passe, for this cause, that all men by the Lawe of God might\nvnderstand, that Magike and enquirie of things at the dead, did much\ndisplease God. =Saule= himselfe before by the counsell and motion of\n=Samuel=, slewe all the Magitians that he could any where finde. And\nGod is not accustomed in this wise to interprete Figuratiue sp\u00e9eches:\nfor many of them are soone descried by such as giue diligent h\u00e9ed to\nthem. A vaine and superfluous sp\u00e9ech it were, if a man woulde say\nthat is =Peter=, this is the Image of =Peter=, whiche by a Figure, is\ncalled by the name of =Peter=.\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Cor._ 1.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Cor._ 10.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iere._ 10.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Psal._ 96.]\n\nFurthermore, holie Scripture dooth vse to speake of things, rather\naccording to the opinion and iudgement of men, than according to\nthe substaunce and true b\u00e9eing which they haue ind\u00e9ede. So Iesus is\ncalled the Sonne of =Ioseph=, and =Iosephe= named his father, whereas\nnotwithstanding, our Sauiour Christ Iesus, was borne of a chaste and\nvnspotted Virgine, without any helpe of man. And yet neuerthelesse\nmany of the Iewes, imagined, that he was the Sonne of =Ioseph=.\nIn the =1.Cor. 1.= the Gospel it selfe is named foolishnesse,\nbecause that men did account the great wisedome of God but as m\u00e9ere\nfoolishnesse. So in the first Epistle to the =Corinthians=, and tenth\nchapter, the scripture tearmeth them gods, which be nothing lesse\nthan so ind\u00e9ed. And that for this cause onely, for that the Heathen\ntooke them for gods, and so did worship them. Euen so the scripture\ndoeth tearme the Diuell =Samuel=, because =Saule= thought him to be\n=Samuel= in very d\u00e9ed.\n\n[Sidenote: VVhether the diuel forknow of thinges to come.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 8.]\n\nAn other reason they vse, that =Samuel= foreshewed vnto =Saule= suche\nthinges as afterwardes should come to passe: as that the Philistians\nshould in battayle ouerthrowe his Armie, and he and his sonnes\ntogither be slaine. And all these thinges came to passe according to\nhis Prophesie. And say they, the Diuel knoweth not, neither can he\nforetell of things to come, sith it is onely in Gods power so to doo:\nBut as Christ in the eight of =Iohn= saith, he is a lyar, and the\nfather of lies. Hereunto a man may easily answere: The Diuell knewe\nhowe things stoode with the Iewes, and the Philistines, he vnderstood\neuen the very secret consultations, priuie practises, and warlike\npreparation on both sides. He sawe that the Israelites were slenderly\naddressed vnto battaile, and vtterly daunted of courage. Besides\nthis, =Samuel= had a little before threatned =Saule= with Gods heauie\nwrath and vengeance, and that =Dauid= should be aduaunced to the\nkingly throne, whereby he might easily gather what would ensue, and\nthat =Saule= must n\u00e9edes giue place to =Dauid=. And if the euent had\nbene otherwise, yet he knew that =Saule= with this prophesie would be\nquite dismaied, and driuen to dispaire: which thing must n\u00e9edes well\ncontent and please Sathan, who laieth his baites day and night to\nintrappe men.\n\n[Sidenote: Which being doubtfully spoken, may be vnderstood either of\nsubuerting other kingdomes, or loosing his owne.]\n\nThe Diuell dooth not presently vnderstand things to come, and\ntherefore he giueth doubtfull answeres to such as s\u00e9eke oracles of\nhim: As when he said,\n\n=Cr\u0153sus perdet Halin transgressus plurima regna=.\n\nThat is, =Cresus= passing ouer the riuer, =Halis= shall ouerturne\nmany kingdomes. And yet oftentimes he gathereth one thing no\notherwise than by an other. Hereof writeth =Augustine= in the 26. 27.\n28. Chapters of his Booke _De Anima_. The Diuel is one which hath\nbene long beaten in experience, the which thing in all affaires and\nmatters is of very great force. For olde and practised souldiours\ndoo by and by fores\u00e9e to what issue things will come, but yoong\nmen, and such as want experience, doo not forthwith espie out the\neuent of each enterprise. Moreouer, the Diuels are very actiue, and\ncan soone dispatch their matters. The Marriners knowe when windes\nand stormes will arise. Husbandmen also are not destitute of their\nprognostications. The skilfull Astronomer can many yeares before\nexactly foretell when there will happen an Eclipse of the Sunne and\nMoone. The Phisitian by the criticall dayes, pulse, and vrine, can\nlightly iudge whether his patient shall liue or no: builders s\u00e9e\nbefore hand when an house will fall, and a practised souldioure\ncan straightwayes iudge who shall winne the victorie. And what\nmaruaile then may it be, if the Diuell an olde trained souldiour, can\nsometimes foreshew some certain thing? Shall we be of this minde,\nthat so many yeares experience hath broughte them no knowledge at\nall? Otherwhiles he telleth things which be true ind\u00e9ed, and yet to\nno other end, but that he may thereby purchase a certaine credite\nvnto his lying, to seduce the ignorant.\n\nFor euen that counterfeit =Samuell=, made wise, as if he had taken\nit in very ill part, that =Saule= did so molest and disquiet him,\nand that he should be forced to talke with him: he vseth farther the\nwords as it were of =Samuel= himselfe. And hereof it commeth, that\nmany gather, he was the true =Samuel= ind\u00e9ede. But what doth not\nSathan deuise, to deceiue men, and to force them vnto desperation?\nHere I could alleage examples of suche as haue bin perswaded, that\nthey sawe and heard this and that man, and moreouer knewe them\nperfectly by their speeche: whereas they haue afterwards had euident\nintelligence, that they were at that time many miles distant from\nthem. So craftie is the Diuell, and knoweth how to worke these and\nmany other feates.\n\nThere are farther, diuers places alleaged out of the auncient\nFathers, that s\u00e9eme to make for them, whiche affirme that true\n=Samuell= appeared vnto =Saule=. But these places w\u00e9e haue before for\nthe moste parte aunsweared. For albeit =Augustine= in some places\nmooue a doubte, whether it were the true =Samuel= or no, yet in\ncertaine other places hee lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion,\nwho denie =Samuel= to haue appeared at all, taking rather that kinde\nof sp\u00e9ech, for tropicall and figuratiue.\n\n[Sidenote: Iustinus.]\n\n=Iustine= the Martir, who is one of the most auncient Fathers,\nreasoning against =Trypho= a Iewe, writeth in his _Colloquio_, that\nthe couetous Sorceresse at =Saules= commaundement raysed vp =Samuels=\nsoule. And no man shoulde maruaile h\u00e9ereat, sith that the selfesame\nAuthor doeth by and by adde, that he is of this iudgement, that all\nthe soules of Prophettes and iust menne are subiect vnto suche power\nas a man may in verie d\u00e9ed bel\u00e9eue, to haue bene on this gr\u00e9edie and\nsubtile Witche. But this none of the Fathers will graunt him. Other\nGr\u00e9eke writers also, whiche in their tender yeares applied theyr\nmindes to Philosophie, and not to the studie of holy Scriptures, and\nafterwardes were conuerted to Christianitie, doo sette foorthe in\ntheir writings certaine opinions which are not agr\u00e9eable to the word\nof God. Wherefore it n\u00e9ede not s\u00e9eme a straunge thing to any manne,\nthat =Iustine= the Martire in some pointes had his errors.\n\nThe same Authour in _Responsionibus ad Orthodoxos_, question 52.\nmainteineth the contrary assertion. For, saith he, whatsoeuer things\nwere done by that hungry Witche, were ind\u00e9ede the workes of the\nDiuell, who did so dazle the eyes of such as beheld him, that it\ns\u00e9emed vnto them, they sawe =Samuel= himselfe, when in verie d\u00e9ede\nh\u00e9e was not there. But the truth of his words proc\u00e9eded from God, who\ngaue the diuel power to appeare vnto the Sorceresse, and to declare\nvnto her, that which should afterwards come to passe. &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Gregorius.]\n\nIf any man obiect that this woorke is not rightly ascribed vnto\n=Iustine=, (for so muche as h\u00e9e doth make mention of =Origen=, and\n=Ireneus= the Martire, whereas notwithstanding hee him selfe was\nmartyred before them. And farther, speaketh of the =Manichees=, who\nwere in their ruffe long after this time. Hereunto we answere, that\nif this booke were not written by =Iustine=, yet (as may appeare)\nsome other learned Clarke wrote that worke, whose authoritie might\ncarry away as great credit as =Iustines=, sith that the same doth\nfully agr\u00e9e with holie scripture. Furthermore we may set against\n=Iustine=, other holy Fathers, as =Tertullian= and =Chrysostome=, of\nwhom we haue before spoken, who haue by holy scripture instructed vs,\nthat it was not =Samuell= ind\u00e9ede whiche appeared vnto =Saule=. We\nwill hereafter say somewhat of =Gregorie=, who no doubt was a learned\nand godly Father, but yet too simple and light of bel\u00e9efe.\n\nAnd the Fathers themselues deny, that a man should subscribe vnto\ntheir opinion in ought that they doo maintaine and auouche without\nthe warrant of Gods word. The Popes out of =Augustine= written in\ntheir Decr\u00e9es, =Quest. 9. ca. Noli=, that a man should credit none of\nthe Fathers except he proued his saying out of holy Scriptures. But\nin these dayes many cull nothing out of their bookes but errours, and\nwhatsoeuer they maintaine by good testimony of the holy scriptures,\nthat they reiect and disanull: in which point they do fitly resemble\nthose children, who only in things wicked and euil, imitate their\ngood parents: for good men also haue their faultes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IX.\n\n  Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape\n  of a faithfull man?\n\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Cor._ 11.]\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Reg._ 22.]\n\nBut thou doest demand whether the Diuill can represent the likenesse\nof some faithfull man deceased? Hereof we n\u00e9ed not doubt at all. For\nin the =2.Cor.11.= S. =Paul= witnesseth, that sathan transformeth\nhimselfe into the shape & fashion of an Angell of light. Sathan by\nnature is a spirit, and is therefore tearmed an Angel, because God\nvseth to send him to bring that thing to passe which he thinketh\nbest. So in the second of =Kings= .22. Chapter, an euil angell was\nsent foorth to =Ahabs= destruction, to be a lying spirit in the mouth\nof 400. false prophets. This was an angell of errour and darkenesse:\nwho yet in outwarde shewe could resemble a good Angell, that he might\nso guide the counsell of =Baalls= worshippers, who no doubt vaunted\nthemselues, as if they had bene gathered togither by Gods holy\nspirit. If sathan be then so skilfull, can he not counterfait and\nfaine himselfe to be some holy man, by resembling his words, voyce,\niesture, and such other things?\n\nAmongst the Gentiles he hath done miraculous Actes, perswading them\nto thinke, that soules by Arte Magicke were called vp, and compelled\nto giue answere of secrete and hidden things that were to come. And\ntherefore not only in publike, but also priuate affaires, if they\ns\u00e9emed to be any thing hard vnto them, they consulted with Magitians\nand Sorcerers, and had moreouer recourse sometimes vnto Oracles.\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\n=Tertullian= in his booke _De Anima_ mentioneth, that there were some\neuen in his dayes, which professed they could raise vp and reclaime\nsoules from the hellishe habitation. And he calleth Arte Magike,\nthe second Idolatrie, in the whiche the diuels doo as well fayne\nthemselues to bee dead men, as they doo in the other to bee Gods. So\ndoo these subtle spirites lurke, and doo many straunge things vnder\nthe pretence of deade men. He addeth, that Magike is thought to\nconuey soules out of Hell which lye there in rest, and to represent\nthem vnto our sighte, by reason that it sheweth a vaine vision, and\ncounterfeiteth the shape of a bodie. Neither is it a harde matter for\nhim to bleare and beguile the outward eyes, who can easily darken\nand dazell the inwarde sighte of the minde. The Serpents that were\nbrought foorth by the inchaunters rods, s\u00e9emed to the _Egiptians_ to\nbe bodies, but the truth of =Moises= deuoured vp the Magitians lye.\n=Simon= also and =Elimas= the Magitians, did many signes and wonders\nagainst the Apostles &c. H\u00e9e addeth, that euen in his time those\nheretikes named properly Simonistes of =Simon= the Magitian, the\nfirst author of that sect, did with suche greate presumption aduaunce\ntheir arte, that they professed they coulde rayse from the dead, euen\nthe soules of the Prophets. &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Lactantius.]\n\n=Lactantius= in the .2. booke & 17. chap. =De origine erroris=,\nwriteth, that euill angels lurking vnder the names of the dead, did\nwound and hurt the liuing, that is, they tooke vnto themselues the\nnames of =Iupiter= and =Iuno=, whome the heathens tooke to be gods,\nor as we now say, they tooke vnto them the names of S. =Sebastian=,\n=Barbara=, and others.\n\n[Sidenote: Idem.]\n\nIn the 7. booke and 13. chap. he saith, that the Magitians with\ncertaine inchauntmentes did call soules out of hell. But this may not\nso be vnderstood, that =Lactantius= was of this iudgement, that they\nby their wicked arts did bring the soules back again into their dead\nbodies: but that they did so vaunt and boast that they had raised vp\nthis and that soule. He also confuteth the opinion of the Ethnikes,\nprouing by the testimonie of the very Magitians, whom they highly\nreuerenced, that the soule was immortall. These men affirmed and\ntaught, that they did call vp soules from the dead, the which point,\neuen those of the Gentiles bel\u00e9eued, who notwithstanding thought,\nthat the soule did straightway die with the bodie.\n\n=Iustine= the Martire, in the second Apologie which he wrote in the\ndefence of Christians, hath these wordes: I will (saith he) say the\ntruth: In times past wicked angels through vain visions deceiued\nwomen, and children, and with straunge and monstrous sightes made man\nafraide, by whiche meanes they often wroong that oute of foolishe\nand rude persons, which by reason they coulde neuer get of them. And\ntherefore not knowing that these were the Diuels engines and policies\ntending to delude them, they by one consent termed the workers of\nthese slie conueyances, by the name of Gods, assigning to eache of\nthem their proper names, as best pleased themselues. &c.\n\nAfterwardes in the same Apologie h\u00e9e exhorteth the Heathens, that\nthey would not deny mens soules after this life to be endued with\nsense, but at the least way, would giue credit to their owne\nNecromancers, who teach that they call vp mens soules. Also let them\nbel\u00e9eue those y\u036d affirme they haue bin vexed with spirits of dead\nmen, which persons the common people term furious & frantike bodies.\nIn =Augustin= _De ciuitate dei_, many such things be c\u014dteined.\n\nNow what dreadfull, strange, and maruellous ceremonies they vsed when\nthey went about by their Magicall Artes to call vp the soules of the\ndead, a man may s\u00e9e in the sixth booke of =Lucan= the Poet: where he\nsetteth foorth how =Erictho=, a famous Witche in _Thessaly_, reuiued\nand restored a souldiour to life againe, who was lately slaine\nbefore. Which act he did at the request of =Sextus Pompeius=, that\nso he might by him learne what woulde be the issue of the battaile\nfought at _Pharsalia_.\n\nThis kind of Magike they properly terme =Necromancie=, or\n=Phycomancie=, which is wrought by raising vp the spirits and soules\nof the dead. Of which there were diuerse sorts. For sometime appeared\nvnto men the whole bodies of the dead, but at an other time onely\nghostes and spirits: and often nothing was heard, sauing onely a\ncertaine obscure voyce.\n\n=Plutarch= in the life of =Cimon=, (as h\u00e9e is translated by\n=Ioachimus Camerarius=, in the Preface on =Plutarches= bookes, _De\noraculis qu\u00e6 defecerint_, & _de conseruata figura, Ei, Delphis_\nwriteth, that =Pausanias=, when he had taken the Citie of _Bizance_,\nsent for =Cleonice=, a mayden of noble parentage, to haue vnhonest\ncompany with her. Whom her parents partly by necessitie, and partly\nfor fear, sent vnto him. But after that the virgin had once obteined\nso much of his waiters in his priuie Chamber, that they should at her\nfirst entrance, put out the lightes, she in the darke going softly\ntowardes =Pausanias= bedde, by the way stumbled on the candlesticke,\nand ouerthrew it against her will, as he laie a sl\u00e9epe in his bedde,\nwho being troubled with the sodaine noyse, drew a swoord that laie\nby him, and therewith slewe the virgine, as she had bene his enemie,\nwhich went priuily to set vpon him. But she being thus slaine with\nthat deadly stroake, would neuer suffer =Pausanias= to take his\nquiet rest, but in a vision appearing vnto him in the night season,\ndenounced sentence of hatred against this noble captaine, in these\nwords.\n\n[Sidenote: Ephori am\u014dgest the Lacedemonians were Magistrates, who in\ncertaine cases were aboue kings, vnto whom appeales were made from\nkings: euen as amongst the Romans, they appealed from the Consuls to\nthe Tribunes.]\n\n\u03a3\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c7\u03b5 \u03b4\u1f31\u03c7\u03b5\u03c2 \u1f06\u03c3\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd \u03bc\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c7\u03b1\u03c7\u1f78\u03bd \u03ac\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03ac\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u1f55\u03b2\u03c1\u03b9\u03c2 which is, Answere\nto the lawe, for wrong is an euill thing vnto all men. This\nheinous d\u00e9ede of =Pausanias= was verie gr\u00e9euously taken of all his\ncompanions, who therefore vnder the conduction of captaine =Cymo=\nsette on him, and chased him out of _Thracia_. And thus hauing lost\nthe Cities of _Bizance_, when (as it is reported) the fight continued\nin troubling him, he fledde vnto _Necyomantium_, at _Heraclea_,\nwhere the soule of =Cleonices= being called vp, h\u00e9e by intreatie\npacified her displeasure. Sh\u00e9e did there both present her selfe vnto\nhis sight, and also told him, it should shortly come to passe, that\nthe euill towardes him should cease, assoone as he came to _Sparta_.\nHereby priuily intimating his death, &c. This =Pausanias= did at\nthe first soberly and discr\u00e9etely demeane himselfe, but afterwardes\nb\u00e9eing puffed vp with such victories as he had obteined, he ruled and\nraigned lyke a verie Tyraunt. Wherefore when the Magistrates called\n=Ephori=, would haue committed him to prison, he tooke Sanctuarie in\na Temple, where he was shut vp vntill he famished through hunger.\n\nI might here heape togither many such like Histories, to proue\neuidently what this =Samuel= was. In other matters also, if God\nlicence him, the Diuel is not destitute of power, and how craftie and\nreadie he is for all assaies, experience doth well declare.\n\nFurthermore graunt that, wherin the pith and strength of the question\ndoth consist (which can neuer be proued by scripture) that God did\npermit =Samuell= to returne and to prophesie things to come after his\ndeath, yet will it not thereof follow, that such visions should now\nbe shewed also, or that those things should be out of hand credited\nand done which they commaund.\n\nGod in times past, did often in visible shape send his Angels vnto\nmen, but now we heare not that many are sent vnto men, neither ind\u00e9ed\nis the same necessary. When the Apostles liued here, many notable\nmiracles were done, but now for certaine good causes, they cease\nand fall away, for whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation, is\nexpresly conteined in the word of God. These notes touching =Samuels=\nappearing, may suffise.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. X.\n\n  Moyses and Elias appeared in the Mounte vnto Christ our\n  Lord: many haue bene raised from the dead both in bodie\n  and soule, and therefore soules after they are departed,\n  may returne on earth againe.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat.17._ Moses & Elias appeared.]\n\nIn like manner they obiect vnto vs, out of the 17. of =Matthew=, that\n=Moses= and =Helias= were s\u00e9ene in the Mount, (which is called by the\nolde Writers _Tabor_,) with our Lord Iesus, by the Apostles whom he\nhad chosen for the same purpose, and that they did speake with him.\n=Luke= telleth of what matters they communed with him, to wit of his\ndeath, that is y\u0364 death of the crosse. Thereupon they gather, that\nthe soules of dead men may come againe into earth & appeare vnto men:\nwe haue graunted before that God is able to send soules again into\nthe earth, but that it is his will so to do, or that it is necessary\nespecially at these dayes, is not yet proued. =Moses= and =Helias=\nappeared appeared not to al the Apostles but only to thr\u00e9e, neither\ndid they speake to those thr\u00e9e, they brought no new Doctrine, they\ncommanded them not to build Churches in their honor, or to do any\nsuch like thing, whether that their soules came alone, or their\nbodies: also sure it is, they were not sent to the Apostles, but to\nChrist onely.\n\nIt was very necessary, that they which should be Christs witnesses,\nshuld very wel vnderstand, that both y\u0364 Law and the Prophets, do\nbeare record vnto our Sauior Christ, that he shuld die for the world,\nand come again in the latter day, to raise vp the dead bodies, to\nglorifie them, & to carry them with him, into eternal blisse. And for\nthis cause, God would haue these two excellent Prophets s\u00e9ene of the\nApostles.\n\n[Sidenote: Lazarus came againe on earth. _Iohn 11._]\n\n=Lazarus= soule did not only appeare, but he came againe both in\nbodie & soule, as =Iohn= witnesseth in his 11. chap. he is as it were\na sure token, of our true resurrection, which shall be in the last\nday, as also others, which our Sauiour Christ, the Apostles, and in\nauncient time, the Prophets haue raised from the dead. You shall\nneuer read that either =Lazarus=, or any other haue tolde where they\nwere while they were dead, or what kind of being there is in the\nother world, for these things are not to be learned and knowne of the\ndead, but out of the word of God.\n\n[Sidenote: _Matth.27._ At the resurrecti\u014d of christ many rose againe.]\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\nThe like may be said to that which is in the 27. chap. of S.\n=Matthew=, that when Christ suffered on the Crosse, the graues were\nopened, & afterwards on the day of his resurrection, many dead bodies\ndid arise, & appeared to many at _Hierusalem_. The soules of the dead\ndid not only appeare, neither did they warne the liuing, or command\nthem to doo this or that for y\u0364 deads sake, to wit, either to pray\nfor them, or to go on pilgrimage to saints, &c. But y\u0364 dead with\ntheir soules and bodies togither, came into the earth: for h\u00e9ereby\nGod would shewe, that he by his death hath ouercome and destroyed\ndeath to the faithfull, and that at the last day their soules and\nbodies shall be knit togither, and liue with God for euer. Now what\nthese holy men were that rose againe, and whether they remained any\ntime in this present life, or died againe, or went with Christ into\nheauen, looke the iudgement of =S. Augustine= in his 99. Epist. to\n=Euodius=, and his 3. booke _De mirabilibus. cap.13._\n\n[Sidenote: Spiridion raised his daughter.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ruffinus.]\n\nTo these we may ioyne that which =Ruffinus= writeth in his\necclesiastical history, 1. booke, 5. chap. and which =Socrates=\nrepeateth in his first booke & 12. chap. touching =Spiridion= Bishop\nof _Cyprus_. He had a daughter called =Irene=, with whome a certaine\nfriend of hers left gorgious apparrell, she being more wary than\nn\u00e9eded, hid it in the ground, and within a while died. Not long\nafter c\u014dmeth this man y\u036d owned the apparel, & hearing say y\u0364\nmaiden was dead, goeth to her father whom sometimes he accuseth, &\nsometimes intreateth. The old father supposing this mans losse to be\nhis owne calamitie, c\u014dmeth to his daughters graue, & there calleth\nvp\u014d god, beseeching him y\u036d he wold shew him before y\u0364 time, the\nresurrection which is promised. And his hope was not in vaine, for\nthe virgin being reuiued, apeared to her father, & shewed the place\nwher she had hid the apparel, & so departed again.\n\nI wil not deny this thing to be true. For the like historie hath\n=Augustine= in his 137. epist. A certain yong man which had an\neuill name accused =Boniface=, =Augustines= priest, y\u036d he inticed\nhim to filthinesse. Now wh\u0113 y\u0364 matter could neither be proued,\nnor disproued by sufficient reasons: both of them were bid to go\nto the graue of one =Felix= a Martyr, that by a miracle the truth\nmight be known. They had not bin sent, vnlesse before this time\nalso some secrete matters had bene knowne by this meanes: it may be\nwel answered, that they were good, or rather euil angels which did\nappeare.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XI.\n\n  Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans\n  soule, when Christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after his\n  Resurrection.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke 24._]\n\nWe reade in the 24. Chapter of Saint =Lukes= Gospell, that two\nDisciples whiche returned from _Emaus_ to _Hierusalem_, told the\nApostles, that they had s\u00e9ene Christ aliue againe, and whiles they\nyet spake, the Lorde stood in the midst of them, and saide vnto them,\nPeace be vnto you: but they being amazed & afraid, thought they sawe\na spirit. &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Christs Disciples supposed they sawe a ghost.]\n\nOut of this some go about to proue, that the Apostles bel\u00e9eued that\nspirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men, and that they\nthemselues did thinke they sawe the spirit of Christ (as certaine of\nthe old Writers do expound it) or else some other mans spirit.\n\n[Sidenote: Many kindes of spirites.]\n\nThis argument may be answered two wayes. First if they thought they\nsawe a soule, they thought a misse. But they were no lesse deceiued\nwith the common sorte now, that when they thought Christ would raise\nvp an outward and earthly kingdome, in which they should be chiefe.\nSecondly, it may be, that they supposed they sawe an euill or good\nAngell, for there are more kindes of spirites than one. There is a\nspirit that created all things, to wit, God the Father, the Sonne,\nand the holy Ghost. Againe there be spirits that be created, as good\nand euil Angels, as also the soules of men, which either are in\nthe bodie, or by death seuered from the bodie, and abide either in\neuerlasting life, or in eternall damnation. As touching the state\nof soules in Purgatorie, where they are prepared to the heauenly\niourney, and of _Limbus puerorum_, there is nothing extant in holy\nscripture.\n\nIt is manifest in scripture, that God appeared vnto the holy\nPatriarches, to the Prophets, to Kings and others, in diuers visions\nand formes, and that he shewed himself vnto them and spake with them.\n=Iacob= sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to heauen, and God\nleaning on it. =Isaias= sawe the Lord sitting vpon an high throne.\n=Daniel= sawe an olde man sitting, and his sonne comming vnto him and\nreceiuing all power of him.\n\n=Tertullian= and other holy Fathers do teach, that the son of God,\nwhich at the appointed time should take vpon him humaine flesh, did\nappear vnto the Patriarches in an angelicall shape.\n\nWhen =Iohn Baptist= did baptise our Sauiour in _Iordan_, the holy\nGhost was s\u00e9ene in the shape of a Doue. The holy scriptures in many\nplaces do testifie, that good Angels haue oftentimes appeared to Gods\nMinisters.\n\nThat euill spirits are often s\u00e9ene, and that at this day they shewe\nthemselues in diuers formes, to Inchaunters and Coniurers, and to\nother men also, as wel godly as wicked, both histories and daily\nexperience doth witnesse.\n\nTruly we reade not, that soules haue appeared on this fashion. By\nthese we may easily gather, that the Apostles, when they thought they\nsawe a spirit, did not bel\u00e9eue they sawe a soule. Could they not\nthinke I pray you, they sawe an euill spirit? Or rather that they\nsawe a good spirit, or a good Angel? For it may be shewed by many\nexamples, that euen the faithfull haue bene troubled, and feared at\nthe appearing of good Angels.\n\n[Sidenote: _Dan.8.10._]\n\nIn the eight and tenth Chapter of =Daniel=, we read that the Prophet\nfel into a sicknesse at the sight of Angels. The Virgin =Mary=\nher selfe was afraide when she sawe the Angell =Gabriel=. So was\n=Zachary= the Priest, & many others.\n\n[Sidenote: _Acts 12._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat.18._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Psal.19._]\n\nIn the 12. of y\u0364 Acts, we reade, that =Herode= killed =Iames= the\nApostle with the sword, and when he sawe that it pleased the Iewes,\nh\u00e9e caught =Peter= also, and when h\u00e9e had put him in prison, h\u00e9e\ndeliuered him to .16. Souldioures to be kepte, entending after the\nfeast of Passeouer to kill him. But the Angell of the Lorde led S.\n=Peter= out of the prison by night through the Souldiours watch, and\nsette him in the right way to the house of =Mary=, the mother of\n=Iohn=, whose surname was =Marke= (where many were gathered togither\nand prayed.) And when he had knocked at y\u0364 entrie doore, a maid\ncame forth to harken, named =Rhode=. But when she knew =Peters=\nvoice, she opened not the entrie doore for gladness, but ran in and\ntolde howe =Peter= stood before the entrie, but they said vnto hir\nthou art mad: yet she affirmed constantly that it was so. Then said\nthey it is his Angell, but =Peter= continued knocking, and when they\nhad opened and saw him they were astonied. In like maner, now also\nwhen the Apostles saw Christ, peraduenture they thought they sawe a\ngood Angel. For there are Angels giuen of God vnto men to k\u00e9epe them.\nOf this matter there is somwhat red in the .18. of S. Matthew, & in\nthe 19. Psal. & we will note somwhat more of it hereafter.\n\nThe Gentiles also bel\u00e9eued (as may bee gathered by their writings)\nthat euery man had a good & an euil Angel, and that the good\nAngel did stir men vp to vertue, & defend them, but that the euil\nAngell did hurt men wheresoeuer he could, and did prouoke them to\nwickednesse.\n\nIf our Elders, when they haue s\u00e9ene or heard any thing of one that\nhath bene trauelling or dead, did say it is his spirit, it may be,\nthey ment not his soule, but his Angel: for if when as spirits were\ns\u00e9ene now in this place, and by and by in an other place, they did\nthinke them to be soules (as in these latter times all men haue\nbel\u00e9eued:) in this they were deceiued, as they haue bene in many\nother things also, for soules are by and by receiued, eyther into\neuerlasting ioy, or into eternall damnation.\n\nIf the Preachers and Teachers had done their duties, and had in this\nand other pointes of Christian Doctrine, rightly instructed the\npeople committed to their charge, or at the least, if they had not\nforbidden them to reade the holy scriptures, they would haue thought\naright both of this, and other things which at this day are in\ncontrouersie.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XII.\n\n  Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishops, and\n  common people, which say that soules do visibly appeare.\n\n\n[Sidenote: The holy Fathers say that soules appear.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ambrose.]\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\n[Sidenote: Gregorie.]\n\nThe authoritie of the holie Fathers is obiected against vs, as that\nwhich Saint =Ambrose= writeth of Saint =Agnes=, and Saint =Augustine=\nof Saint =Felix=, of which we haue spoken before. And that which\n=Abdias= hath in the life of the Apostles, that =Thomas= appeared\nafter his death and preached. Saint =Gregorie= in his Dialogues, doth\nwrite diuerse and wondrous things, among others he rehearseth many\nexamples of the dead which appeared, and desired helpe of certaine\nSaintes, yea and of the Apostles themselues, whiche haue visited some\nvppon their death beddes, a little before they departed, and many\nother suche lyke matters, which they that list may read themselues.\nIt is saide that =Hierome= appeared to Saint =Augustine=.\n\n[Sidenote: Many things fabulous in Gregories Dialogues.]\n\nI will not in this place accuse the holie Fathers of vanitie,\nyet this we must note, they say not they haue bel\u00e9eued that they\nwhiche appeared, were the soules of dead men, but they spake after\nthe common manner. As touching S. =Gregories= Dialogues, I cannot\nhide, this (which many haue noted before mee) that many things are\nconteined in them that are nothing true, but altogither like old\nwives tales. Not because the holie Father hath written these things\nof malice, but for that he being too too credulous, hath put many\nthings into his bookes, rather vppon other mens report, than that he\nhimselfe knew them certainly to be true.\n\nAt this day also there are many honest and godlie men which haue\nthis faulte, that they are too quicke of bel\u00e9efe, and altogither\nruled by others. They iudge other men by themselues, they would be\nashamed to reporte any thing that were false, and thinke suche men in\nlike manner to be affectioned, which doe abuse their simplicitie and\ngoodnesse. Oftentimes these men, through their too muche lightnesse\nof bel\u00e9efe, fall into great daungers.\n\nMoreouer, in that age wherin =Gregorie= liued, men began to attribute\nmuch to those apparances and visions. And at that time the true and\nsincere Doctrine began greatly to decay. Truly the time in which a\nman happens to liue, is much to be regarded: he himselfe confessed\nthat his times was the latter times. Therefore the Scriptures shoulde\nhaue b\u00e9ene more diligently lent vnto, neither should any thing haue\nbene retained that was not agr\u00e9eable vnto them. Some going about to\nexcuse him, for that he hath stuffed his Dialogues ful of miracles\nand wonders, say he did it to mollifie by those examples, the\nperuerse and hard hearts of the =Longobardes=, to the end they might\nembrace the true Religion, which they had so greeuously persecuted.\nBut that it is in no wise profitable to make knowen the true faith,\nby these helpes which are nothing else but vaine tales, euen =Viues=\nhimselfe, in his first booke _De tradendis disciplinis_ doth\nacknowledge.\n\n[Sidenote: Counsells approue the appearing of Soules.]\n\nSome vrge vs with the authoritie of counsels, which haue allowed\ncertain apparances of soules, and haue suffered some bookes, whiche\nare extant of such apparitions, to be read for the edifying of the\nsimple, and some againe togither with their visions, they haue cleane\nreiected.\n\n[Sidenote: Councels may erre.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Matth.24._]\n\nIt is reported that the Counsell of _Constance_, hath allowed this\nvision:\n\nA certaine Deane when he had giuen ouer his Deanrie, went into the\nWildernesse to doe penaunce: after his deathe he appeared to his\nBishop, and tolde him that the same houre in which he departed this\nlife, there died thirtie thousand men, among whome only his soule\nand S. Barnarde were made partakers of eternall saluation, and thr\u00e9e\nwent into Purgatorie, and all the rest into endlesse damnation. &c.\nThey say that Councels & the churche cannot erre, because they are\nguided by the holy Ghost. Also in the 24. of Matthew, the Lord doth\nsay in the later dayes there shalbe signes and wonders, that the very\nelect if it were possible might be seduced, therefore they conclude\nthose things which Councels do saye of such apparitions, are to be\nbel\u00e9eued. Christs words are not so to be vnderstood that the chosen\ncan neuer be broughte into errors (for the contrary may be shewed by\nmany examples) but that they do not abide in erroure, albeit some\ndo very hardly get out of the same againe. Tell me, I pray you, who\nthey were that came togither in auncient Councels? were they not holy\nfathers? It is manifest that in many points they were at variaunce\namong themselues, and that they haue shewed by their contrary\nwritings: yea and many times they are contrary to themselues, and\ntherfore they haue not alwaies thought aright. Sometime they send\nvs to the word of God, as to the most certaine rule and leauell of\nfaith. There are examples inough, by which it may be shewed, that\nthe old Councelles haue erred in some of their determinations. The\nCouncell of =Ariminum= hath allowed the Arrians doctrine. The second\nEphesin councell did subscribe to =Eutiches=. The Councell holden\nat _Carthage_, which =Cipri\u0101= gathered, pronounced flatly against\nthe scriptures, &c. What shall we say was done in latter times? It\nis well inough knowen by histories who hath resisted Councels, and\nruled them, and what hath bene chiefly handled in them for certaine\nhundred yeares: And what for the most parte hath by and by followed\nafter them, euen cruel warres and bloudy slaughters. If nowe those\nauncient Councels coulde erre, who will maruaile that they which haue\nassembled since haue erred? But as touching the apparitions, that I\nmay (all other things omitted) talke only of them, tell me I pray you\nwho should certifie the Councels, whether this or that vision were\ntrue or false? Certainly no Councels can bring to passe that the lyes\nwhich haue bene scattered abroade, shall now begin to be true tales,\nalthough they of the Councel haue saide they are true.\n\n[Sidenote: Popes haue approued the appearing of soules.]\n\nIt is euen as foolishe to say, the Pope (who wil be counted aboue all\nCouncels) hath confirmed this or that miracle to be true, which they\nsay was wrought in some one monasterie or other. How can the bishop\nof =Rome= being so far off, knowe any thing better than they which\ndwell in the same places? If the bishop hauing no other assuraunce\nthan out of their words or writings, which perhaps go about to erecte\nnewe pilgrimages, and newe deuises to get money, confirme once that\nthis or that soule was s\u00e9ene, it must straight way without any\ngaynsaying be bel\u00e9eued. But if any other men who haue with diligence\nsought out the truth of the matter, do testifie the contrary: al that\nthey say must not be regarded. Consider (I bes\u00e9eche you) of this\nmatter. Before, all haue doubted whether the thing were so or no, but\nassoone as the Pope doth giue his verdicte, or some Church man do in\nhis dreame s\u00e9e it to be so, it is a heynouse matter afterwards to\ndoubt of it. O time! O manners!\n\n[Sidenote: Many affirme they haue seen soules.]\n\nAs touching other common and lay men as they terme them, which say\nthey haue s\u00e9ene one after his death, and haue heard and knowne him,\nand haue spoken with him: I easily graunt they haue s\u00e9ene and heard\nsome thing, and haue thought verily they were soules, and that they\ndid speake with them. But it followeth not therfore, that they were\nsoules ind\u00e9ede, much lesse that any dead man hath appeared in bodie &\nsoule vnto them. For at doomes day only, the soules shall returne to\ntheir bodies againe. Soules are spirits, but spirits are inuisible,\nwherefore they cannot so be s\u00e9ene, vnlesse they take some outward\nshape vpon them. But it can neuer be proued by the testimony of holy\nscripture, that as good and euil Angels, so soules take som shapes\nvpon them. Besides this, it is most true that oftentimes the shapes\nand formes of them whose soules are not yet sundred from their bodies\nby death (as when one lieth vpon his death bed) are no lesse s\u00e9ene\nthan theirs which are already dead. Therfore it is not necessary\nthat we bel\u00e9eue y\u0364 ghostes which are s\u00e9ene, to be soules. By these\nthings you vnderstand what is to be thought of the tale of =Platina=,\n=Nauclerus=, and others, which write that a certaine Bishop sawe Pope\n=Benedict= the eight (lately dead) in a solitary place sitting on a\nblacke horse, and being demaunded why he was so carried about with\nthe blacke horse, he warned the Bishop that he should distribute\nthe money which was giuen to the vse of the poore (but now wickedly\nkept to other purposes) vnto those poore folkes to whom of right it\nbelonged. Other tales of like stampe are rife euery where.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XIII.\n\n  Whether soules do returne againe out of Purgatorie, and\n  the place which they call _Limbus puerorum_.\n\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Thess._ 4.]\n\nThat soules, which are gone either to heauen or to hell, returne not\nthence, nor appeare againe before the latter day, perchaunce some\nmen would easily graunt: but they imagine there is a third place,\n(which is Purgatorie) out of the which soules do returne vpon earth.\nFor as yet the last sentence hath not passed on them, and therfore\nas yet they may be helped, and therfore also they do craue help, and\nshewe themselues vnto men. But we haue proued before at large, both\nout of the scriptures, and also out y\u0364 writings of the auncient\nFathers, that the soules of the faithfull are saued, and that the\nsoules of the vnbel\u00e9euers are damned immediatly without delay, and\ntherefore there is no Purgatorie. Against this, they alledge sundrie\narguments, amongst the which this, albeit it be very common, yet is\nit the ch\u00e9efest, when they say, that no man is saued except he bee\npurged from all his sinnes, and that sinne cleaueth vnto vs euen\nvnto the graue. If we say that puritie and cleannesse consisteth\nnot in our workes, or in the paines which wee endure, but that God\nthrough faith in his sonne Iesus Christ (who is our onely redemption,\niustification, satisfaction, and raunsome for our sinnes) dooth\niustifie vs: they straight aunswere, that our faith is vnperfect,\nand that the moste godly men complaine when they depart hence, of\nthe weakenesse of their faith. And therefore that God dooth not take\nvp suche kinde of men straightwayes into heauen, nor yet because\nthey are not vtterly voyde of faith, thrust them presently downe\ninto hell. And therefore, that there is a middle place betw\u00e9ene\nboth, which is called Purgatorie, in which the soules are purified\nfrom the imperfection whiche remained in them at the time of their\ndeath, and out of the which they are deliuered by the merits of the\nliuing, and by large pardons. Is not this as much as to attribute\nthat vnto our owne paines and to externall fire, which ought only to\nbe ascribed vnto the death of Christ? Dooth not Christ teache vs,\nthat if at any time we f\u00e9ele any weaknesse of faith, we shuld crie\nout with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith? Dooth God disdaine\nto heare the prayers of his faithfull people in the extremitie of\ndeath? Christ saith, he that is washed hath no n\u00e9ede saue to washe\nhis f\u00e9ete, but he is cleane euery whitte: H\u00e9e will saue vs, not for\nthe woorthinesse of our faith, but by his m\u00e9ere grace onely. He dooth\nbestow these things amongst vs, as if some riche man did fr\u00e9ely giue\nmeate and drinke vnto others, whereof some of them receiueth it in\nwoodden, some in earthen, and some in siluer or golden vessels:\nor as if a Prince did distribute vnto euery one a piece of golde,\nand some receiue it with a f\u00e9eble hand, and some with a strong and\nlustie hand. He that hath the [weake] hand, receiueth money as\nwell as he that hath the strong hande. Saint =Paule= exhorteth the\nThessalonians in his first Epistle and fourth Chapter, that they\nmourne not for the dead as the Gentiles doo. If there had bene a fire\nof Purgatorie, as they haue falsely imagined, he could not haue bene\nangry with them, although they had taken their friendes departure\nsomewhat impatiently, &c. Other arguments which are brought for the\nconfirmation of purgatorie, are of late so confuted by many godly\nand learned men, that it is maruaile our aduersaries will so often\nrepeate them.\n\nBut before I leaue this matter, I will here insert this historie\nfollowing. A certaine Germain being accused by the Inquisitours of\nheresie (as they terme it) that amongest his companions he denied\nPurgatorie, contrarie to the common consent of the Catholike Churche,\nmade his answeare thus: If our parish Priest (quoth he) whome I\ncredite very much, preach vnto vs true doctrine in the Pulpet, either\nthere is no Purgatorie at all, or else it is cleane emptie. For h\u00e9e\noftentimes saieth, that Turkes, Iewes, heretikes, and wicked men,\ngoe not into Purgatorie, but straight into Hell fire, from whence\nthey shall neuer bee deliuered: Then that by Pardons whiche are\neuery where solde for money, many soules are restored to their first\nperfection. And moreouer, that the Masse is of such force, that\nthere is not one sung in all the world, by whiche one soule at the\nleast is not deliuered out of the flames of Purgatorie. If these\nthings (quoth he) be true, (for I will not go about to refell that\nwhich maister Parson hath saide) I will stande in this my opinion.\nFor you doo all complaine, that the nomber of the Catholikes is\nverie small, the greater part of men being diuided into sundry\nsectes, and the multitude of Epicures daily increasing. Then are\nall mens pursses many times drawne drie by pardoners, which for\nmony sell their indulgences, that by them the soules of men may bee\ndeliuered out of the torments of Purgatorie. Furthermore, there is\nno village but there are a great many Masses sung in it, before any\none husbandman dieth. What followeth then, but that there is either\nno Purgatorie, or one vtterly voyde and emptie? When the Inquisitors\n(who knew very well that their men commonly taught such doctrine)\nheard these things, they were amazed, and taking aduise togither,\nthey all berated him for occupying his head about questions nothing\nappertaining vnto him, which they commaunded him to leaue vnto\nDiuines, and to follow his owne businesse.\n\n[Sidenote: Dilemma, is a kind of argument or reasoning, which euery\nway c\u014duinceth him vnto whome it is spoken.]\n\nThere was in our Countrey an honest and sober man, who before the\nlight of the Gospell began to appeare, vsed this =Dilemma=: The\nBishop of _Rome_ either hath authoritie to bring soules out of the\npaines of Purgatorie, or else he hath no authoritie: If he haue that\npower, and will not vse it, except he receiue money, he cannot escape\nthe fault of crueltie and couetousnesse: But if h\u00e9e haue no such\nauthoritie, surely it is great villainie to robbe so many widowes\nand fatherlesse children, and so arrogantly to boast himselfe of\nauthoritie whiche h\u00e9e hath not. And if there bee no Purgatorie (as\nby the holy Scriptures it plainly gathered there is not) surely then\nmennes soules can neyther returne from thence, nor offer themselues\nto be s\u00e9ene of men.\n\n[Sidenote: Limbus puerorum.]\n\nNowe as touching the fourth place, namely =Limbus puerorum=, (in\nthe which innocent children, as they call them, are saide to be)\nPapistes themselues scant dare affirme, that they returne againe and\nappeare vnto men, and craue their helpe: for they teache, that if\nthey depart without baptisme, they shall neuer enioy the sight of\nGod, and for that cause they may not be buried in the same Churchyard\nwith other Christians. Merciful God! how many godly matrones hath\nthis false deuise miserably vexed? I call it a false deuise, for\nthat they bring nothing out of the holie scriptures whereby to proue\nthis poynt of doctrine. The scriptures do not attribute so much vnto\nexternal baptisme, which is by water. Was the condition of infants\nbetter in the olde Testament than in the new? You do not reade that\nthe olde Fathers, supposed that infants which died before the eight\nday, and therfore were not circumcised, should be separated from the\nsight of God for euer. =Dauid= the king and prophet, said he should\nfollow his sonne, whom God had called out of this life before he was\ncircumcised. But it was not =Dauids= meaning that hee should goe\ninto a place where he should bee depriued of the sight of God for\neuer. But it appertaineth not much vnto our purpose to dispute any\nfurther hereof. Thus haue I now answered the cheefest arguments of\nour aduersaries, whereby they would proue the soules of good and euil\nmen, to offer themselues to be s\u00e9ene sometimes of them that liue,\nafter their departure by death from their bodies.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XIIII.\n\n  What those things are which men see and heare: and first\n  that good Angels do sometimes appeare.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Angells appeare. _Matth._18.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Esay_.63.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Dani._10.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Psal._34.]\n\n[Sidenote: Whole armies of Angels.]\n\n[Sidenote: C\u014dstantinople preserued by the appearing of Angels.]\n\nBut thou wilt say, I doo not yet clearely and plainly vnderstand\nwhat manner of things those are, whereof (as it is sayd before)\nHistoriographers, holy Fathers, and others, make mention: as that\nholie Apostles, Bishoppes, Martyres, Confessours, Virgines, and\nmanie other which dyed long agoe, appeared vnto certaine men lying\nat the poynt of death, gaue them warnyng, aunsweared vnto certaine\nquestions, commaunded them to doe this or that thyng: and that\nsome thing is s\u00e9ene and heard at certeine times, whiche not only\naffirmeth it selfe to be this or that soule, but also sheweth howe\nit may be succoured, and afterwardes returning againe, giueth great\nthankes vnto them of whome it hath receiued such a benefite: that the\nhusband being dead, came in the nighte vnto his wife nowe a widowe,\nand that seldome times any notable thing hathe happened, whiche was\nnot foreshewed vnto some man by certaine signes and tokens. You wil\nsay, I heare and vnderstand very wel that these things are not mens\nsoules, which continually remaine in their appointed places, I pray\nyou then what are they? To conclude in fewe words, If it be not a\nvaine persuasion proc\u00e9eding through weakenesse of the senses through\nfeare, or some suche like cause, or if it be not deceit of men, or\nsome naturall thing, wherof we haue spoken muche in the firste part,\nit is either a good or euill Angell, or some other forewarning sent\nby God, concerning the which we will speake more orderly and fully\nhereafter. Our sauioure witnesseth in the Gospell, that children haue\ntheir good Angells: and we reade in the 18. of Matthew, that the\nLorde saide: Take h\u00e9ede ye contemne not one of these litle ones: for\nI saye vnto you, that their Angels in Heauen do alwayes behold the\nface of my father whiche is in Heauen. Which words are not so to be\ntaken, as though they were neuer sent downe into the earth, but the\nLord here speaketh after the manner of men. For as seruaunts stande\nbefore their maisters to fulfill their commaundement, euen so are\nthe Angels prest and ready to serue God. =Esay= the 63. The Angell\nof his face, that is, which standeth ready in his sight, preserued\nthem. And further they which often stand in presence of their Lorde,\nare acceptable vnto them and priuy to their secrets. Out of this\nplace of Math. Saincte =Herome= in his commentaries, and other\nfathers do conclude, that God doth assigne vnto euery soule assoone\nas he createth him his peculiar Angell, which taketh care of him.\nBut whether that euerie one of the elect haue his proper Angell, or\nmany Angels be appointed vnto him, it is not expresly set foorth,\nyet this is most sure and certaine, that God hath giuen his Angels\nin charge to haue regarde and care ouer vs. =Daniel= witnesseth in\nhis tenth Chapter, that Angels haue also charge of kingdomes, by whom\nGod k\u00e9epeth and protecteth them, and hindreth the wicked counsels\nof the diuell. It may be proued by many places of scripture, that\nall Christian men haue not only one Angell, but also many, whome\nGod imployeth to their seruice. In the 34. Psalme it is sayd, the\nAngell of the Lord pitcheth his tentes round about them which feare\nthe Lord, and helpeth them: which ought not to bee doubted but that\nit is also at this day, albeit we s\u00e9e them not. We reade that they\nappearing in sundry shapes, haue admonished men, haue comforted them,\ndefended them, deliuered them from daunger, and also punished the\nwicked. Touching this matter, there are plentifull examples, which\nare not n\u00e9edfull to be repeated in this place. Sometimes they haue\neither appeared in sl\u00e9epe, or in maner of visions, and sometimes\nthey haue performed their office, by some internall operations: as\nwhen a mans minde foresheweth him, that a thing shall so happen, and\nafter it happeneth so ind\u00e9ed, which thing I suppose is done by God,\nthrough the ministrie of Angels. Angels for the most part take vpon\nthem the shapes of men, wherein they appeare. And so it may be, that\nS. =Felix=, and Saint =Agnes=, and other which haue appeared vnto\nhonest and godly men, were the Angels of God. Angels haue appeared\nnot only one at a time, but also whole Armies and Hostes, of them, as\nvnto =Iacob= the patriarch, and =Heliseus= the Prophet. It is read in\nthe Ecclesiasticall history written by =Socrates= and =Sozomenus=,\nthat =Archadius= the Emperour receiued =Gaina=, with all his Armie of\nsouldiers, into the Citie of _Constantinople_, to defend it, but this\ntraitor went about to get the rule of the Citie into his owne hands,\nand therefore he sent a band of men to fire the Emperours Pallace,\nwhich sodeinly espied a great hoste of Angels, of large stature,\narmed like vnto souldiers, whereupon they gaue ouer their enterprise\nof fiering. Then sent he others who reported the very same: At the\nlast he went himselfe, and sawe it to be so, and so left his purpose:\nand thus God by a miraculous meanes, preserued the Cittie and Church\nof _Constantinople_ from the craftie subtiltie of the tyrant.\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\nWhereas S. =Augustine= in his booke _De cura pro mortuis agenda_,\nChapter 10. writeth, that dead men, haue appeared vnto the liuing in\ndreames, or any other meanes whatsoeuer, shewing them where their\nbodies laie vnburied, and requiring them to burie them. There he\nsupposeth, that these are the workes of Angels by the dispensation of\nGods prouidence, vsing vnto good purpose, both good and euil Angels,\naccording to the vnsearchable depth of his iudgements. He saith not\nthat such soules appeare in sl\u00e9epe, but the similitude of soules. He\naddeth further, if the soules of the dead had any thing to do with\nmatters of the liuing, and that we might talke with them as often as\nwe list in our sl\u00e9epe, his mother no night would leaue him, who to\nliue with him, followed him both by sea and by lande, suche loue bare\nshe towards her sonne.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XV.\n\n  That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill Angels\n  do appeare.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Paule.]\n\nContrariwise, euill angels are hurtfull and enemies vnto men, they\nfollowe them euery where, to the ende they may withdrawe them from\ntrue worshipping of God, and from faith in his onely sonne Iesu\nChrist, vnto sundry other things. These appeare in diuers shapes:\nfor in the diuell (as =Paule= doth witnesse) transformeth himselfe\ninto an Angell of light, no lesse may he take the shape of a Prophet,\nan Apostle, Euangelist, Bishop, and Martyr, and appeare in their\nlikenesse: or to bewitch vs, that we verily suppose we heare or s\u00e9e\nthem in very d\u00e9ede. He taketh on him to tell of thinges to come,\nwhether h\u00e9e hit them right or wrong. H\u00e9e affirmeth that h\u00e9e is this\nor that soule, that he may bee deliuered by this or that meanes, that\nby these meanes he may purchase credite and authoritie, vnto those\nthings which haue no ground of scripture.\n\nBy meanes of false myracles, he decreeth new Hollydayes, Pilgrimages,\nChappels, and Aultars: by Coniurations, blessings, enchauntments, he\nattempteth to cure the sicke, to make his doings haue authoritie.\n\nYou shall reade maruellous straunge things in =Arnobius=,\n=Lactantius=, and other holie Fathers, who wrote against the Gentiles\nand their superstition, after what sorte Diuels haue deluded the\nmiserable Gentiles, and haue entrapped them in many errors. He\nioyned and hid himselfe in their Idolles, he spake through them from\none place to an other, he made them to moue, and did such straunge\nmyracles, that verie lame men leauing their stilts whereon they\nleaned in the Temples of their Idols, returned home to their houses,\nwithout any helpe or stay of them, but especially in the temple of\n=\u00c6sculapius= (who was counted the Patron of Phisicke) many of these\nkinde of miracles are reported to haue happened. Wherefore there is\nno cause, why the Papistes at this day, shoulde so insolently glorie\nof the like myracles, by the which they goe about to proue their\nintercession of Saints, and such lyke trumperie.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVI.\n\n  Of wondrous Monsters, and such like.\n\n\nNowe as concerning other straunge things, we must hereafter search\nwhat nature they are of: as when one dieth that there is somewhat\ns\u00e9ene, or some great noyse is sodeinly heard, but especially that\nmany signes and wonders happen before the death of great Princes. It\nis well knowne by Histories, what signes went before the death of\n=Iulius C\u00e6sar=, amongst the which, a great noyse was heard in the\nnight time, in very many places farre and neare.\n\nAs concerning other Emperors, and Kings, and other great mens\ndeathes, we reade that some certaine forewarnings were heard or\ns\u00e9ene, we must also consider what those straunge things are, which\nfor the most part happen before the innouations of kingdomes, before\nbattailes, seditions, and subuersions of Cities.\n\nI say flatly, euen as I sayde before concerning spirits: if they be\nnot vaine perswasions, or naturall things, then are they forewarnings\nof God, which are sent, eyther by good Angels, or by some other\nmeanes vnknowne vnto vs, that we might vnderstand that all these\nthings happen not by aduenture, without the wil and pleasure of\nGod, but that life and deathe, peace and warre, the alteration of\nReligion, the exchaunge of Empires, and of other things, are in his\npower, that we might thereby learne to feare him, and to call vppon\nhis name. In the meane season, Sathan also fayneth and worketh many\nthings to terrifie men, and to plant superstition in their hearts.\nBut that all things are done by Sathan, hereby we may vnderstand: It\nchaunceth that one is thrust thorow and slaine by one with whome he\nneuer was at variance, but hath euer vsed him as his friende, some\nman is drowned, or falleth from some high place, or otherwise is\nmiserably slaine, an euill spirit can haue no foreknowledge hereof\n(for there are no naturall signes, or coniectures going before them,\nas there are in diseases) yet notwithstanding, some signes and rare\ncasualties fall out before. Hereof do I gather, that these things\nare wrought by God, who onely knoweth that they shall come to passe,\nand they are not onely admonishments vnto them, whom they especially\nconcerne, but also vnto them which heare them, and are present at the\ndoing of them.\n\nThere was a certaine Magistrate within the liberties of _Tigurine_,\nnot long before I wrote this, whome certaine of his friendes tarried\nfor to breake their fast with him before h\u00e9e tooke his iourney, and\nthus waiting, they supposed they heard a knife falling from the\nvpper part, or flore of the stewe, wherein they were, yet sawe they\nnothing, and sodeinly as they communed togither of this straunge\nwonder, they thought they heard it againe. In the meane while\ncommeth the Magistrate, vnto whome they declare what had happened,\nand as they had scant ended their talke, the knife fell againe the\nthird time, in the hearing of the Magistrate, who before doubted\nvery much of the matter. And therefore taking occasion hereby, he\nbegan to exhort them, that whereas within fewe dayes after, a great\nmarriage should be kept in the same place, they should all endeuour\nto maintaine peace, and obserue sobrietie, least perchaunce through\nquarrelling and murther, it should bee a bloudie marriage. After\nhe taking his iourney, and within a day or twaine dispatching his\nbusinesse, as he was returning towards his Castle, (his horse falling\ninto a riuer, whiche was sodeinly encreased with raine) after he had\nlong striued with the water, at the last died miserably.\n\nAnd that the diuell doth delude men with straunge happes, hereof I\ngather, that if any be taken with gr\u00e9euous sicknesse, so that not\nonely the Phisitian, but also the sicke themselues dispaire of their\nowne health, in the night time there is heard a noyse as if one were\nmaking a coffin or chest to laie one in, or were burying a dead\nbodie: that suppose I to be an illusion of the diuil, for he thinketh\nverily the diseased will die, whom God by meanes of godly and earnest\npraiers, doth restore againe to his former health.\n\n[Sidenote: Plinie.]\n\nWhere =Plinie= writeth that rauens are of such sharp senses, that\nthey will flie thr\u00e9e or foure dayes before, vnto the place where\ncarryon will afterwardes be, it is altogither vaine and fabulous. If\nthis were graunted, it were no absurditie to say, that the diuell\nhath a knowledge of things to come, yea euen where there are no\nnaturall causes, &c. Moreouer he may by Gods permission, if warres\nand mutinies be towards, stirre the instruments of warre, and all\nother kinde of munition as it lyeth in the Armorie, he can make a\nnoyse and reare a clamour and crie, as it were of a great Armie in\nthe aire, and play as it were on a Drum, and do other such things,\nwhich all Historiographers affirme with one voyce, haue oftentimes\nchaunced.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVII.\n\n  That it is no hard thing for the Diuell to appeare in\n  diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.\n\n\nBut it is no difficult matter for the Diuel to appeare in diuers\nshapes, not only of those which are aliue, but also of dead men,\n(whereof I spake also before, when I entreated of Samuels appearing)\nyea, and (which is a lesse matter) in the fourme of beasts and birds,\n&c. as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke Dog, a Horse, an Owle,\nand also to bring incredible things to passe, it is a thing most\nmanifest: for hee may through long and great experience, vnderstand\nthe effects and force of naturall things, as of hearbes, stones,\n&c. and by meanes hereof worke maruellous matters. And then he is a\nsubtile and quicke spirite, which can readily take things in hand,\nwhich in each thing is of no small weight. By his quicknesse, and\nby his knowledge in naturall things, he may easily deceiue the eye\nsight, and other senses of man, and hide those things which are\nbefore our face, and conuey other things into their places. Whereof\nthe holy scriptures, and histories, and continuall experience beareth\nrecord. How did the wicked spirit handle =Iob=? what did he not bring\nto passe in short space? What straunge workes of an euil spirit\ndid =Bileam= bring to passe? did he not purchase a famous name by\nhis Magicall Artes? what wonderfull great miracles did =Pharaos=\nSorcerers? Did not =Simon Magus= so bewitch the _Samaritanes_ with\nhis vnlawfull Artes, that he would say he was the great vertue of\nGod? Touching this Coniurer, the olde Fathers write many things, as\n=Ireneus= in his first booke and tenth Chapter, =Eusebius= in his\nsecond booke and thirt\u00e9enth Chapter.\n\n=Egesippus= writeth in his third booke and second Chapter, of the\ndestruction of _Hierusalem_, that this =Symon= came to _Rome_, and\nthere set himselfe against =Peter=, boasting that he could flie vp\ninto heauen, and that he came at the day appointed vnto the Mount\n_Capitoline_, where leaping from the rocke, he flew a good while not\nwithout the great admiration of the people, who now began to credit\nhis words, but sodeinly he fell downe and brake his leg, and after\nbeing carried vnto _Aritia_, there died.\n\n=Iohannes Tritenhemius=, Abbot of _Spanheimium_, writeth in his\nChronicles concerning the Monasterie of _Hirsgraue_ of the order\nof S. =Bennet=, in the yeare of our Lorde 970, that =Peter= and\n=Baianus=, the two sonnes of one =Simon= a Monke, ruled ouer the\n_Bulgarians_, wherof the one, namely =Baianus=, was throughly s\u00e9ene\nin the Arte of Necromancie, and thereby wrought many myracles. He\nchaunged himselfe into a Wolfe so often as he list, or into the\nlikenesse of an another beast, or in such sort as he could not be\ndiscerned of any man, and many other straunge things h\u00e9e could doo,\nand did, whereby he brought men into great admiration.\n\nAnd after in the yeare 876. he writeth, that there was a certaine\nIewe named =Sedechias=, sometimes Philosopher and Phisitian vnto\n=Lewes= the Emperour, who being very cunning in sorcerie, did\nstraunge miracles and wonderfull sleights before the Princes, and\nbefore all other men. For he brought it to passe by his cunning,\nthat he s\u00e9emed to deuoure an armed man with his horse, and all his\nharnesse, and also a carte loaden with hay, togither with the horse\nand carter. He cut off mens heads, their hands and f\u00e9ete, which he\nset in a basen before all the lookers on to behold, with the bloud\nrunning about the basen: which by and by he would put againe vppon\nthe places whence they s\u00e9emed to haue bene cut off, without any\nhurt to the parties. He was s\u00e9ene and hearde of all men to exercise\nhunting and running, and suche like things in the aire and cloudes,\nas men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth. He practised so\nmany and diuers deceites, that all men maruelled and were astonished\nout of measure.\n\nIn the yeare of our Lord .1323. when =Frederike= Duke of _Austrich_,\nwho was chosen Emperour against =Lewes=, as the same author\nwitnesseth, was vanquished in a great battail betw\u00e9ene _Ottinga_\nand _Molndorfus_, and deliuered into the hands of =Lewes=, who sent\nhim away into a strong castell to be safely kepte: It chaunced\nshortly after, that a coniurer going vnto his brother =Lupoldus= in\n_Auctriche_, promised, that by the helpe of a spirit, he would within\nthe compasse of an houre, deliuer =Frederike= safe and sounde out of\ncaptiuitie, if he would promise him and giue him a worthie reward\nfor his paines. The Duke aunsweared him: if thou wilt (quoth he) do\nas thou makest promise, I wil worthily reward th\u00e9e. So the Magitian\nwith the Duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste\nconuenient, calleth the Spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his\ncommaundement. Whome, when he appeared in the likenesse of a man, he\ncommaunded by the vertue of his coniurations, that he should sp\u00e9edily\nbring vnto him into _Austriche_, Duke =Frederike=, deliuered safely\nout of prison. Vnto whome the spirit aunswering, said, If the captiue\nDuke will come with me, I will willingly obey thy commaundement. This\nsaide, the spirite flieth awaye into _Banarie_, and taking vppon him\nthe forme of a Pilgrime, he entreth into the prison where the Duke\nwas kepte prisoner: whome assoone as he sawe, the Spirit whiche was\nsente as messenger vnto him, said: If thou wilt be deliuered out of\ncaptiuitie, mount th\u00e9e vp vpon this horse, and I will bring th\u00e9e safe\nand sounde without any hurte into _Auctrich_ vnto Duke =Lupoldus=\nthy brother. Vnto whome the Duke saide: Who art thou? The Spirite\naunswered: Aske not who I am, because it appertaineth nothing to the\npurpose, but get th\u00e9e vp on the horse which I offer th\u00e9e, and I will\nbring th\u00e9e safe and sound, and fr\u00e9ely deliuered into _Austrich_.\nWhich when the Duke heard, h\u00e9e was taken with a certaine horror,\nand feare, being otherwise a hardy knight: and when he had blessed\nhimself with the signe of the holy crosse, the spirite sodainly\nvanished away with the blacke horse, which he had proffered him, and\nreturned emptie againe vnto him that sent him: of whom being rebuked\nbecause he had not brought the prisoner, he declared all the matter\nvnto him in order. Duke =Frederick= at the last being deliuered\nout of prison, confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his\ncaptiuitie the very same day they named. This historie is also to be\ns\u00e9ene in the Chronicles of the _Heluetians_.\n\nThere are also Coniurers found euen at this day, who bragge of\nthemselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse, that in\na fewe houres they wil dispatch a very long iourney. God at the last\nwil chasten these men with deserued punishment. What straunge things\nare reported of one =Faustus= a Germane, which he did in these our\ndayes by inchauntments?\n\nI will speake nothing at this time, of those old Sorcerers,\n=Apollonius=, and others, of whom the histories report straunge and\nincredible things. Hags, Witches, and Inchaunters, are said to hurt\nmen and cattell, if they doo but touch them or stroake them, they\ndo horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant. Iuglers\nand Tumblers, by nimblenesse do many things, they will bid one eate\nmeate, which when they spit out againe, they cast forth ordure and\nsuch like. Magitians, Iuglers, Inchanters, and Necromanciers, are no\nother than seruants of the Diuel: do you not thinke their maister\nreserueth some cunning vnto him selfe?\n\nHowbeit this is not to be dissembled, that the diuel doth glory of\nmany things which ind\u00e9ede he cannot performe: as that he saith, that\nhe raised the dead out of their graues. &c. He may in very d\u00e9ede by\nGods sufferaunce, shewe the shapes of them vnto men, but he hath no\nsuch power ouer the dead bodies.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XVIII.\n\n  Diuels doo sometimes bid men doo those things which are\n  good, and auoide things that are euill: sometimes they\n  tell truth, and for what cause.\n\n\nIf those spirites which s\u00e9eke helpe at mens hands be not soules,\nbut Diuels, many will say, why then do they perswade men vnto good\nthings, exhort them vnto vertue, and call them from vice. For they\nsay, Iudge vprightly, take h\u00e9ede of theft and extortion, restore\ngoods vniustly gotten vnto their owners, beware of periurie, surfets,\nand drunkennesse, enuie and hatred, lying and deceit, pray earnestly,\ncome to church often, &c.\n\nThe Diuell is not pleased when w\u00e9e doo good, and auoide euill:\nnothing woulde gr\u00e9eue him more, than that we should liue accordyng to\nthe prescript worde of God. Therefore they are not Diuels which bid\nvs doo good, and eschue euil.\n\nMoreouer, those Spirites speake truthe, but the Diuell is a lyer, and\nis called by Christe, the father of lyes. Therefore w\u00e9e may not say\nthat they are diuellish Spirits.\n\nVnto this argument I aunswere thus: h\u00e9e dooth this for his owne\naduantage. If he should shewe himselfe so, as he is by nature, he\nshould little profit. That whiche he doth, he doth it to this ende,\nthat he may purchase credite vnto his words, and that he might the\nbetter thrust other things vpon men, and bring and driue them into\nsundry errours, whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue\ncare vnto Spirites. Did not the seruaunts of vncleane Spirits, I\nmeane false Prophets, come in times past vnder sh\u00e9epes skinnes, and\nfayned themselues to tender the peoples commoditie, whereas in very\nd\u00e9ed in the meane space they sought after another thing, that is,\nthat when they had obteined great authoritie, they might pill and\npoule other men, and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer?\nDo not all heretickes yet at this day say, they are sent from God,\nand that we must eschue wickednesse, and s\u00e9eke after vertue? Didst\nthou neuer heare that th\u00e9eues trauelling by the way with those on\nwhose company they light, haue talked of liuing honestly, and of\nthe punishment of wicked men, and the rewarde of good men, to the\nende that after they might take y\u0364 aduantage of them vnawares?\nWhereas the Diuell hath fayned himselfe to bee otherwise than he is,\nit hath brought forth innumerable errors, superstitions, and false\nworshippings in the Churche of God. For Bishops in proces of time\nneglected the word of God, they would accept the Diuell and receiue\nhim as an Angell of light, when he came not in a blacke and horrible,\nbut a pleasaunt and acceptable forme. He speaketh some good things,\nthat he may intermedle euil things therwith, he speaketh truth,\nthat he may scatter abroade lyes, and roote them in mens hearts. So\n=Simon= in =Virgil=, mingled falshood with truth, that he might the\nbetter entrape the _Troians_.\n\nSathan doth imitate craftie gamesters, who suffer a plaine and\nsimple yoong man to winne a while of them, that afterwards being\ngr\u00e9edie to play, they may lurch him of all his golde and siluer. He\nfolloweth them which once or twise iustly repaie vnto their creditors\nsuch money as they haue borrowed, k\u00e9eping their promise duly, that\nafterwards they may obtaine a great summe of them, and then deceiue\nthem.\n\n[Sidenote: Ambrose.]\n\nThe diuel sometimes vttereth the truth, that his words may haue the\nmore credit, and that he may the more easily beguile them. He that\nwould vtter euil wares, doth not only set them foorth in words,\nbut doth also so trim and decke them, that they s\u00e9eme excellent\ngood, whereby they are the more saleable: this Art also the diuel\nknoweth, for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obtrude it vnto\nother men in the st\u00e9ede of good ware. S. =Ambrose= writeth in his\nCommentaries vpon the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, and fift\nchapter, expounding these words: =Quench not the spirit. Despise\nnot prophecying. Examine all things, and keepe that which is good.=\nEuill spirites are wont to speake good things craftily, as it were by\nimitation, and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked thinges,\nthat by meanes of those things which are good, euil things may be\nadmitted, and because they are supposed the words of one spirit,\nthey may not be discerned asunder, but by that which is lawfull an\nvnlawfull thing may bee commended by authoritie of the name, and not\nby reason of vertue, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Why the diuel doth somtimes tel truth.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Acts_16.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Marke_.1.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke_.4.]\n\nHereunto appertaine those words which we reade in =S. Chrysostomes=\nsecond sermon =De Lazara=. There he sheweth that many simple men haue\nbene in this erroure, that they haue thought the soules of those\nwhich were slaine by some violent death, did become Diuels. He saith\nfurther, that the Diuell hath perswaded many Witches, and such as\nserue him being in this erroure, that they should kill the tender\nbodies of many yong men, hoping they shuld become Diuels, and doo\nthem seruice. And by and by he addeth: But these things are not true,\nno, I say, they are not. What is it then that Diuels say? I am the\nsoule of such a Monke? Verily I bel\u00e9eue it not, euen for this, that\nDiuels doo auouche it: for they deceiue their auditours. Wherefore\n=Paule= also commaundeth them to silence, albeit they speake truth,\nlest taking occasion by truth, they mingle lyes therewith, and so\npurchase themselues credit. For when they had said: These men are the\nseruants of the most high God, shewing vnto you the way of saluation:\nThe Apostle not content herewith, commaunded the prophecying spirite\nvnto silence, and to come foorth of the mayd. And yet what harme\nspeake they? These men are the seruantes of the most high God. But\nbecause the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes\nto iudge of those things which are vttered by diuels, he at once\nexcludeth them from all credit. Thou art (saith he) of the number of\ninfamous spirites, it belongeth not to th\u00e9e to speake fr\u00e9ely, hold\nthy peace, k\u00e9epe silence, it is not thy office to preach. This is the\nauthoritie of the Apostles: why takest thou vppon th\u00e9e that which\nappertaineth not vnto th\u00e9e, hold thy peace, be thou infamous. So also\ndid Christ sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him: We know th\u00e9e\nwho thou art, therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe, that we should in\nno wise trust the diuel, albeit he tell the truth.\n\nSith we know these things, let vs in no wise bel\u00e9eue the diuel,\nnay rather if he say any thing that is truth, let vs fl\u00e9e from him\nand shunne him. For it is not lawfull exactly to learne sounde and\nwholesome doctrine of diuels, but out of the holy scriptures.\n\nThat you may therfore know that it can in no wise be, that a soule\nonce departed out of the bodie can come vnder the tyrannie of the\ndiuell, heare what S. =Paule= saith: For he that is dead is iustified\nfrom sinne, that is, he sinneth no more. For if the diuil can do\nno hurt vnto the soule while it is in the bodie, it is euident, he\ncannot hurt it when it is departed out of the bodie. &c. By all these\nthings it is plaine, what manner of things those are which are heard\nand s\u00e9ene.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe third parte of this Booke, in which is shewed, why, or to what\nende God suffereth Spirits to appeare, and other straunge thinges to\nhappen: as also howe men ought to _behaue themselues when they meete\nwith any suche things_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. I.\n\n  God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the\n  faithfull, and punish the vnbeleeuers.\n\n\nIt foloweth now hereafter to be intreated of, why God suffreth\nspirits, ghosts, and horrible sightes to appeare, &c. And also why\nhe doth permit other straunge and miraculous things to happen: And\nfurthermore, how men ought to behaue themselues when they s\u00e9e anye\nsuche things.\n\n[Sidenote: Causes why God suffereth spirites to appeare.]\n\nGod doth suffer spirits to appeare vnto his elect, vnto a good ende,\nbut vnto the reprobate they appeare as a punishment. And as all other\nthings turne to the best vnto y\u0364 faithfull, euen so doo these\nalso: for if they be good spirits, which appeare vnto men, warning,\nand defending them, therby do they gather the care, prouidence, and\nfatherly affection of God towardes them. But in case they bee euill\nspirites, (as for the most part they are) the faithfull are moued by\noccasion of them vnto true repentance. They looke diligently vnto\nthemselues so long as they liue, least the enimie of mankinde, who\nis readie at all assaies, and lieth alwaies in waight, should bring\nthem into mischiefe, and take further vauntage to vexe and hurt them.\nGod also by these meanes doeth exercise and trie their faith and\npacience, to the end they continue in his word, and receiue nothing\ncontrary to the same, haue it neuer so faire a shewe, nor do any\nmanner of thing against his worde, although those spirites do not\nstraightwayes cease to vexe them.\n\nGod doth also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites,\nfor this cause, that they should be the more humble and lowely.\nFor in the second Epistle to the Corinth. and .xii. chap. =Paul=\nsaith: And least I should be exalted out of mesure, through the\nexcellencie of reuelations, ther was giuen vnto me vnquietnesse\nthrough the flesh, euen the messenger of Sathan to buffet me, because\nI should not be exalted out of measure. For this thing besought I\nthe Lord thrice, that it mighte depart from me. And he said vnto me:\nMy grace is sufficient for th\u00e9e, for my strength is made perfect\nthrough weakenesse. Except God did shut vp the way before vs with\ncertaine stops and lets, we should not know our selues, we shoulde\nnot vnderstande whereof we stand in n\u00e9ed, we should not so earnestly\npray vnto God, to deliuer vs from euill, to strengthen our faith, and\nto giue vs patience, and other necessarie things. Neither should we\nbe touched with compassion of other mennes miserie which are vexed\nwith spirits: but we woulde rather say, that they cannot tell what\nthey speake, and that they imagine many vaine feares. Moreouer, if\nother vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by\nspirits, they become more patient whensoeuer they are sicke, or\notherwise troubled, acknowledging their owne harmes to be but small\nin comparison of other mens. For nothing is more gr\u00e9euous, than when\na man is tormented by the Diuel.\n\n[Sidenote: Seeing of spirites to the wicked is a punishment.]\n\nNow as touching infidells, they are constrained, will they, or nill\nthey, to confesse, that there are diuels, for there are many which\nwould neuer be persuaded, there are good or euill Angels or spirits,\nexcept sometimes they had experience thereof indeede. God suffereth\nthese things to chasten them. For so muche as they will giue no place\nvnto truth, but are wilfully deceiued, it is good reason they be\ntaught by diuellish illusions what they must doo, or leaue vndone,\nand that they be illuded by euil spirits, after some other meanes.\n\n[Sidenote: _Deut._ 13.]\n\nThus we reade in the 13. chapter of Deuteronomie: if there arise\namong you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames, and giue th\u00e9e a signe\nand wonder, and that signe or wonder that he hath saide come to\npasse, and then say, let vs goe after straunge Gods, which thou hast\nnot knowne, and let vs serue them: heark\u0113 not thou vnto the words of\nthat prophet, or dreamer of dreames. For the Lorde thy God proueth\nyou, to wit, whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your soule.\nYe shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him, k\u00e9epe his\ncommandements, and hearken vnto his voice, serue him and cleaue vnto\nhim. And he addeth further, that the same prophet or dreamer shall\ndie the death.\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 3.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 5.]\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Thessa._ 2.]\n\n[Sidenote: 2. _Timo._ 4.]\n\nBy these words we do not only s\u00e9e that God doth suffer suche lewde\nfellowes to worke maruellous thinges, but also to what ende and\npurpose he permitteth it, that is, to trie his faithfull, how\nconstant they be, and how faithfully they would bel\u00e9eue in him, if\nat any time spirits do come and foretell things to happen hereafter.\nOur Sauiour Christ saith in the third Chapter of Saint =Iohn=: This\nis the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men\nloued darknesse more than light, because their deedes were euill:\nfor euery one that doth euill, hateth the light, neither commeth he\nto the light, least his d\u00e9edes should be reproued, &c. By the which\nwords our Sauiour sheweth the cause why the worlde is condemned,\nwhich is, because they receiue not the light of the word of God,\nor Christe himselfe, who is the light of the worlde, set foorth\nvnto vs in his word: but rather shut their eyes against the cleare\nlight, preferring darkenesse, that is, errors, superstition, and\nwickednesse, before the word of God. If God then condemne and reiect\nthe vnthankfull world, what maruell is it, if hee vexe them with\nspirites and vaine apparitions? Christ saieth in the fifth of =Iohn=,\nI come in my Fathers name, and you receiue m\u00e9e not: If an other come\nin his owne name, you receiue him. Christe laboured for their health\nand saluation: this they would not acknowledge, but refused him:\ntherefore was it the iust iudgement of God, that they shuld receiue\nothers, that hunted after their owne commoditie and profit: suche as\nwere =Theudas=, =Iudas= of _Galilee_, and many other false doctors,\nand seditious seducers. Wherefore if any refuse to giue eare to\nChrist and his Ministers, it is by the iust iudgement of God, that\nthey hearken vnto spirites, and suche lyke things. Sainte =Paule=\nin the seconde to the Thessalonians and second Chapter, writeth of\nAntichrist, that he shoulde exercise great tyrannie in the Churche of\nGod, and sheweth against whome, and for what cause God will suffer\nhim so to doo, saying: Among them that perish: because they receiued\nnot the loue of the truth that they might be saued. And therefore God\nshall send them strong delusions, that they shoulde bel\u00e9eue lyes,\nthat all they might be damned, whiche bel\u00e9eue not the truth, but\nhad pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. And in the fourth Chapter of his\nseconde Epistle to Timothie, he earnestly bes\u00e9echeth his scholler\nto be diligent in preaching daily. He giueth this reason: for the\ntime will come, when they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine: but\nafter their owne lustes shall they (whose eares itche,) get them an\nheape of teachers, and shall withdrawe their eares from the truth,\nand shalbe turned vnto fables. Now we s\u00e9e the cause why god dothe\nsuffer seducers, false teachers, and wicked spirites, to deceiue men\nin the place of true doctours: which is, for that eyther they vtterly\ndespise his woorde or little est\u00e9eme it, and cannot abide godly and\nconstant preachers.\n\n[Sidenote: Examples of the Wicked punished by delusions of spirits\npharao. Exodus.]\n\nTouching whiche matter, w\u00e9e will alleage a fewe examples. =Pharao=\ncontemned God and his seruants, =Moyses= and =Aaron=, wherefore God\nblinded his eyes, that he gaue himselfe to be ruled by his =Magi= or\nwise men, and at the last perished miserably in the red Sea.\n\n[Sidenote: Samuel.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Cor._10.]\n\n=Saule= would not giue eare vnto =Samuell=, who bare a right hart\nand good affection towards his king: he loued him not (as by reason\nhe shoulde haue done) but hated him, and all other that loued him\nright well, for he contemnned the woorde of God. Wherefore it came\nto passe, that being in extreme daunger, he sought helpe of a witch\nto reare =Samuel= from the dead, y\u036d he might now vse his aduise,\nwh\u014d he dispised beeing aliue, and disdained to heare him. This woman\nreareth one, who is no otherwise called =Samuell=, than when false\ngods, are called gods, when in very d\u00e9ede they are not gods, but wood\nand stones, or rather (as =Paul= saith) .1. Corin. 10. very diuels.\nThis counterfeit =Samuel= giueth him neither comfort nor Counsell,\nbut driueth him to vtter desperation. The same hapned vnto =Saule=\nwhich chaunceth vnto those stubborne children, whiche despise their\nparents, contemne their counsel, & would gladly wish their death, and\nat the last grow vnto y\u0364 point, y\u036d they would willingly take in\nhand a great iorney on condition it might be graunted them to heare\nthem giue their last counsell.\n\n[Sidenote: Achab.]\n\n[Sidenote: 3. _Reg._ 22.]\n\nAn other example hereof. =Achab= king of Israel, & =Iezabel= his wife\nhad many godly prophets, amongst wh\u014d =Elias= was a man indued with\nthe gifte of the wing and working miracles. But they did not only\ncont\u0113ne these prophets, but also cruelly murthered so many of them as\nthey coulde catche. Yet amongst the rest, they especially laboured\nto intrape =Elias=, who was exc\u00e9eding zealous. The =Baalamites= were\nin greate fauoure with the King: but especially with the Qu\u00e9ene, as\nher chief dearlings. And when the time approched, that =Achab= should\nsuffer due and worthie punishment for his Idolatrie and wickednesse,\nwherein he had long time liued, he entred councell with his kinsman\n=Iosaphat=, that they ioyning their powers togither might recouer\nagaine the Citie of _Ramoth Gilead_, which the =Assirians= had taken\nfrom him. =Iosaphat= allowed well this deuise, notwithstanding h\u00e9e\nwoulde in any wise aske counsaile h\u00e9erein of God. =Achab=, therefore\ngathereth togither a Councell of 400. priests of =Baall=, who all\nwith one voyce, exhorted him to goe on with his enterprise, assuring\nhim of most certaine victorie. One of them named =Sedechias=, was\nso vainly bold, that putting hornes of yron on his head, he saide:\nWith these hornes shalt thou pushe the =Assirians=. But =Iosaphat=\nsuspecting the matter, asked if there were any one Prophet of God\nto be found, of whome they might s\u00e9eke counsell. =Achab= answered:\nThere is (quoth he) yet a certaine man by whom we might enquire of\nthe Lorde, but I hate him, for he doth not prophecie good vnto me,\nbut euill, his name is =Micheas=. =Iosaphat= thought good in any\nwise to heare him. Wherfore the king presently sent for him by one\nof his Chamberlaines. And thus the messenger spake vnto him. All\nthe Prophets with one voice, prophecie good lucke vnto the king, I\npray th\u00e9e therefore, that thou speake nothing to the contrary. When\nhe was nowe brought before the two kings sitting in their thrones,\nclad with sumptuous apparell, and before the other Prophets, which\nstood in their presence, king =Achab= asked him, whether they should\nmake warres against _Ramoth Gilead_, or no? Vnto whom he scoffingly\nanswered: go (saith he) thou shalt haue prosperous successe. The\nking who by the maner of his vtterance, vnderstood he spake not in\nearnest, instantly required him to tell him the truth. Wherevppon he\nsaide: that he had s\u00e9ene all _Israell_ dispersed in the mountaines,\nas sh\u00e9ep without a shepheard, and that the Lorde had saide: These\nmen haue no Lorde, let euery one returne home to his owne house in\nsafetie. Then saide =Achab=, Did I not tell th\u00e9e, that this fellow\nboth prophecie me no good? The Prophet went on, saying: Heare the\nword of God: I sawe the Lord sitting in his seate of maiestie, and\nall the hoste of heauen stande about him on his right hande, and on\nhis lefte hande. And the Lorde saide, Who shall entice =Achab= that\nhe may go and fall at _Ramoth Gilead_. And one saide on this manner,\nand an other saide on that manner. Then there came foorth a spirit,\nand stoode before the Lorde and saide, I will entice him. And the\nLorde saide vnto him, wherewith? And he saide, I will goe out and\nbe a false spirite in the mouth of all his Prophets. Then he saide,\nthou shalt entice him, and shalt also preuaile: go foorth and do\nso. Now therefore beholde, the Lord hath put a lying spirite in the\nmouth of all these thy Prophets, and the Lorde hath appointed euill\nagainst th\u00e9e. Then =Sedechias= came neare and smote =Micheas= on\nthe ch\u00e9eke, and saide: when went the spirit of the Lord from me, to\nspeake vnto th\u00e9e? And =Micheas= prophecied what should happen also\nvnto him. So the king commaunded him to be cast into prison, and to\nbe fed with bread and water vntil he returned from the wars. Then\nsaide =Micheas=, If thou returne in peace, the Lorde hath not spoken\nby me: and therewith he willed all the people to hearken what he\nspake. Notwithstanding the kings went foreward with their enterprise,\nand prepared themselues, and led foorth their armies against their\nenemies. =Achab= was slaine in the battaile: =Iosaphat= because he\nioyned himselfe with the wicked, was in very great daunger, &c.\n\nI haue handled this historie somewhat at large, that we might\nvnderstand, how God by his iust iudgement sendeth spirites vnto those\nwhich despise his word, whereby they may be beguiled and deceiued.\n\nThe very same happened vnto the Christians after the Apostles time.\nFor when the word of God began to be lesse est\u00e9emed than it should\nhaue bene, and men preferred their owne affections before the hearing\nthereof: and when as they would incurre no maner of daunger, for\nthe defence of their faith, and of the truth, but accounted of\nall religions alike, God so punished them, that now they began to\ngiue eare vnto false teachers, whiche framed themselues vnto their\nvaine affections, they learned of images, whom they called Lay-mens\nbookes, they kissed these mens bones, and shrined them in golde (if\nhappily they were their boanes) whose doctrine before they disdained\nto receiue: they gaue credit vnto false apparitions and diuellish\nvisions: and so suffered they worthie punishment for their great\ningratitude. Euen as yoong men, which will not be ruled by their\nmaisters, are after compelled to obey other men with great shame: so\nalso happened it vnto those men: for they fel daily more and more\nfrom the word of God, in so much that when they had once lost the\ntruthe, some ranne one way, and some an other, to finde a meanes for\nthe remission of their sinnes: and one man bel\u00e9eued this spirite, an\nother that, which no man can deny.\n\n[Sidenote: _Rom._ 1.]\n\n[Sidenote: Athanasius.]\n\nThe like chaunced vnto the Gentiles in times past, as it appeareth\nby the first chap. to the Romanes, and also by their owne writings.\nThey worshipped many gods, many miracles were shewed amongst them:\nthey had many visions of gods, and many oracles: which when the\nApostles began to preach, all ceased. S. =Athanasius= in his booke\n=De humanitate verbi.= =Fol.= 55. and 64. writeth, that in auncient\ntime there were oracles at _Delphos_ in _B\u0153otia_, L_ycia_, and other\nplaces which hee nameth: but nowe since Christ is preached euery\nwhere vnto all men, this madnesse hath ceased, &c. In the like maner\nwriteth =Lactantius= and others. But in these our dayes, since we\nhaue refused mens traditions, and willingly imbraced the doctrine of\nthe Gospell, all appearings of soules and spirits haue quite vanished\naway.\n\nWho (I pray you) heareth now of any soule or spirit, which dooth\nwander, and as they call it, craue mens deuotions? Those rumblings of\nspirits in the night, are now muche more sildome heard than they haue\nbene in times past.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. II.\n\n  What the cause is that in these our dayes so fewe\n  spirites are seene or heard.\n\n\nThe cleare light of Gods word driueth away all such spirits, which\nvse to worke their feates in the darke. The cleare light approaching,\nthe shadow & darkenesse vanisheth. The prince of darknesse shunneth\nlight, and hath nothing to doo where men worship God the Father, only\nthrough Iesu Christ, bel\u00e9euing only on him, and committing themselues\nwholy vnto his protection. If men est\u00e9em the word of God, and haue\nit in price, he will in no wise suffer them to be so ouers\u00e9ene and\ndeceiued, as they are which do all things without the warrant of his\nword.\n\nHere I cannot ouerpasse with silence a certaine merry iest: when\nonce there chaunced to be talke in a certaine place of visions and\nspirites, a certaine professour of the Gospell saide vnto a Papist\nin this maner: You ought (quoth he) euen by this to gather, that our\nreligion is true, and youres false, for that since the Gospell was\npreached vnto vs, very fewe spirits haue bin s\u00e9ene of any man. To\nwhome the other made aunswere by way of reasoning called =Violentum=:\nNay (saith h\u00e9e) hereby ye may gather, that your religion is naught,\nand oures good: for the diuell assaulteth those, whome he feareth\nwill shortly reuolte from him.\n\n[Sidenote: A storie of S. Benedict, seing many diuels in a monastery\nand fewe in the market.]\n\nIt is not much vnlike whiche =\u00c6neas Siluius= (who was afterwardes\nmade Pope, called =Pius= .2.) reciteth in his Historie of the\nCouncell of _Basill_, out of the life of holy =Benedict=, father of\nthe Monkes called after his name. H\u00e9e sometimes visiting a certaine\nMonasterie of holy men, espyed an infinite route of diuels, who as it\nwere fighting with the holy fathers, laboured to disturbe the good\nworkes which they went about. And he forthwith going to a faire full\nof marchandise and buying and selling, sawe there but one diuell,\nand he also idle and sad, sitting vppon a watch-toure, wherat saint\n=Benedict= maruelling, that he saw the place which was holy and\ndedicate to praier, full of diuels, and that he founde the prophane\nplace which was occupied with periurie and other offences, guarded\nbut with one Diuell: coniures the same Diuell to declare and shewe\nvnto him the true cause thereof: who straight answered him, that it\nwas n\u00e9edfull the holy place shoulde be assaulted by many diuels, but\nthose which sinned of their voluntarie accorde, had no n\u00e9ede to b\u00e9e\ndeceiued by the Diuell.\n\nBut I aske th\u00e9e this question O thou Papist, mighte not the Gentils\nin ancient time haue obiected the same to the Christians, when they\ndemaunded of them why their Oracles ceassed? and why there were so\nfewe Visions? If those Spirites or bugges be Diuels, why doe you then\nsaye and bel\u00e9eue that they are the soules of deade menne, whiche\ndesire helpe of you? I will shewe you the verye true cause why those\nvisions are nowe so seldome times s\u00e9ene: forsoothe because the Diuell\nperceiueth, that w\u00e9e vnderstande his subtilties and craft, therefore\nh\u00e9e hunteth after other men, and s\u00e9eketh to deceiue them. As for\nexample, when thou wilt crampe some man by the toes in night time\n(as sometimes pleasant fellowes vse to do, to recreate themselues\nwhen they trauell) and so draw him out of his bedde, if thou perceiue\nhe bee acquainted with thy sleight, by and by thou leauest him, and\ngoest vnto an other which is fast a sleep, and cannot perceiue the\ndeceit.\n\n[Sidenote: A burnt child dreads fire.]\n\nThere be other causes also why these things happen now more sildome.\nIf any man deceiue th\u00e9e once, twice, or thrice, afterwards thou\nopenest thy eyes, and espiest what he doth and what he goeth about:\nso when we haue bene often beguiled with false apparitions, we will\nnot easily be persuaded, if any man tell vs that a soule or spirite\nhath appeared (as the prouerbe saith,) Burnt childe, dreads fire.\nMoreouer, whereas now adayes fewe stand in feare of spirits, many\nmight be easily found, who would s\u00e9ek them, f\u00e9ele them, yea and also\nhandle them. This is well knowne, and therefore no man will gladly\nput on a visor, or otherwise counterfeit himselfe to be a ghost. A\nman may soone persuade a childe that there is a black man, a tall\nwoman, which will put children that cry in their budget, &c. but\nafter they are come to maturitie of yeares, they will no more bee\nfeared with visours and such like persuasions: they will laugh at thy\nfollie, if afterwards thou goe about to make them so afraide. Euen so\nwhen we were children in the scriptures, that is, when we vnderstood\nthem not, we might be easily seduced to bel\u00e9eue many things: But nowe\nthat we reade them in all manner of tongues, and do daily profit\nin them, we do not suffer our selues to be so mocked, neither doo\nwe bel\u00e9eue euery vaine apparition. How many sights of spirits did\nthe knauerie of the Monkes of _Berna_ driue away, after it was once\ndetected? Things are set vp in the fields to feare away the birdes,\nwhich at the last also they perceiue to be but trifles, and are not\ndriuen away any longer with suche toyes. What maruel is it then, if\nafter so great a shipwrack of godlinesse and truth, men albeit they\nare simple, doo at the last open their eyes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. III.\n\n  Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinarie\n  rumblings to bee heard before some notable alterations or\n  otherwise.\n\n\nIn that there happeneth certaine straunge things before the death\nof men, and also before notable alterations, and destructions of\ncountries, as maruellous crackes, and terrible roaring, surely it\nturneth to good vnto the iust, and to further damnation to the\nwicked. For by these means God sheweth that nothing commeth to\npasse by chance, or by aduenture, but that the life and death, the\nprosperous or vnfortunate estate of al men, is in the power and hand\nof God. It is nothing so as the Epicures affirme, that God hath no\nregard whether any man liue, or be borne, or do well or euill, or\notherwise, or whether comm\u014d wealths do florish, or be made waste.\nChrist himself teacheth vs, that not so much as a sparrow falleth\nvnto the grounde without the will of God. =Salomon= and =Daniel= say,\nthat the hearts of kings are in Gods hands, and that he appointeth or\ndeposeth kings at his pleasure. Wherfore if we happily do heare any\nnoises or such like, they ought rather to put vs in good comfort, th\u0101\nto make vs afraide. And againe, God hereby admonisheth vs, that we be\nnot idle and secure, for he hath in all ages stirred vp his seruants,\nnot only with word, but also with rare and straunge apparitions. The\nvery Gentiles accounted these miraculous things, as the admonitions\nand warnings of their gods, and it may be s\u00e9en euery where, in their\nhistories. And albeit it be very likely, that most of these things\nhappen by the diuels procurement, yet neuerthelesse, we herein\nperceiue Almightie God his fatherly care, loue, and preseruati\u014d of\nvs against y\u0364 deuises of the diuel. For albeit the diuel take no\nrest, but is alwayes in readinesse to destroy vs, yet can he not hurt\nvs, so long as God k\u00e9epeth watche and defendeth vs. The wicked who\ndespise the preaching of Gods word, are sore terrified with these\nthings, in so much that they not knowing whither to turne themselues,\nare constrained to confesse, that God doth gouerne all mens actions,\nand that there are good and euil spirits. Otherwise they coulde in no\ncase be repressed, but that they would doo greater mischiefe vnto the\nfaithfull, except God by these meanes did cast feare vppon them, and\nas it were with a snaffle or bridle, did hale and drawe them backe.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IIII.\n\n  After what sort they should behaue themselues, whiche\n  see good or euil spirits, or meete with other straunge\n  aduentures: and first how Iewes and Gentiles behaued\n  themselues in the like cases.\n\n\n[Sidenote: What the G\u0113tiles did when they sawe spirits.]\n\n[Sidenote: Suetonius.]\n\nThat we may rightly vnderstand how we ought to behaue our selues, if\nany thing either good or euill, appeare vnto vs, we wil first declare\nhow the Gentiles and Iewes vsed themselues in like cases. Amongst the\nGentiles, not only those wandring spirits beare men in hand that they\nwere mens soules, but also shewed what were good and expedient for\nthem to doo for their sake, to wit, that they should do sacrifices\nfor their soules, obserue their obsequies, burie their bodies, erect\nTemples, make holy dayes, and such like stuffe. =Suetonius= writeth,\nthat the Emperor =Caligule= his bodie was priuily conueyed into the\ngardeins called _Lamiam_, and there with a hastie fire being but\nhalfe consumed, was cast into a pit, and couered with a litle earth.\nBut afterwards, wh\u0113 his sisters returned from exile, it was taken vp,\nand thorowly burnt, and afterward solemnly buried. But before they\nhad so done, the gard\u0113 k\u00e9epers were very much troubled with appearing\nof spirites. And moreouer, no man could passe any night in the same\nhouse where he was slaine, without some great feare, vntil such time\nas the house was vtterly destroyed with fire.\n\n[Sidenote: Septim\u00e6 Tricessim\u00e6 Anniuersaria.]\n\n[Sidenote: Lilius Giraldus.]\n\n[Sidenote: Cicero.]\n\nWe read also in other writers, that the ghostes of them which were\nnot orderly buried, or whose accustomed rites and ceremonies in the\ntime of warres were omitted, did appeare either to their friendes\nor vnto others, complayning and intreating that their funerals, and\nall other ceremonies might be obserued for their sake: whereof came\nthe hearses, w\u00e9ekemindes, monthmindes, and anniuersaries, whereof\nwe reade many things in the Ethnike writers, and many things are\nrecited out of the olde Poets, and in =Lilius Giraldus=, in his\nbooke _De sepultura_, and also in =Polid. Virgilius= _De Inuentione\nrerum.lib.6.cap.10_. We haue shewed before in the second part and\nfirst Chapter, that some haue desired others, that they might bee\nburied after that they were dead. =Cicero= writeth in his 1. booke\n_De legibus_, that =Romulus= the first founder of _Rome_, walking\nafter his death not farre from =Atticus= house, appeared vnto =Iulius\nProculus=, and told him that he was now a god, and that his name was\n=Quirinus=, and therwith commanded that there should be a Temple\nerected and dedicated vnto him in the same place.\n\n[Sidenote: Ouid.]\n\n[Sidenote: Feralia.]\n\n[Sidenote: Parentalia.]\n\n=Ouid= writeth _Lib._4. _Fastorum_, that =Remus= appeared in the\nnight time vnto =Fastulus=, and to his wife =Accia Laurentia=,\nsometime his Nurse, complaining vnto them of his miserable death,\nand desiring them to make laboure, that the same day wherein he was\nslaine, might bee accounted amongst their holy dayes. The people\nof _Rome_ (as =Ouid= witnesseth, _Lib._2. _Fastorum_) kept a feast\nin the moneth of Februarie called _Feralia_, in the which they did\nsacrifice vnto the infernall goddes, and those whose duties it was\nto celebrate the funeralls of their Auncesters, carried dishes of\nmeat to their sepulchers. Whereof =Fastus= and =Varro= called the\nsame feast by the name of _Feralia_. These dishes of meate were set\nvpon a stone, at the time of these sacrifices: for the which cause,\nas =Seruius= saith, they were called _Silicernium_, by the which\nword some will haue a certaine feast signified, which is bestowed\nvppon old men. =Donatus= sayth, that _Silicernium_ is a supper,\nwhich is made to the infernall Gods, because _Eam silentes cernant_,\nthat is, the deade soules do receiue it, or because those that doe\nserue it, do onely _cernere_, s\u00e9e it, and not taste thereof, &c.\nThere were also certaine holie feastes called _Parentalia_, in\nthe which meate was carried to the Sepulchers, for the soules of\nParents and Auncestours before deceased. And albeit they suppose,\nthat soules were pleased with small giftes, as of milke, wine, and\nsuch like, whereof mention is made in =Ouid=, yet notwithstanding\nthey also killed sacrifices, whereof some suppose that _Feralia_\ntooke their name, _\u00e0 feriendis pecudibus_, of killing sh\u00e9epe. Vnto\ntheir sacrifices they also added praiers, and kindled lightes.\nWhen in times past the Romanes being troubled with warres, had let\npasse the feast of _Parentalia_, they therefore supposed (that\nthe infernall Goddes being for the same cause angrie) there arose\nstormes and pestilence, and that soules rising out of their graues,\ndid wander with pittifull complaintes about the graues, and by the\nhighway sides, and in the fieldes. This feaste endured by the space\nof fift\u00e9ene dayes, in the whiche married women lay not with their\nhusbandes, neither those whiche were marriageable did marrie, and the\nImages of their Goddes were couered. The soules of them that were\ndead, when they came to the meate, they wandred about the graues, and\nwere fed (as they thought) with the banquet.\n\n[Sidenote: Lemuria.]\n\n[Sidenote: Ouid.]\n\nIn the moneth of May, there was holden a feast in the night time,\nwhich at the beginning they called _Remuria_, and afterwardes\n_Lemuria_. This did not differ much from the feaste called _Feralia_,\nwhiche was instituted to pacifie soules. Touching the originall of\nthem, and the rytes belonging therto, looke =Ouid= in his _Lib._5.\n_Fastorum_. One who tooke on him to pacifie the soules, arose in the\nnight verie late, he went barefooted, and washed himselfe ouer with\nfresh springing water, and then taking beanes whiche he had rolled in\nhis mouth, he threw them behinde his backe, and said, that with them\nhe did red\u00e9eme himselfe, and after beating on a p\u00e9ece of brasse, he\nprayed the soules to depart from thence: which thing if they had done\nnine times, they thought they had ended their holy seruice. These\nwere celebrated by the space of thr\u00e9e dayes. The sacrifices which are\ndone for the infernall gods, are called _Inferi\u00e6_.\n\nWe reade in =Lucan=, of the soules of =Sylla= and =Marius=, which\nwere purged by sacrifice. We shewed before how =Athanagoras=\ncommanded the bones which were digged vp in the entrie of his house\nat _Athens_, to bee orderly buried againe. &c.\n\n[Sidenote: Touching the Iewes behauiour.]\n\nThe auncient Iewes had an expresse commandement of God, not to\nbee any thing moued with the miracles of false Prophets, and God\nin plaine words forbad them, not to s\u00e9eke counsel of dead bodies.\n=Saule= in the beginning of his raigne, while he yet gaue himselfe\nvnto godlinesse, vtterly destroyed all Coniurers and Witches. I doo\nnot remember that I haue euer heard or read, how the Iewes behaued\nthemselues when any spirits appeared vnto them: yet I doubt not but\nthat they are superstitious as well in these things, as in all others.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. V.\n\n  How Christian men ought to behaue themselues when they\n  see Spirites, and first that they ought to haue a good\n  courage, and to be stedfast in faith.\n\n\nHowe Christian menne oughte to behaue themselues in this behalfe, it\nis fully and amply declared in the holie Scriptures, in like manner\nas all other things are, whiche appertaine vnto our saluation. To\nwit, that first we ought to be of good courage without feare, being\nassured and constante in true faith.\n\nFor if they be good Angels which shew themselues vnto vs, then are\nthey sent vnto vs from God, to a good ende and purpose. But if\nthey be wicked and euill, they can do vs no harme be they neuer so\ndesirous, excepte God giue them leaue thereto. If it be nothing but\na vaine imagination that we haue, or an idle sight obiected vnto our\neies, surely it is great follie to be any thing afraid. In d\u00e9ed it is\nnaturall vnto vs, to be amazed with feare when we s\u00e9e suche things:\nfor very godly menne, as we read both in the olde and newe Testament,\nwere stricken with exc\u00e9eding feare when they sawe good Angels, but\nyet a man must pull vp his heart againe. When Christes Disciples\nsawe their Maister walking vpon the water, and approching neare the\nshippe, they thought they sawe a spirite, and they were astonished,\nand cried out through feare. But the Lorde saide vnto them, be of\ngood comforte, it is I, be not afraide.\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke_ .24.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Matth._ 10.]\n\nThe like is reade in the foure and twentie Chapter of Saint Luke,\nwhen he appeared vnto them after his resurrection, and sawe that they\nwere maruellously afraid. Matthew the 10. Feare not saithe Christ,\nthose whiche slay the bodie, but cannot kill the soule, but rather\nstande in awe of him, who can cast both bodie and soule into hell\nfire. The Diuell would like it well, if we would alwaies stand in\nfeare of him.\n\nBe not dismaide, although thou heare some spirit stir and make a\nnoise, for in case hee rumble onely to make th\u00e9e afraide, care not\nfor him, but lette him rumble so long as he will, for if he s\u00e9e\nth\u00e9e without feare, h\u00e9e will soone depart from th\u00e9e. And if thou\nthinke good, thou maiest boldly say vnto him, get th\u00e9e hence with a\nmischiefe thou wicked Diuell, thou hast nothing to do with me, who\nhaue sette my onely bel\u00e9efe in Christ Iesu my Sauiour.\n\nI am owner of this house, and not thou, vnto whome there is an other\nplace appointed. &c. If he perceiue y\u036d there is no feare or dreade\nof him, and that his bustling is not est\u00e9emed, he will not continue\nlong time. I will make this matter manifest with a similitude, which\nis well knowne. There be certaine men, which if they thinke other men\nstande in feare of them, they make wise to drawe their sworde, and\nsometimes two they draw it, and strike the stones therewith, chafing\nand swearing lustily: But if they knowe their aduersaries haue a good\ncourage, and that (if n\u00e9ede require) they will fight it out stoutly,\nthey will quickly put vp their sworde into their scabberde. In like\nmanner, if the Diuill s\u00e9e thou art of a good stomacke, and well armed\nwith Gods worde, he will soone s\u00e9eke after others whome he may mocke\nwith feare.\n\nBut if it please God to exercise th\u00e9e by the Deuill for a certaine\ntime, as he did sometime =Iob=, thou must patiently suffer all things\nwhich he laieth vppon th\u00e9e, and that willingly for Gods commaundement\nsake. And knowe thou well, that he cannot thus much hurt, neither thy\ngoods, nor bodie, nor soule, without the permissi\u014d and sufferance of\nAlmightie God: if God giue him leaue to plague thy bodie, thinke with\nthy selfe howe so euer it be done, that God hath so doone for thy\nprofitte and commoditie, who also sendeth gr\u00e9euous sicknesses vppon\nother men, by other meanes & instruments, or else doth exercise them\nwith other kindes of calamities. Be therefore strong and constant\nin faith, yet lette euery one beware of boldnesse, temeritie, and\nheaddie rashnesse.\n\n[Sidenote: Christ hath conquered the diuel.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Luke_ 11.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_.12.16.]\n\nLet it comforte th\u00e9e, that thou knowest Christe hath conquired the\nDeuill, as he himselfe teacheth in the eleuenth chapter of Luke, by\nthe example of a strong man at armes. In the 12.&.16. of Iohn he\nsaith: the Prince of this worlde shalbe cast out of the doores, that\nis to say, out of the hearts of them which cleaue to the worde of\nGod, and are not in loue with the world, whereof he is prince and\nruler. For he hath power ouer such, which do gr\u00e9edily loue the world.\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Iohn_ .3.]\n\nIn the first of =Iohn= the third chapter, it is saide: The sonne of\nman appeared, that is, came into the world for that cause, that he\nmight destroy the workes of the diuel. There are many miracles in\nthe Gospell which shewe that Christ cast out diuels. Albeit God for\na time do suffer the diuel in many things, yet hath he appointed\nhim his bounds, which he may not passe. And he doth not suffer the\nfaithfull to be tempted any more of him than they are able to endure.\nHe giueth his grace plentuously vnto them, vpon whome he laieth great\nafflictions.\n\n[Sidenote: The diuel is conuersant among men.]\n\nWe ought not to maruel if spirits sometimes be s\u00e9en or heard. For as\nSaint =Peter= saith: Sathan raungeth euery where, in houses, fieldes,\nwater and fire: and yet he is not alwayes espied of men, neither can\nhe so bee, except God giue him leaue to shewe himselfe. In that that\nwe doe alwayes s\u00e9e him (for he being of an inuisible nature, taketh\non him diuers shapes) or heare him, we haue to thanke the goodnesse\nof almightie God: for otherwise we should not be in rest one moment\nof time. But if sometime wicked spirits m\u00e9ete with vs in a visible\nforme by the will of God, or do otherwise trouble and disquiet our\nhouses, we must not think therfore that they were neuer in house\nbefore.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VI.\n\n  It behoueth them which are vexed with spirites, to pray\n  especially, and to giue themselues to fasting, sobrietie,\n  watching, and vpright and godly liuing.\n\n\nNow because good Angelles appeare vnto vs more sildome in this oure\ntime (for there is a verie greate difference of men liuing vnder the\nnewe Testament, from them that liue vnder the olde, vnto whom God\nmany and oftentimes sent his Angels) and that euill angels very often\nappeare, we ought the rather to commit our selues more diligently to\nthe tuition of almightie God, both when we go to bed, and also when\nwe arise againe.\n\nOur Sauiour amongst all other things, taught vs to pray to this\npurpose: =Deliuer vs from euill=. And moreouer he saith in the 17.\nChapter of =Matthew=, that some kinde of diuels are not driuen\naway by any other kinde of meanes than fasting and praying. As\ntouching those which suppose that diuels ought to be cast out with\nconiurations, and execrable cursings, I will intreat in the end\nof this my booke. Watch and pray, least ye fall into temptation.\n=Matthew= 26. And in the 22. of =Luke=, Christ saith vnto =Peter=,\nSathan hath desired to sift you euen as corne, but I haue praied\nthat thy faith faile not. And euen at this present also he maketh\nintercession for vs sitting at the right hand of his heauenly father.\n\nThe auncient Fathers in olde time, call vppon God in all their\ndaungers and troubles, whereof it were a n\u00e9edlesse matter to auouch\nmany examples. It is also very profitable and good to craue the\nprayers of the whole congregation, whensoeuer we are vexed with euill\nspirites and vaine fantasies. For we know right well that the prayers\nof the Church haue bene very profitable and effectuall vnto others,\nand that the godly in their distresses haue euermore desired them.\n\nIt is Gods pleasure, that the faithfull should succour one an other\nwith their good prayers. Howbeit that the Saintes after their\ndeparture from hence, should pray for vs, that we should in any wise\ndesire their prayers, surely there is no commandement of God, or any\nexample thereof in the holy scriptures.\n\n[Sidenote: _Ephe._6.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Pet._5.]\n\nMoreouer, the Apostles teach vs to withstand the craft and subtiltie\nof the diuell by this meanes. Saint =Paule= to the Ephesians the 6.\nChapter, and =Peter= on his first Epistle and fifth Chapter saith: Be\nye sober and watche, for your aduersary the diuel, as a roaring lyon\nwalketh about, s\u00e9eking whom he may deuoure: whome resist stedfast in\nfaith, &c.\n\n[Sidenote: We must fight against the diuel with good life.]\n\nWhen men are secure and negligent, wholly giuen vnto pleasures and\nas it were drowned in surfetting, couetousnesse, adulterie, and such\nother wickednesse, then hath the diuel place to shewe himselfe.\nWherefore we ought to giue our selues to watching, praying, fasting,\nand godly liuing: we must heare the word of God often and gladly,\nwe must desire to reade and talke of him continually, that we may\nthereby put from vs those diuellishe illusions and sightes.\n\nIf thou haue any publike office or charge, do it faithfully: restore\nthy goods euil gotten, either vnto their true owners, or else imploy\nthem to some good and godly ende. If men care neither for God, nor\nhis word, it is no maruell if vaine sightes appeare vnto them. For\nGod suffereth such things to happen vnto them, to humble them and to\nmake them know themselues.\n\nIt is an horrible thing, that there are some which giue ouer\nthemselues to the diuel, because he should not torment them: they\nought rather to weigh with themselues, that if they so do, they shall\nbe perpetually tormented of euil spirits, except they truly repent\nand turne againe to God.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VII.\n\n  That spirits which vse to appeare, ought to be iustly\n  suspected: and that we may not talke with them, nor\n  enquire any thing of them.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Matth._ 1.]\n\nWe ought not without great cause to suspecte all Spirites, and other\napparitions. For albeit God doth vse the helpe and seruice of good\nAngels, for the preseruation of his elect, yet notwithstanding in\nthese our dayes they appeare vnto vs very sildome. For things are\nnowe farre otherwise since Christes comming into the worlde, than\nthey were before in auncient time. Although perchaunce thou thinke\nthou haste s\u00e9ene a good Angell, yet doo not easily and vnaduisedly\ngiue him credite. If the euent of the matter declare afterward,\nthat it was a good Angell, which gaue th\u00e9e notable warning of some\nmatter, or deliuered th\u00e9e out of some great dangers: giue God thankes\nthat he hath dealt so fatherly and mercifully with th\u00e9e, and hath\nsuche care ouer th\u00e9e, and endeuour to frame thy selfe to his wil and\npleasure. But if thou s\u00e9e an Angell which flattereth and speaketh\nth\u00e9e faire, suche a one of those are whiche craue thy helpe, (as\nthou hast heard before) in no wise credite their wordes. Men which\nblaunche and flatter with vs, are alwayes suspitious, why then should\nnot such spirites be suspected? Enter into no communication with such\nspirites, neither aske them what thou must giue, or what thou must\ndoo, or what shall happen hereafter. Aske them not who they are, or\nwhy they haue presented themselues to bee s\u00e9ene or heard. For it they\nbe good, they will like it well, that thou wilt heare nothing but the\nworld of God: but if they be wicked, they will endeuour to deceiue\nth\u00e9e with lying. When the Angell in the first Chapter of =Matthew=,\ninstructed =Ioseph= in a dreame, he by and by alleaged testimony\nout of the prophet. If it be so, that we must not bel\u00e9eue an Angell\ncomming from heauen, who can iustly blame vs, if we giue no credite\nto spirits and suspitious dreames? Although Christ and his Apostles\nhad the full power to shew miracles, yet did they establish and\nconfirme their doctrine by the holie scriptures.\n\nWhen Almightie God himselfe had enquired of =Adam= in Paradice,\ntouching the breaking of his Commaundement, and that he had layde the\nfault vpon his wife =Eue=, and she had put it ouer to the Serpent,\nwhich caused her to eate of the forbidden frute, God woulde not\ndemaund of the Serpent, that is, of the Diuell, (whiche had vsed him\nas an instrument) why he had so done, for he knewe right well that he\nwas a lyer. Except =Eue= had talked with the Serpent, she had neuer\ntransgressed Gods Commandement.\n\nIf Spirites of their owne accorde woulde gladly tell vs many thinges:\nyet w\u00e9e must not giue eare vnto them, much lesse ought we to coniure\nthem to tell vs the truthe. God commaunded in his lawe, (as w\u00e9e haue\noftentimes said before) that no man should enquire any thing of the\ndead.\n\n[Sidenote: God hath alwayes giuen vs teachers.]\n\nGod himselfe sent his faithfull seruants, the Prophets, Apostles,\nEuangelists, and especially his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesu our\nLord and Sauiour into the worlde, by whome he truly and plentifully\ntaught his faithfull seruants what they ought to bel\u00e9eue, to do,\nto leaue vndon, and what kinde of worshipping did best please him,\nwith many other such things. By them he enformed vs concerning great\nand waightie affaires, which should happen in his Churche, and in\nkingdomes, euen vnto that blessed day wherein Christ shall iudge\nthe world, and shall call togither his generall Councell, and shall\npronounce finall sentence vppon them who haue done well or ill, and\nwherein he shall make a diuision and separation betw\u00e9ene the good and\neuil.\n\nChrist himselfe after his Resurrection did not immediately ascend\ninto heauen, but aboade a while on earth, appearing vnto his\nDisciples and others, least we should at any time say: Who euer came\nagain to tell vs what estate is to be looked for in the other world?\n\n[Sidenote: God hath preserued the scriptures.]\n\nMoreouer, God among suche great and long persecutions, wherein many\nprofitable bookes haue perished, hath miraculously preserued the holy\nScriptures for our profite, euen vnto this day, and hereafter will\npreserue them in despite of all impious and wicked men.\n\n[Sidenote: God hath instituted the holy ministerie.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Psalme._119.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_.8.]\n\nHe hath also ordeyned the ministerie of the worde, that vnto the\nende of the worlde, there shoulde be some men, whiche bothe by\nliuely voyce, and also by their writings, shoulde interprete his\nworde, and enfourme others of his will and pleasure. His woord is a\nshining lanterne, which shineth in this darke worlde, which is full\nof errours, as we reade Psalm.119. And our sauiour saith in the eight\nchapter of Saint _Iohn_, that he is the light of the world, whome if\nany man follow, he walketh not in darkenesse.\n\nThis standeth as a sure grounde: wherefore no other reuelations are\nto be looked for, neither by myracles from Heauen, nor by wandring\nspirites or soules, as the common people misterme them. But lette\nvs imagine, that they are the wandring spirites of deade bodies,\nthen is it necessarie, that they be the soules, either of faithfull\nmen, or of infidels. If they be the soules of the faithfull, they\nwil say with God the father concerning his sonne Christe Iesus,\n_Heare him_. But if they be the soules of Infidels and of wicked\nmen, who I pray you, will vouchsafe to heare them, or bel\u00e9eue any\nthing they say? Moreouer those things whiche these counterfeite\nsoules doo speake, eyther agr\u00e9e with the holy Scriptures, or else\nare contrary vnto them. If they are agr\u00e9eable, then are they to be\nreceiued, not because spirits speake them, but because they are\ncomprysed in the word of God. But in case they are repugnant to the\nwoorde of God, they ought in no wise to be receiued, albeit an Angell\nfrom Heauen vtter them. Thou wilt not bel\u00e9eue a man of thy familiar\nacquaintaunce, otherwise worthy of credite, who sounde of bodie and\nsoule, nowe liueth togither with th\u00e9e, if h\u00e9e affirme any thing which\nthou knowest to be contrary to the holy Scriptures: why them wouldest\nthou bel\u00e9eue a spirite which thou doest not knowe? In ciuill causes\nthe euidence or witnesse or dead men is reiected, why then in causes\nof religion shuld we giue care to the testimonie of runagate and\nwandring spirites.\n\nIt is no harde or difficulte matter for the Lorde oure God to sende\nhis Angels vnto vs, whome otherwise h\u00e9e vseth for our profite, and by\nthem to instructe vs in the faith: but it hath pleased him to appoint\nthe matter otherwise.\n\n[Sidenote: _Acts_ .10.]\n\nW\u00e9e reade in the tenth chapter of the Actes, that by an Angell he\ncommaunded =Cornelius= to sende for =Peter=, that he might instruct\nhim in the faith. He mighte haue commaunded the Angell to teache\n=Cornelius=, but he followed an orderly meanes. It shal be best for\nvs therfore to stand to the holy Scriptures simply, and that all\nappearing of spirites, as also all dreames and reuelations be tried\nby the holy Scriptures, as vpon a touchstone, and so to admit nothing\nbut that which is set foorth in the holy Scriptures: for except we go\nthus warely to worke, there is greate daunger least wee b\u00e9e deceiued.\nIf the auncient Fathers had so doone, they had not estrayed so farre\nfrom the Apostles simplicitie.\n\n[Sidenote: S. Augustines counsell.]\n\n[Sidenote: Scripture to be only beloued.]\n\nS. =Augustine= in his third booke and .6. chapter, writing againste\nthe letters of =Petilianus= saieth thus: If concerning Christe, or\nany other thing, whiche appartayneth to faith and euerlasting life,\n(I will not say, we: for comparing with him that said: Albeit that\nw\u00e9e) but simply, whereas he going on, sayd: If an Angell from Heauen\nshall teache you any thing besides that whiche you haue receiued in\nScriptures conteining the law and the Gospel, b\u00e9e he accursed.\n\n[Sidenote: Chrisostomes aduise.]\n\nS. =Chrisostom= vnto the Epistle to the Galathians the firste\nchapter: =Abraham= (saith he) when he was desired to send Lazarus,\nsaid: They haue =Moises= and the prophets, if they will not heare\nthem, they will not giue care vnto them which rise vp from the\ndead. And when he bring in Christ vttering these words, he sheweth\nhowe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite\nthan any raised from the dead. S. =Paule= (when I name =Paule=, I\nname likewise Christ, for he stirred vp his mind) preferreth the\nScriptures before Angels descending from Heauen, and that for very\niust cause. For albeit Angels are great, yet are they seruants and\nministers. For all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written\nand sent vnto vs by seruants, but by almightie God y\u0364 Lord of all\nthings. Thus write these two holy fathers.\n\n[Sidenote: All things necessarie to saluation are c\u014dteined in the\nscriptures.]\n\nWhat things soeuer are necessarie for vs to know, are conteined\nin the holy scriptures: those things which are not expressed in\nthem, we must not curiously enquire of, as things profitable for\nour saluation. Who will therefore say against the commaundement of\nGod, that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men,\nand by diuellish visions? These things which are secret and hidden,\nwe shall throughly s\u00e9e when we come to eternall life. May not God,\nif we be not content with his holy word, say that vnto vs, which\nsometimes he spake by the mouth of =Helias= vnto the messengers\nof king =Ochosias=. Is there no God in _Israell_, that you now go\nto =Accaron= to aske counsell of Belzebub? Yea =Thomas Aquinas=\ndenieth that diuels are to be heard, whiche deceiue simple menne,\nfeyning themselues to be the soules of dead men: and by that coloure\nespecially terrifie menne, whiche sometimes also happened vnto the\nGentiles.\n\n[Sidenote: Hierom.]\n\nIf it were certaine and sure that the Diuell coulde not appeare and\ndeceiue menne, and also shewe greate and straunge miracles, then\nperchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue care vnto such\nSpirites: but nowe we s\u00e9e the contrary happen. An euill spirite\ncloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice, and vnder\nthe pretence of religi\u014d, he endeuoureth to ouerthrow religion. For\nas S. =Hierome= saith, the diuell sheweth not himselfe with all his\ndeceits, that he may be knowne what he is. And therefore it behoueth\nvs to be very circumspect and warie.\n\n[Sidenote: Miracles are seales of the word.]\n\nMoreouer, miracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word,\nneither may any thing be approued by them, which is repugnant to the\nword of God. All miracles which lead vs away from our Creator vnto\ncreatures, and do attribute that vnto our workes, which is onely due\nvnto the merites of Christ: and to be short, all those which induce\nvs any wayes into errour, are to be eschued. If we must n\u00e9eds bel\u00e9eue\nthese appearing soules, no man can be assured of his estate: for new\nthings should be continually deuised, as we s\u00e9e plainly it happened\nin the olde time. Therefore we must let passe all maner of spirits,\nand embrace true religion, and therein constantly abide.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VIII.\n\n  Testimonies out of holie Scripture, and one example\n  whereby it is prooued, that such kinde of apparitions\n  are not to be credited, and that we ought to bee verie\n  circumspect in them.\n\n\nThat wee ought not by and by to bel\u00e9eue all thinges which we heare,\nnot onely experience and many common Prouerbes, but also the holy\nScriptures teach vs, especially in cases concerning our saluation,\ntouching the which thing, we will alledge only a fewe places and\nexamples.\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat._10.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Mat._24.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1._Tim._4.]\n\n[Sidenote: 2._Thess._2.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Iohn_ .4.]\n\n[Sidenote: The holy virgin did not by & by beleeue the appearing of\nthe Angell.]\n\nWhen Christ first sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospell, he\nsaid vnto them, =Matthew= 10. Be y\u00e9e wise as Serpents, and simple as\nDoues, beware of men: howe much more than ought we to take heede of\ndiuels? Christ prophecieth in the 24. of =Matthew=, that many false\nteachers shall come in the latter daies, and shall shewe straunge\nmyracles to confirme their erroures, and therefore h\u00e9e commaundeth\nthe faithfull, to be h\u00e9edefull and circumspect, and not without cause\nh\u00e9e addeth: Beholde I haue tolde you before. Sainte =Paule= to the\nGalathians the firste Chapter, saith in greate earnest vnto them,\nthat if an Angell come from Heauen, and preache vnto them any other\nGospell, h\u00e9e shoulde be accursed. Euen so, if at this time spirites\nappeare, and doe vtter any thinge repugnant to the Doctrine of the\nApostles and Prophets, they are to be reiected. The Apostle in his\nfirste Epistle and fourth Chapter to Timothie, dothe prophecie of\nfalse teachers whiche shoulde come, and saithe, the spirit speaketh\neuidently, that in the latter times some shall departe from the\nfaithe, and shall giue h\u00e9ede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines\nof Deuils, whiche speake lies through hipocrisie, and haue their\nconsciences burned with an hote yron, forbidding to marrie, and\ncommaunding to absteyne from meates which God hath created to be\nreceiued with gyuing thankes of them whiche bel\u00e9eue, and knowe the\ntruth. &c. By the worde (spirite) are vnderstoode false teachers,\nwhiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of God: But what cause is\nthere, why it may not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites,\nwhich haue induced men to take in hande many things? In the seconde\nEpistle to the Thessalonians, and the seconde Chapter, when certaine\naffirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande, =Paule= foretelleth\nthem, that there shall be a defection, and that Antichrist shall\nfirst come, saying: Nowe we bes\u00e9ech you brethren by the comming of\nour Lorde Iesus Christe, by our assembling vnto him, that y\u00e9e be not\nsodenly moued from your intent, nor troubled, neither by spirits,\nnor by word, nor by letter, as it were from vs, as though the day\nof Christ were at hande. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes.\n&c. Whiche wordes truly in my iudgement may also be verie aptly\nvnderstood of those wandering spirites. Saint =Iohn= saith in his\nfirst Epistle and fourth Chapter: Dearly beloued, bel\u00e9eue not euery\nspirit, but trie the spirits whether they are of God: for many false\nprophettes are gone out into the world. Hereby shall ye knowe the\nspirit of God. Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is\ncome in the flesh, is of God, and euery spirite whiche confesseth\nnot, that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. &c.\nHere he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to\nbe mens soules, but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues\nthat they haue the spirite of God. But in case we must not beleeue\nthem being aliue, much lesse ought we to credite them when they\nare dead. And albeit that neyther Christe nor his Apostles, had so\ndiligently giuen vs warning, not to suffer our selues to be seduced\nwith myracles, and with the talke of spirits, yet notwithstanding,\ndaily experience teacheth vs to bee circumspect and warie in these\ncases. For assoone as false teachers s\u00e9e that they haue no testimonie\nof Scripture to defende themselues withall, by and by they turne\nthemselues to spirites and visions, whereby they may confirme their\ndoctrine, which thing hath opened a large windowe to many errors. To\nwhat inconuenience ambition, couetousnesse and enuie, hath brought\nmany of the Clergie, it is both well knowne by many examples, and it\nhath also as it were by the way bene before declared. Haue not the\norders of Monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence?\nhaue not they inuented newe miracles? haue they not counterfeited\ngods, pilgrimages, saintes and spirits? The holy Virgin is a famous\nand notable example, that we shuld not rashly bel\u00e9eue euery spirit.\nFor at what time y\u0364 Angell =Gabriel= appeared vnto her in a visible\nshape, and saluted her, shewing her before of y\u0364 incarnati\u014d of the\nsonne of God, she thought with her selfe, what maner of saluation\nthat should be, how this thing could come to passe, s\u00e9eing sh\u00e9e had\nknowne no man. Then at the last being enformed of the meanes by the\nAngell, she said: Beholde the handmayd of the Lord, be it vnto me\naccording to thy word. Why then should we bel\u00e9eue euery spirite,\nespecially those which teach things quite contrary to the word of God.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IX.\n\n  After what sort the faithful in the primitiue Church,\n  vsed themselues when they met with spirits.\n\n\nI haue declared out of the word of God how good and godly men ought\nto behaue themselues, when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto them. And\ntruly the auncient Christians behaued themselues after this sort.\nFor they were couragious and without feare, they gaue themselues to\ngodlinesse, and all good workes, they diligently auoyded all things\nwhich were displeasing vnto God: and they were also very circumspect,\nnot to attribute too much vnto spirits and visions.\n\n[Sidenote: The signe of the Crosse.]\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\n[Sidenote: Hierome.]\n\n[Sidenote: Origen. &c.]\n\n[Sidenote: Athanasius.]\n\nIt was a common custom amongst them, to blesse themselues with the\nsigne of the Crosse, when they mette with these things, which many\nalso vse at this day. =Tertullian= writeth in his booke _De corona\nmilitis_, that the auncient Christians did many times marke their\nforeheades with the signe of the Crosse. S. =Hierom= exhorteth\n=Demetriades=, that he often crosse his foreheade, least that\nthe destroyer of _Egipt_ finde any place therein. =Origen= also,\n=Epiphanius=, =Chrisostome=, and =Augustine=, write many thinges of\nthe vertue of the holie Crosse. S. =Athanasius= writeth in his booke\n_De Humanitate verbi, eiusque corporali aduentu_. _Fol._67. In times\npast (saith he) the diuels by vaine shewes, and mockerie, ensnared\nmen, abiding somtimes in wels, sometime in riuers, in stones,\nand woods, and so by craftie deceytes, brought vnwise men into\nsottishnesse. But nowe since Gods word hath appeared vnto vs, suche\nsightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased. Fol. 56. and 72. and in\nother places also he handleth the same matter.\n\n=Lactantius= writeth of the same in his fourth booke _Diuinarum\nInstitutionum_ 26. Chapter, and also throughout the 27. Chapter. He\nsaith that the diuel can haue no accesse vnto those, nor any wayes\nhurt them, which signe their foreheads with the Crosse. He addeth\nmoreouer, that the Christians vsed this ceremonie in old time, in\ncasting out diuels and healing diseases.\n\n[Sidenote: Whether the bare signe of the Crosse haue anie force.]\n\nNot for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall\nsigne of the Crosse, (for that were superstitious) but vnto the\nCrosse, that is, to the merites of Christe, whose worthinesse and\nexcellencie, they called withall to their remembrance. Touching\nthe holy Apostles, or Apostolike Churches, we reade not, that they\neuer vsed the signe of the Crosse, in expelling diuels, in curing\ndiseases, or in any other thing. God spared the Iewes in _Egipt_,\nwhiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the Lambe: not that\nLambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death, but it was a figure\nof the bloud and passion of Christ Iesus. And the Iewes sprinkled\nnot bloud of their owne good deuotion, as they terme it, but by the\ncommandement of God. The holy Fathers by the ceremonie that they\nsigned themselues with the Crosse, ment to testifie their confidence\nin the crosse, that is, in the death of Christ Iesus, which\nabandoneth all euill and mischiefe. The Diuell neuer a whit feareth\nthe Crosse, wherewith we signe our selues, nor yet those pieces and\nfragments of Christes Crosse, which are shewed for reliques, but he\ntrembleth at the power and force of Christs death, by the which he\nwas conquered and ouerthrowne. If any man attribute too much vnto\nceremonies, he cannot be excused from superstition, which worthily\ndeserueth blame.\n\n[Sidenote: Coniurations against diuels.]\n\nWe read more in the auncient writers, that they vsed exorcismes, or\nconiurations in the primatiue Churche against diuels.\n\n[Sidenote: Tertullian.]\n\nYou may read in =Tertullian= in his booke _De anima_, that vncleane\nspirits haue oftentimes deceiued men, haue taken on them the persons\nof others, and haue fained themselues to be the soules of dead men,\nthat men should not bel\u00e9eue that all soules descended into Hell (what\nis to be vnderstood by the word Hell, I haue shewed before) and so to\nbring the bel\u00e9efe of the latter iudgement of the resurrection of the\ndead, into doubt and question.\n\nMoreouer, we reade that the olde Fathers haue cast diuels out of\nmen, and out of such places wherein by their rumbling, they haue put\nmany in horrible feare. Such an historie of Saint =Iohn= in =Abdias\nBabylonius=, for the holy Apostles, and many godly men after them,\nwere endued with this grace from God, that they could cast out\nvnclean spirits: which gift continued a long season in the Church, to\nthe great profit of the faithfull, but afterwards it ceased as other\nmiracles did also. It maketh vnto this purpose, that =Tertullian=\nwriteth in his =Apologetico=, =Fol.= 858. and 159.\n\nThus we haue sufficiently s\u00e9ene after what sort the holy Fathers and\nauncient christians behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto\nthem.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. X.\n\n  That sundrie kindes of superstition haue crept in,\n  whereby men haue attempted to driue away spirits.\n\n\n[Sidenote: 2._Thess._2.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1._Iohn_.4.]\n\nIn proces of time, superstitions encreased more & more. =Paule=\ncomplaineth, that in his time Antichrist beganne to practise his\nministerie of iniquitie, that many opinions and sects beganne to\nspring vp. Saint =Iohn= writeth, that in his time, there were many\nAntichristes. What maruel is it then, if afterwards, yea and that\nverie quickly, diuers errours croape into the Churche, and multiplyed\nexc\u00e9edingly?\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine.]\n\nSainte =Augustine= in his 22. booke _De ciuitate Dei_, and eighte\nChapter, after that hee hadde recited certaine miracles, whiche were\ntherefore shewed that men might bel\u00e9eue in Christ, he setteth foorthe\nthis historie. =Hesperius= a man of good worshippe and calling\namongest vs, hath a piece of land in the territorie of _Fussalum_\ncalled _Cubedi_, in the which, perceiuing by the languishing of his\ncattell and seruauntes, that his house was infected with the force\nand rage of euill spirites, he desired our fellow Priestes, (I being\nthen absent,) that some one of them would take the paines to go\nthither, that the spirit by his good praiers might giue place: one\nof them went thither, and there offred the sacrifice of the bodie of\nChrist, praying very earnestly, that the same disquieting of spirites\nmight cease, and by and by God had compassion, and it ceased. He had\ngiuen him of a friend of his, some parte of holy lande brought from\nHierusalem, where Christ being buried, rose againe the third day:\nthat earth he hung vp in his chamber, least any euill might happ\u0113\nvnto him. But when his house was deliuered fr\u014d that trouble, he\ndeuiseth with himselfe what he might do with the saide earth, which\nfor reuerence sake, he would not k\u00e9epe any longer in his chamber.\n&c. H\u00e9ereby it is manifest, that superstition began immediatly, and\n(as it hapneth alwaies) grewe bigger with great increase, as if one\nshoulde roll foorthe snowe clodded togither, or as when huge lumpes\nof snowe begin to fall down from the _Alpes_, all things on euery\nside are filled with snowe. Shortly after menne began to praye,\nand offer sacrifice for dead mennes soules, yea and that with a\ngood intention, as it may euidently appeare in many of the auncient\nfathers.\n\nAfterwards when Bishops and parish Priests, did not onely not correct\nolde superstitions, but also vppon a good meaning increase them, at\nthe last they grew to an infinite number. For when spirits appeared,\nmen called not vpon God through Christ only, but also vpon Saints,\nforgetting that which S. =Paule= saith to the Romanes the tenth. (For\nI wil let passe at this time all other arguments,) how shall they\ncall vpon him in whom they haue not bel\u00e9eued? The Papists themselues\ncannot deny, but that we must bel\u00e9eue onely in God, and therefore he\nonely is to be worshipped through his sonne.\n\n[Sidenote: The Aue Marie is no praier.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Ephe._1.]\n\n[Sidenote: _Iohn_.2.]\n\n[Sidenote: 1. _Timo._ 2.]\n\nSome write that it is a soueraign remedie to driue away diuels, if\nwe pray _Aue Maria_. Where by the way is to bee noted, that the\nsame salutation of the Angell is no prayer, but onely a gr\u00e9eting,\nand historicall narration, to witte, howe the Archangell =Gabriell=\ntolde the Virgin =Mary= before of the Incarnation of Christ. But I\npray th\u00e9e weigh the sense of the words, and whether though wilt or\nno, thou must n\u00e9edes say that these words conteine in them neither\nasking, nor thankesgiuing, which are the parts of prayer. When the\nAngell came vnto her, he saluted her, saying: \u03c7\u03b1\u1fd6\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9, _i.\nsalue_, that is, God sp\u00e9ede, or reioyce (for as =Festus= saith,\nthe Gr\u00e9eke and the Latin word haue one signification.) Then he\naddeth further, full of grace, which is to be vnderstood passiuely,\n(as they terme it in the schooles) for because God bestowed his\ngrace vpon her: for so the Angell himselfe expoundeth it, when he\nsaith afterwardes, that she had founde grace, that is, that God\nis mercifull and louing towardes her. Those words may not be so\nvnderstoode, as if she were the fountaine of grace (as some haue\nexpounded it) and that she hath grace of her selfe, and bestoweth it\nvpon such as call vppon her, or speake vnto her with the salutation\nof the Angell. For neyther the Gr\u00e9eke worde, nor any other places of\nthe Scriptures admit this sense. The Apostle saieth to the Ephesians\nthe first Chapter, that God hath made vs his faithfull seruants,\ndeare by his grace through his beloued, that is, through Iesus\nChrist. In the which saying, the same word is put, which the Angell\nvsed in saluting the holy Virgine. It is written in the first Chapter\nof saint =Iohns= Gospell in plaine wordes, that =Iohn Baptist= bare\nwitnesse of Christ with a loude voyce, and saide, that we all haue\nreceiued of his fulnesse, grace for grace. For the lawe was giuen by\n=Moses=, but grace and truth sprang vp by Christ. Many other suche\nplaces I omit for breuities sake. The Virgin =Mary= her selfe saith,\nthe Lord hath done maruellous things vnto me. She setteth foorth the\ngrace of God, giuen vnto her from God, without any of her deserts.\nFor he neuer bestowed greater grace on any woman. And there is a\nvery great difference betw\u00e9en him that conferreth grace, and them\nwhich receiue or obtaine grace. Grace is only to be sought at his\nhands, who giueth grace, and not of them which themselues receiue\ngrace. A fewe yeares past, all men besought the Virgin for helpe,\nhoping for more grace and succour of her than of Christ himselfe. The\nAngell addeth further: Blessed art thou amongst women, that is, God\nhath conferred more grace vnto th\u00e9e, than vnto any other woman. The\nwords which are ioyned herevnto, Blessed is the frute of thy wombe,\nare not the words of the Angell, but of her cousin =Elizabeth=, who\nalso saluted her. Vnto these words some religious men added, Iesus\nChrist, Amen. Therefore the Angell vttered not all those words of the\n=Aue Marie= (as it may manifestly be gathered out of the very text\nof Saint =Luke=, Chapter 1.) not because we deny these words to be\ngood and holy, for the text saith of =Elizabeth=, that she was full\nof the holy ghost: but that which the Angell spake not, is not to\nbe attributed vnto her. You shall not finde in any allowed Authors,\nthat in the time of the Apostles and many dayes after, this greeting\nwas accounted as a prayer, or that any godly men did salute, and\ncall vpon the holy Virgin. Which thing I write not, because I would\nbereaue the holy Virgin of hir honor, but least that against hir\nwill, we giue hir that honour which is only due to God the Father,\nand to his sonne Iesu Christ. For he is our onely mediatour and\nred\u00e9emer. 1. Timoth. 2. Otherwise the =Aue Marie=, and other such\nplaces of holy Scripture full of consolation and comfort, touching\nthe humanitie of Christ, his punishment, death, and merites, are to\nbe often read, and diligentely considered: neither are the Scriptures\nto be pulled out of the handes of the lay people, in whiche they\nmay s\u00e9e all these things with their owne eyes. Ind\u00e9ede I denie not\nbut Spirites haue many times vanished away vpon the saying of =Aue\nMarie=, but it was so doone, that men might therby be confirmed in\ntheir superstition.\n\n[Sidenote: Holy Water.]\n\nBut these men proc\u00e9eding further, did coniure or consecrate water\nwith certain peculiar ceremonies, and kept it in vessels in their\nchurches, houses and elsewhere: amongest many other vertues,\nascribing this force vnto it, that it chaseth away spirites, and\nvaine sights. They also consecrated saulte, and taught, that whether\nsoeuer it were cast, it draue away spirites, and all deceites of\nthe diuil, yea and the diuel himselfe also. Moreouer, they coniured\nwith certain cerimonies and words, candles, palme, herbes, and other\ncreatures, to driue away fantasies (as they terme them.) They laide\nthese and such like things, as also the relikes of Saintes, in those\nplaces wheras Spirits had bin s\u00e9ene or heard. They also bare men\nin hande, that greate belles and sancebelles by their noise fraied\nspirites out of the ayre. All these things are founde more at large\nin the Papists bookes whiche are written of the consecration of suche\nthings, and are publikely extant. If belles be roong on S. =Iohns=\nday, or S. =Agathes= day, they say it is a most excell\u0113t remedie\nagainst spirits. Some vsed to burne a bundell of consecrated herbes,\nthat with the smoke therof they might chase away diuels. Many haue\ntheir peculiar and straunge blessings against spirites. There haue\nbene also many holy rites instituted by the commaundement of wandring\nsoules, as Masses for the dead, vigils, prayers, and tweluemonths\nminds: as though the soules of godly men, being deliuered from all\ntrouble, were not immediately translated into eternall rest. And it\nis also plaine by reading the Poets and Historiographers, that the\nGentiles had their sacrifices for the dead, as their rites called\n=Nouendialia=, which were obserued the ninth day, and their yearely\nfeastes. &c. Howbeit those counterfait ghostes craued nothing so\nearnestly, as that many Masses might be sung for their sakes, for\nthey bare men in hand, that those had great and maruellous force to\nred\u00e9eme them out of Purgatorie.\n\n[Sidenote: The order of Cistertians.]\n\n[Sidenote: Exorcists.]\n\n=Iohn Tritenhemius= writeth in his Cronicles of the Monasterie of\n=Hirsgauium=, about the yeare of our Lorde 1098. =Henricus= the\nfourth then being Emperour, that at such time as the order of the\n=Cistertians= first began, there appeared many dayes and nights, not\nfar from the citie of _Wormes_, great troupes of horsmen and footmen,\nas if they were now going foorth to battail, running now here & now\nthere in troupes, and that about .ix. of the clock at night they\nreturned again to the hill nere at hand, out of y\u0364 which they vsed\nto come forth. At last a certaine Monke of the Abbey of _Limpurge_,\nwhich stood not far from y\u0364 hil whence they issued, associating\ncertain other vnto him, came on a certain night to y\u0364 place of the\nhil, & blessing himselfe with y\u0364 signe of y\u0364 holy Crosse, adiured\nthem in the name of the holy and vnseparable Trinitie, as they came\nout of the hil, to declare vnto him who they were: vnto whom one of\nthe company made answer: we are (quoth he) no vain things, neither\nyet liuing souldiers, but y\u0364 soules of earthly men, seruing in this\nworld vnder our prince, who not l\u014dg since was slain in this place.\nThe armour, furniture, & horses, which were vnto vs instruments of\nsinne while we liued, are euen now after our death, certaine signes\nand tokens of tormentes. Whatsoeuer ye s\u00e9e about vs, is all firie\nvnto vs, although you nothing discerne our fire. When the Monkes\nenquired whether they might be holpen by men, the spirit answered: we\nmay (saith he) be holpen by fasting and praiers: but chiefly by the\noblation of the bodie and blood of Christ, which thing we bes\u00e9ech you\ndo for vs. Assoone as he had so saide, all the whole rout of spirits\ncried thr\u00e9e times with one voyce: pray for vs, pray for vs, pray for\nvs. And sodeinly withal, they s\u00e9emed to be all resolued into fire,\nyea and the hill it self, as if it had bin on fire, cast forth as it\nwere a great crashing and rushing of tr\u00e9es. They had in Churches a\npeculiar order of them whom they called =Exorcists=, or Coniurers,\nwhose dutie was to coniure and driue away diuels, but they were not\nso endued with that gifte, as the auncient Christians were, and\ntherfore they did but vaunt & boast of themselues.\n\nAfterwards certaine Monkes and Priests well s\u00e9en in Magicall sciences\n(for they were neuer without such trim men) tooke vpon them to\nconiure and driue away euill spirits out of houses into woods &\ndesart places. They wroght maruellous and straunge things, and they\nsaid that a spirit in the name of Saints, and by the vertue of their\nconiuring and characters, was constrained to giue place whether he\nwould or not. Ind\u00e9ede the diuel giueth place, but he doth it as\nenemies doo, which by flying chuse a more fit place to fight in, or\nmore apte to embushe themselues. That which Sathan doth, he doth it\nwillingly and of his owne accorde, that he might withdrawe men from\ntrusting in God onely, and driue them headlong into Idolatrie. Christ\nand his Disciples cast out diuels, but they were loth and vnwilling\nto depart. Moreouer they vsed to hang Saint =Iohns= Gospell about\ntheir neckes, and carried about with them hallowed waxe inclosed in\na purse, which they call an _Agnus Dei_, There are certaine bookes\nabroade, especially one written by =Iacobus de Clusa=, a Carthusian,\nconcerning the appearing of soules separated from their bodies,\nwherein amongst other things we reade, after what sort men should\nprepare themselues, when any spirits appeare, howe they shall behaue\nthemselues in comming to them, in departing from them, in the place\nwhere they appeare, and what questions are to be proposed vnto them:\ntouching which things I spake before, in the second part of this\nBooke and second Chapter, where if you list you may finde them.\n\nI haue heard men which haue confessed themselues to haue bene so\nsuperstitious, that when the priest lifted vp the host (as they call\nit) in saying masse, they woulde presently wipe their face with their\nhands, because they were perswaded, that it was good to stop all\nspirits from m\u00e9eting with them in a visible forme.\n\nBut tell m\u00e9e I pray th\u00e9e whosoeuer thou art whiche doest so, by what\nplaces of Scripture canst thou confirme those ceremonies? Where doth\nChrist and his Disciples teach vs to expell the diuell (which is a\nspirit, and therefore without any bodie) by bodily things? shewe\nbut one example, that they haue cast forth the diuel by this way or\nmeans. If you bring out of the bookes of =Tobie=, that the heart\nand liuer of the fish being laide on the coales, droue away the\ndiuel with the smell, we say that the same booke is not accounted\namongst the Canonicall scriptures: and moreouer that the same diuel\nwas rather vanquished by the praiers of =Tobias= and his wife, than\nby any fumigation. Did Christ ordaine the holy Supper to this ende,\nthat thereby diuels should be cast out? Albeit that an euil spirit\ndoo faine to giue place, because of these things, yet he bringeth to\npasse in the meane season, that superstition is more d\u00e9eply rooted in\nthe hearts of men.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XI.\n\n  That spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and\n  banning.\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Rom._ 8.]\n\nHere I cannot ouerpasse, that certaine doo vainly persuade\nthemselues, that spirites may easily be driuen away with cursing and\nbanning, for that (as they say) spirits approach neare vnto such as\npray, and do more egerly disturbe and vex them. Our Lord Iesus Christ\nwho can best tell how we should fight against the craft and subtiltie\nof the diuel, teacheth vs in many places to pray continually, he\nbiddeth vs to pray in y\u0364 Lords praier, that we may be deliuered\nfrom euil, calling Sathan by the figure \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03ac \u1f11\u03b6\u03bf\u03c7\u03ae\u03bd:\nEuil it selfe, because he excelleth therein. Nothing can be more\nacceptable and pleasing to the diuel, than when any man vseth cursing\nand banning. He feineth that he is hereby driuen away, but in the\nmeane season he cr\u00e9epeth inuisibly into their bosomes. If you list ye\nmay driue away the diuel, in saying that he hath no place with you,\nbut his place is in Hell, and that he hath nothing to do with those\nwhich put their only trust and confidence in Christ Iesus. For in\nthe eight Chapter to the Romanes in the beginning, it is said: Now\nthere is no condemnation vnto them, that are grafted in Christ Iesu,\nwho walke not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. A\nman may commaund the diuel to depart from him without any cursing or\nbanning. And that is also to be blamed, that certaine wicked and rash\nmen talke very beastly, and filthily with spirits, if they appeare at\nany time vnto them.\n\nSome others, when spirits appeare vnto them, will by and by set on\nthem, and driue th\u0113 away with naked swords: and sometimes throw them\nout of the windowes, not considering with themselues, that spirites\nare nothing hurt with weapons. In the Grecian histories we reade,\nthat a certaine _Lacedemonian_ passing by a sepulchre in the night\nseason, when a spirit s\u00e9emed to appeare vnto him, ranne towards it\nthinking to run it through with his speare: saying: Whither fliest\nthou, O thou soule which shalt twice die? Surely it is praise worthie\nwhen a men m\u00e9eting with a spirit is not afraid, but yet boldnesse\nand rashnesse cannot be commended. If thy enemy, albeit he be very\nweake be not to be despised, much lesse ought an enemy so mightie\nand so craftie, to be neglected. There haue bene some who when they\nwould haue striken a spirit with their sworde, haue thought they haue\nstriken the featherbed, the diuel so mocked them. Others supposing\nthey had throwne a spirit out of the window, by and by thought they\nheard shingles falling and ratling amongst the tr\u00e9es.\n\nIt is reported that there haue bin some, who supposing with their\nweapons to hurt spirits, haue wounded themselues, for their armes\nand other members of their bodie haue neuer serued them after. We\nmust not vse a materiall sword against spirits and vaine shewes\n(for it profiteth nothing) but we must vse the sword of the spirit.\nThey which will strike spirits and ghosts with a sword, ind\u00e9ed\n\u03c3\u03ba\u03b9\u03b1\u03bc\u03b1\u03c7\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9, that is, fight with their owne shadow. In the booke of\n=Iobe= the diuel is signified by =Leuiathan=, which careth not for\nthe speare, for he appeareth in diuers shapes, and cannot be put\nto flight with pikes. The diuel is a spirit, he hath not bones and\nflesh, but he only taketh on him a shape for a time. But in case\nspirits which haue bodies do wander (that is, coniurers, priests,\nwhores, & whoremongers, which faine themselues to be spirites) there\ncan be no better coniuration inuented, than to bang them well with\na cudgell. For thou shalt not so much preuaile with these kindes of\ndiuels with words as with stripes.\n\nHitherto I haue shewed howe they ought to behaue themselues which\nm\u00e9ete with spirits. As touching them which neuer heard or sawe any\nthing (for there bee many which neuer chaunced on such things) let\nthem be thankful vnto God for so great a benefit, let them not be\nrashe and bolde, nor desirous to s\u00e9e such things, but rather let them\npray vnto God for them which are vexed with such euils. Let them not\ndoo, as they many times vse which were neuer greatly sicke: for they\nf\u00e9ele not other mens griefes, and therefore they thinke they are\nlitle sicke, or that they counterfeit their sicknesse, vntill such\ntime as they themselues fall into some great and daungerous disease:\neuen so God can cause them to s\u00e9e spirites, which neuer sawe any\nbefore, that afterwards they may be the more touched with other mens\ngriefes, and diligently pray for them.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. XII.\n\n  After what sort we ought to behaue our selues, when we\n  heare straunge crackes, or when other forewarnings happen.\n\n\nBut nowe as concerning other matters, as in case any straunge crackes\nand noyses be heard, or any rare and maruellous things happen before\nthe alteration of kingdomes (which we speake of before) what shall\nwe then doo? Surely we must not attribute too much vnto such things,\nfor they sometimes, yea and most commonly chaunce by the deceit of\nthe diuell, who hath a great pleasure to haue men muse night and\nday on such matters, and to imagine before their eyes and mindes\nmany horrible things, that thereby they may fall into some gr\u00e9euous\nsicknesse, and neuer be at rest. When such things happen ind\u00e9ed,\nthey ought to put vs in minde, that we casting from vs all these\nthings which displease God, should wholly consecrate our selues vnto\nGod, and so frame our selues, that at what houre soeuer he come, and\nplease to call vs out of this life, we should be readie for him euen\nas he himselfe teacheth vs, and also endure patiently all vnfortunate\nchances, how many soeuer happen vnto vs, knowing that they come not\nby chance, but by the prouidence of God.\n\n[Sidenote: Plutarches Christian opinion.]\n\n=Plutarch=, albeit he be an Heathen writer, is of a sounde iudgement\n(as me s\u00e9emeth) concerning Monsters and wonders. For writing of\n=Alexander= the great, in his booke _De vitis_, he saith; that there\nhappened certaine prognostications before his death, which sometimes\n=Alexander= cared not for, but contemned them, and contrariwise,\nsometimes he tooke smal and trifling things, as signes of euil lucke.\n\n[Sidenote: Valerius Maximus.]\n\nHe addeth further, how dangerous a thing it is, to despise tokens and\nsignes sent from God vnto men, and on the other side, how pernitious\nand hurtfull it is to be afraid of euery trifle, for as in all other\nthings, so is there a measure to be obserued herein. The same opinion\nis he of, touching other wonders and miracles. For ye may reade in\nthe life of =Camillus=, that when he being Captain, had taken and\ndestroyed the _Veians_, he made a solemne vow, to translate the\nImage of =Iuno= vnto _Rome_. And therefore he commaunded certain\nmen to take vp the Image: he offered sacrifice vnto the Goddesse,\nand besought her that she would vouchsafe to follow him, and to be\nfauourable vnto the Romanes, as other Goddes were which now dwelt at\n_Rome_. The Image made him answere that she would goe with him. He\nalso writeth, that those men which noted and recorded these things,\nreport other such straunge matters, as that Images did sweate, that\nthey gaue great grones, that they turned away their faces, or hanged\ndown their heads: he saieth, that men whiche liued before his time,\ngathered many suche examples togither, and that he himselfe hath\nheard many maruellous things of men liuing in his time, which were\nnot by and by to be neglected and contemned: and yet mans infirmitie\nis such, that it cannot attribute either too much or too little, vnto\nthose things without great daunger, for men obserue no measure, but\nare either too superstitious and attribute ouer much to such matters,\nor else do vtterly reiect and contemne them. And therefore the safest\nway is, to be aduised, and to k\u00e9epe a meane in suche affaires.\n=Valerius Maximus= confesseth in his first booke, that the very\nGentils themselues had many miracles and wonders happening among them\nin great suspition, and that not without iust cause. True wonders\nought to stir vs vp from sl\u00e9epe. A couragious horse goeth well inough\nof his owne accorde, and yet if you do but make signe vnto him with a\nwande, or put spurre vnto him, he will be more readier and quicker.\nEuen so must we go in the way that leadeth vnto heauen so long as we\nliue, but in case we s\u00e9e any foretokens, or some great alteration\ns\u00e9eme to hang ouer vs, we ought to bee the more stirred vp, to giue\nour selues to praier, and to exercise godlinesse. The Gentiles if at\nany time such forewarnings were shewed vnto them from heauen, did\ninstitute certaine solemne praiers and processions to pacifie their\nGods: how much rather ought all Christian Princes and Magistrates,\nDoctors and Preachers of our time, to bend themselues wholly herein,\nwhen so euer plagues hang ouer our heads, that all men generally and\nparticularly shewe forth true repentance?\n\n[Sidenote: The conclusion.]\n\nHitherto (I trust) we haue sufficiently shewed what we may thinke,\nconcerning visions and appearing of spirites, and other straunge\nthings which haue great affinitie and likenesse vnto them. And that\nin times past, Doctors wrote and taught farre otherwise concerning\nthem, than the very truth it selfe was, we haue also shewed the\ncauses thereof. It might be also declared in many words, that the\nlike hath happened in other pointes of Christian doctrine, yea and\nmany excellent learned and godly men, haue at large opened the same\nin their bookes which are now extant concerning such matters.\n\nAnd that I may conclude this my booke, I shall bes\u00e9ech all those,\nfor the glorie of God, that shall happen to reade it, that in case\nthey thinke I haue straied from the rule of the word of God, they\nwould fr\u00e9ely and friendly admonish me thereof, but if they know it be\nagr\u00e9eable to the word of God (as I trust it is) that then they suffer\nnot themselues to be ruled and mocked of iugling Monkes and Priests,\nbut rather giue God thankes for that great and vnspeakable benefit,\nwhereby he doth daily deliuer them out of great errors and feares,\nand doth continually more and more bring his truth to light: let them\nnot so lose the raignes to their affections, that they reiect the\ntruth which they haue once acknowledged.\n\nThe Senat and people of _Rome_ as stories witnesse, granted libertie\nto the people of _Cappadocia_, when the stocke and issue of their\nkings was vtterly extinct, to be fr\u00e9e, and Lords of themselues for\neuer after. But the Nobilitie consulting on the matter, refusing\nlibertie which they coulde in no wise disgest, desired to haue a\nKing. The Romaines wondring h\u00e9ereat, gaue them leaue to choose whome\nthey would to be their King. Let not vs b\u00e9e such fooles, but rather\nlet vs imbrace the libertie of our soules, whiche God doth daily\noffer vnto vs by his word.\n\nMany Noble nations fighting couragiously, haue put themselues in\npresent daunger of life, to obtaine and k\u00e9epe this sw\u00e9ete eternall\nlibertie. How muche more ought the Christians to fight against the\nsubtiltie and deceit of the Deuill, least the libertie of our soules,\nwhiche is much more precious than the other, shoulde be opressed by\ndiuers errors and supersticions.\n\nMen sitting in darkenesse, desire the light very earnestly. Let not\nvs therefore cast away light fr\u00e9ely offered vnto vs by God in this\nScriptures. We haue nothing here in earth more deare vnto vs, than\nthe libertie of our soules and consciences. Let vs not then (as\n=Paule= saith,) withhold truth in vnrighteousnesse, let euery man of\nwhat age soeuer he be, weigh with himself how fraile and brittle this\nlife is whiche God hath giuen vnto vs, and that wee must depart from\nhence, sooner then we thinke for, and render an account to the iust\nIudge, of our faith, wordes, and d\u00e9eds.\n\nGlorie and praise be vnto Almightie God for euer and euer, and I\nbes\u00e9ech him to vouchsafe to stretch foorth his hande, to deliuer all\nsuche as are still entangled in superstition and errours, and to\ngraunt those whome he hath deliuered his heauenly grace, that they\nbe alwaies thankfull for so great a benefit, least they be wrapped\nagaine in the same mischiefe.\n\n\nFINIS.\n\n\n  LONDON\n  Printed by Thomas\n  Creede. 1596.","title":"Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night: And of Straunge Noyses, Crackes, and Sundrie Forewarnings, Which Commonly Happen Before the Death of Men: Great Slaughters, and Alterations of Kingdoms","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":77843}