,transcriber's ,notes3 ,italic text is denoted by underscores and change of font text by equal signs4 ,there is no ,bold text to convert in this project4 ,the caret character 77 is used for superscript numbers 7see l4 #bgie7 ,the ,greek passages were very to hard to read1 and every effort has been made to reproduce them correctly4 ,typographical errors worth a special mention3 ,line #hbh3 ,original has ',onocentanrus'4 ,it should read3 ',onocentaurus'4 ,corrected4 ,line #ajeh3 ,original reads',paules ,aegineta writeth'4 ,it should read3 ',paulus ,aegineta writeth'4 ,corrected4 ,line #agje3 ,in the original book the abbreviation wsuperscript 't' appears to be purely the author's own abbreviation for the word 'with'4 ,for clarity this has been changed to 'with' in this text version4 ,line #bfea3 ,sidenote3 ,the spirit of ,athens4 ,original reads3 ',the spirit of ,athen4'4 ,corrected4 ,line #dhag3 ,the original reads3 'in the #af4 of ,ruke'4 ,it should read3 'in the #af4 of ,luke4'4 ,corrected4 ,line #ehdh3 ,original contains an isolated bracket3 'life of ,cimon1 7as he is translated'4 ,it has been left as shown in the original as uncertain as to where the missing bracket should be4 ,line #fagc3 ,original reads3 '7which many haue noted before mee 7that many'4 ,the bracket is reversed4 ,it should read3 '7which many haue noted before mee7 that many'4 ,corrected4 ,line #ggfb3 ,original reads3 'fault vpon his wife ,eua1'4 ,it should read3'fault vpon his wife ,eue1'4 ,corrected4 ,line #hbaf3 ,original reads3 'passiuely1 as they terme it in the schooles7'4 ,the opening bracket is missing4 ,it should read3 'passiuely1 7as they terme it in the schooles7'4 ,corrected4 ,,of ,ghostes and ,spirites1 ,walking by ,night1 ,and of straunge ,noyses1 ,crackes1 and sundrie forewarnings1 which commonly happen before the death of men3 ,great slaughters1 and alterations of ,kingdomes4 ,one ,booke1 ,written by ,lewes ,lauaterus of ,tigurine4 ,and translated into ,english by ,r4 ,h4 ,illustration ,imprinted at ,london by ,thomas ,creede4 #aeif4 ,illustration ,to the ,reader4 ,being desirous 7gentle ,reader7 to exercise my selfe with some translation1 at vacant times1 and seeing1 that since the ,gospell hath been preached1 this one question1 touching the appearing of spirits and soules departed1 hath not bin much handled amongst vs1 and therfore many1 otherwise well affected in religion vtterly ignorant heerein1 ,i thought it not amisse to take in hand some good and learned ,treatise concerning this matter4 ,wherein as many haue both learnedly1 painfully1 and religiously trauelled3 so amongst others1 none in my iudgement hath more handsomly eloqutly1 with more iudgment better method discoursed the same1 th ,lewes ,lauaterus1 ,minister of ,tigurine4 ,others haue hdled it indeed wel1 but yet ,nihil ad nostr hunc1 being either too short1 or too long1 or too darke1 or too doubtful1 or otherwise so cfused1 that they leaue the ,reader more in suspence in the end1 then they found him in the beginning4 ,as for ,maister ,lauaterus his discretion heerein1 ,i will no otherwise commend it1 then to desire the ,reader to view1 and iudge himself4 ,for thus much at the first sight he shall see3 ,a cleare methode1 with a familiar and easie stile1 the matter throughly handled ,pro and ,con1 on both sides1 so that nothing seemeth to be wanting1 nor any thing redounding4 ,and if it be true that ,horace saith1 ,omne tulit punctum1 qui miscuit vtile dulci1 that is1 ,he winneth the prize1 that ioyneth pleasure with profit3 ,i thinke this ,authour may also in this respect be pronounced ,victor1 and adiudged to the best game4 ,for he so intreateth this serious and terrible matter of ,spirits1 that he now and th inserting some strange story of ,monks1 ,priestes1 ,friers1 and such like counterfeits1 doth both very liuely display their falshood1 and also not a litle recreate his ,reader3 and yet in the end he so aptly concludeth to the purpose1 that his histories seeme not idle tales1 or impertinent vagaries1 but very truthes1 naturally falling vnder the compasse of this matter4 ,and how profitable this his woorke is1 those may best iudge1 which are most ignorant in this question1 some thinking euery small motion noyse to be ,spirites1 and some so fondly perswaded that there are no ,spirits1 who being better enformed herein by this ,authour1 ,i suppose will confesse his work to haue done them some profit3 if knowledge be profitable1 and ignorance discommodious4 ,and againe1 those which being hitherto borne in hande that mens soules returne againe on earth1 crauing helpe of the liuing1 and haue spent much of their substaunce on idle ,monkes and ,friers1 to relieue them1 will confesse the like4 ,for when they shall see they haue bene falsely taught1 and that they were not the soules of men which appeared1 but either falshood of ,monks1 or illusions of diuels1 franticke imaginations1 or some other friuolous vaine perswasions1 they will thinke it profitable to haue knowne the truth1 as well to auoid error hereafter1 as to saue their mony from such greedy caterpillers4 ,some also which be otherwise well trained vp in ,religion1 and yet not knowing what to thinke of these matters1 will not iudge their labour euill imployed1 nor the worke vnprofitable1 wherby they may be brought out of doubt1 and know certainly what to beleeue4 ,there be many also euen now a dayes1 which are hanted troubled with spirites1 and know not howe to vse themselues1 who when they shall learne how a ,christian man ought to gouern himselfe1 being vexed with euil spirits1 wil think it a very profitable point of doctrine1 that shal teach them to direct themselues4 ,profitable therefore it is1 and shalbe1 no doubt1 vnto many1 and disprofitable vnto none1 except perchance vnto popish ,monks and ,priests1 who are like hereby to lose a great part of their gaines1 which sometimes they gathered togither in great abundaunce1 by their deceitfull doctrine of the appearing of dead mens soules4 ,but this their wicked and diuellish doctrine1 togither with all the patches and appendices therto belonging1 he so notably teareth and cutteth in peeces1 that ,i am well assured they shal neuer be able to cobble and clout them vp again4 ,and this doth he with such a moderation of breuitie and tediousnesse1 that ,i may rightly say2 ,he hath said well1 and not too much1 and written truly1 and not too litle4 ,now as touching my translation1 although ,i haue not made him speake with like grace in ,english1 as hee dooth in ,latine3 yet haue ,i not chaunged his meaning1 nor altered his matter1 endeuouring my selfe rather to make thee vnderstand what thou readest1 then to smoothe and pollish it with fine picked words1 which ,i graunt others might haue done more exquisitely1 and perchaunce ,i my selfe also somewhat better1 if ,i would haue made thereof a study and labour1 and not a recreation and exercise4 ,but howsoeuer ,i haue done herein1 verily good reader1 ,i trust thou wilt take in good part1 which is all that ,i esteeme3 if any man shall mislike therof1 let him amend it4 ,i trust it be sufficient to testifie my good will to do thee good1 and to let thee vnderstand the ,authours meaning4 ,farewell4 ,illustration ,illustration ,to the right excellent and most wise and vertuous ,lord ,iohn ,steigerus ,consull of the noble ,common wealth of ,berna1 his good ,lord and ,patrone1 ,lewes ,lauaterus of ,tigurine1 wisheth health4 ,many and diuers things are reasoned vpon1 both of the learned and vnlearned1 as wel of other matter1 as also of ,spirites1 which are seene and heard1 and make men afraid in the night season1 and in the day time1 by sea and by lande1 in the fields1 woods1 and houses3 ,and likewise concerning such straunge things which for the most part happen before the death of certain men1 especially great ,princes1 and before notable innouations of ,kingdomes and ,empires4 ,many which neuer sawe or heard any of these things1 suppose all that is reported of them1 to be meere trifles and old wiues tales3 for so much as simple men1 and such as are fearefull and superstitious1 perswade themselues they haue seen this or that1 when indeed the matter is farre otherwise4 ,againe1 there are some1 which assoone as they heare of any thing1 especially if it happen in the night1 they by and by thinke some spirite dooth walke1 and are maruellously troubled in minde1 because they cannot discerne naturall things from spirites4 ,and some 7chiefly those whiche hunt after gaines1 by the soules of dead men7 affirme that the most part of such things which are heard or seene1 are the soules of dead men1 which craue helpe of them that are liuing1 to be deliuered out of the torments of most cruell paine in ,purgatorie4 ,many not only of the common sort1 but also men of excellent knowledge1 do maruell whether there be any spirits or no1 and what maner of things they are4 ,yea and some of my familiar friends haue many times requested me1 to shew them my opinion concerning these matters4 ,wherfore me seemeth it shall be worth my laboure1 if ,i declare briefly and plainly out of the word of ,god1 what we ought to iudge concerning these things4 ,for the ,ministers of ,gods ,church can take nothing more profitable in hande1 than to instruct the people of ,god purely and plainly1 in such necessary matters as come in question out of the word of ,god1 which is a lanterne 7as the ,psalmist saith7 vnto our feete1 and a light vnto our pathes3 and to deliuer them from all errour and superstition1 and bring them out of all wauering and doubt4 ,and verily their studie diligence is to be highly commended1 who for these fewe yeares ago1 haue set forth certaine bookes drawne out of the scriptures1 written in the ,germaine tongue against sundrie errours3 and theirs likewise who in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache1 instruct1 and confirme the rude and vnlearned people4 ,for amongst many other excellent benefits1 which ,god our heauenly ,father hath bestowed vppon mankinde1 this also is a great and most liberall gift1 that in this latter1 and as it were old age of the world1 he hath brought to light by the ,art of ,imprinting1 aswel many other good ,authours1 as also the holie scriptures of the old and new ,testament1 written in diuers languages3 whereby he doth not onlie teach vs amply and fully what to beleeue1 and what to doo1 but also mightily subuerteth and quite ouerthroweth diuers and sundrie errours1 which by little and little haue crept into the ,church4 ,truly all such are verie vngrateful towards ,god1 which do not willingly acknowledge this so notable a benefit4 ,sidenote3 ,the diuision or partes of this booke4 ,as touching this my treatise concerning ,spirits1 and straunge wonders1 ,i haue deuided it into three partes for the more cleare vnderstanding therof4 ,in the first parte ,i shewe1 that there are visions and spirits1 and that they appeare vnto men sometimes1 and that many maruellous things happen besides the ordinarie course of nature4 ,in the second ,i discusse what maner of things they are1 that1 is not the soules of dead men1 as some men haue thought1 but either good or euill angels1 or else some secret and hid operations of ,god4 ,in the third ,i declare why ,god doth somtime suffer ,spirits to appear1 and diuers forewarnings to happen3 and also how m ought to behaue themselues when they happen to meete with such things4 ,in these points or partes1 the chiefest thing wheron men vse to reason touching this matter1 are conteined4 ,now ,i mean to handle this matter1 being very obscure and intricate1 with many questions1 7,i trust7 so plainly1 clerely out of the holy scriptures1 whereon we may surely stay our selues1 out of the ancit fathers1 allowed historiographers1 and other good writers1 that those which are studious and louers of ,gods truth1 may well vnderstand what may be denied thought of those apparitions1 other straunge maruellous matters4 ,and ,i also trust that euen our aduersaries also1 7in case they wil lay their affections aside1 but a litle while7 wil say that ,i haue truly alleaged all their arguments1 and confuted th without any railing or bitternesse4 ,for my purposed ende is according to the doctrine of ,saint ,paule1 to edifie and not to destroy4 ,as touching diuinations1 blessings1 iuglings1 coniurings1 and diuers kinds of sorcerie1 and generally of all other diuellish practises1 certaine learned men of our time haue written bookes1 as ,gasper ,pencerus1 ,ioannes ,viera1 ,ludouicus ,mellichius1 and perchaunce some others also1 whose worke ,i haue not yet seene4 ,it is not long ago since ,ioannes ,riuius a man learned and eloquent1 published a booke in the latin toong1 entreating of spirites and superstition4 ,in the which booke albeit very briefly1 yet doth hee as he is wont in all things1 very finely eloquently intreat of this matter1 and of other foolishe superstitions4 ,and albeit that ,i do write more largely of this1 yet was it not my minde to gather togither al those thinges which ,i could haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter3 but only such as seeme the chiefest and most especiall points1 partly because ,i would not be tedious to the reader1 partly also least my books shuld grow vnto an ouer great quantity4 ,i haue great hope that ,ioachimus ,camerarius1 that excellent man1 who readeth the auncient writers both greeks and latins1 with exquisite iudgemt1 and hath great experience in all things1 will shortly write learnedly at large of this matter1 and also of others like vnto it4 ,for so muche hee seemeth to promise in his preface to ,plutarches ,booke1 ,de defectu oraculorum1 figura1 consecrata ,delphis 7wherin he handleth the nature and operatis of diuels7 and also in other of his writings4 ,i for my parte had once written this my treatise in the vulger tong1 and now bicause ,i trust it shal be also profitable to other men1 ,i haue translated it into latin1 adding certaine things thereto4 ,sidenote3 ,the dedication4 ,this my booke which ,i haue with great labour and study gathered out of other ms writings ,i present offer vnto you 7most noble consul7 according to the ancient fashion custome3 not for that ,i suppose you haue any neede of my teaching1 touching these things which are herein hdled4 7,for ,i am not ignoraunt1 vnder what teachers you haue atteined vnto true learning1 and how you haue and do continually read ouer sundry good authors with perfect knowledge in many tongues47 ,but partly that ,i might purchase credit and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men1 vnto whome your goodnes1 godlinesse and constancie 7which you haue alwaies hitherto euermore shewed1 and yet do shewe1 in setting forth true religi1 mainteining good lawes7 is throughly knowne3 and partly that ,i might shew my selfe in some respecte thankfull vnto you4 ,for your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me1 whom you onlie knowe by sight1 and vppon other ,ministers of the ,church1 wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you1 that ,i shall neuer be able to make any recompence4 ,wherefore ,i most earnestly beseech you1 not to refuse this signe and token of my good wil1 be it neuer so simple3 but rather to vouchsafe1 wh ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common wealth1 to reade ouer this my booke3 for ,i haue good hope it will not seeme vnpleasaunt vnto you others in the reading1 as wel for the plaine order ,i vse therin1 as also for the sundrie and manifold histories in it recited4 ,almightie ,god1 who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts1 that for them1 7albeit very yong7 you haue aspired vnto the highest degree in your noble citie and domini of ,berna1 vouchsafe to preserue you in health1 and increase and multiply his good gifts in you4 ,my ,lords brethren the ministers of ,tigurin1 and also your old companion master ,george ,grebelius1 that excellent man in lerning1 vertu1 and nobilitie1 hartily salute your ,lordship4 ,from ,tigurin in the month of ,ianuary1 the year of ,christs ,natiuitie4 #aegj4 ,illustration ,illustration ,contents4 ,a ,table of the ,chapters of the three principall parts1 touching ,spirits walking by ,night4 ,of the first part4 ,concerning certaine words which are often vsed in this ,treatise of ,spirites1 and diuers other diuinations of things to come4 ,chapter4#a4 ,folio4#a4 ,melancholike persons and madde men1 imagining things which in very deed are not4 ,chapter4#b4 ,fol4#i4 ,fearefull men1 imagine that they see and heare straunge things4 ,chap4#c4 ,fol4#ad4 ,men which are dull of seeing and hearing1 imagine many things which in very deed are not so4 ,chap4#d4 ,fol4#af4 ,many are so feared by other men1 that they suppose they haue heard or seene spirits4 ,chap4#e4 ,fol4#ba4 ,priests and ,monkes fained themselues to be spirits3 also how ,mundus vnder this colour defiled ,paulina1 and ,tyrannus abused many noble and honest matrons4 ,chap4#f4 ,fol4#bc4 ,timotheus ,aelurus1 counterfeiting himselfe to be an ,angell1 obteined a ,bishoppricke3 foure ,monkes of the order of ,preachers1 made many vaine apparitions at ,berna4 ,chapter4#g4 ,fol4#bh4 ,of a counterfaite and deceiuing spirite at ,orleaunce in ,france4 ,chap4#h4 ,fol4#cg4 ,of a certaine parish priest at ,clauenna1 which fained him selfe to be our ,lady1 and of an other that counterfeited himselfe to be a ,soule1 as also of a certaine disguised ,iesuit ,frier4 ,chapter4#i4 ,fol4#da4 ,that it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in olde time1 neither yet that it is to be maruelled at1 if there be any at this day4 ,chap4#aj4 ,fol4#de4 ,that many naturall things are taken to be ghostes4 ,chapter4#aa4 ,fol4#di4 ,a proofe out of the ,gentiles histories1 that ghostes do oftentimes appeare4 ,chap4#ab4 ,fol4#ec4 ,a proofe out of the histories of the auncient ,church1 and of the writings of holy ,fathers1 that there are walking spirits4 ,chap4#ac4 ,fol4#fb4 ,that in the bookes1 set foorth by ,monkes1 are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions4 ,chap4#ad4 ,fol4#fe4 ,a proofe by other sufficient writers1 that spirits do sometime appeare4 ,chap4#ae4 ,fol4#fh4 ,daily experience teacheth vs1 that spirites do appeare to men4 ,chap4#af4 ,fol4#ga4 ,that there happen straunge wonders and prognostications1 and that sodain noyses and cracks and such like1 are heard before the death of men1 before battail1 and before some notable alterations and chaunges4 ,chap4#ag4 ,fol4#gg4 ,it is proued by testimonies of holy scripture1 that spirites are sometime seen and heard1 and that other strange matters do often chaunce4 ,chap4#ah4 ,fol4#he4 ,to whom1 when1 where1 and after what sort1 spirits do appeare1 and what they do worke4 ,chap4#ai4 ,fol4#hh4 ,the ,chapters of the second part4 ,the opinion or beleef of the ,gentils1 ,iewes1 and ,turks1 concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies4 ,chapter4#a4 ,fol4#ih4 ,the ,papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men1 and the appearing of them4 ,chap4#b4 ,fol4#ajb4 ,what hath followed this doctrine of the ,papists1 concerning the appearing of mens soules4 ,chap4#c4 ,fol4#aaj4 ,testimonies out of the word of ,god1 that neither the soules of the faithful1 nor of infidels1 do walke vpon the earth after they are once parted from their bodies4 ,chapter4#d4 ,fol4#aad4 ,testimonies of the auncient ,fathers1 that deade mens soules parted from their bodies1 doo not wander here vppon earth4 ,chap4#e4 ,fol4#aaf4 ,a confutation of those mens arguments or reasons1 which affirme1 that dead mens soules do appeare4 ,and first1 that is answered which certaine do alleage1 to wit1 that ,god is omnipotent1 and therefore that hee can worke contrary to the ordinary course of nature4 ,chap4#f4 ,fol4#abc4 ,that the true ,samuel did not appeare to the ,witch in ,endor4 ,chap4#g4 ,fol4#abg4 ,a confutation of their arguments1 which woulde haue ,samuell himselfe to appeare4 ,chap4#h4 ,fol4#acc4 ,whether the ,diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man8 ,chap4#i4 ,fol4#adj4 ,moses and ,elias appeared in the ,mount vnto ,christ our ,lorde3 many haue beene raised from the dead both in bodie and soule1 and therefore soules after they are departed1 may returne on earth againe4 ,chap4#aj4 ,fol4#ade4 ,whether the holy ,apostles thought they sawe a mans soule1 when ,christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after his ,resurrection4 ,chap4#aa4 ,fol4#adh4 ,concerning the holy ,fathers1 ,councels1 ,bishoppes1 and common people1 which say that soules doo visibly appeare4 ,chap4#ab4 ,fol4#aea4 ,whether soules doo returne againe out of ,purgatorie1 and the place which they call ,limbus puerorum4 ,chapter4#ac4 ,fol4#aee4 ,what those things are which men see and heare3 and first that good ,angels do sometimes appeare4 ,chap4#ad4 ,fol4#aei4 ,that sometimes1 yea and for the most part1 euill angels doo appeare4 ,chap4#ae4 ,fol4#afc4 ,of wondrous monsters1 and such like4 ,chap4#af4 ,fol4#afd4 ,that it is no hard thing for the diuell to appeare in diuers shapes1 and to bring to passe straunge things4 ,chap4#ag4 ,fol4#afg4 ,diuels do sometimes bid men do those things which are good1 and auoyde things that are euill3 sometimes they tell truth1 and for what cause4 ,chap4#ah4 ,fol4#aga4 ,the ,chapters of the third part4 ,god by the appearing of ,spirits doth exercise the faithfull1 and punish the vnbeleeuers4 ,chap4#a4 ,fol4#age4 ,what the cause is that in these our dayes1 so fewe spirites are seene or heard4 ,chap4#b4 ,fol4#ahc4 ,why ,god doth suffer straunge noyses1 or extraordinary rumblings to be heard before some notable alterations1 or otherwise4 ,chap4#c4 ,fol4#ahf4 ,after what sort they should behaue themselues1 which see good or euill spirits1 or meete with other straunge aduentures3 and first how both ,iewes and ,gentiles behaued themselues in the like cases4 ,chap4#d4 ,fol4#ahg4 ,how ,christian men ought to behaue themselues when they see spirits1 and first1 that they ought to haue a good courage1 and to be stedfast in faith4 ,chap4#e4 ,fol4#aij4 ,it behoueth them which are vexed with spirites to pray especially1 and to giue themselues to fasting1 sobrietie1 watching1 and vpright and godly liuing4 ,chap4#f4 ,fol4#aic4 ,that spirits which vse to appeare1 ought to be iustly suspected3 and that we may not talke with them1 nor enquire any thing of them4 ,chap4#g4 ,fol4#aie4 ,testimonies out of the holy ,scripture1 and one example whereby it is prooued1 that such kinde of apparitions are not to be credited1 and that we ought to be verie circumspect in them4 ,chap4#h4 ,fol4#bja4 ,after what sort the faithfull in the primatiue church1 vsed themselues1 when they met with spirits4 ,chap4#i4 ,fol4#bjd4 ,that sundry kindes of superstition haue crept in1 wherby men haue attempted to driue away spirits4 ,chap4#aj4 ,fol4#bjf4 ,that spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and banning4 ,chap4#aa4 ,fol4#bad4 ,after what sort we ought to behaue our selues1 when we heare straunge cracks1 or when other forewarnings happen4 ,chapter4#ab4 ,fol4#baf4 ,,finis4 ,illustration ,the first parte of this ,booke1 concerning ,spirits walking by night4 ,wherin is declared1 that ,spirits and sights do appeare1 and that sundry strange and monstrous things doo happen4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,concerning certaine wordes whiche are often vsed in this ,treatise of ,spirits1 and diuers other diuinations of things to come4 ,to the intent1 that those men which occupie themselues in reading of this my ,booke1 and especially in perusing of other auncient writers1 may the better vnderstand euery thing1 ,i will at the first enteraunce briefly expounde those things which shall seme to concern the proprietie of words and termes vsed in this my ,treatise of ,spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,spectrum4 ,spectrum1 amongst the ,latines doth signifie a shape or forme of some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight4 ,scaliger affirmeth1 that ,spectrum is a thing which offereth it selfe to be sene1 either truly1 or by vaine imagination4 ,the ,diuines take it to be a substance without a bodie1 which being heard or sene1 maketh men afraide4 ,sidenote3 ,visum4 ,visum1 signifieth an imagination or a certaine shewe1 which men being in slepe1 yea and waking also1 seme in their iudgement to behold3 as we read of ,brutus1 who saw his owne angell4 ,cicero in his first booke ,acadm1 quest4 writeth1 that ,visum1 amongst the ,grecians is called 1 a fantasie1 or vaine imagination4 ,sidenote3 ,visio4 ,also the ,latines call those things ,visiones1 which the ,grecians name 4 ,sidenote3 ,terriculamenta4 ,terriculamenta1 are vain visions or sights1 which make men afraide4 ,the ,latines also call it ,terriculum1 because it bredeth feare4 ,sidenote3 ,phantasma4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#bd4 ,sidenote3 ,marke #f4 ,that which ,s4 ,matth4 #bd4 and ,marke #f4 call 1 ,erasmus doth translate it ,spectrum1 but the old interpreter vseth the ,greke word4 ,sidenote3 ,phasma4 in like manner doth signifie an elfe1 a sighte or vaine apparition4 ,suidas maketh a difference betwene ,phantasma and ,phantasia1 saying1 that ,phantasma is an imagination1 an appearance or sight of a thing which is not1 as are those sightes which men in their slepe do thinke they se3 but that ,phantasia1 is the seing of that onely which is in very dede4 ,sidenote3 ,pneuma4 ,sidenote3 ,luk4#bd4 is taken in ,luke #bd4 chapter1 for a spirite or vaine imagination4 ,howbeit most commonly some other word is ioyned vnto it1 if it bee put for an euill spirite3 as 4 ,the ,gentiles 7as ,s4 ,augustine and other ,fathers doo testifie7 supposed that the soules of men became ,dmones1 that is1 good or euil angels3 which if they had done well1 then were they called ,lares1 that is priuate gods3 but if they haue done euill1 then were they named ,lemures1 or ,larue1 bugs and ,elues4 ,but if it were doubted whether they had liued well or ill1 then were they called ,manes4 ,apuleius and other old writers affirme1 that ,genij and ,lares were all one4 ,sidenote3 ,lares4 ,sidenote3 ,prstites4 ,it was supposed 7as ,festus witnesseth7 that ,lares1 were the soules of men1 or else infernall gods4 ,lares were called ,prstites1 because they made all things safe with their eies3 that is1 they saued and preserued all things4 ,sidenote3 ,hostilij4 ,and ,authors affirme1 they were called ,hostilij1 for that they were supposed to driue away enemies4 ,neither were they thought to beare rule only in priuate houses1 in crosse meting waies1 but also to defend ,cities4 ,they were likewise worshipped priuately in houses1 and openly in the high wayes4 ,as touching those that were called ,lares1 you may read more in ,anthonius ,constantius1 of ,fauentia his ,commentaries1 and in ,ouid4lib4#e4;,fastorum4 ,sidenote3 ,genius4 ,genius 7say the ,grammarians7 is the naturall god of euery place1 of euery thing1 or of euery man when we are borne1 as it is written1 we haue two ,genij1 whereof the one encourageth vs to doo well1 the other to doo euill4 ,genius 7saith ,censorinus7 is a god in whose gouernance euery man doth liue1 so soone as he is borne3 either because he taketh care for our begetting1 or that he is engendred with vs1 or else that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are begotten4 ,sure it is1 he is called ,genius1 gignendo1 that is1 of begetting4 ,sidenote3 ,penates4 ,penates likewise are domesticall gods4 ,macrobius affirmeth1 that they are gods by whom we onely breathe1 by whom we enioy this body1 and by whom we possesse the reason of our mindes4 ,nonius saith1 ,lemures are spirites walking by night1 and terrors rising of pictures of m beasts4 ,other say1 that ,lemures are euil and hurtfull shapes which appeare in the night1 yea and that they be the soules of those that make men black and blew1 called after that name4 ,sidenote3 ,vmbr4 ,some men call the ghosts of all dead things by y name of ,lemures4 ,thus saith ,apuleius1 ,of those ,lemures1 he that hath care of his posteritie1 and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and quiet kinde of rule1 was called ,lar familiaris1 god of the house4 ,and be cause among the people of olde time1 as they counted ,lares good1 so they supposed ,lemures to be naught1 therefore to driue them away1 they did sacrifice vnto them4 ,sidenote3 ,lemures4 ,some other affirme1 that ,lemures are soules which tarry about the bodies4 ,porphyrius calleth them the wandring soules of men departed before their time1 as it were ,remures1 taking their name of ,remus1 whose soule folowed his brother ,romulus3 who to the intent he might pacifie them1 instituted feastes called ,lemuria4 ,sidenote3 ,laru4 ,sidenote3 ,ceriti4 ,seruius writeth1 that ,vmbr were called ,laru3 and they called dead mens soules by the name of ,vmbr4 ,of ,laru men are called ,laruati1 that is to say1 frantike men1 and such as are vexed with spirits4 ,who also as 7,nonius witnesseth7 are called ,ceriti4 ,sidenote3 ,manes4 ,seruius saith1 that mennes soules are called ,manes1 at suche time as departing from their bodies1 they are not yet passed into other bodies4 ,and he iudgeth that they are so called by the figure 1 7whiche is when one speaketh by contraries7 of the olde adiectiue ,manus1 that is good1 because they were nothing lesse than good4 ,for the auncient people supposed1 that ,manes were infernall gods1 and therefore did they number them amongst their euil gods1 and pacified them with sacrifice1 least they should hurt them4 ,some affirme that ,manes are inded infernall gods1 but yet good3 whereof commeth ,mane1 which signifieth good1 and ,dii ,manes1 as if you would say1 good and prosperous gods1 and therof also is said ,immanes1 for1 not good4 ,some other suppose1 that soules separated from the bodies1 were called after this name3 ,wherby we se the auncient monuments of tumbes haue bene dedicated to ,diis ,manibus1 to the infernall gods3 ,in the which opinion ,apuleius was1 as we said a little before4 ,there are some that iudge ,manes1 to be the very same1 that the old people called ,genii1 and that there were two of these ,manes assigned vnto mens bodies1 euen immediately after their begetting1 which forsake them not wh they are dead1 but continue in the graues after the bodies are consumed4 ,for the which cause1 those men who defaced ,monuments1 were thought to doo wrong vnto the gods called ,manes4 ,the soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the infernall gods by the name of ,manes1 and that because they beleued 7as ,festus doth write7 that all things did manare1 that is1 were deriued from them4 ,other thinke they were so called manando1 of flowing1 because the places betwen the circle of the ,moone and the earth1 from whence they come1 are full of soules4 ,sidenote3 ,mani4 ,mani are deformed creatures1 as ,festus saith3 and also vgly shapes1 wherwith nursses make children afraid4 ,sidenote3 ,mormo4 is a woman with a face almost of a monstrous fashion3 hereof it is taken for a heg3 as also 1 doth signifie a terrible sight1 a spirit1 or an elfe4 ,nicephorus saith in his ,ecclesiasticall history1 that a woman vsing to walke by night1 is called by the name of ,gilo4 ,sidenote3 ,lami4 ,lami were supposed of the auncient people to be women hauing eies to put out or in at their pleasure1 or rather certaine shapes of diuels1 which taking on them the shewe of beautifull women1 deuoured children and yoong men1 allured vnto them with swete inticements4 ,philostratus in his booke ,appollonio1 writeth a maruellous history or fable of one ,menippus1 beloued of an hegge4 ,the same authour writeth1 that ,lami are called of some men ,laru1 spirits walking by night3 and ,lemurei1 night spirits of horrible shapes3 and of many ,empusa1 ghoasts of variable fashion3 and that nursses so named them to make their children afraide4 ,chrysostomus ,dion writeth1 that in the inmost part of ,affrike are certain wild beasts1 hauing the countenance of a woman1 which in like manner are called ,lami3 and he saith that they haue their paps and al the rest of their breast so faire as any ,painters wit can deuise1 which being vncouered1 they deceitfully allure men vnto them1 and when they haue taken them1 doo forthwith deuoure them4 ,sidenote3 ,lami of ,hier chap4#d4 ,in the fourth chapter of the ,lamentations of ,hieremie1 it is saide3 ,lami nudauerunt mammas suas1 c4 ,apuleius writeth1 that ,lami are things that make ,children affraide4 ,sidenote3 ,striges4 ,lami are also called ,striges4 ,striges 7as they say7 are vnluckie birdes1 which sucke out the blood of infantes lying in their cradles4 ,and hereof some men will haue ,witches take their name1 who also are called ,volatic1 as ,festus writeth4 ,sidenote3 ,gorgones4 ,the name of ,gorgon1 was inuented to make children afraid3 for they say these ,gorgons are rauening spirites1 such as men faine ,lami to be4 ,sidenote3 ,incubi4 ,sidenote3 ,succubi4 ,ephialt1 and ,hyphialt1 that is1 ,incubi ,succubi1 7which we call ,maares7 are night spirits or rather ,diuels1 which leape vpon men in their slepe4 ,the ,phisitians do affirme1 that these are nothing else but a disease4 ,sidenote3 ,empusa4 ,empusa1 is an apparition of the ,diuel1 or a spirit which sheweth it selfe vnto such as are in misery1 chaunging his shape into diuers formes1 and for the most part appeareth at noone time4 ,read more hereof in ,suidas4 ,sidenote3 ,dicelon4 ,sidenote3 ,hecata4 ,dicelon1 is so called because it is sent to make men afraid3 those kinds of terrors the ,grecians call ,hecata1 as ,apollonius writeth1 because ,hecate or ,proserpina is the cause of them1 who therefore is called 1 that is of terrifying1 and that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp by her4 ,sidenote3 ,acco4 ,sidenote3 ,alphito4 ,plutarchus writeth1 that ,acco and ,alphito1 were monstrous women1 by naming of whome1 mothers kept their children in awe1 and made them feare to do euil4 ,sidenote3 ,telchinnes4 ,cardanus calleth these ,diuels which kepe vnder the earth1 and many times kill men as they are vndermining1 by the name of ,tilchinnes4 ,men vsing witchcraft1 and such as are possessed with a ,spirit1 and out of their wits1 are called amongst the ,grecians1 4 ,sidenote3 ,pan4 ,sidenote3 ,faunus4 ,of these sort are those monsters1 halfe like men1 and halfe like beastes1 whiche men say are founde in woods1 and oftentimes haue appeared vnto men4 ,it is saide1 that ,panes and ,fauni1 are all one1 hauing their nether parts like vnto ,goates fete4 ,sidenote3 ,satyri4 ,sidenote3 ,sileni4 ,and menne saye1 that ,satyri1 are almost lyke vnto men3 ,and those whiche are of full age are called ,sileni4 ,sidenote3 ,onocentaurus4 ,onocentaurus1 is a beast of a straunge fashion1 which is reported to be like a man in the vpper part1 and downward like an asse4 ,sidenote3 ,onosceli4 ,onosceli1 as it is written in ,plutarche1 are ,diuels1 hauing legges like vnto asses4 ,sidenote3 ,hyppocentaurus4 ,the olde people imagined1 that ,hippocentauri1 were creatures1 who before were like to men1 but the hinder parts had the similitude of horses4 ,sidenote3 ,sphinx4 ,and they do faine1 that ,sphinx is ,animal 1 a beast of the similitude of a man4 ,sidenote3 ,scilla4 ,sidenote3 ,harpy4 ,scilla1 and ,harpy1 are rauening ,diuels1 with faces like vnto maydens4 ,sidenote3 ,triton4 ,sidenote3 ,nereides4 ,sidenote3 ,syrenes4 ,as touching men liuing in the ,sea1 as ,tritones1 ,nereides and ,syrenes1 who as the auncient people affirmed1 had faces like vnto men4 ,reade ,gesnerus in ,historia ,aquatilium1 where he intreateth of them4 ,for he prooueth out of many ,authors1 that there are founde ,monsters in the ,sea1 hauing shapes and countenaunces somewhat like vnto men4 ,some of these ,monsters which are indede1 bee of the kinde of ,apes1 and some are onely fabulous1 or false3 yet notwithstanding1 it may be1 that the ,diuell doth deceiue men vnder the formes of them4 ,thus much concerning tearmes1 which we must vse in this our ,treatise of ,spirits or ,visions4 ,hereunto haue ,i adioyned straunge happes1 and foretokens1 which for the most part chaunce before great matters4 ,and therefore ,i knit them vnto these1 because they haue great resemblance vnto them4 ,sidenote3 ,portentum4 ,for vaine imaginations also appeare vnto our sights3 armed men as it were are seene on earth1 or in the aire3 and other such like shapes1 voyces1 noyses1 crackes1 and such like4 ,but as touching the very words1 ,portentum is that which foresheweth some thing to come1 as when straunge bodies appeare in the aire1 or blazing starres1 or thunder in faire weather1 or whirlewindes do chaunce4 ,festus saith1 that albeit ,portentum be a naturall thing1 yet it happeneth sildome1 and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after a certaine season4 ,sidenote3 ,ostentum4 ,ostentum1 is some straunge thing1 which sheweth some thing to come to effect speedily4 ,they giue the like examples of them both4 ,sidenote3 ,prodigium4 ,prodigium1 is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of nature1 yet notwithstanding it doth alwaies betoken some euill thing1 being called ,prodigium1 as it were of porro agendum1 to be done afterward4 ,sidenote3 ,monstrum4 ,monstrum1 is that which hapneth against nature1 as when any thing is brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde3 the which is also called ,promonstrum1 as who should say1 ,porro aliquid monstrans1 siue monens1 that is1 shewing or warning some thing to happen afterward4 ,notwithstanding these termes are many times confounded togither1 and taken in one signification1 and that because they respect one ende1 that is1 to tell before or giue warning of things to come4 ,the vaine visions wheron we here intreat1 appertaine nothing to naturall philosophers1 neither yet these things which we haue ioyned with them4 ,for if a sodaine cracke1 or sound1 or groning1 or rumbling1 as though the house would fall1 or if any other thing chance which standeth by naturall reason1 it doth not properly belong vnto this matter which we haue in hand4 ,but letting these things passe1 we will by ,gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it selfe4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,melancholike persons1 and mad men1 imagine many things which in verie deed are not4 ,sidenote3 ,some men deny there are ,spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,act4#bc4 ,there haue bin very many in al ages1 which haue vtterly denied that there bee any spirits or straunge sightes4 ,the ,philosophers of ,epicurus sect1 did iest laugh at all those things which were reported of them1 and counted them as fained and counterfeyt1 by the which only children and fooles1 and plaine simple men were made afraide4 ,when ,cassius1 who was an ,epicurian1 vnderstood by ,brutus1 that he had sene a certaine vision1 he 7as ,plutarch doth testifie7 indeuoured to attribute the matter vnto naturall causes4 ,we read in the #bc4 chapter of the ,actes of the ,apostles1 that the ,sadduces did not beleue there should be any ,resurrection of the dead1 and that they denied there were any spirites or angels3 ,yea and at this day1 many good godly men beleue those things to be but tales1 which are talked of too and fro concerning those imagined visions3 partly because in all their life1 they neuer sawe any such1 and partly or rather especially1 because in time past men haue bin so often deceiued with apparitions1 visions and false miracles done by ,monkes and ,priestes1 that now they take things y are true1 to be as vtterly false4 ,whatsoeuer the cause is1 it may be proued1 by witnesse of many writers1 and by daily experience also1 that spirites and strange sightes do sometime appeare1 and that in very ded many strange and maruellous things do happen4 ,true it is1 that many men do falsly perswade themselues that they se or heare ghoasts3 for that which they imagine they se or heare1 procedeth either of melancholie1 madnesse1 weakenesse of the senses1 feare1 or of some other perturbation3 or else when they se or heare beasts1 vapors1 or some other naturall thing1 then they vainly suppose1 they haue sene sightes ,i wotte not what1 as hereafter ,i will shewe particularly by many and notable examples4 ,there is no doubt1 but that almost al those things which the common people iudge to be wonderfull sightes1 are nothing lesse than so4 ,but in the meane season it cannot be denied1 but that straunge sightes1 and many other such lyke things1 are sometimes heard and also sene4 ,sidenote3 ,sundry imaginations of melancholike persons4 ,sidenote3 ,theatrum a place to behold plaies and pastimes in4 ,sidenote3 ,ioannes ,sertorius4 ,sidenote3 ,ste4 ,ludouic4 ,cliu4 li #ag4 ca4#b antiquitat4 ,and first it cannot be denied1 but that some men which either by dispositions of nature1 or for that they haue susteined great miserie1 are now become heauie and full of melancholy1 imagine many times with themselues being alone1 miraculous and straunge things4 ,sometimes they affirme in great soothe1 that they verily heare and se this or that thing1 whiche notwithstanding neither they1 nor yet any other man did once se or heare4 ,which thing we sometimes se by experience to be true in those men1 which be troubled with great headache1 or subiect to other diseases of the bodie1 or cannot take rest in the night1 or are distraughted of their wittes4 ,those which dwell with suche kinde of men1 when they here them tell such absurd tales1 such straunge things1 and such maruellous visions1 albeit they pittie their vnfortunate estate1 yet can they not many times containe themselues from laughing4 ,aristotle in his booke de rebus mirandis1 writeth of a certaine man distraught of his wittes1 who going into the ,theatre of ,abydos a ,cittie of ,asia1 when no man was therein1 and there sitting alone1 by clapping of his hands1 signified that he liked as well euery thing there1 as if some ,comedie or ,tragedie had bin notably set foorth on a stage4 ,the verie lyke ,historie hath ,horace1 in his second booke of ,epistles1 of a certain man1 who comming into the ,theatre at ,argos1 behaued himselfe euen as the other man did3 ,and when his kinsfolke through the helpe of good ,phisitians1 had restored him to his right wittes againe1 he was very angry with them1 saying1 that he neuer liued more pleasantly than while he was beside himselfe4 ,atheneus lib4 #ab4 writeth of one ,tresilaus1 whose braines were so distempered1 that he verily supposed all the ships which arriued at ,port ,pirus1 to be his owne3 he would number them1 he commaunded the ,mariners to launch from shore1 and when they returned after their voyage home againe1 he as much reioyced as if he had bene owner of all wherewith they were laden4 ,the same man affirmed1 that in all the time of his madnesse he liued a verie pleasant life1 vntill the ,phisitian had cured him of his disease4 ,i myselfe haue sene a man1 ,iohannes ,leonardus ,sertorius by name1 whom very honest and graue men1 which knew him well1 would testifie to be a godly man1 which was throughly perswaded with himselfe1 that he could prooue our ,religion which we now professe1 to be true and ,catholike1 euen by a miracle from heauen as sometime ,helias did4 ,he desired the ,magistrates of certain ,countries to call togither their ,papists1 and ,protestants3 for he was readie 7he sayd7 to shewe this miracle1 and in case he did it not openly before them all1 he refused not to sustain any kynd of punishment4 ,the lyke reason is also of other men whiche are besides themselues3 for they take on them maruellous things1 either because they haue mused long time on some matter conceiued in their minds1 as cunning ,artificers oftentimes doo3 or because they haue bin long weried with sicknesse1 or else because they loue extremely4 ,you shall finde some that imagine themself as it were armed with horns of an ,oxe3 other appeare to themselues to be erthen vessels1 and therfore they wil shun euery thing for feare they be broken4 ,sidenote3 ,galen de locis affectis4 ,sidenote3 ,libro de ,simtomatum diff4 chap4#c ,of such an one writeth ,galene1 ,de locis affectis lib4#c4;cap4#f4 and also lib4#d4;cap4#a4 ,other suppose themselues dead1 other thinke themselues great ,princes1 other to be learned men1 other to be ,prophets ,apostles1 therfore they wil foretel things to come4 ,the same he writeth of them y are taken with frenzie 99 and namely1 of one ,theophilus a ,phisitian1 who in other things was wise1 and coulde dispute wel and perfectly knowe euery man3 yet notwithstanding1 hee thought there were certain minstrels did haunt that corner of his house where he vsed to lye1 and that they tuned their pypes and played on them euery daye3 ,and he verily thoughte1 that he sawe them1 some sitting1 and some standing1 and in such sorte continually pyping without intermission1 that they ceased at no time1 neither in the day1 nor in the night4 ,and therfore he neuer ceased to crie1 and to commaunde his seruants to driue them out of his doores4 ,when he was throughly recouered of his sicknesse1 then he tolde all other things which euery one of them had sayd or done3 and also he called to mind the imaginations which he conceiued of the tediousnesse of the minstrels4 ,sidenote3 ,paulus ,aegineta4 ,sidenote3 ,licanthropia4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine vppon ,genesis4 ,sidenote3 ,hidrophobia4 ,sidenote3 ,rufus4 ,paulus ,aegineta writeth in his thirde booke and xv4 chap4 that those that are taken with ,licanthropia 7which is a kynde of madnesse7 leape out of their houses in the night1 in all things imitating the nature of wolues1 and that vntill it waxe day1 they kep about the graues of dead men4 ,moreouer1 somtimes the diuel 7enemie to mankinde7 so deceiueth men1 that they seme vnto them selues to be beastes4 ,whereof ,augustin writeth ,in ,genesin ad litteram lib4#g4;cap4#aa4 they which are bitten with madde ,dogges are afraide of water4 ,this disease they call ,hidrophobiam3 out of which ,aegineta lib4#e4;ca4cap4#c4 reporteth1 that they which are troubled with this disease1 looking on the water1 and being broughte vnto it1 fle from them soone3 other vtterly refuse all kind of moisture3 and that there are some which barke like ,dogges1 and bite them that come vnto them4 ,rufus shewing the cause of their feare1 saith that they suppose they se in the water the shadowe of the ,dog which bitte them4 ,sidenote3 ,ephialtes the maare4 ,ephialtes1 which the ,phisitions call the ,maare1 is a disease of the stomacke1 concerning which1 reade ,paulus ,aegineta li4#c4;cap4#f4 ,many which are taken with this disease1 imagine that a man of monstrous stature sitteth on them1 which with his hands violently stoppeth their mouth1 that they can by no meanes cry out1 and they striue with their armes and hands to driue him away1 but all in vain4 ,some led with vaine fantasie1 thinke him who oppresseth them1 to crepe vp by little and little on the bed1 as it were to deceiue them1 and anon to runne downe4 ,they seme also to themselues to heare him4 ,this disease is called by an other name and 4 ,sidenote3 ,madmen4 ,madde men which haue vtterly lost the vse of reason1 or are vexed by ,gods permission1 with a ,diuell1 whome the ,gospell calleth 1 doo maruellous thinges1 talke of many visions and diuers other matters4 ,their sight deceiueth them1 in so much as they mistake one man for another3 which thing we se by experience1 in ,bedleme houses where madde and frantike men are kept4 ,we read that ,aiax tooke the matter so greuously1 when ,achilles armour was adiudged vnto ,vlisses1 that becomming mad through griefe1 and drawing out his sworde1 he set vpon herds of swine1 supposing that he fought with the whole army of the ,grecians4 ,afterwards hanging vp two of the greatest of them on postes1 with rayling words he whipped them1 thinking one of them to be ,agamemnon1 the other ,vlisses1 of whom with the first he was angry as an euil iudge1 with the other bicause he was by him vanquished in iudgement4 ,but afterwards when he came againe to himselfe1 for very shame he slew himselfe4 ,it hath many times chaunced in battaile1 that the souldiers falling into great fury1 their captaines haue bene forced to take away their armour1 because by rage they tooke their own felowes for enemies1 and began to set on them violently4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,tertullianus saith thus3 ,those which are mad se one man in an other1 as ,orestes sawe his mother in his sister1 ,aiax beheld ,vlisses in an heard of swine1 ,athamas and ,agaue wilde beastes in their owne children1 c4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,fearefull men1 imagine that they see and heare straunge things4 ,sidenote3 #b4,pet4#c4 ,that whiche we haue hitherto spoken concerning melancholicke men1 and men out of their wits1 may also be vnderstood of timorous and fearefull men4 ,for if any man be timorous by nature1 or subiect to feare through great daungers1 or by some other wayes1 he also imagineth straunge things which inded are not so1 especially if he haue in him any store of melancholy4 ,women1 which for the most part are naturally giuen to feare more than men1 7for which cause ,s4 ,peter in his first ,epistle speaking of the dutie of married folks1 calleth them the weaker vessell17 do more often suppose they se or heare this or that thing1 than men doo4 ,and so do yoong women1 because commonly they are afraide4 ,if when men sit at the table1 mention be made of spirites and elues1 many times women and children are so afraide that they dare scarce go out of doores alone1 least they should meete with some euill thing3 and if they chaunce to heare any kinde of noise1 by and by they thinke there are some spirites behinde them1 such vaine perswasions they haue4 ,a cowardly souldiour iudgeth his enemies to be more in number than they are3 the noyse of a leafe being mooued so affrighteth him 7which thing ,god in his lawe threatneth his people of ,israel1 except they do their duties7 that he betaketh himself to his heles3 if he but heare a woodspeck with his bill beating on a tre1 he straight thinketh the enemy readie to leape on his shoulders3 yea if he heare but a mouse moue1 by and by his heart is in his hose4 ,these and such like things neuer trouble a stout and couragious souldier4 ,and yet sometimes in the chase1 lustie souldiers flying away from their companie1 are so troubled in minde1 that they thinke their friends enemies1 and cannot tell in the world where they are1 and whither they go3 all the which commeth by feare4 ,sidenote3 ,plutarche4 ,plutarche in his booke ,de sera numinis vindicta1 reporteth a maruellous and notable historie1 of one called ,bessus3 who after he had murthered his father1 hid himselfe a long season4 ,but on a time as he went to supper1 espying a swallowes neast1 with his speare be thrust it downe3 and when those which supped togither with him1 misliked and abhorred his cruelty 7for we like not those men that trouble little birdes and other beastes1 because we iudge them austere and cruell7 he answered3 haue they not 7saieth he7 falsly accused me1 a great while crying out on me1 that ,i haue slaine and murthered my father4 ,those which were present1 being striken with great admiration1 reported these his words to the king1 who immediately caused him to bee tormented1 and examining the matter diligently1 at the last found him guiltie1 and punished him as a manquiller of his owne father4 ,hereof ye may gather what feare can doo3 the swallowes coulde not speake1 and yet he perswaded himselfe that they vpbrayed him with murthering his father4 ,euen so many through feare1 imagine that they heare and se many thinges whiche in dede are mere trifles4 ,sidenote3 ,theodoricus imagining that he seeth ,symmachus4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4#ad4 ,sidenote3 ,luke4#bd4 ,sidenote3 ,stout and coragious men seldom see any ,spirits4 ,procopius in the beginning of the warres of ,italie1 declareth1 that as ,theodoricus satte at meate1 after he had put to death ,boethius and ,symmachus his sonne in lawe1 a fishes head being brought before him1 he sawe in it the countenance of ,symmachus looking horribly1 which byting the nether lip with lowring eyes semed to threaten him1 wherewith the ,king being sore abashed1 fell into a greuous sicknesse1 wherof he afterwards died4 ,yea feare if it be vnmeasurable maketh vs to abhorre those thinges1 which otherwise should be comfortable vnto vs4 ,the apostles of our ,lord ,iesus ,christ may be examples hereof4 ,who in the night season being in greate daunger in the ,sea1 when they sawe ,christe walking on the water approching towards them wer maruelously appalled4 ,for they supposed they sawe a ,spirit1 and cried out for feare4 ,but the ,lorde came to deliuer them out of that present daunger wherein they were4 ,after his resurrection they were maruellously affraide1 and as ,s4 ,luke saith1 they verily supposed they sawe a ,spirit1 when in dede he appeared vnto them in his owne body4 ,therfore the lord comforteth hartneth them saying3 ,behold my hands my fet1 for ,i am eu he3 handle me and se3 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye se ,i haue4 ,they through great ioy could not beleue it1 but maruelled at it4 ,here thou sest1 by feare it came to passe1 that the ,disciples supposed y ,lord him self to haue bin a ghost4 ,and therfore no man ought to maruell if we hindered by feare1 mistake one man for an other1 and perswade our selues that we haue sene spirits1 whereas no such were4 ,they which are of stout and hautie courage1 fre from all feare1 seldome times se any spirits4 ,it is reported of the ,scithians1 a warlike nati dwelling in mountains 7from whom it is thought the ,turkes take their originall7 that they neuer se any vaine sightes of spirits4 ,authors write that ,lions are not feared with any bugs3 for they are full of stomacke and deuoide of feare4 ,,chap4 ,,iiii4 ,men which are dull of seeing and hearing1 imagine many things which in verie deed are not so4 ,sidenote3 ,dronken men see straunge things4 ,sidenote3 ,euripides4 ,sidenote3 ,pro4#bc4 ,they whiche are weake of sight1 are manye times in suche sorte deceyued1 that they beholde one man in steade of an other4 ,poare-blinded men whome the ,grekes call 1 whiche can not se any thing1 except it be verie neare their eyes 7as for the most part students are1 which night and day turne ouer their bookes7 are so much deceiued in their sight1 that they are many times ashamed to vtter what they haue thought they haue sene4 ,and it standeth by naturall reason1 that an oare semeth to be broken in the water3 and a tower foure cornered1 a farre off sheweth to be rounde4 ,those which drinke wine immoderately1 in such sort that their eyes begin to waxe dimme1 and stare out of their heads1 like hares which haue bin caried hanging on a staffe a mile or twaine1 se things farre otherwise than sober men doo4 ,they suppose they se two candles on the table1 when there is but one3 desiring to reach the potte1 they put their hand amisse4 ,in ,euripides ,tragedie named ,bacchis1 ,pentheus affirmeth1 that he seeth two ,sunnes and two citties of ,thebes3 ,for his braines were maruellously distempered4 ,it is a common saying1 that if wine haue the victorie1 all things seeme to haue turned vpside downe3 tres to walke1 mountaines to be moued1 and riuers to run against the head1 c4 ,salomon exhorteth all men from drunkennesse1 in his prouerbs1 cap4#bc4 shewing what discommodities ensue therof1 and amongst other thinges he saith thus3 ,thy eyes shall se straunge 7to wit7 visitions and maruellous apparitions4 ,for as timorous men imagine miraculous things1 euen so doo drunken men1 who of purpose corrupt and spoile their sight4 ,and albeit ,god shew many wonders in the aire1 and in the earth1 to the ende he may stir men vp from idlenesse and bring them to true repentaunce1 yet notwithstanding1 we must thinke that dronken men which sit vp vntill midnight1 do often say1 that haue sene this or that vision1 they haue beheld this or that wonder1 when as inded they are vtterly deceiued4 ,for in case they had returned home in due season1 and not ouercharged themselues with too much wine1 no such thing had appeared vnto them4 ,for indede their eyesight had not bene blinded4 ,doth it not often come to passe1 that when men are once throughly warmed with wine1 they mistake one for another1 of whom they thought they were abused in word or dede1 and violently flie on them with weapon8 ,the place before alleaged out of ,salomon1 may also be vnderstood to this purpose3 ,thy eyes shall se straunge 7to wit17 women1 to lust after them4 ,for experience teacheth vs that men being drunke1 assaie to rauish matrones and maidens1 which being sober they would neuer once think vppon4 ,wine immoderately taken1 is the nurse of rashe boldnesse and filthie lust4 ,sidenote3 ,some see themselues4 ,aristotle writeth1 that some men through the feblenesse of their sight1 beholding in the aire neare vnto them 7as it were in a glasse7 a certaine image of themselues1 suppose they se their owne angels or soules3 and so as the ,prouerbe is1 they feare their owne shadow4 ,although men in obscure and darke places can se nothing1 yet do they not 7,i pray you7 imagine they se diuers kindes of shapes and colours4 ,and we many times suppose those things which we se1 to be farre otherwise than inded they are4 ,sidenote3 ,hearing deceiueth4 ,it is well knowne1 a mans sight may be so deceiued1 that he verily thinkes that one deuoureth a sword1 spitteth out money1 coales1 and such like3 that one eateth bread1 and spitteth foorth meale3 one drinketh wine1 which after runneth out of his forehead3 that one cutteth off his fellowes head1 which afterwardes he setteth on againe3 and that a ,cocke semeth to drawe after him a huge beame of timber1 c4 ,moreouer it may be brought to passe by naturall things1 as by perfumes and such like1 that a man would sweare in earnest1 that all men sitting at the table with him1 haue no heds at all1 or else that they are like the heads of asses3 that somtimes a vine spreadeth it self as it were ouer al the house1 wh inded it is a mere deceit1 or a plaine iugling cast4 ,of which matter there be bookes commonly set abroad4 ,the like reason is in hearing1 in the other senses4 ,those men whose hearing is somewhat decaied1 many times seme in their owne imagination1 to heare the noyse of boysterous winde1 or violent tempest1 the sparkling of fire1 the roaring of waters sodeinly increased1 singing and sounding of instruments1 and also the iangling of belles1 when as indeed these things are not so1 but only chaunce by default of hearing3 for others which are conuersant with them1 hauing the right vse of hearing1 do not heare any such thing at all4 ,somtimes in very ded such things are heard1 as the crackling of wainscot walles1 and such like1 which are naturall signes of some tempest shortly after ensuing4 ,sidenote3 ,the sense of feeling is deceiued4 ,there are also certaine hollowe places1 through the which the winde whiszing1 giueth a pleasant sound1 as it were through a pipe1 much like vnto singing1 so that men wonder verie much thereat4 ,we reade in writers of ,philosophie1 that the very same also chaunceth in bankes of riuers1 which bende a little in compasse4 ,hearing is also deceiued when we thinke we heare thunder1 and it is inded but the rumbling of some ,carte4 ,there be many which thinke they handle something1 and yet are deceiued3 ,if men sicke of the ague1 drinke wine of the best and swetest sorte1 yet they thinke it is more bitter than ,gall3 if they eate pottage neuer so good1 yet they iudge it vnsauorie3 which thing commeth not of any faulte in the ,cooke1 but of the mouth and stomacke whiche is distempered with sicknesse4 ,for vnto them which haue abundance of choller1 all things seme bitter4 ,and euen so it commeth to passe1 that a man supposeth he seeth1 heareth1 feleth1 or is felt of some spirit1 when inded it is not so1 and yet no man can perswade him the contrary4 ,sidenote3 ,v,veakenesse of the sight and feare4 ,if feare and weaknesse of the sight and of other senses mete togither1 then men fall into strange and maruellous imaginations1 beleuing things vtterly false1 to be verie true3 ,neither will they be brought from their owne opinions by any meanes or reason4 ,we reade that not only perticular and priuate men1 but also whole armies of souldiers generally haue bene so deceiued1 that they haue verily thought their enemies hard at their heles1 when as no man followed4 ,and hereof haue proceded many horrible flightes in battaile4 ,sidenote3 ,cominus4 ,sidenote3 ,king4#d4 ,cominus1 a knight and diligent writer of histories1 in the ende of his first booke of the ,acts of ,lewes the ,,ii4 ,king of ,fraunce1 writeth1 that when ,charles ,duke of ,burgundie1 with other ,princes1 had remooued their armie to ,paris1 they vnderstood by their espials1 that the next day the king had determined to set on them with all his power of men4 ,wherefore the next day ,charles sent out certaine horsemen to view his enemies3 who comming foorth1 by reason that the element was somewhat darke1 supposed they sawe a huge number of pikes and speares1 but when they had passed a little further and that the aire was a little clearer1 they vnderstood the same place wherein they iudged the king to be with all his armie1 to be planted and ouergrowne with many high thistles1 which a far off shewed as it had bene long speares4 ,for the night beguileth mens eyes4 ,and therefore none ought to maruell1 if trauellers towardes night or at midnight1 mistake stones1 tres1 stubbes1 or such like1 to be sprites or elues4 ,we reade in the last booke of the kings the #c4;chap4 that after the death of king ,achab1 the ,moabites reuolted from ,ioram his sonne1 wherefore he desired ,iosaphat to aide him1 and with all his power he determined to make warre on the ,moabites1 to reduce them to obedience1 and subiection4 ,which thing when the ,moabites heard1 they prepared to defend themselues1 so many as were able to beare armour4 ,but when they had set foreward verie earely in the morning against their enemies1 supposing in the rising of the ,sunne1 the waters which ,god had miraculously brought out to be redde1 they said amongst themselues3 ,surely the two ,kings haue encountred togither1 and eache haue destroyed other1 wherevppon they running on heapes without order1 to spoile the ,israelites ,tents1 were by them vanquished and slaine3 here you se all the ,armie mistooke water in stead of bloud4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,many are so feared by other men1 that they suppose they haue heard or seene ,spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,salomons pro4 ,furthermore1 it commeth to passe many times that not only pleasant and mery conceited men1 but also spitefull and malitious men1 chaunging their apparell1 make others extreamely affraide4 ,it is a common custome in many places1 that at a certaine time of the yeare1 one with a nette or vizarde on his face maketh ,children affraide1 to the ende that euer after they should laboure and bee obedient to the ,parentes1 afterward they tel them that those which they saw1 were ,bugs1 ,witches and ,hagges1 which thing they verily beleue1 and are commonly1 miserably affraide4 ,howbeit1 it is not expedient alwayes so to terrefie ,children4 ,for sometimes through great feare they fall into dangerous diseases1 and in the night crie out1 when they are fast a slepe4 ,salomon teacheth vs to chasten children with the rod1 and so to make them stand in awe3 he doth not say1 we must beare them in hand they shall be deuoured of ,bugges1 ,hags of the night1 and such like monsters4 ,sidenote3 ,daunsing ,spirits4 ,many times1 pleasant mery yong men1 disguise themselues like vnto ,diuels1 or ofe shroud themselues in white shetes to make other men affraide3 with whome if simple men chaunce to mete1 they make no doubt of the matter1 but verily thinke they haue sene spirites1 and straunge sightes4 ,and yet it is not alwayes the safest way1 so to deceiue men with iests and toyes2 for many examples might be brought to shewe how euill some men haue sped hereby4 ,it is an vsuall and common thing that yoong men merily disposed1 when they trauell by the way1 comming to their ,inne at night1 tie ropes to the bed side1 or to the couerlet or garments1 or else hide themselues vnder the bedde1 and so counterfeiting themselues to be ,spirites1 deceiue and mocke their fellowes4 ,it chaunced once at ,tigurin where we dwel1 that certaine pleasant yong men disguising themselues1 daunced about the ,churchyard1 one of them playing on a bere with two bones1 as it were on a drumme4 ,which thing when certaine men had espied1 they noysed it about the citie1 how they had sene dead men daunce1 and that there was great danger1 least there should shortly ensue some plague or pestilence4 ,moreouer1 it is well knowne to all men1 that harlots1 and whooremongers1 haue practised their wickednesse a long season vnder this cloake and pretence1 perswading their family1 that walking ,spirites haunt the house1 least they should bee taken with the dede dooing1 and that they might enioy their desired loue4 ,many times such bugges haue bin caught by the magistrates1 and put to open shame4 ,theues likewise vnder this colour haue many times robbed their neighboures in the night time1 who supposing they heard the noyse of walking ,spirits1 neuer went about to driue the theues away4 ,touching this point1 that an euil ,spirit1 by means of naturall things which haue strange vertues1 can do maruellous things1 by deceiuing mens senses1 ,i will at this present speake nothing4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,priestes and ,moncks fained themselues to be ,spirites3 also how ,mundus vnder this colour defiled ,paulina1 and ,tyrannus abused many noble and honest matrones4 ,to these thinges may bee added1 that there haue bin in all ages certaine ,priests1 which practising strange deuises1 and giuing themselues to ,necromancie1 haue bewitched foolish men that highly estemed them1 to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches1 and follow their lustfull pleasures4 ,touching which matter1 to the ende godly disposed men may be the more hedfull1 ,i will rehearse a fewe histories4 ,sidenote3 ,iosephus de antiquitatib4 ,iosephus a writer of histories1 in his #ah4;booke and #d4;chap4 of ,antiquities1 remembreth a notorious deed which hapned at ,rome1 in the time of ,tyberius ,cesar vnder the pretence of sacrificing to the goddesse ,isis4 ,i will record the historie as it is translated by ,galenius1 a very learned man4 ,sidenote3 ,paulina and ,mundus4 ,there dwelled at ,rome a woman named ,paulina1 no lesse renoumed for honestie of life1 than for the nobilitie of parentage3 ,she was also very rich and exceding beautful1 as one that was now in the floure of her age1 and especially adorned with the great vertue of chastitie1 and married she was to one ,saturnius1 a man worthie of such a wife4 ,it chaunced that ,decius ,mundus1 a famous yoong knight1 became very much enamored with her3 and because she was a woman of greater wealth than that she might be won with rewardes and money1 so much the more was this louers madnesse inflamed1 in so much that he stuck not to proffer her for one night 4#bjjjjj4 groates4 ,the ,atticke groat and the ,romain peny are by common valuation all one4 ,budeus accounteth one of them worth #h4 ,crusados3 so this summe according to his reckoning1 amounteth to #bfjjj4 ,florens4 ,sidenote3 ,ruffinus4 ,and yet not being able by these means to moue her constant mind1 bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue1 he determined1 by abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of life and loue togither4 ,this determination was not vnknowne to ,ide1 ,mundus ,fathers bondseruaunt1 a maide cunning in many artes1 but such as were not to be liked4 ,she maruellously greued with the yoong mans wilfulnesse in absteining fr meat1 talking with him1 by swete and flattring words began to encourage him1 assuring him that she would bring to passe1 that he should at his pleasure embrace ,paulina4 ,after that he had gladly condiscended to her entreatie1 she telleth him she must nedes haue fiftie thousand groates to ouerthrow the ,gentlewomans chastitie4 ,so putting the yoong man in good hope1 and receiuing as much mony as she required1 because she wel knew ,paulina could not be wonne with mony1 she deuiseth a new way to deceiue her4 ,vnderstanding therefore that she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of ,isis1 she inuenteth these meanes3 ,she talketh with some of ,isis ,priests1 and hauing receiued sure promise of them to kepe all things secrete1 and 7which is most effectuall7 hauing shewed their reward1 promising presently #bejjj4 groates1 and when they had done the ded1 other #bejjj4 she openeth vnto them the yoong mans loue1 beseching them to helpe by al means possible1 that she might enioy the same4 ,they touched at the heart with desire of the mony1 gently promised their helpe4 ,wherefore the eldest of them spedily goeth to ,paulina1 and being admitted to her spech1 after hee had obtained to talke with her in secrete1 he declareth that he is come vnto her being sent by the great ,god ,anubis 7this ,anubis hauing a head lyke to a ,dogge1 was worshipped togither in one ,temple with ,isis7 who is maruellously in loue with her beautie1 and doth commaund her to repaire vnto him4 ,she ioyfully receiued the message1 and forthwith vaunteth among her familiar acquaintaunce1 that the ,god ,anubis hath vouchsafed to loue her3 ,and she telleth her husband1 that she must suppe and lye with him4 ,which thing was so much the more easily graunted vnto her1 for that her husband had had good experience and knowledge of her chastitie4 ,whereupon she goeth to the ,temple1 and after supper when time of rest drew neare1 being shut in by the priest1 she meteth with ,mundus1 who had priuily hidden himselfe there1 the darkenesse bringing them togither1 without any suspition4 ,and so all that night she satisfied the yong mans desire1 supposing she had done pleasure vnto the ,god4 ,afterwards he departing from hir1 ,paulina early in the morning1 before the priestes 7who were priuie to this deceit7 were stirring1 returned home to her husband1 to whome she recounteth her meeting with ,anubis1 and also with great words setteth out the same amongst her gossips and friends4 ,they could not beleue her1 considering the nature of the thing1 and yet could they not chuse but maruell1 waying the great chastitie of the woman4 ,thre dayes after the dede done1 ,mundus meting by chaunce with his beloued1 saide vnto her3 ,o well done ,paulina1 thou hast saued me #bjjjjj4 groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches1 and yet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire1 for ,i way it not that thou hast despised ,mundus1 sith vnder the title of ,anubis1 ,i haue enioyed my desired lust1 which words said1 he departed4 ,but the woman then first perceiuing this villany1 began to teare her garments1 and opening the whole matter vnto her husband1 besecheth him that he suffer not such a notorious mockery to go vnpunished4 ,her husband then declareth the whole matter to the ,emperoure ,tiberius3 who after he had learned all things by diligent examination1 trusseth vp these iugling priests on the gallowes1 togither with ,ide1 the author of all this mischiefe1 by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie of this noble ,gentlewoman was defiled3 and ouerthrowing their temple1 he commaunded the ,image of ,isis to be sunke in the riuer of ,tibris4 ,but it pleased him to chasten ,mundus with banishment1 a more gentle kind of punishmt1 ascribing his fault to y weaknes of his immoderat loue4 ,by this history it may easily be gathered how sathan in times past bewitcht the ,gentils1 and how their priests persuaded them y their ,gods appearing in visible forme spake this or y vnto them1 which notwithstding were very false4 ,vnder the pretence of worshipping their gods1 they gaue thselues to wicked deuises4 ,for how often may we wel thinke they cmitted abhominable mischief 7although inded y matter it selfe neuer came to light47 ,if they brought it to passe1 y ,mundus by their meanes enioyed his desired loue1 surely there is no doubt1 but y they thselues vnder the colour of holinesse defloured other ms daughters wiues3 for otherwise this deuise could neuer haue bin so ready in mind4 ,this matron would neuer haue bin so wel ctent1 vnles y very same had bin practised with other dames before4 ,neither yet wold her husbd haue suffered her to lodge in the ,church all night4 ,what ned was there for y gods to haue beds prepared for th in y ,church1 wh it was most aparant they neuer lodged in th4 ,princes also may learne by y example of ,tiberius1 although he were a wicked tyrant1 how such varlets are to be restrained4 ,to this purpose maketh y historie which ,ruffinus a ,priest of ,aquilia reporteth in ,li4#aa4;ca4#be4 of his ecclesiasticall history4 ,sidenote3 ,tyrannus a wicked priest4 ,there was a priest in ,alexandria in ,egipt1 vowed to ,saturn1 whose name was ,tyrnus4 ,this m as it had bin fr the mouth of god1 vsed to say vnto al such noble principall men1 whose ,ladies he liked lusted after1 that ,saturne had cmanded1 y such a ones wife shuld lie al night in the temple4 ,then he which heard y message1 reioycing much y the god vouchsafed to call for his wife1 decking her vp brauely1 giuing her great gifts 7forsooth lest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie7 sent her foorth vnto y temple1 where the woman being shut vp in the presence of al men1 ,tirannus wh he had fast locked the doores1 surrendring the keyes departed his wayes4 ,afterwards in great silence passing through priuie caues vnder the ground1 he issued foorth out of the open holes into the image of ,saturne3 which image was made hollow in the backe1 and cunningly fastned to the wall4 ,and as the candles burned within the ,church1 he spake sodeinly vnto the woman 7giuing great care1 and praying deuoutly7 through y image made of hollow brasse1 in such sort that the vnhappie woman1 trembled betwene feare and ioy1 because she thought her selfe worthie of the spech of so great a god4 ,now after the baudie god had talked his pleasure to bring her in great feare1 or to prouoke her to lust and wantonnesse1 sodeinly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abroad of shets1 by a certain cunning deuise4 ,and then descending out of the image1 he committed adultery with the woman much abashed and afraid1 vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto her4 ,when he had thus dealt a long season1 almost with all the wiues of these silly ,gentlemen1 it chaunced in the end1 that a certain chast ,gentlewoman began to abhorre and loath the deede1 and marking the matter more hedfully1 knew it to be ,tyrannus voice3 and there vpon returning home againe1 declared the slie conueiance of this horrible ded vnto her husband4 ,he being set on fire with rage for the iniurie done vnto his wife1 or rather vnto his selfe1 apprehded ,tyrannus1 brought him to y place of torments1 where being conuicted he cfessed al y matter1 th other deceits being likewise detected1 al shame dishonor was spred throughout the houses of y ,pagans3 the mothers were found adulterers1 fathers incestuous persons1 and their children illegittimate and bastardes4 ,which thing so soone as it was brought to light and noysed abroad1 togither both ,church and image1 and wickednesse1 and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied4 ,we reade that ,numa ,pompilius bare the people of ,rome in hande that he hadde familiar company with ,egeria a ,goddesse of the waters1 to the ende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,timotheus ,aelurus1 counterfeiting himself to be an ,angell1 obteined a bishopricke3 foure ,monkes of the order of ,preachers1 made many vaine apparitions at ,berna4 ,sidenote3 ,lippis tonsoribus notum4 ,it might be somewhat borne withall1 if these things had only chaunced among the ,gentiles1 which were without the word of ,god1 if we did not euidently se the like happen oftentimes amongest ,christians1 and in case it were not to be feared least many such things should happen euen at this day also4 ,for it is well knowne to all men1 that there haue bene many ,magiciens1 ,sosserers1 and ,coniurers1 and those especially ,monkes and ,priests1 who would easily counterfeit visions1 and miracles1 and familiar talking with soules4 ,sidenote3 ,theodorus4 ,sidenote3 ,foure ,monks of ,berna4 ,theodorus ,lector1 collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica lib4#a4 writeth of ,timotheus ,aelurus1 that he1 before ,proterius bishop of ,alexandria was put to death1 gaping for the bishoppricke1 in the night cladde in blacke apparrell walked about the celles of the ,monkes1 and calling eache man by his name1 they answering1 sayd vnto them1 that he a spirit1 one of ,gods seruants came to warne them1 that euery one reuolting from ,proterius1 should ioyne himselfe vnto ,timotheus4 ,and by his craft and deceit obteining the bishoppricke1 he made great vproares in the ,church of ,god4 ,here ,i cannot refraine my selfe as touching this present matter1 but that ,i rehearse a famous historie1 of foure ,monkes of the order of ,preachers 7who were bernt at ,berna in ,heluetia1 in the yeare of our ,lord #aeji4 the last day of ,may7 by what subtilties they deceiued a poore simple ,frier whom they had lately reteined into their monastery3 concerning which thing1 many bookes were written at the same time when these things were done1 which are yet extant both in the ,latin and in the ,germain toong4 ,there was great contention betwen the ,monkes of y order of ,preachers1 and the ,friers ,minorites1 or ,franciscans1 touching the concepti of y virgin ,mary4 ,the ,friers preachers affirmed1 that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall sin1 that the ,franciscans denied and stoutly denied4 ,at the last the matter came to that issue1 that the preachers determined to auouch and prooue their opinion by false and fayned miracles3 taking aduisement in a certaine ,synode 7which they call a chapter7 holden at ,vimpenium a cittie of ,germanie1 where the most conuenient and fittest place for this matter might be founde3 and at the last they chose out ,berna in ,heluetia1 because the people there were plaine and simple1 and giuen to the warres4 ,foure therefore of the chiefest in the ,abbay of the order of preachers beganne the pageant at ,berna3 and because the ,supprier one of the foure1 was well seene in coniuring1 he bounde the ,diuell to ioyne in councell with them by what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe4 ,he appearing vnto them in the likenesse of a ,negro or blacke ,morian1 promised them all that he could doo1 vnder this condition1 that they should yeld and giue themselues vnto him1 which thing they willingly did1 deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hand and blood4 ,and it chaunced at the same time very fitly1 that one ,iohn ,iezerus1 a plaine fellowe1 a ,taylour by occupation1 was chosen into their order1 who semed to be verie fit for their purpose4 ,they tryed him by throwing stones into his chamber in the night time1 making a great noyse1 and faining themselues to be ,spirits4 ,the matters semed vnto them1 euen from the beginning1 that it would take good successe4 ,on a certaine day being ,friday1 the ,supprior shrouding himselfe in a shete1 togither with other ,spirites1 whom he had coniured vp for this purpose1 brake into the ,friers cell with great force and noyse1 faining with many teares1 that he desired his ayd and help4 ,now had they priuily conueied ,holy water and the ,reliques of ,saints into his ,cell before4 ,the poore ,frier halfe dead with feare1 denied that he could by any meanes helpe him1 recommending himselfe to ,christ our ,sauior1 and to his holy mother4 ,the ,spirite aunswered1 that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him out of this miserie1 if he would suffer himselfe for the space of viij4 dayes1 euery day to be whipped vntill the blood followed1 and moreouer1 cause eight ,masses to be sung for his sake in ,s4 ,iohns ,chappell1 himselfe while they were sung1 lying in the floore with his armes spread abroad4 ,after he tolde him that the next ,friday before midnight1 he wold come again with greater noyse1 willing him in any wise not to be afrayd1 for the ,diuels could nothing hurt him1 because he was an holy man4 ,the next day this foolish ,frier openeth all the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise1 beseching them to assist him1 that the miserable soule might be deliuered4 ,the matter was out of hand rumored about the ,citie4 ,the ,monkes preached openly hereof in the pulpit1 commending highly y holinesse of their order1 which euen hereby might be sene1 for that the spirite craued helpe of them1 and not of the wicked drunken ,franciscans4 ,at the time appointed1 the spirite accompanied with the other euill spirits1 came againe with great noyse to the ,friers ,cell1 who adiuring and coniuring him1 questioned with him touching certaine points4 ,the spirit shewed him who he was1 and for what cause he was so miserably vexed3 and withall gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his fathers1 for being touched w remorse of him1 adding1 y in case there were yet #cj4 ,masses sung1 and #d4 ,vigiles obserued1 and y he would yet once again whip himself vntil he bled1 th he shuld be clean deliuered out of most cruell torments1 which he had ctinually endured a #afj4 yers4 ,he had conference with him also of other maruellous matters1 which we ned not here to reherse4 ,afterwards y same spirit appeared again vnto the ,frier1 and preferred the order of preachers before all others1 bearing him in hand1 that many of them which had bene aduersaries vnto this order1 suffered most horrible torment in purgatorie1 and that the citie of ,berna should be vtterly ouerthrowne1 except they banished y ,franciscans1 and refused y yerly stipends which they receiued at the ,french kings hands4 ,he also talked of sundry things which had hapned to the ,frier 7which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular confession47 ,moreouer he hartily thanketh the ,frier for the great benefit of his deliuerance1 giuing him to vnderstand1 that he was now admitted into the eight degre of ,angels1 and that he should say ,masse there for his benefactors4 ,after these things thus done1 an other night one comming vnto him in the apparell of a woman1 said he was ,s4 ,barbara1 whom he deuoutly serued1 and told him y the blessed virgin would shortly appear vnto him1 and make ful answere vnto those questions which one of the ,monkes had writt in paper for him4 ,this paper ,barbara promised that she her self would deliuer vnto our ,lady1 which they should shortly after find in a holy place sealed signed miraculously4 ,the ,frier vpon this reuealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers1 desiring to be confessed of his sinnes1 wherby he might be found worthy the apparition or seing of our ,lady4 ,he willed them to search in y halowed place for the scroll1 which at the last they found in the ,fratry 7as they term it7 where they had laid it before4 ,th they caried it with great reuerce vnto the high alter1 affirming y it was sealed with ,christs blood1 and that the tapers lightned of their own accord4 ,in the morning the virgin ,mary appeared vnto him againe1 rehearsing many things which her sonne ,iesus commaunded her to tell vnto him2 to wit1 that ,pope ,iulius was that holy man1 which should reconcile the two orders in friendship againe1 and institute and ordaine the feast of the defiled conception of our ,lady1 for she would send vnto the ,pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of her sonnes blood1 in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne3 and that they should find an other crosse marked with fiue drops of blood in their fratrie1 which they must conuey to ,rome1 for the ,pope would allowe and confirme it with large indulgences1 and after return it to ,berna again3 other things likewise she said1 whereof many things were both reported and written too and fro4 ,but in witnesse of the aforesaid things1 the same ,mary droue an yron nayle through the hande of the poore ,frier1 saying3 this wounde shall be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified1 and in the feast of my sonnes bodie4 ,after they tooke a burning water made by ,necromancie1 by the which they taking away his senses1 made foure other woundes in his bodie4 ,and after that he came againe vnto himselfe1 they bare him in hand that there was a certaine holy thing ,i wotte not what1 which appeared about him4 ,and when they sawe that many men came flocking about him to se this newe ,christ1 they taught him 7for he was of rude conditions7 howe to behaue himselfe4 ,and when they had giuen him a drinke bereuing him of his senses1 and causing him to fome at the mouth1 then they sayd he striued and wrestled with death1 euen as ,christ did in the mount ,oliuet4 ,after all this1 another of them appeared vnto him1 telling him many things3 but y ,frier knowing him by his voyce1 beganne to suspect and mislike the whole matter1 and with violence thrust him from him4 ,the next night the ,frier himselfe appeared vnto him1 saying that he was ,mary of whome he had bene in doubt1 and to the ende he should be out of all suspition1 she had brought him the host of her sonnes bodie 7for he brought him an host stiped in poyson7 to the ende he shoulde no more thinke he sawe an euil spirite3 he also affirmed1 that he had brought a vessel of glasse full of her sonnes bloud1 which he would giue vnto him1 and vnto his ,monasterie4 ,but the ,frier1 who also had this vision in suspition1 answered3 ,if 7sayde he7 thou be not an euil spirit1 rehearse thy ,pater noster and thy ,aue ,maria with me4 ,the ,prior sayde the ,pater noster1 and afterward sayd in the person of our ,lady3 ,hayled am ,i ,mary full of grace1 the ,lord be with me4 c4 ,the ,frier knowing the ,priors voyce1 caught a knife1 and wounded him therewith1 and when he defended himselfe1 the ,frier stoutly resisted1 and draue him backe4 ,these things thus done1 the ,supprior being in good hope to restore all that they had lost1 appeared againe to the ,frier1 saying that he was ,s4 ,catherin of ,sena1 and therwith begun to chide him1 for that he so discurteously had intreated the holy ,virgin3 adding moreouer1 ,i am sent 7quoth he7 to shewe the1 that the wounds which thou hast in thy body1 are the very true wounds of ,christ1 which neyther ,i1 nor yet ,s4 ,francis hath1 and that he enlarged with many words4 ,yet notwithstanding1 the ,frier so entertayned him1 that he was glad to saue him selfe with running away4 ,now bicause the ,frier wold no longer be mocked at their hands1 they1 maruellously troubled1 and almost at their wits ende1 taking aduise among them selues1 brake the matter vnto him1 and tolde him1 that in verie dede they frely confessed many of those apparitions which he had sene to be fayned1 and that for no other cause1 but to the ende he should perseuere in his profession and ,religion1 howbeit the very effect of the matter was most true1 and that he ought not to doubt1 but that he bare the wounds of ,christ in his body4 ,and forsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad1 they earnestly besought him1 that he would not refuse to go on in the matter1 for otherwise their order should incurre open shame1 and both he and they fall into present daunger1 but in case he woulde persist in his enterprised purpose1 the thing would fall out to his and their great aduantage4 ,and so with fairer words1 they perswaded him to make promise to be ruled by them hereafter4 ,after long instruction and teaching1 they placed him on the altar of our ,lady1 kneling on his knes within a chappell before the image of the holy virgine3 ,where one of the ,monkes standing behinde a cloath1 spake through a cane rede1 as if it were ,christ talking with his mother1 in this wise3 ,mother why dost thou weepe8 haue ,i not promised the1 y whatsoeuer thou willest1 shall be done8 ,wherto the image made answere4 ,therfore ,i wepe1 bicause this businesse findeth no end4 ,then said the image of ,christ3 ,beleue mee mother1 this matter shall be made manifest4 ,this doone1 the ,monke priuily departing1 the chappell doores were shut4 ,assoone as these things were scattered about the citie1 by by there was a great thronging of people4 ,amongst whome also came foure monks1 dissembling and fayning1 that they knewe not what was there doone1 and therfore they commanded the doores to be opened1 and after asked the ,frier howe and after what sorte he came there4 ,he answered them that he was carried by a spirit4 ,and moreouer told them what words the image had spoken1 and that he could by no meanes moue out of that place before that foure of the chiefest ,aldermen were come vnto him1 vnto whom he had certaine things to be declared3 he also desired to receiue the holy sacrament4 ,the ,aldermen were foorthwith called1 and then the ,frier declared vnto them1 how the virgin ,mary lamented and sorrowed1 for that the citie of ,berna should be shortly destroyed1 for receiuing yearely pentis of the ,french king3 ,also for that they droue not the ,franciscans out of their citie1 who honoured her with the fayned tytle of vndefiled cception4 ,vnto this hir talke the ,aldermen answered very little4 ,by and by the other ,monkes gaue him the host infected with poyson1 which when he refused to receiue1 they brought him an other1 which he tooke1 then they led him with greate pompe into the quire1 7for so they call the vppermost parte of the churche47 ,the ,frier the other foure ,monkes were soone after called before the ,aldermen1 to testifie the truth whether those things were so or not4 ,but the foure fearing exceedingly least he should betray something because they knew he suspected th1 endeuoured by all meanes to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his meate1 therefore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson1 which he presently cast vp againe by vomit3 finally they so vexed and tormented him by so many wayes1 that in the end he left the ,colledge and ran away1 and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men4 ,in the meane time the ,monkes dispatched two ,legates or messengers to ,rome1 to obtaine a confirmation of these things of the ,pope1 that hereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary or mislike the same4 ,and when these messengers were returned1 7and as the ,prouerbe is7 thought themselues in a safe heauen1 the noble ,senate had commaunded the foure ,monkes to be fast kept in prison3 for they had learned the whole circumstance of the matter before of the ,frier1 whome they had committed to ward4 ,and sparing neither labour nor mony1 sent also vnto ,rome1 that they might perfectly knowe1 what they should do in this matter4 ,in the end both the ,frier the foure ,monkes were all put to torments1 and there confessed all the matter4 ,and when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles1 and horrible deeds1 by the ,popes permission they were first putte from the orders 7which they commonly call degradation7 and afterwards burned in the fire4 ,it was commonly reported1 that in case the noble ,senate of ,berna hadde not prosecuted the matter with great constancie1 and courage1 the ,cleargie woulde haue cloaked all the knauerie1 and haue sette the authors at libertie4 ,for they had greate cause to doubte1 as it after came to passe1 lest they should loose their credit and authoritie amongst many of the orders of ,monks1 and that these things whereon the ,popedome resteth1 as it were vpon pillers1 should now be had in great suspition with all men4 ,for it is most euident1 that after the impietie1 deceit wickednesse of these ,monkes began to be knowne abroad1 the opinion of the ,cleargie began to decaie1 and to be suspected more and more euery day1 of good and godly men3 when as they sayd this or that soule required their helpe3 that tapers lighted of their own accord3 that this or that image spake1 wept1 or moued it selfe from place to place3 that this or that ,saint endowed their monasterie with precious reliques3 or that ,crosses were sprinkeled with the blood of ,christ3 yea and although they had obteined confirmation of these matters from the ,pope1 yet notwithstanding many afterwards would in no wise beleue it to be so4 ,likewise they would not bee perswaded1 that this holy father falling into a traunce1 saw any miraculous things3 or that ,francis and ,catherin of ,sena1 bare the markes of ,christes fiue woundes in their bodie4 ,furthermore1 not without great cause1 men began to doubt of transubstantiation of bread into the body of ,christ1 sith they had so often poysoned the ,sacrament3 and also of those things which they chaunted vpon with open mouth1 touching pardons1 vigilies1 orders1 purgatorie1 holy water1 and satisfaction4 ,for that we let passe many things1 it is clearer then the daylight1 euen by this historie1 that many things haue bene beaten into the peoples heads touching these foresaid matters1 which were only deuised and inuented by these idle bellies4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,of a counterfait and deceiuing spirit at ,orleance in ,france4 ,and that no man thinke the ,friers ,preachers alone to haue bene so bolde1 and wicked1 and so readie in deuising so many monsters1 let vs hearken a while to a notable historie of the ,franciscan ,friers1 reported by ,sleidane in the ninth booke of his ,commentaries1 concerning the state of religion and the ,common wealth in the time of ,charles the fifth4 ,in the yeare 7saith he7 of our ,lord #aecd4 the ,franciscan ,monkes played a bloodie and deadly pageant at ,orleaunce in ,france4 ,the ,maiors wife of the same ,citie1 when she died1 commaunded in her will1 that she shoulde be buried without any pompe or noyse1 solemnely vsed at that time4 7,so also ,william ,bude1 a rare and singular ornament of ,fraunce1 lying on his death bedde at ,paris1 in the yeare of our ,lord #aedj4 in the month of ,august1 left commaundement with his friendes to bury him without any great solemnitie and pompe47 ,the womans husband1 who reuerenced the memoriall of his wife1 did euen as she had willed him1 and because she was buried in the ,church of the ,franciscans1 besides her father and grandfather1 gaue them in rewarde only sixe ,crownes1 whereas they hoped for a farre greater pay4 ,shortly after1 it chaunced that as he felled certaine woods1 and solde them1 they desired him to giue vnto them some parte of it frely without money3 which hee flatly denied4 ,this they tooke very greuously1 and whereas before they misliked him1 they deuised this meanes to bee reuenged3 forsooth to report that his wife was damned for euer4 ,the chiefe workemen and framers of this tragedy were ,colimannus1 and ,stephanus ,atrebatensis1 both doctors of diuinitie1 and ,colimannus a great coniurer1 hauing all his implements in a readinesse1 which he woonted to vse in such businesse3 and thus they handled the matter4 ,they place ouer the arche of the church a yong nouice3 he about midnight when they came to mumble their praiers 7as they were wont to do7 maketh a great rumbling noise3 out of hand the ,monks began to coniure charme1 but he answereth nothing1 then being required to giue a signe whether he were a dumbe ,spirit or no1 he begins to rumble and stir again3 which thing they tooke as a certaine signe4 ,hauing laid this foundation1 they go vnto certain citizens1 chief men and such as fauored them1 declaring that a heauy chaunce had hapned at home1 in their monasterie1 not shewing what the matter was1 but desiring th to come to their mattens at midnight4 ,wh those citizens were come and that praiers were now begun1 the counterfeit spirit beginneth to make a maruellous noise in the top of y church1 and being asked what he meant1 and who he was1 he giueth them signes that it is not lawful for him to speak3 ,therfore they commaunde him to make aunswere by tokens and signes1 to certaine things they woulde demaunde of him4 ,nowe there was a hole made in the vaute1 through the which he might heare and vnderstand the voyce of the coniurer3 and then had he in his hande a little boord which at euery question he strake in such sort as he might easily be heard beneath4 ,first therefore they aske him whether he were one of them that had bin buried in the same place1 afterwards they reckning vp many by name which had bin buried there1 at the last also name the ,maiors wife3 and there by and by1 the ,spirit gaue the signe that he was her soule4 ,he was further asked whether he were damned or no1 and if he were1 for what desert or fault8 ,whether for couetousnesse1 or wanton lust1 for pride1 or want of charitie1 or whether it were for heresie1 and for the secte of ,luther newly sprung vp8 ,also what he meant by that noyse and sturre he kept there8 ,whether it were to haue the bodie now buried in holy ground to be digged vp again1 and to be laide in some other place8 ,to all the which points1 he answered by signes as he was commanded1 by the which he affirmed1 or denied any thing1 according as he strake the boord twise or thrise togither4 ,and when he had thus giuen them to vnderstand1 that the very cause of his damnation was ,luthers heresie1 and that the bodie must needs be digged vp againe1 the ,monkes request the citizens 7whose presence they had vsed7 that they would beare witnesse of those things which they had sene with their eyes1 and that they would subscribe to such things1 as were done a fewe dayes before4 ,the citizens taking good aduise on the matter1 least they should offend the ,maior1 or bring themselues in trouble1 refuse so to do3 but the ,monkes notwithstanding take from thence the swete bread1 which they call the host1 and body of our ,lord1 togither with all y reliques of saints1 and cary them to an other place1 there say their ,masse4 ,the bishops substitute iudge 7whom they call ,officiall7 vnderstanding this matter1 commeth thither accompanied with certain honest men1 to y intt he might know y whole circumstances more exactly1 therfore he cmandeth them to make ciuration in his presence1 also he requireth certaine to be chosen to go vp to y top of the vault1 and ther to see whether any ghost appeared or not4 ,that ,stephanus ,atrebatsis stifly denied1 and maruellously persuading y ctrary1 affirmed1 that the spirit in no wise ought to be trobled4 ,and albeit the ,officiall1 vrged th very much1 y there might be some coniuring of the spirit1 yet could he nothing preuail4 ,in the mean while that these things wer a doing1 the ,maior1 wh he had shewed the other iustices of the citie1 what he wold haue th do1 tooke his iorny to the king1 and opened the whole matter vnto him4 ,and because the ,monks refused iudgement vpon plea of their owne lawes and liberties3 the king choosing out certaine of the ,aldermen of ,paris1 giueth them absolute and full authoritie1 to make enquirie on the matter4 ,the like doth the chancelor1 maister ,anthonius ,pratensis1 ,cardinall and ,legate for the ,pope1 throughout ,fraunce4 ,therefore when they had no exception to alleadge1 they were conueyed vnto ,paris and there constreyned to make their aunswere3 but yet could nothing be wroong out of them by confession4 ,wherevpon they were put a part into diuers prisons1 the ,nouice beeing kept in the house of maister,fumus1 one of the ,aldermen1 who being oftentimes examined earnestly requested to vtter the truthe1 woulde notwithstanding confesse nothing1 because he feared that the ,monks would afterwards put him to death1 for stayning their order1 and putting it to open shame3 but wh the ,iudges had made him sure promise1 that he should escape punishment1 and that he should neuer come into theire handling1 he repped vp vnto them the whole matter1 as it was done1 and being brought before his fellowes1 aduoucheth the same to their faces4 ,the ,monkes albeit they were by these meanes conuicted1 and almost taken tardy with the dede doing1 yet did they refuse the ,iudges1 bragging and vaunting them selues on their priuiledges3 but al in vaine3 for sentence passed on them1 and they were condemned3 that they being caried backe againe to ,orleaunce1 and there cast in prison1 should finally be broughte foorth to the chiefe ,church of the citie openly1 and from thence to the place of execution1 where they should make open cfession of their trespasses4 ,but there chaunced at the very same time a greeuous persecution against the ,lutherans1 which was the cause why that sentence1 7albeit was too gentle for so great an offence7 was neuer put in executi4 ,for they feared much1 because ,luthers name was odious euery where1 least if any sharpe iudgement hadde passed1 they should not so muche haue punished the offenders1 as shamed their order3 and many supposed that whatsoeuer had hapned vnto them1 would haue bin a pleasant and ioyful pageaunt and spectacle for the ,lutherans4 ,now the order of the ,franciscane ,friers1 hath the opinion of great holinesse with the common people3 insomuch1 that when they being condemned1 were carried to ,orleaunce1 certaine fonde women moued with foolish pittie1 followed them to the very gates of the citie1 weeping sighing abundantly4 ,when they were come to ,orleaunce1 and were there cast into diuers prisons1 againe they vaunted and bare themselues very brag on their priuiledges1 and liberties3 and so at the last when they had lyen long in prison1 they were in the end deliuered without any greater punishment4 ,all the while they were in prison1 they wanted nothing3 for there was bestowed vpon them1 especially by women1 very largely1 for to serue for their liuing1 and to purchase to them help and fauour4 ,except these persecutions and troubles1 which we spake of before1 had hindred the matter1 the king 7as many reported7 was fully determined1 to haue ouerthrowne their house1 and made it euen with the ground4 ,this ,historie also doth demonstrate and shewe1 that ,spirits are not alwayes heard1 when some men affirme they are4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,of a certaine parish ,priest at ,clauenna1 whiche fayned himselfe to bee our ,ladie1 and of an other that counterfeited himselfe to be a soule3 as also of a certaine disguised ,iesuite ,frier4 ,sidenote3 ,ioannes ,stumpfius4 ,to the ende wee may the better vnderstande this matter1 ,i will yet rehearse an other ,historie of a certaine parishe ,prieste1 which chaunced a yeare before the other ,i spake of1 which is sette foorth briefely1 but yet truely1 by ,ioannes ,stumpfius1 in the ,germane ,chronicles of the ,heluetians1 in the twentieth ,booke and eighth ,chapter1 whereof also many notable men at this day beare suffucient witnesse4 ,a certaine parish ,priest of ,clauenna1 7whiche is a ,citie neare the ,laake or water ,larius1 in the ,countrey of ,rhetia71 being farre in loue with an honest and faire mayden1 the daughter of a citizen in the same town1 oftentimes followed her1 as she went vnto her fathers barne3 and attempted to haue defloured her1 but she euer resisted1 and put him backe4 ,in the ende when he saw he could not obtaine his purpose1 he priuily stole out of the church a blew cloth1 beset with sundry starres1 and therwith couering himselfe1 saue only that he left his armes fete naked1 which he also berayed with blood1 he hideth himselfe without the towne1 and there muffling his face with a thinne linnen cloath1 meteth again with the mayd1 fayning himself with a counterfeit voyce1 to be the blessed virgin ,mary4 ,then in many words he declareth vnto her diuers plages1 which were shortly like to fall on the ,citie1 for the heresies of ,luther1 7for at other times also he had bitterly enueyed against ,luther1 in his open ,sermons37 he also commaunded the mayd to shew many things vnto the citizens1 touching holy dayes1 fastings1 generall processions1 c4 ,and amongst other things he added1 that there was a certain holy and religious man1 whiche had heeretofore asked a thing at her hands in the very same place1 which she had hitherto denied him1 but now it was her pleasure1 if he required y same again1 she should in any wise grant it1 if she would attain euerlasting life3 and y aboue all thing1 she must conceale and kep close this latter point vnto her self4 ,the mayd by by blazed it about al the citie1 that our ,lady had visibly appeared vnto her1 foretold her of sundry plagues likely to happen vnto the citie4 ,the inhabitants taking good aduise on this matter1 at the last for feare of these imminent dangers and plages1 gaue commandement1 that three daies shuld be kept holy4 ,in the which time1 the mayd1 supposing she shuld do high seruice to the virgin ,mary1 fulfilleth the lust of that wicked knaue4 ,this trecherie and deceit being shortly after detected by the wonderfull prouidence of ,god1 the varlet was first beheaded1 and afterward burnt in fire4 ,sidenote3 ,erasmus4 ,sidenote3 ,spectrum4 ,erasmus ,roterodamus1 writeth in his two and twentieth booke of ,epistles1 vnto a certaine ,bishop1 excusing himself1 touching certaine points1 which he had moued vnto him1 to the ende he should be very circumspect3 and amongst other things1 making mention there of spirits or wandring soules1 he reporteth this ,historie4 ,there was 7saith he7 a certaine parish ,priest1 who had dwelling with him in his house1 a ,nece of his1 a woman well stored with money3 ,in whose ,chamber hee woulde oftentimes conuey himselfe1 being disguised in a shete lyke vnto a ,spirite3 ,and then he cast foorth a doubtfull voyce1 hoping that the woman would either procure a coniurer for her helpe1 or else her selfe make him answere4 ,but she hauing a man-like courage1 priuily requesteth one of her friendes to lodge in her ,chamber secretly all night4 ,the man being armed with a clubbe insteed of other coniuring tooles1 and being well tippled with drinke1 to auoyd feare1 hideth himselfe in the bedde4 ,sodainly commeth the ,spirit roaring very miserably3 ,the coniurer with his clubbe awaketh1 leapeth out of his bedde scant sober1 and setteth vpon him4 ,then the ,spirit with his voyce and iesture1 beginneth to make him afrayd4 ,but the drunken coniurer soone answered him3 ,if 7quoth he7 thou be the ,diuel1 ,i am thy mother3 and therewith catching holde on him1 all to beat him with his club1 and would also haue slaine him1 if he had not chaunged his voyce1 and cryed2 ,o spare me for ,gods sake1 ,i am no soule1 but ,i am sir ,iohn4 ,which voyce when the woman heard and knewe1 she leapes out of her bedde1 and parts the fraye1 c4 ,the same ,erasmus writeth in the foresayd ,epistle1 that this ,priest vpon ,easter eue1 put liue crabbes priuily into the churchyard1 hauing waxe candles on light cleauing to their sides3 which when they crawled amongst the graues1 semed to bee suche a terrible sight1 that no man durst approach nere them4 ,hereof rose a fearfull reporte1 wherewith all men being amazed1 the priest declareth to y people in the pulpit1 that they were y soules of deade men which desired to be deliuered out of their torments by ,masses almes deds4 ,this deceite was espied by these meanes3 that at the last one or two of the crabbes were found amongst the rubbish1 hauing the candles done out cleauing on their backs1 which y priest had not tak vp4 ,sidenote3 ,georgius ,buchananus4 ,georgius ,buchananus1 prince of all ,poets in this our age1 reporteth an historie in his ,commodie called ,franciscanus1 of one ,langus a priest1 who falsly affirming that in a field of ,scotland full of ,brimstone there were soules miserablie tormented1 which continually cried for helpe and succour1 suborned a countrie clowne whome he would coniure1 as if he had bin one of those soules4 ,which deceite of his1 y husbandm afterward discouered wh he was drunk4 ,i would here repeate his verses1 but that his bookes are nowe in euery mans hands4 ,while ,i was writing these things1 it was reported vnto me by credible persons1 that in ,augusta1 a noble citie of ,germanie1 this present yeare #aefi4 there was a maide and certaine other men seruants in a great mans family1 which little regarded the sect of the ,iesuite ,friers3 that one of the saide order made promise to their master1 that he wold easily bring them to an other opinion3 so disguising himselfe like vnto a ,diuel1 was hid in a priuie corner of y house3 vnto the which place1 one of the maides going1 either of hir owne accorde to fetche some thing1 or being sent by her master1 was by y disguised ,iesuite made maruellously afraide3 which thing she presently declared vnto one of the m seruants exhorting him in any wise to take hede of the place4 ,who shortly after going to the same place1 laying hold on his dagger1 sodeynly stabbed in the counterfeit diuell1 as he came rushing on him4 ,this history is written in ,duch verses1 and put in print1 and now almost in euery mans hands4 ,,chap4 ,x4 ,that it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in old time1 neither yet that it is to be maruelled at1 if there be any at this day4 ,many other like examples might be brought1 but these may suffise to proue euidently1 to what point ambition1 couetousnesse1 enuy1 hatred1 stubburnesse1 idlenesse and loue1 do most commonly driue men4 ,sidenote3 ,ambition4 ,we se by common experience1 that proude ambitious men dare aduenture any thing4 ,if they may hurt or hinder other men by accusations1 slanders1 or any other wayes or meanes1 whome they suppose may preiudice or let their exalting to honour1 they sticke not at all to doo it4 ,what maruell is it then that ,monkes and ,priests1 which desire to be aloft1 indeuour now a daies to purchase vnto themselues authoritie by false miracles1 vaine apparitions1 and such other like trumpery4 ,sidenote3 ,couetousnesse4 ,sidenote3 ,paule4 ,all men know what a pernitious thing couetousnesse is4 ,for they which are not contented to liue with a litle1 but will neds be rich1 neither care for any man1 nor yet spare any man4 ,hungry guttes seke sundrie wayes to fill themselues3 fewe willingly endure hunger4 ,wherefore it is not be maruelled at1 if amongst ,monks and ,priests at these our dayes1 who haue bene euer reported to be couetous1 there be some founde1 which by false apparitions of soules1 seke their gaines1 inuenting holy pilgrimages1 and other baytes to get mony4 ,for what wil not idle and slothfull lubbers attempt to purchase riches8 ,doth not ,saint ,paule say1 that those which will waxe rich by idlenesse1 fall into the snares of the ,diuell8 ,sidenote3 ,enuis4 ,emulation1 wilfulnesse1 enuie1 hatred1 contention1 desire to ouercome1 what they may doo1 what they may bring to passe1 daily experience teacheth vs4 ,the ,preachers of ,berna1 when they perceiued they could not ouercome their aduersaries by any other means1 yelded themselues 7which is horrible to be spoken7 vnto the diuel1 making him one of their counsell4 ,and who can deny but y priests now adayes are also for the most part1 stubborne1 and full of contention4 ,sidenote3 ,idlenesse4 ,idlenesse is the nurse and mother of all mischiefe3 what goodnesse then may ye looke for of them1 which not only exercise themselues in no labours prescribed by ,god1 neither yet apply themselues to good learning1 but day and night play the gluttons8 ,tell me ,i pray the1 whether the laboring husbandman1 or the idle man1 who alwayes spent his time in inuenting pernitious mischiefes1 first founde out those cruel instruments of warre which they call gunnes8 ,sidenote3 ,loue4 ,it might be declared in many words what loue is able to do4 ,now because ,monks and ,priests liue idlely1 abounding in all wantonnesse1 and yet are restrained from holy marriage1 what maruell is it if at this time also they faine and counterfeit many visions1 that they might thereby the easier enioy their loue8 ,and here ,i wil not say it is to be feared1 that there are many amongst them so wicked and villanous1 as to exercise practise magicall ,artes1 and such like1 which are vtterly forbidden4 ,who can then maruell hereafter1 if it be sayd1 they counterfeyt spirites1 affirming they haue let men see this or that soule8 ,for in what men soeuer these vices be1 which we haue rehearsed1 surely those dare boldly aduenture any thing4 ,no kinde of men are more obnoxious to these kinde of things1 than those which leade their life in ,monasteries1 and ,colledges3 and therefore no man ought to maruell or thinke it a straunge thing1 if we say that in times past many false visions haue bene practised1 and may also at this day likewise happen4 ,for y world1 as all men iustly complaine1 waxeth worse and worse4 ,men are now more impudent1 more bold1 more couetous1 and more wicked1 than euer they were in times past4 ,moreouer1 the ,cleargie of ,rome haue in many places this prerogatiue aboue others1 that most men 7especially such as are led by superstition7 make much of them1 worshipping them with great reuerence1 no man so much as suspecteth them to apply their mindes to euill matters1 to subtiltie1 craft1 and deceit3 all men looke for other things at their hands4 ,if therefore they addict themselues to euill deuises1 they may easily deceiue men1 except ,god miraculously reueale their wickednesse1 and bring it to light1 as we declared in a fewe examples rehearsed before4 ,sidenote3 ,popes haue fained visions4 ,sidenote3 ,bruno4 ,sidenote3 ,gregorius #g4 ,sidenote3 ,bartholomeus ,platina4 ,sidenote3 ,bonifacius4 ,and perchance for this cause also1 ,priests and ,monkes could not bee so well blamed1 for their so often deceiuing plaine meaning folkes with craft and subtiltie1 in so much as some of their moste holy ,fathers1 ,i meane ,popes of ,rome1 haue bin very cunning in magicall sciences1 as their owne ,historiographers affirme1 and by meanes of those artes1 haue aspired to the high top of ,popedome4 ,beno 7or rather ,bruno1 for so ,i iudge his name is7 who was also a ,cardinall1 set foorth the life of ,pope ,gregorie the seuenth1 in writing1 in the which he sheweth the sayd ,bishop to haue bene a proude1 arrogant1 malicious and couetous ,monke1 and that he was throughly sene in the blacke art of ,negromancie4 ,bartholomeus ,platina 7who being a sworne seruant with the ,pope1 excusing their faults as much as he can7 writeth of ,siluester the second1 y he gaue himselfe to the diuel1 and that by his meanes1 his counsell magical deuises1 he atteined y great office of papacie4 ,doo ye think1 that it is a hard thing for him y is confederat with the enemy of mankind1 to faine spirits soules1 or to ciure a diuel1 to make men beleue he were a soule1 do you thinke such men abhorre to doo such mischiefe8 ,the ,historiographers report that ,bonifacius the #h4 deceiued his predecessor ,celestinus1 by a voyce sent through a cane red1 as though it had come from heauen1 perswading him to giue ouer his office of ,popeship1 and to institute therein1 one ,bonifacius a worthier man than he1 except he would be thrust out of the kingdome of heauen4 ,the poore simple ,pope obeying this voyce1 ordeined ,bonifacius ,pope in his steade1 in the yeare of our ,lord #abid4 who first brought in the yeare of ,iubile4 ,of this ,boniface1 the common people would say1 ,he came in like a ,fox1 he raigned like a wolfe1 and died like a ,dog4 ,if the very vicar of ,christ1 who hath all knowledge as it were fast lockt in the ,coffer of his brest1 could be deceiued1 lette no man maruel any more if simple credulous husbandmen and citezens haue ben deceiued1 and that it hath bin said to them3 ,god spake this3 ,this soule did aske helpe3 and such like things1 which are most false and vaine4 ,yf this man coulde counterfeit the voyce of ,god1 coulde he not also faine the voice of dead men8 ,sidenote3 ,sometimes ,laye men beguile the ,priests4 ,before ,i procede any further1 this is also to be obserued1 that plesaunt conceited fellowes1 may oftentimes deceiue the priests1 themselues4 ,for when the priests did brag1 that they coulde coniure ,spirits and deliuer mens soules1 it may be that other being wrapped in shets1 hauing vnderneth them liue coales in an earthen pot1 appeared vnto priests1 who by and by were persuaded they sawe saules which required their helpe to be deliuered4 ,erasmus in his ,colloquio or talke which he intituled ,exorcismus1 vel spectrum1 or a coniuration or vision1 writeth howe one ,polus maruellously deceiued a priest called ,faustus4 ,but there is no doubt but that priests being many times deceiued in iest by the lay men for pastimes sake1 haue on the other side more often times beguiled them in earnest4 ,sidenote3 ,men walking by night4 ,i haue spoken hitherto of men being awake1 and now ,i will adde a fewe words of such as slepe4 ,there be many which haue such a kinde of disease1 that they walke in their slepe3 which thing we reade to haue bin true in one ,theon a ,stoicke1 and in ,pericles seruant1 who in their slepe climed vp to the top of the house4 ,i haue hearde of some which in their slepe haue done that which being awake1 they could not do by any meanes4 ,if a man se such a one walking in the night1 either apparrelled or naked1 and after here him say he was at the same time in his bed1 he will straight thinke1 it was his soule that he sawe1 the like will he do if he heare such a one at his owne house4 ,,chap4 ,,xi4 ,that many naturall things are taken to be ghoasts4 ,sidenote3 ,fayries of the earth4 ,there happen daily many things by the ordinary course of nature1 which diuers men1 especially they that are timorous and fearefull1 suppose to be visions or spirits4 ,as for example1 when they heare the crying of ratts1 catts1 weasels1 martins1 or any other beaste1 or when they heare a horse beate his fete on the plankes in the stable at midnight1 by and by they sweat for feare1 supposing some bugges to walke in the dead of the night4 ,somtimes a bittour1 or hearne 7which birds are sildome sene with vs in ,germany7 or some other straunge birds1 make a noise in the aire3 many fooles straightwayes dreame1 they haue heard ,i wotte not what4 ,if a worme which fretteth wood1 or that bredeth in tres1 chaunce to gnawe a wall of waynescot1 or other timber1 many will iudge they heare one softly knocking vppon an anduill with a sledge3 and sometimes they imagine they heare many hammers at one time4 ,simple foolish men hearing these things1 imagine1 ,i know not how1 that there be certaine elues or fairies of the earth1 and tell many straunge and maruellous tales of them1 which they haue heard of their grandmothers and mothers1 how they haue appeared vnto those of the house1 haue done seruice1 haue rocked the cradle1 and 7which is a signe of good lucke7 do continually tarry in the house4 ,if such dwarfes or elues haue bene sene at any time1 surely they were euill spirits4 ,for we reade that the ,gentiles in time past1 had their familiar or houshold gods1 whome they worshipped with great deuotion1 because 7as they thought7 they tooke care of their house1 and defended their family3 and vnto these men1 euil spirits did sometimes appeare1 thereby to confirme them the more in their blinde superstition4 ,sidenote3 ,olaus ,magnus4 ,olaus ,magnus ,archbishop of ,vpsalia1 writeth in his history de ,gentibus ,septentrionalibus1 that euen at this day also1 there are spirits sene in these countries1 which hauing the shape of men1 do men seruice in the night1 dressing their horse1 and looking to their cattell4 ,the winde in the night1 ouerthroweth some thing1 or shaketh a casement or lid of the window3 many by and by thinke they se a spirite1 and can very hardly be brought from that vaine opinion4 ,sidenote3 ,echo4 ,this thing is also according to nature1 that when a man either crieth or speaketh in the woods1 valies1 or other hollow places1 ,echo wil resound the later word or sillable1 so plainly many times1 that a man would verily thinke some liuing bodie made him answere againe4 ,many would be afraide hereof at all times1 but especially in the night season1 except he knew very well it were a naturall thing4 ,sidenote3 ,cardanus4 ,cardanus in his booke de ,subtilitate lib4#ah4 rehearseth a maruellous historie of one ,comensis1 who very late in the night1 comming to a riuersside1 not knowing where he might passe ouer1 called out aloude for some bodie to shewe him the foorde1 and when the ,echo made him answere1 hee supposing it to be a man1 asked him if he might passe ouer here3 to whom the ,echo answered again in y ,italian tong1 ,here1 here4 ,but in y place was a whirlpoole1 and a great roring of the water3 ,therfore y man douting1 asketh once or twice againe1 whether the riuer might be past ouer in the same place3 to which the ,echo answered stil that it might4 ,in the end1 when he had escaped y passage without danger1 he told his friends1 how by the persuasi of the diuel1 he had almost throwne himself hedlong into the riuer1 and drowned himself4 ,in the same place1 he saith1 that the great ,hall at ,ticinium in ,italy1 doth render sundry and manifold voyces1 if one speake in it1 and that the voyces as it were die and make an end much lyke a mans voyce1 when he lyeth a dying1 in so much that a man can scant be perswaded it is the noyse of ,echo4 ,sidenote3 ,things shyning by night4 ,sidenote3 ,hector ,boethius4 ,there are certain things which shine only in the night1 as some precious stones doo1 the eyes of certaine beastes1 a ,glowoorme1 or ,globard1 as also some kinde of rotten wood1 wherewith many times children so terrifie their play-fellowes1 that they imagine with themselues1 to se euil spirites1 or men all burning with fire4 ,hector ,boethius writeth1 that a certain ,king of ,scots caused some of his men to be disguised in garments with bright shining scales1 hauing in their hands rotten wood insted of staues1 and so to appeare to his nobilitie and ,lords in the night1 exhorting them to fight couragiously with their enemies1 and promising them to obtaine victorie4 ,whereby the noble men supposing they had sene angels1 behaued themselues valiantly1 and atchieued the victorie4 ,sidenote3 ,burning lights4 ,many times candles small fires appeare in the night1 and seme to runne vp and downe4 ,and as the yong men in ,heluetia1 who with their firebrands which they light1 at the bonfires in ,shroftide1 sometime gather themselues togither1 and then scatter abroad1 and againe1 meting togither1 march in a long rancke3 euen so doo those fires sometime seme to come togither1 and by and by to be seuered runne abroad1 and at the last to vanish cleane away4 ,sometime these fires goe alone in the night season1 and put such as se them1 as they trauell by night1 in great feare4 ,but these things1 and many such lyke haue their naturall causes3 and yet ,i will not deny1 but that many times ,diuels delude men in this maner4 ,sidenote3 ,exhalatons4 ,natural ,philosophers write1 that thicke exhilations aryse out of the earth1 and are kindled4 ,mynes full of sulphur and brimstone1 if the aire enter vnto it1 as it lyeth in the holes and veines of the earth1 will kindle on fier1 and striue to get out4 ,sometimes fire bursteth out of the earth1 as high as a tall tre1 and is suddeinly put out againe4 ,which thing is to be thought to procede of fierie matter1 seking a vent to gush out4 ,wee reade of the mount ,aetna in ,cicilie1 that in times past it burnt continually1 day and night1 casting forth flames of fire1 fiery stones and ashes in great aboundance4 ,the lyke is read also at ,vesuuius a hill in ,campaine1 about a ,germaine mile from ,naples3 ,the same hill in the time of ,titus the ,emperour1 as ,s4 ,hierom reporteth1 cast foorth of it so much fire1 that it burnt the country1 and cities1 and people rounde about it1 and filled the fieldes adioyning full of cinders and ashes4 ,these two hilles1 euen in our dayes boyling with great heate1 haue very much indamaged the people inhabiting thereabout4 ,in ,iseland1 as ,olaus ,magnus witnesseth1 are found fiers which breake out of the earth4 ,and as whole hilles and mountaines may burne1 euen so may a litle fire be kindled in the earth1 and yet wander very large4 ,they which trauelling by the way1 or by some other meanes chaunce to se these things1 and know not the naturall causes of them1 imagin by reason of feare1 that they haue sene men burning like fire1 or some other straunge thing1 which they haue heard other men talke of4 ,and by means of their great feare1 oftentimes they fall into great daungerous diseases4 ,sidenote3 ,glasses4 ,the arte perspectiue doth also worke this wonderfull feate1 that diuers and sundrie shapes will appeare in glasses1 made and sette togither aftter a certeine artificial sorte3 sometimes they will seme to goe out of the doores1 and resemble men of our familiar acquaintance4 ,many things in very ded are naturall1 although we cannot finde any naturall reason for them4 ,and yet by the way1 they shewe themselues too foolishe1 which labour to bring all things to natural causes4 ,here ,i will say nothing of these men1 which can beare plaine and rude people in hande1 that they1 or some other of their acquaintance1 haue sene strange things1 which they earnestly auouch to be true1 when as indede there was no suche thing4 ,how often ,i pray you1 do we heare things affirmed as true1 which afterward proue most false3 as that one was caried away bodie and soule1 that an other was put to death1 and an infinit nomber of such like reports4 ,,chap4 ,,xii4 ,a proofe out of the ,gentiles histories1 that ,spirites and ,ghoasts do oftentimes appeare4 ,albeit many melancholicke1 madde1 fearefull1 and weake sensed men1 doo oftentimes imagine many things which in very ded are not1 and are likewise deceiued1 sometime by men1 or by brute beasts3 and moreouer mistake things which procede of naturall causes1 to be bugges and spirites1 as ,i haue hitherto declared by many examples1 yet it is most certaine and sure1 that all those things which appeare vnto men are not alwayes naturall things1 nor alwayes vaine terrors to affray men3 but that spirites doo often appeare1 and many straunge and maruellous things doo sundry times chance4 ,for many such things of this sort1 are to be red in diuers graue and auncient ,historiographers3 and many men of no small credite1 haue affirmed1 that they haue sene spirites both in the day and in the night also4 ,and here ,i will orderly declare a fewe histories out of diuers allowed authors1 touching spirites which haue appeared and shewed themselues4 ,sidenote3 ,triton appeared to ,iulius ,csar4 ,suetonius ,tranquillus writeth1 that when ,iulius ,csar marching out of ,fraunce into ,italie with his army1 and comming to the riuer ,rubico1 which diuideth ,italie from the hether ,fraunce1 staying there a while1 and reuoluing with himselfe howe great an enterprise hee had taken in hand1 as he was wauering in mind whether he shuld passe the water or not1 suddeinly there appeared a man of excelling stature and shape sitting hard by1 pyping on a rede4 7,melancthon in his ,phisickes calleth him ,triton7 vnto whom when not only shepheards1 but also very many souldiers from the campe1 and amongst them diuers trumpetters had flocked to heare him1 he sodeinly snatched a trumpet from one of them1 and leaped to the riuer1 and with a lustie breath blowing vp the alarum1 went to the farther side4 ,then sayd ,csar1 good lucke mates1 let vs goe whither the gods warnings leade vs1 and whither our enemies iniquitie calleth vs3 ,the dice are throwne4 ,and so he transported ouer4 ,sidenote3 ,theseus seene in the battaile of ,maratho4 ,plutarke writeth in ,theseus life1 that many which were in the battaile of ,marathonia1 against the ,medians1 did affirme1 that they sawe the soule of ,theseus armed1 7who long time before died of a fall7 before the vauntgard of the ,grecians1 running and setting on the barbarous ,medians4 ,for which cause the ,athenians afterward were moued to honor him as a demigod4 ,pausanias writeth in ,atticis1 ,that in the field of ,maratho4 #djj4 yeares after the battaile there foughten1 there was heard the neying of ,horses1 and the encountring of souldiers1 as it were fighting euery night3 ,and that they which of purpose came to heare these things1 could heare nothing1 but those that by chaunce came that way1 heard it very sensibly4 ,the same ,plutarke writeth in the life of ,cimon1 that when the citizens of ,cherouesus1 had by faire words called home their captaine ,damon1 7who before for diuers murthers departed the citie7 afterwards they cruelly slew him in a ,hotehouse1 as he was bathing himselfe1 and from that time foorth1 there were many strange sightes sene in the same place1 many times also most greuous gronings were there heard1 insomuch that they were euer after constreined to stop vp the hotehouse doores4 ,also in y life of ,dion1 he reporteth that the saide ,dion being a stoute a couragious man without any feare1 sawe notwithstanding a great and maruellous horrible sight4 ,for when he chaunced to sit alone in the entry of his house in the euening 7those are ,plutarks owne words1 as ,xiliander interpreteth them7 musing discoursing many things with himselfe1 being sodeinly moued with a great noyse1 he arose and looked backe to the other side of the gallerie1 and there he espied a monstrous great woman1 who in apparell and countenaunce nothing differing from a ,tragi1 call furie1 swept the house with a broome4 ,with the which sight being amazed terribly afraide1 he called his friends and acquaintance vnto him1 and declaring vnto them what he had sene1 desired th to remaine with him al that night3 for being as it were stricken dead with feare1 he doubted least it would appeare vnto him againe1 if he were alone1 which indede neuer hapned after4 ,but a fewe daies after1 his sonne threwe himselfe headlong from the top of the house1 and died1 and he himselfe being stabbed through the bodie1 ended his miserable life4 ,the same author writeth in the life of ,decius ,brutus1 how when ,brutus was determined to transporte his army out of ,asia into ,europe1 being in his tent about midnight1 the candle burning dimly1 and all the host quiet and silent1 as he was musing and reuoluing with himselfe1 he semed that he hearde one entring the ,tente into him1 and looking backe vnto the doore1 he sawe a terrible and monstrous shape of a bodie1 which farre exceded the common stature of men1 standing faste by him without any words1 wherewith he was sore afraid3 and yet he ventured to aske it this question4 ,what art thou 7saieth he7 either a ,god1 or a man8 and why commest thou vnto me8 ,whereto the image answered3 ,i am 7quoth he7 ,o ,brutus1 thy euill ghoast1 at ,philippos thou shalt se me4 ,then saith ,brutus1 being nothing amazed3 ,i will se the4 ,when the sight was vanished1 he called his seruants1 who tolde him1 that they neither sawe any such thing1 neither heard any voyce at all4 ,all that night ,brutus could not slep one winke4 ,in the morning very early1 he goeth vnto ,cassius and sheweth him his straunge vision4 ,cassius who despised all such things 7for he was an ,epicure7 ascribed the whole matter to naturall causes4 ,for his disputation hereof1 is yet extant in ,plutarke4 ,afterwards ,brutus 7being vanquished by ,augustus1 and ,anthony1 in the field of ,philippi7 slew himselfe because he would not bee deliuered into the hands of his enemies4 ,sidenote3 ,caius ,cassius sawe ,iulius ,csar4 ,valerius ,maximus1 in his first booke and sixt chap4 writeth that ,caius ,cassius sawe ,iulius ,csar in the battaile of ,philippi1 7in a shape of greater maiesty1 than any man hath7 setting spurres to his horse1 and running on him with a terrible threatning countenance3 which when ,cassius sawe1 he turned his backe to the enemy1 and fled1 and shortly after murthered himselfe4 ,sidenote3 ,drusus sawe a woman excelling all mortall creatures in maiestie4 ,dio ,cassius ,nicsus1 in his ,roman historie from the beginning of his #ee4;booke writeth of ,drusus1 who by spoyling ,germany far and nere on euery side1 came euen to the riuer ,albis1 where when he could not get ouer1 erecting monuments of victorie1 departed back againe3 ,for he there saw a woman1 exceding the state of mortall creatures1 which met him1 and sayd vnto him3 ,drusus1 which canst finde no end of thy gredie desire1 whither goest thou8 ,it is not lawfull for the to se al these things3 but rather get the hence1 for the ende both of thy life and worthie dedes is nowe at hand4 ,when ,drusus heard these things1 he sodeinly chaunged his course1 and being on his iourney1 before he came to the riuer of ,rein1 he sickned and dyed4 ,other like foretokens the same author reporteth to haue hapned before his death1 all the which notwithstanding1 he nothing regarded4 ,for two yong men appeared on horsebacke vpon the rampiers1 and the shriking of women was also hearde1 with many other such like4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,plinius secundus writing of spirits4 ,plinius secundus citizen of ,nouocomensis1 hath an ,epistle of ,spirits appearings1 written vnto his friend ,sura in the vii4 booke of his ,epistles1 which we haue thought good to set downe whole in this place3 ,leisure 7saith he7 graunteth me libertie to learne1 and giueth the leaue to teache4 ,therfore ,i am very desirous to knowe whether thou thinke fantasies are any thing1 and whether they haue any proper figure of their owne1 and be some kinde of diuine power1 or else whether they take vppon them some vaine variable shape1 according to the feare which we haue of them8 ,that ,i should so beleue1 ,i am especially moued thereto by that which ,i heare saie happened to ,curtius ,rufus1 who was as then1 companion to the ,proconsul of ,affrica1 bothe poore1 and also of small reputation4 ,and as he walked one day in a ,gallerie towardes the euening their meteth with him the shape of a woman1 more great beautifull1 than any liuing creature4 ,wherat he being amazed1 she telleth him that she is ,affrica1 and is come vnto him to foretell him of good happe to followe3 ,first that he should go to ,rome1 and there take on him the state of great honoure1 and afterwarde1 that he should returne into the same prouince with full and high authoritie1 and there end his daies4 ,which things came all to passe4 ,and moreouer1 the same figure 7as it is saide7 mette with him againe on the shore side1 as he entred out of the ship1 and came towardes ,carthage to take his charge and regiment in hande4 ,afterwards falling sick1 when no man dispayred of his healthe1 coniecturing things to come by those that had passed1 and comparing aduersitie with his former prosperitie1 he vtterly cast away all hope of recouerie4 ,is not this also more terrible1 and no lesse maruellous1 whiche ,i will now repeate as ,i haue heard it tolde8 ,sidenote3 ,the spirit of ,athens4 ,there was in ,athens a goodly and a very large house1 but euill reported1 and counted as an infortunate and vnluckie house4 ,for about midnight1 there was heard the noyse of iron1 and if one marked it well1 the ratling of chaines1 as it were a farre off at the first1 and so1 nerer and nerer3 shortly there appeared an image or shape1 as it were an olde man1 leane and loathsome to beholde1 with a long beard and staring haire3 on his legges he had fetters1 and in his hands carried chaines which he alwaies ratled togither4 ,by meanes whereof1 those that inhabited the house1 by reason of their feare1 watched many heauie and pittifull nights3 after their watching folowed sicknesse1 and soone after1 as feare increased1 ensued death4 ,for in the day time also1 albeit the image were departed1 yet the remembrance thereof1 was euer present before their eyes3 so that their feare was longer than they had cause to feare4 ,vpon this the house stood desert and solitarie1 wholly lefte vnto the monster whiche haunted it3 yet was it proclaimed to be solde1 if happily any man whiche was ignorant of this great mischiefe1 would either buy it or hire it4 ,athenodorus chanced to come to ,athens1 and there readeth the writing on the doore3 ,and when he had learned the price1 because he suspected the good cheapenesse thereof1 enquiring further1 vnderstoode the whole matter1 and notwithstanding any thing that he heard1 he hired the house1 so much the rather4 ,when it waxed night1 he commaundeth his seruauntes to make his bedde in the vtter part of the house3 he taketh his writing tables1 his writing wier and a candle1 and sendeth all his seruaunts into the inner part of the house4 ,he himselfe setleth his minde1 his eyes and hand to write1 least his mind being vnoccupied1 should imagine it heard straunge figures1 and should bred vaine feare4 ,in the beginning of the night1 there was silence as is in all other places1 but not long after the iron began to ring1 and the chaines to moue3 but yet he would not looke vp1 nor let cease his writing1 but hardned his hart1 and stopped his eares4 ,then the noyse increaseth draweth neare1 and semeth sometimes to be without the porch1 sometimes within4 ,th he looketh back1 and seeth and acknowledgeth the shape whereof he had heard before3 the image stood still and beckned with his finger as though he had called him1 the philosopher on the other side signifieth with his hand1 that he should stay a while1 and falleth againe to his writing4 ,the image shaketh his chaines ouer his head1 as he sate writing4 ,he looketh about againe1 and seeth him beckning1 as he did before4 ,and so rising vp without delay1 taketh the candle in his hand and foloweth3 the image goeth before with a softly pace1 as though he were heauily laden with chaines3 ,after he had turned aside into the court of the house1 sodeinly vanishing away1 leaueth his walking mate alone4 ,he being forsaken1 laieth hearbes and leaues gathered togither vpon the place4 ,the next day he goeth to the rulers of the citie1 and willeth them to commaund the place to be digged vp1 whiche done1 they finde bones wrapped and tyed in chaynes3 which the bodie being putrified and consumed with long lying in the earth1 had left lying in bondes3 those bones being gathered togither1 were buried solemnely3 ,the house1 after they were orderly laide in the ground1 was euer after cleare of all such ghostes4 ,in these things ,i must beleue other mens reports1 but that which followeth1 ,i can boldly affirme on mine owne knowledge4 ,i haue one with me1 sometime my bondseruaunt1 but nowe enfraunchized and set at libertie1 a man not vtterly vnlearned3 with him my yonger brother lay togither in one bed4 ,he in his owne imagination seemed that he saw a certain personage sitting vpon the bedde where he laie1 putting kniues vnto his head1 and therewith polling off his haires4 ,when it was day light1 the haires were found on the ground1 he being in very ded notted about the crowne of his head4 ,shortly after the like happened vnto him1 which made all men beleue the first was true4 ,the boy amongst a great many of his fellowes chaunced to slepe in the schoole1 and being in slepe1 there came certaine in at the windowes 7as he sayd7 cloathed in white garments1 and shore of his haire as he laie1 and so departed againe as they came4 ,this polling1 and also his haires scattered abroad1 were founde when it was day4 ,no notable matter ensued hereof1 except it were1 perchaunce1 that ,i was not accused of treason1 as ,i should haue bene1 if ,domitianus1 who died about this time1 had liued longer4 ,for there was a libell found in his coffers1 giuen vnto him against me1 written by maister ,carus4 ,by which it may well be coniectured1 that in so much as those which are accused1 doo vse to let their haire growe very long1 the cutting of my friends haire1 was a sure signe of escaping the great daunger1 which then hung ouer my head4 ,wherefore ,i hartily require you to straine your learning4 ,the matter is worthie1 wherein ye may vse long and depe consideration3 and ,i surely am vnworthie to whom ye shuld open your knowledge4 ,you may therfore 7if it please you7 dispute the matter on both sides1 as ye are accustomed1 but yet ,i pray you handle it more throughly on the one side1 least ye sende me away wauering and hanging in doubt1 whereas the cause of my seking counsel1 is to the ende ,i might be quite out of doubt4 ,fare ye well4 ,sidenote3 ,manlius4 ,what answere master ,sura1 7who as it appeareth1 was well learned7 made vnto maister ,pliny ,i do not finde4 ,but to say the truth1 what sound answere could he1 being a ,gentile make herein8 ,the like history is to be red in the collections of ,iohn ,manlius common places1 who 7as ,philip ,melancthon reporteth7 dooth write1 that ,theodorus ,gaza had a lordship or manour place in ,campania1 giuen him by ,nicholas ,pope of ,rome4 ,in the manour1 when by chaunce1 one of his farmers had digged vp a coffin with dead mens bones in it1 there sodeinly appeared a spirit vnto him1 commaunding him to bury the coffin againe1 or else his sonne should shortly after die4 ,which when the farmer refused to doo1 shortly after his sonne was found slaine in the night4 ,a fewe dayes after1 the ,spirit appeared againe vnto the husbandman1 menacing and threatning him1 that in case he did not bury the aforesaid bones1 he would kill his other sonne also4 ,the man taking warning by his losse1 and seing his other sonne fallen sicke1 goeth vnto maister ,theodorus and sheweth him all the matter4 ,he vnderstanding it1 goeth with him to the manour1 and there in the same place where the farmer had before digged vp the coffin1 casting a new graue1 they bury the coffin with the bones4 ,as soone as the bones were laide in the graue1 the husbandmans sonne immediatly recouered his health4 ,dion writeth1 that the ,emperour ,traianus was ledde out of the house1 where he had taken vp his ,inne1 in the time of an earthquake1 into a more safer place4 ,iulius ,capitolinus1 which setteth out a fewe lines of the ,romane ,emperours1 reporteth1 that ,pertinax for the space of thre days before he was slaine by a thrust1 sawe a certaine shadow in one of his fishponds1 which with a sworde readie drawne threatened to slaie him1 and thereby much disquieted him4 ,flauius ,vopiscus writeth1 that whereas ,tacitus fathers graue opened it selfe1 the sides therof falling downe of their owne accord1 and that his mothers soule appeared both to him and ,florianus day and night1 as if she had bene liuing1 it was a most sure and infallible signe1 that he should die shortly after4 ,ammianus ,marcellinus1 writing of the signes or prognostications of ,constantius death1 saith that he was troubled and terrified in the night season with shapes and figures4 ,the same ,author affirmeth in his #be4 booke1 that a little before ,iulianus died1 as he sate writing in the tents1 following the example of ,iulius ,csar1 he sawe the image of the publicke ,genius1 or god of the place 7which was wont to be painted with ,amaltheas horne in his hand7 departing from him1 more deformed and ill fauoured1 than when it began to mount vp to the narrow top of the tent4 ,sidenote3 ,lucan4 ,lucanus as well an excellent ,historiographer1 as also a most learned ,poet1 reckneth vp many forewarnings1 in his first booke of the battaile of ,pharsalia1 which chaunced before the great conflict betwen ,iulius ,csar1 and great ,pompeius3 and amongst other things1 he writeth thus4 ,the trumpets blew1 and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace1 ,so did the night with silent shades increase her darkish face4 ,and then the ghosts of ,sylla fierce1 were plainly seene in field1 ,thereby declaring euil signes1 of blood that should be spild4 ,and by the floud of ,anien1 the husband did spie ,great ,marius1 out of broken graue his head aduauncing hie4 ,,chap4 ,,xiii4 ,a proofe out of the histories of the auncient ,church1 and of the writings of holie ,fathers1 that there are walking ,spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,sozomenus4 ,if we read ouer the ,ecclesiasticall histories1 we shall finde many of these examples4 ,sozomenus writeth in his ,ecclesiasticall historie1 the sixt booke and #bh4 chapter1 of one ,apelles1 a black ,smyth by occupation 7whose name was at that time very famous throughout ,egipt1 for the gift of working miracles1 wherwith he was indewed7 who as he was one night hard at his work1 had appearing vnto him1 a vision of a ,diuel in the likenesse and attire of a very beautifull wom1 mouing intising him to the vice of lechery4 ,but he sodenly catching y iron which he wrought on1 glowing hot out of the fire1 thrust it in y diuels face1 and scorched his visage1 wherat he fretting crying out1 in al hast fled away4 ,likewise in his #g4 booke and #bc4 chap4 writing of the sedition raised at ,antioche1 for the immoderat action and tribute which ,theodosius layd on the citie in the time of warres1 whereby the people being offended1 ouerthrew the images of the ,emperour and his wife1 dragging them in roapes about the citie1 and reporting all kinde of villany and dispite against them1 thus he saith4 ,but in the night before1 assoone as the rebellion began1 immediatly at the breake of the day1 it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight sene1 of a woman hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke1 running vp and downe the citie through the stretes aloft in the aire1 whisking beating the aire with a whip1 rendring a fearefull sound4 ,that as men are wont to prouoke wilde beasts to anger1 which serue for publike spectacles3 euen so it semed1 some euil angell by the craft of the diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people4 ,sidenote3 ,theodorus4 ,sidenote3 ,nicephorus4 ,theodorus ,lector1 in his first booke of ,collectanies1 out of the ,ecclesiasticall historie writeth1 that as ,gennadius ,patriarch of ,constantinople1 came downe to the high aultar to make praiers and orizons1 there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and figure1 which so soone as he had sharply rebuked1 straightwaies he heard a voice crying out aloud1 y so lg as he liued he would giue place cease1 but when he was once dead1 he would surely ransack and spoyle the ,church4 ,which when y good father heard1 he ernestly praied for y preseruation of the church1 soone after departed this life4 ,there are many things to be read in ,gregori#i ,nicephor#i1 who setteth foorth ,ecclesiastical matters at large1 ,abdias in the liues of the ,apostles1 concerning visions1 dreames1 miracles of saints1 and also appearings of spirites4 ,for wise men iudge1 they were more diligent ready in describing such things1 than in other matters1 which might haue bin to greater purpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand4 ,he that readeth ouer the ,histories1 which in times past haue bene written1 7and that especially by ,monkes7 shall mete with an innumerable company of these sorts3 ,yet by the way ,i must nedes say this1 that verie many things haue bin written by them1 which the ,readers may iustly suspect1 and stand in great doubt of4 ,ludouicus ,viues1 ,beatus ,rhenanus1 and many other learned men of our time1 in describing other things1 doo finde great fault with the ,chronicles written by ,monkes1 for that they were gathered togither by vnlearned dolts without any iudgement4 ,but let euery man esteme of them as he list4 ,for albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish and ridiculous1 yet it may be well thought that many things were so in very ded1 as they haue committed them to writing4 ,sidenote3 ,ambrose4 ,a man shall mete with many places concerning visions and appearings of spirits1 euen in the old fathers also4 ,s4 ,ambrose in his #ij4 ,sermon1 writeth of a noble ,virgin named ,agnes1 who was crowned with martirdome for the professi of christian religion4 ,and as her parents watched one night by her graue1 they saw about midnight1 a goodly company of ,virgins cloathed in golden vayles1 amongst whome also was their daughter1 arraied like vnto the rest3 who willing the other ,virgins to staie awhile1 turning her selfe towards her parents1 willed them in any case1 not to bewaile her as if she were dead1 but rather to reioyce with her1 for that she had obteined of ,god eternal life4 ,which assoon as she had spoken1 she immediatly vanisht vanisht out of sight4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,sidenote3 ,felix appeared at ,nola4 ,sidenote3 ,gregorie4 ,s4 ,augustin declareth in his booke1 ,de cura pro mortuis agenda1 that when the ,citie of ,nola was besieged by the ,barbariens1 the citizens saw ,felix the martyr plainly appearing vnto them4 ,touching ,s4 ,gregorie1 who in his ,dialogues writeth many such things1 we will entreate hereafter when his turne commeth4 ,ye shall read of many such like1 in the liues of the auncient ,fathers1 which al are not to be reiected as vain and fabulous1 for some part of them written by graue and learned men1 whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake1 ,i will rehearse one short historie4 ,sidenote3 ,basiliscus appeared to ,chrysostome4 ,it is to be sene in the life of ,ioannes ,chrysostom1 that ,basiliscus ,bishop of ,comane 7who suffered as a ,martir with ,lucianus the priest at ,antioch1 vnder ,maximianus the ,emperour7 appeared vnto ,saint ,chrysostome1 when hee was in exile1 and sayd vnto him3 ,brother ,iohn1 be of good comfort1 for to morrow we shall be togither4 ,but first he appeared to the priest of that ,church1 and sayd vnto him3 prepare a place for our deare brother ,iohn1 who will shortly come hither4 ,which things the euent proued afterwards to be true4 ,,chap4 ,,xiiii4 ,that in the ,bookes set foorth by ,monkes1 are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions4 ,we made mention a litle before1 of ,chronicles written by ,monkes4 ,now as touching their legendes of ,saintes 7as they terme their storehouses of examples1 and liues of auncient ,fathers1 in the which are many apparitions of diuels spirits17 verily there is no cause at all why we should ascribe much vnto them1 for the most part of such stuffe as is set forth in them1 haue no shewe nor likelihood of truth3 perchaunce their minde was to bring men to great feare and ,religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories4 ,but concerning these1 this place now serueth not to intreate4 ,the like may be sayd1 of many superstitious ,popish writers1 who following these mens steppes1 haue written many vpon other mens credit and reports1 which least any man thinke ,i write1 being moued with enuie or hatred of the persons1 ,i will shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many1 that you may thereby haue as it were a taste of that which ,i sayd euen now4 ,sidenote3 ,s4 ,seuerine ,bishop of ,colin4 ,petrus ,damanus1 who first was a ,monke after the order of ,s4 ,benedict1 and afterward ,bishop of ,hostia1 a man of great estimation among ,papists1 as well for the opinion they had of his learning1 as for the shewe of his vpright liuing1 telleth a storie of a certaine ,monke of ,colein1 who on a time passing ouer a ,riuer on horsebacke1 espied ,saint ,seuerinus sometime ,bishop of ,colein on the ,riuer1 who not long before was departed this life1 and being buried at that time1 was much renowmed for doing sundrie miracles4 ,the ,bishop catcheth holde on the ,monkes bridle1 and would not let him passe any further3 wherewith the ,monke was sore afraide1 and diligently enquired of him1 why he being so notable a man1 was there withholden in that place4 ,the ,bishop then required him to lende him his hand1 that he might vnderstand by feling how it was with him1 which when he had done1 and that the ,bishoppe had dipped the ,monkes hande downe into the water1 sodeinly in one moment all the flesh of his hand1 by reason of the extreame heate1 was scalded off1 so that the bones only remained al bare4 ,vnto whom then the ,monke1 sith 7quote he7 thou art so famous a man in the ,church1 how commeth it to passe that thou art so greuously tormented8 ,the ,bishop aunswered3 only sayd he for this cause1 for that ,i haue not sayd ouer my ,canonicall houres in due time distinctly as ,i should haue done3 for ,i was in the ,emperours ,court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie ,counsell1 in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once1 all the rest of the day ,i was troubled with other businesse3 and for that cause do ,i now suffer this punishment of miserable heat4 ,but let vs both togither call vnto ,almightie ,god1 that it may please him to restore thy hand againe1 which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus saide4 ,and then spake he to the ,monke saying3 ,go my sonne and desire the brethren of our ,church1 as also al other of the ,clergie there1 to poure out their praiers for me1 to giue almes to the poore and nedie1 and to perseuere incessantly in offring vp continuall sacrifice for me1 for so soone as these things shal be fulfilled1 ,i shal be deliuered out of these my torments1 and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed ,citizens of heauen1 which do earnestly desire my company4 ,out of this historie1 this argument or reason they make3 ,if that good and godly ,bishop1 who being ouercharged with affaires of the ,emperour leading to publike wealth1 could not dispatch his taske of prayers in due time1 and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented1 what punishment may they looke for1 which hauing no necessarie businesse1 say ouer the ,canonicall houres very coldly1 or else leaue them cleane vnsayd1 that they may the better followe their owne lustes and vaine deuises8 ,and here note by the way1 they make no mention at all of omitting those things which ,god hath expresly commanded vs4 ,but in case the ,popish ,bishoppes doo verily beleue this story to be true1 let them thinke with themselues1 howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the iudgement seate of ,almightie ,god1 for that they are content to be created ,bishops of those ,churches1 whereof notwithstanding they haue no care or regarde1 but either wholly intangle themselues with worldly matters1 or if they do deale in matters of the ,church1 their whole study is directed to this end1 to stop the sincere preaching of ,gods word1 and to tread those vnderfoote whose mindes are occupied day and night1 to the aduancing and setting forth of ,gods glory4 ,of this stampe and sort1 are most of those thinges wherewith the ,monkes inferred and stuffed their bookes4 ,,chap4 ,,xv4 ,a proofe by other sufficient writers1 that ,spirites doo sometime appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,alexander ab ,alexandro4 ,as touching other notable writers1 they also make mention of spirites which do oftentimes appear4 ,alexander ab ,alexandro1 an excellent ,lawier1 born at ,naples1 in his secd booke ,gemalium dierum1 and ninth chapter1 writeth that a certain familiar friend of his1 of good credite1 did celebrate y funeral of one of his acquaintance1 and as he returned towards ,rome1 he entred into an ,inne fast by the way1 because it was night1 and there laide himselfe downe to rest4 ,as he laie there alone broad awake1 sodeinly the image of his friend lately deceased1 came before him maruellous pale and leane1 euen as he was when he sawe him last on his death bedde1 whome when he beheld1 being almost besides himselfe with feare1 he demaunded of him who he was8 ,but the ghost making no answer1 but slipping off his cloathes laide him downe in the same bedde1 and drew neare1 as if he would haue embraced him4 ,the other gaue him place1 and keping him off from him1 by chance touched his foote1 which semed so extremly cold1 as no ,ice in the world might be compared vnto it4 ,whereat the other looking very lowringly vpon him1 tooke vp his clothes againe1 and rose out of the bed1 and was neuer afterwards sene4 ,he reporteth other histories in the same place1 which hapned in his time4 ,he liued aboue foure score yeares ago1 or neare that time4 ,sidenote3 ,baptista4 ,baptista ,fulgosus1 ,duke of ,genua1 in his booke of worthy sayings and doings of ,emperors1 ,princes1 ,dukes1 c4 7which he wrote being in exile to auoyd idlenesse3 ,touching straunge and monstrous things7 writeth that in the ,court of ,mattheus1 surnamed the great ,shiriffe of the ,citie1 in the euening after ,sunne sette1 there was seene a man farre exceding common stature1 sitting on a horse in complete armour3 who when he had bin there sene of many1 by the space of an houre1 in the end vanished away1 to the greate terrour of those that beheld him4 ,about thre daies after in like maner1 two men on horsebacke of the same stature1 were sene in the same place1 about thre houres within night1 fighting togither a long season1 and in the ende vanished away as the other didde before4 ,not long after1 ,henry the seuenth ,emperor1 departed this life1 to the vtter vndoing of all the ,shiriffes4 ,immediately after this ,historie1 he putteth an other more worthie memorie than the foremost4 ,lodouicus father to ,alodisius1 ruler of ,immola1 not long after he died1 appeared vnto a ,secretarie1 whom ,ludouicus had sente to ,ferraria1 as he was on his iourney1 riding on a horse with a ,hauke on his fist1 as he was wonte when he liued1 and willed the ,secretarie 7albeit wonderfully afraid7 to bid his ,sonne the nexte day to repaire vnto the same place1 for he had matter of greate importance to declare vnto him4 ,which when ,lodouicus heard1 partly because he could not beleue it1 partly for that he doubted some body laye in waight for him1 he sent an other to answere in his roome4 ,with whome the same soule meting as it did before1 lamented very much that his ,sonne was not come thither1 for if he had so doone1 he saide1 he would haue opened many other things vnto him4 ,but as then he willed the messenger to tell him1 that twentie two yeares1 one month and one day being passed1 he should loose the rule and gouernment whiche he nowe possessed4 ,as soone as the time foreshewed by the ghost was expired1 albeit he were very circumspect and careful1 yet the same night1 the souldiours of ,philip ,duke of ,millen1 with whom he was in league therfore stood came ouer the ditches hard frozen with ,ice vnto the walles1 and raising vp ladders1 tooke both ,citie and ,prince togither4 ,sidenote3 ,melancthons ,aunt4 ,phillip ,melancthon1 writeth in his booke ,de anima1 that he himselfe hath sene some ,spirits1 and y he hath knowne many men of good credit1 which haue auouched not only to haue sene ghostes themselues1 but also that they haue talked a great while with them4 ,in his booke which he intituleth ,examen ,theologicum1 he rehearseth this historie4 ,which was1 that he had an aunt1 who as she sat very heauily by the fire1 after her husband was dead1 two men came into her house1 whereof the one being very like1 said he was her husband deceased1 the other being verie tall1 had the shape of a ,franciscan ,friar4 ,this that semed to be the husband1 came neare the chimney saluting his heauy wife1 bidding her not to be afraide1 for 7as he said7 he came to commaund her certaine things3 then he bid the long ,monke to go aside a while into the stoue hard by4 ,and there beginning his talke1 after many words1 at the last be earnestly besecheth1 and most hartily desireth her1 to hire a ,priest to say ,masse for his soule1 and so being readie to depart1 he biddeth her giue him her right hand3 which thing 7she being sore afraide7 abhorring to doo1 after he had faithfully promised she should haue no harme1 she giueth her hand1 which albeit indeed it had no hurt1 yet did it seme to be so scorched1 that euer after it remained blacke4 ,this being done1 he calleth foorth the ,franciscan1 and hastily going forth togither1 they vanish away4 ,ioannes ,manlius1 in his collectanies of ,common places1 writeth concerning other spirites which he and other men also did se1 the first tome in the ,chapter ,de malis spiritibus ipsorum operibus1 and also in the ,chapter ,de satisfactione4 ,sidenote3 ,ludouicus ,viues4 ,ludouicus ,viues1 saith in his first booke ,de veritate fides1 that in the new world lately found out1 there is nothing more common1 than not only in the night time1 but also at noone in the midday1 to se spirits apparantly1 in the ,cities and fieldes1 which speake1 commaund1 forbid1 assault men1 feare and strike them4 ,the very same do other report which describe those nauigations of the great ,ocean4 ,sidenote3 ,hieronimus ,cardanus4 ,hieronimus ,cardanus of ,millen1 excellently sene in ,philosophie ,phisicke1 remembreth a great many of these apparitions1 in his booke ,de subtilitate1 varietate rerum3 which who so listeth to reade1 ,i referre him to his bookes1 for ,i am desirous to be brefe4 ,sidenote3 ,olaus4 ,olaus ,magnus1 ,archbishop of ,vpsalia in ,sueueland1 declareth in his history ,de ,gentibus ,septentrionalibus1 the second booke and third chap4 that spirits appeare in ,iseland1 in the shape likenesse of such1 as men are acquainted withal3 whom the inhabitants take by the hand in stead of their acquaintance1 before they haue heard any word of those their acquaintce death1 whose similitude and likenesse they take on them1 neither do they vnderstand that they are deceiued1 before they shrinke and vanish away4 ,these things haue ,i brought togither both out of the olde and also new writers1 that it might plainly appeare1 that spirites do oftentimes walke and shewe themselues vnto men4 ,,chap4 ,,xvi4 ,daily experience teach vs1 that spirits do appeare to men4 ,to all the premisses before handled1 this also is to be added1 which no man can deny1 but that many honest and credible persons of both kindes1 as well men as women1 of whome some are liuing1 and some already departed1 which haue and do affirme1 that they haue sometimes in the day1 and sometimes in the night sene and heard spirits4 ,some man walketh alone in his house1 and behold a spirit appeareth in his sight1 yea and sometimes the dogs also perceiue them1 and fal down at their masters fet1 and wil by no means depart fro them1 for they are sore afraid themselues too4 ,some man goeth to bed1 and laieth him downe to rest1 and by and by there is some thing pinching him1 or pulling off the clothes3 sometimes it sitteth on him1 or lieth downe in the bed with him3 and many times it walketh vp and downe in the ,chamber4 ,there haue bene many times men sene1 walking on foote1 or riding on horseback1 being of a fierie shape1 knowne vnto diuers men1 such as died not long before4 ,and it hath come to passe likewise1 that some eyther slaine in the warres1 or otherwise deade naturally1 haue called vnto their acquaintance being aliue1 and haue bene knowne by their voice4 ,sidenote3 ,spirites requiring helpe4 ,many times in the night season1 there haue bene certaine spirits heard softly going1 or spitting1 or groning1 who being asked what they were1 haue made aunswere that they were the soules of this or that man1 and that they nowe endure extreame tormentes4 ,if by chaunce any man did aske of them1 by what meanes they might be deliuered out of those tortures1 they haue aunswered1 that in case a certaine number of ,masses were soong for them1 or ,pilgrimages vowed to some ,saintes1 or some other such like dedes doone for their sake1 that then surely they shoulde be deliuered4 ,afterwardes appearing in greate light and glorie1 they haue said that they were deliuered1 and haue therefore rendred greate thankes to their good benefactours1 and haue in like manner promised1 that they will make intercession to ,god and our ,ladye for them4 ,and hereby it may be well proued1 that they were not alwayes ,priestes1 or other bolde and wicked men1 which haue fayned themselues to be soules of men deceased1 as ,i haue before saide3 in so much that euen in those mennes chambers when they haue bene shut1 there haue appeared such things1 when they haue with a candle diligently searched before1 whither any thing haue lurked in some corner or no4 ,many vse at this day to search and sifte euery corner of the house before they go to bed1 that they may slepe more soundly3 yet neuerthelesse1 they heare some scriking out1 and making a lamtable noise1 c4 ,it hath many times chanced1 that those of the house haue verily thought1 that some body hath ouerthrowne the pots1 platters1 tables and trenchers1 and tumbled them downe the staires3 but after it waxed day1 they haue founde all things orderly set in their places againe4 ,it is reported1 that some spirits haue throwne the doore off from the hookes1 and haue troubled and set all things in the house out of order1 neuer setting them in their due place againe1 and that they haue maruellously disquieted men with rumbling and making a great noyse4 ,sometimes there is heard a great noyse in ,abbeis1 and in other solitarie places1 as if it were ,coopers hooping and stopping vp wine vessels1 or some other handicraftes men occupied about their labour1 when it is most certaine1 that all in the house are gone to bedde1 and haue betaken themselues to rest4 ,sidenote3 ,builders hear spirits in the night4 ,when houses are in building1 the neighbours many times heare the ,carpenters1 ,masons1 and other ,artificers handling all things in such sort1 as if they were busily labouring in the day time4 ,and this straunge wonder is ioyfully receiued as a sure token of good lucke4 ,there be some which iudge it commeth to passe naturally1 that we suppose we heare these things in the night1 which we heard before in the day time4 ,which question ,i leaue to be discussed of better learned than my selfe4 ,sidenote3 ,diuels are in ,mines4 ,pioners or diggers for mettal1 do affirme1 that in many mines1 there appeare straunge shapes and spirites1 who are apparrelled like vnto other labourers in the pit4 ,these wander vp and down in caues and vnderminings1 and sem to besturre themselues in all kinde of labour1 as to dig after the veine1 to carry togither oare1 to put it into baskets1 and to turne the winding whele to drawe it vp1 when in very ded they do nothing lesse4 ,they very sildome hurt the labourers 7as they say7 except they prouoke them by laughing and rayling at them3 for then they threw grauel stones at them1 or hurt them by some other means4 ,these are especially haunting in pittes1 where mettall moste aboundeth4 ,a certain godly and learned man wrote once vnto me1 of a siluer mine at ,douosium in the ,alpes1 vpon the which ,peter ,buol a noble man1 the ,schultish of the same place1 7whom they call ,landammanus17 had bestowed great cost a fewe yeres before1 and had gathered therby good store of riches4 ,in the same myne was a spirite or ,diuell of the mountaine1 who when the laborers filled the stuffe they had digged into their vessels1 he seemed1 for the most parte1 euery ,fridaye1 to be very busie1 pouring the mettals of his owne accord out of one basket into an other4 ,wherewith the ,schultish was not offended3 and when he would eyther descende into the pit1 or come vp againe1 blessing himselfe with the signe of the ,crosse1 he neuer receiued hurt4 ,it chaunced on a time that while the saide spirit was too busie intermedling himselfe with euery thing1 one of the miners being offended therewith1 began to raile at him very bitterly1 and with terrible cursing words1 bid him get him thence in the diuels name4 ,but the spirit caught him by the pate1 and so writhed his necke about1 that his face stoode behinde his backe1 yet notwithstanding he was not slaine1 but liued a long time after1 well knowne vnto diuers of his familiar friends1 which yet liue at this day1 howbeit he died within a fewe yeares after4 ,sidenote3 ,agricola4 ,georgius ,agricola1 whose learned workes which he wrote of mettalles1 be yet extant in the end of his booke of creatures liuing vnder the earth1 he maketh two kindes of ,diuels haunting in certayne ,mynes abroade4 ,for he saith1 there are some cruell and terrible to behold3 which for the moste parte1 doo very much annoy and hurt the labourers digging for mettall4 ,suche a one was he which was called ,annebergius1 who only with his breath1 destroyed aboue #ab4 labourers at once1 in the ,caue called ,corona ,rosacea4 ,the wind wherwith he slewe them1 he let fle out of his mouth3 for he appeared in the similitude and likenesse of an horse4 ,such an other was ,snebergius1 who wearing a blacke roll about his necke1 tooke vp a labourer aloft from the ground1 and set him in the brinke of a certaine exceeding depe place1 where had sometime bene great store of siluer1 not without greuous brusing of his bodie4 ,and againe he saith1 there be some very milde and gentle1 whom some of the ,germanes call ,cobali1 as the ,grecians do1 because they be as it were apes and counterfeiters of men3 for they leaping and skipping for ioy do laugh1 and seme as though they did many things1 when in very ded they do nothing4 ,and som other call them elues1 or dwarfes of the ,mountaines1 thereby noting their small stature1 wherein they commonly appeare4 ,they seme to be hoare1 wearing apparell like the mettall ,finers1 that is1 in a peticoate laced1 and an aperne of leather about their loynes4 ,these hurt not the labourers1 except they misuse them1 but do imitate them in all their doings4 ,and he saith1 they are not much vnlike vnto those whom the ,germanes call ,guteli1 because they seme to beare good affection towards men1 for they kep horses1 and do other necessary businesse4 ,they are also like vnto them whom they call ,trulli1 who taking on them the feined shapes of men and women1 do serue as it is sayd1 like seruants1 both amongst other nations1 and specially amongst the ,suetians4 ,touching these spirits haunting ,mines of mettal1 there is somewhat to be read in ,olaus ,magnus de ,gentibus ,septentrionalibus1 the sixt booke and tenth ,chapter4 ,sidenote3 ,v,vhich are people that eate and deuoure men4 ,they which saile on the great ,ocean sea1 make report1 that in certaine places1 where the ,anthropophagi do inhabit1 are many spirits1 which doo the people there very much harme4 ,here many straunge things might be brought concerning visions appearing vnto men in their slepe3 and also of them1 which being in a traunce1 haue lyen a whole day and more without mouing1 lyke vnto dead men3 and after being restored to themselues againe1 haue told many miraculous things which they haue sene4 ,sidenote3 ,cicero4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,cicero writeth of maruellous things in his booke of diuination1 or soothsaying4 ,and so do many other men also4 ,augustine himselfe reciteth in many places of his bookes1 that some after they were dead1 haue warned many their friends of diuers matters1 and haue disclosed vnto them secrete things1 which were to come1 and haue shewed sicke folkes good remedies for their diseases1 and haue done many such like things4 ,sidenote3 ,marsilius4 ,auenzoar ,albumato1 a ,phisitian of ,arabia1 writeth1 that he receiued an excellent medicine for his sore eyes1 of a ,phisitian lately deceased1 appearing vnto him in his slep3 as ,marcilius ,ficinus doth testifie1 writing of the immortalitie of the soule4 ,lib4 #af4 cap4 #e4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#a4 #b4 ,the holy ,scriptures also teach vs1 that ,god hath reuealed many things vnto men by dreames4 ,s4 ,mathew in his first and second chapter writeth1 that the ,angell of ,god appeared many times vnto ,ioseph1 our ,sauiour ,christes foster father in a dreame1 and commaunded him to beware of those which laie in wayt to destroy ,christ ,iesus4 ,sidenote3 ,acts4 ,we reade in the tenth ,chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 that ,s4 ,peter fell into a traunce1 sawe the heauens open1 and sawe a vessell1 as it were a great shete1 descend downe vnto him from heauen1 knit togither at the foure corners1 wherein were all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth1 and wilde beasts1 and creping things1 and foules of the heauen4 ,and there came a voyce vnto him3 ,rise ,peter1 kill and eate4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #af4 ,and in the #af4 ,chapter1 as ,s4 ,paul was yet in ,asia1 comming downe towardes ,troada1 this vision appeared vnto him3 ,there stoode a man of ,macedonia and prayed him1 saying3 ,come into ,macedonia and helpe vs4 ,hereby ,paule gathered1 it was the will of ,god1 that he should passe the sea1 and should preach the ,gospell in ,macedonia4 ,but ,i purpose not to write of spirites and visions appearing vnto men in their slepe1 least my ,booke grow vnto an huge volume3 but only of those which we sensibly se when we are awake4 ,,chap4 ,,xvii4 ,that there happen straunge wonders and prognostications1 and that sodein noyses and cracks and such like1 are heard before the death of men1 before battaile1 and before some notable alterations and chaunges4 ,it hapneth many times1 that wh men lie sicke of some deadly disease1 there is some thing heard going in the chamber1 like as the sicke men were wont1 when they were in good health3 yea the sicke parties themselues1 do many times hear the same1 and by and by gesse what will come to passe4 ,oftentimes a litle before they yeld vp y ghost1 and sometime a litle after their death1 or a good while after1 either their own shapes1 or som other shadowes of men1 are apparantly sen4 ,and diuers times it commeth to passe1 that when some of our acquaintaunce or friends lie a dying1 albeit they are many miles off1 yet there are some great stirrings or noises heard4 ,sometimes we think y house wil fal on our heads1 or y some massy waightie thing falleth down throughout all y house1 rendring and making a disordered noise3 and shortly within fewe moneths after1 we vnderstand that those things happened1 the very same house y our friends departed in4 ,there be some men1 of whose stock none doth die1 but that they obserue and marke some signes and tokens going before3 as that they heare the doores and windowes open and shut1 that some things runneth vp the staires1 or walketh vp and downe the house1 or doth some one or other such like thing4 ,but here ,i cannot passe this in silence3 that there are many superstitious m1 which vainly persuade themselues that this cousin1 and this or that friend of theirs will shortly die4 ,for in the end1 the falling out of the matter it selfe1 sheweth it was a vaine and foolish persuasion1 that they vnderstood such things by any signes4 ,sidenote3 ,cardanus4 ,cardanus in his booke ,de veritate rerum1 writeth1 that there was a certaine noble ,familie at ,parma in ,italy1 out of the which so often as any one died1 there was sene an olde woman in the chimney corner4 ,on a certaine time she appeared1 when a mayden of the same family laie very sick1 and therfore they cleane dispaired of her life3 but soone after she recouered again1 and in the meane while1 an other1 which was then in good health1 sodainly died4 ,there was a certaine parish priest1 a very honest and godly man1 whome ,i knew well1 who in the plague time1 could tell before hand1 when any of his parish should die4 ,for in the night time he heard a noyse ouer his bed1 lyke as if one had throwne downe a sacke full of corne from his shoulders3 which when he heard1 he would say3 ,now an other biddeth me farewell4 ,after it was day1 he vsed to inquire who died that night1 or who was tak with y plague1 to the ende he might comfort and strengthen them1 according to the dutie of a good pastor4 ,it hath bin often obserued in ,guilde ,halles where ,aldermen sit1 that when one of those ,aldermen was at the point of death1 there was heard some ratling about his seate1 or some other certaine signe of death4 ,the same thing happeneth beside pewes and stalles in ,churches1 or in other places where men are often conuersaunt1 or accustomed to exercise their handie labour4 ,in ,abbies1 the ,monkes seruants or any other falling sicke1 many haue heard in the night1 preparation of chestes for them1 in such sort as the ,coffin-makers did afterwards prepare in ded4 ,in some country villages1 when one is at deaths doore1 many times there are some heard in the ,euening1 or in the night1 digging a graue in the ,churchyard1 and the same the next day is so founde digged1 as these men did heare before4 ,there haue bin sene some in the night when the ,moone shined1 going solemnely with the corpes1 according to the custome of the people1 or standing before the doores1 as if some bodie were to bee carried to the ,church to burying4 ,many suppose1 they se their owne image1 or as they say1 their owne soule1 and of them diuers are verily perswaded1 that except they die shortly after they haue sen themselues1 they shall liue a very great time after4 ,but these things are superstitious4 ,let euery man so prepare himselfe1 as it he should die to morrow1 least by being too secure1 he purchase himselfe harme4 ,there happen other straunge things also4 ,for when some lye in the prison in chaines1 readie to suffer punishment for their offences1 many times in the night season1 there is heard a great noyse and rumbling1 as if some bodie were breaking into y gaile to deliuer the prisoners4 ,when men come to vnderstand the matter1 they can neither hear1 nor se any bodie1 and the prisoners likewise say they heard no maner thing4 ,some executioners or hangmen do report1 that for the most part1 they know before hand whether any man shall shortly bee deliuered into their handes to suffer3 for their swordes will moue of their owne accord4 ,and there are other that say1 they can tell before1 after what sort the prisoners shall suffer4 ,many wonderfull and straunge things happen about those which wilfully cast away themselues4 ,somtime their corpses must be carried a great way off1 before they being thrust in a sack can be throwne into the sea3 and being laid in a waggon or cart1 the horse could scant draw them downe the hill1 but vp the hill they ned not labour at all1 for the cart would runne very fast of his owne accord4 ,sidenote3 ,de animorum immortalitate li4#af4;cap4#e4 ,sidenote3 ,virgil4 ,some men being slaine by theues1 when the theues come to the dead bodie1 by and by there gusheth out freshe blood1 or else there is declaration by other tokens1 that the thefe is there present4 ,plato writeth in the first booke of his lawes1 that the soules of such as haue bene slaine1 do oftentimes cruelly molest trouble the soules of those which slew them4 ,for which cause ,marsilius ,fiscinus doth thinke it chaunceth1 that the wound of a man being slaine1 while the carkasse lieth on the ground1 doth send out blood against him1 which wounded him1 if he stand neare looking on his wound4 ,which thing both ,lucretius affirmeth to come to passe1 and also ,iustices haue diligently obserued4 ,dido in ,virgil thus threatneth ,aeneas4 ,and when the cold of death is come1 and body voyd remaines1 ,each where my haunting spirit shall pursue thee to thy paines4 ,the like place is in ,horace in other ,poets4 ,as a thefe sitteth at the ,table1 a cuppe being ouerthrowne1 the wine pearceth through the whole and sound wood of the ,table1 to all mens admiration4 ,touching these and other such maruellous things1 there might be many histories and testimonies alleaged4 ,but whosoeuer readeth this booke1 may call to their remembrance1 that they haue sen these and such like things themselues1 or that they haue heard them of their friendes and acquaintance1 and of such as deserue sufficient credit4 ,sidenote3 ,suetonius4 ,before the alterations and chaunges of kingdomes and in the time of warres1 seditions1 and other dangerous seasons1 ther most commly happen very strange things in the aire1 in y earth1 and amongst liuing creatures clean ctrary to the vsuall course of nature4 ,which things men cal1 wonders1 signes1 monsters1 and forewarnings of matters to come4 ,there are sene in the aire1 swords1 speares1 suche like1 innumerable3 there are heard and sene in the aire1 or vppon the earth1 whole armies of men encountring togither1 and when one part is forced to flye1 there is heard horrible cries1 and great clattering of armour4 ,gunnes1 launces and holberdes1 with other kindes of weapons and artillerie1 do often times moue of their owne accord as they lye in the armories4 ,when as souldiers marche towards their enimies1 and their ensignes will not displaie abroade but fold about the stander-bearers heads3 if the souldiours be therewith amazed1 they surely perswade themselues there is some great slaughter towardes4 ,it is saide also1 that horses will be very sad and heauie1 and will not lette their masters sit on their backes1 before they go to the battaile wherin they shall haue the ouerthrow3 but when they are coragious and lustilie neighing1 it is a sure token of victorie4 ,suetonius writeth1 that the company of horses which ,iulius ,csar let run at libertie1 neuer to be put to labour againe1 did wepe aboundantly when ,csar was slaine4 ,when ,miltiades addressed his people against the ,persians1 there were heard tirrible noyses before the battaile1 and certaine spirits were sene1 which the ,athenians afterwards affirmed to be the shaddowe of ,pan1 who cast suche a feare on the ,persians1 that they turned their backs and fled4 ,thereof ,terrores ,panici tooke their name1 being spoken of sodayn feares vnlooked for1 and terrours1 suche as ,lymphatici metus are1 which driue men out of their wits being taken therewith4 ,sidenote3 ,cicero de diuinatione4 ,before the ,lacedemonians were ouerthrowne in y battaile at ,leuctris1 the armour moued1 made a great noise in the temple of ,hestor4 ,at the same time the doores of ,hercules temple at ,thebes being fast shut with barres1 opened sodainly of their owne accord3 and the weapons and armour which hoong fastned on the wall1 were found lying vppon the grounde4 ,these things are to be read in ,cicero his first booke ,de diuinatione4 ,sidenote3 ,liuie4 ,in the second warres of ,carthage1 the standerd-bearer of the first battaile of pikemen1 could not remoue his ensigne out of his place1 neither yet wh many came to helpe1 they could any thing preuayle4 ,these and suche other signes of euill lucke1 ,caius ,flaminius the ,consull1 nothing regarded1 but soone after his army was discomfited1 and he himselfe slaine4 ,concerning which matter1 ,titus ,liuius writeth at large4 ,in the beginning of the warres waged with the people called ,marsi1 there was heard out of secrete places1 certaine voyces1 and noyse of harnesse1 which foreshewed the daunger of the warres to come4 ,sidenote3 ,plinie4 ,plinie writeth in his4#b4;booke and #ei4;chapter1 that in the warres with the ,danes1 and many times before1 there was heard the clashing of armour1 and the sound of trumpets out of ,heauen4 ,sidenote3 ,appianus4 ,appianus declareth what signes and wonders went before the ciuill warres at ,rome3 what miserable cries of men clashing of armour1 and running of horses were heard1 no man seing any thing4 ,sidenote3 ,valeri4 ,max4li4#a4;cap4#f4 ,valerius ,maximus in his firste booke and #f4;chapter of straunge wonders1 writeth how ,cneius ,pompeius had warning before1 not to fight the fielde with ,iulius ,cesar for as he launced off1 at ,dirrachium1 his souldiours were taken with a sodayne feare3 and in the night likewise before the battaile1 their hearts and courages sodainly failed them4 ,and after1 the same author addeth that which ,cesar himselfe rehearseth in his #c4;booke ,de bello ciuili3 how that the very same day wherin ,cesar fought his fortunate battaile1 the crying of the armie1 and the sound of trumpets was heard at ,antioche in ,syria1 so sensibly1 that the whole citie ranne in armour to defend their walles4 ,the very same thing he saith1 happened at ,ptolemais1 and that at ,pergamus in the most priuie and secret parts of the temple where none may enter1 saue only priests1 which place the ,grecians call 1 there were heard the sound of drummes and timbrels4 ,sidenote3 ,castor and ,pollux4 ,sidenote3 ,plutarch4 ,sidenote3 ,iosephus4 ,the historiographers reporte1 that ,castor and ,pollux haue ben often sene in battailes sitting on white horses1 valiantly fighting against y enemies campe4 ,plutarch writeth in ,coriolanus life1 that they were sene in the battaile against ,tarquinius1 and that immediatly after1 they bare tidings to ,rome of the victory4 ,the selfe same writeth ,titus ,liuius also in his #h4;booke of his first decade4 ,we may reade in the history of the siege of the noble citie of ,magdeburge in ,saxonie1 that the enimie which laide siege to the towne1 so often as the citizens issued out to skirmish with them1 supposed that one vp a white horse came riding before the citizens battaile1 when as the citizens themselues sawe no such man4 ,iosephus in his bookes of the warres in ,iurie1 recordeth what straunge signes hapned before the destructi of ,ierusalem3 which were1 that a brasen gate being fast rampierd with barres1 opened in the night time of his owne accord4 ,and that before the ,sunne set1 there were sene chariots in the aire1 and armies of men well furnished1 enuironing the citie rounde about4 ,and that at ,whitsontide1 as the priests entred the temple to celebrate diuine seruice1 they heard a great noise1 and by by a voice crying ,migremus hinc4 ,let vs depart hence4 ,he reckeneth vp other like things1 which we nede not repeate in this place4 ,the same night that ,leo of ,constantinople was slayne in the temple1 the trauellers by sea heard a voice in the aire which said3 that ,leo had roared out euen to the same place4 ,sidenote3 ,felix ,malleolus4 ,felix ,malleolus doctor of both y lawes1 master of ,solodor1 canon at ,tigur1 a m of great reading1 as it may easily apeare by his lerned writings which ar yet extt4 7,for he liued about y time wh y ,cocell of ,basil was hold7 writeth in his booke de nobilitate1 c4#cj4 y it is to be sen in y historie of ,rodulphus king of the ,romanes1 that when the said ,rodulphus had vanquished ,othotarus1 ,king of ,boemia1 continuing on the place all night1 where the battell was fought1 about midnight1 certain ,spirits or ,deuils1 with horrible noise and tumulte1 troubled and disordered his whole armie4 ,and that those were spirits walking by night1 it appeared hereby1 that they sodeynly vanished away like smoake4 ,the same ,author writeth in his xxvi4 chapter1 ,that in the yeare of our ,lord 4#abhj4 as one of the ,plebans 7as they call them7 belonging to the churche of ,tigurine preached to the people1 the graue stone of the tumbe or sepulchre of the two martires ,felix and ,regula1 patrones of the same place1 violently brake asunder1 no man mouing or touching it1 giuing a horrible sound like vnto thunder1 so that the people were no lesse astonished and afraide1 than if the vaute of the ,churche had fallen downe4 ,and he saith1 that the same yeare1 the third day of ,october1 the greater part of the citie of ,tigurum was brent with fire1 and moreouer1 that sedition was moued amongst the ,citizens1 for certaine ,ecclesiastical disciplines1 and for the ,imperiall ,banne 7as they terme it47 ,in the yeare of our ,lord 4#addj4 the twelfe day of ,december1 at y dedication of the foresaid churche1 about midnight1 there was the like noise hearde1 and immediatly after followed ciuill warres1 which the ,tigurins held with vncertaine successe against the other ,heluetians1 for the space of seuen yeares and more4 ,the same writer in the 4#cc4 ,chap4 hath1 that at the same time in the yeare of our ,lorde 4#addd4 before that valiaunt battaile1 which a feawe ,heluetians fought against the innumerable companie of ,lewes ,dolphin of ,fraunce1 fast by the wals of ,basill1 in the time of the generall ,councell1 there was hearde certaine nightes about those places1 the alarme of ,souldiours1 the clattering of harneys1 and the noyse of men encountring togither4 c4 ,here ,i purposely omit many such like examples1 for there are many bookes1 both of auncient and also of newe writers1 touching straunge signes and wonders1 wherein these may be redde4 ,,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,it is proued by testimonies of holy scripture1 that spirites are sometime seene and heard1 and that other straunge matters do often chaunce4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #ad4 ,yet perchaunce it will be obiected vnto vs1 that we bring no testimony out of holy scripture1 touching this matter3 especially to proue1 that ,spirits do oftentimes appeare vnto men4 ,i answer1 that truth it is1 ,there are fewe things hereof in the scriptures1 and yet notwithstanding somewhat is to be redde in them4 ,it is read in ,s4 ,matthew his fourtenth ,chapter1 of ,christs ,disciples1 that when in the night season1 by reason of a contrary wind1 they were in great danger of drowning in the lake of ,genazareth1 and that in the dawning of the day1 the ,lord walked on the water1 they being afraide1 cried out1 supposing they sawe a ,spirit4 ,hereof we gather1 that they knew well inough1 that ,spirits appeared vnto men vpon sea and land4 ,likewise when the ,lord being risen from death1 appeared vnto his ,disciples1 meaning to assure them of his resurrection1 they thought at the first1 that they sawe a ,spirit4 ,in the which place1 ,christ denieth not but there are ,spirits and straunge sightes1 and that they are sometimes sene1 but he rather confirmeth the same by putting a difference betwene himselfe1 and ,spirits of vaine apparitions4 ,but as touching these two testimonies1 we wil speak more in another place4 ,sidenote3 #b4,samuel4 ,it is a notable historie which we read in the seconde ,booke of ,samuel concerning ,saule1 who1 at what time the ,philistians warred vppon him1 and that he was in verie great daunger of them1 he came to a woman1 who was a witch1 and desired her to raise ,samuel from death1 that he might know his counsell touching the successe of the wars4 ,she raised him vp one1 whom ,saule tooke to be ,samuel indede1 who also tolde him what euente shoulde come of the warres4 ,but whether he were a true ,samuel or a counterfait1 we will dispute the matter more at large in his conuenient place4 ,sidenote3 #b4,samuel4 ,sidenote3 #a4,paral4#ad4 ,as concerning other maruellous things1 there is somewhat to be read in the ,scriptures3 ,in the seconde of ,samuel the fift chap4 ,also in the first of ,paralipomenon1 and the 4xiiii4 chap4 we reade1 that the ,philistines went vp the seconde time into ,iurie1 to make warres on ,dauid3 ,he went vnto the ,lord1 and shewed him the matter1 who commaunded him1 that he shoulde embushe himselfe behinde the wood with his armie1 and when he heard a rustling or noise in the toppes of the tres1 he should immediatly sette vppon them4 ,this sounde they say was a strange and supernaturall sound4 ,sidenote3 #b4,reg4#f4g4 ,it is written in the second booke of the ,kings the 4vi4 and vii4 chapters1 that ,god deliuered the citie of ,samaria from great famine1 when it was fiercely besieged by ,benhadad king of the ,assirians1 for in the night season their enemies did heare the noise of the chariots1 the neighing of horsses1 and shreching of a huge armie1 as it were in their owne pauillions and tentes1 supposing therefore1 that the kyng of ,israel had gathered togither his footemen and horssemen1 and had nowe sette vppon them1 they soughte to saue themselues by flighte1 leauing theyr victuall and other prouision behinde them in their tentes4 ,sidenote3 #a4,samu4#g4 ,in the first of ,samuel and the seuenth chapter1 ,god caused a wonderfull greate noyse to sounde ouer the ,philistians1 and so destroyed them4 ,i meane they were so affrighted with a kinde of straunge feare1 that it was an easie matter to vanquish them4 ,sidenote3 ,daniel #e4 ,in the fifth ,chapter of ,daniel ye may reade1 that king ,balthasar in his roysting banquet1 espied right against the candle1 a hand writing vpon the wall what his end should be4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,macha4 #c4 ,it is redde in the third ,chapter of the seconde of the ,machabees1 that there appeared a horsse vnto ,heliodorus1 seruant vnto ,seleucus king of ,asia1 as he was about to destroy the temple of ,hierusalem3 and vpon the horsse semed to sit a terrible man1 which made towards him to ouerrun him4 ,on eache side of him were two yoong men of excellent beautie1 which with whippes scourged ,heliodorus4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,mach4 #aj4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,mach4 #aa4 ,the second of the ,machabees and tenth chapter1 ,iudas ,machabeus encountred with his enemies1 and when the battaile was hotte1 there appeared vnto the enemy out of heauen1 fiue men sitting on horses1 rayned with notable bridles of gold1 who ledde the ,iewes hoste1 and two of them defended ,machabeus from all his enemies4 ,and vnto ,machabeus appeared a horsman in a shining garment1 his armour all of gold1 and shaking his speare4 ,whereby it was signified1 that he should obtaine a notable and famous victorie4 #b4 ,macha4 #aa4 ,i alleadge not these examples1 for that ,i adiudge the bookes of ,machabees1 of as good authoritie as the ,canonicall bookes of the new and old ,testament3 but only for that they are ioyned togither with them1 and may be read of euery one3 and they were alwaies read of the auncient people4 ,for albeit they neuer went about to approue any doctrine by them1 yet were they of great authoritie amgst them4 ,,chap4 ,,xix4 ,to whome1 when1 where1 and after what sort1 ,spirites do appeare1 and what they do worke4 ,by all these examples we may plainly perceiue1 that many strange things are obiected to mens senses1 and that sometimes ,spirits are sene and heard1 not only 7as some haue thought1 as ,plutark witnesseth in the life of ,dion7 of children1 women1 sicke folkes1 dottards1 and otherwise very plain and simple creatures1 but also to men of good courage1 and such as haue bin perfectly in their wits4 ,yet it may not be denied but that there appeare many more vnto some1 than vnto other some1 as vnto trauellers1 watch-men1 hunters1 carters1 and marriners1 who leade all their life not only in the day time1 but also in night1 in iourneying1 in the water1 woods1 hills and vallies4 ,you shall mete with some one who neuer sawe nor heard any of this geare in all his life time1 and contrariwise1 there be other some which haue sene and heard very many such like things4 ,so there are some which very sildom chance vpon ,serpents1 and againe1 many there are which oftentimes mete with them in their iourney4 ,the common people say1 that those whose natiuities chance vpon the ,angaries 7for so they terme the foure seasons of the yeare7 do se more store of spirits1 than those which are borne at other times1 but these are mere trifles4 ,those which are stedfast in true faith1 se or heare such things more sildome than superstitious people1 as in all other things4 ,he that is superstitious1 vseth some blessing 7as they call it7 to heale his ,horsses disease1 and it taketh good effect3 he enchaunteth a ,serpent1 and it cannot once mooue out of the place4 ,he applieth a blessing to staunche bledyng1 and it stoppeth presently3 ,he taketh a hollie rod1 or twisted wand inchanted1 it will moue where a mettle mine is3 but he that is of a sounde fayth and doth despise these things1 7for he knoweth well they are contrary to the word of ,god1 and also to the ,popes decres7 albeit perchaunce he practise such things1 yet notwithstanding he can bring nothing to passe4 ,and so also it chaunceth that he seeth spirites and vaine visions1 a great deale more seldome than superstitious men do1 for he knoweth well what he ought to deme and iudge of them4 ,there are some kinde of men1 who thinke it a gay thing1 if many such straunge sights appeare vnto them4 ,there were farre many more of these kindes of apparitions and myracles sene amongest vs1 at such times as we were giuen vnto blindnesse and superstition1 than since that the ,gospell was purely preached amongest vs3 the cause whereof ,i will shewe hereafter4 ,and moreouer it commeth oftentimes to passe1 that some one man doth heare or se some thing most plainly1 when an other which standeth by him1 or walketh with him1 neyther seeth1 nor heareth any such matter4 ,sidenote3 ,some men see things which other men see not4 ,sidenote3 ,actes4#i4 ,sidenote3 ,actes4#bb4 ,we reade in the historie of ,heliseus1 that he sawe chariottes of fire1 and many horsmen vpon the toppe of the ,mountaine3 and yet his seruaunt sawe nothing vntill the ,prophet prayed vnto the ,lord1 that he would vouchsafe for his confirmation and consolation1 to open his eyes that he might also behold this notable miracle4 ,so likewise we reade in the #i4 chapter of the ,actes of the ,apostles1 that ,christ ouerthrew ,paule before ,damascus1 and that he spake vnto him1 and his companions also hearde the voice4 ,afterwardes in the #bb4 chapter1 ,paule himselfe shewing vnto the people in the presence of ,lycias1 in the ,castle at ,hierusalem1 what had happened vnto them1 saith that they heard not the voice of him that talked with him3 which two places are not repugnant1 for the meaning is1 that they heard a voyce or sounde indede1 but they vnderstood not what the ,lord had sayd vnto him4 ,sidenote3 ,socrates familiar4 ,plato writeth in his dialogue called ,theages1 that ,socrates had a familiar spirit1 who was woonte to put him in mynd to cease from labouring1 when that which he attempted should haue no happie successe4 ,this spirit he himselfe sawe not1 and other men hearde not4 ,they say that sometimes ,children doe se certaine things1 which other men see not1 and by a certaine peculiar operation of nature1 some men behold that which others in no wise can perceiue4 ,sidenote3 ,at what time spirits appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,apocalips4 ,as touching the time when spirits appeare1 we reade in histories that it shall be after a thousand yeares which ,god hath appoynted1 in the which time ,sainte ,iohn prophesied in the ,apocalips1 that ,sathan shoulde be lette loose1 that is to saye1 errours and superstition1 and al kinde of mischefe shuld abound1 and many spirits appear euery where3 for men gaue them more credite1 than the ,scriptures4 ,if a spirit appeared1 or was heard to say in case these or those things be decreed1 to wit1 vowed ,pilgrimage1 and erecting ,chappelles1 and that this shall be an acceptable kinde of worship vnto ,god1 the ,bishoppes and paryshe ,priestes weighed not whether those things were agreable to the word of ,god or no1 c4 ,spirits appeared in old time1 and do appeare still in these dayes both day and night1 but especially in the night1 and before midnighte in our first slepe4 ,moreouer1 on the frydayes1 satterdayes1 and fasting dayes1 to confirme superstition4 ,neither may we maruell1 that they are heard more in the night1 than in the day time4 ,for he who is the author of these things1 is called in the holye ,scriptures the ,prince of darkenesse1 and therefore he shunneth the light of ,gods word4 ,sidenote3 ,in what place spirits are seen4 ,and albeit these are heard or sene in al places1 yet are they most especially conuersant in the fieldes where battels haue bene fought1 or in places where slaughters haue bene made3 in places of execution2 in woods into the which they have coniured deuils being cast out of men3 in ,churches1 ,monasteries1 and about ,sepulchers1 in the bounds of countries1 and buts of lands3 in prisons1 houses and towers1 and sometime also in the ruines and rubbish of ,castles4 ,sidenote3 ,esay #ac4 ,sidenote3 ,monsters of the desart4 ,sidenote3 ,esay4#cd4 ,god threatneth the ,babilonians in the #ac4 chap4 of ,esay1 that ,spirits and ,satyres shal daunce where their magnificent houses and ,pallaces were1 where they were wont to lead their daunces4 ,and in his #cd4 chapter1 where he threatneth destruction vnto all nations and enemies of ,god1 he saith3 ,in the ruinous and tottering ,pallaces1 ,castles1 and houses1 horrible spirites shall appeare with terrible cries1 and the ,satyro shall call vnto her mate1 yea and the night hags shall take their rest there4 ,for by the sufferaunce of ,god1 wicked diuels worke straunge things in those places where men haue exercised pride and crueltie4 ,sidenote3 ,after what sort spirites appeare4 ,the maner of appearing of spirits1 is diuers and manifold1 as it appeareth by those things which ,i haue alleaged before4 ,for they shewe themselues in sundry sorts3 sometimes in the shape of a man whom we know1 who is yet aliue1 or lately departed3 and otherwhile in the likenesse of one whom we know not4 ,i heard of a graue and wise man1 which was a ,magistrate in the ,territorie of ,tigurie1 who affirmed1 that as he and his seruant went through the pastures1 in the sommer very early1 he espied one whome he knew very well1 wickedly defiling himselfe with a ,mare1 wherewith being amazed1 he returned back againe1 and knocked at his house1 whome he supposed he had sen1 and ther vnderstood for a certaintie1 that he went not on foote out of his chamber y morning4 ,and in case he had not diligently searched out y matter1 the good honest man had surely bin cast in prison1 and put on the rack4 ,i reherse this history for this end1 that ,iudges should be very circumspect in these cases1 for y diuell by these means doth oftentimes circumuent y innocent4 ,chunegunda wife vnto ,henry the #b4 ,emperour of y name1 was greatly suspected of adultery1 and thereuppon many false rumors scattered1 that she was too familiar with a certaine yoong man in the ,court1 for the ,diuell in the likenesse of the same yoong man1 was oftentimes sene come out of the ,empresse ,chamber4 ,but she afterwards declared her innocencie by treading vppon hotte glowing ploughshares1 7as the custome was then7 without any hurting her fete1 as witnesseth ,albertus ,cranzius1 in his fourth booke1 and first ,chapter of his ,metropolis4 ,we reade that many spirites haue appeared vnto certaine ,hermites and ,monkes in the shape of a woman1 alluring and intising them to filthie lust4 ,they appeare also in the fourme of brute beastes1 sometime foure footed1 as of a ,dogge1 a ,swine1 a ,horsse1 a ,goate1 a ,catte1 or a ,hare3 and sometimes of foules1 and creping wormes1 as of a ,crow1 a night ,owle1 a schritch ,owle1 a ,snake1 or ,dragon1 whereof the ,gentiles had great plentie in their ,temples and houses1 and nourished them1 as we may reade euery where in the ,poets4 ,spirits haue sometimes appeared in a pleasaunt fourme1 and sometimes in a horrible shape4 ,at one time some hath bene sene ryding on horsebacke1 or going on foote1 or crawling vppon all foure4 ,at an other time hath appeared a man all burning in fire1 or beraide with blood3 and somewhile1 his bowelles haue semed to traile out1 his belly being as it were ripped vp4 ,sometimes a shadow hath onely appeared3 sometimes a hand1 sometimes an instrument1 as a staffe1 a sworde1 or some such lyke thing which the spirite helde in his hande4 ,sometimes he appeared in maner of a bundle of hey1 burning on fire3 another while onely a hoarse kinde of voyce was heard4 ,sometimes a spirit hath bene heard walking in the inner parte of the house1 turning the leaues of a ,booke1 or telling money1 or playing at dice1 or bounsing against the wall4 ,and sometimes there is heard a terrible noyse or clappe1 as if a peale of ,gunnes were discharged hard at hand4 ,and spirits sometimes1 taking a man by the arme or by the haire of the head1 haue walked with them4 ,sidenote3 ,olaus4 ,sidenote3 ,daunces of ,spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,saxo4 ,sidenote3 ,pomponius ,mela4 ,sidenote3 ,solinus4 ,olaus ,magnus in his third booke and eleuenth ,chapter ,de ,gentibus ,septentrionalibus1 writeth1 that euen in these our dayes1 in many places in the ,north partes1 there are certaine monsters or spirites1 which taking on them some shape or figure1 vse 7chiefly in the night season7 to daunce1 after the sounde of all maner of instruments of musicke3 whom the inhabitants call companies1 or dances of ,elues1 or ,fairies4 ,somewhat also is to bee reade touching this matter in ,saxo ,grammaticus1 in his historie of ,denmarke4 ,such like things are those which ,pomponius ,mela reporteth in his third booke of the description of ,aethiopia1 that in ,mauritania beyonde the ,mount ,atlas1 many times in the night season are sene great lightes1 and that tinkling of ,cymballs1 and noyses of ,pipes are also heard1 and when it is daylight no man appeareth4 ,solinus writeth in his thirtie eight and fortie foure chapters1 that in this same ,mountaine1 giptians vse euery where to leade their daunces3 of whom also ,plinie maketh mention in his first booke and first ,chapter4 ,men holde opinion1 that they are ,panes1 ,faunes1 and ,satyres1 of whom the olde writers haue mentioned many things4 ,sidenote3 ,hierome4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,fable out ,hierome1 of a ,centaure1 ,a ,monster hauing the forepart like a man1 the hinder like a horse4 ,saint ,hierome writeth in the life of ,paule the ,hermit1 that an ,hippocentaure1 appeared vnto ,s4 ,anthonie1 in the same shape which is described of the ,poets4 ,in a stonie valley 7saith he7 he espied a ,dwarffe of a small stature1 hauing a crooked nose1 and his forehead rough with hornes3 the hinder part of his bodie1 and his fete like vnto a ,goate4 ,anthony nothing amazed with this sighte1 taketh vnto him the shield of faith1 and the brestplate of hope1 lyke a good warriour4 ,notwithstanding the foresayde creature presented him with ,dates1 to refresh him in his iourney1 as witnesses of peace and friendship4 ,which when ,anthonius vnderstood1 he staide1 and enquiring of him what he was1 receiued this answere4 ,i am 7quoth he7 a mortall creature1 and one of the inhabitants of this desart1 whome the ,gentiles1 being deceiued with many errors1 dooth worship1 calling vs ,faunes1 ,satyrs1 and night ,mares4 ,and ,i am sent as ,embassador from our company1 who earnestly besech the1 that thou wilt pray vnto the ,god of all creatures for vs1 whom we acknowledge to be come into the world1 to saue the same1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,plutarch4 ,and here we may in no wise ouerpasse in silence1 that notable historie which ,plutarch in his booke ,de fectu oraculorum1 7translated by that learned man ,adrianus ,turnebus7 reciteth in these words4 ,touching the death of diuels1 ,i haue heard a certaine historie of one who was neither foolish1 nor accustomed to lye4 ,for it was ,epitherces1 my countreyman1 a professour of ,grammer1 father vnto milianus the ,rhethoritian1 of whome some of you also haue heard the same3 ,he told me1 that when he once tooke ship1 meaning to go into ,italie1 because he carried with him not only great store of marchandise1 but also very many passengers1 in the euening when they were about the ,islands ,echinad1 the wind quite ceased1 and that the shippe driuing in the ,sea1 being brought at the last vnto ,paxe1 many then waking1 and many also quaffing after they had supped1 sodeinly there was heard a voyce of one which called ,thamus1 in such sort that euery man maruelled4 ,this ,thamus was a ,pilotte borne in ,egipt1 vnknowne vnto many which were in the ship4 ,wherefore being twice called1 he held his peace1 and the third time answered3 then the other with a louder voyce commaunded him1 that when he came vnto ,palodes1 he should tell them that the great ,god ,pan was departed4 ,when this was heard1 euery man was amazed with feare1 as ,epitherces affirmed vnto vs3 ,and being in consultation whether they should do as was commaunded or not1 ,thamus thus iudged of the matter3 that if the winde did blowe1 they must passe by with silence1 but if it were calme without winde1 he must vtter that which we had heard4 ,when therefore they were come to ,palodes1 and no wind stirred1 nor waue moued1 ,thamus looking out of the sterne towards the lande1 cryed out as he had heard1 that the great ,god ,pan was deceased3 ,he had scant ended those words1 when immediatly there followed a great groning1 not of one man1 but of many1 being admixt as it were with great admiration4 ,and because many were present in the ship1 7they said7 the same hereof was spedely spred abroad at ,rome1 and ,thamus sent by ,tiberius y ,emperour1 who gaue so much credit vnto the matter1 that he diligently enquired1 and asked who that ,pan was4 ,the learned men whome he had in great number about him1 supposed that ,pan was he1 who was the sonne of ,mercurie and ,penelope1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,de preparatione ,euang4 li4#e4;chap4#i4 ,sidenote3 ,paulus ,marsus4 ,these and such like things1 7,eusebius who also reciteth this historie7 affirmeth to haue chaunced in that time of ,tiberius1 in the which ,christ being conuersant amongst men1 expelled all maner of diuels from the societie of them4 ,other most godly professours of our ,religion1 affirme1 7as namely ,paulus ,marsus1 in his ,annotations vppon the first of ,ouids ,fasti7 that this voyce was heard out of ,paxe1 the very same night ensuing the day wherein our ,lorde suffered1 in the #ai4 yeare of ,tiberius1 which was the same yeare that ,christ was crucified in3 by the whiche voyce being vttered in a wildernesse of solitary rockes1 it was declared that our ,lord and ,god had suffered for vs4 ,for the word ,pan in ,greeke1 signifieth all3 and then the ,lord of al the world was crucified4 ,he addeth moreouer1 that ,theodosius doth say1 that the ,archadians doo worship this ,god1 calling him 1 meaning thereby to signifie a ,lorde and ,ruler1 not of words1 but of all manner of materiall substances3 whose power is suche1 that it is able to create the essence and substaunce of all bodies1 whether that they be heauenly1 or earthly4 ,and albeit he referre this vnto the ,sunne1 yet if a man marke diligently1 his mysteries haue a higher meaning1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,hunting of ,diuels4 ,hereunto belongeth those thinges which are reported touching the chasing or hunting of diuels1 and also of the daunces of dead men1 which are of sundry sortes4 ,i haue heard of some which haue auouched1 that they haue sene them4 ,no man is able to rehearse all the shapes wherein spirits haue appeared1 for the diuell1 who for the most part is the worker of these things1 can 7as the ,poets faine of ,proteus7 chaunge himselfe into all shapes and fashions4 ,these walking spirites sometimes stoppe the way before men as they trauell1 and leade them out of their way1 and put them in suche great feare1 that sometimes they become grayheaded in one night4 ,i remember ,i haue heard the like historie of my olde friende ,iohn ,willing1 a godly and learned man1 of one in the ,countie of ,hannow1 who not many yeares ago1 meting with a walkyng spirite in the night season1 was so much altered1 that at his returning home1 his owne ,daughters knewe him not4 ,spirites oftentimes awake men out of their slepe1 and cause many to forsake their owne houses1 so that they cannot hire them out to any other4 ,sometimes they ouerthrow somewhat1 or strike men1 or cast stones at them1 and hurt them either in their bodies or in their goods3 yea and sometime ,god doth suffer them to bereaue men of their liues4 ,it often chaunceth that those mens faces and heads do swel1 which haue sene or heard spirits1 or haue bene blasted with them3 and some are taken mad1 as we se by experience4 ,i remember well it hath happened1 that some supposing they haue sene armed men1 who were ready to take them1 haue therefore assaied to slaie themselues3 which thing may be by craft of the diuel4 ,spirites do also trouble cattell in the night time1 in the pastures4 ,thus much concerning the first part of this worke1 wherein 7,i trust7 ,i haue proued1 and made it euident1 that albeit there be many which vainely perswade themselues they haue sene wandring spirits1 or haue beheld one insted of an other3 yet notwithstanding that there are walking spirits1 and that other strange things so sometime happen4 ,i haue also shewed vnto whome they appeare especially1 and where1 when1 after what sort1 or in what fourmes they shewe themselues1 and what things they worke and bring to passe4 ,whosoeuer dare flatly deny these manifold and agreable testimonies of the olde and new writers1 he semeth vnworthie in my iudgement1 of any credit1 whatsoeuer he say4 ,for as it is a great token of lightnesse1 if one by and by beleeue euery man which saith1 he hath seene spirits3 so on the other side1 it is great impudency1 if a man rashly and impudently contemne all things which are aduouched1 of so many1 and so credible ,historiographers1 and auncient ,fathers1 and other graue men of greate authoritie4 ,illustration ,the seconde parte of this ,booke doth shewe1 that those ,spirits and other straunge sights1 be not the soules of men1 but either good or euil ,angels1 or else some secret and hid operations4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the opinion or beliefe of the ,gentiles1 ,iewes1 and ,turkes1 concerning the estate of ,soules seperated from their bodies4 ,in the second part of this booke we haue to consider1 what those things be which 7as wee haue before shewed7 are both heard and sene1 in the day time and in the night1 whether they be the soules of dead men or no3 also what the olde writers haue iudged of them1 and what the holy scriptures1 do teach vs herein4 ,sidenote3 ,platos opinion4 ,plato doth think1 that ,heroicall and excellent soules1 as being of the pure sort1 do mount aloft3 but that other base and viler soules1 that are defiled with the pleasures lustes of the bodie1 do wander below on the ground1 and the same he demeth to be those spirits which are eftsoones sene4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,also other heathen and prophane writers say1 they are heereby mooued to thinke that the soules of men doo liue after death1 for that it is most cleare and euident1 that many spirits wander and raunge hither and thither1 and are oft times heard and sene1 and founde to talke with men3 for they suppose that most of these are mens soules4 ,tertullian a very auncient writer1 in his booke ,de anima1 saith1 that the wise ,heathens1 which did define the soule to be immortall1 7for some of them1 as namely the ,epicures1 thought that the soules died with their bodies7 thought that the soules of the wise1 if they departed from their bodies1 hadde their abiding on high3 but the rest were throwne downe into ,hell4 ,sidenote3 ,homer4 ,sidenote3 ,virgil4 ,furthermore1 the ,heathen thought the ,soules should stray continually abroade before they founde rest1 vnlesse the bodies from which they were seuered1 were rightly buried in the earth4 ,wherefore 7as we may reade in ,poets7 it was a greuous crime to caste foorth any bodie vnburied4 ,hector in ,homere1 besought ,achilles that he woulde not cast foorth his carcasse to be deuoured of ,dogs and birds1 but that he would deliuer the same to be enterred by olde ,priamus his father1 and ,hecuba his mother4 ,patroclus appeared in a vision by night after his deathe vnto ,achilles1 and requested him to bestowe vppon him all funeral solemnities4 ,for otherwise he saide the soules of those that were buried1 woulde thrust him backe1 that he should not be able once to enter in at ,hell gates4 ,which example ,tertullian aledgeth1 and therwithal cfuteth this vaine opinion of the heathen4 ,palinurus in ,virgill1 besought neas1 that he woulde cast earth on him1 when he was dead1 and erect vnto him an hearse1 for so did they call those ,monuments of the deade1 in whiche albeit no man was layde1 yet were they vsed in the honour of the deceassed4 ,virgill writeth1 that ,deiphobus his ,ghost wandred abroade1 vnto the whiche neas erected an ,horse4 ,sidenote3 ,plato4 ,for the ,gentiles were of suche an opinion in those dayes1 that they thought an emptie and counterfeyted buriall profitted very much4 ,moreouer the heathen were perswaded that the soules which dyed before their naturall time 7especially of those whiche perished by violent death1 whom they call 1 as by hanging1 drowning1 or beheading1 c47 did straie abroade so long time as they should haue liued1 if they had not bin slain by violent death4 ,which opinion ,tertullian also confuteth4 ,plato in his ninth booke ,de legibus1 writeth1 that the soules of those which are slain1 do pursue their murtherers so farre1 that they do hurt them3 the which1 except it be vnderstood by way of a ,metaphor1 is likewise to be reiected4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,iewes opinion4 ,sidenote3 ,iob4#g4 ,the ,catholike faith amongst the ,iewes was1 that the soules of the dead did not returne into this earth1 but either were at rest1 which was when they died in the faith of the promised ,messias1 or were cdemned if they departed hence in their sinnes without repentance4 ,for ,iob in his seuenth ,chapter saith3 ,euen as the cloude vanisheth and fadeth away1 so he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more1 nor returne into his house1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,psal4#ca4 ,sidenote3 ,eccle4#ab4 ,sidenote3 ,wisd4#c4 ,sidenote3 ,psal4#di4 ,but if thou wilt say that ,iob was an ,ethnicke1 it may be alleaged of ,dauid1 that when he was in very great danger1 and death euen present before his eyes1 he praied in the #ca4 ,psalme4 ,into thy hands ,o ,lord ,i commend my spirit4 ,the ,preacher also in his #ab4 ,chapter saith3 ,the spirite shall returne to ,god that giueth it4 ,in the booke of ,wisedome 7which of olde writers is attributed to ,philo ,iudeus7 the third ,chapter thereof1 it is written3 the soules of the righteous are in the hande of ,god1 and no torment shall touch them4 ,and on the other side1 the soules of the wicked go downe into hell4 ,in the #di4 ,psalm it is written of those wealthie worldlings1 which for lucres sake1 depart from ,god and his ,commaundements3 ,they are laid as shepe in ,hell1 ,death shall consume them1 and ,hell is their habitation1 c4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,samu4 #ab4 ,sidenote3 ,eccle4 #ch4 ,if the ,iewes had beleued1 that the soules after this life were tormented in ,purgatorie1 no doubt amongst so many diuers kinds of sacrifices1 which they offered for the sinnes of the liuing1 they would at least haue some one kind of sacrifice whereby to redeme soules1 or in some part to assuage and mitigate their paines4 ,and that soules do returne after death1 do offer themselues to be sene and beheld of men1 and require aide of them1 we finde no where in the old ,testament1 but rather the contrary4 ,in the #b4 of ,samuel #ab4 ,dauid speaketh this of his yoong childe1 that he begat by ,bersaba1 that he could not bring him into life againe1 that hee would go to him1 and the childe should neuer returne vnto him againe4 ,and ,iesus the sonne of ,syrach1 in his #ch4 chapter saith3 ,there is no returning from death4 ,of the vision which was shewed to ,samuel1 we will straightway speake in his proper place4 ,and that in latter ages1 long after ,christ came in flesh1 there were some amongst the ,iewes1 who thought that the soules separated from their bodies1 did straie and raunge abroad3 it may hereby be gathered1 for that certaine of the ,rabbines write1 that the soule of ,naboth 7which was slain1 because he would not sell his ,vineyard to ,achab7 was that spirit that promised his helpe to seduce ,achab1 being as it were one that coueted his death4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,turkes opinion4 ,the ,turkes also beleue that the soule is immortall1 and that assoone as they are loosed from the bodie1 they come either into a place of rest1 or of torment4 ,but whether that they did thinke1 that soules returned againe into the earth1 and roue there too and fro1 ,i could finde no plaine mention thereof in their ,alcaron4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men1 and the appearing of them4 ,sidenote3 ,papists4 ,sidenote3 ,iacobus de ,cusa4 ,the ,papists in former times haue publikely both taught and written1 that those spirites which men somtime se and heare1 be either good or bad angels1 or els the soules of those which either liue in euerlasting blisse1 or in ,purgatory1 or in the place of damned persons4 ,and that diuers of them are those soules that craue aide and deliuerance of men4 ,but that this doctrine of theirs1 and the whole state therof may be the more euidently perceiued1 we will more largely repeate the same out of their owne bookes4 ,iacobus de ,cusa1 a ,carthusian ,friar1 and ,doctor of diuinitie1 wrote a booke of y ,apparition of soules1 after they were seperated fro the bodies3 which worke of his1 hath in it many superstitious toyes1 and was ,printed in a ,towne belonging to the dominion of ,berna1 named ,burgdrofe1 in the yeare of our ,lord1 #adge4 ,sidenote3 ,foure places for soules4 ,popish writers commenting on the #d4 booke of the ,maister of ,sentences1 do appoint foure places to receiue soules1 after they are departed from the bodies4 ,thre of the which places they say are perpetuall1 and one which lasteth but for a time already limitted4 ,sidenote3 ,heauen4 ,sidenote3 ,hell4 ,sidenote3 ,limbus puerorum which is a place wher the ,papistes imagine the soules of yong childr to be1 which departed without ,baptisme4 ,sidenote3 ,purgatorie4 ,the first place or receptacle is ,clum ,empireum1 the firie heauen1 so termed of his passing great brightnesse and glory1 which they say is the seate ordeined for y blissed sort3 this place by an other name in scripture is called ,paradise4 ,the second place is ,hell vnder the earth1 being the ,mansion of ,diuels and ,infidels1 departing hence in deadly sinne1 without repentance4 ,the third place they tearme ,limbus puerorum1 which is prouided as well for the children of the faithfull1 as of the vnfaithfull3 who 7they say7 shall continually abyde there without any sense of payne1 being only depriued from the fruition of ,gods presence4 ,and therefore they say1 that after their death1 they ought not to be buried in holy buriall4 ,the fourth place is ,purgatorie1 which is prepared for them that departe hence without deadly sinne1 or if they committed any such sinnes1 did some penance for them1 but yet made not full satisfaction for them1 or else went hence only stained with venial sin4 ,of this place1 to wit1 ,purgatorie1 ,popish writers teach maruellous things4 ,some of them say1 that ,purgatorie is also vnder the earth as ,hell is4 ,some say that ,hell and ,purgatorie are both one place1 albeit the paines be diuers according to the deserts of soules4 ,furthermore they say1 that vnder the earth there are more places of punishment in which the soules of the deade may be purged4 ,for they say1 that this or that soule hath bin seene in this or that mountaine1 cloud1 or valley1 where it hath committed the offence3 and that these are particuler ,purgatories1 assigned vnto them for some speciall cause1 before the day of ,iudgement1 after which time all manner of ,purgatories1 as well general as particuler shall cease4 ,some of them say1 that the paine of ,purgatorie is all one with the punishment of hel1 and that they differ only in this1 that the one hath an end1 the other no ende3 and that it is far more easie to endure all the paynes of this worlde1 whiche all men since ,adams time haue susteined1 euen vnto the day of the last ,iudgement1 than to beare one dayes space the least of these two punishmentes4 ,further they holde that our fire1 if it be compared with the fire of ,purgatorie1 doth resemble only a painted fire4 ,seke their ,doctours in this pointe1 on the fourth booke of ,sentences1 the #bj4 distinction4 ,sidenote3 ,by whome ,soules are tormented in purgatorie4 ,this question also they moue1 by whome the ,soules in ,purgatorie are tormented4 ,wherfore their opinions are very diuers1 and disagreable among themselues4 ,richardus de ,media ,villa a ,franciscan ,frier1 writeth vpon the ,maister of ,sentences1 and saith1 he verily beleueth that soules are caried by good ,angels1 into the places of torment1 but yet that they themselues do not torment them1 because they shall become at length fellow citizens with them4 ,neyther yet are they punished by ,deuils 7who after this life do no longer tempte men7 but only by the mere iustice of ,god4 ,and yet 7saith he7 it may so come to passe1 that the ,deuils be present at the doing thereof1 and reioyce at their tortures4 ,i thought good to repeate these things of ,purgatorie somewhat at large1 the rather for that the reader might se1 that their ,doctours do disagre in a matter of great weight1 by which they haue both robbed men of their wealth1 and plunged them into very great miserie4 ,sidenote3 ,papists feigne that soules returne to earth againe4 ,hervnto they adde1 that the spirits1 as well of the good1 as the ill1 do come and are sent vnto men liuing1 from hell4 ,and that by the common lawe of iustice1 all men at the day of ,iudgement shall come to their trial from hell3 and that none before that time can come from thence4 ,farther they teache1 that by ,gods licence and dispensation1 certaine1 yea before the day of ,iudgement1 are permitted to come out of hell1 and that not for euer1 but only for a season1 for the instructing and terrifying of the liuing4 ,hervppon they recite diuers kindes of visions1 that certaine ,clarkes1 and ,laye persons being damned1 bothe men and women1 haue appeared to their ghostly fathers1 and others1 and haue opened vnto them the causes of their damnation3 all which to rehearse here were lost laboure4 ,and that the soules which be in euerlasting ioye1 or in ,purgatorie1 do often appeare1 it may be sene in ,gregories ,homelies and ,gregories ,dialogues1 who writeth that ,peter and ,paule1 and other ,saintes1 did not onely appeare vnto holie men1 but did also conducte their ,soules vnto ,celestiall ioye4 ,moreouer that ,god doth licence soules to return from those two places1 partly for the comfort and warning of the liuing1 and partly to pray aide of them4 ,and yet that those soules doo not here represent themselues to be sene of men1 when1 and how often soeuer they list themselues4 ,no doubt these men shewe themselues to haue a sharpe wit and profound knowledge4 ,sidenote3 ,v,vhether we may wish to see spirits4 ,these ,doctors moreouer moue this question1 whether we may request without offence1 that the soules of such as are departed1 may shewe themselues to be beheld and sene of the liuing4 ,to riue asunder this crabbed knotte1 they bring this wedge3 that if this request proceede of some good intent1 without the spot of lightnesse vanitie1 that a man might vnderstand the state of some friend1 neighbour1 benefactour1 or of his parents1 or some other1 therby to helpe and relieue them speedily of their torments1 it is no offence at all3 because dead mens soules doo of their owne accord shew them selues vnto the liuing1 to receiue helpe of them1 and therefore nothing can let vs to aske this thing at ,gods hand4 ,of this opinion is ,thomas of ,aquine4 ,but as concernyng the time and place1 when and where ,spirites doo proffer themselues to be sene1 they say1 no certaine rule can be giuen3 for this standeth wholly in ,gods pleasure1 who if he list to deliuer any1 suffereth him to make his appearaunce foorthwith1 euen in such places as he may be well heard in4 ,and that spirits do not alwayes appeare vnder a visible shape1 but sometimes inuisibly1 in so much that sometime nothing else is heard of them but snesing1 spitting1 sighing1 and clapping of hands c4 ,of which point ,i haue noted somewhat before1 when ,i spake generally of ghostes1 because they appeare in sundry sorts4 ,and wheresoeuer these spirits be1 they say1 that they endure punishment4 ,besides that soules doo not appeare1 nor answere vnto euery mans interrogatories1 but that of a great number they scantly appeare vnto one4 ,sidenote3 ,how a man ought to vse himself when spirits appeare according to the ,papists4 ,sidenote3 ,dan4#aj4aa4 ,sidenote3 #a4,samu4#c4 ,and therefore they teache4 ,whensoeuer such visions of spirits are shewed1 men should vse fasting and praier or euer they demaunde any question of them3 which 7say they7 in the tenth and eleuenth ,chapters of ,daniell1 is read to haue bene done by ,daniell himself4 ,besides this1 shrift1 and massing should be vsed ere we question with them3 farther1 that we should not giue credit assoone as we heare but one sign1 but waite to heare the same thrice repeated1 which in the first booke of ,samuel and third ,chapter1 is read to haue bin done by ,samuel being yet a childe3 for otherwise the diuell may delude and deceiue vs1 as he doth very often4 ,and so soone as these thinges are dispatched and performed1 that foure or fiue deuout priests are to be sent for1 which should come to the place where the spirit was wont to shew himselfe1 and that they should vse certaine ceremonies1 as to take a candle that hath bene halowed on ,candlemasse day1 and light it3 also holy water1 the signe of the ,crosse1 a censor in their hand1 and when they light their candle1 should pray ouer it 7as ,i remember7 the seuen penitential psalms1 or read the ,gospell of ,s4 ,iohn4 ,and when they come to the place1 they should sprinkle it with holy water1 and perfume it with ,frankincense1 casting about their neckes a holy stoale1 and then that one of them kneeling on his knes1 should rehearse this praier following4 ,o ,lord ,iesu ,christ1 the searcher of all secrets1 which art alwaies wont to reueale healthfull and profitable things vnto thy faithful people and litle ones1 which hast permitted some certaine spirit to shew himselfe in this place3 we humbly besech thee of thy great mercy1 by thy death passion1 and by the sheading of thy most precious bloud for our sinnes1 that thou wilt vouchsafe to giue in charge to this spirite1 that he may declare and open what he is1 without any fraying or hurting of vs1 or of any other creature besides3 shewing vnto vs thy seruants1 or to other sinners as we be1 who he is1 why he is come1 and what he desireth1 so that hereby thou maist be honoured1 he comforted1 and thy faithfull people also holpen and succoured4 ,in the name of the father1 the sonne1 and the holy ghost4 ,amen4 ,yet do they teach1 that a man may choose to vse this or some other forme of praier1 and ceremonies3 because that without these1 spirites haue often appeared1 shewed what they required4 ,this done1 we should 7as they teach7 fall to questioning with them1 and say3 ,thou spirite1 we besech the by ,christ ,iesus1 tell vs what thou art1 and if there be any amongst vs1 to whome thou wouldest gladly make answere1 name him1 or by some signe declare so much8 ,after this1 the question is to be moued1 eache man there present being recited whether he would answere vnto this or that man4 ,and if at the name of any1 he speake1 or make a noyse1 all other demaunds remaining1 should be made vnto him3 ,as these and suche lyke4 ,what mans soule he is8 for what cause he is come1 and what he doth desire8 ,whether he require any aide by prayers and suffrages8 ,whether by ,massing1 or almes giuing he may be released8 ,farther1 by how many ,masses that may be compassed1 by thre1 six1 ten1 twentie1 thirtie4 c4 ,furthermore1 what manner of priests should say ,masse for him1 ,monks1 or secular priests4 ,then if he aske for any fasting1 by what persons1 how long1 and in what sort he wold haue it done3 ,if he require almes deds1 what almes deds they should be1 how many1 and on what persons bestowed1 whether on him that lacketh harbour1 or that is diseased of the leprosie1 or on some other sort of people4 ,furthermore1 by what signe it may be perfectly knowne that he is released1 and for what cause he was first shut vp in ,purgatorie4 ,and yet they hold1 y no curious1 vnprofitable1 or superstitious questis shuld be demanded of y spirit1 except he wold of his own accord reueale and open th4 ,and y it were best1 y sober persons shuld thus questi with him1 on som holiday before diner1 or in y night seas1 as is commly accustomed4 ,and if the spirite will shewe no signe at that time1 the matter should be deferred vnto some other season1 vntill the spirit would shewe himselfe againe3 and yet that the crosse and holy water should bee left there1 for that by the secret iudgement of ,god1 it was ordeined1 that they should appeare at certaine houres1 and to certaine persons1 and not vnto all men4 ,and farther1 they say that we nede not to feare1 that the spirite would doo any bodily hurt vnto that person1 vnto whome it doth appeare4 ,for if such a spirit would hurt any1 he might justly be suspected that he were no good spirit4 ,sidenote3 ,by what tokens good spirites may be discerned from euil4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #a4 ,moreouer1 popish writers teach vs to discerne good spirits from euill1 by foure meanes4 ,first they say1 that if he be a good spirit1 he will at the beginning1 somewhat terrifie men1 but againe soone reuiue and comfort them4 ,so ,gabriel with comfortable words did lift vp the blessed ,virgin which before was sore troubled by this salutation4 ,they also alleage other examples4 ,the second note is to discrie them by their outwarde and visible shape4 ,for if they appeare vnder the forme of a ,lyon1 ,beare1 ,dog1 ,toade1 ,serpent1 ,cat1 or blacke ghoste1 it may easily be gathered that it is an euil spirit4 ,and that on the other side1 good spirits doo appeare vnder the shape of a doue1 a man1 a lambe1 or in the brightnesse1 and cleare light of the ,sunne4 ,we must also consider whether the voyce whiche we heare be sweete1 lowly1 sober1 sorrowfull1 or otherwise terrible and full of reproach1 for so they terme it4 ,thirdly we must note1 whether the spirit teache ought that doth varie from the doctrine of the ,apostles1 and other ,doctors approoued by the ,churches censure3 or whether he vtter any thing that doth dissent from the faith1 good maners1 and ceremonies of the ,church1 according to the ,canonical rites or decres of ,councels1 and against the lawes of the holy church of ,rome4 ,fourthly1 we must take diligent hede whether in his words1 deds1 and iestures1 he do shewe forth any humilitie1 acknowledging or confessing of his sinnes punishments1 or whether we heare of him any groning1 weping1 complaint1 boasting1 threatning1 slaunder or blasphemie4 ,for as the beggar doth rehearse his owne miserie1 so likewise doo good spirits that desire any helpe or deliueraunce4 ,other signes also they haue to trie the good ,angels from the bad3 but these are the chiefe4 ,sidenote3 ,how we may helpe and succoure soules4 ,now touching the suffrages or waies of succour1 wherby soules are dispatched out of ,purgatorie1 ,popish doctors appoint foure meanes3 ,that is1 the healthfull offering of the sacrifice in the ,sacrament of the aultar1 almes giuing1 prayer1 fasting4 ,and vnder these members1 they comprise all other1 as vowed pilgrimages1 visiting of ,churches1 helping of the poore1 and the furthering of ,gods worship and glory1 c4 ,but aboue all1 they extoll their ,masse1 as a thing of greatest force to redeme soules out of misery3 of whose wonderfull effect1 and of the rest euen now recited by vs1 they alleage many straunge examples4 ,of these things they moue many questions1 the which who so lust to se1 let him search their bookes which haue bin written and published of this matter4 ,sidenote3 ,a notable deede to relieue soules4 ,neither only in their writings1 but in open pulpit also they haue taught1 how excellent and noble an act it is1 for men touched with compassion1 with these foresaid workes to ridde the soule that appeareth vnto them and craueth their help1 out of the paines of purgatorie3 or if they cannot so doo1 yet to ease and asswage their torture4 ,for say they1 the soules after their deliuerance1 ceasse not in moste earnest maner to pray for their benefactors1 and helpers4 ,on the other side1 they teach that it is an horrible and heynous offence1 if a man giue no succoure to suche as seke it at his hands1 especially if it be the soule of his parents1 brethren and sisters4 ,for except by them they might conueniently be released of so manifolde miseries1 they woulde not so earnestly craue their helpe4 ,wherefore say they1 no man should be so voyd of naturall affection1 so cruell and outragious1 that he should at any time deny to bestowe some small wealth1 to benefit those1 by whom he hath before by diuers and sundry waies bene pleasured4 ,if they were not the soules of the dead which craue helpe and succour1 but diuellish spirits1 they would not will them to pray1 fast1 or giue almes for their sakes3 for that the diuels doo hate those1 as also all other good workes4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,what hath followed this doctrine of the ,papists1 concerning the appearing of mens soules4 ,sidenote3 ,monkes by their doctrine of spirits haue heaped infinit riches4 ,by these means it came to passe1 that the common sort were of opini1 that those spirits which wer sen and heard1 were the soules of the dead1 and y whatsoeuer they did say1 was without gainsaying to be beleued4 ,and so the true1 simple1 and sincere doctrine of y calling vp ,god in the name of ,christ ,iesus only3 of the confidence in ,christs merits1 and redemption from sin and damnation3 of y true deds of ,christian charitie1 was daily more and more impugned and oppressed4 ,so that when men by litle and litle1 forsooke holy scripture1 and cast it aside1 mens traditions and precepts began straightway to be had in great price and estimation1 yea1 they were more regarded than ,gods owne word4 ,a great offence was it taken to be1 if any would presume once to breake mens traditions4 ,on those apparitions of spirits1 as on a sure foundati of their ,purgatory is chiefly builded4 ,for by talke had with them1 ,popish writers taught that men atteined vnto saluation1 by their owne1 and by other mens merits3 which opinion so blinded them1 that they became retchlesse1 secure1 and sluggish4 ,for if any dyd so perswade himselfe1 that he coulde hyre one for mony1 which could worke one feate or other to deliuer the deade from torments1 then woulde he either delay the amendment of his life1 or vtterly neglect it4 ,wherfore vnto suche fellowes1 that happened1 whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish virgins1 of whom mention is made in the 4#be4 of ,matthew4 ,by these apparitions of spirits1 masses1 images1 satisfaction1 pilgrimages for religion sake1 relikes of saints1 monasticall vowes1 holidaies1 auricular confession1 and other kinds of worshippings and rites1 and to be short1 all things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture1 by little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation4 ,so that the matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse1 that many deuoute1 and simple soules1 pinched and nipped their owne bellies1 that they might y better haue by these meanes1 wherewithall to finde and mainteine idle monks and priests1 and to offer vnto images4 ,they founded chappels1 alters1 monasteries1 perpetuall lights1 anniuersaries1 frieries1 and such like1 to release their friends out of the torments of ,purgatorie4 ,and this did the walking spirits will them to do4 ,and sometime also by their councell1 mens last willes testaments were altered4 ,hereby priests and monks increased daily1 their parishes1 colleges monasteries with yerely reuenewes1 got into their hands y best farmes1 vineyards1 lands1 medowes1 pondes1 parkes1 bond men1 iurisdictions1 great lordships1 and the authoritie of the sword4 ,for after y this opini once tooke firme roote in ms harts1 y mens soules did walke after their death1 appeare on y earth1 the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commanded th4 ,and y it may more plainly be perceiued how much m estemed those visions such like pelf1 how in memorial of th they deuised framed to thselues new kinds of worshippings1 ,i will recite vnto you one or two histories4 ,sidenote3 ,martinus ,polonus4 ,martinus ,polonus ,archebishop ,of ,consentine1 and the ,popes ,penittiarie1 writeth in his ,chronicles1 that ,pope ,clement the fourth did canonize for a ,saint at ,viterbe1 one ,eduergia1 ,duchesse of ,polonia1 a widdow of great holinesse1 who 7among many notable things that are written of her7 when her canonization had bene many yeares delaied1 at length appeared her selfe in a ,vision to her ,proctor in the ,court of ,rome1 being heauie and pensiue about this matter1 and certified him1 both of the spedie dispatching of this businesse1 and also of the day wherin it should be dispatched4 ,canonization amongst the ,ethnicks1 from whence it tooke his originall1 is named 1 that is1 deification1 or making of a ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,all soules day whce it took originall4 ,sidenote3 ,polydore4 ,ioannes ,tritenhemius ,abbotte of ,spanheim1 a man of great authoritie1 in his booke of ,chronicles teacheth1 that the memorie of all faithfull soules1 termed ,all soules day1 had his originall obseruation by this meanes3 that when a certaine ,monke returned from ,ierusalem1 and lodged in a certaine ,hermits house in ,sicill1 about the mount ,aetna1 which flasheth foorth fire1 he learned of the saide ,hermit1 that many soules of the dead were tormented there by fire1 out of which again through the praiers of the faithful1 they were released1 as it was taught him by the testimony euen of the spirites themselues4 ,hereof also writeth ,polydore ,virgil1 in his sixt booke1 and #i4 ,chapter1 ,de inuentione rerum1 that the feast of ,all hallowes had the very same originall1 whiche they shall finde in ,petrus de natalibus his tenth booke1 and first ,chapter4 ,wherby thou maist gather1 that ,feastes were first ordeyned by the tales of spirites appearing vnto men4 ,the like fable is founde in ,damascene1 who writeth of ,macharius thus3 ,when according to his maner he prayed for the dead1 and was desirous to vnderstande whether his prayers did profitte them ought1 and whether they receiued any comfort thereby1 ,god willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt1 inspired a drie scull with the word of truth1 so that the dead scull brake forth into these words3 ,when thou praiest for the dead1 we receiue comfort by thy praiers4 ,sidenote3 ,the beginning of the order of ,carthusians4 ,sidenote3 ,polydore4 ,of the like roote sprung the order of the ,carthusian ,monkes1 which of the common sort is iudged to be the most holiest and straightest order of the which the ,monks themselues of this broode haue put foorth a booke4 ,for as ,polydore ,virgil recordeth1 they began vpon this occasion in the ,vniuersitie of ,paris1 in the yeare of our ,lord #ajhj4 ,a certaine ,doctor which for his learning and integritie of life was very famous1 chaunced to die1 when he should haue bene buried in a certaine ,church1 he cried out with an horrible voyce3 ,i am by the iust iudgement of ,god accused4 ,wherupon they left the ,coffin in the ,church by the space of thre dayes1 during which time the people flocked togither out of sundry places1 to behold this straunge sight4 ,the second day he cried againe3 ,by the iust iudgement of ,god ,i am iudged4 ,the third day likewise he cried3 ,i am by the iust iudgement of ,god condemned4 ,and as ,vincentius ,bellonacensis saith1 some adde hereunto1 that he rose vp thrice vpon the bere1 which perchaunce they faine of their owne heads4 ,now because no man suspected that so notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer1 euery man was sore astonished thereat4 ,wherfore ,bruno1 a ,doctor of diuinitie borne in ,coleine1 foorthwith forsooke all that he had1 and taking to him sixe other godly companions1 gat him into a desart called ,carthusia1 in the diocesse of ,grationopolis3 where he erected the first monasterie of that order1 which drawing his name of the place1 was called the ,carthusian order4 ,for this cause also1 or for the like1 many other monasteries at the first beginning1 were both founded and endowed with great liuelihood4 ,,chap4 ,,iiii4 ,testimonies out of the word of ,god1 that neither the soules of the faithfull1 nor infidels1 do walke vpon the earth after they are once parted from their bodies4 ,sidenote3 ,soules go either to hell or to heauen4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #c4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #e4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #f4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #ad4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#aj4 ,sidenote3 #b4;,cor4#e4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #bc4 ,sidenote3 ,apo4#ad4 ,now that the soules neither of the faithfull nor of infidels do wander any longer on the earth1 when they be once seuered from the bodies1 ,i wil make it plaine and euident vnto you by these reasons following4 ,first1 certaine it is1 that such as depart hence1 either die in faith1 or in vnbeliefe4 ,touching those that go hence in a right beliefe1 their soules are by and by in possessi of life euerlasting1 and they that depart in vnbelief1 do straightway becom partakers of eternal damnati4 ,the souls do not vanish away die with the bodie1 as y ,epicures opinion is1 neither yet be in euery place1 as som do imagin3 touching this matter ,i wil alleage pithie manifold testimonies out of the holy scripture1 out of which alone this questi may and ought to be tried discussed4 ,our ,sauiour ,christ ,iesus which could well iudge of these misteries1 in the #c4 of ,iohn saith3 ,so ,god loued the world1 y he wold giue his only begotten son1 y who so beleueth on him1 shuld not perish1 but haue life euerlasting4 ,for god sent not his son into y world to cdemn y world3 but that y world by him might be saued4 ,he y beleueth in him is not cdemned1 he y beleueth not1 is cdemned alredy1 because he beleued not in y name of y only begotten son of god4 ,and in y #e4 of ,iohn he saith3 ,verily verily ,i say vnto you3 he that heareth my word1 beleueth on him y sent me1 hath euerlasting life1 shall not come into iudgemt or cdemnation1 but hath passed alredy fr death to life3 he doth not say y his sins shuld first be purged in purgatorie4 ,and in the #f4 cha4 he saith3 ,this is y wil of him y sent me1 that euery one y seeth the son1 and beleeueth on him1 should haue life euerlasting1 and ,i will raise him vp at the last day againe3 verily ,i say vnto you1 he that beleueth on me hath life euerlasting4 ,in the #ad4 of ,iohn1 also our ,sauior ,christ ,iesus saith1 that he wil take vs vp to himselfe1 that where he is1 there should we be also4 c4 ,when ,christ sent forth his disciples to publish his gospel in y #aj4 of ,mat4 he said vnto them3 ,go ye into the whole world1 and preach y gospel to euery creature3 he y beleueth and is baptized1 shalbe saued1 and he y beleeueth not shalbe cdemned3 in the #e4 cha4 of y #b4 to y ,cor4 y apostle ,s4 ,paul saith3 we know y if the earthly house of this tabernacle be destroied1 we haue a building of ,god1 y is1 a house not made tw hands1 but eternal in y heuens1 c4 ,by these places it may be euidently gathered1 y the soules of the faithful are tak vp into eternal ioy3 and the soules of the vnfaithful assoone as they are departed fr their bodies are condemned to perpetual torment4 ,and y this is done straightway after death1 may be perceiued by the words y ,christ spake to the thefe on the crosse1 when he hoong on his right hand3 ,this day shalt thou be with me in paradice4 ,and in the #ad4 cha4 of the ,apoc4 it is written1 ,and ,i heard a voice y said vnto me1 write1 ,blessed ar y dead y die in the lord1 amodo1 as the old trslati redeth1 y is by by1 out of hand1 without delaie4 ,steu in the very point wh he looked to be stoned1 cried lord ,iesu receiue my spirit4 ,he douted nothing1 but was assuredly persuaded y his soul shold straitway be translated to eternal ioy4 ,paul in the #a4 chap4 of his epist4 to the ,philip4 saith3 ,i desire to be losed1 or ,i couet to depart hence1 and to be with ,christ4 ,here is no menti at all of purgatory1 in which the soules should be first purged4 ,if thou wilt here obiect that the persons afore alleaged were saints and martirs1 we say farther1 that paradice was opened also to the thef assoone as he became repentant4 ,and that the soules both of the faithful vnfaithful1 which presently after their death are translated to heau or hel1 do not return thence into the earth before the day of the last iudgement1 may wel be perceiued by the parable of the rich man cloathed in purple1 and ,lazarus1 as we read in the #af4 of ,luke4 ,for when the rich man praised ,abraham that he would send ,lazarus vnto him1 to coole his toong1 ,abraham gaue him this answere3 ,betwixt this and vs1 there is a great gulfe set1 so that they which would go hence 7from ,abrahams bosome7 to you 7in ,hell7 cannot3 neither can they come from thence to vs4 ,and when he besought him1 that he would send ,lazarus to his fathers house to admonish his fiue brethren1 least they also should come into that place of torment3 he saide vnto him2 ,they haue ,moses and the ,prophets1 let them heare them4 ,and again3 ,if they heare not ,moses and the ,prophets1 neither will they beleue though one rose againe from the dead4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,testimonies of the auncient ,fathers1 that dead mens soules parted from their bodies1 doo not wander heere vppon earth4 ,sidenote3 ,august4 ,this matter was also thus vnderstood by the holy and auncient ,fathers4 ,for ,augustine in his #ah4 ,sermon ,de verbis ,apostoli1 hath1 that there be two mansions1 the one in euerlasting fire1 the other in the euerlasting kingdome4 ,sidenote3 ,idem4 ,and in his #bh4 ,chapter of his first booke1 ,de peccatorum meritis remissione contra ,pelagianos1 in the seuenth tome of his workes1 he saith3 ,neither can any man haue any middle or meane place1 so that he may be any other where than with the diuel1 who is not with ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,idem4 ,and in his notable worke ,de ciuitate ,dei1 the #ac4 booke and #h4 ,chapter1 he saith3 ,the soules of the godly so soone as they be seuered from their bodies be in rest1 and the soules of the wicked in torment1 vntil the bodies of the one be raised vnto life1 and the other vnto euerlasting death1 which in scripture is called the second death4 ,sidenote3 ,iustine4 ,iustine also an auncient ,father1 writeth in ,responsione ad ,orthodoxos1 quest4 #ge4 that the difference of the iust and vniust1 both appeare euen assoone as the soule is departed from the body4 ,for they are carried by the angels into such places as are fit for them3 that is1 the soules of the iust are brought vnto ,paradice1 where they haue the fruition of the sight and presence of ,angels1 and ,archangels3 and moreouer the sight of our ,sauiour ,christ1 as it is conteined in that saying1 whiles we are straungers from the bodie1 we are at home with ,god4 ,and the soules of the vnrighteous on the other side1 are carried to ,hell1 as it said of ,nabuchodonozor the king of ,babylon3 ,hell is troubled vnder the1 being readie to mete the1 c4 ,and so till to the day of resurrection and reward1 are they reserued in such places as are metest for them4 ,sidenote3 ,hillarie4 ,saint ,hillarie in the ende of his exposition of the second ,psalme1 writeth3 that mens soules are straightway after death1 made partakers of rewards or punishments4 ,sidenote3 ,dormitantii4 ,sidenote3 ,caluin4 ,and touching the soules of the old ,patriarkes1 that died before the natiuitie of ,christ1 ,austin1 ,hierom1 ,nazianzen1 and other holy ,fathers teache1 that ,god in certaine places by him chosen out for that purpose1 hath preserued the soules of al those that are departed from this life in the true faith of the ,messias to come1 in such sort that they fele no griefe1 but yet are depriued of the sight of ,god4 ,this place they call ,abrahams bosome1 and ,hell 7for ,hell doth not alwaies betoken a place of torment1 but also generally the state that soules are in after this life47 ,and that our ,lord ,iesus ,christ did visit and release them1 and when he ascended1 carried them with himselfe into heauen4 ,albeit certain of the ,fathers1 as ,ireneus1 ,tertullian1 ,hilarie1 others1 think that they shall at the last day ascend to heauen4 ,some also there be of our time which maintaine this fonde opinion1 that the soules slep1 vntil the day of the last iudgement1 in which they shall be again coupled with their bodies3 but this assertion hath no ground in holy scripture1 of the which point diuers haue entreated4 ,but especially ,iohn ,caluin1 that worthie seruant of ,god1 in a proper ,treatise that he wrote of the same matter1 in which he doth learnedly confute their reasons that maintein the contrary opinion4 ,sidenote3 ,ciprian mar4 ,sidenote3 ,soules do not walke4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,sidenote3 ,athanasius4 ,wherefore sith holy scriptures1 as the ,fathers vnderstand and interpret them1 teache that the soules of men1 as soone as they departe from the bodies1 do ascende vp into heauen if they were godly1 descende into hell if they were wicked and faithlesse1 and that their is no thirde place in which soules should be deliuered1 as it were out of prison1 that soules can neither be reclaimed out of heauen or hel4 ,hereby it is made euident1 that they cannot wander on the earth1 and desire aide of men4 ,for first the soules of the blessed ned no aid or help that men c giue them3 on the other side1 the damned sort can no way be releued3 the which ,s4 ,ciprian the martir in his oration against ,demetrian1 doth plainly witnesse in these words3 when we be once departed out of this world1 there is afterward no place left for repentance1 no way to make satisfacti3 here life is either woon or lost1 so forth4 ,albeit the testimonies alredy alleged on this point of doctrine1 may well suffise those that loue the truth1 and are desirous to come to the knowledge thereof3 yet to increase the number1 ,i wil recite other testimonies also out of y fathers1 to proue manifestly1 y the soules departed1 do not againe return wander on the earth1 so that all they which haue not yet stopped their eares that the truth might not pierce enter into them1 may euidently perceiue1 that those ancit times taught a far better doctrine of those spirits and ghosts1 than other latter times vnder poperie haue cmended and allowed4 ,tertullian a very auncient writer1 in the end of his booke ,de anima1 saith1 the soules do not any longer abide on the earth1 after they be once loosed from their bodies3 that neither by their owne accord1 nor other mens cmandement1 they do wander at all after they haue descended into hell1 but he saith1 that euil spirits do vse this kinde of deceyt1 to faine themselues to be the soules of suche as are deceased4 ,and that ,hell is not open to any soule1 that it should afterward at any time depart thence1 ,christ our ,lorde in the parable of the poore man that was in rest1 and the rich glutton that was in torment1 doth plainely ratifie vnder the person of ,abraham1 that there can be no man sent backe to shewe or tel ought of the state of hel4 ,and albeit the fathers haue noted certaine errours and scapes in ,tertullian1 yet there was neuer any that reproued him for this opinion4 ,athanasius in his booke of questions1 the xiii4 questi1 doth giue a reason wherfore ,god will not suffer that any soule deceased1 shuld returne vnto vs1 and declare what the state of things is in hel1 and what great misery is there3 hereby 7saith he7 many errors wold easily spring vp among vs3 for many diuels might so take on th the shape of men1 and be transformed into y likenesse of the dead1 and say1 that they arose fr the dead1 and so publish many lying tales1 and false opinions of things there don1 therby to seduce and hurt vs4 ,weigh these wordes of ,athanasius1 ,i pray the4 ,sidenote3 ,chrisostome4 ,sainct ,chrysostome in his nyneteenth ,homilie on the eight chapter of sainct ,matthewes ,gospell1 hath in maner the same woordes1 for hee moueth this question3 ,why suche as were possessed with ,spirites1 liued in graues8 ,therefore 7sayeth he7 they abode there1 to put this false opinion in mens heads1 that those persons soules whiche by violent death departed1 were turned into ,diuels1 and so did seruice vnto witches and soothsayers4 ,the which opinion the diuell first broughte in1 thereby to diminishe the ,martyrs prayse and glorie1 that so the ,sorcerers might slea those persons1 whose wicked trauell and help they vsed1 and those matters saith he1 are far from truth4 ,for he proueth by the ,scripture1 that the spirits of the godly are not vnder the power of the ,diuels1 nor yet do stray abroade after death3 then that they woulde retourne vnto theyr owne bodies1 if they mighte wander whether they lusted4 ,and further if they didde any seruice too theyr ,murtherers1 by that meanes they should at their handes receiue a reward for an ill ded and displeasure4 ,by naturall reason also it cannot come to passe1 that a mans bodie should be turned into an other bodie1 and therefore also the spirit of a man cannot be changed into a diuel4 ,but among other things which properly belong to our purpose1 he saith3 ,if we heare a noyse that saith1 ,i am such a soule1 we must thus thinke1 that this talke proceedeth of some sleight and subtiltie of the diuel1 and that it is not the soule of the dead bodie that speaketh these things1 but the diuell that deuiseth them to deceiue the hearers4 ,and by and by he saith1 that there are to be counted old wiues words1 or rather doting fooles toyes to mocke children withall4 ,for the soule when it is parted from the bodie cannot walke any longer in these parties4 ,for the soules of the iust are in the hands of ,god4 ,and on the other side1 the soules of the wicked after their departure hence1 are straightway ledde aside and withdrawne from vs1 which may euidently be sene by ,lazarus and the rich man4 ,and in another place also the ,lord saith3 ,this day will they take thy soule from the2 wherefore the soule cannot heere wander when it is departed from the bodie4 ,a little afterward he addeth1 that it may be proued out of many places of scripture1 that the soules of the iust do not here wander after death4 ,for ,steuen said1 ,lord receiue my spirit1 and ,paule desired to be loosed and to depart hence1 and to be with ,christ4 ,also the scripture1 as touching the ,patriarks death1 vseth this phrase1 he is laide vnto his fathers1 growne vp vnto a good olde age4 ,and that the soules of sinners and wicked men1 cannot after their departure1 here abide any longer1 we may learne by the riche mans words1 if we will weigh and confider with our selues what be demannded and could not obtaine4 ,for if after death mens soules might any longer haue their conuersation heere on earth1 no doubt the riche man himselfe woulde haue returned as his desire was1 and certified his friendes of hell torments4 ,out of which place of scripture it is most cleare1 that soules immediatly vpon their departure from their body1 are carried vnto a certaine place1 whence they cannot of themselues returne1 but nedes must waite there for that terrible day of iudgement4 ,also in his second ,homily of ,lazarus1 amg other things1 he saith2 ,it is most plaine1 not only by that we haue before rehearsed1 but also by this parable1 that soules parted from the bodie1 haue their abiding here no longer1 but are forthwith lead away4 ,for it came to passe 7saith he7 that he died1 and was carried away by the ,angels4 ,and not onely the soules of the iust1 but of the vniust and wicked1 are hence led away1 and carried to their proper places1 which doth euidently appeare1 by another rich man1 of which mention is made in the #ab4 of ,luke1 to whom the ,lord said3 ,thou foole this night will they take thy soule from the4 ,and in his fourth ,homily of ,lazarus1 he plainly teacheth1 that we should giue more credite to holy scripture1 than to one that came from the dead1 or an ,angell from ,heauen4 ,herewithall he also sheweth1 that the dead doo not only make no appearance vnto men liuing1 but yeldeth reasons wherefore they do not returne hither1 in these words4 ,if ,god had knowne that the dead being raised might haue profited the liuing1 he would neuer haue let passe so great a benefit1 who otherwise doth giue and prouide vs al things profitable4 ,furthermore he addeth1 that if it were requisite still to raise vp dead men1 to make relation vnto vs of such things as there are done1 this no doubt in continuaunce of time would haue bene neglected3 and so the ,diuell very easily would haue broached and brought in damnable opinions into the world4 ,for he might often haue made counterfeit sightes1 or suborne suche as should faine their selues to be dead and buried1 and by and by to present themselues before men1 as if they had bin in dede raised from death1 and by suche manner of persons might so haue bewitched simple soules1 that they would beleue whatsoeuer he would haue4 ,for if now when there is inded no such thing1 the vaine dreames as it were of men deceased1 that haue bin shewed to men in slepe1 haue deceiued1 peruerted distroied many3 surely much sooner would the same haue fallen out1 if it had bin a thing truly don1 this opinion had preuailed in mens heads4 ,for if many dead persons had retourned backe again into this life1 the wicked spirit the diuell would easily haue deuised many sleights and wiles1 and brought in much deceit into the life of man4 ,and therfore ,god hath clean shut vp this dore of deceit1 and not permitted any dead man to returne hither shew what things be don in y other life1 least the diuel might gredily catch this occasi to plant his fraudulent policies4 ,for when the prophets were1 he raised vp false prophets3 when the ,apostles were1 he stirred vp false ,apostles3 and when ,christ apeared in flesh1 he sent thither false ,christs or antechrists3 ,and when sincere sound doctrine was taught1 he brought into the world corrupt damnable opinis1 sowing tares whersoeuer he came4 ,and therfore although it had come to passe1 y dead m shold return again1 yet would he haue counterfeited y same also by his instruments1 by some fained raising of the dead through the blinding and bewitching of mens eyes3 or otherwise by subborning of some which should feine themselues to be dead 7as ,i said before7 he would haue turned all things topsituruie and vtterly haue confounded them4 ,but ,god who knoweth all things1 hath stopped his way1 that he should not thus deceiue vs1 and of his great mercie towards vs1 hath not permitted that at any time any shuld return from thce and tel vnto m liuing1 such things as there are don1 hereby to instruct vs that we should be of this opinion iudgment1 that the scriptures ought to be beleeued before other things whatsoeuer1 because that ,god in them hath most clearly taught vs the doctrine of the last resurrection4 ,further1 by them he hath conuerted the whole world1 banished error1 brought in truth1 and compassed all these things by vile and base fishers1 and finally in them hath giuen vs euery where plentifull arguments of his diuine prouidence1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,cyrillus4 ,s4 ,cyril in his #aa4 booke #cf4 cha4 vpon ,s4 ,iohns gospell saith3 ,we ought to beleeue1 that when y soules of holy men are gone away from the bodies1 they are commended vnto the goodnesse of ,god1 as into the handes of a most deare father1 and y they do not abide in y earth1 as some of the ,heathens beleeued1 vntill such time as they abhorred their graues3 neither that they are carried as the soules of wicked men1 vnto a place of exceding torment1 which is hel1 ,christ hauing first prepared this iourney for vs1 but that they rather mount vp aloft into their heauenly fathers hands1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,glosse of the can law4 ,sidenote3 ,deut4 #ah4 ,and in the ,popes canon law1 ,causa4 #ac4 qust4 #b4 ,fatendum1 we read1 that many do beleue that some come from y dead to the liuing3 euen as on the other side holy ,scripture doth witnesse that ,paule was caught vp from the liuing into ,paradice4 ,vpon these words the glose saith1 that some doo inded so beleeue1 but falsly1 sith they be but fansies and vain imaginations1 as it is in ,causa4#bf4 qustione4#e4 ,episcopi4 ,what farther may bee saide to those men that knowe these things1 and neuerthelesse do beleue that soules straie on the earth1 ,i know not3 and yet that ,i may laie out all thinges plainly1 ,i will heere confute their chiefest arguments4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,a confutation of those mennes arguments or reasons1 which affirme1 that dead mens soules doo appeare3 ,and first that is aunswered whiche certaine doo alleage1 to witte1 that ,god is omnipotent1 and therfore that he can worke contrary to the ordinary course of nature4 ,first our aduersaries do laie against vs1 that by the vsuall and common course of things1 the soules of the godly abide in heauen1 and the soules of the wicked in hell1 vntill the last day1 and do not walke at all3 but yet that ,god may dispence with them to appear here sometimes1 therby to instruct and admonish vs3 ,and then ,samuel did appeare after his death vnto king ,saule1 and ,moses also which forsooke this life many yeres before3 ,likewise ,elias1 who was taken vp in to heauen in a firie charet1 appeared vnto ,christ our sauior his thre disciples1 whom he tooke with him at his transfiguration in the mount4 ,lazarus also of ,bethanie1 returned from death into y earth1 and many other also were raised from death by ,christ1 his ,apostles1 and ,prophets4 ,farther they alledge this1 y ,christs ,apostles beleued1 that y spirit or soule either of ,christ1 7as som of the fathers vnderstand it7 or of som other person did appear vnto them4 ,besides to proue this matter1 they alledge places out of the fathers1 decres of councels1 the common report y hath bin bruted of those y returned fr the dead4 ,to al these reasons by ,gods assistance1 we will briefly and orderly answere4 ,sidenote3 ,the soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the common course of nature1 by the omnipotent power of god4 ,as touching y first obiection1 y al things are possible vnto ,god1 we deny it not4 ,we graunt then1 that ,god can bring soules out of heauen or hel1 and vse their trauell seruice to instruct1 comfort1 admonish1 rebuke men4 ,but for y no text or example is found in holy scripture1 that euer any soule came from y dead1 which did so scoole warn men3 or y the faithfull learned or sought to vnderstand any thing of the soules deceased1 we cannot allow y sequele of their reason4 ,we may not of ,gods almightie power inferre conclusions to our pleasure4 ,for this is a principle hold in schooles1 y the reason doth not truly folow1 y is set from y power of doing1 to the ded done4 ,for ,god doth nothing against himself1 or his word writen1 to warrt their reson3 they shuld first haue proued1 that it was gods wil1 y soules shuld return into the erth3 for so do holy fathers intreat of gods almightie power4 ,sidenote3 ,how we oght to reason of the omnipotent power of ,god4 ,tertullian against ,praxias saith3 ,truly ,i neuer thought that any thing was hard to bee done of ,god1 we may faine of ,god what we list1 as if he had done the same1 because he is able to doo it4 ,but we must not beleue that ,god hath therefore done all things1 because he is able to doo them4 ,but first wee ought to make enquirie whether hee hath done them4 ,sidenote3 ,ambrose4 ,s4 ,ambrose in his sixt booke of epistles1 and #cg4 epistle1 writeth vnto ,cromatius in this wise3 ,therefore what is there vnpossible vnto him8 ,not that thing which is harde to his power1 but that which is contrary to his nature4 ,it is vnpossible for him to lye1 and this impossibilitie in him1 procedeth not of infirmitie1 but of vertue and maiestie4 ,for truth receiueth no lye1 neither doth the vertue of ,god entertaine the vanitie of errour4 ,reade farther that which followeth in the same place4 ,sidenote3 ,hierome4 ,hierome writing to ,eustochia1 of the preseruing of her virginitie1 saith3 ,i will boldly auouch this one thing1 that though ,god can do all things1 yet can he not restore a virgin after her fall4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,augustine in the tenth chapter of his fifth booke ,de ciuitate dei hath3 ,that ,god is sayd to be omnipotent in dooing that he will1 and not in doing that he will not4 ,againe he addeth3 ,gods power is not hereby any whit diminished1 when we say1 that ,god cannot die or be deceiued4 ,and immediately1 therefore he cannot doo some things because he is omnipotent1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,theodoret4 ,theodoret also teacheth vs1 that it may not absolutely without exception be pronounced1 that all things are possible vnto ,god4 ,for who so doth precisely affirme this1 dooth in effect say this much1 that all things both good and bad are possible vnto ,god1 c4 ,wherefore feble is that obiection of theirs3 ,god can sende soules vnto men1 to teache and admonish them2 therefore these spirites that praye ayde1 bee soules that come out of ,heauen or ,hell4 ,in the meane time we do not denie the power of ,god1 as some do maliciously report of vs3 but we wold not haue the same made a denne or couert of errors4 ,sidenote3 ,v,vee must learn nothing of the dead4 ,deut4#ah4 ,heare what the ,lorde our ,god in the #ah4 of ,deuteronomie speaketh3 ,when thou shalt come into the lande whiche the ,lorde thy ,god giueth the1 doo not thou learne to doo after their abhominable rites1 and vsages of those nations4 ,let none bee founde among you1 that maketh his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire3 nor a diuiner that doth foreshew things to come1 nor a sorcerer1 nor a witche1 nor a charmer1 nor one that consulteth with spirits1 nor an inchanter1 nor a ,magitian1 nor one that raiseth vp the dead4 ,for the ,lorde doeth abhorre all that doo such things3 and because of these abhominations1 the ,lord thy ,god hath cast them out before the4 ,be thou therfore sound and perfect before the ,lord thy ,god3 and by and by he promiseth to send them that great ,prophet whom they should heare4 ,sidenote3 ,esay 4#h4 ,sidenote3 ,luke 4#bb4 ,in the #h4 of ,esay1 it is written3 ,if they say vnto you1 enquire of them which haue a spirite of diuination1 which whisper and murmure softely in youre eares to deceiue you4 ,should not euery people or nation enquire at their ,god8 what shall they go from the liuing to the dead8 ,let them goe vnto the lawes testimonie1 suche as haue no light1 should they not speake according to this word1 which who so should contemne1 shall be hardened and hunger1 c4 ,heereby we doo vnderstand1 that vnder a great penaltie ,god hath precisely forbidden1 that we shoulde learne and searche out any thing of the dead4 ,he alone woulde be taken for our sufficient schoolemaister4 ,in the ,gospell we read3 ,they haue ,moses and the ,prophets1 let them heare them4 ,vnto these may be added testimonies out of the ,apostles writings1 that ,god doth not send vs soules hither to informe vs4 ,the common and ordinarie way whereby it pleaseth ,god to deale with vs1 is his word4 ,therwithall should we content our selues1 and not wait for new reuelations1 or receiue any thing that doth not in all points agre therewith4 ,but as touching this matter1 we wil speak more in his proper place4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,that the true ,samuell did not appeare to the ,witch in ,endor4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4#h4 ,now touching y examples by them commonly alleaged1 which do think that the souls of y dead do return again vnto the liuing vp the earth3 ,i wil first intreat of ,samuels apparition1 of which matter now adaies there is great contenti and reasoning4 ,and 7as ,i trust7 ,i shall proue by strong arguments1 that very ,samuell himself did not appeare in soule and bodie1 neither that his bodie was raised vp by the sorcerers1 which perchance then was rotten consumed vnto dust in the earth1 neither y his soule was called vp1 but rather some diuellish spirit4 ,first the author of the two bookes of ,samuel1 saith3 that ,saule did aske counsell of the ,lord1 and that he would not answere him1 neither by ,visions1 nor by ,vrim1 nor by his ,prophets4 ,wherefore if ,god disdained by his ,prophets yet liuing1 and other ordinary wayes to giue answer vnto him1 whom he had alreadie reiected1 we may easily coniecture1 that he would much lesse haue raised a dead ,prophet to make him answere4 ,and the rather1 for that as we haue a little before said1 the lawe of ,god hath seuerely by a great threatening1 forbidden to learne ought of the dead1 and would not haue vs to searche for the trueth of them1 nor that any man vse diuination by ,spirites1 and suche other diuellishe ,artes4 ,secondly1 if verie ,samuell indede appeared1 that muste of necessitie haue come to passe1 either by the will of ,god1 or by the worke of arte ,magike4 ,but ,gods will was not that ,samuel should retourne4 ,for he hath condemned ,necromancie1 and would not haue vs to aske counsel at the dead3 and that the spirit of ,god did that which was contrary herevnto1 or did permit the ,saints to do it1 or was present with them that did ought contrary thereto1 it may not be graunted4 ,and that those things were done by the force and operation of ,art ,magike1 we can not affirme4 ,for the wicked spirit hath no rule or power ouer the soules of the faithfull to bring them out of their places when he lust1 sith they be in the hand of ,god1 and the bosome of ,abraham1 nay 7which is lesse7 he hath no power ouer filthy and vncleane swine1 for he was driuen 7as we reade in the viii4 chapter of ,mathew7 to beg leaue1 before he could enter into the heard of swine3 and how then should he haue any power ouer the soule of man8 yet can it not be denied1 that ,god somtimes for certain causes doth giue the ,diuell and his seruants1 ,magitians ,necromancers1 power to do many things1 as to hurt and lame man and beast1 and to worke other straunge things4 ,but that ,god dooth giue the ,diuell leaue to raise dead bodies1 or to call1 bring foorth1 or driue away soules especially out of ,heauen1 it hath no grounde at all in ,scripture1 neither can there be any reasonable cause alledged1 wherefore ,god would or should giue the ,diuell licence to doo these things contrary to the vsuall and common order1 yea and againe his owne expresse commaundement4 ,for vayne and childishe is the cause heereof that is giuen of some men1 that ,samuell shoulde appeare to terrifie and astonishe ,saule3 as if ,god coulde not haue feared him by other waies and meanes4 ,was he not before vtterly abashed and dismayed8 ,thirdly1 if ,samuell were brought backe1 the same was done either by his will and consent1 or without the same1 but that he did frely and of his owne accord obey the sorcerers1 no man ,i thinke is so blinde to imagine4 ,sidenote3 ,wordes of thselues haue no force4 ,sidenote3 ,iupiter ,elicius4 ,sidenote3 ,plinie4 ,for that were vtterly repugnant to the ,lawe of ,god1 that hee shoulde confirme ,witchcraft and ,sorcerie by his example4 ,if the ,witch had called for ,samuell1 whilest he liued1 doubtlesse he would haue not approached vnto hir4 ,and how then can we beleue that he came to hir after his death8 ,we may not so say1 that the ,witch compelled him to resort to hir against his will3 for the ,diuel hath no power ouer the soules of the godly1 and ,magike of it selfe is of no force4 ,heathenish superstition no doubt it is1 that wordes vttered by ,magitians1 after their peculiar manner1 or figures drawne1 should haue suche a secret and hidden operation4 ,for the ,heathens beleued that they could with a certain set stile number of words1 bring and draw downe ,iupiter out of ,heauen4 ,wherfore they termed him ,iupiter ,elicius4 ,there are also certaine superstitious persons in these our daies1 which go about to cure diseases by certaine rites of blessings1 and by coniurings4 ,some hang aboute their neckes certaine scrolles of ,paper1 in which ther are written diuers strange words1 but whether wordes of themselues haue any force at all1 reade ,plinie in his #bh4 booke1 and #b4 chapter1 and ,clius ,rhodiginus in his #af4 booke and #af4 chapter of ,antiquities4 ,sidenote3 ,apoc4#ai4ba4 ,sidenote3 ,rom4#ab4 ,sidenote3 ,actes4#ab4 ,fourthely1 if very ,samuel himselfe had appeared1 he would not haue bene worshipped of ,saule4 ,for we reade in the #ai4 and #bb4 chapter of the ,reuelation1 that ,iohn would haue worshipped the angell1 whiche had opened vnto him great misteries1 but the ,angell of ,god forbad him so to do4 ,some here aunswere1 that ,saule ment not to giue vnto the ,prophet1 the honor that was due vnto ,god1 but onely a certeine outward and euill worship1 such as we are wont to yelde vnto honest men1 and suche as haue well deserued of the ,churche and common weale4 ,for they say1 that the ,hebrue word ,schachah there vsed1 doth signifie to bend the kne1 and to fall downe at a mans feete3 which kinde of worship we reade1 that ,abigael and ,nathan the ,prophet gaue vnto ,king ,dauid4 ,and ,paule also in the #ab4 ,chapter of his ,epistle to the ,romanes teacheth1 that we should honour one another4 ,thomas of ,aquine intreating of those two places that ,i euen nowe recited out of the ,reuelation1 saieth1 that ,iohn ment not to worship the ,angell1 with the worship properly called ,latria1 but with an other kind of worship termed ,dulia1 that is to say1 that ,iohns will was not to withdrawe from ,god1 the honor due vnto him1 but to worship the ,angell that was sent from ,god1 only with a ciuill and outward homage3 and yet the ,angell would not so far condiscend vnto him4 ,in the new ,testament the #aj4 chap4 of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 we read that ,cornelius met with ,peter1 fell downe at his fet and worshipped him1 yet1 so as he had bene an embassadour from ,god and not ,god himselfe1 and yet ,peter lifted him vp said1 ,arise for ,i my selfe am a man also4 ,he said not to ,cornelius thou doest well herein3 nor as his worthie ,vicare 7with a mischiefe7 is wont to do1 proffered his foote vnto him to kisse4 ,we may read also that ,elias disciples worshipped ,elizeus that succeded into his office1 to which place the word to bowe the kne1 or fall downe1 is vsed4 ,but whether the ,prophet did except and allowe this kind of reuerence or no1 there is no expresse mention4 ,brefly1 it is not likely that the ,prophet would haue suffered the ,king to fall downe at his fete4 ,sidenote3 ,testimonies out of the ,fathers touching ,samuels appearing4 ,sidenote3 ,samuels appearing4 ,fiftly1 if he had bin the true ,samuel1 he would no doubt haue exhorted ,saule to repentance1 and willed him to wait for aide from ,god1 to put his whole confidence in him1 or at least way1 to haue giuen him some comforte1 or counselled him to fight againste his enimies with more courage4 ,for though the ,prophets do often chide and threaten men1 yet do they againe reuiue and solace them4 ,now because this ,samuel doth beate no other thing into his heade1 but that ,god was displeased with him1 and had alredy forsaken him1 we may not beleue that he was the true1 but a meere counterfeit ,samuel4 ,sixtly1 the auncient ,fathers write1 that the true ,samuel was not sene4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,tertullian in his booke ,de anima saith1 that the ,diuill did there represent ,samuels soule1 ,god forbid 7saith he7 that we should beleue that the diuel can drawe the soule of any ,saint1 much lesse a ,prophet1 out of his proper place1 sith we are taught that ,sathan dooth transfourme himselfe into an ,angel of light1 and much sooner into a man of light3 who also will auouch himselfe to be ,god1 and doo notable signes and wonders to seduce1 if it were possible1 the very elect4 ,s4 ,augustine is not alwaies of one iudgement touching this apparition3 in his second booke to ,simplician ,bishop of ,millaine1 and the third question thereof1 he graunteth that by the dispensation of ,gods will1 it might so come to passe1 that the spirite of some holy ,prophet1 should consent to present it selfe in the sight of the ,king1 to come out of his owne place1 and to speak with him1 but not to doo this by constrainte1 or by the vertue of ,arte ,magike1 which might haue any power ouer it3 but thereby to shew it selfe obedient to the secret dispensation of ,god3 and yet he doth not dissemble1 that a better answer may be giuen1 to witte1 that the spirite of ,samuel was not truly and inded raised vp from his rest1 but rather some vain vision and counterfeit illusion1 that should be brought to passe by the diuels practise1 which the ,scripture therefore doth tearme by the name of ,samuel1 because the same is woont to call the images and similitudes of things1 by the names of the things themselues4 ,for who is he 7saith ,augustine7 that will be afraid to call a man painted1 a man1 considering that without staggering1 we are accustomed to giue eache thing his proper name1 assoone as we behold the picture of the same3 as when we take the viewe of a painted table1 or wall1 we say straightway1 this is ,tullie1 this is ,salust1 he ,achilles1 that other ,hector1 this is the floud called ,symois1 that place tearmed ,rome1 whereof these things be indede no other than painted ,images1 of those things whose names they beare4 ,sith this is so1 he saith1 it is not to be maruelled that scripture saith ,samuel was seen1 when perchance ,samuels image semed to appeare1 through the craftie pollicie of him1 that transformed himselfe into an ,angell of light1 and fashioneth his ministers like vnto the ,ministers of righteousnesse4 ,in his booke ,de octo ,dulcitij questionibus1 the #f4 question thereof1 he vttereth all this in as many words1 in his booke ,de cura pro mortuis gerenda1 he writeth that some are sent1 from the deade to the liuing3 as on the other side1 ,paule was rapt vp from the liuing vnto ,paradice3 he addeth there the example of ,samuel being dead1 which did foreshewe to ,saule1 things1 that afterwardes should come to passe4 ,he saith further1 that this place may otherwise be vnderstanded1 and that certaine faithful men haue bene of this iudgement1 that it was not ,samuel1 but that some spirit fit for such wicked practises1 had taken vpon him his shape and similitude4 ,and in other places1 as we will shew hereafter1 he affirmeth1 that there is a figure conteined in those wordes1 because the name of the thing is giuen vnto the ,image that dooth but represent the same3 and that it was not ,samuel that appeared1 but some diuellish spirit4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,popes decrees4 ,other ,fathers of the ,churche haue written nothing particularly of this storie1 so far as ,i know1 but in certaine places of their workes1 they teache generally that good spirites are not pulled backe into the earth by ,magicall ,art4 ,of ,iustine and ,gregorie ,i will speake anone4 ,in the very ,papall decres1 #bf4 question #e4 chapter1 ,nec mirum1 it is written that it was not ,samuel1 but rather some wicked spirite that appeared to ,saule3 ,and that it were a great offence that a man should beleue the plaine words of the storie without some farther meaning1 for how saith he could it come to passe1 that a man from his byrth holie and iust in conuersation of life1 should by ,art ,magicke be pulled out of his place8 ,and if he were not so drawne against his will1 then he must nedes agre thereto3 both whiche are like absurde1 to bee imagined of a iust man4 ,this is the ,diuels legerdimaine1 to make shewe1 as though he had power ouer good men1 thereby the rather to deceiue many4 ,he there farther addeth1 that the ,historiographers doo set foorth both ,saules minde1 and ,samuels state1 and also those things which were sayd and sene1 omitting this1 whether they were true or false4 ,and other words followe1 whiche who so list to se more of that matter1 may there reade4 ,sidenote3 ,lyra4 ,but here ,nicolas ,lyras iudgement 7which in his ,commentaries on the bookes of the ,kings1 mainteineth the contrary opinion7 should bee little weighed and regarded of vs4 ,where he noteth1 that the place by vs euen now alleaged1 is not written according to the censure of the ,church1 though it be found in the ,popes lawe1 for otherwise saith he1 they which ensued in latter times1 wold not haue written contrary to y same1 for many of those things concerning which men haue written otherwise in latter times1 were neuerthelesse set foorth to the world1 to be beleeued1 as the very expresse and sound iudgement of the whole ,christian ,church1 because they were put in the ,popes booke of ,decretalls4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,a ,confutation of their arguments1 which would haue ,samuel himselfe to appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,eccle4#df4 ,we will now come to the ,confutati of their ,arguments1 which maintaine1 that very ,samuel himselfe appeared to the ,sorcerers1 for he that rightly ouerthroweth his aduersaries arguments1 is supposed by the same meanes to confirme his owne cause4 ,the chefest arguments which our aduersaries vse1 is taken out of the #df4 chapter of ,ecclesiasticus1 where these words are found4 ,samuel before his death made protestation before ,god1 and before his annointed1 that he tooke from no man his substance1 no not so much as the value of a shoe1 and no man could then reproue him4 ,and after his death he prophesied1 and tolde the ,king of his ende4 ,from the earth he lift vp his voyce1 and shewed that the wickednesse of the people should perish4 ,this place somewhat troubled ,s4 ,augustine1 and other godly ,fathers4 ,for if the ,diuell onely appeared1 and not ,samuel1 howe is it there saide that he slept1 that is1 died1 for the ,diuel neyther slepeth nor dieth4 ,hereunto ,i may shape this answere1 that this booke is not to be nombred among the ,canonicall bookes of the olde ,testament1 and that ,doctrine in controuersies1 cannot bee proued by the authoritie thereof1 the whiche ,saint ,augustine1 also confesseth in his booke ,de cura pro mortuis agenda4 ,but howsoeuer that be credited as true or false1 ,i answere them plainly1 that ,iesus the ,sonne of ,syraches intent was1 to alleage the ,storie literally1 as the wordes lye1 and not by reason to debate the matter1 whether ,samuel truly appeared or no4 ,he speaketh there according to the opinion of ,saule and the ,witche1 which thought that ,samuel himselfe was raised4 ,further they say1 that he which appeared vnto ,saule1 is sometimes expresly and in plaine words called ,samuel4 ,and an vnsemely matter it were1 making much for the reproach of so great a ,prophet1 if his name had bene applied vnto the ,diuel4 ,if say they1 it had not bene ,samuel1 but some wicked spirite1 the scripture would in some one word or other1 haue noted the same4 ,to this ,argument first ,i aunswere1 that euen in our common speche1 it is an vsuall phrase by the figure ,metonymia1 to terme the ,image by the name of the thing1 that it presenteth4 ,so we terme the ,armes and ,ensigne of a ,noble man1 by the name of that ,lord himselfe1 that giueth those ,armes4 ,we say1 this is ,iulius ,csar1 ,nero1 ,saint ,peter1 ,saint ,paule1 or here thou maist se the ,cities of ,tigurine1 and ,argentorat1 also the ,duke of ,saringe1 whereas inded they are only their counterfeits1 or ,armes1 and signes of honour4 ,in a ,comedie or ,tragedie1 we call this man ,saule1 that ,samuel1 an other ,dauid1 whereas they do but betoken and represent their personages4 ,so saith ,virgil1 in his first booke of neidos3 ,they wonder at neas gifts1 and haue ,iulius in admiration4 ,and yet was it not ,iulius or ,ascanius1 but ,cupid feining himselfe to be ,iulius1 whereby he might the easiler pearce the heart of the ignorant ,quene1 with his dart of ,loue4 ,sainte ,augustine in his seconde ,booke and ninthe chap4 ,de mirabilibus scriptur saieth1 that holie ,scripture doeth sometimes applie the verie names of thinges to the ,images and similitudes of the same4 ,he alleageth there this example1 that the foule spirit is called ,samuel1 because he did falsely beare ,saule in hande1 that he was ,samuell3 whiche fraude of the ,diuell1 coulde no waies turne to ,samuels reproach4 ,for who would say1 that it should be a reproach for an honest man1 if some knaue would terme himselfe by his name1 as if he were he himselfe4 ,the false prophets sayde1 they were true ,prophets1 and ,gods servauntes1 yea 7which is more7 they feined themselues to be the verie ,messias1 the ,sonne of ,god4 ,and that ,scripture dooth not so muche as in one word make mention1 that this was verie ,samuell in deede1 but rather some spirite1 we must thinke that it so came to passe1 for this cause1 that all men by the ,lawe of ,god might vnderstand1 that ,magike and enquirie of things at the dead1 did much displease ,god4 ,saule himselfe before by the counsell and motion of ,samuel1 slewe all the ,magitians that he could any where finde4 ,and ,god is not accustomed in this wise to interprete ,figuratiue speches3 for many of them are soone descried by such as giue diligent hed to them4 ,a vaine and superfluous spech it were1 if a man woulde say that is ,peter1 this is the ,image of ,peter1 whiche by a ,figure1 is called by the name of ,peter4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,cor4 #a4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,cor4 #aj4 ,sidenote3 ,iere4 #aj4 ,sidenote3 ,psal4 #if4 ,furthermore1 holie ,scripture dooth vse to speake of things1 rather according to the opinion and iudgement of men1 than according to the substaunce and true being which they haue indede4 ,so ,iesus is called the ,sonne of ,ioseph1 and ,iosephe named his father1 whereas notwithstanding1 our ,sauiour ,christ ,iesus1 was borne of a chaste and vnspotted ,virgine1 without any helpe of man4 ,and yet neuerthelesse many of the ,iewes1 imagined1 that he was the ,sonne of ,ioseph4 ,in the #a4;,cor4 #a4 the ,gospel it selfe is named foolishnesse1 because that men did account the great wisedome of ,god but as mere foolishnesse4 ,so in the first ,epistle to the ,corinthians1 and tenth chapter1 the scripture tearmeth them gods1 which be nothing lesse than so inded4 ,and that for this cause onely1 for that the ,heathen tooke them for gods1 and so did worship them4 ,euen so the scripture doeth tearme the ,diuell ,samuel1 because ,saule thought him to be ,samuel in very ded4 ,sidenote3 ,v,vhether the diuel forknow of thinges to come4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #h4 ,an other reason they vse1 that ,samuel foreshewed vnto ,saule suche thinges as afterwardes should come to passe3 as that the ,philistians should in battayle ouerthrowe his ,armie1 and he and his sonnes togither be slaine4 ,and all these thinges came to passe according to his ,prophesie4 ,and say they1 the ,diuel knoweth not1 neither can he foretell of things to come1 sith it is onely in ,gods power so to doo3 ,but as ,christ in the eight of ,iohn saith1 he is a lyar1 and the father of lies4 ,hereunto a man may easily answere3 ,the ,diuell knewe howe things stoode with the ,iewes1 and the ,philistines1 he vnderstood euen the very secret consultations1 priuie practises1 and warlike preparation on both sides4 ,he sawe that the ,israelites were slenderly addressed vnto battaile1 and vtterly daunted of courage4 ,besides this1 ,samuel had a little before threatned ,saule with ,gods heauie wrath and vengeance1 and that ,dauid should be aduaunced to the kingly throne1 whereby he might easily gather what would ensue1 and that ,saule must nedes giue place to ,dauid4 ,and if the euent had bene otherwise1 yet he knew that ,saule with this prophesie would be quite dismaied1 and driuen to dispaire3 which thing must nedes well content and please ,sathan1 who laieth his baites day and night to intrappe men4 ,sidenote3 ,which being doubtfully spoken1 may be vnderstood either of subuerting other kingdomes1 or loosing his owne4 ,the ,diuell dooth not presently vnderstand things to come1 and therefore he giueth doubtfull answeres to such as seke oracles of him3 ,as when he said1 ,crsus perdet ,halin transgressus plurima regna4 ,that is1 ,cresus passing ouer the riuer1 ,halis shall ouerturne many kingdomes4 ,and yet oftentimes he gathereth one thing no otherwise than by an other4 ,hereof writeth ,augustine in the #bf4 #bg4 #bh4 ,chapters of his ,booke ,de ,anima4 ,the ,diuel is one which hath bene long beaten in experience1 the which thing in all affaires and matters is of very great force4 ,for olde and practised souldiours doo by and by forese to what issue things will come1 but yoong men1 and such as want experience1 doo not forthwith espie out the euent of each enterprise4 ,moreouer1 the ,diuels are very actiue1 and can soone dispatch their matters4 ,the ,marriners knowe when windes and stormes will arise4 ,husbandmen also are not destitute of their prognostications4 ,the skilfull ,astronomer can many yeares before exactly foretell when there will happen an ,eclipse of the ,sunne and ,moone4 ,the ,phisitian by the criticall dayes1 pulse1 and vrine1 can lightly iudge whether his patient shall liue or no3 builders se before hand when an house will fall1 and a practised souldioure can straightwayes iudge who shall winne the victorie4 ,and what maruaile then may it be1 if the ,diuell an olde trained souldiour1 can sometimes foreshew some certain thing8 ,shall we be of this minde1 that so many yeares experience hath broughte them no knowledge at all8 ,otherwhiles he telleth things which be true inded1 and yet to no other end1 but that he may thereby purchase a certaine credite vnto his lying1 to seduce the ignorant4 ,for euen that counterfeit ,samuell1 made wise1 as if he had taken it in very ill part1 that ,saule did so molest and disquiet him1 and that he should be forced to talke with him3 he vseth farther the words as it were of ,samuel himselfe4 ,and hereof it commeth1 that many gather1 he was the true ,samuel indede4 ,but what doth not ,sathan deuise1 to deceiue men1 and to force them vnto desperation8 ,here ,i could alleage examples of suche as haue bin perswaded1 that they sawe and heard this and that man1 and moreouer knewe them perfectly by their speeche3 whereas they haue afterwards had euident intelligence1 that they were at that time many miles distant from them4 ,so craftie is the ,diuell1 and knoweth how to worke these and many other feates4 ,there are farther1 diuers places alleaged out of the auncient ,fathers1 that seme to make for them1 whiche affirme that true ,samuell appeared vnto ,saule4 ,but these places we haue before for the moste parte aunsweared4 ,for albeit ,augustine in some places mooue a doubte1 whether it were the true ,samuel or no1 yet in certaine other places hee lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion1 who denie ,samuel to haue appeared at all1 taking rather that kinde of spech1 for tropicall and figuratiue4 ,sidenote3 ,iustinus4 ,iustine the ,martir1 who is one of the most auncient ,fathers1 reasoning against ,trypho a ,iewe1 writeth in his ,colloquio1 that the couetous ,sorceresse at ,saules commaundement raysed vp ,samuels soule4 ,and no man shoulde maruaile hereat1 sith that the selfesame ,author doeth by and by adde1 that he is of this iudgement1 that all the soules of ,prophettes and iust menne are subiect vnto suche power as a man may in verie ded beleue1 to haue bene on this gredie and subtile ,witche4 ,but this none of the ,fathers will graunt him4 ,other ,greke writers also1 whiche in their tender yeares applied theyr mindes to ,philosophie1 and not to the studie of holy ,scriptures1 and afterwardes were conuerted to ,christianitie1 doo sette foorthe in their writings certaine opinions which are not agreable to the word of ,god4 ,wherefore it nede not seme a straunge thing to any manne1 that ,iustine the ,martire in some pointes had his errors4 ,the same ,authour in ,responsionibus ad ,orthodoxos1 question #eb4 mainteineth the contrary assertion4 ,for1 saith he1 whatsoeuer things were done by that hungry ,witche1 were indede the workes of the ,diuell1 who did so dazle the eyes of such as beheld him1 that it semed vnto them1 they sawe ,samuel himselfe1 when in verie dede he was not there4 ,but the truth of his words proceded from ,god1 who gaue the diuel power to appeare vnto the ,sorceresse1 and to declare vnto her1 that which should afterwards come to passe4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,gregorius4 ,if any man obiect that this woorke is not rightly ascribed vnto ,iustine1 7for so muche as he doth make mention of ,origen1 and ,ireneus the ,martire1 whereas notwithstanding hee him selfe was martyred before them4 ,and farther1 speaketh of the ,manichees1 who were in their ruffe long after this time4 ,hereunto we answere1 that if this booke were not written by ,iustine1 yet 7as may appeare7 some other learned ,clarke wrote that worke1 whose authoritie might carry away as great credit as ,iustines1 sith that the same doth fully agre with holie scripture4 ,furthermore we may set against ,iustine1 other holy ,fathers1 as ,tertullian and ,chrysostome1 of whom we haue before spoken1 who haue by holy scripture instructed vs1 that it was not ,samuell indede whiche appeared vnto ,saule4 ,we will hereafter say somewhat of ,gregorie1 who no doubt was a learned and godly ,father1 but yet too simple and light of belefe4 ,and the ,fathers themselues deny1 that a man should subscribe vnto their opinion in ought that they doo maintaine and auouche without the warrant of ,gods word4 ,the ,popes out of ,augustine written in their ,decres1 ,quest4 #i4 ca4 ,noli1 that a man should credit none of the ,fathers except he proued his saying out of holy ,scriptures4 ,but in these dayes many cull nothing out of their bookes but errours1 and whatsoeuer they maintaine by good testimony of the holy scriptures1 that they reiect and disanull3 in which point they do fitly resemble those children1 who only in things wicked and euil1 imitate their good parents3 for good men also haue their faultes4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,whether the ,diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man8 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,cor4 #aa4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,reg4 #bb4 ,but thou doest demand whether the ,diuill can represent the likenesse of some faithfull man deceased8 ,hereof we ned not doubt at all4 ,for in the #b4;,cor4#aa4 ,s4 ,paul witnesseth1 that sathan transformeth himselfe into the shape fashion of an ,angell of light4 ,sathan by nature is a spirit1 and is therefore tearmed an ,angel1 because ,god vseth to send him to bring that thing to passe which he thinketh best4 ,so in the second of ,kings 4#bb4 ,chapter1 an euil angell was sent foorth to ,ahabs destruction1 to be a lying spirit in the mouth of #djj4 false prophets4 ,this was an angell of errour and darkenesse3 who yet in outwarde shewe could resemble a good ,angell1 that he might so guide the counsell of ,baalls worshippers1 who no doubt vaunted themselues1 as if they had bene gathered togither by ,gods holy spirit4 ,if sathan be then so skilfull1 can he not counterfait and faine himselfe to be some holy man1 by resembling his words1 voyce1 iesture1 and such other things8 ,amongst the ,gentiles he hath done miraculous ,actes1 perswading them to thinke1 that soules by ,arte ,magicke were called vp1 and compelled to giue answere of secrete and hidden things that were to come4 ,and therefore not only in publike1 but also priuate affaires1 if they semed to be any thing hard vnto them1 they consulted with ,magitians and ,sorcerers1 and had moreouer recourse sometimes vnto ,oracles4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,tertullian in his booke ,de ,anima mentioneth1 that there were some euen in his dayes1 which professed they could raise vp and reclaime soules from the hellishe habitation4 ,and he calleth ,arte ,magike1 the second ,idolatrie1 in the whiche the diuels doo as well fayne themselues to bee dead men1 as they doo in the other to bee ,gods4 ,so doo these subtle spirites lurke1 and doo many straunge things vnder the pretence of deade men4 ,he addeth1 that ,magike is thought to conuey soules out of ,hell which lye there in rest1 and to represent them vnto our sighte1 by reason that it sheweth a vaine vision1 and counterfeiteth the shape of a bodie4 ,neither is it a harde matter for him to bleare and beguile the outward eyes1 who can easily darken and dazell the inwarde sighte of the minde4 ,the ,serpents that were brought foorth by the inchaunters rods1 semed to the ,egiptians to be bodies1 but the truth of ,moises deuoured vp the ,magitians lye4 ,simon also and ,elimas the ,magitians1 did many signes and wonders against the ,apostles c4 ,he addeth1 that euen in his time those heretikes named properly ,simonistes of ,simon the ,magitian1 the first author of that sect1 did with suche greate presumption aduaunce their arte1 that they professed they coulde rayse from the dead1 euen the soules of the ,prophets4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,lactantius4 ,lactantius in the 4#b4 booke #ag4 chap4 ,de origine erroris1 writeth1 that euill angels lurking vnder the names of the dead1 did wound and hurt the liuing1 that is1 they tooke vnto themselues the names of ,iupiter and ,iuno1 whome the heathens tooke to be gods1 or as we now say1 they tooke vnto them the names of ,s4 ,sebastian1 ,barbara1 and others4 ,sidenote3 ,idem4 ,in the #g4 booke and #ac4 chap4 he saith1 that the ,magitians with certaine inchauntmentes did call soules out of hell4 ,but this may not so be vnderstood1 that ,lactantius was of this iudgement1 that they by their wicked arts did bring the soules back again into their dead bodies3 but that they did so vaunt and boast that they had raised vp this and that soule4 ,he also confuteth the opinion of the ,ethnikes1 prouing by the testimonie of the very ,magitians1 whom they highly reuerenced1 that the soule was immortall4 ,these men affirmed and taught1 that they did call vp soules from the dead1 the which point1 euen those of the ,gentiles beleued1 who notwithstanding thought1 that the soule did straightway die with the bodie4 ,iustine the ,martire1 in the second ,apologie which he wrote in the defence of ,christians1 hath these wordes3 ,i will 7saith he7 say the truth3 ,in times past wicked angels through vain visions deceiued women1 and children1 and with straunge and monstrous sightes made man afraide1 by whiche meanes they often wroong that oute of foolishe and rude persons1 which by reason they coulde neuer get of them4 ,and therefore not knowing that these were the ,diuels engines and policies tending to delude them1 they by one consent termed the workers of these slie conueyances1 by the name of ,gods1 assigning to eache of them their proper names1 as best pleased themselues4 c4 ,afterwardes in the same ,apologie he exhorteth the ,heathens1 that they would not deny mens soules after this life to be endued with sense1 but at the least way1 would giue credit to their owne ,necromancers1 who teach that they call vp mens soules4 ,also let them beleue those y affirme they haue bin vexed with spirits of dead men1 which persons the common people term furious frantike bodies4 ,in ,augustin ,de ciuitate dei1 many such things be cteined4 ,now what dreadfull1 strange1 and maruellous ceremonies they vsed when they went about by their ,magicall ,artes to call vp the soules of the dead1 a man may se in the sixth booke of ,lucan the ,poet3 where he setteth foorth how ,erictho1 a famous ,witche in ,thessaly1 reuiued and restored a souldiour to life againe1 who was lately slaine before4 ,which act he did at the request of ,sextus ,pompeius1 that so he might by him learne what woulde be the issue of the battaile fought at ,pharsalia4 ,this kind of ,magike they properly terme ,necromancie1 or ,phycomancie1 which is wrought by raising vp the spirits and soules of the dead4 ,of which there were diuerse sorts4 ,for sometime appeared vnto men the whole bodies of the dead1 but at an other time onely ghostes and spirits3 and often nothing was heard1 sauing onely a certaine obscure voyce4 ,plutarch in the life of ,cimon1 7as he is translated by ,ioachimus ,camerarius1 in the ,preface on ,plutarches bookes1 ,de oraculis qu defecerint1 de conseruata figura1 ,ei1 ,delphis writeth1 that ,pausanias1 when he had taken the ,citie of ,bizance1 sent for ,cleonice1 a mayden of noble parentage1 to haue vnhonest company with her4 ,whom her parents partly by necessitie1 and partly for fear1 sent vnto him4 ,but after that the virgin had once obteined so much of his waiters in his priuie ,chamber1 that they should at her first entrance1 put out the lightes1 she in the darke going softly towardes ,pausanias bedde1 by the way stumbled on the candlesticke1 and ouerthrew it against her will1 as he laie a slepe in his bedde1 who being troubled with the sodaine noyse1 drew a swoord that laie by him1 and therewith slewe the virgine1 as she had bene his enemie1 which went priuily to set vpon him4 ,but she being thus slaine with that deadly stroake1 would neuer suffer ,pausanias to take his quiet rest1 but in a vision appearing vnto him in the night season1 denounced sentence of hatred against this noble captaine1 in these words4 ,sidenote3 ,ephori amgest the ,lacedemonians were ,magistrates1 who in certaine cases were aboue kings1 vnto whom appeales were made from kings3 euen as amongst the ,romans1 they appealed from the ,consuls to the ,tribunes4 which is1 ,answere to the lawe1 for wrong is an euill thing vnto all men4 ,this heinous dede of ,pausanias was verie greuously taken of all his companions1 who therefore vnder the conduction of captaine ,cymo sette on him1 and chased him out of ,thracia4 ,and thus hauing lost the ,cities of ,bizance1 when 7as it is reported7 the fight continued in troubling him1 he fledde vnto ,necyomantium1 at ,heraclea1 where the soule of ,cleonices being called vp1 he by intreatie pacified her displeasure4 ,she did there both present her selfe vnto his sight1 and also told him1 it should shortly come to passe1 that the euill towardes him should cease1 assoone as he came to ,sparta4 ,hereby priuily intimating his death1 c4 ,this ,pausanias did at the first soberly and discretely demeane himselfe1 but afterwardes being puffed vp with such victories as he had obteined1 he ruled and raigned lyke a verie ,tyraunt4 ,wherefore when the ,magistrates called ,ephori1 would haue committed him to prison1 he tooke ,sanctuarie in a ,temple1 where he was shut vp vntill he famished through hunger4 ,i might here heape togither many such like ,histories1 to proue euidently what this ,samuel was4 ,in other matters also1 if ,god licence him1 the ,diuel is not destitute of power1 and how craftie and readie he is for all assaies1 experience doth well declare4 ,furthermore graunt that1 wherin the pith and strength of the question doth consist 7which can neuer be proued by scripture7 that ,god did permit ,samuell to returne and to prophesie things to come after his death1 yet will it not thereof follow1 that such visions should now be shewed also1 or that those things should be out of hand credited and done which they commaund4 ,god in times past1 did often in visible shape send his ,angels vnto men1 but now we heare not that many are sent vnto men1 neither inded is the same necessary4 ,when the ,apostles liued here1 many notable miracles were done1 but now for certaine good causes1 they cease and fall away1 for whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation1 is expresly conteined in the word of ,god4 ,these notes touching ,samuels appearing1 may suffise4 ,,chap4 ,x4 ,moyses and ,elias appeared in the ,mounte vnto ,christ our ,lord3 many haue bene raised from the dead both in bodie and soule1 and therefore soules after they are departed1 may returne on earth againe4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#ag4 ,moses ,elias appeared4 ,in like manner they obiect vnto vs1 out of the #ag4 of ,matthew1 that ,moses and ,helias were sene in the ,mount1 7which is called by the olde ,writers ,tabor17 with our ,lord ,iesus1 by the ,apostles whom he had chosen for the same purpose1 and that they did speake with him4 ,luke telleth of what matters they communed with him1 to wit of his death1 that is y death of the crosse4 ,thereupon they gather1 that the soules of dead men may come againe into earth appeare vnto men3 we haue graunted before that ,god is able to send soules again into the earth1 but that it is his will so to do1 or that it is necessary especially at these dayes1 is not yet proued4 ,moses and ,helias appeared appeared not to al the ,apostles but only to thre1 neither did they speake to those thre1 they brought no new ,doctrine1 they commanded them not to build ,churches in their honor1 or to do any such like thing1 whether that their soules came alone1 or their bodies3 also sure it is1 they were not sent to the ,apostles1 but to ,christ onely4 ,it was very necessary1 that they which should be ,christs witnesses1 shuld very wel vnderstand1 that both y ,law and the ,prophets1 do beare record vnto our ,sauior ,christ1 that he shuld die for the world1 and come again in the latter day1 to raise vp the dead bodies1 to glorifie them1 to carry them with him1 into eternal blisse4 ,and for this cause1 ,god would haue these two excellent ,prophets sene of the ,apostles4 ,sidenote3 ,lazarus came againe on earth4 ,iohn #aa4 ,lazarus soule did not only appeare1 but he came againe both in bodie soule1 as ,iohn witnesseth in his #aa4 chap4 he is as it were a sure token1 of our true resurrection1 which shall be in the last day1 as also others1 which our ,sauiour ,christ1 the ,apostles1 and in auncient time1 the ,prophets haue raised from the dead4 ,you shall neuer read that either ,lazarus1 or any other haue tolde where they were while they were dead1 or what kind of being there is in the other world1 for these things are not to be learned and knowne of the dead1 but out of the word of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4#bg4 ,at the resurrecti of christ many rose againe4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,the like may be said to that which is in the #bg4 chap4 of ,s4 ,matthew1 that when ,christ suffered on the ,crosse1 the graues were opened1 afterwards on the day of his resurrection1 many dead bodies did arise1 appeared to many at ,hierusalem4 ,the soules of the dead did not only appeare1 neither did they warne the liuing1 or command them to doo this or that for y deads sake1 to wit1 either to pray for them1 or to go on pilgrimage to saints1 c4 ,but y dead with their soules and bodies togither1 came into the earth3 for hereby ,god would shewe1 that he by his death hath ouercome and destroyed death to the faithfull1 and that at the last day their soules and bodies shall be knit togither1 and liue with ,god for euer4 ,now what these holy men were that rose againe1 and whether they remained any time in this present life1 or died againe1 or went with ,christ into heauen1 looke the iudgement of ,s4 ,augustine in his #ii4 ,epist4 to ,euodius1 and his #c4 booke ,de mirabilibus4 cap4#ac4 ,sidenote3 ,spiridion raised his daughter4 ,sidenote3 ,ruffinus4 ,to these we may ioyne that which ,ruffinus writeth in his ecclesiastical history1 #a4 booke1 #e4 chap4 and which ,socrates repeateth in his first booke #ab4 chap4 touching ,spiridion ,bishop of ,cyprus4 ,he had a daughter called ,irene1 with whome a certaine friend of hers left gorgious apparrell1 she being more wary than neded1 hid it in the ground1 and within a while died4 ,not long after cmeth this man y owned the apparel1 hearing say y maiden was dead1 goeth to her father whom sometimes he accuseth1 sometimes intreateth4 ,the old father supposing this mans losse to be his owne calamitie1 cmeth to his daughters graue1 there calleth vp god1 beseeching him y he wold shew him before y time1 the resurrection which is promised4 ,and his hope was not in vaine1 for the virgin being reuiued1 apeared to her father1 shewed the place wher she had hid the apparel1 so departed again4 ,i wil not deny this thing to be true4 ,for the like historie hath ,augustine in his #acg4 epist4 ,a certain yong man which had an euill name accused ,boniface1 ,augustines priest1 y he inticed him to filthinesse4 ,now wh y matter could neither be proued1 nor disproued by sufficient reasons3 both of them were bid to go to the graue of one ,felix a ,martyr1 that by a miracle the truth might be known4 ,they had not bin sent1 vnlesse before this time also some secrete matters had bene knowne by this meanes3 it may be wel answered1 that they were good1 or rather euil angels which did appeare4 ,,chap4 ,,xi4 ,whether the holy ,apostles thought they sawe a mans soule1 when ,christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after his ,resurrection4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #bd4 ,we reade in the #bd4 ,chapter of ,saint ,lukes ,gospell1 that two ,disciples whiche returned from ,emaus to ,hierusalem1 told the ,apostles1 that they had sene ,christ aliue againe1 and whiles they yet spake1 the ,lorde stood in the midst of them1 and saide vnto them1 ,peace be vnto you3 but they being amazed afraid1 thought they sawe a spirit4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,christs ,disciples supposed they sawe a ghost4 ,out of this some go about to proue1 that the ,apostles beleued that spirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men1 and that they themselues did thinke they sawe the spirit of ,christ 7as certaine of the old ,writers do expound it7 or else some other mans spirit4 ,sidenote3 ,many kindes of spirites4 ,this argument may be answered two wayes4 ,first if they thought they sawe a soule1 they thought a misse4 ,but they were no lesse deceiued with the common sorte now1 that when they thought ,christ would raise vp an outward and earthly kingdome1 in which they should be chiefe4 ,secondly1 it may be1 that they supposed they sawe an euill or good ,angell1 for there are more kindes of spirites than one4 ,there is a spirit that created all things1 to wit1 ,god the ,father1 the ,sonne1 and the holy ,ghost4 ,againe there be spirits that be created1 as good and euil ,angels1 as also the soules of men1 which either are in the bodie1 or by death seuered from the bodie1 and abide either in euerlasting life1 or in eternall damnation4 ,as touching the state of soules in ,purgatorie1 where they are prepared to the heauenly iourney1 and of ,limbus puerorum1 there is nothing extant in holy scripture4 ,it is manifest in scripture1 that ,god appeared vnto the holy ,patriarches1 to the ,prophets1 to ,kings and others1 in diuers visions and formes1 and that he shewed himself vnto them and spake with them4 ,iacob sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to heauen1 and ,god leaning on it4 ,isaias sawe the ,lord sitting vpon an high throne4 ,daniel sawe an olde man sitting1 and his sonne comming vnto him and receiuing all power of him4 ,tertullian and other holy ,fathers do teach1 that the son of ,god1 which at the appointed time should take vpon him humaine flesh1 did appear vnto the ,patriarches in an angelicall shape4 ,when ,iohn ,baptist did baptise our ,sauiour in ,iordan1 the holy ,ghost was sene in the shape of a ,doue4 ,the holy scriptures in many places do testifie1 that good ,angels haue oftentimes appeared to ,gods ,ministers4 ,that euill spirits are often sene1 and that at this day they shewe themselues in diuers formes1 to ,inchaunters and ,coniurers1 and to other men also1 as wel godly as wicked1 both histories and daily experience doth witnesse4 ,truly we reade not1 that soules haue appeared on this fashion4 ,by these we may easily gather1 that the ,apostles1 when they thought they sawe a spirit1 did not beleue they sawe a soule4 ,could they not thinke ,i pray you1 they sawe an euill spirit8 ,or rather that they sawe a good spirit1 or a good ,angel8 ,for it may be shewed by many examples1 that euen the faithfull haue bene troubled1 and feared at the appearing of good ,angels4 ,sidenote3 ,dan4#h4aj4 ,in the eight and tenth ,chapter of ,daniel1 we read that the ,prophet fel into a sicknesse at the sight of ,angels4 ,the ,virgin ,mary her selfe was afraide when she sawe the ,angell ,gabriel4 ,so was ,zachary the ,priest1 many others4 ,sidenote3 ,acts #ab4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#ah4 ,sidenote3 ,psal4#ai4 ,in the #ab4 of y ,acts1 we reade1 that ,herode killed ,iames the ,apostle with the sword1 and when he sawe that it pleased the ,iewes1 he caught ,peter also1 and when he had put him in prison1 he deliuered him to 4#af4 ,souldioures to be kepte1 entending after the feast of ,passeouer to kill him4 ,but the ,angell of the ,lorde led ,s4 ,peter out of the prison by night through the ,souldiours watch1 and sette him in the right way to the house of ,mary1 the mother of ,iohn1 whose surname was ,marke 7where many were gathered togither and prayed47 ,and when he had knocked at y entrie doore1 a maid came forth to harken1 named ,rhode4 ,but when she knew ,peters voice1 she opened not the entrie doore for gladness1 but ran in and tolde howe ,peter stood before the entrie1 but they said vnto hir thou art mad3 yet she affirmed constantly that it was so4 ,then said they it is his ,angell1 but ,peter continued knocking1 and when they had opened and saw him they were astonied4 ,in like maner1 now also when the ,apostles saw ,christ1 peraduenture they thought they sawe a good ,angel4 ,for there are ,angels giuen of ,god vnto men to kepe them4 ,of this matter there is somwhat red in the 4#ah4 of ,s4 ,matthew1 in the #ai4 ,psal4 we will note somwhat more of it hereafter4 ,the ,gentiles also beleued 7as may bee gathered by their writings7 that euery man had a good an euil ,angel1 and that the good ,angel did stir men vp to vertue1 defend them1 but that the euil ,angell did hurt men wheresoeuer he could1 and did prouoke them to wickednesse4 ,if our ,elders1 when they haue sene or heard any thing of one that hath bene trauelling or dead1 did say it is his spirit1 it may be1 they ment not his soule1 but his ,angel3 for if when as spirits were sene now in this place1 and by and by in an other place1 they did thinke them to be soules 7as in these latter times all men haue beleued37 in this they were deceiued1 as they haue bene in many other things also1 for soules are by and by receiued1 eyther into euerlasting ioy1 or into eternall damnation4 ,if the ,preachers and ,teachers had done their duties1 and had in this and other pointes of ,christian ,doctrine1 rightly instructed the people committed to their charge1 or at the least1 if they had not forbidden them to reade the holy scriptures1 they would haue thought aright both of this1 and other things which at this day are in controuersie4 ,,chap4 ,,xii4 ,concerning the holy ,fathers1 ,councels1 ,bishops1 and common people1 which say that soules do visibly appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,the holy ,fathers say that soules appear4 ,sidenote3 ,ambrose4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,sidenote3 ,gregorie4 ,the authoritie of the holie ,fathers is obiected against vs1 as that which ,saint ,ambrose writeth of ,saint ,agnes1 and ,saint ,augustine of ,saint ,felix1 of which we haue spoken before4 ,and that which ,abdias hath in the life of the ,apostles1 that ,thomas appeared after his death and preached4 ,saint ,gregorie in his ,dialogues1 doth write diuerse and wondrous things1 among others he rehearseth many examples of the dead which appeared1 and desired helpe of certaine ,saintes1 yea and of the ,apostles themselues1 whiche haue visited some vppon their death beddes1 a little before they departed1 and many other suche lyke matters1 which they that list may read themselues4 ,it is saide that ,hierome appeared to ,saint ,augustine4 ,sidenote3 ,many things fabulous in ,gregories ,dialogues4 ,i will not in this place accuse the holie ,fathers of vanitie1 yet this we must note1 they say not they haue beleued that they whiche appeared1 were the soules of dead men1 but they spake after the common manner4 ,as touching ,s4 ,gregories ,dialogues1 ,i cannot hide1 this 7which many haue noted before mee7 that many things are conteined in them that are nothing true1 but altogither like old wives tales4 ,not because the holie ,father hath written these things of malice1 but for that he being too too credulous1 hath put many things into his bookes1 rather vppon other mens report1 than that he himselfe knew them certainly to be true4 ,at this day also there are many honest and godlie men which haue this faulte1 that they are too quicke of belefe1 and altogither ruled by others4 ,they iudge other men by themselues1 they would be ashamed to reporte any thing that were false1 and thinke suche men in like manner to be affectioned1 which doe abuse their simplicitie and goodnesse4 ,oftentimes these men1 through their too muche lightnesse of belefe1 fall into great daungers4 ,moreouer1 in that age wherin ,gregorie liued1 men began to attribute much to those apparances and visions4 ,and at that time the true and sincere ,doctrine began greatly to decay4 ,truly the time in which a man happens to liue1 is much to be regarded3 he himselfe confessed that his times was the latter times4 ,therefore the ,scriptures shoulde haue bene more diligently lent vnto1 neither should any thing haue bene retained that was not agreable vnto them4 ,some going about to excuse him1 for that he hath stuffed his ,dialogues ful of miracles and wonders1 say he did it to mollifie by those examples1 the peruerse and hard hearts of the ,longobardes1 to the end they might embrace the true ,religion1 which they had so greeuously persecuted4 ,but that it is in no wise profitable to make knowen the true faith1 by these helpes which are nothing else but vaine tales1 euen ,viues himselfe1 in his first booke ,de tradendis disciplinis doth acknowledge4 ,sidenote3 ,counsells approue the appearing of ,soules4 ,some vrge vs with the authoritie of counsels1 which haue allowed certain apparances of soules1 and haue suffered some bookes1 whiche are extant of such apparitions1 to be read for the edifying of the simple1 and some againe togither with their visions1 they haue cleane reiected4 ,sidenote3 ,councels may erre4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4#bd4 ,it is reported that the ,counsell of ,constance1 hath allowed this vision3 ,a certaine ,deane when he had giuen ouer his ,deanrie1 went into the ,wildernesse to doe penaunce3 after his deathe he appeared to his ,bishop1 and tolde him that the same houre in which he departed this life1 there died thirtie thousand men1 among whome only his soule and ,s4 ,barnarde were made partakers of eternall saluation1 and thre went into ,purgatorie1 and all the rest into endlesse damnation4 c4 ,they say that ,councels the churche cannot erre1 because they are guided by the holy ,ghost4 ,also in the #bd4 of ,matthew1 the ,lord doth say in the later dayes there shalbe signes and wonders1 that the very elect if it were possible might be seduced1 therefore they conclude those things which ,councels do saye of such apparitions1 are to be beleued4 ,christs words are not so to be vnderstood that the chosen can neuer be broughte into errors 7for the contrary may be shewed by many examples7 but that they do not abide in erroure1 albeit some do very hardly get out of the same againe4 ,tell me1 ,i pray you1 who they were that came togither in auncient ,councels8 were they not holy fathers8 ,it is manifest that in many points they were at variaunce among themselues1 and that they haue shewed by their contrary writings3 yea and many times they are contrary to themselues1 and therfore they haue not alwaies thought aright4 ,sometime they send vs to the word of ,god1 as to the most certaine rule and leauell of faith4 ,there are examples inough1 by which it may be shewed1 that the old ,councelles haue erred in some of their determinations4 ,the ,councell of ,ariminum hath allowed the ,arrians doctrine4 ,the second ,ephesin councell did subscribe to ,eutiches4 ,the ,councell holden at ,carthage1 which ,cipri gathered1 pronounced flatly against the scriptures1 c4 ,what shall we say was done in latter times8 ,it is well inough knowen by histories who hath resisted ,councels1 and ruled them1 and what hath bene chiefly handled in them for certaine hundred yeares3 ,and what for the most parte hath by and by followed after them1 euen cruel warres and bloudy slaughters4 ,if nowe those auncient ,councels coulde erre1 who will maruaile that they which haue assembled since haue erred8 ,but as touching the apparitions1 that ,i may 7all other things omitted7 talke only of them1 tell me ,i pray you who should certifie the ,councels1 whether this or that vision were true or false8 ,certainly no ,councels can bring to passe that the lyes which haue bene scattered abroade1 shall now begin to be true tales1 although they of the ,councel haue saide they are true4 ,sidenote3 ,popes haue approued the appearing of soules4 ,it is euen as foolishe to say1 the ,pope 7who wil be counted aboue all ,councels7 hath confirmed this or that miracle to be true1 which they say was wrought in some one monasterie or other4 ,how can the bishop of ,rome being so far off1 knowe any thing better than they which dwell in the same places8 ,if the bishop hauing no other assuraunce than out of their words or writings1 which perhaps go about to erecte newe pilgrimages1 and newe deuises to get money1 confirme once that this or that soule was sene1 it must straight way without any gaynsaying be beleued4 ,but if any other men who haue with diligence sought out the truth of the matter1 do testifie the contrary3 al that they say must not be regarded4 ,consider 7,i beseche you7 of this matter4 ,before1 all haue doubted whether the thing were so or no1 but assoone as the ,pope doth giue his verdicte1 or some ,church man do in his dreame se it to be so1 it is a heynouse matter afterwards to doubt of it4 ,o time6 ,o manners6 ,sidenote3 ,many affirme they haue seen soules4 ,as touching other common and lay men as they terme them1 which say they haue sene one after his death1 and haue heard and knowne him1 and haue spoken with him3 ,i easily graunt they haue sene and heard some thing1 and haue thought verily they were soules1 and that they did speake with them4 ,but it followeth not therfore1 that they were soules indede1 much lesse that any dead man hath appeared in bodie soule vnto them4 ,for at doomes day only1 the soules shall returne to their bodies againe4 ,soules are spirits1 but spirits are inuisible1 wherefore they cannot so be sene1 vnlesse they take some outward shape vpon them4 ,but it can neuer be proued by the testimony of holy scripture1 that as good and euil ,angels1 so soules take som shapes vpon them4 ,besides this1 it is most true that oftentimes the shapes and formes of them whose soules are not yet sundred from their bodies by death 7as when one lieth vpon his death bed7 are no lesse sene than theirs which are already dead4 ,therfore it is not necessary that we beleue y ghostes which are sene1 to be soules4 ,by these things you vnderstand what is to be thought of the tale of ,platina1 ,nauclerus1 and others1 which write that a certaine ,bishop sawe ,pope ,benedict the eight 7lately dead7 in a solitary place sitting on a blacke horse1 and being demaunded why he was so carried about with the blacke horse1 he warned the ,bishop that he should distribute the money which was giuen to the vse of the poore 7but now wickedly kept to other purposes7 vnto those poore folkes to whom of right it belonged4 ,other tales of like stampe are rife euery where4 ,,chap4 ,,xiii4 ,whether soules do returne againe out of ,purgatorie1 and the place which they call ,limbus puerorum4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,thess4 #d4 ,that soules1 which are gone either to heauen or to hell1 returne not thence1 nor appeare againe before the latter day1 perchaunce some men would easily graunt3 but they imagine there is a third place1 7which is ,purgatorie7 out of the which soules do returne vpon earth4 ,for as yet the last sentence hath not passed on them1 and therfore as yet they may be helped1 and therfore also they do craue help1 and shewe themselues vnto men4 ,but we haue proued before at large1 both out of the scriptures1 and also out y writings of the auncient ,fathers1 that the soules of the faithfull are saued1 and that the soules of the vnbeleuers are damned immediatly without delay1 and therefore there is no ,purgatorie4 ,against this1 they alledge sundrie arguments1 amongst the which this1 albeit it be very common1 yet is it the chefest1 when they say1 that no man is saued except he bee purged from all his sinnes1 and that sinne cleaueth vnto vs euen vnto the graue4 ,if we say that puritie and cleannesse consisteth not in our workes1 or in the paines which wee endure1 but that ,god through faith in his sonne ,iesus ,christ 7who is our onely redemption1 iustification1 satisfaction1 and raunsome for our sinnes7 dooth iustifie vs3 they straight aunswere1 that our faith is vnperfect1 and that the moste godly men complaine when they depart hence1 of the weakenesse of their faith4 ,and therefore that ,god dooth not take vp suche kinde of men straightwayes into heauen1 nor yet because they are not vtterly voyde of faith1 thrust them presently downe into hell4 ,and therefore1 that there is a middle place betwene both1 which is called ,purgatorie1 in which the soules are purified from the imperfection whiche remained in them at the time of their death1 and out of the which they are deliuered by the merits of the liuing1 and by large pardons4 ,is not this as much as to attribute that vnto our owne paines and to externall fire1 which ought only to be ascribed vnto the death of ,christ8 ,dooth not ,christ teache vs1 that if at any time we fele any weaknesse of faith1 we shuld crie out with the ,apostles1 ,lord increase our faith8 ,dooth ,god disdaine to heare the prayers of his faithfull people in the extremitie of death8 ,christ saith1 he that is washed hath no nede saue to washe his fete1 but he is cleane euery whitte3 ,he will saue vs1 not for the woorthinesse of our faith1 but by his mere grace onely4 ,he dooth bestow these things amongst vs1 as if some riche man did frely giue meate and drinke vnto others1 whereof some of them receiueth it in woodden1 some in earthen1 and some in siluer or golden vessels3 or as if a ,prince did distribute vnto euery one a piece of golde1 and some receiue it with a feble hand1 and some with a strong and lustie hand4 ,he that hath the weake hand1 receiueth money as well as he that hath the strong hande4 ,saint ,paule exhorteth the ,thessalonians in his first ,epistle and fourth ,chapter1 that they mourne not for the dead as the ,gentiles doo4 ,if there had bene a fire of ,purgatorie1 as they haue falsely imagined1 he could not haue bene angry with them1 although they had taken their friendes departure somewhat impatiently1 c4 ,other arguments which are brought for the confirmation of purgatorie1 are of late so confuted by many godly and learned men1 that it is maruaile our aduersaries will so often repeate them4 ,but before ,i leaue this matter1 ,i will here insert this historie following4 ,a certaine ,germain being accused by the ,inquisitours of heresie 7as they terme it7 that amongest his companions he denied ,purgatorie1 contrarie to the common consent of the ,catholike ,churche1 made his answeare thus3 ,if our parish ,priest 7quoth he7 whome ,i credite very much1 preach vnto vs true doctrine in the ,pulpet1 either there is no ,purgatorie at all1 or else it is cleane emptie4 ,for he oftentimes saieth1 that ,turkes1 ,iewes1 heretikes1 and wicked men1 goe not into ,purgatorie1 but straight into ,hell fire1 from whence they shall neuer bee deliuered3 ,then that by ,pardons whiche are euery where solde for money1 many soules are restored to their first perfection4 ,and moreouer1 that the ,masse is of such force1 that there is not one sung in all the world1 by whiche one soule at the least is not deliuered out of the flames of ,purgatorie4 ,if these things 7quoth he7 be true1 7for ,i will not go about to refell that which maister ,parson hath saide7 ,i will stande in this my opinion4 ,for you doo all complaine1 that the nomber of the ,catholikes is verie small1 the greater part of men being diuided into sundry sectes1 and the multitude of ,epicures daily increasing4 ,then are all mens pursses many times drawne drie by pardoners1 which for mony sell their indulgences1 that by them the soules of men may bee deliuered out of the torments of ,purgatorie4 ,furthermore1 there is no village but there are a great many ,masses sung in it1 before any one husbandman dieth4 ,what followeth then1 but that there is either no ,purgatorie1 or one vtterly voyde and emptie8 ,when the ,inquisitors 7who knew very well that their men commonly taught such doctrine7 heard these things1 they were amazed1 and taking aduise togither1 they all berated him for occupying his head about questions nothing appertaining vnto him1 which they commaunded him to leaue vnto ,diuines1 and to follow his owne businesse4 ,sidenote3 ,dilemma1 is a kind of argument or reasoning1 which euery way cuinceth him vnto whome it is spoken4 ,there was in our ,countrey an honest and sober man1 who before the light of the ,gospell began to appeare1 vsed this ,dilemma3 ,the ,bishop of ,rome either hath authoritie to bring soules out of the paines of ,purgatorie1 or else he hath no authoritie3 ,if he haue that power1 and will not vse it1 except he receiue money1 he cannot escape the fault of crueltie and couetousnesse3 ,but if he haue no such authoritie1 surely it is great villainie to robbe so many widowes and fatherlesse children1 and so arrogantly to boast himselfe of authoritie whiche he hath not4 ,and if there bee no ,purgatorie 7as by the holy ,scriptures it plainly gathered there is not7 surely then mennes soules can neyther returne from thence1 nor offer themselues to be sene of men4 ,sidenote3 ,limbus puerorum4 ,nowe as touching the fourth place1 namely ,limbus puerorum1 7in the which innocent children1 as they call them1 are saide to be7 ,papistes themselues scant dare affirme1 that they returne againe and appeare vnto men1 and craue their helpe3 for they teache1 that if they depart without baptisme1 they shall neuer enioy the sight of ,god1 and for that cause they may not be buried in the same ,churchyard with other ,christians4 ,merciful ,god6 how many godly matrones hath this false deuise miserably vexed8 ,i call it a false deuise1 for that they bring nothing out of the holie scriptures whereby to proue this poynt of doctrine4 ,the scriptures do not attribute so much vnto external baptisme1 which is by water4 ,was the condition of infants better in the olde ,testament than in the new8 ,you do not reade that the olde ,fathers1 supposed that infants which died before the eight day1 and therfore were not circumcised1 should be separated from the sight of ,god for euer4 ,dauid the king and prophet1 said he should follow his sonne1 whom ,god had called out of this life before he was circumcised4 ,but it was not ,dauids meaning that hee should goe into a place where he should bee depriued of the sight of ,god for euer4 ,but it appertaineth not much vnto our purpose to dispute any further hereof4 ,thus haue ,i now answered the cheefest arguments of our aduersaries1 whereby they would proue the soules of good and euil men1 to offer themselues to be sene sometimes of them that liue1 after their departure by death from their bodies4 ,,chap4 ,,xiiii4 ,what those things are which men see and heare3 and first that good ,angels do sometimes appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,angells appeare4 ,matth4#ah4 ,sidenote3 ,esay4#fc4 ,sidenote3 ,dani4#aj4 ,sidenote3 ,psal4#cd4 ,sidenote3 ,whole armies of ,angels4 ,sidenote3 ,cstantinople preserued by the appearing of ,angels4 ,but thou wilt say1 ,i doo not yet clearely and plainly vnderstand what manner of things those are1 whereof 7as it is sayd before7 ,historiographers1 holy ,fathers1 and others1 make mention3 as that holie ,apostles1 ,bishoppes1 ,martyres1 ,confessours1 ,virgines1 and manie other which dyed long agoe1 appeared vnto certaine men lying at the poynt of death1 gaue them warnyng1 aunsweared vnto certaine questions1 commaunded them to doe this or that thyng3 and that some thing is sene and heard at certeine times1 whiche not only affirmeth it selfe to be this or that soule1 but also sheweth howe it may be succoured1 and afterwardes returning againe1 giueth great thankes vnto them of whome it hath receiued such a benefite3 that the husband being dead1 came in the nighte vnto his wife nowe a widowe1 and that seldome times any notable thing hathe happened1 whiche was not foreshewed vnto some man by certaine signes and tokens4 ,you wil say1 ,i heare and vnderstand very wel that these things are not mens soules1 which continually remaine in their appointed places1 ,i pray you then what are they8 ,to conclude in fewe words1 ,if it be not a vaine persuasion proceding through weakenesse of the senses through feare1 or some suche like cause1 or if it be not deceit of men1 or some naturall thing1 wherof we haue spoken muche in the firste part1 it is either a good or euill ,angell1 or some other forewarning sent by ,god1 concerning the which we will speake more orderly and fully hereafter4 ,our sauioure witnesseth in the ,gospell1 that children haue their good ,angells3 and we reade in the #ah4 of ,matthew1 that the ,lorde saide3 ,take hede ye contemne not one of these litle ones3 for ,i saye vnto you1 that their ,angels in ,heauen do alwayes behold the face of my father whiche is in ,heauen4 ,which words are not so to be taken1 as though they were neuer sent downe into the earth1 but the ,lord here speaketh after the manner of men4 ,for as seruaunts stande before their maisters to fulfill their commaundement1 euen so are the ,angels prest and ready to serue ,god4 ,esay the #fc4 ,the ,angell of his face1 that is1 which standeth ready in his sight1 preserued them4 ,and further they which often stand in presence of their ,lorde1 are acceptable vnto them and priuy to their secrets4 ,out of this place of ,math4 ,saincte ,herome in his commentaries1 and other fathers do conclude1 that ,god doth assigne vnto euery soule assoone as he createth him his peculiar ,angell1 which taketh care of him4 ,but whether that euerie one of the elect haue his proper ,angell1 or many ,angels be appointed vnto him1 it is not expresly set foorth1 yet this is most sure and certaine1 that ,god hath giuen his ,angels in charge to haue regarde and care ouer vs4 ,daniel witnesseth in his tenth ,chapter1 that ,angels haue also charge of kingdomes1 by whom ,god kepeth and protecteth them1 and hindreth the wicked counsels of the diuell4 ,it may be proued by many places of scripture1 that all ,christian men haue not only one ,angell1 but also many1 whome ,god imployeth to their seruice4 ,in the #cd4 ,psalme it is sayd1 the ,angell of the ,lord pitcheth his tentes round about them which feare the ,lord1 and helpeth them3 which ought not to bee doubted but that it is also at this day1 albeit we se them not4 ,we reade that they appearing in sundry shapes1 haue admonished men1 haue comforted them1 defended them1 deliuered them from daunger1 and also punished the wicked4 ,touching this matter1 there are plentifull examples1 which are not nedfull to be repeated in this place4 ,sometimes they haue either appeared in slepe1 or in maner of visions1 and sometimes they haue performed their office1 by some internall operations3 as when a mans minde foresheweth him1 that a thing shall so happen1 and after it happeneth so inded1 which thing ,i suppose is done by ,god1 through the ministrie of ,angels4 ,angels for the most part take vpon them the shapes of men1 wherein they appeare4 ,and so it may be1 that ,s4 ,felix1 and ,saint ,agnes1 and other which haue appeared vnto honest and godly men1 were the ,angels of ,god4 ,angels haue appeared not only one at a time1 but also whole ,armies and ,hostes1 of them1 as vnto ,iacob the patriarch1 and ,heliseus the ,prophet4 ,it is read in the ,ecclesiasticall history written by ,socrates and ,sozomenus1 that ,archadius the ,emperour receiued ,gaina1 with all his ,armie of souldiers1 into the ,citie of ,constantinople1 to defend it1 but this traitor went about to get the rule of the ,citie into his owne hands1 and therefore he sent a band of men to fire the ,emperours ,pallace1 which sodeinly espied a great hoste of ,angels1 of large stature1 armed like vnto souldiers1 whereupon they gaue ouer their enterprise of fiering4 ,then sent he others who reported the very same3 ,at the last he went himselfe1 and sawe it to be so1 and so left his purpose3 and thus ,god by a miraculous meanes1 preserued the ,cittie and ,church of ,constantinople from the craftie subtiltie of the tyrant4 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,whereas ,s4 ,augustine in his booke ,de cura pro mortuis agenda1 ,chapter #aj4 writeth1 that dead men1 haue appeared vnto the liuing in dreames1 or any other meanes whatsoeuer1 shewing them where their bodies laie vnburied1 and requiring them to burie them4 ,there he supposeth1 that these are the workes of ,angels by the dispensation of ,gods prouidence1 vsing vnto good purpose1 both good and euil ,angels1 according to the vnsearchable depth of his iudgements4 ,he saith not that such soules appeare in slepe1 but the similitude of soules4 ,he addeth further1 if the soules of the dead had any thing to do with matters of the liuing1 and that we might talke with them as often as we list in our slepe1 his mother no night would leaue him1 who to liue with him1 followed him both by sea and by lande1 suche loue bare she towards her sonne4 ,,chap4 ,,xv4 ,that sometimes1 yea and for the most part1 euill ,angels do appeare4 ,sidenote3 ,paule4 ,contrariwise1 euill angels are hurtfull and enemies vnto men1 they followe them euery where1 to the ende they may withdrawe them from true worshipping of ,god1 and from faith in his onely sonne ,iesu ,christ1 vnto sundry other things4 ,these appeare in diuers shapes3 for in the diuell 7as ,paule doth witnesse7 transformeth himselfe into an ,angell of light1 no lesse may he take the shape of a ,prophet1 an ,apostle1 ,euangelist1 ,bishop1 and ,martyr1 and appeare in their likenesse3 or to bewitch vs1 that we verily suppose we heare or se them in very dede4 ,he taketh on him to tell of thinges to come1 whether he hit them right or wrong4 ,he affirmeth that he is this or that soule1 that he may bee deliuered by this or that meanes1 that by these meanes he may purchase credite and authoritie1 vnto those things which haue no ground of scripture4 ,by meanes of false myracles1 he decreeth new ,hollydayes1 ,pilgrimages1 ,chappels1 and ,aultars3 by ,coniurations1 blessings1 enchauntments1 he attempteth to cure the sicke1 to make his doings haue authoritie4 ,you shall reade maruellous straunge things in ,arnobius1 ,lactantius1 and other holie ,fathers1 who wrote against the ,gentiles and their superstition1 after what sorte ,diuels haue deluded the miserable ,gentiles1 and haue entrapped them in many errors4 ,he ioyned and hid himselfe in their ,idolles1 he spake through them from one place to an other1 he made them to moue1 and did such straunge myracles1 that verie lame men leauing their stilts whereon they leaned in the ,temples of their ,idols1 returned home to their houses1 without any helpe or stay of them1 but especially in the temple of sculapius 7who was counted the ,patron of ,phisicke7 many of these kinde of miracles are reported to haue happened4 ,wherefore there is no cause1 why the ,papistes at this day1 shoulde so insolently glorie of the like myracles1 by the which they goe about to proue their intercession of ,saints1 and such lyke trumperie4 ,,chap4 ,,xvi4 ,of wondrous ,monsters1 and such like4 ,nowe as concerning other straunge things1 we must hereafter search what nature they are of3 as when one dieth that there is somewhat sene1 or some great noyse is sodeinly heard1 but especially that many signes and wonders happen before the death of great ,princes4 ,it is well knowne by ,histories1 what signes went before the death of ,iulius ,csar1 amongst the which1 a great noyse was heard in the night time1 in very many places farre and neare4 ,as concerning other ,emperors1 and ,kings1 and other great mens deathes1 we reade that some certaine forewarnings were heard or sene1 we must also consider what those straunge things are1 which for the most part happen before the innouations of kingdomes1 before battailes1 seditions1 and subuersions of ,cities4 ,i say flatly1 euen as ,i sayde before concerning spirits3 if they be not vaine perswasions1 or naturall things1 then are they forewarnings of ,god1 which are sent1 eyther by good ,angels1 or by some other meanes vnknowne vnto vs1 that we might vnderstand that all these things happen not by aduenture1 without the wil and pleasure of ,god1 but that life and deathe1 peace and warre1 the alteration of ,religion1 the exchaunge of ,empires1 and of other things1 are in his power1 that we might thereby learne to feare him1 and to call vppon his name4 ,in the meane season1 ,sathan also fayneth and worketh many things to terrifie men1 and to plant superstition in their hearts4 ,but that all things are done by ,sathan1 hereby we may vnderstand3 ,it chaunceth that one is thrust thorow and slaine by one with whome he neuer was at variance1 but hath euer vsed him as his friende1 some man is drowned1 or falleth from some high place1 or otherwise is miserably slaine1 an euill spirit can haue no foreknowledge hereof 7for there are no naturall signes1 or coniectures going before them1 as there are in diseases7 yet notwithstanding1 some signes and rare casualties fall out before4 ,hereof do ,i gather1 that these things are wrought by ,god1 who onely knoweth that they shall come to passe1 and they are not onely admonishments vnto them1 whom they especially concerne1 but also vnto them which heare them1 and are present at the doing of them4 ,there was a certaine ,magistrate within the liberties of ,tigurine1 not long before ,i wrote this1 whome certaine of his friendes tarried for to breake their fast with him before he tooke his iourney1 and thus waiting1 they supposed they heard a knife falling from the vpper part1 or flore of the stewe1 wherein they were1 yet sawe they nothing1 and sodeinly as they communed togither of this straunge wonder1 they thought they heard it againe4 ,in the meane while commeth the ,magistrate1 vnto whome they declare what had happened1 and as they had scant ended their talke1 the knife fell againe the third time1 in the hearing of the ,magistrate1 who before doubted very much of the matter4 ,and therefore taking occasion hereby1 he began to exhort them1 that whereas within fewe dayes after1 a great marriage should be kept in the same place1 they should all endeuour to maintaine peace1 and obserue sobrietie1 least perchaunce through quarrelling and murther1 it should bee a bloudie marriage4 ,after he taking his iourney1 and within a day or twaine dispatching his businesse1 as he was returning towards his ,castle1 7his horse falling into a riuer1 whiche was sodeinly encreased with raine7 after he had long striued with the water1 at the last died miserably4 ,and that the diuell doth delude men with straunge happes1 hereof ,i gather1 that if any be taken with greuous sicknesse1 so that not onely the ,phisitian1 but also the sicke themselues dispaire of their owne health1 in the night time there is heard a noyse as if one were making a coffin or chest to laie one in1 or were burying a dead bodie3 that suppose ,i to be an illusion of the diuil1 for he thinketh verily the diseased will die1 whom ,god by meanes of godly and earnest praiers1 doth restore againe to his former health4 ,sidenote3 ,plinie4 ,where ,plinie writeth that rauens are of such sharp senses1 that they will flie thre or foure dayes before1 vnto the place where carryon will afterwardes be1 it is altogither vaine and fabulous4 ,if this were graunted1 it were no absurditie to say1 that the diuell hath a knowledge of things to come1 yea euen where there are no naturall causes1 c4 ,moreouer he may by ,gods permission1 if warres and mutinies be towards1 stirre the instruments of warre1 and all other kinde of munition as it lyeth in the ,armorie1 he can make a noyse and reare a clamour and crie1 as it were of a great ,armie in the aire1 and play as it were on a ,drum1 and do other such things1 which all ,historiographers affirme with one voyce1 haue oftentimes chaunced4 ,,chap4 ,,xvii4 ,that it is no hard thing for the ,diuell to appeare in diuers shapes1 and to bring to passe straunge things4 ,but it is no difficult matter for the ,diuel to appeare in diuers shapes1 not only of those which are aliue1 but also of dead men1 7whereof ,i spake also before1 when ,i entreated of ,samuels appearing7 yea1 and 7which is a lesse matter7 in the fourme of beasts and birds1 c4 as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke ,dog1 a ,horse1 an ,owle1 and also to bring incredible things to passe1 it is a thing most manifest3 for hee may through long and great experience1 vnderstand the effects and force of naturall things1 as of hearbes1 stones1 c4 and by meanes hereof worke maruellous matters4 ,and then he is a subtile and quicke spirite1 which can readily take things in hand1 which in each thing is of no small weight4 ,by his quicknesse1 and by his knowledge in naturall things1 he may easily deceiue the eye sight1 and other senses of man1 and hide those things which are before our face1 and conuey other things into their places4 ,whereof the holy scriptures1 and histories1 and continuall experience beareth record4 ,how did the wicked spirit handle ,iob8 what did he not bring to passe in short space8 ,what straunge workes of an euil spirit did ,bileam bring to passe8 did he not purchase a famous name by his ,magicall ,artes8 what wonderfull great miracles did ,pharaos ,sorcerers8 ,did not ,simon ,magus so bewitch the ,samaritanes with his vnlawfull ,artes1 that he would say he was the great vertue of ,god8 ,touching this ,coniurer1 the olde ,fathers write many things1 as ,ireneus in his first booke and tenth ,chapter1 ,eusebius in his second booke and thirtenth ,chapter4 ,egesippus writeth in his third booke and second ,chapter1 of the destruction of ,hierusalem1 that this ,symon came to ,rome1 and there set himselfe against ,peter1 boasting that he could flie vp into heauen1 and that he came at the day appointed vnto the ,mount ,capitoline1 where leaping from the rocke1 he flew a good while not without the great admiration of the people1 who now began to credit his words1 but sodeinly he fell downe and brake his leg1 and after being carried vnto ,aritia1 there died4 ,iohannes ,tritenhemius1 ,abbot of ,spanheimium1 writeth in his ,chronicles concerning the ,monasterie of ,hirsgraue of the order of ,s4 ,bennet1 in the yeare of our ,lorde #igj1 that ,peter and ,baianus1 the two sonnes of one ,simon a ,monke1 ruled ouer the ,bulgarians1 wherof the one1 namely ,baianus1 was throughly sene in the ,arte of ,necromancie1 and thereby wrought many myracles4 ,he chaunged himselfe into a ,wolfe so often as he list1 or into the likenesse of an another beast1 or in such sort as he could not be discerned of any man1 and many other straunge things he could doo1 and did1 whereby he brought men into great admiration4 ,and after in the yeare #hgf4 he writeth1 that there was a certaine ,iewe named ,sedechias1 sometimes ,philosopher and ,phisitian vnto ,lewes the ,emperour1 who being very cunning in sorcerie1 did straunge miracles and wonderfull sleights before the ,princes1 and before all other men4 ,for he brought it to passe by his cunning1 that he semed to deuoure an armed man with his horse1 and all his harnesse1 and also a carte loaden with hay1 togither with the horse and carter4 ,he cut off mens heads1 their hands and fete1 which he set in a basen before all the lookers on to behold1 with the bloud running about the basen3 which by and by he would put againe vppon the places whence they semed to haue bene cut off1 without any hurt to the parties4 ,he was sene and hearde of all men to exercise hunting and running1 and suche like things in the aire and cloudes1 as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth4 ,he practised so many and diuers deceites1 that all men maruelled and were astonished out of measure4 ,in the yeare of our ,lord 4#acbc4 when ,frederike ,duke of ,austrich1 who was chosen ,emperour against ,lewes1 as the same author witnesseth1 was vanquished in a great battail betwene ,ottinga and ,molndorfus1 and deliuered into the hands of ,lewes1 who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kepte3 ,it chaunced shortly after1 that a coniurer going vnto his brother ,lupoldus in ,auctriche1 promised1 that by the helpe of a spirit1 he would within the compasse of an houre1 deliuer ,frederike safe and sounde out of captiuitie1 if he would promise him and giue him a worthie reward for his paines4 ,the ,duke aunsweared him3 if thou wilt 7quoth he7 do as thou makest promise1 ,i wil worthily reward the4 ,so the ,magitian with the ,duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste conuenient1 calleth the ,spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his commaundement4 ,whome1 when he appeared in the likenesse of a man1 he commaunded by the vertue of his coniurations1 that he should spedily bring vnto him into ,austriche1 ,duke ,frederike1 deliuered safely out of prison4 ,vnto whome the spirit aunswering1 said1 ,if the captiue ,duke will come with me1 ,i will willingly obey thy commaundement4 ,this saide1 the spirite flieth awaye into ,banarie1 and taking vppon him the forme of a ,pilgrime1 he entreth into the prison where the ,duke was kepte prisoner3 whome assoone as he sawe1 the ,spirit whiche was sente as messenger vnto him1 said3 ,if thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie1 mount the vp vpon this horse1 and ,i will bring the safe and sounde without any hurte into ,auctrich vnto ,duke ,lupoldus thy brother4 ,vnto whome the ,duke saide3 ,who art thou8 ,the ,spirite aunswered3 ,aske not who ,i am1 because it appertaineth nothing to the purpose1 but get the vp on the horse which ,i offer the1 and ,i will bring the safe and sound1 and frely deliuered into ,austrich4 ,which when the ,duke heard1 he was taken with a certaine horror1 and feare1 being otherwise a hardy knight3 and when he had blessed himself with the signe of the holy crosse1 the spirite sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse1 which he had proffered him1 and returned emptie againe vnto him that sent him3 of whom being rebuked because he had not brought the prisoner1 he declared all the matter vnto him in order4 ,duke ,frederick at the last being deliuered out of prison1 confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his captiuitie the very same day they named4 ,this historie is also to be sene in the ,chronicles of the ,heluetians4 ,there are also ,coniurers found euen at this day1 who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse1 that in a fewe houres they wil dispatch a very long iourney4 ,god at the last wil chasten these men with deserued punishment4 ,what straunge things are reported of one ,faustus a ,germane1 which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments8 ,i will speake nothing at this time1 of those old ,sorcerers1 ,apollonius1 and others1 of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things4 ,hags1 ,witches1 and ,inchaunters1 are said to hurt men and cattell1 if they doo but touch them or stroake them1 they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant4 ,iuglers and ,tumblers1 by nimblenesse do many things1 they will bid one eate meate1 which when they spit out againe1 they cast forth ordure and such like4 ,magitians1 ,iuglers1 ,inchanters1 and ,necromanciers1 are no other than seruants of the ,diuel3 do you not thinke their maister reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe8 ,howbeit this is not to be dissembled1 that the diuel doth glory of many things which indede he cannot performe3 as that he saith1 that he raised the dead out of their graues4 c4 ,he may in very dede by ,gods sufferaunce1 shewe the shapes of them vnto men1 but he hath no such power ouer the dead bodies4 ,,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,diuels doo sometimes bid men doo those things which are good1 and auoide things that are euill3 sometimes they tell truth1 and for what cause4 ,if those spirites which seke helpe at mens hands be not soules1 but ,diuels1 many will say1 why then do they perswade men vnto good things1 exhort them vnto vertue1 and call them from vice4 ,for they say1 ,iudge vprightly1 take hede of theft and extortion1 restore goods vniustly gotten vnto their owners1 beware of periurie1 surfets1 and drunkennesse1 enuie and hatred1 lying and deceit1 pray earnestly1 come to church often1 c4 ,the ,diuell is not pleased when we doo good1 and auoide euill3 nothing woulde greue him more1 than that we should liue accordyng to the prescript worde of ,god4 ,therefore they are not ,diuels which bid vs doo good1 and eschue euil4 ,moreouer1 those ,spirites speake truthe1 but the ,diuell is a lyer1 and is called by ,christe1 the father of lyes4 ,therefore we may not say that they are diuellish ,spirits4 ,vnto this argument ,i aunswere thus3 he dooth this for his owne aduantage4 ,if he should shewe himselfe so1 as he is by nature1 he should little profit4 ,that whiche he doth1 he doth it to this ende1 that he may purchase credite vnto his words1 and that he might the better thrust other things vpon men1 and bring and driue them into sundry errours1 whereby they forsaking the worde of ,god might giue care vnto ,spirites4 ,did not the seruaunts of vncleane ,spirits1 ,i meane false ,prophets1 come in times past vnder shepes skinnes1 and fayned themselues to tender the peoples commoditie1 whereas in very ded in the meane space they sought after another thing1 that is1 that when they had obteined great authoritie1 they might pill and poule other men1 and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer8 ,do not all heretickes yet at this day say1 they are sent from ,god1 and that we must eschue wickednesse1 and seke after vertue8 ,didst thou neuer heare that theues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light1 haue talked of liuing honestly1 and of the punishment of wicked men1 and the rewarde of good men1 to the ende that after they might take y aduantage of them vnawares8 ,whereas the ,diuell hath fayned himselfe to bee otherwise than he is1 it hath brought forth innumerable errors1 superstitions1 and false worshippings in the ,churche of ,god4 ,for ,bishops in proces of time neglected the word of ,god1 they would accept the ,diuell and receiue him as an ,angell of light1 when he came not in a blacke and horrible1 but a pleasaunt and acceptable forme4 ,he speaketh some good things1 that he may intermedle euil things therwith1 he speaketh truth1 that he may scatter abroade lyes1 and roote them in mens hearts4 ,so ,simon in ,virgil1 mingled falshood with truth1 that he might the better entrape the ,troians4 ,sathan doth imitate craftie gamesters1 who suffer a plaine and simple yoong man to winne a while of them1 that afterwards being gredie to play1 they may lurch him of all his golde and siluer4 ,he followeth them which once or twise iustly repaie vnto their creditors such money as they haue borrowed1 keping their promise duly1 that afterwards they may obtaine a great summe of them1 and then deceiue them4 ,sidenote3 ,ambrose4 ,the diuel sometimes vttereth the truth1 that his words may haue the more credit1 and that he may the more easily beguile them4 ,he that would vtter euil wares1 doth not only set them foorth in words1 but doth also so trim and decke them1 that they seme excellent good1 whereby they are the more saleable3 this ,art also the diuel knoweth1 for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obtrude it vnto other men in the stede of good ware4 ,s4 ,ambrose writeth in his ,commentaries vpon the first ,epistle to the ,thessalonians1 and fift chapter1 expounding these words3 ,quench not the spirit4 ,despise not prophecying4 ,examine all things1 and keepe that which is good4 ,euill spirites are wont to speake good things craftily1 as it were by imitation1 and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked thinges1 that by meanes of those things which are good1 euil things may be admitted1 and because they are supposed the words of one spirit1 they may not be discerned asunder1 but by that which is lawfull an vnlawfull thing may bee commended by authoritie of the name1 and not by reason of vertue1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,why the diuel doth somtimes tel truth4 ,sidenote3 ,acts#af4 ,sidenote3 ,marke4#a4 ,sidenote3 ,luke4#d4 ,hereunto appertaine those words which we reade in ,s4 ,chrysostomes second sermon ,de ,lazara4 ,there he sheweth that many simple men haue bene in this erroure1 that they haue thought the soules of those which were slaine by some violent death1 did become ,diuels4 ,he saith further1 that the ,diuell hath perswaded many ,witches1 and such as serue him being in this erroure1 that they should kill the tender bodies of many yong men1 hoping they shuld become ,diuels1 and doo them seruice4 ,and by and by he addeth3 ,but these things are not true1 no1 ,i say1 they are not4 ,what is it then that ,diuels say8 ,i am the soule of such a ,monke8 ,verily ,i beleue it not1 euen for this1 that ,diuels doo auouche it3 for they deceiue their auditours4 ,wherefore ,paule also commaundeth them to silence1 albeit they speake truth1 lest taking occasion by truth1 they mingle lyes therewith1 and so purchase themselues credit4 ,for when they had said3 ,these men are the seruants of the most high ,god1 shewing vnto you the way of saluation3 ,the ,apostle not content herewith1 commaunded the prophecying spirite vnto silence1 and to come foorth of the mayd4 ,and yet what harme speake they8 ,these men are the seruantes of the most high ,god4 ,but because the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes to iudge of those things which are vttered by diuels1 he at once excludeth them from all credit4 ,thou art 7saith he7 of the number of infamous spirites1 it belongeth not to the to speake frely1 hold thy peace1 kepe silence1 it is not thy office to preach4 ,this is the authoritie of the ,apostles3 why takest thou vppon the that which appertaineth not vnto the1 hold thy peace1 be thou infamous4 ,so also did ,christ sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him3 ,we know the who thou art1 therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe1 that we should in no wise trust the diuel1 albeit he tell the truth4 ,sith we know these things1 let vs in no wise beleue the diuel1 nay rather if he say any thing that is truth1 let vs fle from him and shunne him4 ,for it is not lawfull exactly to learne sounde and wholesome doctrine of diuels1 but out of the holy scriptures4 ,that you may therfore know that it can in no wise be1 that a soule once departed out of the bodie can come vnder the tyrannie of the diuell1 heare what ,s4 ,paule saith3 ,for he that is dead is iustified from sinne1 that is1 he sinneth no more4 ,for if the diuil can do no hurt vnto the soule while it is in the bodie1 it is euident1 he cannot hurt it when it is departed out of the bodie4 c4 ,by all these things it is plaine1 what manner of things those are which are heard and sene4 ,illustration ,the third parte of this ,booke1 in which is shewed1 why1 or to what ende ,god suffereth ,spirits to appeare1 and other straunge thinges to happen3 as also howe men ought to behaue themselues when they meete with any suche things4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,god by the appearing of ,spirits doth exercise the faithfull1 and punish the vnbeleeuers4 ,it foloweth now hereafter to be intreated of1 why ,god suffreth spirits1 ghosts1 and horrible sightes to appeare1 c4 ,and also why he doth permit other straunge and miraculous things to happen3 ,and furthermore1 how men ought to behaue themselues when they se anye suche things4 ,sidenote3 ,causes why ,god suffereth spirites to appeare4 ,god doth suffer spirits to appeare vnto his elect1 vnto a good ende1 but vnto the reprobate they appeare as a punishment4 ,and as all other things turne to the best vnto y faithfull1 euen so doo these also3 for if they be good spirits1 which appeare vnto men1 warning1 and defending them1 therby do they gather the care1 prouidence1 and fatherly affection of ,god towardes them4 ,but in case they bee euill spirites1 7as for the most part they are7 the faithfull are moued by occasion of them vnto true repentance4 ,they looke diligently vnto themselues so long as they liue1 least the enimie of mankinde1 who is readie at all assaies1 and lieth alwaies in waight1 should bring them into mischiefe1 and take further vauntage to vexe and hurt them4 ,god also by these meanes doeth exercise and trie their faith and pacience1 to the end they continue in his word1 and receiue nothing contrary to the same1 haue it neuer so faire a shewe1 nor do any manner of thing against his worde1 although those spirites do not straightwayes cease to vexe them4 ,god doth also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites1 for this cause1 that they should be the more humble and lowely4 ,for in the second ,epistle to the ,corinth4 and 4xii4 chap4 ,paul saith3 ,and least ,i should be exalted out of mesure1 through the excellencie of reuelations1 ther was giuen vnto me vnquietnesse through the flesh1 euen the messenger of ,sathan to buffet me1 because ,i should not be exalted out of measure4 ,for this thing besought ,i the ,lord thrice1 that it mighte depart from me4 ,and he said vnto me3 ,my grace is sufficient for the1 for my strength is made perfect through weakenesse4 ,except ,god did shut vp the way before vs with certaine stops and lets1 we should not know our selues1 we shoulde not vnderstande whereof we stand in ned1 we should not so earnestly pray vnto ,god1 to deliuer vs from euill1 to strengthen our faith1 and to giue vs patience1 and other necessarie things4 ,neither should we be touched with compassion of other mennes miserie which are vexed with spirits3 but we woulde rather say1 that they cannot tell what they speake1 and that they imagine many vaine feares4 ,moreouer1 if other vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by spirits1 they become more patient whensoeuer they are sicke1 or otherwise troubled1 acknowledging their owne harmes to be but small in comparison of other mens4 ,for nothing is more greuous1 than when a man is tormented by the ,diuel4 ,sidenote3 ,seeing of spirites to the wicked is a punishment4 ,now as touching infidells1 they are constrained1 will they1 or nill they1 to confesse1 that there are diuels1 for there are many which would neuer be persuaded1 there are good or euill ,angels or spirits1 except sometimes they had experience thereof indeede4 ,god suffereth these things to chasten them4 ,for so muche as they will giue no place vnto truth1 but are wilfully deceiued1 it is good reason they be taught by diuellish illusions what they must doo1 or leaue vndone1 and that they be illuded by euil spirits1 after some other meanes4 ,sidenote3 ,deut4 #ac4 ,thus we reade in the #ac4 chapter of ,deuteronomie3 if there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames1 and giue the a signe and wonder1 and that signe or wonder that he hath saide come to passe1 and then say1 let vs goe after straunge ,gods1 which thou hast not knowne1 and let vs serue them3 heark not thou vnto the words of that prophet1 or dreamer of dreames4 ,for the ,lorde thy ,god proueth you1 to wit1 whether ye loue the ,lord your ,god with all your soule4 ,ye shall walke after the ,lorde your ,god and feare him1 kepe his commandements1 and hearken vnto his voice1 serue him and cleaue vnto him4 ,and he addeth further1 that the same prophet or dreamer shall die the death4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #c4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn #e4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,thessa4 #b4 ,sidenote3 #b4 ,timo4 #d4 ,by these words we do not only se that ,god doth suffer suche lewde fellowes to worke maruellous thinges1 but also to what ende and purpose he permitteth it1 that is1 to trie his faithfull1 how constant they be1 and how faithfully they would beleue in him1 if at any time spirits do come and foretell things to happen hereafter4 ,our ,sauiour ,christ saith in the third ,chapter of ,saint ,iohn3 ,this is the condemnation1 that light is come into the world1 and men loued darknesse more than light1 because their deedes were euill3 for euery one that doth euill1 hateth the light1 neither commeth he to the light1 least his dedes should be reproued1 c4 ,by the which words our ,sauiour sheweth the cause why the worlde is condemned1 which is1 because they receiue not the light of the word of ,god1 or ,christe himselfe1 who is the light of the worlde1 set foorth vnto vs in his word3 but rather shut their eyes against the cleare light1 preferring darkenesse1 that is1 errors1 superstition1 and wickednesse1 before the word of ,god4 ,if ,god then condemne and reiect the vnthankfull world1 what maruell is it1 if hee vexe them with spirites and vaine apparitions8 ,christ saieth in the fifth of ,iohn1 ,i come in my ,fathers name1 and you receiue me not3 ,if an other come in his owne name1 you receiue him4 ,christe laboured for their health and saluation3 this they would not acknowledge1 but refused him3 therefore was it the iust iudgement of ,god1 that they shuld receiue others1 that hunted after their owne commoditie and profit3 suche as were ,theudas1 ,iudas of ,galilee1 and many other false doctors1 and seditious seducers4 ,wherefore if any refuse to giue eare to ,christ and his ,ministers1 it is by the iust iudgement of ,god1 that they hearken vnto spirites1 and suche lyke things4 ,sainte ,paule in the seconde to the ,thessalonians and second ,chapter1 writeth of ,antichrist1 that he shoulde exercise great tyrannie in the ,churche of ,god1 and sheweth against whome1 and for what cause ,god will suffer him so to doo1 saying3 ,among them that perish3 because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued4 ,and therefore ,god shall send them strong delusions1 that they shoulde beleue lyes1 that all they might be damned1 whiche beleue not the truth1 but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse4 ,and in the fourth ,chapter of his seconde ,epistle to ,timothie1 he earnestly besecheth his scholler to be diligent in preaching daily4 ,he giueth this reason3 for the time will come1 when they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine3 but after their owne lustes shall they 7whose eares itche17 get them an heape of teachers1 and shall withdrawe their eares from the truth1 and shalbe turned vnto fables4 ,now we se the cause why god dothe suffer seducers1 false teachers1 and wicked spirites1 to deceiue men in the place of true doctours3 which is1 for that eyther they vtterly despise his woorde or little esteme it1 and cannot abide godly and constant preachers4 ,sidenote3 ,examples of the ,wicked punished by delusions of spirits pharao4 ,exodus4 ,touching whiche matter1 we will alleage a fewe examples4 ,pharao contemned ,god and his seruants1 ,moyses and ,aaron1 wherefore ,god blinded his eyes1 that he gaue himselfe to be ruled by his ,magi or wise men1 and at the last perished miserably in the red ,sea4 ,sidenote3 ,samuel4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,cor4#aj4 ,saule would not giue eare vnto ,samuell1 who bare a right hart and good affection towards his king3 he loued him not 7as by reason he shoulde haue done7 but hated him1 and all other that loued him right well1 for he contemnned the woorde of ,god4 ,wherefore it came to passe1 that being in extreme daunger1 he sought helpe of a witch to reare ,samuel from the dead1 y he might now vse his aduise1 wh he dispised beeing aliue1 and disdained to heare him4 ,this woman reareth one1 who is no otherwise called ,samuell1 than when false gods1 are called gods1 when in very dede they are not gods1 but wood and stones1 or rather 7as ,paul saith7 4#a4 ,corin4 #aj4 very diuels4 ,this counterfeit ,samuel giueth him neither comfort nor ,counsell1 but driueth him to vtter desperation4 ,the same hapned vnto ,saule which chaunceth vnto those stubborne children1 whiche despise their parents1 contemne their counsel1 would gladly wish their death1 and at the last grow vnto y point1 y they would willingly take in hand a great iorney on condition it might be graunted them to heare them giue their last counsell4 ,sidenote3 ,achab4 ,sidenote3 #c4 ,reg4 #bb4 ,an other example hereof4 ,achab king of ,israel1 ,iezabel his wife had many godly prophets1 amongst wh ,elias was a man indued with the gifte of the wing and working miracles4 ,but they did not only contne these prophets1 but also cruelly murthered so many of them as they coulde catche4 ,yet amongst the rest1 they especially laboured to intrape ,elias1 who was exceding zealous4 ,the ,baalamites were in greate fauoure with the ,king3 but especially with the ,quene1 as her chief dearlings4 ,and when the time approched1 that ,achab should suffer due and worthie punishment for his ,idolatrie and wickednesse1 wherein he had long time liued1 he entred councell with his kinsman ,iosaphat1 that they ioyning their powers togither might recouer againe the ,citie of ,ramoth ,gilead1 which the ,assirians had taken from him4 ,iosaphat allowed well this deuise1 notwithstanding he woulde in any wise aske counsaile herein of ,god4 ,achab1 therefore gathereth togither a ,councell of #djj4 priests of ,baall1 who all with one voyce1 exhorted him to goe on with his enterprise1 assuring him of most certaine victorie4 ,one of them named ,sedechias1 was so vainly bold1 that putting hornes of yron on his head1 he saide3 ,with these hornes shalt thou pushe the ,assirians4 ,but ,iosaphat suspecting the matter1 asked if there were any one ,prophet of ,god to be found1 of whome they might seke counsell4 ,achab answered3 ,there is 7quoth he7 yet a certaine man by whom we might enquire of the ,lorde1 but ,i hate him1 for he doth not prophecie good vnto me1 but euill1 his name is ,micheas4 ,iosaphat thought good in any wise to heare him4 ,wherfore the king presently sent for him by one of his ,chamberlaines4 ,and thus the messenger spake vnto him4 ,all the ,prophets with one voice1 prophecie good lucke vnto the king1 ,i pray the therefore1 that thou speake nothing to the contrary4 ,when he was nowe brought before the two kings sitting in their thrones1 clad with sumptuous apparell1 and before the other ,prophets1 which stood in their presence1 king ,achab asked him1 whether they should make warres against ,ramoth ,gilead1 or no8 ,vnto whom he scoffingly answered3 go 7saith he7 thou shalt haue prosperous successe4 ,the king who by the maner of his vtterance1 vnderstood he spake not in earnest1 instantly required him to tell him the truth4 ,wherevppon he saide3 that he had sene all ,israell dispersed in the mountaines1 as shep without a shepheard1 and that the ,lorde had saide3 ,these men haue no ,lorde1 let euery one returne home to his owne house in safetie4 ,then saide ,achab1 ,did ,i not tell the1 that this fellow both prophecie me no good8 ,the ,prophet went on1 saying3 ,heare the word of ,god3 ,i sawe the ,lord sitting in his seate of maiestie1 and all the hoste of heauen stande about him on his right hande1 and on his lefte hande4 ,and the ,lorde saide1 ,who shall entice ,achab that he may go and fall at ,ramoth ,gilead4 ,and one saide on this manner1 and an other saide on that manner4 ,then there came foorth a spirit1 and stoode before the ,lorde and saide1 ,i will entice him4 ,and the ,lorde saide vnto him1 wherewith8 ,and he saide1 ,i will goe out and be a false spirite in the mouth of all his ,prophets4 ,then he saide1 thou shalt entice him1 and shalt also preuaile3 go foorth and do so4 ,now therefore beholde1 the ,lord hath put a lying spirite in the mouth of all these thy ,prophets1 and the ,lorde hath appointed euill against the4 ,then ,sedechias came neare and smote ,micheas on the cheke1 and saide3 when went the spirit of the ,lord from me1 to speake vnto the8 ,and ,micheas prophecied what should happen also vnto him4 ,so the king commaunded him to be cast into prison1 and to be fed with bread and water vntil he returned from the wars4 ,then saide ,micheas1 ,if thou returne in peace1 the ,lorde hath not spoken by me3 and therewith he willed all the people to hearken what he spake4 ,notwithstanding the kings went foreward with their enterprise1 and prepared themselues1 and led foorth their armies against their enemies4 ,achab was slaine in the battaile3 ,iosaphat because he ioyned himselfe with the wicked1 was in very great daunger1 c4 ,i haue handled this historie somewhat at large1 that we might vnderstand1 how ,god by his iust iudgement sendeth spirites vnto those which despise his word1 whereby they may be beguiled and deceiued4 ,the very same happened vnto the ,christians after the ,apostles time4 ,for when the word of ,god began to be lesse estemed than it should haue bene1 and men preferred their owne affections before the hearing thereof3 and when as they would incurre no maner of daunger1 for the defence of their faith1 and of the truth1 but accounted of all religions alike1 ,god so punished them1 that now they began to giue eare vnto false teachers1 whiche framed themselues vnto their vaine affections1 they learned of images1 whom they called ,lay-mens bookes1 they kissed these mens bones1 and shrined them in golde 7if happily they were their boanes7 whose doctrine before they disdained to receiue3 they gaue credit vnto false apparitions and diuellish visions3 and so suffered they worthie punishment for their great ingratitude4 ,euen as yoong men1 which will not be ruled by their maisters1 are after compelled to obey other men with great shame3 so also happened it vnto those men3 for they fel daily more and more from the word of ,god1 in so much that when they had once lost the truthe1 some ranne one way1 and some an other1 to finde a meanes for the remission of their sinnes3 and one man beleued this spirite1 an other that1 which no man can deny4 ,sidenote3 ,rom4 #a4 ,sidenote3 ,athanasius4 ,the like chaunced vnto the ,gentiles in times past1 as it appeareth by the first chap4 to the ,romanes1 and also by their owne writings4 ,they worshipped many gods1 many miracles were shewed amongst them3 they had many visions of gods1 and many oracles3 which when the ,apostles began to preach1 all ceased4 ,s4 ,athanasius in his booke ,de humanitate verbi4 ,fol4 #ee4 and #fd4 writeth1 that in auncient time there were oracles at ,delphos in ,botia1 ,lycia1 and other places which hee nameth3 but nowe since ,christ is preached euery where vnto all men1 this madnesse hath ceased1 c4 ,in the like maner writeth ,lactantius and others4 ,but in these our dayes1 since we haue refused mens traditions1 and willingly imbraced the doctrine of the ,gospell1 all appearings of soules and spirits haue quite vanished away4 ,who 7,i pray you7 heareth now of any soule or spirit1 which dooth wander1 and as they call it1 craue mens deuotions8 ,those rumblings of spirits in the night1 are now muche more sildome heard than they haue bene in times past4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,what the cause is that in these our dayes so fewe spirites are seene or heard4 ,the cleare light of ,gods word driueth away all such spirits1 which vse to worke their feates in the darke4 ,the cleare light approaching1 the shadow darkenesse vanisheth4 ,the prince of darknesse shunneth light1 and hath nothing to doo where men worship ,god the ,father1 only through ,iesu ,christ1 beleuing only on him1 and committing themselues wholy vnto his protection4 ,if men estem the word of ,god1 and haue it in price1 he will in no wise suffer them to be so ouersene and deceiued1 as they are which do all things without the warrant of his word4 ,here ,i cannot ouerpasse with silence a certaine merry iest3 when once there chaunced to be talke in a certaine place of visions and spirites1 a certaine professour of the ,gospell saide vnto a ,papist in this maner3 ,you ought 7quoth he7 euen by this to gather1 that our religion is true1 and youres false1 for that since the ,gospell was preached vnto vs1 very fewe spirits haue bin sene of any man4 ,to whome the other made aunswere by way of reasoning called ,violentum3 ,nay 7saith he7 hereby ye may gather1 that your religion is naught1 and oures good3 for the diuell assaulteth those1 whome he feareth will shortly reuolte from him4 ,sidenote3 ,a storie of ,s4 ,benedict1 seing many diuels in a monastery and fewe in the market4 ,it is not much vnlike whiche neas ,siluius 7who was afterwardes made ,pope1 called ,pius 4#b47 reciteth in his ,historie of the ,councell of ,basill1 out of the life of holy ,benedict1 father of the ,monkes called after his name4 ,he sometimes visiting a certaine ,monasterie of holy men1 espyed an infinite route of diuels1 who as it were fighting with the holy fathers1 laboured to disturbe the good workes which they went about4 ,and he forthwith going to a faire full of marchandise and buying and selling1 sawe there but one diuell1 and he also idle and sad1 sitting vppon a watch-toure1 wherat saint ,benedict maruelling1 that he saw the place which was holy and dedicate to praier1 full of diuels1 and that he founde the prophane place which was occupied with periurie and other offences1 guarded but with one ,diuell3 coniures the same ,diuell to declare and shewe vnto him the true cause thereof3 who straight answered him1 that it was nedfull the holy place shoulde be assaulted by many diuels1 but those which sinned of their voluntarie accorde1 had no nede to be deceiued by the ,diuell4 ,but ,i aske the this question ,o thou ,papist1 mighte not the ,gentils in ancient time haue obiected the same to the ,christians1 when they demaunded of them why their ,oracles ceassed8 and why there were so fewe ,visions8 ,if those ,spirites or bugges be ,diuels1 why doe you then saye and beleue that they are the soules of deade menne1 whiche desire helpe of you8 ,i will shewe you the verye true cause why those visions are nowe so seldome times sene3 forsoothe because the ,diuell perceiueth1 that we vnderstande his subtilties and craft1 therefore he hunteth after other men1 and seketh to deceiue them4 ,as for example1 when thou wilt crampe some man by the toes in night time 7as sometimes pleasant fellowes vse to do1 to recreate themselues when they trauell7 and so draw him out of his bedde1 if thou perceiue he bee acquainted with thy sleight1 by and by thou leauest him1 and goest vnto an other which is fast a sleep1 and cannot perceiue the deceit4 ,sidenote3 ,a burnt child dreads fire4 ,there be other causes also why these things happen now more sildome4 ,if any man deceiue the once1 twice1 or thrice1 afterwards thou openest thy eyes1 and espiest what he doth and what he goeth about3 so when we haue bene often beguiled with false apparitions1 we will not easily be persuaded1 if any man tell vs that a soule or spirite hath appeared 7as the prouerbe saith17 ,burnt childe1 dreads fire4 ,moreouer1 whereas now adayes fewe stand in feare of spirits1 many might be easily found1 who would sek them1 fele them1 yea and also handle them4 ,this is well knowne1 and therefore no man will gladly put on a visor1 or otherwise counterfeit himselfe to be a ghost4 ,a man may soone persuade a childe that there is a black man1 a tall woman1 which will put children that cry in their budget1 c4 but after they are come to maturitie of yeares1 they will no more bee feared with visours and such like persuasions3 they will laugh at thy follie1 if afterwards thou goe about to make them so afraide4 ,euen so when we were children in the scriptures1 that is1 when we vnderstood them not1 we might be easily seduced to beleue many things3 ,but nowe that we reade them in all manner of tongues1 and do daily profit in them1 we do not suffer our selues to be so mocked1 neither doo we beleue euery vaine apparition4 ,how many sights of spirits did the knauerie of the ,monkes of ,berna driue away1 after it was once detected8 ,things are set vp in the fields to feare away the birdes1 which at the last also they perceiue to be but trifles1 and are not driuen away any longer with suche toyes4 ,what maruel is it then1 if after so great a shipwrack of godlinesse and truth1 men albeit they are simple1 doo at the last open their eyes4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,why ,god doth suffer straunge noyses1 or extraordinarie rumblings to bee heard before some notable alterations or otherwise4 ,in that there happeneth certaine straunge things before the death of men1 and also before notable alterations1 and destructions of countries1 as maruellous crackes1 and terrible roaring1 surely it turneth to good vnto the iust1 and to further damnation to the wicked4 ,for by these means ,god sheweth that nothing commeth to passe by chance1 or by aduenture1 but that the life and death1 the prosperous or vnfortunate estate of al men1 is in the power and hand of ,god4 ,it is nothing so as the ,epicures affirme1 that ,god hath no regard whether any man liue1 or be borne1 or do well or euill1 or otherwise1 or whether comm wealths do florish1 or be made waste4 ,christ himself teacheth vs1 that not so much as a sparrow falleth vnto the grounde without the will of ,god4 ,salomon and ,daniel say1 that the hearts of kings are in ,gods hands1 and that he appointeth or deposeth kings at his pleasure4 ,wherfore if we happily do heare any noises or such like1 they ought rather to put vs in good comfort1 th to make vs afraide4 ,and againe1 ,god hereby admonisheth vs1 that we be not idle and secure1 for he hath in all ages stirred vp his seruants1 not only with word1 but also with rare and straunge apparitions4 ,the very ,gentiles accounted these miraculous things1 as the admonitions and warnings of their gods1 and it may be sen euery where1 in their histories4 ,and albeit it be very likely1 that most of these things happen by the diuels procurement1 yet neuerthelesse1 we herein perceiue ,almightie ,god his fatherly care1 loue1 and preseruati of vs against y deuises of the diuel4 ,for albeit the diuel take no rest1 but is alwayes in readinesse to destroy vs1 yet can he not hurt vs1 so long as ,god kepeth watche and defendeth vs4 ,the wicked who despise the preaching of ,gods word1 are sore terrified with these things1 in so much that they not knowing whither to turne themselues1 are constrained to confesse1 that ,god doth gouerne all mens actions1 and that there are good and euil spirits4 ,otherwise they coulde in no case be repressed1 but that they would doo greater mischiefe vnto the faithfull1 except ,god by these meanes did cast feare vppon them1 and as it were with a snaffle or bridle1 did hale and drawe them backe4 ,,chap4 ,,iiii4 ,after what sort they should behaue themselues1 whiche see good or euil spirits1 or meete with other straunge aduentures3 and first how ,iewes and ,gentiles behaued themselues in the like cases4 ,sidenote3 ,what the ,gtiles did when they sawe spirits4 ,sidenote3 ,suetonius4 ,that we may rightly vnderstand how we ought to behaue our selues1 if any thing either good or euill1 appeare vnto vs1 we wil first declare how the ,gentiles and ,iewes vsed themselues in like cases4 ,amongst the ,gentiles1 not only those wandring spirits beare men in hand that they were mens soules1 but also shewed what were good and expedient for them to doo for their sake1 to wit1 that they should do sacrifices for their soules1 obserue their obsequies1 burie their bodies1 erect ,temples1 make holy dayes1 and such like stuffe4 ,suetonius writeth1 that the ,emperor ,caligule his bodie was priuily conueyed into the gardeins called ,lamiam1 and there with a hastie fire being but halfe consumed1 was cast into a pit1 and couered with a litle earth4 ,but afterwards1 wh his sisters returned from exile1 it was taken vp1 and thorowly burnt1 and afterward solemnly buried4 ,but before they had so done1 the gard kepers were very much troubled with appearing of spirites4 ,and moreouer1 no man could passe any night in the same house where he was slaine1 without some great feare1 vntil such time as the house was vtterly destroyed with fire4 ,sidenote3 ,septim ,tricessim ,anniuersaria4 ,sidenote3 ,lilius ,giraldus4 ,sidenote3 ,cicero4 ,we read also in other writers1 that the ghostes of them which were not orderly buried1 or whose accustomed rites and ceremonies in the time of warres were omitted1 did appeare either to their friendes or vnto others1 complayning and intreating that their funerals1 and all other ceremonies might be obserued for their sake3 whereof came the hearses1 wekemindes1 monthmindes1 and anniuersaries1 whereof we reade many things in the ,ethnike writers1 and many things are recited out of the olde ,poets1 and in ,lilius ,giraldus1 in his booke ,de sepultura1 and also in ,polid4 ,virgilius ,de ,inuentione rerum4lib4#f4;cap4#aj4 ,we haue shewed before in the second part and first ,chapter1 that some haue desired others1 that they might bee buried after that they were dead4 ,cicero writeth in his #a4 booke ,de legibus1 that ,romulus the first founder of ,rome1 walking after his death not farre from ,atticus house1 appeared vnto ,iulius ,proculus1 and told him that he was now a god1 and that his name was ,quirinus1 and therwith commanded that there should be a ,temple erected and dedicated vnto him in the same place4 ,sidenote3 ,ouid4 ,sidenote3 ,feralia4 ,sidenote3 ,parentalia4 ,ouid writeth ,lib4#d4 ,fastorum1 that ,remus appeared in the night time vnto ,fastulus1 and to his wife ,accia ,laurentia1 sometime his ,nurse1 complaining vnto them of his miserable death1 and desiring them to make laboure1 that the same day wherein he was slaine1 might bee accounted amongst their holy dayes4 ,the people of ,rome 7as ,ouid witnesseth1 ,lib4#b4 ,fastorum7 kept a feast in the moneth of ,februarie called ,feralia1 in the which they did sacrifice vnto the infernall goddes1 and those whose duties it was to celebrate the funeralls of their ,auncesters1 carried dishes of meat to their sepulchers4 ,whereof ,fastus and ,varro called the same feast by the name of ,feralia4 ,these dishes of meate were set vpon a stone1 at the time of these sacrifices3 for the which cause1 as ,seruius saith1 they were called ,silicernium1 by the which word some will haue a certaine feast signified1 which is bestowed vppon old men4 ,donatus sayth1 that ,silicernium is a supper1 which is made to the infernall ,gods1 because ,eam silentes cernant1 that is1 the deade soules do receiue it1 or because those that doe serue it1 do onely cernere1 se it1 and not taste thereof1 c4 ,there were also certaine holie feastes called ,parentalia1 in the which meate was carried to the ,sepulchers1 for the soules of ,parents and ,auncestours before deceased4 ,and albeit they suppose1 that soules were pleased with small giftes1 as of milke1 wine1 and such like1 whereof mention is made in ,ouid1 yet notwithstanding they also killed sacrifices1 whereof some suppose that ,feralia tooke their name1 feriendis pecudibus1 of killing shepe4 ,vnto their sacrifices they also added praiers1 and kindled lightes4 ,when in times past the ,romanes being troubled with warres1 had let passe the feast of ,parentalia1 they therefore supposed 7that the infernall ,goddes being for the same cause angrie7 there arose stormes and pestilence1 and that soules rising out of their graues1 did wander with pittifull complaintes about the graues1 and by the highway sides1 and in the fieldes4 ,this feaste endured by the space of fiftene dayes1 in the whiche married women lay not with their husbandes1 neither those whiche were marriageable did marrie1 and the ,images of their ,goddes were couered4 ,the soules of them that were dead1 when they came to the meate1 they wandred about the graues1 and were fed 7as they thought7 with the banquet4 ,sidenote3 ,lemuria4 ,sidenote3 ,ouid4 ,in the moneth of ,may1 there was holden a feast in the night time1 which at the beginning they called ,remuria1 and afterwardes ,lemuria4 ,this did not differ much from the feaste called ,feralia1 whiche was instituted to pacifie soules4 ,touching the originall of them1 and the rytes belonging therto1 looke ,ouid in his ,lib4#e4 ,fastorum4 ,one who tooke on him to pacifie the soules1 arose in the night verie late1 he went barefooted1 and washed himselfe ouer with fresh springing water1 and then taking beanes whiche he had rolled in his mouth1 he threw them behinde his backe1 and said1 that with them he did redeme himselfe1 and after beating on a pece of brasse1 he prayed the soules to depart from thence3 which thing if they had done nine times1 they thought they had ended their holy seruice4 ,these were celebrated by the space of thre dayes4 ,the sacrifices which are done for the infernall gods1 are called ,inferi4 ,we reade in ,lucan1 of the soules of ,sylla and ,marius1 which were purged by sacrifice4 ,we shewed before how ,athanagoras commanded the bones which were digged vp in the entrie of his house at ,athens1 to bee orderly buried againe4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,touching the ,iewes behauiour4 ,the auncient ,iewes had an expresse commandement of ,god1 not to bee any thing moued with the miracles of false ,prophets1 and ,god in plaine words forbad them1 not to seke counsel of dead bodies4 ,saule in the beginning of his raigne1 while he yet gaue himselfe vnto godlinesse1 vtterly destroyed all ,coniurers and ,witches4 ,i doo not remember that ,i haue euer heard or read1 how the ,iewes behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto them3 yet ,i doubt not but that they are superstitious as well in these things1 as in all others4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,how ,christian men ought to behaue themselues when they see ,spirites1 and first that they ought to haue a good courage1 and to be stedfast in faith4 ,howe ,christian menne oughte to behaue themselues in this behalfe1 it is fully and amply declared in the holie ,scriptures1 in like manner as all other things are1 whiche appertaine vnto our saluation4 ,to wit1 that first we ought to be of good courage without feare1 being assured and constante in true faith4 ,for if they be good ,angels which shew themselues vnto vs1 then are they sent vnto vs from ,god1 to a good ende and purpose4 ,but if they be wicked and euill1 they can do vs no harme be they neuer so desirous1 excepte ,god giue them leaue thereto4 ,if it be nothing but a vaine imagination that we haue1 or an idle sight obiected vnto our eies1 surely it is great follie to be any thing afraid4 ,in ded it is naturall vnto vs1 to be amazed with feare when we se suche things3 for very godly menne1 as we read both in the olde and newe ,testament1 were stricken with exceding feare when they sawe good ,angels1 but yet a man must pull vp his heart againe4 ,when ,christes ,disciples sawe their ,maister walking vpon the water1 and approching neare the shippe1 they thought they sawe a spirite1 and they were astonished1 and cried out through feare4 ,but the ,lorde saide vnto them1 be of good comforte1 it is ,i1 be not afraide4 ,sidenote3 ,luke 4#bd4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4 #aj4 ,the like is reade in the foure and twentie ,chapter of ,saint ,luke1 when he appeared vnto them after his resurrection1 and sawe that they were maruellously afraid4 ,matthew the #aj4 ,feare not saithe ,christ1 those whiche slay the bodie1 but cannot kill the soule1 but rather stande in awe of him1 who can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire4 ,the ,diuell would like it well1 if we would alwaies stand in feare of him4 ,be not dismaide1 although thou heare some spirit stir and make a noise1 for in case hee rumble onely to make the afraide1 care not for him1 but lette him rumble so long as he will1 for if he se the without feare1 he will soone depart from the4 ,and if thou thinke good1 thou maiest boldly say vnto him1 get the hence with a mischiefe thou wicked ,diuell1 thou hast nothing to do with me1 who haue sette my onely belefe in ,christ ,iesu my ,sauiour4 ,i am owner of this house1 and not thou1 vnto whome there is an other place appointed4 c4 ,if he perceiue y there is no feare or dreade of him1 and that his bustling is not estemed1 he will not continue long time4 ,i will make this matter manifest with a similitude1 which is well knowne4 ,there be certaine men1 which if they thinke other men stande in feare of them1 they make wise to drawe their sworde1 and sometimes two they draw it1 and strike the stones therewith1 chafing and swearing lustily3 ,but if they knowe their aduersaries haue a good courage1 and that 7if nede require7 they will fight it out stoutly1 they will quickly put vp their sworde into their scabberde4 ,in like manner1 if the ,diuill se thou art of a good stomacke1 and well armed with ,gods worde1 he will soone seke after others whome he may mocke with feare4 ,but if it please ,god to exercise the by the ,deuill for a certaine time1 as he did sometime ,iob1 thou must patiently suffer all things which he laieth vppon the1 and that willingly for ,gods commaundement sake4 ,and knowe thou well1 that he cannot thus much hurt1 neither thy goods1 nor bodie1 nor soule1 without the permissi and sufferance of ,almightie ,god3 if ,god giue him leaue to plague thy bodie1 thinke with thy selfe howe so euer it be done1 that ,god hath so doone for thy profitte and commoditie1 who also sendeth greuous sicknesses vppon other men1 by other meanes instruments1 or else doth exercise them with other kindes of calamities4 ,be therefore strong and constant in faith1 yet lette euery one beware of boldnesse1 temeritie1 and headdie rashnesse4 ,sidenote3 ,christ hath conquered the diuel4 ,sidenote3 ,luke #aa4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn4#ab4af4 ,let it comforte the1 that thou knowest ,christe hath conquired the ,deuill1 as he himselfe teacheth in the eleuenth chapter of ,luke1 by the example of a strong man at armes4 ,in the #ab44af4 of ,iohn he saith3 the ,prince of this worlde shalbe cast out of the doores1 that is to say1 out of the hearts of them which cleaue to the worde of ,god1 and are not in loue with the world1 whereof he is prince and ruler4 ,for he hath power ouer such1 which do gredily loue the world4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,iohn 4#c4 ,in the first of ,iohn the third chapter1 it is saide3 ,the sonne of man appeared1 that is1 came into the world for that cause1 that he might destroy the workes of the diuel4 ,there are many miracles in the ,gospell which shewe that ,christ cast out diuels4 ,albeit ,god for a time do suffer the diuel in many things1 yet hath he appointed him his bounds1 which he may not passe4 ,and he doth not suffer the faithfull to be tempted any more of him than they are able to endure4 ,he giueth his grace plentuously vnto them1 vpon whome he laieth great afflictions4 ,sidenote3 ,the diuel is conuersant among men4 ,we ought not to maruel if spirits sometimes be sen or heard4 ,for as ,saint ,peter saith3 ,sathan raungeth euery where1 in houses1 fieldes1 water and fire3 and yet he is not alwayes espied of men1 neither can he so bee1 except ,god giue him leaue to shewe himselfe4 ,in that that we doe alwayes se him 7for he being of an inuisible nature1 taketh on him diuers shapes7 or heare him1 we haue to thanke the goodnesse of almightie ,god3 for otherwise we should not be in rest one moment of time4 ,but if sometime wicked spirits mete with vs in a visible forme by the will of ,god1 or do otherwise trouble and disquiet our houses1 we must not think therfore that they were neuer in house before4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,it behoueth them which are vexed with spirites1 to pray especially1 and to giue themselues to fasting1 sobrietie1 watching1 and vpright and godly liuing4 ,now because good ,angelles appeare vnto vs more sildome in this oure time 7for there is a verie greate difference of men liuing vnder the newe ,testament1 from them that liue vnder the olde1 vnto whom ,god many and oftentimes sent his ,angels7 and that euill angels very often appeare1 we ought the rather to commit our selues more diligently to the tuition of almightie ,god1 both when we go to bed1 and also when we arise againe4 ,our ,sauiour amongst all other things1 taught vs to pray to this purpose3 ,deliuer vs from euill4 ,and moreouer he saith in the #ag4 ,chapter of ,matthew1 that some kinde of diuels are not driuen away by any other kinde of meanes than fasting and praying4 ,as touching those which suppose that diuels ought to be cast out with coniurations1 and execrable cursings1 ,i will intreat in the end of this my booke4 ,watch and pray1 least ye fall into temptation4 ,matthew #bf4 ,and in the #bb4 of ,luke1 ,christ saith vnto ,peter1 ,sathan hath desired to sift you euen as corne1 but ,i haue praied that thy faith faile not4 ,and euen at this present also he maketh intercession for vs sitting at the right hand of his heauenly father4 ,the auncient ,fathers in olde time1 call vppon ,god in all their daungers and troubles1 whereof it were a nedlesse matter to auouch many examples4 ,it is also very profitable and good to craue the prayers of the whole congregation1 whensoeuer we are vexed with euill spirites and vaine fantasies4 ,for we know right well that the prayers of the ,church haue bene very profitable and effectuall vnto others1 and that the godly in their distresses haue euermore desired them4 ,it is ,gods pleasure1 that the faithfull should succour one an other with their good prayers4 ,howbeit that the ,saintes after their departure from hence1 should pray for vs1 that we should in any wise desire their prayers1 surely there is no commandement of ,god1 or any example thereof in the holy scriptures4 ,sidenote3 ,ephe4#f4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,pet4#e4 ,moreouer1 the ,apostles teach vs to withstand the craft and subtiltie of the diuell by this meanes4 ,saint ,paule to the ,ephesians the #f4 ,chapter1 and ,peter on his first ,epistle and fifth ,chapter saith3 ,be ye sober and watche1 for your aduersary the diuel1 as a roaring lyon walketh about1 seking whom he may deuoure3 whome resist stedfast in faith1 c4 ,sidenote3 ,we must fight against the diuel with good life4 ,when men are secure and negligent1 wholly giuen vnto pleasures and as it were drowned in surfetting1 couetousnesse1 adulterie1 and such other wickednesse1 then hath the diuel place to shewe himselfe4 ,wherefore we ought to giue our selues to watching1 praying1 fasting1 and godly liuing3 we must heare the word of ,god often and gladly1 we must desire to reade and talke of him continually1 that we may thereby put from vs those diuellishe illusions and sightes4 ,if thou haue any publike office or charge1 do it faithfully3 restore thy goods euil gotten1 either vnto their true owners1 or else imploy them to some good and godly ende4 ,if men care neither for ,god1 nor his word1 it is no maruell if vaine sightes appeare vnto them4 ,for ,god suffereth such things to happen vnto them1 to humble them and to make them know themselues4 ,it is an horrible thing1 that there are some which giue ouer themselues to the diuel1 because he should not torment them3 they ought rather to weigh with themselues1 that if they so do1 they shall be perpetually tormented of euil spirits1 except they truly repent and turne againe to ,god4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,that spirits which vse to appeare1 ought to be iustly suspected3 and that we may not talke with them1 nor enquire any thing of them4 ,sidenote3 ,matth4 #a4 ,we ought not without great cause to suspecte all ,spirites1 and other apparitions4 ,for albeit ,god doth vse the helpe and seruice of good ,angels1 for the preseruation of his elect1 yet notwithstanding in these our dayes they appeare vnto vs very sildome4 ,for things are nowe farre otherwise since ,christes comming into the worlde1 than they were before in auncient time4 ,although perchaunce thou thinke thou haste sene a good ,angell1 yet doo not easily and vnaduisedly giue him credite4 ,if the euent of the matter declare afterward1 that it was a good ,angell1 which gaue the notable warning of some matter1 or deliuered the out of some great dangers3 giue ,god thankes that he hath dealt so fatherly and mercifully with the1 and hath suche care ouer the1 and endeuour to frame thy selfe to his wil and pleasure4 ,but if thou se an ,angell which flattereth and speaketh the faire1 suche a one of those are whiche craue thy helpe1 7as thou hast heard before7 in no wise credite their wordes4 ,men which blaunche and flatter with vs1 are alwayes suspitious1 why then should not such spirites be suspected8 ,enter into no communication with such spirites1 neither aske them what thou must giue1 or what thou must doo1 or what shall happen hereafter4 ,aske them not who they are1 or why they haue presented themselues to bee sene or heard4 ,for it they be good1 they will like it well1 that thou wilt heare nothing but the world of ,god3 but if they be wicked1 they will endeuour to deceiue the with lying4 ,when the ,angell in the first ,chapter of ,matthew1 instructed ,ioseph in a dreame1 he by and by alleaged testimony out of the prophet4 ,if it be so1 that we must not beleue an ,angell comming from heauen1 who can iustly blame vs1 if we giue no credite to spirits and suspitious dreames8 ,although ,christ and his ,apostles had the full power to shew miracles1 yet did they establish and confirme their doctrine by the holie scriptures4 ,when ,almightie ,god himselfe had enquired of ,adam in ,paradice1 touching the breaking of his ,commaundement1 and that he had layde the fault vpon his wife ,eue1 and she had put it ouer to the ,serpent1 which caused her to eate of the forbidden frute1 ,god woulde not demaund of the ,serpent1 that is1 of the ,diuell1 7whiche had vsed him as an instrument7 why he had so done1 for he knewe right well that he was a lyer4 ,except ,eue had talked with the ,serpent1 she had neuer transgressed ,gods ,commandement4 ,if ,spirites of their owne accorde woulde gladly tell vs many thinges3 yet we must not giue eare vnto them1 much lesse ought we to coniure them to tell vs the truthe4 ,god commaunded in his lawe1 7as we haue oftentimes said before7 that no man should enquire any thing of the dead4 ,sidenote3 ,god hath alwayes giuen vs teachers4 ,god himselfe sent his faithfull seruants1 the ,prophets1 ,apostles1 ,euangelists1 and especially his onely begotten sonne ,christ ,iesu our ,lord and ,sauiour into the worlde1 by whome he truly and plentifully taught his faithfull seruants what they ought to beleue1 to do1 to leaue vndon1 and what kinde of worshipping did best please him1 with many other such things4 ,by them he enformed vs concerning great and waightie affaires1 which should happen in his ,churche1 and in kingdomes1 euen vnto that blessed day wherein ,christ shall iudge the world1 and shall call togither his generall ,councell1 and shall pronounce finall sentence vppon them who haue done well or ill1 and wherein he shall make a diuision and separation betwene the good and euil4 ,christ himselfe after his ,resurrection did not immediately ascend into heauen1 but aboade a while on earth1 appearing vnto his ,disciples and others1 least we should at any time say3 ,who euer came again to tell vs what estate is to be looked for in the other world8 ,sidenote3 ,god hath preserued the scriptures4 ,moreouer1 ,god among suche great and long persecutions1 wherein many profitable bookes haue perished1 hath miraculously preserued the holy ,scriptures for our profite1 euen vnto this day1 and hereafter will preserue them in despite of all impious and wicked men4 ,sidenote3 ,god hath instituted the holy ministerie4 ,sidenote3 ,psalme4#aai4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn4#h4 ,he hath also ordeyned the ministerie of the worde1 that vnto the ende of the worlde1 there shoulde be some men1 whiche bothe by liuely voyce1 and also by their writings1 shoulde interprete his worde1 and enfourme others of his will and pleasure4 ,his woord is a shining lanterne1 which shineth in this darke worlde1 which is full of errours1 as we reade ,psalm4#aai4 ,and our sauiour saith in the eight chapter of ,saint ,iohn1 that he is the light of the world1 whome if any man follow1 he walketh not in darkenesse4 ,this standeth as a sure grounde3 wherefore no other reuelations are to be looked for1 neither by myracles from ,heauen1 nor by wandring spirites or soules1 as the common people misterme them4 ,but lette vs imagine1 that they are the wandring spirites of deade bodies1 then is it necessarie1 that they be the soules1 either of faithfull men1 or of infidels4 ,if they be the soules of the faithfull1 they wil say with ,god the father concerning his sonne ,christe ,iesus1 ,heare him4 ,but if they be the soules of ,infidels and of wicked men1 who ,i pray you1 will vouchsafe to heare them1 or beleue any thing they say8 ,moreouer those things whiche these counterfeite soules doo speake1 eyther agre with the holy ,scriptures1 or else are contrary vnto them4 ,if they are agreable1 then are they to be receiued1 not because spirits speake them1 but because they are comprysed in the word of ,god4 ,but in case they are repugnant to the woorde of ,god1 they ought in no wise to be receiued1 albeit an ,angell from ,heauen vtter them4 ,thou wilt not beleue a man of thy familiar acquaintaunce1 otherwise worthy of credite1 who sounde of bodie and soule1 nowe liueth togither with the1 if he affirme any thing which thou knowest to be contrary to the holy ,scriptures3 why them wouldest thou beleue a spirite which thou doest not knowe8 ,in ciuill causes the euidence or witnesse or dead men is reiected1 why then in causes of religion shuld we giue care to the testimonie of runagate and wandring spirites4 ,it is no harde or difficulte matter for the ,lorde oure ,god to sende his ,angels vnto vs1 whome otherwise he vseth for our profite1 and by them to instructe vs in the faith3 but it hath pleased him to appoint the matter otherwise4 ,sidenote3 ,acts 4#aj4 ,we reade in the tenth chapter of the ,actes1 that by an ,angell he commaunded ,cornelius to sende for ,peter1 that he might instruct him in the faith4 ,he mighte haue commaunded the ,angell to teache ,cornelius1 but he followed an orderly meanes4 ,it shal be best for vs therfore to stand to the holy ,scriptures simply1 and that all appearing of spirites1 as also all dreames and reuelations be tried by the holy ,scriptures1 as vpon a touchstone1 and so to admit nothing but that which is set foorth in the holy ,scriptures3 for except we go thus warely to worke1 there is greate daunger least wee be deceiued4 ,if the auncient ,fathers had so doone1 they had not estrayed so farre from the ,apostles simplicitie4 ,sidenote3 ,s4 ,augustines counsell4 ,sidenote3 ,scripture to be only beloued4 ,s4 ,augustine in his third booke and 4#f4 chapter1 writing againste the letters of ,petilianus saieth thus3 ,if concerning ,christe1 or any other thing1 whiche appartayneth to faith and euerlasting life1 7,i will not say1 we3 for comparing with him that said3 ,albeit that we7 but simply1 whereas he going on1 sayd3 ,if an ,angell from ,heauen shall teache you any thing besides that whiche you haue receiued in ,scriptures conteining the law and the ,gospel1 be he accursed4 ,sidenote3 ,chrisostomes aduise4 ,s4 ,chrisostom vnto the ,epistle to the ,galathians the firste chapter3 ,abraham 7saith he7 when he was desired to send ,lazarus1 said3 ,they haue ,moises and the prophets1 if they will not heare them1 they will not giue care vnto them which rise vp from the dead4 ,and when he bring in ,christ vttering these words1 he sheweth howe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite than any raised from the dead4 ,s4 ,paule 7when ,i name ,paule1 ,i name likewise ,christ1 for he stirred vp his mind7 preferreth the ,scriptures before ,angels descending from ,heauen1 and that for very iust cause4 ,for albeit ,angels are great1 yet are they seruants and ministers4 ,for all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written and sent vnto vs by seruants1 but by almightie ,god y ,lord of all things4 ,thus write these two holy fathers4 ,sidenote3 ,all things necessarie to saluation are cteined in the scriptures4 ,what things soeuer are necessarie for vs to know1 are conteined in the holy scriptures3 those things which are not expressed in them1 we must not curiously enquire of1 as things profitable for our saluation4 ,who will therefore say against the commaundement of ,god1 that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men1 and by diuellish visions8 ,these things which are secret and hidden1 we shall throughly se when we come to eternall life4 ,may not ,god1 if we be not content with his holy word1 say that vnto vs1 which sometimes he spake by the mouth of ,helias vnto the messengers of king ,ochosias4 ,is there no ,god in ,israell1 that you now go to ,accaron to aske counsell of ,belzebub8 ,yea ,thomas ,aquinas denieth that diuels are to be heard1 whiche deceiue simple menne1 feyning themselues to be the soules of dead men3 and by that coloure especially terrifie menne1 whiche sometimes also happened vnto the ,gentiles4 ,sidenote3 ,hierom4 ,if it were certaine and sure that the ,diuell coulde not appeare and deceiue menne1 and also shewe greate and straunge miracles1 then perchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue care vnto such ,spirites3 but nowe we se the contrary happen4 ,an euill spirite cloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice1 and vnder the pretence of religi1 he endeuoureth to ouerthrow religion4 ,for as ,s4 ,hierome saith1 the diuell sheweth not himselfe with all his deceits1 that he may be knowne what he is4 ,and therefore it behoueth vs to be very circumspect and warie4 ,sidenote3 ,miracles are seales of the word4 ,moreouer1 miracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word1 neither may any thing be approued by them1 which is repugnant to the word of ,god4 ,all miracles which lead vs away from our ,creator vnto creatures1 and do attribute that vnto our workes1 which is onely due vnto the merites of ,christ3 and to be short1 all those which induce vs any wayes into errour1 are to be eschued4 ,if we must neds beleue these appearing soules1 no man can be assured of his estate3 for new things should be continually deuised1 as we se plainly it happened in the olde time4 ,therefore we must let passe all maner of spirits1 and embrace true religion1 and therein constantly abide4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,testimonies out of holie ,scripture1 and one example whereby it is prooued1 that such kinde of apparitions are not to be credited1 and that we ought to bee verie circumspect in them4 ,that wee ought not by and by to beleue all thinges which we heare1 not onely experience and many common ,prouerbes1 but also the holy ,scriptures teach vs1 especially in cases concerning our saluation1 touching the which thing1 we will alledge only a fewe places and examples4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#aj4 ,sidenote3 ,mat4#bd4 ,sidenote3 #a4,tim4#d4 ,sidenote3 #b4,thess4#b4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,iohn 4#d4 ,sidenote3 ,the holy virgin did not by by beleeue the appearing of the ,angell4 ,when ,christ first sent abroad his ,disciples to preach the ,gospell1 he said vnto them1 ,matthew #aj4 ,be ye wise as ,serpents1 and simple as ,doues1 beware of men3 howe much more than ought we to take heede of diuels8 ,christ prophecieth in the #bd4 of ,matthew1 that many false teachers shall come in the latter daies1 and shall shewe straunge myracles to confirme their erroures1 and therefore he commaundeth the faithfull1 to be hedefull and circumspect1 and not without cause he addeth3 ,beholde ,i haue tolde you before4 ,sainte ,paule to the ,galathians the firste ,chapter1 saith in greate earnest vnto them1 that if an ,angell come from ,heauen1 and preache vnto them any other ,gospell1 he shoulde be accursed4 ,euen so1 if at this time spirites appeare1 and doe vtter any thinge repugnant to the ,doctrine of the ,apostles and ,prophets1 they are to be reiected4 ,the ,apostle in his firste ,epistle and fourth ,chapter to ,timothie1 dothe prophecie of false teachers whiche shoulde come1 and saithe1 the spirit speaketh euidently1 that in the latter times some shall departe from the faithe1 and shall giue hede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of ,deuils1 whiche speake lies through hipocrisie1 and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron1 forbidding to marrie1 and commaunding to absteyne from meates which ,god hath created to be receiued with gyuing thankes of them whiche beleue1 and knowe the truth4 c4 ,by the worde 7spirite7 are vnderstoode false teachers1 whiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of ,god3 ,but what cause is there1 why it may not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites1 which haue induced men to take in hande many things8 ,in the seconde ,epistle to the ,thessalonians1 and the seconde ,chapter1 when certaine affirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande1 ,paule foretelleth them1 that there shall be a defection1 and that ,antichrist shall first come1 saying3 ,nowe we besech you brethren by the comming of our ,lorde ,iesus ,christe1 by our assembling vnto him1 that ye be not sodenly moued from your intent1 nor troubled1 neither by spirits1 nor by word1 nor by letter1 as it were from vs1 as though the day of ,christ were at hande4 ,let no man deceiue you by any meanes4 c4 ,whiche wordes truly in my iudgement may also be verie aptly vnderstood of those wandering spirites4 ,saint ,iohn saith in his first ,epistle and fourth ,chapter3 ,dearly beloued1 beleue not euery spirit1 but trie the spirits whether they are of ,god3 for many false prophettes are gone out into the world4 ,hereby shall ye knowe the spirit of ,god4 ,euery spirit that confesseth that ,iesus ,christ is come in the flesh1 is of ,god1 and euery spirite whiche confesseth not1 that ,iesus ,christ is come in the flesh1 is not of ,god4 c4 ,here he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to be mens soules1 but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues that they haue the spirite of ,god4 ,but in case we must not beleeue them being aliue1 much lesse ought we to credite them when they are dead4 ,and albeit that neyther ,christe nor his ,apostles1 had so diligently giuen vs warning1 not to suffer our selues to be seduced with myracles1 and with the talke of spirits1 yet notwithstanding1 daily experience teacheth vs to bee circumspect and warie in these cases4 ,for assoone as false teachers se that they haue no testimonie of ,scripture to defende themselues withall1 by and by they turne themselues to spirites and visions1 whereby they may confirme their doctrine1 which thing hath opened a large windowe to many errors4 ,to what inconuenience ambition1 couetousnesse and enuie1 hath brought many of the ,clergie1 it is both well knowne by many examples1 and it hath also as it were by the way bene before declared4 ,haue not the orders of ,monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence8 haue not they inuented newe miracles8 haue they not counterfeited gods1 pilgrimages1 saintes and spirits8 ,the holy ,virgin is a famous and notable example1 that we shuld not rashly beleue euery spirit4 ,for at what time y ,angell ,gabriel appeared vnto her in a visible shape1 and saluted her1 shewing her before of y incarnati of the sonne of ,god1 she thought with her selfe1 what maner of saluation that should be1 how this thing could come to passe1 seing she had knowne no man4 ,then at the last being enformed of the meanes by the ,angell1 she said3 ,beholde the handmayd of the ,lord1 be it vnto me according to thy word4 ,why then should we beleue euery spirite1 especially those which teach things quite contrary to the word of ,god4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,after what sort the faithful in the primitiue ,church1 vsed themselues when they met with spirits4 ,i haue declared out of the word of ,god how good and godly men ought to behaue themselues1 when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto them4 ,and truly the auncient ,christians behaued themselues after this sort4 ,for they were couragious and without feare1 they gaue themselues to godlinesse1 and all good workes1 they diligently auoyded all things which were displeasing vnto ,god3 and they were also very circumspect1 not to attribute too much vnto spirits and visions4 ,sidenote3 ,the signe of the ,crosse4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,sidenote3 ,hierome4 ,sidenote3 ,origen4 c4 ,sidenote3 ,athanasius4 ,it was a common custom amongst them1 to blesse themselues with the signe of the ,crosse1 when they mette with these things1 which many also vse at this day4 ,tertullian writeth in his booke ,de corona militis1 that the auncient ,christians did many times marke their foreheades with the signe of the ,crosse4 ,s4 ,hierom exhorteth ,demetriades1 that he often crosse his foreheade1 least that the destroyer of ,egipt finde any place therein4 ,origen also1 ,epiphanius1 ,chrisostome1 and ,augustine1 write many thinges of the vertue of the holie ,crosse4 ,s4 ,athanasius writeth in his booke ,de ,humanitate verbi1 eiusque corporali aduentu4 ,fol4#fg4 ,in times past 7saith he7 the diuels by vaine shewes1 and mockerie1 ensnared men1 abiding somtimes in wels1 sometime in riuers1 in stones1 and woods1 and so by craftie deceytes1 brought vnwise men into sottishnesse4 ,but nowe since ,gods word hath appeared vnto vs1 suche sightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased4 ,fol4 #ef4 and #gb4 and in other places also he handleth the same matter4 ,lactantius writeth of the same in his fourth booke ,diuinarum ,institutionum #bf4 ,chapter1 and also throughout the #bg4 ,chapter4 ,he saith that the diuel can haue no accesse vnto those1 nor any wayes hurt them1 which signe their foreheads with the ,crosse4 ,he addeth moreouer1 that the ,christians vsed this ceremonie in old time1 in casting out diuels and healing diseases4 ,sidenote3 ,whether the bare signe of the ,crosse haue anie force4 ,not for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall signe of the ,crosse1 7for that were superstitious7 but vnto the ,crosse1 that is1 to the merites of ,christe1 whose worthinesse and excellencie1 they called withall to their remembrance4 ,touching the holy ,apostles1 or ,apostolike ,churches1 we reade not1 that they euer vsed the signe of the ,crosse1 in expelling diuels1 in curing diseases1 or in any other thing4 ,god spared the ,iewes in ,egipt1 whiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the ,lambe3 not that ,lambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death1 but it was a figure of the bloud and passion of ,christ ,iesus4 ,and the ,iewes sprinkled not bloud of their owne good deuotion1 as they terme it1 but by the commandement of ,god4 ,the holy ,fathers by the ceremonie that they signed themselues with the ,crosse1 ment to testifie their confidence in the crosse1 that is1 in the death of ,christ ,iesus1 which abandoneth all euill and mischiefe4 ,the ,diuell neuer a whit feareth the ,crosse1 wherewith we signe our selues1 nor yet those pieces and fragments of ,christes ,crosse1 which are shewed for reliques1 but he trembleth at the power and force of ,christs death1 by the which he was conquered and ouerthrowne4 ,if any man attribute too much vnto ceremonies1 he cannot be excused from superstition1 which worthily deserueth blame4 ,sidenote3 ,coniurations against diuels4 ,we read more in the auncient writers1 that they vsed exorcismes1 or coniurations in the primatiue ,churche against diuels4 ,sidenote3 ,tertullian4 ,you may read in ,tertullian in his booke ,de anima1 that vncleane spirits haue oftentimes deceiued men1 haue taken on them the persons of others1 and haue fained themselues to be the soules of dead men1 that men should not beleue that all soules descended into ,hell 7what is to be vnderstood by the word ,hell1 ,i haue shewed before7 and so to bring the belefe of the latter iudgement of the resurrection of the dead1 into doubt and question4 ,moreouer1 we reade that the olde ,fathers haue cast diuels out of men1 and out of such places wherein by their rumbling1 they haue put many in horrible feare4 ,such an historie of ,saint ,iohn in ,abdias ,babylonius1 for the holy ,apostles1 and many godly men after them1 were endued with this grace from ,god1 that they could cast out vnclean spirits3 which gift continued a long season in the ,church1 to the great profit of the faithfull1 but afterwards it ceased as other miracles did also4 ,it maketh vnto this purpose1 that ,tertullian writeth in his ,apologetico1 ,fol4 #heh4 and #aei4 ,thus we haue sufficiently sene after what sort the holy ,fathers and auncient christians behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto them4 ,,chap4 ,x4 ,that sundrie kindes of superstition haue crept in1 whereby men haue attempted to driue away spirits4 ,sidenote3 #b4,thess4#b4 ,sidenote3 #a4;,iohn4#d4 ,in proces of time1 superstitions encreased more more4 ,paule complaineth1 that in his time ,antichrist beganne to practise his ministerie of iniquitie1 that many opinions and sects beganne to spring vp4 ,saint ,iohn writeth1 that in his time1 there were many ,antichristes4 ,what maruel is it then1 if afterwards1 yea and that verie quickly1 diuers errours croape into the ,churche1 and multiplyed excedingly8 ,sidenote3 ,augustine4 ,sainte ,augustine in his #bb4 booke ,de ciuitate ,dei1 and eighte ,chapter1 after that hee hadde recited certaine miracles1 whiche were therefore shewed that men might beleue in ,christ1 he setteth foorthe this historie4 ,hesperius a man of good worshippe and calling amongest vs1 hath a piece of land in the territorie of ,fussalum called ,cubedi1 in the which1 perceiuing by the languishing of his cattell and seruauntes1 that his house was infected with the force and rage of euill spirites1 he desired our fellow ,priestes1 7,i being then absent17 that some one of them would take the paines to go thither1 that the spirit by his good praiers might giue place3 one of them went thither1 and there offred the sacrifice of the bodie of ,christ1 praying very earnestly1 that the same disquieting of spirites might cease1 and by and by ,god had compassion1 and it ceased4 ,he had giuen him of a friend of his1 some parte of holy lande brought from ,hierusalem1 where ,christ being buried1 rose againe the third day3 that earth he hung vp in his chamber1 least any euill might happ vnto him4 ,but when his house was deliuered fr that trouble1 he deuiseth with himselfe what he might do with the saide earth1 which for reuerence sake1 he would not kepe any longer in his chamber4 c4 ,hereby it is manifest1 that superstition began immediatly1 and 7as it hapneth alwaies7 grewe bigger with great increase1 as if one shoulde roll foorthe snowe clodded togither1 or as when huge lumpes of snowe begin to fall down from the ,alpes1 all things on euery side are filled with snowe4 ,shortly after menne began to praye1 and offer sacrifice for dead mennes soules1 yea and that with a good intention1 as it may euidently appeare in many of the auncient fathers4 ,afterwards when ,bishops and parish ,priests1 did not onely not correct olde superstitions1 but also vppon a good meaning increase them1 at the last they grew to an infinite number4 ,for when spirits appeared1 men called not vpon ,god through ,christ only1 but also vpon ,saints1 forgetting that which ,s4 ,paule saith to the ,romanes the tenth4 7,for ,i wil let passe at this time all other arguments17 how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleued8 ,the ,papists themselues cannot deny1 but that we must beleue onely in ,god1 and therefore he onely is to be worshipped through his sonne4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,aue ,marie is no praier4 ,sidenote3 ,ephe4#a4 ,sidenote3 ,iohn4#b4 ,sidenote3 #a4 ,timo4 #b4 ,some write that it is a soueraign remedie to driue away diuels1 if we pray ,aue ,maria4 ,where by the way is to bee noted1 that the same salutation of the ,angell is no prayer1 but onely a greting1 and historicall narration1 to witte1 howe the ,archangell ,gabriell tolde the ,virgin ,mary before of the ,incarnation of ,christ4 ,but ,i pray the weigh the sense of the words1 and whether though wilt or no1 thou must nedes say that these words conteine in them neither asking1 nor thankesgiuing1 which are the parts of prayer4 ,when the ,angell came vnto her1 he saluted her1 saying3 1 i4 salue1 that is1 ,god spede1 or reioyce 7for as ,festus saith1 the ,greke and the ,latin word haue one signification47 ,then he addeth further1 full of grace1 which is to be vnderstood passiuely1 7as they terme it in the schooles7 for because ,god bestowed his grace vpon her3 for so the ,angell himselfe expoundeth it1 when he saith afterwardes1 that she had founde grace1 that is1 that ,god is mercifull and louing towardes her4 ,those words may not be so vnderstoode1 as if she were the fountaine of grace 7as some haue expounded it7 and that she hath grace of her selfe1 and bestoweth it vpon such as call vppon her1 or speake vnto her with the salutation of the ,angell4 ,for neyther the ,greke worde1 nor any other places of the ,scriptures admit this sense4 ,the ,apostle saieth to the ,ephesians the first ,chapter1 that ,god hath made vs his faithfull seruants1 deare by his grace through his beloued1 that is1 through ,iesus ,christ4 ,in the which saying1 the same word is put1 which the ,angell vsed in saluting the holy ,virgine4 ,it is written in the first ,chapter of saint ,iohns ,gospell in plaine wordes1 that ,iohn ,baptist bare witnesse of ,christ with a loude voyce1 and saide1 that we all haue receiued of his fulnesse1 grace for grace4 ,for the lawe was giuen by ,moses1 but grace and truth sprang vp by ,christ4 ,many other suche places ,i omit for breuities sake4 ,the ,virgin ,mary her selfe saith1 the ,lord hath done maruellous things vnto me4 ,she setteth foorth the grace of ,god1 giuen vnto her from ,god1 without any of her deserts4 ,for he neuer bestowed greater grace on any woman4 ,and there is a very great difference betwen him that conferreth grace1 and them which receiue or obtaine grace4 ,grace is only to be sought at his hands1 who giueth grace1 and not of them which themselues receiue grace4 ,a fewe yeares past1 all men besought the ,virgin for helpe1 hoping for more grace and succour of her than of ,christ himselfe4 ,the ,angell addeth further3 ,blessed art thou amongst women1 that is1 ,god hath conferred more grace vnto the1 than vnto any other woman4 ,the words which are ioyned herevnto1 ,blessed is the frute of thy wombe1 are not the words of the ,angell1 but of her cousin ,elizabeth1 who also saluted her4 ,vnto these words some religious men added1 ,iesus ,christ1 ,amen4 ,therefore the ,angell vttered not all those words of the ,aue ,marie 7as it may manifestly be gathered out of the very text of ,saint ,luke1 ,chapter #a47 not because we deny these words to be good and holy1 for the text saith of ,elizabeth1 that she was full of the holy ghost3 but that which the ,angell spake not1 is not to be attributed vnto her4 ,you shall not finde in any allowed ,authors1 that in the time of the ,apostles and many dayes after1 this greeting was accounted as a prayer1 or that any godly men did salute1 and call vpon the holy ,virgin4 ,which thing ,i write not1 because ,i would bereaue the holy ,virgin of hir honor1 but least that against hir will1 we giue hir that honour which is only due to ,god the ,father1 and to his sonne ,iesu ,christ4 ,for he is our onely mediatour and redemer4 #a4 ,timoth4 #b4 ,otherwise the ,aue ,marie1 and other such places of holy ,scripture full of consolation and comfort1 touching the humanitie of ,christ1 his punishment1 death1 and merites1 are to be often read1 and diligentely considered3 neither are the ,scriptures to be pulled out of the handes of the lay people1 in whiche they may se all these things with their owne eyes4 ,indede ,i denie not but ,spirites haue many times vanished away vpon the saying of ,aue ,marie1 but it was so doone1 that men might therby be confirmed in their superstition4 ,sidenote3 ,holy ,water4 ,but these men proceding further1 did coniure or consecrate water with certain peculiar ceremonies1 and kept it in vessels in their churches1 houses and elsewhere3 amongest many other vertues1 ascribing this force vnto it1 that it chaseth away spirites1 and vaine sights4 ,they also consecrated saulte1 and taught1 that whether soeuer it were cast1 it draue away spirites1 and all deceites of the diuil1 yea and the diuel himselfe also4 ,moreouer1 they coniured with certain cerimonies and words1 candles1 palme1 herbes1 and other creatures1 to driue away fantasies 7as they terme them47 ,they laide these and such like things1 as also the relikes of ,saintes1 in those places wheras ,spirits had bin sene or heard4 ,they also bare men in hande1 that greate belles and sancebelles by their noise fraied spirites out of the ayre4 ,all these things are founde more at large in the ,papists bookes whiche are written of the consecration of suche things1 and are publikely extant4 ,if belles be roong on ,s4 ,iohns day1 or ,s4 ,agathes day1 they say it is a most excellt remedie against spirits4 ,some vsed to burne a bundell of consecrated herbes1 that with the smoke therof they might chase away diuels4 ,many haue their peculiar and straunge blessings against spirites4 ,there haue bene also many holy rites instituted by the commaundement of wandring soules1 as ,masses for the dead1 vigils1 prayers1 and tweluemonths minds3 as though the soules of godly men1 being deliuered from all trouble1 were not immediately translated into eternall rest4 ,and it is also plaine by reading the ,poets and ,historiographers1 that the ,gentiles had their sacrifices for the dead1 as their rites called ,nouendialia1 which were obserued the ninth day1 and their yearely feastes4 c4 ,howbeit those counterfait ghostes craued nothing so earnestly1 as that many ,masses might be sung for their sakes1 for they bare men in hand1 that those had great and maruellous force to redeme them out of ,purgatorie4 ,sidenote3 ,the order of ,cistertians4 ,sidenote3 ,exorcists4 ,iohn ,tritenhemius writeth in his ,cronicles of the ,monasterie of ,hirsgauium1 about the yeare of our ,lorde #ajih4 ,henricus the fourth then being ,emperour1 that at such time as the order of the ,cistertians first began1 there appeared many dayes and nights1 not far from the citie of ,wormes1 great troupes of horsmen and footmen1 as if they were now going foorth to battail1 running now here now there in troupes1 and that about 4ix4 of the clock at night they returned again to the hill nere at hand1 out of y which they vsed to come forth4 ,at last a certaine ,monke of the ,abbey of ,limpurge1 which stood not far from y hil whence they issued1 associating certain other vnto him1 came on a certain night to y place of the hil1 blessing himselfe with y signe of y holy ,crosse1 adiured them in the name of the holy and vnseparable ,trinitie1 as they came out of the hil1 to declare vnto him who they were3 vnto whom one of the company made answer3 we are 7quoth he7 no vain things1 neither yet liuing souldiers1 but y soules of earthly men1 seruing in this world vnder our prince1 who not lg since was slain in this place4 ,the armour1 furniture1 horses1 which were vnto vs instruments of sinne while we liued1 are euen now after our death1 certaine signes and tokens of tormentes4 ,whatsoeuer ye se about vs1 is all firie vnto vs1 although you nothing discerne our fire4 ,when the ,monkes enquired whether they might be holpen by men1 the spirit answered3 we may 7saith he7 be holpen by fasting and praiers3 but chiefly by the oblation of the bodie and blood of ,christ1 which thing we besech you do for vs4 ,assoone as he had so saide1 all the whole rout of spirits cried thre times with one voyce3 pray for vs1 pray for vs1 pray for vs4 ,and sodeinly withal1 they semed to be all resolued into fire1 yea and the hill it self1 as if it had bin on fire1 cast forth as it were a great crashing and rushing of tres4 ,they had in ,churches a peculiar order of them whom they called ,exorcists1 or ,coniurers1 whose dutie was to coniure and driue away diuels1 but they were not so endued with that gifte1 as the auncient ,christians were1 and therfore they did but vaunt boast of themselues4 ,afterwards certaine ,monkes and ,priests well sen in ,magicall sciences 7for they were neuer without such trim men7 tooke vpon them to coniure and driue away euill spirits out of houses into woods desart places4 ,they wroght maruellous and straunge things1 and they said that a spirit in the name of ,saints1 and by the vertue of their coniuring and characters1 was constrained to giue place whether he would or not4 ,indede the diuel giueth place1 but he doth it as enemies doo1 which by flying chuse a more fit place to fight in1 or more apte to embushe themselues4 ,that which ,sathan doth1 he doth it willingly and of his owne accorde1 that he might withdrawe men from trusting in ,god onely1 and driue them headlong into ,idolatrie4 ,christ and his ,disciples cast out diuels1 but they were loth and vnwilling to depart4 ,moreouer they vsed to hang ,saint ,iohns ,gospell about their neckes1 and carried about with them hallowed waxe inclosed in a purse1 which they call an ,agnus ,dei1 ,there are certaine bookes abroade1 especially one written by ,iacobus de ,clusa1 a ,carthusian1 concerning the appearing of soules separated from their bodies1 wherein amongst other things we reade1 after what sort men should prepare themselues1 when any spirits appeare1 howe they shall behaue themselues in comming to them1 in departing from them1 in the place where they appeare1 and what questions are to be proposed vnto them3 touching which things ,i spake before1 in the second part of this ,booke and second ,chapter1 where if you list you may finde them4 ,i haue heard men which haue confessed themselues to haue bene so superstitious1 that when the priest lifted vp the host 7as they call it7 in saying masse1 they woulde presently wipe their face with their hands1 because they were perswaded1 that it was good to stop all spirits from meting with them in a visible forme4 ,but tell me ,i pray the whosoeuer thou art whiche doest so1 by what places of ,scripture canst thou confirme those ceremonies8 ,where doth ,christ and his ,disciples teach vs to expell the diuell 7which is a spirit1 and therefore without any bodie7 by bodily things8 shewe but one example1 that they haue cast forth the diuel by this way or means4 ,if you bring out of the bookes of ,tobie1 that the heart and liuer of the fish being laide on the coales1 droue away the diuel with the smell1 we say that the same booke is not accounted amongst the ,canonicall scriptures3 and moreouer that the same diuel was rather vanquished by the praiers of ,tobias and his wife1 than by any fumigation4 ,did ,christ ordaine the holy ,supper to this ende1 that thereby diuels should be cast out8 ,albeit that an euil spirit doo faine to giue place1 because of these things1 yet he bringeth to passe in the meane season1 that superstition is more deply rooted in the hearts of men4 ,,chap4 ,,xi4 ,that spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and banning4 ,sidenote3 ,rom4 #h4 ,here ,i cannot ouerpasse1 that certaine doo vainly persuade themselues1 that spirites may easily be driuen away with cursing and banning1 for that 7as they say7 spirits approach neare vnto such as pray1 and do more egerly disturbe and vex them4 ,our ,lord ,iesus ,christ who can best tell how we should fight against the craft and subtiltie of the diuel1 teacheth vs in many places to pray continually1 he biddeth vs to pray in y ,lords praier1 that we may be deliuered from euil1 calling ,sathan by the figure 3 ,euil it selfe1 because he excelleth therein4 ,nothing can be more acceptable and pleasing to the diuel1 than when any man vseth cursing and banning4 ,he feineth that he is hereby driuen away1 but in the meane season he crepeth inuisibly into their bosomes4 ,if you list ye may driue away the diuel1 in saying that he hath no place with you1 but his place is in ,hell1 and that he hath nothing to do with those which put their only trust and confidence in ,christ ,iesus4 ,for in the eight ,chapter to the ,romanes in the beginning1 it is said3 ,now there is no condemnation vnto them1 that are grafted in ,christ ,iesu1 who walke not according to the flesh1 but according to the spirit4 ,a man may commaund the diuel to depart from him without any cursing or banning4 ,and that is also to be blamed1 that certaine wicked and rash men talke very beastly1 and filthily with spirits1 if they appeare at any time vnto them4 ,some others1 when spirits appeare vnto them1 will by and by set on them1 and driue th away with naked swords3 and sometimes throw them out of the windowes1 not considering with themselues1 that spirites are nothing hurt with weapons4 ,in the ,grecian histories we reade1 that a certaine ,lacedemonian passing by a sepulchre in the night season1 when a spirit semed to appeare vnto him1 ranne towards it thinking to run it through with his speare3 saying3 ,whither fliest thou1 ,o thou soule which shalt twice die8 ,surely it is praise worthie when a men meting with a spirit is not afraid1 but yet boldnesse and rashnesse cannot be commended4 ,if thy enemy1 albeit he be very weake be not to be despised1 much lesse ought an enemy so mightie and so craftie1 to be neglected4 ,there haue bene some who when they would haue striken a spirit with their sworde1 haue thought they haue striken the featherbed1 the diuel so mocked them4 ,others supposing they had throwne a spirit out of the window1 by and by thought they heard shingles falling and ratling amongst the tres4 ,it is reported that there haue bin some1 who supposing with their weapons to hurt spirits1 haue wounded themselues1 for their armes and other members of their bodie haue neuer serued them after4 ,we must not vse a materiall sword against spirits and vaine shewes 7for it profiteth nothing7 but we must vse the sword of the spirit4 ,they which will strike spirits and ghosts with a sword1 inded 1 that is1 fight with their owne shadow4 ,in the booke of ,iobe the diuel is signified by ,leuiathan1 which careth not for the speare1 for he appeareth in diuers shapes1 and cannot be put to flight with pikes4 ,the diuel is a spirit1 he hath not bones and flesh1 but he only taketh on him a shape for a time4 ,but in case spirits which haue bodies do wander 7that is1 coniurers1 priests1 whores1 whoremongers1 which faine themselues to be spirites7 there can be no better coniuration inuented1 than to bang them well with a cudgell4 ,for thou shalt not so much preuaile with these kindes of diuels with words as with stripes4 ,hitherto ,i haue shewed howe they ought to behaue themselues which mete with spirits4 ,as touching them which neuer heard or sawe any thing 7for there bee many which neuer chaunced on such things7 let them be thankful vnto ,god for so great a benefit1 let them not be rashe and bolde1 nor desirous to se such things1 but rather let them pray vnto ,god for them which are vexed with such euils4 ,let them not doo1 as they many times vse which were neuer greatly sicke3 for they fele not other mens griefes1 and therefore they thinke they are litle sicke1 or that they counterfeit their sicknesse1 vntill such time as they themselues fall into some great and daungerous disease3 euen so ,god can cause them to se spirites1 which neuer sawe any before1 that afterwards they may be the more touched with other mens griefes1 and diligently pray for them4 ,,chap4 ,,xii4 ,after what sort we ought to behaue our selues1 when we heare straunge crackes1 or when other forewarnings happen4 ,but nowe as concerning other matters1 as in case any straunge crackes and noyses be heard1 or any rare and maruellous things happen before the alteration of kingdomes 7which we speake of before7 what shall we then doo8 ,surely we must not attribute too much vnto such things1 for they sometimes1 yea and most commonly chaunce by the deceit of the diuell1 who hath a great pleasure to haue men muse night and day on such matters1 and to imagine before their eyes and mindes many horrible things1 that thereby they may fall into some greuous sicknesse1 and neuer be at rest4 ,when such things happen inded1 they ought to put vs in minde1 that we casting from vs all these things which displease ,god1 should wholly consecrate our selues vnto ,god1 and so frame our selues1 that at what houre soeuer he come1 and please to call vs out of this life1 we should be readie for him euen as he himselfe teacheth vs1 and also endure patiently all vnfortunate chances1 how many soeuer happen vnto vs1 knowing that they come not by chance1 but by the prouidence of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,plutarches ,christian opinion4 ,plutarch1 albeit he be an ,heathen writer1 is of a sounde iudgement 7as me semeth7 concerning ,monsters and wonders4 ,for writing of ,alexander the great1 in his booke ,de vitis1 he saith2 that there happened certaine prognostications before his death1 which sometimes ,alexander cared not for1 but contemned them1 and contrariwise1 sometimes he tooke smal and trifling things1 as signes of euil lucke4 ,sidenote3 ,valerius ,maximus4 ,he addeth further1 how dangerous a thing it is1 to despise tokens and signes sent from ,god vnto men1 and on the other side1 how pernitious and hurtfull it is to be afraid of euery trifle1 for as in all other things1 so is there a measure to be obserued herein4 ,the same opinion is he of1 touching other wonders and miracles4 ,for ye may reade in the life of ,camillus1 that when he being ,captain1 had taken and destroyed the ,veians1 he made a solemne vow1 to translate the ,image of ,iuno vnto ,rome4 ,and therefore he commaunded certain men to take vp the ,image3 he offered sacrifice vnto the ,goddesse1 and besought her that she would vouchsafe to follow him1 and to be fauourable vnto the ,romanes1 as other ,goddes were which now dwelt at ,rome4 ,the ,image made him answere that she would goe with him4 ,he also writeth1 that those men which noted and recorded these things1 report other such straunge matters1 as that ,images did sweate1 that they gaue great grones1 that they turned away their faces1 or hanged down their heads3 he saieth1 that men whiche liued before his time1 gathered many suche examples togither1 and that he himselfe hath heard many maruellous things of men liuing in his time1 which were not by and by to be neglected and contemned3 and yet mans infirmitie is such1 that it cannot attribute either too much or too little1 vnto those things without great daunger1 for men obserue no measure1 but are either too superstitious and attribute ouer much to such matters1 or else do vtterly reiect and contemne them4 ,and therefore the safest way is1 to be aduised1 and to kepe a meane in suche affaires4 ,valerius ,maximus confesseth in his first booke1 that the very ,gentils themselues had many miracles and wonders happening among them in great suspition1 and that not without iust cause4 ,true wonders ought to stir vs vp from slepe4 ,a couragious horse goeth well inough of his owne accorde1 and yet if you do but make signe vnto him with a wande1 or put spurre vnto him1 he will be more readier and quicker4 ,euen so must we go in the way that leadeth vnto heauen so long as we liue1 but in case we se any foretokens1 or some great alteration seme to hang ouer vs1 we ought to bee the more stirred vp1 to giue our selues to praier1 and to exercise godlinesse4 ,the ,gentiles if at any time such forewarnings were shewed vnto them from heauen1 did institute certaine solemne praiers and processions to pacifie their ,gods3 how much rather ought all ,christian ,princes and ,magistrates1 ,doctors and ,preachers of our time1 to bend themselues wholly herein1 when so euer plagues hang ouer our heads1 that all men generally and particularly shewe forth true repentance8 ,sidenote3 ,the conclusion4 ,hitherto 7,i trust7 we haue sufficiently shewed what we may thinke1 concerning visions and appearing of spirites1 and other straunge things which haue great affinitie and likenesse vnto them4 ,and that in times past1 ,doctors wrote and taught farre otherwise concerning them1 than the very truth it selfe was1 we haue also shewed the causes thereof4 ,it might be also declared in many words1 that the like hath happened in other pointes of ,christian doctrine1 yea and many excellent learned and godly men1 haue at large opened the same in their bookes which are now extant concerning such matters4 ,and that ,i may conclude this my booke1 ,i shall besech all those1 for the glorie of ,god1 that shall happen to reade it1 that in case they thinke ,i haue straied from the rule of the word of ,god1 they would frely and friendly admonish me thereof1 but if they know it be agreable to the word of ,god 7as ,i trust it is7 that then they suffer not themselues to be ruled and mocked of iugling ,monkes and ,priests1 but rather giue ,god thankes for that great and vnspeakable benefit1 whereby he doth daily deliuer them out of great errors and feares1 and doth continually more and more bring his truth to light3 let them not so lose the raignes to their affections1 that they reiect the truth which they haue once acknowledged4 ,the ,senat and people of ,rome as stories witnesse1 granted libertie to the people of ,cappadocia1 when the stocke and issue of their kings was vtterly extinct1 to be fre1 and ,lords of themselues for euer after4 ,but the ,nobilitie consulting on the matter1 refusing libertie which they coulde in no wise disgest1 desired to haue a ,king4 ,the ,romaines wondring hereat1 gaue them leaue to choose whome they would to be their ,king4 ,let not vs be such fooles1 but rather let vs imbrace the libertie of our soules1 whiche ,god doth daily offer vnto vs by his word4 ,many ,noble nations fighting couragiously1 haue put themselues in present daunger of life1 to obtaine and kepe this swete eternall libertie4 ,how muche more ought the ,christians to fight against the subtiltie and deceit of the ,deuill1 least the libertie of our soules1 whiche is much more precious than the other1 shoulde be opressed by diuers errors and supersticions4 ,men sitting in darkenesse1 desire the light very earnestly4 ,let not vs therefore cast away light frely offered vnto vs by ,god in this ,scriptures4 ,we haue nothing here in earth more deare vnto vs1 than the libertie of our soules and consciences4 ,let vs not then 7as ,paule saith17 withhold truth in vnrighteousnesse1 let euery man of what age soeuer he be1 weigh with himself how fraile and brittle this life is whiche ,god hath giuen vnto vs1 and that wee must depart from hence1 sooner then we thinke for1 and render an account to the iust ,iudge1 of our faith1 wordes1 and deds4 ,glorie and praise be vnto ,almightie ,god for euer and euer1 and ,i besech him to vouchsafe to stretch foorth his hande1 to deliuer all suche as are still entangled in superstition and errours1 and to graunt those whome he hath deliuered his heauenly grace1 that they be alwaies thankfull for so great a benefit1 least they be wrapped againe in the same mischiefe4 ,,finis4 ,,london ,printed by ,thomas ,creede4 #aeif4