M 0« ijj'l R ^ Vwohsi'llcvO' l.Koval Exchange S« j^ '( GLASGOW^} DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Treasure %oom ■s \ ) fG&S %y&3- tiffcfri osetfi C3gw*» v?oaa» t&ig&> saws* t&otez *£m53f**scf& *J*oi&/ *&#» *v$39& ft5jaws» *j££$t& *»&&? CREDULITY AND INCREDULITY In things Natural j Chil, and T>hine. WHEREIN, Among other things, the Sadducijm of thefe times, in denying Spirits, Witches, and Supernatural Operations, by pregnant instan- ces,- and evidences, is fully confuted: Efl- CURll S his caufe, difcufled, and the jugling and falfe dealing, lately ufed, to bring Him, and Jt.heifm, into credit, clearly difcovered : the ufe and neceflitv of -Ancient Learning, 1 againft the Innovating humour, all along pro- ved, and aflerted. By z5\de'ric Cafaubon> D.D L ND'O A r , Printed for T. Garthwait, in St. Bartholomews- Hofpital, neziSmithfield, 1668. s \Zj\ «*>*?* >«f/>*"» tern** #*»«* «!w) «ic^» and to ac- quit my felf of wilful negligence infome particulars oftbit enfuin^ Treatife, to acquaint thee with the $ccafion, and in what condition I was, when I wrote it. 1 will not go back fo far, otto tell thee, what I have fuffered, Jince I have been in the world, by peine ffes, and fonte other accidents •> the A 7 rela- 2 9-Q Q.d 9 M b* <-/ KJ & 4 To the Reader. relation whereof though very true, yet I amfure, would be incredible unto many . There maybe a time for that, ifGodpleafe. It fl ball now fuf- fee to tell thee, that about three years ago and fomewhat better, being in London, Iwasfeized upon with a cold, and [bonne f$ of breath, which was fo troublefome, that I went to an intimate friend, and learned Phyfician, for help, who made no queflion, but in few days he would cure me, and to that end, prefcribed fome things. Bui before many days were over, himfelf ended his life • in whofe death, good learning ( anci- ent, Imean^) had a great lofs. But the com- fort if, which Icanwttnefs, he died a Chrijlian. After him, the caufe fiill continuing, I had re- courfe unto another, of the fame prof ef ion, whom though I knew not before, yet I found him very friendly, and fo far as I could judge, very rational in his prefcriptions . But notwithflanding fuch help, the difeafe increafing, rather than abating ; I at laft, refohed, with Gods help, for Canter- bury again, which I did think many times, I ffjould never fee more. Where, for eight or nine moneths, I continued much in the fame cafe ; till at To the Reader. at laft, that difeafe ended in fome nephritical^/y, which I did not expetl to out-lire. , But I did; till April 1 666. when I was fre/JAy affaulted with new fits • which*, more remifly, or jharply, continued fome moneths • till at laft-, divers other evil fymptomes concurring, I loft Jleep ; and fo loft it-, that for the fpace of four moneths, and up- wards, I may truly, to the be ft of my knowledge, fay, I had not one hour of natural Jleep, but fuch as was, by the advice of my Phyficians, procu- red by Drugs, theftrongeft that are, to that end : which jleep, fo procured, left me always in fuch a hatred, and det eft ation of life, that nothing but obligation of confcience could have prevailed with me, or any body elfe, I think, in my cafe, to pre- ferve life at fo dear. a rate. What I wo* unto others, I know not: I was unto my felf I am fur e, a wonder • ( nay ™p*s> prodigium : a monfter ; our oldtranftation ) that I did hold out fo long. And yet, when I did moft defpair of life • or rather, comfort my felf , that the time of my deliverance was now furely come ; fo it plea- fed God,- 1 began to recover Jleep, and not long af- ter, amended to fuch a degree of chearfulnefs, A 4 that 223927 To the Reader. that for many weeks after, I did ever and anon doubt, whether I was not in a dream. But findingthe continuance of my chcarfulnejs, thou oh in much otfoer wealnefs • I think any Chrijiwi Trader, if he do not think me worfe than an ordi- nary Heathen, or Infidel ; will eafily believe, that I had fome thoughts, how I might employ a life, ( fo much of it, as was yet to come ) fo jlrangely prolonged, to do Him fome fervice, whom I looked upon, as the only Author. Firfl, I re- folved ( my mojl immediate profefiion ) to preach, as often as I could. And for the firfl time, C be- ing an Eafler-day, a retry proper day, after fuch a reviving ) I thought, as to bodily firength, I came off well enough. But when / attempted it afecond time, though till the Evening before, / thought my felf iniery good cafe 5 yet I found my felffuddenly fo difabled, and brought fo low again, f which continued for three days j that fince that time, my opinion hath been, I fbmld but tempt God-> to think of any fuch thing any more. Af- ter this, my chearfulnefs, and vigour of fpirits fiill continuing, I began to think of writing ; * trade which 1 vegan very young, and of which, I thank To the Reader. thank God fir it, 1 have had com] or t at home, and abroad^ as much, and more than I did ever pro- mfewyfelf 1 did fitch worn a fubjecl, which I did think moft convenient fur me , as having more immediate relation to devotion, and not unjeajon- able, in thefe ungodly times. It was not long, before I had all my- materials, out of fever al pa- pers, and Note-books ; together and ready, But when I thought to put them into a form, by coherence of matter and fide ; 1 found my felf fo unable, that I did abfolutely conclude, I had no other bufinefs in thif world, and to no other end God had prolonged my life, than by continued ear- nejl repentance f a greater work, I doubt, than many imagine ) toft my felf for a better. How I have acquitted my felj, I mitft leave to God. But time pacing, mouth after moneth, andlflill continuingin as good rigour of mind, I thought, as when at the befl ; it troubled me not a little, that Ifbouldlive profitable unto my felf only. At laft, thif fubjeSl, once before thought upon, but fince forgotten, came into my mind again. I will not be fo bold, without better warrant, with God Almighty^ to fay , that he put it into my head, either To the Reader. either before, when it fir ft offered it [elf % or now', when Iremembred it . But this I may truly fay, fince I hare been a writer, J never proceeded in anyfubjeH, (for the time that was beftowed up- on it ) with more expedition and alacrity. For it hath been my cafe, ever ft nee I came out of that languifbing extremity, which affeEled my Spirits tnoft ; that my body hath continued very weal, ever fince ; fo that it is but fome part of the day, when at beft, that lean converfe with booh ; fel- domfo well, that I can walk, or ftand upon my legs : and when once fet in my Study to write, or to meditate - 7 it if irkfome to me, to rife upon any occafion ; and therefore I avoid it, without there be fome great necefiity : much more tediou? and irkfome, and not without danger, to reach booh , which I cannot reach ( a qreat part of my booh ) without climbing ; nor always find, very readily, though ranged and ordered with care ; when I feek them. This is the caufe, that my quotations are not always fo full, or fo punBual, as othermfe, they mi^lot have been. But for the truth of them, which 1 think is the mainbufi- nefs, Idurft under take. For though I have ma- ny To the Reader." ny things out of my private Papers, and Note- books, or Adveriaria, which for the reafons be- fore ailed? ed, I could not now revife in the Au- thors the mf elves, out of which I had them ; yet- out of the originals 1 had them I am fure, and not out of other mens quotations • which I never trujled fofar, as to enter them without examination. If, for want of the Originals, I have taken any thing upon trufi, I have acquainted the Reader, and fo difcharged my felf So far, I can under- take 7 but that in perufng the Original* Authors, either formerly , or now again, I have miflaken in none 7 this I dare not undertake, who confefs, that in the readingofone pafjage, fometimes, once, or twice • when! made no quefiion of the fenfe ; yet in a third reading, I have found ( fometimes I fay ; not very often, perchance ) thai I was in an error. And if I might advife, I would not have any man tale upon him the name of a Scholar, that will trufi any quotations, if he may go to the Originals ; nor trufi any tranflation, if he can underftand the Authors in their own tongue : which if moreyraRifed, good books would be in morere- quefl. That To the Reader. That I bad fucb a fubjeH in my thoughts, many years ago, may appear by fomewhat I did write in the Preface to DoSlor Dee's book \ and then, indeed, I was big with it, had time, and opportunity [erred. But after that I was once fixed upon other things, or cares, occasioned by that miraculous revolution of affairs in this King- dom, which foon after hapned ; I may fincerely protejl, that I never thought of it any more, ex- cept fome chance brought it into my mind; but ne- ver as thinhnglJJjould ever meddle with it, fur- ther than I had done. Not that I ever promifed any thing, which I had not then, when promifed, fome probable hopes, I fhmld ; and always fince, a willingnefs to perform • but becaufe I have been always taken up, fo far as my health, and other neceffary occaflons would give me leave, With fome- what, that I thought more feafonable or neceffa- ry. And fo I thought now of thiffubjeEt, as I have handled it. For Credulity, and Incredulity, in general, bein^ my theme, which left me to a liberty of cbufiw fit inflames, where I would, 1° To the Reader. fo that upon them I might but ground fuch rules and directions for either, as might be proper to my undertaking \ I hare endeavoured to pitch upon fuch, as might afford fomewhat againfi the crying evils of thefe times, contempt of good learn- ing, ^Atheifm. And whereas I mention fometimes three Parts, as intended ; two only beinv here exhibited : true it if j that three were intended, in cafe my health had afforded it. But it did not. And indeed, I wonder it hath done fo much, the little time conff- dered, that hath been beflowed upon it. let, is not the work imperfect, therefore -, which might have been finijhed in the Firft, but that, as the Second hath afforded more inftances, ( and of another kind ) than are in the Firft Part ; Jo might the Third alfo, than in either Firft, or Second, if I live to do that alfo. It cannot be very foon, \ am fure f becaufe what fpare time I have from flcknefs, till this Summer be over, is otherwife deflinated. And though I am much weaker already, than I was, when I began ; yet whileft I live , I fljail defpair of nothing, who have had To the Reader. fo much experience, what God can do, beyond all expectation ; or, ( i nm was judgement ^ cre- dibility. fFaretfel. CANTERBURY, i. June, 1 6 6%. X:.y, ERRdTJ, with fome Additions, at the end of the Book, which they that read the Book, are defred to he mindful of. To which, let this be added. PA^e 275. line 16. I believe, allow ic but a hundred thoufand fpefhtors, a very fmall proportion for ZJniverfe* Pop: Ins Km. which we know hath been cenfed ( Citizens, inhabitants of Rome ) at one time, four mil- lions, and above : at another time, fix millions, , and above: could not therefore, I believe, (yet with fub- miflion to better judgments ) inclofe, or cover Ids^ than fourfcore, or a hundred Acres of ground : a thing, neverthelefs, fcarce ere dible , I doubt, tobeft lngineers^ or sirchiteffs, later ages have afforded. However, though we may be miflaken, in the calling of particulars ; yet that Pliny could mi (lake in his report, or the account he doth give us, of a thing fo publick, and yet of freih memory, whenhewrote; no rational man can believe. A man would think, this couli not, &c. OF «s*iofc» mf?* tffoa* <#&** ««w» emir* £* »W2? *wois* -oswcv *k»?» *g* OJ* *£< *£> 4£t> *g*:*jjp *£*<<*g* T *l* *£* *X* OF CREDULITY AND INCREDULITY. In things Natural and Cm7< 7fe JRr/2 P*r/. MONG other errors of our Life, to which that Calico ntextium-, or, dxrknefs of r,ur under ft andixg^ by fome Ancient wife Heathens, who knew noc the true caufe, fo much wondred at ; doth expofe us ; there's fcarce any thing, wherein men either more fre- quently erre, or with more danger, than in untdvifed kHefi or anbditf. B IN 2 Of Credulity and Incredulity, IN Civil affairs as raft] belief hath been, and daily is, the undoing of many 5 fo obitinate ttnkelitf of as many, if not of more. Crei.re, & nan Credere ( to be- lieve, andn.t tobeiive ^) thai: Elegant fubr.Lv.or, who lived in Auiuftm his time, and was a Servant of his, ( well deferving to be better .known unto good Schools, than he is commonly ) hath made it the argument of one of his morah, (hewing by pregnant inftances the danger of each ^ as wV/c, and <£ns*fc, ( belief, and unbelief ) is the argument of two Orations in ~D>.o CbryjoftomHs , wbofe very nVname, Chyfoftome, doth teltihe, what account the age he lived in, made of his wit, and language. BUT again ; eafe belief hath contaminated, and oV cured the Hiftorj if Nature, with many ridiculous fables dnd ridions : but unbelief -with no iefs prejudice to truth, (which according to Plato, mofl prope rly . nay, iritual 9 a*d eternal-, not difcernable with bodily eyes, but by -jr>2i A the light of f*ith,^upon Divine rev.la-i.--n chiefly : but upon fonndreafon and certain experience alio. A little por- tion of which knowledge, and contemplation, though but little, is even by Ariftot/e, that incomparable N*tura- lifl, preferr'd before the moil perfect kno .vledge of na- ture, that man is capable of : De part. anhn. lib. 1 . cap. 5. FROM ungrounded belief, grofs fuperftition, by which true Religion is not a little infe&ed and adulte- rated, hath proceeded : but, from the contrary, right do.vn Atkeifm ( whether openly profelled, or palliated, as the fafhion is : ) by which, all fenfe of piety, all fenfe of immortality, being taken away, and nothing itft to man, but what is common unto bruits, (fince that rea- f'n, confined to things fenfible and periihable, is little better than fenfe -, and fenfe, in bruits, is by many deem- ed, in things NATURAL. 3 ed, and called reafon : ) man may truly be faid, to be metamorphoTed into another creature. LASTLY, if we appeal unto the Judgments of men ; on the one fide ftands the credit and authority of fo many ages, which commend that of Epic harms* unto us,. f Nx^s* K; y.i/AVxff' oLmreiv* a. 'fQ&i TauTa Ta r p pfttiSv tranflated by Cicero , ) Nervi, at que artm fapientU, nontemere crede- re ; that is, Not eafily to trufi, ( or, to believe ) are the verj nerves and [tr.eWs cf mfdom. On the other, Non fat 1* credere, want of faith, or belief; ( fo Stneca, a wife man too, though not fo ancient : ) u the original of all wife y : and one of no lefs credit, and antiquity, ( fome few years abated ) than Epicharmu*, harh told us long ago, that«W/», infidelity, or rvant of faith, (his very words, recorded by Plutarch ; cited by Cumins Alex- andrinpu \ vdf&dmiTdimfad&mruftapyyfcLwtffnH'e&Shit ) is the caiife> that Cjodand his wwrkj are not better \nown unto men. WHICH contrariety,not of opinions on!y,but of events alfo, upon which thofe opinions were grounded, and which occafioned that contrariety •, makes mc thinic fometimes the better of trfofe ancient Phiiofophers, who maintained and argued it at large, that nothing could be certain unto men ; and that peremptorily to conclude of anything, as either true, or ialfe, was great rafhnefs, and ignorance ; fince that of all thofe things controverted among men, fome boldly affirming, and others as per- emptorily denying* there-was not anything for which, and againft which probable reafons and arguments might not be produced, which might,if not amount to an abfoluteugh again and again crofed, by ill fuccefs. v O W becaufe a well grounded belief or unbelief ( in things Natural, or Civil, as before ) are, for the n oft parr, the effects of much obfervation, and long (experience, which many for want of years, ('though fu^phed in many, by natural pregnancy ) have not yet attained unto : that fuch as have not, may> if they pleafe, reap the benefit of others observation, is one main tnd andpurpofe of this prefent undertaking. Andtopre- >ent all miftefces, which our title might occafion, and the Readers may the better be fatisned, what to expect : Iirft whereas we fay, in things natural, by natural, I do not only underfrand fuch things, which apparently have fome grourd in nature, and whereof a probable reafon may be given ; which is the more ordinary no- tion : But alfo, as by Tralliantu, an ancient Phyiician, (not in things NATURAL. s ( not to name others ) by forne very eminent in that art, once to me much commended • the word is ufuaJly taken , as when hediftributeth, which he doth in every difeafe almoil, his remedies and receipts, into methodical, and natural-, by methodical, underftandmg, rational: that is fuch, of which, or for which a reafon may be given, xaW umS-Mi ^/s-huowx*?, ashefpeaksin one place : by natu- ral, thofe which are fuppofed to work by ibme natural efficacy, though the reafon, or truecaufe be, as yet, fe- cret and unknown. Of which nature, he doth make all amulets to be, which therefore he calleth ?«*«& or naturalia. Of this notion of the word natural, St. Jujtin takes notice, in his eleventh bookZ>* Dotlrina Chrif/ia*'*, Chap, the 20. as ordinary in his days. For having fpoken of Ligatures, and Charatlers, he doth add, quxe^/, may be refer- red ; but is much more general, than either. Ihofeof- cvltt tjualitates have been ftiled by fome men, who had the ambition to be accounted more profound, and quick- fighted into the works of nature, than others, afylum afinomm ; or, the refuge or far.ftuary of Ajfes - but, in their attempts and endeavours of rendring of reafons, to maintain manife(l qualities* they, generally, have ac- quitted IO Of Credulity and Incredulity, quitted themfelve* fo weakly, fo childiflily, as by the difcourfes and refutations of Phyficians, and Philoso- phers, both ancient and late, generally moft approved and known, doth appear- that whit they thought to brand others with, hath unh.ippily, but defervedly ituck to themfelves, their reafonings, if not themfelves, being become the fcorn and ladibrlnm of all truly wife, and judicious. So hitherto, I amfure, according to the old Philofophy. But what the conceited omnipoten- ce 7 of Atomes y according to the new Philofophy, ( or revived Epicurifm) may do, to facistie all doubrs and fcruples, I know not. For my part, I (hall not be afha- med to acknowledge my weaknefs : I have looked into it, with as much candor, and diligence, asinfuchacafe I thought necefTary 5 fo far from prejudice, that T would perfwade my felf, I could not but fpeed, ar.d -find whit I fought for : but I have not I profefs it ^ yet with fub^ million, to better judgments. TO thefe eccultn qnMute^ we may add, infLaxut cal ftei, or wflttentU^ to which I find very learned men, Phyfcians and others, to afcribe ftrange effects: Yet the e be ver\ learned too, that will by no means admit of fuch : as learned Pereritu by name, who doth inveigh 3gainft. them, as the confufion of all found Philofophy, and in very deed, the true afylum afinorum. Yet, if a man confider of it foberly, and re:id impartially, what is by very fober men pleaded for them; he may find ground enough, ( it is my opinion ) to believe them : efpecially, when he doth confider, that Arijiotle him- felf was forced, befides his four Prixeipia, or Element*, tohaverecourfe to a ejuintam (ffentiam^ (befides that, which he doth appropriate to the Heavens ) as a more noble caufe: yea to g*d himfelf, in fome things, as the imn^edi'te caufe, operating above nature, above reafon ( humane ) by his mcer Qmnifotency. Whereby Arlflotie doth in things NATURAL. n doth apparently lay a foundation for miracles, as we may fhew in due place : whereas fome conceited fooltfh mei, pretended Chriftians, but real Atheifts, as Pomponatitts and the like ^ becaufe they would not feem to deparc from Arijlotle's do&rine, refer all miracles to natural caufes. Eeftdes it is well known that Hippocrates alfo, doth acknowledge rd e«or, in difeafes -, by which though Gallen, and fome others ur.derftand anbientem aerem, only-, yet even fo, tr.en certainly the aer preternatu- rally, or fupernaturaliy affected, by fome divine, or ce- leftial caufe •, which is the more probable, becaufe in other places he doth fpeak of the Gods, ( according to the phrafe of thofe days ) very reverently, and doth much afcribe to their power, in thofe things that happen unto men. BUT to our Cosleftes inftuxus\ though they be granted, yet it is very poflible, that manv things may be afcribed unto them, which may proceed from other caufes. That fome men are lucky at Cards, beyond all imagination, or do feats with ehem, beyond the limits of any fuppofed activity, or JugKng- fuch as learned Ragftfei'tts doth profefs in the prefence of fome others, men of great worth and fafte, whom he doth name ( Hieron, Fabritius, ab Ajjuafendente: Htr cults Saxo- nia, &c.) to have feen, and admired; I ihouldnot, though never fo much admired, or hcreaible^ afcribe to zCeleftial 'influence , though I 'find a very good Author, whom I ever look'd upon as a fecond Arifiotle, ( the greatefl commendation, I think, that can be given to man, Religion laid afide ) in point of found and folid rea- soning-, evenThoma* Aquinas, cued fork, by the fame learned Author : whofe opinion, in that matter,I much foorfer embrace, that fuch things are done, by contract with the Devil. And yet I have ground to believe, that fomuchmay bedoneinthis kind, by art and cunning. ( which 12 Of Credulity and Incredulity* ( which things are commonly referred to the power of u e andcuflom, which will be our next confideration, af- ter this or influxes) fo ftrange and miraculous, in ap- pearance, that a man had need to be very well, vers'd in fuch fpeculations, before he charge any man. And that is, when the cafe is fo notorious, as no man can ratio- nally doubt ; as in that pretended Jugler, who ( related by divers ) before Charles the Ninth, King of France, made the Rings of a gold Chain, to leaf towards him one after .another, who was at a diftance ; and after that, made the Chain whole again: which, at lait, himfelf confeiTed to have done by the help of the Devil- for which he was defervedly cift out of the Court, and pu- nifhed. Learned Vcffiiu hath it too, and quotes three' Authors for it, but thofe three, have it but from one, which kind of quoting is not fo fafe, except this very thing add fome weight, becaufe it hath been believed by fuch, and fuch, and not contradicted by any. But, in a cafe of this nature, before fuch company, and yet of frefh memory, when the rlrft relation was made- the teftimony of one credible witnefs, may be thought fuffi- cient. But for Pereritu, why he fhould be fo bitter zgainftCelcftial influences, #nce healfo doth grant, and ground upon occult qualities, which often are fetched from Celeftial influences, and liable to the fame inconve- niences, and therefore by fome, as was faid before, who would gladly be thought to fee further than other men, fo e.med, (afjlum *flmmm ) I fee no reafon. RU f granting thefe influences, the great queftion doth remain, whether they work, at general only, oras particzU' caufeszYiO. It is the opinion of fome very le araed, that their power, and operation dorh extend even to particulars : as for example, to difpofe and to incline ( not compel ) a man, to fuch and fuch actions : but of more, that they work only, as ftntral caujes : for in things NA TURA LI 13 for example, why in fome ages, men generally have been more inclinable to fuperjlition, ready to believe, and to fwallow more, than the boldeft impoftor could invent: in others, more to Atheifmand incredulity, all upon the fenfes, and what is vifible and palpable, though againftallfenfeandreafon. In fome, more for itrifes, and contention -, in others, more for peace, and calmer ftudies. And what (hall we fay to that influence, trut produced in men that frantick humor, the beginning whereof is afcribed by Hiftorians, to the year of the Lord 1260. of wandring about, half naked, and whip- ping themfelves unto bloud? Which though Tup preffed by authority for a while, fprung up again fome forty, or fifty \ ears after, with fo much advantage, that moll Kingdoms in Europe, were over-run with it • and not- withstanding the opposition of Popes, by their excom- munications, and other means that were ufed, continu- ed above 100. years after ; as doth appear by a peculiar tra&ate of Gerfon, the learned Chancellor of France, fee out Anno Dcm, 1460. againft. it. Thoufands in one company, of all kind of people, might have been feen in divers places, thus martyrizing their bodies, by tearing their flefh. and their bloud running ; a pitiful fight, in outward appearance, but whether to the greater plea- fure of their diflemper'd minds, or pain of body, I know not. I have fpoken of it, elfewhere, which I (hall not here repeat. I quote no Authors : there are fo many Y iftoriographers, befides others, that take notice of it, I think it needlefs. If I m3y fpeak my mind without of- fence, this prodigious propenfity to innovation in all kind, but in matters oflearning particularly, which fo many upon no ground, that I can fee, o^ appearance of h reafonarepofTefled with", I know not what we fhould more probably afcribe it unto, than to fome fad con- fteJJation, or influence. But to conclude this matter of 14 Of Credulity and Incredulity, of influences, whether of general, onlv-, or, of par tic h- hr efficacy alfo ; it is agreed on all hands, that they are fecrets of Nutur- , or of Heaven, if you will •, which none will, upon presence of any art, attempt to dive unto, but upon a preemption, that the world (as of wicked men in genera], tome Philosophers have maintained ) cannot f n bfi/t without cheaters and impoftors. ANOTHER great caufe of wondring, is the po- wer of ufe and afl'm: which they, who either by the report of others, creditable witneffes ^ or by their o-n experience, have not been acquainted with, and well considered of, mult needs afcribe to magick, and fuper- mitural caufes many things, which are meerly natural. It is a fubjed: of a large extent, but of excellent ufe, in divers repeds : which made fome ancient Fathers, ( not to mention ocher Authors, of all profeflions) upon di- vers occriions fo largely ro infill: upon it, as they do fometines. St. ChrjfiftotH faich plainly, that there is roc any thing oi greater power, and which produceth ilranger efkds, among men: the confederation where- of he doth make excellent ufe of, in matters of life and religion : which is the reafon, that he doth infift upon ic fo often. Among others, one great ufe is, to dfeem fome actions, which have been admired, and through ig- norance, thought miraculous and fupernatural • from fuvernatural and miraculous indeed : the decerning of which, of what moment it hath been, in Civil affairs, fomecimes ; and fometimes religious ; many pregnant examples might be produced. Another great ufe the ancient Fathers make of this fpeculation, is to convince thefluggifhnefsofmen, in the purfuic of Heaven, who fatter, or rather fool themfelves with a conceit of impof- fibiliry of performing what is required, and without which no Heaven can be attained 5 when they fee or may fee, fuch vifible examples of far greater performances for in things NATURAL. if for a lefs reward, God knows, by confhnt endeavours, and refolution. It is poilibie, the Reader may light up- on a book, tituled, A Treitie of Vfeand Ct-ftom. Ic is not in the Title, but might have been added ( as here ) in things T^atural, Civil, and 'Divine. That which gave occafion f o it, ( for I muft own it as mine, though fct out, without my name ) was : I was at that time much troubled, and as I thought injured, by what, in the law of this Realm, goes under the n^me of Cxftom ; to me, before, little known : and as the bufinefs run of- ten in my mind, ( riding efpecially, when I had nothing. elk to bufie my thoughts ) it brought in time many things into my mind, which I had read, and obferved, concerning cuftcm, in general ; till at hft it came to this, that was printed.* I needed not have owned it, fome may think ; and better fo, perchance : vet the thanks I have had for it, from fome, t«o whofe judgment I could not but afenbe much, beeaufe I knew th.m very conver- fant in the fhidy of Nature, whereof alfo they have given good proof to the pubiick ; L:th made me toadventme upon this acknowledgment. However, were it now to be reprinted, ( fuch is the largenefs of the fubject ) it might be htted for pubiick ufe much more, than ever it was. Now thofe things that areatchieved by Art and Study, though they m.tyfeem not fo properly Natural^ in that fenfe we take natural here ; yet as they are refer- red to the power of u[e a*d enftom ( a great myftery of Nature, in our fenfe x and che fubjecT of much admirati- on, as that Treacife will fnew them, who defire further fatisfadion about it) fo, they properly belong to this account. I MAY not, in this furvey of feveral heads, which ufually caufe admiration (I obferve no order, but take them as they offer themfelves ) I nuy not, I fay, omic the wonders of Ckymtfrj - by fome fo much doted upon, (nghc 1 6 Of Credulity and Incredulity, ( right Mountebancks, and cheaters in this ) that they would refer all mj/jttries and miracles, even of Religion unto it; and to that end, fetch the pedegree of it from God himfelf, in his holy word, ( much profaned and abufed by their ridiculous, fenfelefs applications, and interpretations : wherein, I think, one Robert Tlnd, of this Country, worthily for it chattifed by Gajfendus, hath exceeded, even to the "height of blafphemy ; all that I have read or heard of ) and after him, from sldam, from Solomon^ by fundry fabulous forged writings : and whom not? Trit'hemim^ that learned Abbot, and a great pretender to Mylteries himfelf, whofe inventi- ons have troubled fo many heads, to fo little purpofe hitherto; his judgment of it is, that par^m in fe conti- ttety prater verba, fraudes^ vAnitatem, dolofitatem^ and the like ; which he would have the necetfary attendants on it. What made him fo angry with it, I know not. For my part, I am bound to fpeak of the art it {d^ law- fully ufed, as by moll: learned Phyficians at this day, with all refpeft and gratitude, as owing my life, under God, to it. For when (it may do fome others good per- chance, to know it ) I was a young Student in Chrift- Church Cclledie, in Oxford^ in a grievous ficknefs ( it was thought, the Small Pox had (trucking I had two Phyficians, whereof, the worthy Profeflbr, Dr. Cleyton was one, the other, a young man, of St. Mzgdedens- Hall, or Colledge, as I remember ; ( by the appointment of my then Tutor, Dr. Meetkerk?,. fince that, Hebrew ProfefTor in Oxford ; and afterwards one of the Prebends of 'winch: fter, of ever dear and honoured memory to me. But my difeafe fo prevailed, it feems, that after a fort- night, or thereabouts, having been prayed for in the Church once or twice : at lair both my Phyficians came to my Tutor , and told him they had done what could be done by art : there was no hope left, but in Gods great power, in things NATURAL. 17 power, if he thought fitting : otherwife I had not many hours to live. Having thus taken their leaves, and left him very forrowful ; about one hour after ( this is the account J had from him, by word of mouth, and under his hand too ) thayounger Phyfician came to him again, Confirms to him what they had (aid before, when toge- ther, but withal, made a motion, if he thought fit, as in a defperate cafe, to try fome means, which poiYibly might do more than could be expeded, by ordinary ways. At the worft, I could die, but two or three hours before my time. The Voftor was at a itand 5 asked whether he might not fend to my friends, before, to London ^ of which famous Dr. Thorj was the chief, whom I was truited to, and who took care of me. To which being anfwered, that before the man could come to London, the bufinefs would certainly be over •, he gave way- and preferitly, Pills, or Potion, fomevhac was given me, which in lefs than twenty four hours, ( with Gods bleffing ) reftored me to fenfe, and fpeech - and from than time, I remember well, by what degrees I recovered. ] : or I was brought fo low before, that though prety chearful, ever fince ; it was a whole month at leail, after, before 1 could read in a- book, or (land well upon my legs ; to fay no more. Now, chat, what I took, was Come Ckjmicjl compofition, my Tattr told me, but no particulars of it, which I fuppo^e were not told him. Fori I never was fo happy, as to fee, or know him, that had been the Author of lb much good, under ( unto me •, who I think died foon after himfelf V neii 1 I fo much as give an account of his naine,tii! I c T>Lftor 3 s papers, which at prefent I cannot, averfe ibme are from C'-Jmlcal receipts : whi - from tncer Empirics t -mull needs be very d but from a man, that is well grounded in the do ftrange things. This example .therefore I the . would not be amifs, C 1 8 Of Credulity and Incredulity] I H A V E been much pleafed with the relation of divers e xperiments , which I have read in JQvfrcetantu, when I have found them confirmed by other fober wri- ters, that were not, or 3re not, meer Chymifts. For till then, I think a man may do well to tiifpend his faith. And I know that ^uercetanm himfelf, though very learned otherwife, lsiufpededfometimesby fome, who generally give him good refpeci, to impofe upon the Credulity of his Readers. How much more (rollius, Pa- ruceljm, and the like . ? I find learned Sennertut charged with noJefs then Atheifm, by more than one, for giving too much credit unto him : as particularly, concerning that, which they call, the fpiritaal rofe : that is, a- rofe (and if a rofe, why not any other plant, or flower ) by art, reduced into aihes, wherein the fubitance of the rofe (hall be fo preferved, that with a convenient heat applied, a fpiritttal rofe (hall arife, and appear in the glafs, like in all things to what it was before. Yet this is averred for a truth by fome, who profefs to have made frequent experiment before company. So Cjafardl, as I find him cited by others: but Gafarell is a man of very little authority with me-, (efpecially in fo great a thing) neither with any man, I think, that loves fobrie- ty. I have ground enough for what I fay. Had he, himfelf no intention to deceive 4 yet the Authors, whom hedothtruft, fuchas Cjaleftus, Thevet, fordan, (of whom more afterwards ) and his doting Rabbins, fuffi- ciently (hew, what a man of judgment he was. In the beginning of that Chapter, where he treats of the rofe, he tells us of another experiment, very well worth the knowing, if true, ( Cardan is his Author ) that a knife, being rubbed upon fome kind of Loadft6ne, or a point- ed inflrument ; the body may be cut, or run in, with- out any pain at all. It may be true, but I would have becter authority for jt, than Cardans - t that mndaclffi- in things NATURAL. 19 mus, by his own, and his friends acknowledgment : buc more likely to be falfe, becaufe not better known, or more inquired after. Eut the teftimony of a Jearned Phyfician of this Country, confirmed by a noble and learned Knight, doth much more move me. Neither are the arguments, brought againft the poflibility of iuch a thing, by thofe afore mentioned cenfurers, of any great weight with me. Why (hould it overthrow all Faith, ana all Religion, or be prejudicial to the power of God •, as though God, who is the Author of Nature, were not the Author of all wonders, brought to pafs by natural means? Indeed, in point of Philofophy, it mure needs be very ftrange, and in fome manner incredible ; becaufe of that known Axiome, A privation* adbab>tum, &c. But to conteft againft clear evidence, by Philofo- phi al Axiomes \ is as much aguinit. Philofophy, and Anftotle particularly, as any thing. Neither ( if true ) doih it b-iteof the wonder of the refurreBion, to me ; who ftill look upon the fame God, by his power the Au- thor of the one, as well as of the other. Neither is my Faith concerning the refurreftionot the dead, confirmed unto me by this experiment, ( if it be true, which I de- fire I may be allowed to fay, till I have feen it my felf, or fee more reafon to believe it ) which I thank God, doth re it upon becter grounds, than Chymical experi- ments ; but illufirated^ I will acknowledge, and fay, not a little. For as here, out of afb'S, fo there,- out of the^/?-. as here, the fame rofein fubitance, yet a >*- ritttal rofe ; fo there, the fame body in fubftance; but a fpiritual body : this, by fire h the och'er, I will not fay by fire, yet not without fire ^ when the Siemens* {ball melt with fervent heat •, and a new Earth, and new Hea- vens are promifed. So much for the poflibility of this noble experiment I can plead ; to which I add, that the fame that deride it, as impoilible, in point of reafon^ C 2 and 20 Of Credulity and Incredulity, and, as imp.ous to believe- yet grant the birth, and growing Qt a i ; lant in diftiUed wa:er, as poilible and true, wjuch to fome orders, may Teem as incr'dible. Yiiii on the other FA?, when I confider, that wfcat thefe write of plants and flitters ; others, write of mtttals and minerals, that they may be fo rejolved by art, tit in vitro injiar \rut%cts & ar'tufcuU, ejflorefcant & furrigantttr : it makes me to fufped the other the more. For iffuch things could be done, me-thinks they (hould be feen ofener than they are ; or rather, reported to be. It were a fight for Kings and Princes; not to be done in corners, and by men, who, lam lure, have been fo tripping in iefs matters. I make as much dtabtofthat which they cart, aurum datum , though by fome aver- red with much confidence. For if true, the invention and ufe of Gunpowder, would be little regarded, in comparifon. THEY that write of the wonders of nature, or natural magick, as they call it • bring into this account alio fome things that have been done by exquifite art, ape to caufe admiration, in the beholders, and incredible, or almoft incredible to them , that have k by relation only. Though art, and nature be com- n.only oppofed- yet Well may filch things be reckoned among the wonders of nature alfo, in more than one refped • whereof one may be, becaufe the Authors of fucji wonders mull be looked upon as helped, or fitted by nature, more than. art, if by arc at all. Such a o'ne is mentioned, a rulick by his profeflion and education, by iv remits , in his Mufaum ■. whofe pieces were admired by all, and by fome, he faith, thought to exceed bare art. Such were the works of Archimedes, that admirable man, whofe miracu- lous achievements, though brought to pafs by Art, lerepf himfelf hath left fufficienc evidences, to pofte- in things NATURAL: 21 pofterity) yet fo far furpaffing the reach and abilities ( for ought we can find ) of all that; have been fince him , in lb many ages fincc, that we muft needs think there was in him , znd his works, much more of nature, than art. What praife a late Architect ( Dowwiczu Fontwa ) got, for removing one of the Roman, or ^/E'ljftUn ra- ther Obelisk* -j from one fide of the Vatican Church, where it had flood a long time in Circo Neranls, to the other ; all books that treat of thefe things are full of it : as particularly, how long the Pope ( Sixtus the V. ) was, before he could get any body that would undertake it ; and how much the work v/as admired , ( and itill is ) when it was done • what inihuments were u fed ; what coll was be- llowed, and the like. It was, or is, an entire /lone, of 956148 pounds weight: 170 foot high, as for/ie write ; buc it may be a miftake of the Print : for others, whom I rather believe, fay but 107- befidcs the b .{is-, 37 foot high, i he manner, how it was done, is acurately fet down by Hmr. Monaniholhts, in his Commentaries upon Anfiotles j$f<.cpM*ick\ But what is this to what was performed by Archimedes, in his time ? Which things, though of themfelves, very i*f credible ; yet attefted at fuch a time, and by fuch witnef- fes, as they are, one may as well doubt, wheiher ever there was fuch a phce as Sjracufi, or fuch a man as Afar- ceUus-: not to fpeak of his own works, yet extant, which they that are able to underftand, or part of them, look upon with as much admiration, as ever thofe works of his were, by them that faw them. I cannot but laugh at the conceit of fome men, who think,that the ufe of Gunpow- der was known to Archimedes, and tha:,by the help of it, he did what he did, at the fiege o£Sj r acuft : fuch a con- ceit alfo hath Sir Walter Ra^lei^b, as I remember, C 3 of 22 Of Credulity and Incredulity, of Alexanders time-, but upon what grounds, I fhall not now enquire. But certainly, Archimedes his in- ventions are much undervalued by them, who think fuch things could be done by Gunpowder. Gunpowder in- deed in a Ship may blow it up, fuddenly : out of a Ship, may fink it, in time, if it be not too far. But to hoife a Ship, from the walls of the town, which were compaf- {cd by the Sea, at one end \ and then to plunge it to the bottom : nay, to make it dance in the air, and twirle ic about, to the horror, and amazement of all fpe&ators • and other things, more particularly defcribed by Pin- torch, and by Pdib'nts\ is more, I think, than can be afcribed to the power of Gunpowder. However, the wonder of Gunpowder, is 9 the firlt. invention, which was cafual, except the Devil ( which I do not belieye, becaufe lefs hurt is now done in fights, than was, when no Gunpowder was ) had a hand in it : what is now done by it, no man doth wonder at : but what Archimedes did, was begun, and carried on by Art, and an incom- parable brain, or wit, the gift of God, or nature only. AMONG other works of Archimedes^ one was a glafs Sphere •, fo CUudian of it, but, which is more likely, LaEtantitu faith of haft ; by both it is elegantly defcribed • by the one, in Verfe • by the other in Profe. This Sphere reprefented the motions ( we may be allowed to fpeak fo I hope, notwithstanding the new, or rather, in this, old revived Philofophy : for all men, I fee, are not yet perfwaded, nor like to be, to embrace Coperm- cus's opinion) of the Spheres,and Planets exactly ; of the Sun and Moon, efpecially, from which the divifion of days, and months, and years doth wholly depend. Here was matter ofadmiratisn, efpecially if he were the firfi, that ever attempted it. Of the truth, or poflibi- lity of this, no man doth doubt. But if it be true, which in things NATURAL, 23 which is written of another Sphere, found in the preci- ous Cabinet of C°f reeS > King of Perfta, when he was overcome ( after he had committed many horrible cruel- ties againft the Christians ) by Heracllus, the Roman Emperor, which not only reptefented the Spheres, and their motions, but alfo rained, lightned, and thundred : as I mufc acknowledge, that it furpaffed that of Archi- medes • fo I (hall take the liberty to doubt, whether any fuch cm be made, by meer Arc. Yet Scuk^dus, in his ferits of the Kings otTerfia, doth fpeak of one of a lat- ter date, made by* one S^ffl.rus Tubin : ienfis t not lefs admirable, which alfo exhibited a Rain- bow \ if many old men ( for, by a mifchance of fire, it was burned be- fore his time, it feems ) by him carefully examined about it ( he faith ) may be credited. I KNOW not by what chance, a Difcourfe hath fain into my hands, containing an excellent defcription of fome fuch Machina, called Horohpum Agronomic urn? which, as I guefs by the iali words, was to be feen in Germany, in the year of the Lord 1590* The words are; David IVodkenjiein, Vrat'fluvienfis, Site fas j Ma- themattimprefeffor, & Chori Muftci p raft Bus in Ariex- toratenfium Academla; Honeftifjimo & inteierrimo viro^ Domino Georgio Zolchero^ amiciiia & cbfervanti BUT, not the Theorems of the fcierxe, "but the works of Mathematicians ', was that we were upon, as a more proper objed ( more vifible, I am fare ) of admirati.n, and by confequent of Crcdnlitj and h credulity. Such were thofe admirable works of Archimedes we have be- fore fpoken of, and may have more'occafion perchance, in our Second Part ; and therefore fhall proceed no fur- ther in this fubje&. So we go on. THERE is not, I think, any thing more liable ( after monfters ) to popular admiration, than thofe things that grow in different Climats, or Countries. But, as it belongs to fools and children moft properly, to gaze, with no little wondring fometimes, at thofe that wear Cloaths and Apparel different from their own, or that, which they are ufed unto : (fome there be io (imple, that can fcarce believe them real men, endowed with the fame qualities of nature, if the difference of apparel be very great ) fo truly, to wonder much at any natural thing ; as plants, or beads, or the like, that are faid to grow, or live in any other part of the world ; or upon relation, fcarce to believe that to be truly exiflent, though we have good authority for it, which our own Country doth not afford , mull: needs argue great (im- purity and ignorance. What can be more different ( of things that are of one kind) than Europiav, and A/ia- tick^ Wheat, otherwife called Turl^/h-wheat? What if all, or moft other things did differ as much, the differ- ence of foil and climat confidered ; it were no great wonder, in point of Nature. I have both feen the pi- cture and narration of Lohflers, drawing men, not- withstanding in things NATURAL. lj withstanding their refinance, with arms in their hands; into the Sea, to eat them. I will notuponafingle tefti- mony, though I have no exceptions againft the relator, abfolutely believe that it is true i though I believe it pofiible. A flying Moufe, is no wonder in England ; why fhould I wonder at a flying Cat ( I do not mean an Owte ) if I have good authority tor it : I have Scaligert^ but that is not enough to make me believe it, though he name the place, except he faid lie had feen it, which he doth not. It is enough for me, that I believe it pof- fible ; and if it be true, when I know it, I fhall make no wonder of it. Since we know that the world is full of variety, ( none of the Ieaft of its ornaments, and an ar- gument of the Creators power, and wifdom ) why fhould we wonder at all, or make any difficulty to be- lieve, what doth only confirm unto us, what we know, that the world is full of variety ? But this kind of admi- ration, or unbelief, ( befides them I have fpoken of be- fore ) doth naturally belong to them, who never were out of their own Country, nor ever had the curiofity to read the travels of others ; upon whom Seneca paffeth this judgment ; Imperitum animal, homc^ qui circum- fcribttur nat alit \foli fine , which I may Englifh, That man is more an animal, than a man^ rvhofe knzVvledge doth not extend beyond the things of his own Country. But then, I fay, we mull: have good grounds for what we believe. For to believe every thing, that is reported or written, becaufeitispoffibie, or not at all ftrange, in cafe it be true-, doth argue as much weaknefs, as to believe no- thing, but what our felves have feen. But there will be a more proper place for this afterwards. Thefe things here fpoken of, might be referred alio to the power of ufe and cuftom before fpoken of, but in another fenfe. O F divers things, which are ordinary objects of ad- miration, and by consequent of Credulity and Incredulity , hath 28 Of Credulity and Incredulity, hath been fpoken hither ro : but the moil ordinary, is yet behind ; and that is, things that are f x pernor tural-, of which we may confider two kinds. Some things fo called, ( termed alfo natural # by fome, as was laid before ) becaufe no probable' natural rea- fon hach hitherto been found, or given, nor are apparently reducible to any of thofe former heads, before mentioned : though it is poilible, trrat time, and further experience may difcover more, and thac be found natural, in the ordinary fenfe -, which be- fore was judged fupematural. And again , fome things, which though cailed natural alio, by forne^ yet, not by ordinary men only, who may eaflly be deceived ; but by others alio, men of fame, and approved fobriery and fincerky, whole bufinefs it hath been all their life long, ( whether obliged by their profeirlon, or no ) to enquire into the ways, and works of nature, are deemed and efteemed, the actings of Devils, and Spirits immediately • or of men and women, a (lifted with their power , as their inftruments. But at this very mention of Devils and Spirits, I fee me-thinks, not a few, and among them, fome,* not only in their opinion, but in the opinion of many others, and by publick fame, learned and experienced men- fome, to re- coil with indignation ; others, gently to fmile, with fome kind of companion. Now if it may be rationally doubted, whether there be any fuch thing as Devils, or Spirits, and confequently fuch men, and women, as Magicians % and Sorcerers, and witches ; then there is as much reafon, to doubt of all thole parti- cular relations, which prefuppofe the operation of Spi- rits, whether by themfelves, immediately, or by their agents, and inflruments, Witches, and wizards. And indeed fo we find it commonly, that they that believe no m things NATURAL. 29 no Devils, nor Spirits^ do aJfo difcredit and refeftall relations, either ancient, or late, that cannqt with any colour of probability, or knack of wit, be reduced to natural cau/es 5 and that they that do not believe Witches and Wizards, feldom believe that there be De- vils, or Spirits. I might go further, according to the obfervation of many, both ancient and late : but I will ftop there. However, if not all Atheifts themfelves ( which I have more charity, than to believe ) yet it cannot be denied, but the opinion is very apt to pro- mote Atbtifwi and therefore earneftly promoted and countenanced by them, that are Atheifts. And indeed, that the denying of wircks^ to them that content them- felves in the fearch of truth with a fuperficiaJ view, is a very plaufible caufe ; it cannot be denied. For if any thing in the world, ( as we know ail things in the world are ) be liable to fraud, and impo- ilure, and innocent miftake, through weaknefs and fimplicity ; this fubjed: of Witches and Spirits is. When a man fhall read, or hear fuch a ftory, 3s Erafmus in his Colloquium, intituled Spettrum ( the thing was afted in England, as I remember ) doth relate : Who doth not find in himfelf a difpofition, for a while, to abfolute Incredulity in fuch things? And the world is full of fuch ftories ; fome, it may be, devifed of purpofe, either for fport, or of de- fign, to advance the opinion, in favour of Atheifm : but very many fo attefted, that he mull be an infidel, as can make any queftion of the truth. How ordinary is it to miftake natural melancholy ( not to fpeak of other difeafes ) for a Devil? And how much, too frequently, is both the dif- eafe increafed, or made incurable ; and the miftake confirmed, by many ignorant Minifters, who take every wild motion , or pLanfte , for a 30 ' Of Credulity and Incredulity , afuggeftionoftheDevil ? Whereas, in fuch a cafe, it fhould be the care of wife friends, to apply themfelves to the Phyfician of the body, and not to entertain the other, ( I fpea^ it of natural melancholy ) who probably may do more hurt, than good ■, but as the learned Natu- ralifc doth allow, and advife ? Excellent is the advice and counfel in this kind, of the Author of the book de morbo Sacro attributed to Hippocrates, which I could wifh all men were bound to read, before they take upon them to vifit fick folks, that are troubled with melancholy dif- eafes. But on the other fide, it cannot be denied, be- cause 1 fee learned -Phyficians are of that opinion, and vifible erTe&s do evince k; but that the Devil doth im~ tnijcere fe, in feveral difeafes : whereof Sir Theodore iMayerve, ( whom I think for ftrange and even miracu- lous cures, I may call the *s£fculapius of his time, and do no body wrong ) gave me a notable inftance, con- cerning a maid in his houfe, that had been bitten by a mad Dog, which alfo died of it : to whom when he came in a morning, with a Looking- glafs (to make trial of what he had read, but not yet experienced himfelf ) un- der his gown ; before he was in the room, fhe began to cry out, • and told him what it was he had about him. But I leave a further account of it to his own learned and vo- luminous Obfervations, which I hope they that have in- herited that vaft eftate, will not envy to pofterity. Yet I know there be Phyficians too, that would make us be- lieve, that bare melancholy, will make men, or women prophefie, and fpeak ftrange -languages, as Latine, Greek, Hebrew ^ ( of all which there be fundry unque- ftionable inflances ) but fuch are looked upon, by others of their profeflion, the far greater, and every way, much more considerable number, as Hereticks in that point. But becaufe the matter is liable to miftakes, and impoiture, hence to infer and conclude, there is no fuch thing, in things NATURAL. 31 thing, as either Witches, or Spirits ; there is no truth, but may be denied upon the fame ground, fince it is cer- tain, there is no truth, no nor vertve^ but is attended with a counterfeit, often miftaken for the true •, as by divers Ancients, both Hiftorians, and Philofophers> is obferved, and by fundry pregnant inftances confirmed ^ whereof I have given a further account in my Latine notes upon Antoninvu, the Reman Emperor, his incom- parable ( I muft except thole of our late Gracious Sove- reign, and Gods glorious Martyr) moral Meditati- ons. NOW whereas I faid but now, they that did not be- lieve there be Witches, or Spirits, did generally difcre- dit, and rejed fuch relations, either ancient or late, as cannot with any colour of probability or knack of wit, be reduced to natural caufes : it is true, generally they do.- But fee the contradictions, and confufions of a falfe opinion, and arTeded Angularity. For fome of them of a more tender mould, being convided by fre- quent experience, of the truth of thofe operations, by others accounted (upernatnral, or diabolic al\ and yet, it feems, not willing to recant their error of the non-ex- iftencc, of Witches and Spirits, which perchance had got them ( the thing, certainly, that divers aim at ) the re- putation of difcerning able men, above the ordinary rate of men- to maintain their reputation, theydevifed a way, how not to recede from their former opinion, and yet not deny that, which they thought ( it is their own acknowledgment ) could not be denied, but by wad-men • that is, [uper natural (generally fo called) operations.- Howfo? Why, they tell us, that all men, good or bad, learned and unlearned; by the very con. ftitution of their foul, and the power and efficacy of a na- tural faith, or confidence, may work all thofe things, that we call miracles, or fupirnatard operations. This was 3 2 Of Credulity and Incredulity, was the opinion of one Ferrerius, a later, and learned Phyfician in Trance, whom I have had occafion, but up- on this very fubject, elfewhere to fpeak of. How many more befides him, did efpoufe the fame opinion, (for he was a man of great credit, as by Thuanus his relation doth appear ) I know not. Now becaufe I never heard, neither is it alledged by any other, that I have read, that this man, or any that were of his opinion, did ever attempt to do miracles, which certainly they would have done, had they had any confidence in their opinion ; May not any man probably conclude from thence, that they maintained, what they knew in their own confeience to be falfe : or by Gods juft judgment, for not fubmitting their reafon to his Revetted Word, and the ordinary maxims of Religion, were furTered to entertain fuch opinions, as muft needs argue fome kind of deliration and infatuation ? BUT if the Reader will have the patience of a fhort digreflion, I will tell him a ftory, concerning this Auge. rius^ or, as Bo din writes \\\vo,Ogerim, which may be worth his hearing ; not becaufe it is ftrange, which is not mybufinefs, properly, but becaufe it is not imper- tinent to what we drive at, truth, 1 here was, it feems, at Tholoxfe in France, where this man lived and died, a fair houfe, in a convenient place, which was haunted, and for that reafon, to be hired for a very final I rent. This houfe, Augernu ( as once Athenodoriu, the Philo- fopher, did at Athens) not giving perchance any great credit to the report, did adventure upon. But rind- ing it more troublefome, than he did expect, and hear- ing of a Portugal Scholar in the town, who in the nail of a young boy, ( it is a kind of Divination, we fhall fpeak of, in due place ) could Ihew hidden things, agreed with him. A young girle was to look. She told, fhe faw a woman cur ioufly clad, with precious chains, and gold: in things NATURAL. 33 gold : which Hood an a certain pflier in the Cellar, ( the place, it feems, chiefly haunted) having a Torch in her hand. Hereupon the Portugal's advice to the Vh) fician, was, he fhould have the ground digged, juft in thac place ; for that, certainly there was fome treafure there. The Phyfician had fo much faith, it feems, as to believe him, and prefently takes care for the execution. But when they were even come to the treafure, as they thought, or whatever it was ; a fudden whirle-wind puts out the Candles, and going out of the Chimney, (//>*- racnlum celU y the Latins Tranllation calls it : which may be underilood of a Store-houfe, in any part of the Houfe, or a Cellar, or Vault: I live in a Houfe built upon a Vault, which once had a Chimney) battered fome 14 foot of battlement in the next houfe, whereof pare fell upon the porch of the houfe ^ part upon the laid Chimney, and part upon a (tone-pitcher, or water- pot, that was carried by a woman, and brake it. From that time, all annoyance of Spirits, ceafed in that houfe. When the Tortugal was told, what had happened, he faid, The Devil had carried away the treafure, and chat he wondred the Phyfician had no hurt. Bodintu, my Author, faith, The Phyfician himfelf told him the ftory, two days after ; who prefently after ( Bodinm y I mean ) went to fee the ruines, and found it as he was told. And this, faith he, happened in a very clear calm day, as at the befl time of the year, though it was the 15 December, 1558. By the Dedicatory Epiflle, in my Edition, Bodlnm firft fet out his book 1 579 : Angc- rm died, 1588-. There .arofe fome difference, k fcems, between Bodinm^ and this Augerkts, before he died, as Th nanus doth tell us. But whether friends , or foes , ( though here, Augeritis is (tiled by him, McdUm DMiJfimus ; and a little before, where he i peaks of his opinion , P vir 34 Of Credulity and Incredulity, z'ir dotlm ) no man, I think, can rationally have the leafb fufpition, that Bodinm, vipon the very place, where the thing happened, which could not be long concealed from publick knowledge, durft, or could relate it in any par- ticular, otherwife, than as it was generally known in all the Town, to have happened, and Amgerws himfei; had made relation to him. And this tfiras the man, who no: able otherwife to avoid Spirits and fopernatnral operati- ons, which as to the matter of fact, he doth acknow- ledge, and thinks it a kind of madnefs to deny them; did take upon him to devife and maintain, that all men naturally; learned and unlearned, were in a capacity to do miracles by their faith. 1 wifh the Reader would take the pains to perufe that whole Chapter of his, De Homirica Curatioxe, as he doth call it, to fee, how that learned man doth labour miferably to come off, with any probability, with his mad project 5 which yet, he pro- fefleth, he did not haftily, or unadvifedly fall upon ; but, cum toto anim$ ac ftudio omnt [ in earn cogitatio- nem ] mcumbertm, as himlelf fpeaketh. A good cave- at, 1 think, to others, how they entertain new opini- ons. Yet, I cannot abfolutely fay, that he was the fir ft Author of this mad device. The Entbufiafiick Arabs long before, (we have given an account of them, elfe- where ) did broach fome fuch thing ; which by Cornelius Agrippa, is largely explained and maintained in his books, T)e occulta Philofopbia : bnt neither by the Arabs, nor by fir tuli ax >i$ this power given to allmen in general, Lamed, and unlearned • but to them only, who by con- ftant ftudy and fpeculation in thefe myftical arts, ( in ve- ry truth, Biaboical, and fo acknowledged, in effect, by Cornelius himfelf, in his folemn recantation in his books, De Vanitate Scientiarum ; though not be- lieved by all men, to have been fofincere, as it fhould have been ) have refined their Souls to fuch a degree of perfe- in things NATURAL. 35* perfection, as much exceeds the bounds of ordinary hu- manity. But, neither were thefe ever famed for won- ders, or miracles done by them, that I remember, whe- ther Araks, or others. Ancient Magicians, as Porphy- rins, Umblicm, and the reft ; did profefs to deal by Spirits: So later Magicians, Agrippa and others- and TrithcmiHs, in his anfwers to the queftions, propofed unto him, as the man then in Europe, beft able to re- folve him, by Maximilian, the Emperor, concerning the power of Witches, &c. doth much inveigh' againit the malice, wickednefs, and fraudulency of thofe Spirits, And thofe few fet afide, a? J#ipp* 9 trtihiniiw, . and ibme others ( of whof'e great ads neve'rthelefs, I find bun little recorded) it is well known, that fuch as we call fuperndfurat, not Divine operations, have in all ages, fince thofe ancienter Magicians, been wi ought by men and women, who were altogether illiterate, and for their lives, moft infamous. A S for them, who allow and acknowledge fuperna- turd operationsby Devils and Spirits, as h ' ier'ms • who tells as many ftrange ftories of them, and as incredible, as are to be found in any book ; but flick at the bufinefs of ivitcfas only, whom they would not have thought the Authors of thofe mifchiefs, that are ufually laid to their charge, but the Devil only •, though this opinion may feem to fome, to have more of charity, than Incre- dulity \ yet the contrary will eafily appear to them, that (hall look into it more carefully - as by that little we fhallfayof it afterwards, any indifferent man may be fatisfied. And though it is much, that he doth grant, andnofmall part of what we drive at, when he doth ac- knowledge fupernatural operations, by Devils and Spi- rits, as we laid before : and that he had not the confi- dence, though his project of acquitting Witches from all crime, might tempt him to oppofehimfelf to the be- D z UeS 3 6 Of Credulity and Incredulity] lief (grounded upon daily experience ) of all ages, of all men, fome few excepted ; neverthelefs, I cannot but look upon the opinion he doth maintain, as grofs, and notorious incredulity > 9 and of very pernicious confe- quence , and therefore, think my felf bound to enquire into it a little further, before I proceed to other mat- ter. M Y firft argument, or obfervation fhall be, concert- fm generis humani. For, that fome few here and there diffent, ifanylhould object them againft the univerfal confent of men ^ be may as well objed, that the earth is not round, be caufe there be many hills, and valleys in mod part of the world. Now this reafon from the generality of mens belief all the world over, mult be of great weight to engage ours, except there be mani- feft reafon to the contrary. Ariftotle doth acknowledge it, a man otherwife not over-credulous, or addicted to popular opinions ; "o Tmn a*h, »*■» (?t*i 9»^\ £uth he ; What all men believe, we may fay, is truth. And what ufe hath been made by ancient Heathens and others, of this general confent of mankind, to prove that there is a God, is well known. It is very ufual with many, when they have fome ftrange opinion to broach, to tell us of fome erroneous perfwafion, which hath long prevailed among men 5 as, that thread bare example of the Anti* ■pedes, which once to believe, was herdfie ; to which fome others may be added. But in this particular, how impertinent fuch allegations are, who doth not fee ? For it is one thing by fome authority of man, or proba- bility of reafon, to be milled into an opinion, determi- nable more by (peculation^ than experience ; or, if by experience, yet rare, and difficult, and wherein few men are concerned, as to matter of life : In fuch a cafe, if the error be never fo general, ic is no wonder. But in a cafe of this nature, as tFttches ( to which we add, Spirits s in things NATURAL: 37 Spirits, in general, and fupcmatural operations ) which doth moftly depend, tfpecially where learning is r.oc of daily experience, and wherein mens lives and for- tunes are fo much concerned : to be milled in this, and from age to age, to continue in the error, is a ftrange thing indeed, if not a meer impoftibility. The world is much wider now ( as to Knowledge ) than it hath been formerly : and therefore the content of it fo much the more considerable. I have ( as all men, I think have that are any thing curious ) read feveral relations of all the known parts of the world, written by men of feveral Nations, and Profeflions, learned and unlearn- ed, in divers languages : by men of feveral ages, anci- ent and late : I do fcarce remember any fhort, or long, but doth afford fomewhat to the confirmation of this truth ^ but in moil, I remember well to have met with very particular accounts and relations of Witches and Sorcerers •, ftrange divinations, predictions, operati- ons, whereof the relators, many of them, men of fe- veral Nations and profeflions, Papifts and Proteftants, who probably never heard of one another, profefs them- felvcs to have been eye-witneffes. NOW if we confine our felves to this oneJpart of the world, which we call Europe, to which one part all learning feemeth now to be in a manner confined ^ which, within this hundred, or two hundred years, hath produced fo many able men of all profeflions j Divines, Lawyers, Phyficians, and Philofophers • Papiits and Pro- teftants ; thofe few men excepted, who may foon be na- med all, known by their writing, to have diffented 3 Who is there among them all, who hath not, pro re *at a, and as occafion ferved, born teftimony to this truth , or caufe > But how many are there, of moil: Kingdoms, Cjermanes, High mi Low, French, Englijh, Spani/h \ not to kek D 3 further ^ 38 Of Credulity and Incredulity, further; of all profeffions that have written of this fub- jedt, pleaded it, by reafon and experience, and all kind of proofs-, anfwered all objections, and pretenfons : fome whereof, learned and grave, have had the exami- nation of perfons, men and women accufed for thofe wicked practices in great number. NickUta Remigins, a man both pious and learned, ( I wifh covetous Printers had not bereaved us of his excellent Poetry, in many Editions ) in his books of Demonolatrie, doth profefs, within the fpace offixteen years, to have had the exami- nation of near 2coo, whereof 900 were condemned to death. We may fay the fame, or there-abouts, I think, otGrillandiu^ not to mention others. That fo many, v/ife and difcreet, well verfed in that fubject, could be fo horribly deceived, Sgainft their wills ; or fo impious, fo cruel, as wilfully to have a hand in the condemnation of fo many Innocents ; or again, wilfully, in the face of the Sun, and" in defiance to God, byfo manyfalfe rela- tions, to abufe all men, prefenr, and future ^ what man can believe. 1 heir chiefeft evafion, who are, or would feem to be of a contrary opinion , is, what a flrange thing a depraved fancy, or imagination is • how eafily it may repreient to it (q\l Devils, and Spirits • Sorce- ries and inchantments, and, God knows what : which things, commonly talked of, among ordinary people, efpecially, asmany other things are-, though they have no real being, yet may make great impreilions in the brain, and offer themfelves in ileep, or when the brain is fide, and out of temper, by melancholy efpecially. Or, iftheybeof fVierim his opinion, what advantage the Devilmzy make of a fick brain, to make filly poor women believe, that they have done things, which they never did, nor could. And this, when they have pro- ved by two or three examples ( or fay twenty, or more ; for it is no hard bufinefs ) they think they have done much. in things NATURAL. 39 much. But what reafon have they, to think this fucb a myitery, that none of thofe, th.it have had to do with Witches, and Sortfrers^ ever heard of anyfuch thing; and wouid not well confider it, before they paffed any judgment ? But what if more than one, ten, or twenty perchance, ( it hath been fo fometimes) have been aclors, or accefTories in fotne one execrable bufinefs, and, upon fufpition, being feverally examined, are found to agree inonetaie; to have been thus and thus incouraged, af- filed, by Spirits -, to havea&ed fuchandfuch things - met in fuch places,. at fuch times - 9 which things, ac- companied with notable circumftances, are found upon examination to be true, in all points and particulars ? What if others, men and women, be convi&ed by the depofition of fundry creditable witnefies, upon fome fudden quarrel, or old grudge j To have curfed, and threatned, thus and thus ., men or cattle ^ and that it hath happened accordingly : Strange deaths, ftrange difeafes, ftrange unnatural, unufual accidents, have en- fiied : can all this be, the eifecls of a depraved fancy ? Or what, when fu. ha houfe, Inch a parifli hath been troubled with fuch unufual accidents; if all thofe acci- dents, immediately ceafe, upon the arraignment and ex- ecution of fome, that are fufpected, and have confeffed, ( though it doth not always fo fall out, that they con- lefs, which may be fome argument of their repentance, which, I fear, is not very ufual) {hall we impute all this to a depraved fancy, or imagination : or fay, with Witrini^ that ail this is done by the Devil only, to bring poor innocent women to deftru&ion. And that God doth furTer thefe things, to punifh ( but more of that by and by ) the credulity of men ? Truly, as I can be- lieve, that fome men, innocently, for want of experi- ence and good information, may hold fuch an opinion, which of the two,they conceive moll charitable ; fo, that D4 ™y 40 Of Credulity and heft dulity] any man of ordinary capacity, that hath taken pains to inform himfelf, can really, without fome great and fe- cret Judgment of God, perfift in it, is tome almofr *'»- cred'Me ; or not lefs ftrange than any of thefe fuperna- tural operations, wWcfa ordinarily caufe moil admira- tion. THEN, if a man eonfider, what kind of men, for the moll part, they have been, who have taken upon them, to oppofe the belief of mankind, or univerfiiity of men, concerning Witches, &c. fome notorious Atheifts, as PomponatitM, Vaximus, &c. others, confi- dent, illiterate wretches, as one of this Country, Regt- v*!dScot y and the like ^ he will think, certainly, that if the caufe be no better, than the Patrons, it cannot be very good, nor fee any reafon at all to embrace k. But I mull not let Reginald Scot pafs fo, without a further account for their (likes ( if any ) that have a better opi- nion of him, though otherwife, a very inconfiderable man. His book, I mufl confefs, I never had, nor ever read-, but as I have found it by chance, where I have been, in friends houfes, or Book fellers (hops ^ and, as the manner is., caft my eyes, here and there ; by which perfunctory kind of talk, Iamfure, I»hadno temptati- on to read much of him. I do not, therefore, take up- on me to fudge of him, by what I have read of him my felf, which being fo little, might deceive me ; but by what I have read of him, in others, whom I know to have been learned, and judicious, and of great modera- tion and candor, in judging, even of enemies. This, I hope, I may fpe.tk without offence, or contradiction, of one, whofe furname, notwkhftanding the vaft dif- ference of their worth, comes fomewhat near ( for I know, that obfervations have been made, even upon namss ' to the others chriitian-name ; and that is, Do- ^QtRjnoids when he lived, as I take it, Regins f™- in things NATURAL: 41 fcffor of Divinity, in the Univerftty of Oxford: who it feems upon the report the man had got among the vul- gar, had the curiofity ( a right hettuo libromm, as any was in his time) to read him. He doth mention him more than once, or twice, in thole learned, and elaborate Pra- Idlionesot his upon the Apocrypha ^ and no: only name him, but takes notice of many particular paffages, and confutes them •, or rather, makes himfelf and his Audi- tors ( now Readers ) fport with them, but always admi- ring the unparallel'd boldnefs, and impertinence of the man. Of all the books he doth mention, in thofe large and elaborate Trelettions, I do not remember any whom he doth cenfure with more fcorn and indignation. Nei- ther is Dr. Reynolds the only man I have read, that doth cenfure him : I could name two or three more, if it were tarn, or worth the while. And what might not we ex- pect from a man, who reckons Plutarch, and Pliny ( fo I find him quoted ) among the Fathers of the Church : and Leonardum Vairum, a late Spaniard, who hath written three books, D* fafcino, or Incantatione, ( I have him nor, but in French ) and ftiles himfelf Bemventanum, Ordinis SanEii Benedlclini.Qr Priorcm Abbatia ejfifdem, in Italia : makes him, I fay, either a Proteftant, or an ancient Fa- ther : But thefe things we may laugh at, i^ thefe were his great eit. errors •, concerning which, they that deflre to know more, may find enough in that learned piece be- fore mentioned. A S I was upon this, and had even written, or rather J, ( for I had ended this firfi fart, and was now, writing it out, as fail; as my weak condition would give me leave ) written out fo far : a worthy learned friend, whofe judg- ment and communication in ail kind ofli:erature,wherein he is very expertj much value,brought me a book entitu- led,^ Philosophical endeavour, in the defence of the biing of Witches and Apparitions, againft Droller] & Atheifm,l66S. Glad 42 Of Credulity and Incredulity, Glad was I, to fee the book, who am a frranger to all new books, except it be by fome chance, thefe many years -, and I was not long, before I had run it over. I was glad to find, that we agree fo well in our account, both in this particular of Reginald Scots, and of Witches in general, though in different ways. He Philosophi- cally, and fubtilly : I, more popularly and plainly -, yet I hope, not lefsufefully. As for his particular opini- ons, or conjectures, we may take further time to con- fider of them. His zeal againft the Scoffers and Drollers of the time, as he doth call them ^ that is, againft Atbeifm, which now paffeth commonly, but moll: faife- Jy, and among them only, who want true wit, and foli- dity ., for wit and gallantry, I do much applaud. So much of it, ( the book I mean ) if not to fadsfie others, yet my friend, who did help me to the fight of it. BUT wierim was a learned man, a Phyfician by his profedion, who neither wanted wit, nor experience. 1 hey that have read his other book, De Limits, ( which I never faw ) lay to his charge, that he is not conftant in his opinion : fure I am, in. his book De praftigizs, &c. he doth fiiew much inconfiftency •, and fometimes, no fmall conflict and repugnancy, as a man that is much put to it, and doth not know what to fay. For example, where he doth argue, whether men or women, Sorce- rers and PPiuhes, may become unfenfible to any tor- ments, inflicted by Magiftrates •, at firft, he doth deli- ver it affirmatively, that they may •, and wickedly, or unadvifedly, ( as elfewhere frequently, for which he is much condemned, and cenfured by fome, to have writ- ten more in favour of Spirits, than women ) doth kt down fome charms, that ( he faith, or may be fo under- ftood ) will doit. But then immediately, he doth pro- pofe fomethings to the end, that what he hath delivered before as true and certain, mighc be queftioned and , deemed in things NATURAL. 43 deemed rather ridiculous and falfe, than true, or cre- dible. For ( faith he, as though any man, acquainted with the world, or the Scriptures, could not have an- swered it) all powers are of God : it is not likely, that God will give fo much power to D.vils, as to hinder the courfe of Juftice. A great argument indeed, of Gods power, and providence over the world, that though he doth it fometimes, to make us the more fen- fible, and thankful ; yet he doth it not often. Second- ly, becaufe God, as he is juft, will not have wicived actions ( a great and invincible argument, that there is a time and place of rewards, befid?s this prefent world ) to pafs unpunifhed. Yet for all this, his conclufionat laft is : ( Sed tamen hominum impietate fie w? rente, I Ap- ia h can fuch a little quantity of bloud, as a C 'hickj n, or a prick*- finger can afford, fo fud- denly penetrate fo high, as t»h? skies, to worl^/uch an fjf #'? Yet if a man doth well obferve his words, it will appear, that Seneca did more incline himfelf to believe it, and fo doth propofe it to us, rather as a thing true, than otherwife. For after he had* faid, that men in the examination of the caufe, were divided ; fome, as became very wife men ( that is his word ) abfolutely denying , that any fuch thing could be, that men fhould covenant with the Snow, and with fenJl prefents pacifie tempefts , ( though , faith he, 5 8 Of Credulity and Incredulity] he, It is well known, that the Gods thcm[ehes are over- come Veith gifts \ for, towbatendelfe, are all their facrifi* ces?) Others thinking, that there was in bloud, natu- rally, fome kind of efficacy to repel, and avert a cloud; he doth further add, what he knew would be objected by others -, but how can, info little bloud, be fo great force, as to pierce the clouds, and to make them fenfible of its power ? After this, knowing, and tacitly ground- ing, there was no arguing the pofiibility* of a thing by reafon, againft certain evidence ; for which in this cafe there was fo much to be faid : How much more fafe, and ready would it be, ( faith he ) barely to fay, It is a lye, an arrant lye ; it cannot be. And then go on : But ac Cltonis, they were wont to punifh them fever el y, who had charge to prevent the tempeir, if through their neg- ligence, either their Vines, or their Corn had furfered. /* our XII. Talles alfo, ( the old Roman-law ) there Was a lato againft them, whofoouU by any k^nd of inchantment y hurt, or deflrcy other mens Com. To what end all this, think we, but to make it appear, that if evidence would carry it, there was enough to perfwade us, the report of Cleonis was true enough. Yet after, ail this, fearing he had gone too far, to expofe himfelf to the ludibrium, or derifion of thofe faptentiffimi, or Wonderful wife mm y who would believe nothing to be true, ( the clear pro- feilion of the Epicureans of thofe days ) the caufe where- of they could not underftand- to make fome amends, he ends his difcourfe in the reproof, as it were, of rude ignorant antiquity, that could believe fuch things, as that there wer*e Charms or Spells for the Rain, to be procured, or put back : which, faith he, is fo clearly impoiTible, that we need not go to Philosophers, to know their opinion. , A S for Seneca s meaning, whe .her I be in the right, or no, I fnail not think my felf much concerned ; let evory in things NA TURAL. 5*9 every man after diligent perufing of his words, judge us he pleafeth. Though this more, to make my inter- pretation of his words, more probable, I have to fay, that it doth appear by other places, how fearful he was to utter any thing in this kind, that was not generally believed, though himfelf, in all probability, made little or no que/Hon of the truth. See but immediately be- fore, how tenderly he doth propofe, and not without an Apology for himfelf, left he might be thought ferioufly to believe it, ( which alfo made Ovid fo fearful, though himfelf an eye-witnefs, to write it ) that the Northern Seas are wont to freez, or to congeal, in the Winter- time.- Let alfo Pliny 'swords be co nfidered, concerning this very thing \ not the place, but the thing : There be Spells againft Hnil, faith he, and Difeafes, and ( ambu- jta, which he alfo cA\s, ambuff tones ; that is, m/eA*»« ) burnings : fome of which have been tried', ( or, by expe- rience, approved true ) Sedprodendo, obflat ingemvere- cptndia : that is, but to fet down particularly, a mar- ve lid its foame ( or fear ) doth hinder me, as well knowing the different opinions of men. L?t every man therefore thinks of thefe things, as himfelf pleafeth. So Pliny : whereby doth appear, that he duflft not fpeak what he thought, and believed, left he Should undergo the re- proach ( thofe Wonderful wife Epicureans | Pliny himfelf, a great favourer of their Se&; being very numerous", and in great credit in thofe times ) of a writer of. tales. But, as I faid before, let Seneca's meaning be whatic will ; as to the thing it klf, though I will not undertake tor the truth of it, according to every circumftance of Seneca s relation, partly becaufe I never faw the of that City my -(elf, which haply Seneca did.-, and partly becaufe Plutarch, who , doth mention thofe, Ifefctfefb'toutf, or obfervers of Hail, doth not name any place, andinfteadofchebloudofaX^w^orC^Vi, doth mention 60 Of Credulity and Incredulity] mention another kind of bloud : yet that there is nofuch impojjibility in the relation, but that it might be very true ; fofar I dare undertake, and I hope to make ic good. Neither will it appear incredible to any man, who inflead of a natural, will but allow us a fnpematw r*/caufe. But firft let us fee what we can fay, for the truth, or probability of the fate, or thing ; and then let the Reader judge, what may probably be the caufe. It feemeth that very anciently, fuch an opinion hath been among men, Romans and Grecians, that by fome Ma- gicle or fuper natural art, ( for the Devil was not io well known, inthofe days, though Demons, which was an ambiguous word, as elfewhere I have fhewed, were) Grange things might be wrought, as in the air, fo up- on the land, to further or hinder the fruies of theEartfu Empedocles, anciently, a notorious Magician, became very famous for his skill in that kind, ever fince he help- ed the Athenians, when by unfeafonable winds, all their Corn was like to mifcarry ; as Latrtius, and others, bear witnefs : from which time and thing, he got -the title of Ku\u:fra>;t ine the Great, a Chriftian Empe- ror, when he made Laws againfl inchxntmenti • he doth except thofe, that were for the preservation of the fruits of the Earth, and thofe that were made, or ufed again!! H4i7, particularly : Cod. I. 9. tit. 18. inferibed, D? \jMo- leficis, &M veis\ which, according to theftile of thofe days, was as much as magi*. In the fourth Chapter, or Paragraph, Be magi*-, thefe words are; N a I lis vera criminaticnibtts impfka^dafunt remedia, hw wants auajita corp/jribns, ant in agreftibus locis, innocent et adhibit* fujfragia : ( Some might by that word per- chance, understand Eccftjlaft.caf prajers ; but here of necefticy, Magical Spells and Charms, rnuft be under- stood, which he doth excufe only, for the good that they do ) ne n.aturis vindemiu metuercntur imbres, ant venti, grandinif:. itionf c]Uaterext»r : qmbus non ctt)ufquam fains autafiimario fader etur^ fed quorum profi- cerent aVtus, ne div'wamur.ira, & fabcres heminum .fter- nertntur. XthinklfeU not need to Englifh this, be- caufe the fubitance of iz is already expreiTed. Neither did thirLaw die with Cv-ftantinc\ for it was renewed by 6 4 Of Credulity and Incredulity] by fome Emperors after him, though at Jaft, as it well deferved, repealed and abrogated. And God forbid, any fuch thing fhould ever be allowed in any place, that pretends to Chriftianity. For befides that we rnuft noc do evil that good may come of it ; where fuch wicked pra- ctices are luffered, though fome prefenc benefit maybe reaped for a while, yet the curfe of God will be found, fooner or later, to light upon the place $ and for fome; benefit, unjuftlypurchufed, many mifchiefs, (if not ut- ter destruction, through Gods jufl judgment ) will en- fue. However, that the opinion of mifchief, done by Witches and Magicians, by itorms of Hail particularly, did continue long after Conftantine's law was repealed, may appear by laws madeagainft them in after ages : as particularly by Lodovicas, King of France, and Emperor ofgermauy, his Additions to the Capitnla made by him, and his father Charles the Great, Add. II. c. iS.de diver- fis malorum ( fo printed, but Magorum certainly is the I THINK by this that hath been faid, it will noc feem ftrange, that any Town, in thofe Heathenifti times, fhould have fuch officers, as from their office fhouldbe called x«\«f^W,, r Hail observers'* efpeci- aJJy, when Seneca doth in a manner appeal to publick records. But that fuch a device, the blond of a Lamb, of a Chick, or a prickt-finger, fhould have fuch operati- on, as to prevent the danger , may be a wonder indeed, yea, an incredible thing to them that do not know, or be- lieve there be fuch creatures, as Devils and Spirits in the world ; whofe delight is, to abufe mankind with fuch fopperies, that whileft men afcribe the efficacy to fome outward things, they may Ids fufpeft themfelves, or be fufpeded by others, to work by unlawful means, and get an ill name, if no other puniftiment for it. LEONARD Fair, in his book of Charms, hath a in things NATURAL. 6$ a relation of a ftrange cuitom, in fome places, very well known to him, it feems ^ for he fpeaks of it with much indignation ^ ( in Spain or Italy, we may be fure ) which cuftom is 5 when Country-people will drive Graftiop- pers, or any iuch hurtful Vermin (frequent in that Country, probably ) out of their grounds 5 they hire a Conjurer for Judge, and two Advocates ; the one to plead the caufe of the Vermin, the other of the people, which folemnly performed, at lait, fentence of Excom- munication is pronounced againlt the Vermin. Thus the Devil, by his inftruments, Conjurers and Setla^ies, doth endeavour to bring the moft folemn Ceremonies of the Church, even the Sacraments (whereof examples in books of this argument are very obvious ) into contempt, Vair doth not tell us, with what fuccefs: but by what we (hall obferve in due place, as occafion doth offer it jfelf; the Reader will yield it very probable, that it is not, fometimes at leaft, without fuccefs ^ and how little reafon any man hath to be fcandalized at fuch things, (hall be fully argued, before we end this firft part* But it would pieafe fome, better perchance, cohear offome- what meerly natural, that (houldhave, or be reported to have the fame effecT, which we afLribe to the power o£ D.vilf and Spirits. I have fome Authors for it, but believe it who will, ( though I profefs to believe much of the vertues of Plants and Minerals, if Coral may be reckoned among them ) that red Corals have the fame property : and that in Cjermanj, many husbandmen, up- on approved experience, will after fowing, here and there, but efpecially in the borders of their grounds, fcatter fome little broken pieces of red Corals and by chat means prefer ve their own from all hurt, when their neighbours grounds, round about, are much annoyed by the violence of either Hail or Thunder. My Author, as I take it , is a German himfeif ; he F might 66 Of Credulity and Incredulity] might eafily have known the truth. He makes himfelf a great peregrinator, to fatishe his Curiofity, or improve his knowledge in natural things. Such a thing as this, me-thinks, had he had any hopes to find it true, might have been worth his labour, though he had rode many miles, and he might have had the thanks and blefiings of many for fuch a difcovery, had it been certain. This makes me very much to fufpeft, if not affirm, that it is but a tale. I have read of women too, fomewhere, who upon fuch occafions, ufe to cattup fait in the air, which Is more probable : but with what fuccefs, or upon what ground, I can give no account. BUT if after all this, not yet fully fatisfied with fuch inftances, as the old known world 'hath afforded, we will taxe the pains, to fearch the Records of the new world, there we fhall meet with Seneca's cafe very pun- ctually ; the blond of men offered unto Devils (their Gods ) to preferve their Corn, and other fruits, from Hiil-ftorms, and Tempefts. Witnefs Petrus Martyr MedioLmenjis^ Be Infulis nuper inventis ; whofe tefti- mony, not to feek further, we may reft upon, as a very credible witnefs. B U T to proceed, and fo to end this particular, which Seneca gave us the occafion of ; That Devils can raife florins and tempefts ( if God permit ) by their own po- wer and skill, when they pleafe ; they that believe the Hiftory of fo&, will make no great queftion : and if Devils ; witches alfo by his power ; as all that have writ- ten ofwitches, who believe there be fuch, averr,and give many inflances. As for rain, mentioned by Seneca y C though his words found otherwife to me, than to any by whr>m I find him quoted .- let the Reader judge by what I have faid of it before ) as, the dotaie if antiquity ; as of Hail, fo of Rain, I find none that have written of Witches, and believe them, but determine it affirmative- in things NATURAL. 6 7 ly, that the Devil hath the power of that alio, God per- mitting, when he will. To pafs by ordinary inftanccs : DionCaffitu, a very ferious Hiitorian, hatha relation of plenty of rain, in time of greateft neceflity, by which a Roman Army, was as it were, miraculoufly preserved ; procured by MuiicK. Which, with B'aroniw, I fhould be very inclinable to believe to have been done by the prayers ofckriftians, as under Aurel'ius Antoninus •, ac- knowledged even by Heathen writers ; it once happen- ed : But that the Chronology will not, I doubt, agree : Chriftianity was not fo ancient in thole parts, I believe. We have now gone through all the particulars of Sene- ca s relation : I (hall only add, I do not believe, that Cleon* ( for the word is differently written ) by the fci- tuation of the place, was more fubjeft to Ha' l, than any other place; but the Dm/ by fome chance of opportu- nity, having once got this fuperftition there eftablifhed, he would be fure they fhould not want occafion to conti- nue it • which muft be, by frequent Hail threatned • and probably he did fo order it, ofpurpofe, in the air, that they might eafiiy fee, without any Conjuring for ir, when a ftorm was coming. , I N the next place, I (nail take notice of a relation in Philftratus, ( an Author, though fabulous in thofe things, that concerned his main defign, to make a God, of a Magician 5 yet for fome itrange relations, once fuppofed falfe, now approved true, well defervingto be read ) and his conceit, or Comment upon the relation. The Relation is this, how Apollcnim being in Prifonby Domitian's command, and one of his legs fettered; Da- wis that attended him, began to be much out of heart, and doubtfu! oftheifiue. Whereupon A^ollon'ms, to re- vive him, (hewed him his leg out of the fetters-, and when Damis had fufficiently viewed it, ioofe, and free •, of his own accord he put it into the fetters, or F 2 (locks 68 Of Credulity and Incredulity] flocks ( o^fMoy ) again. Whereupon Dami* doth infer, that furely, becaufe he did it with fuch eafe, without any previous prayer or facrifice, that he mud be more than a man. Now, that this might probably be done by A$ollon ; us, we may believe, iincehedid much more af- terwards, which by Chriftian Fathers, and Hiftorians is acknowledged, when being brought out of prifon, as a criminal, to the Court-W/, or place of Judgment, Bomitlan being prefent, he vanifhed out of fight, and was at the fame time ken far from the place, but not in prifon any more. The relation then admitted, or fup- pofed: what is Thiloftratus his defcant upon it? The fimpler fort, faith he, efenbe Jucb things 'a >6»T«r, to Witchcraft or Aiagickj. 7reW»&**w«>« that is, ( not as the Latin interpreter, though not much amifs to the fenfe, J?/^ adplttrima* reruns humanarumpro- ficerearbitrantur ) andfo they judge of many other things^ that happen in the World among men. He goes on : The publickjvreftlers and fencer /, out of agreedinefs to he vi- ttorious, they have a rccourfe unto this : ( Witchcraft or Magicl^ ) but the truth at, they are not at all the better for it , when they have done ; but if by chance ( or provi- dence : ton *'*», fo is the word often taken, as I have fhevved elfewhqre by fome examples, to which many more may be added ) thtj happen to prevail, wretched men ( KSTKoSyjiiyjom ) bereaving themfelves rf the praife, afcribe it to the arts. And in cafe they be worfied, ( Mdtum w** : what that •?*", makes here, I do not underftand : till fome body tell me, I (hall make bold to read, yet will thy net miftritfi the. art. Fool, will they faj ' for had I but offered [itch a facrifice, or burnt fitch ineenfr, I could not have miffed of the vitlory. And fo he goes on, that it is fo with Merchants and Lovers : and how they fijffer themfelves to be cheated by thefe Sophifters, as he in things NATURAL. 69 he calls them. They that will read this Author, may not trull to the Latin Tranflation^ no, nor to the Greek Text, as now printed. I wi(h fome body had undertaken the printing of it, in my time ; they might have had it more correct and intelligible, in many pla- ces, than it is, in any Edition I have feen. But, to the bufinefs. He would not have it thought, that S fells and Charms can do any thing : there was a reafon for it. He knew, A po It 'onim did deal in fuch things, as could not be afcribed to natural caufes ; fo that he could not avoid the fufpition of a Magician, if there were any fuch thing asLfltagicI^ Now, if once granted, that all, who pre- tended to fuch things, were but impnftors, and could do nothing, really; then it mufl of neceflity follow, that Apollomiui what he did> did by the finder of Cjod, and was a divine man. Though we deny not, but there have always been, and are now-, in England, I believe, not a few ; London efpecially ; Morlws, and others, who have a way to cheat andabufe filly people ; ( whe- ther rich or poor, I call them fo, that are fo eafily caught) making them believe, they can do great things, whereas, in very deed, all they do, ( except they deal by the Devil, as Apollonim did ) is but cozen- age and delufion : yet this difcourfe of Philoftratus not- withstanding, if we fearch the Records of Antiquity, we (hall find, that in thofe days, and before, as it was very ordinary for them, who did itrive for victories publickly, either in the Circus, by racing, or any way elfe, by any kind of game or exercife ; to apply them- klves to Witches an&CfrU^icUns, that by their help, they might be fure of the game •, fo, not unufual alfo, for men to prevail, by thofe arts. Which gave occafiori to Conftantitus law, De maleficis comprehends ndis ^ where learned Gothofred his note is •, Agitator es eqHorum pie- rique, &c. that is, CMofl horfe- racers of thofe t'mes, by Y 3 ma: teal 70 Of Credulity and Incredulity, magical arts, at times , did hindtr their adverfaries horfef, and made rhar oivnf^fter, as St. Jerome in the life of St. Hiar ion \ Arnobius, contra Genres, and Cailio- dore/tf the third rf his Vbii&, bearmtnefs. So he. We (hall have a proper place afterwards, to confider of St. Jeromes words here cited, which are very pregnant, and appofire to prove the thing- but otherwife, might caufe further doubt and wonder, and therefore mud not bepaflfcdoveriafilence. But befides thofe quoted by Gotbofred, there be others of as great, or greater anti- quity, and authority, that bear witnefs to the fame truth. Ammianns Macellinns, in his 26. Hiftory, doth record, that one Hilarius, a horfe-racer, was put to death by Apromanus, then Governour of Rome, a man, he faith, of equal integrity and feverity- for being con- victed, to have fent his fon to a Magician^ to be taught by him, ( fecretiora qu&dam lei'tbus inter diBa ) certain fecret Spells and Charms (fo I take it) by which without any mans knew led'le, he might be affifted, ard enabled to compafs bis defires, in the tray of bis proftffon. St. Au~ £*/?**uraltft, in which profellion he was accounted the wonder of his age, he thought himfeif bound to deny, whatfoever had not, as he fpeaks in more than one place, 'oikAw a^* •**£""" a probable rea- fon to fatisfie a rational man. Yet the fame man after- wards, upon further experience, and better confederati- on, fearing aJfo ( probably ) the reproach and derifion of men, for his obftinate incredulity, did nobly recant, and acknowledge his error, as we fhall ihcw after- wards. BUT to go on as we began : we read befides, that: at the O'ympuk^gdmes, the greateft and molt folemn conflux of mankind, that hath been known, either be- fore or fince •, and the records whereof, were accounted molt authentick ; a certain Milefianof known valour or ability, being to wreftle with an Sphejian^ he could do nothing, becaufe the Ephefian had about him, v»«n* y&lu- f.*™. that is, certain Spells or Charms, fo ailed, The Ephefian Utters : which being fufpeded, and taken from him, he was thrown by his adverfary, no kfs than thir- ty times. So Euftathim upon the 19. Odiflie. Smdas hath the fame relation •, but there, the Text both, and the Tranflation had need to be corrected: a litde wi'.i do it, ( T^xmtriiui for teAaiuxT* ) that fenfe may be made of it. That there be, even now, Spells and Charms , when God is pleafed to give way, (which in all things wrought by the Devil, mult, always be underftood ) to make men invuUerable, no man, I think, upon the at- tenuation of fo many creditable witnefles, can rationally doubt. Learned Stnnertw, in his book De vul»eribus, begins his 24. Chapter thus 5 Cum nihil hodle, &c. that is, Whereas there is nothing more ordinary, now adys, among Suulliers, than by certain Pentacula, and Seals, and Ch*rai~itrS y to fence themlelves, and to make tVrm- F 4 ftlva 72 Of Credulity and Incredulity I felves inviolable again}} aU kltti of arms, and mufquet- bullets, &c. and to far was he from fufpe&ing, that any body that knew any thing of the world, would mike a queftionofthe truth of it, that omitting that difquifiti- on, as needlefs and ridiculous, he prefently fills upon that, whereof only he thought question could be made; An He eat Chriftiano, dec. wheikr it be lawful for a Chri- fiian by certain Amulets, or Seals, faftned to the body, cr the l*ke, to TKtke him f elf invicUkle to any kjnd of arms. Some take upon them to limit, how far the Devils po- wer, in point of reafon, may extend in this kind; as I remember a learned man doth, who hath written the life of UMovfiettr de la Nove, a French Gentleman of great fame. So doth Semsrtns too : he tells of many particu- lar cafes, for which no reafon can be given, but expe- rience , wherein, and whereby the power of thofe Spells is eluded or fruftrated. But I think the truefl limitati- on, is, fo far as God will permit, or (live leave. Fori doubt not, but the Devil can do much more, as he is a Spirit, by his own skill and power, than to prefervea fmg!e man, even from Canon-fhot. It is much more ftrange, which yet I believe true, that whole Armies of men, (God then, not without good caufe certainly, permitting ) have been defeated by his power, as by fe- veral Hiftorians and others, the relation whereof, be- caufe obvious enough, I fnall here omit, is averred : and fome others made victorious as ftrangely : in all which things, though fet on work by men aifo, I look upon him, but as Gods executioner ^ without whofe leave and permiiTion, whatever his p&wer be, by his na- ture, he cannot hurt the meaneft man. They that defire to be further fatisfied in this particular, may read Delris, tbejefuite, if they p'eafe ^ in his Magical D'.fauifitions. Yet I will not fay, that I believe every thing, that he doth propofe as true : it may be his faith, doth in fome things in things NATURAL: 75 things extend much further than mine : but I would have the quality of his witnefles well considered •, and if they will not ( I think they do ) avail to a certainty in this point • there be others that may be confuked, whom no man, that I know, hath gone about to contra- dict, or challenged of falfhood, except it be in the way oithofe incredulous wife men, of whom Seme* fpeaketh, ( Mendac'ium (ft : fabvla eft ) it is a lye : U is a lye. I will not believe it. But I name him before any other, becaufe every where to be had. I HAVE already gone further than I needed, to make good my cenfure of Th'doflratm, or D*mis, in Fhiloftrattu, his falfe and deceitful judgment, concern- ing the power of Magick , to offend, or to defend, in feveral cafes, which hath occafioned us, all this djf- courfe. The Reader I hope will acknowledge himfelf fatisfied, that he was in the wrong,, if he did think fo, really. NOW as I have hitherto argued againfl: Incredulity, in this particular ^ fo will I alio give fome examples of too much Credulity ', in the fame bufinefs, as I conceive, and why I think fo. A learned man that hath written, De Idololatria CMaglca •, Thoiiiis, faith he, in Olympio- doro narrat. No, not fo, but, Glywpiodorus, in Photio : it is not Pbotitu, that is the Author of the tale ; he faith nothing of it; but 1) mvio dor w , barely; whole words about that, and divers other things, he doth, as out of other Authors, only transcribe. Well, what faith Oljmpiodorns > That in Rhenium, over againft Sicily, there was a Magic ^-Statue, or a S:atue made by Art- Magick , to avert the burnings of Mount is£txa in Sici- ly , and to keep the Iflands from the invafion of barba- rous Nations : which Statue being broken by one , out of ancient writers of thofe parts, doth relate, that in fuch a year of the Hegira, fuch and fuch being Governours 5 there was in the rubbiih of an Egyptian Temple, found a Statue of Le3d, of the bignefs (and form, Ifuppofe)ofaCmW//f, graven with Hierogly- phic^ in things NATURAL. 7f phlc\ letters, and by certain constellations contrived againft Crocodiles, which being broken in pieces by command of the Governour, Crocodiles began to lay wait for men. Bur again : the Author of the Geogra- phy, commonly known by the name of Geographic Nu- bienfis , in high credit with all men, thar are ftudious of the Arabicl^ionfpti in his fifth part of the third Climat, ( for to he doth divide his book ) Of the Country Hems, faith he, the Metropolitan Towh is H.mt, (whether £mi(fa orHemtfko£thcA.neicnx$\] am riot now at leifurc to confide r ) Which by witchcraft and inchantmetit is fo fen-' ced that no Serpents , or Scorpions can have entrance, and in cafe an) be brought to the Cues, they die yrefently. Then he tells us of a horfe-mant Stgtke, fee upon a high, arch in the middle oi the 'Sown, turning every way ac- cording to the wind : and of the picture of a Scorpion, in one of the (lories of the arch: to which painted, or carved Scorpion, if any man, bitten by a Scorpion or Ser- pent, apply dire or morter, and afterwards, that dirt or morrer, to his wound or bitten place; he is prefently cured. But this is beyond my fcope, as well as my be* lief. But of the horfe-mans Statue, or pidure of Scor- pion, in the wall ^ being fo confirmed by other parallel itories, I think it may be believed. Had we any. certain- ty of the Ancient ^Palladium of Troy, I fhould have be- gun there. But out of all queftion, we may conclude, that fuch Magical Statues have been found in more than one place: and not improbable, that the Devil, as he is a great emulator of Gods works, but not his holinefs, might have a refpecl: to the brazen- Serpent, fet up in the wildernefs by Gods appointment. But of the efficacy of thofe Statues, according to relations, we may very well make a o^eftion ; neither will Hiftory make good, if well examined, all that is written of them. Neither is it probable, that the Devil, who can do nothing to annoy 76 Of Credulity and Incredulity, annoy or proted men, without permifiion, can war- rant any fuch things, as are reported, for the time to come, except he could beforehand by fome natural or Jtipcrxattiralobizrvations of his own (as in many pro- phefies of his, concerning things to come ) find out the mind, or counfel of God in thofe particulars- or that God, or fome good Angels fubordinate to God, and privy to his will and determination in thofe things, had revealed it unto him; neither of which is very likely. And that which makes it more unlikely, is, that even thofe, who to become invulnerable, have had recourfe to the Devil, or his agents, and have enjoyed the bene- fit of their purchafe for fome time, even to admiration; yet have found themfelves, on a fudden deftitute of it, to their great aftonifhment, and have miferably pe'riftied in their confidence, as is obferved by more than one, who have written of that fubject. How then fhould he be able to warrant any Town or City, and make his pro- mife good for many ages ? WHAT I intended, to wit, a full confederation, or refutation rather of Philoftrrttu his affertion, is, I hope, fufficiently performed. OUR next initance fhali be from fofepbuj, the Jewijb Hiftorian, highly efteemed, both by Romans and Cjreci- anf, and'by one that could judge of good books, as well as any man of this, or former ages, ililed, Diliientiffi- mm^ & ?iXaX»^c*T®- omnium Serif torum : The m ft dili- gent andgreateft lever cf truth of all writers ; facred al- ways excepted, we muft underiland. lh\s J ofephm in his Eight book offewijb Antiquities, and fecond Chap, ter, where he treats of Solomons wifdom, andexquifite knowledge of Nature; following the tradition of the JeVts of thofe days, who becaufe they were great excr- cifis themfelves, and dealed much in Spells and Charms of all kinds, ( fo that from them the Heathens received divers, in things NATURAL: 77 divers, extant in their books to this day) to counte- nance their unlawful practices, did perfwade men, that Solomon was the founder of what they falfly called, Natural Ma zick • to magnifie this Art, and the power of it, lofephus doth there produce a notable inftance, which is this : How, that on a time, himfelf being pre- fect, one Eleazer, before Vefpafian, and his Sons (or Children) and the chiefeft Officers of the Army, did caft out Devils from feveral that were pofTeft ; and to fatisHe the company, there was no jugling in the bufi- nefs, commanded the Devils, as they went out, to do fomewhat, which might witnefs the prefence of a fttpernatural power. To bring this to pafs, this difpoffeflion I mean, befides words, there was fome other myftical action : that was, the applying of a certain ring to the nofe of the poflefled , under the feal of which ring, a piece of root was in- clofed , which was believed ( fo reported, at lead ) to be of Angular efficacy to drive out Devils. The name of the root is not there fet down by /$- fephiis-, but in another book, De btllo Iidaico\ lib. 7. Cap. 23. he doth name it, Baaras , and withal doth tell ftrange things of it, what dan- ger it is , to pull it out of the Earth , except fuch and fuch ceremonies and cautions , which I forbear here , be ufed. Now that in all this Iofephfts , though his report , to fome may feem, both ridiculous and incredible , and is, I know, by fome rejected as meerly fabulous , which made me pitch upon it the rather •, yet that id all this, he doth deal bona fide, truly and fincereiy : as I believe my felf, fo I hope to give good and •convincing reafons, why others alfo, -who pretend to reafon, as the trial of truth, fhould be- lieve. Firft, that fuch a thing was really done before Vefpajta?} 7S Of Credulity and Incredulity, Vefpajiayt, the Ronton Emperor, as he relates it ; they that know that fofifhtu was a man as nobly born , fo of great credit at the Court, and in great favour with Vtfr paftan himfelf; how can ihey rationally doubt ? He muft be fuppofedmore than a mad man, that durit write fuch a forged ftory, and atfieft perfons of that quality for the truth ; had it been a thing of his own deviling , nay had he lyed in any arcimiitanceof k. As for that he wrius of that ra* or herb, ihu it hath fuch properties, fuch venues, howtobepuli'd - tine ciah, and where tobefound, cfrr. wheth© i&ueor no, muft not he laid upon his account, as I conceive, becaufe in that, truft- ing the relation of men, whom he took to be real honcft men in their profellion, and to work by natural means, himfelf profeifing no skill or infight in that art; it is enough that in all heiaith of it, there is nothing, but what was generally believed, or at leait reported and fa- med, not among the ?z\X>s only, but grecians alfo, and others that were GentiUs. The name of the herb, he faith, was Bwm : and what is that, ( from *ifc3 or VG : I need not tell them, that have any skill in the tongue ) but *>xa$«»rns in Greek : which herb is acknow- ledged by all, or molt that write oi" herbs. Jofepbus faith of it, it will withfome adjurations, expel Devils : tlihy faith, or Demec rhm rather, -in Flirt) it is a Magi- cal herb, which N egnswancers or Magicians ufe to raife the Gods : that is, in the phrafe of our times, Spirits. Joftphw faith, there is great danger in the pulling up or it. One way he darfi mention, is, by uncovering the root fo far,' that it may have but little hold in the ground, and then tying a tfpg to it, fo that the dog may eafily draw it out with him, when he thinks to follow hi* Mailer going awav, as he followed him thither. But if the report be true^ the dog comes fhort of his reckon- ing, or rather doth much more than what he thinks he doth. in things NJTURJU. 79 doth. For when he thinks to follow him, he doth his Matter a better fervice ; he dieth for him, who other- wife ( if the report be true, as before) could not have out-lived the boldnefs of.his attempt. A ft range ftory, but not of Jofepbtts's contriving, nor by Jnfephns only believed. The very fame, as to the fubftance, is recor- ded by s^EHanus alfo: De Hlftcr. animal, lib. 14. cap. 27. more fully, and, as his manner is, with ftudied ele- gancy. He doth alfo give it another name, taken from this very ceremony, or a&ion, xow'swr®-, that is, dog- drawn. The Latin interpreter doth fomevvhat contract the relation, for which I do not, feeing he hath all the fubftance, much blame him, it being almoft impolTible to exprefs all in another tongue without an unpleafing redundancy, except the fweetnefs ( next unto fweet mu- fick, to curious ears ) of the coliocutien ( a grand myftery ofthefomucn admired Sopkiflers or Orators of thofe times, their Rhetorick, as elfewhere I have declared at large ) could have been exhibited alfo. Eut again, ?o- fcphtt* faith, the herb grew in fudea : DemocritHs^ in Flmj faith, in Arabia : but this is eafily reconciled, and is done very fully, by learned men : and had DemocrU tm faid in lALgypt or *s£tbhpia y there is enough befides, to fatisfie any man, thatBaaras was a known herb, to thofe etfedts by him mentioned, among me»of that pro- feilion, whom Jofephtts, ( a learned pious man, but here- in too credulous^ but not the nrft or only pious and learned, that hath been deceived infuch ) accounted ho- ly religious men, but in very truth, no better, ( as how many at this day ) than cheaters, and impoftors, to what they pretended 5 by fome others, of thofe times, who had considered of it better than fefephw, rightly called, pr£ftipateres and magi. Now fofepbm fo far ac- quitted, that he had no intention to deceive, but was deceived himfeif by others • if any will be fo curious, as to 8d Of Credulity and Incredulity, to know what truth there is, or then was, for the re- ports concerning that: herb ; that there is fuch an herb, which for fome kind of refple ndexcy, maybe called Ag~ Uophotis, is by all Botanickj, or Herbarijls I have fcen, acknowledged. And if it be a kind of Peony, as is aver- red by divers, which againft the falling-ficknefs is known to be of excellent vertue, it is lefs to be won- dred, that for this very reafon, it was firft fuppofed to be of fome vertue againft Devils and Demons, the nature of this difeafe being fomewhat extraordinary, and by fome formerly fuppofed to proceed from fome extraor- dinary caufe ; for which reafon it was alfo called, '^J »»V, or, morbus facer ■, the facred di/cafe •, and not only fup- pofed to proceed, but alfo certainly known fometimes to be accompanied with extraordinary fupematural effects ; yea plainly, "Diabolical: whereof I have gketi fome in- ltances in my Treatife o?Enthufiafm. So Kir the miltake then might be tolerable ; but for the reft, the danger of plucking it out of the ground with the root, and the means uied to prevent it, this by the experience of belt Herbarlfts ofthefe diys, being found filfe, and fictiti- ous ^ wemuft look upon it, as the rneer invention of Magicians and Impoltors to inhance the credit of their Drugs, and to ferve the Devil by the increafe of fuperfti- tion • wheif of examples are fo obvious ( in great Towns, as London efpecially ) as no man needs to won- der at it. BUT yet let us fee, what may be faid, even for that, not altogether improbable perchance •, (o they that are not fo much experienced, will the better know by this example, how to examine the truth of things, and to diftinguilh between certainty, and probability, or pof. fibility. Do not we to this day find things, which they call Em\irica and Specifica, in the writings of very fober Phyficians, that may leem as Orange ? As for example, The in things NATURAL. 81 Therindcs of the root of £/^, pull'd otf from the up- per part, (ha I J purge by vomit : from the lower, by itools. The brain of a Ram, with fome^ other ingredi- ents, a good medicine againft rr.adnefs • provided that the Ram bj a virgin Ram (virginity, an ordinary cauti- on, in diabolical exploits, to blind the world, as after- wards (hall be obferved ) and that his head be cut off at one blow. I find this in Sennertns : the other in Ana* tcmia Sambv.ci, printed in London-, where the Author thinks, but doth not affirm, that this happily may be af- cnbed to fome Idiofjncracj , either of the body of the pa- tient, or of the humor, that caufeth the difeafe • or per* chance, to the flrengtn of imagination. And even Cj*- len, "fuch an hater of all that refented of any iuperfh'tior?, and rigid exacler of reafon -, he recanted i f erwards, we (ha 11 (hew •, but evenwhiieft he was fo, in his Tenth book, D? c'.mpofitume Phtiwtacorum , where among others, he do:h fit down a remedy againft the ftone in the bladder ^ This remedy, faith he, mull: be prepared with a kind of religions ebfnvation : For the ir.gr- dients mufk be beaten, or brttifed in a wooden-inert er with a. weed" den-pefiie -, and he that beats, mnft not have aaj Iron about him, either in his finders, or Jhooes. And this hecalisa w) 'fiery, which he faith he learned from a Ruftick. But (hould I here take notice of thofe ftrange things, and wonderful effects of herbs, which no lefs a man than MmhioUu tells of, in his Dedicator j Epiflle to his Her- balfor truth -, what hath been written of the herb Baa- rM, would be acknowledged very credible, in compari- fon, I dare fay. Yet I believe our modern Herbarifh, that experience doth teach them the contrary. Well, but doth it follow necefiarily , that if it be not found fo , now : therefore it was never fo ? Yes , if we (tick to the true real! nature , or naturai effe&s of the Herb. G But 82 Of Credulity and Incredulity] But who knows, but that the Devil might abufe the Ma- gicians of thole days, in that kind, miking them believe, that tho fellr a ngc effects (for of that I make no quefti- on ) did proceed from the natural properties of the very kerb, thus and thus obferved; which doch not hold at this day ; as I dare fay there be many fuperftitions about Herbs and Plants, now in force among men of that wick- ed prof e (lion, which were not known in former times. There is nothing in all this, but is very pnffible-, and if 1 faid probable, it might be juftified. But confidering how many things in this kind, are to be found in the books of old Magicians, as DemccritHs, and others, which upon trial, even in thofe days, were found falfe - y and becauie we would not multiply wonders, where there is no necellity, that when there is, as we conceive, we may fpeak with more authority, and be believed; I fhal rather flick to my former judgment, that it was but a fiction of the Magicians of thofe days, to add cre- dit and reverence to their art. BUT now I turn to the men of thefe times ; the wits, as they call chemfelves, and by fo me others, for want of real wit, and good learning, are fo called \ who becaufe they believe ro:hing but what is palpable and viilble, deny therefore Spirits -and all fxpematptral effects • and consequently the truth of all relations, wherein fuperna- twrul caufes are ingaged •, what will thefe men fay, to this of fofephm > That he did invent what he recordeth to have been done, before inch witneffes ? What reafon can they give, for fuch a fenfelefs fuppofition f Or that the eyes of fo many were deceived, who thought they favv, what was not truly and really to be feen ? But then how deceived \ by what means, natural or fupernatural ? It pofeth me to think what they can pretend, why we (houldnot£i7«z/*. Yet I wall fuppofe that fomewhat they will lay; if nothing elfe, yet this, that it is an old flory in things NATURAL. 83 flory, and therefore they are not bound to believe ir. A worthy anfwer for men that pretend to rrafon. But I will fee, if I can fit them with a later, to the fame pur- pofe, and as irrefragable, as I account that old. ANDREAS Laurentitts, a late and learned Phy- fician, well known to the world by his writings, in his book De Strumis, or Kings Evil, printed in Paris, Anr.o Dom. 1609, and dedicated to Henry the Fourth, of late Glorious memory -, in his tfrft book, ninth Chap, where he treateth of the power of the Devil, to caufe, or to heaj difeafes, at hrge • he hath there tins ftory : The moft Chriftian Kin£, faith lie, (the very fame to whom the book is dedicated ) did fit a Ruftick ( or Coun- try Clown ) Who by the inctnfe, or fmoak. of a certain herb, in a mormnt, as it were, would cure all that were fick^ of the Kings Evil. He made them vomit, fo that the) drd cajl much pit nitons fluff, and with it certain little crea- tures, -which he [aid were the ( gtrmina ) bvAdinp ( or ftminaries perchance ) of the d'tfeaft. This I have heard more than once from the Kings civn mcuth, When he did en* quire the reafon from me. Be fides the King, Monfuur de Lominie, one of the Kings Privy Council: Monfieur de Erontenae : Francis A4 art ell, chief Chymrgion to the King, and divers others of the tLingt bed Chamber, did fee the \ame. I always was of opinion, that it was done by the Devil. Neither was I deceived in it : for this R-fiici^ feme few days after vanified, and from that time, though k] hi* friends, and the fe of his houfe, fouiht far and near y was never heard y is the frrangeit ? This I think. What then fnali we fay, is there any fach thing in the world, G 2 as 84 Of Credulity and Incredulity^, as Truth : or fuch a thing in the Heavens Firmament, as aSun} If fo, then let us account, though ftran.e, yet not prcdaout thofe things, which are known fo of- ten to happen : but thofe men not io flranie, as predict- OHf, who what all men fee, would" make us believe they do not fee, or though they fee, yet will not believe. BUT now we are upon i: I will run through fome other inftances ; Khali not be long upon them- but they (hall be chofen inftances, that nothing may be left for che cure of thofe men ( a hard cure I muft confefs ) who love their difeafe, nay are proud of it, for the moft part, as knowing they owe the reputation they have ( among the vulgar ) of wife men, unto it, more than they do, or have caufe to do, unto any thing elfe. I fpeak this of the moft. If any truly difcreet and wife, and learned I muft add, be of the fame opinion too, we muft needs look upon it, either as a judgment, or fome natural diftemper of the brain > 9 for which I have the warrant of a learned Phyfician before fpoken of, and one of their own fed: in part ; who though he did not be- lieve Devils, becaufe he did not fee them ; yet what he faw, and had often feen, or had been often feen by many others, whom he believed, ( what we call piper- natural operations ) he pronounceth them mad, that did not believe. It may be the number of inftances and te- ftimoniesoffeveralmen, offeveral nations, in cafes or difeafes of a feveral nature, may do what any onefingle or double evidence, though never fo clear, could not. A TfJT OJS^IV S Benevenitu, what I have feen of him is but very little in bulk, but very confiderable ; and I fee he «s in. good credit with all Phyficians, for he is of- ten cited by them with good refpect. Nay, if I be not miftakenin Ser.nertus, (& 1. Parr. II. cap. 3 1* where he treats of the Spilepfie, he hath been fet out with the Scho- lia's of learned Dodonew, which muft be no fmall ho- nour in things NATURAL: $$ nour unto his book. I have been beholding to kdfe- where : and therefore fhall give him here the firft. place. Well, in that little book of his, Be abditis Konnullis ac mirandis^ &c. in the 26. Chapter he hath this ftory. A Souldier had an arrow (hot through the Jeft part of his breaft, fo that the iron of it ftuckto the very bone of his right fhoulder. Great endea- vours were ufed to get it out, but to no purpofe. Benevenim doth (hew, that it was not feafible with- out prefent death. The man feeing himfelf forfaken by Phyficia ns and Chyrurgions, fends for a noted Arioltts, or CorJHrer : who fetting but his two fing- ers upon the wound, with fome Charms he ufed, commanded the iron to come out, which prefently without any pain of the patient, came forth, and the man was prefently healed. Vidimus, he faith : wt did fee it\ but I do not approve of his cenfure at the end, that two were damned (the Patient and the Conjurer ) for this Ad. It was poffible, the Pa- dent was not fo well inftrucled, how unlawful it was to feek to the Devil for help • how much better for a Chriftian, though he fuffer never fo much, whereby he is made fo much the more con- formable to Chrilt. his Saviour, to die. Or per- chance not fufficiently intruded, that fuch a cure could not be wrought by. fuch means, without the T>evil. There be itrange things written of the herb D.Bamnus, which if he had read, or were told, he might think the man had the right way to ufe it, which all men perchance have not ; nay, we need v.o perchance, if all that I have read of it, both in anci- ent and late Authors, be true. Befides, God might be fo merciful unto him, that he might heartily and with many tears repent of what he had done in the extremity of his pain. The Conjurer alfo , who G 3 can 86 Of Credulity and Incredulity, can abfolutely fay, that he never repented > Not m the ordinary way of the worid only, with a fimpfe Lord have mercy upon m?, when he was at the hsft : but time enough to make Ins repentance real, and fincere ? Though I mutt needs fay, 1 think it is very feidom, that God doth grant true repentance unto fuch, .who wilfully and deli- berately have put themfelves into the hands of the Dtvil, and either direct I j ( as many do ) or tacitly, which mud befuppofed, have abjured any right, or pretention to Gods mercy. M Y neXt inftance (ball be out of Zacutus Lufitanus Us Praxis Medicin&Adrr.irar.dA; a book of great credit with all 1 hate met with, but thofe who '.rill admit of no- thing for truth, ( an dftll: of their ignorance many times more than incredulity ) bu: what their little reading, and &anty experience hath commended unto them for truth, Which, I doubt, is the cafe of not a few in thefedaysj who to avoid labour, and to cover their ignorance, would gladly reduce all medicine to fome few, whether true or : pretended, and by moil: believed true, revelati- ons of thefe later times. Galen and Hippocrates, ( I have heard it my iz\t) what fhould they do with them ? The courfe of Phyfick is now altered, by late difcoveries : there is no more need of them. Ignorant wretches, and unhappy they, that fall into fuch bands. But I have done. Z.cutus his relation is this: A young Gentle- man, of a comely (hape, and of excellent parts, wasfo paffionately in love with a fair maid, of a noble paren- tage, about eighteen- years old; that he had no reft, neither night nor day, very near unto diffraction. But when by reafon of the inequality of their birth, he found nothing at her hands, but contempt and fcorn 5 enra- ged, he applies himfelf to fViicbes for revenge. They according to art, make a pr'ure or image H3ther, of her, in wax, which when pricked, with fome Charms, and in things NATURAL, 87 and imprecations . ac the fame time the party was ftifed with fuch horrible torments in all parts of her body, that fne thought her felf pierced, or run through with fome (harp weapon. It was not lo^| before divers Phy- ficians ( the bed that could be had, we may prefume ) were fent for, who at firft. thought thofe horrible acci- dents muft proceed from fome diftemper of the womb. But after they had obferved, that all remedies they had applied made her worfe, rather than better, they abso- lutely pronounced her difeafe, to be no natural difeafe, and that (he was either a&ualiy poflert by fome Q\i\ Spi- rit, or inferred and infected by fome of their creatures.- In which judgment, fee God would have k to prevent the contradiction of fome confidents, which in all places are to be found ; when fhe began to call: out of her bo- dy lumps of hair, ( tribkloruinfafcicukim, I know what it may (ignifie btfides, but I would not make the matter more ftrange than it mufl needs ) others of thirties, needles - then a black lump in the form of an egge, out of which, when difle&ed, came flying Ants, which did caufe fuch a noifom ftink, that no body was able to abide the room: they were much confirmed. But at Ml, re- duced to great extremity, and at the point of death, with much difficulty, being in a Jjncope, ihe vomited a cer- tain creature, of ,the bignefs of an ordinary nfl, of a black colour, long tail, hairy all the body over, like a moufe ; which being fallen to the ground, did with great fwiftnefs run to and fro the room, and then died. The Parents aftonifhed with this horrible cafe, and fee- ing their child forfoken by Phyficians, they have recourfe to all the rvitcbes, Sorcerers and Lflfagicians the Town or Country yielded. Among all thefe, one was found, who did with no fmall confidence, upon conditiori of a good reward, undertake to make her well, if they fent for him, when (he was in a fit. It was agreed : being in 88 Of Credulity and Incredulity, a fierce fit, be is called ; who, ( Zacutus then prefent, he faich of himfelf ) after he had applied a very white pa- per to her pole, in which two letters only ( T. M. ) were written, and an Affcs hoof half burned, and chanted to her ears fome words, {Zncmtm did not hear them ic teems ) fhe was prefently free from all evil, and fo conti- nued for the time to come. iJMorbi ergo trans natural, &c. that is, Difeafcs therefore be fides nature, as afttr Fernelius, Carrerius vfon Galen de loci* iff", difp. 37. doth yigoyoufi] ar^ue mufi be cured by remedies that an not v.a- turd. So ZacHtm concludes, as he did begin, making that, by his title, the wery drift and purpofe of his nar- ration. I hope he did mean well", but wiir, he had fpoken mere warily. For tin}, were fuch cures never fo certain and ordinary, yet are they impious, and un- lawful-, as not Divines oily, the mod and beft appro- ved, but alio learned Thjficians well determine and con- clude. True it is, there is a flory of a Difperjation granted by Pope Nicolam tfee V. to a Bifhop very dear unto him, which may feem to crofs what we fay, if Popes might not prre, and do wickedly, as well as other men. For the Bifhop having been bewitched unto a grievous difeafe,of which he could nor after many endea- vours he cured by any natural means •, a Witch offered her fdf, and upon condition fhe might be allowed to bc- •witch her, that had bewitched the Bifhop unto death, ( which fne fujd was in her power to do ) undertook to cure him. Whereupon the Pope being fued unto for a Z>ifpehfatio\ he girantecjif, and the bufinefs was done, the firft Witch die J, and the Bifhop was reftored. Spre*- tern ,e it, who \v:,s an Itiquifitcr for all fuch bu- fine/Tesat Rome, was the firft that made it publickJy known. Scarce any body that writes of this fubjedr. of tfhes, and their power, bur takes notice of it from ,...-«. A;;d.:sye:, I have no: found it contradicted by any, in things NATURAL. 89 any, that I can remember. Neither do I remember that Delrio y in that bulky book of his ( D\(^ 'fitions , takes notice of it any where ; which we may be fare he would not have omitted, to vindicate the Pope, had he known how to excufe it with a good confcience, or how to cenfure it without offence. But the truth is, though he take no direct notice, and durft not apparently julti- rle it, yet that it made him write more favourably of fuch cafes, than otherwife he would have done ; for which he is juitly blamed, and as folidiy refuted by learn- ed Sennertus. lib. 6. p. 9. cap. 8. I cannot but iufped:. Yet as to this particular cafe, what he thought of it, he doth, without any particular mention, tell us freely enough, when he doth limit his Uccrfe or difpenfation ( which he doth allow ) with this provifo, that ii help be required, or admitted from fuch ; yet of no other than the very Witch or party, that hath done the mifchief. For which, though he gives a very good reafon, yet he concludes but timoroully, £)uare rare admodum, &c. Jtmujibe therefore bat very ftldtm, if ever, lawful, to require the help of another Sorcerer, £ or Sorcerers J but only from him £ or her J who is the all or of the m'tjehief. I&utfeldom, it ever. Nowhere, in the Bifhops cafe, it was required by the Bifhop, and indulged by the Pope, that a tvitch, by bewitching her to death, that had done the mifchief, might do the cure. Was not this example, think we, in the mind oiDelrio, when he fo wrote; and was not he put to it fnrewdly, between fear on the one fide, and confcience on the other ? But how more they, between fuch manifed evidences on the one fide, and an obitinate and refolved incredulity on the other, who after all this will tell us, dare tell us, there is no fuch thing, as Hitches or Scrarers in the world > Well, it was fo it feems in this particular; the if itch that had done the hurt mud perifh, or the Biihop 90 Of Credulity and Incredulity] Bifhop could not be cured : but left the Reader fhould miftake, that it is always fo, he may learn by another in- fiance. LEO N ART) Vdr in his book of Charms, before mentioned, hatha ftory of a woman, which though (he paffionately loved her husband, yet when he came to ap- proach her as her husband, fhe was affrighted withfuch horrid pliancies and apparitions • and if much urged, furfered in her body fuch ftrange fymptoms or accidents, that {he became an object of no lefs horror, than pity, to all that faw and heard her. Her husband was one, thatthisZ,fe#W(nomean man, for his worldly eftate and credit in the world ) had a great affection for : and was not wanting to him, in the beft advice, or afliftance he could give him. But all to no purpofe. They conti- nued in this forced kind of continence, from the firft of their Jegal matrimony, three whole years : at the end of which, the witch that had out of meer envy and ma- lice bewitched the woman to this unufuaJ kind of afflicti- on 5 whether procured, or of her own accord I know not, becaufe my Author doth not tell me, came to the houfe, abfolved her ; and from that time they lovingly and comfortably enjoyed one another. My Author doth not fay he faw it, the woman, 1 mean, in her fits : nei- ther was it fit he fhould be admitted to fee 5 which him- felf, I dare fay, (a pious honeft man, his book fpeaks him ) would have refufed, had he been defired. But how every thing did pafs, he did not want good infor- mation, we find by the account he doth give us, and the circumfrances of fid, as he doth relate them, fitter to be read in him, than related by me, in the judgment of any indifferent Reader, may amount to a Vidimus. It will be found in his third b@ok of the faid Treatife, of my -FrcwfcTranflation, Page 502, &c. BUT fecondly, carantur, ZWatftarfastb, as if it wcrd very in things NJTURJL. 91 very certainly feafible, at any time, which ismofl falfe ; and chough his words feem to imply fo much, yet I hope and believe ic was not his meaning. For though God, forfome reafons permit filch things fome times ; and onereafon certainly is, that men generally fo inclinable to Atheifm, might certainly know, if not wilfully blind, that there is fomewhat befides flefh and bloud, and what may be feen with bodily eyes ( that is, ordinary nature ) to be thought on ; yet I am very confident, that not one in a hundred, nor a thoufand perchance, that feek to Devils and Witches, doth fpeed, or obtain what he doth defire^ not becaufe the Devil doth want power, or will, but becaufe God doth not permit. Nay, many certain- ly, when they have done what they can or could, to be acquainted with Devils, yet have miffed of their defires, which might be a jufl: judgment of God, fo to harden them the more in their Athiefm, and other wickednefs ; or an act of his providence perchance, to prevent the mifchief that they would do, had they fuchan arlifranr. Whereof we have a notable example in that monller, Nero, who as *PImwj relateth, having with care and great longing, applied himfelf to the beft Magicians of his time j yet God would not permit ( Pliny was not fo well perfwaded of the gods of his time, as to fay fo ) but would not, I fay, permit, that they could do any thing before him, for the crcdie of their profeffion s whereby Nero grew very confident, and upon that very ground, many were then, and have been fince, that there is no fuch thing as Mapck.'-* and that all that profeffedir, were but cheaters, and impoftors. We might alio fay fomewhat of fulim the Avcftate, one of the greateftfbt lowers bf Magicians, v.hei Mapc^nd Necromancy was in highefl requeft, that ever was; as nil writers, Chriftians, and others acknowledge. Yet for all that, how Jong he reigned, and how he died, we know. But yet Q2 Of Credulity and Incredulity] yet more particularly, we have heard of one Eifhop, who fped (as to this world, wretched man) in the hands, or by the hands of a Witch : But Bodimts will tell us of another Biihop, whom he names, with all his titles and dignities ; and he faith he was prcfent with one Taker, a learned Phyfician : when one of that profeliion did take upon him to cure him of a Quartan Ague; which neverthelefs, for all his confidence, he could not do. But this is but one for another, becaufe it offered it (elfio opportunely : but I believe, as I faid before, that many more, without number, mifcarry, either feeking to nopurpofe, or when they have found whom to treat with, rinding themfelves cheated and fruftrated. BUT to return to the relation it felf, wherein I would leave nothing difputable- I obferve in it an Image or pi- ft are of the party to be tormented, made of wax. I ob- ferve it, becaufe I knowfome, who queltion not the po- wer ot Devils or fl 'itches ; yet in this particular are not fatisfied, how fuch a thing can be. For there is no rela- tion or (ympatby in nature, ( faith one, who hath written hot many years ago ) between a man and his effigies, that npon the pricking of the one, the otlfer Jhould grow fick^ It is upon another occafion that he fpeaks it ; but his ex- ception reacheth this example equally. A wonder to me, he fhould fo argue, who in many things hath very well confuted the incredulity of others, though in fome things too credulous himfelf. If we muft believe nothing but what we can reduce to natural, or, to ipeak more properly ( for I my felf believe the Devil doth very little, but by nature, though to us unknown ) manife/i caufes, he doth overthrow his own grounds, and leaves us but very little of magical operations to believe. But of all men, Cardan hadleaft reafon to except again (t this kind of CftftfjpV^., as ridiculous or incredible, who himfelf is fo full of incredible flories in that kind, upon his own credit in things NJTURAU. 95 credit alone, that they had need to be of very eafie belief^ that believe him; efpecially when they know (whereof more afterwards ) what manner of man he was. But I dare fay, that from Plato's time, who among other ap- purtenances of Madick^doth mention thefe,*^* p^k*"** that is,as Ovid doth call them, S'lmnlachra cerea,orzs Ho- race, cereas imagines, fwhoalfo in another place more particularly defcribes them ) there is not any particular rite, belonging to that art, more fully atteikd by Hifto- ries of all ages, than that is. Befides,who doth not know, that it is the Devils fofhion ( we (hall meet with it after- wards a^ain ) to amufe his fervants and vaflals with ma- ny rkes.afyd ceremonies, which have certainly no ground in nature, xo relation or fjmpathy to the thing, as for other reafons, fo to make them believe, they have a great hand in the production of fuch and fuch effecls •, when, God knows, many times all that they do, though taught and inflruded by him, is, nothing at all to the purpofe,and he in very deed is the only 3gent, by means, which he doth give them no account of. Bodinus in his Preface to his Vamonolojij, relateth, that three waxen- Images, whereof one of Queen Elizabeths, of glorious memory, and two other, Retina proxmomm, of two Courtiers, of greateft authority under the Queen, were found in the houfe of a Prieft at Islington, a Mapcian, or fo reputed ; to take away their lives. This he doth repeat again in his fecond book,Chap.8.but more particularly that it was in the year of the Lord 1578. and that Legatus Andi&, and many French-men, did divulge it fo s but withal, in both places he doth add, that the bufinefs was then under trial,& not yet perfectly known. I do nottruft my memory : I know my age,andmy mRicmitks.Ca?nbden,l am fure,I have read and read agaimbut neither in him, nor in Bijhop Carletons thankful remembrancer, do I remember any fuch thing. Others may perchance. Yet in the year 1576. I read m 94 Of Credulity and Incredulity, in both, of fomc pidures, reprefenting fome, that would have kill'd that glorious Queen with a Motto, J^uorfum b^c, alio f refer ant ikus \ which pictures were made by fome of the confpiracy for their incouragement ; but intercepted, and fhewed, they fay, to the Queen. Did the time agree, it is poilible thefe pictures might be the ground of thofe mi/taken, if mifraken, waxen Ima- £#/, which 1 defire to be taught by others, who can give a better account. M Y next and laft inftance, in this kind, or matter ofCW/, fhall be out of the Obfervationcs Medic*, of HenrkHs ab Heers, Domeftick Phyfidan, not many yeai s ago, ro the Eletlor cfCdtn: a man of no fcial I credit in thofe parts among the better fort, efpecially •, but no friend to Smferickj, among whom he reckoned Van /^/w<5»* as one of the chief. But I fhall not interpofe my judgment in that. OfHeers, I dare fay in general, not to meddle with thofe things that properly belong un- to a Phyfician to Judge of ^ that he doth write 3S a fober, learned, and (which is the Crown of all J pious man. The fubjedof his eighth obfervation, is a very ftrange ilory of a young maid, that was bewitched by one of that wicked crew • which being found by the confequents oftheprefence, orabfenceof the Witch ; (lie was laid hold of, arraigned and convicted ; and for that, and many other things of the fame nature done by her, as Hie confefled, defervedly put to death. But with the Hitch, (as (Tie her felf at her death, had foretold it would be) the pains of the miferable girle did not ex- pire, but continued at Jeaft one year after. So long is expreffed, how much ionger I know not. Heers had the keeping of her a good part of the time. In the me. : n time, fuch ftrange things happened unto her, andfuch ftrange things came out of her, that her keeper did veri- fy believe, and did endeavour to perfwade divers others, who in things NJTURALl $f who were admitted daily fpe&ators, ( Scholars and Philofophers, or Naturalifts, among the reft ) that not the maid really in her body, did fuffer thofe things that did appear unto them, but that their fafcixated eyes ( as it doth happen fometimes ) did falfly reprefent unto them things which had no real being. But did not long continue in that opinion, being convided by manifefb experience, as he doth relate, to the contrary. The particulars are fo many, that I muft defire the Reader, if fo curious, to take them from the Author himfelf : who in the relation is fo put to it, to proteft and to apo- logize for himfelf, that I doubt he had not been much acquainted with fuch cafes, by his own experience, or read much in others, that write of them. Sim tunc viderim, audiverim, &c. What I then Jaw, beard, hand- led, becaufe I know there be many that Veill not believe^ &c. So Cjodblefsm?, I /ball write nothing, but what I have fecn. And again, / do mofl confciencioufly, ( or, by What is moftj acred) and all my dome [ticks are ready with we moft filemnty to take their oaths, &c. But yet of all particulars, the laft of all feemeth to me moil obfervable, and that is, a natural receipt, commended and approved by more than one before, men of credit and learning, which he will tell you, it was a long time, though he did ufe all poilible endeavours, before he could procure to remove or cure fuch kind of witchcraft : but at Jaft he got it, and it wrought the defired efifed. For the maid, he faith, with the ufe of it, perfectly recovered. He doth make us believe, he hath given us the receipt clear- ly expreflfed, which to underftand he was long puzled. Iffo, he hath defer ved well of pofterity, and deferves the thanks of the prefent age. However, it is very pof- fible that what he found effectual, and fome others be- fore him, to fuch a purpofe, may fail fometimes ; which in things of fuch an abftrufe nature, and which depend of $6 Of Credulity and Incredulity I of many circumftances, it is no great wonder that it fhould be fo, when we fee that ordinary Phyfick doth not always produce the fame effects in all bodies- no, nor in the lame forrtetimes. NOW ofthefe receipts (this, upon this occnfion, to direft the belief of others, not much verfed in fiich things ) that precend to fome hidden, but natural ver- tue- therefore, as we had it before by fome called, na- tural, i&i' ic~/» t or emtncnt I j : fuch as keep toothings meerly natural^ as herbs^ roots, ftones, and the like; and are not accompanied with any words, orfpells, pro- nounced or written; noreomaift rites and ceremonies, ■ as many are • I know not, if we allow, as ajl fober men mutt, of occult qualities, I know not, I fay, why we fhould fufped our fclves, or make others fcrupulous of f ich : efpecialiy when commended unto us by perfon*, that are not at all fufpected, and that they are known to have been e'ectual, I wHi not fay always, but fome- times. I am not therefore of their opinion, I mult con- Ms, who confine us to thofe things, for which a pro- bable reafon may be given, from the nature of the ingre- dients, or limple materials. But on the other fide, where there is any Juft ground of fufpkion, it muft be confldered alfo, that it may be the craft of the Devil, or his initruments (hitches and Magicians) to afenbe cures to things natural, as the nteans, to drawusonby degrees^ when thofe natural things fignifie nothing at all really-, and all the operation doth proceed from a more myftical and concealed caufe. But again, no que- ' fHon, I think, is to be m.ide, but that the Devil and thofe that work by him, to inhance the credit of their art, or power, where they are allowed, difguife fome- times the operations of things meerly natural, of pur- pofe, with fuperrlitious rites and ceremonies, which of themfelves do nothing ; though probably without them, thofe in things NATURAL. 97 thofe natural things would not prove efficacious in the hands of them, that had them from fuch matters !• nor yet in the hands of others perchance, through the igno- rance or omiflion of fome fmall circumilance, which in point of very nature, may much alcer the cafe. How* ever, in procefs of time, it is likely that fuch and fuch things came more generally, ( as many of thofe nAtura- lia or /peci fie a are ) to be known to be efficacious to fuch ends, which were at fir ft as' great fecrets, prefcribed by thofe mailers, to them thac did apply themfelves to them. For otherwise, how they fhould come to the knowledge of men, ( though fome, by fome cafuaky mighc, I confefs ) were hard to guefs. Of this nature I fufpect fomething may be found in TrafliatJUf, than whom, I think, no man ( thofe that profefsfuch things under the c Deyi4 their MaiVcf excepted) hath more of thefe Ts^jtHralia or Specifica, for all kind of difeafes. A ftrange thing, that a man in his profefiion, and the ra- tional way, fo learned and utefui, as I have heard fome eminent Phyficians atteft, befides what Fererim and others write, fhould give credit to fo many tales, as he thac reads muft needs fufpect, or rather abfolurely pro- nounce of many, or moil of them. Yet is he not con- tent to fee them down b irely, to fatisfie the curiofity of fome, as he doth fometimes profefs ; but many times doth commend them, as approved by certain experience. Other ancient Phyficians have, I know, fome; but fo many as TrMUanui hath, and fo confidently propofed, I think not any. Yet that he was a Mrt\ci&n, or did work at all by the r Df^//,ofwhofe narure,and properties proba- bly he knew little or nothing, I do not believe : but if his naturJia did prove fo effectual, as he would make us be- lieve,I mull fufpect nevertheiefs tint the Devil had a hand in the operation of many of them. And (hould any man, acquainted with the myfteries of cur faith & the Scriptures, €j§ Of Credulity and Incredulity I go the fame way, to advance the credit of fuch remedies. I fhouid believe him either a Afa^ician, or as had as a Mai.ici.ir., But even among Chriflians, ( profeft Chriflians at lead ) as eifewhere, fo in England) there be I doubt too many, that are not fo tender-confeienced, as to Hick at thofe things, or enquire after the lawfulness of the means, ( through ignorance, and want of good information, fome, probably) may they but compafs their defire, ekher of profit, or of eafe. A very good friend of mine, a ferious man, and a good Preacher, told me this flory, as very well known to him. A friend of his, hefuid, having been long troubled with an Ague, and probably tried many means without fuccefs, either went to, or lighted upon an Apothecary ( he named him, and the place of his abode J who undertook to cure him, and to that end, delivered unto him fix very fmall rouls of paper, rouled up very dofe, and bid him eat them. But he before he did execute what was injoyned, had fo much curiofity or boidnefs, as to look into one of them fir t, then into another, and Jaflly, into a third; in all which, he found no more, than this written, Do •will, or, All is well-, fo reported unto me, uncertainly; but one of the two, certainly. Having Satisfied his cu- riofity, and happily thinking there could be no tJMagkk, in this, he did what he was bid, that is, eat them. Whereupon he was furprifed with great pains, the like whereof he had not felt before, for a while: but after- wards, was altogether free of his difeafe. Whereof ha- ving given an account to his friend, or Phyfician, what he had furTered firfl, and how free afterwards-, Then I will warrant you, faid he prefently, you did open fome of the papers • and fo many papers, as you opened, fo *nany fits you had, I believe, of thofe pains, which his friend told him, was very true. At the fame time, one that was prefenr, but not fo well known to me, told a itorv, in things NATURAL. 99 ftory, that had much affinity, and I am much deceived, if I have not read fomewhat printed that hath more : but one will ferve our turn of this kind. For though I may perchance believe my friend, as he believed his, that it is true; yet to commend it to the Reader, as an abfo- lute truth, I dare not, but upon a probable fuppoficion of the truth, the opening of the papers, and what en fil- ed excepted, I fhou Id not much wonder at the poflibiii- ty of the thing, in point of nature. For a fkong confi- dence, if the Apothecary did well ad his part, or imagi- nation may do much : it is a common obfervation, and examples every where are obvious. NOW to proceed, I have given, I think, a fuffici- ent account of the power of Magick in point of Cures, which by fome, be/ides them that deny all fvpemztural operations, is not believed, but more, I betieve, for want of diligent enquiring into the thing, then through meer incredulity. I have made choice of fuch inftances, againft which what rationally can be excepted, I cannot fo much as imagine. But I will yet oppofe incredulity^ in another kind of ' fuper natural operations/by inftances as irrefragable as the former • and to them that think themfeives concerned in the true kvSc of the Scriptures, more considerable. Pfalm 58. verfe 4. and 5, it is writ- ten : Tloty are Hk. e r he deaf Adder, that floppeth her ear : which will not hearken to the voice of the charmers, charm- ing never fo wife I]. Befide c , Zcclejiaftes the 10. verfe the 1 1 . Surely the Serpent will bite Without enchantment, and a b abler U no better : and again, Jeremy the 8. and the 17. verfe : For beh.ld I will fend Serpents, Cockatri- ces amongyw, which will net be charmed, and they Jhall bite you faith the Lord. For the Mril place, it were no hard'matter to interpret the words of the Pfalmift, as fpoken proverbially^ without any confequence ofafup- pofirionof the truth, or reality of the thing, in matter H a of ioo Of Credulity and Incredulity] offaft. For many things are thus fpoken proverbially, whieh they that fpea* have no intention to afTert as true, or perchance know, or believe at laft, to be molt falfe. So Cjgnfd cuntio : Siremm cant in, and the J ike ; for which perchance fomewhat may bs fa id, but not belie- ved I am fure, by all that ufe the fpeech. Or if I com- pare a woman to a CVw, or a man to Proteus, or to aggravate any burden, fay it is heavier than that of Au Lis ; no rational man will hence conclude, that / believe that fuch have been really. But the two other places are more pofitive, and cannot fo well be evaded. Yet Vdefuts, not to name others, a very learned Spaniard, in his books, Be Sacra ( Philofopbi* % hath taken great pains to perfwade men, that thefe things were fpoken not proverbiatj, but myftically, and allegorically ; and though rfe deny not fupernktmral operations by Devils and Spirits, whom he doth not at all doubt of; yet as to this particular, of inchdmting by ma peal Words , he doth altogether deny, as pollible, and whatfoever is alledged by any ancient or late writer to that purpofe, he doth reject, as meerly fabulous, h feems by Pliny, that learned men of old, have been very much divided in their opinions about this matter ; infomuch, that he dares not take upon him to decide it,but leaves it free to every man to believe as they fhall fee caufe : His words, k elfewhere produced by me, in a proper'place, very notable and ap- plicable to many occafions, are, Maxim* queftion is, & (emperir.certaeft, valeantne aliquid verba & incantamen- tu carminum', and again more particularly, Yaria circa h ac opinio, ex ingenio cu'jufque vel cafu, mulceri alloquio for as : qnlppe r.bi etiam Serptntes txtrahi, cantu coiiejut tn poenas, verHmfalfumne fit vita non decreverit. So he. We fhall give light to thofe words, cogiqxe in poenas, af- terwards : We have given the fubilance of the reft be- fore. Now for my part, partly upon what I havefeen my in things NATURALS ior my felf, but much more upon the teftimony of others, who profefs to have feen it, and give a particular account of every circumftancejmen all generally well accounted o.^ I do profefs that I know not what to believe in the world, which I cannot fay I have feen my (elf-, if I may not be- lieve this, and commend unto others, for a truth, if anj thing, I fay, which / cannot fay, / have fe en my felf : which would be a ftrange kind of Incredulity, and wor- thy to make a man unworthy of the fociety of men, of whom, even the beft, and moft creditable, he can en- tertain fobafe an opinion : Neither can it, /^iink, en- ter into the heart of any man, to be fo miftrmtful, but theirs only who are confeious unto themfelves of their own b.ifenefs, and make no other difference between ly- ing and fp easing truth, but as either belt, fits their prefent occafion. As for Vale fins his opinion, though a learned man, and for ought /know, pious and wife ^ yet it is no wonder to me, that any one man, though pious and learned, fhould fall into an opinion very paradoxical, and contrary to moil other mens belief: efpecially in a thing of this nature, which moft depends of experience. TL>j bath fufficiently warned us againft this fcandal, or excep- tion, when in this very cafe, he tells us, that men are apt to believe and frame their opinions, according as they have found -, or, by their parti ular experience : an ex- cellent obfervation, and, as / faid before, applicable to many tilings cf good moment, whereof / have given ex- amples dfe where, /am very confident, that it was not Vale ft 'xs his luck, to meet wich any man ( much' lefs vmo or three, or more ) whom he accounted pious and judi- cious withal, that could fay, he had feen the thing done, with his own eves, and in the prefence of many others : but more probable,that he had met with,or heard of feme cheaters and tmpoftors in this very cafe, whereof it were no very hard thing,/ believe,to find iiiftances & examples-. H 3 and IC2 Of Credulity atid Incredulity*, and when a man hath once framed to himfelf an opinion, and pleafed himfelf ( as we are too apt ) in his invention ; it is no eafie thing, ( fuch is the infirmity, even of the belt of men) to get him out of it. But Vale fins hath been, and his reafons fully anfwered and confuted by more it may he, but by one I know, very learned and judicious 5 and with fo much refpecl: and moderation, as thatValefius, I think himfelf, would have thought him- felf, had he read him, rather beholding to him, than other wife, of whom alio I fhould not be afraid, or think it any difcAdit ( fuch an opinion I have of his real worth and learni* ) to borrow fome inftances, in fuch a cafe, more to be refolved by inflances, that is experience, than any thing c\[e. But that my curiofity hath been fuch in this particular, that 1 think ( without pride or bragging ( be it fpoken ) I could have furnifhed him. Which I may fay alfo of what he hath written of, and upon fcfe- pbushli place, before examined, very accurately and learnedly: let the Reader, upon comparing, judge, as he fhali pleafe.- But I have not yet, though before I have, upon another occafion, named the man :• It is Doctor Reynolds, Royal ProfefTor in Oxford, when he lived : and the book his learned *Pr, a known horfe- courfer of that Country. Whileft we were above, in the bed Room I had, and the Servants in the Kitchinby the fire 5 my fon ( the only I then had, or ilnce have hid^ fome 12. or 13. years of age) comes in, with his Maitiffl 1 08 Of Credulity and Incredulity] MaflirT, which he was very fond of, as the Maftiff was of him ; fohn Tcurig, to make himfelf and the company fport; What will you fay, Sir, fairh he, if I make your dog, without touching of him, lie down, that he fhall not ftir ? Or to that effect My fon, for it was a Ma- iliff of great ftrength, and courage, which he was not a little proud of 5 defied him. He prefently to pipe, and the Mart iff ( at a diflance ) to reel : which when the boyfaw, aftomfhed andama/ed, he began to cry out. But the man, fearing fome diiturbance in the houfe, changed his tune, or forb ire further piping, (I know not which ) and the dog fuddenly became as well and as vigorous as before. Of this I knew nothing, till the company was gone. Then a maid of the houfe obfer- ving that I much wondred at it, and wifhed I had feen ic : O Mailer, faid fhe, do you wonder at it ? This man doth it familiarly, and more than that, the fiercer!: horfe, or bull chat is, if he fpeak but a word or two in their ears, they become prefently tame, fo that they may be led with a itring j and he doth ufe to ride them, in the fight of all people. This made me the more impatient; and fo it was, that being invited thither to dinner againft the next day, I thought long till the time was come, and had not (the next day ) been long there, but told the Matter of the houfe, before much company, that were then prefent, what I had heard of the man, and how de- firous I was to be further fatisfied ^ That fhall you foon be, replied he: and prefently fent one for him. But anfwer was brought he was gone abroad, but they thought he would not be long away. This very delay, though but for fo fhort a time, troubled me, which whether obferved or no; Well, well, faith the Mailer of the houfe, I will give you fome fatisfa&ion, in the mean time, by one ftory I fhall tell you. This man, faid he, was once in company, and being in the mood Cor in things NATURAL. 109 ( or to that effect ) began to brag, what he could do to any dog, were he never fo great or fo fierce. It hap- ned, that a Tanner, who had a very fierce MaPtirT, who all the day was kept in chains, or mulled, was in the company, who prefently (not without an oath per- chance, it is too ufual ; good laws againft it, and well executed would well become a Chriftian Common- wealth ) offered to lay with him ten pounds he could not do it to the faid dog : that was, without any force or life of hands to lay him fiat upon the ground, take him into his arms, and to lay him upon a table. Young hapned to be fo well furnifhed at that time, that he prefently puli'd out of his pocket ( I think I was told ) ten (hil- lings. The Tanner accepts ; the money on both fides laid into the hands offome one of the company, and the time fet. At which time, to the no fmall admiration, certainly, of them that had not kzn it before, but to the great aftonifhment, and greater indignation of him, that had laid the wager- with a little piping the party did pun- ctually perform what he had undertaken. But inftead of the ten pounds he expected, being paid only with oaths and execrations, as a Devi/, a Magician : after lome ex- pectation, a fuit was threatned or commenced. The con- clufion was, that the bufinefs being on both fides referred to arbitration, and this very Gentleman that told me the ftory, chofen and agreed upon for one ; often pounds, five ( if my memory fail me not in any particular circum- fbnce, as in the main, I am confident it doth not ) were given him, and there was an end. Then they began to tell fome other of that company, befides horfes, what he had done to fierceft bulls, before great company, and fome perfons of quality : but withal,what one bull, more refra- ctory than the reft,had done to him ; carried him, againft his will, into a deep pond, where he was in fome danger, butatlaft, had his wiilofhimalfo, as well as of the reft] Whileft they were fpeajyng, in comes fob* Toting. John 110 Of Credulity and Incredulity! fohn y faith the Mafter of the houfe, here is a Gentle- man, at whofe houfe you were yefterday : he is very defirous ( to latisrle his curiofity, and to no other end ) tofeefomeof your feats. I was fitting by the lire, (it was cold, and I was not very well ) but turned and fixed my eyes upon him, and he his, as earnellly upon me. I told him what I had heard of him, and that ic would much fatish*e me, to fee that done with mine eyes, which, I knew, by feme was thought impoflible. Whereupon the man, fliil earneftly looking upon me, beganadifcourfe, how that all creatures were made by God for the ufe of man, and to be fubject unto him ; and that if men did ufe their power rightly, any man might do what he did. I muvt confefs, I did wonder not a-httle to hear a man, whom by his profeffion, and his counte- nance, you would hardly have thought able to read ( and whether he was, IdonotknowJ to fpeak fo Philofo- phicaily s efpecially after. I remembred what I had read in Cornelius Atrippa, that famous, but learned CMaiici- an, to the fame purpofe, D: occulta Tkifofopkia lib.-$. cap.^Q. Quod un'cuiqxe bomini impreffus efl char after , &c. where he begins : It is approved by good experience, that man naturally hath an inbred power in him of binding and commanding, &c. and yet, it is far from my thoughts to think, that ever the man heard fo much as of the name. But after I had heard him a-while, I did adven- ture to defire him, that I might hear fome of his piping. He,as one that made very flight of it,took a little Itick out of the Chimney, molt of the company being bufie in diC- courfe, one with another, not regarding what parted between him and me ■ and did begin to make fome kind of noife, wherein I did not think there was much mu- fick* But this I obferved, ( the Reader may laugh, and I know it might be a chance ) that whileft he was piping, which was not long, a Cat that was in the Chimney-cor- ner, in things NATURAL: hi ner, came towards him, and looked upon him, in that pofture of body, that I could not but take notice of ic. But, by this, Dinner was brought in, and the room with guefts and fervants, pretyfull. The man promi- fed me he would come to my houfe, and I to him, he fhould not lofe his labour. I trufted to it, and forbare any further mention of him, whileft I was in the houfe. But when returned to my own, I expeded, day after day, and nonets of him. Ifent, as opportunity offer- ed it felf, meffages unto him : promifes were returned, but no performance followed. At laft, after I began to fufpect the man avoided me, I made two journeys to Medhurjl^ fome feven miles from mine own houfe, where I was told, or not far off, he did live ^ but for ought I could do, I never had the fight of the man ever fince, and I think he died before, or foon after I left the Coun- try. Upon enquiry, all that I could learn is^ that he had learned it of his father, who they laid, drove the fame trade before him. IF the Reader have received any fatisfaftion from this ftory, I am glad of it. If not, to make him amends, I will tell him another, I cannot fay more true; but he will perchance, becaufe better attefted, and from the place, and occafion more noble -, whereof a Bu/1 is a confiderable part. And this, not becaufe I defire to pleafe his ears, ( which is far from me ) but to vindicate a truth of fuch confequence, which cannot ( except Scripture authority will be thought fufficient, which in this particular feems to fome doubtful ) be better vindi- cated, than by experience. After the death of Pope Leo the Tenth, and before Adrian the fixth, his fuccef- fbr, was chofen, (being then abfent) and come to Rome , there was, it feems, befides other confufion, by ftrifeand divifions, a grievous Plague at Rome: which didfo amaze the people, being otherwife, by other evils, much i 1 2 Of Credulity and Incredulity] much annoyed and perplexed • that having tried other ufual means to no purpofe • at laft, they had recourfd to one Demetrius, a Cjr (c ia»^ and noted Magician, who was faid, and attefied by fome, to have done wonders in that kind, in other places. The man, with much confidence, undercook the bufinefs, promifing to clear the City, not for theprefent only, but for the time to come alio. This to bring to pafs, ( tor a good reward, we may be Cure ) he requires a bull to be brought to him : a black bull it mutt be and a very fierce one, they fay k was: buthe after fome charms, made him gentle and patient enough, ib that he furTered his horns to be cue off, without any refinance. What I chiefly aimed at, is at an end : but if the Reader deilre to know fomewhat of theifliie, truly Iamataftand in that. jQ^erceta^us, de fefte, relates it out of Paulus Jovius, whom I have not ; Peflem Rom