Gynaikeion: or, Nine bookes of various history. Concerninge women inscribed by ye names of ye nine Muses. Written by Thom: Heywoode.

Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Deuill.

THe difference betwixt Witches, or to define what Magae are and what Lamiae, were but time mispent, the rather because it hath beene an argu∣ment so much handled in our mother tongue, I will onely rehearse vnto you some few particular discourses concerning Witches, out of Danaeus, Bo∣dinus, Wierius, Grillaneus Italus, and others: all agree, that some haue made expresse couenant with the deuill by Bond and Indenture sealed and deli∣uered; others by promise and oath onely: as likewise that all such haue secret markes about them in some priuate place of their bodies, some in the inside of the lip, some in the hai••e of the eye browes, some in the fun∣dament, some in the inside of the thigh, the hollow of the arme, or the pri∣uie parts. Albertus Pictus an Aduocate in the Parlement of Paris, repor∣ted he had seene one in the castle of Theodoricus who had a plaine marke vp∣on the right shoulder,* 1.1 which the next day was taken off by the Deuill. Clau∣dius de Fagus the kings procurator affirmed the like of one Ioanna Heruilleria. Concerning the transportation of Witches through the aire, Paulus Grillan∣dus an Italian Doctor of the law, that writ the histories of many Witches, saith, That a countrie villager not far from Rome, vpon a night spying his wife daube her selfe with a certaine vnguent, and instantly leape out at the window, after her stay from him some three or foure houres, had prouided against her returne a good cudgell, with which he so soundly entertained her, that he forced her to confesse where she had beene, but would not grant her free pardon till she had made him promise to bring him to the sight of all these nouelties, and vnbeleeueable passages by her related: the match was concluded, she forewarned him that he must in no wise vse the name of God by the way, vnlesse it were in scorne or blasphemie, with other such horrible instructions. The night came, they were both annointed, when pre∣sently two rough goats appeared at the window, vpon which they being mounted, were instantly hurried through the aire into a place where were an infinit multitude of people, men and women, and in the middest one that seemed to be prince and soueraigne of the rest, to whom euery of them did

obeisance and adoration, she bid her husband stand in a remote place till she had likewise done her worship, which she accordingly performed: This done, they all danced together in a circle or ring, not as our custome is face to face, but backe to backe, the rest may be coniectured, least if any should be apprehended one might appeach the other. After their dance was ended, the tables were couered and furnished, she calls to her husband to sit downe amongst the rest, and bids him welcome, he begins to feed, but finding the meat to haue no ••elish, in regard it was not well seasoned, he calls aloud for salt, and many times before it came, it was brought at length, which he see∣ing, before he tasted it, he thus said, Hor laudato sui Dio per è venuto questo sale, i. Now God be thanked that the salt is come: these words were no sooner spoken, but Men, Meat, Tables, Deuills, Witches, all were vanished in an instant, he was left alone naked, almost frosen with cold, ignorant in what place, or whether to trauel for shelter; day came, he spies sheepheards, and askes them where he is? they tell him in the principalitie of Bene∣uent, vnder the iurisdiction of the Pope, aboue an hundred miles from Rome. He was forced to beg rags to couer him, and bread to releeue him, being eight daies before he could reach to his cottadge; he accuseth his wife, she others, who were all after deliuered to the fire & burnt aliue. The li••e historie the same author relates of a young damosell inticed by an old Witch to this damnable assemblie, in the Duchie of Spoletum, in the yeare of grace 1535. The like confession of these assemblies, dances, and ban∣quets, and after all, their common carnall societie, women with he-Deuills and men with she-spirits, was extorted from a Witch of Lochinum, ano∣ther of Lions, both suffered by fire; and their arraignements, confessions, iudgements, and executions published by Danaeus in the yere 1474. Of these meetings, banquets, dances, and congressions, Friscalanus the before named Magitian gaue ample testimonie to Charles the ninth king of France. Saluertes the President speakes of a Witch called Beronda,* 1.2 who being brought to the stake, accused a great ladie of France, for being one of that damned societie, but she obstinately denying it, the Witch thus said, Haue you forgot since our last meeting, when you were appointed to carrie the Challice of poison? Olaus Magnus li. 3. ca. 11. saith that many of these con∣uenticles are made in the North, and are frequent in the mount Atlas; as likewise Mel. lib. 3. Solinus lib. 38. cap. 44. and Plinie lib. 5. cap. 1. Infinit are the Histories to this purpose.* 1.3 Antonius de Turquemada a Spaniard, saith, That a Magitian would needs persuade his friend to be a spectator of this wicked assemblie, all things being prepared for the purpose, in the middest of which con••••uence was an huge vglie goat, sitting vpon a sublime throne, whom euerie one came to kisse by turnes, En la parte ma senzia que tenia, those that vnderstand the Spanish know it to be a place which cannot mo∣destly be named: which when his companion beheld, as detesting such a be∣stial adoration, he left all patience, & with an acclamation said to his friend, Dios a mui grandes bozes, i. Oh God with a loud voice; which was no sooner spoken, but all things vanished in a tempestious whirlewind, he was only left desolately forsaken, being three yeres before he could come to visit his owne fields and gardens. Of their exportation after their vnction, many authors testifie, as vpon a Goat, a Pegasus, a Night-crow, an inchanted staffe, &c. This puts me in mind of a discourse which was told by a great ladie, to haue happened at her being in the Brill,* 1.4 which was then one of the Cautio∣narie

townes in the possession of Q. Elizabeth, a Muscatier one night stan∣ding centinell vpon the walls, a little before day, he heard a great noise of tatling gossips, laughing and talking aloude, their voices (as he thought) came from the aire, when casting his eies about to knowe from whence this pro∣degie might proceed: he might perceiue a duskie cloud come sweeping close along by him, in which it seemed to him they sat that were so merrie; being first affrighted at the obiect, and after taking courage, he giues fire and shoots towards the cloud at randome, at the report of the musket the town is vp in armes, his officers leaue the court of guard and come to know the matter, he tells them an incredible discourse, which he spares not to con∣firme with a volley of oathes, they seeke further towards the place where he aimed his musket, and found an old woman with a bunch of keyes at her girdle and a bullet in her buttock, dropt out of the cloud, & the rest vanisht, they ceise her, she is after examined, & confesseth who had bin to make mer∣rie in her companie, some of them prooued to be rich burgers wiues of the citie. The L. Adrianus Ferreus vicar generall amongst the Laodunenses hath left remembred, that one Margarita Bremontia the wife of Noel Laueretus con∣fest vnto him that she with her mother Marie vpon a monday night,* 1.5 not long before her examination, came into a like assemblie at the mil called Franqui∣senum, which stands in the medow neere vnto Loginum, who bestriding a broom staffe, after some few words mumbled to her self, they were present∣ly transported thither, where they found Ioanna Roberta, Ioanna Guillemina, Marie the wife of Simou Agnes, and Gulielma the wife of one Grassus, euery one mounted vpon the like wodden horse; there met them six spirits, or De∣uills, according to their number, in humane shape, but in aspect horrible, &c. who after they had danced together, euerie Deuill singled out his mistresse, and had with them mutuall copulation, she saith the Deuill kist her twice, and had her companie for the space of halfe an houre. Guillemina confest the like, as also, Perfrigidum semen ab eo Excreatum. The song vsed in those dan∣ces was this; Har, Har; Diabole, Diabole; Sali huc, Sali illuc; Lude hic, Lude illic: Then answered the rest; Sabaoth, Sabaoth, i. The feast day of rest, &c. Iohannes Megerus the accurate writer of the Flanders Historie, relates thar in the yeare 1459, a great number of men and women Witches were bur∣ned, who publickely confessed their vnguents, transuections, dances, feasts, and consocietie with Deuills: so likewise Iacobus Sprangerus of German Witches, in the cities and villages about Constantienses and Ratisbone, in the yeare 1485, reports the like. I could tire the reader with infinit ex∣amples, authors, testats, and adiurors, with the places, times, and circumstan∣ces, one or two at the most shall suffice. Ioachimus Camarensis in his booke de Natura Demonum, tells vs of a traueller that passing by night through a fo∣rest, heard the like noise of musicke, mirth, dancing, and reuells, and approa∣ching neerer to discouer the nouell, espied the like conuention, when on the sudden the Deuills and Witches all vanished, and left behind them cer∣taine boules and cups of plate, with the names of the owners ingrauen vp∣on them, which he tooke and carried the next day to the magistrates, by which many of the Witches were knowne, these discouered others, all which were condemned to the stake. In the yeare 1564, Saluertus being President amongst the Pictauians, where he with Dauentonius his fellow President sate as Iudges, three men and one woman were conuicted, and after doomed to the fire, all these confest the ceremonies in the before

named nightly meetings: as also, that there was a Goat placed in the mid∣dest of them, whose hinder parts they all kist, euery one holding a lighted Candle in their hand. At length, with these Lights the Goat was burnt to ashes, of which euerie of them receiued a quantitie. This dust they scatte∣red vpon the thresholds of Houses, Stable-doores, Oxe-stalls, or Sheepe∣coates, to destroy either Children, Horses, Sheepe, or such Cattell of their enemies. This being distributed amongst them, the Deuill cryed with a loud voyce, Reuenge your selues of your enemies, or die your selues. At the next meeting, euerie one was particularly examined of the mischiefes they had done; and such as could not giue iust account of some or other ill, were publiquely mocked and derided by the rest, and after receiued so many stripes as were adiudged her by the Deuill; insomuch that one Witch con∣fessed shee could neuer rest nor be at quiet in her owne thoughts, vnlesse shee were doing some villanie or other; and if shee had no worse worke in hand, shee must breake Pots, Glasses, plucke out the Spiggots and let the Beere runne out of the Barrells into the Cellar floores, to keepe her hand in vre. Of the power of Witches, and Witchcraft, Virgil (who was held not to be the least amongst the Magicians) speakes in many places; but none more amply than Ouid, when he thus writ:

Quum volui, ripis ipsis mirantibus, amnes In Fontes rediere suos, &c.

When I so list, I make the bankes admire To see the flouds backe to their heads retire, And stay them there: when standing on the shore, I strike the Seas, I make the billowes rore, And calme them being angrie, I beat backe The stormie Clouds, or can command the Racke To bring in sweeping Tempests: the foure Winds My Incantation doth let loose, or binds. I remoue Woods, shake Mountaines: when I speake, The Vipers iawes I by my Spells can breake. When I but please, the Earth beneath me grones, And Sepulchers from the corrupted Bones Send forth their Ghosts, before my face t'appeare. I thee, ô horned Moone, call from thy Spheare, &c.

Much more might be cited out of the antient Poets, to illustrate these collected out of our moderne Histories of later times, and almost euery day presented before our eyes. But this one shall serue for many.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Io. Herui••••eria.
• * 1.2

  Beronda.
• * 1.3

  A Spanish Magician.
• * 1.4

  A Witch of Brill.
• * 1.5

  Margarita Bremontia.