Of ghostes and spirites walking by nyght and of strange noyses, crackes, and sundry forewarnynges, whiche commonly happen before the death of menne, great slaughters, [and] alterations of kyngdomes. One booke, written by Lewes Lauaterus of Tigurine. And translated into Englyshe by R.H.

¶ The firste parte of this Booke, concerning Spirites walking by night. (Book 1)

Wherein is declared, that Spirites and sightes do appeare, and that sundry strange and monstrous things do happen. (Book 1)

CHAP. I. Concerning certaine vvordes vvhiche are often vsed in this Treatise of Spirits, and diuers other diuinations of things to come.

TO the intente, that those men which occupie themselues in reading of this my Booke, and espe∣cially in perusing of other auncient writers, may the better vnderstande euerie thing, I will at the firste entrance briefly expound those thinges which shall seeme to concerne the pro∣prietie of wordes and ter∣mes vsed in this my trea∣tise of Spirits.

Spectrum amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight.* 1.1 Scaliger affirmeth that Spectrum is a thing which offereth it selfe to be séene, eyther truely, or by vaine imagination. The diuines take it to be a substance without a body, which béeing hearde or séene, maketh men afrayde.

Visum, signifieth an imagination or a certayne shewe,* 1.2

which men being in sléepe, yea and waking also, séeme in their iudgemente to beholde: as we reade of Brutus, who sawe his owne angell. Cicero in his first booke Acadaem. quest. writeth, that Visum, amongst the Grecians is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a fantasie, or vaine imagination.

* 1.3Also the Latines call those things Visiones, whiche the Grecians name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Terriculamenta, are vayn visions or sightes, which make men afrayde.* 1.4 The Latins also call it Terriculum, bicause it bréedeth feare.

* 1.5That whiche S. Math. 24. and Marke. 6. call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Erasmus doth translate it Spectrum▪ but the olde interpreter vseth the Gréeke worde.

* 1.6〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in lyke maner dothe signifie an else, a sighte or vaine apparition. Suidas maketh a difference betwéene Phantasma & Phantasia, saying, that Phantasma is an ima∣gination, an apperance or sight of a thing which is not, as are those sightes whiche men in their sléepe do thinke they sée: but that Phantasia, is the séeing of that onely which is in very déede.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is taken in Luke. 24. chap. for a spirite or vaine imagination.* 1.7 Howbeit most cōmonly some other worde is ioyned vnto it, if it be put for an euill spirite: as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Gentiles (as S. Augustine and other fathers doo testifie) supposed that the soules of men became Daemones, that is, good or euill angels: which if they had done wel, then were they called Lares, that is priuate gods: but if they haue done euill, then were they named Lemures, or Laru••, bugs & Elues. But if it were douted whether they had liued well or yll, then were they called Manes. Apu∣leius and other olde writers affirme, that Genij and Lares were all one.

* 1.8It was supposed (as Festus witnesseth) that Lares, were the soules of men, or else in••ernal gods. Lares were called Praestites,* 1.9 bicause they made all things safe with their eyes:

that is, they saued and preserued all things.

And authors affirme, they were called Hostilij,* 1.10 for that they were supposed to driue away enimies. Neither were they thought to beare rule only in priuate houses, & in crosse méeting ways, but also to defend Cities. They were lyke∣wise worshipped priuately in houses, and openly in the high wayes. As touching those that were called Lar••s you may reade more in Anthonius Constantius, of Fauentia his com∣mentaries, and in Ouid. lib. 5. Fastorum.

Genius (saye the Grammarians) is the naturall god of euery place, of euery thing,* 1.11 or of euery man when we are borne, as it is written, we haue two Geni••, wherof the one encourageth vs to doo well, the other ••o doo euill. Genius (saith Censorinus) is a god in whose gouernance euery man doth liue, so soone as he is borne: eyther bicause he taketh care for our begetting, or that he is ingēdred with vs, or els that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are be∣gotten. Sure it is, he is called Genius, à gignendo, that is, of begetting.

Penates lykewyse are domesticall gods. Macrobius af∣firmeth, that they are gods by whom we onely breathe,* 1.12 by whom we enioy this body, & by whō we possesse the reson of our minds. Nonius sayth, Lemures are spirites walking by night, & terrors rising of pictures of men & of beasts. Other say, that Lemures are euil & hurtful shapes which appere in the night, yea and that they be the soules of those that make men blacke and blew, called after that name.

Some men call the ghosts of al dead things by the name of Lemures. Thus sayeth Apuleius, Of those Lemures▪* 1.13 he that hathe care of hys posteritie, and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and quiet kinde of rule, was called Lar familiaris, god of the house. And bicause amongst the people of olde tyme, as they counted Lares good, so they supposed Lemures to be nought, therefore to driue them away, they did sacrifice vnto them.

* 1.14Some other men affirme, that Lemures are soules which tarrie about the bodies. Porphyrius calle••h them the wan∣dring soules of men departed before their tyme, as it were Remures, taking their name of Remus, whose soule folowed his brother Romulus: who to the intent he mighte pacifie them, instituted feastes called Lemuria.

* 1.15Seruius writeth, that Vmbrae were called Laruae: and they called dead mens soules by the name of Vmbrae. Of Laruae men are called Laruat•• that is to say, frantike men, and suche as are vexed with spirites. Who also (as Nonius witnesseth) are called Ceriti.* 1.16

Seruius sayeth, that mennes soules are called Manes, at suche tyme as departyng from their bodies,* 1.17 they are not yet passed into other bodies. And he iudgeth that they are so called by the fygure 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (whiche is when one speaketh by contraries) of the olde adiectiue Manus, that is good, bicause they were nothing lesse than good. For the auncient people supposed, that Manes were infernall gods, and therfore did they number them amongst theyr euil gods, and pacified them with sacrifice, least they should hurt them. Some affirme that Manes are in déede infer∣nall gods, but yet good: whereof commeth Mane, whiche signifieth good, and Dij Manes, as if you would say, good & prosperous gods, & therof also is said Jmmanes, for, not good.

Some other suppose, that soules separated from the bo∣bodies, were called after this name: Whereby we sée the auncient monuments of tumbes haue ben dedicated to Dijs Manibu••, to the infernal gods: In the which opinion Apu∣leius was, as we sayd a little before.

There are some that iudge Manes, to be the very same, that the olde people called Genij▪ and that there were two of these Manes assigned vnto mens bodies, euen immediatly after their begetting, which forsake them not whē they are dead, but continue in the graues after the bodies are consu∣me••. ••or the whiche cause, those men who defaced Monu∣mentes,

were thoughte to doo wrong vnto the gods called Manes. The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the infernall gods by the name of Manes, and that bicause they beleued (as Festus doth write) that all things did ma∣nare, that is, were deriued from them. Other thinke they were so called •• manandopunc; of ••lowing, bicause the places be∣twéene the circle of the Moone and the earth from whence they come, are full of soules.

Mani•• are deformed creatures, as Festus saythe:* 1.18 and also vgly shapes, wherwith nursses make children afrayd.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a woman with a face almost of a mōstrous fa∣shion:* 1.19 hereof it is taken for a heg: as also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, doth signifie a terrible sight, a spirit, or an elfe. Nicephorus say∣eth in his Ecclesiasticall historie, that a woman vsing to walke by night is called by the name of Gilo.

Lamiae were supposed of the aunciente people to be wo∣men hauing eyes to put out or in at their plesure,* 1.20 or rather certaine shapes of diuels, which taking on them the shew of beautifull women, deuoured children and yong men, allured vnto them with swéete inticementes.

Philostratus in his booke Appollonio, writeth a maruel∣lous historie or fable of one Menippus, beloued of an heg. The same authour writeth, that Lamiae are called of some men Laruae, spirites walkyng by nighte: and Lemures, nighte spirites of horrible shapes: and of many Empusa, ghosts of variable fashion: and that nursses so named them to make their children afrayde.

Chrysostomus Dion writeth, that in the inmost parte of Affrike are certayn wylde beasts, hauing the countenance of a woman, whiche in lyke maner are called Lamiae: and he sayth that they haue their pappes and al the rest of their breast so fayre as any paynters witte can deuise, which be∣ing vncouered, they disceytfully allure men vnto them, and when they haue taken them, doo foorthwith deuoure them.* 1.21

In the fourth chapter of the Lamentations of Hieremie

it is sayde: Lamiae nudauerun•• mammas suas &c. Apuleius writeth, that Lamiae are things that make Children a∣frayde.

* 1.22Lamiae are also called Striges. Striges (as they saye) are vnluckie birdes, whiche sucke out the bloud of infants ly∣ing in their cradles. And hereof some men will haue wit∣ches take their name, who also are called Volaticae, as Fe∣stus writeth.

The name of Gorgon, was inuented to make childrē a∣fraid:* 1.23 for they say these Gorgons are rauening spirites, such as men faine Lamiae to be.

Ephialtae, & Hyphialtae, that is Jncubi and Succubi, (which we cal Maares) are night spirits or rather Diuells,* 1.24 which leape vpon men in their sleepe. The phisitians do affirme that these are nothing else but a disease.

Empusa is an apparition of the Diuel, or a spirit which sheweth it selfe vnto such as are in misery,* 1.25 chaunging hys shape into diuers formes, and for the most parte appeareth at noone time. Read more hereof in Suidas.

Dicelon, is so called bicause it is sente to make men a∣fraid:* 1.26 those kinds of terrors the Grecians cal Hecataea, as Apollonius writeth, bicause Hecate or Proserpina is the cause of them,* 1.27 who therfore is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is of terrifying, and that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp by hir.

Plutarchus writeth, that Acco and Alphito, were mon∣strous women,* 1.28 by naming of whome, mothers kepte their children in awe, and made them feare to do euill.

Cardanus calleth these Diuels whiche kepe vnder the earth,* 1.29 & many times kill men as they are vndermining, by the name of Telchinnes. Men vsing witchecrafte, and such as are possessed with a Spirite, and out of their wits, are called amongst the Grecians, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

* 1.30Of these sorte are those monsters, halfe lyke men and halfe like beastes, which men saye are founde in woods,

and oftentimes haue appéered vnto men. It is sayde, that Panes and Fa••ni, are all one, hauing their nether partes lyke vnto Gaotes féete.

And menne saye, that Satyri,* 1.31 are almoste lyke vn∣too menne: And those whiche are of full age are called Sileni.

Onocentaurus, is a beaste of a straunge fashion,* 1.32 whiche is reported to be lyke a man in the vpper parte, and down∣warde lyke an asse.

Onosceli, as it is written in Plutarche,* 1.33 are Diuels ha∣uyng legges like vnto asses.

The olde people imagined, that Hippocentauri,* 1.34 were creatures, who before were lyke to men, but the hinder partes had the similitude of horses.

And they doo fayne,* 1.35 that Sphinx is Animal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a beast of the similitude of a man.

Scilla, and Harpyae, are rauening Dyuels,* 1.36 with faces lyke vnto maydens.

As touchyng menne lyuing in the Sea,* 1.37 as Trito∣nes, Nereides and Syrenes, who as the auncient people af∣firmed, had faces lyke vnto menne, Reade Gesnerus in Historia Aquatilium, where hée intreateth of them. For he proueth oute of many authoures, that there are founde Monsters in the sea, hauyng shapes and counte∣naunces somewhat lyke vnto men.

Some of these monsters whiche are in déede, bée of the kynde of Apes, and some are onely fabulous, or false: yet notwithstandyng, it maye bée, that the Dyuell doothe deceyue men vnder the formes of them.

Thus muche concerning tearmes, whiche wée muste vse in this oure Treatyse of Spirites or Uisions Herevntoo haue I adioyned straunge happes, and foreto∣kens, whyche for the moste parte chaunce before greate matters. And therefore I knitte them vnto these, by∣cause they haue greate resemblaunce vnto them.

For vayne imaginations also appéere vnto our sights: ar∣med men as it were are séene on earth, or in the aire: and other suche lyke shapes, voyces, noyses, crackes, and suche lyke.* 1.38 But as touching the very wordes, Portentum is that which forsheweth some thing to come, as when straunge bodies appere in the ayre, or blazing starres, or thunder in fayre weather, or whirlewindes do chaunce. Festus sayth, that albeit Portentum be a naturall thing, yet it happeneth seldome, and doth betoken some thing to come to passe af∣ter a certaine season.

Ostentum, is some straunge thing, whiche sheweth some thing to come to effecte spéedily.* 1.39 They giue the lyke exam∣ples of them bothe.

Prodigium, is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of nature,* 1.40 yet notwithstanding it doth always beto∣ken some euill thing, being called Prodigium, as it were of porro agendum, to bée doone afterwarde.

* 1.41Monstrum, is that whiche hapneth agaynst nature, as when any thing is brought foorthe hauyng membres bée∣longing to an other kynde: the whiche is also called Pro∣monstrum, as who should saye, Porro aliquid monstrans, siue monens, that is, shewing or warnyng some thyng to happen afterward. Notwithstāding these termes are many tymes confounded togither, & taken in one signification, and that bicause they respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of things to come. The vayne visions wheron we here intreate, appertayne nothing to natural philosophers, neyther yet these things which we haue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning, or rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing chaūce whiche standeth by natural reason, it doth not proprely be∣long vnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things passe, we will by Gods helpe and ayde come néerer to the matter it selfe▪

CHAP. II. Melancholike persons, and madde men, imagin many things vvhich in verie deede are not.

THere haue ben very many in al ages,* 1.42 which haue vtterly denied that there be any spiri∣tes or straunge sightes. The Philosophers of Epicurus sect did iest and laugh at al those things whiche were reported of them, and counted them as fayned and counterfeat, by the whiche only children and fooles, and playne simple men were made afrayd. When Cassius, who was an Epicurian, vnderstoode by Brutus, that he had séene a certain vision, he (as Plutarche doth testifie) indeuored to attribute the mat∣ter vnto naturall causes. We reade in the .23. chap. of the Actes of the Apostles,* 1.43 that the Sadduceys did not beléeue there shoulde be any Resurrection of the dead, and that they denyed there were any spirites or angels: Yea and at thys day, many good and godly men beleue those things to be but tales, which are talked of ••o and fro concerning those ima∣gined visions: partly bicause in all their lyfe, they neuer sawe any suche, and partly or rather especially, bicause in time past men haue bin so often deceiued w^t apparitiōs, vi∣sions and false miracles done by Monkes and Priests, that nowe they take things that are true, to bée as vtterly false. What soeuer the cause is, it may be proued, by witnesse o•• many writers, & by dayly experience also, that spirites and straunge sightes doo sometyme appeare, and that in verye déede many straunge and maruellous things doo happen. True it is, that many men doo falsly per••uade themselues that they sée or heare ghostes: for that which they imagin they see or heare, procéedeth eyther of melancholie, mad∣nesse, weaknesse of the senses, feare, or of some other per∣turbation: or else when they sée or heare beasts, vapors, or some other naturall things, then they vaynly suppose, they

haue séene sightes I wote not what, as héereafter I will shewe particularly by many and notable examples.

There is no doute, but that almost al those things which the common people iudge to be wonderfull sightes, are no∣thing lesse than so. But in the meane season it can not be denied, but that straunge sightes, and many other suche lyke things, are sometymes hearde and also séene.

* 1.44And fyrste it can not be denyed, but that some menne whiche eyther by dispositions of nature, or for that they haue susteyned greate miserie, are nowe become heauie and full of melancholie, imagine many tymes with them selues being alone, miraculous and straunge things. Sometimes they affirme in greate soothe, that they verily heare and sée this or that thing, whiche notwithstanding neyther they nor yet any other man dyd once sée or heare. Which thing we sometimes sée by experience to b••e true in those men, whiche be troubled with greate headache, or subiect to other diseases of the body, or cannot take rest in the night or are distraughted of their wittes. Those whiche dwell with suche kinde of men, when they héere them tell such obsurde tales, such straunge things, and suche marue∣lous visions, albeit they pittie their vnfortunate estate, yet can they not many tymes conteyn themselues from laugh∣ing. Aristotle in his booke de rebu•• mirandis, writeth of a certaine man distraught of his wittes, who going into the Theatre of Abydos a Citie of Asia,* 1.45 when no man was therein, and there setting alone, by clapping of his handes, signified that he liked as well euery thing there, as if some commedie or tragedie had ben notablie sette forth on stage. The verie like Historie hath Horace, in his seconde booke of Epistles of a certain man, who comming into the Thea∣tre at Argos, behaued him selfe euen as the other man did: And when his Kinsfolke through the helpe of good Phisitians, hadde restored him to his ryght wittes againe, he was verie angrie with them, saying, that he neuer liued

more pleasantly than while he was beside him selfe. Athe∣neus lib. 12. writeth of one Tresilaus, whose braines were so distempered, that he verily supposed all the ships whiche aryued at Porte Piraeus, to be his owne: he would numbre them, he commaunded the Mariners to launch from shore, and when they returned after their voyage home againe, he as much reioyced as if he had ben owner of all where∣with they were laden. The same man affirmed, that in al the time of his madnesse he liued a verie pleasant life, vn∣till the Phisitian hadde cured him of his disease. I my selfe haue séene a man, Iohannes Leonardus Sertorius by name, whom verie honest and graue men, which knewe him wel,* 1.46 would testifie to be a godly man, which was throughly per∣swaded with him selfe, that he coulde proue our Religion which we nowe professe, to be true and catholicke, euen by a miracle from heauen as somtime Helias did. He desired the Magistrates of certaine Countries to cal togither their Papistes, and Protestantes: for he was readie (he sayde) to shewe this miracle, and in case he dyd it not openly before them all, he refused not to susteine any kind of punishment. The lyke reason is also of other men whiche are besides them selues: for they take on them maruelous things, eyther bycause they haue mused long time on some matter conceiued in their minds, as cunning Artificers often times do: or bycause they haue ben long weried with sicknesse, or else bycause they loue extremelie. You shal find some that imagine them self as it were armed with horns of an Oxe: other apéere to them selues to be erthen vessells, and there∣fore they will shun euerie thing for feare they be broken. Of such an one writeth Galene, De lo is affectis. lib. 3 ca 6. and also lib▪ 4 ca. 1▪ Other suppose them selues deade, other thinke them selues great Princes, other to be learned men, other to be Prophets & Apostles, & therfore they wil foretel things to come. The same he writeth of them y^t are taken with frensie * 1.47 and namely, of one Theophilus a Phisitian,

who in other things was wyse, and coulde dispute wel and perfectly knowe euery man: yet notwithstanding, he thou∣ght there were certein Minstrels did haunte that corner of his house where he vsed to lye, and that they tuned theyr pypes, and played on them euery daye: And hée verily thoughte, that he sawe them, some sittting, and some stan∣ding, and in suche sorte continually pyping without inter∣mission, that they ceassed at no tyme, neither in the day, nor in the night. And therfore he neuer ceassed to crie, and to commaunde his seruantes to driue them out of his dores. When he was throughly recouered of his sicknesse, then he tolde all other things which euery one of them had sayd or done: and also he called to mynd the imaginations which he conceyued of the tediousnesse of the minstrels.

* 1.48Paulus Aegineta writeth in his thirde booke and .xv. chap. that those that are taken with Lycanthropia▪ (whiche is a kynde of madnesse) leape oute of their houses in the night, in all things imitating the nature of wolues, and that vntill it wax•• day, they kéep about the graues of dead men. Moreouer, somtimes the Diuel (enimie to mankind) so deceiueth men, that they séeme vnto them selues to bée beastes.* 1.49 Wherof Augustin writeth In Genesin ad literam lib 7▪ cap. 11. they which are bitten with madde Dogges are afrayde of water. This disease they call Hydrophobiam: out of which Aegineta lib. 5. ca. 3 reporteth,* 1.50 that they which are troubled wyth this disease, looking on the water, and béeing broughte vnto it, flée from them soone: other vt∣terly refuse all kynd of moysture: and that there are some whiche barke like Doggs, and bite them that come vnto them. Rufus shewing the cause of their feare, sayeth that they suppose they sée in the water the shadowe of the Dog whiche bitte them.* 1.51

Ephialtes, which the Phisitions call the Maare, is a dis∣ease of the stomacke,* 1.52 concerning which reade Paulus Ae∣gineta▪ li. 3. cap. 16. Many which are taken with this disease▪

imagine that a man of monstrous stature sitteth on them, which with his handes violentlye stoppeth their mouthe, that they can by no meanes crye out, and they striue with their armes and hands to driue him away, but al in vaine. Some led with vayne fantasie, thinke him who oppres••eth them, to créepe vp by little and little on the bed, as it were to deceyue them, and anon to runne downe agayne. They séeme also to themselues to he••re him. This disease is cal∣led by an other name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Madde men which haue vtterly loste the vse of reason, or are vexed by Gods permission, with a Diuell,* 1.53 whome the Gospel calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, doo maruellous thinges, talke of many visions and diuers other matters. Theyr sight deceiueth them, in somuche as they mistake one man for an other: which thing we sée by experience, in Bedleme houses where mad and frantike men are kepte. We read that Aiax t••ke the matter so greuously, when Achilles ar∣mour was adiudged vnto Vlisses that becomming madde through griefe, and drawing out his sworde, he set vppon herds of swyne, supposing that he fought with the whole army of the Grecians. Afterwards hanging vp two of the greatest of them on postes, with rayling words he whip∣ped them, thincking one of them to be Agamemnon, the o∣ther Vlisses, of whom with the first he was angry as an euil iudge, with the other bicause he was by him vanquished in iudgement. But afterwards when he came agayn to him selfe, for very shame he flewe him selfe. It hathe many times chaunced in battaile, that the souldiors falling into greate furie their captaine•• haue ben forced to take away theyr armour, bicause by rage they toke their owne fe∣lowes for enimies, and began to set on them violently.

Tertullianus sayth thus:* 1.54 Those whiche are mad sée one man in an other, as Orestes sawe his mother in his sister, Aiax beheld Vlisses in an heard of swine, Athamas and A∣gaue wild beastes in their owne children &c.

CHAP. III. Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straunge things.

THat whiche we haue hytherto spoken con∣cerning melancholicke men, and men out of their witts, may also be vnderstood of ti∣morous and fearefull men. For if any man bée timorous by nature, or subiect to feare through great daungers, or by some other wayes, he also imagineth straunge things whiche in déede are not so, especially if he haue in him any store of melan∣cholie. Wemen, which for the most parte are naturally ge∣uen to feare more than men,* 1.55 (for which cause S. Peter in his first epistle speaking of the duety of married folks, cal∣leth them the weaker ve••sell,) do more often suppose they sée or heare this or that thing, than men do. And so do yong wemen, bicause commonly they are afrayde. If when men sit at the table, mention be made of Spirits and elues, ma∣ny times wemen and children are so afrayde that they dare scarce go out of dores alone, least they shoulde méete wyth some euyl thing: and if they chaunce to heare any kinde of noise, by and by they thinke there are some spirits behynde them, suche vaine persuasions haue they. A cowardly soul∣dior iudgeth his enimies to be more in number than they are: the noyse of a leafe béeing moued so affrighteth hym (which thing God in his lawe threatneth his people of Is∣raell except they do their dueties) that he betaketh him selfe to his héeles: if he but heare a woodspecke with his ••ill beating on a Trée, he straight thinketh the enemie readie to leape on his shoulders: yea if ••e heare but a mouse moue, by and by his harte is in his Hose. These and suche lyke things neuer trouble a stoute and coragious Souldiour.

And yet som•• times in the chase, lustie souldiours flying away from their companie, are so troubled in minde, that they thinke their friends enimies, and cannot tell in the world where they are, and whether they go: all the which commeth by feare.

Plutarche in his booke De sera numinis vindicta,* 1.56 repor∣teth a maruellous and notable historie, of one called Bes∣sus: who after he had murdered his father, hid him selfe a long season. But on a time as he went to supper, espying a swalowes nest, with his speare he thrust it downe: and when those which supped togither with him, misliked and abhorred his crueltie (for we like not those men that trouble litle birdes and other beasts, bicause we iudge them au∣sterne and cruell) he aunswered: haue they not (saith he) falsly accused me, a greate while crying out on me, that I haue slayne and murdered my father. Those which wer•• present being striken with greate admiration, reported these his words to the king, who immediatly caused hym to be tormented, and examining the matter diligently, at the last founde him giltie and punished him as a manquil∣ler of his owne father. Hereof ye may gather what fear•• can do: the swalowes coulde not speake, and yet he per∣swaded him selfe that they vpbrayed him with murdering his father. Euen so many through feare, imagine that they heare and sée many thinges whiche in deede are méer•• trifles.

Procopius in the beginning of the warres of Italie de∣clareth, that as Theodoricus sate at meate,* 1.57 after he had put to death Boethius and Symmachus his sonne in lawe, a fishes head being brought before him, he sawe in it the countenance of Symmachus looking horribly, which biting the nether lip with lowring eyes séemed to threaten him, wherewith the King béeing sore abashed fell into a grée∣uous sicknesse, wherof he afterwards died. Yea feare if it be

vnmeasurable maketh vs to abhorre those things, whiche otherwise should be comfortable vnto vs. The apostles of our lorde Jesu Christ may be examples hereof.* 1.58 Who in the night season being in greate daunger in the Sea, when they sawe Christe walking on the water approching to∣wards them wer maruelously appalled. For they supposed they sawe a Spirit, and cried out for feare. But the Lorde came to deliuer them out of that present daunger wherein they were. After his resurrection they were maruellously affrayde, and as S. Luke saith, they verily supposed they saw a Spirit,* 1.59 when in deede he appeared vnto them in his owne body. Therfore the lord comforteth & hartneth them saying: Behold my hands & my féet, for I am euē he: hādle me and sée: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye sée I haue. They through great ioy could not beleue it, but mar∣uelled at it. Héere thou séest, by feare it came to passe, that the Disciples supposed y^e lord him self to haue ben a ghost. And therefore no man ought to maruell if we hindered by feare, mistake one man for an other, and perswade our selues that we haue séene spirits, whereas no suche were. They whiche are of stout and hautie corage, frée from all feare, seldome tymes sée any spirits. It is reported of the Scythiās,* 1.60 a warlike natiō dwelling in mountaynes (from whom it is thought the Turkes take their originall) that they neuer sée any vayne sightes of spirits. Authors write that Lions are not feared with any bugs: for they are full of stomacke and deuoide of feare.

CHAP. IIII. Men vvhich are dull of seing and hearing imagine ma∣ny things vvhich in very deed are not so.

THey which are weake of sight are many tymes in suche sorte deceyued, that they beholde one man in stede of an other. Poare blynded men whom the Gréekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which can not

sée any thing, except it be very néere their eyes (as for the most parte students are, which night and daye turne ouer their bookes) are so muche deceiued in their sight, that they are many times ashamed to vtter what they haue thought they haue séene. And it standeth by naturall reason, that an ore séemeth to be broken in the water: and a tower foure cornered, a farre off sheweth to be rounde.* 1.61 Those whiche drinke wine immoderately, in suche sorte that their eyes beginne to waxe dimme, and stare out of their heads, like hares whiche haue bene caried hanging on a staffe a mile or twaine, sée things farre otherwise than sober men doe. They suppose they sée two candles on the table, whē there is but one: desiring to reache the potte, they put their hand amisse. In Euripides tragedie named Bacchis,* 1.62 Pentheus af∣firmeth that he séeth two sunnes and two cities of Thebes: For his braines were maruellously distempered. It is a common saying, that if wine haue the victorie, all things seeme to bée turned vpside downe: trées to walke, moun∣taines to be moued, & riuers to runne against the head. &c. Salomon exhorteth all men from dronkennesse, in his pro∣uerbes. cap. 23. shewing what discommodities ensue therof,* 1.63 and amongst other things he sayeth thus: Thy eyes shall sée straunge (to witt) visions and maruellous apparitions. For as timorous men imagin miraculous things, euen so do dronken men, who of purpose corrupt and spoile their sight. And albeit God shew many wonders in the aire, and in the earth, to the ende he may stir men vp from idlenesse and bring them to true repentaunce, yet notwithstanding we must thinke that dronken men which sit vp vntill mid∣night do often say, they haue séene this or that vision, they haue behold this or that wonder, when as in déed they are vtterly deceyued. For in case they had retourned home in due season, and not ouercharged themselues with too much wine, no suche thing had appeared vnto them. For in dede their eyesight had not bin blinded. Doth it not often come

to passe, that when men are once throughly warmed wyth wine, they mistake one for another, of whom they thought they were abused in worde or déede, and violentlye flye on them with weapon? The place before alleaged out of Sa∣lomon, maye also bée vnderstood to thys purpose: Thy eyes shall sée straunge (to witte,) women, to luste after them. For experience teacheth vs that men being dronk, assaie to rauishe matrones and maydens, which béeing so∣ber they would neuer once thinke vppon. Wine immode∣rately taken is the nurse of rashe boldnesse and filthy lust.

* 1.64Aristotle writeth that some menne through the féeble∣nesse of their sight, beholding in the aire néere vnto them (as it were in a glasse) a certaine image of them selues, suppose they see their owne angels or soules: and so as the Prouerbe is, they feare their owne shadowe. Although men in obscure and darke places can sée nothing, yet doo they not (I pray you) imagine they sée diuers kindes of shapes & colors. And we many times suppose those things which we sée, to be farre otherwise than in déede they are.

It is well knowne, a mans sight maye be so deceiued, that he verily thinkes that one deuoureth a sword, spitteth out money, coales, and suche like: that one eateth breade, and spitteth foorth meale: one drinketh wine, which after runneth out of his forehead: that one cutteth of his felowes head, which afterwardes he setteth on agayne: and that a cocke séemeth to drawe after hym a huge beame of tym∣ber. &c. Moreouer it may be brought to passe by naturall things, as by perfumes and suche like, that a man woulde sweare in earnest, that all men ••itting at the table wyth him, haue no heds at al, or else that they are like the heads of asses: & that somtimes a vine spreadeth it self as it were ouer al the house, whē in deed it is a mere deceit, or a plain iuggling cast Of whiche matter there be bookes cōmonly set abrode.* 1.65 The like reson is in hearing, & in the other sen∣ses. Those men who••e hearing is somwhat decayed, many

tymes séem in their owne imagination, to heare the noyse of boystrous winde, or violent tempeste, the sparkling of fyre, the roaring of waters sodenly increased, singing and sounding of instruments, and also the iangling of belles, when as in deede these things are not so, but only chaunce by default of hearing: for others whiche are conuersant with them, hauing the right vse of hearing, doo not heare any suche thing at all. Somtimes in very deede such things are heard, as the crackling of waynscot walles, and suche lyke, whiche are naturall signes of some tempeste short∣ly after ensuing.

There are also certaine hollowe places, thorough the whiche the winde whiszing, giueth a pleasant sound, as it were through a pipe, much lyke vnto singing, so that men wonder very much therat. We reade in writers of Phi∣losophie, that the very same also chaunceth in banks of ri∣uers, whiche bend a little in compasse. Hearing is also de∣ceyued when we thinke we heare thunder, and it is in déed but the rumblyng of some carte.* 1.66 There be many which thinke they handle some thing, and yet are deceyued: If men sicke of the ague, drinke wine of the ••est and swéetest sorte, yet they thinke it is more bitter than Ga••l: if they eate pottage neuer so good, yet they iudge it vnsauorie: whiche thyng commeth not of any faulte in the Cooke, but of the mouth and stomack which is distempered with sicknesse. For vnto them whiche haue abundance of chol∣ler, all things séeme bitter. And euen so it commeth to passe, that a man supposeth hée seeth, heareth, féeleth, or is felte of some spirite, when in déede it is not so, and yet no man can persuade him the contrarie.

If feare and weaknesse of the syghte and of other sen∣s••s méete togyther,* 1.67 then men fall into straunge and mar∣uellous imaginations, beléeuyng thyngs vtterly false, to be very true: Neyther wil they bée brought from theyr owne opinions by any meanes or reason.

We reade that not only perticular and priuate men, but also whole armies of soldiours generally haue bin so de∣ceyued, that they haue verilye thought their enymies hard at their héeles, when as no man followed. And hereof haue procéeded many horrible flightes in battaile.

Cominaeus, a knight and diligent writer of hystories, in the ende of his firste booke of the Actes of Lewes the .11. King of Fraunce,* 1.68 writeth, that when Charles Duke of Burgundie, with other Princes hadde remoued their armie to Paris, they vnderstood by their espials, that the next day the king had determined to sette on them with all his po∣wer of men. Wherfore the next daye Charles sent out cer∣taine horsemen to vewe his enimies: who comming foorth, by reason that the elemente was somewhat ••arke, suppo∣sed they sawe a huge number of pikes and speares, but when they had passed a little further and that the aire was a little clearer, they vnderstood the same place wherein they iudged the king to be with all his armie, to be planted and ouergrowne with many high thistles, whiche a farre off shewed as it had bin long speares. For the night begui∣leth mens eyes. And therefore none ought to maruell, if trauellers towardes night or at midnight, mistake stones, trées, stubbes, or such like to be sprites or elues. We reade in the last booke of the kings the 3. chap. that after the death of king Achab,* 1.69 the Moabites reuolted from Ioram hys sonne, wherefore he desired Iosaphat to aide him, and with all his power he determined to make warre on the Moa∣bites, to reduce them to obedience, and subiection. Which thing when the Moabites heard, they prepared to defend themselues, so many as were able to beare armoure. But when they hadde set foreward verie early in the morning against their enimies, supposing in the rising of the sunne, the waters whiche GOD had miraculously brought out to bée redde, they sayd amongst themselues: Surely the two Kings haue encountred togither, and each

haue destroyed other, wherevppon they running on heapes without order, to spoile the Israelites Tents, were by them vanquished and slaine: here you sée all the Armie mistooke water in steade of bloude.

CHAP. V. Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose they haue heard or seene Spirites.

FUrthermore it commeth to passe many tymes that not only pleasant and mer∣rie conceyted men, but also spiteful and malitious men, chaunging their appa∣rell, make others extreamelie afrayd. It is a common custome in many pla∣ces, that at a certaine time of the yeare, one with a nette or visarde on his face maketh Children afrayde, to the ende that euer after they shoulde laboure and be obedient to their Parentes, after∣ward they tel them that those which they saw, were Bugs, Witches and Hagges, which thing they verily beléeue, and are commonly, miserablie afrayde. Howbeit, it is not expe∣dient alwayes so to terrifie Children. For sometimes through great feare they fall into dangerous diseases, and in the nyght crye out, when they are fast asléepe.* 1.70 Salomon teacheth vs to chasten children with the rod, and so to make them stand in awe: he doth not say, we must beare them in hande they shal be deuoured of Bugges, Hags of the night, and such lyke monsters.

Many times, pleasant & merrie yong men, disguise thē∣selues like vnto Deuils, or else shroud themselues in white shéetes to make other men afrayde: with whome if simple men chaunce to meete, they make no doubt of the matter, but verily thinke they haue séene spirites, and straunge sightes. And yet it is not alwayes the safest way, so to de∣ceyue

men with iests and toyes, for many examples might be brought to shew how euill some men haue sped hereby. It is an vsuall and common thing that yong men merily disposed, when they trauell by the way, comming to theyr Inne at night, tye roapes to the bed side, or to the couerlet or garments, or else hide them selues vnder the bed, and so counterfeating them selues to bee Spirits, deceyue and mocke their fellows It chaunced once at Tigurin•• where we dwell, that certayne plesaunt yong men disguising thē∣selues,* 1.71 daunced aboute the Churcheyarde, one of them playing on a beere with two bones, as it were on a drūme. Wich thing when certaine men had espied, they noysed it about the citie, how they had séene dead men daunce, and that there was greate daunger, least there should shortly ensue some plague or pestilence.

Moreouer it is well knowen to all men, that harlots, and whooremongers, haue practised their wickednesse a long season vnder this cloake and pretence, persuading their family, that walking Spirites haunt the house, least they shoulde be taken with the déede dooing, and that they might enioy their desired loue. Many times such bugges haue ben caught by the magistrats, and put to open shame. Theues likewise vnder this colour haue many times rob∣bed their neighboures in the night time, who supposing they heard the noyse of walking Spirites, neuer went a∣bout to driue the théeues away. Touching this point, that an euill Spirit, by meanes of naturall things which haue straunge vertues, can do maruellous things, by deceyuing mens senses, I will at this present speake nothing.

CHAP. VI. Preestes and Monckes fained themselues to be Spirites: also hovve Mundus vnder this colour defiled Paulina, and Tyrannus abused many noble and honest ma∣trones.

TO these things may be added that ther haue bene in al ages certain priests, which practi∣sing straunge deuises, & giuing themselues to Necromancie, haue bewitched foolishe men that highlie estéemed them, to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches, and followe their lustful pleasures. Touching which mat∣ter, to the ende godly disposed men may be the more heed∣full, I will rehearse a fewe histories.

Iosephus a writer of histories,* 1.72 in his 18 booke and 4. chap. of Antiquities, remembreth a notorious déede which hap∣ned at Rome in the tyme of Tyberius Cesa••, vnder the pre∣tence of sacrificing to the goddesse Isis. I will recorde the historie as it is translated by Galenius a very learned mā.

There dwelled at Rome a woman named Paulina,* 1.73 no lesse renoumed for honestie of lyfe, than for the nobilitie of parentage: She was also very riche and excéeding beau∣tiful, as one that was now in the floure of hir age, & especi∣ally adorned with the great vertue of chastitie: and maried she was to one Saturnius, a man worthie of such a wyfe. It chaunced that Decius Mundus, a famous yong knight, became very muche enamored with hir: & bicause she was a woman of greater welth thā that she might be won with rewardes and money, so muche the more was this louers madnesse inflamed, in so much that he stuck not to proffer hir for one night .200000. groates. The Atticke groate & the Romain penie are by cōmon valuation all one. ••udeus accoūteth one of them worth .viij Crusados: so this summe according to his reckening amounteth to .26000. Florens.

And yet not being able by these meanes to moue hir cō∣stant mind, bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue, he determined, by abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of lyfe and loue together. This determination was not vnknowen to Ide, Mundus Fathers bondseruant, a mayde cunning in many artes, but suche as were not to bée lyked. She maruellously gréeued with the yong mans wil∣fulnesse in absteining frō meat, talking with hym, by swéet & flattering words began to encourage him, assuring him y^t she would bring to passe, that he should at his pleasure em∣brace Paulina. After that he had gladly condiscended to hir entreatie, she telleth him she must néedes haue fiftie thou∣sande groates to ouerthrowe the Gentlewomans chastitie. So putting the yong man in good hope, and receyuing as∣much money as she required, bycause she well knewe Pau∣lina coulde not be wonne with money, she deuiseth a newe way to deceiue hir. Understanding therfore y^t she was mar∣uellously addicted to the worshipping of Isis, she inuenteth these meanes: She talketh with some of Isis Priestes, and hauing receyued sure promise of them to kéepe all things secrete, and (which is most effectuall) hauing shewed their rewarde, promising presentlye 25000. groats, and when they had done the déede, other 25000. she openeth vnto them the yong mans loue, beséeching them to helpe by all mea∣nes possible, that she mighte enioy the same. They touched at the harte with desire of the money, gently promi∣sed their helpe. Wherefore the eldest of them speedelie go∣eth to Paulina, and being admitted to hir spéech, after he had obtained to talke with hir in secrete, he declareth that he is come vnto hir being sent by the greate God Anubis (this Anubis hauing a heade lyke to a Dogge, was worshipped togither in one Temple with Isis) who is maruellously in loue with hir beautie, and doth cōmaund hir to repaire vn∣to him. She ioyfully receyued the message, and forthwith vaunteth among hir familiar acquain••aunce, that the God

Anubis hath vouchsaued to loue hir: And she telleth hir husbande, that she must suppe and lye with him. Which thing was so muche the more easelye graunted vnto hir, for that hir husbande had had good experience and know∣ledge of hir chastitie. Whervpon she goeth to the temple, and after supper when time of rest drew néere, being shut in by the priest, she méeteth with Mundus, who had priui∣lye hidden himselfe there, the darkenesse bringing them together, without any suspition. And so all that night she satisfied the yong mans desire, supposing she had done plea∣sure vnto the God. Afterwards he departing from hir, Pau∣lina early in the morning, before the priests (who were priuie to this deceyt) were stirring, returned home to hir husband, to whome she recounteth hir méeting with Anu∣bis, & also with great words setteth out the same amongst hir gossips and friends. They could not beléeue hir, consi∣dering the nature of the thing, and yet could they not chuse but maruell, waying the greate chastitie of the woman. Thrée dayes after the déede done, Mundus méeting by chaunce with his beloued, saide vnto hir: O well done Pau∣lina, thou hast saued me 200000 groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches, and yet notwithstan∣ding thou hast fulfilled my desire, for I way it not that thou hast despised Mundus, sith vnder the title of Anubis▪ I haue enioyed my disired lust, which words sayde, he de∣parted. But the woman then first perceiuing this villany, began to teare hir garments, and opening the whole mat∣ter vnto hir husband, beséecheth him that he suffer not such a notorious mockerie to go vnpunished. Hir husbande then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure Tiberius: who after he had learned all things by diligent examina∣tion, trusseth vp these iugling priests on the gallowes, to∣gither with Ide, the authour of al this mischiefe, by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie of this noble gentlewoman was defiled: and ouerthrowing their temple, he commaun∣ded

the Image of Isis to be sunk in the riuer Tibris. But i•• pleased him to chasten Mundus with banishment, a more gentle kynd of punishmēt, ascribing his fault to y^e weaknes of his immoderat loue. By this history it may easily be ga∣thered how Sathan in times past be witcht the Gentils, & how their priests persuaded them y^t their Gods appearing in visible form spake this or y^t vnto them, which notwith∣stāding were very false. Under the pretēce of worshipping their gods, thei gaue thēselues to wicked deuises. For how often may we wel think they cōmitted abhominable mis∣chief (although in déed y^e matter it self neuer cam to light.) If they brought it to passe, y^• Mundus by their means en∣ioyed his desired loue, surely there is no doubt, but y^t they thēselues vnder the color of holinesse defloured other mē•• daughters & wiues: for otherwise this deuise coulde neuer haue bin so redy in mind. This matron would neuer hau•• bin so wel cōtent, vnlesse y^• very same had bin practised w^t other dames before. Neither yet wold hir husbād haue suf∣fered hir t•• lodge in the Church al night. What néed was ther for y^e gods to haue beds prepared for thē in y^e Church, whē it was most aparāt they neuer lodged in thē. Princes also may lern by the exāple of Tiberius, although he were a wicked tyrant, how such varlets are to be restrained. T•• thys purpose maketh y^e historie which Ruffinus a priest of Aquilia reporteth in Li. 11. ca. 25. of his ecclesiastical history.* 1.74

* 1.75There was a priest in Alexādria in Egipt, vowed to Sa∣turn whose name was Tyrānus. This mā as it had bin frō the mouth of god, vsed to say vnto al such noble & principal mē, whose ladies he liked & lusted after, that Saturne had cōmaunded, y^t such a ones wife shuld lie al night in the tē∣ple. Then he which herd y^e message, reioycing much y^t the god vouchsafed to cal for his wife, decking hir vp brauely, & giuing hir great gifts (forsooth lest she shuld be refused bi∣cause she came emptie) sent hir foorth vnto y^e temple, wher•• the woman being shut vp in the presence of al men▪ Tiran∣nus

whē he had fast locked the dores, surrēdring the keys departed his wayes. Afterwards in great silence passing through priuie caues vnder the grounde, he issued foorthe out of the open holes into the image of Saturne: whiche image was made hollow in the backe, and cunningly fast∣ned to the wall. And as the candles burned within the Church, be spake sodeinly vnto the woman (giuing great ••are, & praying deuoutly) through the image made of hol∣lowe brasse, in such sorte that the vnhappy woman, trem∣bled betwene feare and ioy, because she thought hir selfe worthy of the speach of so great a god. Now after the ••au∣dy god had talked his pleasure to bring hir in great feare, or to prouoke hir to lust and wantonnesse, sodeynly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abrode of shéets, by a certein cunning deuise. And then descēding out of the image he committed adulterie with the woman muche a∣bashed and afrayde, vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto hir. Whē he had thus delt a long season, almost with al the wiues of these sely gentlemē, it chaunced in the ende that a certein chast gētlewoman began to abhorre & loath the déede, & marking y^e matter more héedfully, knew it to be Tyrannus voice: & thervpō returning home agayne de∣clared y^e ••lye conueyance of this horrible déede vnto hir hus∣bande. He being set on fier with rage for the iniurie done vnto his wife, or rather vnto himself, apprehēded Tyran∣nus, & brought him to y^e place of tormēts, where being con∣uicted he cōfessed al y^e mater, & thē other deceits being like∣wise detected, al shame & dishonor was spred throughout y^e houses of the Pagās: y^e mothers were founde adulterers, fathers incestuous persōs, & their childrē illegittimate and bastards. Which thing so soone as it was brought to light and noysed abrode, togither both Church and image, and wickednesse and all was vtterly subuerted and destroy∣ed. We reade that Numa Pompilius bare the people of Rome in hande that he hadde familiar companye with

Egeria a Goddesse of the waters, to the ende he might pur∣chase credite and authoritie to his lawes.

CHAP. VII. Timotheus Aelurus counterfeating him selfe to be an Angell, obteined a bissopricke: foure Monkes of the order of Preachers, made many vayne apparitions at Berna.

IT might bée somewhat borne withall, if these things had only chaunced among the Gentiles, which were without the word of God, if we dyd not euidentlye sée the like happen often times amongst christians, and in case it were not to be feared least many suche things shoulde happen euen at this day also.* 1.76 For it is well knowne to all men, that there haue bin many ma∣giciens, sosserers, & coniurers, & those especially Monkes and priests, who could easelye counterfeit visions, and mi∣racles, and familiar talking with soules.

* 1.77Theodorus Lector, collectaneorum ex historia ecclesia∣stica li. 1. writeth of Timotheus Aelurus, that he, before Pro∣terius bishop of Alexandria was put to death, gaping for the bisshopprike, in the night cladde in blacke apparell walked about the celles of the monkes, and calling eche man by his name, they answering, sayde vnto them, that he a spirit, one of gods seruants came to warne them, that euery one reuolting from Proterius, should ioyne him selfe vnto Timotheus. And by this craft and deceyte obteyning the bisshopprike, he made greate vproares in the Churche of God. Heere I cannot refraine my selfe as touching this present matter,* 1.78 but that I rehearse a famous historie, of foure monkes of the order of preachers (who were brent at Berna in Heluetia in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the last daye of May) by what subtilties they deceyued a poore

simple Frier whō they had lately reteined into their mo∣nasterie: concerning which thing, many bookes were writ∣ten at the same time when these things were done, which are yet extant both in the latine and in the germaine tong. There was great contention betwene the monkes of the order of preachers, and the friers Minorites, or Franciscans, touching y^e cōceptiō of the virgin Mary. The Friers prea∣chers affirmed, that she euen as other men also was con∣ceiued in originall sinne, that the Franciscans denied and stoutly denied. At the last the matter came to that issue that the preachers determined to auouche and proue their opi∣nion by false and fayned miracles: taking aduisement in a certeine Synode (which they call a chapter) holdē at Vim∣penium a citie of Germanie, where the most conuenient and fittest place for this matter might be founde: and at the last they chose out Berna in Heluetia, bycause the people there were playne and simple, and giuen to the warres. Foure therefore of the chéefest in the Abbay of the order of preachers began the pageant at Berna: and bycause the Supprier one of the foure, was wel séene in coniuring, he bounde the Diuell to ioyne in councell with thē by what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe. He appearing vnto them in the likenesse of a Negro or blacke Morian, promised them all that he coulde doo, vnder thys condition, that they shoulde yeld and giue them selues vn∣to him, whiche thing they willingly did, deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hande and bloud. And it chaunced at the same time very ••itlye, that one Iohn Iezerus, a plaine fellowe, a Tayloure by occupation, was chosen into their order, who séemed to be very fitte for their purpose. They tried him by throwing stones into his cham¦ber in the night tyme, making a great noise, and faining them selues to be Spirits. The matter séemed vnto them, euen from the beginning, that it woulde take good successe▪ On a certeine day béeing Fryday, the supprior shrouding

himself in a shéete, together with other Spirites, whom he had coniured vp for this purpose, brake into the Friers cel with great force and noyse, faining with many teares, that he desired his ayde & help. Now had they priuely conueyed Holy water and the Reliques of Saints into his Cell be∣fore. The poore Frier half dead with feare, denied that he coulde by any meanes helpe him, recommending himselfe to Christ our sauior, and to his holy mother. The Spirite aunswered, that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him out of this miserie, if he would suffer hym∣self for the space of .viij. days, euery day to be whipped vn∣til the bloud folowed, and moreouer, cause .viij. Masses to be soong for his sake in S. Iohns chappell, himselfe while they were soong, lying in the floore with his armes spread abroade. After he tolde him that the next Fryday before midnight, he wold come again with greater noyse, willing him in any wise not to be afrayd, for the Diuels could no∣thing hurt him, bicause he was an holy man. The next day this foolish Frier openeth al the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise, beséeching thē to assist him, that the misera∣ble soule might be deliuered. The matter was out of hand rumored aboute the citie. The Monkes preached openly hereof in the pulpit, cōmēding highly the holinesse of their order, which euen hereby might be séene, for that the spi∣rite craued helpe of them, and not of the wicked dronken Franciscans▪ At the tyme appoynted, the spirite accompa∣nied with other euil spirits, came again with greate noyse to the Friers cell, who adiuring and coniuring him, que∣stioned with him touching certain points. The spirite she∣wed him who he was, and for what cause he was so mise∣rably vexed: and withal gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his fathers, for being touched with remorse of him, adding, that in case there were yet .xxx. Masses soong, and ••our Uigiles obserued, & that he wold yet once ageyn whip himself vntil he bled, then he shoulde be cleane deli∣uered out of most cruell torments, which he had continu∣ally

endured a hundred and sixtie yeares. He had conferēce with him also of other maruellous matters, whiche we néed not here to rehearse. Afterwards the same spirit ap∣peared againe vnto the Frier, and preferred the order of preachers before al others, bearing him in hand, that ma∣ny of them which had bin aduersaries vnto this order, suf∣fered most horrible torment in purgatory, & that the citie of Berna should be vtterly ouerthrowne, except they bani∣shed the Franciscans, & refused y^e yearly stipends which they receyued at y^e french kings hands. He also talked of sundry things which had hapned to y^e Friar (which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular confession.) Moreouer he hartely thanketh y^e Frier for the great bene∣fite of his deliuerāce, giuing him to vnderstande, y^t he was nowe admitted into the .vij. degrée of Angels, and that he should say Masse there for his benefactors.

After these things thus done, an other night one com∣ming vnto him in the apparell of a woman, sayde he was S. Barbara, whome he deuoutly serued, and tolde him that the blessed virgin would shortly appeare vnto him, and make full answere vnto those questions which one of the Monks had written in a paper for him. This paper Bar∣bara promised that she hir selfe wold deliuer vnto our La∣dy, which they shoulde shortly after finde in a hollie place sealed and signed miraculously. The Frier vppon this re∣uealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers, desiring to bée confessed of his sinnes, wherby he might be found worthy the apparition or séeing of our Lady. He willed them to serche in y^e halowed place for the scroule, which at the last they found in the Fratry (as they term it) where they had laide it before. Then they caried it with great reuerence vnto the high alter, affirming that it was sealed with chri∣stes bloud, and that the tapers lightned of their owne ac∣cord. In y^• morning the virgine Mary appeared vnto him agayne, rehersing many things whiche hir sonne Iesus commaunded hir to tell vnto him: to wit, that Pope Iulius

was that holie man, which shoulde reconcile the two or∣ders in frendship againe, and institute & ordayne the feast of the defiled conception of our Lady, for she woulde sende vnto the Pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of hir sonnes bloud, in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne: and that they shoulde finde an other crosse marked with fiue droppes of bloud in their fratrie, which they must conuey to Rome▪ for the Pope would allowe and confirme it with large indulgences and after returne it to Berna a∣gayne: other things likewise she sayde, whereof many things were both reported and written to and fro.

But in witnesse of the foresayde things, the same Mary droue an yron nayle through the hand of the poore Frier, saying: this wounde shal be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified, and in the feast of my sonnes bo∣die. After they toke a burning water made by Necroman∣cie, by the which they taking away his senses, made foure other woundes in his body. And after that he came againe vnto him selfe, they bare him in hand that there was a cer∣teine holie thing I wote not what, which appeared aboute him. And when they sawe that many men came flocking about him to sée this newe Christ, they taught him (for hée was of rude condicions) howe to behaue hym selfe. And when they had giuen him a drinke berée••ing him of hys senses, and causing him to some at the mouth, then he saide be striued and wrestled with death, euen as Christ dyd in the mount Oliuet. After al this, another of them appeared vnto him, telling him many things: but y^e Frier knowing him by his voice, began to suspecte and mislike the whole matter, and with violence thrust him from him. The next night the Frier himself appeared vnto him, saying that he was Mary of whom he had ben in doubt, and to the ende he shoulde bée out of all suspicion, she had brought him the host of hir sonnes body (for he brought him an host stiped in poyson) to the ende he shoulde no more thinke he sawe

an euil spirite: he also affirmed, that he had brought a ves∣sel of glasse full of hir sonnes bloud, which he would giue vnto him, and to his Monasterie. But the Frier, who also had this vision in suspition, answered: If (sayde he) thou be not an euil spirit, reherse thy Pater noster and thy Aue Maria with me. The Priour sayde the Pater noster, and afterward sayd in the person of our Lady: Hayled am I Mary full of grace, the Lord be with me. &c. The Frier knowing the Priors voyce, caught a knyfe, and wounded him therwith, and when he defended himselfe, the Fryer stoutly resisted, and draue him backe. These things thus done, the Supprior béeing in good hope to restore all that they had lost, appeared againe to the Frier, saying that he was S. Catherin of Sena, and therwith begun to chide him, for that he so discurteously had intreated the holy Uirgin: adding moreouer, I am sent (quod he) to shewe thée, that the wounds which thou hast in thy body, are the very true woundes of Christ, whiche neyther I, nor yet S. Francis hath, and that he enlarged with many wordes. Yet not∣withstanding, the Frier so entertayned him, that he was glad to saue himselfe with running away. Nowe bicause the Fryer wold no longer be mocked at their hands, they, maruellously troubled, and almost at their wits ende, ta∣king aduise among them selues, brake the matter vnto him, and tolde him, that in very déede they fréely confessed many of those apparitions which he had séen to be fayned, and that for no other cause, but to the ende he should per∣seuere in his profession and Religion, howbeit the very ef∣fect of the matter was most true, and that he ought not to doubt, but that he bare the wounds of Chryst in his body. And forsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad, they ernestly besought him, that he would not refuse to go on in the matter, for otherwise their order should incurre open shame, and bothe he and they fall into present daun∣ger, but in case he woulde persist in his enterprised pur∣pose,

the thing woulde fall out to his and their great ad∣uauntage. And so with fairer wordes, they persuaded him to make promise to be ruled by them hereafter.

After long instruction and teaching, they placed him on the altar of our Lady, knéeling on his knées within a chap∣pell before the image of the holy virgine: Where one of the Monkes standing behinde a cloath, spake thorough a cane réede, as if it were Christ talking with his mother, in this wise: Mother why dost thou wéep? haue I not promi∣sed thée, y^t whatsoeuer thou willest, shal be done? Wherto the image made answere. Therfore I wéepe, bicause this businesse findeth no end. Then sayd the image of Christ: Beléeue me mother, this matter shall be made manyfest. This doone, the Monke priuely departing, the chappell dores were shut. As soone as these things were scattered about the citie, by & by ther was a great thronging of peo∣ple. Amongst whom also came foure monks, dissembling and fayning, that they knewe not what was there doone, and therfore they commaūded the doores to be opened, and after asked the Frier howe and after what sorte he came there. He answered them that he was caried by a spirite. And moreouer ••old them what woords the image had spo∣ken, and that he could by no means moue out of that place before that four of the chéefest Aldermen were come vnto him, vnto whom he had certaine things to be declared: he also desired to receyue the holy sacramēt. The Aldermen were foorthwith called, and then the Frier declared vnto them, how the Uirgin Mary lamented and sorrowed, for that the citie of Berna shold be shortly destroyed, for recei∣uing yerely pensions of the French king: Also for that thei droue not the Franciscans out of their citie, who honoured her with the fayned title of vndefiled cōception. Unto this his talke the Aldermen answered very little. By and by the other Monkes gaue him the host infected with poyson, which when he refused to receyue, they brought him an o∣ther,

which he tooke, then they led him with great pompe into the quire, (for so they call the vppermost parte of the churche. The Frier & the other foure Monkes were soone after called before the Aldermen, to testifie the truth whe∣ther those things were so or not. But the foure fearing ex∣céedingly least he should bewray some thing, bicause they knew he suspected them, endeuored by al means to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his meat, & ther∣fore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson, which he presently cast vp againe by vomite: finally they so ve∣xed and tormented him by so many wayes, that in the end he left the Colledge and ran away, and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men. In the meane tyme the Monkes dispatched two legates or messangers to Rome, to obteyne a confirmation of these thyngs of the Pope, that hereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary or mislike the same. And when these messen∣gers were returned, (and as the Prouerbe is) thoughte them selues in a safe hauen, the noble Senate hadde com∣maunded the foure Monkes to be fast kept in prison: for they had learned the whole circumstance of the matter be∣fore of the Frier, whom they had committed to ward. And sparing neither labour nor money, sent also vnto Rome, that they might perfectly knowe, what they shoulde do in this matter. In y^e ende both the Frier & the foure Monks were all put to torments, and there confessed all the mat∣ter. And when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles, and horrible déedes, by the Popes permission they were firste putte from the orders (which they commonly call degradation) and afterwardes burned in the f••er.

It was commonly reported, that in case the noble Senate of Berna hadde not prosecuted the matter with great constancie, and courage, the Cleargie woulde haue cloaked all the knauerie, and haue sette the authours at libertie. For they had greate cause to doubte, as it after

came to passe, lest they should léese their credit and autho∣ritie amongst many of the orders of Monkes, & that these things wheron the Popedome resteth, as it were vppon pillers, should now be had in great suspition with al men. For it is most euident that after the impietie, deceyt and wickednesse of these Monks began to be knowne abroade, the opinion of the cleargie began to decay, and to be sus∣pected more and more euery day, of good and godly men: when as they sayd this or that soule required their helpe: that tapers lighted of their owne accorde: that this or that image spake, wept, or moued it selfe from place to place: that this or that Sainct endowed their monasterie with precious reliques: or that Crosses were sprinkeled with the bloud of Christ: yea and although they had obteyned cōfirmation of these matters from the Pope, yet notwith∣standing many afterwards would in no wise belèeue it to be so. Likewise they woulde not be persuaded, that this holy father fallyng into a traunce, sawe any miraculous thyngs: or that Frauncis and Catherin of Sena, bare the markes of Chrystes fyue woundes in their body.

Furthermore, not without great cause, men began to doubte of transubstantiation of bread into the bodye of Christ, sith they had so often poysoned the sacrament: and also of those things which they chaunted vpon with open mouth, touching pardons, vigilies, orders, purgatorie, hol∣ly water, and satisfaction. For that wée let passe many things, it is clerer then the day light, euen by this history, that many things haue bin beaten into the peoples heads touching these foresayde matters, which were only deui∣sed and inuented by these idle bellies.

CHAP. VIII. Of a counterfaite and deceiuing spirit at Orleaunce in Fraunce.

ANd that no man thinke the Friers prea∣chers alone to haue bin so bolde, and wic∣ked, and so ready in deuising so many mon∣sters, let vs harken a while to a notable history of the Franciscan Friers, reported by Sleidane in the ninth booke of his commentaries, cōcer∣ning the state of religion and the common welth in the tyme of Charles the fifth.

In the yeare (sayth he) of our Lord 1534. the Franciscan Monks played a bloudy and deadly pageant at Orleaunce in Fraunce. The Maiors wife of the same citie, when she died, commaunded in hir will, that she shoulde be buried without any pompe or noise, solemnly vsed at that time. (So also VVilliam Bude, a rare and singular ornament of Fraunce, lying on his death bed at Paris, in the yeare of our Lord 1540. in the month of August, lefte commaunde∣ment with his frends to bury him without any great so∣lemnitie and pompe.) The womans husbande, who reue∣renced the memoriall of his wyfe, did euen as she had wil∣led him, and because she was buried in the Churche of the Franciscans, besides hir father and grandfather, gaue them in rewarde only sixe crownes, whereas they hoped for a farre greater pray. Shortly after it chaunced that as he fel∣led certeine wooddes, and sold them, they desired him to giue vnto them some parte of it fréely without money: whiche he flatly denied. This they tooke very gréeuously, and whereas before they misliked him, they deuised thys meanes to be reuenged: forsooth to reporte that his wife was damned for euer. The chiefe workemen and framers of this tragedy were Colimannus, and Stephanus Atreba∣tensij, both doctors of diuinitie, and Colimannus a great cō∣iurer,

hauing all his implements in a redinesse, which he woonted to vse in such businesse: and thus they handled the matter. They place ouer the arche of the church a yong no∣uice: he about midnight when they came to mumble their prayers (as they were wont to do) maketh a great rūbling & noise: out of hand the Monks began to coniure & charme, but he answereth nothing, then béeing required to giue a signe whether he were a dumbe Spirit or no, he begins to rumble & stirre again: which thing they toke as a certaine signe. Hauing layde this foūdacion, they go vnto certain ci∣tizens, chief men & such as fauored them, declaring that a heauy chance had hapned at home, in their monasterie▪ not shewing what y^e matter was, but desiring them to come to their mattens at midnight. Whē those citizens were come & that prayers wer now begun, the counterfet Spirite be∣ginneth to make a maruellous noise in y^e top of the church, and being asked what he ment, and who he was, he giueth thē signes that it is not lawful for him to speak: Therfore they commaunde him to make answer by tokens and signes, to certeine thinges they woulde demaunde of him. Nowe was there a hole made in the vaute, through the which he might heare and vnderstande the voice of the cō∣iurer: and then had he in his hande a little boorde which at euery question he strake in suche sorte as he might easyly ••e heard beneath. First therefore they aske him whether he were one of them that had bin buried in the same place, afterwards they reckning vp many by name which hadde bin buried there, at the laste also name the maiors wife: & there by and by, the Spirite gaue the signe that he was hir soule. He was further asked whether he were damned or no, and if he were, for what deserte or faute? Whether for couetousenesse, or wanton lust, for pride, or want of chari∣tie, or whether it were for heresie, and for the secte of Lu∣ther newly sprong vp? Also what he meante by that noise and sturre he kept there? Whether it were to haue the

body nowe buried in holy grounde to be digged vp agayn, & to be layd in some other place? To al the which points, he answered by signes as he was cōmaunded, by the which he affirmed, or denyed any thing, according as he strake the boorde twise or thrise together. And when he had thus geuen thē to vnderstande, that the very cause of his dam∣nation was Luthers heresie, and that the body must néeds be digged vp againe, the monks request y^e citizens (whose presence they had vsed) that they would beare witnesse of those things which they had séene with their eyes, and that they would subscribe to suche things, as were done a fewe dayes before. The citizens taking good aduise on the mat∣ter, least they should offende the maior, or bring thēselues in trouble, refuse so to do: but the Monks notwithstanding take frō thence the swéete bread, which they call y^e host, & body of our Lord, together with all the reliques of saints, & cary thē to an other place, & there say their Masse. The bi∣shops substitute iudge (whom they call Officiall) vnderstā∣ding thys matter, cōmeth thither accompanied with cer∣tain honest mē, to the intēt he might know y^e whole circū∣stances more exactly, & therfore he cōmandeth thē to make cōiuratiō in his presence, & also he requireth certain to be chosen to go vp to y^e top of the vault, & there to sée whether any gost apered or not. That Stephanus Atrebatēsis stiffly denied, & maruellously persuading the cōtrary, affirmed, y^t the spirit in no wise ought to be troubled. And albeit y^e Of∣ficiall, vrged thē very much, y^t there might be some coniu∣ring of y^e spirit, yet could he nothing preuaile. In y^e meane while y^t these things were a doing, the maior, when he had shewed y^e other iustices of y^e citie, what he would haue thē do, toke his iorney to the king, & opened the whole matter vnto him. And bycause the monks refused iudgemēt vpon plea of their owne lawes and liberties: the king chosing out certein of the Aldermen of Paris, giueth them abso∣lute and full authoritie, to make inquirie on the matter.

The like doth the chancelor, master Anthonius Pratensis, Cardinall and legate for the Pope, throughout Fraunce. Therefore when they hadde no exception to alleage, they were conueyed vnto Paris and there constreyned to make their aunswere: but yet coulde nothing be wroong out of them by confession. Whervpon they were put a parte in∣to diuers prisons, the Nouice béeing kepte in the house of master Fumaeus, one of the Aldermen, who being often∣times examined & earnestly requested to vtter the truthe, woulde notwithstanding confesse nothing, because he fea∣red that the Monks would afterwards put him to death, for stayning their order, and putting it to open shame: but whē the iudges had made him sure promise, that he should escape punishment, and that hée should neuer come into their handling, he ripped vp vnto them the whole matter, as it was done, and being brought before his felowes, ad∣uouched the same to their faces. The Monks albeit they were by these meanes conuicted, and almost taken tardy with the déede doing, yet did they refuse the Iudges, brag∣ging and vaunting them selues on their priuileages: but al in vaine: for sentence passed on them, and they were con∣demned: that they being caried backe againe to Orleaunce, and there cast in prison, shoulde finally be broughte foorth to the chiefe Church of the citie openly, and from thence to the place of execution, where they should make open cō∣fession of their trespasses. But there chaunced at the very same time a greuouse persecution against the Lutherans, which was the cause why that sentence, (albeit it was too gentle for so great an offence) was neuer put in executiō. For they feared much, because Luthers name was odious euery where, least if any sharpe iudgement hadde passed, they should not so muche haue punished the offenders, as shamed their order: and many supposed that whatsoeuer had hapned vnto them, would haue bin a pleasant and ioy∣ful pageaunt and spectacle for the Lutherans. Now the or∣der

of the Franciscane Friers, hath the opinion of greate holinesse with the common people: insomuche, that when they being condemned, were caried to Orleaunce certeine fonde women moued with foolish pittie, followed them to the very gates of the citie, w••ping and sighing abundantly. When they were come to Orleaunce, and were there cast into diuers prisons, agayne they vaunted and bare them selues very brag on their priuileages, and liberties: and so at the last when they had lien long in prison, they were in the ende deliuered without any greater punishment. Al the while they were in prison, they wanted nothing: for there was bestowed vpon them, especially by women, ve∣ry largelie, for to serue for their liuing, and to purchase to them helpe and fauoure. Except these persecutions & trou∣bles, which we spake of before, had hindred the matter, the king (as many reported) was fully determined, to haue o∣uerthrowne their house, and made it euen with y^e ground.

This history also dothe demonstrate and shew••, that Spirits are not alwayes heard, when some men affirm•• they are.

CHAP. IX. Of a certaine parishe Priest at Clauenna, vvhiche fayned him selfe to be our Lady, and of an other that coun∣terfeited him selfe to be a soule: as also of a certeine disguised Iesuite Frier.

TO the ende we may the better vnderstand•• this matter, I wil yet rehearse an other his∣tory of a certeine parish priest, which chan∣••••d a yeare before the other I spake of, whiche is set forth bréefly but yet truly,* 1.79 by loannes Stumpfius, in the German Chro∣nicles of the Heluetians the 20. booke & 8. chapter, wherof also many notable men at this daye beare sufficient wit∣nesse.

A certaine parishe priest of Claeuenna, (whiche is a Citie néere the Laake or water Larius in the countrey of Rhetia, béeing farre in loue with an honest and faire may∣den, the daughter of a citizen in the same town, oftentimes followed hir, as she went vnto hir fathers barne: and at∣tempted to haue defloured hir, but she euer resisted, & put him backe. In the ende when he saw he could not obteyn his purpose, he priuily stole out of the church a blew cloth, beset with sundry starres, & therewith couering himselfe, saue only y^t he left his armes & féete naked, whiche he also berayed with blood, he hideth himselfe without the towne, and there muffling his face with a thinne linnen cloath, méeteth again with the mayd, fayning himself with a coū∣terfait voyce, to be the blessed virgin Mary. Then in ma∣ny words he declareth vnto hir diuers plages, which were shortely like to fall on the citie, for the heresies of Luther, (for at other times also he had bitterly inueyed againste Luther, in his open Sermons:) he also commaunded the mayd to shew many things vnto the citizens, touching ho∣lydays, fastings, generall processions. &c. And amongst o∣ther things he added, that there was a certain holy and re∣ligious mā, which had heretofore asked a thing at hir han∣des in the very same place, which she had hitherto denyed him, but now it was hir pleasure, if he required the same againe, she should in any wise graunt it, if she wold atteyn euerlasting life: and y^• aboue al thing, she must concele and kéepe close this latter point vnto hir self. The maydē by & by blazed it about all y^e citie, y^t our Lady had visibly appea∣red vnto hir, & foretold hir of sundry plages likely to happē vnto y^e citie. The inhabitantes taking good aduise on this matter, at the laste for feare of these imminent dangers & plages, gaue cōmandement, that thrée days should bée kept holy. In the which time the maid, supposing she should do high seruice to the uirgin Mary, fulfilleth the lust of that

wicked knaue. This trecherie & deceyt being shortly after detected by the wonderfull prouidence of God, the varlet was first beheaded, and afterward brent in fire.

Erasmus Roterodamus writeth in his .xxij. booke of Epi∣stles, vnto a certain bishop, excusing himself,* 1.80 touching cer∣tain points, which he had moued vnto him, to the ende he should be very circumspect: and amongst other things, ma∣king mention there of spirites or wandring soules, he re∣porteth this historie. There was (sayth he) a certain parish priest, who had dwelling with him in his house, a néece of his, a woman wel stored with money: Into whose cham∣ber he would oftentymes priuily conuey himselfe, being disguysed in a shéete like vnto a Spirit: And then he cast forth a doubtfull voice, hoping that the woman woulde ei∣ther procure a coniurer, for hir helpe, or els hir selfe make him aunswere. But she hauing a manlike courage, pri∣uily requesteth one of hir friends to lodge in hir chamber secretely all night. The man being armed with a club in sted of other coniuring tooles, and being well tippled with drinke, to auoide feare, hideth him self in the bed. Sodayn∣ly cōmeth the spirit roring very miserably: The coniurer with his club awaketh, leapeth out of his bed scant sober, and setteth vpon him. Then the spirite with his voyce and gesture beginneth to make him afrayd. But the drunken coniurer soone answered him: If (quod he) thou be y^e diuel I am thy mother: & therwith catching hold on him, all to be beat him with his club, & would also haue slayn him, if he had not chaunged his voyce, and cried, O spare me for Gods sake, I am no soule, but I am sir Iohn. Which voice when the woman heard and knewe, she leapes out of hir bed, and partes the fraye. &c. The same Erasmus writeth in the forsayd ••pistle, that this Priest vpon Ester eue,* 1.81 put lyue crabs priuely into y^e churchyard, hauing wax candles on light cleauing to their sides: whiche when they crauled amongst the graues, séemed to be suche a terrible sighte,

that no man durst approch néere them. Hereof rose a fear∣full reporte, wherewith all men béeing amazed, the priest declareth to y^e people in the pulpit, that they were y^e soules of dead men which desired to be deliuered out of their tor∣ments by Masses & almes déeds. This deceyte was espied by these means: that at the last one or two of the crabbes were found amongst y^e rubbish, hauing the candles done out cleauing on their backs, which y^e priest had not takē vp.

* 1.82Georgius Buchananus, prince of all Poets in this ••ur age, reporteth an historie in his Comedie called Francisca∣nus, of one Langus a priest, who falsly affirming that in a field of Scotlāde full of Brimstone there were soules mi∣serablie tormented, which continually cried for helpe an•• succor, suborned a countrye clowne whom he would con∣iure, as if he had bin one of those soules. Which disceyte of his, y^• husbandmā afterward discouered whē he was drūk. I woulde heare repeate his verses, but that his bookes are nowe in euery mans hands. While I was writing these things, it was reported vnto me by credible persons, that in August••, a noble citie of Germanye, this present yeare 1569. there was a mayde and certeine other men seruants in a great mans family, which litle regarded the sect of the Iesuite Friers: & that one of the sayd order made promise to their master, that he would easyly bring thē to an other opinion: & so disguising him selfe like vnto a Dyuell was hid in a priuie corner of y^e house: vnto the which place, one of the maides going, either of hir owne accorde to fetch•• some thing, or being sente by hir master, was by y^e disgui∣sed Iesuite made maruellously afrayde: whiche thing she presently declared vnto one of the mē seruants, exhorting him in any wise to take héede of the place. Who short∣ly after going to the sam•• place, & laying hold on his dag∣ger, sodeynly stabbed in the counterfeit diuell, as he came rushing on him. This history, is written in dutche verses, and put in print, and nowe almost in euery mans hands.

CHAP. X. That it is no maruell if vayne sightes haue bene in olde time, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there be any at this day.

MAny other like examples might be brought but these may suffize to proue euidently, to what point ambition, couetousnesse, enuy, hatrede, stubburn̄esse, idlenesse and loue, do most commonly driue men.

We sée by common experience,* 1.83 that proude ambitious men dare aduenture any thing. If they may hurt or hin∣der other men by accusations, slanders, or any other ways or meanes, whom they suppose may preiudice or let their exalting to honor, they sticke not at all to doo it. What maruell is it then that Monkes and Priests, which desire to be aloft, indeuor now a days to purchase vnto themsel∣ues authoritie by false miracles, vayne apparitions, and suche other lyke trumperie.

All men knowe what a pernitious thing couetousnesse is. For they which are not contented to liue with a little,* 1.84 but will néedes be rich, neyther care for any man, nor yet spare any man. Hungry guttes séeke sundry wayes to fill themselues: fewe willingly endure hunger. Wherefore it is not to be maruelled at, if amongst Monkes & priests at these our dayes, who haue b••n euer reported to be co∣uetous, there be some found, which by false apparitions of soules, séeke their gaines, inuenting holy pilgrimages, and other baytes to get money For what wil not idle & slouth∣full lubbers attempt to purchase riches?* 1.85 Doth not Saint Paule say, that those whiche wil waxe ryche by idlenesse, fall into the snares of the Diuell?

Emulation, wilfulnesse, enuie hatred, contention,* 1.86 de∣sire to ouercome, what they may do, what they may bring to passe, dayly experience teacheth vs. The preachers of

Berna, whē they perceiued thei could not ouercom their ad∣uersaries by any other meanes, yelded thēselues (which is horrible to be spoken) vnto the Deuil, making him one of their counsel. And who can deny but y^e priests now adayes are also for the most part, stubborn, and full of contention.

* 1.87Idlenesse is the nurse and mother of all mischiefe: what goodnesse then may ye looke for of them, which not only ex∣ercise thē selues in no labours prescribed by God, neyther yet apply them selues to good learning, but day and night play the gluttons? Tell me I pray thee, whether the labo∣ring husbandman, or the idle man, who alwayes spent his time in inuenting pernitio••s mischieues, firste found out those cruel instruments of warre which they call gunnes.

It might be declared in many words what loue is able to do.* 1.88 Now bicause Monks and priests liue idlely, aboun∣ding in all wantonnesse, and yet are restrayned from holy mariage, what maruell is it if at this time also they faine and counterfeite many visions, that they might therby the eas••er enioy their loue? And here I will not say it is to be feared, that there are many amongst them so wicked and villanous, as to exercise and practise magicall artes, & such like, which are vtterly forbidden. Who can then maruell hereafter, if it be sayd, they counterfaite spirits, affirming they haue let men sée this or that soule? For in what men soeuer these vices bée, whiche we haue rehearsed, surely those dare boldely aduenture any thing.

No kinde of men are more obnoxious to these kinde of things, than those whiche leade their life in monasteries, and colleges: & therfore no mā ought to maruell or thinke it a straunge thing, if we say that in times past many false visions haue bin practised, and may also at this daye like∣wise happen. For the world, as all men iustly complayne, waxeth worse and worse. Men are now more impudent more bould, more couetous, and more wicked, than euer they were in times past.

Moreouer the cleargie of Rome haue in many places this prerogatiue aboue others, that most men (especially such as are led by superstition) make much of them, wor∣shipping them with great reuerence, no man so muche as suspecteth them to apply their minds to euill matters, to subtiltie, crafte, and disceyte: al men looke for other things at theyr handes. If therefore they addict them selues to euill deuises, they may easily deceyue men, excepte God miraculously reuele their wickednesse, & bring it to light, as we declared in a fewe examples rehearsed before.

And perchaunce for this cause also priests and Monks could not be so well blamed, for their so often deceyuing plaine meaning folks with crafte and subtiltie, in so much as some of theyr most holy fathers,* 1.89 I meane Popes of Rome haue bin very cunning in magicall sciences, as their owne historiographers affirme, and by meanes of those artes, haue aspired to the high top of Popedome▪ Beno (or rather Bruno,* 1.90 for so I iudge his name is) who was also a Cardinall, set foorth the life of Pope Gregorie the seuenth, in writing,* 1.91 in the whiche he sheweth the sayde bishop to haue bin a proude, arrogante, malitious and couetous Monke, and that he was thoroughly séene in the blacke arte of Negromancie.* 1.92 Bartholomeus Platina (who béeing a sworne seruaunt with the Pope, excusing their faults as much as he can) writeth of Siluester the seconde, y^t he gaue him selfe to the Deuill, & that by his meanes, his counsell & magical deuises, he atteined y^e great office of papacie. Do ye thinke, y^t it is a hard thing for him that is confederat w^t the enimy of mākinde, to faine spirits & soules, or to cōiure a Deuill, to make mē beleue he were a s••ule, do you think such men abhorre to do such mischiefe? The Historiogra∣phers report that Bonifacius the 8. deceyued his predecessor Celestinus, by a voice sent through a cane réede,* 1.93 as though it had come frō Heauen, persuading him to gyue ouer hys office of popeship, and to institute therin, one Bonifacius

a woorthier man than he, except he woulde be thrust out of the kingdom of heauen. The poore simple Pope obeying this voyce, ordeyned Bonifacius Pope in his steade, in the yeare of our Lord .1254. who first brought in the yeare of Iubile. Of this Boniface, the common people wold say, He came in lyke a Fox, he raigned lyke a Wolfe, and died lyke a Dog. If the very vicar of Christ, who hathe all know∣ledge as it were fast lockt in the Coffer of his brest, could be deceyued, lette no man maruel any more if simple cre∣dulous husbandmen and citezens haue ben deceyued, and that it hath bin sayd to them: God spake this: This soule did aske helpe: and suche like things, whiche are most false and vayne. Yf this man coulde counterfeite the voice of God, coulde he not also faine the voice of dead men?

* 1.94Before I procéede any further, this is also to be obser∣ued, that plesant conceited fellowes, may often times de∣ceaue the priests them selues. For when the priests dyd brag, that they coulde coniure Spirits and deliuer mens soules: it may be that other being wrapped in shéets, ha∣uing vnderneth them liue coales in an earthen pot, appea∣red vnto priests, who by and by were persuaded they sawe soules which required their helpe to be deliuered. Erasmus in his Colloquio or talke which he intituled Exorcismus, ve•• ••pectrum, or a coniuration or vision, writeth howe one Polus maruellously deceaued a priest called Faustus. But there is nodoubt but that priests being many times decey∣ued in iest by the lay men for pastimes sake, haue on the other side more often times beguiled them in earnest.

I haue spoken hetherto of men being awake, and now I will adde a feaw words of suche as sléepe.* 1.95 There be ma∣ny which haue suche a kinde of disease, that they walke in their sléepe: which thing we reade to haue bin true in one Theon a Stoicke, and in Pericles seruaunt, who in theyr sléepe, climed vp to the top of the house. I haue hearde of some which in their sléepe haue done that which béeing a∣wake,

they could not do by any meanes. If a man sée suche a one walking in the night, eyther appareled or naked, and after heare him say he was at y^e same time in his bed, he will straight thinke, it was his soule that he sawe, the like will he do if he heare suche a one at his owne house.

CHAP. XI. That many naturall things are taken to be ghosts.

THere happen dayly many things by the ordinary course of nature, whiche diuers mē, especially they that are timorous and fearfull, suppose to be visions or Spirits. As for example, when they heare the cry∣ing of rats, cats, weasels, martins, or any other beast, or when they heare a horse beate his féete on the plankes in the stable at midnight, by & by they sweate for feare, supposing some buggs to walke in the dead of the night. Sometimes a bitter, or hearne (which birds are sel∣dome séene with vs in Germany) or some other straunge birdes, make a noyse in y^e aire: many fooles straight wayes dreame, they haue hearde I wote not what. If a worme whiche fretteth wood, or that bréedeth in trées chaunce to gnawe a wall of waynescot, or other tymber, many will iudge they heare one softly knocking vppon an anduill with a sledge: and sometimes they imagine they heare ma∣ny hammers at one time. Simple foolish mē hearing these things, imagine, I know not howe, that there be certayne elues or fairies of the earth,* 1.96 and tell many straunge and maruellous tales of them, which they haue heard of their grandmothers and mothers, howe they haue appeared vn∣to those of the house, haue done seruice, haue rocked the cradell, and (which is a signe of good lucke) do continually tary in the house. If suche dwarfes or elues haue bin séene at any time, surely they were euill Spirits. For we reade

that the Gentiles in tyme past, had their familiar or hous∣hold gods, whome they worshipped with greate deuotion, bicause (as they thought) they toke care of their house, and defended their familie: and vnto these men, euill spirites did somtimes appeare, therby to confirme them the more in their blynde superstition.

Olaus magnus Archbishop of Vpsalia, writeth in his hi∣storie de Gentibus Septentrionalibus,* 1.97 that euen at this day also, there are spirites séene in these countries, which ha∣uing the shape of men, do mē seruice in the night, dressing their horsse, and looking to their cattell. The wind in the night, ouerthroweth some thing, or shaketh a casement or lid of the window: many by and by thinke they sée a spi∣rite, and can very hardly be brought from y^• vayn opinion.

This thing is also according to nature, that when a mā either crieth or speaketh in the woods,* 1.98 valeys, or other hol∣low places, Echo will resound the later word or sillable, so playnly many times, that a man wold verily thinke some liuing body made him answere agayn. Many would be a∣frayd hereof at al tymes, but especially in the night season, except he knew very well it were a naturall thing.

Cardanus in his booke de subtilitate lib. 18▪ rehearseth a maruellous historie of one Comensis,* 1.99 who very late in the night, comming to a riuers side, not knowing where he might passe ouer, called cut aloude for some body to shewe him the foorde, and when the Echo made him answere, hée supposing it to be a man, asked him if he might passe ouer héere: to whom the Echo answered again in y^e Italiā tong, Here, here. But in y^e place was a whirlepoole, & a great ro∣ring of the water: Therfore y^e man douting, asketh once or twice againe, whether the riuer might be past ouer in the same place: to which y^e Echo answered stil y^• it might. In y^e end, when he had escaped the passage without daunger, he told his frends, how by the persuasion of the diuell, he had almost thrown himself hedlong into the riuer, and drow∣ned

himself. In the same place, he sayth, y^t the great Hall at Ticinium in Italy, dothe render sundry and manyfolde voices, if one speak in it, and that the voyces as it were die and make an end much lyke a mans voyce, when he lyeth a dying, in so much that a man can scant be persuaded it is the noyse of Echo.

There are certayne things whiche shyne only in the nighte, as some precious stones doo,* 1.100 the eyes of certaine beastes, a Gloewoorme, or gloebearde, as also some kynd of rotten wood, wherewith many times children so terrifie their playfellowes, that they imagine with them∣selues, to sée euil spirits, or men al burning w^t fire. Hector Boethius writeth,* 1.101 y^t a certain king of Scots caused some of his men to be disguised in garments with brighte shyning scales, hauing in their hands rotten wood in stede of s••aues and so to appeare to his nobilitie and lordes in the night, exhorting them to fight couragiously with their enimies, and promising them to obtein victorie. Wherby the noble men supposing they had séene angels, behaued themselues valiantly, and atchieued the victorie.

Many tymes candles and small fiers appeare in the night, and séeme to run vp and downe.* 1.102 And as the yong men in Heluetia, who with their firebrands whiche they light, at the bonfires in Shroftide, somtime gather them selues together, and then scatter abrode, and agayne, mée∣ting togither, march in a long ranke: euen so do those f••ers sometime séeme to come togither, and by and by to be se∣uered & run abroade, and at the last to vanish clean away. Somtime these f••ers go alone in the night season, and put such as sée them, as they trauel by night, in great fear. But these things, and many suche lyke haue their natural cau∣ses: and yet I will not denye, but that many tymes Dy∣uels delude men in this manner.

Natural Phylosophers wryte,* 1.103 that thicke exhalations aryse out of the earthe, and are kyndled. Mynes full

of sulphur and brimstone, if the ayre enter vnto it, as it ly∣eth in the holes and veines of the earth, will kindle on fi∣er, and striue to get out. Sometimes fier bursteth out of the earth, as high as a tall trée, and is soddenly put out a∣gayne. Whiche thing is to be thought to procéede of fierie matter, séeking a vent to gushe out at. We reade of the mount Aetna in Cicilie, that in times past it burnte conti∣nually, day & night, casting forth flames of fier, fiery stones and ashes in great abundaunce. The like is read also at Vesunius a hill in Campaine, about a Germaine mile from Naples: The same hill in y^e time of Titus the Emperour, as S. Hierom reporteth, cast foorth of it so much fier, that it burnt the countrie, and cities, and people rounde about it, and filled the fieldes adioyning full of cinders and ashes. These two hilles, euen in our dayes boyling with greate heate, haue very muche indamaged the people inhabiting thereabout. In Iseland, as Olaus Magnus witnesseth are found fiers which breake out of the earth. And as whole hilles and mountaines may burne, euen so may a little fi∣er be kindled in the earth, & yet wander very large. They whiche trauelling by the way, or by some other meanes chaunce to sée these things, and know not the naturall cau∣ses of them, imagin by reason of feare, that they haue sene men burning like fier, or some other straunge thing, which they haue heard other men talk of. And by meanes of their great feare, often times they fall into greate daungerous diseases.

* 1.104The arte perspectiue doth also worke this wonderfull feate, that diuers and sundrie shapes will appeare in glas∣ses made and sette togither after a certeyne artificiall sorte: some times they will séeme to go out of the dores, and resemble menne of oure familiar acquayntaunce. Many things in very déede are naturall, althoughe wée can not fynde any naturall reason for them.

And yet by the way, they shewe them selues too foolishe,

which labour to bring al things to natural causes. Here I will say nothing of those men, which can beare plain and rude people in hande, that they, or some other of their ac∣quaintance, haue séen strange things, which they earnest∣ly auouche to be true, when as in déede there was no such▪ thing. Howe often I pray you, do we heare things affir∣med as true, which afterwarde proue moste false: as that one was caryed away body and soule, that an other was put to death, and an infinite number of suche like reports.

CHAP. XII. A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that Spirits and ghosts do often times appeare.

ALbeit many melancholike, mad, fearefull, and weake sensed men doo oftentimes ima∣gine many things whiche in very déede are not, and are lykewyse deceyued, somtyme by men, or by brute beasts: and moreouer mistake things whiche procéede of naturall causes to bée bugs and spirits, as I haue hitherto declared by many ex∣amples, yet it is most certayne & sure, that all those things which appeare vnto men are not alwayes naturall things nor alwayes vayne terrors to affray men: but that spirits do often appeare, & many straunge and maruellous things do sundry times chaunce. For many suche things of thys sorte are to be red in diuers graue and auncient historio∣graphers: and many men of no small credite, haue affir∣med, that they haue séene spirits both in the day and in the night also. And here I will orderly declare a fewe histo∣ries out of diuers allowed authors, touching spirits which haue appeared and shewed them selues.

Suetonius Tranquillus writeth,* 1.105 that when Iulius Cesar marching out of Fraunce into Italie with his army, and comming to the riuer Rubico, which deuideth Italie from

the hether Fraunce, staying there a while, and reuoluing with him selfe how great an enterprise he hadde taken in hand, as he was wauering in mind whether he shold passe the water or not, sodenly there appeared a man of excel∣ling stature and shape sitting hard by, piping on a reede. (Melancthon in his phisicks calleth him ••••iton) vnto whom when not only shepherds, but also very many soul∣diors from the camp, and amongst them diuers trumpet∣ters had flocked to heare him, he sodenly snatched a trum∣pet from one of them, and leaped to the riuer, and with a lustie breath blowing vp the alarum, went to the farther side. Then sayd Caesar: good lucke mates, let vs go whe∣ther the gods warnings leade vs, and whether our eni∣mies iniquitie calleth vs: The dice are throwne. And so he transported ouer.

* 1.106Plutarke writeth in Theseus life, that many whiche were in the battaile of Marathonia, against the Medians, did affirme, that they sawe the soule of Theseus armed (who long time before died of a fall) before the vauntgard of the Grecians, running and setting on the barbarous Me∣dians. For which cause the Atheniās afterward were mo∣ued to honour him as a demigod.

Pausanias writeth in Atticis, That in the field of Mara∣tho. 400. yeres after the battaile there foughten, there was hard the neying of horses, and the incountring of souldi∣ours as it were fighting euery night: And that they which of purpose came to heare these things, could hear nothing, but those that by chaunce came that way, hearde it very sensibly.

The same Plutarke writeth in the life of Cimon, that when the citizens of Cheronesus had by fayre words cal∣led home their captaine Damon, (who before for diuers murthers departed the citie) afterwards they cruelly sle•• him in a hotehouse, as he was bathing him selfe, & from that time foorth, there were many strange sightes seene in

the same place, & many times also most greuous gronings were there heard, in so much that they wer euer after con∣streyned to stop vp the hotehouse dores.

Also in y^e life of Dion, he reporteth, that the saide Dion being a stout & a couragious man without any feare, sawe notwithstanding a greate and maruellous horible sight. For when he chaunced to sit alone in the entry of his house in the euening (those are Plutarks owne words, as Xilian∣der interpreteth them) musing & discoursing many things with him selfe, being sodenly moued with a greate noyse, he arose and loked backe to the other side of the gall••rie, and there he espied a monstrous great woman, who in ap∣parell and countenaunce nothing differing from a Tragi∣call furie, swept the house with a broome. With the which ••ight being amazed & terribly afraide, he called his friends and acquaintance vnto him, and declaring vnto thē what he had séene, desired thē to remaine with him al that night: for béeing as it were stricken dead with feare, he doubted least it would appeare vnto him againe, if he were alone, which in déede neuer hapned after. But a fewe dayes af∣ter his sonne threwe him selfe hedlong from the top of the house, and died, and he him selfe being stabbed through the body, ended his miserable life.

The same author writeth in the life of Decius Brutus, how when Brutus was determined to transporte his army out of Asia into Europe, being in his tent about midnight, the candle burning dimly, and all the host quiet and silent, as he was m••••ing and reuoluing with him selfe, he séemed that he hearde one entring the Tente into him, and loo∣king backe vnto the doore, hée sawe a terrible and mon∣strous shape of a bodye, whiche farre excéeded the com∣mon stature of men, standing faste by him without any words, wherewith he was sore afrayde: and yet he ven∣tured to aske it thys question. What arte thou (sayeth hée) eyther a God, or a man? and why commest thou

vnto me? Whereto the image aunswered: I am (quod he) O Brutus, thy euill ghoste, at Philippos thou shalt sée mée. Then sayth Brutus being nothing amazed: I wil see thée. When the sight was vanished, he called his seruants, who told him, that they neyther sawe any suche thing, neither heard any voyce at all. All that nighte Brutus coulde not sléepe one winke. In the morning very early hée goeth vnto Cassius and sheweth him his straunge vision, Cassius who despised all suche things (for he was an Epicure) as∣cribed the whole matter to natural causes. For his dispu∣tation hereof, is yet extant in Plutarke. Afterward Brutus (being vanguished by Augustus, and Anthony in the field of Philippi) slue himselfe bicause he would not be deliue∣red into the handes of his enimies.

* 1.107Valerius Maximus, in his first booke & .vj. chap. writeth, that Caius Cassius saw Iulius Cesar in the battayle of Phi∣lippi, (in a shape of greater maiestie, than any man hath) setting spurres to his horse, and running on him with a terrible threatning countenaunce: whiche when Cassius sawe, he turned his backe to the enimie, and fled, & shortly after murthered himselfe.

Dio Cassius Nicaeus in his Roman historie from the be∣ginning of his 55. booke writeth of Drusus,* 1.108 who by spoiling Germanie far & néer on euery side, came euen to the riuer Albis, where when he could not get ouer, erecting monu∣ments of victorie, departed back againe: For he there saw a woman, excéeding the state of mortall creatures, which met him, and sayd vnto him: Drusus, which canst fynd n•• end of the gréedie desire, whether goest thou? It is not lau∣full for thée to sée al these things: but rather get thée hence, for the end both of thy lyfe and woorthie déedes is nowe at hand. When Drusus heard these things, he sodenly chan∣ged his course, and being in his iorney, before he came to the riuer of Rein, he sickned and dyed. Other like foreto∣kens the same author reporteth to haue hapned before his

death, all the whiche notwithstanding, he nothing regar∣ded. For two yong men appeared on horsebacke vpon the rampiers, and the shryking of women was also hearde, with many other suche lyke. &c.

Plinius secundus citizen of Nouocomensis hath an E∣pistle of Spirits appearings,* 1.109 written vnto his friend Sura in the .vij. booke of his Epistles, whiche we haue thought good to set downe whole in this place: Leysure (sayth he) graunteth mée libertie to learne, and giueth thée leaue to teache. Therfore I am very desirous to knowe whether thou thynke fantasyes are any thyng, and whether they haue any proper figure of their owne, and be some kynde of diuine power, or else whether they take vppon them ••ome vayn & variable shape, according to the feare whiche we haue of them. That I should so beléeue, I am especi∣ally moued thereto by that which I heare saye happened to Curtius Rufus, who was as then, companion to the ••••••consyl of Affrica▪ bothe poore, and also of small repu∣tation. And as he walked one day in a Gallerie towardes the euening, ther méeteth with him the shape of a woman, more great & beautifull, than any liuing creature. Wher∣at he béeing amazed, she telleth him that she is Affrica, and is come vnto him to foretell him of good happe to followe: First that he should go to Rome, and there take on him the state of great honour, and afterwarde, that he shoulde returne into the same prouince with full and high autho∣ritie, and there end his dayes. Which things came all to passe. And moreouer, the same figure (as it is sayd) mette with him agayn on the shoare side, as he entred out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and came towardes Carthage▪ to take his charge and regiment in hande. Afterwards falling sick, when no man dispay••ed of his healthe, coniecturing things to come by those that had passed, and comparing aduersitie with his former prosperitie, he vtterly cast awaye all hope of reco∣uerie. Is not this also more terrible, and no lesse mar∣uellous,

whiche I wyll nowe repeate as I haue hearde it tolde?

There was in Athens a goodly and a very large house, but euill reported,* 1.110 and counted as an infortunate and vn∣luckie house. For about mydnight, there was hearde the noyse of iron, and if one marked it wel, the ratling of chai∣nes, as it were a farre off at the firste, and so, neerer and néerer: shortly ther appéered an image or shape, as it were an olde man, leane and lothsome to beholde, with a long beard and staring haire: on his legs he had fetters, and in his hands caryed chaines which he always ra••led togi∣ther. By meanes wherof, th••se that inhabited the house, by reason of their fear, watched many heauie and pitifull nights: after their watching folowed sicknesse, and soon af∣ter, as feare increased, ensued death. For in the day tyme also, alb••it the image were departed, yet the remembrāce therof, was euer presente before their eyes: so that theyr feare was longer than they had cause to feare. Upon this the house stoode desert and solitarie, wholly le••te vnto the monster whiche haunted it: yet was it proclaymed to bée solde, if happily any man whiche was ignorant of this great mischiefe, would eyther buy it or hire it. Athenodo∣rus chanced to come to Athens and there readeth the wri∣ting on the doore: And when he had learned the price, by∣cause he suspected the good cheapnesse thereof, enquiryng further, vnderstoode the whole matter, and notwith∣standing any thyng that he hearde, he hired the house, so muche the rather. When it waxed nighte, he commaun∣deth his seruauntes to make his bedde in the vtter part•• of the house: he taketh his writing tables, his writing wier and a candle, and sendeth all his seruantes into the inner part of the house. He himselfe settleth his mynd, his eyes and hand to write, least his mind being vnoccupied, should imagine it heard strange figures, and should bréed vayne feare. In the beginning of the night, there was silence as

is in all other places, but not long after the iron began to ring, and the chaines to moue: but yet he would not looke vp, nor let cease his writing, but hardned his hart, & stop∣ped his eares. Then the noyse increaseth & draweth néere, and seemeth somtimes to be without the porche, somtimes within. Then he looketh back, & seeth and acknowledgeth the shape wherof he had heard before: the image stood still & beckned with his finger as though he had called him, the philosopher on the other side signifieth with his hand, that he should stay a while, and falleth agayne to his writing. The image shaketh his chaines ouer his head, as he sate writing. He looketh about again, and séeth him becknyng, as he did before. And so rysyng vp without delaye, taketh the candle in his hand and foloweth: the image goeth be∣fore with a softely pase, as though hée were heauily laden with chaines: After hée had turned aside into the court of the house, sodeinly vanishing away, leaueth his walking mate alone. He being forsaken, layeth herbes and leaues gathered togither vpon the place. The next day he goth to the rulers of the citie, and willeth them to commaunde the place to bée digged vp, whiche doone, they fynde boanes wrapped and tyed in chaynes: whyche the body béeing p••tri••ied and consumed with long lying in the earth, had lefte lying in bondes: those boanes béeing gathered to∣gither, were buryed solemnely: The house, after they were orderly layde in the grounde, was euer after cleare of all suche ghostes.

In these things I must beleue other mens reports, but that which foloweth, I can boldly affirme on myne owne knowledge.

I haue one with mée, sometyme my bondeseruaunt, but nowe enfraunchized and set at libertie, a man not vt∣terly vnlerned: with him my yonger brother lay togither in one bed. He in his own imagination séemed that he saw a certain personage sitting vpon the bedde where he la••e,

putting kniues vnto his head, and therwith polling off his heares. When it was day light, the ••eare•• were found on the ground, he being in very dede notted aboute y^e crown•• of his head. Shortly after the like happened vnto hym, which made all men beléeue the firste was true. The boy amongst a great many of his f••llowes chaunced to sléepe in the schole, and being in sléepe, there came certayne in at the windowes (as he sayde) clothed in white garments, and shore of his heare as he lay, and so departed agayne as they came. This polling, and also his haires scattered abroade, were founde when it was day. No notable mat∣ter ensued hereof, except it were, perchaunce, that I was not accused of treason, as I shoulde haue bin, if Domitia∣nus, who died about this time, had liued longer. For there was a libell found in his coffers, giuen vnto him agaynst me, written by master Carus. By whiche it may well be coniectured, that in so much as those which are accused, do vse to let their heare growe very long, the cutting of my friends heare, was a sure signe of escaping the great daun∣ger, which then hong ouer my head. Wherfore I hartyly require you to strayne your learning. The matter is wor∣thy, wherin ye may vse long and déepe consideration: and I surely am vnworthy to whom ye shold opē your know∣lege. You may therfore (if it please you) dispute the matter on both sids, as ye are accustomed, but yet I pray you hā∣dle it more throughly on the one side, least ye sende me away wandring and hanging in doubt, whereas the cause of my séeking counsell is to the ende I might be quit out of doubt. Fare ye well.

What answere master Sura, (who as it appereth, was well learned) made vnto master Pliny I do not finde. But to say the truth, what sound answer could he, being a Gē∣tile make herin? The like history is to be red in y^e collecti∣ons of Iohn Manlius cōmon places,* 1.111 who (as Philip Me∣lancthon reporteth) dothe write, that Theodorus Gaza

had a lordship or manour place in Campana giuen him by Nicholas Pope of Rome. In the manour, whē by chaunce, one of his farmers had digged vp a coffin with dead mens bones in it, there sodenly appeared a spirit vnto him, com∣maunding him to burie the coffin againe, or else his sonne should shortly after dye. Which when the farmer refused to do, shortly after his sonne was found slayne in y^e night. A fewe dayes after the Spirit appeared agayne vnto the husbandman, menacing and threatning him, that in case he did not burie the aforesayde bones, he would kill his o∣ther sonne also. The man taking warning by his losse, and séeing his other sonne fallen sicke, goeth vnto master Theodorus and sheweth him all the matter. He vnder∣standing it, goeth with him to the manour, and there in the same place where the farmer had before digged vp the coffin, casting a new graue, they burie the coffin with the bones. As soone as th••e bones were layde in the graue the husbandmans sonne immediatly recouered his health.

Dion writeth that the Emperour Traianus was lead out of the house, where he hadde taken vp his Inne, in the time of an earthquake, into a more safer place.

Iulius Capitolinus which setteth out a fewe liues of the common Emperours, reporteth, that Pertinax for y^e space of thrée dayes before he was slayne by a thrust, sawe a cer∣tayne shaddowe in one of his fishepondes, whiche with a sword ready drawen threatned to slay him & therby much disquieted him.

Flauius Vopiscus writeth, that wheras Tacitus fathers graue opened it selfe the sides therof falling downe of their owne accord, and that his mothers soule appeared bothe to him & Florianus day and night, as if she had bin liuing, it was a most sure and infallible signe, that he shoulde dye shortly after.

Ammianus Marcellinus writing of y^e signes or progno∣sticatiō•• of Constantius death, saith that he was troubled

and terrified in the night season with shapes and figures.

The same author affirmeth in his 25. booke, that a little before Iulianus died, as he sate writing in the tents follo∣wing the example of Iulius Cesar, he saw the image of the publicke Genius, or God of the place (which was woont to be painted with Amaltheas horne in his hande) departing from him, more deformed and ill fauoured, than when it began to mount vp to the narrowe top of the tent.

* 1.112Lucanus as well an excellent historiographer, as also a most learned Poet, reckneth vp many forwarnings in his first booke of the battaile of Pharsalia which chaunsed be∣fore the great conflict betwéen Iulius Cesar, and great Pom∣peius: and amongst other things, he writeth thus.

The trumpets blew, and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace▪ So did the night with silent shaades increase hir darkishe face. And then the ghosts of Sylla fierce, were plainly s••ene in field, Therby declaring euill signes, of bloud that should be spilde. And by the flud of Anien, the husbandmen did spye Great Marius, out of broken graue his head aduauncing hiye.

CHAP. XIII. A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Churche, and of the vvritings of holie Fathers, that there are vvalking Spirits.

YF we reade ouer the Ecclesiasticall histo∣ries, we shall finde many of these exam∣ples. Sozomenus writeth in his ecclesias∣ticall historie, the sixt booke and 28. chap∣ter, of one Apelles a blacke Smyth by oc∣cupation (whose name was at that time very famous throughout Egip••e,* 1.113 for the gifte of working miracles, wherewith he was indewed) who as he was one night hard at his work, had appering vnto him, a visi∣on of a Diuel in the likenesse & attire of a very beautiful woman, mouing & intising him to y^e vice of lechery. But he sodenly catching y^e yron which he wrought on, glowing hot

out of the fire, thrust it in y^e Diuels face, & scorched his vi∣sage, wherat he fretting & crying out, in al hast fled away.

Likewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedi∣tion raised at Antioche for the immoderate exactiō and tri∣bute which Theodosius layd on y^e citie in y^e time of warrs, wherby the people being offended ouerthrewe the images of the Emperour and his wife, dragging them in roapes about the citie, and reporting al kinde of villanie and dis∣pite ageinst thē: thus he saith. But in the night before, as∣soone as the rebellion began, immediatly at the breake of the day, it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight séene, of a womā hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke, running vp and downe the cittie through the streats al••ft in the aire, whisking & ••eating the aire with a whip, rendring a fearfull sound. That as men are wont to pro∣uoke wild beasts to anger, whiche serue for publike spec∣tacles: euen so it séemed, some euil angell by the crafte of the Diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people.

Theodorus Lector in his first booke of collectanies out of the ecclesiasticall historie writeth,* 1.114 that as Gennadius patriarch of Constantinople, came downe to the high aul∣tar to make prayers and orizons, there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and fi∣gure, which so soone as he had sharplie rebuked, straight∣ways he herd a voice crying out aloud, y^t so lōg as he liued he wold giue place & cease, but whē he was once dead he would surely ransack & spoyle the Church. Which when y^e good father heard, he ernestly prayed for y^e preseruatiō of y^e Church, & soone after departed this life. There are many things to be read in Grego••i{us} Nicephor{us}▪ who setteth foorth ••••clesiasticall matters at lar••••,* 1.115 & Abdias in y^e liues of y^e A∣postles, concerning visions, dreames, miracles of saints, and also appearings of spirites. For wise men iudge, they were more diligent & redie in describing such things, than in other maters, which might haue bē to greater purpose

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and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand.

Hée that readeth ouer the Hystories, whiche in tymes paste haue ben written, (and that especially by Monkes) shall méete with an innumerable company of these sorte: Yet by the waye I must néedes say this, that very many things haue bene written by them, whych the Readers maye iustly suspecte, and stande in greate doubte of.

Ludouicus Viues, Beatus Rhenanus, and many other learned men of our tyme, in describing other things do fynde greate faulte with the Chronicles written by Mon∣kes, for that they were gathered togyther by vnlearned ••••ltes without any iudgement. But let euery man esteme of them as hée l••st. For albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish & ridiculous, yet it may be wel thought that many things ••ere so in very déed, as they haue com∣mitted them to writing.

A man shall méete with many places concerning visi∣ons & appearing•• of Spirits, euen in the old father•• also. S. Ambrose in his .90. Sermon writeth of a noble Uirgin named Agnes who was crowned with martirdom for the profession of christian religion.* 1.116 And as hir parēts watched o••e night by hir graue, they saw about midnight, a goodly compani•• of Uirgins clothed in golden vayles, amongst whom also was their ••aughter, arayed like vnto the rest: who willing the other virgins to stay a while, turning hir self towards hir parentes, willed them in any case, not to bewayle hir as if she were dead, but rather to reioyce with hir▪ for that she had obteined of god eternal life. Which as soon as she had spokē, she immediatly vanisht out of sight.

* 1.117S. Augustin de••lareth in his booke, De cura pro mortuis agenda, that when the Citie of Nola was besieged by the Barbaruus,* 1.118 the citizens saw Felix the martyr playnly ••p∣pearing vnto them. Touching S. Gregorie, who in his Dialogues writeth many suche things, we will in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hereafter when his turne commeth.* 1.119

Yée shall reade of many suche lyke in the liues of the auncient fathers, which all are not to be reiected as vaine and fabulous, for some parte of them were written by graue and learned men, whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake, I will héere rehearse one short historie.

It is to be séene in the life of Ioannes Chrysostom, that Basiliscus Byshoppe of Comane (who suffered as a Martir with Lucianus the Priest at Antioch,* 1.120 vnder Maximianus the Emperor) appéered vnto Sainte Chrysostome, when he was in exile, and sayde vnto him: Brother Iohn, be of good comforte, for to morrowe we shall be togither. But first he appéered to the Priest of that Churche, and saide vnto him: prepare a place for our deare brother Iohn, who wyll shortly come hither. Which things the euent proued afterwardes to be true.

CHAP. XIIII. That in the Bookes set foorthe by Monkes, are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions.

WE made mention a litle before, of Chroni∣cles written by Monkes. Nowe as tou∣ching their legendes of Saintes (as they terme their storehouses of examples, and liues of auncient Fathers, in the whiche are many apparitions of Deuils and Spyrits,) verily there is no cause at all why we shoulde ascribe much vnto them, for the most parte of such stuffe as is sette foorth in them, haue no shewe nor likelyhoode of truth••: perchaunce their mynde was to bring men to great feare and Religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories. But concerning these, this place now serueth not to intreate.

The like may be saide, of many supersticious Popishe wryters, who following these mens steppes, haue writtē

many vpon other mens credit and reportes, which least any man think I write, being moued with enuie or ha∣tred of the persones, I wil shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many, that you may thereby haue as it were a tast of that which I sayde euen now.

* 1.121Petrus Damanus, who first was a Monke after the or∣der of S. Benedict, and afterward byshop of Hostia, a man of great estimation among Papistes, as well for the opi∣nion they had of his learning, as for the shewe of his vp∣right lyuing, telleth a storie of a certain Monke of Colein, who on a time passing ouer a Riuer on horseback, espied Saint Seuerinus sometime Bishop of Colein on the riuer, who not long before was departed this life, & being buri∣ed at that time, was muche renoumed for doing sundrie miracles. This Byshop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle, and would not lette him passe any further: wher∣with the Monke was sore afraide, and dilygently enqui∣red of him, why he béeing so notable a man, was there withholden in that place. The Bishop then required him to lend him his hande, that he might vnderstande by fée∣ling howe it was with him, whiche when he haddoone, & that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes hande downe into the water, sodenly in one moment al the flesh of hys hand, by reason of the extreame heate, was scalded off, so that the bones only remained albare. Unto whom then y^e Monke: sith (quod he) thou art so famous a man in the Church, how cōmeth it to passe that thou art so gréeuous∣ly tormented? The Bishop aunswered: only sayde he for this cause, for that I haue not sayde ouer my Canonicall houres in due time distinctly as I shoulde haue done: for I was in the Emperors Court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie Counsell, in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once, all the rest of the daye I was troubled with other busines: and for that cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat. But let vs both

togither call vnto Almightie God, that it may please him to restore thy hand againe, which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus sayde. And then spake he to the Monke saying: Go my sonne and desire the brethren of our Church, as also al other of the Clergie ther, to poure out their prayers for mée, to giue almes to the poore and néedie, and to perseuer incessantly in offring vp continual sacrifice for me, for so sone as these things shalbe fulfilled▪ I shall be deliuered out of these my torments, and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Ci∣tizens of heauen, which do earnestly desire my company. Out of this historie this argument or reason they make: Yf that good and Godly Byshop, who being ouercharged with affaires of the Emperor leading to publike wealth, could not dispatche his talke of prayers in due time, and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented, what pu∣nishment may they looke for, which hauing no necessarie businesse, say ouer the Canonicall houres very coldely, or else leaue them cleane vnsayde, that they maye the better followe there owne lustes and vaine deuises? And héer•• note by the waye, they make no mention at all of omyt∣ting those things which God hath expresly cōmanded vs. But in case the Popishe Bishoppes do verily beléeue this storie to be true, let them thinke with themselues, howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the Iudge∣ment seate of Almightie God, for that they are content to be created Bishoppes of those Churches, wherof not∣withstanding they haue no care nor regarde, but eyther wholy intangle themselues with worldly matters, or if they do deale in matters of y^e church, their whole study is directed to this end, to stop the sincere preaching of Gods word, and to tread those vnderfoote, whose minds are oc∣cupied day & night, to y^e aduaūcing & setting forth of gods glory. Of this stampe and sorte are most of those things wherwith the Monkes inferced and stuffed their bookes.

CHAP. XV. A proofe by other sufficient vvriters, that Spirits doe sometime appeare.

AS touching other notable wryters, they also make mention of spirits whiche doe often times appeare.* 1.122 Alexander ab Alex∣andria, an excellent Lawier, born at Na∣ples in his second booke Gemaliuns ••ierum, and ninth chapter, writeth that a certaine familiar friend of his, of good credite, dyd celebrate the funeral of one of his acquaintance, and as he returned to∣wardes Rome, he entred into an Inne fast by the waye, bicause it was nyght, and there layde himselfe downe to rest. As he laye there alone broade awake, sodenly the Image of hys friende lately deceased, came before him maruellous pale and leane, euen as he was when he saw him last on his death bed, whome when he behelde, being almost besides himselfe with feare, he demaunded of him who he was? But the gost making no answere, but slip∣ping of his clothes layde him downe in the same bed, and drewe neare, as if he woulde haue embraced him. The other gaue him place, and kéeping him of from him, by chaunce touched his fote, which séemed so extreamly cold, as no ice in the world might be compared vnto it. Wher∣at the other looking very lowringly vppon him, tooke vp his clothes againe, and rose out of the bed, and was neuer afterwardes séene. He reporteth other histories in the same place, whiche hapned in his time. He liued aboue foure score yeares ago, or neare that time.

* 1.123Baptista Fulgosus, Duke of Genua, in his booke of wor∣thy sayings & doings of Emperors, Princes, Dukes. &c. (which he wrote being in exile to auoyde idlenesse: Tou∣ching straunge and monstrous things) wryteth that in

the Courte of Mattheus, surnamed the great Shyrife of y^e Citie, in the Euening after sunne sette, there was séene a man farre excéeding common stature, sitting on a horse in complete armour: who when he had ben ther seen of ma∣ny, by the space of an hour, in the end vanished away to y^e great terrour of those that beheld hym. About thrée dayes after in like maner, two men on horsebacke of the same stature, were séene in the same place, about thrée houres within night, fighting togither a long season, and in the ende vanished away as the other dydde before. Not long after, Henry the seuenth Emperor, departed this life, to the vtter vndoing of all the Shirifes.

Immediatly after this Hystorie, he putteth an other more worthie memorie than the formost. Lodouicus fa∣ther to Alodisius, ruler of Immola, not long after he died, appeared vnto a Secretarie, whom Ludouicus had sente to Ferraria, as he was on his iourney, ryding on a horse with a Hauke on his fist, as he was wonte when he li∣ued, and willed the secretarie (albeit wonderfully afraid) to bid his Sonne the nexte daye to repaire vnto the same place, for he had matter of greate importance to declare vnto him. Which when Ludouicus heard, partly bycause he could not beléeue it, partly for that he douted som body laye in waight for him, he sent an other to answere in his roome. With whome the same soule méeting as it did be∣fore, lamented very much that his Sonne was not come thither, for if he had so doone, he saide, he would haue ope∣ned many other things vnto him. But as then he willed the messanger to tell him, that twentie two yeares, one month and one day being passed, he should loose the rule & gouernment whiche he nowe possessed. As soone as the time forshewed by the ghost was expired, albeit he were very circumspect and careful, yet the same night, the soul∣diours of Phillip Duke of Millen, with whom he was in league & therfore stood in no féare of him) came ouer the

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ditches hard frosen with ice vnto the walles, and raysing vp ladders, toke both Citie and Prince togither.

Phillip Malancthon writeth in his booke de anima, that he himselfe hathe seene some spirites, and that he hath knowne many men of good credite, whiche haue auout∣ched not only to haue séene ghostes them selues, but also y^t they haue talked a great while with them. In his booke which he intituleth Examen Theologicum, he reherseth this historie.* 1.124 Which was, that he had an aunt, who as she sat very heauily by the fire, after hir husband was deade, two men came into hir house, whereof the one being ve∣rie like, saide he was hir husband deceased, the other be∣ing very tall, had the shape of a Franciscan Frier. This that séemed to be the husband, came néere the chimney sa∣luting his heauie wife, bidding hir not to be afrayde, for (as he saide) he came to commaunde hir certaine things: then he bid the long Monke to goe aside a while into the stoue hard by. And there beginning his talke, after many wordes, at the last he earnestly beséecheth, and most har∣tily desireth hir, to hire a Priest to say Masse for hys soule, and so being readie to departe, he biddeth hir giue him hir right hande: which thing (she being sore afraide) abhorring to do, after he hadde faythfully promysed she shoulde haue no harme, she giueth hir hande, which albeit in déede it had no hurte, yet did it seeme to be so scortched, that euer after it remained blacke. This being doone hée calleth foorth the Franciscane, and hastily going foorth to∣gither, they vanysh away. Ioannes Manlius, in his collec∣tanies of common places, wryteth concerning other spi∣rits which he and other men also did sée, the first tome in the chapter De malis spiritibus et ipsorum operibus, and al∣so in the chapter De satisfactione.

* 1.125Ludouicus Viues, saythe in his firste booke De veritate fidei that in the newe world lately found out, ther is no∣thing more common, than, not that only in the night time

but also at noone in the midday, to sée spirits aparātly, in the cities & fields, which speake, cōmaund, forbyd, assault men, feare them & strike thē. The very same do other re∣port which describe those nauigations of the gret Ocean.

Hieronimus Cardanus of Millen, excellently séene in philosophie & phisicke,* 1.126 remembreth a great many of these apparitions in his bookes De subtilitate, et varietate rerum: which who so lysteth to reade, I refer hym to his bookes, for I am desirous to be bréefe.

Olaus Magnus Archbishoppe of Vpsalia in Sueuelande, declareth in his historie De Gentibus Septentrionalibus,* 1.127 the 2. booke and 3. chap that spirits apeare in Iseland, in y^e shape & likenesse of such, as men are acquainted withall: whom the inhabitants take by the hande in stead of their acquaintance, before they haue heard any worde of those their acquaintance death, whose similitude and likenesse they take on thē, neither do they vnderstand that they are deceiued before they shrink & vanish away. These things haue I brought togither both out of the olde & also newe wryters, y^t it myght plainly apeare, that spirits do often times walke and shewe themselues vnto men.

CHAP. XVI. Daily experience techeth vs that spirits do appear to mē.

TO al the premisses before handled, this also is to be added, which no man cā deny, but y^e ma∣ny honest & credible persons of both kinds, as∣wel men as women, of whom som ar liuing, & some alredy departed, which haue & do affirm, that they haue somtimes in the day, & somtimes in the night séen & hard spirits. Some mā walketh alone in his house, & be∣hold a spirit apéereth in his sight, yea & somtimes y^e dogs also perceue thē, & fal down at their masters fete, & wil by no means depart fro thē, for they ar sore afraid thēselues too. Some man goeth to bed, and laieth him down to rest,

and by and by there is some thing pinching him, or pul∣ling off the clothes: sometimes it sitteth on him, or lyeth downe in the bed with him: and many times it walketh vp and downe in the Chamber. There haue bene many times men séen, walking on foote, or riding on horseback, being of a fierie shape, knowen vnto diuers men, & suche as died not long before. And it hath come to passe lyke∣wise, that some eyther slayn in the warres, or otherwise deade naturally, haue called vnto their acquaintance bée∣ing aliue, and haue bene knowen by their voice.

Many times in the nyght season, there haue béene cer∣taine spirits hearde softely going,* 1.128 or spitting, or groning, who being asked what they were, haue made aunswere that they were the soules of this or that man, & that they nowe endure extreame tormentes. Yf by chaunce any man did aske of them, by what meanes they might be de∣liuered out of those tortures, they haue aunswered, that in case a certaine numbre of Masses wer•• soong for them, or Pilgrimages vowed to some Saintes, or some other such like déedes doone for their sake, that then surely they shoulde be deliuered. Afterwardes appearing in greate lyght and glorie, they haue said that they were deliuered, and haue therefore rendred greate thankes to their good benefactours, and haue in like manner promised, that they will make intercession to God and our Ladye for them. And hereby it may be well proued, that they were not alwayes Priestes, or other bolde and wicked men, whiche haue fayned themselues to be soules of men de∣ceased, as I haue before saide, in so muche that euen in those mennes chambers when they haue bene shut, there haue appeared such things, when they haue with a can∣dle diligently searched before, whither any thing haue lurked in som corner or no. Many vse at this day to serch and sifte, euery corner of the house before they go to bed, y^t they may sléep more soundly: & yet neuerthelesse, they

heare some s••rying out, and making a lamētable noise. &c.

It hath many times chaunced, that those of the house haue verily thought, that some body hath ouerthrowne the pots, platters, tables and trenchers, and tumbled thē downe the stayres: but after it waxed day, they haue found all things orderly set in their places againe.

It is reported, that some spirits haue throwne the dore of from the hookes, and haue troubled and set all things in the house out of order, neuer setting thē in their due place againe, and that they haue maruellously disquieted men with rumbling and making a great noise.

Sometimes there is heard a great noise in Abbeis, and in other solitarie places, as if it were coupers hooping and stopping vp wine vessels, or some other handicraftes men occupied about their labour, when it is most certayn, that all in the house are gone to bed, and haue betaken them∣selues to rest.

When houses are in building, the neighbours many times heare the carpenters, masons,* 1.129 and other artificers handling all things in such sorte, as if they were busily la∣bouring in the day time. And this straunge wonder is ioy∣fully receiued as a sure token of good lucke.

There be some which iudge it commeth to passe natu∣rally, that we suppose we heare these things in the nighte, which we heard before in the day time. Which question I leaue to be discussed of better learned than my selfe.

Pioners or diggers for mettal, do affirme, that in many mines, there appeare straunge shapes and spirites,* 1.130 who are apparelled like vnto other laborers in the pit. These wander vp and down in caues and vnderminings, & séeme to besturre them selues in all kinde of labour, as to digge after y^e veine, to carrie togither oare, to put it into baskets, and to turne the winding whele to drawe it vp, when in very déede they do nothing lesse. They very seldome hurte the laborers (as they say) except they prouoke them by

laughing and rayling at them: for then they threw grauel stones at them, or hurt them by some other means. These are especially haunting in pittes, where mettall moste a∣boundeth.

A certayn godly and lerned man wrote once vnto me, of a siluer mine at Dauosium in the Alpes, vpon the which Peter Buol a noble man, the Schultish of the same place, (whom they cal Landammanus,) had bestowed great cost a fewe yeres before, and had gathered therby good store of riches. In the same myne was a spirite or Diuell of the mountayne, who when the laborers filled the stuffe they had digged into their vessels, he séemed, for the most parte, euery Fryday, to be very busie, pouring the mettals of his owne accord out of one basket into an other. Wherewith the Schultishe was not offended: and when he would ey∣ther descende into the pit, or come vp agayne, blessyng him selfe with the signe of the Crosse, he neuer receyued hurt. It chaunced on a tyme that whyle the sayde spirit was too busie intermedlyng himselfe with euery thing, one of the myners being offended therewith, began to rayle at hym very bitterly, and with terrible cursing wordes, byd him get him thence in the diuels name. But the spirit caught him by the pate, and so writhed his necke about, that his face stoode behynde his backe, yet notwithstanding he was not slaine, but liued a long time after, well knowne vnto diuers of his familiar friends, whiche yet liue at this day, howbeit he died within a fewe years after.

Georgius Agricola, whose learned works whiche he wrote of mettalles be yet extant in the end of his booke of creatures liuing vnder the earth,* 1.131 he maketh two kinds of Diuels haunting in certayne Mynes abroade. For hée sayth, there are some cruell and terrible to beholde: whi∣che for the moste parte, doo very much annoy and hurt the labourers digging for mettall.

Suche a one was hée whiche was called Annebergius,

who only with his breath, destroyed aboue .xij. laborers at once, in the caue called Corona Rosacea The wynde wherewith he slewe them, he lette flée out of his mouth: for he appéered in the similitude and lykenesse of an horse.

Suche an other was Snebergius, who wearyng a black roll about his necke, tooke vp a labourer aloft from the grounde, and sette him in the brinke of a certayne excée∣ding déepe place, where had sometyme bene great store of siluer, not without gréeuous brusing of his body.

And againe he saith, there be some very milde and gen∣tle, whome some of the Germans call Cobali, as the Greci∣ans do, bycause they be as it were apes and counterfeiters of men: for they leaping, and skipping for ioy do laughe, and séeme as though they did many things, when in very déede they doo nothing. And some other call them Elues, or Dwarfes of the Mountaynes, thereby notyng theyr small stature, wherein they commonly appeare. They séeme to bée hoare, wearyng apparayle lyke the mettall fyners, that is, in a petycote laced, and an apron of lether about their loynes. These hurte not the laborers, excepte they misuse them, but do imitate them in all their doings. And he sayth, they are not much vnlike vnto those whom the Germans call Guteli, bycause they séeme to beare good affection towards men, for they kéepe horses, and do other necessary businesse. They are also lyke vnto them whom they cal Trulli, who taking on them the fayned shapes of men and women, do serue as it is sayd, like seruants, both amongst other nations, & specially amongst the Suetians.

Touching these spirits haunting mynes of mettal, ther is somwhat to be read in Olaus Magnus de Gentibus Sep∣tentrionalibus, the 6. booke and .x. chapter.

They whiche sayle on the greate Ocean sea,* 1.132 make re∣porte, that in certayne places, where the Anthropo∣phagi doo inhabite, are many spirites, whiche doo the peo∣ple there very muche harme.

Héere many straunge things might be brought concer∣ning visions appearing vnto men in their sléepe: and also of them, which being in a traunce, haue lyen a whole day and more without mouing, lyke vnto dead men: and after béeing restored to them selues agayne, haue tolde many miraculous things which they haue séene.

Cicero writeth of maruellous things in his booke of di∣uination,* 1.133 or soothsaying. And so do many other men also. Augustine himselfe reciteth in many places of his bookes,* 1.134 that some after they were dead, haue warned many their frendes of diuers matters, and haue disclosed vnto them secrete things, which were to come, and haue shewed sicke folkes good remedies for their diseases, and haue done ma∣ny suche like things.

Auenzoar Albumaro, a physition of Arabia, writeth, that he receiued an excellent medicine for his sore eyes, of a physition lately deceased, appering vnto him in his slepe: as Marsilius F••cinus doth testifie,* 1.135 writing of the immorta∣litie of the soule. Lib. 16. cap. 5.

* 1.136The holy Scriptures also teache vs, that God hath re∣uealed many things vnto men by dreames. S. Mathew in his first and second Chapter writeth, that the angell of God appered many tymes vnto Ioseph, our Sauior Chri∣stes foster father in a dreame, and cōmaunded him to be∣ware of those which lay in wayt to destroy Christ Iesus.

* 1.137Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Acts of the apo∣stles, that saint Peter fell into a traunce, saw the heauens open, and saw a vessel, as it were a greate shéete, descende downe vnto him from heauen, knit togither at the foure corners, wherin were all maner of foure footed beasts of the earth, and wylde beasts, and créeping things, and fou∣les of the heauen. And there came a voyce vnto him: Rise Peter, kill and eate.

* 1.138And in the .xvj. chapter, as S. Paule was yet in Asia, cō∣ming downe towardes Troada, this vision appeared vnto

him: There stode a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying: Come into Macedonia and help vs. Hereby Paul gathered, it was the will of God, that he should passe the sea, and should preache the Gospell in Macedonia.

But I purpose not to write of Spirites and visions ap∣pearing vnto men in their sléepe, least my Booke growe vnto an huge volume: but only of those which we sensibly sée when we are awake.

CHAP. XVII. That there happen straunge vvonders and prognostica∣tions, and that sodeyn noises and cracks and such like, are hearde before the death of men, before battaile, and before some notable alterations and chaunges.

IT happeneth many times, that when men lye sicke of some deadly disease, there is some thing heard going in y^e chamber, like as the sicke men were wonte, when they were in good health: yea & the sicke parties them selues, do many times hear the same, and by and by gesse what wil come to passe. Oftentimes a litle before they yeld vp the ghost, and some time a little after their death, or a good while after, either their owne shapes, or some other shaddowes of men, are apparantly séene. And diuers times it commeth to passe, that whē some of our acquaintaunce or friends lye a dying, albeit they are many miles off, yet there are some great stirrings or noises heard. Sometimes we thinke the house will fall on our heads, or that some massie and waightie thing falleth downe throughout all the house, rendring and making a disordered noise: and shortlie within fewe monthes after, we vnderstande that those things happened, the very same houre that our friends departed in. There be some men, of whose stocke none doth dye, but that they obserue and

marke some signes and tokens going before: as that they heare the dores and windowes open and shut, that some thing runneth vp the staires, or walketh vp and downe the house, or doth some one or other such like thing.

But here I cannot passe this in silence: that there are many superstitious men, which vainly persuade thēselues that this cousin, and this or that friend of theirs wil short∣ly dye. For in the end, the falling out of the matter it selfe sheweth it was a vayne and folishe persuasion, that they vnderstod suche things by any signes.

Cardanus in his booke De veri••ate rerum, writeth, that there was a certeine noble familie at Parma in Jtaly,* 1.139 out of the which so often as any one died, there was séene an olde woman in the chimney corner. On a certaine tyme shée appeared, when a mayden of the same familie laye very sicke, and therefore they cleane dispayred of hir life: but soone after she recouered againe, and in the meane while, an other, which was thē in good helth, sodainly dyed.

There was a certaine parishe priest, a very honest and godly man, whom I knewe well, who in the plague time, could tell before hand, when any of his parishe should dye. For in the night time he heard a noise ouer his bed, like as if one had throwne downe a sacke full of corne from his shoulders: which when he heard, he would say: Nowe an other biddeth me farewell. After it was day, he vsed to in∣quire who died that night, or who was taken with the plague, to the end he might comfort and strengthen them, according to the duty of a good pastour.

It hath bin often obserued in Guilde halles where Al∣dermen sit, that when one of those Aldermen was at the point of death, there was hearde some ratling about hys seate, or some other certeine signe of death. The same thing happeneth beside pewes and stalles in Churches, or in other places where men are often conuersaunt or ac∣customed to exercise their handy labour.

In Abbeys, the Monks seruaunts or any other falling sicke, many haue heard in the night, preparation of chests for them, in such sorte as the coffinmakers did afterwards prepare in déede.

In some country villages, when one is at deaths dore, many times there are some heard in the Euening, or in the night, digging a graue in the Churcheyarde, and the same the next day is so found digged, as these mē did heare before.

There haue bin séene some in the night whē the moone shined, going solemnlie with the corps, according to the cu∣stome of the people, or stāding before the dores, as if some bodie were to be caried to the Church to burying. Many suppose, they sée their owne image, or as they saye, theyr owne soule, and of them diuers are verily persuaded, that except they dye shortlie after they haue séene them selues, they shall liue a very great time after. But these things are superstitious. Let euery man so prepare him selfe, as if he shoulde dye to morrowe, left by being too secure, he purchase himselfe harme.

There happen other straunge things also. For when some lye in the prison in chaynes, readie to suffer punish∣mēt for their offēces, many times in the night season there is heard a great noise and rumbling, as if some body were breaking into the gayle to deliuer y^e prisoners. When mē come to vnderstand y^e matter, they can neither heare, nor sée any body, and the prisoners likewise say they heard no manner thing.

Some executioners or hāgmen do report, y^t for the most part they knowe before hand whether any mā shall short∣ly be deliuered into their hands to suffer: for their swords will moue of their owne accord. And there are other that saie, they can tell before, after what sorte the prisoners shall suffer.

Many wonderfull and straunge things happen about

those which wilfully cast away thēselues. Somtime their corpses must be caryed a great way off, before they béeing thrust in a sacke can be throwne into the sea: and béeing layd in a waggon or cart, the horse could scant draw them downe the hill, but vp the hill they néed not labour at all, for the carte woulde runne very fast of his owne accorde.

Some men béeing slayne by théeues, when the théeues come to the dead body, by and by there gusheth out freshe blood, or else there is declaration by other tokens, that the théefe is there present. Plato writeth in the firste booke of his lawes, that the soules of suche as haue ben slayne, doo oftentymes cruelly molest and trouble the soules of those whiche slewe them. For whiche cause Marsilius Fiscinus doth thinke it chaunceth,* 1.140 that the wounde of a man being slayn, while the carkas lyeth on the ground, dooth send out bloud against him, whiche wounded him, if hée stand nere looking on his wounde. Whiche thing bothe Lucretius af∣firmeth to come to passe,* 1.141 and also Iustices haue diligently obserued. Dido in Vergile thus threatneth Aeneas.

And when the cold of death is come, and body voyde remayns, Eche where my haunting spirite shal pursue thee to thy payns.

The like place is in Horace & in other Poets. As a théef sitteth at the Table, a cuppe béeing ouerthrowne, the wyne perceth through the whole and sounde wodde of the table, to all mens admiration.

Touching these and other such maruellous things there might be many histories and testimonies alleaged. But whosoeuer readeth this booke, may call to their remem∣braunce, that they haue séene these and suche like things them selues, or that they haue heard them of their friends and acquaintaunce and of such as deserue sufficient credit.

Before the alterations and chaunges of kingdomes and in the time of warres, seditions, and other daungerous seasons, ther most cōmonly happē very strāge things in y^e aire, in the earth, & amōgst liuing creatures clean cōtrary

to the vsuall course of nature. Which things mē cal, won∣ders, signes, monsters, and forewarnings of matters to come. There are séene in the aire, swords, speares, & suche like innumerable: there are heard and séene in the aire, or vppon the earth whole armies of men encountring togi∣ther, and whē one part is forced to flye, there is heard hor∣rible cries, and great clattering of armour. Gunnes, laun∣ces and halberdes, with other kindes of weapons and ar∣tillerie, do often times moue of their owne accord as they lye in the armories. When as souldiers marche towards their enimies, and their ensignes will not displaie abroade but folde about the stander bearers heads: if the souldiours be therewith amazed, they surely persuade themselues there is some greate slaughter towards. It is sayde also, that horses will be very sad and heauie, and will not lette their masters sit on their backs, before they go to the bat∣taile wherin they shall haue the ouerthrowe: but whē they are coragious and iustilie neighing, it is a sure token of vic∣torie. Suetonius writeth, that the company of horses which Iulius Cesar let run at libertie,* 1.142 neuer to be put to labour againe, did wéepe aboundantly when Cesar was slayne.

When Miltiades addressed his people against the Per∣sians, there were heard terrible noises before the battaile, and certaine spirits were séene, which the Athenians after∣wards affirmed to be the shaddow•• of Pan, who cast suche a feare on the Persians, that they turned their backs and fled. Therof Terrores Panici tooke their name, being spo∣ken of sodayn feares vnloked for, and terrours, suche as Lymphatici metus are, which driue men out of their wits being taken therwith.

Before the Lacedemonians were ouerthrowne in y^e bat∣taile at Leuct••••s, the armour moued,* 1.143 & made a great noise in the tēple of Hector. At the same time the dores of Her∣cules temple at Thebes being fast shut with barres, opened sodainly of their owne accord: and the weapons and ar∣mour

which hoong fastned on the wall, were found lying vppon the grounde. These things are to be read in Cice∣ro his firste booke De diuinatione.

In the second warres of Carthage, the standerd bearer of the first battaile of pykemen, coulde not remoue his en∣signe out of his place neither yet whē many came to helpe, they could any thing preuayle. These and suche other signes of euill lucke, Caius Flaminius the Consul nothing regarded, but soone after his army was discomfited, and he him selfe slayn.* 1.144 Concerning which matter, Titus Liuius writeth at large. In the beginning of the warres waged with the people called Marsi, there was heard out of se∣crete places, certaine voices, and noyse of harnesse, whiche foreshewed the daunger of the warres to come.

Plinie writeth in his .2. booke and 59. chapter, that in the warrs with the Danes,* 1.145 and many times before, there was heard the clashing of armour, and the sound of trumpets out of Heauen.

Appianus declareth what signes and wonders went before the ciuill warres at Rome:* 1.146 what miserable cries of men, clashing of armoure, & running of horses were heard no man séeing any thing.

Valerius Maximus in his firste booke and .6. chapter of straunge wonders,* 1.147 writeth how C••••eius Pompeius hadde warning before, not to fight the fielde with Iulius Cesar: for as he launced off, at Dirrachium, his souldiours were taken with a sodayne feare: and in the night likewise be∣fore the battaile, their harts and courages sodaynly failed them. And after the same author addeth, that which Cesar him selfe reherseth in his 3. booke De bello ciuili: how that the very same day wherin Cesar faught his fortunate bat∣taile, the crying of the armie, and the sound of trumpets was herd at Antioche in Syria, so sensibly, that the whole city ranne in armour to defende their walles. The very same thing he sayth, happened at Ptolemais, and that at

Pergamus in the most priuie and secret parts of the temple where none may enter, saue only priests, which place the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there were hearde the sounde of drummes and timbrels.

The historiographers reporte, that Castor and Pollux haue bin often séene in battailes sitting on white horses,* 1.148 & valiātly fighting against y^e enimies campe. Plutarch wri∣teth in Coriolanus life, that they were seene in the battaile against Tarquinius, and that immediatly after, they bare tidings to Rome of y^e victorie. The selfe same writeth Ti∣tus Liuius also in his 8. booke of his first decade. We may read in the history of the siege of the noble citie of Magd••∣burge in Saxonie, that the enimie which laide siege to the towne, so often as the citizens issued out to skirmish with them, supposed that one vpō a white horse came riding be∣fore the citizens battaile, when as the citizens them selues saw no such man.* 1.149 Iosephus in his bookes of the warres in Iurie, recordeth what strange signes hapned before the destructiō of Ie••usalem: which were, that a brasen gate be∣ing fast rampierd with barres, opened in the night time of his owne accord. And that before y^e sunne sette, there were séene chariots in the aire, and armies of men well furni∣shed, enuironing the citie round about. And that at Whit∣sontide, as y^e priests entred the temple to celebrate diuine seruice▪ they heard a great noise, & by and by a voice crying Migremus hinc. Let vs departe hence. He reckeneth vp ••∣ther like things, which we neede not repeate in this place. The same night that Leo of Cōstantinople was slayne in y^e tēple, the trauelers by sea heard a voice in y^e aire which saide: that Leo had roared out euen to the same place.

Felix Malleolus doctor of both y^e laws, master of Sclodor, & canon at Tigurū, a mā of great reding,* 1.150 as it may easily a∣pere by his lerned writings which ar yet extāt. (For he li∣ued about y^• time whē y^e coūcel of Basil was hold••) writeth in his book de nobilitate, c. 30. y^t it is to be séen in y^e historie

of Rodulphus king of the Romains, that when the sayde Rodulphus had vanquished Othotarus, King of Boemia, continuing on the place all nyght, where tho battell was fought, about mydnight, certain spirites or Deuils, with horrible noyse and tumulte, troubled and disordered his whole armie. And that those were spirites walkyng by night, it appeared hereby, that they sodeynly vanyshed a∣way lyke smoake.

The same Author writeth in his .xxvj. chapter, That in the yeare of our Lorde .1280. as one of the Pl••bans (as they call them) belonging to the churche of Tigurine prea••hed to the people, the graue stone of the tumbe or sepulchre of the two martyrs Felix and Regula, patrones of the same place, violently brake a sunder, no man mouyng or tou∣ching it, giuing a horrible sound lyke vnto thunder, so that the people were no lesse astonished and afrayde, than yf the vaute of the Churche had fallen downe. And he sayth, that the same yeare, the third day of October, the greater part of the citie of Tigurum was brent with fire, and more ouer, that sedition was moued amongest the Citizens, for certaine Ecclesiasticall disciplines, and for the Imperiall Banne (as they terme it.) In the yere of our Lord .1440. y^e twelfth day of December, at the dedicatiō of the foresayd churche, about midnight, there was the like noyse hearde, and immediatly after followed ciuill warres, whiche the Tigurins held with vncertaine successe against the other Heluetians, for the space of seuen yeares and more.

The same writer in the .33. Chap. hath, that at the same tyme in the yeare of our Lorde .1444. before that valiaunt battayle, whiche a fewe Heluetians fought agaynst the in∣numerable companye of Lewes Dolphine of Fraunce, faught by the wall Basill, in the tyme of generall y^e Coun∣cell, there was hearde certayne nyghtes about those pla∣ces, the alarme of Souldiours, the clattering of harneys, and the noyse of menne encountring togyther. &c.

Here I purposely omitte many suche lyke examples, for there are many Bookes, bothe of auncient and also of newe writers, touchyng straunge signes and wonders, wherin these may be redde.

CHAP. XVIII. It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture, that spirits are sometime seene and heard, and that other straunge matters do often chaunce.

YEt perchaunce it wil be obiected vnto vs, that wée bring no testimonie oute of holy Scripture, touchyng this matter: especi∣ally to proue, that Spirites doo oftenty∣mes appeare vnto menne. I aunswere, that truthe it is, There are fewe things hereof in the Scriptures, and yet notwithstanding some∣what is to be redde in them. It is read in Saincte Ma∣thewe his fourtéenth chapter, of Christes Disciples, that when in the night season, by reason of a contrary wind, they were in greate daunger of drownyng in the lake of Genazareth, and that in the dawnyng of the daye, the Lorde walked on the water, they béeyng afrayde, cryed out, supposyng they sawe a Spirite. Héereof we gather,* 1.151 that they knewe well ynoughe, that Spirites appeared vnto men vpon sea and lande.

Lykewise when the Lorde being rysen from death, ap∣peared vnto his disciples, meaning to assure them of his Resurrection, they thought at the firste, that they sawe a Spirit. In the which place, Chryst denieth not but there are Spirits and straunge sightes, and that they are some∣times séene, but he rather confirmeth the same by putting a difference betwene him selfe, & spirits or vaine appariti∣ons. But as touching these two testimonies we wil speake more in another place.

* 1.152It is a notable historie whiche we reade in the seconde Booke of Samuel concerning Saule, who, at what tyme the Philistians warred vpon hym, and that he was in ve∣ry great daunger of them, he came to a woman, who was a witche, and desired hir to rayse Samuel from deathe, that he might knowe his counsell touching the successe of the warres. Shée raysed hym vp one, whome Saule tooke to be Samuel in déede, who also tolde him what euents shoulde come of the warres. But whether hée were a true Samuel or a counterfait, wée will dispute the mat∣ter more at large in his conuenient place.

As concerning other maruellous things, there is some∣what to be read in the Scriptures: In the seconde of Sa∣muel & the fifth chap.* 1.153 Also in the first of Paralipomenon and the .xiiij▪ chap. we reade, that the Philistins wente vp the seconde tyme into Iurie, to make warres on Dauid: Hée went vnto the Lord, and shewed him the matter, who commaunded him, that he shoulde embushe himselfe be∣hynde the wood with his armie, and when he heard a rust∣ling or noyse in the toppes of the trées, he should immedi∣atly sette vpon them. This sounde they say was a strange and supernaturall sounde.

It is written in the second book of the Kings the .vj. and vij. chapters,* 1.154 that God deliuered the citie of Samari•• from great famine, when it was fiercely besieged by Benhadad king of the Assyrians▪ for in the night season their enimies dyd heare the noyse of chariots, the neyghing of horsses, and shréeching of a huge armie, as it were in their owne pauillions and tentes, supposing therefore, that the kyng of Israel had gathered togyther his footemen and horsse∣men, and had nowe sette vpon them, they soughte to saue themselues by ••lyghte, leauyng theyr victuall and other prouision behynde them in their tentes.

* 1.155In the fyrst of Samuel and the seuenth chapter, God caused a wonderfull greate noyse to sounde ouer the Phi∣listians,

and so destroyed them. I meane they were so affrighted with a kynde of straunge feare, that it was an easy matter to vanquishe them.

In the fifthe Chapter of Daniell yée may reade, that king Balthasar in his roisting banquet,* 1.156 espyed ryghte a∣gaynste the candle, a hande wryting vpon the wall what his ende shoulde bée.

It is read in the thirde Chapter of the seconde of the Machabées,* 1.157 that there appeared a horsse vnto Heliodo∣rus, seruaunt vnto Seleucus Kyng of Asia, as hee was aboute to destroye the temple at Hierusalem: and vppon the horsse séemed to sitte a terrible man, whiche made to∣wardes him to ouerrunne hym. On eche syde of hym were two yong men of excellent beautie, whyche wyth whippes scourged Heliodorus.

The seconde of the Machabées and tenth chapter, Iudas Machabeus encountred wyth hys enimies,* 1.158 and when the battayle was hotte, there appeared vnto the enimie oute of heauen fyue men sytting on horsses, rayned with no∣table brydles of golde, who ledde the Iewes hoste, and two of them defended Machabeus from all his enimies. And vnto Machabeus appeared a horsseman in a shinyng garment, his Armour all of gold, and shaking his speare.* 1.159 Whereby it was signified, that he shoulde obtayne a no∣table and famous victorie .2. Macha. 11.

I alleage not these examples, for that I adiudge the bookes of Machabées, of as good authoritie as the Cano∣nicall Bookes of the newe and olde Testament: but on∣ly for that they are ioyned together with them, and may be read of euery one: and they were always read of the auncient people. For albéeit they neuer wente aboute to approue any doctrine by them, yet were they of great au∣thoritie amongst them.

CHAP. XIX. To vvhome, vvhen, vvhere and after vvhat sort, spirits do appeare, and vvhat they do vvorke.

BY all these examples we may plainly per∣ceiue, that many straunge things are obiec∣ted to mens senses, & that sometimes spi∣rits are séene and heard not only (as some haue thought, as Plutarke witnesseth in the life of Dion) of children, women, sicke folkes, dottards, & otherwise very plaine and simple creatures, but also to mē of good corage, and such as haue bin perfectly in their wits. Yet it may not bée denied but that there appeare many more vnto some, that vnto other some, as vnto trauellers, watchemen, hunters, carters, and marriners, who leade all their life not only in the day time, but also in night, in iorneying, in the water, woods, hills and vallies. You shal mete with some one who neuer sawe nor heard any of this geare in all his life time, and contrariwise there be other some whyche haue séene and hearde very man suche things.

So there are some which very seldom chaunce vpō ser∣pents, & agayne many there are which oftentimes méets with them in their iorney. The common people say, that those whose natiuities chaunce vppon the Auguries (for so they terme the foure seasons of the yeare) do sée more store of Spirites, than those whiche are borne at other tymes, but these are méere trifles. Those whiche are stedfaste in true faithe, see or heare suche thiyngs more seldome than superstitiouse people, as in all other things. Hée that is superstitiouse, vseth some blessing (as they call it) to heale hys horses disease, and it ta∣keth good effecte: he inchaunteth a Serpente, and it can not once moue out of the place. He applyeth a bles∣syng to straunge bleedyng, and it stoppeth presentely:

He taketh a hollie rod, or twisted wand inchāted, & it wil moue where a mettle mine is: but he that is of a sounde fayth and doth despise these things, (for he knoweth well they are contrary to the word of god, & also to the Popes decrées) albeit perchaunce he practise such things, yet not∣withstanding he can bring nothing to passe. And so also it chaunceth that he séeth spirites and vaine visions, a great deale more seldome than superstitious men do, for hée knoweth wel what hée ought to déeme and iudge of them. There are some kinde of men, who thinke it a gay thing, if many suche straunge sightes appeare vnto them.

There were farre many more of these kindes of appa∣ritions and myracles séene amongest vs, at suche tyme as we were giuen vnto blindnesse and superstition, than since that the Gospell was purely preached amongest vs: the cause whereof I will shewe heareafter.

And moreouer it commeth often times to passe,* 1.160 that some one man doth heare or sée some thing most plainly, when an other which standeth by him, or walketh wyth him, neyther séeth, nor heareth any such matter.

We reade in the Historie of Heliseus, that he saw cha∣riottes of fire, and many horsemen vpon the toppe of the Mountaine: and yet hys seruaunt sawe nothing vntil the Prophet prayed vnto the Lord, that he woulde voutsafe for hys confirmation and consolation, to open hys eyes, that he might also beholde this notable miracle. So like∣wise we reade in the 9. chapter of the Actes of the Apo∣stles, that Christ ouerthew Paule before Damascus,* 1.161 and that he spake vnto hym, and his companions also hearde the voyce. Afterwardes in the 22. chapter,* 1.162 Paule himselfe shewing vnto the people in the presence of Lycias, in the Castle at Hierusalem, what had hapened vnto them sayth that they heard not the voice of him that talked with him: which two places are not repugnant, for the meaning is, that they heard a voyce or sounde in deede, but they vn∣derstood

not what the Lord had sayd vnto him.

Plato writeth in his Dialogue called Theages, that So∣crates had a familiar spirit,* 1.163 who was woonte to put him in mynde to cease from labouring, when that whiche he at∣tempted shuld haue no happie successe. This spirit he him∣selfe sawe not, and other men hearde not. They say that sometimes Children doe sée certaine things, whiche other men sée not, and by a certain peculiar operation of nature some men behold y^t which others in no wise can perceiue.

* 1.164As touching the tyme when spirits appeare, we reade in hystories that it shall be after a thousand yeares which God hath appoynted, in the whiche tyme Sainte Iohn prophesied in the Apocalips,* 1.165 that Sathan shoulde be lette loose, that is to saye, errours and supersticion, and al kynd of mischéefe should abound, & many spirits appeare euery where: for men gaue them more creditte, than the Scrip∣tures. If a spirit apeared, or was heard to say in case these or those things be decréed, to wit, vowed Pilgrimage, and erecting Chappelles, and that this shall be an acceptable kynde of worship vnto God, the Bishoppes and paryshe Priestes weighed not whither those things were agrée∣able to the word of God or no. &c. Spirits appeared in old time, and do appeare still in these dayes both day & night, but especially in the night, and before midnighte in our first sléep. Moreouer on the frydayes, saterdayes, & fasting daies, to confirme superstition. Neither may we maruel, that they are heard more in the night, thā in the day time. For he who is the author of these things, is called in the holie Scriptures the Prince of darkenesse, and therefore hée shunneth the light of Gods worde.

* 1.166And albeit these are heard or séene in al places, yet are they most especially conuersant in the fieldes where bat∣tels haue ben fought, or in places where slaughters haue ben made: in places of execution: in woods into the which they haue coniured deuils being cast out of men: in Chur∣ches,

Monasteries, and about Sepulchers, in the boundes of countries, & buts of lands: in prysons, houses & towers, and somtime also in the ruines and rubbish of Castles.

God thretneth the Babilonians in the 13. chap. of Esaie,* 1.167 that spirits and Satyrs shal daunce where their magnifi∣cent houses & Pallaces were, where they were wont to lead their daūces. And in his 34. chap. wher he threatneth destruction vnto al nations & enimies of God, he saith: In y^e ruinous & tottering Pallaces, Castles, & houses, horri∣ble spirits shal apeare with terrible cries, and the Satyre shal cal vnto hir mate, yea & the night hags shal take their rest there. For by the sufferance of God, wicked Deuils worke strange things in those places where men haue ex∣ercised pride and crueltie.

The maner of apearing of spirits,* 1.168 is diuers & manyfold as it apereth by those things which I haue aleaged before. For they shew themselues in sundry sorte: sometymes in the shape of a man whome we know, who is yet alyue, or lately departed: & otherwhile in the likenesse of one whom we knowe not.

I heard of a graue and wise man, which was a Magi∣strate in the Territorie of Tigurie, who affirmed, that as he & his seruant went through the pastures, in the Som∣mer very early, he espied one whome he knew very wel, wickedly defiling himselfe with a Mare, wherwith being amazed, he returned backe again, & knocked at his house, whom he supposed he had séen, & ther vnderstood for a cer∣tentie, y^t he went not one foote out of his chamber y^t mor∣ning. And in case he had not diligently serched out y^t mat∣ter, the good & honest man had surely ben cast in pryson, & put on the rack. I reherse this history for this end, y^• Iud∣ges should be very circūspect in these cases, for y^• Deuil by these means doth oftētimes circumuent y^e inocēt. Chun••∣gunda wife vnto Henry the ••. Emperor of y^e name, was greatly suspected of adulterie, and thereuppon many false

rumors scattered, that she was too familiar with a certain yong man in the Court, for the Deuill in the likenesse of the same yong man, was often times séene come out of the Empresse Chamber. But she afterwardes declared hir innocencie by treading vppon hote glowing plow∣shares, (as the custome was then) without any hurting hir féete, as witnesseth Albertus Cranzius, in his fourthe booke, and first chapter of his Metropolis.

We reade that many spirites haue appeared vnto cer∣taine Hermites and Monkes in the shape of a woman, al∣luring and intising them to filthie lust. They appeare al∣so in the fourme of brute beastes, sometime fourefooted, as of a Dogge, a Swine, a Horse, a Goate, a Catte, or a Hare: and sometimes of foules, and créeping wormes, as of a Crow, a night Owle, aschritche Owle, a Snake, or Dragon, whereof the Gentiles had great plentie in their Temples and houses, and nourished them, as we maye reade euery where in the Poets. Spirits haue somtimes appeared in a pleasant fourme, and somtimes in a horri∣ble shape. At one time some hath bene séene riding on horsebacke, or going on foote, or crawling vppon al foure. At another time hath appeared a man al burning in fire, or berayde with bloud: and some while, his bowells haue séemed to traile out, his belly being as it were rypped vp. Sometimes a shadowe hath only appeared: sometimes a hand, sometimes an instrument, as a staffe, a sworde, or some such like thing which the spirite helde in his hande. Somtimes he appeared in maner of a bundle of hey, bur∣ning on fire: another while onely a hoarse kinde of voyce was heard. Sometimes a spirit hath bene heard walking in the inner parte of the house, turning the leaues of a booke, or telling money, or playing at dice, or bounsing against the wall. And sometimes there is heard a terrible noyse or clap, as if a peale of Gunnes were discharged hard at hand. And spirits sometimes, taking a man by the

arme or by the haire of the head, haue walked with them.

Olaus Magnus in his third booke and eleuenth chapter De Gentibus Septentrionalibus, wryteth,* 1.169 that euen in these our dayes, in many places in the North partes, there are certaine monsters or spirites, whiche taking on them some shape or figure, vse (chéefly in the night season) to daunce,* 1.170 after the sounde of all manner of instrumentes of musicke: whome the inhabitants call companions, or daunces of Elues, or Fairies. Somewhat also is to be reade touching this matter in Saxo Grammaticus, in his historie of Denmarck.* 1.171 Such like things are those which Pomponius Mela reporteth in his thirde booke of the de∣scription of Aethiopia,* 1.172 that in Mauritania beyonde the Mount Atlas, many times in the nighte season are séene great lightes, and that tinkling of Cymbals, and noyses of Pypes are also heard, and when it is daylight no man appeareth.* 1.173 Solinus writeth in his 38. and 44. chapters that in this same Mountaine, Aegipanes vse euerie where to leade their 〈◊〉〈◊〉: of whome also Plinie maketh menti∣on in his first booke and first chapter. Men holde opinion, that they are Panes, Faunes, and Satyres, of whom the olde wryters haue mentioned many things.

S. Hierome writeth in the lyfe of Paule the Hermite,* 1.174 that an Hippocentaure, appeared vnto S. Anthonie, in the same shape whiche is described of the Poets. In a stonie valley (saith he) he espied a Dwarffe of a smal stature, ha∣uing a croked nose, and his foreheade rough with hornes: the hinder part of his bodie, and his féete like vnto a Gote. Anthony nothing amazed with this sighte, taketh vnto him the shield of fayth, and the brestplate of hope, like a good warrior▪ Notwithstanding the foresayde creature presented him with Dates, to refresh him in his iourney as witnesses of peace and friendship. Which when An∣thonius vnderstoode, he stayd, and enquiring of him what he was, receyued this aunswere. I am (quod he) a mortal

••reature, and one of the inhabitants of this desert, whom the Gentiles, being deceyued with many erroures, doth worship, calling vs Faunes, Satyrs, and night Mares.

And I am sent as Embassadoure from our companie, who earnestly beséech thée, that thou wilte pray vnto the God of al creatures for vs, whom we acknowledge to be come into the world, to saue the same. &c.

* 1.175And héere we may in no wise ouerpasse in silence, that notable hystorie which Plutarch in his booke De fectu ora∣culorum, (translated by that learned man Ad••ianus Tur∣nebus) reciteth in these words. Touching the death of de∣uils, I haue heard a certain hystorie of one who was nei∣ther foolysh, nor accustomed to lye. For it was Epitherces, my countreyman, a professour of Grammer, father vnto Aemilianus the Rethoritian, of whome some of you also haue heard the same: He told me that when he once tooke ship, meaning to go into Jtalie, bicause he caryed with him not only great store of marchandise, but also very many passengers, in the euening when they were about the I∣lands Echinadae, the wind quite ceased, and that the shippe dryuing in the Sea, being brought at the last vnto Paxe, many then waking, & many also quaffing after they had s••pped, sodenly there was heard a voyce of one which cal∣led Thamus, in such sort that euery man maruelled. This Thamus was a Pilot borne in Aegipt, vnknowen vnto many which were in the ship. Wherfore being twice cal∣led, he held his peace, and the third time answered: then y^e oth••r with a louder voice commaunded hym, that when he came vnto Palodes, he should tell them that the greate God Pan was departed. When this was heard, euery mā was amazed with feare, as Epitherces affirmed vnto vs: And being in consultation whether they shuld do as was commaunded or not, Thamus thus iudged of the matter: that if the winde dyd blowe, they must passe by with si∣lence, but if it were calme without winde, he must vtter

that which he had heard. When therfore they were come to Palodes, and no wind stirred, nor waue moued, ••ham{us} looking out of the stern towards the land, cryed out as he had heard, y^t the gret god Pan was deceased: He had skant ended those words, when immediately there followed a great groning, not of one man, but of many, being admi••t as it were with greate admiration. And bicause many were present in the ship, (they said) the same hereof was spéedely spred abroad at Rome, & Thamus sent for Tiberius the Emperor, who gaue so much credite vnto the matter, y^t he diligently enquired, & asked who that Pan was. The learned men whome he had in great number about him, supposed that Pan was he, who was the Sonne of Mer∣curi•• and Penelope▪ &c.

These and such like things,* 1.176 (Eusebius who also reciteth this historie) affirmeth to haue chaunced in that time of Tiberius, in the which Chryst being conuersant amongst men, expelled al maner of deuils from the societie of thē. Other most Godly professours of our Religion affirme, (as namely Paulus Marsus, in his Annotations vppon the first of Ouids Fasti) that this voice was heard out of Paxe the very same night ensuing the day wherein our Lorde suffered, in the ••9. yeare of Tiberius,* 1.177 whiche was the same yeare that Chryst was crucif••ed in: by the whiche voi••e being vttered in a wildernesse of solitarie rockes, it was declared that our Lorde and God had suffred for vs. For the word Pan in Géeke signifieth all and then the Lord of al the world was Crucified.

He addeth moreouer that Theodosius doth say, that the Archadi••••s do worship this God, calling him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, meaning thereby to signifie a Lord & Ruler, not of woordes, but of al manner of material substances: whose power is suche, that it is able to create the essence and substance of al bodies, whether that they be heauen∣ly, or earthly. And albeit he refer this vnto the Sunne,

yet if a man marke diligently, his mysteries haue a high∣er meaning. &c.

Héereunto belongeth those things which are reported touching the chasing or hunting of Diuels, and also of the daunces of dead men,* 1.178 which are of sundrie sortes. I haue heard of some which haue auouched, that they haue séene them.

No man is able to rehearse all the shapes wherein spirites haue appeared, for the Diuell, who for the moste part is the worker of these things, can (as the Poets faine of Proteus) chaunge himselfe into all shapes and fashions.

These walking spirits sometimes stoppe the way be∣fore men as they trauel, and leade them out of their way, and put them in suche greate feare, that sometimes they become grayheaded in one night. I remember I haue heard the like historie of my olde friende Iohn VVilling, a godly and learned man, of one in the Countie of Han∣n••w, who not many yeares ago, méeting with a walking spirite in the night season, was so much altred, that at his returning home, his owne Daughters knewe him not.

Spirits oftentimes awake men out of their sléepe, and cause many to forsake their owne houses, so that they can not hire them out to any other. Sometymes they ouer∣throwe somewhat, or strike men, or cast stones at them, and hurt them either in their bodies or in their goodes: yea and sometime God dothe suffer them to bereaue men of their liues. It often chaunceth that those mens faces and heades do swell, which haue séene or heard spirits, or haue ben blasted with them: and some are taken mad, as we sée by experience. I remember wel it hath hapned, that some supposing they haue séene armed men, who were readie to take them, haue therefore assayed to slay themselues: which thing may be by craft of the Deuil. Spirits do also trouble cattell in the night time, in the pastures.

Thus muche concerning the first part of this woorke, wherin (I trust) I haue proued, and made it euident, that albeit there be many which vainely persuade themselues they haue séene wandring spirits, or haue behelde one in stéed of an other: yet notwithstanding y^t ther are walking spirits, & that other straunge things do sometime happen.

I haue also shewed vnto whom they appeare especial∣lie, and where, when, after what sort, or in what fourmes they shewe themselues, and what things they worke and bring to passe.

Whosoeuer dare flatlie denie these manyfolde and a∣gréeable testimonies of the olde and newe writers, he sée∣meth vnworthie in my iudgement, of any credite, what∣soeuer he say. For as it is a great token of lightnesse, if one by and by beléeue euery man whiche saithe, he hath séene spirits: so on the other side it is great impuden∣cie, if a man rashely and impud••ntely con∣temne all things which are aduouched, of so many, and so credible Histo∣riographers, and aunciente fathers, and other graue men of great au∣thoritie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Spectrum.
• * 1.2

  Visum.
• * 1.3

  Visio.
• * 1.4

  Terricula∣menta.
• * 1.5

  Phantasma. Matth. 24. Mark. 6.
• * 1.6

  Phasma.
• * 1.7

  Pneuma. Luk. 24.
• * 1.8

  Lares.
• * 1.9

  Praestites.
• * 1.10

  Hostilij.
• * 1.11

  Genius.
• * 1.12

  Penates.
• * 1.13

  Vmbr••••.
• * 1.14

  Lemures.
• * 1.15

  Laruae.
• * 1.16

  Ceriti.
• * 1.17

  Mane••.
• * 1.18

  Maniae.
• * 1.19

  Mormo.
• * 1.20

  Lamiae.
• * 1.21

  Lame••▪ of Hie∣remie▪ chap. 4.
• * 1.22

  Striges.
• * 1.23

  Gorgones.
• * 1.24

  Incubi. Succubi.
• * 1.25

  Empusa▪
• * 1.26

  Dicelon.
• * 1.27

  Hecataea.
• * 1.28

  Acco. Alphito.
• * 1.29

  Telchinnes.
• * 1.30

  Pan. Faunu••.
• * 1.31

  Satyri. Sileni.
• * 1.32

  Onocentaurus.
• * 1.33

  Onosceli.
• * 1.34

  Hyppocentau∣rus.
• * 1.35

  Sphinx.
• * 1.36

  Scilla. Harpyae.
• * 1.37

  Triton. Nereides. Syrenes.
• * 1.38

  Portentum.
• * 1.39

  Ostentum.
• * 1.40

  Prodigium.
• * 1.41

  Monstrum.
• * 1.42

  Some men denie there are Spirits.
• * 1.43

  Acts. 3••.
• * 1.44

  Sundrie ima∣ginations of malancholicke persons.
• * 1.45

  Theatrū a place to behold plaies and pa∣••••imes in.
• * 1.46

  Ioannes. Sertorius.
• * 1.47

  See Ludoui••. Caeliu. li. 17. c••. ••. antiqui∣tat.

  Galen de loci•• affectis.

  Libro de Sim∣tomatum diff. chap. 3.
• * 1.48

  Paulus Aegi∣neta. Lycanthropia.
• * 1.49

  Augustine vp∣pon Genesis.
• * 1.50

  Hydrophobia.
• * 1.51

  Rufus.
• * 1.52

  Ephialtes the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.53

  Madmen.
• * 1.54

  Tertullian.
• * 1.55

  ••. P••t. 3.
• * 1.56

  Plutarche.
• * 1.57

  Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Simmachus.
• * 1.58

  Matth. 14.
• * 1.59

  Luke. 24.
• * 1.60

  Stout and cur∣ragious men seldome se any Spirit••.
• * 1.61

  Dronken men see straunge things.
• * 1.62

  Euripides.
• * 1.63

  Prouerb. 23.
• * 1.64

  Some see them selues.
• * 1.65

  Hearing dece∣ueth.
• * 1.66

  The sens•• of feeling is de∣ceyued.
• * 1.67

  Weakenesse of the sight and feare.
• * 1.68

  Cominaeus.
• * 1.69

  Kings. 4.
• * 1.70

  Salomon pro.
• * 1.71

  Daunsing spi∣rits.
• * 1.72

  Iosephus d•• antiquitatib.
• * 1.73

  Paulina and Mundus.
• * 1.74

  Ruffinu••.
• * 1.75

  Tyrannus a wicked priest.
• * 1.76

  Lippis & ton∣soribus no••um
• * 1.77

  Theodorus.
• * 1.78

  Foure moncks of Berna.
• * 1.79

  loānes Stump∣fius.
• * 1.80

  Erasmus.
• * 1.81

  Spectrum.
• * 1.82

  Georgius Bu∣chananus.
• * 1.83

  Ambition.
• * 1.84

  Couetousnesse▪
• * 1.85

  Paul••▪
• * 1.86

  Enuie.
• * 1.87

  Idlenesse.
• * 1.88

  Loue.
• * 1.89

  Popes haue fayned visions▪
• * 1.90

  Bruno.
• * 1.91

  Gregorius. 7.
• * 1.92

  Bartholom••us Platina.
• * 1.93

  Bonifacius.
• * 1.94

  Sometimes Laye men be∣guile the priests.
• * 1.95

  Men walking by night.
• * 1.96

  Fayries of the earth.
• * 1.97

  Olaus magnus
• * 1.98

  Echo.
• * 1.99

  Cardanus.
• * 1.100

  Things shi∣ning by night.
• * 1.101

  Hector Boe∣thius.
• * 1.102

  Burning lights
• * 1.103

  Exhalations.
• * 1.104

  Glasses.
• * 1.105

  Triton appea∣red to Iulius Caesar.
• * 1.106

  Theseus seene in the battaile of Maratho.
• * 1.107

  C. Cassius sawe I. Caesar.
• * 1.108

  Drusus sawe a woman excel∣ling all mor∣tall creatures in maiestie.
• * 1.109

  Plinius secun∣dus writing of spirits.
• * 1.110

  The spirit of Athens.
• * 1.111

  Manlius.
• * 1.112

  Lucan.
• * 1.113

  Sozom••nus.
• * 1.114

  Theodorus.
• * 1.115

  Nicephorus.
• * 1.116

  Ambrose.
• * 1.117

  Augustine.
• * 1.118

  Felix appeared at Nola.
• * 1.119

  Gregorie.
• * 1.120

  Basiliscus ap∣peared to Chry¦sostome.
• * 1.121

  S. Seuerine By∣shop of Co¦lein.
• * 1.122

  Alexander Alexandro.
• * 1.123

  B••ptista.
• * 1.124

  Malancthona annie.
• * 1.125

  Ludouicus Viues.
• * 1.126

  Hieronimus Cardanus.
• * 1.127

  Olaus.
• * 1.128

  Spirites requi∣ring helpe.
• * 1.129

  Builders heare spirits in the night.
• * 1.130

  Diuells are in Mines.
• * 1.131

  Agricola.
• * 1.132

  Which are people that eate and de∣uoure men.
• * 1.133

  Cicero.
• * 1.134

  Augustine.
• * 1.135

  Marsilius.
• * 1.136

  Matth. 1. & 2.
• * 1.137

  Acts.
• * 1.138

  Acts. 16.
• * 1.139

  Cardanus.
• * 1.140

  De animorum immortalitate. li. 16. cap 5.
• * 1.141

  Virgill.
• * 1.142

  Suetonius.
• * 1.143

  Cicero de di∣uinatione.
• * 1.144

  Li••ie.
• * 1.145

  Plinie.
• * 1.146

  Appianus.
• * 1.147

  Valerius Max. li. 1. cap. 6.
• * 1.148

  Castor and Pollux. Plutarch.
• * 1.149

  Iosephus.
• * 1.150

  Felix Malleo∣lus.
• * 1.151

  Luke. 24.
• * 1.152

  •• Samuel.
• * 1.153

  2. Samuel. 1. Paral. 14.
• * 1.154

  2. Reg. 6.7.
• * 1.155

  ••. Samuel. 7.
• * 1.156

  Daniel. 5.
• * 1.157

  2. Macha. 3.
• * 1.158

  2. Macha. 10.
• * 1.159

  2. Machab 11.
• * 1.160

  Some men see things whiche other men see not.
• * 1.161

  Actes. 9.
• * 1.162

  Actes. 22.
• * 1.163

  Socrates fami∣liar.
• * 1.164

  At what time spirits appeare.
• * 1.165

  Apocalips.
• * 1.166

  In what place spirits are sene.
• * 1.167

  Esay. 13. Monsters of the desert. Esay. 34.
• * 1.168

  After what sort spirits ap∣peare.
• * 1.169

  Olaus.
• * 1.170

  Daunces of spirits.
• * 1.171

  Saxo.
• * 1.172

  Pomponius Mela.
• * 1.173

  Solinus.
• * 1.174

  Hierome. A Fable ou•• of Hierome of a Centaure▪ A Monster hauing the forepart like a man the hin∣der like a horse▪
• * 1.175

  Plutarch.
• * 1.176

  De preparatio∣ne Euang. li. 5. chap. 9.
• * 1.177

  Paulus Marsus.
• * 1.178

  Hunting of Deuils.