To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
CAmbyses having added Aegypt to his fathers Kingdomes, could not endure their magicall religion, but abomina∣ting their superstitious ceremonies, caused the Oraculous Temples of Apis, and others, to be pulled down. At length he
was murdered by means of two Magicians, who concealed his death, and usurping upon his Kingdome, raigned in his stead, and name. But their boldnesse being detected, they were appre∣hended and suppressed by Darius, who therefore by the consent of all was chosen King.
Cobares, a man of magick art (if an art it be, and not a vaine mans deceit) yet what ever it be, he was more notable for his profession of it, then for his knowledge in it. He (at a feast) would needs be counselling Bessus the weaker to yield to Alex∣ander the stronger: which medling of his was so ill taken, that he hardly escaped his throat cutting; and he likewise took so ill the rejection of his counsell, that he defected and fled to the contrary part. Now what unhappy politicians are such as these (both to themselves and others) that if they may not be accepted for busie counsellors, turn malecontented ••ugi∣tives.
Alexander being about to scale the walls of a City, Demop••on the diviner would needs disswade him from some apparition of unfortunate signs. Of whom the King demanded, if it would not trouble him to be interrupted in his Science? which he acknowledging, the King replyed upon him again, avouching, that in his greatest affairs he found alwaies no greater distracti∣on, and disturbance, then that of a superstitious pragmaticall Soothsayer.
Nicius the Athenian Captain kept a Soothsayer continually in his house; pretending it was to consult with him about the great affaires of the Commonwealth: when as it was onely to inquire about his own businesse, or to promote his owne ambition.
Alcibiades to promote his own ambitions, suborned certain predicting Soothsayers, to presage happy successe, and honour to the Athenians, in their Sicilian warre, although his end ser∣ved, it fell out clean contrary.
Meton the Astronomer very politickly feined himselfe mad, and fired his own house, pretending a mislike of the celestiall signes, as touching the common successe in that warre: but his end was to himself, sc. to release his sonne, engaged in that voy∣age, and so to ease himselfe (let the Commonwealth sinke or swim) of the charge of maintaining him there.
While Fadus governed the Province of Iudaea, a certaine Magician, Theudas by name, perswaded the people to follow him to the River Iordane, (taking their substance along with them) and he would divide the waters, as heretofore; and so work their deliverance. But Fadus pursued them, dispersed the seduced multitude, took the Magician and cut off his head.
Another time, an Aegyptian comming to Ierusalem, feined himselfe to be a Prophet, but was a Magician; he perswaded the popular multitude to goe along with him to Mount Olivet, and he would there shew them strange things for their free∣dome: but Faelix followed upon them, and slew hundreds of them: onely the Aegyptian escaped, by vanishing out of sight.
Another M••gician seduced the people, leading them out into the Wildernesse; promising them safety, and rest from their evils: but Festus followed streight after them, and slew both the Seducer, and many of those whom he had seduced.
Many Soothsaying Astrologers (grudging at the least in∣crease, or ease of the Church) had gathered themselves toge∣ther, to consult about the praenotion of Ʋalens his successor: and having tryed all kind of divination, at length they made a wooden Treuet of Lawrell, and used such execrable and dia∣bolicall incantation, that they observed a conjunction of these letters THEOD, which they expounded of one Theodo∣rus a Pagan, and usefull to their purpose: presuming on the power of their constellation, or constellated figure, to depose or set up whom they thought good. But Valens understanding it, slew both the diviners, and the party they had divined upon. Yea, his fury was so implacable, that it extended to all, either of that sect, or name.
Eugenius a Schoolmaster, by the means of Arbogustes, a trea∣cherous officer, and of Hyparchus, a politick presager, having strangled young Ʋalentinian, usurped the Empire; presuming he should attain to what he went about; being thereunto indu∣ced by the word of those that took upon them to predict things future, from the immolation of victimes, inspection of entrailes, and observation of the Stars.
Thrasyllus the Mathematician, having predicted certain joy∣full things to Nero, and they falling out quite contrary: he determined to cast him headlong into the sea, as a falsarie,
and rash intruder into his secrets. Yea the same Nero had an odde way of exploring his Magicall predictors; and if there were found the least suspition of vanity or fraud in them, he would cast them (as they walked upon a precipice) headlong into the Sea: and many times would doe it, lest they might be the bewrayers of his secrets; for he, who knew their treache∣ries, durst trust none of them.
The ancient Brittains deeply drencht in superstition by their magicall Druides, were so enslaved to them, as that they usur∣ped the determining of all controversies, publique or private; concerning all matters or causes criminall, or reall: so that they took upon them to award recompences, or penalties, as they pleased; and who ever he or they were that refused to stand to their judgement; him, or them they presently inter∣dicted, forbidding all commerce with them.
It is recorded that in France, the Magicians, Astrologers, Sortiaries, Sorcerers, Wizzards, and Witches, were so nume∣rous, that they began to boast themselves not only for a socie∣ty, but for an Army; and to professe that if they could but get some one in authority to be their Commander or leader, they durst wage warre with any King or State; and doubted not of the victory through the vertue and power of their art: Like as the Hunnes (by those very means) had formerly done against Sigebert King of France.
Peter of Pomfreit, that hermeticall Wizzard, by buzzing his prophecies into the peoples eares, sought to make the commo∣tion against King Iohn, And in Ketts commotion, one main promotion of it was, upon the false prophecies that Hob, Dic, and Hic, (meaning the rusticks) with their clubs, should fill up the valley of Dussindale with the bodies of the dead.
Leoline Prince of Wales rebelled against Edward the first upon a prophecy of Merlin (that ginne of errour) how he should be shortly crowned with the diadem of Brute. But his head was cut off, and crowned with Ivy, and there was his end.
The Persi in Magi were not onely contented to be honoured by their Kings, but usurped the Kingdom to themselves. The Aegyptian Priests, or vaticinators arrogated great honours for their praevision and praediction of future things, both by their sacrificings, and by their skill in the starres.
Numa Pompilius, Liourgus, Solon, Minos, Zamolxis, pretended their Laws from Iupiter, Apollo, Mercury, Minerva, and other predicting Oracles; that so they might the more easily impose upon, and domineere over the slavish people.
Aristocrates King of the Arcadians, ayding the Messenians against the Laced••monians; they so corrupted him with gifts, and besides he was so blinded with the unprosperous significa∣tion of the intrayles, that upon the joyning of the battell he disheartned his own souldiers, and fled; and so basely betrayed his old friends the Messenians.
While Servius Tullus reigned, one had a very faire Cow, of which the oraculous predictors gave out, that whosoever should offer that Cow to Diana, he, his Countrey and kindred should attaine to great authority and rule over the whole world. Now the owner of it bringing it to Rome, to offer it in behalfe of himselfe and his, the presaging Priest of the Temple, commanded him not to offer it till he had washt himselfe; and while he went forth so to doe, he sacrificed it for the advantage of himselfe, and his like.
Libo Drusus, a loose rash young man, was encouraged by Firmius Catus, through the confidence of Chaldean promises, magicall mysteries, and interpretations of dreams, to make insurrection against Tiberius Caesar: but in the end was driven desperately (his servants refusing) to lay violent hands upon himselfe. Immediately upon this the Senate consulted for the expelling of the Mathematicians and Magicians out of Italy, and L. Pitnanius, one of their number, was cast down a Rock.
In Catilines conspiracy, Lentulus was accused both by his letters and speeches which he used out of the Sybils books; that the Kingdom of Rome was presaged to three of the Corne∣lian family, viz. Cinna, and Silla, and himselfe, the third to whom it was fated. And moreover, that now was the twen∣tieth yeare from the burning of the Capitoll, concerning which the haruspicks by their prodigies had given answer that civill warres there should be rife and bloody.
The haruspicks portended great and wonderfull things for the promotion of Caius Marius his ambition.
In the second Punick warre (besides a tumult and distracti∣on in the State) such a confusion there was in religion (as the
cause and continuance of the other) that men, women, young, old, noble, plebeians, all sacrificed and prophecyed as they list∣ed: and he or she was no body that could not presage of one disastrous event or another.
Apollo gave such perplexed answers to the Lacedaemonians (in their troubles) that a Pagan Philosopher was provoked to tell him plainly, If thou hadst answered thus in quiet times, it had seemed frivolous to all; only thy ignorance lurkes under our feares and distraction; because such things are most impressing and credited in such kind of times.
Apuleius (saith St. Augustine) an Affricane and therefore best known to us Affrieanes, for all his magicall arts could not attain to a Kingdom: no nor yet to any judiciall power in a Commonwealth, for all his judiciary Astrologie. Did he mo∣destly contemn these things as a Philosopher? Nay did he not hunt, and hire, and contend with the Citizens of Choas (where he marryed a wife) about the setting up of a Statue to him? So that if he arrived at no greatnesse, it was not because he had no will, but no power.
A certain prophecy given out and published at Rome, at the removing of the Emperour Tiberius, that he should never re∣turn any more, occasioned the death of many well disposed Citizens: who ventring too farre upon this little ground, to discharge their Countrey from the clog of servitude, were cut off by cruelty. About the same time Furius Scribonianus was exiled, because he had enquired after the Princes death by Chal∣deans or Astrologers.
Mahomet, and Sergius, both of them by magicall and praesti∣gious tricks set up themselves; the one for a King, the other for a Prophet.
Fredericke Barbarossa leading an army against them of Mil∣laine, they sent an Arabian magician to play the veneficke, and take away his life by poyson: which being discovered, and he apprehended; notwithstanding he threatned that he could doe it with words, and would doe it, unlesse he were dismist; yet this moved not the King to feare his malefice: but he therefore inflicted on him the sharper punishment.
Pope Iulius the third gave a Cardinals hat to a youth whom he favoured; and being askt the reason of it, said, That he
found by Astrongly, that it was the youths destiny to be a great Prelate; which was impossible except himselfe were Pope: and therefore that he did raise him, as the driver on of his owne Fortune.
Certaine rude uncivill clowns, under a colour of a prophecy, that they should conquer and subdue the holy Land, raked a sort of vagabonds and bankrupts together; who falling forth▪ with to spoyle and robbery, were hanged upon Gibbets almost in every Countrey as they past.
The young Duke of Viseo in Portingale, having once been pardoned by Don Ivanel Grande, at the suit of the Queen his sister; was encouraged by the Mathematicians and Astrologers to rebell again; with assurance that he should obtaine the Crown: whereof he not onely failed, but besides was deprived of his life by the course of ordinary justice.
My Lord of Northampton tels the story of two Countreymen of ours, one sometimes professing Greeke in Cambridge, the other of the same calling: one contriving treason, sedition, or faction, from the starres, but clapt under hatches when the planets promised most fortunate successe: the other unduti∣fully taking armes against his Soveraigne: and often confes∣sing, he had never dealt in that attempt, but by encouragement of a certain prophecy, that he should prevaile against his Prince by popular devotion.