The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.

CHAP. VI.

Apollo, who was called Pytho, compared to the Rood of Grace: Gregories Letter to the Devil confuted.

WHat need many words to confute this fable? For if Gregory had been an honest man, he would never have willingly permitted, that the people should have been further Cosened with such a lying spirit; or if he had been half so holy as Eusebius maketh him, he would not have con∣sented or yielded to so lewd a request of the Priest, nor have written such an im∣pious Letter, no not though good might have come thereof: And therefore as well by the impossibility and folly contained therein, as of the impiety (whereof I dare excuse Gregory) you may perceive it to be a lye. Me thinks they which still maintain that the Devil made answer in the Idol of Apollo, &c. may have sufficient perswasion to revoke their erroneous opinions, in that it appeareth in record, that such men as were skilful in Augury, did take upon them to give Oracles at Delphos in the place of Apollo; of which number Tisanius the son of Antiochus was one: But vain is the answer of Idols. Our Rood of grace, with the help of little S. Rumbal, was not inferior to the Idol of Apollo; for these could not work eter∣nal miracles, but manifest the internal thoughts of the heart, I believe with more lively shew, both of humanity and also of Divinity, then the other. As, if you read M. Lamberts book of the perambulation of Kent, it shall partly appear. But if you talk with them that have been beholders thereof, you will be satisfied herein. And yet in the blind time of Popery, no man might under pain or dam∣nation, nor without danger of death, suspect the fraud. Nay, what Papists will yet confess they were Idols, though the wiers that made their eyes gogle, the pins that fastened them to the posts to make them seem heavy, were seen and burnt together with the Images themselves, the knavery of the Priests bewrayed, and every circumstance thereof detected and manifested?

Notes

• Zach. 10.
• W. Lambert in titulo Boxley.