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. XLIX. Cardanus

Opinion of strange Noises, how counterfeit Visions grow to be credited; of Po∣pish Appearances; of Pope Boniface.

CArdanus speaking of Noises, among other things, saith thus;* 1.1 a noise is heard in your house; it may be a Mouse, a Cat, or a Dog among dishes; it may be a counterfeit, or a theif indeed, or the fault may be in your ears. I could recite a great number of Tales, how men have even forsaken their houses, because of such apparitions and noises: and all hath been by meer and rank knavery. And wheresoever you shall hear, that there is in the night season such rumbling and fearful noises, be you well assured that it is flat knavery, per∣formed by some that seemeth most to complain, and is least mistrusted. And here∣of there is a very Art, which for some respects I will not discover. The Devil seeketh dayly as well as nightly whom he may devour, and can do his feats as well by day as night, or else he is a young Devil, and a very bungler. But of all other coseners, these Conjurers are in the highest degree, and are most worthy of death for their blasphemous impiety. But that these Popish Visions and Con∣jurations used as well by Papists, as by the Popes themselves, were mere co∣senages; and that the tales of the Popes recited by Bruno and Platina, of their

magical devices,* 1.2 were but plain cosenages and knaveries, may appear by the Hi∣story of Bonifacius the eight, who used this kind of inchantment, to get away the Popedom from his predecessor Coelestinus. He counterfeited a voyce through a Cane-reed, as though it had come from Heaven, perswading him to yield up his Authority of Popeship, and to institute therein and Bonifacius, a worthy man: otherwise he threatned him with damnation, and therefore the fool yielded it up accordingly to the said Bonifacius, An. 1264. of whom it was said; He came in like a Fox, lived like a Woolf, and dyed like a Dog.

There be innumerable examples of such Visions, which when they are not de∣tected, go for true stories: and therefore when it is answered that some are true tales, and some are false, until they be able to shew forth before your eyes one matter of truth,* 1.3 you may reply upon them with this distinction; to wit, visions tryed are false visions, undecided and untryed are true.

Notes

• * 1.1

  H. Card. lib. de var. rer. lib. 15. c. 92.
• * 1.2

  Pope Celestinus cosened of his Popedom by Pope Boniface.
• * 1.3

  Visions distin∣guished.