CHAP. VI.
The Opinion of Plato concerning Spirits, Devils and Angels; what Sacrifices they like best, what they fear; and of Socrates his familiar Devil.
* 1.1PLato and his followers hold, that good Spirits appear in their own like∣ness; but that evil Spirits appear and shew themselves in the form of other bodies; and that one Devil reigneth over the rest, as a Prince doth in every perfect Common-wealth overmen. Item, they obtain their purposes and desires, only by intreaty of men and women; because in nature they are their inferiors, and use authority over men none otherwise than Priests by ver∣tue of their function, and because of Religion, wherein (they say) they execute the Office of God. Sometimes, they say, that the fiery Spirits or supreme Sub∣stances enter into the purity of the mind, and so obtain their purpose; sometimes otherwise, to wit, by vertue of holy Charms, and even as a poor man obtaineth for Gods sake any thing at a Princes hand as it were by importunateness.
The other sort of Devils and defiled souls are so conversant on earth, as that they do much hurt unto earthly bodies, specially in leachery. Gods and Angels (say they) because they want all material and gross substance, desire most the pure Sacrifice of the Mind. The grosser and more terrestrial Spirits desire the grosser Sacrifices,* 1.2 as Beasts and Cattel. They in the middle or mean Region de∣light to have Frankincense, and such mean stuffe offered unto them, and therefore (say they) it is necessary to Sacrifice unto them all manner of things, so the same be slain, and dye not of their own accord; for such they abhor. Some say, that Spirits fear wonderfully vain threats, and thereupon will depart; as if you tell them that you will cut the Heavens in pieces, or reveal their secrets, or complain of them to the gods; or say that you will do any im∣possibility, or such things as they cannot understand, they are so timerous as they will presently be gone: and that is thought the best way to be rid of them. But these be most commonly of that sort or company, which are called Prin∣cipatus, being of all other the most easie to be conjured.
* 1.3They say Socrates had a familiar Devil: which Plato relyeth much upon, using none other argument to prove that there are such Spirits; but because Socrates (that would not lye) said so; and partly because that Devil did ever disswade and prohibit, not only in Socrates his own cases, but sometimes in his friends be∣half; who (if they had been ruled) might through his admonition have saved their lives. His Disciples gathered that his Devil was Saturnal, and a principal fiery Devil; and that he, and all such as do naturally know their Devils, are only such as are called Daemonii viri, otherwise coseners. Item, they say, That fiery Spirits urge men to contemplation, the airy to business, the watery to lust; and among these there are some that are Martial, which give fortitude; some are Jovial, giving wisdom; some Saturnal, always using disswasion and dehorting. Item, some are born with us, and remain with us all our life; some are meer strangers, who are nothing else but the souls of men departed this life, &c.