The world bewitch'd, or, An examination of the common opinions concerning spirits their nature, power, administration and operations, as also the effects men are able to produce by their communication : divided into IV parts / by Balthazar Bekker ... ; vol. I translated from a French copy, approved of and subscribed by the author's own hand.

CHAP. VI. That this Conformity must be sought, 1st, in the re∣mains of Paganism in Europe.

Sect. 1. IT has been already said, that there are some Pagans in the extremity of Europe, especially in the Northern parts, but they are so brutish and wild, that it is easier to see what they do, than to conceive or guess what they believe. They are Laplanders and Finlanders, especially those Swedish Dominion, with whom we are best ac∣quainted, by a description drawn from the best Authors, which Scheffer has made in his Swedish Lapland; and therefore I shall declare as much as I judge convenient for my design; First, what he says of these, and afterwards what is added of the others; yet without giving credit to whatever is written, of which I scarce believe one halfe to be true. This however, is certain, that those People, tho' under the Dominion of Christian Princes, viz. those of Swedeland, Denmark, and Muscovy, are as fond of their Pagan Superstition, and continue as zealously, tho' secretly, their antient practises, as they have little knowledge of Christianity, and in∣clination to embrace our Faith. In the mean while, Scheffer has made of late such an accurate descrip∣tion of Lapland, and upon such certain information, that one may, methinks, surely relye upon what he says; and as he frequently intermixes in his Narra∣tions, other Laplanders and Finlanders, it may be probably inferr'd that he esteems them all very near alike in Belief and Worship: which may be con∣firm'd by this reason, that what other Writers say

of those other Nations, is pretty agreeable with what Scheffer relates of Swedish Lapland. And there∣fore I shall follow him only, tho' I ought not to say him only, since his Book contains whatever the others had written before him. Let us then First ••ee, which are the sentiments of those Pagans, and afterwards we shall speak of their Magick.

Sect. 2. The objects of their Worship are divided into three sorts, as into so many degrees: the most sublime are Thor, or Thordoen, which is properly the Thunder; Storjunkare or Stourra-passe, which sig∣nifie Holy and Great; and Baiwe, that is the Sun. The first has also the name of Tiermes, which in the Laplandish Language, is as much as the noise of the Thunder, because that God is believed to be the Master of Thunder, and seems therefore to be their Jupiter. He is also named Aijeke, that is, Great Father. The Laplanders ascribe co him an absolute Power over the Life and Death of Men, over their Health and Diseases, and over the wicked De∣mons, who live on the top of the Rocks, Mountains and Lakes. They believe that he restrains those Demons, when they vex Men too much; that he chastises them, that he sometimes Thunder-strikes 'em, and puts 'em to death, esteeming it to be the chief employment of the Thunder, as the eminent Latins imagin'd that Jupiter cast his Thunderbolt upon the wicked, and all other Criminals; for that purpose they give him a Bow, which they imagin'd to be the Iris or Rainbow, that he might dart his Arrows, wound and kill all the wicked Demons. They call in their Tongue the Iris, Aijeke dauge, the great Fathers Bow, that is, the Bow of the Good and Beneficent God, who preserves them as his Children, and defends them against the In∣sults of those wicked Demons. They imagine that God has likewise a Hammer, which

they call Aijewetchera, with which he strikes on the Neck of the Demons, and breaks their Head. Storjunkare, or Stourra-passe, which signifies the Governor of the Country, is amongst them as the Great Pan or as Diana, having the Country and Woods under his directions; Fishes and Birds are also at his disposal, and all Anima••s and w••ld Beasts, acknowledge his Empire, 'tis by him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they are happy in hunting, and without his leave they cannot catch any thing. True it is, that Aijeke or Tier∣mes governs Gods, Demons, and Men; but Storjun∣kare, in quality of Vicar of that God has the conduct of all those other things. Barwe that signifies the Sun, as Paiwe does the Day, is adored by them for the good he does to the Earth, but they particularly vene∣trate him in Summer time, because they always see him, that he has restored them his Light, dissipated their Darkness, brought Heat and expel'd Cold.

Sect. 3. The Manes of the Romans, mentioned before Chap. 2. Sect. 15. Are among the Laplanders Inferior Gods, which they call Sitte. They erect no Figures to their Honour, and content themselves with offering Sarcifices to them; we find in no writing, what sentiments they have of the power of those Sitte, nor for what reason, they make them Offerings. The last sort of those Inferiour Gods, are the Juhles, or Inhlaforket, that are a Va∣gabond Crowd, whom they believe to wander in the Air, and through Forests and Mountains. But I find also, no where what good or hurt those Spirits, may, in their Opinion procure to Men, only they believe them Inferior to the Sitte; however, they pay them also some Worship, behind their Cottage, at a Bow shot distance, which Worship ends in a superstitious Sacrifice. They consecrate to them neither Images nor Statues, no more then to the Manes; they have likewise no Image of Bawe, or

the Sun, either because he is visible himself, or be∣cause the most secret Science of their Mysteries ac∣counts him but one God, with Tiermes. There is but Ayeke and Storjunkar, who have Statues erected to their Honour, those of Aijeke are of Wood, and those of Storjunkare of Stone.

Sect. 4. 'Tis upon those Opinions that their Di∣vinations and Witchcraft are grounded, and hereup∣on I can't but make this observation, that by reading Scheffer, and comparing what he fays of his own, with what he has collected from other Authors, it may easily be perceived, that the Witchcraft of the Northern Nations extends not so far as is commonly reported. But then we must credit what Scheffer assures us from his own experience, in the following words, Chap. 12. Tho the present Laplanders do not frequently nor publickly exercise Magick, their Ancestors having been more addicted to those superstitions, of which most of the modern Laplanders are free, and thô the Country be purified of that sort of Witchcraft, ever since the King of Sweden has forbidden, under grievous pains, to use Inchantments: yet there are still a great num∣ber amongst them, who make it their whole study and em∣ployment. The cause of it is, that every one of the Lap∣landers is perswaded, that Magick is indispensably ne∣cessary to him, that he may avoid the snares and insults of his Enemies. To this he adds, That they kept Schools, in which Children are taught that Art, and that Parents are often their Tutors in it. That they ex∣ercise them in it, required their assistance, and are present at the performance of those detestable pra∣ctices. But what is yet more strange, is, what this Author farther relates, That the Fathers bequeath, as an Inheritance to their Children, the, wicked Spirits that were in their Service, that by their help they may over∣come the Demons of other Families, their Enemies.

Sect. 5. What they pretend to effect, by means of their Gods and Spirits, is to discover some things by Divination, and to operate some others by Witch∣craft; for Divination, they make use of a Kannus, which is like a Drum, and must be made of a par∣ticular Wood, and rather of Birch-tree than any other. There is a Skin, or Membrane, extended upon the Body of that Drum, wherein the Laplanders draw several Figures with a red colour made of the Bark of Alder-tree, bruised and boyl'd; they beat it with an In∣strument like a Hammer, 6 Inches long but not bigger then the little Finger, not so much to make a noise, as to cause a bundel of Brass Rings, that lies upon it, to move, when that bundle begins to leap up they observe the parts and Figures towards which it moves, and Divine by the Scituation, Motion, and rest of the bundle, on the place which signifies the design they have form'd. The manner of this enquiry is not always the same, for they make use of several, different from one another, by those means they discover, what passes in Foreign Coun∣tryes, how distant soever they may be; they know the good or bad success of the Affairs they have undertaken, they cure Diseases, they find out what Sacrifices and Victims are most pleasant to the Gods of the Land. These that de∣sire to know the State of their Friends or Enemies, liv∣ing a Thousand Miles from that place, have but to go to a Laplander, who discovers it this way. He casts him∣self upon the Ground, and becomes tike a Dead Man, and his Face altogether livid. He remains in that state an hour or two, according as the Country, whence he will get News, is more or less distant, and when he awakes, he tells whatever passes in that Country, especially as to what is enquired after. There are yet some other particulars, as to that way of Divining, gather'd from several Authors, but it would be too long, and even unserviceable, to relate them.

Sect. 6. They have yet other sorts of Witchcraft The First is, a Twisted Cord with several knots, which they use to raise Winds on the Sea, so they do, as it were, sell the Winds, and profer them to Merchants, that are detain'd on their Coasts, by Tempests and con∣trary Winds, having agreed upon the price, and receiv'd it, they give him a string with three Magical Knots, on which lies this Condition, that as soon as they have un∣tyed the First, there rises a fresh and pleasant Gale; when they have loosed the Second, the Wind grows stronger, but when they have unty'd the Third, there arises such a Tempestuous Storm, that they are no longer able to govern their Ship. This sort of Trade is used, especially in Finmarke, amongst the Danish Laplan∣ders, because the Neighborhood of the Sea afford them more occasions of it, then any where else, But the account that Scheffer gives of their other sorts of Witchcraft, shows that he himself gives little credit to it, They have little Magical Darts made of Lead, ve∣ry short, being no longer than ones Finger, they dart them to the remotest place against their Enemies, of whom they desire to avenge themselves; and by that Witchcraft, they send upon them such dangerous Diseases, with such sharp pains, that for the violence of them, they often Die within three Days. Thy have also a kind of Flyes call'd Gans, which they let out of their Ganeske, that is a Leaden Purse: And Daily send some of them to annoy and vex their Enemies. But we have not a perfect knowledge of whatever they practise on these occasions. There are also some Laplanders, who for this purpose, make use of a Tyre, which is a round Ball, as big as a Walnut; it has a particular shape, as is described in Scheffer's relation, and it has also some motion. They sell this Tyre, and the buy∣er may send it upon whomsoever he pleases, he shall be most cruelly tormented with it.

Sect 7, But enough of the Laplanders, let's now speak of other Nations. Litgau says, that the Wild-Irish adore the Moon, as well for their own preser∣vation, as for that of their Flocks, and that they direct to her this Prayer amongst others, Leave us as Healthfull, as thou finds us. Whence I infer, that they hold something of the Ancient Paganism, that ascribes a Divine Virtue to the Influence of the Stars, thô it seems by this form of Prayer, that they at∣tribute not to them, a full and Sovereign power, in the Administration of the World.

Sect. 8. As for the remains of Paganism amongst the Samagites, a People scituated betwixt Lithuania and Livonia, we are taught, that they much Wor∣ship the Sun and Moon, the Fire, the Thunder, the Groves, and Trees exceedingly high; which shows that they go farther than the wild Irish, and believe that there are Demons in the Air, and upon Earth, that reside in all those objects. But it may be seen in Olaus Magnus, what account they themselves make of the Gods of Thunder, and of the Spirits in the Air. For says he, they not only pretend to give suc∣cors to their Gods in their quarrels they have with their Enemies, endeavouring to imitate the Thunder with the beating of Hammers, but are not afraid even of Fighting against them with Arrows and other Arms, they, shoot in the Air. There are also places in Lithuania, where the Inhabitants adore a, Domestick God, called Dinstipan, that is, The Di∣rector of the smoke or Chimneys.

Sect. 2. The Tartars Keremisses, a People of Eastern Moscovy, believe according to Olearius, that there are malitious Spirits, who may at pleasure, cause several disturbances and vexations to Men in this Life; for as to the future, they have no notion of it. To prevent those pains, or turn off those Spirits, they offer Sacrifices to them, near Rivers,

they likewise adore the Sun and Moon, because they perceive much good is done to the Earth, by their Operations. But we find nothing considerable left in writing, as to their way of exercising Ma∣gick.

Sect. 10. The Islanders have more relation to the Laplanders and Fuilanders, the greatest knowledge we have of them, comes to us from the writings of Blefkenius, they also believe Domestick Spirits, who wake them in the Night, to go a Fishing, being per∣swaded, that if one should go thither without the Advertisement of these Spirits, he could not make a happy Fishing. The same Ditmarus Blefkenius, sailing from that Countrey to Portugal in 1633, re∣ceived from one Jonas a Handkerchief, with three Knots, to be loosed at Sea, in case he wanted Wind. They use to make these Knots, softly muttering some words, Besides that they boast, that from the place where they stand upon the ground, they may cause Vessels at Sea, to stop or to Sail on. But I shall yet keep by me for some time that Handkerchief and it's Knots, to try hereafter, how they may be un∣ty'd; I shall also leave those Vessels at Sea, untill I examine what may stop or promote their Voyage. So that having nothing more to do with Europe, we shall go over to Asia.