The kingdom of darkness: or the history of dæmons, specters, witches, apparitions, possessions, disturbances, and other wonderful and supernatural delusions, mischievous feats, and malicious impostures of the Devil: Containing near fourscore memorable relations, forreign and domestick, both antient and modern. Collected from authentick records, real attestations, credible evidences, and asserted by authors of undoubted verity. Together with a preface obviating the common objections and allegations of the sadduces and atheists of the age, who deny the being of spirits, witches, &c. With pictures of several memorable accidents. By R. B. Licensed and entred according to order.

XLVIII.

ANother thing wherein the Laplanders have for many ages been accounted famous or rather infamous is their selling of Winds to Saylers, to which they have proper instruments as well as in the rest of their wretched Sciences; They tye three magical knots in a cord, when they unty the first knot there blows a favourable gale of Wind, when the second a brisker, when the third the Sea and wind grow mighty stormy and tempestuous, so that they will neither be able to direct their Ship, a∣void

the rocks, or so much as stand upon the Decks or handle their tackle; Now those that are skilled

[illustration]

in this art have command chiefly over the winds that blew at their birth, so that this wind principally obeys one man, that another, as if they obtained this power when they first received their breath; And from hence they are able to stop the course of Ships, and according to the different affections they have for Merchants can make the Sea either calmer or more tempestuous. Ibidem. p. 58.