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CHAP. XVI. Of the Magical Instruments of Bothnia.
WItches and Conjurers were commonly found amongst the Northenn people of Bothnia, as in their proper place; who by a perfect Art of casting Mists before mens eyes, could represent themselvs and others in divers shapes, & with false Apparitions hide their true faces; and not onely Champions, but Women and young Maids were wont from the thin Ayr to borrow wan Vizards, and counterfeit pale faces: and again laying these airy Vapours aside that shadowed them, they would discuss these dark Clouds before their faces with bright day. And it is certain, that their Charms had such force, that they would make any thing clearly to be seen present, how far soever it was off, and however it were bound up fast in never so many knots: and by such jugling Arts, they demon∣strate the same thus:
They that desire to know the state of their Friends or Foes, at a very great di∣stance from them, five hundred be it, or a thousand miles off, they enquire of a Laplander, or Finlander, who is skilled in this matter, giving him a gift; (namely, some Linnen Garment, or Girdle,) where their Friends or Foes are, and what they do: Whereupon he goes into his Conclave, content with one compani∣on, and his Wife, and he beats upon a Frog of Brass, or Serpent, with a Hammer, upon an Anvil, so many strokes as are prescribed; and by mumbling of Charms, he turns it up and down; and presently falling he is ravished into an extasie, and he lies a short time as if he were dead: In the mean while, he is safely guarded by his foresaid companion, lest any Living Creature, Gnat, or Fly, or other Ani∣mal might touch him; for by the power of his Charms, his Spirit, by the mislea∣ding of Devils, brings from far some token, (namely a Rings or a knife) for a testimony of his Embassie or Commission fulfilled: And presently rising up, he declares the same signs to him that hired him, with the rest of the circumstan∣ces: And they are reported to be no less powerful in striking men sick of divers Diseases; for they make of Lead Magical Slugs, as short as ones finger: they send these into men never so far off, which they desire to be revenged on. They by a Cancer rising on their Legs or Arms dye in three days. There are also the Witcheries or Conjurations of the men of Helsing, the chief whereof Vitolphus, did so strike all men blind when he pleased, that they could neither see the next houses, no•• find the way thither: he knew so how to darken the use of Lights, by Cloudy Errour.
Moreover, one Visinus, a Fencer of great account, would blunt the edge of all Weapons, by onely looking upon them, yet was he killed with the sword of the Swedish Giant Storchaterus, of whom I shall speak underneath. For he alwayes kept his Sword covered in a thin skin, (which is said to be the onely Remedy against the blunting of it. But Stones that are to be cast forth, can be charmed by no Charms; nor their force taken off from doing hurt, when they are thrown strongly.