After what sort they should behaue themselues, whiche
see good or euil spirits, or meete with other straunge
aduentures: and first how Iewes and Gentiles behaued
themselues in the like cases.

THat we may rightly vnderstand how we ought to behaue What the Getiles did when they sawe spirits. Suetonius. our selues, if any thing either good or euill, appeare vnto vs, we wil first declare how the Gentiles and Iewes vsed themselues in like cases. Amongst the Gentiles, not only those wandring spirits beare men in hand that they were mens soules, but also shewed what were good and expedient for them to doo for their sake, to wit, that they should do sacrifices for their soules, obserue their obsequies, burie their bodies, erect Temples, make holy dayes, and such like stuffe. Suetonius writeth, that the Emperor Caligule his bodie was priuily conueyed into the gardeins called Lamiam, and there with a hastie fire being but halfe consumed, was cast into a pit, and couered with a litle earth. But afterwards, whe his sisters returned from exile, it was taken vp, and thorowly burnt, and afterward solemnly buried. But before they had so done, the garde kÉepers were very much troubled with appearing of spirites. And moreouer, no man could passe any night in the same house where he was slaine, without some great feare, vntil such time as the house was vtterly destroyed with fire.

We read also in other writers, that the ghostes of them which were not orderly buried, or whose accustomed rites and ceremonies in the time of warres were omitted, did appeare either to their friendes or vnto others, complayning and intreating that their funerals, and all other ceremonies might be obserued for their sake: whereof came the hearses, wÉekemindes, monthmindes, and anniuersaries, whereof we reade many things in the Ethnike writers, and many things are recited out of the olde Poets, and in Lilius Giraldus, in his booke De sepultura, and also in Polid. Virgilius De Inuentione rerum.lib.cap.10. We haue shewed before in the second part and first Chapter, that some haue desired others, that they might bee buried after that they were dead. Cicero writeth in his 1. booke De legibus, that Romulus the first founder of Rome, walking after his death not farre from Atticus house, appeared vnto Iulius Proculus, and told him that he was now a god, and that his name was Quirinus, and therwith commanded that there should be a Temple erected and dedicated vnto him in the same place.

Ouid writeth Lib.4. Fastorum, that Remus appeared in the night time vnto Fastulus, and to his wife Accia Laurentia, sometime his Nurse, complaining vnto them of his miserable death, and desiring them to make laboure, that the same day wherein he was slaine, might bee accounted amongst their holy dayes. The people of Rome (as Ouid witnesseth, Lib.2. Fastorum) kept a feast in the moneth of Februarie called Feralia, in the which they did sacrifice vnto the infernall goddes, and those whose duties it was to celebrate the funeralls of their Auncesters, carried dishes of meat to their sepulchers. Whereof Fastus and Varro called the same feast by the name of Feralia. These dishes of meate were set vpon a stone, at the time of these sacrifices: for the which cause, as Seruius saith, they were called Silicernium, by the which word some will haue a certaine feast signified, which is bestowed vppon old men. Donatus sayth, that Silicernium is a supper, which is made to the infernall Gods, because Eam silentes cernant, that is, the deade soules do receiue it, or because those that doe serue it, do onely cernere, sÉe it, and not taste thereof, &c. There were also certaine holie feastes called Parentalia, in the which meate was carried to the Sepulchers, for the soules of Parents and Auncestours before deceased. And albeit they suppose, that soules were pleased with small giftes, as of milke, wine, and such like, whereof mention is made in Ouid, yet notwithstanding they also killed sacrifices, whereof some suppose that Feralia tooke their name, À feriendis pecudibus, of killing shÉepe. Vnto their sacrifices they also added praiers, and kindled lightes. When in times past the Romanes being troubled with warres, had let passe the feast of Parentalia, they therefore supposed (that the infernall Goddes being for the same cause angrie) there arose stormes and pestilence, and that soules rising out of their graues, did wander with pittifull complaintes about the graues, and by the highway sides, and in the fieldes. This feaste endured by the space of fiftÉene dayes, in the whiche married women lay not with their husbandes, neither those whiche were marriageable did marrie, and the Images of their Goddes were couered. The soules of them that were dead, when they came to the meate, they wandred about the graues, and were fed (as they thought) with the banquet.

In the moneth of May, there was holden a feast in the night time, which at the beginning they called Remuria, and afterwardes Lemuria. This did not differ much from the feaste called Feralia, whiche was instituted to pacifie soules. Touching the originall of them, and the rytes belonging therto, looke Ouid in his Lib.5. Fastorum. One who tooke on him to pacifie the soules, arose in the night verie late, he went barefooted, and washed himselfe ouer with fresh springing water, and then taking beanes whiche he had rolled in his mouth, he threw them behinde his backe, and said, that with them he did redÉeme himselfe, and after beating on a pÉece of brasse, he prayed the soules to depart from thence: which thing if they had done nine times, they thought they had ended their holy seruice. These were celebrated by the space of thrÉe dayes. The sacrifices which are done for the infernall gods, are called InferiÆ.

We reade in Lucan, of the soules of Sylla and Marius, which were purged by sacrifice. We shewed before how Athanagoras commanded the bones which were digged vp in the entrie of his house at Athens, to bee orderly buried againe. &c.

The auncient Iewes had an expresse commandement of God, not to bee any thing moued with the miracles of false Prophets, and God in plaine words forbad them, not to sÉeke counsel of dead bodies.Saule in the beginning of his raigne, while he yet gaue himselfe vnto godlinesse, vtterly destroyed all Coniurers and Witches. I doo not remember that I haue euer heard or read, how the Iewes behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto them: yet I doubt not but that they are superstitious as well in these things, as in all others.

[190]