That it is no hard thing for the Diuell to appeare in diuers
shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.

B Ut it is no difficult matter for the Diuel to appeare in diuers shapes, not only of those which are aliue, but also of dead men, (whereof I spake also before, when I entreated of Samuels appearing) yea, and (which is a lesse matter) in the fourme of beasts and birds, &c. as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke Dog, a Horse, an Owle, and also to bring incredible things to passe, it is a thing most manifest: for hee may through long and great experience, vnderstand the effects and force of naturall things, as of hearbes, stones, &c. and by meanes hereof worke maruellous matters. And then he is a subtile and quicke spirite, which can readily take things in hand, which in each thing is of no small weight. By his quicknesse, and by his knowledge in naturall things, he may easily deceiue the eye sight, and other senses of man, and hide those things which are before our face, and conuey other things into their places. Whereof the holy scriptures, and histories, and continuall experience beareth record. How did the wicked spirit handle Iob? what did he not bring to passe in short space? What straunge workes of an euil spirit did Bileam bring to passe? did he not purchase a famous name by his Magicall Artes? what wonderfull great miracles did Pharaos Sorcerers? Did not Simon Magus so bewitch the Samaritanes with his vnlawfull Artes, that he would say he was the great vertue of God? Touching this Coniurer, the olde Fathers write many things, as Ireneus in his first booke and tenth Chapter, Eusebius in his second booke and thirtÉenth Chapter.

Egesippus writeth in his third booke and second Chapter, of the destruction of Hierusalem, that this Symon came to Rome, and there set himselfe against Peter, boasting that he could flie vp into heauen, and that he came at the day appointed vnto the Mount Capitoline where leaping from the rocke, he flew a good while not without the great admiration of the people, who now began to credit his words, but sodeinly he fell downe and brake his leg, and after being carried vnto Aritia, there died.

Iohannes Tritenhemius, Abbot of Spanheimium, writeth in his Chronicles concerning the Monasterie of Hirsgraue> of the order of S. Bennet, in the yeare of our Lorde 970, that Peter and Baianus, the two sonnes of one Simon a Monke, ruled ouer the Bulgarians, wherof the one, namely Baianus, was throughly sÉene in the Arte of Necromancie, and thereby wrought many myracles. He chaunged himselfe into a Wolfe so often as he list, or into the likenesse of an another beast, or in such sort as he could not be discerned of any man, and many other straunge things hÉe could doo, and did, whereby he brought men into great admiration.

And after in the yeare 876. he writeth, that there was a certaine Iewe named Sedechias, sometimes Philosopher and Phisitian vnto Lewes the Emperour, who being very cunning in sorcerie, did straunge miracles and wonderfull sleights before the Princes, and before all other men. For he brought it to passe by his cunning, that he sÉemed to deuoure an armed man with his horse, and all his harnesse, and also a carte loaden with hay, togither with the horse and carter. He cut off mens heads, their hands and fÉete, which he set in a basen before all the lookers on to behold, with the bloud running about the basen: which by and by he would put againe vppon the places whence they sÉemed to haue bene cut off, without any hurt to the parties. He was sÉene and hearde of all men to exercise hunting and running, and suche like things in the aire and cloudes, as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth. He practised so many and diuers deceites, that all men maruelled and were astonished out of measure.

In the yeare of our Lord .1323. when Frederike Duke of Austrich, who was chosen Emperour against Lewes, as the same author witnesseth, was vanquished in a great battail betwÉene Ottinga and Molndorfus, and deliuered into the hands of Lewes, who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kepte: It chaunced shortly after, that a coniurer going vnto his brother Lupoldus in Auctriche, promised, that by the helpe of a spirit, he would within the compasse of an houre, deliuer Frederike safe and sounde out of captiuitie, if he would promise him and giue him a worthie reward for his paines. The Duke aunsweared him: if thou wilt (quoth he) do as thou makest promise, I wil worthily reward thÉe. So the Magitian with the Duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste conuenient, calleth the Spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his commaundement. Whome, when he appeared in the likenesse of a man, he commaunded by the vertue of his coniurations, that he should spÉedily bring vnto him into Austriche, Duke Frederike, deliuered safely out of prison. Vnto whome the spirit aunswering, said, If the captiue Duke will come with me, I will willingly obey thy commaundement. This saide, the spirite flieth awaye into Banarie, and taking vppon him the forme of a Pilgrime, he entreth into the prison where the Duke was kepte prisoner: whome assoone as he sawe, the Spirit whiche was sente as messenger vnto him, said: If thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie, mount thÉe vp vpon this horse, and I will bring thÉe safe and sounde without any hurte into Auctrich vnto Duke Lupoldus thy brother. Vnto whome the Duke saide: Who art thou? The Spirite aunswered: Aske not who I am, because it appertaineth nothing to the purpose, but get thÉe vp on the horse which I offer thÉe, and I will bring thÉe safe and sound, and frÉely deliuered into Austrich. Which when the Duke heard, hÉe was taken with a certaine horror, and feare, being otherwise a hardy knight: and when he had blessed himself with the signe of the holy crosse, the spirite sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse, which he had proffered him, and returned emptie againe vnto him that sent him: of whom being rebuked because he had not brought the prisoner, he declared all the matter vnto him in order. Duke Frederick at the last being deliuered out of prison, confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his captiuitie the very same day they named. This historie is also to be sÉene in the Chronicles of the Heluetians.

There are also Coniurers found euen at this day, who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse, that in a fewe houres they wil dispatch a very long iourney. God at the last wil chasten these men with deserued punishment. What straunge things are reported of one Faustus a Germane, which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments?

I will speake nothing at this time, of those old Sorcerers, Apollonius, and others, of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things. Hags, Witches, and Inchaunters, are said to hurt men and cattell, if they doo but touch them or stroake them, they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant. Iuglers and Tumblers, by nimblenesse do many things, they will bid one eate meate, which when they spit out againe, they cast forth ordure and such like. Magitians, Iuglers, Inchanters, and Necromanciers, are no other than seruants of the Diuel: do you not thinke their maister reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe?

Howbeit this is not to be dissembled, that the diuel doth glory of many things which indÉede he cannot performe: as that he saith, that he raised the dead out of their graues. &c. He may in very dÉede by Gods sufferaunce, shewe the shapes of them vnto men, but he hath no such power ouer the dead bodies.

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