The first Chapter.

Of transformations, ridiculous examples brought by the adversaries for the confirmation of their foolish doctrine.

NOW that I may with the verie absurdities, conteined in their owne authors, and even in their principall doctors and last writers, confound them that mainteine the transubstantiations of witches; I will shew you certeine proper stuffe, which BodinJ. Bod. lib. 2. de dÆmon. cap, 6. (their cheefe champion of this age) hath gathered out of M. Mal. and others, whereby he laboureth to establish this impossible, incredible, and supernaturall, or rather unnaturall doctrine of transubstantiation.

First, as touching the divell (Bodin saith)J. Bodin abuseth scripture to proove a lie. that he dooth most properlie and commonlie transforme himselfe into a gote, confirming that opinion by the 33. and 34. of Esaie: where there is no one title*[* = tittle.] sounding to anie such purpose. Howbeit, he sometimes alloweth the divell the shape of a blacke Moore, and as he saith he used to appeare to Mawd Cruse, Kate Darey, and Jone Harviller. But I mervell, whether the divell createth himselfe, when he appeareth in the likenesse of a man; or whether God createth him, when the divell wisheth it. As for witches, he saith they speciallie transubstantiate themselves into wolves, and them whom they bewitch into asses: though else-where he differ somewhat herein/90. from himselfe. But though he affirme,Pudendis tunc primÙm erumpentibus. that it may be naturallie brought to passe, that a girle shall become a boie; and that anie female maybe turned into the male: yet he saith the same hath no affinitie with Lycanthropia; wherein he saith also, that men are wholie transformed, and citeth infinite examples hereof.

First, that one Garner in the shape of a woolfe killed a girle of the age of twelve yeares, and did eat up hir armes and legges, and carried the rest home to his wife. Item, that Peter Burget, and Michael Werdon, having turned themselves with an ointment into woolves, killed, and finallie did eate up an infinite number of people. Which lie WierusJo. Wier. lib. 6. de mag ca. 12. dooth sufficientlie confute. But untill you see and read that, consider whether Peter could eate rawe flesh without surfetting, speciallie flesh of his owne kind. Item, that there was an arrowe shot into a woolves thigh, who afterwards being turned into his former shape of a man, was found in his bed, with the arrowe in his thigh, which the archer that shot it knew verie well. Item, that another being Lycanthropus in the forme of a woolfe, had his woolves feet cut off, and in a moment he became a man without hands or feete.

He accusethJ. Bodinus mendaciorum *heluo.[* Text helÜo.] also one of the mightiest princes in christendome, even of late daies, to be one of those kind of witches (so as he could, when he list, turne himselfe to a woolfe) affirming that he was espied and oftentimes seene to performe that villanie; bicause he would be counted the king of all witches. He saith that this transubstantiation is most common in Greece,/70. and through out all Asia, as merchant strangers have reported to him. For Anno Domini. 1542, when Sultan Solimon reigned, there was such force and multitude of these kind of woolves in Constantinople, that the emperour drave togither in one flocke 150. of them, which departed out of the citie in the presence of all the people.

To persuade usA warme season to swim in. the more throughlie heerein, he saith, that in Livonia, yearelie (about the end of December) a certeine knave or divell warneth all the witches in the countrie to come to a certeine place: if they faile, the divellI mervell that they forsake not the divell, who punisheth them so sore: ywis they get not so much at his hands. commeth and whippeth them with an iron rod; so as the print of his lashes remaine upon their bodies for ever. The capteine witch leadeth the waie through a/91. great poole of water: manie millians of witches swim after. They are no sooner passed through that water, but they are all transformed into woolves, and flie upon and devoure both men, women, cattell, &c. After twelve daies they returne through the same water, and so receive humane shape againe.

Item, that there was one Bajanus a Jew, being the sonne of Simeon, which could, when he list, turne himselfe into a woolfe; and by that meanes could escape the force and danger of a whole armie of men. Which thing (saith Bodin) is woonderfull: but yet (saith he) it is much more marvelous, that men will not beleeve it. For manie poets affirme it; yea, and if you looke well into the matter (saith he) you shall find it easie to doo. Item, he saith, that as naturall woolves persecute beasts; so doo these magicall woolves devoure men, women, and children.Leviti. 16. [26, 22] And yet God saith to the people (I trowe) and not to the cattell of Israell;Deut. 32. [v. 24] If you observe not my commandements, I will send among you the beasts of the feeld, which shall devoure both you and your cattell. Item, I will send the teeth of beasts upon you. Where is Bodins distinction now become? He never saith, I will send witches in the likenes of wolves, &c: to devoure you or your cattell. Nevertheles, Bodin saith it is a cleare case: for the matter was disputed upon before pope Leo the seventh, and by him all these matters were judged possible: and at that time (saith he) were the transformations of Lucian and Apuleius made canonicall.

Furthermore he saith,Stasus a witch could not be apprehended, and why? that through this art they are so cunning that no man can apprehend them, but when they are a sleepe. Item, he nameth another witch, that (as M. Mal. saith) could not be caught, bicause he would transforme himselfe into a mouse, and runne into everie little hole, till at length he was killed comming out of the hole of a jamme J. Bodin. Mal. malef. in a windowe: which indeed is as possible, as a camell to go through a needels eie. Item, he saith, that diverse witches at Vernon turned themselves into cats, and both committed and received much hurt. But at ArgentineJohn. Bodin. Mal. malef. Barth. Spin. &c. there was a wonderfull matter done, by three witches of great wealth, who transforming themselves into three cats, assalted a faggot-maker: who having hurt them all with a faggot sticke, was like to have beene put to death.Mal. malef. part. 3. But he was miraculouslie delivered, and they worthilie punished; as the storie saith, from whence/92. Bodin had it.

AfterAn error about Lycanthropia. a great manie other such beastlie fables, he inveieth against such physicians, as saie that Lycanthropia is a disease, and not a transformation. Item, he mainteineth, as sacred and true, all Homers fables of Circes and/71. Ulyffes his companions: inveieng against Chrysostome, who rightlie interpreteth *Homers[* Sic.] meaning to be, that Ulyffes his people were by the harlot Circes made in their brutish maners to resemble swine.

But least some poets fables might be thought lies (whereby the witchmongers arguments should quaile) he mainteineth for true the most part of Ovids MetamorphÔsis, and the greatest absurdities and impossibilities in all that booke: marie he thinketh some one tale therein may be fained. Finallie, he confirmeth all these toies by the storie of Nabuchadnez-zar. And bicause (saith he) Nabuchadnez-zar continued seven yeres in the shape of a beast, therefore may witches remaine so long in the forme of a beast; having in all the meane time, the shape, haire, voice, strength, agilitie, swiftnes, food and excrements of beasts, and yet reserve the minds and soules of women or men. Howbeit, S. AugustineAugust. lib. 8 de civit. Dei. cap. 18.
Idem. lib. de spiritu & anima, cap. 26. (whether to confute or confirme that opinion judge you) saith; Non est credendum, humanum corpus dÆmonum arte vel potestate in bestialia lineamenta converti posse: We may not beleeve that a mans bodie may be altered into the lineaments of a beast by the divels art or power. Item, Bodin saith, that the reason whie witches are most commonlie turned into woolves, is; bicause they usuallie eate children, as woolves eate cattell. Item, that the cause whie other are truelie turned into asses, is; for that such have beene desirous to understand the secrets of witches. Whie witches are turned into cats, he alledgeth no reason, and therefore (to helpe him foorth with that paraphrase)Ironia. I saie, that witches are curst queanes, and manie times scratch one another, or their neighbours by the faces; and therefore perchance are turned into cats. But I have put twentie of these witchmongers to silence with this one question; to wit, Whether a witch that can turne a woman into a cat, &c: can also turne a cat into a woman?/

The second Chapter.93.

Absurd reasons brought by Bodin, and such others, for confirmation of transformations.

THESE examples and reasons might put us in doubt, that everie asse, woolfe, or cat that we see, were a man, a woman, or a child. I marvell that no man useth this distinction in the definition of a man. But to what end should one dispute against these creations, and recreations; when Bodin washeth away all our arguments with one word, confessing that none can create any thing but God; acknowledging also the force of the canons, and imbracing the opinions of such divines, as write against him in this behalfe? Yea he dooth now (contrarie to himselfe elsewhere) affirme, that the divell cannot alter his forme. And lo, this is his distinction,J. Bod. lib. 2. de mag. dÆmon. cap. 6. Non essentialis forma (id est ratio) sed figura solÙm permutatur: The essentiall forme (to wit, reason) is not changed, but the shape or figure. And thereby he prooveth it easie enough to create men or beasts with life, so as they remaine without reason. Howbeit, I thinke it is an easier matter, to turne Bodins reason into the reason of an asse, than his bodie into the shape of a sheepe: which he saith is an easie matter;Gen. 19, 24. & 26. & 27. bicause Lots/72. wife was turned into a stone by the divell. Whereby he sheweth his grosse ignorance. As though God that commanded Lot upon paine of death not to looke backe, who also destroied the citie of Sodome at that instant, had not also turned hir into a salt stone. And as though all this while God had beene the divels drudge, to go about this businesse all the night before, and when a miracle should be wrought, the divell must be faine to doo it himselfe.

Item,J. Bod. lib. de dÆmon. 2. cap. 20.
M. Mal. pa. 1. quÆ. 9. he affirmeth, that these kind of transfigurations are more common with them in the west parts of the world, than with us here in the east. Howbeit, this note is given withall; that that is ment of the second persons, and not of the first: to wit, of the bewitched, and not of the witches. For they can trans/forme94. themselves in everie part of the world, whether it be east, west, north, or south.John. Bodin. lib. de dÆmon. 2. cap. 1. Marrie he saith, that spirits and divels vex men most in the north countries, as Norway, Finland, &c: and in the westerne ilands, as in the west India: but among the heathen speciallie, and wheresoever Christ is not preached. And that is true, though not in so foolish, grosse, and corporall a sense as Bodin taketh it. One notable instance of a witches cunning in this behalfe touched by Bodin in the chapter aforesaid, I thought good in this place to repeat: he taketh it out of M. Mal.Mal. malefic. par. 2. quÆ. 2. cap. 4. which tale was delivered to Sprenger by a knight of the Rhods, being of the order of S. Jones at Jerusalem; and it followeth thus.

The third Chapter.

Of a man turned into an asse, and returned againe into a man by one of Bodins witches: S. Augustines opinion thereof.

IT happened in the city of Salamin, in the kingdome of Cyprus (wherein is a good haven) that a ship loaden with merchandize staied there for a short space. In the meane time many of the souldiers and mariners went to shoare, to provide fresh victuals.What the divel shuld the witch meane to make chois of the English man? Among which number, a certaine English man, being a sturdie yoong fellowe, went to a womans house, a little waie out of the citie, and not farre from the sea side, to see whether she had anie egs to sell. Who perceiving him to be a lustie yoong fellowe, a stranger, and farre from his countrie (so as upon the losse of him there would be the lesse misse or inquirie) she considered with hir selfe how to destroie him; and willed him to staie there awhile, whilest she went to fetch a few egs for him. But she tarried long, so as the yoong man called unto hir, desiring hir to make hast: for he told hir that the tide would be spent, and by that meanes his ship would be gone, and leave him behind. Howbeit, after some detracting of time, she brought him a few egs, willing him to returne to hir, if his ship were gone when he came. The young fel/lowe95. returned towards his ship: but before he went aboord, hee would needs eate an eg or twaine to satisfie his hunger, andA strange metamorphÔsis, of bodie, but not of mind. within short space he became dumb and out of his wits (as he afterwards said.) When he would have entred into the ship, the mariners beat him backe with a cudgell, saieng; What a murren lacks the asse? Whi/ther73. the divell will this asse? The asse or yoong man (I cannot tell by which name I should terme him) being many times repelled, and understanding their words that called him asse, considering that he could speake never a word, and yet could understand everie bodie; he thought that he was bewitched by the woman, at whose house he was. And therefore, when by no meanes he could get into the boate, but was driven to tarrie and see hir departure; being also beaten from place to place, as an asse: he remembred the witches words, and the words of his owne fellowes that called him asse, and returned to the witches house, in whose service hee remained by the space of three yeares, dooing nothing with his hands all that while, but carried such burthens as she laied on his backe; having onelie this comfort, that although he were reputed an asse among strangers and beasts, yet that both this witch, and all other witches knew him to be a man.

After three yeares were passed over, in a morning betimes he went to towne before his dame; who upon some occasion (of like to make water) staied a little behind. In the meane time being neere to a church, he heard aNote the devotion of the asse. little saccaring bell ring to the elevation of a morrowe masse, and not daring to go into the church, least he should have beene beaten and driven out with cudgels, in great devotion he fell downe in the churchyard, upon the knees of his hinder legs, and did lift his forefeet over his head, as the preest doth hold the sacrament at the elevation. Which prodigious sight when certeine merchants of Genua espied, and with woonder beheld; anon commeth the witch with a cudgell in hir hand, beating foorth the asse. And bicause (as it hath beene said) such kinds of witchcrafts are verie usuall in those parts; the merchants aforesaid made such meanes, as both the asse and the witch were attached by the judge. And she being examined and set upon the racke, confessed the whole matter, and promised, that if she might have libertie to go home, she would restore him to his old/96. shape: and being dismissed, she did accordinglie. So as notwithstanding they apprehended hir againe, and burned hir: and the yoong man returned into his countrie with a joifull and merrie hart.

Upon the advantage of this storieAugust lib. 18. de civi. Dei. cap. 17 & 18. M. Mal. Bodin, and the residue of the witchmongers triumph; and speciallie bicause S. Augustine subscribeth thereunto; or at the least to the verie like. Which I must confesse I find too common in his books, insomuch as I judge them rather to be foisted in by some fond papist or witchmonger, than so learned a mans dooings. The best is, that he himselfe is no eiewitnesse to any of those his tales; but speaketh onelie by report; wherein he uttereth these words: to wit, that It were a point of great incivilitie, &c: to discredit so manie and so certeine reports. And in that respect he justifieth the corporall transfigurations of Ulysses his mates, throgh the witchcraft of Circes: and that foolish fable of PrÆstantius his father, who (he saith) did eate provender and haie At the alps in Arcadia.among other horsses, being himselfe turned into an horsse. Yea he verifieth the starkest lie that ever was invented, of the two alewives that used to transforme all their ghests into horsses, and to sell them awaie at markets and faires. And therefore I saie with Cardanus, that how much Augustin saith he hath seen with his eies, so much I am/74. content to beleeve. Howbeit S. AugustinCard. de Var. rerum. lib. 15 cap. 80.
August. Lib. 18. de civit. Dei. concludeth against Bodin. For he affirmeth these transubstantiations to be but fantasticall, and that they are not according to the veritie, but according to the appearance. And yet I cannot allow of such appearances made by witches, or yet by divels: for I find no such power given by God to any creature. And I would wit of S. Augustine, where they became, whom Bodins transformed woolves devoured. But

Generall97. councels, and the popes canons, which Bodin so regardeth, doo condemne and pronounce his opinions in this behalfe to be absurd; and the residue of the witchmongers, with himselfe in the number, to be woorsse than infidels. And these are the verie words of the canons, Canon. 26. quÆ. 5. episcopi ex con. acquir. &c. which else-where I have more largelie repeated; Whosoever beleeveth, that anie creature can be made or changed into better or woorsse, or transformed into anie other shape, or into anie other similitude, by anie other than by God himselfe the creator of all things, without all doubt is an infidell, and woorsse than a pagan. And therewithall this reason is rendered, to wit: bicause they attribute that to a creature, which onelie belongeth to God the creator of all things.

The fourth Chapter.

A summarie of the former fable, with a refutation thereof, after due examination of the same.

CONCERNING the veritie or probabilitie of this enterlude, betwixt Bodin, M. Mal. the witch, the asse, the masse, the merchants, the inquisitors, the tormentors, &c: First I woonder at the miracle of transubstantiation: Secondlie at the impudencie of Bodin and James Sprenger, for affirming so grosse a lie, devised beelike by the knight of the Rhodes, to make a foole of Sprenger, and an asse of Bodin: Thirdlie, that the asse had no more wit than to kneele downe and hold up his forefeete to a peece of starch or flowre, which neither would, nor could, nor did helpe him: Fourthlie, that the masse could not reforme that which the witch transformed: Fiftlie, that the merchants, the inquisitors, and the tormentors, could not either severallie or jointlie doo it, but referre the matter to the witches courtesie and good pleasure.

But where was the yoong mans owne shapeHis shape was in the woods: where else should it be? all these three yeares, wherein he was made an asse? It is a certeine and a generall rule, that two substantiall formes cannot be in one subject Simul & semel, both at once: which is confessed by themselves. The/98. forme of the beast occupied some/75. place in the aire, and so I thinke should the forme of a man doo also.Mal. malef. par. 1. quÆ. 2. For to bring the bodie of a man, without feeling, into such a thin airie nature, as that it can neither be seene nor felt, it may well be unlikelie, but it is verie impossible: for the aire is inconstant, and continueth not in one place. So as this airie creature would soone be carried into another region: as else-where I have largelie prooved.In my discourse of spirits and divels, being the 17 booke of this volume. But indeed our bodies are visible, sensitive, and passive, and are indued with manie other excellent properties, which all the divels in hell are not able to alter: neither can one haire of our head perish, or fall awaie, or be transformed, without the speciall providence of God almightie.

But to proceed unto the probabilitie of this storie. What lucke was it, that this yoong fellow of England, landing so latelie in those parts, and that old woman of Cyprus, being both of so base a condition, should both understand one anothers communication; England and Cyprus being so manie hundred miles distant, and their languages so farre differing? I am sure in these daies, wherein trafficke is more used, and learning in more price; few yong or old mariners in this realme can either speake or understand the language spoken at Salamin in Cyprus, which is a kind of Greeke; and as few old women there can speake our language. But Bodin will saie; You heare, that at the inquisitors commandement, and through the tormentors correction, she promised to restore him to his owne shape: and so she did, as being thereunto compelled. I answer, that as the whole storie is an impious fable; so this assertion is false, and disagreeable to their owne doctrine, which mainteineth, that the witch dooth nothing but by the permission and leave of God. For if she could doo or undoo such a thing at hir owne pleasure, or at the commandement of the inquisitors, or for feare of the tormentors, or for love of the partie, or for remorse of conscience: then is it not either by the extraordinarie leave, nor yet by the like direction of God; except you will make him a confederate with old witches. I for my part woonder most, how they can turne and tosse a mans bodie so, and make it smaller and greater, to wit, like a mowse, or like an asse, &c: and the man all this while to feele no paine. And I am not alone in this maze: for Dan. in dialog. cap. 3.DanÆus a special mainteiner of their fol/lies99. saith, that although Augustine and ApuleiusAugust. lib. de civit. Dei. cap. 17. 18. doo write verie crediblie of these matters; yet will he never beleeve, that witches can change men into other formes; as asses, apes, woolves, beares, mice, &c.

The fift Chapter.

That the bodie of a man cannot be turned into the bodie of a beast by a witch, is prooved by strong reasons, scriptures, and authorities.

BUT was this man an asse all this while? Or was this asse a man? Bodin saith (his reason onelie reserved) he was trulie transubstantiated into an asse; so as there must be no part of a man, but reason remaining in this asse. And yet Hermes Trismegistus Hermes Trismeg in suo Periandro. thinketh he hath good authoritie and reason to saie; Aliud corpus quÀm humanum non capere animam humanam; nec/ fas76. esse in corpus animÆ ratione carentis animam rationalem corruere; that is; An humane soule cannot receive anie other than an humane bodie, nor yet canne light into a bodie that wanteth reason of mind. But S. JamesJam. 2, 26. saith; the bodie without the spirit is dead. And surelie, when the soule is departed from the bodie, the life of man is dissolved: and therefore PaulePhili. 1, 23. wished to be dissolved, when he would have beene with Christ. The bodie of man is subject to divers kinds of agues, sicknesses, and infirmities, whereunto an asses bodie is not inclined: and mans bodie must be fed with bread, &c: and not with hay. Bodins asseheaded man must either eate haie, or nothing: as appeareth in the storie. Mans bodie also is subject unto death, and hath his daies numbred. If this fellowe had died in the meane time, as his houre might have beene come, for anie thing the divels, the witch, or Bodin knew; I mervell then what would have become of this asse, or how the witch could have restored him to shape, or whether he should have risen at the daie of judgement in an asses bodie and shape. For Paule1. Cor. 15. 44. saith, that that verie bodie which is sowne and buried a naturall bodie, is raised/100. a spirituall bodie. The life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortall flesh, and not in the flesh of an asse.

God hath endued everie man and everie thing with his proper nature, substance, forme, qualities, and gifts, and directeth their waies. As for the waies of an asse, he taketh no such care: howbeit, they have also their properties and substance severall to themselves. For there is one flesh (saith Paule)1. Cor. 15, 39. of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds. And therefore it is absolutelie against the ordinance of God (who hath made me a man) that I should flie like a bird, or swim like a fish, or creepe like a worme, or become an asse in shape: insomuch as if God would give me leave, I cannot doo it; for it were contrarie to his owne order and decree, and to the constitution of anie bodie which he hath made.Psal. 119. Yea the spirits themselves have their lawes and limits prescribed, beyond the which they cannot passe one haires breadth; otherwise God should be contrarie to himselfe: which is farre from him. Neither is Gods omnipotencie hereby qualified, but the divels impotencie manifested, who hath none other power, but that which God from the beginning hath appointed unto him, consonant to his nature and substance. He may well be restreined from his power and will, but beyond the same he cannot passe, as being Gods minister, no further but in that which he hath from the beginning enabled him to doo: which is, that he being a spirit, may with Gods leave and ordinance viciat and corrupt the spirit and will of man: wherein he is verie diligent.

What a beastlie assertion is it, that a man, whom GOD hath made according to his owne similitude and likenes, should be by a witch turned into a beast? What an impietie is it to affirme, that an asses bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost? Or an asse to be the child of God, and God to be his father; as it is said of man? Which Paule to the Corinthians1. Cor. 6, 19 verse. 15, &c. verse. 2. verse. 13. so divinelie confuteth, who saith, that Our bodies are the members of Christ. In the which we are to glorifie God: for the bodie is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the bodie. Surelie he meaneth not for an asses bodie, as by this time I hope appeareth: in such wise as Bodin may go hide him for/77. shame; especiallie when he shall understand, that even into these our bodies, which God hath framed after his owne like/nesse,101. he hath also brethed that spirit, which Bodin saith is now remaining within an asses bodie, which God hath so subjected in such servilitie under the foote of man;Psalm. 8. verses 5, 6, 7, 8. Of whom God is so mindfull, that he hath made him little lower than angels, yea than himselfe, and crowned him with glorie and worship, and made him to have dominion over the workes of his hands, as having put all things under his feete, all sheepe and oxen, yea woolves, asses, and all other beasts of the field, the foules of the aire, the fishes of the sea, &c. Bodins poet, Ovid, whose MetamorphÔsis make so much for him, saith to the overthrow of this phantasticall imagination:

Now, if a witch or a divell can so alter the shape of a man, as contrarilie to make him looke downe to hell, like a beast; Gods works should not onelie be defaced and disgraced, but his ordinance should be woonderfullie altered, and thereby confounded.

The sixt Chapter.

The witchmongers objections, concerning Nabuchadnez-zar answered, and their errour concerning Lycanthropia confuted.

MALLEUS MALEFICARUM, Bodin, and manie otherTheir groundworke is as sure as to hold a quick eele by the taile. of them that mainteine witchcraft, triumph upon the storie of Nabuchadnez-zar; as though Circes had transformed him with hir sorceries into an oxe, as she did others into swine, &c. I answer, that he was neither in bodie nor shape transformed at all, accor/ding102. to their grosse imagination; as appeareth both by the plaine words of the text,Dan. 4. and also by the opinions of the best interpretors thereof: but that he was, for his beastlie government and conditions, throwne out of his kingdome and banished for a time, and driven to hide himselfe in the wildernesse, there in exile to lead his life in beastlie sort, among beasts of the field, and fowles of the aire (for by the waie I tell you it appeareth by the text, that he was rather turned into the shape of a fowle than of a beast) untill he rejecting his beastlie conditions, was upon his repentance and amendment called home, and restored unto his kingdome. Howbeit, this (by their confession) was neither divels nor witches dooing; but a miracle wrought by God, whom alone I acknowledge to be able to bring to passe such workes at his pleasure. Wherein I would know what our witchmongers have gained/78.

I am not ignorant that some write, that after the death of Cor. Agrip. de vanit. scient. cap. 44. Nabuchadnez-zar, his sonne *Eilumorodath[* tr. of Euil] gave his bodie to the ravens to be devoured, least afterwards his father should arise from death, who of a beast became a man againe. But this tale is meeter to have place in the Cabalisticall art, to wit: among unwritten verities than here. To conclude, I saie that the transformations, which these witchmongers doo so rave and rage upon, is (as all the learned sort of physicians affirme) a disease proceeding partlie from melancholie, wherebie manie suppose themselves to be woolves, or such ravening beasts. For LycanthropiaPaul. Aeginet. li. 3. c. 16.
Aetius. lib. 6. cap. 11.
J. Wier. de prÆst. dÆm. lib. 4. cap. 23. is of the ancient physicians called Lupina melancholia, or Lupina insania. J. Wierus declareth verie learnedlie, the cause, the circumstance, and the cure of this disease. I have written the more herein; bicause hereby great princes and potentates, as well as poore women and innocents, have beene defamed and accounted among the number of witches/

The seventh Chapter.103.

A speciall objection answered concerning transportations, with the consent of diverse writers thereupon.

FOR the maintenance of witches transportations, they object the words of the Gospell,Matth. 4, 8.
Luk. 3, 9. where the divell is said to take up Christ, and to set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and on a mountaine, &c. Which if he had doone in maner and forme as they suppose, it followeth not therefore that witches could doo the like; nor yet that the divell would doo it for them at their pleasure; for they know not their thoughts, neither can otherwise communicate with them. But I answer, Answer to the former objection. that if it were so grosselie to be understood, as they imagine it, yet should it make nothing to their purpose. For I hope they will not saie, that Christ had made anie ointments, or entred into anie league with the divell, and by vertue thereof was transported from out of the wildernes, unto the top of the temple of Jerusalem; or that the divell could have maisteries over his bodie, whose soule he could never laie hold upon; especiallie when he might (with a becke of his finger) have called unto him, and have had the assistance of manie legions of angels.Matt. 26, 53. Neither (as I thinke) will they presume to make Christ partaker of the divels purpose and sinne in that behalfe. If they saie; This was an action wrought by the speciall providence of God, and by his appointment, that the scripture might be fulfilled: then what gaine our witchmongers by this place? First, for that they maie not produce a particular example to prove so generall an argument. And againe, if it were by Gods speciall providence and appointment; then why should it not be doone by the hand of God, as it was in the storie of Job? Or if it were Gods speciall purpose and pleasure,Job. 1, 11.
Job. 2, 5. that there should be so extraordinarie a matter brought to passe by the hand of the divell; could not God have given to the wicked angell extraordinarie power, and cloathed him with extraordinarie shape; where/by104. he might be made an instrument able to accomplish that matter, as he did to his angell that carried Abacuck to Daniell, and to them that he sent to destroie Sodome? But you shall understand, that/79. this was doone in a vision, and not in veritie of action. So as they have a verie cold pull of this place, which is the speciall peece of scripture alledged of them for their transportations.

Heare therefore what CalvineJ. Calvine in harmon. Evang. in Matth. 4. & Luk. 4. saith in his commentarie upon that place, in these words; The question is, whether Christ were carried aloft indeed, or whether it were but in a vision? Manie affirme verie obstinatlie, that his bodie was trulie and reallie as they saie taken up: bicause they thinke it too great an indignitie for Christ to be made subject to sathans illusions. But this objection is easilie washed awaie. For it is no absurditie to grant all this to be wrought through Gods permission, or Christes voluntarie subjection: so long as we yeeld not to thinke that he suffered these temptations inwardlie, that is to saie, in mind or soule. And that which is afterwards set downe by the Evangelist, where the divell shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glorie of the same, and that to be doone (as it is said in Luke) in the twinkling of an eie, dooth more agree with a vision than with a reall action. So farre are the verie words of Calvine. Which differ not one syllable nor five words from that which I had written herein, before I looked for his opinion in the matter. And this I hope will be sufficient to overthrow the assertions of them that laie the ground of their transportations and flieng in the aire hereupon.

He that will saie, that these words; to wit, that Christ was taken up, &c: can hardlie be applied to a vision, let him turne to the prophesie of Ezechiell,Ezec. 3, 12. and 14. and see the selfe-same words used in a vision: saving that where Christ is said to be taken up by the divell, Ezechiell is taken up, and lifted up, and carried by the spirit of God, and yet in a vision. But they have lesse reason that build upon this sandie rocke, the supernaturall frame of transubstantiation; as almost all our witching writers doo. For Sprenger & InstitorMal. malef. saie, that the divell in the likenesse of a falcon caught him up. DanÆus saith, it was in the similitude of a man; others saie, of an angell painted with wings; others, invisiblie: Ergo the di/vell105. can take (saie they) what shape he list. But though some may cavill upon the divels transforming of himselfe; yet, that either divell or witch can transforme or transubstantiat others, there is no tittle nor colour in the scriptures to helpe them. If there were authoritie for it, and that it were past all peradventure, lo, what an easie matter it is to resubstantiate an asse into a man. For Bodin saith upon the word of Apuleius, J. Bod. lib. de dÆm. 3. cap. 5. that if the asse eate new roses, anise, or baie leaves out of spring water, it will presentlie returne him into a man. Which thing SprengerIn Mal. mal. saith maie be doone, by washing the asse in faire water: yea he sheweth an instance, where, by drinking of water an asse was turned into a man.

The eight Chapter.

The witchmongers objection concerning the historie of Job answered.

THESE witchmongers, for lacke of better arguments, doo manie times object Job against me; although there be never a word in that storie, which either maketh for them, or against me: in so much as there is not/80. the name of a witch mentioned in the whole booke. But (I praie you) what witchmonger now seeing one so afflicted as Job, would not saie he were bewitched, as Job never saith? ^aFor^a Job. 1, 14. first there came a messenger unto him, and said; Thy oxen were plowing, and thy asses were feeding in their places, ^band^b verse, 15. the Sabeans came violentlie and tooke them; yea they have slaine thy servants with the edge of the sword; but I onelie am escaped to tell thee. ^cAnd^c verse, 16. whilest he was yet speaking, another came, and said; The fier of God is fallen from the heaven, & hath burnt up thy sheepe and thy servants, and devoured them; but I onlie am escaped to tell thee. ^dAnd^d verse, 17. while he was yet speaking, another came, and said; The ChaldÆans106. set out their bands, and fell upon thy camels, and have taken them, and have slaine thy servants with the edge of the sword; but I onelie am/ escaped alone to tell thee. ^eAnd^e verse, 18. whilest he was yet speaking, came another, and said; Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their elder brothers house, ^fand^f verse, 19. behold there came a great wind from beyond the wildernesse, and smote the foure corners of the house, which fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I onlie am escaped alone to tell thee. ^gBesides^g Ibid. ca. 2. vers. 7. all this, he was smitten with biles, from the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head. If anie man in these daies called Job should be by the appointment or hand of God thus handled, as this Job was; I warrant you that all the old women in the countrie would be called Coram nobis: warrants would be sent out on everie side, publike and private inquirie made what old women latelie resorted to Jobs house, or to anie of those places, where these misfortunes fell. If anie poore old woman had chanced within two or three moneths to have borrowed a curtsie of *seasing,[* ? searsing] or to have fetcht from thence a pot of milke, or had she required some almes, and not obteined it at Jobs hand; there had beene argument enough to have brought hir to confusion: and to be more certeine to have the right witch apprehended, figures must have beene cast, the sive and sheares must have beene set on worke; yea rather than the witch should escape, a conjuror must have earned a little monie, a circle must have beene made, and a divell raised to tell the truth: mother Bungie must have been gon unto, and after she had learned hir name, whom Job most suspected, she would have confirmed the suspicion with artificiall accusations: in the end, some woman or other must have beene hanged for it. But as Job said; Dominus dedit: so said he not; Diabolus vel Lamia sed Dominus abstulit. Which agreeth with the tenor of the text, where it is written, that the divell at everie of Jobs afflictions desired God to laie his hand upon him. Insomuch as JobJ. Calvin. in Job. cap. 1. 21. imputed no part of his calamitie unto divels, witches, nor yet unto conjurors, or their inchantments; as we have learned now to doo. Neither sinned he, or did God any wrong, when he laid it to his charge: but we dishonour God greatlie, when we attribute either the power or proprietie of God the creator unto a creature.

*CalvineJ. Calvin. in
Job, cap. 2.
Sermon. 8.
Muscul. in loc. comm.
Idem, ibidem. saith; We derogate much from Gods glorie and omnipotencie, when we saie he dooth but give sathan leave to doo it: which is (saith he) to mocke Gods justice; and so fond an asser/tion,107. that if asses could speake, they would speake more wiselie than so. For a temporall judge saith not to/81. the hangman; I give thee leave to hang this offender, but commandeth him to doo it. But the mainteiners of witches omnipotencie, saie; Doo you not see how reallie and palpablie the divell tempted and plagued Job? I answer first, that there is no corporall or visible divell named nor seene in any part of that circumstance; secondlie, that it was the hand of God that did it; thirdlie, that as there is no communitie betweene the person of a witch, and the person of a divell, so was there not any conference or practise betwixt them in this case.

And as touching the communication betwixt God and the divell,J. Calvine in his sermon upon Job. behold what Calvine saith, writing or rather preaching of purpose upon that place, wherupon they thinke they have so great advantage; When sathan is said to appeere before God, it is not doone in some place certeine, but the scripture speaketh so to applie it selfe to our rudenes. Certeinlie the divell in this and such like cases is an instrument to worke Gods will, and not his owne: and therefore it is an ignorant and an ungodlie saieng (as Calvine judgeth it) to affirme, that God dooth but permit and suffer the divell. For if sathan were so at his owne libertie (saith he) we should be overwhelmed at a sudden. And doubtlesse, if he had power to hurt the bodie, there were no waie to resist: for he would come invisiblie upon us, and knocke us on the heads; yea hee would watch the best and dispatch them, whilest they were about some wicked act. If they saie; God commandeth him, no bodie impugneth them: but that God should give him leave, I saie with Calvine, that the divell is not in such favour with God, as to obteine any such request at his hands.

And wheras by our witchmongers opinions and arguments, the witch procureth the divell, and the divell asketh leave of God to plague whom the witch is disposed: there is not (as I have said) any such corporall communication betweene the divell and a witch, as witchmongers imagine. J. Calvine in Job. cap. 1. sermon. 5. Neither is God mooved at all at sathans sute, who hath no such favour or grace with him, as to obteine any thing at his hands.

But M. Mal.Mal. malef. pa. 1. quÆst. 1.
Idem part. 1. quÆst. 4. and his friends denie, that there were any witches in Jobs time: yea the witchmongers are content to saie, that/108. there were none found to exercise this art in Christs time, from his birth to his death, even by the space of thirtie three yeares. If there had beene anie (saie they)Note what is said touching the booke of Job. they should have beene there spoken of. As touching the authoritie of the booke of Job, there is no question but that it is verie canonicall and authentike. Howbeit, manie writers, both of the Jewes and others, are of opinion, that Moses was the author of this booke; and that he did set it as a looking glasse before the people: to the intent the children of Abraham (of whose race he himselfe came) might knowe, that God shewed favour to others that were not of the same line, and be ashamed of their wickednesse: seeing an uncircumcised Painime had so well demeaned himselfe. Upon which argument Calvine (though he had written upon the same) saith, that Forsomuch as it is uncerteine, whether it were Res gesta or Exempli gratia, we must leave it in suspense. Nevertheles (saith he) let us take that which is out of all doubt; namelie, that the Holy-ghost hath indited the booke, to the end that the Jewes should knowe that God hath had a people alwaies to serve him throughout the world, even of such as were no/82. Jewes, nor segregated from other nations.

Howbeit, I for my part denie not the veritie of the storie; though indeed I must confesse, that I thinke there was no such corporall enterlude betweene God, the divell, and Job, as they imagine: neither anie such reall presence and communication as the witchmongers conceive and mainteine; who are so grosse herein, that they doo not onlie beleeve, but publish so palpable absurdities concerning such reall actions betwixt the divell and man, as a wise man would be ashamed to read, but much more to credit: as that S. DunstanIn legenda aurea. lead the divell about the house by the nose with a paire of pinsors or tongs, and made him rore so lowd, as the place roong thereof, &c: with a thousand the like fables, without which neither the art of poperie nor of witchcraft could stand. But you may see more of this matter else-where, where in few words (which I thought good here to omit, least I should seeme to use too manie repetitions) I answer effectuallie to their cavils about this place/

The ninth Chapter.109.

What severall sorts of witches are mentioned in the scriptures, and how the word witch is there applied.

BUT what sorts of witches so ever M. Mal. or Bodin saie there are; Moses spake onlie of foure kinds of impious couseners or witches (whereof our witchmongers old women which danse with the fairies, &c; are none.) The first were PrÆstigiatores Pharaonis,1. PrÆstigiatores Pharaonis. which (as all divines, both Hebrues and others conclude) were but couseners and jugglers, deceiving the kings eies with illusions and sleights; and making false things to appeare as true: which nevertheles our witches cannot doo. The second is Mecasapha,2. Mecasapha. which is she that destroieth with poison. The third are such as use sundrie kinds of divinations, and hereunto perteine these words, Kasam, Onen, Ob, Idoni.3. Kasam. Onen. Ob. Idoni. The fourth is Habar,4. Habar. to wit: when magicians, or rather such, as would be reputed cunning therein, mumble certeine secret words, wherin is thought to be great efficacie.

These are all couseners and abusers of the people in their severall kinds. But bicause they are all termed of our translators by the name of witches in the Bible: therefore the lies of M. Mal. and Bodin, and all our old wives tales are applied unto these names, and easilie beleeved of the common people, who have never hitherto beene instructed in the understanding of these words. In which respect, I will (by Gods grace) shew you (concerning the signification of them) the opinion of the most learned in our age; speciallie of Johannes Wierus; who though hee himselfe were singularlie learned in the toongs, yet for his satisfaction and full resolution in the same, he sent for the judgement of AndrÆas Massius,[or Masius] the most famous Hebrician in the world, and had it in such sense and order, as I meane to set downe unto you. And yet I give you this noteNote. by the waie, that witchcraft or inchantment is diverslie taken in the scriptures; somtimes nothing tending to such end as it is commonlie thought to doo. For in 1 Sa/muell,110. 1. Sa. 15, 23. 15, 23. it is all one with rebellion. Jesabell for hir idolatrous life/83. is called a witch. Also in the new testament, even S. Paule saith the Galathians2. Re. 9, 22.
Gal. 3, 1. are bewitched, bicause they were seduced and lead from the true understanding of the scriptures.

ItemMatth. 2, 1. sometimes it is taken in good part; as the magicians that came to worship and offer to Christ: and also where DaniellDaniel. 4. is said to be an inchanter, yea a principall inchanter: which title being given him in divers places of that storie, he never seemeth to refuse or dislike; but rather intreateth for the pardon and qualification of the rigor towards other inchanters, which were meere couseners indeed: as appeareth in the second chapter of Daniell,Dan. 2, 8. where you may see that the king espied their fetches.

Sometimes such are called conjurors,Actes. 19. as being but roges, and lewd people, would use the name of Jesus to worke miracles, whereby, though they being faithlesse could worke nothing; yet is their practise condemned by the name of conjuration.Gen. 4, 18.
Exod. 7, 13, &c.
Acts 13.
Exod. 22, &c.
Acts. 13.
Acts. 19.
Canticles of Salomon. cap. 4. verse. 9. Sometimes jugglers are called witches. Sometimes also they are called sorcerers, that impugne the gospell of Christ, and seduce others with violent persuasions. Sometimes a murtherer with poison is called a witch. Sometimes they are so termed by the verie signification of their names; as Elimas, which signifieth a sorcerer. Sometimes bicause they studie curious and vaine arts. Sometimes it is taken for woonding or greeving of the hart. Yea the verie word Magus, which is Latine for a magician, is translated a witch; and yet it was hertofore alwaies taken in the good part. And at this daie it is indifferent to saie in the English toong; She is a witch; or, She is a wise woman.

Sometimes observers of dreames, sometimes soothsaiers, sometimes the observers of the flieng of foules,Deut. 18, 2.
Jerem. 27.
Acts. 8. of the meeting of todes, the falling of salt, &c: are called witches. Sometimes he or she is called a witch, that take upon them either for gaine or glorie, to doo miracles; and yet can doo nothing. Sometimes they are called witches in common speech, that are old, lame, curst, or melancholike, as a nickname. But as for our old women, that are said to hurt children with their eies, or lambs with their lookes, or that pull downe the moone out of heaven, or make so foolish a bargaine, or doo such homage to the divell; you shall not read in the bible of any such witches, or of any such actions imputed to them//