The first Chapter.

Of witchmongers opinions concerning evill spirits, how they frame themselves in more excellent sort than God made us.

JAMES SPRENGER and Henrie Institor, in M. Mal. Mal. malef. par. 2. cap. 4 quÆst. 1.agreing with Bodin, Barth. Spineus, DanÆus, Erastus, Hemingius, and the rest, doo make a bawdie discourse; labouring to proove by a foolish kind of philosophie, that evill spirits cannot onlie take earthlie forms and shapes of men; but also counterfeit hearing, seeing, &c: and likewise, that they can eate and devoure meats, and also reteine, digest, and avoid the same: and finallie, use diverse kinds of activities, but speciallie excell in the use and art of venerie. For M. Mal. saith, that The eies and earesIf his bodilie eies were out, he would see but ilfavoredlie. of the mind are farre more subtill than bodilie eies or carnall eares. Yea it is there affirmed, that as they take bodies, and the likenesse of members; so they take minds and similitudes of their operations. But by the way, I would have them answer this question. Our minds and soules are spirituall things. If our corporall eares be stopped, what can they heare or conceive of anie externall wisedome? And truelie, a man of such a constitution of bodie, as they imagine of these spirits, which make themselves, &c: were of farre more excellent substance, &c: than the bodies of them that God made in paradise; and so the divels workmanship should excexed the handie worke of God the father and creator of all things/

The second Chapter.74.

Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of venerie may be performed betweene witches and divels, and when witches first yeelded to Incubus.

HERETOFORE (they saie) IncubusNider in fornicario.
T. Brabant in lib. de apib. was faine to ravish women against their will, untill Anno. 1400: but now since that time witches consent willinglie to their desires: in so much as some one witch exerciseth that trade of lecherie with Incubus twentie or thirtie yeares togither; as was confessed by fourtie and eight witches burned at Ravenspurge. But what goodlie fellowes Incubus begetteth upon these witches, is prooved by Thomas of Aquine,In. sen. dist. 4. art. 4. Bodin, M. Mal. Hyperius, &c.

ThisGen. 6, 4. is prooved first by the divels cunning, in discerning the difference of the seed which falleth from men. Secondlie, by his understanding of the aptnes of the women for the receipt of such seed. Thirdlie by his knowledge of the constellations, which are freendlie to such corporall effects. And lastlie, by the excellent complexion of such as the divell maketh choice of, to beget such notable personages upon, as are the/59. causes of the greatnesse and excellencie of the child thus begotten.

And to proove that such bawdie dooingsMal. malef. par. 2. quÆ. 1
August. de doctrina Christ. betwixt the divell and witches is not fained, S. Augustine is alledged, who saith, that All superstitious arts had their beginning of the pestiferous societie betwixt the divell and man. Wherein he saith truelie; for that in paradise, betwixt the divell and man, all wickednes was so contrived, that man ever since hath studied wicked arts: yea and the divell will be sure to be at the middle and at both ends of everie mischeefe. But that the divell ingendreth with a woman, in maner and forme as is supposed, and naturallie begetteth the wicked, neither is it true, nor Augustines meaning in this place.

Howbeit M. Mal. proceedeth, affirming that All witches take/75. their beginning from such filthie actions, wherein the divell, in likenes of a prettie wench, lieth prostitute as Succubus to the man, and reteining his nature and seede, conveieth it unto the witch, to whome he delivereth it as Incubus. Wherein also is refuted the opinion of them that hold a spirit to be unpalpable. M. Mal.Mal. malef. quÆ. 1. par. 1. saith, There can be rendred no infallible rule, though a probable distinction may be set downe, whether Incubus in the act of venerie doo alwaies powre seed out of his assumed bodie. And this is the distinction; Either she is old and barren, or yoong and pregnant. If she be barren, then dooth Incubus use hir without decision of seed; bicause such seed should serve for no purpose. And the divell avoideth superfluitie as much as he may; and yet for hir pleasure and condemnation togither, he goeth to worke with hir. But by the waie, if the divell were so compendious, what should he need to use such circumstances, even in these verie actions, as to make these assemblies, conventicles, ceremonies, &c: when he hath alreadie bought their bodies, and bargained for their soules? Or what reason had he, to make them kill so manie infants, by whom he rather loseth than gaineth any thing; bicause they are, so farre as either he or we knowe, in better case than we of riper yeares by reason of their innocencie? Well, if she be not past children, then stealeth he seed awaie (as hath beene said) from some wicked man being about that lecherous busines, and therewith getteth yoong witches upon the old.

And note, that they affirme that this businesse is better accomplished with seed thus gathered, than that which is shed in dremes, through superfluitie of humors: bicause that is gathered from the vertue of the seed generative. And if it be said that the seed will wax cold by the waie, and so lose his naturall heate, and consequentlie the vertue: M. Mal. DanÆus,Mal. malef. par. 1. quÆ. 1.
DanÆus in dialog. de sortiariis. and the rest doo answere, that the divell can so carrie it, as no heate shall go from it, &c.

Furthermore, old witches are sworne to procure as manie yoong virgins for IncubusJa. Sprenger in Mal. male. as they can, whereby in time they growe to be excellent bawds: but in this case the preest plaieth Incubus. For you shall find, that confession to a preest, and namelie this word Benedicite, driveth Incubus awaie, when Ave Maries, crosses, and all other charmes faile/

The third Chapter.60. 76.

Of the divels visible & invisible dealing with witches in the waie of lecherie.

BUT as touching the divels visible or invisible execution of lecherie, it is written, that to such witches, as before have made a visible legue with the preest, (the divell I should saie) there is no necessitie that Incubus should appeere invisible: marrie to the standers by hee is for the most part invisible.This was doone at Ravenspurge. For proofe hereof James Sprenger and Institor affirme, that Manie times witches are seene in the fields, and woods, prostituting themselves uncovered and naked up to the navill, wagging and mooving their members in everie part, according to the disposition of one being about that act of concupiscence, and yet nothing seene of the beholders upon hir; saving that after such a convenient time as is required about such a peece of worke, a blacke vapor of the length and bignesse of a man, hath beene seene as it were to depart from hir, and to ascend from that place. Neverthelesse, manie times the husband seeth Incubus making him cuckhold, in the likenesse of a man, and sometimes striketh off his head with his sword: but bicause the bodie is nothing but aire, it closeth togither againe: so as, although the goodwife be some times hurt thereby; yet she maketh him beleeve he is mad or possessed, & that he dooth he knoweth not what. For she hath more pleasure and delight (they say) with IncubusMal. Malef. that waie, than with anie mortall man: whereby you may perceive that spirits are palpable/

The fourth Chapter.77.

That the power of generation is both outwardlie and inwardlie impeached by witches, and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by witches, and by the same meanes againe restored.

THEY also affirme, that the vertue of generation is impeached by witches, both inwardlie, and outwardlie: for intrinsecallie they represse the courage, and they stop the passage of the mans seed, so as it may not descend to the vessels of generation: also they hurt extrinsecallie, with images, hearbs, &c. And to proove this true, you shall heare certeine stories out of M. Mal. worthie to be noted.

A yoong priest at MespurgeMal. Malef. cap. 6. quÆ. 1 pa. 2. in the diocesse of Constance was bewitched, so as he had no power to occupie any other or mo women than one; and to be delivered out of that thraldom, sought to flie into another countrie, where he might use that preestlie occupation more freelie. But all in vaine; for evermore he was brought as far backward by night, as he went forward in the daie before; sometimes by land, sometimes in the aire, as though he flew. And if this be not true, I am sure that James Sprenger dooth lie.

For the further confirmation of our beleefe in Incubus, M. Mal. citeth a storie of a notable matter executed at Ravenspurge, as true and as cleanlie/61. as the rest. A yoong man lieng with a wench in that towne (saith he) was faine to leave his instruments of venerie behind him, by meanes of that prestigious art of witchcraft: so as in that place nothing could be seene or felt but his plaine bodie. This yoong man was willed by another witch, to go to hir whom he suspected, and by faire or fowle meanes to require hir helpe: who soone after meeting with hir, intreated hir faire, but that was in vaine; and therefore he caught hir by the throte, and with a towell strangled hir, saieng: Restore me my/78. toole, or thou shalt die for it: so as she being swolne and blacke in the face, and through his boisterous handling readie to die, said; Let me go, and I will helpe thee. And whilest he was loosing the towell, she put hir hand into his codpeece, and touched the place; saieng; Now hast thou thy desire: and even at that instant he felt himselfe restored.

Item,Ja. Sprenger. in Mal. malef. par. 2. quÆ. 1. a reverend father, for his life, holinesse, and knowledge notorious, being a frier of the order and companie of Spire, reported, that a yoong man at shrift made lamentable moane unto him for the like losse: but his gravitie suffered him not to beleeve lightlie any such reports, and therefore made the yoong man untrusse his codpeece point, and sawe the complaint to be true and just. Whereupon he advised or rather injoined the youth to go to the witch whome he suspected, and with flattering words to intreat hir, to be so good unto him, as to restore him his instrument: which by that meanes he obteined, and soone after returned to shew himselfe thankfull; and told the holie father of his good successe in that behalfe: but he so beleeved him, as he would needs be Oculatus testis, and made him pull downe his breeches, and so was satisfied of the troth and certeintie thereof.

Another yoong man being in that verie taking,Mal. malef. cap. 7. par. 2. quÆst. 1. went to a witch for the restitution thereof, who brought him to a tree, where she shewed him a nest, and bad him clime up and take it. And being in the top of the tree, he tooke out a mightie great one, and shewed the same to hir, asking hir if he might not have the same. Naie (quoth she) that is our parish preests toole, but take anie other which thou wilt. And it is there affirmed, that some have found 20. and some 30. of them in one nest, being there preserved with provender, as it were at the racke and manger, with this note, wherein there is no contradiction (for all must be true that is written against witches) that Note.If a witch deprive one of his privities, it is done onlie by prestigious meanes, so as the senses are but illuded. Marie by the divell it is reallie taken awaie, and in like sort restored. These are no jestes, for they be written by them that were and are judges upon the lives and deaths of those persons/

The fift Chapter.62. 79.

Of bishop Sylvanus his leacherie opened and covered againe, how maides having yellow haire are most combred with Incubus, how maried men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to refuse their own.

YOU shall read in the legend,In vita Hieronym. how in the night time Incubus came to a ladies bed side, and made hot loove unto hir: whereat she being offended, cried out so lowd, that companie came and found him under hir bed in the likenesse of the holie bishop Sylvanus,Saincts as holie and chaste as horsses & mares. which holie man was much defamed therebie, untill at the length this infamie was purged by the confession of a divell made at S. Jeroms toombe. Oh excellent peece of witchcraft or cousening wrought by Sylvanus! Item, S. Christine would needes take unto hir another maides Incubus, and lie in hir roome: and the storie saith, that she was shrewdlie accloied. But she was a shrew indeed, that would needes change beds with hir fellow, that was troubled everie night with Incubus, and deale with him hir selfe. But here the inquisitors note maie not be forgotten, to wit: that Maides having yellow haireMaides having yellow haire. are most molested with this spirit. Also it is written in the Legend, of S. Barnard, that a pretie wench that had had the use of Incubus his bodie by the space of six or seven yeares in Aquitania (being beelike wearie of him for that he waxed old) would needes go to S. Barnard another while. But Incubus told hir, that if she would so forsake him, being so long hir true loover, he would be revenged upon hir, &c. But befall what would, she went to S. Barnard, who tooke hir his staffe, and bad her laie it in the bed besides hir. And indeed the divell fearing the bedstaffe, or that S. Barnard laie there himselfe, durst not approch into hir chamber that night: what he did afterwards, I am uncerteine. Marrie you may find other circumstances hereof, and manie other like bawdie lies in the golden Legend. But here againe we maie not forget the in/quisitors80. note,Mal. Malef. par. 2. quÆ. 2. cap. 2. to wit; that manie are so bewitched that they cannot use their owne wives: but anie other bodies they maie well enough away withall. Which witchcraft is practised among manie bad husbands, for whom it were a good excuse to saie they were bewitched.

The sixt Chapter.

How to procure the dissolving of bewitched love, also to enforce a man (how proper so ever he be) to love an old hag: and of a bawdie tricke of a priest in Gelderland.

THE priests saie, that the best cure for a woman thus molested, next to confession, is excommunication. But to procure the dissolving of bewitched and constrained love, the partie bewitched must make a jakes of the lovers shooe. And to enforce a man, how proper so ever he be, to love an old hag, she giveth unto him to eate (among other meates) hir owne doong: and this waie one old witch made three abbats of one house succes/sivelie63. to die for hir love as she hir selfe confessed, by the report of M. Mal. In GelderlandOf a bawdie priest in Gelderland. a priest persuaded a sicke woman that she was bewitched; and except he might sing a masse upon hir bellie, she could not be holpen. Whereunto she consented, and laie naked on the altar whilest he sang masse, to the satis- fieng of his lust; but not to the *release[* ? releafe.] of hir greefe. Other cures I will speake of in other places more civill. Howbeit, certeine miraculous cures, both full of bawderie and lies, must either have place here, or none at all/

The seventh Chapter.81.

Of divers saincts and holie persons, which were exceeding bawdie and lecherous, and by certeine miraculous meanes became chaste.

CASSIANUS In coll. patrum. writeth, that S. Syren being of bodie verie lecherous, and of mind woonderfull religious, fasted and praied; to the end his bodie might be reduced miraculouslie to chastitie. At length came an angell unto him by night, and cut out of his flesh certeine kernels, which were the sparkes of concupiscence; so as afterwards he never had anie more motions of the flesh. It is also reported, that the abbat EquiciusGregor. lib. 1. dial. 2. being naturallie as unchast as the other, fell to his beads so devoutlie for recoverie of honestie, that there came an angell unto him in an apparition, that seemed to geld him; and after that (forsooth) he was as chaste as though he had had never a stone in his breech; and before that time being a ruler over monkes, he became afterwards a governour over nunnes. Even as it is said HeliasIn vitis patrum. Heraclides in paradiso. the holie monke gathered thirtie virgins into a monasterie, over whom he ruled and reigned by the space of two yeares, and grew so proud and hot in the codpeece, that he was faine to forsake his holie house, and flie to a desert, where he fasted and praied two daies, saieng; Lord quench my hot lecherous humors, or kill me. Whereupon in the night following, there came unto him three angels, and demanded of him why he forsooke his charge: but the holie man was ashamed to tell them. Howbeit they asked him further, saieng; Wilt thou returne to these damsels, if we free thee from all concupiscence? Yea (quoth he) with all my heart. And when they had sworne him solemnelie so to doo, they tooke him up, & gelded him; and one of them holding his hands, and another his feete, the third cut out his stones. But the storie saith it was not so ended, but in a vision. Which I beleeve, because within five daies he returned to his minions, who pitiouslie moorned for him all 82.this/ while, and joyfullie embraced his sweete companie at his returne. The like storie dooth Nider write of Thomas, whome two angels cured of that lecherous diseNider in fornicario.ase; by putting about him a girdle, which they brought downe with them from heaven.

The eight Chapter.

Certeine popish and magicall cures, for them that are bewitched in their privities.

FOR direct cure to such as are bewitched in the privie members, the first and speciall is confession: then follow in a row, holie water, and/64. those ceremoniall trumperies, Ave Maries, and all maner of crossings; which are all said to be wholesome, except the witchcraft be perpetuall, and in that case the wife maie have a divorse of course.

Item,Aliter. the eating of a haggister or pie helpeth one bewitched in that member.

Item,Aliter. the smoke of the tooth of a dead man.

Item,Aliter. to annoint a mans bodie over with the gall of a crow.

Item, to fill a quill with quicke silver, and laie the same under the cushine, where such a one sitteth, or else to put it under the threshold of the doore of the house or chamber where he dwelleth.

Item,Aliter. to spet into your owne bosome, if you be so bewitched, is verie good.

Aliter.Item, to pisse through a wedding ring. If you would know who is hurt in his privities by witchcraft; and who otherwise is therein diseased, Hostiensis answereth: but so, as I am ashamed to english it: and therefore have here set downe his experiment in Latine; Quando virga nullatenÙs movetur, & nunquam potuit cognoscere; hoc est signum frigiditatis: sed quando movetur & erigitur, perficere autem non potest, est signum maleficii.

But Sir Th. MooreS. Thomas Moores, medicinable receipt, &c. hath such a cure in this matter, as I am ashamed to write, either in Latine or English: for in filthie bawderie it passeth all the tales that ever I heard. But that is/83. rather a medicine to procure generation, than the cure of witchcraft, though it serve both turnes.

Item,Aliter. when ones instrument of venerie is bewitched, certeine characters must be written in virgine parchment, celebrated and holied by a popish priest; and thereon also must the 141. Psalme be written, and bound Ad viri fascinati coxam.

Item,Aliter. one Katharine Loe (having a husband not so readilie disposed that waie as she wished him to be) made a waxen image to the likenes of hir husbands bewitched member, and offered it up at S. Anthonies altar; so as, through the holinesse of the masse it might be sanctified, to be more couragious, and of better disposition and abilitie, &c.

The ninth Chapter.

A strange cure doone to one that was molested with Incubus.

NOW being wearied with the rehearsall of so manie lecheries most horrible, and very filthie and fabulous actions and passions of witches, together with the spirit Incubus, I will end with a true storie taken out of Jason Pratensis,Jaso. Pratensis de cerebri morbo, ca. 16. which though it be rude, yet is it not altogither so uncleane as the rest.

There came (saith he) of late a masse priest unto me, making pitious moane, and saieng, that if I holpt him not, he should be undoone, and utterlie overthrowne; so great was his infirmitie: for (saith he) I was woont to be faire and fat, and of an excellent complexion; and lo how I looke, being now a verie ghost consisting of skinne and bone, &c. What is the matter (quoth Jason?) I will shew you sir, said the priest. There commeth unto mee, almost everie night, a certeine woman, unknowne unto me, and/65. lieth so heavie upon my brest, that I cannot fetch my breath, neither have anie power to crie, neither doo my hands serve me to shoove hir awaie, nor my feete to go from hir. I smiled (quoth Jason) and told him that he was vexed with a disease called In/cubus,84. or the mare; and the residue was phantasie and vaine imagination. Naie (said the priest)The priest is opinionative in the error of his phantasie. it cannot be so: for by our blessed ladie, I tell you nothing but that with waking I saw with mine eies, and felt with mine hands. I see hir when she commeth upon me, and strive to repell hir; but I am so infeebled that I cannot: and for remedie I have runne about from place to place, but no helpe that I could get. At length I went to an old frier that was counted an od fellow; and thought to have had help at his hands, but the divell a whit had I of him; saving that for remedie he willed me to praie to God; whome I am sure I wearied with my tedious praiers long before. Then went I unto an old woman (quoth the priest) who was said to be a cunning witch: and she willed me, that the next morning, about the dawning of the daie, I should pisse, and immediatlie should cover the pispot, or stop it with my right netherstocke, and before night the witch should come to visit me. And although (quoth he) the respect of mine orders somewhat terrified me from the execution of hir advise; yet my necessities diverse waies, and speciallie my paines moved me to make triall of hir words. And by the masse (quoth the priest) hir prophesie fell out as sure as a club. For a witch came to my house, and complained of a greefe in hir bladder, and that she could not pisse. But I could neither by faire nor fowle meanes obteine at hir hands, that she would leave molesting me by night; but she keepeth hir old custome, determining by these filthie meanes to dispatch me.The priest recovered. I could hardlie (saith Jason) reclaime him from this mad humor; but by that time he had beene with me three or foure times, he began to comfort himselfe, and at last perceiving it, he acknowledged his disease, and recovered the same/

The tenth Chapter.85.

A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus, which by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knaverie, wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is overthrowne.

THUS are lecheries covered with the cloke of Incubus and witchcraft, contrarie to nature and veritie: and with these fables is mainteined an opinion, that men have beene begotten without carnall copulation (as Hyperius and others write that MerlinMerlin begotten of Incubus. was, An. 440.) speciallie to excuse and mainteine the knaveries and lecheries of idle priests and bawdie monkes; and to cover the shame of their lovers and concubines.

And alas, when great learned men have beene so abused, with the imagination of Incubus his carnall societie with women, misconstruing the scriptures, to wit, the place in Genesis 6. to the seducing of manie others; it is the lesse woonder, that this error hath passed so generallie among the common people/66.

But to use few words herein, I hope you understand that they affirme and saie, that Incubus is a spirit; and I trust you know that a spirit hath no flesh nor bones, &c: and that he neither dooth eate nor drinke. In deede your grandams maides were woont to set a boll of milke before him and his cousine Robin good-fellow, for grinding of malt or mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight: and you have also heard that he would chafe exceedingly, if the maid or good-wife of the house, having compassion of his nakednes, laid anie clothes for him, beesides his messe of white bread and milke, which was his standing fee. For in that case he saith; What have we here? Hemton hamten, here will I never more tread nor stampen.

But to proceed in this confutation.Quia humor spermaticus ex succo alimentari provenit. Where there is no meate eaten, there can be no seed which thereof is ingendred: although it be granted, that Robin could both eate and drinke, as being a/86. cousening idle frier, or some such roge, that wanted nothing either belonging to lecherie or knaverie, &c. Item, where the genitall members want, there can be no lust of the flesh: neither dooth nature give anie desire of generation, where there is no propagation or succession required.

And as spirits cannot be greeved with hunger, so can they not be inflamed with lustes. And if men should live ever, what needed succession or heires? For that is but an ordinance of God, to supplie the place, the number, the world, the time, and speciallie to accomplish his will.Ad facultatem generandi tam interna quÀm externa organa requiruntur. But the power of generation consisteth not onlie in members, but chieflie of vitall spirits, and of the hart: which spirits are never in such a bodie as Incubus hath, being but a bodie assumed, as they themselves saie. And yet the most part of writers herein affirme, that it is a palpable and visible bodie; though all be phansies and fables that are written hereupon.

The eleventh Chapter.

That Incubus is a naturall disease, with remedies for the same, besides magicall cures herewithall expressed.

BUT in truth, this IncubusWhat Incubus is, & who be most troubled therwith. is a bodilie disease (as hath beene said) although it extend unto the trouble of the mind: which of some is called The mare, oppressing manie in their sleepe so sore, as they are not able to call for helpe, or stir themselves under the burthen of that heavie humor, which is ingendred of a thicke vapor proceeding from the cruditie and rawnesse in the stomach: which ascending up into the head oppresseth the braine, in so much as manie are much infeebled therebie, as being nightlie haunted therewith. They are most troubled with this disease, that being subject thereunto, lie right upward: so as, to turne and lie on the one side, is present remedie. Likewise, if anie heare the groning of the partie, speake unto him, so as he wake him, he is presentlie releeved. Howbeit, there are magicall cures for it, as for example/87.

Whereas S. George our ladies knight, was named three times S. George.

Item, hang a stone over the afflicted persons bed, which stone hath naturallie such a hole in it, as wherein a string may be put through it, and so be hanged over the diseased or bewitched partie; be it man, woman, or horsse.

Item, you shall read in M. Malefic.M. malefic. par. 2. quÆ. 2. cap. 1. col, 2. that excommunication is verie notable, and better than any charme for this purpose. There are also other verses and charmes for this disease devised, which is the common cloke for the ignorance of bad physicians. But Leonard Fuchsius Leon. Fuchsius de curandi ratione. in his first booke, and 31. chapter, dooth not onelie describe this disease, and the causes of it; but also setteth downe verie learnedlie the cure thereof, to the utter confusion of the witchmongers follie in this behalfe. Hyperius being much bewitched and blinded in this matter of witchcraft, hoovering about the interpretation of Genesis 6. from whence the opinion of Incubus and Succubus is extorted, Viderunt filii Dei filias hominum, quÒd elegantes essent, acceperunt sibi in uxores ex omnibus, quas elegerant, &c: seemeth to mainteine upon heare-saie, that absurd opinion; and yet in the end is driven to conclude thus, to wit: Of the evill spirits Incubus and Succubus there can be no firme reason or proofe brought out of scriptures, using these verie words; HÆc ut probabilia dicta sunto, quandoquidem scripturarum prÆsidio hac in causa destituimur. As if he should saie, Take this as spoken probablie; to wit, by humane reason, bicause we are destitute of scriptures to mainteine the goodnesse of the cause.

Tertullian and Sulpicius SeverusTertull. in libro de habitu muliebri.
Sulp. Sever. in epitome hist. sacr. doo interpret Filios Dei in that place to be angels, or evill spirits, and to have beene enamored with the beautie of those wenches; and finallie, begat giants by/88. them. Which is throughlie confuted by Chrysostome, Hom. 22. in Gen: but speciallie by the circumstance of the text.

The twelfe Chapter.

The censure of G. Chaucer, upon the knaverie of Incubus.

NOW will I (after all this long discourse of abhominable cloked knaveries) here conclude with certeine of G. Chaucers verses, who as he smelt out the absurdities of poperie, so found he the priests knaverie in this matter of Incubus, and (as the time would suffer him) he derided their follie and falshood in this wise: