The first Chapter.

Of the Hebrue word Ob, what it signifieth where it is found, of Pythonisses called VentriloquÆ, who they be, and what their practises are, experience and examples thereof shewed.

T HIS word Ob, is translated Pytho, or Pythonicus spiritus: Deutre. 18. Isaie. 19. 1. Sam. 28. 2. Reg. 23. &c: somtime, though unproperlie, Magus as 2. Sam. 33. But Ob signifieth most properlie a bottle, and is used in this place, bicause the Pythonists spake hollowe; as in the bottome of their bellies, whereby they are aptlie in Latine called Ventriloqui: of which sort was Elizabeth Barton, the holie maid of Kent,The holie maid of Kent a ventriloqua. &c. These are such as take upon them to give oracles, to tell where things lost are become, and finallie to appeach others of mischeefs, which they themselves most commonlie have brought to passe: whereby many times they overthrowe the good fame of honest women, and of such others of their neighbors, with whome they are displeased. For triall hereof, letting passe a hundred cousenages that I could recite at this time, I will begin with a true storie of a wench, practising hir diabolicall witchcraft, and ventriloquie An. 1574. at Westwell in Kent, within six miles where I dwell, taken and noted by twoo ministers and preachers of Gods word, foure substantiall yeomen, and three women of good fame & reputation, whose names are after written/

127.Mildred,An. Domi. 1574. Octob. 13. the base daughter of Alice Norrington, and now servant to William Sponer of Westwell in the countie of Kent, being of the age of seventeene yeares, was possessed with sathan in the night and daie aforesaid. Confer this storie with the woman of Endor, 1. Sam. 28. and see whether the same might not be accomplished by this devise.About two of the clocke in the afternoone of the same day, there came to the same Sponers house Roger Newman minister of Westwell, John Brainford minister of Kenington, with others, whose names are underwritten, who made their praiers unto God, to assist them in that needfull case; and then commanded sathan in the name of the eternall God, and of his sonne Jesus Christ, to speake with such a voice as they might understand, and to declare from whence he came. But he would not speake, but rored and cried mightilie. And though we did command him manie times, in the name of God, and of his sonne Jesus Christ, and in his mightie power to speake; yet he would not: untill he had gon through all his delaies, as roring, crieng, striving, and gnashing of teeth; and otherwhile with mowing, and other terrible countenances, and was so strong in the maid, that foure men could scarse hold hir downe. And this continued by the space almost of two houres. So sometimes we charged him earnestlie to speake; and againe praieng unto GOD that he would assist us, at the last he spake, but verie strangelie; and that was thus; He comes, he comes: and that oftentimes he repeated; and He goes, he goes. And then we/95. charged him to tell us who sent him. And he said; I laie in her waie like a log, and I made hir runne like fier, but I could not hurt hir. And whie so, said we? Bicause God kept hir, said he. When camest thou to her, said we? To night in her bed, said he. Then we charged him as before, to tell what he was, and who sent him, and what his name was. At the first he said, The divell, the divell. Then we charged him as before. Then he rored and cried as before, and spake terrible words; I will kill hir, I will kill hir; I will teare hir in peeces, I will teare hir in peeces. We said, Thou shalt not hurt hir. He said, I will kill you all. We said, Thou shalt hurt none of us all. Then we charged him as before. Then he said, You will give me no rest. Wee said, Thou shalt have none here, for thou must have no rest within the servants of God: but tell us in the name of God what thou art, and who sent thee. Then he said he would teare hir in peeces. We said, Thou shalt not hurt hir. Then/128. he said againe he would kill us all. We said againe, Thou shalt hurt none of us all, for we are the servants of God. And we charged him as before. And he said againe, Will you give me no rest? We said, Thou shalt have none here, neither shalt thou rest in hir, for thou hast no right in hir, sith Jesus Christ hath redeemed hir with his bloud, and she belongeth to him; and therefore tell us thy name, and who sent thee? He said his name was sathan. We said, Who sent thee? He said, Old Alice, old Alice. Which old Alice, said we? Old Alice, said he. Where dwelleth she, said we? In Westwell streete, said he. We said, How long hast thou beene with hir? These twentie yeares, said he. We asked him where she did keepe him? In two bottels, said he. Where be they, said we? In the backside of hir house, said he. In what place, said we? Under the wall, said he. Where is the other? In Kenington. In what place, said we? In the ground, said he. Then we asked him, what she did give him. He said, hir will, hir will. What did shee bid thee doo, said we? He said, Kill hir maid. Wherefore did she bid thee kill hir, said we? Bicause she did not love hir, said he. We said; How long is it ago, since she sent thee to hir? More than a yeare, said he. Where was that, said we? At hir masters, said he. Which masters, said we? At hir master Brainfords at Kenington, said he. How oft wert thou there, said we? Manie times, said he. Where first, said we? In the garden, said he: Where the second time? In the hall: Where the third time? In hir bed: Where the fourth time? In the field: Where the fift time? In the court: Where the sixt time? In the water, where I cast hir into the mote: Where the seventh time. In hir bed. We asked him againe, where else? He said, in Westwell. Where there, said we? In the vicarige, said he. Where there? In the loft. How camest thou to hir, said we? In the likenesse of two birds, said he. Who sent thee to that place, said we? Old Alice, said he. What other spirits were with thee there, said we? My servant, said he. What is his name, said we? He said, little divell. What is thy name, said we? Sathan, said he. What dooth old Alice call thee, said we? Partener, said he. What dooth she give thee, said we? Hir will, said he. How manie hast thou killed for hir, said we? Three, said he. Who are they, said we? A man and his child, said/96.[Mispr. 99] he. What were their names, said we? The childs name was/129. Edward, said he: what more than Edward, said we? Edward Ager, said he. What was the mans name, said we? Richard, said he. What more, said we? Richard Ager, said he. Where dwelt the man and the child, said we? At Dig at Dig, said he. This Richard Ager of Dig, was a Gentleman of xl. pounds land by the yeare, a verie honest man, but would often saie he was bewitched, and languished long before he died. Whom else hast thou killed for hir, said we? Woltons wife said he. Where did she dwell? In Westwell said he. What else hast thou doone for hir said we? What she would have me, said he. What is that said we? To fetch hir meat, drinke, and corne, said he. Where hadst thou it, said we? In everie house, said he. Name the houses, said we? At Petmans, at Farmes, at Millens, at Fullers, and in everie house. After this we commanded sathan in the name of Jesus Christ to depart from hir, and never to trouble hir anie more, nor anie man else. Then he said he would go, he would go: but he went not. Then we commanded him as before with some more words. Then he said, I go, I go; and so he departed. Then said the maid, He is gone, Lord have mercie upon me, for he would have killed me. And then we kneeled downe and gave God thanks with the maiden; praieng that God would keepe hir from sathans power, and assist hir with his grace. And noting this in a peece of paper, we departed. Sathans voice did differ much from the maids voice, and all that he spake, was in his owne name. Subscribed thus:

Witnesses to this, that heard and*[* Rom.]
sawe this whole matter, as followeth:

The second Chapter.130.

How the lewd practise of the Pythonist of Westwell came to light, and by whome she was examined; and that all hir diabolicall speach was but ventriloquie and plaine cousenage, which is prooved by hir owne confession.

IT is written, that in the latter daies there shalbe shewed strange illusions, &c:Matt. 24, 44. 2.
Thes. 2, 9. in so much as (if it were possible) the verie elect shal/be97. deceived: howbeit, S. Paule saith, they shalbe lieng and false woonders. Neverthelesse, this sentence, and such like, have beene often laid in my dish, and are urged by diverse writers, to approve the miraculous working of witches, whereof I will treat more largelie in another place. Howbeit, by the waie I must confesse, that I take that sentence to be spoken of Antichrist, to wit: the pope, who miraculouslie, contrarie to nature, philosophie, and all divinitie, being of birth and calling base, in learning grosse; in valure, beautie, or activitie most commonlie a verie lubber, hath placed himselfe in the most loftie and delicate seate, putting almost all christian princes heads, not onelie under his girdle, but under his foote, &c.

Surelie, the tragedie of this Pythonist is not inferior to a thousand stories, which will hardlie be blotted out of the memorie and credit either of the common people, or else of the learned. How hardlie will this storie suffer discredit, having testimonie of such authoritie? How could mother Alice escape condemnation and hanging, being arreigned upon this evidence; when a poore woman hath beene cast away, upon a cousening oracle, or rather a false lie, devised by Feats the juggler, through the malicious instigation of some of hir adversaries?

But how cunninglieThe ventriloqua of Westwell discovered. soever this last cited certificat be penned, or what shew soever it carrieth of truth and plaine dealing, there may be found conteined therein matter enough to detect the cousening knaverie therof. And yet diverse have been deepelie deceived there with, and can hardlie be removed from the cre/dit131. thereof, and without great disdaine cannot endure to heare the reproofe thereof. And know you this by the waie, that heretofore Robin goodfellow, and Hob gobblin were as terrible, and also as credible to the people, as hags and witches be now: and in time to come, a witch will be as much derided and contemned, and as plainlie perceived, as the illusion and knaverie of Robin goodfellow. And in truth, they that mainteine walking spirits, with their transformation, &c: have no reason to denie Robin goodfellow, upon whom there hath gone as manie and as credible tales, as upon witches; saving that it hath not pleased the translators of the Bible, to call spirits by the name of Robin goodfellow, as they have termed divinors, soothsaiers, poisoners, and couseners by the name of witches.

But to make short worke with the confutation of this bastardlie queanes enterprise, & cousenage; you shall understand, that upon the brute of hir divinitie and miraculous transes, she was convented before M. Thomas Wotton of Bocton Malherbe, a man of great worship and wisedome, and for deciding and ordering of matters in this commonwealth, of rare and singular dexteritie; through whose discreet handling of the matter, with the assistance & aid of M. George DarrellThe Pythonist of west-well convicted by hir owne confession. esquire, being also a right good and discreet Justice of the same limit, the fraud was found, the coosenage confessed, and she received condigne punishment. Neither was hir confession woone, according to the forme of the Spanish inquisition; to wit, through extremitie of tortures, nor yet by guile or flatterie, nor by presumptions; but through wise and perfect triall of everie circumstance the illusion was manifestlie disclosed: not so (I say) as/98. witches are commonlie convinced and condemned; to wit, through malicious accusations, by ghesses, presumptions, and extorted confessions, contrarie to sense and possibilitie, and for such actions as they can shew no triall nor example before the wise, either by direct or indirect meanes; but after due triall she shewed hir feats, illusions, and transes, with the residue of all hir miraculous works, in the presence of divers gentlemen and gentlewomen of great worship and credit, at Bocton Malherbe, in the house of the aforesaid M. Wotton. Now compare this wench with the witch of Endor, & you shall see that both the cousenages may be doone by one art/

The third Chapter.132.

Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of Endor, with a true storie of a counterfeit Dutchman.

UPON the like tales dooth BodinJ. Bodin. lib. de dÆmon. 3. cap. 2. build his doctrine, calling them Atheists that will not beleeve him, adding to this kind of witchcraft, the miraculous works of diverse maidens, that would spue pins, clowts, &c: as one Agnes Brigs, and Rachell Pinder of London did, till the miracles were detected, and they set to open penance. Others he citeth of that sort, the which were bound by divels with garters, or some such like stuffe to posts, &c: with knots that could not be undone, which is an Aegyptians juggling or cousening feat. And of such foolish lies joined with bawdie tales, his whole booke consisteth: wherein I warrant you there are no fewer than twoo hundreth fables, and as manie impossibilities. And as these two wenches, with the maiden of Westwell, were detected of cousenage; so likewise a Dutchman at Maidstone long after he had accomplished such knaveries, to the astonishment of a great number of good men, was revealed to be a cousening knave; although his miracles were imprinted and published at London: anno 1572. with this title before the booke, as followeth.

¶ A verie wonderfull and strange mi-
racle of God, shewed upon a Dutchman of the age of
23. yeares, which was possessed of ten di-
vels, and was by Gods mightie providence dis-
possessed of them againe, the 27.
of Januarie last past, 1572.

UNTO this the Maior of Maidstone, with diverse of his brethren subscribed, chieflie by the persuasion/133. of Nicasius Vander Schuere, the mi/nister99. of the Dutch church there, John Stikelbow, whome (as it is there said) God made the instrument to cast out the divels, and foure other credible persons of the Dutch church. The historie is so strange, & so cunninglie performed, that had not his knaverie afterwards brought him into suspicion, he should have gone awaie unsuspected of this fraud. A great manie other such miracles have beene latelie printed, whereof diverse have beene bewraied: all the residue doubtles, if triall had beene made, would have beene found like unto these. But some are more finelie handled than othersome. Some have more advantage by the simplicitie of the audience, some by the majestie and countenance of the confederates; as namelie, that cousening of the holie maid of Kent. Some escape utterlie unsuspected, some are prevented by death; so as that waie their examination is untaken. Some are weakelie examined: but the most part are so reverenced, as they which suspect them, are rather called to their answers, than the others.

The fourth Chapter.

Of the great oracle of Apollo the Pythonist, and how men of all sorts have been deceived, and that even the apostles have mistaken the nature of spirits, with an unanswerable argument, that spirits can take no shapes.

WITH this kind of witchcraft, ApolloThe amphibologies of oracles. and his oracles abused and cousened the whole world: which idoll was so famous, that I need not stand long in the description thereof. The princes and monarchs of the earth reposed no small confidence therein: the preests, which lived thereupon, were so cunning, as they also overtooke almost all the godlie and learned men of that age, partlie with their doubtfull answers; as that which was made unto Pyrrhus, in these words, Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse, and to Croesus his ambassadours in these words, Si Croesus arma Persis inferat, magnum imperium evertat; and otherwise thus, Croesus Halin/ penetrans, magnam subvertet opum vim:134. or thus, Croesus perdet Halin, trangressus plurima regna, &c: partlie through confederacie, whereby they knew mens errands yer they came, and partlie by cunning, as promising victorie upon the sacrificing of some person of such account, as victorie should rather be neglected, than the murther accomplished. And if it were,The subtiltie of oracles. yet should there be such conditions annexed thereunto, as alwaies remained unto them a starting hole, and matter enough to cavill upon; as that the partie sacrificed must be a virgin, no bastard, &c. Furthermore, of two things onelie proposed, and where yea or naie onelie dooth answer the question, it is an even laie, that an idiot shall conjecture right. So as, if things fell out contrarie, the fault was alwaies in the interpretor, and not in the oracle or the prophet. But what mervell, (I saie) though the multitude and common people have beene abused herein; since lawiers, philosophers, physicians, astronomers, divines, generall councels, and princes have with great negligence and ignorance been deceived and seduced hereby, as swallowing up and de/vouring100. an inveterate opinion, received of their elders, without due examination of the circumstance?

Howbeit, the godlie and learned fathers (as it appeereth) have alwaies had a speciall care and respect, that they attributed not unto God such divelish devises; but referred them to him, who indeed is the inventer and author thereof, though not the personall executioner, in maner and forme as they supposed: so as the matter of faith was not thereby by them impeached. But who can assure himselfe not to be deceived in matters concerning spirits, John. 20, 9.when the apostles themselves were so far from knowing them, as even after the resurrection of Christ, having heard him preach and expound the scriptures, all his life time, they shewed themselves not onelie ignorant therein, but also to have misconceived thereof? Did not the apostle Thomas thinke that Christ himselfe had beene a spirit; until Christ told him plainelie, that a spirit was no such creature, as had flesh and bones, the which (he said) Thomas might see to be in him? And for the further certifieng and satisfieng of his mind, he commended unto him his hands to be seene, and his sides to be felt. Thomas, if the answer be true that some make hereunto, to wit: that spirits take formes and/135. shapes of bodies at their pleasure, might have answered Christ, and remaining unsatisfied might have said; Oh sir, what do you tell me that spirits have no flesh and bones? Why they can take shapes and formes, and so perchance have you doone. Which argument all the witchmongers in the world shall never be able to answere.

Some of them that mainteine the creation, the transformation, the transportation, and transubstantiation of witches, object that spirits are not palpable, though visible, and answer the place by me before cited: so as the feeling and not the seeing should satisfie Thomas. But he that shall well weigh the text and the circumstances thereof, shall perceive, that the fault of Thomas his incredulitie was secondlie bewraied, and condemned, in that he would not trust his owne eies, nor the view taken by his fellow apostles, who might have beene thought too credulous in this case, if spirits could take shapes at their pleasure. Jesus saith to him;John. 20, 29. Bicause thou hast seene (and not, bicause thou hast felt) thou beleevest. Item he saith; Blessed are they that beleeve and see not (and not, they that beleeve and feele not.) Whereby he noteth that our corporall eies may discerne betwixt a spirit and a naturall bodie; reprooving him, bicause he so much relied upon his externall senses, in cases where faith should have prevailed; & here, in a matter of faith revealed in the word, would not credit the miracle which was exhibited unto him in most naturall and sensible sort.

Howbeit, ErastusErast. fol. 62. saith, and so dooth Hyperius, Hemingius, DanÆus, M. Mal. Bodin, &c. that evill spirits eate, drinke, and keepe companie with men, and that they can take palpable formes of bodies, producing examples thereof, to wit: Spectrum Germanicum seu Augustanum, and the angell whose feet Lot washed; as though bicause God can indue his messengers with bodies at his pleasure, therefore the divell and everie spirit can doo the like. How the eleven apostles were in this case deceived, appeareth in Luke. 24.Luk. 24, 37
Mark. 16, 14.
Mat. 14, 16. and in Mark. 16. as also in Matth. 14. where the apostles and/101. disciples were all deceived, taking Christ to be a spirit, when he walked on the sea. And why might they not be deceived herein, as well as in that they thought Christ had spoken of a temporall kingdome, when he preachedMatth. 20. of the kingdome of hea/ven?136. Which thing they also much misconceived; as likewise when he did bid themMatt. 16, 11. beware of the leven of the Pharisies, they understood that he spake of materiall bread.

The fift Chapter.

Why Apollo was called Pytho whereof those witches were called Pythonists: Gregorie his letter to the divell.

BUT to returne to our oracle of Apollo at Delphos, who was called Pytho, for that Apollo slue a serpent so called, whereof the Pythonists take their name: I praie you consider well of this tale, which I will trulie rehearse out of the ecclesiasticall historie, written by Eusebius,Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 25. wherein you shall see the absurditie of the opinion, the cousenage of these oraclers, and the deceived mind or vaine opinion of so great a doctor bewraied and deciphered altogither as followeth.

Gregorie NeocÆsariensis in his jornie and waie to passe over the Alpes, came to the temple of Apollo: where Apollos priest living richlie upon the revenues and benefit proceeding from that idoll, did give great intertainement unto Gregorie, and made him good cheare. But after Gregorie was gone, Apollo waxed dumbe, so as the priests gaines decaied: for the idoll growing into contempt, the pilgrimage ceased. The spirit taking compassion upon the priests case, and upon his greefe of mind in this behalfe, appeared unto him, and told him flatlie, that his late ghest Gregorie was the cause of all his miserie. For (saith the divell) he hath banished me, so that I cannot returne without a speciall licence or pasport from him. It was no need to bid the priest make hast, for immediatlie he tooke post horsses, and galloped after Gregorie, till at length he overtooke him, and then expostulated with him for this discourtesie profered in recompense of his good cheare; and said, that if he would not be so good unto him, as to write his letter to the divell in his behalfe, he should be utterlie/137. undone. To be short, his importunitie was such, that he obtained Gregorie his letter to the divell, who wrote unto him in maner and forme following, word for word: Permitto tibi redire in locum tuum, & agere quÆ consuevisti; which is in English; I am content thou returne into thy place, and doo as thou wast woont. Immediatlie upon the receipt of this letter, the idoll spake as before. And here is to be noted, that as well in this, as in theNote the cousenage of oracles. execution of all their other oracles and cousenages, the answers were never given Ex tempore, or in that daie wherein the question was demanded, because forsooth they expected a vision (as they said) to be given the night following, whereby the cousenage might the more easilie be wrought/

The sixt Chapter.102.

Apollo, who was called Pytho, compared to the Rood of grace: Gregories letter to the divell confuted.

WHAT need manie words to confute this fable? For if Gregorie had beene an honest man, he would never have willinglie permitted, that the people should have beene further cousened with such a lieng spirit: or if he had beene halfe so holie as Eusebius maketh him, he would not have consented or yeelded to so lewd a request of the priest, nor have written such an impious letter, no not though good might have come thereof. And therefore as well by the impossibilitie and follie conteined therein, as of the impietie (whereof I dare excuse Gregorie) you maie perceive it to be a lie. Me thinks they which still mainteine that the divell made answer in the idoll of Apollo, &c: maie have sufficient persuasion to revoke their erronious opinions: in that it appeareth in record, that such men as were skilfull in augurie, did take upon them to give oracles at Delphos, in the place of Apollo: of which number Tisanius the sonne of AntiochusZach. 10. was one. But vaine is the answer of idols. Our Rood of grace, with the helpe of little S. Rumball, was not inferior to the idoll of Apollo:138. for these could / not onlie worke externall miracles, but manifest the internall thoughts of the hart, I beleeve with more livelie shew, both of humanitie and also of divinitie, than the other. As if you read M. LambertsW. Lambert in titulo Boxley. booke of the perambulation of Kent, it shall partlie appeare. But if you talke with them that have beene beholders thereof, you will be satisfied herein. And yet in the blind time of poperie, no man might (under paine of damnation) nor without danger of death, suspect the fraud. Naie, what papists will yet confesse they were idols, though the wiers that made their eies gogle, the pins that fastened them to the postes to make them seeme heavie, were seene and burnt together with the images themselves, the knaverie of the priests bewraied, and everie circumstance thereof detected and manifested?

The seventh Chapter.

How diverse great clarkes and good authors have beene abused in this matter of spirits through false reports, and by meanes of their credulitie have published lies, which are confuted by Aristotle and the scriptures.

PLUTARCH, Livie, and Valerius Maximus, with manie other grave authors, being abused with false reports, write that in times past beasts spake, and that images could have spoken and wept, and did let fall drops of blood, yea and could walk from place to place: which they/103. saie was doone by procuration of spirits. But I rather thinke with Aristotle, that it was brought to passe Hominum & sacerdotum deceptionibus, to wit: by the cousening art of craftie knaves and priests. And therefore let us follow EsaiesEsai. 8, 19. advise, who saith; When they shall saie unto you, Enquire of them that have a spirit of divination, and at the soothsaiers, which whisper and mumble in your eares to deceive you, &c: enquire at your owne God, &c. And so let us doo. And here you see they are such as runne into corners, and cousen the people with lies, &c. For if they could doo as they saie, they could not aptlie be called liers,/139 neither need they go into corners to whisper, &c.

The eight Chapter.

Of the witch of Endor, and whether she accomplished the raising of Samuel truelie, or by deceipt: the opinion of some divines hereupon.

THE woman of Endor is comprised under this word Ob: for she is called Pythonissa. It is written in 2. Sam. cap. 28.2. Sam. 28. that she raised up Samuel from death, and the other words of the text are stronglie placed, to inforce his verie resurrection. The mind and opinion of Jesus Syrach evidentlie appeareth to be, that Samuel in person was raised out from his grave, as if you read Eccl. 46. 19, 20. you shall plainlie perceive. Howbeit he disputeth not there, whether the storie be true or false, but onlie citeth certaine verses of the 1. booke of Samuel cap. 18. simplie, according to the letter, persuading maners and the imitation of our vertuous predecessors, and repeating the examples of diverse excellent men; namelie of Samuel: even as the text it selfe urgeth the matter, according to the deceived mind and imagination of Saule, and his servants. And therefore in truth, Sirach spake there according to the opinion of Saule, which so supposed, otherwise it is neither heresie nor treason to saie he was deceived.

He that weigheth well that place, and looketh into it advisedlie, shall see that Samuel was not raised from the dead; but that it was an illusion or cousenage practised by the witch.Sap 3.
Ps. 92. & 97.
Chrysost. homilia. 21. in Matth. For the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God: according to that which Chrysostome saith; Soules are in a certeine place expecting judgement, and cannot remove from thence. Neither is it Gods will, that the living should be taught by the dead. Which things are confirmed and approved by the example of LazarusLuke. 16. and Dives: where it appeareth according to Deut. 18. that he will not have the living taught by the dead, but will have us sticke to his word, wherein his will and testament is declared. In deed/140. Lyra and Dionysius incline greatlie to the letter. And Lyra saith, that as when Balaam would have raised a divell, God interposed himselfe: so did he in this case bring up Samuell, when the witch would have raised hir divell. Which is a probable interpretation. But yet they dare not stand to that opinion, least they should impeachAugust. lib. quÆ. vet. et novi testam. quÆst. 27.
Item, part. 2. cap. 26.
Item, quÆ. 5. nec mirum ad Simplician. lib. 2. 93 ad Dulcitium. quÆ. 6.
Item. lib. 2. de doct. chri. S. Augustines credit, who (they confesse) remained in judgement and opinion (without contradiction of the church)/104. that Samuell was not raised. For he saith directlie, that Samuell himselfe was not called up. And indeed, if he were raised, it was either willinglie, or perforce: if it were willinglie, his sinne had beene equall with the witches.

And Peter Martyr (me thinks) saith more to the purpose, in these words, to wit: This must have beene doone by Gods good will, or perforce of art magicke: it could not be doone by his good will, bicause he forbad it; nor by art, bicause witches have no power over the godlie. Where it is answered by some, that the commandement was onlie to prohibit theDeut. 18,
Exodus. 20. Jewes to aske counsell of the dead, and so no fault in Samuell to give counsell. We may as well excuse our neighbours wife, for consenting to our filthie desires, bicause it is onlie written in the decalog; Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife. But indeed Samuell was directlie forbidden to answer Saule before he died: and therefore it was not likelie that God would appoint him, when he was dead, to doo it.

The ninth Chapter.

That Samuel was not raised indeed, and how Bodin and all papists dote herein, and that soules cannot be raised by witchcraft.

FURTHERMORE, it is not likelie that God would answer Saule by dead Samuell, when he would not answer him by living Samuell: and most unlikelie of all, that God would answer him by a divell, that denied to doo it by a prophet. That he was not brought up perforce, the whole course of the scripture witnesseth, and/141. prooveth; as also our owne reason may give us to understand. For what quiet rest could the soules of the elect enjoy or possesse in Abrahams bosome, if they were to be plucked from thence at a witches call and commandement? But so should the divell have power in heaven, where he is unworthie to have anie place himselfe, and therefore unmeete to command others.

Manie other of the fathers are flatlie against the raising up of Samuell: namelie, Tertullian in his booke De anima, Justine Martyr In explicatione, quÆ. 25. Rabanus In epistolis ad Bonas. Abat, Origen In historia de Bileamo, &c. Some other dote exceedinglie herein, as namelie Bodin, and all the papists in generall: also Rabbi Sedias Haias, & also all the Hebrues, saving R. David Kimhi, which is the best writer of all the Rabbins: though never a good of them all. But Bodin,J. Bod. lib. de dÆm. 2. cap. 3. in maintenance therof, falleth into manie absurdities, prooving by the small faults that Saule had committed, that he was an elect: for the greatest matter (saith he) laid unto his charge, is the reserving of the Amalekits1. Samu. 28. cattell, &c. He was an elect, &c: confirming his opinion with manie ridiculous fables, & with this argument, to wit: His fault was too little to deserve damnation; for Paule1. Cor. 5. would not have the incestuous man punished too sore, that his soule might be saved. Justine MartyrJ. Martyr in colloquio cum Triphone JudÆo. in another place was not onlie deceived in the actuall raising up of Samuels soule, but affirmed that all the soules of the prophets and just men are subject to the power of witches/105. And yet were the Heathen much more fond herein, who (as LactantiusLact. lib. 7. cap. 13. affirmeth) boasted that they could call up the soules of the dead, and yet did thinke that their soules died with their bodies. Whereby is to be seene, how alwaies the world hath beene abused in the matters of witchcraft & conjuration. The Necromancers affirme, that the spirit of anie man may be called up, or recalled (as they terme it) before one yeare be past after their departure from the bodie. Which C. Agrippa in his booke De occulta philosophia saith, may be doone by certeine naturall forces and bonds. And therefore corpses in times past were accompanied and watched with lights, sprinkled with holie water, perfumed with incense, and purged with praier all the while they were above ground: otherwise the serpent (as the Maisters of the Hebrues saie) would devoure them, as the food appointed to him by God: Gen. 3. alled/ging142. also this place; We shall not all sleepe, but we shall be changed, bicause manie shall remaine for perpetuall meate to the serpent: whereupon riseth the contention betweene him and Michaell,Jud. vers. 9. concerning the bodie of Moses; wherein scripture is alledged. I confesse that Augustine, and the residue of the doctors, that denie the raising of Samuell, conclude, that the divell was fetcht up in his likenesse: from whose opinions (with reverence) I hope I may dissent.

The tenth Chapter.

That neither the divell nor Samuell was raised, but that it was a meere cousenage, according to the guise of our Pythonists.

AGAINE, if the divell appeared, and not Samuell: whie is it said in Eccle. that he slept? for the divell neither sleepeth nor dieth. But in truth we may gather, that it was neither the divell in person, nor Samuell: but a circumstance is here described, according to the deceived opinion and imagination of Saule. Howbeit Augustine saith, that both these sides may easilie be defended. But we shall not need to fetch an exposition so farre off: for indeed (me thinkes) it is LongÈ petita; nor to descend so lowe as hell, to fetch up a divell to expound this place. For it is ridiculous (as PompanaciusPompanacius lib. de incant. cap. 2. saith) to leave manifest things, and such as by naturall reason may be prooved, to seeke unknowne things, which by no likeliehood can be conceived, nor tried by anie rule of reason. But in so much as we have libertie by S. Augustines rule, in such places of scripture as seeme to conteine either contrarietie or absurditie, to varie from the letter, and to make a godlie construction agreeable to the word; let us confesse that Samuell was not raised (for that were repugnant to the word) and see whether this illusion may not be contrived by the art and cunning of the woman, without anie of these supernaturall devices: for I could cite a hundred papisticall and cousening practises, as/143. difficult as this, and as cleanlie handled. And it is to be surelie thought, if it had beene a divell, the text would have noted it in some place of the storie: as it dooth not. But Bodin helpeth me exceedinglie in this point, wherein he for/saketh106. (he saith) Augustine, Tertullian, and D. Kimhi himselfe, who saie it was the divell that was raised up: which (saith Bodin)J. Bod. lib. de dÆm. 2. cap. 3. could not be; for that in the same communication betweene Saule and Samuell, the name of Jehovah is five times repeated, of which name the divell cannot abide the hearing.

The eleventh Chapter.

The objection of the witchmongers concerning this place fullie answered, and what circumstances are to be considered for the understanding of this storie, which is plainelie opened from the beginning of the 28. chap. of the 1. Samuel, to the 12. verse.

WHERE such a supernaturall miracle is wrought, no doubt it is a testimonie of truth; as Peter MartyrP. Martyr in comment. in Sam. 28. verse. 9. affirmeth. And in this case it should have beene a witnesse of lies: for (saith he) a matter of such weight cannot be attributed unto the divell, but it is the mightie power of God that dooth accomplish it. And if it laie in a witches power to call up a divell, yet it lieth not in a witches power to worke such miracles:Isai. 42.
1. Sam. 28. for God will not give his power and glorie to anie creature. To understand this place, we must diligentlie examine the circumstance thereof. It was well knowne that Saule, before he resorted to the witch, was in despaire of the mercies and goodnes of God; partlie for that Samuell told him long before, that he should be overthrowne, and David should have his place; and partlie bicause God before had refused to answer him, either by Samuell when he lived, or by anie other prophet, or by Urim or Thumim, &c. And if you desire to see this matter discussed, turne to the first of Samuell, the 28. chapter, and conferre my words therewith/

144.Saule seeing the host of the Philistines come upon him (which thing could not be unknown to all the people) fainted, bicause he sawe their strength, and his owne weaknesse, and speciallie that he was forsaken: so as being now straught of mind, desperate, and a verie foole, he goeth1. Sam. 28, 7. to certeine of his servants, that sawe in what taking he was, and asked them for a woman that had a familiar spirit, and they told him by and by that there dwelt one at Endor. By the waie you shall understand, that both Saule and his servants ment such a one as could by hir spirit raise up Samuell, or any other that was dead and buried. Wherein you see they were deceived, though it were true, that she tooke upon hir so to doo. To what use then served hir familiar spirit, which you conceive she had, bicause Saules servants said so? Surelie, as they were deceived and abused in part, so doubtlesse were they in the rest. For to what purposeS. Cicilies familiar. (I saie) should hir familiar serve, if not for such intents as they reported, and she undertooke? I thinke you will grant that Saules men never sawe hir familiar: for I never heard any yet of credit saie, that he was so much in the witches favour, as to see hir divell; although indeed we read among the popish trumperie, that S. Cicilie had an angell to hir familiar, and that she could shew him to whom she would, and that she might aske and have what she or hir/107. friend list: as appeareth in the lesson read in the popish church on saint Cicilies daie. Well, I perceive the woman of Endors spirit was a counterfeit, and kept belike in hir closet at Endor, or in the bottle, with mother Alices divell at Westwell, and are now bewraied and fled togither to Limbo patrum, &c. And though Saule were bewitched and blinded in the matter; yet doubtlesse a wise man wold have perchance espied her knaverie. Me thinks Saule was brought to this witch, much after the maner that doctor Burcot was brought to Feats,D. Burcot. Feats. who sold maister Doctor a familiar, wherby he thought to have wrought miracles, or rather to have gained good store of monie. This fellowe by the name of Feats was a jugler, by the name of Hilles a witch or conjurer, everie waie a cousener: his qualities and feats were to me and manie other well knowne and detected. And yet the opinion conceived of him was most strange and woonderfull; even with such and in such cases, as it greeveth me to thinke of; speciallie bicause his knaverie and cou/senage145. reached to the shedding of innocent bloud. But now forsooth Saule1. Sam. 28, 8 covereth himselfe with a net; and bicause he would not be knowne, he put on other garments. But to bring that matter to passe, he must have beene cut shorter1. Sa 10, 23. by the head and shoulders, for by so much he was higher than any of the people. And therfore whatsoever face the craftie quene did set upon it, she knew him well enough. And for further proofe thereof, you may understand, that the princes of the Jewes were much conversant with the people. And it appeereth manifestlie, that SauleIbidem. dwelt verie neere to Endor, so as she should the rather knowe him; for in the evening he went from his lodging unto hir house: neither should it seeme that she was gone to bed when he came. But bicause that may be uncerteine, you may see in the processe of the text, that in a peece of the night he went from his house to hirs, and with much adoo intreated her to consent to his request. She finished hir conjuration, so as both Saules part, the witches part, and also Samuels part was plaied: and after the solemnization therof, a calfe was killed, a batch of bread baked, and a supper made readie and eaten up; and after all this, he went home the same night: and had need so to doo, for he had some businesse the next daie. By these and manie other circumstances it may bee gathered, that she dissembled, in saieng she knew him not, and consequentlie counterfaited, and made a foole of him in all the rest.

It appeereth there, that he,Ibidem. with a couple of his men, went to hir by night, and said; Conjecture unto me by thy familiar spirit, and bring me up whom I shall name unto thee. The godlie learned knowe that this was not in the power of the witch of Endor, but in the God of heaven onelie to accomplish. Howbeit, Saule was bewitched so to suppose: and yet is he more simple that will be overtaken with the devises of our old witches, which are produced to resemble hir. And why should we thinke, that GOD would rather permit the witch to raise Samuel, than that Dives could obteine Lazarus to come out of Abrahams bosome, upon more likelie and more reasonable conditions? Well now dooth this strumpet (according to the guise of our cousening witches and conjurers) make the matter strange unto Saule,1 Sam. 28, 9. saieng that he came to take hir in a snare, &c/108. But witches seldome make/146. this objection, saving when they mistrust that he which commeth to them will espie their jugling: for otherwise, where the witchmonger is simple and easie to be abused, the witch will be as easie to be intreated, and nothing dangerous of hir cunning; as you see this witch was soone persuaded (notwithstanding that objection) bicause she perceived and sawe that Saule was affraid and out of his wits. And therfore she said unto him;1. Sa. 28. 12. Whom shall I raise up? As though she could have brought unto him Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob; who cannot heare us, therefore cannot rise at our call. For it is written;Isa. 63, 15. 16 Looke thou downe from heaven and behold us, &c: as for Abraham he is ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not.

The twelfe Chapter.

The 12. 13. & 14. verses of 1. Samuel 28. expounded: wherin is shewed that Saule was cousened and abused by the witch, and that Samuel was not raised, is prooved by the witches owne talke.

THE manner and circumstance of their communication, or of hir conjuration, is not verbatim set downe and expressed in the text; but the effect thereof breeflie touched: yet will I shew you the common order of their conjuration, and speciallie of hirs at this time used. When SauleThe maner of the witch of Endors cousening of Saule. had told hir, that he would have Samuel brought up to him, she departed from his presence into hir closet, where doubtles she had hir familiar; to wit, some lewd craftie preest, and made Saule stand at the doore like a foole (as it were with his finger in a hole) to heare the cousening answers, but not to see the cousening handling thereof, and the couterfetting of the matter. And so goeth she to worke, using ordinarie words of conjuration, of which there are sundrie varieties and formes (whereof I shall have occasion to repeat some in another place) as you see the juglers (which be inferior conjurors) speake certeine strange words of course to lead awaie the eie from espi/eng147. the maner of their conveiance, whilest they may induce the mind to conceive and suppose that he dealeth with spirits; saieng, Hay, fortune furie, nunq; credo, passe, passe, when come you sirra. So belike after many such words spoken, she saith to hir selfe; Lo now the matter is brought to passe, for I see woonderfull things. So as Saule1. Sa. 28, 13. hearing these words, longed to knowe all, and asked hir what she sawe. Whereby you may know that Saule sawe nothing, but stood without like a mome, whilest she plaied hir part in hir closet: as may most evidentlie appeere by the 21. verse1. Sa. 28, 21. of this chapter where it is said; Then the woman came out unto Saule. Howbeit, a little before she cunninglie counterfaited that she sawe Samuel, and thereby knewe it was Saule that was come unto hir. Whereby all the world may perceive the cousening, and hir dissimulation. For by that which hath beene before said, it must needs be that she knew him. And (I praie you) why should she not have suspected aswell him to be Saule before, when in expresse words he required hir to bring unto him Samuel, as now, when Samuel appeered unto hir?/

109.Well, to the question before proposed by Saule, 1. Sa. 28, 4. she answereth and lieth, that she saw angels or gods ascending up out of the earth. Then proceedeth she with her inchanting phrases and words of course: so as thereby Saule gathereth and supposeth that she hath raised a man. For otherwise his question dependeth not upon any thing before spoken. For when she hath said; I sawe angels ascending, &c: the next word he saith is; What fashion is he of? Which (I saie) hangeth not upon hir last expressed words. And to this she answered not directlie, that it was Samuel; but that it was an old man lapped in a mantell: as though she knew not him that was the most notorious man in Israell, that had beene her neighbour by the space of manie yeeres, and upon whom (while he lived) everie eie was fixed, and whom also she knew within lesse than a quarter of an houre before, as by whose meanes also she came acquainted with Saule.1. Sa. 28, 12. Read the text and see.

But she describeth his personage, and the apparell which he did usuallie weare when he lived: which if they were both buried togither, were consumed and rotten, or devoured with wormes before that time. Belike he had a new mantell made him in hea/ven:148. and yet they saie Tailors are skantie there, for that their consciences are so large here. In this countrie, men give awaie their garments when they die: if Samuel had so doone, hee could not have borrowed it againe; for of likliehood it would have beene worne out in that space, except the donee had beene a better husband than I: for the testator was dead (as it is supposed) two yeares before.

The xiii. Chapter.

The residue of 1. Sam. 28. expounded: wherin is declared how cunninglie this witch brought Saule resolutelie to beleeve that she raised Samuel, what words are used to colour the cousenage, and how all might also be wrought by ventriloquie.

NOW commeth in Samuel to plaie his part: but I am persuaded it was performed in the person of the witch hir selfe, or of hir confederate. He saith to Saule;1. Sa. 28, 15. Why has thou disquieted me, to bring me up? As though without guile or packing it had beene Samuel himselfe. SauleIbidem. answered that he was in great distresse: for the Philistines made warre upon him. Whereby the witch, or hir confederate priest might easilie conjecture that his heart failed, and direct the oracle or prophesie accordinglie: especiallie understanding by his present talke, and also by former prophesies and dooings that were past, that God had forsaken him, and that his people were declining from him. For when Jonathan1. Sam 13, 5. (a little before) overthrew the Philistines, being thirtie thousand chariots and six thousand horssemen; Saule could not assemble above six hundred souldiers.1. Sa. 13, 15.

Then said Samuel (which some suppose was sathan, and as I thinke was the witch, with a confederate; for what need so farre fetches, as to fetch a divell supernaturallie out of hell, when the illusion may be here by natu/rall110. meanes deciphered? And if you note the words well, you shall perceive the phrase not to come out/149. of a spirituall mouth of a divell, but from a lieng corporall toong of a cousener, that careth neither for God nor the divell, fro whence issueth such advise and communication, as greatlie disagreeth from sathans nature and purpose. For thus (I saie) the said Samuel speaketh: Wherefore dooest thou aske me,1. Sam. 28. 16. 17. seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie? Even the Lord hath doon unto him as he spake by mine hand:1. Sa. 15, 28. for the Lord will rent thy kingdome out of thine hand, and give it to thy neighbour David, bicause thou obeiedst not the voice of the Lord, &c. This (I say) is no phrase of a divell, but of a cousener, which knew before what Samuel had prophesied concerning Saules destruction. For it is the divels condition, to allure the people unto wickednes, and not in this sort to admonish, warne, and rebuke them for evill. And the popish writers confes, that the divell would have beene gone at the first naming of God. If it bee said, that it was at Gods speciall commandement and will, that Samuel or the divell should be raised, to propound this admonition, to the profit of all posteritie: I answer, that then he would rather have doone it by some of his living prophets, and that sathan had not beene so fit an instrument for that purpose. After this falleth the witch (I would saie Samuel) into the veine of prophesieng, and speaketh to Saule1. Sa 28, 17.
18. on this wise; The Lord will rent thy kingdome out of thine hand, and give it to thy neighbor David, bicause thou obeiedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierse wrath upon the Amalekites: therefore hath the Lord doone this unto thee this daie.19. Moreover, the Lord will deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines, and to morrowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me, and the Lord shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines. What could Samuel have said more?

Me thinks the divell would have used another order, encouraging Saule rather than rebuking him for his evill. The divell is craftier than to leave such an admonition to all posterities, as should be prejudiciall unto his kingdome, and also be void of all impietie. But so divine a sentence maketh much for the maintenance of the witches credit, and to the advancement of hir gaines. Howbeit, concerning the veritie of this prophesie, there be many disputable questions: first, whether the battell were fought the next daie; secondlie, whether all his sonnes were kil/led150. with him; item, whether they went to heaven or hell togither, as being with Samuel, they must be in heaven, and being with sathan, they must be in hell. But although everie part of this prophesie were false, as that all his sonnes were not slaine (Ishbosheth living and reigning in Israel two yeares after Saules death) and that the battell was not on the morrow, and that wicked Saule, after that he had killed himselfe, was not with good Samuel;2. Reg. 4. yet this witch did give a shrewd gesse to the sequele. Which whether it were true or false, perteins not to my purpose; and therfore I will omit it. But as touching the opinion of them that saie it was the divell, bicause that such things came to passe; I would faine knowe of them where they learne that divels foreknow things to come. If they saie he gesseth onelie upon probabilities, the witch may also doo the like. But here I may not forget the decrees,Canon. 26. quÆst. cap. 5. nec mirum. which conclude, that Samuel appeered not unto Saule; but that the historiographer set foorth/111. Saules mind and Samuels estate, and certeine things which were said & seene, omitting whether they were true or false: and further, that it were a great offense for a man to beleeve the bare words of the storie. And if this exposition like you not, I can easilie frame my selfe to the opinion of some of great learning, expounding this place, and that with great probabilitie, in this sort; to wit, that this Pythonist being Ventriloqua; that is, Speaking as it were from the bottome of hir bellie, did cast hir selfe into a transe, and so abused Saule, answering to Saule in Samuels name, in hir counterfeit hollow voice: as the wench of Westwell spake, whose historie I have rehearsed before at large, in pag. 127 and this is right Ventriloquie/Right Ventriloquie.

The xiiii. Chapter.151.

Opinions of some learned men, that Samuel was indeed raised, not by the witches art or power, but by the speciall miracle of God, that there are no such visions in these our daies, & that our witches cannot doo the like.

AIAS and Sadaias write, that when the woman sawe the miracle indeed, and more than she looked for, or was woont to doo; she began to crie out, that this was a vision indeed, and a true one, not doone by hir art, but by the power of God. Which exposition is far more probable than our late writers judgements hereupon, and agreeth with the exposition of diverse good divines. Gelasius saith, it was the verie spirit of Samuel: and where he suffered himself to be worshipped, it was but in civill salutation and courtesie; and that God did interpose Samuel,J. Bodin & L. vairus differ herein. as he did Elias to the messenger of Ochosias, when he sent to Belzebub the god of Acharon. And here is to be noted, that the witchmongers are set up in this point: for the papists saie, that it cannot be a divell, bicause Jehovah is thrise or five times named in the storie. Upon this peece of scripture arguments are daielie devised, to proove and mainteine the miraculous actions of witchcraft, and the raising of the dead by conjurations. And yet if it were true, that Samuel himselfe were raised, or the divell in his likenesse; and that the witch of Endor by hir art and cunning did it, &c: it maketh rather to the disproofe than to the proofe of our witches, which can neither do that kind of miracle, or any other, in any such place or companie, where their jugling and cousenage may be seen and laid open. And I challengeA bold, discreet, and faithfull challenge them all (even upon the adventure of my life) to shew one peece of a miracle, such as Christ did trulie, or such as they suppose this witch did diabolicallie, be it not with art nor confederacie, whereby some colour thereof may be made; neither are there any such visions in these daies shewed.

Heretofore God did send his visible angels to men: but now/152 we heare not of such apparitions, neither are they necessarie. Indeed it pleased God heretofore, by the hand of Moses and his prophets, and speciallie by his sonne Christ and his apostles, to worke great miracles, for the establish/ing112. of the faith: but now whatsoever is necessarie for our salvation, is conteined in the word of God: our faith is alredie confirmed, and our church established by miracles; so as now to seeke for them, is a point of infidelitie. Which the papists (if you note it) are greatlie touched withall, as in their lieng legends appeareth. But in truth, our miracles are knaveries most commonlie, and speciallie of priests, whereof I could cite a thousand. If you read the storie of Bell and the dragon, you shall find a cousening miracle of some antiquitie. If you will see newer devises, read Wierus, Cardanus, Baleus, and speciallie Lavaterns,* [* ns read us.] &c. There have beene some †walking† At Canturburie by Rich. Lee esquire, & others, anno. 1573. At Rie by maister Gaymor & others, anno. 1577. spirits in these parts so conjured not long since, as afterwards they little delighted to make anie more apparitions.

The xv. Chapter.

Of vaine apparitions, how people have beene brought to feare bugges, which is partlie reformed by preaching of the gospell, the true effect of Christes miracles.

BUT certeinlie, some one knave in a white sheete hath cousened and abused manie thousands that waie; speciallie when Robin good-fellow kept such a coile in the countrie. But you shall understand, that these bugs speciallie are spied and feared of sicke folke, children, women, and cowards, which through weaknesse of mind and bodie, are shaken with vaine dreames and continuall feare. The Scythians,J. Wier. lib. 3 cap. 8.
Theodor. Bizantius.
Lavat. de spect. & lemurib. being a stout and a warlike nation (as divers writers report) never see anie vaine sights or spirits. It is a common saieng; A lion feareth no bugs. But in our childhood our mothers maids have so terrified us with an ouglie divell having hornes on his head, fier in his mouth, and a Cardan. de var. rerum Peucer. &c.taile in/153. his breech, eies like a bason, fanges like a dog, clawes like a beare, a skin like a Niger, and a voice roring like a lion, whereby we start and are afraid when we heare one crie Bough: and they have so fraied us with bull beggers, spirits, witches, urchens, elves, hags, fairies, satyrs, pans, faunes, sylens, kit with the cansticke, tritons, centaurs, dwarfes, giants, imps, calcars, conjurors, nymphes, changlings, Incubus, Robin good-fellowe, the spoorne, the mare, the man in the oke, the hell waine, the fierdrake, the puckle, Tom thombe, hob gobblin, Tom tumbler, boneles, and such other bugs, that we are afraid of our owne shadowes: in so much as some never feare the divell, but in a darke night; and then a polled sheepe is a perillous beast, and manie times is taken for our fathers soule, speciallie in a churchyard, where a right hardie man heretofore scant durst passe by night, but his haire would stand upright.Lavat. de spect. For right grave writers report, that spirits most often and speciallie take the shape of women appearing to monks, &c: and of beasts, dogs, swine, horsses, gotes, cats, haires; of fowles, as crowes, night owles, and shreeke owles; but they delight most in the likenes of snakes and dragons. Well, thanks be to God, this wretched and cowardlie infidelitie, since the preaching of the gospell, is in part forgotten: and doubtles, the rest of those illusions will in short time/113. (by Gods grace) be detected and vanish awaie.

Divers writers report, that in Germanie,Car. de var. rerum.
J. Wier. de prÆst. dÆmon. &c. since Luthers time, spirits and divels have not personallie appeared, as in times past they were woont to doo. This argument is taken in hand of the ancient fathers, to proove the determination and ceasing of oracles. For in times past (saith Athanasius)Athanas. de humanitate verbi. divels in vaine shapes did intricate men with their illusions, hiding themselves in waters, stones, woods, &c. But now that the word of GOD hath appeared, those sights, spirits, and mockeries of images are ceased. Truelie, if all such oracles, as that of Apollo, &c. (before the comming of Christ) had beene true, and doone according to the report, which hath beene brought through divers ages, and from farre countries unto us, without preestlie fraud or guile, so as the spirits of prophesie, and working of miracles, had beene inserted into an idoll, as hath beene supposed: yet we christians may conceive, that Christs coming was not so fruteles and pre/judiciall154. in this point unto us, as to take awaie his spirit of prophesie and divination from out of the mouth of his elect people, and good prophets, giving no answers of anie thing to come by them, nor by Urim nor Thumim, as he was woont, &c. And yet to leave the divell in the mouth of a witch, or an idoll to prophesie or worke miracles, &c: to the hinderance of his glorious gospell,The true end of miracles. to the discountenance of his church, and to the furtherance of infidelitie and false religion, whereas the working of miracles was the onelie, or at least the most speciall meanes that mooved men to beleeve in Christ: as appeareth in sundrie places of the gospell, and speciallie in John,John 2. where it is written, that a great multitude followed him, bicause they sawe his miracles which he did, &c.Act. 2. 2
John. 5. Naie, is it not written, that Jesus was approoved by God among the Jewes, with miracles, wonders and signes, &c? And yet, if we conferre the miracles wrought by Christ, and those that are imputed to witches; witches miracles shall appeare more common, and nothing inferior unto his.

The xvi. Chapter.

Witches miracles compared to Christs, that God is the creator of all things, of Apollo, and of his names and portraiture.

IF this witch of Endor had performed that, which manie conceive of the matter, it might have beene compared with the raising up of Lazarus.An ironicall collation. I praie you, is not the converting of water into milke, as hard a matter as the turning of water into wine? And yet, as you may read in the gospell, that Christ did the one, as his first miracle; so may you read in M. Mal.Mal. malef. par. 2. quÆ. 1. cap. 14. and in Bodin, that witches can easilie doo the other: yea, and that which is a great deale more, of water they can make butter. But to avoid all cavils, and least there should appeare more matter in Christs miracle, than the others, you shall find in M. Mal. that they can change water into wine: and what is it to attribute to/155. a creature, the power and worke of the creator, if this be not? Christ saith, Opera quÆ ego facio nemo potest facere.Acts. 17.
Tim. 6, 13.
Col. 1, 16.
Athanas. symbol. Creation of substance was never granted to man nor angell; Ergo neither to/114. witch nor divell: for God is the onlie giver of life and being, and by him all things are made, visible and invisible.

Finallie, this woman of Endor is in the scripture called Pythonissa: whereby it may appeare that she was but a verie cousener. For Pytho himselfe, whereof Pythonissa is derived, was a counterfet. And the originall storie of Apollo,Apollo Pytho uncased. who was called Pytho, bicause he killed a serpent of that name, is but a poeticall fable. For the poets saie he was the god of musicke, physicke, poetrie, and shooting. In heaven he is called Sol, in earth Liber pater, in hell Apollo. He florisheth alwaies with perpetuall youth, and therefore he is painted without a beard: his picture was kept as an oracle-giver: and the preests that attended thereon at Delphos were couseners, and called Pythonists of Pytho, as papists of Papa; and afterwards all women that used that trade, were named PythonissÆ, as was this woman of Endor. But bicause it concerneth this matter, I will breefelie note the opinions of divers learned men, and cer- teine other proofes, which I find in the scripture touching the ceasing of miracles, prophesies and oracles//