Subsec. 3. Of Witches and Magicians, how they cause Melancholy.

You have heard what the Devill can do of himself, now you shall hear what he can perform by his instruments, who are many times worse (if it be possible) then he himself, and to satisfie their revenge and lust, cause more mischief, Multa enim mala non egisset dæmon, nisi provocatus à Sagis, as Erastus thinks; much harm had never been done, had he not been provoked by Witches to it.

He had not appeared in Samuels shape, if the Witch of Endor had let him alone; or represented those Serpents in Pharos presence, had not the Magicians urged him unto it: Nec morbos vel hominibus, vel brutis infligeret (Erastus maintains) si Sagæ quiescerent; Men and cattle might goe free, if the Witches would let him alone.

Many deny Witches at all, or if there be any, they can do no harme; of this opinion is Wierus, lib. 3. cap. 53. de præstig. dæm. Austin Lerchemer a Dutch Writer, Biarmanus, Ewichius, Euwaldus, our Countrey-man Scot, with him in Horace,

Somnia, terrores Magicos, miracula, sagas, Nocturnos Lemures, portentaque Thessala risu Excipiunt ——

They laugh at all such Stories, but on the contrary are most Lawyers, Divines, Physitians, Philosophers, Austin, Hemingius, Danæus, Chytræus, Zanchius, Aretius, &c. Delrio, Springer, Niderius lib. 5. Fornicar. Cuiatius, Bartolus, consil. 6. tom. 1. Bodine dæmonant. lib. 2. cap. 8. Godelman, Damhoderius, &c. Paracelsus, Erastus, erbanius, Camerarius, &c.

The parties by whom the Devil deals, may be reduced to these two, such as command him in shew at least, as Conjurers, and Magicians, whose detestable and horrid mysteries are contained in their book called Arbatell: dæmones enim advocati præsto sunt, seque exorcismis & conjurationibus quasi cogi patiuntur, ut miserum magorum genus in impietate detineant.

Or such as are commanded, as Witches, that deale ex parte implicite, or explicite, as the King hath well defined; many subdivisions there are, and many several species of Sorcerers, Witches, Inchanters, Charmers, &c.

They have been tolerated heretofore some of them; and Magick hath been publikely professed in former times, in Salamanca, Cracovia, and other places, though after censured by several Universities, and now generally contradicted, though practised by some still, maintained and excused, Tanquam res secreta quæ non nisi viris magnis & peculiari beneficio de Cœlo instructis communicatur (I use Boissardus his words)

and so far approved by some Princes, Ut nihil ausi aggredi in politicis, in sacris, in consiliis, sine eorum arbitrio; they consult still with them, and dare indeed do nothing without their advise. Nero and Heliogabalus, Maxentius, and Julianus Apostata, were never so much addicted to Magick of old, as some of our modern Princes and Popes themselves are now adayes.

Erricus King of Sweden, had an inchanted Cap, by vertue of which, and some magicall murmur or whispering termes he could command spirits, trouble the ayre, and make the winde stand which way he would, insomuch that when there was any great winde or storme, the common people were wont to say, the King now had on his conjuring Cap. But such examples are infinite.

That which they can do, is as much almost as the devil himself, who is still ready to satisfie their desires, to oblige them the more unto him. They can cause tempests, stormes, which is familiarly practised by Witches in Norwey, Island, as I have proved. They can make friends enemies, and enemies friends by philters; Turpes amores conciliare, enforce love,

tell any man where his friends are, about what employed, though in the most remote places; and if they will, Bring their sweet hearts to them by night, upon a Goats back flying in the ayre. Sigismund Scheretzius, part. 1. cap. 9. de spect. reports confidently, that he conferred with sundry such, that had been so carried many miles, and that he heard Witches themselves confess as much,

hurt, and infect men and beasts, Vines, Corne, Cattle, Plants, make Women abortive, not to conceive, barren, men and women unapt and unable, married and unmarryed, fifty several wayes, saith Bodine lib. 2. c. 2. flie in the ayre, meet when and where they will, as Cicogna proves, & Lavat. de spect. part. 2. c. 17.

steale young children out of their cradles, ministerio dæmonum, and put deformed in their roomes, which we call Changelings, saith Scheretzius, part. 1. c. 6. make men victorious, fortunate, eloquent; & therefore in those ancient Monomachies and combats they were searched of old, they had no Magical charmes;

they can make stick frees, such as shall endure a Rapiers point, Musket shot, and never be wounded: of which reade more in Boissardus cap. 6. de Magia, the manner of the adjuration, and by whom tis made, where and how to be used in expeditionibus bellicis, præliis, duellis, &c. with many peculiar instances and examples;

they can walk in fiery furnaces, make men feel no pain on the Wrack, aut alias torturas sentire; they can stanch blood, represent dead mens shapes, alter and turn themselves and others into severall formes, at their pleasures. Agaberta a famous Witch in Lapland, would do as much publickly to all spectators, Modò Pusilla, modò anus, modò procera ut quercus, modò vacca, avis, coluber, &c.

Now young, now old, high, low, like a Cow, like a Bird, a Snake, and what not? she could represent to others what formes they most desired to see, shew them friends absent, reveal secrets, maxima omnium admiratione, &c. And yet for all this subtilty of theirs, as Lipsius well observes, Physiolog. Stoicor. lib. 1. cap. 17. neither these Magicians nor devils themselves, can take away Gold or Letters out of mine or Crassus Chest, & Clientelis suis largiri,

for they are base, poore, contemptible fellows most part; as Bodine notes, they can do nothing in Judicum decreta aut pœnas, in regum Concilia vel arcana, nihil in rem nummariam aut thesauros, they cannot give money to their Clients, alter Judges decrees, or Councels of Kings, these minuti Genii cannot do it, altiores Genii hoc sibi adservarunt, the higher powers reserve these things to themselves.

Now and then peradventure there may be some more famous Magicians like Simon Magus, Apollonius Tyaneus, Pasetes, Jamblicus, Odo de stellis, that for a time can build Castles in the aire, represent armies, &c. as they are said to have done, command wealth and treasure, feed thousands with all variety of meats upon a sudden,