Subsect. 2. Of the force of Imagination.

What Imagination is, I have sufficiently declared in my Digression of the Anatomy of the soul. I will onely now point at the wonderful effects and power of it; which, as it is eminent in all, so most especially it rageth in melancholy persons, in keeping the species of objects so long, mistaking, amplifying them by continual and strong meditation, until at length it produceth in some parties real effects, causeth this, and many other maladies.

And although this Phantasie of ours, be a subordinate faculty to reason, and should be ruled by it, yet in many men, through inward or outward distemperatures, defect of Organs, which are unapt or hindered, or otherwise contaminated, it is likewise unapt, hindred, and hurt.

This we see verified in sleepers, which by reason of humors, and concourse of vapors troubling the Phantasie, imagine many times absurd and prodigious things, and in such as are troubled with Incubus, or Witch-ridden (as we call it) if they lie on their backs, they suppose an old woman rides, and sits so hard upon them, that they are almost stifled for want of breath; when there is nothing offends, but a concourse of bad humors, which trouble the Phantasie.

This is likewise evident in such as walk in the night in their sleep, and do strange feats: These vapors move the Phantasie, the Phantasie the Appetite, which moving the animal spirits, causeth the body to walk up and down, as if they were awake. Fracast. l. 3. de intellect. refers all Extasies to this force of Imagination, such as lie whole days together in a trance: as that Priest whom Celsus speaks of, that could separate himself from his senses when he list, and lie like a dead man, void of life and sense. Cardan brags of himself, that he could do as much, and that when he list.

Many times such men when they come to themselves, tell strange things of Heaven and Hell, what visions they have seen; as that Sir Owen in Matthew Paris, that went into St Patricks Purgatory, and the Monk of Evesham in the same Author. Those common apparitions in Bede and Gregory, Saint Brigets revelations, Wier. l. 3. de lamiis c. 11. Cæsar Vanninus in his Dialogues, &c. reduceth, (as I have formerly said;) with all those tales of Witches progresses, dancing, riding, transformations, operations, &c. to the force of Imagination, and the Devils illusions.

The like effects almost are to be seen in such as are awake: How many Chimæras, Anticks, Golden Mountains and Castles in the Air do they build unto themselves? I appeal to Painters, Mechanicians, Mathematicians. Some ascribe all vices to a false and corrupt Imagination, Anger, Revenge, Lust, Ambition, Covetousness, which prefers falshood, before that which is right and good, deluding the Soul with false shews and suppositions.

Bernardus Penotus will have heresie and superstition to proceed from this fountain; as he falsly imagineth, so he believeth; and as he conceiveth of it, so it must be, and it shall be, contra gentes, he will have it so. But most especially in passions and affections, it shews strange and evident effects: what will not a fearful man conceive in the dark? what strange formes of Bugbears, Devils, Witches, Goblins? Lavater imputes the greatest cause of spectrums, and the like apparitions, to fear, which above all other passions, begets the strongest Imagination, (saith Wierus) and so likewise love, sorrow, joy, &c.

Some dye suddenly, as she that saw her son come from the battel at Cannæ, &c. Jacob the Patriark, by force of Imagination, made peckled Lambs, laying peckled rods before his sheep. Persina that Æthiopian Queen in Heliodorus, by seeing the picture of Perseus and Andromeda, in stead of a Blackmoor, was brought to bed of a fair white childe.

In imitation of whom belike, * an hard favoured fellow in Greece, because he and his wife were both deformed, to get a good brood of children, Elegantissimas imagines in thalamo collocavit, &c. hung the fairest pictures he could buy for money in his chamber, That his wife by frequent sight of them, might conceive and bear such children. And if we may beleeve Bale, one of Pope Nicholas the thirds Concubines, by seeing of a Bear, was brought to bed of a monster.

If a woman (saith Lemnius) at the time of her conception, think of another man present, or absent, the childe will be like him. Great bellied women, when they long, yeeld us prodigious examples in this kinde, as Moles, Warts, Scars, Harelips, Monsters, especially caused in their children by force of a depraved phantasie in them: Ipsam speciem quam animo effigiat, foetui inducit: She imprints that stamp upon her childe, which she conceives unto her self.

And therefore Lodovicus Vives, lib. 2. de Christ. fæm. gives a special caution to great bellied women, That they do not admit such absurd conceits and cogitations, but by all means avoid those horrible objects, heard or seen, or filthy spectacles. Some will laugh, weep, sigh, groan, blush, tremble, sweat, at such things as are suggested unto them by their Imagination.

Avicenna speaks of one that could cast himself into a Palsie when he list; and some can imitate the tunes of Birds and Beasts, that they can hardly be discerned: Dagebertus and Saint Francis Scars and Wounds, like to those of Christs (if at the least any such were) Agrippa supposeth to have hapned by force of Imagination: that some are turned to Wolves, from Men to Women, and Women again to Men (which is constantly believed) to the same Imagination; or from Men to Asses, Dogs, or any other shapes.