The Anatomy of Melancholy

One more I will relate out of Florilegus, ad annum 1058. an honest Historian of our nation, because he telleth it so confidently, as a thing in those daies talked of all over Europe: A yong Gentleman of Rome, the same day that he was married, after dinner with the Bride and his friends went a walking into the fields, and towards evening to the Tennis-Court to recreate himself; whilst he played, he put his ring upon the finger of Venus statua, which was thereby made in brass, after he had sufficiently played, and now made an end of his sport, he came to fetch his ring, but Venus had bowed her finger in, and he could not get it off.

Whereupon loath to make his company tarry at present, there left it, intending to fetch it the next day, or at some more convenient time, went thence to supper, and so to bed. In the night when he should come to perform those nuptiall rites, Venus steps between him and his wife, (unseen or felt of her) and told him that she was his wife, that he had betrothed himself unto her by that ring, which he put upon her finger: she troubled him for some following nights.

He not knowing how to help himself, made his moan to one Palumbus, a learned Magitian in those daies, who gave him a letter, and bid him at such a time of the night, in such a cross way, at the Towns end, where old Saturn would pass by with his associates in procession, as commonly he did, deliver that script with his own hands to Saturn himself;

the young man of a bold spirit, accordingly did it; and when the old fiend had read it, he called Venus to him, who rode before him, and commanded her to deliver his ring, which forthwith she did, and so the gentleman was freed.

Many such stories I finde in severall Authors to confirm this which I have said; as that more notable amongst the rest, of Philinium and Machates in Phlegons Tract de rebus mirabilibus, and though many be against it, yet I for my part will subscribe to Lactantius lib. 14. cap. 15.

God sent Angels to the tuition of men; but whilest they lived amongst us, that mischievous all-commander of the Earth, and hot in lust, enticed them by little and little to this vice, and defiled them with the company of women: And Anaxagoras de resurrect. Many of those spirituall bodies overcome by the love of Maids, and lust, failed, of whom those were born here we call Giants.

Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Sulpitius Severus, Eusebius, &c. to this sense make a twofold fall of Angels, one from the beginning of the world, another a little before the deluge, as Moses teacheth us, openly professing that these Genii can beget, and have carnall copulation with Women.

At Japan in the East Indies, at this present (if we may believe the relation of travellers) there is an Idol called Teuchedy, to whom one of the fairest virgins of the country is monthly brought, and left in a private room, in the Fotoqui, or Church, where she sits alone to be defloured. At certain times Teuchedy (which is thought to be the divell) appears to her, and knows her carnally. Every month a fair Virgin is taken in. By what means she comes out the old man can tell.