The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Of Conjurers, and Enchanters.
IF God by his first Commandement hath enjoyned every one of us to love, serve, and to cleave unto him alone in the conjuction and unity of a true faith and hope unremovable, there is no doubt but he forbiddeth on the other side that which is contrary to this foresaid duty, and herein especially that accursed familiarity which divers miserable wretches have with that lying Spirit, the Father of errour, by whose delusions and subtilty they busie themselves in the study of sorceries and enchantments, whereupon it is forbidden the Israelites in the nineteenth of Leviticus, to turne after familiar spirits, or to seeke to Soothsayers to be defiled by them: and the more to withdraw them from this damnable Lev. 19 31.crime, in the Chapter following there is a threat set downe against it in …0. …7.manner of a Commandement, That if either man or woman have a spirit of divination or soothsaying in them, they should dye the death, they should stone them to death, their bloud should be upon them: so in the two and twentieth of Exodus, Exod. 22. 18.the Law of God saith, Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live: and Moses following the same steps, giveth an expresse charge in the eighteenth of Deuteronomy, against this sinne, saying, Let nonebe found among thee that useth witchcraft, nor that regardeth the Clouds or times, nor a Sorcerer, or a Charmer, or Deut. 19. 10, 11.that counselleth with a Spirit, or a teller of Fortunes, or that asketh counsell of the dead, for all that doe such things are abhomination unto the Lord. And therefore this sinne, 1 Sam. ver. 15. is reputed amongst the most hainous and enormous 1 Sam. 15. Isa. 8. 19, 20.sinnes that can be: When they shall say unto you (saith the Prophet) Enquire at them that have a Spirit of Divination, and at the Soothsayer, which whispers and murmures: answer, Should not a people enquire at their God? from the living to the dead? To the Law, and to the Testimony? Wherefore it was a commendable thing, and worthy imitation, when they that had received the Faith by Pauls preaching, having used curious Arts, as Magicke and such like, being touched with the feare of God, brought their bookes, and Acts 19. 19.burned them before all men, although the price thereof amounted to fifty thousand pieces of silver, which by Budeus his supputation ariseth to five thousand French Crownes. The Councels, as that of Carthage, and that other of Constantinople, kept the second time in the suburbs, utterly condemned the practices of all Conjurers and Enchanters. The twelve Tables in Rome adjudged to punishments those that bewitched the standing corne. And for the Civill Law, this kind is condemned both by the Law Iulia and Cornelia. In like manner the wisest Emperours (those I mean that attained to the honour of Christianity) ordained divers Edicts and Prohibitions, under very sharp and grievous punishments, against all such villany: as Constantine in the ninth book of the Cod. tit. 18. enacted, That whosoever should attempt any action by Art Magicke, against the safety of any person, or should bring in or stir up any man, to make him fall into any mischiefe or riotous demeanour, should suffer a grievous punishment: in the fifth Law he forbiddeth every man to aske counsell at Witches, or to use the helpe of Charmers and Sorcerers, under the paine of death. Let them (saith he in the sixth Law) be throwne to wild beasts to be devoured, that by conjuring or the helpe of familiar spirits go about to kill either their enemies, or any other. Moreover in the seventh Law he willeth, that not so much as his owne courtiers and servants, if they were found faulty in this crime, should be spared, but severely punished; yet neverthelesse, many of this age gave themselves over to this filthy sinne, without either feare of God, or respect of Law: some through a foolish and dangerous curiosity, others through the overruling of their owne vile and wicked affections, and a third sort, troubled with the terrours of an evill conscience, desire to know what shall besall and happen unto them in the end.
Thus Saul the first King of Israel being troubled in himselfe, and terrified with the army of the Philistims that came against him, would needs foreknow his owne fortune, and the issue of this doubtfull warre. Now whereas before whilest he performed the duty of a good King, and obeyed the commandement of God, hee had cleansed his Realme of Witches and Enchanters; yet is he now so mad as to make them serve his owne turn, and to use their counsels in his extremity; adding this wickednesse to the number of his other great sins, that the measure thereof might be full: he went therefore to a Witch to seeke counsell, who caused a Devill to appeare and speake unto him in the shape of Samuel, and foretell him of (Gods just judgement upon his wickednesse) his utter and finall ruine and destruction.
An example not much unlike unto this in the event, but most like in Buchan. rerum. Scot. lib. 4.practise, wee finde recorded of Natholicus, the one and thirtieth King of the Scots: who, after he had unjustly usurped the Crowne and Seepter, and installed himselfe by much bloudshed into the Throne of the Kingdome, by open intrusion, and no apparent shew of right, sought by the same means to confirme and establish the Kingdome unto him: And therefore (as wickednesse is alwaies accompanied with suspition and feare) hee sent one of his trustiest f…iends to a Witch, to enquire of things to come, both what successe he should have in his Kingdome, and also how long he should live: the Witch answered, That he should not live long, but should shortly be murthered, not by his enemy, but by his familiar friend: when the Messenger urged instantly of whom; she answered, of him: hee detesting her at first, and abhorring the thought of any such villany, yet at length considering that it was not safe to disclose the Witches answer, and on the other side, that it could not be concealed, resolved for his most security, rather to kill the Tyrant, with the favour of many, than to save him alive with the hazard of his owne head. Therefore as soone as he was returned home, being in secret alone with the King, to declare unto him the Witches answer, he slew him suddenly, and gave him his just desert, both for his horrible cruelty, and wicked sorcery. Let all them that make no conscience of running to Witches, either for their lost goods, or for recovery of their owne or friends health, remember this example either for their instruction to amend, or for their terrour, if they continue that devillish practise.
Plutarch in the life of Romulus reporteth of one Cleomedes, a man in proportion Plut. Rom.of body, and cruell practises, huge and gyant-like: who for that he was the cause of the death of many little children, and was pursued by the parents of those dead infants, who sought to be revenged on him for that cruell part, he hid himselfe in a coffer, closing the lid fast to him: but when the Coffin was broken up, the Conjurer was not therein, neither alive nor dead, but was transported by the malitious spirit the Devill, to a place of greater torment.
Antient Histories make mention of one Piso, a man of credit and authority Tacit.among the Romanes, whom the Emperour Tiberius gave unto his sonne Germanicus for an help and counsellor in the mannaging of his affaires in Asia; so well was he perswaded both of his sufficiency, courage, and loyalty towards him. It chanced a while after, that he was suspected to have bewitched to death the said Germanicus: the signes and markes of which suspition were, certaine dead mens bones digged out of the earth with divers charmes and curses, and Germanicus name engraven in tables of lead, and such like trash which Witches use to murther men withall, were found with him. Whereupon Tiberius himselfe accused him of that crime; but would not have the ordinary Iudges to sit upon it, but by speciall priviledge committed the enquiry thereof unto the Senate. Piso, when every man thought he was preparing himself for his defence against the morrow (like a wise man to prevent all mischiefes) was found dead the day before, having his throat cut, and, as most likelihood was, finding himselfe guilty of the fact, and too weake to overweigh the other side, forestalled the infamy of a most shamefull death, by killing himselfe; although there be that say, that the Emperour sent one of purpose to dispatch him in this manner.
Olaus Magnus telleth of one Methotin, a noble Magitian in old time, that Lib. 3. cap. 4. Of the Northe…ne people.by his delusions did so deceive and blinde the poore ignorant people, that they accounted him not onelyonly for some mighty man, but rather for some demy god; and in token of the honour and reverence they bare him, they Refer this also 10 l. 1. c. 24.offered up sacrifices unto him, which he refused not; but at last his knaveries and cousenages being laid open, they killed him whom before they so much esteemed: and because his dead carkasse with filthy stinke infected the approachers, they digged it up, and broached it upon the end of a stake, to be devoured of wild beasts.
Another called Hollere (as the same Author witnesseth) plaid the like chap. 18. of the foresaid book.tricks in abusing the peoples minds as strongly as the other did, insomuch that he was reputed also for a god: for he joyned with his craft, strength and power to make himselfe of greater authority in the world. When he listed to passe over the sea, he used no other ship but a bone figured with certaine charmes, whereby he was transported, as if both sayles and wind had helped and driven him forwards; yet his inchanted bone was not of power to save him from being murthered of his enemies.
The same Author writeth, That in Denmarke there was one Otto a great Rover and Pyrat by sea, who used likewise to passe the seas without the Olaus Magnus.help of ship or any other vessell, and sunke and drowned all his enemies with the waves, which by his cunning he stirred up: but at last his cunning practise was over-reached by one more expert in his art than himselfe, and as he had served others, so was he himselfe served, even swallowed up of the waves.
There was a Conjurer at Saltzburg, that vaunted that he could gather together all the serpants within half a mile round about into a ditch, and feed them and bring them up there: and being about the experiment, behold, the old and grand serpent came in the while, which whilest he thought by the force of his charmes to make to enter into the ditch among the rest, he set upon and inclosed him round about like a girdle so strongly, that hee drew him perforce into the ditch with him, where he miserably died. Mark here the wages of such wicked miscreants, that as they make it their occupation to abuse simple folke, they are themselves abused and cousened of the Devill, who is a finer jugler than them all.
It was a very lamentable spectacle that chanced to the Governour of Mascon a Magitian, whom the Devill snatched up in dinner while, and hoisted aloft, carrying him three times about the towne of Mascon in the presence of many beholders, to whom he cried on this manner, Help, help, Hugo de Cluni.my friends; so that the whole towne stood amased thereat, yea and the remembrance of this strange accident sticketh at this day fast in the minds of all the inhabitants of this country; and they say, that this wretch having given himselfe to the Devill, provided store of holy bread (as they call it) which he alwaies carried about with him, thinking thereby to keep himself from his clawes; but it served him to small stead, as his end declared.
About the yeare 1437, Charles the seventh being King of France, Sir Glyes of Britaine, Lord of Rais, and high Constable of France, was accused (by the report of Enguerran de Monstrelet) for having murthered many infants and women with childe, to the number of eightscore or more, with Vol. 2.whose bloud he either writ or caused to be written books full of conjurations, hoping by that abhominable means to attaine to high matters: but it happened cleane crosse and contrary to his expectation and practise; for being convinced of those horrible crimes (it being Gods will, that such grosse and palpable sinnes should not go unpunished) he was adjudged to be hanged and burned to death, which was also accordingly executed at Nantes, by the authority of the Duke of Britaine.
Iohn Francis Picus of Mirand saith, That he conferred divers times with many, who being inticed with a vaine hope of knowing things to come, were afterwards so grievously tormented by the Devill (with whom they had made some bargain) that they thought themselves thrise happy if they escaped with their lives. He saith moreover. That there was in his time a certaine Conjurer that promised a too curious and no great wise Prince, to present unto him upon a stage the siege of Troy, and Achilles, and Hector fighting together as they did when they were alive; but he could not performe his promise for another sport and spectacle more hideous and ougly to his person; for he was taken away alive by a Devill, in such sort, that he was never afterward heard of.
In our owne memory the Earle of Aspremont and his brother Lord of Orne, were made famous, and in every mans mouth, for their strange and prodigious seats, wherein they were so unreasonably dissolute and vaineglorious, that sometime they made it their sport and pastime to breake downe all the windowes about the castle Aspremont, where they kept (which lyeth in Lorraine two miles from Saint Michael) and threw them piecemeale into a deep Well to heare them cry plumpe: but this vaine excesse presaged a ruine and destruction to come, as well upon their house, which at this present lyeth desolate and ruinous in many respects, as upon themselves, that finished their daies in misery one after another; as we shall now understand of the one the Lord of Orne: as for the Earle, how hee died, shall more at large be declared elsewhere. Now it chanced, that as the Lord of Orne was of most wicked and cruell conditions, so hee had an evill favoured looke, answerable to his inclination and name, to be a Conjurer: the report that went of his cruelty was this, That upon a time he put the Baker (one of his servants, whose wi…e he used secretly to entertaine) into a …un, which he caused to be rowled from the top of a hill, into the bottome, sometimes as high as a pike, as the place gave occasion; but by the great mercy of God, notwithstanding all this, this poore man saved his life. Furthermore, it was a common report, that when any Gentlemen or Lords came to see him, they were entertained (as they thought) very honourably, being served with all sort of most dainty faire and exquisite dishes, as if he had not spared to make them the best cheere that might be: but at their departure, they that thought themselves well refreshed, found their stomacke empty and almost pined for want of food, having neither eaten nor drunk any thing save in imagination only; and it is to be thought, that their horses found no better fare than their masters. It happened one day that a certaine Lord being departed from his house, one of his men having left something behind, returned to the Castle, and entring suddenly into the hall where they dined but a little before, he espied a Munky beating the master of the house that had feasted them of late, very sore. And there be others that say, that he hath been seen through the chink of a dore lying on a table upon his belly all at length, and a Munkey scourging him very strangely; to whom he should say, Let me alone, let me alone, wilt thou alwaies torment me thus? And thus he continued a long time: but at length after he had made away all his substance, he was brought to such extremity, that being destitute of maintenance, and forsaken of all men, he was fain (for want of a better refuge) to betake himselfe to the Hospitall of Paris, which was his last Mansion house, wherein he died. See here to how pittifull and miserable an end this man fell; that having been esteemed amongst the Mighties of this world, for making no more account of God, and for following the illusions of Satan (the common enemy of mannkdi) became so poore and wretched as to dye in an Hospitall among Cripples and Beggars.
It is not long since there was in Lorraine a certaine man called Coulen, that was over much given to this cursed Art: amongst whose tricks this was one to be wondred at; that he would suffer harquebuses or pistols to be shot at him, and catch their bullets in his hand without receiving any hurt: but upon a certain time one of his servants being angry with him, hot him such a knock with a pistoll (notwithstanding all his great cunning) that he killed him therewith.
Moreover, it is worthy to be observed, That within these two hundred yeares hitherto, more Monks and Priests have been found given over to these abhominations and devillishnesses, than of all other degrees of people whatsoever, as it is declared in the second volume of Enguerran de Monstralet more at large: where he maketh mention of a Monke that used to practise his sorceries in the top of a tower of an Abbey, lying neere to Longin upon Marne, where the Devils presented themselves to be at his commandement: and this was in the raigne of Charles the sixth. In the same booke it is recorded, That in the raigne of Charles the seventh, one Master William Ediline Doctor in Divinity, and Prior of Saint Germaine in Lay, having been an Augustine Frier, gave himselfe to the Devill for his pleasure, even to have his will of a certain woman: he was upon a time in a place where a Synagogue of people were gathered together; where to the end that he might quickly be (as he himselfe confessed) he took a broom and rode upon it. He confessed also that he had don homage to that enemy of God, the Devill▪ who appeared unto him in the shape of a sheep, and A sweet kisse doubtlesse.made him kisse his hinder parts, as he reported. For which causes hee was placed upon a scaffold, and openly made to weare a paper containing his owne faults, and afterwards plotted to live prisoner all the rest of his life laden with yrons, in the Bishop of Eureux his house, which was accordingly executed. This happened in the yeare 1453.
In the raigne of the same King, 1457, there was a certaine Curate of a village neere to Soissons, who to revenge himselfe of a Farmer that retained from him the tenths which were appointed to the Knights of the Rhodes, went to a Witch, of whom he received in gift a fat toad in an earthen pot, which she had a long while fed and brought up, which she commanded him to baptise; as he also did, and called it by the name of Iohn: albeit I tremble to recite so monstrous and vile a fact; yet that every man Contempt of Sacraments, lib. 1. cap. 34.might see how deadly besotted those sort of people are that give themselves over to Satan, and with what power of errour he overwhelmeth them, and beside, how full of malice this uncleane spirit is, that as it were in despight of God, would prophane the holy Sacrament of Baptisme. This good holy Curate, after he had consecrated the holy host, gave it also to the toade to eat, and afterward restored it to the Witch again, who killing the toade, and cutting it in pieces, with other such like sorceries, caused a young wench to carry it secretly into the Farmers house, and to put it under the table as they were at dinner; whereupon immediately the Farmer and his children that were at the table fell suddenly sicke, and three dayes after died: the Witch her selfe being detected, was burned, but the Curate suffered onelyonly a little imprisonment in the Bishop of Paris house, and that not long for what with friendship and money he was soone delivered. Froissard, who was Treasurer and Canon of Chymay, reporteth of another Curate in the countrey of Beare (under Charles the seventh) that had a familiar spirit which hee called Orthon: whose helpe hee used to the disturbance of the Lord of Corosse, by causing a terrible noise to bee heard every night by him and his servants in his castle, because the said Lord withheld his tythes from him, and converted them to his owne use.
In the yiare 1530, at Nuremburg a certaine Priest studied Art Magick, Wierus.and being very covetous of gold and silver, the Devill (whom hee served) shed him through a Chrystall certaine treasures hidden in the city: he by and by (greedy of this rich prey) went to that part of the city where hee supposed it to have lien buried: and being arrived at the place, with a companion whom he brought to this pretty pastime, fell a searching and digging up a hollow pit, untill he perceived a coffer that lay in the bottome of the hole, with a great blacke dog lying by it: whither he was no sooner entred, but the earth fell downe and filled up the hole, and smothered and crushed him to death. So this poore Priest was entrapped and rewarded by his master no otherwise than he deserved; but otherwise than he expected or looked for.
Howbeit they are not onelyonly simple Priests and Friers that deale with Naucler. vinc. &c.these cursed Arts, but even Popes themselves. Silvester the second (as Platina and others report) was first a conjuring Frier, and gave himselfe to the Devill upon condition he might be Pope, as he was indeed; and having obtained his purpose, as it seemed he began earnestly to desire to know the day wherein he should die: which also his Schoolmaster the Devill revealed unto him, but under such doubtfull tearmes, that he dreamed in his foolish conceit, of immortality, and that he should never die. It chanced on a time as he was singing Masse at Rome in a Temple called Ierusalem (which was the place assigned him to die in) and not Ierusalem in Palestina (as he made himselfe falsly to beleeve, he heard a great noise of Devils that came to fetch him away (note that this was done in Masse while) whereat A not wo…th the nothing.he being terrified and tormented, and seeing himselfe not able any way to escape, hee desired his people to rend his body in pieces after his death, and lay it upon a charriot, and let horses draw it whither they would; which was accordingly performed: for as soone as he was dead, the pieces of his carkasse were carried out of the Church of Laterane by the wicked spirit, who as he ruled him in life, so he was the chiefe in his death and funerals.
By like means came Benedict the ninth to the Popedome, for he was a detestable B…nno Balleus.Magitian; and in the ten yeares wherein he was Pope having committed infinite villanies and mischiefs, was at last by his familiar friend the Devill strangled to death in a forrest, whither he went to apply himselfe the more quieter to his conjurings.
Gregory the sixth, scholler to Silvester, as great a conjurer as his master, Bal.wrought much misery in his time, but was at last banished Rome, and ended his life in misery in Germany.
Iohn the two and twentieth, being of no better disposition than these we have spoken of, but following judiciall astrology, sed himselfe with a vain hope of long life, whereof he vaunted himselfe among his familiars, one day above the rest at Viterbum, in a chamber which he had lately builded, saying, that he should live a great while, he was assured of it: presently the floore brake suddenly in pieces, and he was found seven daies after crushed to pieces under the ruines thereof. All this notwithstanding, yet other Popes ceased not to suffer themselves to be infected with this execrable poison: as Hildebrand, who was called Gregory the seventh, and Alexander the sixth, of which kinde we shall see a whole legend in the next booke. Doe but marke these holy Fathers how abhominable they were, to be in such sort given over to Satan.
Cornelius Agrippa, a great Student in this cursed Art, and a man famous Iovius in ellgiis virorumillustrium.both by his owne works and others report, for his Necromancy, went alwaies accompanied with an evill spirit in the similitude of a blacke dogge: but when his time of death drew neer, and he was urged to repentance, hee tooke off the inchanted collar from the dogs neck, and sent him away with these termes; Get thee hence thou cursed beast, which hast utterly destroyed mee Neither was the dog ever after seen: some say he lept into Araris, and never came out againe. Agrippa himselfe died at Lyons in a base and beggarly Inne.
Zeroastres King of Bactria is notified to have bin the inventer of Astrology Theat, hist.and Magicke. But the Devill (whose ministry he used) when he was too importunate with him, burned him to death.
Charles the seventh of France, put Egedius de Raxa… Marshall of his Kingdome, to a cruell and filthy death, because he practised this Art, and in the Fulgos. l. 9. c. 1.same had murthered an hundred and twenty teeming women and yong infants: he caused him to be hanged upon a forke by a hot fire, and roasted to death.
Bladud the sonne of Lud King of Britaine, now called England, in the yeare of the World 3100, (hee that builded the city of Bath, as our late Histories witnesse, and also made therein the Bathes) addicted himselfe so much to the Devillish art of Necromancy, that hee wrought wonders thereby, insomuch that he made himselfe wings, and attempted to flee like Dedalus: but the Devill (as ever like a false knave) forsooke him in his journey, so that hee fell downe and brake his necke.
In the yeare of our Lord 1578, one …mon Penbrooke dwelling in Saint Georges parish in London, being a figure setter, …nd vehemently suspected to be a Conjurer, by the commandement of the Iudge appeared in the parish Church of Saint Saviour at Court holden there: where whilest he was busie in eutertaining a Proctor, and leaned his head upon a pew a good space, the Proctor began to lift up his head to see what he ayled, and found him departing out of this life, and straightwayes he fell downe ratling in the throat, without speaking any one word. This strange judgement happened before many witnesses, who searching him, found about him five devillish books of conjuration and most abhominable practises, with a picture in tin of a man having three dice in his hand, with this writing, Chance dice fortunately; and much other trash: so that every one consessed it to be a just judgement against Sorcery, and a great example to cause others to feare the just judgement of God. Now let every one learne by these examples to feare God, and to stand firme and stedfast to his holy Word, without turning from it on any side, so shall he be safe from such like miserable ends as these wicked varlets come unto.