Histories of Visions Apparitions Prophecies Spirits Divinations, Part 1 · Section 32
32 Of the baſe ſordid flattery, and corrupt covetouſneſs of Magical and Aſtrological Diviners; as alſo of Chymical promiſers, and preſuming deluders.
WHat provoked the mad Prophet Balaam the ſon of Boſor to ſeek after inchantments and divination; but becauſe he loved the wages of unrighteouſneſſe? 2 Pet. 2.15. Why would Simon Magus have given mony for the gift of the Holy Ghoſt: but becauſe he intended to get more mony by it, Act 8. The vagabond Jews exorciſts of war for their advantage that they ſet up the trade of calling over them that had evil ſpirits, Act. 19. And the Damſel poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of divination, brought her maſters (who but the Magical and Aſtrological diviners?) much gain by prophecying, Act. 13.16.
Dardanus a moſt profligated Magician, was ſo ſordidly addicted to covetouſneſs; tha the Dardanian Arts grew into a proverbial uſage indifferently, either for Magick or covetouſneſs
Thetis, ſome ſay Democritus, foreſeeing firſt a plenty, then a dearth of Olives; monopolized all the oyle that his mony or credit could reach too: and ſo in a yeer or two made himſelf very rich.
Apuleius is faigned to be turned into an Aſſe: into an Aſſe for the vanity; and why not into a golden Aſſe, for the covetouſneſſe of his Art?
Demonax noting a certain Diviner to expoſe his prognoſticks to ſale, ſaid; if theſe can help a man to procure his good, or prevent his evil fortune, they may be worth the mony: otherwiſe they are too dear of nought, if they either feed a man with vain hopes; or make a man to purchaſe a ſenſe of his miſery before the time.
Apollonius (ſo covetous he was) that he often ſought for Mines and hidden treaſures, but he never found out any by his conjuring Art; unleſſe he milkt it out of deluded people spurſes.
The fame goes of Fauſtus, and of Agrippa likewiſe, that as they made their journeys from place to place, they would ſtill pay mony in their Inns, ſeemingly good and currant: but by that they were gone from thence, if they told their money again, they ſhould finde nothing elſe but hornes and chips, and ſhells, and pieces of iron and braſſe, and ſuch like ruſty rubbiſh.
Pope Martin the 2. Benedict the 9. John the 21. and the 22. Sylveſter the 2. and Gregory the 7. All theſe are recorded by ſundry Hiſtorians, to have aſcended the Papal chair, by Magical and Necromantick Arts. And it is of equal obſervation, that their covetouſneſſe, as well as their ambition, did induce them thereunto.
Certain of the Indians, look what wares they had loſt by ſhipwrack, they ſought to recover them from the ſea again, by incantations. Stuphius uſed to pay his Army with Magical money. Agrippa offered Charles the fifth to gain him infinite treaſures by Magical means.
Macrianus an hungry Greek would needs go conjure for treaſure in the Iſle Paros, and the earth ſwallowed him up. A Prior, with two of his fellowes entring into a den neer Puteoli, to finde treaſure, miſerably periſht there, and was never ſeen more. A poor artificer of Baſil, diving into another low vault, for the ſame purpoſe, found nothing but dead mens bones, and was ſo poyſoned with the ſtench, that he dyed within two or three dayes after. At Piſa ſome tried in like manner, but were ſo infeſted with devils, that they were forced to give over the work. In the weſt of Wales a certain rich man dreamed three nights together, that there was a chain of gold hidden under the head Stone, which covered St Bernaces well: he believing his repeated dream, and minding to make tryal, put his hand into the hole, and had it moſt venomouſly bitten by a poyſonous ſerpent.
A certain profeſſor of Chymiſtry (which is a kinde of praeſtigious, covetous, cheating Magick) would ſhew hands and feet of gold, which he pretended to have compoſed by his art; and ſo had made himſelf rich, and many others poor. At length he offered a golden bridle bit to Anaſtaſius the Emperour; who anſwered him, thou haſt deceived many, but thou ſhalt not deceive me; and ſo caſt him into priſon, and there he dyed.
Two Chymiſts had agreed upon a cheat, that one of them ſhould turn druggiſt, and ſell ſtrange roots and powders: the other to follow ſtill his gold-finding trade: and ſo he offered his ſervice to Erneſt Marqueſſe of Baden, who was wonderful given to that vanity: To work they go and all things proceed well, onelyonly one ingredient was wanting, which is called Reſch, pretending it a cheap commodity, and to be had at every Apothecaries ſhop. The Prince ſends his Page for ſome of it, and his other partner was hard by the door expoſing it to ſale, and lets him have a great deal of it for a matter of a ſhilling; and the impoſtor puts in this duſt among the reſt, and at length produces pretty ſtore of gold. The Marqueſſe wonderful glad of the effect, richly rewards the man, forbringing the art to that perfection; and ſo diſmiſſes him, minding to practice it by himſelf: which he doth with ſome happy ſucceſſe, as long as the Reſch laſted (which was a counterfeit powder mixt with the filings of gold) this being ſpent, he ſends to the Apothecaries for more, and none of them could tell that ever they had ſeen or heard of ſuch a commodity. And then the Prince perceived the impoſture, when neither it, nor either of the inventers of it, were any where to be found.
A certain Spaniſh pretending Alchymiſt comming to Antwerp, ſet up his furnace, and got acquainted with foure rich Spaniſh Merchants. He fell to inveigh againſt their ſlow trading and ſlender return; adviſing them to joyn with him, and become compartners in his Art (the truth whereof he would ſoon demonſtrate to their ſenſes) and ſo they ſhould be rich in a ſhort time, and without any great adventure. Give him but ſuch a little ſumme of gold, and they ſhould quickly ſee how his Gold-begetting art would multiply it. The Merchants are content to venture ſo much for the experiment▪ As all was working, he haſtily bids ſend of the Merchants men for two royals worth of the ſtone Onaſtros, to be had at any Apothecaries ſhop; as he was going, he pretends there muſt be no delay, and therefore bids goe to the next Apothecary (with whom he had left a maſſie piece of gold, cruſted over, and coloured as if it had been a ſtone: and left order that whoſoever came to aske for Onaſtros, they ſhould have that, and at a very low rate. This being brought he plyes the furnace, according to all circumſtances, and at length drawes out a wedge of Gold, in weight and value triple to that they had put in. The Merchants ſend it to the Goldſmiths, and it really abides and anſwers the touch. At this there is exceeding rejoycing; and they are ſworn not to reveale his ſecret experiment to any. And now they offer to truſt him and his art with hundreds, nay and thouſands. To which he ſeemed more modeſt then at the firſt. But in an evening cals upon them for the largeſt ſummes they had offered to venture, pretending to begin the like experiment very early the next morning: which having got into his hands, he took horſe that night, and ſo rode away into France.
One Conſtantine a famous Alchymiſt told this ſtory of ſome of his fellows; that they greedy of Gold, blew long without either livelihood or hope of it; and then conſulted with a paredriall of theirs, the divell, to let them underſtand, if they were defective in any rite or ceremony requiſite to the Art, that they miſt ſo of their expected end. To this the Divell made no other anſwer but Labour, labour. Whereupon they fell to work a freſh, and plyed every thing hard, till all was conſumed away: then came the divel thundering and ſcattered abroad all that was left, and made all their geare to fly a pieces, and laught at it when he had done.
Beſides Dardanians, ſuch as by magicall and maleficall arts, would transfer others ſtocks into their own fields; and others heaps of Corn into their own barnes and garners: they were alſo called Saccularians; becauſe by the ſame art, they would charm and convey the money out of others purſes into their owne.
Cicero records that Demoſthenes (almoſt 300 yeeres before him) complained that the Pythian Oracle did foreign, flatter Philip then in power, and prognoſticated altogether on his part; and was to that purpoſe corrupted by him. And addes that the like was to be ſuſpected of the Delphian Oracle of his daies.
Apollo flattered Lycurgus for giving Laws; and knew not therefore whether he ſhould ſtile him a God, or a man. And Lycurgus flattered him again; pretending his Laws to proceed from his divining Oracles: although ſome of them were ſuch, that old wives and ſlaves might eaſily have both predicted and edicted.
Archilochus, a viperine Satyriſt; and not onelyonly ſo, but a petulant obſcure Poet (for which the Lacedaemonians ſuppreſt his bookes, and baniſht the Author) yet was he therefore highly commended by Apollo, who foretold his father that ſuch his ſonne ſhould be famous among men. And when he was ſlaine, the Delphian Oracle not onelyonly condemned their wickedneſſe, but commended ſtill Archilochus his wit.
Cypſelus and Phalaris, two egregious tyrants, yet both praiſed by Apollo's Oracle; and the one pronounced for happy, and the other for long liv'd.
Veſpaſian having obtained the Empire, none more flattered by Soſtrates, Seleucus, Baſilides, and other Mathematicall diviners; but makes him believe he ſees his advancement and victories in the entrayles. Others by vaticinating inſtinct cauſe certaine antique veſſels to be digged up in ſacred places, wherein they found (they ſay) the image of Veſpaſian perfectly engraven. Another whatſoever he ſhall enterpriſe promiſes him the largeſt ſucceſſe.
Alexander being ambitious to be thought of divine originall, and ſolicitous to redeem the imputation of his mothers infamy, ſent before, and ſuborned the divining Prieſts with faire promiſes and large gifts: who thereupon made the Oracle to give anſwer even as he would himſelfe; which upon his firſt entrance into the Temple, ſaluted him as the ſonne of Iupiter Hammon.
The Locrians (fewer in number) being to warre with the Crotonians, implored the Gods by ſacrifice for ſucceſſe: which the Crotonians hearing, ſent preſently to conſult Apollo at Delphos, and received this anſwer; that enemies muſt be overcome firſt by vows, and then by arms. Whereupon they vowed the tenth part of the ſpoyle to Apollo. The Locrians underſtanding both the anſwer, and their vow; vowed the ninth part, and kept it ſecret, leſt their enemies ſhould outvie them, and ſo obtained the victory.
In the Mileſian region, one having bought the next draught of the Fiſhermen; they drew up (among other things) a golden Table. Great was the controverſie whoſe this ſhould be. Delphick Apollo was conſulted to decide it: who anſwered, it ought to be given to him, that was wiſer then all the reſt. Whereupon they gave it to Thales their own Country wiſeman, or Aſtrologer, and he to Bias; and he to Pittacus; and ſo one to another, till at laſt it came to Solon; & he gave it to Apollo himſelf. And thus was it ſhuffled up betwixt the Aſtrologers, and the Oraculiſts.
Strepſiades conſulted a Theſſalian Veneficke about pulling down the Moon from Heaven by magicall ends. For at Athens they were wont to pay uſe, rent, taxes, &c. upon the firſt appearing of the new Moon. Now if there were no Moon at all to appeare, he thought this the onelyonly way to prevent and defeat the creditors.
Macarius the Mitylenian a Prieſt of Bacchus, bearing before him a face of juſtice and equity; one committed to his truſt a certain ſum of money; which in his preſence he hid in a more ſafe and ſecret place of the Temple. Afterwards the man calling upon him to reſtore what was depoſited, he called him into the Temple, and there cut his throat.
Beleſis a Babylonian Prieſt, skilfull in Aſtrology and the art of divining; had foretold to Arbaces the Mede, that he ſhould eject Sardanapalus out of the Aſſyrian Kingdome. Which ſo falling out, Arbaces made Beleſis Governour of Babylon. Now an Eunuch of Sardanapalus finding great ſtore of treaſure in his houſe, brought it to Beleſis; who under a colour of carrying aſhes, tranſported it away, it being the Kings due. Which fact of his the Judges ſentenced for capitall, but that it was the Kings pleaſure to pardon him.
The Romanes having ſpent much treaſure in the Macedonian warre; and their people greatly exhauſted: It was thought neceſſary that ſo much ſhould be exacted of the pontificall Augures, Aruſpicks, Diviners, &c. as might help to ſupply the preſent neceſſity (for though they had praedicted faire for it, yet had they themſelves hitherto payd nothing to the warre) This taxe made the predicting Prieſts ſo murmur, and exclaime at the breach of their priviledges, for that they could have wiſht they had not been ſo forward in predicting and auſpicating as they were.