Histories of Visions Apparitions Prophecies Spirits Divinations, Part 1 · Section 12
12. Magicians, Aſtrologers, Diviners, Diabolically praedicting, maliciouſly envying, malefically imprecating, and venefically murdering, ſuch as inhibited, oppoſed, confuted, contradicted them, or their arts. That is, either by violence, treachery, or ſorcery, ſeeking, and venturing their adverſaries deſtruction: whether they were Kings or Prieſts, Chriſtians or Perſians.
VItellius having commanded by his Edicts, that the Chaldeans, Mathematicians, Magicians, judiciall Aſtrologers, and Diviners ſhould depart the City of Rome, and be baniſhed all Italy, within the Kalends of October. Thereupon the Chaldaeans ſet up an imprecatory and devotory libell, threatning that Ʋitellius Germanicus, by the day of the ſame Kalends ſhould be no where, or not in being. And yet not that by Fate ſo much as vaticinall maleſice.
Domitian having decreed the baniſhment of the Aſtologers, (although he much preſumed to be an Aſtrologer or Diviner himſelfe) they likewiſe caſting his conſtellation, told him what time he ſhould die. Aſcletarion the Mathematician eſpecially threatned his death to his own face. At which Domitian angerly demanded, what death found he by his art that he ſhould die himſelfe? He anſwered that he himſelfe ſhould be eaten up of dogs, which (ſaith the ſtory) fell out as prodigiouſly, as inevitably. Now thoſe dogs being divels, without doubt it was eaſie for the Divell to ſuggeſt unto the Aſtrologer what he meant to effect himſelfe: ſo eaſie is it for Aſtrologers to predict thoſe things, whereof they intend to be the inſtruments, or by their effaſcinating predictions to inſtigate others to commit. And if they underſtood not theſe very things by diabolicall inſtinct, to ſatisfie their tempting invocations; how ſhould Apellonius Tyanaeus, diſputing in the Schooles at Epheſus, ſtop on a ſudden with defixed eyes, and diſtracted conntenance, cry out (at the very inſtant that Domitian was ſlaine at Rome) well done Stephanus, kill the Tyrant; that Tyrant Domitian is even now wounded, ſlayne dead? Well might a Magician be adviſed of the act, when it was a ſoothſaying divination, that provoked to doe the deed.
Iuſtine Martyr was ſlain by the treachery of one Creſeens, a diſſolute, vain-glorious, circulatory, ſophiſticall Philoſopher: becauſe he diſputed againſt, and confuted him in that kind of ſophiſtry.
Picus Mirandula, for writing largely, ſoundly, and ſharply againſt Aſtrology was envyouſly and imprecatingly told by Lucius Bellantius, that (according to his Aſtrologicall judgement upon his Nativity) he ſhould die in the thirty fourth yeare of his age: yet while he formerly diſputed for the Mathematicall ſciences at large, the Aſtrologers made the Starres to ſignifie his ſtupendous living above his yeares.
It is recorded of Simon Magus, that many even of the Heathens obſerving his praeſtigiouſneſſe, and branding him for it, he ſoothed them up, and pretended a ſacrifice, and bade all thoſe that had reproached him or his art to a banquet; of which they had no ſooner eaten, but they were all infeſted and inflicted with divels and diſeaſes.
A Magician not far from Ihena, being upbraided by a neighbour of his, a Carpenter, with his unlawfull arts and practiſes: pretended to predict ſome infortunity of his at hand, for railing againſt the profeſſion; but wrought it venefically, ſo that the poore man fell ſuddenly into a ſtrange diſeaſe. Whereupon begging pardon for offending him or his Art, he implored the help of his skill for his releaſe. The Magician promiſed it, and to that purpoſe gave him a certaine root to take in a potion, which he had no ſooner done, but he was taken with moſt exquiſite torments in all parts, of which at length he died.