Histories of Visions Apparitions Prophecies Spirits Divinations, Part 1 · Section 35
35. Of the reformation of Magick and Aſtrology, as well in Pagan States, as Chriſtian Churches: with a Caveat (in concluſion) to Engliſh-men, for to beware of Aſtrologicall Magicians, or Magicall Aſtrologers; as to redeem the old ſcandall, and prevent the new calumny, of their ſuperſtitious addiction to Soothſaying Prophecies and predictions.
NInus vanquiſhed Zoroaſter, and in a contempt to his Magick and Aſtrology, cauſed his books to be burnt. Numa, Pompilius, and Dardanus would needs ha…e their Magical books to be buried with them. This might be their diabolicall envy, or rather the divels own policy, to have them thought, and ſought as things prizeable; but it was indeed Gods providence to have them aboliſhed as things deteſtable. Hermogenes his books were burned by St. Iames the Apoſtle. The Emperours Honorius and Theodoſius ordained that ſuch kind of books ſhould be burned in the ſight of the Biſhops. Athanaſius ſpeaks of whole volumes that were burnt, even by the conſent of the Arts greateſt admirers. Iodocus de Roſa his conjuring books were burnt by a common Councell. Belike ſuch a conſumption hath alwaies been thought and found to be the beſt way of reformation: and moſt conformable to that great example, Acts 19.19.
The Chaldaeans indigning the many oraculous and divining gods that were ſet up in ſeverall countries; and preſuming to reform all to their own god Ʋr, or Fire: they propoſed to divers Provinces, that that God which prevailed to confound all the other ſhould be accounted as the only God. To this purpoſe they carry their Idol Fire in a Cenſer up and down with them, and commit it to conflict with the other Idols of Gold, Silver, Wood, Stone, &c. and it conſumes them all. The fame of the Chaldean Fire devouring all where it came, coming to the eares of the Prieſt of Canopus (an Aegyptian god, in whoſe Temple was taught Magick by Aegyptian letters; and not unlike Aſtrologie too, or divining by the Stars, ſince they have a Star alſo of that name) this put him upon a crafty device to ſave the credit of his god. He took a great earthen water pot full of holes, and ſtopped them with Wax, and filled it with water, and painted it over, and ſet it up inſtead of his God (or rather this water pot was the belly of Canopus himſelfe ſo faſhioned.) In come the Chaldeans, and as the two gods are put to the bickering, the Wax melts, and the water runs out, and ſo the Fire is quenched: and now is Canopus accounted for the victor. After this comes Theophilus a Chriſtian Prieſt to conteſt with him; and he (by the power and providence of God) makes the very creature Fire to conſume all, in deſpight of all magicall force or fraud: and ſo works the reformation.
The Alexandrians not well knowing how to prohibit the Aſtrologers directly, did it ſubtilly. They exacted a yeerly tribute not onelyonly of the Aſtrologers, but of all thoſe that conſulted them. And this exaction they called foreign, the fooles tribute; thinking that either the charge or the ſhame of it would thus reſtrain, if not reform it.
Auguſtus gathered up here and there all the fatidicall books he could; and thoſe that were ſpread abroad under none, or no apt authors, he cauſed them to be all burnt, to the number of two thouſand: and onelyonly retained the Sibylline books, and them too with choice, commanding that even they ſhould not be lookt into by any others but the Quindecemvirs onelyonly.
In the too long protraction of the ſecond Punick warre, their religion became ſo diſtracted by the turbulencies of the times, that all ſexes, ages, and degrees of people turned ſacrificers and vaticinators. Complaint hereof was brought to the Senate; and they laid the blame on the inferior Magiſtrates for not inhibiting them. At length the buſineſſe was committed by the Senate to M. Aemilius, the Ʋrbane Praetor, who made proclamation, that whoſoever had any books of vaticination, or written Oriſons or arts of ſacrificing, letters, &c. that they ſhould bring them all to him within ſuch a day. And thus he freed them from ſuch confuſions as were crept into their religion.
As they were plowing in the field of L. Petilius the Scribe, certain books of Numa were there found in a cheſt of ſtone. Which Q. Petilius the Ʋrbane Praetor hearing of, ſent for them; and reading onelyonly the ſumme or contents of them, and obſerving that they tended to the utter diſſolving of religion, told L. Petilius, that he intended to burn them. The Scribe appealed to the Tribunes of the people; they referred it to the Senate: where it was decreed, that the Pretor ſhould keep his vow or reſolution; and ſo they were burned by the victimaries, or ſacrificers themſelves, in the ſight of all the people.
It being related to the Fathers, by Quintilian a Tribune of the people, concerning a book of the Sybils, which Caninius Gallus a Quindecemvir would have received among the reſt of the prophecies; Tiberius hereupon ſent letters to the Senate, ſeverely checking at Caninius, who being verſed in the ceremonies, would admit of an ode or a charm, whoſe authour was uncertain; which the maſters had not read, nor the Colledge approved: putting the Fathers in mind of Auguſtus his edict, to carry all ſuch to the Ʋrbane Praetor: and that the Sibylline verſes, belonged to the care of the Prieſts, to diſcern which were true, and which falſe. And that they ſhould eſpecially acquaint the Quindecemvirs therewith, and not tranſact any thing raſhly in a cauſe of religion.
Under Ʋalentinian, one Hilarius a Car-man was brought before Apronius the praefect of the City; becauſe he had committed his ſonne to a venefick, necromancer, or ſorcerer, to be brought up or traded in ſuch arts as were interdicted by the laws; and was therefore condemned.
Amantius an aruſpick was ſolicited by Hymetius to ſacrifice for depraved and maleficall intents: which being proved by papers found in his houſe, the conſulter was baniſhed, and the practitioner condemned.
Lollianus a very young magician, being accuſed, that he had written a book of pernicious arts: for feare that Maximinus would baniſh him, appealed to Valentinian, who more grievouſly puniſhed him.
Palladius a veneficke, and Heliodorus a genethliacke, or one that interpreted fate by genitures, were therefore accuſed before Modeſtus the praetorian praefect. Palladius impeached Fiduſtius, Praeſidatis, Irenaeus, and Pergamius for their abhominable charms. Fiduſtius confeſſes his vaticinating malefice, and joyns with him Hilarius and Patricius. Pergamius accuſes many thouſands as conſcious of the ſame arts. Hilarius and Patricius confeſſe the ſortilegious fact, with all the circumſtances. Wherefore all theſe, and many other Philoſophers are puniſhed with fire and ſword; as Paſiphilus, Diogenes, Alypius, Simonides, and others. And laſt of all, that no mention might be found of theſe unlawfull arts, innumerable books and volumes are all heaped together, and burnt in the Judges ſight.
Under Manuel Commenus, one Araon was accuſed, in that there was found in his houſe the image of a Tortoiſe, and with in it the picture of a man chained, and pierced through the breaſt: and that he carried about him the old conjuring book that was called Solomons; which while he read it, legions of divels would appeare, and ask him wherefore he called them, and would quickly execute his commands. Of which being convicted, he had his eyes put out, the uſual puniſhment of thoſe times.
Sicidites about the ſame time was impeached, for caſting preſtigious miſts before mens eyes; and for ſending out his devils to terrifie and torment men. The ſame man ſitting by the water ſide with ſome of his companions askt them what they would give him, and he would make the Boatman (that then paſſed by with a load of earthen veſſels) to break all his own wares, with his own Oare? Something they promiſed him, and he muttered a few words, and it came to paſſe accordingly. The man being askt after that, why he was ſo mad as to break his wares? anſwered, he thought he ſaw before him an ugly great Serpent ready to devoure him, which ſtill crept neerer to him the more he ſtruck at it, and when all his pots were broken in pieces then it vaniſhed. For this and other ridiculous pernicious tricks, he was ſerved as Araon was, ſc. had his eyes put out; an apt puniſhment for all peepers, and Star-gazers.
In vain was all the Pagan reformation of Magick and Aſtrologie. For they put the Artiſts or practitioner away with one hand, and pull'd them to them with another: witneſſe the edicts of Auguſtus, Tiberius, Nero, Ʋitellius, Domitian, &c. and their own repealing acts, and eſpecially the Senate that baniſhed Martha the Syrian propheteſſe: and yet a little after retained and imbraced Batabacus a predicting diviner. The Hiſtorian therefore ſaid wel and truly on both parts. This kind of men, treacherous to Potentates, and deluſive to all conſulters and confiders, are alwaies inhibited our City, and yet alwaies retained in it.
I ſay no more of Imperiall edicts: nor of thoſe after the Emperours became Chriſtian; nor of provinciall Lawes, nor of municipall Statutes; nor of generall Councels, nor of Eccleſiaſticall Canons; nor of Fathers ſentences, &c. All theſe are ſufficiently collected againſt them. I onelyonly conclude with an animadverſion to our own Countreymen.
PLiny (writing of Magick) ſaith, that in his daies the Art thereof was highly honoured by the Britaines, and the people of that Nation ſo deeply devoted thereunto, and the practiſes of it performed with ſuch complements of all ceremonies, that a man would think, the Perſians had learned all their magick skill from them. And in truth our own hiſtories report, that the firſt Rulers of this Land, were Magicians, Aſtrologers, Diviners, (ſuch as were Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, Bardus) and that under a colour to teach men the knowledge of the Stars: they brought men to the worſhip of the Stars. Yea, & that they thus begat here their ſects of Samotheans Magicians, (In ſo much as the Perſians have been thought to have borrowed their word magi from hence.) Sarronides, Druides, Barditaes or Bardians: and theſe kinds of ſects were propagated amongſt us, till the preaching of Fugatius, and Damianus, in the time of King Lucius: and then they began thus to be aboliſhed, and put to flight. What? two Preachers put down ſo many ſects of Magicians? What a ſhame and miſery were it now, if one Society of Artiſts ſhould ſet up themſelves to pull down ſo many preachers of the Goſpel? Philip de Cominees, ſpeaking of fooliſh fantaſticall prophecies, ſaith, The Engliſhmen are never unfurniſht of ſuch, from the cabaliſticall diſpoſing, and expounding of certain letters. What would he have ſaid, if he had ſeen his own Frenchman tranſlated amongſt us? Again, he ſaith, The Engliſh attribute much to prophecies and vaticinations: and alwaies are weak, when they treat of hard matters, to produce ſome ſuch kind of thing. Which, for all his reputed ſobriety, we cannot but take for a calumny. Who doe unanimouſly profeſſe (againſt all Merlinicall arrogators, prorogators, derogators) that we are of the mind of William of Newborough; that ſharply inveighed againſt Geffray ap Arthur, for adventuring to divulge under the name of authentique prophecies, the deceitfull conjectures, and foredeemings of one Merline a Wizzard; and adding thereunto a great deale of his own. And doe herein approve of the Councell of Trent, for inhibiting the publication of Merlines books. Although we take them to be (as ſome of their own ſaid of them) like the Aſtrologers, who to ſave their Phaenomena, fram'd to their conceit, Eccentretes, and Epicydes, and a wonderfull engine of orbs, though no ſuch things were, &c. We alſo doe commend the many wholſome Laws, imperiall and municipall, among Chriſtians and Heathens, that have been juſtly enacted againſt them. And doe adviſe them not to make ſlight of the Eccleſiaſticall penances; however not to neglect true repentance. Otherwiſe we could wiſh that our owne Statute-laws were but duly executed upon the ſeverall kinds of them. And then ſhould we have the Magaſtromancers poſed and puzzel'd indeed, that is, not onelyonly confuted, but confounded.
Faeliciter, Cum Deo, concluſum eſt contra Mag-aſtrologos.
Amen.