The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 27 · Section 28 – Section 29
28. Of impoſtorous Magicke and Aſtrologie, the cauſes of prepoſterous villany: or the Magaſtromancers inſtigating to thoſe execrable acts, which otherwiſe had never been invented, or intended: And other curſed conſequents.
CAracalla remaining in Meſopotamia, ſent to Maternus, whom he had left Governour of Rome, to aſſemble all the Aſtrologers and Mathematicians, and procure them to give their opinions ſecretly, whether there were any conſpiracies on foot againſt him; and to give their judgements how long he ſhould live, and what death he ſhould die. Maternus did ſo; and (as the Aſtrologers had adviſed) wrote that Macrinus, his prefect, was the conſpirator; and therefore did warn him to ſee Macrinus diſpatcht out of the way. As the Letter came to Caracalla, he was at that inſtant upon a ſport which he would not intermit; & ſo committed the Letters to Macrinus to read over, and make report of their contents to him afterwards. Macrinus in peruſall of them finding himſelfe accuſed of ſuch treaſon as he never thought of, and doomed or neceſſitated to it by Aſtrologicall judgement; and conſidering the Emperours jealous cruelty, and Maternus his envy; thought there could now be no ſafety for him, either in excuſing or delaying: and ſo ſet Martial, a diſcontented Centurion (whoſe brother he had cauſed to be put to death) to murder him.
Among the other prodigies that were ſaid to prognoſticate Domitians death, there was ſeen a crown encircling about the Sunne. Now becauſe Stephanus ſignifies a Crown, the Aſtrologers would have the Crown to ſignifie Stephanus; and he muſt be the man thus deſtinied to diſpatch Domitian; and this very thing was it that heartned him to doe the deed.
Diocleſian, becauſe a Druid or Sorcereſſe had foretold him, that he ſhould be Emperour after he had ſlain a Boare: he not onelyonly killed all the Boares he could, but ſlew all the men he knew that had the name of Aper, or Boare.
Ʋalens underſtanding, by a conſtellated figure, that one ſhould ſucceed him, whoſe name began with …. or Th. thereupon cauſed divers to be ſlaine, whoſe names began after that manner.
Edward the fourth wrought the death of George Duke of Clarence, his brother: inſtigated thereunto by a fooliſh prophecy, that one whoſe name began with a G. ſhould ſucceed him.
It was upon a prophecy or prediction, that Mackbeth ſlew Duncano King of Scots: and likewiſe Banquo, his chiefeſt friend; becauſe of a prophecy, that his poſterity ſhould ſucceed in the Kingdome. Again, upon a Wizards prophecy or prediction, that he ſhould never be ſlain by any man born of a woman; nor vanquiſhed, till the wood of Bernane came to the Caſtle of Dunſinane; this made him give up himſelfe ſecurely to all kind of wickedneſſe.
Niſeus tyrant of Syracuſe, being foretold of his death by a Soothſayer, thereupon riotouſly laviſht away all his wealth beforehand. So did a rich man of Lions, upon the calculating of his Nativity, but lived and beg'd along time after.
Natholocus King of Scots, deſirous to underſtand ſomewhat of the iſſue of his troubles; ſent a truſty ſervant of his to enquire of a Witch: who conſulting with her ſpirits, told him, the King ſhould be murdered, not by the hands of his enemies, but by one of his moſt familiar friends. The meſſenger demanding inſtantly by whoſe hands? Even by thine, ſaid ſhe. Whereupon he defyed her, and bad her goe like an old witch; and truſted he ſhould ſee her burnt, ere he ſhould be drawne to doe ſo villanous a deed: intending to ſignifie it ſincerely to the King himſelfe. But by the way, as he returned, many fears and ſuſpitions aroſe in his mind; eſpecially that the Kings jealouſie would not be ſatisfied with his innocency; ſo that he thought it the ſureſt way for himſelfe to doe the deed; and (thus induced) he did it.
Gambyſes dreaming that his brother Smerdis ſhould raigne, becauſe he thought he ſaw him fitting in a regall Throne, contrived his death by the means of one Praxaſ…es a magician, who peradventure had either magically ſent that dream, or elſe interpreted to that purpoſe.
From an old orientall prophecy, that about that time ſuch as came out of the land of Iudaea, ſhould obtaine the whole government of affairs; the Jews ſlew their governour, and rebelled, but to their own miſerable deſtruction.
Veſpaſian being admoniſhed by the Mathematicians to take heed of Metius Pompoſianus, becauſe he had an imperiall Geneſis: whom though he (wiſer then to give credit unto ſuch things) nevertheleſſe preferred; yet Domitian was drawn to put him to death upon the ſelfe ſame occaſion.
29. Of Magaſtromancers eluding Authority; and deluding themſelves in a preſumption of impunity.
CLeomedes for many portentous malefices, being faſt ſhut up in a cloſe ſepulchre or coffin, with a cover that many men could hardly lift, laid upon it to keepe him ſafe againſt the day of triall: when the day came he was vaniſhed thence, and not there to be found, neither alive nor dead. When they conſulted the Oracle about his portentous eſcape, it commended him for it, as one of the laſt of the Heroes.
Apollonius Tyanaeus being convented before Domitian, when he thought to take puniſhment of the Magician, he forthwith vaniſhed out of his preſence.
Apuleius accuſed for magicall Arts and practices, before Claudius a Chriſtian Magiſtrate; inſtead of confeſſing his fault, fell to calumniate and traduce the very Laws; for exhibiting the ſame under ſuch penalties.
One Diodorus, or Leodorus, a moſt portentous Conjurer, being therefore condemned, and led to execution: by his enchantments ſlipt out of the executioners hands, and conveyed himſelfe in the ayre, from Catana in Sicily to Conſtantinople. At laſt the Biſhop of Catana caught him at unawares, and cauſed him to be burnt in a fiery furnace.
At Cullen a certain Damſell being cited for playing of preſtigious tricks; ſhe did many jugling feats before the Nobles, as rending of towels, breaking of glaſſes, and preſently making them whole againe, &c. which made them vain ſport, and they conclude them to be but joculatory pranks, and ſo ſhe eſcaped the Inquiſitour.
David Ebroy a magicall Jew made thoſe of his Nation believe that he was the Meſſiah, come to free them from the ſervitude of the uncircumciſed. The King of Perſia apprehending him, he by his ſleights eſcaped out of priſon, croſſed a broad river, and could never be overtaken.
One Caeſarius Maltes, a praeſtigious Jugler, being taken at Paris, eſcaped priſon by his circulatory tricks; for which being queſtioned again in another place, and condemned; the Governour (by his power, and againſt Law) reprieved him; as much taken with his feats of Leigerdemaine. But nothing proſpered after that in his government, and he died not long after.
In the territories of Berne, one Scapbius boaſted, that he could ſcape inviſible, when he pleaſed: and ſo had oft times avoyded the hands of his capitall enemies. At length (when he grew ripe both for divine and humane vengeance) he was eſpied (by thoſe that laid wait to apprehend him) through a window; and was ſo ſlain with a ſpeare, when he leaſt dreamt of his death.
Caius Marius, a man ignoble, and a cruell author of civill warres, after the firſt fight wherein he was vanquiſhed by Sylla; being taken naked and muddy by the enemy, he was brought to the Minturnians, and delivered to the Governour of the City, who ſitting in councell upon him, gave ſentence that he ſhould be put to death preſently; and ſeeing none of the Citizens would undertake the execution, they committed it to a Cimbrian horſman, or ſome ſay, a Frenchman, who, about to diſpatch the buſineſſe, heard a great voyce out of a dark place; Thou man! dareſt thou kill Marius? at which the man affraid, let fall his weapon and ran away, crying he durſt not doe the deed, and ſo he eſcaped.
At Ʋenice a certaine maleficall Sorcerer being condemned, made all the locks fall off, and doors fly open; onelyonly by a confection of certain herbs, and muſſitation of certain charms, and ſo went his way.