The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 27 · Section 33
33. Of the infamy, danger, miſery, and ruine of ſuch as have affectedly favoured, or preferred, and ſuperſtitiouſly credited, or conſulted Magicall and Aſtrologicall predictors.
OCtavius perſwaded by certaine Chaldaean ſacrifices, or praedicting Soothſayers, who had promiſed him that all ſhould goe well with him, ſtayd in Rome, till he was there ſlain by Marcus his Souldiers, that had entred the City. And after he was dead a Chaldean propheſie was found in his boſome. This man (ſaith the Hiſtorian) was as wiſe and juſt as any Roman of his time: ſave that he had this great imperfection, to frequent Soothſayers, wiſe men, and Aſtronomers, more then men skilfull in arms government.
Midas was ſo ſuperſtitiouſly troubled and diſtracted about his own dreams, that he poyſoned himſelfe by drinking of Buls blood. Ariſtodemus King of the Meſſenians, in his warre againſt the Lacedaemonians, was ſo diſturbed at the dogs barking like wolves, and that the graſſe grew in his fathers houſe, or about his houſhold Gods (which the diviners feared for ominous) that he deſperately made himſelfe away. Nicias the Athenian Captain was ſo exceeding fearful of the portent of an ecclipſe, that he ſate ſtill and ſuffered himſelfe to be environed by his enemies: and ſo betrayed both himſelfe and 40000. ſouldiers to deſtruction.
Pomeralius (by his predictions) was the cauſe of a great ſlaughter to Conſtantine the ſonne of Irene: and of his own death to boot. Steth…tus (accounted the chiefe Aſtrologer of his time) by a fooliſh vaticination, brought deſtruction both to Alexius and himſelfe. Emanuel Connuenus the Emperour, much addicted to this madneſſe, timely (beſides the perpetuall infamy) brought himſelfe, and a great Navy to utter confuſion. Peter Leonius, a Phyſician, by his vaine confidence of the Mathematicks, gave occaſion to the death of Laurence de Medices, and his own after that.
Andronicus having made ſomewhat too ſevere an edict, not onelyonly againſt Conjurers, and Necromancers, but againſt all their relations: to redeem the hatred of ſuch ſeverity, he began to encourage, and conſult them himſelfe. And enquiring about his Succeſſor, the magicall diviner uſed his feats in water; and there was ſeen written backward (Si for Iſ.) the two firſt letters of his ſucceſſors name. Noting Iſacius, that ſlew him and raigned in his ſtead Didius Iulianus making the like inquiſition by a glaſſe, a child looking in it, obſerved Iulians ſlaughter, and the ſucceſſion of Severus. So was Iulian the Apo… ſtate deluded by his diviners to his utter deſtruction.
O…ho Sylvius was led on by his predicting Aſtrologers, to uſurpation, and riot, and to kill himſelfe deſperately at laſt. Maxentius was ſo deluded (by his prognoſticators) with aſſurance of victory, that he went on confidently, but was vanquiſht and periſhed. Licinius called together his Augurs, Aegyptian diviners, Necromancers, Veneficks, praeſtigious ſacrificers, and pſeudopreſagers, to enquire what ſhould be the ſucceſſe of the warre againſt Conſtantine. They all at once predicted victory without doubt. The inchanters made odes, and rimes; the Augures preſignified happy ſucceſſe, by the flight of birds: ſo did the Aruſpicall ſacrificuliſts from the intrayles: and thus they made him confident to his vanquiſhment, flight, and extream confuſion.
Italicu… a Chriſtian Governour, having an accuſtomed horſrace with an aemulating neighbour a Pagan; comes to Hilarion entreating his prayers: becauſe his Aemulator had uſed ſorcerous imprecations, whereby to diſable his horſes, and ſtir up his own. Hilarion judging ſuch an occaſion not worthy of his prayers, counſelled him to ſell his horſes which he kept for that purpoſe, and to diſtribute the money to the poore. He anſwered it was a publique cuſtome, and the other would not ſuffer it to be laid down; and that in ſuch their maſteries, they uſed inſolently to domineere over the Chriſtians. He therefore being much importuned both by him and others, condeſcended (whether in merriment, or to be rid of the importunity) to give him a cup in which he uſed to drink in, and bad him fill it with water, and ſprinkle his horſes therewith, and ſo diſmiſt him. This he did accordingly, and wanne the goale, againſt all expectation. Whereupon Hilarion, who thus intended to deride rather then to imitate any Magicall artifice) was ſimulated for a Witch or Wizard, by the Paganiſh party, and required to penalty.
Elianor Dutcheſſe of Gloceſter conſulted ſo long with Aſtrologers, Wizzards, and Witches, till ſhe came to be convented for one her ſelfe at laſt: and after that lived and died miſerably.
In a town within the territories of Brunſwick, they had hired a pyed Piper to conjure away all the Rats and Mice that much infeſted him. This he did by his piping and charming; but not being ſatisfied according to his expectation, he piped or charmed again; and there followed him an 130 children of that place, all whom he led unto the ſide of an hill, and conjured them every one into a gaping cleft thereof; ſo that he and they were ſwallowed up, and never ſeen after.
A Captaine conſulting with a Wi…ard about the next daies battle, he anſwered, the day ſhould be his, upon condition he would not ſpare to kill the firſt man he met in the morning. Which he performed accordingly, and got the victory. Then returning home joyfully, found to his griefe that he had killed his own wife, who out of her great love had come to him diſguiſed in mans apparell, thereby to take part with him in that daies adventure.
Valerian addicted to anthropomancy, or predicting by intrailes of men, women, children; was unfortunate in his government, taken priſoner by Sapor King of Perſia, who uſed him for a ſtirrop to get on horſeback on, and afterwards cauſed him to be flayed alive.
Another that had loſt a ſilver ſpoon, would needs goe to a magicall wiſeman, to finde out the thiefe; and it was agreed betwixt them, that (for better diſcovery) he who had conveyed it away ſhould loſe one of his eyes, and when he came home, he found that ſad marke inflicted on a little child of his own, that had careleſly caſt the ſpoon aſide.
Cecrops having newly builded Athens, two prodigies preſently appeared in the place; an Olive tree ſprung up ſuddenly, & water ſtrangely guſhed forth Upon theſe Delphick Apollo is conſulted: who anſwered, that the Olive ſignified Minerva, and the water Neptune; and that it was in the choyce of the Citizens to give the name of their City to whether of theſe they would. The Citizens of both ſexes are convented; the men are for Neptune, and the women for Minerva: and the female ſex being more numerous by one, prevailed in the ſuffrage. But Neptune indigning the rejection, did ſo depopulate them with waves and flouds, that they were fain to puniſh their women for their ſuffrage againſt him.
Alcamenes and Theopompus being Kings of the Lacedaemonians, there was an Oraculous prophecy, that Sparta ſhould be loſt through lucre. Lycurgus calling this to mind, rejected all riches; and the people were brought truly into ſuch a ſuperſtitious feare, that whereas before they thought them the onelyonly benefactors, they now condemned to death, that firſt brought money in amongſt them.
In the City of Como in Italy, the Officiall and Inquiſitor having a great number of Witches and Wizzards in priſon: taking others with them, would needs urge them to ſhew them their homages to the divell: but were ſo beaten by them, that ſome of them died within fifteen daies: others renounced God hereupon and vowed themſelves to the divels ſervice.
Eucrates beholding Pancrates, an Aegyptian magician doe many wonderfull feats, inſinuated himſelfe into his friendſhip, and communicated all his ſecrets to him. The Magician at length perſwaded him to leave all his family at Memphis, and to follow him alone: and after they came into their Inne, he took a bat, a bar, or a broom, and wrapt it with clouts, and by his charms made it walke, and appeare like a man, and made it miniſter unto them in ſundry ſervices, as drawing water, &c. then with another charm would he turn it into a peſtel, bolt, bar, or beſome again. Now one day when Pancrates was gone abroad into the market, Eucrates would needs imitate his familiar, and dreſt the bar or peſtel, muttered the ſyllables, and commanded it to draw water; and after it had done ſufficiently, commanded it to turn into a peſtell or bar again. But it would not obey, but ſtill drew water, till he was afraid of drowning; then he took a ſaw and ſawed the bar in two; and then both parts began to fetch and poure water in abundance; till in comes Pancrates, and turned it into what it was at firſt, and ſo left his fellow, and was never ſeen after of him.
Iohn Fauſtus light among a ſort of his companions, who when they were halfe drunk, importuned him to play ſome of his pranks; and the feat muſt be a Vine full of Grapes, as the greater novelty now in the Winter ſeaſon. Fauſtus conſented to ſatisfie their curioſity, upon this condition, that they ſhould keep ſilence, and not ſtirre out of their places, nor offer to pluck a Grape till he bad, otherwiſe they might pluck their own perill. The praeſtigious ſight is preſented, and every one had his knife drawn and hold of a branch, but not to cut till he ſpake the word. But having held them a while in ſuſpence, all ſuddenly vaniſhed, and every man appeared to have hold onelyonly of his own noſe, and ready to have cut it off, if the word had been once given.