The Discoverie of Witchcraft

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The first Chapter.

The Hebrue word Habar expounded, where also the supposed secret force of charmes and inchantments is shewed, and the efficacie of words is diverse waies declared.

HIS Hebrue word Habar, being in Greeke Epathin, and in Latine Incantare, is in English, To inchant, or (if you had rather have it so) to bewitch. In these inchantments, certeine wordes, verses, or charmes, &c: are secretlie uttered, wherein there is thought to be miraculous efficacie. There is great varietie hereof: but whether it be by charmes, voices, images, characters, stones, plants, metals, herbes, &c: there must herewithall a speciall forme of words be alwaies used, either divine, diabolicall, insensible, or papisticall, whereupon all the vertue of the worke is supposed to depend.Psal. 58. This word is speciallie used in the 58. psalme, which place though it be taken up for mine adversaries strongest argument against me; yet me thinkes it maketh so with me, as they can never be able to answer it.Psal. 58. 4. 5. For there it plainelie appeareth, that the adder heareth not the voice of the charmer, charme he never so cunninglie: contrarie to the poets fabling,

But hereof more shall be said hereafter in due place.

I grant that words sometimes have singular vertue and efficacie, either in persuasion or disuasion, as also diverse other waies; so as thereby some are converted from the waie of perdition, to the estate of salvation: and so contrariwise, according to the saieng of Solomon;Prover. 18.
Chron. 30.
Psal. 10.
Psal. 51.
Psal. 139.
Jerem. 32.
Isai. 6.
Isai. 50.
Exod. 7. 8. 9.
Prov. 16. Death and life are in the instrument of the toong: but even therein God worketh all in all, as well in framing the heart of the one, as in directing the toong of the other: as appeareth in manie places of the holie scriptures.

The second Chapter.

What is forbidden in scriptures concerning witchcraft, of the operation of words, the superstition of the Cabalists and papists, who createth substances, to imitate God in some cases is presumption, words of sanctification.

HAT which is forbidden in the scriptures touching inchantment or witch craft, is not the wonderfull working with words. For where/157. words have had miraculous operation, there hath beene alwaies the speciall providence, power and grace of God uttered to the strengthening of the faith of Gods people, and to the furtherance of the gospell:Acts. 5. as when the apostle with a word slue Ananias and Saphira. But the prophanation of Gods name, the seducing, abusing, and cousening of the people, and mans presumption is hereby prohibited, as whereby manie take upon them after the recitall of such names, as God in the scripture seemeth to appropriate to himselfe, to foreshew things to come, to worke miracles, to detect fellonies, &c: as the Cabalists in times past tooke upon them, by the ten names of God, and his angels, expressed/218. in the scriptures, to worke woonders: and as the papists at this daie by the like names, by crosses, by gospels hanged about their necks, by masses, by exorcismes, by holie water, and a thousand consecrated or rather execrated things, promise unto themselves and others, both health of bodie and soule.

But as herein we are not to imitate the papists, so in such things, as are the peculiar actions of God,Jonas. 1. we ought not to take upon us to counterfet, or resemble him, which with his word created all things. For we, neither all the conjurors, Cabalists, papists, soothsaiers, inchanters, witches, nor charmers in the world, neither anie other humane or yet diabolicall cunning can adde anie such strength to Gods workmanship, as to make anie thing anew, or else to exchange one thing into another. New qualities may be added by humane art, but no new substance can be made or created by man. And seeing that art faileth herein, doubtles neither the illusions of divels, nor the cunning of witches, can bring anie such thing truelie to passe. For by the sound of the words nothing commeth, nothing goeth, otherwise than God in nature hath ordeined to be doone by ordinarie speech, or else by his speciall ordinance. Indeed words of sanctificationWords of sanctification, and wherein they consist. are necessarie and commendable, according to S. Paules rule; Let your meat be sanctified with the word of God, and by praier. But sanctification dooth not here signifie either change of substance of the meate, or the adding of anie new strength thereunto; but it is sanctified, in that it is received with thanksgiving and praier; that our bodies may be refreshed, and our soule thereby made the apter to glorifie God.

The third Chapter.

What effect and offense witches charmes bring, how unapt witches are, and how unlikelie to worke those things which they are thought to doo, what would followe if those things were true which are laid to their charge.

HE words and other the illusions of witches, charmers, and conjurors, though they be not such in operation and effect, as they are commonlie taken to be: yet they are offensive to the majestie/219 and name of God, obscuring the truth of divinitie, & also of philosophie. For if God onlie give life & being to all creatures, who can put any such ver/tue158. or livelie feeling into a body of gold, silver, bread, or wax, as is imagined? If either preests, divels, or witches could so doo, the divine power shuld be checked & outfaced by magicall cunning, & Gods creatures made servile to a witches pleasure. What is not to be brought to passe by these incantations, if that be true which is attributed to witches?An ample description of women commonlie called witches. & yet they are women that never went to schoole in their lives, nor had any teachers: and therefore without art or learning; poore, and therefore not able to make any provision of metal or stones, &c: whereby to bring to passe strange matters, by naturall magicke; old and stiffe, and therefore not nimble handed to deceive your eie with legierdemaine; heavie, and commonlie lame, and therefore unapt to flie in the aire, or to danse with the fairies; sad, melancholike, sullen, and miserable, and therefore it should be unto them (Invita Minerva) to banket or danse with Minerva; or yet with Herodias, as the common opinion of all writers heerein is. On the other side, we see they are so malicious and spitefull, that if they by themselves, or by their divels, could trouble the elements, we should never have faire weather. If they could kill men, children, or cattell, they would spare none; but would destroy and kill whole countries and housholds. If they could transfer corne (as is affirmed) from their neighbors field into their owne, none of them would be poore, none other should be rich. If they could transforme themselves and others (as it is most constantlie affirmed) oh what a number of apes and owles should there be of us! If Incubus could beget Merlins among us, we should have a jollie manie of cold prophets./

The fourth Chapter.220.

Why God forbad the practise of witchcraft, the absurditie of the lawe of the twelve tables, whereupon their estimation in miraculous actions is grounded, of their woonderous works.

HOUGH it be apparent,A common and universall error. that the Holie-ghost forbiddeth this art, bicause of the abuse of the name of God, and the cousenage comprehended therein: yet I confesse, the customes and lawes almost of all nations doo declare, that all these miraculous works, before by me cited, and many other things more woonderfull, were attributed to the power of witches. The which lawes, with the executions and judicials thereupon, and the witches confessions, have beguiled almost the whole world. What absurdities concerning witchcraft, are written in the law of the twelve tables, which was the highest and most ancient law of the Romans? Whereupon the strongest argument of witches omnipotent power is framed; as that the wisedome of such lawgivers could not be abused. Whereof (me thinks) might be made a more strong argument on our side; to wit, If the cheefe and principall lawes of the world be in this case ridiculous, vaine, false, incredible, yea and contrarie to Gods lawe; the residue of the lawes and arguments to that effect, are to be suspected. If that argument should hold, it might proove all the popish lawes against protestants, & the hea/thenish159. princes lawes against christians, to be good and in force: for it is like they would not have made them, except they had beene good. Were it not (thinke you) a strange proclamation, that no man (upon paine of death) should pull the moone out of heaven?J. Bodinus.
Danæus.
Hyperius.
Heming.
Bar. Spineus*
Mal. Malef.* Spinæus. And yet verie many of the most learned witchmongers make their arguments upon weaker grounds; as namelie in this forme and maner; We find in poets, that witches wrought such and such miracles; Ergo they can accomplish and doo this or that wonder. The words of the lawe are these;/221. Qui fruges incantasset pœnas dato, Néve alienam segetem pellexeris excantando, neq́; incantando, Ne agrum defruganto: the sense wherof in English is this; Let him be executed that bewitcheth corne, Transferre not other mens corne into thy ground by inchantment, Take heede thou inchant not at all neither make thy neighbors field barren: he that dooth these things shall die, &c.

The fift Chapter.

An instance of one arreigned upon the lawe of the twelve tables, whereby the said lawe is proved ridiculous, of two witches that could doo woonders.

LTHOUGH among us, we thinke them bewitched that wax suddenlie poore, and not them that growe hastilie rich; yet at Rome you shall understand, that (as PlinieA notable purgation of C. F. C. convented for a witch. reporteth) upon these articles one C. Furius Cressus was convented before Spurius Albinus; for that he being but a little while free, and delivered from bondage, occupieng onelie tillage; grew rich on the sudden, as having good crops: so as it was suspected that he transferred his neighbors corne into his fields. None intercession, no delaie, none excuse, no deniall would serve, neither in jest nor derision, nor yet through sober or honest meanes: but he was assigned a peremptorie daie, to answer for life. And therefore fearing the sentence of condemnation, which was to be given there, by the voice and verdict of three men (as we heere are tried by twelve) made his appearance at the daie assigned, and brought with him his ploughs and harrowes, spades and shovels, and other instruments of husbandrie, his oxen, horsses, and working bullocks, his servants, and also his daughter, which was a sturdie wench and a good huswife, and also (as Piso reporteth) well trimmed up in apparell, and said to the whole bench in this wise; Lo heere my lords I make mine appearance, according to my promise and your pleasures, presenting unto you my charmes and witchcrafts, which have so inriched me. As for the labour, sweat, wat/ching,222. care, and diligence, which I have used in this behalfe, I cannot shew you them at this time. And by this meanes he was dismissed by the consent of that court, who otherwise (as it was thought) should hardly have escaped the sentence of condemnation, and punishment of death.

It is constantlie affirmed in M. Mal.Mal. malef. par. 2. quæ. 1. cap. 5. that Stafus used alwaies to hide himselfe in a *monshoall,[* moushoall] and had a disciple called Hoppo, who made Stadlin a maister witch, and could all when they list invisiblie transferre the third part of their neighbours doong, hay, corne, &c: into theire owne ground, make/160. haile, tempests, and flouds, with thunder and lightning; and kill children, cattell, &c: reveale things hidden, and many other tricks, when and where they list. But these two shifted not so well with the inquisitors, as the other with the Romane and heathen judges. Howbeit, Stafus was too hard for them all: for none of all the lawiers nor inquisitors could bring him to appeere before them, if it be true that witchmongers write in these matters.

The sixt Chapter.

Lawes provided for the punishment of such witches as worke miracles, whereof some are mentioned, and of certeine popish lawes published against them.

HERE are other lawesPunishmēt of impossibilities. of other nations made to this incredible effect: as Lex Salicarum provideth punishment for them that flie in the aire from place to place, and meete at their nightlie assemblies, and brave bankets, carrieng with them plate, and such stuffe, &c: even as we should make a lawe to hang him that should take a church in his hand at Dover, and throwe it to Callice. And bicause in this case also popish lawes shall be seene to be as foolish and lewd as any other whatsoever, and speciallie as tyrannous as that which is most cruell: you shall heare what trim new lawes the church of Rome hath latelie devised. These are therefore the words of pope Innocent the eight to the inquisitors/223. of Almanie, and of pope Julius the second, sent to the inquisitors of Bergomen. It is come to our eares,A wise lawe of pope Innocent and Julie, were it not that they wanted wit when they made it. that manie lewd persons, of both kinds, as well male as female, using the companie of the divels Incubus and Succubus, with incantations, charmes, conjurations, &c: doo destroie, &c: the births of women with child, the yoong of all cattell, the corne of the feeld, the grapes of the vines, the frute of the trees: Item, men, women, and all kind of cattell and beasts of the feeld: and with their said inchantments, &c: doo utterlie extinguish, suffocate, and spoile all vineyards, ortchards, medowes, pastures, grasse, greene corne, and ripe corne, and all other podware: yea men and women themselves are by their imprecations so afflicted with externall and inward paines and diseases, that men cannot beeget, nor women bring foorth anie children, nor yet accomplish the dutie of wedlocke, denieng the faith which they in baptisme professed, to the destruction of their owne soules, &c. Our pleasure therefore is, that all impediments that maie hinder the inquisitors office, be utterlie removed from among the people, least this blot of heresie proceed to poison and defile them that be yet innocent. And therefore we doo ordeine, by vertue of the apostolicall authoritie, that our inquisitors of high Almanie, maie execute the office of inquisition by all tortures and afflictions, in all places, and upon all persons, what and wheresoever, as well in everie place and diocesse, as upon anie person; and that as freelie, as though they were named, expressed, or cited in this our commission./

The seventh Chapter.161.

Poetical authorities commonlie alleaged by witchmongers, for the proofe of witches miraculous actions, and for confirmation of their supernaturall power.

ERE have I place and oportunitie, to discover the whole art of witchcraft; even all their charmes, periapts, characters, amulets, praiers, blessings, curssings, hurtings, helpings, knaveries, cousenages, &c. But first I will shew what authorities are produced to defend and mainteine the same, and that in serious sort,/224. by Bodin, Spinæus, Hemingius, Vairus, Danæus, Hyperius: M. Mal. and the rest.

Againe out of the same poet they cite further matter.

Furthermore out of Ovid they alledge these folowing.

Againe out of Virgill in forme following.

Moreover out of OvidOvid. metamor. 7. they alledge as followeth.

Also out of the same poet.

3. Amor. Eclog. 6.Also out of other poets.

The eight Chapter.

Poetrie and poperie compared in inchantments, popish witchmongers have more advantage herein than protestants.

OU see in these verses, the poets (whether in earnest or in jest I know not) ascribe unto witches & to their charmes, more than is to be found in humane or diabolicall power. I doubt not but the most part of the readers hereof will admit them to be fabulous; although the most learned of mine adversaries (for lacke of scripture) are faine to produce these poetries for proofes, and for lacke of judgement I am sure doo thinke, that ActæonsOvid Metamorph. lib. 3. fab. 2. transformation was true. And why not? As well as the metamorphosis or transubstantiation of Ulysses his companions into swine: which S. Augustine,Ovid. Metamorph. 14. fab. 5, 6. and so manie great clarkes credit and report.

Neverthelesse, popish writers (I confesse) have advantage herein of our protestants: for (besides these poeticall proofes) they have (for advantage) the word and authoritie of the pope himselfe, and others of that/166. holie crue; whose charmes, conjurations, blessings, curssings, &c: I meane in part (for a tast) to set downe; giving you to understand, that poets are not altogither so impudent as papists herein, neither seeme they so ignorant, prophane, or impious.The authors transition to his purposed scope. And therefore I will shew you how lowd also they lie, and what they on the other side ascribe to their charmes and conjurations; and togither will set downe with them all maner of witches charmes, as convenientlie as I maie./

The ninth Chapter.230.

Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastcote of proofe, a charme for the falling evill, a writing brought to S. Leo from heaven by an angell, the vertues of S. Saviors epistle, a charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds, of the crosse, &c.

HESE vertues under these verses (written by pope Urbane the fift to the emperour of the Græcians) are conteined in a periapt or tablet, to be continuallie worne about one, called Agnus Dei, which is a little cake, having the picture of a lambe carrieng of a flag on the one side; and Christs head on the other side, and is hollow: so as the gospell of S. John, written in fine paper, is placed in the concavitie thereof: and it is thus compounded or made, even as they themselves report.

¶ A charme against shot, or a wastcote of proofe.

BEfore the comming up of these Agnus Deis, a holie garment called a wastcote for necessitie was much used of our forefathers, as a holy relike, &c: as given by the pope, or some such archconjuror, who promised thereby all manner of immunitie to the wearer thereof; in somuch as he could not be hurt with anie shot or other violence. And otherwise, that woman that would weare it, should have quicke deliverance: the composition thereof was in this order following.

The maner of making a wastecote of proofe. On Christmas daie at night, a threed must be sponne of flax, by a little virgine girle, in the name of the divell: and it must be by hir woven, and also wrought with the needle. In the brest or forepart thereof must be made with needle worke two heads; on the head at the right side must be a hat, and a long beard; the left head must have on a crowne, and it must be so horrible, that it maie resemble Belzebub, and on each side of the wastcote must be made a crosse.

¶ Against the falling evill.

MOreover, this insuing is another counterfet charme of theirs, whereby the falling evill is presentlie remedied.

This is as true a copie of the holie writing, that was brought downe from heaven by an angell to S. Leo pope of Rome; & he did bid/168. him take it to king Charles,These effects are too good to be true in such a patched peece of poperie. when he went to the battell at Roncevall. And the angell said, that what man or woman beareth this writing about them with good devotion, and saith everie daie three Pater nosters, three Aves, and one Creede, shall not that daie be overcome of his enimies, either bodilie or ghostlie; neither shalbe robbed or slaine of theeves, pestilence, thunder, or lightening; neither shall be hurt with fier or water, nor combred with spirits, neither shall have displeasure of lords or ladies: he shall not be condemned with false witnesse, nor taken with fairies, or anie maner of axes, nor yet with the falling evill. Also, if a woman be in travell, laie this writing upō hir bellie, she shall have easie deliverance, and the child right shape and christendome, and the mother purification of holy church, and all through vertue of these holie names of Jesus Christ following:

✠ Jesus ✠ Christus ✠ Messias ✠ Soter ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Sabbaoth ✠ Adonai ✠ Unigenitus ✠ Majestas ✠ Paracletus ✠ Salvator noster ✠ Agiros iskiros ✠ Agios ✠ Adanatos ✠ Gasper ✠ Melchior ✠ & Balthasar ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes.

The epistle of S. Savior, which pope Leo sent to king Charles, saieng, that whosoever carrieth the same about him, or in what daie so ever he shall read it, or shall see it, he shall not be killed with anie iron toole, nor be burned with fier, nor be drowned with water, neither anie evill man or other creature maie hurt him. The crosse of Christ is a woonderfull defense ✠ the crosse/233. of Christ be alwaies with me ✠ the crosse is it which I doo alwaies worship ✠ the crosse of Christ is true health ✠ the crosse of Christ dooth lose the bands of death ✠ the crosse of Christ is the truth and the waie ✠ I take my journie upon the crosse of the Lord ✠ the crosse of Christ beateth downe everie evill ✠ the crosse of Christ giveth all good things ✠ the crosse of Christ taketh awaie paines everlasting ✠ the crosse of Christ save me ✠ O crosse of Christ be upon me, before me, and behind me ✠ bicause the ancient enimie cannot abide the sight of thee ✠ the crosse of Christ save me, keepe me, governe me, and direct me ✠ Thomas bearing this note of thy divine majestie ✠ Alpha ✠ Omega ✠ first ✠ and last ✠ middest ✠ and end ✠ beginning ✠ and first begotten ✠ wisedome ✠ vertue ✠.

¶ A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but carried about one, against theeves.

I Doo go, and I doo come unto you with the love of God, with the humilitie of Christ, with the holines of our blessed ladie, with the faith of Abraham, with the justice of Isaac, with the vertue of David, with the might of Peter, with the constancie of Paule, with the word of God, with the authoritie of Gregorie, with the praier of Clement, with the floud of Jordan, [ꝑ = per or par]ꝑ ꝑ p c g e g a q q est p t 1 ka b g l k 2 a x t g t b am*[* a m 2. ed.] g 2 4 2 1 q; p x c g k q a 9 9 p o q q r. Oh onelie Father ✠ oh onlie lord ✠ And Jesus ✠ passing through the middest of them ✠ went ✠ In the name of/169. the Father ✠ and of the Sonne ✠ and of the Holie-ghost ✠.

¶ Another amulet.

JOseph of Arimathea did find this writing upon the wounds of the side of Jesus Christ, written with Gods finger, when the bodie was taken away frō the crosse. Whosoever shall carrie this writing about him, shall not die anie evill death, if he beleeve in Christ, and in all perplexities he shall soone be delivered, neither let him feare any danger at all. Fons ✠ alpha & omega ✠ figa ✠ figalis ✠ Sabbaoth ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Adonai ✠ o ✠ Neray ✠ Elay ✠ Ihe ✠ Rentone ✠ Neger ✠ Sahe ✠ Pangeton ✠ Commen ✠ a ✠ g ✠ l ✠ a ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes ✠ ✠ ✠ titulus triumphalis ✠ Jesus Nasa/renus rex Judæorum234. ✠ ecce dominicæ crucis signum ✠ fugite partes adversæ, vicit leo de tribu Judæ, radix, David, aleluijah, Kyrie eleeson, Christe eleeson, pater noster, ave Maria, & ne nos, & veniat super nos salutare tuum: Oremus, &c.*[* From Fons is in Rom. from titulus in Ital.]

I find in a Primer intituled The houres of our Ladie, after the use of the church of Yorke, printed anno 1516. a charme with this titling in red letters; To all them that afore this image of pitie devoutlie shall saie *five* If the party faile in the number, he may go whistle for a pardon. Pater nosters, five Aves, and one Credo, pitiouslie beholding these armes of Christs passion, are granted thirtie two thousand seven hundred fiftie five yeares of pardon. It is to be thought that this pardon was granted in the time of pope Boniface the ninth; for Platina saith that the pardons were sold so cheape, that the apostolicall authoritie grew into contempt.

¶ A papisticall charme.

Signum sanctæ crucis defendat me à malis præsentibus, præteritis, & futuris, interioribus & exterioribus: that is, The signe of the crosse defend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward.

¶ A charme found in the canon of the masse.

Also this charme is found in the canon of the masse, Hæc sacrosancta commixtio corporis & sanguinis domini nostri Jesu Christi fiat mihi, omnibúsque sumentibus, salus mentis & corporis, & ad vitam promerendam, & capessendam, præparatio salutaris: that is, Let this holie mixture of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto me, and unto all receivers thereof, health of mind and bodie, and to the deserving and receiving of life an healthfull preparative.

¶ Other papisticall charmes.