Book IV, chapters 1–12: Incubus and succubus, and bewitched love

BOOK IV.

CHAP. I. Of Witchmongers opinions concerning evil Spirits, how they framethemselves in more excellent sort than God made us.

JAmes Sprenger and Henry Institor, in M. Mal. agreeing with Bodin, Barth, Spineus, Danaeus, Erastus, Hemingius, and the rest, do make a bawdy Discourse; labouring to prove by a foolish kind of Philosophy; that evill Spirits cannot only take earthly formes and shapes of men; but also counterfeit hearing, seeing, &c. and likewise, that they can eat and devour meats, and also retain, digest, and avoid the same; and finally, use divers kinds of activities, but specially excel in the use and art of Venery: For M. Mal. saith, that the eyes and ears of the mind are far more subtil then bodily eyes or carnal ears. Yea, it is there affirmed, that as they take bodies, and the likeness of members; so they take minds and similitudes of their operations. But, by the way, I would have them answer this question. Our minds and souls are spiritual things. If our corporal ears be stopped, what can they hear or conceive of any external wisdom? And truly, a man of such a constitution of body, as they imagine of these Spirits, which make themselves, &c. were of far more excellent substance, &c. than the bodies of them that God made in paradise; and so the devils workman-ship should exceed the handy-work of God the Father and Creator of all things.

CHAP. II. Of bawdy Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of Venery may be performed between Witches and Devils, and when Witches first yielded to Incubus.

HEretofore (they say) Incubus was fain to ravish Women against their wils, until Anno 1400. but now since that time, Witches consent willingly to their desires: insomuch as some one Witch exercised that trade of Lechery with Incubus twenty or thirty dayes together, as was confessed by forty and eight Witches burned at Ravenspurge. But what goodly fellows Incubus begeteth upon these Witches, is proved by Thomas of Aquine, Bodin, M. Mal. Hyperuis, &c.

This is proved, first, by the Devils cunning, in discerning the difference of the seed which falleth from men. Secondly, by his understanding of the aptness of the women for the receipt of such seed. Thirdly, by his knowledge of the constellations, which are friendly to such corporal effects. And lastly, by the excellent complexion of such as the Devil maketh choice of, to beget such notable personages upon, as are the causes of the greatness and excellency of the child thus begotten.

And to prove that such bawdy doings, betwixt the Devil and Witches, is not fained, S. Augustine is alledged, who saith, That all superstitious arts had their beginning of the pestiferous society betwixt the Devil and Man. Wherein he saith truly; for that in paradise, betwixt the Devil and Man, all wickedness was so contrived, that man ever since hath studied wicked arts; yea, and the Devil will be sure to be at the middle, and at both ends of every mischief. But that the Devil ingendreth with a Woman, in manner and form as is supposed, and naturally begetteth the wicked, neither is it true, nor Augustines meaning in this place.

Howbeit M. Mal. proceedeth, affirming, That all Witches take their beginning from such filthy actions, wherein the Devil, in likeness of a pretty Wench, lyeth prostitute as Succubus to the man, and retaining his nature and seed, conveyeth it unto the Witch, to whom he delivereth it as Incubus. Wherein also is refuted the opinion of them that hold a Spirit to be unpalpable, M. Mal. saith, There can be rendred no infallible rule, though a probable distinction may be set down, whether Incubus, in the act of Venery, do alwayes power seed out of his assumed body: And this is the distinction, Either she is old and barren, or young and pregnant. If she be barren, then doth Incubus use her without decision of seed; because such seed should serve for no purpose. And the Devil avoideth superfluity as much as he may; and yet for her pleasure and condemnation together, he goeth to work with her. But by the way, if the Devil were so compendious, what should he need to use such circumstances, even in these very actions, as to make these assemblies, conventicles, ceremonies, &c. when he hath already bought their bodies, and bargained for their souls? Or what reason had he, to make them kill so many Infants, by whom he rather loseth than gaineth any thing; because they are, so far as either he or we know, in better case than we of riper years, by reason of their innocency? Well, if she be not past children, then stealeth he seed away (as hath been said) from some wicked man being about that lecherous business, and therewith getteth young Witches upon the old.

And note, that they affirm, That this business is better accomplished with seed thus gathered, than that which is shed in Dreams, through superfluity of humors: because that is gathered from the virtue of the seed generative. And if it be said, That the seed will wax cold by the way, and so lose his natural heat, and consequently the vertue: M. Mal. Danaeus, and the rest do answer, That the Devil can so carry it, as no heat shall go from it, &c.

Furthermore, old Witches are sworn to procure as many young Virgins for Incubus as they can, whereby in time they grow to be excellent bawds: but in this case the Priest playeth Incubus. For you should find, that confession to a Priest, and namely this word Benedicit, driveth Incubus away, when Ave Maries, crosses, and all other Charmes fail.

CHAP. III. Of the Devils visible and invisible dealing with Witches in the way of Lechery.

BUt as touching the Devils visible or invisible execution of Lechery, it is written, that to such Witches, as before have made a visible league with the Priest, (the Devil I should say) there is no necessity that Incubus should appear invisible: marry to the standers-by he is for the most part invisible. For proof hereof, James Sprenger and Institor affirm, That many times Witches are seen in the fields and woods prostituting themselves uncovered and naked up to the navil, wagging and moving their members in every part, according to the disposition of one being about that act of concupiscence, and yet nothing seen of the beholders upon her; saving, that after such a convenient time as is required about such a piece of work, a black vapor, of the length and bigness of a man, hath been seen, as it were, to depart from her, and to ascend from that place. Nevertheless, many times the husband seeth Incubus making him cuckhold, in the likeness of a man, and sometimes striketh off his head with his sword: but because the body is nothing but air: it closeth together again: so as, although the good-wife be sometimes hurt thereby; yet she maketh him believe he is mad or possessed, and that he doth he knoweth not what. For she hath more pleasure and delight (they say) with Incubus that way, than with any mortal man; whereby you may perceive that Spirits are palpable.

CHAP. IV. That the power of Generation is both outwardly and inwardly impeached by Witches, and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by Witches, and by the same means again restored.

THey also affirm, That the virtue of Generation is impeached by Witches, both inwardly, and outwardly: for, intrinsecally they repress the courage, and they stop the passage of the mans seed, so as it may not descend to the vessels of generation: also they hurt extrinsecally, with images, hearbs, &c. And to prove this true, you shall hear certain stories out of M. Mal. worthy to be noted.

A young Priest at Mespurge, in the Diocess of Constance, was Bewitched, so as he had no power to occupy any other or mo women than one: and to be delivered out or that thraldom, sought to flie into another Countrey, where he might use that Priestly occupation more freely; but all in vain; for evermore he was brought as far backward by night, as he went forward in the day before; sometimes by land, sometimes in the air, as though he flew. And if this be not true, I am sure that James Sprenger doth lie.

For the further confirmation of our belief in Incubus, M. Mal. citeth a story of a notable matter executed at Ravenspurge, as true and as cleanly as the rest. A young man lying with a wench in that Town (saith he) was fain to leave his instruments of Venery behind him, by means of that prestigious art of Witchcraft, so as in that place nothing could be seen or felt but his plain body. This young man was willed by another Witch, to go to her whom he suspected, and by fair or foul means to require her help: who soon after meeting with her, intreated her fair, but that was in vain; and therefore he caught her by the throat, and with a towel strangled her, saying, Restore me my tool, or thou shalt die for it: so as she being swoln and black in the face, and through his boisterous handling ready to die, said, Let me go, and I will help thee: and whilest he was losing the towel, she put her hand into his Cod-piece, and touched the place, saying, Now hast thou they desire: and even at that instant he felt himself restored.

Item, A reverend Father, for his life, holiness, and knowledge notorious, being a fryer of the order and company of Spire, reported, that a young man at strift made lamentable moan unto him for the like loss; but his gravity suffered him not to believe lightly any such reports, and therefore made the young man untruss his cod-piece-point, and saw the complaint to be true and just. Whereupon he advised, or rather enjoyned the youth to go to the Witch whom he suspected, and with flattering words to intreat her, to be so good unto him, as to restore him his instrument: which by that means he obtained, and soon after returned to shew himself thankful, and told the holy father of his good success in that behalf: but he so believed him, as he would needs be Oculatus testis, and made him pull down his Breeches, and so was satisfied of the truth and certainty thereof.

Another young man being in that very taking, went to a Witch for the restitution thereof, who brought him to a tree, where she shewed him a nest, and bad him climb up and take it. And being in the top of the tree, he took out a mighty great one, and shewed the same to her, asking her if he might not have the same. Nay (quoth she) that is our Parish Priests tool, but take any other which thou wilt. And it is there affirmed, That some have found 20 and some 30 of them in one nest, being there preserved with provender, as it were at the rack and manger, with this note, wherein there is no contradiction (for all must be true that is written against Witches) that if a Witch deprive one of his Privities, it is done only by prestigious means, so as the senses are but illuded. Marry, by the Devil it is really taken away, and in like sort restored. These are no jests, for they be written by them that were and are judges upon the lives and deaths of those persons.

CHAP. V. Of Bishop Sylvanus his Lechery opened and covered again. How Maids having yellow hair are most combered with Incubus. How marryed men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to refuse their own.

YOu shall read in the Legend, how in the night-time Incubus came to a Ladies bed-side, and made hot love unto her: whereat she being offended, cryed out so loud, that company came and found him under her bed in the likeness of the holy Bishop Sylvanus, which holy man was much defamed thereby, until at the length this infamy was purged by the confession of a Devil made at S. Jeroms tombe. O excellent piece of Witchcraft wrought by Sylvanus! Item, S. Christine would needs take unto her another maids Incubus, and lie in her room: and the story saith, that she was shrewdly accloyed. But she was a shrew indeed, that would needs change beds with her fellow, that was troubled every night with Incubus, and deal with him her self. But here the Inquisitors note may not be forgotten, to wit, that Maids having yellow hair, are most molested with this Spirit. Also, it is written in the Legend, of S. Bernard, that a pretty Wench that had had the use of Incubus his body by the space of six or seven years in Aquitania (being belike weary of him, for that he waxed old) would needs go to S. Bernard another while: But Incubus told her, that if she would so forsake him, being so long her true lover, he would be revenged upon her, &c. But, befal what would, she went to S. Bernard, who took her his staffe, and bad her lay it in the bed beside her. And indeed the Devil fearing the bed-staffe, or that S. Bernard lay there himself, durst not approach into her chamber that night: what he did afterwards, I am uncertain. Marry you may find other circumstances hereof, and many other like bawdy lies in the golden Legend. But here again, we may not forget the Inquisitors note, to wit; that many are so Bewitched, that they cannot use their own wives, but any other bodies they may well enough away withal. Which Witchcraft is practised among many bad husbands, for whom it were a good excuse to say they were Bewitched.

CHAP. VI. How to procure the dissolving of Bewitched love, also to enforce a man (how proper soever he be) to love an old hag: and of a bawdy trick of a Priest in Gelderland.

THe Priests say, That the best cure for a woman thus molested, next to confession, is excommunication. But to procure the dissolving of Bewitched and Constrained love, the party bewitched must make a jakes of the lovers shoe. And to enforce a man, how proper soever he be, to love an old hag, she giveth unto him to eat (among other meats) her own dung: and this way an old Witch made three Abbats of one house successively to die for her love, as she her self confessed, by the report of M. Mal. In Gelderland a Priest perswaded a sick Woman that she was Bewitched, and except he might sing a mass upon her belly, she could not be holpen: whereupon she consented, and lay naked on the Alter whilst he sung Mass, to the satisfying of his lust; but not to the release of her grief. Other cures I will speak of in other places more civil: Howbeit, certain miraculous cures, both full of bawdery and lies, must either have place here, or none at all.

CHAP. VII. Of divers Saints and holy persons, which were exceeding Bawdy, and Lecherous, and by certain miraculous means became chast.

CAssianus writeth, That S. Syren being of body very Lecherous, and of mind wonderful religious, fasted and prayed, to the end in holy might be reduced miraculously to chastity. At length came an Angel unto him by night, and cut out of his flesh certain kernels, which were the sparks of concupiscence; so as afterwards he never had any more motions of the flesh. It is also reported, that the Abbot Equiciu, being naturally as unchast as the other, fell to his beads so devoutly, for recovery of honesty, that there came an Angel unto him in an Apparation that seemed to geld him; and after that (forsooth) he was as chast as though he had never a stone in his breech; and before that time being a Ruler over Monks, he became afterwards a Governour over Nuns. Even as it is said Helias the holy Monk gathered thirty Virgins into a Monastery, over whom he ruled and reigned by the space of two years, and grew so proud and hot in the cod-piece, that he was fain to forsake his holy house, and flie to a desert, where he fasted and prayed two dayes, saying, Lord quench my hot Lecherous humors, or kill me: Whereupon in the night following, there came unto him three Angels, and demanded of him why he forsook his charge: but the holy man was ashamed to tell them. Howbeit, they asked him further, saying, Wilt thou return to these damsels, if we free thee from all concupiscence? Yea (quoth he) with all my heart. And when they had sworn him solemnly so to do, they took him up, and gelded him; and one of them holding his hands, and another his feet, the third cut out his stones: But the story saith, it was not so ended, but in a Vision; Which I believe, because within five dayes he returned to his Minions, who pitteously mourned for him all this while, and joyfully embraced his sweet company at his return. The like story doth Nider write of Thomas, whom two angels cured of that lecherous disease; by putting about him a girdle, which they brought down with them from heaven.

CHAP. VIII. Certain Popish and Magical cures, for them that are bewitched in their Privities.

FOr direct cure to such as are Bewitched in the Privy members, the first and special, is Confession; then follow in a row, holy-water, and those ceremonial trumperies, Ave Maries, and all manner of crossings; which are all said to be wholesome, except the Witchcraft be perpetual, and in that case the wife may have a divorse of course.

Item, The eating of a Haggister or pie helpeth one Bewitched in that member.

Item, The smoak of a tooth of a dead man.

Item, To annoint a mans body over with the gall of a Crow.

Item, To fill a quill with Quick-silver, and lay the same under the cushion, where such a one sitteth, or else to put it under the threshold of the door of the house or chamber where he dwelleth.

Item, To spit into your own bosome, if you be so Bewitched, is very good.

Item, To piss through a Wedding-ring. If you would, know who is hurt in his privities by Witchraft, and who otherwise is therein diseased: Hostiensis answereth, but so as I am ashamed to English it, and therefore have here set down his experiment in Latine, Quando virgo nullatenus movetur, & nunquam potuit cognoscere; hoc est signum frigiditatis: sed quando movetur & erigitur, perficere autem non potest, est signum maleficii.

But Sir Tho. Moore hath such a cure in this matter, as I am ashamed to write, either in Latin or English; for, in filthy Bawdery, it passeth all the tales that ever I heard: But that is rather a medicine to procure Generation, then the cure of Witchcraft, though it serve both turnes.

Item, When ones instrument of Venery is Bewitched, certain characters must be written in Virgin-parchment, celebrated and holyed by a Popish Priest; and thereon also must the 141 Psalm be written, and bound Ad viri fascinati coxam.

Item, One Katharine Loe (having a husband not so readily disposed that way as she wished him to be) made a waxen image of the likeness of her husbands Bewitched member, and offered it up at St. Anthonies altar; so as, through the holiness of the Mass, it might be sanctified, to be more couragious; and of better disposition and ability, &c.

CHAP. IX. A strange cure done to one that was molested with Incubus.

NOw being wearied with the rehearsal of so many Lecheries, most horrible, and very filthy and fabulous actions and passions of Witches, together with the spirit Incubus: I will end with a true story taken out of Jason Pratensis, which, though it be rude, yet it is not altogether so unclean as the rest.

There came (saith he) of late a Mass-Priest unto me, making pitteous moan, and saying, that if I holpe him not, he should be undone, and utterly overthrown; so great was his infirmity; for (saith he) I was wont to be fair and fat, and of an excellent complexion; and lo how I look, being now a very ghost consisting of skin and bone, &c. What is the matter (quoth Jason?) I will shew you Sir, said the Priest: There cometh unto me, almost every night, a certain woman, unknown unto me, and lyeth so heavy upon my breast, that I cannot fetch my breath, neither have any power to cry, neither do my hands serve me to shove her away, nor my feet to go from her. I smild (quoth Jason) and told him that he was vexed with a disease called Incubus, or the mare, and the residue was phantasie and vain imagination. Nay (said the Priest) it cannot be so; for by our blessed Lady, I tell you nothing but that which waking I saw with mine eyes, and felt with mine hands; I see her when she cometh upon me, and strive to repel her; but I am so infeebled that I cannot; and for remedy I have run about from place to place, but no help I could get: At length I went to an old Fryer that was counted an odd fellow, and thought to have had help at his hands; but the Devil a whit had I of him, saving, that for remedy, he willed me to pray to God; whom, I am sure, I wearied with my tedious prayers long before. Then went I unto an old woman, quoth the Priest, who was said to be a cunning Witch; and she willed me, that the next morning, about the dawning of the day, I should piss, and immediately should cover the piss-pot, or stop it with my right nether-stock, and before night the Witch should come to visit me. And although, quoth he, the respect of mine orders somewhat terrified me from the execution of her advise; yet my necessities divers wayes, and specially my pains, moved me to make tryal of her words: and, by the mass, quoth the Priest, her words fell out as sure as a club; For a Witch came to my house, and complained of a grief in her bladder, and that she could not piss. But I could neither by fair nor foul means obtain at her hands, that she would leave molesting me by night; but she keepeth her old custome, determining by these filthy means to dispatch me. I could hardly, said Jason, reclaim him from this mad humor; but by that time he had been with me three or four times, he began to comfort himself, and at last perceiving it, he acknowledged his disease, and recovered the same.

CHAP. X. A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus, which by examples and proofs of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knavery, wherein the carnal copulation with Spirits is overthrown.

THus are Lecheries covered with the cloke of Incubus and Witchcraft, contrary to nature and verity: and with these fables is maintained an opinion, that men have been begotten without carnal copulation, as Hyperius, and others write that Merlin was, An. 440. specially to excuse and maintain the knaveries and lecheries of idle Priests, and bawdy Monks, and to cover the shame of their lovers and concubines.

And alas! when great learned men have been so abused, with the imagination of Incubus his carnal society with Women, misconstruing the Scriptures, to wit, the place in Gen. 6. to the seducing of many others; it is the lesse wonder, that this error hath passed so generally among the common people.

But to use few words herein, I hope you understand that they affirm and say, that Incubus is a Spirit, and I trust you know that a Spirit hath no flesh nor bones, &c. and that he neither doth eat nor drink. Indeed your gran-dames maids were wont to set a bowl of milk before him and his cousin Robin Goodfellow, for grinding of Malt or Mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight: and you have also heard, that he would chafe exceedingly, if the maid or good-wife of the house, having compassion of his nakedness, laid any clothes for him, besides his mess of white bread and milk, which was his standing fee. For in that case he saith, What have we here? Hemton hamten, here will I never more tread nor stampen.

But to proceed in this confutation. Where there is no meat eaten, there can be no seed which thereof is gendred; although it be granted, that Rohin could both eat aed drink, as being a cousening idle Fryer, or some such Rogue, that wanted nothing either belonging to Lechery or Knavery, &c. Item, Where the Genital members want, there can be no lust of the flesh: neither doth nature give any desire of Generation, where there is no propagation or succession required. And as Spirits cannot be grieved with hunger, so can they not be inflamed with lusts. And if men should live ever, what needed succession or heirs? For that is but an ordinance of God, to supply the place, the number, the world, the time, and specially to accomplish his will. But the power of generation consisteth not only in members, but chiefly of vital spirits, and of the heat; which spirits are never in such a body as Incubus hath, being but a body assumed, as they themselves say. And yet the most part of writers herein affirm, That it is a palpable and visible body, though all be phansies and fables that are written hereupon.

CHHP. XI. That Incubus is a natural disease: with remedies for the same: besides Magical cures herewithal expressed.

BUt in truth, this Incubus is a bodily disease (as hath been said) although it extend unto the trouble of the mind, which of some is called the Mare, oppressing many in their sleep so sore, as they are not able to call for help, or stir themselves under the burthen of that heavy humor; which is ingendred of a thick vapor proceeding from the crudity and rawness in the stomach: which ascending up into the head, oppresseth the brain, insomuch as many are infeebled thereby, as being nightly haunted therewith. They are most troubled with this disease, that being thereunto subject, lie right upward; so as, to turn and lie on the one side, is present remedy. Likewise, if any hear the groaning of the party, speak unto him, so as he wake him, he is presently relieved. Howbeit, there are Magical cures for it; as for example:

S. George, S. George, our ladies knight,
He walkt by day, so did he by night:
Until such time as he her found,
He her beat, and he her bound,
Until her troth she to him plight,
He would not come to her that night.

Whereas S. George our Ladies knight, was named three times S. George.

Item, Hang a stone over the afflicted persons bed, which stone hath naturally such a hole in it, as wherein a string may be put through it, and so be hanged over the diseased or bewitched party; be it Man, Woman, or Horse.

Item, You shall read in M. Malefic. that Excommunication is very notable, and better than any charme for this purpose. There are also other verses and charms for this disease devised, which is the common cloak for the ignorance of bad Physitians. But Leonard Fuchsius in his first book and 13 chapter, doth not only describe this disease, and the causes of it; but also setteth down very learnedly the cure thereof, to the utter confusion of the Witchmongers folly in this behalf. Hyperius being much bewitched and blinded in this matter of Witchcraft, hovering about the interpretation of Genesis 6. from whence the opinion of Incubus and Succubus is extorted, Viderunt filii Dei filias hominum, quod elegantes essent, acceperunt sibi in uxores ex omnibus, quas elegerant, &c. seemeth to maintain upon hear-say, that absurd opinion; and yet in the end is driven to conclude thus, to wit, Of the evil Spirits Incubus and Succubus there can no firm reason or proof be brought out of Scripture, using these very words, Hae ut probabilia dicta sunto, quandoquidem Scripturarum praesidio hac in causa destituimur. As if he should say, Take this as spoken probably; to wit, by humane reason, because we are destitute of Scriptures to maintain the goodness of the cause.

Tertullian and Sulpitius Severus do interpret Filios Dei in that plate to be Angels, or evil Spirits, and to have been enamored with the beauty of those Wenches,; and finally, begat Gyants by them. Which is throughly confuted by Chrysostome, Hom. 22, in Gen. but specially by the circumstance of the text.

CHAP. XII. The censure of G. Chaucer upon the knavery of Incubus.

NOw will I (after all this long discourse of abominable cloked knaveries) here conclude with certain of G. Chaucers verses, who as he smelt out the absurdities of Popery, so found he the Priests knavery in this matter of Incubus, and (as the time would suffer him) he derided their folly and falshood in this wise:

For now the great Charity and Prayers
Of Limitors and other holy Fryers,
That searchen every land and every stream,
As thick as motes in the sun-beam,
Blissing halls, Kitchens, Chambers and Bowers,
Cities, Borroughs, Castles and High-towers,
Thropes, Barnes, Sheep-pens, and Daries,
This maketh that there been now no Fairies;
For there as wont to walken was an elfe,
There walketh now the Limitor himself,
In under meals, and in mornings,
And saith his mattens and his holy things
As he goeth in his limitation;
Women may go safely up and down,
In every bush, and under every tree,
There is none other Incubus but he, &c.