Discourse, Book II, chapter 3: The astral spirits of men departed

Chap. III. Of the Astral Spirits of men departed: What they are: And why they appear again: And what Witchcraft may be wrought by them.

1. AS the Astral Spirits separate, which belong not to any deceased person, do for many years survive, or continue; so if the party deceased hath departed in discontent, and melancholy, it is often known that they return again, and causing terrour to families and houses, do wait for opportunity to disburthen themselves, that at length they may come into their desired rest.

2. The opinion of many is, That the Devill in their likenesse is all that appears: But the more Learned have sufficiently demonstrated, through Example, and Experience; That the apparition is really proper to the person deceased. Nor can it easily be denyd, That to every man, and woman, while they live the natural Life, there belongs a Syderial, or starry Spirit; which takes its original wholly from the Elemental property: And according to the weaker, or stronger capacity of the party, it hath the longer, or shorter continuance, after the bodyes decease.

3. Such persons as are secretly murthered, and such as secretly murther themselves, do most frequently appear again, and wander hear the place where their Carcase is, till the radical moisture be totally consumed: according to the opinion of Paracelsus, after the consumption whereof, they can re-appear no longer, but are resolv'd into their first being, or Astrum, after a certain term of months, or years, according to the vigour, or force of that first attraction which was the only cause of their returning.

4. The manner and seasons of their appearing are various: Sometimes before the person, unto whom they do belong, depart this life, they do by external presentations forewarn him, near the time, that the day of death approacheth. As it is reported of Codrus Laaenus, to whom an empty, meager Ghost appeared at midnight, signifying unto him, how sad and lachrymable a Tragedy was shortly to attend him; and also adding, that he would visit him in the Execution thereof: which proved not contrary to the words of the apparition; for at the very instant, when his Treacherous Wife had stab'd him at the heart, on a suddain he beheld the same, with preparations for his interment, whilst he yet survived, after the fatall wound was given.

5. Sometimes the starry spirit of a person appears to his beloved Companion, many hundred of miles asunder, who was ignorant of the death of the party: And it hath often been heard, that when none of the kindred or family of the said party deceased, have ever been disturbed by it, or in the least been sensible of its appearing; yet to some of its most intimate acquaintance, it discovers it self, and importunes them to perform some ceremony, or other, that it may be returned into rest; or else discovers some treasure, which was hid by the party whilest alive, or else some murther which it had commited: But the most frequent cause of their returning, is when the party hath himself been privately murthered.

6. For such is the poysonous malice, and bloudy spirit of the murtherers, that it sufficeth them not to have privately bereaved them of their Lives; but also by certain earnest Wishes, Curses, and Conjurations, they do afterwards adjure them, that for such a term of years, they shall never have power to appear again: Which wishes, being earnestly given forth, from the hellish root in the murtherer, do exceedingly torment the murthered parties spirit, taking deep impression thereon; so that it is alwayes in continual sorrow, and anguish, till the term of years be expired, and till the murther be made manifest to the world: after which discovery, it returns to perfect rest; This is well known to those that are exercised in Witchcraft, and cruell Murthers, though not common to those that murther but once.

7. There be many Ancient families in Europe, to whom the Ghost of their first Progenitor, or Ancestor appears immediately before the departure of some Heir, or chief in the same family: which assertion is confirmed by Cardan, in an Example of an Antient family, in the Dukedome of Parma, called the Tortells, to whom there belongs an ancient Castle, with a spatious Hall; near the Chimney of the said Hall an old decrepit Woman, for these hundreds of years, is wonted to appear, when any of the Family is about to dye: And it is reported amongst them that the same is the Ghost of one belonging to the same name, and family, who for her Riches, was murthered by some of her Nephews, and thrown into a pit.

8. Many such apparitions do for many years continue to be seen in one particular place; ever watching for opportunity, to discover some murther, or Treasure hid: And the cause of the difficulty of the said discovery, consists in the nature of their substance; for could they make use of the organ of the Tongue, they might quickly discover it: or if they had the outward benefit of Hands, they might produce the said Treasure, or Carcase murthered, but this they are seldome able to accomplish; being destitute of the outward Organs, and mediation of Hands to hold withall, or Tongue to vent their grievances: And that this is true, the manner of their appearance doth confirm it: For all that they are able to effect, if they have been murthered, is commonly to appear near the very place, where their body lies, and to seem as if they sunk down, or vanished in the same; or else to appear in the posture of a murthered person, with mangled, and bloudy wounds, and hair dishevel'd: But it is rarely known, that any such apparitions have plainly spoken, or uttered by words, the time of their murther, with the cause, the persons name, or place; unless the murther, by circumstances hath been more then ordinary, horrid, and execrable: then the remembrance of the same doth sometimes enable the apparition to frame a voice, by the assistance of the Air, and discover the fact.

9. But to speake in general concerning apparitions, why they are so seldome seen; and why such spirits as appear, can not without mans assistance accomplish their design; It may easily be apprehended, that all Spirits, or spiritual Substances, and Devills, have their life, breath, and motion in another source, or Element then this external world; And as any creature, whom the Element of Water hath nourished, and bred, can live but short while upon the Land; So its with them, when they come out of their proper habitations: which is the cause of the rarity of apparition; it being as difficult for any spirit to manifest it self in this outward principle, of the four Elements, as for a man to continue with his head under water: yea it is rather pain, then pleasure for any spirit, whether good, or bad, to come into this outward world.

10. Great is the villany of Necromancers, and wicked Magicians, in dealing with the spirits of men departed; whom they invocate, with certain forms, and conjurations, digging up their Carkasses again, or by the help of Sacrifices, and Oblations to the infernal Gods; compelling the Ghost to present it self before them: how this was performed in antient times, by Hags, and Witches, is notably described in the Aethiopian History of Heliodorus, in the practice of an antient woman, who coming into the Camp, in the dead of night; where amongst many slaughtered bodies, the body of her Son was also slain; whose carkase she laid before her, digging a hole, and making a fire on each side, with the body in the midst; Then taking an earthen pot from a three footed stool, she poured honey out of it, into the pit; then out of another pot, she poured milk; and likewise out of the third: Lastly, she cast a Lump of hardned dough, in the form of a man into the pit; the Image was Crowned with Lawrell: then she threw in some of the shrub called Bdellium: This done, with a sword she ran frantickly up and down, cutting her self; and with a Lawrell branch sprinkled of her blood into the fire: at length whispering at her Sons ear, she caused him to arise, and questioning him of the fortune of his Brother, what was become of him, he answered dubiously speaking prosperity to two persons that secretly beheld her, and telling her, That suddain death for her impiety attended her, which came to passe ere she left the place; after all these predictions, the Carcase ceased to answer any more: and tumbled groveling on the ground again.

11. And although by most men, as also by the Author in his foregoing Discovery, it is constantly believed, that the Witch of Endor raised not Samuel, nor the Ghost of Samuel, as not beleeving that there is an Astral Spirit or Ghost belonging unto every Man; yet it is very probable, that by her conjurations she caused his Sydereal Spirit to appear: which is possible to be effected: and hath been often done: as Weaver in his Funeral Monuments records of Edward Kelly, who in the Park of Walton Ledale, in the County Lancaster, with one Paul Waring, Invocated a Devil, and afterwards digg'd up the Corps of a poor man, that had been buried that very day, in a place near the same, called Law Church-yard: whom he compelled by Incantations, and Conjurations to speak, and utter prophetical words, concerning the master of one of his Assistants.

12. According to the state and condition wherein a person dyes, so is it with their Astral Spirit: for if they died in perfect peace, and had come through the valley of true Repentance; being dead to this Life before it left them; then their starry Spirit doth enter into rest, in its proper source, or quality at the instant of their Decease: nor is it possible for all the Conjurations in Hell, to cause them to return, or appear again.

13. But some might object, That Samuel was an Holy Prophet, and attaind unto a perfect Life; which is thus to be answered, that before Christ came into the world, none of the most Holy Prophets of God, did ever attain to that degree of blessednesse, that the Christians after Christ possessed: for in the time of the Law, a covering, or vail was spread over the faces of all people: and something there was that letted, or hindred their souls from any plain and perfect vision, and fruition of God; otherwise then through types, and shaddows, which partition wall, the end of Christs Incarnation was to break down.

14. In the writings of Plato, there be many strange Relations of the apparitions of Souls, of their torments, and purgations, of the cause of their returning, what their nature is, what their substance and property is, and what their food, and nourishment is: but he mistakes the Soul for the Astral Spirit: for the Soul in its returning and apparition is farr different; if a Holy Soul appear, it is to persons like it self, and that in sleep, warning them of dangers, and discovering heavenly secrets unto them: And if a Damned Soul appear, it is likewise to such as are of a nature like it self: whom it instigates, asleep, teaching them notorious Villanies in Dreams; and provoking them to every wicked cogitation.

15. The sect of Pythagoras have strange and antick opinions, concerning Souls, and Ghosts, or starry Spirits: whom they alledge to be frequently converted into Gods, or Daemons, or Demi-Gods, and Heroes: (as the Platonicks do,) And that there is a continual traduction, and transmigration of Souls, from one to another, till they attain to be deify'd at last; and then that they do frequently appear, to those that be like themselves; instructing, and forewarning them: It was also the belief of many wise, and antient Philosophers, that the Oracles were from such Daemons, as had been the Ghosts, or Souls of wise and excellent men: as Apollo's Oracle, and the Oracle of Pallas, or Minerva: which opinions have much of reason and probability.

16. It is also the opinion of some, that the particular Spirits of famous men do after the death of the body, take up some particular habitations, near such places Cities, Towns, or Countries, as they most do affect, as Tutelaries, and Guardians unto them; Which is reported by Vopiscus, of Apollonius Thyaneus; That when his City Thyana was taken by Aurelianus the Emperour: and when he was in his Tent, pondering furiously how to destroy the same; the Ghost of Apollonius appeared unto him saying, Aurelianus, if thou desirest to be a Conquerour, suppose not to slay these my Citezens: Aurelianus, if thou wilt be a Ruler, shed no innocent blood; Aurelianus, be meek, and gentle, if thou wouldst be a Conquerour.

17. I have heard many wonderful Relations from Lunaticks or such as are almost natural fools, who have asserted, That being for many daies together conversant amongst Faeries in Woods, Mountains, and Caverns of the Earth, they have feasted with them, and been magnificently Entertaind with variety of dainties, where they have seen several of their Neighbours or Familiar Acquaintance in the habit they were wont to weare, notwithstanding they were know to have been dead some years before.

18. And many Learned Authors have also insisted upon this particular, alledging That when such as the Faeryes have brought into their Society do feast and junket with them, though they have a real and perfect knowledge of their neighbours and acquaintance amongst the rest, yet their Language they are not able to understand, neither do these Acqaaintance of theirs acknowledge or take notice of them at all, but do either sit (both they and all the rest) in a profound and tedious silence, or else discourse in a most stupendious kinde of Gibberish, not intelligible to strangers.

19. But more particularly to illustrate this conjecture, I could name the person who hath lately appeared thrice since his Decease, at least some Ghostly being or other, that calls it self by the name of such a person who was dead above an hundred years agoe, and in his life time accounted as a Prophet or Praedicter by the assistance of Sublunary Spirits. And now at his appearance did also give out strange Praedictions concerning Famine, and Plenty, Warrs, and Bloodshed, and the end of this world.

20. By the affirmation of the person that had Communication with him, the last of his Appearances was on this following manner; I had been, said he, to sell a Horse at the next Market Town, but not attaining my price, as I returned home by the way I met this man aforesaid who began to be familiar with me, asking what news, and how affairs moved throughout the Country; I answered as I thought fit; withall I told him of my Horse whom he began to cheapen, and proceeded with me so far, that the price was agreed upon; so he turned back with me and told me, that if I would go along with him, I should receive my Money; on our way we went, I upon my Horse, and he on another milk white beast; after much discourse I askt him where he dwelt, and what his name was; he told me, That his dwelling was about a mile off, at a place called Farran; of which place I had never heard though I knew all the Country round about; he also told me, That he himself was that person of the Family of Learmonts so much spoken off for a Prophet; At which I began to be somewhat fearful, perceiving us in a road which I had never been in before, which increased my fear and admiration more. Well on we went till he brought me under ground I know not how into the presence of a beautiful woman that payd me the moneys without a word speaking; he conducted me out again through a large and long entry, where I saw above 600 men in Armour layd prostrate on the ground as if asleep; at last I found my self in the open field by the help of Moon-light in that very place where first I met him, and made shift to get home by three in the morning, but the money I received was just double of what I esteemed it, and what the woman payd me, of which at this instant I have several pieces to show consisting of nine pences, thirteen pence halfpennies, &c.

21. The variety of Examples throughout the writings of Learned men may serve as stronge inducements to confirm this particular of Astral Spirits, or Ghosts that belong unto Mortal men, returning after death untill the cause of their returning be taken away. In Ancient times before the name of Christianity, there was nothing more frequent then millions of Apparitions in fields where battails had been fought, seeming to fight as they had done at first, which the Ancient Heathens believed to proceed from the want of Burying. And from this arose the Poetical Romance of the wandring of Ghosts besides the River Styx for an hundred years. And the custome of Solemn Interment amongst them.

22. But with more probability, The Custome of the Funeral Piles used by the Romans, and the Urns to reduce their Corpses into Ashes, was instituted at first to prevent the torment of the Deceased, least his Ghost should wander, or return, which doubtlesse from a natural cause may have the same effect, that the reducing of the carcase into Ashes suddainly after its decease may prevent the return of the Astral Spirit; for if it be true what is affirmed by Paracelsus, that the starry Spirit can continue no longer then the radical moisture in the body; it will naturally follow that its appearance is at an end when the body is burnt, seeing that the moisture is totally exterminate and consumed thereby. And in some sense the Ceremony may be said to be Laudable and Judicious, having so beneficial a consequence.

23. As there is some semblance of a natural cause in the custome of the Antient urns, so likewise may the Interment of slaughtered bodies by the like cause prevent the like Appearances; for many are the examples that I have read of such as appeared to their surviving kindred and acquaintance, after they had been slaughtered in the Warrs, beseeching them to perform unto their bodies the Sacred Funeral Rites that their Ghosts might return into Rest, for which many have consulted with the Oracles to be informed whether the deceased deserved Burial, because they held it unlawful to bury Murtherers, Inecestuous and Sacriligious, persons, which Nature her self doth also seem to hold if this following Relation be not false: which was, That some Learned men returning from Persia where they had been to see the King Cosroes, by the way interr'd a dead Carcase which they found unburied: And in the following night the Ghost of an Ancient Matron, as if it had been the Spirit of the World or Madam Nature her self, appeard unto them, saying, Why Interr ye that nefarious Carcase? let the Doggs devoure it; The Earth who is the Mother of us all admitts not of that man that depraves his Mother: So returning they found the Carcase yet unburied.

24. To confirm the verity of Astral Spirits proper, and their returning, I shall conclude this Chapter with the Example of the famous Aristeus the Poet who in the Isle Marmora dyed suddainly, at which instant a certain Philosopher of Athens arriving there, affirmed, That he had lately been in Company and discourst with him. In the mean time going to Bury him they found him yet alive, but never after that had he any constant residence amongst Mortals. Seven years after that he was seen at Proconnesus his native Town, and remaind a while composing several Poems and Verses called Arimaspei, and then vanished. In Metapontis he was seen 300 years after that, charging that Apollo's Altar should be erected by the name of Aristeus Praconnesius. The like stories are reported of Apollonius, and Pythagoras, whom their followers would have to be Ubiquitaryes, affirming, That at one instant of time they were seen in several places thousands of miles in distance. And though in Iamblichus who hath wrote the Life of Pythagoras, in Philostratus that wrote the Life of Apollonius Tyanus, there be many fabulous things reported as to the Astral Spirits separation, and return unto the body; Yet I have sufficiently here endeavoured to separate the true from the more Poetical part in this particular Subject of the starry Spirits belonging to every individual man and woman, and their returning after the body falls away.