The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft, chapter 12: If the Devil, or Witches have power to perform strange things (part 1 of 4)

CHAP. XII. If the Devil, or Witches have power to perform strange things, whether they do not bring them to pass by meer natural means, or otherwise. And of Helmonts opinion concerning the effects caused by Devils or Witches.

HAving handled the knowledge and power of the faln Angels as far forth as there is any thing manifested in the Scriptures, or that may be deducted from thence by sound reason, and finding their knowledge and power to be much less in these inferior bodies and elements than is commonly supposed; we are now to proceed to examine what they do simply of their own power, and what they perform by natural means. And first it cannot be denyed but that they can of themselves dart in evil thoughts, suggestions and temptations into the minds of Men immediately of their own power, as also to allure Men to sin by the irritation of external objects presented to the senses, as also by means of the phantasie, and especially by the melancholy humour which is Balneum Diaboli. But secondly the great question is, what they work in elemental and corporeal things, and whether it be not only by natural means, as the applying of fit actives to agreeable passives, whereby the acts ascribed unto them are performed, or not? Which we affirm from these grounds.

1. Because it is the common and unanimous opinion of Philosophers, Theologues and Physicians, that what the Devils operate in sublunary bodies, or in causing diseases in humane bodies, is by the applying fit actives to convenient passives, by which the effects are brought to pass. And this is an argument sufficiently pressive, and convincing, if there be any force in arguments brought from humane authority, especially considering that no other causes besides what are natural, could ever yet be assigned, much less proved.

2. And this is more plain if we consider what th[…] Author quoted last in the Margent saith to the same purpose, Daemon propria virtute nequit transmutare materiam corpoream, nisi adhibeat illi activa proportionata effectibus quos intendit. As for example, the Devil may cause burning, by reason that there is a combustible subject, as also a fiery and burning agent in nature, and this agent being fire, being applyed to combustible matter would produce that effect which we call cremation, or burning: But if there were no combustible matter in nature, or that there were no igneous agent, then it is plain, the Devils could produce no burning at all; and so where there is no agent and patient in nature, to produce the effect intended, (as in pretended fascination there is neither) there such an effect could not possibly be produced: so that from hence it must necessarily follow, that Devils can operate nothing in corporeal matter, but by applying fit agents to convenient patients, and therefore Helmont said well: Quasi Satanas supra naturam esset, operaretur q; naturae impossibilia. Dono quidem, modum operando exoticum: at sane ad intra naturam coerceri oportet.

3. And that many strange things that are vomited up by such as are supposed to be bewitched do proceed from natural causes, and that the Devil worketh no more in them but by instigation, to move wicked persons (such as are commonly those that are accounted Witches) to give and administer strange things, Philters, or secret poisons, to such as they would kill, torment, make mad, or draw to unlawful love, or rather lust, as may be made manifest from the testimonies of persons of unquestionable veracity and judgment, some few of which we shall here relate. Philip Salmuth chief Physician to the Prince of Anhalt recordeth this which we shall give in English: The Daughter of a certain Inkeeper was desperately in love with a principal Nobleman. To whom going away she offers a most beautiful apple. This he suspecteth and throweth into a Basket. After three days he remembers it, and looks at it; and then it altogether appeared blackned. He expecteth for the space of other three days, and then findeth abundance of little Frogs there. Therefore he returneth into that Inn, where the Maid lived, and doth counterfeit sickness and huge torments. The Maid willeth him to use warm milk. That he poureth upon the Frogs, who take it greedily, and by little and little do increase. But he every day feigneth greater pains, whereupon the Maid pitying him doth will him to take the urine of a Mare newly made and warm. This he also poureth upon the Frogs, whereupon they die. After some time the servant of another Nobleman is afflicted with miserable torments, and there is suspicion of a Philter given by a person of quality. They exhibite Mares urine, and she vomiteth up two Lizards, and two Frogs. By which it is manifest that such strange vomitings up of Frogs, Lizards, Askers and the like, though attributed to Witchcraft, and the operation of Satan, do but proceed from natural causes. And doubtless the sperme, or ova ranarum, were but conveyed into the Apple, that so by the heat of the Stomach, and the Chylus, (that is like warm milk) they might grow and increase. And this kind of witching, or secret poysoning, we grant to be too frequent and common, because those persons commonly accounted Witches are extreamly malicious and envious, and do secretly and by tradition learn strange poysons, philters and receipts whereby they do much hurt and mischief. Which most strange wayes of poysoning, tormenting, and breeding of unwonted things in the stomach and bellies of people, have not been unknown unto many learned men and Philosophers, but they respecting the good of mankind, and the multitude of evil minded persons, have altogether forborn openly to mention such dangerous receipts in their writings, or at the best so to publish them, that not one of a thousand could understand what they intended, and so these secrets of mischief are for the most part kept in obscurity, amongst old women, superstitious, ignorant, and melancholy persons, and by them delivered over from hand to hand, and commonly one learns it of another according to the Proverb, Popery and Witchcraft go by Tradition. And to this very purpose I cannot but insert that remarkable passage of Paracelsus in these words. Possent equident (ait) peculiarem de ipsis tractatum edere, ut artes ac machinae illarum manifestarentur. Sed propter malitiosos ista talia pennâ seu calamo minimè evulganda sunt, multa enim […]agitiosa simul induci possent: quae satius est reticeri. And that strange productions may be brought to pass, and stupendious effects brought into action, from secret and hidden natural causes, that are better known to those malicious persons that are accounted Witches, than others, may be made manifest by another observation set down by the forementioned Salmuth, and is this: Galen and others have recorded, that the saliva, or spittle of a mad dog, if it touch an human body, and be not forthwith washed off, may cause madness. But in the Hydrophobia, there is so great force of the poyson, that the persons that are bitten do also piss or void by urine, little whelps, or pieces of flesh like them, as Avicenna lib. 3. Fen. 6. tr. 4. c. 7. hath delivered, though doubted of by others. But (he saith) I certainly know notwithstanding that of such saliva or spittle only left in the Garment, after biting, have Worms been breed, plainly resembling little Whelps with their heads. For a mad Dog did meet a Servant Maid of an honest Matrons going to the Market, and flies furiously and violently at her feet. She that she might avoid the danger, inclineth her self, and a little bendeth her knees, whereupon the Dog doth with his teeth catch hold of her Garment, and especially the seam or low selvidge, and did bark a little while, and forthwith ran away. Which being done the Maid remained terrified, and at the first doubted whether the Dog was mad or not, but having recollected her self, she suspecteth his rabiousness, because he had been very familiar, even almost domestick with her. Therefore she returneth home, and hangeth the torn Garment upon a piece of wood in the House. But afterwards upon the fourth day she goeth to it, with an intent to mend it. But oh a wonderful thing, she findeth Worms altogether like little Whelps in the head, to be bred in those places of the hem in which the Dog had fastned his teeth, and those as a new Miracle (as they did call it) were shewed unto certain of the Neighbours being called together.

4. Another instance to prove the strange effects that may be produced by natural Causes, and yet are so occult, stupendious, and unusual, that they are commonly fathered upon Devils, when they have no more at all to do in or about them, but only the mental perswading of the persons to use them to wicked and destructive ends, as those wonderful compositions that produce the Plague and such like grievous Diseases and Symptoms; For this kind of veneficium (call it Witchcraft if you please) is and hath been often practised by most horrible, malevolent, and wicked persons, who by an art more than Diabolical (especially in respect of the end and use) have so framed, and prepared, and commixed things naturally, that in the form of unguents have produced the Plague and divers other most pernicious and venefical Diseases, which may be confirmed by undeniable examples, of which we shall give some few. Josephus Quercetanus, that famous Chymist and Physician to Henry the Fourth of France, tells us thus much: The Contagion of the Plague is not only contracted by the mediation of the air and water, things in a manner universal, or from other things more particular, as vestments, linnen, and other moveable things inquinated by the attraction of pestiferous Atomes: But also by the detestable Crafts, and Diabolical Arts of certain most wicked persons, which we call poysoners, or witches, by means of which they contemperate and mix certain poysons into the form of an unguent, and use to rub some of it upon the handle of doors, so that those that do but lightly touch them, are forthwith infected with the Plague, this subtile poison forthwith creeping by the pores of the skin into the extremities of the veins, is quickly communicated to the heart, to which human industry can hardly administer any remedy. Unto which the Lord Verulam gives this cautious attestation: Pestem quo q; excitavit januarum, rimarum, aliorum q; inunctio, non tam ex contactu, quam quod homini in more positum, si quid humidi adhaerescat digitis, naso illud admovere. Moneri sepatientur, apud quos ea inolevit consuetudo, ut praecaveant. Johannes Wierus a learned Physician, and a person of credit and veracity, reciteth this History from Antonius Sabellicus, Ennead. 4. lib. 4. This strange venefice or witchcraft, was practis'd at Casal in the City of Salassia, a Region of Italy, in the year of our Lord God 1536. About forty persons men and women, amongst whom there was one Hangman, had combined and sworn together, That seeing the Plague had ceased that before did rage, they would compound an unguent, with which the handles of the doors being besmeared, they should be infected that touched those handles. They did also prepare a Powder which being secretly sprinkled in the Garments, should produce the Plague. The Villany lay hid for some certain time, and many were taken away of such as were joined in blood or affinity: Also money was given (as was said) to the Poysoners, instead of inheritance. But when they had murthered the Brother and only Son of one Necus, and that scarcely others than the Masters of Families themselves, or their Sons, did perish: And that also they had marked, that into what Houses those Conspirators had insinuated themselves, that those for the most part did perish into whose Houses they entred: but the Conspiracy being found out, they were all put to death with most exquisite torments. They also confessed, that they had determined to kill all the Citizens upon a Festival day, by anointing the Seats, and to that purpose they had prepared twenty Pots full of that pernicious and hellish Ointment. And Paracelsus tells us, that at St. Vitum and Villacum, certain of the Poyson-makers in the time of a Plague, did take the Earth and Dust from the Graves of those that had been buried, and did so prepare it with their Magical Art, that they raised up a most cruel and raging Plague, whereby many thousands of men were infected and slain. But that the manner of that preparation is by no means to be revealed. Those that desire more satisfaction in this particular may have recourse to that learned Treatise, de Peste, written by the learned and industrious Matthias Untzerus.

5. But there is no where a more strange accident written, than what is recorded in our own Annals in the year 1579. the nineteenth year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, in these words: The 4, 5, and 6. days of July, were the Assises holden at Oxford, where was arraigned and condemned one Rouland Jenkes for his Seditious Tongue, at which time there arose such a damp, that almost all were smothered, very few escaped that were not taken at that instant: The Jurors died presently: Shortly after died Sir Robert Bell, Lord Chief Baron, Sir Robert de Olie, Sir William Babington, Mr Weneman, Mr De Olie, High Sheriff, Mr Davers, Mr Farcurt, Mr Kirle, Mr Pheteplace, Mr Greenwood, Mr Foster, Serjeant Baram, Mr Stevens, &c. There died in Oxford 300. persons, and sickned there but died in other places 200. and odd, from the sixth of July to the twelfth of August, after which day died not one of that sickness, for one of them infected not another, nor any one Woman or Child died thereof. This is the punctual relation according to our English Annals, which relate nothing of what should be the cause of the arising of such a damp, just at the Conjuncture of time when Jenkes was Condemned, there being none before, and so it could not be a Prison Infection, for that would have manifested it self by smell or by operating sooner. But to take away all scruple, and to assign the true Cause, it was thus: It fortuned that a Manuscript fell into my hands, collected by an antient Gentleman of York, who was a great observer and gatherer of strange things and facts, who lived about the time of this accident happening at Oxford, wherein it is related thus: That Rouland Jenkes being imprisoned for treasonable words spoken against the Queen, and being a Popish Recusant, had notwithstanding during the time of his restraint, liberty sometimes to walk abroad with a Keeper, and that one day he came to an Apothecary, and shewed him a receipt which he desired him to make up; but the Apothecary upon the view of it told him, that it was a strong and dangerous receipt, and required some time to prepare it, but also asked him to what use he would apply it? he answered to kill the Rats that since his Imprisonment spoiled his Books; so being satisfied he promised to make it ready. After a certain time he cometh to know if it were ready, but the Apothecary said the ingredients were so hard to procure that he had not done it, and so gave him the receipt again, of which he had taken a Copy, which mine Author had there precisely written down, but did seem so horribly poysonous, that I cut it forth lest it might fall into the hands of wicked persons. But after it seems he had got it prepared, and against the day of his tryal had made a week or wick of it (for so is the word, that is, so fitted, that like a Candle it might be fired) which as soon as ever he was Condemned he lighted, having provided himself a Tinder-box and Steel to strike fire. And whosoever should know the ingredients of that Wick or Candle, and the manner of the Composition, will easily be perswaded of the virulency and venenous effects of it, and this in him in regard of the use and end was meerly Diabolical, though th[…] agency and effects were meer natural.

6. It is very strange to consider what learned and grave Authors have left recorded of the Ligation or binding of Husbands that they might not be viripotent, or be able to have to do with their Wives for a longer or a shorter time; nay some even have proceded so faras to write it, and seem also to believe it; that by venifice or Witchcraft, the virile members may be quite taken away; as is related by Codronchius, of a certain young man that had his members quite taken away by a Woman Witch, which notwithstanding she restored again, by beating and putting her in the fear of death. And of this incredible story, Sennertus a professed maintainer of the impossible power of Witches, doth notwithstanding give this censure. The Devil doth often delude men by prestigious and jugling deceits, and perswadeth them that he hath brought such Diseases as indeed are none at all, as this taking away the virile member, related by Baptista Codronchius. For although some be of that opinion, that the genital members may really be taken away and restored by the Devil: notwithstanding (he saith) I had rather hold with those that believe such things are meer juglings and delusions; seeing it is not in the power of the Devil to restore unto man a member lost or taken away. The most learned Lord Bacon doth affirm, that this kind of Ligation or binding, to make men impotent for Coition, is frequent in Santonne and Gascoigne, and is used to be done upon the Marriage day, and that it is often performed by the Mothers to prevent that incantation by others, and that they may loose it when they please. And doth think it no light matter because punishable by their laws. And saith after, If it exceed not nature it hath its force from the Imagination of the binder of the virile member, and adds: Putem ego illud ab incantatione alienum esse, quia non à certis personis tantum (quales incantatores) sed à quolibet fieri potest. But that which puts it forth of all doubt that it is nothing but melancholy, and the abuse of the fancy, is manifest from the observation of perspicacious Salmuth, which is this: I have known two (he saith) who did imagine themselves impotent to the act of Venery, and thought themselves maleficiated or bewitched, when as before they had afforded themselves sufficiently strenuous in that warfar also with their Wives. But both being (he saith) handled and cured by me, as persons melancholick and Hypochondriacal, have afterwards sufficiently laughed at themselves. But I did conjecture them to be melancholick by this, because they did complain, that about that act they were overwhelmed with an heap of Cogitations. From whence it is manifest from what cause that effect did proceed. And therefore it is deservedly doubted of Wierus, whether or no there be any true impotency at all, but what is from natural Causes.