The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft, chapter 17: Of the sorce and efficacy of Words or Charms (part 3 of 4)

7. Lastly he saith: Why may we not also refer effects in the sanation of diseases, which do accompany the enunciation or description of conceived words, to those we call good or guardian Angels? Why should we not judge that these would be as ready to ease and help, as others to hurt, especially in diseases, where we are destitute of natural helps? And this opinion (he saith) Constantinus magnus did approve, Codicis lib. 9. tit. […]0. leg. 4. The Science of them (he saith) is to be punished, who being skilled in Magical Arts are discovered either to endeavour the impairing the health of men, or the drawing of chast minds to lust: But for seeking remedies to humane bodies, they ought not to be punished. But perhaps thon wilt say, that words are in vain muttered forth, unless a compact do interceed. But that which happened (he saith) at Lipsick some twelve or fifteen years since, doth refell this opinion, where a little Wench, that by reason of her age did not know what she did, while she imitated the whole action of her nurse, which she had often seen her use, and therewith stirred up tempests; herewith the little Wench raised up such Thunders and Lightenings, by which a Village, not far from the City was burned: As (he saith) D. Nenius told him, and was a thing known to innumerable Citizens. For the Wench being brought to the Court, it was debated whether by law she could be punished, but it was decided by the opinions of the Lawyers, that she could not be punished, seeing that by reason of her young age, she was altogether ignorant of what she did.

8. We cannot also but remember here some notable passages of Paracelsus where he is speaking of the power of faith and strong confidence, meerly considered as a nude and natural power: And affirming its great force and operation to effect strange things, he saith: But truly we cannot deny, but that spirits do commix themselves with such a faith, in celebrated feasts, and the like, as though they had performed those things. But not at all they, but faith only doth these things: As if a Man had honey, and did not know from whence it came, nor what kind of creature did make it, and the Beetle should brag that she had made it. So the Devils though they perform nothing at all, but the effects are meerly produced by the power of a natural or miraculous faith, yet they glory as though they had done them (in all things being liars and deceivers) and therefore do they what they can to confirm and raise up ceremonies and superstitions; From which commotions faith is brought forth, and faith worketh those strange effects, and therefore by reason of the superstition used, the Devils would make men believe that they are authors of those strange effects, which are onely wrought by the Power of an humane Faith, that they might rob God of his Glory and have it ascribed unto themselves. And therefore no persons do the Devils more service than those that ascribe those works unto them that are wrought by natural power and the strength of humane faith. From whence he concludeth thus: Eodem modo fides est in homine, ut laqueus quo strangulatur fur, ad multa utilis sit. Ea sides facit, ut fiat. Si sides etiam in filum lineum est, similiter fit. Interim tamen hoc nec Diabolus facit, nec fur, nec laqueus, nec carnifex: sed adulterina tua fides, quam non impendis ut debebas.

Having sufficiently (we suppose) proved that in the producing the effects by words or charms, the Devil doth operate nothing at all in them, but only as a lying deceiver and Impostor, laboureth to have the honour of those effects ascribed unto him; we shall now come to the second, and that is those that hold that the effects are solely produced by the force of the imagination and faith of the Charmer, and so that imagination doth work further than the proper body of the imaginant, upon other extraneous bodies, and that the words or characters avail nothing, but the fortifying and exalting of the faith of the Operator, to prove which are brought these arguments.

1. When the Disciples asked our Saviour, Why they could not cast forth the Devil out of the child that was lunatick, and sore vexed, and oft fell into the fire, and into the water, he told them; Because of their unbelief, and said: For verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Upon which place learned Beza gives us this note: Non fidem illam generalem & historicam intelligit: Nec etiam fidem justificantem. Sed illam demum specialem, & quibusdam Christianis particularem, quâ animus quodam spiritus sancti impulsu ad res mirandas perficiendas impellitur, & ista vocatur fides miraculorum. And against diffidence our Saviour orders the remedy of fasting and prayer. But this was a power given by Christ unto them, which they (it seems) had lost, and are here taught to resuscitate it by prayer and fasting. Others take it to be a natural power of faith or strength of imagination in all men, which they may stir up by fasting and prayer, therewith to operate that which is good, but being suscitated by the means of images, pictures, superstitious ceremonies, and the like, and so may effect either good or bad; but this later opinion we reject as unsound, and contrary to the Scriptures, and so the argument doth prove very little.

2. Helmont holdeth, that every man, in respect that they have been partakers of the image of God, hath power to create certain entities, by the power of imagination, and that these conceived Ideas do cloath themselves with a body in the shape of the image fabricated in the imagination, and it is by these that those strange things are effected, that are falsly attributed to Demons. And that man solely hath this power. Which (if his argument be well grounded) doth prove plainly, that these strange effects are brought to pass by the sole power of the phantasie of the person imaginant, or using the charms, and neither by the power of the Devil nor of the charms.

3. The argument to prove these things by, that they are brought to pass by the strength of imagination, used by Cornelius Agrippa, is this: Non mediocri experientia (ait) comprobatum est, insitam à natura homini, quandam dominandi, & ligandi vim. And that there is an active terror in man, (if it be rightly resuscitated in him, and that he know how to direct and make use of it) impressed in him by the Creator, which is as it were a terrifical character and signacle of God instamped upon man, by which all creatures do fear, and reverence man, as the image of his Creator, and as by the law of creation, to be Lord, and to bear rule over them all. And here I cannot but mention that lepid (though tedious & ludicrous) tale that Dr. Casaubon gives us of an horse-rider called John Young, that could tame the most fierce Bulls and unruly Horses, as also by pipeing to make the most couragious and fierce Mastiff to lie close down and to be quiet, by the force of his imagination and charms. And this John Youngs Philosophy was agreeable to this of Agrippa's, to wit, That all creatures were made by God, for the use of Man and to be subject unto him; and that if men did use their power rightly, any man might do what he did. Fides sit apud anthorem.

4. Avicenna, Algazel, Alkindus, Marsilius Ficinus, Jacobus de Forluio, Pomponatius Paracelsus and others, do sometimes hold that the Soul (the sensitive and corporeal it must be understood) not by a nude apprehension, or meer impery, but by the emission of spirits (or corporeal beams, as we have shewed before) do work upon external bodies, and so move and alter them. Sometimes they hold, that the whole Soul (sensitive must be meant) doth go quite forth of the Body, and wander into far distant places, and there not only see what things are done, but also to act something it self. And to this opinion (only meaning of the immortal, and immaterial Soul) Dr. Moore and Mr. Glanvil do seem to agree, namely that the Soul may for a time depart forth of its Body, and return again. And to prove this the argument of Avicen is this: Superior things (he saith) have dominion over the inferior, and the Intelligences do rule and change corporeal things. And that the Soul is a spiritual and separable substance. And therefore after the same manner, may act in corporeal things, and change them as may be seen at large, with responsions in the book of Fienus.

Now we come to the third and last opinion of those that positively hold, that there is a force in words and characters (if rightly framed) to effect strange things withal, and this is as strongly denied by many. Therefore we shall only offer the most convincing arguments, that we meet withal, and leave it to the censure of others, and that in this order.

But before we enter upon the positive arguments, we think it fit, lest we be mistaken (though in part we may have touched some ofthem before) to lay down some few cautions and considerations, which we shall do in this manner.

1. It is to be taken for a certain truth, that the greatest part of those pretended charms and characters that are in this our age used by ignorant, superstitious, and cheating impostors; are utterly false, and of no power or efficacy at all. And this was understood by our learned Countreyman Roger Bacon, who tells us thus much. For without all doubt (he saith) all of this sort now a days are false, or doubtful or irrational, and therefore not at all to be trusted unto. And to this doth Paracelsus fully agree, saying: All characters are not to be trusted to, or any confidence to be placed in them, nor in like manner in words. For the Nigromancers and Poets, being very laboriously imployed about them, have filled all Books with comments proceeding forth of their brains, wanting all truth and foundation, of which some thousands are not worth one deaf nut.

2. Yet for all this we are to consider, that all of them are not totally to be rejected, for Bacon tells us: That there are certain deprecations of ancient times instituted of men, or rather ordained of God and good Angels, that are both true and efficacious; and such like as these may retain their first virtue. As in some Countreys (he saith) yet some certain prayers are made upon red hot iron, and upon the water of the flood, and likewise upon other things, by which the innocent are tried, and the guilty condemned. And this was the trial that by the Saxons (when used in England) was called Drdeall. Therefore Paracelsus saith thus: Repeto ergo, characteribus & verbis non omnibus fidendum esse, sed eligenda & retinenda, quae recta, genuina, ex fundamento veritatis deprompta, ac multoties probata sint, which is counsel good, sound and profitable. And somewhere he tells us that even those true and genuine characters and Gamahuis that were rightly fabricated under due constellations, and were in old time efficacious, may have now lost their virtue because the configurations of the Heavens are altered.

3. Many of these strange characters or words were not by wise men inserted into their works, that thereby any strange things might be wrought by them, but were invented to conceal those grand secrets that they would not have to be made known unto the unworthy. And therefore Bacon gives us this profound and honest counsel: So therefore (he saith) there are very many things concealed in the books of the Philosophers, by sundry ways: In which a Wise Man ought to have this prudence, that he pass by the charms and characters, and make trial of the work of nature and art: And so he shall see, as well animate things, as inanimate, to concur together, by reason of the conformity of nature, not because of the virtue of the charm or character. And so many secrets both of Nature and Art are of the unlearned, esteemed to be magical. And Magicians do foolishly confide in charms and characters, judging virtue to be in them, and because of their vain confidence in them, they forsake the work of Nature and Art, by reason of the error of charms and characters. And so both these sort of Men are deprived of the benefit of wisdom, their own foolishness so compelling them.

3. The same most learned Countryman of ours Roger Bacon, doth further give us this advice saying: But those things that are contained in the books of Magicians ought by right to be banished, although they have in them something of truth: Because they are mixed with falsities, that it cannot be discerned betwixt that which is true, and that which is false. And also Impostors and ignorant persons have feigned and forged divers writings under the names of ancient wise men, thereby to allure the curious, and to deceive the unwary, which with great care and consideration we ought to eschew. To the same purpose Paracelsus doth caution us in this point. Cuilibet ergo promptum sit, characteres & verba quaevis discernere posse.

4. But for all this (as we have often intimated before) charms and characters though in themselves of none effect, may conduce to heighten the fancy and confidence of a Patient, and render him more willing to take those things that may cure. And to this purpose, the forementioned Author Roger Bacon, from Constantine the Physician tells us thus much: But it is to be considered, that a skilful Physician, or any other, that would excite and stir up the mind, may profitably make use of charms and characters though feigned, not because the characters or charms themselves do operate any thing, but that the medicine may be received with more desire and devotion, and that the mind of the Patient may be stirred up, and may confide more freely, and may hope and rejoice; Because the Soul being excitated, can renew many things in its proper body, so that from infirmity it may be restored to health by joy and confidence. If therefore (he saith) a Physician to magnific his work, that the Patient may be raised up to hope and confidence, shall do any thing of this nature, not for fraud, but because of this, that he may confide, that he may be healed, it is not to be condemned. We brought this authority to confirm what we had asserted before; and that these things are wonderfully prevalent, we have before shewed examples.

1. There are some, that to prove that words and characters have a natural efficacy, do alledge some passages of Scripture, which we shall propose as very probable, but not as necessarily convincing, and the first is this: And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. Which some understand that the name Jehovah which they call Tetragrammaton, was worn upon them, and that thereby they were blessed, and from thence they suppose that Hebrew names, especially that, are very efficacious and powerful. Another is: The man cloathed in linnen, that had the Ink-horn by his side, is commanded to set a mark, or (as some read it) a Tau upon those that mourned. This is the name of a letter the last in the Alphabet, and hath in the old books of the Hebrews (as Schindlerus tells us) the figure of a cross, and such like the Samaritans use to this day. From whence by Tau, some in Ezekiel do understand the figure of the Cross of Christ.

2. But to explicate what is meant by charms and characters, we are to note that it is not to be understood of those words that are by humane institution significant according to the imposition of men, nor of any sort of charms or characters, but of such, as by wise men are duly fitted and joined together, in and under a right and favourable constellation, for it is from the Influence of the Stars (as we have proved before) that words, charms, images and characters do receive their energie and virtue. And to this purpose is the true rendition of the words in the Psalm. Which hearkeneth not to the voice of those that mutter, the conjunction of the learned joyner. That is, that the Serpent doth not hearken unto, or obey the charms that are framed or joined together by the learned joiner or framer of charms. So that there is a great learning required to frame and compose charms rightly that they may be efficacious. For Paracelsus witnesseth that Serpents once hearing an efficacious charm do forthwith stop their ears, lest they should hear the words repeated again. Of both these sorts the learned Roger-Bacon doth tell us this: Of characters therefore according to the first manner, it is so to be judged as we have shewed in common speech: But of sigills and characters of the second manner, unless they be made in elected seasons, they are known to have no efficacy at all. And therefore he that doth practise them, as they are described in books, not respecting but only the figure that the exemplar doth represent, is judged of every wise man to do nothing. But those which know to perform their work in fit constellations according to the face of the Heavens; those may not only dispose characters but all their works, both of Art and Nature, according to the virtue of the Stars. But because it is a difficult thing to understand the certainty of Celestials in these things, therefore in these things there is much error with many, and there are few that understand to order any thing profitably and truly. And to this purpose Paracelsus tells us: Certain Chirurgical Arts invented of the first improvers of Astronomy, by which admirable things were (by an Ethereal virtue) performed. But these after the decease of the ancient Magicians, were so lost, were as scarce any footsteps do now remain. But it was the Art of Celestial impressions, that they might draw down, the influent action, into some corporeal substance. The thing is plain by example. The seed of a Rose doth obtain the virtue and nature of a Rose, yet for all that it is not a Rose, but when being put into the earth, it doth sprout, then at the last it produceth a Rose. By the same reason, there are certain celestial virtues and actions in being, which being sown into Gemms, which were called of the ancient Magicians, Peantides and Gamahii (otherwise gemmae huyae) from whence they have afterwards sprung up, no otherwise than seed, which doth fall from the Tree, and doth regerminate. This was that Astronomie of the ancient Aegyptians and Persians, by which they did adorn Gemms with celestial virtues. Neither are these things forthwith to be reputed impossible: For if we believe, that the Heaven doth send the Plague and other diseases upon us, why may we not hope, that the benignity of its virtues may be communicated to us also? In like manner if the Heaven doth act upon the bodies of men, why may we not think that they may wrest their darts into stones? Many are touched with such like celestial darts which a Magician who hath skill of the Firmament, may easily (if they be noxious) shun: or if they be benign shall, by putting some body, communicate it to that body, that now that body may fully obtain into it self the virtue of that dart or influence. From whence stones are found amongst the Aegyptians, which being born do cause diseases: But again there are others, that do throughly make sound those diseases. So (he saith) we have seen Gemm[…]s Huy[…], that is Peantides, wherein the sign of the Sagittary was insculped against weapons, which were prevalent against wounds made with Swords. Also we have known (he saith) that Magicians have rendered stones efficacious to cure Feavers: nor only to have made them strong to cure diseases, but also wounds, and their symptoms, to wit, the Haemorrhage, the Sinonia (or sinew-water) Convulsions, and the Epilepsie. But as in that age the use of these was frequent, and the authority great; so by little and little the sophistications of false Philosophers being increased, they have come into desuetude and contempt, and other childish things have been substituted in their places. But these Stones (because now the site and influx of the Heavens are plainly otherwise than they were in times past) are no more so efficacious as they were then, therefore it is convenient that they be prepared anew.