The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft, chapter 7: Of divers places in the Old Testament that are commonly wrested (part 3 of 4)

1. We shall grant that Pharaoh and the Magicians being Idolaters, and worshippers of false gods, their ends were principally to magnifie the power of their Idols, and to manifest that their supposed gods could work, and bring to pass as strange miracles or wonders as Moses and Aaron could perform by the assistance of the God of the Hebrews; and in respect of this end they had all the assistance that Satan and his dark kingdom of Angels could afford them in a spiritual and hellish way; for he is the Prince of the power of the air that worketh in the children of disobedience, for such were both Pharaoh and his Magicians. And to this purpose doth the Apostle tell us, speaking of false and seducing teachers: That they were like Jannes, and Ja[…]bres that withstood Moses, in their resisting of the truth: so that the Magicians of Pharaoh were condemned for resisting the truth of that message that Moses and Aaron brought, and of those real miracles that they performed; and so in respect of the wicked end they aimed at, they were assisted with the power and concurrence of the Devil, and in that respect only were his servants and instruments.

But as for the second particular, namely, the efficient causes and […]eans of the producing of those thing that the Magicians did, we affirm they were performed by the power of nature and art, and that the Devil was no efficient cause of their production, and that by these irrefragable arguments.

1. Those that affirm that the Devil did or can produce such strange effects, do also acknowledge, that what he performeth in natural and elementary Bodies, is done by applying natural agents to natural and fit patients, which dotruly bring to pass such strange effects, and that he doth no more, but only make the local application of them. From whence it must necessarily follow that the effects flow from natural agents, and so no causality at all can be ascribed unto him, except that fictitious one of being causa sine qua non, which is as much as no cause. And besides that, there is no proof that he maketh this local application; for if he be incorporeal, then it is simply impossible that he should perform any such matter; and however, a man by natural power and means, if he know the fit and apt actives and passives, may perform them himself, and so his assistance is needless; and we have never yet met with any argument that bore any convincing force that might induce us to believe that he is so great a Naturalist.

2. There are many persons that think themselves no mean sharers in the most sorts of learning, and others that are very strait laced in their pretended zeal for godliness, and in detesting the works of Satan, that even startle and shew an abhorrency at the word Magick, if it be but once named, as though there were no Magick but what is diabolical, or that which they call diabolical were any other way evil but only in the end and use: for there are many plants and minerals, that though poysonous, are yet notwithstanding good in respect of their Creation, and the good uses that may be made of them, as to kill noxious animals that are hurtful unto man. But if any forth of malice and wickedness should use them to poyson and destroy Men and Women, it were wicked and diabolical in the end and use, yet were the means lawful and natural. So whatsoever the Devil may do by wicked Men, his instruments, in leading and drawing them to make use of the great magnalia naturae, to work strange wonders by, thereby to confirm Idolatry and Superstition, or to resist the truth and such devilish ends, though the end and use may be wicked and diabolical, yet the efficient cause is natural and lawful. And therefore we can find no other ground or reason of dividing Magick into natural and Diabolical, but only that they differ in the end and use: for otherwise they both work by a natural agency and means, seeing the Devil can do nothing above or contrary to that course that God hath set in nature. Therefore may men do without the aid of Devils whatsoever they can do, seeing they have no advantage over us, but operate only by applying active things to passive, like as Men do: And therefore said that most learned Philosopher, Chymist and Mathematician, our Countreyman Roger Bacon, excellent well in these words: non igitur oportet nos uti magicis illusionibus cum potestas Philosophiae doceat operari quod sufficit. Therefore are those men that came from the East to worship Christ called Magicians, not because that great knowledge they had in the secrets of Nature was Diabolical or unlawful; for the name of a Magician was honourable and laudable, until Knaves and Impostors made use of it to cheat and couzen withal, and for wicked and ungodly ends; but because they had made use of it for the glory of God, and the good of mankind, therefore were they Magicians in the genuine, and best sense, as working by lawful and natural means, and to a good end: when the Magicians of Pharaoh may be called Cacomagicians, because they used the good and excellent causes and agents of nature to a wicked and Diabolical end, namely to resist the truth: and so the only difference of Magick is from the end and uses, and not from the causes or agents, that are both natural. So what these Magicians of Pharaoh did, though it were strange and wonderful, yet was it meerly by natural means and causes; and yet being for a wicked end was therefore Diabolical. So Jacob when he set the pilled rods with white streakes in them, before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs, that when the Rams and the Sheep came up to drink, and coupled together, they might conceive and bring forth ring streaked, speckled and spotted young ones; It came so to pass, and is confessed by Pererius himself, and the most of learned Expositors upon that place, to be from natural causes, and was a strange feat of natural Magick; but not evil because not directed to a wicked end: but that of Pharaohs though wrought likewise by a natural causes (for so it was whether ascribed to the Devil, that can but work by natural means, or not) was wicked and Diabolical; because they did it to resist Moses and Aaron the messengers of the Lord Jehovah.

3. The most or all the learned Expositors that have Commented upon this place of Exodus (as may be seen in Dr. Willets Hexapla and divers other learned Authors) though they attribute these things done by the Magicians to the power and assistance of Satan, yet in the manner they do acknowledge them not to be done really and in truth, but only in shew and appearance. But what they mean by shew and appearance is not so easie to find out and determine; for if by it they mean, that they did it as Juglers and those that use the Art of Legierdemane do, that is, by shewing one thing, and then by nimble sleight and agility convey it away, and suddainly and unperceiveably substitute another thing in its place, which they perform by leading the Eyes and attentions of the spectators another way with staring and using of strange and insignificant words, then we should be soon accorded, for so they might probably and easily have been performed as we shall prove anon, but this is not the thing they mean or intend. But some do mean that the Devil did only deceive the Phantasie and imagination of the beholders, in causing them to imagine and believe that the rods were changed into Serpents, when they were not changed at all, but only their imaginations deceived in thinking them to be Serpents when they were but only rods, as melancholy persons, Men in Feavers, Phrensies and Maniacal distempers do often think and affirm that they see strange things when they see no such things externally, but the Phantasie is only deceived with the species and images of those things within. This might be granted if Pharaoh and all the Spectators could be proved to be Men under those forenamed distempers and the like, though yet that might (and doth often) come to pass from meer natural causes, where the Devil hath nothing to do at all. But the beholders of these actions of the Magicians are neither proved, nor can rationally be supposed to be Men under any such distempers; but must be understood to be Men of several constitutions, tempers, and of sound health, and therefore not any way capable of any such illusions, neither could the Devil in a moment have so vitiated their imaginations, which we affirm he can no ways do, except the humours, fumes and spirits in the Body be first altered by natural causes, which cannot be done instantaneously, and if it could, then it would follow that no Man could certainly tell, when he were deceived in his imagination, when not: neither could it be, (as some imagine,) by casting a mist before their Eyes; for though Christ did hold the two Disciples Eyes going from Emaus, that they did not know him, it were blasphemous to think that Satan could do so also. And a mist casting before their Eyes might make them to see more dimly and confusedly, and cause things to appear greater than they were, but not to make one thing seem a quite contrary. But it never was yet proved that Satan could do such a thing, and what was never proved, may safely and rationally be denied. Some do suppose that the Devil did cloath or cover the Magicians rods with some such vestment of an airy substance, as might make the rods appear to the eye like Serpents; but this is as groundless a whimsey as any of the rest, and as it hath no proof, so it needs no confutation.

4. But to come more close to the matter, it is most plain and perspicuous that what they did was meerly by Art, or by Art and Nature joined with it; for if we may trust any thing to propriety of the words (as we have proved sufficiently before) they are called mechassephim, praestigiatores, that is Juglers, such as by sleight of hand, and nimble conveyance, could perform strange and wonderful things, and after they are called Hartummin, that is, Magicians, such as had skill in natural things, and by knowing their causes, and making due and timely application of them to passives that were suitable, could produce wonderful effects. And if we seriously consider the few things that they performed, they might easily be brought to pass by Legerdemain alone. For, as for holding a rod in their hands, and seeming to throw it down upon the ground, how soon might they throw down an artificial Serpent in its stead, and immediately and unperceivedly make conveyance of the rod? And if it be thought difficult or impossible, I shall unriddle the mystery, as I have sometimes seen it performed, and is but thus. The Jugler that is to perform this feat is usually provided before-hand with a wiar so twined and wrested, that it may be pressed together with the little finger in the ball of the hand, and when let loose it will extend it self, like a spring, and make a pretty motion upon a Table, this is fitted with a suitable head, and a piece of neatly painted linnen, perfectly resembling a Serpent, with Eyes and all. This thus fitted he holdeth in his right hand betwixt his little finger, and the ball of his hand, then with his left hand he taketh up a little white rod that he hath upon the Table, with which he maketh people believe he performeth all his feats: And then telling them a Story to amuse them, that he will like Moses and Aaron, transform that rod into a Serpent, then he presently beginneth to stare about him, and to utter some strange and nonsensical words, as though he were invoking some Spirit or Goblin, and so immediately conveyeth the rod either into his lap (if sitting) or into his sleeve (if standing) and then lets loose the Serpent forth of his right hand with pushing it forward, that what with the wiar, and the nimble motion of his hand, he maketh it to move a pretty space upon the Table, which he continueth, while offering with the one hand to catch it by the neck, he nimbly with the other puts it forward, and turneth it by touching the tail, and the mean while hisseth so cunningly, that the by-standers think it is the Serpent it self, and presently whips it up and conveys it into his pocket. And such a trick as this well acted might make Pharaoh and the beholders believe there was as much done, as Moses and Aaron did, but only that Aarons rod swallowed up their Serpents, or his Serpent theirs, which they might easily excuse. As for the changing water into blood, and the producing of Frogs, they were so easy to be done after the same manner, that they need not any particular explication, for by this the manner of their performance may most easily be understood. Though I once saw a Gentleman that was much delighted with these kind of tricks, and did himself play them admirable well, who performed it with a living Snake, that he had got for one of his Children to keep in a box; for in this North-Countrey they are plentiful, and are also innoxious; and it might have deceived a very wary person. So that it is very foolish and absurd to bring in a Demon from Hell, or an Angel from Heaven, or a Soul from above, to solve a thing that seems strange and uncouth by, when the craft and cunning of Men (if duely considered and examined) are sufficient to perfom the same, and much more.

5. And in this place of Exodus where our Translators say: and the Magicians did so or in like manner with their inchantments, the word being Belahatehem ought to have been rendered, suis laminis (as we have proved before) that is, with their bright plates of metal, for the word doth not signifie Inchantments in any one place in all the Old Testament. And if truth and reason may bear any sway at all, it must be understood that they were deeply skilled in natural and lawful Magick (as generally the Aegyptians and the Eastern Nations were) though they did use and apply it to an evil end, namely the resisting the power of Gods miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron: and so by this word suis laminis, with their plates of Metal must be understood, Metalline bright plates framed under certain fit constellations, and insculped with certain figures, by which naturally (without any Diabolical assistance) they did perform strange things, and made the shapes of some things appear to the eye. And though we may be derided and laughed to scorn by the ignorant, or hardly taxed and censured by the greatest part of Cynical Criticks, yet we cannot so far stifle the knowledge of our own brains, nor be so cowardly in maintaining the truth, but we must assert, That anciently there hath been a certain lawful art, whereby some sorts of metals might be mixed together under a due constellation, and after ingraven in like fit Planetary times with sundry figures, that would naturally work strange things; And this piece of learning though it may justly be numbred amongst the Desiderata, and might very well have been placed in the Catalogue of the Deperdita of Pancirollus; yet was it well known unto the ancient Magicians, and by them often with happy success put into practise; And amongst those many noble attempts of that most learned and experienced (though much condemned) person Paracelsus, this part of learning was not the least, that he laboured to restore. The truth of which we thus prove.

1. That there have been formerly in the World many such like planetary Sigills or Talismans, (as the Persians called them) is manifest from the authority of divers Authors of good credit and account. For the learned and most acute Julius Scaliger relateth this saying: The novelty of this History also may sharpen the wits of the studious. In the Books of the Arabick Aegyptians (he saith) it is thus written. That Hameth Ben Thaulon the Governour of Aegypt for the Arabians did command that a certain leaden Image or Picture of a Crocodile, which was found in the ground-work of a certain Temple, should be melted in the fire. From which time the inhabitants did complain, that those Countreys were more infested with Crocodiles than before, against whose mischief that Image had been framed, and buried there by the more ancient Wisemen or Magicians. Junctin, upon the Sphear of Sacrobosco, affirms that his Master who was a Carmelite, named Julianus Ristorius à Prato, one that was not any whit superstitious, was intreated by a Friend of his to make one of these Images for the cure of the Cramp, which he was very much subject to. This learned Man resenting his Friends sufferings, taught him the manner how to make one: so that he, not content to make only one, made divers of them when the Moon was in the Sign Cancer; and that with so good success, and with such certainty, as that he immediately found the benefit of it. Confecit (saith he) plures imagines, pro se, & amicis suis: quibus effectis, unam pro se accepit, & liberatus est. The same he reports of a certain Florentine, a very Pious Man, who made one of these Talismans, for to drive away the Gnats, which he did with good success. Nicolaus Florentinus, (saith he) Vir religiosus fecit in una constellatione annulum ad expellendum culices, quas vulgo Zanzaras dicimus, sub certis & determinatis imaginibus; & usus fuit constellatione Saturni infortunati, & e[…]pulit culices. Another Story take from an Arabick Cosmographer, cited by Joseph Scaliger thus: This Talisman (he saith) is to be seen in the Countrey of Hamptz, in a City bearing the same name; and it is only the Figure of a Scorpion graved upon one of the Stones in a certain Tower; which is of so great virtue, as that it suffers not any, either Serpent or Scorpion to come within the City. And if any one, for experiment sake, bring one of these out of the field into the City, it is no sooner at the Gate, but that it dies suddenly. This Figure hath this virtue besides; that when any one is stung with a Scorpion, or bitten by any other Serpent, they need but take the Image of the Stone with a little clay, and apply it to the wound, and it is instantly healed. Unto which Mr. Gaffarel addeth this: If any one doubt (saith he) of the credit of this Cosmographer, he may yet adventure to believe Mr. de Breves, as having been an eye-witness of the like experiment: who says in his Travels, that at Tripoli a City of Syria, within a Wall that reacheth from the Sea-side to the Gate of the City, there is a certain inchanted stone; on which is figured, in Relief, or by way of Imbossment, the Figure of a Scorpion, which was there placed by a Magician, for to drive away Venomous Beasts, which infested this Province, as the Serpent of Brass in the Hippodromus at Constantinople did. And a little above the City, there is a certain Cave, which is full of the Carkasses and Bones of Serpents, which died at that time. And further Gaffarel saith: Now whereas he calls this an inchanted Stone, and says that it was placed there by a Magician, you must note, that he there speaks according to the sense of the inhabitants, who knew not how to give any other account of the thing, as not understanding any thing at all of the natural reason of it.

2. And that the election of fit times according to the Configuration of the Stars and Planets, is of great efficacy and virtue, is sufficiently known to Husbandmen and Sailers, and of no small power both in respect of natural and artificial things, as we shall shew in this instance. Lazarus Riverius who was Counsellor and Physician to the French King, a person of extraordinary learning and experience in the Medical profession, both in the Galenical and Chymical way, doth give us this relation saying: I have not seldom experienced, and I have many witnesses of this thing, that Peony gathered under its proper Constellation, to wit, the Moon inclining (inclinante) being in Aries, doth loose the Epilepsie, by application alone: for the middle and chief root divided by the greater Longitude, I have (he saith) compassed about the neck and the armes of a certain Virgin in the Hospital, of eighteen years of age, who had been afflicted with this Disease from her childhood, and had the Paroxysmes every day; but from that day seemed altogether to be cured. From whence it is manifest how greatly the observation of the Stars is to be esteemed of in the Art of Medicine. Agreeable unto which is the judgment of that Industrious person Galen, who affirmeth that Peony by appension doth cure the Epilepsie, though he declare not the fit time for its collection. From whence it is most clear that the careful and precise observation of the Heavenly influences is most necessary to a Physician, and to all others that would produce strange and desired effects. Therefore doth learned Schroderus tell us this concerning the power and efficacy of those influences, saying: The influences of the Stars are effluvia, or Steams endowed with peculiar faculties, by which they make strong (if they be in their strength and vigour) things that are familiar to them, and do prosper and promote their virtues; but on the contrary they debilitate, hinder and make worse things that are not agreeable to them. And this is that which Moses fully mentioneth in these words, as they are fitly rendred by Arias Montanus. Et ad Joseph dixit, Benedicta Domini terra ejus, de delicia Coelorum, de rore, & de voragine cubante de orsum: & de delicia proventuum Solis, & de delicia ejectionis lunarum. Which our Translation gives thus: And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath; And for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and for the precious things put forth by the Moon. The full evidence of the truth of these influences of the Stars, and necessity and utility for due and proper seasons for the collection of Flowers, Fruits, Roots and Plants, may be seen in that learned piece that Bartholomaeus Carichterus Chief Physician to Maximilian the Second, writ and dedicated to his Master in the German Tongue. As also, what is written in the same Language by those learned Germans, Johannes Pharamundus Rhumelius, and Israel Hebueras that learned Mathematician, in a Treatise which he calleth, Mysterium Sigillorum herbarum & lapidum, which do compleatly verifie the certain efficacy and virtue of Planetary Seals, Images or Figures.