Part I, chapters 12–14: A proofe out of the Gentiles histories; and following chapters

CHAP. XII. A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that Spirits and ghosts do often times appeare.

ALbeit many melancholike, mad, fearefull, and weake sensed men doo oftentimes imagine many things whiche in very déede are not, and are lykewyse deceyued, somtyme by men, or by brute beasts: and moreouer mistake things whiche procéede of naturall causes to bée bugs and spirits, as I haue hitherto declared by many examples, yet it is most certayne & sure, that all those things which appeare vnto men are not alwayes naturall things nor alwayes vayne terrors to affray men: but that spirits do often appeare, & many straunge and maruellous things do sundry times chaunce. For many suche things of thys sorte are to be red in diuers graue and auncient historiographers: and many men of no small credite, haue affirmed, that they haue séene spirits both in the day and in the night also. And here I will orderly declare a fewe histories out of diuers allowed authors, touching spirits which haue appeared and shewed them selues.

Suetonius Tranquillus writeth, that when Iulius Cesar marching out of Fraunce into Italie with his army, and comming to the riuer Rubico, which deuideth Italie from the hether Fraunce, staying there a while, and reuoluing with him selfe how great an enterprise he hadde taken in hand, as he was wauering in mind whether he shold passe the water or not, sodenly there appeared a man of excelling stature and shape sitting hard by, piping on a reede. (Melancthon in his phisicks calleth him […]iton) vnto whom when not only shepherds, but also very many souldiors from the camp, and amongst them diuers trumpetters had flocked to heare him, he sodenly snatched a trumpet from one of them, and leaped to the riuer, and with a lustie breath blowing vp the alarum, went to the farther side. Then sayd Caesar: good lucke mates, let vs go whether the gods warnings leade vs, and whether our enimies iniquitie calleth vs: The dice are throwne. And so he transported ouer.

Plutarke writeth in Theseus life, that many whiche were in the battaile of Marathonia, against the Medians, did affirme, that they sawe the soule of Theseus armed (who long time before died of a fall) before the vauntgard of the Grecians, running and setting on the barbarous Medians. For which cause the Atheniās afterward were moued to honour him as a demigod.

Pausanias writeth in Atticis, That in the field of Maratho. 400. yeres after the battaile there foughten, there was hard the neying of horses, and the incountring of souldiours as it were fighting euery night: And that they which of purpose came to heare these things, could hear nothing, but those that by chaunce came that way, hearde it very sensibly.

The same Plutarke writeth in the life of Cimon, that when the citizens of Cheronesus had by fayre words called home their captaine Damon, (who before for diuers murthers departed the citie) afterwards they cruelly sle[…] him in a hotehouse, as he was bathing him selfe, & from that time foorth, there were many strange sightes seene in the same place, & many times also most greuous gronings were there heard, in so much that they wer euer after constreyned to stop vp the hotehouse dores.

Also in ye life of Dion, he reporteth, that the saide Dion being a stout & a couragious man without any feare, sawe notwithstanding a greate and maruellous horible sight. For when he chaunced to sit alone in the entry of his house in the euening (those are Plutarks owne words, as Xiliander interpreteth them) musing & discoursing many things with him selfe, being sodenly moued with a greate noyse, he arose and loked backe to the other side of the gall[…]rie, and there he espied a monstrous great woman, who in apparell and countenaunce nothing differing from a Tragicall furie, swept the house with a broome. With the which […]ight being amazed & terribly afraide, he called his friends and acquaintance vnto him, and declaring vnto thē what he had séene, desired thē to remaine with him al that night: for béeing as it were stricken dead with feare, he doubted least it would appeare vnto him againe, if he were alone, which in déede neuer hapned after. But a fewe dayes after his sonne threwe him selfe hedlong from the top of the house, and died, and he him selfe being stabbed through the body, ended his miserable life.

The same author writeth in the life of Decius Brutus, how when Brutus was determined to transporte his army out of Asia into Europe, being in his tent about midnight, the candle burning dimly, and all the host quiet and silent, as he was m[…]ing and reuoluing with him selfe, he séemed that he hearde one entring the Tente into him, and looking backe vnto the doore, hée sawe a terrible and monstrous shape of a bodye, whiche farre excéeded the common stature of men, standing faste by him without any words, wherewith he was sore afrayde: and yet he ventured to aske it thys question. What arte thou (sayeth hée) eyther a God, or a man? and why commest thou vnto me? Whereto the image aunswered: I am (quod he) O Brutus, thy euill ghoste, at Philippos thou shalt sée mée. Then sayth Brutus being nothing amazed: I wil see thée. When the sight was vanished, he called his seruants, who told him, that they neyther sawe any suche thing, neither heard any voyce at all. All that nighte Brutus coulde not sléepe one winke. In the morning very early hée goeth vnto Cassius and sheweth him his straunge vision, Cassius who despised all suche things (for he was an Epicure) ascribed the whole matter to natural causes. For his disputation hereof, is yet extant in Plutarke. Afterward Brutus (being vanguished by Augustus, and Anthony in the field of Philippi) slue himselfe bicause he would not be deliuered into the handes of his enimies.

Valerius Maximus, in his first booke & .vj. chap. writeth, that Caius Cassius saw Iulius Cesar in the battayle of Philippi, (in a shape of greater maiestie, than any man hath) setting spurres to his horse, and running on him with a terrible threatning countenaunce: whiche when Cassius sawe, he turned his backe to the enimie, and fled, & shortly after murthered himselfe.

Dio Cassius Nicaeus in his Roman historie from the beginning of his 55. booke writeth of Drusus, who by spoiling Germanie far & néer on euery side, came euen to the riuer Albis, where when he could not get ouer, erecting monuments of victorie, departed back againe: For he there saw a woman, excéeding the state of mortall creatures, which met him, and sayd vnto him: Drusus, which canst fynd n[…] end of the gréedie desire, whether goest thou? It is not laufull for thée to sée al these things: but rather get thée hence, for the end both of thy lyfe and woorthie déedes is nowe at hand. When Drusus heard these things, he sodenly changed his course, and being in his iorney, before he came to the riuer of Rein, he sickned and dyed. Other like foretokens the same author reporteth to haue hapned before his death, all the whiche notwithstanding, he nothing regarded. For two yong men appeared on horsebacke vpon the rampiers, and the shryking of women was also hearde, with many other suche lyke. &c.

Plinius secundus citizen of Nouocomensis hath an Epistle of Spirits appearings, written vnto his friend Sura in the .vij. booke of his Epistles, whiche we haue thought good to set downe whole in this place: Leysure (sayth he) graunteth mée libertie to learne, and giueth thée leaue to teache. Therfore I am very desirous to knowe whether thou thynke fantasyes are any thyng, and whether they haue any proper figure of their owne, and be some kynde of diuine power, or else whether they take vppon them […]ome vayn & variable shape, according to the feare whiche we haue of them. That I should so beléeue, I am especially moued thereto by that which I heare saye happened to Curtius Rufus, who was as then, companion to the […]consyl of Affrica, bothe poore, and also of small reputation. And as he walked one day in a Gallerie towardes the euening, ther méeteth with him the shape of a woman, more great & beautifull, than any liuing creature. Wherat he béeing amazed, she telleth him that she is Affrica, and is come vnto him to foretell him of good happe to followe: First that he should go to Rome, and there take on him the state of great honour, and afterwarde, that he shoulde returne into the same prouince with full and high authoritie, and there end his dayes. Which things came all to passe. And moreouer, the same figure (as it is sayd) mette with him agayn on the shoare side, as he entred out of the […], and came towardes Carthage, to take his charge and regiment in hande. Afterwards falling sick, when no man dispay[…]ed of his healthe, coniecturing things to come by those that had passed, and comparing aduersitie with his former prosperitie, he vtterly cast awaye all hope of recouerie. Is not this also more terrible, and no lesse maruellous, whiche I wyll nowe repeate as I haue hearde it tolde?

There was in Athens a goodly and a very large house, but euill reported, and counted as an infortunate and vnluckie house. For about mydnight, there was hearde the noyse of iron, and if one marked it wel, the ratling of chaines, as it were a farre off at the firste, and so, neerer and néerer: shortly ther appéered an image or shape, as it were an olde man, leane and lothsome to beholde, with a long beard and staring haire: on his legs he had fetters, and in his hands caryed chaines which he always ra[…]led togither. By meanes wherof, th[…]se that inhabited the house, by reason of their fear, watched many heauie and pitifull nights: after their watching folowed sicknesse, and soon after, as feare increased, ensued death. For in the day tyme also, alb[…]it the image were departed, yet the remembrāce therof, was euer presente before their eyes: so that theyr feare was longer than they had cause to feare. Upon this the house stoode desert and solitarie, wholly le[…]te vnto the monster whiche haunted it: yet was it proclaymed to bée solde, if happily any man whiche was ignorant of this great mischiefe, would eyther buy it or hire it. Athenodorus chanced to come to Athens and there readeth the writing on the doore: And when he had learned the price, bycause he suspected the good cheapnesse thereof, enquiryng further, vnderstoode the whole matter, and notwithstanding any thyng that he hearde, he hired the house, so muche the rather. When it waxed nighte, he commaundeth his seruauntes to make his bedde in the vtter part[…] of the house: he taketh his writing tables, his writing wier and a candle, and sendeth all his seruantes into the inner part of the house. He himselfe settleth his mynd, his eyes and hand to write, least his mind being vnoccupied, should imagine it heard strange figures, and should bréed vayne feare. In the beginning of the night, there was silence as is in all other places, but not long after the iron began to ring, and the chaines to moue: but yet he would not looke vp, nor let cease his writing, but hardned his hart, & stopped his eares. Then the noyse increaseth & draweth néere, and seemeth somtimes to be without the porche, somtimes within. Then he looketh back, & seeth and acknowledgeth the shape wherof he had heard before: the image stood still & beckned with his finger as though he had called him, the philosopher on the other side signifieth with his hand, that he should stay a while, and falleth agayne to his writing. The image shaketh his chaines ouer his head, as he sate writing. He looketh about again, and séeth him becknyng, as he did before. And so rysyng vp without delaye, taketh the candle in his hand and foloweth: the image goeth before with a softely pase, as though hée were heauily laden with chaines: After hée had turned aside into the court of the house, sodeinly vanishing away, leaueth his walking mate alone. He being forsaken, layeth herbes and leaues gathered togither vpon the place. The next day he goth to the rulers of the citie, and willeth them to commaunde the place to bée digged vp, whiche doone, they fynde boanes wrapped and tyed in chaynes: whyche the body béeing p[…]tri[…]ied and consumed with long lying in the earth, had lefte lying in bondes: those boanes béeing gathered togither, were buryed solemnely: The house, after they were orderly layde in the grounde, was euer after cleare of all suche ghostes.

In these things I must beleue other mens reports, but that which foloweth, I can boldly affirme on myne owne knowledge.

I haue one with mée, sometyme my bondeseruaunt, but nowe enfraunchized and set at libertie, a man not vtterly vnlerned: with him my yonger brother lay togither in one bed. He in his own imagination séemed that he saw a certain personage sitting vpon the bedde where he la[…]e, putting kniues vnto his head, and therwith polling off his heares. When it was day light, the […]eare[…] were found on the ground, he being in very dede notted aboute ye crown[…] of his head. Shortly after the like happened vnto hym, which made all men beléeue the firste was true. The boy amongst a great many of his f[…]llowes chaunced to sléepe in the schole, and being in sléepe, there came certayne in at the windowes (as he sayde) clothed in white garments, and shore of his heare as he lay, and so departed agayne as they came. This polling, and also his haires scattered abroade, were founde when it was day. No notable matter ensued hereof, except it were, perchaunce, that I was not accused of treason, as I shoulde haue bin, if Domitianus, who died about this time, had liued longer. For there was a libell found in his coffers, giuen vnto him agaynst me, written by master Carus. By whiche it may well be coniectured, that in so much as those which are accused, do vse to let their heare growe very long, the cutting of my friends heare, was a sure signe of escaping the great daunger, which then hong ouer my head. Wherfore I hartyly require you to strayne your learning. The matter is worthy, wherin ye may vse long and déepe consideration: and I surely am vnworthy to whom ye shold opē your knowlege. You may therfore (if it please you) dispute the matter on both sids, as ye are accustomed, but yet I pray you hā dle it more throughly on the one side, least ye sende me away wandring and hanging in doubt, whereas the cause of my séeking counsell is to the ende I might be quit out of doubt. Fare ye well.

What answere master Sura, (who as it appereth, was well learned) made vnto master Pliny I do not finde. But to say the truth, what sound answer could he, being a Gē tile make herin? The like history is to be red in ye collections of Iohn Manlius cōmon places, who (as Philip Melancthon reporteth) dothe write, that Theodorus Gaza had a lordship or manour place in Campana giuen him by Nicholas Pope of Rome. In the manour, whē by chaunce, one of his farmers had digged vp a coffin with dead mens bones in it, there sodenly appeared a spirit vnto him, commaunding him to burie the coffin againe, or else his sonne should shortly after dye. Which when the farmer refused to do, shortly after his sonne was found slayne in ye night. A fewe dayes after the Spirit appeared agayne vnto the husbandman, menacing and threatning him, that in case he did not burie the aforesayde bones, he would kill his other sonne also. The man taking warning by his losse, and séeing his other sonne fallen sicke, goeth vnto master Theodorus and sheweth him all the matter. He vnderstanding it, goeth with him to the manour, and there in the same place where the farmer had before digged vp the coffin, casting a new graue, they burie the coffin with the bones. As soone as th[…]e bones were layde in the graue the husbandmans sonne immediatly recouered his health.

Dion writeth that the Emperour Traianus was lead out of the house, where he hadde taken vp his Inne, in the time of an earthquake, into a more safer place.

Iulius Capitolinus which setteth out a fewe liues of the common Emperours, reporteth, that Pertinax for ye space of thrée dayes before he was slayne by a thrust, sawe a certayne shaddowe in one of his fishepondes, whiche with a sword ready drawen threatned to slay him & therby much disquieted him.

Flauius Vopiscus writeth, that wheras Tacitus fathers graue opened it selfe the sides therof falling downe of their owne accord, and that his mothers soule appeared bothe to him & Florianus day and night, as if she had bin liuing, it was a most sure and infallible signe, that he shoulde dye shortly after.

Ammianus Marcellinus writing of ye signes or prognosticatiō […] of Constantius death, saith that he was troubled and terrified in the night season with shapes and figures.

The same author affirmeth in his 25. booke, that a little before Iulianus died, as he sate writing in the tents following the example of Iulius Cesar, he saw the image of the publicke Genius, or God of the place (which was woont to be painted with Amaltheas horne in his hande) departing from him, more deformed and ill fauoured, than when it began to mount vp to the narrowe top of the tent.

Lucanus as well an excellent historiographer, as also a most learned Poet, reckneth vp many forwarnings in his first booke of the battaile of Pharsalia which chaunsed before the great conflict betwéen Iulius Cesar, and great Pompeius: and amongst other things, he writeth thus.

The trumpets blew, and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace,
So did the night with silent shaades increase hir darkishe face.
And then the ghosts of Sylla fierce, were plainly s[…]ene in field,
Therby declaring euill signes, of bloud that should be spilde.
And by the flud of Anien, the husbandmen did spye
Great Marius, out of broken graue his head aduauncing hiye.

CHAP. XIII. A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Churche, and of the vvritings of holie Fathers, that there are vvalking Spirits.

YF we reade ouer the Ecclesiasticall histories, we shall finde many of these examples. Sozomenus writeth in his ecclesiasticall historie, the sixt booke and 28. chapter, of one Apelles a blacke Smyth by occupation (whose name was at that time very famous throughout Egip[…]e, for the gifte of working miracles, wherewith he was indewed) who as he was one night hard at his work, had appering vnto him, a vision of a Diuel in the likenesse & attire of a very beautiful woman, mouing & intising him to ye vice of lechery. But he sodenly catching ye yron which he wrought on, glowing hot out of the fire, thrust it in ye Diuels face, & scorched his visage, wherat he fretting & crying out, in al hast fled away.

Likewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedition raised at Antioche for the immoderate exactiō and tribute which Theodosius layd on ye citie in ye time of warrs, wherby the people being offended ouerthrewe the images of the Emperour and his wife, dragging them in roapes about the citie, and reporting al kinde of villanie and dispite ageinst thē: thus he saith. But in the night before, assoone as the rebellion began, immediatly at the breake of the day, it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight séene, of a womā hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke, running vp and downe the cittie through the streats al[…]ft in the aire, whisking & […]eating the aire with a whip, rendring a fearfull sound. That as men are wont to prouoke wild beasts to anger, whiche serue for publike spectacles: euen so it séemed, some euil angell by the crafte of the Diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people.

Theodorus Lector in his first booke of collectanies out of the ecclesiasticall historie writeth, that as Gennadius patriarch of Constantinople, came downe to the high aultar to make prayers and orizons, there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and figure, which so soone as he had sharplie rebuked, straightways he herd a voice crying out aloud, yt so lōg as he liued he wold giue place & cease, but whē he was once dead he would surely ransack & spoyle the Church. Which when ye good father heard, he ernestly prayed for ye preseruatiō of ye Church, & soone after departed this life. There are many things to be read in Grego[…]iꝰ Nicephorꝰ, who setteth foorth […]clesiasticall matters at lar[…], & Abdias in ye liues of ye Apostles, concerning visions, dreames, miracles of saints, and also appearings of spirites. For wise men iudge, they were more diligent & redie in describing such things, than in other maters, which might haue bē to greater purpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand.

Hée that readeth ouer the Hystories, whiche in tymes paste haue ben written, (and that especially by Monkes) shall méete with an innumerable company of these sorte: Yet by the waye I must néedes say this, that very many things haue bene written by them, whych the Readers maye iustly suspecte, and stande in greate doubte of.

Ludouicus Viues, Beatus Rhenanus, and many other learned men of our tyme, in describing other things do fynde greate faulte with the Chronicles written by Monkes, for that they were gathered togyther by vnlearned […]ltes without any iudgement. But let euery man esteme of them as hée l[…]st. For albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish & ridiculous, yet it may be wel thought that many things […]ere so in very déed, as they haue committed them to writing.

A man shall méete with many places concerning visions & appearing[…] of Spirits, euen in the old father[…] also. S. Ambrose in his .90. Sermon writeth of a noble Uirgin named Agnes who was crowned with martirdom for the profession of christian religion. And as hir parēts watched o[…]e night by hir graue, they saw about midnight, a goodly compani[…] of Uirgins clothed in golden vayles, amongst whom also was their […]aughter, arayed like vnto the rest: who willing the other virgins to stay a while, turning hir self towards hir parentes, willed them in any case, not to bewayle hir as if she were dead, but rather to reioyce with hir, for that she had obteined of god eternal life. Which as soon as she had spokē, she immediatly vanisht out of sight.

S. Augustin de[…]lareth in his booke, De cura pro mortuis agenda, that when the Citie of Nola was besieged by the Barbaruus, the citizens saw Felix the martyr playnly […]ppearing vnto them. Touching S. Gregorie, who in his Dialogues writeth many suche things, we will in […] hereafter when his turne commeth.

Yée shall reade of many suche lyke in the liues of the auncient fathers, which all are not to be reiected as vaine and fabulous, for some parte of them were written by graue and learned men, whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake, I will héere rehearse one short historie.

It is to be séene in the life of Ioannes Chrysostom, that Basiliscus Byshoppe of Comane (who suffered as a Martir with Lucianus the Priest at Antioch, vnder Maximianus the Emperor) appéered vnto Sainte Chrysostome, when he was in exile, and sayde vnto him: Brother Iohn, be of good comforte, for to morrowe we shall be togither. But first he appéered to the Priest of that Churche, and saide vnto him: prepare a place for our deare brother Iohn, who wyll shortly come hither. Which things the euent proued afterwardes to be true.

CHAP. XIIII. That in the Bookes set foorthe by Monkes, are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions.

WE made mention a litle before, of Chronicles written by Monkes. Nowe as touching their legendes of Saintes (as they terme their storehouses of examples, and liues of auncient Fathers, in the whiche are many apparitions of Deuils and Spyrits,) verily there is no cause at all why we shoulde ascribe much vnto them, for the most parte of such stuffe as is sette foorth in them, haue no shewe nor likelyhoode of truth[…]: perchaunce their mynde was to bring men to great feare and Religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories. But concerning these, this place now serueth not to intreate.

The like may be saide, of many supersticious Popishe wryters, who following these mens steppes, haue writtē many vpon other mens credit and reportes, which least any man think I write, being moued with enuie or hatred of the persones, I wil shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many, that you may thereby haue as it were a tast of that which I sayde euen now.

Petrus Damanus, who first was a Monke after the order of S. Benedict, and afterward byshop of Hostia, a man of great estimation among Papistes, as well for the opinion they had of his learning, as for the shewe of his vpright lyuing, telleth a storie of a certain Monke of Colein, who on a time passing ouer a Riuer on horseback, espied Saint Seuerinus sometime Bishop of Colein on the riuer, who not long before was departed this life, & being buried at that time, was muche renoumed for doing sundrie miracles. This Byshop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle, and would not lette him passe any further: wherwith the Monke was sore afraide, and dilygently enquired of him, why he béeing so notable a man, was there withholden in that place. The Bishop then required him to lend him his hande, that he might vnderstande by féeling howe it was with him, whiche when he haddoone, & that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes hande downe into the water, sodenly in one moment al the flesh of hys hand, by reason of the extreame heate, was scalded off, so that the bones only remained albare. Unto whom then ye Monke: sith (quod he) thou art so famous a man in the Church, how cōmeth it to passe that thou art so gréeuously tormented? The Bishop aunswered: only sayde he for this cause, for that I haue not sayde ouer my Canonicall houres in due time distinctly as I shoulde haue done: for I was in the Emperors Court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie Counsell, in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once, all the rest of the daye I was troubled with other busines: and for that cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat. But let vs both togither call vnto Almightie God, that it may please him to restore thy hand againe, which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus sayde. And then spake he to the Monke saying: Go my sonne and desire the brethren of our Church, as also al other of the Clergie ther, to poure out their prayers for mée, to giue almes to the poore and néedie, and to perseuer incessantly in offring vp continual sacrifice for me, for so sone as these things shalbe fulfilled, I shall be deliuered out of these my torments, and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Citizens of heauen, which do earnestly desire my company. Out of this historie this argument or reason they make: Yf that good and Godly Byshop, who being ouercharged with affaires of the Emperor leading to publike wealth, could not dispatche his talke of prayers in due time, and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented, what punishment may they looke for, which hauing no necessarie businesse, say ouer the Canonicall houres very coldely, or else leaue them cleane vnsayde, that they maye the better followe there owne lustes and vaine deuises? And héer[…] note by the waye, they make no mention at all of omytting those things which God hath expresly cōmanded vs. But in case the Popishe Bishoppes do verily beléeue this storie to be true, let them thinke with themselues, howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the Iudgement seate of Almightie God, for that they are content to be created Bishoppes of those Churches, wherof notwithstanding they haue no care nor regarde, but eyther wholy intangle themselues with worldly matters, or if they do deale in matters of ye church, their whole study is directed to this end, to stop the sincere preaching of Gods word, and to tread those vnderfoote, whose minds are occupied day & night, to ye aduaūcing & setting forth of gods glory. Of this stampe and sorte are most of those things wherwith the Monkes inferced and stuffed their bookes.