Book I, chapters 35–42: Mixtures and preparations; drawing down celestial gifts; bindings and sorceries

CHAP. XXXV. Of the Mixtions of naturall things one with another, and their benefit.

IT is most evident, that in the inferiour nature all the powers of superiour bodies are not found comprehended in any one thing, but are dispersed through many kinds of things amongst us: as there are many Solary things, whereof every one doth not contain all the vertues of the Sun: but some have some properties from the Sun, and others othersome. Wherefore it is sometimes necessary that there be mixtions in operations, that if a hundred or a thousand vertues of the Sun were dispersed through so many Plants, Animals, & the like, we may gather all these together, and bring them into one form, in which we shall see all the said vertues, being united, contained. Now there is a two fold vertue in commixtion, one, viz. which was first planted in its parts, and is Celestiall, the other is obtained by a certain, and artificiall mixtion of things mixt amongst themselves, and of the mixtions of them according to certain proportions, such as agree with the heaven under a certain Constellation; And this vertue descends by a certain likeness, and aptness that is in things amongst themselves towards their superiours, and as much as the following do by degrees correspond with them that go before, where the patient is fitly applyed to its agent. So from a certain composition of Hearbs. vapours, and such like, made according to naturall Philosophy, and Astronomy, there results a certain common form, endowed with many gifts of the Stars: as in the honey of Bees, that which is gathered out of the juice of innumerable Flowers, and brought into one form, contains the vertue of all, by a kind of divine, and admirable art of the Bees. Yet this is not to be less wondred at which Eudoxus Giudius reports of an artificiall kind of honey, which a certain Nation of Gyants in Lybia knew to make out of Flowers, and that very good, and not far inferiour to that of the Bees. For every mixtion, which consists of many severall things, is then most perfect, when it is so firmly compacted on all parts, that it becomes one, is every where firm to it self, and can hardly be dissipated: as we sometimes see stones, and divers bodies to be by a certain naturall power conglutinated, and united, that they seem to be wholly onething: as we see two trees by graffing to become one, also Oisters with stones by a certain occult vertue of nature, and there have been seen some Animals which have been turned into stones, and so united with the substance of the stone, that they seem to make one body, and that also homogeneous. So the tree Ebeny is one while wood, and another while stone. When therefore any one makes a mixtion of many matters under the Celestiall influencies, then the variety of Celestiall actions on one hand, and of naturall powers on the other hand, being joyned together doth indeed cause wonderfull things, by ointments, by collyries, by fumes, and such like, which viz. are read in the book of Chiramis, Archyta, Democritus, and Hermes, who is named Alchorat, and of many others.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Union of mixt things, and the introduction of a more noble form, and the Senses of life.

MOreover we must know, that by how much the more noble the form of any thing is, by so much the more prone, and apt it is to receive, and powerfull to act. Then the vertues of things do then become wonderfull, viz. when they are put to matters that are mixed, and prepared in fit seasons, to make them alive, by procuring life for them from the Stars, as also a sensible soul, as a more noble form. For there is so great a power in prepared matters which we see do then receive life, when a perfect mixtion of qualities seems to break the former contrariety. For so much the more perfect life things receive, by how much their temper is more remote from contrariety. Now the Heaven, as a prevalent cause doth from the beginning of every thing to be generated by the concoction, and perfect digestion of the matter, together with life, bestows Celestiall influences, and wonderfull gifts, according to the Capacity that is in that life, and sensible soul to receive more noble, and sublime vertues. For the Celestiall vertue doth otherwise lye asleep, as Sulphur kept from Flame, but in living bodies it doth alwaies burn, as kindled Sulphur, then by its vapour it fils all the places that are next to it; so certain wonderfull works are wrought, such as are read in the book of Nemith, which is tituled a Book of the Laws of Pluto, because such kind of monstrous generations are not produced according to the Laws of Nature. For we know that of Worms are generated Gnats, of a Horse Waspes, of a Calf, and Ox Bees, of a Crab, his legs being taken of, and he buried in the ground, a Scorpion; of a Duck dryed into powder, and put into Water, are generated Frogs; but if it be baked in a Pie, and cut into pieces, and put into a moist place under the ground, Toads are generated of it: of the Hearb Garden Basill bruised betwixt two stones, are generated Scorpions, and of the hairs of a menstruous Woman put under dung, are bred Serpents; and the hair of a Horse taile put into Water, receiveth life, and is turned into a pernicious Worm. And there is an art wherewith by a Hen sitting upon Eggs may be generated a form like to a man, which I have seen & knew how to make, which Magicians say hath in it wonderfull vertues, and this they call the true Mandrake. You must therefore know which, and what kind of matters are either of nature, or art, begun or perfected, or compounded of more things, and what Celestiall influencies they are able to receive. For a Congruity of naturall things is sufficient for the receiving of influcence from Celestiall; because when nothing doth hinder the Celestials to send forth their lights upon inferiours, they suffer no matter to be destitute of their vertue. Wherefore as much matter as is perfect, and pure, is not unfit to receive the Celestiall influence. For that is the binding and continuity of the matter to the soul of the world, which doth daily flow in upon things naturall, and all things which nature hath prepared, that it is impossible that a prepared matter should not receive life, or a more noble form.

CHAP. XXXVII. How by some certain naturall, and artificiall preparations we may attract certain Celestiall, and vitall gifts.

PLatonists, together with Hermes, say, and Jarchus Brachmanus, and the Mecubals of the Hebrews confess, that all sublunary things are subject to generation, and corruption, and that also there are the same things in the Celestiall world, but after a Celestiall manner, as also in the intellectuall world, but in a far more perfect, and better fashion, and manner, but in the most perfect manner of all in the examplary. And after this course, that every inferiour should in its kind answer its superiour, and through this the supream it self, and receive from heaven that Celestiall power which they call the quintessence, or the spirit of the world, or the middle nature, and from the intellectuall world a spirituall and enlivening vertue transcending all qualities whatsoever, and lastly from the exemplary or originall world, through the mediation of the other, according to their degree receive the originall power of the whole perfection. Hence every thing may be aptly reduced from these inferiours to the Stars, from the Stars to their Intelligencies, and from thence to the first cause it self; from the series, and order whereof whole Magick, and all occult Philosophy flowes: For every day some naturall thing is drawn by art, and some divine thing drawn by nature, which the Egyptians seeing, called Nature a Magicianess, (i. e.) the very Magicall power it self, in the attracting of like by like, and of sutable things by sutable. Now such kind of attractions by the mutuall correspondency of things amongst themselves, of superiours with inferiours, the Grecians called [non-Latin script]. So the earth agrees with cold water, the water with moist Aire, the Aire with Fire, the Fire with the Heaven in water; neither is Fire mixed with water, but by Aire, nor the Aire with the Earth, but by water. So neither is the soul united to the body, but by the spirit, nor the undestanding to the spirit but by the soul. So we see when nature hath framed the body of the infant, by this very preparative she presently fetcheth the spirit from the Universe. This spirit is the instrument to obtain of God the understanding, and mind in the soul, and body, as in wood the dryness is fitted to receive oile, and the oile being imbibed is food for the Fire, the Fire is the vehiculum of light. By these examples you see how by some certain naturall, and artificiall preparations, we are in a capacity to receive certain Celestiall gifts from above. For stones, and Metals have a correspondency with Hearbs, Hearbs with Animals, Animals with the Heavens, the Heavens with Intelligencies and those with divine properties, and attributes, and with God himself, after whose image, and likness all things are created. Now the first Image of God is the world, of the world, man, of man, beasts of beasts, the Zeophyton (i. e.) half Aniamll, and half Plant; of Zeophyton, plants, of plants, metals, of metals, stones. And again in things spirituall, the Plant agrees with a bruit in Vegetation, a bruit with a man in sense, man with an Angel in understanding an Angell with God in immortality. Divinity is annexed to the mind, the mind to the intellect, the intellect to the intention, the intention to the imagination, the imagination to the senses, the senses at last to things. For this is the band, and continuity of nature, that all superiour vertue doth flow through every inferiour with a long, and continued series, dispersing its rayes even to the very last things; and inferiours through their superiours, come to the very supream of all. For so inferiours are successively joyned to their superiours, that there proceeds an influence from their head, the first cause, as a certain string stretched out, to the lowermost things of all, of which string if one end be touched, the whole doth presently shake, and such a touch doth sound to the other end, and at the motion of the inferiour, the superiour also is moved, to which the other doth answer, as strings in a Lute well tuned.

CHAP. XXXVIII. How we may draw not only Celestiall, and vitall, but also certain Intellectuall and divine gifts from above.

MAgicians teach that Celestial gifts may through inferiors being conformable to superiors be drawn down by opportune influencies of the Heaven; and so also by these Celestial, the Celestial Angels, as they are servants of the Stars, may be procured, and conveyed to us. Jamblichus, Proclus, and Synesius, with the whole School of Platonists confirm, that not only Celestiall, and vitall, but also certain Intellectuall, Angelicall, and divine gifts may be received from above by some certain matters, having a naturall power of divinity (i. e.) which have a naturall correspondency with the superiors, being rightly received, and opportunely gathered together according to the rules of Naturall Philosophy, and Astronomy: And Mercurius Trismegistus writes, that an Image rightly made of certain proper things, appropriated to any one certain Angel, will presently be animated by that Angel. Of the same also Austin makes mention in his eighth book De Civitate Dei. For this is the harmony of the world, that things supercelestiall be drawn down by the Celestiall, and super-naturall by naturall, because there is one operative vertue that is diffused through all kinds of things, by which vertue indeed, as manifest things are produced out of occult causes; so a Magician doth make use of things manifest, to draw forth things that are occult, viz. through the rays of the Stars, through fumes, lights, sounds, and naturall things, which are agreeable to Celestiall: in which, besides corporeall qualities, there is a kind of reason, sense, and harmony, and incorporeall, and divine measures, and orders. So we read that the Ancients were wont often to receive some divine, and wonderfull thing by certain naturall things: so the stone that is bred in the Apple of the eye of a Civet Cat, held under the tongue of a man, is said to make him to divine, or prophesie: The same is Selenites, the Moon stone reported to do, so they say that the Images of Gods may be called up by the stone called Anchitis, and that the Ghosts of the dead may be, being called up, kept up by the stone Synochitis. The like doth the Hearb Aglauphotis do, which is called Marmorites, growing upon the Marbles of Arabia, as saith Pliny, and the which Magicians use. Also there is an Hearb called Rheangelida, which Magicians drinking of can prophesie. Moreover there are some Hearbs by which the dead are raised to life; whence Xanthus the Historian tels, that with a certain Hrarb called Balus, a young Dragon being killed, was made alive again, also that by the same a certain man of Tillum, whom a Dragon killed, was restored to life: and Juba reports, that in Arabia a certain man was by a certain Hearb restored to life. But whether or no any such things can be done indeed upon man by the vertue of Hearbs, or any other naturall thing, we shall discourse in the following Chapter. Now it is certain, and manifest that such things can be done upon other animals. So if flies, that are drowned, be put into warm ashes, they revive. And Bees being drowned, do in like manner recover life in the juice of the hearb Nip; and Eels being dead for want of water, if with their whole bodies they be put under mud in vineger, and the blood of a Vultur being put to them, will all of them in a few dayes recover life. They say that if the fish Echeneis be cut into peices, and cast into the sea, the parts will within a little time come together, and live. Also we know that the Pellican doth restore her yong to life, being klled, with her own blood.

CHAP. XXXIX That we may by some certain matters of the world stir up the Gods of the world, and their ministring spirits.

NO man is ignorant that evill spirits, by evill, and prophane Arts may be raised up as Psellus saith Sorcerers are wont to do, whom most detestable, and abominable filthiness did follow, and accompany, such as were in times past in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the worship of the Idoll which was called Panor, to whom they did sacrifice with their privy members uncovered. Neither to these is that unlike (if it be true, and not a fable) which is read concerning the detestable heresy of old Church-men, and like to these are manifest in Witches and mischeivous women, which wickednesses the foolish dotage of women is subject to fall into. By these, and such as these evill spirits are raised. As a wicked spirit spake once to Iohn, of one Cynops a Sorcerer; all the power, saith he, of Satan dwells there, and he is entred into a confederacy with all the principalities together, and likewise we, with him, and Cynops obeys us, and we again obey him. Again, one the contrary side, no man is ignorant that supercelestiall Angels or spirits may be gained by us through good works, a pure minde, secret prayers, devout humiliation, and the like. Let no man therefore doubt that in like manner by some certain matters of the world, the Gods of the world may be raised by us, or at least the ministring spirits, or servants of these Gods, and as Mercurius saith, the airy spirits, not supercelestiall, much less higher. So we read that the antient Priests made statues, and images, foretelling things to come, and infused into them the spirits of the stars, which were not kept there by constraint in some certain matters, but rejoycing in them, viz. as acknowledging such kinds of matter to be sutable to them, they do alwaies, and willingly abide in them, and speak, and do wonderfull things by them: no otherwise then evill spirits are wont to do, when they possess mens bodies.

CHAP. XL. Of bindings, what sort they are of, and in what wayes they are wont to be done.

WEE have spoken concerning the vertues, and wonderfull efficacy of naturall things. It remains now that we understand a thing of great wonderment: and it is a binding of men into love, or hatred, sickness or health, and such like. Also the binding of thieves, and robbers, that they cannot steale in any place; the binding of Merchants, that they cannot buy, or sell in any place; the binding of an army, that they cannot pass over any bound; the binding of ships, that no winds, though never so strong, shall be able to carry them out of the Haven. Also the binding of a mill, that it can by no force whatsoever be turned round: The binding of a Cisterne, or fountain, that the water cannot be drawn up out of them: The binding of the ground, that it cannot bring forth fruit: The binding of any place, that nothing can be built upon it: The binding of fire, that though it be never so strong, can burn no combustible thing that is put to it. Also the bindings of lightnings, and tempests, that they shall do no hurt. Also the binding of dogs, that they cannot bark. Also the binding of birds, and wild beasts, that they shall not be able to fly, or run away. And such like as these, which are scarce credible, yet often known by experience. Now there are such kind of bindings as these made by Sorceries, Collyries, Unguents, love potions, by binding to, and hanging up of things, by rings, by charmes, by strong imaginations, and passions, by images, and characters, by inchantments, and imprecations, by lights, by sound, by numbers, by words, and names, invocations, sacrifices, by swearing, conjuring, consecrations, devotions, and by divers superstitions, and observations, and such like.

CHAP. XLI. Of Sorceries, and their power.

THe force of Sorceries is reported to be so great, that they are believed to be able to subvert, consume, and change all inferiour things, according to Virgils Muse.

Moeris for me these hearbs in Pontus chose,
And curious drugs, for there great plenty grows;
I many times, with these, have Moeris spide
Chang'd to a wolfe, and in the woods to hide:
From Sepulchres would souls departed charm,
And Corn bear standing from anothers Farm.

Also in an other place, concerning the companions of Ulysses, whom

The cruell Goddess Circe there invests
With fierce aspects, and chang'd to savage beasts.

And a litle after,

When love from Picus Circe could not gaine
Him with her charming wand, and hellish bane
Chang'd to a bird, and spots his speckled wings
With sundry colours—

Now there are some kind of these sorceries mentioned by Lucan concerning that Sorceress Thessala, calling up ghosts, where he saith,

Here all natures products unfortunate;
Fome of mad Dogs, which waters fear and hate;
Guts of the Lynx; Hyena's knot imbred;
The marrow of a Hart with Serpents fed
Were not wanting; no not the sea Lamprey
Which stops the ships; nor yet the Dragons eye.

And such as Apuleius tells of concerning Pamphila, that Sorceress, endeavouring to procure love; to whom Fotis a certain maid brought the haires of a goat (cut off from a bag or botle made with the skin thereof) instead of Baeotius a young mans haires: Now she (saith he) being out of her wits for the young man, goeth up to the tyled rough, and in the upper part thereof makes a great hole open to all the orientall, and other aspects, and most fit for these her arts, and there privately worships, having before furnished her mournfull house with sutable furniture, with all kinds of spices, with plates of Iron, with strange words engraven upon them, with sternes of ships that were cast away, and much lamented, and with divers members of buryed carkasses cast abroad: here noses, and fingers, there the fleshy nailes of those that were hanged, and in another place the blood of them that were murdered, and their skulls mangled with the teeth of wild beasts; then she offers sacrifices (their in chanted entralls lying panting) and sprinkles them with divers kinds of liquors; sometimes with fountain water, sometimes with cowes milk, sometimes with mountain honey, and mead: Then she ties those haires into knots, and layes them on the fire, with divers odours to be burnt, then presently with an irresistable power of Magick, and blind force of the Gods, the bodies of those whose haires did smoke, and crash, assume the spirit of a man, and feel, and hear, and walk, and come whither the stink of their haire led them, and insteed of Baeotius the young man, come skipping, and leaping with joy, and love into the house. Austin also reports, that he heard of some women Sorceresses, that were so versed in these kinds of arts, that by giving cheese to men, they could presently turn them into working cattell, and the work being done, restored them into men again.

CHAP. XLII. Of the wonderfull vertues of some kinds of Sorceries.

NOw I will shew you what some of the Sorceries are, that by the example of these there may be a way opened for the consideration of the whole subject of them. Of these therefore the first is menstruous bloud, which, how much power it hath in Sorcery, we will now consider; for, as they say, if it comes over new wine, it makes it soure, and if it doth but touch the Vine it spoyles it for ever, and by its very touch it makes all Plants, and Trees barren, and they that be newly set, to dye; it burns up all the hearbs in the garden, and makes fruit fall off from the Trees, it darkens the brightness of a looking glass, dulls the edges of knives, and razors, dims the beauty of Ivory, and it makes Iron presently rusty, it makes brass rust, and smell very strong: it makes dogs mad, if they do but tast of it, and if they being thus mad shall bite any one, that wound is incurable: it kils whole hives of Bees, and drives them from the hives that are but touched with it: it makes linnen black that are boyled, it makes Mares cast their foal if they do but touch it, and makes women miscarry if they be but smeared with it: it makes Asses barren as long as they eat of the corn that hath been touched with it. The ashes of menstruous clothes, if they be cast upon purple garments that are to be washed, change the colour of them, and takes away colours from flowers. They say that it drives away tertian, and quartane Agues, if it be put into the wooll of a black Ram, and tyed up in a silver bracelet, as also if the soles of the patients feet be noynted therewith, and especially if it be done by the woman her self the patients not knowing of it; moreover it cures the fits of the falling sickness. But most especially it cures them that are affraid of water, or drink after they are bitten with a mad dog, if onely a menstruuos cloth be put under the cup. Besides, they report, that if menstruous women shall walk naked about the standing corn, they make all cankars, worms, beetles, flyes, and all hurtfull things fall off from the corn: but they must take heed that they do it before Sun rising, or else they will make the corn to wither. Also they say they are able to expell hail, tempests, and lightnings, more of which Pliny makes mention of. Know this, that they are a greater poyson if they happen in the decrease of the Moon, and yet much greater, if they happen betwixt the decrease, and change of the Moon: But if they happen in the Eclypse of the Moon or Sun, they are an incurable poyson. But they are of greatest force of all, when they happen in the first years, even in the years of virginity, for if they do but touch the posts of the house there can no mischeif take effect in it. Also they say that the threads of any garment touched therewith, cannot be burnt, and if they be cast into the fire, it will spread no further. Also it is said that the root of Peony being given with Castor, and smeared over with a menstruous cloth, cureth the falling sickness. Moreover if the stomack of a Hart be burnt or rosted, and to it be put a perfuming made with a menstruous cloth, it will make crass-bows useless for the killing of any game: The haires of a menstruous woman put under dung, breed Serpents: and if they be burnt, will drive away Serpents with their smell. So great a poysonous force is in them, that they are poyson to poysonous creatures. There is also Hippomanes, which amongst Sorceries is not the least taken notice of, and it is a little venemous piece of flesh as big as a fig, and black, which is in the forehead of a Colt newly foaled, which unless the Mare her self doth presently eat, she will never after love her foals, or let it suck. And for this cause they say there is a most wonderful power in it to procure love, if it be powdered, and drank in a cup with the blood of him that is in love. There is also another Sorcery, which is called by the same name, viz. Hippomanes, viz. a venemous humour, issuing out of the share of a Mare what time she desires a horse, of which Virgill makes mention, when he sings

Hence comes that poison which the Shepherds call
Hippomanes, and from Mares groines doth fall,
The wofull bane of cruell stepdames use
And with a charme 'mongst powerfull drugs infuse.

Of this doth Juvenall the Satyrist make mention.

Hippomanes, poysons that boyled are, and charmes
Are given to Sons in law, with such like harmes.

Apollonius also in his Argonanticks makes mention of the hearb of Prometheus, which he saith groweth from corrupt blood dropping upon the earth, whilest the Vultur was gnawing upon the liver of Prometheus upon the hill Caucasus. The flowre of this hearb, he saith, is like Safforn, having a double stalk hanging out, one further then another the length of a cubit, the root under the earth, as flesh newly cut, sends forth a blackish juice as it were of a beech; with which, saith he, if any one shall after he hath performed his devotion to Proserpina, smear over his body, he cannot be hurt either with sword, or fire. Also Saxo Gramaticus writes, that there was a certain man called Froton, who had a garment, which when he had put on he could not be hurt with the point or edge of any weapon. The civet Cat also abounds with Sorceries: for, as Pliny reports, the posts of a dore being touched with her blood, the Arts of Juglers, and Sorcerers are so invallid, that the Gods cannot be called up, and will by no means be perswaded to talk with them. Also that they that are noynted with the ashes of the ankle bone of her left foot, being decocted with the blood of a Weesell shall become odious to all. The same also is done with the eye, being decocted. Also it is said that the straight gut is administred against the injustice, and corruption of Princes, and great men in power, and for success of Petitions, and to conduce to ending of suits, and controversies, if any one hath never so little of it about him, and that if it be bound unto the left arm, it is such a present charm, that if any man do but look upon a woman, it will make her follow him presently; and that the skin of her forehead doth withstand bewitchings. They say also that the blood of a Basilisk, which they call the blood of Saturn, hath such great force in Sorcery, that it procures for him that carryes it about him, good success of his Petitions, from great men in power, and of his prayers from God, and also remedies of diseases, and grant of any priveledge. They say also that a tyke, if it be pulled out of the left care of a dog, and if be it altogether black, hath great vertue in the prognostick of life, for if the sick party shall answer him that brought it in, who standing at his feet, & shall ask of him concerning his disease, there is certain hope of life, and that he shall dye, if he make no answer. They say also, that a stone that is bit with a mad dog hath power to cause discord, if it be put in drink, and that he shall not be barked at by dogs, that puts the tongue of a dog in his shooe under his great toe, especially if the hearb of the same name, viz. houndstongue be joyned with it. And that a membrane of the secondines of a dog doth the same; and that dogs will shun him that hath a dogs heart. And Pliny reports that there is a red toad that lives in bryers, and brambles, and is full of Sorceries, and doth wonderfull things: for the little bone which is in his left side, being cast into cold water, makes it presently very hot, by which also the rage of dogs is restrained, and their love is procured, if it be put in drink; and if it be bound to any one, it stirreth up lust. On the contrary, the litle bone which is on the right side, makes hot water cold, and that it can never be hot again, unless that be taken out, also it is said to cure quartanes if it be bound to the sick in a snakes skin, as also all other feavors, and restrain love, and lust. And that the spleen, and heart is an effectuall remedy against the poisons of the said Toad. Thus much Pliny writes. Also it is said that the sword, with which a man is slain, hath wonderfull power in Sorceries: For if the snaffle of the bridle, or spurs be made of it, they say that with these any horse, though never so wild, may be tamed, and gentled: and that if a Horse should be shod with shooes made with it, he would be most swift and fleet, and never, though never so hard rod, tire. But yet they will that some Characters, and names should be written upon it. They say also, if any man shall dip a sword, wherewith men were beheaded, in wine; and the sick drink thereof, he shall be cured of his quartane. They say also that a cup of liquor being made with the brains of a Bear, and drank out of the skull, shall make him that drinks it, be as fierce, and as raging as a Bear, and think himself to be changed into a Bear, and judge all things he sees to be Bears, and so to continue in that madness, untill the force of that draught shall be dissolved, no other distemper being all this while perceived in him.