Meric Casaubon’s preface, part 3 of 9

I do very much wonder whether any man, being a Scholer, and not strongly prepossessed, that doth not believe Spirits, &c. can say that he ever read the books of Tryals and Confessions of Witches and Wizards, such I mean, as have been written by learned and judicious men. Such as, for example, I account Nichol. Remigius, his Demonolatria: ex judiciis capitalibus 900 plus minus hominum, &c. grounded especially upon the Confessions and Condemnations of no lesse then 900 men and women in Lorraine within the compasse of few years. That he was a learned man, I think no body will deny that hath read him; and that he was no very credulous and superstitious man (though a Papist) that also is most certain: and I have wondred at his liberty many times. I know not how it is now in those places; but by what I have read and heard of the doings of Witches and Sorcerers in Geneva and Savoy in former times (I could say somewhat of my self, how my life was preserved there very strangely, but my witnesses are not, and I will not bring their credit in question for such a businesse.) I am of opinion, That he that should have maintained there that there was no such thing as Witches, or Spirits, &c. would have been thought by most either mad and brain-sick (so frequent and visible were the effects to sober eyes) or a Witch himself. For indeed it is ordinary enough, that those that are so really, are very willing (which deceiveth many) to be thought Impostors, and there is good reason for it: I should sooner suspect him an Impostor that doth professe himself (except it be by way of confession, as many have done) and is ambitious to be counted a Witch or Sorcerer. I remember I saw a book some years ago, intituled, De l'inconstance des mauvais Anges & Demons, printed at Paris 1612. in quarto, and another of the same Author, and size, intituled, L'incredulite & mescreauce du sortilege, Paris 1642. Strange stories are told there of a Province of France, about that time (or little before) marvellously infested with Witches and Sorcerers, insomuch that people did not know one another (in some one place) in the streets, by reason of evil Spirits appearing publickly in the shape of men; and that the proceedings of justice (which doth not happen often) were sometimes disturbed by them. I think the Author himself was one that was sent to the place by the King with some authority, and to make report. But as I do not altogether trust my memory, having had but a sight of the books (it was at the Bell in St. Pauls Church-yard:) So I beseech the Reader not to rest upon this account that I give him upon my best remembrance, but to peruse the books himself. I am confident he may receive good satisfaction, being things that were not done in a corner, but very publickly and well attested as I remember. However the reader must give me leave (though it be not to this purpose, lest my silence be drawn to the prejudice of the truth) to tell him, that I met with one great falshood there concerning my own father (of Bl. M.) which I have abundantly refuted, and all others of that nature, when I was yet very young. But that (as I conceive) which in all these stories would most puzzle a rational man, is the signes which are set down by many how witches may be known, as Teats, swimming upon the water, dry eyes, and the like: which things indeed have some ground of truth, being limited to particular times and places, but are not of general application. Mr. Vossius had therefore reason to find fault with Springerus and Bodinus for making that a certain token of a Witch that she cannot weep. Who also in the same place doth well except against the tryal of [non-Latin script] as he calls it (commonly, purgatio per aquam frigidam) condemned by many. But he had done well to have limited his exception, and to have shewed how, and when, and how far such observations may be used. Forcertainly they are not altogether to be neglected. But the reasons of such observations or marks that are given by some, are so ridiculous, that they would make a sober man (that hath not patience enough to ponder all things diligently) to suspect all the rest. So one tels us, That when the Cock croweth the solemn meetings of Witches (which opinion perchance may prove ancient enough, as we shall shew elsewhere) are dissolved: and he thinks a reason may be because of the crowing of the Cock in the Gospel, when St. Peter denyed Christ. Another tells us, That Witches being well beaten trunco vitis (with a Vine stick or club) Maleficia illata solvere saevillina coguntur, have no more force to do hurt, or, that the party bewitched recovereth. And the reason (he thinks, and yet he no ordinary man neither) ex mysterio vini & vineae dilectae Deo, ex cujus mysterio quotidie Sacramentum Sacrosancti Sanguinis Domini conficitur, &c. But I shall have a more proper place for the full examination of these things in one of the two Treatises before mentioned. It cannot be denyed but this whole businesse of Witches, what through ignorance, what through malice, is very lyable to many mistakes and divers impostures. And it were to be wished that in all such Trials some prudent Divines, and learned experienced Physicians might be joyned. But hence to conclude with Wierius (who neverthelesse doth acknowledg Spirits, and the Illusions and Apparitions of Divels, and their mischievous opperations as much as any, and tells as strange things of them) and some others, that therefore there are no Witches and Sorcerers, is as if a man should deny the power of herbs because a thousand things have been written of them of old, and are yet daily falsely and superstitiously. And indeed it so fell out once in Rome, as by Plinie is recorded at large, Where when some ascribed such power unto Herbs, as though Sun and Moon had been subject unto them, the dead might be raised, armies vanquished, and what not! which was not very well relished by many: at last came Asclepiades, who perswaded men that were very well disposed to be perswaded, that all Physical use of Herbs and Simples was a meer cheat, and that men were better want them, there being other means easier and lesse troublesome to restore health and overcome diseases, which he professed to teach: and prevailed so far for a while, that they were laid aside, and a new course of Physick introduced. Which for a while, as I said, (so prone are men commonly to entertain new divices) gave good content generally. It is well observed by Aristotle (and I think a great part of humane wisdome dependeth on it) that in all things of the world that are commendable, as there is somewhat which is true and real, so somewhat also which is counterfeit and false. There is beauty Natural, saith he, and there is Artificial beauty by painting and trimming. A true, sound, healthy complexion, and that which makes a good shew, but is not sound. True, real gold and silver, but divers things also that may be taken for gold and silver at a distance, or by them that judge at the outward appearance. So, true, sound Ratiocination, and that which seems so to the unlearned, or to corrupt judgments, though it be very false. They that consider well of this, may the sooner come to the knowledg of truth in all things.

So in my Copy, it may be it should be, vitis & vin.

Well: we go on.

There was in Aix (Aquae Sextiae anciently, now Aquensis Civitas) in Provence (a County of France so called) in the year of the Lord 1611. a Romish Priest tryed, convicted, and by Sentence of the Court or Parliament condemned to be burned alive for abominable practises, and horrid things by him upon divers (some persons of quality) committed with and by the Divel. He had long desired it and sought it; at last the divel appeared to him in the habit of a Gentleman. The story is in divers books, French and Latine, and translated (at that time I believe) in divers languages. I would goe forty miles with all my heart to meet with that man that could tell me any thing whereby I might but probably be induced to believe, or at least to suspect, that there might be some mistake in the particulars of his Sentence. For my reason, I must confesse, was never more posed in any thing that ever I read of that nature. Gassendus indeed in Pereskius his life, hath somewhat (as I remember) of Pereskius his Opinion, as if he thought some of those things he confessed might be ascribed unto imagination; but I see no reason given: neither are the things of that nature, that can admit any such suspicion. Besides, Tristan, of the Lives of the Emperors and their Coynes, will tell you somewhat which may make a doubt, whether Gassendus ought to be believed in all things that he reporteth concerning that famous man. I am not very much satisfied of what Religion (though truly a very learned man) Gassendus was. And by the way (which is somewhat to the case of Witches in general) if I be not mistaken (for I have it not at this time) there is a relation in that very book of somewhat that hapned to Pereskius by Witches when he was a child. That wicked Sorcerer which was burned at Aix, foretold before his death that some misfortune would be done at the time and place of his execution, which hapned accordingly, and very strangely too. Somewhat again, I must confesse, I have seen printed (Mimica Diaboli, &c.) to take away the scandal of some part of his confession, or the Devils saying of Masse, &c. some part of which things might perchance with some colour be ascribed to imagination: but that is not it that troubles me. But enough of him

What man is he, that pretends to learning, that hath not heard, and doth not honour the memory of Joachimus Camerarius, that great light of Germany? so wise (and for his wisdom, and other excellent parts, sought unto by many Princes) so moderate a man (an excellent temper for the attaining of Truth) and so versed in all kind of learning, that we shall scarce among all the learned of these later Times find another so generally accomplished. The strangest relations that ever I read, or at least as strange as any I have read of Witches, and Sorcerers, and Spirits, I have read in him: such as either upon his own knowledge he doth relate, or such as he believed true upon the testimonie of others known unto him. The last work that he ever went about for the publick was, De generibus Divinationum, but he did not live (the more the pity) to make an end of it. But so much as he had done was set out by one of his learned sons, Lipsiae, […] Dom. 1576. There p 33- he hath these words, De Spirituum verò, quae sunt Graecis [Greek] admirabili non solum efficacitate, sed manifesta Specie, quae [non-Latin script] perbibentur, praesentiâ; incredibiles extant passim […] narrationes, & nostris tempombus super antia fidem comperta sunt, extra etiam [non-Latin script] de quibus posteà aicetur. So p. 89. & p. 151. again and more fully. But his strangest relations are in his Proaemium to Plutarchs two Treatises, De Defectu Oraculorum, and De. Figura E I Consecratâ Delphis, set out by him with Notes. Here I could come in with a whole cloud of witnesses, name hundreds of men of all Nations and professions that have lived within this last hundred years, and not any among them but such as have had, and have yet generally the reputation of Honest, Sober, Learned and Judicious, who all have been of this opinion that we maintain. But because we have to do with them especially who by their Profession pretend to the Knowledge of Nature above other men, I will confine my self for further testimony to them that have been of that Profession. I have been somewhat curious for one of my Calling, that had no other end but to attain to some Knowledge of Nature, without which a man may quickly be lead into manifold delusions and Impostures. I have read some, looked into many I do not remember I have met with any professed Physician or Naturalist (some one or two excepted, which have been or shall be named) who made any question of these things. Sure I am, I have met with divers strange relations in sundry of them, of things that themselves were present at, and saw with their own eyes, where they could have no end, that any man can probably suspect, but to acknowledge the truth, though with some disparagement to themselves (according to the judgment of many) in the free confession of their own ignorance and disability to give reasons, and to penetrate into causes. Well: what then shall we say to such as Jul. Caesar, Scaliger, Fernelius, Sennertus, the wonders and Oracles of their times? As Physicians so Phylosophers, men of that profound wisdom and experience (much improved in some of them by long life) as their writings shew them to have been to this day. What shall we make of them? or what do they make of themselves, that will censure such men as either cheaters or ignorant idiots? Henericus Saxonia, a Learned Professor and Practiser of Physick in Padua, in that Book he hath written of that horrible Polonian Disease, which he calls Pticam, which turneth mens hairs (in sight) to Snakes and Serpents; in that book he doth ascribe so much to the power of Witches and Sorcerers in causing Diseases, not private only but even publick, as Pestilences and the like, as himself confesseth he could never have believed, until he was convicted by manifest experience; and indeed is wonderful, and may well be thought incredible unto most, yet is maintained and asserted by Sennertus […] and in his sixth book (as I remember, De […] à fascino, incantatione, & veneficiis inductis. I will forbear the names of many men of fame and credit, Physicians too, because most of them are named (and commonly enough known) by Sennertus upon this occasion. There is one, whom I think inferiour to none, though perchance not so commonly known or read, and that is, Georgius Raqusaius a Venetian, who by his first education and profession was an Astrologer, cast many Nativities, and took upon him to Prognosticate; but afterwards conscious to himself of the vanity of the Art (that is, when the Divel doth not intermeddle, as alwayes must be understood: for some Astrologers have been Magicians withall, and have done strange things) gave it over, and hath written against it very Learnedly and Solidly. Read him, if you please, in his Chapters De Magis, De Oraculis; yea, through his whole Book De Divinatione, and you may be satisfied what he thought of these things: he also was a Physician. But I must not omit the Learned Author that set out Musoeum Veronense, a great Naturalist and a Physician too; he handles it at the end of that work somewhat roundly and to the quick, I must confesse, but very […] and Solidly, in my judgment, against those pretended Peripateticians, that would be thought to defend the opinion of Aristotle herein. I could say somewhat of ancienter Physicianstoo, and give some account of those many Spels and Charmes that are in Trallienus, in all his books; an ancicnt Physician, in high esteeme with some eminent Physicians of these late times, as they themselves have told me; though not for his Charms, but for his other learning and excellent experience, which they had found good use of But this I reserve for another place & work. And this mention of that eminent Physician who commended Trallienus unto me, puts me in mind of what he imparted himself, not long before his death, of his own knowledge and experience; and particularly of the […] he gave me of the examination of a Conjurer in Salisbury, at which, he said, none were present but King James, (of most Blessed Memory) the Duke of Buckingham, and himself: It is likely some others may have heard the same, and I had rather any body should tell it then I, who was then a patient under him, and […] not, were I put to it, trust to my memory for every circumstance

Hitherto I have gone by Authorities rather then Arguments, partly because I thought that the […] and the clearest way for every bodies capacity, and partly, because such Arguments (if any besides these we have here) as have been used against this opinion, may be found fully answered in those I have cited. The truth is, it is a Subject of that nature as doth not admit of many Arguments, such especially as may pretend to subtilty of Reason, Sight, Sense, and Experience (upon which most Humane Knowledge is grounded) generally approved and certain, is our best Argument. But before I give over, I will use one Argument which perchance may prove of some force and validity, and that is, A consideration of the strange shifts and evasions and notorious absurdities that these men are put to, who not being able to deny the [non-Latin script] or matter of Fact, would seem to say somewhat rather then to acknowledg Spirits, and Divels, and Witchcraft. Pomponatius, who hath not heard of? I once had the book, I know not now what is become of it. But I remember well, I never was more weary of reading then when I read him; nothing that ever I read or heard of Legends and old womans tales did seem to me more groundlesse and incredible. But because those men bear themselves very much upon the power of imagination (which indeed is very great, and doth produce strange effects) I shall commend to the sober Reader that hath not yet met with him, Tho. Eienus his Learned Tractat, De Viribus Imaginationis, a very Rational and Philosophical discourse. Of their miserable shifts and evasions in general, the Author or Observator rather of Musaeum Veronense, before quoted, will give you a good account. I have at this present in my hands the writings of a Physician, Augerius Ferrerius by name. What he was for a Physician I know not; all (I doubt) of that profession will not allow very well of his Preface to his Castigationes Practicae Medicinae, whatever they think of the Castigationes themselves. But in general, his Stile, and various reading, and knowledge of good Authors, speak him a Learned man sufficiently. Thuanus in his History gives him a most ample Elogium, and makes him to have been Jul. C. Scaliger his intimate acquaintance and much respected by him. But I doubt whether Thuanus had ever seen this book of his: it doth not appear by that Elogium that he had. Well, this Learned man in his Chapter De Homerica (so he calls it) Medicatione, where he treats of cures done by Charms and Spels, by Words and Characters, which others impute commonly to Witchcraft: first, for the [non-Latin script] he doth not deny it: (Nam iis quae senfibus exposita sunt contravenire, sani […] non est.) He thinks them little better then mad men that will deny that which is approved by so visible experience. Yet it seems he was one of them that did not believe, or would not believe (though he doth not say so positively) Spirits and Witches, and Supernatural Operations. What then? he plainly maintaineth and argueth it (though he quote no Gospel for it) that such is the nature of the Soul of man (if he know how to use it) that by a strong faith and confidence it may work any miracle without a miracle: Verum confidentia illa, ac firma persuasio (that you may have some of his words if you have not the book) comparatur indoctis animis per opinionem quam de Caracteribus & sacris verbis conceperunt. Doctis & rerum intelligentiam habentibus, nihil opus est externi, sed cognitâ vi animi, per eam miracula edere possunt. &c. And again alittle after, Doctus veró & sibi constans solo verbo sanabit. I do not hence conclude that this Ferrerius, though he speak as though he were, and names no body else, that he was the first or only that hath been of this opinion. Avicenne the Arab was the first, as I take it, that set it on foot: some others have followed him in it. But since these men acknowledg the strange effects that others deny, let the sober Reader judge whether of the two more likely to grant Spirits and Divels, or to make the Soul of man (of every man, naturally) either a God or a Divel. But let men take heed how they attempt to do Miracles by their strong faith and confidence, for that is the ready way to bring the Divel unto them, and that is it which hath made many Witches and Sorcerers. As for that Faith whereby men did work Miracles in the Primitive times, spoken of in the Gospel, commonly called, The Faith of Miracles, that is quite another thing, which I shall not need to speak of in this place. Of a strong confidence in God, even in them that are not otherwise very godly, whether it may not, according to Gods first order and appointment, produce sometimes some strange effects; we have had a consideration elsewhere, where we treat of Precatorie Enthusiasm. But this also is quite another thing, as may appear by what we have written of it.