To the right excellent and
most wise and vertuous Lord Iohn Steigerus Consull
of the noble Common wealth of Berna, his good
Lord and Patrone, Lewes Lauaterus
of Tigurine, wisheth health.
Any and diuers things are reasoned vpon, both of the learned and vnlearned, as wel of other matter, as also of Spirites, which are seene and heard, and make men afraid in the night season, and in the day time, by sea and by lande, in the fields, woods, and houses: And likewise concerning such straunge things which for the most part happen before the death of certain men, especially great Princes, and before notable innouations of Kingdomes and Empires. Many which neuer sawe or heard any of these things, suppose all that is reported of them, to be meere trifles and old wiues tales: for so much as simple men, and such as are fearefull and superstitious, perswade themselues they haue seen this or that, when indeed the matter is farre otherwise. Againe, there are some, which assoone as they heare of any thing, especially if it happen in the night, they by and by thinke some spirite dooth walke, and are maruellously troubled in minde, because they cannot discerne naturall things from spirites. And some (chiefly those whiche hunt after gaines, by the soules of dead men) affirme that the most part of such things which are heard or seene, are the soules of dead men, which craue helpe of them that are liuing, to be deliuered out of the torments of most cruell paine in Purgatorie. Many not only of the common sort, but also men of excellent knowledge, do maruell whether there be any spirits or no, and what maner of things they are. Yea and some of my familiar friends haue many times requested me, to shew them my opinion concerning these matters. Wherfore me seemeth it shall be worth my laboure, if I declare briefly and plainly out of the word of God, what we ought to iudge concerning these things. For the Ministers of Gods Church can take nothing more profitable in hande, than to instruct the people of God purely and plainly, in such necessary matters as come in question out of the word of God, which is a lanterne (as the Psalmist saith) vnto our feete, and a light vnto our pathes: and to deliuer them from all errour and superstition, and bring them out of all wauering and doubt. And verily their studie & diligence is to be highly commended, who for these fewe yeares ago, haue set forth certaine bookes drawne out of the scriptures, written in the Germaine tongue against sundrie errours: and theirs likewise who in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache, instruct, and confirme the rude and vnlearned people. For amongst many other excellent benefits, which God our heauenly Father hath bestowed vppon mankinde, this also is a great and most liberall gift, that in this latter, and as it were old age of the world, he hath brought to light by the Art of Imprinting, aswel many other good Authours, as also the holie scriptures of the old and new Testament, written in diuers languages: whereby he doth not onlie teach vs amply and fully what to beleeue, and what to doo, but also mightily subuerteth and quite ouerthroweth diuers and sundrie errours, which by little and little haue crept into the Church. Truly all such are verie vngrateful towards God, which do not willingly acknowledge this so notable a benefit.
The diuision or partes of this booke.
As touching this my treatise concerning Spirits, and straunge wonders, I haue deuided it into three partes for the more cleare vnderstanding therof. In the first parte I shewe, that there are visions and spirits, and that they appeare vnto men sometimes, and that many & maruellous things happen besides the ordinarie course of nature. In the second I discusse what maner of things they are, that, is not the soules of dead men, as some men haue thought, but either good or euill angels, or else some secret and hid operations of God. In the third I declare why God doth somtime suffer Spirits to appear, and diuers forewarnings to happen: and also how mē ought to behaue themselues when they happen to meete with such things. In these points or partes, the chiefest thing wheron men vse to reason touching this matter, are conteined. Now I mean to handle this matter, being very obscure and intricate, with many questions, (I trust) so plainly, & clerely out of the holy scriptures, whereon we may surely stay our selues, out of the anciēt fathers, allowed historiographers, and other good writers, that those which are studious and louers of Gods truth, may well vnderstand what may be denied & thought of those apparitions, & other straunge & maruellous matters. And I also trust that euen our aduersaries also, (in case they wil lay their affections aside, but a litle while) wil say that I haue truly alleaged all their arguments, and confuted thē without any railing or bitternesse. For my purposed ende is according to the doctrine of Saint Paule, to edifie and not to destroy.
As touching diuinations, blessings, iuglings, coniurings, and diuers kinds of sorcerie, and generally of all other diuellish practises, certaine learned men of our time haue written bookes, as Gasper Pencerus, Ioannes Viera, Ludouicus Mellichius, and perchaunce some others also, whose worke I haue not yet seene. It is not long ago since Ioannes Riuius a man learned and eloquent, published a booke in the latin toong, entreating of spirites and superstition. In the which booke albeit very briefly, yet doth hee as he is wont in all things, very finely & eloquently intreat of this matter, and of other foolishe superstitions. And albeit that I do write more largely of this, yet was it not my minde to gather togither al those thinges which I could haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter: but only such as seeme the chiefest and most especiall points, partly because I would not be tedious to the reader, & partly also least my books shuld grow vnto an ouer great quantity. I haue great hope that Ioachimus Camerarius, that excellent man, who readeth the auncient writers both greeks and latins, with exquisite iudgemēt, and hath great experience in all things, will shortly write learnedly & at large of this matter, and also of others like vnto it. For so muche hee seemeth to promise in his preface to Plutarches Booke, De defectu oraculorum, & figura, & consecrata Delphis (wherin he handleth the nature and operatiōs of diuels) and also in other of his writings. I for my parte had once written this my treatise in the vulger tong, and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men, I haue translated it into latin, adding certaine things thereto.
The dedication.
This my booke which I haue with great labour and study gathered out of other mēs writings I present & offer vnto you (most noble consul) according to the ancient fashion & custome: not for that I suppose you haue any neede of my teaching, touching these things which are herein hādled. (For I am not ignoraunt, vnder what teachers you haue atteined vnto true learning, and how you haue and do continually read ouer sundry good authors with perfect knowledge in many tongues.) But partly that I might purchase credit and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men, vnto whome your goodnes, godlinesse and constancie (which you haue alwaies hitherto euermore shewed, and yet do shewe, in setting forth true religiō, & mainteining good lawes) is throughly knowne: and partly that I might shew my selfe in some respecte thankfull vnto you. For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me, whom you onlie knowe by sight, and vppon other Ministers of the Church, wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you, that I shall neuer be able to make any recompence.
Wherefore I most earnestly beseech you, not to refuse this signe and token of my good wil, be it neuer so simple: but rather to vouchsafe, whē ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common wealth, to reade ouer this my booke: for I haue good hope it will not seeme vnpleasaunt vnto you & others in the reading, as wel for the plaine order I vse therin, as also for the sundrie and manifold histories in it recited.
Almightie God, who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts, that for them, (albeit very yong) you haue aspired vnto the highest degree in your noble citie and dominiō of Berna, vouchsafe to preserue you in health, and increase and multiply his good gifts in you. My Lords & brethren the ministers of Tigurin, and also your old companion master George Grebelius, that excellent man in lerning, vertu, and nobilitie, hartily salute your Lordship. From Tigurin in the month of Ianuary, the year of Christs Natiuitie. 1570.
A Table of the Chapters of the three principall
parts, touching Spirits walking by Night.
Of the first part.
| Concerning certaine words which are often vsed in this | |
| Treatise of Spirites, and diuers other diuinations of things | |
| to come. Chapter.1. | [Folio.1.] |
| Melancholike persons and madde men, imagining things | |
| which in very deed are not. Chapter.2. | [Fol.9.] |
| Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straunge | |
| things. Chap.3. | [Fol.14.] |
| Men which are dull of seeing and hearing, imagine many | |
| things which in very deed are not so. Chap.4. | [Fol.16.] |
| Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose they | |
| haue heard or seene spirits. Chap.5. | [Fol.21.] |
| Priests and Monkes fained themselues to be spirits: also | |
| how Mundus vnder this colour defiled Paulina, and Tyrannus | |
| abused many noble and honest matrons. Chap.6. | [Fol.23.] |
| Timotheus Aelurus, counterfeiting himselfe to be | |
| an Angell, obteined a Bishoppricke: foure Monkes of the | |
| order of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at Berna. | |
| Chapter.7. | [Fol.28.] |
| Of a counterfaite and deceiuing spirite at Orleaunce in | |
| France. Chap.8. | [Fol.37.] |
| Of a certaine parish priest at Clauenna, which fained him | |
| selfe to be our Lady, and of an other that counterfeited himselfe | |
| to be a Soule, as also of a certaine disguised Iesuit Frier. | |
| Chapter.9. | [Fol.41.] |
| That it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in olde | |
| time, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there be any at | |
| this day. Chap.10. | [Fol.45.] |
| That many naturall things are taken to be ghostes. | |
| Chapter.11. | [Fol.49.] |
| A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that ghostes do | |
| oftentimes appeare. Chap.12. | [Fol.53.] |
| A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, and | |
| of the writings of holy Fathers, that there are walking | |
| spirits. Chap.13. | [Fol.62.] |
| That in the bookes, set foorth by Monkes, are many ridiculous | |
| and vaine apparitions. Chap.14. | [Fol.65.] |
| A proofe by other sufficient writers, that spirits do sometime | |
| appeare. Chap.15. | [Fol.68.] |
| Daily experience teacheth vs, that spirites do appeare to | |
| men. Chap.16. | [Fol.71.] |
| That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications, | |
| and that sodain noyses and cracks and such like, are heard | |
| before the death of men, before battail, and before some | |
| notable alterations and chaunges. Chap.17. | [Fol.77.] |
| It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture, that spirites | |
| are sometime seen and heard, and that other strange matters | |
| do often chaunce. Chap.18. | [Fol.85.] |
| To whom, when, where, and after what sort, spirits do | |
| appeare, and what they do worke. Chap.19. | [Fol.88.] |
| The Chapters of the second part. | |
| The opinion or beleef of the Gentils, Iewes, and Turks, | |
| concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies. | |
| Chapter.1. | [Fol.98.] |
| The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men, | |
| and the appearing of them. Chap.2. | [Fol.102.] |
| What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists, | |
| concerning the appearing of mens soules. Chap.3. | [Fol.110.] |
| Testimonies out of the word of God, that neither the | |
| soules of the faithful, nor of infidels, do walke vpon the | |
| earth after they are once parted from their bodies. Chapter.4. | [Fol.114.] |
| Testimonies of the auncient Fathers, that deade mens | |
| soules parted from their bodies, doo not wander here | |
| vppon earth. Chap.5. | [Fol.116.] |
| A confutation of those mens arguments or reasons, | |
| which affirme, that dead mens soules do appeare. And first, | |
| that is answered which certaine do alleage, to wit, that | |
| God is omnipotent, and therefore that hee can worke | |
| contrary to the ordinary course of nature. Chap.6. | [Fol.123.] |
| That the true Samuel did not appeare to the Witch in | |
| Endor. Chap.7. | [Fol.127.] |
| A confutation of their arguments, which woulde haue | |
| Samuell himselfe to appeare. Chap.8. | [Fol.133.] |
| Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the | |
| shape of a faithfull man? Chap.9. | [Fol.140.] |
| Moses and Elias appeared in the Mount vnto | |
| Christ our Lorde: many haue beene raised from the dead both | |
| in bodie and soule, and therefore soules after they are | |
| departed, may returne on earth againe. Chap.10. | [Fol.145.] |
| Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans | |
| soule, when Christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after | |
| his Resurrection. Chap.11. | [Fol.148.] |
| Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishoppes, and | |
| common people, which say that soules doo visibly appeare. | |
| Chap.12. | [Fol.151.] |
| Whether soules doo returne againe out of Purgatorie, | |
| and the place which they call Limbus puerorum. | |
| Chapter.13. | [Fol.155.] |
| What those things are which men see and heare: and first | |
| that good Angels do sometimes appeare. Chap.14. | [Fol.159.] |
| That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill angels | |
| doo appeare. Chap.15. | [Fol.163.] |
| Of wondrous monsters, and such like. Chap.16. | [Fol.164.] |
| That it is no hard thing for the diuell to appeare in diuers | |
| shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things. | |
| Chap.17. | [Fol.167.] |
| Diuels do sometimes bid men do those things which are | |
| good, and auoyde things that are euill: sometimes they tell | |
| truth, and for what cause. Chap.18. | [Fol.171.] |
| The Chapters of the third part. | |
| God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull, | |
| and punish the vnbeleeuers. Chap.1. | [Fol.175.] |
| What the cause is that in these our dayes, so fewe spirites | |
| are seene or heard. Chap.2. | [Fol.183.] |
| Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinary | |
| rumblings to be heard before some notable alterations, or | |
| otherwise. Chap.3. | [Fol.186.] |
| After what sort they should behaue themselues, which | |
| see good or euill spirits, or meete with other straunge | |
| aduentures: and first how both Iewes and Gentiles behaued | |
| themselues in the like cases. Chap.4. | [Fol.187.] |
| How Christian men ought to behaue themselues when | |
| they see spirits, and first, that they ought to haue a | |
| good courage, and to be stedfast in faith. Chap.5. | [Fol.190.] |
| It behoueth them which are vexed with spirites to | |
| pray especially, and to giue themselues to fasting, | |
| sobrietie, watching, and vpright and godly liuing. | |
| Chap.6. | [Fol.193.] |
| That spirits which vse to appeare, ought to be iustly suspected: | |
| and that we may not talke with them, nor enquire | |
| any thing of them. Chap.7. | [Fol.195.] |
| Testimonies out of the holy Scripture, and one example | |
| whereby it is prooued, that such kinde of apparitions are not | |
| to be credited, and that we ought to be verie circumspect in | |
| them. Chap.8. | [Fol.201.] |
| After what sort the faithfull in the primatiue church, vsed | |
| themselues, when they met with spirits. Chap.9. | [Fol.204.] |
| That sundry kindes of superstition haue crept in, wherby | |
| men haue attempted to driue away spirits. Chap.10. | [Fol.206.] |
| That spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing and | |
| banning. Chap.11. | [Fol.214.] |
| After what sort we ought to behaue our selues, when we | |
| heare straunge cracks, or when other forewarnings happen. | |
| Chapter.12. | [Fol.216.] |
F I N I S.
