Chap. VII.
Being the Conclusion of the Whole; wherin divers antient Spells, Charms, Incantations and Exorcisms are briefly spoken of.
1.BEsides Charms.what the Author hath set down, there be many other Spells and Charms, which Tradition hath left unto Posterity, being many of them effectual for the thing intended by them, as in the precedent Chapter is set down, wherein the Orders of Fumigations are described. Besides there are Magical Characters attributed to the Planets, whereof Telesms, Periapts, Amulets, and Philters, are composed by buryings, writings, bindings, engravings, alligations, &c. to effect various purposes in Astrological hours. To conquer Enemies, cure diseases, overturn Cities, stop Inundations, render bodies Invulnerable, and the like; which are all effected by medium’s of this kind, with the assistance of Imagination.
2. Yet are thereNatural Operations. many natural Compositions, which have very stupendious effects of themselves, without assistance of Superstition; for the commixtion of things is of two-fold force or vertue: First, When the Celestial vertues are duly disposed in any natural body; so that in one thing are couched various Influences of superiour Powers. The second is, from Artificial mixtures and Compositions of natural things amongst themselves, in a certain proportion to agree with the Heavens under certain Constellations. This proceeds from the correspondence of natural things amongst themselves, whereby things are effected even unto admiration, as Agrippa declares, Cap. 35. lib. 1.
Places ascribed to the seven Planets.3. And as unto every Planet certain fumigations are ascribed; so unto such Spirits as are under them, certain Places are adopted for the Ceromonies*[* sic] of Conjuration, which Magicians chose when they set upon their works of Darkness. Unto Saturn are ascribed dark melancholy Places, Vaults, Tombes, Monasteries, empty Houses, Dens, Caves, Pits. Unto Jupiter, Theaters, Schools, Musick houses, Judgment seats. To Mars, Fields where Battels have been fought, Bakehouses, Glass-houses, Shambles, Places,†[† sic] of Execution. To Sol, Palaces,/69. Mountains, Meddows, Sunshine, Groves, and upper Rooms. To Venus, Fountains, Meadows, Gardens, and the Sea-shore. Unto Mercury, all publick places belonging unto Cities. To Luna, Wildernesses, Woods, Rocks, Forrests, Ships, High-wayes, &c.
Spells.4. In like manner are Spells and Charms adapted to the thing which they must effect, according to the matter, form and place of their composition; as for the procuring of Love, they bury Rings, Ribbons, Seals, Pictures, Looking-Glasses, &c. in Stews, Baths, Beds, that in such places they may contract some Venereal faculty: When they gather Herbs or other Ingredients; they chuse the hour and place, when such Planets have Dominion as are over these Herbs, which they collect, ever remembring to turn their faces to the East, or South, when Saturnine, Martial or Jovial Herbs are gathered, because their Principal houses are Southern signs; for Venereal, Mercurial, or Lunary herbs, they must look towards the West or North, because their houses are chiefly Northern signs. Yet in any Solar or Lunar operations the body of the Sun and Moon must be respected in the operation.
Secret Conclusions.5. Colours are also much regarded amongst Magicians, according to the Planet, as black, leaden, brown, unto Saturn; saphire, vernal, green, purple, golden, unto Jupiter; red, burning, violet, bloody, and iron colours unto Mars; golden, saffron, scarlet, &c. unto the Sun; white, fair, green, ruddy, pleasant mixed colours unto Venus, Murcury, and Luna. In like manner they ascribe colours unto the twelve Houses, and according to the Planets have also certain compositions for fire that produce wonderful operations; as Lamps of Serpents skins will make Serpents to appear. Oyl that hath stood under Grapes, being lighted, presenteth the Chamber full of Grapes. Centaury and the Lapwings blood makes people seem like Gyants, and in the open air will make the Stars seem to move up and down in the Elements. The fat of a Hare lighted in a Lamp, will cause Women to be exceeding merry and facetious. And Candles composed of things that are Saturnine, raise terrours and melancholy in the party that lights them, and in those that are lighted by them.
The Candle of life.6. Such wonderful effects have natural things being fitted unto their Hours and Constellations, as also when they are used to prove such effects as the nature of the things doth produce of it self, though in a weaker degree. To raise Tempests Magicians burn the Liver of a Camælion on the house top. To cause strange sights they hang the Gall of a Ox over their Beds; to bring Apparitions and Spirits, they make a strange fume of a Mans Gall, and the Eyes of a black Cat; Which, Agrippa saith, he hath often made experience of. There is also a strange Magical Candle described amongst Chymical Authors, which being lighted, foretells the death of the party to whom it belongs. The manner thereof is thus; They take a good quantity of the venal blood luke-warm as it came out of the vein, which being Chymically prepared with Spirit of Wine and other Ingredients, is at last made up into a Candle, which being once kindled, never goes out till the death of the party whose blood it is composed of; for when he is sick, or in danger, it burns dim and troubled; and when he is dead, it is quite extinguished; of which Composition a Learned man hath wrote an intire Tractate, De Biolychnio, or, The Lamp of Life.
That Characters are compacts.7. But to proceed to the nature of Characters, Sigils, and other Ceremonies, we find that not only such as pretend to command over all sorts of Spirits; but also they that do make Compacts, and have sold themselves unto him, do make use of such; which instance is sufficient to prove what a wise man hath asserted, that although Evil Spirits have so blinded Mens Eyes, as to make them believe they are defended by such Ceremonies, and that these Characters are as Munitions against the Devils malignancy; Yet these very Characters, Sigils, Lamins, &c., are Compacts themselves, which the Devils did at first cunningly disguise with strange Repetitions in uncouth Language.
8. So that we have grounds to believe, that none is able absolutely without Compact to call up any Spirit. But that whosoever hath pretended to be famous in/70. the Art of Magick or Conjuration, hath (to himself unknown) compacted with and worshipped the Devil, under strange Repetitions and mystical Characters, which to him seemed to have effects quite contrary to what they really had.
The force of Words and Characters.9. Neither is this to be admired, that without the Knowledge or Consent of the Magician, a Contract is made with Evil Spirits; when we consider the magical strength of Words and Characters, which of themselves can cure Diseases, pull down, infect, save, destroy, charm and inchant without the Parties assistance, either in knowledge of the Cause, or in belief of the Consequence or Effect.
The vanity of Conjuration.10. But on the contrary, I could instance a multitude of Examples of such as have spent much time in Conjurations to no purpose, still attempting by Exorcisms and Defensive Prayers to conjure a Spirit, or cause Personal Appearances, with severe Imprecations and powerful Charges, and yet notwithstanding have never attain’d their purpose, nor at any time heard, or seen any Beeing, which may be called Spectre, or Apparition.
By Similitude.11. Which is nothing wonderful, if we minde the sympathy of things in Nature, how each desires its like, and hunteth after it as the Loadstone draws Iron; the male coveteth the female; the evil after the evil, and the good after the good; which is seen in wicked Men and their Association, in Birds and Beasts of prey; while on the contrary, the Lamb delights not in the Lyon, nor the Sheep in the society of the Wolf; neither doth the nature which is totally depraved and estranged from God, care to be forced or drawn compulsively by another contrary nature, viz. innocent, just, and harmless.
Exorcising, or casting out. 12. Neither doth it consist with natural reason, That Evil Spirits should affect the society of those that are their Enemies, who make use of the dreadful and holy Names of God in Conjurations to call them up; whereas they are rather antidotes against Apparations,*[* sic] as may be seen in various Examples of holy Men, who by Prayers and Exorcisms have banished Evil Spirits in all Ages, which is also further evident, in that the very form of Dispossessing and Exorcising is made up of divers Prayers and Defensive Blessings against the obnoxious influences of Infernal Spirits.
Like desires its like.13. Therefore though I would be far from describing an undenyable course of Conjuring Spirits, or of causing Apparitions: Yet this I must assert conclusively from what is before alledged, That if any thing would be called or wrought upon, it must be with something which is of its own nature, as a bait to catch or tempt it; for in catching Birds, Beasts, or Fishes, such esculents as are properly for these Animals, are made use of to allure them, neither can mankinde command them by any threats to come into his custody.
Nothing is compelled by contraries.14. How much less is mankind able to compel the Infernal Spirits, the very least of which Kingdom, is able, if let loose, to exterminate a thousand lives, and utterly over-turn poor mortals and their doings, as various by-past accidents can evince: But whosoever hath compacted with them for body, soul, and works, such they are at unity with, and unto such they appear for the advancement of their Kingdom in the destruction of others; for they are grafted into them and incorporated into their very heart and soul, which unavoidably becomes their wages when the body falls away.
15. Yet many wayes there be by Images, Telesms, and Amulets, which have little or no dependance upon Conjuration, or the strength thereof, being rather effectual from sympathetical Causes, as many natural conclusions prove. And Paracelsus speaks of a way by the Image of any Bird or Beast to destroy that Animal, though at a distance; so by hair, fat, blood, excrements, excrescences, &c. of any Animal or Vegetable, the ruin or cure of that thing may be effected.
16. Which is seen in the Armary Unguent, and the Sympathetical Powder. In the instance of divers Histories, of such as used Waxen Images, composed in divers postures, and under certain Constellations, whereby several have been tormented and macerated even unto death; and according to the punishment or torment which the Magician intends to afflict, accordingly do they dispose the/71. hour of the Composition, and the posture or semblance of the Image.
Of Images of Wax, and what is wrought by them.17. For if a malitious minded Witch intends to consume and pine away the Life or Estate of any miserable Man or Woman, she makes his Image of Wax in such an ominous aspect as may conduce to her design, making several magical Characters upon the sides of the head, describing the Character of the hour or Planetary time upon the breast of the Image; the name of the party on his forehead; the intended effect to be wrought upon him upon his back. When they cause aches, pains, and violent pangs in the sinews and the flesh, they stick thorns and pins in divers places of their arms, breasts, and legs. When they cast them into Feavers and Consumptions, they spend an hour in every day to warm and turn the Image before a doleful and lingring fire, composed of divers exotick Gums, and magical Ingredients of sweet Odours, and strange Roots of shrubs, efficient for their purpose.
Further concerning Images.18. Wonderful are the various postures and pranks which Magicians play with Images; neither will I mention the most perfect and prevalent part of the practice of Images, and the powerful operations thereof, least the evil minded should work abominations therewith upon the Persons or Possessions of their neighbours.
Of Images provoking Love.19. According to the nature of what they would effect they frame their Images; if by Images they would provoke two parties to love, or be enamoured on one another, they frame their Images naked, with Astrological Observations and Imbraces of those that are Venereal; to provoke unto enmity they place malignant Characters and Aspects, and the Images in a fighting posture.
20. If their intentions be for good, all their Characters are engraven upon the foreparts of the body. But if they would afflict the party with Consumption, or with death, they thrust Needles through the hearts, and engrave their Characters upon their Posteriors, or upon their shoulders, using all their Conjurations retrograde, and repeating every Charm opposite to the former.
21. Thousands of strange and uncouth Charms might be here described, according to the exact form wherein Tradition hath left them; But I have only insisted upon the description of the natures in General; And as by Images and Telesms, the Europeans have effected admirable things: so the Tartars have a wonderful ways*[* sic] of producing the like effects, by Forms of Charms in Tartary.Botles, Sheep-skins, Rods, Basins, Letters, or Missives, unto certain Spirits, and many otherwayes unheard of in Europe.
The tying of the Point.22. As for the Tying of the Point, which is a strong impediment in Conjugal Rites, to restrain the acts of secresie betwixt two marryed persons; This knot or ligament is become so notorious both in the practice and effect throughout France, Italy, and Spain, as also in all the Eastern Countries, that the Laws of several Nations have prohibited the performance thereof; neither is it fit to be openly described in this place.
Charming by the Sive.23. Other stratagems they have by turning the Sive with a pair of Sizzers by voices uttered out of skins, which is in common amongst the Turks by Letters wrote unto certain Spirits, which by due appointments will have their answers returned. By theBy Bottles, Skins, Letters, Cords, Lots. Turning of the Cord with several names wrapped round the same, which with certain repetitions will of it self be tyed into several strange knots which unty themselves again. Besides the many wayes by Lots, in extractings*[* sic] Scrolls, consulting with the Staff and the empty Pot, with others tedious to be enumerated.
Transplantation, Ceremonious.†
[† Ceremonies]24. The Art of Transplantation is also reckoned amongst Charms with the vulgar. And indeed one member thereof, viz. the Transferring of Diseases is really Magical, and much in practice amongst Witches; for by certain baits given to any domestick Beasts they remove Feavers, Agues, and Consumptions from Martial men, or from one to another by burying certain Images in their neighbours ground they bring all evil fortune to the owner of the ground, yet/72. though they add strange Words and Conjurations in the practice, the effects thereof are more from Nature then Conjuration.
And meerly natural.25. For, by the same Cause, those that are profound, can destroy diseases, take off Warts, and other Excrescences, kill, cure, purge and poyson at a distance from the party, by their hair, fatt, blood, nails, excrements, &c. or by any root, or carnuous substance, rubbed upon their hands, breasts or leggs, by burying which, they free them from Diseases, which experiments take effect according to the Mediums and their Consumption under ground.
Magical Instruments:26. And as by natural reason every Magical Charm or Receipt had its first institution; In like manner have Magicians disposed the Matter and Manner together with the times of their Utensils and Instruments, according to the Principles of Nature: As the Hour wherein they compose their Garments, must either be in the hour of Luna, or else of Saturn, in the Moons increase.
Their matter,27. Their Garments they compose of White Linnen, black Cloth, black Cat-skins, Wolves, Bears, or Swines skins. The Linnen because of its abstracted Quality for Magick delights not to have any Utensils that are put to common uses. The skins of the aforesaid Animals are by reason of the Saturnine and Magical qualities in the particles of these beasts: Their sowing thred is of silk, Cats-guts, mans Nerves, Asses hairs, Thongs of skins from Men, Cats, Bats, Owls, Moles, and all which are enjoyn’d from the like Magical cause.
Substance,28. Their Needles are made of Hedge-hog prickles, or bones of any of the abovesaid Animals: Their Writing-pens are of Owls or Ravens, their Ink of Mans blood: Their Oyntments Mans fat, Blood, Usnea, Hoggs-grease, Oyl of Whales. Their Characters are ancient Hebrew or Samaritan: Their Speech is Hebrew or Latine. Their Paper must be of the Membranes of Infants, which they call Virgin-parchment, or of the skins of Cats, or Kids. Besides, they compose their Fires of sweet Wood, Oyl or Rosin: And their Candles of the Fatt or Marrow of Men or Children: Their Vessels are Earthen, their Candlesticks with three feet, of dead mens bones: Their Swords are steel, without guards, the poynts being reversed. These are their Materials, which they do particularly choose from the Magical qualities whereof they are composed.
And Form.29. Neither are the peculiar shapes without a natural cause. Their Caps are Oval, or like Pyramids with Lappets on each side, and furr within: Their Gowns reach to the ground, being furr’d with white Fox-skins, under which they have a Linnen Garment reaching to their Knee. Their Girdles are three inches broad, and have many Caballistical Names, with Crosses, Trines and Circles inscribed thereon. Their Knives are Dagger-fashion: and the Circles by which they defend themselves are commonly nine foot in breadth, but the Eastern Magicians give but seven. And these are the matter and manner of their Preparations, which I thought fit here to insist upon, because of their affinity with the Instruments of Charms, for both which a natural cause is constantly pretended.
The Conclusion.30. Thus I have briefly spoken of the Nature of every Spirit good or evil, so farr as safety or convenience would permit; adding also this last Discourse of Charms and Conjurations, in their speculative part, forbearing to describe the Forms themselves, because many of them are not only facil, but also of mighty power when they are seasonably applyed: So that to describe distinctly, by what means Magicians kill, cure, or conquer, were to strengthen the hands of the Envious against their Neighbours Lives and Fortunes. And therefore the Readers must rest contented with what is here related of the Nature of Astral or Infernal Spirits.
FINIS.