The seventh Chapter.
The times and seasons to exercise augurie, the maner and order thereof, of the ceremonies thereunto belonging.
O lesse regard was there had of the times of theirNote the superstitious ceremonies of augurors. practise in that ministerie: for they must beginne at midnight, and end at noone, not travelling therein in the decaie of the day, but in the increase of the same; neither in the sixt or seventh houre of the daie, nor yet after the moneth of August; bicause then yoong birds flie about, and are diseased, and unperfect, mounting their fethers, and flieng out of the countrie: so as no certeine ghesse is to be made of the gods purposes by them at those seasons. But in their due times they standing with a bowed wand in their hand, their face toward the east, &c: in the top of an high tower, the weather being cleare, watch for birds, noting from whence they came, and whether they flie, and in what sort they wag their wings, &c./
The eight Chapter.196.
Upon what signes and tokens augurors did prognosticate, observations touching the inward and outward parts of beasts, with notes of beasts behaviour in the slaughterhouse.
HESE kind of witches, whom we have now in hand, did also prognosticate good or bad lucke, according to the soundnes or imperfection of the entrailes of beasts; or according to the superfluities or infirmities of nature; or according to the abundance of humors unnecessarie, appearing in the inward parts and bowels of the beasts sacrificed. For as touching the outward parts, it was alwaies provided and foreseene, that they should be without blemish.Observations in the art augurificall. And yet there were manie tokens and notes to be taken of the externall actions of those beasts, at the time of sacrifice: as if they would not quietlie be brought to the place of execution, but must be forceablie hailed; or if they brake loose; or if by hap, cunning, or strength they withstood the first blowe; or if after the butchers blowe, they leaped up, rored, stood fast; or being fallen, kicked, or would not quietlie die, or bled not well; or if anie ill newes had beene heard, or anie ill sight seene at the time of slaughter or sacrifice: which were all significations of ill lucke and unhappie successe. On the other side, if the slaughterman performed his office well, so as the beast had beene well chosen, not infected, but whole and sound, and in the end faire killed; all had beene safe: for then the gods smiled./
The ninth Chapter.143.
A confutation of augurie, Plato his reverend opinion thereof, of contrarie events, and false predictions.
UT what credit is to be attributed to such toies and chances, which grow not of nature, but are gathered by the superstition of the interpretors? As for birds, who is so ignorant that conceiveth not, that/197. one flieth one waie, another another waie, about their privat necessities? And yet are the other divinations more vaine and foolish. Howbeit, PlatoPlato in Phædro, in Timeo, in lib. de Republ. thinketh a commonwealth cannot stand without this art, and numbereth it among the liberall sciences. These fellowes promised Pompeie, Cassius, and Cæsar, that none of them should die before they were old, and that in their owne houses, and in great honor;Wherein the papists are more blame worthie than the heathen. and yet they all died cleane contrarilie. Howbeit doubtles, the heathen in this point were not so much to be blamed, as the sacrificing papists: for they were directed hereunto without the knowledge of Gods promises; neither knew they the end why such ceremonies and sacrifices were instituted; but onelie understood by an uncerteine and slender report, that God was woont to send good or ill successe to the children of Israell, and to the old patriarchs and fathers, upon his acceptance or disallowance of their sacrifices and oblations. But men in all ages have beene so desirous to know the effect of their purposes, the sequele of things to come, and to see the end of their feare and hope; that a seelie witch, which had learned anie thing in the art of cousenage, may make a great manie jollie fooles.