Obs. Medic. Cent. 1. c. 70. p. 45.
Hist. 1.
De Pestil. Tract. 2. p. 388.
Observ. Medic. 83. p. 99.
Histor. 1.
3. And that many strange things that are vomited up by such as are supposed to be bewitched do proceed from natural causes, and that the Devil worketh no more in them but by instigation, to move wicked persons (such as are commonly those that are accounted Witches) to give and administer strange things, Philters, or secret poisons, to such as they would kill, torment, make mad, or draw to unlawful love, or rather lust, as may be made manifest from the testimonies of persons of unquestionable veracity and judgment, some few of which we shall here relate. Philip Salmuth chief Physician to the Prince of Anhalt recordeth this which we shall give in English: “The Daughter of a certain Inkeeper was desperately in love with a principal Nobleman. To whom going away she offers a most beautiful apple. This he suspecteth and throweth into a Basket. After three days he remembers it, and looks at it; and then it altogether appeared blackned. He expecteth for the space of other three days, and then findeth abundance of little Frogs there. Therefore he returneth into that Inn, where the Maid lived, and doth counterfeit sickness and huge torments. The Maid willeth him to use warm milk. That he poureth upon the Frogs, who take it greedily, and by little and little do increase. But he every day feigneth greater pains, whereupon the Maid pitying him doth will him to take the urine of a Mare newly made and warm. This he also poureth upon the Frogs, whereupon they die. After some time the servant of another Nobleman is afflicted with miserable torments, and there is suspicion of a Philter given by a person of quality. They exhibite Mares urine, and she vomiteth up two Lizards, and two Frogs.” By which it is manifest that such strange vomitings up of Frogs, Lizards, Askers and the like, though attributed to Witchcraft, and the operation of Satan, do but proceed from natural causes. And doubtless the sperme, or ova ranarum, were but conveyed into the Apple, that so by the heat of the Stomach, and the Chylus, (that is like warm milk) they might grow and increase. And this kind of witching, or secret poysoning, we grant to be too frequent and common, because those persons commonly accounted Witches are extreamly malicious and envious, and do secretly and by tradition learn strange poysons, philters and receipts whereby they do much hurt and mischief. Which most strange wayes of poysoning, tormenting, and breeding of unwonted things in the stomach and bellies of people, have not been unknown unto many learned men and Philosophers, but they respecting the good of mankind, and the multitude of evil minded persons, have altogether forborn openly to mention such dangerous receipts in their writings, or at the best so to publish them, that not one of a thousand could understand what they intended, and so these secrets of mischief are for the most part kept in obscurity, amongst old women, superstitious, ignorant, and melancholy persons, and by them delivered over from hand to hand, and commonly one learns it of another according to the Proverb, Popery and Witchcraft go by Tradition. And to this very purpose I cannot but insert that remarkable passage of Paracelsus in these words. Possem equidem (ait) peculiarem de ipsis tractatum edere, ut artes ac machinæ illarum manifestarentur. Sed propter malitiosos ista talia pennâ seu calamo minimè evulganda sunt, multa enim flagitiosa simul induci possent: quæ satius est reticeri. And that strange productions may be brought to pass, and stupendious effects brought into action, from secret and hidden natural causes, that are better known to those malicious persons that are accounted Witches, than others, may be made manifest by another observation set down by the forementioned Salmuth, and is this: “Galen and others have recorded, that the saliva, or spittle of a mad dog, if it touch an human body, and be not forthwith washed off, may cause madness. But in the Hydrophobia, there is so great force of the poyson, that the persons that are bitten do also piss or void by urine, little whelps, or pieces of flesh like them, as Avicenna lib. 3. Fen. 6. tr. 4. c. 7. hath delivered, though doubted of by others. But (he saith) I certainly know notwithstanding that of such saliva or spittle only left in the Garment, after biting, have Worms been breed, plainly resembling little Whelps with their heads. For a mad Dog did meet a Servant Maid of an honest Matrons going to the Market, and flies furiously and violently at her feet. She that she might avoid the danger, inclineth her self, and a little bendeth her knees, whereupon the Dog doth with his teeth catch hold of her Garment, and especially the seam or low selvidge, and did bark a little while, and forthwith ran away. Which being done the Maid remained terrified, and at the first doubted whether the Dog was mad or not, but having recollected her self, she suspecteth his rabiousness, because he had been very familiar, even almost domestick with her. Therefore she returneth home, and hangeth the torn Garment upon a piece of wood in the House. But afterwards upon the fourth day she goeth to it, with an intent to mend it. But oh a wonderful thing, she findeth Worms altogether like little Whelps in the head, to be bred in those places of the hem in which the Dog had fastned his teeth, and those as a new Miracle (as they did call it) were shewed unto certain of the Neighbours being called together.”
Quercet. Rediv. Tom. 3. p. 38.
Histor. 1.
Syl. Syl. Cent. 10. 564.
De Præstig. Dæm. lib. 3. c. 36. p. 265.