Histor. 2.
De Pestil. lib. Tract. 2. p. 388.
Histor. 3.
4. Another instance to prove the strange effects that may be produced by natural Causes, and yet are so occult, stupendious, and unusual, that they are commonly fathered upon Devils, when they have no more at all to do in or about them, but only the mental perswading of the persons to use them to wicked and destructive ends, as those wonderful compositions that produce the Plague and such like grievous Diseases and Symptoms; For this kind of veneficium (call it Witchcraft if you please) is and hath been often practised by most horrible, malevolent, and wicked persons, who by an art more than Diabolical (especially in respect of the end and use) have so framed, and prepared, and commixed things naturally, that in the form of unguents have produced the Plague and divers other most pernicious and venefical Diseases, which may be confirmed by undeniable examples, of which we shall give some few. Josephus Quercetanus, that famous Chymist and Physician to Henry the Fourth of France, tells us thus much: “The Contagion of the Plague is not only contracted by the mediation of the air and water, things in a manner universal, or from other things more particular, as vestments, linnen, and other moveable things inquinated by the attraction of pestiferous Atomes: But also by the detestable Crafts, and Diabolical Arts of certain most wicked persons, which we call poysoners, or witches, by means of which they contemperate and mix certain poysons into the form of an unguent, and use to rub some of it upon the handle of doors, so that those that do but lightly touch them, are forthwith infected with the Plague, this subtile poison forthwith creeping by the pores of the skin into the extremities of the veins, is quickly communicated to the heart, to which human industry can hardly administer any remedy.” Unto which the Lord Verulam gives this cautious attestation: Pestem quoq; excitavit januarum, rimarum, aliorumq; inunctio, non tam ex contactu, quam quod homini in more positum, si quid humidi adhærescat digitis, naso illud admovere. Moneri se patientur, apud quos ea inolevit consuetudo, ut præcaveant. Johannes Wierus a learned Physician, and a person of credit and veracity, reciteth this History from Antonius Sabellicus, Ennead. 4. lib. 4. This strange venefice or witchcraft, was practis’d at Casal in the City of Salassia, a Region of Italy, in the year of our Lord God 1536. “About forty persons men and women, amongst whom there was one Hangman, had combined and sworn together, That seeing the Plague had ceased that before did rage, they would compound an unguent, with which the handles of the doors being besmeared, they should be infected that touched those handles. They did also prepare a Powder which being secretly sprinkled in the Garments, should produce the Plague. The Villany lay hid for some certain time, and many were taken away of such as were joined in blood or affinity: Also money was given (as was said) to the Poysoners, instead of inheritance. But when they had murthered the Brother and only Son of one Necus, and that scarcely others than the Masters of Families themselves, or their Sons, did perish: And that also they had marked, that into what Houses those Conspirators had insinuated themselves, that those for the most part did perish into whose Houses they entred: but the Conspiracy being found out, they were all put to death with most exquisite torments. They also confessed, that they had determined to kill all the Citizens upon a Festival day, by anointing the Seats, and to that purpose they had prepared twenty Pots full of that pernicious and hellish Ointment. And Paracelsus tells us, that at St. Vitum and Villacum, certain of the Poyson-makers in the time of a Plague, did take the Earth and Dust from the Graves of those that had been buried, and did so prepare it with their Magical Art, that they raised up a most cruel and raging Plague, whereby many thousands of men were infected and slain.” But that the manner of that preparation is by no means to be revealed. Those that desire more satisfaction in this particular may have recourse to that learned Treatise, de Peste, written by the learned and industrious Matthias Untzerus.
Stow. Annal. p. 681.
Histor. 4.
5. But there is no where a more strange accident written, than what is recorded in our own Annals in the year 1579. the nineteenth year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, in these words: “The 4, 5, and 6. days of July, were the Assises holden at Oxford, where was arraigned and condemned one Rouland Jenkes for his Seditious Tongue, at which time there arose such a damp, that almost all were smothered, very few escaped that were not taken at that instant: The Jurors died presently: Shortly after died Sir Robert Bell, Lord Chief Baron, Sir Robert de Olie, Sir William Babington, Mr Weneman, Mr De Olie, High Sheriff Mr Davers, Mr Farcurt, Mr Kirle, Mr Pheteplace, Mr Greenwood, Mr Foster, Serjeant Baram, Mr Stevens, &c. There died in Oxford 300. persons, and sickned there but died in other places 200. and odd, from the sixth of July to the twelfth of August, after which day died not one of that sickness, for one of them infected not another, nor any one Woman or Child died thereof.” This is the punctual relation according to our English Annals, which relate nothing of what should be the cause of the arising of such a damp, just at the Conjuncture of time when Jenkes was Condemned, there being none before, and so it could not be a Prison Infection, for that would have manifested it self by smell or by operating sooner. But to take away all scruple, and to assign the true Cause, it was thus: It fortuned that a Manuscript fell into my hands, collected by an antient Gentleman of York, who was a great observer and gatherer of strange things and facts, who lived about the time of this accident happening at Oxford, wherein it is related thus: “That Rouland Jenkes being imprisoned for treasonable words spoken against the Queen, and being a Popish Recusant, had notwithstanding during the time of his restraint, liberty sometimes to walk abroad with a Keeper, and that one day he came to an Apothecary, and shewed him a receipt which he desired him to make up; but the Apothecary upon the view of it told him, that it was a strong and dangerous receipt, and required some time to prepare it, but also asked him to what use he would apply it? he answered to kill the Rats that since his Imprisonment spoiled his Books; so being satisfied he promised to make it ready. After a certain time he cometh to know if it were ready, but the Apothecary said the ingredients were so hard to procure that he had not done it, and so gave him the receipt again, of which he had taken a Copy, which mine Author had there precisely written down, but did seem so horribly poysonous, that I cut it forth lest it might fall into the hands of wicked persons. But after it seems he had got it prepared, and against the day of his tryal had made a week or wick of it (for so is the word, that is, so fitted, that like a Candle it might be fired) which as soon as ever he was Condemned he lighted, having provided himself a Tinder-box and Steel to strike fire. And whosoever should know the ingredients of that Wick or Candle, and the manner of the Composition, will easily be perswaded of the virulency and venenous effects of it, and this in him in regard of the use and end was meerly Diabolical, though the agency and effects were meer natural.”
De morb. venefic. l. 3. c. 5.
Histor. 5.
De fascino lib. 6. Part 9. c. 5. p. 680.