Hist. 2.
De Medic. Histor. mirab. lib. 2 c. 1. p. 26.
Of Credul. and Incred. p. 85.
2. The next History to this purpose we shall take from Antonius Benevenius, as we find him quoted by that learned person Marcellus Donatus, and likewise Dr. Casaubon (for I have not the book by me) who renders it thus. “A Souldier had an arrow shot through the left part of his breast, so that the iron of it stuck to the very bone of the right shoulder. Great endeavours were used to get it out, but to no purpose. Benevenius doth shew, that it was not feasible without present death. The Man seeing himself forsaken by Physicians and Chirurgeons, sends for a noted Ariolus or Conjurer: who setting his two fingers upon the wound, with some Charms he used, commanded the iron to come out, which presently without any pain of the patient, came forth, and the Man was presently healed: And this the Doctor, who I presume had the book, saith, that Benevenius saith vidimus we have seen it, which Marcellus Donatus saith, the Author ascribed to the virtue of the words, and others to the force of imagination.”
Observ. 1.
1. Here we may observe, that this may either be brought to pass by the efficacy of the words or charms that he muttered, and then we must needs confess that charms are of great and stupendious force: or that it might be effected by the imagination of the Charmer, and then we must suppose (which the most do deny) that the imagination of the person imaginant, hath power to operate upon extraneous bodies, if it had power to cause the iron to come without harm forth of the wounded Souldiers body, or it may be caused (and that in most probability) by the imagination of the party wounded being excited and roused up by the uttering of the charm, in which the patient (in all likelihood) had no small confidence. And so however the charm was an accidental cause, or (as they use to say) causa sine qua non, of the bringing forth of the iron.
Hist. 3.
Lection. in Fen. 2. Avicen.
3. Another History we must borrow from the aforesaid two Authors Donatus and Dr. Casaubon, which they have transcribed forth of Johannes Baptista Montanus, because I have not the Author by me, and is this: “My self with mine eyes, you may (he saith) believe me, have seen it: A certain man who when he had made a circle and drawn some characters about it, and uttered some words, he did call together above a hundred Serpents. And further saith, that though he did murmur certain words, yet he holdeth, that the bringing of the Serpents together was not performed by the force of the words, but by the power of a strong imagination, and that some by the strength of imagination, not of words, are said to draw forth darts, and to cure wounds.”
Observ. 1.