1. And here we may take notice that this is a punctual and positive History, plainly declaring the matter of fact, in calling together above an hundred Serpents, and this must be done either by the force of the words, or by the strength of the persons imagination, or both, unless we must admit the Devil to perform it, which may vainly be supposed, but cannot be proved, by what natural means he should bring it to pass. But however the relation is very credible, Montanus being a famous Physician and Professor at Padua, and affirms it as seen with his own eyes.
Hist. 4.
Wier. de mag. Infant. p. 92.
4. To these we may add one of sufficient credit from the learned Masius, as it is cited by Wierus, and Dr. Casaubon (which may be we have related before, but not to this purpose) and is this: “I also (he saith) have seen them who with words (or charms) could stop wild beasts, and force them to await the stroak of the dart: who also could force that Domestick beastly creature, which we call a Rat, as soon as seen, amazed and astonished to stand still, as it were immoveable, until not by any deceit or ambushes, but only stretching their hands, they had taken them and strangled them.” This is from his own sight, and he a Man of undoubted veracity.
Hist. 5.
5. Another take from the credit of Dr. Casaubon who fathers it upon Remigius, but confesseth that at the time of his writing the story he could not find it in Remigius his Book, and is this. “I have seen a Man (saith he) who from all the neighbourhood (or confines) would draw Serpents into the fire, which was inclosed within a magical circle; and when one of them, bigger than the rest, would not be brought in, upon repetition of the charms before used, he was forced, and so into the fire he did yield himself with the rest, and with it was compassed.”
Hist. 6.
Antidot. against Atheism. c. 2. p. 166.
6. To these we shall adjoin another story written from Wierus by Dr. Moore thus: “And (he saith) Wierus tells us this story of a Charmer at Saltzburg, that when in the sight of the people he had charmed all the Serpents into a ditch and killed them, at last there came one huge one far bigger than the rest, that leapt upon him and winded about his waste like a girdle, and pulled him into the ditch, and so killed the Charmer himself in the conclusion.” And this great Serpent the Doctor taketh (in his Appendix) to be a Devil, or a Serpent actuated and guided by him, but upon what grounds of reason I can no way understand.
Archidox. Magic. l. 1. p. 695.