These are the most material passages that in our reading we can find in credible and learned Authors, to prove thereby the effects of charms de facto, and we confess they are all short, and not sufficiently evidential, as such a case may justly require; and therefore we shall here add some testimonies of good Authors that do strongly affirm and aver the same. As not to stand upon the authorities of the Cabalists, Platonists or Arabians, we find the truth of the charming of Serpents avouched by Paracelsus (whose credit in this point, may be equivalent to any others) who saith thus: “But (he saith) answer me from whence is this, that a Serpent in Helvetia, Algovia, or Suevia, doth understand the Greek Idiom, Osy, Osya, Osy, &c. When notwithstanding the Greek tongue is not so common in this age, with the Helvetians, Algovians, or Suevians, that the venenous worms should be able to learn it? Tell me (he saith) how, where and from what causes, Serpents do understand these words, or in what Academies have they learned them, that they should forthwith at the first hearing of those words, stop their ears, with their tail turned back, lest they should be compelled to hear the words again reiterated? For assoon as they hear them, they contrary to their nature and cunning do forthwith lie immoveable, and do pursue or hurt no man with their venemous biting, when notwithstanding otherwise they on the sudden fly from the noise of a mans going as soon as they hear it, and turn into their holes.” From whence it is manifest that Paracelsus knew of his own experience that the charm (which it seems he knew) would make Serpents lie immoveable, and so that there was power and efficacy in words naturally without superstition to work and operate.
P. 88.
Also the learned person Tobias Tandlerus Doctor of Physick and publick Professor at Witteberge, in his smart and pithy Oration de fascino & incantatione, tells us this: “That Tuccia a Woman belonging to the Temple of Vesta being accused of Incest, did by the help of prayer carry water in a sieve, as Pliny witnesseth: lib. 28. c. 2. natur. Histor. Who there with many examples, doth extol the efficacy of words. And further saith: They are found that stay wild beasts with words, that they escape not the throwing of the dart. And those that render Rats being seen in any place, stupid with secret murmuring, that they may be taken with the hand and strangled.”
Lib. 2. c. 11. p. 220, 221.
Augerius Ferrerius, whom Thuanus calls Medicus Doctissimus, in his treating of Homerical medication, after he hath quoted Galen’s recantation from Trallianus, and divers arguments and examples to prove the efficacy of words, charms and characters from him, from Aetius and others, he concludeth thus: Quorum experientiam cum ob oculos positam, & tot illustrium virorum authoritate confirmata videris, quid facies? Nam iis quæ sensibus exposita sunt contravenire, sani hominis non est: Doctorum vero experimenta infirmare, temerarium.
Lastly, for authorities sake we shall add the opinion of sagacious Helmont, who writ a Book by him styled, In verbis, herbis, & lapidibus est magna virtus; and of the efficacy of words saith only thus much: De magna virtute verborum quædam ingenuè dixi, quæ magis admiror quam applico. By which it is manifest that though Helmont did not make use of words or charms, yet knowing the efficacy of them he could not but admire them.
These authorities joyned with the examples may suffice to convince any rational man that at some times and places, and by some persons, the using of charms have produced strange effects: and therefore taking the matter of fact to be a truth, we should come to examine the cause of these effects; but first it will be necessary to premise some cautions and necessary considerations, which we shall pursue in this order.
Histor. Natur. lib. 28. c. 2. p. 397.
Consid. 1.
1. We are to consider the intricacy and difficulty of this point, which hath exercised the wits of the learned in all ages, and forced Pliny to say: Maximæ quæstionis, & semper incertæ est, valeantne aliquid verba & incantamenta càrminum. And again more particularly: Varia circa hæc opinio, ex ingenio cujusq; vel casu, mulceri alloquio foras: quippe ubi etiam Serpentes extrahi cantu cogiq; in pœnas, verum falsumne sit, vita non decreverit. It seems by Pliny that learned men of old have been very much divided in their opinions about this matter, insomuch that he dares not take upon him to decide it, but leaves it free to every man to believe as they shall see cause. And therefore we ought not to be condemned, if we do not absolutely decide it neither, it is enough if we bring so much light to the matter that it may be better understood, though not absolutely determined, In magnis voluisse sat est.