The displaying of supposed witchcraft

by John Webster

3. Many of these strange characters or words were not by wise men inserted into their works, that thereby any strange things might be wrought by them, but were invented to conceal those grand secrets that they would not have to be made known unto the unworthy. And therefore Bacon gives us this profound and honest counsel: “So therefore (he saith) there are very many things concealed in the books of the Philosophers, by sundry ways: In which a Wise Man ought to have this prudence, that he pass by the charms and characters, and make trial of the work of nature and art: And so he shall see, as well animate things, as inanimate, to concur together, by reason of the conformity of nature, not because of the virtue of the charm or character. And so many secrets both of Nature and Art are of the unlearned, esteemed to be magical. And Magicians do foolishly confide in charms and characters, judging virtue to be in them, and because of their vain confidence in them, they forsake the work of Nature and Art, by reason of the error of charms and characters. And so both these sort of Men are deprived of the benefit of wisdom, their own foolishness so compelling them.

Confid. 4.

Vt supra 1. 2.

3. The same most learned Countryman of ours Roger Bacon, doth further give us this advice saying: “But those things that are contained in the books of Magicians ought by right to be banished, although they have in them something of truth: Because they are mixed with falsities, that it cannot be discerned betwixt that which is true, and that which is false. And also Impostors and ignorant persons have feigned and forged divers writings under the names of ancient wise men, thereby to allure the curious, and to deceive the unwary, which with great care and consideration we ought to eschew. To the same purpose Paracelsus doth caution us in this point. Cuilibet ergo promptum sit, characteres & verba quævis discernere posse.”

Consid. 4.

4. But for all this (as we have often intimated before) charms and characters though in themselves of none effect, may conduce to heighten the fancy and confidence of a Patient, and render him more willing to take those things that may cure. And to this purpose, the forementioned Author Roger Bacon, from Constantine the Physician tells us thus much: “But it is to be considered, that a skilful Physician, or any other, that would excite and stir up the mind, may profitably make use of charms and characters though feigned, not because the characters or charms themselves do operate any thing, but that the medicine may be received with more desire and devotion, and that the mind of the Patient may be stirred up, and may confide more freely, and may hope and rejoice; Because the Soul being excitated, can renew many things in its proper body, so that from infirmity it may be restored to health by joy and confidence. If therefore (he saith) a Physician to magnifie his work, that the Patient may be raised up to hope and confidence, shall do any thing of this nature, not for fraud, but because of this, that he may confide, that he may be healed, it is not to be condemned.” We brought this authority to confirm what we had asserted before; and that these things are wonderfully prevalent, we have before shewed examples.

Argum. 1.

Numb. 6. 27.

Ezek. 9. 4, 6.

1. There are some, that to prove that words and characters have a natural efficacy, do alledge some passages of Scripture, which we shall propose as very probable, but not as necessarily convincing, and the first is this: And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. Which some understand that the name Jehovah which they call Tetragrammaton, was worn upon them, and that thereby they were blessed, and from thence they suppose that Hebrew names, especially that, are very efficacious and powerful. Another is: The man cloathed in linnen, that had the Ink-horn by his side, is commanded to set a mark, or (as some read it) a Tau upon those that mourned. This is the name of a letter the “last in the Alphabet, and hath in the old books of the Hebrews (as Schindlerus tells us) the figure of a cross, and such like the Samaritans use to this day. From whence by Tau, some in Ezekiel do understand the figure of the Cross of Christ.”