Monstrum.
Monstrum, is that which hapneth against nature, as when any thing is brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde: the which is also called Promonstrum, as who should say, Porro aliquid monstrans, siue monens, that is, shewing or warning some thing to happen afterward. Notwithstanding these termes are many times confounded togither, and taken in one signification, and that because they respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of things to come. The vaine visions wheron we here intreat, appertaine nothing to naturall philosophers, neither yet these things which we haue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning, or rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing chance which standeth by naturall reason, it doth not properly belong vnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things passe, we will by Gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it selfe.
CHAP. II.
Melancholike persons, and mad men, imagine many things
which in verie deed are not.
Some men deny there are Spirits.
Here haue bin very many in al ages, which haue vtterly denied that there bee any spirits or straunge sightes. The Philosophers of Epicurus] sect, did iest & laugh at all those things which were reported of them, and counted them as fained and counterfeyt, by the which only children and fooles, and plaine simple men were made afraide. When Cassius, who was an Epicurian, vnderstood by Brutus, that he had séene a certaine vision, he (as Plutarch doth testifie) indeuoured to attribute the matter vnto naturall causes. We read in the 23. chapter of the Act.23. Actes of the Apostles, that the Sadduces did not beléeue there should be any Resurrection of the dead, and that they denied there were any spirites or angels: Yea and at this day, many good & godly men beléeue those things to be but tales, which are talked of too and fro concerning those imagined visions: partly because in all their life, they neuer sawe any such, and partly or rather especially, because in time past men haue bin so often deceiued with apparitions, visions and false miracles done by Monkes and Priestes, that now they take things yͭ are true, to be as vtterly false. Whatsoeuer the cause is, it may be proued, by witnesse of many writers, and by daily experience also, that spirites and strange sightes do sometime appeare, and that in very déed many strange and maruellous things do happen. True it is, that many men do falsly perswade themselues that they sée or heare ghoasts: for that which they imagine they sée or heare, procéedeth either of melancholie, madnesse, weakenesse of the senses, feare, or of some other perturbation: or else when they sée or heare beasts, vapors, or some other naturall thing, then they vainly suppose, they haue séene sightes I wotte not what, as hereafter I will shewe particularly by many and notable examples.
There is no doubt, but that almost al those things which the common people iudge to be wonderfull sightes, are nothing lesse than so. But in the meane season it cannot be denied, but that straunge sightes, and many other such lyke things, are sometimes heard and also séene.