These and such like things, (Eusebius who also reciteth this historie) affirmeth to haue chaunced in that time of Tiberius, in the which Christ being conuersant amongst men, expelled all maner of diuels from the societie of them. Other most godly professours of our Religion, affirme, Paulus Marsus. (as namely Paulus Marsus, in his Annotations vppon the first of Ouids Fasti) that this voyce was heard out of Paxe, the very same night ensuing the day wherein our Lorde suffered, in the 19. yeare of Tiberius, which was the same yeare that Christ was crucified in: by the whiche voyce being vttered in a wildernesse of solitary rockes, it was declared that our Lord and God had suffered for vs. For the word Pan in Greeke, signifieth all: and then the Lord of al the world was crucified.
He addeth moreouer, that Theodosius doth say, that the Archadians doo worship this God, calling him τὸν τῆς ὔλης κύριον, meaning thereby to signifie a Lorde and Ruler, not of words, but of all manner of materiall substances: whose power is suche, that it is able to create the essence and substaunce of all bodies, whether that they be heauenly, or earthly. And albeit he referre this vnto the Sunne, yet if a man marke diligently, his mysteries haue a higher meaning, &c.
Hunting of Diuels.
Hereunto belongeth those thinges which are reported touching the chasing or hunting of diuels, and also of the daunces of dead men, which are of sundry sortes. I haue heard of some which haue auouched, that they haue séene them.
No man is able to rehearse all the shapes wherein spirits haue appeared, for the diuell, who for the most part is the worker of these things, can (as the Poets faine of Proteus) chaunge himselfe into all shapes and fashions.
These walking spirites sometimes stoppe the way before men as they trauell, and leade them out of their way, and put them in suche great feare, that sometimes they become grayheaded in one night. I remember I haue heard the like historie of my olde friende Iohn Willing, a godly and learned man, of one in the Countie of Hannow, who not many yeares ago, méeting with a walkyng spirite in the night season, was so much altered, that at his returning home, his owne Daughters knewe him not.
Spirites oftentimes awake men out of their sléepe, and cause many to forsake their owne houses, so that they cannot hire them out to any other. Sometimes they ouerthrow somewhat, or strike men, or cast stones at them, and hurt them either in their bodies or in their goods: yea and sometime God doth suffer them to bereaue men of their liues. It often chaunceth that those mens faces and heads do swel, which haue séene or heard spirits, or haue bene blasted with them: and some are taken mad, as we sée by experience. I remember well it hath happened, that some supposing they haue séene armed men, who were ready to take them, haue therefore assaied to slaie themselues: which thing may be by craft of the diuel. Spirites do also trouble cattell in the night time, in the pastures.
Thus much concerning the first part of this worke, wherein (I trust) I haue proued, and made it euident, that albeit there be many which vainely perswade themselues they haue séene wandring spirits, or haue beheld one instéed of an other: yet notwithstanding that there are walking spirits, and that other strange things so sometime happen.
I haue also shewed vnto whome they appeare especially, and where, when, after what sort, or in what fourmes they shewe themselues, and what things they worke and bring to passe.