This kind of Magike they properly terme Necromancie, or Phycomancie, which is wrought by raising vp the spirits and soules of the dead. Of which there were diuerse sorts. For sometime appeared vnto men the whole bodies of the dead, but at an other time onely ghostes and spirits: and often nothing was heard, sauing onely a certaine obscure voyce.
Plutarch in the life of Cimon, (as hée is translated by Ioachimus Camerarius, in the Preface on Plutarches bookes, De oraculis quæ defecerint, & de conseruata figura, Ei, Delphis) writeth, that Pausanias, when he had taken the Citie of Bizance, sent for Cleonice, a mayden of noble parentage, to haue vnhonest company with her. Whom her parents partly by necessitie, and partly for fear, sent vnto him. But after that the virgin had once obteined so much of his waiters in his priuie Chamber, that they should at her first entrance, put out the lightes, she in the darke going softly towardes Pausanias bedde, by the way stumbled on the candlesticke, and ouerthrew it against her will, as he laie a sléepe in his bedde, who being troubled with the sodaine noyse, drew a swoord that laie by him, and therewith slewe the virgine, as she had bene his enemie, which went priuily to set vpon him. But she being thus slaine with that deadly stroake, would neuer suffer Pausanias to take his quiet rest, but in a vision appearing vnto him in the night season, denounced sentence of hatred against this noble captaine, in these words.
Στεῖχε δἱχες ἆσσον μάλα τοι χαχὸν άνδράσιν ὕβρις
which is,
Answere to the lawe, for wrong is an euill thing vnto all men. This heinous déede of Pausanias was verie gréeuously taken of all his companions, who therefore vnder the conduction of captaine Cymo sette on him, and chased him out of Thracia. And thus hauing lost the Cities of Bizance, when (as it is reported) the fight continued in troubling him, he fledde vnto Necyomantium, at Heraclea, where the soule of Cleonices being called vp, hée by intreatie pacified her displeasure. Shée did there both present her selfe vnto his sight, and also told him, it should shortly come to passe, that the euill towardes him should cease, assoone as he came to Sparta. Hereby priuily intimating his death, &c. This Pausanias did at the first soberly and discréetely demeane himselfe, but afterwardes béeing puffed vp with such victories as he had obteined, he ruled and Ephori amōgest the Lacedemonians were Magistrates, who in certaine cases were aboue kings, vnto whom appeales were made from kings: euen as amongst the Romans, they appealed from the Consuls to the Tribunes. raigned lyke a verie Tyraunt. Wherefore when the Magistrates called Ephori, would haue committed him to prison, he tooke Sanctuarie in a Temple, where he was shut vp vntill he famished through hunger.
I might here heape togither many such like Histories, to proue euidently what this Samuel was. In other matters also, if God licence him, the Diuel is not destitute of power, and how craftie and readie he is for all assaies, experience doth well declare.
Furthermore graunt that, wherin the pith and strength of the question doth consist (which can neuer be proued by scripture) that God did permit Samuell to returne and to prophesie things to come after his death, yet will it not thereof follow, that such visions should now be shewed also, or that those things should be out of hand credited and done which they commaund.
God in times past, did often in visible shape send his Angels vnto men, but now we heare not that many are sent vnto men, neither indéed is the same necessary. When the Apostles liued here, many notable miracles were done, but now for certaine good causes, they cease and fall away, for whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation, is expresly conteined in the word of God. These notes touching Samuels appearing, may suffise.