Christ was borne at Bethelem, and suffered at Jerusalem, where his bloud was troubled. I command thee by the vertue of God, and through/197. the helpe of all saincts, to staie even as Jordan did, when John baptised Christ Jesus; In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus |sancti ✠ ❈ Otherwise: Put thy nameles finger in the wound, and make therwith three crosses upon the wound, and saie five Pater nosters, five Aves, and one Credo, in the honour of the five wounds. ❈ Otherwise:See J. Wier. cap. 11. conf. Touch that part and saie, De latere ejus exivit sanguis & aqua. ❈ Otherwise: In nomine patris ✠ & filii ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠ &c. Chimrat, chara, sarite, confirma, consona, Imohalite. ❈ Otherwise: Sepa ✠ sepaga ✠ sepagoga ✠ sta sanguis in nomine patris ✠ podendi ✠ & filii ✠ podera ✠ & spiritus sancti ✠ pandorica ✠ pax tecum, Amen.
¶ Cures commensed and finished by witchcraft.
THere was a jollie fellowe that tooke upon him to be a notable surgion, in the dutchie of Mentz, 1567. to whom there resorted a Gentleman that had beene vexed with sicknesse, named/274. Elibert, having a kerchiefe on his head, according to the guise of sicke folke. But the surgion made him pull off his kerchiefe, and willed him to drinke with him freelie. The sickeman said he durst not; for he was forbidden by physicke so to doo. Tush (said this cunning man) they know not your disease: be ruled by me, and take in your drinke lustilie. For he thought that when he was well tippled, he might the more easilie beguile him in his bargaine, and make his reward the greater, which he was to receive in part aforehand. When they had well droonke, he called the sicke man aside, and told him the greatnes and danger of his disease, and how that it grew by meanes of witchcraft, and that it would be universallie spread in his house, and among all his cattell, if it were not prevented: and impudentlie persuaded the sicke man to receive cure of him.The surgion here most impudentlie setteth his knaverie abroch. And after bargaine made, he demanded of the sicke man, whether he had not anie at home, whom he might assuredlie trust. The sicke man answered, that he had a daughter and a servant. The cousener asked how old his daughter was? The patient said, twentie. Well (said the cousener) that is fit for our turne. Then he made the mother and father to kneele on their knees to their daughter, and to desire hir in all things to obey the physician, and that she would doo in everie thing as he commanded hir; otherwise hir father could not be restored to his health. In which respect hir parents humblie besought hir on their knees so to doo. Then he assigned hir to bring him into his lodging hir fathers haire, and hir mothers, and of all those which he kept in his house, as well of men and women, as also of his cattell. When she came therewith unto him, according to the match made, and hir parents commandement, he lead hir downe into a lowe parlor, where having made a long speech, he opened a booke that laie on the boord, and laieth thereon two knives acrosse, with much circumstance of words.A pretended conjuration. Then conjureth he, and maketh strange characters, and at length he maketh a circle on the ground, wherein he causeth hir to sticke one of those conjured knives; and after manie more strange words, he maketh hir sticke the other knife beside it. Then fell downe the maid in a swoone for feare; so as he was faine to frote hir and put a sop into hir mouth, after the receipt whereof she was sore troubled and amazed. Then he made hir brests to be uncovered, so as when/275. they were bare, he dal/lied198. with them, diverslie and long together. Then he made hir lie right upward, all uncovered and bare belowe hir pappes. Wherein the maid being loth to obeie him, resisted, and in shame forbad that villanie. Then said the knave; Your fathers destruction is at hand: for except you will be ruled, he and all his familie shall susteine greater greefe and inconvenience, than is yet happened unto him. And no remedie, except you will seeke his utter overthrowe, I must have carnall copulation with you, and therewithall fell into hir bosome, and overthrew hir and hir virginitie. So did he the second daie, and attempted the like on the third daie.Ad vada tot vadit urna quòd ipsa cadit. But he failed then of his purpose, as the wench confessed afterwards. In the meane time he ministred so cruell medicines to the sicke man, that through the torments therof he feared present death, and was faine to keepe his bed, whereas he walked about before verie well and lustilie. The patient in his torments calleth unto him for remedie, who being slacke and negligent in that behalfe, made roome for the daughter to accompanie hir father, who asked hir what she thought of the cure, and what hope she had of his recoverie. Who with teares remained silent, as being oppressed with greefe; till at the last in abundance of sorrowe she uttered the whole matter to hir father. This dooth Johannes Wierus report, saieng, that it came unto him by the lamentable relation of the father himselfe. And this is here at this time for none other purpose rehearsed, but that men may hereby learne to take heed of such cousening merchants, and knowe what they be that take upon them to be so cunning in witchcraft; least they be bewitched: as maister Elibert and his daughter were.
¶ Another witchcraft or knaverie, practised by the same surgion.
Three morsels, the first charmed with christs birth, the second with his passion, the third with his resurrection.THis surgion ministred to a noble man, that laie sicke of an ague, offering unto him three peeces of a roote to be eaten at three morsels; saieng to the first: I would Christ had not beene borne; unto the second: I would he had not suffered; unto the third: I would he had not risen againe. And then putting them about the sicke mans necke, said; Be of good cheere. And if he lost them, whosoever tooke them up, should therewithall take awaie/276. his ague. ❈ Otherwise: Jesus Christ, which was borne, deliver thee from this infirmitie ✠ Jesus Christ which died ✠ deliver thee from this infirmitie ✠ Jesus Christ which rose againe ✠ deliver thee from this infirmitie. Then dailie must be said five Pater nosters, and five Aves.
¶ Another experiment for one bewitched.
A cousening physician, and a foolish patient.ANother such cousening physician persuaded one which had a timpanie, that it was one old viper, and twoo yoong mainteined in his bellie by witchcraft. But being watched, so as he could not conveie vipers into his ordure or excrements, after his purgations: at length he told the partie, that he should suffer the paines of childbirth, if it were not prevented; and therefore he must put his hand into his breech, and rake out those wormes there. But the mother of the sicke partie having warning hereof, said she could doo that hir selfe. So the cousener was prevented, and the partie died onelie of a timpanie, and the knave ran awaie out of the countrie.
¶ Otherwise.
MOnsieur BodinJohn. Bodin. telleth of a witch, who undertaking to cure a woman bewitched, caused a masse to be soong at midnight in our ladies chap/pell.199. And when she had overlien the sicke partie, and breathed certeine words upon hir, she was healed. Wherein Bodin saith, she followed the example of EliasKakozelia. the prophet, who raised the Sunamitie. And this storie must needs be true: for goodman Hardivin Blesensis his host at the signe of the lion told him the storie.