ATIn anie case observe the festivall time, or else you marre all. Easter you must take certeine drops, that lie uppermost of the holie paschall candle, and make a little waxe candle thereof: and upon some sundaie morning rath, light it, and hold it, so as it maie drop upon and betweene the hornes and eares of the beast, saieng: In nomine patris, & filii, et duplex s s: and burne the beast a little betweene the hornes on*[* or] the eares with the same wax: and that which is left thereof, sticke it in crossewise about the stable or stall, or upon the threshold, or over the doore, where the cattell use to go in and out, and for all that yeare your cattell shall never be be/witched.199.[2] ❈ Otherwise: Jacobus de Chusa Carthusianus sheweth, how bread, water, and salt is conjured, and saith, that if either man or beast receive holie bread and holie water nine daies together, with three Pater nosters, and three Aves, in the honour of the trinitie, and of S. Hubert, it preserveth that man or beast from all diseases, and defendeth them against all assaults of witchcraft, of satan, or of a mad dog, &c.
Lo this is their stuffe, mainteined to be at the least effectuall, if not wholsome, by all papists and witchmongers, and speciallie of the last and proudest writers. But to proove these things to be effectuall, God knoweth their reasons are base and absurd. For they write so, as they take the matter in question as granted,/283. and by that meanes go awaie therewith. For L. VairusL. Vair. lib. de fascin. 1. cap. 1. saith in the beginning of his booke, that there is no doubt of this supernaturall matter, bicause a number of writers agree herein, and a number of stories confirme it, and manie poets handle the same argument, and in the twelve tables there is a lawe against it, and bicause the consent of the common people is fullie with it, and bicause immoderate praise is to be approoved a kind of witchcraft, and bicause old women have such charmes and superstitious meanes as preserve themselves from it, and bicause they are mocked that take awaie the credit of such miracles, and bicause SalomonSapi. 4.
Gali. 3.
Psal. 119. saith; Fascinatio malignitatis obscurat bona, and bicause the apostle saith; O insensati Galatæ, quis vos fascinavit? And bicause it is written, Qui timent te, videbunt me. And finallie he saith, least you should seeme to distrust and detract anie thing from the credit of so manie grave men, from histories, and common opinion of all men: he meaneth in no wise to proove that there is miraculous working by witchcraft and fascination; and proceedeth so, according to his promise.
The xxii. Chapter.
Lawfull charmes, or rather medicinable cures for diseased cattell. The charme of charmes, and the power thereof.
UTDirect and lawfull meanes of curing cattell, &c. if you desire to learne true and lawfull charmes, to cure diseased cattell, even such as seeme to have extraordinarie sicknesse, or to be bewitched, or (as they saie) strangelie taken: looke in B. Googe his third booke, treating of cattell, and happilie you shall find some good medicine or cure for them: or if you list to see more ancient stuffe, read Vegetius his foure bookes thereupon: or, if you be unlearned, seeke some cunning bullocke leech. If all this will not serve, then set Jobs patience before your eies. And never thinke that a poore old woman can alter supernaturallie the notable course, which God hath appointed among his/284. creatures. If it had beene Gods pleasure to have permitted such a course, he would no doubt have both given notice in his word, that he had given such power unto them, and also would have taught remedies to have prevented them.
Furthermore, if you will knowe assured meanes, and infallible charmes, yeelding indeed undoubted remedies, and preventing all maner of witchcrafts, and also the assaults of wicked spirits; then despise first all cou/sening200.[2] knaverie of priests, witches, and couseners: and with true faith read the sixt chapter of S. Paule to the Ephesians, and followe his counsell, which is ministred unto you in the words following, deserving worthilie to be called by the name insuing:
The charme of charmes.
A charme of charmes taken out of the sixt chapter of S. Paule to the Ephesians.Finallie my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may stand against the assaults of the divell. For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud, but against principalities and powers, & against worldlie governors the princes of the darkenes of this world, against spirituall wickednes, which are in the high places. For this cause take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evill daie; and having finished all things, stand fast. Stand therefore, and your loines girded about with veritie, and having on the brestplate of righteousnes, &c: as followeth in that chapter, verses 15. 16. 17. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 1 Pet. 5, verse. 8. Ephes. 1. and elsewhere in the holie scripture.