22. And it hath been the conjecture of eminent speculators that from the Loins of such arise the numerous broodSpirits in Green-Land of Elves, Faeryes, Lycanthropi; And Pigmyes, sometimes visible, sometimes invisible in Green-Land and the adjacent rocks where they have no concomitants, but bears and scurvy-grass to mix, and make merry withal, except they pass from thence to the Northern parts of America, where they shall find their off-spring adored for Gods, and Goddesses, by the ignorant Inhabitants about new Albion, and as far South as Mexico, as is amply related in the discourses of Drake, Cortes and Purchas concerning the conquest and discovery of these Territoryes.
Destroying Spirits.23. By Apparitions upon the water many have been tempted to leap into the Sea in pursuit thereof till they were drowned, of which spectres there is a sort called by Psellus, Ordales, who do appear like Ducks or other Water fouls, till they by fluttering upon the water, do entice their followers to pursue them so farr that many perish in the attempt, which doth greatly delight these faithless/54. Spirits who (as we have said before) do long to accompany their Astral Spirits after their decease. An Example of this kinde I my self knew, besides the numerous relations I have had from the mouths of others, which confirm the opinions of the antient Magicians concerning these water Spirits, that of all the rest they are the most deceitful, and dangerous, like the flattering Seas, and swift gliding Torrents, that when they have wonn any thing, to admire, and sound them, do carry them violently into the abysse of their own Element.
24. But we will leave the waters and insist a little on the nature of Igneous or Fiery SpiritsFiery Spirits. that inhabit the Mountains in Hecla, Ætna, Propo Champ, and Poconzi; Where the Courts, and Castles of these puissant Champions are kept. The opinion of some is, What these Spirits are.That they are not Astral, but Infernal Spirits, and Damned Souls, that for a term of years are confined to these burning Mountains for their Iniquities: Which opinion although it be granted, yet we may assert, That for the most part the apparitions, sounds, noices, clangors, and clamors, that are heard about the Mountain Hecla in Island and other places, are the effects of separated Starry beings, who are neither capable of good nor evill, but are of a middle vegetative nature, and at the dissolution of the Media Natura shall be again reduced into their primary Æther.
Why they delight in the fiery element.25. And from natural Causes, it may be easily demonstrated, That there is great Correspondence betwixt such substances, and the Element of fire, by reason of the Internal Flagrat and Central Life proceeding from the Quintessence or*[* ? of] one only Element which upholds them, in Motion, Life, and Nourishment. As every natural, and supernatural being is upheld, and maintain’d out of the self-same root from whence it had its original, or rise; So the Angels feed upon the Celestial Manna, The Devils of the fruits of Hell, which is natural to their appetite, as trash for swine; the Astral beings; of the source of the stars, the Beasts, Birds, or Reptiles of the fruits of the Eatth,†[† sic] and the gas of the Air, the fishes of the blass of the Water; But more particularly, every thing is nourished by its Mother, as Infants at the Breast, either by exhausting or fomentation.
Spirits that burn Cities.26. Such Spirits are very officious in the burnings of Towns, or Cole-pits, delighting much to dance and exult amidst the flames, and become Incendiaries worse then the material Cause of the Combustion, often tempting men in drukeness,‡[‡ sic] to burn their own Houses, and causing Servants carelesly to sleep, that such unlucky accidents may happen. As the Story of Kzarwilwui a Town in Poland doth confirm, which was reduced to ashes by three of these pestilentious Animals, called Saggos, Broundal, and Baldwin, who after many open Threatnings for six months together, that they would destroy the City, and Citizens, did on a dark and stormy night, set all on fire on a suddain in twenty or thirty several places, which irrecoverably destroyed the Inhabitants.
Their food and pastime.27. As for the nourishment of fiery Spirits, it is radical heat, and the influence of the Aery Region; their sport and pastime consisteth for the most part in tumbling, and fooling one with another when the flames are most impetuous, and violent in the Mountains: And it is likewise credited by some that their office is to cruciate and punish some Evil Livers, retaining, and tormenting their Souls, or Astral Spirits for many years after the Bodies decease, which is too empty a notion to be hearkened unto by any that are well informed of their natures.
Why they delight in the fiery quality.28. Neither is it to be wondered at that they are so much delighted with the fiery quality in regard of their affinity and appropriation with infernal spirits, whose state and being is altogether damnable and deplorable; for although they have not the ability of attaining either the Heavenly or Infernal quality, by reason that they are utterly voyd of the innermost Center, and may be rather called bruits, then rational Animals, yet because they belong to the outermost *principle,* Fire] such is their innate Affinity, and Unity with the dark World, or infernal Kingdome that they do often become the Devils Agents to propagate his works upon the face of the Earth./
55.Astral Spirits ministers to the devill. 29. By the Instigations of infernal Spirits they are often sent to terrifie men with nocturnal visions, in the likeness of monstrous Beasts or Ghosts of their deceased Friends. They are moreover often abetted to tempt and provoke melancholy people to execute themselves; besides innumerable wayes they have of executing the pleasures of *iniquous[* sic] Spirits through malicious Instigations, and secret Stratagems projected by them to the destruction of mortal men, especially when the work to be effected by the Devil is too too hard for his subtle and spiritual nature to bring to pass, because the same belongs to the Astral source or outward principle to which these dubious Spirits do properly belong; then are they frequently sollicited to mediate in such treacherous actions, as the hellish Spirits have conspired against the Lives of mortal men.
Why the devil requires their help.30. More particularly, These Spirits that belong to the fiery Element, are most officious in this kinde of service, being naturally such as the Antecedent matter hath sufficiently demonstrated; but according to the ranks and Categoryes to which they belong, some of them are more inveterate, and malicious in their undertakings then the rest. But every kinde of Astral Spirit is obsequious to the Kingdome of darkness, that the devilish Spirits can effect little or nothing without their assistance in this external principle of the Starrs and Elements upon the bodies or possessions of Mankind; because their bodies are too crude and rough for the conveyance of their influence, either in Dreams, Raptures, Philtres, Charms, or Constellations, as the following Chapter of the nature of Infernal beings shall make plain, wherein the nature and capacity of every damned Spirit is decyphered according to the truth of the antient Philosophy.
Subterranean Spirits.31. Leave we now the Spirits of the fire, to illustrate the natures of subterranean Beings, whose Orders, Species, and Degrees, are various; for they consist in these distinctions, viz. Spirits of men deceased, Souls of men deceased, separated Spirits Astral, separate Spirits semi-Infernal, Spirits appropriate to the Constellations where any of the seven metals, viz. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Venus, Mercury, are found in the bowels of the Earth; and as farr as the natures of Minerals are distinct one from the other, so much distant are these Subterranean Spirits in Nature and Faculty in respect of their places, shapes, names, and qualities.