To the right excellent andmost wise and vertuous LordIohn SteigerusConsullof the noble Common wealth ofBerna,his goodLord and Patrone, Lewes LauaterusofTigurine,wisheth health.MAny and diuers things are reasoned vpon, both of the learned and vnlearned, as wel of other matter, as also of Spirites, which are seene and heard, and make men afraid in the night season, and in the day time, by sea and by lande, in the fields, woods, and houses: And likewise concerning such straunge things which for the most part happen before the death of certain men, especially great Princes, and before notable innouations of Kingdomes and Empires. Many which neuer sawe or heard any of these things, suppose all that is reported of them, to be meere trifles and old wiues tales: for so much as simple men, and such as are fearefull and superstitious, perswade themselues they haue seen this or that, when indeed the matter is farre otherwise. Againe, there are some, which assoone as they heare of any thing, especially if it happen in the night, they by and by thinke some spirite dooth walke, and are maruellously troubled in minde, becausethey cannot discerne naturall things from spirites. And some (chiefly those whiche hunt after gaines, by the soules of dead men) affirme that the most part of such things which are heard or seene, are the soules of dead men, which craue helpe of them that are liuing, to be deliuered out of the torments of most cruell paine in Purgatorie. Many not only of the common sort, but also men of excellent knowledge, do maruell whether there be any spirits or no, and what maner of things they are. Yea and some of my familiar friends haue many times requested me, to shew them my opinion concerning these matters. Wherfore me seemeth it shall be worth my laboure, if I declare briefly and plainly out of the word of God, what we ought to iudge concerning these things. For the Ministers of Gods Church can take nothing more profitable in hande, than to instruct the people of God purely and plainly, in such necessary matters as come in question out of the word of God, which is a lanterne (as the Psalmist saith) vnto our feete, and a light vnto our pathes: and to deliuer them from all errour and superstition, and bring them out of all wauering and doubt. And verily their studie & diligence is to be highly commended, who for these fewe yeares ago, haue set forth certaine bookes drawne out of the scriptures, written in the Germaine tongue against sundrie errours: and theirs likewise who in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache, instruct, and confirme the rude and vnlearned people. For amongst many other excellent benefits, which God our heauenly Father hath bestowed vppon mankinde, thisalso is a great and most liberall gift, that in this latter, and as it were old age of the world, he hath brought to light by the Art of Imprinting, aswel many other good Authours, as also the holie scriptures of the old and new Testament, written in diuers languages: whereby he doth not onlie teach vs amply and fully what to beleeue, and what to doo, but also mightily subuerteth and quite ouerthroweth diuers and sundrie errours, which by little and little haue crept into the Church. Truly all such are verie vngrateful towards God, which do not willingly acknowledge this so notable a benefit.The diuision or partes of this booke.As touching this my treatise concerning Spirits, and straunge wonders, I haue deuided it into three partes for the more cleare vnderstanding therof. In the first parte I shewe, that there are visions and spirits, and that they appeare vnto men sometimes, and that many & maruellous things happen besides the ordinarie course of nature. In the second I discusse what maner of things they are, that, is not the soules of dead men, as some men haue thought, but either good or euill angels, or else some secret and hid operations of God. In the third I declare why God doth somtime suffer Spirits to appear, and diuers forewarnings to happen: and also how mÄ“ ought to behaue themselues when they happen to meete with such things. In these points or partes, the chiefest thing wheron men vse to reason touching this matter, are conteined. Now I mean to handle this matter, being very obscure and intricate, with many questions, (I trust) so plainly, & clerely out of the holy scriptures, whereon we may surely stay our selues, out of theanciÄ“t fathers, allowed historiographers, and other good writers, that those which are studious and louers of Gods truth, may well vnderstand what may be denied & thought of those apparitions, & other straunge & maruellous matters. And I also trust that euen our aduersaries also, (in case they wil lay their affections aside, but a litle while) wil say that I haue truly alleaged all their arguments, and confuted thÄ“ without any railing or bitternesse. For my purposed ende is according to the doctrine of SaintPaule, to edifie and not to destroy.As touching diuinations, blessings, iuglings, coniurings, and diuers kinds of sorcerie, and generally of all other diuellish practises, certaine learned men of our time haue written bookes, asGasper Pencerus,Ioannes Viera,Ludouicus Mellichius, and perchaunce some others also, whose worke I haue not yet seene. It is not long ago sinceIoannes Riuiusa man learned and eloquent, published a booke in the latin toong, entreating of spirites and superstition. In the which booke albeit very briefly, yet doth hee as he is wont in all things, very finely & eloquently intreat of this matter, and of other foolishe superstitions. And albeit that I do write more largely of this, yet was it not my minde to gather togither al those thinges which I could haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter: but only such as seeme the chiefest and most especiall points, partly because I would not be tedious to the reader, & partly also least my books shuld grow vnto an ouer great quantity. I haue great hope thatIoachimus Camerarius, that excellent man, who readeth the auncient writers both greeks and latins,with exquisite iudgemÄ“t, and hath great experience in all things, will shortly write learnedly & at large of this matter, and also of others like vnto it. For so muche hee seemeth to promise in his preface toPlutarchesBooke,De defectu oraculorum, & figura, & consecrata Delphis(wherin he handleth the nature and operatiÅs of diuels) and also in other of his writings. I for my parte had once written this my treatise in the vulger tong, and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men, I haue translated it into latin, adding certaine things thereto.The dedication.This my booke which I haue with great labour and study gathered out of other mÄ“s writings I present & offer vnto you (most noble consul) according to the ancient fashion & custome: not for that I suppose you haue any neede of my teaching, touching these things which are herein hÄdled. (For I am not ignoraunt, vnder what teachers you haue atteined vnto true learning, and how you haue and do continually read ouer sundry good authors with perfect knowledge in many tongues.) But partly that I might purchase credit and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men, vnto whome your goodnes, godlinesse and constancie (which you haue alwaies hitherto euermore shewed, and yet do shewe, in setting forth true religiÅ, & mainteining good lawes) is throughly knowne: and partly that I might shew my selfe in some respecte thankfull vnto you. For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me, whom you onlie knowe by sight, and vppon other Ministers of the Church, wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you, that I shall neuer be able to make any recompence.Wherefore I most earnestly beseech you, not to refuse this signe and token of my good wil, be it neuer so simple: but rather to vouchsafe, whÄ“ ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common wealth, to reade ouer this my booke: for I haue good hope it will not seeme vnpleasaunt vnto you & others in the reading, as wel for the plaine order I vse therin, as also for the sundrie and manifold histories in it recited.Almightie God, who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts, that for them, (albeit very yong) you haue aspired vnto the highest degree in your noble citie and dominiÅ ofBerna, vouchsafe to preserue you in health, and increase and multiply his good gifts in you. My Lords & brethren the ministers ofTigurin, and also your old companion masterGeorge Grebelius, that excellent man in lerning, vertu, and nobilitie, hartily salute your Lordship. FromTigurinin the month of Ianuary, the year of Christs Natiuitie. 1570.A Table of the Chapters of the three principallparts, touching Spirits walking by Night.Of the first part.Concerning certaine words which are often vsed in thisTreatise of Spirites, and diuers other diuinations of thingsto come.    Chapter.1.Folio.1.Melancholike persons and madde men, imagining thingswhich in very deed are not.    Chapter.2.Fol.9.Fearefull men, imagine that they see and heare straungethings.    Chap.3.Fol.14.Men which are dull of seeing and hearing, imagine manythings which in very deed are not so.    Chap.4.Fol.16.Many are so feared by other men, that they suppose theyhaue heard or seene spirits.    Chap.5.Fol.21.Priests and Monkes fained themselues to be spirits: alsohowMundusvnder this colour defiledPaulina, andTyrannusabused many noble and honest matrons.     Chap.6.Fol.23.Timotheus Aelurus, counterfeiting himselfe to bean Angell, obteined a Bishoppricke: foure Monkes of theorder of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions atBerna.Chapter.7.Fol.28.Of a counterfaite and deceiuing spirite atOrleaunceinFrance.    Chap.8.Fol.37.Of a certaine parish priest atClauenna, which fained himselfe to be our Lady, and of an other that counterfeited himselfeto be a Soule, as also of a certaine disguised Iesuit Frier.Chapter.9.Fol.41.That it is no maruell if vaine sightes haue bene in oldetime, neither yet that it is to be maruelled at, if there be any atthis day.    Chap.10.Fol.45.That many naturall things are taken to be ghostes.Chapter.11.Fol.49.A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that ghostes dooftentimes appeare.    Chap.12.Fol.53.A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, andof the writings of holy Fathers, that there are walkingspirits.    Chap.13.Fol.62.That in the bookes, set foorth by Monkes, are many ridiculousand vaine apparitions. Chap.14.Fol.65.A proofe by other sufficient writers, that spirits do sometimeappeare.    Chap.15.Fol.68.Daily experience teacheth vs, that spirites do appeare tomen.    Chap.16.Fol.71.That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications,and that sodain noyses and cracks and such like, are heardbefore the death of men, before battail, and before somenotable alterations and chaunges.     Chap.17.Fol.77.It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture, that spiritesare sometime seen and heard, and that other strange mattersdo often chaunce.    Chap.18.Fol.85.To whom, when, where, and after what sort, spirits doappeare, and what they do worke.    Chap.19.Fol.88.The Chapters of the second part.The opinion or beleef of the Gentils, Iewes, and Turks,concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies.Chapter.1.Fol.98.The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men,and the appearing of them.    Chap.2.Fol.102.What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists,concerning the appearing of mens soules.    Chap.3.Fol.110.Testimonies out of the word of God, that neither thesoules of the faithful, nor of infidels, do walke vpon theearth after they are once parted from their bodies.    Chapter.4.Fol.114.Testimonies of the auncient Fathers, that deade menssoules parted from their bodies, doo not wander herevppon earth.    Chap.5.Fol.116.A confutation of those mens arguments or reasons,which affirme, that dead mens soules do appeare. And first,that is answered which certaine do alleage, to wit, thatGod is omnipotent, and therefore that hee can workecontrary to the ordinary course of nature.     Chap.6.Fol.123.That the true Samuel did not appeare to the Witch inEndor.    Chap.7.Fol.127.A confutation of their arguments, which woulde haueSamuell himselfe to appeare.    Chap.8.Fol.133.Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder theshape of a faithfull man?    Chap.9.Fol.140.MosesandEliasappeared in the Mount vntoChrist our Lorde: many haue beene raised from the dead bothin bodie and soule, and therefore soules after they aredeparted, may returne on earth againe.    Chap.10.Fol.145.Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a manssoule, when Christ sodeinly appeared vnto them afterhis Resurrection.    Chap.11.Fol.148.Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishoppes, andcommon people, which say that soules doo visibly appeare.Chap.12.Fol.151.Whether soules doo returne againe out of Purgatorie,and the place which they callLimbus puerorum.Chapter.13.Fol.155.What those things are which men see and heare: and firstthat good Angels do sometimes appeare.    Chap.14.Fol.159.That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill angelsdoo appeare.    Chap.15.Fol.163.Of wondrous monsters, and such like.    Chap.16.Fol.164.That it is no hard thing for the diuell to appeare in diuersshapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.Chap.17.Fol.167.Diuels do sometimes bid men do those things which aregood, and auoyde things that are euill: sometimes they telltruth, and for what cause.    Chap.18.Fol.171.The Chapters of the third part.God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull,and punish the vnbeleeuers.    Chap.1.Fol.175.What the cause is that in these our dayes, so fewe spiritesare seene or heard.    Chap.2.Fol.183.Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinaryrumblings to be heard before some notable alterations, orotherwise.    Chap.3.Fol.186.After what sort they should behaue themselues, whichsee good or euill spirits, or meete with other straungeaduentures: and first how both Iewes and Gentiles behauedthemselues in the like cases.    Chap.4.Fol.187.How Christian men ought to behaue themselues whenthey see spirits, and first, that they ought to haue agood courage, and to be stedfast in faith.    Chap.5.Fol.190.It behoueth them which are vexed with spirites topray especially, and to giue themselues to fasting,sobrietie, watching, and vpright and godly liuing.Chap.6.Fol.193.That spirits which vse to appeare, ought to be iustly suspected:and that we may not talke with them, nor enquireany thing of them.    Chap.7.Fol.195.Testimonies out of the holy Scripture, and one examplewhereby it is prooued, that such kinde of apparitions are notto be credited, and that we ought to be verie circumspect inthem.    Chap.8.Fol.201.After what sort the faithfull in the primatiue church, vsedthemselues, when they met with spirits.    Chap.9.Fol.204.That sundry kindes of superstition haue crept in, wherbymen haue attempted to driue away spirits. Chap.10.Fol.206.That spirites are not to bee driuen away by cursing andbanning.    Chap.11.Fol.214.After what sort we ought to behaue our selues, when weheare straunge cracks, or when other forewarnings happen.Chapter.12.Fol.216.F I N I S.The first parte of thisBooke, concerning Spirits walking by night.Wherin is declared, that Spirits and sightsdo appeare, and that sundry strange andmonstrous things doohappen.CHAP. I.Concerning certaine wordes whiche are often vsed in thisTreatise of Spirits, and diuers other diuinations of thingsto come.TO the intent, that those men which occupie themselues in reading of this my Booke, and especially in perusing of other auncient writers, may the better vnderstand euery thing, I will at the first enteraunce briefly expounde those things which shall séeme to concern the proprietie of words and termes vsed in this my Treatise of Spirits.SpectrumSpectrum, amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight.Scaligeraffirmeth, thatSpectrumis a thing which offereth it selfe to be séene, either truly, or by vaine imagination. The Diuines take it to be a substance without a bodie, which being heard or séene, maketh men afraide.Visum.Visum, signifieth an imagination or a certaine shewe, which men being in sléepe, yea and waking also, séeme in their iudgement to behold: as we read of Brutus, who saw his owne angell.Ciceroin his first booke Acadæm, quest. writeth, thatVisum, amongst the Grecians is calledφαντασία, a fantasie, or vaine imagination.Visio.Also the Latines call those thingsVisiones, which the Grecians nameφαντασίας.Terriculamenta.Terriculamenta, are vain visions or sights, which make men afraide. The Latines also call itTerriculum, because it bréedeth feare.Phantasma.Mat.24.Marke 6.That which S. Matth. 24. and Marke 6. callφαντασμαErasmus doth translate itSpectrum, but the old interpreter vseth the Gréeke word.Phasma.φασμαin like manner doth signifie an elfe, a sighte or vaine apparition.Suidasmaketh a difference betwéenePhantasmaandPhantasia, saying, thatPhantasmais an imagination, an appearance or sight of a thing which is not, as are those sightes which men in their sléepe do thinke they sée: but thatPhantasia, is the séeing of that onely which is in very déede.Pneuma.Luk.24.πνεῦμαis taken in Luke 24. chapter, for a spirite or vaine imagination. Howbeit most commonly some other word is ioyned vnto it, if it bee put for an euill spirite: asπνεÏματα πλανά πονηÏα.The Gentiles (as S. Augustine and other Fathers doo testifie) supposed that the soules of men becameDæmones, that is, good or euil angels: which if they had done well, then were they calledLares, that is priuate gods: but if they haue done euill, then were they namedLemures, orLarue, bugs and Elues. But if it were doubted whether they had liued well or ill, then were they calledManes. Apuleius and other old writers affirme, thatGenijandLareswere all one.Lares.Præstites.It was supposed (asFestuswitnesseth) thatLares, were the soules of men, or else infernall gods.Lareswere calledPræstites, because they made all things safe with their eies:that is, they saued and preserued all things.Hostilij.And Authors affirme, they were calledHostilij, for that they were supposed to driue away enemies. Neither were they thought to beare rule only in priuate houses, & in crosse méeting waies, but also to defend Cities. They were likewise worshipped priuately in houses, and openly in the high wayes. As touching those that were calledLares, you may read more in Anthonius Constantius, of Fauentia his Commentaries, and in Ouid.lib.5.Fastorum.Genius.Genius(say the Grammarians) is the naturall god of euery place, of euery thing, or of euery man when we are borne, as it is written, we haue twoGenij, whereof the one encourageth vs to doo well, the other to doo euill.Genius(saithCensorinus) is a god in whose gouernance euery man doth liue, so soone as he is borne: either because hée taketh care for our begetting, or that he is engendred with vs, or else that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are begotten. Sure it is, he is calledGenius, à gignendo, that is, of begetting.PenatesPenateslikewise are domesticall gods.Macrobiusaffirmeth, that they are gods by whom we onely breathe, by whom we enioy this body, and by whom we possesse the reason of our mindes.Noniussaith,Lemuresare spirites walking by night, and terrors rising of pictures of mÄ“ & beasts. Other say, thatLemuresare euil and hurtfull shapes which appeare in the night, yea and that they be the soules of those that make men black and blew, called after that name.Vmbræ.Some men call the ghosts of all dead things by yͤ name ofLemures. Thus saithApuleius, Of thoseLemures, he that hath care of his posteritie, and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and quiet kinde of rule, was calledLar familiaris, god of the house. And be cause among the people of olde time, as they countedLaresgood, so they supposedLemuresto be naught, therefore to driue them away, they did sacrifice vnto them.Lemures.Some other affirme, thatLemuresare soules which tarry about the bodies.Porphyriuscalleth them the wandring soules of men departed before their time, as it wereRemures, taking their name ofRemus, whose soule folowed his brotherRomulus: who to the intent he might pacifie them, instituted feastes calledLemuria.Laruæ.Ceriti.Seruiuswriteth, thatVmbræwere calledLaruæ: and they called dead mens soules by the name ofVmbræ. OfLaruæmen are calledLaruati, that is to say, frantike men, and such as are vexed with spirits. Who also as (Noniuswitnesseth) are calledCeriti.Manes.Seruiussaith, that mennes soules are calledManes, at suche time as departing from their bodies, they are not yet passed into other bodies. And he iudgeth that they are so called by the figureá¼Î½Ï„ίφÏασις, (whiche is when one speaketh by contraries) of the olde adiectiueManus, that is good, because they were nothing lesse than good. For the auncient people supposed, thatManeswere infernall gods, and therefore did they number them amongst their euil gods, and pacified them with sacrifice, least they should hurt them. Some affirme thatManesare indéed infernall gods, but yet good: whereof commethMane, which signifieth good, andDii Manes, as if you would say, good and prosperous gods, and therof also is saidImmanes, for, not good.Some other suppose, that soules separated from the bodies, were called after this name: Wherby we sée the auncient monuments of tumbes haue bene dedicated toDiis Manibus, to the infernall gods: In the which opinionApuleiuswas, as we said a little before.There are some that iudgeManes, to be the very same, that the old people calledGenii, and that there were two of theseManesassigned vnto mens bodies, euen immediately after their begetting, which forsake them not whÄ“ they are dead, but continue in the graues after the bodies are consumed. For the which cause, those men who defaced Monuments,were thought to doo wrong vnto the gods calledManes. The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the infernall gods by the name ofManes, and that because they beléeued (asFestusdoth write) that all things didmanare, that is, were deriued from them. Other thinke they were so calledà manando, of flowing, because the places betwéen the circle of the Moone and the earth, from whence they come, are full of soules.Maniæ.Maniæare deformed creatures, asFestussaith: and also vgly shapes, wherwith nursses make children afraid.Mormo.μοÏμω, is a woman with a face almost of a monstrous fashion: hereof it is taken for a heg: as alsoμοÏμοιλÏκειον, doth signifie a terrible sight, a spirit, or an elfe.Nicephorussaith in his Ecclesiasticall history, that a woman vsing to walke by night, is called by the name ofGilo.Lamiæ.Lamiæwere supposed of the auncient people to be women hauing eies to put out or in at their pleasure, or rather certaine shapes of diuels, which taking on them the shewe of beautifull women, deuoured children and yoong men, allured vnto them with swéete inticements.Philostratusin his bookeAppollonio, writeth a maruellous history or fable of oneMenippus, beloued of an hegge. The same authour writeth, thatLamiæare called of some menLaruæ, spirits walking by night: andLemurei, night spirits of horrible shapes: and of manyEmpusa, ghoasts of variable fashion: and that nursses so named them to make their children afraide.Chrysostomus Dionwriteth, that in the inmost part ofAffrikeare certain wild beasts, hauing the countenance of a woman, which in like manner are calledLamiæ: and he saith that they haue their paps and al the rest of their breast so faire as any Painters wit can deuise, which being vncouered, they deceitfully allure men vnto them, and when they haue taken them, doo forthwith deuoure them.Lamiæ of Hier chap.4.In the fourth chapter of the Lamentations ofHieremie,it is saide:Lamiæ nudauerunt mammas suas,&c.Apuleiuswriteth, thatLamiæare things that make Children affraide.Striges.Lamiæare also calledStriges.Striges(as they say) are vnluckie birdes, which sucke out the blood of infantes lying in their cradles. And hereof some men will haue Witches take their name, who also are calledVolaticæ, asFestuswriteth.Gorgones.The name ofGorgon, was inuented to make children afraid: for they say theseGorgonsare rauening spirites, such as men faineLamiæto be.Incubi.Succubi.Ephialtæ, andHyphialtæ, that is,Incubi&Succubi, (which we call Maares) are night spirits or rather Diuels, which leape vpon men in their sléepe. The Phisitians do affirme, that these are nothing else but a disease.Empusa.Empusa, is an apparition of the Diuel, or a spirit which sheweth it selfe vnto such as are in misery, chaunging his shape into diuers formes, and for the most part appeareth at noone time. Read more hereof inSuidas.Dicelon.Hecatæa.Dicelon, is so called because it is sent to make men afraid: those kinds of terrors the Grecians callHecatæa, asApolloniuswriteth, becauseHecateorProserpinais the cause of them, who therefore is calledβÏιμώ άπὸ τοῦ βÏιμᾷν, that is of terrifying, and that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp by her.Acco.Alphito.Plutarchuswriteth, thatAccoandAlphito, were monstrous women, by naming of whome, mothers kept their children in awe, and made them feare to do euil.Telchinnes.Cardanuscalleth these Diuels which kéepe vnder the earth, and many times kill men as they are vndermining, by the name ofTilchinnes. Men vsing witchcraft, and such as are possessed with a Spirit, and out of their wits, are called amongst the Grecians,τελχῖνες.Pan.Faunus.Of these sort are those monsters, halfe like men, and halfe like beastes, whiche men say are founde in woods,and oftentimes haue appeared vnto men. It is saide, thatPanesandFauni, are all one, hauing their nether parts like vnto Goates féete.Satyri.Sileni.And menne saye, thatSatyri, are almost lyke vnto men: And those whiche are of full age are calledSileni.Onocentaurus.Onocentaurus, is a beast of a straunge fashion, which is reported to be like a man in the vpper part, and downward like an asse.Onosceli.Onosceli, as it is written inPlutarche, are Diuels, hauing legges like vnto asses.Hyppocentaurus.The olde people imagined, thatHippocentauri, were creatures, who before were like to men, but the hinder parts had the similitude of horses.Sphinx.And they do faine, thatSphinxisAnimalανθÏοπομοÏφον, a beast of the similitude of a man.Scilla.Harpyæ.Scilla, andHarpyæ, are rauening Diuels, with faces like vnto maydens.Triton.Nereides.Syrenes.As touching men liuing in the Sea, asTritones,NereidesandSyrenes, who as the auncient people affirmed, had faces like vnto men. ReadeGesnerusinHistoria Aquatilium, where he intreateth of them. For he prooueth out of many Authors, that there are founde Monsters in the Sea, hauing shapes and countenaunces somewhat like vnto men.Some of these Monsters which are indéede, bee of the kinde of Apes, and some are onely fabulous, or false: yet notwithstanding, it may be, that the Diuell doth deceiue men vnder the formes of them.Thus much concerning tearmes, which we must vse in this our Treatise of Spirits or Visions.Hereunto haue I adioyned straunge happes, and foretokens, which for the most part chaunce before great matters. And therefore I knit them vnto these, because they haue great resemblance vnto them.Portentum.For vaine imaginations also appeare vnto our sights: armed men as it were are seene on earth, or in the aire: and other such like shapes, voyces, noyses, crackes, and such like. But as touching the very words,Portentumis that which foresheweth some thing to come, as when straunge bodies appeare in the aire, or blazing starres, or thunder in faire weather, or whirlewindes do chaunce.Festussaith, that albeitPortentumbe a naturall thing, yet it happeneth sildome, and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after a certaine season.Ostentum.Ostentum, is some straunge thing, which sheweth some thing to come to effect speedily. They giue the like examples of them both.Prodigium.Prodigium, is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of nature, yet notwithstanding it doth alwaies betoken some euill thing, being calledProdigium, as it were ofporro agendum, to be done afterward.Monstrum.Monstrum, is that which hapneth against nature, as when any thing is brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde: the which is also calledPromonstrum, as who should say,Porro aliquid monstrans, siue monens, that is, shewing or warning some thing to happen afterward. Notwithstanding these termes are many times confounded togither, and taken in one signification, and that because they respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of things to come. The vaine visions wheron we here intreat, appertaine nothing to naturall philosophers, neither yet these things which we haue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning, or rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing chance which standeth by naturall reason, it doth not properly belong vnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things passe, we will by Gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it selfe.
To the right excellent and
most wise and vertuous LordIohn SteigerusConsullof the noble Common wealth ofBerna,his goodLord and Patrone, Lewes LauaterusofTigurine,wisheth health.
MAny and diuers things are reasoned vpon, both of the learned and vnlearned, as wel of other matter, as also of Spirites, which are seene and heard, and make men afraid in the night season, and in the day time, by sea and by lande, in the fields, woods, and houses: And likewise concerning such straunge things which for the most part happen before the death of certain men, especially great Princes, and before notable innouations of Kingdomes and Empires. Many which neuer sawe or heard any of these things, suppose all that is reported of them, to be meere trifles and old wiues tales: for so much as simple men, and such as are fearefull and superstitious, perswade themselues they haue seen this or that, when indeed the matter is farre otherwise. Againe, there are some, which assoone as they heare of any thing, especially if it happen in the night, they by and by thinke some spirite dooth walke, and are maruellously troubled in minde, becausethey cannot discerne naturall things from spirites. And some (chiefly those whiche hunt after gaines, by the soules of dead men) affirme that the most part of such things which are heard or seene, are the soules of dead men, which craue helpe of them that are liuing, to be deliuered out of the torments of most cruell paine in Purgatorie. Many not only of the common sort, but also men of excellent knowledge, do maruell whether there be any spirits or no, and what maner of things they are. Yea and some of my familiar friends haue many times requested me, to shew them my opinion concerning these matters. Wherfore me seemeth it shall be worth my laboure, if I declare briefly and plainly out of the word of God, what we ought to iudge concerning these things. For the Ministers of Gods Church can take nothing more profitable in hande, than to instruct the people of God purely and plainly, in such necessary matters as come in question out of the word of God, which is a lanterne (as the Psalmist saith) vnto our feete, and a light vnto our pathes: and to deliuer them from all errour and superstition, and bring them out of all wauering and doubt. And verily their studie & diligence is to be highly commended, who for these fewe yeares ago, haue set forth certaine bookes drawne out of the scriptures, written in the Germaine tongue against sundrie errours: and theirs likewise who in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache, instruct, and confirme the rude and vnlearned people. For amongst many other excellent benefits, which God our heauenly Father hath bestowed vppon mankinde, thisalso is a great and most liberall gift, that in this latter, and as it were old age of the world, he hath brought to light by the Art of Imprinting, aswel many other good Authours, as also the holie scriptures of the old and new Testament, written in diuers languages: whereby he doth not onlie teach vs amply and fully what to beleeue, and what to doo, but also mightily subuerteth and quite ouerthroweth diuers and sundrie errours, which by little and little haue crept into the Church. Truly all such are verie vngrateful towards God, which do not willingly acknowledge this so notable a benefit.
The diuision or partes of this booke.
As touching this my treatise concerning Spirits, and straunge wonders, I haue deuided it into three partes for the more cleare vnderstanding therof. In the first parte I shewe, that there are visions and spirits, and that they appeare vnto men sometimes, and that many & maruellous things happen besides the ordinarie course of nature. In the second I discusse what maner of things they are, that, is not the soules of dead men, as some men haue thought, but either good or euill angels, or else some secret and hid operations of God. In the third I declare why God doth somtime suffer Spirits to appear, and diuers forewarnings to happen: and also how mē ought to behaue themselues when they happen to meete with such things. In these points or partes, the chiefest thing wheron men vse to reason touching this matter, are conteined. Now I mean to handle this matter, being very obscure and intricate, with many questions, (I trust) so plainly, & clerely out of the holy scriptures, whereon we may surely stay our selues, out of theanciēt fathers, allowed historiographers, and other good writers, that those which are studious and louers of Gods truth, may well vnderstand what may be denied & thought of those apparitions, & other straunge & maruellous matters. And I also trust that euen our aduersaries also, (in case they wil lay their affections aside, but a litle while) wil say that I haue truly alleaged all their arguments, and confuted thē without any railing or bitternesse. For my purposed ende is according to the doctrine of SaintPaule, to edifie and not to destroy.
As touching diuinations, blessings, iuglings, coniurings, and diuers kinds of sorcerie, and generally of all other diuellish practises, certaine learned men of our time haue written bookes, asGasper Pencerus,Ioannes Viera,Ludouicus Mellichius, and perchaunce some others also, whose worke I haue not yet seene. It is not long ago sinceIoannes Riuiusa man learned and eloquent, published a booke in the latin toong, entreating of spirites and superstition. In the which booke albeit very briefly, yet doth hee as he is wont in all things, very finely & eloquently intreat of this matter, and of other foolishe superstitions. And albeit that I do write more largely of this, yet was it not my minde to gather togither al those thinges which I could haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter: but only such as seeme the chiefest and most especiall points, partly because I would not be tedious to the reader, & partly also least my books shuld grow vnto an ouer great quantity. I haue great hope thatIoachimus Camerarius, that excellent man, who readeth the auncient writers both greeks and latins,with exquisite iudgemÄ“t, and hath great experience in all things, will shortly write learnedly & at large of this matter, and also of others like vnto it. For so muche hee seemeth to promise in his preface toPlutarchesBooke,De defectu oraculorum, & figura, & consecrata Delphis(wherin he handleth the nature and operatiÅs of diuels) and also in other of his writings. I for my parte had once written this my treatise in the vulger tong, and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men, I haue translated it into latin, adding certaine things thereto.
The dedication.
This my booke which I haue with great labour and study gathered out of other mÄ“s writings I present & offer vnto you (most noble consul) according to the ancient fashion & custome: not for that I suppose you haue any neede of my teaching, touching these things which are herein hÄdled. (For I am not ignoraunt, vnder what teachers you haue atteined vnto true learning, and how you haue and do continually read ouer sundry good authors with perfect knowledge in many tongues.) But partly that I might purchase credit and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men, vnto whome your goodnes, godlinesse and constancie (which you haue alwaies hitherto euermore shewed, and yet do shewe, in setting forth true religiÅ, & mainteining good lawes) is throughly knowne: and partly that I might shew my selfe in some respecte thankfull vnto you. For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me, whom you onlie knowe by sight, and vppon other Ministers of the Church, wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you, that I shall neuer be able to make any recompence.
Wherefore I most earnestly beseech you, not to refuse this signe and token of my good wil, be it neuer so simple: but rather to vouchsafe, whē ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common wealth, to reade ouer this my booke: for I haue good hope it will not seeme vnpleasaunt vnto you & others in the reading, as wel for the plaine order I vse therin, as also for the sundrie and manifold histories in it recited.
Almightie God, who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts, that for them, (albeit very yong) you haue aspired vnto the highest degree in your noble citie and dominiÅ ofBerna, vouchsafe to preserue you in health, and increase and multiply his good gifts in you. My Lords & brethren the ministers ofTigurin, and also your old companion masterGeorge Grebelius, that excellent man in lerning, vertu, and nobilitie, hartily salute your Lordship. FromTigurinin the month of Ianuary, the year of Christs Natiuitie. 1570.
A Table of the Chapters of the three principallparts, touching Spirits walking by Night.
Of the first part.
F I N I S.
The first parte of thisBooke, concerning Spirits walking by night.Wherin is declared, that Spirits and sightsdo appeare, and that sundry strange andmonstrous things doohappen.
Concerning certaine wordes whiche are often vsed in thisTreatise of Spirits, and diuers other diuinations of thingsto come.
TO the intent, that those men which occupie themselues in reading of this my Booke, and especially in perusing of other auncient writers, may the better vnderstand euery thing, I will at the first enteraunce briefly expounde those things which shall séeme to concern the proprietie of words and termes vsed in this my Treatise of Spirits.
Spectrum
Spectrum, amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight.
Scaligeraffirmeth, thatSpectrumis a thing which offereth it selfe to be séene, either truly, or by vaine imagination. The Diuines take it to be a substance without a bodie, which being heard or séene, maketh men afraide.
Visum.
Visum, signifieth an imagination or a certaine shewe, which men being in sléepe, yea and waking also, séeme in their iudgement to behold: as we read of Brutus, who saw his owne angell.Ciceroin his first booke Acadæm, quest. writeth, thatVisum, amongst the Grecians is calledφαντασία, a fantasie, or vaine imagination.
Visio.
Also the Latines call those thingsVisiones, which the Grecians nameφαντασίας.
Terriculamenta.
Terriculamenta, are vain visions or sights, which make men afraide. The Latines also call itTerriculum, because it bréedeth feare.
Phantasma.
Mat.24.
Marke 6.
That which S. Matth. 24. and Marke 6. callφαντασμαErasmus doth translate itSpectrum, but the old interpreter vseth the Gréeke word.
Phasma.
φασμαin like manner doth signifie an elfe, a sighte or vaine apparition.Suidasmaketh a difference betwéenePhantasmaandPhantasia, saying, thatPhantasmais an imagination, an appearance or sight of a thing which is not, as are those sightes which men in their sléepe do thinke they sée: but thatPhantasia, is the séeing of that onely which is in very déede.
Pneuma.
Luk.24.
πνεῦμαis taken in Luke 24. chapter, for a spirite or vaine imagination. Howbeit most commonly some other word is ioyned vnto it, if it bee put for an euill spirite: asπνεÏματα πλανά πονηÏα.The Gentiles (as S. Augustine and other Fathers doo testifie) supposed that the soules of men becameDæmones, that is, good or euil angels: which if they had done well, then were they calledLares, that is priuate gods: but if they haue done euill, then were they namedLemures, orLarue, bugs and Elues. But if it were doubted whether they had liued well or ill, then were they calledManes. Apuleius and other old writers affirme, thatGenijandLareswere all one.
Lares.
Præstites.
It was supposed (asFestuswitnesseth) thatLares, were the soules of men, or else infernall gods.Lareswere calledPræstites, because they made all things safe with their eies:that is, they saued and preserued all things.
Hostilij.
And Authors affirme, they were calledHostilij, for that they were supposed to driue away enemies. Neither were they thought to beare rule only in priuate houses, & in crosse méeting waies, but also to defend Cities. They were likewise worshipped priuately in houses, and openly in the high wayes. As touching those that were calledLares, you may read more in Anthonius Constantius, of Fauentia his Commentaries, and in Ouid.lib.5.Fastorum.
Genius.
Genius(say the Grammarians) is the naturall god of euery place, of euery thing, or of euery man when we are borne, as it is written, we haue twoGenij, whereof the one encourageth vs to doo well, the other to doo euill.Genius(saithCensorinus) is a god in whose gouernance euery man doth liue, so soone as he is borne: either because hée taketh care for our begetting, or that he is engendred with vs, or else that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are begotten. Sure it is, he is calledGenius, à gignendo, that is, of begetting.
Penates
Penateslikewise are domesticall gods.Macrobiusaffirmeth, that they are gods by whom we onely breathe, by whom we enioy this body, and by whom we possesse the reason of our mindes.Noniussaith,Lemuresare spirites walking by night, and terrors rising of pictures of mē & beasts. Other say, thatLemuresare euil and hurtfull shapes which appeare in the night, yea and that they be the soules of those that make men black and blew, called after that name.
Vmbræ.
Some men call the ghosts of all dead things by yͤ name ofLemures. Thus saithApuleius, Of thoseLemures, he that hath care of his posteritie, and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and quiet kinde of rule, was calledLar familiaris, god of the house. And be cause among the people of olde time, as they countedLaresgood, so they supposedLemuresto be naught, therefore to driue them away, they did sacrifice vnto them.
Lemures.
Some other affirme, thatLemuresare soules which tarry about the bodies.Porphyriuscalleth them the wandring soules of men departed before their time, as it wereRemures, taking their name ofRemus, whose soule folowed his brotherRomulus: who to the intent he might pacifie them, instituted feastes calledLemuria.
Laruæ.
Ceriti.
Seruiuswriteth, thatVmbræwere calledLaruæ: and they called dead mens soules by the name ofVmbræ. OfLaruæmen are calledLaruati, that is to say, frantike men, and such as are vexed with spirits. Who also as (Noniuswitnesseth) are calledCeriti.
Manes.
Seruiussaith, that mennes soules are calledManes, at suche time as departing from their bodies, they are not yet passed into other bodies. And he iudgeth that they are so called by the figureá¼Î½Ï„ίφÏασις, (whiche is when one speaketh by contraries) of the olde adiectiueManus, that is good, because they were nothing lesse than good. For the auncient people supposed, thatManeswere infernall gods, and therefore did they number them amongst their euil gods, and pacified them with sacrifice, least they should hurt them. Some affirme thatManesare indéed infernall gods, but yet good: whereof commethMane, which signifieth good, andDii Manes, as if you would say, good and prosperous gods, and therof also is saidImmanes, for, not good.
Some other suppose, that soules separated from the bodies, were called after this name: Wherby we sée the auncient monuments of tumbes haue bene dedicated toDiis Manibus, to the infernall gods: In the which opinionApuleiuswas, as we said a little before.
There are some that iudgeManes, to be the very same, that the old people calledGenii, and that there were two of theseManesassigned vnto mens bodies, euen immediately after their begetting, which forsake them not whē they are dead, but continue in the graues after the bodies are consumed. For the which cause, those men who defaced Monuments,were thought to doo wrong vnto the gods calledManes. The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the infernall gods by the name ofManes, and that because they beléeued (asFestusdoth write) that all things didmanare, that is, were deriued from them. Other thinke they were so calledà manando, of flowing, because the places betwéen the circle of the Moone and the earth, from whence they come, are full of soules.
Maniæ.
Maniæare deformed creatures, asFestussaith: and also vgly shapes, wherwith nursses make children afraid.
Mormo.
μοÏμω, is a woman with a face almost of a monstrous fashion: hereof it is taken for a heg: as alsoμοÏμοιλÏκειον, doth signifie a terrible sight, a spirit, or an elfe.Nicephorussaith in his Ecclesiasticall history, that a woman vsing to walke by night, is called by the name ofGilo.
Lamiæ.
Lamiæwere supposed of the auncient people to be women hauing eies to put out or in at their pleasure, or rather certaine shapes of diuels, which taking on them the shewe of beautifull women, deuoured children and yoong men, allured vnto them with swéete inticements.
Philostratusin his bookeAppollonio, writeth a maruellous history or fable of oneMenippus, beloued of an hegge. The same authour writeth, thatLamiæare called of some menLaruæ, spirits walking by night: andLemurei, night spirits of horrible shapes: and of manyEmpusa, ghoasts of variable fashion: and that nursses so named them to make their children afraide.
Chrysostomus Dionwriteth, that in the inmost part ofAffrikeare certain wild beasts, hauing the countenance of a woman, which in like manner are calledLamiæ: and he saith that they haue their paps and al the rest of their breast so faire as any Painters wit can deuise, which being vncouered, they deceitfully allure men vnto them, and when they haue taken them, doo forthwith deuoure them.
Lamiæ of Hier chap.4.
In the fourth chapter of the Lamentations ofHieremie,it is saide:Lamiæ nudauerunt mammas suas,&c.Apuleiuswriteth, thatLamiæare things that make Children affraide.
Striges.
Lamiæare also calledStriges.Striges(as they say) are vnluckie birdes, which sucke out the blood of infantes lying in their cradles. And hereof some men will haue Witches take their name, who also are calledVolaticæ, asFestuswriteth.
Gorgones.
The name ofGorgon, was inuented to make children afraid: for they say theseGorgonsare rauening spirites, such as men faineLamiæto be.
Incubi.
Succubi.
Ephialtæ, andHyphialtæ, that is,Incubi&Succubi, (which we call Maares) are night spirits or rather Diuels, which leape vpon men in their sléepe. The Phisitians do affirme, that these are nothing else but a disease.
Empusa.
Empusa, is an apparition of the Diuel, or a spirit which sheweth it selfe vnto such as are in misery, chaunging his shape into diuers formes, and for the most part appeareth at noone time. Read more hereof inSuidas.
Dicelon.
Hecatæa.
Dicelon, is so called because it is sent to make men afraid: those kinds of terrors the Grecians callHecatæa, asApolloniuswriteth, becauseHecateorProserpinais the cause of them, who therefore is calledβÏιμώ άπὸ τοῦ βÏιμᾷν, that is of terrifying, and that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp by her.
Acco.
Alphito.
Plutarchuswriteth, thatAccoandAlphito, were monstrous women, by naming of whome, mothers kept their children in awe, and made them feare to do euil.
Telchinnes.
Cardanuscalleth these Diuels which kéepe vnder the earth, and many times kill men as they are vndermining, by the name ofTilchinnes. Men vsing witchcraft, and such as are possessed with a Spirit, and out of their wits, are called amongst the Grecians,τελχῖνες.
Pan.
Faunus.
Of these sort are those monsters, halfe like men, and halfe like beastes, whiche men say are founde in woods,and oftentimes haue appeared vnto men. It is saide, thatPanesandFauni, are all one, hauing their nether parts like vnto Goates féete.
Satyri.
Sileni.
And menne saye, thatSatyri, are almost lyke vnto men: And those whiche are of full age are calledSileni.
Onocentaurus.
Onocentaurus, is a beast of a straunge fashion, which is reported to be like a man in the vpper part, and downward like an asse.
Onosceli.
Onosceli, as it is written inPlutarche, are Diuels, hauing legges like vnto asses.
Hyppocentaurus.
The olde people imagined, thatHippocentauri, were creatures, who before were like to men, but the hinder parts had the similitude of horses.
Sphinx.
And they do faine, thatSphinxisAnimalανθÏοπομοÏφον, a beast of the similitude of a man.
Scilla.
Harpyæ.
Scilla, andHarpyæ, are rauening Diuels, with faces like vnto maydens.
Triton.
Nereides.
Syrenes.
As touching men liuing in the Sea, asTritones,NereidesandSyrenes, who as the auncient people affirmed, had faces like vnto men. ReadeGesnerusinHistoria Aquatilium, where he intreateth of them. For he prooueth out of many Authors, that there are founde Monsters in the Sea, hauing shapes and countenaunces somewhat like vnto men.
Some of these Monsters which are indéede, bee of the kinde of Apes, and some are onely fabulous, or false: yet notwithstanding, it may be, that the Diuell doth deceiue men vnder the formes of them.
Thus much concerning tearmes, which we must vse in this our Treatise of Spirits or Visions.
Hereunto haue I adioyned straunge happes, and foretokens, which for the most part chaunce before great matters. And therefore I knit them vnto these, because they haue great resemblance vnto them.
Portentum.
For vaine imaginations also appeare vnto our sights: armed men as it were are seene on earth, or in the aire: and other such like shapes, voyces, noyses, crackes, and such like. But as touching the very words,Portentumis that which foresheweth some thing to come, as when straunge bodies appeare in the aire, or blazing starres, or thunder in faire weather, or whirlewindes do chaunce.Festussaith, that albeitPortentumbe a naturall thing, yet it happeneth sildome, and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after a certaine season.
Ostentum.
Ostentum, is some straunge thing, which sheweth some thing to come to effect speedily. They giue the like examples of them both.
Prodigium.
Prodigium, is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of nature, yet notwithstanding it doth alwaies betoken some euill thing, being calledProdigium, as it were ofporro agendum, to be done afterward.
Monstrum.
Monstrum, is that which hapneth against nature, as when any thing is brought foorth hauing members belonging to an other kinde: the which is also calledPromonstrum, as who should say,Porro aliquid monstrans, siue monens, that is, shewing or warning some thing to happen afterward. Notwithstanding these termes are many times confounded togither, and taken in one signification, and that because they respect one ende, that is, to tell before or giue warning of things to come. The vaine visions wheron we here intreat, appertaine nothing to naturall philosophers, neither yet these things which we haue ioyned with them. For if a sodaine cracke, or sound, or groning, or rumbling, as though the house would fall, or if any other thing chance which standeth by naturall reason, it doth not properly belong vnto this matter which we haue in hand. But letting these things passe, we will by Gods helpe and aide come nearer to the matter it selfe.