A Mysterious Hunter—Man and Horse supposed to be Devils—Extraordinary Talents of the suspected Hunter—Signs of Uneasiness—Terrible Shrieks—Groans of Despair—Tortured Spirits—Severe Flagellation—Disappearance of the Flagellant—Tales of the Scotch Highlands—Witches in the shape of Hares worried by Dogs—Croaking Raven—Death of a suspected Witch—Resort of Witches and Evil Spirits—Spirits hastening to a Church—Dogs in Pursuit—Black Man with Eyes like Fire—Horse breathing Smoke and Flame—Witch's Ghost and Demons sinking into the Earth.
A Mysterious Hunter—Man and Horse supposed to be Devils—Extraordinary Talents of the suspected Hunter—Signs of Uneasiness—Terrible Shrieks—Groans of Despair—Tortured Spirits—Severe Flagellation—Disappearance of the Flagellant—Tales of the Scotch Highlands—Witches in the shape of Hares worried by Dogs—Croaking Raven—Death of a suspected Witch—Resort of Witches and Evil Spirits—Spirits hastening to a Church—Dogs in Pursuit—Black Man with Eyes like Fire—Horse breathing Smoke and Flame—Witch's Ghost and Demons sinking into the Earth.
A strange tale of a mysterious hunter is given in theLettersof Lord Lyttelton, the truth of which, it is said, was attested by gentlemen whose veracity was beyond question. We give an abridged version of the tale:—
In the early part of ————'s life he attended a hunting club at their sports, when a stranger of genteel appearance, and well mounted, joined the chase, and was observed to ride with a degree of courage and address that called forth the utmost astonishment of every one present. The beast he rode was of amazing power; nothing stopped them; the hounds could never escape them; and the huntsman, who was left far behind, swore that the man and his horse weredevils from hell. When the sport was over, the company invited this extraordinary person to dinner: he accepted the invitation, and astonished the company as much by the powers of his conversation, and by his elegance of manners, as by his equestrian prowess. He was an orator, a poet, a painter, a musician, a lawyer, and a divine; in short, he was everything, and the magic of his discourse kept the drowsy sportsman awake long after his usual hour. At length, however, wearied nature could be charmed no more, and the company began to steal away by degreesto their repose. On his observing the society diminish, he discovered manifest signs of uneasiness; he therefore gave new force to his spirits, and new charms to his conversation, in order to detain the remaining few some time longer. This had some little effect; but the period could not be long delayed when he was to be conducted to his chamber. The remains of the company retired also; but they had scarce closed their eyes, when the house was alarmed by the most terrible shrieks that were ever heard; several persons were awakened by the noise; but, its continuance being short, they concluded it to proceed from a dog which might be accidentally confined in some part of the house; they very soon, therefore, composed themselves to sleep, but were again soon awakened by shrieks and cries of still greater terror than the former. Alarmed at what they heard, several of them rang their bells, and when the servants came, they declared that the horrid sounds proceeded from the stranger's chamber. Some of the gentlemen immediately arose to inquire into this extraordinary disturbance; and while they were dressing themselves for that purpose, deeper groans of despair, and shriller shrieks of agony, again astonished and terrified them. After knocking some time at the stranger's chamber door, he answered them as one awakened from sleep, declared he had heard no noise, and, rather in an angry tone, desired he might not be again disturbed. Upon this, they returned to their chambers, and had scarce began to communicate their sentiments to each other, when their conversation was interrupted by a renewal of yells, screams, and shrieks, which, from the horror of them, seemed to issue from the throats of damned and tortured spirits. The gentlemen listened attentively, and traced the sounds to the stranger's room, the door of which they instantly burst open, and found him upon his knees in bed, in the act of scourging himself with the most unrelenting severity, hisbody streaming with blood. On their seizing his hands to stop the strokes, he begged them, in the most ringing tone of voice, as an act of mercy, that they would retire, assuring them that the cause of their disturbance was over, and that in the morning he would acquaint them with the reasons of the terrible cries they had heard, and the melancholy sight they saw. After a repetition of his entreaties, they retired; and in the morning two of them went to his chamber, but he was not there, and, on examining the bed, they found it to be one gore of blood. Upon further inquiry, the groom said that, as soon as it was light, the gentleman came to the stable, booted and spurred, and desired his horse might be immediately saddled, and appeared to be extremely impatient till it was done, when he vaulted into his saddle, and rode out of the yard at full speed. Servants were immediately sent into every part of the surrounding country, but not a single trace of him could be found; such a person had not been seen by any one, nor has he since been heard of.
Tales are related in the Scotch Highlands of witches being mortally worried by dogs while they (the witches) appeared in the likeness of a hare. They are so similar in all essential particulars, that one is inclined to think that they are different versions of the same story. Here, at all events, is one version:—A hunter, one early morning, observed an old woman prowling about a glen in a suspicious manner. Wishing to know what she was about, he watched her movements, and succeeded in getting so near her that he was able to recognise her features. She was a near neighbour of his own, held in good repute by all in the district. Observing him approaching, the old woman walked away quickly, to avoid him recognising her; but, as the hunter was likely to overtake her, she transformed herself into the likeness of a hare, and darted away at great speed. The hunter's dog gave chase, and, after a long run, seized her. At that instant a shriekarose that made the hills echo and re-echo. Hurrying forward to call off his dogs, the hunter came within a few paces of the spot where the struggle was going on, when a raven rose from the ground and flew away, croaking angrily. A pool of blood marked the place, and his two dogs lay dead. On returning home, he learned that the old woman whom he had seen transformed into a hare lay dangerously ill in her house. At night she died. The same night another neighbour of the woman was returning home, whistling to keep up his courage, for he had to pass the old parish church and burying-ground, and walk through a wood, the favourite resort of witches and evil spirits. As the deep shadows of the forest were beginning to conceal the moon from view, he was startled by the appearance of a woman running in the direction of the church. She asked if she could reach it by twelve o'clock. He answered that he thought she could if she ran fast. His impression was that the voice, face, and figure were those of the woman the hunter had surprised in the morning. A little farther on he met two hounds coursing along at great speed. In a few minutes he met a black man riding on a black horse. The horseman inquired whether the traveller had seen a woman, and two dogs pursuing her. On replying in the affirmative, the horseman asked a second question, whether he thought the dogs would overtake her before she went the length of the old church? With a faltering voice he said it was likely they would. The frightened traveller, more dead than alive, observed that the black man had eyes like balls of fire, and that his horse breathed smoke and flame. As swift as his feet could carry him, the pedestrian hastened homeward, trusting that the terrors of the night were past, yet fearing and trembling exceedingly. Having to pass the old woman's house, and seeing a light, he went in, and then learned that she was dead. He had no doubt that the human-like figure he saw running onfoot towards the church was the spirit of the departed witch, and that the pursuers were demons. After condoling with the bereaved relations, he took his departure from an abode cursed with the presence of a witch's remains. Scarcely had he crossed the threshold before he observed the black horseman riding swiftly towards the house, with the woman lying across the saddle-bow, and the two dogs following close behind. In an instant, man, woman, horse, and dogs sank into the ground.
Leading Churchmen subjected to the Onslaught of Demons—Warfare with the Devil in corporeal shape—Triumph of Churchmen—St. Maurus rebuking a Troop of Evil Spirits—St. Romualdus' Five Years' Conflict with Satan—The Faculty of St. Frances—St. Gregory's Detection of the Devil entering a Man—A Greedy Monk denied Christian Burial—Monk in Purgatory—Institution of the Thirty Masses for the Dead—An Excommunicated Gentleman of Rome hiring Pagan Witches and Sorcerers—What befell them—St. Benedict and the Blackbird's Song—A Monk restored to Life—St. Benedict's Sister ascending to Heaven like a White Dove—St. Francis' Dominion over Living Creatures and the Elements—St. Catherine's Power over Evil Spirits—St. Stanislaus' Miracles—A Dead Man giving Evidence in a Court of Justice—The Dead refusing a Renewal of Life—St. Philip Nerius and Evil Spirits—Spirits ministering to St. Erasmus—St. Norbert closing the Mouths of Evil Spirits—Story relating to Henry I.—St. Margaret's Triumph—St. Ignatius' Command over Devils—St. Stephen curing Persons possessed of Devils—Satan's Hatred of St. Dominick—St. Donatus endowing a Corpse with Speech—St. Cyriacus, St. Largus, and St. Smaragdus, the Martyrs—St. Clare—St. Bernard's Power—St. Cæsarius' Wonder-working Crook—St. Giles and the Hind—St. Euphemia's Guardian Angels—St. Francis' Spirit in Chariot of Fire—Devils blowing the Fire of Discord—St. Bridget's Intercourse with Angels—St. Denis' Spirit—St. Teresa and the Angels—St. Hilarian a Match for Satan and his Sorcerers—Her Miracles—St. Martin's Wonderful Power—St. Catherine's Body carried by Angels to Mount Sinai—St. Francis Xaverius' Belief in Virtue of Bells—St. Nicholas' Piety and Powers—St. Ambrose's Power over Necromancers and Spirits—St. Lucy raising her Mother from the Dead—St. Anastasia sustained by Bread from Heaven—St. Thomas enduring Martyrdom in Life and after Death—Penance of Henry II.—Barbarous Conduct of Henry VIII.—A Hungarian Legend.
Leading Churchmen subjected to the Onslaught of Demons—Warfare with the Devil in corporeal shape—Triumph of Churchmen—St. Maurus rebuking a Troop of Evil Spirits—St. Romualdus' Five Years' Conflict with Satan—The Faculty of St. Frances—St. Gregory's Detection of the Devil entering a Man—A Greedy Monk denied Christian Burial—Monk in Purgatory—Institution of the Thirty Masses for the Dead—An Excommunicated Gentleman of Rome hiring Pagan Witches and Sorcerers—What befell them—St. Benedict and the Blackbird's Song—A Monk restored to Life—St. Benedict's Sister ascending to Heaven like a White Dove—St. Francis' Dominion over Living Creatures and the Elements—St. Catherine's Power over Evil Spirits—St. Stanislaus' Miracles—A Dead Man giving Evidence in a Court of Justice—The Dead refusing a Renewal of Life—St. Philip Nerius and Evil Spirits—Spirits ministering to St. Erasmus—St. Norbert closing the Mouths of Evil Spirits—Story relating to Henry I.—St. Margaret's Triumph—St. Ignatius' Command over Devils—St. Stephen curing Persons possessed of Devils—Satan's Hatred of St. Dominick—St. Donatus endowing a Corpse with Speech—St. Cyriacus, St. Largus, and St. Smaragdus, the Martyrs—St. Clare—St. Bernard's Power—St. Cæsarius' Wonder-working Crook—St. Giles and the Hind—St. Euphemia's Guardian Angels—St. Francis' Spirit in Chariot of Fire—Devils blowing the Fire of Discord—St. Bridget's Intercourse with Angels—St. Denis' Spirit—St. Teresa and the Angels—St. Hilarian a Match for Satan and his Sorcerers—Her Miracles—St. Martin's Wonderful Power—St. Catherine's Body carried by Angels to Mount Sinai—St. Francis Xaverius' Belief in Virtue of Bells—St. Nicholas' Piety and Powers—St. Ambrose's Power over Necromancers and Spirits—St. Lucy raising her Mother from the Dead—St. Anastasia sustained by Bread from Heaven—St. Thomas enduring Martyrdom in Life and after Death—Penance of Henry II.—Barbarous Conduct of Henry VIII.—A Hungarian Legend.
If reliance can be placed on tradition and the writings of biographers, good men (particularly those of them who took a leading part in the ancient Church) were subjected to dreadful onslaughts by Satan. Not only had they to contend with invisible spirits of darkness, but they werecompelled to carry on a continual warfare with the devil, in corporeal shape, seeking to seduce them from their faith. None were more frequently or fiercely assailed than the canonised saints of the old Catholic Church. To their praise, however, be it remembered, that almost invariably the Churchmen, sooner or later, triumphed. Having good consciences, and being protected by wonder-working relics, the saints defied the enemy of mankind. Those seeking lengthened information on the subject should consultThe Lives of the Saints, and the Calendars, published by learned men, who believed what they wrote, and spoke that which they thought to be true. The subjoined sketches, read in connection with chapterXV., bear out what is affirmed.
St. Maurus had an encounter with Satan and a whole squadron of his monsters in bodily shape. At Maurus' rebuke the troop vanished, but not before they made the monastery shake, and brought the affrighted monks to their knees.
St. Romualdus may be said to have had a five years' conflict with Satan in visible forms. St. Frances had the faculty of seeing evil spirits when people beside her perceived nothing but natural forms. St. Gregory witnessed the devil entering into a man who indulged in and loved lies. A monk who determined to throw off his habit and forsake the monastery, was set upon by the devil in the form of a black dog. Other monks who broke their vows shared no better. Because a monk had been guilty of hoarding up a large sum of money, contrary to the rules of his order, he was denied Christian burial, and his body was cast upon a dunghill. After mass was said for the miser thirty days, the deceased monk appeared to a brother of his order and told him that he had been in purgatory till that day. From this blessed liberation St. Gregory instituted the custom of saying thirty masses for the dead. A gentleman in Rome, who was excommunicated by St.Gregory for unlawfully putting away his wife, hired certain pagan witches and sorcerers to torment the holy Pope. They caused the devil to enter into the Pope's horse, that it might cast the rider and crush him to death. The holy father, becoming aware of the plot, cast out the devil, and struck the witches and sorcerers with blindness. St. Gregory was entreated to restore the witches and sorcerers to sight, but he refused to do so, lest they should be tempted to return to their wicked art, and read books of magic and necromancy.
St. Benedict had his encounters with the tempter. One day the devil transformed himself into a little blackbird, which fluttered about him, and sang so sweetly that he was nearly drawn away from his devotions and led into sin. By a higher power than his own he overcame the enemy. He stripped himself of his clothes, and, casting himself on a thicket of briars and thorns, mangled his body so severely that blood ran from him in streams. The devil on one occasion endeavoured to hinder the building of a monastery, and at another time he cast a stone at a young monk and killed him. St. Benedict, in his goodness, put the devil to flight, and restored the monk to life. This saint, while watching over the spiritual welfare of the monks with whom he was associated, observed the devil riding on a mule to the monastery, and entering into an aged monk possessed of a covetous heart. Penance and a trust in holy relics drove the evil spirit away, and brought the monk to a proper frame of mind. When a pious sister of St. Benedict died, he saw her spirit in the likeness of a white dove ascending to heaven.
St. Francis, a devout servant of great sanctity, had dominion over all creatures. Fire, air, water, and earth were also subject to him. He drove away wicked spirits; he gave sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, health to those in decay, and life to the dead. The elements could not affect him. He walked upon fire, held his hands in aburning hot oven without sustaining injury; and he and a companion passed over the sea upon his cloak spread on the waves.
St. Catherine resisted the devil in various guises. On one memorable occasion she witnessed two thieves being conveyed to the place of execution, and tortured, in a cart. Instead of lamenting their sins, they behaved like demons. Though no one else beheld anything unearthly near the culprits, St. Catherine saw a multitude of devils provoking them to blaspheme and curse. Having compassion on the unhappy men, she went into the cart beside them, drove the evil spirits away, and brought the condemned men to repentance before expiating their crimes.
St. Stanislaus performed miracles, and, as for evil spirits, he made them fly as chaff before the wind. He cured sickness, and even gave life to the dead. One instance of his supernatural power is worthy of remembrance. Stanislaus bought a piece of ground from a man named Peter, but received no receipt for the price paid. Peter died, and then his heirs, to please the king, who desired to do Stanislaus an injury, sought to have the land restored to them. An order of court was about to be issued for the restoration of the land to Peter's heirs, when the saint craved three days to bring forward proof of the money having been paid. Accordingly an adjournment took place. Meantime Stanislaus fasted, prayed, and watched. At the termination of the time appointed, the saint, having offered up the holy sacrifice of mass, went to Peter's grave and caused it to be opened; then, touching the body with his crosier, the dead man came to life, followed the saint to the court, testified, to the astonishment of all, that the land had been lawfully bought, and duly paid for. After this no one could dispute the ownership of the land, which, we ought not to omit saying, had been bought for the Church. St. Stanislaus offered Peter a renewal of life for many years, but he who had been deadchose to return to the grave rather than to live longer a life of trouble. He told the saint he was in purgatory, and that he had yet something more to suffer for his sins, but still he would prefer undergoing his deserved punishment, that at last he might be free. St. Stanislaus accompanied Peter to the grave. Peter laid himself down in the dust, and the ground was closed over him, in the presence of a multitude of people.
St. Philip Nerius encountered three infernal spirits while in the proper discharge of his Christian duties; and the ghosts of deceased persons were visible to him. After the saint's death he appeared to his favourite followers, environed with a glorious light. Spirits ministered to St. Erasmus, at one time breaking the fetters wherewith he was bound, and at another speaking comforting words to him when he was sad at heart. St. Norbert had the power of controlling devils, and casting them out of possessed persons. Evil spirits went about in his time revealing all the sins of professing Christians, until St. Norbert closed their mouths in reference to such shortcomings as had been confessed to a priest. After the saint's death, he appeared to divers persons who knew him in life.
The following story is told of Henry I.:—At the time he was dying, a hermit saw the devil, in human shape, running in the direction where the emperor lay. "Whither passest thou?" demanded the hermit. "I am going," said the fiend, "to be present at his Majesty's death." "Come again," said the hermit, "and tell me how far thou hast succeeded." Within a short time Satan returned, howling and crying out, "Woe, woe to us, we are cozened, and have lost our labour; all our slight and power have come to nought; the angels have confounded us and driven us away. As the works and merits of the soul were examined and weighed in the balance, in presence of us and the angels, and our scale began to sink down with the weight of his sins, there stepped in a burned man witha golden cup and put it into the other scale, which caused it to descend with great force. Seeing this, the angels cried out 'Victory,' and conveyed away the soul with them, leaving us nothing but shame, ignominy, and confusion." The renowned martyr St. Lawrence turned out to be the burned man the devil saw with the cup.
St. Margaret at one time had a severe encounter with a serpent that appeared with death in his looks. She triumphed then as well as at other times. The enemy wounded her sorely and often, but she was cured, and ever afterwards had peace.
St. Ignatius had a strange command over the devils, who abhorred and persecuted him as their great enemy. Both at Paris and Rome the devils appeared to him in ugly shapes. Before he prevailed they nearly choked him, and scourged him so sorely that he did not recover for some time. In St. Ignatius' life-time the arch-fiend seems to have had considerable power. At one time he possessed a child, a woman, and a soldier, and raised tempests and furious storms. How far the mischief would have been continued no one can tell, had not this saint withstood him to the face. It fell upon a time that the holy fathers, in a certain Loretto college, were greatly disturbed night and day by devils making a hideous noise, and appearing like black-a-moors, cats, bears, and other beasts. Recourse was had by saying holy mass, prayers, sprinkling holy water, using exorcisms, and applying relics of saints, without effect. Father Ignatius' assistance was ultimately solicited; and he, without much difficulty, drove away the tormentors as if they had been as many mice.
St. Stephen exercised great control over Satan. The saint cured no fewer than threescore and thirteen persons possessed of devils.
Satan had a deadly hatred against St. Dominick, and often endeavoured to destroy his soul and body. St. Donatus was another mark at which the devil shot hisfiercest arrows; but a man who raised the dead, as this saint did, did not stand in fear of an evil spirit. St. Donatus raised to life a woman that died suddenly without informing her husband where she had concealed a sum of money belonging to him. From the mouth of the grave the resuscitated woman told where the treasure lay. A dishonest creditor was proved to be a false swearer and cheat by a corpse endowed with speech by St. Donatus.
St. Cyriacus, St. Largus, and St. Smaragdus drove evil spirits not only out of afflicted persons, but out of the country. Cyriacus, in particular, was so famous for his power over evil spirits, that princes in distant lands solicited his assistance to banish the demons to their own peculiar place of torment.
The holy virgin, St. Clare, though a feeble woman, fought and prevailed over the devil that came to her in the form of a black man.
St. Bernard cured persons possessed of devils, and he performed miracles with a crook of St. Cæsarius. The former used his staff as a miracle-working instrument.
St. Giles was miraculously preserved by a hind sustaining him with her milk in a cave; and such was the saint's care over the helpless animal, that on two occasions he drew a line on the ground over which a pack of hounds chasing the hind could not pass, although there was nothing visible to restrain them.
St. Euphemia had her guardian angels that protected her from the violence of her enemies, who sought to burn her in an oven full of pitch, brimstone, and tow. She came out of the oven unhurt, but two men who laid hands on her were consumed by the flames. Wild beasts refused to devour her in their dens, and iron lost its force on her. St. Euphemia's time came however, and she met her fate as a martyr with Christian fortitude.
St. Francis' spirit appeared in a chariot of fire, sweeping through the air. Over a city distracted by factions andcivil broils, he saw the devils very jocund, blowing the fire of discord. With a loud voice he commanded the spirits to depart; they obeyed him, and the city was restored to peace and concord.
St. Bridget possessed the faculty of witnessing angels, and enjoyed the privilege of having them for her companions; nevertheless, she had to sustain many conflicts with the devil. One time she saw Satan in a dreadful shape, with a hundred hands and as many feet. Terrified, she fled from the horrid monster and took shelter near a holy relic, where she was safe. In a sad hour of affliction the spirit of St. Denis appeared to her, and told her he would be her protector ever afterwards. She certainly, if report be true, turned out to be a saint endowed with extraordinary power, which enabled her to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, and health to the sick; and, moreover, we are informed that she raised ten dead persons to life. On account of these miracles, and for her most holy life, Pope Boniface IX. canonised her, and put her in the number of the saints.
St. Gregory of Tours recounts numerous miracles wrought by St. Denis in life, and after his death. St. Teresa had glorious visions; and after, in her walks and seclusions, had the company of angels with beautiful countenances and corporeal shapes. In particular, one angel of the order of the Seraphim attended her in times of danger with a flaming sword, to drive back her enemies. Among St. Teresa's other powers was one of no mean importance—the power of delivering souls out of purgatory. Her faith in holy water was great, for by its force she swept away devils as by a mighty river.
St. Hilarian was a match for Satan and his sorcerers. A young man, desperately in love with a lady of rare beauty and chastity, who rejected his advances, applied to certain sorcerers, ministers of the temple of Esculapius. By means of their evil devices the damsel began to loveher admirer extravagantly; indeed, so much so, that her emotions savoured more of madness than of true affection. Her parents laid her at St. Hilarian's feet, and he immediately drove out a devil that had taken possession of the maiden, both bodily and mentally. At one time St. Hilarian did what at first seemed invaluable service to the neighbourhood in which he lived. The people besought him to send rain, as their crops were withering away, and their cattle dying of thirst. He sent what they desired, but the rain bred serpents and venomous creatures, which destroyed the fruits of the earth and injured the inhabitants. Like St. Patrick, he drove away the reptiles, and healed the people who had been wounded by them. St. Hilarian also consumed, as with fire, a dragon of enormous size which swallowed oxen, devoured men, and laid waste the country far and near.
St. Martin, like many other saints, possessed the wonderful power of bringing the dead to life. It was said he had dominion over devils and men, over the heavens and the elements, over diseases, and over all birds and beasts of the field.
So holy was St. Catherine, that, when she died, angels carried her body to Mount Sinai and buried it there, that her persecutors might not discover where she was laid. From her place of sepulture a sweet smell long continued to pervade the neighbourhood.
Although it would appear that all saints had many gifts and graces, certain of them possessed peculiar talents denied to others. St. Francis Xaverius, for instance, held the elements in his power. He was almost constantly at war with the devil and the flesh. To frighten away the one he kept ringing a bell by night, and to subdue the other he wore a hair shirt, lived on spare diet, and slept on hard boards or lay on the cold ground.
St. Nicholas was so uncommonly good a Catholic, that, even when an infant at the breast, he would not suck hismother's breast but once on the Wednesdays and Fridays. He, too, controlled the winds and waves, and sent the evil spirit away howling through the tempest.
St. Ambrose, of ever blessed memory, controlled sorcerers and necromancers, and made even the evil spirits obedient to him. On the day of the saint's death the devils flew away, crying that they were tormented by St. Ambrose.
St. Lucy raised her mother from the dead, and conquered demons.
St. Anastasia had power over Satan, and was for two months sustained by bread from heaven. And what shall we say of St. Thomas and many of the other saints who triumphed so gloriously in their day? St. Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, we are told, endured martyrdom twice—once in life, and again after death. To subdue the flesh, he scourged himself until the blood ran down his body. He kept long night vigils, and wore a hair shirt. In a vision he was told that he would illustrate the Church with his blood—a prediction that was fulfilled. It being proved that Henry II. was implicated in the foul deed, he had to do penance in public and private before being absolved. Many years afterwards, Henry VIII. commanded the dead saint to be summoned before him, and having condemned him as a traitor, directed his name to be erased from the catalogue of saints; forbade, under pain of death, his day to be celebrated, or his name to be mentioned as a saint; and ordered that his name should be blotted out of every book and calendar in which it appeared. The revengeful king also commanded that the saint's relics should be burned, and the ashes thereof scattered to the winds.
With the following old tale in verse we close our collected information on Demonology—a tale founded upon one of the most extraordinary events recorded in the annals of the human mind. Not a century and a half ago all thecircumstances which form the romance, with the addition of many others nearly as ridiculous, were not only firmly believed by the peasants of a few Sclavonian villages, among whom they were supposed to have happened, but were received as truths, and seriously commented upon by learned divines and physicians of the surrounding provinces. A superstition somewhat similar appears to have prevailed in Bohemia and Silesia previous to the days of Dr. Henry More, who details several of the stories to which it gave rise, in hisPhilosophical Works:—
"I left the chaulkie Cliftes of olde Englònde,And paced thro' many a Countrie faire to see,Thorowe the Reaulme of Greece and Holie-Londe,Untill I journeied into sadde Hongrìe.I sawe olde Cecrops' Towne, and famous Rome;But Davyd's holie place I liked beste:I sawe dire Sightes before I found my Home,But much the direst at the Towne of Peste.It was a goodlie Citie, fayre to see;By its prowde Walles and towering Mosques it gaveA delicate Aspèct to the Countrèe,With its Bridg of Boates acrosse the Danow's Wave.Yet manie thinges with Woe I did surveie;The Stretes were overgrowne with spiery grasse;And, though it was upon a Sabbath-daie,No Belles did ringe to calle the Folke to Masse.The Churchyardes all with Barrs were closed fast,Like to a sinfulle and accursed place;It shewd as though the Judgment-daie were past,And the Dedde exiled from the Seate of Grace.At last I met an old sadde Man, and askedWhere a tired Traveller maye finde repose.The Old Man shook his Hed, and wold have passed;But I caught him by his Arme and held his Clothes.'Straunger,' said he, 'in Marie's name departe!'(Soe saying, wold agen have passed me by);His hollow Voyce sank depe into my Harte:Yet I wold not let him goe, but asked Why?'It now is Morne,' quoth he, 'the Sun shines brighte,And the Springe is blithe, save in the Walles of Peste;But, were it Winter wylde, and a stormie Nighte,Not here, O Straunger, sholdst thou seeke to reste;'Though Rayne in Torrents powred and cold Winds blew,And thou with travelling tired and with Hunger pale.''Though the Sun,' sed I, 'shine brighte and the Daie be new,I will not goe, till I have herd thy Tale.'This woefull Wight then took me by the Hande;(His, like a Skeletonne's; was bonie and cold).He seemed as though he scarse cold goe nor stande,Like one o'er whom full fourscore years had rold.We came together to the Market-Crosse,And the Wight all woe-begon spake not a Word.No living thinge along our Waie did passe,(Though dolours Grones in evrie House I herd).Save one poore Dogge that walked athwart a Court,Fearfullie howling with most pyteous Wayle.The sadde Man whistled in a dismall sort,And the poore thinge slunk away, and hid his Tayle.I felt my verie Bloud creepe in my vaynes;My Bones were icie-cold; my Hayr on ende.I wishd myself agen uponn the Playnes,Yet cold not but that sadde old Man attende.The sadde old Man sate down upon a Stone,And I sate on another by his Side;He heaved mournfullie a pyteous Grone,And then, to ease my doubts, himself applied.'Straunger!' quoth he, 'Behold my Visage welle,And graspe this bonie Hand so thinne agenn!How manie Winters thinkest thou I telle?'I answered doubtinglie: 'Three-Score and Tenn.''Straunger! not fourty yeares agoe I layA puling Infant in my Nurse's arms:Not fourty daies agoe two Daughters gayDid blesse my Vision with their dawning Charms.'Yet now I am an olde and worn-out Man,And evrie droppe of Bloud hath left my Vaynes;Als' my fayr Daughters twaine lie cold and wanAnd bloudless, bound in Deathe's eternal Chaynes.'Straunger! This Towne, so pleasant to our sightes,With goodlie Towers and running Streames so faire,Whilom for tender Maydes and doughtie KnightesFrom all Hungaria's Londe the Prize did beare.'But now, the verie fewe that here remayneAre sobbing out their Breath in sorie Guise;All that might flie, have fled this mournfull playneBut onlie I, who wishe to close mine eyes.'Seaven Weekes are gon since owr Townesfolke beganneTo wax both pale and sadd, yet none knewe why:The ruddiest Visage yellowe seemed and wanne,Our stoutest Youthes for very cold did cry.'Some Doctours sed the Lakes did Agewes breede,But Springe returning wold the same disperse;Whyles others, contrarie to Nature's creede,Averred the Heate itself wold make us worse.'And though we leugh at these, like Doaters fonde,Or Menn that love in Paradox to deale;Yett, as the Sunn grew warme, throughout the Londe,All Menn the more did wintrìe shiverings feele.'One miserable Wight did pyne and wane,And on the seaventh Daie gave upp the Ghoste;His Corse was oped by a Chirurgeon of fameWho found that evrie dropp of bloud was loste.'Nathless, our People though they pined and pined,Yet never did our appetites decaye;Whole Oxen scarse suffised when we dined,And we cold drinke whole hogsheds of Tokaye.'Soone Hundereds evrie daye gave up the Ghoste,(Els' we a Famine in our Lande had bredde).And, to repayr the Bloud that we had loste,Our Beastes we killd and ate, but never bledde.'Thus, by the Eve, our Colour freshe arose,And we did look agen more briske and gay.All Nighte deepe Slumbers did our Eye lidds close,But worse and worse we wax by Breake of Daie.'There was a taylour, Vulvius by name,Who long had dwelt at Peste in honest pryde;A Godlie Man he was esteemed by Fame,And since some twelvemonths of a Feaver dyde.'Now when at last this straunge Disease had growneTo suche a Highte as neer was heard afore,Among the reste in our unhappie TowneMy youngest Daughter was afflicted sore.'One Nighte it happed, as she was slepyng laied,Her wayting Girle at Midnight left her roomeTo fetch some possett, brothe, or gellie, madeTo quelle the plague that did her life consume.'When, as she softly shut the Doore, she heardAn heavie Thinge come lumbering upp the Stayres,Whereon the buried Tailour soone appeardAnd She (poor Mayd) full loud 'gan saye her Prayres.'Shrowded he was, as when his Corse was laiedUnder the Earthe, and buriall Service redde;Nor yet was he a Ghoste, for his Footsteppes madeA Noyse more hevie than a Tunne of Ledde.'She sawe him ope my Daughter's chamber-Doore,And had no Spirit to persewe nor flie,And Vulvius agen, in half an houre,Lumbered downe Stayres yett much more hevilie.'This Storie herd, I cold not chuse, but smildTo think the seelie Mayd such Feares cold shake,Yet the next Nighte, to prove such Phan'sies wild,I kept myself untille Midnighte awake;'Whenn as the Midnight-Houre was past, I heardAn hevie thinge come lumbering upp the Stayre;The Tailour Vulvius to my Sights appeard—I could not follow to my Daughter fayre.'Next Day, untoe a Convent nighe I hied,And found a reverend Father at his prayer;I told him of the Wonderres I had spied,And begged his ghostlie Counsel I may share.'Together to Sainct Stevenn's Churche we went,And he a Prayer on evrie Gravestone made,Till at the Tailour Vulvius' MonumentWe stopped—we broughte a Mattocke and a Spade;'We digged the Earthe wherein the Tailour lay;Tille at the Tailour's Coffin we arrived,Nor there, I weene, much Labour found that Day,For evrie Nayle was drawen and the Hinges rived.'This Sighte was straunge—but straunger yet remaynd,When from the Corse the cered Clothes we tore;The Veynes seemed full of Bloud, the Lipps distained,All dripping with my Daughter's new-suck'd gore.'When through own Towne this Sighte we had proclaimed,A dismall Horrour chilled our Townsmen's hartes;The Vampyre (So our Priest the Tailour nam'd)Their Midnight-sleeps disturbed with feaverish startes.The Churchyardes straight were ransacked all throughoutWith Pick-ax, Shovell, Mattocke, and with Spade;But evrie Corse that we did digge thereout,Did shewe like living Menn in Coffins laied.'It was the Corses that our Churchyardes filled,That did at Midnight lumberr up our Stayres;They suck'd our Bloud, the gorie Banquet swilled,And harrowed everie Soule with hydeous Feares.'And nowe the Priestes burnd Incense in the Quire,And scattered Ave-Maries o'er the Graves,And purified the Church with lustrall Fire,And cast all thinges prophane to Danowe's Waves.'And they barr'd with Boltes of Iron the Churchyard-paleTo keepe them out; but all this wold not doe;For when a Dead-Man has learn'd to draw a naile,He can also burst an iron Bolte in two.'The sadde old Man was silent—I arose,And felt great Grief and Horrour in my Breste.I rode nine Leagues before I sought repose,And never agen drew nigh the Walles of Peste."
"I left the chaulkie Cliftes of olde Englònde,And paced thro' many a Countrie faire to see,Thorowe the Reaulme of Greece and Holie-Londe,Untill I journeied into sadde Hongrìe.
I sawe olde Cecrops' Towne, and famous Rome;But Davyd's holie place I liked beste:I sawe dire Sightes before I found my Home,But much the direst at the Towne of Peste.
It was a goodlie Citie, fayre to see;By its prowde Walles and towering Mosques it gaveA delicate Aspèct to the Countrèe,With its Bridg of Boates acrosse the Danow's Wave.
Yet manie thinges with Woe I did surveie;The Stretes were overgrowne with spiery grasse;And, though it was upon a Sabbath-daie,No Belles did ringe to calle the Folke to Masse.
The Churchyardes all with Barrs were closed fast,Like to a sinfulle and accursed place;It shewd as though the Judgment-daie were past,And the Dedde exiled from the Seate of Grace.
At last I met an old sadde Man, and askedWhere a tired Traveller maye finde repose.The Old Man shook his Hed, and wold have passed;But I caught him by his Arme and held his Clothes.
'Straunger,' said he, 'in Marie's name departe!'(Soe saying, wold agen have passed me by);His hollow Voyce sank depe into my Harte:Yet I wold not let him goe, but asked Why?
'It now is Morne,' quoth he, 'the Sun shines brighte,And the Springe is blithe, save in the Walles of Peste;But, were it Winter wylde, and a stormie Nighte,Not here, O Straunger, sholdst thou seeke to reste;
'Though Rayne in Torrents powred and cold Winds blew,And thou with travelling tired and with Hunger pale.''Though the Sun,' sed I, 'shine brighte and the Daie be new,I will not goe, till I have herd thy Tale.'
This woefull Wight then took me by the Hande;(His, like a Skeletonne's; was bonie and cold).He seemed as though he scarse cold goe nor stande,Like one o'er whom full fourscore years had rold.
We came together to the Market-Crosse,And the Wight all woe-begon spake not a Word.No living thinge along our Waie did passe,(Though dolours Grones in evrie House I herd).
Save one poore Dogge that walked athwart a Court,Fearfullie howling with most pyteous Wayle.The sadde Man whistled in a dismall sort,And the poore thinge slunk away, and hid his Tayle.
I felt my verie Bloud creepe in my vaynes;My Bones were icie-cold; my Hayr on ende.I wishd myself agen uponn the Playnes,Yet cold not but that sadde old Man attende.
The sadde old Man sate down upon a Stone,And I sate on another by his Side;He heaved mournfullie a pyteous Grone,And then, to ease my doubts, himself applied.
'Straunger!' quoth he, 'Behold my Visage welle,And graspe this bonie Hand so thinne agenn!How manie Winters thinkest thou I telle?'I answered doubtinglie: 'Three-Score and Tenn.'
'Straunger! not fourty yeares agoe I layA puling Infant in my Nurse's arms:Not fourty daies agoe two Daughters gayDid blesse my Vision with their dawning Charms.
'Yet now I am an olde and worn-out Man,And evrie droppe of Bloud hath left my Vaynes;Als' my fayr Daughters twaine lie cold and wanAnd bloudless, bound in Deathe's eternal Chaynes.
'Straunger! This Towne, so pleasant to our sightes,With goodlie Towers and running Streames so faire,Whilom for tender Maydes and doughtie KnightesFrom all Hungaria's Londe the Prize did beare.
'But now, the verie fewe that here remayneAre sobbing out their Breath in sorie Guise;All that might flie, have fled this mournfull playneBut onlie I, who wishe to close mine eyes.
'Seaven Weekes are gon since owr Townesfolke beganneTo wax both pale and sadd, yet none knewe why:The ruddiest Visage yellowe seemed and wanne,Our stoutest Youthes for very cold did cry.
'Some Doctours sed the Lakes did Agewes breede,But Springe returning wold the same disperse;Whyles others, contrarie to Nature's creede,Averred the Heate itself wold make us worse.
'And though we leugh at these, like Doaters fonde,Or Menn that love in Paradox to deale;Yett, as the Sunn grew warme, throughout the Londe,All Menn the more did wintrìe shiverings feele.
'One miserable Wight did pyne and wane,And on the seaventh Daie gave upp the Ghoste;His Corse was oped by a Chirurgeon of fameWho found that evrie dropp of bloud was loste.
'Nathless, our People though they pined and pined,Yet never did our appetites decaye;Whole Oxen scarse suffised when we dined,And we cold drinke whole hogsheds of Tokaye.
'Soone Hundereds evrie daye gave up the Ghoste,(Els' we a Famine in our Lande had bredde).And, to repayr the Bloud that we had loste,Our Beastes we killd and ate, but never bledde.
'Thus, by the Eve, our Colour freshe arose,And we did look agen more briske and gay.All Nighte deepe Slumbers did our Eye lidds close,But worse and worse we wax by Breake of Daie.
'There was a taylour, Vulvius by name,Who long had dwelt at Peste in honest pryde;A Godlie Man he was esteemed by Fame,And since some twelvemonths of a Feaver dyde.
'Now when at last this straunge Disease had growneTo suche a Highte as neer was heard afore,Among the reste in our unhappie TowneMy youngest Daughter was afflicted sore.
'One Nighte it happed, as she was slepyng laied,Her wayting Girle at Midnight left her roomeTo fetch some possett, brothe, or gellie, madeTo quelle the plague that did her life consume.
'When, as she softly shut the Doore, she heardAn heavie Thinge come lumbering upp the Stayres,Whereon the buried Tailour soone appeardAnd She (poor Mayd) full loud 'gan saye her Prayres.
'Shrowded he was, as when his Corse was laiedUnder the Earthe, and buriall Service redde;Nor yet was he a Ghoste, for his Footsteppes madeA Noyse more hevie than a Tunne of Ledde.
'She sawe him ope my Daughter's chamber-Doore,And had no Spirit to persewe nor flie,And Vulvius agen, in half an houre,Lumbered downe Stayres yett much more hevilie.
'This Storie herd, I cold not chuse, but smildTo think the seelie Mayd such Feares cold shake,Yet the next Nighte, to prove such Phan'sies wild,I kept myself untille Midnighte awake;
'Whenn as the Midnight-Houre was past, I heardAn hevie thinge come lumbering upp the Stayre;The Tailour Vulvius to my Sights appeard—I could not follow to my Daughter fayre.
'Next Day, untoe a Convent nighe I hied,And found a reverend Father at his prayer;I told him of the Wonderres I had spied,And begged his ghostlie Counsel I may share.
'Together to Sainct Stevenn's Churche we went,And he a Prayer on evrie Gravestone made,Till at the Tailour Vulvius' MonumentWe stopped—we broughte a Mattocke and a Spade;
'We digged the Earthe wherein the Tailour lay;Tille at the Tailour's Coffin we arrived,Nor there, I weene, much Labour found that Day,For evrie Nayle was drawen and the Hinges rived.
'This Sighte was straunge—but straunger yet remaynd,When from the Corse the cered Clothes we tore;The Veynes seemed full of Bloud, the Lipps distained,All dripping with my Daughter's new-suck'd gore.
'When through own Towne this Sighte we had proclaimed,A dismall Horrour chilled our Townsmen's hartes;The Vampyre (So our Priest the Tailour nam'd)Their Midnight-sleeps disturbed with feaverish startes.
The Churchyardes straight were ransacked all throughoutWith Pick-ax, Shovell, Mattocke, and with Spade;But evrie Corse that we did digge thereout,Did shewe like living Menn in Coffins laied.
'It was the Corses that our Churchyardes filled,That did at Midnight lumberr up our Stayres;They suck'd our Bloud, the gorie Banquet swilled,And harrowed everie Soule with hydeous Feares.
'And nowe the Priestes burnd Incense in the Quire,And scattered Ave-Maries o'er the Graves,And purified the Church with lustrall Fire,And cast all thinges prophane to Danowe's Waves.
'And they barr'd with Boltes of Iron the Churchyard-paleTo keepe them out; but all this wold not doe;For when a Dead-Man has learn'd to draw a naile,He can also burst an iron Bolte in two.'
The sadde old Man was silent—I arose,And felt great Grief and Horrour in my Breste.I rode nine Leagues before I sought repose,And never agen drew nigh the Walles of Peste."
Magic a Study among the Learned—Plato and Pythagoras travelled to learn the Art, and taught it—How to subdue a Furious Bull—How to make a tough Fowl tender—Eagles' Feathers—Power of a Small Fish—Speakers made Eloquent by Magical Art—Virtue of Gems—How Jewels should be set—When they are to be Graven—Various Magical Operations—Cures effected by Hippocrates—Democritus on Magic—Many Charms—Evil Spirits—Magicians sacrificing to the Planets—Vessels and other articles used for Magical purposes—Success in Magic—Magician's Power to produce Monstrous Creatures—Egyptian Magicians—Horses' and Asses' Heads—Magical Circles—Throwing Old Shoes—Figures on Shoes—A Hangman's Soul—Directions for raising Ghosts and Spirits.
Magic a Study among the Learned—Plato and Pythagoras travelled to learn the Art, and taught it—How to subdue a Furious Bull—How to make a tough Fowl tender—Eagles' Feathers—Power of a Small Fish—Speakers made Eloquent by Magical Art—Virtue of Gems—How Jewels should be set—When they are to be Graven—Various Magical Operations—Cures effected by Hippocrates—Democritus on Magic—Many Charms—Evil Spirits—Magicians sacrificing to the Planets—Vessels and other articles used for Magical purposes—Success in Magic—Magician's Power to produce Monstrous Creatures—Egyptian Magicians—Horses' and Asses' Heads—Magical Circles—Throwing Old Shoes—Figures on Shoes—A Hangman's Soul—Directions for raising Ghosts and Spirits.
Magic was, in ancient times, a favourite study among the learned. Plato, Pythagoras, and other men of note, travelled over many countries to learn this art. After studying for a long time, they publicly communicated the knowledge of magic to students from every quarter of the globe. The knowledge acquired by magicians, if real, was wonderful. One discovered that, by tying a bull to a fig tree, the animal, though of a furious nature, instantly became subdued. The same authority states that, by hanging an old tough fowl on the same description of tree, it would become tender. Another professor of magic taught that the feathers of an eagle, mixed with those of other birds, would consume them, and that a small fish called Remora could stop the progress of a ship at sea. Magicians supplied precious stones to public speakers, the possession of which made them eloquent, and brought them into favour with princes. A certain gem carried in a husband's pocket made him love his wife,and enabled him to overcome his enemies. Coral was a preventative against witchcraft, hence the fashion of ladies and children wearing necklaces and bracelets of this material. Hyacinth brought down rain, obscured the sun, and preserved from lightning. One stone resisted drunkenness, so that the bearer could be able to drink freely without becoming intoxicated. A chalcedony made the wearer lucky at law, increased the vigour of one's body, and prevented illusions of the devil. Those acquainted with magical art concluded that all stones possessed virtues, infused into them by the influence of planets. Alexander, Hermes, Zoroaster, and several other ancients, entertained this opinion. Magicians were the first to set stones in rings—an invention which, if not beneficial to man and woman, has helped to adorn their persons.
Gems used for magical purposes required to be set in such metals as had affinity with the planets whereby they (the gems) were influenced. The image of Saturn should be made in lead; of Sol, in gold; of Luna, in silver; of Jupiter, in tin; of Mars, in iron; of Venus, in copper; of Mercury, in quicksilver. A proper time should be observed for the graving of magical figures. If love is to be procured, the graving must be done under proper and friendly aspects, as in the hour of Venus. Such signs as ascend in the day must be taken in the day. If they increase in the night, then the work must be done in the night. Wise men tell us that an olive planted by a virgin will thrive, but if by an unchaste woman it will wither. If a serpent be found in a hole, it may be safely pulled out by the left hand, but to attempt to do so with the right would be dangerous.
Learned writers on magic say that if one take a new knife, and cut a lemon with it while the operator is expressing words of hatred or dislike against a person he or she may wish evil to, the object of hatred will feel uneasy, and become unwell. If a live pigeon be cut through theheart while an evil wisher is venting curses against a friend or neighbour, the individual against whom the evil wishes are made will suffer in body and mind. A man will be put in great fear if his image, prepared according to the arts of magic, be suspended by a single hair or thread, however far distant he may be from the scene of operation. If a person suffering from toothache or asthma catch a live frog before sunrise, and spit into its mouth, immediate relief will be the result. If the plague or any epidemic disease threaten a village or town, the disorder will be stayed by a live toad being suspended for three or four days in a chimney. The dried body of a dead toad, worn in the breast, prevents the possessor of the charm from being injured by any infectious disease. Hippocrates had great honours conferred on him on account of the cures he effected by the application of certain parts of reptiles to disordered persons. The heart of a toad, suspended by a blue ribbon round the neck, will cure the king's evil. Rape seed, sown with cursing and imprecation, grows better, we are told, than when the seed is blessed. If one wear a girdle of civet-cat skin in battle, he will escape unhurt. Those skilled in such secrets say they can be easily explained. In their arguments they point to the antipathy of certain natural things, animate and inanimate, to other things in nature. The wing of a bat and the heart of a lapwing repel evil spirits and wicked passions; the bustard flies off when a horse comes in sight, and the hart bounds away at the sight of a ram or viper; a lion trembles at the crowing of a cock. If one swallow the heart of a lapwing, mole, or weasel, taken from the animal when alive, it will improve his understanding, and enable him to prophesy.
Democritus says that if one cut the tongue out of a live frog, and lay it on a woman's breast opposite her heart, she will be compelled to answer every question put to her. Dogs will never attack a person that has a weasel's tail inhis pocket or breast, provided the appendage has been severed from the little animal when it was alive. If one has a chameleon's tongue, cut out before the creature's death, he may defy all the sharpers in the world. If the blood of a civet-cat be sprinkled on the doors and windows of a house, witches and sorcerers will be prevented from entering it or molesting the inmates thereof. If an enemy desire to render any one hateful to friends and neighbours, it may be done by the touch of an ointment composed of the ashes of a calcined ankle-bone of a man, oil extracted from the left foot of the same body, and the blood of a weasel. Civet-cat gut tied round a man's left arm, makes all the ladies look on him with favour; and civet-cat skin worn as a cap, protects the wearer against the art of witches. If a stone that has been in a mad dog's mouth be put into ale handed round at a feast, discord will take place. If a bone taken from a toad's left side be secretly put into any part of a woman's dress, it will kindle her love into a burning flame; but if the corresponding bone of the toad's right side be used, the most ardent love of the woman will be cooled. If the snaffle of a bridle be made of a sword that has killed a man, the rider may with ease control a horse, however wild the animal may be; and if a sword that has been used in beheading a person be dipped in wine, it will impart a medicinal virtue to the liquor.
Pliny is accountable for a few of the foregoing and many other similar stories, all of which were believed at one time.
Fires kindled with human fat or oil frightens away evil spirits. On the other hand, vapours exhaled from certain suffumigations induce spirits to appear. The lungs of an ass, when burned, drive evil spirits away. Magicians say that if gold or silver be hid when the moon is in conjunction with the sun, and the place be perfumed with saffron, henbane, and black poppy, the treasure will never be feloniously carried away, for spirits willconstantly watch over it. The blood of doves, lapwings, and bats possesses peculiar virtues—attracting spirits to places where they may be required to appear, and exciting love passions.
Magicians, when sacrificing to the planets with the view of securing their diabolical ends, throw into the flames such things as raise a pleasant perfume when they wish to perform good actions; but when they desire to bring about wicked results, they raise disagreeable smells. When soliciting the aid of the sun, it was customary to take the brain of an eagle or the blood of a white cock; when appealing to the moon, the blood of a goose was supposed to be good; when sacrificing to Saturn, the brain of a cat and the blood of a bat were indispensable; when soliciting Jupiter's assistance, the blood of a swallow or stork and the brains of a hart were recommended; when sacrificing to Mars, the blood of a man or of a black cat was thought best; and when Mercury was sacrificed to, the brain of a fox or of a weasel and the blood of a magpie were burned on the altar.
All instruments, vessels, and other things used for magical purposes were recommended to be new; and when a magical missive was to be written, the parchment was prepared from the skin of a black kitten, the pen was a feather plucked from a live crow or raven, and the ink consisted of human blood, or a preparation of calcined cuttle-fish bones, nutgalls, and rain water, prepared in the day and hour of Saturn.
In order to secure success in the magical art, it was necessary for the operator to have his whole soul in his work, otherwise his labour was in vain. Ancient philosophers have informed us that when the human mind is intent upon magical work, it is joined with the mind and intelligence of the stars, and hence the wonderful result of secret art.
Magicians pretended to possess the power of producingmonstrous creatures, even devils. They could, if their statements can be relied upon, create a cockatrice by artificially hatching an egg in a preparation of arsenic and the poison of serpents. The ashes of a burned duck, treated in a magical manner, produced a huge toad. Numerous writers conclude that there are two species of toads—the one produced by ordinary generation, and the other by devilish science. Plutarch and more modern writers say that frogs descend from the clouds in rain. Egyptian magicians produced proof of mice, frogs, and serpents growing out of earth and flowers. It was said that Damnatus Hispanus could make them in any number he pleased.
By certain charms, magicians could place a horse or an ass's head upon a man's shoulders, and change the head of an inferior animal into that of a human pate.
Magicians attached great importance to their circles. One of the fraternity, when about to proceed with his secret art, clothed himself with a black robe reaching to the knee, and under that a white garment of fine linen. He then took his position in the centre of the place where he intended to perform his conjurations, and, throwing his old shoes about ten yards from the circle, put on consecrated sandals with curious figures on each. (Here we may observe that not a few antiquarians are of opinion that from these practices arose the custom of persons throwing old shoes after newly-wedded pairs and others for luck, and of shoemakers making fanciful outlines on shoes by means of pegging and stitching.) With a magical wand of hazel the magician stretched forth his arm to the four winds, turning himself round to every wind, and beseeching his "master" to consecrate the circle. All these ceremonies being performed, he claimed the consecrated ground as a defence from all malignant spirits, that they might not have power over his soul or body.
The most suitable time for making circles was duringbright moonlight, or when storms of wind or thunder were raging, because then the infernal spirits were nearer the earth than at other times, and could more easily hear the invocations of those who sought their assistance. Magical circles were recommended to be formed at dark lonely places—either in woods or deserts, or in places where three ways met, or among ruins of castles, abbeys, or monasteries, or on the sea-shore. But if the conjuration was to raise the ghost of one deceased, the fittest places for the purpose were spots where persons had been slain, woods in which suicides had been committed, churchyards, and burying-vaults. If any one doubts the correctness of what is here stated, perhaps he will change his mind after reading the following story:—
"A certain hangman, passing the image of our Lady, saluted her, and commended himself to her protection. Afterwards, while he prayed before her, he was called away to hang an offender, but his enemies slew him by the way. And lo! a certain priest, who walked nightly about every church in the city, rose that night to go to our Lady's church. In the churchyard he saw the ghosts of many dead men. On demanding what was the matter, he was told that the hangman was slain, and that the devil demanded his soul, but which our Lady said was hers, and that the judges were at hand to hear the cause. The priest having made up his mind to be at the trial, hid himself behind a tree. When the judges had taken their seats, the hangman was brought forward pinioned, and proof adduced that his soul belonged to the devil. On the other side it was pleaded by our Lady, that at the hour of death the hangman commended his soul to her. The judges gave sentence that the hangman's soul should return to his body until he made sufficient satisfaction. The priest was called from his hiding-place and sent to the Pope with a rose of rare beauty, and instructions to crave the prayers of his Holiness for the poor man."Although we are not made acquainted with the result of the application to the Pope, there can be little doubt but that, through our Lady and his Holiness, Satan lost his eagerly desired victim.
Directions are given by the learned how to raise ghosts and evil spirits. To raise the ghost of one who had hanged himself, the exorcist was to provide himself with a straight hazel wand, and bind the head of an owl with a bunch of St. John's-wort to the end thereof. This done, he was to repair to a place where a miserable wretch had strangled himself, and at twelve o'clock at night, while the body remained suspended, begin his conjurations. First, he was directed to stretch forth his wand towards the four corners of the world, saying, "I conjure and exorcise thee, thou distressed spirit, to present thyself here and reveal unto me the cause of thy calamity—why thou didst offer violence to thine own life, where thou art now in being, and where thou wilt hereafter be?" Then, gently striking the body nine times with the wand, he was to demand the spirit of the deceased to reveal unto him what secrets he wished made known, whether these referred to the past or future. The conjuration being thrice repeated, we are assured the spirit would rise and answer the exorcist's questions. Directions were next given for laying the spirit, and that might be done by burying the body naked with lime, salt, and sulphur. If the ghost which the exorcist consulted was of one who died a common death, and received the usual burial, it was essential to dig the body out of the grave at twelve o'clock at night; and while the exorcist held a torch in his left hand, he was to smite the corpse three times with his consecrated rod, held in the right hand, and demand answers to his questions. When the ceremonies were gone through in a regular way, the interrogatories were truly answered. A caution was offered to the practiser of this art. The magician of no greatexperience was told that if the constellation and position of the stars at his nativity were not favourable, it would be dangerous for him to encounter a ghost for fear of being slain, as the ghosts of men could easily destroy magicians not protected by the stars.
Magicians were instructed how to raise the spirits Paymon, Bathin, and Barma, and secure their assistance. These spirits, though of various ranks and orders, were of one power, ability, and nature, and the mode of raising them is the same. The magician who desired to consult with these spirits had to appoint a night in the waxing of the moon, when the planet Mercury reigned, at eleven o'clock at night. But for four days before the appointed night he was required to shave his beard every morning, change his linen, and put on a consecrated girdle made of a black cat's skin. When all was prepared for the summoning of the spirits, the magician was instructed to enter a dark parlour or cellar, to light seven candles, and draw a circle with his own blood. When the candles were lighted, it was essential for the magician to protect himself with two drawn swords, and consecrate the circle, so that all evil spirits might be expelled. Everything being ready, the conjuration commenced in these words: "I conjure and exorcise you, the three gentle and noble spirits of the power of the north, by the great and dreadful name of your king, and by the silence of the night, and by the holy rites of magic, and by the number of the infernal legions, I adjure and advocate you that without delay ye present yourselves here before the northern quarter of the circle, all of you, or any one of you, and answer my demands." This, we are informed, had to be repeated three times, and then the three spirits appeared, or one of them by lot, if the others were engaged elsewhere. Before their appearance, they sent in advance three swift hounds in pursuit of a hare, which ran round the circle for seven and a half minutes. After this chase more hounds came in,and after all a little ugly Ethiopian, who snatched the hare from the hounds. Next was heard a hunter's horn, and a herald on horseback came galloping swiftly with three hunters behind him upon black horses. After riding round the circle seven times, they stood at the northern quarter. The magician then demanded the demons to be faithful and obedient, which they readily agreed to be. Valuable information was obtained from the spirits, who gave the magician the powerful girdle of victory, which, on being tied about him, enabled him to conquer armies, and all men, however powerful. The spirits also were compelled to bring, at the magician's bidding, the richest treasure earth could afford, and to reveal the positions of hidden gold and silver mines.
The spirits could bestow the gift of invisibility, and the foreknowledge of the change of the weather; they could teach the exorcist how to raise storms and tempests, and how to calm them again; they could bring news in an instant of the result of any battle or other important event, wherever it took place. They could also teach the language of birds, and how to fly unseen through the air.