Part 7

There was in _Athens_ a goodly and a very large house, but euill reported, and counted as an infortunate and vnluckie house. For about midnight, there was heard the noyse of iron, and if one marked it well, the ratling of chaines, as it were a farre off at the first, and so, néerer and néerer: shortly there appeared an image or shape, as it were an olde man, leane and loathsome to beholde, with a long beard and staring haire: on his legges he had fetters, and in his hands carried chaines which he alwaies ratled togither. By meanes whereof, those that inhabited the house, by reason of their feare, watched many heauie and pittifull nights: after their watching folowed sicknesse, and soone after, as feare increased, ensued death. For in the day time also, albeit the image were departed, yet the remembrance thereof, was euer present before their eyes: so that their feare was longer than they had cause to feare. Vpon this the house stood desert and solitarie, wholly lefte vnto the monster whiche haunted it: yet was it proclaimed to be solde, if happily any man whiche was ignorant of this great mischiefe, would either buy it or hire it. =Athenodorus= chanced to come to _Athens_, and there readeth the writing on the doore: And when he had learned the price, because he suspected the good cheapenesse thereof, enquiring further, vnderstoode the whole matter, and notwithstanding any thing that he heard, he hired the house, so much the rather. When it waxed night, he commaundeth his seruauntes to make his bedde in the vtter part of the house: he taketh his writing tables, his writing wier and a candle, and sendeth all his seruaunts into the inner part of the house. He himselfe setleth his minde, his eyes and hand to write, least his mind being vnoccupied, should imagine it heard straunge figures, and should bréed vaine feare. In the beginning of the night, there was silence as is in all other places, but not long after the iron began to ring, and the chaines to moue: but yet he would not looke vp, nor let cease his writing, but hardned his hart, and stopped his eares. Then the noyse increaseth & draweth neare, and séemeth sometimes to be without the porch, sometimes within. Thē he looketh back, and seeth and acknowledgeth the shape whereof he had heard before: the image stood still and beckned with his finger as though he had called him, the philosopher on the other side signifieth with his hand, that he should stay a while, and falleth againe to his writing. The image shaketh his chaines ouer his head, as he sate writing. He looketh about againe, and seeth him beckning, as he did before. And so rising vp without delay, taketh the candle in his hand and foloweth: the image goeth before with a softly pace, as though he were heauily laden with chaines: After he had turned aside into the court of the house, sodeinly vanishing away, leaueth his walking mate alone. He being forsaken, laieth hearbes and leaues gathered togither vpon the place. The next day he goeth to the rulers of the citie, and willeth them to commaund the place to bée digged vp, whiche done, they finde bones wrapped and tyed in chaynes: which the bodie béeing putrified and consumed with long lying in the earth, had left lying in bondes: those bones being gathered togither, were buried solemnely: The house, after they were orderly laide in the ground, was euer after cleare of all such ghostes.

In these things I must beléeue other mens reports, but that which followeth, I can boldly affirme on mine owne knowledge.

I haue one with mée, sometime my bondseruaunt, but nowe enfraunchized and set at libertie, a man not vtterly vnlearned: with him my yonger brother lay togither in one bed. He in his owne imagination seemed that he saw a certain personage sitting vpon the bedde where he laie, putting kniues vnto his head, and therewith polling off his haires. When it was day light, the haires were found on the ground, he being in very déed notted about the crowne of his head. Shortly after the like happened vnto him, which made all men beléeue the first was true. The boy amongst a great many of his fellowes chaunced to sléepe in the schoole, and being in sléepe, there came certaine in at the windowes (as he sayd) cloathed in white garments, and shore of his haire as he laie, and so departed againe as they came. This polling, and also his haires scattered abroad, were founde when it was day. No notable matter ensued hereof, except it were, perchaunce, that I was not accused of treason, as I should haue bene, if =Domitianus=, who died about this time, had liued longer. For there was a libell found in his coffers, giuen vnto him against me, written by maister =Carus=. By which it may well be coniectured, that in so much as those which are accused, doo vse to let their haire growe very long, the cutting of my friends haire, was a sure signe of escaping the great daunger, which then hung ouer my head. Wherefore I hartily require you to straine your learning. The matter is worthie, wherein ye may vse long and déepe consideration: and I surely am vnworthie to whom ye shuld open your knowledge. You may therfore (if it please you) dispute the matter on both sides, as ye are accustomed, but yet I pray you handle it more throughly on the one side, least ye sende me away wauering and hanging in doubt, whereas the cause of my séeking counsel, is to the ende I might be quite out of doubt. Fare ye well.

[Sidenote: Manlius.]

What answere master =Sura=, (who as it appeareth, was well learned) made vnto maister =Pliny= I do not finde. But to say the truth, what sound answere could he, being a Gentile make herein? The like history is to be red in the collections of =Iohn Manlius= common places, who (as =Philip Melancthon= reporteth) dooth write, that =Theodorus Gaza= had a lordship or manour place in _Campania_, giuen him by =Nicholas= Pope of _Rome_. In the manour, when by chaunce, one of his farmers had digged vp a coffin with dead mens bones in it, there sodeinly appeared a spirit vnto him, commaunding him to bury the coffin againe, or else his sonne should shortly after die. Which when the farmer refused to doo, shortly after his sonne was found slaine in the night. A fewe dayes after, the Spirit appeared againe vnto the husbandman, menacing and threatning him, that in case he did not bury the aforesaid bones, he would kill his other sonne also. The man taking warning by his losse, and séeing his other sonne fallen sicke, goeth vnto maister =Theodorus= and sheweth him all the matter. He vnderstanding it, goeth with him to the manour, and there in the same place where the farmer had before digged vp the coffin, casting a new graue, they bury the coffin with the bones. As soone as the bones were laide in the graue, the husbandmans sonne immediatly recouered his health.

=Dion= writeth, that the Emperour =Traianus= was ledde out of the house, where he had taken vp his Inne, in the time of an earthquake, into a more safer place.

=Iulius Capitolinus=, which setteth out a fewe lines of the Romane Emperours, reporteth, that =Pertinax= for the space of thrée days before he was slaine by a thrust, sawe a certaine shadow in one of his fishponds, which with a sworde readie drawne threatened to slaie him, and thereby much disquieted him.

=Flauius Vopiscus= writeth, that whereas =Tacitus= fathers graue opened it selfe, the sides therof falling downe of their owne accord, and that his mothers soule appeared both to him and =Florianus= day and night, as if she had bene liuing, it was a most sure and infallible signe, that he should die shortly after.

=Ammianus Marcellinus=, writing of the signes or prognostications of =Constantius= death, saith that he was troubled and terrified in the night season with shapes and figures.

The same Author affirmeth in his 25. booke, that a little before =Iulianus= died, as he sate writing in the tents, following the example of =Iulius Cæsar=, he sawe the image of the publicke =Genius=, or god of the place (which was wont to be painted with =Amaltheas= horne in his hand) departing from him, more deformed and ill fauoured, than when it began to mount vp to the narrow top of the tent.

[Sidenote: Lucan.]

=Lucanus= as well an excellent Historiographer, as also a most learned Poet, reckneth vp many forewarnings, in his first booke of the battaile of =Pharsalia=, which chaunced before the great conflict betwéen =Iulius Cæsar=, and great =Pompeius=: and amongst other things, he writeth thus.

_The trumpets blew, and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace, So did the night with silent shades increase her darkish face. And then the ghosts of_ =Sylla= _fierce, were plainly seene in field, Thereby declaring euil signes, of blood that should be spild. And by the floud of Anien, the husband did spie Great_ =Marius=, _out of broken graue his head aduauncing hie_.

CHAP. XIII.

A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, and of the writings of holie Fathers, that there are walking Spirits.

[Sidenote: Sozomenus.]

If we read ouer the Ecclesiasticall histories, we shall finde many of these examples. =Sozomenus= writeth in his Ecclesiasticall historie, the sixt booke and 28. chapter, of one =Apelles=, a black Smyth by occupation (whose name was at that time very famous throughout _Egipt_, for the gift of working miracles, wherwith he was indewed) who as he was one night hard at his work, had appearing vnto him, a vision of a Diuel in the likenesse and attire of a very beautifull womā, mouing & intising him to the vice of lechery. But he sodenly catching yͤ iron which he wrought on, glowing hot out of the fire, thrust it in yͤ diuels face, and scorched his visage, wherat he fretting & crying out, in al hast fled away.

Likewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedition raised at _Antioche_, for the immoderat action and tribute which =Theodosius= layd on the citie in the time of warres, whereby the people being offended, ouerthrew the images of the Emperour and his wife, dragging them in roapes about the citie, and reporting all kinde of villany and dispite against them, thus he saith. But in the night before, assoone as the rebellion began, immediatly at the breake of the day, it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight séene, of a woman hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke, running vp and downe the citie through the stréetes aloft in the aire, whisking & beating the aire with a whip, rendring a fearefull sound. That as men are wont to prouoke wilde beasts to anger, which serue for publike spectacles: euen so it séemed, some euil angell by the craft of the diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people.

[Sidenote: Theodorus.]

[Sidenote: Nicephorus.]

=Theodorus Lector=, in his first booke of Collectanies, out of the Ecclesiasticall historie writeth, that as =Gennadius= Patriarch of _Constantinople_, came downe to the high aultar to make praiers and orizons, there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and figure, which so soone as he had sharply rebuked, straightwaies he heard a voice crying out aloud, yͭ so lōg as he liued he would giue place & cease, but when he was once dead, he would surely ransack and spoyle the Church. Which when yͤ good father heard, he ernestly praied for yͤ preseruation of the church, & soone after departed this life. There are many things to be read in =Gregori^9 Nicephor^9=, who setteth foorth Ecclesiastical matters at large, & =Abdias= in the liues of the Apostles, concerning visions, dreames, miracles of saints, and also appearings of spirites. For wise men iudge, they were more diligent & ready in describing such things, than in other matters, which might haue bin to greater purpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand.

He that readeth ouer the Histories, which in times past haue bene written, (and that especially by Monkes) shall méete with an innumerable company of these sorts: Yet by the way I must néedes say this, that verie many things haue bin written by them, which the Readers may iustly suspect, and stand in great doubt of.

=Ludouicus Viues=, =Beatus Rhenanus=, and many other learned men of our time, in describing other things, doo finde great fault with the Chronicles written by Monkes, for that they were gathered togither by vnlearned dolts without any iudgement. But let euery man estéeme of them as he list. For albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish and ridiculous, yet it may be well thought that many things were so in very déed, as they haue committed them to writing.

[Sidenote: Ambrose.]

A man shall méete with many places concerning visions and appearings of spirits, euen in the old fathers also. S. =Ambrose= in his 90. Sermon, writeth of a noble Virgin named =Agnes=, who was crowned with martirdome for the professiō of christian religion. And as her parents watched one night by her graue, they saw about midnight, a goodly company of Virgins cloathed in golden vayles, amongst whome also was their daughter, arraied like vnto the rest: who willing the other Virgins to staie awhile, turning her selfe towards her parents, willed them in any case, not to bewaile her as if she were dead, but rather to reioyce with her, for that she had obteined of God eternal life. Which assoon as she had spoken, she immediatly vanisht vanisht out of sight.

[Sidenote: Augustine.]

[Sidenote: Felix appeared at Nola.]

[Sidenote: Gregorie.]

S. =Augustin= declareth in his booke, =De cura pro mortuis agenda=, that when the Citie of _Nola_ was besieged by the Barbariens, the citizens saw =Felix= the martyr plainly appearing vnto them. Touching S. =Gregorie=, who in his Dialogues writeth many such things, we will entreate hereafter when his turne commeth.

Ye shall read of many such like, in the liues of the auncient Fathers, which al are not to be reiected as vain and fabulous, for some part of them written by graue and learned men, whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake, I will rehearse one short historie.

[Sidenote: Basiliscus appeared to Chrysostome.]

It is to be séene in the life of =Ioannes Chrysostom=, that =Basiliscus= Bishop of _Comane_ (who suffered as a Martir with =Lucianus= the priest at _Antioch_, vnder =Maximianus= the Emperour) appeared vnto Saint =Chrysostome=, when hee was in exile, and sayd vnto him: Brother =Iohn=, be of good comfort, for to morrow we shall be togither. But first he appeared to the priest of that Church, and sayd vnto him: prepare a place for our deare brother =Iohn=, who will shortly come hither. Which things the euent proued afterwards to be true.

CHAP. XIIII.

That in the Bookes set foorth by Monkes, are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions.

We made mention a litle before, of Chronicles written by Monkes. Now as touching their legendes of Saintes (as they terme their storehouses of examples, and liues of auncient Fathers, in the which are many apparitions of diuels & spirits,) verily there is no cause at all why we should ascribe much vnto them, for the most part of such stuffe as is set forth in them, haue no shewe nor likelihood of truth: perchaunce their minde was to bring men to great feare and Religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories. But concerning these, this place now serueth not to intreate.

The like may be sayd, of many superstitious Popish writers, who following these mens steppes, haue written many vpon other mens credit and reports, which least any man thinke I write, being moued with enuie or hatred of the persons, I will shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many, that you may thereby haue as it were a taste of that which I sayd euen now.

[Sidenote: S. Seuerine Bishop of Colin.]

=Petrus Damanus=, who first was a Monke after the order of S. =Benedict=, and afterward Bishop of _Hostia_, a man of great estimation among Papists, as well for the opinion they had of his learning, as for the shewe of his vpright liuing, telleth a storie of a certaine Monke of _Colein_, who on a time passing ouer a Riuer on horsebacke, espied Saint =Seuerinus= sometime Bishop of _Colein_ on the Riuer, who not long before was departed this life, and being buried at that time, was much renowmed for doing sundrie miracles. The Bishop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle, and would not let him passe any further: wherewith the Monke was sore afraide, and diligently enquired of him, why he being so notable a man, was there withholden in that place. The Bishop then required him to lende him his hand, that hée might vnderstand by féeling how it was with him, which when he had done, and that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes hande downe into the water, sodeinly in one moment all the flesh of his hand, by reason of the extreame heate, was scalded off, so that the bones only remained al bare. Vnto whom then the Monke, sith (quote hée) thou art so famous a man in the Church, how commeth it to passe that thou art so gréeuously tormented? The Bishop aunswered: only sayd hée for this cause, for that I haue not sayd ouer my Canonicall houres in due time distinctly as I should haue done: for I was in the Emperours Court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie Counsell, in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once, all the rest of the day I was troubled with other businesse: and for that cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat. But let vs both togither call vnto Almightie God, that it may please him to restore thy hand againe, which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus saide. And then spake he to the Monke saying: Go my sonne and desire the brethren of our Church, as also al other of the Clergie there, to poure out their praiers for mée, to giue almes to the poore and néedie, and to perseuere incessantly in offring vp continuall sacrifice for me, for so soone as these things shal be fulfilled, I shal be deliuered out of these my torments, and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Citizens of heauen, which do earnestly desire my company. Out of this historie, this argument or reason they make: If that good and godly Bishop, who being ouercharged with affaires of the Emperour leading to publike wealth, could not dispatch his taske of prayers in due time, and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented, what punishment may they looke for, which hauing no necessarie businesse, say ouer the Canonicall houres very coldly, or else leaue them cleane vnsayd, that they may the better followe their owne lustes and vaine deuises? And héere note by the way, they make no mention at all of omitting those things which God hath expresly commanded vs. But in case the Popish Bishoppes doo verily beléeue this story to be true, let them thinke with themselues, howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the iudgement seate of Almightie God, for that they are content to be created Bishops of those Churches, whereof notwithstanding they haue no care or regarde, but either wholly intangle themselues with worldly matters, or if they do deale in matters of the Church, their whole study is directed to this end, to stop the sincere preaching of Gods word, and to tread those vnderfoote whose mindes are occupied day and night, to the aduancing and setting forth of Gods glory. Of this stampe and sort, are most of those thinges wherewith the Monkes inferred and stuffed their bookes.

CHAP. XV.

A proofe by other sufficient writers, that Spirites doo sometime appeare.

[Sidenote: Alexander ab Alexandro.]

As touching other notable writers, they also make mention of spirites which do oftentimes appear. =Alexander ab Alexandro=, an excellent Lawier, born at _Naples_, in his secōd booke _Gemalium dierum_, and ninth chapter, writeth that a certain familiar friend of his, of good credite, did celebrate yͤ funeral of one of his acquaintance, and as he returned towards _Rome_, he entred into an Inne fast by the way, because it was night, and there laide himselfe downe to rest. As he laie there alone broad awake, sodeinly the image of his friend lately deceased, came before him maruellous pale and leane, euen as he was when he sawe him last on his death bedde, whome when he beheld, being almost besides himselfe with feare, he demaunded of him who he was? But the ghost making no answer, but slipping off his cloathes laide him downe in the same bedde, and drew neare, as if he would haue embraced him. The other gaue him place, and kéeping him off from him, by chance touched his foote, which séemed so extréemly cold, as no Ice in the world might be compared vnto it. Whereat the other looking very lowringly vpon him, tooke vp his clothes againe, and rose out of the bed, and was neuer afterwards séene. He reporteth other histories in the same place, which hapned in his time. He liued aboue foure score yeares ago, or neare that time.

[Sidenote: Baptista.]

=Baptista Fulgosus=, Duke of _Genua_, in his booke of worthy sayings and doings of Emperors, Princes, Dukes, &c. (which he wrote being in exile to auoyd idlenesse: Touching straunge and monstrous things) writeth that in the Court of =Mattheus=, surnamed the great Shiriffe of the Citie, in the euening after Sunne sette, there was seene a man farre excéeding common stature, sitting on a horse in complete armour: who when he had bin there séene of many, by the space of an houre, in the end vanished away, to the greate terrour of those that beheld him. About thrée daies after in like maner, two men on horsebacke of the same stature, were séene in the same place, about thrée houres within night, fighting togither a long season, and in the ende vanished away as the other didde before. Not long after, Henry the seuenth Emperor, departed this life, to the vtter vndoing of all the Shiriffes.

Immediately after this Historie, he putteth an other more worthie memorie than the foremost. =Lodouicus= father to =Alodisius=, ruler of _Immola_, not long after he died, appeared vnto a Secretarie, whom =Ludouicus= had sente to _Ferraria_, as he was on his iourney, riding on a horse with a Hauke on his fist, as he was wonte when he liued, and willed the Secretarie (albeit wonderfully afraid) to bid his Sonne the nexte day to repaire vnto the same place, for he had matter of greate importance to declare vnto him. Which when =Lodouicus= heard, partly because he could not beléeue it, partly for that he doubted some body laye in waight for him, he sent an other to answere in his roome. With whome the same soule méeting as it did before, lamented very much that his Sonne was not come thither, for if he had so doone, he saide, he would haue opened many other things vnto him. But as then he willed the messenger to tell him, that twentie two yeares, one month and one day being passed, he should loose the rule and gouernment whiche he nowe possessed. As soone as the time foreshewed by the ghost was expired, albeit he were very circumspect and careful, yet the same night, the souldiours of =Philip= Duke of _Millen_, with whom he was in league & therfore stood came ouer the ditches hard frozen with Ice vnto the walles, and raising vp ladders, tooke both Citie and Prince togither.

[Sidenote: Melancthons Aunt.]