Part 8
=Phillip Melancthon=, writeth in his booke _De anima_, that he himselfe hath séene some Spirits, and yͭ he hath knowne many men of good credit, which haue auouched not only to haue séene ghostes themselues, but also that they haue talked a great while with them. In his booke which he intituleth _Examen Theologicum_, he rehearseth this historie. Which was, that he had an aunt, who as she sat very heauily by the fire, after her husband was dead, two men came into her house, whereof the one being very like, said he was her husband deceased, the other being verie tall, had the shape of a =Franciscan= Friar. This that séemed to be the husband, came neare the chimney saluting his heauy wife, bidding her not to be afraide, for (as he said) he came to commaund her certaine things: then he bid the long Monke to go aside a while into the stoue hard by. And there beginning his talke, after many words, at the last be earnestly beséecheth, and most hartily desireth her, to hire a Priest to say Masse for his soule, and so being readie to depart, he biddeth her giue him her right hand: which thing (she being sore afraide) abhorring to doo, after he had faithfully promised she should haue no harme, she giueth her hand, which albeit indeed it had no hurt, yet did it séeme to be so scorched, that euer after it remained blacke. This being done, he calleth foorth the =Franciscan=, and hastily going forth togither, they vanish away. =Ioannes Manlius=, in his collectanies of Common places, writeth concerning other spirites which he and other men also did sée, the first tome in the Chapter _De malis spiritibus & ipsorum operibus_, and also in the Chapter _De satisfactione_.
[Sidenote: Ludouicus Viues.]
=Ludouicus Viues=, saith in his first booke _De veritate fides_, that in the new world lately found out, there is nothing more common, than not only in the night time, but also at noone in the midday, to sée spirits apparantly, in the Cities and fieldes, which speake, commaund, forbid, assault men, feare and strike them. The very same do other report which describe those nauigations of the great Ocean.
[Sidenote: Hieronimus Cardanus.]
=Hieronimus Cardanus= of _Millen_, excellently séene in Philosophie & Phisicke, remembreth a great many of these apparitions, in his booke _De subtilitate, & varietate rerum_: which who so listeth to reade, I referre him to his bookes, for I am desirous to be bréefe.
[Sidenote: Olaus.]
=Olaus Magnus=, Archbishop of _Vpsalia_ in _Sueueland_, declareth in his history _De Gentibus Septentrionalibus_, the second booke and third chap. that spirits appeare in _Iseland_, in the shape & likenesse of such, as men are acquainted withal: whom the inhabitants take by the hand in stead of their acquaintance, before they haue heard any word of those their acquaintāce death, whose similitude and likenesse they take on them, neither do they vnderstand that they are deceiued, before they shrinke and vanish away. These things haue I brought togither both out of the olde and also new writers, that it might plainly appeare, that spirites do oftentimes walke and shewe themselues vnto men.
CHAP. XVI.
Daily experience teach vs, that spirits do appeare to men.
To all the premisses before handled, this also is to be added, which no man can deny, but that many honest and credible persons of both kindes, as well men as women, of whome some are liuing, and some already departed, which haue and do affirme, that they haue sometimes in the day, and sometimes in the night séene and heard spirits. Some man walketh alone in his house, and behold a spirit appeareth in his sight, yea and sometimes the dogs also perceiue them, and fal down at their masters féet, and wil by no means depart fro them, for they are sore afraid themselues too. Some man goeth to bed, and laieth him downe to rest, and by and by there is some thing pinching him, or pulling off the clothes: sometimes it sitteth on him, or lieth downe in the bed with him: and many times it walketh vp and downe in the Chamber. There haue bene many times men séene, walking on foote, or riding on horseback, being of a fierie shape, knowne vnto diuers men, & such as died not long before. And it hath come to passe likewise, that some eyther slaine in the warres, or otherwise deade naturally, haue called vnto their acquaintance béeing aliue, and haue bene knowne by their voice.
[Sidenote: Spirites requiring helpe.]
Many times in the night season, there haue béene certaine spirits heard softly going, or spitting, or groning, who being asked what they were, haue made aunswere that they were the soules of this or that man, and that they nowe endure extreame tormentes. If by chaunce any man did aske of them, by what meanes they might be deliuered out of those tortures, they haue aunswered, that in case a certaine number of Masses were soong for them, or Pilgrimages vowed to some Saintes, or some other such like déedes doone for their sake, that then surely they shoulde be deliuered. Afterwardes appearing in greate light and glorie, they haue said that they were deliuered, and haue therefore rendred greate thankes to their good benefactours, and haue in like manner promised, that they will make intercession to God and our Ladye for them. And hereby it may be well proued, that they were not alwayes Priestes, or other bolde and wicked men, which haue fayned themselues to be soules of men deceased, as I haue before saide: in so much that euen in those mennes chambers when they haue bene shut, there haue appeared such things, when they haue with a candle diligently searched before, whither any thing haue lurked in some corner or no. Many vse at this day to search and sifte euery corner of the house before they go to bed, that they may sléepe more soundly: & yet neuerthelesse, they heare some scriking out, and making a lamētable noise, &c.
It hath many times chanced, that those of the house haue verily thought, that some body hath ouerthrowne the pots, platters, tables and trenchers, and tumbled them downe the staires: but after it waxed day, they haue founde all things orderly set in their places againe.
It is reported, that some spirits haue throwne the doore off from the hookes, and haue troubled and set all things in the house out of order, neuer setting them in their due place againe, and that they haue maruellously disquieted men with rumbling and making a great noyse.
Sometimes there is heard a great noyse in Abbeis, and in other solitarie places, as if it were Coopers hooping and stopping vp wine vessels, or some other handicraftes men occupied about their labour, when it is most certaine, that all in the house are gone to bedde, and haue betaken themselues to rest.
[Sidenote: Builders hear spirits in the night.]
When houses are in building, the neighbours many times heare the Carpenters, Masons, and other Artificers handling all things in such sort, as if they were busily labouring in the day time. And this straunge wonder is ioyfully receiued as a sure token of good lucke.
There be some which iudge it commeth to passe naturally, that we suppose we heare these things in the night, which we heard before in the day time. Which question I leaue to be discussed of better learned than my selfe.
[Sidenote: Diuels are in Mines.]
Pioners or diggers for mettal, do affirme, that in many mines, there appeare straunge shapes and spirites, who are apparrelled like vnto other labourers in the pit. These wander vp and down in caues and vnderminings, and séem to besturre themselues in all kinde of labour, as to dig after the veine, to carry togither oare, to put it into baskets, and to turne the winding whéele to drawe it vp, when in very déed they do nothing lesse. They very sildome hurt the labourers (as they say) except they prouoke them by laughing and rayling at them: for then they threw grauel stones at them, or hurt them by some other means. These are especially haunting in pittes, where mettall moste aboundeth.
A certain godly and learned man wrote once vnto me, of a siluer mine at =Douosium= in the _Alpes_, vpon the which =Peter Buol= a noble man, the Schultish of the same place, (whom they call =Landammanus=,) had bestowed great cost a fewe yeres before, and had gathered therby good store of riches. In the same myne was a spirite or Diuell of the mountaine, who when the laborers filled the stuffe they had digged into their vessels, he seemed, for the most parte, euery Fridaye, to be very busie, pouring the mettals of his owne accord out of one basket into an other. Wherewith the Schultish was not offended: and when he would eyther descende into the pit, or come vp againe, blessing himselfe with the signe of the Crosse, he neuer receiued hurt. It chaunced on a time that while the saide spirit was too busie intermedling himselfe with euery thing, one of the miners being offended therewith, began to raile at him very bitterly, and with terrible cursing words, bid him get him thence in the diuels name. But the spirit caught him by the pate, and so writhed his necke about, that his face stoode behinde his backe, yet notwithstanding he was not slaine, but liued a long time after, well knowne vnto diuers of his familiar friends, which yet liue at this day, howbeit he died within a fewe yeares after.
[Sidenote: Agricola.]
=Georgius Agricola=, whose learned workes which he wrote of mettalles, be yet extant in the end of his booke of creatures liuing vnder the earth, he maketh two kindes of Diuels haunting in certayne Mynes abroade. For hée saith, there are some cruell and terrible to behold: which for the moste parte, doo very much annoy and hurt the labourers digging for mettall.
Suche a one was hée which was called =Annebergius=, who only with his breath, destroyed aboue 12. labourers at once, in the Caue called =Corona Rosacea=. The wind wherwith he slewe them, he let flée out of his mouth: for he appeared in the similitude and likenesse of an horse.
Such an other was =Snebergius=, who wearing a blacke roll about his necke, tooke vp a labourer aloft from the ground, and set him in the brinke of a certaine exceeding déepe place, where had sometime bene great store of siluer, not without gréeuous brusing of his bodie.
And againe he saith, there be some very milde and gentle, whom some of the =Germanes= call =Cobali=, as the =Grecians= do, because they be as it were apes and counterfeiters of men: for they leaping and skipping for ioy do laugh, and séeme as though they did many things, when in very déed they do nothing. And som other call them elues, or dwarfes of the Mountaines, thereby noting their small stature, wherein they commonly appeare. They séeme to be hoare, wearing apparell like the mettall Finers, that is, in a peticoate laced, and an aperne of leather about their loynes. These hurt not the labourers, except they misuse them, but do imitate them in all their doings. And he saith, they are not much vnlike vnto those whom the =Germanes= call =Guteli=, because they séeme to beare good affection towards men, for they kéep horses, and do other necessary businesse. They are also like vnto them whom they call =Trulli=, who taking on them the feined shapes of men and women, do serue as it is sayd, like seruants, both amongst other nations, and specially amongst the =Suetians=.
Touching these spirits haunting Mines of mettal, there is somewhat to be read in =Olaus Magnus de Gentibus Septentrionalibus=, the sixt booke and tenth Chapter.
[Sidenote: VVhich are people that eate and deuoure men.]
They which saile on the great Ocean sea, make report, that in certaine places, where the =Anthropophagi= do inhabit, are many spirits, which doo the people there very much harme.
Here many straunge things might be brought concerning visions appearing vnto men in their sléepe: and also of them, which being in a traunce, haue lyen a whole day and more without mouing, lyke vnto dead men: and after being restored to themselues againe, haue told many miraculous things which they haue séene.
[Sidenote: Cicero.]
[Sidenote: Augustine.]
=Cicero= writeth of maruellous things in his booke of diuination, or soothsaying. And so do many other men also. Augustine himselfe reciteth in many places of his bookes, that some after they were dead, haue warned many their friends of diuers matters, and haue disclosed vnto them secrete things, which were to come, and haue shewed sicke folkes good remedies for their diseases, and haue done many such like things.
[Sidenote: Marsilius.]
=Auenzoar Albumato=, a Phisitian of _Arabia_, writeth, that he receiued an excellent medicine for his sore eyes, of a Phisitian lately deceased, appearing vnto him in his sléep: as =Marcilius Ficinus= doth testifie, writing of the immortalitie of the soule. =Lib. 16. cap. 5.=
[Sidenote: _Mat.1.& 2._]
The holy Scriptures also teach vs, that God hath reuealed many things vnto men by dreames. =S. Mathew= in his first and second chapter writeth, that the Angell of God appeared many times vnto =Ioseph=, our Sauiour Christes foster father in a dreame, and commaunded him to beware of those which laie in wayt to destroy Christ Iesus.
[Sidenote: _Acts._]
We reade in the tenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, that S. =Peter= fell into a traunce, sawe the heauens open, and sawe a vessell, as it were a great shéete, descend downe vnto him from heauen, knit togither at the foure corners, wherein were all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth, and wilde beasts, and créeping things, and foules of the heauen. And there came a voyce vnto him: Rise =Peter=, kill and eate.
[Sidenote: _Acts 16._]
And in the 16. Chapter, as S. =Paul= was yet in _Asia_, comming downe towardes _Troada_, this vision appeared vnto him: There stoode a man of _Macedonia_ and prayed him, saying: Come into _Macedonia_ and helpe vs. Hereby =Paule= gathered, it was the will of God, that he should passe the sea, and should preach the Gospell in _Macedonia_.
But I purpose not to write of spirites and visions appearing vnto men in their sléepe, least my Booke grow vnto an huge volume: but only of those which we sensibly sée when we are awake.
CHAP. XVII.
That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications, and that sodein noyses and cracks and such like, are heard before the death of men, before battaile, and before some notable alterations and chaunges.
It hapneth many times, that whē men lie sicke of some deadly disease, there is some thing heard going in the chamber, like as the sicke men were wont, when they were in good health: yea & the sicke parties themselues, do many times hear the same, and by and by gesse what will come to passe. Oftentimes a litle before they yéeld vp yͤ ghost, and sometime a litle after their death, or a good while after, either their own shapes, or som other shadowes of men, are apparantly séen. And diuers times it commeth to passe, that when some of our acquaintaunce or friends lie a dying, albeit they are many miles off, yet there are some great stirrings or noises heard. Sometimes we think yͤ house wil fal on our heads, or yͭ some massy & waightie thing falleth down throughout all yͤ house, rendring and making a disordered noise: and shortly within fewe moneths after, we vnderstand that those things happened, the very same house yͭ our friends departed in. There be some men, of whose stock none doth die, but that they obserue and marke some signes and tokens going before: as that they heare the doores and windowes open and shut, that some things runneth vp the staires, or walketh vp and downe the house, or doth some one or other such like thing.
But here I cannot passe this in silence: that there are many superstitious mē, which vainly persuade themselues that this cousin, and this or that friend of theirs will shortly die. For in the end, the falling out of the matter it selfe, sheweth it was a vaine and foolish persuasion, that they vnderstood such things by any signes.
[Sidenote: Cardanus.]
=Cardanus= in his booke _De veritate rerum_, writeth, that there was a certaine noble Familie at _Parma_ in _Italy_, out of the which so often as any one died, there was séene an olde woman in the chimney corner. On a certaine time shée appeared, when a mayden of the same family laie very sick, and therfore they cleane dispaired of her life: but soone after she recouered again, and in the meane while, an other, which was then in good health, sodainly died.
There was a certaine parish priest, a very honest and godly man, whome I knew well, who in the plague time, could tell before hand, when any of his parish should die. For in the night time he heard a noyse ouer his bed, lyke as if one had throwne downe a sacke full of corne from his shoulders: which when he heard, he would say: Now an other biddeth me farewell. After it was day, he vsed to inquire who died that night, or who was takē with yͤ plague, to the ende he might comfort and strengthen them, according to the dutie of a good pastor.
It hath bin often obserued in Guilde Halles where Aldermen sit, that when one of those Aldermen was at the point of death, there was heard some ratling about his seate, or some other certaine signe of death. The same thing happeneth beside pewes and stalles in Churches, or in other places where men are often conuersaunt, or accustomed to exercise their handie labour.
In Abbies, the Monkes seruants or any other falling sicke, many haue heard in the night, preparation of chestes for them, in such sort as the Coffin-makers did afterwards prepare in déed.
In some country villages, when one is at deaths doore, many times there are some heard in the Euening, or in the night, digging a graue in the Churchyard, and the same the next day is so founde digged, as these men did heare before.
There haue bin séene some in the night when the Moone shined, going solemnely with the corpes, according to the custome of the people, or standing before the doores, as if some bodie were to bee carried to the Church to burying. Many suppose, they sée their owne image, or as they say, their owne soule, and of them diuers are verily perswaded, that except they die shortly after they haue séen themselues, they shall liue a very great time after. But these things are superstitious. Let euery man so prepare himselfe, as it he should die to morrow, least by being too secure, he purchase himselfe harme.
There happen other straunge things also. For when some lye in the prison in chaines, readie to suffer punishment for their offences, many times in the night season, there is heard a great noyse and rumbling, as if some bodie were breaking into yͤ gaile to deliuer the prisoners. When men come to vnderstand the matter, they can neither hear, nor sée any bodie, and the prisoners likewise say they heard no maner thing.
Some executioners or hangmen do report, that for the most part, they know before hand whether any man shall shortly bee deliuered into their handes to suffer: for their swordes will moue of their owne accord. And there are other that say, they can tell before, after what sort the prisoners shall suffer.
Many wonderfull and straunge things happen about those which wilfully cast away themselues. Somtime their corpses must be carried a great way off, before they being thrust in a sack can be throwne into the sea: and being laid in a waggon or cart, the horse could scant draw them downe the hill, but vp the hill they néed not labour at all, for the cart would runne very fast of his owne accord.
[Sidenote: De animorum immortalitate li.16.cap.5.]
[Sidenote: Virgil.]
Some men being slaine by théeues, when the théeues come to the dead bodie, by and by there gusheth out freshe blood, or else there is declaration by other tokens, that the théefe is there present. =Plato= writeth in the first booke of his lawes, that the soules of such as haue bene slaine, do oftentimes cruelly molest & trouble the soules of those which slew them. For which cause =Marsilius Fiscinus= doth thinke it chaunceth, that the wound of a man being slaine, while the carkasse lieth on the ground, doth send out blood against him, which wounded him, if he stand neare looking on his wound. Which thing both =Lucretius= affirmeth to come to passe, and also Iustices haue diligently obserued. =Dido= in =Virgil= thus threatneth =Aeneas=.
_And when the cold of death is come, and body voyd remaines, Each where my haunting spirit shall pursue thee to thy paines._
The like place is in =Horace= & in other Poets. As a théefe sitteth at the Table, a cuppe being ouerthrowne, the wine pearceth through the whole and sound wood of the Table, to all mens admiration.
Touching these and other such maruellous things, there might be many histories and testimonies alleaged. But whosoeuer readeth this booke, may call to their remembrance, that they haue séen these and such like things themselues, or that they haue heard them of their friendes and acquaintance, and of such as deserue sufficient credit.
[Sidenote: Suetonius.]
Before the alterations and chaunges of kingdomes and in the time of warres, seditions, and other dangerous seasons, ther most commōly happen very strange things in the aire, in yͤ earth, and amongst liuing creatures clean cōtrary to the vsuall course of nature. Which things men cal, wonders, signes, monsters, and forewarnings of matters to come. There are séene in the aire, swords, speares, & suche like, innumerable: there are heard and séene in the aire, or vppon the earth, whole armies of men encountring togither, and when one part is forced to flye, there is heard horrible cries, and great clattering of armour. Gunnes, launces and holberdes, with other kindes of weapons and artillerie, do often times moue of their owne accord as they lye in the armories. When as souldiers marche towards their enimies, and their ensignes will not displaie abroade but fold about the stander-bearers heads: if the souldiours be therewith amazed, they surely perswade themselues there is some great slaughter towardes. It is saide also, that horses will be very sad and heauie, and will not lette their masters sit on their backes, before they go to the battaile wherin they shall haue the ouerthrow: but when they are coragious and lustilie neighing, it is a sure token of victorie. =Suetonius= writeth, that the company of horses which =Iulius Cæsar= let run at libertie, neuer to be put to labour againe, did wéepe aboundantly when =Cæsar= was slaine.
When =Miltiades= addressed his people against the _Persians_, there were heard tirrible noyses before the battaile, and certaine spirits were séene, which the =Athenians= afterwards affirmed to be the shaddowe of =Pan=, who cast suche a feare on the _Persians_, that they turned their backs and fled. Thereof =Terrores Panici= tooke their name, being spoken of sodayn feares vnlooked for, and terrours, suche as =Lymphatici= metus are, which driue men out of their wits being taken therewith.
[Sidenote: Cicero de diuinatione.]
Before the _Lacedemonians_ were ouerthrowne in yͤ battaile at =Leuctris=, the armour moued, & made a great noise in the temple of _Hestor_. At the same time the doores of =Hercules= temple at =Thebes= being fast shut with barres, opened sodainly of their owne accord: and the weapons and armour which hoong fastned on the wall, were found lying vppon the grounde. These things are to be read in =Cicero= his first booke =De diuinatione=.
[Sidenote: Liuie.]