Part 46

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

2. There were three curious persons also at _Paris_, that taking the Church earth-mould from S. _Innocents_ Church, supposing it to be the matter of the stone, did distill it and work upon it, and in the glasses they did perceive certain Phantasms or Shapes of Men, of which they were no little afraid.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

[Sidenote: _De Myst. Sang. Anatom._ _c._ 6. _p._ 233.]

3. Our Countryman Dr. _Flud_ a person of much learning and great sincerity, doth tell us this well attested story: “That a certain Chymical Operator, by name _La Pierre_, near that place in _Paris_ called _Le Temple_, received blood from the hands of a certain Bishop to operate upon. Which he setting to work upon the _Saturday_, did continue it for a week with divers degrees of fire, and that about midnight the _Friday_ following, this Artificer lying in a Chamber next to his Laboratory, betwixt sleeping and waking, heard an horrible noise, like unto the lowing of Kine, or the roaring of a Lion; and continuing quiet, after the ceasing of the sound in the Laboratory, the Moon being at the full by shining enlightening the Chamber, suddenly betwixt himself and the Window he saw a thick little cloud, condensed into an oval form, which after by little and little did seem compleatly to put on the shape of a Man, and making another and a sharp clamour, did suddenly vanish. And that not only some Noble Persons in the next Chambers, but also the Host with his Wife, lying in a lower room of the house, and also the neighbors dwelling in the opposite side of the street, did distinctly hear as well the bellowing as the voice, and some of them were awaked with the vehemency thereof. But the Artificer said that in this he found solace, because the Bishop of whom he had it, did admonish him, that if any of them from whom the blood was extracted, should die in the time of its putrefaction, his Spirit was wont often to appear to the sight of the Artificer, with perturbation. Also forthwith upon _Saturday_ following he took the retort from the Furnace and broke it with the light stroak of a little key, and there in the remaining blood found the perfect representation of an humane head, agreeable in face, eyes, nostrils, mouth and hairs, that were somewhat thin and of a golden colour. And of this last there were many ocular witnesses, as the Noble person Lord of _Bourdalone_, the Chief Secretary to the Duke of _Guise_, and that he had this relation from the Lord of _Menanton_ living in that house at the same time, from a certain Doctor of Physick, from the owner of the house, and many others.”

So that it is most evident that there are not only three essential, and distinct parts in Man, as the gross body, consisting of Earth and Water, which at death returns to the earth again, the sensitive and corporeal Soul, or Astral Spirit, consisting of Fire and Air, that at death wandereth in the air, or near the body, and the immortal and incorporeal Soul that immediately returns to God that gave it: But also that after death they all three exist separately; the Soul in immortality, and the body in the earth, though soon consuming; and the Astral spirit that wanders in the air, and without doubt doth make these strange apparitions, motions, and bleedings; and so we conclude this tedious discourse with the Chapter.

CHAP. XVII.

_Of the force and efficacy of Words or Charms, whether they effect any thing at all or not, and if they do, whether it be by Natural or Diabolical virtue and force._

There is nothing almost so common not only in the Poets (who have been the chief disseminators of many such things) but in most of other Authors, as the mention of the force of Charms and Incantations: And yet if we narrowly search into the bottom of the matter, there is nothing more difficult than to find out any truth of the effects of them, in matters of fact; and therefore that we may more clearly manifest what we have proposed in this Chapter, we shall first premise these few things.

1. Those that take the effects of them to be great, as many Divines, Philosophers, and Physicians do, suppose no efficacy in them solely, holding that _quantitates rerum nullius sunt efficaciæ_, but that they are only signs from the Devil to delude the minds of those that use them, and in the mean time that the Devil doth produce the effects. But it had been well, if those that are of this opinion, had shewed us the ways and means how the Devil doth operate such things, seeing he can do nothing in corporeal matter but by natural means: So that either we must confess that there is no force at all in Charms, or that the effects produced are by natural means.

[Sidenote: _Syl. Syl._ _Cent._ 10. _p._ 583.]

2. Neither can we assent fully to those that hold, that the force of imagination can work strange things upon other bodies, distinct and separate from the body imaginant, upon which it is not denied to have power to operate very wonderful things; and that for the reason given by the most learned Lord _Verulam_, which is this: _Experimenta quæ vim imaginationis in corpora aliena solidè probent, pauca aut nulla prorsus sunt; cum fascini exempla huc non faciant, quod Dæmonum interventu fortasse non careant_.

[Sidenote: _Ibid._ _p._ 554.]

[Sidenote: _Medicina Magnetica_, _p._ 14, 17, 19.]

3. I said _not assent fully_, because there are some reasons that incline me to believe the possibility of it, though there be hardly found any experiments that solidly prove it. For as the said Lord Verulam saith again: _Movendi sunt homines, ne fidem detrahant operationibus ex transmissione spirituum, & vi imaginationis, quia eventus quandoq; fallit_. And there are so many learned Authors (though Dr. _Casaubon_ according to his scurrilous manner stiles them Enthusiastical _Arabs_) of all sorts, that do stifly maintain the power of the imagination upon extraneous bodies, with such strength of argument, that I much stagger concerning the point, and therefore dare not say my assent is fully to either. For learned Dr. _Willis_ having (as we conceive) unanswerably proved that there is a twofold Soul in Man, and that the one which is the sensitive, is corporeal, though much approaching to the nature of spirit, how far the force of imagination, which is its instrument, may reach, or what it may work at distance, is not easy to determine. And if the Soul, as _Helmont_ laboureth to prove, by the Prerogative of its creation can when suscitated by strong desire and exalted phantasie operate _per nutum_, then it must needs follow, that it may work upon other bodies than its own, and so using Words, Charms, Characters and Images may bring to pass strange things. But if these three conclusions be certain and true, written by the pen of a most learned, though less vulgarly known Author, to wit: “1. The Soul is not only in its proper visible body, but also without it; neither is it circumscribed in an organical body. 2. The Soul worketh without, or beyond its proper body commonly so called. 3. From every body flow corporeal beams, by which the Soul worketh by its presence, and giveth them energie and power of working: And these beams are not only corporeal, but of divers parts also:” If these (I say) be certain, then doth the imagination work at distance by means of those beams, and consequently Words and Charms, and such like may be the means and instruments, by which the imagination (being the principal power of the sensitive Soul) may operate strange things at distance, and so that not be vain which learned _Agrippa_ tells us.

_Nos habitat, non Tartara, sed nec sydera Cœli: Spiritus in nobis qui viget, illa facit._

And we have before sufficiently proved, that the species of bodies are corporeal, and it is plain, that these operate upon our eyes at a vast distance, and do intersect one another in the air without confusion. And we must in all reason acknowledge that the sensitive Soul, must needs be of as much purity, and energie as those that we call the sensible, or visible species of things, and then it must necessarily follow, that it by the means of the imagination may operate at a great distance, and so words and charms may from thence have power and operation. For learned _Agrippa_ that great Philosopher, and master of lawful and natural Magick and not of that which is accounted diabolical (as the wretched pen of _Paulus Jovius_ hath painted him) holds this: _Quod unicuiq; homini impressus est Character Divinus, cujus vigore potest pertingere ad operandum mirabilia_. Which if so, then many words, charms and the like, have a natural efficacy to work wonderful things, and that at a great distance also.

[Sidenote: _Vt supra_ _p._ 555, 556.]

4. I cannot likewise but take notice of another caution, very pertinent to our present purpose, given us also by the said Lord _Verulam_, and in English is this: “Again men are to be holden back from the peril of credulity, lest here they too much rashly incline with an easy faith, because they often see the event to answer to the operations. For the cause of the success is to be referred often to the forces of the affections and imaginations in the body that is the agent, which by a certain secondary reason may act in a diverse body. As for example: If any one carry about the figure of a Planet or a Ring or a part of some beast, being certainly perswaded, that it will prove helpful unto him in promoting his love, or that he may be preserved from danger or wound in battel, or in strife that he may overcome &c. it may render his wit more stirring, or may add spurs to his industry, or may cherish confidence and hold up constancie, from which perchancie he might have slided. Now who is ignorant what industry and a mind tenacious of its purpose, may design and bring to pass in civil affairs? Therefore (he concludeth) he should err and deceive and be deceived, who should ascribe these things to the force of imagination upon the body of another, which his own imagination worketh in his own body.” And therefore this may caution all that would judge aright of the force and effects of words and charms that they may perhaps neither flow from the nature or efficacy of the words, nor from the force of the imagination of him or her that pronounceth, writeth, giveth or applieth the charm, but from the imagination and belief of the person to whom they are applied, and for whom they are intended. For it is manifest by common experience (and we our selves have known it to be certain) that these charms either pronounced, or written and hung about the patients neck, have produced the greatest effects, upon such as are of the weakest judgment and reason, as Women, Children, and ignorant and superstitious persons, who have great confidence in such vain and inefficacious trifles; and that they seldom or never produce any effects at all, upon such as are obstinate Infidels in the belief of their operations, and I fear we shall not (or very hardly) find any instance to make this good, that they effectively work upon such as are utterly diffident of their force or power.

[Sidenote: _Cent. Problem._ _Decad._ 2. _p._ 38.]

[Sidenote: _De Fascino_ _lib._ 1. _c._ 5. _p._ 22.]

5. It hath sometimes been a question, Whether a rational Physician in the curing of melancholy persons, or others in some odd diseases, ought to grant the use of Characters or Charms, and such ridiculous administrations? Which is decided in the affirmative, that it is lawful and necessary to use them, by that able and learned Physician _Gregorius Horstius_, by eight strong and convincing arguments. And we our selves having practised the art of medicine in all its parts in the North of _England_, where Ignorance, Popery, and superstition doth much abound, and where for the most part the common people, if they chance to have any sort of the Epilepsie, Palsie, Convulsions or the like, do presently perswade themselves that they are bewitched, fore-spoken, blasted, fairy-taken, or haunted with some evil spirit, and the like; and if you should by plain reasons shew them, that they are deceived, and that there is no such matter, but that it is a natural disease, say what you can they shall not believe you, but account you a Physician of small or no value, and whatsoever you do to them, it shall hardly do them any good at all, because of the fixedness of their depraved and prepossessed imagination. But if you indulge their fancy, and seem to concur in opinion with them, and hang any insignificant thing about their necks, assuring them that it is a most efficacious and powerful charm, you may then easily settle their imaginations, and then give them that which is proper to eradicate the cause of their disease, and so you may cure them, as we have done great numbers. Here it is most manifest that the charm or appension hath no efficacy at all, and yet accidentally, it conduces to settle their fancies and confidences, which conduceth much to their cures. And from hence it comes to pass that by reason of the fixed belief of the party to whom the charm is applied, there are many helped, when the causality and efficiency is solely in the person imaginant and confident of receiving help by the means of the charm, and no efficacy at all in the charm it self, nor no diabolical concurrence, besides what obliquity may be in the minds of the actors, nor no agency in the imagination of the charmer, to produce the effect: yet because often people are cured thereby, the common people (and sometimes the learned also) do attribute the whole effect unto the charm, when indeed it effecteth nothing at all. And to this purpose _Varius_ doth quote a passage from Galen, which is this: _Sunt quidam natura læti, qui quando ægrotant, si eos sanos futuros medicus confirmet, convalescunt; quorum spes sanitatis est causa: & medicus si animi desiderium incantatione, aut alicujus rei ad collum appensione adjuverit, citius ad valetudinem perducet_.

But we now come to examine if we can find any convincing examples, from Authors of credit, that in words, characters and charms there is any force or efficacy; and this we shall endeavour from the best and most punctual Authors, that have come within the compass of our knowledge, or reading, and that in this order, to which we shall add some observations.

[Sidenote: _De abdit. rer. caus._ _l._ 1. _c._ 11. _p._ 65.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

1. I think there are few that have been, or are Students or Practitioners in the Art of Medicine, that have not either heard, or read the writing of that most able and learned person _Johannes Fernelius_ who was Physician to the most Christian King of _France_ _Henry_ the second, who in that most profound piece that he writ, _De abditis rerum causis_, gives us as an ocular witness this relation. “I have (he saith) seen a certain Man, who by the virtue or force of words did brings various Specters, or Apparitions into a looking-glass, which did there so clearly express forthwith either in writing or in true images, whatsoever he commanded, that all things were readily and easily known to those that were by.”

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

1. From hence we may observe, that _Fernelius_ seeing this (as he saith) with his eyes, cannot (being so great a Scholar, and a circumspect person) be imagined to have been deceived, or imposed upon; though as much as he relates might have been brought to pass by the artificial placing of the glass, and having several images and things written moved by a confederate placed in some secret corner, where the images might fitly be reflected from the glass to the sight of the by-standers, or by some other means performed by the optical science and confederacy. And it is no sure ground to introduce a Demon to act the business, when artificial means may rationally solve the matter, neither was it impossible but he might mistake in the conjecture of the cause of those Phenomena.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 2._]

2. And though he seems by his preceeding discourse, to believe it to have been caused but by a league and compact betwixt the person that shewed it, and some Cacodæmon: yet he bringeth no better proof for it, than the rotten authority of _Porphyrius_ and _Proclus_, and no convincing argument that Demons can perform any such strange matters. And however if they were the meer apparitions of evil spirits, it is much to be wondered that _Fernelius_ would be present at any such sinful and dangerous sights, or have such familiar conversation with any of that damned crew, seeing he there saith: _Quæ omnes prorsus vanæ & captiosæ sunt artes_.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 3._]

3. If these Apparitions were caused by Cacodæmons, then there was no efficacy in the words at all, they were nothing but the sign of the league betwixt the evil spirit, and the person that represented them; and then he need not have said, that they were derived into the glass _vi verborum_, and so this will not prove that it was effected by force of the words. But if all this that he relates, did proceed but from lawful and natural causes, as _Paracelsus_ strongly holds (the glass being but made as that which he saw in _Spain_, of the _Electrum_ that he mentions) then the words might be efficacious, and so it is a punctual instance to prove that words are operative, which is the thing _de facto_, that we here seek after.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

[Sidenote: _De Medic. Histor. mirab._ _lib._ 2 _c._ 1. _p._ 26.]

[Sidenote: Of Credul. and Incred. _p._ 85.]

2. The next History to this purpose we shall take from _Antonius Benevenius_, as we find him quoted by that learned person _Marcellus Donatus_, and likewise Dr. _Casaubon_ (for I have not the book by me) who renders it thus. “A Souldier had an arrow shot through the left part of his breast, so that the iron of it stuck to the very bone of the right shoulder. Great endeavours were used to get it out, but to no purpose. _Benevenius_ doth shew, that it was not feasible without present death. The Man seeing himself forsaken by Physicians and Chirurgeons, sends for a noted _Ariolus_ or Conjurer: who setting his two fingers upon the wound, with some Charms he used, commanded the iron to come out, which presently without any pain of the patient, came forth, and the Man was presently healed: And this the Doctor, who I presume had the book, saith, that _Benevenius_ saith _vidimus_ we have seen it, which _Marcellus Donatus_ saith, the Author ascribed to the virtue of the words, and others to the force of imagination.”

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

1. Here we may observe, that this may either be brought to pass by the efficacy of the words or charms that he muttered, and then we must needs confess that charms are of great and stupendious force: or that it might be effected by the imagination of the Charmer, and then we must suppose (which the most do deny) that the imagination of the person imaginant, hath power to operate upon extraneous bodies, if it had power to cause the iron to come without harm forth of the wounded Souldiers body, or it may be caused (and that in most probability) by the imagination of the party wounded being excited and roused up by the uttering of the charm, in which the patient (in all likelihood) had no small confidence. And so however the charm was an accidental cause, or (as they use to say) _causa sine qua non_, of the bringing forth of the iron.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Lection. in Fen. 2. Avicen._]

3. Another History we must borrow from the aforesaid two Authors _Donatus_ and Dr. _Casaubon_, which they have transcribed forth of _Johannes Baptista Montanus_, because I have not the Author by me, and is this: “My self with mine eyes, you may (he saith) believe me, have seen it: A certain man who when he had made a circle and drawn some characters about it, and uttered some words, he did call together above a hundred Serpents. And further saith, that though he did murmur certain words, yet he holdeth, that the bringing of the Serpents together was not performed by the force of the words, but by the power of a strong imagination, and that some by the strength of imagination, not of words, are said to draw forth darts, and to cure wounds.”

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

1. And here we may take notice that this is a punctual and positive History, plainly declaring the matter of fact, in calling together above an hundred Serpents, and this must be done either by the force of the words, or by the strength of the persons imagination, or both, unless we must admit the Devil to perform it, which may vainly be supposed, but cannot be proved, by what natural means he should bring it to pass. But however the relation is very credible, _Montanus_ being a famous Physician and Professor at _Padua_, and affirms it as seen with his own eyes.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 4._]

[Sidenote: _Wier. de mag. Infant._ _p._ 92.]

4. To these we may add one of sufficient credit from the learned _Masius_, as it is cited by _Wierus_, and Dr. _Casaubon_ (which may be we have related before, but not to this purpose) and is this: “I also (he saith) have seen them who with words (or charms) could stop wild beasts, and force them to await the stroak of the dart: who also could force that Domestick beastly creature, which we call a Rat, as soon as seen, amazed and astonished to stand still, as it were immoveable, until not by any deceit or ambushes, but only stretching their hands, they had taken them and strangled them.” This is from his own sight, and he a Man of undoubted veracity.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 5._]

5. Another take from the credit of Dr. _Casaubon_ who fathers it upon _Remigius_, but confesseth that at the time of his writing the story he could not find it in _Remigius_ his Book, and is this. “I have seen a Man (saith he) who from all the neighbourhood (or confines) would draw Serpents into the fire, which was inclosed within a magical circle; and when one of them, bigger than the rest, would not be brought in, upon repetition of the charms before used, he was forced, and so into the fire he did yield himself with the rest, and with it was compassed.”

[Sidenote: _Hist. 6._]

[Sidenote: Antidot. against Atheism. _c._ 2. _p._ 166.]

6. To these we shall adjoin another story written from Wierus by Dr. _Moore_ thus: “And (he saith) _Wierus_ tells us this story of a Charmer at _Saltzburg_, that when in the sight of the people he had charmed all the Serpents into a ditch and killed them, at last there came one huge one far bigger than the rest, that leapt upon him and winded about his waste like a girdle, and pulled him into the ditch, and so killed the Charmer himself in the conclusion.” And this great Serpent the Doctor taketh (in his Appendix) to be a Devil, or a Serpent actuated and guided by him, but upon what grounds of reason I can no way understand.

[Sidenote: _Archidox. Magic._ _l._ 1. _p._ 695.]