Chapter XVII: Part 17

[Sidenote: _De morb. venefic._ _l._ 3. _c._ 5.]

[Sidenote: _Histor. 5._]

[Sidenote: _De fascino_ _lib._ 6. _Part_ 9. _c._ 5. _p._ 680.]

[Sidenote: _Syl. Syl._ _Cent._ 9.]

[Sidenote: _Exper._ 888.]

[Sidenote: _Ibid._ _Cent._ 10. 959.]

[Sidenote: _Obs. Medic._ _Cent._ 2. _p._ 96.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 6._]

6. It is very strange to consider what learned and grave Authors have left recorded of the Ligation or binding of Husbands that they might not be viripotent, or be able to have to do with their Wives for a longer or a shorter time; nay some even have proceded so far as to write it, and seem also to believe it; that by venifice or Witchcraft, the virile members may be quite taken away; as is related by _Codronchius_, of a certain young man that had his members quite taken away by a Woman Witch, which notwithstanding she restored again, by beating and putting her in the fear of death. And of this incredible story, _Sennertus_ a professed maintainer of the impossible power of Witches, doth notwithstanding give this censure. “The Devil doth often delude men by prestigious and jugling deceits, and perswadeth them that he hath brought such Diseases as indeed are none at all, as this taking away the virile member, related by _Baptista Codronchius_. For although some be of that opinion, that the genital members may really be taken away and restored by the Devil: notwithstanding (he saith) I had rather hold with those that believe such things are meer juglings and delusions; seeing it is not in the power of the Devil to restore unto man a member lost or taken away. The most learned Lord _Bacon_ doth affirm, that this kind of Ligation or binding, to make men impotent for Coition, is frequent in _Santonne_ and _Gascoigne_, and is used to be done upon the Marriage day, and that it is often performed by the Mothers to prevent that incantation by others, and that they may loose it when they please. And doth think it no light matter because punishable by their laws. And saith after, If it exceed not nature it hath its force from the Imagination of the binder of the virile member,” and adds: _Putem ego illud ab incantatione alienum esse, quia non à certis personis tantum (quales incantatores) sed à quolibet fieri potest_. But that which puts it forth of all doubt that it is nothing but melancholy, and the abuse of the fancy, is manifest from the observation of perspicacious _Salmuth_, which is this: “I have known two (he saith) who did imagine themselves impotent to the act of Venery, and thought themselves maleficiated or bewitched, when as before they had afforded themselves sufficiently strenuous in that warfar also with their Wives. But both being (he saith), handled and cured by me, as persons melancholick and Hypochondriacal, have afterwards sufficiently laughed at themselves. But I did conjecture them to be melancholick by this, because they did complain, that about that act they were overwhelmed with an heap of Cogitations. From whence it is manifest from what cause that effect did proceed. And therefore it is deservedly doubted of _Wierus_, whether or no there be any true impotency at all, but what is from natural Causes.”

[Sidenote: _Curat. Emp._ _Cent._ 91. _p._ 222.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 7._]

7. That the most of those vomitings of strange things is only caused from natural Causes, as poysonous Potions, Philters and the like, is manifest by another example given us by that famous Chymist and learned Physician of _Frisuiga_ in _Bavaria_, _Martinus Rulandus_, which is this: “_David Held_ Student in the Arts about the twentieth year of his Age did receive from a wicked Woman Cakes, which he did eat, and departing from her forthwith in the way he began to doat, and being brought home he began to rage more, and fell into madness. And to help this madness the Students came unto me and declare the insanity, the Philter that he had taken, and his being infected or brought into that madness by it, and desire some help against it. To oppose which (he saith) I gave six Ounces of my _Aqua Benedicta_, which I commanded straightway to be given him in the name of _Jesus_. And this being taken soon after by vomiting he cast up the Philter, or invenomed Cakes that he had swallowed, which being cast upon the Earth, they did with the admiration of the by-standers begin to wax hot and to boil, as meat with the fire doth grow hot and boil. So that this poison being cast up as a thing unhoped for, soon after the insanity is driven away, and within two days his understanding was perfectly restored, and by the power of the Almighty did totally recover.” So that it is manifest that these kind of people that are commonly called Witches, are indeed (as both the Greek and Latin names do signifie) Poysoners, and in respect of their Hellish intentions are Diabolical, but the effects they procure flow from natural Causes. If any require more ample satisfaction in this point, they may find divers Histories recorded in _Schenkins_ his Observations, _lib._ 7. _de venenis_, to verifie this particular.

[Sidenote: _Injaculat. mod. intrand._ _p._ 603, 604.]

8. There is no one Argument that doth more confirm, that what effects soever Devils, or those called Witches do bring to pass in humane bodies, are wrought by natural means, and proceed from natural causes: Because what diseases soever are cured by natural causes and agents, must of necessity be brought into humane bodies by natural means. But many diseases attributed to the Devil, or Witches as instruments, have been cured by natural means and applications, as we shall prove both by authorities and matters of fact. And therefore those diseases must of necessity grow and arise from natural causes. And for authority we find _Helmont_ affirming thus much: “And also partly the curing of these diseases is to be had by certain Simples, to which the omnipotent goodness hath given a gift from the beginning of the Creation, of resisting, preventing and correcting of _Veneficia_, Witchcrafts, or poysonings, and of bringing forth things injected. For (he saith) certain Simples do drive away evil spirits (a miserable company of Men, who give worship to Gods, that are not able to resist the natural efficacy of Simples) and reckons some that take away the penetration of the formal light tied to the excrements. Some do hinder the touch, entrance or application. And that there are many such like, that do correct the poysons, and kill them. And chiefly he commendeth the _Electrum minerale immaturum_ of _Paracelsus_, the _Phu_ of _Dioscorides_, being a kind of Valerian with purple flowers, and likewise there commemorateth diverse others.

[Sidenote: Useful of Exper. Philos. p. 214.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 8._]

[Sidenote: _Ut supra_ _p._ 217.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 9._]

To confirm this assertion of _Helmonts_, we shall transcribe what the Honourable person Mr. _Boyle_ hath set down to this purpose. “Since the beginning of this Essay (he saith) I saw a lusty, and very sprightful Boy, child to a famous Chymical Writer, (I judge it to be _Joachimus Poleman_) who as his Father assured me and others, being by some enemies of this Physicians, when he was yet an infant, so bewitcht that he constantly lay in miserable torment, and still refusing the breast, was reduced by pain and want of food, to a desperate condition, the experienced relator of the story remembring that _Helmont_ attributes to the _Electrum minerale immaturum Paracelsi_, the virtue of relieving those, whose distempers come from Witchcraft, did according to _Helmonts_ prescription hang a piece of this noble mineral about the infants neck, so that it might touch the pit of the Stomach; whereupon presently the child, that could not rest in I know not how many dayes and nights before, fell for a while asleep, and waking well cried for the Teat, which he greedily suckt, from thenceforth hastily recovering, to the great wonder both of the Parents, and several others that were astonisht at so great and quick a change. And though I am not forward (he saith) to impute all those diseases to Witchcraft, which even learned Men father upon it; yet it’s considerable in our present case, that whatsoever were the cause of the disease, the distemper was very great, and almost hopeless, and the cure suddenly performed by an outward application, and that of a Mineral, in which compacted sort of bodies the finer parts are thought to be lockt up.” Another example he giveth us in these words: “The same _Henricus ab Heer_ among his freshly commended observations, hath another of a little Lady, whom he concludes to have been cast into the strange and terrible distemper, which he there particularly records, by Witchcraft. Upon so severe an examination of the Symptomes made by himself in his own house, that if, notwithstanding his solemn professions of veracity, he mis-relate them not, I cannot wonder he should confidently impute so prodigious a disease to some supernatural cause. But though the observation, with its various circumstances, be very well worth your perusing; yet that, for which I here take notice of it is, what he adds about the end of it, concerning his having cured her, after he had in despair of her recovery sent her back to her Parents, by an outward medicine, namely, an Oyntment which he found extolled against pains produced by Witchcraft, in a Dutch book of _Carrichter_’s (where also I remember I met with it set down a little differently from what he delivers.)”

[Sidenote: _Observ. Medic._ 34. _p._ 127.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 10._]

But to conclude this tedious particular, I shall only add one observation more from learned _Salmuth_, which is this: “The servant Maid (he saith) of _Cæsars à Breitenbach_ was taken with a most intense pain of her left arm, which when it did not at all remit or abate, but that the dolour was augmented more and more, and that no tumour, nor any other preternatural thing did outwardly appear, the beholders did fear some sort of venefice or Witchcraft. Therefore they apply a well tryed medicine, which in such a case is said to be much approved, to wit red Corals well beaten with the leaves of Oak, and with Rose-water brought into the form of a Cataplasm, and leave it on for the space of 24 hours. In which space of time the place is brought to suppuration, and within as many more hours, the same remedy being applyed again, the abscess is broken, and in it needles, hairs and burnt coals are found. All these together with the Amulet they put into an hole made with an Augur or Gimlet in the root of an Oak, towards the East, in the morning before the Sun rise, and they stopped up the same hole with a wedge or pin, made of the wood of the same Tree. The pain thereupon plainly ceaseth, and the place is with other medicaments brought to Cicatrization. But some deriding such things, and thinking them to be prestigious delusions, do pull them forth of the hole again. Hereupon forthwith that miserable servant was again afflicted with cruel pains, more raging than the former. Therefore they repeat the former medicaments, and more copious matter doth issue forth, which being taken together with the Amulet, and put in the former place in the Oak, all the pains did forthwith vanish, and she afterwards lived altogether sound.” And so I conceive that by these reasons, authorities and instances of matters of fact, it is sufficiently proved, that what Devils or Witches work in humane bodies or in corporeal matter, is by applying fit actives to suitable passives, and so the effects are only produced by natural causes and means, which was the thing I undertook to make good.

The next thing that in this Chapter we have to consider and examine is the opinion of _Johannes Baptista van Helmont_, that great Physician, Philosopher and Chymist, which we shall open in these particulars.

1. He reciteth a large Catalogue of things, that are in a most strange manner brought or injected into the bodies of Men and Women, as darts, thorn-pricks, or pins, chaff, hairs, dust of wood that hath been sawed, little stones, egg-shels and pieces of pots, hulls and husks or swads, insects, things of linen, needles and the instruments of artificers, which have been injected insensibly, and entred altogether in an invisible manner, but were detained and ejected with direful pains and tortures. And that sometimes they are greater than the holes or passages by which they are intromitted.

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

2. And to confirm this assertion he bringeth instances of matters of fact, as these following. “For (he saith) of late there was a part of an Oxe hide injected by the pores of the skin, it being intire, which the Chirurgeon did draw forth with a pair of Forceps, it being of the magnitude of the ball of a Mans hand, the Apostume first being ripened. And a Witch burned at _Bruges_, did confess, that she had injected that hide into the good man. So (he saith) we have in times past seen at _Lira_ the children of _Orphans_ to have cast up by vomit an artificial Horse and Cart, drawn forth by the hands of the by-standers; to wit a four footed board accompanied with its ropes, and wheel. And what way soever it were placed, it was easily greater than the double throat. Further he saith, I have seen at _Antwerp_ in the year 1622. a young Maid, who had vomited, perhaps two thousand pins conglomerated together, and with them hairs and filth. Another Maid (he saith) at _Mechlin_ in the year 1631, who we being present, did vomit up shavings of wood or chips, cut off in plaining with the Hatchet, with much slimy stuff, to the magnitude of two fists. It is (he saith) a frequent thing every where admitted by learned Men.” Upon which we will only give these Animadversions.

[Sidenote: _Anim. 1._]

[Sidenote: _Pract._ _l._ 7. _c._ 25.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. Rar. Anat._ _Cen._ 1. _Hist._ 52. _p._ 73.]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 4._]

1. That things as strange as these, that _Helmont_ seems to avouch of his own sight and knowledge, are also attested by other persons of great learning and credit, as, besides what we have immediately before shewed from _Salmuth_, of the needles, hairs and burnt coals that came forth of the Maids arm, these examples may ratifie. We will pass by _Sprenger_, _Bodin_, _Remigius_ and _Del Rio_ as Pontificial Authors, and therefore partial and interested, only in the first place we shall give this from _Alexander Benedictus_, who telleth this: “That he saw two Women his neighbours upon one day, being infected by potions of evil medicaments, who afterwards were wonderfully tormented with strange vomitings: That the one cast up with great strainings an head bodkin very great bended like an hook, with a great lump of Womens hair, wrapped with the pairing of nails, who died the day following. The other vomited up a Womans Quoif, pieces of glass, with three dried pieces of a Dogs tail that was hairy, so that she had voided by vomiting as much, (if set together,) as would have equalized the quantity of the whole tail. But the most strange story that possibly can be read is recorded by _Thomas Bartholinus_ who was Physician to _Frederick_ the third King of _Denmark_, of _Anna Erici_, who vomited up at several times a piece of sharp wood, great store of black blood, an hem or fring of silk or linen cloath of a blew colour, sowed with a green thred, in which were hid three pieces of lead, two pieces of glass, three Almonds, three pieces of a Tobacco-pipe, and white stones or flints: And afterwards many other horrid, strange and incredible things that may be read in the place quoted in the Margent.

[Sidenote: _Anim. 2._]

2. It would seem a point of strange Scepticism or infidelity to distrust and reject these relations as lies and fictions, seeing the Authors that recite them do for the most part attest them upon their own view or knowledge, or at least from unquestionable eye-witnesses, and that they were Men of great Reputation and Credit, that lived in several Countrys, and in different times, and therefore could not conspire in a lie.

[Sidenote: _Anim. 3._]

3. But notwithstanding all this, we find persons of great learning and sober judgments, to use much hesitation about these things, and either to suspend their belief of them, as having never seen any such things themselves, and therefore may well conclude as many Wise Men do, that he that hath seen a thing may better believe it than he that hath not seen it, or else are utterly diffident and believe no such matters of fact at all. And indeed there is no greater folly than to be very inquisitive and laborious to find out the causes of such a Phenomenon, as never had any existence, and therefore Men ought to be cautious and be fully assured of the truth of the effect, before they adventure to explicate the cause. And I find both my Lord _Bacon_, and that honourable and learned person Mr. _Boyle_, when they have occasion to mention these things, do it with extream caution, and always with an If or some other note of signal dubitation, and also the Lord _Mountaigue_ in his Essays, and our Countreyman Mr. _Osburne_ (no contemptible persons) in his writings seem utterly diffident of any such matter.

[Sidenote: _Anim. 4._]

4. Again if we consider how easy a thing it is, for the most vigilant, attentive and wisest person either to impose upon himself, being drawn by those overruling notions that he suckt in from his childhood, whereby the will and affections being never so little byassed the judgment will be presently swayed that way: or how subject the most wary and perspicacious person is to be imposed upon by the cunning craftiness or confederacy of others, or drawn to believe a meer impossibility, by the perseverant asseverations of what others have seen and known, may certainly induce us, though not utterly to reject all relations of this nature, yet to stand like _Janus_ in this field of doubtful perplexity.

[Sidenote: _Anim. 5._]

5. If to this we add the consideration, how rare and seldome these things happen, and how long (though it argue but negatively) many Physicians have practised, and yet have never met with any such strange accidents: and withal that many of these vomitings of strange stuff, and the like have been meer counterfeit juglings and Impostures, as was manifest in the Boy of _Bilson Sommers_ of _Nottingham_ and diverse others: besides, I that have practised Physick above forty years could never find any such thing in truth and reality, but have known many that have counterfeited these strange vomitings, and the like, which we and others have plainly laid open and detected. So that though we shall not simply deny the verity of these relations, so we cannot but believe, that some of them have been cheats and delusions, and others meer mistakes of ignorance and vain credulity, and in the belief of any of them, that we ought to proceed with much cautiousness and careful foresight.

3. The next thing that _Helmont_ lies down (after he thinketh that he hath proved the matters of fact sufficiently) is the assigning of the true cause (as he thinketh) of the bringing to pass these wondrous effects; And these he maketh twofold, first the Devil, by reason of the league with the Witch, doth bring and convey the things to be injected to the place, or near the object; and makes them invisible by his spiritual power: Secondly that the Witch by the strength of her imagination and the motion of her free will, (which he holds to be the only peculiar prerogative of mankind, and to remain both with Men and Women after the fall, namely a power by their free wills and force of imagination, to create or frame seminal and efficacious Ideas to work as it were _ad nutum_) doth convey or inject these strange things into the bodies of those they would hurt or torment, and that in this case as the ultimate attempt of nature, there is and may be a penetration of dimensions, and these things he attempteth to prove after this manner, which we shall first amply lay down and relate, and afterwards we shall give some notes and observations upon them, as things of great weight and consideration.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 1._]

“1. He granteth that the evil spirit hath a power motive, yet therewith cannot hurt the innocent as he pleaseth. And further he tells us that these injected things do enter invisibly. And that this one thing is meerly Diabolical. For the most miserable scoffer (he saith) seeing he hath nothing that is real left to his liberty, yet he hath vain appearances: Because he is the Father of lies, he feigneth those things and maketh them to appear falsly, or otherwise than they are, from the beginning of the World. And in these juglings the Man that is the Devils bondslave worketh nothing at all. But by what manner the Devil maketh things visible in themselves to be invisible, or how he involves them in his invisible spirit, he confesseth that he is not a sedulous searcher of the works of Satan, that belong unto him in propriety. And therefore that the Devil doth transfer the things to be injected, being made invisible, unto the object, the Idea of humane desire directing. And because it is not permitted to the Devil, to enter into Man, much less that he may hurt him, and least of all with an invisible burden; therefore he useth the free motive power of the Man bound unto him. The Man doth therefore impress his free motive Blas into the body made invisible, but the Devil doth carry it unto the Man, into whom it is to be injected. And as a knife by the desire and consent of the person wounding is fixed into the flesh of him that is wounded: So this body made invisible by the Devil, is injected into the body of the person to be inchanted, by the Idea of the motive power of the Witch: Satan conspiring to this because of the purposed direction of hurting the person.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 2._]

2. Truly I believe (he saith) that it doth fight with Piety, if a power exceeding nature be attributed to the Devil. As though Satan should be above nature, and should operate things impossible to nature. I grant that the manner is exotick and strange, but yet notwithstanding it ought to be contained within the limits of nature. And if it be said: the manner is unknown by which nature should do it. The manner is also equally unknown by what means Satan should do it. Therefore they gain nothing who refer the work of nature unto the Devil. But whether they offend or not, let others look to it. For at least it is an invention of immense sloathfulness, to refer all things to the Devil that we do not understand. Neither would I (saith he) have the Devil called upon to satisfie our questions by a temerarious attribution of power.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 4._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 5._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 6._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 7._]

3. “Therefore (he saith) I will shew, that the aid of Satan is not at all needful, that some solid body may be drawn without the comminution of it self, by a passage far less than it self. For the evil spirit, though he have a motive Blas; yet notwithstanding it is against piety, that he can hurt the innocent at his pleasure. Which certainly should come to pass, if every where he could inject these things, according to his nefarious will, for (he saith) I have seen these things happen to innocent children, to Virgins that were pious and devoted to God after a singular manner. And to prove this point he giveth these instances. _Cornelius Gemma de Cosmocriticis_ doth recite that he had seen a piece of three pounds or 48. ounces weight, of a brass Cannon, which a Maid the Daughter of a Cooper had voided by stool, with its characters or letters, together with an Eele wrapt in its secundines. But it is impossible to nature to melt powdered metal in us, and to be detained so many months in its pristine figure in the Intestines, or that the Eele should so often be made into small powder and to arise again from death. And that pieces of wood and leather should so often be turned into small powder, and again restored into their former condition. For (he saith) I have seen at _Bruxells_ in the year 1599. that an Oxe having taken three Herbs did vomit a Dragon with a tail like an Eele, a body as of leather, a Serpentine Head, and not less than a Partridge. There is (he saith) an History of a Polonish Countryman, seen lately of the Son of the Lord _Ericius Puteanus_. A certain rustick did attempt himself to cut the Squinsie that he had in his throat with a short Knife, which at unawares he swallowed, and that at the length he did void the same at the right side of the _Abdomen_, or lower belly, with much rotten matter after great tortures, and survived in health. Also at _Vilvordia_ in the year 1636. a Countryman known unto me (he saith) intending to feed a Cow, did daily give her a bowl, in which he had boiled Pot-Herbs with bran. At last she waxeth leaner more and more every day, and begun to halt upon the right thigh: The Cow being killed, the short Knife of his Wives bended back into the haft of Box, is found hid betwixt the ribs and the shoulder blade: For the Country Woman in cutting the rape root, had left her Knife amongst the Pot-Herbs, and the Cow by drinking had swallowed it. Also (he saith) _Ambrosius Paræus_ relateth a story of a certain man whom Thieves had compelled to swallow a Knife, which he afterwards being sound did void by an Apostume of the side. _Alexander Benedictus_ (he saith) doth mention another, to whom an Arrow had penetrated into his back, the hook of which of the breadth of three fingers he did void by stool without hurt. The same Author relateth of a certain Girl of _Venice_ who had swallowed a Needle, and that after two years she voided it by urine, crusted over with a stony substance. Also (he saith) _Antonius Benevenius_ doth relate, that an Hetruscan Woman had swallowed a Copper Needle or Pin, which three years after she voided at the Navil, and was sound. _Valesius de Taranta_ (he saith) mentioneth a Girl of _Venice_ (perhaps the same) who voided by urine a Pin of three fingers long. A certain Capucine at _Eburum_ called _Bullonius_, by Sirname _Hamptean_, did with much aversion of mind drink up an huge living Spider, which he had seen fall into the Chalice in the time of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Within a few days he had a Phlegmon or bile that did arise in his right thigh, and with much rotten matter from thence he voided the whole Spider, but being dead. A young Merchant of _Antwerp_ being playing at _Venice_ in his mouth with an unripe Ear of Barley, did swallow the same with an huge fear of suffocation: From thence after three Weeks in the left side above the Girdle, an Apostume appeared, and at the length with the rotten matter the same Ear of a yellow colour is extracted whole. And he escaped sound. With _Fernelius_ a Student is related to be cured by him who had voided an Ear of Corn by the ribs. Also Writers do commemorate, that the young one sometimes dead and wasted in the Womb, hath voided the bones through the Womb, the belly, by the navil, and sometimes by the fundament. More things of this nature do every where occur amongst Authors worthy of credit.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 4._]

4. From which matters of fact he thus concludeth: “By which (he saith) it is manifest, that solid bodies sufficiently great, have penetrated the Stomach, the Bowels, the Womb, the Caul, the lower Belly, the skin upon the inside of the Ribs, the Bladder, Membranes (he saith) impatient of so great a wound. That is to say, that Knives have been transmitted through these Membranes without wound, which is equivalent to the penetration of dimensions made in nature without the help of the Devil. And that an human body may be drawn through a small hole, through which a Cat might only pass, but not through a Wall. Verily that the Devil cannot break a paper Window without the consent of his Master, is (he saith) manifest by the process and arrest of _Ludovicus Godfredus_ the Witch, pronounced at _Aix_ in _Narbona_, the last of _April 1611_. I pray you where have the three pounds of brass, of the Cannon of War, marked with its letters, laid hid? how for so many months hath the dross shined, in what part was the piece of brass greater than the intestine contained? While I was (he saith) shewing a necessary vacuity in the air, I promised that I would declare, that although the penetration of bodies by the primary law of nature, and by the common way of Artificers be forbidden: notwithstanding that while a body doth totally pass over into the dominion of the spirit, and is carried over, and is by that as it were weakened; then bodies do naturally and mutually penetrate one another, at least in that part that is porous: Because that the spirit then doth inclose the body under it self, and therefore as it were taketh away the dimensions.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 5._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

5. And to confirm and open this point more fully, he saith: “I will premise some things. The desire of eating Muscles did invade a Woman with Child. And she eateth some of them so very hastily, that she did devour the raw shells, twice or thrice broken with her teeth. Thereupon by and by within an hour, she bringeth forth a sound and adult Child, with the same half-chewed shells, and wounded in the belly. Therefore the shells without the aperture of the membranes, had forthwith penetrated the Stomach, Womb and Secundines: or else there were new shells generated upon the young Child. Neither could this later be true. For they were the true fragments of the Muscles, and not figuratively framed to the imitation of them. Furthermore, the appetite is not carried to a thing unknown: Therefore the appetite of eating the Muscles was not of the Child, but of the Woman. Therefore it was not necessary that new Muscles should be generated about the Child; for they were desired by the Mother that they might become nutriment to her, not the Child. Otherwise by the same argument of Identity, what things soever should by the appetite be desired, should be generated about the young Child; of whom when they could not be digested, they should be always either left remaining about the Child, or should there putrefie. Which is false both ways: for if it should putrefie, that which is desired would cause abortion; or if it were conserved there, it would be found regularly. For the Child is only nourished by the Navil: Therefore those external Muscles could neither be wished by the Child, nor could be profitable unto it, and by consequence, were neither for an end made anew, but sent to the young one by reason that it was an uterine appetite. The appetite is always directed from the end; but the Woman with Child desired the Muscles not the shells, neither that the Muscle being a living animal might remain in its former state, in which it was unprofitable to the Mother, nor could satisfie her appetite; and therefore much less hath had occasion of generating new and unprofitable shells about the young one. But however it be taken, the appetite was not to the shells twice or thrice broken. For if the Fishes had been taken forth of the shells, she had eaten the fish the shells being left. Therefore the concomitance and concision of the shells were accidental to the appetite. I suppose truly (he saith) that as the desire, terrour, _&c._ do generate seminal Idea’s, which the hand of the Woman with Child doth send down to the young one, and doth depinge or figurate it in a set time: So the joy of finding that which the appetite did desire, doth bring that very thing to the Child. So verily the heaviness of heart of him that swallowed the Knife, the horror of having drunk the Spider, and of the Ear of Barley devoured, did repel or drive back those things beyond the membranes not able to suffer a wound without death. And these things (he saith) of things injected, entring by the ordinary power of nature, without the suspicion of Diabolical cooperation.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 6._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 1._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 2._]

[Sidenote: _Hist. 3._]

6. Now he proceedeth to prove penetration of dimensions by natural power in another way. “Something like to these (he saith) appeareth in things that from within are to without taken away, which I will dispatch (he saith) in one or two examples. The Wife of a Taylor of _Mechlinia_, seeth a Souldier before the doors to lose his hand in a conflict: Forthwith being stricken with horror, she brought forth a Daughter with one hand, the other awanting, with the stump all bloody, which hand of hers could not be found, and the flux of blood killed the Child. The Wife of _Marke de Vogeler_, a Merchant of _Antwerpe_ in the year 1602. seeing a Souldier begging whose right Arm an Iron Bullet in the Siege of _Ostend_ had taken away, and which he carried about as yet bloody; by and by after that she brought forth a Daughter wanting an Arm, and that the right one too, the shoulder of whom being yet bloody the Chirurgion ought to consolidate. She hath Married to a Merchant of _Amsterdam_, by name _Hoochcamer_; and is yet living this year 1638. But the right Arm was no where to be found, neither the bones or any corruption did appear, into which the Arm might be wasted in a little hour. But the Souldier not being seen, the Child had two Arms, neither could the Arm that was torn off be annihilated. Therefore the Womb being shut the Arm was taken away. But who tore it away naturally, and whither was it taken? certainly trivial reasons do not square or agree in so great a portent or Paradox. I am not he that will say these things. I will say this at the least: That the Arm was not taken away or torn off by Satan. Furthermore it was of less weight to carry away elsewhere the Arm torn off, than to have torn the Arm from the whole body without death. The Wife of a Merchant (he saith) known unto us, as soon as she heard that thirteen were to be beheaded (it happened at _Antwerpe_ in the time of the Duke of _Alva_) and Women with Child are led with inordinate appetites, she determined to see the decollations. Thereupon she ascends the Chamber of a Widdow that was a familiar friend to her that lived in the Market-place. And the spectacle being seen, forthwith the pain of Child-birth took her, and she brought forth a full grown infant with a bloody neck, whose head did no where appear.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 7._]

7. From these most stupendious and almost incredible stories, he draweth these conclusions. “I do not find (he saith) that human nature doth abominate the penetration of dimensions, seeing it is most frequent to the seeds of things. For in the seeds of things, that primevous Energie of penetrating bodies, doth yet consist, but not subject to force, art or human arbitrement. For there are many bodies many times more ponderous than the matter of which they are framed. It is necessary (he saith) that more than fifteen parts of water do fall in together into one, that one part of gold may from thence be made. For weight is not made of nothing: but argueth the ponderating matter in the ballance. Therefore water doth naturally penetrate its body so often as the gold doth overweigh the water. Therefore the domestick and daily progress of seeds in Generations, doth require that the body doth penetrate it self by condensation, which is altogether impossible to an Artificer. We grant (he saith) that there are pores in the water, these notwithstanding cannot contain so much as fourteen times the quantity of its whole. Therefore it is ordinary, that some parts of the water do penetrate themselves into one place.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 8._]

8. And to illustrate this going before he saith: “By an example, _Aqua fortis_ doth by its spirit make Brass, Iron or Silver remaining opacous in their natures so transparent that they cannot be seen, and doth pass the metal thorough filtring paper, which otherwise will not transmit, no not the most small powder, which metal doth essentially remain still a metal _in specie_ or kind. But not that the similitude of penetration of dimensions doth uniformly square with the propounded example of the metal. Because reasons do not agree to so great a Paradox, wherein (he saith) I willingly acknowledge the manner to be indemonstrable _à priori_.” Even as no man can know by what means the Idea impressed in the seeds doth figurate, direct, and dispose the things that it hath framed. And therefore we are forced to hunt forth the same _à posteriori_.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 9._]

9. From all which he draweth this Conclusion. “There is therefore another far different power of incantation, besides the Devils. And therefore natural and free. He hath no Dominion over the just. But if the power of inchanting were free to the Devil, also it would be equally free to him to kill by a Knife or a Maul. And so none should be free. Therefore the Witch (he saith) doth, _per ens naturale_, form imaginatively a free Idea, which is natural and noxious. Which Idea Satan cannot form. Because that the formation of Idea’s do require the Image of God and a free power: And therefore the Witches do operate by a natural force, no less against the just and innocent, than against wicked men. Seeing that inchantments do more easily infect Children than those of ripe age, sooner Women than stout Men: A certain natural power is signified to be limited to the inchantment, to which it is easily resisted by a stout and couragious mind. The Devil therefore offereth filth and poysons to his Clients, that he may knit fermentally Idea’s formed in the Imagination of the Witches unto them. And he preserveth that Ideal poyson, that it may not be blown away with the wind, or being covered in the earth, it be not destroyed by putrefaction. But he carrieth that poison locally near to the object, to be inchanted: But to apply it, or carry it into the man, he by no means is able. And therefore the Witch doth also send forth another _executive medium_, or mean emanative and commanding, which mean is the Idea of a strong desire. For it is inseparable to the desire to be carried about things wished for. To all which the Devil as a Spectator doth assist in the conduction.”

[Sidenote: _Reas. 10._]

10. “For (he saith) in truth, I have demonstrated already, that operative means are solely in the power of man. For only God is the most chiefly glorious Creator, to be infinitely praised, who hath Created the Universe forth of nothing. But man as far forth as he is the Image of God doth forth of nothing create certain _Entia rationis_, or _non_-Entities in their beginning, and that in the proper gift of the Phantastical virtue. Which are notwithstanding something more than meerly a privative or negative being. For first of all while these conceived _Idea_’s do at length cloath themselves in the species or shape fabricated by the Imagination, they become Entities now subsisting in the middest of that Vestment, to which by the whole they are equally in them. And thus far they are made seminal and operative Entities: of which, to wit their assumed subjects are forthwith totally directed. But this power is given to man alone. Otherwise a seminal power to propagate, is given to the Earth, to Bruits, Plants, _&c._ Also the Dog by his madness can transfer or change his spittle or _saliva_ into poyson, because it is peculiar to his kind or species. Which also is obvious in divers poysons of animals. But to form Idea’s abstracted from their species and adjacent proprieties, that is given to none but man.”

Having thus far at large traced his footsteps in these abstruse and mysterious matters, we shall come now to examine them and make some observations upon them. And although we may be sharply censured for taking upon us to question the things that he hath asserted, having been _suo gradu_ an Adeptist, a person of profound judgment, great experience, general learning, high reputation, and now generally followed as the Chief Standard-bearer for Philosophy, Physick and Chymistry, that many esteem it no small glory to be called and accounted an Helmontian. Yet notwithstanding this we shall note some observations in this order.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

[Sidenote: _De Incant._ _p._ 677.]

1. He holdeth that the Devil doth only make the things invisible, or hides them by his spirit, and brings them near to the object into which they are to be injected, and that the Witch by the seminal Idea of her imagination, and the strength of her desire as the agent, or efficient cause, doth inject or thrust them into the body of the person, intended to be hurt or tormented; whereby he necessarily supposes a league or contract betwixt the Devil and the Witch, and therefore he calls them the Devils clients and those that are bound unto him. But what kind of contract this should be, explicite or implicite, internal and mental, or corporeal and visible, he tells us not; the latter of which we utterly deny, that it is in the power of the Devil to practise when he pleaseth, as we have before with sufficient arguments demonstrated at large. And for an implicite or mental league, we grant that all thieves, murderers, these kind of malicious and poysoning Witches and all other wicked persons are bound in a spiritual contract unto him: For he is the spirit that _worketh in the children of disobedience_. And what wickedness soever he hath tempted and drawn them unto, to be willing to commit, he prompteth and pusheth them on with all his skill and power to perpetrate and execute the same. But still this is to be understood only of his spiritual and invisible assistance, and not of any visible or corporeal aid, for else (as this Author confesseth) he might as well kill with a knife or a maul. And therefore we cannot here pass by the bold and groundless (if not impious) assertion of _Sennertus_, who though a very learned person in diverse parts of humane literature, yet drawn with the sway of popular opinion, did most miserably lapse in affirming that although Witches do purpose to hurt men, yet “that they neither do nor can effect those things, but that the Witches being cast into a profound sleep, the Devil in the mean time acteth those things by himself; and thinks he proves this sufficiently by a fabulous and lying story feigned to be told of a Witch, that being in a deep sleep, when she waked, told that she had been transformed into a Wolf, and had torn in pieces a Cow and a Sheep,” which were found to be so, and therefore the Devil must needs have done it. But in this he neither nameth the place, time, nor Author to avouch it, and therefore all reasonable Men may judge how palpable a falsity it is, for then if true it would follow that none could be safe, and that the Devil might kill immediately with swords or knives, which he cannot do.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 2._]

[Sidenote: _De Lithias._ _c._ 8. _p._ 75.]

[Sidenote: _Hist._]

2. Whereas he holdeth that the Devil doth bring or convey the things to be injected near unto the place, and that he offereth filth and poysons to his clients, that thereby he may fermentally conjoin the Ideas of these formed in the imaginative faculty with these. If the Devil be taken to be meerly and simply incorporeal, then he cannot remove matter (as we have before proved) and so cannot convey the things near to the object; and if he be taken to be corporeal (as we have asserted) his help is needless, because the Witches may do it themselves, as we find sufficient stories of their hideing of strange and poysonous things under the thresholds of houses and Churches; and to this purpose this same Author telleth us this story: “A certain person (he saith) did by custome use to make water in a corner of the Court, whereupon he was afflicted with a bloody and cruel Strangury. And all the remedy of the Physicians proved in vain, except that as often as he did drink of Birch-Ale he did find a signal ease: But as oft as he rose and walked, and made water in the same place, so often his pains did return. At the last a pin of old black Oak-wood is espied to be fixed in the place where he used to make water. Which being pulled forth and burned he remained free from the bloody Strangury, by drinking Ale of Birchen-twiggs. Also (he saith) that he remembred, that _Karichterus_ had written that he had loosed such kind of inchantments by only pissing through Beesomes of Birch.” Now from hence it is plain that this making water constantly upon this pin of old black Oak-wood did cause his bloody Strangury, and that the pulling of it up and burning of it, was with the help of the Birchen Ale the cure; but it can no wayes be judged necessary that the Devil should fix the Oak pin there, but that the Witch might do it himself. Neither can it be thought to be any power given by the Devil to the Oaken pin, that it had not by nature, for in probability it will constantly by a natural power produce the same effect; only thus far the Devil had a hand in the action, to draw some wicked person to fix the pin there where the Man was accustomed to make water, thereby to hurt and torture him, and so was only evil in respect of the end.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 3._]

3. We observe and affirm that whatsoever effects are brought to pass by that which is commonly called and accounted Witchcraft, if they be not brought to pass by jugling, confederacy, delusion and imposture (as the most of them are, if not all) then they are performed either by meer natural causes, or the strength of the Witches fancy, and most vehement desire of doing of mischief to those she hateth, or by both joined together, and that Satan is no further an author or actor, but as he leadeth and draweth the minds of the Witches to do such mischievous actions, and pusheth on to seek about to learn of others such secret poysons, charms, images and other hidden things, that being used so or so, may produce such destructive ends as their wicked and diabolical purposes are led to, and in this sense they are his clients, and bounden vassals, and not otherwise.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 4._]

4. The stories that he relateth are either all to be taken to be true, or none of them; and if they be all alike equally to be credited, then it will undeniably follow, that they were all alike produced by natural causes, and so no need at all of the Devils assistance in performing of them, no more than by working upon the minds of such as used those natural means to a wicked and mischievous end. For first he giveth these instances of things that were very strange that were voided either by vomit or stool, by the ordinary power of nature, without suspicion of diabolical cooperation, as the voiding of the piece of the brass Cannon with its letters, with the Eele wrapped in its secundines: The Dragon that the Oxe voided by taking three herbs, with a tail like an Eele, a body like or of leather, with a Serpentine head, and not less than a Partridge: The knife that the Thieves forced a man to swallow, which he voided by an Apostume in the side, and was after sound: also the arrow head of three fingers broad strucken into the back, and after voided by stool, with diverse such which we recited before. And that these being solid bodies should have penetrated and passed through parts that are impatient of wounds, and in which a wound is mortal, must of necessity be very wonderful, and might as soon and upon as rational grounds be taken to be diabolical, as those that he enumerateth to be so: For from these it is manifest that either nature put to her last pinch doth make penetration of dimensions, or else so inlarge the pores, that those solid bodies may pass without wound, which (if seriously considered) is a stupendious operation and effect. And as there needeth no cooperation of a diabolical power, for the performing of these, no more needeth there any concurrence of Devils to the others, that to that purpose he relateth. Only here is all the difference: these are wrought by the ultimate endeavour of the _Archæus_ to save life; without the concurrence of external causes; the others (that are therefore called diabolical) are commonly wrought for a bad end, namely to hurt or to take away life, and have an external cause, to wit, the force of the Witches imagination and strong desire of doing of mischief, which is stirred up to that end by Satan, and therefore in regard of the end are devilish, though they be both wrought by the agency of nature, the one in the body of the imaginant, the other in the body that the Witch intendeth to hurt by the force of her imagination and vehement desire, whereby a seminal Idea is created or formed, which is sufficiently operative to accomplish the end intended.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 5._]

[Sidenote: _Syl. Syl._ _Cent._ 10. _p._ 556.]