A Treatise of Witchcraft | Page 9

de exhortatione ad Martyrium._]
[Footnote l: _Tatianus oratione contra Gentes._]

_The third Proposition._
Except God do by his especial grace and ouerruling power, restraine the malice of these Witches and preserue his Children, they are permissiuely able,[a] through the helpe of the Diuell their maister, to hurt Men and Beasts, and trouble the elements, by vertue of that contract & agreement which they haue made with him. For man they endamage both in body & mind: In body, for [b]Daneus reporteth of his owne knowledge, as an eye-witnesse thereof, that he hath seene the breasts of Nurces (onely touched by their hands) those sacred fountaines of humane nourishment so dried vp that they could yeeld no milke; some suddenly tormented with extreame and intolerable paine of the Cholicke, others[c] oppressed with the Palsie, Leprosie, Gout, Apoplexie, &c. And thus disabled from the performance of any action, many tortured with lingring consumptions,[d] and not a few afflicted with such diseases, which neither they themselues who wrought that euill, could afterward helpe; nor be cured thereof by the Art and diligent attendance of most skilfull Physitians. I willingly let passe other mischiefes wrought by them, of which many things are deliuered in the Canon and Ciuill Lawes, in the Schoole-men, and Diuines both ancient and moderne.
[Footnote a: _Damascenus Orthodox. fidei lib. 2. cap. 4._ +exousian echei kai eschon kata tinos oikonomik?s+, _Iaquerius flagelli Hereticorum fascinariorum, cap. 25._]
[Footnote b: _Vber? matris fontes sanctissimos humani generis educatores vocat Phauorinus apud A. Gellium noct. Atticarum lib. 12. cap. 1. Aretius problematum parte 2. Loco 144. de Magia._]
[Footnote c: Godlemanus de veneficis lib. 1 cap. 7.9.21.22.23.24. 25.26.&c.]
[Footnote d: _Exempla omnem fidem superantia Florentin? mulieris & vlrici cuiusdam Neucesseri refert Langius epist. Medicinalium lib. 2. Epist. 38. è cuius ventriculo lignum teres & quatuor cultri exècti sunt: eorum & formam & iust? longitudinem ponit. Lycosthenes lib. de prodigijs & ostentis quo modo huiusmodi in corporibus humanis inueniantur & qua ratione ingenerentur, aut eijciantur & an tribuenda hac maleficijs & diabolica arti Binfeldius in commentario ad titulum Codicis de maleficis & Mathematicis pag. 510._]
In minde, stirring vp men to lust, to hatred, to loue, and the like[e] passions, and that by altering the inward and outward sences, either in forming some new obiect, or offering the same to the eye or eare, or stirring the humors: for there being a neere coniunction betweene the sensitiue and rationall faculties of the soule, if the one bee affected, the other (though indirectly) must of necessity be also moued. As for example, when they would prouoke any to loue or hatred, they propound an obiect vnder the shew and appearance of that which is good and beautifull, so that it may be desired and embraced: or else by representation of that which is euill & infamous, procure dislike and detestation. Neither is this any strange position, or improbable, but may bee warranted by sufficient authority; and therefore [f]Constantius the Emperour doth expressely determine, all those iustly punishable who sollicite by enchantments chaste mindes to vncleannesse: And Saint [g]Ierome attributeth vnto them this power, that they can enforce men to hate those things they should loue, and affect that which they ought to auoyd: and the ground hereof hath his strength from the holy Scriptures: for the Diuell is able to enflame wanton[h] lust in the heart, and therfore is named, the Spirit of Fornication, _Osea 4. 12._ and vncleane, _Math. 12. 43._
[Footnote e: _Gratianus in decretis, Caietanus in summula titulo de maleficio. Iaquerius in flagello fascinariorum, cap. 11. 12. Ioh. Nider in pr?ceptorio, pr?cepto 1. cap. 11. Bodinus in D?monomania, lib. 2 cap. *_]
[Footnote f: _Cod. Lib. 9. titulo 18. Lege est scientia, hanc legem sugillat. Weirus de pr?stigijs d?monum lib. 3. cap. 38._]
[Footnote g: _In 3. Caput prophet[e,] Nah[~u]ni, vide & Nazianzenum in +aporêtais+, siue de arcanis vel principijs non procul à fine, & eius paraphrasten Nicetam._]
[Footnote h: _Cassianus Collat. 7. cap. 32._]
There is a very remarkeable example mentioned by _Ierome_[i], of a maiden in Gaza whom a yong man louing, and not obtaining, went to Memphis in Egypt, and at the yeares end in his returne, being there instructed by a Priest of Aesculapius, and furnished with Magicall Coniurations, graued in a plate of brasse, strange charming words, and pictures which he buried vnder the threshold of the doore where the virgin dwelt: by which meanes she fell into a fury, pulled off the attire of her head, flung about her haire, gnashed with her teeth, and continually called vpon the name of her louer.
[Footnote i: _In vita Hilarionis._]
The like doth [k]Nazianzene report of Cyprian before his conuersion (though some thinke it [l]was not he whose learned and religions writings are extant, and for the profession of his faith and doctrine was crowned with Martyrdome) but another of that name, toward Iustina,