Ie\* r> going out in the Afoonjliitxe to kncwr tti eir Fortune.

— :

'+\

A N
Hiftorical, Phyfiological and The*

TREATISE
SPIRITS,
Apparitions, Witchcrafts,
and other Magical Pradfcic
CONT AINI NG
An Account of the Genii or Familiar Spirits,
both Good and Bad, that are faid to attend
Men in this Life : and what fenfible Per-
ceptions fome Perfons have had of them
(particularly the Author's own Experience
for many Years.)

Alfo of Appearances of Spirits after Death ; Di-

vine Dreams, Divinations , Second Sighted
Perfons, &c.
Likewife the Power of Witches, and the reality
of other Magical Operations, clearly aflerted.
With a Refutation of Dr. Btkkr I be-

witch'J; and other Authors that have opp

the Belief of them.

~B y jon h Beaumont, Gent.

Frdftat aliqua probability nojfe de rebus fuper'mibus & Cxlefti-

bus, quam de rebus inferioribus mult a Jemohjtrare.
Arid. Moral. 9.

Lendin : Printed for D. Browne, at the Black Swan wirhouc

Templ$-Bar •
J.Taylor, at the Ship in St.Paurs Church-Tar J;
R.Smith y zt the Angel without Temple-Bar ; F.Coggati, in the
Inner-Temple Lane j and T.Browne without Temple-Bar, •
 To the Right Honourable

JOHN-
Earl of GAR BURT,
Baron Vaughan of Emblin
in England , and Baron
Vaughan of Molinger in
the Kingdom of Ire-
land, &c.

My Lord,

YOUR
Genius
Lord/hips great
to a Contem -
plative Life, which
raifes Humane Nature to an
excellency above it felf, and
highly Influe?iccs the Oecono-
A 2 my
 The Epiftle.
my of this World, has natu-
rally induced me to make an
Humble Dedication to you of
this Booh The SubjeB is
abfirufe and treated of by
,

few, and that fparingly. If

I have more eruargd my felf
upon it, thatfome ex-
it is,
traordinary Vifitations ha-
ving happened to me, in which
I have had a Coiwerfe with
thofe Genii / treat of, have
made jo ftrong an Impreffion
on my Mind, that I could
not well with-hold my felf,
from perufing the Beft Au-
thors I could meet with, re-
lating to it Order to
, in
draw an AbflraB of what I
found mofi Material in them,
and to publijb it together
with
 Dedicatory.
with my own Experience and
Thoughts in that kind, as I
have here done. I treat of
this SubjeS Hiftoricallv,
Phyfiologically , andTljeofo-
gically , thd not in diftinft
Books, hit promifcuoufly,as
I found Occafion prejented
it felf As for my Perfor-
mance herein, I could hear-
tily wifb it might prove to
your Lordjbips good liking,
and humbly Jubmit it to your
Lordjbips .Great Judgment
andCenfure, being,

My Lord,
Your Lordfhip's,

Moft Humble and

Moft Obedient Servant.

John Beaumont*
 ;

TO THE

READER.
HAving
World
long promis'd the
Book, perhaps,
this
. the Jocofe part of Mankind
may now be apt to fay,

fluid ferat *bic tanto dignum promijfor

hiatu ?

Parturiunt mantes > &c.

Be it as it may
have here made
, I

good my Promife and though I -

y

may noc perfwade my felf, that

all Men will acquiefce in what I
here deliver, I noc pretending, in this
Subject, to Mathematical Demonftra-
tion
 To the Redder,
tion 3
yet I (hall be free to fay, That
1 no Man, who
fear fhall pretend to
bring more Reafon for an Opinion,
contrary to that I aflert 5 and I be-

lieve whoever fhall perufe this Book,

will find, chat I am not Ignorant of
what Oppofers of all kinds may take
upon them to offer againft it. In-
deed, while we relie meerly on Rea*
fon in Subjects of this Nature, I doubt
we may have all too much caufe to
lament our felves with the Ingenious
Fracaftor'ws, in Ep. ad Flaminium.

Quid dkam miferum me agere, <sr quam-

ducere vitam,
Irreqnietam animi, <& quarentem inda~
gine Vana.
*Katmam femper fugientem, qua fe ubt
paulum
Qftendit tnthi, mox fades in miUa repente\
Cm Proteus conferfa fequentem elttdit 0*
angit,

Mkrentemfeniique horas, cajfumque labo-

rer».

Unhappy
 To the Reader.

Unhappy Man What can I ! fay, I do?

How lead my Life ? thus rcftlefs to
punue.
Still flying Nature , which altho' by
chance,
May now, and then prefent m' a lit-

tle glance,
Strait , <Pmeus like , in thoufand
in pes ihe's dnft,
So mocks my Toyle, and frets my
penfive Breaft.

We read of Tentheus , that upon

his getting upon a Tree, and making
himfelf a Spectator of the hidden Sa-
crifices of Bacchus, he was ftruck with

fiich a kind of fury , that all things

feem'd double to him ; two Suns and
two Thebes prefented themfelves to
his fight j lb that when he was hafl>
ina to Thebes, prefently feeing ano*
trier Ihehes, he was drawn back : and

thus he was continually carryed to

and fro, in a reftlefs Condition.

Eutne-
 To the Redder:

Eumenidum Veluti demens Vtdet agmina

<Penthew,
Et folem geminuttiy 0* duplicesfe oftendere
Thebas,

As Penthem maz'd whole Troops of

Furies Spyes,
Two Suns, two Thebes i>refented to
his Eyes.

Now this Fable , as the Lord $a*

con tells us, relates to Divine Secrets 5

for thofe who forgetting frail Mor»

tality, rafhly afpire to Divine My-
fteries by high Flights in the Study
of Nature and Philofbphy, as tho'
they were mounted on a Tree, have
this for their Punifhment , that they
are perplext with a perpetual incon-
ilmcy and wavering in Judgment j
For the Light of Nature being one
thing, and the Divine Light another,
it happens with them as though they

law two Suns and fince the Acti-

j

ons of Life, and the Decrees of the

Will
 1

To the (fijiider.

Will depend of the Underftanding,

it follows, That they hefitace no lets

in their Wills, than in Opinion, and

arc altogether at variance with them-
felves and therefore they like wife
;

fee two Thebes j for by Thebes, which

Was the Habitation and retiring >)ace
of fentheusy the ends of our Actions
are reprefented : hence it happens,
that they know
not which way to
turn themfelves, but being uncertain
and wavering as to the main of things,
they are Whirl'd about by fudden Im«
pulfes of Mind in every particular
Matter ; and I believe that thofe that
will not acquiefce in what we have
delivered us in the Scriptures, and by
Chriftian Tradition, concerning Spi-
rits, but will be medling in fetting
up other Hypothecs by their frail
Reafon, for folving Fatts common-
ly afcribed to Spirits, will find their
Judgment fo perplext, and brought
into fuch a Labyrinth , upon pe-
rufing what is here Written (and that
even fetting by what I affirm from
my
 :

To the %ede<u
my own Experience , as to an Exi-
ftence of Spirits , and their Operati-
ons, which I leaft rely on, or urge
as Argumentative) that they will ne-
ver be able to extricate themfelves
And upon this only
iiTue I leave it •

adding this faying of the Learned

inFrtf. Monfieur le Clercy jcerbos homines
- *- non moror y indignos quippe qui bac ftudia
traBent, ant quorum Judicii ulla rath
babeatur.

THE
 THE
CONTENTS
O F T H E

CHAPTERS
CHAP. I.

w H AT the Ancients
the Genii,
attend Men,
Nature and Offices.
that
to be,
underftood
are /aid to
as to their

CHAP. II.

Concerning the Genii, that are afcribed to

Socrates, Ariftotle, Plocinus, Por«
phyrius, Jamblicus, Chicus, Sca-
liger and Cardan.
CHAP.
 The CONTENTS;
chap. m.
What perception Men have had of Genii,
or Spirits , and their Operations by the

Sight.

CHAP. IV.
What perception fome Per/ons have had of
Genii, or Spirits, and their Operati-

tions, by the Senfe of Seeing, when g*

thers prefent at the Jante time have feen
nothing,

CHAP. V.
Wlxit perception Men have had of Genii,
or Spirits, and their Operatiotis, by the

Senfe of Hearing*

CHAP, VI.
fome Werfons have had of
lVl\it perception

Genii, or Spirits, and their Operati-

ons by the Senfe of Hearing>u>hen others
prejent have heard nothing.

CHAP. VII.

What perception Men have had of Spirits,

and their Operations by all their Senfes.

CHAP.
 The CONTENTS.
CHAP. VIII.

What perception Men have had of Genii,

or Spirits and their Operations, by
Dreams.

CHAP. IX.
What perception Men have had of Genii,
or Spirits, and their Operations , by
Magical Practices.

CHAP. X.
What may be fuggefted from fyafon, con*
cerning the Exigence and Operations of
Spirits»

CHAP. XL
Con/lderations on 2)r. Bekker'* <Book y
againft Spirits 5 with a Conclufion to
this 'Booh

Errata*
 Errata
p. line ir. read dffc8s>
PAge38.. i.r.Ccrne,
p. ai. 1. 8.
add, 4ni
r. Plotinu*,
p. I p. 4. 1. 3. after infancy,
fJM/ 1/ 4//0 4 manifeft refutation if that fpecUus way if ex-
plaining the Genius of Socrates, us'd by Naiuheus, Mara-
iglia, and their Followers. lb. in the Margin, r. in hunc
locunty p. 41. 1. 1 1, bloc out the Margin, and put /. De Rer.
Vef. p. 48. i. 3$. r. tetim. p, 55. fc 3*. r. there, p. 74. 1.
a 5. r. no more» p. 80. 1. 2.x. Table Tali. p. 94. I. 6. i. above.
p* 9$. 1« 2d. rJ Poflure. p. 128, 1. 2. r. C4/>4/. p. ido. 1. 17,
r. Boefartus. lb. I. 23. r. Columella. lb. 1. 27.- r. ^4* /?.
p. 173. 1. 37. r qua, p. 178.I. 2. r. as he, p. 190. !• 12. r.
empty Stage, p. 192. 1. 9. r. nmbrantur pnpMa, p. 217. 1.
2$. r. Jureux % p. 219« 1. 4/ r. concreted, p. 254. 1. 3. r.
thing* 9 p. 279. 1. 33. r. Coelitus comparandL p. 311. 1. 12.
r. TranfaOion. p. 319. 1. 17. r. <fryir*. p. 331. 1. 14. r. Im<
yjiwre*. p. 380. 1, 29. r. Ader% a.
 ( I )

A N

ACCOUNT
G EN 1 O R
1,

FAMILIAR SPIRITS,
that are (aid to attend
Men in this Life, &c.

c H a P. I.

What the Ancients underftood the Genii,

that are /aid to attend Men, to bc t

as to their Nature and Offices.

HAVING
Trad
undertaken to write a
concerning the Genii that ftfe
faid to attend Men during thii
Life, I think it proper for me. to
firft place, to fet forth what, according to the

Ancients thofe Genii were underftood to be.

as to their Nature and Offices.
B C,n-
 2 An Account of Genii,
l. it Dies Cenforinm tells US, that Genius is a God, un-
Nat. c 3.
£ cr whofe Tuition each Man is born and lives ;
and whether it be that he takes Care of our Ge-
neration, or is engender'd with us, or takes
upon him our Guardianfhip after we are be-
gotten, he fays, he is called Genius from Geno,
an ancient Latin Word, fignifying to beget,
in lieu of which the Word Gigno is now us'd.
Genius is faid to be Son of Jufiter and the
Earth, as being held to be of a middle Nature
betwixt Gods and Men, or for that he fome-
what partakes of Body. Some have thought
our Genim to be the Symmetry of the Ele-
ments, which preferves humane Bodies, and
all living Creatures Others, the fecret Pow-
:

er of the Celeftial Bodies, by which we are

impelFd to do all things ; and thefe were call'd
OeruU3 from Gero or Ingero ; that is, from fup-
portingus, or fuggefting good or bad Thoughts
into our Minds.
What the Latins call'd Genius, the Greeks
calFdDamon ; which Word, to pafs by other
Significations, according to its Etymology,
fignifiesprudent, knowing, skilful in Affairs,
and forefeeing things,, they giving Anfwers
to thofe that confulted them. In which Senfe
Socrates thought famous Men, after Death,
for a Reward of their Vertue, were made
Damons, of a middle Nature, mediating be-
twixt Gods and Men.
In Aug. de LuJovicus Fives fays, it's a wonder to fee
civ. Dei, how differing the Opinions of the Gentiles were,
'• ?• c » 9* concerning the Gods and Damons So that :

Jpdeius thinks other wife, than Plato ; Plctlnus,

than Afuleius ; Porphyrins differs from them
both; nor does Prcclus agree in all things with
Jamblicusy or any other* As for the Genii,
fome
 or lamili.ir Spirit?.
^
fome think them to be our own Soul., fome
:

our Inclinations, rtain i '

ing us, iomc the i >n-

which I (hall ice d< i

feveral Authors.
ires thus : In
Mind of Man, even while it

calld a Daemon*

Dm ne i : lurit

Ei.

And there! ;ood Defirc of \ a

good God 5 whence (bme think
calld bleit kuJ<emons, v

that whofe Mind is perfect with \

is,

which, I think, you may properly call a Gauds,

becaufe that God which is each Alan's Mi:
tho' it be immortal, yet in fome fort is en-
gendered within us. And there are fome,
who, as it feems to me^ would have the Mind
of Alan freed from the Body, to be a fecond
fort of Demons This* I find,, in the ancient
:

Latin Tongue to be call'd Lemur. And he of thefe

Lemuresy who, taking care of his Pofterity,
keeps the Houfe as a calm and quiet Deity, is
call'd a Family Lar But he that, by reafon of
:

Demerits in Life, is punifhed by a wandring

in the World, having no quiet Seat, and be-
comes a vain Terror to good Men, and often-
five to evil, is commonly called L But
when it's uncertain what Lot has happei
to a Man, whether he be a he
is God Manes ; the Word God be.
call'd the
added Honour's lake: They callin
for
Gods, who among them having juftly and
prudentlv govern d the Couril
B i
 ;;

4 An Account of Genii,
arc afterwards Deify 'd by Men, and admit-
ted to Temples and Sacred Rites, as in Bxotia,
Amphi gratis ; in Africa, Mopfus ; in Egypt, Oft-
rls ; others elfewhere
$ i&fculapm every where.

And concerning thofe Damons that have

fo far
had Bodies. But there is another kind of more
auguft Damons, which being always free from
the Fetters and Ties of Bodies, are drawn to us
by certain Prayers. From this fort of fublime
Damons, Plato thinks each Man has one given
him, as a Witnefs and Guard in paffing this Life
5

which tho feen by no Man, are always pre-

fent as Witneffes, not only of our A&ions,' but
even of our Thoughts ; and that upon our
Return, at the End of our Lives, the faid
Genii prefently carry us, as their Charge, to
Judgment, and there Hand as Witneffes at our
Trial, 3 where, if we falfifie in any thing,
they reprove us j if we fpeak Truth, they
vouch it, and Sentence is paft according to
their Teftimony. So far Apukius.
Porphyrins, L. de Abftinentia, fays, That as
evil Damons hurt Mankind, fo good Damons
never intermit their Offices, but foreftiew us
Dangers, as far as they may, hanging over
our Heads from the evil Damons, while they
make us Signs both by Dreams, and by the
Soul divinely infpir'd, and many other things
and, that if any Man could diftinguifh thefe
things which are fignify'd, he would know
and precaution himfelf againft all Frauds j for
they fignifie to all Men, but all Perfons do
not perceive the things that are fignified.
2 Agrippa fays, that each Man has a threefold
ytu^l
Genius to guard him, one Sacred, another of
'

C. 22.
the Gmiture, the third of the Profeffion a Man
follows. The firft is not deriv'd from the Stars
or
 or Familiar Spirits.

or Planets, but given by God, it I. ni

verfal, and above Nature, This direr

I, (till fuggeftir m-
Hgl ;
d:
Kve in a C aim,
chen it's |
then it fpeaks, as it

its \ ( ice,
being prefent before L md labours
continually to bring us to ilicrcd i on.
,
we may Hum
Malignity of Fate Whom if we religi-
:

outly oblerve, by an Uprightnefs and I [oli-

ve know Socrates did) the
cnlcks think we are wonderfully aided by
him, both by Dreams and Signs, for putting
by Evils, and fecuring Good to us. The Ge-
r, or Daemon of the Geniturc, defcends to us
from the Difpofition of the World, and the
Circuits of the Stars, that are concernd in
our Generation This is the Suftainer and
:

Guardian of Life, it procures it to the Body,

and takes care of it afterwards, and aids the
Perfon for performing that Office for which
the Heavens deputed him at his Birth. Thofe
therefore who have received a fortunate Genius,
are rendred ftrong, powerful, efficacious, and
profperous in their Works Wherefore by :

Philofophers, they are call'd bene Fortimatiy

I bene N^ti, The Damon of the Profeliion
is given from the Stars, to which fuch a
Profeliion or Sedt, as a Man profeiTes, is fub-
ted, and which the Soul, when it begin
life Election in this Body, and takes upon it

wifhes ; which Da
ching'd for a more worthy or Ids, upoit
: Change of the Profeliion. When thfc
Profeffion agrees with our Natu
B 3
 6 An Account of Genii,
we get a Dxmon like us ; and agreeing with
our Genius, and our Life is made more calm,,
happy, and profperous But when we take
:

on us a Profeffion unlike, or contrary to our

Gemxsy our Life is rendred more laborious and
troublefome, by difcording Patrons. Whence
it happens, that a Man makes Proficiency in

a little time, and with a little labour, in one

Science, Art, or Miniftry, who in others
Toils, with much Sweat and Labour, to no
purpofe. And tho' no Science, An, or Ver-
tue is to be defpifed j yet, that you may live
profpercufly, and ad fortunately, know firft
of all your good Genius and your Nature, and
what Good the Difpofition of the Heavens,
and God, the Difpofer of all thefe, promifes
you, who diftributes to each Man as he plea-
fes Follow thefe Beginnings, profefs thefe,
:

apply your felf to that Vertue, to which the

prime Diftribater raifes and conduds you j
and in what Virtue you find your felf to
profit moil eafily, endeavour to rife to the
height of it, that you may excel in one, which
you cannot do in all. However do not flight
any Perfection, as far as you are able to pror
peed in it ; and if you have Guardians ac-
cording to your Nature and Profeffion, you
will find a double Proficiency of your Na-
ture find Profeffion But if they are unlike,
:

follow the bell ; for fometimes you will find

the Aid of an egregious Profeffion better than
lb. c. :o. that of your Nativity. The fame Author
writes thus : As to each Man is given a good
Spirit, fo there is an evil one, both which
feek an Union with our Spirit, and endea-
vour to draw it to them, and fo mix them-
with it
felves : The Good by good Works con-
fer-
 or Familiar Spirits*

loanable to him, changes us into Angels by

Union, as he that adheres to God, is ma
one Spirit with him The Evil Damon, by
:

bad Works, endeavours to mate us conform

hie and united to him ; and this is what Htrmes
, when a Damon Hows into an Humane
lj he fpfinkles in it f his own No-

tions ; whence Inch a Soul, fprinkled with

Seeds, railed in a Fury3 brings forth wonder-
ful thir are the Performances
1

of D<e?>;, •
For a good D*m4*j when he
.

pallcs into an holy Soul, he raifes it to the

Light of Wifdom ; butxm tx\\ Damon tranf-
ked Soul, incites it to Thefts,
Murthers and Lulls, and whatfoever are the
fonnances of evil Damons. Good Damons
(as Jamblicus fays) moft perfe&ly purge Souls,
and others give us other things : being pre-
fent, they give Health to the Body, Virtue
to the Spirit, Security to the Mind, deftroy
what brings Death in us, foment the Heat,
and render it more efficacious for life ; and,
an intelligible Harmony, always infufe
Light into the Mind. I am of the Opinion
of thofe, that think all Men are governd
by the Miniftery of many Spirits, and are
led to all Degrees of Vermes, Merits, and
Dignity, if they render themfelves worthy
of them But thofe that render themfelves
:

unworthy , are call down and detruded by

the evil Damons, as well as by the good Spi-
rits, to the loweft Degree of Mifery, as th

Demerits require. But thofe who are com-

mitted to the more lublime Angels, are pre-
ferr'd before other Men
For the : that
have Care of them, them, and by a cer-
raife
uip fecret power fubject other^ them,p
B 4 wi
 ;;

8 An Account of Genii,
1
which yet he that is
tho' neither perceive,
fubjeded finds a weight of pre-
certain
fidency, from which he cannot eafily difin-
gage himfelf nay, he fears and reverences
;

that force, which the fuperiour Angels influ-

ence the Inferiours with, and bring the In-
^
feriours by a certain Terror into the fear of
Prefidency. So we read that Mark Antony for-
merly being join'd in a fingular Friendftiip
with Off avian Auguftm, they werewont often
to play together j but Augufius being always
Conqueror, a certain Magician thus admo-
ni.fh'd Mark Antony': What do you do Antony
with that young Man ? Fly, and fliun him
for tho' you are elder, and more experience!
in Affairs, of a more Illuftrious Family, and
have been a great Commander in Wars, yet
your Genius much dreads the Genius of this
Youth, and your Fortune flatters his, and
unlefs you fly far from him, it will wholly
* urn t0 k* m# Again, Agrippa tells us, the
rbu.
Lib.\. c,
ancient Sages teach us to know the Nature
*i. of each Man's Genius from th? Star§, and their
Influences and Afpc&s at each Man's Birth,
but by fo differing and difagreeing Rules, that
it's very hard to get thefe Myfteries out of

their hands For Vorphyrius feeks the Genius

:

from the Star that is Lady of the Geniture

Maitmns either thence, or from the Planets that
have been moft dignified there ; or from that
whafe Houle the Moon is to enter, after that
it hojds at the time of the Perfon's Nativity.
But the ChiUians feek the Genius only from
the Sun, or _Moon. Others again, and many
of the Hibriws* \rom feme cardinal Point of
the Heaven?, or from all of them. Others
feck ior jhs good Genius from the eleventh
Hcufe,
 or Familiar Spirits. 9
Hmife, which therefore they
the good call
Damon 5 and the evil Genius from the fixth,
which the) call the evil Damon. Since therefore
the fcarch of thefe is laborious and very ab-
flrufe, wc may much more cafily fcek the
nature of our Genius from our fclves, attend-
to thole things which our Mind fuggefts
OS, the inilinrt: of Nature dictates, and
1 inclines us to from our firft untainted
innocency ; or when our Mind is purg'd of
1 Cares, and finifter Effeds and Impedi-
ments are removed from it. Thefe doubt-
are the kindlv Suggeftions of the Genius
« Man at his Birth, leading
and pejrlwading us to that which our Conftel-
lation inclines. So far Jgrippa. He that
would fee more concerning the fearch after
each Mans peculiar Damon , may read a little
Trad on that Subject, printed at the end of
a Book, entitled, Trinmn Maglcuw, fet forth
by Longinus.
Comes fays, Tho Genii or Damons M)th.l.$,
N^t.ilis
prefent us with the Species or Images of c# 3-
thofe things they would perfwade us to, as
in a Glafs ; on which Images, when our Soul
privately looks, thofe things come into our
id which, if confider'd with Reafon,
;

j us a determination of Mind :
right
But Reafon afide, be carried
beting
\ with the guidance of evil Species, or
he will of neceility incur many Er-
if the Images are prefented us

Whence many become whol-

n over to i ty, Ccvetouf-
J to the (
 io An Account of Genii,
Dijfert.ii. Maraviglia, in his Pfetidomantia, writes thus,
Tho' many have thought the Genii to be no-
thing but a certain Light placed by God in
our Minds, at our Birth, whereby we un-
derhand all things $ and being underftood,
if they are good, we love and purfue them ;
if bad, we decline and avoid them, yet the
more common Opinion was^ that the Genii
were not only a light difcovering and fore-
fhewing future things to us, but certain pure
Spirits ftajiding by us always to guard and ad-
monifn us Tho' it be far more credible that
:

thofe Genii in all Ages were the very Wills of

Men, naturally predifpofed with a defire and
love, or an aversion and abhorrence of things
Good or Evil, difcus'd and proposed to them
by the Underftanding. The fame Author
Ammadv. tells us, that Pythagoras thought the Genii were
,0 '
certain Lights naturally implanted in our
Minds. Afuleiiis thought they were the Minds
themfelves, and Difpofition of each Man.
The ancient Pagans > that they were good
and evil Damons appointed to each Man,
from the beginning , for his Governance.
Vffirt. o. Again, He writes as follows. The Prophe-
cying Spirits, call'd in the Scriptures Angels,
are call'd by the ancient Pagans, Genii Fattdici,
as tho' generated from God, and knt from
Heaven to us, to foretel future things ; for
they thought thefe fatidical Spirits, whom
they varioufly worfhipd, knew all things that
were to come in the World, and could fore-
tel them, becaufe themfelves were a part, or
a certain Particle of the Soul of the World,
which is every where : For they were of
Opinion, that this Soul was diffused through
the whole World, but chiefly ieated in the
'
acthe-
 ; 1

or Familiar Spirits. 1

xthcrial Regiott, and confcquently in the

Stars theml and more cfpecially in
the Sun, from which all interior things are
fom< s it were, bj Rays of a vivifying
infmkted to them ; whence alfo they
ght theft kinds of Subftances compos'd of
ly, fuch as an aerial Body is j and
gels,' Damons, and Souls were from a
ricle of the Which Sub-
mundane Soul.
Afukius fays, are placd in the aerial
;ion of the Worlds that they might pro-
cure more ealie Commerie betwixt Gods
:\

n y and more readily unfold the Secrets

the Gods, &c
writes thus Plato in his In A9 e
i : .
g?
Thtoem and Cratylm, calls the beft part of our £* c ^
Mind a Damon: His words are thefe; You
know what they are whom He find calls Damons
. that golden Race of Men, of whom he
S thus :

Bn his Race has took away,

1
/re pure t err eft rial Damons call* a , and they
re Mtns blesi Guard, all Evils keep away.

Tho I think that Race was call'd Golden,

not that it it was
confifted of Gold, but that
good and excellent j and, I conceive, we are
an Iron-Age in comparifon of that,-
•J

but if any one now living be good, Hefiod

pumber'd him among his Golden Men. And
what are the Good but the Prudent j and I
vc he call'd them Damons from their
:id Skill in Affairs, the Name it felf,

in our ancient Tongue, (hewing it. There-

fore it's well faid of him, and moft of the
f?ft of the Poets ; that when a good Man
de-
 12 An Jccoun^ of Genii,
departs this Life, heis plac'd in fome excel-

lent Poft of Honour, and made a Damon for

his Wifdopi. After this manner therefore I
affirm, that a wifeMan, fo he be good, both
living and a Damon, and juftly fo call'd.
dead;, is

Uifi This we find in Plato, whence doubtlefs, Origen

ZfKcov* drew his Error, where he writes that human
Souls are changd into Damons, and thefe a-
gaininto thofe. Vorfhjri?* i\£o fays, that each
Mans peculiar Damon is a certain part of the
Soul, viz* the Mind., and he is an happy Man,
and one Eudamon, that has got a wife Mind ;
and unhappy on the contrary : And that Souls
Infefted with Vices, pafs into the nature of evil
Damons, and are rendred like them in Lies and
Impoftures, Vrpclus explains all thefe things,
laying down a threefold nature of a Damoni
*

He writes thus ; Plato, in his Timaus, fays, our

Animal Nature is a Damon: but this mull be ad-
mitted but comparitively ; for there is a Damon
by Effence, another by Comparifon, another
by Reference or Refped ; for every where that
which next prefides, being a certain order of
Damon, in refpsd of the Inferior, is ufually
call'd a Damon. In which fenfe»jf#p7er, in
Orpheus, calls his Father Saturn a Damon. And
Plato, in his Timaus, call'd thofe Gods Damons^
that immediately order Generation. Indeed,,
by comparison, fuch an one is a Damon which
next provides for every one, whether it be
God, or inferior to God. And in fome re-
fped that Mind is faid a Damon, which per-
forms wonderful Aclions, more like to thofe
of a Damon than of a Man, and has his whole
JLife fufpended from a Damon. After this way,
n I think, Socrates call'd thofe Minds Damons in
a Republick, which had paisd their I4ye$

II
 ; 5

or Familiar Spirits. 1

well, and were tranflatcd into a better State.

Finally, a / ifence is call'd a L.
won, not b\ lents, nor byrea-
•
fon of fomc funilitude to another thing, but
has got hifl Pi of himfclf, and lias a cer-
tain diftin&Exiftence 3 and his proper Powers,
and his different ways of ailing. [nde<
the rational Soul in Timaus is always call'd an
Animal Damon, but he does not mean it a
Damon limply ; for when we fay a Damon fini-
ply, its a certain middle Nature betwixt Gods
and Men. By Plotinus and others, its queried,
whether our Minds are mov'd of themfelves
to Defires and Determinations, or by the im-
pulfe of fome Deity. And firft, they faid
humane Minds were fpontaneoufly mov'd
but they found upon fearch, that we were
impeird to all honeft A&ions, by a certain
Familiar Genius or Numcn, given us at our
Birth ; and that we defire or covet evil things
by our Mind For it cannot be that w e covet
:
r

evil things by the Will of a Deity, whom,

its manifeft, no Evil can pleafe tho' doubt-
•

lefs by many of th? flatonicks, the Affe&ions

alfo with which we are carried away, are
call'd Damons.
Ammiamts MarceHinus writes thus : Divines Hlf:.
tell us, that as all Men are born, (faving the u 2l -

Itedfaftnefs of Fate) certain Divine Powers

are afTociated to them, to be a fort of Gover-
5
nours of their Actions., tho they are feen by
few, whom manifold Vermes have dignified :
And this Oracles and famous Authors have
taught, among whom Menander :

tadqut homini fiatim nafcenti

Damon vita ?njftiigogw.
And
 1 M Account of Genii,
And fo we are given to underftand from Ho-
mers Ipimortal Poems, that the Celeftial Gods
have not fpoke to Valiant Men, nor have
been prefent to them, nor aided them in their
Fights, but Familiar Genii attended them, by
whofe Aid Pythagoras and Socrates are faid
chiefly to have rais'd their Fame. Numa Pom-
fifim alfo, and the Elder Scipio, and, as fome
think, Marias and Offavianus, who had firft
the Title of Augufius given him, and Hermes
Trifmegifiusy and AfoUonius Tyanausy and Ploti-
nusy who has adventured at fome Reafonings
about this myftical Matter, and profoundly
to fhew from what beginnings thefe Genii be-
come connected to the Minds of Men, which
receiving, as it were in their Embraces, they
defend as far as they may, and teach them
great things, if they find them pure, and fe-
ver d from the corruption of finning, by an
immaculate Society with the Body.
L.diVit.
Hieronymus Cardanus fays, in general, thefe
W* c *47*
^

were manifold differences of Damons among

the Ancients ; forbidding, as that of Sccrates
admonifhing, as that of Cicew at his Death
teaching things to come by Dreams, Brutes,
Cafualties ; advifing us to go to a place, and
deceiving us by one Senfe, or more, and by
fo much he is the nobler, likewife by natural,
and alfo by non-natural things j and this we
think the nobleft ; alfo a good and a bad.
In not. in Gilbertus Cvgnatus writes, that fome think by
Lncian de the word Manes, Souls feparated from the
Lucy a.
Body are fignified whence we
; fee that an-
cient Monuments of Sepulchers are infcrib'd,
DUs Manibus j and thofe that demolifh Sepul-
chers are thought to violate the God Ai.nes.
In the Body, they are call'd Genii ^ feparated
from
 or Familiar Spirits. 15
from the Body, Ltnnwes when they infeft
;

Houfes thev are call'd Lmrv* on the con- \

trary, if the -od, Fstmliar lAns.

That egregious Philologer 7 I $.

Oedt following ao**474«

the
count of the >rding to the Dodxine
of tl had always
in great veneration certain Statues, which tk
call'd Serapesthe Latins> Pen.
•
Some
fay the Penates are nought but thofe Genii or
Deafters, by which we Breathe» we Know, we
See, we behold the Sun, n riter, Juno,
Mmerv*t and Vefta for they call'd the'mid-
5

die Region of the Air, Jufiter; the lower, Ju-

no; the top part of the /Ether, iV//Ww, who is
the power of divine Intelligence j the Earth,
Vefta : Thefe they call'd and believ'd to be the
Gods of Provinces, and of our Births, and
Prefidents over Cities, and guards of private
Houfes. And Dionyfius Halicarnajfaus fays,
the Romans call thefe Gods Penates ; and fome
tranflating them into Greek y call them Genetblios;
or Genitales others call them domeftick and
;

familiar Gods ; fome the Prefidents of Poffef-

fions ; others, fecret Gods. They are call'd
becaufe they are thought to be ap-
Genetblii y
pointed to the guard of Men, prefently upon
their being Born; or becaufe by their vigi-
lancy all things are generated ; whence the
Genii are alfo call'd, the Prefidents of things
that are to be Generated. They are call'd
Patrii, becaufe they were thought to prefide
only over thofe things which are common to
fome Region or Province ; in which, with
great diligence, they order d things not only
longing to every City, but alfo to every
Houlg; to all Men, Plants, and Ajiimals, ac-
cor-
 6

1 An Account of Genii,
cording to the care committed to them.
The Serafes of the Egyptians were nought but
Images, without any eminency of their Limbs,
roll'd, as it were, in Swadling-Cloaths, part-
ly made of an appropriate Stone, partly of
Metal, Wood, or Shell. Some of thefe, as
tutelary Gods, were plac'd in publick Places,
for a guard of them. Others of them were
appointed for a guard of Perfons, and were
Handing Tutelaries. Some others were por-
table, which whither foever Men went, they
carried with them. Some alfo they carried
as Amulets about their Necks, at their Girdles,
and about their Hand-wrifts. Moreover,
their Countenances were varioufly figured ;
for fome had a Womanly Countenance, and
their Heads veiFd ; fome were in the Form
of Boys, with a Vina about their Heads;
others were reprefented other ways. They
differed alfo in Inftruments ; fome, which
they QzlYdAverrunei, or Apotropai, were figured
with various Inftruments, as Whips, Scourges,
Nets hanging from their Shoulders ; and thefe
are the Images which the Hebrews call Thers:-
fhim, and which the Scriptures tell us, Rachel
Hole from her Father Lab an, Gen. 31. which
were brought from Egypt by the Servants of
Abraham into Paleftina, and propagated there.
They call'd them Therapbim, becaufe, as they
could not pronounce 5, changing S into Ty
according to the ufe of the Cbaldaans > and
changing the laft 5 into im> they calFd thofe
Images Tberaphim, which the Egyptians call'd
Serapes. Now the Penates of the Egyptians
were the fame with Ofiru, Ifis, Nephte, Horns,
Harpocrates, and innumerable
Arveris, Apopps,
Deafters of this kind, which tho' they were
ac-
 '

An Account of"Genii, 17
accounted the 1

and the fame as to Subftance, 1

in effect I
1

guard ol
wonhipd as
•

Dciti -

%
s
1 roraf
m y
thinks Chriftian Di in

(on two Aiig

€110* I think he fays it
Communion with Angels being fo ufual v.

the Patriarchs; from whom, in all probabili

the GemHts took their Do
The Genii were drawn un al For.
as of a Serpent, a ltoy, a Girl, a Youth, or
old Man, as Cebes in his Tahle. Cenforinusy and
many of the Ancients tell us, the La
the Genii were the fame : Now
the Leres wt
reprefented in the Form of Young-Men,
cloath'd with Dog-Skins, and having a D
to attend them, intimating, that they were
friendly and fawning to Domefticks, and for-
midable to Strangers, as Dogs are wont to be.
Ticrius tells us, from, Cbr that the I
b% c*
were cloath'd with Dogs-Skins, bec
reprefent the Genii, who are appointed
L

our Guard j and as Commiilioners to inflict

Punifhments on us for all our evil Words aj
Deeds, and to avenge Crimes and all Inipie:
as often as, Humanity laid by, we decline to
a brutal Life; which the Genii, as fag -

Dogs, purfue and draw to condign Pun:

ments. He adds, And as the Genii are given
us for afliduous Attendants, never departing
from us, it's withjuftice he fays, that ti
was hi phicauy
ing the I wim
iG the
 :

J 8 An Account of Genii,
the Genii which we may more properly call
Angels : And he fays he cannot pafi by what
he has read among ancient Writers, viz,, that
there was a Temple of Vulcan at Mount <lx£*#*,
in Sieifyj in whofe Grove there were Dogs, ,

which fawn d on thofe that came thither with

Purity and Piety ; but miferably rent the Im-
pure and Polluted, as tho' divinely prefaging
t*he thing.
I could write more concerning the Genii of
the Ancients, of the Sacrifices that were
as,
made to them, and other particulars, but it is
befide my bufinefs here j and I fball only
note, that befide the Genii attending each Per-*
fon, the Ancients fuppos'd others prefiding
over each Country, City &c. Thofe in the
Figure prefixt to this Book being fuch, as I
took them from Cartarius his Images of the
Gcds of the Ancients. The Explanation of
which Figures is as follows.
The Figure on the lQft-hand reprefents the
evil Genius, that Infefted the Inhabitants of the
Town Temeffa, in Italy. The Story is thus
In Cliac. Paufanias writing of Euthymus, the Champion,
rtfer. that Ulyffes, in his Wandrings, coming
tells us^
to the Town
of Temejfa, one of his Affociates,
for having ravifh'd a Virgin,was Hon d to death
by the Townfmen ; whereupon his Ghoft con-
tinually infeftedthem; fo that they were upon
quitting the Town, till they were told by Ayol-
/?s Oracle, that to appeafe him, they mult
build him a Temple, and facrifice to him year-
ly the raoft beautiful Virgin they had among
them which, as they prepar'd to perform,
;

it chane'd, that one Euthymus y a Champion,

came to the Town, and defir'd to be admit-
ted into the Temple ; vvho feeing the Virgin,
and
 or Familiar Spirits. 19
and falling in love with her, undertook to
fight with the (, line him, and
fore'd him out df die Country, and mai
the Virgin. This iitm-.i >ck
Colour, and a iblc Appearance, h

ring a Wolfs Skin >ut him.

I

As to the little Figure in the middle, the

is thus, as Paufamas relates it in the
lame Book The Eleans Worfhip, as their
:

Country God, Sofipolts, which lignihes the

Preferver of their City. His Sacrifices being
wont to be yearly Celebrated in the Temple
of Lucwa. Concerning this God, what fol-
lows is recorded When the Arcadians invaded
:

the Country of the Eleans, and the Eleans pre-

fented an Army againft them, a Woman, with
a Child fucking at her Breaft, came to the
chief Commanders of the Eleans, and told
them, that when fhe brought forth that Child,
fhe was admonifh'd in a Dream, to place him
with the Eleans in the Battle : whereupon the
chief Commanders of the Eleans, having
thought fit to credit the Woman, plac'd the
Child before their Standard. Upon the A
c.ulians Onfet, the Boy, in their light, turnd
into a Serpent ; by which Prodigy being
frighted, they prefently fled, the Eleans fmart-
ly purfuing them And upon getting this fa-
:

mous Vidory, they gave him the Name of

Sojipolis;and at a place where the Serpent
was feen to go into a Cavern, a Temple was
built after the Victory and Honours were
;

decreed to Lucln r, becaufe they thought the

Boy was brought into the World by her. This
God was drawn as a Boy, wish a Garment of
various Colours, fprinkled with Stars, hoi -
ing in h s Hand an Horn of Plenty
:
for : m
C 2
2 or Familiar Spirits*

this Form he was feen by fomc Perfon in a

Dream. I may here note, that the Form of
Serpents under which the Genii were wor-
fhip d, denotes the wife and vigilant Care
they have over lis.
As for the Figure on the Right-hand : In
fome of Adrians Coin, this Infcription is
found, Gen. P. R. where is feen the Image of
a Military Man, compafs'd about with a Gar-
ment, which reaches to the middle of his
Legs, having in the Right-hand a Difh like
a Sacrificing Veffel ; and in the Left, an Horn
of Plenty : This probably being the Genius of
the People of Rome, under whofe Guardian-
Jhip their City was j the Horn and Difh fhew-
ing, that the Roman State, as all others are
fupported by outward Plenty, and Religious
Devotion towards God.
In fome of the Ancient Coins of Trajan and
Adrian, is feen a Genius, prefenting with his
Right-hand a Difh on an Altar, adorn d with
Garlands; and holding in his Left-hand a
Whip, or fomewhat like it, hanging down.
This, by fome, is thought to denote Rewards
and Punifhments. In the Coin of Marcus Au-
rolliii is a Genius, having fuch a Difh in the

Right-hand, and an Horn of Plenty in the

other, with this Infcription, Geniis Exerci : Et
Genio Augufii. So in the Coin of FL Valerius
Coyifianrinus, Genio Populi Romani P. L. C. where
he holds in the Right-hand a Difh with a Star,
in the Left, an Horn of Plenty. Again, in
that of Maxlminus, fometimes with this In-
fcription, Germ Augufii fis ; fometimes Genio
\

Tcpu/i Romani T. F. fometimes Genio Imferatoris.

3
Thefe and the like Infcriptions are gather d
together in a particular Book, by the Learned
Phy-
 ,

An Account of Genii z i

Phyfician Adolphus Occo. In the Antiquities

alfo of Appian fuch Inlcriptions of Monuments
are found in the City of Tarraco in w*.
^«^/ fo much for a general Notion oj aii

of the Ancients.

CHAP. II.

Concerning the Genii that are afcribed

to Socrates, Ariftotle , Ptolinus,
Porphyrins, Jamblicus , Chicus,
Scaliger and Cardan.

THO' the Genii of thefe Men are redu-

cible to the Chapters I go upon
fhall
beneath, where I fhall examine what percep-
tion Men have had of Spirits, or Genii, by their
feveral Senfes; yet, in regard the Learned
Naudans, in his Apology for all the great Men
thathave been accufed *of Magicky has Writ par- Part *.
ricularly concerning the Genii of thefe Men, <*•*!•
and exploded them ; and other Authors have
writ againft the Genius of Socrates. I fhall here
particularly confider what may be faid con-
cerning thefe Genii.
The moft celebrated Inftance of a Geniut
among the Ancients is that of Socrates. Te-
ftimonies for it , are given by Vino, Xencphon
and Antijiheves , his Contemporaries , con-
firm' d by LaertiitSy Plutarch, Maximm Tyrim*
Dion ChryfoftomrrSy Cicero, Apuleius, Ficinrtsy and
other?, many of the Moderns, befides Ttrtulli-
an, Origen y Clemens Alexandrinvs* Aujlin and
C ? oth.
 22 An Account of Genii,
others. Socrates himfelf in Plato s Theage fays,
by fome Divine Lot, I have a certain Damon
which has followed me from my
Childhood,
as an Oracle ; and this is a Voice, which
when it happens, always diflwades the thing
I am about to do, but never prompts me to
do any thing and if any of my Friends com-
:

municate any thing with me, and the Voice

is heard, it diflwades^ and is againft the doing
of it: And prefently after he relates how a
perfon loft his Life, for having defpifed the
command of his Damon, warning him not to
depart from him. Again, fpeaking to Alcihi-
ades, he fays, my Tutor, is Better, and Wi-
fer than you And fpeaking concerning the
:

power of his Damon, e'en on other perfons

that ufed his Company and Converfation,
he fays, if it be grateful to my God, you
will profit much, and in a little time; if on

the contrary, not : And again, in his Apology,

he fays, going out of doors this Morning,
the fign of God did not oppofe me.
Many have been of opinion, that Socrates
had not only a perception of his Genius by
his fenfe of Hearing , but likewife by his
Sight and Feeling. So Afukius fays, he judg'd
Socrates perceived the fign of his Damon, not
tib.de Deo only by his Ears, but by his Eyes alfo; ber-
$ocr. caufe he affirmed, that often not a Voice,
but a divine Sign was prefented to him ;
which he was the more induced to believe,
for that it was fo common a thing with the
Pythagoreans to fee Damons, that they won-
dred if any Man faid he had (hen none.
Which Gift I impute to their great filence,
and their deep recefs of Mind ; for as Para-
tftfm With Others fay, Silence u the joy of a$
Sprits,
 or Familiar Spirit*. i ]

Spirits. The Author of the fmall Tract, ei

titled, De proprii cujufque nati \D<ew

gatione, Printed at the end of the Tri
gicum, before mentioned, feys the fame, ;

that Socrates both heard his Damon, and lav/

him. And ftBorius, in his Dialogue dcM
Damonum, f^>'^ that Socrates affirms his Dxmon
often to havefpoke to him, who he fometimcs D^
/ j
law and touch'd. So again , Theocritus in m^oc^.
Plutarch, will have it, that a Viiion attended
him from his Childhood, guiding him in all

the actions of his Life, which Vifion going

before him, was a light in Affairs, where hu-
mane prudence could^ not reach; and that
the Spirit often fpoke to him, divinely go-
verning and infpiring his Intentions.
Notwithftanding the opinion of thefe Men,
and others, that Socrates had a perception of
his Genius by more fenfes than one, I fhall
only here infift on the perception he had of #
him by his fenfe df Hearing ; which in re-
gard it's fo well attefted by Plato and Xenc
who were envious Com-
—
fbotty his Difciples (

it maybe fo faid of
petitors for Learning, if
they can no ways be fu-
Philosophers, fo that
fpefted for having combined together to im-
pofe on the World ) I wholly give credit to,
tho' I well know there always have been, and
ftill are fome Men in ithe World, who have
caveled at what is faid of Stcratts's Genius, as a
thing feigned whofereafons I fhall no wexamine.
•

The learned Naudaus, in his laudable Work

above-mentioned, and the tyb. Chapter of it,
treating concerning the Genii afcrib'd to So-
re*, and others, as above, writes thus, According

to the Authority of all Authors, each of thefe

Ions may boaft of having been led into
C 4 Ter
 24. or Familiar Spirits.
Temple of Glory and Immortality, by the
fomt Genius , or Famllar Damon,
afliftance of
'

£, de €)
.

which was to them, as Apukius fays, a Angu-

Sock*
lar Guide, a domeftick Infpe&or, an infe-
parablc Judge and Witnefs, a difapprover of
Evils, and an approver of Good ; but fince we
cannot maintain this Opinion, without aba-
ting much of thefe Mens Merit , and the Ob-

ligation we owe to their labours 3 by the means

of which, and not of thofe Damons and tutelary
Gods, fo many precious Relicks and Monu-
ments of their Learning are come to our
Knowledge , I think it very proper to pre-
fer ve the praife due to them, and to fliew by
the true Conftru&ion. that ought to be given
to this Converfation, how far thofe are out of
the way in their Imaginations, who perfwade
themfelves it was fuch as that of Angefs with
Holy Pesfons, or of Damons with Magicians
for to come as near to the Truth as we may,
we ought to obferve, that the Platonicks, ac-
lAe myjr. cording to the Teftimcnies of Jamhlieus and
Miypt. Fcxiu£ fuppos'd four forts of rational Animals,
J a com- under that they calTd the firft Being, or the
pient in
Tbddm,
fir ft Good j who is the Prime Author, and
Mover of all things, i/i&. the Celeftial Gods,
crAngels, Damons that were Inferiors to them,
Herccs^nd theSouls of Men in general,and that
the chief Office and Duty of Damcnsybzing no
other (as ?roclmfoy$)\mt to concern themfelves
L. de
Anlm. fa in the Affairs and Ccndud of the laft, and to
Dm* ferve theniasGuides andMediators towards the
Gods. Men have taken an cccafion from the
refemblance of thefe Actions, to thofe that
Souls exercife on their Bodies , to give thefe
fpmstimes the Name of Damws, and efpecial-
•
fo to free themfelves from
the
 A i Account of Genii, 25
the Shivery and Tyranny of the matter, where
it were, inten d3 th a the
Mittrell 1
'
ill their 1

culn no longer produce but Miracles,

like thole of Oaim
the true Senle according to which
JpttUim laid, that the Mind of Man, CVCm.L>ieDt*
the Bo i call d 1 i)

:!iat the Spirit of Man ferv d him

I Genius ; and the juft del I good
ration of the Soul n ; quali-
with the name of God, fmce cvn For-
(aid purr
to this in his .

p
that God
has given us the Superior
faculty of our Spirit, as a Dccmon to guide us y -

and that he may rightly be call'd an Eudxmov,

that takes Wifdom, as a watch Tower to guide
him in all the Adions of his Life which :

might ferve us for a General folution to An-

all that is laid of the Familiarity and
iConveifatbn of certain Dxmons, with Socra-
iftotk , and others; if it were not
rather requiiite to fatisfie particular Objecti-
ons, that may
be made againft each of them,
and to examine firft what we ought to be-
8 concerning the fo famous and renown'd

Dwwon of Socrates, no lefs celebrated by the

Authority of thofe that have giv'n us the
it, than by the great Diverfities of
;ments that have been made of him ; fome
faying, that there may be fome likelihood of
:h for its being really fo; others, that it
meer Fiction of this Philofopher, or of
1

his two Difciples, X( .

-
,
who as
v publifh'd the report of this Divine Affift-
9 that of the Oracles declaring him the

re
 z6 An Account of Genii,
fore us all the Dirt that envy or prejudice has
throwh on then goes on thus But
Socrates, and :

fince I ftiould but expofe my felf to the laugh-

ter of all Men, to follow the licentioufnefs of
thefe dangerous Spirits , who fo freely (ham
the Authority of thefe two great Philofophers,
as alfb that of Afuleius, Maximus Tyrius, Cicero',
Plutarch, and almoft all the good Authors, to
fhew themfelves more fubtle and clear fighted
than others, by cruftiing to pieces this old I-
mage I rather chufe to range my felf of their
:

fide that refpe& it ; fince I cannot perfwade

my felf, that fo great a number of Writers
would have leaded Socrates with fo many Prai-
X.7 Epkr. ^ or ca ^d him , as Martial did, the great
6%.sat.t. Old-man ; Perfius, die reverend Mafter ; VaU-*
L. de Deo rius Maximus
, the Mind veiled with virile
Socra. Strength or finally, zsApukius, the Old-man of
;

Divine Wifdom, if he hadnotfignalized himfelf

by his Wifdom ; fo that we ought rather to ex-
cufe, than reprehend thofe, who do not judge
without reafon,that he had acquired it thro' the
favour, and Afliftance of fome Damon. Tho'
neverthelefs there be no lefs uncertainty con-
cerning the Explication of his Nature, than
of malice and calumny in the precedent Opi-
nion ; for Afukius would have it to be a God,
Latfantius and TertuUian a Devil ; Plato thought
he was invifible ; Apuleius, that he might alfo
be vifible; Plutarch, that it was a freezing on
the right or left fide, according to which So-
crates foretold a good or evil Event of the
thing undertaken ; Maximus Tyrius, that it was
£ remorfe of Confcience againft the prompt-
nefs and violence of his Natural Temper,
which was neither heard, nor feen, by which
Socrates w^s with-held, an4 hindred from do-
ing
 ;

or Familiar Spirits. 17
ing fome evil d 1C was
the Stars that ra is Nativity ;
dn,i I

Mv>. of Opinion, it Lin

imp bis Will chat prefcntcd it fclfto 1

without Council of his Difcourk

my icli, 1 believe it may be laid., conformably

enough to truth, that thi^

SocrattS; which was to him a forefecr in un-
:ain things, a pre^admonifher in doubtli.l,
a guide in dangerous was nought bait the good
rule ofhisLife 5 thewifeConduct of his Actions,
ink of all his Virtues, that form'd
in him this Prudence; which may with Juftice
be calld the luftre and teafoning of all his Acti-
ons, the Eye that fee^ all, guides and orders all,
and in a WorjJ, the Art of Life, as Phyfick is
the Art of Health. So that there is much
more feeming ground to believe, that the Soul
of this Philosopher , purifyed from its violent
Paflions, and enriched with all kinds of Vermes,
was the true Daemon of his Condud j than to
imagine, that he entangled himfelf with Illu-
fions,' and Vbanumes, gave credit to them, or
follow'd their Counfels; being a thing whol-
ly abfurd , which Plutarch feems to have a
mind to root out of our Fancies, when he fays
in the Book he has compos' d concerning this
mop, that Socfates did not defpife Celeftial
things, as the Athenians would perfwade him
at his Condemnation, though it be very true,
that many Apparitions, Fables and Superflu-
ous things being crept into the Philofophy of
Vjthagorasy and his Difc which rendered
it wholly ridiculous and con >le, he did
what he could to manage it with prudenc
and to clear it of all thefc Tal to be-
•e of it but what |
unable
 2S or Familiar Spirits.
and beneath, having folv'd fome difficulties
to be met with concerning the Damon of So-
cratusy he adds, but befide that this would be
a too manifeft interfering with the Precept
of Horace.

Fo ^9
*
Nee Deus Inter/it, ntfi dignus vindice nodus.
Incident

to refer the Predictions of Socrates, and the.

Counfel he gave his Friends, to fome Divi-
nity, we may more reafonably fay, that as he
was wholly carried to moral A&ions, fo he
had particularly confidered all the accidents
that happen'd to Men, and that the leaft thing
made him forefee and judge of the future.
This is what Naudaus has writ concerning the
Damon of Socrates,
FfekJom. Maraviglia writes, that Socrates being who-
vtt.Differ.
jy ta k en U p jn giving Moral Precepts , afcri-
1U bed all to a Genius , thinking thereby to give
weight to his profitable Arguments, which he
every where ufed for Inftru&ion; well know-
ing what authority a Man carries, who is be-
lieved to give his Inftru&ions, by the dire-
&ibn of a Divine Afflatus : Hence though
and Apuleius believed Socrates 's Genius
Vlutarch
was a true Daemon, which by reafon of his
moft pure and calm mind, convers'd with
him from his Infancy, yet nothing evinces it
to be ought but the natural Subtilty , Sagacity,
Reafon and Prudence of his Mind, cultiva-
ted by Meditation and Practice, which as a
right AiBamm admonifht and propofed to him
*

things to be rightly done, and judged well of

Futurities for its reafon, which continually
:

whifpers unto us what is to be hopd for, or

feared.
 An Account of Genii, 29
feared, and that is wont to be called our Ge-
nius,and Inward Voice always fpeaking to
us, without having need of a feparate Gw/w.
And Timarcus , in Plutacch, who went into
Trofhonluss Cave to enquire after the truth of
Socr. whs, could receive nothing more
probable, but thofe Genii were portions of the
Mind, feated about the head of Man, as be-
ing naturally eadow'd with a greater Wifdom.
The Learned Anton. Van Dale, M. D. in his ^iffeft. r.

c# I#
lift Edition of his Book of Oracles, rejeds thc
Damon of Socrates thus: What have not the
Ancient Pagans faid concerning the Damon of
Socrates ? what not even the Christians ? but
from what Men of Authority does it appear
that Socrates ever had fuch a Familiar Damvn ?
fince all of them ought to have had it from
the mouth of Socrates, or of the Socraticksy
Cherepben, and others, to whom Socrates had
told it. And having exploded what the
after
Oracle is faid to have deliver'd of Socrates,
viz,, that he was the Wifeft of Men, he con-
cludes the Chapter thus But truly thofe things
:

which were fo rafhly believed, and delivered

by fo many, both Chriftians and Pagans, con-
cerning his Damon, which is teftified only by
himfelf (for fo he boafts of himfelf in Plato's
Dialogue Entitled, Theage, and others of his Dif-
ciples forfooth ) carry the fame, or rather
the like (hew of Truth; for, who may not as
well believe Pythagoras ? who, as Laertius te-
ftities from others, faid he was firft v£tbali-

its, then Euvhorbus^ then Hermotimns, then

•bus, a Fifnerman of Delos, before he was,
in the laft place, P , for the Reafons
and Arguments of Socrates concerning his Da-
mon, in Plato, carry the lime w
 ,;

3 o An Account of Genii,
Nifl. def. Monjleur Le Loyer delivers himfelf in a diffe^
Spetlres.
rent wa y concerning the Damon of Socrates,
9* c - J
• •
writing thus : Do we not find that the Idola-
trous Egyptians believed there were Genii, who
admonimed Men committed to their Care
and Government, by a well form'd and ar-
ticulate Voice and from whom had they this
:

but from the Hebrews ? Thofe that examine the

Do&rine of the Egyptians, and their Priefts,
know that they are but the 'Hebrews Apes,
tho' concealing as much as poffible their Au-
thors, and thole whofe Dodxine they follow
which they do with fuch an affe&ed diffimu-
Iation, that he that does not look near to
thern^ fhall never be able to difcover the tra-
ces and footfteps of thefe Thieves. They had
learnt that the Hebrews, by a fecret Traditi-
on, held their Patriarchs had Angels which
i guarded them., and that the Patriarch Jacob
had not concealed his having an Angel, which
had preferved him in all places where he had
been; they held alfo that thefe Angels Invifi-
bly admonifht the faid Patriarchs , and that
their Voice was heard.
From this Hebrew Tradition and Do&rine,
the Egyptians forged their Genii, confounding
them with the Angels, tho' the Genii are but
Damons, and gave them a Voice by which
they advertized Men : and I certainly be-
lieve, that from the Egyptians, Plato drew and
took the Genius or Damon of Sacrates, which
he makes Invifible, and to be heard Speaking,
and forming fome Voice. And tho Plato, imi-
tating in this the Egyptians, feems to fey, that
the Genius which governed and guided Socra-
a good Damon and Genius, yet I take
him but for a Devil, which led Socrates
to
 or Familiar Spirits* 31
to an unhappy Death. The fame Le Loyer,
in his faid Book, fays he concludes with' fe- Cap. 17.

vera I Dcxftors of the Church . that Socrates

was a Magician, becauie he uled Divination.
to conlider what thefc Authors have
Now,
concerning the G mitts of Socrates, we
faid,
gn thofe that deal the moft mildly
with him, as NutUaus and Msraviglia, deny
;any Voice coming to him from without,
which the words in Plato plainly and naturally
import he had. And I believe it muft be
granted me, that the main ground thefe Men,
and others of the fame Opinion go upon, is,
that not having had any experience of any
,fuch thing in themfelves, and not being fully
convinced, that any other Perfon has, not-
withftanding the Teftimonies of Men in all
,
Ages, and the Inftances I fhall give, they are
;uneafie to yield the Point, even in the Cafe
1of Socrates. And I muft here fay, I have hun-
\
dreds of times, feen, heard, and convers'd
\with thofe they call Genii, Angels, Spirits, or
tDamons, appearing to me inhumane Shapes;
of which I fhall give fome Relation beneath,
k

befide the Experiences of many other Perfons,

'

I
known to me, and now living, in the fame
kind ; whom oppofers, (notwithftanding any
i relu&ancy ) muft give me leave to believe to
be Men of as found Senfe as themfelves.
When fuch Perfons of an over cautious be-
1
lief, meet with any thing in Hiftory, or hear

fomething related in this kind, we find they

proceed two ways ; either being fomewhat
I tender of the Authority fuch things arc de-
liver d by, they excogitate various Explicati-
I ons of the Fad, as each Man's Fancy fug-
I gefts to him ^ fo that they will allow fome-
what
Tfi or familiar Spirits.

what of Truth in it, after the way they ex^

plain it j as we
Cafe of Socrates,
find in the
NaudauS) and Maraviglia have done ; which
is like the Complement young Philofophers
have been taught to pay to Arlftotk, in di-
ftinguifhing his Text, when it has feem'd to
make againft them ; or they flatly deny it,
and explode it as a Fable, with Dr. Van Dale,
Gallaus, and many others ; as any Man may
eafily do of any Hiftorical Fad, however at-
tefted (fince it will not bear a demonftrative
proof) and boldjy cry out, Affirmant} Incumbit
frobatio.
1
It was Undertaking of Nana tens,
a laudable
to write an Apology for all the Great Men
accufed of Magick by fome narrow Under-
ftandings ; and which, I think, he has gene-
rally well performed But as to his way of
;

Apologizing for the Men above-mentioned,

I cannot fee how it fhould abate of their
Merit, or of the Obligation we have to them,
for the Works they have left us (as he feems
to think it would ) tho' they had receiv'd a
good part of their Knowledge from the Sug-
geftion of Intelle&ual Beings ; for the World
has been long under a Miftake, if prophetick
Learning (which befide what has been imme-
diately infpir'd from the prime Caufe, Men
may have fometimes had by a fuggeftion from
Intelligences) be not of as great a Merit, and
has not laid as great Obligations on Mankind,
as any excogitated by Humane Wit; and we
are as well owing to the prime Caufe for
what we deliver by our ordinary Faculties,
as for what in this extraordinary way.
?
Again, Thb the primary end of good An\
gt!s> in directing Mankind, be in things re-
lating
 or Familiar Spirits.
^
latingto their eternal Salvation ; yet I know not
why they may notfometimes, inlpirc or openly
dired them in humane Studies, and in thin
relating to humane Life, lo they arc
tendency ; as I tind not but the knowledge of
Socratesy and that of others, whom I fhall men-
tion beneath were ; tho' that fome have had
Knowledge infpifd them by Evil Spirits its :

what Divines generally teach Neither fhall:

1 here take upon me to maintain, that the

Genii which attended fome of the Perfons a-

bove mentioned by Naudaus ( if they had
) were of the better fort.
There is one thing I (hall note in Nr.HrUw's
>unt of the lXvmon of Socrates, -viz,. Where
he tells us> Tlutarch faid itwas a Sneezing on
the right or left fide, according to which,
Socrates foretold a good or evil event to the
>
thing undertaken. -Now, tho Tlutarch , in
his Academical way of Writing, in his Tra<5t
of SocratesS Damon, introduces one Toljmnis,
who fet forth this Opinion, viz* that Socrates
was guided in his judgment by a Sneezing,
happening to himfelf, or fome ftander by,
yet I fee reafon, why this opi-
no colour of
nion fliould be fathered upon Tlutarch himfelf,
more than others there fet forth. Mr. Bogatt,
tho' otherwife a 'learned Man, in his additi-
ons to Mr. Roufss Archeologia Attica, feems to
me a little over-comical in fporting with So- /.. 7, ge ^
crates, and his Genius, faying, £-
Socrates ( as 2. *• *,
mun:te nans as he was) had fo little Senfe him-
felf, as to fetch advice himfelf from another
mans ]\ofe, and to make a Sneeze fervc in-
id of a Genius, or Dkm<miw#> to tell him
Good and the Bad, &c. but all men are
not admirers of Pedantick Railerv.
D To
24 An Account of Genii,
To come to Maraviglia, we find he will
have it,according to his prejudice, that So-
trattss Genius was only his pretence to gain
authority to the Do&rine he delivered tho'
•

ftill he allows fcpmewhat extraordinary in him,

that may be call'd his Genius , viz,, the won-

derful Sagacity of his Mind, cultivated by a
long Meditation, which might in a particular
manner have dire&ed his Judgment, as to
prefent and future things. But I think this
fufpition of Socrates's defign in his Ganius
is poorly grounded , fince it no way appears
that ever Socrates imputed the Do&rine he de-
livered to the Suggeftion of his Genius, as JVh-
ma and others did, but only his being with-
held by him, from doing fome A&ions which
would have prov'd prejudicial to him.
As for Dr. Van Dale, he allows Socrates no
more than other Men, and wholly rejects his
Genius, as not being well attefted, and char-
ges Chriftians and Pagans for having over
rafhly believ'd, and deliver U as a truth the
Story concerning him.
Now as to this (with reverence to the
Learning of fb great a Man) I mull take
freedom to fay, it feems to me he has over-
done the matter in this cafe, by preffing
things too far; as I conceive he has in feveral
other parts of his Works for as to his reje<5Hng
:

the testimonies of Xenophon and Plato, as not

worth minding , I believe, by unprejudiced
Readers they maybe look'd upon asunexcepti-
onable Teftimonies in that matter, as any two
Men now living on the face of the Earth ; for
what they fhall deliver by hear-fay , if we
fhall be led by fufpicions, and remote poffibi-
lities of Fraud, and contrivance of fuch Men,

all
 a

or Familiar Spirits. 3 5
all htftorica! truth faM be eluded, when it

confifts not with 1 Mar or

'mit it. \ I
:
what he fur-
'

ther urges, that it" we 1 boaft

( as he c ills it ) ot
well beKeVc who fai ft

*.yfjbalides y then / he
came to be Pythagoras; I think t
dlfparity iii the cafe; for, as to Divine Voi
}, it- no more than what all t1

Andent Prophets teftified, befi

find recorded of theai in all ( hriftian and
Pagah ffiftories, nor are living Teftimoni
wanting: where ther, it> well
known how the learned h
all
the Pythagorean Tranfoiygication concerning :

which the very learned Joan. Reucblin write

thus. The Pythagorean Metemffycofis fignify*d Cab.L a.
nothing among the truly learned, but a fimi-
lirude of notions and itudies, which were
formerly in fome Men, and afterwards (prong
up again in others and fo it was formerly :

faid, that Eupborbus was reborn in Pythagoras^

becaufe that warlike Valour which was'cele-
brated in the Trojan Eupborbus, fome way ap-
})ear'd again in Pythagoras, by reafon of r
.

ove he bore to the Athlete, or thofe that

gave themfelves to manlike exerciles, Plclnus In £*
alfo teftifies the fame, affirming, that the
Tranfmigration alfo, as it refpccls Brutes and
Men, according to the fenfe of all the learn-
ed Platonicks ( except Phtinus ) imported od
that as affefts of Brutes became habituated
Men, Man feem'd to have pall into th
Natures. But if Dr./:.?/ D.iU will have
that Pythagoras declared this as a tfbth, in a
litteral fenfe: when he ftiall produce f .
•

D 2 ethers,
 ;

3<5 An Account of Genii,

others, who have declared the likeexperiencs
of a Transmigration in themfelves, as I have
given inftances backing what is faid of Socrates,
we may allow it a like motive of credibility.
L it Orac. And if the opinion of Origen ( whom the Dr.
Dhjcrt. i. praifes as more difcreet in his opinion concer-
c -•
- ning the Pagan Oracles, than the other primi-
tive Fathers) weighs any thing with him, he
will find him pretty fmart againft thofe that
reje<9t the Genius of Socrates, where he fays

tJs.t.6.
Nor w *^ t h ere ever be wanting calumny to the
uncandid, who have a malicious fenfe even of
the beft of Men., fince they make a fport even
of the Genius of Socrates, as a thing feign'd.
Since I have intimated it above , I fliall
here give a farther inftance, or two, of. this
learned Perfons over-arguing himfelf, as I con-
ceive , in the Third Chapter of his Firft
D/JJlrtation, treating of the Origen of Oraclesy
where he writes againit the Impofture of the
Gentiles in that kind, he charges them for ha-
ving contrived generally the feats of their
Oracles on Mountains , where were Caves
and Subterraneous Vaults, partly made by
• Nature, partly by Art, for carrying on their
Cheats ; and that none but Kings, Princes,
and Great Men, confeious of the Cheat, were
admitted to confult them. Now, if any of
the Gentiles, who had a belief in their Oracles,
as I think itbeyond difpute, that many, even of
the moll learned of them, had ; nay, if they
knew them to beCheats^as fome thought them
o be, would they not prefently reply, that a
Mountain was made choice of for Mofes to~
receive the Law of God, and that no Man
finder pain of Death, was to approach the
^Mountain but himfeif and A*t<m ( and like-
wife
 or Familiar Spirits. 37
wife that the Jews kept their S
rum altogether as pi i id as liable to a fuf-
picion of a Cheats and admitted none bill the
Prince,the Senate,or feme great Perfon to con-
fult the Oracle of Urim and Tbummkn and the ;

High-Prieft only faw the fign of God in the

Breftplate, directing an Anfwer, as the learn-
ed Joan.Leufden has fet forth in his Thilologrts I

bro mixxus. So that we find the force of this Ar-

gument wholly evacuated j it prcflwg equally •
on both fides. And I am lorry I muft fay it, F
find too many Arguments made ufeof by fome
Writers, againft the Religion of the Gentiles,
which fall indirectly,
1 will not fay defignedl

on all Religion.
Again, the faid Author, in his Trad De ch. t„
Divination* IiololatricA, after having told us of
the Superftitious Pra&ice of the Gentiles, in dri-
ving away the Lemur es with a noife of Brafs,
adds- Thofe that will believe thefe things,
may as well believe what Tlmy writes, w*.^,-^^
Above all things that have ever been heard of,
is the prodigy happening in our Time, by a

ruine in the Marrwine Territories, where the

Olive-field of Veftitts Marcellus, a chief Perfon
of the Equeftral Order, paft over the wh<
common Road, and on the contrary, Plow a
Lands came thence into the Olive-field,
this feeind very ftrange to Vlinj ( who, t
.an admirer of great things, and a Man pxc
lently qualified for recording hiftorica ?

was never lookt upon by the learn,

ligent enquirer into caufes ) and wholly
1

credible to the Author; dip I (think it no

fuch extraordinary Vhjenomcnon i

there being feveral Initances to I s

the like kind, as well within our

?lfewiv;re< P $
3 8 An Account of Genii,
Stow tell us, in his Summary, that An. 1582,
Jew. the i %th at Hermitage 'm Dor cetjhire, a piece
of Ground of three Acres, remov'd from its
place, and was carryed over another Clofe*
where Alders and Willows grew, the fpace of
forty Rods, or Perches, and flopt up the High-
way that leads to Cirne, a Market-Town, and
yet the Hedges it was inclos'd with, inclofe it
rtill., and the Trees Hand bolt upright, and
the place where the Ground was before is left
a Pit. So An. ipi. Marchy-hill y in the Eaft
part of Herefora'jhire, with a roaring noife re-
moved it felf from the place where it flood,
and for three days together travell'd from its
old Seat. It began firft to remove Febr. the
ijth being Saturday, at Six of the clock in fhe
Evening, and \>y Seven of the clock the next
Morning, it had gone forty Paces, carrying
with it Sheep in their Folds, Hedge-rows and
Trees, whereof fome were overturn d , and
fome that flood upon the Plain , are firmly
growing upon the Hill , thofe that were Eaft
were turn a Weft, and thofe in the Weft, were
fet in the Eaft : In this remove it overthrew
Kippaftvn-Cbuffely and turn'd two High-ways
near an hundred Yards from their old Courfe.
The Ground that thus removed was about 26
Acres ; which opening it felf with Rocks
and all, bore the Earth before it 400 Yards
fpacc, without any flay, leaving Pafturage in
the place of die Tillage, and the Tillage over-
fpread with Pafturage ; at laft over- whelming
its lower parts it mounted to an Hill of twelve
Fathoms high, and fo relied after three Days.
travel. More inftanccs may be giv'n of the,
tunc Nature, this; being wrought by that kind
of Earthgniakcs, wo i#ii BrsjU, or Brafmaii^s,
 or Familiar Spirits.
3 p
from &*£* ftrvcoy bullio, *vi afius ejiclo , which
raife, and protrude the Earth, many Ilia:
having been io caft up from the bottom
the Sea on a Hidden. As for the Plough'd
Lands coming in the place of the Olive- held,
we may eafily conceive this to have happen d
by a Gyrative motion of that piece of land
following upon the protrulion from the deep.
Iintimate thefe things only to caution
Men not to be over hafty in rejecting things
that may feem Strange, and do not prefently
fall within their Comprehenfion ; and that in.
oppofing Adverfaries they ufe due Circum-
fpettion in attending to the valt extent of the
Power of Nature, and the various Manifcita-
tions of God in Men, many things being evi-
dent to fome Perfons , which to others feeni
wholly incredible.
In the laft place ; as for the Suggeftions of
Monfieur le Loyer, viz. that Plato had his Noti-
on of Socratcs's Genius from the Egyptians, &c.
I think them altogether groundless, fince Py-
thagoras, who liv'd before Socrates, is averr'd
to have made his great Proficiency in Lear-
ning from his Converfe with Spirits, and fince
it was fo ufual a thing for the Pythagoreans to
fee Spirits , as Apuleius acquaints us. And
why mult it be an evil Genius, bringing Seer^r
tes to an unhappy end ? If we believe Plato,
we find Socrates did fb , but oa
not think it

the contrary was defirous to die ; and I think

no confidering Man, who has liv d an upright
Life, would think it an unhappy thing to be
^d from the grievances of decrepit Al
Socrates, according to the loweft Computati-
on, being 70 Yeas of Age when he died ; S
s 80, others 90. And as for his being
D 4 *
 40 M Account of Genii,
a Magician, this need not to have been feign'd
to procure him a Genius, fince his Damon isfaid
to have attended him from his Infancy. And
fo much concerning the Genius of Socrates.
I fhall now proceed to give an Account
from Naudavs, of the Genii afcrib'd to the o-
ther Men before-mentioned by him. As for
the Genim of Arifioth j he thinks it a Jeft in
thofe Men that have afcrib'd one to him ; it
being manifeft, according to all his Interpre-
ters^ that he never admitted other Intelligences,
but thofe he aflign'd as movers to each Sphere
of the Heavens, rejecting all other kinds of
Damons, fo ftanding firm to his Principles,, and
not admitting any things that was not known
to him, either by Motion or Operation He
:

likewife referring all that is wont to be afcrib'd

to Damons, to Nature, that is , to the Pro^
perties of Natural things j to Humours, and
Temperaments of Animals, to the Nature of
Places, and to their Vapours and Exhalations,
leaving nothing to do for thefe Subftances.
And after Naudam has giv'n feveral Reafons
* againft Ariftotles admitting of Damons , he
adds, I think, one probable Argument may be
drawn from his Book concerning Divination
by Dreams, where, to fliew that there is no-
thing Supernatural in them ; he fays, but be-
caufe fome' Animals likewife Dream, certain-
ly Dreams are not fent from God,, nor caus'd
by him , but muft b6 Damonkal, fince Nature
is Damonkal, not Divine. And though it be
greatly controverted among Interpreters and
in em- Commentators , in what Senfe we muft ex-
^ ^
'

™mhu P^ n t s fylfot v n by Arijtotle to Nature ;

In c. ig
a
it feems Lecnicus has better hit on it than the

Mvm. others^ and that the L^^rncd Char$enUriH$>

 '

or Familiar Spirits. 41
found the whole Energy of thisPhrai
otic would (hew by it, that
that >und in Nature weilordci
tie Conversion of the Celefti-
al Orbs, whichmay fenre to explain all thofc
things, for which others have recourfe to /
mom ^ by the means of which Explication he
ly anfwer the fole Reafon, giv'n by
z de Tn ~
ms> for eftablifhing Damons according to -

trine of Arift#le.
In rc 2 therefore to the Genius of /;V-
'
^J
ftotL, aicrib d to him by fome Perfons I fhail ;

let v. hat Piccolomini and Cafalfinus have

.

writ concerning his Opinion, as to the Exi-

gence of Damons , the former contending
againlt his Admillion" of them, the latter for it,
(hall fubjoyn my
own Senle in the Matter.
Rates the cafe, whether Arijtotk l dc
Ticcclorr.hu fe.
thought there were Damons, and concludes in * ?/f. Dm
the Negative, writing as follows: The word ?* f-
ri

raken , either metaphorically,

or propcily, if metaphorically , Arijtotk m
be allow'd to have granted Damons , he faying, 2
7ty. lot,

that Xenocrates affirms him to be an E. l

>-

who has a ftudious Mind ; for thisis to e

Man dn EuJamon; ib we may al£ ithj

,
that the Mind coming froh
and governing a Man, is i.
:

in
hisBook of Divination b)
That Dreams are not ft
1 Natur;.
iritimati >

becaufe \i I

ch things a:

l
 ;
f

^i An Account of Genii,
the Mind leading we may fay with Arijh-
us,
*/e, that two Damons
are born and live with us,
viz,. Reafon, and the fenfual Appetite : and
he that is led by right Reafon, is led by a good
Damon , and he that is led by Anger, or Con-
cupifcence is carryed away by an evil Damon ;
but the doubt is concerning a Damon properly
taken, whether it be a Damon by its Nature,
or a foregin Damon : the former of which may
be aptly enough defin'd to be, An Animal having
a reafon, and understanding fuperior to Many ujing
afubtle body and mediating betwixt God and
,
Man ; is the Soul of a Man, depar-
the latter
ted this Life, being freed from the grofs Body,
and ufing a fubtle vehicle. And in this Senfe
Arifioth did not think $here were Damons
not Damms by Nature , Firft, becaufe as he
H profeft to explain all particular degrees of
things, to fet forth a>compleat Philofophy, he
no where fpeaks of Damons. Secondly, in his
third Book of the Soul , he plainly reje&s
I Tclt. 66.
them, fetting forth, that no Animal can confift
either of Air, or Fire, or any other fimple Bo-
dy j though he makes particular mention of
Air and Fire, becaufe the Academicks thought
the Bodies of Damons to be aiery, and in fome
fort fiery. But to pafs by many other Paffages
of Ariflotk againft Damons, he thinks this a
moft firm Reafon , That there is nothing in
the Univerfe in vain, fpeaking of the Degrees
2nd Species of things ; whereas if there were
Damons, they would be of no ufe, according
to Arifiotle, which hence appears, becaufe all
thofe things which are commonly judgd
Works of Damons, are afcrib'd by him to o-
ther Caufesj never any to Damons For thofe :

things whicl) excited the ancient Philofophers

i to
 :

or Familiar Spirits. 45
to excogitate Demons, were chicHy DiviiuuU
which Arifiotlt afcrib'd to \
,

tore inds of Furies or Rapturi

which he attributes to a various temperamtnfl
Melancholy the Anlwers of Oracles, which
\

he 1 erty of certain Steams pro-

&om of the Earth ; the
tl :ies

a \ die by an
ignorant Perfon,
which Ariflfitk likewiie cefen to Melancholy :
efore Philofophers are raisM by
W( ks to the fearch of Caufes, and ArifiotU
ib'd all thofe Works to other Caufes., and
not to Djtmmu we gather, he thought there
e none. And io as to Damons, or I

the Souls of Men feparatcd from the Body,

Arifiotle held there were none For in his Se- :

cond Book of the Soul, he fays, there is no Text 26.

Soul without the Body And in the Seventh :

of his Metaphyjicksy he fays, there is no Man

without Flefti and Bones And in his Second :

Book of the Generation of Animals, he fays* Cap. 13.

there is no Inftrument without a Faculty, notf
an organical Faculty without an Inftrument
\o\v, the Soul of Man is organical, &c.
Cafalfinus, after having quoted Plate, in-L.deln-
troducing Socrates, concluding againft his Ca- veft; D£m -

er ^' ca^'
lumniators, who charg'd him of admitting net
Gods, that he that grants there are Damonial
Works, of neceffity admits Damons , wliicbi
are either Gods, or Sons of Gods, in his Se-
venth Chapter he writes thus We may ga4 :

ther in Arifictle, that there are Damons, by

that Argument by which Socrates gather'd
there were. He that alFcrts there are D*mo±
'
frks, is compcld of neceffity to coil»
,
there are Damons. Arljhtle afterts, there
arc Damonical IWrks, viz,. Dreams and Nature;
there-
44 An Account of Genii,
therefore of Neceffity he muft confefs there
are Demons, whence they are fo denominated.
And the Philofopher feems to have under-
flood that middle Nature betwixt God and
Mortal things, mention'd before by us, to be
a Damon ; for when he had deny'd Dreams to
be fent by God, (as fome thought they were)
becaufe they happen not only to the wifeft of
Men, but indifferently to Idiots y and fome
other Animals ; yet he fays Dreams are D*~
montcal$ becaufe Nature is Damonical, not Di-
vine j tho' therefore fomewhat Divine be con-
tain'd in Nature, yet it does not merit the
Name of Divine, but Dammkal, becaufe it
Follows the Wifdom of an Intelligence, whence
it's rendred admirable, even in the leaft things,

and Dreams are Damonical^ by reafon of the

wonderful force of the Imagination.
Now, thefe two Authors confider'd, I think
it may be agreed, that Arlfiotle did not admit
a" Damon properly taken, as Ph'colomlnl has fet
forth ; but he admitted the Fads commonly
afcrib'd to Damons, which he accounted for
from other Caufes ; as we find by what is
quoted from Charpentarlm, by Naudaus, accor-
ding to which (as Naudaus fays) Cafalfmms
fole reafon for eftablifhing of Damons, accor-
ding to Arifiotle \ Do&rine, may be folv'd.
Yet however, iince Arifiotle admits the Fa&s
commonly afcrib'd to Damons, I fee not why
he may not properly enough be faid to have
had a Genius, tho' it may be explain' d by an
IntelleBus Agens, coming from without, or by
an orderly from the Intelligences that
influx
move the a mind to fet up
Heav ns, he having
for himfelf, by an hypothecs of his own, con-
trary to that o[ Plato reeeiv'd before, and
 *

or Familiar Spirits. 45
which is more confonant to Chriftianity,
Nor can I think Ariftottis fo plaufible for
folving Phenomena, tho' it may more gratify
the Humour of fome Perfons. In reference
to Ariftotlcs Genius, I may add what Rhodigi- Le [}. An-
nus writes, viz. That, among the Ancients, r/j./.-*-«- ;

VUto had the Symbol of Divine given him,

and Ariftotk of Damonical^ the reafon why
AriftotU was fo ftil'd, feems to be, that he
chiefly treated of natural things, the confide-
ration of which lies, in a manner, in the fub-
lunary World, where they thought Damons
had their abode But Vlato railing himfelf
:

higher, being addi<5ted to the Contemplation

of Intelligible Beings, got him a more emi-
nent guide of Life, and defpifing thofe things
which others admir'd, even to a Madnefs, he
ftrove with all his force to bring that which
is Divine in us, to that Divine Being which

only is truly fo, whence he got his name of

Divine.
Naudausy after he has reje&ed the Genius of
Arijtotley proceeds to the others 3 but firft tells
us, That what all the VhtonUh have fet forth
concerning Damons and J-Ltgicky can neither
be prov'd by Reafon nor Experience ; and as
for the Realon they draw from many Effe&s,
which they fay muft ncceflarily be referrd to
thefe Caufes, before he obliges himfelf to
receive it, he firft wifties they would well fa*
tiify Pomponatiusy Cardan ^ and Bemardns Mir an*
dulanusy who fhew, pertinently enough, that;
its better to have recourfe to the Proots of out

Religion, to believe Angels and Damons, thun

to that heap of Experiences, of which a vea-
fon may be rendred by the Principles of Na-
tural Philofophy. After which he lays, We
ought
 :

46 An Account of Gtm\ y
ought no longer to make doubt, but all that
is of Vhtinus, Vorphyrius, and
laid of the Genii
Jambticusy ought to be referred to what he has
iaid before concerning the Damon of Socrates.
To this I reply 3 that even fetting by the
Proofs of our Religion for Angels and Damons,
I fee not but as for folving the Experiences
he Ipeaks of, by natural Principled, Arifiotles
Hypothefis of Intelligences moving the Heavens,
4s altogether as precarious, and lefs fatisfa&ory
than the other, us'd by ottjers of the Gentiles :

And as for his reserving what is faid of the

\
Genii of the three Philofophers before-menti-
on d, to what he has faid of the Genius of So-
crates, I think I have fhewn above, that he
lias not validly refuted his Damon.
\ As to the Genius of Vlotinus ; Porphyrins his
\ Scholar, who has writ his Life, which is

\ prefixed to Vlotinus s Works, fet forth with

\ ^Commentaries, by Ficinus, fays thus in it

\
" An Egyptian Prieft coming to Rome, and be-
cc
ing foon made known, by a Friend of his,
cc
and having a
to Vlotinus., fhew a defire to
cc
Specimen of his Wifdom perfwa- at Rome,
64
ded Vlotinus to go along with him, and he
cc
would prefently /hew him his Damon, or
'"
Familiar Spirit, whom Vlotinus readily obey'd.
cc
TheInvocation of the Damon was made in
a the Temple of for ^Vlotinus faid, this
Ifis \
was the fole place in Rome] which the
|CC
Egyptian found pure ; But when the Damon
was calFd to prefent himfelf to his view,
inftead of a Damon, a Gad .appeaj'd, which
ci

*c
was not of the Species of Damons ; the
Cf
Egyptian thereupon thus prefently cry'd out,
u
W
Tew are b*"PV>y, O Plotinus who hive a God !

"for your Da mon, and have not light on a Guide

€
 :

or Famliiar Spirits 47
€C having
Plotinus therefore
of an Inferior kind.
a Familiar of the Order of Divine Demons, it

was with reafonthat he always (ublimely rais'd

the Divine Eye of his Mind to that and foi
;

this reafon heffterwards compos'd a Book con-

cerning each Man's particular Daemon, where
he endeavours diligently to afltgn the Caufcs
of the difference of Familiar Spirits. Porphy-
rins, to (hew the Divine Spirit of his Matter,
cc
Tlotinus, adds beneath : I had once thoughts
" of killing my felf, which Vlotinns wonder-
w fully perceivd 5 and as I was walking in
iC
the Houfe, he prefently came to me, and
Lid, 11 'hat you meditate, O Porphyrius js !

€C
not like that of a found Mind ; but rather, of a
Cf
Mind grown mad with Melancholy ; and there-
* fore he commanded me to depart from
" Rome. Thofe that would read Plotinus\
Trad concerning each Man's Familiar Spirit,
may find it in his Works.
Naudaus proceeds next to the Genii ofChicus,
Scaliger, and Cardan. As for Chicus, he looks
upon him, by what he has writ, as a Super-
fluous Perfon, who affirmed, he often made
ufe of Revelations from a Spirit call'd Floron,
which he faid was of the Order of the Cheru-
bims. But Naudaus reje&s this, with other
fabulous Relations of other Perfons, faying
with Lucretius

£hiis dubitat quin omne fithoc ratioms agefias.

a fhort way of refuting.

Concerning the Genii of Scaliger and Cardan,
Naudaus writes as follows. It it were per-
mitted me, and it became me to follow rather
my will, than my duty, I fliould freely ex-
cufe
 4^ An Account of Genii,
cufe my felf from faying any thing againft
the Genii;, which the two fole great Perfons
whom we may oppofe to the two moft learn-
ed, and famous among the Ancients, have at-
tributed to themfelves, and who have been,
as it were, the laft effort, and miracle of Na-
ture, Scaliger and Cardan : for I certainly be-
lieve, eitherthey deceived themfelves, in ad-
mitting thefe Genii, becaufe, after having
well examined themfelves, they could not
find in them the caufe of fuch, and fo extra-
ordinary Perfe&ion ; or that they did it thro'
modefty, not to difcover by their Learnings
how much all the reft of Mankind were infe-
rior to them j or, finally, that they would co-
ver from envy, under this particular aflift-
aiice, and free from the jealoufy of Men,
that gr£ at renown they had acquir d to them^
by
felyes, their ftudious diligence and labours.
However, as fooner found out when
truth is

many Peffons employ themfelves in the fearch

of it, the opinion of thofe is not to be re-
je&ed, who, fay Scaliger, pra&ifed this ftrata-
gem, in imitation of all great Perfons, and
not to yield in Ambition to his AntagQnift, |

1. 3. c. 26 < attributing to himfelf for a Genius, in his Art

of Poetry, a meer fally or emotion of Mind;
by which the Soul is heated, as it were, in it
felf, to raife it to the knowledge of fomewhat,
during which, a Man may at any time fay
and write many things, which he underftands
not after the heat of this enthufiafm is over.
And as for Cardan, he fpeaks fo varioufly of
his Geruuss that after having fa id abfolutely
|

in his Dialogue entitld Telion, that he had one,

which was Venereal, mixt with Saturn and
Mercury ; and in his Book, De libra propria,
that
 , 2

or Familiar Spints. 4.

that he communicated :f to him !

his Dreams, he doubts at th<

ther he had OriC, or
the e\c\
he ) ivhtthv from \

rne y or th.it my N )

of an human jLite , and in tbt co>

'

Immortals, &C And fiiul!\ COI1

Book, De Rerun; i at he :C,

duty laying , I

lXvmon, or Genius me. \\

may furcly judge, that he SU no

othc but the gn
p

acquired, by their diligence and lal

the experience they had of things on ;

coming to raife their jqdgmeilts M on two

Pyramids, they judg'd pertinently of all mat-
ters , and let nothing efcape from being
known, and manifeft to them.
We here fee what conjectures NauJ*us has
made concerning the Genii of thefe Men,
which are as eafily rejected as they are grow
lefly fuggefted by him. And tho' Cardan feysj
in his Book De Rerum Varictate3 he knew no l
Genius attended him ; we know that Book v.
writ many Years before he writ his Life
which was but a little before his Death, and
on which I think we have moft realon to rely •

where he plainly fays, he had a Genius tho' net

well difcovered by him till his latter
And this Book writ by CarJtn, of hi
Life, was fet forth by 3N him ft If
makes it feem fomewhat ftraoge th:
deny he had any Genii
ders fa tibfadion, I (hall hi
thefe two great M
Gi
RV

5 o An Account of Genii,
Genii, and him to judge of it,
fhall leave it to
as he think fit.
fhall
To pafs by the Genius of Fachts Cardanus9
L. De T)&- which his Son Hierom Cardan fays, his Father
mon. own'd to have attended him for Thirty Years,
and where he gives an account of Seven De-
mons more, whom he faw and converft with ;
I here give you feveral particulars, tho' not
all, which Hierom Cardan has left recorded
concerning a Genius that attended himfelf.
In his Book of his own Life, fet forth by
£• 47- Naudrtus, where he writes of his good Spirit,
he fays , its received as a manifeft truth, that
familiar Spirits ( which the Greeks call Angels, )
have forewarned fome Men, Socrates , Vloti-
nus, Synejtus, Dion, Flavins Jofefhus, and even
my felf: All lived happily befides Socrates and
my felf, who neverthelfes am in a very good
condition but C. Cafar the Dictator, Cicero,
:
5

Antony, Brutus and Cajjius had evil, tho illuftri-

ous Spirits. Thofe of Antony and Cicero, were
Glorious., but both Pernicious; that of Jofe-
fhus was particularly famous, and of a rare
excellency for Warlike Valour , favour with
Vefp.fian and his Sons , Riches , Monu-
ments of Hiftories, a threefold Offifping, and
in his conteft with the calamities of his Na-
tion; alfo in a forefight of future things,
wherewith he was illuftrated in Captivity,
being freed from the outrage, of his Friends^
and preferved from the Waves of the Sea.
But thefe were manifeftly Damons, tho' mine,
as I believe, a good and merciful Spirit. I
was long perfwaded that I had one, but could
not find how he fhould certify me of immi-
nent events-, till after the Seventy Fourth
Year of my Age^ when I fet upon writing
my
 or Familiar Spirits.

my Life; but that to mam immifl

fhould be foreknown trufy ;

fecn, and that juft before th

and s to roe a

to be done without a Divine ALL ith

nirit; for Initance, Spirit I

what was ready to befall mr iat my

Son was to Marry the nefc't &
tunate Match, in the Night-time he rail

fuch a beating of my ileair, by a pe-

culiarly known to him, that the Chamber
feenfd to tremble mv ! n ;

fame, at the feme time, fo that hot!

thought there Was an Eardrqtiafce which no ,

body elfe perceived.

He adds beneath ; There may be fomc
doubts, why this care for me , and not
others; for I do not excel in Learning, as
fome think, but haply en the contrary ? Is ic
immence love of Truth, and Wifdoni, with
contempt of Riches, even in this ftate of Po-
verty ? or by reafon of my defire of j
or that I afcribe all to God, nothing to my
felf ? or haply for fome end known to C
alone ?

Again, why
does he not openly admonifli
me could wifh ) of thole things, of
( as I
which he does admonifh me ? but teaches onz
thing for another, as by thofe diforderly
Noifes ( of which he gives fcucral inftmcts,
ning before Deaths, in bis 43 d. Chaffer of
fame Book) for me to allure my (elf that God
beholds all things, tho' I fee him not
Eyes ; for he could have admcnifh'd fni
\y by a Dream, or fon r way of mani-

festation: but haply this ftiew'd more die Li-

vine Care, and thofe greater things ti,

£ 2 aed
 :

j2 An Account of Genii,
ried tome^ Fears, Impediments, Anxieties,
&c. there is need alfo of Obfcurity, for us to
underftand that they are the Works of God,
and ought not to be oppofed ; its folly there-
fore to be overhaftily follicitous for knowing
thefe things.
At the end of the fame Chapter, he writes,
that having ftuck to a fplendor that attended
him above Forty Years, he had all his art of
Writing and publick Teaching , from his
Spirit and Splendour, tho' this kind of
Science had got him among Men, more Envy
than Renown, and more Glory than Profit
but it gave him no fmall, nor vulgar Pleaiure>
and contributed to the prolonging of his
Life, being a comfort to him in many Ca-
lamities, an aid in Adverfities, an help in
Difficultiesand Labours- upon the whole, he
fays, the h£t was plainly fo, he might err in
the Caufes, and refers himfelf to fuch as are
Wifer, viz* Divines.
In the fame Book he writes thus, Hitherto
chip. 38.
j k aye fp k en f m
y fe jf as f a Man, and
.

that is fomewhat beneath other Men, in my

Nature and Learning, but now I fhall fpeak
of fome admirable Difpofition of my felf ; and
fo much the more wonderful, that I find fome-
what in my felf, which I know not what to
make off : And that that thing is my felf, tho'
I do not perceive fuch things to proceed from
me :That it's prefent, when its meet, and not
when I will have it. That which rife*
thence is greater than my Abilities ; which
was firfl dilcover'd to me, in the Year 15-26.
So that it's above Forty four Years fince. I
perceive a thing from without enter into my
Ear with a noifc from that part diredly,
where
 or Familiar Spirits. c
3
where People are talking of me : If it fends to
Good in the right fide, or if it comes from
the left, it penetrates to the right, and an or-
derly noife is made And if the Dilcoui ie
:

contentious, Ihear a wonderful Contention ;

if it inclines to Evil in the left fide, it corner
exa&ly from the part where thole tumultuous
Voices are. Therefore it enters on both iides
of my Head ; and very often when the thing
falls out ill, the Voice on the left fide, when
it ftiould end, grows louder, and Voices are
multiply^, and very commonly, if the thing
be in the fame Town, it happens that d
Voice being fcarce over, a MelTenger comes
in to call me to them ; and if it be from ano-
ther City , and a MelTenger comes , upon
computing the rime betwixt the Deliberation,
and the beginning of the Journey, they come
to the fame, and I find Sentence paft after the
form it is concluded, and this continued with
me to the Year i wondred it ceas'd.
j68, and I
In the Year began to fee in Dreams
15-34. I
what things would happen in a fhort time,
and if the fame Dgiy, I faw them clearly, and
after Sun rifing^ fo that I faw a Sentence
•

paft in a Caufe of the College, and that I

fhould be Profeflbr at BononU 5 this peas'd An*
1 j 67.

The was a Splendor, this I en-

third thing
creas'd by Degrees; it began about the Year

IC7J or 74, but particularly this Year if").

itfeems to me I have it perfect, and it's a thing
which does not leave me ; but inftead of the
two foregoing which are ceas'd , it fortifies
me againft Emulators , and as neceility re*
quires. Its compos'd of an Artitical Practice,
and a Circumfluent Light, being very PI
 An Account of Genii,
^ 4
fant, and alone performs much more , as to
Efficacy, Exercitation, Advantage, and Soli-
dity or Studies , than thofe two joyn'd toge-
ther j and does not take a Man from his com-
mon Studies, and humane Gonverfation, but
makes him ready at. all things, and is moft
excellent for compofing Books, and feems, as
it were, the utmoft reach of our Nature, for

it reprefents all things together, that make for

the matter under Confideration ; and if it be

not a Divine thing , certainly it's the moft
perfect of Mortal Works.
cbap\}7. In the fame Book he writes as follows:
While I liv'd at Favia, and profeft Phyfick
there, looking cafually on my Hand, Ifaw
at the root of ring Finger, of my right
my
Hand, the form of a bloody Sword, I was pre-
fently ftruck with a great fear. In the Evening
a Meffenger came with a Letter from my Son
in Law, acquainting me that my Son was ta-
ken into Cuftody, and that I ftiould come to
Milan the next Day, and for fifty three Days
the Mark increas'd, and went upwards, and
behold, the laft Day reacht to the top
of my Finger, and look'd red like a flaming
Sword. I, fufpe&ing no. fuch thing, and be-
ing frighted, and not my folf, knew not what
to do, fay, or think ; at midnight my Son
was beheaded ; in the Morning the Sign was
.almoft gone, in a Day or two it wholly va-
nifli'd.

Chap,
In the fame Book, having giv'n an accoun?
4.]
of fome ftrange Noifes, and Voices he had
heard, and of a ftrange Smell he perceiv'd
before Deaths, he concludes thus. But con-
cerning thefe wonderful things, it's thus with
Men, that when they are prefent , or a lit-
tle
 or Familiar Spirits. c r

tie before they have happ'ned, they draw the

whole Man; after they are a while over, th
are fo little hecded,that unlefs they arc brought
frefh to the Mind by fome force, they doubt,
it were , whether they have (ion or heard
them ; which, I fuppofe, chiefly happens both by
Reafon of much more profound Gaufes, and
for the diftance of our Nature from the Caufes
that produce them. I know what Scoffs and
Laughter, fome, that would feem wile, raife
at fuch things ; the chief ring Leader of whom
is Tolybius, a Philofopher, without Philofophy,

who underftood not even the Duty of an I li-

ftorian, but by extending it too far , became
ridiculous, fometimes admirable, as where he
fpeaks of the Achxam. In fhort , Tartdia ^ 2 .mjl,
rightly faid, that no Man knows all things,
and thofe nothing , that do not know their
Ignorance of many things. You fee ?li*}3
who has deliver'd fo clear an Hiftory, (hews
himfelf a Blockhead, where he treats of the
Sun and Stars ; what wonder therefore that
Tolybiusy (while he meddles of the more fub~
lime and Divine things has fo clearly expos'd
)

his Ignorance. I-religioufly Swear, that a

Senfe and Confcioufhels of only one of thefe
things, is more dear to me, than a long laft-
ing Reign over the whole Earth would be.
And beneath, but let this fuffice, for I have
only here fet down in fhort, when thefe things
frappend, and how, and fuch in which thefe
could be no Sufpifcion of Error or Impofture j
and I only beg you, Reader, when you read
fuch things, do not propofe humane Pride for
your Scope, but the greatnefs and ampli-
tude of the World, and of the He; ,nd
the vile Darkuefs in which we live, and you
E 4
 An Account of Genii,
will eafily Underftand, I have related no iiv
cr edible things. The fame Author , in his

Dialogue, intitrd Tetim, or of Humane Coun-

feli, where he makes Tetim and Ram, Inter-
locutors^ makes Ram fay, I believe Cardan hgs
a Genius for his Companion , which difco-
ver'd himfelf late to him , being wont before
to admonifh him by Dreams and Npifes; and
beneath , fo many and fo wonderful things
have happen d to him, in his Life, th^t I am
fore d to believe, being intimate with him, he
has a great, powerful, and rare Genius, fo that
he is not Matter of his Anions ; but thofe
things he defires, he has not, the things he
has he did not covet or hope for.
At the end of his fourth Book of TVifdom,
he writes as follows, concerning the Genii of o-
therMen. All great Men Teem to be led by
fome Divine Spirit, or Damon ; Socrates, be-
fore his Death, had warning of the Day in a
Dream, Dion faw a Speflre in his Houfe, what
was it open'd Cains Cafars door the Night be-
fore he was (lain ? What was it faid to Brutus,
as he was alone, I am thy Evil Genius, thou
(halt fee me again at Philhpi ? What was that
auguft Figure feen by Cajjius in his Tent, that
was like to C*far ? What foretold Sylla in his
Dream, of his imminent Death ? Or what
was it lie heard fo Pleafant in a clear Sky ?
What from a Maufolaum called Nero before
his Death ? What admonifh'd Caligula of his
Death in a Dream ; Why did Antony hear
.

the departure of Bacchus from Alexandria, the

Night before his D^ath? What mixt afleeping
Potion for Adrian in a Dream before his
Peath ? Certainly., the ' Dxmcn that was in
themj for Humane Nature,when highly exal-
ted,
 ;

or Vmiliar Spirits. 57
ted, rifes to the force of a Damcn. Thefc forc-
faw thiir Deaths, but could not prevent the
violence of it. Neither are thefe the only Pcr-
fonSj who having this Wifdom have had vio-
l or Vaul, who, aided by the Divine
Spirit; could fee the Secrets of God, and Stt*
fhen the Heavens open, and Philip, who was
\ d invilible through the Defart died all ,

b\ the Hands of others, But there is this gi <

brence betwixt thefe Spirits, that the Di-
is joyn'd with Juftice and Piety, and the

Other Vertues, and has tranquility and reft

always attending it; the Demonical is rais'd
Uurthers, Robberies, and Falfe-dealings
is always accompanyed with fufpifcious

manifold Difquiets. Who but a Perfon of

troubled Senfes^anda difcompos'd Mind would
thufe to embrace the Dammical ? But as in
lick Perfo^, the vitiated tafte 'abhors Sweet
and Fat things ? and is more delighted with
fuch as are fharp and infipid ; fo the Nature
of Mortals being corrupted with Vice, abhors
the beft, and adheres to the worft ; and this
is done chiefly by the likenefs of thefe two

kinds, which, how- great it is may eafily be

pnderftood by this, that Si mon and Elim as, the
Magicians, were accounted Divine Men, and
rift , who was God, was thought by many

to have a Devil. And fo much for Cardan.

Scaligerfyezkiixg of thzGen'ws afcrib'dby Virgil 1 :
-

to *"
p
i res, fo called from £ yj< &fa

.res thus of the Genii chat attend JVf en. We

1 in the Books of the Pythagoreans, enrichc
by the Yhtonicks, that we have two Genii at-
Good and a Bad by the guidance
I ;

jflfels of the Good, Good and Elea

1 erfons joyn chcmfelvcs to God ; from whom

t-hey
 :

58 An Account of Qenii,
they have received him as a Mediator. To
fome Heroes, he fliews himfelf, by others he
is never feen but is heard, which Socrates pro-

feffes of his, in more than one place in Plato,

by fome Divine Spirits he is neither feen, nor
heard, but fo introduces and prefents him-
feu, that by his light he difcovers an intelli-
gence of for Men to write
fecret things,
wherefore often happens, that when that
it

Celeftial Heat is over in us, we our felves

either admire thofe our Writings, or do not
own them for ours, and do not underftand
fome things after the way they were dire&ed
and di&ated by him ; nor do I think it hapned
otherwife to Plato, to whofe Writings a light
is added by Interpreters, much greater than
may proceed from vulgar judgments. As for
my felf, who think I am not to be compared
even with the leaft, if any thing falls from me
at any time unawares, I may not hope fb
much may be performed by me afterwards,
which is the reafon I never let upon medita-
ting, or writing, unlefs invited by my Genius,
who fpeaks inwardly with me, tho* not heard,
Viewing the fpacious fields of the Divinity in
our Minds, which being abftra&ed and fuf-
pended from the offices of the Body, it de-
putes to other Functions; fo that he did not
fpeak wholly at random, who though t, that Arh
ftotles Intelleclm JgensjNcrt the fame with Plato's
Genius ; we have inftances of both in Hiftory,
for an Evil one appeared to Brutus, and fore-
told him an unhappy end ; A Good one to
Cafar, when he paft Rubicon, fliewing him
the way to that, in which he plac'd his chief
blifs, &c
HeinjSm
 or TFdmlluxr Spirits, 59
Heinjtm fays, in a manner, the fame thing inDedk.
of himfelf with Scjliger, writing thus ; Here *%P°*M
are fome things to which, being my felf, I am
not able to afpire, which after the heat has
left my Mind, I confider as a Reader of
another Man's Works. Scaliger alfo elfewhere £^.544.
calls his Genius, moft Learned, whofe defire
is vail and immence : And ffeinfim fays, /*•

uninitiated Perfons do not underftand thefe

things.
Scaliger alfo, on Ariflole De writes Z7
TIantts , . 9. 2. in

thus; Jnmblicffs, in his Myfteries, fays, he that'-

being infpird, receives the Deity, has a fort
of appearance of Fire before its ingrefs, and
its teen the God either coming, or departing;
therefore thofe Spirits that apply themfelves
to our Mind with Darknefs, bring us frivo-
lous, wavering and doubtful things: And I
know a Perfon to whofe Eyes a Fire pre-
fentsit felf often, either meditating, or ex-
pecting Meffengers.
T^is is what Scaliger and Cardan have faid
concerning their own Genii, and thofe of
others; from which the judicious Reader may
ealily difcern their fenfe concerning them.

©HAR
 6o An Account of Genii,

CHAP. III.

Wloat perception Men have had of Ge-

nii, or Spirits, and their operations
by the Sight.

A S I come now to give an account of

the perception Men have had of Genii>
or Spirits, and their operations, by their par-
ticular fenfes; I ftiall begin with the moft
fpiritualized fenfe, vix* the Sight , and fet
forth what perception Men have had of them
by that; and whereas in my account, ac-
cording to the feveral fenfes, it may fome-
times happen, that more than one fenfe may
be concerned at one and the fame time, in a
perception of them, I fhall entitle the Chap-
ters, according to the predominant fenfe in
that A<5Hon. And whereas it often happens
that fome particular Perfons have a percep-
tion of Spirits, both by the Sight and Hear-
ing, when other Perfons prefeht perceive no-
things I fliall treat of thefe Perfons in par-
ticular Chapters.
To begin therefore with ijiftances of Per-
fons perceiving Spirits by the Sight ; Cam-
De Sens, fmella tells US., there are Angel Guardians for
Rer. L i. each Species, and individual Perfon, as St. Hi-
f-
7* erom writes, and himfelf has found by expe-
rience , which he did not underftand be-
fore.

In
 or Familiar Spirits. 61
In the (lime work, he tells us of a Friend L. 2 .c.2$.
of his, who was no ignorant, nor timerous
Perfon, nor given to fpeak untruths, who af-
fured him he Bad often fccnand converfed with
Evil Damons j and he fays, he met with many
others afterwards, who had been incredulous
in this kind, but upon their feeing and con-
verting with Spirits, chang'd their Opinions,
and their Lives.
Elfewhere he writes thus ,« Torphyrius and ib.l.+.c.i.
Tlotinm fay there are Avgels Good and Bad,
as daily experience teaches j and my felf alfo
have found by manifeft experience, not when
I greatly endeavoured it, but when I was
minding another thing ; and therefore it's no
wonder if they did not appear to curious
Nero.
In his Atheifmus Triumph at us, he alfo tells us c. if.
of a Friend of his that had a fenfible experience
of Spirits, whofe Voice he ufed to hear be-
twixt fleeping and waking, and efpecially
when any evil was to happen to him.
Father Le Brun Printed a Book two Years
fince at Paris, in French, which has for Title,
Hifiorire Critiqug des pratiques fuperftitieufes, &C
In the Second part of this Book, Chap. 7. he
writes concerning Trithemius , as follows:
The Abbot an ardent defire
Trithemius, after
of knowing Secrets unknown to all Mankind,
learned fuch as were Aftonifhing by a Reve-
lation, which has no way the character of
being Divine. I examine not whether all he
faid he had learnt, be natural I know fome
;

Perfons pretend it ; but it's plain it was with-

out making a due refle&ion. However it may
be , I (hall only fpeak of the manner after
which Trithemius learnt thefe Secrets ; He Writ
it
6i An Account of Genii y
it confidently to a Carmelite Father , a Friend
of his, call'd Borfiius, who died at GjW, be-
fore the Letter came to him : It was open'd
and communicated to many Perfons, and 7W-
themius did not difown it. I have in hand,
fays he, in his Letter, a great Work which
will amufe the whole World, if ever it fees
the Light; it's divided into Four Books, and
the Firft has for Title of it, Steganographj ; the
Work throughout is full of great and afto-
nifhing things, which Man has never heard
of, and will feem incredible. If you ask me,
how I learnt thefe things ? It's not by Man,
but by the Revelation of I know not what
Spirit; for thinking, on a day, this Year 1499.
if I could not dilcover fecrets unknown to
Men; after having a long while ponder'd on
thofe I have mentioned , and being at length
perfwaded that what I fought for was not
poffible, I went to Bed, being fomewhat afha-
med for having carried my Folly fo far, as
to attempt an Impoffible thing. In the Night-
time fome one prefented himfelf to me, and
calling me by my name, Trithemius, faid he,
do not believe you have had all thefe thoughts
in vain, tho' the things you fearch are not
poffible to you, nor to any other Man, they
will become fo. Teach me then , I reply'd ,
what I mufi do to fucceed. Then he laid
open the whole Myftery , and fhew'd me that
nothing was more eafy. God is my Witnefs,
that I fpeak the Truth, and that I have taught
thefe Secrets but to a Prince, who by an evi-
dent proof has been convinced of the poffi-
billity of it. It Imports that none but Prin-
ces fiiould know thefe forts of Secrets, leaft
Traitors>
 or Familiar Spirits 6]
Traitors, Impoftors, or other 111 Men make
ufe of them tor doing many Mifchiefs.
Boijfardus L. de Magia , Geniu &
Angelis, G $.

mentions this Letter of Trithemius, and fays

he there adds , that he could teach all the
things he had of the Spirit, in all the Langua-
ges of the World j and that he clears himfelf
of the Crime of Magick, and any commerce
with Evil Spirits, by a Sacred Oath and Ex-
ecration. Naud.vus writes that Trithemius in- Apol. des.

deed lay under a fufpicion of Magick, on the Grands ho-

ine
account of that Letter, and endeavours to
^ ^^\
clear him of it, but I leave it to the Readers,
to confider what Tritbemiuss Words'import,
as to a converfation. with fome Spirit, be he
Good or Bad.
The fame Boijfardus writes, that an Illuftri- c.6:
ous German Count, whom he knew , profeft,
he had a Familiat Spirit, whom he affirm'd to
be of the Celeftial Order, whole Counfel
he ufed in all things he undertook, at home
and abroad.
Fhilip MelanEihon tells us, that he had fcQti l. de Am-
Spectres, and that he knew many Men worthy we.

of credit, who affirm' d they had not only

feen Spettres, but had likewife difcourfed with
them. So Maximus Tjrrms fays, he faw ts£fcu- s cm , 2 p
lapiusy but it was in a Slumber, but Hercules
he faw, as he was Waking.
There was a Pamphlet Printed in London,
Anno 1 64 $\ in Quarto, Entitled, A True and '

exact Relation of the feveral Informations, Exa-

minations and Ccnfejficns of the late Witches Ar~
raigned and Executed in the Countj of Effex.
Who were Ajxaignzi and Condemned at
the late Seffions held at Chelmsfird, before the
Right Honourable Robtr: Earl of Warwick,
and
 ;

6\ An Account of Genii,
and feveral of his Majefty's Juftices of the
Peace. Julythz 2,9th. 1645-.
Before this Seffions feveral Informations
concerning Witches , and their Pra&ifes 3
were taken before Sir Harbottel Grimft on, and
Sir Thomas Bowes, His Majefty's Juftices of
Peace for the faid County. Some of which
Informations are as follows.

I. The Information of Matthew Hopkins of

Manningtree, Gent. Taken upon Oath be-
fore us, the ajth. of March, 1645-.

This Informant faith, that the faid Elizabeth

Clarke, alias, Beddingfield (fufpe&ed for aWitch
. as aforefaid,and whofe Mother and fome others
of her Kinsfolk, did fuffer Death for Witchcraft
and Murther) being by appointment of the faid
Juftices, watcht feveral Nights^ for the better
difcovery of her wicked Pra&ifes This In- :

formant came into the Room, where the laid

Elizabeth was watcht, as aforefaid, the laft
Night, being the 24^. of this Inftant March,
but intended not to have ftay'd long there, -

but the faid Elizabeth forthwith told thus In-

formant, and one Mr. Sterne, there prefent,
if they would ftay, and do the faid Elizabeth
no hurt, fhe would call one of her white Imps,
and play with it in her Lap j but this Infor-
mant told her they would not allow of it
but that ftaying there a while longer, within
a quarter of an Hour after, there appeared
an Imp like to a Dog3 which was White with
fome Sandy Spots, and feem'd to be very
Fat, and Plump, with very fhort Legs, and
forthwith Vanifht away : and the laid £/
beth faid the name of that Imp, was Jannara ;
Up,
 or Familiar Spirits. 6$
and immediately there appeared i

Impy which flic" culled Vinegar Tom, \

fhapcofa Grey-hound, with long Leg

the laid Elizabeth then laid, that tl.
Ihould be a black Imj> y and fhould a
the (aid Mr. Stcrney which appeared, but pj
fently Vanifht ; and the lad that apj
m the ftiape of a Pole-cat, but the Head
s

fomewhae bigger- and the faiJ Elh

told this Informant, that (lie had hve Imp
her own, and two of the Imps of the 01
lam meaning one Ann Wefi 3
Widow
who is now alfo fafpccieJ to be guilty of
Witchcraft) and faid fometimes the Imps of
the Old Bedlam Suck'd on the faid Elijah
and fometimes her Imps Suck'd on the (
Beldam Wtfti and the faid Elizabeth farther
told this Informant, that Satan would never
let her be at reft, or quiet, till fhe did con-
fent to the Killing of the Hogs of one Mr. Ed-
wards of Mannintree, and the Horfe of one
Robert Taylor, of the fame Town.

II. The Information, of John Sterne, Gent.

Taken upon Oath before us, the 2jth. L>>y
of March, 1645-.

This Informant faith , that Watching with

Elizabeth Clarke (fufpe&ed for Witchcraf, as
afor^faid) fhe defired this Informant, and
were in the Room with her, to
reft that
down, and fiid fhe would (hew this Inf<
mant and the reft fome of her tiii
within half an Hour, there appear'd a wh
thing in the likenefs of a Cat, but no: alt
gethcr fo big, and being askd if fhe would
not be afraid of her Imf
F
66 An Account of Genii,
what do you think I am afraid of my Chil-
dren? and that ftie call'd the name of that
white Imp Hoult. A#d this Informant farther
faith, that prefently after there appear'd ano-
ther white Imp with Red Spots, as big as a
fmall Dog, which Ihe then called Jarmara;
and that immediately after there appear'd at
the Threfhold of the Door another Imp, a-
tout the bignefs of the firft, but did prefent-
ly Vanifli away and then the faid Elizabeth
:

being ask'd if any more Imps would come ?

Ihe anfwer'd that Vinegar Tom would come by
and by, and forthwith there appear d another
in the likenefs of a Dumb Dog, fomewhat
bigger than any of the former ; and the faid
Elizabeth alfo told this Informant, that lhe
had three Imps from her Mother, which were
of a Brown Colour, and two from the Old
Beldam Weft ; and that there had five Imps
appeared ; but fhe had one more call'd Sack
and Sugar, which had been hard at Work,
and it would be long before it came, but it
fhould Tear this Informant.

III. The Information of Frances Mills, Grace

Norman, Mary Phillips, and Mary Par-
fley: Taken upon Oath , before the faid
Juftiees, the 2 Jth. Day of March, 1645^

Thefe Informants fay joyntly, that watch-

ing with the faid Elizabeth Clarke, fufpe&ed
as aforefaid, about Twelve of the Clock laft
Night j the faid Elizabeth fmack'd with her
Mouth, and beckon d with her Hand, and
Inflantly there appeared a white thing, about
the bignefs of a Catj and that thefe Infor-
mants
 .

or familiar Spirits. 67
mants faw
Elizabeth name J

IV. Toe Information of Edward !

Manninuee 'I '..ken

•
upon Oath htfi

faid J uji ices, the 25th. of March, 164J.

This Informant faith, that watching \vi

the faid Elizabeth Clarke the la ft: Night, be

ask'd her if he fhould continue ftill in I

Room with her: and the Grid Elizabeth d*

red he fhould, if he would
with the Devils; for they would come this
Nighty and that which (lie call'd Hw.dt would
come firft, and then that which file call
Jarmara; which did appear in the liken
of a white Dog, with red Spots; and pi
fently after there appeared that Imp which fhe
call'd Vinegar Tom; and then that which (lie call'd
Sack and Sugar and the faid Elizabeth then told
:

this Informant, that the Devil had had poi-

feffion of her Six or Seven Years, and that
he had oftentimes knock'd at her Door in
the Night-time, and that fhc did rife, open
the Door, and let him in, and that he went
to Bed to her three or four times a Week,
and had the Carnal knowledge of her, as a
Man.

V. The Information 0/John Banks c/'Mannin-

tree, Taken upon Oath before tie faid J^
ces y the 2jth. of March, 1645'.

This Informant faith, that watching w

the faid Elizabeth Clarke, he did Inform .

Confirm all the particulars expreft y and fee

down in the Information of the faid Mi
F 1 To
 An Jccount of Genii,

To the Five Informations before fet down,

I fhall add the Examination of Ann Leech of
Mijhy, in the County aforefaid, Widow^ taken
before the faid Juftices, April the 14^.1645;.
as follows.

This Examinant faith, That fhe had a Grey

Imp fent her, and that fhe, together with Eli-
zabeth Clarke, and Elizabeth Gooding, did about
a Year fince, fend their Imps to kill a Black
Cow, and a White Cow belonging to Mr. Ed-
winds, which was done accordingly and fays,
•

That fhe fent her Grey Imp , Elizabeth Clarke a

Black Imp , and Elizabeth Gooding a White Imp ;
and that about 30 Years fince fhe fent a Grey
Imp to kill two Horfes, of one Mr. Bragg, of
Mhfley, which were kill'd accordingly. That
fhe, and the faid Elizabeth Gooding, fent either
cf them an Imp, to deftroy the Child of the
faid Mv. Edwards ; this Examinants Imp being
aWhite one, and Elizabeth Good'mgsz Black Imp •

and that about thirty Years fince this Exami-

nant had the faid White Imp
?
and two others,
a Grey and a Black Imp , of one Anne , the
Wife of Robert Pierce, of Stoake, in Suffolk, be-
ing her Brother ; and that thefe Imps went
commonly from one to another, and did mif-
chief where-ever they went. And that when
this Examinant did not employ them abroad
to do mifchief, fhe had not her Health j but
n they were employed, fhe was healthful
and well; and thefe Imps did ufually fuck thofe
Teats, which were found about the privy Parts
of her Body ; and that thofe Imps did often
ak to this Examinant, and that in an Hollow
, which fhe plainly underltood, &c. fhe
was
 6

or Familiar Spirits. 69
was executed ac Cbclms; alfo BUzai
CUrh before mentiond.
Now, to the fire Informations before
at>

fet down (in which Eight Pcrfons are con-

cerned given in upon Oath, that they
all

law fuch* Imps, as they mention , I cannot

well conceive what an oppofer of any re
Apparitions of Spirits can lay; for here I do
not tell you of afflicted Perfons, who pi
tended to fee Speft res, which were feen by none
but themfelves, nor of an Old diftra&ed Wo-
man, who fancies flic has and fees Spirits, at-
tending her, when there is no iuch thir.
Nor do I give you the Teftimonies of Crafi
Melancholy Wenches, or Old Women , as
fome fuch there may have been ; but here are
the Teftimonies of Eight unexceptionable
PerfonSj as I conceive, concurring in one
thing: And if this be not a fair Proof, I know
not what is fo.

As Examination of Anne Luc&3 coiv

to the
cerning her Imps, though the Fact ftands but
upon herTeftimony,yet in regard it relates to
fomewhat that I fhall write elfewhere in this
Book, I thought fit to infert it. And I here
forbear to infert the Spirits raifed by Mrs.
Boimariy who was executed at Salisbury, for
which Fad there was alfo but one Teftimony-
Sometime fince, I drew the Account before
fet down from the foremention'd Pamphlet,
printed Anno 1647. I cafually met with a
Pamphlet publifh'd in London , Anno 1
bv Mr. Siearne above mentioned ; the Title
of it is, A Confirmation every of Witch*
ftj John Stearne,
Sic. by 90s 'ill, ,

- Bury St. Edmonds

of Manningtree in Effex.
7© An Account of Genfi,
In Tamphkt, among other things, he
this
gives an Account of the Fads abovementi-
nondy as follows.
Mr. Hofkin, and my felf went together to
Elizabeth Clarke , of Manningtree in Ejfex; who
had been kept three Days , and three Nights
under a guard, and when I had ask'd her, who
fhe had accused as Witches, we were going a-
way ; but fhe faid to us, if you will ftay, I
will fliew you my Imps, for they are ready to
ccme ; then faid Mr. Hcfkin, Betfe ! Will you
do us no harm ? No faid fhe. What ? Do you
think I am afraid of my Children ? You fhall
fit down ; fo we did, where fhe appointed us;

then one of the Company, who was appoin-

ted to be with her that Night, faid to her,
Beffe, I ask'd you a Queftion of late, but you
anfwer'd not; then Ihe faid, What is it ? He
reply'd, tell the Truth, has not the Devil had
the ufe of your Body ? She faid, Why fhould
you ask me fuch a Queftion ? He anfwer'd,
I defire to know the Truth, and no otherwife»;
then fhe fetph'd a deep Sigh^ and faid, it is true;
then faid Mr. Hcpkin , in what manner and
liken efs came he to ycu ? She faid , like a
Tall, Proper ^ Black-hair'd Gentleman, a
Prcperer Man than your felf; and being ask'd,
which fhe had rather lie withal, fhe faid the
Devil and fo particulariz'd every thing, and
;

how he came in, and his Habit, and how he

lay with her, and fpake to her , and fhe then
::m'd this to be Truth, and fo prefently
fell a fmacking with her Lips^and call'd Lought,
two or three times, which prefently appeared
to us eight, (for there were fix which were
appointed to be with her that Night before
went) in the likeiiefs of a Cat (fcr fhe
told
 ;

or bumilijr Spirits. y\
told us before in what fhapes they would
come, and fo that prcfently vanifh d. Th
(he calfd a before, im ! Then
appcai d another like a Red, or Sandy (potted
Dog, with Legs not fo long as a Finger, to
our |
mce, but his back as broad as two
Dogs, or broader of that bignefs, and vaniftfd:
After that fhe calfd more, as before by fevcral
Names, which came in feveral fhapes , one
like a Greyhound, with Legs as lon;^ gs
another like a Fenit; and one like a Rabbit,
to in feveral fhapes tK aftM to us,
till there were fbme [even or eight feeij.
Some by fbni£ of us, and others by other fume
of us ; then I ask'd her if they were not ill
come, for there were more come thin flic
fpake of, fhe anfwer'd, that they came dou-
in feveral fhapes, but (kid one was ftillto come,
which was to tear me in pieces I ask'd:

why? fhe faid, becaufe I would have h

try'd by Swimming , and told me, that n
fhe would be even with me ^ and fo told in
what manner it fhould come, black and like
a Toad, and fo" afterwards it did come, as
the reft averred that faw it, &c.
This Account we find fomewhat differs
from the former, but whether enough to in-
validate the Teftimony, I muft leave it to the
Readers Coniideration.
Mr. Glanvil, in his Colle&ions of Relati-
ons, proving Apparitions , Spirits, and
for
Witches, tell us of an Iriftm.m , that had like
to have been carry 'd away by Spirits ; and of
the Ghoft of a Man who had been feven Year>
dead, that brought a Medicine to his Bed-iid<?
The Relation is thus.

F 4 AG
7f A\ Account of Genii,
A Gentleman in IreUnd, near to the Earl of
Orrery's, fending his Butler one Afternoon to
buy Cards ; as he pafs'd a Field, to his wonder,
he efpy'd a Company of People fitting round
a Table, with a deal of good Cheer before
them in the niidft of the Field And -he going
:

up towards them, they all arofe and faluted

Ui, and defir'd him to fit down with them ;
but one of them Whifper'd thefe words in his
Ear : Do nothing this Company invites yen to.
reupon he refus'd to fit down at the Table^
dnd immediately Table and all that belong d to
it w cre gone ; and the Company are now
T

dancing and playing upon Mufical Inftru-

mencs. And the Butler being defir'd to joyn
himfelf with them , but he refuiing this alfa,
the)' all fail to Work., and he not being to be
prevaifd with, to Accompany them in work-
ing any more than in feafting, or dancings
they all difappear d, and the Butler is now
alone, but inftead of going forwards^ home he
returns as faft as he couid drive, in a great
Confirmation ; and was no fooner entred his
Matter's Door, but foils down, and lay fome-
time Senfelefs, but coming again to himfelf,
he related to his Maifer what had pafs'd.
The ISiight following there comes one of
this Company to his Bed-fide, and tells him,
That If he efftred to Jiir out
t vext Day,
v?cu!d be ctrryed awty* He he kept
vvi;h:n^ but towards the Evening, having
need to make Water, he adventur'd to put one
of ever the Threfhoid, fcveral Handing by^
which he had no fooner dene, but they elpyed
a Rope call about his Middle and the Poor
•

Man was hurried away with great Swiftn

ffeey following him as faft as they cculd, but
cculd
 or Familiar Spirit*. 75
could not overtake him, at length they cfpy'd
. one Man, coming toward* him, and made
;

itop the whom he faw

u him, and both ends of the Rope,
but -
drawing ;
J
when they met, he bid
: end of the Rope, and immediately

had a fmartblow given him over his Arm with

the other end ; but by this means the Man was
Uid the Horfe-Man brought him back
h him.
of Orrery hearing of thefe ftrange
I

Pall, nt to the Mafter to defire him to

is Man to his Iloufe, which he accord-
ingly did and the Morning following , or
;

auickly after, he told the Earl, that his Speftre

had been with him again, and alfur'd him,that
that Day he fliould moll certainly be carry 'd
ind that no endeavours fhould avail to
the laving of him ; upon this he was kept in
a large Room , with a confiderable number
of Perfons to guard him, ampng whom was
the Famous Stroker, Mr. Grtatrixy who was a
Neighbour. There were befide other Perfons
of Quality, two .Bilhops in the Houfe at the
fame time , who were confulted concerning
the making ufe of a Medicine, the Spetfre or
Ghoft prefcrib'd , of which mention will be
made anon^but they 'etermin'dontheNegative.
Till part of the Afternoon were fpent all
s quiet, but at length he was perceiv'd to
from the Ground , whereupon Mr. Gr
:

.other luity Man clapt their Arms

over his Shoulders, one of them before him_>
and the other behind, ;lf d him down
;

with a: forcibly
t n up from rid they were too weak
r

fheir he Tor a confiderable time

he
74 An Account of Genii,
he was carryed in the Air, to and fro over
their Heads, feveral of the Company ftill run-
ning under him, to prevent his receiving hurt,
if he fhould fall, at length he fell and was
caught before he came to the Ground, and
had by that means no hurt.
All being quiet till Bed time, my Lord or-
dered two of his Servants to lye with him, and
the next Morning he told his LordJJup, that his
Spe&re was again with him, and brought a
Wooden Difh, with grey Liquor in it, and bid
him Drink it off; at the firft fight of the SpeBre,
he faid he endeavour'd to awake his Bed-fel-
lows , but it told him, that that endeavour
fhould be in vain.; and that he had no caufe to
fear him, he being his Friend, and he that at
firft gave him the good advice in the Field,

which had he not followed, he had been be-

fore now perfectly in the Power of the Com-
pany he faw there j he added, That he con-
cluded it was impoffible, but that he fhould
have been carryed away the Day before,
there being fo ftrong a Combination againft
him ; but now he could affure him, that there
would be more Attempts of that Nature, but he
being troubled with two forts of fad Fits, he
had brought that Liquor to Cure him of them,
and bid him Drink it; he peremptorily refufing,
the Spelire was angry, and upbraided him with
great Difingenuity, but told him, however,
he had a kindnefs for him, and that if he
would take Plantane Juice , he fhould be well
of one fort of Fits, but he fhould carry the o-
ther to his Grave j the Poor Man having by
this time fomewhat recover'd himfelf , ask'd
the Spectre, whether by the Juice of Plantane
he meant that of the Leaves, or Roots ? It re-
ply'd the Roots. Then
 or Familiar Spirits. 75
Then it ask\l him,whether he did not know
him J no; itreply'd, I am fuch an
one: the Man anfwered,hehad beenlongDcad:
I have been Dead, faid the Spcttre, or Ghoft,
Sj and you know that I liv'd a loofe

\ and ever fince I have been hurried up

and down in a refllefs condition, with the
mpany vou faw, andfhallbe to the day of
Judgment then he proceeded to tell him, that
•

he acknowledged God in his ways, he

had not fuffer'd fuch fevere things by their
means and further faid, you never Pray'd
;

to God that day before you met with this

Company in the Fields.
This Relation was fent to Dr. Henry M
bv Mr. E. Fowler, who faid, Mr. Greatrix
told it feveral Perfons: The Lord Orrery alfo
own'd the Truth of it; and Mr. Greatrix told
it to Dr. // nn More himfelf, who particularly

enquired of Mr. Greatrix about the Mans be-

ing carried up into the Air, above Mens
Heads in the Room, and he did exprefly affirm
he was an Eye^witnefs thereof.
tells us', that a Young Woman, V* prefltgl

was miferably tormented with an Evil Spirit,

D*m - L •
C'
in the Caftle of Caldcnhroc, in Guelderlandy
and had been carried away in the Air by
him, if himfelf had not with-held her by
Violence. He fays alfo, that at Magdeburg,
/ 2. ۥ 7.
a certain Magical Juggler, who was wont to
lead about a little Horfe for a Show , would
let him walk about in a Circle in an open
Theatre, and at the end of the Show, would
tell the Company, that he could get but lit-
tle Money among Men, and therefore he
would go up to Heaven whereupon he would ;

throw a Cord up in the Air, and the little

Horft
y6 An Account of Genii,
Horfe would go up after it, himfelf taking
hold of the Horfes Tayl , would follow him,
his Wife taking hold of him, would follow
alfo, and a Maid Servant would follow her,
and fo mount up in the Air, as it were link'd
together , the Spectators Handing in great ad-
miration; till a certain Citizen coming by
chance that way, and asking, what was done?
It was anfwered that a Jugler with his little
Horfe was gone up into the Air whereupon :

he affured them that he faw him juft before

going into an Inn in the Street ; therefore
finding themfelves deluded, they went away.
Wierus adds, no Man may deny but all this kind
of allyance with Damons , by whatever means
gotten, and all the way of thefe delufions is
a peftiferous Fraud, introduc'd for the utter
deftru&ion of Men.
Mr. Thomas Tilfon, Minifter of Aykpworth
in Ke?it, in a Letter dated July the 6th. 1691.
which he fent to the late Mr. Baxter in London ,
gives an Account of an Apparition at Rochefter;
which Account Mr. Baxter has Printed in his
Hifiorical Difcourfe of Apparitions and Witches.
It is as follows.
Mary the Wife of John Gcfe of Rochefter,
being Affli&ed with a long Illnefs, re-
moved to her Fathers Houfe at Weft-Mulling,
which is about Nine Miles diftant from her
own, there fhe Died June the 4th. this prefent
Year 1641. The day before her departure,
fhe grew very impatiently defirous, to fee her
two Children , whom me had home,
left at

to the care of a Nurfe ; fhe pray'd her Huf«

band to hire an Horfe, for fhe muft go home,
"and Dye with the Children; when they per-
/V/qded her to the contray, telling her fhe
Wi s
 or Familiar Spirits. 77
was not fit to be taken out of Bed, nor able
to lit on Horfe-back, fhe entreated them, how-
ever to try, if I cannot fit, faid fhe, I will lie a-
long upon the Horfe, for I mult go to fee my
Poor Babes.
A Minifter, who lives in the Town, was
with her at Ten of the Clock that Night, to
whom fhe exprefs'd good Hopes in the Mer-
ciesof God, and Willingnefs to die, but, faid
fhe, it is my Mifcry that I cannot fee my
Children.
Between One and Two of the Clock in the
Morning fhe fell into a Trance ; one Widow
Turner, who watch'd with
her that Night, fays,
That her Eyes were open, and fixt, and her
Jaw fall'n ; fhe put her Hand upon her Mouth
and Noftrils , but could perceive no Breath •

fhe thought her to be in a Fit, and doubted

whether fhe were alive or dead.
The next Day, this dying \Voman told her
Mother that fhe had been at home with her
Children. That is impoflible , faid the Mo-
ther, for you have been here in Bed all the
while yes, reply'd the other, but I was with
,•

them laft Night, when I was a deep.

The Nurfe at Rochefier , Widow
Alexander
by Name , affirms , and fays
fhe will take
,

her Oath on t before a Magiftrate, and receive

the Sacrament upon it, that a little beforeTwo
of the Clock that Morning, fhe faw the like-
nefs of the faid Mary Goffe, come out of the
next Chamber, (where the Elder Child lay in
a Bed by it felf) the Door being left open,
and ftood by her Bed-fide about a Quarter of
an Hour j the Younger Child was there lying
by her her Eyes mov'd,and her Mouth went,
•

but fhe faid nothing. The Nurfe moreover

fax
/8 An Account of Genu,
fays, that fhe was perfe&ly awake, it was then,
Day-light, being one of the longeft Days in
the Year. She late up in her Bed, and look'd
itedfaftly upon the Apparition ; in that time
fhe heard the Bridge Clock ftrike Two, and a
while after faid , In the Name of the Father ,
Son, and Holy Ghoft, what art thou ? There-
upon the Appearance remov'd, and wenta-
way. She flipt on her Cloaths and followed,
btit what became on't fhe cannot tell ; then,
and not before, fhe began to be grievoufly
affrighted, and went out of Doors, and walk'd
upon the Wharf, fthe Houfe being juft by the
River fide) for fome Hours, only going in,
now and then , to look to the Children ; at
Five of the Clock fhe went to a Neighbour's
Houfe, and knock'd at the Door, but they
would not rife ; at Six fhe went again, then
they arofe and let her in She related to them
:

all that had pafs'd ; they would perfwade her

fhe was miftaken, or Dreamt ; but fhe confi-
dently affirm'd, If ever I faw her in all my Life,
I faw her this Night.
One of thofe to whom fhe made the Rela-
tion ( Mary the Wife of John Sweet ) had a
MefTenger came from Mulling that Forenoon,
to let her know her Neighbour Goffes Wife was
dying, and defir'd to fpeak with her ; fhe went
over the fame Day and found her departing,
The Mother,among other Difcourfe,related to
her how much her Daughter had long d to fee
the Children ; and had feen them.
faid, fhe
This brought to Mrs. Sweets Mind, vvhat
the Nurfe had told her that Morning, for till
then fhe had not thought to mention it, but
difguis'd it rather, as the Woman's difturb'd
Imagination,
The
 or Familiar Spirits 79
The fubftancc of had related to me,
this I

by John Carpenter, the Father of the Deceas'd,

next Day after her Burial; July the id. I fully
Difcours'd the Matter with the Nurfe/ind two
Neighbours, to whofc lloufe flic went that
Morning.
Two Days after, I had it from die Mother,
the Minifter that was with her in the Evening,
and the Woman that fats up with her that laTt
Night j they all agree in the fame Story, and
every one ftrength'ns the others Teftimony.
Tney appear to be fober intelligent Perfons,
far enough from defigning to impofe a Cheat
on the World, or to mannage a Lye, and what
Temptation they lie under forfo doing, lean-
not conceive. So far the Letter to Mr. Baxter.

According to the foregoing inftance, Hel-

mont tell us of a Boy, who through an excuf-
five defire of feeing his Mother , fell -into an
Extafy and gave her a vifit, flie being many
,

Miles diftant from him, and that upon his

coming to himfelf, remembring all things, he
gave People many Marks of his having been
with her. Marcus Marci, having fet down phyf. vet.
this Relation from Helmont, adds, though we reft, part

ihould grant the Boy's Mind or Imagination *'

had reach' d to that place, it would be ridiculous

to think he could have perceived thofe fenfible
things being prefent, unlefs we likewife ad-
mit the Organs of his Senfes alfo, with which
he could have received thofe Images, had
: Therefore we mult fay, that as
pafs'd thither
the Imaginative Faculty comes fometiines to
the Knowledge of future things, fo it does to
the Knowledge of things abfent ; and as for
the manner after which it is done, he has ex-
plained it elfewhcre. Captain
 ; t

8o An Account of Genii >

Captain Henry Bell, in his Narrative prefix
to Luther 's Table , printed in Englifh,^;. 165* 2.
having acquainted us how the German Copy
printed of it , had been difcover'd under
Ground , where it had lain hid Fifty two
Years, that Edition having been filppreft by
an Edid of the Emperor Rudolphus the Second^
fo that it was Death for any Perfon to keep a
Copy thereof -and having told us, that CafpurUs
Van Sparry ^German Gentleman, with whom he
was familiarly acquainted while he negotiated
Affairs in Germany y for K ing James the Firft,
was the Perfon that difcover'd it, An. 1626.
and tranfmitted it into England to him, and
earneftly defir'd him to tranflate the faid Book
into English, fays, he accordingly fet upon
the Tranflation of it many times , but was al-
ways hindred from proceeding in it by fome
intervening Bufinefs. About fix Weeks after
.

he had receivM the Copy,, being in Bed with

his Wife,, one Night between Twelve and One
of the Clock, fhe being alleep , but himfclf
awake^ there appear'dto him an Ancient Man,
ftanding at his Bed's-fide, array'd ali in White,,
having a long and broad White Beard, hang-
ing down to his Girdle, who taking him by
his right Ear, faid thus to him, Sirrah !Will
not you take time to tranflate that Book which
is fent unto you out of Germany ? I will fhortly

provide for you both place and time to do it

and then he variifh'd ; hereupon being much
affrighted, he fell into an extream Sweat, fo
that his Wife awaking, and finding him all
over Wet, fhe ask'd him what he alTd ? He
told her what he had feen and heard 5 but he
never regarded Vifions nor Dreams, and fo the
the fame fell out of his Mind. But a Fort-
night
 orFunuhi ts. 8i
night after, being on fl edging
in Kingjlutt mnfttr> at Dinner with
Wife j two t from t

whole Counfd I

ry him to the Gateboitft , fl fr , the

to b rill farther ( rom the
I

of the Council. Upon which W he -

kept there ten whole Years clolePriioner ;

where he fpent five V 8UTS of it in I

the laid Book, I ,ood caufe [

ful of the Old ng I v. :

provide for you both plac e and time to tra

flate it.

Car J n tells us/That Jacobus Don*m> a rich Se- uc Ktr4

nator of Vt ma , was wont to relate how himfelf varied
being in Bed with his Wife one Night, and L '

having a Wax Candle burning by him, and 9 *'

two Nurfes at the fame time lying there in a
Truckle-Bed with a Child under a Year old ;
he faw the Chamber Door to be open d by de-
grees, and I know not what Man to put his
Head in ; the Nurfes faw him too, but' nei-
ther knew his Face ; the young Man being
affrighted, arofe, and fnatch'd his Sword and
Buckler, and the 'Nurfes each of them gr
Wax Candles,he goes into the Hall adjoyning
to the Chamber, there he found all things
faft fhut, he return d with great Admiration.
The Infant who was well in Health, dyed the
next Day. This he never related without
fighing.
We have alfo feveral inftances in Hiftory of
frightful Speftres appearing before I

and other Afflictions. Prccopi+s,whcr( ires

of the great and wonderful Peftilence^ that in D^ ML
the time of Cofrot and eopl'd t) I
;, there wei Q publickly,
G
82 An Account of Genii,
and in private Houfes Damons in an Humane
ihape, which ftruck thofe they met, and thofe
they ftruck were prefently feiz'd with the Di-
feafe, and this happen'd to fome waking, in
open Day, to others in the Night time.

CHAP. IV.

What Perception fome Verfom have had

of Genii, or Spirits by the Senfe of
feeing j when others prefent at the fame
time have feen nothing.

LUcas Jacobfon Debesy M. A. and Provoft

of the Churches in the feventeen Iflands
of Focroe, fubjedt to the King of Denmark, in his
Defcription of the faid Iflands , and Inhabi-
tants, and his Account of feveral Obfervables
there, in his eighth Chapter tells us, how Sa-
tan, even fince the^ure Light of the Gofpel
there, as well as before, has behav'd himfelf
in deluding and feducing thofe Inhabitants :
They having many Examples how he has ta-
ken away fome, and carry'd away others, re-
lloring them afterwards, but weaken'd in their
Underftandings ; whereof he gives us fome
certain Relations, that are yet in the Memory
of Man, and fome others that happen d while
he himfelf was at Foeroe j he tell us, That Ap-
paritions of Spirits is a thing fo generally
known in Fcerce, that almoft every where in
the Country, where they haye read no Books
thereof,
 or Familiar Spirits. 83
thereof, nor he Relation froiv.

Places , know it 1 .ks

and ;n, that the)
doubt at all of it. And that they m
and not by
.

a nicer en lowment of their Nature ;

and, People grow much altered tt]

on feeing fuch Apparitions, which A;
ons the\ An expreffion e .

agreeing with that of V'ngU, where

t the Sybil, who undertook to carry 1
En. 6.
as to the (aid to him at the en-
trance of Hell, where {he Ghofts, came
gainlt him.

Et ni doBj comes tenues fine corpo

Admonedty volitare cava fub imagine forms y
Irruat & frujtra ferro dinverbtra

and fuch they always appear'd to my fclf, not

with folid Bodies of Flefh and Bones.
For particulars, I refer the Reader to Mr.
Debe/s Book, and fhall only fet down one Re-
lation from him of a thing which happend,
1667. It is as follows Perfon caiTd J*
: A
0/*$>»,beingthen at Glow, inOjhroe, in the 241/1
Year of his Age, on the 17th of Jar. fell in-
to a Sicknefs, lying a Bed during a Fortnigl
and on the 14s b Day of his Illnefs, as he
afleep at Night, there came one into him v.
Ihining Cloathson, whereat he
perceiv'd him in that Figure, in
mm, the Room appearing full or'
antfitask'd the Man where I.

Whereunto he anfwer'd nothing

land ale
G x
$4 An Account of Genii,
his Breaft, and round about, whereby he was
prefently heal'd.
Nov/, though Damonologers generally give
inftances cf fome Perfons feeing Spirits, when
others, in the fame Room, at the fame time,
fee them not , and feme Men undertake by
Thyfiognomy, to tell who fhall have Vifions of
Spirits, or Angels, and who fhall never fee
Apparitions of them, though they are in the
Room with others that fee them ; yet the moll
convincing inftance of this peculiar Sight,
that I know of in the World, is, that of the
Second fight ed Terfons in Scotland, who are calfd
Second fight ed, becaufe they have the Gift of
feeing more than others can that are with
-them.
My late Friend, Mr. John Aubrey , at the
end of his Book of Mifcellanies, Printed in Lon-
don, An. 169^ gives an Account of thefe Se-
cond fight ed Verfons, which was fent him from a
Learned Perfon in Scotland , whofe Letters he
fhew'd me before he Printed them And I :

fhall here fet down a few Particulars , taken

from that Account, relating to my purpofe.
I. They generally term this Second fight,

in Irifh Taijlutarxugh, and fuch as have it, Tai-

fy trim, from Txijh, which is properly a fha-
dowy Subftance , and fuch as can only be
fome way difcenf d by the Eye, but not lay'd
hold on by the Hands ; for which they at
fign'd it to Bugles or Ghofis ; fo that Taijhtar is
*
"
as much as one that converges with Ghoits, or
or as they commonly call them the
Spirits,
Fairies,or Fairy-folks ; others call thefe Per-
fons TbiJJichin, from This, which is properly
fordight, or foreknowledge.

II. Thofe
 or Familiar Spirits. 8 ^
II. Thofe have the Second fight y fee a
that
multitude of Men and Women,Nighta;id Day,
round about them, and a particular Rcl
is made of one of thofe Perfons, a Man of an

npright Converfation, vvhousd ordinarily by

looking to the Fire, to foretel what Sti
would come to his Houfe the next Day, or
fhortly after, by their Habit, and Arms, and
fometimes alio by their Names and it' any of
;

his Goods or Cattle were milling, he would

dired His Servants to the very place where to
find them whether in a Mire , or upon dry
,

Ground he would alfo tell if die Ikaft Wt

:

already dead, or if it fhould die e're they could

come at it; and in the Winter, if himfelf with
others with him fate thick about the Fire-iide,
he would defire them to make Room for fome
others that flood by , though they did not
fee them He faw two Spirits continually,
:

and fometimes many more, though others,

fay he continually faw more , and would of-
ten feem very angry, and fomething troubl'd^
nothing vifible to others moving him. The
two particular Spirits that conftantly attended
him were called, one Brownie, in the fhape of a
Boy, the other talUeb, or Meg Mullack.
t

in the fhape of a Girl , who were two Ghofts,

which (a$ it's conftantly reported) of Old
haunted a Family in Straths ?ey> of the Name
of Grant ; of which Name and Family this
Perfon was.
Note, That King Jamas in his Dxmonolcgy L 3

mentions alfo a Spirit, call'd Brownie , that

was wont formerly to haunt divers Houfes,
without doing any Evil, but doing, as it were,
neceflary turns up and dovyn the Houfe h$
;

appear'd like a rough Man, nay, fome beliei

$6 An Account of Genii,
that their Houfe was all the Sonfier , as they
call'd it , that is, the more lucky , or fortu-
nate^ that fuch Spirits reforted there.
III. As to the extent of thefe Peoples know-
ledge this fecret way, it reaches both prefent^
palsd, and future Events. They forefee Mur-
thers, Drownings, Weddings, Burials, Com-
bats,Manflaughters, &c\ of all which there
are many inftances to be given ; they com-
monly forefee fad Events a little while before
they happen; for inftance,if a Mans fatal end
be hanging, they'll fee a Gibbet, or a Rope
about his Neck ; if beheading , they'll fee a
Man without a Head ; if drowning, they'll
fee Water up to his Throat ; if Itabbing, they'll
fee a Dagger in his Breaft; if unexpected Death
in his Bed, they'll fee a Winding Sheet about
his I lead : They foretel not only Marriages,
but of good Children, what kind of Life Men
fhall lead, and in what Condition they fhall
die ; alfo Riches, Honours, Preferments, Peace,
Plenty, and good Weather. There is one in-^
fhinpe of uSeccnd fight ed?irfonjNho fawayoung
Man , attending a young Gentlewoman , as
me went up and down the Houfe, and this
was about three Months before her Marriage
with him ; and fometimes they foretel things
which fall out feveral Years after. It's like-
wife ufual with Perfons that lofe any thing to
go to fome of thefe Men, by whom they are
directed how ; with what Perfons , and in
,
what place they fhall find their Goods. It's
alfo to be noted, that this Gift bears a Lati-
tude, fo that fojne have it in a far more Emi-
nent degree than others.
IV, As for the way of receiving this Gift,
pnd QonrawmQzting if to other^ the Account
tstfl
 or Familiar Spirits. %j
tells us, that in the Iflc of Stye, efp:cial!y i

fore the Gofpel came thither, fcvcraj Fami-

lies had it by Succeflion , defcending from
Parents to Children, and as yet there are ma-
ny that have it that way. So Cardan tell us, j)eRffu
it runs in a Blood among the Turks, for Per- wir. i.B
fons to caft themfelves into an Extaiy at Plea- c- 4J-
fure. Some fay, they get this Gift by corn-
pad with the Devil, others, fay, by convc i

with thofe Demons, we call Fairies. They fay,

they can communicate the Gift to others in a
few Days, and have offer'd to do it for a fmall
Matter and, they fay, that if ax any time,
,•

when they fee thofe ftrange lights, they fct

their foot on the foot of another who has
not the fecond fight, that other will, for that
time, fee what they are feeing. And as I am
told by a Perfon who has convers'4 with thofe
Second fightedVerfonsy the Gift will continue
with the Man that has fo receiv'd it, all his
Life
V. This Gift is very troublefome to thofe
that have it, and they would gladly be rid of
it j for if the objed be a thing that is terrible,

they are {ccn to fweat and tremble, and fcreek

at the Apparition ; at other times they laugh
and tell of the thing cheerfully j juft accord-
ing as the thing is Pleafant , or aftonifhing.
A certain Perfon defir'd a Second fighted M.m
to teach him his Skill ; who told him he
could do it in three Days time , but faid he
would not advife him, or any Man to learn
it ;for upon learning it he would never be a
minute in his Life, but he would fee innume
ble Men and Women, Night and Day, round
about him , which he believ'd would be
troublefome to him : Whereupon the Perfon
G 4 would
 88 An Account of Genii,
would not learn it. And thofe that have if
wifii to be rid of it, judging it a Sin, and that
it came from the Devil •
and fome of them
have apply 'd themfelves to the Miniftry , de-
firing their Prayers for their being freed of it,
and they have been freed accordingly. In the
Ifle of Skje , if a Woman has it her felf, and
be marry ed to a Man that has it alfo, unlefs £
Child of theirs be baptiz'd juft upon the deli-
very, he has it all his Life ; if he be then
baptiz'd, he is freed from it.
VI. The Perfons that have this Gift, areob-
ferv'd, for the moft part, to be vicious, tho*
fome very honeft Perfons, of an upright life,
have it
\ir. Aubrey y in a fmall Addition, which he
has annext to his Account of Second fighted Perfons,
l fcj>efa. gives us a Relation from Diewbrcke, of an old
t

Woman with whom it was ufual, where any

Friend of hers dyed, to fee their Apparitions
wichout an Head, and this though the Per-
fons were never fo far off. And I have been
credibly inform' d of a Gentleman in the Low-
Copntries, who , as he walk'd the Streets of a
Town would often meet People without Head^,
&sit feenrd to him , and would ask the next
Perfon he met with, who fuch Perfons were,
and would acquaint his Friends that thofe
Perfons would die within a Year, which al-
ways came to pafs.
Relating to this we find it's a Cuftom with
the Jews, pn the 7th Day of their Feaft pf To?
bemacles^iz. the iiftDay of the Month pf Sefc
to go Night time,iri the Moonfhine,
forth in the
they think all things that' will happen
fcee£ctfe
fO them that Year, are revsaPd to them tha?
fright hi the Mpohftine, %f*ffltpf }n his Thh
 ;

or Familiar Spirits. 89
'

givn us a cut of this '^'-* 1

Ulogus Hcbrjto mixtus, has
which I have alfo here infcncJ :

Whc are going forth in the Moonfhinc

with Brunei. 'alms, Olives, and Willows
in thcL Hands, to (larch out the Events of
the whole Year ; but the Head of one of them
and is not feen in the fhadow, whence
.

the Pcilon concludes he fhall die that Year.

\in his SynagogaJudakajStttR fets forth all chap. 21.
thefe things. They go forth in the Night time,
in t! ifhine,fome having only their Heads
bare, fome with a Shirt on only, or alfo na-
,
having a Sheet about them, which they
let fall, and ftretch forth their Arms and Hands;
if any Mans Head be feen wanting in the fha-
dow, he is in danger of Life, and it's a lign
he will die that Year; if a Finger be wanting,
the Death of a Friend is forefhown if the right-
•

hand, a Son ; if the left, a Daughter will die

if he fee no fhade at all, he muft prepare for
Death, for there is no hope of avoiding it
and if he be upon undertaking a Journey, it's
a fign he will never return home, &c. This
the Rabbins make x>ut from the Words, Numb.
14. 9. Their fliadow is departed from them ; but
they write, it is not to be underftood of the
fimfle fiadow, becaufe it cannot be but a Man
muft fee his fhadow in theMoonfhine ; but of
the JhadoTi/ oftbefrado-w ; for if it be well mind-
ed, we fhall find a twofold fhadow, whereof
the fecond is a Refle&ion of the firft, whigh
the Rubbins call the fhadow of the fhadow.
I know not how far this may relate to the
Dotfrine of the Cabalifts. for as BoiJJlirdus tells L. de Di-
us, the Arabian jPriefts held with them, that
™ n &c
- »

3>
there are Three parts of the Soul, the Firft '*

55 called Nefchama. and is wholy Divine, ab-

le*
1

po An Account of Genii,
ftraftcd and feparated from the Body; this
JEn. 6. Virgil callsAural fimplicis Ignem. The Second
is called Ruah, and it is the Rational Soul
which partakes of the Divinity and the
Body, joyning both together with a wonderful
Harmony, it gives Life to the Body, and caufes
that it has not an abhorrence for the Frail and
Mortal Flefh, in which it lives. The Third part
of the Soul is that which diffolves this Harmo-
ny, and it is as the Idol, Image, Shadow, and as
the out-coat, drawn from the furface of the
Body ; the Cabalifis call it Nephesy it wanders
about Sepulchers, and is fometimes vifible,
but to the eyes of thofe whom God Illumi-
nates ; and this Nephes is that Fatal Hair in
the Crown of Mens Heads, Sacred to Tluto
and Proferpine, which before it be cut, and
drawn away from the Crown of the Head,
the Soul cannot be feparate from the Body ;
fo alfo unlefs this Nephes be drawn , as it
were from the outmoft furface of the Body,
a Man cannot leave this life ; and this part
of the Soul ( if we believe the Doftrine of
the Cabalifis ) is that which is called out by
Magicians and Necromancers, Tluto and Vwfer-
fine being ftrft appeas'd, which if they put on
their former Bodies, and fuch an Habit as
they wore alive, their Anfwers are called Ne-
cromantical, if they appear'd only in flitting
and fubtile Shadows, their anfwers were faid
to be Scyomantical ; So far Boijfardus. Whenae
I only Note, that if there be fuch a fliadowy
and wandring part of the Soul, as is here
mentioned , call'd Nephes ; its probable the
Woman mentioned by Diemhroh* few that
at the death of Perfons*

As
 or Familur Sjiyits.

As to my ov. lice, relating to that

/ Vtrfan n'i,
all here let it dow;: nCC to tV
pfthc particulars above Wir
int , vfc. the Sec« I ifch.

As, fecond particular, It*j laid, that

thofc chat have the Second ^c a multi-
tude of Men and Women, Day and Night,
about them: So it was with my felf for ir
time, for I few Hundreds, tho' I never i

. in the Night time, without a lire, or

^die-light, or in the Moonfhine, and as
the Peribfi mention d in that Paragraph, I

i particular Spirits there Named, which

conftantly attended him, beikles others with-
out fo it was with my felf, two Spi-
;

rits conftantly attending me, Night and Day,

for above Three Months together; who call'd

each other by their Names, and feveral Spi-
rits would often call at my Chamber Door,
and ask, whether fiich Spirits lived there,
calling them by
Names, and they would their
anfwer, they did. As for the other Spirits
that attended me, I heard none of their
Names mentioned", only I ask'd one Spirit
which came for fome Nights together and
Ig a little Bell in my Ear, what his Name
was, who anfwer'd Ariel, We find that c ne
of :he spirits which attended the Secot
id V rfon, appeared as a Boy, the othej as a
but the two that c
; 1 : *ed
my felf, appear \\ both ii
v being of a Brov a- :

bout Three lore in Statu f

h I

vjk, loot
&fll abc i

ippear'd a Qq\
 ,

pi An Account of Genii
Colour, wfrth fomewhat of a Light ftriking
thro' it; their Heads were not dreft with
Topknots, but they had white Linnen Caps
on, with Lace on them, about three Fingers
breadth, and over it they had a Black loofe
Network Hood.
As the forefaid Second Sighted Verfon, fitting
by the Fire with others in the Winter-time,
would fee Spirits Handing by, and often feem
5

angry and difturbed., tho nothing vifible to

ethers mov'd him $ fo, as I have been fitting
by the Fire with others, I have feen feveral
Spirits, and pointed to the places where they
were, telling the Company they were there.
And one Spirit, whom I heard calling to me,
as he Hood behind me, on a fiidden, clapt
his Finger to my Side, which I fenfibly per-
ceived, and ftarted at it ; and as I faw one
Spirit come in at the Door, which I did not
like, I fuddenly laid hold of a pair of
Tonges, and ftruck at him with all my
force, whereupon he Vanifh'd.
As in the Fifth Particular above Written ;
He faid that the Gift of theS<*W Sight is very
troublefome to thofe that have it, and they
would gladly be rid of it. So I muft declare,
that I would not for the whole World, under-
go what I have undergone, upon Spirits co-
paing twice to me ; their firft coming was moil
dreadful to me, the thing being then alto-
gether new, and confequently more fur-
prifing, tho' at the firft coming they did not
appear to me, but only called to me at my
Chamber Windows, Rung Bells, Sung to me,
and play'd on Mufick, &c but the laft co-
ming alfo carried terrour enough; for when
chey came, being only Five in Number, the
Two
 :

or ¥amli\ar Spirits.
p2
Two Women before mentioned, and Three
Men ( though afterwards, there came Hun-
dreds ) they told me they would kill me, if I
told any Perfon in the Houfe, of their being
there, which put me in fome Confternation,
and I made a Servant fit up with me Four
Nights in my Chamber, before a Fire, it being
in the Chrifimas Holydays, telling no Perfon of
their being there. One of thefe Spirits in Wo-
mans dre(s,lay down upon my Bed by me eve-
ry Night : and told me, if I Slept, the Spirits
would kill me, which kept me waking for three
Nights In the mean time a near Relation of
:

Mine, went (tho' unknown to me) to a Phyfi-

cian of my acquaintance, defiring him to pre-
fcribe me fomewhat for Sleeping ; which he
did, and a Sleeping Potion was brought me,
but I fet it by, being very defirous and inclin-
ed enough to Sleep without it. The Fourth
Night I could hardly forbear Sleeping, but
the Spirit lying on the Bed by me, told me
again, I fhould be KiU'd if I Slept, where-
upon I rofe, and fat by the Fire fide, and in
a while return d tcr my Bed; and fo I did a
Third time, but was ftill threatned as before
whereupon I grew impatient, and ask'd the
Spirits what they would have ? told them, I
had done the part of a Chriftian, in humbling
my felf to God, and fear'd them not, and
rofe from my Bed, took a Cane, and knock'd
at the Ceiling of my Chamber, a near Rela-
tion of mine lying then over me, who pre-
fently rofe, and came down to me, about two
of the Clock in the Morning ; to whom I
fiid, you have feen me difturbed thefe Four
Days paft, and that I have not Slept, the oc-
cafion of it was, that Five Spirits which are
ao
94 An Account of Genii,
now in the Room with me, have threatned
to kill me if I told any Perfon of their being
here, or if I Slept, but I am not able to for-
bear Sleeping longer, and acquaint you with
it, and now
ftand in defiance of them; and
thus I exerted my felf about them, and not-
withftanding their continual Threats, I Slept
very well the next Night, and continued fo
to do, tho' they continued with me above
Three Months, Day and Night.
A
Gentleman having lately fupply'd me
with another Account, concerning the Second
Sighted Perfons, which was fent fome Years
fince to a Lady, by a Perfon of whom fhe
had defired it. I fliall here fet down the par-
ticulars of it, as follows.
I. He fays the more general Account given
of the Second Sighted Verfons, is , that many
Highlanders, but farmore Inlanders are qualified
with this Sight. That Men, Women and Chil-
dren, are indifferently gifted with it; fome
Children have it, whofe Parents have it not,
and fome Parents have it, whofc Children
have it not j fome adult Perfons have it, who
had it not in their Youth, and cannot tell by
*
what means or caufe it was produc'd in them.
It is a great trouble to thofe that have it, and
they would be rid of it at any rate. The
Sight is of no long duration, continuing for
the moil part, but as long as they can keep
their Eyes fteady, without twinkling; the
moft Aniired therefore fix their look, that they
fee the longer, but the Timerous fee only by
glances, their Eyes always trembling at the
ftrft light cf the obje<5t.

IL That which is {ccn generally by them,

is the fpecies of Living Creatures, and of In*
animate
 or Familiar Spirits.
'
95
amimate things, as Ships,and the Habits up-
on Perfons : They never fee the Species of
any Perfon already Dead • what they forefec
fails not to exift in the mode and place where
it appears to them; they cannot well know
what fpace of time fhall intervene betwixt
the Apparition and the real Exiftence, but
fome of the boldeft and longeft experienced
have fome Rules of Conjectures. As if they
fee a Man with a Shroud in the Apparition,
they will conje&ure at the nearnefs, or re-
motenefs of his Death, by the more or lefs
of his Body that is cover'd with it. They will
ordinarily fee their abfent Friends , tho' at
a great diftance fometimes no lefs than from
•

America to Scotlandy fitting, or ftanding, or

walking in fome certain place, and then they
conclude with aflurance, that they fhall fee
them fo, and there. If a Man be in Love
with a Woman, they ordinarily fee that Man
ftanding by her, and fo if a Woman be in
Love. They conjecture of their enjoyments
by the Species touching the Perfon, or ap-
pearing at a diftarfce from her. If they fee
the Species of a Perfon, who is Sick in any
other place, in an Healthful Pafture , or
Action , they conclude a recovery ; but if
they are to Dye, they fee them cover'd with
a Winding-Sheet.
Thefe generals were verified to Perfons of
Honour, by fuch of them as did See , and
were efteem'd Honeft and Sober by all the
Neighbourhood. And becaufe there were
more of thefe Seers, in the Ifles of Le:
Harris and Vift, than elfewerej fome Perfons
of Quality intreated Sir James /ho
is now dead, Sir Ihrman M Mt.Va-
niei
 ,

p6 An Account of Genii,
mel Morifon^ a very honeft Minifter, who arc
ftill alive, to inquire into this Sights and to
acquaint them therewith, which they did,
and all of them found an agreement in thefe
generals, and Informed them of many par-
ticular and notorious Inftances, confirming
what they faid.
He fets down fome remarkable Inftances
which he fays were of very knowing and in-
genious Perfons, who had made it their bu-
finefs to be well informed concerning the
Second Sight ; which Inftances being not Prin-
ted in any other Author, that I know of, I
fliall infert them here.
The he fays, is from a Per-
Firft Inftance,
fon of great Learnings and eminent Quality,
, who gave the following Relation.
I was once Travelling in the Highlands,
w ith many Servants, one of them going a
r

little before me, and entring into a Houfe,

where I wastoftay all Night, fuddenly ftept
back with a fcreech and a noife, and fell by
a Stons which hit is Foot : I askt what the
matter was ( for he look'd as one very much
Frighted ) he told me very ferioufly, I muft
not Lodge in that Houfe I ask'd why ? he
faid, he wifti'd fo, becaufe a Dead Corps
would very fhortly be carried out of it, and
that feveral Perfons carrying of it, met him
at the Door, when I heard him cry; and
therefore he would not have me Lodge in fo
unlucky a place ; and feeing me Laugh and
go in, he faid to the other Servants, he was
very fony I did fo, for he was fure what he
faw would very fhortly come to pafs; this
made me inquire if there were any lick
Perfon in the Houfe, but there was none ; the
Land-
 1

or Familiar Spirit*. 97
Landlord was a ftrong 1

before I went from die I [oufe, the ncxi

he Di an Apoplecn
The Pcr-
fon, who writes thus.
In :
;•
r6jj, Alexander Monro 3 who
irds I ieutenaht Colloncl to the
of Dunbar
1 Clit and my , I

were walking in a place called VlabiUm

Broomey in a litcle Plain at the foot ol a ragged
Hill there was a Man working with a Spade,
•

in the walk us, and his Face to the

Hill he did not mind us as we part near him,
J

which made me look at him, and perceivi:

him to flare a little ltr I conjectured ,

him to he z Sccry I called him, at which he

flared ahd fmiled what are you doing faid
:

I? he anfwered me, I have icQn a very

ftrange thing ; an Army of Englifimen, lead»
ing their Horfes down that Hill, and a num-
ber of them are come down to the Plain, and
eating the Barley which is growing in the
Field, near to the Hill. This was on the
Fourth of Majy for I noted the Day, and it
was Four or Five" Days before the Barly m
Sown in the Field he fpoke of. Alexander Mon-
ro ask'd him, how he knew they were English*
men? he faid becaufe they had on Hatts and
Boots, which he knew no Scats would have
there j we as little fee by what he faid, 2$
other foolifh Vilions, but in the beginning of
Auguft following, the Earl of Middleton, th
Lieutenant for the Fang in the
ving occafion to march a Par,
South H , fenc his Foot thro' a pla
called b , buc was ^> lend his I

Horfe, with A fonro to pais etc in

H
5>3 An Account of Genii,
the very forementioned Hildas lefs rugged, tho*
bad enough, than that of Innerlawl\ and the
formoft Party, which was firft down the Hill,
fell to eating the Barly, on the little Plain
under it j and Monro call'd to mind what the
Seer- had told us, in May before he writ of
•

it, and fent an exprefs to me with it.

The Relator of the Third Inftance writes

as follows.
I had once an occafion of being in Com-
pany with a Young Lady, and was told there
was a notable Seer in the Company ; I call'd
him to fpcak with me (as I did ordinarily
when I found any of them ) and he hadas
anfwered me to feveral Queftions, I ask'd
him if he knew any Perfon to be in Love
with that Lady, he faid he certainly knew
that there was a Man in Love with her ( but
he did not know the Man ) for in the Two
Days he had been in Company with her, he
perceived one ftanding near her, and his
Head leaning on her Shoulder ; which he faid,
according to his Obfervations, foretold, that
the Man would Marry her. This was- in the
Year 165*5'. I defired him to defcribe the
Perfon, which he did, fo that I could con-
jedure by the defcriptiou, it was fuch an one
of the Lady's Acquaintance, tho* there were
no thought of their Marriage, till Two Years
after ; and happening, in the Year 1657. to
find this Seer, who was an Ijhnder, in Com*-
pany with the ether Perfon, whom I con-
jectured to have been defcribed by him; I
ealfd him afide, and ask'd him, if that were
the Perfon he faw by the Lady's fide, Two
Years ago? he faid it was truly the fame, and
lie had feen that Lady juft then landing by him
Hand
 or Frtwliar Spirits. 99
Hand in This was fom
Hand.
before their Marriage: and the Maais fii

Dead, and the Lady ilillu! 1

The Fourth Inftance is ch

In f great Note )
Lieutenant Collonel Monro ,

hapned to be in the 1

'did in
die Landlord and my ml Ml Thl
Chairs near the lire., and in the corner or It

great Chimney were KM n^

that very Ni ale, an were rc- I

! to the Landlord : while One of them

was talking to Afo#ny 1 perceived the
to look odly towards me; from his Look,
and being an Iflmder , I conjetfhired him a
Seer, and ask'd him what he itar'd at? he an-
fwered by defiring me to rife from that Chair,
becaufe it was an unlucky one. I ask'd him
why ? he (aid there was a Dead Man in the
Chair next to me well, faid I, if he be in
:

the Chair next me, I may keep my own,

but" what kind of Man is he ? he laid he wa-s
a tall Man, with a long grey Coat, having
Boots on, and one of his Lcggs hanging over
the arm of the Chair, and his Head hanging
down to the other fide, and his Arm bac
as if it were broken. There were fome
Troops of Englilh-Men then ( A near

that place, and there being at that time a

great Froft after a Thaw, the Country (
>.

covered all over with Ice : Lour or I

Riding by this Hci,

Days aft \iiion;
by the lire, we h- nft3 whi
proved to be thefe Troopers, who w
. . .. . Jars, were earn, i

II z thi
too An Account of Genii,
their Number, who had got a very mifchie-
vous fall, and his Arm Broken, and falling
frequently into Swooning Fits, they brought
him into the Hall, and fet him in the very
Chair 3 and in the very Pofture the Seer had
defcribed •
but the Man did not Die, tho' he
recovered with great difficulty.
The Fifth Inftance is taken from the Ac-
count given in by Sir Norman Maclod^
There was a Gentleman in the Ifle of Har-
ris, who was always feen by the Seers, with

an Arrow in his Thigh: Thofe in the. IJk

who thought thefe Prognoftications Infallible^
did not doubt but he would be Shot in the
Thigh, and Die of it. Sir Norman faid, he
always heard it the Subject of their Difcour-
fes for many Years , when that Gentleman
was prefent, at laft he Died without any fuch
Accident ; Sir Norman was at his Burial, at
St. Clements Church in the IJIe of Harris. At
the fame time another Gentleman was brought
to be Buried in the fame Church. The
Friends on either fide came to a debate who
fhould firft enter the Church, and from Words
came to Blows; one who was Arm'd with a
Bow and Arrows let fly amongft them ( every
Family in that Ifle, have their Burying Places
in the Church, in a Stone Cheft, and their
Bodies are carried in open Biers to the Bu-
rial Place. ) Sir Norman having appeafed the
Tumult, One of the Arrows was found
flicking in the Dead Mans Thigh. To this
Sir Norman himfelf was Witnefs. Mr. Aubrey,
in his Account of the Second Sight, has a Re-
lation much of the fame with this» tho' with
feme variation.

The^
 cr Familiar Spirits. 101
The Sixth Inftance is taken from the Ac-
count which Mr. D mid Morifon, Miniftcr in
the rjk of Ltwu, gave in.
This Relation, tho* fomewhat of a diffe-
rent Nature from the others, may be worth
Notice. He tells us of a Young Worn
l\irifh,who was mightily Frighted by
Dg her own Image ftill before hjr, when
fhe went into the open Air, the Back of I

ige being always towards her: So that

was not a Refle&ion, as in a Mirror, but tl
Species of fuch a Body as her own, and in the
very fame Habit,- the Miniftcr kept her a long
while with him, but fhe had no Remedy, till
fhe was about Four or Five Years Elder, and
then it left her.
The Gentleman who writ the foregoing
Relations, in a Letter to a Lady, adds in the
clofe of it, that in order to folve the Tbanome-
non of the Second Sight , a hint may be taken
from this Image, which appeared to the Wo-
man abovementioned, and from fuch another
mention'd by Arijlotle, in the Fourth Book of
his Metafhyficks; as alfo from that common
Opinion that Young Infants fee Apparitions,
which are not feen by Elder Eyes; and like-
wife from this, that fcveral who have had the
Second Sight, when in the Highhnds, or TJIes,

upon their being tranfported to Live in other

Countries , efpecially in America , lofe this
quality, as it's reported by Gentlemen, who
knew fome of them in Earbadoes, that law
no Vifions there, tho' they were known to
have been Seers, when they lived in the Tfles of
S:otlmd.

H J
L<M~
I oi An Account of Genii,
Laurenuiis Ananias'> Printed £ Book in Latin,
at Venice. An.'itfi. concerning the nature of
L. 2. arc* Damons, where he writes fomewhat which
fiptm. feems ally'd to this Gift of the Second Sight. It
is thus.
Seme Damons fo miferably delude fome Old
Women, and Children, that they certainly
perfwaded themfeives , that on fet Nights,
and at fet Hours, their Souls being called,
depart from their Bodies, and joyn themfeives
to the Souls of the Dead ; which proceeds
but from Damons corrupting the Imagination
5

of thole Creatures,, thro Infidelity after that

manner; and as they relate this to credulous
Old Women, they Predid the Deaths of cer-
tain Perfons; and if the event fometimes an^
fwers, they confidently affirm, even upon
their Oath, that rhey were Souls from whom
they had it, when in truth they are nothing
but lllufions of the Devil , perverting their
Fancy ; which error has poffeft the Minds of
feme Perfons, above the Vul gar: though it
Jience appears they are all under a delufion;
for it hapned fome Years fince, that in a
Town where fome Perfons were found ob-
noxious to thefe afre&s and il!ufions of the
Devil, one Mark Antony , who was look'd
upcia as an Honcfl: Upright Perfon, no way
given to fpeak Untruths, was feized with it,
and often gave true Predictions concerning
certain Perfons, efpecially fuch as were near
their Deaths: this Man being fent for by my
Brother, %chn AMt*#j MmHifr, who is a Prieft,
and he coming to him, my Brother ask'd him,
whether what was reported of him w ere true, ?

2nd he did not deny it, whereupon my Brother

adviild him to quit thai errontous Opinion,
teli'
 or familiar Spirits. 10}
telling him, chat thofe could rot potfibly he
the Souls 0$ the Dead, but that they \w
ceitful J)4 moris, and that lie greatly offended
:!ore he
begg'd him, that for Gods lake, and the welU
v oul., as
faiv he perceived that Dicmo-
. j coming upon him, (as he I

edit beforehand) or, when he began

to be fei/.ed with it, he would forioufly pro-
teft againit obeying them any longer, and
that he would carneftly Pray to God to Free
htm from that Diabolical Delufion and Madneft
v being fomewhat
ftonifhed at what was laid to" him, believed
my Brother, and promifed him to follow his
Advice, to the utmoft of his Power, and fo
w nt Home, and when the ufual Day came,
that he was obnoxious to thofe Illusions, he
was not leiz'd with them, and was very Joy-
ful, and gave God thanks for it. But upon
the next return of the Day, and Hour |fox
he was not wont to be Infefted with thofe II-
lufions every Day of the Week , but only
Tuefdjys and Tbnrfdays ) finding his wonted
feizure coming upon him, and that he was
called by thofe unclean Spirits , and being
greatly afflicted in Mind by their Signs, he
ay\l out with great Vehemency , that he
would no longer follow them. Upon which
outcry, almoft all the People in the Houfe
were Awakend, and went to him, to whom
he related all that had paft, and fhew'd how
he was feverely Beaten by thofe Spirits, and
from that time he was wholly freed from
Jthem ;for which he gave God great Thanks,

H 4 Note,
1
04
'

An Account of Genii,

K*te, in Reference to this Relation , "what is

-written by Henry Boguet,

a Judge in Cafes
of Witchcraft, in the Country of St. Claude,
in Burgundy, concerning the particular Nights
on which Witches have their Sabbaths , or
meetings. In his Difcourfe of Witches, prin-
ted in French, at Lyons, i6oj\ Chap.19,
he writes as follows,

I formerly thought that the Sabbath was held

only Thurfday Nights, becaufe all the Witches,
I have feen, have fo declar'd but fince that :

I have read that fome of them have confefs'd,

they affembled, fome the Night betwixt Mon-
day and Tutfday , fome the Night betwixt Fri-
day and Saturday ; others the Night preceeding
Thurfday , or Sunday ; thence I have conclu-
ded, that there is no Day prefixt for their Sab-
bath3 but that the Witches go to it when the
Devil requires them, I fhall add here, that
Antide Colts, a Witch, confefs'd, fhe had been
at the Sabbath, each good Day of the Year,
as at Chriftmas, Eafer, and the like Holidays.
So far Bcguet.
Conformably to the Relation of Laurentiur
Ananias, I have been well inform'd of a Wo-
man in Gkucefterflure , who, when any Perfbn
of the Neighbourhood was taken 111 , would
generally predict their Death , or recovery,
and was much reforted to on that Account ;
at length fhe was feized, and had to an Ajfix.es
at Ghuccft r, concerning this Fad; where being
L

ask'd by the Judge, how fhe came by her

ki>owledge,as to theDeath or Recovery of Perr-
fons fick ; fhe told him, fhe could give no o-
ther Account of it, but that when any Perfon
w?s
 or Familiar Spirits. 501
was fick,and had aiMind to know the Iflue,
flic

a Jury of Faints to her in the Night time,

came
who confiderd of the Matter; and if afterwards
they look'd cheerful, the Party would recover;
if they look'd fad, he would die. Nothing
elfe ought againft the Woman, fhewas
i

clear.l. The Pcrfon from whom I had this

Information, was a Juftice of Peace of that
County, then on the Bench. And here I
mult lay, that before I heard this Relation, or
had read Ananias, I faw a Jury of Fairies, or
Gbofts, or what you pleafe to call them, ram-
mon d, and pafs a Verdid on a Perfon known
to n
Cardan tells US, That Genii fometimes ap- ry e Ktr ,

pear fad before the Deaths of Perfons, and vxr. L 1 $.

gives an inftance in Julian the Emperor, who c 7 8 >
-

being near Ckfyhm, and ftudying I nilofophy, :

faw his Genius looking fad (whom formerly he

had {ccn in France, looking cheerfully, and I
know not whatVerfes foretelling the Death of
Conftantiusy and confequently his Happinefs)and
the Horn of ^'Wt/^?, with which tYis. Genius
of the Republick was wont to be drawn, be-
ing fhut, and his Chamberlane , or Steward
of his Houfe , going from him , and fo the
next Day the Emperor was kilfd.
Baptifia Fulgofus tells us, That fometimes the
^ u fA zt. *

Spirits remain inclos'd in Humane Bodies, fr s<t.

but their Motions are fo occult, and the Senfes Mcmor&.
fo bound, that we cannot know whe- c
eaiily * *•

ther thofe Bodies are alive, or Hence

not :

fome are faid to be rais'd from the dead, who

were never really dead, experience having
fhewn they were ftill living ; of thefe Perfons
fome relate wonderful things, as that they had
been whoie they never WC icir Spi-
 ic6 An Account of Gcm\ y
lit being colle&ed in it felf, comprehends, and
fees thofe things , which being in its ufual
State, through various diftra&ed Thoughts, -by
reafon of the Corporeal Sight , it does not
know. As St. Auftin teftifies, of one Carina,
who liv'd in the Country of Hipp, in Africa,
and falling into an ill Diftemper, was look'd
upon by all Men as in a manner dead, having
loft his Senfes, fo that he took no Food ; and
having continued in this State for fome Days,
his Friends would have buried him, only they
perceiv'd a little breathing at his Noftrils, but
when afterwards all Perlons thought him to
be departed^ on a fudden \ opening his Eyes,
he defir d that fome one fhould be prefently
Cent to Carina, the Blackfmith, his Neighbour,
to fee how he did, and when it was found he
was dead at that very hour, he affirnfd, that
he was led before a certain Judge, who vehe-
mently chid thofe Spirits by whom himfelf
was brought before him , becaufe he would
have Carina the Blackfmith, and not him, and
for that caufe he was reftor'd to Life. In
this Extafy he faid , he faw Paradife , and
many other things ; and among others, that
he was baptiz'd by St. Aufiin, at Hippo, and he
was admonifh'd fo to be, becaufe what then
feem'd to be done was a Vifion; therefore be-
ing reftor'd to his Health, he had fulfifd what
he was admonifh'd.
InD'ifc. de
^>0, The Spirit of Her-
as Bonayjleau tells us,
pLteL & motimts, as feem'd, leaving his Body as dead,
it
dig. bom'h wandred about various Places, and afterwards
related thofe things which could be known on-
JUS.

ly by thofe Perfons, which were prcfent to the

things themfelves. Herodotus , and Maxiwm
Tjrius write the fame of Arlfidm.
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 07
U us j That a certain /</,
nominated fix of his equals, and fid
1 would die firft, wlv and fo on, and
:iction.
A \ iiion which happen d to the Ingenious
d Dr. Dcnne, may not improperly
be 1
]

. Mr. Tfaac H /riting

the 1 ifcof the .\r, tells us, That the
fi

fed hi$ Wife, living with Sir Robert Drury,

who gave them a tree Entertainment at his
lane 1 It happen d that the Lori
if •, wis by JCi»jg jnnw fent in an Ambaffy
» the Fh*t ,
H,nry the Fourth j whom
/wrr: refolv'd to accompany, and ingag'd
Dr. DpntH to go \vith them, whofe Wife was
then with Child at Sir Robert's Honfe. Two
:er their arrival at Paris, Dr. Dome was
left a I r Room, in which Sir Robert,
and he, w ether I riends had dined to-
gcthe r. To return d with-
tee Sir Robert
in half an hour ;
and
he left, fo he found
as
Dr. D'jfirte alone ; bur in fuch an Extafy, and
fo altet'd in his Ixoks, as amaz'd Sir Robert to
behold him, infomuch,. that he earnestly de-
llr'd Dr. Donne to declare what had befalfn

him in the fhorttime of his abfence. To which

Dr. js not able to make a prefent An-
fter a long and perplext Paufe, did
at laft fay, I have feen a dreadful Vifion fince I
you; I have feen my Dear Wife pafs twice
by me through this Room, with her Hair hang-
ing about her Shoulders, and a dead Child in
her Arms this I have feen fince I faw you. To
:

ieh Sir Robert reply 'd, fure, Sir, you have

: fince I faw you, and this is the refult of
fome Melancholy Dream, which I defire you
to forget, for you are now awake, To which
Dr
ip8 An Account of Genii,
Dr. Donne $ reply was, I cannot be furer that
1 now than that I have not flept fince I
live,
faw you, and am as fure at her fecond appear-
ing ftie ftopt, and look'd me in the Face and
vanifh'd. Reft and Sleep had not alter'd Dr.
bonnes Opinion the next Day for he then af-
•

firm d this Vifipn with a more deliberate, and

fo confirm'd a Confidence, that he inclin'd
Sir Robert to a faint belief, that the Vifion was
true ; who immediately fent a Servant to
Druy-Houfe , with a Charge to haft'n back,
and bring him word whether Mrs. Donne were
alive ; and if alive^ in what Condition ihe was
as to her Health; the Twelfth Day the Mef-
fenger return'd with this Account : That he
found and left Mrs. Donne very fad^ and fick
in Bed ; and that after a long and dangerous
Labour, ftie had been deliver'dof a dead Child;
and upon Examination the Abortion prov'd to
be the fame Day, and about the very hour that
Dr. Donne affirmed he faw her pafs by in his
Chamber. Mr. Walton adds., This is-a Relation
which will beget feme wonder^ and well it
may, for moft of our World are at prefent
poilefs'd with an Opinion , that Vifions and
Miracles are ceas'd j and though 'tis moft cer-
tain , that two Lutes , being both ftrung
and tun'd to an equal pitch, and then one
play'd upon, the other , that is not touch'd,
being lay'd upon a Table at a fit Diftance^
will (like an Eccbo to a Trumpet) warble a
faint audible Harmony , in Anfwer to the
fame tune, yet many will not believe that there
is any fuqh thing as a Sympathy with Souls,

Aa
 or Familiar Spirits. 109
An Ancient, and Learned Gentleman, now-
living and well known in London, has told
,

me, that being at a Widow Gentlewoman's

Houfe, about feven Miles from London, one
Day about three of the Clock in the After-
noon, 'he retir'd to his Chamber j where he
had not long been, but a ftrange Light, fuch
as he had never feen before, appear'd in the
Room, in which Light, he faw a Child of the
Gentlewoman of the Houfe , which had been
left fick in London, lye dead, as alfo a Friend
of his own j he was much furpriz'd at this,
and after the thing was over, he went down
from his Chamber to the Gentlewoman of the
Houfe; and as he had been defir'd to come tho'
next Day, to the Houfe of a Lady, who liv d
in the fame Parifh, he defir'd the forefaid Gen-
tlewoman to fend word to the Lady, that he
could not wait on her the next Day, as he had
promis'd , for he knew
that both the faid
Gentlewoman and himfelf fhould be fent for
to London ; and then he told the Gentlewo-
man what had pafs'd ; and in a while a Coach
came for them from London accordingly. The
fame Gentleman told me , that upon his fal-
ling into a Trance at Cambridge, he faw alfo a
Friend of his dead in London, who upon en-
quiry was found to have died juft at the time
he faw him.
Cardan gives a Relation fomewhat of this De Rer.
Nature as follows : My Kinfman Baptifia C.r- «** L s-
Ct 4#
dan, fiudying at Prvia, on a certain Night
tryed to make a little Fire as he rofe, and in
the interim heard a Voice fay, farewel my Son,
I am going to Rome ; and he faw a raft Splen-
dor, as that of a bundle of Straw all on Fire;
being affrighted , and throwing by the Fii
 ;

i oi An Account of Genii,
Shovel, he, hid himfelf under his Bcd-cloaths,
School-fellows return d from the Aca-
till his*

demy ; upon their return, thinking him to be

fick, they knock' d at his Door, he open'd it,
and they asking him the caufe of his ftay there,
he anfwer'd, he thought his Mother was dead,
and told them what he had feen and heard,
and wept withal They turn d the thing to a
:

Jeft, fome laughing at him, fome comforting

him ; the Day
following , having heard no-
thing of his Mother's ficknefs, he was certify-
ed of her Death , and that fhe expired at that
very hour that he perceiv'd thofe things. The
Town Cardan is diftant Two and Forty Miles
from Vavia. That Man was not given to Lyes,
vain or fuperftitious, and who faid he had ne-
ver feen , or heard any preternatural thing
till then.
A Book newly coming to my Hands, which
contains a more particular Account, in fome
refpe&s, of the Second fight in ScotUnd^th&n any
I have met with, I fhall give here fome Ac-
count of it.
Mr. M. Martin, Printed the laft Year in Lon-
don, 2. Book in 80. intirfd, A Defer iption of the
Weftern Jjles of Scotland , calFd by the ancient
Geographers Hebrides. It contains many curious
Particulars, relating to the Natural and Civil
Hiftoiy of thofe Tjlandsy with a Map of them,
and in his Preface he tells us, that perhaps its
peculiar to thofe Tiles, that they have never
been defcrib'd till now by any Man, that was
a Native of the Country, or bad travell'd them,
as himfelf has done ; 21 ie Goneiulion of

the faid Preface, he teils us, he fes giv'n here

figbt^ as the
;
fuch an Acoou
Nature of the c ear, and which has
al\*
 or Familiar Spirits. I i i

always been reckond fufficient among the im-

byAfs'd pan d Mankind; but for tool
will not be V ought to ob!i
us with tc, by which we m
judge K)f Ma etc; t The chief partic
lar* he b Second fig
r by it k allows.
L In the Ummipght the Vilion makes fuch a
lively Impreflton on the Seers, that they nei-
nor think of any thing elfe, but the
,

Vifion, as long as it continues j and then they

appear penlive , or jovial, according to the

Object, which was prcfented to them.
(I. At the fight of a \ ilion, the Eye-lids of

the Peribn are erected, and the Eyes continue

flaring till the Object vanifh, as has often been
obferv'd by the Author, and others prefent.
III. is one in Skye an Acquaintance
There y
of whom obferv'd , that when he fees a Vi-
fion, the inner part of his Eye-lids turns fo far
upwards, that after the Object difappears, he
muft draw them down with his Fingers ; and
fometimes employs o:hers to draw them down,
ich he finds to be much the eaiicr way.
IV. The faculty of the Second fight does not
lineallv defcend ina Family, as fome imagine,
for he knows (everal Parents that are endowed
with it, but not their Children ; and fo on the
contrary , neither is it acquir'd by any previous
compadt ; and after a ftridl enquiry, he could
never learn from any among them , that this
faculty was communicable any way whatfo-
ever.
, That this Account is difl
!
from
the Account givn before from Mr. A*h
And I thin!; rfartims reaf .

defcent of this faculty from I to

Children
 :

ii2 •

An Account of Genii,
Children, is not generally conclufive, for the/
he may know Parents endow'd with it, and
not Children, and fo on the contrary , yet
there may be Parents who are endow'd with it,
being qualifyed as Mr. Aubrey has faid , (viz.
both being Second fight ed) whofe Children may
have it by defcent. And as to this faculty's
being any other ways communicable , (fince
the Accounts differ) I mull leave it to a far-
ther Examination.
V. The Seer know sT
neither the objed, time,
nor place of a Viiion before
it appears, and the

fame Objed often feen by different Perfon^

is

living at a confiderable diftance from one

another. The true way of judging, as to the
time, and circumftance of an Objed:, is by
Obfervation ; for feveral Pcrfons of Judg-
ment, without this faculty, are more capa-
ble to judge of the defign of a Vifion, than a
NoYice that is a Seer. As an Objed appears In
the Day or Night, it will come to pafs fooner
or later accordingly.
VI. If an Objed be feen early in the Morn-
ing (which is not frequent) it will be accom-
plifh'd.in a few Hours afterwards If at Noon,
:

it will commonly be accomplifh'd that very

Day : If in the Evenings perhaps that Night
if afterCandles be lighted, it will be accom-
Night it's later always
plifh'd that : in accom-
plifhment by Weeks, Months, and fometimes
Years, according to the time of the Night
the Vifion is feen.
VII. When a Shroud is perceiv d about one,
it's a fure Prognoftick of Death ; the time is

judg d according to the height of it, about the

Perfon ; for if it be not fett above the mid-
dle, Death is not to be expeded for the fpace
of
 1 i }

or Familiar Spirits. I I

of a Year, and perhaps Tome Month* lo

and as it i> frequently feen to afcend
towards the Head , Death is conclu
be at Hand within a few Days, if not 1
as daily Experience confirms. Examf
this kind were fhown the Autk
Perfons of whom theObiorvation> were nuulc,
ecjoy'd perfect Health.
Tnere was one inftance 1

on in this kind by a Seer, that was N \

corning the Death of one of the Author's Ac-

quaintance this was communicated to a few
;

onl\ lie Author

being one of the Number, did not in the leift

regard it, till the Death of the Perlon, about
the time foretold, confirmd to him, the c
tainty of the Prediction ; the forefaid Novice
is now a skilful Seer, as appears from many

late inftances he lives in the Parifli of St.

:

Marys, the moft Northern in Skye.

VIII. If a Woman be feen {landing at a
Man's left Hand, it's a prefage that fhe will
be his Wife, whether they are Marry ed too-
thers, or Unmarryed at the time of the Appa-
rition. If two or three Women are feen at
once {landing near a Man s left Hand, fhe that
is next him will undoubtedly be his Wife firft,

and fo on, whether all three, or the Man bz

fingle, or Marryed at the time of the Viiion,
or not, of which there are feveral late inftan-
ces of the Author's Acquaintance. It's an or-
dinary thing for them to fee a Man that is to
come to the Houfe fliortly after ; and if
be not of the Seers Acquain he
gives fuch a lively Dcfcription of his Statu
Complexion, Habit, &:. that upon his Arri-
he Anfv. Charader givnOfhinK in
I all
i 1 An Account of Genii,
all refpe&s. If the Perfon fo appearing be
one of the Seers Acquaintance, he can tell by
his Countenance whether he comes in good or
bad Humour. The Author has been feen thus
by Seers of both Sexes, at fome Hundreds of
Miles diftance : Some that fa whim in this man-
ner, had never feen him Perfonally, and it
5
happen d according to their Vifions, without
any previous Defign of his to go to thofe pla-
ces, his coming there being purely Accidental.
And in the i yth Page of his Book, he tells us>
that Mr. Daniel Morifon, a Minifter, told him,
that upon his Landing in the IJIand Rona , the
Natives received him very affe&ionately, and
Addrefs'd themfelves to him with this Saluta-
tion. God fave you , Pilgrim you are hear-
!

tily welcome here, for we have had repeated

Apparitions of your Perfon among us, viz* af-
ter the manner of the Second Sight.
IX. It's ordinary with them to fee Houfes^
Gardens , and Trees , in places void of all
three, and this in Procefs of time ufes to be
accomplifti'd ; of which he gives an inftance
in the IJIand of Skie.
X. To fee a fpark of Fire fall upon ones
Arm , or Breaft , is a fore-runner of a dead
Child to be feen in the Arms of thofe PerfonsA
of which there are feveral frefh Inftances.
To fee a Seat empty at the time of ones
fitting in it, is a prefage of that Perfons Death
,
quickly after.
When a Novice, or one that has lately ob-
tain d the Second fight, fees a Vifion in the Night
time without Doors 3 and comes near a Fire,.
he prefently falls into a Swoon.

Some
 I

or Familiar Spirits. I I

Some themfeh
find in .1 cro
of People, having a
long with them ; and after fuch \

Seers conic in fwcating, and defcribc th(

pie that appear'd ;
it there icir
Acquaintance among th
count of their Names, and alio of tl

but they know nothing concerning the Co

All thole that have the Second lo not
alwa Virions at once, tn
sthcr at the time but it one who iuis
;

this faculty defignedl) touch his Fellow Seer, at

the inftant of a V iiions appearing, then 1

cond fees it as u ell as the tirft.

\1. . is a way of foretellhgDc
by a Cry, that they ciMTaisk, which fome call
a Wrath, in the Low-land. They hear a loud
Cry without Doors, exactly reiembling the
Voice of fome particular Perfon, whofe Death
is foretold by it j of which he gives a late in-

ftance which happen d in the Village Rigg, in

Shye Ifle.
XII. Things are alfo foretold by Smelling
fometimes, as follows Fifh, or Flefh is fre-
:

quently fmelt in the Fire, when at the fa

time neither of the two are in the Houfe, or,
in any probability like to be had in it , for
fome Weeks, or Months. This fmell fevera
Perfons have, who are endued with the Second
fight, and its always accomplifh'd foon after.
XIII. Children. Horfet, and Ccvjs , have the
Second fight, as well as Men and Women ad-
vancd in Years.
Thar fee it is plain, from their cry-
>

ing aloud at the very inftant^tha

other Viiion appears to an ordinary Seer Of :

I z
 6

1 1 M Account of Genii,
which he gives an inftance in a Child, when
himfelf was prefent.
That Horfes fee, it's like wife plain, from their
violent and fudden ftarting , when the Ri-
der, or Seer, in Company with them , fees a
Vifion of any kind, Night or Day ; it's obfer-
rable of an Horfe that he will not go forward
that way, till he be led about at fome di-
ftance from the common Road, and then he
is in a fweat ; he gives an inftance of this in

an Horfe, in the ijk of Skye.

That Cows have the Second fight , appears from
this ; that if a Woman Milking a Cow, hap-
pens to fee a Vifion by the Second fight , the
Cow rune away in a great fright at the fame
time, and will not be pacifyed for fome time
after.
In reference to this, Taracelfus, Tom. 9. /. de
Artefrafagdy writes thus,Horfes alfo have their
Auguries, who perceive by the fight and fmell
wandring Spiris, Witches and Spectres, and
the like things ; and Dogs, both fee and hear
the fame things.
Here, in the next place, the Author anfwers
Objections that have lately been made againft
the reality of the Second fight.
Firft, It's objeded , that thefe Seers are Vi-
fonary, and Melancholy People, who fancy
they fee things- that do not appear to them,
or any Body elfe.
He" Anfwers, The People of thefe IJles, and*
particularly the Seers are very Temperate, and
their Diet is Simple and Moderate, in Quanti-
ty and Quality j fo that their Brains are not,
in all Probability diforder'd by Undigefted
fumes of Meat, or Drink. Both Sexes are free
from Hvfterick Fits, Convulfions, and feve-
,ral

i
 or Familiar Spirit*. 117
ral other Diftempers of that fort. There arc
no Mad-men among them, nor any inftance
of fclf Murther. It's obferv'd among them,
that a Man drunk never has a Vifion of the
ccrul And lie that is a Vilionary, would
difcovcr himfclf in other things, as well as in
that ; nor arc fuch as have the St n I jl r ht> <

judgd tobeVifionaries by any of their Friends,

or Acquaintance.
, That there are none
Sicondly, It's objected
among the Learned, able to oblige the World,
with a fatisfactory Account of thefi Vilions,
therefore they are not to be believ'd.
He Anfwers, If every thing for which the
Learned are not able to give a Satisfa&ory ac-
count, fhall be condemn'd as Falfe and Im-
poffible, we fhall find many other things, ge-
nerally believ'd , which muft be reje&ed as
fuch.
Thirdly, It's objected, That the Seers arc Im-
poftors, and the People who believe them arc
Credulous, and eaiily impos'd upon.
He Anfwers, The Seers arc generally Illite-
rate, and well meaning People, and altoge-
ther void of Defign, nor could he ever learn
that any of them made the leaft gain of it

neither reputable among them to have that

is it

faculty beiide, the People of the IJks are not

:

fo Credulous , as to believe an Impoffibility,

before the thing foretold be accomplifh'd, but
when it actually comes to pals, afterwards it
is not in their Power to deny it, without of-

fering Violence to their Senfes and Reafon

beJkle, if the S< Deceive! -$ can it be
: ,

fonable to imagine , that all t r j, !

have not the Second

> hould combine
together , and offer Violence to their Under-
1 1
 :

i S An Account of Genii,
findings and Senfes-, to force themfelvsto be-
lieve a Lye from Age to Age ? There are
feveral Perfons among them, whofe Birth and
Education raife them above the fufpicion of
concurring with an Impofter, merely to gra-
tify an illiterate and contemptible fort of
y

Perfons. Nor can a reafonable Man believe,

that Children, Horfes., and Cows could be
ingaged in a combination to perfwade the
World of the reality of the Second Sight.
Every Villon that is feen, comes exa&ly to
pais., according to the Rules of Obfervation,

tho' Novices and heedlefs Perfons do not al-

ways judge by thofe Rules concerning which
:

he gives Inftances.
There are Vifions feen by feveral Perfons,
in whofe days they are not accompliihed
and this is one of the reafons , why fome
things have been feen., that are faid never to
have come to pafs^ and there are alfo feveral
V iiicns fcen, which are not underftood till
they are accomplifh'd.
The Second Sight is not a late difcovery,
feev, by one or two in a Corner, or a remote
/;/<, but ins {cen by many Perfons, of both
Sexes, in feveral IJles, Separated about Forty
or Fifty Leagues from one another ; the Inha-
bitants of many of thefe IJles, never had the
leaft Ccnverfe, by Word or Writing: and
this of Seeing Vifions., having con-
faculty
tinued, as we are informed by Tradition,
ever f nee the Plantation of thefe Ijk3 with-
out being difprov'd by the Niceft Scepfick,
after the ftri&eft Enquiry, feems to be a
clear prccf of its Reality.

Its
 or Familiar Spirits. i ip
It's obfervablej that it was much more com
mon Twenty ^ >, than
One in lOt ice it now, that law it

thei
is not confind to the
Second Sight
the Author having an Ac-
,

jne <

count that its likewife in fevcral parts

,

hut particularly in Bowmel, where a

,

Woman has it, for which flie is courted by

IC, and dreaded by others. She fees a
it ones Face, which is a forerun-

ner of the Death of a Pcrfon fo feen, and

fhe actually foretold the Deaths of feveral
that lived there ; flic was living in that Town
this laft Winter.
The Second Sight is likewife in the IJle of
Man, as appears by this Inftance; Captain
Leat/jSy the chief Commander of Belfijt, in
his Voyage 1690, loft Thirteen Men by a
violent Storm, and upon his Landing in the
IJle of Man, an Ancient Man, Clerk to a Pa-
fifli there, told him immediately, that he had

loft Thirteen Men; the Captain enquired

how he came to the knowledge of that, he
anfwered, that it was by Thirteen Lights, which
he had feen come into the Church-yard; as
Mr. Sacheverel tells us, in his late description
of the I/!e of Man. Note, That this is like the
fight of the Corps-Candles in Wales, which is
alfo well attefted.
Here the Author adds many other Inftan-
ces concerning the Second Sight, of which I
fhall fet down only a few.
A Man in Knockow,\n theParifli of St, Marys,
the Northermoft part of Skye, being in perfedt
1th, and fitting with his fellow Servants^
ight, v/as on a fudden taken HI, dropf
no An Account of Genii,
from his Seat backward, and then fell a Vo-
miting, which the Family was much con-
at
cerned, he having never been fubjed to the
like before; but he came to himfelf foon after,
and had no fort ofPain about him. One of
the Family who was accuftotnd to fee the
Second Sight, told them that the Man s Illnefs
proceeded from a very ilrange caufe, which
was thus. An illnatured Woman ( whom he
named ) who lives in the next adjacent Vil-
lage of Bomskittag, came before him in a
very furious and angry manner, her Counte-
nance full of Paffion, and her Mouth full of
Reproaches, and threatned him with her Head
and Hands, till he fell over, as you have feen
him. This Woman had a Fancy for the Man,
but was like to be difappointed as to her
Marrying of him. This Inftance was told, the
Author by the Mafter of the Family, and
others who were prefent when it happened.
Sir Norman MackUad, and fome others, Play-
ing at Tables, at a Game calVd in Mjh, Fal-
wtYmcrt, wherein there are Three of a Side,
and each of them throw the Dice by turns,
there happened to be one difficult Point in the
dif poling of one of the Table-men ; this obliged
the Gamefter to deliberate before he was to
change his Man, fmce upon the difpofing of
it, the Winning or Lofing of the Game de-

pended ; at length the Butler, who flood be-

hind., advifed the Player, where to place his
Man, with which he comply'd, andvvon the
Game. This being thought extraordinary,
znd Sir Ncrrvr.n hearing one Whifper him in
the Ear, askfd who advifed him fo skilfully ?

he anfwerd was the Butler; but this fetmd

it

more ftr&ngey for he could xiotiPlay at Tables.

Upoi}
 ; ' 1

or Familiar Spirits. 1 1

Upon this Sir Norman ask'd him how long it was

iince he had learnt to Play ? and the Fellow
own'd that he had never Play'd in his Lite,
but that he faw the Spirit Brownie ( a Spirit
ufually feen in that Country ) reaching his
Arm over the Players Head, and touching the
part with his Finger, on the Point where the
Table-man was to be plac'd. This was told
the Author by Sir Norman and others., who
happen'd to be prefent at the time.
Daniel Bow, alias Black , an Inhabitant of
Bvrnsktit.g, who is one of the precifeft Seers
in the IJles, foretold the death of a young
Woman, in M'mgims, within lefsthan 24 Hours
before the time, and accordingly fhe Died
fuddenly in the Fields ; tho' at the time of
the Prediction fhe was in perfect Health ; but
the Shroud appearing clofe about her Head,
was the ground of his Confidence, that her
Death was at hand.
The fame Perfon, foretold the Death of a
Child in his Mafter's Arms, by feeing a fpark
of Fire fall on his Left Arm: and this was
likewife accomplifh'cl foon after the Predicti-
on.
Some of the Inhabitants of Harries , Sail-
ing round the Ife of Sky, with a defign to go
to the oppofite Main-land, were itrangely
furprifed with an Apparition of Two Men
Hanging down by the Ropes that fecured the
Maft, but could not conjedure what it meant
they purfued their Voyage, but the Wind
turning contrary, they were forced into Broad-
ford , in the IJle of Skye, where they found-
DonaldMac Donald keeping a Sheriffs Court,
and Two Criminals receiving Sentence ef
Death there; the Ropes and" Maft of that
veryj
 ;

12 2 An Recount of Genii ,

very Boat were made ufe of to Hang thofc

Criminals. This was told the Author by
feveral who had this Inftance related them by
the Boat's Crew.
Several Perfons, living in a certain Family,
told the Author that they had frequently feen
two Men Handing at a Gentlewoman's Left
Hand, who was their Mailer's Daughter
they told the Mens Names, and being her
equals it was not dQubted but fhe would be
1
Marry'd to one of them ; and perhaps to the
other, after the Death of the Firft. Sometime
after;, a Third Man appeared, who feemed
always to Hand neareft to her of the Three,
but the Seers did not know him , tho' they
could defcribe him exa&ly ; and within fome
Months after, this Man who was feen laft,
ft&ually came to the Houfe, and fully an-
fwer'd the defcription given of him by thofe
who never faw him, but in a Vifion, and he
Marry'd the Woman ftiortly after: they
live in the IJIe of Skye3 and both themfelves
and others confirm'd the truth of this Inftance,
when the Author faw them.
Archibald Mac Donald , of the Pariftl of
St. Marys in the IJIe of Skye , being reputed
famous for his Skill in foretelling things to
come, by the Second Sigh , hapning to be in
the Village Knockow one Night, and before
Supper, told the Family that he had juft
then feen the ftrangeft thing he ever faw in
his Life, viz. a Man, with an ugly long
Cap, always fhaking his Head ; but that the
ftrangeft of all was a little kind of an Harp,
I which he had, with Four Strings only, and
that it had Two Hart's Horns fixt in the front
of it: all that heard this odd "Vifion fell a

lUugBng
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 1
^
laughing at Archibald , telling him that he
ing, or had not his Wits about hi
fince he pa fee a thing which had
no being, and was not lb much as heard of
in any part of the World All this could not
r Archibald's Opinion, who told them,
that they mull excufe him, if he Laught at
them after the accomplifbment of the Vifion.
Archibald returned to his own Houfe, and
within Three or Four Days after, a Man with
a Cap, Harp , drc. came to the Houfe, and
the 1 >trings, Horns and Cap anfwer'd,
the defcription of them at firft view, and he
fhook his Head when he ; for he had
play'd
Two Bells fixed to his Cap.
This Harper was
a Poor Man, who made himfelf a Buffoon
for his Bread, and was never feen before in
thofe parts, and at the time of the Prediction
he was in the Jfe of Barray ; which is about
Twenty Leagues diftant from that part of
Skye. This Relation is Vouch'd by Mr. Daniel
Martin, and all his Family, and fuch as were
then prefent, and live in the Village where
this happened.
One Daniel Nicbolfon, Minifter of St. Marys
in Skyey the Parifh in which Mr. Archibald
Donald liv'd, told the Author, that one
lajy after Sermon, at the Chappel Ugey
he took an opcafion to inquire of Archibald,
if he ftill retained that unhappy Faculty of
Seeing the Second Sight, and wifh'd him to get
rid of it, if poffible, for faid he, it's no true
Character of a Good Man. Archibald was
highly difpleafed, and anfwered that he hop'd
he was no more unhappy thanhi* Neighbours,
for feeing what they could not perceive.
I hud , faid he> as ferious Thoughts as
my
ii4 ^n Account of Genii,
my Neighbours, in time of hearing a Sermon to
Day, and even then I faw a Corps lay'd on
the Ground clofe to the Pulpit and I affure
•

you it will be accomplifh'd fliortly, for it was

in the Day time. There were none in the
Parifh then Sick, and few are buried at that
littleChappel, nay fometimes not one in a
Year. Yet when Mr. NiMfon return d to
Preach in the faid Chappel, a Fortnight, or
Three Weeks after, he found one buried in
the very Spot, named by Archibald. This
Story is Vouch'd by Mr. Nicholfon, and feveral
of the Parilhioners ftill living.
Note, That it's an Argument of fomewhat
Evil, attending this faculty of the Second Sight ,
becaufe there are Inftances given of fome
Perfons, who have been freed of it, upon
ufing fome Chriftian Practices.
Sir Norman Mac Leady who has his Refidence
in the Tfle of Bernera, which lies between the
JJIes ofN. Vift and Harries, went to the Ifle of

Skye about Bufinefs, without appointing any

time for his return ; his Servants in his ab-
fence, being all together in the large Hall at
Night, one of them, who had the Second Sight,
told the reft they muft remove, for there
would be abundance of other Company in
the Hall that" Night; one of his Fellow-Ser-r
vants anfwered, rhat there was very little
likelyhood of that, becaufe of the Darknefs
of the Night, and the danger of coming
thro' the Rocks, that lie round the Ifle :but
within an Hour after , one of Sir Normans
Men came to the Houfe,, bidding them pro-
vide Lights, &c. for his Mafter had jiewly
landed.
 or Familiar Spirits^ 1
1^
Sir Norman being told of this, caird for the
Seer, and examined him about it j he anfwer'd,
that he had feen the Spirit Brownie, in hu-
mane fhapc, come feveral times, and make a
fhew of carrying an Old Woman that fate
by the Fire, to the Door, and at laft, feem'd
to carry her out by Neck and Heels, which
made him Laugh heartily, and gave occafion
to the reft to conclude him Mad, to Laugh
fo much without any reafon. This Inftance
was told the Author by 'Sir Norman him-
felf.

Four Men from the Ifle of Skye and Harriet,

went to Barbadoes, and nay 'd there fome Years,
who tho' they had wont to fee the Second
Sight in their Native Countrey, never faw it
in Barbadoes; but upon their return to Eng-
land, the Firft Night after their Landing,
they faw the Second Sight; as the Author was
told by feveral of their Acquaintance.
John Morifon, who lives in Bernera of Har-
ries, wears the Plant called Fuga Damonum,
Sewsd in the Neck of his Coat, to prevent
his feeing of Vifions, and fays, he never faw
any fince he firft carry 'd that Plant about
him.
A Spirit, by the Country People call'd
Brownie, was frequently feen in all the moft
confiderable Families in the IJles, and North
of Scotland, in the ftiape of a tall Man,
having very long brown Hair: but with-
in thefe 20 Years paft, he has been feen but
rarely.
There were Spirits alfo that appeared in
the fhape of Women, Horfes, Swine, Cats,
and fome like Fiery Balls, which would fol
low Men in the Fields ; but there have been
but
 ;

1 26 An Account of Genii,
but few Inftances of thefe for 40 Years paft.
Thefe Spirits us'd alfo to form founds in the
Air, refembling thofe of an Harp, Pipes, the
crowing of a Cock, and of the grinding of
Hand Mills : and fometimes Voices have been
heard in the Air at Night, Singing Irijh Songs
the words of which Songs fome of the Author's
Acquaintance ftill retain ; one of them refem-
bled the Voice of a Woman, who died fome
timd before, and the Song related to her State
in the other Worfd. Thefe Accounts the Au-
thor fays, he had from Perfbns of as great
Integrity, as any are in the World. So far
Mr. Martin.
As for Sounds in the Air refembling that of
Mufical Inftruments , crowings of a Cock,
Singing, &c. I have often heard them my felf.
In my reading, I have met with many well
attefted Inftances, which may ftrongly induce
a belief of what is faid concerning; the Se-
cond fight : Of which Inftances I mall here
give a few.
Sicillusy an Herald to Alfhonfus King ofAra-
gon, in his Book entitled, Le Blafon des Couleurs,
writes thus : There is a Town in Italy y call'd
Teridony where this Miracle is wont to happen,
if any Citizen or Labourer be to die that
Year, when he labours his Field, there clear-
ly appears a great effufion of Blood, and the
Blood fignifies a near enfuing Death of the
PoffeiTor of that Field.
The Lord Henry Howard, in the Book he
chaP- x 7-
wr againft Sufpo/J Trofhefies, writes thus.
jt

It chanc'd, after the Deceafe of a certain

honeft Gent, (whom I forbear to Name in fome
Refpe&s) the Devil appearing (Jo he Exprefes
it; tkft to one of his Daughters, in his wonted
fhape
 or Familiar Spirits, 1 17
fliape, and with a Voice and Countenance an-
(werable ; an pun to another, he brought
the Young Woman into fo ttrange a Condi-
tion, that it would have griev'd any Mm
to
; and this feem\l llrange with-
al , that at the time his Appearance haunted
them , they could as well tell who came into
the Houfe, what they faid and did, &c. as any
that were prefent in their Companies. The
like Story , for all the World, is written of
Hicronyrw an batian5 andlikewife of one of the
nperors. So far the Lord Howard; who
I think : look'd upon as an unexcepti-

onable Tcftimony , in the Story he relates of

his own Knowledge, he having otherwife lit-
tle Faith in things of this kind.
The Learned Camtrarius writes thus : I could //^. fu &.
eafilyName, and (hew a Man living in my cis.ecm.u
Neighbourhood, while I write this, v/ho for- c l°* «

merly having been Famous for his Manage-

ment of Serious Affairs, as well as other ways,
has now for many Years been kept under
a Guard, becaufe now and then, for certain
intervals of time, he is a&ed by a wonderful
and troublefome Spirit ; for he docs not onl)
(wherein a fedate Mind) call many that come
to him ("though Strangers and fuch as he had
never f^cn before) by their proper Names,
and talk to them Pleafantly concerning their
Parents, Relations, and the Coats of Arms of
their Families , and this as Familiarly as tho'
he had been a long time Converfant with
them (and which he did to niy felf and if
he be in a troubl \ mixes Falfe and Ob-
fcene things with what he fays ;but alfo fome-
times he fpeaks and does other unufual and
ftrange thin .trcicularly ic was obferv'd,
that
 8
r

1 1 An Account of Genii,
that fome Years fince , about that rery time
that Ciffar Cafialion, Admiral of France, with
his Son in Law, and many Noblemen of his
Religion, were by furprize kill'd in their Beds
at Paris, he had wonderful Vifions,from which
it might have been gather'd, that fom© cruel
Enterprize was fomewhere contfiv'd ahd exe-
cuted. Among other things, the very Night
of that cruel Butchery made at Paris, he of-
ten cry'd out, all is in Blood ; and a little af-
ter, fee, fee, what great Troops of Devils do
I fee wandring in the Air, on every fide, co-
ming from feveral remote Parts, Congratula-
ting each other, and skipping for Joy, as tho'
they had executed fome ftrange and cruel En-
terprize, long defir'd by them ; but he added,
crying out, that all thofe things were a<5ted
out of Germany.
I think this a great inftance from a Learned
Man and if any Men can fatisfie themfelves
•

with ArifiotU, to folve Facfts of this Nature,

fey faying, they are Operations of Melancho-
ly, I leave them to their Fancies. If this Fad,
and others fet down before by me may be re-
ceiv'd as a Truth, I fee not what difficulty
there may be in admitting for a Truth, what
is reported of Afollonius Tyanaus, viz/ that as
he was difputing in an open Auditory at Epbc-
Jus, he cry'd out on a fudden, that he faw Do-
mitian ftab'd at Rome, at the very time that it
was done.
To give one infti nee nearer hortie. There
liv'd many Years fince, a very aged Gen-
not
tlewoman, in London, in Water-Lane, by Fleet-
5W<?ef,whofeName was Pig.^who was endowed
with aProphetick Spirit, fhe was very well
known to many Perfons, of my Acquaintance,
aow
 or Familiar Spirits. 129
row living in /. ujm. An
tlenun,
has told me, that i.

to an Orach chat as I

to her Prefl
that (he km
feci
out hfa , any thing to her, :
:

him j what die I

ich he came to corrflilth

the Event 1 ! V^bich he

-
, now li\ \i Ex-

. in his / ;- r.rrf 2.

tdl us of a Boy fei/Al with the PL

who being thought dead, on a Hidden
came to himfclt; and calling his Mailer, told
him he had really been in Heaven, and there
had underftood how many, and who were r
out the Houfe, and naming them he affirm'd ;

his Maftar fhould ilirvivc, and to create a be-

lief cf what he faid, he fhew'd that lie had
irn'd all Languages and prelently theroup- ;

on fpake in Greek with his Mailer he made ;t ;

Tryal alio in other Tom converl

with thofe who were skill d in them, whe
before he had only learn d the R m. n Lsu
and when he hadliv'd thus three Da\ y foili i

into a 1 e lay'd hold ofhisHan Is id -

Teeth, and the others wl ;

he had nam\l dicd,his

To the foregoing Account ox the
\ I fhall fubjoin athi
no lefs ftrange, -viz. An Ac.
-

re
 x$o An Account of Genii,
fions, violent Agitations, &c. they were wont
;
to fee the Spettres of thofe Perfons, who they
laid tormented them.
Mr. Cotton Mather, a Minifter of New-Eng-
Und, in his Relation of the Wonders of the in-
*uifiblc World, inferted in his Ecclefiafiical Hifio*
ry of that Country j Printed in London, An. 1702.
infol. has gir'n us feverallnftancesof this kind,
as alfo of many other Diabolical Operations.
And Mr. Robert Calef, a Merchent of Bofion,
in Ntjv-Enghnd, has giv'n us a pretty full Ac-
count of the fame, in his Book, intitl'd, More
widers of the invifible World, or, The wonders of
the iniujible World diftlayd, in five Parts, Prin-
ted in London, An. 1700 in 40. And whereas
thefe two Authors feem to differ in Opinion,
the former thinking things to have been real,
and proceeding from the Operations of Evil
Spirits, and the later looking upon them gene-
rally to have been Illufion and Impofture, I fhall
give here an Abilract of both, for Men to fee
what they may Rationally judge in the Matter.
Mr. Mather, in the fixth Book of thefaid Hi-
* 7-
ftory,relates many of thefe Fa&s^and that with
all fincerity, as he declares, and fays, that no
Rational Man of all that Country ever que-
ftion'd them.
His Firft Inftance is of one Anne Cole, a Per-
fon of ferious Piety (as he writes) living in
the Houfe of her Godly Father at Hartford
in New-England ; who, An. 1662. was taken
with ftrange Fits , fo that flie would exprefs
flxange things , unknown her
to her felf ,
'

Tongue being guided by a Damon. ge- The

bral purport of her Difcourfe was, that fuch
•
and fuch Perfbns , whom fhe nam'd , were
niulting how they might carry on Mifchie-
us Deligns againft her, and feveral others,
by
 or Familiar Spirits.

in !

(he with Aft

nam'd in the
Devi!, wh<
A-
grccmcnt betwixt them fho
(he
firft in the Deer ,

her, length, in that I

and that the Devil had frequently C

Knowledge of her. On this Confemon, with
other concurring Evidences, the Woman v
executed, and other Perfons accus'd ma
their efcape reupon ,

extraordinary \ exatu
Second Inftance is 1

in October, 1 67 1. was taken after a \

mer, Weeping, "Laughing, R< .•

violent Agitations , &c.

g in her ; among other things ,

cry'd out in her Fits, that a cert

the

thus cry'd out c

who , b
the affli I, who :.

in»

:
 1

1 1 An Account of Genii,
nocent Woman pray'd earneftly with > and
forthis poffefs'd Creaturej whereupon, as (he
came to her felf y fhe confefs'd flie had been
deluded by Satan, who, in the fhape of dirers
Perfons, cruelly tormented her after divers
Manners, and then told her it was not him-
f elf, but they were her Tormentors.

The Third Intfance is of the Houfe of

Mr. William Morfe of Newbury, which,^#. 1679.
was infefted with Demons, not unlike the Da-
won of Ted-worth. Bricks, Sticks, Stones, Pieces
of Wood, &c. were often thrown at the Houfe,
a long Staff danc'd up and down the Chim-
ny, and afterward was hung on a Line, and
fwung to and fro; an Iron Crook was violently
hurryed about by an invifible hand 3 and a
-

Chair flew about the Room, till at laft it light

on the Table, where Meat flood ready to be
Eaten, and was like to have fpoil'd all. A
5

Cheft was by an invifible Hand carry d from

one place to another , and the Doors Barrica-
do'd, and the Keys of the Family taken, fome
of them, from the Bunch , where they were
tyed, and the reft flying about with aloud
Noife of their Knocking againft one another ;
and many other unaccountable things of this
kind pafs'd^too long for me here to fet down ;
a little Boy belonging to the Family, was a
Principal Sufferer in thefe Moleftations, he
was flung about at fuch a rate that they fear'd
his Brains would have been beaten out ; nor
did they find it poffible to hold him, his Bed
Clothes were pull'd eft from his Bed, his Bed
fhaken- a Man took him to keep him in z
Chair^ but the Chair fell a dancings and both
were very near being thrown into the Fire., he
was pricVd on the Back, they found an Iron
Spindle
 or Fatmliir Spirits. i
j J

Spindle and Pins ihuk in him, all the Knives

in the H leaner another (luck in
Back, which the Spectators pulfdout Some-
:

times lie bark'd like :i Dog, then clock'd lij

an Hen, he complain' d, that a Man call'd P —
appear d to him , as the caufe of all. Before
the Devil put an end to thefe Tricks, the in-
vifible Hand which did all thefe things , put
on an aftonifhing vilibility. They often
thought they felr the Hand that fcratchd them,
while yet they faw it not ; but when they
thought they had hold of it, it would give
them the flip. Once the Fift beating the Man
was dilcci nable, but they could not catch hold
of it: at length an Apparition of a Blackamoor
Child fhew'd it felf plainly to them ; another
time a Drumming on the Board was heard,
which was followed with a Voice that fang,
Revenge, Revenge, Sweet is Revenge ; at this the
People being terrify ed call'd upon God; where-
upon there followed a Mournful Voice uttering
thefe Expreflions. Alas Alas
! ! we knock no
more , we knock no more , and there was an
end of all.
The Fourth Inftance is of the Houfe of
Nicolas Desborough,Zt Hartford, which, An. 1683.
was troubl'd much after the fame manner ; ic
began upon a Controverfie happening betwixt
the Man of the Houfe,and another Perfon,con-
cerning a Cheft of Cloaths, which the Mar?
apprehended the other unjuitly detain d from
him, and it lafted divers Months, till upon re-
tiring the Cloat'.s the trouble ceasd. He
adds, at Brlgbling in Sifjjcx, in England (the
,

happend a ^Tragedy not unlike "to this, ,

x6 J 9. It's Recorded by CLrL, in the Second

Volume of his Examples.
K ?
Km
34 An Account of Genii,
His Fifth, and Sixth Inftances are Relati-
ons of the fame Nature;
His Seventh Inftance is of one Mr. Fbilip
Smith, aged about Fifty Years , a Deacon of
the Church of H Mey, a Member of the general
Court, ajuftice of the County Court, a Lieute-
nant of a Troop, and a Man very Exemplary
for Devotion, Sanctity, and Gravity, who, An*
1689. was miferably Murther d by Witchcraft,
he was, by his Office, concernd about relie-
ving the Indigences of a wretched Woman in
the Town., who being diffatisfy'd with him,
exprefs'd her felf in a threatning manner, fo
that he apprehended receiving mifchief at her
Hands; he fell ill of a wearing Diftemper, and
at length
o became delirious,J and crv'd
J
out not
only of Pains, but alfo of Pins tormenting him
in ieveral Parts of his Body. In his Affii&ion he
exclaim'd much on the faid Woman, and o-
thers , as being fc^n by him in the Room.
Some young Men in the Town went and gave
cMurbance to the Woman fo complain'd of,
2nd all the while they were difturbing her, he
was at eafe and flept, as a weary Man. Galli-
pots of Medicines prepar'd for him, were un-
accountably empty ed, audible fcreechings were
made about the Bed, when his Hands and Feet
lay wholly ftill,and were held by others. Mr.
SMth^ at length dies ; the Jury that view'd his
Corps, found a fwelling on one Breaft , his
Privities wounded, or burnt, his Back full of
Bruifes, and feveral Holes that feem'd made
with Awlesj divers Noifes were heard in the
Room where the Corps lay, as the clattering
of Clrirs and Stools, whereof no account
could be givn,

His
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 j $
His Ninth Inltance, to tl
the Author was himfelf a V >ur
Children Of John Goodwin of Boftotty all R
:d. Theft Children ./;;. 1688.
j wrought on by Witchcraft, by an Old

Woman, whom the Eldeft Daughter, v.

was about Thirteen Years of Age, had pm-
vok'dj fo that (he was immediately feiz'd
with odd Fits : in a fhort time after,
her SifteiSj and two Broth re horribly
d with the fame, all the Children we
tormented ftill juft in the fame part of the
Bodies, at the fame time, tho' their Pains ffew
likeLightning from one part to another, and
they were kept fo far afunder, that they
neither faw, nor heard one anothers Com-
plaints; at Nine or Ten of the Clock at
Night they ftill had a releafe from their Mil!•-
ries, and Slept all Night pretty well j but
when the Day came, they were again mife-
rably handl'd; fometimes they were Deaf,
fometimesDumb/fometimes Blind, and fteij
all Three at once, and many other unaccoun-
table Symptoms attended them; they made
mod pitious out-cries , that they were cue
with Knives, and ftruck with Blows, and the
plain prints of the Wounds were feen upon
them; the fufpecled Woman's Houfe being
fearch'd, feveral Images, or Puppets, or Babi
made of Rags, and ftufc with Goats Ha
there found, and the Woman confeft that the
way to Torment the Objects of h
was by w ettingof her Finger with
r
i e,
!

and ftroaking thofe little Images. The abuied

Children were then prefent in the Court, and
one of the In. cing brought to the
Won;an, flic Parted up, and fhatch'd it into
K. 4
} 6 An Account of Genii,
her Hand, when prefently upon it one of the
Children fell into fad Fits, before the whole
Aifembly. The Judges caufed a repetition of
the Experiment, and ftill found the fame ef-
fect of it, tho' the Children faw not when the
Hand of the Witch was laid upon the Images.
To make all things clear, the Court appointed
Five, or Six Phyficians to Examine her very
frrictly whether fhe were no way craz'd in
,

her Under (landing, who after fpending feve-

ral Hours with her, return d her Compos Men-
//-, and Sentence of Death was pafs'd on her*

After her Condemnation, Mr. Mather fiys, he

vifjeed her fe veral times, and fhe then told him,
:

fhe us'd to be at Meetings where her Prince,

and four more were prefent ; fhe told him who
the four were,, and plainly faid, that her Prince
was the Devil; at her Execution fhe faid, the
arrlicted Children fliould not be relieved 'by her
Death, for others beiides her felf had a Hand
in their Afflidiojtt And accordingly, the Chil-
:

dren continued afflicted far-worfe than before j

one of the Children difcern d the Spectres, and
told the Names of thofe that tormented them ;
a blow ftru'ck at the place where he faw the
Spet ire y was always felt by the Boy himfelf,
f

in that part of his Body , which anfwer'd to

that was ftruck at 5 and this, though his Back
\wztq tiirn'd, and the thing fo done, that there
could be no Collufion in it,yet after the Agonies
were oyer, to which a pufh , or a ftab at the
Spe&H had put him to, as in a Minute, or two
they would be, he would have a refpite from
his Ails ^ a coniiderable while, and the Speftri
would be gone. The Affiiftion of the Chil-
dren Went on till they bark'd at each other like
Dc gs, and then purrd like Cats. They would
complain
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 37
complain they were in a Red hot Oven, and
:ucd, as it they had been really
fo. Then they would lay j that cold Water
>wn on them , at which they would
fhiver very much. They would complain of
1 called on an invilible Spit, and lie, and
roll, and groan a> if it had been fo ; and by
(creech out, that Knives were cutting
,

them They would complain that their Heads

were naifd to the Floor, and it was beyond an
ftrength to pull them from thence.
the Demons did not know our
,

Thoughts; for if himfelf, or others us'd a

., and
iaid, untie its Neckcloth, but the
Iden underilood their meaning to be,
untie his Shooe , the Neckcloth, and not' the
Shooe has been, by wrythen Poftures, rendred
ilrangely unacceffible ; no good thing could
then be endued near thofe Children, who
while they were themfelves, lov'd every good
thine. The eldeft Girl , being at Mr. Mather %
Iloufe, a Chain irivifible to any butherfelf,
would be clap'd about her, and fhe, in much
pain and fear, would cry out when they began
ro put ic on ; fometimes Perfons prefent couldL
with their Hands knock it off, as it began to
he fallnd bur ordinarily when it was on (he
j

would be pulfd out of her Seat, with much

violence towards the Tire, that it was as much
as one or to two could do, to keep her out
if Perfons prefent ftamp'd on the Hearth, juft
between her and the Fire , fhe fcream'd out,
that by fairing the Chain they hurt her. An
5 with a cruel Noofe was put about
her Neck,, whereby fhe was choak'd , till fhe
black in the Tace ; and though it were got
off before it had kill d her, yet there were the
red
i £g An Account of Genii,
red Marks of it, and of a Finger and a Thumb
near it, remaining to be feen for fome while
afterwards thefe Children were often near
•

burning and drowning , and ftrangling them-

felves with their Neckcloths, but Hill feafona-
bly fuccor d ; and, to omit many other Circum-
fiances, they were at length deliver'd from this
great Affiidion.
Mr. Mather , at the end of Fourteen In^
fiances of this kind , written by himfelf, lays
before us an Account ofVifitations of the fame
Nature, which happen d in New~Enghnd, An.
1 692. and written by Mr. John Hales , a Perfon,
who , as Mr. Mather fays , would not for a
World be guilty of overdoing the Truth^in an
Hillory of fuch Importance. The Account is
as follows.
At the latter end of the Year, 1 691. Mr. Pa-
ris, Paftor of the Church in Salem Village, had
a Daughter of about Nine Years of Age, and
a Niece of about Eleven, fadly affiided with
unaccountable Diftempers, as Phyficians that
were confulted thought,and one of them judgd
. they were betwkch'd. Mr. Paris had an Indian
Man Servant , and his Wife an Indian Woman,
who confefs'd that without the Knowledge of
their Mafter and Miftrefs, they had taken fome
of the afflicted Perfons Urine, and mixing it
with Meal, had made a Cake, and baked it, to
find out the Witch, as theyfaid. After this the
afflided Perfons cry '4 out of the Indian Woman,
nam'd Tituba, that flie pinch'd , prick'd, and
grievoufly tormented them , and they faw her
here and there , where no Body elfe could,
2nd could where ilie was, and what fhej
tell
did when was abfent from them, thefe
flie

Children were bitten and pinch'd by invifibl?

Agents,' •
 or Familiar Sf irits. i
] 9
Agents, thei re rack'd grid tormen-
ted, and mifcrably contorted , 1

tag of ti
hrefs in her ( m-
;

had taught her fome

mcai as'd for 1 :h,
ing of being bcwitchul. In :i
flio; ther Pcrfons, who were of Age to
ere molefied in, and in
thei: out upon 7 md GooSy
Orb.r , that they, or Spt&res
in tl .voufly torment them.
The Jufticcs at £*&*» examin'd the Affliftcd
and Accus'cl together, and upon the Examinati-
on:, Tituba confefs'd, that fhe was a Witch, ahd
that flie, and the other two accused, did tor-
ment and bewitch the Complainers and that ;

two others, whofe Names fhe knew

thefe, with
not, had their Witch-Meetings together, re-
lating the times wherij and places where they
met, with otherCircumftances. Upon this Tit**
77, zndGeod were committed to Priibn,
on fufpicion of a&ing Witchcraft. Scon after
thefe Afflicted Pcrfons complain'd of others af-
ing them and the Number of
in their Fits ;

, and
i&ed Accus'd began to increafe j
and upo more confefs'd them-
es gui ty of the dimes they were fufped-
ofConfeffors mounting at
to Fifty. Thejuftices, Judges, and o-
the ; Conscientious end.
ned, us'd all
what wasaccording to for-
right,
*d , in the like
TtteMatter was carry ed on c e Com-
md Accufations of ti by
Confeffion- mning
txd others : Yet lixpeiuncwfh.w'd
that
 1 40 An Account of Genii,
!
that the more were apprehended , the more
l were ftill affli&ed ; and the Number of the
Confeflbrs enereafmg,, did but increafe the
Number of the Accus'd j and the executing of
fome made way for the apprehending of others:
for ftill the affli&ed complain'd of being tor-
mented by new Obje&s y as the former were
removed ; fo that thofe that were concerned
were amaz d at the Number and qualicy of the
Perfons accus'd^and fear'd Innocent Perfons fuf-
fer'd and henceforth, the Juries generally ac-
:

quitted fuch as were try'd^ fearing they had

gone too far before^ and all were fet at Liber-
ty^ ev'n the Confeflbrs. The Number of the Ac-
cus'd was increas'd to above an Hundred,, and
many of them were Perfons of blamelefs and
holy Lives. Nineteen were executed_, and all
deny'd the Crime dying ; and fome of thera
were knowing Perfons., and had before this
been accounted blamelefs Livers. The Perfe-
cution ceaiing , the Afflided grew prefently
well y the accus'd were quiet y and for Five
Years paft there has been no Moleftation by
them. So in Suffolk, in England 3 about the
Year 1645-. th&z was fuch a Profecution., till
they faWj that unlefs a ftop were put to it, it
would bring all into Blcod and Confiifion.
The like has been in France , till 900 were put
to Death and in fome other Places the like.
;

So that Nev -England is not the only place cir-

i

cumvented by the Wiles of Satan in this kind.

He relates from Witrm > p, 6783 that an Incfui-
fitorin the Subalpine Valleys 3 enquir'd after
Women Witches,, and burnt above an Hun-
dred,, and was profecuting more,, till the Coun-
try People rofe, and by force of Arms hindred
thenr, and refer'd the Matter to the Bifhop.
Theii,
 or Famliiw Spirits 14I
Their Husbands affirm'd, that at that very time
them, that they play'd and danc d
t

Undc ee, they were in Bed with them.

At CMmsj 1647. there were
eforc Judge and Fourteen
Coniers,
of them Hbng'dj and an Hundred more de-
tained id feveral Prifons in Suffolk and Ejjix.
As for the Cafe at Salem, he conceives it
proceeded from fome miftaken Principles; as
that Satan cannot affume the fhape of an In-
nocent Perfon, and in that fhape do Mifchief
to the Bodies and Goods of Mankind and •

that when the Devil does harm to Perfons

in their Bodies or Goods, irs at leaft, for the
mod part by the help of our Neighbours, fome
which are in Covenant with him. This is the
fubftance of what Mr. Hales delivers ; and
Mr. Mather tells us, that Mr. Hales, from whofe
Manufcript he Tranfcribed this, does there
Confute thefe miftaken Principles yet fpends
:

whole Chapters to prove that there is a Witch,

whom he thus defines. Tis a Perfon that ha-
ving the free ufe of his Reafon, does know-
ingly and wittingly obtain of the Devil, or of
any other Divine Power, but the True God,
an ability to do or know ftrange things, or
things which he cannot by his own humane
abilities arrive unto.
Mr. Mather, in an Appendix, at the end of
his bixthChapter of his Sixth Book, before-
mentioned, gives a fliort Relation of fome
pracHfcs of Witchcraft, ufed by the Indians of
New Er.glmd, as follows.
The Indians C who 3' ,

now Cbrlfiiansy abunda w-

ledge the Witchcraft, wl
Converfarions, and expli \ ith
i
 — ;

142 An Account of Genii,

Devils, while they were Vagons. They know
that many Perfons among them have been,
by the zeal of their Parents, dedicated to their
Infernal Gods, and educated for their efpecial
Service but that the Damons accept only of
:

fome here and there to make 7 aw aw s or Wizards

of. They know that thefe 7 aw aw s often Im-
ploy their Damons to fmite their Neighbours
with Blindnefs, and Lamenefs, and other Mif-
chiefs, and fometimes to Kill them, and fome-
times to Cure their Maladies. They know that
their manner is to form a piece of Leather like
an Arrow's Head, and then tye an Hair to it
or to take a Bone of fome dead Creature
over thefe things they ufe Magical Ceremonies,
whereupon the Damon prefently fnatches them
away, and conveys them into the Bodies of
Perfons to be affli&ed ; or fometime the Da-
mon pretends to them, that he brings a portion
of the Spirit of the Perfon, clofely imprifon'd
in a Fly ; and as they deal with the Fly., fo it
fares with the Body of the Perfon intended.
Some of the 7awaws faculty chiefly confifts in
difcovering and recovering Stoln Goods, by
the help of their Damons. A 7awaw, turnd
Chriftlan, faid he had often employed his God,
who appeared to him flill in the form of a
Snake, to Kill ,Wound., and Lame, fuch as
he defign d Mifchief to. So far Mr. Mather.
I fhall now give an Account of what
Mr. Calefy above mentioned, has delivered in
his Book, Entitled, More Wonders of the Inviji-
bleV/orld, &C.
In his Preface he tells the Reader, he pub-
lifhes thefe his Collections and Sentiments, in
hopes., that having well coniider'd and com-
pared them with the Scriptures, he will fe^
Reafon,

-
 or Familiar Spirits. }4'
Reafon, as well ashimfelf, to queftiun a be-
lief fo that there treated
llfo the pradua flowing from thence; he
his and ef-
disbelief of the operations
fects of the Devil, cxpreft by Mr. Mathery in
bis WmJcrs of the hcvi&blc WmU\ BS that the
ited himfelf ordinarily as a Black
Occoy'd Miferable Malicious Crca-
tures to Lift themfelves in his Service, by en-
•

tring their Names in a Book and that they

5

j had their Meetings and Sacraments, ha-

ving each of them their Spettrcs, or Devils

commiffion'd by them, and reprefenting of
them, to be the Engines of their Malice: By
thefe wicked Spettrcs affli&ing poor People
with various Torments, even Killing fome,
andcaufing fome to deftroy themfelves, and
carrying fome over Trees, and Hills, Miles
together, many of them being tempted to fign
the Devif s Laws.
He takes this matter to be, as others under-
ftand it, iij*. that the Devil has been too hard
for many in Neu>*EngLind, by his Temptati-
ons, Signs, and Lying Wonders, with the help
of pernicious Notions, formerly imbibed and
profeft ; together with the accufations of a
parcel of Poffeft, Diftra&ed or lying Wenches,
accuiing their Innocent Neighbours , pre-
tending they fee their Spectres, that is, the De-
vil in their likenefs, affli&ing of them where- :

upon many Tragedies followed, which tho'

begun in one Parifh, fpread over the w]
Country j and he thinks a Zeal led by Blind-
nefs and Paffion, and former Prefidents had
herein precipitated Perfons into thefe \

nelfes, or Witchcrafts, an
fame has been acted 1

His
144 4n Account of Genii,
His Book being divided into Five Parts, he
begins his Firft Part with a Letter fent by
Mr. Cotton Mather to a Friend of his, contain-
ing a Relation of an Apparition happening to
one Margaret Rule, living in the North part of
Bofton. This young Woman, oji a Sunday,
December the 10th. 169;. after fome Hours of
previous difturbance in the Publick Affembly,
fell into odd Fits, which caufed her Friends to
carry her home, where her Fits in a few Hours
appeared to be preternatural: She was affaul-
ted by eight cruel Spettres , of which fhe
thought fhe knew three or four, but the reft
came Hill with their Faces cover'd fhe pri-
:

vately told Mr. Mather the Names of thofe

fhe knew, Who fays, they were miferable
Wretches, that for many Years had been
ftrongly fufpe&ed for Witches. Thofe Spettres
brought her a red thick Book, not very broad,
about a Cubit long, and demanded her to fet
her Hand to it, or at leaft to touch it with
her Hand, as a fign of her becoming the De-
vil's Servant; which flie peremptorily refufmg
to do, they fell a Tormenting her cruelly, fo
that fhe was forced to keep her Bed fix Weeks
together. Sometimes, tho' not always, to-
gether with the Spectres, there look'd in upon
her, as fhe faid, a Short Black Man, whom
they called their Mafter, being eax&ly of the
fame Dimenfions, Complexion and Voice with
the Devil, that has exhibited himfelf to ether
Infefted People; not only in other parts of
New "England, but aifo in other Countries of
Europe, as relations from thence inform us.
She was cruelly Pmch'd with Invifible Hands,
very often in a Day, and the Black and Blue
Marks of the Pinches became immediately
iible (
 or Familiar Spirits? 145
viffble to the flandeiVby , fhe
raiferably hurt with Pins, thatwere ;

in her Neck ,Back and Arms though tfa;

|e by the Pins, vrould in a lew Mi-

nutes ordinarily be cur\l fhe would alio be
;

ftrangely diltorted in her Joints by Exorbitant

Convulsions. To pafs by other ftrai lati-
ons of her, in which Mr. Muthv thinks there
could be no Impofturc, once in the middle of
the Night fhe lamented fadly, that the
threatn d the drowning of a Young Man in
the Neighbourhood , whom fhe nam'd to the
Company ; and it was found, that at that very
time, this Young Man having been Prefs'd on
Board a Man of War , then in the Harbour ,
was attempting to Swim on Shoar , and had
been drown d in the Attempt, if a Boat had
not feafonably took him up. Thers were won-
derful Noifes every now and then, made about
the Room where fhe lay, which the Perfons
prefent could afcribe to no other A&ors,but the
Spettrcs. Once her Tormentors pull'd her up to
the Ceiling of Her Chamber , and held her
there before a very Numerous Company of
Spe&ators^ who found it as much as they could
all do to pull her down again. She had alfo a-
White Spirit which came to her, whofe bright
fhining and glorious Garments fhe had a fre-
quent v ;
.
He ftood by her Bed conti-
nually heart'ning and comforting of her y and
Coumeling her to maintain her Faith and Hope
in G coi iply with the Tem-
ptations of her Adv. Mr. M
he h it fulfiFd more than three ti

the x of in 1 and poft

;
.

Perfons
theii -
'
\ *ore
I
146 An Account of Genii,
the third Fall kept for them, and the third Day
ftillobtain'd the Deliverance ; and after Mar-
garet Rule, had been more than Five Weeks in
her Miferies,the White Spirit faid to her; Well,
this Day fuch a Man (whom he nam'd) has
kept a third Day for your Deliverance, now
be of Good Chear , you fhall fpeedily be de-
liver'd. Mr. Mather enquir'd , whetner what
been faid of that Man were true, and was
;

certainly inform' d , that it was precifely fo.

On the laft Day of the Week her Tormentors,
asfhe faid, approaching towards her , would
be fore'd to recoil and retire, as unac-
ftill

.ntably unable to meddle with her ; and they

would retire to the Fire fide with their Puppets,
but going to ftick Pins in thofe Puppets, they
could not make the Pins to enter, and lhe faw
their Black Mafter to ftrike them, and kick
them, to make them do their Work , and re-
new the Marks of his Vengeance on them,
when they fail'd of doing it At laft, being as
:

it were tir'd with their inefFe&ual Attempts to

mortifie her they furioufly faid , Well, thou

,

Jhali not be the laft ; and after a paufe , they

added, Go, and the Devil go with you , we can
do no wore. Whereupon they flew out of the-
Room j and (he returning perfe&ly to her
felf, gave thanks to God for her Deliverance :

Her Tormentors left her extream Weak and

FaSnt, and overwhelmed with Vapours, which
would not only caufe her fometimes to fall in
a Swoon, bur likewife now and then , for a
lictfe while difcompofe her Reafon , though
h . mer troubles returned not.
.

j this Relation Mr. Mather adds, He has

a ays been of this Opinion, that we are Ig-
norant of what Powers the Devils may have
to
 j

or familiar Spirits. I j, ;

to do their Mifchich, in the (ha

had never been cxplicitely engaged in D
cal ( and that th< ugh
ma: ifts had been fairly d
enquirk k'd and begun b)
•
been lo
hitnfelf has
ofredit ms3 chat
H: 111 charg'd the Afflicted, committed to his
:, chat they fhould cry out on n for
m ; though if it mighi
Advantage to th y might tell their Mil
to fonic one Perfon, or Discretion enough to
make no ill ule of it. Nor had the Civil Au-
thority profecuted thofe things, had not a Con-
:itious regard to the Crys of MiferaMe Fa-
milies, overcome the Relu<5tancies of the Judges
to meddle with them.
The Second Part of this Book begins with a
Narrative of what paft at two Vifits, given by
Mr. Cotton Mather, and his Father, to Mur^aret
Rule, written by Mr. Calef , as he fays, from
the Mouths of fome Pcrfons who were then
prefent of which Narrative Mr. Cotton Ma-
•

ther greatly complains , as very unfairly and

falfly reprefenting things, in reference to his
Father and himfelf.
It contains alfo Letters from Mr. Calef] tc
Mr. Cotton,. offering a meeting wirh
him , and defiling an Information in fome
Doctrinals relating to Witchcraft which meet- •

ing Mr Mather declind at the place nomi-

nated by Mr. Calef, though he offered to Dif-
courfe with him concerning it in hi:> Study^
or any other Convenient
j
alfo Papers attefted by feveraj Hands of Per*
lent, tha feed up
to the Ceiling of the Room. by
L2 in
 :

An Account of Genii,
an invifible Hand, and that feveral of the Per-
fons prefent had much ado , with all their
ftrength to pull her down. This is followed
by another Letter from Mr. Calef to Mr. Ma-
ther, in which, notwithftanding the Atteftati-
ons of the Perfons prefent, he declares his dis-
belief of Margaret Rule's being (6 lifted up;
his reafon is, that then Miracles are not ceas'd,
( this feeming to him as true a Miracle, as for
Iron to Swim) and that the Devil can work
fuch Miracles.
Next follows, feveral Letters from Mr. Calef
to Mr. Mather and others, relating to the Do-
<5trinals of Witchcraft, both defiring Mr. Ma-
ther to explain it, andfetting forth what himfelf
conceives of it, according to the Scriptures
and having Inferted a Letter, which he writ
to the Minifters, whether Englifi, French, or
Dutch, in New England, he concludes it thus,
That the only Decifive Circumftancc to Con-
vid a Witch, as far as he can find in the Scrip-
tures, is a maligning and oppugning the
Word, Work, or Worlhip of God, and by any
extraordinary Sign feeking to feduce any from
it; tho' not excluding any other Branch, when
as well prov'd by that Infallible Rule; and
that the going to the affli&ed, or poffeft to Di-
vine who are Witches by their Spetfre-Sight, is a
great wickednefs, and that the fearching for
Tets, the experiment of their faying the Lords
Prayer, the falling at the Sight, and rifing at
the Touch of the fuppofed Criminal, being
all of them foreign from Scripture, as well
as Reafon,; are Abominations to be Abhorr'd
and Repented of. Laftly, That their Salem
Witchcraft, either refpeding the Judges and
Juries, and their tendernefs of Life, or the
tjiulri-*
 or Familiar Spirits. j^p
multitude and pertinency of Witncffcs, both
affli&ed, and confeflbrs , or the integrity of
Hill ire as Authcntick, and made a^ cer-
tain^ as any ever of that kind in the World have
been, and yet every one now fees through it;
and that it was the abovementioned Sentiments
that procured this faddeft Affli&ion, and moft
lading Infamy that ever befel that Country.
Mr. Calef s next Letter is to Mr. Samuel Wil-
lardy a Member of Harvard College in New
England, where among other things he fays
that by the late Profecution, under the notion
of Witches , Twenty fuffered as Evil Doers
( befides thofc that Died in Pi ifon ) above Ten
more Condemned, and an Hundred Irnpri-
fond, and about 200 more Accufed; and the
Country generally in Fears, when it would
come to their turn to be Accufed ; that thofe
very Accufers, which had been Imprifoned a*
Witnefles againft fo many, Accufed at length
thofe in moft High Efteem, both Magiftrates
and Minifters, %9 guilty of Witchcraft, which
fhew'd their Rulers, that neceflity lay upon
them to confound what had fo long confound-
ed the Country, as being unwilling to run the
fame rifque.
Mr. Mother having fent Mr. Calef a Book
Printed by Mr. Baxter, Entitled, The certainty
of the World of Spirits, for his Inftru&ion in
that kind Mr. Calef has here inferted a Let-
;

ter which he fent to Mr. Mather, containing

Animadverlions on that Book. And in ano-
ther Letter which he Writ to the Minifters in
and near Boficn, he fpeaks of the Do&rine of
the Manicheans, and endavours to fhew that the
prefent Age is not free from that InfeAion ;
1
afiribes the deluge of Bloqd-fhed amc
L }
O
1 5 o An Account of Genii,
Christians, to this, that Men having taken up a
belief of a Covenanting, Affli&ing and Killing
Witch, and finding no footfteps of fuch a Witch
in the Scriptures, have concluded, that though
the Scriptures be full ink., that a Witch fhould
not LiVe3 yet that it has not at all defcribed
the Grime, nor means whereby the Culpable
might be dete&ed J and hence they account it
neceflary to make ufe of thofe Diabolical, and
Bloody ways, always heretofore pra&ifed for
their Difcovery ;finding that the Rules given
to dete& other Crimes, are wholly ufelefs for
the difcovery of fuch.
Mr. Calif* laft Letter of his Second Part, is
to Mr. Benjamin IVadj(worth, a Minifter, whom
he feems to charge with not well explaining
the Scriptures j in reference to Witchcraft,
and fays, the late dangerous Notion, that the
Devi! appears to Perlons, and that they and
the Devil make mutual Ingagements, Con-
firmed by Signing the Devil's Book, and are
from hence Inabled not only to know Futuri-
ties, and things done at a Diftance, but are
alfo Impower'd thereby to do harm to Neigh-
bours, to raife Storms, and do things above
and aeainft the Courfe of Nature, has been
the cccaiion of (bedding fo much Blood in the
World. He adds, It's manifeft that the belief
ci the Witches Power to do the things above-»
mentioned, was an ancient belief of the Hea-
thtns ; and- that from them it was received by
the T*Mftsp who have fince Improved upon it,
and brought in the notion of a Covenant <

and that Trpufitiits feem to have lately Im-

proved it farther, by faying, that Witches can
Cbmmiffionate- Devils to do thofe Mifchiefs,
thereby fitting the Witch in the place pf God,
He
 or Fatmltar Spirits. i c
He has writ alio precedent Letter, that
in a
two Parties in difpute, were not agreed which
to put it upon, whether the Devil [mpOW
the Witch, or the Witch CommiiTions him
the ( t: but both Parties are ag
this, one way or other the Milchiei
that
ted, and fo the Criminal becomes Gu
of Death; in the fearch after which Crimi
nab, many Countries have fallen into fu
Convullions, that neither the Devaluation made
by a Conquering Enemy, nor the Plague it
felf has been fo formidable.
The Third Part of this Book gives an ac-
count of the Differences happening at S>;
Village, on the account of Profecutions for
Witchcraft, which began there, where one
Mr. Pans was Paftor ; who, notwithftanding
his acknowledging fome Errors he might
have fallen into in that refped, was at lad
difmift from that Cure. In his acknowledg-
ment under his hand, he owns, that the hor-
rid Calamity of afflicting that Country, broke
out firft in his Houfe, and that in his Family
there were fome of both Parties, viz* Accu-
fers, and Accufed.
The Fourth Part contains an Ingenious Let-
ter, Writ by a Gentleman without a Name,
endeavouring to prove the commonly received
{^pinion about Witchcraft; to which Mr. Calef
has Written a Reply. And a ;>econd Letter is
Written by the forefaid Gentleman, to which
Mr. Calef has a Rejoynder.
The Fifth Part contains an account of the
moft Memorable matters of Fa A, touching
the fuppofed Witchcraft in New /. Now
tho* Mr. Calef s Account of Facls , contains
many m<?re Particulars, than what I have fet
L 4 dov
i^2 An Account of Genii,
down before from Mr. Hdts , yet iinee they
would be too tedious for me to infert here^
I fhall only note fome odd paffages in them.
He tells uSj that about the end of the Year
1692 y a new Scene relating to Witchcraft
was begun: One Jofepb Ballard at Andover,
whofe Wife was III, and after Died of a Fever,
fent to Salem for fome of thofe Accufers., to
tell him who Afflicted his Wife; others did the
fame,, and Horfe and Man were fent from fe-
veral places to fetch thofe Accufers^ who had
the Spefire Sighty that they might thereby tell,
who afhi&ed thofe that were any way 111.
When thefe came into any place where fuch
were^ ufiially they fell into a Fit; after which
being ask'd who it was that affli&ed the Per-
ion,, they would for the moil part name one
whom they faid fat on the Head., and another
that- fat on the lower parts of the affii&ed. Soon
after Ballard's fending., more than Fifty of the
People of Andover were complain'd of for af-
flicting their Neighbours: Here it was that
many accufed themfelves of riding upon Poles
through the Air., many Parents believing their
Children to be Witches., and many Husbands
their Wives, &c. when thefe Accufers came
to the Houfe of any Perfon upon fach an
Account., it was ordinary for other Young
People to be taken with Fits, and to have tte
fame Spectre Sight. Mr. Dudley Br adftreet y a"
Juftice of Peace in Andovtr, having granted
out Warrants and Committed Thirty or Forty
Perfons to Prifons., for the fuppoied Witch-
crafts^ at length faw caufe to forbear granting
out any more Warrants fbpn after which,, he
;

and his Wife were cry'd out of, himfelf was by

therii feid to haygKilTd Nirte Per£>ns by Witch-
craft,
 or Familiar Spirits. \
5 3
craft, and found it his fafcft courfe to make
his Efcapc.
'

A Dog being afflicted at Sakm Village, and

thole that had the Sfeihe Sight being fent for,
they accufed Mr. John Bradjfreet, Brother to
the Juftice, that he affii&ed the faid Dog, and
now Rid upon him, he made his Efcape into
Government, and the Dog was put
:e<\na

leathj and was all of the affii&ed that fuf-

I Death.
At Auiover they complain d of a Dog, as
nffli&ing of them, and would fall into their
at the Dogs looking on them. The Dog
put to Death.
Note, In reference to this, that in my precedent
Account of the Second Sight , Children , Horfcs
and Cows had it as well as Men and Women.
A
worthy Gentleman of Bofton being about
thistime accufed by thofe of Andover, he fent by
fome particular Friends a Writ to Arreft thole
Accufers in a 1000 /. A&ion, for Defamation,
with Inftru&ions to inform themfelves of the
certainty of the Proof; in doing which their
bufinefs was perceived, and from thence forward
the Accufation at Andover generally ceas'd.
And now Nineteen Perfons being Hang'd,
and One Prefsd to Death, and Eight more
Condemned , in all Twenty Eight , about
Fifty having confeft themfelves to be Witches,
of which not One Executed; about One
Hundred and Fifty in Prifon, and above Two
Hundred more Accufed, the Special Com-
million of Oyer and Tl came to a Pe-
riod ; after which Six Women, who had con-
felfed themfelves to be Witches, gave Ufl
their rland that they did it only in complyance
with their neareft Friends, who told them k
was their only way to efcape, As
I
j 4 ^n Account of Genii
As for the Tryals, and the Evidence taken
for Convi&ion at Salem, they are fet forth in
Print by Mr, Cotton Mather, in his Wonders of
Command of Sir Wil-
the InvifibU World, at the
liam Phips, then Governour of New England j
but Mr. Calef confidering that his Book might
fall into the hands of fuch as never faw thofc
Wonders, has Tranfcribed here the whole Ac-
count he has given thereof, without any vari-
ation, but with one of the Inditfments annext
to the Tryal of each. After Mr. Calef has fet
down Mr. Mathers faid Account of the Pro-
ceedings at Salem, he writes fome Animad-
verfions on it, and then proceeds to give an
Account of the proceedings in the like cafe
at Charles-Town, Bofion, and other places ; and
concludes with a Proclamation, at laft, Iffu'd
out by the lieutenant Governour, Counfel
and AfTembly of the Majfachufetts Bay, wherein
they beg God Pardon for any Errors might
have been committed in the late Profecutions.
And upon the Day full AfTembly
of Fall, in the
at the South Meeting-Houfe in Bofion, one of L

the Judges, who had fat in Judicature at Sa-

lem, delivered in a Paper, defiring the Prayers
of the People to the like efFeit. And fome
that had been of feveral Juries, gave forth a
Paper fignd with their own Hands, owning
that they fear'd they had been fadly Deluded,
and Miftaken, and beg'd Pardon of God and
their Country Men, for what had paftj and
declaring that none of them would do fuch
things again, on fuch Grounds for the whole
World.
I thought good to give this Account at large
of the two foregoing Books,, becaufe they give
its a full Information of the laft confiderable

Vifi-
 it Familuu Spirits. 155
Viiitation by Witchcrafts, or fo fuppofcd, that
has happncd to any Country in the World,
and I hope it may be a farewcl to them.

As to my own Opinion in rhefe Matters, I

am convinced by my own Experience (which
to m I 1 houfand Witnefles ) that there
Much a thing, as a Spcttre-Sight, fo that one
Perfon may lee SfeBrts^ when others prefent
at the fime time fee nothing; wherefore I
think it not Impoflible that the afflifted Perfons
Viw England fbould fee; nay, I believe they
faw the Sv.drcs of Perfons, who as they con-
ceived , TormeHted them j all Hiftorics of
Witches, both in England, and in all other
Countries, teftifying the fame ; tho' I no way
think that fuch Spectre-Sight fhould be received
a Judicial Proof againft any Perfon, it being
manifeft by fome foregoing Examples, that it's,
at leaft fometimes, fubjed to Illufions, of
which I (hall here add a particular Inftance
from Erommannn' w ho in his Third Book of
,
T

Magical quotes the Author of Cri* r*rt.4.

.

minal Cautions, writing thus. c£p. 7.

A Prince of Germany Invited two Religious Dkb **• -

ft 34? *
Fathers, of eminent Vertue and Learning
to a Dinner. The Prince at the Table faid to
one of them, Father! Think you we do right-
ly In Hanging Perfons, who are accufed by
Ten Twelve Witches, to have appear' d at
or
their Meetings or "Sabbaths? I fomewhat fear
we are Impofed on by the Devil, and that it
is not a fafe way to Truth that we walk in by

thefe Accufations ; efpecially hnce many Grave

and Learned Men
every where begin to ciy
out againft it, and to charge our Confciences
with it ; tell me therefore your Opinion. To
whom the Father, being fomewhat of an
1 5 6 An Account of Genii,
eager Spirit, faid, what fhould make us doubt-
ful in this Cafe ? or what fhould touch our
Confidences, being convinced by fo many Te-
ftimonies ? Can we make it a Scruple whether
God will permit Innocent Perfons fhould be
fo tradue'd ? there is no caufe for a Judge to
flick at fuch a number of Accufations, but he
may proceed with fafety. To which when
the Prince had reply'd, and much had been
faid pro and con, on both fides about it, and the
Father feem'd wholly to carry the Point, the
Prince 3 at lengthy concluded the Difpute,
faying, I am forry for you, Father, that in a
Capital Cafe, you have Condemned your
felf, and you cannot complain if I commit
you to Cuftody, for no lefs than Fifteen
Witches havq depofed, that they have feen you
at their Meetings, and to fliew you that I am
not in Jefl, I will prefently caufe the publick
Ads to be brought, for you to Read them.
The Father flood in a Maze, and with a De-
jected Countenance, had nothing here to op-
pofe but Confufion, and Silence, after all his
Learned Eloquence. So far Frommannm.
It's obfervable, that when the Spetlre-Sighted
Accufers came to an Houfe to difcover who
affli&ed a Perfon taken 111, it was ordinary
for other Young People to be taken in Fits
like the Speclre-Sigbtetl-Pcrfons, and tp have
the fame Spectre-Sight; as we know if a Perfon
falls into Convulfion Fits in the prefence of
Young Perfons, it's ufual for thefe to fall into
Convulsions alfo.
This ftrange Vifitation in New England, in
which Perfons were feized with flrange Fits,
and came to have a Spectre-Sight, feems to be
ally'd to what Vint arch, in his Book of tht Ver-
txm»
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 57
tuous Atts of Women y relates concerning the
Milefun Virgins, as follows.
There was a time, that the Mikfian Virgin*
fell into a ftrange Humour, and raving with-
out am apparent Caufe, only it was fufpe&ed,
that therewasfome Venemous Conftitution of
the Air , which caus'd in them this Delirium,
and alienation of Mind for they all on a
,•

fudden were feiz'd with a defire to die, and a

furious Inclination to hang themfelves, and
there were many that fecretly did it ; and no
Remonftrance nor Tears of their Parents, nor
Confolation of Friends avail'd any thing, but
they would Deftroy themfelves , and they al-
ways found means to elude all the Subtleties
«nd Inventions of thofe that Watch'd them :
So that it was look'd upon as fome Divine Pu-
niftiment, which no Humane Provifion could
remedy; till at length, by the advice of a wife
Citizen, an EJift was fet forth , that if any
Perfon ftiould hang her felf for the future, her
Body fhould be carryed Naked through the
open Streets in the fight of all Men ; which
put a foil flop to this Tragedy. And if inftead
of an Indulgent Non Compos, found generally
by our Juries of late, on all Felos defc, fome-
what exemplary were orderd by the Govern-
ment, poflibly it might deter Perfons from
that Crime. Plutarch Notes it as a fign of a
Good and Vertuous Difpolition, that the fear
of Infamy and Difhonour works more upon
Humane Minds, than the fear of thofe horrible
Accidents Death and Torment:.
Rbodigitius writes thus. Its (aid the Al
while Ljfimachus ru! d , began to be infefted '• 30. c. 4.
with a certain New and V full kin .

Difeafe, the man:: 1 Firft

the
 158 An Account of Genii,
there generally reign'd among them a fierce
and burning Fever , when the Seventh Day-
was come, an abundance of Blood flow'd from
their Noftrils, fome fell into a plentiful Sweat,
and this ended the Fever but a very Ridicu-
;

lous affed feiz'd the Minds of them all, for

they were ftir'd up to Ad Tragedies, and thun-
dered out Iambicks with a very loud Voice, but
chiefly the Tragedy of Andromeda, writ by Euri-
pides, and the words of Verfeus ; the City was
fill'd with thefe kinds of weekly Tragedies,
the People bawling out thefe and the like kind
of Words. O King, thou Love of Gods and Aden!
This unufual Delirium held a long while, till the
Winter, and a fierce Cold coming, put an end
to the Evil It's thought the rife of this Dif-

eafe proceeded from this , That at that time

Archdaus, a Famous Tragedian, in the midft
of the Summer , when the Heats were very
great, Aded there Andromeda, whereupon the
Abderites contraded the caufe of their Difeafe
in the Theater ; and when fas its ufual) the
Appearances of what was Acted in that Tra-
gedy, were prefented to their Minds, they
fell to the faid Tragedy through a Delirium,

upon'their Recovery, Andromeda flicking in their

Memories, and Verfus with Medufa.
L. 8. c. 8. As to a Difpofition of the Air in Reference
to a Spectre-Sight , Purch.is, inthe Second part
of his Pilgrim, writes, from a Relation af&tndps
journey from Venice to Conft^ntincple, as follows.
We lay in a Bay, and under a Clift, in the
little
Gulf of where not one of us but hid his
Calonus,
Sleep interrupted by fearful Dreams he that ;

he had Cccn the Devif,

rchVi affirming, that
fo that in a great difinay we put from thefhore

v
abcut midnight ; but whether it proceeded
from
 or Familiar Spirits, 159
from the Nature of the Vaporous place, or that
infetted byiome Spirit, I leave to decide. It's

reported of a little Rocky nam'd

Illand hard by,
formerly c/£x j Sacred to Neptune, that none
could Sleep on it, for being troubl'd with Ap-
parit, The Gulf belongs to the Ifland
,Un> or Lesbos.
Thus we find what Difpofitions of Mind
Men may into fundry ways , and how far
fall

the Diabolical feifures, relating to pra&ices of

Witchcrafts, may be caus'd upon the Minds of
Miferable People, being impregnated with
Notions of Damons, and the like ; and what
Communication of Minds there may ba be-
twixt fuch People, will deferve Confederation.
Hippocrates in his Tra<5t of Virgins Difeafes, (if
it be his )enquires into the Nature and Caufes
of fuch Diftempers , as Affli&ed the Milefian
Virgins, and confiders the Difeafe call'd Sacredy
which he fays is attended with Frights, and
Terrors, by which Perfons are Vehemently
fcar'd, fo that they grow Delirious- andfome-
times by Night, fometimes by Day, and fome-
t:mes both Night and Day , they think they
fee Damons infeiting them, and that upon thofe
Vifions many have hang'd themfelves, though
more Women than Men, they being of a wea-
ker Difpofition of Mind j and Virgins that are
almoft ripe for Marriage, find this about the
time of the firft defcent ot their Menfe j,being free
from thofe Evils before j but about that time
the due Courfe of the Blood being ftopt, it re-
turns up to the Heart and Midriff, cauiing an
acute Inflammation, and brines an alienation of
Mind, with Crys and Terrors j and fometimes,
he fays, without Sfeftresy a certain Pleafureof
Death f Thing ;
 i(5o An Account of Genii,
he fays, the Wo-
as they return to themfelves,
men are wont
to Confecrate their moft preci-
ous Garments, with other things, to Diana,
being deceived by the Prophets, who Com-
mand them fo to da
Now though the Caufes aflign'd by Hippocrates,
feems plaufible enough for him, as a Phyfiai-
an , yet I doubt they will not reach all Cafes,
and we muft have recourfe to a Superiour Sci-
ence for them. It's known to the Learned,
that there has been a Science in the World^call'd
ScientiaUmbrarum, which, as to the publick teach-
ing of itj has been fupprefs'd upon goodPolitick
grcunds, though there are ftill fome Societies
of Men, in the World who allow the ftudy of
it, and teach it to Perfons of whofe Integrity

they are fatisfied ; and as Boefatas fays, of Ma-

gick^of which this is apart, Eft tanquam res Sacra,
qua no nifii:iris magriis , & peculiari beneficio de
etch inftruBis Communicatur , & nil aufi funt ag~
gredi quidam Frincipes in Toliticis , in Sacris, in
confibiis fine eorum arbitrio.
Columella knew there was a Science built on
Higher Principles , than what are accountable

for in Thyficks y when he faid , concerning the

Cure of his Bees.

Hort.L i oi ^f lt nu ^a valet Mediclna repellere peftem,

Dardantd 'yeniant artes.

But if this Plague no Medicine can repel,

To Arts Dardanian let US fly. ~—
The Schntia Vnibrarttm 5 being a Branch of
thefe Arts ^ the Ignorance of which pofi
may have been the cccaiion of many miftakes
•
in Judicial proceedings relating to Witchcraft,
the
 or Familiar Spirit*. 161
the Dif| I Mro,being kn
able only b\ cience. And though m
I upon i

chofen
licy, perhaps, has rather m y

than to admit the Publick te

ence, which might
to the Publick. But I write
by the by , and as opening.
thefe tilings only
It feems to me that Mr. Cahf deals forae-
,

what hardly with Mr. M*th*r in this,, that

Ml for ! id lent
him a Paper, arretted by fereral Subfcribqrs,
that Margaret Rule, with whom *

fent, v. as lifted up to the Ceiling of the Room,

and that feveral times, notwithstanding the
Endeavours of ftrong Perfons to keep her
down, and there held her for a confiderable
time and that they had much ado to pull her
$

down $ yet Mr. C^/declares his disbelief of it,

for this reafon, that then Miracles are not ceas'd •
as though a manifeft Experience were to be Co
exploded. I have giv'n before two Experien-
ces in the like kind , one from Mr. Gla»vi/
3
concerning a Perfon fo lifted up in the Lord
Orcr/s Houfe in Ireland ; another from WUrm^
a Perfon well known to have been of no Light
belief, who declares that a Woman had been
carried up in the Air by Spirits, if himfelflnd
not violently with-held her, and kept her
down. As to his great Ground , of the CeiTa-
tion of Miracles, I well know many Lear.
Divines, have been of that Opinion, though I
think it no fuch Eflential Point of Faith, tl
Chriftianity cannot well confift without it.
Dr. in his Religio Mediciy writes thi
.

That Miracles are ceas'd, lean

eny, much lefs define the time
M and
 1 61 An Jccowtt of Gcnill
Seff.iS* and period of the Ceflation, And again, There-
fore that Miracles have been, I do believe, and
that they may yet be wrought by the living, I
do not deny, and Dr. Stubbe, in his Account of
the Miraculous Cures wrought by Mr. Greatrix
writes , according to the Impetuofity of his
Spirit , That to fay , Miracles are ceas'd , is a
groundlefs Folly , if not a difingenious Impu-
dence, in giving the Lye to various Religions
And if Mr. Calef admitted the point of Marga-
ret Rule's, being fo lifted up, I cannot fee why
this mull be concluded a Miracle , unlefs all
things Providence permits the Devil to a£t, and
which feem ftrange, (hall be called Miracles.
And whereas Mr. Calef y fo often urges Mr,
Mather , with Mr. Gaules Fourth Head for
C nvi&ing a Witch, *riz. That a Witch is one
that maligns , and oppugns the Word, Work,
or Worfhip of God, and by any Extraordinary
figns feeks to feduce any from it ; as appears,
Dent. 13. 1, 2. Matth. 24. 24. AEl. 15. 8. 10.
2 Tim. 3. 8. which Mr. Calef will have to be
the only Head well prov'd in the Scripture for
difcovering a Witch , and often challenges
Mr. Mather to produce any other ; and fays,
That his not bringing plain Scripture Proof,
that there is a Covenanting Witch, is a fuffi-
cientDemonftration there is none ; it's no con-
fequence but there may be fuch a Witch, and
that fairly reducable to the Head of Witch-
craft mentiond in the Scriptures •
for as there
are New Difeafes of the Body , which were
unknown to the Ancients, fo I know not why
t irz may not be NcwDiftempersof the Mind,
Crimes being fuch ; and fince Mr. Calef
it nds fo much for plain Scripture Proof for
what he Credits, he may do well to give us a
plain
 or Familiar Spirit*. 16]
plain convincing Scripture IV
nvn Gloffes) for the
or of the rime that V-
Iland^ i

ry courfc uf Nature >mmandi

permitting any Good or Evil A
ny fuch thing.
J think it worthy Confidei ition, that in the

Account the abovemention'd Mr.

of himfelf,and hisAction^ina Letter to the !a:<5

Mr. Boyle % Printed in /

feemsa ftrange Agreement in lorne Partk
with what happend in I (ita-
tion ; for as the Perfons there Afflicted, afibori
as they lookd on tl at Aihiacd them,
would fall down in Fits, (o Mr.
fbmewhat of the like Nature, relating to him-
felf, addreffing himfelf to Air. Boyle, as folio
'Sir, I hope you will Pardon me, when i
€
relate to you my own Obfervations y and
€
what my
Experience inclines me to believe,
€
in faying, that I have met with feveral In-
€
ftanccs which feernd to me to be PoflefHon,
€
by Dumb, Deaf, and talking Devils and ;
€
that to my Apprehenfion, and others prefent,
c
feveral Evil Spirits, one after the other have
c
been purfued out of a Woman , and every
€
one of them has been like toChoak her, wh< n
c
it came up to her Throat, before i: wenc
c
forth ; and when the laft was ^onc, (lie w
c
perfectly well, and fo continued. There have
€
been others, that have falfn down immediatc-
My aflbon as they have feen me, which the
c
Mayor of liorce/fer , Colonel Birch Major ,

c
Wlldiy and many Hun. rh at Worn ter,
a1 here in London , and other Places
1
I ve-Witneflfes of: Many when they I

M 2 card
1
64 An Account of Genii,
he qrd
t my Voice, have been tormented in fo
ftrange a manner, that no one prefent cotild
conceive it lefs than a Poffeffion ; as I will
Inftance in one at Tork-houfe, (where Sir John
Hinton, Colonel Talbot, and many others were
prefent) who had fomewhat within her, which
would fwell her Body to that exceffive De-
gree, on a fudden, as if it would burft her j
and then affoon as I put my Hand on that
part of her Body , where it did rife up, it
would fly up to her Throat , or fome other
place, and caufe her Neck to fwell half fobig
again,and then almoft Choak her, then Blind
her, and make her Dumb , and Foam , and
fometimes fly into her Hand, and fo con-
trad and faftn it, that neither Sir John Hintony
or any elfe that did try ("as there were many)
could with all their ftrength open one Finger
of her hand, nor would it fly his Hand in the
leaft, nor any other Perfons there, till I put
my Hand on it, or my Glove ; nay, I often-
times brought it up into her Tongue, by
running my Hand on her Body, on the out-
fide of her Cloaths, up to her Throat, which
was fwolln in an Inftant as big again , and
has been feen plainly to fly from place to
place, and at length with great violence of
Belching, which did almoft Choak her, and
force her Eyes to ftart out of her Head,
it went forth, and fo the Woman went a-

way well. Whether this were a Natural Di-

ftemper let any one Judge, that is either Di?
%ine Philofopher , or Vhyfecian. I could In-
ftance you in Forty as ftrange, or ftranger ;
but I will go no farther then London, and Pla-
ces adjoyning, for Inftances of this Nature.

He
 or Familiar Spirits. I £5
He adds beneath,
c
That going to the Town
€
of Copoqucen in Irelandy thci 'oor
c
People that came out of England, foj I

c
Diftempers they labourd under j and am<
'the reft, two that had the Falling-Sickn,
c
who no fooner faw me , but they fell into
€
their Fits immediately, and upon putting my
c
Hands on them, they were reftord to their
€
Senfes forthwith ; and he purlucd their Pains
€
from place to place, till they went out of
€
them. So far Mr. Greatrix.
Here we find, that as the Pcrfons Afflicted in
Ncw-EngUnd , aflbon as they look'd on the Af-
or fo by them fuppos'd, fell into their
fliftors,
Fits, and were reftord to tliemfelves upon the
Affli&ors touching them, fo the Diftemper'd
Perfons, aflbon as they look'd on Mr Greatrix,
fellinto their Fits, and upon his touching them
were recover'd.
There was a Book Printed in London, An.
1656. intitTd, Enthufiasmm Triumpbattts , writ-
ten by one who aflum'd the Name of Philofo-
fhilus Parrefiaftes ; near the end of which, we
find a Relation of a Perfon, who had a Power
of healing by ftroaking, like that of Mr. Grea-
trix. The Relation is thus, p. 5-7. It's ve-
ry credibly Reported, and 1 think cannot be
deny'd, That one by the ftroaking of a Mans
Arm , that was dead and ufelefs to him, re-
cover^ it to life and ftrength. When I he;i
of it, and readfome few Pages of that Mir
culous Phylicians writing , my Judgment was>
that the Cure was Natural, but that his Blood
and Spirits were boil'd to that height,
would hazard his Brain , which proved true j
for he was ftark mad not very long after,

M 5 vYj
1 66 An Account of Genii,
Now, however, this Perfon might have va-
lued his Skill in judging of an enfuing mad-
riels in fuch Cafes , the effed having followed
here according to his guefs; yet we find it will
not hold in all Cafes , Mr. Greatru having
always livd free from any fuch Sequel.
To proceed to other Accounts of Perfbns,
who have had a Perception of Genii, or Spi-
rits not vifible at the fame time to others ; The

Famous Torjua'tus TaJJb , Prince of the Italian

Tnets, ftrongly afferted his own Experience in
that kind. His Life was writ and publiftfd in
French, Jn.1692. by D. C. D. D. U. who in his
Preface tells us, that in what he has writ, he
has followed chiefly the Hiftory given us in
Italian , by John Baftifia Manfo, a Neapolitan,
Gent, who had been a very Intimate Friend to
Tajfo. In his Life, among other things, he ac-
quaints uS, that Tajfo was Naturally of that
Meivmcholick Temperament, which has always
made the ereateft Men, and that this Temper
rament being aggravated by many hardships
he had undergone, it had made him fometimes
beiide himfelf j and that thofe Melancholick
Vapours being diffipated, he came again to
himfelf, like thofe that return from Fits of the
Falling-SiCknefs, his Spirit being free as before.
That near his later end he retired from the Ci-
ty of Naftes , to his Friend Manfo, ZtBifaccia,
a ihiall Town in the Kingdom of Naples, where
Manfo had a considerable Eftate ; and pafs'd an
Autumn there, in the Divertifements of the
tfon, as Hunting, vill ting Ladies, and fre-
quenting o: rmpanies, &c And here the
French Author gives us an Account of Trjjcs Sen-
sible Perception of a Genius , as follows. As
after thele Amufements he ufually rctir'd to his
 cr Familiar Spirits. 1 67
Chamber, to entertain himfelf there with his
Friend Manfij the later had the Opportunity
to enquire into one of the moil lingular effc
of TjJ/o's Melancholy, of this Hcroick Melan-
choly, 1 may call it,
a> which rais'd his Spirit,
fo far it was from rendring it obfeure
which, among the Ancients, would have caus d
them to have afcrib'd a Familiar Damon to him,
as to Socrates. They were often in an hot dif-
3 concerning this Spirit, with which T jfo
pretended to have a Communication. I am
too much your Friend , find Manfo. to him,
one Day, not to let you know what the World
thinks of vou concerning this thing, and what
1 think of it my felf. Is it poflible that being
cnlightn'd as you are, you fhould be fall'n into
fo great a Weaknefs, as to think you have a Rx-
miliar Spirit ; and will you give your Enemies,
that Advantage, to be able to prove by your
own acknowledgment , what they have pub-
lifh'd to the World ? You know they fay you
did not publifh your Dialogue of the Mejftnger y as
2 Fidion, but jqm would have Men believe
that the Spirit which you make to fpeak there,
wa> a real and true Spirit ; fo that Men have
thence drawn this Injurious Confequence, that
your Studies have embroil'd your Imagination,
fo that there is made in it a confus'd Mixture of
the Fidions of the Poets , the Inventions of
the Philofophers, and the Do&rine of Religion-
I am
not Ignorant, anfwer'd Tajjo , of all that
isfpread abroad in the World on the Account
of my Dialogue : I have taken care divers times
to difabufe my Friends, both by Letter , and
word of Mouth. I prevented ev'n the Malig-
nity of my Enemies , as you know , at thz
; I publifti'd my Dialogue. Men could net
M 4
1 68 An Account of Genii,
j?be Ignorant that I compos'd it for the Young
[
Prince of Mantua, to whom I would explain,
after an agreeable Manner, the Principal My-
fleries of the PUtonick Philofophy. It was at
Mantua it felf, after my fecond flight from Fer-
ram, that I form'd the Idea of it , and I com-
mitted it to Paper a little while after my unfor-
tunate return. I addrefs'd it to this Prince,
and ail Men might have read in the Epiftle
Dedicatory, the Pre teftation I there make , that
this Dialogue being writ according to the Do-
<5trine of the flatonicks, which is not always
conformable to reveal'd Truths, Men muft not
confound what I expofe there as a Thilofopber,
with w! :at I believe as a Chriftian. This Diftin-
&ionis by fo much the more reafonable^that at
that time nothing extraordinary had happen'd
to me , and I lpake not of any Apparition.
This can be attefted by all thofe with whom I
lodged., or frequented in this Voyage ; and
therefore there is no reafon for confounding
the Fi&ion of my Dialogue with what has hap-
pen d to me fince. I am perfwaded of all you
fay to me, reply'd Manfo, but truly I cannot be
of what you believe, at prefent, concerning
your felf. Will you Imagine to your felf, that
you are in Commerce with a Spirit ? And I
ask you of what Order is that Spirit ? Shall us
place him in the Number of the Rebels,, whom
their Pride precipitated into the Abyfs ? Or of
the Intelligences who continued firm in Faith,
find Submiffion to their Creator ? For there is
no mean to take in the true Religion., and we
pujft not fall into the Extravagances of tji§
Gnomes and Silfhes, pf the Cabalijts,

Now
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 69
Now, the Spirit in queftion cannot be a
no», you own, that inftead of Infpiring
you any thing contrary to Piety and Religi-
on, I Q for cities in you the Maxims of
Chriftianity j he ftrengthens your Faith by
bund Reaionings, and has the Tune re-
with you for Sacred Names and Things.
Neither can you fay that It's an Anul\ 1

tho' you have always led a Regular Lire, and

i all Diffolutenefsj tho for fomc Years
Lpply'd j tl after a parti-
cular manner to the Duties of a True Chri-
ftian, you will agree with me that thefe forts
ivours are not common; that a Man muft
B attained to an high degree of Sancti-
ty, and not be far from the Purenefs of Ce~
leftial Spirits to merit a familiar Convcrfe,
and bear an Harmony with them. Believe
me, there is nothing in all thefe Difcourfes
which yon imagine you have with this Spirit.
You know better than any Man thefe
Symptoms, which the black Humours where-
with you are Tormented, caufes in you. Your
Vapours are the fourfe of your Vilions, and
your felf would not judge otherwife of ano-
ther Perfon, to whom a like thing fhould hap-
pen ; come to this in your own
and you will
relped: you will make a mature
alfo , if
reflection, and apply your felf to blot out, by
an effort of Reafon, thefe Imaginations which
the violence of your evil effed caufes in you.
You may have Reafon, reply'd Tajfo, to think
fo of the things that pafs in me; but, as to my
felf, who have
a fenfible perception of them,
lam forced to reafon after another manner.
Jf it were true that the Spirit did not fhewi
jumfelf to me but in the Violent iUTault of my
17 o An Account of Genii,
Vapours : If he offer'd to my Imagination
but wandring and confus'd Species, with-
out Connexion or due Sequel ; if he ufed to
me frivolous Reafonings which ended in no-
thing ; or if having begun fome *folid Reafo-
nings he left it off on a fudden, and left me
in darknefs,I fhould believe, with you, that all
that paffes, is but Dreams and Fantoms; but
it's quite otherwife. This Spirit is a Spirit of
Truth and Reafon, and of a Truth fo diftinft,
of a Reafon fo fublime, that he raifes me often
to Knowledges that are above all my Reafo-
nings , tho* they appear to me no lefs
clear ; that he teaches me things which in my
moll Profound Meditations never came into
my Spirit, and which I never heard of any
Man , nor read in any Book. This Spirit
therefore is fomewhat of Real ; of whatfoever
order he be, I hear him and fee him, never-
thelefs for its being impoffible for me to com-
prehend and define him. Manfo did not yield
to thefe Fadis, which TaJJo would have pafs'd
for Proofs: he preft him with new Shteftiom,
which were not without Anfwers. Since you
will not believe me on my Word, faid Taj]b to
him, another Day, after having well Difputed, I
muft convince you by your own Eyes, that
thefe things are not pure Imaginations i and
the next Day converfing together, in the fame
(Chamber, Manfo perceived that, on a fudeft,
he fixt his Eyes towards the Window, and that
be Hood, as it were Immovable ; he call'd to
him, and jogg'd him many times, but inftead
of Anfwering him; See there the Spirit, fays
Ttiffo y at laft, that has been f leafed to come and

yifit me, and to entertain himfelf with me;

look on him, and you will acknowledge the
Truth
 or Familiar Spirits. 171
Truth of wb.it I f.ij. Manfoy fomcwhat fur-
prifed, call hi^ towards the place he
(hew'd him, and perceived nothing but the
Rays of the Sun palling through the Glafs:
nor did he fee any thing in all the Chamber,
tho' he cart his Eyes round it with curiofity,
and he delircd him to fliew him the Spirit,
cfa he look'd for in vain, while he heard

Tujjh (peak with much Vehcmency. lie de-

es in a Letter, which he writ concerning
to the Admiral of Naples, that he really
dno other Voice but Tajfos own but they
;

e fometimes ghteftUns made by him to the

pretended Spirit, fometimes Amfweri that he

made to the pretended j®u§ftions of the Spirit,
and which were conceived in fuch admirable
Terms, fo Efficacious, concerning Subjeds fo
Elevated, and fo Extraordinary, that he was
Ravifh'd with Admiration, and dared not to
Interrupt him. He hearken'd therefore Atten-
tively, and being quite befide himfelf at this
myfterious Converfation, which ended at laft
a rccefs of the <Spirit; as he found by the

la 11 words of TtiJJb j after which Tajjb turning him-

r
o him, Well, faid he, are your doubts at laft
diflipated- on the contrary, anfwer'd Manfo> I
am more Imbroyled than ever ; I have truly
rd wonderful things; but you have not
(hew\l mc what you promifed me. You have
(ten and heard, refunrfd Toffo y perhaps, more
than -he ftopt here; and Alan fo, who
could not recover himfelf of his furprife, and
had his Head filfd with the Ue.is of this extra-
ordinary entertainment, found not himfeif in
a condition to prefs him farther. Mean while
he ingaged himfelf not to fpeak a word to any
Mat) of thefe things he had heard, with a de-
fign
172 An Account of Genii
fign to make them Publick, the/ he fhould
have liberty granted him. They had many
other conversations concerning this Matter:
after which Manfo, owrid he was brought to
that pafs, that he knew net what to think or fay,
only, that if it were a weaknefs in his Friend
to believe thefe Vifions, he much fear'd it
would prove Contagious to him, and that he
Ihould become at laft, as credulous as himfelf.
I was willing to fet down this Relation at
large, becaufe I think it contains a fufficient
Anfwer to what many Learned Friends have
faid to my felf, on the like occafion.
Perhaps it may not be ungrateful to the
Reader, if I fubjoyn here the fhort Eloge writ
on Taffb, by the Famous Thuanus^ which is
as follows.
Torquatus TaJJo died about the Forty Fifth
Year of his Age, a Man of a wonderful and
prodigious Wit, who w#s feized with an in-
curable Fury in his Youth, when he lived at
the Court 01 Ferrara ; and neverthelefs in lucid
Intervals he writ many things both in Verfe
and Profe, with fo much Judgment, Elegancy,
and extream Corrednefs of Style, that he
turnd, at length, that Pity, which many
Men had conceived for him, into an Amaze-
ment while by that Fury, which in others
•

makes their Minds outragious, or dulls them,

after it was over, his Understanding became
as it were purified, more ready in Inventing
things, more accute in aptly difpofing them
1

after they were Invented, and more copious

in adorning them with choice of Words, and
weight of Sentences; and that which a Man
of the foundeft Senfe would fcarce excogitate
at his Leifure , with ths greateft Labour and
Care
 or Familiar Spirits, 173
Care imaginable, he, after a violent agitation of
the Mind, fet beiide it felf, naturally perform'd
with a wonderful Felicity, fo that he did not
feem ftruck with an alienation of Mind, but
with a Divine Fury. He that knows not thefe
things, which all Men know that have been
in Italy , and concerning which himfelf fome-
times complains, tho' modeftly, In his Wri-
tings ; let him Read his Divine Works, and he
muft neceflarily conclude, either that I fpeak
of another Man than Tajfo > or that thefe
things were written by another Man than
Tajfo.
What (hall we fay of Horace, as to a fenfible
perception of Spirits, who feems to defire Po-
fterity to believe him, where he fays,

Bachum in remotis Carmina montibus

Vidi dccentem y credite pofteri,
Nymphafque difcentes , & anres C*rm. 1. 2«
°* c ,? '
Capripedum fatyrorum acutas
JLvot recenti mens trepidat metu.

Bacchus in diftant Roch Tve feen

Teach Charms, and Nymphs to learn of him.
Believe it, and the priclid up Ears
Of Goat-feet Satyrs. Oh ! it Scares
Me ftill to think ont with new Fears.

And know not why Horace ( tho' an Epi-

I
curean ) being Enthufiaftically raifed , might
not have feen Apparitions, as well as other
Men as when with a Scalded Imagination,
:

he cry's out,

J^ho me Bacha raptis tut

Plenum quo nemora, nut quos agor in /pec
?
m '
&
^\
rriox wente no: 0/>
 1 74 4n Account of Genii,
Cruqulus has writ a Learned Comment on
the former Ode of Horace, which I recommend
to the Curious Readers perufal : he there re-
fleAs on Lambinus, who, in his Comment on
the fame Ode, fays,

• Credat Judaus Apella,

Non Ego

he not having duly examined the Scope of

that Divine Poet, in that Ode.
Having aver'd my
own Experience in feeing
Gently or Spirits, I fhall conclude this Chapter
with what the moll Ingenious Poet fays of
himfelf, in the like cafe.

FaBa canam, fed erunt qui me finxijfe loquantur,

NuHdqi mortali numina vifa putuent.
Eft Deus in nobis agitante calejjimus Mo ;
Impetus hie Sacra femina mentis habet,
Fas mihi pracipue vultus vidiffe Deorum
fall. 6*
yd <H
uta fum vates, vel quia Sacra cano.

They re Faffs TU Sing, tho fome may fay I feign.

And think no Gods were e'ver feen by Man*
God Reigns in us, bfs Attings we take Fire
Such Salleys, Seeds of Sacred Mind Infpire.
Of all Men I may freely Gods behold.
Or caufe !m Prophet, or Gods Truths Unfold.

CHAR
 or Familiar Spirits. I? )

CHAP. V.

What perception Men have had of Genii,

or Spirits, and their Operations by the

Senfe of Hearing.

That God propofed to 1 -*^

T'.raus us.
tells
way of a&ing with Men, ££
Himfelf, in his
™
Firlt, to render Himfelf Familiar to them j

afterwards, in fuccccding Times, to remit

fomewhat of Hi* Familiarity ; at laft to Go-
vern Men, not by Himfelf, but by Men.
The moll familiar way that God has mani-
feftedHimfelf to Men, has been by prefenting
. Himfelf in an outward appearance, and fpeak-
ing to Men in an Humane Shape. He came
fomewhat fhort of this, when he was only
heard and not fcen. It's Inferior to both
when he was neither feen nor heard, but in-
finuatcd Himfelf in a Dream, or the Fancy;
the loweft degree was when he occupied only
the underltanding of Man.
If we run over, and examine all Gods ma-
nifeftations of Himfelf, we fhall find, for the
moll part, that to the firft Men God ofteneft
prefented himfelf in an outward humane Form:
Afterwards, That with later Men he had Dif-
courfes, hiding his external Form. Third
That he was neither feen in a pcrfbnal
nor his Voice perceiv'd, but he accomplifn'd
many things in Dreams. Tint he en-
lightcn'd the Mind yet it mult no be thought
;
 \y6 An Account of Genii,
that God fo nicely obferv'd this Rule, that
he never pafs'd it by ; for when he has appeared
in an outward Form, he has often alfo been
heard, often appeared in Dreams, often en-
lighten d the Underftanding. Again, in later
Times alfo, fometimes He has been feen, forne-
times heard; but I relate what has happen'd
for the moll part.
The Minds of Men being at length pra&is'd,
He afforded them hisPrefence, partly by Oracles,
which he gave Viva Voce ; partly the Under-
Handing being enlightend by Himfelf, and
the Miniftry of Angels, He, in a manner, with-
drew Himfelf, and govern d Men by Men,
as His Deputies ; and left them, in a manner,
to themfelves, as He now Governs them. So
far Thyraus.
I have premitted this from Thyrsus, to give
a general Notion of the Manifeftations of God,
and the Intelle&ual World to Man : This Do-
ctrine being ftrongly back'd by the Scriptures,
and delivered down to us from all Ages ; as
likewife that Genii, Spirits, Angels, and Damons,
have manifefted themfelves to Man after the
like manners.
jppar.Dci, Now Thyrsus tells us farther, That as thefe
vifib. c. 2. Manifeftations differ in excellency according
to the dignity of the Powers they are made to;
and each Power has its Dignity, according as
it is abftra&ed from Matter ; fo the Sight, in

this regard, exceeding the Hearing j the Ima-

gination, the Sight ; the Underftanding, the
Imagination ; the moft excellent Manifeftati-
on will be the Intellectual, next the Imaginary,
then the Viiible, and, in the laft place, the
Vocal.

As
 or familiar Spirit*. 1 77
As pretend to coniklcr chiefly theft r
I
laft ways, and have already giv'n Accounts in
reference tO the Senfe of Seeing, 1 lhall Ik
Inftances of what perception Men h ive had of
GtmHy or Spirits by the S$nfc $f Hearings the ma-
nifeflation ofSocratts's Genu* icioiTd, :

being by a Voice, and many having heard

ftrange \ oices or Noifes, who have ne^
any thing. And as to thefe \ oites or Noifes
heard, we muft conlider them in a two- fold
refped Either only the Perfon concernd
:

hears them, and not others prcfent at the f:

time, (as it was the Cafe of Socrates; or they I

are heard by all Perfons prcfent. I (hall th£i

fore firft give a few Instances of the latter, and
then of the others : only noting by the bv,
what Wicnu fays of thefe Voices or Noifes, vn. De Pr*r* .

€ 7# '
Spirits appear fometimes inviiibly, ib thut^*™'
<
only a Sound, or Voice, or Noile is percciv'd
c
by Men, viz. a Stroke, or Knocking, or
* Whiffling, or Sneezing, or Groaning, or
€
Lamenting, or clapping of the Hands, to
€
make Men attent to Enquire, or Anfwer.
So far Www.
In Luther s Colloquii Menfalia, &C. fet forth To ™' »•
f-
in Latin at Francfort, An. i)~?l> it being a dif- itSt*&ri '<>
ferent Colle&ion from that of Aarifiber, which
is tranflated from the High-Dutch into Englsjb,

we have the following Relation.

c
It happen d in Prujfu, that as a certain Boy
€
was Born, there prefently came to him a Gt-
c
mm, or what you pleafe to call it (for I leave
\ it to Mens Judgments) who had fo faithful x
€
care of the Infant, tha; there was no need ei-
c
ther of Mother or Servant ; and as he grew
c
up he had a like care of him He went tp
:

€
School with him, but fo that he could never
N 'be
 378 An Account of Genii,
c
be feen, either by himfelf , or any other, in
c
all his Life. Afterwards, he travelled into
c
Italy, he accompanyed him, and whenfoever
c
any Evil was like to happen to him, either
c
on the Road, or in the Inn , he was percei-
' ved to foretel it by fome touch or ftroke
; he
c
drew off his Boots as a Servant; if he turn d his
6
Journey another way,he continued with him,
c
having the fame care of him in foretelling
; at length he was made a Canon, and as,
* Evil
c
on a time, he was fitting, and feafting with
c
Friends , in much Jolity , a vehement
his
c
Stroke was ftruck on a fudden, on the Table,
c
(6 that they were all terrified ; prefently the
c
C^non faid to his Friends, be not afraid, fome
c
great Evil hangs over my Head ; the next
c
Day he fell into a Fever , and the Fit con-
* tinued on him for three whole Days , till
c
he died Miferably.
V*mm. The Second Inftance, I fliall give, is from
s-lc 2
*
*
BodIn, which though it has been Printed in
Englijl) already, yet it relating to the Point I
am treating of, and containing many perti-
nent Inftances , I have thought fit to infert it
here. He writes therefore as follows j c I can
c
affure you, a Perfon now living has told me,
c
he had a Spirit Daily attending him, and that
c
he began to have knowledge of him, about the
c
37th Year of his Age, though he believ'd he
c
had accompanyed him all his life by pre-
c
ceding Dreams and Vifions he had to keep
c
him from Vices and Inconvenicies ; but
c
he never fenfibly perceived him , as he had
c
done fince his 57th Year ; which happend
c
to him, he fays , having for a Year before
' continually pray'd to God heartily, Morning
€
and Evening, that he would pleafe to fend
' him
 or FdmHU \t<.

'him a Good Angel, to g:

c
on
c
very Enftn
1
times for bin) to
c
times another, fom
c
from 1 fometim
c
one Difficulty , fometi
c
this not only concerning 1

'wife Humane thi;

.m'd to hear a Voice or

f
faying to him , j

' Morning, about Three

c
the Spirit knock'd ar .

'

c
fometimes, and open'd his Door,
c
Body ; an Morning the Spiri
c
nued, and if he did not rile he knock' i
c
and kept him waking till he role, then he
c
gan to be afraid; thinking itfome Evil Spirit,
c
as he faid ; and the continued to Pray
c
to God, without failing a Day, that hewoiild
c
fend him a Good Angel , and c
c
Pfilws y which he could fay in a
c
by heart, and then the Spirit ma
c
known to him, as he was awake, ftriking
c
foftly the firft Day, fo that he fenfibly |

c
ceiv'dmany ftrokes on a Glafs \
c
very much amaz'd him; and two Days a
c
having a Friend of his, the King's Sec
c
who is itill living, dining with him, I

c
cretary heard the Spirit ftrike after th
c
ner, on a little Stool (landing by hi
c
upon he begun to look Red, and to fear, but
c
he faid to him, be not atrai
c
however, to give him an afturance
' to him
the Truth of the Fa& ; now^ he
• affur'd me , t

N z
;
Ac .
i 8o An Account of Genii,
c
Accompany ed him, giving him a fenfible fign,
* as touching him fometimes by the right Ear,
c
if he did fomewhat that was not Good j and
c
by his left Ear if he did Well ; and if any one
c
came to deceive and furprife him, he prefent-
€
Ear j and if
Iy perceiv d the fign at his right
1
it were fome good Man , and came for his
c
Good , he perceiv'd alfo the fign at his left
'
Ear and if he were about to Eat or Drink
;
f
any thing that was Evil, he perceiv'd the fign ;
c
if he doubted of doing or undertaking fome-
f
thing f the fignal happen'd to him. If he
c
thought of fome Evil things and was at a
€
he prefently perceiv'd the fign to put
ftand 5
c
him from it Sometimes when he began
off :

r
to Praife God, with fome Tfelm y or to fpeak
c
of his Wonders, he found himfelffeized with
c
a certain Spiritual force 3 which gave him
c
Courage, And for him to difcern a Dream
c
by Infpiration from thofe idle Fancies that
* happen
, when a Perfon is indifpos'd , or
c
troubled in Mind, he was awak'd by the Spi-
c
rit about Two, or Three of the Clock in the
c
Morning, and falling afleep a little after, he
c
had true Dreams of what he ought to do, or
c
believe, or of doubts he had, or of what
c
would happen to him ; fo that fince that
c
time, he lays, there is fcarce a thing that
c
has happenq to him, but he has had an Ad-
c
vertifement of it ; nor a doubt of things that
c
he ought to believe, but he has had it refolv'd,
c
he duly Praying to God to teach him his Will,
c
Law, and Truth and as ; for his Comport-
i
ment otherwiie, he was of a Joyous Difpoii-
* tion enough, in all his Aliens, and of a Gay
*
Spirit, alledging to this purpofe that Paflage
* t f the Scripture, which fays, I fair the Court-
1
tenancts
 or Fatfiitiar Spirits, 181
#
tenanecs of the Angel I C d in
Coropai me i^vil wor .

fom
adrertfz'd in p. if be r I k
char Good, the Spirit ftruck on
t tl

Book to make him leave off ^ and he was ai-

foon directed , if he did any tiling againft h

Health, and was carefully guarded in his

In fhort, he has told me fo many
Particulars, that it would be endlefs to relate
them all; but above all^he wa$adyertis'd to rile
in tl nd commonly about lour
of the Clock and lavs, he heard a Voice in
,

hisfleep which laid., Who is it th.it will riftfirjt

to fcrve God ? He fays alfo, he was often adver-
tised to give Alms,and the more Alms he gave,

the more he found his Affairs to profper and;

as his Enemies had refolved to kill him, know-

ing that he was to go by Water, he had £
Vilion in his Dream,, that his Father brought
him two Hories,one Rcd,and the other White •

which made him fend to hire twoHorfes, and

his Man brought him two Horfes , one Red,
and the other White, he having net told him
of what Colour he would have them. I ask'd
him, why he ipoke not openly to die Spirit ;
he anfwer'd me, that he once pray'd him to
fpeak to him, but prelently die Spirit ftruck
with violence againft the Door, as though ic
had been with an Hammer j giving him to
Underftand,that he tookno Pleafurein it,and
often he put him bv of reading and writing,
that he might give reft to his Mind, and Me-
ditate ylone, he hearing often a very fubtle
and inarticulate Voice. 1 ask'd him if he had
never iccn the Spirit in a Form, he told me,
he had never fee:} any thing waking unicu
N a ?ll
i 8 a An Account of Genii,
c
it were a fort of a Light, in a round Form,
c
and very clear. I omit fome other Immate-
rial Particulars concerning this Perfonin Be-
din , who concludes his Relation of him thus*
c
Iwas willing to relate what I have known
c
from fach a Pei fon, to let Men undeftand,,
c
that an Aflbciation withEvil Spirits ought not
c
to be look'd upon as ftrange , if Angels, and
c
Good Spirits have fuch a Society and Intelli-
f
gence with Men. But as for what he fays,
c
that the Good Angel touch'd his Ear, this is
* well noted in the Book of
c
J oh, chap. 33. and
in Ifaiah, chap. 50. where he fays, Dominus
c
veUicarit mihi aurem diluculo ; and Job fays it
c
better yet, difcovering to underftanding Men
c
the Secret, by which God by little and little
c
makes himfelf fenfibly known ; and as for
c
wtiat he fays , he heard ftriking with an
f
Hammer, we read it was the firft Mark of the
c
Prophets, for in the Book of Judges , it's faid
c
of Manoa* that the Angel of God began to
c
knock before him, as Rabbi David fays, where
f
the Hebrew word, Lefaghamoy fignifies to knock,
c
and to found, ring or ting , from the word
€
Verb :?nc?7, which fignines a little Bell, or Ta-
c
hrette, &c. So far 'Bodin.
Mr. in his Hifioricd Dlfcourfe of Jp-
fiaxter,
tan:h?is >md IVitches, writes thus. There is now
in London an Underftanding , Sober , Pious
Alan, oft one of my Hearers, who has an 'El-
der Brother, a Gentleman of confiderable
Rank, who having formerly feem'd Pious, of
late Years does- often fall into the Sin of Drun-
kennefs he often Lodges long together here
•

in Brother's Houfe
his and whenfoever;

\vc Drunk , and has (lept himfelf Sober,

is

ipmejdiing Knocks at his Bed's Head, as if one

knocked
 8

or Familiar Spirits. 1 ;

knock'd on a Wainfcot ; When they remove his

Bed, follows him
it : Betid.
on othej IV all die Hi

heaj have often watch'd him, and

. I.

his Hands, left he ftiould do ithimfelf:

Brother Ins often told it mc, and brought Ms
Wife , a dii erect Woman to atteft it
, who ;

that as fhe watch'd him, Ave

,

has iccn his Miooes under the Bed taken up,

and nothing vifible touch them. They brought
the Man himfelf to mc,and when we ask'd him,
how he dare >in again , after fuch a warning,
he has no Excule but being Perfons of Qua-
:

lity for fome fpecial Reafon of Worldly In-

.

tercity 1 muft not Name him. Two things

are Remarkable in this Inftance. i. What a

Powerful thing Temptation and Flefhly Con-

cupifcence is , and what an harden'd Heart
Sin brings Men to ; if one rofe from the Dead
to warn fuch Sinners, it would not of it felf
perfwade them.
2. It Pofes me to think what kind of Spi-
rit this is, that has fuch a care of this Man's
Soul , which makes me hope he will recover.
Do good Spirits dwell fo near us ? or, Are they
fent on fuch Meflages ? or, Is it his Guard
Angtlt or, Is it the Soul of fome Dead Friend ?
that fuffers , and yet retaining Love to hini >
as Dives to his Brethren, would have him la-
ved ? God yet keeps fuch things from us in the
Dark. The fame Author, in his faid Book has
inferted a Relation fent him by a Gentleman
in a Letter, concerning ftrange Noiles, as fol-
lows.
c
Mr. HdrliLndtn, who liv'd at Coin Tricry in
c
Ejjix (where I often was, his Son being my
* Pupil) formerly the Houlc of the Earls of O.v-
M 4. 7*ri;
184 An Account of Genii
€
ford j off from the Houfe was aTomb-Houfe,
'with a Chamber over it ; his Butler, Robert
c
Crcwy and William his Coachman, us'd to lie
in that Room ; at two of the Clock in the
c

€
Morning there was always the found of a
c
great Bell tolling ; they affirming it fo , Mr.
' Harlaktnden flept in the Evening , fo as to be
c
awak'd at one of the Clock , and lay betwixt
c
h's two Servants to fatisfie himfelf j at two of
€
the Clock comes the ufual found of a great
c
Bell tolling, which put him into a fright and
€
fweat, fo as he jog'd his Servants ; who a-
€
waking, faid, Hark Tom is at his Sport. It
!

i
c
rcviv d him to hear them fpeak. Upon a
€
particular occafion , Mr. Thomas Shepherd
c
(who afterwards went to New-England) with
€
fome other Minifters, and good People, fpent
c
a Night in Prayer , and had fome refped to
€
the place, ferving God, to caft out the Devil
c
and from that time , never was any fiich
c
Noile heard in the Chamber. This I had
c
from Mr. Harlaiendcn sowA Mouth; and his
c
when I was upon the
Servants, ear Witneffes,
c
So far this Account.
place.
Another Relation in this kind , I have fent
me in a Letter by an Ingenious and Learned
Clergy-Man of Wilttyire, who had given me
the Relation before, by word of Mouth. It
is as follows.
Near Eighty Years fince, in the Parifh of
*

c
(which is by the De<viz,es) in the Vi-
IVihot
c
car s-Houfe there, was heard for a coniidera-
c
ble timeuhe found of a Bell conftantly tolling
c
every Night the occafion was this
; ja De-
c
bauch'd Perfon who Iiv'd in the Parifh, came
? one Night very late, and demanded the Keys
r
cf the Church of the Vicar, that he might
ring
 or Familiar Spirits. 185
ring a Peal which the Vicar refus'd to let
,
c
him have alledging the unfcaibnablcneis of
,
f
the time, and that he fhould by granting his
4
dtfires , give a diilurbancc to Sir George
c
IVroughron, and his Family, whole Houfe ad-
c
joynd to the Church-Yard. Upon this re-
c
fatal theFellow went away in a Ragc,threat-
c
ning to be reveng'd of the Vicar, and going
c
ibmetimc after to the Vtvizts J
met with one
ntle yor Cantlow, a Perfon noted in thofe
c
Davs for a Wizard; and he tells him how the
€
Vicar had feiVd him , and begs his help to be
c
even with him. The reply Cantel made him
c
was this ; Does he not Love Ringing ? He
(hall have enough of it: And from that time,
c

c
a Bell began to toll in his Houfe , and contU
c
nued fo to do tiWCantels Death,who confefs'd,
c
at Fifrcrton Coal , in Sarum, (where he was
c
confin d by King James during his life) that
c
v, he caus'd that found, and that it fhould be
<
heard in that place during his Life. The thing
€
was fo Notorious, that Perfons came from all
c
Parts to hear it*: And King James fent aGen-
c
tleman from London 3 on purpofe to give him
v
fatisfa&ion concerning the truth of the Re-
€
port. This Relation I had from Francis
Wrought on Efq; Sir Georges Son, who liv'd more
than Ninety Years; henever heard the found of
the Bell, being abroad at School, but he has heard
it averr'd to be true, by all the Neighbours of

repute and particularly often by his Father,

;

who was at no fmall Expence in Entertaining

Strangers, whofe curiofity led them thither. I
have only this Circumftance to add, That the
found was heard only by thofe who were in the
I loufe, nay, if any one put his Head out of
the Window , he could not hear the found,
rich,
1 86 An Account of Genii,
which yet they at the fame time did , who
were in the Room.
The Gentleman's Name who fent me this
Relation, is Wroughton , and is of Sir Georges
Family.
Beda ,treating of the Seven Wonders of the
World, us , That in the Capital at Rome,
tells
there were Statues fet up for all the Pro-
vinces Conquered by the Romans, or Images of
their Gods and that on the Breafts of the Sta-
;

tues the Names of the Nations were written,

and little Bells were hung about their Necks,
and Priefts were appointed to attend there Suc-
ceflively Day and Night , to guard thofe Sta-
tues, and to obferve them with great Attenti-
on, whether any of them mov'd , and caused
the little Bell to ring , by which they knew
what Nation was about to rebel againft the Ro-
mans ; of which the Priefts gave the Roman
Princes Notice , who prefently provided for
things accordingly.
Angelas Rocca, L de Campan. c. 6. tells US of
mam- Bells , that were wont to found before
Perions Deaths of their own accord. Accounts
of the like Nature having been given us by o-
ther Writers And Monfieur de L'Ancre, in his
:

Book intitl'd, Of the Inconftancy of Damons, and

That in the Town of Bour-
evil Spirits, tells us,
tftfj there was an honeftOwwi of a Church,

who had his Houfe for fome time troubled with

Spirits, and that among other things, there
was heard almoft every Night a kind of Mu-
fick, like that of an Ejpinette, fet with certain
link Bells , fo Pleafant , that this partly took
from him the fear and apprehenfion of the Spi-
rits.

K;rchcrP in his Obeli/cm ?amphilmsy p. 5^4. tells

 or Familiar Spirits. 187
us, The vCgfttUus thought, that by the found
of the Siftrum , their Pi re varioufly in-
fpird for performing Works of Divination,
c
which Jami u explain. fiyi n g> Va- ,

c
rious kinds of Motions in the World, anfwer
c
to various Orders of the Gods and certain ,
c
kinds to certain of them; now from thefe va-
c
rious Melodies flow , which likewifc agree,
c
each by their Motions, to ceitain Gods in Or-
f
der, tne Principles of thofe Motions. Thefe
y where, beftow their Gifts chiefly
fe that belong to them, are chiefly pre-

inds and Melodies that chiefly agree

c
to them , and infinuating thcmfelvcs into our
c
Spirits affeded with them , they poffefs the
and prefently wholly Work in him by
'

in ,
c
and Power.
their Eflence
I fhall conclude this Chapter , with a Rela-
tion fomewhat in this kind from m j tho'
how far Spirits may be concern d in the Mat-
not determine.
ter, I fhall
He
begins the Sixth Book of his Arcbidoxt^
thus. No Mafl can deny but Compofitions of
Metals, may Work wonderful things in Super-
naturals, which ma\ ^de good by many
Proofs, as I lhall clear 1
beneath; forif
you Compound all the S

Order and tit time, and 1

as it were into one Mafs, you will have fuch a

Metal, in which all die
Planets r ; yon ind
all thefe Virtues in that on :h w
call Eleftrum. And b* f

muft know that

pounded of the Seven V.
:

evil Spirit ;i our F.

on C ;is, and
1 88 An Account of Genii $

Planets are ftor'd up. Therefore the Ancient

Terjian Magi, and the Chaldeans found out and
performed many things by its means. I cannot
here conceal a very great Miracle, which I
law wrought by iSpanifi Nercromancer, who had
a Bell not exceeding two Pounds Weight,
which, as often as he rung, he could caufe to
appear about him many Spirits and Speffres of
various Kinds for when he pleas'd, he drew
->

fome Words and Characters on the inward fur-

face of the Bell, and afterwards, if he rung it,
a Spirit prefently appear'd in any Form h<?
would have him: By the found alfo of the faid
Bell he could draw to him alfo, or drive from
him many other Vifions and Spirits , and even
Men and Beafts ; as I faw with my Eyes many
of thefe things done by him But as often as
:

he would undertake fome New thing, fo often

he renewed his Words and Chara&ers ; but he
would not reveal to me the Secret of thefe
Words and Characters j though deeply confi-
dering the thing my felf, I, at length, cafually
found it
; which I fhall not here difclofe but :

I plainly enough obferv'd, there was more Im-

portance in the Bell than in the Words, for the
Bell was certainly made of our Ek&trum. So
far Paracelfus.
I may
here note, That fome Perfons have
told my felf,
that they have feen a conftellated
Plate here in London , made of fuch Eiettrum,
which, if put under a Man s Pillow at Night,
will make him hear Heavenly Mulick.

CHAR
 or Familiar Spirits, 1
8p

CHAP. VI.

What perception fome Terfons have had of

Genii, or Spirits, and their Operations

hy the Scnfe of Hearing, when others

prejent haVe heard nothing.

THO' as LuJovkus Vlves fays, Good and LMAnim.

Evil Spirits have certain A&ions unknown c 'f CiC n * -

lnttr%
to us, as Men have among themfelves, which
Brutes underftand not ; for as Men move each
others Fancies and Minds by Words , Nods,
Geftures, Letters, or Signs which furpafs the
Knowledge of Brutes ; fo Spiritual Effences
may agitate our Fancy by fome A&ion, pro-
per, and known only to themfelves , the Ima-
ginative faculty firfi mov'd yet we do not•

afcribe all ftrange things wrought by the Fan-

cy, to the Operation of Spirits ; for as the
fame Author lays, fome by the meer Action
of the Fancy , feem to have got themfelves
ported in a ftate of great Happinefs, as we find
of him in Horace.

fuit baud Ignobills Argisy

J^ui fe credebat miros audire Tragadosy
In "vacuo Latns fejjcr flauforq, Tbeatro :

ra dum way fewaret munia reilo

Afore : bonus fane vie mm y ambailis bofpesy
ComU in vxorem : fojjet j«i Ignofare Jtrviiy

Et
 tpo An Account of Genii,
Et figno lafo non infanire Lagena :
"Pojjet qui rupem & puteum 'vitare patent cm.
Hie ubi cognatoYum opibus, curifque refetlus,
Expulit helleboro morbum, bilemque. meraco,
Et redit ad <fefe, pol, me occidifiis amici
Non fervafiis , ait, cut fie extort a voluptas,
Et demptuspervim mentis gratijjimus error.
Nimirumfapere eft abjeclis utile nugis,
Eptfl. 1.2* Et tempeflmum pueris concedere ludum.

a Gentleman of Greece
Thought he heard Abated wondrous Tragedies
And fate and clapt them at an open Stage,
In all things elje comporting him as Jage I
Good Neighbour truly, hofpitable Friend,
Kind to his Wife, if Servants did offend
Would eafily Tar don, not ote ftirrdto Wrath,
Could Jhun a Rock and Precipice in his Path j
This Man by charge and care of Friends being cur d,
His Senfe with Helebore and good Wine refiord,
When come t himfelf, cry d, Friends, you <ve kill'
(] m* outright,

Not faved me, thus extorting my delight.

And robbing m of my minds dclufive Joys;
It s good to pleafe us thus with abjeB toys,

And in fit time to allow their fport to Boys.

This Inftance we find relates to the Senfe of

Hearing, {Horace faying he heard A&ors) when
only .thcSPerfon concern d Hears, though we
may probably judge he faw the A&ors, as well
LJeSymt.^ heard thehi. So Galen tells us, of a certain
dlff. c.
3.
' Phyfician, nam'd Theophilus, who being ill of a
Fever, heard Mufical Inftruments continually
playing in his Chamber, and being recovered
Cent, 7. perlifted {till* to affirm the thing real. So Bar-
Hijl.9^ tholin tells us, of a Student of a Melancholick
Complexion^
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 9 i

Complexion, and diftra&ed with Grief for the

Death of a Sifter, who faid he heard a Celcitial
kind of Mulick.
We know its faid of Vythngor.u and Apollo-
yiius T)>mxj* y That they heard the Harmony of
the v
,
,
which tho' fome interpret other-
wife, I not why it may not be thought,
know
they heard fome Celcltial 1 larmony ; this having
hapned to feveral Pei fons befide themfelvcs. An
Ancient contemplative Gent, now living in
Ixndon, has told me, That for Forty Years pad
he had never retired to Contemplation , as he
daily did, but he heard an Heavenly Mufick :
And I know many others who have often heard
the fame, as I muft declare I have often heard
it my felf ,
7

tho other Perfons prefent with us

at the fame time, hear it not, as we do.
Delrio and Torreblavca write, That theHearing Difq. mug.
being vitiated, is wont to deceive tis, as it '• 2. v cft-
happens in Perfons troubled with the Morbus V'j^ll u
Imdginoftts ; of which Diftemper Learned Men ^f. c ,^
make two kinds, one more commonly calfd
a Frenfy , when Phantafms are reprefented to
the Mind in <v\fibU Species Concerning which
:

kind you may coufult Cornelius Celftts, and CU-

lim Aurelianus, and this belongs to the depra-
vation of the Fancy : the other kind is called
Corybantiafwus , which takes Sleep from the
Sight, and vitiates the Ears, whereby Men
feem to hear Ringings and Sounds.
Concerning this Difeafe Sca/iger writes thus. ^
; ,

In (
Corybamiaf?nits is a Difeafe of the Imagination,
which fuperftitious Antiquity believd to be
fent by the Corybantes. It feem d to the Per!
affected with it, that their Ears were alw
filled with a Noife of Mufick and Singing:
thofe who labour under this Dillail are u
with
 192 An Account of Genii,
with Watchings, or want of Sleep, or at leaft
with a light Sleep, having their Eyes open;
for they have always their Minds intent on
Images j whence thofe that Sleep with their
Eyes open were faid to a& like the Corybantes,
fuch having no found Sleep, by reafon of
Images and Sounds. So Varro in Vrometheo Satyr,

Levifomna mens fonorinas Imagines

Affatur, non umbrantur fomno pupiUa,

To this relates that Paffage of Plautus, in

fome Comedy of his, the name of which is
Hill in queftion.
Mecum habet Vatagus as morbus.
L. $.c. 19* Which paffage, in the Notes fet forth by
Gronovius on Macrobius is referr d to the Cory-
banteS) or Priefts of Cybele. Vatagus denoting
the fhaking of their Heads, *s£s the confus'd
found of Brafs. Whence is that of the Poet.

Nee te progenitum Cybeleius are fonoro

Luftravit Corybas » «— —
The Difeafe it felf is called Corybantiafmus.
l. 1. in To this Claudian feems to have alluded.
Ruff.

Impatienfq; ful Morbus

And Lucretius ,

Solllcita fonro plenaque fonoribus aures.

The word Vatagus comes from t*7*«», cum

For when the
Strepitu palpitoy Item Percutio,ferio:
Corybantes were raifed in a Fury, they fhak'd
their Heads , Dancd, and run againft each
othr
 or familiar Spirits.
193
each other, (fail Buckle:
p
not: without a
Rhythmical
from which Mount j

call
:ho' the :ch a Difeal
Mufical Sounds in theEar,this cajunot
be impq , AvoUonins y or the Gen-

tleman [before >nea, and others ^ they

not being trotiW nt of Sleep, orfliort
difturbed Sleep, nor Sleeping with
open, which are let forth as Symptoms of i

To proceed to give an account of a pc

ception of other Sounds by the Hearir
which by fome are imputed to Spirits, by
others to other Caufes, we find among the
fuperftitious obfervations of the Gentiles , if
any Perfon had a Ringing in his Ears, it was
taken as an Omen; and as Pliny fays, it wasi. :-.

ufual for Perfons abfent to perceive that others

were talking of them, by a Ringing in the
Ear : and to this purpofe there is an Elegant
Latin Etngram , writ by a very ancient Poet,
and firii made publick by Jofefh Scaliiger, as
he fays, in his Notes oh Aufomus c. i<s,

Garrula quid tot is refonas mibi notlibus amis ?

Nefcio ij u cm dlcttnt nunc meminijfe met.

Hie quis Jit, qitxrisy refenant tibi noilibits cu>
Et refomen! totis ; Delia te loquitur.
Non dubie loquitur me Delia : mollior r.ura
Vcnit : & txili murmure dulct: [remit.
De fecreta filentia nod is
Summijjjy ac tenuir;

night my frattin^ .
fay
I know not w '0 i 7 v cf me,
o
 194 ^n Account of Genii,
Would you know who ? your ear all night does found,
All night : It's Delia'* Voice there does rebound*
It s furely Delia talks of me, a noife

Comes foft and gently, with fweet murmuring voice,

Evn as my Delia with foft voice delights
To break the fecret Silence of the Nights.

Var. bift.
^nd as y£fcan t ells us , Pythagoras thought
4 Ctl7 '
'
*

fomewhat Divine lay hid in thefe Ringings,

he faying, the found which very often happens
in the Ears, is the Voice of the Gods, or Da-
mons.
As for the way that Men perceive thefe
Sett.Anhq s
)0un(j s an(J Voices, Rhodiginus tells US, that
-2 '
* 'Socrates perceived his Spirit by Senfe, not by
the Senfe of his Body, but, as the Thtonicks
were fully perfwaded,by the Senfe of the jEthe-
aftreal Body lying hid within us ; after which
way Aw&nn*
thought Angels were wont
alfo
and heard by the Prophets for the
to be feen •

L.deDtm. words of Damons pafs every where, as Plutarch

Socret.
£^
k ut ^k
fQun(j j s on jy h ear(J by t h fe
that keep their Minds in a calm, and com-
pofed State, undifturbed by Paflions, whom
we call Sacred and Demonial Men: unlefs we
had rather explain Socrates s perception of his
inA'ab.
Damon, according to Proclus, as follows, The
Voice did not come to 'Socrates paffively from
without, but an Infpiration of his Damon
from within, proceeding throughout the whole
Soul, and paffing to the Organs of the Senfes,
a Voice at length manifefted it felf, as coming
to knowledge, not fo much by Senfe, as by
Confent for fuch illuftrations are wont to
;

happen from good Damons, and the Gods.

Whence Maxmus Tyr\us fays, You wonder
Sacratm came to a familiarity with a Da?non,
who
 i

or Familiar Spirits. i p c

who was as a friendly Prophet to him, and

continually fo attendee!, him, that he feem'd, as
it were, Interwoven with his Mind.
£* n '•
So Piccolomcni f iys,heard the voice
Socrates
of his Damon, not with the Ear of his Body, i^(Ren
but of his Mind: wherefore others did not tr/. c. / >«.

Hear it, for it was an internal reprefentation m ^

of the Voice to the common Senfe and Pain
James Gohory alfo, who took on him the
Name of Leo S*sviw'3 in his Comment on a
Paflage in Paraceljus , /. f. de vita lo7iga c. 3.
tells us of a found that is made by the Pow-
der of Projedion in the Tranfmutation of
Metals, ( which I think is to be taken in a
Spiritual Senf<f) of which found he fays the
myftical Books of the Spagyrifts make mention,
as Augurellus.

Indicioeft etiatn fonus bine obtufus & aure

Deprebendi baud facilis

He The Author of The dangerous Foun-

adds,
tain There is made a certain Melody,
fays,
which fometimes ceafes as it were by the
Magick Art. And elfewhere, the wonderful
found of a ftrange Bell ftrikes my Ear. And
Paracelfus himfelf fays, Tympj7::<fr nobis Anonid:- ^ je .

by the word
dicareddunt: . Ilea, mean- long. c. 5.

ing gentle Anodine Sounds , compoling the

Mind.
Cardan writes thus : Not only in all DeHer, '

ings, but in other kinds of Prdagings, there V "*•

"J-
,8:#
are thefe things to be obferved ; 1 int,
be no natural thing, but fomething differ
from the natural ; as it was in thac RingL
wherewith I was admonifh'd for ma irs,

of anv Fame or Rumour concerning 1

O 2
 ip6 An Account of Genii,
this was not like to a Morbous affe&, which
now I have fometimes experience of; for this
is inward , and as it were fix d and trouble-

fome, Light, and coming from without, and

as it were feparate; moreover it fliakes my
whole Head, as tho' it would compel me to
take notice of it ; a wonderful thing truly
and almoft Incredible and it's known chiefly
:

from this, that it's Familiar, and in a manner

always happens when I am upon fome bufinefs
of concern ; nor does it happen in Difeafes.
So far Cardan. We know the caufes of com-
mon Ringings in the Ear.

Scbol. Sa- Motusylonga fames , vomitus, fercufflo, cafus,

tern. Ebrietas, Frigus, tinnitum caufat in aure.

But thefe Ringings Cardan fpeaks of, are of

another nature, of which I have had a woder-
ful experience my felf; tho 1 may not exprefs
5

C. 54. it as Luther does, who in his Table Talk tells us,

that An. 1 n
°3 he was at Coburg, where he was
plagu d in fuch fort with a founding and ring-
ing in his Ears, that it was as if a \Vind went
c. 13. out of his Head, the Devil driving it.
Rlcoldus , in his confutation of the Law
given by Mahomet to the Saracens, writes thus./
Mahomet being troubled with the Falling
Sicknefs ( a Dikafe incident to Great Men,
In Prob.
as ^ifiotle obferves in Socrates , Callimachus,
and Hercules, to whomwe may add Scotus and
many others ) leaft others fhould think him
really troubled with it , ftill as he fell down
in his Trances, fay'd that an Angel Convers'd
with him, and gave him certain Anfwers, with
the found of a Bell in his Ear. Inftar Cam^ana
&nrwusc-rcHmfcnantts.
NoWj
 or Familiar Spirits. 197
Now, as forhen ring founds of Bells, I never
Heard of an >n, who has had (b much
:

bat kind as my felf ; tho' I know

one Perlon, and hare been well inform'd f i

others, who have foinetimes heard the Sounds

of Bells after the fame manner. Bur in two
Spiritual Vifitations that have happen'd to me,
fome Years diftance the one from the other
which I may give fome account in this
Book I have heard Bells for fevers! Weeks
)

together, and that pf all forts, from the great-

eft Church Bel!>, to a little Hawk's BelL
Sometimes I have heard a Church» Bell gently
Tolling; fometimes Bells Ringing in Peal So-
lemnly, as at a Funeral •
fometimes Merry
round Ringing, as at Weddings: For fome
Weeks together, every Night, as foon as I
was in Bed, a Spirit came with a little Bell
Ringing in my Ear, and a Voice always Talk-
ing to me, and many other varieties I have
had in that kind, and that both by Day and by
Night : tho' no Perfon prefent with me at the
fame time, has heard any thing, as they told
me, upon my enquiry of them. I have heard
every Night, for fome time, Hundreds of Spi-
rits, coming, as it feem'd to me, firft at a
great diftance, Singing, and Ringing hand
Bells, who gradually approach'd my Iloufe,
the Sound feeming nearer and nearer, till at
length they came to my Chamber Windows,
and fome would come into my Chamber. The
firft Ringing Sound I heard, was of a Bell

gently Tolling at one of my Chamber Win*

dows, which looks to the South ; and at the
fame time, at the fame Window, I heard a Spi-
rit ftriking gentle ftrokes with a fmall Rod, as
|t feem'd to me, on a Brafs Pan, or Bafon,
O 5
tur.
 i 98 An Account of Genii,
tuning his ftrokes to a call he us'd, Cofnt away
tome, Come away to me; and juft upon it ano-
ther Spirit, at another of my Chamber Win-
dows, which look'd to the Eaft, called to me
in a louder and earneft Tone, Come away
to me, Come away to me. I fhall here forbear
any farther particular Account in this kind,
as to my own Experience, and fhall fet down
fomewhat relating to what is faid before, as
to Ringing of Bells and Brafs, pra&ifed by
the Ancient Gentiles.
LJecamp. Angelm Rocca, tells us, It was believed by
*fc the Gentiles, that the Manes, or rather Damens
*aJ •
' 5#
were driven away by the ringing of Brafs, or
Bells, as it appears from Ovid, where he fays
of the Ghofts or Manes.

Rurfus aquam tangit, Temefadq; concrepat ara,

Et rogat ut tectss exeat umbra fuis :

Cum dixit novies, manes exite paterni,

Refpicit, & pure, Sacra per att a put at*

Again he wajlus, rings Tempfaan Brafs,

And prays the Manes from his Houfe topafs;
Thtn Nine times Cries, Paternal Ghofts begone.
So looks about, thinks Sacred Rites are done.

Therefore the Gentiles thought that by the

found of Bells, Evil, or offenfive Genii were
driven away, or reftrained from giving di-
fturbance, becaufe the Manes ( as Hieronymus
:iu* fays) were thought to love Silence.
v the Toets they were called Silentes,

in the fame Book,

1 res an\tnas dixere fihntum.

Where-
 or Familiar Spirits. 199
Wherefore as often as fach Gholls have
fpoken, thev are faid to hive us'd rather a 1

and muttering Voice , th;m a clear oc

OWfays, lb.

Umbra cruenta Remi vifa eft affiftere It

Attfr h<ec exiguo murmur e vifa lo<jui.

Rem/ts his Bloody Ghoft flood by the Bed,

4 with low murmur thefe words utu

In reference to this Remigiw writes concer- n m7nl .

ning fucli as were accusd of Witchcraft, and utr. L 1,

com ihevil Spirits, as follows. Nicolaa t. 8.

Granatin E*va HtfJttia, Jana-nigra Armacuriana y

and many others, foy, the Spirits have fuch a
Voice, as one that puts his Head in an Empty
Hogfhead, or craz'd Veffel, and therefore al-
ways in fpcaking hold their Heads downwards,
as Perfons aftiam'd, or felf confeious of fome
Crime are wont to do ; or at lead, they have
a fmall and weak Voice. So HermoUrrs Barka*
rw, faid he heard a Voice of an hiding Da-
mon, as he anfwer'd himfelf, and Georgius Vlu-
centinvs , asking him concerning the meaning
of Arijtotles En: The Elm alfo, menti-
on d in Vhiloftratns y that is, as I conceive , the
Daemon of Thejpion, fpeaking from the Elm, by
his command, who was the Eldeftof the Gym-
nofopbijlsy faluted ApoUonius coming to them,
with a Slender The
Lecanomsncy alfo of
Voice.
the Alfyrlans and CbdlsLems, was wont t
this, that the Demons deliver d their W
from the Bafon with a ftridulous and low hilling.
So far Remigim*

O 4 To
 i oo An Account of Genii,
L 4.*. i69 To this I may add,, what Le Loyer
writes^ in
i in his Hiftory of Spe&res 3 viz* Damafcitts a
Tagan Philofopher, relates,, that the Familiar Spi-
rits lying hid in round confecrated Bowls^
which he calls Betyles, anfwer'd thofe that con-
sulted them., in a fmall and Inarticulate Voice 3
that it feem'd rather an hiding,, than aSpeeclr,
aiid had need of Interpreters. The name Be-
rries is Syriack , and was taken from the He-

brews, who call'd thofe Places Bethel y where

the Patriarch Jacob plac'd Stones , for a Mark
that he had there ador'dGod ; the Syrians turn'd
tins to their Superftition, and call'd Betyks their
a vim at ed Stones, or Stones in which a God or
Dtemcn was hid. Our Learned Selden, writes of
thofe Betyks. L. de Diis Syris.
But to pafs by other Relations in this kind,,
and to fpeak of my own Experience ; fome
Spirits that convers'd with me for fome Months
together^ had a Low-funk Voice 5 as many Per-
fons have in Colds , but it was without any
Hoarfenefs, being very clearly difcernable;
the Spirits I heard coming to me finging in
the Evenings, had clear Voices; and that Spi-
rit which came Nightly to me for fome time,
with a Bell in my Ear, had a very clear and
pant Voice.
Br :./<•_, and its ringing were alfo us'd by the
Gevtiks-, on feveral other Accounts , and that
the fame Reafon , viz. It's purifying Na-
;.. to. c.i. ture ;i concerning which Cc/. Rholig. writes
thus : The
Interpreter of Theocritus , in the
Feet's Vharmacmtria writes , that Brafs was
thought by the Ancients to be of great Virtue
in Sacred Rites, and Excantations., and there^
fere was wont to be us'd in EcUpfes of the
Don,, and at Mens Deaths^ becaufe it was
thought
 cr Familiar Spirits. 201
thought more pure than other things , and
'

expiatory of P( us^d it

in all Puriticati \S writ,

in his Tragedy, which is

izjtomi, that is, -beCutters of Roots, writes

of Medea cutting Herbs with a brafs Knife, and
putting thejuicc into braf \ clfels. And;V/«o-o-
rhat brafs Vcliels were us'd chiefly
in tl red Rites , with which they would
compote the Minds of Perfons, or confecrate
them, or Cure Difeafes. And the Priefts of
the re wont to have their Hair Cut
with a Brafs Knife ; and it's manifeft, that the
moft Ancient Greeks us'd in many things the
found of Brafs, as a molt Powerful thing. As
for the Reafon of the Ancients in giving aid
to the Moon, when in an Eclipfe , by a con-
fus'd noife of Brafs, Alexander gives it us thus;
Men rung Iron and Brafs, becaufe they thought
Damons were driven away by it , at the time
that the Planets cannot convey their Influence
to the Earth , which is for the Benefit of
Men.
Some tell That by the ringing Noife of
us ,

Brafs, the Magick Charms was hun-

force of
dred from reaching to the Moon , the Char-
mers Voice being confounded by it, and that
by this means relief was thought to be giv'n
the Moon, when in a Eclipfe ; for Brafs is the
moft fonorous of all the Metals, it having a
fhrill and penetrating found; whence Homer
gave Juno the Epithet y^^o^ JS and Sf
#3 on Homer, thinks a moft refonant Voice
was aptly giv'n her, becaufe a Voice is nothing
but the Air ftruck , and by Juno is meant the
Air.
Magiu$}
 2o2 An Account of Genii,
L.itTt*r Mftgius , fays the Searchers into Natural
tm, c i\.
Caufes, think by the found of Bells the vio-
lent injury of Tempefts, Winds and Hail-
ftorms is driven away , becaufe fuch ringing
greatly agitates, cuts and breaks the Air, which
appears from hence ; that when Bees rife in a
Swarm, and begin to fly awa^ they are fore d
to pitch again by a gentle ringing of Brafs,,
the Air being cut and fever'd , and fcarce
bearing their flight ; though fome think Bees
then pitch upon the Air's being moved, becaufe
they are delighted with the ringing ; which I
leave to the judgment of others.
L. de Bits, Apollodorus fays, the Prieft of Vrojerpina was
wont to ring a little Bell in her Sacred Cere-
L. de Dea
mon an d the Prieft of the Syrian Goddefs, alfo
^i
Syria. was wont to ufe a little Bell, zsLucian writes.
The Prieft, after he is come to the uppermoft
part of the Temple , Prays for the whole
Congregation ; and in praying he alfo rings
a certain little Bell. Robertellus, alfo in Otta-

£. 1 9# *fe» Auguftus, gives teftimony of this Cuftom,

when he fpeaks of the Gates and tops of Tem-
ples. The top is compafs'd about with Bells ;

the Bells were wont to hang for the moft part

over the Gates of Temples.
Fungerus; in his Etymologicum TrUinque y tells US,
the Hebrew word for v&$, is Necufchob> or Necbof-
cbeth, from the word Nachofob, that is, he made
an Auguration, he has Di vin'd^he has Ominated,
he has had certain Conje&ures. Some think the
reafon of the- Name to be, that haply from the
found of a ringing Bell , fome Obfervation
was made in Auguries , Divinations , and the
like Conje£tures; and Gronovius, in his learned
Exercitations on St:pbanus Byz,antinus\ Frag-
tnm> d: DrhnZ) tells us, That becaufe Oracles,
 or Familiar Spirits. 2 0$
and Divinations are denoted by the word Ne-
chofob , which fignifies alfo Brafs and Lebetes,
hence in the Dodon*an Orach Brafs Bells, Lebe-
tes and 'Tripods, were excogitated , when only
Oracles and Divinations were tobeunderftood.
Mr. Rq(ft in his View of the Religions of Afia,
will have it, that the Bells hanging at the V al-
lium of the High Prieft of the Jews, denoted
ChrifVs Prophetick Office, though I know ci-
ther Significations are afcrib'd to it by other
Writers. And Plutarch, In Sympofi. introduces
Metagenes, an Athenian, who, as well for Other
Rcafons there given , as for the Jews High
Priefts wearing the faid Bells , which make a
noife, as he walks, will have the God of the
Jews to be the fame with Bacchus , becaufe in
their Country, in the No&urnal Sacrifices of •

Bacchus , call'd Nyttelia , they made a great

noife, and the Nurfes of Bacchus, were call'd
Chalcodrifia, as much as to fay, Scrapers of Brafs.
The ftrong Impreffion made on me by the
noife of Bells in my Spiritual Vifitations led me
to draw thefe things together from the Anci-
ents, which I leave to the Readers Confidera-
tion.

CHAP.
204 An Account of Genii,

CHAP. VII.

What perception Men have had of Spirits y

and their Operations hy all their Senfes*

THO' the
are the
Senfes of Seeing and Hearings
chief Senfes concern'd in a Per-
ception of Spirits , and their Operations, yet
the other Senfes fometimes are fome way af-
fected by them. For, as St. Auftin, fays, The
Evil work of the Devil creeps through all the
Paflages of the Senfes ; he prefents himfelf in
Figures, applies himfelf to Colours , adheres
to Sounds, introduces Odours, infufes himfelf
In Savours, and fills all the Paffages of Intelli-
gence ; fometimes cruelly tormenting with
Grief and Fear, fometimes fportingly diverting
Man, or taunting with Mocks.
According to this Paffage of St. Auftin,
Mr. John Tcrdage, in his Book writ in vindi-
cation of himfelf from Necromancy, &C. pub-
lifli'd in London, An. 1655. After having fet
Benwd,
forth, that his Maid-Servant, Elizabeth
had deposed before the Commiffioners, that
fhe had heard Mufick in his Houfe, when fhe
knew not that any Inftruments or Muficians
were in the Houfe ; and that fhe had heard it
in the Kitchen, and in her Miftreffes Clofet,
and thought the fame to be near her, but faw
none playing Which Fad Mr. Pordage does
:

not oppofe. And he there confefling, that in

Augufi
 :

or Famiiur Spirits, 205

Jugufl 1649, there ippca/d in his Bed-Cham-
ber, about the I of the Night, a .Spirit
in the fhape of one Ever. r J (whom he fufpe-
<fted to I rijurer, and to he inftrnmen
in railing Op thole Apparitions which himfelf
and oth ) with his wearing Apparel,
Ban who, after his Hidden
drawing of the Bed-Curtains, feem'd to walk
jh the Chamber very caiily, and fo
difappear'd :AnJ that the fame Night there
appeared to him a great Dragon, which feem'd
to take up mod of a large Room, having great
th and open Jaws; whence he often ejefted
Fire againft him, which came with fuch a Ma-
gical Influence, that italmoft (truck the Breath
out of his Body ; and this Apparition continued
'till the Day began to dawn, and then difap-

pear'd. I fay, having fet forth this, he pro-

ceeds to declare fome extraordinary things,
which few had been made acquainted with,
and which at that time were feen and experi-
mented by himfelf, and others with him. He
writing as folloXvs
Our inward fpiritual Eyes being open'd in
an extraordinary way, two invifible internal
Principles were laid open and difcover'd to
us, which may be call'd MunJi Ideales, being
two fpiritual Worlds, which feem'd very much
differing the one from the other, as having
contrary Qualities and Operations, by which
they work upon this vilible Creation. He
fcys, One of thofe internal Worlds may be
calfd Mundm tenekrofm , the dark World ,
whofe Objeds, by their correfpondent in-
ward Faculties or ^enfes were then difcover'd
and made known to them. The other World,
he fays, may be call'd, M or,
io6 An Account of Genii,
the light World, which, with its various Ob-
jects, was then likewife open'd to their in-
ward Senfes ; for befide their internal Sight,
they had their other internal f|>iritual Faculties
of fpiritual Senfation, open'd to difcern their
various Obje&s within thefe Worlds.
i. As to the Objeds of the internal Sight,
when the dark Principle or World was open d,
they beheld innumerable multitudes of evil
Spirits or Angels, prefenting themfelves in ap-
pearing diftin&ions of Order and Dignity.
The Princes of this dark World, and their Sub-
jects, prefented themfelves, as paffing before
their Eyes, in Pomp and State ; all the mighty
ones appearing to be drawn in dark aiery
Clouds, Chariots with Six, or at leaft Four
Beafts to each one j befide, every figure or
fimilitude of a Coach was attended with many
inferior Spirits, as Servants to the Princes :
The Animals that drew the cloudy Coaches,
appear'd in the fhapes of Lyons, Dragons, Ele-
phants, Tygers, Bears, and fuch like terrible
Beafts. Befides, the Princes and thofe that at-
tended them, tho' all in the fhapes of Men,
yet reprefented themfelves monftroufly mifha-
pen, and with Ears like thofe of Cats, cloven
Feet, ugly Legs and Bodies, Eyes fiery, fharp,
and piercing. Befide thefe appearances within,
the Spirits made fome wonderful Impreffions
on Bodies without ; as, Figures of Men and
Beafts upon the Glafs- Windows and the Ceil-
ings of the Houfe ; fome of which yet remain.
But what was moil remarkable was, the whole
vifible World reprefented by the Spirits upon
the Bricks of the Chimney, in the form of two
half Globes, as in Maps. After which, upon
other Bricks of the fame Chimney was figured
a.
 or Familiar Spirits. 207
a Coach and four Horfes, with Perfons in it,
and a Footman attending , all Teeming to be
in motion; with many other fuch Imai
whi< 1 'd to be wonderful, exadrly done.

Now, fearing left there might be any danger

in thefe [mages, through unknown Conjura-
tion, and falfe Magick, we endeavour'd to
wadi them out with wet Cloaths, but could
not, finding them engraven in the fubllance
of the Bricks, which indeed might have con-
tinued 'till this Day, had not fear and fufpici-
on of Witchcraft, and fome evil defign of the
Devil againft us in it, caus'd us to deface and
obliterate them with Hammers.
He adds beneath. But to fhut up this rela-
tion of the Obje&s we faw in this dark World,
I mull add this, that were but the Eyes of Men
open to fee the Kingdom of the Dragon in
this World, with the multitudes of evil Angels,
which are every where tempting and enfna-
ring Men, they would be amaz'd, and not
dare to be by themfelves, without good Con-
fciences, and a great aflurance of the Love ^
and Favour of God, in proteding thenr, by
the Miniftration of the Holy Angels.
2. As to the Objeds of the inward and out-
ward Smell, he fays, That within three Weeks
fpace, in which thefe Wonders appear'd, at fe-
veral times, the evil Angels, or Spirits raifed
up fuch noifome poyfonous Smells, that both
the inward and outward p.irts of thofe that
were exercifed with them , became much
fturbed and offended , for through the Sym-
pathy betwixt the Body and the Soul, l

phurous hellifh Smells much exercifed both

Magical Tin&uration.

;. In
8 02 An Account of Genii,
In reference to theObje&s of the 7*/*,
3.
he That fometimes both Night and Day
fays,
they were exercis'd with the loathfome Hel-
lifh Taftes of Sulphur, Brimftone^ Soot and
Salt mingled together which were fo loath-
•

fome to them , that they were like to caufe

great Diftempers , and Naufeoufnefs in their
Bodies., had they not been fupported by God,
beyond their own ftrength*
4. In Relation to their outward and inward
Touchy they were much exercifed both in Body
and Soul ; as to their Souls they fometimes felt
fuch ftrange and Magical Wounds, and pier-
cings by the fiery Darts of the Devil 5 that
none can Exprefs them, but thofe that
have been exercis'd in fome Meafure , as Job
was. As to their Bodies they felt Material
Impreffions from the Powers of Darknefs^ ve-
ry noxious, in themfelves, as to their Natural
Spirits, and Life, but born by them, by quiet
Submiffion to the Will of God.
As to the Internal Light World. 1. There
appear'd then to their inward Sight, multitudes
almoft innumerable of pure Angelical Spirits,
in Figurative Bodies, which were clear as the
Morning Star , and tranfparent as Cryftal,
fparkling like Diamonds, and fending forth
Beams like the Sun, powerfully refrefhing their
Souls, and enlivening their Bodies.
2. In Relation to the inward Senfe of Hear-
ing, there were many Mufical Sounds and Voi-
ces, like thofe that St. John heard in Mount
Sion, the Sweetnefs, Harmony and Pleafant-
nefs of which cannot be exprefs'd ; nor that
Spiritual Joy and Delight, which by them was
infus'd into their Souls , be utjter'd by the
Tongue, it ravifhing their Spirits into the
high Praifes of Jehovah. 3. In
 ,

or Familiar Spirits. icy

;. In Relation to the faculty
the Tongue can hardly exprcfi
1\ Odours , and Perfumes which then v.

uneltj i
into the the
quic which oy them •

>m-
municated and [nfinuated into the
their outward Bodies, which like a (

d able to have renewed the Itrength i

nguifhing Nature.
4. Their Senfe or Faculty of 1 ve-
ry Pleafantly entertain'd with thofe invifible
Dews, which w seter than Honey
with •

which; inllead of Food, they were many

times wonderfully refreflfd.
j. In Relation to the Senfeof Spiritual Centre:
that was alio delighted with its Heavenly Ob-
je&s for he fays, none can utter thofe pleating
:

Impreflions, which the burning Tincture of

the Light World afforded them, coming like an
hot Cordial into the Center of their Spirits, be-
ing fenfibly felt in the inner Parts, fo as to caufe
much Joy and Heavenly Pleafures, which pe-
netrated through their Souls , and gave them
occafion toPraife and Magnify God.
Thus, he fays, for the fpace of three Weeks,
or a Month , they were exercifed inwardly
and outwardly , through that great Combat
that was betwixt thofe two Worlds, and their
Inhabitants ; the Dark World fometimes Af-
flicting them with dreadful Shapes, abominable
Smells, loathfome Tafts, with other Operatic
of the evil Angels the light World , at o:i
;

times opening, and relieving them with Odo-

riferous Perfumes, molt fweetDews, Glori
Vifions , and Angelical Harmony. lie adds,
That now for the fpace of 4 Years, ever iince
the time of thefe great MamfeftationSj they
P have
 2 i o An Account of Genii,
have enjoy 'd the exercife of their Spiri-
tual Senfes, which were never fince ftiut, nor
would be., unlefs through Tranfgreffion and
Difobedience, they ran back into the earthly
Nature.
I have fet down this Relation., in fhort, from
Mr. Yordage. And as for the Truth of it, it
mull rely upon him , and the orher Perfons
then concerned with him ; but for my felf, I
hare no Reafon to Queftion the Truth of it
it being ufual with thofe that are train d up to
a contemplative Life ; to have Vifitations in
that kind; both Internal and External.
z. i. Part The learned Walter Hilton ( a great Mailer
i. c. io. f a contemplative Life) in his Scale of Perfecti-
on, fets forth, that Appearances, or Reprefen-
tations to the Corporeal Senfes may be both
Good and Evil. Writing as follows.
By what I have faid you may fomewhat
underftand, that Vifions, or Revelations,, or a-
ny manner of Spirit in Bodily appearing , or
in imaginings fleeping., or waking, or any o-
ther feeling in the Bodily Senfe , made as it
were Spiritually^ either by founding in the Ear,
or favouring in the Mouthy or fmelling at the
Nofe, or elfe any fenfible Heat , as it were
Fire glowing, and warming the Breall, or any
other part of the Body , or any other thing
that may be felt by Bodily feme, though it
be never fo comfortable and liking, yet are
they not contemplation it felf, but fimple and
fecondary (though they are good in refped)

of the Spiritual Vermes, and of this Spiritual

knowing and loving of God , accompanying
true contemplation •
but all fuch manner of
feeling may be good., wrought by a good An-
gel, and they may be deceivable wrought by a
wicked
 or Familiar S 211
ked Am
\t ; for 1

fame thi
for a comes with
ngtl
tn do thi
fo can he do it in Matt
he that has felt both , cati w
which were good, and which '•

It cither, or cue bur one of

them, r

Thefe two are alike in ihe man

outwardly, but thej
and therefore they are not to I

fired, nor to be ettteftain'd , onlefi

Soul can by the Spirit of Discretion, know
the good from the evil that it be not begaii'd,
;

as St. John fays , Twft not every Sf !

7 oh - l $
'*
fir ft- whether it be cf God, cr no. And to know
whether the Reprefentation to the Bodily
fenfes , be good or evil, Hilton gives the foi- ckaP* in
lowing Rule.
If you fee,any manner of Light, or bright-
nefs with your Bodily Eye , or in Imaginati-
on, other than every Man fees ; or if you hear
any wonderful pleafant founding with your
, or have in your Mouth any Fweet
Savour, other than what you know to be Na-
tural, or any heat in your Breail like Fire, or
any manner of Delight in any part of your
Body, or if a Spirit appear Bodily to you ,

it were an Angel to Comfort von , or reach

you; or if any Rich feeling, j know

well comes not from your icif, nor from any

Bodily Creature, beware at that rime, or pre-
fently upon it, and wifely a (Wirings
of your Heart; for if by Occafion c

P 2
 An Account of Genii,
fure and liking you take, in the faid Feelings
or Vifion, you fee your Heart drawn from the
minding and beholding of Jefus Chrifi , and
from Spiritual Exercifes as from Prayer, and
•

thinking of your felf, and your defe&s, or from

the inward defire of Vermes, and of Spiritual
knowing and feeling of God , to fet the fight
of your Heart, and your Affe&ion, your De-
light and your reft Principally on the laid Feel-
ings or Vifions, fuppofing that to be a part of
Heavenly Joy, or Angels Blifs, and thereupon
come to think that you fhould neither Pray,
nor think of any thing elfe , but wholly at-
tend thereto, for to keep it, and delight your
felf therein, then this Feeling very fufpifci-
is

ous to come from the Enemy j and therefore

though it be never fo liking and wonderful, re-
fufe it, and affent not thereto > for this is a
flight of the Enemy to let, and beguile the
Soul by fuch bodily Savours , or Sweetnefs in
the Senfes, to bring it into Spiritual Pride, and
into a Falfe fecurity of it felf , flattering it
felf that it had thereby a Feeling of Heaven-
ly Joy, and that it is half in VaraJife , by rea-
fon of the Delight it feels about it , when in-
deed it's near to Hell Gates , and fo by Pride
and Preemption it might fall into Errors, or
Herefies , or Phantafms , or other Bodily or
Spiritual Mifchiefs.
But if it be Co y that this manner of Feeling
lets net your Heart from Spiritual Exercifes,
hut makes you more devout, and more fervent
to Pray, more wife to think Spiritual Thoughts;
xrA tno'it be fo, that it aftonifhes you in the
beginnings nevenhelefs, afterwards, it turns
2nd quickens your Heart to more defire of Ver-
tices, and encreafes your Love more to God,
and .
 :

or Familiar Spirits. 1 1
3
ami ibour; alfo ir makes you
more humble in your own Eyei By mcfe
Tok now ir is of God, wrou;
I

by the prcftnCC an d working of a good Angel,

and comes from the goodnefs of God, either
for the comfort of fimple devout Souls, to in-
crcafe their trull and del ire towards God, to
feek thereby the knowing and loving of God
moft 6ttVj bv means of fuch Comforts
or elfe if they be Perfect that feel fuch delight,
it feems to them to be an earned, and as it

were a fhadow of the glorifying of the Body,

which it (hall have in the Blifs of Heaven; but
1 know not whether there be any fuch Men
on the Earth.
He goes on. Of this way of difcerning the
working of Spirits, fpeak*s (St. John in his
Epiftle) thus, I John 4, 5. Omms fpiritus (fui
folvit Jefuniy hie non eft ex Deo, Every Spirit
loofesy or unknits Jefus, he is not of God.
This knitting and faftning of Jefus to a
Mans Soul, is wrought by a good Will, and
a great defire to him, only to have him, and
fee him in his Blifs fpiritually. The greater
this defire is, the fafler is Jtfm knit to the
Soul ; and the lefs this defire is, the loofer is
he knit. Whatfoever Spirit therefore, or feel-
ing it is, which leffens this Defire, and would
draw it down from the iledfaft minding of
Jefm Chrift, and from the kindly breathing
and afpiring up to him, this Spirit will unknit
Jefus from the Soul and therefore it is not
;

of God, but is the working of the Enemy.

But if a Spirit, or a Feeling, or a Revelation
make this defire more, knitting the knots oi
Love and Devotion fader to Jtfusy opening %

the Eyes of the Soul into fpiritual know

V 3
 2 14 An Account of Genii,
more and makes it more humble in it
clearly,
ic\fy is of God.
this Spirit
And hereby you may learn, that you are
not to fuffer your Heart willingly to reft, nor
to delight wholly in any fuch bodily Feelings,
of fiich manner cf Comforts., or Sweetnefs,
tho' they were good but rather hold them in
;

your comparifon of
fight nought., or little in
bpirital Defire, and of Jefus :
itedfaft thinking
nor fhall you faftn the thought of your Heart
ever-much on them.
Hp goes on. But you fhall feek with great
diligence in Prayer, that you may come to a
fpifhua! Feeling or Sight of God ; that is, that
you may know the Wifdom of God., the end-
lefs Might of him, his great Goodnefs in Him-
felf,and in his Creatures ; for this is Con-
templation, and that other mentioned is none.
Ephcf. -\ Thus, fays St being rooted and grounded
;

i8. in Charity, we may be able to comprehend

with all the Saints., what is the breadth, and
length, and height, and depth. That you
may know, he fays, not by found of the Ear,
nor fweet favour in the Mouthy nor by any
fuch bodily thing, but that you may know
feel with all Saints, what is the length of
the endlefs Being of God ; the breadth of the
'

wonderful Charity and Goodnefs of God ; the

height of His Almighty Majefly, and thebot-
s depth of His Wifdom, In Knowing
fpijitual Feeling of thefe, fhould be the
e of a Contemplative Man ; for in thefe
ma nderftood the full knowing of all
:, &c.
ave fet down thefe things fomewhat at
bis Author, becaufe I conceive
,efui to feme-Men, who lie un-
der
 ;

or Familiar Spirit*. 215

dcr fpiritual Vilitations of this kind. We fee
he fuppofes it no uncommon thing, for M(
to have their Spiritual ar.
wrought on in this extraordin nd
teaches how they may difcern Good from Bad
in fuch cafes. F know the Contempt many
Men For Studies of this nature; but its
not to thofe I here write Nor is it every
:

Man's Talent to be Mafter of a Contemplative

This Pcrfon, by a deep Infpection into
the difpofition of Mens Minds, in all the gra-
dati a Contemp! \'c, had a clear
view of the Figmentum of Man in every pofture
of it, and that difcretion of Spirits which the
Scriptures mention.
Somewhatbeingoccafionally faid before con-
cerning the inward Senfes, I fhall here give you
a fhort account of the internal Senfes, according
by the benefit of which
to the Platonkk tbilofopbr,
one Man perceives what another does not.
C*Iim Rbodig. tells us, That the vivifying Antt 1^,
Ad of the Soul on the Vehicle, that is, on/.i7.c.i5
the xthereal Body, is calj'd the Idol of the
Soul : But you muft know this, that the An-
cients thought there was in this Idol a confus'd
energy of the Fancy without Reafon ;and
fuch Senfes, that the Sight is generally pro-
pagated throughout this whole Vehicle, as
likewife the Hearing; but that many do not
enjoy thefe Senfes, nor is it often , but there
is in them a power of an admirable nature

fo that the harmony of the Spheres is perceived

by them, being otherwife (ilefat and there is
;

heard alfo a Demonical Voice, and Bodies

prefent themfelves to the Sight, if the Soul
thdfaws it (elf in the xtherial corpufcle,
ing, after a manner fever d from the Clog or
5* 4
ii6 An Account of Genii,
the terreftrial and grofs Body. So its faid that
Tatius, the Son of Mercury, being duly expi-
ated by Sacred Rites, prefently cry'd out, that
he liv'd now in an Immortal Body, and being
carry'd aloft, he faw and heard wonderful
things ; which Mercurlm approving, faid the
fame was ufual with himfelf. There are fome
that write, and among others the Vhtonkk O-
lymfwdorus, that ApoUonms Tyanaas, by the pow-
er of thefe Senfes, when he was in the City,
being rais'd, as it were, on a Watch-Tower,
faw and told what things were done in Egypt.
Vktinw thought that the firft Intellect was the
firft Effence, from which, and in which other

Intelle&s are ; not only by Ideas, but by their

proper Intelle&ual Exiftences ( as I may fay)
of the Soul, according to an Intelle&ual Fa-
culty proper to themfelves, even while they
are in the Body, juft as Lines drawn from a
Center to a Circumference, do not depart
from the Center while they touch the Circum-
ference. Hence he will have it, that the In-
tellect of a Prophet and of an abftra&ed Man,
tho' it feems to be only in the Eafi, may have
a profpe$: alfo of what things are done in the
Wtfty becaufe all Intellects are every where,
and in each other ; fince always they are all
in the fingle Divine Mind, which is always
wholly prefent every where. So far Rhodig.
Now, as the Vytb goreans and Vlatonich, who,
many of them had" a fenfible perception of
what they call'd the Harmony of the Spheres,
Divine Voices, &c. fet up thefe Hypothcfes for
explaining things of this kind ; fo it's no won-
der, that the other Philofbphers, who had not
fuch abftr acted Minds, and had no fenfe of
fugh things, did not fet up any hypothecs for
 or Famiiidr Spirits. 2 \7
«plaining had no icnfc of, and
thin
rejuftcJ xbtfU of this nature.
doubt what
1 have here defirerfl may be
1

too fpeculative to pleafc all Headers $ and

therefore (hall not dwell upon things of this
I

nature; hut only fay in general, that in all

Ages, and in all Religions there have been
lemplative Perfons, or fuch as have mueh
fpiricualiy/d thcmfelves in the ftudy of Divine
things , for detaching Souls from the Crea-
v bringing them to an opening of their
Inw to fix them on the being in-
finitely Perfect : As the Ejjeens among the
Jews, and the Tlatonicks among the P'JgftUj
who detach'd Minds, as much as poffibly
they could from Matter, to fix them on Meta-
phy Ileal Meditations ; and this is what is chiefly
driven at by Myftical Divines among Chrifti-
ans And it mull be granted, that humane
:

Reafon ftands much indebted to this Philo-

fophy ; for having driven the knowledge of
GOD, and of a Being infinitely Perfect,
and of the foLe Creator of the World, much
farther than other Philofophers have done ;
as Monfieur Dnreuxy afferts in the beginning
of his Book, Intituled, Traitee hiftorique fur la
Theologie myfti^ue.
To add Tome farther explanation of the way
that fome Perfons fee Spirits, when others do
not, Cardan tells us., that Averrhoes, in his Col- L. de
Utt*nea y feems fairly to have accounted for ir, Mirab.
faying. When the Spirit which attends the
Imagination, has, by Imagining,receiv'd for
of a Sound, or of any quality for difcerning
hv the Smell or Tafte, or of a dead Man, or
ot a \Daimm ; and being imbued with it, is
convey 'd to the Senfe which correfponds to
that
2i8 An Account of Genii,
that A&ion, as in Odours, tc the proper In-
ftrument of Smelling; in Hearings to the Ears;
in Spectres, to the Eyes, it will neceffarily
Smeli^ Hear, and See, without any Obje&j
for if Seeing be nought but a Perception of
a Species in the Chrifialloldes , whether that
Species comes from the Objed or not, its
manifeft, as often as this happens it truly fees
and fo it happens that Perfons fee Demons, or
dead Perfons, being awake ; and alfo hear
Voices of Perfons they know, and fmell Smells,
and touchy as in the Incubi or Succubi But thefe
:

things are more feldom feen than they are

heard or touched ; becaufe in the reft of the
Senfes it fuffices to obferve one difference, and
one only Spirit., convey'd to the Senfe with
that Image may reprefent this : But as in the
Eyes there are more differences neceffary,
Magnitude, Form, Colour, of neceffity more
Spirits muft be convey'd ; and for this reafon
Nature has made thofe Nerves hollow, which
pais to the Eyes, and only thofe fo, becaufe
thofe in their operations ftand in need of far
more Spirits, than any of the other Senfes in
decerning. Hence arifes a folution of many
Problems, which tho' carrying a certain truth,
yet have brought many to fuch ftreights, that
feme have been fain to fly to Miracle, others
to Demons, others have flatly denied the Fa6ts.
As in IJland and Nor&ay, &c. they think they
fee fome of their Family who are dead, and
thin!; they embrace them ; and fay, they va-
nifn in their Embraces : Now, IJltnd is full of
Bitumen, and the Inhabitants live on Fruits,
Roots, Bread made of Fifh and Water, and it
lying in the frozen Sea, by reafon of its great
Cold, it cannot bear Handing Corn, and much
1q&
 ;

or Ewuliar Spirit f, 219

lefs Win the Spirits, by reafon of
the Food; the Air, by reafon of the Soil, are
therefore, by reafon of the thick-
nef* and the Vapours concerted
through Cold, [mages wander about, as in
the Clouds, which being conceiv'd, through
Error, I ear, and Thought, the denfe and
hy Spirit fo long retains , till it be con-
the Inftrument of Senfe; therefore
they perfwade themfeives they fee and talk
with them They think they fee Perfons of
:

their Acquaintance, and fuch as are dead, be-

caufe thev know they are not there living,
and becaufe th( \fp in their Embraces

but no Man has feignd to himfelf an un-

known Figure in the Clouds, as of a Chimera,
or an Hippocentaure ; for we are all carry'd to
known things. So far Card
But after all this Philofophizing, for View-
ing that all our Senfes may be impos'd on by
Phantoms, I do not find how this any way
accounts for thofe Apparitions which have
v

reveal'd future or hidden things, and the like,

which were not pofltbly difcoverable by any
affiftance of our Senfe or Reafon.

CHAP.
22o An Account of Geni i

CHAP. IX.

What perception Men have had of Genii

or Spirits, and their Operations by

Dreams.

TO fay abfolutely, that all Dreams, with-

out any diftin&ion, are vain Vifions,
and fports of Nature, the Images of things at
random coming into our Minds, and poffef-
fing them while we Sleep ; and to banifh all
Divination from the Life of Man, as Epicurus,
Meterodorus, and Xenophanes did, is contrary to
Experience, and the common Confent and
Agreement of Mankind. So that we may
argue with Averrhoes, in his Varaphrafe, there
is no Man but has had Dreams, which have

foretold him fomething, and therefore they

are not only the Sports of Nature, and vain
I. 25. Appearances. Pliny, a Man little credulous
in matters of Faith, writes, That the cures of
many Difeafes, unknown before, had been
difcover'd in Dreams. Porphyrins, to explain
Divine Dreams, fays, That God has given to
each Man two Damons to attend him, a good
and a bad ; and that the good and propitious
Demons, foreftiew us, in our Dreams, Evils
to come, prepared for us by evil Damons ; add-
ing, that if Man could rightly difcern
any
are intimated to us in our
riiofe things that
Sleep, he would be freed from all Evils, and
become an egregious Prophet. Tfellus I de
Damon
 '

or Familiar Spirits, 221

Damon: fays, That Damons come to thofc that
arc worthy of their & and give them
the knowledge of future things. And the
ripatcticks for referring
die Works of Damons, as Divinations, a ma-
nifestation of occult things, and the (peaking
of various Tongues to Humours, and the
Steams of the Earth.
Dion Cajjiwy writes thus, The caufe which
*
moved me to write this Hiftory was this :
7
"^
When I had writ a Book of thofe Dreams and
Prodigies, which had given Scverrts hopes of
the Principality, and had fent it to Severn,
and he had read it, and had writ me back
many kind things; after receiving his Letter
in the Evening, I went to Bed, and in my
Sleep it was Divinely Commanded me, to
write an Hiftory ; wherefore I writ the things
I now treat of ; which proving very pleafing
to Swtrus and others, I prefently refolved to
go through writing the whole Roman Hiftory.
And tho' I took upon me the Compofing of
this Hiftory with relu&ancy, and, at firft,
wholly reje&ed it, my Goddefs encouraged me
in my Sleep, and gave me good hopes that
this Hiftory fhould never Periih ; which God-
defs I take to be the Guardianefs of my Life,
The lame Author concludes the laft Book of
his Hiftory thus, At length being taken ill
in my Feet, I was difmift of all Employs, to
pafs all the remainder of my Life in my Coun-
try, as my Genim had plainly lignirijd to me
in Bjtbinid : who alfo once feem'd to com-
mand me, in my Dream, to a rfes
to the end of my Hiftor
 212 An Account of Genii,
From Arms and cruel Slaughters, Dufl and Tain
Iliad. 3«
Suftained in Wars, Jove Hedor h

Cardan, tho' he had writ ten Eooks of Dreams^

yet in his Book De Mirabilibus, tells us how, he
was often admoniflfd in his Dreams to write
hisOne and Twenty Books De Subtitin e\ of
which the foremention'd Book is one ; and
he fays thefe did not feem Dreams to him,
but fomewhat greater, and that his Books
De Rerum varietcte were fo likewife fhewn
him, and that it was a property belonging
to his Family , which he had both by his
Fathers and Mothers fide, to Dream of what
would happen to him ; and this he has fet
forth, that Men may know there is fome-

what in us befides our felves. There is, he

fays, in all Men, but it incites fome to Ver-
tue, becaufe they will have it fo, others to
Murther, Poifonings, &c. what, fays he, do
they think the Mind of a Wicked Man to be ?
is Man there alone ? or are there Fears, Ha-
treds, Sufpifcions, Angers and Torments of
Mind, fo that when a Man has given himfelf
over to their power, he cannot be mailer of
himfelf ? In all of us there are buried Seeds
and Sprouts of a contrary Fa&ion; wherefore
no Man can be exeitfed to Vertue, nor have
an experience of Truth in Dreams, who over-
whelms and buries that which is in him befide
himfelf; for thereare three Factions within
us, Evil Damons, a clear Light, andPleafure;
wherefore trueDreams, a forefight of Futurities,
and wonderful things happen even to wickecf
Men. I know what may be obje&ed againft me,
that, forfooth, I would feem a Divine Man: Do
they think me of fo little Senie, that I know
not
 1

or Familiar Spirits. 1 3

not Men will rather impute this as a Vanity to

me, than turn it to my Praifc? bur
I have icon and know, I cannCM
it be to my extream prejudice. Jt ^ i:

comfort to mc, that when the fame

hup; \kn, the lame Fear, the fiu
Sufpicion, which he confclt he was not Igfl
rant of, yet he chofe rather to obey his Im-
pulfe, and not to conceal the things he knew,
to the hazard of his Fame, than to mind the
Glory of Men. If any Man may h;;ply fu-
(peft me for leeking from this , an opinion
of Sanetirv, let him know, that no Man a-
mong the Ancients more conftantly afferted
the Mortality of the Soul, than md
that I am a dinner. Wherefore the reafon of
thefe things muft be dedud elfewhere •
for
they belong to the Books De Arcnnis zALttml-
tatts & de Fate, not to the prefent difpute, nor
are they proper for it. So far Cardan. And
I defire this may ferve for an Anfwer to what
fome Men haply may be inclined to objed
to my felf, in reference to what I have deli-
vered in this Book, as to any experience of
my own, in this, or the like kind; for I as
freely own my ielf guilty of many Failings,
as Car dm did, or any other Man may.
To come nearer to our /Times, G^ndas,
in the Life of Peireskitfs, writ by himfelf, re-
lates fo ftrange a Dream which happened to
him, that Yeireskixs upon telling it him more
than once, faid that if another Man had re-
lated it, he fhould not have believed him.
In his return, Anno 1610 , in the I ng
of May, fromil' a his
Company one James Raitwr, a (
who was wont to Lodge in
with
22 4 Jn Account of Genu,
with him, and now, did fo in an Inn on the
Road: as Veireskius Slept, Rainer obferved he
muttered fomewhat to himfelf, after an un-
ufual manner ; whereupon Rainer Awakened
him, and ask'd him what was the matter ? Oh
faid he, from what a pleafant and grateful
Dream have you roufed me Rainer asking
!

him, what it was ? I was Dreaming, faid he,

that I was at Nifmes, and that a Goldfmith offe-
red me a Golden Medal of Julius Cafar , for
four Crowns, and I was upon paying him his
Mony for it; when upon your unfeafonable
Awaking me, both Goldfmith and Medal Va-
nifhed. They went on to Nifmes, and being
there, Peireskius took a turn in the City, till
Dinner was ready, and, by a wonderful
qhance, he happened on a Goldfmiths Shop,
and asked the Goldfmith, whether he had any
Rarity to fhew him? he told him he had a
Julius Cafar of Gold; he asked him the Price
and was anfwered four Crowns, which he
prefently paid him, and taking the Medal; by
an admirable hit of Fortune he fulfilled his
Dream. It may be faid admirable, for he
might eafily have thought of Nifmes, where he
was to be the next Morning; he might have
thought of that Coin of Julius Cafar, which
he had often wiftied for, being awake ; he
might have thought it found in that City,
in which there were fo many Footfteps of
Roman Antiquities \ he might have thought, at
a Goldfmiths , to which fort of Perfons, fuch
things found, ?sc commonly carried ; he might
have thought of a fmall Price, at which Gold-
,
fmiths rather value thofe things , than Anti-
quaries; he might have thought of four
Crowns, with which moderate Price a Gold-
fmith
 or Vmtlidr Spirits. 225
fmitb mi In fhort,
and

all tl the
Eve- tm. And n
Ten
thought
done, if the like Dn
n\\ ; b
of ( 2 only this ann
thofe which to
create a ftupor in tl

cerili ^, which Difcou; I

Tranflated and Printed in Englijh W//. ic ,

In it this Dream of inferted

placed among Angelical Dreams. I fhall here
give you fome account of that Diicourfe y as
follows.
The Firft Chapter treats of tJatur msy
which he concludes thus It's true, foi :

it happens, that fome of thefc Dreams come

to pafs ^ which makes us think, there is fome

refemblance or agreement betwixt the Dream
and the Event; and by confequence that fome
AvgA or Spirit is concen rein bu t, j

has This happens b\

obferv'd ,

chance, as he that without any aim fhould

fhoot a thoufand Arrows, may at la ft by chance
hit the Mark. So in our Dreams, fuch an
finite number of Vilions pafs in our Imaginati-
on , that it's not only no Wonder , if one
fhould fometimes chance to be true, but it
would be much more ftrange, if once or twice^
in our Life, it did not fo happen but if any ;

of our Dreams do not only come to pafs , but

there alfo is a remarkable Agreement betv.
226 An Account of Genii,
itand the Event, and fuch as we ought necef-
farily to fuppofe the Operation of an In-
telligent Agent to Intervene , we ought not
then to reckon this among Natural Dreams,
but to refer it either to God, or to fome A&i-
on of Angels.
His Second Chapter treats of Angelical
Dreams in general, with fome Refle&ions on
particular Dreams; he fays,There are two forts
of Dreams, which we may impute to created In-
telligences; one where the things fignify'd are
contain d in fymbolical and myfterious Repre-
fentations, the other where they are proposed
naked, without any fuch refemblances. The
common Rule of interpreting the former, he
fays, is to obferve the Agreements which are
betwixt the Dreams , and their Events ; and
fome of thefe Dreams regard prefent, others
future things ; of both which he gives Inftan-
ees. Thole other Dreams which propofe
things nakedly, as they are in themfelves, have
no need of an Interpreter to underftand
them, but when the Event confirms them they
are not the lefs wonderful, as the Dreams of
Tclreskius, and others which he mentions.
The Third Chapter treats of Divine Dreams,
which are alfo of two forts, one contains Fu-
ture things, under enigmatical and myfterious
E.eprefentations, the other are much more
plain and naked j of both which he gives In-
stances. Concerning Divine Dreams, in general
he makes three Enquiries, i. Why God has
fonietimes reveal'd himfelf in Dreams to his
Servants. 2. How they could certainly know
that thofe Dreams had God for their Author.
3. Whether this way of Revelation by Dreams
be yet pra&ifed, ahd whether God does ftill
make
 or Fdmil'ur Sfut its. i 27
make nfc of it, under the 1
the
ofthele Queftioc ,rcJ

( trious in. il him-

< and by them to others, fo

no reafoh why he (hould hare cxclu-
that of Dreams j and there is yet this far-
the: in particular, for them above the
that though there be a gi
,
of !

\ Dreams and that thofe

,

w) from Angels have very often

miK biguity , and that
forne Philof >chcrs, fup-
pos'd no regard to be had to that \v ay of Divi-
r

nation, yet it has always been almolt the uni-

verfal Opinion of all Nations/hat tlrj Divine Be-
ing did principally communicate it felftp Men
by Dreams ; and generally this Opinion in the
Eaftern Nations had a very great Reputa-
tion 3 fo that it was Principally in thofe Na-
tions, that they have redue'd the Interpretati-
on of Dreams into an Art, and have laid down
Rules .concerning it and becaufe the People
:

of Ifrael were alio of the fame Opinion, God

chofe to fend them fuch Dreams, as were tru-
ly Divine , thus to fix them to thefe ; and
lo divert them from that Vanity, to which o-
ther Nations fuffer'd themfelves to be carry ed by
thofe others. Befide, the Church being then
in her Infant State, the People were more ea~
iily inftruded by Dreams, than by other ways,
in which there was need of more clearnefs and
ftrength of Underitanding.
The Second Queftion, concerning the Cha-
racters by which we may know Dreams rruly
Divine, from vain Delufion , is treated of
in his Fourth Chapter, where he would have us
Qz firft
2 1 An Account of Genii,
firftnote, That among thefe Dreams that
proceed from the Operations of Angels, there
may alfo be found Divine ones, inafmuch
as God does not only permit , but may com-
mand the Impreffion of them ; but thofe he
properly calls Angelical Dreams, are meerly
fuch as neither the Formation of the Images
exceeds their Power, nor is the knowledge of
the things which thefe Images reprefent a-
bove theif Intelligence , nor above the quick-
nefs of their Conje&ures and Divination, He
calls fome Dreams, Divine, becaufe whether
it were that God employed Angels to con-
vey them, or whether they are immediately
caus'd by himfelf , the things fignifyed by
them far exceed the Natural capacity of an
Angels underftanding ; fo that it was abfolute-
ly impoffible they fhould ever attain to the
Knowledge of them, but by a particular Reve-
lation therefore thofe Dreams may be repu-
;

ted to come from God , whjch by what Mef-

fenger foever they are conveyed, yet contain
fuch things as God only is able to know and
reveal. As for the Marks o£ Divine Dreams, he
fays, it's certain that Mofes , and others had
fome certain Marks which abfolutely deter-
min d them to fet upon fuch A&ions as they
did, though others might not know wherein
thofe Marks did confift ; he obferves that God
Rules in the Underftanding of Wife and Vertu-
ous Men ; and powerfully inclines it to a Be-
lief and Refolution, though it does not fee in
the objed reafons , altogether proportionate
to the effect it feels in the Soul ; fo that the
extraordinarily determination of the Under-
ftanding is an evident Proof of the Divinity
of the Dream,
The
 or Fan Spirits. 229
The Third Queftion ,
Whether God
makes ufe of this kind of D now un
the DUpenfarion of the
in hi> Fifth Chapter , where he
for thole Divine I to

gprical Reprefentation^or to convey lb

to Men
in order to lom
and extraordinary Defign, for which there is
1 of Divine Authority for the undertaking
and executing of it 3 he conceives that time is
wholly cxpir'd., and thofe who pretend to^ and
boaft of any fuch, are either Impoftors y who
would abufe the World by their feign'd Vifi-
ons^ to ferve their own private Intereft., or
Fools, who have their Brains difturb'd by Hy-
pochondriacal Vapours ; and here he delivers
his Thoughts concerning a certain kind of
People of both Sexes, who both in Tola Wand
Germany have pretended to Divine Vifions in
thefe latter Days; he does not accufe them
of Impofture > they having given a fufficient
Experience of their Piety y but affirms, That
in their Aftions they had fome tranfport of
Underftanding, which proceeded from fome
other Caufe , than what was truly Divine.
They were Perfons that gave themfelves ex-
traordinarily to the reading of the Afocalypfe,
and the other Prophefies; and their Spirits were
fo polTefs'd with the Ideas of thofe things they
there faw, where future Events were repreferiT
ted to them 3 that they perfwaded themfelves,
their yery Dreams y and the things thi
gin d they faw in thofe Extafk
times fwll into,, were Real and Divine \ ilior.s
j
and what contributed to this be
they fuffpr'd fhemfelves to be
Q
2 jo An Account of Genii,
by the hopes of thofe, who exped in due time,
a Profperity of the Church of God on Earthy
and a terrible Subverfion of all thofe States and
Powers which now oppofe the Eftabliftiment
of Chrift's Kingdom : And as they zealoufly
defired this, they eafily imagin d it to be cer-
tain and indubitable; divers Texts of Scripture
alfo having fome feeming appearance of fome
fuch Promifes made to the Church of Chrift
Befide the Melancholick Humour which was
naturally predominant in them, the Affli&i-
oi*s, Hardships, and Anxieties they underwent^
as well from the publick Affairs^ as their own
private Concerns made them very ready to
receive all Impreffions of Fancy, which might
fhew them any hope of Deliverance , or any

mitigation of their Troubles ; be it then that

either they Dreamt , or that waking , they
were furpriz'd with fome tranfport of Fancy,
in which their Soul was perfedly abftra&ed
from the Body, and from all Commerce with
their Senfes (as this fometimes happens in Hy-
pochondriacal Diftempers) thefe Apocalypti-
cal Images were thus put into a violent moti-
on, and fram'd in their Imaginations thofe
pretended Vifions, which they have fince re-
lated to us ; though we have feen , in great
part, by Experience, that thofe Images which
they faw in their pretended Enthufiafms, either
fignified nothing at all, or if they did , yet
their vanity and falfenefs have been confuted
by the Events.
He fabjoyns here a Refle&ion on thofe are
called ^uakersy for boafting of Vifions, Reve-
lations , Divine Infpirations , extraordinary
Gifts of the Spirit , of Extafies and ftrange
Tra.ipoimions ; who by their tremblings and
qua:.;
 or Familiar Spirit*. 231
quakings would reprefent the Motions of f
thufiafts and Prophets; and he tells us, the S
rit of Chrifl is a Spirit of Undemanding and

Pru U fettled
and which tills empty B ritfa

Darl iiantaftical Imaginations , nor ex-

pofes the true Religion to I e;htcr of its
nies, and to the fcandal of Sober and In-
telligent Men, by its indecent, and unnatural
Motions.
As for thofe Dreams which may proceed
meerly from the Impreflion and Operation of
els3 both good and bad , he fays, he will
not deny but there may be yet foj im-
ples of that kind to be leen ; and though -

Difpenfation of the Law, under which good

Angels were more efpccially Employed in
things relating to Religion, be now pafs'd,
yet they continue ftill to be Minifters and
Inftruments of Divine Providence in what re-
lates to civil Life and humane Society, and
efpecially the Protection of the Faithful , and
the Ddfence of the Church of Chrift. And as
not impoflible, but the}' may fometimes
it is

appear to Men waking, fo it is not incredible

but God may make ufe of them , from time to
time, to convey to Men the notices of fome
things by Dreams j he fays , there are many
Examples of both kinds in the Books of thofe
who have made Collections of them, to which
Books he refers the Reader j but gives us one
Inftance of Monfieur Calirnan , Chancellor of
,a Man of fingular Vertue who be-
j

ing nt y one Night, as he lay afi?

Lrd a Voice which call'd him b]
Calignam\ Hereupon awaking, and he.
more of it, he imagmd he Dreamt, and fell
0.4
2 1 An Account of Genii,
afleep again j. a little after he heard the fame
Voice, calling him in the fame manner, which
made a greater impreffion on him than be-
fore, fo that being awaken' d^he call'd his Wife,
who was with him , and told her what had
happen'd ; fo that they both lay waking for
fome time, expe&ing whether they might hear
the Voice again , at laft the Voice awaken d
him a third time , calling him by his Name,
and advifed him to retire prefently out of the
Town, and to remove his Family, for that the
Plague would rage horribly in that place
within a few Days ; he followed the direction,
and within a few Day? after the Plague began
in the Town, and deftroyed a great number
of People. Now, the Author lays , whether
the Plague came by the Infe&ion of the Air,
or by fome Infectious Perfons , or whether
fome Sorcerers and Witches, (as they fay they
fometimes do ) diffus'd their Infectious Poy-
fons in that place, neither exceeded the know-
ledge of the Angels that fpake to him. He
next relates a Dream as ftrange which hap-
pened to Lai'zsJeEowfon, Prince of Covde, and,
in his Conclufion, he fays , there is need of
great Circumfpedrion to Judge of thefe No-
cturnal Vifions ; if any fuch Dream induce us
to a good Adion, and from whence there can
follow no bad Event, fuch a Dream ought not
to be fafpeited by us; but if it prompts us to
evil, we ought abfolutely to condemn , and
reject it , as a Delufion of the Devil. So far

Mehmftkon, I. de Anima^ writes concerning

the Natijre of Dreams, as fellow^ I (hall not
follow the Ambages of Natural Philofophers,
Who {laving tp refer Dreams of all kinds to
Natural
 5

or Familiar Spirit*. 2
3
Nat foolifhly j but I find four

is, which t.

be C lufcj the Natural and

immediate <, of them are in view | as
ire prefentcd of thofe things,

which we mink on being awake; or when

Dreams infwer to certain Humours ; a redun-
<>r agitation of which moves the Ima-

gation, or Spirits.
Second kind I call prefaging , which
neverthelefs not Divine, but as by a Natural
is

temperament^ or peculiar property , or by a

Natural Gift, one Perfon is more Mufical than
another, or has a greater Activity of Body, &c.
Co by a Natural Gift or property , many have
prefaging Dreams , painting forth future fi-
vers, as it were by certain Allegories. So
Tontanus tells us , That a certain Soldier at Ge-
noa, Dreamt he was devoured by a Serpent,
wherefore on a Day, when the other Soldi-
ers were put on board Ships to Fight with the
Enemy/ he kept himfelf at home; but a tu-
?
mult cafually arifing in the City, he was kill d
by the Bail of a fort of Canon, which we call
a Serpent. This kind of Dreams has not an
apparent caufe in the Motion, or Plenty of the
Humonrs, or the firft Qualities, as we faid of
the firft kind, but there are certain prefaging
Natures, call iCCh*
k&ASi x) ivav reiCn { that have frequent
fignifying Dreams ; nor fhall I be it,

ny Men fhall contend, that the caufe of this

property is the e cy of the
as Aftrologers v idle
of explaining and
lumors.
The
254 ^n Recount of Genii,
The Third kind is Divine, which God fends
into Minds, either by himfelf, or by Angels
fuch as the Scriptures tell us were divinely
fent , and thefe only are to be rely'd on ,
as certain, the others being all fallacious.
The Fourth kind is Diabolical ^ as when
Witches (as it feems to them ) are prefent at
Feafts and Sports , when it has been often
known by experience, , that they never went
to them, but as they lay Sleeping, fignified
by their Geftures and Cries, that they Dream'd
of Feafting and Dancing. Of this kind have
been many Superftitious Dreamers of Former
Ages, and in thefe our Times we have heard
of many Fanatical Dreams of Anabaptifts
Commanding Crimes , and Confirming Er-
rors ; which are eafily judged of by Pious
and Prudent Perfons.
Sennertus 3 in Epit. V.hyf. I. 7. c. 9. writes
thus. To Supernatural Dreams we refer all thofe
which are from Superiour Caufes, and
fent us
External to be they from God, Angels or
us,
Devils. Thofe that are fent from God and
Good Angels, are efpecially called Divine,
whereof there are fome inftances in the Scri-
ptures : for God is prefent new
wont either to
Species to Men in Dreams , or ,
fo to order
and conjoyn thofe that are in Men before,
that they are figns of future things ; and Angels
are wont to ftir up and aptly difpofe thofe
Species, Spirits and Humours that are in the
Body , that they admonifh Men of good
and neceffary things. And Diabolical Dreams
are caufed the fame way, as by Angels, but
for a different end, viz? the Deftruction of
Men.

From
 or Familiar Spirits. 135
From thcfc things it appears how even ab-
fent and future thir, be preferred to us
by our Dreams. is think many

Dreams may be itfenrtl tot md Dx-

monsy which they think attend all particular
Pcrf >n>, and conclude, that they admonifii
them or many things; but our Divines much
more rightly refer them to Angels, which
attend each Man. To which we may add
what TertuU. writes, vw. The gift of Divine L.de Anim.
Dreams defcends ev'n on Prophane Perfons,
God equally affording Rain and Sunfliine on
the Juft and Unjuft Since ev'n Nebuchadnezzar
:

had a Dream lent him by God. And as the

ur of God reaches even the Pagans,(6 the
temptation of the Devil does the Saints, from
whom he is never abfent, that he may fteal
upon them unawares, when a Sleep, if he
cannot prevail with them when awake.
He there further Philofophizes concerning
Dreams, as follows.
Becaufe in Dreaming Perfons the Fancy is
employed, and fome Fantafm is prefented to
it, and we do not Dream only of thofe things

which we have done in the Day, or of thofe

things which lye hid in the Body, but alfo of
thofe things which are at a vaft diftance from
us, and which we have neither feen, heard,
nor perceived by any Senfe; nay, of thofe
things which are not yet in being, but to come
afterwards , its queried how the Images of
things abfe- never perceived by the
I

ies, and which are nor vet in King., can

be 1
i to . th :v ? The
fuppofe that In which fly to and fro,
Air, are the caufes of this
chLn?. \ Antw. 11. dc
the
 i 5 6 An Account of Genii
thofe Images, but contends there are certain
Motions, which exercife us inftead of Images >
and that thofe Motions proceed from certain
beginings of thofe things , which are fhortly
after to be faid, or done by us, the Air firft
chang'd, and then being convey d through the
paffages of the Ears and Noftrils to the Hearty
caufe, that we feem to foreknow the events
of future things ; and thefe motions can-
not at any time, bring a more ample fenfe of
themfelves, than in the Night. But how can
there be motions of things that are not yet in
being ? or how can things abfent Fifty,, or an
Hundred Miles prefently affect the "Air? or
why do not thofe Motions affed all Perfons
indifferenly afleep in their way , but only
thofe whom it concerns to know that thing ?
We refer all thofe Dreams which we have con-
cerning things^ that we never perceived before
by Senfe, or from caufes that do not lye hid
in our Body, to a Divine operation.
JL.& Dku j5Wm7;?;iPhilofophizes of Supernatual Dreams
thus: Supernatural Dreams are in the middle be-
twixt Divine and Natural; in regard their caufes
are neither referr'd immediately to God, nor to
the malignity of evil Humours, on which the
rife of Natural Dreams depends; but to our
Soul, which is awake, the Body fleeping; and
which being ftirr'd up by a certain Superna-
tural Rapt, especially the good Genius Infpiring,
feprelents to us by Dreams and Vifions, many
FantafmSj which, for the moll part, Prefcge
ibmewhat certain , the certitude of which is
commonly known by the event of things;
many Inftances of thofe Dreams occur, where
it- has oftem feemed to Perfons in Dreams,
y fill into feme Difeafe, or recover of
it.
 or Familiar Spirits 237
it, to which Vifions the Event afterwai

fwer'd to all things, chat they had fee

fore in I
were not de-
fied ,
as Diabolical D are
wont to be (ought tor. Arnold*
Dreamt , That he was bit in the loot by a
Black Cat the next Day there broke out in
,

that part ot his] C xerous and Mali

nam Ulcer. S n.

So Siwlerus in the Life of

tells us , (

That Gefner on a Night Dreamt, that he was

bit by a Serpent, and the next Morning faid,
that he fliould be with a PctlilcntialC
buncle a few Days after a Carbuncle appeared
:

in his left Pap , five Days before he dyed.

To procceed now to give fome farther In-
ftances of Dreams from other Authors. Fra-
cajlorius tells US, That Marcus Antomus Flamh:
being at Genoa , and fomewhat indifpofed in
his Health, borrow'd a Book of a Friend, to
divert him ; which having read fome Days,
he chanc d to leave it on a Couch, with fome
other Books, and that when the Perfon thar
lent it, came for it, it could by no means be
found. In the Night time he faW , in his
Dream, a Maid Servant of the Houfe, take the
Book from the Couch, and as flie was laying
it on a Table, the Book chane'd to fall on

the Ground , and one fide of the Cover was

broken, and the Maid hid it, for fear, in a fe-
cret place. Flamhuns riling in the Morning,
and remembring his Dream , fought for the
Book and found it in that place, and charging
the Maid Servant with what was done, fhe
confefs'd that all pafs'd as 1.
3 8 An Account of Genii,
Celfus Mancinim of Ravenna, has writ an In-
genious Tra&, intitl'd, De Somniis> & Synefi per
Somnia, viz. of Dreams, and a fagacious per-
ception of things by Dreams , in which he has
inierted the Dream before fet down. In his
Work he has fet forth the Opinions of the moft
Famous PhiJofophers concerning the Caufes of
Dreams ; and though he allows the Divine and
Angelical Dreams recorded in the Scriptures,
yet for all other wonderful Dreams, he thinks
a reafonmay be rendred of them according to
the Dodxine of Jriftotk , viz. as cafually
hapning. He gives Inftances of many ftrange
Dreams, and among others of that of Flamini-
us> and explains them all according to Arifio-
ties Do&rine. In his 19th Chapter , he fays,
Its known that thofe who apply themfelves to
Philofophy, and other Arts and Sciences , in
their fleep, by the help of a Powerful Imagi-
nation, a recent exercife , and a ftrong At-
tention of Mind, Difcourfe, find out and do
many things which they had not done , nor
were able to find out, waking ; and he fays^
Flawiniusfaw thofe things in his Dream , be-
caufe being troubl'd about the Book he had
borrowed, and much concern'd, that he could
not reftore it , he began to think where the
Book might be found ; he did not Judge it
flol'n, but feeing other Books removed from
one place to another, viz» from the Couch to
the Table, he began to confider who had done
it•
as he thought of this , no one could oc-
curr to him more readily , nor more fufps-
ded than the Maid Servant , that conftantly
attended him. That Servant was doubtlefs
freefrom any Sufpicion of Theft; for the
Book was not likely to yield her much Money,
or
 or Familiar Spirits. 239
or to be of any ufe to her the ; he mull
conclude within himfelf, that in Cfl the
Book^ fronj the Couch to the Table, that Book
Ctfuaily fell tnd broke its cover; and becaufe
Peo! .nt to hide their Faults, or at

lead to lcffen them by fome excufe , thatfim-

ple Maid tearing chiding, or beating, or
lelt Ionic ill might follow, wifely to avoid all,
hid the Book in the moft fecret place fhe could,
Chefl, or fome like place. Having
v

ourfs'd thefe things by Night, in his deep, and

upon waking in the Morning, remembring his
Dream, he try'd whether it were true , and
found things exa&ly to anfwer his Dream,
all

He explains other ftrange Dreams after the

fame manner, according to Arijtattts Opinion,
as cafually hapning , by a lucky hit of the
Mind, in its improv'd way of reafoning in our
Sleep.
But I doubt this way of explaining will not
do in all Cafes , but we mull often have re-
courfc to the Direction of fome Superior In-
. telligences.
Mr. Cotton Mather , in his Ecclcjiafiicdl Hi- L
fiory cf New thus, Within a Exa'mpU
England, writes
Fortnight of my writing this, a Phyfician, is.
who fojourned within a Furlong of my Houfe,
for three Nights together, was miferably di-
fturbed with Dreams of his being Drown'd ;
on the third of thefe Nights his Dreams were
fo troublefome, that he was caft into extream
Sweats, by ftrugling under the imaginary Wa-
ters :With the Sweats yet upon him, he came
down from his Chamber, telling the People
of the Family what it was that had fo dif-
compofed him. Immediately there came in
two Friends, that asked him to go a little way
with
240 An Account of Genii,
with them, in a Boat, upon the Water: he
was, at firft, afraid of gratifying them in it,
but being very calm Weather, he recolleded
himfelf, why ftiould I mind my Dreams, or
diftruft Divine Providence ? he went with
them, and before Nighty by a Thunder Storm
fuddenly coming up , they were all three
Drown d. Mr. Mather fays, he enquired into
the truth of this Relation, juft as he writ it,
and could affert it.
So again, Camerarim tells us in the Life of
Melancthon, that Gulielmus Nejfenus, on a Day
after Dinner, in a gentle Sleep he had, Dreamt
that he was paffing a River in a Fifher Boat,
(as he ufually did for his Diverfion ) and that
the Boat ftriking on the Trunk of a Tree,
was overturned, and he was Drowned. This
Dream he told to Philip Melan&hon, who then
cafually came to fee him, deriding withal the
Vanity of Dreams; but that fame Evening
what he had Dreamt came to pafs.
Mr. William Smythies \ Curate of St. Giles's
Criplegate, An. 1698, publifhed an account of
the Robbery and Murther of John Stcckden
Victualler, in Grub-fireet, within the faid Parifh,
and of the Difcovery of the Murtherers, by
feveral Dreams of Elizabeth, the Wife of Tho-
mas Greenwood, a Neighbour to the &id Stockden:
An Abftrad of which Account, I give you as
follows.
Mr. Smithies, firft telling us, that none can
doubt but great Difcoveries have been made
by Dreams, who read the Life of Sir Htnry
Wotton ; and our Englijh Chronicles ( particu-
larly the Murther of Waters, and the Difco-
very of it by a Dream, recorded by Sir Pochard
Baker, in his Chapter of Cafuaities, in the
Reign
 or familiar Spirits. u
r
i

Reign of Jama the Firft ) and other iiiito-

ries; he wy*j Ms. Stockden was Kobb'd
Murthered by three Men, in his own Hou
on the 2;./ day of December, 1695-. about
Midnight. A little after the Mu:\ .ere
came a Woman into the Street, and UjuL I

believed one MspurJ to be one of the Mur-

therers, btcaufe fhe was informed he wa> iifl I

of Mony, both Silver and Gold upon which ;

there was a Warrant agaiofl him; but he could

not be found. Soon alter this Stockden appeard
to EUzs.ibeth Greenwood, in a Dream, and fhew'd
her an Houfe in Tbames-jheet, near the George
and told her, that one of the Murtherers was
there j fhe went the next Mornings and took
one Mary Buggaf, an Honeft Woman, who
lived near her, to go with her to the Place to
which her Dream directed , and asking for
nardy was inform'd that he Lodg'd there,
but was gone abroad. After that Stockden
foon appeared again to Mrs. Greenwood, and
then reprefenting Maynard's Face, with a flat
Mole on the fide of his Nofe ( whom fhe had
never feen) fignified to her, that a i

muft take him, and that he ftiould be carried

to Newgate in a Coach. Upon enquiry they
found out one of that Trade, who was his
great Intimate, and who, for a reward of Ten
Pounds, promifed him on his Taking, under-
took it, and effeded it. He fem to M*jn< rd
to meet upon extraordinary
him,, Buftnefs, at
a PublickHoufe , near Hockley in the HJc,
where he Played with him till a Conftable
e, who apprehended him, and carried him
before a Magistrate, tfho Commuted him to
ikhcr in a

R
i^i An Account of Genii,
Mayn.rd being in Prifon, confeft the hor-
.

rid Fad, and difcover'd his Accomplices; who

were one Marjl), Bevel and Mercer, and faid,
that Marjh was the fetter on, being a near
Neighbour to Stockden, who knew he was well
furnifhed with Mony and Plate; and though
Marjh were not prelent at the Robbery,, yet
he met to have a fhare of the Booty. M»rjh
knowing or fufpe&ing that Majmrd had dif-
coverd him., left his Habitation. Stockden ap-
peared icon after to Mrs. Greenwood, and feem'd
by his Countenance to be difpleas'd he car-
:

ried her to an Houfe in Old-ftreet, where Ihe

had never been, and fliew'd her a pair of
Stairs, and told her that one of the Men
Lodg d there ; the next Morning (he took
AUr] Buggas with her to the Houfe,, accord-
ing to the direction of the Dream,, where fhe
asked a Woman, if one Marjh did not Lodge
there ? to which the Woman replyed that he
often came thither. This Marjh was taken
foon after in another place.
Afrer this Mrs. Greenwood Dreamt that
Stockden carried Her over the Bridge, up the
Bwovgh, and into a Yard, where fhe faw
Bevil, the third Criminal ( whom flie had
never Cctn before ) and his Wife upon her
:

telling this Dream., it was believed that it was

one of the Prifon Yards ; and thereupon fhe
went with Mrs. Footman ( who was Stockden s
Xinfvvoman and Houfe keeper, and wasGaggd
in his Houfe when he was Murthered ) to the
,
Mtljkalfea , where they enquired for Bevil,
5
and were inform d, that he was lately brought
rhither for Coining, and that he was taken
near the Banijid-, according to a Dream which
_ M:s. G%hnwQcd had before of his being there;
hey
 or Familiar Spit its.
24 j
they defired him, an nj,
he (aid co rman , Do nt ?

fhe replycd j / do not; whereupon he

from than I
Mrs. Greenwood then told Mrs,
Sis lure of his b Man,
whom 1; ill her Sleep. They then wej
into the Cellar, where Mrs, a
lufty Woman, and privately (aid to Mrs,
t, that's Bevits Wife whom I few in my
Sleep :they defired that Bevil might come to
them, and tirft put on his Periwig, vvhi
not on the time before ; the lufty Woman
faid, why fhould you fpeak with my Husband
again, lince you laid you did not know him ?
he came the fecond time, and faid, Do
know nt mow ? Mrs. Footman reply cd, No but ;

it proceeded from a iudden Fear, that foil

Mifchief might be done to her, who had very

narrowly efcaped Death from him when (he
was Gaggd ; and as foon as fhe was out of
the Cellar, fhe told Mrs. Greenwood, that fhe
then remembred him to be the Man. l^hey
went foon after to the Clerk of the Peace,
and procured his removal to Nnrgate, where
he confeft the Fa#, and faid, To the G
Heart, I Kill J him.
Mrs. Greenwood did not Dream any thing
cone Mercerj who was a Party concern d,
but would not confent to the Murdu ct- 1

den, and preferved Mrs. Footman's Life j nor I

there been any difcovery of him fince, but he

Efcaped, and the three others were Ran
After the Murtherers were taken Mrs. f

I Dreamt th came to her in

Street, and faid, I

(f H
k . fhe has been a
R 1
^44 ^n Account of Genii,
from thofe Frights, which had much Tormen-
ted her, and caufed an alteration confiderable
in her Countenance.
This Relation is Certified by the Lord Bifiop
tfGloueefter, who, with the then Dean of York,
the Mafier of the Chart erhonfe , and Dr. Alix,
had the Particulars of the foregoing Narra-
tive, from Mrs. Greenwood and Mrs. Buggas.
When Dr. Harvey ( who was afterwards
Fellow of the College of Vhyficians in London )
being a Young Man, went to Travel towards
Tadua, he went to Dover, with feveral others,
and fhew'd his Pafs, as the reft did, to the
Governour there. The Governour told him,
that he mull not go, but he muft keep him
Prifoner; the Do&or defired to know for
what reafon, how he had Tranfgrefs'd ; he
faid, it was his will to have itfo; the Pacquet
Boat hoifted Sail in the Evening ( which was
very Clear ) and the Do&or's Companions in
•
it. There enfued a terrible Storm , and the
Pacquet Boat, and ail the Paffengers were
Caii away. The next day the fad News was
brought to Dover, the Do&or was unknown
to the Governour , but by Name and Face j
but the Night before the Governour had a
perfect Vifion, in a Dream, of Dr. Harvey,
who came to pafs over to Calais and that he
;

had a warning to flop him. This the Gover-

nour told the Do6ior the next day, and the
Doctor told this Story to feveral of his Ac-
quaintance here m
London. This Relation I
took from Mr. Aubreys Mifcellanies and I
:

. think it hard ( I may fay impoffible ) to ac-

count for this Dream, and that of Monlieur
Chignon, before fct down, by any occult way
of improy'd Reasoning in our Sleep
Claud'
 or Familiar Spirits. 24$
Je Ttffer* I ted ail Hi
1
j7j\ where he wi i

| one of the ( I

nee, Dreamt that her Husband

•jcuted, was, in the Ci:
illy

her Awaking; found her Hand

•

io ftiffj that (nc could not ply it, and in it I

of her Husband reprefentcd, with

his ut off, the faid Image being all
(

j
this Image having been feen by many
e, it not being above 20 Years
iince the thing happen'd.
>hl. tells us, That an Ingenious Gen. Dier.
S rang Man, who lived with him, he having '• * c* l fi

the care of his Education, faw, in his Dream,

his Mother carried in a Funeral, to be Interr'd
j
whereupon he fell into great Sighs and I a-
mentations, whom Alexander caufed to be a-
and then a^k'd him why he fo La-
ken'd,
mented he anfweredj his Mother was De
?

and in his Sleep, he favv her carrying to be

, Bur ndcr obferved the day and time
that this Vifion happen d ; a little while after,
a Meffenger came to him with the News of
•-
his Mother's Death ; of whom asking the day,
ithappened he found (he died the fame d
that the Vifion was feen. By which Example,
belays, with others of the like kind, we are
prompted to believe that God has given us a
Divinatory Spirit, ar.i Prophetick Foref"
of future things, in our Dreams.
writes thu.
.

a Senator of Venice,
, Friend,
23>
while he was Prator in Dslmatia, faw in his c *

Dream, one of his Brothers, whom he much

lov W , Embrace him, and bid him farewel,
be, was going to the other World.
;

R I
24S An
Account of Genii,
'
Jor.n. Maria having followed him a littl e
way Weeping, awak'd all in Tears, and was
in a great fear for his Brother at Venice* On
the third day Letters were brought him from
home, fignifying that his Brother Donatm
( for that was his Name ) died on that night
and hour, he had lain three days Sick of
after
a Peftilential Fever. This he related to me
more than once, with Tears in his Eyes.
The fame Author writes in the next Para-
graph, That Ludcvicm Matin* his Countryman,
h^d a Soldier Sleeping in a Chamber, who
on a certain Night cry'd out in his Sleep, his
Mafter ask'd him, What ayl'd him ? he an-
fwered , That he Dreamt he had received a
great Wound in the Head, and that he was
upon Dying , and therefore he awak'd in a
Fright ; his Mafter, who Loved him, com-
manded him not to ftir out of Doors: mean
while,his Companions, the next day,had a mind
to vifit the Enemy ; he forgetting his Dream,
goes forth with them j the Enemy appearing,
his Companions Fled, and he was Slain, his
Head being Cloven afunder.
He there tells us alfo, That M Anfon.Taard-
r

fcr was admonifhed by a Dream,wherein he faw

himfelf a Drowning, whereupon he refolved
not to go a Swimming that day, but forgeting
his Dream, and returning to his Swimming,
he was Drownd.
S. At*ft in tells us, That one ?r<efi*ntim defired
a Solution of a Doubt of a Philofopher
which he refufed to give him ; the night fol-
lowing Vrtflantim being awake, law this Phi-
lofopher ftand by, and folve the Doubt, and
prefently to go away. Traftantius meeting him
the next day, ask'd him, why having refufed
to
 or Familiar Spirit*. : \y
to folvc the Qucftionthe day before, he came
to him at midnight, c( his own accoi I

Solv '

lilofopher rcply'd,
m I jctmd tc do

JON.
in his Extrcitatlms on T fa ;
, £ X cr. c. *<•

5 as thefe happen, for that tl

fon that Dreams reprefentingto-himfeif fuch a

ivours to produce a fenfe of things
not I the authority of that Man, or the
i

the has of him; hence, fbmetmies, they

e Rich Conceptions, which are owing, not
to tl es, but to tht reputation of Co gr
a Man. Wife very well knew this,
who commands tnat our Mind be raifed
fome Man of great Repute, which we r
propofe to our lelves to be Imitated, and n
hear and behold him as prcfent Propofe :

fe!f, lays he, what Socrates, or Zeno would ft*

V. Encbrli c j.
lie adds beneath; That Sagacious Vertue
which exerts it fclf in Man, freely difcover*
it by an Inftincfrul Impetus, and I h
felf
often perceived in my Sleep, what exactly
:he next day So when I havegenp :

to Sleep with a fixed thought on a Pcrfon

Sick, a meet Remedy has been rcprefented to
mc in my Dream,
which nicely weighing in
my Judgment the next morning, I have thought
it Excellent, and given it with great Succefs.

I had read the fame had happen'd to Hippocrates

and Galen , bat doubted of its Truth; but I
have found >v my own experience that a Na-
]

ture prone to a Buhnefs, finds molt compen-

dious ways for «it, which others fcarce trpr3
attain j ;. fwerva; as Ttolomj fa
j.

R 4
248 An Account of Genii
Galen tells us, That Women while they are
with Child, often fee their Childrens For*
tunes in their Sleeps and that Cypfalts, and Pe-
ricles began to be formidable to Greece, from

the Womb, Here Cardan adds, The Soul feems

then to be moft pure, as it newly comes from
Heaven, and to forefee and (hew future
things to Parents.
In the Life of the late Sir Henry Wotton, we
find an account of a Dream of his Father
Thomas JVotton, Efq; as follows. A little be-
fore his Death, he Dreamt, that the Univer-
fity of Oxford was Robb'd by Townfmen, and
poor Scholars, ajid that the Number was Five;
and being that day to write to his Son Henry
at Oxford ; he thought it worth fo much pains,
as by a Toftfcrip to his Letter, to make a flight
enquiry of it. The Letter was writ out of
Kent, and came to his Sons hands the very
morning after the night, in which the Rob-
bery was committed; for the Dream was true^
and the Circumftances, tho' not in the exa&
time and when the City and Univerfity were
;

both in a perplext Inqueft of the Thieves;

then did Sir Htnry Wottm fliew his Fathers Let-
ter; and by it, fuch light was given to this
work of darknefs, that the Five Guilty Per-
fcns were prefently Difccvered and appre-
hended, without putting the Univerfity to
fo much trouble., as the Calling of a Figuer.
We are alfo tcld in the next Paragraph, That
the faid Thomas JVottcn, Efq; and his Uncle
TSlchoUs Wcttm^ who was Dean of Canterbury,
both fcrefaw and foretold the days of their
Peaths.

Selnec-
 or Ftimiiur Spirits. 249
Selneecerus tells us in his Calendar , concerni:
Cbrijlun Ring of Dtnm ark y T\\nt he foretold his
Death, both to his Chaplain M. Paulus Novio-
tsj and to D. Cornelius his Phyfician. /

Scutellaria , a Famous Allronomer of

Phvlician to the Emperour Rodolphus
the Second, had a foreknowledge of his Death
eight days before it happened, and affirm'd for
certain, he fhould Die on the 10th of Decern*
An. IJ89. That Famous Aftronomer Ltmardus
Tbur tainly foreknew the day of his death,
made his Will, and commanded his Landlord
that he fhould Bury him by the fide of Albert us
Magnus, which was done. He Died the 9th of
July, An. 1 j96. There is at Rome this Monument.
i

To Seraphinus Odu(5Hus Strancionieus, F-

mous Phyfician , a mofi Ingenious Prophet, and a
Man skilled in all manner of Learning who being
*,

feized with a vehement Fever, foreknew, and moji

cenfiantly foretold the day jsnd Hour of his Death.
Theophilus his Son creeled this Monument he Died :

> the 9th of the Calends of Sept. An. 1 J 5 8. having

Lived J4 Tears, 9 Months end 22 Days.

This take from Kormannus, L. de Mirac.Mort*

I

t 9. 102. who in the faid Book, and the

c.

fame part. c. 1 64. writes as follows, concerning

Trefging Dreams. That Dreams fometimes
prefage Death, many examples teftify. That
of King Pharaohs Baker, Gen. c 4. The
Dream of Imams ScyUa the Roman. The Dream
of Calpbumia, the Wife of Julius Cafr. The
Dream of Cicero, in Valerius. The Dream of
e Great, in the fame.
I The Dream
of Simcnides. The Dream of Crejfits, King of
a. The Dream of the Arcadian in Megaraj
in the fame, The Dream of Flav. Valerius, of
Marcian
 2*5:0 An Account of Genii,
Martian the Emperor. The Dream of Eliza-
beth de VArche, the Mother of the Pucelle of
Orlennce. The Dream of Poljcarpe. The Dream
of the Scholar of Pavia. All which M. Ancer-
mm Juliunus, has learnedly compiled in his
Book of Dreams and noBwnal Vijions.
An ancient Gentleman, now living in
London, has told me , That many Years fince
he had occafion to make a Journey into the
North,' and that being a Bed in his Inn, the
firft Night of his Journey, a Friend of his,
Dead not long before, appeared to him in his
Dream, and he had lodgd 1000/,
told him,
in the hands of a Perfon, whom he named
(and who was well known to the Gentleman I
write of) for the ufe of his Daughter ; and
he defired him, That upon his return to Lon-
don, he would put the Perfcn in mind of it,
and defire him pay the Mony.
to take care to
The Gentleman, return , toojc an
after his
oportunity to vvait on the faid Perfon, and
after common'difcourfes were over, told him,
That fuch a Friend of theirs (whom he nam'd)
lately Dead, had communicated a Secret to
him, viz» that he had lodg'd 1000 /. in his
hands, for the ufe of his Daughter, and that,
as fhe would grow Marriagable in a fhort time.,
he might do well to pay it The Perfon freely
:

own'd the thing, and pay'd the Mony accord-

ingly; the Gentleman, from whom I had the
Relation, having known nothing of it but in
his Dream. And this is remarkable, that the
Gentleman who paid the Mony, chanced to
foil in about three Months after.
To give fome Account of what experience
Swfu J jiave iacj
j m
y f^if { n Dreams. As Cardan tells
l
'y that befide the Oracle and Prophecy, there
jt.T.'
'
i
h
are
 or Familiar Spirits. 1 5 l

are four kinds of Dreams, viz. Monitory y Ter-

d Impelling; Sol have hid
fome of all four kinds, and have been
lem in many material circumftan-
I ife many times the
;
Genii which
c, as I have lain in my Bed,
have hid me go to Sleep, laying, That they
rhing to me in my Dream;
\\hich they have performed ; and when the
Dream was over, they having fuggefted what
thev have fenfibW pufh'd my .'

Shoulder, or taken me by the Arm-rift, or

toucht fome other parts of my Body, to awake
and have bid me confider of what I had
.

lien in mv Sleep. And though I have then

generally found the things enigmatically re-
prefented , yet the meaning was obvious
enough, and I have guided my felf by it.

Dr. Bekktr, who takes upon him to folve all

Appearances in Dreams , or others, by Natu-
ral Reafon , without any Agency or Spirits ;

in the Third Volume of his Work, entitled, Lt-

rr.omle Encbanti, c 22. writes thus. There is a
tain way ofPrefage^or of Prognoftick Signs,
which relates to certain particular Perfons and
theirConcerns , when a Man by fome extra-
ordinary Vifion , bv the hearing or lbme fen-
j Perception of fomething , is advertis'd
before hand^of fomething which will happen
tofhim, or of what is prefently to happen. This
is what I agree in, and I fhall give the Rea-

fon of it in my Fourth Part; and here I fhall

only explain the thing after the way I conceive
it : for Inftance, fome one Dreams , that him-
fj crone of or that he fees his
his will die,
own Figure, or that of another Perfon before
him. or in a Coffin, or that he hears fome
one
tfi An Account of Genii
one knocking on it to Nail him in , that he
preceives fome one to take him by the Hand,
or to ftrike him on the Shoulder, and all other
things of this Nature but in the fame degree,
•

as thofe beforemention d , without going far-

ther : that is to fay , in things that concern
our felves, and thofe that belong to as , and
in refped of what is Natural, not with Per-
fons that have no Communication with us , or
concerning things that are wholly contingent
and cafual, and that depend on the Choice of
Mens Wills. If beyond this fomewhat often
happens, it is not againft Nature, nor above it,
nor out of its Power; for before fuch a Dream
happens , a Man has thought, perhaps, more
than once, with great Affi&ion of his Death ;
fince a Dream comes from much thinking on a
thing, and that the Affliction partly caufes the
Diftemper, or having increas'd it, Death Na-
turally follows ; but it's more difficult to com-
prehend how this may alfo happen in refpe*a of
other Perfons; for a Man has not fo ftrong a tye
with another. Mean while, as I obferve, that
Naturalifts afligns two Caufes, that give Birth
to Sympathy , or a mutual Inclination, which
manifeftly appears in Men , Beafts , Plants,
Trees, and in many other Bodies , by which
they naturally Unite therafelves together , or
keep far afunder from each other >giid in their
Operations , they find not Reafon to rejed as
incredible ev'n thefe Apparitions, in a Dream,
but we ought alfo to conclude from thence,
that the Natural caufe being thus known, the
Devil has nothing to do in it.

We explain more particularly Sympathy, after

the way following : We fay then, firft, That
each Body , ev'n though
" fo little it can fcarce
•
'
be
 ,

P Familiar Spirits, 253

be pefceiv'd, is composd of an lit- Infinity of
tleParts and that thefe little Pares arc int..
5

en the one with the other , after a very

unequal maimer \ tl ; this that two Bo-

dies ift Parts or Atoms are wo-

ven after an equal manner, have aifo a tye
with the other j for they are invcllcd with
anobjed, which is the fame, or at lead of the
fame Nature, and of an equal manner where- ;

fore thofe which are of an equal Compofition

of Parts, will receive the one as well as the o-
ther, after fuch or iuch a manner a like dc- ,

fire, or* like food in eating and drinking, and

as this texture has place particularly in the Na-
turnal mixture of Man's Body , we call this
Equality of Humors, and according then as thefe
Particles agree , and are woven and difpos'd
well, or together , this is call'd Good or Iff
ill

Humor of a Man , but this is not yet all, the

Particles thus Interlace for the Compofition
of a Body , are withal little volatile Parts,
* which pafsaway in Vapours continually both
outwardly, and inwardly, whereof we may
fee, as far as the Eye can difcover , fome
what a Proof in the Smoak, or Vapour of hot
Blood, for this Vapour is nought but a quanti-
ty of thofe little Parts, mixt the one with the
other, in a volatile and continual Motion;
thefe Particles exhale from one Body into ano-
ther : Now in all things this holds, that every
where, like feeks its like, and joyns with its
like • when in rhe commerce of Humane I
this does not happen {o exteriourly
coupling v

iry of Nature, but

the Sympathy
no
54 An Account of Genii,
We muft add to what we hare faid before,
the force of the Imagination , whereof Expe-
perience teaches us amazing thinks ; It is (to
(peak thus as openly as we may ) as out of the
Operation of the Exteriour Senfes, that Spi-
rits^ (that is to fay) the faid Exhalation, and
Evaporation of the moft fubtle Parts moun-
ting from the Heart to the Brain, where they
expofe a like Reprefentation , as that of the
common Senfe of Man, by the means of the
Senfes, but otherwife brought from without ;
according then as the Brain is tender or hard,
moiftj or dry; or that aPerfon is old oryoung;
a Man, or a Woman ; that the one or the o-
1

ther finds himfelf Sick or in Health According

:

to all this, I fay, fomething is imprinted, more

eafily or more difficultly in the Brain ; the Spi-
rits having more or lefs Communication with
thofe of another Body , equal to this, by the
means of the Exhalation , and Evaporation
of the leaft Parts , outwardly and inwardly ;
this happens moft commonly in a Sicknefsj
and above all in a Mortality ; thence comes
the contagion of the Air , and of the Blood.
This being fo , Men may alfo , in cafe of a
Sicknefs, or Mortality , or of fome Iminent
danger , while the Blood and Spirits are par-
ticularly mov'd, have a lively fore-perceiving,-
that is to fay , the Woman in refped of her
Husband, the Child in regard of his Mother,
and the Mother in regard of her Child ; Bro-
thers and Sifters in regard the one of the o-
ther^ and even a Friend , and a Comrade in
refped of thofe with whom they have contra-
cted a Friendflup and Society ; and though
they are far diftant , they ceafe not to have
this fore-perceiving, fince the volatile Particles
difperfe
 or Famtlltr Spirits.

difperfe themfelves to manv Leagues diftknc

and tend the en 1$ the other.

wholly proves what 1 fay , the .

moft llihtle ! heir Exteriour and In-

iour act: of cue Body in anoth-
it chc
. oadftone draws the [ran
1 f< r ;

reciprocally touches; Tins touch

the texture of the Particles the one with
the ( and fc> that what docs not touch
reciprocally does not draw. That theft little
Parrs difperfe themfelvcs very far is what is
taught us by the trace of a Dog ; this Beaft in
following it , will find bv the fole means of
fmell, in which confifts the Motion of
thefe fubtle Parts, the Tract of any one that
craveU'd, to Fifty, nay, even to an Hun-
dred Leagues of way, by Land and Water,
in fair Weather, and Tempeftuous. As for the
Imagination, its a thing manifeft, by the won-
derful Experience and Operation it has while
Women are with Child, on the Fruit without ;

(peaking at prefem.of other Examples which

may find their place in the Sequel.
I conclude therefore, at prefent, that this
Communication, and this Motion of the vo-
latile Parts of the Bodies of Perfons, that have
love the one for the others, or that are of i
equal Nature, be it far, or near, produces
fiicha thing.This admirabbParticipation makes
an equal Impreflion on the Brain , as we find
ill Weather caufes it felf to be fore-percciv'd in

a Man's Limbs, or chiefly in thofeof a Bead.

I fay, fuch an Impreffion is mad
fon iick , or that a ficknefs I om
, or that he
point of Death : its to t nv,
he underftands, he
256 An Account of Genii
things and this alfo troubles him. When there
has happen'd to him after an extraordinary man-
ner, fuch a Perception or Dream Wakings it's
the fame thing as the Imaginations that never
happen d to him after the fame manner, or near
it; or that he has been ufed all the times he
has made this experience, to fee fomewhat like
this to follow, he may take it for a fign not of
a Devil, or of a Spirit, but as being wholly
Natural. We may alfo freely believe, that by
reafon of the unequal conftitution of the Brain,
Blood and Spirits in fome Men, one alfo ought
to be fubjed more to thefe kinds of rencoun-
ters than another; this caufes that we may
fay in fome manner with Reafon, that one
Man may fee more Fantoms than another.
I fhall forbear to incert more here from
Dr. Bekker, referring the Reader to his Works ;
and I fhall conclude this Chapter with a Re-
lation, or two, for Men to confider how
Dr. Bekkers Philofophy before laid down, may
ferve to explain them, tho* in truth thefe Re-
lations might have been fomewhat more pro-
perly inferted in fome precedent Chapter y
than this of Dreams.
The firft is concerning that Duke of Buck
ingham, who was Stabbed by Feiton, Aug. 2 i
1628.
Mr. Lilly the AJtrologer, in his Book, End-
ailed , Monarchy , or no Monarchy in England y
Printed in 40. i6yi. Having mentioned the
Death of the Duke of Buckingham , writes as
follows. Since I am upon the Death of
Muckintrbant, I Ilia 11 relate a true Story of his
being admoniihed often of rfee Death he jQioulq
Die, in this manner.

An
 cr Familiar S 2 5 7
An Aged Gentleman, on.-
remember, having formed)
Duke , or of great acquaintan-j with
Duke's Father, and now retired, ha non
appeared fcvcral times to him, in tl
Sir George Villiers, the Duke,
mm walk' J manytimes in r
ber, without any aftion of terrour, 110
hurt, or fpeech; but at laft one Night
out in thefe Words , Mr. Parker, / know
loved me formerly , and my Son George
time very well j I would have you go from me
( you know me very well to be hts Father, i

Sir George Villiers of Leiceiterfhire ) and to

quaint him with thefe, and thefe particulars, &C.
and that he above all refrain the Council and
fany of fucb and fitch, whom he then nominated,
or elfe he will come to deftruttion, and that fudden-
ly. Parker though a very difcreet Man, partly
imagined himfelf in a Dream all this time,
and being unwilling to proceed upon no better
grounds, forbore addreffing himfelf to the
Duke, for he conceived if he fhould acquaint
the Duke with the words of his Father, and
the manner of his appearance to him (fuch
Apparitions being not ufual) he fhould be
Laugh'd at, and thought to dote, in regard he
was Aged. Some few Nights paft, without far-
ther Trouble to the Old Alan, but not very
many nights after, Old Sir George Villiers ap-
peard again, walked quick and furioufly in the
Room, feem'd Angry with Parker, and at I

laid, Air. Parker , I thought you had been my

Friend fo much, and loved my Son George jo ;.
you would have acquainted him with what I
ti, but I know you have not done it by all the
•

*:djhip that ever was betwi...

s
2-4 8 An JccountaFGi
the great reffett you bear my Scu^
deliver what I formerly commanded you , to my
Son. The Old Man feeing himfelf thus fol-
licited,promifed the Daemon he would, but
argued it thus, that the Duke was not
firft

eaiy to be fpoken withal, and that he would

account him a Vain Man to come with fuch a
Menage from the Dead ; nor did he conceive
theDuke would give any credit to him : to
which the Damon thus anlwered •
If he will not
believe you have this Difcourfe from me, tell him
of fuch a Secret ( and named it ) ivhich he knows
none in the World ever knew but my felf and him.
Mr. Parker being now well fatisfied that he
was not afleep, and that the Apparition was not
a vain Delufion, took a fit oportunity, and fe-
rioufly acquainted the Duke with his Father's
words, and the manner of his Apparition.
The Duke heartily Laught at the Relation,
which put old Parker to a Hand, but at laft he
affumed Courage, and told the Duke, that he
acquainted his Fathers Ghoft , with what he
found now to be true, <viz> Scorn and Derifion;
but my Lord, fays he, your Father bid me
acquaint you by this token, and he faid it
was fuch as none in the World but your two
felves did yet know- hereat the Duke was
amazed, and much aftonifhed, but took no
warning, or notice thereof, keeping the fame.
Company fall, advifing with fuch Counfel-
lors, and performing fachA&ions, as his Fa-
ther by Parker countermanded. Shortly after,
Old Sir George Villiers, in a very quiet, but for-
rowful Pofture, appears again to Parker, and
Air. Parker, I know you deliver \l my words
d,
eorge my Son, I thank you fir fo doing, but
k% jtigbted thcmy and now I only requefi this ?nvre
 Spirits.

to my S

the Coanfi
a Kmfc
I

time. Mr. i
cn-
though very unwillingly 3
jd, to acquaint
the Duke with this did,
but the Duke delirYi him C no
farther with fuch Meflfagei and Dreams, and
told him he perceived he was now an Old Man
and Doted ; and within a Month after meet-
ing Mr. Parker on Lambeth- faid, A
Parker
. you of yon
a y

only rcturn'd, Sir I ivifh it may never have S

cefsy &c. but within fix Weeks after,
Stab'd with a Knife, according to his Fathers
Admonition beforehand, and Mr. Parker Died
foon after he had feen the Dream or Villon
perform'd.
This Relation isInferted alfo in the Lord
Clarendon's Hifiory , and in Sir Richard Raker's
Chronicle. The Lord Clarendon, in hisHiftory,
Vol I. L. i. having given feme Relations, favs,
That amongft others there was one meaning
(

of Taker ) which was upon a better foun-

this
dation of Credit, than ufualiy fuch Difcourfes
are founded upon. And he tells us, that Parker
was an Officer in the Kings Wardrobe in Wind-
for Ctifile, of a good reputation for honeity and
difcretion, and then about the Age of Fifty
Years, or more. This Man had in his Youth
been bred in a School, in the Parifh
Sir Gcorg , the Father of the Duke K\
and had been much cherifhed and obli-
ged in that Seafon of his Age, 1 faid
S 2
260 An Account of Genii,
Sir George, whom afterwards he never few.
About Six Months before
the miferable end of
the Duke of Buckingham, the Apparition was
feen after the third appearance he made a
•

Journey to London, where the Court then was;

he was very well known to Sir Ralph Freeman,
one of the Mafters of Requefis, who had Mar-
ried a Lady, that was near allied to the Duke,
and was himfelf well received by him. He
Informed the Duke with the Reputation and
Honeily of the Man, and Sir Ralph Freeman
carry'd the Man, the next Morning, by Five
a Clock to Lambeth, according to the Duke's
appointment, and there prefented him to the
DukCj who received him Courteoufly at his
Landing, and walked in conference near an
Hour with him and Sir Ralph' s,znd theDuke'sSer-
vants at ftich a diftance, that they heard not
a word ; but Sir Ralph always fixt his Eyes on
the Duke, who fometimes fpoke with great
commotion and diforder; and that the Man
told Sir Rt.lph in their return over the Water,
that when he mentioned thofe particulars that
were to gain him credit, the Duke's colour
changed, and he Swore he could come to that
Knowledge only by the Devil ; for that thofe
particulars were known only to himfelf, and
to one Perfon more, who he was fure would
never fpeak of them. So far the Lord Claren-
And I think Dr. Bekkers Hypothefis will
hardly clear this matter.
I (hall only add here a fmall relation of a
thing that happened to my felf ; About Six
Years fince, a Gentleman, whom I had never
feen, nor heard of before, came to my Lodg-
ing- (which was then in Fetter-l&ne) about
cf the Clock in the Morning, it being
Summer
 or iar Spirit*. 261
Summer he found a Servant of
time ,

ked him whether I were ftir-

ring, and finding not, he defired the :

to mc, and acquaint me of his being

defired; if it might not be
troublefome , he might be admitted to my
Bed-fide 1 admitted it;
; and upon his com:
to me, he told me he was direded to me by
tion of mine, whom he had
met at he having a defire to dif-
Hamftead,
courfe with me
concerning an Affair in
which he underftood I had fome knowledge :
After fome difcourfc was over I asked him
his Name, which he told me; then I asked
him where he Lived, he reply ed,, in Cane-
1Vood'y whereupon I was fomewhat furpri-
zed; for that very Morning, at Three of
the Clock, I was awaked out of my Sleep by
a loud Voice, faying, Cane, Cane> Cane ; now
whether the intentnefs of the Gentlemans
Thought of coming to me, wrought this
upon my Mind, or how elfe it came to pafr,
may require confideration.

S 3 CH
 1

251 An Account of Genii,

CHAP. X.

What perception Men have had of Genii,

&r Spirits,, and their Operations by
Magical Tr a Bices.

fTH HE Learned Ludovkm CapeUus writ a

X Book, Entituled, The Hinge of Faith and
Religion, which was Published in Englijh, An.
1660. In the Tenth Chapter of that Book,
he draws a reafon to prove a Deity from
Wizards; Magicians, Inchanters, and from all
the Heathen Idolatry, and Superftition; where .

he writes thus:
It's a certain things which the experience

of our days, and that of all Ages does averr,

which the monuments of Hiftories,"' both Anci-
ent and Modern confirm , and which the
Writings, as well of Heathens, as of Chrifti-
sns certifie; that there are and have been at
all times in the World , Witches, Magicians,
Diviners , Inch ant ers , and fuch like notorious
wicked People, that have a familiar Commu-
nication,, and a frequent Commerce with De-
vils ; by whofe help and power they do many
ftraLge and prccigious things, above and be-
void all humane Wifdom; ail which conse-
quently infers, that thefe things proceed from
k fuperaatural and immaterial caufe, fuch as
Dtfmcms are,

Tl
 'miliar Spirits. 2
5 5

well

:id of tm themfeh
tl

do i z this to us. The ,md J

hichjuftice frequently inflids on

»ffes, the Relations and

re made about them,

allure us of this, and leave no doubt of it.
The damnable curiofity of many Pcrfons,
which e efcourfe to fuch as they,
to knov d do all thofe things that
'

cannot be done other means, d<

confirm this, J he Writings of the Heathens,
Greeks as Romans, are full oflnftances
ell

of fuch Perfons, and of their effefts, which

are ftupendious and wonderful : ib that a Man
muft wholly renounce his Reafon, and believe
nothing or thofe things that are done, if he
will not alfo believe that there are fuch Per-
fons ; which is true and manifeft by all thofe
kinds of Tellimonks, and Monuments, which
induce us to believe any thing.
ow, if there are any Witches, Incbantcrs,
&c. it neceffarily follows that there are Da-
mons, by whofe help and power, they caufe
fe prodigious effeds to come to pafs, which

'i wonder at, and look upon with horrour

and amazement; it being net poflible thai
tl.ofe things fhould be done by any humane
Power. The Hiftories therefore and Writings
til Nations, and even of die Heathens
themfelves, are full of examples of the
Apparition^, and of their ftrange eff( >w,
he fays, if there ware any Damons (:s> it can-
not be denied ) it follows that there is a Deity
vcthem, which fo reftrains than, that they
S 4
2 ($4 An- Account of Genii,
(hall not overthrow all things by their might;
for they have ftrength and malice enough to
do it.

He adds beneath. The publick profeffion

of Magical'Arts , which has been fometime ttN
lerated in fome of the moft famous Univerfities
of Chriftendom; the common diftin&ion of
black snd white Magick, which has been in-
vented by feme excellent Philofophers of the
Seds of Plato and Pythagoras, who would have
found a way by which they might have fub-
je6ted the good Damons to them, and recon-
cile them to themfelves, and which has from
them paft to the Jevjijh Cabalifis, and from
them to the Chrifiians, are an invincible Argu-
ment, that there are Magicians and Damons :
The certain and averred Relations of the Nor-
thern Countries, and of both the Indies, do teftify,
that all thofe do fwarm with them, and that
there is fcarce one which has not his Damon,
and Familiar Spirit. So far Capellus.
To give fome account now of the Magick
and communion with Spirits, pra&ifed in the
Northern Countries. Shefferus, ProfeflTor of Law
at Uffal in Sweden, has writ an Hiftory of Lap-
land, which was Printed in Englijh at Oxford,
^
An. 1674. anc^ * n s Eleventh Chapter, which
is concerning the Magical Ceremonies of the

Laplanders, he writes as follows.

It has been the received Opinion among all
that have known the Name of the Laplanders,
that they are a People addided to MagicL
This Judgment of Hiftorians concerning the
Laplanders , is no lefs verified of the Biarmi,
their Predeceffors, fo that we may juftly fup-
ppfe both of them to have defcended from the
fame original 3 for the Biarmi were fo expert
in
 or Familidr Spirits. 165
thefe Arts, that they could either by their
rds, orfome other wicked Artifice,
and bewitch Men, as to de-
|
of the ufe of Limbs and Reafon,
and very often to bring them into extream
o\ their Lives: but though in thefe
times they do not fo frequently pra&ice
i

i dare not profefs it fo publickly as

there are ftill many that give
t

nfelves wholly to this Study for every :

one thinks it the fureft way to defend himfelf

from the injuries and malicious defigns of
others. And they commonly profefs that their
knowledge of thefe things is abfolutely necef-
fary for their own Security; upon which ac-
count they have Teachers and Profeffors in this
Science; and Parents in their laft Wills be-
queath to their Children, as the greateft part
of their Eftate, thofe Spirits and Devils, that
j been any way ferviceable to them, in
their life time. And Sturlfonius gives an ac-
count of the moft Famous Laplanders of that
Profeflion and though fome arrive at a grea-
:

ter knowledge in this

Profeflion, and are more
able Mailers to teach it than others , yet it's
very feldom but the Parents themfelves are fo
learned, as to perform the duty, and fave the
cxpences of a Tutor. According to an aptnefs
of difpoiition in Learning, fome arrive at a
greater perfection in this Art, than others,
who may be excellently qualified for other
Imployments.
As to their bequeathing their Familiar sto their
Children, they fuppofe it the only means toraife
their Family So that they excel one another in
:

this Art, according to the largenefs of the Lega-

Thus each Houfe has its pe-

culiar
i$6 An Account of Genii
Culiar Spirits, and of different and quite con-
trary natures from thofe of others. And noi
only each diftind Family, but fingle Perfon
in them alfo have their peculiar Spirits, fome-
times one, two, or more, according as theyj
intend to ftand on the defenfive part, or ar$
malicioufly inclined, and defign to be upon*
the offensive but there is a fet number of ob-*
:

fequious Spirits, beyond which no one has $

and fome of thefe will not engage themfelves,
without great follicitation and earned entrea-
ties, when others readily proffer themfelves to
little Children, when they find them fit for
their turn; So that divers of the Inhabitants
are almoft naturally Magicians for when the
:

Devil takes a liking to any Perfon in his In-

fancy, as a fit Instrument for his defigns, h$
presently feizes on him with a Difeafe, ia
which he haunts him with feveral Apparitions ;
from whence, according to the capacity of
his Years and Understanding, he learns what
belongs to the Art. Thofe which are taken
thus a fecond time, fee more Vifions, and
gain greater knowledge. If they are feized a
third time, which is feldom without great
torment, or utmoft danger of their Life, the
Devil appears to them in all his fhapes, by
which they arrive to the very perfection of
this Art ; and become fo knowing, that with-
out the Drum, they can fee things at great
diftances, and are fo poffeft by the Devil, that
they fee them even againft their will For in-:

ftance, not long fince a certain Lap, who is

yet alive, upon my complaining againft him *

for his Drum, brought it to me, and confefi

with Tears, that though he fhould part with
it, and not make him another, he fhould have

the
 ;

or F-vniliar Spirits. 257

ad formerly: and he
and
not wh ed
oiik Lapland UT-
new not how to
nee things altogether
prefent to him.
it's according to

of Inftruments they make ufe of

ided inn rts ; one comprehends

at to which their Drum belongs., the other

rhofe things to which Knots, Darts, Spells, Con-
i the like, refer. Concerning their

Drum , it's made of an hollow Piece of Wood,,

and mud be either of Pine, Fhre, or Birch-tree,
which grows in fuch a particular place^ and
turns directly according to the Suns Courfe ;
which is 3 when the grain of the Wood,, tur-
ning from the bottom to the top of the Tree,
winds it felf from the right hand to the left
from this perhaps they believe the Tree very
acceptable to the Sun, which under the Image
ofTfjcr they Worfhip , with all imaginable A-
:tion. The Piece of Wood they make it of
is the Root cleft afunder, and made hollow on

one fide, upon which they ftretch a Skin ; the

other iide being convex, is the lower Part, in
which they make two Holes, where they put
rs to hold it. The fhape of the
upper fide is Oval, and in Diameter about half
an Ell. Its like a Kettledrum , but not alto-
gether fo round, nor fo hollow, and the SI
is faften'd with Wooden Pegs; fome are few

with the Sinews of RrA»* Dear. They Paint

upon the Skin feveral Pictures in red, ftain'd
with the Bark of an Aliier-tree. As for the
particular Pictures of thole Drums , I refer
%6% An Account of Genii,
you to the Author. They put a Bunch
Brafs Rings the Drum , when they beat
on
them. Several of the Drams have not the fame
Pictures upon them. They have the Pictures
of feveral Animals on their Drums , to fignifie
when, and in what place they may find thei
If a Rain Dear be loft , how they may get hi
again ? whether the Rain Dears Young on
will live ? whether their Fishing will be fui
cefsful ? if Sick Men will recover, or not
whether Women great with Child , fliall have
a fafe delivery ? or fuch, or fuch a Man fhall
die of fuch a Dift.emper, or of what other ?
and other things of the like Nature , whi
they are defirous to know/ "He fays he ca:
give no Account of the Reafon for the Diffi
rence in their Drums, unlefs it be that fome
them, are made for more malicious Defigns
others again for each Man's private Purpofe
On this Account he believes, according to th
Nature of the Bufinefs they intend , they adc
and blot out, and fometimes wholly chan
the Figures.
There -are two things requir'd to fit a Drum
for ufe, an Index, and an Hammer. Ttie firft
fliews, among the Pi&ures that thing they en-
quire after, with the Hammer they beat the Drum.
The Index is the bunch of Brafs Rings before
mention' d. They firft place one great Ring
upon the Drum then they hang feveral fmall
,
ones upon that the fhape of the Index, is ve^
•

ry different, he had one of Copper, of the big-

nefs of a Dollar, with a fquarehole in the mid-
dle, and feveral fmall Chains hanging about
it inftead of Rings. Another has an Alchimy- \

ring, on which a fmall round plate of Copper is

hung by little Chains j he had feen another of
Bone
 Wfniluir Spirits. 269
ieGreek ,
A with rings abovj
JVfe J
quite different make. At
Cutts of feveral Drums, fo he
re
is of u ««ij and /t/»f /; fome Writers call
;^j Sirpents, or Brazen Frogs and Toads y
nble them , but becaufe by
lcm t; Creatures , whofe Pi-
urcs : en make ufeof in their Conju-
ppofing them very grateful and ac-
1

the Devil.
) They make the Index
idiffcrcntly of any fort of Metal. The
[ammer they ufe in railing their Farm-
orsy as for the Head of it, it's made of Rain-
wears Hom;thc other partferves for the Handle:

nd he has given us two Cuts of the Hammers,

nth this Hammer they beat the Drum, not fo
mch to make a noile , as by drumming to
love the ring, lying on the Skin , fo as to
afs over the Pi&ures > and fhevv what they
:ek after. This is the Defcription of the
)rum with all its Neceffaries, as it's us'd by the
far*} that are Subjeft to Sweden. The
"inlafs alfo, under the Crown of Den-
that are
$ark, make ufe of Drums y though fomewhat
ifferent in their make from the former;
owever, he conceives them not of a different
ind, but made for fome particular ufes. The
ufe their Drums for divers Deiigns,
Itrs

nd are of Opinion, that what ever they do,

s done by the help of it ; and therefore they
;eep ic very choicly with the Index and Ham-

\ re are three very ftrange things which

ve they can etfed by their Drum3 and
I .longing either to their Hunting, their
or lalti
. r enquiring into

mentioned
2<So An Account of Genu,
mentioned by another Writer the firft is the
•

knowing the State of Affairs in Foreign Coun-

tries ; the fecond what fuccefs their Defigns in
Hand will meet with ; the third, how to Cure
Difeafes^ the fourth, what Sacrifices their
Gods will be pleased to accept, and what Beaft
each God defires, or diflikes moil. The Ar-
tifts that beat the Drums , beat not altogether

in the fame place, but round about the Indx J

they beat foftly at firft, prefently quicker, and !

continue this till they have effected their in-

tent. The Drummer firft lifts up the Drnm by
degrees, then beats foftly about the Index till it
begins to ftir, and when it's remov'd fome di-
ftance from its firft place to either fide , he
ftrikes harder till the Index Point at fomething
from whence he may Colled what he look'd
for, both the Drummer, and thofe prefent are
upon their Knees. Thofe who defire to know
the Condition of their Friends , or Affairs a-
broad, whether joo or iooo Miles diftant, go
to fome Laplander , or Finlander Skilful in this
Art, and prefent him with a Linnen Garment,
or Piece of Silver, as his reward. An exam-
ple of this Nature is to be feen upon Record at
Bergen, in Norway , where the effe&s of th
German Mafiers are regiftred.
In this place one John Delling, a Fa&or to a
German , enquired of a Finlapper of Norway,
about his Mafter in Germany the Finlapper
er:

readily affented to tell him ; like a Drunken

Man, he prefently made
a bawling, then reel-
ing and dancing about feveral times in '<

Circle, fell at laft upon the Ground, lyini

there for fome time, as if he were Dead, then
ftarting up on a fudden, related to him al
things concerning his Mafter; which were
after-
 or FamiHtr Spirits, 26 1
afterwards found to agree to what he reported.
A L> ! ndt\ ,
gave
an Account of the journey he firft
made i, though he never had feen
him before that time; which though it were
true, m diflembled to him, left he might
glory too much in his devilifh Practices.
fays> the Authority of this Man is i^o con-
iiderable, that it may give Credit enough to
the Ston
As to the Method taken in making thefe Dif- Hift.tob.
coveries, its very different, Oh \nus /. j-catf.
defcribes it thus ; the Drummer goes into fome
private Room , accompanved by one tingle
Perfon, belide his Wife, and beating the Dm,
moves the Index about, muttering at the fame
time feveral Charms ; then prefently he falls
into anExtafy, and lies , for a fhort time, as
Dead j mean while his Company takes great
Care that no Gnat, Fly, or other Animal
touch him ; for his Soul is carryed by fome e-
vil Genius into a Foreign Country, from which
it is broughtback with fome fign,as a Knife, or

Ring, as a token of his Knowledge of what is

done in thofe Parts ; after this, rifing up., he re-
lates all the Cireumftancesbelonging to the Bu-
finefs that was enquired after. Petrus Claudius
makes no mention either of the Drum,Charms,
Company, or thofe things he brings with him;
but he fays, he cafts himfelf on the Ground,
;
grows Black in his Face, lying as if Dead for
anHour,or two, according as the Diftana
the place is, of which he makes enquiry- when
he awakes, he gives a full Account of all Af-
fairs there. Samuel Rhetn y in his Hiftory, fays,
The Drummer fings a Song, c . them
Joiikt', and the Men and Womej re-
lent,
272 An Account of Genii,
fent, fing like wife,fome in higher, fomein
lower Notes , call Duma.
this they As for
their cafting themfelves on the Ground in a
Trance ; and what is faid by fome of their
Souls parting from their Bodies , Scbefferm be*
lieves, the Devil only then ftifles the Faculties
of the Soul for a time, and hinders their Ope-
rations. As the Drummer falls down, he lays
the Drum , as near as poffible on his Head*
Thofe in the mean time, that are prefent leave
not offfinging the while he lies fweating in
all
his Agony $ which they do not only to put him
in Mind, when he awakes of the Bufinefs he
was to know $ but alfo that he might recover
out of his Trance, which he would never do,
as they imagine, if they either ceas'd finging,
or any one ftirr'd with their Hand or Foot
And this perhaps, is the reafon , why they
fuffer no Fly, nor any living Creature to touch
him , and watch him fo diligently. It's un-
certain how long they may lie in their Trance,
but it's commonly according as the place
where they make their difcovery is nearer, or
farther of -> but the time never exceeds 24
Hours, let the place be at never fo far a Di-
ftance. As for their farther Pra&ice with the
Drum, I refer you to the Book it felf.
Concerning their other Parts of Magick, the]
firft is a Card tyed with Knots for raifing of Wind.

Schefferus fays, he thinks it not at all probable,

that the Laflanders ftiould be concerned in this
Practice , fince they live in an Inland Country,
Bordering no where upon the Sea, wherefore
this properly belongs to the Finlappers of Nor- ;
7v ay ; and thofe that are skilled in this Art
have command chiefly over the Winds that
blew at their Birth j now, he fays^ as this be-
longs
 or Vimiltar Spirits. 273
longs chiefly to the ind FmUnJers of
Norway, fo Joes the flopping of the Co.uL
Ships, which ib altogether oi

Somewhat relating to this I (ind i m

HimmingiM) vvho in his Trad dc SmftrJHtiowbm
:icu, printed at Copenbagucn, An. ipf. t

Th.it fitrm Palladia* , fomctime Bifliop

Setlandt , and Profeflbr of Divinity at Cf
bjguen, could from a Part of his Body affected,
foretelfrom what Part of the Heavens Temp.
would come, and was fcldom deceivd.
Next, he comes to their Magical Darts, which
they make of Lead, in length about a Finger ;
by thefe they Execute their Revenge on their
iinemies, and Wound them with Cancerous
Swellings, either in the Arms or Legs, which
by the extremity of its Pain, kills them in
three Days time ; they (hoot thefe Darts to
what diftance they pkafe , and feldom rnifs
their Aim. Scbtffcrus thinks, that both QUus
Magnus, who writes this, and Zeigler from
whom he tranferib'd it, as he has many other
things, are miftaken , in fetting down Leadtn
Darts, (ince he finds no Perfon now that knows
any fuch thing, nor is there any mention made
of fuch in any other Writers he thinks the
:

miftake may be , by mifunderftanding the

word Skot, which is commonly us'd for explain-
ing thofe Darts;' for when Man, or Bead is
fuddenly taken with a Difeafe , People call
this that takes them fo, Skat, that is a Dart.
Tttr/rs Claudius calls it a Gan, which they fend
abroad he likens it to a / v c,
; but (ays its fome
littleDevil, of which the Finland^ s in Norw
that excel moft in this Art, kc^p great Num-
bers in a Leather Bag, and difpatch daily fonv:
of them abroad but he feems to intimate no
•
I

1 more
2/4 An Account of Geriii,
more by this word Gan, than that very thing
which endangers Mens Health and Lives for •

he fays,That thefe Finlanders cannotpeace-

live
ably,, except they let out of their Ganeska , or
Gan-tiid, which is the Satchel , every Day one
of the Gans, that is a Fly or Devil ; but if the
Gan can find no Man to Deftroy, after they
have fent him out, which they feldom do up-
on no Account at all, then he Roves about at
a venture, and deilroys thefirft thing he meets
with. Therefore this word Gan fignifies no
more than what Zeigltr meant by his Dcrt y for
the term by which they exprefs going out, is^
de Skiuda devis Gan, that is , he , as it were,
(hoots out his Gan, like an Arrow, for Skiuda
is only proper to the (hooting out of an Ar-

row.
This Magical Practice , they ufe as well a-
gainft one another, as Strangers j nay, fome-
times againft thofe that they know are Equals
in the Art. Some of the Conjurers are con-
tented only with the power to expel the Gan
out of Men , or Beafts, which others fend ;
this is remarkable among them , that they can
hurt no Man with their Gan , except they
know his Parents Name.
firft

Now, all that the Finlanders, and Finlappers

of Norway effect by their Gan , the Laplanders
do by a thing they c^ll Tyre. This Tyre is a
round Ball, about the bignefs of' a Wall-Nut,
or fmail Apple, made of the fined Hair of a
Bead, or elfe of Mofs, very fmooth, and fo
Kght, that it feems holtew j its Colour is a
mixture of Yellow , Green, and Afh, but fo
that the Yellow appear? moft. This Tyre they
fay is quicken d , and moved by a particular
Art. Its fold bv^the Laplanders;, fo that he
that
 or Familiar S[tints.
tha~ 'horn he ;

the
the -a (end i

Mk natthey pleafe into any M

mak i

Whirl-in as an Arrow, and

deftroys the rtrfl Man or Beaft, that it lights
,

on, bur it often miftakes ; of thefc

[nftantes at this time , which
are too long to infert here. So far
There are twq things I fhall note in rei
this Account of Schtfftrus.
rence to i. As

:hing to their Children t!

Spirits at their I j of

England^ chit the fame has be

bes in
dis'd here and that Tome have had Spirits
•

ven them by their Parents , others by ether

Relations , and other Friends . befide thofe
which Originally came to themfelv^s.
2. As fo/ uticular Opinion,
That the Itrs did net really fend Darts

to thofe Mind to deftroy, I cannot

*eafily agree in Opinion with him ; for you
find before in Mr. s Account of the
yard, in X. nJ3
that the /awaws were wont to form a
piece of Leather like an Arrow's Head, and
then to tye an Hair to it, and over thefe to ufe
fome Magical Ceremonies , whereupon the
Damon \
fnatclVd them away, and con-
vey 'd them into the Bodies of Perfons to be
afflicted and as the Laptanhrs fend their Gs.ns,
:

or Flies to deftroy Perfons, fo Mr. Mather fays,

fometimes the Damon pretends to the Pav/aws^
that he brings a Portion of the Spirit of a Per-
clofely imprifon d in a Fly , and as they
tfon
deal with the Fly, fo it fares with the Bodv of
T 2 'the
 i?6 An Account of Genii,
the Perfon they intend to Affiid. The Drums
alfo us'd by the Laplanders, are us'd by the?Te/?-
Indiansy fo that there is a ftrange Agreement
in their Magical Practices , as I fhall fet forth
beneath.
Chap, t: jjie Learned Olaus Rudbeck, in the Second
Volume of his Atlantic^ treats concerning the
Lapland Drums, the Heads of which he fays>
are divided into three Parts ,* the uppermoft
Region contains the Heavens, and all Celefti-
al things, and all Volatiles ; the middle Regi-
on contains the Earth, with Men and all
Animals j the lowermoft Region contains all
Infernals and Subteraneous Places: and then
he gives a particular Explication of all the Fi-
gures, or Marks on the Tympana j and fays^ if
the Laplanders would know whether, when
they go a hunting , they fhall have fuccefs,
they beat their Drum with Thors Hammer , and
diligently obferve a certain Ring leaping on
the Drum, which if they fee to reft on the I-
mage of a Ranger , they no way doubt but
they fhall kill a Ranger that Day, if it refts
on the Figure of a Wolf, they conclude they
fhall have a Wolf for their Prey. He refers us
for other things, relating to the ufe of the
Lapland Drums, to SchefferusS Lapponia , Olaus
Magnus, and others j however , I (hall give
you here what feems to be Olaus RudbecKs
Senfe, concerning what may be expe&ed from
the Superfluous ufe of the Lapland Drums,
inferted by him in the Fifth Chapter of the
faid Book; p. 28;. it is as follows. Since the
Do&rine of Chrift came to Lapland , Men
could not but forget many things relating to
Superftition, and call off others, or at leaft,
fee at an uncertainty in them; whether there-
fore
 or Familiar Spirits] 277
*ore the Laplanders themfelves are now Igno-
rant of the true make of the moft Ancient
Drums, or whether the very differing fitting
the Drums deprives them of the Knowledge of
a thing fo cxtreamly vain, they now luffer
themfelves with extream difficulty to be drawn
to make known their Superftition to others j
perhaps alfbfhame, or fear deters fome. To
pafs by that, the chief Arcanum of Superftition
will not be Revealed ; be it as it may, you
fhallnow hardly find any Man, who knows
rightly how to manage this Drum, or to ex-
plain it to others and thofe who think they
;

know fomewhat of this kind, either fo obfti-

nately conceal it,or fo diffemble their skill, that
thofe Labour in a manner in vain, who with a-
ny Gifts, how great foever, or high drinking
(which is wont to go a great way with them
otherwife) endeavour to break or Conquer
that filence ; but among Gifts (if any Man
will purchafe this Art of thern) the Laplanders
are carneft Lovers of Imperial Rix-De!lars.
In the Sixth Chapter of his faid Second Vc*
lume, he tells us of wonderful Performances,
faid to have been wrought by the means of
their Scipio Runicus, or Runftaffe (by us call'd the
Runick Almanack, of which there are many in
England) being anointed with a certain Magi-
cal Ointment, wc. of Mens flying in the
Air on it, and the like ; and fays a more con?
itant Fame of nothing has remain d in. their
Country, from the remoteft times of Paganifmy
than of fuch flights in the Air ; and that no-»
thing i$ more readily believed, than that the
prefenx Laplanders, who continue ftill in P#-
ganifm, ule the fame kind of flights now ; and
ph?t beflde Runftaffts Sticks , Pales , Calves,
T 2 Horjhj
j^g An. Account of Gemi,
Hcrfes.,Dogs , and other living Creatures a-
nointed with the fame kind of Ointment, were
thought to be able to carry their Riders to
Places defign'd ; and thefe things were wont
to be afcrib'd to Diam, or Difa as the firft In-
ventrefs of them.
He here tells us alfo, That the Tympanum of
the Mother of the Gods, fo much celebrated
by the Greeks and Latine Writers, though ex-
plaind by none of them, as it ought, was no-
thing but a Copy of the Lapland Tympamim,
convey'd to Foreign Parts by Difa, Jfhy Uaa,
or Diana, whofe Ring and Hammer were fome-
time found in the left Hand of the Figure of
Ifis at Rom:, the Tympanum it feif being over
the Head of the Goddefs , and there being
Marks under her Feet like to thofe that are
feen in the Lapland Drums. The Egyptian Ifis
alfo, according to a Cut giv'n of her by Fig-
nvfite3 holds this Ring and Hammer in her left
Hand. And the Mother of the Gods (as Du
Choul.hzs fet forth) handles a Tympanum ; and
he fays, he will make out in his Chronology, that
Ifis the Daughter of Inachus, going into Egypt,
a little before the times of Mofes, taught the
Egyptians Incantations,and withal fhew'd them
that Infamous ufe of the Hieroglyphical Marks,
with which Art the Egyptian Magi afterwards
contended with Mofes before Fharoah. But he
does not think that till- the Goths were giv'n to
thofe Arts, becaufe the Teftimonies of the
Scalds, and of Smrro himfelf free the moft Va-
liant of the Goths from that Infamy , thofe
Arts being beneath their Valour and Dignity,
and feem'd muchto prejudice theFame and Re-
wn due to Valiant Men ; and therefore great
9
Puniftiments was never inli&ed on Men giv n
to iiich Arts, by Magnanimous Kings. I
 or Familiar Spirits. 279
I muft here vote, That notwithftanding
this Difcourfe, concerning Tiers Hamn
its being convey'd from Sweden to foreign
Parts, given us by the Learned / I
,

muft wh Id to what the Learned Khrcber

p
in his Obelifctu Fampbilim, has delivered us con-
cerning it; he has there writ a Paragraph;
with this Title to it Concerning the Tautick
; (

Crefs with an Handle to it, ( that is,

a Ring annexe to the top of it the chief of all
)

the Hieroglif hicks , ( this being the fame with

what Rudbeck calls TborS Hammer.)
Kircher there, among other curious things,,
tells us, that the Egyptians, in the Character
T. Tau y as in a Looking-Glafs, plac d the Idea
of the whole Pantomorphous Nature, by the
Circle or Ring, which they commonly place
on the top of it , they denoted the Celeftial
Orbs, in which the Spirit of the World mixes
it felf ; firft communicating its Virtue to them^

the Crofs, the virtue of the four Elements

on the Sublunary World, through the media-
tion of the Celeftial Bodies, from which the
generation of all things arifes ; for they ob-
ferved there were two motions chiefly appear-
ing in Nature, w*. a Strait, and a Circular
one j they represented this by a Circle, the
other by Strait Lines j for the Elements being
moved out of their natural places, they found
xperience, they return'd to them but by
Strait Lines, and beneath, he quotes the follow-
ing PalTage from Ficinuss Third Book De v
Ctfhftns Comparendd.
The 1 ns preferred
the 1 off
the Crofs before all others, becaufe Bo;
by the vertue diffufed to the Superri--
the firft Superficies is defcrifcd
?4 by
 2 So An Account o/ Genii,
by the Crcfs , for fo it has chiefly Lon-
gitude and Latitude ; and this is the firft Fi-
gure^ and the ftraiteft of all, and contains
four Strait Angles ; now the effe&s of the
Celeftial Bodies chiefly refult from the Re&i-
tude of the Rays and Angles ; for then Stars
are moft powerful, when they hold the four
Angles of Heaven., viz. the Points of the Eaft
and Weft, and of the mid Heaven on either
iide ; and being fo difpofed, they fo call their
Rays againft each other that they thence make
a Crofs, the Ancients therefore faid the Crofs
was a Figure made of the fortitude of the
Stars., and the Sufcepticle of their fortitude,
and therefore it had a mighty power in Images,
and received the Powers of the Spirits and
Planets.
Tom. 2. The fame Author in his Oedipus zs£gypt. fays,
* UY 2'
\ The Crux Anfata, or JJJaca is feen carried almoft
r *
3>
in every Images Hand of the Egyptians $ which
Character they had in fo great Veneration,
that they thought nothing could be rightly
done without it, and it was the moft powerful
Amulet, and a Chara&er made by a wonder-
ful Subtlety of Wit, according to the pattern
of Nature, the only guide and light to fhow
the way to Happinefs.
?*77?'
3' ASain * he tells us elfe where, That by the
Crux Anfatay which confifted of a Circle and
a Crofs, they denoted the motion of Vhtha y
viz. the Soul of the World artificially difpo-
fing all things that are in the World ; and by
the Circle, the circular motion of the Celeftial
Bodies., whereby it in fome fort animates them,
and renders them apt for influencing Inferi-
ors: and by the Crofs, or the lines cutting
each other, they fignify the motion which \t
performs
 or Familiar Spirits. l8l
performs in the Inferior World, for the Gene-
ration and Production of things, according to
Elementary Bodies; for the mo-
I

tion of Sublunary things is according to ftrait

I Sj as it appears in the motion of Light and

V) things, and of fuchas are of a middle

ic; whereof thofe being carried, fome
upwards fome downwards, according to Strait
Lines, thefe participating equally of Gravity
and 1 having got a middle Nature, and
diffus'd, asi: wt e,on the fides, appofitelycxprefs
the cut Lines of a Crofs, and therefore, by this
only Character, for the faid reafons, they do
not unmeetly denote the whole procefs or Na-
ture ; wherefore alfo they reputed this Cha-
racter, as the moft Myfterious of allHierogli-
phicks, and thought the fame had the greateft
force of all, both to allure Good Genii, and fa-
cinate the Evil ones ; hence calling it the Sym-
bol of Health, the greateft Spell, the Mono-
gram Tbtbs ; and by other Names, they had it
put in all Obelisks, Statues, Tables, &C
Here we find a pretty fatisfa<ftory Account
of the Original Inftitution of this Character y
which I cannot find in the the Works of the
Learned Rudbtck; and therefore as far as it
appears to me hirherto, I mull conclude
of it

an -^Egyptian Original.
To proceed now to fome further account
from Olaus Rudbeck, in reference to Magical
Practices, in 3/ Vol. c. 11. he tells us,
his
when we find any itrange Relation in that
kind, we ought duly to weigh what is really
perform'd by the Magick Arty and what con-
tains fome abftrufe {enfe, and is propofed
tranflatitioufly, and by way of zsEnigma he :

it's a firm Argument with him for the pra-

ctice
282 An Account of Genii
<9:iceof Witchcraft and Horrible Magick in the
North, that Men came thither at the fame
time from Greece, *s£gypt, and Phoenicia, as to
a famous Academyy and gave themfeives over
wholly to the ftudy of thofe Arts and that
\

Tythagoras was not the only Man that learnt to

Fly of the Hyperborean Aborts , but others of
the fame Age, as we find from Diogenes, in
Thotius, viz. Garmanus, Cylla, DercyUis, &c. who
thinking themfeives in Thule, on a fudden
awaking, as it were from a Dream, found
themfeives in the Temple of Hercules at Tyre.
And the Author fetting down fome of their
chief Cuftoms, agreeing with what the Greeks
and Latins write, tells us, that the Golden Apples,
raifing the Gods themfeives from Death to
Life, that is, which fet forth the Ads of their
Anceftors, encouragements to Vertue, and
determents from Vice , are interpreted by him
Letters which were cut on Stones, or Wood,
or writ on Parchment; and thofe Stones,
Tables, Parchments and Lapland Tympana, from
their Oblong Figure, got the name of FineA
apples, Apples and Eggs: and thofe Letters which
•
were writ on Parchment or Magical Tampana,
were done over with a Gold Colour, drawn
from the Bark of an Alder ; which Alder was
much efteemed by their Anceftors, and is now
by the Laplanders , becaufe from its inward
Bark chew'd with the Teeth, they get that
Gold Colour wherewith they Paint all kinds
of Letters and Figures on their Tympana. And
as for its being faid that fome defcended into
Hell, being carried on Alder Sticks , it's on this
account, that in their Divinations they ufed
fuch Sticks, in the Barks of which. Letters
and Circles were Cut, compaffing about the
Stick
'
 .

tr Familiar Spirits. 28$

., like the various fj Serpents. As
in their Divinati-
ons, Saturn, an J his Worfhippcrs

help of the Drum, would

5 in one Hand
p
in the other an Hammery made
. of Alder or Horn, and has alio
1 made c f Copper, and not much dif-
Serptnr
g from Gold in Colour, which upon the
on the Head of the Drum,
in and out, till it fettles on fome Letter
X 1 igurc, (hewing that to be it, from whence
:he A is given moreover, the Saturnine
•

jpon beating the Drum a while, fell into a

ice, as tho' he were Dead, and the Lap-
landers, by miftake, then thought the Soul
went out of the Body, and after having learnt
many things, return d again; whereas their
Anceftors, with Plutarch, thought the Soul
did not go out of the Body, but yielded for
fome time, and gave a loofe to the Genius,
which having rov'd about, told it inwardly
many things, which it had fcen and heard
without. New, the things they defire to fee
are of various kinds, either the Soul of the
Dead, or the A&icns of Men at a great di-
stance, or paft, or future things; and he gives
inftances of fome eminent Perfons, who came
from other Countries to theirs, to lee the
iGhofts of their Anceltors, raifed after this
manner, and VlaU owns that all the Tradition
concerning t As and Hell, owes
ts rife to their North, which being cut on a
: of Brafs was carried by Ops from the Hy-
iging to the Greeks.

In
 1

284 An Account of Genii,

; In his Tenth Chapter of his faid Third Vol.
fpeaking of their Cum a which lies bfeyond the ]

Baltick, over-againft PhUgra, he fays, it was

known formerly for Horrible Magick, and the
Impofture of Witches; where UlyJJes and tineas
\
were feduced, confulting the old Fate-telling
Cumaan Sibyl, call'd the Prophetefs of Hell, be- I

caufe fiie lived in the remoteft part Norths as j

it were in a Subteraneous place; this Sibyl'

being different from the Cumane Sibyl in Italy
jiay, and he here tells us, it is to be noted >N
that whatfoever of the Magick Art and Natu-
ral Science, is afcribed to the Antediluvian
Giants by SynceUus and others, all this, both the
Greek Hifiories , and thofe of their Country,
unanimoufly afcribe to the North.
In his Twelfth Chapter of the fame Volume,
he tells us, that Thor, amongft other Names
given him, was called Fluge-Guden, the Goc
of Flies, driving away Magical Flies with his
Hammer , he being the fame with Bel&ebub
mentioned in the Scripture.
As for the Magical Flies, they were Damon
in the fhape of Blue Flies, which the Finlander
kept in a Magical Touch or Satchel, they being "8
called by them Gan, that is, Spirits, which the;
daily fent forth for their Magical purpofes, <ui\
to bring them News from all parts of the Uni
verfe, and to do things deftru&ive to Men^ !
&c and thefe Flies were driven away by Sa-
crifices to Thor, tho' the Vi&ims ofrer'd by
the Jews at the Temple of Hierufalem were
freed from Flies, by reafon of the Jew* Faith
in God.
I thought fit to fubjoyn this account from Olaus
Rudbeck, to that of Schefferus, they both relating
1

to Magical Practices, and giving fome light to,

each other. I may
 or Familiar Spirits. 285
I may
here acquaint the Reader, that Ohms
\uihtck, Son to the Famous Obus, before quo-
:ed, was deputed, Anno 169^ by the late King
vtden^ Charles XL to Trarel through the
Morthern Provinces of Sweden, viz. Lapland,
| *ul, &c. to Write a Natural Hiftory of
:hem, giving an Account of things peculiar to
thofe Countries, viz. the Plants and Flowers,
S roms, Metals, Ghtadrupes, Birds, Fiji), &c. and
Anno 1 701. he Printed a Firft Part of this in-
tended Account, at Upfal, in Quarto, the Ge-
neral Title of the Work being, Lipoma Illu-
fhata ; and the particular Title of this Firft Part
being Iter per Uplandiant. In his General Title
Page, he fays, he fhall fet forth in his Work,
the Scituation of each of the Countries he
there Names, and the Genius of the Inhabitants,
but chiefly both the Habit of Body, and Dif-
pofition of Mind of the Laplanders, their Re-
ligion, Manners, Language, way of Converfe,
and their firft Origin, beiide the account of
their Annimals, Minerals, Mountains, Woods,
Lakes, Rivers, Catarads, &c. fo that, as he
defigns to divide this W
ork into feveral Parts,
we may hope, in one of them, to have as ac-
curate an Account, as may be of their Magical
JraRices and Superftitions.
Having intimated before the Magical ufe of
Drums, with other Superftitious Pra&ifes in
the Weft-Indies, I fhall give you here what
Mr. Wafer . in his Defcription of the Ifthmus of
DarUn, Printed Anno 1699, writes of it, which
is thus : We enquir'd of the Indianswhen they
cxpedled any Ships, who faid, they knew not,
but would enquire concerning it ; and there-
upon fent for fome of their Pawaws, or Con-
jurer who came, ani went into an Apart-
,,

ment
2 86 An Account of Genii,
ment by themfelves, ftay'd for fome time at
their Exercife, and he and his Companions
could hear them make moft hideous Yeliings >
and Shrieks, imitating the Voices of all their
Birds and Beafts With their own Noife they
:

joind that of feveral Stories ftruck together, and

of Conch-Shells, and of a fort of Drums, made of
hollow Samboes, which they beat upon-, ma-
king alfo a jarring Noife with Strings faften'd
to the larger Bones of Beafts ; and every now
and then they would make a dreadful excla-
mation and clattering, all of a fudden, and
as fuddenly make a paufe, with a profound
filence :But finding, that after a coniiderable
time, no Anfwer was made them, they con-
cluded that 'twas becaufe we were in theHoufe,
and fo turn d us out, and went to work again
but ftill finding no return, after an Hour or
two more, they made a fearch in our Apart-
ment, and finding fome of our Cloaths hang-
ing up in a Basket againft the Wall, they threw
them out of Doors in a great difdain ; then
they fell once more to their Tawawing, and
after a little time they came out with their
Anfwer, but all in a muck Sweat ; fotheyfirft
went down to the River, and wafh'd them-
felves, and then came and deliver'd the Oracle
to us ; which was to this effed That from
:

the tenth Day, from that time, there would

arrive two Ships ; and that in the Morning of
the tenth Day, we ihould hear, firft one Gun,
and fome time after another j that one of us
fhould die foon after ; at that going aboard
we fhculd lofe one of our Guns ; all which
things fell out exactly, according to the Pre-
diction.
A Perfon who has fpent many Years in
Voy-
 or Familiar Spirits, 2 %?
Voyages, has alfo told mc, that he has fccn
Drums us'd in America, particularly at Dominlco y
vhere che W/.w ufc them to Paw^w with,
or caufing Raid ofr fair Weather 5 but thofe
>„„/, h: hara&ers on them j they beat
hem with Micks, and have fome little piece of
run br Stone on the Head looie, Which plays
rhilethe jating; they utter alfo many
s all the while they are beating,and fpeak

rery loud. The fame Perfon acquainted me,

hie faw in Norwafa near an Artift ,

a Li?!md Drum, with two

Drum, like a
nd he obferv'd nis Lip to move all the
frhifc he beat thereon above a quarter of an
>

Hour, till he was all in a Sweat, and then he

'ell into a Trance, in which he lay above half

m Hour, or near three quarters ; and upon

lis coming to himfelf, he anfwer'd the Que-

stion had been propos'd to him.

Concerning thefe Diabolical Extafies,
Mr. Pereaudy in the feventh Chapter of his
De?nonology 3 prefixt to his Antidamon of Mafcon y
printed in French at Geneva, An. 1656, writes
:hus The Devil caufes Witches fometimes to
:

:
into Extafies in the Day-time, caufing in
all
irheir Bodies a deftru&ion of their Spirits and

benfe for fome time fo that a Man would

j

fay their Soul were out of their Body, and

"
en he puts lively Impreffions of things into
iem j while they are in this Preternatual
cep , their Souls being , as it were , re-
reated into themfelves , and fo fixt, by the
Devil, to the Fancies and Illusions , where-
|
vith he amufes them , that they firmly
, by
Imagination thus lively im-
this
>refs'd, have done themfelves, what
that they
he Devil represented to them by fuch Ima-
ginations.
288 An Account of Genii,
ginations. There are many Hiftories of thefe
Diabolical Eitafies, but I fhall content my
felf in alledging one, and fo much the rather
feecaufe it happen d in my time, in the Coun-
try of Vaux ; about the Year 15:94, as I have
been affur'd by very Credible Perfons. There
was at that time, and in that place , a Bailiff
of Berne, who having, one Day, invited the
Minifter of the faid place to Dinaer, and be-
ing at Table , they came to a Difcourfe of
Witches, occafion'd by the then Confinement
of one, as a Prifoner, in the Caftle of Echakns
where they were, and which Prifoner was al-
ready Condemn'd to Die , for the Crime of
Witchcraft, and was in a fhort time to be Exe-
cuted, as he really was. This Bailiff fpake his
Mind freely to the Minifter, his Paftor, con-
cerning many things which this Witch con-
fefs'd to have done, and which he had a diffi-
culty to believe it poflible for him to do, and
hereupon being rifen from Table , the Bai-
liff went to the Prifon, and brought the Pri-
foner, and having fpoken to him, among o-
ther things , concerning the Confeffions he
had made, and of his Condemnation follow-
ing, thereupon he Courteoufly told him, that
he fhould confider v/ell whether he had not
done himfelf injury, in having confefs'd thing
that he had not done, minding him of fome of;
thofe things in particular ; hereupon the Pri-:
foner, who was already difpos'd to die , fert-
Oufly told him , that what he had faid and
fonfefs'd, was really true, and that for Proof
of he pleas' d to permit him, he would
this, if
kill the Cattle of a Neighbour, whom he
nam'd, fo he had his Box, and his Stick*
which were at his Houfe, in a place which he
nam'd j
 6r Familiar Spirits. 28^
nam'd ; hereupon the Bailiff, wilUl .-is-

fie t.

\, refolving alio to pay for the Cattle

to whom
they bdong'd. The Stic!; an B t

being brought , \\ into the Wite I

who in the Pj of the Bailiff,

the Miniftcr, and fome others perform 'd all
the Ceremonies that other Witches are wont
toufe with thofe Inftruments of Satan, till he
fell as Dead, at their Feet , without any Mo-
tion or Senie , till about an Hour, or three
Quarters after , he came to himfelf, as from
Death t< 1 or as from a molt profound
ifc ,

Sleep j and then being ask'd by the Bailiff

whence he came > he came from kil-
} I [e fai<J
ling the Cattle,which he had mention'd to
him, and according to the leave he had giv'n
him >
prefently the Bailiff fent to know whe-
ther this wers true , and the Cattle were
found really Dead, as he had faid.
Mr. Pereaud adds ; The Queftion is , who
then kill'd the Cattle,it could not be theWitch,
his Body continued always in the Prefence ot
the Bailiff and others ; to fay that he went in
his Soul, feparated from the Body, this cannot
be , for Realbns which he gives. It follows
then, it was the Devil himfelf that did it, ha-
ving wrought, in the mean time^fo powerfully
on the Imagination of the Witch, that he be-
liev'd it was done by himfelf.
Varacelfm has another way of explaining
thsfe things j which I fhall leave to the Readers T§m* u.c
Confideration; it is as follows , TheConftel- 2 -f**- *•
lation of a Man may be fo great in its thought,
™*+ Dh l
4> ^ r 2 " "

that in a Mans fleep, it may fend his Sydereal

Spirit to another place, without the aid of the
Elementary Body $ that AftralBody has a
U Powe*
290 An Account of Genii,
Power of infe&ing with Poifon, weakning,
diftorting, blinding, beating, killing, and in-
fpiiing , and that in a Moment, and after-
ward of returning to its Elementary Body.
And its a thing very well known, that the An-
cients, through a ftrong Imagination, by the
force of the Aftral Body, attempted and per-
formed many things of this kind againfl: their
Enemies; fo that fome on a fudden, have
been rendred Paraiitical , no Natural Caufe
concurring ; fome depriv'd of their Sight,
fome made Leprous, fome Strangl'd. Thefe and
the like Evils have been infli&ed, which could
fcarce be cur'd again in a very long time.
Therefore , let thofe Phyficians, who meet
with fuch Difeafes know , that neither the
Elements, nor Nature it felf breeds them, but
that they were the Works of the fole Sydereal
Body of others ; and thefe things are eaus'd in
Dreams, when this or that Man Dreams fuch
a thing ; therefore according to this Dream,
judge of the Difeafe of others.
He adds beneath. Though the Body, Soul,
and Spirit are not together at the fame time,
yet the thought and Speculation, or Ima-
gination remains ftill in the Spiiit , where-
fore they are often feen with fuch kinds
of Thoughts. Since therefore the thought of
a Man is of fuch a Nature, therefore by the Sy-
dereal Spirit that thing is fo exprefs-d, and
fignified by a Dream, according as one Spirit
is difpos'dto another before he be confumed;

nor is this only fo , but alfo in Mountains and

Woody Places, and in the Alps, a great Num*
- ber of thefe Sydereal Spirits have been fome-
times feen, which have hurt Cattle and other
Creatures , becaufe the Sydereal Spirits of
ne maintained an hatred , and executed a
Revenge
 :

or Vdtnithr $ph p i

Revenge after Deatfi , againft ch< I

bours vA
The folio
mi;
the
.
>•, in his Tra t
-

. r. 3. qilOtC ,!US.

No I
is that Judgment o;
ich I learnt atNteies, /.... 1 >.

when therefore thfcy had took upon them to

tell, within a Iittl6 lpslce , w done ,

ten Miles round, they presently fell all down

as Dead, and Hours; and then
laj to for three
arifing, thev told whatfoevcr they had fcen
done in the whole Town of N". «to, and in the
Country round about it to a goodDiftancc ;

PfactsjtXSH and Men being obferv'd,all Which

things upm enquiry were found true; there-
fore all cf them being accus'd and found Gi:
of many Malefices,were condemn'd to the Fire.
Ttircbasy in his Extra :1s from Gmiah Fer di-
p '

jtMnJo Ovidoj his Summary and General Hifto- c/

?#
ry of tl :
3
writes thus. Before the In-
habitants of J had receiv'd the Chrl-
ftian Faith, there was among them a S
of Men, who Hv'd fclitarily in tne Defarcs, a
led their Life in Silence and Abftinence, more
ftridly than t!.
3 abftaining in
gettsns
like manner from all things that liv'd of Blood,
contented only with Fruits, Herbs, and Rocts,
which the Detarts afforded then! the Profef-
fors of this Sedt being calld they ap-
ply 'd themfelves to the Knowledge of Natural
things, and us'd certain Secret Magical O
rationsand Supe; Virions, whereby they had a
Familiarity with Spirits, which they allur'd in-
to their Bodies at fuch time as they would
take upon them to tell of things to come,
2 U whi
292 An Account o/Genii^
which they did as follows. When any of the
Kings fent for any of them out of the Defarts
for this purpofe, the Piaces comes with two of
his Difciples waiting on him, of whom one
brings with him a Veffel of a Secret Water^
and the other a little Silver Bell ; when he
comes to the place, he fits down on a round
Stool, made for him on purpofe, one of his
Difciples ftanding on one Hand of him, and
the other, on the other, in the Prefence of the
King; and certain of his chief Retinue (for
the common People are not admitted to thefe
Myfteries) and turning his Face toward the
Defart, he begins his Incantations , and calls
the Spirit, with a loud Voice,by certain Names
which no Man underftands but himfelf and
his Difciples. After he has done this a while,
if the Spirit deferrs his coming , he drinks of
the faid Water, and therewith grows Hot and
Furious, and inverts, and turns his Inchant-
ment , and lets himfelf Blood with a Thorn,
ftrangely turmoiling himfelf, as we read of the
furious Sibyls, not ceafing till the Spirit comes,
who prefently overturns him, as a Greyhound
overturns a Squiri) ,- then, for a while, he
feems to lie as though he were in great Pain,
or in a Rapture , wonderfully tormenting
himfelf ; during which Agony , one of his
Difciples fliakes the Silver Bell continually ;
when the Agony is over , and he lies quiet
(though without any Senfe or Feeling) the
King, or fome other in his Head, asks of him
what he defires to know,and the Spirit Anfwers
him by the Mouth of the rapt Places,
With a dired arid perfed Anfwer to all Points.
On a time a certain Spaniard being prefent at
thofe Myfteries with one of the Kings , and
in
 or Familiar Spirit r. 2pj
in the Spanifh Tongue, asking the Places con-
cerning certain ^hips, which they Iook'd for
out of Sfam3 tfcic Spirit anfwer'd in the hit
Tongue, and told them what Day and Hour
the Ship departed from Sp tin3 how many they
were, and what they brought, without failing
in any Point. If he be ask'd concerning the
Eclipfe of the Sun or Moon which they great-
and abhor Jhe gives a perfed anfwcr,and
ly fear
the like of Tempefts, 1 amine , Plenty, War,

or Peace , and luch orher things. When all

Queftions are over, his Difciples call him aloud,
ringing the Silver Bell at his Ear, and blowing
a certain Powder into his Noftrils, whereby he
is raifed as it were from a Dead fleep , being

yet fomewhat heavy headed, and faint for a

good while after. Since the Chriftian Faith
has been difperfed through this IJland , thofe
Diabolical Practices have ceas'd.
The fame Author from the Fifth Book of ?<«*• l-
:

c *'
Joffhus Ac*ftay fpeaking of the Weft-Indians of '• 5# '

Mtxkoy writes as follows.

When the Priefts went to Sacrifice, and give
Inccnfe in the Mountains, or on the tops there-
of, or in any dark and obfeure Caves , where
their Idols were, they us'd a certain Ointment,
doing certain Ceremonies, to take away fear,
and to give them Courage. This Un&ion was
made with divers little Venemous Beafts , as
Spiders , Scorpions , V aimers , Salamanders and
Vipers. To make
an Ointment of thefe Beafts,
they took them altogether, and burnt them
on the Hearth of the Temple, which was be-
fore the Altar , till they were confum'd to
Afhes then they put them in Mortars with
;

much Tobacco (which Herb they much us'd

to Benumb the Flefh, that they might not feel
U 3
their
294 ^n Account of Geni\ %
their Travail ) with which they mingle the
Afhes, making them to lofe thtir force ; they
likewife mingl'd with th&A(hcs 3 Scorpio?: ., Spi^
ders^ndPalmers^livQ, then they put to it a cer-
taia Seed being ground, which they call'd
Qkiucbqui, whereof the Indians make a Drink
to fee Vifions ; the Vertue of this Herb be-
ing to deprive a Man of Senfe. They like-
wife ground , with thefe Afhes, Blacky and
Huhj Worms, whofe Hair only is Venemous ;
all which they mingled together with the
Black 3 or the fume of Rofm, and put it in
fmall Pots, which they fet before their God,
faying it w^s his Meat; and therefore they
called it a Divine M.at, by means of this
Ointment they K came Witches, and law, and
fpake with the Devil. The Priefts being
flubber'd wit h this Ointment put-
loft all fear,
ting on a of Cruelty; by reafon where-
Spirit
of they very boldly kilfd Men in their Sa-
crifices, going all alone in the Night to the
Mountains, and into obfeure Caves, contem-
ning all Wild Eeafts , and holding it for cer-
tain, and approv'd that Lions, Tigers, Serpents,
and other Furious Beafts, which bred in the
Mountains and Forefts, fled from them by the
Vertue of this Tobacco of their God.
ibid. The fame Author tells us, There is a kind
cf Sorcerers among the Indian* allow'd by the
Kings, or Inguas, who take upon them what
form and figure they plcafe* flying far through
the Air in a fliort time , beholding all that is
done; they talk with the Devil, who anfwers
them in certain Stones, or other things which
they Reverence much they tell what has pafs'd
j

in the fartheft Parts before any News can

ccme j as it has chane'd fmce the Spaniards ar-
rived
 or Familiar Spirits. ipj
rived there, th it in the Diftance of two or
three Hue Irod 1 eaguesj thcyhavc known the
Mutinies Battles, R ns jn Deaths, both
]

of ] lid of thofe of the Kinj/s Party,

and of p\ tvatc Men, which have been known
the I
a \ happen'd or the Day after,
a thing inwottjble by the Courfe of Nature/To
work this Divination they fhur themfelves in-
to a Uld became drunk tiil they loft their
Senfes, a Day after rhey anfwer'd to what was
demanded, fome affirm they ufe certain Un&i-
ons. The hi.!: m fiy, their Old Women com-
monly ufe this Office of Witchcraft, and efpe-
cially thofe of one Province , which they call
Cojih'o,and of another Town they call'd Man-
,and of the Province of Gutirochivi. They
likewife (hew what is become of things ftoln
and loft there are cf thefe kinds of Sorcerers
;

in they tell of the Succefs of things

all Parts,
pafs'd or to come, whether Voyages ftiall
,

be Profperous , whether a Man fh ill be

Sick, or (hall Die, or return fafe, or fhall ob-
tain that he pretends to j they give their An-
fwers, yea, or no, having firft (poke with the
Devils in an obfeure place ; fo as the Enquirers
hear the found of the Voice, but fee not to
whom thefe Conjurers fpeak, neither do they
underftand what they fay, they make a thou-
fand of Ceremonies and Sacrifices to this ef-
fect, and grow exceeding Drunk , for doing
whereof they particularly ufe an Herb call'd
Villa, the Juice whereof they mingle with
their Cbicay or take it in (bme other fort.
The fame Author, from the Journal of WiU P. ?. /• u
Ham de Rubrucjuis a French Minorite Friarj COn- c * *•

cerning his Travels into the Eaftern parts of

World, An.iz$$. tells us, That when the
u 4 ck*m
% 96 An Account of Genii,
Cham of Eaft-Tartary purpofed to do any
things he caufed Three Shoulder Bones of
Ramms to be brought him ; and holding them
in his Hands j he thought of the thing where-
of he would Confult, whether he might do
it, or not, and then delivered the Bones to

be Burnt; when they were burnt Black, they

brought them to him ; then he lookt upon
them, whether the Bones, by the Heat of
the Fire, were Cleft right length ways, if fo
he might do it ; but if the Bones were Crackt
athwart, or round pieces were flown out of
them, then he did not proceed ; for that Bone
is always Cleft in the Fire, or the thin Skin
which overfpreads it, and if one of the three
were Cleft forth right, yet he did it. In
Mr. Jenkinforis Voyage among the Tartars, we
may read of fuch Divinations. &o far Pur-
chas.
Now in reference to this way of Divina-
tion, a Lady now in London, has told my felf,
that flie knew a Perfon in Ireland, who by
looking on the Plate Bone of a Shoulder of
Mutton, it being of a Sheep that belong'd to
the Mailer of a Family , would predid the
whole Fate of that Family, and that ufually
with fuccefs, as to who fliould firft Die, and
rnany other Accidents relating to them.
Mr. Bedford, Minifter of Temple Parifh in
Brlfiol, writ a Friend of his the laft Year, a
ftrange Relation of an Acquaintance of his^
who often cojiverfed with Spirits, and the
unhappy confequences of it. It is as follows.
About Thirteen Years fince, I was acquain-
ted with one Thomas Jtrfs9 a Man about 20
Years of Age, who lived with his Father, at
M«ng€rfirfd, in the County Gkixefter , by
Trade
 or Familiar Spirits. 297
Trade a Bhel-Smitb, he was a very good
Temper'd N ireamly well Skilled in the
Mac which were his con-
ftant Delight j to*. mitty 3
p Smvifing and Algebra , and much
addided himfelf he ap-
to Afironomyi at length
plic and would fome-
times Calculate Nativities, and refolve Hora-
ry Queftions, &c. which he told me prov'd
oftentimes very true but he was not fatisfied
;

with it, becaufe there was nothing in it, which

tended to a Mathematical Demonftration.
ring not feen him for fome time, he
came to me one Day, and we being in Pri-
vate, aik'd me very ferioufly concerning the
Lawfulnefs of converting with Spirits ; and
after I had given my Thoughrs in the Nega-
tive, and confirnrfd them with the beft Rea-
fons I could, he told me he had confidered all
thofe Arguments, and believed they all related
only to Conjuration; but there was an Inno-
cent Society with them,- hicha Man might ufe,
1

if he made no ccntrad with them, did no harm

by their means, and was not curious to pry into
hidden things; and that he himfelf had Dif-
courfed with them, and heard them Sing, &c.
to his great Satisfaction, and once made an
offer to myfelf, and another time to Mr. Bayfy,
now Minifter of St. James's in Briihl, that if
we would go with him one Night to Kings-
e fliould fee them, and hear
them both Speak and Sing, and talk with
them on whatfoever Subject we had a mind
to y and we fhould return very fare j but nei-
r of us had the Courage to venture. I
him of the Subtlety of the Devil to de-

Insform
I

himfelf into an

T
2p8 An Account of Genii
Angel of Light; but he could not believe that it
was the Devil. •! had feveral conferences with
him on this Subjed, but could never convince
him In all which I never obferv'd the leaft dif-
:

order of Mind,hisDifcourfe being very rational.

I ask'd him feveral particulars concerning
the method he ufed, and the difcourfe he had
had with the Spirits ; He told me he had a Book
whofe directions he followed, and according-
ly^ in the dead time of the Night,' he went
to a crofs way, with a Lanthorn and Candle,
which were Confecrated for this purpofe,
with feveral Incantations: He had aTo a Con-
fecrated Chalk , having a mixture of feve-
ral things within it; and with this he ufed to
make a Circle at what diftance he thought
fit, within which no Spirit had power to
enter ;after this he Invoked the Spirits, by
ufing feveral forms of Words fome of which
;

he told me were taken out of the Scriptures,

and therefore he thought them lawful. The
Spirits appeared accordingly to him, in the
fhapes of little Girls about a Foot and an half
high, and play'd without the Circle at firft
:

he was fomewhat affrighted, but after fome

fmall Acquaintance, he became pleafed with
their Company He told me they fpake with
:

a very Shrill Voice like an Ancient Woman,*

he asked them if there were a God, an Heaven,
and an Hell ? they Anfwered there were ; he
asked them what oeconomy they had among
themfdves ? they told him they were divi-
ded into Three Orders: that they had a Chief,
whofe Refidence was in the Air, that he had
feveral Counfellors, which were placed in
the form of a Globe, and he in the Center,
which was the chiefeft Order ; another
Order
 «r Familitr Spirits. zyy
Order was imp in going to and f
from thence to the Earth, y Intelli-
gence tVom the Lower Spirits, according to
cLe Dire&i >ns ihey received from thoft in the

This Defcription being contrary to the

account we in Scripture, of the Hie-
rarchy of Angels, made me conclude them
hut I could never convince him He
:

told me he bid them Sing, and they went to

behind a Eufh, from whence
could hear pleafant Confort , but of
;i

fuch Mufick, c f which he never heard the

like and in the upper part he could hear
j

fomething very harfh and fhrill like a Reed, but

as it was managed, gave a particular Grace
to all the reft.
About a Quarter of a Year after this, he
came to me again, and told me he wiflied
now he had taken my Advice, for he thought
he had done that, which would coft him his*
and his Eyes and Countenance fhew'd
,

a great alteration. I asked him what he had

done ? he told me that being Bewitch'd by
his Acquaintance, he refolved to proceed
farther in this Art, and to have fome Familiar
Spirits at his Command, according to the di-
rections of his Book , which were to get a

#
£ook made of Virgin Parchment, and Con-
fecrated with feveral Incantations, as alfo
particular Ink, Inkhorn, Pens, &c. for this
purpofe; with thefe he was to go out as ufual
to a Crbfs-way, call upon a Spirit, and ask
him his Name, which he was to enter in the
Firft Page of his Book , and this was to be
his Chief Famiiiar. Thus he was to dc by as
I
many as hepleafed, Writing their Names in
diftind
3 o© An Account of Genii,
diftind: Pages, only one in a Leaf, and then,
whenever he took the Book and opened it,
the firft whofe Name prefented, fhould ap-
pear : his Chief Familiar he faid was called
Malchiy after he had done this, they appear'd
to him falter than he defired, and in mod
Difmal Shapes, as of Serpents, Lions, Bears,
&c and hift at him , and attempted tc
throw Spears, and Balls of Fire; he was very
much Affrighted, and the more becaufe, he
found it not in his power to Lay them, info-
much that his Hair ftood an end, and he ex-
pected every moment to be Torn in Pieces.
This was in December about Midnight, when
he continued there in a Sweat till break oi
Day, at which time they left him, and from
that time he was never well as long as he liv'd
He always faid he never made any Compacts
with any of thefe Spirits, nor ever did any
Harm by their means, nor pry'd into Future
Concerns, relating to himfelf, or others, anc
expreft an hearty Repentance for his Sin.
A farther account of this Matter may, per-
haps, be had from his Relations, or Neigh-
bours in Mangerfield in Gloucefter-jhire , not
above a Mile out of the Road, betwixt Brifto
and Bath.
I formerly gave an Account of this Affair,
to the late Bifhop of Hereford, in which pro-
bably there are fome things containd, which
I do not now remember, and which, perhaps,
may be procured from his Lady, now living
near Gloucefler, which Account would be more
Authentick. So far Mr Bedford.
Janus Matthew, an Italian Phyfician, Prin-
ted a Book of Problems, at Venice, Anno i)6j.
The Firft Problem there treated, is this : Whe-
ther.
 ;

or familiar Spirits* 301

ther there are Demons, and whether they arc
fes of Dit according to the Opi-
nions of Divines, Philofophers and Phyficians.
In the Third Book of this Problem, he gives us
a Relation much like the foregoing Relation
of Mr. Bcdfvriy and lays, he had it from many
Pcrfons worthv of Credit, and from the Au-
thor of the thing himfelf. It is as follows.
After the Death of Julius Albcrtus, a Law-
yer, a certain Friend of mine, a Lawyer alfo,
lei zed on a certain i ntick Book, which
had been kept in a Box of the (aid Alhm •

having got it into his poffeflion, he prcfently

returnd into a \ n, where his Wife was
Born, before thedilcovcry of the Theft;
there he Lived a long time, and Died, never
having tried the Power of the Bcok, he being
[wholly Ignorant oftheMagick Art; but oa
a day unwarily whifper'd out fomething, con-
cerning its Magical Power, to his only Son^
named Arri<vabenusy my familiar Acquaintance,
his Father being Dead, and he having Mar?
fried a Rich Wife, was drawn by fame falfe
Companions, into the Fallacious Pxadice ofc
Chymiftry, and when, after a while, he had
fpent much of his Wives Fortune, and almoft
all of his Paternal Eftate in Chymical Practi-
ces to no purpofe, he lights on a day, on a cer-
tain German Traveller, who was Skilful in the
.Art of Chymiftry, whom he carried to his
Houfe, and they there try'd Chymical Expe-
riments together a long time, but ftill in
vain ; whereupon at length he.difcover'd to
the German, that he had a Magical Book, and
fhew'd it him, but with engagement of Secrefy
the German conlidering the Book, laid to him,,
pray let us try whether this Book contains
Tr
3 oi An Account of Genu,
Truth or Dreams, and en an appointed Day
Arrivabenus took with him the Book, and a
Sword ( the German going with him unarm' d,
( for fo it was agreed betwixt them ; ) and be-
fore Sun Rifing they went into a Valley, thro*
which a Torrent ran, and fo went into a
thick Wood; on the left fide of the Torrent,
in the midft of which having cut fome Bufhes
with the Sword, and made an Area, as it was
neceflary ; prefently fome Ceremonies being
premitted by the German, wont to be ufed for
fuch end, and a large Circle being made with
a Rod j with certain Geometrical Figures,
they both enter into it. Then Arrl'vubenui
himfelf, who would not deliver the Book to
the German, ( they having fo agreed , held it
firmly in his Left Hand, and the Sword in his
Right, and at the Germans Command open'd
it; which being done, the German in the
German Tongue, called only two Damons to
appear in Soldiers Habits; and prefently
with a great Wind and Noife, two Damons
came, one a Horfeman with an Head-piece
and a Coat of Mail, and all other meet Arms,
and Riding on a Black Horfe ; the other a
Foot Soldier, going befcre him, girt with a
Sword, and having a Snapfack on his Shoulder,
whofe Eyes fliined with certain movable
Flames, that you would have judg'd them
Colliers, and would fcarce have been able to
look on them : Damons ap-
prefently as thefe
peared to the Men, they what do you
faid,
Ask ? to thefe the German made an Anfwer,
and asked them many things in the German
Tongue, and received their Anfwers to all
things in particular. At length as he had
commanded them to return to Hell, as they
were
 or Familiar Spirits, 305
e going away , At W
think you will become of our A
which as the
fwer , begone ftys the
man Tongu ik no more; w n,
they rettirn'd to Hell, with the fame Wl
and N( rtA After
ilfhed ifi began to Upbraid the
>
for having done 111, in hindrll g tlic
Devil from giving them an Anfwer, as to
theii md the next day difmift him.
.

And by reafon that for two Yeafi aftxrwa:

Arrvvjibtvus\ Wives Uncles would not Pay
him what rcm;iind in th< \i of her For-

tune,, as he delired, becaufe he had managed

his Affairs 111 being ftruck with a Rage, he
;

takes his Dxmonical Book, and goes to the

fame Wood and Area j and having performed
all things but one, which the German had
done there before; behold, prefently, with
the fame Wind and Noife of the Trees, innu-
merable ]\imons> with Frightful Countenan-
ces, and carrying rugged Staves in their crock-
ed Hands, appear ( for through Rage Arr\<v.:~
got to command, Both how man}',
and what appearance they fliould come to
in
him, as the German had done before ) and
flood about the Circle he had made, within
which the Miferable Man flood ; and they
fcar'd him with Threats, and endeavoured to
pull him out of the Circle, ?V ofthemear-
neftly Asking, what will you have? what will
Vou have ? whereupon being Frighted and
befide himfelf, and running to and fro within
the Gircle, in an horrid Fear, he fell at length
out of the Circle unawares ; the Damom then
fell a Beating him, pulling him here and there,
and
304 An Account of Genu,
and ftrove to take the Book from him, bi
could not do it, he having hid it in his Bofor
Mean while Arrivabenm fometimes Running,
ft metimes Creeping, came at length to the

Bridge, which is over the River, for he wa<

not fo far befide himfelf, that he had quite
forgot his right way, but the Damons thre\
him from the Bridge into the River, fo tha
he was nigh Suffocated in the Mud and Wa
ter; now, a Country Man cafually driving
an Afs to fetch Wood, paft over the Bridge
where his Afs being frighted, and flying back
he faw Arrivabenus tumbling in the Mud, hal
Dead, he called to him, and laying hold of his
Hair, drew him out of the Mud, and by the
help of his Afs, carried him, with much ado
to his Wife in the Town ; who finding th
Book in his Bofom, which fhe had heard him
fpeak of before, fhe took it privately from him
and had it burnt. Arrivabenus lookt Pale anc
5

111 ever after it, tho he Lived a long time

And Anno 1J91. upon my requeft, freely
gave me this Relation , word for word, I

having heard of it long before from fome

others. Janus JVLttbeus adds for a clofe; Now
what poffibly may our great Philofophers,
the Perepateticks here Anfwer ? Truly they will
either deny Inftances of this kind, for that
they confift of Particulars, which are neither
known bv Difcipline, nor by the Undemand-
ing or fuch things being granted, they would
:

fay that thefe are not Hiftories, but mee

Dreams of fome Melancholly Relators, fo
certain Melancholly Perfons fo fixtly Drear
in the Night ( as it fometimes happens to Lc
vers and Jealous Perfons ) of thofe thing
which with a moft vehement afFed they Defire,
Hope,
 -

or Kvniliar Spirit*. 305

hope, abhor or fear in the Day, that they fecra
molt truly to fjc the Ante waking in tne Day
time according to that of Averrbocs. Its no r- * Jto*
;

ftrange thine that fome Man m

iv fee when a- ^ ^*
wake, what flecping he did in his Dr iy, ]

perhaps he will fee the very form of the thing,

and not irs likenefs, as its (aid of G»um.*r. bo
[anus Matthctus.
Kirchcr, in his OeJip. <s£nfi.Tom. 5. f>. 82. tells
us, That in the mid ft cf* the Subterraneous
AAytAoi the Egypt L?:* , there was an Altar or
Table plac'd, and in it the whole Concatena-
te*! Series of the Gw/, were ixp eilnted by fuch
hidden .symbols, that they did not only notioe
the hidden Recefles of the greateft MyfLries,
but they had alfoan infallible efficacy, to make
one of them which the Priefts had a Mind,per-
fonally to appear,by horrible and execrabL Ad
juratiens,and Analogons Rites and Ceremonies,
There are many Relations of Houfes infefted
with Demons by Magical Practices , caullng
Noifes in them , throwing Stones , &c. of
which I fhali give only this Inftance. joam ln£pit.
Chtvrrim tells us, that An. 85^, an evil Spirit Mftor.

infefted the City of Mentz,, and the Neigh-

bouring Places firft throwing Stones ,
: and
making Noifes againft the Walls of the Houfes,
and then growing troubl fome to Men, he be-
gan, in a while to fpeak , and to tell what
things were ftoln , and fo fow (Mfcord a-
to
mong Neighbours ; up the
at length he rtirr'd
Minds of all againft one Man, as though they
and into
fuffer'd all thofe things for his Sins
;

whatfoever Houfe he went, it prefently took

on Fire nor was he free in the Fields, for
:

Fruits being there heap'd together, they were

cenfum'd with Fire , and when the Neigh-
X bours
^oo An Account of Genii,
bours for this fell upon him , and were about
to kill him, he prov'd his Innocency by car-
rying a burning hot Iron in his Hands. He
continued acting thus for three Years , till he
had confum'd all the Houfes with Fire.
There was an Inftance of this kind, the*
iaft Year in Somerfetjhire , at Butley , near G/*-
ftenbury, where lives one Mr. Tope, whofe Son
being about 13 or 14 Years of Age, fell often
into Fits , and in his Fits faid , his Fathers
Houfe would be Burnt by Spirits, whom he
fometimes faw j and the Houfe was Burnt
down accordingly , and a Stall with three
Oxen in it , and feme Wheat Mows in his
backfide : and Stones were feen to come in at
the Windows in the Day time, no Man per-
ceiving from what Hand they came ; as a
Perfon of Ghfienbury told my felf, the laft
Summer, at IVells, in the faid County ; he, up-
on his being in the Houfe, having feen many
Stones fo come in at the Windows. This Vex-*
ation continued a long time, though now I
hear it's ceas'd, and the Houfe is rebuilding
There are many more particulars to be brought
concerning this any Man can
Fact , and , if
make out, that all were done by
thefe things
Trick,and Contrivance as fome fay they werej
they may do well to fatisne the World of it.
I know the late Dr. Bekker , in his Book en-
titled, Le monde Encb ,nte y laughs at all things of
this Nature, as done by Humane Contrivance^
and Mr. Scot, in his Difcovery of Wttchcr,fty
writes thus : I could recite a great Number
.

c#
'
of Tales, how Men have ev'n forfaken their
Houfes , becaufe of fuch Apparitions and
Noifes ; and all has been by iheer and rank
Knavery ^ and wherefoever you fhall hear
that
 "

or Familiar Spirits. 307

that there is in the Night Seafon fuch rnmblii
and Nc
fearful Ilalfur'd, tl
it is Knavery , performed
flat
feem mod to compl tin, and are lead fufped-
ed; and hei\ ry Art , which for
fome refpeds I will not difcoVer. The Devil
s daily, as w nightly whom he may
Devour, and can do his Feats as well 1

as by Night, or elfc he is a Young Devil, 61

very Bungler.
I ki t what may be offend to Men of
fuch obftin (ions, who will h
all things done by Impofture , which fee
ftrange 10 them, and
I may indulge their Humour Co for, that if< n-
ly one Perlon tells a very ftrang: , a
Man may be more apt to think i: poilible for
that Perfon to lye, than that fo ftrange a Re-
lation fhould be true ; but if a coniiderable
number of Perfons, of feveral Countries, fede-
ral Religior.> il Ptfofeffion i I Ages,
and thefe Perfons of
look'd upon to be
great Sagacity , as any the Countries afford,
agree in Relations of the fame kind, though
very ftrange , and are ready to vouch the
Truth of them upon Oath , after having well
confider'd Circumftances , I think it a violati-
on of the Law of Nature, to reject all thefe
Relations as fabulous, meerlv upon a felf pre-
fuming Conceit, unlefs a Man can fairly fhew
the things to be Impoflible, or wherein thofe
K
Perfons were impos'd on. T)T. Beiter rejc
allthe Fads alledg'd for proving the Operations
of Demons, and among others the Fads of the
Demons of M
{con and Teiwirth , as being done
by Combinations of Servants, or others; and
Would have the World acquiefe in his Ar-
X 2 bit;
308 An Account of Genii,
bitrary fay fo 3
without any manner of Proof,
01 ly alledging this frivolous Pretence, that
there have been Impoftures in that kind , and
therefore thofe mull be fo ; a notable confe-
rence which fhould a School-Boy infer, he
would deferve lafhing y but I (hall fay fome-
what concerning Dr. Bekker sWovk beneath fit
being Inftar Omnium in its kind) and therefore
fhall fay no more of it here : leaving the Fads
at lie {con and Tedworth to Men of unbyafs'd
Thoughts to judge of them as they fee caufe :
Tb.fe Relations feeming to me well attefted,
2nd as well examin d as if the Critical Dr.
Belter had been a Party concerned on that Ac-
count. Indeed it may not be eafy fometimes
to difcover how a thing is done by Trick 3 tho'
it be really fo ; as the Lord Howard, in his De-

.
fmfatyOt g, infi fupposd Prophecies, c. 17. where
he treats of Mens Conference with damnd
Spirits and Familiars,, tells us 3 That himfelf
was prefent with divers Gentlemen and No-
blemen, who undertook to defcry the fineft
s Sights 'hat Schotto , the Italian , was able to
Play, by Leger Ju M in, before Queen Eliza-
beth, Who notwithftanding were no lefs be-
guird than the reft., that prefum'd lefs on their
Dexterity and Skill in thofe Matters. And ne-
vertheless I think it may not be difficult to di-
fcern that fome Fa&s^and among others, thofe
that pafs'd at Majcon and Ted-worthy were above
'
all Humane Performance. Mr. Scot , indeed
tell US, There is a peculiar Art for doing thefe
things, which for fome refpetls he will not difco-
ver. I fuppofe by this Art he does not mean a
common Combination of Servants ( as Dr.
Bckker feems to be of Opinion it is., though he
prefently fubjoins, that the Devil can (hew
Tricks
 or Familiar Spirits. jop
Tricks as well as by Night, intima-
by Day,
ting as thoughthofcN" only happen .

in Houfes by Night (a time favouring lm|

fturea ) which is a great tniftakej for in the
Relations of the Damons >; and 7i dworth
I

y
and that I have given before/and in many other
Relations of the like kind; we find that many
Fads pafs'd in the Day time, as wellas by Night,
and that Stones have been thrown at Perfons
in open Fields, in the Day time, by an invi-
fible Hand , when many have been prefnt.
And notwithftaning this pretence of an Art,
unlefs Men have an Art to make themfelves
inviiible, (as Hijhry tells us, I know not with
what truth, fome have done I fhall never be-
)

lieve that any Man fliall be able fairly to folve

the Fads we have recorded of Hcufes and o-
ther Places infefted , bv any Performance of
Man; allowing ftill that there have been many
Jmpoftures in this kind, and that manyftrange
things may be performed, as to the Conveyance
of Voices and Sounds by a deep infight in Acou-
fitch and Vhonicks.
I fhall not conceal here, that, in reference
to what pafs'd at Tcdworth , a Perfon lately
told me, Mr. MompejJ'on own d privately to the
late Kir Us the Second, that all that pafs'd
at his Houfe at Tedworth was done by Contri-
vance: And another Perfon has told me.it was
done by two Young Women in the Houfe,
with a defign to fcare thence Mr. Munpejjins
Mother this was told them by others, and I
;

found them inclin'd to a Belict of it, bu: who-

ever related this , unlefs they were obfti arc
Oppofers of the Truth, cither had not {:cn y
or duly coniider'd the Letter writ by Mr.
to Mr. GLnvil, Nov. the 8;£. 16-2.
i
3 l o An Account of Genii,
nor that writ by him to Mr. Collins, one of the
Bookfellers that undertook the Impreflion of
his Book , it being dated Aug. the 8tb. 1674,
in the firft mention'd of thofe Letters he
writes thus I have been very ofcen of late
:

ask'd, whether I have not confefs'd to his Ma-

jefty, or any other, a Cheat difcover'd about
that Affair. To which I gave, and fhall to
my dying Day;, give the fame Anfwer, that I
mull belye my felf, and perjure my felf alfo,
to acknowledge a Cheat in a thing, where I
am fure neither was, nor could be any, as my
felf, the Minifter of the Place , and two o*
ther honeft Gentlemen, depos'd at the AJJIz.es,
upon my impleading the Drummer ; and tho*
I am fure this damnable Lye does pafs for cur-
rent among one fort of Perfons in the World,
yet I Queftion not but the thing obtains Credit
among thofe , whom I principally defire
fhould retain a more Charitable Opinion of
me, than to be any way a Devifer of it, only
to be talk'd of in the World, to my own Difad->
vantage and Reproach.
In his Letter to Mr. Collins , he informs him
of what was depos'd upon Oath, and by whom
at the Ajjiz.es at Sarum, concerning this Affair,
where he writes thus 5 The Evidence upon
Oath were my felf\ one Mr. William Maton, and
one Mr. Waiter Dowfe , all yet living, and I
think of as good Repute, as any this Country
has in it; and one Mr. John Craggy then Mi-
nifter of the Place , but fince dead : We all
depos'd feveral things , that we conceiv'd im-
poffible to be done by any Natural Agents, as
the Motion of Chairs, Stools, and Bedftaves,
no Body being near them , the beating of
Drums in the Air , over the Houfe, in clear
Nights,
 1

or Familiar Spirits. 3 1

Nights, with feveral other things of the like

Nature. Theft Witncffcs hbours,
depos'd that diey
1

tilings almoft every Day or Night, for many

Months togcthu
The ling Letters are Printed at the
end to the Second Part of Mr.
Glan mphatMs, Printed toge-
ther with the Firft Part, Atm. 1681.
After the io\ Declaration of Mr.
Mo». I mull free v tell all Men, that
fhall pretend a Cheat in the Tranflation at
vorth, that till they fairly make appear to
orld , by whom the Cheat was play'd,
r
the \\

and how the Fads Sworn to were perform' d,

the Impofture muft lie at their Door.
If we may believe Luther, he tells us, in hisc^. 3$.-]

TMeTJk, That he departed from Worms, and

not far from Eifinacb, was taken Prifoner, and
was lodged in the Caftle oi Wartburg inPathmoy
in a Chamber far from People , where none
could have accefs to him , but only two Boys
that twice a Day brought himMeatand Drink,
among other things they brought him Hazle
Nuts, which he put into a Box, and fome-
times us'd to eat of them. In the Night times the
Devil came, and got the Nuts out of the Box,
and crack'd them againft one of the Beds Pofts,
making a very great Noife, and a rumbling
about his Bed, but he regarded him not j when
afterwaid he began to [lumber, he kept fuch
a racket and rumbling upon the Chamber
Stairs, as if many empty Hogflieads and Bar-
rels had beeji tumbled down ; and tho' he
knew the Stairs were ftrongly guarded with
Iron Bars, fo that no PalVage was either up
or down ,
yet he arofe and went towards the
X 4 Stairs
jii An Account of Genii,
Stairs to fee what the matter was, but find-
ing the Deor faft fhut, he faid, Art thou there ?
So be there ftitt ; and fo he committed him-
felf to Ckrift, and laid him down to reft again.
So far Luther.
I went my felf once to fee a Gentleman near
Bath, and came to hisHoufe about Eleven of
the Clock in the Morning, his Lady faid to
me, ftie wifh'd I had come fooner, for about
an Hour before , as fhe was coming in at the
fore-door of the Houfe, fhe faw the Minifter
of the Parifh come into the Entry, at the back-
door, and to go into the Hall, whom fhe pre-
fently followed , but found him not there,
whereupon fhe went up to her Chamber,
where a Midwife was to attend her, fhe being
nar her time of being brought to Bed, and
finding the Minifter not there, as fhe expe&ed,
fhe was much furprifed, and fent to his Houfe
to enquire for him, and it was found , he had
not ftirred out of his Houfe that Day ; but
withal the Gentleman, I was to fee, told me,
they had every Night Noifes in their Houfe, as
though a Man fhould ft rike Hundreds of ftrokes
with a Mallet on an empty Hogfhead , which
kept himfelf , and his whole Family waking ;
and faid, if I would ftay a Night with him I
fhould hear the fame; but my occafions would
not then permit me to ftay.
There are a World of well attefted Relati-
ons in this kind , but all muft be Cheat and
Impofture with feme Men, becaufe, forfooth,
they will have it Co.
To deliver fomewhat of my own Opinion
concerning the Power of Magick ; I muft own
my felf to have been long guided by- the Cau-
tion giv n us by Com Jgrippa, to prevent being
impos'd
 or Familiar Spirits. } '
]

impos'd on by Pretenders to M 'gick , and o-

thcr curious mid abftrufe Arcs ,
in m Lni-
ftle he font to his I rund, the Ahb< }ua fy '- *•
he writes as follows : I) P #l f

care you are not deceived by thefe who have

been deceived, for no reading of Books what*
foever cin dire# you in this, they being fill d
with meer v±nlgtnas. O !How great things
arc written concerning the Power of the M.-
gick Art ? Concerning the prodigious Images
of A s ? of the powerful Metamorphofis
of the Mchvnijts ? and concerning th if Bieffcd
Stone,, with which b ?fer Metals being touch'd,
they are prefenrly turned into Siver or Gold ?
all which things are found vain , when they
are practise according to the Letter. And
never thelefs th. fe things are delivered and
written by great, and moft grave Phiifophers
and holy Men, whofe Traditions, who fhall
dare to Charge with Falfhood ? Nay, it would
be impious to belicve,that they purpofely writ
Lyes. Therefore there is another Senfe in
what they write, than is delivered by the Let-
ter, and that covered with various Myfteries,
but hitherto openly explained by none of the
Matters; and which I know not whether any
Man can attain, by the fole reading of Books,
without a skillful and faithful Mailer, unlefs he
be divinely inlightned , which is granted to
few. Therefore many labour in vain,
who purfue thefe moft Secret Arcana of Nature,
applying their Minds to the bare words as they
lie; for by an urhappy Genius, being fal nfrom
a right underftanding , and intangi'd in falle
Imagi nations, by the craft cfexteriour Spirits,
they become dangerous Servants to t&ote, o-
whom they migh: Rule, and not know-
ing
i i
4 An Account of Genii,
ing themfelves, they go fcrrh after theFootr
fteps of their Herds , feeking w ithout them-
\
felvcSj what they poffefs within them. And this
is what I would new have you know, taat the
Worker of all wonderful things is in our felves,
who knows how to effect, and that without all
Crime, Offence of God, or Injury of Religi-
on, whatfoever the portentous Aftrologers^ the
prodigious Mrgici.ns , the envious Perfecutors
of .Narure, the Alchimifls, and the wicked Ne-
cromancers, worfe than Devils, dare promife.
I fay, that Worker of wonderful things is in
VS,

Nos habitat, non tartar a fed nee fidera codi,

Spritus in nobis qui viget, ilia facit.

He lives in us, not in the Stcrs, nor Hell,

'That Sprit does it, which in us does dwell.

But thefe things are not to be committed to

Paper, but to be delivered by Word of Mouth,
which I may do when I fee you. As to the
PhLofophy you require^ let you know,that to
know God, the Maker of all things, and to pals
into him by a whole Image of likenefs, as by a
certain ElTenial contad , or tye , whereby
you may be transformed and made a God, this
is the true and folid Philofophy , as the Lord
fpeaks cf Mffes, faying, Behold I have m.M
thee a God ofjfbaroah > this is the higheft , and
moft occult Philofophy of wonderful Works.
Its Clarvis is the underloading , for the higher
thingswe underltand,the more fublitneVertues
we put on, and the more wonderful things we
Work with more eafe and efficacy, but our un-
derlianding being inclcfed in corruptible Flefh,
unlefs
 5

or Familiar Spirits. 3 1

unlefs it rifes above the ways of the Flefh, and

comes to its pro: are, cannot be united
to thofe Divine Powers for they do not join
buc with their like and is wholly impotent
,

for p rceiving thofe moft hidd of

God n Nature
; ! fhall a Man fee God and
;

Live ? What 1 ait will a Grain of Corn bring

1

forth, uniefs it firft dies ? He muft die, die to

the World and the Flefh, and to all his Senfes,
and the whole Animal Man, who would en-
ter the recelTLs ts not that the Body ;

is feparated from the Soul, but that the Soul

leaves the Body concerning which Death,

;

**/ lays to the ( dead, and your

lift itb Cbrift ; and elfewhere he fays,

more clearly of himfelf , I know a Man, whe-

ther in the Body or out of the Body I know
not , God knows , rapt to the third Heav'n,
&c. I lay we muft die this Death , which is
precious in the fight of the Lord, which hap-
pens to very few, and haply not always j for,

panel quos a^uHs atnavit,

Jupiter, &* ardtns tvexit ad athera virtuf,
Diis gtnlti hoc potuere

firft thofe who are born, not of Flefh and

Blood, but of God ; next thofe who by a Pri-
vilege of Nature, or a Genethliacal Gift of
the Heav'ns are Dignified for it ; the reft
build on Merits and Art, concerning which I
fhall certifie you by Word of Mouth. So far
mgrippa, who has much more to the fame pur-
pofe.
Dr. Flood , as well elfewhere in his Works,
as in his Cl vis to hts Vhitt ^imy, to-
wards the end of it , writes conformably to
what
 3 6 An Account of Genii,
what is delivered us by Agrippa , as follows.
That the true Cabalijts, and true Alchimifis are
employed about one and the fame things and
(6 the Magi, wife Men, and Philofophers, its
what no Man of a found Mind can be Igno-
rant of , fince there is but one fummum bonum,
and one true Stone , at which Mark all that
are truly Wife, moil attentively Aim ; fome
of whom are employed about the Cabala, others
about Alchimy, others about the Tbe<rPt>ilofcphy9
others about Natural Magick.
As to Agrippa, I have heard fome Learned
Men fay, "that in his Youth, when he writ his
Books of Occult Thilofophy , he had fome efteem
of Maghk, but as he grew Eider , and when
he writ hi$ Vanity of Sciences , he fhew'd his
contempt of it ; but I wonder Learned Men
fhould talk thus j for in his Vanity of SciencejLy
he explodes Magick, no more than he does all
other Arts and Sciences, and indeed he writes
little there againft it And he fays elfewhere,
:

that he writ that Book fportingly, only to try

what Young Students could fay for the Arts
and Sciences they were fo fond of, and fb
valued themfelves by. And in his Epiftle to
Eplft. /. 6. Erafmus, he fays, He writ that Book in a De-
6
ty* 3 > clamatory way, in which all Liberty of Speech
js ufed and allowed ; this being as Scholars,

that take a Theme, and declaim Pro, or Con, at

Pleafurq. If I look for Agrippa $ true Senfe of
a matter, I feek for it in the Epifiles he writ
to his Learned Friends and Correfpondents,
and there he fufficiently expreffes the efteem j

he had cf the true Magick.

As to the Death of the Animal Man, men-
tioned by Agrippa, as requir'd for iniciacing us
towards the Performance of greac things,
Dn
 7
or Familiar Spirits. 3 1

Dr. JVtUis y as a skillful ?bifu>lorer,'m his Book **"* >-

c '
7*
Of the Soul of Brutts, excellently lets forth the
tonteft which happens betwixt the Corporeal
Soul, and the Rational, in the Purgative Life,
before the latter can fettle the fc rmerin a due
Subjection, and keep ic felf to its due Purity.
He writes thus: The Corporeal Soul does notfo
readily obey the Rational in Dcfn ables , as in
Knowables, for that being nigher the Body,
and fo having a more intimate Affinity to-
wards the Flefh , its wholly bound to take
care of the good and Perfervation of that ;
for the careful Performance of which Office,
its very much drawn by the various Allure-

ments continually prefented by the Objeds of

each Scnfe hence being employed about the
•

care of the Body, and under that pretext be-

ing apt to indulge Feafting and Pleafures, fhe
fery often gives a Deaf Ear to Reafon, per-
fwading the contrary ; moreover , the Inferi-
our Soul being weary of the others Yoak, on
occafion being given , clears it felf of its Fet-
ters, affe&ing Liberty, or Rule; and then
you may clearly obferve Twins ftriving in the
fame Belly, or rather a Man wholly divided
by two Armies fighting againft each other
Within him.

Infiftis ohviafigttis
Signa, fares Aquilas, & <vota rninantia <votts.

This Inteftine conteft does not wholly ceafe,

tillone of the Combatants being become Su-
perior,leads the other wholly Captive, though,
in the mean time, to eftablifh the Empire of
the Rational Soul, and to vindicate its Right
and Empire from the Ufurpation of the fen-
fitive

..._^7*
1 An Account of Genii,
fitive Soul, the Precepts of Philcfophers , and
Moral Inftitutions are put in ure, and when
thefe will not do , Sacred Religion furnifhes a
far more powerful Aid, whofe Laws and Pre-
cepts being duly obferv'd , they are able to

raife a Man not only above a Brute , but ev'n

himfelf, that is, above his Natural State ; in as
much as they fubjed: the Senfitive Soul to the
Rational , and both to God. Neverthelefs
this Divine Policy is not, ev'n fo ere&ed in
Man, without a great Contention ; for while
Reafon ufing its own ftrength , joyn'd with
Moral and Sacred Precepts endeavours to
draw the Faculties of the Corporeal Soul to its
fide, this rifing on the contrary , obftinately
adheres to the Flefh, and is hardly drawn from
its Flatteries, nay, and which is to be lamented,

fhe too often feduces the chief Soul in us, and

carries it away with it , to wallow in the Dirt
of fenfual Pleafures ; fo that a Man becomes
either like to, or worfe than a Brute , info-
much that Reafon being become Brural, leads
to every excefs ; and notwkhftartdij g the
Minds Empire is not always,, and wholly o-
verthrcwn, but fometime or other, either re-
turning to her felf, of her own accord, or
being awaken d by fome cccafipn given , and
confcious of her Lapfe., fhe rifes up againft the
fenfitive Soul, asan Enemy and Traitor, and
throwning her from her Throne, commands
her Obedience. Nay, fometimes fhe compels
her, by reafon of Crimes committed , to tor-
ture her felf, and her beloved Flefli , and fo
by inflicting Punifhments on her felf, to Expi-
ate, as fhe may her own Faults which kind of
;

A£fc and Affed of Confcience of a Man's tor-

turing himfelf, being proper to Man, plainly
fiiew*

-^
 or Familur Spirits. 719
fliewshim cither to have two (ubordinate S01
within him, or, at leaft that the Pares of I

Soul arc vej tig where* \\ as the one

;

oppofes the other, ai tends for the Ma-

ttery, ithappens that m M ;

f
to
jomrary purpofes, and little I I

than a IV, m rniack, obfefs'd b ion.

The lame Author, in the lame Hook, writes D] rcrt ^
Conteft as follows.
I Super- c.d'Mc^
ftition, and Defpair rnal salvation are Lire
Wont to imprint on the fenfitive Soul, the
Blood and 1'ody, in a manner the like affe&s
of Melancholy , a ;nd Jeaioufie, the/
fonu f a fleet i

for in the former, the Object whole letting

or lofs is in danger, is wholly Immateral, and
its defign being firft conceiv'd by the Rati-
onal Soul, is Imprinted on the Corporeal in j

the profecution of which, if this readily obeys,

then no Perturbation of a Mans Mind arifes;
but if the Corporeal Soul withftanding, as it
often happens, the Rational ftill inlifts with
1

Admonitions and Threats, prefently the other

growing hot, moves the Blood and Spirits after
difcrderly manner, oppofes Corporeal
Goods and Pleaf ures, to the Spiritual prefent-
cd by the Underftanding, and endeavours to
draw the Man to her fide ; and as thus there is
a continual ftruggle betwixt the two Souls,
and fometimes the Will is Superior, femctimes'
the fenfitive Appetite prevails ; at Length a
Court of Conscience is erected by the Mindl-
y/here all particular Acts are fcrupuloufly ex-
amined, by reafbn of thefe c \ arianc
of the Souls, the Animal Spirits, as roo
much, and in a manner hd3
per;
and being commanded here and there con-
$20 An Account of Genii,
trary ways, and almoft diftra&ed , fall fome*
what ac length from their Vigour , and Natu-
ral Difpofition , and at laft being rendr d
fixt and melancholick , as they are detained
from their wonted Expanfion, they frame out
of Cou rfe, and unufal traces in the Brain, and
fo caafe a Delirium, with an excefs of Fear and
Sadnefs. In thofe kinds of affe&s, the Cor-
poreal Soul being carryed away, as it were by
Violence, both Divorces it feif from the Bo-
dy, and being modified according to the Cha-;
rafter of the Idea imprinted, is wont to take
a New Species, either Angelical^ or Diabolical
mean while the Underftanding, inafmuch as
the Imagination fuggefts to it only disorder-
ly and monftrous Notions, is wholly perverted
from the ufe of the right Reafon.
After the like way of affe&ing, it happens
that fome melancholy Perfons fall into Ima-
ginary Metamcrpbofesy either as to their Fortunes,
or their Bodies,one imagining himfelf and Act-
ing as a Prince, another as a Beggar, one thinks
his Body to be made of Glafs, another thinks
himfelf a Dog , a Wolf, or fome other Mon-
fter; for after the Corporeal Soul, being af*
fe&ed with a lading Melancholy, and blinded
in Mind , has wholly departed from her felf
and the Body, (he affe&s a New Sfecies, or
Nature, and, as much as in her lies, really
affumes it. So far Dr. IVillis.
I hope this may not feem an
overlong Di-
greffion, feems to me to contain
in regard it

a more clear Explication, than may eafily be

found in other Authors, of the conteft which
happens betwixt our two Souls within us, in
order to the Spiritual Death of the Animal
Man , and our affuming a Divine Nature,
capable
 or Familiar Spirits. 311
capable of wonderful Works, as mentioned by

"But after all 1 ifbning of A in

which I

lates to Internal Operations of the

the way of bringing it to its flighted P
on and Purity, do not ice how he Accounts
1
for the External Operations perform'd by Ma-
gicians of which there are a World of Inftan-
ces, xinlefs he will have it with tl
Philofophcrs, that the Soul by the Power of
the Imagination can perform what it pleal
as penetrate the s , force the Elements,
demoiifh Mountains , lies to Moun-
1

tains, and do with all Material Forms as it

pleafes.
Mr. Bhmden, having fent a Letter from Lt
don to Vaulus Felgenbalder % at Amfiird.m , to
defire his Opinion concerning g:al Per- M
formances, he returned him an Anfvver,in L nin y
An. 165^, which Anfwer a Gentleman having
favour'd me with a fight and perufal of, I
give you here the Subftance of it.
He divides Magick , and Magicians into
three kinds, <viz~ Divine , Natural, and Dia-
bolical. Now
all xMagick , he fays , confifts
in the Spirit by Faith, for Faith is that Mag
of the Magicians, by which they draw Spirits
to them, and by which Spirits they do great
things ; inx* either by the spirit of God, or
by Natural Spirits, or by the Spir of Damon si
Therefore all Magick coniifts in a Spirit, and
every Magician Ads by a Spirit. Magicians
that «re or God Work by the Holy Ghoft, and
the Holy Ghoft by Magicians, 1 Cor. 12. Na-
tural Magicians Work all things by the Natu-
ral Spirits of the Elements, but Witches and
Y Drmo-
322 An Account of Genii,
Demoniacal Magicians, as Jannes and Jambres
in zs&gypt, Work their Magical Performances
by the Spirit of Latnons ; he concludes there-
fore, that all Operations and Works of efficacy
are wrought by a Spirit. Now, he fays, it
muft be well obferv'd , that the Magicians
which are of God, and the Natural Magicians
very much differ. Natural Magicians are
fhewn us , Matth. 7. 22. and by Natural Ma-
gick Damons are alfo caft forth, but not all
kinds of Damons , and fo many Works of effica-
cy are wrought by Natural Magick, alfo Na-
tural Divinations and Prophecies, AB. 16. 16*
. fuch the Vythonijfa was that raifed Samuel , Sam*
28. who appeared in a Body of Wind and Air,
as all the Bodies of the Dead , till the Refur-
re&ion, which produces a Spiritual Body,
confifting of a Spirit, Light, and the Heav'ns,
Spiritual Elements. The Spirits of the Elements
attend this Natural Magick,and obey the Magi-
cian but we muft know, that in fomePerfons
:

the Natural Magick and Daemoniacal are mixt

and promifcuous, as the Magick which is from
God, and the Natural Magick; and alfo in
fome parf the Demoniacal were mixt in Ba-
laam, who alfo fought Aururies, Numb. 24. be-
ing willing to make himfelf gracious to God,
and alfo to Man , and fo to pleafe both ; and
therefore the Angel of God refifted him, c. 25.
and for this Hypocrifie, he died by the Sword,
c. 50.8.

Though therefore, he fays , Natural Magi-

cians domany Works of efficacy by Spirits,
yet they do n r:t do thefe in the Name of £Iod
and Chrift, though they talk much of the
Name Adonai, and call upon it, yet this Name
may be taken in vain and by the Permiffion
•

of
 or r Spirits.

of God Natural bring t<

So alfo Natural \

are promifcuous in
Perl, n by Natural Magick Di
Damons, it docs not follow, that I 1

fo from Divine M
caft out by Natural Magick, by i i

the fear or is

a true M for Natui ; ick

truly calls
true Natural k, but if it exorbi;
Demoniacal, t! m'd, and when
Natural Magick bounds, i: i>
lin its
not condetnn'd by Chi ill > read \ they.
49. ^o. wherefore the Name I of .

Chrifi may be us'd both rightly , and in a fun-

fter way ; rightly, as in the place before quo-
ted ; in a Siniikr way, Act. c.j. 15. 14. and
fo the Magicians of Dxmons, reiifted the Ma-
gicians of God, c. 1;. 8. and 2 Tim. 5. 8.
He fubjoins, that ev'n Natural Magick is
not to be pra&is^d by any Chriftian , becaufe
all Magick is wrought by a Spirit , and we
ought not to feek a Convention with Spirits,
and for that Satan mixes himfelf with the Natu-
ral Spirits.And whereas fome allow the pra&ife
of Magick with the Angels of God, he fays,
That no Man ought to have to do with An-
gels without God's Command. A, d with
this Abftrad of that Letter , I concu.de this
Chapter of Magick.

Y 2 CHAP,
3 24 dn Account of Genii,

CHAP, XL
What may he ftggefted f
from \eafon^ con*

cerning the Exi/ience of Spirits, and

thtir Operations.

KIrcher , in Epft. Varanet.

prefixt to his
Obelifctts Vamphilhts
writes thus :
, We
know a threefold Demonftration has been al-
ways us'd by the unanimous Confent of Phi-
lofophers in the Acquifition of Science ; Ma-
thematical^ Phyficai, and Mor^.l. Mathema-
tical Demonftration, as it inquires into the af-
fects and Properties of Quantity, by Principles
known by the I ight of Nature, of Eternal
Truth, and void of all deceit , fo it begets a
certain, and properly called Science, all fcru-
ple of doubt being remov'd. Phyfical Demon-
ftraticn, as comes by Experiments of things,
it

to the Secretknowledge of Caufes, it begets

indeed Science , but by reafon of the Experi-
ment, which for the moft part is expofed to
the falfe Reprefentations of the Senfes , it is
not void of Deception, nor does arrive at the
certitude of the former ; yet according to
Ariftotlt, it Triumphs with the Title of true Sci-
ence. Moral Demc nitration, as it depends on
the Experience of Humane Anions , begets
indeed Science, but fuch as the Nature of Mo-
ral things admits, and which is call'd Humane
Faith, and for the moft part/ relies on the
Authority of the Rehuer. For the like caufe
thQr

-W
 or Familiar Spirits. 325
the Authority of the Revealer begets Divine
Faith, more certain than all Science. Hu-
ftian is a certain imitation of t!
v

on which we mull r< ;lcfs we will make

void. tinihilate the lliftorics of all pafs'd

things; I fpeak not here of the Authority, and

Hiflories of fufpe&ed Credit, but of thole
which have the clear Prcfcription of many
Ages for their Authority. So far Kirch
Now laying this before us, it is to be noted,
That Chriilian Divines do not pretend to a
Mathematical, or Phyfical Demonftration of
the Eiiftence of Spirits fur their Exiftence
;

cannot be demonftrated from their ElYence, or

the effeds afcrib'd to them, not from the Hrft,
becaufe it's not from the Nature of Spirits,
nor from that of any other Creature that they
Exift ; for God fo freely created all Beings,
that he might have left them uncreated j nor
from their effects, becaufe the concourfe of
God alone , or other Caufes might be con-
ceived to fuffice for fuch efFeds ; but Chrifti-
an Divines build chiefly on Divine Revelation,
which is fuperior to all Science , and on
the conftant Tradition of all Chriftian Di-
vines, from the firft Ages of Christianity ; and
all they pretend to, as Phyfiologers, in what
they fay concerning Spirits, is , that there is
nothing in it, which implies a Contradiction,
or is inconfiftent with Reafon ; and as there
have been , and are many Phenomena in the
World, which it has concerned Philofophers to
Account for, the Doctrine of the Exiftence of
Spirits has been Hypothetically introducd in-
to the World, and back'd by as great Men a-
jnongthe Gtntiles^s the World has had; and tho'
Other Philofophers have fet up other Hypothe-
Y I

,,n A
%i6 An
Account of Genii,
fis for explaining tho&Thanomena yet I think
;
it would be a ftrange rafhnefs in any Perfon

owning the Law of Afofes or Chrift, to throw

by an Hypothefis back'd by Divine Revelati-
on^ or rather introduced by the moft Learned
of the G^»rf/ei,Cohfonant to it ; and to adhere
to any other Hypothefis , excogitated meerly
by the Wit of Man; and which; in truth, does
not fo fairly account for Vhanomtna as the o-
ther does or fhamefully to deny Fads, which
;

are to be accounted for ; as I know not with

whac unbounded Confidence , fome ev'n a-
morg Chriftians have done ; whereas Vaniniy
who died a Martvr to Atheifm, and Tompona-
ttWy who has been look'd upon by fome to
have been of the fame Opinion , and many
others , freely own'd the Fads , which they
found unconteftably manifefted to them by
Experience and Teftimonies, though they did
not think fit to explain them by the Agency
of Spirits, but as free Naturalifts, fet up other
Hypothefis as they thought good for explain-
ing them. So Jlck'mdus, in his Works, refer-
red to Nature, all things that are afcribed to
Angels and Devils, as fince him Tetrus Aponus,
and Vomponatius have done , imagining that all
Sublunary things were wholly fubjed to, and
depending on Celeftiuls and that they re-
;

ceived all Vermes and Properties the one from

the other, and each particular from the whole
together, by the means of certain Corporeal
Rays , which pafs from the leaft even to the
greateft, and which they fuppofed the caufe
of airthat is done in Nature. As Marcus Mar-
< i, of late referred all to Ideas ; fo Airicenna to
Intelligences, Gakn to the Temperament,- and
thefe, with many other Philofophers, have ex-
erted
 or Familiar Spirits. 327
erted all their force to take off the Admiration
of many extraordinary Effccls,by fetting forth
the moft like y ( aufes of them they could ima-
gine; but how far a Man may have Reafon
to acquiefce in any of thofe Hypothefis , will
ftill he the Queftion.

the Rationality of the Hypothefis of £. de It-

Spirits, Plutarch introduces Cleombrotus, thus fell, Or ac.
delivering himfelf : As thofe fay very well,
who hold that P/ rto having invented this Ele-
ment, whence Qualities fpring and are in-
gendred, which is fometimes called the firft
Matter, and fometimes Nature, has freed the
Philofophers from many Difficulties ; fo it
feems to me, that thofe who have introduced
the Nature of Damons, betwixt that of the
Gods and Men, have refolv'd more Doubts
and Difficulties, and greater; having found the
tye, which conjoins and holds together as it
were, our Society and Communication with
them ; be it that this Opinion came from the
Ancient Magi and Zoroafter , or from Tbracia
and Orpbew, or from zs£gypt, or from Phrvgia,
as we Conje&ure , confidering the Sacrifices
that aremade in thofe Countries.
Father U Brun in his Book quoted before
,

by me, c. 3. after having fet forth many odd

Difcoveries of hidden things , made by the
Virgulz divinatori'x, in his fecond Part, c. 6.
examines the Caufes of its turning in order
to Difcoveries , and having as I conceive)
(

validly refuted all Natural Caufes which o-

thers have pretended to aflign for it, he con-
cludes it is done by the Agency of evil Spi-
rits j the Exiftence of which he proves as fol-

lows,

Y« if
 p8 An Account of Genii,
If there are Effe&s that cannot be produced
by Bodies., there muft neceftarily be in the
World other Beings than Bodies, and if among
thefe prodigious Eife&s, there are fome that do
not carry Men to God> and make them fall
into Error and Illufion., it's a farther invincible
Argument that we muft acknowlegde other
Beings than the Being abfomtely perfed and
Bodies. So thofe extraordinary Efft &s which
can neither be called in doubt , nor be Attri-
buted to God,, or to Bodies,, are an Incontefta-
ble proof that we muft admit created Spirits
capable of amufing Men 5 and feducing them
by Deceits. Though therefore the Scriptures
had not clearly taught us the Exiftence of Spi-
rits feperated from Bodies,, I dare fay , that
extraordinary Efte&s,, fuch as the difcovery of
many hidden things by the turning of the
Virgula Divinatoria, would give a ftrong proof
that there are wicked Spirits. But their Exift-
ence is clear enough in the Scriptures ; and
certainly its the beft eftablifh'd of all the Ar-
ticles of our Faith , the leaft contefted, and
the moft univerfally difperfs'd through the
Part 3» World. Maimonides, in his More Nevochan proves
c.46. with much Learning and Judgment ^ that be-
fore Mofesy the Sabeans , Egyptians and ChaU
<l<£< vsy knew the good and evil Genii ; all the

Ancient Poets ajid Philofophers own d this

;

Dogma, and we find in the Hiftory of the

Converfion of People., that it has been always
found eftablifh'd among
the moft remote Na-
tions^ be faid ( as fome may pre-
nor can it
tend that this is a proof of the ftupidnefs of
!

fome Nations j fpr the moft Polite People dif-

fer not in this , from thofe they call Burfarh
an$ ^ and we may fee^ in the Works of Porphy-
rius^
 or Familiar Spirits, 329
Tins, AlexanJrinus, how
much the Dextrine of the Greeks, was like to
that oft! w,c< ncerning theExiftence
of good il Spirits.
The new converted Chriftians of the Pri-
mitive Times, who, being difabas'd of the Fol-
lies of Paganifm , were watchful on the pra-
ctice of I Us to difcover their Impoftures,
ownd that fometimes Prodigies were wrought
by the Damons. Minutius Foelix, who liv'd in
fecond Century, has very well fet forth
what the Senfe of the Chriftians of thofe
Times was, concerning the Nature, and Ope-
rations of thofe Demons, whom the Gmtiles
^Worfhip'd. Terhdlian; and Origen^ and almoft
all the Writers of the Three firft Centuries have
delivered the fame , with all the Aflii-
rance that Truth may give : And what thefe
great Men have faid, is a very good Anfwer to
what is fome imes Objeded , that Chrift de-
ftroyed the Kingdom of Satan, and that the
Prince of this World is now judg d, Job. 16. 11.
St. Peter, St. P nl, and St. John, Men well in-
truded in the Words of Chrift, and in the
(Senfe that ought to be giv'n them, tell us, that
the Devil, as a roaring Lyon , goes about to
sive us, that we ought to have recourfe to
Praver, and keep us firm in Faith , to pre-
.us from his Artifices, and the fnares he
e
1

5 The Devil therefore is not out

for us.
of the World, fo that he Ads no longer, but
is driven from a great many Places where he

had Rule. It's a Truth of our Faith, that God

left fome Power to Devils, and hey
mics them, on ma: lions, to put it in
Execution. The frequent Poffeffions in the
s of the Church are authentick Tefti-

monies
 5
3° ^n Account of Genii,
monies of it, and the
belt averred Hiftories
fince Chrift : And
a thoufand Superfluous Pra-
<5tices, producing extraordinary Effe&s, furnifh
us with inconteftable Proofs of the Operation
of Damons ; and is there any Ecclefiaftical Wri-
ter, who has not either prov'd or fuppos'd this

Part j.
Truth? The Learned Gafcn tells us, what we
p. ti.
'
ought to believe in this Cafe, and whence it
is that this Truth makes fo little Impreffion on.

the Spirits of many Perfbns, faying, Certain-^

ly its an Impiety and an Error, dire&ly con-J
trary to the Scriptures, to deny, that Damons-
are Authors of many furprizing Fa&s; andT
thofe that look upon all that is faid of it, as a
Fable, and make a Mock of Divines , for a-
fcribing Effe&s to Damons, deferve a fevere
Correction. Sometimes even the Learned fall
into this Error, becaufe they let their Faith be
weakened, and their Natural Light be darken d.
Their Souls being all poffefs'd with fenfible
things, refer all to Bodies , and cannot raifb
themfelves to Spirits detached from Matter,
It's what Plato has faid, that nothing fo much
hinders the finding of Truth, as to refer all
things to what the Senfes prefent us with.
Magnus, GulieL Pari*
Cicero, St. Auftin, Albertus
and/above all, Experience have taught us
fienfis,
the fame, we may fee a Proof of it in the Sad-
duces and Epicureans, who admitting nothing
but what is Corporeal, find themfelves among
thofe Senflefs Perfons, of whom Solomon fpeaks
in Ecckji:ftes, and the Book of iVifdom, who
have puflfd their Folly fo far, that they can-
not own they have a Soul, and effe&s that
cannot be produe'd but by Spirits. I would
there were no more Perlons of that Mind ; j

tut we ftall always find foais, who will tell

us i
 or Familiar Spirits. 331
ps in cold Blood , that thcv cannot believe
TroJi'hs, n« I
en
not I Diipote not with
fuch Perfon will he incredu-
1

lous, in the mid ft of ?rodig

and found People
tempered like \anywho will have
#11 things to be Fabtej Illulion, and Impolture.
Man 11 things by what they
ill for faife, that fur-
Nature. They believe
hile they appear Natural ; convince
nnot fo be 5 and you fhall
fee the v conclude them Impoftors.
It's maniRft, that we conceive but two forts
/ofBeings, Spirits and Bodies 3 and that fince
we can reafon but according to our Ideas, we
ought to afcribe to Spirits what cannot be pro-
duct by Bodies. So far the Abftrad from Fa-
ther Le Brim.
The Author of the I
:
cf Learning, m
the Month of Augujt, An. 1686, has given us
a rough Draught for wriring a good Trad of
ft , which he looks upon as a Defidera-

tum ; where, among other things, he writes

thus i>ince this Age is the true time ofSyftems,
:

.one Ihould be contrived concerning the Com-

merce, that may be betwixt Demons and Men.
On this Paffage Father L§ Bmn writes thus ^ p art :
m ^
Doubtlefs here the Author complies with the c 14. .

Language of a great many Perfons, who, for

want of Attention and Light, would have us
put all Religion in Syftttns. Whatever regard
I ought to have for many of thefe Perfons, I
rnufl not be afraid to fay, that there is no
to be made of thofe Truths, which we
:m diftinctly by Faith j beciufe v
:

mult
 g} 2 An Account of Genii,
muft advance nothing here, but what we receive
from the Orach. We mufl: ma.
plain the effe&s of the Lo d-ftme, the Ebbing anc
flowing of the St?,, the mptionof thcPUnets^ for
that the Caufe of thefe Effe&s is not evidently
fignified to us 3 and many may be conceived by
us; and to determine u$ y we have need of a
great number of Obfervanons., whicli, by an
exad Indu&ion., may lead us to a Caufe tha
may fatisfie all the Vh<enomena, It's not the
fame in the Truths of Re^gion., we come no
at them by groaping; and it were to be wifh'c
Men fpake not of them but after a decifive
and infallible Authority. It's thus we fhoulc
fpeak of the Power of Damons, and of the
Commerce they have with Men. It's of Faith
that they have Power, and that they attack
Men 3 and try to feduce them divers ways
We find it in Job, in Tobit, and in a thoufanc
other places of Scripture and Tradition. It'
certain alfo., that the Power they have de-
pends not of us, that they have it over the
Juftj fince they may tempt them as they die
Chrifi : Tho' they have it not ordinarily ^ bu
over thofe that want Faith^ or fear not to
partake of their Works ; and that to thefe laf
particularly the diforder'd Intelligences try to
Dialog. 4.
make exa&ly fucceed^ what they wifh ; In-
fpiring them to have recourfe to certain Pra-
difesj by which thofe feducing Spirits enter
in Commerce with Men. All this is difcover'd
without Syfiem. So far Le Brim.

Gregory fetting forth theOrthodox Opinion

concerning That all things in this
Spirits,, fays.,
viiible World are govern'd by an invilible Being;
tut Arlftotk) tho' he affign'd fpiritual Sub-'
ftances
 or Familiar Spirits. jJ $
lances to the Ccleflial Bodies, vvhofc nun
le conceiv'd according to the number of the

s mov'd ; yet he tells us of none that

irefide over Inferior Bodies, unlefs, haply,

-luman Souls: And this becaufe he thought
)f no Operations, in reference to inferior
hings, but natunr hich the Motion of
he Cetcftial Bodies lufficd.
But the Aflertors of Chriftian Truth, who
iffirm many things to be done here which ex-
:eed the Power of Nature, have thought it
leceflary that Angels fhould prefide immedi-
Itely over us. . was of Opinion, that
Dnly one Immatc liancc preiided over all
Inferior Bodies, which he call d the TntetttQus
:s But the Holy Doctors not difagreeing
:

with :
he Pla tonicks, have taught, that diftind:
Spiritual Subftances prefided over differing
Corporeal Things. So far Greg.
Having fet forth the Opinion of Chriftians,
Concerning Spirits, eftabiifh'd, as well by
Reafon, as by Authoriy, both Divine and
Humane, I fhall now confider the Opinions of
the PertVateticks, Epicureans, and S^dduces, de-
nying the exiftence of Spirits ; and fhall here
fet down the notorious Principles they gene-
rally go upon, leaving thofe that pleafe to
follow them, and to partake of the Confe-
quents of them.

Firfty Jrifiotk held, That God is not the

Creator of the World, but that it was from E-
ternity, and will fo continue, Phyf. 8. &
Met. 12-
where Aquinasy left. 2. fays, That he held this
Opinion firmly, and not problematically, tho'
in his Topicks he fays, it was a Problem among
the ancient Philosophers.
2, That
334 M Account of Genii,
2-. That God does not take care of Inferior

Things j nay, That he would become Vile if

he minded them. Met. 12. Text. 5.
3. That God is a neceifary., and no free
Ag ;nt, being the Soul of the firft Sphere,,
as
which he cannot but move $ and, that he can-

not move a Stone with us. Vhyf. 8. &Met. 12.

4. That Heaven and Hell are the Fables of
Legiflators. Met. &
2.. in 12.
5-. That the particular Souls of Men die
with the Body and, Th^t there is only one
;

Immortal Soul, which is not the Form of the

Body, but affifting to all Bodies.
6. That there are no Damons nor Angels^
but the Movers of the Spheres, who are in
Blifs by that motion, and cannot but move
them. Met. 12. &
I. de Mundo.

7. That God does not fend Dreams, becaufe

he would fend them to the Wife, and not to
Idiots, as it commonly happens. L. delnfomn.
8. That Prophets are not Infpir'd by a Di-
vine Afflatus, but grow Mad through Melan-
choly, and Prophecy in their Madnefs. In
Troblem, Sect. 30.
Thefe Dogmas, with others of his, were cen-
fur'd by the Councils and Fathers ; and if ad-
mitted, all Religion and Government muft
fall: And Arijtotle, for holding them, was
fore'd to fly from Athens, otherwife he had
been queftion d by the Court oi the Areopagites.

Secondly, The Epicurean Thilofofhy contains

thefe Errata in Vhyftcks.
1. It takes away the two chief Caufes of
Nature, viz» the eternal efficient, i and final
Caufe,

%. It
 or Familiar Spirits. 3 $5
2. It feigns all things to arife from a cafual
concc Atoms.
3. ;ns the Sun and Stars to be Vapou:
kindle urning.
4. It affirms the Souls of Men to die with
the Body.

,, The Saddles, i. Deny the Refur-

reffion.
2. They Tradition of the Fathers ;
rejed all

and fome of them, the Prophets, but Mofes.

all

3. They believe the Souls of Men to be

Mortal, and to die with the Body. The
which was trump d up, about
,

131 Years after Chrlff, (as it's obferv'd by the

Learned tfIganJus, in his Traff it Homine) ha-
ving fome Alliance with this Opinion of the
laJJuces, it aflerting the Souls of Men to die
with the Body, tho' it allows it to be reftor'd
with the Body at the Refurre&ion. Which
Dogma has been new vampt of late by fome of
our Authors. Whereas Christ plainly fays,
Matth. 10. 28. They cannot kill the Soul.
, 4. They deny God's Providence, and afcribe
ill things to Mans Free- Will.

y. They deny Angels and Spirits.

NoWj the Sadduces being a Se& among the
JeviSy and owning, at leaft, the Books of
Mofes> and finding mention there made of
Angels and Spirits, they fay that by the word
Spirit in the Scriptures we are not to under-
hand any fubftantial Being, but either certain
Qualities, Motions, or Infpirations in Men,
pr elfe certain Divine Phantafms, or Appear-
inces created by God to ferve fome prefent
cafions, which ceafe to be as foon as
iifappear-
a * i
3 ]
6 An Account of Genii,
And indeed, as Mr. Lawrence obferves, in
his Difcourfe of Angels, c. I. fett. 2. the word
Spirit is fometimes us'd in thefe Seafes in the
Scriptures; becaufe Spirits being very a&ive
Natures., working, tho' powerfully, yet infen*
fibly, therefore fuch Impreffions,, Qualities and,
AfFe&ions in Men> as powerfully and fecretly
move them, are calfd Spirits. Again, Becaufe
Spirits are fuch pure Subftances as cannot be
perceiv d by our Senfes, therefore meer Phan-
tafms and Appearances are fometimes calFd
Spirits. But when it's faid, John 4. 24. that
God is a Spirit, &c. Is God only a Quality or meer
Phantafm ? Is He not a proper Spirit, or a
fpiritual Subftance ?
The Scdduces Notion of Spirits, feems to re-
femble that which Monfieur Charas has of the
Venom of Vipers He thinks no Man can affign
:

any part in a Viper where there is real Venom,-

and fays., the Venom has nothing material in
it,that it's a pure effed of the Imagination of
the Viper, which forms to it felf an Idea of
Vengeance, which he produces but in the In*
ftant of his Anger $ and that its annihilated as
foon as he ceafes to be irritated For confirm-
:

ing which he gives us this Experiment, that

upon fwahowing the Blocd of a Viper, or pour-
ing it on a Wound, no ill accident follows,
which a Man would think it would, if Venom
were really included in it.

Having laid down the general Principles of

thefe Philofophers, I (hall now particularly |
confider their Ground for reje&ing Spirits,
and their Operations.
Thefe Philofophers, efpeclally the two later,
who have many adherents even to this Day,
chiefly
 or Familiar Spirits. *3)7
becaufe they fey
chiefly rejeft Spirits , they
can have no Notion of fuph a thing as ^Spi-
ritual Subftance. Now , as to this , I chink
our late Mr. Lock , in his Elaborate /
Humane Underjt>i> is tairly made our, Hide i % 2 . c%29 .
Men have Notion or a Spiritual Sub-
as clear a
fiance, as they have of any Corporeal Sub-
fiance, Matter, or Body; and that there is as
much Reafon for admitting the Exiftence of
the one, as of the other lb that if they admit
•

the latter,it is but Humour in them to deny the

former.He reafons thus: If a Man will examine
himfelf, concerning his Notion of pure Sub-
fiance, in general, he will find he has no o-
ther Idea of it, but only a fuppofition of lie
knows not what fupport of fuch Qualities,
which are capable of producing fimple Ideas
in us, which Qualities are commonly called
Accidents thus, if we talk, or think of any
•

particular fort of Corporeal Subftance , as

Horfe, Stone , &c
though the Idea we have
of either of them , be but the Complication,
or Collection of thofe feveral fimple Ideas, or
fenfible Qualities , which we ufe to find uni-
ted in the thing call'd Horfe , or Stone ; yet
becaufe we cannot conceive how they fhould
fubfift alone, nor one in another, we fuppofe
them to Exift in, and fupported by fome
common fubjed ; which fupport we denote
by the name of Subftance, though it be certain
we have no clear, or diftind; Idea of that thing
we fuppofe a fupport.
The fame happens concerning the Opera-
tions of our Mind, viz* thinking, reafoning,
fearing, &c. which we concluding not to
fubfift of themfelves , and not apprehending
how they can belong to Body , we are apt to
Z think
338 An Account of Genii,
think thefe the Actions of fome Subftance,
which we call Spirit : Whereby its evident,
that having no other Notion of Matter, but
fomething wherein thofe many fenfible Qua-
lities, which affed our Senfes do fubfift ; by
fuppofing a Subftance wherein thinking,
knowing, doubting, and a Power of moving,
&c. do lubfift , we have as clear a Notion of
the Nature , or Subftance of Spirit , as we
have of Body ; the one being fuppos'd to be
(without knowing what is the Sublhatum to
thofe fimple Ideas, which we have from with-
out j and the other fuppos'd (with a like ig-
norance of what it is ) to be the Subfiratum,
of thofe Operations which we Experiment itt
dur felves within j 'tis plain then, that the
Idea of Corporeal Subftance in Matter, is as
remote from our Conceptions and Apprehenfi-
ons as that of Spiritual Subftance j and there-
fore from our not having any Notion of the
Subftance of Spirit, we can no more conclude
itsNonexiftencejhan we can for the fame reafon
deny the Exiftence of Body ; it being as Rati-
onal to affirm, there is no Body, becaufe we
cannot know its' Effence, as its called, or have
the Idea of the Subftance of Matter, as to fay,
there is no Spirit, becaufe we know not its EC-
fence,or have no Idea of a Spiritual Subftance.
Mr. Lock alfo comparing our Idea of Spirit
with our Idea of Body, thinks there may
feem rather lefs Obfcurity in the former, than
in the latter. Our Idea of Body he takes to be
an extended fblid Subftance, capable pf com-
municating Motion by Impulfe ; and our Idea
of Soul is a Subftance that thinks , and has a
Power of exciting Motion in Body, by Will,
or Thought. Now fome , perhaps will fay,
they
 9
or Familiar Spirits' i ?

they cannot comprehend a thinking thing,

Which perhaps is true ; but he fays , if th
confider it well, they can no more compre-
hend an extended thing ; and if they fey, they
know not what 'tis thinks in them, they mean,
they know not what the Subftancc is of that
thinking thing ; no more, fays he, do they
know what the Subftancc is of that folic! thing;
and if they fay, they know not how they
think, he fays , neither do they know how
they are extended, how the foiid Parts of Body
are United, or Cohere to make Extenfion,c^r.
The Learned Monfieur Le CLrc, who gene-
rally confiders how far Humane Reafon can
bear, in judging of Points laid before it, ar-
gues confonantly to what is before deliver'd by
Mr. Lock, in his Coronis , added at the end of
the Fourth Volume of his Philofophical Works,
in the Third Edition of them. Where he
writes as follows.
When we contemplate the Corporeal Na-
we can fee nothing
ture, in it but E*tenfion,
Divifibility, Solidity, Mobility, and various
Determinations of Quantity, or Figures ; which
being fo, it were a rafti thing , and contrary
to the Laws of right reafoning, to affirm other
things of Bodies ; and confequently from
meer Body , nothing can be dedue'd by us,
which is not joyn d in a neeefTary connecti-
on with the faid Properties :Therefore thofe
who have thought the Properties of perceiving
by Senfe, of Underftanding , Willing , Ima-
gining, Remembring, and others the like,
which have no Aftimity with Corporeal things,
to have rifen from the Body , have greatly
tranfgrefs'd in the Method of right Reafoning,
and Philofophizing, which has been done by
Z a Epicurus,
 340 An Account of Genii,
Epicurus , and thofe who have thought as he
did, having affirm'd our Minds to be ccmpos'd
of Corporeal Atoms j but whence fhall we fay,
they have had their rife ? Truly, they do not
owe their rife to Matter, which is wholly de-
ftitute of Senfe and Thought ; nor are they
fpontaneoufly fprung up of nothing , it being
an Ontologkal Maxim of moft evident Truthf
that nothing firings from nothing.
Therefore the moft Ancient Thyfiohgcrs , as
dap. i. t^ie ver y Learned Dr. Cuclworth has fhewn in
his Intellectual Syfiem of the World, when they
faw nothing in Matter, befide what we have
faid, and had confider'd the Maxim alledged j
they pafs'd from the Confideration of Bodies,
to the Contemplation of a much more excel-
lent Nature, by which they gathered Humane
Minds were created, and all other Intelligent
Natures , therefore the Confideration of the
Corporeal Nature, joyned with the knowledge
of the Properties of our Mind, lead Men the
ftrait way to two Tenents of the greateft Mo-
ment, 1//&. the Exift^nce of a Supream Deity,
and the Creation of Man s Soul , by God,
whence alfo is deduced its Immortality, to
which we may add, that though the Autho-
rity of Divine Revelation be worthy of Credit
by it felf, yet it is not a little confirmed in our
Minds, when we fee the Lights of Revelati-
on and right Reafon friendly confpire be-
twixt themfelves, for they are two Sifters fall'n
from Heav'n together, wherefore their Agree-
ment muft neceffarily be very great, as being
Iprung from one Father, but we do not ap-
prehend their Agreement, at firft fight, nor
can underftand it without an intent Medita-
tion. If right Reafon deny'd what right Re-
velation
 or familiar Spirits. 341
velation affirms , and we thought they cUfa-
fhould ftand doubtful betwixt
n , nor fhould vvc well fatisfie our felv
which we ought to believe but they agree-
;

ing, who
can with-hold his Faith from them,
but he that would be accounted not only
to have little Religion , but likewife wholly
deftitute of Rcafon ? Wherefore there is no
caufe for thofe that give not Credit to Reve*.
lation to flatter themfelvcs , as though they
were Wifer than the vulgar, when at the fame
time they naturally exclude themfelves from
the Number of Men that ufe Reafon. See tkm
alfo what he further fmartly argues for the Imm -
I of the Soul.
The fame Monfieur It Clerc, in his Vneurna^

tologia,has delivered feveral things concern-

ing Spirits and their Operations, of which I
have extra&ed the few following Heads, as
thinking them of ufe for dire&ing our Judg-
ments in Confiderations of that Nature.
1. Thofe who affirm , or deny that Spirits
can be without any Corporeal property , go
farther than they ought; for we cannot gather
from the Nature of Spirits , which is unknown
to us, whether they are without all Corporeal
proprety 3 or have a fubtle Body. Sett. 2. c. 1.
2. As for Apparitions of Spirits , he fays,
we cannot by any Reafon, fhew from the Na-
ture of the thing it felf, that it is not poffible
for Spirits to be joyn'd with a fubtle Body
5

nor is it likely that lo many Nations , and fo

remote in Places and Opinions agreed in a
Lye, as to all they have faid concerning Ap-
paritions of Spirits. Its much more likely,
.

that the ground of the Lyes invented about

this Matter , was fome true Apparition , to
Z \ \yh :
54 2 ^n Account of Genii,
which; as it's ufual, a World of other Rela-
tions of the like kind have been feign'd. Ibid.
%. We are fo far from determining what is
the Nature of an Angels Intellection, that we
do not comprehend evn the Nature of our
own Intelle&ion. Sect. 2. c 2.
4. In what the Gentiles fay of Damons, and
the Hebrews of Angels , there is nothing con-
trary to any certain Knowledge we have$
therefore it may be they fay true, if the thing
be confider'd in it felf. Sett. 2. c. 3.
j. As cannot be doubted, but there are
it

many Lyes in what is related concerning

ilrange Performances by Witches, upon a con-
trad with Damons, fo it would be rafhnefs to
Charge them all of Falfhood, efpecially, fince
the Scriptures relate fome things like them ;
and truly the thing it felf is not fo known to
us, that we may gather from the Nature of
Damons , which may not confift at leaft with
many things that are related of them ; if any
Man, becaufe both good and evil Angels are
believed to be thinking Subftances , fhould
contend that they have no Power on Bodies,
becaufe naked thought has no Power on Bo-
dies, before this were granted him , he ought
to fhew, and that evidently, Firfl, That there
is nothing in Angels befide Thought 3 Secondly y

That there is no tye inftituted by God betwixt

their Wi lis , and fome Changes of Bodies ; for
if either of thefe may be admitted without ab-
furdity, they may alfo be thought able to A&
on Bodies without abfurdky. Sett. 2. c. 4.
6. Some fay no true Miracles , but Cheats
are perform'd by Damons ; but to Underftand
what this means , we muft define the Words
that are here us'd : a Portent, a Miracle, or
9
 or Familiar Spirits. $4$
A Prodigy fume things, and they
are here the
denote an Abe ve Humane Power.
Effect. Firft>
Second ), Befidc the
1
conftant Courfe of Nature.
Thir it it's done at Mans Pleafure, or
at the Moment he will. Now, who can make
out by certain Arguments, that nothing
can be done by evil Demons above Humane
Power, bcfide the ufual Courfe of Nature, it
the Moment the Magician pleafes , fince the
bounds of Angelical Power are unknown, we
can here affert nothing but from Experience.
Ibid.
7. Thofe that deny fome wonderful Fads,
for the moft part contend they are Vrafrigia ;
but befide that, they affirm what they know
not ; this word may be taken in a twofold
Senfe ; Vraftigla by fome are fo underftood, as
tho Damons prefent to the Senfes, a thing that
is not, as if it were ;
as that an Houfe, for In-
stance, may feem
to be there where there is .

none; but to do this, either they move the

Brain of Spedators, as its wont to be moved
when an Houfe is before them ; or they pre-
fent a certain fort of an Appearance of an
Houfe in the Air, which (hikes the Eyes of
Spectators but choofe either of thefe, it muft
;

be (hewn how this is no Miracle, for both are

done above Humane Power , and befide the
Order of Nature, and at the time the Magi-
cian pleafes. Ibid.
Thofe Opinions, orDifeafes of the Brain,
8.
which Witches have , who think they go to
Feafts and Dancings, upon their talking of it
to others that are of a timorous Difpoficion,
and weak Brains, bring others into the fame
Fits of Fury, and like a contagion fpread far
near , infeding many Heads. Though
tand Z Vs
4
344 ^n Account of Genii,
it'sobfervable that thofe Difeafes are more fre-
quent among Inhabitants of Mountains and
Solitary places, than among thofe that live in
Cities , or among a Concourfe of People.
Whence alfo it appears , that the Terror of
vaft Solitudes, which is apt to move the Brain,
contributes much to this Madnefs ; we muft
add to this,, that Perfons abounding with Me-
lancholy, are more capable of this Madnefs j
and on the contrary, thofe are freeft from it,
who are of a merry Difpofition ; which raifes
my Sufpicion, that all thefe Vifions are
•
nought but the Sports of a timerous and me-
lancholy Brain.
If it fhall feem ftrange, that fo many Men
fliould be impos'd on by their fear and temper
of Body, all Admiration may be taken away
by Inftances of a greater fury j many Difeafes
fo trouble the Brain, that thofe that labour
under them, feem to themfelves to fee things
that are no where ; that kind of Difeafe if it
be joined with a vehementMotion of the Blood,
and lafts long , it at length confumes the Di-
feas'd ; and if the Motion of the Blood abates,
the Difeafe is leffend , and the Difeas'd re-
turns to a found Mind ; but if the Difeafe
does not io vehemently affect the Blood, bue
that it may continue a long time , without
deftroying the Difeas'd , or a leffening of his
ftrength , ftrange things are prefented to his
Mind for many Years, as it's manifeft in many
Inftances. Nor are there only thofe who
think they fee without themfelves things that
are no where ; but alfo fuch as obftinately afc
fert themfelves to be Wolves , or I know not
what Wild Beafts. Whoever weighs thefe
things will not wonder if Opinions of Witches
are accounted melancholy Difeafes. Yet:
 or Familiar Spirits,
34^
Yet tho' thefe things may be fo, I will not
affirm that thole things which Witches
hav I ; but thing that
has truly happen'd, 1 believe there have been
a thoufand Dreams of a deluded Mind. So
far Monlieur U Chrc. Sec:. 2. c. 5-.

But, to return a little to the Epicureans and

perhaps they may defire of m. a
,

clear Definition of a Spirit, or fuch an one as

they would like. Now, I think, Monfieur le
Clerc, has well anfwered this , in his Preface
to his Vnatm.tologli, writing thus: We call all
things endow'd with an Underftanding and a
Will, Spirits ; but as we confider them as Spi-
x

ritual Subftances , he fays , he has (hewn in par $ ,;

his Logick, that the inward Nature of any c. y
Subflances Ivhatfoever, as well as that of Spi-
rits is unknown to us, wherefore Men ought
not to expect from us an abfolutely compleat
Defcription of Spirits.
But fince thefe Gentlemen are for having
all things made out very plainly to them , let
us examine their Phyfical Principles, Demo-
critusand Epicurus would have all Natural Ef-
fects whatfoever,to proceed from a Conflux of
Attorns varioufly Figured , fo that in every
Body there are Particles that are round, acumi-
nated, fquare , cylindrical, ftriated , and of
other Configurations, and that according to
the various locking together of them, a fab-
led is of this, or another Figure , Operation,
or Efficacy.
Now, as our Learned Dr. Willis has obfer- Ljc pernu
ved, this Eficurea?i Opinion , rather fuppofes c . 1.

than demonftrates thjir Principles , and

teaches of what fort of Figure thofe Elements
pf Bodies are^ not what they are, and alfo
induces
 34^ An Account of GetiH^
induces Motions very fubtle, and remote from
our Senfes, and which do not fatisfie the Vh**
nomena of Nacure , when we defcend to Par-
ticulars j and thinks it concerns them to ftiew
that thofe Conceptions of theirs are Real ; he
being tco fliort fighted to difcern them fo.
Again , As for Ariftotles reafoning againft
the Exiftence of Spirits , in his Book De Mun-
do (if it be hisj viz» thatfince God can do all
things of himfelf , he does not Hand in need
of Miniftring Angels and Damons , a multi-
tude of Servants fhewing the weaknefs of a
Prince. But if this Argument would hold
good, Ariftoth fhould not fuppofe Intelligences
moving the Celeftial Spheres, for God fuf-
fices to move all without miniftring Spirits,
nor would there be need of a Sun in the
World, for God can enlighten all things by
fiimfelf, and fo alt'Second Caufes were to be
taken away. Therefore there are Angels in
the World for the Majefty of God , not for
that he wants them ; and for Order, not for his
Omnipotency and who told Ariftoth there
:

were Intelligences that moved the Celeftial

Spheres ? Is not
Hypothefis as precarious,
this
as any Man may
pretend that of Spirits to be ?
And I believe therg are few Philofophers at
prefent, who agree with Ariftoth in that Opi-
nion. And indeed , I think Kircher in the
right, where he tells us, it's certain, Ariftoth

QbeU
from the Hebrews, who
t(io k k* s Intelligences
Pamph. beholding the Multiform face of the World^and
Pag. 2?2. the difcording concord of things, believed it
tQ be governd by certain prefidirig Angels
and hence alfo the Fi&ion of the Nine Mufes
took its rife.

Moreover,
 or Familiar Spirits.
347
Moreover, when Arifiotk lays down his
Principles of Natural Tilings, he tells us, they
are Matter, Form, :md Privation, unintelli-
gible Terms y and when he comes to define his
Matter, he tells us,what is neither quid,
it is

nor cju.intum 3 nor nor alicjuid eorum qui-

e^uaky
bus ens dctcrminatur, a notable clear Notion of
Matter, obfeurum fer obfeurius , and I think no
Man will pretend the notion we have of Spi-
rits, to be more; obfeure than this.
In fhert, thofe that will take upon them to
rectify our notions of things, ought to bring
us notions of things more clear than what we
have, efpecially where Religion is concern'dj
as in this cafe it is, and Young Wits , who
arc well opinioned of their Parts, may do well
to try here, what they can fuggeft to us be-
yond what is here argued , and I am apt to
think whatever conceit they may have of
themfelves, they will not be found fo over-
doing in Argument, but they will Jlill find a
valid reply ready for them.

CHAP. XII.

Confederations on Dr. Bekker's $o*ks

againft Spirits, with a Condufion to
this Booh

FRomm annus in hisTracS: of Fascination , tells L. 3. part

'
us, that Vbetim, above all others,has made •'* 2.

out by firm Reafons, that there is fucha thing

as Diabolical and Magical Fafdmarims and this
he undertook, as he lays, becaufe upon read-
ing
3 48 An Account of Genii,
ing Mr. Scot's Book ( in which he has openly
deny'd, and profeffedly oppugnd the Crime
of Magick, and afcribcs all its wonderful ef-
fg#s, either to Melancholy y or other natural
Difeafes, or to the Art, Induftry and Agility
of Men^ impofing on us by their Trteftigia, or
to the foolifti Imaginations of the faid Magi^.
cians, cr to their vain Fables and Fi&ions )
after it was Tranflated into Low Dutch, not a
few, from that time, both Learned and Un-
learned began to Scepticize and turn Liber-
tines concerning Magick.
From this Source, I conceive, among other
Works, the Four Volumes of the Dr. Bek- late
ker, Entituled, Le monde enchante, that is, the
World Bewitched ( of which the Firft Volume
is Tranflated into EngUJh) have flown: he
generally therein agreeing with Mr. Scot, and
reje&ing all Magical Incantations.
Indeed the great Principle Dr. Bekker goes
upon, is, That there were Devils once in the
World, who corrupted Humane Nature, but
fince that time, God Almighty put them in
Chains, fo that they have never made any
Figure in the World fince, by a&ing any way
againft Mankind, or otherwife.
As I perufed Dr. Bekker s faid Volumes in
French, I found fome Perfons had writ againft
him, and thereupon I fent to Holland for all
that was Writ againft him, and any Reply's he
had made ; but could get only one fmall Vo-
lume writ by Monfieur Binet, in French, En-
titled, Ageneral Idea of the Pagan Divinity,
Serving for a refutation of Monfieur Bekkers Sj-
fiem , concerning the Fxifence and Operations of
Damons. Printed at .Amferdam, An. 1698.
This Book is compofed of Six Letters, writ by
1
Mr;
 :

or Familiar Spirits. 349

Mr. Bhet to a Friend, and I fliall here give
you an Abltract, of what I find mod material
in them, in reference to Dr. Bekktft Syftem.
In his firft 1 etter he cells us, He finds in
Mr. Works , much Zealand Confi-
dent Ivancing Novelties, but no proofs
to Maintain them, and unlefs you fuffer your
(elf to be furpri/ h a certain Air of Tri-
umph, wherewith he animates his Exprefli-
ons, you will run a rifque of remaining ftill
Inchanted , efpecially if you deny certain
Principles, which he has laid down without
proof, all the Work will fall of it felf.

He obferves , thaf where Mr. Bckker fpeaks

of Spirits, all things fecm to him perplext with
you fhall fcarce find a paflage in
difficulties,
the Scripture that fpeaks of them, all is My-
sterious, Allegorical. The proper Names of
Angels, Devils, Daemons, &c. are but Men
fent , Calumniators , Evil Thoughts, or, at
moft mere Symbols to give us fome Metapho-
rical Idea of the Majefty of God.
He next cites the Paflage following from
Mr. Bekkers Preface to his firft Vollume.
It's now looked on as a piece of Piety for a

Man truly to Fear God, and alfo the Devil

if we do not this, a Man paffes for an Atheift,
that is , for a Man who believes no God ;
becaufe he cannot believe there are two, one
Good, and another Evil j but I believe, fays
he, we may with reafon call thofe Men Di-
tbeifis or fuch as believe two Gods.
; On this
Paflage Mr. Bintt writes as follows.
This Paflage extreamly reflecting on our
Belief, I have rendered it word for word
from the Text, becaufe the Tranflator has
corrupted it, by his ufual foftnings. This
Accufation
350 An Account of Genii,
Accufation which Mr. Bekke r charges us with,
of making the Devil a God Almighty, ftrikes
an Horror j mean while it's the foundation
on which he builds his whole Work, it's the
Idol he will pull down, it's in which the force
of his Proofs confifts, and you fhall fcarce read
a Chapter in him, but you will find this Im-
putation. But whoever believ'd amongft us,
that the Devil, properly fpeaking, is the ab-
folute Author of all the Works, they fay, we
afcribe to him ? What Divine has ever con-
fider'd him as a Firft and Independent Caufe ?
If we afcribe much Power to the Devil, it's
manifeft we fpeak with the Scriptures, and if
there be any thing which does not agree with
the Author s Conceptions, we nfe but the Ex-
preffions which the Holy Ghojt has Confecra-
ted; and thus all Mr. Bekkers Obje&ions Ad-
drefs themfelves to God himfelf, who has
prefcribed us a way of expreffing our felves in
this refpeft.
Again, he writes beneath. You pretend to
be well grounded in maintaining that we un-
juftly afcribe to the Devil, the Works that are
afcribed to him, becaufe he is but an Inftru-
ment, who borrows from God all his A&ions,
and I think we have as much reafon to fay
that we deceive our felves, in afcribing to
Man all his operations , fince of himfelf he
can do nothing ; therefore it will no longer
be Man that Moves himfelf, Speaks, Eats,
Drinks, but God himfelf, for the Devil and
Man are in this cafe, in reference to God,
one and the fame thing, in an equal Impo-
tence, and an entire Dependency.
You may objed that this comparifon of the
Devil with Man is not Juft : the bufinefs is to
know
 cr Familiar Spirits. 35
know, if the one be the Author of thofe high
and fublime Operations that are afcribed to
him ; whereas, we confider in the other but
anions proper and natural to him ; but this
difference tho' real betwixt the two Creatures,
is bur a mcer Illufion, in reference to God,

in which properly confifts the ftate of the

Queftion. We confider the Devil always as an
Inftrument in the hand of God, as a Rod of
Fury, which ftrikes but when God lets it fall
on thofe he will Vifit. To explain this far-
ther, I ask what vertue had Mofcs or Aaron
and his Rod to do fo many Miracles ? to Infiift
fb many Plagues on Vbaroab and his People ?
the fimple Rod in the hand of a Man could
not produce fo many Miracles of it felf, but
one was the Minifter, the other the Vifible
Sign which God accompanied with a Divine
Efficacy. And what would you fay of a Man
that would impute it to us to believe, that
Mofes, Aaron and his Rod were the fole caufe
of all thefe Miracles ; if he inlarged himfelf
in writing great Volumes, and making large
Reflexions, for giving colour to this Abfur-
dity ? and in the mean time the Scripture fays,
Ex. 8. y. That Aaron having ftretcht forth his
Hand with his Rod, on the Rivers, Brooks,
and Ponds, caufed Frogs to IiTue from them
to cover the Land oi^Egypt. Therefore when
we conceive the Devil as a Rod of Fury,
without any Vertue of his own, it is but by
relation to God, the firft caufe who precedes,
determines^ accompanies, bends the Creature,
how excellent foever it may be. But it's mani-
fell if you compare the Devil with Man, you
will find more excellency in his Nature, light
in his Knowledge, penetration in his Sight,
faci-
35* An Account of Genii,
facilityand power in his Operations, his na-
tural Knowledge is more extended, not only
becaufe he beholds things with a more fimple
view, but alfo by reafon of the experience of
all Ages, which difcovers to him the conne-
ctions, which makes him penetrate the bottom
of Nature; whofe Springs, Caufes and Ef-
fects he knows after a more perfed manner
than the greateft Philofopher and it's this
:

great Knowledge the Devil has of Nature,

which teaches him how to move the various <

parts; whence it is that we, who know not

thefe Springs, and the manner to make th^m
ad, are ftrangely ftruck at the light of his
operations 3 and that we look on as a Miracle,
what is often but the operation of a Damon,
produced by Caufes otherwife apply'd and
moved, than according to the ordinary courfe
of Nature ; and thus as the Devil has much
more Light, Penetration and Adivity than
Man , we muft not doubt but his Power
is much fuperiour to his. You fee there-
fore that the Author's odious Imputations va-
nifh of themfelves, and that our Dodrine is
neither repugnant to Reafon, nor Revelation,
nor to the Idea of the Divine Perfedions.
And I cannot comprehend how thefe Per-
fons will find oppofition betwixt the Almighty
Power of God, and the Miniftry of the Devil,
for by this Objection the Author fo often
makes, he wholly overthrows his own Hypo-
thecs He will have it, that the clear and di-
:

ftind Idea of the Divine Perfedions exclude

the operations of Damons , that there is a con-
tradiction in believing^ that thofe Spirits op-
pofe themfelves to the Will of God : Now
this
Devil, this Sat an, thefe Damons, according to
you
 or Familir X 35 5
Vouj are fome Calumniating Men, foi

verfary, Humane I

ons of the Spin

cannot deny at lead but th
radx
of his Go(peIj Sedu

thing much more Inconfiftent wit'

of God's Perfections, to oppofe to himl
tures, tl

than the Devil, who i

ged
from Matter, onfummgte experien
And 1 vain Ms.Bekhr im-
1

putes to us the fear of the Devil, no he is an

Enemy overcome, the Seed of the Woman
has bruifed his head j if he has any Power re-
maining., he derives it from God alone, he is
in his Hand as a Rod of Fury to Chaftife
Men, and I fear him but as the Chaftifements
that God dil plays by his Miniftry are to be
fear'd. You fzc then that the Author Con-
demns Himfelf, while having eftablifhed for
Principle that according to us, this abomina-
ble and Curs'd Creature does things more Mi-
raculous than God himfelf has ever done. He
adds,That fuppofing what is ufually afcrib'd e-
very where to the Devil and his Angels, there
cannot be convincing Proofs that Jefirs is the
Chrift or that there is but one God And I con-
y
:

fefs,fays he, that if I do not polTefs the Reader

with a clear Conception of this^in what I have
Writj it's in vain that I have Compofed it.
Now fuppofing that the Devil a&s but Mini-
fterially , and dep y of God , fuppo-
fing that we attribute nothing to the Devil,
properly fpeaking, cf Miraculous, that can
be put in oppofition to, or parallel vvith the
Aa Works
254 dn Account of Genii,
Works of God, our Proof that Jefik is the
Clmrt, and that there but one God, are ex-
is

clufive to all other, in regard that it being

very far from there being any prerogative in
this Curs'd Spirit, that can be confounded with
thofe which God poffeffes in the higheft de-
gree of Eminency j he has deprived himfelf,
by his revolt, of his moft pure advantages,
and has precipitated himfelf into an Abyis of
Miferies, where the Idea of a fevere God
makes him tremble.
In his Fifth Letter he writes thus/
Becaufe a truth has been corrupted by divers
t ictions, muft it prefently be reje&ed ? there
is no Principle, no natural Notion that can

undergoe this examen, without being con-

demned :there is none but has been ill con-
ceived and abufed, then there will be npne
that can lawfully be admitted. Let us con-
clude therefore in general, that tho' Men have
err'd infiniteways, concerning the Do&rine
of Damons, that they have been conceived as
Subftances either Material, or Spiritual, or
mixt , tho' fome have placed them in the
Stars, others on the Earth, others in Hell-
5
tho there have been as many Sentiments, as
Heads concerning their Offices; tho* they have
been cali'd Sjlfkes , Gnomes, Salamanders, all
this will but prove at moft that Men have ill
conceived the naturffand operations of Da-
mens, but no way that we muft entirely rejed
the ground of this Dodrine, by reafon of the
Tables Superftitiori has mixt with it.
And beneath. Were it true, as it's gather-
ed from the expofitions of Mr. Bekker, always
oppofite to himfelf, that there were in the Old
Tffiment no Term which figftified properly >
or
 or Familiar Spirits. ?rc
or that could according to the Qtn'w
Ihbr v and the ufe then, figpi
thofe Spirits which wc caU St***y PrviU* &c.
the Jews would have taken th .this inI

their proper lignitication fo that by this name

•

mi», they had not underltood s.it>.vs, An-

gels of Dcftrurtiojij or of Death, but only
Adverfaries, Men Enemies to God and hU
Truth ; the Stulducc*, for example, had had
grounds to accufc St. Paul of Ignorance, for
following the fentiments of the Tharifas,
who took the affirmative, fince the Yharifecs
would have ill underftood all the Terms of
the Old Tefiament, which had iignified Origi-
nally, and according to the then ufe, not
Angels and Satans^ but only Men either Good
or Evil. If then the Jews were Imbibed in
Subftance with the common Doctrine of De-
vils j it's becaufe they took thefe Expreflions
either for thefe pure and favourable Intelli-
gences, or for thefe impure and adverfary Spi-
rits and if they underftood them in this Senfc^
•

being the fame which the Holy Qbofi has us'd

in the Books of the Old Tefiament , they will
have the fame Signification, and if they have
the fame Signification ; they will confe-
quemly be thefe fame Spirits which operate
here below ; for there is not one Paifage:
where thefe Terms are found , but formally
teaches us their Operations; fo (hack's an un~
conteftable Principle , which Mr. Bckktr did
not forefee, that if the Old Tejtameut teaches
xiftence of Devils, we ought neceffa-
rily to infer their Operations , becaufe they
there appear every where operating.

A a 2 Againj
'^$6 An Jccount of Genii }

Again, If thofe Terms of the Old Tefta-

ment, which fome pretend we abufe, to efta-
blifh the Operations of Damons , fignifie pro-
perly but Men, Adverfaries and if the Holy
.,

Tongue had never employ'd them to exprefs

thefe wicked Spirits, it's not to be doubted but
the Jews would have thrown it in our Difli
you fhould have feen them exagerate the ea-
finefs of the Chriftians to admit this Fable of
the Operations of Demons, as being purely Pa-
gan, and reproach them their grofs Ignorance
in Understanding the Hebrew Tongue. If they
forbear it, £nd concur with us in defending
the Opinion of the Operations of Damons,
tho' they have added to them fome Fables,
it's becaufe , that befide they know the true
Signification of thefe Terms, and that we do
not make ufe of them to contend againftthem,
there would be too much abfurdity to con-
teft the Senfe of them.
We find, according to Mr. Bekker, that what
we believe of Damons , is in fubftance , but
what the Babylonians taught the Jews. It's

what this Gradation from the Babylonians to

the Jeivsy from the Jews to the firft Chriflians,
from the firft Chriftians to the Pafifts, from
the Paftfls to the Prctefiants , evidently makes
out ; but I wonder God has fuffer'd his Church
alway to be infeded with this Error, and that
neither the Prophets that were at Babylon, nor
thofe that Inftrudted the Israelites , after their
re-eftabiifhment, who thundred with fo much
rehemency againft Errors, did not oppofe
th'emfelyes to a Superftition fo grofs and Im-
pious.
Chrifi came into the World to Deftroy the
Works of the Devil f his- Prophetick Office
obligd
 or Familiar Spirits.
357
oblig'd him to inltrurt the Ignorant, aid 1

pofc Superftitiofl 5
him every wh
repi\ md thin, mft
Enroi n But :

for the Operations of Aug. ils, we

find not the ft Cor-

rection j would he ha d theft wan-

derings of Mans Mind, without recalling it to
its Duty ? T
undermined the Foundation of the Chiiitian
Religion and would Jtfm Cbrifi have left
;

them in their full vigour in tiling the fame ;

Terms the Jews had corrupted, the Pagans

and giving then the fame Ideas ?
,

If the Jews had corrupted the Terms of An-

gels and Damons, in giving them a falfe Signi-
fication^ would Jefm Cbrifi inftead of dimpa-
ting thefe Prejudices of the Jevjs , have con-
firm'd them in their Error, in expreffing him-
felf in the fame Terms^without having reftor'd
them to their true Senfe y and in fomenting
Superftition., by fabulous Examples of Men,
obfefs'd and deliver'd from Damons? Would
the Afo files have Authoriz'd Error, in afcribing
every where Operations to Devils which nei- ;

ther the Jevs, nor Pagans could have took in

another Senfe y than that which was then
in ufe ; compare this Objection with the 28th
Chapter of the Author's Second Book for I ;

pretend > that the way Mr. Bekier there An-

fwers , renders my Obje&ion wholly unan-
fwerable.
In his Sixth Letter, he writes thus : Mr.
Bekktr owns,, that all the Pagans Ancient and
Modern y Europeans y
. Africans,

, both North and South y

agree in thefe
three chief Points., which are of an incontefta-
a 3 A ble
55 8 An Account of Genii,
ble Truth, i. That there is only one firft

Beings or one fupream Deity. 2. That there

are Spirits that haye had a Beginning , and
that are diftind from Humane Souls. 3. That
thofe Spirits are either Good or Evil; and that
fome of them are Friends to Men, and others
JEnemies.
See here then all the World imbib'd with
an Opinion of D/emons; whence I infer, that
what they know , how erroneous foever it
may be, mult be known to them by the way
of Operation; and to fet this Truth in a clear
Light, obferve It's impoffible , that one felf
:

fame Belief univerfelly difperft, and conftant-

ly teceiv'd , can be entirely fklfe in the Bot-
tom ; I fay in the Bottom , not to confound
with the Subftance of thisDo&rine, the er-
roneous Ideas under which it has been con-
ceiv'd, and which have been divers, accord-
ing to the diverfity of the Imaginion.
And beneath. We cannot find by any cer^
tain Hiftory, that the Americans had any Com-
munication with the reft of the World till of
late Years , yet this Imagination of Damons
lias been preierv'd among them for a great
number of Ages , notwithstanding their Ig-
norance, Brutifhnefs and Extravagances.
You may fay , you cannot maintain that
the knowledge of Damons carries the Cha-
raders proper to natural Truths. God has
not imprinted them in the Imagination; and
Reafon, how clear foever it may be, cannot
raife it felf fo' far without the aid of Revela-
tion ; but I fay, if Damons have been univer-
1
felly and constantly receiv'd by all the People
of the World , this Knowledge mult flow
from fome folid Caufe. It comes neither from
the
 or Familiar Spirit*.
359
the Scripture nor from Reafon, nor from
,

Imagination , it's deriv'd therefore only

11 the Op ns.

Again; As for the :ng Operations of

Damons on the hi Mr. Bekj&r fa
Thofe who know notGod asChriftuaij know
not alfo the Devil; but a Clown would
have reafon to Laugh at Mr. if he ,

would perfwade him that becaufe he kno

,

not the Nature of the Soul, and of the Body,

and the f Motion , he fhould not pr

Ito foel a found Box on the Ear given

him; and it's ridiculous t6 deny the Operati-
ons of Demons on People , becaufe they arc
not fo good Divines, 2$ to raife themfelves to
the Knowledge of God , and the Myfteries
which his Word has revealed to us, or becaufe
the\- are Ignorant of the true Dodrine of
nons. So far Mr. IliruU
This Author having made the foregoing
Reflexions on Dr. fiekkets Four Volumes, I
fhall have the lefs to fay to them. However,
as I think it proper for me to add fome Con-
siderations of my own, I fhall firft fet down,
as briefly as I may , what I find moft Materi-
al in Dr. Bekiers Volumes , deferving an An-
fwer, and then offer what I have to reply-
In his Firft Volume, he fets fprth the vari-
ous Opinions of People in the World, con-
cerning evil Spirits and their Operations; and
having there giv'n an account of many Chri-
stian Authors , as well as others , who have
countenane'd their Operations in feveral re-
fpeds , in his 2 2d Chapter , he writes thus :
But I find no Author, who in time pafs'd, has
afcrib'd fo little Undcrftanding, and Vertue
to the Devil, as for what relates to all thofe
Aa 4 Know-
3<5o An Account of Genii,
Knowledges and Effe&sfet forth by me,, a§
Reginald Scot. We have at prefent Antony Van
Dak, who afcribes no more to him in his Book
of Or^cks. Thefe two Authors hold, that there
is no other efficient Caufe of all thofe things

that are practised or wrought , but the Impo-

ftures of Men, the Devil having nothing to do
in them. I hear alfo every Day while I am
employ'd in this Work, that the Men of the
belt Senfe among us , afcribe but very little
Power and Knowledge to the Devil , and
that there are many more than I thought,
who, as to Perfons poffefs'd and bewitch'd,
are of the fame Opinion with Monfieur Dail-
lcn, who, in what he has writ in French con-
cerning Damons y maintains,'that all that is con-
tained in the Scriptures concerning evil and
impure Spirits,, ought not to be underftood
ptherwife, than of certain Difeafes, to which
the Jews were wont to give fuch Names ; he
believing., neverthelefs,, that it might be that
came at the fame time to concern
evil Spirits
themfelves in it. And beneath, he adds. My
fcope here is to relate what is faid of the De-
vil and his Power, ;md to examine whether it
be true or not, and I hold the Negative ; be-
caufe it's much contrary to me to maintain an
Opinion which afcribes fo much Power and
Vertue to Spirits , efpe daily evil Spirits ;
wherefore I mull rank my felf with Scot , Van
Dak, and many ethers., who are oppofite to
the belief Aden have of this Power,
In his 24th Chapter, §. 10. ij. he tells us,
We have all the Reafon'of the World to hold
fcr Tagan Legends, ail the Vegans have publifll-
ed concerning Miracles^Oracles of their Gods,
apreal Spe&f es , Dreams , and fo many other
Prodigies,
 ok Familiar Spirits. 361
Prodigie II as all rlic Papifts obtrude u

onus in that kind. And he thinks irly

all the Citations he has
made in thi ,
that t! no Mira-
Apparitions 1

or Souls, of Diabolical Arts and illuiions,

or Sorceries, by Letters and Characters, or of
( hoice of Days, neither mJudaiGnjiox Wyfm,
but draws its Origine from u We mult
ft all atone. (\e all to fubfift tog
j of what I veritbe; we ought to
difcharge our (elves of all thefe Prejudices, and
1 Realon with the Scriptures to ground our
(elves on them, and look upon thofe alone as
pure Sources.
In his Second Volume, c. 7. (. 7. he writes
thus: All the Learned agree, thzt /.ffirmanti
incnmlnt probatio, but he that denies a thing, or
doubts only of it , does enough when he al-
ledges Reafons of his doubts j and much more
yet when he fifts and curioufly examines thofe
Reafons he might exped from thePerfons con-
cerned. It's what he has refolved to do in
this place firft as to what has never been al-
:

ledg'd by Reafon, and afterwards as to what

has never been taught by the Scriptures.
C. 19. §. 19. He lays, That the Devil by the
firft Sin that was committed in Paradice, is

the Caufe of all evil, and confequently all the

evil that is done , ought with juft Realon to
be imputed to him. And beneath, You can
find nothing that can prove , that the De-
vil after having Man at the beginning
of the Creation, has had fince, in Perfon,the
leaft Power on him, or his A&ions; but indeed
that all the evil that ever happen'd, or is ftill

committed in the World is confider'd by Rea-

fon
362 An Account of Genii,
fon of this , the Devil himfelf did it,
as if
C, %o. \. 19. j He
As for the Fall of
fays
Man, it's certain it was caufcd by the Devil,
but to know the way how., it's altogether un-
certain.
C. 27. f>
He argues thus As its mani-
i.y :

feft, which has noExiftence can pro-

that that
duce nothing,whence comes it that the Devils,
or unclean Spirits did thofe things , which the
Gofpel mentions., and by thofe that were pof-
fefs'd by them ? I anfwer, The pretended un-
clean Spirits are always named in cafe of Ma-
ladies, and that fo it was underftood by thofe
that were attaqued, or infe&ed with Difeafes
and Scourges of God , that reign d at that
time. And he fays , If you fay, the Apoitlcs
'

fince Chrift have not freed us from that Error,

that the Damons are really fuch Spirits, and
that they have fuchaPower,heanfwers, This i$
not fo ealily granted, becaufe EidoU, falfe
Gods or Idols , and the Daimcnia are one and -

the fame thing. Now St. Vaul tells us, that the
Idols, or falfe Gods are nothing at all.
C 32. ^. 10. He fays, As for Angels he does
not deny but they have appear'd fometinics,
but he believes not fo many Apparitions of
the Devil , ^.12. He owns , there are Men
that naturally feeSpe<5tre§ andPhantomes more
often than others, but he fays it's the natural
Difpofition of the Body of the Man, of his Blood
and Spirits , which makes him believe he really
fees, what he fees no farther than he believes*
C. 33. §. 10. He fays, He concludes, that
the Devil has not the leaft Knowledge of the
World, nor of the things that concern Religi-
pn, nor of the Affairs of Faith.
C 34. S, 16, He fays, He has fhewn that
the
 or Familiar Spirits. 36$
the Devil can do nothing in reality J
nor in
appearance. §. 2j. Ha lays, The Angels arc
the ML f God in all Places, bo:h toPu-
nifh and to Proteft and Defend them ;
but as for the Devil, he is God's Prifoner. Af-
ter which he has no more to lay on this Matter.
In his Third Volume, C. 1. §. 6. He fays,
The Queftion is not, whether there are 1

chanrments, or the like ; hut what we ought

to underftand hv Enchantments, and in what
it confifts ; whether it be Deceit, Subtlety, Go-

t wickednefs, frc. or whether thofe they

call Magicians really work by the Devil.
C. y. §. y. He fays, He is of Opinion, Thit
what the .-Egyptians did was only in Appear-
*

ance, and nothing real.

C.4. $ 15. He fays, If we think to fright
People with Spetfres , to teach them fo much
more to fear God , it's a miferable thing in

Chriftianity, that People muft be brought to

God by a fervileFear, which naturally makes
us fly God , or that we
ferve him without
love. If it Fear, with which we
be with this
ought to ferve God , has not Cbrifi rendrecj
us a poor Service for having delivered us ?
C 22. §. 18. As for thofe they call poifefs'd
Perfons ; he fays , He confeiles he has no
Knowledge of the leaft Operation of the De-
vil, on the Body, in the Body , and by means
of the Body, no more than of thofe fome
will have him do on the Soul of Man ; for
none of all thefe evil Spirits ever were, or are
in any place of all the Bible, Devils fo called^
but the evil Spirits were troublefomeTorments3
and incurable Ills, of which Cbrifi cured many
Perfons bv his foie Word, and affifted the A-
poftleswhen they undertook to do it.
1*
3^4 ^n of Genii,
-Account

In his Fourth Volume, C.2. §.i.He fays, He

has ftiewn that the Ancient Mcgick was nothing
but furprize , or impofture according to all
the Scripture fays of it. §", 3. He fays, That
all which Men think to be an A&ion of Spi-
rits^ by Reafon of the fubtlety with which it's

done, is an effed of fubtle and indivifible Sub-

ftances. The knowledge of the moll fubtle
Matters, and of the extent of their Motion
may fhew us,, that ail that is commonly afcri-
bed to Magick, or the Operations of the
Devil may be natural. The moft fubtle Parts
of Bodies, entring in , iffuing forth, and paf-
fing through Bodies, are the Caufe of all the
Changes which happen. §. 10. He fays, All
he has faid, is to fhew that there are fome-
times very furprifing things done, whereof
we cannot outwardiy knpw the Caufes., and
which neverthelefs ought to be afcribed to the
Motion, affembling, or feparation of thefe lit-
tle Bodies, one way, or other.
C. 2. S. 11. He fays ^ We fhall now exa-
mine.,whether there has ever happened in the
Worlds that any thing of the Nature of thofe
we call Apparitions, Phantoms, or Magick^that
ought not to be afcribed to thofe Atoms, which
often, in moving themfelvep , in fepaxating,
or joyning themfelves to one another , can
caufe the fame Afpe&s, the fame Sounds, the
fame Motions in Men, and aboup them, that
are afcribed to Spirits, or the Devil in parti-
cular.
C. 34. §. 10. He fays j Men take the word
Devil, Satan, Witch and Magick, in quite
another Senfe than it's found in the Scripture,
fearching with all the exa&nefs Imaginable.
So much from Dr, Bekker*
On
 or Evnilutr Spirits. 365
On what I have fet forth from this Au-
thor,
lume ; but 1 (hall contract my (elf in :i little

comp
As for thisPerfons undertaking from Scrip-
ture and Reafoiito into new Do&rine
amongii aing Evil s its,contrary ;
i

hat the whole ftreaift of thofe Learned

Teachers, who ha\ 2 Religion to us,
have constantly taught us hitherto. I think it
may be look'd upon as a very bold and fur-
priiing attempt. And I 'believe the Learned
part df C htiftians will conlider the Matter
Very maturely, before they part with a Do-
ctrine fo long taught them.
Ic feems to me a tt range Confidence in
Dr. Btklury and indeed, no left than that of
Socinusy and other Innovators, that through a
felf-prefuming Conceit of his out-doing in-
fight in the Scriptures, he fhould now pretend
to tell us, That tho' he allows good Angels
have appear'd fometimes, yet there has been
no Devil in the World fince he tempted our
firft Parents to fin ; whereas the Scriptures
every where fpeak as plainly of Evil Spirits,
and their Operations fince the Fall, as of Good
Spirits. Neither do. I believe, that any Perfoa
adhering to Dr. Bekkers Dodrine, will ever
be able to aflign the leaft Reafon, why God
Almighty fhould have permitted the Devil to
tempt Man before the Fall,and not fince. And
tho' Dr. Bel have fhewn
themfelves Men of Learning ;
yet we know
there have been man Divines, fince
the Reformation, who I the World
much greater Specimens of t! ight in the
OrL eh
pre-
 ^66 An Account of Genii,
pretend to, for inabling them to a right uri-
derftanding of the Scriptures ; who, notwith-
Handing, never took the words, D^i/, Sttani
Witch, and Magick in that fenfe they have
done.
But as for the Origin of Idolatry, and th$
Do&rine of Damons among the Gentiles > I think
no Man has better fet it forth than Kircher, in
his Oedipus zsJEgyptuicus, whom thofe Authors
have not pleas' d to take notice of, as I think
it might have been proper for them ; he ha*
ving given an account of it quite contrary to
what they have writ. This Man had all the
Advantages that a great Writer could have :
He had great Natural Parts, us'd great Indu-
itry, had a great Correfpondence with the
Learned in moll Parts of the World, had the
Command of near twenty Languages, and
the Favour of many great Princes, who af-
fifted him with all forts of Books, and other
Neceffaries for carrying on fo great a Work $
in which he acquaints the World, he fpent
Twenty Years Labour, with a very intent
Pag. 171. Study. In his firft Tome of his faid Work he
writes thus
St. Jmhrofe wifely and truly fays, that Hu-
mane Error was the caufe of Idolatry : And
Ad. Ajckp. w i t h him Hermes Trifmegifius, that the Origin
Ct * 3'
of the deteftable Idolatry of the Egyptians,
was the Error and Incredulity of their An-
ceftors, in which os£gyPt always wallowed:
For as they did not apply their Minds with a
due Reverence and Consideration to the Wor-
fhip of the true God, and the Divine Religi-
on ; and neverthelefs were poffefl with a de-
lire of fome Religion, they found out the Art
of making Idols; but as they knew not how
to
 .

or Familiar Spirits. 367

animate them, ufing wicked Arts, and
Diabolical Conjurations , and calling forth
Demons, they fore'd ihttn into them; and to
gtve them more vertue and Mrem'rii, they
ifecrited to them Animals of divers kinds,
which they called Sacred, adoring in them the
ikof thofe Peribns , who have been ru-
inous for Vertues, and Farts , chcy had per-
.
forthudj calling by their Names thofe Cities,
rhat had been either built, or inftru&ed with
wholfome Laws and Ordinances by them.
To their Honour alio they inftituted various
S leritice^ which fortof Rites and Ceremonies,
Mc l
u>,moft elegantly defcribes
lt his Sfrii n Vhilofcpby, as follows.
Then arofe Men of the Seed of Cham> ha-
ving corrupt Manners , whofe Minds were
corrupted through ignorance , and Damons
that ieduc d them, and they taught one thing
for another , and thought the Stars were en-
dowed with a Spirit of Intelligence, that they
had a free Liberty and Power, and by degrees
the Devil made them Err, till they thought
1

the Stars to be Creators and Makers; and they

gave to each Star the Name of a God , and
they Worfhip'd them with various Ceremo-
nies, foiling down before them, and adoring
them ; and they fet up various Idols in their
Names, and plac'd them on the tops of High
Pillars, and Walls of Houfes, exhibiting their
Figures after various Manners and to thefe
•

they offered Victims, and Sacrifices , burning

Incenfe before them and the Devil at cer-
;

tain times , fpeaking from each of them,

gave Anfwers to thofe that ask'd them , pre-
dicting future things, and revealing things
hidden, and prefentlytoH of things that were
do: -
 3 68 An Account of Genii,'
done in Places very remote ; and putThoughts
into their Minds., which he revealed to ethers;
and he has fedue'd very many of thofe Men
even to this Day. Now
thefe Rites were
proper to the lALgyptians, which afterwards.,
parting to' others^ infeded by degrees the whole
World.
No Wj from what is here delivered by kireb'er,

we find we may allow what Dr. Bekker fays.,

'viz. That the Eidola, falfe Gods., or Idols,, and
the Diamonia of the Gentiles , are in a manner
one and the fame thing; and fay with St.PauI,
that the Idols or falfe Gods are nothing at
.,

all ; for as the Pagans adored in their Idols the

Souls of Perfons y that had been Famous for
Vermes , or great Adlions done for the Bene-
fit of Mankind or their fuppos'd Spirits of
.,

the Stars thefe indeed were nothing there ;

.,

but as they apply'd themfelves to thefe y for

receiving Anfwers^ they defired., or for being
otherwife gratifyed by them in other de-
iires, it was the Devil who deluded them., in
giving them Anfwers , and doing other things
as they defired ; fo that their Converfation was
with him y who kept them in continual Ido
latry., though they did not dired their Worftiip
diredly to him.
So agaia, Kircher in his Second Tcme> of his
faid Oedipus , Part 2. treating of Hieroglyphical
Mapcky in his Third Chapter y which treats
concerning the Divinations and Oracles of the
\Mgjptamy fets forth ^ that the Mind of Mail
p
frlV/ being ftill agitated with a deiire of the goods
both of Body and Soul and eagerly wifhing
.,

to fecure them perpetually to himfelf, applies

its Study to the Knowledge of future things;

whence the Devil, as being Enemy of Man-

kind,
 or Familiar, Spirits. 369
kind, laying many Snares, as there are Ap-
as
petites of Humane Machinations, at length
fets upon him with an Hope of the Know-
ledge of thofe future things. Now there are
two chief Nets he h\y% 3 AJhologj and Ptfymfmpi
by the firft he teaches the Lot , which each
Man has gotten from the firft Minute of his
Nativity, as to a good or bad Fortune ; by
the latter he prefents, as under the Veil of na-
tural Caufes,various kinds of Divinations, with
which the uncautious , while they unadvifed-
ly §0 about to purfue Good , and fhun Evil,
are juftly depriv'd of the eternal Good. Thefe
Arts Cham% the Son of No >b , firft introduc d
into the World, by the Inftigation of the De-
vil ; which the *A.gytians, inftru&ed by Cham y
have transfused into the whole World, as it
were by a certain Hereditary Tradition. As for
their siftrology, he has treated amply of it be-1

fore, and here he takes upon him to give an

Account of their Divinations, and their Ori-
gine , and concerning the Nature of their
Oracles.
Before I give you an Account of what he
fays, concerning the latter , I fhall give you
two or three Particulars of what he fays con-
cerning their Ajtrology.
In his foi ementioned Tomerf* 141. he writes
thus: I dare folemnly affirm, that all our pre-
fent Judicial Afirokgy , relating to Nativities
and horary Queftions, retains even to this
Day, that occult pad with Devils, which the
Ancienc ^/E^yptian AJtrology did.
P. 176. He fays, The
^Egyptians did not fo
much as to the Genii pre-
afcribe to the Stars
,

siding in them, tha Events of things ; hence

there was an earneft defire , care, andfolici-
B b tud*
$70 An Account of Genii,
tude to render them Propitious, by previous
Ceremonies and Sacrifices., otherwise then the
Afirokgers of our Times deal , who raffily'a-
fcribe the Fortune of Men to a certain fatal
neceffity of the Stars,
P. 200. He fays., The *s£gyftians held, that
Gods or Genii, inhabited the Stars ; for they
thought the Inferior World depended on
their Vertue and Efficacy, not by the pro-
per infhifive force of the Stars, but by the dif-
poling Power of the Deities, who being feat-
ed in the Stars as an Inftrument for the Difc
pofition of Inferiors, &c. As for what is laid
more concerning their Afirology , I refer the
Reader to the Author.
As for the v£ygj>tians Divinations, and their
Origine, and the Nature of their Oracles, they
thought, that befide the Celeftial Gods, there
were certain middle Natures,whieh they call'd
Angels , Damons , Gently or Terrtfirial Gods, to
which they afcribed the rife and fall of their
Oracles , and fo , that the Oracle* lafted fo
long., as the faid Genii continued in the Statues,
which 'delivered Oracles, and that they ceas'd,
when the Statues were deferted by the Genii or
Damons. Now they affirmed thefe Genii to In-
habit the Region betwixt the Heavens and
the Earth, and to confift of Herbs, Stones, Spi-^
ces, and other Terreftrial Matters, contain-'
ing a natural Power of a Divinity in them ;
3nd that as living near us , they were joyned
to us .by a friendly Alliance j and they thought
them to be affe&ed with a lingular Love to-
wards Mankind , according as their Nature
bears;
predi&ing future things by Oracles,
and taking care of other things belonging to
u*, Wherefore they entred Statues rightly pre-
pared
 or Familiar Spirits]'
pared by Men, and gave Anfwcrs from them
!

to thole that confiil: flayed in

them many Years , by fo much the more wil-
lingly, by how much the i ide
of Matters more ag by |

how much the more skilful they w'jre to d

tain them by Sacrifice-, Hvmns, Pik^er*, and
Harmonics with which only AUr of
them, they are delighted. And Trijfhieff/l
in his VjmanJcr fays, their Artceftors had not
a perfeft Knowledge of the celeftial Deity,
for God being known, they had not cared for
terreftrial Gods , but as being uncertain of
him, greatly flraying from the Divine Religi-
on , they excogitated an Art whereby they
might make Gods , ere&ing Statues ; and as
they could not create Souls for therrt , they
called the Souls of Angels or Damons into
them, which came upon calling, both becaufe
the Power of thefe Men was great , and be-
caufe Angels and Damons have \o great an Alli-
ance with Men j that they are drawn by a
natural Obfequioufnefs to them.
But to return to the Oracles, they were the
Root and Foundation of all Divinations and
Superftition ; nor did the Devil always give
Anfw ers with a fenfible Voice, but difcovered
r

what he pleafed by certain Signs. Hence firft

arofe the various kinds of Rites and Ceremo-
nies, with which , as it were with previous
Difpofitions , they were wont to purge the
Mind , that it might become confeious of fu-
ture things j then turning themlelves to vain
obfervances, they took all the Ludibria of ob-
•
vious things for Auguries. But let us explain
•
them in particular. I find that, in a manner,
in all rhe Prefectures of *s£gypt> there was an
Bb i Oracle^
 An Account of Genii,
J72
Oracle, from which Confulters received Arv*
fwers concerning various Events j not that e-
very particular Oracle anfwered concerning
every thing propofed to them, but only con-
cerning things agreeing to their Natttre :
Thus the Oracle of Serapis, about things that
concerned Agriculture j of Anubu, of things
relating to Sciences $ of Horw, about things
concerning the good of the Body and Soul
of Ifisy about things concerning NHus, or Ferti-
lity ; but the Oracle of Ammon, as being the
inoft Famous of all , gave Anfwers concern-
ing all things propofed. So in Innumerable
other Places Oracles were fetf up, all which
gave Anfwers in obfeure Places , obfeft'd by
evil Spirits, by a Voice , Dreams, a Gefture^
and a Nod of the Statues, by a found , a ring*.
ing, or other Signs j and they were given ei-
ther by the Damon himfelf, or by Tythonijts^
by Priefts infpir'd with a Fate-telling Spirit,
which from Caves , and obfeure deep Vaults,
with an horrible found and noife, rufh'd out
on the Enthufiafts , in the likeitefs of Fire,
with which being wholly furrounded, and dri-
ven into a fury , they uttered thofe things
which the Damen fuggefted to them , with a
Palpitation of all their Limbs, their Eyes
turnd upwards , and their Mouths- diftorted.
After this manner Satan the Architect of Su-
perftitions , infinuating himfelf by ftealth into
the Minds of Men by Idolatry, made it his
Bufinefs to inculcate to them, devoted Ser-
vices of Rites and Ceremonies, by which
they fhould Worfhip his Commentitious Gods
tinder a pretext of Piety and Vertue, that un-
der thefe Colours he might involve and pol-
lute them in all kinds of Impiety and Wicked-
nefs*
 or Familiar Spirits. 37 $
fiefs, and derive to himfclf the Honour due to
Gcw.
And as there was nothing fo obvious to
our Senfes, wftich the Damon did not affiime,
as certain Signs, to (hew his Will, and nilling
to thofe that confuked him j hence manifold
kinds of Dmnatory Magick arofe, hence ilfu-
ed the Spawn of all kinds of portentous Sor-
ceries, and Divinations, &c
So far Kircher.
Now , laying this before us , I muft fay,
That notwithftanding all Dr. Van Dale has
writ concerning Oracles, as being wholly con-
trived by the Impoftures of Men, I muft whol-
ly aflent to what Kirckcr has here fet forth con-
cerning diem ; and this , not only becaufe
Kircher, and others, have fo deliver'd it to us,
but chiefly, becaufe , even at this Day, there
are Perfons , who upon cafting themfelves in-,
to a Trance j and otherwife , can , and do
predict future things , reveal things hidden,
and tell of things done in Places very remote,
like to what was done by the Oracles, as I
have fet forth in this Work , which muft be
afcribed to the Agency of evil Spirits , as I
fhall (hew beneath.
Indeed that many things in the ^Egyptian O-
racltsy were done by the Impoftures of their
Priefts ; it's what Kircher freely owns in the
Third Tome of his faid Oedipus? p. 46. where
tie writes as follows.
We have fhewn in feveral Parts of this Work,
that Damons did not only fpeak from various
Statues, a$ from certain Oracles, but that ev'n
Priefts themfelves , to keep the People in a
greater cult and veneration towards theGojs,
jmpos'd on their Simplicity by thier Craft; and
£he ufe of thck forking Statues was fo frequent
Bb 3 jfl
974 An Account of Genii,
in zsggypt, that there was fcarce a Prefe&ure
Without them; and fo that the chief end of
the Priefts feems to have confifted in this^ to
draw Damons by Magical Adjurations, and va-
rious Incantations into Statues, firft confecra-
tedby due Rights , in the Adyta, and being
drawn to confult them concerning various
Demands. And becaufe the Damons did not
always give Anfwers agreeing to Truth, but
wholly fool'd thofe that confulted them many
ways., hence the Priefts performing the Office
of a Dscmon y %nd applying themfelves to Fraud,
made Statues with fuch an Artifice , that by
occult Pipes convey'd to the Head of the Sta-
tues, they mutter'd Voices, as it were of the
Gods, and what Anfwers they pleas'd, to im-
pofe on the Superftirious People ; who being
deluded by this impious Cheat of the Priefts,
were more and more animated to make Ob-
lations, and offer Gifts, due, as they thought,
to the Gods, but, in Truth, to thofe deceitful
Pjrieftsj who thought they had done fome
great thing, if what was done by the Craft of
a fraudulent Wit, obtain d in the Minds of the
fimple People, the Opinion of a Divine Work
of the Gods, and of a Miracle. So far Kircher.
But to conclude from this with Dr. Van Daley
that all that pafs'd in the Oracles of the Anci-
ents, was done by Humane Contrivance, with-
out any Agency of evil Spirits, is what I can
no way alfent to, for the Reafon above giv'n.
To return to Dr. Bekker, As to what he
fays, That the Knowledge of the moft fubtle
Parades of flatter, and 'pf the Extept of
their Motion may ftiew us , that all that is,

commonly r fcrib'd to Magick , and the Ope-

rations of the Devil , may be Natural , and
that
 Q

Or Familiar Spititt. 375

that all Apparitions and Phanr
«nmonly afcri
os'd h\ the Aition ot~ the
Atonic I 1
nctlur the
AAaon of thole fubde r
•

; la
cxerc ic lclf to an intelle<ffa*al and voluntary
Agencj p
tor this is the tnu acr
ftion) and not to tell us, that feemingiy occult
ipathies and Antipathies, and the like, may
(olv'd that way j which we own maybe
true have (utficiently (hewn in
I think 1

this Bookj in the 1 of 5

Mens prcception of Spirits that the Actions ,

I there afcribe to Spirits have refulted from in-

tellectual and voluntary Agents. If he fhould
lav, the Actions of fuch fubtlc Particles could
arile to fuch Agency ; I think I have fairly
ftiewn before from Mr. Lock , and Monfieur
It Ctercj that the Notions of Mart er, and of an

intellectual and voluntary Agent, are clearly

diftinct, and incommunicable to each other.
Again, As for his railing the Action of the
Particles of Matter to this pirch, this would
equally take away the Operations of good
Spirits, as well as evil, whereas he allows the
former ; So that I think he had been more
confonant to his Principles, in fetting up for
Sadducifru or Epicurifm, denying both good
and evil Spirits, than to take up with this half-
fpiritcd Opinion , which I know not whether
any Man has ever held but himleif.
indeed we may allow what Dr. B vs,
That good"* Angels may fometimes Punifh
Men by God's Appointment , as well as pro-
tect and defen 1 them ; bu: we fay there have
n frequent manifeftations of wicked Fa<5ts 3
ipiri$j and fuch as could no way
Bb 4 cou-
 \?6 An Account of Genii,
confift with the Nature of good Angels, there->
fore there muft be allowed of both Kinds j
unlefs the Dothrs fubtle Particles fhall folve

Chap. 6.
a ^' And w
hereas in his Second Volume, he fays,
&S* $.' The Facts afcribed to Spirits, are perhaps fuch
as a Man'sSpirit can do, as when a Man pof-
ft fs'dwith a pretended evil Spirit , fpe^ks
itrange Languages, which he had never Lear-
ned before this he fays may be folv'd, if we
:

embrace the Opinion of Juftin, viz,, that the

Souls of the Dead can enter into the Bodies of
the Living ; for then he fays, Why may it not
be, that the Soul of a Man, skilled in many
Languages, is that which after the Death of
its Body, fpeaks by the means of that which
is yet alive , thofe fame Languages he had

learned Living ? But, he fays , He is not of

this Opinion, though this may fuffice to con-
vince thofe by what they fay themfelves, that
Confound one thing with another,in believing
this of the Soul , and that there are Angels
for the fame Reafon, which Experience
proves not that there are, or that they exift*
]Sow, as to this, fince the Doctor did not
hold the Opinion of Jufiin , nor deny that
flrange Languages had been fpoken by Igno-
rant Perfons j he might have done well to
have explain'd how that could be done without
the Agency cf Spirits j and as for his charg-
ing thofe with an inconftftency that hold this
Opinion, and with all the Agency of Spirits,
is it that becaufe fome particular Perfon has

fet up fuch anHypothecs for folving that

Fa<5t, no Spirits ? So we know
there muft be
that Msrc*s Marci ( who generally takes upon
him to folve all Vbanomen ?without God , An-
gelj or Devil) has fet up another Hypothecs
(9?
 or Familiar Spirits ^yy
for folving the faid , he fuppofcs, that
Fad:
Ideas are convey \1 into all Perfons , with the
linal Principles , derived from Parents and
Anceftorsj and chat when thefe Ideas, upon
certain critical Junctures , come to an Evo-
lution, a Man may com my of thofe
<

Languages, which any of his Anceitors were

skilled in But what if Men fet up fuchHypo-
:

thefis^the Queftion will ftill be whether thefe

Hypothecs are more cogent upon our under-
ftandingfor their Admittance , than that of
Spirits , or whether our Realbn acquiefces
more eafily in them ?

And I think, I may here juftly charge thefe Ap*l. 2,

Men, as Juftin Martyr does others, in a like

Cafe, faying , Some oppofe to us Marcion,
who even now teaches Men to deny God, the
Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth, and
Chrift his Son predi&ed by the Prophets, and
introduces another God befide the Maker of
all things, and another Son $ by whofe
alfo
Authority many being
fway'd, they deride usf
as though he were the only Man that knew
Truth ; and as they have no Demonstration
of thofe things they fay, without all Reafon,
being feized as Lambs by a Wolf, they become
the foul prey of Mens Dogmas, and of Devils.
Tandltms , in his Anfwer to a Queftion pro-
pos'd concerning the Divination, and other
wonderful Effe&s of Melancholick Perfons,
firft tells us, that thofe Melancholick Fads or

Energies may be reduc'd to two kinds ; or»p

is, of thofe who are faid to have fpoken Lan-

guages of which, while they were themfelvesj

they were wholly Ignorant, or to have fhewn
an underftanding of hofe Arts , which they
never acquired to thcmfelves by Learning* the ,-

other
17% An Account of Genii,
other is, of thofe who are faid to have had a
certain Power and Faculty of difcovering oc-
cult things, of commemorating pad things
that were unknown to them., and of predict-
ing future Events., whofe Truth experience it
felf, at length, has fhewn to be fo. To the firft
kind belongs that ruftick mentioned by Guai-
nerim3 who always , the Moon being com-
buft, made Verf_s, and the combuftion being
pafs d about two Days , till (he came to ano-
ther combuftion, could not fpeak a word of
Latin $ and this Man had never Learned Let-
ters. And
here that Saylers Boy has place, who,
having received a Blow on his
as Forefius tells,
Head, as he pafs'd a Bridge , in his Delirium^
always made Syllogifrns in the German Tongue^
and thn excellently and that afterwards be-
•

ing cur'd he knew not how to do it.

Of the latter kind we have Rhafis aWitnefs,
among the Arabians ; and Alexander, who was
in no mean rank among the Ancient Phyfici-
ans, and among thefe Perfons, he thinks we
may not unfitly place, Exftaticks.
Now, he fays, There is a very great Dif-
fention among Authors, in afligning the Caufes
of thefe ftupendious Actions of Perfons feized
with a Melancholy Diftemper/ome laborioufly
inquire into the natural Caufes of them, others
afcend to Supernatural ; as for thofe who ac-
quiefce in natural Caufes, he finds two Se&s of
them. The firft is of Aft rologers, Scribing all the
Works of MelancholickPerfons to the Influences
of the Stars, as Quainerim does, building on cer-
tain Tlatcnick and Aftrological Principles, he fays,
That the Soul before it's infus'd into the Body,
contains the Knowledge of ail things in it felf,
but ta.it it's hi a manner aboiiflfd , by the U-
nion
 or FitrmUar Spirits. 37J?
!

nion with i Fetters it's

nor can ic

by
•
imprci *iic Riai* ich
!
his i\ai.\ ity at the 'me the
Soul svasinfufed int Jlhave
the force pf this innpreffion to be uat
it may endow the Soul with a 1 >t pro-
ducing fuch Actions 3 as the Star is wont to
produce elk who re fo that it may make a
;

well Man iick, and a fick Man well j alfo

caufe Snow and Rain but that the Bod^ and
;

corporeal Senfes refill this Impreffion, elpeci-

ally as Knowledges , it being otherwife
to
of efficacy enough in it felf thefe Senfes •

therefore being bound , as it happens in Me-

lancholick Perfons , and the Star working on
the Soul without refiftency, it comes to pafs
that the Soul underftands all things without
Difcourfe, forefees future things , anfwers
concerning Arts, to which it inclines by the
force of the influencing Planet. The lecond
Se& is of natural Philofophers , who feeing
that the Minds of Men are varioufly afFeded
with the Melancholick Humour, and that moft
that have excelled others in Underftanding,
or in Learning Arts, or in Adminiftration of
Government, or in performing other things,
were naturally Melancholick , they ftiick not
to afcribe fo great force to it j for as there are
many found, who are naturally enclined to
divers Arts, fo Melancholy, they fay, is natural-
ly inclined to Work wonderful things j and as
high fermented Wine, immoderately taken,
changes Mens Manners, and Caufes them to
differ from themfelves ; fo they contend, that
~he Melancholick Juice exceeds its conve-
nient
l%o AnAccount of Genii,
'
aient Meafure in a Perfon , or be rendred
more hot, or cold than is fitting , gets a cer-
tj jtain fingular force wholly to change theMind,
and to nir up wonderful Motion^ in it.
Now, Tandkrm , after having ftated thefe
Opinions, reje&s them ; for though he does
not deny the Power of the Stars, for changing
the temperament of the whole Body , and of
each of its Parts in particular , and for giving
an Inclination either for the Knowledge of
Tongues, or for divers Difdplines ; yet this
he ftifly denies , that the very Knowledge of
Tongues is any way conferred by the Stars^
without teaching , or their ufe without any
precedent Knowledge, for certain Reafons he
gives ; nor can he acquiefce in their Opinion,
who think thefe kinds of Prodigies ought to
be afcribed to the property of the Melancho-
lick Humour j for though there be a <?ertaiij
occult force of the Melancholick Juice , that:
it may produce Operations caufing Admirati-
on, yet it cannot be fp great as to beget z
Knowledge of Languages , and of occult and
future things j thefe certainly are owing to
a fuperior Caufe , not that while he denies
thefe things to have place in the Melancholick
Humour , he therefore denies what Arifiotle
fays, viz» that Melancholick Perfbns are
•uAifojriettj that is have direA Dreams . by
which they may have a fore-preception of cer-
tain future things ; for there are two kinds of
Divination., one natural, common to Men with
Brutes, whereby without Difcourfe , by the
lble guidance of Nature, fome Animals have
a 'fore-fenfe of things > as well for avoiding
hurtful things themfelves^ as for admonifliing
Men of certain iminent Events ; fo Ants have
 )

or Familjdr Spirits. 381

;

ftnatural fore-fenfe of theapproachingWinter;

from the going away ofSnarrows,manyPhyfid-
ans believe we are admonifh'd of an approach-
ing Peitilence fuch a prefaging faculty is of-
;

ten found in fome Fools, who by Nature have

a vitiated Renfon , in whom doubtleft Nature
makes a recompence one way for what it takes
away in another. So Atircm Mad fays, Thofc pf)l ^ vttm
whofe Minds arc employed in Speculations» -which & eft]par.2«
take up the Souly do not eafily perceive Sympathetic SeS. 4.
cal Impnjfions whence pnfi'ging *nd predittions
,

art wont to be fent to flmple Perjons , rather than

to Wife Men ; and that happens much more to brute
Animals, than no Men y thofc being prefently filled
with the celeftial Image, being void of any of their
c-wn. The fame things haply fometimes oc-
cur in Melancholick Perfons , efpecially in
thofe whom Nature has particularly brought
forth foch. The other kind is Artificial, which
is grounded on an obfervation of Events, or
on certain Signs ; and becaufe itconfifts, fof
the greateft part, in a comparing together of
I,
natural Caules, as well betwixt themfelves, as
of the EfFe&, it is alfo called Natural ; though
this depends of certain Rules, yet the Inclina-
tion 01 Nature which proceeds partly from
the temperament and Humours , and partly
from a fortunate, and meet pofition of cer-
tain Stars, Hold the chief place in it for w$ •

fee fome by a peculiar guidance of Nature,

being cultivated with an indifferent know-
ledge of the Stars , for more truly and readily
to hit out future things from obvious, or little
I

previous Marks 3 than thofe who excel only

in Art , being deftitute of the Aids of Na-
ture. Nay, iome by this very force of Spi-
rit arrive at a full infight in many things,
which

1
•382 An Account of Genii^
Which Art with Labour would not come to
the Knowledge of, or attain with Difficulty.
Such a Facility of conjecturing, fmce it hap-
pens for the molt part in Perfons inclin d to
Melancholy, which happily may be increas'd
Coneourfe of the Stars, I eafily
t>y a fortunate
grant that Melancholick Perfons are not only
$v%vovei?*s 9 but likewife that they excel others
in the Prediction of future Things. But here
we fpeak of another kind of Divination, whed
Ignorant Perfons, without Conje&ures and§
Obfervation of Events, bring fecret Thing*
to light, Prophefie of thofe future Things
which are neither known to themfelves, nor
others ; nay, when they come to themfelves,
they know not that any fuclt thing was done
by theni. Thefe things, he fays, he judges
could no way arife from an Humour, efpeci-
ally exceeding the Bounds of Nature.
He concludes therefore, That the Devil is
5
the Author of all thefe things, tho not alone,
but join d with the Melancholick Humour,
which he exagitates at his pleafure, and eaufeS
certain Operations, which that Humour had
not been able to produce by its own force.
Since we are upon this Point of Ignorant
Peoples fpeaking unknown Languages, I fhall
give you one particular Inftance of it, taken
from a Letter lent by the late Lord Lauderdale
to Mr. Baxter ; which Letter was priiited
Anno 1 691. in Mr. Baxters Historical Dlfcourfe of
Apparitions and TVitches. He there writes, a-
mong other things, as follows
c
I fhall here tell you of a real PoflTeffion near
/ the place where I was born. About thirty
c
Years ago 3 when I was a Boy at School;
* there was a poor Woman generally believd

tef
 or Familiar Spirits. 38;
to be really poflefi'd : She liv'd near the
Town of John
msy 1 her, n knowa
by 1 is Works to he a Learn \ and I
know him to be Honeft Man) was
periwaded fhc was po I have heard
him many times fpeak with my rather about
it, and both of them concluded it a real Pof-

feflion. Mr. Weems vitited her often j and

being cenvine'd of the truth of the thing,
he, with fome neighbour Minifters, apply'd
themfelves to the King s Privy-Council for
a Warrant to keep Days of Humiliation for
her but the Bifhops being then in Power,
j

would not allow any Fafts to be kept. I

will not trouble you with many Circum-
ftances one I (hall only tell you, which, I
;

think, evince a real Poffeflion.

will Tha
report being fpread in the Country, a Knight
by the Name of Forbes, who liv'd mxh&Nortk
of Scotland, being come to Edtvborough, meet-
ing there with a Minifter of the North, and
both of them defirous to fee the Woman, the
Northern Minifter invited the Knight to my
Father's Houfe (which was within ten or
twelve Miles of the Woman whither they )

came, and next Morning went to fee the:

Woman. They found her a poor Ignorant
Creature, and feeing nothing extraordinary^
the Minifter fays in Latin to the Knight, Non-
dum (ludivlmus Sfirltum loquentem ; prefently
a Voice comes out of the Womans Mouth,
Audls Icauentem , audit loejmntem. This put
the Minifter into fome amazement (which
I think made him not mind his own L
he took off his Hat, and i

feccatcrls : The Voice prefently, out of the

Woman's
i 84 4h Account of Genii,
* Woman's Mouth/aid, Dicpeccatricts, DUpecca»
c
tricis whereupon both of them came out of
'

c
the Houfe fully fatisfiedj took Horfe im-
* mediately,and returned to my Father's Houfe,
* at Tbirkftane Cafile in Lauderdale, where they
'.

* related this Paffage. This I do exa&ly re-

*
member. Many more Particulars might be
*
cot in that Country, but this Latin Criticifm,
'
in a moft Illiterate Ignorant Woman, where
4
there was no pretence to difpoffeffing, is Evi-
* dence enough, I think. So far the Lord
''
fcatiderdak* t

This leads us to connder another Alfertidn

of Dr. Bekker's, where he fays, that all the
Poifeffions mention'd in the Scriptures, were
but incurable Difeafes that tormented Men;
the Devil having nothing to do in
them, and
of which Chrift curd many Perfons by his

As to ttisGuiielmui ^errfjPhyficianof Toloufe,

Printed a Book there, ^»».162;. concerning
the Difeafes and DifeaYd cur'd by Chrift. In
the third Part of this Book, he enquires, how
the Devil becomes the external Caufe of many
Difeafes. , ,, •
,

He there tells us, that thofe Perfons whom

Chrift cur'd, were fuch as the Interpreters of
the Scriptures call Ewrgumens, or fuch as
were
poffeft with an Evil Spirit, concerning whom
it's a Crime to
doubt : Nay, he fays, thofe
ftrive and contend againft all Truth , Faith,
Experience, and the Authority of moil Wife
and Pious Men, who obftinately deny thofe
poffeit with
Enertumens, and Perfons obfeft and
the Devil ; nought by^ of the vexatious
and fet

Power the Devil has in moving natural Cau-

fes, and if the obfeft do any
thing exceffivelj
 ,

or Familiar Spirits. 385

violent or ftupendious, belie be. an i

fcribe it Melancholy
to ,

in the Brain, or the whole 1

bring it (o to pals, that by underftandiiij

undcrftand nothing, who c
er of Demons, accufc all ancient Writers, ;in.l
all the Fathers of the Chriftlan Church,
Negligence he fhould rather chcofe to imi-
tate, than the unaccountable Diligence of
thofe Men.
To diftinguifh Perfons poflcfl, from thofc
infefted with a melancholick Knthufiafm, he
fays, the learned Phyfician wo
Signs, which are moft certain Marks of a de-
moniacal feizure. Firft, if a Ruftick or Idcot
fpeaks Greek or Latin: Secondly, if he p
diets future Things. Now it is not to bs
doubted, but thefe things have been often ob-
ferv'd in melancholick Perfons by L-
nius and others. Riohmus brings Reaibns for^nU^
'

it, and an Inftance in Vbihretus of Sp:Ltt; 3 fer ? l

who being infefted with Worms, fell into a to*
( .

new kind of Madnefs- fo that in his Difeafe,

he fpake very well the German Twgue. J
in his ScrHtininm iHgtniorum, tells us of a Wo-
man feiz'd with a Frenzy in a great Fever,
who fpake Latin, arid predicted many things
as a Prophet. She predicted to
who let her Bloody that he would die wit;
a Month, and that his Wife would after Marry
a Neighbour Smith, which fell out according-^
ly. Pfellus alfo tells us of a Woman who being
ill after Child-bearing, fpake in the Armenia*

Tongue with a certain Armenian Vhyfician, tho'

(he had never feen an Armenian before, and
knew nothing but her Chamber and DiftafFe.

Cc Ha
386 An Account of Genii,
He thinks every Man knows it to be a great
and Task to diftinguifh melancholick
difficult
Perfons from fuch as are poflfeft No Man as
:

far as he knows, having as yet, given us true

Marks of it. He fays, therefore, that a Maa
muft infpecft the Nature, Manners, Humours,
and Difpofition of the Difeas'd. What he does
befide the ufual Nature of the Difeafe, and of
the Nature of its Symptoms ; as to cry out
violently, to be vehemently agitated and tor-
turd, to contract, wreft, or extend his Limbs
without a manifeft Convalfion, to be Delirious
without a Frenzy ,to fpeak prodigious Things,
and ufe an unufual Tongue. In ftiort, to do
or fiiffer thofe things which are very unufual
in Difeafes.
Thefe things being difcover'd, as far as a
(

Phyfician may, he mull explain how the De-

vil becomes the caufe of Difeafes, how he ads
with natural Caufes, entangles the Body in
Diftempers, ftirs up Symptoms with fuch B»
normity, that it may be juftly doubted whe-
ther it be a monftrous Difeafe, or a fevere

Damon. And he concludes with the unani^

mous Affercion of Divines and Phyficians,
that it's done by the Devil's managing of the
Humours at his Pleafure in thofe that are left
to him, whereby he can caufe an Epilepfie,
Palfie, and the like Difeafes, as alfo Blindneft^
Deafnefs, &c.
any one wonders why he awakens and
IF
up Fits of Difeafes according to the
ftirs
Motion and Quarters of the Moon, he fays,
it'sbecaufe at that time the Humours being
-
.encreas'dby the Motion and Influence of
ehe Moon, are more conveniently agitated.

And
 ;

tr Familiar Spirits.
^ g^
And StbCb.of his fa id Third
in his ?m treat-
y

ing, concerning the Differ^

from a divine Exfi that which pro-
I

ceeds from the Devil, lie fays, a divine /

/,///* is a facred nipt of the Mind, in which

God, by a Condefcent prefents himfeli
humane Creature, not by the means
Difeafe , or other preternatural morbifi
Caufe ; the Do&rine of Divir tg J that
God infinuates himfelf into our Minds by a
Rapt, and then fhews us by a divine Repre-
fentation thofc Things he pleafes we fhall fee.
Therefore it is really God who forcibly draws
Man to him by an Exjhjic, no natural Caufe,
nor the Mind fpontaneoufly mov'd j for as
the Sun is not feen without the Sun, fo nei-
ther can God be known without God.
If you had feen the Prophets, or others
rapt in Exftacies, you would have been apt to
fay they were fallen into anApople&ick or Epi-
leptick Seifure, for they remaind immovable
their Eyes open, and fixt towards Heav'n;
their Faces pale, either Handing upright, or
being on their Knees ; till being filfd with ths
light of Celeftial Vifions , and faturated with
a feaft of holy Thoughts, they return d to
themfelves. But it's eafie to diftinguiffi theft
from Epileptical Perfons, and we fhall fhew
that extatical Perfons, and fuch as are rapt by
a D*n7cn y are not Epileptical.
Chriflian Divines and Phyficians, agree thaf
Damons ftir up Raptures and Exftafiesin Men.
binding or looting the exterior Senfes, and
that, either flopping the Pores of the Brain,
that the Spirits do not pafs forth, as it's don?
naturally by Sleep, or by recalling the fenfn
tive Spirits from the outward Senfes to the in-
^88 An Account of Genii,
ward Organs, which he there retains j fo ther
Devil renders Women Witches exftatical and
Magicians, who while they lie faft afleep in
one place, being deceiv'd, they think they
have been in various places, ana done many
things.
That thefe Exftafies are not Epileptick Sei-
fures, appears from Bodin in his Theatre of
it

univerfal Nature , where lie fays, That thofe

that are rapt by the Devil, feel neither Stripes,.
nor Cuttings,nor no wrefting of their Limbs,
nor burning Torches, nor the burning of a
red hot Iron. Nay, nor is the beat of the
Pulfe, nor the Motion of the Heart perceiv'd
in them, but afterwards returning to them-
felves, they feel moft bitter Pains of the
Wounds receiv'd, and tell of things that were
done at 600 Miles diftance, and affirm them-
ielves to have feen them done. So far
Bodin.
An Exftafie therefore is an Abolifhment of
Senfe and Motion, and not a Depravation of
it, as in an Epileptick Seifure ; for Perfons in

an Exfiajit lie whoiiy immoveable, in an Epi-

leptick Fit they sire moft violently agitated.
And, as Bvdln fays-, Demoniacal Exftattcks
breath forth an horrid ftink : Epileptick^foam
at the Mouth, and their Seed and Excrements
pafs from them thro' a violent Agitation of
the Mulcles ; and infinite Evils which De-
moniacks commit in their Raptures, fhew th&t
they were not agitated with a Convulfion, but
gave themfelves too much to the Devils Cove-
nants. Nor need I fay much concerning the
difference betwixt a Madnefsy 2l Syncope, and a
Stupor caus'd by narcotick Medicines, and an
Exfiajie. For as Bodin rightly argues, a Mad
Mai*
 or familiar Spirits. 389
Man is and
always agitated without ceafing,
a -Man rapt ill an Exjtsfie lies immoveable,
deftitute of all Senle and Morion of all his
Pans, and rather like a \l:m lLi/ d with an
Apoplexv. A Syncope is a fudden failing of
all the Strength; and foon ends in Death, or a
Recover}'; an Ex lafie lafts a long time without
the lofs of a Man's Strength- A Stupor caus'd
by narcotick Medicines, takes away Senfe, not
Motion, for otherwife Motion being abo-
lifh'd together with Senfe, Death would be
at Hand, therefore a Stupor is not Exfiafie. So
far Dr. Ader.
To this I may add, what Sennertus writes of Inft- meJo
the Demoniacal Sopor of Witches, who think
'' 2
'

2
^'
they are carried through the Air, Dance, Feaft,
have Copulation with the Devil, and do other
things in their fleep, and afterwards believe
the fame things waking. Now, he fays, whe-
ther they are really fo carried in the Air,
&c. or being in a profound fleep, only dream
they are fo carried, and perfift in that O-
pinion after they are awake, thefe Fads or
Dreams cannot be natural, for it cannot be
that there fhould be fo gre^t an Agreement in
Dreams of Perfons, differing in Place, Tem-
perament, Age, Sex, and Studies ; that in one
Night, and at the fame Hour they fhould
Dream of one fuch Meeting, and fhould clear-
ly agree of the Place, Number and Quality
of the Perfons, and the like Circumftancc^.
But fuch Dream$ are fuggefted from a fupo
natural Caufe, v%x^ from the Devil to his
Confederates, God permitting it. Whence
alfo to thole Witches ferioufly converted, ani
refufmg to be longer prefenc atthofe Meetings,.
fuch Dreams no longer happen which is a
•

Cc 3
Mark
*§o An Account of Genii,
Mark that they proceeded not before from &
natural Caufe.
Schottusy in his Book De Mirabilihus Energu-
Hfhtotuniy gives us fome figns for knowing Da~
wcnitchy and firft he fays, A
revealing of oc-
cult things, which furpafs the natural Know-
ledge of the Revealers, is a probable fign of a
PoiTeffion, unlefs we may rationally prefume
it from God, or a good Angel And this^
to be :

becaufe, fince that revealing muft neceifarily

be fuggefted from fome Mind or Spirit, and
it is not from the private Spirit of the Man,
fince it furpaffes his natural Knowledge, nor
from God, or a good Spirit, as it's prudently
fuppos'd ; of neceffity it mull proceed from
an Evil Spirit. He fays, it's a probable fign,
nor certain, fince that revealing may be caus'd
by Damons not poffefling a Perfon, as it ap-
pears by many Hiftorfes. But if there are o-
ther ilgns it's a Prefumption that the revealing
in the faid Circumftances, is from a Demo-
niacal PoiTeffion.
Secondly, He fays, a Skill in, and fpeaking
of unknown Tongues which the Speaker ne-
ver learnt 3 is alfo a probable Sign of a Pof-
feffion, if it may not otherwife be rationally
preflim'd that it is from God or a good Angel,
becaufe it cannot naturally be, that a Perfon
ignorant of a Tongue, mould fpeak it, fince
we learn not foreign Tongues but with great
Labour. The fame is to be underftood of the
Knowledge of Reading, Writing, Singing, and
pf.'the Knowledge of other Sciences, if a Per-
fon had never learnt them. Levinm Ltmnim
therefore lies under aMiftake,where he tells us,
that melancholick Perfons, and fuch as are in
5
•
. frenzie, thro a fervent ebullition of the Hu-
mours
 br Familiar Spirit*. 391
mours, and a vehement agi ration of th
rits, ma; wuious Lanj Ire
ttus the
fets forth many other Signs of D*mmiacks3
tho' not fo certain as die former : and he fets
forth alfo the Signs giv'n by Voctims and others
pf them, for which I you to his Hook.
refer
This, I think, is enough in anfwer to Dr.
her's Algernon, that the Devil has nothing
to do in Difeafes.
As for the Cavils of many Writers againft
the poflibllity of a covenanting Witch, I am
throughly convincd,that if an Apparition pre-
fects itfelf to any Perfon, as many have to
my felf; if that Perfon be fallen from God,
and funk into defpair, thro' the Miferies of
human Life, having not that Chriftian Ar-
mour on which St. Paul fpeaks of, he may
make a Covenant with him, as well as with a
Man, and, if they fay there can be no Cove-
nant with a Spirit, how comes it that there
has has been a Covenant betwixt God and
Man?
There is one Point of Dr. Bekkers Do&rine,
which remains to be anfwerd, where he fays,
if we think to fright People with Spectres, to
teach them fo much the more to love God, it's
a miferable thing in Chriftianity, that People
muft be brought to God by a fervile Fear, in-
ftead of Lore.
Now this feems not to me fo extraordinary
a Leffon in Divinity, for, as we know the
Love of God to be the confumm.ition of Wit
dom, fo the Fear of God U ginning of
it; and I think a fervile Fear ftill neceflary to
the generality of Mankind for Parents have
;

Rods to? their Children, Millers for their

c 4 C Sch
 jc?! An Account of Genii,
Scholar*, Princes for their Subjects ; and tho*
allthrqe would perfuade thofe under them to
do what they are enjoyn'd for Love, yet fuch
generally is therelu&ancy of humane Nature,
from clcing what is enjoyn'd it,thro' an exorbi-
tancy of our Paffiens, that till thefe are broken
by a Cnriftian or Philofophical Training, or
we are come to a clearness of Judgment, by
a long Practice and Experience in the Affairs
of humane Life, Love alone will not do ; and
the fervile Fear of thofe Rods mull be upheld •>

2nd the Scriptures teach us that we muft be

content with the Bond Woman for a while,
till we may deferve to Marry the Free Wo-

man,
Thus,I think, I have fufficiently anfwer'd
what has been Hated from Dr. Bekker. But
there is cne thing remains for me to take no-
tice of in him. In his fourth Volume he has
taken upon him to examine the Proofs that
are brought from Experience for theExiftence
and Operations of Damons, and to refute them.
I have intimated before how groundlefly he
has there reje&ed the Demons of Tthvorth and
Mafcon ; and here I fhall obferve how he re-
jects what is {aid of the Piper at Hamelim He
tells us,thathis Matter Scbookius ,hzs refuted that
Story in his little Book in Latin, Entituled,
&$uia Hamiknjn? 6F wjipfe Reafons he leaves
the Reader to judge, 'and adds many Sug-
£,eftions of his own againfl it.
Part. 4. New, Frcn?mannus, in his third Book of Magi-
sec. t.c. 7; having given us the Rela-
cz i EJcinatiov, lifter
Depr4er don of
- it's let down by Kircher,
this %iper as
f
D$m,c.t,6.
rn(J Schottus an<j after having told us, that
.

Wlerm fays, This .Story is entred in the pub-

lick Records of the Town , and Painted in
the'
 or Familiar Spirits. ?
p}
theChurch Windows, of which himfelf was an
Witncfs , and that the Magiftrate there
was wont to the publick »m the
IfCar of the goil Children, to-
gether v. ith the Year of Chrift; and that its
ohL wax to this Day in Mark of the
the Sound of a Timbrel is never ad-
mit: that Street, by which the Boys
went forth, if any Bride hap'ly be led forth
waybill fhebe gone forth; nor is dancing
p Knitted there. I lay, after having fet forth
this, he lavs, That Martin Scbockm ftrongly
endeavoured in a peculiar little Book, to rank
this ftory among
fabulous Relations, but Tbto.
Kircbmeierus egregioufly fhammed all his effort,
in a peculiar Difputation at IVitteberg > Anno
1671.
Now, Dr. Bekker, has not been fo Candid
as to take notice of this in Fromyncinnus , as he
ought to have done \ he having read Frowman^
nus, as it appears by his quoting him ^ in his
^rh Volume^ c. 2.
I could add much more againft T)r.Bekier3
but this fhall fuffice at prefent.
And now, before I make an end , in re-
gard that in the front of my Book, I have pro-
mis'd fome Account of my particular Expe-
rience as to a ienfible Perception of Spirits,
perhaps it may be expected from me, that I
-fhoulc let forth flme more particulars, than I
ll^:ve yet done concerning it. As to this, I
frail only fay, that in regard I do not urge my
own Experience, as Argumentative, for prov-
ing the exiilencv of Spirits , and their
Operations, I think it may he looked upon as
3 thing of more Guqofity than Ufe to enlarge
i;pon it 3 though I fhall add the following
gtoit. J
394 An Account of Genii,'
I declare then, with all the Sincerity of i
Chriftian, that it never fo much as entred in-

to my Thoughts to ufe any practice for raiting,

or calling Spirits , as fome Men have done ;
and tha: when they came , it was altogether
a furprize to me. At their fir ft coming they
did not appear to me, nor come into my
Chamber^ but kept at my Chamber Windows,
and in a Court adjoyning to one of my Cham-
ber Windows, and in a Garden adjoyning to
another Window. They called to me , fung,
play'd on Mufick , rung Bells , fometimes
crowed like Cocks, &c and I have great
Reafon to believe thefe to be all good Spirits,
for I found nothing in them tending to ill
their drift incomings as far as I could per-
ceive, being only td compofe my Mind, and
to bring it to its higheft Purity j they ufed
no Threats to me, but the furprize kept al-
ways a Terror upon me, and they continued
with me about two Months.
Their fecond coming to me was fome Years
after, when at firft there came Five, as I have
fet forth in my Fourth Chapter ; and prefent-?
ly after there came Hundreds, and I faw fome
of them Dance in a Ring in my Garden, ancf
Sing , holding Hands round, not facing each
other, but their Backs turned 'to the inner
part of the Circle, I found thefe of a pro-
mifcuous Nature, fome good, and fome bad,
as among Men ; for fome of them would
now and then Curfe and Swear, and talk
ioofely , and others would reprehend them
* for it. Yet none of thefe ever perfwaded me
to any ill thing j but all would dilfwade me
from drinking too freely , and any other ir-
regularity $ and if at any time I was upon
going
 ; .

Or Fdtmlidr Spirit*. $95

going to any Neighbouring Town,they would
tell mc they would go with me, which I
found tl ould there call
my Curtain, by my Be is they ufually

did at my Houle, and talk to me.

Befide thele two great Vifitations, they have
Come to me now and then for fome Years, and
fomerimes have ftay'd with me a Week, fomc-
times two or three Days ; and all along from
their firft coming, they have very often fug-
gefted things to me in my Dreams, as now
and then they do {till. At their firft coming
ird no name of any of them mentioned,
as I did at their fecond poming. I had a per-
ception of them by four of my Senfes, for I
{aw them, heard them, and three of them had
a dark fmoak coming out of their Mouths,
which feemed fomewhat offenfive to theSmell,
it being like the fmoak of a Lamp ; and three
of them bid me take them by the Hand, which
I did, but it yielded to my touch, fo that I
could not find any fenfible refiftency in it
neither could I perceive any coldnefs in them^
as it's faid fome Apparitions have had. I did not
ask them many curious Queftions , as I find
many Men think I fliould,and,as they fay,they
would have done but I always kept me on
;

my guard, and ftill required them to be gone,

and would not enter into fuch Familiarily
with them. Indeed I ask'd them once, what
Creatures they were, and they told me, they
were an Order of Creatures fuperior to Man-
kind, and could Influence our Thoughts, and
that their Habitation was in the Air ; I ask'd
them alfo feveral things relating to my own
concerns in this World , and I found fome-
times both in theif Anfwcrs, and in what
they
l$6 An Account of Genii,
they iuggefted in my Dreams , things very
furprizing to me. One of them lay down up-
on my Bed by me, every Night, for a confi-
derable time, and pretended great kindnefs to
me, and if fome others at any time would
threaten me, th^t Spirit told me , they fhould
<lo me no hurt.
you ask me, whether I really think thefe
If
Apparitions to be Spirits , or only an efFed of
Melancholy,, I can only fay , what St. Paul
faid of the Nature of his Rapture, God knows,
I know not, but they appear'd to me Real.
Tandlerus , in his Dijfertation concerning Melan-
€holy> tells us , That the afFe& of Melancholy
chiefly happens to Perfons from the Fortieth
to the Sixtieth Year of their Age, and that it's
contracted chiefly in the Summer ^nd Autumn,
and comes to an Head in the Spring ; and I
muft own that I was above Forty Years of Age,
before any thing in this kind happen d to me,
but it was about Chrlfimas , that the Appariti-
ons came to me, both times.
As for Melancholy > I know not whether
my Temperament may have fome allay of it,
but I think, I carry more of a Sanguine. In-
deed., there was this, that might help to exalt
the other. When they firft came to me, I was
juftlipon a recovery from an intermittent Fe-
ver, which had held me above twelve Months;
and I confefs at that tjme I was unfortunately
involved, in an unnatural Suit in Law, with
* a too near Relation , which might fomewhat
difcempofe my Mind ;and at the Spirits fe-
cond coming, that fuit in Law was continued,
and I cannot fay, but at that time I might have
been fomewhat affe&ed by that faying of the
Wifelylan, Vrov. 2j\ Si Ded^s tcvjm >
w.litui
Z . Vldtr
 cr Familiar Spirit-. 397
vhhbunt nempe , viftonn ,
extrane.isy &
wktabiUi
term explains it; but \t\De SpcFI.
fuch am occafion fhould caufe them CO ** u 4
€ "
*
if

D with mc above three Months.

I could add many more particulars of what
pah ad my iolf, for in-
deed I kept a Journal of fome Years,
it for
well for what pafs'd in my Dreams, as other-
wife; but I fhall forbear to trouble the Rea-
der farther, only adding, that as thefe Vifita-
tions of Spirits, gave me an occafion to confi-
der how far Humane Reafon could bear, as
to a making out of the Exiftence of Spirits,
and their Operations , fo I muft declare , I
firmly believe, that as the whole vifible World
has proceeded from the invifible World, which
will hold good even according to the Epicure-
an Dodtrine fo , that Spirits both good and
)

bad are concern d in the Adminiftration of ir,

as Agents fubordinate to the firft Caufe ; and
this I adhere to as well by nAfodium of Reafon,
as that of Faith, in whicn, I think, we are all
bound to acquiefce. And it appears plain e-
nough to me, that thofe that will not fo do,
will but lofe themfelves in a vertiginous Doxo-
mania, and never center, in any lolid Truth.

A
^8 "Jn Jccomt of Geniii

A
POSTSCRIPT.
HAving lately had the Honour to hear a
!

Relation of an Apparition, from the

Lord Bifhop of Gloucefter, and it being too
late for me to infert it in its proper place>
in this Book ; I give it you here, by way of
Poftfcript; as follows.
c
Sir Charles Lee, by his firft Lady, had only
€
one Daughter, of which lhe died in Child-
c
Birth ; and when (he was Dead, her Sifter,
* theLady Everard , defir'd to have the
* Education of the Child j and lhe was by
c
her very well Educated, till lhe was Marri-
* ageable
; and a Match was concluded for
* her, with Sir V/tlliam Ferkins but was then
,
c
prevented in an extraordinary manner. Up-
c
on a Thurfday Night, flie, thinking lhe faw a
* Light in her Chamber, after lhe was in Bed,
c
knock'd for her Maid , who prefently came
$ and lhe ask'd, why lhe left a Candle
' to her
c
burning in her Chamber ? The Maid laid
€
lhe left none, and there was none, but what!
* lhe brought with her at that time. Then lhe
r
faid it was the Fire ; but that her Maid told
* her was quite out
j and faid, lhe believ'd it
c
was only a Dream , whereupon lhe laid it
c
might be fo, and composed her felf again to
c
fleep; but about two of the Clock lhe was
c
awaken d again , and few th$ Apparition of
 1

or FatnMat Spirits* 599

* a little Woman,bctwecn her Curtain and her
*
Pillow , who told her (he w.ii> her Moth,
that flic was Hap: I chat bv T\\ Jve of
lock, that 1 fhould be withJ
whereupon knok'd a.
(he her \1
tor her Clothes
I and vvlun flic
,
'

dxefs'd, went into her Clofet, and came not

out again till Nine and then brought out
;

with her a Letter fealed to her Father, brought

it to her Aunt, the Lady Everard , told her
what had happen d, and delir'd, that affoon
as fhe was Dead, it might be fent to him; but
the Lady thought fhe was fuddenly fall'n
Mad ; and thereupon fent prefently away
to Chelmsford, for a Phyfician and Surgeon,
who both came immediately, but the Phyft-
cian could difcern no Indication of what the
Lady imagin'd , or of any Indifpofition of
her Body, notwithftanding the Lady would
needs have her let Blood, which was done ac-
cordingly and when theYoung Woman had
;

patiently let them do what they would with

her fhe defir'd that theChaplain might be cal-
led to read Prayers ; and when Prayers were
ended, fhe took her Gittar and Vfalm £^£,and
fate down upon a Chair without Arms , and
play'd and fung fo melodioufly and admi-
rably , that her Mufick-Mafter , who \
then there, admired at it; and near the ftroke
of Twelve, fhe rofe, and fate her felf down
in a great Chair with Arms , and prefently
fetching a ftrong Breathing or two, imme-
diately Expired > and was 10 fuddenly cold,
as much wondred at by the Phyfici
and Surgeon. She dyed at ti

three Miles from ; aul the I

4oo ' An Account of Genii,
€
fer was fent to Sir Charles, at his Houfc u
€
Warwickshire ; but he was fb afflicted with
€
the Death of his Daughter > that he came
€
nottill fhe was Buried but when he came,
,•

c
caus'd her to be taken up, and to be buryed
f
by her Mother at Edminton 3 as fhe defir'd in
c
her Letter. This was about the Year i66z
€
0x6%. And this Relation the Lord Bifhop
of Gloucefter, had from Sir Charles Lee him-
felf.

FINIS.