The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton
page 272 of 2094 (12%)
page 272 of 2094 (12%)
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on his conjuring cap. But such examples are infinite. That which they can
do, is as much almost as the devil himself, who is still ready to satisfy their desires, to oblige them the more unto him. They can cause tempests, storms, which is familiarly practised by witches in Norway, Iceland, as I have proved. They can make friends enemies, and enemies friends by philters; [1261]_Turpes amores conciliare_, enforce love, tell any man where his friends are, about what employed, though in the most remote places; and if they will, [1262]"bring their sweethearts to them by night, upon a goat's back flying in the air." Sigismund Scheretzius, _part. 1. cap. 9. de spect._ reports confidently, that he conferred with sundry such, that had been so carried many miles, and that he heard witches themselves confess as much; hurt and infect men and beasts, vines, corn, cattle, plants, make women abortive, not to conceive, [1263]barren, men and women unapt and unable, married and unmarried, fifty several ways, saith Bodine, _lib. 2. c. 2._ fly in the air, meet when and where they will, as Cicogna proves, and Lavat. _de spec. part. 2. c. 17._ "steal young children out of their cradles, _ministerio daemonum_, and put deformed in their rooms, which we call changelings," saith [1264]Scheretzius, _part. 1. c. 6._ make men victorious, fortunate, eloquent; and therefore in those ancient monomachies and combats they were searched of old, [1265]they had no magical charms; they can make [1266]stick frees, such as shall endure a rapier's point, musket shot, and never be wounded: of which read more in Boissardus, _cap. 6. de Magia_, the manner of the adjuration, and by whom 'tis made, where and how to be used _in expeditionibus bellicis, praeliis, duellis_, &c., with many peculiar instances and examples; they can walk in fiery furnaces, make men feel no pain on the rack, _aut alias torturas sentire_; they can stanch blood, [1267]represent dead men's shapes, alter and turn themselves and others into several forms, at their pleasures. [1268]Agaberta, a famous witch in Lapland, would do as much publicly to all spectators, _Modo Pusilla, modo anus, modo procera ut quercus, modo vacca, |
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