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burnt. Then presently with an irresistible power of Magick, and blind force of the Gods,
the bodies of those whose haires did smoke, and crash, assume the spirit of a man, and
feel, and hear, and walk, and come whither the stink of their haire led them, and insteed
of Bæotius the young man, come skipping, and leaping with joy, and love into the house.
Austin [Augustine] also reports, that he heard of some women Sorceresses, that were so
versed in these kind of arts, that by giving cheese to men, they could presently turn them
into working cattell [cattle], and the work being done, restored them into men again.
Chap. xlii. Of the wonderful vertues of some kinds of Sorceries.
Now I will shew you what some of the Sorceries are, that by the example of these there
may be a way opened for the consideration of the whole subject of them. Of these
therefore the first is menstruous bloud [blood], which, how much power it hath in
Sorcery, we will now consider; for, as they say, if it comes over new wine, it makes it
soure, and if it doth but touch the Vine it spoyles [spoils] it for ever, and by its very touch
it makes all Plants, and Trees barren, and they that be newly set, to die; it burns up all the
hearbs [herbs] in the garden, and makes fruit fall off from the Trees, it darkens the
brightness of a looking glass, dulls the edges of knives, and razors, dims the beauty of
Ivory, and makes Iron presently rusty, it makes brass rust, and smell very strong: it makes
dogs mad, if they do but tast [taste] of it, and if they being thus mad shall bite any one,
that wound is incurable: it kils [kills] whole hives of Bees, and drives them from the
hives that are but touched with it, it makes linnen [linen] black that are boyled [boiled], it
makes Mares cast their foal if they do but touch it, and makes women miscarry if they be
but smeared with it: it makes Asses barren as long as they eat of the corn that hath been
touched with it. The ashes of menstruous clothes, if they be cast upon purple garments
that are to be washed, change the colour of them, and takes away colours from flowers.
They say that it drives away tertian, and quartane Agues, if it be put into the wooll of a
black Ram, and tyed [tied] up in a silver bracelet, as also if the soles of the patients feet
be noynted [anointed] therewith, and especially if it be done by the woman her self, the
patients not knowing of it; moreover it cures the fits of the falling sickness. But most
especially it cures them that are affraid [afraid] of water, or drink after they are bitten
with a mad dog, if onely a menstruous cloth be put under the cup. Besides, they report,
that if menstruous women shall walk naked about the standing corn, they make all
cankars [cankers], worms, beetles, flyes [flies], and all hurtfull things fall off from the
corn: but they must take heed that they do it before Sun rising [sunrise], or else they will
make the corn to wither. Also they say that they are able to expell hail, tempests, and
lightnings, more of which Pliny makes mention of. Know this, that they are a greater
poyson [poison] if they happen in the decrease of the Moon, and yet much greater, if they
happen betwixt the decrease, and change of the Moon: But if they happen in the Eclypse
[eclipse] of the Moon or Sun, they are an incurable poyson [poison]. But they are of
greatest force of all, when they happen in the first years, even in the years of virginity, for
if they do but touch the posts of the house there can no mischeif [mischief] take effect in
it. Also they say that the threads of any garment touched therewith, cannot be burnt, and
if they be cast into the fire, it will spread no further. Also it is said that the root of Peony
being given with Castor [oil], and smeared over with a menstruous cloth, cureth the
falling sickness. Moreover if the stomack [stomach] of a Hart be burnt or rosted [roasted],
and to it be put a perfuming made with a menstruous cloth, it will make crass-bows
[cross-bows] useless for the killing of any game: The haires of a menstruous woman put
under dung, breed Serpents: and if they be burnt, will drive away Serpents with their
smell. So great a poysonous [poisonous] force is in them, that they are poyson [poison] to
poysonous [poisonous] creatures. There is also Hippomanes, which amongst Sorceries is
not the least taken notice of, and it is a little venemous [venomous] piece of flesh as big
as a fig, and black, which is in the forehead of a Colt newly foaled, which unless the
Mare her self doth presently eat, she will never after love her foals, or let it suck. And for
this cause they say there is a most wonderful power in it to procure love, if it be
powdered, and drank in a cup with the blood of him that is in love. There is also another
Sorcery, which is called by the same name, viz. Hippomanes, viz. a venemous
[venomous] humour, issuing out of the share of a Mare what time she desires a horse, of
which Virgill makes mention, when he sings
Hence comes that poison which the Shepherds call
Hippomanes, and from Mares groines doth fall,
The wofull [woeful] bane of cruell stepdames use,
And with a charme 'mongst powerfull drugs infuse.
Of this doth Juvenall the Satyrist [Satirist] make mention.
Hippomanes, poysons [poisons] that boyled [boiled] are, and charmes
Are given to Sons in law, with such like harmes.
Apollonius also in his Argonauticks makes mention of the hearb [herb] of Prometheus,
which he saith groweth from corrupt blood dropping upon the earth, whilest the Vultur
[vulture] was gnawing upon the liver of Prometheus upon the hill Caucasus. The flowre
[flower] of this hearb [herb], he saith, is like Saffron, having a double stalk hanging out, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]