We reade that many spirites haue appeared vnto certaine Hermites and Monkes in the shape of a woman, alluring and intising them to filthie lust. They appeare also in the fourme of brute beastes, sometime foure footed, as of a Dogge, a Swine, a Horsse, a Goate, a Catte, or a Hare: and sometimes of foules, and créeping wormes, as of a Crow, a night Owle, a schritch Owle, a Snake, or Dragon, whereof the Gentiles had great plentie in their Temples and houses, and nourished them, as we may reade euery where in the Poets. Spirits haue sometimes appeared in a pleasaunt fourme, and sometimes in a horrible shape. At one time some hath bene séene ryding on horsebacke, or going on foote, or crawling vppon all foure. At an other time hath appeared a man all burning in fire, or beraide with blood: and somewhile, his bowelles haue séemed to traile out, his belly being as it were ripped vp. Sometimes a shadow hath onely appeared: sometimes a hand, sometimes an instrument, as a staffe, a sworde, or some such lyke thing which the spirite helde in his hande. Sometimes he appeared in maner of a bundle of hey, burning on fire: another while onely a hoarse kinde of voyce was heard. Sometimes a spirit hath bene heard walking in the inner parte of the house, turning the leaues of a Booke, or telling money, or playing at dice, or bounsing against the wall. And sometimes there is heard a terrible noyse or clappe, as if a peale of Gunnes were discharged hard at hand. And spirits sometimes, taking a man by the arme or by the haire of the head, haue walked with them. [Sidenote: Olaus.] [Sidenote: Daunces of Spirits.] [Sidenote: Saxo.] [Sidenote: Pomponius Mela.] [Sidenote: Solinus.] =Olaus Magnus= in his third booke and eleuenth Chapter _De Gentibus Septentrionalibus_, writeth, that euen in these our dayes, in many places in the North partes, there are certaine monsters or spirites, which taking on them some shape or figure, vse (chiefly in the night season) to daunce, after the sounde of all maner of instruments of musicke: whom the inhabitants call companies, or dances of Elues, or Fairies. Somewhat also is to bee reade touching this matter in =Saxo Grammaticus=, in his historie of _Denmarke_. Such like things are those which =Pomponius Mela= reporteth in his third booke of the description of _Aethiopia_, that in _Mauritania_ beyonde the Mount _Atlas_, many times in the night season are séene great lightes, and that tinkling of Cymballs, and noyses of Pipes are also heard, and when it is daylight no man appeareth. =Solinus= writeth in his thirtie eight and fortie foure chapters, that in this same Mountaine, =Ægiptians= vse euery where to leade their daunces: of whom also =Plinie= maketh mention in his first booke and first Chapter. Men holde opinion, that they are =Panes=, =Faunes=, and =Satyres=, of whom the olde writers haue mentioned many things. [Sidenote: Hierome.]