But in so much as I am driven (for the more manifest bewraieng and displaieng of this most filthie and horrible error) to staine my paper with writing thereon certeine of their beastlie and bawdie assertions and examples, whereby they confirme this their doctrine (being my selfe both ashamed, and loth once to thinke upon such filthinesse, although it be to the condemnation thereof) I must intreat you that are the readers hereof, whose chaste eares cannot well endure to heare of such abhominable lecheries, as are gathered out of the bookes of those witchmongers (although doctors of divinitie, and otherwise of great authoritie and estimation) to turne over a few leaves, wherein (I saie) I have like a groome thrust their bawdie stuffe (even that which I my selfe loath) as into a stinking corner: howbeit, none otherwise, I hope, but that the other parts of my writing shall remaine sweet, and this also covered as close as may be. ♦A peroration to the readers.♦ ¶ _The fourth Booke._ The first Chapter. _Of witchmongers opinions concerning evill spirits, how they frame themselves in more excellent sort than God made us._ _James Sprenger_ and _Henrie Institor_, in _M. Mal._ agreing with _Bodin_, _Barth. Spineus_, _Danæus_, _Erastus_, _Hemingius_, and the rest, doo make a bawdie discourse; labouring to proove by a foolish kind of philosophie, that evill spirits cannot onlie take earthlie forms and shapes of men; but also counterfeit hearing, seeing, &c: and likewise, that they can eate and devoure meats, and also reteine, digest, and avoid the same: and finallie, use diverse kinds of activities, but speciallie excell in the use and art of venerie. For _M. Mal._ saith, that The eies and eares of the mind are farre more subtill than bodilie eies or carnall eares. Yea it is there affirmed, that as they take bodies, and the likenesse of members; so they take minds and similitudes of their operations. But by the way, I would have them answer this question. Our minds and soules are spirituall things. If our corporall eares be stopped, what can they heare or conceive of anie externall wisedome? And truelie, a man of such a constitution of bodie, as they imagine of these spirits, which make themselves, &c: were of farre more excellent substance, &c: than the bodies of them that God made in paradise; and so the divels workmanship should exceed the handie worke of God the father and creator of all things. ♦_Mal. malef. par. 2. cap. 4 quæst. 1._♦ ♦If his bodilie eies were out, he would see but ilfavoredlie.♦ The second Chapter. _Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of venerie may be performed betweene witches and divels, and when witches first yeelded to Incubus._