But least some poets fables might be thought lies (whereby the witchmongers arguments should quaile) he mainteineth for true the most part of _Ovids Metamorphôsis_, and the greatest absurdities and impossibilities in all that booke: marie he thinketh some one tale therein may be fained. Finallie, he confirmeth all these toies by the storie of _Nabuchadnez-zar_. And bicause (saith he) _Nabuchadnez-zar_ continued seven yeres in the shape of a beast, therefore may witches remaine so long in the forme of a beast; having in all the meane time, the shape, haire, voice, strength, agilitie, swiftnes, food and excrements of beasts, and yet reserve the minds and soules of women or men. Howbeit, _S. Augustine_ (whether to confute or confirme that opinion judge you) saith; _Non est credendum, humanum corpus dæmonum arte vel potestate in bestialia lineamenta converti posse_: We may not beleeve that a mans bodie may be altered into the lineaments of a beast by the divels art or power. Item, _Bodin_ saith, that the reason whie witches are most commonlie turned into woolves, is; bicause they usuallie eate children, as woolves eate cattell. Item, that the cause whie other are truelie turned into asses, is; for that such have beene desirous to understand the secrets of witches. Whie witches are turned into cats, he alledgeth no reason, and therefore (to helpe him foorth with that paraphrase) I saie, that witches are curst queanes, and manie times scratch one another, or their neighbours by the faces; and therefore perchance are turned into cats. But I have put twentie of these witchmongers to silence with this one question; to wit, Whether a witch that can turne a woman into a cat, &c: can also turne a cat into a woman? ♦_August. lib. 8 de civit. Dei. cap. 18._ _Idem. lib. de spiritu & anima, cap. 26._♦ ♦_Ironia._♦ The second Chapter. _Absurd reasons brought by Bodin, and such others, for confirmation of transformations._