Demonology -- Early works to 1800; Magic -- Early works to 1800; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800
But what credit is to be attributed to such toies and chances, which
grow not of nature, but are gathered by the superstition of the
interpretors? As for birds, who is so ignorant that conceiveth not,
that one flieth one waie, another another waie, about their privat
necessities? And yet are the other divinations more vaine and foolish.
Howbeit, _Plato_ thinketh a commonwealth cannot stand without this art,
and numbereth it among the liberall sciences. These fellowes promised
_Pompeie_, _Cassius_, and _Cæsar_, that none of them should die before
they were old, and that in their owne houses, and in great honor; and
yet they all died cleane contrarilie. Howbeit doubtles, the heathen in
this point were not so much to be blamed, as the sacrificing papists:
for they were directed hereunto without the knowledge of Gods promises;
neither knew they the end why such ceremonies and sacrifices were
instituted; but onelie understood by an uncerteine and slender report,
that God was woont to send good or ill successe to the children of
Israell, and to the old patriarchs and fathers, upon his acceptance
or disallowance of their sacrifices and oblations. But men in all
ages have beene so desirous to know the effect of their purposes,
the sequele of things to come, and to see the end of their feare and
hope; that a seelie witch, which had learned anie thing in the art of
cousenage, may make a great manie jollie fooles.
♦_Plato in Phædro, in Timeo, in lib. de Republ._♦
♦Wherein the papists are more blame worthie than the heathen.♦
The tenth Chapter.
_The cousening art of sortilege or lotarie, practised especiallie by
Aegyptian vagabonds, of allowed lots, of Pythagoras his lot, &c._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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