The counterfeit _Aegyptians_, which were indeed cousening vagabonds, practising the art called _Sortilegium_, had no small credit among the multitude: howbeit, their divinations were as was their fast and loose, and as the witches cures and hurtes, & as the soothsaiers answers, and as the conjurors raisings up of spirits, and as _Apollos_ or the Rood of graces oracles, and as the jugglers knacks of legierdemaine, and as the papists exorcismes, and as the witches charmes, and as the counterfeit visions, and as the couseners knaveries. Hereupon it was said; _Non inveniatur inter vos menahas_, that is _Sortilegus_, which were like to these Aegyptian couseners. As for other lots, they were used, and that lawfullie; as appeareth by _Jonas_ and others that were holie men, and as may be seene among all commonwelths, for the deciding of diverse controversies, &c: wherein thy neighbour is not misused, nor God anie waie offended. But in truth I thinke, bicause of the cousenage that so easilie may be used herein, God forbad it in the commonwealth of the Jewes, though in the good use thereof it was allowed in matters of great weight; as appeareth both in the old and new testament; and that as well in doubtfull cases and distributions, as in elections and inheritances, and pacification of variances. I omit to speake anie thing of the lots comprised in verses, concerning the lucke ensuing, either of _Virgil_, _Homer_, or anie other, wherein fortune is gathered by the sudden turning unto them: bicause it is a childish and ridiculous toie, and like unto childrens plaie at _Primus secundus_, or the game called The philosophers table: but herein I will referre you to the bable it selfe, or else to _Bodin_, or to some such sober writer thereupon; of whome there is no want. ♦Sortilege or lotshare.♦ ♦Levit. 16. Num. 33. & 36. Josu. 14. 1. Chron. 24 & 26. Prover. 18. Jonas. 1. Acts. 1.♦ There is a lot also called _Pythagoras_ lot, which (some saie) _Aristotle_ beleeved: and that is, where the characters of letters have certeine proper numbers; whereby they divine (through the proper names of men) so as the numbers of each letters being gathered in a summe, and put togither, give victorie to them whose summe is the greater; whether the question be of warre, life, matrimonie, victorie, &c: even as the unequall number of vowels in proper names portendeth lacke of sight, halting, &c: which the godfathers and godmothers might easilie prevent, if the case stood so. ♦Of Pythagoras lot.♦ The eleventh Chapter. _Of the Cabalisticall art, consisting of traditions and unwritten verities learned without booke, and of the division thereof._