The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Religion
The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Spiritualism; Supernatural
[102] Two remarkable works for and against what was termed “Judiciall
Astrologie,” were published in the latter years of Queen Elizabeth’s
reign. One, attacking the system, from the pen of John Chamber, Prebendary
of Windsor and Fellow of Eton College (London: John Harrison, Paternoster
Row, 4to., Lambeth Library, 78 F. 22); the other defending it, in reply to
the above, by Sir Christopher Heydon, Knt., printed at Cambridge, by John
Legat, printer to the University in 1603 (Lambeth Library, 78 F. 12). The
former is a treatise of very considerable vigour and power of reasoning:
the latter is somewhat laboured, eminently pedantic, overburdened with
tedious and irrelevant quotations, and altogether very inferior from a
literary point of view.
[103] In almost all Heathen or Pagan countries, Witchcraft, Necromancy and
Sorcery are recognized and established institutions.
[104] There was a notorious sorcerer and reputed necromancer in King James
the First’s reign, a certain Dr. Lamb. In Baxter’s “Certainty of the World
of Spirits” (A.D. 1691), he records a curious instance of Lamb’s
miraculous performances. This sorcerer, meeting two of his acquaintances
in the street, they, expressing a wish to witness some example of his
spiritual skill, were invited to his house. There they were conducted to
an inner room, where to their intense surprise they saw a growing-tree
spring up slowly in the middle of the room. [It may be here remarked that
the Oriental jugglers and sorcerers work a similar manifestation of their
powers, often witnessed and frequently described.--Editor.] In a moment,
as this record informs us, there appeared three diminutive men, who with
little axes felled the tree; and then the doctor dismissed his guests, who
had been duly impressed by his powers. On that very night, however, a
tremendous hurricane arose, causing the house of one of the guests to rock
from side to side, with every probability that the house would fall, and
bury him and his wife in its ruins. The wife in an agony of fear inquired,
“Were you not at Dr. Lamb’s to-day?” The husband admitted that it was true
that he had been. “And did you not bring something away from his house?”
The husband confessed that he had done so. When the little men were
felling the tree, he had picked up some of the chips and put them into his
pocket. Nothing, therefore, as his wife pointed out, remained to be done
but to produce these chips, and get rid of them as fast as possible. When
this was done, the tempest ceased, and the rest of the night was perfectly
calm. It may be added that this sorcerer became so odious, because of his
necromancy and other infernal practices, that in 1640 the populace rose
upon him and tore him to pieces in the streets; while, thirteen years
afterwards, a woman who had been in his service was apprehended upon a
charge of Witchcraft, was tried on what seems to have been very strong and
conclusive evidence, found guilty, and in expiation of her crime was
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