CHAPTER XX

Of Superstitious Folk.*
Argument.
E it known to them who lightly
use and practise superstitious rites, that the inventor of all superstitious and vain observances is the devil, who at the beginning of the world led nearly the whole human race astray into idolatry. They, therefore, who study and follow superstitious observ- ances show themselves to be disciples not of Christ but of the devil, and they manifest themselves to be lovers of his service and learned in his wiles, and they are alienated from the teaching of the Catholic Church. But it is a marvel that anyone should put faith in such illusions, if he knows of the wretched death of all magicians and conjurers. Zoroaster, the inventor of magic, was at last burned to ashes by the very demon to which he addressed his too importunate supplications, as S. Clement has testified. The fate of Simon Magus is notorious, how he was carried up in the air by demons, and fell and broke his legs, and died in anguish and ignominy. When Heinrich Cornelius Agrippat was at
* “Of Superstitious Folk.” The present Pope, Pius XI, now happily reigning, has re- commended (says the “‘Osservatore Romano,” 11 January, 1929) the bishops to condemn super- stitions, particularly the prejudice against the number thirteen and the idea that Friday is an unlucky day.
_t “Agrippa.” But see Weyer, “De Praes- tiguis Daemonum,” II, c. v, 11 and 12. Weyer lived for some years in daily attendance upon
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BK. II. CH. XIX.
the point of death he drove from him his dog, a familiar, saying: ““Depart, evil beast! You have destroyed me.” The citizens knew how Joannes Por- tantius met his death in prison at Antwerp. William,{ Archbishop of Tyre, in his Historia Hterosolymitana (VIII, 15) tells how two sorcerers tried to bewitch the war machines of the Christians, and were themselves the first to be killed by them.
That conjurer of high estate Zyto lived a consort and companion of devils to the end, when he was taken body and soul from the midst of men. Johann Faust, the famous German sor- cerer of our time, was at last dragged from his bed by the cacodemon at night, and was strangled with his face twisted round to his back, and the whole house was shaken and nearly fell, as we are told by Camerarius and others. Francesco Pico tells how he heard from his friends who were actually present that a certain sor- cerer had been carried away alive by a demon and was never to be found anywhere again. And Scoto of Parma in our own day had his neck twisted in an ale-house by a demon in Ger- many, and perished miserably.
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Examples.
Johann Pistorius§ the younger in his Artis cabbalisticae tomus unus writes
Agrippa, and the black dog; “‘Monsieur,”’ re- Specting which such strange stories were spread, was a perfectly innocent animal which he had himself often led about on its leash. Agrippa was much attached to his dog, which used to eat off the table with him and of nights lie in his bed.
t “William.” Born in Palestine of a Euro- pean family about 1127-30; died in 1190 or a little later. Baldwin IV, who became king of Jerusalem in 1174, appointed William chan- cellor and then Archbishop of Tyre. His chief work is the “Historia Hierosolymitana’’ in 23 books.
§ ““Fohann Pistorius.” ‘1546-1608. The son of a well-known Protestant minister, he was
BK. II. CH. XX.
that there was a swineherd who had in his pastoral staff a writing inscribed with the name of S. Blaise; and he thought that the virtue of this staff kept his swine safe from attack by wolves, and placed such confidence in it that he would leave his swine to feed alone in the fields. At last it chanced that, while the swineherd was absent, someone passed that way and saw a demon keeping the herd, and asked what he, the sworn persecutor of human safety, was guarding there. He answered: “I am guarding the swine.”’ The other asked: “‘ At whose bidding ?”’ And the demon said: “‘Be- cause of the foolish confidence of the swineherd. For he has put in his staff a writing to which he imputes divine virtue because it has upon it the name of S. Blaise; and the fool fast bound in false superstition believes that it supernaturally guards his swine from wolves. And when I had called and called him again, and he did not come, I undertook to keep the swine instead of S. Blaise; for I am always ready to take the place of God and His Saints. And so I most gladly keep his swine for him in the place of S. Blaise, that I may encourage and strengthen the silly man in his vain confidence, and lead him to think more of that writing than of God.”
Lucian, in the Philopseudes, relates that when a certain Eucrates saw an Egyptian magician named Pancrates do many marvels, he gradually in- sinuated himself into his friendship until he learned nearly all his secrets. At last the magician persuaded him to leave all his servants in Memphis and accompany him alone, for they would have no lack of servants; and from that time (he said) thus we lived.
converted in 1588. He filled many offices of high responsibility both before and after his ordina- tion in 1591. He wrote several controversial treatises of great value, such as the ‘“‘Anatomia Lutheri,’”’ Cologne, 1595-8. Hts ‘‘Artis caba- listicae tomus unus’’ was published at Basle in 1587. M
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‘When we came into an Inn, he taking the bolt of the door, or a broom or bar, and clothing it, spoke a charm to it, and to enable it to go, and in all things to resemble a man. The thing going forth, would draw water, pro- vide, and dress our supper, and dili- gently wait and attend upon us. After his business was done, he pronounced another charm, and turned the broom into a broom again, and the pestle into a pestle. This was an art which, though I laboured much, I could not learn of him. For this was a mystery which he denied me, though in all things else he were open. One day, hiding myself in a dark corner, I over- heard his charm, which was but three syllables. He having appointed the bolt its business, went into the market. The next day, he having some other employment in the market, I taking the pestle and apparelling it, in like manner pronounced the syllable, and bid it fetch me some water. When it had brought me a basin full, ‘It is enough,’ I said, ‘fetch no more, but be a pestle again.’ But it was so far from obeying me, that it ceased not to fetch water till it had overflown the room. I, much troubled at the acci- dent, and fearing lest if Pancrates should return (as he did) he would be much displeased, took an axe and cut the pestle in two. Then both parts taking several buckets fetched water. And instead of one, I had two servants. In the meantime Pancrates came in, and perceiving what had happened, transformed them into wood again, as they were before I uttered the spell. Shortly after he secretly left me, and vanishing went I know not whither.” Here it may be seen how his curiosity was nearly the cause of his being drowned. (From Sir T. More’s trans- lation.)
Hear another example of how some men were in instant danger of cutting off their own noses. Philippus Came- rarius writes as follows: Johann Faust was once with some noted persons who had heard much concerning his magic,
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and they asked him to show them a specimen of his art. For a long time he refused, but at last yielded to the not too sober company and promised that he would show them whatever they wished. With one accord they desired him to show them a vine laden with ripe grapes: for they thought that, on account of the unseasonable time of year (for it was winter), this would be impossible for him to do. Faust agreed, and said that what they had asked for would presently be seen upon the table: but he made this con- dition, that they should all keep per- fectly still and silent until he told them to pluck the grapes; for if they did otherwise they would be in instant danger of their lives. When they had
MALEFICARUM BK. II. CH. XX.
given this promise, he soon so deceived the eyes of that drunken company and obscured their senses that they thought they saw upon a fair vine as many large and juicy grapes as there were persons present. Greedy for such a novelty, and thirsty after their drink- ing, they took their knives and awaited his bidding to cut the grapes. At last, after he had kept the fools for some time in suspense in their vain error, the vine and its grapes suddenly vanished in smoke; and each one of them was seen holding, instead of a grape, his own nose with his knife poised over it. So if any of them had
forgotten the condition and tried to
cut his grapes, he would have sliced off his own nose.
THE THIRD BOOK, TREAT- ING OF THE DIVINE REME- DIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE BEWITCHED; AND OF CER- TAIN OTHER MATTERS.
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