CENTURY X. 489 



than one, yet we will now make some entrance 

 thereinto. 



Experiments in consort, monitory, touching transmis 

 sion of spirits, and the force of imagination. 



901. Men are to be admonished that they do not 

 withdraw credit from the operations by transmission 

 of spirits, and force of imagination, because the 

 effects fail sometimes. For as in infection, and con 

 tagion from body to body, as the plague, and the 

 like, it is most certain that the infection is received, 

 many times, by the body passive, but yet is, by the 

 strength and good disposition thereof, repulsed and 

 wrought out, before it be formed into a disease ; so 

 much more in impressions from mind to mind, or 

 from spirit to spirit, the impression taketh, but is en 

 countered and overcome by the mind and spirit, 

 which is passive, before it work any manifest effect. 

 And therefore they work most upon weak minds and 

 spirits ; as those of women, sick persons, supersti 

 tious and fearful persons, children, and young 

 creatures : 



&quot; Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos :&quot; 

 The poet speaketh not of sheep, but of lambs. As 

 for the weakness of the power of them upon kings 

 and magistrates, it may be ascribed, besides the 

 main, which is the protection of God over those that 

 execute his place, to the weakness of the imagination 

 of the imaginant : for it is hard for a witch or a 

 sorcerer to put on a belief that they can hurt such 

 persons. 



