296 ; The eightand twentieth Booke | “ 
dace,when as a certaine chariot with fourehorfes made of cley,and prepared for tobe fetupon G 
’ the lever or lanterne of the faid temple,chaunced asit lay baking in the furnacetogrow into-am: 
" extraordinaric bigneffe.For the forefaid Wife men of Tufcane being asked what the faid prodi~ 
gie fhould betoken, praétifed the like, as Olenys did :but the Romanesbeeing wife and warie in’ 
uheit words,faved and retained the fame fortune ftill for the behoofeof Rome, which was prefa-: 
ged unto them by that happie foretoken, Thefe examples may fufficeto fhew & proove evident=. 
ly that the vertues and fignifications of thefe fignes and prefages doelie in our ownepower:and > 
*Whereupon are no otherwife of force and effect, but according as every one of themisfotaken™ and accep. | 
mes wus" ted. Trueitis,and held for an undoubted principle in the Augures difcipline and learning, Thae: 
| fpeake in chis Neither curfed execrations, ominousand unluckie birds, nor any other prefage by their flight: 
jeu aoe finging and feeding, can touch thofe perfons who takeno heed of them, and doe proteft plain- py 
otherwife ir ly,that they regard them not,what bufineffe foever they goe about and beentringinta:A greater: - 
availednor, gift chan which,and teftimonie of the divine indulgence and favour of the gods untous,wecan-. 
| not have,thus tofubject their fecrets to our puiffance. Moreover, in the lawes and ordinances of 
thetwelve tables hereat Rome,are not in oneplace thefe very words to befound, Quifruges c= 
centalsit, (¢.Whofoever fhall enchaunt or fore(peake any corne or fruits of the earth :|and im another 
place, Que malum carmen incantafsit,[iWhat perfonfoever ufeth pernicious charmes tothe hurt or 
mifcheefe of any creature?) Over and befides,Verrius Flaccus doth affirme upon the credit of cere 
taine authors which he alledgeth and beleeveth, That the firft ching which the ancient Romans 
were wont to doe atthe fiege and affault of any towne orcitie,was by their priefts to conjure and. 
call forth that god or goddeffe which was the patron or patrone§ thereof and withalltopromife| y 
untothefaid god or goddeffe,cither the fame place againie, or elfe a greaterand more fpacious, 
feat; yea, and the like divine worfhip, or better, among the Romanes : and evenatthis day our 
Pontifics or Bithops have the charge of this facred ceremonie among other functions belon- 
. ging to their minifterie. And hereupon well knowneit is,that for this caufe and nothing elfe, it 
te i ping was never divulged abroad,what god was the prorectotand patrone of Rome cittie,for fear leaft 
“villtakethee, £0me of our enemies {hould aflay to conjure him forth,and deale by us.as wee docby them, Fure 
or,TheRavens thermore, who isther that is notafraid of all malediGtions and curfedexecrations; andefpe- 
peck out thine 
| rather {ce thee feare likewife of {ome harme,fee wee not thatitis an ufuall thingto *cruth and breake both egge 
Pie peckt:aad and fith fhels, fofoone as ever the meat is {upped and eaten out of them ; or elfe to bore the 
‘toch like. 
‘witches mighe 
pricke them Ase a : : 
with a needle there be of this beleefe, That by certain {pels and words, in manner of charmes,all the pots and 
| Bey Beale bee burt by enchauntment, fo they can unwitch themfelves :and that as brutifh otherwife and 
aurc and mil- 
cheefe,accor- 
‘ding to the 
rachte of, intoaknor,though it were in the night feafon when they lie afleepe.Some there be alfothat when 
mage ee any @skarefire hath taken an houfe,write certaine *words upon the walls,and thereby limit and con- 
Ss on in wax s fine the fire,that it fhall goe no farther. Certes,1 am notable to fay,whether ftraunge, forain,and 
dicain the 
witcheraft of 
hefe daics. 
‘estws noteth, majeftie therewithto encline and move the gods to mercie and favour,or rather indeedto com- 
rnaund their heavenly power perforce. But to proceed, Homer the Poet hath written,that prince | 
plicis,1n his pes! : ae 4 
éyfiea, coach wherein herode,would never afterwards ride in coach againe,unlefle fo fooneasever hee — 
3 had 
