y 
| 274 The Aiiccaooel 
togither with all the pack of fuch phyficianssprophets,and wizards. Butwhatfhould Idifcoufe G | 
any longer in this wife,ofthat Arc which hath pafled overthe wide ocean alfo;and gone asfaras 
any land is to be feene, even tothe utmoftbounds of he earth; and heyond which, thereis:ino- 
ial thing to be difcovered but a vaft profpedt of Aire and WVater: And verely in Britaine arthis day 
itis highly honoured, where the people arefowholly devoted unto it, withall reverenceand res 
- - ligious obfervation of ceremonies, that a man would thinke, the Perfians: firftlearned- all their 
aaa Magicke from * them. See howthis Arc and the practife thereof is {pread over the face of the 
Chrovicles which Woole earth !and how * chofe nations were conformable enough to the reftof the world.in gis 
write of K. Arbor, ving entertainment thereto, who in all otherrefpedts are far different and divided froniithem,yea 
pee SS and in manneraltogither unknowne unto them. In which regard; the benefit is ineftimablethat 
Merlinthepropher the world hath received by the great providence of our Romans,who have abolifhedthefeamon- 
er haa : ftcous and abominable Arts, which under the fhew of religion, murdred men for facrifices to 
iS} ee 
meancth Englaj, pleafe the gods and under the colour of Phyficke,prefcribed the flefh tobe eaten as nfofthole- - 
Scotland,and Ire- fome meat. © 
lid,which feemed & ; ; | 
to be feparat from 5 Cuap. it. 
a ye ea 2& The (undrie kinds of —Magicke. Ti he execrable ats of Nero : and 
world.; where, in 
old rime Magicke : 
bare a great (way, , , ay 
and wicches fill F, /J Agicke may be prattifed after divers forts ,according as O/fhanes hath fet downein wri- 
peers cone NV ting : for it worketh by the means of " Water, Globes or Balls,’ Aire,* Stars,’ Fire-lights, 
2 Spharomantia ° Bafons,and’Axes: yea and many other means there be, that promife the fore-know- 
een tin ledge of things to come: befides the raifing up & conjuring of ghofts departed, the conference 
SPyrawamic,. alo with Familiars and fpirits infernal, And all thefe were found outin our daies, to beno better 
; dptaruonensie. chan vanities and falfe illufions,and that by the Emperour Nero, And yet was he never mote ad- 
Aximmanis. — ied to play upon the cythern,nor rooke greater pleafure to hear and fing tragicall fongs.than 
toftudie art Magicke: andno marveile if he were givento {uch ftraunge courfes shaving wealth 
and worldat will;and his fortunes befides attended upon and accompanied with many deepe 
corruptions of the mind. Burannid thofé manifold vices whereunto hee had betaken and fold 
himfelfe, a principall defire hee had, to have the gods (forfooth) and familiar {pirits at his com- 
iaund;thiaking that ithe could have attained once to that,hehad then climbedup tothe high- 
eft point and pitch of magnanimitie, Never was there man that ftudied harder, and followed any 
Art more earneftly than he did Magicke. Riches he bad enough under his hands, and power he 
wanted not to execute what he would ; his wit was quicke and pregnant,to apprehend and carne 
any thing ,over and befides other meansthat he practifed for to bring about this deffcine of his, 
which were fointollerable, that the world could norendure them : and yet hee gaveit overinthe 
end without effet : an undoubted & peremprorie argument to convince the vanitic of this Art, 
the deteflation of Magicians. 
when fuch an one as Nero rejected it, But would ro God he had conferred with familiars and {pi- 
tits, yea and raken countell of all the devils in hell, for to bee refolvedof thofe fufpicions which 
were gotten into his head, rather than given commiffion as hee did to the profefled bawds and 
common harlots in ftinking flewes and brothell-houtes, for tomake inquifition from houfe to 
houle after thofe whome he hadin jealoufie, Certes,no bloudieand deteftable facrifices (how 
inhumane and barbarous foever)he could have performed, but they had been far more eafie and 
tollerable, than thofe cruell imaginations which he conceived, and wherupon he murdred moft 
piteoufly fo many good citizens,and filled Rome with their reftlefle ghofts. But to returneagain 
to Art-magick,which Nero would fo faine have learned :what might be thereafon thathe could 
not reach unto it? Surely thefe Magicians are notwithouttheir fhifts and means of evalion to 
fave the ctedit of their Art, if haply they miffeand come fhortat any time of their purpofe: For 
___ otherwhiles they beare usin hand, that ghofts and fpirits will not appeare, nor yeeld any fervice 
# Panigiieiti. °° 80 thofe perfons who are* freckled and full of pimples: and haply * Nero the Emperor was fuch 
* Svetoninsin 1X¢- ann one. As for his lims otherwife,he had them all,afid found they were: befides,the fet daies and 
a ie ee * cintes fit for this praCtle,and prefcribed by Magicians, hemightchufe ar his good will and plea- 
Mic ckinwas fall {ure,Moreover,an eafie matter it was for himto meet with fheepe,cole-black,and{uch as hadnot 
offoule fpors- a fpeck of white or any othercolour .for him(I fay)who when he lift could facrifice men,& tooke 
adi to greateft delightin thofe facrifices.Eurthermore,he had about him Tyrédares the K. of Armenia, 
_ agreat Magrcian,for ro give him inftru@ions, This prince 7 yridares being vanquithed 2 2 
: tle 
~ aa 
