The Discoverie of WitchcraftFolk Magic / White MagicScholarly ReconstructionEarly Modern EnglishShareThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.81886 reprint of 1584 edition - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 available1886 reprint of 1584 editionLanguageEnglishEspañol‹The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.10The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.11The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.12The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.2The 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Witchcraft 16.28The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.29The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.30The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.31The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.32The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.33The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.34›Book 15, Chapter 8: An experiment of the deadThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.8ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1First fast and praie three daies, and absteine thee from all filthinesse; go to one that is new buried, such a one as killed himselfe or destroied himselfe wilfullie: or else get thee promise of one that shalbe hanged, and let him sweare an oth to thee, after his bodie is dead, that his spirit shall come to thee, and doo thee true service, at thy commandements, in all daies, houres, and minuts. And let no persons see thy doings, but thy fellow. And about eleven a clocke in the night, go to the place where he was buried, and saie with a bold faith & hartie desire, to have the spirit come that thou doost call for, thy fellow having a candle in his left hand, and in his right hand a christall stone, and saie these words following, the maister having a hazell wand in his right hand, and these names of God written thereupon, Tetragrammaton ✠ Adonay ✠ Agla ✠ Craton ✠ Then strike three strokes on the ground, and saie: Arise N. Arise N. Arise N. I conjure thee spirit N. by the resurrection of our Lord Jesu Christ, that thou doo obey to my words, and come unto me this night verelie and trulie, as thou beleevest to be saved at the daie of judgement. 2And I will sweare to thee an oth, by the perill of my soule, that if thou wilt come to me, and appeare to me this night, and shew me true visions in this christall stone, and fetch me the fairie Sibylia, that I may talke with hir visiblie, and she may come before me, as the conjuration leadeth: and in so dooing, I will give thee an almesse deed, and praie for thee N. to my Lord God, wherby thou maiest be restored to thy salvation at the resurrection daie, to be received as one of the elect of God, to the everlasting glorie, Amen. 3The maister standing at the head of the grave, his fellow having in his hands the candle and the stone, must begin the conjuration as followeth, and the spirit will appeare to you in the christall stone, in a faire forme of a child of twelve yeares of age. And when he is in, feele the stone, and it will be hot; and feare nothing, for he or shee will shew manie delusions, to drive you from your worke. Feare God, but feare him not. This is to constraine him, as followeth. 4I conjure thee spirit N. by the living God, the true God, and by the holie God, and by their vertues and powers which have created both thee and me, and all the world. I conjure thee N. by these holie names of God, Tetragrammaton ✠ Adonay ✠ Algramay ✠ Saday ✠ Sabaoth ✠ Planaboth ✠ Panthon ✠ Craton ✠ Neupmaton ✠ Deus ✠ Homo ✠ Omnipotens ✠ Sempiturnus ✠ Ysus ✠ Terra ✠ Unigenitus ✠ Salvator ✠ Via ✠ Vita ✠ Manus ✠ Fons ✠ Origo ✠ Filius ✠ And by their vertues and powers, and by all their names, by the which God gave power to man, both to speake or thinke; so by their vertues and powers I conjure thee spirit N. that now immediatlie thou doo appeare in this christall stone, visiblie to me and to my fellow, without anie tarrieng or deceipt. I conjure thee N. by the excellent name of Jesus Christ A and Ω. the first and the last. For this holie name of Jesus is above all names: for in this name of Jesus everie knee dooth bow and obeie, both of heavenlie things, earthlie things, and infernall. And everie toong doth confesse, that our Lord Jesus Christ is in the glorie of the father: neither is there anie other name given to man, whereby he must be saved. 5Therefore in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and by his nativitie, resurrection, and ascension, and by all that apperteineth unto his passion, and by their vertues and powers I conjure thee spirit N. that thou doo appeare visiblie in this christall stone to me, and to my fellow, without anie dissimulation. I conjure thee N. by the bloud of the innocent lambe Jesus Christ, which was shed for us upon the crosse: for all those that doo beleeve in the vertue of his bloud, shalbe saved. I conjure thee N. by the vertues and powers of all the riall names and words of the living God of me pronounced, that thou be obedient unto me and to my words rehearsed. If thou refuse this to doo, I by the holie trinitie, and their vertues and powers doo condemne thee thou spirit N. into the place where there is no hope of remedie or rest, but everlasting horror and paine there dwelling, and a place where is paine upon paine, dailie, horriblie, and lamentablie, thy paine to be there augmented as the starres in the heaven, and as the gravell or sand in the sea: except thou spirit N. doo appeare to me and to my fellow visiblie, immediatlie in this christall stone, and in a faire forme and shape of a child of twelve yeares of age, and that thou alter not thy shape, I charge thee upon paine of everlasting condemnation. I conjure thee spirit N. 6by the golden girdle, which girded the loines of our Lord Jesus Christ: so thou spirit N. be thou bound into the perpetuall paines of hell fier, for thy disobedience and unreverent regard, that thou hast to the holie names and words, and his precepts. I conjure thee N. by the two edged sword, which John sawe proceed out of the mouth of the almightie; and so thou spirit N. be torne and cut in peeces with that sword, and to be condemned into everlasting paine, where the fier goeth not out, and where the worme dieth not. I conjure thee N. by the heavens, and by the celestiall citie of Jerusalem, and by the earth and the sea, and by all things conteined in them, and by their vertues & powers. I conjure thee spirit N. by the obedience that thou doost owe unto the principall prince. And except thou spirit N. doo come and appeare in this christall stone visiblie in my presence, here immediatlie as it is aforesaid. Let the great cursse of God, the anger of God, the shadowe and darknesse of death, and of eternall condemnation be upon thee spirit N. for ever and ever; bicause thou hast denied thy faith, thy health, & salvation. For thy great disobedience, thou art worthie to be condemned. 7Therefore let the divine trinitie, thrones, dominions, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and all the soules of saints, both of men and women, condemne thee for ever, and be a witnesse against thee at the daie of judgement, bicause of thy disobedience. And let all creatures of our Lord Jesus Christ, saie thereunto; Fiat, fiat, fiat: Amen. 8And when he is appeared in the christall stone, as is said before, bind him with this bond as followeth; to wit, I conjure thee spirit N. that art appeared to me in this christall stone, to me and to my fellow; I conjure thee by all the riall words aforesaid, the which did constraine thee to appeare therein, and their vertues; I charge thee spirit by them all, that thou shalt not depart out of this christall stone, untill my will being fulfilled, thou be licenced to depart. I conjure and bind thee spirit N. by that omnipotent God, which commanded the angell S. Michael to drive Lucifer out of the heavens with a sword of vengeance, and to fall from joy to paine; and for dread of such paine as he is in, I charge thee spirit N. that thou shalt not go out of the christall stone; nor yet to alter thy shape at this time, except I command thee otherwise; but to come unto me at all places, and in all houres and minuts, when and wheresoever I shall call thee, by the vertue of our Lord Jesus Christ, or by anie conjuration of words that is written in this booke, and to shew me and my freends true visions in this christall stone, of anie thing or things that we would see, at anie time or times: 9and also to go and to fetch me the fairie Sibylia, that I may talke with hir in all kind of talke, as I shall call hir by anie conjuration of words conteined in this booke. I conjure thee spirit N. by the great wisedome and divinitie of his godhead, my will to fulfill, as is aforesaid: I charge thee upon paine of condemnation, both in this world, and in the world to come, Fiat, fiat, fiat: Amen. 10This done, go to a place fast by, and in a faire parlor or chamber, make a circle with chalke, as hereafter followeth: and make another circle for the fairie Sibylia to appeare in, foure foote from the circle thou art in, & make no names therein, nor cast anie holie thing therein, but make a circle round with chalke; & let the maister and his fellowe sit downe in the first circle, the maister having the booke in his hand, his fellow having the christall stone in his right hand, looking in the stone when the fairie dooth appeare. The maister also must have upon his brest this figure here written in parchment, and beginne to worke in the new of the ☽ and in the houre of ♃ the sun and the ☽ to be in one of inhabiters signes, as ♋ ♐ ♓. This bond as followeth, is to cause the spirit in the christall stone, to fetch unto thee the fairie Sibylia. All things fulfilled, beginne this bond as followeth, and be bold, for doubtles they will come before thee, before the conjuration be read seven times. 11I conjure thee spirit N. in this christall stone, by God the father, by God the sonne Jesus Christ, and by God the Holie-ghost, three persons and one God, and by their vertues. I conjure thee spirit, that thou doo go in peace, and also to come againe to me quicklie, and to bring with thee into that circle appointed, Sibylia fairie, that I may talke with hir in those matters that shall be to hir honour and glorie; and so I charge thee declare unto hir. I conjure thee spirit N. by the bloud of the innocent lambe, the which redeemed all the world; by the vertue thereof I charge thee thou spirit in the christall stone, that thou doo declare unto hir this message. Also I conjure thee spirit N. by all angels and archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by their vertues and powers. I conjure the N. that thou doo depart with speed, and also to come againe with speed, and to bring with thee the fairie Sibylia, to appeare in that circle, before I doo read the conjuration in this booke seven times. Thus I charge thee my will to be fulfilled, upon paine of everlasting condemnation: Fiat, fiat, fiat; Amen. 12Then the figure aforesaid pinned on thy brest, rehearse the words therein, and saie, ✠ Sorthie ✠ Sorthia ✠ Sorthios ✠ then beginne your conjuration as followeth here, and saie; I conjure thee Sibylia, O gentle virgine of fairies, by the mercie of the Holie-ghost, and by the dreadfull daie of doome, and by their vertues and powers; I conjure thee Sibylia, O gentle virgine of fairies, and by all the angels of ♃ and their characters and vertues, and by all the spirits of ♃ and ♀ and their characters and vertues, and by all the characters that be in the firmament, and by the king and queene of fairies, and their vertues, and by the faith and obedience that thou bearest unto them. I conjure thee Sibylia by the bloud that ranne out of the side of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, and by the opening of heaven, and by the renting of the temple, and by the darkenes of the sunne in the time of his death, and by the rising up of the dead in the time of his resurrection, and by the virgine Marie mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the unspeakable name of God, Tetragrammaton. I conjure thee O Sibylia, O blessed and beautifull virgine, by all the riall words aforesaid; 13I conjure thee Sibylia by all their vertues to appeare in that circle before me visible, in the forme and shape of a beautifull woman in a bright and vesture white, adorned and garnished most faire, and to appeare to me quicklie without deceipt or tarrieng, and that thou faile not to fulfill my will & desire effectuallie. For I will choose thee to be my blessed virgine, & will have common copulation with thee. Therfore make hast & speed to come unto me, and to appeare as I said before: to whome be honour and glorie for ever and ever, Amen. 14The which doone and ended, if shee come not, repeate the conjuration till they doo come: for doubtles they will come. And when she is appeared, take your censers, and incense hir with frankincense, then bind hir with the bond as followeth. I doo conjure thee Sibylia, by God the Father, God the sonne, and God the Holie-ghost, three persons and one God, and by the blessed virgine Marie mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by all the whole and holie companie of heaven, and by the dreadfull daie of doome, and by all angels and archangels, thrones, dominations, principates, potestates, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and their vertues and powers. I conjure thee, and bind thee Sibylia, that thou shalt not depart out of the circle wherein thou art appeared, nor yet to alter thy shape, except I give thee licence to depart. I conjure thee Sibylia by the bloud that ranne out of the side of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, and by the vertue hereof I conjure thee Sibylia to come to me, and to appeare to me at all times visiblie, as the conjuration of words leadeth, written in this booke. 15I conjure thee Sibylia, O blessed virgine of fairies, by the opening of heaven, and by the renting of the temple, and by the darknes of the sunne at the time of his death, and by the rising of the dead in the time of his glorious resurrection, and by the unspeakable name of God ✠ Tetragrammaton ✠ and by the king and queene of fairies, & by their vertues I conjure thee Sibylia to appeare, before the conjuration be read over foure times, and that visiblie to appeare, as the conjuration leadeth written in this booke, and to give me good counsell at all times, and to come by treasures hidden in the earth, and all other things that is to doo me pleasure, and to fulfill my will, without anie deceipt or tarrieng; nor yet that thou shalt have anie power of my bodie or soule, earthlie or ghostlie, nor yet to perish so much of my bodie as one haire of my head. I conjure thee Sibylia by all the riall words aforesaid, and by their vertues and powers, I charge and bind thee by the vertue thereof, to be obedient unto me, and to all the words aforesaid, and this bond to stand betweene thee and me, upon paine of everlasting condemnation, Fiat, fiat, fiat, Amen. ‹Previous chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.6Next chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.9›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg