Of herbs, he reckons us pennyroyal, rue, mint, angelica,
peony: Rich. Argentine _de praestigiis daemonum, cap. 20_, adds, hypericon
or St. John's wort, _perforata herba_, which by a divine virtue drives away
devils, and is therefore _fuga daemonum_: all which rightly used by their
suffitus, _Daemonum vexationibus obsistunt, afflictas mentes a daemonibus
relevant, et venenatis Jiimis_, expel devils themselves, and all devilish
illusions. Anthony Musa, the Emperor Augustus, his physician, _cap. 6, de
Betonia_, approves of betony to this purpose; [6812]the ancients used
therefore to plant it in churchyards, because it was held to be an holy
herb and good against fearful visions, did secure such places as it grew
in, and sanctified those persons that carried it about them. _Idem fere
Mathiolus in dioscoridem._ Others commend accurate music, so Saul was
helped by David's harp. Fires to be made in such rooms where spirits haunt,
good store of lights to be set up, odours, perfumes, and suffumigations, as
the angel taught Tobias, of brimstone and bitumen, thus, myrrh, briony
root, with many such simples which Wecker hath collected, _lib. 15, de
secretis, cap. 15._ _[Symbol: Jupiter] sulphuris drachmam unam, recoquatur
in vitis albae, aqua, ut dilutius sit sulphur; detur aegro: nam daemones
sunt morbi_ (saith Rich. Argentine, _lib. de praestigiis daemonum, cap.
ult._) Vigetus hath a far larger receipt to this purpose, which the said
Wecker cites out of Wierus, _[Symbol: Jupiter] sulphuris, vini, bituminis,
opoponacis, galbani, castorei_, &c. Why sweet perfumes, fires and so many
lights should be used in such places, Ernestus Burgravius Lucerna _vitae,
et mortis_, and Fortunius Lycetus assigns this cause, _quod his boni genii
provocentur, mali arceaniur_; "because good spirits are well pleased with,
but evil abhor them!" And therefore those old Gentiles, present Mahometans,
and Papists have continual lamps burning in their churches all day and all
night, lights at funerals and in their graves; _lucernae ardentes ex auro
liquefacto_ for many ages to endure (saith Lazius), _ne daemones corpus
laedant_; lights ever burning as those vestal virgins. Pythonissae
maintained heretofore, with many such, of which read Tostatus in _2 Reg.
cap. 6. quaest. 43_, Thyreus, _cap. 57, 58, 62, &c. de locis infestis_,
Pictorius Isagog. _de daemonibus_, &c., see more in them. Cardan would have
the party affected wink altogether in such a case, if he see