hem in this forme.

EPI. Yea, some of the Witches haue confessed, that he hath perswaded them
to giue their willing consent thereunto, that he may thereby haue them
feltred the sikarer in his snares; But as the other compelled sorte is to
be pittied and prayed for, so is this most highlie to be punished and
detested.

PHI. It is not the thing which we cal the _Mare_, which takes folkes
sleeping in their bedds, a kinde of these spirites, whereof ye are
speaking?

EPI. No, that is but a naturall sicknes, which the Mediciners hath giuen
that name of _Incubus_ vnto _ab incubando_, because it being a thicke
fleume, falling into our breast vpon the harte, while we are sleeping,
intercludes so our vitall spirites, and takes all power from vs, as maks
vs think that there were some vnnaturall burden or spirite, lying vpon vs
and holding vs downe.

Chap. IIII.

ARGVMENT.

_The description of the Daemoniackes & possessed. By what reason the
__Papistes__ may haue power to cure them._

PHILOMATHES.

Wel, I haue told you now all my doubts, and ye haue satisfied me therein,
concerning the first of these two kindes of spirites that ye haue
conjoyned. Now I am to inquire onely two thinges at you concerning the
last kinde, I meane the Daemoniackes. The first is, whereby shal these
possessed folks be discerned fra them that ar trubled with a natural
Phrensie or Manie. The next is, how can it be that they can be remedied by
the Papistes Church, whome wee counting as Hereticques, (M29) it should
appeare that one Deuil should not cast out an other, for then would _his
kingdome be diuided in it selfe_, as CHRIST said.

EPI. As to your first question; there are diuers symptomes, whereby that
heauie trouble may be discerned from a naturall sickenesse, and speciallie
three, omitting the diuers vaine signes that the _Papistes_ attributes
vnto it: Such as the raging at holie water, their fleeing a back from the
Croce, their not abiding the hearing of God named, and innumerable such
like vaine thinges that were alike fashious and feckles to recite. But to
come to these three symptomes then, whereof I spake, I account the one of
them to be the incredible strength of the possessed creature, which will
farre exceede the strength of six of the wightest and wodest of any other
men that are not so troubled. The next is the boldning vp so far of the
patients breast and bellie, with such an vnnaturall sturring and vehement
agitation wit