he contrarie, drawes euer out of
that euill glorie to himselfe, either by the wracke of the wicked in his
justice, or by the tryall of the patient, and amendment of the faithfull,
being wakened vp with that rod of correction. Hauing thus declared vnto
thee then, my full intention in this Treatise, thou wilt easelie excuse, I
doubt not, aswel my pretermitting, to declare the whole particular rites
and secretes of these vnlawfull artes: as also their infinite and
wounderfull practises, as being neither of them pertinent to my purpose:
the reason whereof, is giuen in the hinder ende of the first Chapter of
the thirde booke: and who likes to be curious in these thinges, he may
reade, if he will here of their practises, BODINVS Daemonomanie, collected
with greater diligence, then written with judgement, together with their
confessions, that haue bene at this time apprehened. If he would know what
hath bene the opinion of the Auncientes, concerning their power: he shall
see it wel described by HYPERIVS, & HEMMINGIVS, two late Germaine writers:
Besides innumerable other neoterick Theologues, that writes largelie vpon
that subject: And if he woulde knowe what are the particuler rites, &
curiosities of these black arts (which is both vnnecessarie and perilous,)
he will finde it in the fourth book of CORNELIVS Agrippa, and in VVIERVS,
whomof I spak. And so wishing my pains in this Treatise (beloued Reader}
to be effectual, in arming al them that reades the same, against these
aboue mentioned erroures, and recommending my good will to thy friendly
acceptation, I bid thee hartely fare-well.

IAMES Rx.

FIRST BOOKE.

ARGVMENT.

_The exord of the whole. The description of Magie in speciall._

Chap. I.

ARGVMENT.

_Proven by the Scripture, that these vnlawfull artes in_ genere, _haue
bene and may be put in practise._

PHILOMATHES and EPISTEMON reason the matter.

PHILOMATHES.

I am surely verie glad to haue mette with you this daye, for I am of
opinion, that ye can better resolue me of some thing, wherof I stand in
great doubt, nor anie other whom-with I could haue mette.

EPI. In what I can, that ye like to speir at me, I will willinglie and
freelie tell my opinion, and if I proue it not sufficiently, I am heartely
content that a better reason carie it away then.

PHI. What thinke yee of these strange newes, which now onelie furnishes
purpose to al men at their meeting: I meane of these Witches?

EP