BEyng desirous ( gentle Reader ) to exercise my selfe with some translation , at vacant tymes , and seeyng , that since the Gospel hath benne preached , this one question , touchyng the appearyng of spirites and soules departed , hath not ben much handled amongst vs , and therefore many , otherwise wel affected in religion , vtterly ignoraunt herein , I thought it not amisse to take in hande some good and learned treatise concerning this matter . Wherin as many haue both learnedly , paynfully , & religiously traueyled : so amongst others , none in my iudgement hath more handsomely and eloquently , with more iudgement and better methode discoursed the same , then Lewes Lauaterus , minister of Tigurine . Others haue handled it in dede wel , but yet nihil ad nostrum hunc , beyng eyther to short , or to long , or to darke , or to doubtful , or otherwyse so confused , that they leaue the reader more in suspence in the end , then they founde hym in the begynnyng . As for maister Lauaterus his discretion herein , I wyll no otherwise commend it , then to desire the reader to view , & iudge hym selfe . For thus much at the first syght he shal see : A cleare methode , with a familier and easie style , the matter throughly handled pro and con , on both sides , so that nothyng seemeth to be wantyng , nor any thyng redoundyng . And if it be true that Horace saith , omne ●ulit punctum , qui miscuit vtile dulci , that is , He wynneth the price , that ioyneth pleasure with profite : I thinke this author may also in this respect be pronounced victor , & adiudged to the best game . For he so intreateth this serious and terrible matter of spitites , that he now and then insertyng some strange story of Monkes , Priestes , Fryers , & such like counterfeyts , doth both very lyuely display their falsehood , and also not a litle recreate his reader : and yet in the ende he so aptly concludeth to the purpose , that his hystories seeme not idle tales , or impertinent vagaries , but very truethes , naturally falling vnder the compasse of his matter . And howe profitable this his work is , those may best iudge , which are most ignorant in this question , some thinking euery small motion and noyse to be spirites , and some so fondely perswaded that there are no spirites , who being better enfourmed herein by this author , I suppose wyl confesse his worke to haue done them some profite : if knowledge be profitable , and ignorance discommodious . And agayne , those which beyng hytherto borne in hande that mens soules returne agayne on earth , crauyng helpe of the lyuyng , and haue spent much of their substance on idle Monkes & Fryers , to relieue them , wyll confesse the lyke . For when they shall see they haue ben falsly taught , & that they were not the soules of men whiche appeared , but eyther falsehood of Monkes , or illusions of deuyls , franticke imaginations , or some other friuolous & vaine perswasions , they wil thinke it profitable to haue knowen the trueth , aswel to auoyde error hereafter , as to saue their money from such greedy caterpillers . Some also whiche be otherwise well trayned vp in religion , and yet not knowyng what to thynke of these matters , wil not iudge their labour euyl imployed , nor the worke vnprofitable , wherby thei may be brought out of doubt , and knowe certainly what to beleue . There be many also , euen nowe a dayes , which are haunted and troubled with spirites , and knowe not howe to vse them selues , who when they shall learne howe a Christian man ought to gouerne hym selfe , beyng vexed with euyl spirites , wyl thynke it a very profitable poynt of doctrine , that shal teache them to direct them selues . Profitable therefore it is , and shal be , no doubt , vnto many , and disprofitable vnto none , except perchaunce vnto popishe Monkes and Priestes , who are like hereby to lose a great part of their gaynes , which somtimes they gathered together in great abundance , by their deceiptfull doctrine of the appearyng of dead mens soules . But this their wicked and deuyllishe doctrine , together with all the patches and appendices therto belongyng , he so notably teareth and cutteth in peeces , that I am well assured they shal neuer be hable to cobble and cloute them vp agayne . And this doth he with suche a moderation of breuitie and tediousnes , that I may rightly say : He hath sayde well , and not to much , and written truely , and not to litle .

Nowe as touchyng my translation , although I haue not made hym speake with like grace in Englishe , as he doth in Latine : yet haue I nor changed his meanyng , nor altered his matter , endeuouring my selfe rather to make thee vnderstande what thou readest , then to smoothe and pollishe it with fine and picked wordes , which I graunt others myght haue done more exquisitely , and perchaunce I my selfe also somewhat better , yf I would haue made therof a study and labour , and not a recreation & exercise . But howsoeuer I haue done herein , verily good reader , I trust thou wylt take it in good part , which is al that I esteeme : yf any man shal mislike therof , let hym amende it . I trust it be sufficient to testifie my good wil to do thee good , and to let thee vnderstande the authors meanyng .

GEntle Reader , before thou enter any further , I haue thought good to aduertise thee of certayne faultes escaped in the Printing , whyche are sette forthe in the Page afore going , desiring thee to beare with them , and to pardon the Printer . For thou knowest : Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus . Although some of our Printers be not Homers , neyther seene in Greeke nor Latine , nor sometime exactly in Englishe , yet can they nod and take a nap , as well as any Homer . Howebeit in deede they are herein pardonable , bycause the Copie was somewhat obscurely written , as being the first originall . Fare well .

Pag. 2. Lin. 24. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .6.23 . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .15.14 . for austerne , austere .32.25 . for he sayde , they sayde .37.33 . for Atirebatens●● , Atrebatensis .49.6 . for bitter , read bittour .60.27 . for wandring read wauering .61 . ● . for Campana , Campania . eadem .23 . for common , reade Romaine .67.15 . for talke , reade taske .68.6 . for Alexandria , Alexandro . & mergine Alexander ab Alexandro .70.35 . for not that , reade , not .84.32 . for ●aught by the wall Basill , reade , fast by the wals of Basil. eadem . for general the , reade the general .88 ▪ 23. for Auguries , Angaries ▪ eadem . vlt. for straunge reade slaunch .93.8 . for companions , companies .95.9 . for Tiberius , by Tiberius 99.7 . for mortal ; read immortall . eadem .29 . for horse , reade hearse . eadem .33 . for horse , hearse .101.3 . for last , reade least .102.27 . for other in , reade other name in .103.7 . for made full , reade made not ful ▪ 128.30 . for certifie , reade terrifie .130.31 . for beate , reade chyde .132.1 . for ended , reade in déede .136.16 . for this is , that is , reade that is , this is .143.33 . for & Delphis , reade ●i , Delphis .147.24 . for was in vayne , reade was not in vayne . 1●2.15 . for haue lent , reade lent .153.7 . for late , reade later .185 ▪ 14. for prouerb sayth , reade , prouerb sayth , burnt childe dreads fire .

MAny and diuers thinges are resoned vpon , both of the learned and vnlearned , as well of other matters , as also of Spirites , which are séene and heard , and make men afrayde in the night season , and in the daye tyme , by sea and by lande , in the fieldes , woods , and houses : And lykewise concerning suche straunge things whiche for the most parte happen before the death of certayne men , especially greate Princes , and before notable innouations of kingdomes and empires . Many which neuer sawe or hearde any of these thinges , suppose all that is reported of them , to be méere trifles and olde wyues tales : for so muche as simple men , and suche as are fearefull and superstitio●s , persuade themselues they haue séene this or that , when in déede the matter is far otherwise . Againe , there are some which as soone as they heare of any thing , especially if it happen in the nighte , they by and by thinke some spirite doth walke , and are maruellously troubled in mynde , bycause they can not discerne naturall things from spirites . And some ( chéefly those which hunt after gaynes , by the soules of dead men ) affirme that the moste parte of suche things which are hard or séene , are the soules of dead men , whych craue helpe of them that are liuing , to be deliuered out of the tormentes of most cruell payne in Purgatorie . Many not only of the common sorte , but also menne of excellent knowledge , do maruayle whether there bée any spirits or no , and what maner of things they are . Yea & some of my familiar friends haue many times requested me , to shewe them my opinion concerning these matters . Wherefore me séemeth it shall be worth my laboure , if I declare briefly and playnly out of the word of God , what we ought to iudge concerning these things . For the ministers of Gods Churche can take nothing more profitable in hande , than to instructe the people of God purely and plainly , in suche necessary matters as come in question out of the word of God , whiche is a lanterne ( as the psalmist saith ) vnto our féete , and a light vnto our pathes : and to deliuer them from all erroure and superstition , and bring them out of all wauering and dout . And verily their study and diligence is to be highly commended , who for these fewe yeares ago , haue set foorth certayne bookes drawen out of the scriptures written in the Germayne tong against sundry errours : & theirs likewise who in these our dayes by writing of bookes do teache , instructe , and confirme the rude and vnlearned people . For amongst many other excellent benefits , which God our heauenly Father hath bestowed vppon mankinde , this also is a great and most liberall gifte , that in this latter , and as it were olde age of the world , he hath brought to light by the arte of imprinting , as well many other good authors , as also the holy scriptures of the ol●e and newe testament , written in diuers languages : wherby he dothe not only teache vs amply and fully what to beléeue , and what to doe , but also mightyly subuerteth and quite ouerthroweth diuers and sundry errours , which by little and little haue crept into the Church . Truly all suche are very vngrateful towards God , which doe not willingly acknowleage this so notabel a benefite .

As touching this my treatise concerning Spirits , The diuision or partes of this booke ▪ and straunge wonders , I haue deuided it into three partes for the more clere vnderstanding therof . In the first parte I shewe , that there are visions and spirits , and that they appeare vnto men sometimes , and that many and maruellous things happen besides the ordinarie course of nature . In the second I discusse what manner of things they are , that is , not the souls of dead men , as some men haue thought , but either good or euill Angels , or else some secrete and hid operations of God. In the third I declare why God doth sometime suffer Spirits to appeare , and diuers forewarnings to happen : and also howe men ought to behaue them selues when they happen to méete with such things . In these points or partes , the chiefest thing whereon men vse to reason touching this matter , are conteined . Nowe I meane to handle this matter , being very obscure and intricate , with many questions , ( I trust ) so plainly , & clerely out of the holy scriptures , wheron we may surely stay our selues , out of the auncient fathers , allowed historiographers , and other good writers , that those which are studious and louers of gods truth , may well vnderstand what may be denied and thought of those apparitions , and other straunge and maruellous matters . And I also trust that euen our aduersaries also , ( in case they will lay their affections aside , but a litle while ) will say that I haue truly alleaged all their arguments , and confuted them without any rayling or bitternesse . For my purposed ende is according to the doctrine of saincte Paule , to edifie and not to destroy .

As touching diuinations , blessings , iugglings , coniurings , and diuers kinds of sorcerie , and generally of all other diuelishe practises , certayne learned men of our time haue written bookes , as Gasper Pe●cerus , Ioannes Viera , Ludouicus Mellichius , and perchaunce some others also , whose works I haue not yet séene . It is not long ago since Ioannes Riuius , a man learned and eloquent , published a booke in the latine tong , entreating of spirites and superstition . In the which booke albeit very briefly , yet doth he as he is wont in all things , very finely and eloquently intreat of this matter , and of other foolishe superstitions . And albeit that I doo write more largely of this , yet was it not my minde to gather togither all those things whiche I coulde haue spoken and alleaged touching the same matter : but only suche as séeme the chiefest and most especial points , partly because I wold not be tedious to the reader , & partly also least my bookes should growe vnto an ouer greate quantitie . I haue great hope that Ioachimus Camerarius , that excellent man , who readeth the auncient writers both gréeks and latins , with exquisite iudgement , and hath great experience in all things , will shortly write learnedly and at large of this matter and also of others like vnto it . For so much he séemeth to promise in his preface to Plutarches booke , De defectu oraculorum , & figura , & cons●crata Delphis ( wherin he handleth the nature and operations of diuels ) and also in other of his writings . I for my parte had once written thys my treatise in the vulgar tong , and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men , I haue translated it into latine , adding certayne things thereto .

The dedica●●on . This my booke which I haue with greate laboure and study gathered out of many mens writings I present and offer vnto you ( most noble consul ) according to the ancient fashion and custome : not for that I suppose you haue any néed of my teaching , touching these things which are herein handled . ( For I am not ignoraunt , vnder what teachers you haue attained vnto true learning , and how you haue and do continually reade ouer sundry good authors with perfecte knowledge in many tongs . ) But partely that I might purchase credite and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men , vnto whome your goodnesse , godlines and constancie ( whche you haue alwayes hitherto euermore shewed , and yet do shewe , in setting foorth true religion , and mainteyning good lawes ) is throughly knowen : and partly that I might shewe my selfe in some respecte thankfull vnto you . For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me , whom you only knowe by sight , and vppon other ministers of the Church , wherby ye haue so bound me vnto you , that I shall neuer be able to make any recompence .

Wherefore I most earnestly beséech you , not to refuse this signe and token of my good will , be it neuer so simple : but rather to voutchsafe , when ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common welth , to reade ouer this my booke : for I haue good hope it will not séeme vnpleasaunt vnto you and others in the reading , as well for the playne order I vse therin , as also for the sundry and manyfold histories in it recited .

Almightie God , who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts , that for them , ( albeit very yong ) you haue a●pired vnto the highest degrée in your noble citie and dominion of Berna , voutchesafe to preserue you in health , and increase and multiply his good gifts in you . My Lords and brethren the ministers of Tigurine and also your olde companion master George Grebelius that excellent man in lerning , vertue , and nobilitie , hartily salute your Lordship .