Lives of the necromancers: or, An account of the most eminent persons in successive ages, who have claimed for themselves, or to whom has been imputed by others, the exercise of magical power

158 Pages·1834·0.53 MB·English

by  William Godwin

William Godwin
Lives of the Necromancers
Lives of the Necromancers
Table of Contents
Lives of the Necromancers.................................................................................................................................1
William Godwin......................................................................................................................................1
PREFACE...............................................................................................................................................4
LIVES OF THE NECROMANCERS..................................................................................................................7
AMBITIOUS NATURE OF MAN..........................................................................................................9
HIS DESIRE TO PENETRATE INTO FUTURITY............................................................................10
DIVINATION.......................................................................................................................................10
AUGURY..............................................................................................................................................10
CHIROMANCY....................................................................................................................................10
PHYSIOGNOMY.................................................................................................................................10
INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS.....................................................................................................10
CASTING OF LOTS.............................................................................................................................11
ASTROLOGY.......................................................................................................................................11
ORACLES.............................................................................................................................................11
DELPHI.................................................................................................................................................12
THE DESIRE TO COMMAND AND CONTROL FUTURE EVENTS.............................................13
COMMERCE WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD................................................................................13
SORCERY AND ENCHANTMENT...................................................................................................13
WITCHCRAFT.....................................................................................................................................14
COMPACTS WITH THE DEVIL........................................................................................................14
IMPS......................................................................................................................................................15
TALISMANS AND AMULETS...........................................................................................................15
NECROMANCY...................................................................................................................................15
ALCHEMY...........................................................................................................................................16
FAIRIES................................................................................................................................................17
ROSICRUCIANS..................................................................................................................................18
SYLPHS AND GNOMES, SALAMANDERS AND UNDINES........................................................18
EXAMPLES OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT FROM THE BIBLE...............................19
THE MAGI, OR WISE MEN OF THE EAST.....................................................................................21
EGYPT..................................................................................................................................................22
STATUE OF MEMNON......................................................................................................................23
TEMPLE OF JUPITER AMMON: ITS ORACLES.............................................................................23
CHALDEA AND BABYLON..............................................................................................................24
ZOROASTER.......................................................................................................................................24
GREECE............................................................................................................................................................24
DEITIES OF GREECE.........................................................................................................................25
DEMIGODS..........................................................................................................................................26
DAEDALUS.........................................................................................................................................27
THE ARGONAUTS..............................................................................................................................27
MEDEA.................................................................................................................................................28
CIRCE...................................................................................................................................................28
ORPHEUS.............................................................................................................................................29
AMPHION............................................................................................................................................30
TIRESIAS.............................................................................................................................................30
ABARIS................................................................................................................................................30
PYTHAGORAS....................................................................................................................................31
EPIMENIDES.......................................................................................................................................35
EMPEDOCLES.....................................................................................................................................36
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Lives of the Necromancers
Table of Contents
Lives of the Necromancers
ARISTEAS............................................................................................................................................37
HERMOTIMUS....................................................................................................................................37
THE MOTHER OF DEMARATUS, KING OF SPARTA...................................................................37
ORACLES.............................................................................................................................................37
INVASION OF XERXES INTO GREECE..........................................................................................39
DEMOCRITUS.....................................................................................................................................40
SOCRATES...........................................................................................................................................41
ROME................................................................................................................................................................42
VIRGIL.................................................................................................................................................42
POLYDORUS.......................................................................................................................................42
DIDO.....................................................................................................................................................42
ROMULUS...........................................................................................................................................43
NUMA...................................................................................................................................................43
TULLUS HOSTILIUS..........................................................................................................................44
ACCIUS NAVIUS................................................................................................................................44
SERVIUS TULLIUS.............................................................................................................................44
THE SORCERESS OF VIRGIL...........................................................................................................45
CANIDIA..............................................................................................................................................45
ERICHTHO...........................................................................................................................................47
SERTORIUS.........................................................................................................................................50
CASTING OUT DEVILS.....................................................................................................................52
SIMON MAGUS...................................................................................................................................52
ELYMAS, THE SORCERER...............................................................................................................53
NERO....................................................................................................................................................53
VESPASIAN.........................................................................................................................................53
APOLLONIUS OF TYANA.................................................................................................................54
APULEIUS............................................................................................................................................56
ALEXANDER THE PAPHLAGONIAN.............................................................................................56
REVOLUTION PRODUCED IN THE HISTORY OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT UPON
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY..............................................................................................57
MAGICAL CONSULTATIONS RESPECTING THE LIFE OF THE EMPEROR............................58
HISTORY OF NECROMANCY IN THE EAST.............................................................................................59
GENERAL SILENCE OF THE EAST RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL NECROMANCERS.............61
ROCAIL................................................................................................................................................62
HAKEM, OTHERWISE MOCANNA..................................................................................................62
ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS.......................................................................................63
PERSIAN TALES.................................................................................................................................64
STORY OF A GOULE.........................................................................................................................66
ARABIAN NIGHTS.............................................................................................................................67
RESEMBLANCE OF THE TALES OF THE EAST AND OF EUROPE...........................................67
CAUSES OF HUMAN CREDULITY..................................................................................................67
DARK AGES OF EUROPE.................................................................................................................68
MERLIN................................................................................................................................................70
ST. DUNSTAN.....................................................................................................................................72
COMMUNICATION OF EUROPE AND THE SARACENS.............................................................74
GERBERT, POPE SILVESTER II.......................................................................................................75
BENEDICT THE NINTH.....................................................................................................................75
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Lives of the Necromancers
Table of Contents
Lives of the Necromancers
GREGORY THE SEVENTH................................................................................................................76
DUFF, KING OF SCOTLAND............................................................................................................77
MACBETH...........................................................................................................................................78
VIRGIL.................................................................................................................................................80
ROBERT OF LINCOLN.......................................................................................................................81
MICHAEL SCOT..................................................................................................................................81
THE DEAN OF BADAJOZ..................................................................................................................82
MIRACLE OF THE TUB OF WATER................................................................................................82
INSTITUTION OF FRIARS.................................................................................................................83
ALBERTUS MAGNUS........................................................................................................................83
ROGER BACON..................................................................................................................................84
THOMAS AQUINAS...........................................................................................................................85
PETER OF APONO..............................................................................................................................85
ENGLISH LAW OF HIGH TREASON...............................................................................................86
ZIITO.....................................................................................................................................................87
TRANSMUTATION OF METALS.....................................................................................................88
ARTEPHIUS.........................................................................................................................................89
RAYMOND LULLI..............................................................................................................................89
ARNOLD OF VILLENEUVE..............................................................................................................90
ENGLISH LAWS RESPECTING TRANSMUTATION.....................................................................90
REVIVAL OF LETTERS....................................................................................................................90
JOAN OF ARC.....................................................................................................................................91
ELEANOR COBHAM, DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER....................................................................93
RICHARD III........................................................................................................................................94
SANGUINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WITCHCRAFT.........................................................95
SAVONAROLA...................................................................................................................................98
TRITHEMIUS.....................................................................................................................................100
LUTHER.............................................................................................................................................101
CORNELIUS AGRIPPA....................................................................................................................102
FAUSTUS...........................................................................................................................................104
SABELLICUS.....................................................................................................................................112
PARACELSUS....................................................................................................................................113
CARDAN............................................................................................................................................114
QUACKS, WHO IN COOL BLOOD UNDERTOOK TO OVERREACH MANKIND...................114
BENVENUTO CELLINI....................................................................................................................115
NOSTRADAMUS..............................................................................................................................117
DOCTOR DEE....................................................................................................................................117
EARL OF DERBY..............................................................................................................................124
KING JAMES'S VOYAGE TO NORWAY.......................................................................................125
JOHN FIAN........................................................................................................................................126
KING JAMES'S DEMONOLOGY.....................................................................................................127
STATUTE, 1 JAMES I.......................................................................................................................127
FORMAN AND OTHERS..................................................................................................................127
LATEST IDEAS OF JAMES ON THE SUBJECT............................................................................129
LANCASHIRE WITCHES.................................................................................................................129
LADY DAVIES..................................................................................................................................130
EDWARD FAIRFAX.........................................................................................................................131
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Lives of the Necromancers
DOCTOR LAMB................................................................................................................................131
URBAIN GRANDIER........................................................................................................................131
ASTROLOGY.....................................................................................................................................132
WILLIAM LILLY...............................................................................................................................133
MATTHEW HOPKINS......................................................................................................................135
CROMWEL........................................................................................................................................136
DOROTHY MATELEY.....................................................................................................................137
WITCHES HANGED BY SIR MATTHEW HALE..........................................................................138
WITCHCRAFT IN SWEDEN............................................................................................................140
WITCHCRAFT IN NEW ENGLAND...............................................................................................141
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................143
FOOTNOTES.....................................................................................................................................144
iv
Lives of the Necromancers
William Godwin
This page copyright © 2002 Blackmask Online.
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• PREFACE.
• LIVES OF THE NECROMANCERS
• AMBITIOUS NATURE OF MAN
• HIS DESIRE TO PENETRATE INTO FUTURITY.
• DIVINATION.
• AUGURY.
• CHIROMANCY.
• PHYSIOGNOMY.
• INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS.
• CASTING OF LOTS.
• ASTROLOGY.
• ORACLES.
• DELPHI.
• THE DESIRE TO COMMAND AND CONTROL FUTURE EVENTS.
• COMMERCE WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD.
• SORCERY AND ENCHANTMENT.
• WITCHCRAFT.
• COMPACTS WITH THE DEVIL.
• IMPS.
• TALISMANS AND AMULETS.
• NECROMANCY.
• ALCHEMY.
• FAIRIES.
• ROSICRUCIANS.
• SYLPHS AND GNOMES, SALAMANDERS AND UNDINES.
• EXAMPLES OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT FROM THE BIBLE.
• THE MAGI, OR WISE MEN OF THE EAST.
• EGYPT.
• STATUE OF MEMNON.
• TEMPLE OF JUPITER AMMON: ITS ORACLES.
• CHALDEA AND BABYLON.
• ZOROASTER.
• GREECE.
• DEITIES OF GREECE.
• DEMIGODS.
• DAEDALUS.
• THE ARGONAUTS.
• MEDEA.
• CIRCE.
Lives of the Necromancers 1
Lives of the Necromancers
• ORPHEUS.
• AMPHION.
• TIRESIAS.
• ABARIS.
• PYTHAGORAS.
• EPIMENIDES.
• EMPEDOCLES.
• ARISTEAS.
• HERMOTIMUS.
• THE MOTHER OF DEMARATUS, KING OF SPARTA.
• ORACLES.
• INVASION OF XERXES INTO GREECE.
• DEMOCRITUS.
• SOCRATES.
• ROME.
• VIRGIL.
• POLYDORUS.
• DIDO.
• ROMULUS.
• NUMA.
• TULLUS HOSTILIUS.
• ACCIUS NAVIUS.
• SERVIUS TULLIUS.
• THE SORCERESS OF VIRGIL.
• CANIDIA.
• ERICHTHO.
• SERTORIUS.
• CASTING OUT DEVILS.
• SIMON MAGUS.
• ELYMAS, THE SORCERER.
• NERO.
• VESPASIAN.
• APOLLONIUS OF TYANA.
• APULEIUS.
• ALEXANDER THE PAPHLAGONIAN.
• REVOLUTION PRODUCED IN THE HISTORY OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT UPON
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY.
• MAGICAL CONSULTATIONS RESPECTING THE LIFE OF THE EMPEROR.
• HISTORY OF NECROMANCY IN THE EAST.
• GENERAL SILENCE OF THE EAST RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL NECROMANCERS.
• ROCAIL.
• HAKEM, OTHERWISE MOCANNA.
• ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS.
• PERSIAN TALES.
• STORY OF A GOULE.
Lives of the Necromancers 2
Lives of the Necromancers
• ARABIAN NIGHTS.
• RESEMBLANCE OF THE TALES OF THE EAST AND OF EUROPE.
• CAUSES OF HUMAN CREDULITY.
• DARK AGES OF EUROPE
• MERLIN.
• ST. DUNSTAN.
• COMMUNICATION OF EUROPE AND THE SARACENS
• GERBERT, POPE SILVESTER II.
• BENEDICT THE NINTH.
• GREGORY THE SEVENTH.
• DUFF, KING OF SCOTLAND.
• MACBETH.
• VIRGIL.
• ROBERT OF LINCOLN.
• MICHAEL SCOT.
• THE DEAN OF BADAJOZ.
• MIRACLE OF THE TUB OF WATER.
• INSTITUTION OF FRIARS.
• ALBERTUS MAGNUS.
• ROGER BACON.
• THOMAS AQUINAS.
• PETER OF APONO.
• ENGLISH LAW OF HIGH TREASON.
• ZIITO.
• TRANSMUTATION OF METALS.
• ARTEPHIUS.
• RAYMOND LULLI.
• ARNOLD OF VILLENEUVE.
• ENGLISH LAWS RESPECTING TRANSMUTATION.
• REVIVAL OF LETTERS.
• JOAN OF ARC.
• ELEANOR COBHAM, DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER.
• RICHARD III.
• SANGUINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WITCHCRAFT.
• SAVONAROLA.
• TRITHEMIUS.
• LUTHER.
• CORNELIUS AGRIPPA.
• FAUSTUS.
• SABELLICUS.
• PARACELSUS
• CARDAN.
• QUACKS, WHO IN COOL BLOOD UNDERTOOK TO OVERREACH MANKIND.
• BENVENUTO CELLINI.
• NOSTRADAMUS.
• DOCTOR DEE.
• EARL OF DERBY.
• KING JAMES'S VOYAGE TO NORWAY.
• JOHN FIAN.
• KING JAMES'S DEMONOLOGY.
• STATUTE, 1 JAMES I.
Lives of the Necromancers 3
Lives of the Necromancers
• FORMAN AND OTHERS.
• LATEST IDEAS OF JAMES ON THE SUBJECT.
• LANCASHIRE WITCHES.
• LADY DAVIES.
• EDWARD FAIRFAX.
• DOCTOR LAMB.
• URBAIN GRANDIER.
• ASTROLOGY.
• WILLIAM LILLY.
• MATTHEW HOPKINS.
• CROMWEL.
• DOROTHY MATELEY.
• WITCHES HANGED BY SIR MATTHEW HALE.
• WITCHCRAFT IN SWEDEN.
• WITCHCRAFT IN NEW ENGLAND.
• CONCLUSION.
• FOOTNOTES
Wendy Crockett, Carlo Traverso, Charles Franks and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team
This file was produced from images generously made available by the
Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr.
[Transcriber's Note: Footnotes have been numbered sequentially and moved to the end of the text.]
LIVES OF THE NECROMANCERS:
OR
AN ACCOUNT OF THE MOST EMINENT PERSONS IN SUCCESSIVE AGES, WHO HAVE CLAIMED
FOR THEMSELVES, OR TO WHOM HAS BEEN IMPUTED BY OTHERS,
THE
EXERCISE OF MAGICAL POWER.
BY WILLIAM GODWIN.
LONDON
Frederick J Mason, 444, West Strand
1834
PREFACE.
The main purpose of this book is to exhibit a fair delineation of the credulity of the human mind. Such an
exhibition cannot fail to be productive of the most salutary lessons.
PREFACE. 4
Lives of the Necromancers
One view of the subject will teach us a useful pride in the abundance of our faculties. Without pride man is in
reality of little value. It is pride that stimulates us to all our great undertakings. Without pride, and the secret
persuasion of extraordinary talents, what man would take up the pen with a view to produce an important
work, whether of imagination and poetry, or of profound science, or of acute and subtle reasoning and
intellectual anatomy? It is pride in this sense that makes the great general and the consummate legislator, that
animates us to tasks the most laborious, and causes us to shrink from no difficulty, and to be confounded and
overwhelmed with no obstacle that can be interposed in our path.
Nothing can be more striking than the contrast between man and the inferior animals. The latter live only for
the day, and see for the most part only what is immediately before them. But man lives in the past and the
future. He reasons upon and improves by the past; he records the acts of a long series of generations: and he
looks into future time, lays down plans which he shall be months and years in bringing to maturity, and
contrives machines and delineates systems of education and government, which may gradually add to the
accommodations of all, and raise the species generally into a nobler and more honourable character than our
ancestors were capable of sustaining.
Man looks through nature, and is able to reduce its parts into a great whole. He classes the beings which are
found in it, both animate and inanimate, delineates and describes them, investigates their properties, and
records their capacities, their good and evil qualities, their dangers and their uses.
Nor does he only see all that is; but he also images all that is not. He takes to pieces the substances that are,
and combines their parts into new arrangements. He peoples all the elements from the world of his
imagination. It is here that he is most extraordinary and wonderful. The record of what actually is, and has
happened in the series of human events, is perhaps the smallest part of human history. If we would know man
in all his subtleties, we must deviate into the world of miracles and sorcery. To know the things that are not,
and cannot be, but have been imagined and believed, is the most curious chapter in the annals of man. To
observe the actual results of these imaginary phenomena, and the crimes and cruelties they have caused us to
commit, is one of the most instructive studies in which we can possibly be engaged. It is here that man is most
astonishing, and that we contemplate with most admiration the discursive and unbounded nature of his
faculties.
But, if a recollection of the examples of the credulity of the human mind may in one view supply nourishment
to our pride, it still more obviously tends to teach us sobriety and humiliation. Man in his genuine and direct
sphere is the disciple of reason; it is by this faculty that he draws inferences, exerts his prudence, and displays
the ingenuity of machinery, and the subtlety of system both in natural and moral philosophy. Yet what so
irrational as man? Not contented with making use of the powers we possess, for the purpose of conducing to
our accommodation and well being, we with a daring spirit inquire into the invisible causes of what we see,
and people all nature with Gods “of every shape and size” and angels, with principalities and powers, with
beneficent beings who “take charge concerning us lest at any time we dash our foot against a stone,” and with
devils who are perpetually on the watch to perplex us and do us injury. And, having familiarised our minds
with the conceptions of these beings, we immediately aspire to hold communion with them. We represent to
ourselves God, as “walking in the garden with us in the cool of the day,” and teach ourselves “not to forget to
entertain strangers, lest by so doing we should repel angels unawares.”
No sooner are we, even in a slight degree, acquainted with the laws of nature, than we frame to ourselves the
idea, by the aid of some invisible ally, of suspending their operation, of calling out meteors in the sky, of
commanding storms and tempests, of arresting the motion of the heavenly bodies, of producing miraculous
cures upon the bodies of our fellow−men, or afflicting them with disease and death, of calling up the deceased
from the silence of the grave, and compelling them to disclose “the secrets of the world unknown.”
PREFACE. 5