Spirites oftentimes awake men out of their sléepe, and cause many to forsake their owne houses, so that they cannot hire them out to any other. Sometimes they ouerthrow somewhat, or strike men, or cast stones at them, and hurt them either in their bodies or in their goods: yea and sometime God doth suffer them to bereaue men of their liues. It often chaunceth that those mens faces and heads do swel, which haue séene or heard spirits, or haue bene blasted with them: and some are taken mad, as we sée by experience. I remember well it hath happened, that some supposing they haue séene armed men, who were ready to take them, haue therefore assaied to slaie themselues: which thing may be by craft of the diuel. Spirites do also trouble cattell in the night time, in the pastures.
Thus much concerning the first part of this worke, wherein (I trust) I haue proued, and made it euident, that albeit there be many which vainely perswade themselues they haue séene wandring spirits, or haue beheld one instéed of an other: yet notwithstanding that there are walking spirits, and that other strange things so sometime happen.
I haue also shewed vnto whome they appeare especially, and where, when, after what sort, or in what fourmes they shewe themselues, and what things they worke and bring to passe.
Whosoeuer dare flatly deny these manifold and agréeable testimonies of the olde and new writers, he séemeth vnworthie in my iudgement, of any credit, whatsoeuer he say. For as it is a great token of lightnesse, if one by and by beleeue euery man which saith, he hath seene spirits: so on the other side, it is great impudency, if a man rashly and impudently contemne all things which are aduouched, of so many, and so credible Historiographers, and auncient Fathers, and other graue men of greate authoritie.
The seconde parte of this Booke doth shewe, that those Spirits and other straunge sights, be not the soules of men, but either _good or euil Angels, or else some secret and hid operations_.
The opinion or beliefe of the Gentiles, Iewes, and Turkes, concerning the estate of Soules seperated from their bodies.
In the second part of this booke we haue to consider, what those things be which (as wee haue before shewed) are both heard and séene, in the day time and in the night, whether they be the soules of dead men or no: also what the olde writers haue iudged of them, and what the holy scriptures, do teach vs herein.