[Sidenote: After what sort spirites appeare.]
The maner of appearing of spirits, is diuers and manifold, as it appeareth by those things which I haue alleaged before. For they shewe themselues in sundry sorts: sometimes in the shape of a man whom we know, who is yet aliue, or lately departed: and otherwhile in the likenesse of one whom we know not.
I heard of a graue and wise man, which was a Magistrate in the Territorie of _Tigurie_, who affirmed, that as he and his seruant went through the pastures, in the sommer very early, he espied one whome he knew very well, wickedly defiling himselfe with a Mare, wherewith being amazed, he returned back againe, and knocked at his house, whome he supposed he had séen, and ther vnderstood for a certaintie, that he went not on foote out of his chamber yͭ morning. And in case he had not diligently searched out yͤ matter, the good & honest man had surely bin cast in prison, and put on the rack. I reherse this history for this end, that Iudges should be very circumspect in these cases, for yͤ diuell by these means doth oftentimes circumuent yͤ innocent. =Chunegunda= wife vnto =Henry= the 2. Emperour of yͭ name, was greatly suspected of adultery, and thereuppon many false rumors scattered, that she was too familiar with a certaine yoong man in the Court, for the Diuell in the likenesse of the same yoong man, was oftentimes séene come out of the Empresse Chamber. But she afterwards declared her innocencie by treading vppon hotte glowing ploughshares, (as the custome was then) without any hurting her féete, as witnesseth =Albertus Cranzius=, in his fourth booke, and first Chapter of his _Metropolis_.
We reade that many spirites haue appeared vnto certaine Hermites and Monkes in the shape of a woman, alluring and intising them to filthie lust. They appeare also in the fourme of brute beastes, sometime foure footed, as of a Dogge, a Swine, a Horsse, a Goate, a Catte, or a Hare: and sometimes of foules, and créeping wormes, as of a Crow, a night Owle, a schritch Owle, a Snake, or Dragon, whereof the Gentiles had great plentie in their Temples and houses, and nourished them, as we may reade euery where in the Poets. Spirits haue sometimes appeared in a pleasaunt fourme, and sometimes in a horrible shape. At one time some hath bene séene ryding on horsebacke, or going on foote, or crawling vppon all foure. At an other time hath appeared a man all burning in fire, or beraide with blood: and somewhile, his bowelles haue séemed to traile out, his belly being as it were ripped vp. Sometimes a shadow hath onely appeared: sometimes a hand, sometimes an instrument, as a staffe, a sworde, or some such lyke thing which the spirite helde in his hande. Sometimes he appeared in maner of a bundle of hey, burning on fire: another while onely a hoarse kinde of voyce was heard. Sometimes a spirit hath bene heard walking in the inner parte of the house, turning the leaues of a Booke, or telling money, or playing at dice, or bounsing against the wall. And sometimes there is heard a terrible noyse or clappe, as if a peale of Gunnes were discharged hard at hand. And spirits sometimes, taking a man by the arme or by the haire of the head, haue walked with them.