A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so far forth as it is…A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is…

Ans. There be some kinds of predictions that are and may be lawfully used, because they are natural, of which sort are those that are made by Physicians, Mariners, and husbandmen, touching the particular alterations and dispositions of the weather; and these being agreeable to that order which God hath set in nature from the beginning; by them a man may probably gather the state of the weather, whether it will be fair or foul; and of these natural signs our Saviour Christ speaketh, not of diabolical, which have no warrant, either from the common course of nature created, or by any special appointment from God. So that whatsoever can be said in their defence, this yet remaineth certain, that the flying and noise of birds, and the state of the entrails of beasts, are no true signs ordained by God, but invented by the devil and his instruments, and therefore all divination by them is justly condemned, as wicked ⟨p. 72⟩and devilish.

Ans. There be some kinds of predictions that are and may be lawfully vsed, because they are naturall, of which sort are those that are made by Physicians, Mariners, and husbandmen, touching the particular alterations and dispositions of the weather; and these beeing agreeable to that order which God hath set in nature from the beginning; by them a man may probably gather the state of the weather, whether it will be faire or foule; and of these naturall signs our Sauiour Christ speaketh, not of diabolicall, which haue no warrant, either from the common course of nature created, or by any speciall appointment from God. So that whatsoeuer can be said in their defence, this yet remaineth certaine, that the slying and noise of birds, and the state of the intralls of beasts, are no true signes ordained by God, but inuented by the deuill and his instruments, and therefore all diuination by them is iustly condemned, as wicked ⟨p. 72⟩and deuillish.

Whence it appeareth, what judgement may be given of those common signs of Divination, which are observed in the world, specially of the more ignorant sort. For example: A man finds a piece of iron, he presently conceiveth a prediction of some good luck unto himself that day. If he light on a piece of silver, then he stands contrarily affected, imagining some evil will befall him. Again, when a man is taking his journey, if a hare cross him in the way, all is not well, his journey shall not be prosperous, it presageth some mischief towards him. Let his cares tingle or burn, he is persuaded he hath enemies abroad, and that some man either then doth, or presently will speak ill of him. If the salt fall towards a man at the table, it portendeth (in common conceit) some ill news. When a raven stands upon some high place, look what way he turns himself and cries, thence, as some think, shall shortly come a dead corps; albeit this sometime may be true by reason of the sharp sense of smelling