An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

And although I am upon a serious Subject, any my design in writing these things; that is so I might bear witness against the Superstition, which some in his land of light have been found guilty of; and that (if God shall bless what has been spoken to convince ⟨p. 277⟩men of the error of their way) the like evils may no more be heard of amongst us; this notwithstanding, it may not be improper here to recite some facetious passages, which I have met with in Hemmingius his Discourse, De superstitione Magica, since they are to my present purpose, as discovering what delight the infernal Spirits take in drawing Men to make use of Superstitious means for the recovery of health unto their bodies. The Learned Author mentioned, reports, that as he was instructing his Pupils in the Art of Logic, he had occasion to recite a couple of Verses consisting of nine Hobgoblin words, Fecana, cajeti, dephenes, &c. adding by way of Joke, that those Verses would cure a Fever, if every day a piece of Bread were given to the sick person, with one of these words written upon it. A simple Fellow that stood by, thought Hemmingius had been in earnest in what he spoke, and not long after having a Servant that f•ll sick of a Fever, he gave him the first day a bit of Bread, with a Paper wherein Fecana was written, and so on for six days until he came to the word Gebali; and then on a sudden his Servant was well again. Others seeing the efficacy of the Amulet did the like, and many were cured of Fevers thereby. In the same Chapter, ⟨p. 278⟩P.908. Hemingius writeth of a knavish Scholar, that a certain Woman repairing to him for help, who was exceedingly troubled with sore eyes, promising him a good reward for his cure, the Knave, though he had no skill, yet for lucre sake, he promised to effect the cure; and in order thereto taketh a Piece of Paper, and maketh therein Characters, unto which he never saw the like before, only then devised them, and writeth in great Letters these Abominable Words, Diabolus eruat tibi oculos, & foramina stercoribus impleat. (The Papists say that their Saint Francis caused the Devil to depart out of a possessed person by using an a like brutish expression.) He folded up the Paper in a cloth, requiring the diseased party to wear it about her neck, which she did and her disease was healed.

And although I am upon a serious Subject, any my design in writing these things; that is so I might bear witness against the Superstition, which some in his land of light have been found guilty of; and that (if God shall bless what has been spoken to convince