ne sorte of these spirits also, that
hauntes and troubles some houses or dwelling places?

EPI. There hath indeede bene an old opinion of such like thinges; For by
the _Greekes_ they were called {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} which signifieth men-woolfes.
But to tell you simplie my opinion in this, if anie such thing hath bene,
I take it to haue proceeded but of a naturall super-abundance of
Melancholie, which as wee reade, that it hath made some thinke themselues
Pitchers, and some horses, and some one kinde of beast or other: So
suppose I that it hath so viciat the imagination and memorie of some, as
_per lucida interualla_, it hath so highlie occupyed them, that they haue
thought themselues verrie Woolfes indeede at these times: and so haue
counterfeited their actiones in goeing on their handes and feete,
preassing to deuoure women and barnes, fighting and snatching with all the
towne dogges, and in vsing such like other bruitish actiones, and so to
become beastes by a strong apprehension, (M24) as _Nebucad-netzar_ was
seuen yeares: but as to their hauing and hyding of their hard & schellie
sloughes, I take that to be but eiked, by vncertaine report, the author of
all lyes.

Chap. II.

ARGVMENT.

_The description of the next two kindes of Spirites, whereof the one
followes outwardlie, the other possesses inwardlie the persones that they
trouble. That since all Prophecies and visiones are nowe ceased, all
spirites that appeares in these formes are euill._

PHILOMATHES.

Come forward now to the reste of these kindes of spirites.

EPI. As to the next two kindes, that is, either these that outwardlie
troubles and followes some persones, or else inwardlie possesses them: I
will conjoyne them in one, because aswel the causes ar alike in the
persons that they are permitted to trouble: as also the waies whereby they
may be remedied and cured.

PHI. What kinde of persones are they that vses to be so troubled?

EPI. Two kindes in speciall: Either such as being guiltie of greeuous
offences, God punishes by that horrible kinde of scourdge, or else being
persones of the beste nature peraduenture, that yee shall finde in all the
Countrie about them