The PREFACE
To the unprejudiced Reader.
S the fall of man made himselfe and all other creatures subject to vanity; so, by reason thereof, the most noble and excellent Arts wherewith the Rational soul was indued, are by the rusty canker of Time brought unto Corruption. For Magick it selfe, which the ancients did so divinely contemplate, is scandalized with bearing the badg of all diabolical sorceries: which Art (faith Mirandula) Pauci intelligunt, multi reprehendunt, & sicut canes ignotos semper allatrant: Few understand, many reprehend, and as dogges barke at those they know not: so doe many condemne and hate the things they understand not. Many men there are, that abhor the very name and word Magus, because of Simon Magus, who being indeed not Magus, but Goes, that is , familiar with evill Spirits, usurped that Title. But Magicke and Witchcraft are far differing Sciences; whereof Pliny being ignorant, scoffeth thereat: for Nero (saith Pliny) Plin.lib.30.
Nat.Hist. who had the most excellent Magicians of the East sent him by Tyridates king of Armenia, who held that kingdome by him, found the Art after long study and labour altogether ridiculous. Now Witchcraft and Sorcery, are workes done meerely by the devill, which with respect unto some covenant made with man, he acteth by men his instruments, to accomplish his evill ends: of these, the histories of all ages, people and countries, as also the holy Scriptures, afford us sundry examples.
But Magus is a Persian word primitively, whereby
