The xl. Chapter. 464.
Cardanus opinion of strange noises, how counterfet visions grow to be credited, of popish appeerances, of pope Boniface.
CARDANUS H. Card. lib. de var. rer. 15. ca. 92. speaking of noises, among other things, saith thus; A noise is heard in your house; it may be a mouse, a cat, or a dog among dishes; it may be a counterfet or a theefe indeed, or the fault may be in your eares. I could recite a great number of tales, how men have even forsaken their houses, bicause of such apparitions and noises: and all hath beene by meere and ranke knaverie. And wheresoever you shall heare, that there is in the night season such rumbling and fearefull noises, be you well assured that it is flat knaverie, performed by some that seemeth most to complaine, and is least mistrusted. And hereof there is a verie art, which for some respects I will not discover. The divell seeketh dailie as well as nightlie whome he may devoure, and can doo his feats as well by daie as by night, or else he is a yoong divell, and a verie bungler. But of all other couseners, these conjurors are in the highest degree, and are most worthie of death for their blasphemous impietie. But that these popish visions and conjurations used as well by papists, as by the popes themselves, were meere cousenages; and that the tales of the popes recited by Bruno and Platina, of their magicall devises, were but plaine cousenages and knaveries, may appeare by the historie of Bonifacius the eight, who used this kind of inchantment, to get away the popedome from his predecessor Cœlestinus. He counterfetted a voice through a cane reed, as though it had come from heaven, persuading him to yeeld up his authoritie of popeship, and to institute therein one Bonifacius,Pope Cœlestinus cousened of his popedome by pope Boniface. a worthier man: otherwise he threatened him with damnation. And therfore the foole yeelded it up accordinglie, to the said Bonifacius, An. 1264. of whom it was said; He came in like a fox, lived like a woolfe, and died like a dog./
465.There be innumerable examples of such visions, which when they are not detected, go for true stories: and therefore when it is answered that some are true tales and some are false, untill they be able to shew foorth before your eies one matter of truth, you may replie upon them with this distinction; to wit: Visions distinguishedvisions tried are false visions, undecided and untried are true./