Reports that at petra sancta a town scituated

reports that at Petra Sancta, a Town scituated [situated] upon the territories of Pisa, viz. a wench that was
presented to Charls [Charles] King of Bohemia, who was rough and hairy all over her body, like a wild beast, whom
her mother affected with a religious kind of horrour [horror] upon the picture of John Baptist, which was by her bed, in
time of conception, afterwards brought forth after this fashion. And this we see is not only in men, but also is done
amongst bruit [brute] Creatures. So we read that Jacob the Patriarch, with his speckled Rods set in the watering places,
did discolour the Sheep of Laban. So the imaginative powers of Pea-Cocks, and other Birds, whilest they be coupling,
impress a colour upon their wings. Whence we produce white Pea-Cocks [peacocks], by hanging round the places
where they couple, with white Clothes. Now by these examples it appears how the affection of the phantasie, when it
vehemently intends it self, doth not only affect its own proper body, but also anothers. So also the desire of Witches to
hurt, doth bewitch men most perniciously with stedfast [steadfast] lookes. To these things Avicen, Aristotle, Algazel,
and Gallen assent. For it is manifest that a body may most easily be affected with the vapour of anothers diseased body,
which we plainly see in the Plague, and Leprosie [leprosy]. Again, in the vapours of the eyes there is so great a power,
that they can bewitch and infect any that are near them, as the Cockatrice, or Basilisk, killing men with their looks. And
certain women in Scythia, amongst the Illyrians, and Triballi, killed whomsoever they looked angry upon. Therefore let
no man wonder that the body, and soul of one may in like manner be affected with the mind of another, seeing the mind
is far more powerfull, strong, fervent, and more prevalent in its motion then vapours exhaling out of bodies; neither are
there wanting Mediums, by which it should work, neither is anothers body less subjected to anothers mind, then to
anothers body. Upon this account they say, that a man by him affection, and habit only, may act upon another.
Therefore Philosophers advise, that the society of evill, and mischievous men must be shunned, for their soul being full
of noxious rayes, infects them that are near with a hurtfull Contagion. On the contrary, they advise that the society of
(2 of 12) [09-11-2001 16:54:32]

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy, Book I, (part 4)
good, and fortunate men be endeavored after, because by their nearness they do us much good. For as the smell of Assa-
fetida [asafetida], or Musk, so of bad something of bad, of good something of good, is derived upon them that are nigh,
and sometimes continues a long time. Now then if the foresaid Passions have so great a power in the Phantasie, they
have certainly a greater power in the reason, in as much as the reason is more excellent then the Phantasie; and lastly,
they have much greater power in the mind; for this, when it is fixt upon God for any good with its whole intention, doth