the first Author and Inuenter of Magicall and curious Arts. The most
generall occurrence of opinion is, that they fetch their pedigree from
the [a]_Persians_, who searching more deeply into the secrets of Nature
then others, and not contented to bound themselues within the limits
thereof, fell foule of the Diuell, and were insnared in his nets.

[Footnote a: _Augustinus de diuinatione Dæmonum: & de Ciuitate
Dei. lib. 7. cap. 35. Plinius historia naturalis lib. 30. cap. 1._]

And among these, the publisher vnto the world was _Zoroaster_, who so
soone as he by birth[b] entred the world, contrary to the vsuall
condition of other men, laughed (whereas the beginning of our life is a
sob, the end a sigh) and this was ominous to himselfe, no warrantise for
the enioying of the pleasures of this life, ouercome in battell by
_Ninus_[c] King of the _Assirians_, and ending his dayes by the stroake
of a thunder-bolt, and could not, though a famous Sorcerer, either
fore-see, or preuent his owne destinie. And because he writ many bookes
of this damnable Art, and left them to posterity, may well be accounted
a chiefe maister of the same. But the Diuell[d] must haue the
precedencie, whose schollers both he and the rest were, who followed
treading in his steps. For he taught them South-saying, Auguration,
Necromancie, and the rest, meere delusions, aiming therein at no other
marke, then to with draw men from the true worshipping of God. And all
these pernitious practises are fast tied together by the tailes, though
their faces looke sundry wayes; and therefore the Professors thereof are
stiled by sundry names, as Magitians, Necromancers, Inchanters, Wisards,
Hagges, Fortune-tellers, Diuiners, Witches, Cunning Men, and Women, &c.
Whose Art is such a hidden mystery of[e] wickednesse, and so
vnsearchable a depth of Sathan, that neither the secrets of the one can
be discouered, nor the bottome of the other further sounded, then either