Dr. Belvker's World Bewitc'd and other authors that have opposed the belief of them. London: Printed for D. Browne at the Black Swan without Temple Bar; J. Taylor at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard; R. Smith at the Angel without Temple Bar; E. Coggan in the Inner Temple Lane; and T. Browne without Temple Bar. 1705. 8vo. 7 leaves, and pp. 400.
Dedicated to John, Earl of Carbury—curious frontispiece giving representations of "an evil genius," "2 good genii," "Jews going out in the moonshine to know their fortune." Cap. i. What the ancients understood the genii that are said to attend men, to be, as to their nature and offices, ii. Concerning the genii that are ascribed to Socrates, Aristotle, Plotinus, Porphyrins, Jamblicus, Chicus, Scaliger, and Cardan, iii. What perceptions men have of genii or spirits and their operation by the sight, iv. . . . . . their operation by the sense of seeing, v. . . . . . . their operation by the sense of hearing. vi. . . . . . . their operation by the sense of hearing when others present have heard nothing. vii. . . . . . their operations by all their senses, viii. . . . . . their operation by dreams. ix. . . . . . . by magical practices. x. What may be suggested from reason concerning the existence and operations of spirits, xi. Considerations on Dr. Bekker's book against spirits.
Contains bibliographical information on the following folk-lore matters:
Vol. i. Witchcraft—Friar Rush—The ant and the nightingale—Robin Goodfellow—Sir Guy of Warwick—Sir Bevis of Hampton—Syr Degore—The squyr of lowe degre—Syr Eglamour of Artoys—Syr Tryamoure—Robin Hood—Adam Bel—Clym of the Cloughe and Wyllyam of Cloudesle—Howleglas—The Knight of the Swanne.
Vol. ii. Old songs—Rural sports—Æsop's Fables—The Golden Legend.
Vol. iii. Wedding sermons.
Vol. vi. An old sylvan charm—Parnell's hermit.
Contents: Cap. i. The first beginnings of astronomy. ii. Astronomy of the Celts' iii. Origin of the constellations. iv. The Zodiac. v. The Pleiades. vi. The nature and structure of the heavens according to the ancients. vii. The celestial harmony. viii. Astronomical systems. ix. The terrestrial world of the ancients—cosmography and geography. x. Cosmography and geography of the church. xi. Legendary worlds of the Middle Ages. xii. Eclipses and comets. xiii. The greatness and fall of astrology. xiv. Time and the calendar. xv. The end of the world.
