NOTICES

...his gaze upon several small children, he will not by chance fascinate The term "fascinate" here refers to the "Evil Eye," a belief that a look could transmit a curse or physical harm. or bewitch any but the one who was apparently the healthiest: Wherein this notable question is treated, namely whether this Fascination occurs or can occur by the emission or by the reception of rays from the eyes of the child or the Witch, or from both together.

In the third [chapter], concerning Touch: namely how it is possible, by striking such a small blow that a fly would hardly be frightened by it, that nevertheless the touched limb beneath—though clothed and covered—is found to be bewitched and broken in such a way that it is not only useless?, but very often the entire body remains paralyzed forever.

In the fourth, concerning Scopelism original: "Scopelisme"; a Roman law term referring to the practice of placing stones on a neighbor's field as a death threat or curse., which is a charm or Sorcery practiced in Arabia, drawn from the law "sunt quædam" regarding extraordinary crimes original: "l. sunt quædam. de extraord. criminib. D."; a reference to the Digest of Justinian, the foundation of Roman civil law., of which only a few conjectures have been given until now, some weaker, others stronger. So much so that, finding no intellect able to fully uncover it, several learned people—having been unable to find the true meaning—have maintained that this law spoke in no way of Magic or Sorcery; regarding which (maintaining the contrary) we submit ourselves to the agreement of the learned Reader.

In the fifth, Divination is discussed, and there is no kind mentioned in ancient or modern books that is not treated there and arranged alphabetically to be more easily found. The Sibyls Ancient prophetesses of the Greco-Roman world. and all the most famous ancient Diviners are also described there. And this question is treated: namely whether the "Virgilian lots" original: "sortes Virgilianæ"; the practice of seeking omens by opening a book of Virgil's poetry at random. and all other similar practices performed by opening secular books are prohibited by the Church, and how they can be made permissible. And several other rare and singular things.