cause he is called the old serpent, he was subtill at the beginning, but he is now growne much more subtill by long experience, and continuall practise, he hath searched out and knoweth all the waies that may be to deceiue. So that, if God should not chaine him up, as it is set forth, Revel. 20, his power and subtiltie ioined together would overcome and seduce the whole world.
‘There be great multitudes of infernall spirits, as the holy scriptures doe euerie where shew, but yet they doe so ioine together in one, that they be called the divell in the singular number. They doe all ioine together (as our Saviour teacheth) to uphold one kingdome. For though they cannot loue one another indeede, yet the hatred they beare against God, is as a band that doth tye them together. The holie angels are ministring spirits, sent foorth for their sakes which shall inherit the promise. They haue no bodilie shape of themselues, but to set foorth their speedinesse, the scripture applieth itselfe unto our rude capacitie, and painteth them out with wings.
‘When they are to rescue and succour the seruants of God, they can straight waie from the high heauens, which are thousands of thousands of miles distant from the earth, bee present with them. Such quicknesse is also in the diuels; for their nature being spirituall, and not loden with any heauie matter as our bodies are, doth afford unto them such a nimblenes as we cannot conceiue. By this, they flie through the world over sea and land, and espie out al aduantages and occasions to doe euill.’3
Indeed, ‘there be great multitudes of infernall spirits,’ if we can believe so eminent an authority upon the subject as Reginald Scott, who gives ‘An inuentarie of the names, shapes, powers, gouernement, and effects of diuels and spirits, of their seuerall segniories and degrees: a strange discourse woorth the reading.
‘Their first and principall King (which is of the power of the east) is called Baëll; who, when he is conjured up, appeareth with three heads; the first, like a tode; the second, like a man; the third, like a cat. He speaketh with a hoarse voice, he maketh a man go invisible, he hath under his obedience and rule sixtie and six legions of divels.’4
All the other diabolical chiefs are described at the same length, but I only give their names, and the number of legions they command.
| Agares | 31 | |
| Marbas or Barbas | 36 | |
| Amon or Aamon | 40 | |
| Barbatos | 30 | |
| Buer | 50 | |
| Gusoin | 40 | |
| Botis or Otis | 60 | |
| Bathin or Mathinn | 30 | |
| Purson or Curson | 22 | |
| Eligor or Abigor | 60 | |
| Leraie or Oray | 30 | |
| Valefar or Malefar | 10 | |
| Morax or Foraij | 36 | |
| Ipos or Ayporos | 36 | |
| Naberius or Cerberus | 19 | |
| Glasya Labolas or Caacrinolaas | 36 | |
| Zepar | 26 | |
| Bileth | 85 | |
| Sitri or Bitru | 60 | |
| Paimon | 20 | |
| Belial | none | |
| Bune | 30 | |
| Forneus | 29 | |
| Ronoue | 19 | |
| Berith | 26 | |
| Astaroth | 40 | |
| Foras or Forcas | 29 | |
| Furfur | 26 | |
| Marchosias | 30 | |
| Malphas | 40 | |
| Vepar or Separ | 29 | |
| Sabnacke or Salmac | 50 | |
| Sidonay or Asmoday | 72 | |
| Gaap or Tap | 36 | |
| Shax or Scox | 30 | |
| Procell | 48 | |
| Furcas | 20 | |
| Murmur | 30 | |
| Caim | 30 | |
| Raum or Raim | 30 | |
| Halphas | 26 | |
| Focalor | 3 | |
| Vine | none | |
| Bifrons | 26 | |
| Gamigin | 30 | |
| Zagan | 33 | |
| Orias | 30 | |
| Valac |
30
|