in few wordes that where he hath power to hurt either man or beast drinke or butter he helpeth only by giuing place and ceasing to hurt which as I shewed you before he doth most willinglie to bring to passe that men may seék to him become euen verie witches If a man be vexed tormented by a deuil men seek by fasting prayer to cast him foorth euen instantly intreating the Lord theÌ„ he goeth out with much a do and vnwillingly as ouercome expelled by the power of God But when he hurteth as you say he did the butchers sonne and they seéke to him and will followe his presciptions as to draw blood of the witch he goeth out willingly I meane he ceaseth from hurting the bodie for he goeth not out indeéde but rather goeth further in and seateth himselfe deéper in the soule And so is it in all the rest How gladlie wil he cease to hurte the hennes so that to please him a henne may be burnt aliue his helping is no more but a ceasing from doing harme if he had power giuen him to hurt Sam. This is a strange thing if it be so There be thousands in the land deceiued The woman at R. H. by report hath some weeke fourtie come vnto her and many of them not of the meaner sort But I doe but hinder I pray you go forward Dan. The deuill can deceiue thousand thousands and euen the wisest for this world when they will not be taught of God but dispise his doctrine then are they iustly giuen ouer to be disciples of the deuill M. B. If there be such deceit in all these things and that the witches do not kill nor hurt but the deuill craftilie séemeth to kill and to hurt when the diseases be naturall and maketh the witch beleeue that hee hath done all at her request Or where God hath giuen him power he stirreth her vp to send him as if either hee could not or would not meddle vnles he had bene sent Seeing all lieth vpon Satan it should seeme there is no reason that witches should be put to death but the scripture doth command they shuld be put to death Dan. The holy scriptures doe command that witches should be put to death therein you say right but if you did take it that the word of God commaundeth they shall not be suffered to liue because they kill men and beastes or because they send their spirits which possesse men and torment their bodies you are much deceiued For you shal neuer finde of all that haue bene tormented and plagued by euill spirites that the holie Ghoste layeth it vpon witches The causes why they should be put to death are that they haue familiaritie with deuils which are the blasphemous enemies of God and that they seduce the people into errour to runne after deuils and deuilish practises and that they haue such wicked minds Although they neuer minde to kill or to hurt any but to doe them good as they imagine yet if they deale with deuilles they ought to die for it M. B. Then you take it that these cunning men and women vnto whome so many runne for helpe which are thought to do very much good and no hurt at all ought to be rooted out and destroyed Let vs knowe what scripture there is for it Dan. Yea of all other they ought to die because they doe the greatest harme Other witches that haue spirites are thought to doe harm because the deuil at the appointment of God doth harme 〈◊〉 he beareth in hand hee doeth it at the request of the witch but these that seéme to doe good do harme indeéd and that many wayes as euerie one that light in him may easily seé And for the scriptureâ—s which shewe that they ought to die reade first in the 22. chapter of Exodus ver 18 and there it is said Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue M. B. That place we take to be meant of these witches which send their spirits to doe harme the other be not called witches Dan. It is that witch that is there commanded to beé put to death that is called Mecasshephah such were they and so called which before Pharaoh did withstand Moses and made in shewe rods turned into serpents So that in one kinde the Lord doeth include all such as worke by the deuill For there be diuers others sortes named in Deut. 18. and they bee all called an abhomination to the Lorde and no abhomination is to be suffered to remaine among the Lords people Also in the same place when he saith Let there not be found in theé any such or such as he there reckoneth them vp It is not alone to will that none should practize such thinges but also that they should bee rooted out M. B. I must neéds agreé vnto that which the worde of God doth set down But this is the hardest matter of al how they shall be conuicted Dan. Why doe you take it to bee the hardest matter how a witch shall be conuicted how is a theéf or a murtherer conuicted but by proofe If there be vehement suspition and the party vpon examination confesse the fact that is a sufficient proofe If the partie doe denie and two or threé of credite doe testifie vpon their knowledge with a solemne oath that he is guiltie of the fact that is also a sufficient proofe And touching this God commanded by Moses that none should dy vnlesse the matter were prooued against them by two witnesses at the least Deutronom 19. ver 15. M. B. I graunt if the partie do denie and especially if the matter touch life that there ought by the worde of God to be due proofe by two witnesses at the least This may be for murtherers this may be for theéues but for witches I seé not how They deale so secretely with their spirits that very seldome they can be conuinced by flat testimonies of men as to say directly they haue heard or seén them send their spirits And againe it is a rare thinge to haue a witch confesse For it is generallie thought the deuill hath such power ouer them that he wil not suffer them to confesse Dan. O then I perceiue why you account it the hardest matter of all to conuict a witch it both testimony and confession doe fayle but what would you haue further M. B. I haue bene of this opinion that if there were any likelihood and suspition and common fame that it was euen proofe ynough and the best deéde that could he done for to hang them vp and so to ridde the countrey of them Dan. Then you thought that their spirites were hanged with them and so the country being rid of the witches and their spirits mens bodies and their cattell should bee safe M. B. I had a little more wit than to thinke so but in trueth it was but a litle more For I thought if all the witches were hanged that then their spirits shoulde not haue anie
proofe She denieth but the things which fall out doe manifest her to be naught Dan. You must shew the things and thereby it will appeare M. B. She fell out or els at the least seémed to be displeased with one and he had an hogge died suddainlie An other thought she was displeased with him and his horse fell sicke A third could not sit vpon his stoole at worke And within nine or ten yeares space diuers others One saw the deuill bigger than a cat with great eies An other was haunted with a spirite An other brewing the drinke would not worke in the fatte An other sawe a thing in her house as big as a lambe playing in the window Another in her grieuous torment saw the woman stand by her all the night whom she suspected to bewitch her and diuers such like which were too long to recken vp If she were not a witch how should all these fall out so fit Dan. I haue shewed already that where Satan hath a witch to deale by hee bringeth it about that in all such things as he hath power giuen him of God he will seéme to do nothing but requested and sent by the witch In those things which fall out in sicknesses lamenes death vpon naturall causes he worketh in such sort as that he maketh the witch beleéue she doeth them And this hee coueteth to haue breake forth by her confession Now where he hath no witch to deale by he gaineth exceedingly if hee can worke in the minds of any a strong suspition of any man or woman For if it be once begun hee pursueth it with all his power and cunning If one bee visited with grieuous torment of sicknes and be so ignorant and voide of the faith in Gods prouidence that he imagine the deuill doeth it at the sending by a witch the deuill will delude him and make him beleéue that the witch standeth by him The man or woman suspected cannot come there Who then worketh that illusion but Satan Another is affrayde of the deuill to be sent vnto him by that partie whome he suspecteth to be a witch and thus through want of faith in God giueth the deuill the more power ouer him either to hurt or to appeare vnto him For Satan haunteth all men continuallie seéking all occasions and neédeth not to be sent by man or woman They be exceéding blind which will reason thus an euill spirit came and appeared vnto me after I had angred such a woman therfore she sent him Satan if he haue power to doe harme or knowe where somewhat will follow is hee not cunning to make the party which shall receiue the harme to fall out with some that hee may suspect and so the harme may seém to come from that partie Againe in feare in the darke men take some litle cat or dog to be an vglie deuill As not long since a rugged water Spaniell hauing a chaine came to a mans doore that had a saut Bytch and some espied him in the darke and said it was a thing as big as a colt and had eyes as great as saucers Hereupon some came to charge him and did charge him in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to tell what he was The dogge at the last told them for he spake in his language said bowgh and thereby they did know what he was If he do knowe where harmes do follow vpon naturall causes in men or beasts he laboureth either to make them offended and to fall out with the partie that is suspected or at the least to perswade thē of such displeasure conceiued that the harms may seéme to come from the same If he do torment indeéd hauing power to possesse the bodie he will not sticke to lie and to say such a woman sent him M. B. And doeth it not fall out sometimes that as he saith such a woman sent him so the woman vpon examination confesseth so much Dan. Yea but I speak where he hath no witch to deale by but pursueth the innocent with suspition vpon suspition that men may be guilty of innocent blood Hee telleth the trueth sometimes to the end hee may be credited when he doth lie For let no man be so simple as to thinke that he will euer tell trueth but for some wicked purpose M. B. Yet this of all the rest seémeth most strange vnto me how so many things should fall out as it seémeth after the displeasure of a suspected person and some of them such as apparantly are done by Satan as in drinke not working or in creame when butter will not come and yet the party suspected is not a witch Dan. Oh sir the sleights of Satan in compassing such matters be marueilous I knowe it is taken as they say to be dead sure that the party is a witch if sundry such shewes of matters do concurre But how easie a thing is it for crafty deuils to compasse such matters M. B. Then you doe not thinke that common fame is sufficient to warrant the conscience of the Iuror to condemne any Dan. Experience doeth teach howe heady much people are in iudging men or women to be witches vpon euerie surmise And the power imagined to bee in witches which breédeth a feare in many causeth them to bee credulous Many go so farre that if they can intice children to accuse their parents they thinke it a good worke M. B. You say the testimony of the deuill is not to beé taken although it be manifest that he doth many times tell the trueth because when he speaketh the trueth hee doeth it of a bad purpose And you hold it the testimony of the deuil not only which he speaketh when anie charge him but also which the cunning men women giue in as much as they can say nothing but vpon his word Moreouer vnles I mistake you the testimony of a witch in many things at her death is not as you say any other than the testimonie of the deuil because the deuill hath deceiued her and made her beleéue things which were nothing so Besides al this you wil haue likelihoods and suspitions to be of no waight nor common fame and opinion to mooue the conscience of a Iurie because Satan is exceéding subtill in all these Then how shall a Iurie finde a witch What proofes will you haue Dan. Men are vpon their oath to deale it doth touch life if they doe finde any guiltie of witchcraft This is a most waightie matter whereupon it followeth that there must be eyther due proofe by sufficient witnesses or els the confession of the witch For if the testimony be such as may be false as al that commeth from deuils is to be suspected or if it be but vpon rumors and likelihoods in which there may be exceéding sleights of Satan as for the most parte there be how can that Iury answere before God which vpon their oath are not sure but that so proceéding they may condemne
deuill wonderfull subtill Dan. He is so subtill and full of all craft and sleight that no earthly creature can escape from being seduced by him without the light of Gods heauenly word But let vs come now to the other man whom the witch confessed shee killed by her Cat. Sam. Yea that me thinketh is more than the other the woman was told by the cunning man that her husband was killed by witcherie The witch confessed so much at her death The Cat told the witch that she killed him Dan. Here be a companie of credible persons to be beleeued the cunning man saith the man was bewitched to death Who told him that Sam. His spirite that maketh the witch appeare in the glasse Dan. That same Spirite what doe you take him to be an Angell or a Deuill Sam. Some of the cunning men say they haue Moses or Elias or the Spirite of some holy man Dan. The Deuill can turne himselfe into the likenes of an Angell of light For they that doe thinke the cunning men and women deale with any other Spirite than Satan haue no vnderstanding Satan saith the man was witched to death Sam. Satan saith so he is not to bee beleéued but the witchconfesseth it was so Dan. Who told the witch Sam. Her Cat that she sent Dan. What is the Cat a deuill then remember the prouerbe aske his fellow if he be a theéfe All the matter resteth vpon the testimony of deuils and they not put to their oath Wee will not ground vpon mans testimonie without an oath and must we beleeue the bare worde of deuils Sam. Do you thinke then that the man was not killed by witcherie Dan. It may be the Lord had giuen Satan power to plague the man in his bodie and then he vnder a colour would be sent by a witch But it is most like that his bodie did languish and pine of naturall causes which the deuill did know and so would be sent and seéme to do all when as indeéd he had no power to touch him For although the Lord giue the deuill power to strike some in their bodies for their haynous sinnes yet the most which the witches thinke their spirits doe kill at their request doe die of naturall diseases Sam. Then it seémeth the witches are deceiued and mocked when he maketh them beleéue he doeth kill and plague when hee doeth not And againe in this where he hath power giuen him of God to strike man or beast hee could doe it and would without the witch and so vseth the witch for a collour to draw on worse matters Dan. I am glad you take my meaning so right for thinke deéply of the matters and you shall seé it must neéds be so Sam. I interrupted M. B. I pray you goe forward now to the rest Dan. Our matter which we come vnto nowe is the helpe and remedie that is sought for against witches at the hands of cunning men And now if it please you to propound your questions I will answere to them the best I can M. B. Nay truly I seé already all is naught but yet I will obiect those things which haue caried me awrie I take it a man is to seék remedy against euils I thought it was euen a gift that God gaue vnto those whom we cal cunning men that they did very much good by When a thing is lost when a thing is stollen many goe to them and they help them to it I did know where the Communion cup was stollen the Churchwardens rode to a wise man he gaue them direction what night and where they should stand and the party that had stollen it should come thither and confesse he had it and certainly they had it againe I did know one that had a child of fiue yeares old a gyrle it was taken piteouslie the father was in great heauinesse and knew not what to doe some gaue him counsell to goe to a woman which dwelt ten miles from him and to carie some of the clothes which the child lay in he did so the woman told him that his child was bewitched and if hee did not seéke remedie in time the childe would be lost Shee bad him take some olde clothes and let the child lie in them all night and then take and burne them and he should see by the burning for if they did burne black that shewed the child was bewitched and she said further that doubtlesse the witch would come thither he followed her aduice and sure as we be here there came an old woman in which he suspected euen while they were burning and made an errand the man made no more adoe but euen laid his clowches vpon her and clawed her vntill the blood ranne down her cheeks and the child was well within two dayes after I could tell you of a stranger thing but I haue it but by report but yet indeed by very credible report There was a butcher by his trade that had a boy to his sonne his name was Iohn grieuous sores did breake forth vpon him they laid salues and none woulde cleaue for to draw or to ease them The father making his moane to a friend of his he told him whether he should goe to a verie skilfull man he did goe and being demanded whom he suspected she was shewed him in a glasse an old woman that dwelt not farre from him in an house alone he told the cunning man that the woman had shut vp her dore was gone from home out of the shyre and so he could not tell how to come by her he told him a way how he should fetch her home Cut off the hair said he of the boyes head and put it in a cloath and burne it and I warrant you she wil come home with al the speéd she can Burne it abroade burne it not in a chimney for if you doe it will make you all affraide The man went home and did this The woman came home with all speéde came to his house came to the boy and saide Iohn scratch me hee scratched her vntil the blood followed and whereas before nothing would draw his soares they healed of themselues What should a man thinke of such things Dan. You tell of some which haue receiued help from the hands of cunning men And no doubt there may infinit examples be brought Some haue lost some haue thinges stollen from them some are vexed in their bodies They come by the things againe which were lost or stollen they are taught to doe certain things and are eased from their griefs But this we must first knowe they receiue their helpe if it deserue the name to be called help from the deuill And do you thinke a man may lawfullie seek helpe at the hands of the deuill M. B. Some are perswaded that they doe not seéke helpe at the hand of deuils when they goe to the wise men but that it is a gift which God hath giuen them euen to do good withall